Iced In

These are adventurous times. Last night, with several inches of snow on the ground and an ice storm looming, we decided to make the perilous trip to my parents' house. Our gas logs weren't working, and with the threat of a power outage we thought it better to be where there was a generator, space heaters, a wood-burning fire place, lots of food, and we would be closer to Adam's work. An hour later, we made it there after passing an accident where an SUV was way off the shoulder of the freeway, in the woods where it had hit a tree facing backwards. Don't ask me how that happened.

The freezing rain started, and by 10pm we began to hear loud crashes as branches broke all over the neighborhood. Unfortunately, a rather large branch fell on my parents, old van. Luckily, their new Odyssey was safe in the garage. My dad, Jenna, and I ventured out to take a look, trying to be careful to avoid all the old trees that might have branches that could fall.

It was gorgeous and menacing at the same time, if that is possible...especially because we were due for 3 more inches of snow the next day.

This morning we woke up and got an even better picture of just how bad things are. School is cancelled for the rest of the week. So, in celebration, we took Connor out for his first try at sledding...and he loved it! We picked a path that was not underneath any trees and away we went!

Jenna had a few wipeouts.

Connor found out there was a very cool tool associated with snow...the snow shovel. He might have liked that even more than the sledding. The only shoes we brought were his slippers and we only had a 4T size snowsuit, so we rubberbanded the feet to keep the snow out (in case you were wondering why he looked like Lt. Dan).

Even when he got a little bit of snow in his eyes, he was still a good sport and wanted to go right back up the hill again.

And, my parents are in the minority that still has power, so we'll probably just stay holed up here tonight, and eat scones and play Wii, hoping for better weather tomorrow.

"Not Me" Monday

An idea from a friend...

• I did NOT purposely not do the dishes because I knew my husband would do them when he got home.
• And of course I did NOT snatch the bread tray out of the deacon's hand because I was mad at my child for being so loud in church.
• And I would NEVER ignore both the first and the second friend requests on Facebook from someone I barely knew in high school...that would be heartless.
• I did NOT lie to my child and say we did not have any suckers...just cause I didn't want to clean it up.
• I was NOT the person who used up the toilet paper without replacing the roll.
• I would NEVER let my child watch 3 movies in one day...just to have some time to actually get something accomplished.

I would never do those things, because I am a perfect wife and mother. Of course.

Photo Tag

I am supposed to post the 6th picture from the 6th folder of my pictures. Well...odds are it was going to be this.

Connor. We have about a thousand million bizillion pictures of our little boy. He loved to play with our laundry basket, and really still does. He thought it was so cool to tip it over, and then if we put it on his head he would laugh and laugh...until he realized it was a little too awkward to get off on his own. These days, he likes to use it as a basketball goal and throw his blocks into it. (If it is unfortunately not present, he'll just chuck them across the room as hard as he can.) It also functions well as a racecar to zip across the carpet with him inside. He loves to go fast. We're still a little worried about the chair that can go 5 mph, but I guess we'll just take it as it comes.

Oh, so I guess I'm supposed to tag 6 people. Hmmm...Lynnie, Megan L., Laura, Erin, Stephanie, and Jill.

The "Large Equipment" Mechanics

Ever since we got our new crib, Connor has been really into "fixing" things. The crib came with this little monkey wrench, and C carried it around with him everywhere for a week. For Christmas Santa brought him a "real" tool set, and he loves it. It came with this sweet tool belt that he likes to wear around. Whenever he sees Adam fixing something, he says he needs his screwdriver and proceeds to poke in the middle of whatever his dad is doing with his tools. Then, the other day he was being too quiet in his room...you know, the too quiet where you know they are probably into some type of trouble. So I go in there, and this is what I see.

He was silently working and totally absorbed. So when I ask what he's doing, he tells me his firetruck was broken, and so of course he is fixing it.

Sure love that kid. And if he really had those skills I could have used him when earlier this week I ran over something in the road that ripped a hole down the side of my tire. Luckily, a real "large equipment mechanic" that works for the state of Kentucky stopped with his "cool" truck with flashing lights (according to C), and got us back on the road in no time. I could have changed it myself, but it was FREEZING outside, and I had no gloves/scarf/hat and a very thin jacket. Normally I would have been freaked out at a stranger stopping, but he did have a state vehicle with the seal and everything, and was obviously doing his best to make me recognize he wasn't creepy. He told me about his kids and that he lived in Waddy (a real town name) and that he'd want somebody to stop and help his wife if they were stuck on the side of the road in 15 degree weather. As I drove away, I saw him stopping again to help another car further down the road that obviously hit the same thing I did.

When we got back on our way I called Adam again to tell him what happened. (He would have come to help, but he was 30 minutes away and I knew he was having a very busy day at work so I convinced him I could do it myself.) He said he was glad I got help and that he had said a prayer for me. I'm pretty grateful that there are still good people in this world, and that God sends them your way when you need them.

KAFOs & IKEA

Monday we took a little trip up to Cincinnati, to "The Brace Shop." Connor is in desperate need of knew KAFOs, or Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthoses. (Aren't you impressed with my new vocab words?) Basically, they are the full-leg braces with the bar up the sides that allow him to lock his knees back to walk in the walker.

The last time we were at the orthotist here in Louisville, they said the ones he has now (that we got just in April and cost $4000) would maybe last until December or January. He has to walk once or twice a day in them for about an hour, so we really need braces that work. Yesterday I noticed he was starting to get some pretty bad red marks at his knees and upper thighs, so the sooner the better.

We went to The Brace Shop because our neurologist wrote a prescription for a special new type of braces they do there. The orthotist from there went to England and trained with the doctors who created these. They have a little "shelf" in the back that goes under his bottom, so that he can have more stability when he walks and maybe even stand independent of the walker! They also have a hinge at the knee, instead of these horrible 3-strap leather things we have now that totally do not work. And if that all wasn't enough, the plastic has these pictures of trains, planes, cars and trucks on it. I am sooo excited!! No really, I am. These things are a part of our life now and it is so great to hope we'll have something that works even better.

So Connor got casted for the braces, and in 3 weeks we will go back for a fitting and then we get to take them home. Then we'll go back up and have training with the Cincinnati Children's PT on the braces, and see how they help.

So while we were in Cincy, we decided to visit the IKEA. Oh my word, I love that store. I think they should have an income limit, and if you're household income isn't at least $X you should not be allowed in the store because it is pretty much guaranteed you're going to spend way too much. I will say though, that I actually did pretty good. I am the proud new owner of a new set of children's dishes (plates, cups, bowls, and silverware), cutting boards, and a mortar and pestle (thanks, Mom). But...I think we'll be going back again soon.

How BYU Are You?

The other night, I was having these dreams of my BYU days. It was really weird cause I was back at BYU, but somehow also married...and yet Adam didn't live with me. Only in a dream.

Anyway, then my awesome cousin, Merry, had this on her blog, so I thought I'd fill it out. And, I expect all my friends who ever went to BYU, BYU-I/Ricks, or even lived in Provo to fill this out.

77 questions.

[X] You have been kissed at lease once
[_] Your first kiss was on campus
[X] You’ve had a boyfriend/girlfriend
[X] You lived in the dorms your freshman year
[X] You went to Homecoming or Preference
[X] You hiked the Y
[_] You’ve taken a social dance class
[X] You regularly attended FHE for at least a semester
[X] You’ve participated in Choose to Give
[_] You’ve been to Liberty Square for a party at least once
[X] You’ve driven around south of campus for at least 20 minutes trying to find a parking spot[X] You know the cougar fight song
[X] You’ve crossed the crosswalk without using the flags or biked through a red light
[_] You’ve been to Friday Night Live
[X] You’ve performed or witnessed an act that made it onto Police Beat
[_] You’ve been on a “date” to the bell tower or duck pond
[X] You’ve been to the Bean Museum for FHE
[X] You’ve been to Divine Comedy
[X] You’ve been to International Cinema
[_] You are engaged
[X] You are married
[X] …in the temple
[_] You were previously engaged/married
[X] You have kids or are expecting kids
[X] Your birth parents are still married
[X] …in the temple
[X] You have at least three siblings
[X] You’ve taken a marriage prep or relations class
[X] You’ve taken at least one religion class that is not based on the scriptures
[X] You have slept on a couch in a restroom
[X] You have been to the BYU Creamery
[X] You have been in one of the BYU choirs
[_] You’ve been on a date to Fat Cats
[X] You have read Twilight
[X] …book 2
[X] …book 3
[X] …book 4
[X] …seen the movie
[_] …more than once
[_] You’ve waited in line at the Bookstore for the Harry Potter or Twilight book premiere
[X] You have seen The Singles Ward or Sons of Provo
[X] You have walked out of a movie you found morally reprehensible
[_] You know where the “chastity line” is
[X] You can finish the phrase “Nothing good happens after ______”
[X] You read the Daily Universe at least 3x a week
[X] …and it’s the only newspaper you read
[X] You’ve personally known someone who was reported to the Honor Code Office
[_] You’ve participated in or watched a Mr. BYU contest
[X] You’ve received personal revelation that he/she is “the one” (or been told this)
[X] …and told him/her about your revelation (or been told this)
[_] …and then they rejected you (or rejected them)
[_] You’ve been to the Nickelcade
[_] You’ve been to Classic Skating
[X] You’ve ignored your parents’ phone calls for at least 3 days
[_] …and then they called the University Police
[_] You’ve been pulled over by the University Police
[X] You watch The Office religiously
[X] You mostly wear jeans and t-shirts or plain fitted shirts
[X] You own at least 3 things from American Eagle or Hollister
[_] Your sacrament meeting is a fashion show/scam session
[X] You’ve been on a date to the Provo River

You’ve kissed in a…
[_] …campus parking lot
[_] …Provo Canyon or Squaw Peak
[_] …on temple grounds
[_] …on a couch as soon as your roommates left the room
[_] You think UVU is not a real university
[_] You hate U of U with a passion

FOR GIRLS (don’t answer if you’re a guy)
[X] You own knee-length shorts
[X] You regularly wear camisoles/undershirts for modesty reasons
[X] You are a MFHD, RMYL, Elementary Education, or Exercise Science Major
[X] Your major crush ended up dating a MFHD, RMYL, Elementary Education, or Exercise Science major
[X] You have had at least one roommate who is in hair or dental school
[X] You own The Italian Job or The Princess Bride
[X] You wear makeup at least 3x a week
[X] You do something with your hair (other than brush it/ponytail) at least 3x a week
[_] You went or plan on going on a mission
[_] …because you couldn’t get married

FOR GUYS (don’t answer if you’re a girl)
[_] You shave every (or almost every) morning
[_] You know when your hair is “too long”
[_] You know what the “divide by 2 and add 7″ dating rule is
[_] …and you follow it
[_] You’ve dated freshmen girls as a RM
[_] …when you already knew better
[_] You’ve used the phrase “On my mission…” to a girl
[_] At least 3 girls have baked cookies or meals for you
[_] You went or plan on going on a mission
[_] …because you wanted to get married

TOTAL: 51

A: 68-77
B: 60-67
C: 53-66
D: 45-52
F: 44 or below

Wow. I guess I should have kissed more people someplace on campus. Ha! No thanks!

The Sports Widow's Log

A few of Adam's friends' wives and I sometimes joke that we're sports widows. Except for us, our husbands pretty much live and breathe sports, and it is all they talk about when they get together. This year, I was privileged enough to actually be the one invited when Adam got two tickets to the University of Louisville (UofL) vs. University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) game on New Year's Eve. I had a great time, but I realized along the way that the experience was a little different for each of us...

Adam wanted to rush to our seats to see his favorite part--when they introduce the players.

I am completely focused on reaching the bathroom. I had a baby and now when I gotta go, I gotta go.

Adam notices how many Louisville fans are there for the sold out game.

I notice how funny the people look who are dressed in tuxedos and evening gowns--obviously going out after the game. But seriously, wearing heels in bleachers is asking for trouble.

Adam is already angry at Louisville who is already behind when we get to our seats.

I am THRILLED with our seats--5 rows from the floor!! I can yell at T-Will and he'll hear me! I can see the sweat on Rick Pitino's face and actually hear him yelling.

Adam yells at the refs for totally missing the fact that T-Will got fouled about 3 times on one lay-up.

I notice the ref is wearing pants with 4 (count em...4) pleats on EACH SIDE! Where could you even find pants like that? Uh, the 80s called. They want their pants back.

Adam tries to get up on a chair to wave his arms during UNLVs free throws (since we were behind the basket).

I wave my arms like a mad woman to join in, and Adam (lovingly) tells me I'm a dork. Little does he know I considered lifting my shirt up to fake-flash them....cause I had two shirts on underneath. I hope my mom's not reading this.

Adam gets excited by how loud everyone cheers when T-Will raises his arms up to get the crowd going after they take foul shots.

I am totally preoccupied by the peculiar woman seated beside me. During each foul shot, she rubs her hands together as if making a fire, and then does this whip up thing with her right arm and holds the Louisville "L" in the air. If they make the shot, she makes a swishing motion with her hand. And her face is completely blank, as if all her weird hand motions are as everyday as breathing.

Adam starts making a "T" sign with his hands and pointing it at the UNLV bench, along with the rest of the crowd.

I am completely befuddled as to why everyone is motioning for a timeout when UNLV has clearly already taken one. Turns out the "T" is for technical for their potty-mouth coach. Ahhhh.

Adam is heartbroken when his team loses by one point.

I cheer him up the next day, by finding his picture on the front page of the Courier-Journal Sports section. It's up top--follow the player number zero's waistline to the right and about halfway between the player and the edge of the picture is Adam's face. Black jacket with a red shirt.

We really did have a great time. A wise woman (Vicki O'Brien) once told me you can find much happiness if you learn to love what your husband loves, and I do. Anyone who has known me for awhile knows that a lot of those sports words never used to be in my vocabulary. I really do love Louisville sports...in fact, as I write this I am hanging out in a Louisville long-sleeve T. And, believe it or not, I love that Adam loves it...especially when I am very secure in the knowledge that as much as Louisville sports is his passion, he loves me just a little bit more.