The Meeker Family

Tess plays the harp.

2012-01-24T20:40:00.002-07:00

It's cool to be able to finally say that.

We've only been talking about it for 2 years now.

But we moved to Idaho as you may recall.

And then we remodeled a house.

And the timing never seemed quite right.

Until a few months ago when we finally got serious about the idea.

And then, bam!

The harp and harp teacher fell right into our laps.

I think this is one idea the Lord is very much on board with.

He certainly made it easy on us.

You see, we've been praying to find something that Tess could call her own.

Something that would help her feel special.

I think this may just be the thing- she was positively floating by the end of the lesson.

And I'm pretty excited too.

Who wouldn't want harp music filling their home everyday?

I think this may be the start of something beautiful.

Week in Review

2012-01-23T22:37:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday we took the kids to see Hugo in 3D.

Nate and I agreed it was the most visually stunning movie we had ever seen.

About 40 min into it,Tess leaned over to me and whispered,

"This is the longest preview ever. When is Puss in Boots going to start?"

I giggled for the rest of the movie.

For Sunday dinner I made:

Flank Steak in Ginger Jalapeno Marinade

Cream of Asparagus Soup (which elicited a kiss on the cheek from Tess)

Whole Wheat bread

Apple and Endive Salad

All from the Horsley family cookbook.

It didn't taste near as good as Mom's.

And I was too exhausted to make dessert.

But I'll keep working on it.

Someday, someday...

After dinner, Nate gave Tess, Will and Nora their piano lessons.

And David his electric guitar lesson.

Because David's not really a classical music kind of guy.

Then with his guitar out, Nate serenaded me with an upbeat version of Barry Manilow's Can't Smile Without You.

I love it when he does that.

Monday (MLK Day) was declared a Pajama Day at our house.

My favorite kind of day!

I tried to help David clean his room.

We weren't getting anywhere.

He was determined to hang on to every candy wrapper, broken lego and even the 3 day old milk sitting on his bedside table.

I resorted to showing him pictures of hoarders' houses.
Like this:

After this visual demonstration, we were able to whip David's room into shape.

He started saying things like,"Oh mom, I can breathe so much better in here now."
We even took an hour to organize his legos.

(Now how long do you think that's going to last?)

On Tuesday, the kids spent lots of time playing with the newly organized legos.

Except for Will who did lots of this for a change:

Wednesday: Nate and I (but mostly Nate) taught swing dancing to the youth in our ward.

Thursday: I had a 2 hour religious discussion with 2 Catholic friends. I found it invigorating. And vowed to do it more often.

It was a post- call Friday for Nate.

Which means that he didn't have to work.
The two of us had eggs benedict at Goldy's and then hit the slopes.
We have exactly one ski resort in Boise- Bogus Basin.

It finally opened for the season on Jan 19th- the latest opening in the history of the resort.
We were anxious to get up there. And it was a beautiful day.
We got in a total of 4 runs before needing to get home to the kids, but we have decided that this is our new winter Post Call Friday tradition.

On Saturday, we went skiing again.

This time with the kids in tow.

It took us 6, yes s-i-x, hours to make sure all the kids had ski gear, buy/rent what we didn't have, get season pass pictures taken, and get everyone dressed and ready.

We made it to the resort just in time for the afternoon blizzard.
And we forgot to feed the kids lunch.
And also, we (and by we I mean Nate) accidentally put Will's ski boots on the wrong feet.
(But it turns out that he is a total animal on the hill regardless.)

Despite the setbacks, we had a pretty great time.
Until we didn't.
And then we went and got 1 lb greasy cheeseburgers.

Which kind of makes me sick just thinking about it.

And that wraps up a week in the life of the Meekers.

---------------------------------------------

Now good people, please take a moment to pray for sweet Jack who will be having heart surgery on Wed.
Jack was born with Down's Syndrome to Chad and Jamie (my step-cousins...or something like that).
Read about their sweet family on Jamie's blog here.
Read this post and you will be crying for days.

And visit Jamie's design blog here.
There is no home improvement project this girl won't tackle.
She's completely fearless.
And...she's hilarious.

The world we've created for our children and Will loses his first tooth.

2012-01-15T06:26:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday I helped out in the childrens' classrooms at the school.

Two things to note:

1. They had a "Lock Down Drill."

Not to be confused with your average fire drill.

A lock down drill is when you practice what to do should an armed lunatic come onto school property.

Lock the door from inside the classroom. Turn off the lights. Get under your desks. Make sure you can't be seen from the window in the door.

Seriously?

This is what our world has come to.

I felt a moment of true panic as I crouched underneath the table alongside the students.

What if this were really happening?

I can't believe my 6 year-olds have to practice this.

And yet, I'm grateful that they do.

On a lighter note...

2. Will lost his first tooth.

Up until that point he hadn't let us near it.

I had no idea it was so loose, until I happened to notice it hanging forward in his mouth at a 90 degree angle.

"Will we need to pull that tooth or you might swallow it during lunch."

He reluctantly opened his mouth.

After all, the tooth fairy won't come unless you have an actual tooth to put under your pillow.

Later that night, I asked Nate to get some pictures to record the occasion.

The next day I found these beauties on the camera:

Wow. Thanks babe. Those are...um....really great.

It's a cryin' shame you chose medicine as a profession instead of photography.

Thanksgiving

2012-01-12T19:52:00.000-07:00

I know...Thanksgiving is so...so... 2011.

But it was a very memorable one and I must document it.

A few things to note about this picture:

1. It is about 2:00 in the afternoon.

2. David is already in his pajamas.

3. David did wear his Thanksgiving outfit for a full hour during the meal thereby honoring our agreement.

4. This was the last time I saw my cute Grandma.

Rhoda Cutler Wiscomb

1922-2011

Much of who I am is shaped by my grandma.

She was the embodiment of grace.

Even on her death bed, she offered ice chips (the one thing she could eat) to all who came to visit.

I'm happy for her to be well again.

And Grandma- I expect a killer Welcome Home Party when I join you.

With fine china, place cards and aspic.

(And yes Grams, I really like the aspic.)

And now, some important Thanksgiving information:

This year I will blog more.

2012-01-12T11:10:00.000-07:00

Or at least that's my goal.

Once per week people.

I know, I know- I already missed the first week.

But we were out of town, so that's a pretty good excuse.

Jan 1st started off here:

And then we went here:

Yep, 2012 is off to a fantastic start.

Happy New Year's everyone!

Happy Birthday Mom

2011-09-23T23:40:00.006-06:00

1991

There is approx. 1 hour left on this, the day of my mother's birth.
But I couldn't let it pass without publicly thanking this good woman...

For giving me life.

For giving me 6 siblings whom I adore.

For supporting me in every dance performance (hundreds).

For staying up all those late nights to: sew my halloween costumes/prom dresses, type my papers (on a typewriter no less), or just talk.

I recently came across this quote and instantly thought of my mother:

"Whenever...temptations became most alluring and most tempting to me, the first thought that arose in my soul was this: Remember the love of your mother. Remember how she strove for your welfare. Remember how willing she was to sacrifice her life for your good. Remember what she taught you in your childhood...This feeling toward my mother became a defense, a barrier between me and temptation."

-Joseph F. Smith

This is the kind of mother she was.

Her goodness and sacrifice safeguarded me throughout my life.

Never underestimate the power of a righteous mother!

Thanks mom...

for everything!

All my love,

Erin

First broken bone...

2011-09-12T13:38:00.009-06:00

...and it's not David, if you can believe it.

Cute Will broke his collarbone on Friday.

(I started writing this 2 weeks ago.)

He collided with another child while running at recess and fell on it wrong.

Nate was off work (three cheers for post-call Fridays!) so it was good timing if it had to happen, I suppose.

Although it did interrupt our day-long date to Goldy's (awesome breakfast!) and then Art in the Park (Boise's yearly art festival).

(Have I mentioned that life is pretty sweet with all kids in full day school?)

(I know what you're thinking...perhaps she should use a few more (parentheses) in this post. No problem.)

Notice how his right shoulder slopes at a not-so-natural angle...ouch!

Will has proven to be one tough cookie through the whole ordeal.

(One of the notable perks of being David's little brother.)

He's complained very little.

Here he is smiling for his x-rays.

And voila...

I texted my family from the E.R. and all the women replied "Oh no!!" (with 2 exclamation points) except for Dori who replied "Oh no!!!" (with 3 exclamation points).

It is clear to see who the most concerned sister was.

My brother Wyatt's response had me giggling:

"Running is too dangerous.
He should be hanging out on the roof more.
Nobody ever got hurt doing that."

Ahhh- I love my family.

Luckily the E.R. visit didn't take too long.
We were still able to get to Sun Valley on time for the opening dinner of Nate's work conference.
We spent a relaxing weekend there.
I, of course, have no pictures of Sun Valley.
Because I'm awesome like that.
But here are some pics of our journey home.
We took the scenic route.

Overlooking the Sawtooth Mountain range.

Getting in touch with our tribal roots.
Wait, where's Nora?

Oh that's right. There she is.

Redfish Lake.
This place is gorgeous.
In this picture, Nate is trying to decide where he will dock his boat (that we don't have yet) next time we come up.

He came to the dinner table last night and asked,
"Kids- would you rather go to college or get a boat?"
The decision was unanimous.
We'll start looking at boats this evening.

These pictures are totally undoctored.
Idaho really is just that beautiful.

It's actually not that funny.

2011-09-07T12:44:00.006-06:00

Last night while I was at the church, Nate texted me this picture:

At first I wasn't sure what is was.
Was there an animal on our roof?

So I blew it up.
And OMGosh- there is my 6 year old son sitting on top of the roof.
Our 40 foot high roof with 10/12 pitch, to be clear.
(Go right ahead and start judging our parenting skills. I don't blame you.)
I quickly texted back:
What the h?
Which probably wasn't very appropriate for the church, but hey, I was typing as fast as I was thinking.

Apparently a good-hearted neighbor had seen David climbing out the dormer window and scrambling up the roof.
He quickly called Nate and said,
"Are you home? You're going to want to come outside immediately."
Nate ran out the door, looked in the direction of the pointing neighbor, gasped, told David to "hold still" (mostly so that he could get a picture), and then went and stood below the roof, and told David to "come down very slowly," which he did, crab-walk style. Luckily no one was hurt.

When I got home I went straight to David's room.
He wasn't really in the mood to talk.
But I got a few things out of him.
Why did you go out on the roof Davey?
-Jeesh, I just like view.
Do you know how dangerous that is? You could get really hurt or even die if you were to fall.
-Mom, you only fall if you get really close to the edge.
That's not true David. The roof is really steep. All it takes is one slip and you will fall all the way down.
-Mom, you just have to keep your hands dry.
(What??)

Look David- you've worn out the bum in your new pajama pants from sliding on the shingles.
(I thought this would really upset him because he has a slight obsession with PJ pants, and this pair happened to be new.)
And then I noticed it.
Another pair of pajama pants lying on his bedroom floor that also had a thread-bare bum.

(This is where things got a little more serious.)

David, how many times have you climbed the roof?
-I don't know Mom.
Did you do it before today?
-Yes.
Have you done it more than 2 times?
-Yes.
Like a lot of times?
-Yes.
(In tears now) David, do you have any idea how sad we would be if anything happened to you?? You have to promise me that you will never do this again.
I promise Mom.
No, I need to hear you say these words: "I promise I will never climb the roof again."

He said it.
And then I loved on him, said a prayer over him and sang him a song goodnight.
Well wait- he wouldn't let me sing the song. But I did get 2 kisses.
But only after I scratched his back for awhile.

Nate laughs when recounting this story, but I'm not quite there yet.
I spent hours lying in bed last night, wondering what else David was doing, unbeknownst to us, that might be putting his life in danger on a daily basis.
I probably don't even want to know.
He must have one very busy guardian angel.
I sent a hundred prayers up to heaven, thanking God for keeping our little guy safe.
And a thousand more, pleading with Him to continue to do so.

If I'm gray in the next couple of years, you'll know why.

Today is the day I will post about the Remodel

2011-05-19T15:00:00.017-06:00

My family has threatened to disown me for not doing this earlier.
But today is the day.
The sky is blue.
The earth is green and glistening from the recent rainfall.
Everything smells fresh.
Today is a beautiful day in Boise.

The journey of the house...

Untouched- Sept 2010

Demolition Day- Oct 18, 2010

Goodbye roof

This was such a strange feeling- to be standing in my house that was open to the sky

The kids loved watching all the trucks and cranes.

2nd story added and the rebuilding of the roof:

Trying to weather-proof.

Alas, that did not go well, resulting in damaged carpet and hardwood floors everywhere in the house.

Stupid dark, menacing clouds. Stupid rain.

Some inside shots:

Front door and staircase

Upstairs bedroom. Actually this is our guest bedroom with a cute dormer window.

Enticing eh?

Well, get your bums up here then.

Working through the winter.

This was a cold day in January.

I felt so bad for the builders.

I didn't even mind that they built themselves a fire right there on my front lawn.

The kids didn't mind so much either.

Now to the details. This is where is gets fun.

Cedar shingles
Mmmm- I love the smell of cedar.

Barrel-roll ceiling over the entry

Rock and front steps

Front door.

Confession: I am a little obsessed with my front door.

I found the piece of leaded glass on ebay.

The moment I saw it I knew it had to be in my front door.

To me, the design looks like paper dolls holding hands.

It says:

"Come on in.

In this house you are always welcome.

You are always a friend."

Can you hear it?

The "M"- a little joke from our builders

It stayed up there for a couple days until they were able to come back.

I'm sure the neighbors thought we were total weirdos.

The herringbone brick inlays

A couple shots of the inside.

Disclaimer: it still needs paint, trim, light fixtures, decor, etc.

But at least you can get a sense of some of our living space.

Main living area

Front entry and staircase

Pictures from this morning.

Unfortunately, they aren't "after" pictures.

We aren't there quite yet.

(The cedar shingles will be stained charcoal gray. Trim will be white.)

The view as you drive up to the house.

My favorite.

We may just ask the builders to leave the port-a-potty when they're done.

What would the kids do without their outdoor bathroom?

They don't even have to interrupt their play long enough to come inside.

Such a sweet set-up.

From the BLM land next to our house:

Tree-lined

Excuse me- the kids just walked into the house carrying 2 dogs that I have never seen before.

Okay, I'm back.

One of the benefits of living out on a secluded ridge in Idaho is that there are animals everywhere.

Bunnies, squirrels, deer, hawks, dogs, cats.

The kids are in heaven.

I don't mind so much except for the mice.

And that's all I'm going to say about that.

From the carport:
Now on to the views:

A little peak from our corner of the world.

Columbia Village neighborhood

The view a mere 30 feet from our front door.

Same spot. Different angle.

Oh and incidentally, Nate and I had our weekly lunch date today and found a quaint little restaurant with the same name (Fork) as my favorite little restaurant in Philly.

It's like we were meant to find each other.

And the food was spectacular.

It's on the corner of 8th and Idaho.
Fam- when you come to Boise we will definitely have to hit 8th street.
Far and away our favorite little slice of Bo-Do (Boise Downtown).
Sidewalk cafes, boutiques, a farmer's market on the weekends.
So so charming.

Whoa- this may just be the longest post ever.
But now you can all get off my back :)

Making Me Laugh

2011-05-14T21:44:00.004-06:00

Last night before bed, I was reading the Book of Mormon with the kids.

(Nate is out of town on a biking trip.)

We were in the book of Alma where Captain Moroni’s army has the Lamanites surrounded and Moroni stops the fighting to give them a chance to surrender peacefully. We stopped abruptly at this point and I told them it was getting late and they would have to see what happens tomorrow.

(We try to end each reading session with a cliffhanger in hopes that the kids will be excited to get back to it the next day. That’s good parenting right there.)

David: But Mom, we have to keep going. I want to see if the Lamanites all get dead.
Me: Well, I’ll read you the end of the story tomorrow. Won’t that be exciting?
David: But what if a robber gets into our house tonight and kills you?
I was laughing too hard to respond.

Nora: Mom, how do know what it is saying?
Me: Well, I’ve read the Book of Mormon enough to understand the language of the scriptures.
Nora: But Mom, those words don’t make sense…Anyways, are they real words?

Then on to prayers…

Will: Please bless Wyatt and Chelsea’s babies that they won’t have any weakness…only strongness.

Tess: Please bless Dad on his bike trip. Help him to not get any more scrapes, because those pictures with all the blood are gross. And help him to not break any bones. But if he does, please help him to choose a tie-dye cast.

Some totally random pictures that also make me laugh:

Snaggle-tooth Tess

Will refusing to wear his baseball hat any way but normal.

Winter hot-tubbing with cousin Tate

Notice how pleased Tess is with her creation and how unenthused Nora is about it.

:

A normal interaction between Nate and David.

(We are at Crater Lake National Park in Oregon.)

one five

2011-02-16T18:16:00.003-07:00

I love this shot of Nathan. I'm pretty sure that if I had just taken it from a different angle, we could have seen some pretty sweet crack action.

His name is Nathan.
Most people call him Nate.
At work, he's known as "Dr. McDreamy." (That is a true story.)
What do I call him?
"Nathe."
With an h.
Because I believe that every person should have a name for their love that only they get to use.

Nathe calls me "Er."
As in "air."
As in "you are the very air [Er] I breathe."
He's so romantic, that Nathe.

At a luau in 99.

When I was little I had this grand idea of what it would be like when I first met my future husband.
We would see each other from across the room and then...
Everything would freeze.
The orchestra would start playing.
And we'd gaze knowingly, longingly into each other's eyes.

I'm happy to report that that's exactly the way it happened.
At least for me.
Nate didn't really even notice me. (Even though we were paired as dance partners 2 min later.)
He certainly wasn't interested.
He was a 26 year old Phd student.
I was an 18 year old wide-eyed Freshman.
He thought I looked 13. (He was right.)
I thought he looked perfect: tan skin, dark hair, blue eyes
He preferred brunettes, and I was blond.
Thank goodness fate forced us together for a 6-week tour to China so that he could come to realize how smart, spiritual and ultra-deep I am.

Horseback riding in 2000

The way Nate tells it, I tricked him into marrying me.
Apparently, I booked the temple/reception center and gave him a deadline for proposing.
That may or may not have happened.
(Hey, I know how to get what I want.)

Feb 16, 1996
"The waist lines have grown a few inches (unfortunately) and Nate's hair has shrunk a few inches (thankfully).

Dear Nathe,
I think you are really handsome.
And the most amazing father to our children.
And you're great at fixing things (which is really handy).
And you're pretty much the most intelligent person I've ever met.
Basically, you're my favorite.
Happy 15th.
Let's make it eternity.
I love you,
your Er (air)

Loud and Proud

2011-02-03T21:34:00.006-07:00

Behold the cuteness of my children.
Normally I'm not a huge fan of the school pictures.
This year, they were stinkin cute.

My children have forgotten how to speak.

At least at normal decibels.

They prefer to shout everything.

Just to be sure they are heard.

A recent conversation on the way to school:

Will: Mom, is Santa real?

Me: What do you think?

Will: Yep, definitely real. I saw him once! Mom, why did God make reindeer fly?

Me: Why do you think?

Will: So that they could pull Santa's sleigh. Mom, why did God make Rudolph's nose red?

Me: Why do you think? (Sensing a pattern?...my little tactic for answering questions that I don't want to answer directly. This way the kiddos can never claim that I outwardly lied to them. That's good parenting right there.)

Will: Mom, it's so that he can light the way for Santa's sleigh! You didn't even know that!

(Silly me.)

David: Ahhhh, there's a kidnapper!!

Me: David, I'm pretty sure that's just a normal man walking down the street in a hoodie.

David: Nope Mom, he's definitely a robber or a boogalar.

Me: Or... he's just a nice man that's cold and put on his hood. But you bring up a good point. You never know who the bad guys are, so you always have to be careful.

David: Nope Mom, I can tell, that's for sure a boogalar!

Nora: (singing at the top of her lungs in full vibrato)...Last Christmas I gave you my heart, but the very next day, you gave it away. This year... (stopping suddenly) Mom, don't you just love that song??

Me: Well, it's quite possibly the stupidest Christmas song ever written...but when you sing it Nora, it's pure magic.

Nora: I know! It's so beautiful!!

Me: It's like a dream come true.

Nora: This year to save me from tears, I'll give it to someone special, special...Last Christmas I gave you my heart...

David: Do you think that boogalar is going to our apartment??

Will: He better not take the Wii or I will be SO mad!

At this point I'm thinking that I may literally be going deaf in my right ear. For the love, can we just get to school already so that I can have my 2.75 hours of quiet time??

Me: (pulling up to the drop off zone) Okay doodles, we're here. Be good in school okay. David- listen to Mrs. Taylor and sit still on the carpet. Will- let me wipe the jam off your face. Nora- don't forget your backpack. Okay guys, I'll see you in a few hours.

Will: Okay Mom, have a good day!

Nora: I love you Mom!

David: Okay Mom, have a great time without us! (Running halfway to the line and then running back)...I love you so much Mom!!

Well okay then....forgiven.

A Birthday Party for Nate, er I mean David

2010-12-30T11:26:00.000-07:00

It's gotta suck having your birthday near Christmas.

We hope that David doesn't realize this for a long time!

On Dec 21st, we stop all things Christmas, and take the day to celebrate our Davey.

The gift theme this year was definitely Legos.

Which is perfect since he does little else all day long.

He spent the day creating Star Wars battle scenes.

He also got a punching bag which he quickly put to good use:

And then on to his party...

Each year we have his party right on his actual birthday.

We pick some venue- this year's was BOUNCE- and we pretty much have the place to ourselves.
Apparently, everyone else in town is a bit busy with Christmas stuff.

A good time was had by all....

...but mostly Nate.

Would you like me to hold your tie?

But really, it was David's big day so let's end with some more cute pictures of him...

Is that a mistletoe cake? Why yes, yes it is. (Hey, David picked it out.)

CanNOT believe it's been six years!

Love you baby boy.

Happy Birthday Sweet Davey

2010-12-20T21:24:00.006-07:00

"I dreamed of how you would look, smell, even what you would sound like. And every day I thought of how wonderful it would be to hold you in my arms."
"I started seeing you everywhere, in the leaves of the giant oak and in the bark of the pine, Even in the stars! Oh, how I longed for the day that you would arrive, when God would find us you."
"And then I came?"
"Oh, no. No matter how much I prayed it would happen, I still had to wait."
"You waited and waited and waited?"
"And waited. But I knew that someday you'd arrive, when God
would find us you."

Dear David,

Today you are six.

When you were 2 days old, we brought you home.

I held you in my arms and whispered in your ear that I would never let you be the forgotten middle child.

Little did I know that you'd have a personality so big, the entire world couldn't contain it.

You are hardly one to be forgotten.

I love you to the moon and back,

Mom

David's "cool yet sophisticated" look. He currently has exactly 4 shirts that he will agree to wear.

"That is my favorite story of all. When God found us you, it made me the happiest mother in the world."

"Just by comin home?" Little Fox asked with a yawn.

"Especially by coming home," Mama said.

(Excerpts taken from "God Found Us You" by Lisa Tawn Bergren)

A Room with a View

2010-12-14T09:13:00.008-07:00

Last night for FHE we went doorbell ditching.

Yes, we left goodies and love notes.

But mostly, we just wanted an excuse to ding-dong-dash.

Because that's good fun. Yes siree.

The kiddos love it.

They pretend they are sneaky spies.

Have I mentioned that we currently live in a 3rd story, 1100 sq ft, unfurnished apartment?

It's awesome.

I could go on and on (and on and on) about the woes of such living arrangements for a family of 6 plus a 65-lb dog.

But instead let's focus on the positive:

It takes us a total of 1 hr and 15 min to clean this place from top to bottom

There is a swimming pool & hot tub across the street.

The apartment below us is rented, but no one currently lives there...(a huge blessing considering the amount of noise we generate each day. Think 4 screaming kids and 1 dog running up and down the hallway all day long.)

We have this view:

Summer

Downtown through the trees

3 stories up

Autumn

Winter

This morning

Pretty pretty right? It's hard to imagine that we have lived here long enough to see 3 seasons worth of views.

Here's to hoping that we will be in our newly-remodeled home by the time the 4th season comes along!

P.S.

Check out Tess' art. She's really getting good!

Someday I plan to have only original artwork by Tess Meeker hanging in my home.

Anyone want to place an advance order?

Watch out boys

2010-11-22T00:08:00.006-07:00

The other day the boys were giving Nora a hard time.
"No girls allowed in our room!!"

I walked in to do some mediating.

"Boys- how would you feel if you were the one left out??"

They just looked at me.

"So?"

It was Nora's turn.

She stood completely unruffled.

With hands on her hips, she calmly said,

"When you're mean, you give Satan power."

Whoa. Take that.

We high-fived, Nora and I, and then looked at the boys like this:

Because we knew we had won.

They back-tracked: "Well, uh, maybe only girls that are twins can play in our room."

Shoot- I guess that counts me out.

But at least Nora could stay.

A word of advice:

Don't pick a fight with my Nora.

She is not afraid of you.

And you will lose.

P.S. Dear blog- Hey, remember me? I'm the one who's been neglecting you. You see- I needed some time away from you to refocus and reprioritize. There were moments that I thought about abandoning you altogether. But in the end I decided you were worth it. It turns out that I miss documenting the cute things my kids do. And I want family and close friends to know what's going on with us in Boise. Oh yes (yes!)- we moved to Boise. I should tell you about it sometime. Just as soon as I get the last year's worth of pictures organized. Ta ta for now. I'll (try to) write again soon.

I can never pass up a good tag.

2010-05-13T13:55:00.004-06:00

A - Attached or Single: Happily attached.
B - Best Friends: Nate and kids. We're BFFs. (I make the kids say it regularly.)
C - Cake or Pie: um chocolate cake, no question (I didn't even have to change your answer Dru.)
D - Day of choice: TGIF
E - Essential Item: chap stick, cell phone
F - Favorite Color: any mixture of blue and gray
G - Gummy Bears or Worms: gummy nothing unless it's covered in chocolate
H- Hometown: Salt Lake City. Always. Even if I live in Boise til the day I die.
I - Indulgences: chocolate (mass quantities daily) and cherry coke zero (one daily)
J - January or July: Fireworks/sun/tan/my birthday vs. bitter cold. Hmm...that's a tough one.
K - Kids: Just seeing that word makes me smile.
L - Life is incomplete without: Nate's kisses and butterfly kisses
M - Marriage Date: 2/16/96
N - Number of Siblings: 6- 5 sisters, 1 brother (But the real question is...should my kids have more siblings??)
O - Oranges or Apples: Mango
P - Phobias or Fears: heights, bees and my kids getting hit by a car (recurring nightmare)
Q - Quotes: I have them hanging everywhere. Right now I'm looking at one (a scripture) that says: "Lord, Here am I. Send me." I want that to be my basic philosophy in life.
R -Reason to smile: my Savior
S - Season: Fall- I love the colors and the start of school
T - Tag Three Friends: nienie, cjane and seriously so blessed. (Okay, so they don't actually read my blog, or even know who I am, but we are bosom friends nonetheless.)
U - Unknown fact about me: I hope to be a Broadway star in the next life.
V - Very favorite Store: I love the style of Anthrologie best, but I buy the most at Old Navy.
W - Worst habit: eating until I feel stuffed
X - X-ray or Ultrasound: I've had an Xray for a broken arm and ultrasounds to see my babies. Which do you think?
Y - Your favorite food: Mom's homemade chicken pot pie...the ultimate comfort food.
Z- Zodiac: cancer (that's an awful name for a sign, don't you think?)

Today you are 9.

2010-05-11T11:01:00.000-06:00

Dear Tess,
Last night I watched you sleeping.
I climbed into bed with you and listened to you breathe.
Then I felt for your heartbeat because it's strong, steady rhythm comforts me.
I thought back to the day you came into our lives 9 years ago.
You were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.
Button nose. Sweetheart lips. Smooth, soft skin.
You walked into my heart, entirely and completely, the moment I saw you.
I had no idea that could happen.

You were the first.
You made me a mother.
You made us a family.
You'll always have a special place in my heart.

Happy birthday sweet girl.
I love you. Forever.
Mom

"The" talk.

2010-05-06T08:57:00.007-06:00

Last night Nate and I took Tess to her favorite restaurant, Katmandu.
Indian and Nepali cuisine. Mostly she loves the naan.
We had decided that it was time to have "the" talk with her.
You know, the one about the birds and the bees.

I had been told by friends that if we hadn't discussed it by the time she was 9, we would be too late. She would have already heard it all during recess.

Well, I'm happy to report that innocence remains.
The look of shock and horror on her face said it all.
She was able to stammer, "What?....How?....But doesn't that hurt?!" before bursting into tears and begging us to "please stop talking about it."
We tried to convey that it was actually a very beautiful and sacred (and fun) thing when done at the proper time. That it actually brings a husband and wife closer together.
And then we told her that if she ever had any questions she could always come to us and ask.
She responded that she would "never want to talk about it ever again."

Oh sweet, tender-hearted Tess.
We love you just the way you are.

Here are some pictures of younger, simpler times:

Parents day at Tess' dance class.

Tess dances at Virginia Tanner on the U campus.

It's over. And I survived.

2010-05-02T13:23:00.005-06:00

me, LynnEl "Mama Springer" and Amy Springer- it's Amy's fault I had to speak.

Thanks to everyone that came to hear me speak at Women's Conference.

It meant so much to have loved ones there.

Actually, I wasn't all that nervous, if you can believe it.

It's amazing what putting your trust in the Lord can do for your confidence.

Of course, watching the hundreds of women file into the room made me a bit jittery.

But Nathan pulled me into a side room and gave me a quick priesthood blessing.

And again I was calm.

I just love that guy.

Luckily I got to speak early on in the conference so that I could enjoy the rest of it.

Absolutely loved Julie B. Beck's image of a mother as a "lioness standing at the gate" fiercely protecting her home.

Also, loved this quote from Dallin H. Oaks-"It's amazing how much you can get done if you don't worry about who gets the credit."

I took lots of notes.

And doodled Nate's name in the margin of my notebook.

Just like when we were dating.

Because thinking of him still makes my heart skip a beat.

Can't wait for next year. I anticipate it will be a lot less nerve-wracking.

Although for anyone that may be speaking ...can I ride in your car?...the parking privileges are the bomb.

This is not the place.

2010-03-24T09:02:00.011-06:00

The Meekers are moving...

Because Nate found a really incredible job

Only a short 5 hour drive from SLC

Into the "City of Tress"

Skiing, Boating, Canoeing, Fly fishing

Everyone come visit!

Have you ever met anyone from Boise that didn't just love it there?

Well, we haven't.

People love their Boise.

It seems like a pretty great place.

We'll let you know when we get there this summer.

The Boise River runs right through the heart of the city.

The Greenbelt (20 miles of paved pathway for walking/biking) runs alongside the river.

My conversation with Tess about the move (a month before the final decision was made)...

Tess: Mom, I heard you talking on the phone about us moving.

Me: Yes, we might move. How do you feel about that?

Tess: I think it sounds awesome!!!!! I told Grace that she could come play at our new house.

Me: Well, that's the thing. We might be moving pretty far away.

Tess: Like downtown??!!

Me: No, farther. Like out of the state of Utah.

Tess: I've always wanted to live in Texas!

Me: Well, it wouldn't be Texas. It would be a place called Boise, Idaho. It's near Sun Valley.

Tess: OMGosh!! I love Sun Valley!!

Me: Okay, but you realize that moving to Boise won't quite be like vacationing in Sun Valley. We would have to do all of our regular things like school, lessons, chores.

Tess: (rolling her eyes) Duh mom. I know that.

Me: And it means that we won't be able to go to grandma and grandpa's for Sunday dinner each week.

Tess: (The first hint of sadness)... Well, at least we won't get their hot tub dirty anymore.

Me: So it still sounds pretty fun?

Tess: It sounds awesome!!.....Can I have an upstairs bedroom in our next house??

So there you have it. Even the most cautious among us is ready for the adventure!

Well folks, I guess I'm off to Idaho to raise my family.

(Truly, truly never thought I would hear myself say those words.)

But we are (very!) excited nonetheless.

Just a tad out of my comfort zone.

2010-03-10T14:27:00.004-07:00

Did you all get your flier for BYU Women's Conference in the mail this week?

Well, I got mine.

And I must admit, I almost had a heart attack when I opened it up and saw my name in print.

I guess it's officially official.

I will be speaking at Women's Conference.

I've known about this since the end of December.

But I've been living in denial.

I've felt quite certain all along that I would get a phone call taking it all back.

"I'm sorry...we had you confused with another Erin H. Meeker."

"It's come to our attention that you're total crap and that just won't do."

But now my name's in print.

So I guess this is on.

How did I get involved in this??

Good question.

Obviously, it's because of my awesome spiritualness.

No?

Okay, okay. It's because I happen to have a good friend on the planning committee.

(Love you Amy.)

A friend that has never heard me speak, I might add.

When I got the letter back in Dec saying that I had been "invited" to speak at WC,

I burst into tears.

Literally.

Then I read my topic: "Urgent Demands and Deep Breaths: Managing Stress"

And I threw the letter on the ground.

Clearly I know a lot about managing stress.

So ladies, please come to Women's Conference.

It is going to be completely incredible.

But for heaven's sake, don't come to my session.

Because I'm a total sham.

(Although my co-presenter seems quite lovely.)

P.S.- Amy- I promise I will do my very best.

P.P.S.- And don't worry - I won't use the word "crap" in my talk.

P.P.P.S.- And everyone- if you have any thoughts on managing stress...send them my way.

Brat.

2010-02-27T12:40:00.003-07:00

Dear woman at Toys R Us,

Now that I am in a better mood I can clearly see that I was a total you-know-what today.

I should know by now to not let David out of my sight.

And when you returned him to me and then later approached me with raised eyebrows

and told me that "he was heading outside!,"

I should have thanked you profusely for keeping my little guy safe

instead of snidely remarking,

"So I need to watch him better? Is that what you're trying to say?"

I'm sorry I took my frustration out on you.

No doubt I am a total brat sometimes.

(Just ask my husband for verification on this.)

Let's face it- this whole mothering thing is a bit over my head sometimes.

And it will definitely take the entire village to raise my David.

He's bound and determined to not make it to his next birthday.

My little Houdini.

Anyways, you're great.

Thanks for helping me today.

Let's have lunch in the next life.

Hugs,

Erin

I'm a sucker.

2010-02-26T09:31:00.005-07:00

It was Sunday.

We were at church.

Nora developed pink eye mid Sacrament Meeting.

(Yes, truly mid-meeting.)

Nate had to take her home.

I could read the look of injustice on Will's face...

"Dad and Nora get to go home because of one irritated eye?!"

Fast forward one hour.

Will's cute teacher comes to get me.

She says, "Will has an itchy bum.

I tried to wipe it for him but he said it didn't help.

He says he 'can't concentrate' and he can't seem to hold still."

Itchy bum?

Good grief- what am I supposed to do about that?

"Will, I'm taking you home to your dad."

And then a grin the size of Texas spread over his face.

That's when I knew I had been played.

Totally schooled.

C'mon Erin. Itchy bum? Does that sound like a real symptom of anything?

But it was ward conference and I had stake leaders to attend to.

So I walked Will across the street, (because we live across the street), to the pediatrician.

I told Nate that we needed something for "itchy bum" stat.

And he looked at me with his oh really? expression.

I knew what he was thinking...

C'mon Erin. Itchy bum? Does that sound like a real symptom of anything?

Totally outsmarted by my 4 year old.

Are they really supposed to be this cunning?

I guess it's time to step up my game.

Bring it.

Nora. Lover of fine literature.

2010-02-23T00:03:00.003-07:00

"Fairy yellow, fairy red,

Fixing wings with fairy thread.

Fairy orange, fairy blue,

Fastening up their fairy shoes.

Fairy pink, fairy white,

Carrying lanterns shining bright.

Rainbow fairies one and all,

Ready for the fairy ball!"

Nora read this book through 12 straight times this morning.

(Okay, not really "read" since she has it memorized.)

She then exuberantly declared, "I love this book!"

Will: "Why?"

Nora: "Because it is so, SO amazing."

Nora knows a good rhyme when she sees one.

Anyone need any book suggestions?

Just ask Nora.

And David thinks my hair smells like cranberries. Just in case you were wondering.

Augustus Gloop

2010-01-26T13:57:00.006-07:00

Waking up to the sound of the kids running around with the dog,

giggling,

fills my heart with happiness.

Am I a dog person?

Not particularly.

Is Nate?

A little more than me, but still no.

So why did we get one?

For the kiddos of course.

(Aren't his green eyes to die for?)

We went to my uncle's house and I watched my kids playing with his big Labrador, running and

giggling,
and I was completely undone.
How could I deny them of this any longer?
I realized then and there that growing up with a dog is an experience that can't be duplicated in any other way.

So we found our Auggie.
Has it been worth it?
Absolutely.
Tess and Nora now have someone to smother with all their well-intentioned motherly affection.

Will has gained confidence.
(He used to be afraid of dogs. Now he and Auggie are snuggle buddies.)
David has found a perfect wrestling partner.
(Although he doesn't get that when he plays rough the dog thinks he can too.)
"Mom- he bit me!!"
Perhaps that's because you tackled him David.

Auggie has been the perfect little addition to our family.

Now if he could stop peeing all over my house, I just know we will be the best of friends.

Fun Facts

Full name: Augustus Gloop. We were trying to think up a name that has a chocolate connection because of his chocolate coloring. We came up with the chubby kid on Willy Wonka that falls into the river of chocolate.

(Aren't we clever?)

Breed: Labradoodle f1b (3/4 poodle, 1/4 labrador)

Full size: 65 pounds

Temperament: Perfect. He loves to play with the kids but can also calm down very easily.

And today he has stale, moldy-cheese smelling gas.

Here's to hoping he feels better tomorrow.

Auggie. Our doggie.

2009-12-27T15:26:00.001-07:00

Christmas morning was fun.

And maybe a little anti-climatic.

(Perhaps we had built up the dog excitement in our minds just a tad.)

The girls' reactions were pretty priceless.

The boys couldn't have cared less.

Just so we're clear...wrapped presents trump dog.

Following this video excerpt it took the kids about 20 minutes
to figure out how to get Auggie out of his crate.
While I fretted over running out of video tape.
Will didn't even notice that we got a dog until all his presents were unwrapped.

Nora's reaction was perhaps best:
"This is the best day of my entire life!"
"Now I don't ever need to be sad again because we have a DOG!"
"Mom, I love our dog so much. I love him, I love him....what's his name again?"

Davey Baby turns 5!

2009-12-22T10:16:00.007-07:00

2 weeks:

8 months:

5 years:
He woke to find a fancy castle and knight set.

Then spent the day at his favorite place, Chuck E Cheese...

Things I never want to forget about 5 year old David:

I've been told on several occasions that David is "the coolest kid ever." He makes everyone laugh.
He's such a pleasant child. Until he's hungry. And then watch out.
The other day at Hires he was upset because we didn't order him a hot dog and a cheeseburger. We finally did and he ate both plus french fries plus part of a root beer float. The kid can pound it.
He's a very selfless child. He always lets Will have the first turn.
When he grows up he wants to be "an astronaut...no a hang glider...no a fireman." No doubt there will be adrenalin involved.
Preschool story that is sooo David: His teacher, Grandma Raynee, asked him to do an assignment that he didn't want to do. (Not unusual.) He turned to a friend and said, "The witch is making me color this." Raynee responded, "Oh David, it hurts my feelings when you call me a witch." Then he turned on the charm (with an innocent smile and big blue eyes)..."But Grandma Raynee, some witches are good witches."
He changes his clothes no less than 3 times/day.
He's very independent. He seldom asks for help with anything.

Love you Davey Baby!!!!

Excited

2009-12-17T16:53:00.003-07:00

Is it possible to die from excitement?

Because that may just happen at the Meeker home Christmas morning when the kidlets wake to find this under the tree:

Chocolate Labradoodle.
Totally, totally delicious.

I think I may die of excitement just anticipating their excitement.

How many more days til Christmas?

Christmas as it Should Be

2009-12-17T16:41:00.006-07:00

Anyone else dread this time of year? Am I the only scrooge out there?

Of course there are many things that I love about the holidays. Of course there are. But all the hustle and bustle sure wears me out.

Well, I was having one of those mornings. There were a million things running through my mind...projects to do, things to buy, parties to attend, blah, blah, blah. I was grouchy. Then I walked into the living and found this:

This is the kids' nativity set. They can move the pieces whenever they want. And it just so happens that on this morning they were arranged with Jesus in the center and all the other people/creatures circling him. Focusing on him. The wise men had fallen down to worship him.

And it gave me pause. Okay, maybe I was focusing on the wrong things. Isn't this what the season is really about? Oh come let us adore HIM.

I must remember.

All Things Autumn

2009-11-30T11:41:00.000-07:00

Gardner Village

Tess, Tate, Nora, Will

Tess & Harrison

Nora & Will

Our island girl Tate.
My bro Wyatt is going to med school in the Caribbean. Tate came back with one stellar tan.

Halloween Decorations

Halloween

Tess as Hermione

Will's Mike Tyson look.

The black eye is makeup.

The darkened teeth are not.

(the result of a fall a few months ago)

Cousins

Nora and I hit Princess Disney on Ice for a mommy-daughter date.

And no autumn would be complete without David's head needing to be stitched back together.

This time he fell off bleachers while we were watching a soccer game at the high school.

Family Photo Shoot

2009-09-17T10:59:00.002-06:00

This one is my favorite. A very accurate depiction of our family.

Tess looking at me annoyedly, David=goofball, Will & Nora mid-shout, and Nate & I smiling obliviously.

Pictures taken by the ultra talented April.

Fixing up the House

2009-08-31T02:56:00.003-06:00

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Operation: Bye Bye Pink House

Daddy and his helpers

The Rest of the Summer: A Photo Summary

2009-08-31T01:54:00.006-06:00

Tess goes to Puppet Camp.

Nora attacks Dad with the mace at Lagoon.

(We won the mace because the dude guessed that Nate was 29 years old. Actual age = 41)

YW Wilderness Camp

Youth Conference

4th of July

Grandma Conna's Farm

Silver Lake with Mead cousins

Sarah comes to visit.

Sarah is my friend/former YW from Philly.

Here's a story she told me about almost getting mugged...

Sarah: I was walking down the street and this guy tried to grab my purse.

me: Holy cow- did he get it?

Sarah: Um...No. I turned around and poked him in the eye.

And that is why I love Sarah.

Ensign Peak

(David chose to hike in flip-flops.)

More hikes.

Donut Falls

Red Butte Garden

Nora does mom's hair.

(Again and again and again.....and again.)

Third grade begins!

Tess with her cute friend Grace.

15 Year Reunion

2009-07-21T08:25:00.005-06:00

Lovely ladies from the Oly Class of '94.

There's actually a pretty good story that goes along with this picture. Wanna hear it? Well alright. Here's to hoping that no men read my blog...and I'm pretty sure they don't...except for Nate (but he's already heard this story...and rolled his eyes at all the appropriate moments).

So just before this reunion I was at youth conference with our ward. While there, one of my gals got a horrendous picture of my backside in a swimsuit. People- it was awful. I truly looked to be about 500 pounds. She showed me the photo and in my best no-nonsense voice (with some threatening undertones) I told her to "DELETE IT. Immediately."

(Good golly- I hope she really did. What if it's still out there??)

Anywho, when I got home I was still a little annoyed about this picture and decided that surely, surely the reality could not be as bad as the picture made it appear. So I again donned my swimsuit and asked Tess to snap a few pictures of my backside from several different angles. "Mom, why am I taking pictures of your butt?" (Cringe. "Tess- it's 'bum' not 'butt' and I need these photos for research purposes. And Tess, always remember, it is much more important to be beautiful on the inside than the outside.") Super pep talk, right?

Well, I'm happy to report that while Tess' photos were by no means pretty, they weren't nearly as bad as Erica's shot from youth conference. Erica must have searched out the worst possible angle. Sneaky gal.

Fast forward to that evening at my 15 year reunion. Time for the girls shot. We hand our cameras off to our old friend Jared. Luckily, luckily I decide last minute that I want to change one of the settings on my camera...because when I took it back from him, low and behold, there is a giant (yes, closeup) shot of my rear end on the screen. Awesome. "Hi Jared, I haven't seen you in years, but here's a nice juicy picture of my tooshie for your viewing pleasure."

I'm so smart sometimes.

(And no, I don't think he saw the picture. At least he didn't act like he did. And if indeed he did- I hope to never find out.)

Viva Italia!

2009-07-20T10:17:00.001-06:00

In July, Nate and I went to Italy. Nate had a conference in Rome at which he gave a presentation about his research in "cancer genes in zebra fish." Sounds fascinating, eh? Well, I can't tell you a thing about it because I wasn't there for it (wasn't invited), but we were able to go out a week early and spend some time with just the 2 of us touring the beautiful countryside. It was molto romantic and relaxing. Then I hopped on a plane home to be with the kiddles and Nate stayed on for another 10 days. Seriously, sometimes his job is so rough.

FLORENCE

Duomo

Atop the duomo

(This is my supermodel, wind-in-my-hair look.)

Eating in the Piazza del Grano after visiting the Uffizi Gallery.

PISA

CINQUE TERRE
Five villages along the rugged portion of coast on the Mediterranean Sea.

The trail that winds from town to town. In all, a 5 hour walk.
Completely breathtaking.
Our absolute favorite part of the trip.

Spectacular views along the way.

This is the B & B where we stayed in Monterrosso al Mare. Really, it wasn't that nice. But this wall sure was pretty.

Scuba diving in Riomaggiore.

Also known as the day Erin almost drowned.

(Folks, it's imperative that you fully inflate your BCD when on the surface.)

Also ALSO, my 33rd birthday.

LAKE COMO

(No we did not see George Clooney.)

Residence La Limonera where we stayed in Bellagio.

Castle of Vezio

DANG (dang!) GOOD EATS

Nate's fave- a seaside restaurant in Vernazza, Cinque Terre.

My fave in Varenna on Lake Como

Doesn't that look yummy? (It was.)

And no trip to Italy is complete without a daily dose of gelato.

The pistacchio/ hazelnut/ chocolate combo is beyond delectable.

(How is gelato sooooooo much better than American ice cream??)

Nate waiting for a train. Apparently, if you stand at the edge and look down the tracks, it comes much faster.

NATE'S ADVENTURE SANS ERIN

Pompeii. Just so we're clear...I think death by volcano sounds horrific.

Can't wait to do it all again someday.

My babies are 4

2009-06-30T17:06:00.001-06:00

Time is marching by. I can hardly believe it's been four years. But I must admit- having 3 four-year olds and an 8 year old is pretty dang fun. I think if I could freeze-frame time, this would be the moment in my life that I would like to enjoy forever. I have such sweet kiddos. How lucky am I? I'm trying to enjoy every little bit of life right now knowing that those dreaded teenage years are a mere blink away.

Here are Will and Nora on their birthday (back on June 24th):

Strong and Sassy

Enjoying the day at Liberty Park:

The birthday parties:

Will had a Diego Rescue Adventure party with outdoor fun...

...and Nora had an "All Girls, No Boys (or brothers!) Allowed Pink Princess Party"

Things I never want to forget about 4 year old WILL:

Loves anything to do with a ball. Can play sports for hours.
Has an insanely inquisitive mind. The questions never end.
Definitely Nate's mini-me. He's like his dad in every way. Except for his cautiousness. (Not sure that's a word.) He got that from me. Sorry bud.
Can beat any adult on Wii bowling. Trust me, his uncles have all challenged him and lived to rue the day.
World's best (or maybe worst) back-seat driver. "Mom, gooooo!" (I can't bud. The light is red.) "Mom, go FASTER!" (I can't bud. This is a residential area.) And echoing the Garmin, "Mom, turn left. You're supposed to turn LEFT!" (In 0.3 miles bud.) On and on and on.
Can out-whine anyone. Hands down.
Insists on being carried in from the car. Which I should probably discourage but secretly adore. He buries his head in my neck and squeezes me tight. Oh that it may never end...

Things I never want to forget about 4 year old NORA:

Nora is a perfect angel.
No really, she is.
"Mommy, I love you soooo much." I get to hear this about 20 times a day. Normally when she randomly comes to me for hugs and kisses. (See...perfect.)
She laughs at anything and everything.
She keeps up with her brothers just fine. Perfect blend of sensitive and tough. (See...perfect.)
Much prefers her "pretty" toys to the dumb boy ones.
"This is William. Me and him are twins." She loves telling anyone this little fact. And she insists on calling her brother by his full name.
Regularly gives public singing performances. With full belt-style vibrato. In the grocery store. Driving down the rode. (She rolls down her window and serenades the world.) To the birds in the backyard. The neighbors love it, or at least they claim they do, but the have reported the need to close their windows when they are on the phone and Nora is in the middle of one of her concerts.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOODLES!

Now quit growing up so fast, okay?

Newport Beach

2009-06-30T13:37:00.003-06:00

Holy smokes folks. I'm not sure I even remember how to post. Summer just flew by. (Right?) So I have a wee bit of catching up to do. Let's take it back to June, shall we...

The Horsley family headed to Newport Beach, CA for our annual family vacay. It was super fun (from what I remember). And being the awesome mom that I am I took tons of adorable pictures of my adorable kiddos and then promptly left/lost my camera in the bathroom at Legoland.

But here are the pictures I was able to gather from sibs and Nate's iphone. And you will just have to imagine in your mind's eye all the other shots of the kids...playing in the tide pools....discovering hermit crabs, lobsters, anemones, etc...the look of wonder on their beautifully sun-tanned faces. Yes, they were stinkin cute. I certainly hope whoever 5-finger discounted the camera from the bathroom stall is enjoying those pictures.

Tess on beach clean-up duty.

Picking strawberries

Oh and guys...Will got one too.

Baby Harrison (Dori's), 1 month

The infamous Legoland

Sea Life Aquarium

Dinner at The Ivy in L.A.

Tommy's Burgers was Nate's favorite place to eat on his mission when he served in Los Angeles a mere 22 years ago. And you betcha it's still there. (And still good!)

Nate and I were able to escape for a morning to Catalina Island for some scuba diving. Prettiest dive we've done to date (although not nearly as warm as Thailand unfortunately).

Yes, this may have been a full body shot, but I have made it a policy to never post pictures of myself in full-body spandex.

My brother's very fitting summary of our trip:

NEWPORT BY NUMBERS

4.5 - number of consecutive hours spent playing tennis by the Matts and Nate on Wednesday night (I have since confirmed that this is a new Newport Coast Villas record)

28 - Number of shirts packed by Chelsea for the trip, no I'm not joking. Apparently she never knows how she is going to feel and likes to "have options"

5,278 - number of times Tate has recounted the story of the "big downhill" at Disneyland (aka the Pirates of the Caribbean ride)

23 - number of times we listened to the "me song" from Tate's sing-along CD on the 10 hour drive home

16 - number of times I shanked my drive off the tee while golfing (mind you this is out of 18 holes)

70 - sun block grade handed out by Dad. I decided it would be easier and just as effective to wear a turtleneck down to the pool.

15 - number of minutes spent by Tyler enthusiastically describing his experience on the X2 ride at six flags. The description came complete with a reenactment and drawing session in which he diagrammed the coaster track with each twist and turn.

40 - number of minutes Crane spent playing the copycat game with Tate at Pomodoro in Laguna

4 - number of sushi restaurants Chelsea and I drove by before settling on Maki Maki sushi in the Irvine Spectrum. Never go there.

12 - number of movies that Eve brought on the trip. Apparently she was planning on being
really really really bored.

38 - number of ounces in the steak that Crane purchased at the Pavillions on girls night. Yes, he ate the whole thing.

**I am backdating this post to June so that it falls in the right place in the archives.

Tess' Baptism...Pioneer Style

2009-06-11T21:35:00.003-06:00

We are so proud of our Tess. She was baptized June 6, 2009. In ice water.

The gas line to the font was broken. Which means that the water couldn't be warmed. Which means it felt like hose water. 'Cold' doesn't adequately describe it. Tess came out of the water gasping and immediately burst into tears, clinging to Nate in a sheer death grip. I started crying as well, not so much because I was feeling the spirit, but more because I was thinking, "Oh my word, what have we done to our baby?!?"

And then we went into the bathroom and all Tess could say between sobs was, "That was awful. That was the most horrible thing ever." And just as I had calmed her down, the next little 8 year-old girl walked into the bathroom after her plunge into the icy waters, crying her own little river. Folks, it was a dramatic day at the font.

But, after we had rubbed Tess' chilled skin warm and the color had returned to her cheeks, we talked to her about the pioneers who used to break the ice in a stream and get baptized right there because they didn't want to wait. And I think she felt better, more noble, like she was someone who'd had to sacrifice a little to prove her commitment to the Lord. Like a true martyr for the gospel.

We hope that in the end, it was a positive experience for her. I guess if nothing else, it was a memorable one.

Slippers & Cleats

2009-05-31T21:00:00.000-06:00

Dance Recital 2009

Nora with a nervous stomach...

...but trying to make the best of it.

Will feeling left out of the action.

Switch gears and run over to the soccer game (notice that she's still wearing stage make-up)

Grandma Conna's wedding

2009-05-31T20:48:00.004-06:00

Welcome to the family Grandpa Jerry!

Conna and Jerry with all the grandkids

Kristy and Kelly's fam

Scott & Lori's fam

After the wedding we took a moment to visit loved ones lost.

It was, after all, Memorial Day weekend.

Trip to 'Rado (as Will calls it)

2009-05-30T19:03:00.000-06:00

We recently took a weekend trip to Grand Junction, CO to visit our fabulous friends. Oh how we love the Vances and Jolleys! Good times.

me, Nate, Angie, Kennan, Tyler, Jeena

Tanner, Kaden, David, Tess, Nora, Will, Carson, Lauren, Carter, Preston

As part of the trip Jeena, Angie and I did a 12-mile muddy buddy run. (The people of Grand Junction as a whole are annoyingly in shape.) We all split up into teams of 2. One partner ran for a mile while the other biked and then we switched at each mile mark. (Or at least that's the idea. Some of the miles weren't very well marked.) Well guess what- I did it. (Yes, me!) And it was even uphill for the first 6 miles. I'm sure no one will ever believe me because I don't have any physical proof of this experience. But I was even smiling at the finish line. I drew a picture of it here:

Nate also got some great mountain biking in and he has the scars to prove it.

Thanks Vances and Jolleys for another FUN weekend!

Miss Tess Turns 8

2009-05-30T16:24:00.002-06:00

I cannot believe I have an 8 year-old. Seriously when did this happen??

Tess made her own birthday banner. I would feel bad that she felt she had to make her own decorations except that this was on the wall about a week before the actual date. Tess likes to be prepared when it comes to her birthday. We talk of little else for 2-3 months prior to the event.

I made her wait while I took this picture of her presents. Pure torture for Tess.

Ahh, the moment she's been waiting for.

We had a fun party for her at Farimont Aquatic Center. 9 of her friends came. I forgot the camera. Surprised? Me neither. But luckily Nate was able to snap a few shots with his i-phone.

Things I never want to forget about 8 year-old Tess:

"Mom- Art is my passion!"
She will NOT let me throw away toilet paper/paper towel rolls, empty boxes or canisters, etc. "Mom I can create something with these!!" She seems to have a particular interest in 3-dimensional art.
She does the messiest schoolwork. (Love you Messy Tessie!) Her teacher and I have both tried to work with her on this, but she doesn't seem to care much what we think. I've decided that she believes every sheet of paper is a blank canvas on which to draw. She colors in her letters, adds embellishments, writes some words small and others big. It's very artistic when you stand back and look at it- it's just difficult to read. :)
She insists on decorating her room with gaudy toys and stuffed animals despite my protests... "But Tess that just isn't cute!" And there is no such thing as the phrase "less is more." More is always more with Tess.
She regularly goes through the garbage can and says, "Mom! You're throwing this away?!? How could you??" Honestly, I can't imagine what that child's house is going to look like when she's the boss. (Oh wait, she IS the boss.)
She waits for me in her bed, writing in her journal, while I tuck the boys in. Then we cozy up in her bed (me, Nora and Tess) for reading time. She reads the pages on the left and I read the ones on the right. It's a fun end-of-day routine.
Tess is very emotionally mature. She understands and processes feelings well beyond her years.
She's a great big sister! She invents games and activities that can keep the younger kids entertained for hours.

We LOVE you Tess! Thanks for keeping us laughing and guessing for 8 incredible years.

New names

2009-05-20T14:24:00.002-06:00

Please note: the 'triplets' have changed their names...

Nora....Aurora
Will.....Diego
And the boy formerly known as David will now be called.... Duck Duck Goose Head.

In other news...Miss Tess turned 8! Post on that to come as well as our trip to 'Rado.
And a BIG congrats to Dori and Brian on their beautiful baby boy, Harrison, born May 8, 2009.

Coercion...denied & Best of April

2009-05-04T18:32:00.005-06:00

I promise Nora has a song about how much she loves her mom. I guess no one will ever hear it but me. Sigh.

Other highlights of April:

Going to Women's Conference and hearing my good friend, the amazingly amazing Amy, speak on "Come What May and Love It." I was furiously taking notes and then she got up to speak and I was so completely captivated that I forgot to write anything after that. Amy will be a future Gen Relief Society Pres. Mark my words.
Helping my other cute friend, Katie, with the service project at Women's Conf. Katie is just a bright ray of sunshine. She's always smiling. What a doll! We made crowns and wands for little girls in hospitals and the foster care system.

(Amy and Katie are part of our "other family"- the Springers. We've known them since our days in Illinois. Love you Springers!!)

Seeing this name plaque outside the door of Nate's office for the first time:

Incidentally we had gone to the hospital to get the rhinestone removed from Nora's nose.

Seeing these lying around the house, always caked with fresh mud:

Nate bought himself a new mountain bike and it's been hard to wipe the smile off his face ever since. (Although he did have a hard time getting used to the clip in pedals. The kids kept coming into the house saying, "Mom- Dad fell again!" which they found pretty dang funny.)

Overhearing this conversation from the back of the car:
Will (to David who was whining about who-knows-what): David, you need to be a peacemaker.
David: I don't wanna be a peacemaker. I wanna be a troublemaker.
Will: But David, it makes Jesus happy when we are peacemakers.
David: But I DON'T WANNA BE A PEACEMAKER! I WANNA BE A TROUBLEMAKER!!!
It just goes to show that all those times I thought my little lessons were in vain... the kiddos really were listening. And not just jumping on the couch as it appeared.
Now does anyone have any ideas about the troublemaker part?? Do you think that the person that coined the phrase "terrible two's" never had a 4 year old?? (Or three of them?)
Oh and get this...Nate came home today and said, "Look! I got these 7 pairs of pants for just $45." "Wow, that's incredible" I said. And then I looked at the tag. "Oh no you did NOT." "What?" he replied, "There's nothing wrong with the D.I."

And yet another reason why I love my man. He's this humble, successful genius that can still look H-O-T in second-hand clothing.

Easter

2009-04-14T14:00:00.004-06:00

And a noteworthy Easter story...

Nate and I played a piano duet in church on Easter. All was going well (okay so we had made our fair share of mistakes) until the air conditioner kicked on and blew the last page of our music off the piano stand. We had to completely stop, reshuffle things, (at which point I turned to the congregation and said "sorry") and then start again. It was pretty funny. We sat down and Tess said, "You guys really messed up."

Later when Nate and I were talking about it I said, "Man, it kind of bites that you can work so hard on something only to be thwarted by some unforeseen element like the air conditioner," to which he shrugged and replied, "Oh, I'm glad that happened. I think it's important for us to show each other that none of us is perfect and there's nothing wrong with that." (That Nate. Always so wise and Zen. I just really like him.)

So a big thanks to all our ward friends for laughing along with us. After all, that's what being a ward family is all about...supporting and sustaining each other even through our imperfections.

WICKED good!

2009-04-10T13:57:00.007-06:00

That's a pretty cheesy title...but it's all I got.

Last week was a busy one for the Meeker family. Well, that's a bit of an understatement. Regular weeks are busy. This one was the Perfect Storm of weeks- massive projects and unexpected assignments colliding into one 5-day period.

After weeks of studying, Nate began Monday in San Fran taking his pediatric oncology board exam. On Friday, the elementary school had their big Arts Night fundraiser at which I was in charge of the silent auction- a project that took months to put together. And just to keep things interesting, I was summoned to serve on the jury of a rather intense 4-day trial.

(At this point I need to give a shout-out of heartfelt thanks to Mom and Dori for keeping my kiddos safe, fed and entertainment for hours on end during that 5 day period. You guys are awesome!)

Once all was said and done, Nate and I were in need of some serious R & R. After a couple days of non-stop cuddling with the kiddos and feeling nothing but gratitude at being back to my normal mommy duties, Nate called to say that he wanted to take me out. Super! I was thinking he had dinner at a nice restaurant in mind. But then he showed up with these:

Wicked is in SLC for about a month. Tickets have been sold out from the moment they went on sale. Nate should know...he stood in the freezing cold for hours the morning they went on sale only to get turned away. But then yesterday at about 3:00 Art Tix released 6 tickets that sold within minutes. Nate was able to grab 2 of them. Proof enough that the good Lord felt we needed a reward for our long week too! :)

CONFIRMED: My man knows the way to my heart.

Okay, so we may have been the last people in North America to see Wicked, but our turn finally came and it was well worth the wait. So-so-so amazing!! Goose bumps for 3 hours amazing! The theater is pure magic.

Next year, we're getting season tickets. (The Lion King is coming!)

Recent Convos

2009-03-25T09:59:00.009-06:00

David: (eying my mug suspiciously) Mom, is that hot chocolate?
Me: No, it's tea. Herbal tea.
David: Mmm, I love purple tea. Can I have some purple tea too Momma?

............

Will: Mom, I have to go to the bafroom.
Me: Okay Will, then go to the bathroom.
Will: Mom, you carry me!!
Me: No Will, you can walk.
Will: No, CARRY ME!
Me: Hmm- are you trying to be difficult?
Will: (looking very confused) No...I'm PERFECT.

...........

We were talking about the Holy Ghost during family scripture study...

Will: Huh? The Holy Ghost? I will kill him with my sword.

Me: No, no Will. The Holy Ghost is a good ghost. He's our friend that always stays with us. He helps us to know right from wrong and helps keep us safe.

Later on when they were playing Good guys vs. Bad guys...

Will: (speaking to Nora who was "the bad guy") I will get you bad guy and I have the Holy Ghost. He will help me kill you.

Hmm...thinking we need a few more lessons on that one. The whole "ghost" part of it really has him confused.

...........

Tess: Mom, I want a dog! Why can't we have a dog?
Nora: I want a titty-tat (kitty cat).
Will: I want a lizard.
David: I want a talking parrot.
Me: Well, what about a goldfish? Goldfish are really cool.
(Lots of blank, unconvinced stares.)

NYC

2009-03-20T10:54:00.006-06:00

One night I got a call from Mom and Maddie:
"We found some cheap plane tickets. We're going to NY in 8 days. Are you in?"
Um, heck ya.

What about the kiddos?? Most awesome husband ever. And neighborhood babysitting co-op = best invention ever!

7 Horsley girls hit Manhattan. Total trouble. I didn't get great pictures...haven't really been in a picture-taking mood for a long time now. But here's what I got...

And...it just so happens that they have gone and made one of my all-time favorite movies into a musical: Billy Elliot

It's about a young boy who grows up in a rough mining community and then one day accidentally discovers that he loves to dance...which makes it sound kinda fairy...but it's not...it's heart-warming and beautiful.

So of course, I had to see it. And now days later I still can't stop thinking about it. Phenomenal. Completely took my breath away.

So I will leave you with the lyrics from the pinnacle song of the show, Electricity. This song is Billy's response to how dancing makes him feel. It speaks to me. It just so happens to be the way that I feel when I'm dancing. It also perfectly describes the way I felt watching this show. Did I mention it was good?

ELECTRICITY

I can't really explain it, I haven't got the words
It's a feeling that you can't control
I suppose it's like forgetting, losing who you are
And at the same time something makes you whole

It's like that there's a music, playing in your ear
And I'm listening, and I'm listening, and then I disappear
And then I feel a change, like a fire deep inside
Something bursting me wide open, impossible to hide
And suddenly I'm flying, flying like a bird
Like Electricity, electricity
Sparks inside of me, and I'm free, I'm free

It's a bit like being angry; it's a bit like being scared
Confused and all mixed up and mad as hell
It's like when you've been crying
And you're empty and you're full
I don't know what it is, it's hard to tell

It's like that there's some music, playing in your ear
But the music is impossible, impossible to hear
But then I feel it move me
Like a burning deep inside
Something bursting me wide open
Impossible to hide
And suddenly I'm flying
Flying like a bird
Like Electricity, electricity
Sparks inside of me
And I'm free, I'm free

Electricity sparks inside of me
And I'm free, I'm free
Oh, I'm free

Makin' His Momma Proud

2009-03-12T12:44:00.006-06:00

This is the story as told at book club last night...

One of my good friends is David's Primary teacher. On Sunday, they had a lesson on the priesthood.

Teacher: Okay class, so today we are going to talk about something that starts with the letter P.

David: I know, I know! (you know where this is heading right?)...PENIS!

Teacher: Um...well...that is a P word David, but this P word is something that men can hold and women cannot.

David: (quite certain he has it now) Teacher, teacher, I know!...it's PENIS!

...You know, based on the clues, David really was on to something.

And above all, this story proves one thing...David is learning his letters. Wahoo!

Stretched too thin

2009-02-25T23:28:00.005-07:00

Today I responded to a friend's request by telling her that I would be happy to help sometime around August. What? Apparently, I am now booking my time 6 months in advance. When did things get so out of control?

I know you are all in the same boat. What is it exactly that fills up our time? And are all of those things really important? Or even necessary?

Hmmm, I think it's time for some changes...

So in an attempt to find order and balance, and perhaps greater simplicity in my life (and because lists make me happy), here we go:

Priorities:

1. My relationship with God

2. My marriage

3. My beautiful children

4. Home= heaven on earth

5. My beautiful YW

6. Friends

7. Other volunteering opportunities (schools, etc.)

8. Personal time

Am I forgetting something? Probably. But this is a good start.

Details:

Stop snoozing. The schedule works well as long as I get started on time...which I very rarely do.

Get off the dumb computer.

Only check email once (or twice) per day. Facebook and blogs twice/week. (Sorry blogging friends- I love you all- but I've got to find some time somewhere.)

Rediscover my love of reading.

Read a good balance of books- one novel, one church book, one classic

Exercise 30-40 minutes 5 times + 1 dance class per week.

Keep volunteering in the kids' classrooms but maybe not chair the silent auction for next year's fundraiser. It's taken too much time away from my little ones at home. I can be more involved again in the years to come.

Remember there's a time and a season for everything and it's okay to not do it all right now.

Less is more.

Learn to make bread with the wheat grinder that has been tucked away in its box since Christmas.

Go for a walk or bike ride with the kids on good weather days.

Find a time to practice piano with Tess and stick to it.

Just finish painting/decorating the house already. No more excuses.

Contact each of the YW at least once/week.

Have one full night each week dedicated to nothing but Nathan (even if it means missing out on something social).

No raised voices in the house- this was our New Year's resolution and it's going quite well. Makes such a difference!

Quit thinking I can do it all myself and rely on the Lord a little bit more. Ahh- I think I've just stumbled upon the real secret.

So I guess that's a good place to stop. It felt good to organize my thoughts for a moment.

Now, back to work...

Seriously?

2009-02-19T13:57:00.005-07:00

Goodbye gum- you've seen your final day at the Meeker house.

I know what you are thinking: Awesomest. Haircut. Ever.
(And just as the reverse mohawk was starting to fill in. See previous post if you don't know what I'm talking about.)

Who votes we just shave him bald?

It's a little TOO quiet in the house...

2009-02-13T14:28:00.005-07:00

...which always spells T-R-O-U-B-L-E-!

A little recap of what we've been up to lately.

Nora found
the make-up bag

Nora, daw-ling, you've never looked so gorgeous!

David found the scissors. We call this a reverse mohawk.

(Davey calls it his "stripe.")

The onions I burned while giving a stern lecture and sweeping up the golden curls.

Past too-quiet-in-the-house, up-to-no-good, classic Meeker moments...

Panty liner art

Spilled paint on the master bedroom carpet. (Done by none other than Davey. I bet you could have never guessed!)

Yes, I was able to get it out after a mere 4 hours of Bissell sucking action.

This one happens on an hourly basis. Anyone know how to keep the cushions on the couch? I would love the chance to just sit down without having to put the couch back together.

Good times...oddly I suspect I'll miss these moments as the kids get older. Which is happening all too quickly.

Sigh.

It's why I love her

2009-02-03T22:50:00.004-07:00

Normally if we get a brush through Tess' hair on her way out the door for school we are doing well. But this day I had actually done it. Complete with a cute little braid on the side. But by the time I picked her up from school it looked more like this:

Okay maybe not that bad, but you get the point.

me: Tess, why did you take out your braid?

Tess: Because Ella came to school with really messy hair...and she didn't want to be the only one...so I made my hair messy so she wouldn't feel so bad.

Awwww. So sweet. That's my girl.

Preschool Fieldtrip...

2009-02-03T21:18:00.005-07:00

...to the Fire Station

So have you ever bought something and then seen it in a picture a few months down the road and wondered, "What was I thinking?" Yep, me too. Neon green sleeves on David's coat? Really Erin? What were you thinking?... Okay so actually I know exactly what I was thinking: "Wow, this is great! I will be able to spot David anywhere!" (He has a terrifying propensity to wander off.) And guess what... I CAN! So there... I guess I was right.

Things that keep me thinking into the wee hours of the night

2009-02-01T22:12:00.004-07:00

Pres Gordon B. Hinckley:

"I just cannot get over the tremendous responsibility we have. There has been laid upon us as people of ordinary talents the work of carrying the gospel of Jesus Christ to all the world. I just speak of myself and wonder if I should be doing a little more."

Hmm- I'm thinking if Pres Hinckley thought he could do a little more, that there is probably a great deal more that I could be doing.

Do you remember when Pres Hinckley died, and everyone kept going on and on about how happy they were that he was reunited with his sweet Marjorie? Well- I totally agree with that. Except when I miss him. Which I still do. A lot.

Pres Ezra Taft Benson:

"I work as hard as I can. I try to be obedient so the Lord knows I'm serious about Him. And then I trust the Lord to make up the difference."

Do I live my life in such a way that the Lord knows 'I'm serious about Him?' Does He know I'm on His team? (Go team Jesus.) Are there things that I do that would make Him doubt that? Hmmm...should I make a list?

And this one- this one- totally blows my mind. It's written about Marjorie Hinckley. I absolutely adore Sis Hinckley. I like to think that I'm the best friend she never knew she had. But there are probably a good many of us that feel that way. Because she was that kind of person...

"What everyone felt in her presence was the pure love of Christ...It was the pure love of Christ that allowed her to stop worrying about how the world saw and treated her, and left her free to focus her attention on others. It was the pure love of Christ that allowed her to rejoice in the accomplishments of others without feeling jealous or intimidated; to focus intently on others rather than worry how she was being viewed. It was the pure love of Christ that, over time, made her oblivious to the enticements of the world. It was because she was filled with the pure love of Christ that she never failed to have the impact on others that she had. And the results were stunning."

Ya. New goal: get me some more of that kind of love.

**All of these quotes are taken from the book, "No One Can Take Your Place" by Sheri Dew.

What can YOU buy for $23?

2009-01-26T12:28:00.004-07:00

This weekend I was able to answer that question like this:

Top Sirloin Fajita Strips, ~1 lb
4 Chicken Drumsticks
Sirloin Pork Roast, ~2 lbs
Lean Ground Beef, ~1 lb
2-lbs Whole Carrots
5 Fuji Apples
5 Oranges
1 Romaine Lettuce
3 Red Bell Peppers
2 Avocados
5 Pears
5 Tomatoes
1 Stone Ground's Artisan Wheat Loaf
16 oz. Rice

All for only $23. Deals this good make me a little light-headed.

It is all possible through The Community Food Co-op of Utah. (A big thanks to my friend Marie, queen of the co-ops, for introducing me to this program!)

Interested? Basics of the program:

You place and pick up your order once/month.
You are required to do 2 hours of volunteer service for each month that you place an order. But it can include things like: church service, volunteering at your child's school...basically anything!
The "standard share" costs ~$23. (That's what I got.) Each month the standard share is different but always includes at least 4 meats, 5 veggies, 3 fruits, grains. You also have the option to add things to your order. (Or for you vegetarians you can get the "harvest share" which includes everything but the meat.) You'll have to look at the website for all the details.

Nate patiently waited while I set everything out on the counter to take a picture, and then promptly proceeded to make himself this beauty with all the fixins:

Secret ingredient: sweet peppers (Thanks Angie for that tip!)

Nor-Nor

2009-01-22T17:45:00.005-07:00

The conversation I overheard while the girls were sitting at the table coloring...

Tess: Nora, do you love Mom?

Nora (half-heartedly): Ya.

Tess: Do you love Dad?

Nora (very exuberantly): YES! I LOVE DAD!...But I don't want to marry him...he's too tall!

Now why didn't I think of that logic?

In other news...Nora is preparing for her debut performance at Carnegie Hall. We will let you know when that will take place. (I love the running commentary on her song, especially the "that's a weird song" part...)

I often wonder if these things that I post about my children will embarrass them in the years to come. Nora- in my defense- you are sitting right here on my lap, loving the video ("Again Mom, again!"), and have agreed that we need to show it to our family and friends.

More sprinkles please!

2009-01-22T11:12:00.006-07:00

Cute little Miss Tate (our niece) turned 2 this week.

Oh we love our Taters! And not just because she let us open all the presents for her (again, sorry about that), but because she's beyond adorable. What a personality! She says the cutest things. And she just happens to have a little crush on Nate... who unfortunately got called away from the party because one of his patients died. (a 5 month old...I know...don't even think about it.) Anyways, we still had fun because there were SPRINKLES. And we LOVE sprinkles.
(Notice the 3 already empty shaker bottles...yes, there is a cookie under there somewhere)

Mmm...pinkalicious.

Thanks for a fun party Wy and Chels. Happy Birthday Tate!

Sledding

2009-01-08T19:03:00.009-07:00

We went sledding with Nate's family. A big thanks to Gma Conna for hosting and Steph and Bracken for carting us around on the snowmobiles.

It was all going well until Tess "broke her arm" which she played up in a truly Oscar-worthy performance. (In her defense, I think she really did hurt it because she is still complaining about it 5 days later.)

me: I'm sorry you broke your arm Tess.

Tess: Thanks Mom. I'm sorry you broke your bum.

True story. I slammed (and I mean slammed) into a mound of ice. I have a big, black bruise. I wish I could post a picture. But that might be a little obscene.

'Tis the Season

2008-12-31T13:15:00.009-07:00

A post about all things Christmas

The holiday open house at the dance studio...

Miss Nora

Miss Tess

The nativity play at Grandma Conna's...

New PJs on Christmas Eve...

The booby trap for Christmas morning...this way the kids can't come upstairs from their bedrooms without alerting us. (We wouldn't want a repeat of Christmas 2006 when Tess opened all the presents before the rest of us even woke up.)

The high-tech computer that Santa brought for the kids. Check out the depth on that monitor. Only the best for our kiddos.

Christmas morning...

Relaxing after a long day...

Seeing the lights at Temple Square...Also known as the night Nora almost got frostbite. :(

Ice skating...

Hope you all had a splendid holiday!

DISNEYLAND

2008-12-31T12:25:00.005-07:00

Yes, we did go.

We went with the extended family...Nate's brother and sister, Scott and Kristy, and their families. Grandma Conna (Nate's stepmom) also joined us which was a HUGE help and so fun to have her along. This past November marked the 10-year anniversary of the car accident that killed Nate's dad, brother Brian and sister April. We wanted to get away and honor their memories with some family fun and togetherness.

Some highlights:

The tag that saved David's life. (We put this tape on the back of all the kids' shirts.) David wandered off just once and hid in a store "to get away from the bad guys." Luckily a worker found him and called us...after only about 5 minutes of panic.

Nora eating an entire cube of butter for breakfast. Do you think that's what her doctor meant when he said to increase the calories and fat in her diet??
Tess deciding she got to choose who was invited on the day's activities based on her feelings toward you at that moment. (Uploaded sideways...why does it do that??)

It was a GREAT trip. We'll have to do it again soon! :)

Dec 21- David turns 4

2008-12-31T10:32:00.001-07:00

Opening Presents...

As you can see, Will is just as excited as David.

His "rhinosaurus"

The Party...

David couldn't decide on a theme. First it was race cars, then Transformers. Because we are awesome parents, we accommodated his every whim.

He even got a visit from Spiderman.

This is the real Spiderman! Not convinced? Just ask the kids.

Things I never want to forget...

2008-12-31T09:45:00.005-07:00

... about 4 year-old Davey:

Whenever he's changing his clothes he has to take a moment to run around the house and sing "Naked Underwear Pants." (Man I wish I had a video.)

He has the conversational skills of an adult, regularly engaging perfect strangers in lengthy discussions. (not the safest thing, but very endearing)

He sleeps with an entire army of stuffed animals. Probably to ward off the octopus that he's convinced lives in the closet.

He regularly gets his head stuck in the back of the chairs at church. He also likes to take off his shoes at church. And his socks. And occasionally his shirt.

He loves to destroy. It's how he plays. He must take everything apart.

He can recognize letters but he thinks they are all "D." For example, when you point to a 'W' and say, "What's this David?" He'll say, "That's D for William." An N is "D for Nora." And when asked what his full name is he'll say, "It's like D as in David."

He has a great tackle...

...and a heart of gold (He always helps you up after knocking you to the ground and asks if you're okay.)

He's a total mama's boy. All of my other children prefer their dad because, well, he's the "fun" parent. You can hardly blame them. But David has attached himself to me. Only his mom can sing him a goodnight song. Only mom can walk next to him and hold his hand. (Mmm- soft squishy hands. I'll cry when he grows out of those.) What can I say? He loves his mom...

...And we love our David!

Quotes of the Night

2008-12-30T22:56:00.005-07:00

Nate and I just got back from our date night. My bro Wyatt and his wife, Chelsea, babysat for us. Here is the note that sat waiting for us upon our return:

QUOTES of the NIGHT

Tess: Will! Help! Go get the gun!
Chelsea: No kicking in the face, okay Tess?
Tess (to Wyatt after tying his wrists together): Tonight you can stay in the dungeon (corner of the playroom). Tomorrow you can be our servant.
Tess: When our parents were in Thailand they got their butts rubbed.

Physical evidence on that last one:

A HUGE thanks to Wy and Chels for putting up with our motley crew. They love love love when you guys come over.

Sorry ladies....he's taken

2008-12-26T23:33:00.007-07:00

So I have several things that I need to blog about, but right now I need to take a moment to gloat.

This is my guy.

Mmm- I love him.

On Christmas Eve he gave me soft, warm, fluffy footed pajamas. So cozy. I reluctantly take them off only to go out into public.

Then on Christmas morning he presented me with this gift:

(For some reason it's uploading this picture sideways. No idea.)

What is it? Only the best present in the history of the world! In that box are 101 things he loves about me, typed up on individual pieces of curly paper. And they aren't generic things that guys say just because they know girls like to hear them. They are well thought out reasons. Things I have never heard him say before. Things like this:

I love the way you look when you're asleep.
I love the tone of your voice - it is just right - perfectly comfortable to me.
I love that you've put up with driving a red minivan for 4 years.
I love that you can enjoy a good burger.
I love how you've come to terms with not being perfect.
I love that you don't have to be fashionable.
I love how I can never put anything over on you - you always have me figured.
I love how level-headed you are and how you're not afraid to tell me when I'm not.
I love the way you move; even your walk is graceful.
I love that you are moved to tears by other's suffering.
I love how I feel when I kiss you. It is still exciting.

Okay I'll stop. But really, am I not the luckiest girl? Especially when you consider that the final paper read this:

I love that you will love this gift: I promise to do the dishes every night for an entire year.

Now that's love.

Still swooning.

Help

2008-12-25T22:31:00.003-07:00

Okay all my blogging wizard friends. I need your help. I am trying to give this here blog a makeover but there is one thing that is really stumping me. How the heck (and I'm really tempted to swear right there because I have been trying to figure this out for about an hour now) do I get rid of the 2 inch margins on either side of my blog???? I don't want it all squished in the middle. I want it to fill the whole page, left to right, like so many of your lovely blogs. But how do I do it???

You won't convince him otherwise

2008-12-17T23:49:00.003-07:00

Will is pretty sure that this particular area of the Christmas tree needs more apples.

Don't try to tell him differently. Don't even try.

We're Off

2008-11-30T00:18:00.004-07:00

Tomorrow (or I guess today) we leave for Disneyland. Wahoo!

This is picture of the night we told the kids we were going. Nate came home from work with the Fairy Godmother's phone number and told the kids that they could call her and make one wish (which of course would be to go to Disneyland!). Clever right? Ya- we thought so too until Tess blurted out, "I want a puppy...no, a swimming pool!!" Hmmm, think fast. "Well Tess, remember how Dad is allergic to dogs (barely), and if we got a swimming pool then there wouldn't be room for the swing set or tramp in the backyard. Let's think of something that we can all do as a family...like maybe we could go someplace...(lots of blank stares on her part)...like maybe Disneyland." Thinking about it for a few seconds, "No, I want a swimming pool." Drat. This isn't going very well. Finally we convince her that Disneyland is by far the best choice and we make the call. (The 'fairy godmother' was a darling girl that Nate works with.) In the end Tess was pretty excited about the whole Disneyland idea, but a few days later she did say to me, "You know I think that we HAD to wish for Disneyland. I don't think that we really got to choose whatever we wanted." Hmmm- she's onto us. I think we are going to have to think things through a little more clearly from now on.

And here's a picture of the Pilgrim and sombrero-clad Indian that came to our Thanksgiving dinner.

Also, just had to share...
Nate and I and his new iphone went on a date the other night, in which I was definitely the third wheel, and we discovered a great little corner in SLC that you locals have GOT to try out. It's on 9th South and 3rd East. Start at Chanon Thai Cafe for yummy Pad Thai and Red Curry in a straight-from-Thailand, mismatched-place-settings kind of atmosphere, and then head next door to Cocoa Cafe for a mug of hot chocolate that literally tastes like a chocolate bar melting down your throat. Mmmm. Heaven.

The Non Plan

2008-11-16T12:46:00.001-07:00

My story. In honor of National Adoption Month.

I'm a planner. I carry my calendar everywhere. I like to know what's going on tomorrow, next week, in a year, in five. I like it all laid out. I like to feel prepared.

Adoption was NOT part of my plan.

I come from a long line of very fertile women. It never occurred to me that things would be any different. I always thought (and truly believed) that I would have a big family of mostly girls that came along every 2 years alternating spring and autumn births. Yes- it was all on my calendar.

But things didn't go according to my plan.

And I had a really hard time accepting that. Month after month there was the disappointment of not being pregnant. Again and again. The pain was so tangible. I ached all over. I felt broken. And like I was less of a woman. Night after night I cried myself to sleep. I couldn't understand why this 'righteous desire' of mine was not meant to be. I began to doubt myself. Obviously God didn't trust me with children. There must be more I needed to learn. People would tell me that it would happen "when the time was right." And I couldn't imagine how it was the "right time" for the crack mother, and not me. It seemed so unfair. Why would God deny me the one thing I wanted most? How could He be so cruel? Did He really love me at all?

And then I surrendered.

After many moons it became apparent that we needed to come up with a new plan. Explore other options. We had undergone test after test. Been poked and prodded. Done everything medically there was to do. And we were still as unpregnant as ever. Adoption was something that had always been at the back of my mind. Over the years Nate had said, "What about adoption?" And I was never ready. Adoption wasn't part of the plan. It wasn't something that I wanted to do. But I got desperate. And I surrendered. I decided to go forward with the Non Plan just to see what would happen.

I did my homework.

For the next few months I checked out every book in the library about adoption. I talked with people about it. We met with a social worker from LDS Family Services. From the moment we started down this course, things started happening very quickly. Everything fell into place. I still wasn't completely sold on the whole adoption idea. But I knew I wanted to have children. And the more I learned, the more I liked the idea. I was trying to have faith that it would all work out the way it was supposed to.

And then I held my daughter.

Tess was born 8 short months from the time we first met with our social worker. I first saw my little girl about 24 hours after she was born. We went to the hospital. Her birth mother was there as were her birth grandparents. The moment I took her in my arms and looked into her eyes something inside of me changed. It is probably the most sacred moment of my life. I'm not going to share details because, well, they're sacred. But God smiled upon me in that moment and blessed me with understanding.

I have a testimony of adoption.
I know that adoption is of God. I know that my adopted kids are meant to be mine. I know that God always intended them to be Meekers and when Nate and I couldn't make that happen He sent them to us another way. I feel strongly that our adoptions are something that Nate and I agreed to in the life before this one. That Tess and David agreed to them too. That we knew long ago that this is the way they were to come to our family. I know that their birth moms made the most selfless decision anyone could ever make. And that the Lord is now blessing them for their goodness. We are much better people for having them in our lives. We love and honor them beyond my ability to express it in words.

I trust in the Lord's will.

God's ways are not always our ways. His plan is not always ours. We must surrender control and trust Him. This is a lesson that a loving Father has tried to teach me over and over again in life. At first when things don't go my way, I resist. But then I remember. The Lord does love me. He is mindful of me and my family. And when I submit to His will things always turn out wonderfully for us. It's not necessarily the way I always imagined it would be...it's EVEN BETTER. I feel so blessed to have had experiences that have enriched my life beyond what I could have ever imagined.

more unexpectedness

It just so happens that this week brings more changes for the Meeker family.

Unanticipated, out-of-nowhere changes.

(No nothing to do with more kids for those of you who are reading way too much into this...just church stuff...not a big deal...except to our family.)

It took us a moment to wrap our heads around these changes. But of course we know that change is good. It provides a chance for growth. For refinement. So we are embracing this newness. And we thank our Father for the opportunity.

Grandpa's ER

2008-11-12T13:49:00.007-07:00

So you know when you begin a phone call by saying, "Dad, do you have a scalp stapler?" that your day's not going well.

Yesterday, just after (and I mean JUST after) I had updated my facebook profile by saying that I was "loving that I had nowhere to be today," I hear a big crash and David's immediate high-pitched screaming. I run into the family room to see a trickle of blood running down the back of his neck. Okay, don't get light-headed. Stay focused Erin.

I page Nate with our family emergency code (our number + 911) and he promptly calls back:

Nate: Hey what's up?

me: (with David screaming in the background...about the blood getting on his PJs mind you and not the pain) Um, David hit his head. Really bad. There's a 1/2 inch gash and blood is dripping down his back.

Nate (ridiculously calm): Hmm- did he pass out?

me: No, he was screaming right away. But there's a lot more blood than our usual head injuries.

Nate: (totally unruffled): Okay, well do you want to drive up here and let me take a look at it?

me: Ya- I'll be right there.

Nate: Why don't you page me with a code so that I know you're here. What code do you want to use?

me: Yes.

Nate: Erin- listen to me. What code are you going to use?

I finally muster the brain power to focus on the sound of his voice and give him a code. (Can you tell why Nate's the doctor and not me?)

Now it's almost 11:00 a.m. and the kids are all still in their PJs. But as I stated previously, we didn't have anywhere to be. So don't judge me. We throw on snow boots and hop in the car.

After inspecting the wound Nate says, "Wow Dave- you can see the fatty tissue under the skin. That's pretty awesome." Then to me, "We're going to need a scalp stapler. Do you think your dad has one of those at his office?"

Hence the phone call to my dad, who by the way, does NOT have a skin stapler, but promises to do stitches if necessary. (Nate's reaction..."Ah, but the stapler is so much more fun!") Now my dad is not an ER doc. He's a dermatologist. But this past year his office has also served as the Meeker family on-call emergency room. (Why you might ask since Nate works at a hospital. And the answer is...there's no co-pay at Grandpa's ER!) It brings such great comfort to our minds (and of course, wallets) knowing that "Doctor Grandpa" can take such good care of us each time we gash our heads open. THANK YOU DAD! Last year we took Will in with a split forehead. We decided against stitches and just butterfly bandaged it. David was not so lucky. He got 2 stitches. (I know- all this fuss over 2 measly stitches, but hey, it was the first set of stitches for our fam so it was a big deal!)

David was such a trooper. He didn't make a sound, just kind of pouted.

I promise it looked a lot gnarlier before the stitches were in.

Enjoying burgers at Five Guys afterward. In our PJs. (Blood-stained PJs for David.) At 1:00. Whatever you guys. I'm a good mom.

I also feel compelled to share that before all of this happened I was on the treadmill and interrupted 5 TIMES (literally, no exaggeration) for bathroom breaks during my 30 minute jog. If I were to write an autobiography about this portion of my life it would be titled, "Going Potty: Memoirs of a Mother with three 3 year-olds"... do you think it would sell?

Adoption Walk with Me

2008-11-10T09:22:00.005-07:00

On Saturday I took the kids to Liberty Park for the Adoption Walk with Me 5K (which really turned out to be about a 3K as it was just one lap around the park). This is an annual event sponsored by Families Supporting Adoption. Its sole purpose is to help spread adoption awareness. We were a rather small group but it's always fun to be among people that we know have had the same experiences as our family and regard adoption as an incredible blessing and miracle in their lives just like we do.

Nate was able to score tickets to the BYU football game that day (thanks Mark) so he wasn't able to walk with us. No worries- I brought lots of help. A big thanks to Mom, Dru and Maddie for helping little ones around the track and supporting our family. Love you guys.

The camera was on a weird setting, but here are the kids and me at the starting line.

And here's our gang beginning the walk.

Look how happy Maddie and Mom are to be there.

Dru got a hold of my camera. Awesome.

Tess likes going to adoption events and seeing the other kids that are just like her.

Nora actually pulled David in the wagon for a little stretch.

The highlight of the walk was definitely the dead bird. The kids were so fascinated. At first they stood back, but then started inching closer and closer.

David taking a turn pulling Nora.

I promise Will was there too. I just don't have many pictures of him because he was being his usual trailblazing self. He would run ahead of our group and then pop out from behind trees to scare us.

What a fun thing for our family. And it was such a gorgeous day. (I'm loving this autumn like no other.) I think we will have to make this walk a yearly tradition... and next time we'll know to wear orange. :)

Jesus and the crocodile

2008-11-05T17:01:00.003-07:00

This is a picture of the Jesus bust that we have sitting in our den at home. And here is the conversation I had with Will about it today...

Will: (with a worried expression and small voice) Mom, what happened to Jesus?

me: What do you mean?

Will: Where are Jesus' arms?

me: Oh that's a bust of Jesus. It's supposed to be just his shoulders, neck and head.

Will: (now very worried) Mom...did the crocodile eat Jesus' arms??

Apparently he thinks that Jesus' robe looks like a crocodile mouth.

I will never look at the bust the same way again. Creepy Jesus bust.

Election Day Drama

2008-11-04T15:43:00.007-07:00

Tess: Mom, at school we get to vote for President. Who should I vote for?

me: Well Tess that's the beauty of living in America. You get to decide for yourself who to vote for. Everyone makes their own choice and no one gets to tell you what to do. Your dad is voting for Obama and I am voting for McCain.

Tess: WHAT?!?! YOU MEAN YOU DON'T LOVE EACH OTHER ANYMORE?!? YOU'RE BREAKING UP?!? WHO AM I GOING TO LIVE WITH- YOU OR DAD?!?

me: Whoa Tess, calm down. That's not what that means at all. Let's talk about this...

I will spare you the details of us going over what each candidate believes in and why daddy likes one and I like the other, and why it is so wonderful to live in a place where people can have different opinions and express them freely and still be friends. But even after all this talk talk talk it still ended with Tess in tears because she thought that in having to choose who to vote for at school, she was having to choose between her dad and me. Finally...

me: Tess just vote for Obama. He's going to win anyway and I promise I won't feel bad.

Tess: (smiling for the first time since the conversation began) Okay mom, that's sounds good.

Hmm...do you think she got the take-home message about it being a privilege to make your own decision??

(By the end of school Tess and her friends were chanting "Obama! Obama!" It seems we have a clear winner from the elementary kids...)

Fall & Halloween Pictures

2008-11-01T21:20:00.006-06:00

The kids were a bit scared when they came home from preschool to find the "scary ghost" on the door.

At the pumpkin patch for preschool (Check out David's face...he kills me!)

This is Tess at Gardner Village. It probably looks like she was trying to dress up as a witch. That's actually not it at all. On the way there I had Tess read to me in the car in an attempt to get her homework done. Well, that wasn't a very good idea because Tess gets car sick, and unfortunately this time it involved projectile vomit. Her pants were covered. The only thing we had for her to wear was Aunt Dori's BCBG (I think?) dress from the back of the car.
A really happy Davey

Nora with playgroup friends

Boys throwing rocks

hALloWeEn...

Nora blowing bubbles

Our rag muffin Tess

Cousins: Tate (Raggedy Ann), David (Superman), Will (Batman), Tess (Homeless child), Nora (Tinkerbell), Jackson (Obiwan Kenobi), Cole (Jack Sparrow)

Cute Jackson with the really cool and much coveted lightsaber.

Okay the dreads are still cracking me up!

Isn't Tate cute enough to eat??

Maddie and Eve work together so for Halloween they dressed up as each other. Not hard to do since they have basically the same wardrobe. They even matched shoes, earrings and hair clips. Such dorks. :)

Notice the names drilled into the 4th pumpkin. Yes, Nate really got his drill out.

We {heart} Adoption

2008-11-01T12:13:00.002-06:00

November is National Adoption Month. I will probably be posting quite a bit about adoption in the coming days...so get ready.

Our weekend in Grand Junction

2008-10-31T19:31:00.005-06:00

So I am way behind on posting. Perhaps it is because I have discovered the black hole of cyberspace that is Facebook. Man, why do I keep complicating my life when what I really need do is simplify?

Anyway, here are pics from our recent weekend trip to Grand Junction, Colorado. Two of our favorite families, the Jolleys and Vances, live there. They were friends of ours in Philadelphia and how splendid for us that they both happened to move to a town a mere 4 hours away.

Okay so I didn't even get any pictures of Jeena/Tyler or Angie/Kennan. I'm a total dork. But here are all the kids:

Our hike to the Colorado National Monument:

Nate told the kids that they had to climb this huge rock to get there. They put forth quite an effort before we showed them the real trail.

Whoa!

Tanner and Kaden as Indiana Jones

We also went mountain biking while we were there. Nate was in heaven. He was pretty hard core with it in college but hasn't really been since. For those of you who know me well and are having a hard time believing that I did it, here is proof:

I only almost died once. (Actually it was pretty fun! I'm anxious to get better at it.)

Thanks Angie and Jeena for a super fun weekend! Love you guys! I think you have us almost convinced to move there. :p

My Agreement With God

2008-10-24T12:13:00.006-06:00

So it turns out that I'm not the perfect mother I always imagined I would be. Drat.

Don't get me wrong. Some days I am awesome. I'm totally at the top of my game, and I think, "Wow, I nailed that. I'm on fire."

But more often, that is not the case. I wake each morning firmly committed to performing my best impression of June Cleaver, but somehow by 10:00 a.m. I'm completely unraveled.

Anyone else know what I'm talking about?

Well, yesterday we were having one of those days. I got a little testy with the kids. I'm not proud of it, but it happened. I kind of ranted and raved. But then mid-lecture I suddenly stopped, and looked at their little faces and thought (and this is me talking to myself inside my head), "What are you doing? Look at these beautiful people God has sent you to look after. Do you have any idea how incredible they are? They are some of God's choicest spirits. Saved through the ages for this time. This place. Because they proved themselves faithful. Valiant. Noble. True. Do you really think you should be lecturing them with that tone?" And then I felt very small. Sometimes I am completely overwhelmed by the responsibility of raising such incredible spirits. Who am I to be their mother? Me? Seriously?

But this is where the Lord comes in. You see, over the years God and I have had many "discussions" on this very topic. I go to Him feeling discouraged and inadequate and He reminds me that He loves these little ones even more than I do and doesn't want to see them fall either. He knows I'm trying. He knows the yearnings of my soul. He knows that I fall into bed each night exhausted... humbled... repentant... determined to be a little better the next day.

I like to think that over the years we've come up with an agreement, me and God: If I try to do my very best (and I do... I DO!), then He will make up the difference. Somehow He will take my flawed parenting and make it good enough, whole enough, to help these amazing little people reach their full potential. There will be bumps along the way. Of course there will. These kids still have their free agency. I understand that. I know I won't be able to control everything that happens over the years. But it gives me confidence knowing that I have a partner in the Lord who knows all things. Me alone, pretty scary. Me and God (and Nate I should probably add because he's a wonderful father!), totally unstoppable.

"Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things."

-Alma 26:12

You Betcha!

2008-10-12T16:14:00.002-06:00

The Flowbee: an electric powered vacuum attachment made for cutting hair (Wikipedia definition)

That's right...the vacuum sucks your hair up and the flowbee attachment cuts it off.

We have never paid for a haircut for our boys.

Nate hasn't paid for a haircut in over 10 years.

Don't judge til you've tried it.

First Snowfall

2008-10-12T16:01:00.000-06:00

Last night we got our first snowfall.

Check out the snowflake on the left- pretty coolThis is always an exciting time for the kids.

In this pic, Will had just gotten out of the bath.

At least he remembered his boots.

This morning we were delighted to find that the snow had stuck.

Or at least the kids were.

I'm not sure that I'm ready for winter.

But ready or not, HERE IT COMES.

10.09.08- Dru and Tyler's Wedding

2008-10-12T14:52:00.007-06:00

This week my darling sister Dru got married.
She married her handsome beau Tyler.
Dru and Ty are so happy together.
And that means we couldn't be happier for them!

Dru opted for a simple wedding.
She wanted to put the bulk of the money toward a charming condo for her and Ty.
SMART girl.
My mom made Dru's wedding dress.
(Yes, my mom is super crafty.)
(And yes, Dru is super gorgeous!!)

Dru and Maddie

All the grand kids: Cole (Dori's), David, Will, Jackson (Andrea's), Nora, Tess and Tate (Wyatt's)
The Horsley sibs: Eve, Dori, Andrea, Dru, Wyatt and his wife Chelsea, Maddie, me
The 3 younger girls: Eve, Dru and Maddie
Isn't Dru's hair neat?? LOVE it.
Dru and Tyler with my parents
I have been laughing about this picture for days now.
(But for the record, my dad doesn't think it's that funny.)
Uncle Brian & Nora

Cute Tess
Tired-of-taking-pictures Tess

After the temple, we headed over to our favorite bit of heaven: Cucina Toscana
TO DIE FOR Italian.
My sis Eve probably put it best when she said, "You guys, I think this meal is the best thing that's ever happened to me!"

me and Handsome

Wishing all the best to the beautiful couple.

Ouch!

2008-10-06T22:47:00.002-06:00

These are the moments that I am very grateful for a husband that's a pediatrician.

Not that Nate had to apply any advanced medical training for this one.

Just ice and some Tylenol.

But still, I needed assurance that yes, that ginormous goose-egg will someday go away and no, he will not have any permanent brain damage.

Oh Davey...watch out for those doors!