Here ya go, D'Arce

My old college roommate, D'Arcy (the one with an MA from NYU who travels the world, is a free-lance writer, and paints on the side...in other words, the interesting one in whom I live vicariously...) just published a post on fashion, and how much she loves it as an artform. So I thought I might show her what I was wearing while reading her blog. (Note: I don't usually look quite so downcast. That was for dramatic effect.)

Notice the hole in my six-year old capris for which I have not yet been able to find a decent, cheap replacement:

And the hole in my $3.oo t-shirt from American Eagle (a steal!...though obviously not such a durable one...)

Prediction

I predict that someday in Noelle's future, she will in desperation purchase a CHI flat iron.

Laura's Sweet Moves

Laura pulled out all the stops tonight, dancing up a storm. At least, she said it was dancing. Here are a few pictures that would prove otherwise:


After witnessing this (and after she had gone to bed) Steve googled that episode from Seinfeld when Elaine leads the dance at the wedding, which I thought was not that bad--not after watching my own offspring. Infact I began to hope that Laura might be lucky enough to attain Elaine-esque quality dancing by the time she reaches adolescence.

Who'd a thunk it?

After I had my first daughter--a tiny, blond-haired, blue-eyed, fragile-looking, high-pitched sing-song creature--I just assumed that she would be interested in dolls.

She wasn't. Her thing? Bugs. And dirt. And frightening the neighbor boys (the older, bigger ones) while chasing them around the neighborhood carrying creepy-looking insects in her grubby little hands. (By the way, the day we witnessed this will go down forever as one of my favorite memories. I love this about Laura.)

When I found out child #4 was going to be a girl, I thought it might be wise to hold off all expectations until we had met her and gotten to know her better. And guess what? She LOVES dolls! I still can't wrap my brain around it...

Here's what Noelle did ALL day--didn't even want to stop to eat:

While the cat's away...

So I had to go out of town for three days. I was going to leave my kids behind with Aunt Hayley and Uncle Greg. Hayley told the kids that while Mom would be gone, there would be "new" rules in place. The new rules?

Rule #1 No jobs
Rule #2 No healthy food
Rule #3 Video games--all day, every day

I held my tongue. Free babysitting is hard to come by.

On the morning I had to leave, while I was getting ready in the bathroom, I overheard Lincoln say to Laura, "Only four hours and fifty minutes till she leaves!"

Ah...man. It is good to be appreciated. (That's sarcasm, folks.)

Notice the glazed-over eyes:

I've got it! The Perfect Solution!

If you have not read the Twilight series and/or are offended by it, feel free to stop reading now.

If, however, you have found yourself wasting days incapable of setting them down, and if you, as a result, went out and purchased The Host, and could not stop reading except for that brief--ever so brief--visit to the bathroom and just enough time to zap some EasyMac for the kids, then read on...

First, I should preface by stating that I have mixed feelings for these books. Let's put it this way: NO teenage daughter of mine will ever grow up thinking it is perfectly acceptable for her hot boyfriend to sneak into her bedroom window at night, while her father lays unsuspecting in the room next door. Not to mention that fact that I still can't fathom their extreme popularity. I stand by my claim that they are mindless, purposeless floof. A sure waste of time. Someday I am certain I will regret having spent so many hours devouring them.

That said, I have come up with the perfect solution to Book 4--Breaking Dawn. It is thus: I decided that I don't want Bella to become a vampire. I want Edward to find a way to NOT be a vampire--to return to humanity. The solution: Dr. Cullen could perform a surgery in which he takes Edward's essence out of his body and transplants it into a different host!

The obvious choice for a new host? Jacob, of course! Then Bella could have the best of both worlds! Brilliant...

We are MOO-chers!

We saw this sign at the mall and couldn't pass up a free meal at Chick-Fil-A:


Here is Uncle Greg, cutting out cow spots with Lincoln:


Here are Uncle Greg, Aunt Hayley, Laura, Lincoln and Isaac--just in case you didn't recognize them in their authentic, real-to-life cowskins:


Baby Emi...boy, does she love a good chicken strip:


And in the mall parking lot...the best view of all (I'm a lucky gal):

Good Morning, World!

Noelle is sick--fever, snot, drool, crabby attitude (who can blame her?). She was fussing at the breakfast table, so I thought I would capture it and blog about her crankiness, but this was all I got!

What she was saying at the time: "Cheeee!"

Waxing Philosophical (Sorry About That)

In defense of motherhood as a career...

These kids--these four sometimes sloppy, sometimes loud, sometimes chaotic kids--each came separately to me as tiny little bodies that could not speak or act for themselves. Yet each of them the day they were born exuded distinctive personalities. Those personalities jumped out at me, and I knew exactly what each of them would be like, as I held them immobile in my arms, before they even had a chance to demonstrate those personalities.

This one, for example, I knew was sparkly and energetic:


This one was slightly sad--as though this new loud world overwhelmed him after having resided previously in such a peaceful place--but he was also contemplative and tender-hearted:


This one was loving and affectionate (it wasn't until age 1 that he also exhibited one of his more dominating traits--stubborness):


This one was both feisty and sweet:


And each one has grown into those adjectives of their own accord. I didn't have anything to do with it. They are each their own individual. I don't feel as though they really belong to me, to do with them as I wish, to mold them as I see fit, but rather it is my obligation to make sure that they are given every opportunity to succeed in this world and the next.

When Laura was four and Lincoln was two, they came into our room one night, about 2:00 AM scared. They walked hand in hand in the darkness, and as I opened my eyes to see them, I was overwhelmed with a feeling-- undeniable--that it was the greatest priviledge of my life to have the opportunity to raise them. And to learn from them. That if I dilligently did so, the world would benefit from their being in it.

Not a bad job description, eh?

There are no atheists in foxholes (or lightening storms).

Okay, so this picture does NOT do this storm justice, but last night about 10:00 pm, Steve pulled me out on our porch to see the most shocking lightening storm I have ever witnessed in my entire life. It was many, many miles south of us, but the entire sky was lit up without interruption for a good ten to fifteen minutes.

Here is a picture of the dopplar radar showing the short-lasting storm. (It's the litle red chili pepper between Iowa City and Washington. FYI...solid red like that is NEVER a good thing.)


Anyway, after all the record breaking snow and ice storms and floods we've had this year, I was yet again stunned by this brief show of nature. All I could think of at the time was, "I hope those people are alright." Nothing came of it, after all. Just a good show. Frightening, though, in the moment.

Dogpile

Since we don't have a dog (as I am reminded on a regular basis), and they must find a way to entertain themselves somehow...
I literally walked into the room and found them like this. Luckily my camera was right there.

Day Trip to Nauvoo

Some good friends of ours from college (Steve's old roommate Richard Price and his wife) met us there on their way to Chicago. Here are some pics:

Crossing the Mississippi:


Enjoying a quick morning snack:


Walking around the town:


Laura, Amelia and Evelyn:


My boys (chillin'):


My girls (taking a stroll):


Making rope the old fashioned way:


All of us together:

A Glimpse of Iowa (From my Car Window)

Okay, okay. Those of you from the East are saying, "Eh? That's the best you've got?" And I know where you're coming from. I've been to Boston where the trees are spectacular--almost as spectacular as the historical ambience that can be found on virtually every street corner. I've passed through Kennebunkport, Maine, and quite admittedly, every square foot of it looked as though it ought to be featured in some travel, landscape, or architectural magazine (even if it was only 60 degrees farenheit in the middle of July, and I had to buy a sweater). And no one is going to argue that New York has the best city skyline, hands down.

But Iowa? No body really thinks of Iowa. Maybe that is why I love it so. Even when snapping amateur photos from a fast moving vehicle, you still can sense the quiet, crowdless peace of the place.