Cowboys

It's almost July. I haven't accomplished many of my New Year's Resolves, but that's ok, it's holiday time. Lehi is like Patriot Station. There are flags EVERYWHERE on every U.S. holiday.. including... like.. pet day, or other made-up days. Seriously. I mean it's great. Lots o' cowboys. There was one today at the store, complete with cowboy hat and chew ring in his back pocket, beer belly trying to peek out from under his plaid shirt. But I loved him anyway. He was taking his little brothers grocery shopping and was yelling at one of them for "hitting your brother in the private". I thought it was funny.

Just cancelled our cable today. I'll miss Disney channel but I won't miss wasting so much time. I am very happy with my relationship with iTunes. It just WORKS. And the iPhone comes out today! Me and electronic gadgets have a harmless crush and I feed it often. I want one. Maybe when my T-mobile contract goes up next year.


Excellent autobiography by the extremely influential Ayaan Hirsi (Magan) Ali. I don't post about books much, I have to come across a really good one. And it may be that I'm very interested in religion, but it's a great text about life as a Muslim girl growing up in Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia, turning into a woman who has very strong views, becomes a member of Parliament in Holland and changes liberal Holland forever. Very good.

I think I'm going to write in my real journal for once this year.

Injury

Careful if you're woozy around blood. I'm not. Injuries interest me... that's another subject...
Grace tripped and fell and hit her mouth on the first cement step up to our porch. She was barefoot and in a swimsuit. At first I thought she had just cut her gum, no big deal. Then I laid her in my lap after I had iced it and she had calmed down and I felt her tooth--- and gasp, inhale, rush of emotion---- it was LOOSE!!! Now this is one of my biggest fears confirmed, that my little one will knock out her tooth and she'll have to go years without a front tooth. So a little tear comes to my eye and I fear the worst. But. Not to worry, we arrived at the clinic and the doctor told us that she will be fine. That the tooth will not be loose anymore in a few days. I was amazed. All my fears melted away, and by fears I mean the football-field-sized needle that dentists use being used on my little four-yr baby, her crying, maybe screaming, her tooth being pulled, lots of milk shakes and yogurt, being made fun of in the "what happened to your teeth" sense, the first day of kindergarten being different as if school wasn't hard enough. Phew. She is fine. She's still fine. Phew.

Father's Day

My dad and others right before my baptism.

Jake and his dad.

Jake getting teary at newborn Ruby.

Jake and Grace getting crazy as always.

Jake and little Rubes in Florida.

Grace and her Papa Smylie.

Fathers. My dad is the Beatles. And Jimi Hendrix. He is patient, kind, indellible. He skips around, never ever stops moving. He hikes all the time, doesn't act his age, flirts with my mom and makes me cry when I think of him. I miss him so much. If only we could have everything we had growing up AND our new families. My dad will absolutely take any situation and deeply believe that there is something positive and something to learn from. He teaches me still, every day, with his memory and his example. I hope he lives forever, because I don't know how to exist without him.

My Father in law. A gem of a human being. He is loving, kind, loving, and loving. He has accepted and loved me since the moment I met him and the Smylie family revolves around his wit, knowledge, talents, stories, opinions, music and influence. I love him.

Jakie. When we got married he talked about his grandmother one night and I felt in that room a thousand generations of his legacy. His CARING way, his love for the women in his life and the way he would love his children. We knew we would love it. When I was 39 weeks pregnant, I just assumed that when I went into labor and had my baby Grace, I would hold her, smell her, know she was mine. I knew I would cry. I knew I would love her because I had felt her in my body. What I didn't know was how much Jake would love her. How he would sit in the rocking chair with her long after I was asleep. The hospital was quiet, in the wee hours in the morning and Jake was still up, holding his new daughter, talking to her. Even from day one he knew how to talk to her. That's more than I knew. I was shocked, stunned, and knew I had a lot to learn from him. Now he's the father of my two girls and far exceeds expectations of all kinds. He is not comparable to any other father I know, he is outstanding, amazing. Soulful.
I love the fathers in my life.

Birthday

Today's my birthday- and Flag Day.

Jake gave me this:

I'm 28 and ready to make this year better than all the rest. I'm going to paint my living room tonight! yay! I will post pictures of it when it's done. One more birthday and then it's onto the big 3-0.
I have had such a great day so far. Had PF Chang's with Hannah, took Gracie to dance and I'm about to have my neighbors over for a girl's night with food, a movie and painting. Doesn't get much better.

Potty Training in the Woods

Sometimes ya just can't wait. This is Ruby on the potty, which is on the picnic table, adjacent from the campfire. I think you can even roast marshmallows from the toilet.
We had a campfire in American Fork canyon, which is a beautiful place. The back of Mt Timpanogas is so big.

This photo was taken by my brother. Two (three if I had them) thumbs up.

Life is a McDream.

Fast forward to summer. All things hot including rosy cheeks when the girls play outside, having to wash my shirts EVERY time I wear them (in the winter, this is unneccesary), and the girls doing lots of "swimming", which means filling up anything large or small with water right by the front porch and getting anything large or small wet. ALWAYS consisting of wearing a swimsuit, even if the objects getting wet are two or three toes.
So I don't have a drug problem. Or alcohol. No no, nothing like that. I am just addicted to Grey's Anatomy. Nothing is more fun than not having watched ONE episode the entire three seasons it's been on... then I happen to download one episode. Then another.. and now I daydream about what will happen next, find parallels to my own life and remember quotes from the show. And when I can't watch the latest downloaded episode on iTunes because Jake needs the computer for something CONSTRUCTIVE (can you believe the nerve of that guy, stealing me away from the show?), I read a book, which is a very good book and I will post on that later...
What is happening to me??? I need to start sleeping again!
I have become obsessed with free time!