New Baby. A Retrospective?

Is that the correct word? Who knows but here's a few pictures while I catch up on a little sleep. Or something.

New baby Camille.





And she likes to snuggle!







And laugh. She's a happy one.










And sleep. She loves to sleep.




But mostly she loves her sister.






Yep. I love having a new baby in the house. She's wonderful and everything I could ever want in a baby. (And I think she loves me best of all ;) )

The Gracetress has taken it all in stride and is the wonderful daughter we have always known her to be. And now she is the fantastic sister she has always wanted to be.

We are so very happy and so very blessed right now.

P.S. J will make it into the next round of photos. He's been doing much of the picture taking and the foot work around the house -which is why he's absent.

I'm Thinking...I'm Thinking...**

... about food.

I'm heading out tonight or tomorrow night to see Food Inc. This idea of voting with our money is very interesting to me. Also the idea that healthy-minded people can do to the food industry what anti-tobacco groups did to the tobacco industry is very hope-inspiring.

If we learned to see fast food for what it is: high salt/sugar/fat; rather than how it's viewed now: a quick and easy solution to end of the day fatigue or a yummy treat (that sometimes ends up being an everyday treat); well, we would be moving in the right direction.

I have read a number of articles lately about the addictive properties of food. I have often thought, as well as being told, that food addiction isn't much different than any other substance abuse issue. With the big exception being that one can't "quit food". That whole "needing to eat" thing can get pesky.

But it's true -individuals use mood-altering substances (drugs, alcohol, tobacco, food, whatever) for the benefits they give. Sometimes euphoria, relaxation, avoidance. Maybe the habit becomes an addiction or maybe it's a habit that "can be stopped at any time".

Ideally, one would find healthier ways of dealing with life issues and, those issues dealt with would no longer require the addictive substance. For example, to unwind at the end of the night I like to eat a treat. It turns out that talking with J, watching a show or reading are also great "wind-down" activities. It would behoove me to choose a non-caloric activity at the end of the night

**So it turns out that I started this back in August 2009. Interesting and I wonder why I didn't ever post it. Maybe because I didn't make it to the viewing of Food Inc. Anyone catch the documentary and want to comment?

Anywho, since I seem to have made a habit of not posting and here I find a mostly suitable post ready-made...yep...here you go.

We've Got A Swimmer!

And that's all I've got, folks.

All body parts present and accounted for (except the one we were most hoping to know about).

Looks like a healthy baby and we'll know in another 11 weeks what color onesies to start collecting.

Masculine Child?

We find out on Monday: boy child or girl child. Any thoughts? I'm a little bit excited.

True Colors?

Not personality color. No no no no no.

Your essential color. It is given to you by your mom (or dad or a close sibling). But mostly likely assigned by your mom. Someone who knows you and loves you the most. If you don't already have one perhaps the great love of your life will assign it. Or maybe you will come to Your Color on your own. (In which case, Dude, you just go on with your bad self.)

It's a color that is often paired with you and seems to stick. If you've received colored items from various family members and they haven't stuck, well, it (whatever it is) is not your color.

My color is red. My mom recognized my essential color and gave it to me. Red pj's at Christmas. The dolly with red hair. Red sleeping bags. Red reading lamp. And so on until it stuck. To this day, with all the favorite colors and secret favorite colors I have ever had, red is truly who I am. Whether it's a favorite or not; I am red.

It's my go to color. It's the color I'm most at home in. Peaceful. Essentially. Me. Ahhhh. Red for heart and happiness. Red for rage. Red for roses. Good times.

It's the color that I identify as mine. When choosing anything, I often pick up or look at red first. I may choose a different color ultimately, but we both know (red and I) that it should be red. Red is my color of confidence, happiness, safety. Home.

I suspect that my dad's color is also red. I haven't figured my mom's out yet. I'll have to inquire. Sisters, what do you think? I put Dan's at purple, Miss Moddie's at blue? and MJ's at green (but possibly purple -I have spent most of my life avoiding the purple candies because they belong to MJ. Although that may just have been a flavor thing). Am I close? Dixon seems yellow but I can't recall ever seeing him with yellow. Anyone?

Grace is pink. She tries to fight it from time to time but always comes back to it. I imagine there will be a time in her teens when she loves it again and then will publicly scorn it. Then in her mid-twenties she'll openly embrace the beauty that is pink. What? I'm not saying it will go down exactly like that...let's just say I have experience.

I'll have to speak to J about this but I really think he is both brown and green. Perhaps he can narrow it down for me. But at any rate, earthy tones.

So, what color are you? What color has stuck with you all your life and can now be identified as a "you color"? And while you're at it, what are the colors of someone else significant in your life? And, Have you given any colors?

The Gracetress Does Fourth Grade

Fourth Grade, y'all. And couldn't be prouder.

The Gractress Turns Nine

Here's our Birthday Girl.


All ready for church with her new Supplies. Thank you, Grandma Natalie. Paper and pencils and highlighters, oh my! Sacrament meeting just got a whole lot more fun.

"Guess what, Mom? Now I'm almost as old as I look!"

Thank you, Grace. That's what keeps me up at night.



Our Little Slugger, trying out her new bat. Thank you, Grandpa Tom! We can't wait for softball this Spring.

The Gracetress Does Art Camp

Grace went to art camp this summer. She spent each week working toward a final Art Show on Fridays. Here is a sampling of the products of her labors.

Hotel For Dogs. You can't tell but there's a miniature mailbox complete with removable letters.

Littlest Pet. This is a tent city that all the children contributed too. Grace drew a dog (whose name, I am sure, is Libby).
More work from The Artiste.

A Fiery Mask.

In all, a fun summer and it passed quickly.

Holy Produce, Batman!

This beautiful head of romaine came from my Garden Goddess friend (CM). It was just so pretty that I needed more witnesses.

I Feel...?

I don't know. Sad? About the passing of Senator Ted Kennedy. I'm not terribly familiar with either his political career or personal life. However I feel saddened for the loss of what he represented in my narrow little world.

I hate the end of Things As They Were. Senator Kennedy represented that for me. A family of Movers and Shakers. There isn't another family, in my mind, who comes close to possessing the power, romance and magnetism of John, Bobby and Ted*. The Camelot President, The Peace-Seeker, The Politician (with incredible bi-partisan clout).

Where is the next dynasty? If I didn't strongly dislike the B--- family, well, there's them. Who else is there? It's like when Johnny Depp became the new Willy Wonka. Gene Wilder is a classic. Who can top that? No one. But it's Johnny Depp -not better, just younger and cuter. But not the same. You know?

Or like when my parents sold our home in SR. No other home will have the memories and character of that one. It's like they changed the location of our favorite sitcom. Same stories new setting. (What if Friends took place in Nashville? Not. The. Same.) Same Bat-time, new Bat-channel.

Anywho, I wanted to say something and it turns out I have very little to say. Just, I'm sad. How are you feeling?



*don't get me wrong, I appreciate that these men were mere mortals and made mistakes like anyone else (sometimes bigger mistakes)

Best Day Evah

The Gracetress with birthday cake (courtesy of JL -you rock, btw):

Unfortunately, there was an "incident" involving fire and the umbrella.
I think the princesses may have had a little too much fun.

Her birthday this year was an act in two parts:
Act I: dinner at "The Salad Restaurant" (also known for their steaks, maybe you're heard of it? Outback, anyone?) because The Girl wanted a "house salad, no onions, no tomatoes, with ranch please". I love a girl who knows what she wants.

We were so excited to have a favorite duo G&G Halverson (one in person and one by skype) with us this year. Yay! Thanks for being here. (I'll post pictures from Act I as soon as I find my cable.)

Act II: a meeting of friends at the pool for cake. This year The Gracetress got to share the birthday love with a favorite little friend, who also has an August birthday. A good time was had by all.

Green Salsa

For Erika:

Okay. This isn't precise. Perhaps J will take over and fill in exact amounts. Short of that, here's what we do:

1 white onion, sliced,
a jalapeno or two, washed
a couple Anaheim peppers, washed
a couple Serrano peppers, washed
~1 lb tomatillos, washed and cored, paper removed
garlic cloves

Place all ingredients, as is, onto a foil lined cookie sheet under the broiler. Turn veggies over as their skins crackle and brown (this is supposed to happen). When skins appear more brown than not, start removing veggies from oven (this happens at varying times). The garlic is often done first of all the game.

Place onion, tomatillo and peeled garlic into a blender. Peel and core all peppers and chilies and also place in blender. Blend.

Add a bunch of cilantro leaves.
Salt to taste.
Also, I like to add an avocado. So awesome.

Blend until smooth. Enjoy.

I hope that was everything.

Oh wait... add a few shakes of cumin. Cumin makes everything better.

You can eat it warm or refrigerate and eat cold. This also makes an amazing sauce for chicken enchiladas. Great for tacos and chili verde burritos (of course).

School Lunch?

Hi folks. I have a request.

If you have time please head on over here and take a look at the SlowFoods Movement. This is a petition to help improve the quality of the school lunch programs around the country. This is something I really believe in and I hope you'll give it a little think-over.

Thanks and I'll write more after the Fourth.

Happy Independence Day!

Bid'ness

Once again I have nothing to say. Here's is some of May and most of June in pictures:

Grace and I went to Gettysburg for a school field trip. The house has a little tiny speck in the upper left-hand corner. Apparently, it's an unexploded mortar from the Civil War.
Dude.



Then I saw the biggest worm in my entire life. It was really dark so I was just guessing on where to point the camera and I tried to put my shoe next to it but believe me... it was HUGE. Longer than my foot!

Then J taught The Gracetress to ride her bike (in all of ten minutes, she was ready,what can I say?):
Pre-bike: Post-bike:

Then I spent every spare minute crocheting an afghan (sp?) for a friend's wedding gift:


Then J built a Star Wars Drone to fight off the bad pirates:


And he made green salsa in the molcajete (because he's awesome like that):


And I went to a friends wedding:



Finally, The Gracetress being her lovable, darling self:

The Staying Story

Thank you to M for pointing me to this blog post. If you have time, go on over and read about one woman's decision to stay married. Honest and powerful.

As noted,we don't talk about this a lot. The how and why and what happens after. Maybe because we can just observe and draw our own conclusions? Because it's too personal to talk about? No one wants to air dirty laundry?

But here's what I'm thinking. Save the sordid details for your best "in the vault" friend but share the other stuff. Surely anyone would acknowledge that no marriage, assuming partners are on equal footing and honest with themselves, is without bumps and disagreements. Not everything goes along swimmingly all the time.

Marriage can be (dare I say it?) work at times. Even the best of times. It's no longer you and your merry self. Now there are other needs to consider. Time constraints. Menus to discuss and agree upon (such as "what" and "who shall prepare"). Clothes to coordinate (okay, I'm kidding about that one but J and I have had several strange happenings of late wherein the same colors were worn on the same day. Coincidence? Or maybe we've just been married for awhile. Great minds and all that.)

I've had the thought before that being single is certainly simpler (yes, I'm familiar with "the grass being greener..."), whether it is or not I think could be argued at length. But what is it about being married that makes people choose to stay married?

The whole why is such a huge question and very different for many people: love, companionship, kids, someone to sit on the couch with and complain about commercials to, money, power, support, belonging, monkey business, someone to read books with, live-in road-trip buddy.

And then the other million dollar question: how? Once you decide it's worth it, how does one go about insuring it happens?

My parents (yours too, if you're a Holmes) talked a lot about this in FHE, Sunday walks, at the dinner table, car rides, etc. The how for them, according to me, was about compromise, forgiveness, date nights, praying together, keeping in touch throughout the day, laughter, letting the kids know their place.

Probably the most important: assuming the best of each other. Always with the benefit of the doubt.

And of course the main phrase I heard often was, "to treat each other in such a way that our spouse would never want to leave or look elsewhere."

With J and I, I would say that we both try to assume that we each are trying our hardest. And that we show respect for each other's opinions (unless they're crazy—we don't do crazy around here.)

Granted, no one is perfect. And so with the whole forgiveness thing. I really think these things work for them and us because we want them to. I think the key is that we're all trying (mostly every day or at least more often than not). I have no answers when only one is person wants to stay, except: that totally stinks and I'm sorry.

You're welcome to go anonymous for this but I would love to read the why or how you have stayed married. Or avoided it. Either one.