February

Much of the first part of February passed laboriously due to a sickness that laid every member of the family flat over the course of two weeks. It is crummy to be sick as a mother since we have no sick leave, benefits, or vacation packages and are on-call 24/7. Fortunately (for me, not for him), Mark was still home from work convalescing when it hit me the hardest. We are glad to be on the mend.

We had a nice Valentine's weekend. The older girls both loved making and exchanging their Valentine's at their respective schools. They then proceeded to come home and devour every last inch of candy in the first hour. Jane hovered on the edges of the candy binge trying to stick her grubby little hands into the pile whenever she could. The funniest/saddest thing was when she came to me crying as if her heart would break -- big alligator tears rolling down her cheeks -- saying, "Abby took my canny!" Upon investigation, though, it was discovered that Jane had stolen Abby's candy and claimed it as her own, whereupon Abby retrieved it and hence the ruckus. This year it seemed as if Valentine's was almost another Halloween.

Mark and I had fun attending a Valentine's concert where a Baroque music group played all of the Bach's Brandeburg Concertos (concerti?). I especially liked the 6th (if I remember correctly) because it especially featured the viola. We went to an Indian restaurant for dinner beforehand. It was so nice to get out.

Mark has been working long hours during the week, but we try to make up for that on the weekends and have been having a lot of fun. Mark has been taking the girls out on Saturdays occasionally to garage sales. They think it great fun and the people running the sales inevitably give them each a stash of free treasures (ahem, junk) which they bring home and show me rapturously and which they have yet to notice disappears in the trash throughout the following week.

On President's Day we drove about an hour to visit Brennam -- home Blue Bell ice cream, the pride of Texas. Texans rave about this ice cream and at the factory they give a tour followed by a dish of ice cream. The girls loved it and it was rather interesting to see how they make the ice cream and the ice cream sandwiches. It reminded me of the stories my Grandpa Ward used to tell about visiting his Dad's ice cream factory when he was a boy.

It's rodeo season here in Houston and while the big-time rodeo is just getting kicked off downtown, we decided to go to the smaller, more accessible Katy Rodeo with the kids this weekend. They were so excited to dress up in their cowgirl boots and hats and were mesmerized by the bull-riding in particular. Abby was brave enough to participate in the stick-horse race for little kids in the arena and had the biggest grin ever as she ran towards me (pictures of the cute spectacle were too blurry).

A Millie-sim: At FHE this past week I was talking to the girls about how special it is that we have an eternal family because we can be a family even after this life. Millie said, "Yeah, but it would still be ok if we weren't because we could still probably meet up together and hang out.

Some Jane-isms:
Jane: Mommy, I want a wings on!" (bringing me the dress up "fairy" wings) A few minutes after donning the wings, Jane comes back perplexed: "Mama, I can't fly!"

I put Jane in a new dress the other day that has a little bit of a twirly skirt. She got down, twirled around and said, "I a pincess, Mommy! I like a pincess!" This self-view explains much about what influences her rather imperious behavior these days :).

Little Miss Valentine

Abby and a friend eating their free ice cream

"I want pink!"

Oustide the Blue Bell Ice Cream Factory

Jane didn't take too kindly to sitting on the back of a dairy cow

For months now after their baths, the girls have been running around the house with their hooded towels on shouting "Super Heros" (or in Jane's case "Supah eewoes!") It's pretty hilarious and I finally got a picture with them doing it with their clothes on.

Happy Birthday, Ems!

It was my younger sister Emily's birthday yesterday. Ems is such a gracious, lovely, serene person (her sense of style always reminds me of Audrey Hepburn). She seems endlessly supportive and positive and is always willing to help in any way whether it be with photography (she is a wonderful photographer), ideas for entertaining, or just talking things through. We sure miss her and Ike and Lucy. Spokane is just too far away! Happy Birthday, Ems!

Redecorating Befores and Afters

As previously mentioned, we have been undergoing a rather large re-decorating/organizing project the past few weeks and in response to those who have expressed interest in seeing befores and afters, here are some pics. There are still some pictures to be hung and touch-ups/refinishings to do, but this will give you the general idea.

Front entry (after -- I don't have a before, but we just painted the door white and the walls beige, Shaker Beige to be exact. I love that color -- the picture doesn't do it justice.)

Study (before) -- to the left as you enter the door (supposed to be the dining room, but we needed to use the study as a toy room and so we turned this into the study).

Study (after) -- I never realized that red paint requires so many layers!

Living Room (before) -- and no, the Veggie Tales DVD is no longer one of the accessories we are using in the room.

Living Room (after)

Family Room 1 (before)

Family Room 2 (before)

Family Room 1 (after)

Family Room 2 (after)

Wet Bar (before) -- sorry for the mess! This space thoroughly puzzled me before (many Texas homes have these wet bars, but we haven't really had a use for it). I've been wanting to rip it out and make it a closet or lockers for the kids stuff, but my mom had a more economical solution for how to make it work as it is.

Breakfast bar (after). We brought our bar stools down from the attic and the girls have loved using it as a breakfast/homework/coloring space.

Breakfast nook (before) -- please excuse the laundry and garbage bag.

Breakfast nook (after) -- we were able to find a few of the accessories (like the old-fashioned washboard) at a local consignment store.

Kitchen (before)

Kitchen (after)

My Mom

I love this picture of my mom as a little girl! I think it shows her spunk (similar to the kind of spunk shown by Jane, her namesake)

I just had to post something about my wonderful mom -- the most amazing woman I know! Not only is she endlessly loving, faithful, and selfless, she is also brilliant, tenacious, and determined. Once she puts her mind to something she does it and to an extraordinary degree. She is a woman of amazing vision and would go to any lengths to help any of her seven children. She is one of my dearest friends.

My mom is extremely capable. She works miracles. In December, she directed a resoundingly successful production of Scrooge -- as in the musical! -- using the autistic kids she works with (many of whom have difficulty speaking) as the actors -- something people at the school and the parents of the children themselves never believed could happen. This month she put everything on hold to come visit for 10 days to help us fix up our house (she's something of an organizational genious). Armed with books with titles like "Use What You Have Decorating" and paint samples, she helped me transform our house into something that feels more like home. She should seriously work for a show like Design on a Dime! It has given me such a lift and was such a fun project for us to work on together (even though we were working non-stop)!

I'm grateful to have such a mother and cheerleader! Below is a poem I wrote for her last Christmas.

SHE

In answer to a child's prayer

She enters, sits, to comfort there

And sings a lullaby to soothe.

The fears of darkness soon remove

Into a forgotten place.

A teenage girl with hurting heart

Feeling shunned, alone, apart

Shares her pain in running tears.

She listens with a loving ear

And a safe embrace.

In hopes to help a girl achieve

A dream in which she scarce believes,

She works late into the night

To paint the girl's name in flashing lights

To help her win the race.

Once a smiling beauty queen,

She's sacrificed all it seems

To a world who doesn't know

How much it takes to grow

A home that is a sacred space.

Her pure faith and wisdom guide

Each son and daughter sorely tried.

She comforts, counsels, prays, and yearns

And slowly each one grows and learns

From her loving grace.

Return to Blogging

I wish that I could say that my cyber-silence of the past month or so was due to something important like my being busy writing the next great American novel or being engaged in the saving of the planet, but, alas, we've just been plain busy around here and blogging has been one of those things that has gone by the wayside. I know how disappointed I am when I repeatedly check friends' blogs for updates and there aren't any :), so this is an attempt to assuage anyone's disappointment in not hearing the latest and greatest from the McLaughlins.

We had a very nice Christmas here at home with the girls. Mark's sister and her family recently moved nearby and it was fun to spend time with them. Then we enjoyed spending time with Mark's parents when they came into town a week later. Mark enjoyed going to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans to see the Utes (still a true blue BYU fan, though) with his Dad, brother-in-law, and nephew, and we both enjoyed an overnight get-away in downtown Houston (thanks to the McLaughlins for watching the girls!).

Poor Mark has been working long hours (we live for our weekends around here!), but fortunately, he is loving his job. We've been trying to get back into a routine since the holidays (it seems to have taken longer this year) and the girls have been fighting off minor ailments. I am finally done with this year's round of graduate school application essay reviews which has kept me quite busy and we loved having my mom visit for 10 days to help us get our house in better shape (she's a genius, but more about that later). Hopefully my dad can come next time!

This past weekend we had a great visit with my sister Jennifer and her kids who drove down from Dallas. The kids had so much fun making a fort on the back patio with old furniture boxes and did a great job of even letting the "little kids" help decorate them. I enjoyed introducing Jennifer to the wonders of IKEA.

The girls are as busy and imaginative as ever. Tonight Millie fashioned herself an "apron" out of a ribbon and undershirt (I know, very interesting combination) and wore it over her nightgown because she wanted to be Abby's servant (we have very plebian tastes here -- don't seem to aim too high). She relished putting toothpaste on Abby's toothbrush for her, helping her on with her nightgown, etc. This, of course, suited Abby just fine since she is more than willing to let anyone do anything for her -- especially chores and the like. Jane is growing and is beginning to exhibit a few of the typical terrible two behaviors and an iron will. Good thing she's so darn cute!

The girls on Christmas morning.

Millie with her Felicity doll. She especially loved her panda bear and stuffed pony from Grandma. It was cute, before talking to each set of grandparents she double-checked to make sure she was straight with what each had given her so that she could thank them.

Abby with her Nellie doll. Abby is so precious with this doll. She takes such great care of her, puts her down for naps, "feeds" her, and changes her into her nightgown every night before putting her down in the doll cradle. She's such a nurturing little soul!

On Christmas Eve, as we were trying to have a spiritual family devotional, Mark asked, "Who knows what the Christmas tree is for?" Abby replied, "For putting presents under!"

Jane loved her new kitchen and has been "cooking" ever since.

Jane and Grandma McLaughlin at the zoo.

Watching the giraffes with the Craner cousins.

With the Craner cousins at the zoo.

Having a picnic in the fort with the Oldroyd cousins.

Abby's self-portrait at playgroup today.

'Tis the Season for . . .

Trimming the tree
Untrimming the tree . . .

Making Christmas goodies (and eating plenty along the way) . . .Making gingerbread men . . .

Making Christmas cut-out sugar cookies . . .

Christmas class parties . . .

(Abby wearing her pajamas to school and loved making her Santa mask)

Millie with her beloved first-grade teacher.


"Tis the season of Christmas, of course, and I am desperately trying to make it feel like such. Of course, this is hard to do if the weather happens to be 75 degrees and the air sticky with humidity, which it was last week. I am, therefore, grateful for the colder temperatures we've been experiencing the last few days. I can only hope they will last. I know I'm a little batty in this regard, but for Christmas, I like it to be cold! There is just something so un-Christmasy to me about warm weather in December. We have had some fun, though, getting in the spirit of things.

The Joys of Giving . . . Getting?

Tonight for FHE we drew names as a family and went to Wal-Mart so that each person could pick out small gifts for each other and hence, learn more fully the joy of giving rather than merely getting. Millie and I went off together to pick out gifts for Daddy and Abby. Daddy, Abby, and Jane went to pick out gifts for Millie, Jane, and Mommy. We made a big deal about picking out something that the other person would like and keeping it a surprise.

For the first 1o minutes we managed to keep the two groups apart (only occasionally passing each other in the toy aisles). Millie desperately wanted to get Abby a large My Little Pony stuffed baby (one of the ugliest toys I've ever seen) that she desperately wanted and Abby had picked out a game that she longed for to give to Millie. Jane just tripped up and down the isle pointing out any and all Barbie items (she is obsessed!). After that, somehow the two groups merged into one and the girls began an excited campaign to convince each other what to get for them, hence no more focus on giving and no more element of surprise (aside from Jane who, I believe, will still be surprised when she opens her Magnadoodle on Christmas morning). It was in this moment that the whole FHE experience fell flat and we entered the world of gift-getting frenzy. Even though we made each of them carry the gifts they were giving to the checkout counter, they spent the whole ride home talking about what they were getting and wanting to play with it when they got home. Hopefully, we'll have better luck next year.

Recent Millie-isms: While making gingerbread cookies: "How did you even make this dough? It's terribly good!!"

Pointing to the Catholic church accross the street from our church building: "I know that church. It's the Cadillac church."

Coming in from church: Millie: Mommy, can I help you with anything? Mommy: Thanks, Millie! That's so nice!
Millie: That's what Christmas is all about! (matter-of-factly)

Jane-isms (or should I say Queen Jane-isms? She's going through a commanding phase these days):

While listening to Christmas music on the radio in the car:
Jane: "Momma! I want "Anise Dabidab!"
Mommy: "What?"
Jane (louder and more demanding): "I want "Anise Dabidab!!!"
Mommy finally realized that she is referring to "Feliz Navidad", but can't quite get her to understand that Mommy cannot control what they play on the radio.