Wednesday, February 25, 2009

My New Hobby

I am looking for a hobby. Something that is inexpensive and that I've never tried before. Any suggestions? And be creative!

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Bananas & Strawberries

A List for Tuesday

5 Things That Dutchie Does That Make Me Laugh

1. He smacks his lips together when he knows he's going to get fed in his high-chair.
2. When he's in his bouncy chair he rocks like he's riding a bucking bronc!
3. He does the worm when he's on his belly. (For those of you who are old, that's a dance move.)
4. When I tell him to say Mama he just laughs.
5. If Bo is within arms reach Dutch just has to give him loves.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Pennsylvania Hazing?

We woke up on Saturday morning to find a dead raccoon on our front porch! I wasn't sure if it was some sort of hazing but when I went to bury it it looked like it had been hit by a car. I am sure it stumbled into our yard in search of aid and finding only slack-jawed yokels, died on our porch. In our Elders quorum we have adopted the Relief Society's practice of giving a good news minute at the beginning of class and this is the story I shared at church today.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

"I want a Big Mac!"

Today we went to the McDonald's where the Big Mac was invented. That's right. Don't act like you're not jealous.

I ordered a cheeseburger.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Super Dutchie

The Soggy Socks Story

Chris wanted me to let everyone know that Dutch is, once again, taking after Grandpa Greg. He's started going "Italian style" (wearing his shoes without socks). I've found that if I put shoes and socks on Dutch, or just socks he inevitably takes everything off and the socks end up in his mouth. The only way that he will keep his shoes on is if he doesn't have socks on. Apparently soggy socks are just too tempting for him. Just another way that my baby is weirder than most.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

A Party Idea

My friend Sam(antha)'s son is about to turn one and she had a wonderful idea for his birthday party. When he was born he spent 3 weeks in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit so Sam decided that in lieu of gifts (which she has no room for anyway) she wants everyone to bring a blanket to donate to the N-ICU. I thought that was such a sweet idea that I wanted to pass it on.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

A List for Tuesday

25 Random Things About Bo

1. We adopted him the day after Chris's 26th birthday (two years ago).
2. His name has been spelled Boe, Beau, and Bo. Although I've always insisted it's just B-O.
3. My nephew Noah is the one who nicknamed him Bo the Wonder Dog.
4. Bo is blind and has been since before had him.
5. Bo's adoption fee was $50 so now Chris refuses to pay any more for a future dog because Bo is awesome and was that cheap so it's not worth it to pay more for an inferior dog.
6. He is a dirty little beggar. He will sit next to any person in the kitchen and beg for people food, doesn't matter what kind it is, he wants it.
7. He now considers Dutch's teething cookies fair game if they come within his scent. Once he even took it out of Dutch's hand!
8. There are three places in the house where Bo regularly sleeps: his cushion, Chris's side of the bed, and his chair in our bedroom. There are times when he has to sleep on my side of the bed next to me, but he prefers to have Chris's side of the bed all to himself.
9. Sit, down, and up are the commands that he has mastered.
10. He will only eat dog food after he has exhausted all other food possibilities.
11. Unfortunately he thinks that every toy that squeaks is his, so some of Dutch's toys are incredibly tempting to him.
12. On the totem pole he thinks Chris is the Alpha, then him, then me, then Dutch. This means that when Chris leaves the house Bo takes it upon himself to "protect" me from everything. This entails growling at any random noise (including my sneezing).
13. He very rarely barks.
14. His red ball is his favorite toy in the whole world and even if he hasn't played with it for months he still knows exactly where it is being kept in Chris's closet.
15. Bo is incredibly self-entertaining. He will play his own version of soccer with his ball where he bats it away and then attacks it. He'll do this for hours on end, literally.
16. He misses having stairs that he could chase his ball down.
17. Chris is his favorite person in the entire world and he will follow Chris's every move. This drives Chris crazy sometimes, but Bo doesn't seem to mind.
18. Dutch's presence did not faze Bo in the least. I assume he thought of him as a very noisy, sometimes smelly, puppy.
19. Visitors are his most favorite thing. He is just beside himself with excitement when people come to see him (because, of course, they are here for him and him alone).
20. Bo loves a schedule.
21. Fetch is more fun with Bo than with "normal" dogs. You throw his toy and he runs all around the yard trying to find it. It takes him a while to find it so you can read or talk or nap or whatever.
22. Chris's dad is his favorite person, followed closely by my mom. I think because they both feed him.
23. Bo doesn't mind getting a bath, he's very patient and lifts his paws up one at a time and everything.
24. When we go to the vet and he has to get shots or anything he is so mellow about it. Everyone is always surprised at how easy-going he is.
25. My favorite thing--when I can't sleep (this happened a lot when I was pregnant) I'll lay next to Bo and his even breathing will relax me enough that I'll fall asleep.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Happy Balentime's Day


Did you have a happy Valentine's Day? We did! We took a nap (all of us at the same time, even Dutch), went to the mall and walked around and ate dinner after Dutch went to bed. I know, that's super exciting, right? Well we really liked it. Dutch and I made Chris a big ugly valentine (like I do every year) and he gave me some roses. It was a very good day.

Happy Balentime's Day to all!

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Book Review

Book: The Magic Three of Solatia by Jane Yolen

This book was really intriguing to me because it is essentially four tales that can be taken separately and stand completely on their own, but are used to tell a whole story. It was interesting to me in regards to the book that I'm writing because everything that Jane Yolen does in this novel I was asked not to do by my first mentor! She tells this story very much in fairy tale language and that can be such a detriment to most writers, but Yolen is the Queen of Fairy Tales and can get away with things that no other writer can.

A lot of time I can predict where a book is going and what is going to be done, but in this book I found myself being surprised at every turn. This was a quick read, but powerfully written and the imagery and ideas have stayed with me even though it's been a few weeks since I read it.

As a writer it has given me a few ideas for my own stories, just by the fact that she did make such interesting choices in her plot and with her characters. The best books inspire and this one did that for me.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

A List for Tuesday

25 Random Things About Dutch

1. I had the name Dutch written down as a potential character name for a story.
2. Dutch Bailey was one of the only names that Chris and I agreed on.
3. We had decided to wait to get pregnant until I finished my Master's when I was already pregnant.
4. Dutch thinks that Bo is the funniest person in the whole world. Everything he does is automatically hilarious (even just walking across the room).
5. When he wakes me up in the morning it's with "talking" not with crying.
6. He got a flu booster shot on Friday and didn't cry.
7. He's an unapologetic flirt when we go out, making eyes at every girl who passes.
8. When he smiles he uses his entire face--his eyebrows, his ears, even his hairline smiles!
9. Almost every time I got to get him out of his car-seat one or both socks are off his feet and wet from being chewed on.
10. Every morning he does sit-ups trying to get himself in a sitting position. He hasn't been able to yet, but he must be getting abs of steel!
11. We read a book together every night before bed and he seems to be paying attention now.
12. He loves being lifted up in the air or turned upside down.
13. He's a foodie. Food is his favorite thing in the world (besides Bo).
14. His laugh is the most fabulous sound there ever was.
15. When you go to get him from his bed he gives you a big smile like you've just made his day.
16. It's almost impossible to change his diaper or clothes now because he twists and twists and twists trying to find something to play with or look at or knock over.
17. Shadows are amazing and he likes to make them with his hand.
18. He's happy 99% of the time.
19. When he "pets" Bo he grabs big fistfuls of his hair and pulls as hard as he can. Bo seems to like it.
20. He loves eating real food in his high chair.
21. He's inherited Chris's attention span, meaning he doesn't have one at all. The littlest things distract him (oh look, a chicken!).
22. After he's laughed for a minute he gives a big sigh as if he's saying, "That was a good one."
23. Splashing in the tub is more fun when it hits Daddy in the face.
24. The more you say his name and try to get his attention the more he ignores you.
25. My singing makes him laugh.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Davis Men

4 generations of Davis Men

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Another Milestone


Happy 7-month birthday to Dutch! I can't believe how much life has changed in the last seven months. How did I live before I had this little guy? I can't even remember!

Monday, February 2, 2009

The Barfing at Church Story

Dutch threw up at church yesterday. Not like a little bit of spit-up, he BARFED. He coughed so hard that he threw up the entire contents of his stomach. Maybe he even threw up his stomach, I'm not quite sure. Anyway, it was right in the middle of a very quiet part of church and everyone could hear him throwing up all over me.

Poor sick baby. Poor barfed on mama.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

25 Random Things About Me

I normally try to avoid talking too much about myself since most of you read this blog for updates on Dutch, but I figured I can't just ignore my sister tagging me to do this, so here it is:
25 Random Things About Me
1. My favorite holiday is Valentine's Day
2. I got my first kiss when I was 13 and it was SO gross
3. When I was 10 years old I decided that my profession would be a writer, actor, or dancer
4. Ballet is the one thing I regret giving up on
5. Chris and I were married 9 months to the day after our first date
6. I don't like the way cough syrup tastes and would rather be sick then take it
7. I went on a week-long trip looking at Anasazi ruins in Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona
8. The first time Chris spoke to me I was so nervous I was mean to him
9. My great-grandmother was my best friend and now she's my guardian angel
10. People mistake me for my sister Carianne
11. When I want to remember someone's name I finger-spell it in sign language
12. I competed in Student Congress in high school and totally kicked butt!
13. Someday I would love to be a Senator
14. Clothes are one of my favorite things and it frustrates me that I can't fit into a lot of them now because I haven't lost my Dutch weight
15. I love to write (and receive) hand-written letters
16. I can imitate accents really well
17. I was a theatre major before I majored in English
18. In my Master's program I am the only one writing a fairy tale
19. When I was in the 6th grade a swing hit me in the face on the playground and I have a tiny scar on my upper lip from it
20. After everyone trying to teach me, I finally learned to tie my shoes while by myself on the school bus
21. Robin Hood and Peter Pan are two of my favorite childhood stories
22. I love watching old movies
23. I like going to the movies by myself
24. I collect hats and purses
25. My friend Shelley calls me Pix