Into the Darkness

(Jenn) Wish me luck. I'm about to enter the Internet-less abyss for a couple of days! I'll let you all know when we resurface in MA and have our precious world wide web back. What did we ever do without it? Moving tomorrow. For now, I'll sign off because I'm typing on a keyboard that's on the floor, trying to lean around my big belly. Not too comfy! We'll update soon :)

Goodbye New Jersey

(Jenn) You're right, I should probably be packing right now (we're moving in one week -- ahh!) I just can't help but take a minute to post about our great weekend. There's a lot about New Jersey that we will miss, but most especially the people we have come to love.

On Saturday, we went to a birthday party for my friend Jessica, which turned out to also be a surprise going-away party for us! We have become really close with Henry's two friends, Evan and Aden, and their moms and dads. We are going to miss these friends so much! It's so sad to me that Henry doesn't quite understand that he's not going to live close to his friends anymore. He's so excited to move, but he really doesn't know what it all entails. :( When it comes down to it, however, I'm probably the one that's going to suffer the most from leaving my good mom-friends behind. I love these people!

After the party, we headed home for naps before the other party started. Suzen and Nick, our great church friends who have also been working closely with us in our callings, threw us a big BBQ party. They invited all of our friends from the branch! Many of the young women and their families came, as well as many other good friends we've made. It's amazing how these people really become your family, especially when you live far away from "home." We are so sad to be leaving all of these wonderful people, although we're trying to save our tears for this Sunday, which will be our last week at church.

A bunch of people from church also pooled money for a collective gift for our family which we are THRILLED about: a year's membership to the Boston Children's Museum! They must have really been inspired to understand how much Henry LOVES this museum -- he has talked about it daily since we visited in the spring. In fact, I think he is a bit mistaken and thinks we're actually moving to the Children's Museum (in his mind, Boston IS the Children's Museum). Anyway, we're so excited about a perfect gift!

It was impossible for me to put up pictures of all of the party-goers on this post, so below you'll find a slideshow with several other fun pics. Enjoy!

Belly Update

(Jenn) At the first of my pregnancy, Ben and I thought it would be cool if we took a picture of my profile every week so the world could marvel at the sight of my growing belly and the gradual growth of Frankie*. After about 15 weeks and with the onset of chubbiness, however, it soon became only Ben that thought it was a cool idea. Needless to say, my image has not appeared on our blog for a long time.

So here it is -- for those of you who haven't seen me (or Henry) for a while! Both of our bellies are growing at a rapid rate. The question is, "Who is winning, Nina** or Frankie?" Do you think someone should tell Henry it's about time he switched over to maternity clothes?

* the prenatal name for my baby, officially decided by Henry
** the prenatal name for Henry's baby (he's going to go into shock when I deliver a real baby and he doesn't!)

Weekend Warrior

(Ben) I got this ticket for my birthday for a double-feature I could not pass up: Saturday's Warrior & its sequel, The White Star (a value of $19!). Luckily, I had saved up a few vacation days before I quit work, so I used one last Friday (the 13th!) to fly out to Utah for the show. It was at the beautiful Cottonwood Auditorium, and the show was nothing short of spectacular. Even if you've seen the movie, it doesn't hold a candle to the real thing. And then, after intermission came the debut of The White Star: The Story of Jimmy Flinders Continues. Just listen to this teaser line, from the ticket stub: "35 years later, with a family of his own, and Pam watching over him from Beyond..." I was surprised that I didn't see any of you at the show. I apologize that I didn't get a chance to visit any of you--I really just expected you to be there so we could chat. Instead, I went early and got some great autographs, and the cast even invited me to participate in the reprise of "Hey, Flinders!" at the end of the show. Dream come true! Good thing I had the dance down pat.

Thanks, Kati!

Henry's Quotes of the Month, by Topic

Letters and Spelling
* After arranging all of the letters of the alphabet on the kitchen table (in the picture left): "I'm spelling 'Use your hands for turning, turning, clapping, up-down.'"
* "P-O-T-S spells Stop Sign" (Looking at a Stop Sign)
* "O-K-Y-W spells Statue of Liberty" (Looking at our Statue of Libery paperweight, which says New York across the bottom)
* "H-L-S spells your shirt" (Speaking of Ben's good old LHS t-shirt)
* "Earl. Earl says squirrel . . . and burl"

Religious Thoughts
* "I'm playing toys with the Lamanites!"
* (While walking around in the bathtub) "I'm walking on the water, like Jesus!"
* (After slipping and falling in the water) "I fell, like Peter!"

Potty Ponderings
* "Does Jesus have potty?"
* "Good night, sleep tight, and don't let the . . . pee pee come!"

Funny Observations
* "No nap! I'm just so much playing to do."
* "That's a-Larry-ous!" (from the Iverson "1, 2, 3, a-Larry" song that I still don't quite understand :)
* "That song is doing hiccups!" (about a song that was skipping on the CD player)
* "Dan lives in a motorcycle."
* "Does Daddy live at the church?" (Why would he think that?)

Phrases we hear regularly
* "I'm on the beach!" (which means he's either not wearing a shirt or not wearing pants)
* "I'm sprinkly!" (He says this every time he gets out of the bath and looks at his wrinkled hands)
* "I'm going standing up like Daddy!" and "I did toots like Daddy!" (He says this pretty much every time he goes potty)
* "Daddy and Henry play cars?" "Mommy and Henry play cars?" "Frankie and Henry play cars?" (He asks this several times a day)

Night Tantrums (Lately he has been waking up screaming in the middle of the night. When we arrive, panicked, at his bedside, this is what he repeatedly, urgently asks for):
* "WANNA PINK LOLLIPOP!!!"
* "FRUIT SNACKS!!!!"
* "I WANNA GO TO A STORE!!!"
* "I NEED A COUGH STRIP!"
* "TRAILER TRUCK!!!"
* "I NEED A SNAKE COOKIE ON A FORK!!!"

Busted

(Jenn)

Thought it was probably safe to throw away the cute Mother's Day picture Henry made for me in nursery. Boy was I wrong -- with Henry, it is never safe. He has pretty keen observation skills.

Can you spot the frilled-up paper plate in that bag of garbage? Henry could.

Here it is, recovered from the garbage bag with only minor damage.

The damage to my son and our relationship? Infinite.

Wedding Announcement

(Jenn) I spent about an hour trying to convince Shug to send out wedding announcements, but to no avail. So here's my virtual announcement for those of you who know her!

Griff, Ben, and Henderson are pleased to announce

the marriage of

Shug

to Paul Rigg!

They are getting married today,

Wednesday, June eleventh,

in the Anchorage Alaska temple.

They are beautifully in love

and are the perfect couple.

If you want to send them a gift, I have their mailing address . . . and they are registered at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Try not to be offended that you didn't get a real announcement -- they are just a wee bit stubborn about not wanting their picture on somebody's fridge for all sorts of strangers to see. Yeah, I don't understand it either. But I'm happy for them!

200 Haves & Have Nots

We just read this on Becca's blog, and thought it would be a fun thing to do together before we crash for the night. This is a list of 200 things that we have or have not done. If you want to copy and do this yourself, you can just bold the items you have done. Since there are two of us, we're color-coding. Here's the key:

Blue -- Ben has done it
Red -- Jenn has done it
Purple -- We have both done it
Black -- Neither of us have done it

Here goes:
200 Haves and Have Nots!
1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby’s diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said “I love you” and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game (go BoSox!)
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment (in a Temple Sealing Session! It was Ben's fault, probably :)
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (define "truly"...)
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain (first kiss for both of us was in the rain...together of course!)
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don’t
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie (as long as you count Sensitive Naked Man)
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school (in 3 weeks, anyway)
89. Changed your name (well, just my last name!)
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all four
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway (or equivalent to your country) play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird (slingshot--yeah!)
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a campfire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Responded to a Neighbor Jane Payne newsletter

What are you most surprised at? Good night!

Picture Update

(Jenn)
Here's a brief summary of what we've been up to lately, in pictures.



We finally got Henry's "big boy bed" all put together. Ben painted the bed (we got it for free from someone in our branch). The quilt is Henry's baby quilt, made by Grandma Lori. I can take credit for buying the pillows! Looks pretty good, eh?









And here's the big boy himself (he's very happy about the car pillows -- toys and decorations in one!)











Don't be deceived. The not-so-big boy is still VERY dependant on his binkie and blankie. This is the day he made his bed ALL BY HIMSELF.











Meanwhile, between the three of us, we spent pretty much the entire week last week keeping Kimberly-Clark in business.







I'm becoming a believer in the Neti Pot. Pour warm salt water into one nostril and it comes out the other! It's the "natural" way to clear your nasal passages and fight colds and allergies. I wouldn't be caught dead using one of these if only I were allowed to take more serious medication for my many symptoms. What pregnancy will do to you! But it's working, and for now I'm recommending the method! BTW, I also wouldn't be caught dead letting someone take a picture of me with that glorified gravy boat up my nose -- it's not very flattering. I can't believe how many people have posted videos of themselves using it on YouTube (check it out!)




Henry wearing Ben's new backpack: one of his many great birthday presents. It has a padded laptop sleeve and will help improve Ben's not-so-nerdiness at PhD school.












Yes, he also got the GPS. I told you he would! I must admit it has already saved me once from dying in the middle of Newark.











And here's the birthday boy with his cake. He's finally caught up with me and the other cool 26-ers! We celebrated with a quiet night at home (Ben's request).










And last, but not least, we joined the Minivan Club. Yep, it happened on Saturday night. As if our gas bill wasn't already astronomical enough!Here's Happy Henry with our 2004 Nissan Quest. Pretty snazzy, right?