Planet Earth

Kim and I just recently finished watching the BBC's Planet Earth series. We'd highly recommend it. It was entertaining, educational, and enriching. We checked one out from the library and then had to request the other DVD's. That meant when a DVD came in, we couldn't wait for the boys to go to bed so we could watch it. In each episode there were always incredible time-lapse shots. I really don't think we truly understood the time and effort that went into filming it. One of our favorite parts of each episode was called Planet Earth Diaries. At the end of the episode, they explained how they got a particular shot and the effort that went into the filming it. Probably one of Kim's least favorite parts in each episode involved animals hunting other animals. It seemed that every episode had a segment with a poor animal getting attacked by another. She would frequently cover her eyes and beg me to tell her when the gory stuff was over. It wasn't that gory. Despite this, we both really liked the series. If you have a chance, watch at least the first episode. You'll be hooked.

Here is a trailer for it.

Data cruncher

I know I don't regularly post on this blog, but I have found it to be quite entertaining. In the beginning of December I added Google Analytics to our site and have become obsessed with the data it pours back. Maybe it is the scientist in me, but I've enjoyed finding out the number of visits, page views, the average time spent on our site (57 seconds in case you were wondering), and other revealing statistics. Analytics lets me compare the data over different time ranges and make fascinating graphs. I've found that the data says a lot about us, the writers of the blog, and about you our faithful readers (all 2 of you--Thanks, Mom!). For example, our visitors use a variety of browsers, with 53% using Internet Explorer, 33% using Firefox, and 14% using Safari.

One of the figures Analytics makes is called the Map Overlay. It puts a dot on the map of the world (or the U.S.) for every location that accesses our blog. The data also reveals the source of hits. If someone clicked on a link on another blog or typed in the URL directly, Analytics will tell us. (Our thanks goes out to one particular blog that accounts for 1/2 of our referrals.) If you're interested, I'd highly recommend using Analytics for your blog. But beware; it can become addictive.

Quiz Me

I'm a sucker for quizzes. Not the type that I would sit down and take in an educational environment. I'm more along the lines of the personality quizzes. You know, "What color are you?", "What drives you?", "What's your personality type", "What kind of housekeeper are you?" or here's a great one "What's your baby's theme song?"And my personal favorite that seems to always pop up along side my email in my gmail account when I'm sneaking a few moments away from the boys: "Are you a slacker mom?" I've never taken that one, because I obviously know the answer is "Yes!" if I actually take the time to do it.

So I confess, I love taking these quizzes. I've even taken the time to take the whole 5+ page quiz in a potty training book I was reading recently. (Yes, I'm ready to potty train. Apparently, Jaron is too.) I've come across several blogs recently that people have posted a quiz they've taken with spectacularly "on" results. Within seconds, I'm hooked and therefore decide I need to take the quiz also.

In fact, I've been on a quiz taking binge lately. It's sick really. My results never turn out describing me. I don't know who they are describing but it's definitely not me. Usually out of frustration I will take the quiz again and the results typically end up different. Again, it's describing someone else I really don't know. Maybe I have multiple personalities and I just don't realize it.

I'm beginning to think that a) I don't know how to properly take these tests b) they are written poorly c) I really don't know myself or d) what was the question?

I'm committing to myself to stop reading these quizzes and do something productive but entertaining. (Reading Obama's political website leads to countless hours of entertainment and wonderment as to where all that money is going to come from to fund all those great programs. But that's another post for another time.)

Maybe I should create a quiz myself: Are you addicted to taking personality tests? More likely than not, I will still get results saying that I definitely don't think that I'm the type of person that takes personality quizzes.

Out of the Mouth of Babes

Knowing that I'm a little neurotic when it comes to loading our dishwasher, I confessed to Jaron that I'm crazy as I instructed him in the proper technique. Without even missing a beat, Jaron said, "You not crazy Mommy. Daddy crazy!"

Too bad Clark was engrossed in what he was reading to even hear that great comment.

Little People

It's been awhile since I've posted any pictures of our little people. I know there are a lot but hopefully the grandparents will enjoy them at least.

Jaron loving the snow.

Mister blue eyes.

Russell knows a good opportunity when he sees one. He was not responsible for this mess, but he sure is enjoying it.

Exhaustion sets in after making a mess. Nap time!

Pulling himself to stand. Yeah, Russell!

Can somebody say "Cheese". Funny, goofy, face he loves to make.

"Arrgh. A pirate's life for me!"

Enjoying another "snow day".

Ok Already

I've been tagged so many times I've lost count. Ok, maybe it was only 2 times. Well, maybe it was three. See!! Anyway, my point being is that I was thinking the other day about what I might write about if I were to ever take the time to do a "tag". So I figured that I might as well do it.

5 Amazingly, Exciting, Interesting, Little-known Things About Moi:
(in no particular order, just how it comes to me)

• I'm learning to play the organ. This is a little bit of a terrifying venture for me. I was recently called as one of the ward sacrament meeting accompanist. I play the piano, but my ability to "play" can sometimes be up for debate. As I confessed to a friend in my ward recently, I would much rather sing the hymns to the congregation every week than have to accompany them! Anyway, I'm learning to play the organ. It's something that I never really wanted to do. I grew up in a home where my mother and sister (she was an organ minor) both play. We even have an organ in our home. I was a little rebel and refused to learn. Well, now I'm learning. Yeah for me.
• I love to dance . . . at home . . . to any kind of music (even my own made up tunes) . . . but only with my kids as an audience. I frequently put on all sorts of crazy shows, especially during lunch. They love it. However, one day I broke out into my song and dance routine forgetting that Clark was home and became very embarrassed as he looked at me like I was a complete weirdo. Well, I was, but my kids didn't realize that!
• I would like to become a librarian. Yep, squeaky shoes and everything. (I think only Clark would get that joke.) I would love to go back to school and get a master's degree in Library Science. Yep, you need a degree to look at people weird and tell them were to find a book. One of the few things I'm starting to realize as I get older is that I didn't take my education seriously enough. I flirted my way through high school and college (like mother, like daughter). I got pretty good grades but I just didn't take school as seriously as I should have. I wish I had now. Now I know what I want to do. How much fun would it be to sit in a library and read books, organize things, and talk to people. Dream job.
  
• I've always thought it would be fun to build my own house. I'm talking, from scratch. With my own hands. Of course, including the smarts and grunt labor of my husband. And the Davises would definitely have to live just down the street because Jared has the best collection of tools. Who am I kidding? I'll just come up with ideas and manage the whole event. However, after moving into the "lemon" we currently own, I think I've toned down that dream a bit. It definitely would be fun to remodel a home under the conditions that our kids are grown up and we don't have to live in it.
• I walked out of labor and delivery after giving birth to Russell. Meaning, I gave birth to him without medicinal assistance. At the time, I had half made up my mind I wanted to "try" it and then when I got to the point of no return I definitely felt like I had been conned into doing it that way. However, after I've put months of distance from this experience, I've grown to become quite proud of myself. Would I do it again? Another baby: Yes! Natural birth: Well, will see.
  

Sam Harrison

We just found out about a friend of ours that got into a terrible snowboarding accident last weekend. Sam Harrison is only 24 years old, married with a 1 month old baby boy. He is paralyzed from the neck down. You can read more at this website. We love Sam and his wife, Ashley. They are such a wonderful, fun, sweet couple. They lived in Madison for about 9 months and Sam served as Clark's counselor in the Elders' Quorum Presidency for a short while. Please keep Sam and his wife Ashley in your prayers! We are hoping and praying that things improve for them.

Engagement Plant

This is just a little ode to my engagement plant. I call it my engagement plant because Clark gave it to me 7 years ago today - the day before he proposed to me. Amazingly enough, it's still flourishing! It was a lot smaller than this when I got it. I love having this plant around as a frequent bench mark of how our relationship has grown and changed. It's interesting to watch that over the course of time, the engagement plant will bend toward the sun. I'm always having to move it or turn it or adjust it so that it will grow straight and tall. A little bit like marriage. I'm hoping that this plant will continue to flourish for years to come. I envision someday showing my engagement plant to my grandkids. Of course, by then, it will probably be giantic - like the size of those rainforest trees. But I love this plant. Not as much as I love Clark though!

Wishful Thinking

Tonight Jaron didn't eat his dinner. It's pretty rare for him to do that. Anyway, I was making a batch of cookies. Rare for me - Clark's the cookie maker in our house. Of course, Jaron wanted a cookie. We told him that if he finished his dinner we would let him have one. Apparently he wasn't too interested.

Well, here Clark and I are in the kitchen tonight. We had put Jaron to bed about an hour ago. Suddenly he appears and says: "I want a cookie." I can't help but laugh. We ushered him back into his room.

Talk about the innocence of a 2 1/2 year old. "Hey Mom and Dad, I know that you put me to bed over and hour ago and I didn't eat my dinner but I was thinking because I came out of my room looking so cute and polite while I asked for a cookie that you would give me one."

In his dreams we would have said "Yes!"

Great Neighbors

I had two different neighbors bale me out today. We had a ton of snow and I had gone outside to shovel the driveway. I originally intended to get half of the driveway shoveled but once I got out there and realized that it was up to Jaron's waist at some points I decided I was just going to shovel a path for Clark to get to the house. I had both of the boys out there with me. Jaron was trying to help and Russell was hanging out in the stroller.

Russell started to get frustrated with his situation (or maybe because he was getting cold) and so I wheeled the stroller down to the end of the driveway where I was working. Within about a minute or two my neighbor across the street was outside and heading over to my house with his snow blower. (I'm sure he keeps wondering why we don't actually buy a snow blower. Usually once or twice a winter he ends up doing our driveway for us.) It was really nice of him. He told me to take the kids inside and relax. Hah! Good one. But it was nice to go in.

Then a while later, I got courageous enough to bundle up the boys and head out in search of Clark. He had called over 2 hours previously saying he was on his way home and still hadn't showed up. For those of you who don't know me well, I have a very over-active imagination. I figured I was going to have to track down Clark buried in a ditch of snow somewhere.

It should have been a pretty big hint to me that I really shouldn't be going anywhere when I pulled out of the driveway and promptly got stuck. Yep, that's me, really a sharp one. Forward, reverse, forward, reverse. Not going anywhere. Finally, another neighbor noticed my plight and volunteered to help push me. I'm sure he was thinking "Crazy lady. You've got two little kids in the car. Your baby is crying his head off. Maybe I should push your car back into your driveway and you're husband will make his way home." But he politely helped me get my car going on the road. Just as I got unstuck and got some momentum, he comes Clark, hiking down the road. Great!

I drive by Clark, call at the window "I can't stop now, I'll get stuck. I'll drive for a little while until I can find a place to turn around." Clark kept on going toward home and I think my neighbor just stood in the road and thought about how crazy I was. I then ended up getting stuck at the end of the road and both the guys had to walk down and push the car all the way back to our house.

I finally had to bale "ship" halfway home and get the poor, hungry, tired, crying Russell out of the car and carrying him the rest of the way home. Hey, I was just bored today. I needed some excitement.

This story explains why I emerged from my cookie making hiatus. Those guys definitely deserved cookies!

The passing of a prophet

At the risk of repeating what has already been said, I'll add my thoughts from the last week and a half.

Since learning of the passing of President Gordon B. Hinckley, I've been surprised by how many times I've felt the sorrow of his death as I've read about him. During his funeral on Saturday someone mentioned how for the youth of the Church, President Hinckley was their prophet. It is interesting to me how many people have commented, whether in blogs or in personal conversations, on how they felt a strong connection to him. You can count me among the number of people who felt like Pres. Hinckley was their prophet. Even though I grew up in the Church, I never remember feeling close to Pres. Benson or Pres. Hunter. Perhaps Pres. Hinckley's calling coincided with my greater involvement in the gospel. For example, I remember sitting in a BYU devotional my freshman year (with Kim!) listening to him speak, teaching people about him on my mission, listening to his "6 Be's" fireside talk (with Kim!) after my mission, and many other experiences from the last 12 years. Yet another reason who so many felt he was their prophet may be Pres. Hinckley's affability and good-natured personality. He was a remarkable man and someone that I look up to and aspire to follow. I didn't realize the full impact that Pres. Hinckley has made on me personally, and probably can never count the many ways he has influenced my life.

On Monday I watched as President Thomas S. Monson was announced as the 16th President of the Church. Here are a few thoughts on the whole thing.

• Pres. Monson appears more somber than he usually does. Kim has noted besides the weight of new responsibilities, he's also lost a longtime friend.
• As Pres. Monson talked of Pres. Hinckley's life and example, I again felt the pangs of loss.
• Pres. Uchtdorf was asked about being from Germany and representing his German ancestry. In response he said "I learned quickly in the church that we're not representing a nation or country or ethnic group. We are ... representing the church of Jesus Christ. We are representatives of Him." I liked that a lot.
  
• I've always enjoyed listening to Pres. Eyring. I think he is a fabulous choice for a counselor. (Not that my opinion matters, though.)
  
• Finally, it is very interesting to see how easy the whole process has been compared to the US Presidential Elections. Choosing a new Church President is much simpler in terms of resources--time and money--spent on the whole process.
  

Thank You

I've been in a little shock since finding out last Sunday evening that President Gordon B. Hinckley passed away. I've been having a hard time believing it until I watched his funeral today. So here I am today. I cried through the entire last song by the choir. I loved that song already but now will forever associate it with President Hinckley. I feel the need to add my thanks and also my tribute to this incredible man. He wasn't just a man though, he was a prophet of God. My prophet.

I don't think I can accurately measure how much President Hinckley has blessed my life. I've grown up hearing his voice and words. I remember going to General Conference sessions with my parents and sitting in the chapel, for what felt like all day long. To keep myself occupied I would draw pictures of who was speaking. I clearly remember taking great time to give detail to President Hinckley - especially his glasses. (As a side note: It always struck me that President Monson was really young because he had brown hair and everyone else seem to have white. I once asked my parents if President Monson was 40. They laughed at that.)

There have been so many things that President Hinckley has taught that have been powerful in my life. The few things that stand out: his encouragement to "stand a little taller, be a little better, do a little more", how simple decisions can change the course of your life, the importance of the temple. But most of all, it was his testimony. His unequivocal commitment in proclaiming and declaring that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true.

Thank you President Hinckley. Thank you to your wonderful family for their sacrifice and support of you. I will miss you witty jokes, your sparkling eyes and smile. I will miss hearing your voice at General Conference. The world is a little dimmer without you in it . . . but I will try to do my best to "be a little better" and add my light to others to make up for what we've lost.

iKIDarod 2008

Ahhhh, the January doldrums. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years are over. The goodies and treats are gone. The toys are losing their just-out-of-the-box ability to entertain. Kim's birthday has come and gone without incident. And temperatures in Madison have plummeted to below zero during the day, which means that outdoor adventures were suspended until further notice.

But two weeks ago, the iKIDarod promised to change all of that. What is the iKIDarod, you may be asking yourself? I would post a picture for you, but since our camera batteries had expired when we went to snap photos, I'll have to tell you about it. Imagine a stuffed dog, sitting lazily on a small wooden sled while being pulled by a 2 1/2 year old boy around the snow. Also imagine his dad, cheering him around the 40 foot track to "mush" a little faster and make it across the finish line. You can also add to your picture dozens of other parents, cheering their children on despite the -20 degree wind chill.

Lucky for us, it wasn't all outside fun. Indoors there were also obstacle courses, basketball contests, and beanbag tosses, with cider and dog-bone shaped cookie treats. And then there was prize give-aways and drawings. I think the parents were more anxious than the children were. We nervously clutched our tickets, rereading our ticket numbers each time the winning numbers were read, while the children begged to go home. It's too bad we didn't win anything. Jaron might have actually enjoyed taking home of the Official 2008 iKIDarod Plush Toy Huskies.