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Isaac claimed that the dishes would get put away faster if he was wearing hot pads on his feet. I don’t think he was quite right about that, but it sure made for some fun pictures and I think the kitchen floor benefited from the extra dust-mopping…

Here’s our week in a bullet list:

• I gave a talk in sacrament meeting today. The topic was Personal Revelation. Click on the link if you want to read my talk. Peter helped me stay on task last night as I finished writing it – I was getting a little loopy around 10:00 PM. And here are the pictures that Peter drew for the kids while I was giving my talk in sacrament meeting:

• For music time in primary today we played a rousing game of “Name That Tune” because I did not spend any time preparing something new…
• Peter has been stripping, re-painting and detailing his old motorcyle to get it ready to sell so that he’ll have some money to finish fixing up the newer one. Isaac had fun helping his dad out in the garage.
• A lady from the Golden Retriever Rescue place came to our house to visit yesterday to see if our home would be able to accommodate a large dog. We passed the test! It may take a couple of weeks or three or four months before the right dog is matched with our family but that’s alright. They will not place a dog with us who has not lived with children before and we requested specifically a dog that does not bark all the time.  They claim they have a 99% accuracy rate in matching dogs with families.
• Sydney and Isaac had fun playing with the rescue lady’s Golden Retriever. Sydney kept getting him bowls of water. Isaac had fun making faces at the dog. I think he is getting excited to have a dog – before yesterday he kept saying, “I don’t want any other dog but Lola.” (Lola was our last dog).
• Isaac gets to go meet his new preschool teachers this Thursday!
• Sydney has Mrs. Smith for third grade this next year (the teacher I secretly wanted her to have)!
• This week I made the best looking loaves of bread that I have ever made!

That’s all folks…

As for this weeks poll my favorite boy names for a male dog are Nigel and Roger, although Sergei really intrigues me; for a girl I like Jane and Sophie, or maybe even something wild like Esperanza. Of course, you’ll have to wait and find out what the official dog name will be… I might shake things up and pick something that is not on the list! I name the dogs – Peter knows that I won’t agree to getting a dog unless I get to name it. Since I can’t seem to have any more kids, this is a creative outlet for me to name something. Maybe I should get an aquarium full of fish, or maybe start a collection of stuffed birds just so I can name them…

When I was younger (like around 5th and 6th grade) I used up pages and pages of my journal writing down lists of names for girls and boys. My favorite girl name for a long time was Princessa. I think Sydney might have actually like that. I wasn’t that concerned about boy names because, you know, boys are gross and all (I know – I live with two of them).

Sorry about our little adoption prank (not really). ;o)

So Isaac got a hold of my seam ripper and decided to attack the couch with it. He managed to rip three, six-inch holes along the back and side of the couch and three small holes on the left arm. I am still working on sewing up the large holes and just hoping that he doesn’t get a hold of them to rip them farther. I don’t know how I managed to keep my cool when he did this; when I discovered what happened I just marched him up to his room (for longer than usual) and took care of it. I will NOT be buying a new couch because it is highly likely that something like this could happen in the future.
Here are the small rips that I finished sewing up. Not lovely.
Here is Isaac mixing play-dough colors right after I reminded him not to…
Sydney decided to try one of my exercise videos.
Last week before church Isaac decided to do his own hairdo. He wants to have a mohawk so bad. Sorry kiddo; mom combed it down.
Here is Sydney getting ready for the performance of Geology Rocks.

This is my fantastic yard sale find (I don’t much care for yard sales but we were jogging around the neighborhood and decided to stop and check it out). I got this suit for $2.00! Isaac is not enthusiastic about it. I told him I would give him a quarter if he kept it on for church today – he kept it on during sacrament meeting but took it off before primary, so no quarter today.  Mom thinks he looks quite handsome!
Don’t take a picture of me in this monkey suit!

Here is our week in a bullet list:

• Isaac ripped up the couch. AAARGH!
• Sydney finished up swim lessons. She can now basically swim on her own. We went to a friends house on Friday afternoon and she was able to swim on her own with her friends for the first time! I’m going to continue private swim lessons next year.
• Peter got to do a little bit of site-seeing in Washington D.C. this week.
• Isaac got some new underwear: Power Rangers, Batman and a Disney combo pack. He’s excited about it and can’t wait for preschool to start so he can wear them.
• Sydney is learning to cook – she made a grilled cheese sandwich this week for lunch; for dinner tonight she made the rice and cooked the green beans. I told her they were the best I have ever had.
• I’m getting ready for a new year of piano lessons.
• Two more weeks until school!
• Two more weeks until mine and Peter’s 10th anniversary (it is the same day as the beginning of school – August 18th)!
• We get to walk over to the elementary school tomorrow to see who Sydney’s teacher will be for third grade.
• Check below on the post called “We’re Adopting” to hear our exciting news!

That’s all folks…

Sorry there was no poll last week. I have been a bit flaky this last week.

Sydney got to perform in a musical yesterday that is called Geology Rocks. She played the part of Snow White and got to sing a solo! Why Snow White? Because she knew seven little dwarves who were miners; hence an opportunity to discuss many different rocks and gems in a cute little song and loosely tie it to the overall theme. For more detail on her Snow White costume that I sewed check it out on my Dizzie Lizzie blog.

Here are a few pictures of Sydney singing during her solo called Seven Little Miners.
Seven little miners with something new to try, seven little miners, goodbye! (Join in singing anytime)!
What a cutie!
She remembered all of her lines and exhibited no signs of stage fright. She’s a natural.
Sydney also got to be part of a doo wop trio in a song about the Earth. She was fantastic! She is the short one in the middle in case you couldn’t figure that out.

Here she is holding up the second letter ‘P’ when the kids all discover that Professor Rock has disappeared! The musical was recorded and they director is going to make a DVD so hopefully I should be able to put her scene on the blog in a couple of months.

We have put in our adoption papers and are ready to add to our family! Of course this is a complete surprise to everyone but surprises are nice sometimes. Since we don’t know if we will be adopting a girl or a boy we need some help choosing a name – check out the poll on the right hand side and let us know what you like best (not that that will influence our decision in any way). A lady is coming to our home this coming Saturday to meet with us.

After a lot of hum-hawing and thought we have decided to go through this slow but exciting process. Now if you have actually read down this far in the post I will finally divulge that we will be adopting a dog (a Golden Retriever to be more exact). I just like to mess with people’s minds…

We found a local adoption agency just for Golden Retrievers in Florida. What we really like about it is that they only take in pure-breads and each dog stays with a foster family for a couple of months. The foster family gets to know the dog before trying to match it with the right family. Wish us luck!

Due to several e-mails I have had from friends and family members having questions about Multiple Sclerosis I guess I will try and answer them all here. I didn’t think there would be so many questions (nosy people). ;o)

For information about MS go to this Multiple Sclerosis site.

MS does not run in families. Peter has been experiencing numbness in his face, shoulders and his left hand. His MRI’s indicate an abnormal brain (areas of myelin in the brain that are getting eaten away) – but the myelin spots that show up have not been getting bigger like in most MS cases. This has been going on for 18 months now. He has had at least two separate and distinct episodes of the numbness which used to be all they needed to diagnose MS. It can sometimes take a few years to diagnose (most people are diagnosed between 25 and 40 years old). He has had MRI’s nearly every three months plus a couple of other really fun tests.

The reason the doc ordered the spinal tap is because he was confused because Peter’s myelin spots in the brain have not been enlarging and the doctor wondered if it might be something else, but then Peter was experiencing numbness again. If the test is positive then he will be diagnosed with MS and begin medication immediately. If the test is negative then it could still be MS and it might not be. Some MS patients do not have this indicator show up in their spinal fluid. Twenty years ago, before some of the tests now available, he probably would have already been diagnosed with MS. There are a few other things that can mimic MS but it could still be a while before we know anything for certain.

His doctor says if Peter has MS then he will have a very good prognosis – those who start by having complete weakness in their limbs and have an inability to use their hands usually have a more difficult time with it and generally decline faster. Most people with MS live average life spans.

We are both OK with it if he does have it; the shock is quite over. Right now we are just struggling with the waiting game – uncertainty seems more frustrating than a positive diagnosis. It should not cause him to be unable to work (heaven forbid that I should have to be the family bread winner…)

If it does come back positive then he will meet with a medical board for the Air Force to discuss if he will stay in or if he will be medically retired. There are people in the Air Force who have MS and where Peter does not have a war time job our option would most likely be to stay in. Of course the medical board has the final say. If he is medically retired his MS would be taken care of through the VA (there is a slightly higher percentage of MS among military folks than in the general population so they have decided that this is something the VA will cover).

This could rock the boat – there is a chance that he might not be in the Air Force any more and we would be looking for a new place to live and a new job (but mom, don’t even think for a second that we would end up in Utah – that would be highly unlikely). With a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and a top secret security clearance and lots of contacts in the defense contract underworld (and a reputation of being competent) he would not have difficulty finding a job.

There, I hope that answers every ones questions… �

Oh, and I don’t think I will be able to get Annette Funicello’s, Alan Osmond’s or Ann Romney’s autographs for you…

After having several MRI’s and many other fun tests this last year, Peter thought it would be fun to have a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) today. We are still waiting to see if a diagnosis for Multiple Sclerosis will be official. If the test comes back positive then he will be diagnosed. If it comes back negative then we are where we were before – some people with MS do not have the problem that sometimes shows up with this test. Oh so frustrating. So Peter has to sit on the couch the rest of the day and is not very happy about it.

Anyway, that is our news for the week.

I just found this baby picture of Isaac that I did not know I had. I have recently been going through all of our pictures and have been discovering many surprises. Enjoy!

I have not taken a single picture of my delightful children this week so I am going to take you on a trip down memory lane. Peter and I were married ten years ago (August 18, 1998) and I have just been going through our wedding pictures and scanning them into our computer. The one thing I regret not doing for our wedding and reception is hiring a professional or even a not-so professional photographer. And it’s all my mom’s fault that I don’t have the negatives because she never keeps them (we got married a couple of years before the big digital camera craze). Here are a few pictures of Peter and I when we were dating and from our wedding:
How many guys do you know that wear a Christmas shirt in the summer? Peter still does it. I buy him a goofy Christmas t-shirt every year that he has to wear to the ward Christmas party (which he despises). However, he thinks it’s really funny to wear it the rest of the year.
This picture is one of my favorites. It was one of the pictures we had taken for our wedding invitations but not the one that was actually sent.
In front of the Jordan River Temple in South Jordan, Utah. There was only one other couple getting married there that day (it was a Tuesday). After Peter and I were married I went into the bride’s room along with the other bride and we both took some time to get ready for pictures. After my pictures with Peter and our both of our families were done I went back in to change and the other bride was STILL getting ready for her pictures.
Oh my gosh, we look so young – well, that’s probably because we WERE so young.

I will have more pictures of our wedding later because I have only scanned in about five so far. An arduous task!

Here is our week in a bullet list:

• Sydney has started taking private swim lessons with the same teacher that she had for group lessons. Although it is costing me a pretty penny Sydney can now float on her back and do the monkey, air plane, soldier thing, she can dive down the the bottom of the pool to get a dive stick and she can swim about half the length of the pool. And the bonus is that Sydney LOVES swimming and going off of the diving board! Good job Syd.
• Isaac has been getting quite good at going under the water. He likes to play in the water by the stairs and go under the water by himself. Yesterday at the pool he got very brave by putting his head under water and letting go of the edge of the pool (only about an inch away) for a couple of seconds and then he would grab the edge again. Any step in the right direction is good!
• Peter and I got sunburned at the pool yesterday even though we put sunscreen on.
• We cleaned out our garage and got rid of seven buckets of kids’ clothes that were sitting in our trailer. It always feels good to get rid of stuff!
• I did some more furniture re-arranging (if you know me then you know this happens on a regular basis). I also cleaned out and organized three closets (I do not hire out).
• Isaac keeps telling me that I have a friend named Sniggy Nee-uh. Do any of you answer to that name?

That’s all folks…

For the Audrey Hepburn poll I had a very hard time deciding which movie was my favorite. I remember watching Wait Until Dark at a sleep over at Audrey Madsen’s house when I was in junior high and all I can say is that we were appropriately freaked out. I will leave it to your imagination as to how we screamed and jumped when Alan Arkin turned on the light and jumped out of nowhere with a knife (he plays the roll so well it’s down right scary)! But this is not my favorite Audrey Hepburn movie (I do own this one but I won’t watch it without Peter. It is the only scary movie I like).

My faves have to be Charade and Roman Holiday. I own Charade and I just watched it this last week in honor of my poll and now I think I will have to get Roman Holiday on Netflix! I also own My Fair Lady and I LOVE the horse race scene but after seeing a live version of the musical that was pretty excellent I hardly watch the movie version any more. One movie on my poll I don’t like and that is Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Don’t make me watch it with you.

Now come check out my Dizzie Lizzie blog and vote for your favorite Emma Thompson movie! I have also been tagged but I need your help for this one!

You know your kids are weird if….they sit in front of the TV absorbed in watching a cooking show (it’s called Good Eats on the Food Network – it’s hilarious!).
One last picture of my brother Tyler.
One last picture of my sister Megan. I only had a couple of days to teach her how to cook – she made a fried egg (sunny side up), a berry cobbler for a dessert, and in this picture she is cutting up chicken for a family favorite called Santa Fe chicken wraps. My mom has forgotten to teach Megan how to cook so she is going to have to come out again next year to finish her Cooking 101 class with me!
Mom, take my picture!
I couldn’t believe he actually wanted his picture taken.
He never cuddles up with me! This was a treat (and he even let me sit and finish my book).
“Fairylyn” A.K.A. Sydney.
Here is Sydney’s first completed sewing project! She even bought the material, lace and batting with her own allowance!
I love a man with dish-pan hands ;o)

Here’s our week in a bullet list:

• We had lots of fun on Monday at the beach with Megan and Tyler – this was their first time ever seeing the ocean (I am not posting the beach pictures). Of course we had to take them to the Ron Jon surf shop in Cocoa Beach to find some souvenirs. They both enjoyed trying Indian food for the first time at our favorite local restaurant, Punjab.
• Megan and Tyler had to go back to Utah on Tuesday. When they got home, Megan discovered a large Palmetto Bug in her suitcase! I just laughed when Tyler e-mailed me.
• The bugs are out in full force here in Florida. I need to call the bug guy tomorrow to come and take care of some small red German cockroaches that I have found behind my upright piano. Yuck – these are the bad ones that will infest so it is important to take care of them ASAP. It is the price you pay to live in paradise…
• Sydney put on a fabulous show for us this afternoon (after my 2 1/2 hour nap). She performed acts of daring stunts including balancing on a broomstick, juggling scarves and balancing the end of a peacock feather in the palm of her hand. We were also favored with many knock-knock jokes (the kind that are common in a seven-year-old’s repertoire of jokes – I’m sure you know what I’m talking about). She is still having a hard time at perfecting the interrupting cow knock-knock joke…
• I got a fabulous haircut that I love! Thanks Aubrey! I had a couple of questions from friends wanting to know if Peter prefers my hair short or long. Peter refuses to answer – says I look good so matter what – I think he will take his PC opinion to the grave. Good answer Peter!
• I have been on a reading rampage finishing three books in one week, and they were all excellent! Go to my Dizzie Lizzie blog and click on “book reviews” on the sidebar. I have new reviews for Emma by Jane Austen, Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen and David Oliver Relin, and The Prize Winner Of Defiance, Ohio by Terry Ryan.

That’s all folks…

As to the poll for this last week, my favorite kind of ethnic food is Indian with a close second by Vietnamese (which no one voted for).

Spiderman and Wolverine in Spiderman’s Car (That’s Why There’s So Many Wheels) by Isaac (I don’t get why that means there’s so many wheels either.)
Our Family On a Bus by Isaac
Meadow of the Horse by Sydney
A Bus by Sydney (This work was inspired by an earlier piece by Isaac)
Simple Egyptian Symbols by Sydney