8 year anniversary: May 26, 2005

We are getting old, but distinguished.
Instead of having a hot date and a night at a fancy hotel, we did yard work and gave the girls baths.
Instead of going out to eat at a super expensive restaurant, we went to Harmons and had delicious food from the deli, salad bar, and bakery (really, I'd rather do that than blow 2-3x as much at a restaurant).
Instead of spending money on frivolous gifts, we will spend time with each other and our family.
And we love it *
*of course who wouldn't want to get away for their anniversary, but we understand there is a time and season for everything and this year is a time to be home.

Happy E I G H T years Mark. 
Remember that one time...
We made out instead of going to class?  I got grounded from staying at your house too late? We made tapes for each other while you were on your mission? We kissed for the first time in 2 years? We used to turn the heat off to save money and then wear our coats while we ate cold cereal for breakfast? We camped at Lake Catherine? We kept a spray bottle and comb in the car to fix our hair while on the way to work after skiing/snowboarding all morning? We did the Spudman and tried to fit that huge blow up mattress in the tent?  We went to Italy?  You made up this gem? We were unsure what you should do about work? We both knew we should start a family? We knew Siri's name should be Siri?  I cried in the Orlando airport so they'd let us short cut through security so we wouldn't miss our flight? We watched fireworks from the trampoline? We didn't know how we'd pay the bills? We lived in a basement so big we could play soccer down there? We first saw the Tortellini house? We had blessings overflowing with the birth of girl #3?
I'll never forget our love and will enjoy it as it changes and grows.

Chips

I got a Thai cookbook at the library. Naturally I want the first recipe I try from it to be mango sticky rice. Any of you thai eaters? Where is the best place to buy groceries?...specifically sticky rice and rice noodles. I got a couple cookbooks to look through actually. I'm getting in the swing of three-kid-life and can now get back to really grocery shopping for food that goes together. Also known as making dinner.  This lady is getting me all thoughtful about what I eat and motivated to lose my baby pounds, and hopefully a few more.

Siri actually has five cavities. We went to get 2 of the 3 filled and he found 2 more. Oh, and she would hardly even open her mouth for him to look. Soooo I went for the all-in-one option. She'll go next week, be sedated, and have them do it all at once at a surgical center. Not awesome, but better than traumatizing her.

We are going through hospital bills (so thankful for insurance, etc to help cover the bills!).  Before insurance is billed, I thought you'd find these numbers interesting...just to stay in the NICU at the U of U for the 4 days after she was born...$9,972. Services from pathology for one day... $2,968.  I am grateful there are doctors and people who work so hard to go to school and do continual research to help people like me and Ruby stay healthy and safe, their efforts are literally paying off :)

Mark and I take turns getting up with Ruby in the night. Last night was my turn. She fell sleep about 10:30pm. I woke up at 4am...she was still zonked. 6:15am-ish I heard her. I put her binkie back in and she slept until about 7:15 :)  She's getting a hang of things!  

We love our yard, although with rarely a free hand, its tricky to maintain this spring. Curse you weeds.  Thankfully we have our awesome neighbor (and now we know cousin:), Pyper, to keep us motivated. Her yard is amazing and bountiful. They work hard, but have the most amazing fruit and vegetables to show for it.

stay classy miss

i want to eat up those cute legs

you're so weird

jane thinks she's part of soccer practice. siri (in the back ground) likes to wear dresses to soccer.

Liz and I went to the cabin clean up. I love my Aunts and Uncles!

church is a great reason to get clean and fancy once a week

melt my heart

our sillies!

she still sucks her fingers while nuzzling her blanket. makes her a good sleeper though .

surprised Grandma with a visit at work

mish mash of friends at the park today

leaking water main makes for fun

our kingdom

cluttered but lovely with shade

marks rain gutter herb garden

thank you Grandma for the beautiful flag and thank you for those who serve to protect our country!

food I want to make and eat

best store bought tortilla chips I've had

Dr.Grimmer and the dentist

Dropped Siri and Jane off with Grandma Sandy then hurried to Ruby's appt with Dr.Grimmer. What was I thinking? Be on time for a 9am appt?  I was close at least.  

She's up to a whopping 10lbs now.  He took a look at her and said he didn't need to see her until the MRI in July.  So the appt was as I thought it would be...boring. Which is good. When your kids health is boring, that is really really good.  He said we'll keep waiting as long as possible to do surgery (he mentioned 2 or 3 years) and I'm ok with that.  Her mass hasn't grown much, at most 1cm. 

After her appt Ruby and I visited Grandmother Thackeray. We chatted, and walked around her garden. She is a strong, lovely, independent woman, but has been alone since her husband died in 1996. I wish we lived closer so we could visit and help her more often. She keeps amazing tabs on her kids, grandkids, and greatgranchildren.  

Yesterday I took Siri and Jane to the dentist. The only thing worse than hearing you have cavities, is hearing that your kids have cavities (I just got two filled last week).  Siri has 3 and I'll have to take her for 2 separate appts to get them filled. Wish those baby teeth could just fall out right now, that'd be great.

Burg pediatric dentistry does a great job

Mothers day was great since it really did feel like a special day. It was te first time Ruby had been to church. Mark was out of town in the morning so it took much preparation on my part to get all 3 girls and myself ready and on time since I'd never done it before. Mark cleaned while I relaxed. We had dinner at my mom's. I ate chocolate cake with strawberries and whipped cream and took a snooze on the couch with Ruby (that never happens).  A lovely day I tell you.  I told Siri she could be a mom when she grows up. 

Siri: I want to be an anesthesiologist. 

I told her she could be both (her Aunt Liz...we call her Aunt Zaza is an anesthesiologist, and a mom). 

Siri:What do I have to do?

Me: Go to school and learn a lot. Then you'll work at a hospital and help people and have money.

Siri: If I be an anesthesiologist will you give me a taffy?

Me: Uh, yeah

Siri: Will you give me a whole bag of taffy?!

Me: Yes, of course.

Siri: Will I get a hundred money?

Me: Yes, and probably more

jane lily gracie maylee vanessa siri

last minute sprinkler party this afternoon

stats and relax

We went on a vacation.

We bought our house exactly one year ago and between working on it, moving, and having Ruby I don't think we went on any vacations. This last year was definitely worth putting any trips on hold.  We just went to St.George for a few days, but to have Mark there with us (and not working) the entire time was so fun. We swam, jumped, hiked, ate. I went on a little trail run one day and bike ride the other...very refreshing.  We took the girls up Snow Canyon. Siri was like a gazelle on those rocks. Jane, not so much. She fell, a lot, but she gets right back up and loves it. It takes a lot of effort for a mom to get everyone ready to go and clean up before coming home, but worth it.  Ruby did great in the car...love how much those newborns sleep.  I learned my lesson not to give the girls suckers bigger than can fit in their mouth. Oh my sticky.

a Sirishark

what Ruby does on vacation

I think she liked the frozen yogurt

oh heeeey

Ruby's stats are like this:
22" (34%)
9lb 6oz (15%)
and her little head is 12%\

Last week her mass officially is free of any 'wound'. Its all covered with healthy skin and we can hold her with more ease.  She seems to be chunking up nicely, I now have to check different folds in her skin to make sure she's clean :)  She can't move her head side to side very easily, and doesn't follow objects much. Tonight I was worrying so much about her development. I wrapped her up ready for bed and just thought...forget all that, she's fine and beautiful. I snuggled and kissed her little face and rocked her to sleep (almost....laid her in her crib and she woke up. go to sleep silly girl).

 and congrats to Liz on her first, and fast, 5K!

Two Months and her name

Happy 2 month birthday Ruby dear!

2 months

I'll take her to the pediatrician tomorrow for her 2 month appt and will update with her stats later.  The good thing about vaccines (which I fully believe in and support) when they're babies is that they don't know what's coming when the needle is in the room and you can easily put a binkie in their mouth. The bad thing is that they sometimes scream like mad and you can't console them with a sucker or ice cream :)
p.s. home healthcare came and picked up the cardiac machine they sent us home with. Uh, yeah, didn't use that, ever.


I don't know if I've yet explain how Ruby Elizabeth got her name. My lovely Grandma, Naomi Fetzer, was one of 11 kids. She had twin sisters named Pearl & Ruby.  I have fond memories of Aunt Pearl. Her big fancy car she'd drive to our house on Christmas Eve to have dinner with us. Liz and I always wanted to ride back to Grandma and Grandpa's house with her-it was like being in a boat. I never knew Aunt Ruby, and haven't done any research, yet, to find out more about her but I liked her name more than Pearl's. So in a way, she's named after both of Grandma's sisters. And the Elizabeth part...we've got Elizabeth's all over in the family tree that we are so glad Ruby can be named after, but it is primarily after my almost-twin, Liz :)

pause...just Googled Ruby Steenblik Hanks and found her obituary here. Wow. I just found out so much more...Ruby Hank's granddaughter is my next door neighbor, which makes us second cousins! I called her and we chatted for a while. I then called my mom to find out more. Ruby sounded like a very smart independent and lovely woman. I'm hoping to go next door and see any pictures she may have of Ruby, her grandmother, and anyone else from our family. I'm so excited about this, I'm not sleepy anymore (I need to be in bed right now to sleep before babygirl wakes up to eat again)!

On to less important things...a friend called me to sub in their outdoor soccer game tonight. I felt like a jelly filled donut out there but had so much fun! We may, or may not, have lost the game because I couldn't run back on defense fast enough.

hanging with the baby brigade in Midway

special date with our firstborn

"He's a fantastic chef. I think he's better than Daddy, but don't tell. It's a secret."

"If the skates fit, and you can swirl around, can you take them home with you?"

yard work to get rid of the mud puddle by our fence. thank you deans and  mr. shuman

this is real