Toddler Mischief or "Baby Proofing"

In the past week David has:

Spread butter all over the kitchen

Colored on the walls with pencil

Climbed up ON TOP of the piano

Climbed on top of the washer/dryer

Climbing incidents included playing with things up high that a toddler should not be touching.

Escaped onto the front patio and commenced digging the flowers in the planter box. Will followed suit. They were in their pajamas. It was kind of raining. The gate was open. I'm glad they didn't get any farther.

UGH.

To accomplish some of these tasks he's thwarted baby gates and other means of keeping him in, down, and out.

If he figures this lock out, I'm sunk!

I keep wondering if I'm a bad Mom, sneaking upstairs for 10 or 20 minutes to fold a load of laundry, shower, clean something up, or hop on the computer. Maybe it is wrong to expect a 1 and 2 year old to keep a lid on trouble for that long?

I love these boys, but man, I'm having a hard time keeping up!!

Remembering Grandma Packer

Here is Grandma Packer with William in July of 2009

Brad's parents called this morning with the news that Noelene's Mom--Viloa Geertsen Packer--had passed away. I can't help but being a little sad to lose such an amazing person, but since she was almost 92 it isn't sad, sad either. I'm so happy that she is with her sweetheart and free of the all the pains of old age. But oh how she will be missed!

Tiffany, the wonderful spouse of Brad's cousin Phillip, got it just right when she said that Grandma made everyone feel like they were her favorite.

I'll try to sum up the kind of person Grandma Packer was through a few memories I have of her. And while she isn't my Grandma...she adopted me and so many others into her family. I felt like her granddaughter even before Brad and I got married!

After Grandpa Packers funeral Grandma slipped Brad some loan money for our, or rather my, wedding ring. Never mind that she just lost her husband--she was so willing to help her grandchildren. (And don't worry, Brad paid her back in full before the wedding...love the memories of those wonderful but very humble BYU days.)

I could hear the hum and whisp of Grandma's oxygen machine during our temple sealing. Even when she was feeling particularly wonderful, she made the long drive to Phoenix for our wedding.

Grandma and I must have watched at least two movies on the Lifetime Network while Brad and Clay went to a priesthood session of General Conference. They came back to find both of us in tears.

I once commented to Grandma that marriage wasn't easy and that I sometimes lose my temper. She said that was okay, once she was upset about something silly and Bill took the kids for an ice cream so she could calm down. I can't picture her being upset, but she told me this story several times.

Grandma was willing to give you her time, anytime. She would come to Phoenix for a month or more, just to be with Kent and Noelene and see the grandkids and great grandkids. She loved it and did it right up until the end.

Grandma loves babies and kids. I've never seen someone so enamored by a little baby. It was sweet to watch her with my kids, especially David.

Grandma was there when Brad got his acceptance letter to BU Dental during in early 2008; she told us point blank not to spend money flying to Utah for her funeral. Probably my only consolation for not being there.

I think it was a lot of influence from Grandma Packer that made my mother-in-law into the lovely person that she is--so willing to spend time with own her kids and grandkids.

I know that Brad has many, many things he remembers that are more encompassing and but I had to share a few things that I love about Grandma Packer.

Art in Bloom

We'd been referred to the Art in Bloom program at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and it didn't disappoint! We especially loved going for free on Monday night for Family Home Evening.

Each year 60 works of art are chosen to be represented by garden clubs or florists. It is a great way to see a good sampling without feeling too intimidated by the many, many things the museum has to offer.

We loved comparing the flower arrangements to the exhibits they represented...even though it was mostly beyond our toddlers! Some of the arrangements were a stretch...but some were remarkable in that they perfectly reflected elements from the paintings and photographs they were meant to represent. Enjoy a few photos of what we saw.

Danielle is Coming to Boston!

I got an excited phone call from Danielle. She got word about an internship at the John F. Kennedy birthplace in Brookline. HIRED! This is a position with the National Parks Service--she'll be one enthusiastic tour guide. Congratulations are in order as the application process was tough and she made the cut.

I can image she'll be visiting lots of historical sites, museums, and New England tourist attractions while she is here...along with all that free babysitting she'll be doing to thank her sister for giving her a place to stay for three months....:)

Growing Up via the Boston Marathon

Ready to watch some runners!

Last year at six weeks old Will slept instead.

A Dog! Will 2010

A Dog! David 2009

(Same shoes, different baby, different year.)

Mile 19 near heartbreak hill

Spenser Cammack and Heidi Hansen--insert your photo here!!

Up they go...hoping their hearts don't break.

Some girlfriends.

You have to find something interesting to do after you get tied down for the day...

David and Mom 2009

Time to leave...

Maybe between the four of us we can long 26 miles?

With around 20,000 runners and 500,00 spectators this is a must see! I was emotional (again) as I watched the waves and waves of runners going by.

Happy Birthday Grandma Kathy

Happy Birthday to the most thoughtful Grandma we know!

Take 4 of 4. We do what we can...

Take 2 of 4. The possibly funnier part is that David has laughed at himself screaming no less than 30 times while watching this take on a loop for the last five minutes.

We love you!

Easter Sunday

Spending Easter Sunday with friends...

We won't lie--it was a little crowded.

The sun was out and we made full use of our front porch and living room.

Some of us played cards.

A lot of us sat on the floor chatting and playing with all the sweet baby girls.

Some of us played outside...

It was a fabulous morning!

Marie

My roomate from college was down from NYC visiting her brother who is a grad student at Harvard. It has been something like four years since I've seen her. I was thrilled for her to meet David and Will.
Marie is now an analyst for Goldman Sachs and had many wonderful adventures to tell me about including her mission in Fresno, California, working in Alaska for a summer, visiting Thailand and everything in between. The thing I loved the most about our visit is that she is the same sweet outgoing person that I remember. I always thought that we turn into different people as we get older, but now that I think about it we are the same, just more experienced.

I was proud that I picked her up in Cambridge and only got sort of lost but found my way home. Slowly I am weaning myself from the GPS. Baby steps. We talked until Brad got home from the priesthood session and the traditional ice cream after party, so it was late. But what else can you expect from two girls?

Egg Hunting

Will puts eggs in David's basket.

Hunting with friends is fun.

Hmmm...it sounds like something is in there...

Will loved his eggs.

Will sat there eating candy for awhile. I still don't know how he broke the egg open.

Tessa enjoying herself.

Cars and boats in eggs. Brilliant! No more hunting. On to playing.

"Mmmmm, good."

HAPPY EASTER!

The North End

My high school English teacher Mrs. LeBlanc (er..ahem...Debbie as she has requested that I call her) was in town with her family so her son could tour a few local colleges. We met up with them at a great place in the North End. Dolce Vita. Funny how we can't manage to get into Boston for a night out without an excuse!

Boy did we have fun. Debbie's husband was charming and very entertaining and it was fun to hear about all the excitement surrounding Andre's college visits.

Waiting for a pasty at Mike's

Debbie and Andre

The LeBlanc Family

A night out!

A North End MUST.

We stopped by the science center on the way back and caught a show at the Omni Theater. Gotta use those season passes! It is a 360 IMAX. Think dome. Totally impressive. But combine it with a science center visit or as part of another outing.

The show was about risk taking read--sky diving. I used to be a bit of a dare devil but the more I think about it...you just have to be insane to do that!! No offense to any insane friend readers out there. Thanks to Melanie and Andrew and Jennifer and Curtis for making the night possible.

Welcome Spring

One weekend it literally rained for 36 hours without stopping. Enter fake good weather then another 24 hours of torrential downpour type rain. It was an official disaster. Apartments in our complex and homes in our town were evacuated. Many friends from church had submerged basements. Longtime residents say they haven't EVER seen this much rain. I think it was a 70 year record. Thankfully we stayed dry (note to self: renters insurance doesn't cover floods.)

Falling asleep on the way to the park.

Playing on the front porch because we could!

Yeah, we may be speaking too early...but WELCOME SPRING.