Welcome, Winter! I'll Enjoy You...For Now.

We had quite a snowstorm yesterday that left it's wintery fingerprint on Minnesota. Half of our apple tree is now lying on the ground...it's branches surrendered to the weight of the snow last night. I suppose it's time to take down the autumn decorations, because they just look wrong against the snowy backdrop. Now it's even MORE tempting to put up the Christmas tree and officially ring in the Christmas season! (The only thing stopping me is the idea of having to keep Kendall away from it for a month and a half.) I brought my camera with me as I ventured to the grocery store this afternoon. Not sure these pictures convey just how WHITE and beautiful it is outside...

(above and below: our backyard)

Our street...

A more artistic interpretation of a street in our neighborhood...

A random set of stairs off the main road...

The pond at the cemetery next door to us...


It's days like this that I wish my California friends could see how beautiful Duluth can be! Pictures just don't do it justice.

Work it, Girl!

I purchased a few adorable hats from a friend of mine who has her own shop (aroundthehook) on Etsy, and thought I'd send her a picture of Kendall in her new hat. Lo and behold, our own little miss chubbycheeks now has her first gig as a hat model! Check out Kendall's mug sellin' hats left and right!

By the way, I waste way too much time perusing all the cuteness on Etsy these days. I may need an intervention soon. But in the meantime, here are a few of my favorite shops:

Around the Hook

Briar.Claire

Booger Bear and Punkin Pooh

Sew Cute Creations

Ivory and Moss

Are you an Etsy seller yourself? Now's the time to pimp your shop! :)

To Tip or Not To Tip...

...that is the question.

I've been going to the same grocery store for years now, and always utilize the drive-up bagging service they provide for large quantities of bags. In a conversation last year, a friend was startled that I don't tip the guy who throws my bags in the car. I hadn't ever thought about it, but since she had called it to my attention, I thought I'd be vigilant to see if anyone else tips the bagger. Either EVERY shopper is SUPER stealth about forking over a tip, or I'm not the only one that doesn't shell out.

Given the fact that taking carts out of the store in order to load your own groceries is not an option, I thought I was safe in assuming this is a service of convenience provided by this high-end grocery store. However, it bothers me every time I drive up now. Are the baggers thinking "here comes that white SUV with the jerk lady that doesn't tip"?

Etiquette, anyone?

Probably More than You Need To Know.

I've been scratching my armpits like a freaking chimpanzee for the last two months. Now I know why.

A couple months ago, I noticed a small red spot under one of my arms. Shortly after, I developed a crazy rash on my legs. Having just returned from California where I spent an entire day in the grass, I thought this was a flare-up due to my grass allergy. As it progressively got worse, I watched as dry, red spots slowly engulfed my legs. My next self-diagnosis was eczema, so I loaded up on moisturizing cream and went to town. No luck- my legs looked like I had acquired leprosy, while they FELT like I had a bad case of the Chicken Pox.

This week, after waking up to bloody legs from scratching in my sleep, as well as being fed up by the CONSTANT itching under my arms, I took my rash-ridden self to the doctor. After examining my legs, he ruled out eczema and any kind of fungal infection. Stumped, he then looked under my arm. And, after an enlightening "Ohhhhh!", he started a line of questions:

Dr: Did you notice this spot before the rash on your legs?
Me: yes...
Dr: And did your ribcage and abdomen ever itch?
Me: YES...
Dr: And did it then spread to your legs downward?
Me: YES!...
(It was starting to sound like that annoying Progressive commercial)

He then informed me I have a "classic case" of Pityriasis Rosea, a viral infection that begins with a "Herald Spot" and quickly becomes a skin rash. My particular case is accompanied by severe itching.

Oh, not to worry, because it usually only lasts four to six months. MONTHS!!! ARGHH!!!! Until then, I'm supposed to take lots of cold showers and oatmeal baths to help combat the itching. The only good news in this situation is that the approaching cold weather gives me a good excuse to keep my spotted skin covered up. I think this may be the only time I've actually welcomed winter weather.

Workin' the Camera

We spent part of our "family day" last month on a photo-shoot with the magnificent Lyndsey Johnson of On3Design. And the photos turned out...well, magnificent. :) You can find a selected few showcased here, or enter the gallery to view all of the pictures or order for yourselves.
Passcode: KendallS
Date: 09-30-10.

Thou Shalt Not Change Diapers.

A couple of weeks ago, we served as volunteers in the nursery at our church. Kendall was there, as well as several other babies. As we read through the volunteer guidelines, Chris took special note of the diaper changing rule: no men changing diapers. Great. Just the ammo he needs to get out of that stinky job.

This conversation took place in our home tonight:

C: Pee-uu! SOMEone has a dirty diaper!
J: Uh-oh!
C: Who do you want to change your diaper? Mommy or Daddy?
J: Daddy.
C: Uh-uh! Daddy can't do it. It's against the rules.
J: Excuse me?
C: The rules at church say I can't change diapers.
J: Well, it's a good thing we're at home, and not at church then.
C: Hey, they're God's rules, not mine.
J: They are NOT God's rules. They are boundaries created because of all the men who have screwed up and done inappropriate things with children. Women are more trustworthy, I guess. Either that or they don't want men vomiting all over the nursery.

(C leaves the room with the baby. C reappears several seconds later.)

C: So, question...the church is a place of worship, right?
J: Right.
C: And we worship God at our home as well, right?
J: ...ugh. I can see where you're going with this...
C: So, the same rules should apply, right?
J: Too bad they are the church's rules, and not God's rules. When you can find that scripture, I'll let you off the hook. Go change her diaper.

(C chuckles and changes her diaper.)

Nice try.

Sometimes Saying Things Correctly is Just Too Difficult.

As IF I'm not already uber-grammar-conscious, this video fires me up! For all of you who still say "supposebly"...I shun you.


LIDDLEIDDALY!

Fall Beautification

I've been inspired recently by some do-it-yourself-er friends of mine, and decided that I could spruce up our porch with a little creativity. I saw this idea in Rachael Ray's magazine and thought it was ingenious. Kendall went down for nap today, and I let the pumpkin guts fly! A bright and cheery welcome to some special visitors due to arrive this week! :)

To Everything, Turn, Turn, Turn...

There has been a lot of "turning" here in Duluth in the last few weeks. Autumn here is much like cherry blossom season in Washington D.C. If you time your visit just right, you will be treated to the most spectacular palette of fall colors you've ever seen. Unfortunately, the colors leave as quickly as they arrived. At this point, most of the leaves have lost their vibrant shade of red or yellow, and are waiting on the first gust of wind to sweep them to the ground. Still, those three weeks of autumnal brilliance make trudging through the long winter worth it.

In light of the anniversary that passed last week, we had an intentional family weekend. Chris took Thursday and Friday off, and we honored Derek's life by making memories with our loved ones. On Thursday, we took full advantage of the fall foliage by having some family portraits done (you might remember the incredible work On3Design did with Kendall's newborn pictures!). Afterward, we hit up Blackwoods Bar and Grill for a lovely lunch, and headed home for family nap time. Chris' mom, Marcia, arrived later in the afternoon, so Chris and I took off for an impromptu date night- dinner and a movie. Thanks, Grandma Marcia!

Friday, we trekked over to Bayfield, Wisconsin for the annual Bayfield Apple Festival. I was very disappointed, as were we all, when we arrived under large clouds of rain. We tolerated the rain at the outdoor festival as long as we could before surrendering and heading back to the car. The fun potential for this event is high, though, with the right conditions! Live music, great food, yummy desserts, fun parades, and pumpkin patches...next year we'll check the weather report first! :)

We made a stop at Erickson Orchards on our way out of town to pick up a
couple apple pies and other apple treats. By the end of the day, Kendall was famous
for her cute hat, getting recognized in several places.

Kendall, checking out the craft booths with Grandma.

Our drive back to Duluth along Lake Superior was stunning.

Fall foliage in full bloom on our block!

One Year Later.

My life changed forever one year ago. I sat by my brother's bed as he left this world and was ushered into heaven. I experienced a depth of sorrow I had never known. For weeks I carried on daily business with a tear-stained face, and wondered if my tears would ever run out. We lost so much that day that it's hard to acknowledge the things we gained, but here's my attempt to process:

What I lost:
*The ability to hug him whenever I want.
*The opportunity to talk and spend time in his presence.
*His infectious laugh and sense of humor.
*My family as I knew it.
*A little bit of faith in medicine.
*A sense of security in my emotions.
*An uncle for my daughter.
*A sibling with whom I can share life.
*An unquestioned faith in God, especially as a Healer.
*Someone who shared my childhood memories.

What I gained:
*An angel.
*An incredible sense of pride.
*An admiration for his courageous spirit.
*An urgency to lean into God and his mysterious plan.
*Empathy for those who have lost loved ones.
*Friendships that manifested themselves in beautiful ways.
*Gratefulness for Jesus and His Church.
*A daily appreciation for life and health.
*A husband who proved "for better or for worse".
*A new enjoyment of U2's music. :)
*A new, authentic and raw relationship with my parents.
*A deep respect for the medical team that invested so much in this case.
*An awareness of my own mortality.
*Cherished memories, too numerous to count.
*A greater sensitivity to the Spirit in worship.
*Anticipation for the reunion that will someday occur in Heaven.

I miss Derek every day. And as life goes on, it seems to get easier...and harder. He continues to be an inspiration to me and many others. Today, in his honor, I'm surrounding myself with the people I love- enjoying the beauty of the world around me, cherishing every smile, laugh, tear and memory.

5 Weird Things People Say About My Child.

1. "Her head is so perfectly round!"
Yes, her head IS round- and perfectly so. However, I don't notice an abundance of cone-headed and amoebic shaped baby craniums wandering about the city, so the fact that this is the FIRST thing out of some people's mouths is a little mysterious to me. I am often at a loss of what to respond to this compliment.

2. "She's so alert."
I had never heard this observation before having a baby, but apparently it's a popular observation to make. It would be the perfect thing to say to a less-than-attractive baby about whom you can't find anything else to say. Is being awake an accomplishment? Yes, Kendall opens her eyelids and looks around...I have a child prodigy on my hands. :)

3. "Is it a boy or a girl? I can never tell these days."
It's true. With all the baby boys sporting pink jumpsuits and baby girls carrying blue blankies, it is a very confusing world. From now on, girls wear pink and boys wear blue. And if you see a baby with a pink shirt, pink pants, pink blankie and a bow in her hair, feel free to assume that she is, indeed, a girl. Observational skills cannot be underestimated. Oh, and thanks for referring to my baby as "IT"!

4. "Nine months? She's so big/small for her age."
Oh, really? And you are comparing her to...who? Your gargantuan nephew that you visited last week? The Cabbage Patch doll you have at home? Let's bust out the measuring tape, and you will see that Kendall can be classified as neither gargantuan nor petite, but sits right about 50th percentile across the board at this time. SHE is the standard by which you should be measuring OTHER babies, people!

5. "She's so adorable- she looks just like Chris!"
These two statements, independently, I'm liable to agree with. She is adorable. And, often, she does look like her daddy. But when made enthusiastically as one statement, I can't help but feel a little backhanded...as if they're saying "She's so adorable- she definitely doesn't look like you." Umm, thanks?

DC Wrap-Up

I was admittedly a little apprehensive about our trip to DC. Chris had a work conference, so Kendall and I would be hotel-ridden for the majority of the trip. Turns out that was NOT the case, and even if it were, I wouldn't have minded it. We had a sa-WEET hotel room (literally- at the Embassy Suites) in which Kendall could have her own room to sleep, thus eliminating my need to kick Chris repeatedly during the night for snoring. In addition, the seminars Chris attended ended up consuming only his mornings leaving all afternoon to sight-see.

We both mentioned that this was our favorite vacation to date, though we could have done without the excruciating heat and hysterical airplane meltdown by Miss K (she officially lost her "Best Baby Traveler" title on both to and from flights).

Here's a little looksie at our week!

On our first night, we had dinner with Chris' friend Kayla and her boyfriend, Alan. We went to Gordon Biersch- yum- just a short walk from our hotel.

We passed Ford's Theater on the way back to the hotel.

While Chris was in meetings, Kendall and I met my childhood friend, Emily, for a little Starbucks treat! She works just a few blocks from our hotel.

Our downtime was enjoyable, too...we camped out on our fluffy beds and watched some TV!

The NEWSEUM came highly recommended to us (thanks, Angela!) and was our favorite stop of the trip! Kendall was devouring all the information...literally.

Chris and I both tried our hand at reporting the news. I think I missed my calling :)

Also on display was the antenna from World Trade Tower 1, along with a variety of front page headlines from Sept 12th.

On Wednesday, my SoCal friends Eric and Ashley came from Baltimore to spend the day with us! We had a great time sightseeing with them and their two cutie-pies, Audrey and Elliot.

(With the Lapointes at the Washington Monument- note the two sleeping babies stowed away.)

Kendall promptly went to sleep before we hit all the big stops, thwarting all of our plans for family photos. Ohhhh wellll.

The totally-straight dads and their babies.

During Chris' Thursday morning classes, Kendall and I ventured to Georgetown for some girl time- shopping, Starbucks and cupcakes :) Our first stop was the acclaimed Georgetown Cupcake, of "DC Cupcakes" on TLC.

We took home the following yumminess: Chocolate Ganache, Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl, Caramel Apple, and Pumpkin Spice. I KNOW, right!?!

On our final day, we visited Arlington National Cemetery, which was lovely despite the strenuous hilly stroller-pushing and ridiculous heat. We arrived at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier just in time for the changing of the guard ceremony, and Kendall kept silent- just as instructed :)


While there, we stopped to pay respects to family friend, Sam Huff, who died several years ago in Iraq. It was a sobering moment, and our hearts still ache for her family.

As the youngest female soldier to be buried at Arlington, her bio and uniform are on display in the "Women in Military Service Memorial".

We arrived at the reflecting pool just as the sun was setting, which made for the most amazing pictures.

Kendall at the World War II Memorial.

Parenting for Dummies.

I've had things fairly under control until now. I could sit relatively comfortably as she slowly moved from stage to stage. Now, all of a sudden, I feel like she is moving more rapidly than ever, and I'm running to keep up with HER. I find myself asking questions more often of myself:

Am I feeding her the right amount of formula daily?
Is she getting enough sleep?
Should I be introducing her to more solid foods?
Should I be trying to discourage her newfound "squawking"?
Am I spending enough time on the floor with her?
Should I be trying to help her crawl?

Arghhghhh! This is the first job I've had that doesn't have a job description- it all seems to be trial and error. Thank goodness for the internet that gives me some idea of what milestones should be approaching!

When I was a teacher, I placed a lot of importance on the first weeks of school. Establishing routines, correcting behaviors, setting the dynamic of the classroom all set me up for an enjoyable and rewarding school year. My approach to parenting is the same- I just don't want to miss an opportunity, and look back later thinking "I shoulda done that differently". However, I'm starting to think that's inevitable- at least on this first time around. ;)

Overhaulin'

No one likes change, especially me. But sometimes, we HAVE to change, whether we like it or not. This week, my automatic blog reader informed me it was shutting down at the end of the month. YIPES! I have over 50 blogs that I keep track of on a daily basis. So, I used this opportunity to clean out some of the lousy idle blogs I had littering my reader, and start fresh...which led to reformatting some of the features on my blog...which led to fiddling with my whole blog "look", and VOILE! A new blog title and everything.

After five years of the same blog, is it time for a change? Yes.
Am I happy with it? No.
Will I warm up to it? Probably.

Speaking of changes, Kendall is changing and growing at the speed of light. More blogness to come on that topic! And thank you, ever faithful reader, for being patient during my recent summer hiatus. I think the only thing that's slow around here lately is my brain.

Hangin' in my Crib.

Looks like Mommy and Daddy will soon be lowering the bottom of my crib...my big-girl antics are making them a little nervous!

Dang it, Charlie!

Hi all! We're back from our fantastical vacay in Washington, DC...pictures to come soon. In the meantime, here's a bit of jolliness to hold you over, if you missed it on YouTube the first time around. Check out the original video below, and the remixed version (which I can NOT get out of my head) below it. If we moved to London right now, do you think Kendall would pick up that sweet accent? :)
CHARLIE BIT ME


And CHARLIE BIT ME remixxxxxed

The Dog Conversation...Conclusion.

Hi again, friends. My apologies for the abrupt hiatus on the ol' bloggety-blog. Life 'round these parts doesn't get any less boring, that's for sure! Kendall is rolling around and scooting, and boasting two new "toofers"- all of that has kept me on my toes lately! She's doing well...happy, doesn't seem bothered much by it with the exception of her sleep schedule.

Now, the bigger changes at hand: Many of you remember chiming in on this post back in 2008. The dog advocates had a convincing enough stance, so we thoughtfully tread into dog ownership. We adopted an adorable Siberian Husky named Luna. The DAY before we were scheduled to pick her up from her foster home, THIS news was dropped on us! So, for nine months, Luna was an only child. And, aside from some mild neurosis and excessive shedding, it was pretty tolerable.

THEN CAME BABY. Luna's often noisy attention-getting methods just didn't fly anymore with a sleeping newborn. Chris' work hours found him craving baby-time in the evenings, and Luna had to now share his affections. She is a jealous lover ;) And although Kendall is thoroughly entertained by the doggy, Kendall's mommy is weary from pulling dog hair from her fingers...and mouth...and clothes...and toys....and food... We just haven't been able to keep up with the maintenance necessary for an infant and large dog to cohabitate. That's all secondary to the fact that we don't feel like we're giving Luna a home environment in which she can thrive.

Therefore, we have made the difficult decision (it WAS difficult, and it WAS "WE") to find a new home for Luna. We have contacted the rescue organization who is assisting us in the process, and she is now listed as "adoptable". It's not fun to make such a major change like this, especially when it involves a living being, and I'm not looking forward to the day we have to say good-bye. I especially feel for Chris, who has been Luna's primary caregiver. It's not going to be easy. However, we're both looking forward to the advantages of a dog-free home again, especially when it comes to our precious baby girl, on whom we'd like to concentrate our time and energies on right now.

Please say a prayer for us as we conclude our time with Luna, and for God's provision as we look for the perfect family to be her forever home.

I Thought I'd Never Consider It.

I get them ALL the time...requests to "VOTE FOR MY BABY" in whatever the contest-of-the-day is. Sometimes I'll oblige...but I have to think the baby is pretty darned cute to jump through all the registration hoops they usually require to vote.

I ALSO get comments all the time about how I should enter Kendall in a baby contest (most recently, the two business men sitting next to me on the plane!). The idea of soliciting others for votes is- well, enough for me NOT to do it. But after looking at some of the other 19,000 entries, I figure she's got a legit shot (pshhhh!) :) So, I'm kicking around the idea of entering a photo in the Gerber Generation Photo Contest. You'll have to twist my arm, though. And you'll definitely have to choose which photo I should submit. The idea of choosing ONE blows my mind- the girl has mad modeling skills! (Skills you'd all love to see on a Gerber ad, right?! And we wouldn't mind the $25,000 scholarship, either.)

Here are the top five finalists:
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5

In The Name of Love...

We have the best friends and family. This week, they again overwhelmed us with love and generosity as we gathered on Derek's birthday to remember him, and to honor his memory by making a difference in the lives of others. Donations streamed in for the Children's Tumor Foundation, and we enjoyed great food and fellowship. Derek was surely smiling as he looked down on this wonderful celebration.


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I have been HIJACKED!!!!

Yes, the time has come for me, Chris, to take over this thing for a guest blog. The reason? First, Jamie has always wanted me to surprise her. Second, I was a bad husband yesterday and added to her misery and frustration at the airport. So this is kind of a "I'm sorry" blog as well. I had all these great ideas to write about including: 1) My rules for the grocery store (ex. not taking up the whole aisle by placing the cart right in the middle and not moving it when you see other people coming) 2) Road Rage 3) Airplane etiquette. Instead, I will give 5 reasons why I love my wife! These are not in any order and rest assured, there are an infinite number of reasons, not just five!

1) Jamie, you have made marriage so easy and enjoyable even after two years. We both thought after a couple years, things would become routine and quite boring. We have been wrong! I love every day I am married to you because it is different from the day before. My love just keeps growing and growing for you.

2) You make it so easy to love you. The things you say and do make me laugh. The little surprise notes, showing up at work to say hi, and thinking of fun little dates are just a few of the ways. After a bad or long day at work, you are ready to give me a big hug and make me forget all about it. You make marriage easy!

3) You have given me the cutest baby ever! I don't know what we did to deserve such a cute kid, but, WOW!!! When complete strangers everywhere walk up to Kendall and mention to you or I how cute she is, it makes me smile. Seeing the joy in your face when you hold her or when someone says how cute she is, you light up. You sure do make one heck of an oven! You baked Kendall to perfection!
4) You know how to calm me down. What made me think of this? Yesterday in the car on the drive to Minneapolis, there was a car in the left lane going slow. Obviously I was frustrated because there was no one in the right lane where this car should have been (FYI: Ask Jamie about me and stupid drivers). You calmly took my hand and held it while I passed the slow car in the RIGHT lane. Yes, the lane where the slow cars are supposed to be. You looked at me after this incident and said, "Good job, Honey!" This was because I would usually mumble something to the car about moving over to the right-hand lane where they should have been. But this time I said nothing. I'm not sure how you do it, but you have some kind of magical powers over me! I love that about you!

5) Back Rubs!!!! I usually ask you to give me one a week. Now if you ever have been given a back rub by a piano player, you know that those fingers are not weak. If I could, I'd have one every night. Let me tell you how hard it is not to ask you for one every single night. But when I do ask, I always do it in a certain way. "Sweetie, do you want to EXCHANGE back rubs?" I've learned to use the word "exchange" so that I don't look bad asking only for myself. But, every once in a while you'll let me get away without returning the favor. One of the many reasons why I love you!

I hope you don't mind me hacking into your blog!