There are BALLS in the SKY!!

It has been unseasonably warm here in Wisconsin. Last night we slept with the windows open, didn't use any covers and I was still too hot. I was very tempted to get up and turn the air on, but it is OCTOBER!!! So anyway, on Saturday night, we decided to eat out on the balcony and enjoy the coolness of the night. The sun was just setting, so it wasn't too dark, but dark enough to see the moon. The whole time we were eating dinner, Orion kept pointing to the moon and saying "ball ball ball". I would shake my head and say no silly, that's the moon. He was not convinced. As it got darker and the moon brighter it changed from "ball" to "ball lie ball lie". (Which interpreted means ball light.) What fun it is to have a 20 month old.


By the way, for those of you who don't know, Orion is learning lots of different signs right now which is super helpful in deciphering what he is talking about. Here is signing "shoes".

Our Hot Date

Originally I was going to title this post "My Hot Date", but I am vain. I looked at the picture that our wonderful babysitter (that would be Wanda) took of us, and decided Philip wasn't the only one who looked hot tonight. A little stuck up is what you all might be thinking. I prefer to look at it as an immense amount of self worth.
This afternoon Philip called and asked me out on a date, the only condition being that I had to find a babysitter for Orion. Eager to spend the evening alone with my husband, I found someone last minute to watch our little monster angel. Yea for us!!
We just went out to dinner at a local restaurant called the Grumpy Troll. The food was EXCELLENT, the sevice, not so much. The company though, was the BEST!! It is so rare that I get to spend time alone with the man that I love. I kept looking over at him and just thinking, "I am the luckiest girl in the whole world." Tonight, before I put Orion to bed, I sat and rocked him and sang to him. The last song was Families are Forever. As I sat there holding my son, thinking about the wonderful evening I had with Phil, and singing about how families can be together forever, I just felt so blessed. I am so thankful for my family here on earth. They really are so good to me. And I most definitely want to share my life with them, through all eternity. How wonderful a feeling it is that I can. Even better, that I will.

Park Pariahs

After spending an hour ignoring Orion, I decided to treat him to his favorite activity. We went to the park. He loves this. Everything from finding his shoes (today, one was in the kitchen sink, the other in his crib) to riding home on my shoulders. But today, was not so fun. Hand in hand we walked down the street, Orion doing a fast jog to keep up. Occassionally we would stop and look at the giant lamp post, or the minuscule ants; both of which Orion would try to pick up. When we finally reached the park, there were already about three families there playing. Not a problem, Orion plays well with others, most of the time. But as soon as we got close to where the other kids were, the parents called them away. After playing by himself for a couple minutes, Orion tried to venture off to where the other kids were. Again, as soon as we got close, the kids were told to go some place else to play. This went on for about ten minutes, when I finally picked Orion up and went home. I have to admit, my feelings were a little hurt. It isn't like Orion has an awful contagiouse disease, that all the other kids were going to get if they got within spitting distance. (Not that any of them or Orion were spitting, but it gets the point across.) As a special treat to Orion, since we didn't stay long at the park, and it wasn't really all that exciting anyway, I let him help with my sewing project. He had the ever important job of putting the pins back in the pin cushion.

Don't tell him this, but later, I went and re-did several of the pins. Every time I picked up the cusion, I was poked by a pin. The rest of the day has gone better. We had pizza for lunch, and Orion loved it. This afternoon, Ruth and Moroni came over to play. I think Orion really enjoyed having them here.

Orion, the oh-so-very-helpful helper.

It's 8:22 am. I have already exercised for an hour, cleaned up breakfast, woke Philip up and got him out the door to work, and dressed Orion. It is time for me to finally go and relax in a nice hot steamy shower. I grab a clean change of clothes, make sure the kitchen is blocked off and that Orion is happily playing in his room. I place my clean clothes on the bathroom counter, and close the bathroom door, leaving it open just a crack. I step into the nice hot water and let out a nice big sigh. Oh . . . this is the good life!
Then Orion comes in. Laughing, he slides the shower curtain open, and tries to play peek-a-boo with me. Trying not to get water all over the floor, I quickly try to tug the shower curtain back into place. Orion decides to move on. After shampooing my hair, I peek out to see what he is up too. I notice my clean clothes on the floor, but Orion is harmlessly brushing his teeth. I turn the water a little hotter, and take a deep breath, oh . . . this is the good life.
Since things are going so well, I decide to make this a very luxurious shower, and shave my legs. I'm half way done with one leg, when once again, Orion wants to play peek-a-boo with the shower curtain. SLICE. In my startled state, I take a nice chunk out of my leg. I'm done shaving now. I hurry and finish up and turn the now turning cold water off. I open the curtain, and what do I see?? Not my clean clothes! And Orion playing with the extra rolls of toilet paper in the drawer. I grab my towel (at least that is where I left it!) and step out. SLIP!! The floor was a bit wetter then I thought, and I went crashing to the floor. Orion thinking this is a great new game comes over to jump on me. I wrestle him off of me and struggle to a standing position, I am off to search for my clean clothes. I re-wrap the towel around myself, and step out of the bathroom. On the floor, right underneath the laundry shoot, are my jeans. JUST my jeans. Orion, being very helpful, put my clean clothes in the dirty clothes. Why he didn't try to put my dirty clothes there too, is beyond me.
After getting dressed, it is time to face the bathroom. I nicely ask Orion to put the toilet paper away, while I clean up the water off the floor. No matter how Orion arranges the rolls, he can't seem to get them all back in, and close the drawer. I help out in the end.


The bathroom put back in order, we both walk out, and I close the door. So much for a nice hot steamy shower!! I hope that the rest of the day goes better, but since I am planning on sewing today . . . The outlook is not good.
On a better note ( I know you are getting tired of reading, so I'll be quick!) yesterday was great. It rained all day, so we played inside. Orion helped make lunch too. I thought if he helped, maybe he would eat better. Not so. But he did have fun helping!



We also had fun playing with a snorkeling mask.

Bragging Rights

I am so proud of Orion. Saturday and Sunday we watched General Conference in our home. I would love to say that Orion played quietly on the floor for all four sessions, but lets be real, he is only 20 months, so he didn't. But no matter what he was in the middle of destroying, during every single prayer, he stopped, and folded his arms. And kept them folded for the entire prayer. Oh, I was so pleased, that at least he has that down. I was very tempted to take a picture, but thought maybe perhaps that would set a bad example. And besides, who really takes pictures during a prayer. You will just have to settle for a picture taken later on in the day. I am not sure what the rash on his face is from, but I hope it goes away soon.

I wish I could tell you who my favorite speaker was, but I haven't quite mastered taking care of a 2 year old (almost) and intently listening. I should call Alice and find out how she does it . . . Anyway, I plan to slowly listen to all the talks again this week, while Orion naps. It is so wonderful that today we have the resources for me to be able to do that. How blessed I am to live in this "day in age".

Bee Sting!

So yesterday, while I was standing in line at Cub Foods (they had a great sale on bottled water, I don't usually shop there!) I felt something at the base of my neck. Thinking it was just a leaf or something (I was standing semi close to some plants) I grabbed it and threw it on the floor. That is when I noticed a searing pain and burning sensation in my finger. It was a bee, and it had the nerve to sting me. I took my revenge and stomped on it before it could get very far. Lucky for the bee, he was quickly put out of his misery. Not so for me. My finger still hurts!!! The injustice of it all!

Milk Jug Jack-O-Lanterns

The other day I was in quite the fall season mood, and wanted to decorate my home with my fall decorations. So I braved the storage room, and found my boxes of decorations, only to discover, I have no fall decorations. Last year I just put some gourds on a bed of fake leaves. So all I have now are the fake leaves. How did I fix this problem?? Orion and I made Jack-O-Lanterns out of old milk jugs. They didn't turn out as cute as the ones in the Family Fun magazine (which is where I got the idea), but we did have fun making them. And that is all that matters right? I was very grateful that I put down paper on the table though, 'cause Orion wasn't that great at just coloring the jug. (I meant to put the pictures in the opposite order they came up in, oh well.)

After lunch yesterday, Orion and I made the very long mile and a half trek to Walgreens to pick up some pictures I needed for later that night. On the way home, we stopped at a park and while I gratefully rested my feet, Orion went down the slide ten million times. Needless to say, he didn't walk much on the way home. Thank goodness for strollers!!! After we got home, we made some very nummy cookies. I sometimes wish Orion didn't like to help so much. For every cup of flour he tries to put in the bowl, I think half goes on the counter. But he is always so excited to help, I just can't resist his pleas.

When Philip got home from school at about 8:00, I went to my friend Jenifers to scrapbook. It was nice to get some more done. I finally feel like I am catching up with Orions pages. I am only a year behind now instead of two years!!

Today, we are going to be super busy too. We are going to the library as soon as it opens, then it is off to the eye doctor, to get my glasses adusted. By then, hopefully Philip will be up and we are going into town to get some much needed winter and fall clothes for Orion. Poor guy just can't continue to wear shorts in this weather!! On the way home we will have to also go grocery shopping. Making cookies yesterday depleted my stock of brown sugar, regular sugar and flour. All ecentials in my kitchen. I thought I had some downstairs in food storage, but I guess I was wrong. One last thing, we are all SUPER EXCITED for General Conference this weekend. I am looking forward to listening to our prophet and being uplifted. Cross your fingers that Orion will somewhat behave himself, so that I can actaully sit and listen.