zoological

We rode the train to the zoo the other day. What was more interesting... the people on the train, or the animals at the zoo? It's hard to say.

Despite their facial expressions, the girls really do like the zoo.

This crocodile was seriously eyeing Doug and Addy at the window. It was pretty spooky.

Note: This is NOT the train we took to the zoo... but wouldn't it be awesome if it were?!
P.S. Doug told me this is his "conductor face." Makes sense.

remember lot's wife

I always thought this scripture would make a great bumper sticker:

"Remember Lot's wife." 

Luke 17:32

So when I saw Elder Jeffery R. Holland, an apostle from our church, had given a speech at BYU with my bumper sticker title, I had to check it out.

 

It was excellent. (Aren't his talks always?) His main point is to not live in the past, and to not let the past shadow or taint your future. He also counseled to forgive others and to allow others to move on from their pasts.

Our lives are constantly changing... we're adding children, saying goodbyes, changing jobs, meeting new people, moving to new places, aging,  yada yada yada. But I'm learning more and more that it pays to love and appreciate your past, but if you want to be happy you must still enjoy your present and look forward to the future.

So, I'm sorry about the salt thing, Lot's wife, but I do appreciate the lesson.

cooking fail

Addy loves to cook/bake with us,

but sometimes it ends in tragedy.

beach day

Going to the beach with kids usually reminds us of this:

So when we heard that you can drive right onto Gearhart Beach (just an hour from us), we were eager to try it.

Sure, they probably didn't think idiots with sedans would try the whole beach access thing. But hey, who needs 4-wheel drive when you can just cross your fingers and hope it works?

(Spoiler alert... it worked!)

We played on the beach for-e-ver. We have two beach babies on our hands. Addy tutored her sister well. Grace played in the sand fearlessly and seriously... really, she hardly smiled.

We went to Seaside for dinner and carousel-ing.

Thanks, beach.

she walks!

It was just steps for a long time, but now she's cruising.

thanks for the compliment, aren't I the worst?

I have a problem with accepting compliments. Call it humility, call it a lack of confidence, or call it being just plain awkward, but as soon as someone compliments me, I always have to talk them out of it. Or at least convince them that I'm still lame somehow.

"Dinner tastes great!"
Me: "Eh, I overcooked it."

"I love your painting!"
Me: "Thanks, but the strokes are all weird."

"I like your hair today!"
Me: "Yeah, I did it. FOR ONCE."

"I like you."
Me: "WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT?! I'M THE ABSOLUTE WORST!"

I didn't realize I had this habit until a friend pointed it out to me in college. Actually, what he noticed is that if someone complimented how I looked, I always had to make an ugly face. You know, so I looked less-good or something.

Ever since then, I noticed how capital W Weird I am with compliments. I try to just say "thank you" and then I shut my big fat yapper. But I swear I'm biting my tongue and stifling about 100 self-deprecating comments.

What is my deal?

the neighbors have dogs

Can you tell?

head-sprinkling

Last summer, fountains and sprinklers terrified her.

This summer? I pull out the sprinklers and within 3 seconds she's sticking her head in it, repeatedly.

I guess head-sprinkling is just another sign your baby really is growing up.

playgroup

Remember this playgroup? Addy's been in it since the fall, and we're winding down to our last few weeks.

When we started, I was feeling like Addy didn't have a single friend here and she was acting weird around other kids. But now? She's made some great pals and she's only semi-weird around them. 

Thanks for saving us, playgroup!

PS- This week we had it at our house, so we painted rocks for the moms. Moms are always asking for rocks for Mother's Day.

multnomah

Today we headed over to Multnomah Falls. It's the second tallest waterfall in the country, and mega beautiful.

AND it's just outside Portland and along the gorgeous Columbia River. We've been there several times over the years, but how could we not go back?!

The girls are either tired and hot, or terrifically unimpressed