Married to the Army

My life is now complete because I have an ACU pattern apron. I am ready to be an Active Duty Army Chaplain's wife. (I hope you're seeing the humor in this too...) Actually, I've been wanting a new apron for a long while, like the last ~10 years, because the one I was using was a gift made by an ex-boyfriend's mom. It has an elephant appliqued on it and I was hoping to send it to Goodwill, but Benjamin is trying to lay claim on it. He actually said he wanted the new one and I told him it was kind of girly. He said,"I guess you're right. This [pointing to the purple ruffle] looks like a dress." 

I really appreciate Ryan and my mom humoring me by keeping the boys from getting underfoot while I was sewing over the last couple days because there's no way my sewing machine could have handled that ruffle. My mom has her old Singer from when she was in high school and it is a beast! Thanks also to FlirtyAprons.com for the inspiration.

Where is the best place to see Christmas lights?: Temple Square!

I don't know why we've never ridden the Trax in SLC before. I guess I hadn't realized it was free to ride w/in city center until a few months ago. Instead of going to the children's museum, the boys opted to take a ride. We originally were planning to go on Sat. to give Ryan a day with us away so he could focus on his end-of-semester school work, but Alexander was recovering from pink-eye and an ear infection so we had to delay our trip. 

 We only had to wait for ~5 minutes for the return trip, but to Benjamin it seemed like an eternity.

We finally got our chicken pot pies at the Nauvoo Cafe (they were all out the last time we were there) and they lived up to the recommendation we received. I had been bringing food (chicken/tuna salad w/ crackers to give beggars), but then I had a qualm of conscience about our tasty dinner, so the next beggar got a granola bar and a $5 bill... I'm not sure what this philanthropy is evolving into yet. Ryan met a guy in the hospital that took his kids with two crockpots of beans to homeless people every Sunday... It sounds like a good path to take.

We went to the Conference Center in an effort to look at the pulpit because the boys have a picture book about it, but it was hydraulically moved under the stage for Christmas. We didn't get to complete the tour because we're trying to teach the boys about obedience and they weren't following directions (understatement). We'll have to go back in the spring so we can go up on the roof too (I hadn't realized it was open for tours again).

 James enjoyed hitting the windows on the temple. (To him everything is tactile!) I hope the windows are sound proof, otherwise he was probably disturbing the people in the baptismal font.

Benjamin is holding "Gus the Rat". Gus is one of 3 stuffed animals the kindergarten kids take home to have adventures with and then draw and write about in the stuffed animal's journal. We didn't have Barry the Bear or Tommy Turtle over a weekend so Benjamin really wanted to take Gus to Temple Square. He's been with us for more than a week, but I need to wash him before we send him back b/c he's a) now a carrier of the (pink-eye) plague and b) been dropped in the dirt more times than I can count. Amazingly, Gus' tail hasn't been ripped off from how much Benjamin swings him around by it .

We finished our evening with a view of the lights from the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial building. 

On the way home, I picked up my order of raw (unpasteurized) California Almonds. I almost should have ordered the entire 50 lbs... wow, they're yummy. The boys fell asleep in the van and amazingly stayed asleep when we carried them to their beds.

Provo Santa Run 2011

If I had thought about it when we were registering, I should have signed Ryan up for the race and then volunteered to be at a water station where I would have gotten a shirt that said  "Santa's Helper" and an elf hat for free instead of paying to be sore.

This was the configuration we started out in. This photo was taken before Benjamin got a bloody nose at the starting line about 3 minutes before the race started. He had a tissue plug in his nostril for the first lap or two. After close to one lap, Benjamin wanted to ride in the stroller and James was getting fussy. James sat on Benjamin's lap for less than 1/2 a lap and then Ryan started carrying him. We should have brought the baby backpack along. Also, it is amazing how much of a difference Benjamin's 45 lbs makes in the ease, or lack there of, in pushing the jogging stroller.

I wish I had gotten video of James trying to eat a cookie while he was
on Ryan's shoulders. The bouncing running motion made it extremely difficult for him to connect with his mouth. Eventually, on the last 1/2 mile, James got tired of being on Ryan's shoulders and I started carrying him in the sling. I could only run about 10 yards with him and then had to walk until I got motivated to again try to catch up with Ryan. Ryan was keeping a good 15 min/mile pace for us, so I worked really hard to catch up with him when I started to lag behind. James fell asleep and we transferred him into the stroller so that Benjamin could finish the race running with Ryan and me.

I wish I would have gotten a photo of Ryan stopping to eat a cookie. (This is the only race I know of that offers milk, hot chocolate, and cookies at the water stations). Even with that, how many times Benjamin got in and out of the jogging stroller, and me carrying the baby in the sling for the last 1/2 mile we still made 3.1 miles in ~46 minutes... And that's with me being somewhat out-of-shape (although Ryan informed me that "round" is a shape... He was referring to himself). Running downhill 3/4 a mile to pick up Benjamin from school once a week isn't very good training. I came in 39/47 for my class and Ryan was 15... of 17. We were  269/294 and 144/155 overall. I told Ryan that we need to actually train for the next 5k and have a goal of under 30 minutes to give us a respectable finishing place. If it isn't clear, I am not a runner. Ryan probably could have run it in a lot less than 30 minutes this time if he hadn't wanted to "run as a family". (He ran his last 2 miles for the Army in ~15 minutes). My original plan was that he run it at his own pace, get a good time, find us and take over the stroller while I finished the race, but it was nice to be together through it all.

Alexander fell asleep on the first 1/2 mile and woke up after the race really grumpy. First of all, he was cold and this heater was a lifesaver. The weather had been really nice until the temperature dropped on Thursday (which was an especially blustery afternoon. I know, because I walked Benjamin home from school that day and had to carry James facing me on the last 2 legs to our apartment because the wind was blowing directly in our faces at about 30 kts.) It was in the mid-high 30's today. Alexander was also grumpy that he had missed the finish line. I took him back through it 20 minutes after we finished and our victory lap made him a little less grumpy. The after-race potato chips also helped his mood slightly.

We stayed around for the Parade of Lights. The boys were happy to have candy galore. (Alexander said he was thankful for candy and more candy at Thanksgiving). Alexander most definitely did NOT want to pet the llamas. I still haven't figured out what the point of caroling llamas is. After the parade, there were only a few of us Santa Suit klad runners left and our "Santa family" got quite a few waves on the way back to the car. I had sort of forgotten I was the "bearded woman" as Benjamin called me.

7th Ward Christmas Party

 It seems that 90% of our ward attended the Christmas party this morning because they planned for 100 people and had to set up quite a few extra tables. Even with how college kids eat when there is free food available, there was plenty of pancakes and french toast to go around. I'll have to find a recipe for the "buttermilk sauce" (caramel sauce? -- It was delicious, but Ryan wouldn't try it because he says he doesn't like caramel...much)

Benjamin likes being in the spotlight.

 James was amazingly okay sitting in Santa's lap (Other than thinking "who is this guy?"). Alexander at his age was not.

Benjamin says he forgot to tell Santa he wanted an iPod this year (I hope he's not too disappointed when he doesn't get one). This is the first I'd heard of it except for a few months ago when he kept trying to take Ryan's and my iPods. He also says he needs a Nook like us, but he doesn't even know how to read more than ~20 words yet, so I think it can wait!

I'm glad Alexander got a second chance to hit the pinata because I missed my photo opportunity the first time around. Benjamin got back from the bathroom just in time for the candy. He got in big trouble because he wandered off twice. His excuse was that he figured it would be boring so he found something more interesting to do. 

I thought Ryan made up some story about him missing out on a grape eating contest where someone hit a pan like a gong when it was time to eat grapes. Apparently I missed it too while I was changing Alexander's diaper. I'm glad I clarified that one. It's a Guatemalan New Years Tradition.

Family Photos 2011

As a disclaimer: These are not the photos we had printed as not to spoil our Christmas letter/cards this year.

The Portrait Innovations in Provo closed down sometime this summer. I liked that when it wasn't really busy they had one person dedicated to making the kids laugh. Nevertheless, the girl (photographer) at JCPenney's did a good job tonight at getting James to smile. The older two knew they were getting M&Ms for good smiles.

Alexander said he felt sick in the car on the way there. Ryan and James were pukey (technical term) on Monday. I had it on Weds. We were hoping Alexander hadn't caught the bug, but right after these photos, Alexander again said he felt sick and started gagging. Ryan asked for a trash can, but not quick enough. We thought about ending the session there, but Alexander said he felt fine and the photographer called someone in to clean up the vomit and moved us to the other room. This is the only photo where you can see the throw-up on my leg. I'm sure the smell wasn't very appealing to the two families that came after us. Alexander was worried he wouldn't get any more M&Ms (He still had the one in his hand from before when he threw up), but once we resolved that issue, he was fine and even ate a hamburger when we got home... so he can't be too sick.

I am normally very reserved and  prefer conservative photos, but we registered for the Santa Run 5K (costumes included) and wanted to get more than one use out of the costumes.

Our Mario Kart Racing Machine

Alexander loves racing Mario Kart. He would race ALL day long if he could.

He was still trying to race and play with Thomas trains at the same time.

 I wish I could broadcast his age when he's racing players around the world over wi-fi. I'm sure they'd be a little sad knowing a 2.5 year old won first place in their race. 

Alexander really wanted to be Luigi (or some other Nintendo character) for Halloween next year, but the pickings were very sparse. This costume was size 10 (which I could have altered to fit) but it had been returned because it was missing a button and when I asked the cashier if they'd give an extra discount b/c it was defective, she said I couldn't purchase it. He got a Thomas costume instead.

Halloween 2011

 I was a bit skeptical when they scheduled the ward Halloween party outside, but it turned out to be a beautiful evening. Thanks Suze for the great photos!















I'm not into paying full price for Halloween costumes, but James NEEDED to be a duck this year. Random people have been calling him ducky because of his blonde crest of hair and he waddles so cutely. I looked at making a duck costume, but we found this one at Costco (which btw has been ruining our budget since we got the membership so I could get my Blendtec blender this summer) and it was much cuter and cheaper than a costume I would have made.

 Ryan was "playing army" while were were enjoying peanut butter fingers and amazing creativity exhibited for the trunk-or-treat. (He was in Nebraska for his Change of Command... The nice thing is this means he won't be traveling back to NE one weekend every month for Army drill).

I took the boys to the Spooktacular while Ryan was in class. Alexander LOVED the slide and spent most of the evening waiting in line for it (I don't think he quite understands the concept of lines yet, because I was distracted for a bit and a bunch of kids cut in front of him and he just patiently waited in the same spot until I coached him to move up whenever the space in front of him became empty.) 

Alexander wasn't so sure about sticking his hand in a tank with a tarantula get a piece of candy. Luckily big brother came to the rescue.









Yes, that is a blurry photo of Benjamin riding piggyback on a unicycle! 

A reporter from the Daily Universe interviewed Benjamin. It's a bummer his photo didn't make it in the paper, but he was quoted. "But perhaps the best thing about the night according to 5-year-old Benjamin Lewis, 'It gives candy.'"

I am a bit disconcerted by the hold sugar has on my family. Ryan says that I come across as an extremist when it comes to candy, but he explained to our neighbor that I have a love-hate relationship with processed foods (i.e. sugar) and I go crazy after 8 p.m. at night (bedtime) which is why all the refined sugar has not disappeared out of our house... yet!

Benjamin's p.m. kindergarten had a shadow show on Friday.

 He was proud of his puppets. The pink one is a grave stone.












I was wondering how Ryan was going to get James out of the dramatic play area. It took quite a bit of coaxing.

I want to be the Weird Parents! Watch out Lewis boys!

Ryan volunteered at Benjamin's a.m. kindergarten on Halloween.

There was a sign posted by the basement laundry for a Recycle Maze and I asked Ryan to take Benjamin there on the way home from picking him up from school. Ryan wonderfully called and invited Alexander along. It was a great thing because the maze was one of the boys' Halloween highlights this year.

I didn't realize what I was asking of Ryan when I assigned him to carve pumpkins with the boys while I made dinner. He had never carved a pumpkin before?!!?!? We've been married almost 10 years and I didn't realize that?!?! He helped Alexander and Benjamin worked on his own with minimal instruction. Benjamin's pumpkin was half rotten b/c it had a nick on it that I should have swabbed w/ rubbing alcohol and covered in Vaseline when he brought it home, but I didn't. It actually worked out okay though b/c the jack-o-lantern looked like it had a lobotomy and the molding seeds inside added nicely to the visual.

I saw a recipe for a snake calzone, but the boys said we needed a spider because it was more Halloween-esque. The finished product looked a bit like a crab to me. (At least it wasn't one of the Queen's crabs... Sorry, obscure DG reference from my days in the AF. Ryan was wearing a pith hat as his costume, but I didn't get a photo.)






Benjamin's a.m. teacher said she had special treats for kids in her class who trick-or-treated to her house. We left a bucket of candy on our doorstep and headed out with the jogging stroller. James was content to watch for the first 1/3 of the journey, but then wanted to follow his brothers. He helped knock on the doors, grabbed some candy, and waddled back to the jogging stroller at a few houses.

(As an aside, it's amazing how quickly babies learn. Our friends the MacCallum's were watching the boys the other evening and James knew which door was ours. He's also recently started knocking on our front door from the inside when he wants to go out to play.)

It was just over 2 miles round-trip and we got to Benjamin's teacher's house right around 8 p.m. He received a large Hershey's candy bar, skeleton eraser, and candy corn pencil. We stopped trick-or-treating at that point and I carried James in the sling while B&A rode in the stroller and were too busy contemplating their candy haul to fall asleep on the walk home for us.