It is my spring break now, and with the weather comfortably in the 50s and 60s, many of the students head down to Florida for the warmth, but many also go home to hang out, and a few stay here to work. Our plan is somewhere in the middle: J.J. is working Monday and Wednesday, I am spending all day Tuesday researching and writing, and on Thursday we are heading to Chattanooga to hang out for a couple of days. The funny thing about this break is how much I am looking forward to the Tuesday when I can spend 8 hours writing without any distractions. (Doesn't that sound just like a perfect day during your spring break?) Those days are very rare with all of the things that need to be done. I view preparing for classes and grading papers as work, along with various administrative things that always show up on the desk. But writing, for me, is the kind of work that I pine for when I am doing those other things, even though it is also mentally exhausting, and so when someone asked me if I was looking forward to the break, I could honestly say "Yes" in every way, because I would get to be home with girls a couple of days, have one whole day to write, and go on a mini-vacation with my family.
Wednesday was a big day for Rachel that she of which she was not really aware -- her birthday. A few unusual things happened for her -- Grandma and Grandpa Walker sang to her over the phone in the morning, and she had a cupcake for dessert than night, (Just like Claire at her first birthday, she didn't have much interest in the cupcake even after a taste of the frosting. But, the rest of us did enjoy mini chocolate cupcakes for days after.) but otherwise it was a normal day. (She did kind of open some presents too, mostly with Claire's help. But she was very tired that night and didn't have much interest in a party anyway) The big thing about the 1-year mark for parents is switching to whole milk from formula and the front-facing car seat. We started the milk early, but waited to get the okay from the doctor on Friday for the seat, and she rode in it once and loved the new view. She is actually underweight, even after all that she eats, according to the doctor. (You wouldn't know that from picking her up. She just seems "thick". She is dense.)
Claire did have a few exciting things happen this week. Thursday afternoon was a Murray State Easter egg hunt for families of students and faculty, and the turnout was big so the found eggs for each kid were few. But it was fun to see many of our friends there, and even though Claire only found one egg, she had a ball with her friends in the nice weather on the campus quad. Friday night her friend Katey stayed the night, and they had a good time together, only staying up until almost 11:00. Katey's mom had a garage sale on Saturday, though it was rainy, so having Katey stay over was helpful to her and Claire enjoyed being the host. (They played in the pink room all night very nicely and quietly. They got along great. They the watched a movie and Katey was definitely ready for bed. They slept on the bed in the pink room, with a trundle and loved it.)
Saturday was a busy day with good pacing -- Claire had music class in the morning, then a birthday party in the early afternoon, (Claire was so tired after her big night, that she fell asleep and I had to wake her for the birthday party and she was pretty mellow at the party even with a balloon pool, unicorn and butterfly decorations with glitter and cake and presents) and during that time Rachel and I stayed home and I cleaned much of the house, swept out the garage, and took all of our recyclables to the recycling day that they have here every few months. The city has some bins, but they don't have a plastic bin, so our plastics box really piles up. It was great to empty it with the trip. Plus, another bonus at the recycling day was a super shredder, which solved a problem for me as ward clerk, because we had all these old documents that our little shredder just wouldn't handle, so Friday night I went through the files and filled two boxes of paper and financial stuff and took them to the super shredder on Saturday. That was one of the highlights of the weekend:) (Another of "fun time" in the Walker household). Boy, Claire and I are sure sad we went to a boring ol' birthday party instead)
In the late afternoon Saturday we had a great baptism in our ward. A sort-of family was baptized -- a woman and her 8-year-old daughter, and her boyfriend. J.J. and I had been helping fellowship them, and it was neat to see them baptized. The boyfriend asked me to confirm him on Sunday, so that was a neat experience as well. At the baptism, we were also able to secure one of the college students in our ward who was staying here to babysit for us, so we could go to the movie, Juno, which we enjoyed for its quirky look at a high school girl who gets pregnant.
On Sunday, while J.J. was at the welfare meeting, I picked up Jessica, the girl who babysat, and Bishel, a student who the missionaries have been working with who lives at the same dorm as Jessica, and is from Nepal. He is a nice kid, who just started this semester. We had invited Jessica over for dinner because the dorm cafeterias are closed, so we invited Bishel over as well, and it was nice to get to know him better. He doesn't know very many people, so he was excited to spend some time with us and he really liked Claire and Rachel. He hardly knows anything about Christianity, but he enjoyed church and dinner, even if it was a means to not be alone. We are really enjoying becoming so involved with the missionaries -- we have grown close to one of the elders who has been here since October -- yet has had 3 different companions -- and they are constantly enlisting us in their efforts. It is something that we haven't been able to do much before, and it is fun. In a small town and a small university, it is kind of funny how being involved with the missionaries will bring us into contact with so many cross-strata of people, who inevitably connect somewhere else -- like the family that was baptized was at the easter egg hunt because she is taking classes, and Bishel was so excited when I told him he could drop by my office anytime to visit.
Anyway, we hope everyone is well and happy. Soon I will be tilling my garden plot and planting seeds -- maybe we'll have two sets of crops. I hope I can keep the deer and rabbits away from everything.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Thursday, March 13, 2008
The Party Continued..
March 13 - one day after Rachel's birthday and the morning after the not so successful party, we decided to have another mini party and try it once again.
Rachel was much happier this time after a good night's sleep and a full tummy!
She is getting cuter and cuter all the time and is even starting to look like a girl!
Claire wanted to help get things going as soon as she woke up. There is no time to get dressed for these events.
Even Elvis Bear was ready to party.
And Rachel came away with quite a haul!
Two more birthdays next month and we are done for the year.
Rachel was much happier this time after a good night's sleep and a full tummy!
She is getting cuter and cuter all the time and is even starting to look like a girl!
Claire wanted to help get things going as soon as she woke up. There is no time to get dressed for these events.
Even Elvis Bear was ready to party.
And Rachel came away with quite a haul!
Two more birthdays next month and we are done for the year.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
I Can't Believe She Is ONE!!
Our little Rachel turned 1 year old on March 12! We got the party started late and although it began good, when a 1 year old is tired, it doesn't matter how many presents or cake there is.
It isn't a party without the party hats!
Rachel loved opening the cards - tearing paper, whether it is envelopes or something else is always fun.
She also quickly got the hang of tearing wrapping paper (though Claire was more than willing to help).
Ta Da! There are toys under there!
She quickly needed a break for some fluids and nourishment.
So we moved on to the cake. (we had mini cupcakes for her birthday - with sprinkles of course)
Claire helped Rachel blow out the candle so her wishes would come true.
Rachel wasn't quite sure what to think about the cupcakes.
So she promptly decided to feel the frosting.
And just after a little taste, she decided that it was better just to squish that stuff in her hands and wipe them on her clothes. (I hope that is just because she is one and doesn't reflect on my baking skills)
And quickly, it didn't matter what was in front of her, it was bedtime.
What a way to end the party.
It isn't a party without the party hats!
Rachel loved opening the cards - tearing paper, whether it is envelopes or something else is always fun.
She also quickly got the hang of tearing wrapping paper (though Claire was more than willing to help).
Ta Da! There are toys under there!
She quickly needed a break for some fluids and nourishment.
So we moved on to the cake. (we had mini cupcakes for her birthday - with sprinkles of course)
Claire helped Rachel blow out the candle so her wishes would come true.
Rachel wasn't quite sure what to think about the cupcakes.
So she promptly decided to feel the frosting.
And just after a little taste, she decided that it was better just to squish that stuff in her hands and wipe them on her clothes. (I hope that is just because she is one and doesn't reflect on my baking skills)
And quickly, it didn't matter what was in front of her, it was bedtime.
What a way to end the party.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Sugar and Spice (unless it is dinner time)
Rachel is a little sweetheart, unless it is time to eat. The minute she is hungry and she doesn't get food - watch out! These screams are piercing and crocodile tears start to flow!
Who could believe such things about one with a face as cute as this?!
Who could believe such things about one with a face as cute as this?!
Goggle Girl
Claire was still wishing for more snow 3 days after our big snowstorm. Unfortunately it melted very quickly.
I guess the goggles can work as sunglasses too! And I guess the seat on the bike felt especially hard this day and required extra padding.
I guess the goggles can work as sunglasses too! And I guess the seat on the bike felt especially hard this day and required extra padding.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Happenings 3/3/08 - 3/9/08
We had a snowstorm on Friday evening that left 4 inches of snow on the ground, so it actually looked like winter was here. It was a blizzardy storm, with lots of wind, but Saturday morning it was sunny, which made for great conditions to play in. Claire played outside for about 4 hours with her friend Katey, and I shoveled our driveway and walks with the plastic slide that goes to our mini-playground because we don't have a snow shovel. The slide worked great.
Of course while the snow was great, we were hoping for a warm Saturday because we had Claire's birthday party, and since she invited people from church, the neighborhood, and other friends, 12 kids came over. (This was Claire's first "real" birthday party with friends and everything, so she was very excited and wanted to invite everyone she knew including the 14 year old baby sitter, the 22 year old babysitter, the late 20 year old babysitter, etc. We had to limit it to 12 - and boy was that a handful) (When I first planned this, weather forecasts said 50 degrees, which with the sun and a jacket could be playing outside weather, but the next time I checked the forecast it said 28 degrees. I wanted to justify dressing them in snow clothes and sending them out still, but it was even a little to cold and messy for that.) Luckily our upstairs playroom was able to handle all of them and they all had a great time. J.J. made a great cake that she drew Max and Ruby with frosting on top, (Pretty good if I say so myself. Claire knew who it was and that is what mattered) and the kids played games like pin the ears on the Max and Ruby bunnies and musical pillows. (My friend Shara came over even though she doesn't have any kids - yet - one coming in June- for crowd control. It was great because she was able to help out with the kids and taking pictures and everything because while Paul is good at helping with the kids, if I left photos to him, we would have maybe one picture of the birthday. So she was a huge help.)
For Claire's actual birthday, Friday, she and J.J. went to the messy art class in the morning, (Claire got to eat a cupcake for breakfast which she thought was really cool. Then that afternoon, we opened presents from the Coffman Clan and Grandma and Grandpa Walker. She got so many cute and fun things) then in the evening she chose to have pizza for supper and we invited our friends Trevor and Shara over. For dessert, Bob and Esther from next door braved the blowing snow between our houses and came over for cupcakes, and they brought Claire a couple of gifts. It was fun to have them over. (They brought her a beautiful little tea set that is for her and Rachel to share and a paint by numbers kit since during the summer, Claire sits in Bob's garage with him and draws and paints. She thought that was great to have them all over)
Right now I'm watching Rachel play with a ball -- any type of ball is her favorite toy, and she is quite talented at throwing them. She can stand up on her own, but she has yet to try to take a step on her own -- probably because J.J. keeps pushing her down so that she keeps crawling :). (Actually Paul is telling fibs again. Today she grabbed one of my hands and started walking with me across the room. Okay technically that is not on her own, but pretty close. Paul is right though, I am not encouraging the walking because she is already into everything that walking will just open up a whole new world for her.) On Monday she leaned on the gate that blocks the top of the stairs when I went down to open the door for our babysitter, and the gate gave way and as I ran up to rescue her, she held onto the gate before it started to slide down, and then let go and rolled down two steps before I grabbed her. It was scary for her, but she made it through with only a bruise on her forehead. (Now there is a pile of furniture blocking the top of the stairs. I guess I will have to suck it up and screw a gate into the wall. I think I can sacrifice a few holes in the wall if it will save my baby. )
The week otherwise was pretty routine. Things are busy for me at work, but I'm sort of in the cruising speed with my classes and have just a few things I need to focus on research-wise until I attend this conference in April. We had the missionaries over for supper on Thursday, which was actually supposed to be a teaching appointment with a family of investigators coming over to eat and then be taught, but that fell through. This mission has a traveling assistant to the president who goes from companionship to companionship all month long, and he was with them -- Elder Hale from Rigby, ID, but I couldn't make any connection. He had been traveling for 4 months. We thought that would be a different sort of experience, without any area to call home.
Well, anyway, we hope all of you are well, and getting warmer. Our first "spring forward" in 9 years threw us off today -- I set the clocks back last night but forgot to turn my alarm on, so I woke up at 7:15 instead of 6:15 -- not actually losing any sleep -- and was late for bishopric meeting, but there were only two of them there, and had barely gotten started when I showed up 40 minutes late. So it worked out. Hopefully Claire will still go to bed now that it is lighter in the evening. (Didn't happen - she took a nap with me during the day and didn't go to sleep until 11pm)
Of course while the snow was great, we were hoping for a warm Saturday because we had Claire's birthday party, and since she invited people from church, the neighborhood, and other friends, 12 kids came over. (This was Claire's first "real" birthday party with friends and everything, so she was very excited and wanted to invite everyone she knew including the 14 year old baby sitter, the 22 year old babysitter, the late 20 year old babysitter, etc. We had to limit it to 12 - and boy was that a handful) (When I first planned this, weather forecasts said 50 degrees, which with the sun and a jacket could be playing outside weather, but the next time I checked the forecast it said 28 degrees. I wanted to justify dressing them in snow clothes and sending them out still, but it was even a little to cold and messy for that.) Luckily our upstairs playroom was able to handle all of them and they all had a great time. J.J. made a great cake that she drew Max and Ruby with frosting on top, (Pretty good if I say so myself. Claire knew who it was and that is what mattered) and the kids played games like pin the ears on the Max and Ruby bunnies and musical pillows. (My friend Shara came over even though she doesn't have any kids - yet - one coming in June- for crowd control. It was great because she was able to help out with the kids and taking pictures and everything because while Paul is good at helping with the kids, if I left photos to him, we would have maybe one picture of the birthday. So she was a huge help.)
For Claire's actual birthday, Friday, she and J.J. went to the messy art class in the morning, (Claire got to eat a cupcake for breakfast which she thought was really cool. Then that afternoon, we opened presents from the Coffman Clan and Grandma and Grandpa Walker. She got so many cute and fun things) then in the evening she chose to have pizza for supper and we invited our friends Trevor and Shara over. For dessert, Bob and Esther from next door braved the blowing snow between our houses and came over for cupcakes, and they brought Claire a couple of gifts. It was fun to have them over. (They brought her a beautiful little tea set that is for her and Rachel to share and a paint by numbers kit since during the summer, Claire sits in Bob's garage with him and draws and paints. She thought that was great to have them all over)
Right now I'm watching Rachel play with a ball -- any type of ball is her favorite toy, and she is quite talented at throwing them. She can stand up on her own, but she has yet to try to take a step on her own -- probably because J.J. keeps pushing her down so that she keeps crawling :). (Actually Paul is telling fibs again. Today she grabbed one of my hands and started walking with me across the room. Okay technically that is not on her own, but pretty close. Paul is right though, I am not encouraging the walking because she is already into everything that walking will just open up a whole new world for her.) On Monday she leaned on the gate that blocks the top of the stairs when I went down to open the door for our babysitter, and the gate gave way and as I ran up to rescue her, she held onto the gate before it started to slide down, and then let go and rolled down two steps before I grabbed her. It was scary for her, but she made it through with only a bruise on her forehead. (Now there is a pile of furniture blocking the top of the stairs. I guess I will have to suck it up and screw a gate into the wall. I think I can sacrifice a few holes in the wall if it will save my baby. )
The week otherwise was pretty routine. Things are busy for me at work, but I'm sort of in the cruising speed with my classes and have just a few things I need to focus on research-wise until I attend this conference in April. We had the missionaries over for supper on Thursday, which was actually supposed to be a teaching appointment with a family of investigators coming over to eat and then be taught, but that fell through. This mission has a traveling assistant to the president who goes from companionship to companionship all month long, and he was with them -- Elder Hale from Rigby, ID, but I couldn't make any connection. He had been traveling for 4 months. We thought that would be a different sort of experience, without any area to call home.
Well, anyway, we hope all of you are well, and getting warmer. Our first "spring forward" in 9 years threw us off today -- I set the clocks back last night but forgot to turn my alarm on, so I woke up at 7:15 instead of 6:15 -- not actually losing any sleep -- and was late for bishopric meeting, but there were only two of them there, and had barely gotten started when I showed up 40 minutes late. So it worked out. Hopefully Claire will still go to bed now that it is lighter in the evening. (Didn't happen - she took a nap with me during the day and didn't go to sleep until 11pm)
Saturday, March 8, 2008
The BIG Party!
Claire had never had a "real" birthday party with friends over and games and everything, so she was excited to say the least. This was party #4! (I guess you can have that many when you turn 4 years old). We planned it all out and invited friends from storytime, messy art, church and the neighborhood. It was quite a turn out - 14 of Claire's friends came along with some parents, so we had a full house. Originally, we planned to have the party outside so the kids could run around and be wild, but one of the few days we really get snow, happened to be this day! It therefore turned into and inside party. We had a great time though and hope everyone else did too!
The day of the Big Event was March 8th. A Max and Ruby Party was on the way.
Invitations were sent....
..a cake was made (not bad for my first try at a decorative cake if I may say so myself)...
..games were set (pin the ears on Max and Ruby)....
..all we needed were friends and the party was underway!
A rousing game of musical pillows got things started.
(Paige, Claire, Cade, Victoria, Lucy and Logan in front there)
Katey, Claire, and Cade
Michael, Morgan, Katey and Paige (Barbara Ness and Jonas on the bed)
Paul and Rachel were attentive spectators.
And the games continued.
Then it was time for cake! Claire was very proud of her cake.
And all of her wishes came true!
There's nothing longer than the time spent waiting for a piece of cake.
But it is usually worth the wait.
And there is no bigger finale than PRESENT TIME! (That is my friend Shara in the green shirt. She was amazing! She doesn't have any children yet, but she came to help me out with crowd control and everything. She really was a lifesaver or at least saved my sanity. I think she was just getting a glimpse into her future - she is due with a little boy in June)
Rachel had new uses for the toy packaging. What do you think of the new necklaces? A bit bulky maybe.
After things died down, Katey stayed for a bit and she and Claire checked out all the gifts more thoroughly
HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY CLAIRE! WE LOVE YOU!
And what could be a better way to end the day than to get to sleep with mommy and daddy?!
The day of the Big Event was March 8th. A Max and Ruby Party was on the way.
Invitations were sent....
..a cake was made (not bad for my first try at a decorative cake if I may say so myself)...
..games were set (pin the ears on Max and Ruby)....
..all we needed were friends and the party was underway!
A rousing game of musical pillows got things started.
(Paige, Claire, Cade, Victoria, Lucy and Logan in front there)
Katey, Claire, and Cade
Michael, Morgan, Katey and Paige (Barbara Ness and Jonas on the bed)
Paul and Rachel were attentive spectators.
And the games continued.
Then it was time for cake! Claire was very proud of her cake.
And all of her wishes came true!
There's nothing longer than the time spent waiting for a piece of cake.
But it is usually worth the wait.
And there is no bigger finale than PRESENT TIME! (That is my friend Shara in the green shirt. She was amazing! She doesn't have any children yet, but she came to help me out with crowd control and everything. She really was a lifesaver or at least saved my sanity. I think she was just getting a glimpse into her future - she is due with a little boy in June)
Rachel had new uses for the toy packaging. What do you think of the new necklaces? A bit bulky maybe.
After things died down, Katey stayed for a bit and she and Claire checked out all the gifts more thoroughly
HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY CLAIRE! WE LOVE YOU!
And what could be a better way to end the day than to get to sleep with mommy and daddy?!
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