if its going to be cold, it might as well snow

We played in the snow today for the first time this year. It was fun. The kids lasted 30 minutes before they got cold, but that was about 15 minutes longer than I was anticipating.




We then came inside and had hot chocolate. I think my favorite part was when Ana brought her empty mug into the kitchen and said, "Thanks, Mommy. That was so yummy!"

A little piece of happiness.

"sew" in the mood and other holiday hoopla

Christmas came and went too fast. Didn't it seem like December was a lot longer when we were young?

The weekend before Christmas we went down to Utah to see my Grandparents and then visit Temple Square, which we have done almost every year since 2004. My Grandpa was pleased with the little gift we gave him: a Christmas ornament of the Wilson Theater, which is where he took my Grandma on their first date.




Then we had Ana's dance recital, which was really fun. (Ana is 2 over from the boy.) The best part was when she watched the other girls dance. She stood in the aisle and danced her way through most of the other dances. It was very cute, if a bit distracting.




Christmas was small and good. I spent a lot of hours making projects and forgot to take pictures that morning. Ana had a horrible time settling down the night before and was up early so was whiny most of the day. But mostly it was a good, happy day (and day after) full of fun, family and food.


Jack's quiet book took about 20 hours. My sister said, "you can make me one." I said, "well it took my 20 hours and so at $10 an hour: that's $200." I also made gifts for my sister and family, so I spent 2-3 hour every night for 10 days sewing. But somehow, it didn't squash my sewing enthusiasm at all. I guess I've just really been in the mood.

I think Ana's favorite thing from this holiday season was something we picked up at DI yesterday: pom-poms. I came home and whipped up this little cheerleader skirt from some extra fabric I had and she has been content as can be. This morning she wanted Jack to be "a team" so we dressed him up and he was carrying around a football that came in his stocking.


Dave and I sat down to reflect on 2009 and set our new year's resolutions. I am anxious for 2010 and all the new adventures that await us. But that is another post...

merry christmas

kid #2

When you have a baby and your heart is so full of love for them you often wonder how you could ever love another baby as much as that first baby. But then you have another and you find that you love them just as much and somehow there is enough love to fill your whole heart for each of them.

And we love our little Jacky-Boy more and more. But then I realize he's not a baby anymore. He is our happy, cheerful, sensitive, cuddler of a toddler. I never knew that kids this little play with toys by themselves. (Ana never did/does.) But the other evening, when Ana was gone with Daddy, Jack started lining up his (my) blocks, then messing them up, then lining them up again. It lasted 20-30 minutes. So we made an impromptu photo-shoot out of it. And you know its impromptu because, like most days, he's not wearing pants and his shirt is dirty.






That face melts my heart. Can you blame me?

my daughter the "monkey"

Yesterday I pulled out the card-table house again. The kids played in for about 5 minutes.

Then And decided she was a monkey and it was her monkey cage.

Then she needed a tail.

But her tail was too long, so I had to shorten it.

The rest of pretend time was spent with her asking me questions like, "do monkey's go potty in their house? Do monkey's like babies? Why do monkey's like babies? What do monkey's eat? How do monkey's get clean?" etc. etc. When I didn't know the answer she'd say, "Please just tell me mom, I don't know."

So much for pretend play...

that kind of wife

Today I spent most of the day in a dress and an apron. It looked cute. It made me feel like I was a 1950's housewife, which made me feel good.

A few weeks ago Dave and I watched "The Ugly American" which I liked for a number of reasons, mostly because of the political message about American apathy. But I liked it also because of the role's of the main guy's wife. She was strong and involved in what her husband was doing, which is cool. But more importantly, she was also gracious, refined, kind, and was there for him when he needed her. She met him at the door with a smile and a drink and was happy to serve him. I want to be that kind of wife.

I guess some would call me an "anti-feminist." I find it interesting that it was called the "feminist movement" anyway because it wasn't a celebration of femininity at all, but a glorification of masculine traits in women. There are many reproductions of supposed "rules of good wifehood" from the 1950's, mostly as an effort for women to laugh and think "look how far we come." I usually think "why don't we go back to that?"

Don't get me wrong here. I am glad a can vote (a product of women's sufferage, not the feminist movement, however). I believe equally qualified individuals should be paid equally regardless of race, religion, gender, or whatever else. And I believe in being respectful to all people. Those are good things. And I'm glad that social norms are such that I don't have to wear a dress everyday if I don't want to.

I am also amazed at how much Dave is involved in the child-rearing process. He puts the kids to bed almost every night, and is so good with them. We counsel together about our children and life decisions. These things are also good.

But men and women are different. And I like that. The women I look up to are not tough women who made it in a "man's world" or pushed themselves to the top of the corporate ladder, but women of refinement and graciousness. President James E Faust said that femininity “is the divine adornment of humanity. It finds expression in your … capacity to love, your spirituality, delicacy, radiance, sensitivity, creativity, charm, graciousness, gentleness, dignity, and quiet strength. It is manifest differently in each girl or woman, but each … possesses it. Femininity is part of your inner beauty."

When did praising a man for his "manliness" and a woman for her "delicacy" become such a thing of the past? When did chivalry become insulting (or at least unnecessary)? Why is it so primitive and unrealistic (and sexist) to greet your husband with a smile, a hot dinner and a clean house? I try to do these things. Not because Dave demands it of me. In fact, all the times he come home to a mess (which happens more than I would like it too) he has never once given me that "what have you done all day?" speech so many women get. But I see how much relief it gives him to come home to happy faces, dinner on the table, and a clean house. It makes him happy. Which makes me happy. Which makes our home happy.

"Women of God can never be like women of the world. The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity." (Margaret D. Nadauld, The Joy of Womanhood)

These feminine traits should be valued by both men and woman, and nutured in women no matter their role - even (especially) in the workplace. I am proud of my role as the loving, behind-the-scenes, housewife and mother.

But tomorrow I'll wear pants.

but where will we put it?

Last night was our ward Christmas party. Ana was very excited about Santa Claus. (Jack was mostly excited about the candy cane.) She was also insistent that she get up on stage and sing with the primary kids, even though she didn't know the songs. But when she came back down she excitedly told us that she knew the words.

Ana asked Santa for a "downstairs."



This morning she said, "Mom, where will we put our downstairs?"


*picture by our home teacher

last week

a summary

*Larsen Family Reunion/Grandma's Christmas party



*Ana's first two dance recitals. (We took a video, but we can't upload it onto our computer. For a video taken by one of other moms, go HERE. Ana is on the right. The first song, you can't see her the whole time, but the second dance you can. Thanks Alisha.)



*Dave's work party

*Dave took Ana and cut down the Christmas tree, then we decorated. (Grandma and Grandpa stopped by during that time)



*4 hours of RS visits, plus some other stuff

*Oh yeah, and my children have somehow been infected with the "incredibly whiny and disobedient" virus. But they are still really cute.

leave tiger alone

Tiger Woods can play golf really well. I like that. And that's pretty much all I care about when it comes to him. I am sick of his name all over every news web page/show/whatever for wrecking his car. Quit it.

Jon Stewart pretty much said the same thing. Way funnier.


Basically, I hate how the media reports on stuff like this. They spend way too much time on trivial and irrelevant stories instead of informing anyone about what is actually important.