Well, as they say, things are going hunky-dory. If you actually meet anyone who says that, could you tell me? I'd really like to meet them.

What have we been up to lately?
Nathan has learned to climb into the bathtub. Bath toys are now accessible at any time of the day or night. Life is great! I'll be really happy if he'll forgo the toilet water (he also just learned to lift the lid) and just play in an empty tub. Then life really would be great, and a lot less gross.

We've also been putting this kid to work.Our recycle bin has really been shamefully dirty. So while we washed the cars last week, Nathan took care of business. I think it must have been bugging him for months. "Mom, why don't you wash this blue thing? Look how dirty it is." Any other sort of dirty doesn't faze him, but that recycle bin's coating of dust was just too much.

Don't worry, ma'am; I'm a professional.

I know you all have been anxiously checking and re-checking my blog, waiting for my weekly post. Sorry. I've been even more lazy about it than usual. But this time I have a good reason: I've been gainfully employed. For money.

My goal ever since before college has been that when I had kids, I would stay home and do freelance editing in my spare (ha!) time. And it's finally come to fruition. Right now I'm working on a history/sociology book for a publishing company that works extensively with freelancers. Once Nathan goes down for a nap, I head down to the computer where I mutter things like "Truncate the page spans!" and "What's wrong with using 'Ibid.'?" So, hopefully this situation will work out. And my house won't become a complete disaster. Because, really, cleaning up a manuscript is a lot more fun than cleaning up a house. Don't tell me you disagree.

Not a baby

If anyone tells you I have a baby, don't believe them.


I have a little boy. He just doesn't seem like a baby anymore. Well, aside from the poopy diapers, tantrums, and his most reliable form of communicating being grunting. Other than that, he's ready to go get a PhD from Harvard.

I know he's growing up, because yesterday he got his first time out. I was sweeping the floor. Because we had just sprayed for bugs and I hadn't swept the floor for a couple of days, it was pretty disgusting. Also known as Boy Heaven.

He stayed away until I had collected a pretty good pile. He was gleeful at his discovery. Look at all this dirt! And dead bugs! I need to pick them up! This is the best day ever!

I told him no, removed him, and tried to build a wall of kitchen chairs to keep him away. But he's so darned skinny he maneuvered through my makeshift road block and was back in no time. This went on several times, with Nathan being convinced this was the best game ever and me getting increasingly disgusted with the cleanliness of his hands.

He scattered the dirt in one great joyful sweep with his hands as I slammed the broom down, swooped him up, and deposited him in his room with the door shut. And I peacefully finished sweeping the floor while he screamed at me.

Later, to make peace, I let him go outside and play with the outside dirt. That dirt seems so much cleaner, doesn't it?

Love America? Me too.

Did you all enjoy your Fourth of July? We did.

I was pondering what a great country we live in. Where you have the freedom to:

• buy small-grade explosives and set them off in front of your house
• drive a large SUV like you were the only car on the road, cutting someone off as you change lanes to pull into a fast-food joint
• be a grown woman and name a dog Tinkerbell

While I would look askance at taking advantage of some of these freedoms, I can't take them away from you. God Bless America.

But seriously, I do love our country.

And I'll post pictures of our hike to Malan's Basin later. I'm just too lazy to do it now.

On the Road

This post is going to be just like Jack Kerouac's book. Except for the profanity, illicit drug use, casual sex, and general feeling of lack of control over your own destiny. Actually, the lack of control thing does ring a bell. Traveling with a 14-month-old does make you feel like that.

But we did experience the same exhilaration (and boredom) that Kerouac did while traversing the state, back again, and then a little further. After attending church for one of us to take part in a patriotic Father's Day program and the other of us to play piano in Relief Society, we packed up and headed off. I spent the first bit on the phone, arranging dinners for a family in our ward (thanks to the obliging people who agreed to do things last minute). Nathan slept only about the first couple hours, got really bored for the next few hours, ate nearly an entire apple (that doesn't do good things for poop, let me just advise you), and then finally fell asleep for about the last 45 minutes.

We spent the next few days hanging out with family in Bullfrog. We had four of the five brothers all there, which is pretty good. It was good to be able to spend some time with almost everyone before Steven deploys. We went hiking, swimming, shooting, had a cookout at Starr Springs, played games, ate good food. Really, what more could you ask for?

We left Thursday afternoon, spent a quick night at home, then headed up to Preston for the Larsen reunion. We camped up there Friday night, Saturday morning was the 5K I've been getting ready for. And I finished. In second! Let's not talk about the fact that five people ran. Five. My brother-in-law walked behind a stroller the whole way, but most people who walked just did a mile. They found some kittens who tried to chase me down the home stretch.

Later in the day we had a potluck dinner that everyone tried to use alternative cooking methods. My brother made yummy shishkabobs over a fire pit. We also had smoked brisket and pork cooked on a spit and in a pit. I cheated a did a dutch oven cobbler. I'm so boring. We got home late Saturday night after a fun full week.

Now to catch up on Nathan's sleep.

A Saturday Celebration

Nathan started the morning off right. He found the bags full of produce I had just brought home from our co-op. Mmmm, apricots. Never mind that they are unwashed and not quite ripe. He took several bites and then walked around the house with it. When he fell down he'd push himself back up, supporting himself on one empty hand and one apricot-filled hand.
After a nap we headed to the park for a light jog, in consideration of our bodies each lacking a pint of blood. Friday we headed to the Red Cross donor center to freely give away some precious bodily fluids.

While eating lunch, I remembered. Two dozen cookies that I was supposed to have made by now. I hurriedly mixed them up as my mom called. "When are you coming? We need help!"

I baked the cookies at my mom's as not-controlled party-preparing chaos ruled for the next two hours. Baked cookies, washed dishes, arranged photos, decorated tables, rescued crying baby from his own folly, admired the clear sky and foolishly thought that it was going to last.

What was all this hullabaloo for?

My mom's parents celebrated their sixtieth anniversary last week. Sixty years is a long time. So we gathered family, friends and neighbors together to tell them what a great job they've done. The picture above is them standing by a recreation of their wedding cake. My grandpa tried on the jacket of his WWII army uniform for us and we took the opportunity to get some pictures.

We had a good turnout--despite the weather. My mom stressed. "What time should we have it? Maybe we'll do it later in the day so it won't be too hot."

It rained. And got cold. People huddled under the shade tent, trying to keep dry. Others took refuge in the house.

But we had a good time anyway. Congratulations, Grandparents. Way to go.

By the time we got home, after cleaning up and returning borrowed tables and chairs, Nathan was ready to be put to bed.

So was I. Luckily I did not break the bed so all was soon put right, with everyone in their own beds.

But I do think I could sleep in a crib if it came down to that. You never know.

Looking at Air

Yes, we went to the air show. Like we would be anywhere else when there are many many planes assembled in one place, and so close to home. So we went. We saw. And a good time was had by all.Nathan even took a little nap so we were able to stay the whole day. He watched planes, ate rocks, got splendidly dirty, and did not get a sunburn (whew!). He only got a little cranky towards the end, but that was just probably in anticipation of the Thunderbirds, whose dramatic intro took too long for my taste.
But once they began, they did not disappoint. Even Nathan forgot his whining and pointed at them. And pointing is high praise from a tired baby.

We won't talk about the drive home.