It's a Miracle!

Okay, so maybe not a miracle of biblical proportions, but it's a miracle in my little piece of the world. Over the years I have tried out several different cookie sheets (or baking pans, as I like to use them for oh, so much more than just cookies!) My favorite are the half sheet pan size with the raised edges so juices don't fall off into the oven a make a smokey mess. But my big problem is the cleaning up afterward. For a long time I just assumed that spending forever cleaning up after meals was just the price to be paid for making a home cooked meal. But how is that fair. We put time and love into a nice meal and then we have to pay for it by scrub, scrub, scrubbing away at the sink? I don't think so. Then I tried out these baking sheets from Williams-Sonoma and problem solved! When they say non-stick, they mean it. And I like to cook seriously sticky stuff on mine like roasted vegetables in olive oil or a roast chicken. Now, they are an investment. But to me? Worth every penny. I am thinking about getting another so I have more than one to work with!

School Days

I know that the picture isn't great. I blame it on the fact that there was a hurricane raging around us and my camera didn't like going from an air-conditioned house to the muggy, raining front porch. But it was the first day of school and we needed a picture, good or not! Clara loves school! In fact, the other morning, we were getting ready for school and Clara was playing around (not getting ready for school). So I say, "Well I guess you are not going to school!" And she scrambled around and got ready quickly. I didn't think anything of it at the time but later I thought, well this isn't going to last forever! I am going to make a point of enjoying the time that I have of Clara wanting to go to school! I am sure that there will be plenty of "I'm sick, I can't go." or "I DON'T WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL!" 's in my future.

"We Make 'Em Cute!"

While Adam and I were looking through old pictures of Clara, and then some of Ian, Adam's comment was the title of this blog.

So what do you think? When I look at old pictures of Clara, I see Ian so clearly. I couldn't find actual pictures of Clara and Ian at the same age in the same pose but I think that they look a lot alike. He is definitely shaped like a boy, and Clara more like a girl. But I think that there are similarities. (I didn't label pictures because Clara is wearing pink! So far, I haven't subjected Ian to pink clothes.)

New Kitchen Attire

So I know that most of you talented ladies out there could whip this thing up in no time. But I don't feel that Ian is old enough (takes regular or long naps) to allow me to hone my sewing skills. I do plan to become more familiar with my sewing machine soon, but not quite yet. Isn't this apron the cutest thing? It almost makes you want to think of extra things to cook up in the kitchen so you can wear it!

iTunes Update

I am currently working on adding to my iTunes. Anybody have suggestions? Any kind of music, as long as you love it!

Being a Big Sister

Clara is such a good big sister to Ian. If he is crying, she runs and gets him a toy or tries talking to him. She plays with him and sings to him. When he is playing in his activity mat on the floor she likes to join him (like in the picture). She helps me a lot too. She retrieves diapers and toys and the phone, just about anything. She is even willing to stay quiet when he is sleeping, or remind us to be quiet. I am so happy to have her around!

Thoughts of Ian

Some of my favorite things:

1. Being held, it's much more fun than anything else (expect maybe nursing.)
2. I like to make eye contact and be talked to, and I like to respond.
3. Watching my big sister Clara show me toys and talk to me.
4. I like to be able to see what is going on, so please hold me looking out.
5. Music.
6. My swing, there is a really cool mirror above me that I can look at.
7. There are little animals on my bouncy chair that I like to bat at.
8. Bath time. I am especially cute and like to talk and coo at my mommy then.
9. I like to ride on Mommy or Daddy in my sling or bjorn.
10. I really, really like to be outside and go for walks.
11. I know that I am loved and that makes me happy!

It occurs to me that maybe I came across sounding a little harsh in my last blog. I wrote it at about 3am (I couldn't sleep because I have been sick). I would like to clarify my feelings on the subject. When I get frustrated or disappointed I cry too, but since I am a grown up I have learned to try and hold it off until I can be private. My frustration comes from not knowing how to help my little Clara to understand and control her emotions! I really feel that we all need a good cry sometimes. I would also like to teach her that maybe it's okay to have a purple fairy wand instead of pink sometimes, or at least the principle that sometimes, even when we don't get what we are expecting in life, sometimes things turn out fine or even better with an alternative. Does anyone else out there have any thoughts?

Dancing Meltdown

Clara, originally uploaded by liannebarr.

This is kind of a follow up blog from the dancing one before. Clara sure does look cute in her little pink leotard. She thinks so too, I guess that is why she wears it (even at home, prancing around the house!) Would it even cross your mind that she could ever be anything but cute in this? Well, let me set the record straight. She most certainly can! I don't know why, I have spent a lot of time pondering why actually. . . the most recent episode happened this last Wednesday. Clara's teacher was handing out little princess wands for the girls to dance with and horror of horrors, Clara did not get the pink one! Can you believe it? Pink, by the way, is her favorite color. I think at the time I was looking at Ian and I heard through the see-through mirror that parents sit behind a little girl crying. I look up to see it's my little girl and she is sitting on the floor while all the other little girls are at the barre trying to do a grand battement (kicks). She finally decided to join the class, but it did take a while. And then she was fine. Last week when it happened I think she wanted some water. Her teacher says not to worry. I know from swimming lessons that this is how new things start. But my big issue is that in swimming all the little kids I saw cried at least once. Did I mention that Clara is the only one to do this in her class? We talk about it, hopefully she and I can work something out now while she is 3 so she can learn to control her emotions when she is older. Maybe next week will be better!

BYU Reunion

Well kind of. It was more like Adam's college roommate reunion, or maybe a good friends reunion. Adam, Rob, and Greg roomed together at BYU. And have all been close friends ever since.

And look what the three of them have grown into . . . .

Alas, baby Ian is not in this picture, he was already in bed.

Rob and his wife Sarah live close by in Clermont. And Greg and his wife Lara drove down from Atlanta for the weekend. We had a fun filled weekend together. Saturday we play mini golf at Disney's Fantasia Gardens, and went to dinner. By the way, it rained while we were there.

On Sunday, we got together at our house for a BBQ. We had a great time

catching up. And our kids must have had a good time because they were

making a lot of loud happy noises.

By the way, if you see some of the same pictures on their blogs, it's because there was only one camera on Saturday (thanks Greg and Lara)!

Dancing Clara

dancing Clara, originally uploaded by liannebarr.

Clara started taking dance lessons. This is something that I have wanted to do for a while now. In fact, I can't remember a time when she hasn't run instead of walked and danced her way through the day. She is enjoying herself. Every week they do ballet and then alternate between tap and tumbling. I think that the cutest thing I have seen is all those little girls and their tiny tap shoes all hook together in a train going around the room headed by their teacher, Miss Mary, and all that can be heard is tap, tap, tap, tap in unison!