Family Update

I try to do a summary each week for our parents in Georgia and Guatemala. These get a little lengthy so read at your discretion. I have found that grandparents LOVE to know what is going on with their grandkids. Anyway, this one really will be a novel since I feel like it has been an action packed week here at the Shaw house.

I will start with last Friday since I haven't written about last week. D and I went out with some friends for our Valentine's Day dinner. We went to a little restaurant in Springdale. The food was good, the company superb, the service odd and the decor totally distasteful. There was on the wall directly in front of us this Picasso-esc painting of a really large woman in the buff. Bizarre. I wasn't totally offended by it since it was really abstract and the woman slightly resembled a man, but still, don't you think that is interesting decor for a restaurant. And, all over the room there were these crosses with men hanging on them and names over the top of them...really weird. We discussed whether they were mocking or respecting and we were not sure. Oh and a picture of Christ ( a really weird one) on one of the walls. It was a mexican restaurant so I guess maybe par for the course--but still kind of uncomfortable decor for an eating establishment.

Then the service. It really was okay until the server put up a huge fit about splitting the bill for us. Take into account that there were only four couples and that they added in a 20% tip. She finally consented and when she got back D said, "Thanks, we really appreciate that" and she went off on some lecture about how if she had been busier she couldn't have done it and ladedade...We all just kind of looked at each other astonished.

Having waited tables myself I can personally attest to the fact the splitting a bill is NO BIG DEAL. I guess when you are such a high profile server in Springdale Utah you can put up a fit about whatever you please.

Saturday D went cross country skiing with a friend. It was his first time and he really enjoyed it. I love cross country skiing despite my dad's version of our last downhill skiing adventure (which, I must add is completely inaccurate).

Let's see, Sunday was like most. I taught in Relief Society. I enjoy teaching and often wonder if other enjoy my teaching as much as I enjoy doing it. I haven't totally found my groove with teaching out of the JS manual, but I love studying and preparing for it. D teaches Elder's Quorum so it gives us a chance to read together and discuss the lessons. We had BLT's at Grams house, got kids to bed and I watched the second installment of Pride and Prejudice with Grandma. I wasn't going to since I have it at home and it is LONG, but I was sucked in and I will be over there tonight again to watch the end. I sure hope Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennett end up together.

Monday J turned three. It was so fun for all of us. I had put up balloons and streamers the night before and J was up way to early to enjoy them. I could hear him downstairs squealing about the sight. We let him open a couple of presents before D left for work and J was so funny about it. He would start unwrapping it while muttering, "oh my gosh, oh my gosh" and then when he opened it whether he knew what it was or not he would say, "It's just what I wanted." He got some fun stuff for him and parents! Lincoln logs and Wedgits (which I have wasted much time playing with--check them out! They are really cool.) from Nana and Papa, and an assortment of Duplos, a book, computer game, and DVD from us.

He wanted to have pizza for his birthday and since we are in a dinner swap and it wasn't my night to cook we met up with friends and brought pizza and cookies to the park. The weather was so nice and I love taking him to the park because typically it means I can get a good nap out of him, an occurance that is more or less unheard of these days (Unfortunately). He did indeed come through with a good nap after I had bathed him and gotten all the sand off of him. There is a huge sandbox at one of the parks and J spends the majority of his time in that--playing, laying, kicking, you name it. We had Calypso Pie to end the night and he was in bed early. It is so fun to have kids who "get" the birthday thing and think anything they get is fantastic.

Tuesday I felt like I cooked all day. I swapped dinner nights and took on Giada's Lasagna Rolls, french bread and fruit salad. I did a lot of rollin', but I have to say that it was so worth it. I loved them and will definitely make them again. I have loved dinner group because I enjoy cooking for other people, but once a week pretty much feels that need of cooking for me. It also allows me to try new foods and have quite a few critics. Some are winners and others, not so much. D had planning and zoning so I spent the evening doing odds and ends.

Wednesday consisted of storytime, Target, delivering birthday party invites in the rain (which J thought was the best thing ever) and D having his class. Paige woke up about 1am with a high fever that lasted until this morning. Needless to say, I have had little sleep the last few nights and I am feeling it. I took her to instacare in Thursday and they did a strep culture, checked her ears, throat etc and they found nada. Just some weird big that had to work itself out. Her fever is gone today, but her appetite is still not back and she gets tired and cranky really easily. I brought her home after sacarament meeting and put her down for a good (quiet) nap. She slept really soundly.

Thursday I hosted book club at my house. I made a chocolate mousse dessert, and orzo pasta salad with roasted red peppers and baked brie. I really enjoy making food for parties.

I am feeling a little deprived today with regards to weight watchers. I am about 2 pounds from my goal and I have to admit that I have lost a little motivation. I cannot understand how people do WW full time. I think I would go crazy if I had to count points for the rest of my life. I just felt hungry today and was so irked that things like grapes which really consist of little but H2O in my opinion, even have points. I know that I just have a few more weeks, but I think my exhaustion and the gloomy weather are both contributing to my lack of desire to try. {sigh}. None the less, I was good today and will stick with it until the bitter (and it might very well be that) end.

Saturday we had J's party. Pictures will follow. I only planned it for an hour which was sufficient for 8 three year olds. They decorated cupcakes, played with balloons, jumped on the tramp, did a pinata and ate lots of sugar. What could be better. They were all cute little kids and really had fun and got into the party mode. I made cupcakes in ice cream cones and I don't think they quite got that they could eat it too. They all just frosted and then picked the candy off the top and ate it. And then there was Gwyn who found that spoon fulls of frosting satisfied her. It was a lot of fun. Jackson was excited about it all day. It feels so good to do things that make your kiddos happy.

These are deifinitely the highlights of the week. Of course we still did the normal everyday stuff that really isn't noteworthy--you know, bathe kids, change diapers, clean up messes, run errands, but the stuff that adds to a fulfilled life. We feel really blessed with great family, friends, kids, etc.

Oh, and on that note, I finally did it...I ordered my new camera. I caaaaaan't wait.