Family Pictures

Here are a few of the family pictures we took on my birthday. I love them! When I looked at them the first time, I said to Tobin, "I don't remember aging!" Not that I think we look old, but I think we look grown up. Strange! I guess we're not young newly-weds anymore. But I do think we look better than when we were first married. A few years and some life experience look good on us!

Birthday Fun

Well, last year was a big, exciting birthday celebration. This year was quiet and simple. Both were really nice. Tobin's parents were in town for a week, leaving last Saturday (my birthday), so we had a birthday party Friday night. It was small, just Tobin and the kids, Tobin's parents, Tobin's brother and his wife and daughter, and a couple close friends and their two girls. We had pepper steak for dinner (think stir fry but better!) and the ginormous chocolate cake from Costco. Yummy!

Saturday morning I went to my sister-in-law's house to get my hair trimmed. When I got home the house was empty. Tobin and the kids had gone to pick up my birthday present. When they got home they had two big boxes for me . . . . matching office chairs for our (really my) desks. We have hardwood floors in our living room and have been talking for a long time about how nice it would be to have rolling chairs at the desks. Since I'm doing a little work from home now, I'm spending more time at the desk, so the new chairs are really nice! We had a nice relaxing afternoon putting together my new chairs and hanging out around the house. In the evening we had family pictures taken and went out for frozen yogurt.

All in all, it was uneventful and perfect. I'm so glad to have new office chairs, and I'm really excited to see the pictures we took. All of the family pictures in our house are about a year old. You probably have heard by now that Tobin has lost 70+ pounds since January. I can't wait to put up some pictures with my hot, skinny hubby!

Thanks, Tobin, for a quiet, peaceful, happy birthday!

Air Quotes

Last night we had family scripture reading, and then were sitting on my bed talking with the twins. We have a lot going on in the next few days, and we were trying to tell the kids about some of the things we'll be doing. We told them that tonight they will be having a pajama party with two of their friends and Daddy while the mommies go to a movie.

Maryam said, "Mom is going to a 'movie'!" using her fingers to correctly gesture air quotes with the word movie. She also used correct sarcastic intonation. We asked her if she knows what that gesture means. She said, "Yes. It means two plus equals." ??? We have no idea what "two plus equals" is or how she came up with it. She usually says that when we are talking about numbers or a calculator. What a crack up!

Super Cute Totes!

I just stumbled across a link to a blog with super cute totes available through an Etsy shop. I'm not really familiar with Etsy, but I'm going to learn! These are awesome! And there is a drawing this month for the tote shown below. Check it out at http://justanotherhangup.blogspot.com/!

The Transition

Well, I'm staying home with the kids this year. A stay-at-home mom. Tobin and I debated this decision quite a bit during last school year. It was a really rough work year for me, so when the decision was finally made, I was REALLY excited to be home with the kids this year. The count down to the end of the 08-09 school year was agonizing. I was so trunky! (By the way, what is the non-Mormon word for trunky? Anxious?) Then, suddenly it was the last week of school. I said goodbye to my seniors at graduation. It was the first time I've cried at an Antioch High graduation. I said goodbye, well "see ya later," to my colleagues with a little more crying.

I spent the next two months in a whirl wind of traveling, spending time with family, helping my parents after mom's surgery, trying to get my kids back into some sort of routine, and then a little more traveling. During all the summer craziness I tried desperately to come to grips with the fact that I am not working. I never expected to feel so sad and impotent. I felt like I had lost my identity. People made comments like, "She used to be a teacher, " and I started wondering who I am now. I am still a teacher, even if I'm not working this year. Why is it that the outside world has now determined that I am nothing? I went through a wide range of emotions trying to figure it all out, and sometimes wishing I was going to be at work again this fall.

Time rushes swiftly on, and it's now the first week of school in the Antioch district. I'm glad to be home with my twins. I'm certainly missing my teacher friends and a new group of students. I miss the gratification of knowing I am touching so many young people's lives (hopefully for the better). I miss the satisfaction of earning a paycheck, miniscule though it may be. But I know that the work I'm doing at home is more important. The influence I have on my children now is greater than the influence I may have as a teacher.

I've always wanted to stay home with my children. So then why do I feel such a keen sense of loss over leaving my job for now?

Where Babies Come From

We have a few friends who are pregnant or have been in the last year. This has prompted a lot of questions from Peyton and Maryam about babies - where they come from, how they get in the mommy's tummy, how they get out of the mommy's tummy, etc. I really thought we would get to avoid these types of conversations for a few more years at least. But, alas, I guess it is better for them to learn about the birds and bees at home, rather than some other place.

Yesterday Maryam and Peyton were telling me a story about when Tobin and I were babies and they were big. (This is their current favorite story basis: When Daddy and Mommy were babies, Peyton and Maryam were the parents.) They proceeded to tell me that I was in Maryam's tummy and Tobin was in Peyton's tummy. Maryam said she went to the doctor, they cut open her foot, and the baby came out. Peyton agreed that this was the same experience he had giving birth. I figured I better make the correction, and informed them that babies do not come out of people's feet. Of course, that prompted the next question: "Then where do they come out?" Well, there was no way around the truth here. So I told them that babies come of out the mommy's vagina. Peyton looked at me with concern in his eyes and responded, "But I don't have a vagina!" (These kids are quick!) Then I had to explain that only girls can have babies. Boys don't have the right parts. Peyton's next question? "Then what do the boys do?" We talked about how the daddies have to help the mommies because it's a lot of work being pregnant and sometimes the mommy doesn't feel that good. They seemed to understand it all pretty well.

Today, our friend went into labor, and we went to her house to stay with her and their two-year-old while her husband went to the airport to pick up her mom. As we pulled up to the house, Maryam said, "Mom we need to pull down her pants so the baby can come out of her vagina now." I calmly explained that it takes a long time for the baby to get here, and we would let the doctors take care of that. Later, she asked if we could go with them to the hospital and watch the baby being born.

I'm glad my kids are so intrigued by the workings of the human body. I guess it's time I started looking for one of those "birds and the bees" books for kids.

Lewis and Renee's Wedding

My younger brother Lewis and his fiance Renee were married August 15, in the Redlands temple. Yes, this is our third wedding this year! Most of the Walther clan met up in Ontario on Thursday evening. Friday we went to Newport Beach for the day. We had so much fun! The little ones played on the beach with Mormor and Tobin, while the rest of the adults had a great time in the ocean. I really had forgotten how much I love the beach, especially when I get to go there with my family. We had such a nice time!

Mor Mor and Maryam

Lydia, Tobin, Peyton, Grace, Hope

Lydia & Maryam


Tobin, Peyton, Maryam, Grace, Hope

Oompa Loompa & Mor Mor in the background

Saturday we met at the temple for a beautiful wedding. Lewis and Renee's sealer was awesome. He was sweet and clever and funny. I hope they can remember some of the things he said. After the wedding we had some time to hang out at the hotel and go swimming again. Then in the evening we were off to Renee's parent's beautiful backyard for the reception.

Renee & Lewis

Maryam, Lydia, Peyton, Tobin

Peyton and Maryam loving the disposable cameras

Charlotte, Lydia, Peyton, Marissa, Bruce

Tobin & Peyton

Lydia, James, Bruce, Renee, Katya, Lewis, Nina, Sarah, Emily, Anna

I loved being on vacation with my family. It was really fun to have us all together with no obligations but to have fun and spend time with each other. We have to do this again!