City Museum

I have wanted to go to the City Museum since we moved here. It is like a park for adults. The concept is urban art, using discards of the city and making something beautiful and functional and totally cool. The best part is you can climb and crawl through everything. There are secret passages and tunnels, caves and even a few stores and an aquarium! I knew it would be fun, but I had no Idea just how fun. So when my friend Amanda emailed me and asked if we would like to go I jumped at the chance. It was Awesome! I had Charles in the baby carrier and Daniel took Lizzy around and away we went! I don't think I can describe the experience, but if you ever are in St. Louis, you must check this place out! We were there for almost three hours and even though Lizzy and I were tired, I hated leaving. I can't wait to go back. Daniel joked that if we had a membership there I wouldn't need Zumba. He is so right. Too bad the membership is like $200. Ouch. Oh well. We had a blast.
This is a video of my friend Karina doing Zumba in the city museum:

All dressed up and no where to go....

Last Sunday we were hoping to bless Charles, unfortunately the weather was uncooperative so we didn't get to. We decided to dress him up and take pictures anyway, which was good since he barely fit into the blessing suit Grandma Bartholomew made. It is gorgeous and we wanted to at least document the occasion even if he wasn't blessed yet. He looks so good! So this Sunday we were able to have Ron and Na dene and Joseph join us for the blessing. It was so sweet. We had the Bishopric and our home teachers stand in the circle along with Dad and Grandpa. I so wish my Dad could have been there too, but that didn't work out.
 The blessing was wonderful and when Daniel said that Charles was named for his ancestor and that he would be helping him through out his life from the other side, I couldn't help but cry. I have always felt particularly close to my great Grandfather Charles Henry Murphy even though he died before I was born. We named Charles in his honor and I am so pleased that he is willing to look out for his namesake. It was a beautiful day. I am so glad that we have the priesthood restored today. It brings me such comfort.

you got old

Recently I had a hankering to see the movie You Got Mail with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. I remember seeing this when it first came out what, ten years ago? Any way, I remember liking it so when I saw it at the library a couple of weeks ago I checked it out. About half way through the movie I began to be disgruntled and by the end of the film I was quite upset. I mean why oh why did this JERK, who isn't faithful to his girlfriend, get to take over and ruin something special and STILL get the girl?! I mean, how is that fair? And the girl isn't faithful to her boyfriend either so maybe they are just meant for each other.
   It reminded me that somehow in the last ten years I have grown up a lot. I look at this dysfunctional dynamic and realize that they can not be happy in their situation because they don't have their priority's strait. But mostly they don't understand the beauty of a loving faithful relationship.  Yes, I have learned a lot about marriage and being a good spouse in the last ten years. (Obviously things that I did not know back when I first watched this movie.) All in all I am glad to know now what I do. I love being married to Daniel. He makes my day better just by walking in the door. And I love being a mother, every day is a challenge, but I have found joy. And I wouldn't give that up for the world.

Lizzy n Charles

 Lizzy is once again helping Charles with his exercises. She got a robe for Dia de los reyes so she is sporting it here.

Fun!

From playing

For Christmas Lizzy got Bath Crayons. Above is her creation. I have to say I think it's grand!

Exercise

So Lizzy has taken over tummy time. She likes to show Charles how to do push ups. I think it is great!
And Charles is doing so well. I wish that I had a better picture. Alas.

Christmas or something like it

So we had a quiet Christmas this year. After having a baby the holidays hit kind of low on my radar. We didn't even get a tree. As a substitute, Lizzy and I decorated our back window. Like the paper ornaments? I didn't finish my shopping until Christmas eve. And the stockings never got filled so I'm saving that for Dia de los Reyes!
 On Christmas eve Lizzy and Charles, with Lizzy's help, opened up a gift. Then we watched the Nativity. It was nice.
  We told Lizzy that she could open her presents after breakfast. She did a great job waiting. She loved opening the gifts. It was fun watching her.
  For dinner I attempted my first ham. After the appropriate amount of time I took it out of the oven and proudly placed it on the table with a grand "ta da." Unfortunately as we bit into it we discovered it was not heated all the way through. So much for that. Everything tasted great though.  We Skyped Mom and talked to Caitlin for the first time, She is Sal's fiance. That was great. I am so excited for their wedding in April.
 Later Lizzy decided to dress up and go ice skating around the living room. It was great, she even sat down to put on her imaginary skates!

This morning...

So Lizzy came into our room this morning telling us that, "this is yucky" I look in her hand and see what looks like a partially chewed frosted mini wheat and a glob of poop. Yes indeedy, poop. She found it under her bed, I assume it rolled out of a diaper when I was changing her. Yucky is right! When I had her show me where she found it I found one more little pebble of poop. I cleaned it up and had to laugh. Now we know to stay away from poop! Hope it makes your day better!