Thursday, June 27, 2013

Son, Husband, Father



My hunka hunka burnin' love
Son, Husband, Father …..These are the three most important titles that a man can have in his life (eternal and temporal). I am grateful for the brothers, husband, fathers, and grandfathers in my life whether they are related through blood, marriage, or even friendship. I am truly overwhelmed by the gratitude I have for these men.  I feel that the importance of these roles in families are too often belittled in our over zealousness to support women and women’s rights. I wish we would spend more building up the importance of both men and women!
Yes, women can do anything they set their minds too! I spent most of my childhood with my Mom being a single parent. I also spent time with grandmothers, aunts, and neighbor women who are strong, determined, and capable women who were not intimidated by gender roles. So why do we need to put men down in the process of elevating women?  Yes women were and sometimes are still treated as second class citizens. Thankfully this is happening less and less.  Yes. there are men who were and are cruel and horrendous towards women BUT there are also many men who are kind, loving, and respectful of women. Men who take being a son, husband, and father seriously! Too often we as women say we can do everything ourselves and rob men of the importance of their roles. We (intentionally and unintentionally) strip them of their identity and lower our expectations for them and then wonder why men are only meeting our low expectations. Thus, reaffirming stereotype that men our “useless and worthless.”  It’s a type of self-fulfilling prophesy: we lower our expectation of their importance’s and capabilities and then act mad when they only meet these expectations. For example, on TV married men with children are often portrayed as over weight, lower IQ's, and lazy. While their wives a fit, cute, smart hard working women. What kind of message does that send to the rising generation of men? What kind of message is this sending to women?

Justin with his dad and brothers
I am grateful to the then men in my life who have recognized their value and importance’s in the family. For the men who respect themselves and those around them especially, the women in their lives. I am grateful for the men who believe that marriage and family is a team effort where everyone works together. I am grateful for my grandpas, dad, step dad, and father in law who have been examples to their sons of how men should treat and respect ALL they come in contact with. I am grateful to my wonderful husband who supports me in my roles as a wife, mother, daughter, and friend. I am grateful for his never ending support and encouragement as I tackle new challenges and cultivate new skills.  Most of all I am grateful for a husband who takes his titles of son, husband, and father seriously.
My Daddio and I on my wedding Day
I hope that we all remember the importance of honest, kind, and loving men who willingly take on these roles. I also hope that we keep our expectations of what we expect from men high.
Belittling and negativity never helped anyone reach their full potential. Let’s build each other up so that we may allbe our best selves who work together as a team.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

A day in the life of peanut

Peanut has been able to crawl for a while but yesterday she decided to use that skill to go more than a few feet. She loved exploring and getting into EVERYTHING! She was so happy throughout the day that I just had to take pictures all day long. The following pictures of some of her adventures throughout the day!

Waking up daddy
Playing in the kiddy pool
only letting her feet get in the cold water
Play on the trampoline
Discovering the secret passage on the side of the couch
Thinking she is the cheese!
Finding a piece of paper
side scooting across the couch to get moms papers
getting tickled
big cheesy grin
smiling because Dad just got home
   
Eating some dinner in just a diaper


I would have taken a picture when she fell asleep but I didn't want to risk waking her up!

Monday, June 17, 2013

Dearest Peanut #7



7 month pictures




Dearest Peanut,

I know you were born with fiery red hair, extra helpings of independence and stubbornness, and a flair for the theatrics BUT could you please take your medicine? I REALLY dislike the whole weeping, whaling, and gnashing of teeth bit (OK just one tooth) while I pin you down and practically force medicine down your throat. I tried giving it to you nicely but you would just scrunch your nose, clamp your jaw shut, stick your bottom lip out about a mile, and turn your head every which way. I even tried the special Binky with hole for the medicine and also mixing it with your bottle.  The first would end with you spitting it out as soon as you tasted the medicine. The second only worked the rare times you felt like eating which coincidentally happened to be AFTER we forced medicine in you. I may have cried a few times out of frustration.

Between teething and this ten day virus that causes a fever, throw ups, diarrhea, pinkeye, and runny nose we are both exhausted.We are finally on the down hill slope and all that remains is the runny nose, goober eyes, and long naps (heaven!). I am happy to finally see your smiles and hear your giggles again.

Next time please remember that even though the medicine may taste gross it does help you feel much better.


7 month pictures

Love you always!

-Mom


PS. Dad thinks you were just holding out for bubble gum flavored medicine. Please say it ain't so!

PPS. You are going to be eight months old this week!

PPPS. After weeks of kinda crawling you finally feel good enough to crawl all over the place (even when we are watching).

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Moab 2013


This year for spring break we kept with the family tradition of going to Moab. The Germ and I started this tradition over our first spring break as a married couple. That first year we went, my awesome friends Jennica and Jennifer accompanied us down. We hiked, ate s'mores for breakfast, cooked pancakes on a griddle over an open fire, and used an emergency shovel to flip the pancakes (pancakes were a spontaneous breakfast idea).

Picture in front of our campground



Trying to get a group picture 2010
Since that trip the Germ and I have hiked and biked many miles in Moab and the surrounding areas. While hiking we would often talk about how we would like going to Moab a family tradition. We wanted it to become something that us and our children would look forward to each year. This was the first year we could fulfill that dream! We did have to change the types of trails we biked and hiked on. We also had to camp in the cheapest hotel we could find because the nights are too cold in March for a baby to camp. It wasn't our most adrenalin packed trip but it was truly wonderful.

Along with being fun this trip was a much needed break from school and life.It recharged my system so I could finish my last semester and handle all the emotional ups and downs that occurred shortly after our return. 

Here are some pictures of our trip. WARNING: that feeling of freedom might have gone to our heads.

Beautiful view at arches

Glorious freedom!
On the way down from Delicate Arch


Channeling my inner yoga warrior
The Beautiful Canyonlands

Loving her backpack

Oh yeah!

Checking out the view

Doing my best duck face....Quack!

He is either flexing or dancing like an Egyptian...who knows!?!?!

Love them both!

Arches national park
Peanut was so happy and excited about everything we did! She loved hiking and riding on the Slickrock (double wide family friendly bike trails). She is truly our daughter because she was happiest being on the go! She would squeal with happiness looking out from her backpack.She would also get mad when we would take her out when she was not ready for it! HOWEVER, Peanut was not a fan of being in her car seat. She had ridden to star valley, Wyoming and back the day before we left for Moab (we had to attend Grandma Slatter's funeral). She then had to endure the long ride to Moab. Needless to say that I rode in the backseat with her for most of the trip. Other than that it looks like Moab is officially a family favorite.

We hope we can come back and visit during medical school!

-Doone

Thursday, June 6, 2013

I Am Back!

Okay I know I have not blogged for almost a century but life has been crazy lately for us ( I'm sure it has been for you too)! Between finals, graduation, vacations, work, peanut growing at the speed of light, and prepping to move I have just wanted to sleep when I have free time. I am trying to do better but it may be touch and go until August (after the move).  I know my blog will be an important way for you to keep tabs on what is happening with us in the grand state of Washington and for me to keep my sanity!

New family photo
 By the way we have  SIX can you believe it SIX weeks till we move out of our apartment and just over SEVEN weeks till we move to Yakima (we have a last vacation in the middle). I keep experiencing the same feelings you get when your up next to ride a super fast and super high roller coaster. I'm excited, nervous, scared, daring, freaked out, full of anticipation, and trying not to barf at the thought of all the stuff that still needs to be done. How did we acquire so much stuff in just a few years????

Here are a few awesome pictures to quench your appetite until my next post:



officially can have a high ponytail

She digs limes

Belly sleeper

Not a fan of peas








-Dooney