Babies Galore!

Jackson Rife, 7 months

Tyson Kemp, 8 weeks

Alyssa Read, 10 weeks

The babies above are the 3 of the newest members of our family (we've gained 4 new babies in the past 7 months and in the next 4 months we'll be gaining 2 more - including Sawyer!). This past weekend we were fortunate to go to Oregon and spend some time with family from near and far, who all gathered to attend the blessing of baby Tyson.

My brother David, his wife Kelli, & their new little son Tyson - what a beautiful family!

It was so fun to spend time with family that we haven't seen for quite some time (some that Jacob hadn't even met yet!). We played games and held babies and ate good food.

Great-grandpa Millard & Great-grandma Iris were just thrilled to see so many new little ones!

And baby Jack stole Jacob's heart - he had so much fun playing with him and watching his happy smiles as he jumped and jumped (new nickname: jumpin' jackson!) Jacob had much to say about all the fun he had with Jackson and admitted that he is really excited to become a daddy (maybe Sawyer will also enjoy jumping?) It was fun to watch them! It was just plain fun to be with our family. And here's one last photo that I couldn't resist showing off, of little Jack. Doesn't he just make you drool? Yeah for family and lots of adorable babies!

Friday Night Treat!

So, for some people a weekend treat might be ice-cream or brownies, but for me it is ARTICHOKES! I absolutely LOVE them! And today they had a special at the grocery store - so guess what our treat is tonight?

Warm, savory, mouth-watering, beautiful green artichokes! I like 'em best with melted butter and also with mayonaise to dip the leaves into (I know, sounds gross - but it's oh-so-good!) I guess that probably makes them just as fattening as ice-cream or brownies, huh? That's why it's a treat! Happy Friday!!!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to all! We woke up this morning to the beautiful and serene sound of rain on our windowsill. Then, before we started getting ready for church I told Jacob to go see if the Easter Bunny had stopped by...which of course he did! The Easter Bunny that visits us isn't all about candy - although we did get some gummy frogs and a chocolate bar - but he left us a colorful and very sweet treat that we didn't hesitate incorporating into our breakfast - lots of yummy fresh fruit! So we had scones, strawberries, and mangos for breakfast. Mmmmmmmm. Now Jacob is off at his meetings and I get to lounge a little longer before heading off to church. Bishop Metcalf and his wife have invited us for Easter Dinner. What a great blessing, as we don't have any family nearby and I wasn't feeling up for fixing up a feast this year (sadly, we didn't even dye eggs this year! But next year will be a different story!). Here's to a marvelous day celebrating the rebirth that Spring brings, reminding us in every bud and flower of our Savior's resurrection - and the greatest gift of the Atonement for all humankind! May we all take some time today - beyond the excitement of the Easter Bunny's treats - to reflect on the marvelous gift we have been given. Happy Easter!

Tysha's Working on a Soccer Ball

As Tysha was preparing for a night out yesterday she said to me, "So, do you think it looks like a soccer ball yet?"

Well, she's definitely showing now. And the comments have begun but nope, she has not yet reached soccer ball status. Curiously, Tysha has had to have many reassurances from me that yes the baby is growing and yes, the doctor said everything looks great. A word to the wise, never tell a woman who is pregnant, "My you're small, are you sure the baby is growing?"


Not a good thing to say. I know for a fact that Tysha has spent a few nights staring wide eyed at the ceiling with both hands on her belly, probably mentally coaxing Sawyer to put on some poundage! I was grateful to a doctor who said on our last visit that Sawyer was the perfect size for perfectly cute, small Tysha. We definitely don't want Sawyer to be jumbo size. Ugh! I shudder to imagine.

So I'll take my cute wife with half a soccer ball rather than the whole thing. At least for now. I'm sure she's got some more soccer ball growing to come in these last 12 weeks.

A Mysteriously Political Billboard

For three weeks walking on my way to work I've been greeted by this large red billboard emblazoned with the following message: When you cast your vote remember September 11, 2001. Not only is this billboard glaring its redness at me each day as I walk on Denny Way toward my office, it continues to project its ambiguous meaning at me throughout the day as it looms gigantically, directly outside my office window.

What does it mean? September 11th is so politically charged that the sign could be interpreted in a multitude of ways.

Of course being that someone has paid to have a billboard directly planted in front of my office window, I thought I'd find out more about the people behind it. The billboard reads in the lower corner: Paid for by Concerned Citizens for a Better America. I googled these folks and found nothing. I even read other Seattle blogs who have made mention of the sign and no one has been able to discover who these mysterious "Concerned Citizens" are.

Now that makes me mad! Who are these cowardly hypocrites sticking this great big sign in front of my office and then refusing to stand up and be counted. All I can say is "Concerned Citizens" make yourselves known! If your going to pontificate in front of my office I should at least know who you are.

The Seattle PI (Seattle News Organization) says that Clear Channel Outdoor, the company that put the billboard up, has not returned several calls that have been made asking about the identity of "Concerned Citizens".

Even worse, the activity of this group has angered another group, California based "Citizens for a Better America". The group's national chairman states, "No, it's not us, and I'm not a happy camper about it."

So who do you think these "Concerned Citizens" are?

No Sweet Dreams...But Very Sweet Jacob

Throughout my pregnancy, I have suffered occasionally from spells of insomnia. Last night was "one of those nights." Having done work as a therapist, I have tried everything I prescribed for patients to try (besides melatonin and other meds, of course). Nothing seems to work. So last night I was in bed between 9:30-10pm and up bright-eyed just before 2am. Oh Joy! I got out of bed so I wouldn't drive myself insane tossing and turning, made some warm milk - did everything except scrub the bathroom floor with a toothbrush, and still I couldn't sleep. I am positive the nights I can't sleep, Jacob notices. He wakes up, notices I'm gone, and meanders, almost comatose, into the living room where he usually sees me on the couch drinking tea or warm milk, or just sitting there, both hands on my belly trying to figure out which way Sawyer is doing his gymnastics (great entertainment between the hours of 2-4am!) Maybe this is all just nature's way of preparing me for being sleep deprived after Sawyer arrives and gets 2am and 2pm all mixed up? Luckily, it hasn't been as bad as the first trimester - but I am starting to worry it might only get worse during this last trimester!?!

So the sweetest thing is that when Jacob got back from working out at the gym this morning (he leaves at 5:55am 3Xweek to swim or workout) he brought me a surprise...a yummy sweet cinnamon roll. He said he knew I had a hard night so he wanted to at least make sure my day started out with a smile. How could it not get off to a good start with a cinnamon roll? Jacob and I vowed before we even got married not to call each other things related to food (ie. honey, sweetie, cupcake, sugar etc.) But I have to break the rule: Jacob is the sweetest guy I know, he's always doing things to make me happy - and that can be a challenge sometimes with a pregnant wife. I sure do love my man! Thanks Sweetie!!!