Adam's Tricks

He did this tongue sucking thing all day...glad we caught it on tape cause he hasn't done it much since.

This is not a very good depiction of this. Normally he will really scrunch up his face and let out a huge laugh. We'll try to get him to do it better. But no matter what-this is my favorite part of the day.

Ryan's Birthday Weekend

There was cake.

and more cake

and a party. Royce came down for the weekend.

We went to the Hoover Dam. It was cold and windy.

We left when it got very tempting to slide down.

The main event: Royce doesn't love us enough to just spend time with us. He usually needs a trip to Disneyland, too. And since it is free to go on your birthday this year, and the rest of us got cheap tickets on E-bay, we couldn't pass it up.

The trip started out on a happy note.

and rapidly got worse as it started to pour rain. Yes, there is a child under there.

We slept in some unusual places.

But the day started to perk up.

We even got to be first in line to see these guys. And the kids even forgave us for waking them up to take the picture. We left the park at a decent time, put the kids to sleep in their car seats, and hit the road. We were making decent time until...

traffic stopped on the 15. Completely. We didn't get a real explanation. Truckers gave us reports of accidents, ice, and construction. Since we still wanted Royce to make his flight, so we waited. And waited. For 5 hours. Then we decided to drive back to Barstow. And entered our hotel at 7am. Just in time for these guys to wake up and decide to play...

I don't want to think about what is on this hotel room floor.

Yes, we did make it home. At 5pm the next day. Hours gone without sleeping? You don't want to know.

Good thing Ryan is worth it.

Global Warming: Just the Facts

Is global warming real? If so, is it the result of human activity? There’s plenty of hysteria on both sides of the argument. So let’s look at the facts.

Fact: 18,000 years ago the Bering Land Bridge between Siberia and Alaska allowed people to migrate from Asia to North America on dry land.

Fact: That land bridge is now under 200 ft. of ocean.

Fact: Big factories and SUV’s did not cause the oceans to rise hundreds of feet over the past 20,000 years.

Fact: Approximately every 100,000 years Earth's climate warms up temporarily. These warm periods, called interglacial periods, last approximately 15,000 to 20,000 years before returning to a cold ice age climate.

Fact: It is only during these brief warm periods that human life as we know it could exist. During the last ice age just 20,000 years ago, modern-day Manhattan was covered by 300 ft. of ice.

Fact: Earth’s temperatures have risen approximately 16 degrees since the end of the Pleistocene Ice Age 18,000 years ago.

Fact: Earth’s current temperatures are warmer than their historical average. Though there were hotter periods 800 years ago, 1,500 years ago, 5,000 years ago, 9,000 years ago, and 120,000 years ago.

So what are we to learn from these facts? Clearly global warming is real. But so is global cooling. The Earth is heating up. But it’s been heating up for the past 18,000 years. I couldn’t find any data from the pro-green/end global warming community that went further back than 100 years. All their evidence seems to begin right around the time of the Industrial Revolution. And by solely focusing on rising global temperatures since that time, it seems a natural conclusion that modern man must be the cause. But to conclude that global warming is manmade based on a mere 100 years of temperature increase is akin to concluding that because the stock market went up briefly this afternoon, the economy is in fantastic shape.

But how could something that flies in the face of logic be so widely believed by both the masses, and the world’s leaders? You’ll recall that throughout human history, despite available scientific evidence to the contrary, people have stubbornly held to the beliefs that the Universe revolves around the Earth, and that the Earth is flat.

My next question was why. Why would people try to propagate an illogical human induced global warming theory? What is there to be gained? In recent years the answer has become abundantly clear. Going “green” is now a multi-billion dollar industry. From former Vice-Presidents who sell Carbon Credits, to the plethora of private companies hawking their green wares, it’s become a booming business. Imagine the earnings potential when you convince people that buying your product is the only choice if they care about the planet, their grandchildren, and baby polar bears. And now thanks to our recent government stimulus packages and energy bills, it’s become a trillion dollar industry. All so we can feel good about ourselves for stopping a problem we didn’t cause, and is completely beyond our control to stop anyway.

While it’s wise to be good stewards of the resources we’ve been given, and waste is never a good thing, we need to weigh both the pros and cons of going green before jumping blindly onto the bandwagon. There’s a grain shortage causing starvation around the world, yet the government pays billions of dollars to subsidize farmers converting their corn into ethanol, instead of doing what makes the most fiscal sense and selling it as food. Already struggling car companies are going to have to spend billions redesigning cars to meet increasingly stringent government fuel efficiency standards. And while millions of Americans lose their jobs and homes this year, the government is spending billions on cost-inefficient ideas like wind and solar power, the creation of “green task forces,” and spending countless billions converting every government office in the country into a “green” building.

It reminds me of the home insulation guy who tried to sell me on their $6,000 attic insulation by telling me it would save me $25/month on my power bill. Protecting the environment may be a noble cause. But let’s keep it in proper perspective. As someone wise once said: “All his life has he looked away... to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was.”

A Good Compliment

Compliments are rare in a society that so readily promotes focus on oneself. In a world of self esteem, self improvement, and self realization, it seems there’s little time to uplift our neighbor. And that’s a shame. Compliments are quick, easy, free, and yet they have the power to ennoble the spirit like no self satisfaction ever could. And yet we resist giving them. I’m not quite sure why. Why is it awkward to tell someone openly and sincerely what we admire about them? Is it a subconscious ego driven belief that by elevating another, we’ll somehow find ourselves abased? We all remember compliments we’ve received. Though if you’re like me, some likely stand out far more than others. Compliments you won’t likely forget in 10, nay, even 100 years. The problem is, you never know which compliments will stick; which compliments will merely brighten someone’s day, and which will last a lifetime. But if brightening someone’s day is the worst that can happen, well perhaps it’s worth a shot.

I remember that 12 years ago Renee mentioned I look handsome in my orange plaid shirt.
I recall Wes pointing out that "Ryan’s not the type to ever be defined by his job. He’ll never be Ryan the Insurance Agent, Ryan the Teacher, or Ryan the Doctor. He’ll always just be Ryan."
And I recollect a time when Amy said of me "He is passionate about life and is determined to make sure everyone else is too."

And those things have stuck with me. In the hopes that a few of them will stick with you, here are some thoughts I had about each of you (I’m trying to focus specifically on people who I think actually read our blog, so if you happen to stop by and aren’t mentioned, let me know. If I like you, I may compliment you too). And while these compliments would likely be better expressed in person, I feel that it’s better to give a token electronic compliment now than to wait what may be several months or years before I see some of you again, and can properly compliment you in person.

Alaina’s blog still amazes me. She takes breathtaking pictures, and I’m not sure if she uses a tripod and a timer, or if she merely surrounds herself with good photographers, because even the pictures she’s in turn out amazingly well.

Pulsipher (Heather if you will) is a girl you can talk to just like one of the guys.

Allison keeps in touch better than anyone I know. I’m a lousy friend. I rarely return calls or emails. I’m the type of low maintenance friend you usually only hear from once or twice a year. Allison refuses to allow this type of friendship slacking. For which I’m grateful.

If Chad gives you his word on something, you can rest assured that it’ll either happen, or he’s dead. He’s also the nicest human being I know. You may have heard the familiar mantra "good things happen to good people." Well good things happen to Chad all the time. You can bring him anywhere and know that he’ll instantly love the people you introduce him to, and they’ll immediately love him in return. He has an uncanny ability to connect and empathize with people. Wes, Amy and I have often worried that while we each consider him one of our very best friends, that there are likely thousands of people scattered across the globe who feel the exact same way. And maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

Adrianna's changing the world. She lives her life like Robin Williams in one of those inspirational dramas. She's classy enough to impress society's finest, yet humble enough to be accepted by its lowliest. And she's got a great laugh. I spent 3 years of high-school trying to get her to crack up in class just to hear it.

Lauren's the kind of friend who makes you feel like you're living a real life Friends episode. She's so fun and entertaining it almost seems scripted. She's without a doubt the greatest pumpkin carver of all time. And Lauren really lives. She's probably lived more in her 20-something years on this earth than most people do in a lifetime.

I heard so much hype about how cool this girl Jeanine in Southridge’s apt. 28 was that I expected a letdown when I finally got the chance to meet her. She was even cooler than I’d been told.

Merrill is the hardest worker I’ve ever seen. Everyone around him instinctively works harder in his presence. He’s a manly man who cares far more about people than he’d ever let on.

Jamie is an incredible cook. She’s gotten me to acknowledge that some home-made food may actually be better than Panda Express.

Rebecca is the kind of friend who brings you cookies and a homemade card for a holiday you wouldn’t have even remembered if you didn’t get the day off school. She’s the kind of friend who makes you want to be a better friend (and learn all the miscellaneous holidays).

I think I’ve met Kayla once, maybe twice. But she’s the type of person you’ll never forget. Her soul lights up a room.

Katrina is the kind of best friend you want your wife to have. And she’s one of my favorite people to argue with. Her patient listening, and intelligent rebuttals have come closer than I ever thought possible to convincing me that Western medicine may not be the only way.

Blair was the sigh of relief Amy and I breathed when Katrina finally picked a great guy to date. We liked him immediately. And like his wife, he’s one of the few people who disagrees with me on some issues that I don’t think is an idiot.

Eric’s the kind of Husband and Father I think I’m supposed to be, but I hope Amy hasn’t noticed. He looks after his wife with the greatest of concern, and is more patient with his kids after 2 years than most Dads are after 2 hours.

Jenny is an individual. There’s no one else like her. I’ve often heard women ask "Could I pull this off?" "No, but Jenny could." And that phrase seems to personify her in a way that extends beyond clothes. No matter what it is, if anyone can pull it off, it’s Jenny. She’s the type who does things for people without wanting anyone to know. And I imagine there have been countless anonymous kind acts that are known only to Jenny and to God. There are two types of humble people. Doormats, and strong individuals who voluntarily choose to put others first. Jenny is the latter.

Kevin and Emma are the most well-rounded parents I know. Most parents fall to one side of the spectrum or the other on various issues. They're either strict disciplinarians, or their kids run wild. They're overly protective, or they're somewhat neglectful. They're obsessive, or they're apathetic, etc. I used to think it was impossible for a parent to simultaneously take on both sides of these seemingly contradictory roles. But Kevin and Emma, working as a team, seem to jump from one end of the parenting spectrum to the other flawlessly depending on the situation. They're the perfect family, because there's no one thing that defines them. It's an overall balance that makes it the ideal place for a child to grow up.

Jeff P. is one of the very few guys on a short unpublished list of people I once told my wife she’d be allowed to remarry if I were to die.

Amy P. is the first person I trusted to make a decision for me during my ridiculously over the top marriage proposal. She picked out the perfect frame and mat for our temple picture that still hangs in our living room today.

Royce is probably more like me than anyone I know. Which, coming from me, is a great compliment. He dreams big, travels the world flying standby, writes long Christmas letters, loves to have fun, and is genuinely a nice guy.

Heather is the kind of person quote walls were made for. Her verbiage is a never ending stream of insightful hilarity. You just can’t help but be happy when you’re in her presence. And unlike most perpetually happy people, she’s 100% real. Doesn’t have a fake bone in her body.

Chrissy is an awesome ex-girlfriend. She’s got a heart of gold, and she’s willing to sacrifice so much of herself for others. Plus she’s probably the only other person I know who loves Macayo’s Mexican restaurant. Unless, she doesn’t…and she only tolerated it for me all those years? In which case, see the first half of the compliment.

Clyde loves his family more than words can describe. During the difficult ups and downs with our kids last year, I don’t think anyone said so little, or cared so much. I know that he’d have given anything in the world to see his daughter’s dream of having children come true. And seeing the joy on his face when it finally did is a moment we won’t soon forget.

I often joke with Marjean that "people who think they know everything are very irritating to those of us who do." Marjean is a born leader. There are two types of leaders. Those designated "leader" by virtue of their title, and those who emerge from the crowd when the need arises. Much has been said of the heroic crew in the recent US Airways Hudson River landing, and rightfully so. But little was mentioned of the passengers on board. This is the country where citizens routinely trample each other to death over Tickle-Me-Elmos and Nintendo Wiis. So how then did 150 passengers calmly exit a sinking plane in an icy river? Said one passenger: "The flight attendants helped, but there were some regular passengers who took charge, told everyone to calm down, and what to do." Marjean’s the type of person you want sitting in your emergency exit row. They type you want on the phone as you race your pregnant wife to the hospital. And while it’s rarely a life threatening issue, I’ve seen her leadership save countless activities, events, parties, meetings, and weddings.

Jill is perfect. I could probably end the compliment there, but I guess I’ll expound. She’s the type of sister who makes you a better brother. She’s as confident and successful as anyone I know. Yet she remains humble enough to take advice and learn from the wisdom of others. And when you know your advice and example will be followed, you tend to weigh it far more carefully. So by her willingness to trust you, she makes you more trustworthy.

Michelle once dated the greatest guy I ever met. And even he didn’t deserve her. She’s that cool. She’s so clever and witty you find yourself growing wittier in her presence. You sense that if you could just think a little quicker, your dialogue would be almost Gilmoresque. And her passion for literature once inspired me to sit on the grass and read Pride and Prejudice. All 40 pages of it.

Wes is the most courageous man I know. Said JK Rowling: "It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but even more to stand up to your friends." Wes had to stand up to his friends a lot growing up. He was the unspoken leader of the group by virtue of his character. And while his leadership may well have saved some of our lives, or at least prevented imprisonment, I think one of his greatest legacies may be the 10-15 of his friends who served missions largely because of him.

Lori. I love Lori. It’s clear she’s a much better person than you, but you still feel good about yourself when you’re around her. She’s the kind of person who doesn’t need to employ a once a year "I’m going to make everyone feel good about themselves" blog tactic. She lives it every day. And she’s an amazing writer. With the advent of spell check in modern times, she may be one of the finest I’ve read (and I’ve read 40 pages of Jane Austen). Sometimes I’ll stare down at my beautiful kids lying asleep at night, and just think "I wish Lori could be in my head right now to somehow convey my thoughts in writing."

Rachel’s great. Wes and I used to drive over to the East Side of town every weekend to hang out with her and her friends. You know how different people bring out different facets of your personality? I always liked the person I was when I was around Rachel. She brings out the best in people.

Ron is the same guy no matter the circumstances. Which makes you a geek in Junior High and High School, and the coolest guy in college and the real world. He’s absolutely hilarious. And he has a contagious enthusiasm that turns the most trivial projects into entertaining ventures. Like stadium seating in a dorm room. Plus he’s the most likely person I know to someday coin a phrase that will become part of the English language.

I like Marji. She’s got a good sense of what’s important in life. And she’s perfect for Ron. Plus she had Hawaiian shirts and really good food at her wedding reception. It just doesn’t get any better than that.

My Dad’s fearlessness is born of honesty. He’s true to his principles with 100% integrity. And without the sense of inner-hypocrisy that overshadows most people, he’s free to speak his mind and heart without trepidation.

My Mom would do anything for her kids. And I appreciate that she never gave up on me. As a somewhat obstinate teenager, I’d occasionally push her to the end of her rope. Throughout the years there were a few times she simply couldn’t take it anymore, and told me she was giving up on me. It’s perhaps the only promise she never made good on. Sure enough, 24 hours later she’d be back at it, dragging me out of bed and forcing me out the door so I could graduate.

I like my wife. Sure I love her. But most married couples have that. I genuinely like her. A lot. She’s my favorite person to talk to. She’s the greatest mother that ever lived. Amy’s as passionate and dedicated to the important things in life as I am to the trivial. She’s the perfect mix of the cool girl you can hang out with, the beautiful lady you want to take out, and the compassionate nurturer you want raising your children.

Every Party Needs One...

a Pooper, that is...Normally I wouldn't post about something so disgusting, but these past few days have been so comical, I thought I would try to share...

Our kids have been very nice to us so far-diaper wise- so just to even things out:

Wednesday 4:48 pm...We had a pleasant afternoon at the doctor's office and a few random errands. While pulling out of the bank Ryan asks if he can go to the post office or if he needs to drop us off first. The kids are content so I figure a few more minutes in the car can't hurt....

4:55pm...Ryan hurries into the PO to stand in the "we're closing and everyone decided to come at the end of the day" line. I spend the first few minutes jamming to some music. In the back of my head I am thinking that I smell poop, but then dismiss it because 1). I often smell it even when it's not there and 2). I figured it was from the diaper bag with previously soiled diapers in it. I then decide to peek into the back to see if any of the children possibly have fallen asleep.

5:03...Rachel is getting fussy so I decide to go for the smell check...affirmative. So I figure I have time to kill, and pull her out of the car seat, and set up quite a nice changing station in the front seat-only hoping that no one wants to pull in next to me as the parking lot is quite full. Despite some "you're torturing me" crying we pulled it off and I am thankful that we didn't get any of the offense on her white pants (esp. since I already did laundry earlier).

5:10pm...Since I still have time to kill I figure I will crawl into the backseat and entertain the kids while I wait. I sit down next to a content and smiling Adam. I still smell something foul and lean in to get a whiff...affirmative! So I start unbuckling his car seat and lift him up. Gasp! His pants are soaked! So we attempt another front seat diaper change all while Adam screams from discomfort and Rachel screams due to neglect and fatigue. This time I am hoping that no one needs to park next to me-not because I'm blocking the spot-because they would call child protective services!

5:20pm...Ryan comes out of the PO just in time to see me carrying a stripped boy around the car to the back. He helps me get him into his jacket (the only piece of clothing not soiled). Since he's happy and dry, and Rachel has fallen asleep, we decide to be brave and still got gas before heading home. Whew!

5:45pm...Rachel asleep in crib. Adam happily playing. I retrieve the soiled laundry from the car and put it in a tub to soak. I figure I can put together a load in the morning.

6:15pm...Rachel wakes up hungry. All is well. She finishes her bottle and I pick her up to burp her. Then I feel a little damp. Then I realize that her pristine white pants aren't so pristine anymore. Neither is my shirt. I guess she just wanted to be thorough. Add 2 more pieces of laundry to the soaking bin.

7:18pm...Ry is getting Adam into his last diaper of the day. He isn't fast enough. Adam gets new pajamas. While it is only the #1 variety, I figure while I was at it I might as well add soiled pj's to the bin to soak.

Thursday morning...wash all soiled clothes. I actually washed and put away 3 loads this morning.

3:15pm...Just about to feed Rachel. Decide to prop bottle and go take a quick potty break myself. Decide at the last minute to pick her up and check her diaper...and then proceeded to run to the sink to prevent the gushing down her legs that is taking place. Still need to take a potty break myself. Call for Ryan to come. As you can imagine this just thrills him to hold a soiled child over the sink for 5 minutes. I come back to him chanting, "Mommy should be faster, Mommy should be faster." I gingerly take R and transfer her to the changing pad. Ryan goes back to work but not before exclaiming, "There's feces in the sink!"

3:22pm...change yet another soiled diaper, prop the bottle again (I know, I'm bad), and add yet 2 more pieces of clothing in to soak. I guess I'm doing laundry again tomorrow...and disinfecting the sink.

Next time we have a pooper at our parties...I'm inviting YOU!

Scenes from Everyday Life

Big Changes

Lots of changes...but not a lot of pictures...sorry...

1. Thanks to the influence of a certain friend (you know who you are) we spent about a week moving all of our furniture around. Nothing is in the same place it was when we moved in. But now we have room for these:

that's right...Adam and Rachel now have their own space so I don't have to wonder if they're crying because they are kicking each other in the head. (They probably could have stayed in the same crib longer, but I couldn't stand letting the pretty pink bedding go to waste any longer).

2. Now if I hear them cry I can only assume it is because of a different pain...like getting teeth! Adam has one fully grown in and another peeking out. I was dreading this milestone but it came and went without trouble and his grin is just as cute as ever!

Not all changes are about the kids...

3. I wasn't online for a few days because the back lighting on the screen of my comp broke, so now I have a new computer! (not really; it just feels like it)

4. My brother might kill me for this, but for the first time in about 7 years I have bangs! They are different than the "o so popular curl in the middle of your forehead ones" (thank goodness) and it took me a few days to get used to having them but now they're great! (once again-sorry no pictures...I'm not sure I'm that brave yet).

I'm happy to report that January has been a productive month! (at least compared to last year when I had bronchitis and was sick and pregnant--I won't say when we took our Christmas decor down but it certainly wasn't in January)...

Here's to a low key February!