You sold my dead bird to a blind kid??...Harry, I took care of it.

This is Cyra's favorite toy and Jared was playing a little too rough with it one night and the head broke off. Cyra was devastated. The next morning, she just kept yelling: FIX MY PUPPY!!! HIS HEAD IS BROKEN!!! DADDY BROKE IT!!!! MOMMY, DAD BROKE IT!!! FIXED IT MOM!

So I gave her a roll of tape so she could fix it and she did.

Nice Sunday in Goshen

Obama!

So we went to Scranton, PA on Saturday to do some good old-fashioned canvassing of the neighborhood to help our friend, Obama. Cyra came with us. She was really excited at first and was telling everyone: "I'm helping Obama..." and holding up the sign, but after a while, she was really tired and started yelling all sorts of negative attacks at Obama. Not good form. We got to meet lots of really nice people and we made all sorts of promises on behalf of Obama. JK. Everyone was so nice even though a lot of people came out just to tell us that they were voting for Hillary or not at all because Nixon sent them to Vietnam. We also got to meet the governor of Virginia--he just came to speak to the volunteers although it was sort of like preaching to the choir. Except, one member of the choir had no idea who he was (me) when he walked in the room until she noticed everyone else clapping.









Did I mention it was 90 degrees in Scranton that day?

Surprise party

Jared threw me a surprise party for my 30th birthday. I have had several surprise parties in my life and I have never been truly surprised (though I have pretended to be every time). Not this time. I opened the door and there were balloons and people saying surprise and I just thought: for what? you mean to me? Jared had the party a week after my actual birthday and everything that day (me leaving the house and coming back) all seemed like it was my idea (good work, Shima). It was a lot of fun. Thank you everyone.





Look at all those grapes. The man knows me! I was SO incredibly impressed by Jared's organization of everything. The food was amazing and everything was just perfect. Sunny made an excellent birthday cake too. Thanks Sunny.

Cold day at the beach

Our friends Caroline and John invited us to their beautiful house by the shore. It was freezing that day (see below post about NY weather), but very pretty.

Walking around the city

Several days last week, I had to run an errand downtown so I just put the kids in the double stroller and walked. They were restless and we had to stop several times at various playgrounds and stores etc, but we were walking machines. I walked from 130th to around 14th street and below about three times last week. We were all exhausted when we got home. Here are some pictures in Union square:












All of these pictures were with our point and shoot as our nice camera broke. Yes, I dropped it off of the counter and the lens broke. Ouch. One of the errands was to take the camera to the shop. I guess I will have to walk another 6 miles to pick it up this week.

Last weekend in Goshen

Cyra hoarding pine cones even though there are hundreds all around her.

The New York tease

Every April, New York throws you a bone. After you have just about convinced yourself that this is it, you cannot possibly tolerate another winter here, after you have almost forgotten what it was like to walk with your head up instead of inside your coat, after you are so frustrated with another miserable March with all its deceptive promises of spring warmth, there is that beautiful day in April. That was today. It's usually only one day--preceded by a wintery mix and followed by rain or an oppressive summer humidity, there is that lovely day in April where everyone in New York comes out (tentatively) from the winter lairs. They pack a jacket just in case, but wear a t-shirt just hoping that it really will be April weather outside. There is not an empty bench in any playground and everyone has a smile on their face. This day whenever it comes each year should be declared a city holiday--no school, no work, just come out and breath and remember that you are alive...because soon it's summer and you have to go back into hiding with your A/C blasting and your hand-held fan buzzing you with a watery mist. This one April day is when New York is the best place in the world to be (there are also a few days in September and October that resemble this April day--but those days are just so we can go out and collect berries and some Vitamin D before the winter forces us all inside our apartments for another 8 months).

The many faces of Lulu (Lucia)

A haiku:

Crazy hair sweat-ball
laugh with a wide open mouth
My happy lulu









When you open your mouth so big, you are bound to drool everywhere.







Notice how Darian changes expressions, but Lucia never even blinks or closes her mouth. As long as someone is looking at her, she has this expression on her face.

Girls weekend

So this past weekend, a bunch of my good friends from college came to New York and stayed with us. It was so much fun. It was a 10-year reunion/ 30th birthday trip for the girls. We stayed up every night and ate slumber party food and talked and did a lot of sight-seeing and shopping etc. A lot of amazing husbands and moms and friends made this trip possible so thank you. Especially Jared who had to turn on white noise in the bedroom every night and put in his headphones so he could get some rest. One night I went up there and he was so hungry, but afraid to come downstairs because we were having some great "girl" conversation. So I threw him a granola bar. It was great for me to play tourist in New York for the weekend. The best part of the trip for me was the conversation. It's just amazing to catch up with great friends and learn from them and of course, remember fun times from John Hall, BYU. I am not sure who enjoyed the visit more, me or Cyra. Cyra stayed up with us every night and just listened to everyone--like one of the girls. And every morning she woke up (in my closet) and said: "let's go talk to my friends." She misses her friends and so do I.

Easter Sunday

The treats:



Girls in cute Easter dresses.

Take 1:



Take 2:



Take 3:



Take 4:



Take 5:



Thank you girls for looking at the camera and keeping your eyes open. Maybe the flash was just too bright for Jared's eyes? Or maybe he's trying to sabotage my easter picture.