Only the beginning

I made a big deal out of the question.  Hemming and hawing and acting as if the fate of the world depended on his answer.

"So... uh... what would you think of, ummmmm, reading-aloud-at-night?"

"What?"

He didn't know it then, but essentially I was asking the guy I was dating whether or not he was my prince charming.  Turns out he is.  For all the things I love about my husband Tyler, his willingness to delve into literacy before slumber is my all time favorite.  My mother, brother and I took turns reading aloud every night of my childhood.  Somehow after I left home for college, the lack of this one little ritual set me adrift.  Even though I missed it, I didn't realize how much being read to at night anchored everything else about my day. Until I got it back.  Finally someone to cozy up to in the lamplight, to laugh with at an author's witty joke, to discuss characterization flaws, to marvel at the beauty of a well turned phrase.  I look forward to it all day long and have trouble falling asleep if for some reason we miss a night.

I have been meaning to do this for a while:  we need a compilation of all we've read, before the list grows too lengthy to remember.  My interests have always been classical, while Tyler loves business and economic books.  We've tried to reconcile the topics, but whenever we're in a rut, we always turn to Sherlock Holmes.  Arthur Conan Doyle never fails because he's interesting enough, easy and quick to read, but not without some literary merit.  Some books have been flops because they are either too complicated (which makes it difficult to follow along without seeing the words) or too emotional (remember, I've been pregnant a couple times during this nearly-3-year-marriage) or simply too dry.

From that first night, when he said yes, and we browsed my book shelf for our first adventure, to today, when we're halfway through a classic and looking for suggestions for our next read:

Our List:

Nickel and Dimed
by Barbara Ehrenreich

An experiment in living on minimum wage.  She found out it was impossible.

101 Famous Poems
compiled by Roy J. Cook

I was given a copy of this book in junior high,  by a dear friend who felt confident I would someday be included in a similar anthology.  Part of her inscription reads, "May you never lose your inspiration to write."  In those days, I carried around a notebook at all times to scribble my verse.  I was the recognized poet.  I've lost that for sure, but it's a lovely memory.

Chocolat
by Joanne Harris

We picked this up at Dolly's on our honeymoon.   An easy, beautiful, sometimes melancholy read.  It suited us well.

The Shack 

by William P. Young

My mother recommended this book to me.  It is emotionally loaded, especially for a parent.  You also get a unique perspective on God and our relationship with said entity.  I read it, and then decided Tyler might like it.  We started reading it together while I was pregnant, and it eventually became too much for me, even though I already knew the story.  So sadly we only made it 3/4 of the way through together.

Count of Monte Cristo
by Alexandre Dumas

This an absolute favorite for both of us.  It's very, very long, but we never lost interest.  In fact, there was a couple month hiatus taken in the middle of the story, when Lincoln was born.  Unfortunately newborn Linc did not like falling asleep to Tyler's voice, so we had to give up our nightly routine for a while.  Once he was in his crib, we eagerly reintroduced ourselves to the Count and never looked back.

Team of Rivals
by Doris Kearns Goodwin

This is an incredibly well-researched, in-depth biography of Abraham Lincoln and all the brilliant men with whom he eventually composed his cabinet.  You will be surprised to learn about all the failures Lincoln encountered before he was suddenly the presidential favorite.  It's a fascinating read for an individual, I think, but I became lost amongst all the stories as Tyler read them aloud each night.  I have to admit we only got about a quarter into the book before giving up. 

The Complete Sherlock Holmes
by Arthur Conan Doyle

  We have currently read 3/4 of everything Arthur Conan Doyle published about his detective hero:  4 full-length novels and 56 short stories.  This is our go-to read when we have nothing else at hand.

Banker to the Poor
by Muhammad Yunus and Alan Jolis

The story of successful micro-lending, this book describes how one man pursued his belief that credit is a basic human right, not a privilege of the rich.  Tyler was interested to hear the account of such a visionary.  Somehow we lost track of things toward the end, and didn't finish the last few chapters.  However, I recommend this book to people interested in economics.

Harry Potter (Books 1-7)
by J. K. Rowling

Well... I finally gave in.  I waited until the year 2010 to read the beloved Harry Potter.  If it weren't for Tyler's encouragement, I honestly never would have cared to crack open the first book.  But my husband has a special fondness for this series, and he wanted to share it with me.  Of course I was easily hooked and enjoyed these books quite a bit.  Great books to read aloud!

Enders Game 
by Orson Scott Card

We didn't continue the series, because this is the only book that Tyler really liked the last time he read it.  Even though I'm not a big science fiction fan, Card is an excellent story teller, and I appreciate his skill.

The Dark Tide 
(1st book in the Iron Tower trilogy)
by Dennis L. McKiernan

Here again we only read the first book in a series.  We grew tired of the antiquated language, which is beautiful but hard to read aloud and follow along.  Epic story, though!

Hunger Games trilogy
by Suzanne Collins

We borrowed these from Tyler's sister, Katie, who reads everything under the sun.  They are intriguing, but you just have to get around the fact that you're reading about children killing each other (like in Ender's Game.)  We had fun discussing how dim-witted the main character is, and how her lack of intuition is the author's device for cluing the readers in to what's happening.  Basically, whatever Katniss thinks, assume the opposite.  Luckily her character is redeemed by her kick-butt archery skills and bravery.  This is another good option for reading aloud!

Robinson Crusoe
by Daniel Defoe

Sometimes you forget this is fiction, because the writing is so dry, factual and documentary.  He repeats himself between journal entries and narrative, which also makes you feel as if an old man is truly sitting down and just trying to record everything that happened in his 26 years stranded on an island.  I love the details on how Crusoe created a sustainable household for himself and his pets over the years.  He even figures out how to build pots and an oven in order to bake bread.  This specific book we are reading (not pictured) is a treat in itself: a 1924 illustrated edition, given to me by my grandparents.  It's big, beautiful, and more fragile a book than Tyler would like to handle on a nightly basis.  However, the yellowed pages and golden sketches add to the adventurous feel of the story.  I love it!  

(update: I knew I'd forget something!)
The Time Traveler's Wife
by Audrey Niffenegger

I went to hear this author speak with my best friend Liz at a local book store.  While listening to the Q & A, I realized a lot of her readers perceived The Time Traveler's Wife as more romantic than she intended.  She was almost taken aback by the comment and question: "When I watched the motion feature film based on your book, I saw that Henry was perhaps more disruptive to Clare's life than I noticed at first.  Do you think he was good for Clare?"  I agreed with Audrey's answer and understood it more than I did her reader's query.  She said something to the effect that whether or not Henry was good for Clare is irrelevant.  Neither character was created to be good for the other.  In life we are constantly introduced to people and circumstances which shape us, direct us, and inevitably lead to the makeup of who we are.  How can we measure how much one person affects us?  And especially in this case, Henry was Clare's husband before she even knew him.  To imagine what she would have been like without Henry, would be to write a totally different story.  Anyway, as for Tyler and me, we enjoyed reading this book together.

 

And so the list grows, as long as we both shall live.

Tuppence a bag

Though her words are simple and few

Listen, listen, she's calling to you

"Feed the birds, tuppence a bag

Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag!"

Last weekend our family visited the Tracy Aviary with our friends the Nielsen's.  Several of the exhibits are currently under construction, so our tour was limited.  But it was fun to watch Lincoln chase the ducks and peacocks and to stare at the gigantic condor.  We also fed small chunks of apple to sun conures.  Both Lincoln and baby June were surprisingly calm with all the loud ruckus those chirpy little birds were making!

Here's Junebug all wrapped up in her Baby Bjorn, taking in the sight.  Isn't she adorable?

Feed the birds!

Although you can't see it, 

You know they are smiling

Each time someone shows that he cares.

                      

                                 ~ Mary Poppins       

Like I need another reason for people to stare at my chest!

Actually you can touch my belly.  ;-)

Trip to Boston

 

At the beginning of March, my husband and I took a trip to Boston.  We needed to gather information in order to make our next big decision: which MBA program should Tyler attend?

We arranged to leave Lincoln with my parents here in Utah.  Four days and four nights is the longest chunk of time we've ever left him, and we all knew it was going to be difficult.  However, it didn't make sense to bring a toddler to a new place in which we relied on public transportation and didn't know exactly where we were going half the time.  We only had two full days on the ground, and it was important to focus on learning about the school, the area, etc.

The flight was quite easy without having to entertain a child, and I was thankful to just sit and sip the free juice.  I am visibly pregnant at this point, so all I had to do was waddle down the aisle to the end of the plane where the mini fridge is kept, smile and request a whole can of cranberry or tomato juice, and I was given whatever I wanted.  I liked that.  I also liked being alone with my husband.  It's fun to just be a "couple" with my man!

I have to admit we had a lot of trouble when we finally arrived in Boston.  The plan was to take the T (subway) to our hotel, which was next to a station.  The problem was which route to take, which bus to hop on to which station, and so on.  My directions from the hotel front desk were less than accurate, or at least they assumed we knew much more than we did.  Visitors!  We need every single detail!  But, in the end luckily we found another couple who were familiar with the area and who happened to be heading the same direction.  Thank you, Lord!  An hour's ride on the subway and a quarter mile walk to our lodging, all in the dark.  It took 12 hours from the time we took flight in SLC to the moment we stepped into the hotel lobby.  And that's why we didn't take our two year old!

Luckily we figured out the system pretty well in that first experience, and didn't have much trouble finding our way around after that.  I was impressed by how quickly we caught on.

The next day was entirely devoted to Babson, the school which would possibly bring our family to Massachusetts.  It's located about 15 miles away from downtown Boston, which is unfortunately far enough to be off the public transportation grid.  So we took a taxi.  Tyler was mentally weighed down, knowing that this was it-- one day to figure out whether or not he was willing to move his newborn twins, toddler and wife across the country.  I tried to be as supportive as possible, giving input and making observations.  Ultimately, though, I needed my husband to figure out which school he liked, and then I could wrap my head around which state to call home.

Babson campus is small but gorgeous.  Tall, ancient trees dot the lawns and tower over sturdy, brick buildings and meandering roads.  Graduate housing is nestled in even an even woodsier area.  I found it picturesque and welcoming, until we tried to locate a two bedroom unit.  Deciding to wing it and knock on doors instead of visiting the housing office, we found very few people home and no one seemed to know of any two bedroom apartments.  It turns out, there are only two, and they are first come first serve.  All in all, I had a bad feeling about that campus housing option for our family.  I felt lonely the entire time, and something was telling me it would be that way if we moved there.  At this point we're scouring the rental possibilities between Babson and Boston.

Tyler spent the afternoon at an event which included a question and answer session with alumni and current students, a speech by the president of the school, and a networking hour with other accepted students.  He talked a lot with a couple professors and even sat in on an elective class.  I tagged along through everything, hoping Tyler was forming an opinion.

We spent the next day in Boston.  With no plan and only the subway and our feet to get us from place to place, we visited nearly everything on the list.  And we took a lot of pictures!

The Library:

       

We soaked in the art, architecture and rare books.

She copied my hair style.  

Not the other way around.

I loved the rare books room.  Medieval manuscripts and original first editions which spanned the history of the printing press peeked out at us from behind protective glass.  We saw a specimen of John Adams' handwriting and looked up at his personal library (the top floor above us.)

Out on the town:

I adored this girl's outfit.  A lifelong lover of dresses, I'm especially fond of white ones!  For some reason I wanted to take pictures of every pretty dress I encountered, but I always asked because the stores at Copley Mall are quite snobby.  At Louis Vuitton, Tyler and I simply made fun of the prices and took turns trying on sunglasses.  $300 t-shirts!  For heaven's sake!  

In Boston Commons, we met a squirrel.  Then we realized the entire park was covered in squirrels.  They're awfully cute, and obviously used to being fed, because they approached us with little caution.

The Aquarium:

SHARK!

Myrtle the turtle is this big:

Dinner:

A restaurant entrepreneur at Babson recommended Craigie on Main as the one place we must eat while visiting Boston.  We walked up to the doorway, checked out the menu, and decided we didn't want to share a hog's head for $25.  Honestly, it did look lovely and someday we'll go when we can both enjoy their famous wine pairings.  However, we came across a more welcoming looking place called Cuchi Cuchi.  I had a feeling it would be fantastic, and I wasn't disappointed.  Waitresses and hostesses dressed like this:

(We asked and found out the employees have a huge wardrobe downstairs, or they can bring their own outfits.  How fun is that?)

The food looked like this:

And the absinthe tasted like this:

I abstained from alcohol, of course, but it was fun to see Tyler try this new drink.

Goodbye Cuchi Cuchi!  And goodbye Boston.  Until.....

The fall.

Yes, we decided to move.  It took a lot of back and forth and weighing of pros and cons, but in the end we are both people who would rather say we did than didn't.  We'd rather make a drastic change and put our hearts into making it worthwhile, than embrace status quo and wonder what might have been.

Wish us luck! 

(And go ahead, make fun of my harbor hair!)

Here we grow!

 

Not only is this my second pregnancy, but I'm carrying two in my womb, so there's plenty of reason for me to be bigger.  But still I'm surprised to see the difference!  The left photo was taken yesterday.  The one on the right was me at the same point with Lincoln.  And I was really sticking it out!  My, oh my, I am going to be huge this summer.

TWO?

(17 weeks)

This is old news by now for most of our friends and family, but I am finally announcing my pregnancy on the blog.  It has taken me this long to reach a point where I'm comfortable writing in depth about the two new members of our family growing steadily larger inside my womb.

We wanted a sibling for Lincoln to add more life, laughter, movement, noise and interest to our family.  I realized that our house would be somewhat silent over the years if he were a single child. I've always planned on two kids, but never realized how difficult pregnancy would be for me.  So after having Lincoln I doubted whether I could go through with it again.  But it seems two years is enough time to get over it, because when Tyler brought up the possibility of another child, it didn't take long before we decided to try! 

On November 17 I smiled joyfully at a positive pregnancy test.  I was determined that this time would be different.  It's not that I was sick or had any complications with Lincoln other than a slight change in thyroid medication, it's more my emotional horror at sharing my body with another being.  Everything felt...off.  I couldn't exercise, I never felt satiated by any of the gluttonous piles of food I consumed, my whole body swelled and my brain ran away.  Yeah, yeah that's typical, I know.  Every pregnant woman goes through it.  But some women just love it.  Some women don't even notice it.  I felt invaded every step of the way.  Of course, to make it worse, I felt guilty for not glowing in maternal splendor, for not appreciating the miracle of life happening within me.  So the second time round, I prepared myself mentally and put myself in a place of hopeful expectancy.  I wanted to be pregnant, and hopefully that would make all the difference.

There certainly was a difference.  I threw up everyday throughout the month of December.  Sometimes even 5 times before bed.  I couldn't hold down even liquid.  Poor Lincoln grew more and more restless, irritable and resentful of his pale, weak mother suddenly confined to the couch.  While they say "every pregnancy is different" I wondered if something else was going on.  I started to say that there's two inside me, wreaking havoc.  But nothing prepared me for the ultrasound that confirmed my suspicions.  

Our first trip to the doctor showed two heartbeats and two healthily separated embryos.  After I stopped swearing, I started tearing up.  Then I started listing off all that this meant for our family of.... FIVE.  We need a new car!  Double stroller!  TWO car seats!  TWO cribs!  How am I going to breast feed TWO?  Twice the teenage hormones and college tuition!  Our kids are going to outnumber us!

I know my reaction was less than gracious.  Less than grateful.  Some people try years and years just to get pregnant without success.  Some people have risk-laden pregnancies, in which the health of the mother and/or baby is precarious at best.  That's why I 'm writing now.  Because at this moment I have moved past my fear and negativity.  Well, no, I'm still scared.  But more than anything I'm excited.  I've embraced the facts, and I consistently envision those two tiny babes, swaddled together in a bassinet.  How sweet!  I have exhausted our public library's small selection of twin-raising books, and I'm combing online resources for chances to talk to other mothers of multiples.  

Other large changes loom on our horizon.  We may or may not be moving across country shortly after the twins are born.  Next month we're visiting Boston, and Tyler will make his final decision on which MBA program to attend.  It's either stay here in Utah or move to Boston.  I can see positives to both.  I'm ready to know which it is though, so I can plan and prepare.  New computer, new car... pretty much a new life awaits us before the year is up.  I am always saying how I hate to remain stagnant, and my history does indeed show a series of abrupt changes.  So really, these new developments are right up my alley!  

We'll know in a couple weeks what sexes the twins are.  I can hardly wait. 

Unsorted

I have a file on our computer labeled "unsorted pics" in which I stash everything from my camera until I have more time to organize.  Sometimes the file gets pretty hefty.  But every time I open it I realize it's a good snapshot of what's been going on most recently around here.  At the moment, we have:

Hanging Around the House

Sleeping on the Couch

Baby June Bug

Olivia June is our friends' baby.  I get to watch her twice a week while her mama is at work and her dad is at school.  Linc is learning how to be gentle around a newborn; he is allowed to hold her hand, but not hold her (even though he keeps asking to!)  June is delicate and beautiful.  Babies are so easy when you don't have to deal with them at night!  I wear her in a sling while I do dishes, and honestly the chore has never been more fun!

My New Hair Cut  (to enhance curls)

And also... My New Jeans (to enhance... ah... everything)

I have always thought the skinny jean look was not for me.  Only for sticks, you know?  Because the more tapered the ankle, the more obvious my big butt and thighs are.  Plus they are skin tight!  But I've been on the lookout for new jeans since my sparkly butt ones ripped in the knee.  And every time I saw a cute pair on the rack, I'd pull it off and see those tiny tapered bottoms.  So... finally I went for it.  And I like them!  They fit nicely underneath my tall winter boots.  

One Fall Day, We Took A Drive

Along with lots of yellow leaves, we found a construction site in the mountains and a viper show in Park City.  It was a pretty full day.  Linc took a nap as we wound our way up Big Cottonwood Canyon.  Then we bought some chocolate and went home.  

Only a few weeks later...

It Snowed.

On the morning of the season's first snowfall, Lincoln woke me up begging to go on the balcony.  So I searched for winter gear to go over our pajamas, and I watched him shovel and dump for as long as I could stand the cold.  He would have been out there all morning until the snow melted!   I bought him a snowsuit, because from the looks of it he and I will be spending a lot of time in the snow this winter.  

Last but not least, 

Our Neighbors

We've been hanging out with the family downstairs.  This little guy will be turning a year old this weekend.  He is adorable!  And his mommy is quite talented and crafty.  She made this little hooded shirt!



And there you go.  That's us lately.