Treadmill versus Outside

I have been running on the treadmill most weekdays since October. This week I took Ruth out on a couple of mile runs. She actually has asked for more which surprises me. I just wanted to say that running outside is so much better and so much easier. I like that I can visually see how far I have run. I like the fresh air and the trees. But I am grateful for the treadmill because I would have never started running in the neighborhood. I felt so humiliated running/walking about every 2 minutes the first few days. There is no way I wanted to share that with the neighborhood. Plus, I can easily run everyday while my babies play around me in our family room. But I can't just leave home to run anytime.

Kate came on my run with Ruth last night and said, "We need a movie. How can we watch a movie while we run." pause. "Oh, that is why they built treadmills!" Sorry Kate but I would take the trees, the breeze, and the visual distance over the movie any day.

Inauguration Day Thoughts

1. Michelle Obama is definitely the best dressed first lady. I loved her yellow outfit.
2. I started to watch the inauguration while I ran on the treadmill and it was so boring that I had Kate, who was home sick, turn on a movie instead. She said thank you.
3. Ruth and Johnny spent several hours of their school day watching the inauguration. I think this must have really been for the benefit of the teachers. The kids said that it was boring and that Kate was lucky to have missed school. Kate also didn't have the usual make up work.
4. I read Obama's speech later that night. I think it was a pretty good speech. But no matter what he says and how good he looks his voting record on moral issues makes me nervous for what he will do in the future.
   

A Few Cute Things

1. Rachel keeps her toys set up pretty neatly near the couch. Anya will often come, take a toy, and put it into her mouth. Rachel will then take it back, scream a little, grab a tissue and wipe it dry. Then she will often say something like, "That is better."
2. Anya has been crawling over to the long curtains that cover the back door, hiding behind them, and then playing peek-a-boo with whoever happens to be looking at her. If no one notices her, she will yell out, "hi," until some one sees her and plays with her.
3. I have this laundry thing that has three bags hanging down from a plastic frame. I use that to separate the colors for the laundry loads of the dirty clothes. Anya always goes and hugs them because they are big soft things. I think it is pretty disgusting. Sometimes our dirty laundry is very dirty. But she is very insistent and I need to be around that a lot, so I have let her snuggle the dirty laundry bags.
4. Rachel has decided that she is a ballerina. She is telling people that her name is "Ballerina," and often correcting her family when we call her Rachel or Rae-rae.
5. Kate and Ruth have been playing with Anya every night during scripture study. John and I are at a bit of a loss as to exactly what to do because they get Anya laughing and laughing and laughing. We just think that it is so cute to have the older girls having fun with their baby sister and to see Anya laughing her head off even if the timing is all wrong. (maybe Ruth and Kate think it is all right.)
6. Recently whenever Adam says a prayer he sings the amen at the end in a very opera-y way.
7. I feel bad that I do not have a cute story to tell about Johnny. He has been a real stinker lately. I think he is taking lessons from the bad boys in the first grade. For example, when we told him not to stand on his chair at the table he started spinning around while standing on it and laughing. I don't think that sort of thing is cute, so the bum better watch out-- his mom is mad.
   

Princes and Princesses

Rachel was laying on the kitchen floor drawing while I was making dinner. After each picture Rachel would declare what she had drawn. When Rachel said, "This is Kate. She is a princess," Adam came in and took a look at her drawing. Rachel started another picture and said, "This is Adam. He is a princess." Adam immediately objected and said, "Mom, Rachel called me a princess and I am a boy." I said, "I know. You are a prince." Adam went over to Rachel and said, "I am not a princess. Princesses are girls. I am a boy. I am a prince." Rachel continued to draw another picture. She said, "This one is Johnny. He is a princess." Adam said, "No he is not. Johnny is too old." Then Adam added, "Johnny is a boy."

The Straw Pig

Yesterday John suggested starting a business called, "Straw Pig." We joked about that for some time--how it would be funny to sell crappy items that would just fall apart. Then it occurred to me that there is already a store that should be called Straw Pig and it is wildly successful-- Wal-mart. We've decided to call Wal-mart Straw Pig now. John went to Straw Pig last night and bought some donuts and viola they are really kind of gross. Some of them were even stale. Thank goodness for the combination of Target and Home Depot so I do not often have to settle for the quality of the straw pig. I much prefer the stabibity of a stick even if it does cost a little more :).

Conversation in the Car

John (the dad): Diane, did you blog about what Adam wants to do for the rest of his life?
Me: yes.
Johnny: What does Adam want to do?
Me: He wants to be Spiderman for the rest of his life.
Kate: That is good because in elementary school you always have to do projects on what you are going to be when you grow up. Now Adam will be prepared for when he starts school.
John: That is great commentary on elementary school.

Anya truns 1

Anya had her birthday on Friday. She was pretty happy about cake and presents. Dad made her a milkshake to go with her dinner which she loved too. Anya had to go to the doctors on her birthday because of a fever with a runny nose. She got an antibiotic for a sinus infection, and we found out that Anya has gained three pounds in the last two months. She now weighs 16 pounds and is up on the growth chart. She still is a happy smiley baby, but she is definitely starting those one year old tantrums. This morning, while I was putting Rachel and Adam into the bathtub, Anya put her pacifier in the toilet. When I pulled it out she tried to take it from me and screamed for some time because I would not give it to her. So we need to remember to close the toilets once again. When Anya was first born I would look at her and see such a sweet beautiful baby, but I would think, "In a year she will be playing in the toilets." That year has come. I just need to remember to enjoy the smiles and laughs. And maybe someday like President Monson said, I will miss the toys everywhere and the piles and piles of laundry.