Christmas came early this year...

Or at least that's how I feel every time I open our linen closet door and behold the beautiful stacks of fabric delivered to my doorstep last week. Actually, it was a carry-on suitcase busting at the seams with all the fabric I bought in China and that I hadn't glanced at since our return to the US. It arrived with other requested items from Ma and Pa's from someone in their ward visiting UT. I appreciate the lamp, the glitter glue, and of course the CHAIRS, but ooo the thrill of sorting through that fabric gives me tingles every time. (Is this what it's like to have an unhealthy obsession? Lots of people stay up late fantasizing about fabric, right?)

In other news, I finally accepted the possibility that Erik will continue to grow hair throughout his life and consented to have Kyle give him his first trim ever. (Hmmm, is it just me or do most kids go through this before they start on solid foods? I swear me and Kyle both have real hair... why can't our kids sprout any more of it???)

The "Before" --embarrassingly shaggy, I know

We tried to avoid the old bowl-cut trick, but there's really not a lot of fuzz to work with so... but I for one think he looks really cute and a lot like his Uncle Bryce did with the bowl cut of his youth.

(Yes, those are pink ballerina pajamas Erik is wearing. If I recall correctly, Uncle Bryce also wore girls' clothes, and he turned out just fine.)

I hear from Kyle's mom that Kyle used to be a regular old prankster come the first of April, but I guess being married to me has drained all the zest and creativity out of him cuz the last joke he played on me was telling me he'd just given himself a mullet haircut and then showed up at my door and turns out he hadn't. That was while we were dating. I didn't yet realize the significance of mullets in Kyle's concept of humor, so it wasn't a "haha" joke for me, but I did actually fall for it. Anyway, Kjerst and I thought we'd get into the spirit of the holiday and made April Fool's Day sushi-- K for her students and me for Kyle, of course.

Kyle doesn't enjoy any of your standard breakfast foods (cereal, fruit, waffles, oatmeal, French toast, etc.) but he'll eat rice at any time of day and under any circumstances (like, even if he's just finished a huge bowl of rice, I'll offer him some rice and he'll say, "Oh, goody! I love rice!").

We could not stop giggling while we prepared the fruit roll-up/rice krispie treat/gummi worm/syrup (that last one was just for good measure) sushi rolls. We really thought we were being hilariously clever, except for that it was of course an idea we stole out of a magazine. Still, Kyle wouldn't know that.

And then wouldn't you know but he didn't even utter a single guffaw when I brought him his delicious breakfast in bed. I think he was genuinely disappointed that I hadn't made sushi (and rice!) for breakfast. The kids liked it, though. At least they can take a joke.

Guess what?! I made my first friend in the condo complex. Her name is L and she has three adorable little boys, C, H, and R. I noticed her at stake conference a few weeks ago and felt compelled to try to make her my new friend. But she was probably in a different ward. Come to find out she's in MY ward and she actually approached ME to have our first conversation and the next week invited ME to go to the aquarium. Yay. I think it's my turn to initiate a get-together now, right? It's been a while since I've had to make a friend, and it's just like dating but even more weighty. Not eternally, I guess, but if L's oldest boy C likes playing with My Little Ponies, that's going to make my life a lot easier.

I only took these two crumby shots at the aquarium because every school in the valley decided to do a field trip at the aquarium that day so most of the time we were trying to keep our children from getting trampled or stolen, but we did get an annual pass so Sharkies, you have not seen the last of us...

Anyone ever wonder what came of all those highfalutin' pretensions at becoming a felt food goddess? Maybe not, but either way, the following is all I've completed (mind you, it's been a few weeks), and since making any food that's not flat as a hake requires real skill, creativity, or purchasing an expensive pattern, this is all the kids' pantry gets for now.

The kids were almost impressed when I presented them with green eggs and ham, their St. Patrick's Day gift.

Cheese pizza (booooooring!)...

Or supreme pizza!

Spinach-stuffed ravioli (hee-hee, that's only because the batting I use came from Kyle's pillow and happens to be green)

Tri-color bowtie pasta

Grand-slam breakfast

Pb&j

Meat & cheese sandwich (double the meat and cheese and hold the onions)

Wow, why did I take a close-up of my tacky hand-stiched crust?

Crackers and cheese were the most time consuming because all 10 crackers needed a zillion knots to get that dimpled look

And the kids' favorite item of all is the only one I didn't make. My machine kept jamming when I tried to run the foam through, so Kjerst slaughtered her machine putting the grocery bag together for me. Thanks, man. I haven't gone "green" yet, but I'll definitely take paper over plastic.

I also finally got around to making a baby wipes "clutch" and changing pad for moi. It was very simple and not time-consuming, and now I can wipe my baby's bum "a la mode." (Um, that means "in-style." I wasn't referring to adding a dollop of ice cream or whipped cream to the scene.)



Until three more people (I'll wait to get five before I commence on the gifts) try to weasel an apron out of me (thanks, Ie Li and Sara, although I have a few more personalized gift ideas in mind for you than aprons) --see previous post if currently confused-- my crafting will now be used to spiff up my home. Curtains, organizers, throw pillows, the works. If interested in crafts, stay tuned. If interested in kids, I'll try to throw in a pic of them next time, so stay tuned, Grandma. If interested in neither, what are you doing on my blog anyway?