Cookie jar, no Savior

Well, we got back from Utah and George's schedule has been messed up, I've been very tired and one day I felt sick, like pregnancy morning sickness but I don't think it's possible. If I'm pregnant, it's only by a few days, and morning sickness last time didn't start till over a month in. But that's what it felt like. So this week has been pretty lazy for the most part but we had three options to fast about today. 1- move to Utah, apply for jobs, try to set up a music studio and hope we can afford monthly bills but we'd be close to family. 2- fort Wayne (jon auditioned there but they're desperate for a tenor and have increased their salary). We really liked it there. 3- the lady jon works for in Bedford pulled jon into her office and said she wants to sell us her business (have us take over). She's getting ready to retire and wants it to keep going. We like Bloomington and its stable income, we have to consider it, if only to discover what's really right for us. If another job we apply for elsewhere accepts jon we'll have to pray about that too, but just 3 for now.

Today was really busy for us. Left for 9 am church, warmed up lunch for George there after church, left for Illinois for two recitals there (about 2 hour drive each way) came back for stake choir, stayed after for a small group practice of another piece. Missed Christmas devotional, I'll probably watch it tomorrow if I can, then stayed to help another musical number. Got home at 9:45.

George has been biting and hitting a lot but is still mostly good and fun. He has new dance moves, likes the wiggles, Christmas songs and dancing on things (toilets, chairs, coffee tables. ..) I have a cupboard for him with snacks and sometimes he'll go into the kitchen and bring something back for me to open. The other day he vanished into the kitchen and it got really silent. I was about to go check on him when he comes walking back. .. with a rice Krispy treat in his hand and a smile on his face. Our home teachers brought us some goodies in a box. We left it on the kitchen table. So George climbed on the chair and then reached up, tipped over the box, looks like he tried the gingerbread man before deciding on the rice Krispy treat. So moral of the story: George stole the cookies from the cookie jar!

Spiritual thought: the church has a new Christmas movie out. It starts with having you imagine a world without a Savior. Without a Savior there is no hope. The beginnings of my personal testimony (like when it became my own and not just what I'd been taught) stayed like this. I read the book of Mormon before I started seminary. I got to Moroni's Promise and thought about those things and then started imaging that it wasn't true. I pictured a very bleak and hopeless world. I made a conscious decision that even if it wasn't true I wanted the things I learned in church to be true. I decided to have hope. And from that hope, I planted my first seed, my very own seed. Reflecting on everything I'd been taught before and learning new things helped my faith grow. Mom wrote in her blog this week that it's all about perspective. It's hard to prove spiritual things. If you've decided one way or another, you're going to see things that way. That's the way it is in the church. Those with strong testimonies hear new policies, and even if they don't understand it, they're looking for ways it could be right instead of all the ways it could be wrong. We actually had an institute lesson on D&C 76 this week (the three kingdoms of glory) and we learned that Brigham Young struggled with it. He accepted it, but he I guess recorded that he read it several times, picking it apart before agreeing with it. It's ok to not understand everything the church does. But if we believe this Church is true, we should be seeking to understand how things that may seem harsh or maybe we don't understand, are the right things. Anyways, I'm thankful for our Savior. I'm thankful for the Church. I'm thankful for family and our perspective. I'm thankful for the hope and meaning this gospel gives to our lives. I know it's true.

No Greater Love than this...

I was thinking of Christ. At his crucifixion, I wonder if there were some who questioned. "If he's the Christ why doesn't he just save himself?" "Why wouldn't he save himself from this injustice?" Would I question? Would I wonder if this really was the Christ? Would my unbelief overtake my belief? Of course, from a much clearer perspective (Perspective really is everything), we see that this was the plan all along. That this is the way and death is not the end. It was the way to open the door to resurrection and eternal life. He gave his life for us, so we could live. He gave his life, to teach us, to show us the way, to heal us and to bless us. He loved us.

In John 15:13,14 it says, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends..."

Now I want to share an experience I had with Norma. She fought so hard. We all knew the end was coming - and a lot faster than we expected. I remember her having a doctor's appointment in a couple days and her being so weak. I remember going over one morning and she was standing in her bathroom by the closet. I recall saying to her that I could take her to her appointment and we could do a wheelchair and I could carry her, but is that what she REALLY wanted. Wouldn't she rather spend time at the beach and doing other things. I remember her starting to sob "How can I quit? I can't let the kids down." I remember hugging her and crying with her and telling her "You haven't quit and you aren't losing. You are a winner. You have won." I remember saying all the right things, but at the time it didn't seem like the right thing, even though with every ounce of faith I knew it was. 

So today, when these thoughts have come into my mind, of Christ and Norma I have a broader perspective. Christ loved us and spent his life for us. Norma too, gave her life to us in such a special way, in her way. No greater love is there than this. She did win. She lived her life as Christ did. Nothing else matters.

I hope I am doing the same. I am not perfect, but my love of the Savior, Jesus Christ is real. I may not always see and I may not always hear, but I do believe. 

And I am giving my life to you kids, because ye are my friends and I do love you!

Faith in the Prophet

This last week. .. nothing too memorable. Monday and Tuesday I remember being busy, so Wednesday I tried to focus on George. I did some visiting teaching this week but that's all I remember from early in the week. Then, this week I was cleaning the kitchen and my normal weekly stuff and wanting to get out Christmas stuff and organize stuff too. We had the missionaries over for dinner, then Friday we had our institute class and we cooked for an interfaith homeless shelter dinner thing. (Food was due on Sunday, but jon signed up to make chili and I guess it's best if you cook it, let it sit in the fridge for a day and then reheat it? ). Saturday morning we had a recital down in Bedford where jon works and I sang alto for a piece one of his students did. (It was a solo with like choir back up). Then today the ward choir sang and we had some friends over for dinner and then stake choir. It had been nice all week until Friday night and now has been at 32 and below (plus whatever the humidity makes it). Real feel right now is 24 degrees.

I've been reading general conference and felt the need to speak out. (I'm on Sunday morning). I wrote a blog on the Syrian Refugees. I had started a draft for a homosexuality post, but that's so touchy I haven't posted that yet. Anyways, today in church someone mentioned how they have laminated leaves. Every day of November, each member of the family writes something they're grateful for and attaches it to their "thankful tree". Then on thanksgiving they read all of them. I know people do the grateful challenge and post it to Facebook, but I think having the visual of a full tree would be cool too.

I've also been thinking about something my friend said. She said her testimony is simple. She believes the prophets are prophets and so she accepts what they do. Thinking about that I've realized I can now express something I've felt. If we truly believe in this Church we believe that the Lord is speaking through prophets again. If we understand what a prophet is then we believe "whether by mine own [the Lord's] voice, or the voice of my servants, the prophets, it is the same" (paraphrase from d&c 1:38 or 39). So whatever they say, if we believe in this Church, we accept on faith. This does not mean we can't have questions, but our questions, if first grounded in the faith that God runs this Church (and if we don't believe He runs this Church-why are we members), are : please help me understand this. I don't understand this. Our questions should not be, 'how dare they?' 'This makes no sense.' 'Obviously they don't understand what they're doing'. These ways of questioning say, 'God- perfect God who knows everything and better than me, you are wrong and made a mistake in choosing this man as your mouthpiece because he is not doing the right thing.' Since prophets are not perfect (to say a prophet is perfect would be blasphemous and discredit Jesus Christ being the only perfect person, capable of atoning for our sins) we believe that IF they do something wrong, they will be held accountable for it, but the Lord will not allow His church to be led astray. So we follow in faith, seeking understanding, questioning in a manner that shows that we still respect the decision and have faith that God is leading His church. If we choose to disobey a prophet (even if we were "right" in doing so) we would still be disobedient and in the wrong because we had not faith in the Lord. We had no faith that God would lead His church. We show that we don't care for a prophet, we disregard him and in a sense stone him. If we reject God's chosen prophets,we reject God. So we follow in faith when we don't understand. We pray for understanding. We don't have to be silent, but we still have to respect the Lord's prophet. I hope this has made some sense. This is a trying time for many members and is showing who actually understands what a prophet is and who has faith in both the Lord and His prophets. I know this Church is true. I know Thomas s Monson is His prophet. I know he is inspired. I have faith in what he decides is best for the Church. I follow in faith. Not blindly. Not silently. But I follow and seek understanding when I lack it.

Rise Above the Clouds

The past week I went to TOFW with Grandma,
studied Spanish, read OT and Juju and I - I
guess you should say 'fought' over whether or
not to get another dog.

She really wants one and has for a very long
time. I really don't want one. I think the burden
lies more on me because she leaves in a year
in a half. She says it's her because she would
take care of both dogs and after a year and a
half having two dogs is no different than one. 

I'm sitting at the airport waiting to board my flight
back home. It was nice to spend the weekend
with my mom, Fran and Aunt Katy. I can't say it
was really fun, but it was nice. My mom had tears
as we said goodbye (well maybe that's not unusual,
but I think she knows we did this for her. We love
her.) Time Out For Women was good and I have several notes I wrote down.

But my thoughts are turned. Maybe it's because I'm doing these
gratitude thoughts each day. Maybe it's because I realize how
easily life can be so different. There were terrorist bombings in
Paris on Friday. Over 100 people killed. Maybe it's because life
is fragile. Maybe I have a home to return to and Aunt Katy doesn't.
Or Grandma who has a house but it's a mess in a lot of ways. I'm
sure it's because of all of these things. As Katy and I visited at the
airport she talked about Amelia. She was working for the church
and really didn't respect a few people. (Aunt Katy called one woman
evil. I don't think that's true, but...). She's been in theatre and 

I'm sure has gay friends. Phil is liberal and likes to stir things up.
Anyways Amelia does not attend church. She has not blessed her baby and she is not 

attending a wedding at the temple of a good friend. (They'll just sit outside). Aunt Katy just found out
how bad it is. Phil goes to church but she thinks it's only because he is a student at BYU. She told Amelia
she's going to have to figure things out for herself. Her decisions don't just effect her. There's her children
and grandchildren. She also said she feels she's lost Alan, but when I asked if its the church she said no.
She said he just likes to do things his way and he's prideful. I'm not sure what that means. Aunt Katy
talked about how she has told the bishop that she will not support the YM because they play Halo and
it's a waste of time. She talked how she doesn't support her primary president that she serves with
because she's a liar. Aunt Katy said Alan is judgmental. (Maybe he's right and Aunt Katy is wrong. I don't
know. Even when things are bad, we choose to support the church programs). The whole thing makes
me sad. 

I am grateful for the Church. I can go and worship and feel inspired. I don't have to have friends or like it, it's 

nice but my testimony is not dependent on that. I know our obedience to the programs of the church and its 

leaders strengthen us. We don't have to like or agree with our leaders to be strengthened. Our obedience 

strengthens us. We only have our agency to give. We only have our heart to give. 

Right now I am filled with love and humbled gratitude. I love my husband and my kids. I would and do -
do everything I can for you. You are my everything. Not because you are my life, but because I would
give everything, even my life for you. I am so very proud of each of you - how you care for others, how
you are friends with each other and how you strive to follow the Lord and be like Him. 

Why am I so blessed? Why does my heart hang on a little longer so the Lord can comfort me, heal me
and show me the way while others slip?

I am grateful for all the things I have and for all the things I don't have, that I don't want. I haven't really
wanted for anything. I've receive so much more than I ever imagined I would have. I've had cancer, but
nothing what a lot of people have had to handle. Danny had diabetes but we've managed it. We've had
huge family trials but we've been able to rise above the clouds or hang on long enough to heal or be
strengthened. 

It was raining in Phoenix and we just took off. We rose above the clouds and I could see the sun. I took
a picture. 

In just a moment we were back in the clouds again. I was happy I took the picture. 

(You have to remember it was rainy and dismal on the ground)

Then we kept gaining altitude 

and the plane was able to rise above the clouds again. 

There are always going to be storms and clouds. We may rise above the clouds just long enough to
see the sun and then we're back in the clouds again. Be grateful for the sun (Son). If we keep rising,
we will gain altitude and we will rise above the clouds. 

All of us have storms in our lives. This weekend one of the speakers was a quadriplegic. She was a
dancer and broke her neck at 21. She talked of being at the store on a rainy day and while getting in
her car fell to the wet asphalt. A car drove by. She talked of a older woman coming over to help. She
said she couldn't have weighed over 100 lbs. There was no way. She first tried to lift her by one arm.
No success. She then straddled her and started to count...1,2...3.  She then testified 'You are the
strongest when you bend down to lift someone else up.'

She said 'I went on my way and the old woman walked back into the storm.'

We all have storms - some more turbulent at times than others, but we still can help each other. 

This week I just want to thank you for being such a wonderful, beautiful person. I also want you to know
how very much I love you!

Dad says he lives a 'charmed life'. Well, I live a 'Cherished Fricken WOW' life! Thanks!

Anniversary, speak out

So, most of this week I felt so tired. I was productive but not nearly as much as the week before. Wednesday was our anniversary. Jon made us all breakfast in bed (well he just brought yogurt and a banana for George but we had blueberry french toast). I went visiting teaching, our home teacher came over and I went to institute choir and then we went to olive garden for dinner. I actually ordered something for the chicken. Thursday evening George and I went over to our home teachers home. We were babysitting their son, so the parents could celebrate their anniversary with dinner, a night away and breakfast. That went well. Friday I cooked lunch for institute (simple salad, heart attack rolls, normal marinara pasta, a sage/pumpkin pasta and a chocolate mint trifle). Saturday we went to the church to help with a deep clean. George and I worked on a bathroom. I let him play with the toilet brush (he likes pretending to clean or splash with it) and I cleaned the mirrors, toilets, toilet bowls, walls, and then another lady came in to help and George and I cleared out and she did the sinks and mopped the floors. Today was our primary program and my team teacher wasnt there,so I had to wing the lesson. We tried going over what pure means. (I told them to imagine I was doing the suggested demonstration with pouring salt in my hand-pure and then mixing in pepper. Then we talked about how doing wrong things makes us not pure.) We talked about super heroes. The manual asked questions like, does your hero always obey the law? Do they use bad words? And 2 others. The lesson suggested they find other heroes, but I thought that was possibly a little harsh. So I said if our superhero saves the world, can we pretend to do the same? If our superhero said a bad word should we do that too? No. So who is our perfect example? Jesus. So if our hero does something Jesus wouldn't do, should we follow or pretend to do that thing? No. Anyways, I think they got the picture.

Thoughts. .. I'm reading general conference and I'm reading through Sunday mornings talks. Russell m Nelsons was on righteous women and speaking out. And the next person also talked about speaking out. A few quotes, "You are the women he foresaw! Your virtue, light, love, knowledge, courage, character, faith, and righteous lives will draw good women of the world, along with their families, to the Church in unprecedented numbers!"

"President Packer declared:
“We need women who are organized and women who can organize. We need women with executive ability who can plan and direct and administer; women who can teach, women who can speak out. …
“We need women with the gift of discernment who can view the trends in the world and detect those that, however popular, are shallow or dangerous.”8
Today, let me add that we need women who know how to make important things happen by their faith and who are courageous defenders of morality and families in a sin-sick world. We need women who are devoted to shepherding God’s children along the covenant path toward exaltation; women who know how to receive personal revelation, who understand the power and peace of the temple endowment; women who know how to call upon the powers of heaven to protect and strengthen children and families; women who teach fearlessly."

And then from the next talk, referring to Peter, "Many heard his words and felt the Spirit, and 3,000 souls joined the ranks of the early Church. This is powerful evidence that one man or woman who is willing to testify when the world seems to be going in the opposite direction can make a difference."

Oh, I also had a "movie night" on Thursday. I say that in quotes because we never turned on the movie. I have great friends here. One has a lesbian sister and a gay cousin, both of my friends who came are still single and about 40. Anyways, all three of us, when we heard the new handbook about homosexuality, our first instinct was to accept it. One prayed for understanding because she didn't fully understand it, but the difference between her and so many others is, sure, she may have questions, but she accepts it on faith and then seeks understanding. Anyways, the other is in her relief society and they had an interesting (almost bad) lesson last week. The teacher was good but didn't know how to handle a certain comment. (It was on pride and how we need to be humble. One lady said we shouldn't be humble because then we're submissive and door mats and slaves.) My friend, stood up and spoke out in an email. She said she was thinking about things and how one dictionary does make it sound like humility is more of a weakness, but then used scriptural examples to bear testimony that we are not expected to be slaves or door mats (she didn't use those words) but she defined what she felt the scriptures want us to think of humility as. Anyways, with the two talks on a row and everything going on, now is the time to stand up. To speak out. We can make a difference.

Pictures of George: the one with the remote- he looks like he's zoned out watching the TV. That's partially true, but the TV is off.

He now climbs on everything. The toilet included and likes to stand on top and dance and stamp his foot (usually his left foot). He has also climbed up onto a dining table and was scaling a folded up chair. I ran over because I was afraid it would fall when he got to the top. Anyways, he climbed onto the piano bench and actually sat when I said "sit down please" and this was his face when I said, "say cheese". He then played the piano for a bit.

Productive, Llama Llama and homosexuality

So this week, I listened to a free webinar during one of George's naps about being more productive. I liked it. They asked you to brainstorm all the projects you want to do and then pick at least two (one just for you and one that either weighs the most on you or you think would make the biggest difference for you. ) Then you break down those projects into their simplest steps, like gather materials, find tape measure, buy box. .. then you make some weekly goals of these small steps and divide them by category- phone calls, errands, computer and at home were suggested categories. Then when you have spare time you can work on a small step in 15 minutes or less and still accomplish something that works towards a focused goal. The goal is to finish at least 2 projects each month. Anyways, according to my goals I was pretty successful. I feel the best about rearranging George's room and finishing my "chore" project. I divided our house into "weeks" or partial weeks, so I can clean the house in a month. This week was focusing on George's room. And then I have some things (like laundry, toilets, vacuuming the living room. .. ) that need to be done weekly, and daily chores. Anyways, I have each chore on a popsicle stick with a magnet and the different weeks in envelopes. I finished all of these chores this week which included cleaning the stove.

Other notes- George had his year check up and got 4 shots. We went to see Llama Llama at the library (they had a song, a felt board story, a short movie and then Llama Llama came! ) George really liked it and we have 3 of the books already. Then we had some of George's friends over (we were babysitting for institute). It was a pretty good week.

Another thing I have been getting better at- meal plans. :-) we have a store that advertises weekly sales for the following week. I've started shopping there and grabbing an ad for the next week, then I can plan my meals based on what we like, what's healthy and what's on sale. I allow a little leeway in my food budget and don't plan out every dollar. This allowed me to buy some Sriracha mac n cheese with sausage (a microwave meal that serves 4) for $1.50. George loved it. :-) I have been making one crock pot meal a week and freezing the extras so on busier or lazier days I have easy, healthy meals to just throw in the microwave. (George has been going through a picky stage but he consistently likes: yogurt, mac n cheese, fig newton's, bananas, apples, chicken nuggets or breaded chicken, beans, lentils and usually potatoes (always french fries)).

We also had a few people over tonight for Sunday dinner and it was very nice. I want to do it more. :-)

Thoughts this week revolve around the new church policy. Not that you differ in opinion but I want to mention a few things. 1- being a member of this Church means we believe there is a prophet on the earth today who is the Lord's mouthpiece and He is doing what the Lord wants which means accepting new policies. We can seek understanding, but we accept it on faith in the meantime. 2- people say the policy means we're putting the sins of the father on the child. Yes we believe we are accountable at the age of 8, but this does not mean someone is dammed if they are not baptized immediately. So yes a child of homosexual parents has to wait till they are 18, but this doesn't mean they are accountable for their parents actions. Someone who is 18 is legally able to remove themselves from the situation and more emotionally mature. At baptism we covenant to keep the commandments, one of which is to share the gospel and be an example. So a child is supposed to come to terms with the fact that their parents are sinning and the only way to stop is to break up their family. In divorces, children already blame themselves, even if it has nothing to do with them. Yet for a child with gay parents, breaking up their family is the solution. When one turns 18, I think it is easier for one to love and respect their parents and know that their parents loved them yet still admit that they're not perfect. 3- people seem to get so offended when we say acting on homosexuality is a sin. So what? We believe everyone is a sinner. We believe those who drink are sinning, yet my friends who drink somehow aren't offended that I feel that way about drinking. And many other things. 4- homosexuality and blacks and the priesthood. Many feel that the policies regarding homosexuality is like blacks and the priesthood- that they are a mistake and it's only a matter of time before the prophet comes to his senses. First off, the prophet had been praying for blacks to have the priesthood for like 20 years (a very long time, whatever the actual amount was). It had nothing to do with the prophet being racist. (True there had been others who were racist- even proteus have faults but I believe what happened was right. ) the church was persecuted from the start. I think it was a matter of the world being ready for the blacks to have the priesthood it was not a matter of it truly being wrong. It's similar to why the church was restored in 1820. The reformation and the beginnings of a new country with religious freedom had to be established first. With blacks and the priesthood, I feel that certain civil rights movements had to happen first. But with homosexuality, civil rights issues have happened and the church, instead of changing because the world now accepts it, is reaffirming their position. This tells me it is not the same. But it is not the only thing. Our goal in life is to return Home. To become like our Heavenly Parents. We believe in eternal progression, which means that those who reach the highest tier of the celestial kingdom will have spirit children of their own. Here on earth people say homosexuals make better parents than the straight people who put them up for adoption. This is true or can be. But in heaven, those who are parents are not irresponsible. There won't be kids given up for adoption. So who can be sealed (married) for eternity? Those who can receive the promise of the sealing which is to have posterity. This takes a man and a woman. It does not change in heaven because gender is eternal. Eternal marriage is not solely about love, it is about procreation. Anyways, I know I'm preaching to the choir here. I know that families can be together forever. I know my eternal destiny. I love being a mom. I had an awesome example of what to do. I do not look down on those who have chosen to pursue same sex marriage, but it does not change my view that eternal marriage is only between a man and a woman. I love you all. I'm grateful you're my family and my friends (Cassie has been my friend for 8 years- that's what Facebook says. ...). Looking forward to Thanksgiving and seeing little Andi  (my phone thinks Andi should be Amdo/abdi/anak)!

Love the Sinner, Not the Sin

I don't think you'll guess what I want to write about when I say "Love the Sinner, Not the Sin". Lately there's been a lot of talk in the church about homosexuality and that isn't it. Everyone knows I do not hate homosexuals and even know a couple I sincerely love.

Today in my lesson we were discussing how to get solutions to our challenges and problems. It came down to prayer and scripture, which is quite often the answer to a lot of things, if not most things. When talking about prayer I mentioned how I actually have prayed for help in losing weight. That may seem silly, but this is a hard thing for me and I have tried it on my own. I needed his help. That's when I said, "Love the Sinner Not the Sin". Love me, but do things differently (don't eat the same way), and be better. Go and sin no more.

I want to talk about Self-Love. Too often we are hard on ourselves, feel we could've or should've been better or done things differently. It is all too easy to see the faults we have and realizing that we are a son/daughter of God doesn't always make it better. Sometimes it makes it worse. With all that potential sometimes we feel like we're not appreciating it or throwing it all away, just being "slightly off". "Close, but no banana" - or whatever that saying is. haha

We are not perfect. We are all sinners. We need to love ourselves and not love the sin. We need to continually love and continually improve. It's not about just loving ourselves, because we all need to make changes, be better, and become more Christlike.

"Try and keep on trying until that which seems difficult becomes possible--and that which seems only possible becomes habit and a real part of you."
Dieter F. Uchtdorf

I pray that we all will love ourselves as we continue to be better.

Catch up, Chicago and George

So I haven't been great. I've been meaning to post my letters to katie but haven't, so here are some highlights from those emails.

We went to a fall festival and George got to touch a bunny, a horse, a pig, a goat, chickens and a hedgehog (part of a petting zoo).

We are planning to move to Utah when our lease is up (June). (We are still applying for jobs all over the country, but if nothing full time pulls through, then we're moving to Utah next). We'll stay the summer and then take care of the house while Jon's parents serve a mission (free rent! ) and then hopefully we can make enough connections out west to stay.

We had talked about a trip to Chicago in honor of our anniversary, but it's on a Wednesday and his best weekend was in October sometime. We realized last minute that one weekend was his best, so we planned the trip in like 2 days. We came up Friday after Jon's classes he teaches. We got in late so we didn't do anything. We bought a 2 day pass deal that allows you to do as many attractions of 25 in 2 days. So Saturday we went to the field museum (they have the largest, complete, best preserved t Rex). Then we went on a bus tour (we all fell asleep). The coolest thing to me was their baseball field. ... Some of their bleachers are on surrounding apartment buildings, built on to the roof. So like there's a street in between, but you're still "at the game". Then we walked part of their Riverwalk (but I guess not the nice part of it) and we took an architectural boat cruise- my favorite of the day. We had Chicago pizza for lunch (rated #1 in 2014 by Chicago magazine) and panda for dinner. Then we took a bus through the magnificent mile (a mile long shopping strip). Then we went to the John Hancock observatory- one of 2 skyscrapers with an observation deck to see the whole city. George kept making friends (we met three people from India at a bus stop, saw them again in the John Hancock building, and again, right before heading back to the hotel- they loved George). Sunday we went to church, then a tour of Frank Lloyd wright's home and office (a famous architect). We tried making it to another tour but didn't make it with bus times. Then we went to the Art Museum and saw Paul and Romy Snyder. There was a lot of renaissance art and stuff that Jon and I like as well as some other stuff (renaissance jewelery and an armor section, Indian, Japanese and Chinese sections. .. too much to see) Then back to the hotel. (It took us about an hour and a half. ..) parking in the city is expensive and hard to come by. We would've stayed in the city but there was a marathon that weekend and the reasonable priced places (in safe areas) didn't last long.

On Monday in Chicago- we slept in and then packed up and drove to a metro parking station. We took a train towards town and got off close to a hot dog place that has the #1 Chicago dog according to trip advisor. It was called George's hot dogs. Then we biked to a chocolate store (rated #2 in the world according to national geographic) and got two chocolate bars after sampling some different ones (including some with bacon in it or Indian curry and coconut). Then we biked to the lake and down a lakefront trail to Millenium park, where they have a famous fountain and the "bean"- the mirrored thing- it's called Cloud Gate. Then we rode the train back out of town and left.

Then jon and i were in a concert. It was Friday and Saturday with a dress rehearsal on Monday. So George played with some other kids (the director's kids) with a babysitter while we were gone. And I sang in church on Sunday. When I picked him up from the babysitter on Friday, the babysitter had put all the other kids to bed and George was starting to get restless, so when I got there he was so happy and went for his nursing cover, like I'm ready mom! So I have a picture of that.

This week George was invited to his first party- a Halloween party! He loved it. :-) and at our ward trunk or treat he loved a maze they had and sat down on the ground to try to make friends with other kids (definitely a social little baby).

This last week was a lot of cleaning. George makes lots of messes. He knows how to dump out drawers and likes dumping out two that have some of his toys in them, and he actually pulled the whole drawer thing down, and I'm sure it must've hit him on the way down. (I was worried about that when he first started pulling out the drawers so I was in the process of rearranging things and one drawer was completely empty and another was mostly empty). George is starting to copy pitches, like in songs. So far he only tried to imitate the "dun dun dun dun" from I think the movie intro for fox or mgm with the lion, he's pretty close with it. And then Jesus wants me for a sunbeam, he tries to do the sunbeam part so I'll throw him up in the air. He also says "ta da"! He's going through a picky eating phase (hopefully a short one) and it's been hard to get him to eat enough. He likes bringing me books (I love that he already has favorites and favorite toys). He knows how to close doors and is close to accidentally locking himself in his room. .. :-/ one of the times he was babysat, a friend was watching him who has a son a year older than George. .. she said George taught him some new tricks (like how to climb onto the back of the couch) and at the other house he climbed onto a small chair to a small desk, to a big chair to the big desk to get to the keyboard. :-) he does a chomping motion with his hand for an alligator, pounds his chest like a Gorilla for gorillas and monkeys, and almost has a good oo oo ah ah. (One of the reasons we decided to go with curious George for Halloween). His newest thing is leading me around- he'll grab my pant leg and pull it in the direction he wants me to move my leg or push me from behind (like I'm being herded). :-) but at least he's trying to show me what he wants. And he gets the nursing cover when he wants to nurse. :-) I love my little boy!