The Hughes Zoo

Blog Blitzkrieg

2011-05-17T10:22:00.000-07:00

Making up for lost time in the blog posting department.
My apologies for bombarding you with posts... ;)

Speaking of Buddy...

2011-05-17T10:03:00.001-07:00

A couple of favs from April/May...

Learning about plumbing and sprinklers from Daddy.

Mohawk Man.

My two favorite guys. In their tie-dyed matchy-ness.

I had my back turned for less than thirty seconds, I swear, and this is what I came back to.
(He was just SO PLEASED with himself.)
Lesson learned: Always use the straps.

The Great Outdoors

2011-05-17T09:46:00.000-07:00

Our little guy is a HUGE outdoors enthusiast. (I guess that's part of being a boy. :))
Needless to say, the backyard is his favorite spot.
Here he is in his element...

Here's to many more years of a boy playing in dirt!

Easter

2011-05-17T09:26:00.000-07:00

We had a busy Easter Sunday around the Hughes Zoo.
Sunrise service at church.
Home for a quick egg hunt in our new backyard!
Brunch gathering for Easter with our Sunday School class. (and Egg Hunt #2 for the kids)
Home for a quick nap.
Lunch with family. (and Egg Hunt #3 for the kids)

Extreme Couponing

2011-05-17T09:17:00.000-07:00

I took this picture WEEKS ago with the intent to post my own little 'bragging lounge'.
I'm afraid it has lost its proverbial punch in the interim as I can no longer remember the details of the transaction. :)

4 boxes of cereal
1 pack of Pull-ups
1 pack of diapers
1 box of Lipton tea
4 boxes of band-aids
1 bag of cough drops
1 bag of jelly beans
1 bottle of eye make-up remover
1 package of Claritin

I do know that it cost a total of $23. TWENTY-THREE dollars.

And the Claritin has a retail value of almost $20 (or more!) all by itself. Not that I would ever pay $20 for it, but...

Yay for coupons!

Home Improvement-- Backyard

2011-04-08T20:10:00.000-07:00

For Valentine's Day this year, I only asked for one thing:
A usable backyard.
Yes, I am that romantic.

We knew it would take a lot of work to get it cleaned up, so we both planned to spend our upcoming Spring Break working out in the yard and getting it ready to go.

As it turned out, we hired contractors to save Bill's back.
(Best. Money. Ever. Spent.)
Bill did a ton of work on the sprinklers, and we spent most of yesterday laying the sod ourselves.... but we let the hired help do all the heavy lifting, so to speak. ;)

Here are a few slide shows that show the before, after and work-in-progress shots:

yard- view A - slideshow maker

yard view B - slideshows

yard view C - slideshows

yard view D - slideshows

Glue and Gum

2011-02-16T16:15:00.000-08:00

Two funny Lexy stories from the past week:

First...

One day after school last week, Lexy casually mentions to me "I told Brooke she needed to take a bath tonight." I had that internal shudder-of-fear for what might come next. We often joke around the Hughes Zoo that someone needs to take a bath because they are a 'stinky, dirty bird.'
Thankfully, she continued by saying, "She had glue all over her hair, Mom. ALL OVER." I breathed a sigh of relief. And silently chuckled to think that Lexy has become a little mother hen of her friends.

Fast forward to Monday morning. I am waiting at the kindergarten drop off gate before school when Brooke's mom approaches me... She says,

"So, apparently Lexy decided that she needed to let me know what was going on with Brooke's hair. She sent me a note-- stuffed in Brooke's pocket. She drew a picture of a girl with long hair, pointed an arrow towards it and labeled it 'Brooke'. Then she drew another arrow to her hair and wrote 'Glue In Hair'. I asked Brooke about it, and she said, 'yeah, she wanted to make sure you knew what happened.'"

Oh My Word.
Mother Hen to to the nth degree.
And so cute. :)

Second,...

The kids and I surprised Daddy on Valentine's Day by bringing him lunch during his work day. We happened to arrive on campus at the end of the brunch passing period. As we were pulling into the parking place, I looked around and realized we were totally witnessing Valentine's Day gift exchanges between young loves... And all the other things that hormonally-charged teenagers are wont to do. But no matter; we were not deterred. The girls took the food to Daddy's classroom, Daddy was equally surprised and delighted, and we went on our way.

Later that night, as we were all going through the bedtime routine, Lexy says to Bill, "Daddy, today at your school, I saw this boy and girl... and they were kissing. I think they were switching gum, or something. I don't know. I think they were maybe boyfriend and girlfriend. I don't know though, don't ask me." Bill and I both had to bite our lips to keep from laughing.

"Switching Gum."

I love it.

And thankfully, it sparked a great conversation about kissing-- who kisses, when it's appropriate to kiss, etc.

Teachable Moments!

Button Up Buddy

2011-01-13T21:03:00.000-08:00

Our children have many nicknames.
And, generally, Bill is the one who creates them.

When Lexy arrived on the scene, he started calling her "My Only Daughter!" in a very exasperated voice with a hint of a Spanish accent. Really, it was a movie quote. Which, if you know Bill, should come as no surprise. (It's from "Fools Rush In")

Lexy was also dubbed "Lexy Lou" from early on.... And sometimes just "Lou".... and sometimes just 'L'. And sometimes L-Dawg.

You get the picture.

Tori was born and immediately became "My Second Daughter!" as Lexy morphed into "My First Daughter!" said with the same flare. And then came a flurry of other nicknames for Tori-- "T Bone", "Tori Toops", "Toops", "T" and "LB" (for Little Bill, or the abbreviation for pound, which she was a lot of :) ) just to name a few.

So, it did not surprise me in the least when I started hearing Bill call Liam "Button Up Buddy." I had no idea what the origin of that nickname was, but I went with it, never questioning its meaning. I thought perhaps it had something to do with his little sleepers that had to be buttoned up from his toes to his neck every time we changed his diapers (read: a lot).

I carried on calling him Button Up Buddy for probably a good month or two until one afternoon when Bill overheard me and began a little internet search. Next thing I knew, I had an iTouch in my hands that displayed the following:

Apparently, "Button Up Buddy" was really "Bud, not Buddy."
Who knew?

Bill had that title stored somewhere back in the deep dark corners of his brain from his time as a middle school teacher in south central Los Angeles.

I had been referring to Liam as "Buddy" quite a bit, so (naturally?) Bill had made the progression to "Bud, not Buddy".

I guess I should get my ears checked.

Since then, I have actually read the book--and it is really good!
(Turns out those Newbery Medal & Honors people know what they're doing.)
We now own a copy for our own little Bud, Not Buddy's personal library.

Snow!

2011-01-04T16:18:00.001-08:00

About every 20 years or so, there is a weather anomaly that happens and it snows in our normally sunny, southern California town. The last time it happened was in 1989, when I was in junior high. I distinctly remember making a glorious snowman at the local elementary school yard, and later driving across town with my dad through snow flurries because I *had* to have a new padlock for my gym locker at school. (For any of you local readers, we were driving to the then **NEW** Target shopping center, which at the time, was a good 2 miles north of any other development here in town. In other words, way out in the middle of nowhere. Funny how things change.)

So, flash forward to January 2, 2011, and the magic happened again. SNOW.

And we weren't even home to see it. :)

But...

We were up in the mountains enjoying the fluffy white stuff. Lots more of it, actually.

still shot before they head down the hill

These pictures were all taken in the morning, before it started snowing. The storm that brought 1 inch (or so) of snow to our hometown brought about 12 inches of snow to the mountains that afternoon and evening. It was a winter wonderland. And I didn't take any more pictures. But it was gorgeous. :) And we were thankful to make it home, fearing we might be snowed in. Neither Bill nor I were raised in snow, so clearly our perspective is a bit skewed, but it seemed like it was DUMPING snow us as we were driving home. With chains. CRAZY.

Such a fun weekend, and so thankful that our kids get to experience the fun of snow!

Florida Recap

2011-01-04T15:01:00.000-08:00

Christmas Morning Sunrise
Pompano Beach, FL

Well, despite my commitment to finishing out the month of November with a 'thankful' post each day.... I fell short. Didn't finish the last 5 days, but that doesn't mean I wasn't thankful. :) Just busy.

No matter... I'm back, and more thankful than ever!

So, I missed the whole month of December in between--
recap: Bill had a birthday, we traveled to Florida for Grandmother Hughes' 90th bday (Dec 24th), and, of course, Christmas! (more on that later)

Our trip in Florida started out like this.

Southernmost Point of the Continental Unite States
Key West, FL

And then we did a lot of this.

Beach time with Daddy

And this.

Swimming in a warm hotel pool.

And this.

Liam's first east coast beach outing.

And this. (Lexy's favorite part, actually)

"Meeting New Cousins."
(or, meeting 2nd cousins for the first time)

And this.

Snuggling with GPa.

And this.

Celebrating Grandmother Hughes.

At Grandmother's Birthday Party
Christmas Eve 2010

And on Christmas Morning in the hotel, we had a very small celebration of Christmas. The girls have been asking for "Space Buddies" for the past 2 yrs, and despite our efforts, we could not produce. It is 'out of print,' so to speak. But, we were fortunate to have been given a used copy by some friends who were cleaning out their DVDs, and we knew we'd have some THRILLED little ladies because of it. So we captured their reactions....
I'll count that as a Christmas Success!

Thankful Day 25

2010-11-25T09:07:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for 5 1/2 hours of uninterrupted sleep.
May not seem like much, but it is the most I'd had in longer than I can remember.

Liam and Lexy both currently have double ear infections. This on the coattails of the single ear infections (and prescribed antibiotics) they had last week.

Needless to say, I've spent a lot of the nighttime hours awake, playing the role of comforter and nurse.

Last night, Bill took over with Liam and let me sleep.
It was glorious.

And I feel like a new woman.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING.

Thankful Day 24

2010-11-24T15:23:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for three children all napping at the same time.

It is a rarity.... something to be celebrated when it happens.

So, today I celebrate.

I am savoring the silence, knowing that in a very short time, the house will be full of laughter and chatter once again. And I will still be thankful.

Thankful Day 23

2010-11-23T22:17:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for heaters.

Yet another modern convenience that makes me realize I am so not cut out for life in a prior century.

What a blessing it is to be in a WARM house.

Thankful Day 22

2010-11-22T14:16:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for my husband.
I am thankful for him EVERY day, but today I will tell you why. :)

He is absolutely passionate for the Lord, and his passion is contagious.

He has a fantastic sense of humor and makes me laugh. (most of the time. :))

He loves our children and yearns for them to know God.

He has such a servant's heart and is always looking for ways to help others.

He is a faithful and loyal friend, both to me and to countless others.

He is dedicated and disciplined, waking up before the sun most days to train both physically and spiritually.

He consistently provides for our family, even on days when he'd rather stay home with us.

He has a "can do" attitude in his approach to just about everything life throws his way.

He doesn't take himself too seriously, and can humbly defuse conflicts with his wisdom and wit.

He cooks; he cleans; he empties the dishwasher.

He stretches me to see things from a different perspective and encourages me to search my heart.

He knows how to fix things. And if he doesn't know how to do it, he'll figure it out.

He loves sports-- watching them and playing them.

He is enthusiastic about life and loves an adventure.

He is just the man God made for me, and I am so honored to share life with him.
(Love you, Bill!)

Thankful Day 21

2010-11-21T21:17:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for hope.

We found out yesterday that our former pastor and friend Tom Givens -- the man who married Bill and I-- was recently diagnosed with ALS.

Absolute Blow To The Gut.

It makes no sense. This, for a man who has devoted his life to proclaiming the gospel.

And yet, we have HOPE.
Because God is good. And He is Sovereign.

⁷ But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD,
I wait for God my Savior;
my God will hear me.
⁸ Do not gloat over me, my enemy!
Though I have fallen, I will rise.
Though I sit in darkness,
the LORD will be my light.

Micah 7: 7-8

Join me in lifting the whole Givens family up in prayer as they process all of this.

Thankful Day 20

2010-11-20T20:02:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for my pastor and my church, who faithfully teach the Word of God every week.

⁸ Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
⁹ Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.
¹⁰ Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
¹¹ Look to the LORD and his strength;
seek his face always.
¹² Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,
¹³ you his servants, the descendants of Israel,
his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.
¹⁴ He is the LORD our God;
his judgments are in all the earth.
¹⁵ He remembers his covenant forever,
the promise he made, for a thousand generations,
¹⁶ the covenant he made with Abraham,
the oath he swore to Isaac.
¹⁷ He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
to Israel as an everlasting covenant:
¹⁸ “To you I will give the land of Canaan
as the portion you will inherit.”
¹⁹ When they were but few in number,
few indeed, and strangers in it,
²⁰ they wandered from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another.
²¹ He allowed no one to oppress them;
for their sake he rebuked kings:
²² “Do not touch my anointed ones;
do my prophets no harm.”
²³ Sing to the LORD, all the earth;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
²⁴ Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
²⁵ For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.
²⁶ For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
²⁷ Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and joy are in his dwelling place.
²⁸ Ascribe to the LORD, all you families of nations,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
²⁹ Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering and come before him.
Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.
³⁰ Tremble before him, all the earth!
The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.
³¹ Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!”
³² Let the sea resound, and all that is in it;
let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them!
³³ Let the trees of the forest sing,
let them sing for joy before the LORD,
for he comes to judge the earth.
³⁴ Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
³⁵ Cry out, “Save us, God our Savior;
gather us and deliver us from the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name,
and glory in your praise.”
1 Chronicles 16:8-35

Thankful Day 19

2010-11-19T21:45:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for hot showers.

As I was standing under the steamy, cascading water in my shower today, I started thinking.

I find it AMAZING how a good, hot shower can turn any day around. No matter how tired or emotional you feel, standing under that running water seems to just wash all your cares away.

What a privilege it is to live in a country where we have clean, running HOT water at our fingertips. Especially in light of the cholera outbreaks going on in Haiti due to contaminated water, access to clean water is not something to take for granted.

I am so thankful. (And clean.) :)

Thankful Day 18

2010-11-18T20:56:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for 'roots'.

The thought hit me today as I was walking home from Lexy's school....
It is such a neat feeling to live in a community where I have 'roots.'

Backing up a bit....
As I was walking her to school at 7:58am, I came across a friend of mine that I have literally known since preschool who was frantically trying to get her kids to the proper places before the bell rang. With a slight pang of panic in her voice she said, "Jenn, can you take Annabelle to her class for me? I forgot her Pilgrim costume at home and I have to go get it!"

This morning was the kindergarten Thanksgiving Feast, and all of the kindergartners were supposed to come to school in their previously-made Pilgrim or Indian costumes.

So... I grabbed Annabelle's hand-- a child whom I have never really talked to before-- and we all walked the rest of the way to the kindergarten classrooms together, without a second thought.

I stayed and enjoyed the Thanksgiving "Feast" (term used very loosely as the meal consisted of goldfish crackers, popcorn, pumpkin bread and apple juice) with Lexy and her classmates and then headed home.

As I walked home through the gorgeous tree-covered paseos, I replayed the morning's events in my head and I was struck with one of those "I'm so thankful" moments. And for lack of a better word, I realized it was the 'roots'. Being part of a community for 34 years allows for some very long-standing, deep roots, and I am grateful for the blessing they are in my life. AND I am very aware that I may not always have the privilege of being 'rooted' in the community in which I live, so I will celebrate the blessing of my current 'roots' all the more.

Thankful Day 17

2010-11-17T20:47:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful that we have a break just around the corner.

Tomorrow is Lexy's last day of school until the Monday after Thanksgiving, and boy, do I need the break. I'm not sure why, but I just feel exhausted. Like I need some time to catch up. So, this upcoming school vacation-- Fall Break, if you will-- is just what the doctor ordered.

Now, if you'll excuse me... I must head to bed because I have to have my afternoon kindergartner at school by 8:00 am tomorrow morning. Busy, busy morning.... but she'll be FREE by 11:40!
Hooray for vacation.

Thankful Day 16

2010-11-16T19:58:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for my mom. (Hi Mom!)

It is such a blessing to have her so close-- practically around the corner-- and be so involved in the lives of her grandchildren.

Yesterday, Grandma volunteered in Lexy's kindergarten class. (She is also the Art Appreciation teacher for Lexy's class once a month!)

This morning, Lexy and Tori made their weekly trip to her house for "Tuesday Tea."

This evening, she called and offered to bring dinner over to our house-- Homemade Chicken soup. Mmmmmm. One of my favs.

Thanks, Mom. :)
I am so blessed.

Thankful Day 15

2010-11-15T14:07:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for our ability to give.
God has blessed us abundantly, beyond all we could ever need. We consider it our joy to share His blessings with others.

This morning, the girls and I packed up shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child.

I really *love* giving that involves the kids. They really understand that we are wrapping up presents for someone else, and...who doesn't like to be the bearer of gifts?!

I only wish there were similar, kid-friendly programs the other 11 months out of the year!

Thankful Day 14

2010-11-14T21:13:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for my home. And to BE home.

We had a WONDERFUL weekend up in Yosemite with some great friends. The weather was cool and crisp; the waterfalls were still flowing; the trees were in various stages of yellow, orange, and red. It was breathtaking.

But it is good to be home. :)

Thankful Day 13

2010-11-13T23:35:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for the beauty of God's creation.

Thankful Day 12

2010-11-12T11:58:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for the innocence and imagination of childhood.

**sweet anticipation**
waiting for the cookies to be done
"A watched cookie never bakes" ?? :)

**wardrobe queen**
All set for a "Cinderella" play with all our friends and neighbors as part of the cast.

**Look out Meg Whitman/Sarah Palin**

playing "President of California", busy answering phone calls all day long

Thankful Day 11

2010-11-11T11:53:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for my freedom.
I am thankful for the millions of men and women who have served in our Armed Services to protect and defend my freedom.
May I never take them or it for granted...

Thankful Day 10

2010-11-10T07:48:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for laughter. Especially the laughter from my children. I could listen to it All. Day. Long. It is music to my soul.

Thankful Day 9

2010-11-09T15:08:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for the tender moments of cuddling with my kids.

I remember when Lexy was born, a family friend told me about how years ago, she nursed her now college-aged son in the middle of the night WELL beyond the recommended age for nighttime feedings simply because it was the only time when she had him all to herself-- quiet, uninterrupted cuddle time. To this sleep-deprived first-time mom, those words didn't really make much sense. I couldn't wait for Lexy to sleep through the night so I could get back to my precious sleep. Funny how things change... Five years and 3 kids later, I completely understand what she meant.

If there is anything good about a sick kid, it's got to be the cuddling, right?

Liam has had a really hard time sleeping at night for about the past week-- due in large part to the ear infection we now know about, I'm sure-- so I have been up all hours of the night playing the role of comforter. I am so easily-inclined to complain about the loss of sleep (and I do! way. too. much.), but it hit me last night during one of the prolonged wake periods-- "I won't be able to cuddle with him like this forever. Cherish the moments."

And so today, despite the bags under my eyes and the cloudiness of my sleep-deprived brain, I am thankful for the precious moments of uninterrupted cuddle time I get with my sweet little guy, snotty nose and all. :)

Pictures worth posting

2010-11-08T10:47:00.001-08:00

Thankful Day 8

2010-11-08T10:42:00.000-08:00

Today, I am thankful for doctors and medicine.

We have had a rough couple of weeks health-wise.... Two cases of croup, 3-4 colds, and 2 ear infections. Last week, Lexy complained about her ear hurting, which is pretty much a guarantee that she has an ear infection. Thankfully, a miraculously QUICK trip to Urgent Care (only 10 minutes!!) took care of it. This morning, Liam was diagnosed with his first ear infection during his Well Baby check-up. (Oh, the irony.) :)

So, we are on the road to recovery. And I am thankful that I have access to trustworthy doctors and inexpensive medicine that restores health to my precious little ones.

Thankful Day 7

2010-11-07T15:38:00.000-08:00

Today, I am thankful for naps.

You'd think we wouldn't need a nap on Day Light Savings Day-- after that 'extra hour of sleep', wink, wink-- but everyone seemed exhausted this afternoon. Maybe it was the early morning wake-up for the race (which went well, by the way)... Maybe it is the gloomy, chilly weather that is making us all want to curl up in our warm beds... Maybe it's the toll of the busy week we just finished.... Or maybe All Of The Above. Not sure. But we can all say it was wonderful to rest.

Here are a few shots from this morning. Bill and I ran the 5K (not pictured) and Lexy ran the Kid K Fun Run.

***getting ready for the race***

***all business***

***pure joy!***
(waving at her sister :) )

And one from our trip to Aunt Barb's on Friday...
Looks like we've got another water baby!! Liam loved the water. :)

Thankful Day 6

2010-11-06T21:01:00.000-07:00

Today, I am thankful for my health.

I have been on a running kick as of late. Running and I have a love-hate relationship. :) I love running and the exhiliration and accomplishment I feel AFTER the run is over. In talking about running with various people over the past few months, I have been struck by how many of my young friends have knee, ankle, hip or other various joint problems that prevent them from being about to run for exercise. Even though I don't LOVE going for a run, I am so grateful that I can.

On the eve of my second 5K race in the past month, I am thankful. Though my body may not be a portrait of athletic prowess, I am a healthy, able-bodied woman and I am so grateful.

Now I must go get to bed. I've got a race tomorrow morning. :)

Thankful Day 5

2010-11-05T13:00:00.000-07:00

Today I am thankful that I get to stay home with my kids. More to the point, I am thankful that my husband values my ability to stay home and raise our children and works really hard to provide for our family. There are so many moments in my day that I wish I could just bottle and cherish forever. For instance, Tori was playing with my wrist watch this morning and it is now missing in action. I've been asking her for about the last 30 minutes to please look for it. Just now, she was standing in the hallway and said, "Mom, I'm gonna go get my baby to help. She has eagle eyes, I know she'll find it."

Where do they come up with this stuff?!

Oh, to see the world through 3 yr old eyes....

Thankful Day 1-Day 4

2010-11-04T12:56:00.000-07:00

Hello from the HughesZoo!

We are all alive and well, despite our rather long blog absence. :)

Rather than dwell on the fact that it's been nearly a YEAR since I last wrote anything on here, I thought I just jump right back in and try to use the month of November to make up for lost time by posting 30 things I'm thankful for-- one for each day of the month.

I hope is that this exercise will spur me on to be a bit more prolific in the coming year... :)

It goes without saying that I am thankful for my family-- my husband, my beautiful, energetic children-- my faith, my friends, my home, etc. (Although I might still use any one of the aforementioned things at some point this month) So, I'd like to really focus on the mundane things in life that are so easily taken for granted.

And since today is actually November 4th, today's installment will be a catch-up round of FOUR things I'm thankful for. :)

So, without further adieu:

Today, I am thankful for the beautiful sunshine that lights up my home. It is supposed to be 90 degrees today. And yes, it IS November. Both girls wore sundresses to school. Felt a little bit wrong, but whatever. They were dressed weather-appropriate. :)

I am thankful for my dishwasher, washing machine and dryer, all of which are currently running. Rather than complain about the work surrounding each of those appliances, I will focus on the true blessing they are to me as the keeper of my home.

I am thankful for a quiet afternoon at home. Tori, Liam AND Daddy-- who surprised us by coming home early!-- are all taking naps. Lexy is still at school, and I am about to go fold some laundry while KLOVE plays in the background. BLISS.

I am thankful for the full refrigerator and pantry that will (more than) meet our nourishment needs over the next week. God is always faithful to provide "our daily bread" and much, much more.

Merry Christmas from The Hughes Zoo

2009-12-24T10:52:00.001-08:00

"For unto us a child his born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called.....

Wonderful, Counselor,
The Mighty God
The everlasting Father,
The Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

Wishing you a season of PEACE, LOVE, JOY and HOPE that can only our Savior, Jesus Christ, can provide.

bill jenn lexy tori & baby boy (due Feb 14th)

Marching Orders

2009-10-30T16:20:00.000-07:00

The true Christian was intended by Christ to prove all things by the Word of God, all churches, all ministers, all teaching, all preaching, all doctrines, all sermons, all writings, all opinions, all practices. These are his marching orders. Prove all by the Word of God; measure all by the measure of the Bible; compare all with the standard of the Bible; weigh all in the balances of the Bible; examine all by the light of the Bible; test all in the crucible of the Bible. That which cannot abide the fire of the Bible, reject, refuse, repudiate, and cast away. This is the flag which he nailed to the mast. May it never be lowered!

~ John Wycliffe

2009-10-08T09:35:00.000-07:00

Join me in praying for
The Perkins family.

Ruth and Boaz

2009-10-07T11:42:00.000-07:00

We have started checking out childrens' movies from our church library on a weekly basis, and the girls really enjoy them. Currently, we have "Bible Animated Classics: Ruth" on loan, and they like it so much we actually renewed it for another week!
Here's when you know maybe they have watched it a few too many times....
Tori walks around the house saying, "My God, MY God." (I don't think she knows how to say 'your'.)

"Where you go, I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God." Ruth 1:16b

And the real kicker....
Lexy had a great suggestion the other night:
"Hey Mom, how 'bout we name the baby Boaz?"

Boaz Hughes.
Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? :)

I had to laugh. At least they are hearing (and hopefully learning!) about trust in God, obedience, and kindness from the story of Ruth.

The New 'Do

2009-10-03T13:38:00.000-07:00

In case you didn't crack the code of Bill's previous post (which he has now deleted), Lexy and her little scissors decided to cut all of Tori's hair off last Thursday afternoon.

I was tutoring, and the girls were both supposed to be asleep. I had left out Lexy's Arts & Crafts bin on her little table figuring she might wake up sooner and would need something to occupy her. Although she had a episode with a friend's doll's hair last spring, she really hasn't had any issues with the rules for scissors, so I didn't think it would be a problem.

So, apparently neither of them ever went to sleep, and Lexy had invited Tori out into the family room to do Arts and Crafts.... ON HER HAIR.

They both walked up to the table while I was tutoring with huge grins on their faces saying, "Look Mom! Look at Tori's hair!"

I was in total shock, as was the girl I was tutoring. We were speechless. Thankfully, I had just heard a talk that morning at MOPS about how we shouldn't be yelling/screaming at our kids. Since the message was still fresh in my mind, I heeded the advice and chose silence instead of screaming.

I took Tori back to bed. Lexy resumed her arts & crafts (ON PAPER, this time), and I finished tutoring (although my mind was a little preoccupied, as you can imagine!).

When I had finished tutoring, I made a 911 Hair Emergency call to a hair-stylist friend and she said she could try to fix it at her house right then. It was a tough fix, since there wasn't much hair left to work with.

So, here she is in her new 'do. It's cute.... but clearly, not a hair cut I would EVER in a MILLION YEARS give a 2 year old.

Since then, Bill and I have had plenty of discussion with Lexy about WHY she would cut her sister's hair. Bottom line, we think there might have been a touch of jealousy over her curls. Which is even a BIGGER parenting issue to tackle. Ugh.

We don't believe in the concept of karma, but we did end up in at Urgent Care on Friday night for Lexy, who jumped off the couch and hit her forehead on the edge of a chair resulting in a little, but deep, cut that, thankfully, didn't require stitches. She is currently sporting about 8 steristrips (sp?) on her forehead and has been told to keep in dry for 5 days. I guess swimming is out of the question!

The good news in all of this is that Tori seems totally unfazed by the fact that she now looks completely different. In fact, those pictures were taken Friday afternoon when she was looking at herself in our bedroom mirrors, admiring her new look. I think she might even LIKE it.

I just hope it grows a little before we take our family Christmas picture....

The New Mantra

2009-09-16T05:43:00.000-07:00

And, no, it has nothing to do with the Dodgers. :)

Lexy's prayers have been answered! :)
(She's been asking God for a boy since she found out I was pregnant.)

"Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him." Psalm 127:3

Safe from fire, surrounded by smoke

2009-08-31T14:19:00.000-07:00

For any out of town family or friends who are wondering about us and the current wildfires burning in southern California, we are fine.

At this point, we aren't in the fire's path at all. Things can change at any time, of course, but I have a certain level of confidence that our valley will be spared. News reports are saying that the hillsides that are aflame right now haven't burned in more than 50 years, so the "fuel" is plentiful. That is definitely not the case in our valley, which has had its fair share of fires over the last 5 years.

The only effect we are feeling is the terrible air quality. This morning, I walked outside and thought I was standing next to a campfire. It's that strong. And there is little, itty-bitty pieces of ash all over everything-- I read one article calling it "southern California snow."
I found this AMAZING VIDEO that gives you a good idea of what our skies have looked like for the past 3 days. I was particularly excited to watch it so that I now know how the "white tops" have been formed amongst the smoke. (You'll see what I mean if you watch it!) I couldn't tell if the smoke was enveloping a cloud, or if the smoke itself was turning white, or what.... I started to think it looked like whipped cream on top!

Anyway, we are well. Will keep the blog updated if anything changes.

Hughes Look-alike Meter-- update #2

2009-08-24T22:48:00.001-07:00

And then there's the original comparison for Lexy and today's...

That's a 7% swing! That must mean Bill has lost 7% of his hair since last time.

But I still think she has Hughes blood coursing through those veins.... :)

Hughes Look-alike Meter-- update

2009-08-24T22:39:00.001-07:00

We tried this about a year and a half ago and thought it might be fun to see how things have changed....

Apparently, not much has.
Still not sure I buy it, though....

#3

2009-08-14T11:33:00.001-07:00

Lexy and Tori are thrilled to announce....

They are going to be big sisters!

Our new Little Love Bug is due on February 14th.

Faces of Summer

2009-07-22T21:37:00.001-07:00

So behind, playing catch-up

2009-07-02T15:34:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's been OVER a month since I've posted anything on here.

Well, yes I can, actually.

It's been a busy month. Lots of visitors and activities.
Lots of LIVING, not much blogging, I guess.
But isn't that the way it's supposed to work?
Whatever.

Here is a photo recap of the last month of our lives...

Aunt Neva (Bill's sister) came out to visit one of her friends, and we spent a wonderful afternoon with her in Downtown LA. Highlight of the trip had to have been Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles.

Next up, Bill's parents came out from TX to spend 10 days with us. We started off the visit with Sunday Brunch at The Castaway, which, on top of being YUMMY, was also a nice trip down memory lane since that is where we held our Rehearsal Dinner the night before our wedding.

Then, we immediately put Dick and Nancy to work in the fields, making them earn their keep. :)
We headed to our favorite So Cal location, Underwood Family Farms, and made use of the extra pairs of hands in picking blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and a few raspberries (it was too early in the season for them).

For Dick's benefit, I would like to point out (because he did MULTIPLE times) that he only picked BLUE blueberries, as evidenced above, whereas the rest of us had a hard time picking the ripe ones and ended up with buckets of various shades of reddish purple, and the occasional green ones thrown in in Lexy's bucket. (You can pay me later, Dick.) :)

This just in!
We interrupt this vacation recap to bring you breaking news:

WE HAVE CUTE KIDS. :)

We now return to your regularly scheduled vacation recap.

Next stop, the annual trip to heaven on earth, otherwise know as Yosemite.

And more on Yosemite in my next post because this one has been in the drafts folder for over a month, and I need to move on. :)

Two

2009-07-01T20:08:00.000-07:00

I guess this means you are officially not a baby anymore.
Not sure how that happened.... Time has a way of flying by.

We've had quite a year, enjoying your cute little personality. In fact, Daddy and I were just commenting the other day about how you have a certain charisma about you.... Hard to describe. Almost an "I know I'm cute" swagger, but in the most endearing way that makes you even cuter.

You've learned a lot in the last year. Walking, talking (kind of), and mimicking everything you see your big sister doing. She has been schooled in "being a good example" for you because you pick up even the slightest things. Maybe you'll end up being my observant child!

This was the year that you had tubes put in your ears, too. That was an anxious day for Daddy and I, but we are already seeing the rewards. Your vocabulary has EXPLODED ever since. You can't quite work out all of the letter sounds yet, but we understand you most of the time anyway. And you are much more willing and eager to sound words out, now, too.

You have become quite a little swimmer, too, which we had not anticipated since you never showed the love of water quite like Lexy did. But once you got your feet wet (literally!), you quickly got the hang of it. And we invested in ear plugs. Which you are quick to remind me to pack every time we head to the pool. (Good thing, too, because I seem to always forget them!)

You've acquired quite a few nicknames in your two short years, mostly from your Daddy who likes to abbreviate everything. :) Tori Toops has been around awhile, but "Toops" by itself is newish. And then there's "T-Bone" or "T-Bone Jones". (I have no idea). And when he's feeling REALLY rushed for time, he just goes with "T". Thank goodness you answer to all of them.

One of our favorite games to play with you is Pouty Face, which really speaks for itself. But the humor in it is that you don't ever use the pouty face when you are pouting.... Only when you are all smiles and game to entertain us with your antics. I was so excited to actually capture it on film for future generations to see. (And please note that as soon as the flash went off, you broke into a HUGE grin-- right back to the smiley Tori we all know and love!)

You are so independent, always trying to do things by yourself. Including potty training. What a joy it is to say that you COMPLETLEY trained yourself in how to go #2 on the potty. We're still working on #1, but even that is about 70% on the potty. If it were only this easy with every child.

I have so enjoyed watching your hair continue to grow in curly! I absolutely LOVE it. Especially when we go to the beach and it turns into ringlets. I hope it never changes.

We are so blessed to have you as part of our family, T. We love you so much and are cherishing every moment of your toddlerhood, knowing full well that the days may seem long, but the years are short.

Happy Birthday, Toops.
We love you.

Frozen Treats

2009-06-04T13:37:00.001-07:00

Wordless Wednesday: From this side of the lens

2009-06-03T05:57:00.000-07:00

The Purple Camera

2009-06-02T20:42:00.000-07:00

Since about January of this year, all Lexy could talk about was wanting "a purple camera."

If I heard it once, I heard it a thousand times.
"I want a purple camera for Christmas."

She didn't quite understand that next Christmas was 11 months away. She had spent the previous 4-5 months saying, "Maybe I could get [x] for Christmas...." We hadn't converted her to the concept of BIRTHDAY presents yet.

So, I went online and did a little research to see if, in fact, a kid-friendly purple camera existed.
Not only did I find a digital camera designed for kids, but JACKPOT!, it was made by Fisher Price. The mother of one of the girls that I tutor is a Mattel employee and can get toys for DEEP discounts. Gotta love that.

So, the birthday came, and we were so excited to give her The Purple Camera (that is actually pink with just a smidge of purple on it).
We captured pictures of her opening it, and they are priceless.

She is gazing up at me while I'm asking her if she remembers what she has been asking for for her birthday.... And then the "I think I know what it is" smile sweeps across her face.

I love the open-mouth awe in the second shot, even though I KNOW she knew what was coming...

And the sweet look of a successful birthday present.

(Sidenote [because we are all about the sidenote]: check out what Tori was up to while the presents were being opened.)

Then we took a family walk to a local bagel shop for her birthday morning breakfast, and lest you be curious to know how it went, our little photographer-in-the-making documented the whole trip.

Daddy in the driveway getting ready to leave. Apparently he is too big to fit into just one picture.

Some bushes! With berries! And me telling her to stop taking pictures of bushes and catch up.

The patio at the bagel shop. And some unsuspecting patrons of the bagel shop.

Scenic long walk home. A Not-To-Be-Missed block wall.

And more of the long walk home.

At this point, we got tired of waiting for her, so we strapped her in the stroller (against her will) for the remainder of the walk.

But let me tell you, what a stroke of genius that turned out to be! We got some MOTION pictures out of it!

I like to call this particular shot "Asphalt".

In all seriousness, though, we are very excited for her to have her own camera! What an adventure it will be to see the world through her eyes. And expect regular blog installments of "Lexy's funniest pictures". I already have some pics in mind for that.... :)

Fit FOUR a Princess

2009-05-26T09:10:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, we celebrated Lexy's birthday in style with a Princess Tea Party.

She invited five of her little 4-yr-old friends to come over to her house Saturday morning for a Royal Tea.
For the files: 2 out of the 5 girls were named "Nora". And that's not even a common name! Unfortunately, one of the Noras woke up with a fever that morning as was unable to come. :(
But we had fun regardless!

All of the girls came in princess attire and it was so cute to see them all dressed up.

Lexy requested that Bill be Prince Charming, so he got dressed up (in a shirt and tie), too. :)
She told me that I could be The King, but I just opted for Mom. :)

We made princess crowns....

And jeweled necklaces....

And put Cinderella in her Castle Window (the princess version of "Pin The Tail On The Donkey")....

And of course, we enjoyed a spot of tea, er... juice, scones, fruit, and PB&J sandwiches.

And what party would be complete without cupcakes?

Tori got in on all the action, too, although she didn't quite have the princess costume down.

A good time was had by all of the princesses.

Four

2009-05-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

Looking back over the last year, it's hard to believe it's been a year.
And what a wonderful year it has been...
Your language has exploded this year--typical for 3-yr-olds, I'm sure-- and we have LOVED having real conversations with you. My mind is still baffled at the way you take in life, memorizing the details of how mom and dad do [fill-in-the-blank]. And then you turn around two minutes later and reenact the activity, motion, or expression as if it's something you've known all your life.

Or at least "since you were a little girl."

That is actually your favorite thing to say about ANYTHING that has happened past-tense.

"Mom, when I was a little girl, I used to....."

And more often than not, it was something you did just yesterday. You know, back when you were little.

But now you're big.
A big FOUR year old.

As I tucked you in to bed last night, I was telling you that this was the last time I'd tuck my 3-yr-old Lexy in to bed, and was excitedly saying that you'll be 4 tomorrow!!

But you weren't as excited as I had anticipated.
In fact, you cried.
"But, I'll never be three again!" (Insert tears rolling down face)

I couldn't help but laugh at the role-reversal we were having. Me.... smiling from ear to ear about how you get to be FOUR tomorrow.... who should be crying that my baby is not gonna be three anymore. And you.... in tears.... who should be full of glee about your big birthday.

Regardless of the tears, I know you will relish your roll as a big 4 yr old. You are a true "Big Sister" to every little one you encounter, whether friend or stranger. You love to crouch down to their eye level and talk to them in a high-pitched, sing-songy voice that is, apparently, How To Talk To Babies.

You are all about writing these days. Any paper and pen (or pencil, or crayon, or marker) you come across will instantly be put to use. And oh how you love to make notes! For me. For Daddy. For Grandma. For Tori. For your school friends. For the kids you met at the park (who we will probably never see again!). For the mailman. For anyone you meet, really. You are so friendly. I love the way that you've never met a stranger. (Although it also scares me just a teensy bit.)

We had a wonderful year together in AWANA Cubbies, learning about God and memorizing Bible verses. And what a treat it's been to have your ears perk up when you hear those verses quoted in sermons or sung in songs. "Mommy! That's my verse!"

You also love to sing, particularly the songs you have learned from Christian radio, which delights my heart. Your personal favorite is "Mighty To Save", which you have been known to sing at the top of your lungs as we stroll through the aisles of Sam's club or Target. The emotion that sweeps over me when I hear my little girl singing "My God is Mighty to Save, He is Mighty to Save!", proclaiming the truth for all to hear..... Simply breathtaking.

Your ministry continues at home through your outdoor concerts. You've created your own little stage in the backyard from which you belt out whatever song is on your heart. I can't help but smile when I'm in the kitchen preparing dinner and I hear you singing outside for the whole neighborhood to hear. If only we all had such passion and confidence.

We truly have had an incredible year watching you grow and learn. Daddy wants me to make sure that I document that you did your first math problem this year. 1 + 2 = 3. We're starting you early. In fact, you overheard me tutoring someone in Algebra last week, and when I said something like "x divided by 3 equals...", you interjected "I have an X in my name!" Mathematician in the making. :)

We love you and are so excited that God has entrusted us with your little life.
Happy Birthday Lexy Lou.
Four is gonna be a great year.

Stylin' Saturday

2009-05-16T18:03:00.000-07:00

My hilarious friend Wendy has a feature on her blog called Stylin' Saturdays, which I have enjoyed reading (and relating to!) for the past couple of months.

Today happens to be Saturday.
A great coincidence considering the following:
Bill let Lexy get dressed all by herself this morning.

Then I ran for the camera.
You probably didn't realize that stripes and floral print match. And cowboy boots are always appropriate. Even when they are on the wrong feet.

What you can't see is the ankle-socks she's got on underneath the boots. Nothing says classy like ankle-socks, ladies.

But I think we'll still keep her.

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T00:37:00.000-07:00

BEFORE I WAS A MOM
Author Unknown

Before I was a Mom
I made and ate hot meals.
I had unstained clothing.
I had quiet conversations on the phone.

Before I was a Mom
I slept as late as I wanted
And never worried about how late I got into bed.
I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday.

Before I was Mom
I cleaned my house each day.
I never tripped over toys or forgot words of lullabies.

Before I was a Mom
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom
I had never been puked on
Pooped on
Spit on
Chewed on
Peed on
Or pinched by tiny fingers.

Before I was a Mom
I had complete control of
My thoughts
My body
And my mind.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom
I never held down a screaming child
So that doctors could do tests
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got bloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
When I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small
Could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a Mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small
Could make me feel so important.

Before I was a Mom
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay
I had never known the warmth
The joy
The love
The heartache
The wonder
Or the satisfaction of being a Mom.

I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom.

Date Night

2009-05-02T15:42:00.000-07:00

Babysitter: Free! (Thanks Mom)
Dinner out without kids: $17 (So much cheaper without little mouths to feed!)
Third Day concert (featuring Revive and Brandon Heath): $50 (And worth EVERY PENNY!)
A Night away with my wonderful husband: PRICELESS

All Tubed Up

2009-04-28T20:15:00.001-07:00

Well, we survived the surgery this morning. Actually, TORI survived.
Thank you God.
She was a trooper! (As usual)**
We woke up at 4:30am to get ready to head down there.
A bit of the "airport anxiety" earliness applied here, too.
We got to the Outpatient Surgery Center at about 5:45am. Filled out some paperwork. And then waited. And waited. Meanwhile, entertaining a 21-month old girl with everything we could think of.

The hospital gave her a cute little stuffed bear. That was exciting for all of 2 minutes.

Then she moved on to the hospital phone and magazines. That held her attention for about 10 minutes!

Then it was on to Daddy's cell phone.... until she started calling people at the ungodly hour, so we had to take it away.

Really, we were just tired. No one should have to wake up that early. Ever.
(notice my watch says it 6:25am-- it's ten minutes fast, so really it was 6:15am)

Lovin' on my tired girl.

Finally, about 6:40, a nurse came out and ushered us back into the pre-op area. There was some discrepancy with the scheduled start time of the surgery. Our paperwork said 7:30am, but the hospital's paperwork said 7:00am. So we were kind of hurrying up just in case it was 7:00am, but thinking it was more likely 7:30.

We then began the fun game on entertaining a 21-month old in a HOSPITAL BED. We had a sweet nurse name Kai, mother of two little ones herself, who was super flexible in letting us get up and walk around.

It was very apparent that they'd entertained children once or 3 million times before.

They had puzzles. And stickers.

And bless nurse Kai, she let Tori's baby doll get her bold pressure taken too. So cute.

And the oxygen mask was a big hit. Baby doll got in on that action, too, although we didn't get a shot of it.

All of the staff was SO KIND to us. And everyone enjoyed Tori's joyful spirit. She definitely provided some much needed smiles to all of the other anxious patients waiting for their surgeries.

And then FINALLY, at 7:29 and 47 seconds, the doctor performing the surgery casually saunters in, as if it's no big thing. It probably was God's way of answering prayers, because by that point, I was more annoyed and frustrated than I was anxious. We had been there for almost 2 hours, and I was ready to get this thing over with already.

So we handed her off, which didn't seem to bother her at all. And about 25 minutes later, the doctor came to get Bill and I from the waiting room. Everything went smoothly, and the tubes were in. He mentioned that she had a lot of "thick fluid" behind her eardrums, which is just further confirmation that we made the right choice to proceed with the surgery.

She was really upset when we got to her-- lots of crying, and her body was sort of weak and limp-- but it only took about 25 minutes for her to come out of it. And I think the apple juice with a straw that the nurse brought was what helped her turn the corner. :) (Poor thing had not eaten or had anything to drink since 6:00pm the previous night. And this is my voracious eater!)

We got home at around 9am. She napped from then until 11. By noon, she was back to her feisty little self.

Thank you, Lord, for protecting my sweet Tori.

*Thanks to Grandma for letting us borrow her camera. Ours is in a permanent state of disrepair. :)

**I failed to mention that last week during her pre-op appointment, she had to have blood drawn at the lab. We had just come from the pediatrician's office, where she had a shot and didn't so much as blink. In fact, she smiled. The nurse couldn't believe it. So, we're in the lab and the lab tech's are all planning their strategy of how best to draw blood from her little arm. One tech said to the other "I'll hold her here, you hold this arm, and Mom, hold her body and her head really tight and don't let her move." I replied, "I'm not sure that is necessary... she's pretty tough..." But I followed their instructions anyway. And true to form, Tori didn't even flinch one bit. She watched the needle go in, she watched when they switched out the viles, and when they were all done, SHE LAUGHED. One tech looked at the other and said, "Did she just laugh?!? I think she just laughed!!!" That's my tough cookie. :)

Lexyisms and other notes

2009-04-24T07:18:00.000-07:00

I feel like I am doing a terrible job recording the adorable (and not-so-adorable) things that Lexy has said over the last couple of weeks...

Purely for posterity's sake, here's a list of the ones I can remember:

During afternoon quiet time (and we use the word "quiet" very loosely), Lexy was sitting at her table playing play dough. Daddy unexpectedly popped in before he headed to the golf course for practice. As he was getting ready to head back out, he looked in the room to say goodbye to Lexy really quick, and in the most deadpan voice you'd ever hear, she says, "I didn't get my hug yet." Bill and I both starting cracking up. It probably was a "you had to be there" moment, but it was funny. ;)

Yesterday at school, the circle time question was "What do you want to be when you grow up?" The mom helper came up to me after school to tell me that Lexy said "I want to be a Mommy when I grow up." Apparently the other answers ranged from "Princess" to "Spiderman", so Lexy's answer melted that mom's heart. And mine when she told me. :)

A while back, we were getting ready to go run some errands-- can't even remember what specifically we were going to do, but Lexy was excited to go. I had both girls dressed and ready, and, as usual, was still getting ready myself. I had changed out of my pajamas into yoga pants and a t-shirt-- which on any other day could have been my pajamas, since that is a typical "pajama" outfit for me. But on this particular day, I just felt like being comfortable, so I was going to wear my "comfies". As we were tending to the last minute details before we walked out the door, I remember seeing out of the corner of my eye that Lexy had opened up my closet and was looking from left to right through my wardrobe. I think she had a little commentary going, much the same as I do for her when we are choosing what she'll wear for the day, but I wasn't really paying attention. So, I finished gathering all the essentials and announced "Let's go!" As I start walking towards the door, she gives me the funniest sideways look, sweeping her pointer finger up and down at my outfit, saying out of the side of her mouth, "Are those your pajamas??" As in... "Um, Mom? Hate to be the one to bring this to your attention, but do you realize you're about to walk out in public in your pajamas? Don't you think you'd like to change first?" Hilarious. I still crack up thinking back to her face as she said it.

We're in the stage of life that everyone we know is having babies... A detail that is not lost on Lexy, who announces almost daily that she's going to have a baby. The other day, the baby was going to come "in the fall." The due date varies. :) But she is very concerned about being prepared for the baby's arrival and is constantly plotting and planning. Specifically, she keeps telling me that she's going to have to sit in the middle seat (without a car seat) so that her baby can have room for his/her car seat in her old spot. Last week, she announced that she was going to have THREE babies, and she was planning to name them Sarah, Josh, and Billy -- a la The Cannons. (Only Billy is the DAD in that family. Not quite sure about that.) And you can tell that math runs in her blood because she pointed out that her three babies are NOT going to fit in our car, so we'll have to get a bigger one. Roger that. We'll get right on it.

In other un-Lexy related news, Tori is scheduled for surgery on Tuesday morning. She is finally getting tubes in her ears! Although I was super resistant to the idea of surgery early on, I have had a year to think about it, and all signs are pointing towards HAVE THE SURGERY, so that's what we're going to do. We have to be AT the hospital by 6am (should be a fun morning!). I've been told that the whole procedure will take less than 12 minutes, but I can already assure you that they'll be the longest 12 minutes of my life. If you think about it, please pray for all involved on Tuesday. I'm not worried, but there is definitely an element of risk whenever anesthesia is involved, so I'm trying not to be too cavalier about it either. It's a fine line to walk....between not freaking out, yet not being too unaffected. I choose to commit it to the Lord.

That's all for now. We're headed to the farm this morning. It's a cloudy day-- much relief from the hundred-degree days we had early in the week. Looking forward to the cooler temps as we pick strawberries! I'd love to say I'll post pictures later, but the camera is still broken. We're trying to decide whether to fix it or just get a new one. Stay tunned.

Twitter

2009-04-17T07:35:00.000-07:00

I've known about Twitter for a while now... never really understood the fascination, and frankly wondered why anyone would want to get CONSTANT updates about the comings and goings of anyone.

(Same goes for the "status" updates on Facebook.)

And yet, I found myself signing up for my own account this morning.

I really think it's a case of laziness, actually.
You see, at any given time, I have about 10 blog post topics floating around in my head. Mostly commentary about how things are going in the Hughes Zoo.
However, most of them are about one line long in length.
And let's be honest, I just don't have time to sit down and create a post that's only one sentence long. Or the brainpower to make them into full-fledged posts.
So they just remain in my head.... "The Blog Posts That Never Were."

Enter Twitter.

It occurred to me this morning that I could just use Twitter to post my one-liners!
(It only took me like 8 months to figure that out. Call me a technology genius!)

So, as of today, I will now have an outlet for the one-line thoughts that pile up in my head.
They'll be at the top right part of the page under the heading:
"LIFE THROUGH ONE-LINE BLOG POSTS".

Enjoy!

I'm debating between "I want a Re-do" or just straight and to the point wth "Lipstick"

2009-04-16T13:13:00.000-07:00

It's been a day. And it's only 1:15pm.
Oh, there are MANY hours of parenting left today. Pray for me.

Whilst outside cleaning up DOG POOP that mysteriously ended up all over the patio instead of the grass, where it can usually be found, I realized that Tori was being strangely quiet, which is NEVER good thing with her.

I had already de-robed her outside since she has the uncanny INability to avoid dog mess if it's within 200 feet of her. I sent her inside while I tended to the 8 dog paws that needed to be cleaned off in addition to the patio itself, which could still use a good scrub down, but that will have to wait.

So I peak inside and find her sitting at the toy box holding a little tote of cosmetics (lotion, lipstick, chapstick, hand sanitizer, etc.) that I keep in my purse. This particular tote is a favorite of hers, and I've had to rip it from her clutches once or A HUNDRED times before. And just for the record, my purse, from which the tote came, was sitting on top of the kitchen table, in the very middle of the table, unreachable unless a certain little one climbed up ONTO the table.

So.... There she is sitting at the toy box absolutely COVERED in lipstick. It's everywhere. Hands, Face, Shirt, Hair. And remarkably, no where else. I may or may not have screamed at her as she walked toward the bathroom and started to try and touch things with her lipstick-caked hands. She may or may not have burst into tears. I feel/felt horrible, but my walls are still white. My sweatshirt, on the other hand, is now sort of mauvey-rose all over the sleeve.

This child. (shaking my head)
She certainly has a fondness for cosmetics.

And the funniest part about all of this (if you can even find humor in it) is that my FIRST thought was, "Oh my gosh, this is so blog worthy, and darn it, OUR CAMERA IS BROKEN!!"
So you'll have to forgive the grainy quality of the pictures-- they're from my cell phone. And they really don't do all the lipstick justice. Just trust me that is was ALL OVER her. In chunks, really.

But at least the moment was captured for your entertainment.

Tune in next week for 'Fun with Eye Shadow.' (Please God, no.)

Mascara, part Deux

2009-04-06T15:26:00.001-07:00

I got quite a lot of in-person response to the original Mascara post, so I thought I'd keep my audience happy and let you know it happened AGAIN.

(I know, I know, I should have learned my lesson and put the make-up bag out of her reach. And I am hear to tell you: IMPOSSIBLE. She will find a way to get to it.)

This time she seems to have figured out that mascara goes on eyes.

And apparently she's taking make-up lessons from Ozzy Osbourne.

Babydoll also got in on the action. As did her cute little NON-REMOVABLE WHITE outfit.

Also lucky enough to be included in this make-up session (although not pictured): Doggie.

She had this big, black smudges up by her eyes, and I couldn't for the life of me figure out what she must have gotten in to. And then I realized what it was.
That poor dog puts up with a lot.

Spring! Glorious Spring!

2009-04-06T15:09:00.001-07:00

It's that wonderful time of year again. Birds are chirping, bees are buzzing, and.... Strawberries are ready to be picked at Underwood Family Farms!

We celebrated the first day of Bill's Spring Break today by heading to one of our favorite family activities, and it did not disappoint!

Believe it or not, that is more than 6 pounds of strawberries. And we'll enjoy every last one. :)

D-land times TWO

2009-04-06T14:18:00.000-07:00

My mom has long had the dream of going to Disneyland for the day, and then spending the night in a local hotel so that she can go AGAIN the next morning.

So, we did. (We're a regular make-a-wish foundation around here)

Grandma, the girls and I all headed down to the Happiest Place On Earth last week and spent the afternoon, evening and night at Disneyland. We had a great time, and it was so fun to see Tori actually "getting it" now. She was down-right CACKLING on the teacups. So cute. (I forgot to bring my camera in the first night, so you'll just have to take my word for it.)

The girls were troopers and stayed awake until 10:30pm as we checked into our hotel. Poor Tori conked out about then, and I swear... this has never happened ever before, but she actually SLEPT THROUGH me changing her diaper and putting on her pajamas. I was astounded.

I should mention-- the girls BOTH had ear infections. Tori was diagnosed the previous day with DOUBLE ear infections and Lexy was given the all clear. However, Lexy spent the better part of that night in my lap crying that her ear hurt, so we headed to Urgent Care on Tuesday morning immediately before going down to Disneyland. (Because we like to pack it all in like that.) And surprise! surprise!, she had an ear infection as well.

Despite their ear ailments, they were in great spirits and seemed to really enjoy the afternoon.

We all had a great nights sleep and were up with the sun to head back to Disneyland for round 2.

Since this was a special Disneyland trip-- the fulfillment of Grandma's dream-- we decided to throw caution to the wind and allow Lexy to get her face painted in the Princess Beauty Parlor. It only cost about half our mortgage, but WELL worth it. :)

We also spent more time than we had previously in California Adventure, and the girls really enjoyed the Bug's Land area. Who knew there were so many kid-friendly rides in there?

Tori and I waited patiently while Lexy and Grandma rode the bumper... bugs?

A big hit of the afternoon was playground area in California Adventure. Again, a new experience for us. Both girls went down the slides, oh, like... 700 times? Grandma and I were thrilled for the chance to sit down and rest a bit. :)

We all had a great time and came home thoroughly exhausted. And we felt so good about our part in making all of Grandma's dreams come true. :)

And they call it Puppy love....

2009-04-04T14:55:00.000-07:00

Fast Friends, or Cuddle Buddies

One afternoon, I was taking care of the girls and realized I hadn't seen Barkley in a while... That panicked, "Oh no, what is he in to" feeling washed over me as I went tearing through the house to find him. But no. Much to my relief, he had casually walked into his crate and fallen asleep. So sweet.

I've been trying not to be political, but....

2009-04-03T11:43:00.000-07:00

A woman in a hot air balloon realized she was lost.

She lowered her altitude and spotted a man in a boat below.

She shouted to him, 'Excuse me, can you help me? I promised
a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know
where I am.'

The man consulted his portable GPS and replied, 'You're in a
hot air balloon, approximately 30 feet above a ground elevation
of 2346 feet above sea level. You are at 31 degrees, 14.97
minutes north latitude and 100 degrees, 49.09 minutes west
longitude.'

She rolled her eyes and said, 'You must be a Republican..'

'I am,' replied the man. 'How did you know?'

'Well,' answered the balloonist, 'everything you told me is
technically correct, but I have no idea what to do with your
information, and I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much
help to me.'

The man smiled and responded, 'You must be a Democrat.'

'I am,' replied the balloonist.. 'How did you know?'

'Well,' said the man, 'you don't know where you are or where
you're going. You've risen to where you are, due to a large
quantity of hot air. You made a promise that you have no idea
how to keep, and you expect me to solve your problem. You're
in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but,
somehow, now it's my fault.'

H2O Polo

2009-03-30T14:02:00.000-07:00

Back in the water again...

Bill had the opportunity to play in a tournament up in Bakersfield, which works out wonderfully because Gigi is in Bakersfield! We had a fun time watching the games and soaking up the sun!

Mascara

2009-03-26T05:30:00.000-07:00

I think I've mentioned once or A MILLION TIMES how Tori likes to get into things.

This is how I discovered her one day last week.
(She was all smiles, strutting around all proud of herself until I got the camera out.)
Apparently she thinks mascara goes on lips.

And this one is just overkill, but I just had to include it because, OH MY GOSH, her eyes look like they're GREEN!!!! Kind of. Hey, they don't look hazel in this one, okay? :)

Meet Barkley

2009-03-25T17:02:00.001-07:00

Remember those puppies I mentioned?
Meet Barkley, the newest Hughes Zoo member.

The girls are thrilled. They especially like the crate. Who knew it could provide hours of entertainment!

Doggie doesn't really know what to think. But she has been FANTASTIC with Barkley thus far. And she has humbled herself by sleeping in the crate with Barkley to keep him from whining all night long. Talk about being dethroned... She used to sleep at the end of our bed!!!

We considered naming him "Joe the plumber" since his tail-end looks like a plunger. Ha. We crack ourselves up.

Pology Note

2009-03-25T16:43:00.000-07:00

My friend Heather from our Sunday School class (that actually meets on Saturday nights, but it feels too delinquent to call it "Saturday School class") has begun inviting the women from class (and any small children) over to her house on Wednesday mornings in an effort to all get to know one another. I'm THRILLED with the opportunity.

Heather's own elementary-aged kids who are not there to protect their possessions have GRACIOUSLY allowed our small children to play in their rooms. SERIOUS grace, here.
You should see the mess that becomes of their rooms while many small children play.

So two weeks ago, Lexy found a pair of scissors in Lauren's room. She has been taught 100 gagillion times that scissors ONLY CUT PAPER. But for some reason, she decided to give them a try on Lauren's doll. Her AMERICAN GIRL DOLL. Thankfully, I think the permanence of her initial cut kind of scared her, so she didn't continue cutting. But poor little American Girl Doll now has one little chunk of bangs.

At the point when this haircut was discovered, it wasn't clear who had done the cutting. There were multiple kids in and out of the room, and no one was really acting guilty. But I just had that feeling. The one that a mother has when she KNOWS it was her kid.

On the way home, we talked about it and Lexy admitted that she had done it. She seemed genuinely repentant, so I didn't really push the matter. Except to tell her that she would need to write an apology letter to Lauren.

Fast forward to this morning,... which was our first time back since the Hair Cut Incident. I had almost forgotten about it, actually,... I guess I have too many other issues floating around in my brain.

We were getting ready to walk out the door and Lexy screams, "Wait Mom! I need to write a Pology Note!"

She ran off into the office to the drawer where I kept my stationary and began digging through various cards and envelopes.

All of a sudden it "clicked" in my brain what she was talking about.

I found a generic, blank-inside card for her to use.

"Is this a Pology Note, Mom?"

"Yes."

"Oh. Ok."

I told her what letters to write, but she did it all on her own.

Dear Lauren,

I'm sorry I cut your Baby's hair.

She signed her name on back since we were,..ahem... out of room.
(We're still working on SIZE of the letters.)

Easter Bunny Encounter

2009-03-25T14:51:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday, our local mall sponsored a "Breakfast with the Easter Bunny" event.
The girls and I made our way over there for a yummy FREE breakfast and all the fun that it entailed.

Lexy posed nicely with Mr. Easter Bunny.

Tori wouldn't get within 4 feet of him.
So much for the cute Easter pictures I was hoping for.

Each girl was given a gift bag with some Easter-y crafts inside.
Lexy could not wait to make her bookmark. I knew that it would require glue and we don't have any, so I told her to wait until we can take it to Grandma's house. (Sidenote and tip: If you conveniently don't own glue and paint, then GRANDMA can be the "hero" AND the one who has to clean up the mess!)

Despite my instructions otherwise, she ripped open the bag of pieces and, in the process, lost one of the googly eyes for the bunny.

That afternoon, when we were driving to Grandma's house, I was reminding her that she had disobeyed by opening the bag, and also began explaining that she was now missing an eye for Mr. Easter Bunny. You know, preparing her for the fact that her bunny would only have one eye-- because I sure didn't want to deal with that potential meltdown.

She was quiet for a few minutes, and then out of the backseat I hear, "I know, Mom!... It will be a PIRATE bunny!" Because it only has one eye.

I couldn't help but smile.

And sure enough, she made herself a nice little Pirate Bunny Easter Bookmark. Without a single tear.

Lily's puppies

2009-03-23T14:03:00.000-07:00

On February 4th and 5th of this year, my brother's dog had a litter of 8 puppies.
Lexy and I actually watched some of them be born--quite a memorable experience.
(Tori was busy playing with matchbox cars in the hallway and couldn't have cared less)

Here are some of the better early shots chronicling their growth.

Just hours old...

one week old...

two weeks old...

If only a blog could capture all the honks of support....

2009-03-13T17:44:00.000-07:00

Cannon Fun

2009-03-05T23:11:00.000-08:00

Our dear friends, The Cannons, moved back east about a year ago, and the girls and I have so missed seeing Liam and Baby Joshua and Baby Sarah-- who are now no longer babies :)-- on a regular basis. They were out in CA for a visit earlier this week, so we met them one afternoon at Disneyland.

Liam and Lexy are about 15 days apart in age. He is a CU-TIE that I had my eye on in the nursery even before I knew his wonderful mother Tena. I always thought that "Liam and Lexy" had such a cute ring to it. :) And then I actually got to know him (and his parents), and now I REALLY like the sound of it!

I love this progression of photos because they already look like a married couple. HA!
Check out how Lexy is pulling his chin around to face the camera, all the while never breaking her focus of smiling at the camera.

Josh, Tori, and Sarah, born in that order, are all within about 8 weeks of each other.
Lexy found a new best friend in "Baby Sarah" and held her hand pretty much ALL DAY. I kept saying, "I wish she was this nice to her OWN sister." Granted, her own sister wouldn't let her hand be held for anything.

And then there's Josh.... who I'm thinking maybe we could do a little "2 brides for 2 brothers" action with.

He already looks like he's making eyes at Tori. :)

We miss you Cannons!

Thank Goodness They're Cute

2009-03-02T13:38:00.000-08:00

We've had one of those mornings today.
Lexy decided to shampoo Tori's hair with Peppermint Oil Foot Cream.
And then a few hours later, Tori decided to pour an entire bottle of baby oil on the carpet.

Hence, the title.

Name tags

2009-03-02T13:16:00.000-08:00

Lexy decided to make us all name tags out of Mommy's precious Post-It notes.
You know, in case we forget each others names. It could happen.
Even though I cringed at the "waste," I couldn't help but smile at her handiwork.
And take pictures.

We're still working on the second "n". It took me 25 years, too. ;)

She was looking out for the illiterates in the room by drawing portraits of each person, too.
So kind.

Commentary on Bill's: "Mommy, I put the whiskers all over his face. And gave him green eyes."
She has suffered the scratchy face one too many kisses, I guess. And I love that she pointed out the green eyes even though it's all in pencil. Details, people. Details.

Still mastering the "x".... Who knew that was so hard for little hands?

Her thoughts

2009-03-01T09:43:00.000-08:00

I'm seen this floating around on blogs and Facebook and thought it would be fun to record for posterity sake. (And I hoped I'd get some good answers out of her!)

Interview With Lexy

1. What is something mom always says to you? Uh, I love you.

2. What makes mom happy? whispers "OBEY!"

3. What makes mom sad? Disobedience.

4. How does your mom make you laugh? Eat me up!

5. What was your mom like as a child? You liked blue and purple.

6. How old is your mom? 3?

7. How tall is your mom? Ah, This big! (with arms as high and low as they reach.)

8. What is her favorite thing to do? Play games with me. (we're raising a competitor)

9. What does your mom do when you're not around? Not play people. (Fisher Price Little People)

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? Making new dresses (?????)

11. What is your mom really good at? Making bathing suits. (Apparently I am a designer????)

12. What is your mom not very good at? Fixing the lights in my bathroom. The one in the middle.

13. What does your mom do for a job? To take care of Tori.

14.What is your mom's favorite food? Chicken.

15.What makes you proud of your mom? Clean up my kitchen.

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? Ariel

17. What do you and your mom do together? Play games

18. How are you and your mom the same? We both cut our hair.

19. How are you and your mom different? I like to play toys.

20. How do you know your mom loves you? Because she sings songs with me (and then she broke out in spontaneous "Jesus Loves Me")

21. What does your mom like most about your dad? He plays games with her.

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go? Disneyland

23. Who is your favorite person? Annabelle

24. Do you have a boyfriend? No

25. Are you going to get married? [This one is priceless and had to be recorded in its nonsensical entirety] "Yes, to my horsey. Cause guess who's going to come to San Diego to dance?" "Who?" whispers "Go look in my bed. Tori, Lexy, and Grandma [her dolls]" (I have no idea......)

Thank You Notes

2009-02-27T11:55:00.000-08:00

I have always appreciated a well-written Thank You Note. You know the ones I'm talking about. Not the "Thanks for the gift. You're great." variety, which, to me, really say "I'm only writing this because I'm supposed to, and my heart isn't really in it."

Now, I say this sincerely, however, I'm totally guilty of writing the obligatory Thank You Note from time to time. I tend to procrastinate (A LOT) when I have a bunch of Thank Yous to write (ie WEDDING! BABY!) because in my heart of hearts, I'd like each note to be personal, genuine and sincere. And then sometimes, I end up taking the short cut with a "thanks for the gift" note in an effort to just get them DONE. My apologies if you've ever received one of those. I wanted to say more, I promise.

Anyway, I've been thinking about thankfulness lately... Mulling over all the things that I have to be thankful for. I've been studying Colossians, and these verses have been on my mind:

⁶So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, ⁷rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2: 6-7

Particularly, the "overflowing with thankfulness" part.
What exactly does that look like?
I wrote notes in my bible from a sermon a year ago that say "a lifestyle of thankfulness is a mark of spiritual maturity. " When you can truly be thankful in all circumstances, then you truly understand God's grace and mercy.
The way I see it, a lifestyle of thankfulness can't help but be joyful. I dare you to be thankful for something without also feeling a sense of joy. (Also reminds me of my favorite verse Philippians 4:8, which says: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." You can't help but be a positive person, full of the joy of the Lord if you think on these things.)

So, yesterday while driving, I started to think about the kind of Thank You Notes I'd write to God. Would they be the "thanks for the gift" variety? Or would I MAKE time to write the personal, genuine kind that express my deep gratitude for his unbelievable blessings?

I want to believe that I'd opt for the latter.

Which led to my next thought...

Why am I NOT writing God Thank You Notes? I mean, I'm not much of a journaler, but what a great way to become one! And since the Thank You Note format is so familiar... why not start writing down my Thank Yous to Him? (And as an added bonus, what a great reminder of His FAITHFULNESS it will be to look back over them in the future!)

So that's my new plan.
Feel free to join me in my journey to a lifestyle overflowing with thankfulness.

Conversations with Lexy...

2009-02-21T10:56:00.001-08:00

This morning, I had the pleasure of spending the morning alone at home with Lexy while Bill was out with Tori. We started off with an overdue bath (should have happened last night, oops), which was actually kind of treat for me with only ONE kid to wash. She is getting to the age where you can actually carry on a conversation with her... very fun to hear the thoughts (and IMAGINATION!) running through that cute little head of hers. Here is a sampling of our chat during bathtime:

me trying to pour a cup of water over her head to get the soap out....

Lexy: Save me! Save me!

Me: Who taught you that?

L: I did. 'Cause Jesus saved me.

M: Really. Who taught you that?

L: My husband.

M: Really. Who is your husband?

L: He's the Daddy to my babies.

M: Huh. And what's his name?

L: His name is Collin Haney. (we don't know a Collin Haney)

M: Really. And how old is Collin Haney?

L: Three and a half.

M: Oh! Just like you!

L: Uh huh.

M: Where did you meet Collin Haney?

L: Um, at my guidance school. (?????)

M: At your guidance school?

L: Yes.

And I can't remember where it went from there because we got caught up in the bath time duties. Rinse. Lather. Repeat.

Bill and I both can't wait to meet Collin Haney.

While we're on the topic of Lexy, here are some really cute things she has said recently:

"Mom, you bumped me on the nose and headfore." (forehead)

"We need some more paper toilet" (toilet paper)

"Mom, when I grow up, I'm going to be a mommy. And you're going to be a grandma."

"Okay, I'll try." (Said with a air of doubt when you ask her to do anything.)

And many more that I'll have come back and update as I remember them.
I LOVE this age.

Valentine's Day Party

2009-02-18T14:14:00.000-08:00

Lexy's preschool is a Co-op, which means that I have the pleasure of working in her classroom 3-4 times per semester. I was thrilled to find out that I was scheduled to work during the class Valentine's Day party because I would be there to take pictures!!

That's My King.... Do you know Him?

2009-02-09T08:58:00.000-08:00

Life: Imagine the potential

2009-02-07T10:40:00.001-08:00

Sweeping Beauty

2009-02-04T20:44:00.000-08:00

Lexy's new favorite movie of the moment is Sleeping Beauty, which she received as a Christmas gift from one of the girls I tutor. We hear about "Sweeping Beauty" all day long. (I have to admit that hearing her sing "I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream..." as she dances around the room is pretty stinkin' cute)

So today when Tori was begging to help me sweep, the first thing that popped into my head was....
SWEEPING BEAUTY. :)

Fwoot Smoothies

2009-01-30T12:21:00.000-08:00

Back when Tori was an infant and trips to the pediatrician seemed like a weekly occurrence (usually due to ear infections), I struck a deal with Lexy.

During those trips to the doctor, enduring the long waits both in the waiting room and then again in the examination room with a squirmy then 2-yr-old wasn't fun. For Lexy or me. Knowing her love of fruit smoothies, I thought maybe the promise of one after a well-behaved appointment would do the trick.

Sure enough, she behaved like an angel. And when she thought about disobeying, all it took was a little reminder about what her prize would be and she would quickly whip into shape.

That was a year and a half ago.

And what I thought would be a one-time thing has turned into an EVERY TIME WE SEE THE DOCTOR FOR ANY REASON thing.

Needless to say, we have a lot of fruit smoothies.

This morning, we had the pleasure (ha!) of another visit to our dear sweet Dr. Kim who now knows us by name. Today's visit makes two Fridays in a row. :) (And Tori has a WELL baby check-up scheduled next Tuesday!)

It seems that Lexy has picked up pink eye from someone either at school or on the playground. LOVELY.

Thankfully, we caught it somewhat early, and I hope she'll make a speedy recovery. (And you can join me in praying that Tori doesn't get it!)
[[UPDATE: (since I'm late in posting this....) Lexy is fine now. NONE of us got it. Amazing. ]]

I upped the stakes a bit on Lexy this morning as we drove to the doctor's office. Due to the extremely contagious nature of pink eye, I thought it wise for her to not go play with all the toys in the ped's office, but rather sit in a boring chair on the other side of the room with me. So I told her today's new rule and explained my reasoning and then told her that getting a "froot smoothie" was depended on her obeying my rule.

She did such a good job!! She and I sat at one end of the room guessing what movie the kids on the other end of the room might be watching. She asked a couple of times to go play with the toys-- especially at one point when we were the only ones in the waiting room-- but seemed determined to obey despite her disappointment when I said "No."

So, after the appointment (and confirmed diagnosis), we headed to Robek's for her well-earned fruit smoothie. This ritual has become so common-place, that we also have standing rules for how one is to drink said fruit smoothie. She knows that she MAY NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, REMOVE THE LID of the cup, lest it spill all over her and her car seat. Removal of the lid will result in immediate disposal of her fruit smoothie. (I mean business)

This last rule makes life a little challenging when she (and Tori) get to the bottom of the cup. You know, that moment when you really need to dig the straw around and get the last inch or so of smoothie. Generally, we end up throwing the cup away with a little still in it because of strict lid removal policy.

So, this morning, we arrived home with smoothies in hand and I got busy cleaning up the kitchen (or something) and kinda tuned out for a second. I do remember hearing the silverware drawer open and the familiar clang of a utensil being grabbed, but I paid it no mind.

And then I realized that the girls were both sitting under the kitchen table.
This is what I found.

Total partners in crime, spooning out the last of their beloved "Fwoot Smoothies" in hiding because they'd broken the cardinal rule. I couldn't help but laugh.

They didn't make a mess (hooray!) and they were actually enjoying each other's company.
Win, win, I guess.
So much for my rule.

Wise Choices

2009-01-21T11:22:00.000-08:00

While folding laundry this morning:

Me: Lexy, do you remember who we saw on TV yesterday? Remember all the flags?

Lexy: Barrack Obama! (she loves saying his name)

M: Yes, and do you know why we were watching him yesterday?

L: Uh huh

M: Why?

L: I don't know

M: He is our new President. That's a REALLY big job. We need to pray for him. Do you know what his job is?

L: To help his mommy?

M: No, he has to help the whole country! That's a BIG job!

L: Oh!

M: We really need to pray for him!

L: Dear God, please help Barrack Obama to make wise choices. Amen.

And again I say "Amen."

Winter Fun

2009-01-17T08:55:00.000-08:00

As I alluded to in my previous post, we spent time up in the mountains playing in the snow! We had the pleasure of spending an extended weekend with WONDERFUL friends up at my dad's cabin, which he graciously allowed us to take over.

We spent our days out in the snow. Most of the kids loved it...
Tori was a little unsure about this whole "snow" thing.... She definitely didn't like the cold. Either that, or she didn't like the coat we insisted she wear when she was outside. She also seemed a little uncertain of her footing on the ice and pretty much stood TOTALLY STILL whenever we put her down. Our usually smiley, happy girl was definitely out of her element.

happily walking on solid, non-icy ground
She refused to wear her gloves, so she just kept her hands tucked up inside the sleeves.

eating snow!

Bill and the other guys built little fortified bunkers to have a snowball fight. (My hands were too full holding Tori to get many pictures of their creation!)

And then they built their own personal toboggan run, complete with a HUGE snow pile at the end to ensure a safe stop. The kids LOVED it. And a couple of the adults did, too. :)

And what trip to the snow would be complete without a snowman!

A Little snowman. The snow was so powdery, we had a hard time getting it to stick together!

Beautiful Sunset from the cabin balcony.

Winter Wonderland

2009-01-03T17:21:00.001-08:00

Hard to imagine that just yesterday, Lexy and Daddy were SWIMMING in Aunt Barb's house....

I guess that's the beauty of living in southern California....

Stay tuned: Winter Wonderland wrap up when we get home....

Rose Parade 2009

2009-01-01T22:55:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

We started the year off bright and early with a trip to the Rose Parade in Pasadena. My family has been going to the parade for years, but the Hughes Zoo has been out of town for the past 4 years on January 1st, so we haven't been in a while. And we've NEVER been with kids! So this was a new adventure!

This year was also exciting because we had some serious hook-ups from a family friend who is a Pasadena Police Officer.... He escorted our car behind blockades, even driving the WRONG DIRECTION on a street, to within 2 blocks of the beginning of the parade. (That probably won't mean anything to you unless you've been to the Rose Parade before, but that's a big deal. :) )

Enjoying a powdered-sugar doughnut

The kids did great, and everyone had a great time!

A few favs...

Lexy LOVES the horses, which I find highly amusing because I've always wondered why they bother including horses in this parade--- they just poop and make it smell!

this one had "COWBOYS dancing!" and many recognizable fruits and vegetables

Tori likes the horses, too, I guess. Figures.

There were a whole series of Sesame Street Characters, which were a big hit with the younger folk.... This one has "Bob" from Sesame Street on the front!

Christmas Review

2008-12-31T21:49:00.000-08:00

Totally behind in the blogging, so I'm doing a whirlwind tour of the Hughes Zoo Christmas....

Christmas Eve at our house....

Grandma, Gigi, Uncle Ryan and Kristy.....

Presents literally engulfed our living room....

Lexy delighted in GIVING gifts more than RECEIVING (melted my heart)....

Ryan gave THE gift of the night-- a rocking horse that makes galloping sounds for Tori-- so cute!....

Both girls were a little under the weather with what we thought were "just colds." HA. When will we learn our lesson....

Tori had the barking cough of croup all night and I had to take her outside into the cold air twice in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve. When she would settle and go back to sleep, I'd hear Lexy start crying for me. She was complaining of a sore throat and telling me that her ear hurt. I alternated between the two all night. Oh, the joys of motherhood.

Christmas morning....

(Big gifts this year: Lexy-- new bicycle [or "bike-a-cil", if you ask her], Tori--new baby stroller)

Hughes Zoo (running on VERY LITTLE SLEEP), Grandma, and Gigi.... Not willing to let our "colds" dampen the spirit, we charged on ahead and had our traditional egg casserole breakfast-- A Hughes Family tradition-- cinnamon rolls and apple cider. Oh. And we opened all the gifts from Santa. (How could I forget that) The morning is kind of a blur. Not many pictures to document it because no one was in a picture-taking mood. We were all just going through the motions in a daze. To wit, we forgot to open our stockings until lunch time.

After breakfast, we headed straight for URGENT CARE!! Isn't that where everyone goes on Christmas morning?! Thankfully, the answer was "no", and we didn't have to wait long.

Diagnosis: 2 ear infections, one in each daughter. Antibiotics all around!! And I hope you don't mind driving 20 MINUTES ACROSS TOWN because there's only ONE pharmacy open on Christmas Morning! Merry Christmas!

Still in pajamas after long morning naps, we headed over to Grandma Holly's house for the traditional Christmas dinner. We had a nice gathering of family that hadn't been together for quite awhile due to various circumstances.

Christmas 2008: One that will not be forgotten anytime soon. :)

The Nutcracker

2008-12-23T21:34:00.000-08:00

Grandma Holly treated Lexy and I to a performance of The Nutcracker at the local community college this year.

We took a few pictures before heading out the door, and Lexy insisted on carrying a purse and wearing a scarf just like mommy.

I was able to find a little black purse to coordinate, but wasn't so fortunate with the scarf. As you can see, hers didn't match. At all. Oh well.

Lexy LOVED the show and has been talking about "ballerina girls dancing around on their toes" and "guys spinning on their heads" (authentic Russian dancers) ever since. She spots nutcrackers everywhere we go now. She's already talking about going with Grandma again next year. I guess we've started a new tradition. :)

And just to prove that she is, in fact, 3 years old, she decided to ROAR at the camera. I'm shaking in my boots. How 'bout you?

Christmas Card 2008

2008-12-21T19:15:00.001-08:00

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas...

...with love from the Hughes Family

I love Christmas Vacation

2008-12-20T10:29:00.001-08:00

The scene:
Home, the first 5 minutes of his "Winter Break."
Both girls so excited to have Daddy home.
Celebrating the quiet moments.

Wishing you all many quiet moments this Holiday season....

Birthday Wishes

2008-12-10T14:39:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to the most wonderful man ever!

(we're kinda partial :) )

Thanksgiving weekend swing

2008-12-01T18:01:00.000-08:00

We've got a video camera that uploads now!

2008-11-27T21:36:00.000-08:00

Geography 101

2008-11-27T18:06:00.000-08:00

While putting together our plastic shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child a couple weeks ago, Bill and I were confronted with an alarming realization: Our knowledge of geography is lacking.

We don't know where this is. Do you?

Thankful

2008-11-27T17:10:00.001-08:00

We sure know how to have a good time...

2008-11-22T08:12:00.000-08:00

We are really hoping that we are on the tail end of our own Puke Fest 2008, which has been Live! and in Full Effect! here since Wednesday night.

Sweet little Tori was the first victim. Bill and I spent the better part of Wednesday night and wee hours of Thursday morning trying to make her comfortable-- never without a puke pail at arm's length. Watching your 16-month-old throw up has got to be the worst thing ever. She just stared at us with her big .... blue? green? hazel? (we're not sure yet) eyes pleading for us to "Make it stop!" I felt so helpless.

Thursday seemed relatively calm-- I thought maybe we had all dodged a bullet. Tori seemed much better, and of the rest of us appeared healthy. Then Thursday afternoon, Tori began puking again. If there was any humor at all in the situation, it was watching her BEG for food all day long. This is my ferocious eater, after all. And the few saltines I had given her were just not cutting it. Who knows, maybe I should have just let her eat to her heart's content. May have prevented the numerous dry heaves later in the day.

Friday rolled around and shouted "LET THE FESTIVITIES BEGIN!"
At about 11am, I realized that my stomach didn't feel quite right.... I laid down to take a nap at 3:00, and by 4:00 I was puking. Lexy woke up from her nap about that time and went outside with Bill to check on their vegetable garden, and then I heard all this scurrying around by Bill. Lexy was throwing up. Good times, people. Good times.

Thank God Bill was still healthy at this point. I really don't know what I would have done if I would have had to take care of both girls-- one of whom was PUKING-- while I felt so horrible.
I just kept saying, "I'm so sorry!" to him as he rinsed out puke pails and dealt with Lexy.

He had his hands full, to say the least. And poor Tori, who is now seemingly healthy, wasn't making life any easier. She wanted to be right at his side during all the action. And she also wanted to EAT! since it'd had been a while. Again, thank God Bill was healthy, because there was no way I could have made her dinner. He ended up putting her to bed at 6:45pm just so he wouldn't have to keep her hands out of the toilet and such anymore. (She's still asleep at 8:37am as I type. I guess she needed it.)

Of course, you guessed it, Bill started feeling sick around 10pm, and then all bets were off. Misery all around.

I pretty much bed-hopped between the couch, my bed, Lexy's bed, and the blow-up air mattress Bill had set up in the family room all night. And I use the word "night" very liberally considering that I started napping at 3pm, and never really got out of bed from that point on (except to visit the restroom myself, or hold a bucket for Lexy). Longest night of my life, hands down.

My dreams all night, which were frequent, seemed to revolve around liquids. Dehydrated, perhaps? I swear I had visions all night that looked like this:

I had my first sip of water at 4am this morning, and so far, so good.
With the exception of Bill, who is still down for the count, we all seem to be feeling better today. Although I have NO DESIRE to eat anything yet. That's always a good barometer for me.
Now, if I could just get a Haz-Mat team over here to clean up the mess. And a maid to do LOTS of laundry.

Silver linings abound:
Thank God it's the weekend!
Thank God Bill and I rotated shifts of sickness!
Thank God it was JUST the flu!
Thank God we have indoor plumbing!
Thank God we'll all be healthy by Thanksgiving! (our extended family will be especially glad about this one since we gave the gift of flu to everyone two Thanksgivings ago)
And so many more....

Here's hoping that you and your family stay healthy this season!

It's been awhile....

2008-11-12T16:09:00.000-08:00

Hello again.
I feel like I need to re-introduce myself, it's been so long.

I've been in a state of "mourning" for the past couple of weeks. Not due entirely to election stuff-- more so because the of the sin in the world. Some unfortunate family circumstances, along with the election, have put a great big spotlight on the sin that exists all around us.

We've been studying The Beatitudes in church for the past few weeks, and I have been particularly moved by verse 4, which says,"

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

I've always read that to mean people who are mourning the loss of a person, but our pastor said he believes it can also be extended to mean mourning the sin in the world. Kind of a "loss of innocence" as you realize how utterly corrupted all of human kind are. And when you think about it, most of the horrible things that we "mourn" in life all have to do with the fallen world we live in. Were it not for sin, there would be no wars, no famines, no diseases, no disasters ...etc. So it really all does boil down to SIN.

Anyway, all of this has been on the forefront of my mind for the past few weeks. I've been particularly stung by professing Christians who have made choices that go against God's word. The bible is not a book of "gray issues."

As for my feelings on the presidential election, my friend Veronica summed up my sentiments quite nicely here. (Thanks, Veronica for putting words to my thoughts EXACTLY!)

All is not lost, though.
Bill and I both feel as though recent developments in our world point even more urgently toward Jesus' triumphant return being near(er). And we know that regardless of what is happening in our world, however desperate times become, Jesus wins! THAT is our comfort!

Despite my mourning, life has actually been wonderful at The Hughes Zoo. God's provisions for our family have been amazing and humbling. I know we've all heard this before, but it has been particularly relevant to me recently:

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." Psalm 23:1

Phrased another way, "The Lord is my caregiver, He will take care of all of my needs."
All our needs, down to the littlest details, have been more than met. We are rejoicing in His blessings.

And on a much lighter note....
We had our friend Orna (who also happens to be our dentist!!) over for dinner last night. She arrived with a yummy pumpkin pie in hand, and no one was happier than Tori.

Yes, our little scavenger pulled the entire pie off of the counter and was sitting in the corner eating it with the pie server. "Little Tori Hughes sat in the corner, eating her pumpkin pie."
Thank goodness Orna had a camera to capture the moment.

Funny

2008-11-03T07:28:00.001-08:00

Halloween

2008-11-01T15:57:00.000-07:00

We attended our church's Fall Festival again this year, and what a fun night we all had.

Princess Cinderella

Little Indian Girl
(with blond hair!)

Lexy invited one of her friends from school to join us. She and Shami were inseparable all night. They were holding hands everywhere they went!! So cute.

Two sassy teenagers-in-the-making.
"ENOUGH pictures already, MOM."

"Trunk or Treating"
Buckets so full of candy, they had to carry them with two hands!

Face Paiting fun

Pumpkins!

2008-11-01T15:22:00.001-07:00

All family members age 3+ particitpated in the pumpkin carving this year....
(Those under the age of 3 were napping.)

Trying to capture the same pose as last year.....
(not nearly the same results due to two squirmy girls!)

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-29T15:44:00.000-07:00

Wearing matching sundresses appropriate for the typical 97 degree fall day in southern California, we headed to the local Pumpkin Patch for some Kodak moments. Taking into account the aforementioned temperature, I should have known better.

Needless to say, the great shots were FEW and far between. Neither of the girls were too into the picture snapping. How could I blame them? We were all hot and bothered.

Here are the the best of the bunch....

All was not lost, I suppose....
We did pick out three prize pumpkins--- One for Mommy & Daddy, One for Lexy, and One for Tori, per Lexy's designation--- and will be carving them for Halloween.