Ode to Thomas...may you rest in peace (in the sewer system)

Thomas Pugh:
Born circa January 31st 2009
Died circa April 24th 2012

Thomas the fish our very first pet
we would have cleaned your tank more often...but touching you made mom fret

lucky for us, you thrived amidst depravity
mom claims it's what contributed to your surprising longevity

Jack counted you as a member of our clan
dad thought more cleaning should have been part of the plan

Marian prayed for you day after day
we're sorry we didn't notice when you actually passed away

A few words were offered when you were sent to your watery grave
Jack liked that you were blue, Marian liked the company you gave

For a fish, you lived longer than most
we're sorry you're toast

farewell our fishy little friend

New Easter Tradition

Last year Chad and I decided to try not to focus on the commercialization of Easter which was fine, but we didn't really do anything to replace it with the spiritual and meaningful aspects of the day.  In fact I remember thinking that night, other than an Easter egg hunt on Saturday and attending church and Sunday, we hadn't done anything to celebrate the day.  Well, I vowed that this year would be different.  One night a few weeks before Easter this idea just came to me and I knew it was pure inspiration.
The idea was to do the 12 Days of Easter!  I got out all our scripture pictures with the Savior and had everyone (minus Lucy) pick out their 3 favorite stories about Jesus.  Then I thought of a super simple activity that related to each story, wrote it down and put the papers in Easter Eggs labeled 1-12.  We took turns each night telling our favorite stories about the Savior and then opened the corresponding egg and did the little activity (examples: hug everyone in your family, think of a time someone served you, say something you love about Jesus, do service for someone else tonight)  The kids loved being able to talk about their favorite pictures and I loved that it was super simple yet meaningful.  Don't think that it was pure love and spiritual feasting every night.  There were plenty of moments filled whining, arguing, and serious grumpiness.  However- I couldn't help but notice that day after day as we focused on the Savior's life and put the pictures up in our kitchen, there was a little more kindness, a little more love, and a better feeling in our home come Easter.  I think we have a new Easter Tradition in the Pugh house.
 

Can we survive school vacation: Chapter 5

Day 5:  TV Overload

After 4 days of fun and adventures I threw in the towel and let the kids crash in front of the tv.  Which actually was great, because Chad called with some pretty big news that pretty much took over the rest of the day.  Want to know what the big news was?  Check out this video



That's right!  Chad got a new job and we are moving to SLC in 2 weeks!

"Salt Lake City, we'll be coming soon!"

Can we survive school vacation? Chapters 2,3, and 4

Day 2:  The Eric Carle Museum 

Jack was the hero of the day!  What was supposed to be a 90 minute drive turned out to be a 3 hour trek into rural Western Mass...which is apparently undergoing major road construction.  Thankfully Jack was working hard to keep his sisters happy. (the car DVD player deserves a big thank you as well.  My no-tv for school vacation rule doesn't apply to road trips)

When we finally got to the museum we ate our picnic lunch and the kids ran around for a while and I practiced with my camera.

 

 

 

 

 

The above pictures do a pretty good job showing how much the girls adore Jack.

jumping off the wall brought endless amounts of joy for Jack and Marian

 

The actual museum collection was pretty small.  A few interesting exhibits on how Eric Carle does his art work (Brown Bear Brown Bear, The Very Hungary Caterpillar etc...) but other than that we got through it pretty quick.  We watched the Emperor's New Clothes puppet show, but the highlight for the kids was the craft room.

Lucy is pretty free spirited when it comes to art...

Jack takes it more seriously.

I didn't get pictures of Marian in there- but she really had a great time in the play area.  They had cool puzzles, books, and music toys which she LOVED.
Horrendous traffic aside, Day 2 was a success.

Day 3: Bunker Hill Monument

Lucy was perhaps the only person who really really had fun at Bunker Hill


the fact that she didn't have to climb any of the 294 steps to the top probably had something to do with it.


Marian climbed the entire tower by herself.  A fact that brought her (and me) great joy.

Jack of course bounded up the tower no problem...well there was a little problem actually.  He was so excited to take pictures at the top with his camera.  The only problem was he left his camera in the car!  As much as I would have loved to lug Lucy up and down the monument a second time, my shaking legs made it clear that was going to happen.  I even agreed to let Jack and Marian go up again by themselves with Jack's camera but the guard said "No way".  Poor Jack was devastated.

Jack finally cheered up when he got to take pictures of these beautiful pink and purple trees.



LOVE the gardens in Charlestown.

Day 4:  the day things kind of fell apart at the Museum of Fine Arts

The MFA is one of my favorite places in Boston.  I've taken my kids there several times and we usually have a good experience. This time I think it is most accurate to say we had a learning experience.  At least I did.

We were plagued by horrible traffic again.  This time thanks to the Fenway Park open house.  Really? Is 100 years of Fenway Park really that cool?  Ok yeah, it probably is. But it made me a little bitter when our normally 15 minute drive to the museum took 45 minutes.  We literally prayed our way into a parking spot.  Then three starving kids and a mother who was trying to act like her rowdy brood actually belonged at a classy art museum, high tailed it to the cafeteria.  Oreos and Capri Suns are blessings from heaven.

Then we headed to my favorite area of the museum- the Impressionist wing

This picture totally captures the day.  Jack and Marian were pretty on board and excited to see the art and copy their favorite paintings in their notebooks.  Lucy was more into yelling.

Marian's favorite

Jack's favorite

My favorite

"Really mom?  We couldn't have gone to a park or something?"

The trip ended with me shoveling oreos into Lucy's hands in an effort to get a few things I'd admired for years in gift shop.  By the time we left, both Lucy and Marian (who didn't get a flashlight she wanted) were
screaming!!!

Plans for Day 5 are looking a little more low key and relaxed right about now.

Can we survive school vacation? Chapter 1

It's school vacation in Massachusetts.

The Good: 5 days without crazy mad dashes to get kids dressed, fed and back-packed off to school

The Bad: that's 5 days of 24-7 team mom vs. the more numerous and energetic team kids

The Ugly:  see above

Truly I have been excited for a more relaxed week and the kids and I made a list...actually Jack made a list of fun adventures we can have each day.  It is a pretty good list.  Good thing because in a moment of inspiration (perhaps stupidity is a better word) I announced to the kids that school vacation was going to be tv free except for movie night.  Wish us luck.

Day 1:  Boston Marathon
Patriots Day is perhaps the best day of the year for Bostonians.  Historical re-enactments of the battles at Lexington and Concord, parades, and the world famous Boston Marathon make for plenty of good entertainment options.  Although it was crazy hot this year ( I don't know how the runners did it), I was totally moved by the sheer determination of the athletes and the thousands of supportors who come out every year to cheer people on for the entire 26.2 miles!  Love Boston.

Chad had to stay home and work.  I didn't want to juggle all three kids and my big camera so I just brought my little point and shoot...and used it pretty lazily.  But I did manage to take a few pictures.

the wheel chair racers are my favorite

Jack cheered like crazy for the first 5 minutes of the race.  Then he sought refuge from the heat up in a tree for the next hour and a half.

Lucy enjoyed people watching...and eating bubbles

We spent the evening at a friend's house for a BBQ where the food was delicious and the company was even better.  

Portraits

Note to self:
getting 3 kids dressed in clean, coordinating clothes, and then needing them to hold still, smile and cooperate with you...or at least the photgrapher is really
REALLY
HARD
and exhausting.

Remember:
Lucy only sits still if a total stranger will hold her dogs right behind the camera
Marian is the easy one.  Keep telling her she looks adorable and she will play movie star all night
Jack requires treats, bribes, and promised rewards for EVERY pose!

Finally:
the preview from the photographer makes me feel like it just MIGHT have been worth it.
 

Richard Powell Lindsay

Me, baby Marian, Grandma Marian, and Grandpa Dick
at Marian's baby blessing January 2007

 For his tribute this year I want to share what I wrote in my journal as I flew back to Utah for my Grandpa Dick's funeral in June of 2010.

"I'm flying to Utah for my Grandpa Dick's funeral.  I've known that this was coming for several months, in fact I remember when I said goodbye to him last August in Park City, I thought that might be the last time I saw him before he passed away.  I don't know of better examples of Christlike love, service and goodness than my Grandpa Dick and Grandma Marian.  I have so much to say about them I could fill up this journal.

My Grandpa Dick is:

"Use it up wear it out, make it do, or do without!"

fresh peaches with cream

backyard games of football

10 Christmas presents during the Great Depression bought for $1.00

Gold glass cups filled with Root Beer

"Good Night Nurse" (the necessary "curse" when milk is spilled)

The clean plate club (don't waste anything!)

Good Thoughts (family tradition of sharing a good adage, scripture, or just a plain good thought at the dinner table)

Plastic utensils in the dishwasher

Master of the grill

Missionary in Africa

A treasure box (he kept little treats for his Grandchildren in a locked treasure box)

A walking poetry collection

laughing, loving eyes

a Witness of Christ

A "choice" person. (He always used that phrase)

waiting at the bottom on the hill for Grandma to come down the Alpine Slide in Park City

strong pushes on the backyard swing

riding his bike to the grocery store

stories of the Great Depression

garbage collector at family parties.  (he always had a trash bag in hand at parties)

Owner of a typewriter...long past the days of typewriters

friend to everyone he meets- always welcomes a guest

card counter and winner in Rook

Chocolate malts (in small servings)

To celebrate Grandpa Dick on his birthday, the kids and I recited poems that we have been working on.  This video shows how willingly and joyfully my kids go along with all my motherly plans and schemes...ha...ha...ha.  And trust me when I tell you this was the BEST of many many takes.

Dear Lucy

Dear Lucy, 

Happy Birthday!  If the past few weeks are any indication of how you will be for rest of the year, the “terrible two’s” are going to be more like the “terrific two’s”! You continue to be a happy ray of sunshine in our home every day.

These are the things that make you happy

• Going outside (regardless of the activity or the weather)
• Swings
• Baths (you call it wah wah)
• Babies in general
• Baby Sam (Iverson) in particular
• Bella (dog next door) and Bella’s owner Scott.  You think they are interconnected.
• Cookies
• Caillou
• The new Winnie the Pooh Movie (but you do NOT like the scene about the Backson!)
• The book Kitten’s First Full Moon
• Picking up Jack from the Bus
• Being awake when daddy comes home from work
• Markers without lids
• Playing with Jack and Marian
• Your heart shirt
• Saying thank you
• Having your binky, bobbies (blanket), and your baby doll when we get in the car
• Canned peaches
• Playing with legos.  Putting Jack’s tiny legos in your mouth, showing it to me, then running away as fast as possible makes you particularly happy.
• Singing “I’m bringing home my baby bumble bee”
• Laying on Marian’s blanket when she is trying to fold it for her bed
• To “go”.  Any time we ask you if you want “to go” you get all excited and hustle to the door
• At bedtime you choose either “You are my sunshine”  or “I am a child of God” for your bedtime song
• Trying to potty train yourself…I am not supportive of this.  You are constantly taking off your clothes and asking to use the potty but with zero success and then you are very unhappy when I get you dressed again.

You have brought pure joy and love to our home since the day you were born (and even before that).  People still stop me in stores and other places to tell me how beautiful you are and I have to totally agree.  You are still petite and off the charts for weight and height but you are almost never sick and super active and eat pretty well so I’m not worried.  Happy is your default setting.  You sing songs that we don’t recognize and you do a little dance every now and then just to let some of your happiness out.  When you can’t find something you wander around the house saying “___(lost item)___where are you?” You know what belongs to who and are very particular about no one touching Jack’s or Marian’s things if they are not around.  You are not too possessive of your things except your new yellow chair.  You almost always wake up happy and most mornings I know you are awake because I can hear you cheerfully yelling at Jack to wake up. At night when I put you to bed, just as I walk out the door your little voice, muffled by your binky calls out, “Luh you mommy” .   Oh I love you baby girl!  Happy Birthday Lucy.

Happy Birthday Lucy

Lucy's St. Patrick's day birthday started with the annual hunt for the lepruchan gold.  Those sneaky little green guys always hide the kid's shoes in the weirdest places


I took this little video on the way to breakfast.

We went out for breakfast at a local diner

 

then came home and Lucy sat in her new chair the rest of the morning...well almost the whole morning. 

The next day we had some families over to celebrate.  We had to wake up the birthday girl from her incredibly long nap.  As you can see she was a little subdued for her party.

but she perked up!



I debated whether or not to to a St. Patrick's day cake but cake decorating is not high on my skills list and a green cake just didn't sound all that great to me this year. My rainbow fruit platter was my tribute to the holiday.  And I have to say, the WISH letters have been such a fun birthday tradition (started back here).

 

I know these pictures are blatant copying of a popular mommy blog but I think it is the cutest thing I have ever seen. 

LOVE the look on Lucy's face

 

  Happy Birthday sweet girl!

Pictures...FINALLY

Way back in December Chad gave me this incredible camera for my birthday.  I didn't post pictures for a while after that because I had NO IDEA WHAT I WAS DOING.  Now I know a little bit about what I am doing with a fancy shmancy SLR but fancy shmancy camera + archaic dying a slow death laptop = no photo upload.  It finally dawned on my last night that I could use Chad's new laptop to upload photos and so ..ta-da!  Pictures!  Today you only get one because it took a while to upload my 700+ pictures.  But it has the whole crew (and a little Concord Charm) so enjoy (even though it is a little over exposed)  Like I said I only know a little about what I am doing.
 

From the Mouth of Babes

Mom:  Marian don't jump on the couch!
Marian:  I'm not jumping on the couch!  I'm jumping on Jack ...(who was on the couch)

Mom: Jack, I'm excited to talk to your teacher at parent teacher conference this afternoon.
Jack:  She'll say I'm awesome
(he was right)

Lucy:  'mon Mayen.  Mayen 'mon!  2, 9....2, 9!!!
(translation: Come on Marian.  Marian come on! {don't make me count!}1, 2, 3,

Marian to her Grandma:  You're slow because your face has all those lines on it and Jack and I are fast because our faces are smooth! (luckily grandma did NOT throw her out of the house after that!)

Lucy:  Bapa Bapa!  (the interchangeable phrase for grandma and grandpa)

Marian:  Mom, have you seen my pol-nailish?

Marian:  Mom could you please stop teaching me mean things?   
(said after being sent to her room for talking disrespectfully)

Jack's teacher:  Jack you seem so sad today, what's the matter
Jack:  I miss my mom
Teacher:  Where is she?
Jack:  She's in Italy
(If only that had been true!  I could use a good Italian vacation)

Marian:  (pointing to a tall stack of books) Mom can you take out all these strange and interesting books?  They are taking all of my good brains and leaving only my bad brains.  (I would offer explanation...but I have none!)

Lucy:  Look it Daddy!  (said 100 times a day when she wants Chad's attention)

Marian:  I'm so whiny... because people don't give me everything I want!