Special Memory

Tonight the entire Wilde Family went to teach a single mom and her five kids. 

They're in a tough spot and trying to make a fresh start. The elders taught a great lesson about how the gospel blesses families. 

Then the best lesson happened. My 3 year old said the prayer to end the meeting. 

Sure, she's prayed before with us. But never in front of a crowd. I was amazed. What an example she is of living the gospel at a young age. A natural at it I guess. 

My Old Testament Summer

It is really hard for me to accept that summer is coming to an end. So in all honesty I am ignoring the "back to school" business and I'm declaring that summer must last until September 20th... at least in my book.

One of the reasons I don't want this summer to end is that I have grown to love and appreciate the stories of the Old Testament. Now, I've done a study of the Old Testament in high school and during college. I've had the lesson where you eat the passover meal. I remember looking at little models of the tabernacle and what it looked like.

But this summer I have seen these stories with new eyes. I've been reading these stories to my children and I've had to simplify some things (I don't want to put the image in their minds before bed of a father sacrificing his son on an alter). But overall here's what I've learned:

• These righteous, faithful people were flawed humans. They struggled to find out the will of the Lord. They troubleshooted. They made mistakes. They were, at one time or another cheaters (Jacob). They ran away. They made what they thought was a good choice, only to have it end up costing them many personal losses (Lot choosing the land by Sodom and Gomorrah). They walked into darkness, unsure the result (Gideon). They made huge sacrifices without any physical or practical evidence that things would work out (the mother of Moses). 
• They exercised GREAT faith. Just as ridiculous as my faith sounds to many in this day, it's obvious that people did not understand God then. Time has not changed this. These people stayed the course despite the confusion or misunderstanding of others- sometimes in their own 'congregation' - sometimes their own family- and sometimes even themselves.
• God is leading us on a path- so there's movement in how things work. Whenever I hear that "God is the same yestarday, today, and forever" I feel as though it contradicts the need for growth and change as we become better disciples and as we accept and use the Atonement. So yes, God is the same, but he allows for us to grow and change. Our callings and what we are to do requires us to grow and change. God is not stagnant. But He moves, directs and guides. Not the other way around.

I'm sure there are more things that I just haven't fully meditated out just yet- but there's still time.

Because the summer is still going on for me, for 20+ days. And my Old Testament Summer will keep on going.

E- things to remember about my baby

My baby girl is growing up so fast and so there are parts if who she is right now I want to write down so I remember what she was like early on:

* E is social. She wants to be sitting up and in the know and see everything. 

* E has a short fuse, and a quick recovery. She gets mad in a heartbeat but if you help her out, she calms down quickly. 

* E has adjusted well to eating rice cereal! It's like she's been ready for a while!

* E likes to sing and talk and likes it when you mirror her noises. 

* E likes to grab stuff. She likes to pump her right fist up and down and up and down. 

* E doesn't cry when she wakes up. She really only cries in her car seat as we drive or when she gets too hungry. Or when she's played with a loud toy for a while. 

* E can get across a room through a slow army crawl and rolling. 

I sure love my little sweet E! Can't believe how big she is already!

Just be happy

I love mornings at my house. It is a race to get everything done- because I want my own time to run and play with my baby- and because I have a daily chore list around the farm - and because I pack my own lunch. You get the idea. I pack a lot in. 

I also love my job. I love the complex situations I get to deal with. 

And then I love the evening. The fight at dinner time that we make "happy plates". The occasional "break" (time outs) so we can all get along. The howling with the baby so she develops verbal skills. 

I love it all. Sure it's a mess. But I choose to be happy. To put the people in my life first. 

And that's what life is about. Enjoying the journey- the puke, poops, and tears. The messes. The whole deal. It makes me happy. 

About My Girl

The holidays swept us away on a whirlwind of fun, as I am sure it did most of you. Now that my girl is 2, I wanted to record and share some of her milestones this year:

• She knows her ABC's, and can sing the whole song.
• Her favorite thing to say is "I go first" and she uses it instead of saying "my turn". It doesn't always work, like when she's brushing her teeth.
• She can count to at least ten... sometimes 15.
• She loves to tell us what is happening, even though we can see/hear it too. "Baby Weston is crying" "Max is barking" "Mommy is sleeping" "Daddy is at work"
• She is half-way potty trained... and probably would be totally potty trained if I put in some effort. But for now she pees in the potty on her own. I'll put in effort next year.
• She does not watch TV of movies. She will sit for about 15 minutes of Signing Time... but that's about it.
• She loves babies and has 6 of them. She takes care of them- feeds them and changes their 'diapers'. She stays busy with that!
• She likes to run. In circles. From the dining room-front foyer-living room-kitchen and then back to the dining room.
• She loves to be outside
• She sings songs- all the time. "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" "ABCs" "Slippery Fish" "Baby Bumble Bee" "Once there was a snowman"
• She is very caring. She gives a lot of hugs and is very concerned when she sees someone cry- even if that someone is a stranger in the store.

She is really the light of our life. I can't wait to see what happens in 2014!

Christmas

This year the checklists are going by not totally completed. The decorations are not entirely up around the house. The advent calendar doors are not all being opened.

But we've had giggles on the couch.

We've had visits to Christmas lights all over, and seen Santa a few times.

We've made cookies and we'll have our home filled with dear friends to celebrate.

This year, it's not about the lists.

It's not about being the cutest most funnest family on the block.

It's not about keeping up with the traditions of other families.

It's about MY FAMILY.

It's about helping those we can, within our means, and when we can help them.

It's about being nice to strangers we see, walking around with a smile on our face, and then just enjoying our time together.

Hope yours is just as well.

Tis the season to have joy and be happy and be satisfied with the life you have.


Merry Christmas season to you.

May the next 11 days be full of peace and wonder.


Sincerely,

Chow (and the Wilde family)

Halloween Memories

My favorite Halloween went something like this:

I came home from school and went to my best friend's house (which was right behind mine) and we raked up leaves in her backyard and jumped in them. Over and over again.

Eventually, her mom came out and told us that if we didn't get our costumes on, we would miss trick-or-treating. I hopped the fence and ran home and changed as fast as I could. I ran back over and we went trick-or-treating until it was dark. It was so much fun!!!

My weirdest Halloween went something like this:

I had gone on 2 dates with this guy in college- and Halloween night was our 3rd. It started off that we had dinner with his sister. I got cold in the restaurant and put on my jr. high track hoodie and it ripped- a sign of how the rest of it would go.

After dinner he took me to a store- I think it was Fred Meyer or KMart. We picked out Halloween costumes (I was a pink fairy) and we went to our single ward's Halloween party. It was fun... but people kept looking at me funny. All of this dude's friends kept looking at me like they knew a secret about me.

We left the party and we planned to go see the movie 'The Ring' with my roommates and their dates. I wanted to change first and so we went to my apartment. As we pulled up, he asked me to grab his CD case from under the seat. I reached down and pulled out... some roses! I can't remember how many. I was totally thrown off. I was in shock. He came around the car, got down on one knee, pulled out a ring and said,"Will you marry me?"

I don't know how I did it, but I said a quick 'no' and ran inside. I was so confused- it was date 3. We hadn't kissed or anything. And he... proposed.

But it was Halloween and we had movie tickets. So without telling my room mates, we had an awkward ride to the movie. We watched 'The Ring' and I managed to not hold his hand on the scary parts for fear I'd lead him on (to date this is the scariest movie I've ever seen. Partly due to lack of comfort, partly due to watching it in a theater full of precocious college students).

I think we talked about the whole thing a few days later. But we never dated again. So weird.

Halloween lately...

The last few years have been good. We'd throw a big party and hand out tons of candy- until we were handing out Mac N Cheese! We lived in a dense neighborhood that was super popular for kids to come trick-or-treating to. Last year's was probably the best one ever- so many friends, so many fun things- even my mom was there!

Halloween Now...

Since we've moved out on our ranch, Halloween will be different. It'll be a nice quiet night at home... because no one will walk the football field length up our driveway for a fun-size Snickers.
This year we ran around getting our septic worked out and meeting with some stake leaders. Russ's work took off at full speed due to flooding so we were up at 4 am  on Halloween morning.

While I will miss the fun, party-filled Halloween of my past years, I look forward to the simple life- until P demands trick-or-treating.

You know what they say- enjoy every stage!

Plans, then Life.

When we got married we took great care to avoid sweeps, as in television news sweeps. We avoided February for this reason. We thought march wold be perfect. That March 16 was perfect, because it is the day before Russ's favorite holiday.

Then we moved to Texas.

And there was a little festival called SXSW.

And our anniversary is spent with Russ covering the festival or resting up from a crazy work week.

Sad to say, our anniversary's have become simple in celebration. And this year, being a not so great celebration year of #6, we shall again keep it simple.

A post-wedding trip to the Salt Lick, and then maybe working on my kitchen light remodel some more.

I don't mind- this year.

And as much as I'd like to think it'll get better in the future, I try not to plan. Because you make plans, and then life happens.

How To Tell If Your Neighbor is Mormon

We are the only Mormons on our block. In fact, there are two other Mormons in my subdivision that are Mormon, but they don't attend church.

As we planted our garden today, I could hear and see our neighbors peering at us curiously. Windows opening for a few minutes, then closing. Shouts to spouses,"I guess I'll go trim the bushes or something."

I thought, "I guess it is unusual to plant a garden at 9 AM on a Saturday." But really, it's just another sign to our neighbors that we're Mormon. Here are others:

1. We plant a garden at 9 am on a Saturday.

2. We have at least a kid, or we don't mind kids. Cultural stereotype is that we have a tribe of children. But I tried to leave this open for people on the spectrum of the baby process- or for those with infertility.

3. We go to church each Sunday. And Wednesdays. And sometimes on Tuesdays. And maybe even more than that because we live close to the church and help people there often.

4. The missionaries come by at least once a month for food- not just knocking on your door.

5. You've been invited to church activities. From Trunk-or-Treats to Chili Cook-Offs, you've been asked to join us.

6. Modesty. Piercings & Tatoos (or a lack thereof)

7. We don't drink, and will typically leave a party before people get unbearably intoxicated.

8. We ask you for flour or an egg. Because, yes, we bake. We make cookies from scratch.

9. We decline the invitation to read "50 Shades of Grey" and when you said it was 'graphic' we thought that meant violent.

10. We don't do a lot of stuff on Sunday, most certainly not going to the store, but possibly not working out or running or going to sporting events.

11. We can't lend you wine or beer. We just don't have it.

12. We may say things like "oh, dang" or "crow" or "cuss" or "cluster cuss" or "rat fink" instead of a swear. Most definitely we don't use the G or JC ones.

That's all I can think of, but there's one problem.

My neighbors don't read my blog.

They'll continue to peep and wonder what the Wilde's are up to.

Oh well, it felt good to write it out.

February Flying By!

It seems that every week the Wilde household has had an emergency. Between illness, jury trials, and even the bizarre case of a friend in jail... life is just flashing by!

But there have been great moments of fun and joy. Our little P has 4 teeth and she's chewing on everything for more!

Aside from the buzz of life, things are good. If I could get my sinuses permanently cleared up, I could say that life is great.

In looking ahead, we are getting our garden ready for the coming year. The goal is to plant the first round of seeds on March 4th.

I had a dream last night about my grandmother and her garden. It left me with the most wonderful feeling in the morning and a strong desire to make a large garden like she had. I miss her. And I want to honor the good she did in this world by continuing it.

Well, those are my thoughts for tonight.

Enjoy the last 10 days of February!

These Orange Rolls are the best thing I've eaten this month.

Fighting the Good Fight

We all make choices in life. That affect the rest of our life. I realized at my conference today that my chosen profession means giving up some things. Well, at least how the world is now. But the world can change. Now I just face the likelihood of the consequences of my career path.

Here are what I think they are...

• Being poor. Well, maybe not poor exactly. But that Jetta I've wanted since I was a teenager? Yeah, it's probably not going to happen.
• Not a lot of appreciation or "Thank you's"
• Nightmares. Stuff you just can't get out of your head.
• Hmm... How do I put this one? Probably not going to be in Young Womens anytime ever.
• Overly Cautious when out in the community.
• Knowing too much about neighbors/family/friends.
• Quickly judging others about lying or telling the truth. Can't afford not to.
• Never being able to watch any Legal TV Show ever without getting angry about it. 
• Being overly protective of children, especially my own.

But... at the same time, there are benefits:

• Being able to say that I make my community a better place.
• Victories that can make you smile weeks after they happen.
• Having a quiet, sustaining spiritual life.
• Having motivations to run it out, always.
• Being overly cautious and protective. (it's good and bad)
• Having coworkers and a team to work with. Never standing alone.
• Having a intellectually stimulating job. Lots to think about and work out.
• Steady work schedule, most of the time.
• Being able to "do it all". Not many jobs let you bring your kid to work, work from home, or wear sweat pants to work. Very grateful for that!

There are good things and bad things about these serious choices we make. I think, in the end, the good will outweigh the bad. Perhaps the best part about this it that I am where I am supposed to be.

Life is good!

This week is kicking my butt

This week I've been in training in Austin for my job and it has thrown my little life topsy turvy.
Spending 2 hours in traffic on the road makes me angry, tired, and just grumpy. I don't know how people drive that every day!

And to be honest, I am spoiled. I live 3 miles from my office.

It reminded me of when I went to Russ's work Christmas party.

Many working moms asked me how I was adjusting to being a working mom and how hard it was. I responded that it wasn't that hard at all. Everything is close, so I'm not spending a ton of time driving that could be spent together. We still get that together time.

And Russ is the one who gets her out the door every morning, so my mornings Ernest really disrupted.

But this week, I am feeling it. I am feeling the tiredness of working and the lack of energy to do anything but play with my family each night.

On top of it all, today I learned that a dear fried, mama Hayes died this morning. She was a force of good in this world. She was absolutely inspiring. I miss her already.

So, in short, this week has been awful. It has made me grateful for the life I normally get to live. Here's to the weekend coming up soon, and good elks full of routine in the future.

(Artwork by my niece, Georgia. It makes me smile)

Hello 2013

I should be cleaning my house and finish putting away Christmas but...

It's cold! And I'll start in 8 minutes!

Here's what I'm looking forward to in 2013:

(Not goals... just looking forward to all this!!!)

• Finishing "Team of Rivals". I have 2 chapters to go. So what if it took me 3 years to finish this book???
• Kitchen Remodel (perhaps starting over MLK weekend?)
• More yoga- hopefully becoming a Level 2 teacher!
• Running my first 1/2 marathon!
• Redecorating my kitchen and downstairs (I'm thinking gray and yellow in the kitchen, and some strong black accents in the living room.
• More time with Russ, Phoe, and being home.

Life is good! Bring on the joys and challenges that will be this year!

Goodbye 2012...

Goodbye law school.
And bar exam.

Goodbye Waco.
Goodbye stress and worry and studying every night.

Thank you, 2012, for the lessons and the memories. I am grateful for all I learned, for friends I call dear, for family and unconditional love. I've grown, learned, and changed. I am a better person than I was when 2012 started. Thank you...but let's not do it again!

Almost 1...

P is pushing up against the big 1-2... months that is. Over Thanksgiving I kept thinking, "I've got to write these things down." Well... here I go:

• P loves to push her brown bear around in this little Playskool shopping cart. (unrelated- but why not spell it properly?)
• P pushes the bear around and stops and talks to the bear, pointing out things and babbling. I think she is imitating what I do with her on her walks. It is very flattering... but also I like to think I point out more interesting things than a white wall or a crumb on the floor.
• P will grab a burp cloth and wipe the bear's mouth and face. 
• She folds her arms when we say that it is time to pray.
• If you ask her, "P, where is the tree?" She will look at the Christmas tree and after a few minutes point at it and say "Ree".
• If you catch her with the baby wipe lid open, she will shut the lid and look and smile (nevermind the small pile of wipes she's already pulled out).
• She wave bye-bye.
• If you show her a picture of a little kid or a baby on your computer, she looks at it and smiles, maybe even giggle.
• P has this Baby Body Book that labels baby emotions, clothing, actions, etc. She will sit and read it and giggle when she gets to the babies playing peek-a-boo.
• She will give you five when you say, "Gimme 5!"
• If you say "Now you try" then she claps.
• She thinks it is funny to look above and under things. Like if she's in the crib you look at her above, she giggles, then you look at her through the slats, she giggles. It's the funniest thing to her.
• She self-feeds and has a special affinity for Cheerios. 
• She can drink out of a sippy cup.
• She can 'fetch'. I was trying to teach her how to throw a ball one day, but instead she would just retrieve the ball for me.

She sure is great! I love being her mom and teaching her new things.

Because I Have Been Given Much...

has it really been almost a year since I've last posted?

Well, I couldn't let today pass me by without posting what I call a "Thankful-mony". It's like a testimony and an award speech wrapped into one.

So this Thanksgiving the Wilde's look back and see a year full of blessing, large and small. So many to count, that I cannot count them all. But let's hit the big ones...

Sadly, I am out of storage space to put pictures on here... So I'll just mention the things that have made me break down and cry a few times today, even though there are no pictures accompanying them.

1. That Phoenix made it out of the NICU and is doing so well.

2. That I graduated from law school, and I have moved on with life!

3. That I passed the Texas Bar Exam, and I am a licensed attorney! Hooray!

4. That I have an excellent job, a wonderful job, a job that enables me to have a lot of time with my family.

5. That I have Russ by my side, making this journey with me!

Life is good in the Wilde house. My cup runneth over with all the amazing things that have happened this year. I know that it is not every year- we have hard years ahead. But I never thought that we would receive all of these blessings. I thought for sure something would not work out. But we have been so blessed, and I will do my best to pass on the blessings I have received. 

The Night Life of PKW

5:05 pm: Mom picks me up from school and I giggle about it.
5:10 pm: Try to eat Mom's necklace again. It doesn't work. Settle for ripping it off her neck. Also doesn't work. She puts me in the carseat before I can make another attempt to destroy the necklace.

5:15 pm: Tell my mom about my day as we drive home. She doesn't understand my happy shrieks. Fall asleep.

5:25 pm: Wake up in the living room. Hey, wasn't I just in a car? WTH? Oops, I'm not supposed to swear.

5:30 pm: Look out the back window at the birds. Yell at the birds.

5:40 pm: Destroy my high chair and throw bibs all over the kitchen.

5:45 pm: Crawl to the bathroom, shut the door, and say as much as I can to hear my voice echo.

5:55 pm: Bart Simpson choke the Brown Bear. Bear must die.

6:00 pm: Mom loads me up for a neighborhood run. I am so confused about this because I can't run.

6:05 pm: Laugh at my mom's slow pace.

6:15 pm: Yell at the moon.

6:30 pm: Giggle at the neighborhood dog that tries to run with us.

6:35 pm: Yell at the moon (with my hands this time)

6:40 pm: Rub my head to tell my mom that I'm done with this run.

6:55 pm: Get home and love on the Brown Bear. Giggle at the Bear. Bear forgets I choked him.

7:00 pm: Destroy all things on the coffee table.

7:05 pm: Eat a lot of food. Cheerios, Baby food, a Bottle. Scream at my mom for thinking I'm done. Eat more Cheerios. Some Baby Cheetos. More Cheerios.

7:35 pm: Throw balls around and play with my parents. I'm so funny. They are so funny. I pee a little. My mom pees a little.

8:00 pm: Get a little grumpy. Discover my Yoda toy and style Yoda's hair.

8:15 pm: I'm pretty sure Brown Bear is jealous. Bart Simpson choke him again.

8:30 pm: Parents strip me down to my diaper. Gleefully escape in my near nakedness.

8:35 pm: Parents put more clothes on me. I rub my eyes.

8:40 pm: I eat a 1/2 bottle and listen to my Mom or Dad reads a story. Laugh when they change their voice into something weird.

8:45 pm: Sit in my crib and play.

8:46 pm: Sleep like a rock

9:15 pm: Sleep Crawl to the other side of the crib and sleep in a weird position. Repeat every hour. My parents laugh at all the places they find me at in my crib when they check on me.

What I like About Utah

Aside from being inhabited by some great family and friends, there's not much I love about Utah. Okay, well Northern Utah. I am a Southern Utahn all the way.

But Northern Utah? Specifically Salt Lake or any of the surrounding areas? Yuck. People, people everywhere. Roads. Development. Cars. Traffic. Billboards. Businesses. Hustle. Bustle.

To lossely quote a Dixie Chicks song, "I need wide open spaces..."

Hence, my love for Southern Utah. And for Texas.

BUT! There is now one picture that makes me think fondly of the Salt Lake Area:

I love these people. They're Texans.

They were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple and it was one of the most sacred events I have ever witnessed. Can't even share it much because it's a private little gem, a glimpse of eternal bliss that you'd just would have had to be there to understand. Oh, it was wonderful.

And for those not in the know, Yes, She is wearing a beautiful purple dress instead of the traditional temple white wedding dress.

Further, Yes, she's pregnant!

I love this couple for all the good times we've shared. But I also love their swaggy style that shakes of the traditional notions of how we all think things are supposed to look. 

What I also like about Utah are these people:

This is Phoenix walking with her Uncle Ryan.

And this is my "twin" cousin and his son. Wasn't sure I'd see this guy again after a tough illness he fought this spring and summer. But here he is. And now I'm the chubbier one out of the two of us! HA!

So good to see him and to have our kids meet.

There really should be more pics from this trip. but it was short, fast, and wonderful.

Utah, I love you.... well most of you.

And I'll see you in a while. I don't know when.

Hello, Blog

I know I'm in and out and in and out of blogging. But I shall not give up.

The past two months have been busy. Let me explain:

• Took the bar exam
• Started a new job
• Went to Canada
• Went to Utah
• Had LASIK eye surgery
• Planned a dinner for 180 people

I think that's it. I mean, aside from the day to day stuff.

I hope to take the time to blog about most of these events. Actually, some I've already blogged about- like the bar exam.

And some things I won't mention much about- like my job- just because I'd like to keep this blog FUN!

So I guess that leaves two trips and an eye surgery to blog about! (no one wants to read about a dinner planning!)

More to come! Life is good!


-----
I think what I want to blog about a bit now is- for the lack of better phrasing- "the kind of mom I am"

It hit me at the park tonight, that there are types of "moms"

What sparked this thought? Well, P was nibbling on the swing. And I didn't stop her.

I thought for a second, "I should be really worried about germs right now!"

Then I thought, "Well, she's not sucking on dirt or something people walk on"

So I just made faces with her and giggled, and thought about how I wasn't a "hygiene mom".

And I think here's the kind of "mom" I am. More to be discovered, I'm sure as P gets older. But here's what I got so far:

• I'm not a germ-a-phobe mom.
• I must play with P for an hour after work. I'm a mom that plays.
• I'm a tv-nuetral mom. Not one of those moms who avoids children and tv in the same room until they're 2 or whatever. But P had yet to watch anything on TV.
• I am not a organic all-natural mom. I am a go-with-the-flow mom. Do your best and don't guilt-trip over the rest.
• I am not a social mom. This is really apparent from P's school. I don't like to sit and mom-chat. I think I've rubbed some class-moms the wrong way because of this. But... sorry. I'd rather get my girl home and play with her than chat diaper brands with you. 
• I am a selectively-selfish mom. I don't mind some folks holding and loving on my girl. But there are some people that I just want to say, "Please don't ever touch her. Just admire from afar." It's not consistent at all though. So... I think this trait is still in development.

I think that's all for now. Kind of funny to me though. I used to be a social butterfly. But now I just don't care as much. Well, c'est la vie!


I think that's all I have right now.

Father's Day!

Just have to say Happy First Father's Day to the best dad I know!

Russ is really the top of the pops! I can't imagine doing this parenting thing without him! He's the best. But don't take my word for it, see for yourself: