Bunkbeds

We had many, many fun adventures over the summer and I really should write about all of those exciting moments. 
But for today I want to talk about bunk beds.  
I have never been a huge fan of bunk beds.  But they became a necessity in out last house trying to fit lots of girls into the space we had available.  Mostly they are just a pain to make and keep looking neat.  And I always worried about the littlest girls climbing up and not being able to get back down.  Plus it's a hassle for me to climb up and down if I wanted to read in bed with one of the girls or just give them a bedtime snuggle.  So I swore we would not bunk the beds in our new house, and that worked really well for almost a year.
About 6 months ago Sierra and Emma decided that they wanted to be in the same room and that they wanted to have their beds bunked so that there would be space in their room for the digital piano.  Wanting to encourage my children's efforts at cooperation and creativity, I agreed with this plan.  They are old enough that they can at least keep their own bunk beds made, and I don't really spend much time snuggling with them in bed anymore.  
I did not take into consideration, however, what happens when someone on the top bunk gets sick in the middle of the night and doesn't make it to the bathroom before she throws up.  Sierra woke up just long enough to throw up over the edge of her top bunk onto Emma's pillows and book that she sets next to her bed when she goes to sleep each night.  I woke up Sunday morning to clean up the aftermath.  Keep in mind that the farther liquid falls, the greater the splash at the bottom.  Not pleasant.  I really do not like bunk beds.  I'm sure you won't miss having a picture for this post.  

Goldilocks

Emma and I completed our 60 mile Goldilocks bicycle ride today.  (Check out www.goldilocksride.com).  I am so proud of Emma for making it all the way!  We have been planning and training for this ride for 3 months, and there were days the training part was not her favorite.  I really enjoy cycling and it was so fun to share it with one of my girls.  Way to go Biker Chick!  You can accomplish anything!

Sweet Sixteen

Today miss Christa celebrates her 16th birthday.  I don't know how I have a 16 year old living in my house and calling me mom, since I'm only 22 myself, but that's one of the mysteries of life I guess.  So today I get to let her know (and everyone else), how amazing Christa really is.  
--She has perfect pitch and an amazing ability to play music by ear and create her own harmonies when singing
--She plays piano and violin so beautifully.  I love to listen to her practice.
--She is so smart and does really well in school. AP Chemistry and AP Calculus exams are this week!  All her teachers are so impressed with her consistent great performance.
--She chooses great friends, and is pretty sociable 
--She makes her bed every day
--She does whatever she is asked to do to help around the house
--She has an appreciation for all types of music
--She is very goal-oriented and focused when she has her sights set on achieving something
--She runs to keep herself in good shape physically
--She is the household grammar police and we frequently has discussions about proper verb tense or dangling participles (in English or in Spanish)
--She is beautiful
--She is pretty humble about her accomplishments
--She knows and loves the scriptures and is very involved in church activities, and keeps high moral standards
--She is a great example to her younger sisters, and tolerates their little-sister-ness
--She is willing to try new things
--She is extremely dependable in so many aspects of her life
Thanks for being a part of our lives, Christa, and thanks for teaching us all so much!  We love you!!  Happy Sweet 16!

Dubai

Ryan and I had the opportunity to spend a few days in Dubai this past week.  When we were at the American Academy of Dermatology meeting in New Orleans in February, we met several dermatologists from the Middle East who expressed a need for dermatopathology expertise in that region of the world, and who told us about their regional meeting being held in Dubai.  We have talked about expanding our practice internationally for a long time, and decided this was the time and place to explore that possibility.  It was a big leap into the unknown, but turned out to be an amazing experience.  We went with our two other key associates in our company, and learned so much and came away with many great contacts and 5 invitations for Ryan to speak at meetings in the region within the next year.  There is a great need, not only for regular biopsy diagnosis, like Ryan does now for his American clients, but also for expert consultation and also for education and for humanitarian work. There are the wealthiest of the wealthy in the region, but also the poorest of the poor.  It really was an incredible response and we are so grateful for the opportunity we had to go, and for the opportunities that are ahead.  Here are a few pictures of some of the sights:

The Burj Khalifa--The tallest building in the world--

and the view from the observation deck on the 124th floor 

The beach on the Persian Gulf

A traditional spice shop in the old Souk (market) area of town

The Jumeirah mosque-one of the few non-Muslims can tour

There is a mosque on every other corner all through the city

Ski Dubai-the indoor ski slope in one of the malls

Feet

Paisley is having a foot fetish of late.  Actually it's not just her feet.  She is constantly complaining that her sock hurts, or her panties hurt, or her pants hurt  . . .  I cannot get that child dressed without at least 10 minutes of crying, fussing, whining, about her clothes.  If she gets herself dressed, there is sometimes a bit less of it.  But even if she chooses her clothes then asks for help, she complains that they bother her.  She has just spent the last 20 minutes rolling around on the floor asking me to fix her sock.  She wanted to go outside, but wants socks, but thinks I can fix them.   I can't fix them.  I admit that clothing is just irritating in general.  Too bad we can't all go around completely naked all the time.  Society and weather won't really permit that sort of thing.  I think she just fell asleep on the floor mid tantrum.  So much for early bedtime . . .

50 States!

One day Ryan and I counted the number of states we have visited over our lives.  About the time we moved here, we were up to 47 for me and 46 for him.  Then we visited Alaska and Hawaii together and were tied at 48 states.  Just Alabama and Mississippi to go.  They have been the last two on our list for about 3 years.  A couple of weeks ago Ryan had a conference scheduled in New Orleans, so we decided to take one morning while we were down there and check off our last two states.  It's just over 2 hours from New Orleans, across the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, and into Alabama.  The Mississippi Coast is really beautiful, even in February when it was way too cold to enjoy the beach.  We had brunch at the Spot of Tea restaurant in Mobile, Alabama, listed in their "100 Things to Eat in Alabama Before You Die" brochure that we picked up at the visitor's information rest stop at the border.

As we drove it was fun to talk about what we remember from our visits to each of the other 48 states.  It is so fun to have that perspective on our nation and to have a visual image of so many different places we have been.  There are beautiful and amazing things to love in every place we have been.  What a great country!

Next travel goal: Visiting all 7 continents over the next 7 years.

Two More Birthdays

February is a double birthday month in our house.
Paisley turned 3!  I can't believe I won't have a two year old in the house again.  She got a pillow pet and a Mr. Potato Head and a heart dress.  Her vocabulary has increased by leaps and bounds and she talks a mile a minute.  She loves to draw and color and has just learned how to draw smiley faces.
Three things we love about Paisley:
--She spontaneously says, "I love you, Mom (or Dad).  You're the best in the whole world."
--She wants to try everything the big girls are doing (playing the violin or piano, gymnastics, homework, collecting chicken eggs . . . .)
--She still likes me to cuddle with her at night.

Lexi also had her 14th birthday and got to go to her first church Saturday Night Dance.  Very Exciting!

Fourteen things we love about Lexi:

--She is so smart and works hard to do well in school, even with her challenging math and science

--Listening to her practice and perform her cello

--Listening to her sing in choir, especially her solos or small ensembles

--Cheering for her basketball team and seeing her free-throws improve every week

--Her fast mile times, thanks to those long legs

--She has a wide variety of friends, and is kind to everyone at school

--She keeps her room cleaned up and does her own laundry

--She lets Paisley sleep with her sometimes, especially when Mom and Dad are out of town

--She does whatever she's asked without complaining

--She talks to me about the ups and downs in her life

--She doesn't get upset easily 

--She has always been able to get up and get herself ready for school on time, since 1st grade

--She is committed to doing what is right, even when it seems hard

--She is beautiful!

Happy Birthday to two of my babies!