Museums

Let's be honest. I don't particularly like museums. It's not that I don't appreciate the work of others. I do. And I want to LOVE museums. There is so much out there that is virtuous, lovely, of good report and praiseworthy ... I just find that many museums are super stuffy and have rules that can be a bit ridiculous.

Today, Cyndi invited me to go with her to the Faberge Exhibit at the Legion of Honor. I have a Russian sister and so I have a soft spot for Russian art. Rog said he would stay home with Sarah (it was nap time) but since Will is still portable and a great companion he came with us. Cyndi and I got a little turned around on the way there while activating our frontal cortex, but we made it. Parking was a little tricky, but again, not a huge deal. When we got inside the museum we learned that there was a 25-30 minute line for the exhibit. No big deal. I was with good company. Will was asleep and Cyndi and I always have a lot to talk about.


When we got to the front of the line, the security man informed me that I would not be able to take William in the stroller to see the exhibit. Apparently, it would be "unsafe" for him because there were so many people looking at the exhibit and they might bump into my baby. I assured the man that we would be careful and that we weren't worried. He then proceeded to tell me it would be better if I went to get a "smaller" umbrella stroller, indicating that it would be a "safer" option. Mind you, my baby is S.L.E.E.P.I.N.G. I was not about to move him. And honestly, Will was in the snap-n-go. That's right, strapped in his CAR SEAT attached to the stroller frame. Nope. I wasn't buying that the umbrella stroller would be safer than the car seat that is designed to withstand two cars colliding. Another woman sitting at the security checkpoint proceeded to tell me about using a baby carrier to take my child in to the exhibit. Again, I'm really not willing to wake up my sleeping baby. And besides, it would be super difficult to carry my baby in addition to my diaper bag and camera bag. No thank you. The two also thought it would be a good idea to have one of us go through the exhibit and then switch off to let the other one go through. Really? The whole point of going together was to enjoy the exhibit together. Neither Cyndi nor I had the desire to go through alone.

Now, before you think I am completely unreasonable with all of their helpful options I just want to point out that the real reason they didn't want my stroller in the exhibit was because I could potentially bump into another patron and potentially cause a problem. But come on. The exhibit - by law - has to be wheelchair accessible. My stroller is not as large or as cumbersome as a wheelchair. And frankly, I was feeling quite discriminated against. The guy said that if I had been there earlier in the day, when it wasn't so crowded, I could take my stroller in. They weren't holding any of the people in wheelchairs back because it was "too crowded." The part that makes it even more frustrating is there isn't any sign anywhere that indicates the stroller policy. But not really a stroller policy because I could have rented an umbrella stroller and used that instead?? But wait, a family with an umbrella stroller wasn't allowed to take theirs in either. Instead, the couple got to C.A.R.R.Y. their 3-year-old and their bags through the over-crowded exhibit.

Well, as you can imagine, Cyndi and I didn't budge. After about 10 minutes of standing at the front of the line, the lady said if we wanted to wait until the line died down we could go in with the stroller. OK. We decided to wait. A few minutes later, the unrelenting security guard went on break and a very friendly security guard replaced him. Coincidentally the line also disappeared. We then told the new guy that "they said when the line got smaller we could go in with the stroller." The new guard immediately welcomed us in and pointed out a more accessible way to navigate the exhibit.

We were in and out in 10 minutes and were happily on our way. The exhibit was beautiful. I loved the intricate eggs, the jewelry and the vases. (Much of which was from Tiffany and Co.) We stopped by a couple of Cyndi's favorite pieces in the permanent collection before heading home.


I guess what this rant boils down to is how unfriendly some employees can be to those of us with children. I am very glad I didn't have Sarah with me. I don't even want to start thinking about what a nightmare that could have been.

Let's just say I have no desire to get a pass to the Legion of Honor and the de Young Museums. (it's a joint pass and we had a sippy cup issue at the de Young.) However, I may suspend my boycott for the King Tut exhibit ... Maybe we'll just have to leave the kids at home.

Memorial Day ... Photo Shoot

What's a day off without a photo shoot? After naptime we spontaneously decided to go to our favorite picture place - the Palace of Fine Arts - and feed the ducks. We dressed up Sarah & William in red, white and blue in honor of the day. I figured it was about time I'd taken William's 6 month photos. I thought they turned out cute.






Of course, I couldn't refrain from taking Sarah pics - especially with her being so willing. She L.O.V.E.D her outfit and apparently that made her feel like smiling and saying cheese. Sarah also loves feeding the ducks and spending time with Daddy. All very good reasons to smile.






The two of them together was a little more difficult. It was rather cold and William was done taking photos by the time I put them together.



Well, that's it. And now I'm really getting off the computer to clean my house and perhaps read more of my book.

Memorial Day

We haven't spent many Memorial Days in San Francisco, but it was nice to have a family holiday with just the four of us.

We slept in ...


Played the piano ...


And took Addi's advice to see the Memorial Day Parade in the Presidio. It was fun to wave our flags and see the band, cars and horses go by. It was perfect for our two-year-old's attention span. Sarah LOVED it.



We stayed for part of the program - well, we left after the Pledge of Allegiance - two-year-old attention span remember.


After a quick lunch we got to see baby Hank. (Why didn't I remember my camera to get a picture of the cute little guy?) He's adorable and really does look like his older brother.

Family Fun

I've been meaning to post about our family fun workout mornings. And I've been meaning to take my camera to the park so I could capture the fun. Well, I again forgot the camera today, but I decided pics from the camera phone are better than nothing.

Family Fun Workout Mornings are our favorite way to work out. Right now we are just doing this workout on Saturdays and holidays. Eventually, we want to incorporate it into a 3x a week schedule. Here's a typical day:

Walk & Run to the park. Rog and I switch off "running" blocks while the other pushes the stroller. Once we get to the park we use the equipment to do calisthenics, such as handstands, push ups, sit ups, pull ups, dips, squats, lunges, stairs, etc. We have a few regular routines, but Rog is always experimenting with some new techniques. For example:


Sarah had fun with Daddy on the swings as well. I'm just sad you can't hear all the giggling she was doing! SHE L.O.V.E.D IT!



Sarah typically runs all over the park, having free reign of everything - especially when it is only 8 a.m. on a cold, foggy Saturday.

All that fun really tuckered out our William. How he got stuck like this I will never know. It was a little difficult to pry out his chubby legs!

Academy & Birthday

We had a great time at the Academy of Sciences with Megan and Kate today. We saw the white chomp-chomp, the fishies and the turters. We hung out in the Explorers Cove and enjoyed the view from the roof. We tried to take a picture of the three kiddos, but this was the best we got.


I love this one as well - William was the only one smiling :)


Afterward, we let the kids run around the park near Fulton Street. Sarah made friends with some motherly older girls. It was so cute to hear them call her "little girl." Sarah was in heaven.

Afterward, we headed home for a quick nap/quiet time before walking up our hill to the park for Max's 4th birthday party. Fumi made the tastiest treats!


I loved being immersed in Japanese. It is such a beautiful language. I need to use it more for sure. Happy Birthday Max!

Domestic

My friend Jenna (yes she still calls me friend) came by yesterday and since we had a free afternoon we decided to make bread. Aren't we so domestic?


My Mom introduced me to this artisan bread recipe earlier this year. After it took her 10 minutes to tell me how to make this "super, easy recipe" I didn't believe that it was really easy. (I mean 10 minutes? If it were 10 seconds, I'd have been sold in an instant!) I don't cook, bake or clean anything that isn't truly easy. Anything with more than 7 ingredients isn't even on my radar. I don't own a fancy bundt cake pan from Williams Sonoma because I know I won't want to clean it. (Yes, that was for you Cyndi.) I absolutely LOVE Jamie's recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Muffins! The paradox is this: I also am a foodie. I like really good food. And let's be honest, I really like compliments on my food.

My Mom somehow convinced me to just try the recipe. Being the trusting soul that I am - a month or two later - decided to give the bread a shot. I found that it really is that easy not to mention that good. Even Roger - the man who eats bread sparingly - loves it. Sarah can't get enough of dipping mommy's bread into the oil and vinegar. Will is chomping at the bit until he can taste this delicious goodness.

So what is the recipe you need to completely impress your husband and perhaps even your friends?

Artisan Bread

3 c. Warm Water
1 1/2 Tbsp Yeast
1 1/2 Tbsp Salt
6 1/2 c. White Flour

Yep. That's it. You dissolve the yeast & salt in the water. Add flour and mix until there are no dry patches. Then you cover it with a lid (not airtight) and let it sit for 2 hours. After the two hours you have two choices - make the bread or put it into containers for later baking. (Sometimes I will make one loaf the same day and separate the other three out into 4 containers. The dough lasts up to 2 weeks in the fridge!) The bread won't be as "dry" as regular bread dough. It should be incredibly sticky. Side note - Another thing I like about this recipe is that you don't have to be a stickler on time. It can rise up to 5 hours. So if you forgot about it amongst all your many mommy duties, all your "effort" or at least the ingredients aren't wasted.

When you are ready to make the dough, first put cornmeal on a pizza peel (or in my case a cutting board). Sprinkle the surface of the dough with flour and then you simply shape the bread into a ball. (Add a little more flour as necessary so your hands can shape it with a little less stickiness. Don't knead the bread just cloak. The entire process should only take 30 seconds and your bread should be smooth on the top with a collection of bunched ends on the bottom. (Hard to explain, easy to do.)

Then put the ball on your cornmeal covered surface. Allow the loaf to rest for 40 minutes (uncovered). About 20 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 450 with a baking stone on the middle rack. Place an empty broiler tray for holding water on the bottom rack. Then you get to do the fun part - dust and slash. Sprinkle the top of the loaf with flower and then slash a 1/4-inch-deep cross, scallop or tic-tac-toe pattern on the top using a serrated bread knife.

After a 20 minute preheat, you're ready to bake. (Your oven doesn't have to be up to the full temperature.) Slide the bread onto your preheated pizza stone. Quickly, but carefully, pour 1 c. hot water from the tap into the broiler tray and close the oven door to trap the steam. Bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is nicely browned and firm to the touch. Allow to cool completely.

That's it. Yes, it takes a long time to explain, but it is soooo easy. Just ask Jenna. And you can do the initial bread mix in advance and then it's a great, easy and SUPER INEXPENSIVE way to add yummy bread to your meal. In addition to the four 1-lb loaves, I've made the dough into pizza crusts and smaller rolls. Super, super tasty.

It's even more fun to do when you have others over to do it with you and keep you company. Feel free to stop by sometime and we can make bread together!

Bye Bye Ward

Every May our ward has a farewell breakfast for those families moving on to new adventures. It really is like losing half our ward each Summer! We even have San Francisco books that we sign for these families - which is not unlike a yearbook signing party. And today was that day. Breakfast included fresh fruit, breakfast casseroles, french toast rolls, bacon, a waffle bar, juice, etc. Everything was delicious! Way to go Ben & Anne and the rest of the activities crew.

There was a big jump house - and a mini one for toddlers. Rog and Sarah took advantage of the mini jump house.


They also went "boarding" down the street. Much to Mommy's dismay. At least Daddy went "slow."


I can't believe we've been her for 5 of these parties. We have almost 20 families moving from our ward - most from our dental school graduates, but some others who are going to graduate programs or have found job opportunities in other parts of the world. We are sure going to miss everyone. I'm glad Cyndi's staying around a little while longer. I imagine we will at least have one more of these parties to go to ... Who would have thought this desert girl from Utah would have stuck it out for 5 years in San Francisco? The truth is, I have come to love this city! We'll see how many more we can do with two kids in this one-bedroom-with-a-large-closet apartment.

Knowledge Value Experience #6

"If there be anything Virtuous, Lovely, Of Good Report or Praiseworthy, we seek after these things."

Tonight I went with Cyndi and my family to see and support my friend Brandon as he presented his Master in Fine Art thesis in the San Francisco Art Institute Graduate's Exhibition tonight. Brandon is incredibly talented and it has been fun to see all he has created in the past two years. His and Mary's apartment has gone from bare-bones of stark white walls and little furniture to holding creative masterpieces. Some of these include his robots, wall hangings and miniature furniture. He really is a talented artist.

I was excited to do a personal progress experience by attending his art exhibit. However, when he invited us a few weeks ago, he gave a warning. "Not all of the art is church-approved." And, well, he was definitely right. I found that I needed to steer clear of several exhibits within the show. Cyndi pointed out a piece that looked promising with it's beautiful deep colors, but as we rounded the corner and saw the entire piece we were shocked to see an immoral display in front of our eyes. Yikes! Not so uplifting.

Brandon's piece was intricate and it was neat to take a few minutes to talk to him about his work. He has a talent bringing found objects together into a beautiful, structured piece. I am excited to see where his new adventures take Mary and him in the upcoming years.



A photography display by another student also caught my eye. I loved how he was able to capture God's creation on black-and-white film. It definitely lifted my spirits and spoke to me. I would love to learn how to be a better photographer and capture beauty in the world around me - especially of my family.


Another positive aspect of this experience was the location. Parking was - can you believe it - free. The Herbst Pavillion is right on the water and we got there just as the sun was setting. The Bay is quite peaceful there and we had Cyndi snap a quick photo of the family. I love God's creations and I love my sweet little family!

When the Parents are Away ...

Dear Jenna,

I am sorry I played a trick on you. Mommy says it's not nice to wake up at 3 am, take off all my clothes (including diaper) and yell for Mommy, Daddy and Jenna until you come into my room. She also says it isn't nice - after being re-dressed - to then cry for an hour before falling back asleep. Please forgive me for being so naughty. I do love my Jenna.

Sincerely,
Sarah


Dear Jenna,

I am sorry I didn't want to go to sleep last night. Mommy says it wasn't nice. I know I usually go to bed around 8 pm, but you are just so fun and I wanted to take in every moment I could with you. I thought my 45 minute nap around 11 pm would be a good compromise. No? I'm sorry I then proceeded to cry and carry on so that you couldn't go to bed until 2:30 am. But thank you for feeding me in the middle of the night. I have an image to uphold. These rolls don't just appear on their own. And I hope you didn't mind, but I couldn't wait to see you in the morning. I know 6:30 is a little earlier than I normally get up, but I thought we could have a couple hours of alone time before Sarah woke up for the day. Thanks again for being so sweet.

Love Always,
William


Dear Jenna,

Thank you for such a wonderful night off. Roger and I enjoyed our anniversary sleepover at the Argonaut Hotel. Five years really do fly by. We had a relaxing dinner at the Blue Mermaid that was so enjoyable. It was fun to dress up and focus on being a wife and not have to worry about whether or not Sarah was eating enough or passing the time by destroying the place settings.

We had a nice, quiet evening. I won't give too many details, but the jacuzzi tub was wonderful. I did wake up at 5:45 am but I was fully rested. After I pumped (again) I was able to cuddle with my husband without a care in the world.

I am sorry my children did not behave. I hope their letters of apology help in some way. They really do love you and hope you will still be their friend. They now know that just because "Mean Mommy" goes away for a night it doesn't mean they get free reign of the house when Sweet Jenna is watching them.

Thank you again for taking care of our two little mischievous monsters. I hope this experience doesn't postpone you and Steve having kids.

Your Deeply Indebted Friend,
Hillary

Integrity Value Experience #7

I am still working on my young women personal progress (the leader version). Gambarimasu. Today's value experience is to define some of the issues, trends and problems that weaken the family, read some of the counsel given to strengthen the family and to write down ways I can strengthen my own family. I am supposed to share my thoughts with others so here I go ...

Issues, trends and problems that weaken the family:
* Immorality (including pornography)
* Addiction (to a lot of things - not just habits that are inherently wrong)
* Substance Abuse (This can go along with addiction, but is its own beast as well)
* Dishonesty - half-truths (I'll include gossip in this one)
* Disrespect (for self and others)
* Laziness (I am constantly struggling with this)
* Entitlement (Don't even get me started with this one)
* Vulgarity or just plain not talking nicely to each other.
* Immodesty (Really, some things are just better covered up.)

Counsel, truths we have received from the prophet, other church leaders
* Honor Womanhood. Treasure Faithful Motherhood and Fatherhood.
* Stand as a witness of God at all times and in all things and in all places.
* Cultivate feminine virtues.
* Honor covenants.
* Teach children that procreation is sacred and beautiful.
* Remember that children are an heritage of the Lord.
* Parents have the responsibility to provide for physical and spiritual needs of their children to teach them to love, be law-abiding citizens and to keep God's commandments.
* Successful marriages and families are established and maintained by principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.
* Mothers and Fathers have different roles, but both are to help each other and work together as equal partners.

Ways I can strengthen my home and family
* Be an example - recommit to the high standards I have chosen. Avoid even the appearance of evil. Avoid places and situations that would compromise my standards.

* Teach my children to keep high standards. Incorporate value lessons that emphasize respect for self and others in Family Home Evening and Family Scripture Study as well as when situations present themselves in in everyday life.

* Share my knowledge of strengthening the home and family with others. Share the blessings I have received by striving to keep my home a place of security, confidence, peace and love. Encourage them to do likewise.

I feel so blessed to have a clear understanding of my role as a mother. I am not ideal by any means, but I feel that if I continue to put forth the effort my family will be blessed. I love singing "I am a Child of God" and "Families Can Be Together Forever" with Sarah and William. I know there is a plan of happiness for families and that we were sent to earth to learn and progress together. I am thankful for my little family of four, my parents, siblings, in-laws, nieces, nephews, grandparents and ancestors. I'm thankful for their diligence in strengthening home and family. I pray that I can continue the great heritage I have in preserving this vital unit of society.

6 MONTHS OLD!

Wait. How did this happen? My baby is half-a-year-old! 6 months. 6 MONTHS!!

William, you were supposed to slow down not speed up. You are already 17 lbs. 4 oz. and 27 1/2 inches tall. (90th percentile) Your head size is the only "average" part of you. (43 cm - 50th percentile). I guess I should be at least somewhat pacified that you can still wear 6-12 month clothes.
You love to roll onto your tummy and I'm getting nervous that you just might figure out that you can move your arms and legs in sync to really get around! However, you seem to have no desire to roll back onto your back. In fact, you prefer to sleep on your tummy - no matter how many times Mommy rolls you onto your back - and I've given up trying to change your ways. You'd rather stand than sit. You absolutely LOVE the exersaucer and can't get enough of it. You've tried the Johnny Jump Up, but alas have not fallen in love with it. Give it some time.


You'll sit in the Bumbo but I'm certain it is only because you have discovered that sitting there means you get to eat. Oh how you can eat! It amazes me that you've only been on solids for 3 weeks because you eat like you've been doing it all your life. (Oh wait ...) You love oatmeal. You love peas, carrots, green beans, bananas and squash. You'll tolerate rice if I mask it with some of your other favorites. You sip water from a cup and love it. Daddy can't wait for you to be old enough to drink his juice in the morning. But for right now, Mommy's milk is still your favorite beverage. In fact, you almost always crave Mommy's milk between 2 and 3 in the morning... We need to work on that one.

You love to listen to Mommy sing. You love to laugh with your sister. You love to rough house with Daddy. You love to listen to bedtime (and naptime) stories. Your extra-big smiles and delightful squeals make Mommy's and Daddy's hearts happy. You are such a special boy.

Now, could you slow down a little bit. You are growing up way too fast! I promise to take your six months photos soon. These re-runs will have to do for now ...

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

I love my Mom. She is an amazing listener, Grandma, genealogist, Photoshop/Illustrator genius, Web master, chef, gardener, ham radio operator, emergency preparedness guru ... the list is endless. Mostly my Mom is and always has been my biggest cheerleader. To her, I can do anything. It was so fun hanging out with her last week. I'm so excited for her to visit with Dad in June!

Best Mommy's Day Present

William gave me the best present a mom could ask for - he slept from 7:45 pm to almost 7 am. Thank you baby. Mom loves getting sleep!

Photo Shoot

What's a trip without a photo shoot? Roger proposed to me here at the White Sand Dunes five years ago...


It's crazy to think we are celebrating our fifth anniversary next week! It was so fun to share this special place with our kiddos.



My sister Kim accompanied us and took some great shots. I have the best sisters in the world!

Graduation

I realize I am far behind in the blogging world with my posts about my trip. I'll be posting pics in random order from our week.

The highlight of the trip was Dixie State College Graduation.


My sister-in-law Kathy received her Bachelor's degree!!! She has taken hard-work and determination to a whole new level. She survived taking 21 credits (getting 6 A's in the process), in addition to being a mom of two and an amazing wife. Way to go girl! I somehow didn't get a picture of just Kathy so I'm stealing this one with her friends from her blog (Kathy is the one on the left).


Here's her daughter Kafra. Notice Kathy had graduation "jewelry" aka Sigma Tau Delta Honor regalia.


And getting their Associate degrees are my sisters Alli & Kim (apparently also known as Kyler Wendell Dingelberry and Hillary Eileen Gubler - yes, Kim graduated as me). Here they are walking through the "D." Apparently, you don't have to have the announcer say your real name at Dixie State College Graduation. Congrats anyway you two.


Kim, Alli & Sarah. I made my first candy leis for the graduates. Awesome huh.



Mom & Dad with my two youngest sisters.