50 simple things (I love about my Chris).

For this last Valentines Day, I made a list of 100 simple things that I love about Chris. Here are 50 to share with you.

1. I love your loud laugh when I am in the bedroom rocking one of the kids and I hear it fill up the house from the living room.


2. I love the way you come home. I always know it is you. The way you open the door, put your bag down and come tromping down the hall. I get excited to see you.


3. I love how you get emotional at times when you read a story out loud or sing a song. Like the Christmas when you read the story of the Jewish Santa. And the song “Sweet Caroline (Katherine).”


4. I love how you look when you are sleeping. You have several completely different handsome looks. The smart handsome with you in your dress clothes and with your glasses. The church handsome dressed up in your suit. You look like a very young general authority (te he). The relaxed handsome with you in your shorts and casual shirt bombing around the house. The sleepy handsome, the one that only I am privileged to see when I sleep next to you when you don’t have your glasses on and I see those beautiful brown eyes. And when you have your eyes closed and I look at you when you are sleeping.


5. I love your crazy bedhead. I love that hair with the little bits of silver.


6. I love when you are happy - which is all the time. That expression when you are happy. It is hard to explain but it makes me feel closer to heaven.


7. I love how you are so quick to forgive. I can be mad and say things I should not say. Then I force out a sorry because I think that no one could forgive me for what I have said. And you forgive right then and there and never bring it up again.


8. I love how you make notes of things you like. You have done a report on Camera items that you want, carefully noting the qualities of each item, price comparison and why you like it.


9. I love how you rattle off financial information or information on mortgages or knowledge about the stars and universe and scriptures and life. I often give you a blank stare in that I don’t understand but you are so patient with me. You explain over and over until I say, “oh yah, I get it.” You never get frustrated with my simple-mindedness.


10. I love how you talk in your sleep and when I tell you, “Chris, you don’t make sense, are you awake,” you say “yes, I am awake.” Then you go right back to sleep and to snoring (at times).


11. I love feeling so warm and safe in your arms when you hug me.


12. I love how you call Caeleb “Snuggy Goo!!” and you give him horsey rides. He gets so giggly.


13. I love how you need a night table so you can leave your glasses on it.


14. I love how you enthusiastically say “Good!” every time I ask how work is going.


15. I love your cooking and watching you cook. You are so precise in your measurements and timing.


16. I love how you insist on shaving before a shower so you can wash off the whiskers.


17. I love the feel of your whiskers on my cheek.


18. I love how when I mention something from the scriptures, you take it so much further and pull out other verses and broaden my understanding ever further.


19. I love how you always keep track of who has prayed last and who’s turn it is. I never do.


20. I love that you hit the snooze button and can go right back to sleep. I marvel at that. I can’t do that!


21. I love how you slap your knees to 80s music and sing along – It makes no difference to you where you are when you do it although my face may go a little red.


22. I love how you play the drums on the steering wheel.


23. I love how you eat slowly and you have everything just right and in front of you before you eat. I always lost the “slowest eater” contests when we were dating.


24. I love listening from a distance as you talk in your daily meetings with your co-workers on the phone. You have so much confidence and power in your words. I look up to that so much! If only I could capture it and have it in my own life.


25. I love how you make yourself peanut butter and chocolate chip sandwiches.


26. I love how you have to have honey on peanut butter and banana sandwhiches. It just can’t be done without the honey. I never thought about that before. Also, some types of soup are not soup to you without crackers.


27.  I love how you shiver so much even when the day isn’t that cold. Yep, that is my man from the mild, “warm” Vancouver Island.


28. I love how you whistle a tune after your phone meetings in the morning. That is how I know you are done.


29. When you go shopping, it makes me giggle and smile. Yah, a bit upset too sometimes because of what you buy at times. But I love how you justify what you buy with, “but it was on sale.”


30. I love how you go up and down the ilse when shopping. Every ilse has to be seen just in case! I remember our shopping date to Costco when we just started dating.


31. Chris’ Chilicold + Katherine’s Spanish word isimo = Chilicoldisimo. To be used on really cold days.


32. I love how you baby powder up, not only yourself, but the whole bathroom as well.


33. You love miracle whip on cheese sandwhiches and a light in the room when watching a movie.


34. I love that you were never “popular” growing up. You don’t feel like you have a “cool” reputation to uphold.


35. Open face Jam sandwiches for breakfast, lunch and snacks!


36. I love that you are not obsessed with sports. Sports really aren’t your thing and that is okay. Your idea of a good sport is a nice relaxing hike in the mountains where you can take pictures or everything!


37. I love your knowledge of the stars. I mentioned this before but I really do marvel at the knowledge you have of astronomy. You know the answers to pretty much all of my questions about life and the universe.


38. I love how you go cross eyed without your glasses on. Just a little but it is so cute and handsome all rolled into one. Elva has that too. And Caeleb – just a little.


39. You can stay up until 4:00 am watching Star Trek and Dr. Who. In fact, when you watch TV, you cannot fall asleep. That amazes me! I can fall asleep in seconds to a movie.


40. I love how you brighten up when you talk to your Mom and Dad and brothers and sisters. I can see that twinkle in your eye and hear the excitement in your voice.


41. I love how you listen to 80s music while working and I can hear it anywhere in the house.


42. I love how you can stretch out your famous egg miracle whip sandwhiches into so many. It is like Jesus feeding the multitudes with fish and bread. It is like Mary Poppins pulling out a lamp from her handbag. When I make them, I can’t make nearly as many with so few ingredients. Amazing!


43. Mrs. Dash and Garlic for every meal!


44. I love a Chris song called “Name.” (the country song). It brings memories of short car trips around Calgary. It has new meaning in our life now since loosing Lily through miscarriage.


45. I love how you call me sweetheart.


46. “Why don’t we just dance.” That song on Youtube, dancing around our old apartment. You introduced me to that song.


47. I love how you would sing “making memories of us,”when we were dating and you would focus on “I want to honor your mother.”


48. I love watching you comb your hair in the morning. You have your own style.


49. You have never complained about changing a poopy diaper.


50. I have never met anyone with as positive an attitude and as even keel a temperament as you have. 3.5 years of marriage and I still feel that way.

 

Chris

My husband Chris is a very busy guy. He works long hours and has a busy schedule. I think Heavenly Father intends for husbands and fathers to work very hard and have a lot of responsibility. He is preparing them for eternity, to be as he is (and he is preparing his daughters as well for different responsibilities). He provides his sons with the capability of taking on so much. Most of Chris' spare time is spent with his family, playing with his kids, going on walks and having talks with me. He doesn't make a lot of time for just himself.

I know Heavenly Father gives his sons the ability and capacity to take on so much in this life! They have so much to do! We all do, really. As the wife of a very special son of Heavenly Father, I know that I have the responsibility to be by his side, supporting him, his work, his wisdom, advice and decisions and his church callings, as he supports his family. I hope I can be the support that he needs. I know I am far from perfect and struggle in many different areas (and I won't go into that), but right now in my life, I feel like this is so important! To support my husband in his many responsibilities so that his load can be lightened. My goal is to do better in this area and I have several ideas in how I can accomplish this goal.

One idea: By creating this blog journal as well as continuing on with our family journal, I hope to take the responsibility of being our family team's "recorder" in recording some of our family's memories and thoughts (not just mine) for future learning, future enjoyment of memories and for future generations.

Diapers

A part of our morning routine is changing the two little ones out of their wet diapers. When Caeleb wakes up, he drags me into the living room (it takes me a while to wake up these days and I feel I could sleep all the time). We usually watch a Barney video (Caeleb loves the music and sings along) or Bo on the Go (to do exercises), or something else. And during that time, it is diaper changing time. Elva is easy to do. She won't begin putting up a fight until several months from now. Usually I have to chase Caeleb around the house to get the job done. He thinks its a game and laughs and runs and I chase after him.

Caeleb shows no interest in potty training at two and a half. I have not pressured him by any means. I read my cousin Laura's blog about this and she knows kids and said that one should not pressure kids into potty training. We have a little potty with the cars movie theme. Caeleb loves to put his toys and food in it (but don't worry, he has never actually used it for its intended purpose).  He knows what it is for. We talk about going to the potty. He always says, "No, No potty," (in his cute, high pitched, determined but soft voice) after I make the suggestion to use it. The farthest I have got with the training is having him sit on the potty with his pants on. But, I am not stressing. It will come someday and probably too soon and then, as funny as it sounds, I will miss chasing him around the house in the morning trying to get his soaking wet diaper off and a new one on.

This morning I told Chris that I felt privileged and happy to be the diaper changer of two little ones. It may be a challenge, it may be icky at times, it may be expensive, but I love my important responsibility!

Back to Exercising.

Just to warn you all, I am using my blog more or less as a journal so not everything I write may be interesting to you. You can stop reading if it is not interesting. I won't be offended (well, I won't even know will I). I don't write about everything in this blog Journal (it would be hard to include everything) but I like sharing some of my thoughts and experiences with you all, just as I like to hear how others are doing and what is going on in their lives. Everyone's life makes an interesting story and we can all learn from each others life experiences.

I was reading a friend's blog the other day and she was mentioning how she was exercising more and eating well and how good it made her feel. My doctor wanted me to "take it easy" for the 1st two months after Elva was born but I have been putting off "getting into shape" for longer than that. Elva is 3.5 months old already! We have been pretty much homebound except for church as it has been too cold to take Elva outside for walks (except for a couple of times) and I have not been motivated to exercise in the house.

So a few weeks ago, I started to go to a Tuesday night Zumba class that is FREE. I know that I look horrible doing Zumba (I am not very coordinated) but I love it so much and afterwards I feel so alive inside. I look forward to it.

Today, I started exercising to a walking/jogging video my mom gave me a couple of years ago when Caeleb was a few months old. I would put Caeleb in his Jolly jumper and he would jump along to the music. Today, I put Elva in her Jolly Jumper, (we put her in it for the 1st time yesterday and she loved it - she looks so small in it but it gives her such freedom which gives us a lot of smiles from her), and Caeleb did his exercises right beside me and we all had a lot of fun! Elva is really getting the hang of the jolly jumper. She turns around in it well and is bouncing a little.

Anyways, the plan is to get into shape and back to feeling great (and to pre-pregnancy weight)! I am also trying to get us eating healthy meals in this house. We are eating a lot of baked veggies and veggie stews and soups. I am trying to send the boys to work with spinach and fruit/berry smoothies in the morning. I find it a lot of fun to create new and healthy meals.

Well, I try to keep you up to date on how my exercise program is going. Until next time...

Through the Eyes of a Two year old.

Caeleb  is such a funny little guy! And the things he says keep us laughing all the time. Here is a taste of his cuteness:

If he is a little sad or if I am sad, he will put on the most adorable pouty look with squinty eyes and say, "Ah, Mommy sad-cry."

If he wants to watch something or have a treat, he will put on a similar squinty eye look and ask in a high voice, " Mommy...cookies peas", or "Mommy...Elephants have Winkles," etc. (He loves the song "Elephants have wrinkles").

Caeleb singing his alphabet song: "A is for apple, Ah Ah Apple, B is for ball, Ca Ca Ball...

If it is cold out, he will say (like his dad says), "Chili-cold out."

Him talking to his sister in the sweetest voice: "Awwww, Jean Bean Elva."

When he wants to listen to the song "I want a Hippopatamus for Christmas" he says, "Hippopatamus Christmas" over and over. Hippopatamas was one of his first animal words and one of the only ones her really tries to pronounce correctly.

He loves Eggo waffles for breakfast and calls them, "Eggo soup."

I gave him some Tylenol in a bottle of water a few months ago because he had some teeth coming in and after he frequently asked for his Tylenol Juice (which I did not freely give him).

The other day I noticed Caeleb was chewing on something. I asked him what he was eating and he opened up his mouth and said in a muffled voice with tiny tiny balls of broken up white packing Styrofoam spewing out of his mouth, "popcorn!" It took a while to clear it all out of his mouth. There was a lot in there and it kept coming out! I guess I got to watch him more carefully.

Caeleb gets his yours and mines mixed up which is really funny to listen too. If you have something he wants, he will say, "No, it's yours, it's yours!" as he pulls it from you.

Caeleb's name for himself is "Cabub."

Caeleb loves Nursey or "Renurse" as he calls it. Every Sunday morning, he asks to go to "renurse" over and over again. He gets his boots and is all ready to go out the door whether we are or not (well, he may only be wearing pants but one can go to church in just pants, right).

This morning I was in the bedroom changing Elva's diaper and I hear some crying coming from the kitchen. Caeleb had pulled a chair to the kitchen sink, turned on the water and filled a dirty cup up with water. He seemed to want a clean cup to put the water in and I gave him one. He then got off the chair with his full cup of water and went to a plant in the living room that he had seen me water the other day and dumped the water in. I had been neglecting the plant and it was dying and it was so cute to see Caeleb have that desire to take care of the plant. It melted my heart.

I will add more to this post as I think of more Caelebisms.

 

Elva's Baby Blessing.

Well, March is almost halfway done. Crazy how time flys! It has been a busy month so far too. Today, Elva had a routine checkup. She weighs over 11 lbs now and that is what Caeleb weighed at his 6 week checkup. She is in the 50 percentile so is growing well as was in the 5th percentile at the last checkup I believe. But, what would you expect from a little girl who loves to eat and eat and eat! She also had a ultrasound at the Children's today to see how her hips are developing. She was born with a hip click so they are just seeing how things are coming together. Yesterday was a beautiful chinooky day and Caeleb and I went outside and made some snowmen. The four of us went for a walk as well. Today, it dropped from +14 to - 10 and it is snowing. Yep, that is Alberta weather for you.

We had Mom and Dad Watters here for a couple of weeks. They left last Monday (March 11). It was so much fun having them around. They are such happy people and they filled our home with a happy, peaceful feeling. We didn't do much as the weather was a little crummy - especially for the lst week. But, we did have alot of fun indoors talking and enjoying each others company. Caeleb loves his Grandma and Grandpa (and the yummy treats that come along with them). I was able to take Caeleb out on walks in the snow since someone was around to stay with Elva. Elva got plenty of snuggles and Caeleb as well.

March 3 was Elva's baby blessing. It was a blizzard out and I almost thought church would be cancelled. But, it wasn't, and the blessing was beautiful and Elva looked precious in a little white dress. We had a family supper of chicken and rice after. Camellia, Doug and Sterling came as well as Todd Gainor.

March 9 was the wedding of one of Chis' cousins on the Brown side. It was such a good experience watching this sealing done in the Calgary temple. It has been the 4th live sealing I have ever attended including my own and it was such a spiritual experience. It was a gorgeous day out too. Nice and warm and you could see the snow covered mountains off to the west so clearly. There was a family dinner at Nick's resteraunt after and I got to meet alot of Chris' relatives. Aunt Jan was there and she stayed with us for the weekend. She is so much fun to have around! She is so happy and bubbly and has such a zest for life and you can't help but feel like smiling in her presence.

Well, life has settled back to routine again. But I love this too. Caeleb is as fun as ever. He says the funniest things. He likes to talk non stop. The other day I told him we needed to clean up the living room and he started picking up his toys and singing, "clean up, clean up, everybody everywhere, clean up clean up, everybody do their share." I guess he learned it in nursery. It was so cute to see.

Elva is starting to throw a few giggles in with the smiles that started about a month ago. A few weeks ago she must have been having a funny dream because she was laughing in her sleep. It woke me up and made me laugh too. She is a beautiful little spirit and a joy to have in our home.