February Findings

This month we had one "extra" day,
And still it seemed to get away.
I see another poem is due,
So here it is--our monthly review:

Nathan's done well with his exercise plan,
Twenty pounds lighter! I'm proud of my man.
Our poor neighbor, Laurel--she had a backache.
Nathan decided to make her some cheesecake.
It seems other neighbors have since "found out."
Now their backs are hurting, what's that all about? : )

I've finished a book that I'm embarrassed to name.
It's not a trashy novel, but I'm abashed all the same.
Is it due to the fact that it's written for youth?
Is that why I feel so strange and uncouth?
I read it at the library and thought it was great!
As did the girl behind me........yes, she was eight.

Deacon's getting sassy & it's starting to show,
He shakes his head fast, and says, "No-No!"
He likes to make forts, in every small nook;
And drag in his blanket, a toy, or a book.
He's starting to wave and can barely say "Hi."
His grin is a drug that money can't buy.

This month we sold our house near the college.
The home that taught Nate his remodeling knowledge.
I love 'Before/After' photos, so they're here in a link,
Nathan did most the work, right down to the sink.
But he wants a disclaimer to go with these pics:
"It was my first job & there's things I would fix"
We moved from this house almost 2 years ago,
But went back one last time, to say 'bye to old Joe.

Nathan with our former neighbor, Joseph

Like Sands Through The Hour Glass....

Like sands through the hour glass, so are the days of our lives....OR.....I found a new saying to measure our time together: Like layers off the lint roller, so go the years of our lives. Let me back up: even though we were only engaged for 29 days, Nathan & I somehow found time to register for wedding gifts at Target®.

We thought it would be a good joke to register for a lint roller.

Someone thought it would be a good joke to actually buy it for us.

Well, we've put it to good use. Between work & church, we use it at least weekly. Which is why I am surprised it has lasted this long. But on Sunday, February 24th, 2008....1868 days after we were married, it rolled it's last piece of lint. This is all that is left:

Hey, it lasted longer than the crock pot we received as a gift!

So, I'm thinking, this is a pretty good way to measure time. Decades from now, when we're old and gray, people will ask, "How long have you been married?" We'll gaze lovingly into each other's eyes and say, "Oh, about 9 1/2 lint rollers." Wow...when I put it that way, it's a really long time....Deacon will be more than 8 lint-rollers-old by then!

On a side note, Deacon came and swiped it off the desk while I was taking this picture. So it will last even longer in our household as he finds other uses for it.

He Doesn't Even Try To Hide It!!

Ever since I outed Nathan in a post for sneaking off to the Asian Market, he doesn't even try to hide it anymore! In fact, he flaunts it Ü That would explain the pictures I found on my camera this week. While I was at work, there was some manly bonding time at Southeast Market.

Actually, I think it's really cute that Nathan would have the foresight to pack a camera and document Deacon's transition into manhood---especially since he teases me for "taking the camera everywhere, in case something blog-worthy happens."

Hopefully Deacon's subconscious doesn't remember this violent photo when he's old enough to play Duck, Duck, Goose.

Look At Me!

Deacon started taking his first steps this week. Today he took five!

Actually, it was more like 3 "real" steps, and then 2 'stutter-steps' to try and keep his balance before he fell down.

Nathan says he looks like an orangutan---with his long arms waving over his head as he walks.

The Mills Fam-Dizzle Visit

Clifford, Heather, and their son Corbin, drove down from Idaho and stayed with us over the 'holiday' weekend. Yay for Washington & Lincoln, we're so glad you were born!
They arrived while Deacon was taking a nap, so when he woke up, the population at the Hunt Home had doubled. He was really confused by all the people (he doesn't get out much). He was pretty quiet and just stared at all the company as we laughed and talked with each other. When he finally got bored and took off crawling, it was funny to watch Corbin (who is 2.5) get down on his hands and knees and follow him around :)

Nathan grilled a delicious dinner on Sunday. We almost put Heather in charge of the drinks :) Ha ha. This is only funny if you know what happened earlier: Heather took a can of juice out of the pantry and was drinking it; I wish had a picture of her facial expression when she turned to me and said, "this stuff is way too sweet." Yeah, she was drinking pure concentrate.

We celebrated Clifford's 25th birthday with some warm peach cobbler and ice cream. We also finished the last of the root beer we made in January. We sure will miss the Mills Fam-Dizzle when they move back to AZ in August!

Deacon's Domain

My sister has been saying she wants to see our new place....so I told her: "Come visit!!" Hee Hee :) So, how about a short tour to pique your interest Monica? This should make you want to drive 12 hours with 2 sets of twins :)

Welcome to Deacon's Domain!!
Thanks to Carla for the vinyl lettering

Deacon loves his 'reading' corner. The rag quilt & pillows were my first real sewing project. I made them while pregnant---but before we knew the baby's sex. I was pretty proud of myself for picking gender neutral fabric...only now do I realize that pink, yellow, purple, etc., are not really asexual colors. The quilt wouldn't exist without Aunt Collette though. When I washed it, the seams came apart and I was too mad to fix it. She practically re-sewed the whole thing!

The cover for the changing pad was a lot easier to make. Still....a star pattern?!? I hope his masculinity is not affected. Now that he can open the doors to his changing table, it is fun to hide toys in there :)

Ah, Dad's chair. Where do I start? I've tried to get rid of it during the last 2 moves. But it did come in handy during those 4am feedings. I know what you're thinking: my son is a ham and has jumped in every picture I've taken. Actually, he's a great 'prop' & makes the pics so much more interesting. Otherwise, you'd be staring at a hideous green chair :)

And that's Deacon's Domain!
Tune in next week for a 360* tour of our Lovely Lavatory!!!!

Valentine Recap

A package came in the mail---right on Valentine's Day!! Deacon loved his card & candy (actually, he loved his card, we loved his candy).
"I choo...choo...choose you!" Thanks Grandma Gavin :)

Before he went to work, Nathan & I had a romantic lunch of southwest quiche and baked eggplant parmesan with marinara sauce.

Did I mention Nathan gave me his heart? The hospital has these pillows for patients who have had open heart surgery, one of the RNs gave one to Nate (don't worry, it was a male RN). It comes with a marker for friends to write 'get well' messages on it. Nathan wrote the cutest love note on the other side :) Yeah...I sleep with it every night now.

Nathan has been hankering for Pecan Pie for a few weeks now. (Thanks to Miken for the pecans she picked in her backyard, and thanks to Chanda for the easy & delicious recipe....and oops! I started cutting it before the picture)

99 Bottles of Milk.....

Our small bottle supply has been dwindling even further, and I think I found the culprit. Deacon likes to drag his bottle against the bars of his crib...it reminds me of a prison inmate clinking their tin cup against the cell bars. When he does that, the bottle falls, and lodges between the bed & the wall. I finally crawled under his bed and found these recent (and not so recent) bottles.

So, we started giving him a bigger milk 'bottle'. I don't think THIS one will be slipping through any cracks Ü
Say Cheese!

"DAY"TE

Nathan & I went on a day-te this week
(basically a regular date, just during daylight hoursÜ)
We took a tour of Mrs. Cavanaugh's Chocolate Factory

Free Tour, Free Chocolate Samples....
what more can you ask for?

Deacon loved the train set
(not sure what it had to do with chocolate??)

They were busy making tons of chocolate for Valentine's Day. It reminds me of that chocolate factory episode of I Love Lucy

Afterwards, we ate at the nastiest pizza buffet ever.
It was so nasty, I ordered soup;
but Nate is daring & will try anything once....

Wolverine.....or Einstein?

I love this picture of Deacon. He's doing this new thing where he likes to scream until his voice is hoarse. All you have to do make a loud "AAAHH" sound and he will mimic you. So after I styled his hair, we snapped a few shots of him screaming while looking in the mirror :)

Deacon is overdue for a haircut (he hasn't had one his whole life Ü). Nathan wants him to keep growing it. He even cites the Bible and the story of Sampson to back up his argument.

Then again, Nathan also wants to grow it in to a mullet---is that a Hunt thing? Because his sister Ashley almost cut her hair as a mullet too. So who do you think he looks like; Wolverine, Einstein, or Kevin from Home Alone?

Bootleggin' in Utah

The Bennett's gave us a Root Beer Kit for Christmas,
so we decided to "turn our kitchen into a soda factory"!!!

Good thing the box included sanitizer for the bottles
because Deacon loved sucking on them beforehand!

Should I be wearing a hairnet?

Mr. Rootbeer Himself:

A dark place is needed for the root beer to ferment
(Or to "age" as Nathan says).
We found the perfect place in our fancy wine cellar Ü

Check back in 5-7 days to see how it tastes!

I'll Show You Mine, If You Show Me Yours

Are you looking for a meaningful, yet frugal idea to show your Valentine how much you love them? Me too! I'll show you mine, if you show me yours! You could:

MAKE AN 'I LOVE YOU' JAR

Cut hearts out of construction paper and write something you love about your spouse on each one. Mix them up in a Mason jar with a bag of candy (mmm...Hershey's Cordial Cherry Kisses).


TAKE OUT AN ADVERTISEMENT IN YOUR LOCAL PAPER

Then the whole world will know!


BAKE A CAKE
Obviously, the picture was an afterthought. In case you are wondering who Nathan loved---it was You. Well....not you-you, but me-you :)


TELL THEM THEY'RE HOT

Buy some redhots candy, a plastic fireman hat (dollar store), some fireballs, and more!

HAVE FLOWERS DELIVERED AT WORK

Or deliver them yourself a la singing telegram style.
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Okay, your turn for ideas. Don't leave me hangin'!

Seventh Time's the Charm?

I need some ideas. I was recently called as the 11-year-old Achievement Day leader. We're supposed to meet twice a month and do activities to pass off goals. Today was the 6th activity I planned. Today was the 6th activity that nobody showed up for. What else should I try?
Don't these pre-pubescent teens know that I am cool?!?! :)
However, on the bright side:
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Every other Friday, I get a spotless house.

Every other Friday, Nate gets all the homemade goodies he can eat.

Every other Friday...Okay, I got nothing. He's just cute to throw in.