There's No Place Like Home

As originally coined by Miss Dorothy in the Land of Oz, there’s no place like home! After a wonderful two and a half weeks traveling all around this beautiful country of ours, I am so glad to be back in our peaceful little townhouse in Savoy.

Beginning backwards (kind of an oxymoron, don’t you think?), the trip home from Utah was quite a hoot. Brooklyn unfortunately caught a dose of the flu and woke up wailing in the middle of Wyoming. Not knowing what was wrong, we pulled over at a rest stop to let her out of the car. I was carrying her inside when all of a sudden, whoops, she lost her breakfast (and last night’s dinner too, judging by the mushrooms) in a murky puddle on the sidewalk. The police officers walking behind us had to dodge out of the way to avoid the foul danger zone. Yuck! We felt so bad for our feverish little girl who typically has a stomach of steel. Our sympathy was matched only by our gratitude for the fact that the disaster didn’t happen in the car. I feel fairly certain that the stench would have caused pregnant me to toss my own cookies as well.

All things considered, however, Brooklyn was quite a good car traveler. In fact, when we finally arrived in Omaha at 11:00 at night, she whimpered “car, car, car” until we let her crawl back into her car seat. Throughout the course of our long trek, she adopted the Andrus Honda Odyssey mini-van as her very own, and was sad to leave it behind.

Happy car passenger as she might be, I don’t recommend taking Brooklyn for any long trips on the train. Since Christy needed Jason’s help in Chicago, Brooklyn and I took an Amtrak train from Union Station to Champaign. The trip got off to an auspiciously rocky start, to say the least. As the train jolted from the station, Brooklyn lost her balance, fell down, and gashed her eye. As I rushed Brooklyn off to the bathroom to stop the bleeding, I was horrified to discover that I didn’t even have a binky to console her with. After eight hours of car travel, an additional two and half hour train ride can seem like an eternity, especially with a noisy, tired, grumpy, and pained nineteen month old. To get the full picture, you have to understand that every seat on the train was full, and I am getting so large that Jason thinks of me when he hears the “Hippopotamus Rock.” It must have been quite a sight to watch this pregnant lady waddle back and forth along the train, trying to console a whiny blue-eyed blond with a bloody forehead and matted car-seat hair. It was only 6:30 p.m. when we finally reached our destination, but I was exhausted and ready for bed. There’s no place like home!

Well, enough of about our travel fiascos. The truth is that the happy moments far out-numbered the traumatic ones--they’re just not nearly as interesting to write about. Here were some of my favorite parts of the trip:

· Going camping with Grandma Susie and Grandpa Charles up by Bear Lake. We had a fabulous time picking huckleberries in Immigrant Canyon, visiting the newly remodeled Paris Tabernacle, and trekking up and down a thousand stairs in Minnetonka cave. We swam, roasted smores, and even saw “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at Pickleville Playhouse. Brooklyn was mesmerized! We also took a short but beautiful hike to see Paris Springs. The journey was made even more memorable when Grandpa Charles lost his balance (and his hat) crossing the stream. On such a hot day, the icy water must have been refreshing!

· Taking a trip with Susie to visit the dinosaur park in Ogden. Brooklyn thought the life-size dinosaur models were fairly interesting, but she was most fascinated by the dirt along the trails. After throwing it, rolling in it, and building towers with it, she finally resorted to lying on her belly and lapping it up like a cat. Strange child...maybe she needs more iron in her diet.

· Visiting Brad, Eliza, Jane, and Bruce in Provo. It’s amazing how much Bruce and Brooklyn look alike! You know, people have told Jason and I that we look like each other, and we have a very happy marriage. Maybe those two could try it...

· Going on a real date to see “Man of La Mancha” at the Eccles theater. The production was tremendous. Cheesy as it sounds, it truly inspired me to have the courage to pursue my own impossible dreams. (Remind me of that in a few months when I’m in graduate school with a toddler and a newborn.)

· Attending the Logan temple with Jason and eating one of Charles’s famous blackberry shakes. Being far away geographically from a temple has helped us better appreciate the blessings of temple attendance. What a special experience to return years later to the place you were wed, feeling just as in love as the day you were married, and even more certain that the right answer is “yes.”

· Going on morning walks with Susie and picking yummy green beans from the garden.

· Spending two wonderful days in Omaha with Grandpa Kay. Thanks to his bountiful garden which the rabbits have mysteriously shunned this year, we ate lots of yummy gazpacho soup and picked the first pumpkins of the season. We rode the carousel at the zoo, played in the wading pool, saw the new Joseph Smith movie at the Visitors Center, walked through Fontanelle Forest, visited Randy Brown’s monumental home, and ate gyros at King Kong. I even had a chance to pamper myself with a pedicure. Now if only I could see my toes...

As you can see, we truly did have a wonderful vacation. Yet as grateful as I am for all of the wonderful memories, it’s still good to be home.

Here's Brooklyn bonding with the gorilla after enjoying a gyro at Omaha's "King Kong" Restaurant.

















Aren't carousels fun? This picture was taken at the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo.











Brooklyn and Grandpa Charles both thought that breakfast was the best part of camping.











Finally, here's a multi-generational picture taken with great-grandma and grandpa Hansen.

Jasper-It

Good news! After 22 weeks of waiting, we finally had our sonogram and took a sneak peak at our babe-to-be. The conclusion--(drum roll, please)--we're having a girl! That is, of course, unless we have a boy. The truth is that our fickle fetus had its legs crossed in exactly the wrong place to get a clear view of anything. I believe the words of the sonographer were, "Well, if I had to guess, I'd say it's a girl, but I really can't tell." I guess Brooklyn's sibling has decided to surprise us. We'll have to wait patiently for a few more months until our babe decides to reveal his/her true identity. In the meantime, since we're not sure whether to refer to our child as Jasper or Jasperette, we're compromising with Jasper-It.

Here's wishing all of you boys, girls, men, women, and androgynous folk a fabulous day.

Toilet Trauma

At long last, the adventure has begun! For her eighteen-month birthday, Brooklyn received her very own potty. Now I have to tell you, this toilet is much smarter than your average pot. Somehow it sensed that wrapping it was particularly challenging since I was running low on half-birthday paper. Fifteen minutes and some minor frustration later, I finally finished the task and placed the package on the dresser. Out of nowhere, the box congratulated me with an enthusiastic "All Done!" (flush), immediately followed by a "Way to Go!" (flush again.) I must say, the positive reinforcement made me smile. Let's just hope it does the trick for our own little potty lover.

Thus far, Brooklyn has decided that she wants her potty seat on the big toilet. At first I thought it was simply because she wanted to be like Mommy and Daddy, but I've since discovered that she considers this abode to be her new swimming hole. I left her alone on her porcelain throne for about twenty seconds and came back to discover her proudly standing in the toilet water! By the time Jason arrived with the camera, some of the glee had worn off as she figured out that she was stuck and couldn't get out. All I can say is thank goodness the toilet's right next to the tub!



Life here is definitely a constant adventure. Brooklyn's fascination for all things aquatic extends beyond the world of toilets to the realm of fish, although sometimes her two interests nearly overlap. Below you can see her intrigued by the fish at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago:



Well, perhaps we shouldn't encourage her fish fetish, because it's nearly proven deadly to our own Beta fish, Gus Gus. Sunday morning I was sewing a button on Brooklyn's dress and feeling pretty proud of myself because A) it looked like we were going to be on time to church, and B) I was actually being somewhat domestic. Well, five minutes later I ventured down the stairs to discover Brooklyn sitting on top of the bookshelf, soaking wet with her elbows in the fish bowl! Half of the water had already sloshed out, drenching the floor, furniture, and a few unfortunate reading materials. Worse yet, Brooklyn managed to unscrew and dump out the entire canister of fish food. There's nothing like a floor full of soggy blood worms to wet your Sunday morning appetite. Fortunately, Gus managed to avoid our babe's curious fingers and didn't have to personally navigate our sewage system.

I suppose I shouldn't complain too much--turn around is fair play. Brooklyn was quite patient with me when I practically choked her during her camping bath in a dish basin. She'll put up with nearly anything for an excuse to splash.



Here's wishing your family many laughs from (or at) the Wheelers!

Excuses, Excuses

At long last, the Wheeler Family has returned to the world of blogging! Rumor has it that we are way overdue for some new pictures. Here are our top ten excuses:

10. Speaking of due, Brooklyn is due to become a big sister in November. :) Unfortunately, pregnancy has left Mom much more inclined to recline than write.
9. A month ago, I stopped working full-time at the College of Engineering. While I love getting to spend more time with my family, being a stay-at-home-Mom is definitely more challenging (and time-consuming). Eighteen month-olds don't understand the meaning of lunch hour or fifteen-minute breaks. All I can say is thank goodness for naps!
8. We're still recovering from finals and studio projects. Jason deserves to sleep for a month.
7. The swimming pool is open. :)
6. Daddy has been home to give Brooklyn underdogs on the swingset and Mommy foot massages. Play time!
5. We like to camp. No surfing allowed! (Internet surfing, that is. Unfortunately, there aren't many beaches nearby, so the other kind is out too.)
4. Keeping Brooklyn fed is a relentless task requiring our constant attention. My goodness, our girl can eat! It all goes straight to her cheeks, too--the ones up top, that is. A week ago Brooklyn climbed out of our bed early in the morning (we have a tradition of snuggling before getting up so that Mommy can get a few more winks.) The next thing I know, I hear her downstairs screaming bloody murder. I race down the stairs, grabbing a robe to keep me decent, only to find Brooklyn perched in her high chair. She stops screaming, smiles at me, and says "cracker!" (Brooklynspeak for breakfast.)
3. Brooklyn loves the computer and always "helps" as you type. Her new favorite button is the on/off switch. Thus, blogging (and anything else productive) is relegated to moments of toddler unconsciousness. Have you noticed how everything in our household revolves around sleep?
2. Biking and rollerblading are lots of fun!
1. We were held hostage at the petting zoo by a European deer that devoured Jason's favorite shirt.

Anyway, despite our plentiful excuses, we contritely acknowledge that we're slackers. We shall repent, and sin no more! So, here are some photos to make up for it. Too bad I don't have a picture of the deer...

Voices of Angels

As you can see, Brooklyn is learning to talk, um, I mean yell. It's been an interesting experience to be around as she explores the world with her newly discovered voice. Angel? I suppose--although the last picture might suggest something more devilish.

Say Cheese!

Queso. Fromage. Kaese. It's been a while since we've published any pictures on our blog, so I thought we'd add a few new photos. Here are some favorite pictures of recent visitors we've had:

Grandma Susie came for a great visit in March. Here she is exploring Champaign's Children's Museum with Brooklyn.




Christy and Ben made the trek down to Savoy as well to celebrate Jason's birthday with some yummy pot pie.






And Dad, while not a visitor, still entertained us with his ring balancing tricks. I'm glad the old noggin' is good for something!

Yicky

February is yicky. Yicky and blah, with a brief glimmer of pink on Valentine's Day, unless you happen to be alone (as many are), in which case it morphs into the black brand of Single's Awareness Day.

Fortunately, March has arrived. The sun is shining, Spring is coming, and I am smiling. I'm smiling because I'm pulling my life back together following the dreary winter blues. I've gone on a cleaning spree, thanks to the FlyLady. A friend recommended a book called Sink Reflections. I'm not one for testimonials, but I really have noticed a positive change since adopting some of her mottos and routines. My sink is sparkling, the meals are planned, the laundry's done, and I finally feel like I'm on top of things.

Best of all, for the first time in a very long time, I'm actually enjoying my personal scripture study. Since my clothes have been laid out the night before, I have time to ponder and reflect as I study in the morning (before the baby's awake). With the house tidy and clean, I can concentrate on what I'm reading, listening to the still, small voice of the Spirit instead of the obnoxious shouts of the dishes screaming "Wash me! Wash me!"

Despite my overall pleasure with my newly organized home, I must tell you that the FlyLady caused one of the most disgusting messes to ever occur within the walls of my home. It is an absolute commandment that all FlyBabies (newbies trying to declutter their lives) must wear lace-up shoes, particularly while at home. So, obedient child that I am, I wore my sneakers while cooking chicken for dinner the other night. I was just finishing the last of the dishes when I felt something slimy beneath my feet. I looked down and was horrified to discover mashed chicken guts all over the floor! I had stepped on a piece of raw chicken, wedging it in the sole of my sneaker without even realizing it. Needless to say, I spent my daily fifteen-minute cleaning session disinfecting that mess!

Not to be outdone, Brooklyn quickly took over the champion title of GROSS. I inadvertently left the toilet brush out instead of tucking it back in the closet immediately. My mistake. My big mistake. My big yicky mistake. A few minutes later, I spied Brooklyn with the toilet brush in one hand. She was using her other hand to scoop up the nasty water that had collected in the toilet brush holder. I caught her just as she started to suck her fingers after a nice big dip.

Yick.