Discovery Gateway Children's Museum

We've been wanting to take Marshall to the museum for so long to see the Robots exhibit so that's exactly what we did the day after Christmas! We had so much fun! The new museum is so much better and more updated than the old one. There is so much to do, you could really spend an entire day in there! Despite the emergency evacuation interruption, we had a great time!


Below, watching a science experiment about rockets, exploding alka seltzer and water in a film canister. So cool! The demonstrator used scientific words and explained what they meant, it was really well done and educational.



Below: Marshall had so much fun as the "contractor" at the construction site. This area was right up his alley with cranes, drills, hammers, and more!

Another favorite activity, Marshall liked finding balls to place in this tube that defies gravity and carries the balls up and away instead of falling down, below.

Conclusion: This is a great place for kids to learn and explore! The cool thing: there is no "wrong way" to do things, anything goes and it's all open-ended. I think I'll start saving for a pass!!!

Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time!

Christmas at our house was really fun this year, with Marshall really getting into it and understanding it! He did fun crafts and we read stories all month about Santa and about Baby Jesus. We have a few fun traditions, one of which is getting new jammies on Christmas Eve from the Pajama Fairy. Here is Marshall sporting his wears after the tamale/Nativity party at John's parents':



Christmas morning, Marshall sitting amongst his presents:


So cool, his own Razor Scooter!

A classic boy toy, a remote control race car. ZOOM!!

Marshall's favorite Christmas present was his Moon Sand from his cousin Sam. After he was done opening his presents, this was the first one he wanted to play with. He loved playing with it all morning! It's the coolest stuff-it's sand that you can mold and it holds the shape of the mold! So cool, a great sensory experience.

We had a great Christmas, it was relaxing and full of traditions, like my yummy "Christmas Casserole" aka Aunt Alecia's "Conference Casserole," a Christmas light display drive, my first "Wrap and Yap" party, the Bradley's tamales, watching "A Christmas Story," the Pajama Fairy, and much more! Merry Christmas!

Insomnia

Insomnia: inability to obtain sufficient sleep, esp. when chronic; difficulty in falling or staying asleep; sleeplessness.

When we first got married I thought it was because of John's loud breathing and snoring and having someone next to me in bed that kept me awake. Then, it was school and doing homework into the wee hours. When Marshall came along I would wait until his 2 o'clock am nursing until falling asleep. Then, back to homework. I have no excuses now. After five years I can finally fall asleep when John snores, Marshall has been sleeping peacefully and consistently through the night now for two years, and I am finished with all forms of homework. So, what is it keeping me up so late(note the time)? BOOKS! There are so many titles beckoning my brain and eyes! This habit goes back as far as I can remember. I used to get the maximum amount of books at the library before they said, "No more" and read until my eyelids were just too heavy to go on. I still have a hard time narrowing it down to only a few. You should see my Amazon wish list(s), they go on for pages! There are hundreds upon thousands of good books out there, and like Roald Dahl's Matilda, I am trying to read them all (well, all that spark my interest). I guess until I have read them all I will be an insomniac. Usually 2:00 is my cut-off, but tonight, with Christmas exciting me, I have far surpassed my limit. I once read that your body sets it's clock back a few minutes everyday, making you go to sleep later and later, if you let it. This is why it's so important to be consistent about bed time. Why? Why can't I fall asleep at 10:00 like my dear husband is blessed to be able to do? It makes me jealous that he can be out at such an early hour, but yet he's jealous I read "faster" than him. Okay, I'm done ranting. Thanks for listening to an insomniacal reader!

The stack that kept me up tonight.

Our 5 Year Anniversary and Pulling the Plug, completely unrelated events!

Our Five Year Wedding Anniversary

Last night we celebrated our Fifth Wedding Anniversary! I can't believe it's already been five years! Time flies when you're broke, students, broke students, parents, and full-time employees. We've certainly come a long way from those early days but yet we still have a long way to go. It was nice to have a night out, just the two of us, we hadn't had one in a while. We went to dinner at Tucci's then headed down to Gateway to see "I am Legend" with Will Smith. Halfway through the movie I realized we'd seen a Will Smith movie last year on our anniversary, too! Maybe it's a new tradition. Then today I remembered exploring Kauai with John on our honeymoon five years ago and how much fun we had (and still have) traveling together. Boston in September was our five year trip together. Here's to another five, and another five, and another five......for eternity!

Pulling the Plug
Note the plug-free sleeping boy

So, about a week ago it was bedtime and I could not find a plug (aka: binky), a staple in our house for the last three years. We did the bedtime routine: jammies, teeth, prayers, stories, songs, snuggle. For fifteen minutes into our snuggle Marshall did not ask for his plug. I thought maybe he'd just fall asleep without realizing it. But then, he asked. I told him we didn't have any more and we'd buy more at the store next time (thinking this wasn't the end of the plug). To my surprise he didn't ask for it again that night! Or the next day, or the next night, until, low and behold, we are plug free! I found one under the couch cushions today, said my goodbyes, and threw the last plug away. I never intended to wean him that night about a week ago, it just happened and my little boy was ready to say goodbye to his plug. He is no longer a baby, but a little boy ready for new things!

Last night and today we got dumped on with snow! After a fun extended family Christmas Breakfast, we grabbed Marshall's new sleds and headed to Sugarhouse Park to meet Grandpa Kirk for an afternoon of sledding. It was Marshall's first time. After the detour to the slides Marshall hopped right on and had a blast going down the hill ALL BY HIMSELF! He is so independent!!!

This way guys, the slides are over here.
Isn't that what parks are for?

Fine, I guess I'll go by myself
since you guys are just here to sled.

Grandpa Kirk joins Marshall on his trip to the playground.

They have fun hiding in the tunnels and
going down the slides. They were extra slippery
due to the snow pants and caught lots of speed.

Finally Marshall is ready to try sledding.
A nice Grandpa helps Marshall back up the hill.

After a few solo rides, Marshall finally
lets Dad join him on a ride.

Marshall is mid-sentence "That was fun, can we do it again?"

Grandpa Kirk is at the bottom taking pictures
and walks Marshall back up for one more ride.

Even after Marshall biffs hard core, he wants to go again.
Since we can't end the day falling off, we let him
go one more time.
We ended the fun day of sledding with steaming hot chocolate at
Baskin Robbins across the street. It was a great day for sledding!

Marshall's Third Birthday

Today we had a small gathering to celebrate Marshall's Birthday! My dad, Pippa, Grandma Marshall, and my mom came for the party and my aunt Lorie and cousins Zack, Erikka, and Adam made it just in time for cake and ice cream!

This is the cake I made
and it turned out that it was a good theme
because it snowed and snowed all day long!

This is Marshall sitting atop his
stack of presents from Mom & Dad.

Trying to hold up 3 fingers is hard,
in fact he never even got just 2 this year.

Okay, you can open ONE present before the guests arrive!
A birthday cake!

A sled (two, actually) from Grandpa Kirk and Pippa.
In perfect timing with the snow!

A pounding peg toy from Grammy.
"Look, I did this all by myself!"


Going outside for two more presents, an
art easel from Mom & Dad,
and the Playmobil Hospital from Grammy!!!


A very spoiled Marshall gets ready to blow out the
candles while we sing the Aspen Grove Birthday Song,
a Marshall family tradition.


Paging Dr. Marshall (Jr.) we need you
in exam room 3 to see why you are so cute!
Trying on a rainbow colored, rockstar mullet
while mom waits for the party store to blow
up a dozen balloons. You had everyone in line laughing!


At the end of the night, lying in bed, Marshall said to me,
"Mom I had a fun party today. It was an inside party though."