My Hero!

Happy Father's Day Dad...I sure do love you.

Today

Today in the car Caroline said "Elizabeth's falling asleep." Then I heard "aaahhhh sshhhooo" Elizabeth was wide-eyed pretending to snore. It was SO cute!!

I was downstairs doing laundry when I heard little footsteps coming down the basement stairs, then I heard "hello down there." It was Caroline with her "just woke up face" which I LOVE! That face says, I'm awake and ready to be nice.

Bravo Jenny and Jim!

JIM CARREY'S MOST RECENT ROLE hasn't made him millions, but it's snagged the star one heck of a girlfriend: Jenny McCarthy. The actress has dubbed him "the autism whisperer" for the way he connects with her six-year-old son, Evan, who was diagnosed with the disorder at age two. (Her recent bestseller "Louder Than Words" describes his struggle.)
And as an activist duo, McCarthy and Carrey stormed D.C. last Wednesday, leading a march of 8,000 to the Capitol. Their mission: to bring attention to the astonishing rise in autism — the latest figures peg the rate in the U.S. at 1 in 150 children. The pair support the theory that the increase is linked to the barrage of vaccines now recommended for kids.
"This is the most moving day of our lives," said McCarthy after a rally on the West Capitol Lawn, where supporters had greeted her with a chant of "JENN-Y! JENN-Y!"Indeed, many in the crowd teared up during the event as speakers recounted stories of normal, healthy toddlers getting vaccinated, coming down with a fever that night and then never recovering.
But such tales took a backseat to pointing fingers at the building behind them. When Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., took to the mic, he declared today's youth "the sickest generation of children in American history." "The treatment of these children is going to far exceed the cost of the Iraq war," he announced.
Like the sea of other parents present, McCarthy and Carrey are angry at a medical community they view as unresponsive to their pleas for "green vaccines" and in bed with greedy drug manufacturers.
The reason vaccines aren't green already? "Mercury is a cheap preservative and they're not going to make as big a profit without it," McCarthy said.
McCarthy and Carrey took great pains, however, to make clear that their beef wasn't with vaccines themselves, but rather the quality, quantity and frequency. The rallying cry on the backs of their green T-shirts: "Too many, too soon."
When asked what advice they have for moms and dads worried about the effect of vaccines on their kids, the celeb couple answered in unison, "Space them out, ask for mercury-free and never vaccinate when they're sick."
Doctors remain divided on whether these fears are valid, but there was one indisputable fact from Wednesday. Evan, who was scampering about the scene, seems to be thriving. McCarthy attributes the progress to his gluten-free, dairy-free diet, but perhaps spending time with "the autism whisperer" is helping, too.

Jenn's Drab to Fab Challenge

This little number I got at Goodwill for $72. It was a scuffed up brown and was missing some handles. I painted and distressed it with Picket Fence, a Ralph Lauren Color that my sister Jessica turned us all onto.
I got this darling, feminine bed off of Craigslist. It was painted burgundy, but I painted it with oil base paint and distressed the trim with satin blues from Sherwin Williams, I love how it turned out.

Below is a chair that I refinished. I got it for $25 at an antique store and for years I planned on refinishing it. It was pretty haggard. I got the damask fabric on housefabric.com, I LOVE it. It's the same fabric as my dining room curtains.

Here is a piano that my good friend Chris gave me. There's a little history behind this piano. When I got called to be Primary music director I thought, "oh my gosh, I don't even have a piano." I really wanted and needed a piano not only for Primary but Family Home Evening etc...Well, that's where Chris comes in. Chris was in the process of selling her house and as she was clearing it out she looked at her piano and thought "this is Jill's piano." Isn't it amazing how the Lord works. He knows everything, nothing is beneath is notice or care. Thanks to Chris for her wonderful friendship. Although it's a special, sentimental piano, it needed work. It was dark brown but I painted it with white gold and my cute husband put a front on it.
The end result.
Next up, the piano bench.
I LOVE this fabric, let me say that again, I LOVE this fabric.
Together again.

Dear Diary

Elizabeth brought Grandpa a toy brush and he brushed her hair with it, she loved it.

Grandma and Caroline during their visit in January, 2008.
Grandpa and Caroline.


Today is Sunday.


The day started out at 5:55 a.m. with Caroline moaning saying that she had to go you know what. I took her downstairs and she went to the bathroom, then I turned on Runaway Rainbow, a My Little Pony DVD. I went back to bed then got back up to give her cereal. I went back to bed, then I got up to get Elizabeth and gave her cereal. I went back to bed. It was then Rob's turn. He got up and I slept until around 10:00. We had a great morning, Rob played with the girls. It was one of the those mornings that life seemed so good. As a side note, 99% Rob is the one getting up with the girls on the weekends, bless him! I decided to give him a little break.


Later...we got ready for church and got there in plenty of time to get Barbara and Dave's old pew. We get comments everytime we sit there. The Hunter's who have sat in front of the Bonds for many moons have remarked on several occasions that when any Bond sits behind them all seems right with the world. We really miss Barb and Dave out here as do the ward members. Everyone always asks about them and says how much they're missed, I concur.

Caroline and I sat alone most of the meeting because Elizabeth couldn't quit yelling "HEY!" Caroline did great, she said that she was going to color and eat goldfish, and she did, or should I say "we" did. She'd color a little and hand the marker to me, then I would color. During Sacrament meeting she had so many goldfish in her mouth that she had to spit them into a baby wipe.


I learned a lesson during primary today and that is, some children don't do well when things aren't normal. Caroline gets out of control when primary/singing time isn't business as usual. She didn't know how to handle it. I'm hoping that by writing it down I'll remember this next time and be more understanding.

We got home, I made dinner, Rob went to look at a house that Allan and Sandra may buy, and the girls watched Dora (thanks Barb and Dave for introducing Caroline to Dora, it's been a lifesaver)!

Obsessed

Caroline is obsessed with throw-up. She tells everyone that she threw-up on "Wednesday." She's also been personifying her throw-up. Is this normal? She says things like, "my throw-up wanted to wear my new pajamas." She was wearing her new jammies when she got sick. Yesterday she said "my throw-up is tired it needs to wear my pajamas and go to bed." It cracks me up.

She's a smart cookie! Today we were going down the stairs together and I said let's keep the gate (at the top of the stairs) open so the baby will be able to get in if she climbs the stairs. Well, the box fan was running on the floor in Caroline's room. Caroline said "no mommy, we have to close the gate or Elizabeth will get her fingers chopped off by the fan." She was right! Elizabeth getting her fingers chopped off was the lesser of the two evils. That's my safety girl! What have I done to her?!

Caroline's always looking out for Elizabeth's safety, she might drive her crazy, but she's got her back.

French Countryside

When I imagined Europe I imagined lush, beautiful countryside. That's the Europe I wanted to experience. Believe me I got that when I went to England. But in the beginning of the trip, Alyson (my traveling partner) and I had spent several days in Paris and were on our way to Rome. I was absolutely unprepared for the awesome beauty that I witnessed from the train window. It was out of a fairy tale. I found several pictures on the internet, but it does it no justice. You have to see it to believe it.