books make you smart

barnes & noble-

b&n in union square NYC

tonight i found myself at your store.
y'know the one next to old navy and right down the street from target and cafe rio?
now that's what i consider a perfect neighborhood!

i stopped in to pick up a little after-Christmas gift.
i only planned on running in and out lickety-split.
but the smell of coffee and new books drew me in and soon i was aimlessly wandering the aisles.
i'm pretty sure i could live forever in a bookstore (as long as there was a yummy cafe attached)
there is nothing like holding a new book in your hand-
the smell, the uncreased binding, the crisp pages.... oh lovely day!

i treated myself to a cinnamon scone and spent 10 blissfully silent minutes perusing the magazine racks.
i know this will sound dumb to most people but i cannot explain how much i needed those 10 minutes.
i have felt so lost this last month,
i think it's partly due to Christmas stress (and we even kept it simple this year!) and the fact that i'm always looking ahead.
i'm always talking/planning/dreaming about the day jank graduates.
"when he graduates we will.... move, buy a house, have another child, travel, go to a play, go skiing, buy real furniture, join a gym...."

i'm not saying the planning ahead is a bad thing.
it's just that when i get my head full of 'somedays', i don't take time to appreciate my 'today'
it's amazing that stuffing a scone in my mouth and reading about kim kardashian can produce a profound thought.
but it did.
and i think i have nailed down my new year's resolution-
enjoy today.

thank you barnes & noble- i'll be back for more scone + wandering soon.

gratefully,

mrs jank


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the obligatory kid in front of the tree pic

Christmas went by too fast this year 

(doesn't it every year?)

i think it was partially due to the fact that i worked Christmas day.

but it was grand nonetheless and kate had a ball with her cousins and new toys.

i always try to take as many pictures as possible since i'm a horrible photographer.

seriously it takes at least 50 photo tries to get one measly good pic.

my attempts at the 'present-lined-Christmas-tree and kid' photo-

and the final product (after a little antiquing because the original color looked funny)

all fancied up for the big day at G+G hansen's house

i'll have to try again later this week at BB's house when we celebrate Christmas with my folks.

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ho ho ho

dear santa-

our new tv- isn't she a beauty!

you dropped off our present a little early.
but we're not ones to complain about something like that.
in fact, we were overjoyed.
you should've seen jank's face-
he truly looked like a 6 year old on Christmas morning.
i wish i had videotaped it.

when we first hooked it up the picture was quite blurry and we were so bummed.
but after a visit from the comcast man who provided us with the proper HD equipment,
we were watching nadal and federer as if we were right there in the stands.
jank couldn't quit saying 'kayla come see! it's awesome!!'
he interrupted me at least 5 times with the exact same request- 'come see!'

he's like a 6 year old that way.
he's so easily pleased.
every meal he eats is 'the best meal ever!'
and so it goes with our new tv,
every game/channel/movie is the 'best thing ever!'

i'm over the moon about it too.
i mean, who doesn't want to watch elmo in HD??
just kidding, i'm sure my HGTV will be amazing in high def also
(that is if jank will let us watch anything other than espn)


THANK YOU to santa and his 4 elves-
kevin+diane and bob+kathy
(also known as moms and dads)
to say we love our present would be an understatement.



ps. thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you


pps. did i mention THANK YOU!!



ppps. jank already made me move my reindeer because it was obscuring his view of some random person in the crowd. augh men!

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a post where i lose my cool

to the elves at my work:


i don't know who you are but thank you so much for your kindness.
you put 2 movie passes in my box at work.
i heart you.

going to the movies ranks in my top 5 favorite things to do.
thankfully i married a man who shares my passion.
it's awesome that he races to get to the theater so we don't miss the previews.
AND he never thinks popcorn and soda are a waste of money (which they totally are)

we used your movie passes last saturday night.
we weren't planning on using them but we sure were glad to have them.
it's a long story but one i will want to remember so indulge me.....

our Christmas tree. amazingly katers hasn't ripped it to shreds.

we were supposed to go to the Christmas concert put on by the MoTab choir.
we've gone the last couple of years and always have a good time.
(jank still insists that sissel was the best and i must agree)
so we donned our gay apparel, rounded up a babysitter and headed to the city.

our first problem was parking.
as usual the public lots were packed.
but we weren't fussed- we planned ahead and arrived nice and early.
we circled the lot until we saw someone loading up their car.
i surveyed the scene to make sure no one else had already called dibs on the spot.
we didn't see anyone so i put my blinker on and politely waited.

as i was pulling into the spot there appeared a lady in a white coat standing right next to our spot.
the lady said "this is our spot so you're going to need to leave"
i'm pretty sure i just stared at her for a moment with a dumbfounded look on my face.
i thought she was kidding.
she was sooooo not kidding.

lady- "you need to leave. we were here first"
me- "no you weren't. i checked"
lady- "you need to leave. it's our spot"
me- "no"

(can i just add that jank is sitting in the passenger seat looking a little frightened- he hates unpredictable people. especially when i'm being stubborn with them)

lady- "we have a kid in the car so you'll have to move"
me- "um, i'm already parked with my keys out of the ignition so i don't think i'll be leaving but thanks"
me-  "jank, get out now. we're leaving"
lady- "are you going to the Christmas concert? are you LDS? that's bulls**t"
me- no response. we took the high ground and just walked away dumbfounded. and so incredibly irritated. i really contemplated smacking her. (i still get all steamed up just thinking about her)

as we walked we wondered if she would key our car.
(she didn't)
but at least it gave us something interesting to discuss while we waited in the cold for an hour.
seriously the line for the concert was absurd.
everyone had to be screened and the people doing the screening were all over the age of 75 and moving like molasses.
augh. my patience was wearing thin at this point.

i wasn't concerned about getting in.
we had tickets and we were there with time to spare.
but some genius decided to over ticket the concert by about 500.
no joke.
when we were 2 people away from getting in,
they turned us all away without barely an apology.
party foul.

i was irate.
i demanded hot chocolate and to speak to someone.
i got neither.
so off we went.

i was so disappointed.
a babysitter.
all dressed up.
Christmas concert.
date night ruined....

until i remembered the free movie passes!
we headed to the theater and picked out 'the tourist'
we had some time to kill so we wandered around anthropologie.
i wanted everything, as usual.
but bought nothing- aren't i disciplined?!
then jank bought me an ice cream cone for the movie
and for 2 hours i didn't think about that stupid lady and her stupid comment or the concert.

so thank you thank you thank you, whoever you are.
you saved date night and made me realize not all utahns are ridiculous.


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in a hospital in MN

BROTHER BRANDON:


it turns out you do have nine lives.
but if you could please stop using them up so quickly we would all appreciate it.
you're only 28 for heaven's sake!

i can't believe a wall fell on you...
how do these things happen!?!?

i hope your femur heals quickly.
4-6 months of recoup sounds miserable.
at least you have a good wife to take care of you,
and mom and dad are close by.


i remember when we were teenagers and we would get home about the same time on weekend nights.
i was always so mad that you beat me and you got to choose what tv show we watched.
we would sit at the kitchen counter and eat cold cereal and watch star trek reruns.
i always complained about how dumb that show was.
i still don't like it but whenever i see the old school star trek uniforms it makes me think of you.

so i hope you get to watch as much star trek as you want.


heal fast.
listen to your doctors.
and be nice to your nurses.

love you!



ps. i have a feeling you might put on some weight due to the high volume of Christmas cookies you guys made. these pics make me miss home. sad.

yuuuuuuuuum

B+K showing off their mad decorating skillz

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oh wow

image courtesy of the internet because we're lame and didn't take any pictures

hi love

just wanted to say thanks for taking me out to see the Christmas lights.

thanks for taking time away from your masters project.

(stupid masters project)

i think that candy cane hot cocoa is the best we've ever had.

even though i drank too much and got a stomachache.

(sorry i spilled some on you)

i wonder how many more times i can use parentheses.

(probably a million- i'm addicted)

can't wait to spend the next week with you.

hooray for mandatory Christmas break!!

as elmo says-

kiss kiss

ps. my favorite part was kate saying "oh wow" in her little tiny voice when she saw the lights.

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no, i am NOT a punching bag

katie grace!
(to be yelled firmly in a southern accent)

i used to love running errands.
i once told my mom if i were given a free day to do anything i would choose to accompany someone on their errands.
i am very aware that this is weird.
i just think it's fun to tag-along with someone else and see how they do things and where they go.
(this excludes grocery stores and other boring errands. i only desire fun errands to new places i've never been to)

but my love of errand running ceased once i had you.
the hassle of the car seat when you were a baby was too much for me.
in and out.
in and out.
and you were heavy.
ok, not you per se, but the car seat+you= offta!

i used to say once you were a toddler it would be easier.
you could walk and sit in a cart and all would be merry.
well, about that.... you see, having the ability to walk also means you can run from me.
something you did about ten times yesterday.
my heart stopped beating twice when i thought i lost you.
(turns out you were just petting the fake doggie at old navy)

i handled the running away quite well.
i calmly found you and redirected you to where we needed to go.
it was the hitting me in the face because i wouldn't let you play with the credit card machine at checkout that did me in.
i know you don't completely understand yet how rude it is to smack someone when you don't get your way.
and because of this fact, i forgive you.
but i promise if you start making a habit of it, you will be in timeout until you're two.
don't test me little one.
you get your stubbornness from me and i've got 20+ years of stubborn on you.

you redeemed yourself by being so cute at the bookstore.

ps. love you stinker bum

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maybe i just need some figgy pudding

to the bringers of holiday cheer-


why haven't you visited our home yet?
jank and i are both sensing your lack.
the magic is missing...


i have always loved Christmastime.
i love snow and twinkle lights and music.
i love cookies and fudge and (let's just be honest) anything with sugar.
i love the corner santas ringing their bells.
i love feeling like i'm a part of something so much greater than little old me.
i really love the magic of the whole season.

miss kate last year.

oh boy, i want to kiss and squish those cheeks.

but this year i'm finding myself a little shy on the holiday cheer.
and i don't know why.
i've spent the last week analyzing it and i have no answer.
so instead of worrying about my lack of Christmas joy,
i decided to get down to business and just go out and find it.


my holiday cheer seeking mission will include:

kate and i reading a Christmas book by the tree every night.
more dancing to Christmas music with katers (more than usual).
evening drives to look at Christmas lights while sipping hot cocoa.
making holiday goodies-- i just found a new recipe that i'm dying to try.
jank and i will attend the MoTab's Christmas concert and see the lights at temple square.
i will get the presents out of hiding and wrap them (it's one of my favorite activities. i'm odd, i know)

and the end-all, cure-all.......
i will watch white christmas.


hopefully i will find the magic i'm lacking.



ps. what is figgy pudding????? and is it even good????


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kate learns to write!

hi EEEEE-

 "EEEEE" is what kate calls liz

it's been a few days since i saw you last and i miss you already.
i want you to come over and play with me.
we can bang on the closet doors.
we can hid in the living room blinds and pull them down.
we can watch "raaaaaaar" (madagascar)
we can read christmas books-
mom and i went to a new library today and we got a bunch of new ones.


mommie says we can't play until i feel better.
i told her i'm all better but she wants to make sure i'm not still contagious.
i'd feel terrible if you got sick because of me.
mommie got me sick and then i got dada sick-
but it's ok because he stayed home today so i could play with him.


maybe we can go back to the aquarium.
or to the library because guess what liz?!?
they have a big elmo there and he's really cool.
i kept yelling "ELMO" because i wanted to play with him and mommie kept saying
"shhhh kate. use your library voice"
i gave her my stinkeye look- i don't like being quiet.
that'll teach her to shush me.

hope to see you soon!

love,

kate

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breaking news

dear world,

i would like you to meet kate's pigtails:

these piggies have been a loooooong time coming.
what started as a cute little curl at the nape of her neck is quickly growing into a mullet.
i even trimmed the little curl a few weeks ago in hopes of maintaining a non-trailer park look.
i've tried clips and hair gel and even considered those atrocious flowers the size of her head that seems to be all the rage.
(ok, i only considered the flowers for a minisecond but i just can't do it.)
i was getting desperate and kate was wearing a hat everywhere she went.
thankfully it's winter and that sort of thing is smiled upon.

but then a few days ago i realized her i could torture her tiny hairs into pigtails.
and i do mean torture-- she nows winces whenever i touch her head.
whoops.

she looks like a 'who' from the grinch stole christmas and i deem it adorable.
and maybe, just maybe the "what a cute boy" comments will cease.
it's only been 19 months people.
i think it's time.

we took kate to a splinting workshop at my work and practiced our splinting

skills on her. turns out splinting a toddler is nearly impossible.

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how to waste an hour or two

Dearest IKEA:

i have always loved you but now that i have a toddler,

i love you more.

so many bright colors.

fun carts that never steer right but allow for spinning in circles.

a child's playland....

essentially the perfect place to spend an hour.

especially when a certain mommie needs to buy stools for her new kitchen.

(why does moving always necessitate spending money???)

couzies playing

(thanks for the OBVIOUS caption kayla)

lizamagoo's whipping us up an omelette.

oh wait, none of us like eggs. gross!

can you spot my mom behind the swinging chair holding it still so i can snap a pic?

ps. you are all welcome for the super crisp and in-focus pictures. i do what i can to bring awesomeness to the internet.

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sick day..... again. seriously? again?!?!

totally unrelated picture... 

babies in jammies dancing in our new kitchen

i swear no one gets the flu as much as i do.
what's up with that???
i'd blame it on working in the ER but i haven't worked in days so that's not it.
i guess i just have a really crappy immune system.... not cool.

i woke up yesterday at 7 am and just knew i was going to puke.
i finally succumbed to the nausea at 730 and it was awful.
repeat horrible chain of events at 9 and 1030 and there you have my morning.

thankfully kate was a gem yesterday and was more than happy to watch elmo and dinosaur train for hours while i laid helpless on the couch.
she didn't cry or try to touch me while i puked
(i was so worried about her sticking her hand in the toilet)
she just stood there watching me and saying "uh oh" and then "bu-bye" when i flushed.
that made me smile.

jank came home early because of some government hoopla at the VA which he wasn't allowed to be a part of.
thank you US government!
he tended to katers' needs and let me take a nap.
i love that man.
although he did make hashbrowns that forced me to lay on the bathroom floor for 30 min.


and just in case you're thinking the same thing i was at 730am.... i am NOT pregnant.
the first thing i did after puking was pee on a stick.
one line, not two.
thank you IUD.


so there's the summation of my yesterday.
i'm feeling almost top-notch today.
now if i can just get kate to stop resisting her nap so i can shower....



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double k

miss k bell:

kelli and i missed you greatly at lunch the other day.

double k is grand, but triple k is preferred.

i won't torture you with a post full of pictures of our fantastic meal.

but let me just show you the chocolate fondue that we had....

at least this is what was left  after 2 seconds.

we seriously inhaled it.

sorry we all suck at communicating.

next time dinner, desert and a movie to make up for it.

just text me your available nights in january-

once the work sched is available of course.

ps. should i be addressing you as CHARGE NURSE BELL???

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a daddy's girl

Jank-

i would like you to meet your mini-you:

she did this all on her own.

she found the box full of your old bball jerseys and put them all on.

no prompting from me- except i did give her the roll to munch on 

(because only awesome moms give their kids leftover rolls for breakfast. duh)

i can't get over how attached to you she is right now.
she cries when you leave the room and smiles huge when you return.
you can be modest and say that it's just a phase, but i know you LOVE it.
and i know you never want it to end.
no fear my love, i don't think it will end soon.



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an apartment full of boxes

mom-

we miss you already.
i miss your funny ideas, like this one:

"box seats" for all the elmo watching this little one desires

right now we're decorating the christmas tree while katers sleeps.
jank was pleasantly surprised to find out that his OB rotation ended at 1030 today.
i'm so excited to have him home today to help with kate.
her teeth are still bugging her-- she was up six times last night!

thanks again for all the help with the move and organizing and meals and fun.
love you!

see you soon


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