Writing Challenge

Anyone interested in a fun way to be creative and expand your mind? Join our newly formed online writing group! It is for all ages and all skill levels. This is our second challenge and it was my task to come up with the topic, or prompt. I decided to go with a creative writing this time around. The challenge is this: Eavesdrop. Eavesdrop on old ladies in the grocery store, the slick looking guy on his cell phone at the post office, your husband or wife on a business call. Whatever. Get three or four interesting lines of dialogue (without knowing any context) and then create the back story, the situation behind the conversation and where it leads. Make those few real bits of conversation the basis for created characters and situations. get creative. There are no rules other than using actual dialogue as a jumping point. If ANYONE is interested, please leave a comment and then share your story with me by June 1st. Post it on your blog or email it to me. If this gets going, we'll start a new blog page just for our writing group. Thanks to Rebecca for starting this little group. Here is a link to the first writing challenge and her response.

Easter Photo Shoot

We dressed the boys in their Filipino barong's (formal Filipino attire) for Easter this year and I am definatley making it a tradition. They looked so handsome, and I want them to benifit from their rich cultural background!

Eli and Me!

Eli, my little man. I think I will treasure this photo forever. Usually behind the camera, I don't get to see myself in Mommy mode. Part of me can hardly believe thats my son, that I am his Mommy!

New Version

After reading my essay over again, I have decided that all I really needed was the last paragraph. The rest of it was just a lot of fluffy philosophizing that was quite disjointed. Not very interesting to read. So, my essay is now just a paragraph long but sometimes less is more, right? What do you think?

Dillon kisses all four of us in our sleep every morning at 4am before he leaves for work. He works twelve hour days, then comes home and vacuums. We oogle at our kids together over dinner. He holds my hand during story time. He shows our little boys how to fold their arms for prayer at night. He brings me a burp cloth and situates it carefully on my shoulder as I rock the baby. We talk about politics over dishes: he washes, I dry. We are in the middle of the hard work of true love.

Writing Practice

My friend Rebecca issued a writing challenge and a topic about a month ago with the deadline of April 2. True to the form of my college days, I wrote this essay late at night on the due date. I wanted to participate as a way to oil up my rusty writing skills and boy are they rusty. In college I could have produced something pretty polished in a couple of hours. I am posting this in rough draft form because I can hardly keep my eyes open any longer. I should be embarrassed but I really want to start writing again and I need a structured way to do it and some accountability. Thanks for providing that that for me Rebecca!

In short, the theme was "Is this what romance looks like?" She based it off several excellent essays written by women and published with Redbook. You can find them here.

Here is my beginnings of an essay:

“Daddy’s home,” I say to my three little ones and turn to watch my husband, Dillon, come through the door wearing his heavy work boots, non-descript jeans, bright-orange safety t-shirt, and an exhausted expression. He kisses me hello and says, “I don’t know how you can work like this.” He is, of course, referring to me standing at the stove cooking dinner in my 3x10’ kitchen while our two boys stand on the top rung of a step ladder at my elbow and the baby sits in her bouncer chair in front of the refrigerator. With the dishwasher door open and the dog waiting around for a morsel to drop to the floor, that leaves me with about 2 square feet to move around in. I feel a subtle fear creeping in my mind. We look so different from each other in this snap shot.

Inseparable since high school, we now have just a few minutes a day together. For nearly a decade, our lives were so intertwined that our identities blurred. Now the division of responsibilities makes it so we can hardly relate our day to day lives. Where once we would talk for hours sharing every minute detail of our lives, we now exchange a quick bullet list of notable events and important information because there just isn’t time for more. I wonder where our Hollywood worthy romance is in the middle of all of the practicality. I wasn’t prepared to recognize the true face of romance that happens after the credits roll on the big screen.

We both work daily building our life together, but through starkly different endeavors. I am home absorbed in nap schedules, feeding times, and laundry. Dillon is entrenched in construction schedules, budgets, and blue-prints. We once shared the easily visible framework of our lives but now it is the foundation we share, set deep and sure.

Dillon kisses all four of us in our sleep every morning at 4am before he leaves for work. He works twelve hour days, then comes home and vacuums We oogle at our kids together over dinner. He holds my hand during story time. He shows out little boys how to fold their arms for prayer at night. He brings me a burp cloth and situates it carefully on my shoulder as I rock the baby. We talk about politics over dishes: he washes, I dry. We are in the middle of the hard work of true love.

Apple Anyone? and other slices of life...

The kids know that they can help themselves to certain healthy snacks anytime the feel hungry. I am beginning to rethink that policy...

We keep are pacifier securly attached to Arabella at all times so that Elijah never has to go without.

First pedicure! What cute little girly toes. (Inspired by Gracie, an angel heart recipiant who passed away last month.) I have to say, Eve has little dainty feet attached to some of the chubbiest baby legs around.

Had to include this photo of our little tough guy Isaac.

Senior Ball

I saw this photo in my file and couldn't resist posting it on honor of our ten year reunion this summer. At this point, we had no idea we were going to get married. We were just having a lot of fun. (I was happy to be with the coolest guy at the ball. Notice his crown is a lot bigger then mine.) It was held at the Union Station in Tacoma, a great place for a Ball.

I just have to add, my Mom made that dress for me. I wanted something totally unique and with Dillon in his white tux, we really stood out.

"Scary Eyes"

Eli calls this her "scary eyes." I just have to say that although all my kids do look a lot like Dillon, but those eyes are mine, baby.

PS I found the camera cord under the bed. The logical place, you know.

Blessing Day Photos

My beautiful baby girl. She was hard to photo that day. She was either crying or sleeping when the cameras were out. Don't you think the little bonnet is cute. I wasn't even planning on making it but I am glad I did.

Here is a photo of all the family members who attended. What a group! You can see baby Gavin who was also blessed with his Mom Heather in the middle.

Hole in One!

Here is my Dad, retrieving the ball from his hole-in-one last week. Can you believe it? I think the greatest talent my Dad has is his ability to tackle anything he wants to do with dedication, determination, and hard work. He has only been golfing seriously for a few years now, really, and that hole-in-one was not just a lucky shot. Nice job Dad.

Thought I would throw this picture in since I was doing a little blogging about my Dad. Eve is lucky to have so many wonderful Grandparents to love her.

Sorry, No Photos.

Living the technology filled lifestyle that we all lead, there are a few items that, once lost, tie your hands and are a PAIN to replace. I for instance, have lost the cord that transfers photos from my camera to my computer. So, I cannot post any pictures of my beautiful baby girl on her blessing dress, of my joyous visit with Mimi and Mia, of the Valentines Day sugar cookies we made, or of the Eli's proud moment when he held his little sister without any help for the first time. Most people check blogs and scan the photos and move on. A post of pure text will probably get passed over fairly quickly but hey, I'm in the mood to blog and will not be stopped.

We blessed little Eve in my sister's ward in Maple Valley along with her son Gavin who was born just after the new year. Dillon gave an inspiring blessing and I am so grateful that he holds and honors his priesthood. I was also happy that so many of our family members came out to a 9:00 am service after an hour of driving (for most of them) to attend services of a religion half of them don't belong to. I suppose they all know how close the church is to our hearts and to who we are and because they love us and our children, they try to be there for those special times. It was a wonderful day and Eve only pooped all over her dress AFTERwards so I would say everything went perfectly.

Most of you have been following the story of my niece, Mia, who had a heart transplant in November. She can't be around any babies or children and so it had been over two months since I had seen her (my nursing baby kept me away). Well, I finally got over to visit last week and words can't describe nor pictures do justice to the change in her. I have never had such spontaneous joy in my heart as when I saw her huge smile, her plump, pink legs, felt her strength as she sat up, and heard her little voice, so long silenced by a breathing tube. The last time I had seen her she was hooked up to more tubes and monitors then you would have thought possible on such a tiny body. Now looking at her its as if the pain and suffering I saw in her are just melting away. She truly does have an angel heart. Pain and sorrow are a part of this life and Mia reminds me of the beautiful mornings that follow all dark nights. I have to say that Mia isn't the only one I was happy to see. I have missed Mimi and loved the chance to sit and chat with her. I have much to learn from her after having gone through this experience. I love you Mimi. Oh and I love my bro John too but he wasn't there that night.. he he...

The last little but of blogging I will do is going to be completely unrelated to previous topics. I want to recommend two films to all of you are interested in something that goes beyond Hollywood bling now and then. Once and The Namesake. Put them on your Netflix cue, that's all I'm going to say. (For all my Mormon friends, Once is rated R for some language, but its spoken in Irish and Czech accents so it's not the same, Just kidding, but thought you should know)

To all of you who have made it to the end of this blog, wow, you must really like me. Leave a comment so I know who you are. I'll leave a Valentine's cookie out to the little elf who steals remotes and cords, (kids shoes and puzzle pieces) and maybe he will return my camera cord and I can post some pictures next time.

Growing Kids!

Oh my little Eve! She is not a perfect baby, but that little smile just melts my heart like nothing else! She is growing so fast, already in 6/9 month clothes. I have been tougher on her than the other kids. At two months she is already falling asleep/crying herself to sleep alone in her crib. No coddling for baby number 3!
I am beginning to think that I don't know how to diaper a baby. Eve has a blow out every single day. I thought I would solve the problem by going up a diaper size from 2 to 3. Now, instead of pooing up the back, she poos out the legs. They jury is out on which of these is preferable. And I'm not skimping on brands either. Huggies have never let me down in the past!

This may not seem like a note worthy photo but little Isaac grows up so effortlessly it practically breaks my heart. We introduced the big boy bed and he didn't even skip a beat. He has never cried for his crib (which is still set up in his room), never had trouble falling asleep, never even tried to get out of bed! I feel like he has been walking out the door since the day he was born. So independent, and in such a matter of fact way. He takes care of business, no fuss.
Eli is such a sweet little man. Here is is cuddling little Eve and holding in her pacifier. The expression on his face is priceless. He is saying something like, "It's OK baby girl, I'm right here,"

Had to include this photo. Dillon has been working so hard these last few weeks. Here he is grabbing some quality time with the kids watching a movie and having popcorn, except he couldn't keep his eyes open.

Grandma's Jammies

My Mom makes Christmas Pajamas for all thirty something of her Grandkids every year. They get better every time.

Baby Gavin

My sister, Heather, delivered her 5th baby on January 2nd. Gavin is a big boy and adorable. I've heard him described as a sleepy puppy. So cute! This photo was taken when I visited them at the hospital. I think I will always treasure this photo of us with our new babies. With seven years between us, who knew we would have new ones at the same time?

A visit to the job site

We recently had a family day in Seattle. We visited Dillon's job site and went to the zoo. I think Eli preferred the construction machinery and the man-lift (elevator) to the animals. It was COLD but a lot of fun. (Eve is in the office taking a nap on one of the guys Dillon works with - so cute to see that pink bundle in the arms of the tough guys)

Dillon's building is nearly complete!

Dillon has been working day and night lately, as his project is approaching completion. He has been heading up the removal of the huge tower crane in the center of the building. In order to accomplish this they had to set up another giant crane in the street. I think they lifted out the last piece today. What a process! You can see the two cranes in this photo. Isn't his buildng beautiful?

Christmas Traditions and Snow!

On Saturday we went out to the Christmas tree farm, a tradition carried down from my childhood, with most of my side of the family and searched for the perfect tree. Didn't find it but the one we chose was very pretty. And there is my attempt at blogging humor.

Eli and I cut down the tree together.

Eve was bundled up snugly with Dillon.

Eli and Isaac insisted on pulling the wagon themselves. They are a lot stronger then I thought! Later we rode the Santa Train at Point Defiance. A new tradition but one of the best. I've never met a more jolly Santa. Not like those grumpy mall guys! We decorated the tree later that evening and have played Christmas music all weekend. We decorated and ate sugar cookies and sat around a lot too, another great holiday activity.

And today it snowed! Even though we only got a quarter inch, we rushed out to play in it because this could be all we ever get!

Today I asked Eli if he wanted to make a snow angel. He said, "sure," laid down and swept his arms and legs through the icy snow into a perfect angel. I was shocked! How did he know how to do that? I didn't teach him, he doesn't go to school yet, it wasn't in any book I had read. Must be the power of television. Was it the Backyardigans? Wubzy? a commercial? I guess I'll never know. Though I do feel a little robbed of sharing that magical discovery of angelic body prints, I am grateful that I didn't actually have to lay down in the snow myself. At some point in adulthood, it just becomes more fun to watch. Adult sized snow angels just don't hold the same wonder. And of course, I served hot chocolate after we came in. A tradition I couldn't avoid if I wanted too. I drink it as often as possible anyway.

Eve meets her brothers!

Eli and Isaac got to meet their baby sister the day after she was born. They visited us at The Birthing Inn with Dillon's parents and it was sweet to see them warm up so quickly. Eli especially wanted to cuddle and hold her right away. In fact it was quite awhile before he would let his grandparents have a turn. Isaac seemed determined to point out her cute little nose. He kept touching the tip of it and saying "nose," as well as the occasional eye jab and "eye." Gotta encourage his ever expanding vacabulary.

Just thought this little photo was darling. It shows off her cute little face and how different she looks from her brothers while at the same sharing basic features, if thats possible.

Eve Arabella Rose Eugenio

Our cute little turkey was born on Thanksgiving at 9:00pm on the dot. She weighs 9lbs 2 ozs, (and I thought she was going to be tiny), is 21 inches long, and was hungry the minute she was born. I am holding her now and she is looking around peacefully at her new world. She is very awake and aware and I think she looks just about perfect.

We have named her Eve for the mother of all living, probably the best example there is of a person who chose the harder path because she knew it was the better path. Arabella means "answer to a prayer" or "proud lion." It comes from the family tree on my Grandma Hallmeyer's side. She was born to a prominent family, the Dawsons, in Ireland in about 1694. Her family was the steward of a city that was later named after them: Castledawson, Ireland. We will have to make a trip over there someday and see what has happened to the ruins of their castle. And finally, Rose is for Dillon's Grandma who lives in Hawaii. A lighthearted storyteller who draws a crowd with the twinkle in her eye. We hope that Eve will come to understand the origins of her names and be inspired by them as she lives her life.

Amazingly, I labored all day without any intense pain. I wanted my water to break on its own and let things progress naturally. However, even though I was dilated to a nine for hours and took a caster oil shake and tried every other natural method of progressing labor, I couldn't get any strong contractions to bring baby down. When I finally worked up the courage, around 8:30, I had the midwife break my water. Things progressed even more quickly then I thought they would. I was ready to push within seconds. I quickly got into the giant tub at the birthing center and Eve was born a few minutes later under water and face up (which is one of the hardest ways to birth a baby, I am told). I caught her myself, lifted her up and held her. She looked wonderful and gave a good cry right away. It was beautiful.

Dillon's only complaint was that he had remembered everything I needed and brought nothing for himself. No food, no clothes, no toothbrush, no nothing. He had a pepperoni stick and dintymoore stew from the gas station for his Thanksgiving dinner. Really, though, he loved the experience, and can't stop talking about how amazing it all was. I'll let him post the next one and tell you about his perspective.

A Heart for Mia

My brother John and his wonderful wife Mimi have just received the most wonderful news. After four months of waiting, a wonderful couple has made the choice the give in their time of grief. Mia has a heart on the way and will be in surgery early this morning. I am so excited I don't know if I can sleep. Mia has a long struggle yet ahead of her as she recovers from surgery and her body works to grow healthy and strong. There is still a great need for the family whose insurance will come nowhere near covering all of the costs that are a part of her condition and treatment. Please visit the link the the help baby Mia website on the left, learn all about her incerdible journey and donate to her cause. Just a dollar or two would make a difference! Keep her in your prayers tonight and in the coming weeks! You can also see my brother's blog at mcdonaldfam.blogspot.com.