::{48 Hours}::

...Until I'm back in the company of my two favorites for a long weekend.

I can hardly wait.

The Latest Experiment

In the few days I had before moving to Indiana (I'm now a transplant here in Hoosier land), I decided to invest myself in the biggest science experiment of my life:

I built a garden in an attempt to grow a vegetable. 

 I've always loved flowers, but growing a vegetable garden is a different challenge that's been on my bucket list for quite a while now.  Since we'll be in Ohio for a long time, I figured there's no time like the present.

Why do I consider this an experiment?

If you looked closely at the first couple pictures, you may have noticed a dead plant.  I kept it there purposefully to prove just how much of an experiment this will be for Team Adams.

We have not been known to have "green thumbs" in this household, though I will admit, we killed that plant on purpose because we didn't have a good place for it inside.  Frankly, it was a bit of a nuisance.  We set it outside and let nature run its course, i.e. a normal March frost put it out of its misery.

We're trying the square-foot gardening thing from scratch since our back patio is all cement (which added a few more steps to the garden construction to comply with a strict landlord) so we'll see what happens as the summer progresses.  Our vegetables/herbs of choice this year:

Zucchini squash

Bell peppers (green, red, and orange)

Tomatoes (Big Boy and Better Boy varieties)

Parsley

Rosemary

Sage

Now it's up to Steve to keep everything alive until I get back...

::{Some Things I've Learned}::

I am DONE!

Okay, I'm only done with the first year of many, but it feels so, SO good.  Things pick up again next week, but we're all going to enjoy every last minute of the weekend before that happens.

Looking back on this past year, and while things are still fresh on my mind, I wanted to share some things I've learned.  I'm writing this with my kid(s), assuming that more will come our way eventually, in mind, because I hope they learn to value education the way Steve and I do.  So I'm writing takeaway messages for them.

In no particular order:

1.  I have the BEST advisor on the face of the planet.  Seriously folks, I don't know how I lucked out to get into this program and to work with Professor Haeger.  She is one of the smartest people I know, and her knowledge of the field is astounding.  Barbara is also one of the greatest lecturers I've ever had the chance to learn from.  She is deeply committed to her students, she is passionate about the material, and she has some of the best stories about experiences in academia.  Takeaway message: Absorb everything you can when you cross paths with good teachers, and don't be afraid to interact with them regularly - they can shape your life in remarkable ways.

2. As my editor in chief always tells me, good writing takes time.  And it also takes lots of research.  It doesn't look like it, but I promise there is a method to my madness.  Our basement was turned into Study Central so that I could get stuff done when AJ was napping or in bed, without having to go to the library.  Takeaway message: Figure out your own study system, and start it early.  Procrastination is the ultimate academic enemy.

3.  Without ever intending this to happen, I seem to be drawn to Spanish artists/paintings.  I spent many hours with the following works this semester, completed by Bartolome Murillo and Claudio Coello.  Illusionism is at the heart of my interests, and these were fascinating works to consider even though I had never considered them before (or even known about them).  Takeaway message: Don't be afraid to explore things even if they don't "fit" the mold at first glance.

Murillo, Self Portrait, 1655

Murillo, Self-Portrait, 1670

Coello, Saint Rose of Lima, 1684-85

4. Ph.D. programs are not for the faint-hearted.  A Ph.D. is hard work - incredibly rewarding work - but work nonetheless.  Having said that, I must also say that the rewards far outweigh the challenges.  Again, this comes back to the caliber of my committee, professors, seminars, and a totally awesome husband.  I guess what I'm really saying is this - if you don't have to work hard for your education, something is amiss.  Takeaway message: Never steer clear of academic opportunities simply because they are challenging.

5.  People are more important than projects.  Duh.  Time with family is precious.  For a good chunk of the semester, nobody else mattered besides Steve and Bug.  Alongside that, I've also come to more fully understand the meaning of "keeping the Sabbath day holy."  Sabbath observance is a personal thing, and it's different for every person, so these comments are not intended to pass any sort of judgment.  Without getting too churchy, I have come to appreciate this day above all others as it was, literally, the only day I had every week, no matter what, where I didn't pick up a book, grade a test, edit a paper, etc.  I appreciate this decision mostly because it influenced the rest of my week for the better, in addition to getting more family time each Sunday.  I had to motivate myself to do homework between classes, after dinner, before Bug woke up, Friday night and most of Saturday (those were the worst), etc. but it all meant that I got to spend the entire day on Sunday with the people I love. Takeaway message: However you do it, always put family first, and arrange the rest of your time wisely to accomplish your tasks.  It can be done.

::{One}::

Warning: Photo-dump ahead.

We now have a one-year old, which still blows my mind (one month later).  So here is some recent documentation of the Bug on and around her birthday, for your viewing pleasure.

Before we get to the photos, these are some things that we always want to remember about AJ at this stage:

1) She is a mover and a shaker.  Once she figured out how to walk, she decided that she would never stand still.  Ever.  She really likes to dance, i.e. shake her booty and swing her arms.  The best part is that she dances to the beat - cracks us up every time.

2) She eats anything and everything (except mushrooms), including dirt.  She gets in trouble if she drops food on the ground, but for the most part, she waddles around with a perfect little pot belly after every meal.

3) She has finally found and figured out a sippy cup that she likes.  That only happened after we went through most of the options out there.

4) She hates shoes.  I'm guessing that will change all too soon, so I'm not concerned about it at this point.

5) She loves books.  She has the attention span of a gnat, but even still, her favorite thing to do after pulling all of the books off the bookshelf is to sit and look through about ten of them in two minutes.

6) She's starting to climb.  Yikes.

7) She loves playing outside.

8) She's a total flirt - ask every male in our ward.

9) To go along with #8, she's also a ham.

10) Daytime naps are unpredictable (some are 20 minutes, some are 80 minutes), but I really can't complain.  She sleeps 11 hours at night and has been doing that for a very long time.  Bless her little heart.

11) She leaves our front room looking like a tornado on a daily basis.

12) She is curious, and a keen observer.  It amazes me how observant she is, and how quickly she learns things that seem rather difficult for a one-year old (but what do I know?  This is a first for all of us).

  

My two favorites:

Three pigtails, because three is always better than two.

Bug at the annual Duckling Days celebration at the public library.

Struttin' her stuff.

Daddy's girls - through and through.

Getting ready to celebrate.

She was very polite and dainty...

Until she figured out what this was all about.

And then she devoured it.

So...much....sugar!

"Oh, was I supposed to wait for something?"

Team Adams knows how to party, and this was defnitely a family affair.

My favorite picture of all time.

Bug is very much like Steve when it comes to food/eating - neither of them like getting their hands messy when they eat (though Bug can't really avoid it).  The sugar made it worth the mess.

Opening some gifts, and enjoying the wrapping/packaging as much as the gift itself.

Yup.

Playing with the fire truck.

Some fun decor for the birthday festivities...

And if you look closely, you'll see what the day was actually about.

Because, c'mon, this was as much for us as it was for Bug, so let's just be real, shall we?

Best year of our lives.

Happy birthday, Little Bug!

{Quarterly Report}

 A little bit of everything today, so here it goes:

1) Steve is now 30.  I think he's finally getting over the shock of it (it happened last month), but we made an event of his big day, and I have no doubt this new decade is going to be even better than the last for the Mister.  He's certainly going places, and it's fun to see him in his stride as husband, father, friend, neighbor, and fiscal specialist.  We've decided that we're going to institute a non-surprise, surprise party each year since Steve manages to figure things out despite my best efforts.  I did, however, surprise him with tickets to see War Horse which he's wanted to see for a couple years.  It's coming to C-bus in April, so we'll report back and let you know how it goes.

***

2) Now that the weather is warming up, we're enjoying more time outdoors.  Feeding the ducks at Whetstone park has become a favorite activity.  There are two rules: 1) Keep Bug out of the water.  2) Keep Bug from hogging all of the bread and scarfing it down herself.  She doesn't get this part yet, but it's a work in progress.

***

3) I don't share much of what I study on this blog because most of it is Early Modern material that revolves around the Catholic Reformation, and I doubt it would interest most people.  However, this particular painting by Guido Reni blew me away - formally and contextually - when I saw it a few weeks ago.  Even though Joseph doesn't receive a great deal of attention in general studies of the New Testament, at least in relation to the attention Mary receives, I think this painting is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen in the way it captures an almost tangible, significant familial bond.

[Guido Reni, St. Joseph, 1635]

***

4) Steve's latest culinary masterpiece: multigrain crackers (lightly salted) with frosting.  Frosting on one side, a little bit of salt on the other = best sweet & savory snack EVER!  Trust me.  Go buy some crackers and cream cheese frosting right now, and you will not be disappointed.  This is much better than frosting on graham crackers.  My roommates raved about that duo in college - I could never figure out why because it was too sweet for me.  This, however, is amazing.

***

5) I saw this picture on facebook and it made me laugh because it hits very close to my routine whenever I fill up the tank.  I don't mind so much about the amount of gas that is in the tank at the end, but the dollar amount MUST end in either a "0" or "5".  I will stand at the pump for however long it takes in order to apply just enough pressure to get an extra spurt of gas so as to make the total $31. 45 instead of $31.39.  I'm usually pretty good at getting it right on the mark the first time I try, but sometimes it takes a bit more time (usually when it's freezing outside and my reflexes are not cooperating as quickly as usual).

***

6) We've celebrated St. Patrick's Day this entire week, and I've loved it.  It is one of our favorite holidays because a) I'm Irish, b) we love the color green, c) it reminds us of Scotland and the UK in general, d) it usually comes right around the time when winter is turning into spring - a blessed transition, and e) it involves some of our favorite family traditions.  One of our favorites is watching Waking Ned Devine.  We've discovered that "Ned Night" is better when it's a small affair.  The witty writing and thick accents get lost in large groups that include people who aren't as obsessed as we are.  But we still make an effort every year to introduce people we know to the schemes and stories of Jackie O'Shea and Michael O'Sullivan.  We hit up the parade in Dublin yesterday, and had fun today finding treasure that the leprechauns left us.

[Bug and her pals]

[The hat says, "I'm a WEE-BIT Irish." Yup.]

[My St. Patrick's Day fashion statement - a new take on the wicked witch from the East]

[The stash from the leprechauns]

***

7) If anyone out there reading this is in the line of work that creates apps for phones, I have a proposition for you, courtesy of a friend who told me about this idea.  Could you PLEASE figure out how to program a cell phone to automatically follow your school/work/church/errands schedule and thereby switch the phone from "silent" mode to "loud" mode at the appropriate times without having to execute the change myself?  THANK YOU!  I swear I have a disease when it comes to my cell phone.  It was particularly bad this week because of Spring Break, but honestly, I'm plagued by the inability to respond to my phone because it's always on silent and I see/hear messages way after the fact, which required prompt attention at the time of the call/text.  I thought parenthood might cure me of this disease, but I think it's gotten worse since Bug showed up.

***

8) God has the best sense of humor.  The following conversation that happened last Sunday proves my point:

Bro. Kingrey: Sister Adams, how long has it been since you've had a calling and what was it?

Kristen: August, when I was released from the YW Presidency, but I fully consider being a visiting teacher as a legit calling (he didn't buy it).

Bro. Kingrey: Great.  Well, we'd like to extend a new calling to you.

wait for it...

wait for it...

Think of the two things that freak me out the most in church: kids and singing

bingo!

...We'd like to call you to be the PRIMARY CHORISTER!

Kristen: Are you serious?!  You know I'm not musical, right?

Bro. Kingrey: That's okay.  We didn't feel inspired based on your musical abilities.

Kristen: Clearly.

Bro. Kingrey: So you'll accept then?

Kristen: Sure?  I hope you're okay if the Primary Program is less than perfect....far less than perfect.  

Bro. Kingrey: Sounds good - that's what makes this calling so fun.

Told you so - God works through humor.  I find that this is often the way he speaks most clearly to me.  It happened that way when I got my mission call, and with many subsequent callings since then, including the latest and greatest.

***

9) My neighbor and I hosted a baby shower last weekend for a friend of ours and had a total blast.  No crazy games that scar people for life (that happened to me and I've never fully healed), no competitions, just food, fun, and lots of love.  We made it an open-house type shower so we skipped opening gifts there.  This was brilliant for three reasons: 1) Our mama-to-be-friend is pretty new to the ward and didn't know everyone super well and we didn't want her to feel awkward being in the spotlight - that spotlight can be intense.  2) Instead of taking up a huge chunk of time opening gifts, the ladies who came all got to enjoy talking, eating, and making some crafts for the mama-to-be at their leisure and could leave when they needed to without feeling bad.  3) We really wanted her husband to feel a part of things too, so we loaded up all the gifts and they got to open everything together and relish in the excitement of their upcoming arrival as a family.  I always feel bad for the dudes because they don't get to open the presents, which is half of the fun.  I based this off of my own baby shower experiences where Steve got to be a part of it, and it was so much more fun that way.  I think our adorable friend had a good time - Heather and I sure did!

[The soon-to-be parents!]

[In lieu of baby advice, we did a baby wishes quilt for everyone who attended to sign]

***

10) Lo and behold, Bug is my kid.   She happens to be mini-Steve, but something happened this week that screamed "Irvine."  You may judge us and think we're terrible parents for doing this, but here's what went down in my discovery:
Steve: "Kristen, what should we feed the Bug tonight?"
Kristen:  "Mmmm, not sure.  What do we have in the fridge?"
Steve:  Conspicuous pause..."How about the mushrooms?"*

*Note - we only had fresh mushrooms to add to the pizzas we made for Ned Night, and they weren't purchased for our own consumption.  Neither of us like them - I detest all forms of edible fungi - so we were stuck with a carton of mushrooms in the fridge and weren't sure who to give them to, until Steve had his brilliant idea, that is!

We proceeded to introduce Bug to mushrooms.  We'll let you be the judge of her experience:

[The edible fungi in all their glory]

["Okay wait, you want me to do what with that?"]

["Here goes nothing."]

["Oh my goodness, what WAS that?!"]

["BLECH!"]

That's my kid right there!  There has to be a Calvin & Hobbes cartoon with this exact scenario, and I'm sure this is the face that my own parents saw many a time from one Kristen Kathleen.


Until the next update - happy Spring!