What Monkey?!

People are fascinating. What lengths they go through to convince the rest of the world that they are "cool."
For instance, the other day Michael and I were out on a date, and we were at the University Parkway/State Street intersection in Orem when I noticed a sign dancer. You know, those people who get paid for standing out on a corner holding a sign that you can't read anyway because they are swinging and spinning it. But this wasn't just any sign dancer...oh no! It was a guy in a full monkey costume! I thought it was a pretty effective attention grabber.
Since we were stopped at the light, I had an opportunity to watch this monkey for some time and observe the effectiveness of his costume. I watched--I kid you not!--5 people walk next to this monkey, close enough to shake his hand, and not one of them even appeared to notice the monkey! They passed him with bored expressions, and didn't give him a second glance!
I can only bet that once they got out of ear-shot those who were walking together hissed, "Did you see that monkey?!"
So tell me, why do they pretend to not see the monkey?? Why this studied indifference like, "I've seen it before. You can't shock me"? At the very least they could laugh, or say appreciatively, "Hey, nice suit!" Is it threatening to see a monkey? Or would your image of coolness be crushed because you raised your eyebrow at him and walked as far from the monkey as possible? Come on, people, Give a reaction! Don't they know they look more ridiculous when they don't notice the monkey? For heaven's sake, how can you NOT see the monkey?!
So next time you're walking down state street, I want you to ask yourself this vital question:

Do you acknowledge the monkey?

"Wishing You Were Here"

...The most depressing words you can find on a postcard. They might as well put "nanner-nanner" in parentheses below it. It doesn't even help if you know the person who sent you the card really does wish you were there...there's nothing you can do but stare at the picture of the tropical paradise and wish it would stop snowing outside as you pout into the early morning hours.
Michael just had a business trip to Puerto Rico. His hotel was a 5-star hotel right on the beach. Originally the plan was that I would accompany him without Evelyn. But Michael (being the practical man he is) decided he would be in meetings the whole time, and therefore I would be bored. BORED?! On the beach with 80 degree weather?!
To add insult to injury, Michael WASN'T in meetings the whole time. The first two days they met for like an hour, and then were released to go do whatever they wanted. The rest of the week they were released somewhere between 1 and 3. So Michael spent the whole week on the beach and came home all tanned, with stories of holding crabs and having 50-year-old ladies flirt with him. (Ha ha! At twenty-eight it was high school girls...at twenty-nine it's old ladies...Michael must be getting old!)
Anyway, Michael did bring us home presents. He brought me a beautiful hand carved necklace/earring set of flowers and for Evelyn he bought a monkey that chatters when you push a button in it's tummy. She fell in love immediately and dubbed it "Peachy Rico" after her favorite specialty drink as Los Hermanos.

Sticker-y

Evelyn is so big now; she did her own hair! I thought it was very beautiful! And there was something about doing it herself that made her brave enough to stand it when I had to pull all the stickers out again. That is quite miraculous because she can't even stand me to brush her hair.

Little Moments that Make Being a Mom the Best Job in the World:

1-Evelyn carrying her imaginary pink kitten around in the palm of her hand. (She brought it to Los Hermanos and introduced it to the waiters and fed it some Peachy Rico drink.) When asked what her kitty's name was, she replied, "Jane Michael Adams," then changed it to "Shhhhmmmm."

2-The way she calls everyone "Sweetheart."

3-Sunday when she ran up to a complete stranger in a different ward and lit up his day by shaking his hand and giving him a hug like he was her best friend.

4-She calls tap dancing "Clickity-clacking," and wants to learn to dance like Fred Astaire, but not any girl tap dancers, because they're "naked!"

5-When I ask her to help me clean up the house and she tells me she won't help me because: "There are no damsels in distress in this family." Rats. I gotta watch what I tell her.

6-When she is throwing a tantrum in bed, screaming that she wants Mama to give her another snuggle-hug! I tell her I'm not coming in there because I already gave her a snuggle-hug, and besides, I don't reward tantrums. So she tells me, "Mommy, I want you to give me a spank and then a snuggle-hug!" That girl knows what she wants! So I gave her what she wanted and she went to sleep with no further protests!

7-I love how she sings "Count your Blessings" fortissimo in church--going red in the face and leaving everyone around her in giggles.

8-Her parting words at bed-time are: "Now Sweetheart, you be nice with Daddy, or I'll have to come put you on a time-out!"

9-Her evil laugh that she's practiced since she was 18 months old. (It's pretty scary now...)

10-When asked what she wants to be when she grows up, she replies earnestly, "A Turkey Farmer." What?!?!

11-Her original Valentines: "Dear Daddy, Fear Not! I will go to Grandma's if you want me to." (Right before Michael's surgery.) and "Welcome! Welcome to Presents, darling! I will love you if Maxwell does!"

It feels just like I'm bowling for the first time!

The other week, Michael decided to do something a little different with Evelyn and I and took us bowling! I haven't been bowling in soooo long! Evelyn was so excited! She couldn't hardly pick up her 8 lb ball by herself, but there was something so thrilling about being able to throw something that heavy at things and knock them down and...have your parents CHEER you on! But she was young enough to not understand the game at all, so after a few turns, she started taking everything as a matter of course.

For instance, this was her reaction when she got her strike!

She got one strike and a couple of spares! Pretty impressive for someone who's throwing the ball at around 2 mph! (I might have actually won her if my pride allowed me to use the bumpers too. Granted, I could hardly lift my 8 lb ball either...)

And at the end of the game, when she beat us by 20-30 points, this was her victory dance:

The coolest thing I ever saw while bowling was when Michael was trying to show off when we were first married. He chucked the ball as hard as he could with a twist, but he threw it right into the gutter. Just as he was about to turn away in disgust, the twist popped the ball back out of the gutter and he ended up getting a strike!

Greensleeves :D

Glimpse into the Adams' household

Mama: "I am the world's best mom and you know it!"

Evelyn: "Yes, I do. ...But you still can't sit on me!"

Alma 37:37

Three!

Happy Birthday Little Pirate Stubby-Jane!

We asked her what kind of party she wanted, and she said pirate! I am sure her boy cousins didn't mind so very much. Of course, after a couple days she started telling people she was having a princess-pirate party...so I guess she isn't completely a tom-boy.

We played all sorts of Piratey Three-Year-Old games including "Ring Around the Treasure," "Skull, Crossbones, Sword and Boot," And "Don't Eat One-Eyed Pete." Then we sunk a ship with a slingshot and had a piratey dance competition. Then Stubby-Jane opened billions of presents and ate cake (we forgot to eat ice cream! Bad Parent award! At least she is too young to know what to expect for Birthdays).

Here is the most fearsome Pirate of them all: Deathly Daisy!

Over all it was a thrilling party for Stubby-Jane. She got lots of crafty stuff: Paints, markers, pens, stickers, coloring books, puzzles, etc. She has been spending her time since mastering the ability to paint in the lines. It's so fun to have a little girl!

And here's a funny face picture: