Daddy's Boy

Teagan LOVES his daddy. I don't blame the kid, I do too! Well the extent of this love was witnessed today. We are in the middle of sanding and refinishing the floors at my parents house and Darryl came in the front door and couldn't walk across the wood floor to where Teagan and I were. Teagan took one look at him and started reaching his arms out to him and crying. Darryl just laughed and left to walk around to the back door to get into the family room. Teagan just sobbed when he left. It was the most pitiful heart-breaking cry I have ever heard. As soon as Darryl came through the back door, Teagan reached up to him and once Darryl picked him up he immediately quit crying and smiled. It was so cute to see him so attached to his daddy.

Well, Teagan needed a diaper change and Darryl didn't have enough room where he was to do it and he handed Teagan back to me to change him. Once he was in my arms he started sobbing again. (At that point it wasn't quite as cute as before.) It was so bad that I moved out of the way and Darryl jumped in and changed his diaper. The funny thing is that he has been happy all day but I keep him pretty distracted. As soon as he realizes his daddy isn't around he loses it. It's funny. My niece is a daddy's girl too. Babies love those cute Pearson boys.

The Book Thief

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak is a historical fiction novel about World War II. It seems easy enough to throw into that category, but this book is so much more. It truly delves into the depths of the human soul. I found myself this morning with tears streaming down my face as I tried with blurred eyes to continue experiencing the story. I still get choked up thinking about the characters in the book and what they experienced.

The story takes place in what the book refers to as Nazi Germany. This is the first book I have read from the German people's point of view. While many of them truly supported Hitler in all his efforts, the author clearly portrays the hesitation and sadness that I imagine the Germans actually felt when they watched as Jews were marched through the streets, past their very homes on their way to Dachau.

The times were very difficult even for these German families. The war had a profound effect on all the world, but I never thought to stop and wonder about these German families. The world would blame them for their hatred and for the lives of the Jewish who were slaughtered and surly they deserve some blame but how much? Can we stereotype them and consider them all evil the way they stereotyped the Jews? Honestly, before this book, I hadn't given it much thought. I had read stories of heroic Germans who saved the lives of their Jewish friends, but never a story like this.

I was filled with unimaginable gratitude as I held my son in my arms this morning and thought of the people who lived during that war. Many families were brutally torn apart without the chance of a goodbye. As the present day war drags on I am even more grateful that it isn't our streets that are riddled with bombs. It isn't our families that are torn apart in such an abrupt and brutal way. War means many difficult and horrific things, and yet as I think about the soldiers overseas fighting at this moment, I am filled with gratitude. They fight in distant countries to keep our homeland safe. While many families of these soldiers are torn apart from the losses that are ineviable in war, at least for most, they got to say goodbye. They watched and waved as these soldiers were deployed knowing it might be the last chance they ever got to see them alive. I am grateful for these soldiers and for their families. I am so grateful for our country and amidst the struggle and strife we experience during a war and a failing economy, I know I am so lucky to be here and to have my family.

I hope that whoever reads this will find a copy of The Book Thief and experience it for themselves. It helped me throw out the politics and reasons for war and look at it from a different point of view. Whether or not you agree with the War in Iraq, you cannot look at the sacrifice made by these soldiers and their families and not be grateful for their willingness to serve and for the country they represent. We are truly a blessed nation.

Prayer Poem

I pray each morning and each night.
I pray that I will choose the right.
I pray to thank my Father above,
For all my blessings and for his love.
I thank him for his wonderful plan,
And for my Savior who atoned for man.
I pray for strength and guidance too.
I pray to know the scriptures are true.
I pray for all of this and then,
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.


My Primary class is giving the sharing time on Sunday and I was preparing it and this poem just came to me, so I think I will use it on Sunday. The theme this month is obviously prayer. I hope the kids like it.

Teagan update

This weekend Teagan crawled for the first time. Darryl had a sandwich on the floor (on a plate) and Teagan crawled to try and get it. He is now 8 months old and I can't believe how fast that has gone. My pregnancy seemed like it lasted 2 years and the past 8 months have felt like 2 months. It's been so fun to watch him grow and change. He is so curious about everything. He hasn't crawled until now because he likes to roll everywhere. He rolls up to things and feels it with his hands then makes a fist and knocks on it. He loves to hear the sounds things make when he knocks on it. His favorite is to roll under the piano bench and knock on the piano. It echos and he loves being able to make any loud noise.

Teagan playing the ukalele. He loves watching Garrett play the guitar and my Grandma handed him the Ukalele and he wouldn't put it down. It was so funny.
Teagan eating birthday cake on Amanda's Birthday. He enjoyed making a mess more than actually eating the cake.

Teagan wearing my Princess Leia wig. I thought it was funny but Darryl didn't like his boy wearing anything girly.

Teagan in his Ewok costume, our would have been. It was too small so I took it back. He could barely move. He didn't seem to mind though. It was an 18 month size and they didn't have a 2 so I got him a yoda costume instead. Garrett is insisting that we all be Star Wars characters this year. (Thus the wig) Darryl will be Han Solo and Garrett would never agree to be anything but Luke. What a nerd.

Hmm . . .

I had a rough night last night. I couldn't sleep, which is nothing new. I was reading Breaking Dawn (trying to force myself through the story. It's getting so ridiculous) and at about 1:00 a.m. Darryl wakes up and sits straight up and starts talking to me. He said, "Rachelle . . . (long pause) . . . I need . . . (long pause) . . . I need . . ." Then I said, "What do you need sweetie?" He said, "What can I . . . I need . . . What can you . . . I have a sore throat." I reply with, "Do you need me to get you some medicine?" He said, "Just . . . I can't stand (he is pointing at his throat) . . . what do I . . . take for that?" I tell him that I will get him some Ibuprofen. So, Darryl must have been pretty sick to be asking for medicine. He obviously didn't feel well enough to complete most of his sentences. He has an aversion to taking medication especially Ibuprofen because he thinks he needs to eat a ridiculous amount of food with it in order to not get sick to his stomach. (Ibuprofen is the best thing you can take for a sore throat. The lozenges and sprays only numb the area for about 30 seconds and you can only use it a few times per day. Ibuprofen is your best bet in this case because it is a pain reliever AND anti-inflammatory. A sore throat needs both in most cases.)

I went downstairs to get him some medicine and some yogurt and chocolate milk. (He won't drink milk unless it's chocolate. Not even in cereal.) I came upstairs and gave it to him and he had dozed off again, so I gently nudged him and told him I had his medicine. He sat up and thanked me over and over again. He kept talking about how thoughtful it was for me to do this for him.

He hadn't even remembered our previous conversation. The day he mentioned how nice it was that I would just think to get him food and medicine since he wasn't feeling well. I laughed and told him my side of the story.

His cold kept getting worse so I had to FORCE him to go to the doctor. I called and made the appointment and got him out of the house under the guise of an errand and took him to the doctor. He wouldn't have gone otherwise. It turns out he had a sinus infection. (I tried to tell him that last week!)

Good news, while we were out, we came across a new warhammer store right in South Jordan. For all of you curious folks out there it's on 9800 S and Bangerter in the Wal-Mart parking lot. The owner seems really nice and was interested in hiring Darryl to paint for him as needed. It was a lucky find and redeemed me for taking him to the doctor.

The next cover of GQ

Garrett has joked about aspiring to become a hand model someday for years. (Even before they joked about it on Zoolander.) He does all kinds of goofy poses with his hands and will drive you crazy until you admire them. He then says, "My hands are so beautiful. Really. I'm not even joking. I have gorgeous hands."

If you happen to hit his hand or come close to it, he immediately pulls his hand away with a stern reproach. "Don't ruin my work. These are the money-makers, right here!" He is so funny.

Recently, I had the camera out taking pictures of Teagan (what else?) and Garrett asked me to take a picture of Lynn and him posing as hand models. I couldn't resist.

Are you in good hands?

Warhammer!

What the heck is Warhammer? I know that's the question on everyone's mind here. (Except Kayce.) Well, it's a tabletop strategy game in which armies (consisting of a variety of tiny hand painted models) compete against each other. It's difficult to explain the rules because you need a textbook sized manual to explain them. (Which costs $50 just for the instruction book and whole armies sell for hundreds!) Basically, you try to destroy your opponent with your army (Sounds easy enough, but just try and listen to Darryl explain it. I am lost about 2 sentences in.) They have two categories of warhammer, fantasy and sci-fi (known in warhammer as 40K).

Now that we have the basics covered, I will tell you about my exciting weekend at the Games Workshop Warhammer Grand Tournament in Las Vegas. Darryl competed in the 40K. He had a Blood Angels army (I think they are some sort of space age vampires.) and did pretty well. He placed 33 out of 128. This is pretty good considering he only plays the game with his brothers and only about 4-6 times per year if he's lucky. He isn't used to playing against a variety of armies and opponents. (I guess he used to be, but not since we've been married.)

Darryl's Army

Blake's Army

The armies have to be painted to compete in the tournament. This is quite a tedious process. Thankfully Darryl and his brothers are wonderful artists and enjoy the painting aspect. If you have an army, you spend more time painting it then playing with it. I enjoy watching Darryl develop his painting talents and it was interesting to see the other armies at the tournament. (Although I would rather end up with something pretty to hang on the wall instead of a warhammer model.)

The tournament consisted of five games (lasting about 1 1/2 hours each) with different objectives and complicated scoring. It was in the ballroom at the Treasure Island Hotel/Casino. I watched most of about 3 of the games. I did homework (and read Breaking Dawn) during the other games. I tagged along mainly because we have been planning on this trip since before Teagan was born and because I really needed a break from the mom/work/school overload. My sister Stephanie and her husband Joe watched Teagan for the weekend. I missed him a lot but it was SO nice to have a break from all responsibility. It made me feel like I was 16 again. Especially since I got hit on by some stranger and then some old guys bought me breakfast when they saw me in line alone. (Darryl and his brothers were playing in the tournament at the time) I was surprisingly ok with Steph and Joe watching Teagan. I expected to be a wreck but I was able to relax and have fun. I was never worried about Teagan. I know Steph and Joe would do a great job watching him and I knew he was safe. I just figured I would be beside myself missing him and not able to have fun. I guess knowing he was safe and having fun with his Auntie (as she prefers to be called) helped to ease my mind.

We stayed at the Stratosphere Hotel. The room was nice but it was in such a trashy part of town. (Even for Vegas) We go to the window and open the curtain to find nothing but a wall with graffiti and piles of garbage. I kept wondering when the homeless guy would show up to finish his meal. GROSS!



The first night we got there we went to the Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay. It was so cool. I loved watching the sharks swim all around us and over our heads. The next day after the tournement we went to dinner at Hooters. (Blake and Kayce said the food makes it worth going.) The food was excellent. I thought it would be overrated but that wasn't the case. The wings really are that good and the girls really do wear more than you would think. We did see a car with a license plate that said RUFFLOV in the parking lot but that's as bad as it got. (and I laughed pretty hard at that)

Below are some pictures of the trip. (Mostly the guys playing in the tournament) I lost my camera and all the pictures were taken on Blake's Camera. There were certainly geeks galore. Darryl was one of them, but I love him all the more for it. You can laugh and make fun of him all you want, but then he would just destroy you with his demon armies! :)

New funny faces

Teagan's first tooth cut through recently and he sucks in his bottom lip to feel it and makes the funniest faces. It's hilarious to watch his face change so dramatically. I was hoping to get a picture of him doing that, but he wont do it when I have a camera handy.

The Code

There has always been a sibling code in the Young household and though I am now a Pearson, it does not exempt me from the regulations in this code. As siblings we would always band together against our parents. Our favorite thing to do was set booby traps like the kids on Goonies. My parents had buckets of water dumped on them, a play kitchen chasing them down the stairs, and whatever else we could come up with. Now that we are older we just band together and try to keep the peace with the parents.

The "code" today mainly consists of standing up for the sibling being teased by the parents or not ratting out the sibling who did something they shouldn't (unless it's a major offense). It is also an unspoken rule that if both parents are in bed and Garrett and I are both awake, one of us can't leave to go to bed without waiting for the other person or they will be in violation of the code.

Garrett waited for me last night while I took a quiz for my online psychology class and I usually always wait up for him when he is working late or getting Newton's food ready. Newton is his sugar-glider. (A small pouch dwelling marsupial that looks like a flying squirrel.) I have really enjoyed this since I moved back in with my parents because Teagan goes to bed at 8pm and Darryl gets up so early that he is in bed by 9. I have always been kind of a night owl and Garrett is now that he's a teenager.

We often find ourselves at Smith's or Harmon's at around midnight trying to come up with some fancy new drink to try. (I am fiercely loyal to Smith's but when it comes to fancy drinks, Harmon's has a better selection.) Our latest favorite is our version of a Italian Soda. We got Raspberry Shasta and mixed in a teaspoon or two of Italian coffee creamer. It's delicious.

We have lots of fun together and I am really glad I have the chance to spend time with Garrett during his teen years. We have gotten really close. I guess it's the silver lining in the wish-we-had-our-own-place cloud.