#2

Caimans, penguins and a cactus I like to call the flower child cactus.

The Next Few Posts

The new few posts contain photos from Sophie, Ben and Lauren's trip to the Biodome in Montreal.


Jasmine, Kai and Sophie on the bus. These are two of Sophie's three female comrades in the kindergarten class. I am told they will be like sisters by 12th grade!!!!


Ben's first bus ride. We got stuck in the snow on the way to the bus and because of that, Ben was scared for the first 15 minutes that the tires were going to fall off the bus. Once I convinced him we were safe, he really enjoyed himself.


Some of the wildlife we saw.

Radioactive Iodine

I guess I never wrote officially that I had my radioactive iodine treatment done the last week in February. So far the effect of it has been very minor. For a few days my thyroid hurt. Now I get really hot. It doesn't feel like a hot flash, it feels woozy, like I am going to pass out and like my heart is beating too fast. I don't enjoy it, but it really is a minor side effect. Steroid treatment was WAY worse.

An interesting tid bit... The radioactivity can be detected in me for up to two months. When you cross the Canadian/U.S. border, the have some sort of thing that detects radioactivity (in case someone is trying to smuggle uranium etc... into the U.S.) I happen to be crossing the border this week for a field trip with Sophie, so I have a paper from the DR. that explains why I am setting off the alarms.

Anyway...today at church I was about halfway down the hall and a member of our branch that works on the border was at the end of the hall, and he started beeping. I am not sure if he was on his way to/from work, but he had his "detector" on him and I set it off. Fascinating huh?

Exotic Sophie

The other day Sophie had this sheet over her head. She said that she had "long, flowing, white hair." I kept trying to take a picture of her, but she kept saying that she wasn't done. That is why she has a, "Mom." look on her face. I think she looks exotic.

It's Starting to Feel Like a Zoo Around Here!!!

Hair Cut

Saturday night Ben got his hair cut. Aaron always wants to do it, but I never let him. I finally did though and he did a great job.

But then, needing some sort of "man-child" connection with his boys, he wanted to do Jacob's hair too. Jacob has only had one hair cut and I didn't want to use the clippers yet. Softie that I am...I gave in and let Aaron cut Jacob's hair.

I'll let you all be the judge of how it looks.

Another Jacob Moment

Here is another Jacob moment. I promise I don't favor him, but there do seem to be a lot of Jacob pictures lately. I think it is because he is at such a blossoming phase.

So the story here is that Jacob has a boot fetish. He adores his black winter boots and will hunt them down unless I literally lock them away from him. The problem is that he always puts them on with bare feet and his feet sweat and now the boots stink. Plus he wears them allllll the time, so his feet always stink too.

The other problem is that he will literally scream for an hour if I take them off and hide them. He will not accept any other shoes or boots, so I usually give in and put the boots back on.

However, the other night the kids were playing dress up, and Jacob found an alternative for his boots. Let's just say he has quite the fashion sense!!!

Messy Messy

On town meeting day we had pancakes with homemade raspberry, blueberry sauce. I am not exactly sure when this messy incident occurred, I think I was at town meeting. Jacob does make it look appetizing.

Sophie's Tag

I am new to this blogging thing, but Sophie was "tagged" by my friends daughter, Makenna. I think we are supposed to post on out blog 8 things about Sophie. If I am doing it wrong, sorry, but here goes.

#1 I am in kindergarten

#2 I am 5 years old

#3 I have brown hair

#4 I like to color

#5 I want to be an artist when I grow up, or an illustrator. I don't know yet.

#6 I have 2 brothers

#7 I like going to school

#8 I like to play with my friends

(tags Emma Cornelius, Brooke Johnson, Lily Johnson, Rachel Bundy...I think means that now they add 8 things about themselves on your blogs)

Wood Stove

I am so excited that we got a new wood stove. I am so tired of being freezing cold in our poorly insulated living room. Here it is. Also a portion of the gate that we got to go around it. Safety, safety, safety!!!!

The chimney guy comes on Thursday to start the chimney. It is a good thing because Ben asks about 20 times a day if we can build a fire in it.

Sleep time

Last week I did my radioactive iodine treatment. While I was gone Aaron had the kids with his mom here to help (I was gone 2 days.) I say this because it is important for you all to know that this would never happen on my watch, and if it did, I would not take time to film it.

However I am glad Aaron did, because I find it hilariously funny.

Family

My parents were over on the 22nd of February and while we were waiting for a pie to bake, my Dad read the entire Dinotopia book to the kids.

I tried to find the picture I know I have somewhere of Aaron's Dad reading to the kids, but I couldn't find it. The point of finding it and posting both photos is how lucky my kids are to have such wonderful grandparents that are so much a part of their lives. So a single photo will have to suffice, but THANKS SO MUCH MOMS AND DADS!!!!!

Avert Your Eyes if Roadkill Turns Your Stomache

Over Christmas break I took this photo of a dead opossum. It was actually quite an ordeal to take this photo. I know it is gruesome, but I didn't know that there were opossums in Vermont. I guess they are moving North, part of that global warming thing.

Anyway... I didn't originally post this because it is kind of gross, but by golly I created a scene on the roadway taking the picture, I may as well broadcast it!!!

Lunar Eclipse

www.geocities.com/the_150mm_reflector/lunar1.jpg

Wednesday night there was a lunar eclipse and Sophie expressed interest in seeing it. However it didn't start until after eight and finished hours after that, so I told her that she wouldn't be able to see it.

However 10:15 rolled around and I was just going to bed and the moon looked so cool. I remembered as a child my Dad and Mom woke me up in the middle of the night, even though I was supposed to be asleep, to see the Aurora Borealis.

It was so special to me that my parents allowed me to be awake to see such an amazingly beautiful manifestation. I have often felt natural occurances like this are evidence of God's love for His children.

Anyway... because of this fond memory I decided to wake Sophie up to see the lunar eclipse. She looked for a second, went to the bathroom and then went back to bed.

In the morning I asked her what she thought of the lunar eclipse, expecting to have created a memory similar to mine, and she said, "I didn't see the lunar eclipse."

I laid out the details to her, hoping to jog her memory, but with no luck. Oh well, maybe next time, in 2010.

Ben's Blog

Ben really wanted "to do his website," so here is a post from Ben.



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Jacob's Learning

Jacob is so excited about using the potty!!! Of course when he is old enough to actually use the potty, he will become immediately disinterested I am sure. If you couldn't tell by the shoes, Jacob loves to try to be like his big bother, Ben. I am hoping that helps in the potty training process.

A Ray of Hope

Wonder of wonders, today it is sunny and 50 degrees in the sun, and it feels wonderful!!!! I know it is not permanent, but it is still wonderful to enjoy. Here are a few photos of the family outdoors in sweatshirts!!!! Jacob was wandering so I didn't catch him. The last one is the sun, in case you all forgot what it looks like.

Oh, I also forgot the first photo of pure bliss, well at least for me. Both boys fell asleep in the car on the way home from church yesterday and stayed asleep when we brought them in!!!!

Valentine's Day

Oh I thought of one more thing to add. Yesterday was Valentine's Day, and Aaron got me a bouquet of flowers!!! He also got Sophie a single rose and got down on his knee and asked her to be his Valentine. It was very cute and Sophie said it made her feel happy and special. I fell in love all over again watching him. What a sweet man he is.

I made Aaron peanut butter cups. The truffle molds I bought didn't really work well because I basically had to destroy the tray to get the candies out. However, I did have the silicone mold I used to make Christmas ornaments (sorry western Cornelius Family members, I haven't put them in the mail yet.) It worked beautifully and silicone is my new best friend. The only problem is that they are huge and way to intense to eat. Aaron has been cutting them into thin slices.

Blah

I was going through our family photos so that I could update this website, and there really isn't anything new to report, hence my subject of, "Blah." I think winter is just starting to hang on a little to long. I am ceasing to find joy in the little things maybe because things are dragging on a bit.

I did have a video of a trick that Jacob likes to do, but videos are hard to load, and the dog escaped mid video so there is a whole lot of yelling and scrambling that really isn't fit for public viewing.

Jacob's trick is this...after he is done eating, if we leave him buckled into his booster seat too long, he starts thrusting himself forward and can propel himself in the chair around the dining room. It is really funny to watch. I will try to capture it again another night.

I also had a video of Jacob dancing. He dances just like Ben did at his age. However, as soon as I started filming, Jacob stop dancing and decided he wanted the same scooter that Ben had, thus beginning a screaming match, not suitable for public viewing.

Also a photo of Ben playing doctor. Despite common thoughts on this matter, these photos are suitable for public viewing!!

Oh, I did find a photo of Sophie playing with her doll Selea (Celia.) When Sophie know the camera is trained on her she gets a little hammy and it is hard to get a good photo of her, so this one isn't the best, but she is a sweet little girl, growing up way to fast.

Sophie's Logic

The other day Sophie and I woke up early and I suggested that Sophie take a warm bath. While she got started I took the dog out.

When I came back in, she was downstairs and informed me that, "Daddy said I can't take a bath, it is too early and I will wake everyone up."

Doing the right thing and agreeing with my spouse, I said, "If Daddy says no, then I say not too, but did Daddy know that I told you to take a bath?"

Sophie answered, "Yes, I told him," and then she looked up at me with this clever look in her eyes and stated, "but you are older!!"

This girl will be scary as a teenager!!!!

I Know I Know

Here are just a few more playing outside pictures. I don't know why I keep taking them, but none the less, this is what we do for fun in the winter.

#1 Sophie playing on the monkey bars. Is this safe with wet snowy mittens? I think not. Oops

#2 No matter how red Ben's ears were, he insisted on wearing his Red Sox hat. He and Sophie think the B on it is for Ben, or BYU, though I have corrected them several times.

#3 Jacob was really not interested in a photo shoot, but I could definitely see the family resemblance between he and his cousin, Mica, that day.

#4 Just so posterity doesn't for get who I am, I threw this one in.

Making Dinner

The other night we had friends over and I made a quick dinner of beans and wienies (awful name I know.) Imagine my horror when I saw this poor guy cooking in the pot!!! We precook the hot dogs and this hot dog took on quite the personality. As I stirred the pot I actually found maybe two or three other that looked similar (though this was the best specimen.) I guess it is just evidence of our happy home!!!

What!!!! More????

I had my suspicions about our mama bunny (did you know that they can get pregnant immediately after birth?) My suspicions were confirmed on Thursday when she began pulling her fur out to make a nest and then proceeded to have four more baby bunnies!!! Hopefully there will be no more posts on this subject. The picture is from a little over 24 hours after they were born. They look ugly, but you would not believe how soft and velvety they are.

Oh and here is one more picture of the first litter, for comparison.

First Hair Cut

Jacob had his first hair cut yesterday. It is was quite the production as it required both Aaron and I to accomplish it. The band-aid on Jacob's forehead has nothing to do with getting his hair cut (he pulled the yogurt maker down on his head.) Sophie took the pictures during the haircutting process!!!

The Three Kids

Ok, there is nothing really special about these three pictures, except that they are of my beautiful children.

#1 Sophie playing model for the camera, maybe I am biased , but I really think she could be one!!!
#2 I was taking a lot of pictures at the time and Ben really wanted me to tell them to say cheese, so I did and this is him saying "Cheese!!!"
#3 Jacob (Kooba) is obsessed with the older kids shoes. The other day Sophie opened her door and instead of going for her knick knacks like he usually does, he went right for these pink shoes. This was not his first time wearing them. He is getting molars, and I couldn't get a pictures without his hands in his mouth. Keep in mind Jacob's hair for the next post.

Soup

I have decided since I like cooking so much, I want to put some of my favorite recipes on here. Then I can share and I have easy access to them when I need them. Here is one to start.

Mac and Cheese Soup-

2 cans chicken broth
1 package carrots, broccoli, cauliflower (frozen)
6 oz small shell noodles
1.5 cups milk
1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 Tbs. flour

Boil broth, add noodles, cook 5 min. Add veggies, cook about 5 more
min. Pour milk into resealable container. Add flour, shake to mix.
Stir into pasta mixture. Cook and stir until thickened. Add cheese
and cook until melted. Makes 6 servings

Ben's First Assignment

Sunday Ben was given his first assignment in Primary. He was asked to lead the primary in the 1st article of Faith (simple statements about our beliefs as member if the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.)

The little girl before him stood at the podium and said the opening prayer, then it was Ben's turn. I explained that I was going to whisper in his ear, but he needed to say it loud so everyone could hear.

As he started to recite the article of faith he bowed his head into the podium. I tried to get him to lift his head so he could project, but it was then that I realized that he had bowed his head and had his hands clasped in prayer. He very reverently prayed the first article of faith. Maybe you had to be there to appreciate it, but it was very cute!!!

Creations

Hello All-
Sophie has her own room with an art desk and she loves to create lots of different things there. She spent a long time on this caterpillar, made from playdoh. She was very proud of them. I especially love his smile!!!

Bunny Blog

I am going to have to rename this website to the Bunny Blog if I take too many more pictures of our baby bunnies. These photos are of the group when we first found them in the cage and just last night to show how much they have grown. Also our favorite bunny that we are probably going to keep, again a before and after.

Legos

I have just this one photo from a New Year's gathering. There is nothing New "Yearsy" about it. Just two of my boys entirely enthralled with Legos.