Audrey

I had to post this picture because it's just beautiful. This is Seth's grandma or Grandma Grape as the great-grandkids call her. This was taken by my sister-in-law's father at our Herway family reunion. This woman is incredible. She's well into her eighties and has more energy than most people decades younger than her. She always has a smile on her face and is always happy. This overall happiness Packer gene is one I hope our kids get and one that I'm sad I did not inherit through marriage. Seth's grandma, mom, and sisters are some of the most positive, genuinely happy women I know.

26 going on 50

I'm 26 now. My SIL kindly pointed out that I am now closer than 30 than 20. I'm slightly depressed about it all, but not too bad. I think I'm going to stop keeping track of my age. Like, when someone asks me how old I am, I want to have to think about what year I was born and do the math. I don't know why, I just do.


However, my 25th year was a really good one. Seth and I became parents. Seth and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary. We got together with all of Seth's siblings and their kids (first time since our wedding). I passed a licensing test for social work. We went to Europe twice. We went to Morocco. Seth, Taft, and I were very healthy. (I did get the swine flu a few days before I actually turned 26, but we'll pretend it was after) Seth started being paid a monthly retainer from a company for doing absolutely nothing. I got to quit my job to stay home with Taft. 


I'm looking forward to my 26th year. At this time next year, we'll probably be living in a different state, Taft will be walking, Seth will be done with school, we'll have an income, and we'll be getting ready to go home for holidays. 

...

Do you think I could pull of saying "ya'll"? Because I really want to move to the South. Seth has been on his South/Southeast interview trip and I'm starting to get my heart set on going there. Here's why:

1. It's warm
2. People drink Sweet Tea. I know I can't drink it, but it sounds yummy.
3. Seth would be done by 3:00 each day at most of the programs.
4. Plantation houses
5. Southern hospitality
6. We could afford a house (not a plantation house, but one with more than one bathroom)
7. BBQ (I am an expert at BBQ thanks to employment at Joe Morley's and Goodwood)
8. Steel Magnolias.
9. Paula Deen.
10. I can find out what collard greens are.

Negatives
1. MSW programs are rare
2. Alligators
3. Rednecks
4. Hurricanes
5. Humidity

The possibilities are: Winston-Salem, NC, Birmingham, AL, and Jacksonville, FL

The Taftman

Remember when he was this small? I do. He was so sleepy all of the time. I would have to get him naked to feed him and then touch his cheek with an ice cube! Taft, my non-cuddling baby, is going through a phase of falling asleep while drinking his bed time bottle and then lets me snuggle him for as long as I want. Let's just say I'm not getting anything done at night. I was talking to Seth tonight and told him he needs to come home as soon as possible so he can start enjoying Taft's new bedtime snuggle routine. I can't think of anything better in the world than when your baby snuggles with you. Pure heaven.

Since Seth has been out of town for the past week and still won't be back until Sunday, I've had a lot of one on one time with Taft. I'm so grateful to be a mom and get to enjoy Taft while he is a baby. Can you believe he's going to be nine months old tomorrow? Next thing I know he's going to be 9 years old, then 19 years old. I don't like how fast time is flying.

How Cute Are These Boots?

Apparently I'm into YouTube today. Does anyone else love this commercial?

Dear Lara,

Remember when I was rude today and didn't thank you for the cute hair clip and pin? I'm just really ungrateful sometimes I guess. In an effort to express my sincere apology, I'm going to share your beautiful craftiness with the 5 or so people that read my blog.  I love, love this clip and the pin too! Look everyone, isn't it cute?!

My sister-in-law Lara gave it to me, along with some books I was supposed to send with Seth, and then I totally forgot but still got these rockin clips out of the deal. Thanks Lara!


Love,
Heidi

p.s. The books are in the mail as of 3:30 p.m. this afternoon. The book rate rocks...only 3 bucks to mail those things.

p.p.s. I forgive you for Dec. 5, 2008. But only because the clips are so cute. :)

Babies

I've always liked babies, but thanks to Taft I REALLY like them now. I can't wait for this movie.

Panda Goes to the Big Apple for Residency Interviews

The most expensive traveling of Seth's life has begun. Residency interviews have started and Seth is going on 16 interviews. SIX-TEEN. The week before Thanksgiving he hit up the northeast for three interviews...Cornell (Manhattan), Dartmouth (Lebanon, NH) and U of Vermont (Burlington, VT). He felt good about the interviews and seemed excited about all of them. He stayed with his good friend, Ryan Simmons and his wife Kimberly, in Manhattan and got really excited about us living there. That is until we found out we could live there, but go with out food, electricity, heat, clothing, and transportation. Unless Santa brings us a financial miracle, like the lottery, we probably won't end up going there.

Of course, what's a trip to NYC without a Panda pic in front of the Statue of Liberty.

At the end of this week, Seth is off on a Rock and Shock tour of the Southeast. On the way he's hitting up Phoenix and Taft and I get to tag along.


We really appreciate the friends and family who have offered their homes, guest beds, and couches for this interview process.

Back with a Mac

I'm back in blogging business. Mac arrived today and we couldn't be happier. Well, maybe a little happier. I bought a used one (it was our compromise) and it was supposed to have iPhoto/Movie on it and it doesn't. And the volume was being weird but I figured it out. Thanks Google.

Posts to come soon....maybe:

Taftman is 8 months old
4th Anniversary
Panda goes to the Big Apple
Good Riddance J&K+8

So tired. So very, very tired.

You might be surprised to know that trying to get over jet lag with a baby who is also trying to get over jag lag is not very fun at all. In fact, it's pretty miserable. Taft has been miserably tired most of the daylight hours and I end up putting him to bed about 5 or 6 because he is just a wreck. Then about 2 am he is ready to play and get going for the day. We've been home for three days now and this is how it has been each day. He's not napping much during the day, but will still only sleep from 5 or 6 until 2. He really didn't have much of a hard time at all adjusting to Belgium time, but he's having a heck of a time now. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get him back on Utah time? I'm dying here.

"Simple Living Myth"

I waste a lot of time thinking about how my home looks, how I want it to look, and that having a home that looks like it was ripped from a page in a magazine would make me the happiest person in the world. I know it's vain and superficial, I don't know why I do it, I know it's not that important, but I still do. So what. I came across this little ditty today...I love how google reader suggests new blogs.  Do you think google reader can read our minds?

I think she was speaking to me.

"It’s fun to read magazines that give us tips and ideas, but don’t lose sight of the fact that these magazines are for entertainment, not for new standards of living.

In the pages of a home and garden magazine:

- Closets look more organized because the clothes are all matching neutral colors with plenty of space between the hangers.

- Storage containers are always pretty, and usually expensive.

- There are no tell-tale signs of little kids actually playing.

- The photos are executed by a professional photographer with a crew of assistants, stylists, and editors.

- The stylish furniture and products were borrowed for the shoot, and then later returned to the retailer.

- If the photos are taken in someone’s home, a team of professionals stepped in to rearrange furniture and temporarily take out the clutter.

If it was real, they would never tell you that if you own the right things, you’ll be happier. New boots are not a cure-all, they’re just boots. If it was real, there would be dishes in the sink from dinner, laundry from the baby, and a trail of toys from whatever game was made up today. Don’t think of those things as imperfections, be thankful for all the signs of life within your home." ---www.simplenotebook.org

Help Here

Since our laptop was stolen/lost (we prefer to think it was stolen) the day we arrived in this blessed EU, we've come the conclusion that a computer is just something we cannot live without. Since Christmas is right around the corner we've justified spending school loan money on a computer, wouldn't you? Here's the dilemma, I really want a Mac but they're quite on the expensive side. I've been trying to talk Seth into it but my only argument as been, "But I just really like the way look". I need a stronger selling point. After spending oodles of time on the in-laws Macs, I've realized I like iPhoto loads better than the Windows version, I think iMovie looks like fun, and I still just really like the way it looks. Sometimes when trying to sell Seth on the idea I use the word "aesthetics" to make me sound like I know what I'm talking about. I've looked all over Mac's website and I'm convinced, but how do I get Seth to want it just as much or more than I do?

Za Rheine in '09

We celebrated our 3rd anniversary early this year (Nov. 17) over the weekend. Seth and I went to Bachrach, Germany on the Rheine to spend Friday night and Saturday. T-bone stayed with Gram and Pop and had such a great time he didn't even realize we were gone. We had a great time too and found how strange is was to be able to go to bed whenever we wanted, sleep until whenever we wanted, eat whenever, and only had to worry whether our own bodies were cold. We spent Saturday riding bikes along the Rheine and "reconnecting". It seems like either Seth or I seem to say that we need to "reconnect" a lot. So we did. It was freezing but we still had a really great time. We were very grateful to have free overnight babysitting.

We stayed in the place behind Seth

The kind of picture you get with a bike, a backpack, and a self timer.

How fitting that this dog sign is a weiner dog.

Happy Halloween

a day late, but still.

  

Sept Mois

Actually sept and a half mois old but I never remembered to take his picture until yesterday. We really feel like just in the last month Taft has changed a lot. He has a funny personality and loves to laugh, especially at Seth. He has two teeth that just broke through the gum in the last couple of weeks. He is sleeping from about 7-7,  but doesn't really take longer than 1 hr. - 1.5 hr. naps. He eats well and eats anything he is given. He's discovering he can yell and really likes to try it out while eating oatmeal in the early hours of the morning. He still loves bath time and being outside.

Post Edit: Yes, his duck fluff is starting to lay down and it is sad. I also forgot to mention that one of my favorite parts of the day is when I go to get him in the morning or from a nap and when he sees me he straightens his legs, shakes his arms, and takes a big squealing inhale and smiles. I love it. Also, I think the best sound in the world is when your baby laughs. It is so great.