taken this morning of stella + alasdair:
(photos + stories of the holiday times to come)
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Saturday, December 22, 2007
nature's in our living room
thank you, tree, for being in our home, for sacrificing your life for our lights and for filling our air with your scent. ben went out and found the perfect tree this evening. photos of pre-decorating, and post:
perty.
perty.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
on the road ...
... not alasdair's favorite place to be. ben, alasdair, morley and i made a quick trip to boise last weekend. ben's mama + mark were in town from far, far yonder near the southeast side of things, so we just had to get back home (is it home?) to see them. while there we were also able to visit with marci, george + miriam, alasdair's adopted grandparents, and great-grandma-ma. photos:
the boy + grandma marci:
below, the boy + the riddle clan, plus sweet ben:
and, photos of alasdair and his cousin, stella + grandma:
a + stella:
a, stella + grandma:
and, papa holding back an eager alasdair (he wanted to kiss, kiss, grab, poke and kiss sweet stella so badly):
the boy + grandma marci:
below, the boy + the riddle clan, plus sweet ben:
and, photos of alasdair and his cousin, stella + grandma:
a + stella:
a, stella + grandma:
and, papa holding back an eager alasdair (he wanted to kiss, kiss, grab, poke and kiss sweet stella so badly):
Monday, December 10, 2007
happenings at home
I've been posting lots of photos. good work. now I need to post some words. 'going ons' around the mclenna household: miren + luke + brandon arrived last friday. m + l left sunday, brandon will take the greyhound home tomorrow. his first bus ride. slc to boise via the greyhound makes for a long trip. seems people just have to stop for those smoke breaks ...
it's been a delight to have friends here. friday we celebrated miren and luke's trip to thailand (they leave in a week) with a thai soup. my dad recently gave me a killer recipe. one of which i dream of in my sleep. nearly. saturday we had intentions of lunch in park city with lorrine + others, but the snow was crazy. it dumped 36 inches on friday night and didn't slow down throughout the whole day on saturday. it was beautiful. is beautiful. getting the snowmobiles out and down to the car was quite the affair. I'm so happy we had people here to help ben out. on saturday we did realize that we don't have a sled. bad, bad, bad deal. we'll have to make something with the old snowmobile skis downstairs. now the sun is shining. the snow glistening. and I think it's about time for some outside time. to watch morley in the snow is a treat. if he's breaking trail, he disappears for a moment---then his head pops out again.
lots of snow.
other happenings in alasdair's world: I think he's working on teeth. he's been a little ornery the past few days. I don't blame him. experiencing the pain of a sharp bit busting through layers must be a terribly painful affair. we have offered him more banana. he plays with it. attempts to pull it to his mouth, though most times it becomes morley's treat on the floor. alasdair is talking more and more. playing games with ben. hide and seek seems to be his particular favorite at the moment. he's taught himself to place a rag over his head, then pull down---he's learned that upon doing that he receives oohs and excitement from his audience. he's also elongating. his hair is growing. he is growing, in general. ah, and he's loving morley. very interested in tugging on his nose and ears. not so interested in morley's licks, however.
so, our house is doing well. inhabitants of this house are doing well. we're hoping to make a trip to boise next weekend, weather permitting. ben's mom + mark will be in town. we'll do what we have to in order to get there.
then, my mama + sister + family arrive in a week and a half for the holidays.
very exciting, good times.
I'll attempt to update this here blog in a more exciting, inviting fashion.
it's been a delight to have friends here. friday we celebrated miren and luke's trip to thailand (they leave in a week) with a thai soup. my dad recently gave me a killer recipe. one of which i dream of in my sleep. nearly. saturday we had intentions of lunch in park city with lorrine + others, but the snow was crazy. it dumped 36 inches on friday night and didn't slow down throughout the whole day on saturday. it was beautiful. is beautiful. getting the snowmobiles out and down to the car was quite the affair. I'm so happy we had people here to help ben out. on saturday we did realize that we don't have a sled. bad, bad, bad deal. we'll have to make something with the old snowmobile skis downstairs. now the sun is shining. the snow glistening. and I think it's about time for some outside time. to watch morley in the snow is a treat. if he's breaking trail, he disappears for a moment---then his head pops out again.
lots of snow.
other happenings in alasdair's world: I think he's working on teeth. he's been a little ornery the past few days. I don't blame him. experiencing the pain of a sharp bit busting through layers must be a terribly painful affair. we have offered him more banana. he plays with it. attempts to pull it to his mouth, though most times it becomes morley's treat on the floor. alasdair is talking more and more. playing games with ben. hide and seek seems to be his particular favorite at the moment. he's taught himself to place a rag over his head, then pull down---he's learned that upon doing that he receives oohs and excitement from his audience. he's also elongating. his hair is growing. he is growing, in general. ah, and he's loving morley. very interested in tugging on his nose and ears. not so interested in morley's licks, however.
so, our house is doing well. inhabitants of this house are doing well. we're hoping to make a trip to boise next weekend, weather permitting. ben's mom + mark will be in town. we'll do what we have to in order to get there.
then, my mama + sister + family arrive in a week and a half for the holidays.
very exciting, good times.
I'll attempt to update this here blog in a more exciting, inviting fashion.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Friday, December 7, 2007
the homemade bit
we are finally experiencing snow in the mountains.
the snow that dumps uninhibitedly. is that a word? the snow that doesn't have much concern for your need to get places. more important is its need to fall and blanket your surroundings. beautiful, beautiful snow.
while it's snowing, alasdair and i stay indoors. for now, at least. we need snowshoes. then, we'll walk in it. on it. with it. and such.
so, while inside---as previously mentioned---we sew.
here are yesterday's creations: an apron for mama and pants (from scraps of ben's pants that he cut into shorts) for the boy.
the snow that dumps uninhibitedly. is that a word? the snow that doesn't have much concern for your need to get places. more important is its need to fall and blanket your surroundings. beautiful, beautiful snow.
while it's snowing, alasdair and i stay indoors. for now, at least. we need snowshoes. then, we'll walk in it. on it. with it. and such.
so, while inside---as previously mentioned---we sew.
here are yesterday's creations: an apron for mama and pants (from scraps of ben's pants that he cut into shorts) for the boy.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
cloth dipes, good looks
traditions are born of habit, so it seems.
a few new bits for us: we give alasdair a bath every night (water only, mind, just feels good), read to him each night, cuddle and play in the morning, then head out to the kitchen/living/dining/computer/library room (yes, it's all-in-one) to prepare coffee and breakfast. it's a daily routine, really, but tradition too--kind of.
more than that, on sunday we listen to a particular cd: the mission soundtrack. i find myself itching to listen to it throughout the week, in the evenings, upon waking up----but i do not, for it is now dubbed our sunday cd, and we only listen to it on sunday. every sunday. when i travel, i will bring it.
alasdair got some fuzzy mail. ah yes, cloth diapers. the goods. it's becoming an obsession... this cloth diapering business. he has little g dipes, but they don't rock like the bum genius and fuzzi bunz. here's the little man in the fuzzi bunz (hanging to his knees):
we've also been sewing. well, we: i sew, alasdair is my inspiration. sewing: babylegs. faux babylegs, i should say. he's my little 80s-inspired child.
they serve a double purpose, too ... they're also arm warmers for me (just need to cut thumb holes).
the daily update. there it was.
a few new bits for us: we give alasdair a bath every night (water only, mind, just feels good), read to him each night, cuddle and play in the morning, then head out to the kitchen/living/dining/computer/library room (yes, it's all-in-one) to prepare coffee and breakfast. it's a daily routine, really, but tradition too--kind of.
more than that, on sunday we listen to a particular cd: the mission soundtrack. i find myself itching to listen to it throughout the week, in the evenings, upon waking up----but i do not, for it is now dubbed our sunday cd, and we only listen to it on sunday. every sunday. when i travel, i will bring it.
alasdair got some fuzzy mail. ah yes, cloth diapers. the goods. it's becoming an obsession... this cloth diapering business. he has little g dipes, but they don't rock like the bum genius and fuzzi bunz. here's the little man in the fuzzi bunz (hanging to his knees):
we've also been sewing. well, we: i sew, alasdair is my inspiration. sewing: babylegs. faux babylegs, i should say. he's my little 80s-inspired child.
they serve a double purpose, too ... they're also arm warmers for me (just need to cut thumb holes).
the daily update. there it was.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
it's snowing, finally
... and we're getting dumped on.
hooray. hoopla. this is great. ben is out on snowmobile, working with some other gracious mountain man to move the truck down.
it's nutty snow up here, though word is Salt Lake has even accumlated 8 inches. we have feet, and love it.
alasdair isn't such a huge fan of the snowmobile, not yet at least.
In celebration of snow, I decided to post our recent (and final) walks on dry land.
ben + the boy:
red, the silly cat, can be seen following us. on the way home he cried and cried. poor guy didn't realize it would be a long, circular walk. i think his lazy body would have stayed home.
alasdair, sweet little man, bundled:
and, the boy, swinging. ON HIS OWN, no less:
from here on out, we will be on snowmobile.
yippy.
i'll admit: i'm a little scared.
hooray. hoopla. this is great. ben is out on snowmobile, working with some other gracious mountain man to move the truck down.
it's nutty snow up here, though word is Salt Lake has even accumlated 8 inches. we have feet, and love it.
alasdair isn't such a huge fan of the snowmobile, not yet at least.
In celebration of snow, I decided to post our recent (and final) walks on dry land.
ben + the boy:
red, the silly cat, can be seen following us. on the way home he cried and cried. poor guy didn't realize it would be a long, circular walk. i think his lazy body would have stayed home.
alasdair, sweet little man, bundled:
and, the boy, swinging. ON HIS OWN, no less:
from here on out, we will be on snowmobile.
yippy.
i'll admit: i'm a little scared.
photos to tell the story
i know, i know ... I've been terrible at updating this site.
So, here are photos because I know that's what any viewer wants to see.
Ben's papa, Jeri, Jason + kids were here just before Thanksgiving.
Good times.
I'll write a bit ...in a bit.
Now a few shots of the boy getting WAY too big.
He sits in his faux highchair and thrashes a sippy cup about.
and check him out... the boy wants food.
So, here are photos because I know that's what any viewer wants to see.
Ben's papa, Jeri, Jason + kids were here just before Thanksgiving.
Good times.
I'll write a bit ...in a bit.
Now a few shots of the boy getting WAY too big.
He sits in his faux highchair and thrashes a sippy cup about.
and check him out... the boy wants food.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
aging
it is sunday. alasdair is no longer reveling in his 'teen' weeks, he is officially 20 weeks old. wild. his update: he stays awake--A LOT--, rolls over back to belly to back (though only in one direction ... he turns to the right, and he's fast, fast), he kisses and kisses, in the bath last night he launched forward from sitting position and made crawling movements, he stands (with support) quite well, he grabs and pulls and eats on everything in site.
he is a monkey, indeed. sweet thing.
as for ben and i, we are nestling in. well, nestled in. mama--honey--is visiting right now. i'm a fortunate daughter to have my mama visit so much. we love it. alasdair thrives on it.
the hiking season is about to transfer to snowshoeing/ski season, so we're taking advantage of walks without full body down coverage.
beautiful views:
he is a monkey, indeed. sweet thing.
as for ben and i, we are nestling in. well, nestled in. mama--honey--is visiting right now. i'm a fortunate daughter to have my mama visit so much. we love it. alasdair thrives on it.
the hiking season is about to transfer to snowshoeing/ski season, so we're taking advantage of walks without full body down coverage.
beautiful views:
Thursday, November 1, 2007
alasdair as a bear
folks in park city came out of the woodwork yesterday to celebrate halloween. main street was packed with mini humans, masqueraded adults and mostly dogs. tons of dogs decked out in their finest, like this one here: 
what a dapper little fellow. didn't mind the get-up at all, either.
we partook, slightly, in the affair by clothing alasdair in a bear suit (thank you, jen) and i attempted to rock the new hair with a little cleopatra-ish eye styling, which didn't work so well.
gosh. sorry about my fat head interfering with alasdair's sweet face.
yes, that is how we celebrated.
and there i was, only recently talking of hanging my head because the celebration had ended.
shame on me.
what a dapper little fellow. didn't mind the get-up at all, either.
we partook, slightly, in the affair by clothing alasdair in a bear suit (thank you, jen) and i attempted to rock the new hair with a little cleopatra-ish eye styling, which didn't work so well.
gosh. sorry about my fat head interfering with alasdair's sweet face.
yes, that is how we celebrated.
and there i was, only recently talking of hanging my head because the celebration had ended.
shame on me.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
the roll
alasdair wasn't too stoked on my report that he hadn't yet rolled from belly to back, so he did.
four times. and continues to do so. 10.31.07. mark it. a milestone.
four times. and continues to do so. 10.31.07. mark it. a milestone.
it's halloween
i hang my head as our celebratory week has ended.
it was ben's birthday, our one-year anniversary and my birthday, all in a week's time.
but now, sadly sighing, i have nothing left to celebrate aside from my beautiful life, my loving men, my tasty pancake breakfasts, morley oh boy, the fact that mama is coming to visit soon---then shortly thereafter, miss jeri + jason + david + kids .....
ok.
so, to be honest, the celebrations in this household never end.
i caught alasdair looking ever so dapper, as he often does, in his overalls the other day. see here:
gosh. he's suddenly 4 months old. i think he's teething, which makes life rather unpleasant in the evening --- poor guy. he's taken to rolling from his back to his stomach, skipping over the belly to back bit.
he likes to mix it up i suppose.
AR (auntie rye) came down to visit. sweet sweet rye. she treated me to a spa day for my birthday. geeze. generosity at it's finest. the major change: hair. i've needed a drastic change. the boy was pulling out handfulls of hair each day.
anyway, i decided to go cleo. kind of.
what the?
no, it's not a wig.
yes, just in time for halloween.
today we will go down to main street in park city in hopes of seeing some cute kids dressed for the occasion. we hear it's a good time at least.
well, that's our update, for now.
it was ben's birthday, our one-year anniversary and my birthday, all in a week's time.
but now, sadly sighing, i have nothing left to celebrate aside from my beautiful life, my loving men, my tasty pancake breakfasts, morley oh boy, the fact that mama is coming to visit soon---then shortly thereafter, miss jeri + jason + david + kids .....
ok.
so, to be honest, the celebrations in this household never end.
i caught alasdair looking ever so dapper, as he often does, in his overalls the other day. see here:
gosh. he's suddenly 4 months old. i think he's teething, which makes life rather unpleasant in the evening --- poor guy. he's taken to rolling from his back to his stomach, skipping over the belly to back bit.
he likes to mix it up i suppose.
AR (auntie rye) came down to visit. sweet sweet rye. she treated me to a spa day for my birthday. geeze. generosity at it's finest. the major change: hair. i've needed a drastic change. the boy was pulling out handfulls of hair each day.
anyway, i decided to go cleo. kind of.
what the?
no, it's not a wig.
yes, just in time for halloween.
today we will go down to main street in park city in hopes of seeing some cute kids dressed for the occasion. we hear it's a good time at least.
well, that's our update, for now.
Monday, October 22, 2007
happy birthday to papa.
today is ben's birthday. it was a happy day. tasty breakfast, some new (and much needed) polarized shades, lunch at the pub in park city, a short snowmobile ride (to post signs)--and now it's down to pizza and cake. ah, yes. celebration.
alasdair was talking, talking to his sun.
then decided to speak ever so sweetly into its, um, arm---
and fell asleep.
i went dark(er).
papa went cool(er).
one of my very best friends came to visit last weekend, breck. she and her daughter, brynn, spent friday and saturday night with us. we reminisced of logan days, coffeeshop-working-days. now mothers. how wild.
brynn is 16 months. i joke about their wedding day. ah---just look how mesmerized he is.
loving a lady already.
good times.
alasdair was talking, talking to his sun.
then decided to speak ever so sweetly into its, um, arm---
and fell asleep.
i went dark(er).
papa went cool(er).
one of my very best friends came to visit last weekend, breck. she and her daughter, brynn, spent friday and saturday night with us. we reminisced of logan days, coffeeshop-working-days. now mothers. how wild.
brynn is 16 months. i joke about their wedding day. ah---just look how mesmerized he is.
loving a lady already.
good times.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
alas, dair to be with the ladies
the resolution/quality is super low because i had to compress it so much.
you certainly can still hear his sweet coos and laughs though.
taken at my mamas, featuring honey, birdie (aunt dana), etta (cousin) and ar (auntie rye). ah, and himself.
you certainly can still hear his sweet coos and laughs though.
taken at my mamas, featuring honey, birdie (aunt dana), etta (cousin) and ar (auntie rye). ah, and himself.
snornges, and sleep
excellent. this is how one drives in utah.
this morning we moved the subaru down the hill (in case--we're not too sure what we're in for), then loaded up in the flat-bed truck to get back. snowmobiles will be ready for pick-up tomorrow. there are already tracks around the area---
trespasser's tracks.
alasdair and the orange.
"come on mom, just one bite?"
mean mama says no.
my favorite photo to date, possibly.
alasdair, papa and i spent an hour trying to move the gator + gator trailer down to the lodge. it took pushing, reversing, flooring, and more. alasdair fell asleep in his ergo right away and slept for about an hour and a half. we were 3/4 the way successful in our attempt to get the gator down to the lodge. it sits in the snow nearby.
alasdair slept through the noise. through me shoveling, vigorously. through walks and snow throwing at morley. he slept through it all, and continued to sleep when i took off the ergo and laid him on the bed.
sweet thing.
we had a good first snow day.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
coming home
The snow is coming. We woke this morning with a few inches. It's not supposed to stop until Friday, if then. We're settling into more of a routine--a routine that contradicts the nature of schedules, really. A routine that allows for flexibility, morning fires and playtime anytime of the day.
Ah, Ben just notified me with a weather update: snow until Sunday, with Friday being a chance of rain.
Alasdair and I went to Boise last week for a visit. Drove the car in hopes that mama can sell it. Flew home. Alasdair's first flight, and a fierce flyer he was. No crying. Lots of nursing. A little bit of play. Good man.
I left Boise feeling happy to be where we are now. I miss my family, I miss what friends I have---but this place, this isolated existence, is pretty heavenly. And, for once, I am in a place that feels like home.
Ah, Ben just notified me with a weather update: snow until Sunday, with Friday being a chance of rain.
Alasdair and I went to Boise last week for a visit. Drove the car in hopes that mama can sell it. Flew home. Alasdair's first flight, and a fierce flyer he was. No crying. Lots of nursing. A little bit of play. Good man.
I left Boise feeling happy to be where we are now. I miss my family, I miss what friends I have---but this place, this isolated existence, is pretty heavenly. And, for once, I am in a place that feels like home.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
videos worth viewing
I made a pretty fantastic discovery today: yo gabba gabba, a show for people.
A particularly good one.
A particularly mellow one.
A particularly trippy one.
A particularly good one.
A particularly mellow one.
A particularly trippy one.
toys
word is, children love to bounce. alasdair lives for it. so, we took a trip to the big city the other day and made an investment: we bought the boy a rainforest jumperoo.
sweet thing. maybe a bit small for it yet.
there it was bare.
now, check it out all set up.
good times. to be had. we hope.
now for the real good stuff: mama and papa's toy ... a new bb gun.
late nights, early mornings, mid afternoons.
every time is a good time for sitting on the porch, shooting at cans. we enjoyed such a snowy night---target practice.
we thought it was funny.
and now...
the boy in his newest onesie (thank you tyler).
sweet little man.
sweet thing. maybe a bit small for it yet.
there it was bare.
now, check it out all set up.
good times. to be had. we hope.
now for the real good stuff: mama and papa's toy ... a new bb gun.
late nights, early mornings, mid afternoons.
every time is a good time for sitting on the porch, shooting at cans. we enjoyed such a snowy night---target practice.
we thought it was funny.
and now...
the boy in his newest onesie (thank you tyler).
sweet little man.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
