Thank you Sophie, Ray and Kristin

I would like to thank Sophie Connors. When she was just a tiny tot, she would rock out to this cool guy named Ray Lamontagne. John and Ash played us a few songs and promptly went out and bought his CD. His sound was so cool different and so big to come out of a tiny little white guy. I feel like I have been trying to see him in concert for years, and it has never worked out, until last night. It was great! Leona Naess opened for him,which also was so fun to see, considering how much she saved my sanity. Some nights, her CD would be the only thing that would make Luke fall asleep. The night would have been perfect if they didn't take Paul Jacobsen off the ticket at the last minute.

Our super sitter, Kristin, played with the boys and it sounded like they had a great time. I can say that because this morning when I got on the computer, I found this:

So, thank you Sophie for the introduction, thank you Ray for an outstanding performance, and thank you Kristin for loving my little guys!

Fall Colors & "Friday Eve"

I love the leaves in the Fall, and being the biased person I am, I think Payson Canyon rivals almost anywhere in the world as far as the changing leaves go. We took some family pictures yesterday (Travis is amazing with the self-timer).


As tomorrow is Friday Eve*, anyone who is willing to drive or walk to our house is invited for some Fall colors (before they are gone, and we get that "icky white stuff" as Beverly calls it), a little Office, games and treats.


*Travis invented a new holiday called Friday Eve. Super fun. It's much better than festivas because it comes once a WEEK. see his blog www.treidi.blogspot.com for further details.

Right now

Right now Heidi loves...

-copying Kate's blogs. I have run out of creativity and I loved her format for one of her recent posts (click here) so I copied it. Copying is the highest form of flatery, right?

-General Conference. There's nothing like a good spiritual kick in the rear.

-Peaches

Right now Heidi does NOT love...

-the Dodgers. (Don't stop here, LA readers. And please don't tell Ronnie Brown. I would very quickly overlook my little pet pieve if I ever got to go with her to a game, and heckle the players with all the celebs while eating my bases loaded nachos.) I hate how so many players look like a thug or a homeless person. I mean, really, where is Tim Gunn? Can't he get those players some uniforms that fit right, shave nasty goatess, or do something with Manny's hair? What did Joe Torre do to get those Yankees looking so spit-spot all the time? You may hate the Yankees, but you've got to admit that Jeter and A-Rod sure know how to wear a uniform. I guess it's just an East coast/West coast kind of thing.

-hearing the word Maverick. If I have to hear it one more time, I think I'll scream, because everytime I hear it, I want a Maverick frozen yogurt, and the nearest one is in Springville, but if you want the good flavors, you have to drive to Provo. Sidenote: the other day they had pumpkin frozen yogurt - amazing!



Right now Luke loves...

Luke Skywalker, blue and green "light savers", preschool, peach pie, the Halloween costume adds that come in the mail, and calling his parents "Heidi" and "Travis"



Luke does NOT love...

Darth Vader, red light sabers, cleaning his room.





Right now Miles loves...

rice cereal and green beans, Luke, and his pacifier. I will give a blog bonus point to anyone who can tell me what I called my pacifier when I was little.



Miles does NOT love...

being put down, and not being able to crawl.



And because I think it is such a good idea, I'm going to tag people (and yes, if I tag you, in your "NOT love" column, you can automatically put "being tagged." But I don't care. Selfishly, I think you are funny and can't wait to see what ends up on your list.) - PS English majors - how do I punctuate this last paragraph? It looks like a nightmare!



So, I tag...

drumroll please...



The Connors, The Mowreys, Kristy, Angie, Amanda, and anyone else who needs some blogging inspiration (ahem, Kristin and Whitney).

Blog Vomit

I have neglected the blog for a while, and some fun stuff has happened, so here it is. My blog vomit. Everything at once, bits and pieces, just a random sampling of things that probably only my mom will enjoy. So, here you go, Mom.

I finished Miles's room. Hooray!

Whitney got married. The sealing was amazing. She looked beautiful. We made almost 600 cupcakes. Travis was super cute in his apron. Luke loved wearing his Calvin Klein Suit and tie. My mom had a great hair day, and I'm so glad we got to choose our own "bridesmaid" dresses.

We went to Disneyland. The new Toy Story ride is great. Loved it. Luke because obsessed with Star Wars, and became a Disney Padawan. Now he takes his light saber with him everywhere, just in case Darth Vader appears... he's ready.

I got 3rd place in the Onion Days photography contest. What do you mean you've never heard of it? it's very prestigious. Subsequently, I've decided to start taking more pictures. I started my photography blog at beeskneesphotography.blogspot.com.

(Jones Family and King kids, I hope you don't mind, but you are on my blog. Supermodels. Just practice signing your autograph and get used to the paparazzi. You'll adjust just fine, I promise).

It's the end of the world...and I feel fine!

Last night, scientists activated the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), to "unlock the secrets of the Universe" (or as many others feared, end the world!). The whole project is pretty cool. I hope they find another dimension, or create a mini black hole. If you want to learn more about it, watch this:

Large Hadron Rap

or, if you don't find science geeks rapping hilarious, you can be boring and read this article or this article.

Mmmmm... Raspberries

Yesterday we went raspberry picking at the west mountain raspberry patch (just one more reason why Payson is awesome!). Luke brought his favorite blue bucket and actually did a pretty good job picking out the ripe ones. We got all these delicious raspberries (plus the ones we already ate) for just $2! Needless to say, we will be going back. Anyone else up for the adventure?

Luke's Mark

Kristin gave Luke some foam space stickers when Miles was born. Since then, I find them everywhere...in the bathroom, on the walls, in the dryer, and even on Miles. Whenever I think I have got rid of them all, another one mysteriously appears.

Our trip in a nutshell...

So, we have been gone for a month. Crazy how time flies. Here is our trip in a nutshell.

We drove through Cedar Breaks. It was amazing! We had a great time caravaning with my family. As proof, notice the matching shorts.

John Mayer Concert - Basically everyone but me went to the John Mayer concert. It sounded like so much fun, so I created my own version by watching a youtube concert, hearing Jordan play on his electric guitar (he's getting really good!) and listening to the John Mayer Los Angeles live CD from Kate. (Check out the John Mayer song on my playlist - sweet intro).

Beach - Yes, Luke still eats sand. We had a great time playing at the beach with everyone during the day, and running/walking on the beach with the boys at night.

Belly Dancers - For Everett's birthday, a bunch of us ate at a Persian restaurant. Both Everett and Travis had to get up and dance with the bellydancers. A favorite quote from that night was, "Don't look at it as stripping, it's more of a cultural thing." And I also found out that Everett and Aarika almost had bellydancers at their wedding. The cultural hall walls have never seen that much fun!

Earthquake - We were due for one. It was only a 5.2, but it was pretty long. I actually like earthquakes. Maybe it's because I associate them with getting out of class when I was elementary school.

Good food - I ate so much yummy food! Chicken Dijon, Rascals, cupcakes, my favorite cookies - cranberry white chocolate, and Travis and I rode our strand cruisers down to the cheesecake factory (side note: I discovered grossest cheesecake - raspberry lemon - tastes like something you would get at Carls Jr.).

Game night - Kate and Alex invited us to go to the Justice Ball, but babysitters were scarce that night and we ended up staying in and playing the New Yorker game. It was so fun! And Kate, being the cool intellectual that she is, introduced us to the New Yorker caption contest. From now on, I'm entering every week.

Le Tour de France - Hearing Paul Sherwin and Phil Liggett while watching the tour is always such a highlight for me. There is something magical about July, bicycles, and Paul and Phil. Travis said that if he had to have gay parents, it would be Paul and Phil for sure.

Fire - I got a call late Friday night saying the canyon by our house was on fire. It got pretty close, but luckily Delys was running around our house gathering up pictures and other important documents, so I had some peace of mind.*Photo courtesy of treidi.blogspot.com

Sleep - Miles finally started sleeping well. Last night he slept 9 1/2 hours in a row.

If

My Grandparents on their wedding day, walking out of the Salt Lake Temple.

I love visiting my Grandma Spencer when I come to California. When I was there the other day, I was looking around, looking at pictures and other stuff (I found this one from their wedding - I have always loved it) I found a note my grandpa wrote "to Beverly", my grandma. *

It was a poem titled "If". It is cute how in love they always were. Plus, I have a very dry sense of humor, so I think the poem is witty and hilarious. So this is my flashback Friday (I'll post funny pictures of my bad hair and awkward stages later, I promise).

If I were a monk, and you a nun,
Our lives would know but little fun.
But if without the least intention
We chanced to meet at a Catholic convention,
We'd fall in love! Our hearts would leap
And soar and ring and whirl and reap
The rich rewards of knowing joy
That can exist for girl and boy.
But then we'd have to leave the church,
Leave vows and orders in the lurch,
And join some group more temperate
That wouldn't require us celibate.
For hearts that surge in consonance
Would much prefer incontinence
If you were a nun, and I were a monk,
My plans for tonight would really be sunk.

D.J.S.

* Random Beverly quote from when I was over at her house. We were sitting at the kitchen table just talking about something very normal, like bringing in groceries from the car, and then she dropped one of my favorite new lines:

"Superman, I am not. Batman, I am not. Beverly, I am." I love my grandma.

Miles's Baby Blessing

We blessed Miles on Sunday. He and his dad did great. And we finally got some family pictures! Thanks, Kristin.

Big Red Barn

Today we went to the Big Red Barn in Santaquin, and got some of the "world's best ice cream". It was good, I'm not going to lie. Don't even think about asking Luke for a bite. Believe me, I tried.

In the wee small hours of the morning...

The other day, Travis asked me, "what do you do when you are just sitting there feeding Miles at night?"

As my super reader Luke would say, "Good question." *

I was thinking about it, because I'm logging some serious time in the feeding trenches, and this is what I do...

1. I watch Arrested Development - sponsored by Kristin and her trip to China. Bold statement, but hands down the funniest TV show (don't judge me too much if you don't think they are funny, and consider the time and circumstances that I watch the show). I'm trying to get a group together to be the characters for Halloween. I can't decide if I want to be Lucille (1 or 2) or Lindsay.

2.A personal favorite, I have downloaded podcasts of "This American Life" and "Radio Lab" on my ipod. Even though I'm only part awake (see previous post about unihemispheric slow-wave sleep) they are such a treat.

3. I ride the bull. I used to watch the students in organic chemistry or the bishopric who sit on the stand after early meetings slowly relax their necks and then suddenly jerk awake, and I thought it was so funny. Now, I do it all the time. **

4. I read, usually nothing too heavy because I would end up re-reading the same paragraph over and over. I usually read "The Week", a pretty fun magazine that highlights what has happened during the week all over the world. They also have great music reviews and random tidbits, like the woman who sat on her boyfriend's toilet for 2 years straight - no joke. She had to have the seat surgically removed.

5. Sometimes when I'm really crazy, I pretend I'm in the army. When I wash my breast pump (sorry if this is a blog faux pas, using the word "breast pump" - sorry, I just used it twice. my apologies), I lay it out to dry. When it's laying there, each piece on a towel on the counter, I time myself to see how fast I can assemble it, like a soldier assembling his AK-47. I'm getting pretty fast.

*To be read in the voice of Wyatt, member of the Super Readers on PBS kids

**This comment is a perfect opportunity for Phillip to make a comment defending bishoprics everywhere, or make a reference to some sort of midnight rodeo competition...

Miles

Here is our little bug at 4 weeks.

Summertime at the Snyders

Summer is officially here (in Utah, they got out of school on Thursday) so Travis brought out the slip and slide. While Trav was setting it up, he couldn't control the urge and took a running leap down the slip and slide, clothes and all.

I can tell we will have a fun summer ahead, filled with adventure, snakes (we have already seen 2 on our property - yikes!), popsicles, water, and a probably a little bit of trouble. It makes me want to read Tom Sawyer or watch The Sandlot *. Welcome summer!

*Bonus points if you can tie in a Sandlot or Tom Sawyer quote into your comment. "First you take the mallow..."

Sleep

Sleep... oh how I miss a good snooze. Not that getting up in the middle of the night is all that bad, in some ways it's kind of magical. It's just that my Cinderella clock doesn't strike at midnight - it strikes at 6:30 am - a bit too early for me to wake up for good, when I've already been awake 3 times during the night.

So, in honor of my long lost friend, who hopefully will be returning soon, I have made a little list of facts about sleep.

1) Sleep is your brain's best housekeeper. When you don't get enough sleep, there are proteins in your brain cells that do not get folded proplerly (compare it to a teenager's messy room. Yikes!) So sleeping helps keep things neat and tidy, so your brain can function. Now when I'm cranky and tired, I tell Travis that my proteins didn't get folded properly, and I need a housekeeper (aka a nap).

2) Sleeping a continuous 6 hours causes a release of growth hormone (which has received a lot of press lately. Someone should have told this to Roger Clemens a while ago.) HGh is pretty cool - it helps decrease body fat, and maintain muscle tissue.

3) A lot of of animals use a sleeping technique where they can rest or sleep half their brain at a time. If you ever get a chance to watch ducks sleep, it is pretty cool. They can sleep with one eye open (hence the Metallica song on my list - I detest Metallica, but how cool is it that they wrote a song about unihemispheric slow-wave sleep!). One half of their brain checks out, while the other is totally active, keeping watch for predators, or for Travis trying to get rid of them before the triathlon. Although they say that humans can't do this, I'm still trying to perfect the technique.

4) A new baby typically results in 400-750 hours lost sleep for parents in the first year...but so worth it!

5) The record for the longest period without sleep is 18 days, 21 hours, 40 minutes. The record holder reported hallucinations, paranoia, blurred vision, slurred speech and memory and concentration lapses.

6) Experts say one of the most alluring sleep distractions is the 24-hour accessibility of the internet. What am I doing blogging? I'm going to bed.

*I got some of the cool stuff on this post from a radio lab podcast on sleep. If you want to think I'm really smart, then don't listen to it. But if you are curious and want to hear more, go to this link.

First Real Day

Today was my first real day as a mother of two. All week I had my mom's help, and yesterday, Travis and Kristin were around to help. So, here are a couple things Luke did to help break me in:

1. Today Luke wiped his bum with a toothbrush.

2. Luke managed to wake up Miles 3 or 4 times. I think Miles finds Luke's voice to be "piercing" and flinches whenever he hears it. It doesn't help that Luke calls out "Mama" at random intervals throughout the house, just to make sure I'm still paying attention to him.

3. I discovered Luke sneaking cookie dough from the freezer. Who knows how many he actually ate before I caught him.

4. When I asked him to clean his room, he said he was tired, got in his bed, and said to me, "Once there was a Luke who wouldn't clean up his room. That's my story." And then he took a nap.

I wonder what will happen tomorrow...

Grandma Bam Bam Week

Making bird feeders with Grandma

With all the craziness of a newborn, my mom flew up to hang out with Luke. They had a busy week to say the least. Luke doesn't tire out easily, but with Grandma Bam Bam running the show, he could hardly keep up. From sun up to sun down, those two were either at the park, wading in the creek, taking the long way to the library, playing motorcycles, eating at a restaurant downtown, or reading books. One of their activities was making bird feeders. They found pine cones on one of their many walks, covered them with peanut butter, and rolled them in bird seed. They looked so good Luke even tried to eat one, but then discovered that "this is for the birds."



Thanks, Mom, for a great week.




*Kathryn is referred to as Grandma Bam Bam because Luke had a hard time saying "Grandma" when he was little. He could say "Grandpa", no problem, but every time he tried to say "Grandma" it came out as "Bam Bam". Since then, the name has stuck.

The birth of cool

Presenting...

Miles Edward Snyder

7 lbs 1 oz

19.5 inches

born 12:10am on 5/9/08

After much waiting, he is finally here! And like the Miles Davis album, he truly is the birth of cool. We can't wait for you all to meet him.

I was scheduled to be induced Friday, but Miles decided he couldn't wait. I had a couple hours of contractions at home, and after hearing too many horror stories about moms in labor being sent home, I decided to wait and be SURE I was having this baby tonight before we rallied to troops to watch Luke, etc. I think I waited a little too long, as when I checked in, my contractions were about 2 minutes apart, I was dialated to "something really big" as the nurse put it, the doctor was immediately called in and positioned himself nonchalantly to catch the baby, and I found out that epidurals work much better after they have at least 15 minutes to let those precious drugs flow through your system (my recovery was great, as the epidural kicked in right about the last 3 minutes of delivering Miles, hence the reason I look so happy drinking root beer on the previous hacker's post). Needless to say, things went well and we have an adorable, healthy little boy.

Urban Cowboy

Heidi isn't quite up yet to hitting the blog so I hacked it. Here are a few photo updates from the last few days...

This is the last known photograph of Pregsy Malone. I took a spy shot while she was playing with Luke and doing some last minute gardening.


Here is the newly emerged Heidi, drinking root beer about 30 seconds post delivery. She meant it when she said she got thirsty during labor.


She also meant it when she said she wanted a foot long Urban Cowboy from Gandolfo's Deli.

And here is a shot of the two champs. My little son and his amazing Mama.
Heidi you are our hero... Happy Mother's Day!

Love your three boys,
Travis
Luke
& Miles

The End of Pregsy Malone

I decided I need to do one last blog before 1) my brain turns to complete mush with a newborn and a crazy 3 year old, and 2) because maybe it will appease the blog Gods and I can have this baby a few days early.


To make my blog more interesting, I have invited a special guest blogger - the treidi.blogspot.com man himself, Travis. Welcome to the bee's knees.

It's good to be here. Thanks for having me. I am very sorry for your condition. I suppose I had something to do with it?

Yes, but as this blog is NOT called "the birds and the bees", we will not be engaging that subject.

That's fine. I know we have sensitive readers. What does this post title mean anyway?

Funny, considering you were the person who gave me the nickname. This blog is marking the end of my pregnancy; the end of maternity clothes, apple fried ice cream, weird chip flavors, waddling - the end of Pregsy Malone.

You have to admit, Pregsy Malone suits you while with child. You're just a little bit more sassy, funky, and crazy, aka Pregsy Malone. She's kind of like your Mr. Hyde, without the murder.

I will admit, sometimes it is fun being Pregsy Malone, just like I'm sure Dr. Jekle enjoyed the freedom Mr. Hyde gave him to do things out of the ordinary. Who knows? Maybe Mr. Hyde put on a pair of elastic waist pants or a billowy peasant blouse every now and then. And I'm sure Mr. Hyde must have got some stretch marks from his transformation.

Yes, Pregsy has had a good run. But I miss my lean, mean, Heidi fighting machine as well. Heidi doesn't take 4 hour naps or borrow my clothes. Do you still want me to bring Henry Weinharts bottled root beer with me to the hospital?

Yes, I was sooooo thirsty last time. All they gave me was ice chips. And when I tried to let them melt them so I could actually drink some water, they would take them away and bring me a new cup of ice chips. I would also like to order a Gandolfo's Urban Cowboy sandwich, foot long.

Do you want the sandwich before, during or after delivery? I need to know so I can time it correctly because it is best served hot.

After, please.

Done. Now to the question everyone wants to know. What are you naming Snyder boy #2? You have 5 seconds. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

First off, I hate that game. I get all stressed out because I take it seriously, then realize that it is just a game, and I REALLY don't have to choose right then. So, I will name him when we see him, although I might be tempted to name him "Epidural".

Heidi, we've been working on not saying the word "hate" in front of Luke. Please use dislike instead. Epidural wouldn't be too bad. We could call him E.P. for short. I guess we will just have to wait on the name, like everything else right now. You'd better get to bed, Mrs. Pregsy Malone needs her labor and delivery sleep.

Alright. This is Pregsy Malone signing off for another pregnancy season. See you in a few years.

Thanks for having me. You truly are the bee's knees in my book, and to anyone out there wondering, Luke and I will be taking extra special care of our favorite girl.