Love and food

All that's been on my mind lately is food and sleep.

For a while now I've struggled to fall asleep. I think it's a pattern that I've carried on from when I was pregnant with baby boy. And the negative effects have really started to bother me. So husband took it upon himself to help me regain a healthy sleeping habit. He achieved this by teaching me some skills which he acquired from his mission (I guess missionaries have so much on their minds that some struggle to fall asleep). The first thing he said to do was to be in bed 30mins before the designated bed time. This means I must be all snuggled in by 10pm because baby boy is up and ready for the day at 6am. Once in bed I needed to fully relax my body through breathing exercises. When breathing in through the nose, I concentrated on the cold air flowing into the body. And then had to concentrate on the warm air leaving the mouth. Slowly but surely I managed to forget all the to do lists, the day and no longer fussed over the next day. And when the breathing exercise is done correctly, I'm usually comfortably sleeping in less than 15mins. Isn't love an awesome thing, a person even cares about whether or not you're sleeping well. Thanks husband.

And about food, oh man food. For about a week now I've lazed around the house facing major nausea. Too much info? My apologies. Alright, on to food again. So for that previously mentioned reason, food has been quite an issue. The only thing my body craves are tomatoes sprinkled with salt, fresh croissants, sweet naartjies (clementines), granny smith apples and a big fat juicy piece of steak. I also have the odd seafood craving which can sometimes prove to be rather expensive. Today all I wanted to eat was a comforting meal that would remind me of home. If you grew up in Cape Town then you know that meal consists of: chicken, potatoes, rice and butternut. Done! Maybe add some coleslaw but I couldn't master up enough patience to grate the carrots and cabbage. The meal was good, baby boy tore it apart and all he could say was ummmm, yummy, uhmm. Then he put his drumstick down his shirt. Not sure what that's about. When I looked at him questioningly, he simply replied with a "what?" - said with a strong emphasis on the t.

"What" has been his favourite word these days. He also reprimands himself when he does something wrong but still continues doing it, whatever 'it' is. It's kind of funny to see him point saying "no no no Urijah". At least now I know he knows when he's in the wrong, I just wish he'd listen to me more. Oh well, I think that will be a struggle of a lifetime, I'm just glad he listens to me most of the time. As a new parent, I'm learning to pick my battles. Baby boy is inquisitive and discovering the world around him, he's also trying to see what actions get certain reactions out of me. So I have to be smarter with my mothering skills. A game of love and the occasionally a game of minds.

A cheers to the month of March, looking forward to a warm April. By the way, every time I say cheers to someone over the phone, usually an American, they think I'm toasting as in clink-clinking glasses. So often I need to explain that I'm just saying goodbye. 

Peace

Pushing forward

Feeling pretty exhausted today.

Baby boy was a champ and helped me around the house. He gets so excited every time I ask for his assistance. I guess it makes him feel all grown up. He's a pretty good helper, he helps unload the dishwasher, helps sort the laundry and even picks up his toys when I ask him to. Sometimes he even helps pick up the food he throws on the ground during mealtime, the only issue with that is him eating it off the carpet. I hope this hardworking stage doesn't slowly dissolve with age. But, who knows, there will probably come a time when I'll have to force him to cleaning his room.

It's a pleasure to be a mom but today was hard. All my body wanted to do was to sleep. I'm not sure how I got through the to do list but I'm thankful for the blessing of the inner strength that carried me throughout the day. There were many moments when I had to give in and pray for Heavenly Father's hand to nudge me forward. As always, the prayers were answered.

And now it's homework time. 

Public transportation

For the last little while baby boy and I have been making use of the Denver public transport system. Traveling with a 17 month old on a bus is a very interesting experience. Our first outing was to the Denver Art Museum and after we tackled the first trip, there was no stopping us. 

We braved the snow on Saturday and took a trip to Cherry Creek Mall. Everybody on the bus looked at me as if I was the worst mother in the world. Glad nobody called social services. What they didn't know was that not only did baby boy have snow gear on, but underneath the blanket he had three layers of clothing. Not to mention that we live a step away from the bus stop so there was barely any walking involved. They also didn't know that being inside the house is baby boy's worst nightmare and so for that reason alone, we have to get out at least once a day. Snow or no snow.

Aside from that snowy day, we've been getting really good weather. I can't help but laugh at myself here. This 'good weather' I'm referring to used to equal freezing cold when I first arrived in Colorado. Now when I go to Cape Town you can spot me as one of those folks walking around wearing a t-shirt in the rain claiming "it's so nice and warm". 

Today we decided - well I'm mother hen so really I'm the one who decides around here - to go and finally make use of the birthday gift cards (thank you Roberta and thank you Schamel seniors). Off we went to the nearest Target which ended up being in Aurora. After spending far too much time browsing the aisles, I could only find items for baby boy. And then occurred that terrible moment when you see your bus driving passed and you're not even close enough to make a run for it. Yes, we missed our bus. I called husband to whine and he gave me a great idea "just wait for the next bus". Really honey:/? Men get straight to problem solving, no time to entertain the woes of the moment. I also have to add that in reality I knew that he couldn't come pick us up as he was working more than 2hrs away. I was just acting spoiled, which is allowed in such moments. And so we waited, luckily for only 20mins. Within that time we managed to empty my handbag of all the emergency snacks.

These recent bus trips have been terrifying at times as I'm not always sure where we're going even though I make certain to memorize the routes and destinations before leaving the house. Denver is still a new city to me and slowly but surely street names and landmarks are becoming familiar. The Denver transportation system does make things easier and the bus drivers are always helpful. I've also called the help center a number of times to confirm the return schedule. This planning and assistance has helped ease the travel anxiety which I might add was brought on by dear husband. I have a terrible sense of direction and he was worried that baby boy and I would get lost. That made me worry hence why I have to over compensate by being overly prepared. While we're still sharing one car, this public transportation system is the next best thing. And baby boy loves saying hi to everyone on the bus. 

Right before we stepped out, we recorded this video. 

Enjoy

Let love rule

I feel a long post coming on.

There are a few things I wanted to write down so that I wouldn't forget them. Haven't you heard? I'm ageing, I'm now 27 and the memory is slowing down. No honestly, I've always had a terrible memory, especially when it comes to remembering names or replying to text messages. Apologising in advance.

I've been reading this beautiful blog from a woman who has gone through a massive trial in her life. You can read about her story here. Her name is Stephanie and her outlook on life continues to inspire me. In fact, her blog was one of those that brought on the idea of creating this space. I appreciate it so much when people share a piece of themselves and heal us in the process. 

Stephanie's story freed me from being self conscious about the burn scar on my neck. This is a scar that has marked my appearance since infancy. Even though I've heard the story of the accident, I can't remember the details and for the first time in my life, it truly doesn't matter. That accident no longer occupies a heavy place of regret. As a teenager I sought ways to conceal my mark, wanting to look ordinary and not so different. It became even harder whenever a boy wouldn't like me back, because I'd always take it back to the scar, thinking that if only I were a pretty girl... Well, that was a long time ago and now there's a boy and he likes me plenty. 

This is not really about being liked by someone else, it's about liking myself. 

And now as a mother it is my job to teach baby to have substance, to be kind, gracious and full of charity. And to not base his self worth on the reflection in the mirror. 

It is said that we are more than our appearances. We are more than our skin tone. More than what society deems attractive or unattractive. And I am more than this scar. I am grateful for the trial that it brought to my teenage years and how it has forced me to not rely on looks but instead to focus on that which matters most. I am especially grateful to those who treat others with dignity no matter the appearance. After all, we're sharing the same earth, navigating life the best way we know how. 

Let love, not judgement, be the leader of your thoughts.

Peace

New look

Thought the blog needed a new look:) no post just some maintenance work.

A lovely week to all.

For the love of sleep

I have no idea why I've placed so many teddy bears in his crib. I guess the mother in me wanted him to feel surrounded by coziness.

As you can see, the sleep training has been ticked off the to do list. An absolute success. I never thought that I'd once again become one of those people who had a good night's rest, every night. Even with all this excitement and shock (yes I'm still shocked), I've chosen to continue the sleep training research, just in case baby boy decides to through me a curve ball. As a mother, you've gotta be ready for anything, dot the I and cross those Ts.

This time I'm reading Bedtiming by Marc D. Lewis and Isabela Granic. Amongst other things, the book lists the months you should and should not attempt to sleep train a baby. Which kind of explains why the first sleep training attempt failed. And boy was it a failure. You can read about it here. Baby boy was between 8-11 months at the time and apparently that is a huge separation anxiety stage. The 12-16 months stage is listed as a good time to sleep train if you missed the 2-4 months or the 5 1/2 to 7 1/2 months. I'll tell you what, I sure feel sorry for the next baby because she/he will be sleeping solo from 2 months! I'm kidding. Well, no, I'm not. Or maybe I am. Oh, I don't know, we'll see how I feel at the time.

And the naps are good too. Using the evening routine for naps worked out great. And it must be said that all the books and research in the world cannot and will never over power the ability to pay attention to your child's needs. I think by remembering that every child is different, we can better understand what these sweet young ones need.

Birthday celebrations with baby

                                           1) this morning's view from our balcony

                   2) I've had these jeans for far too long, they're the same pair on my profile pic

                                    3) my date with baby boy at the Denver Art Museum

                                                     4) making a postcard for daddy

                                                                  5) hello Denver

                                                                   6) little charmer

                                                            7) he's a ball of energy

                                                             8) and he loves food!

                                                      9) being a tourist in our new city

                                                   10) exhausted on the bus ride home

An overall amazing birthday week. Today is the official day but I'm exhausted from all this fun we've been having. I truly feel loved, appreciated, remembered and looked after. My family back home made it even more special through telephonic conversations and spending hours on Skype. I thank you for the texts, facebook, tweets and whatsapp messages. I love birthdays:) can you tell?

Most of all, I'm grateful to have a life filled with those who truly truly love me. Know that I truly truly truly, love you too.

Pictures of the Birthday week

                                         1) a power nap before going out for dinner

             2) a yummy dessert, part of the birthday present from grandma and grandpa Schamel

                                                   3) the pretty Washington Park

                                                    4) we forgot his stroller at home

                                                          5) I so badly want a bike!

                                                                     6) happy happy

                                                              7) baby and daddy

                                                               8) family portrait

                                       9) birthday gifts from the thoughtful husband:)

                                   10) date night & birthday celebrations at the Pepsi Center

                                          11) Selfie while watching the Denver Nuggets

The love story - the short version

Some folks have been asking about how husband and I met. So I thought I'd put the long story in a few words and hopefully many years from now the grandkids will read about the Schamel junior love story...

It was love at first sight, from my angle anyway.

We met at my ma's house in Cape Town, where Husband was serving a mission for church. This means he was volunteering two years of his life to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. And I had decided to move back to Cape Town from living and working in Johannesburg. Five days after arriving in Cape Town I met the man whom I knew I wanted marry. He'll now admit that he thought I was a pretty girl on the day of our meeting (his words, not mine), but at the time he couldn't say much as he was in South Africa on a different mission, not to find a girl.

A few weeks later he completed the mission and returned home to the US. And after getting back into the dating game he realised that I WAS THE ONE:) We then dated over skype and got married at the Denver temple 6 months later.

Post number 100!

I've been up to my eyeballs with school work.

I've just submitted an essay, it was 3mins late, I sure hope the teacher is lenient and doesn't give me a partial grade for my tardiness. Well, we'll just have to wait and see.

It's passed midnight so this should be very short and to the point. The weekend was AWESOME! The in laws came to visit and they brought a birthday gift. If you haven't heard, I'm turning 27 in a few days. Two more years to my perfect age which is 29. We had dinner at a place near Washington Park on a street that reminds me of Long St in Cape Town. Another reason I love living in the city is because it feels so familiar.

On Sunday after husband and baby boy woke up from their after church nap, we took a stroll around Washington Park. What a lovely day it was. We've had many lovely days lately. On Friday baby boy and I hung out with new friends at a park nearby. He's getting to be so social that young baby boy. He's growing fast and even growing out of little fears. He used to be scared of the vacuum cleaner but today he showed me that he's brave by throwing things at it instead of running away crying. He also used to be afraid of his toy electric car, but now he controls it while standing on a chair, I guess making sure that it doesn't run him over.

Yes, it's post number 100:) still going strong in this quest to document our lives.

A good night/day to you.

Day time joy

Today baby boy refused to nap. He cried and cried, called my name and cried some more. I went in his room, tried to soothe him by telling him that I loved him and would be back after his nap. He continued to cry. I turned on his primary hymns. He continued to cry. After 1hr 30mins of crying, he finally fell asleep. During that time I searched for something that would ease my heart and give me strength.

Not only was this talk full all great lessons but it made me laugh out loud, easing the tension in my shoulders.

I hope it brings the same joy into your day.

Baby Shower

Last Saturday I got real busy putting things together for a friend's baby shower. I completely took over her kitchen with all the cooking and baking. The menu included sandwiches made from South African steamed bread (shaped in little flowers), bruschettas, shrimp, cupcakes, a pink velvet cake, pink lemonade, strawberry jelly/jello, lots of pink sweets/candy and a fruit platter. We even had popcorn in mini popcorn packaging as party favors signed "ready to pop". Our husbands thought everything was slightly overboard and so they decided to draw the line when I wanted to buy white and pink roses so I could use the petals as decoration. 

Man, I really wanted those roses! There's always a next time. If anyone would like me to plan their baby shower, let me know because I really want to explore that rose theme. And that's only if you're having a girl, I'm currently obsessed with baby girl stuff. 

All in all, the party was short and sweet, perfect for an afternoon hangout. The food tasted good (or so I'm told) and the company was fantastic. We played the 'think like mommy' game, which is great because it brings the attention to the special pregnant lady. There was also a raffle and prizes. 

Now I want a baby just so there can be another baby shower. Well, what else am I supposed to do with the sweets and decorations in my cabinet?

Day 2: Sleep training

Well, I'm just in shock. This sleep training (second time around) is going very well.

After successfully placing baby to sleep last night, we enjoyed a relaxing night of homework and just hanging out. Seriously, it's like we're living another life. Sleep was even more restful as baby boy slept THE WHOLE NIGHT through. A milestone long overdue.

The day was even better than the night. I placed him down for a nap, he tried to kick up a little fuss and just sat there on his knees. I walked out of the room and silence. I went back to check on him 20mins later and he was still on his knees - I wondered if he was praying as we usually kneel for his bedtime prayer. I then went off to the lounge, placed an alarm clock for 2hrs and took my nap. He must've slept too as I only started hearing crying about 15mins after the alarm went off.

And now to report on this evening. After the usual bedtime routine, I placed baby boy in bed. He made a slight puppy dog whimper but remained laying down. I closed the door and...nothing. Just peace and quiet and a big boy sleeping in his own room. Oh, I never thought this day would ever come. My last attempt at sleep training baby was just pure failure. I was in an emotional mess. It made me feel horrible thinking I was a terrible mother. His cries would pierce my heart. I perservered for about two weeks and it just didn't work. Maybe I wasn't ready to let it work.

This second time around is a completely different game. I don't think I've done more research in anything as much as I did for sleep training methods. I've spoken to every mother in my network of friends and family. I've spent months planning the timing, the peaceful environment and the strategy. There was previous work too as I was advised by a friend to introduce a teddy that he'd become attached to. This teddy was to not leave the crib so that it symbolizes sleep and something familiar. So about a month ago I chose an oversize cheetah that now doubles up as his pillow.

The life of a mother is just so interesting. This little bit of successful gives me more confidence regarding potty training and getting off the boob. Baby steps.

I do look forward to the day when he'll actually be excited to be in his own room. That would be a sweet cherry on top.

Sleep training resumed

SLEEEEEEP TRAINING! Back in motion! Hah!

Capital letters are in order here as I'm trying to pump myself up.

Alright. It all began Sunday night when we (husband and I), decided that enough is enough. We needed to take the bed back from the bed hogger aka the sweet baby boy. 16 months of partial sleep will drive us to a mental institution. So we cultivated a plan. And thanks to the Denver tap water I was down with a stomach flu. Husband had to take the first step by doing the night routine and explaining to baby boy that he would be sleeping in his own room. After nursing him, yes I'm still breastfeeding, I tucked him in bed. And oh boy was he NOT happy. I remained strong by keeping with the plan. I said the I love yous and goodnight. Back in the lounge we sat, watched a movie and relaxed while husband occasionally returned to baby boy's room to let him know that all is well. And because we don't yet have a noise maker, we let him listen to some church primary songs which usually soothe him in the car. Two hours later he was fast asleep. Although I was glad to hear him sleeping, I felt anxious thinking of the sure possibility of him waking up late at night. So the awesome husband, even though he had work the next day, volunteered to get up should baby start crying again.

And indeed he exercised his little lungs sometime around 3am. Husband got up and took him a sippy cup with water, which he refused to take. He then assured him of our love for him and left the baby to continue his crying mission. And here is the pure miracle: Less than two minutes later baby boy was back asleep! Ah, the joy in my heart was just immeasurable.

He slept till 7am this morning. The first time the parents have had a full night's sleep since October 16th 2012 (the night before his birth).

This is a new life. And I like it a lot.

The day nap was a little more challenging. But after the crying and fussing he managed to sleep for about 45mins in his own room.

And tonight was just a shocker. After doing the sleep routine: bath, teeth, books, prayer, nursing. He let out a little wince and a fuss when I placed him in bed but fell asleep the minute I closed the door.

I reiterate, this is a new life. A wonderful, new and exciting life.

What joy.

The lesson

I didn't plan on blogging tonight as a tummy bug had turned my day into a long hum of discomfort. And then I received a blessing of healing from my husband. I now have the strength to share what I hope will liven up your day.

Yesterday was an odd day where I felt I wasn't doing very well as a mom. Baby boy fussed most of the day and he was refusing to eat. That, coupled with his growing defiance and push for independence, brought me to tears of exhaustion. I then went into my room, closed the door, cried from frustration, kneeled and pleaded for Heavenly help.

I then wiped off my tears, returned to the lounge, got on the laptop and found a video by Elder Holland about motherhood. The message in the video, gave me the strength to end the day on a high. I walked over to that sweet baby boy, apologized for shouting at him and explained why he needed to eat his food. I wiped off his tears and made him another meal.

Sometimes a mother needs to give in, to receive the lesson. And my lesson was to know that by doing my best, I'm doing alright.

Sleep

When you're pregnant everyone and their mama has a piece of advice for the first time mom. What is often highlighted is your future lack of sleep. Now I love my sleep. I'm a fan of the occasional afternoon nap and I have no problem sleeping for a little more than the recommended eight hours. As per the advice from experienced mothers, once baby boy was born, sleep became a new luxury. Something that I looked forward to with great anticipation. And this week has been a true testament to the shot of endurance you magically gain after giving birth.

Since Sunday night baby boy has refused to sleep. He doesn't normally sleep the night through, but his frequent waking has beeb worse than usual. It may be because he had a bit of a cold? Who knows. Teething? Probably. Well whatever the issue, husband and I are have been functioning on less than 5 hours of sleep every night. Monday night was a real test of patience. Not only did he wake up every hour but he cried constantly and threw up twice. So at around 2 am he had his second bath of the night. After which I asked if he was hungry to and he replied "yeah, uh huh". So off we went to the kitchen for some early morning breakfast. With his strength regained, baby boy tried to pursued me to hang out and play. And naturally I refused! We went back to bed with him still wanting to play. After some tough love of letting him cry it out, the sweet little baby fell asleep sometime towards 4am. And of course he was up at 7:30am, happy, with puffy eyes and ready to take on the day.

With nearly 17 months of child rearing under my belt, I pulled out all the stops on Tuesday. I made sure that he ate ALL of the food on his little plate. He put up a major fuss but I couldn't give in as my sanity was at stake. During the night time routine, instead of just moisturizing after bath, baby enjoyed a full body calming massage. I then gave him Quma (South African teething medicine). And add a sincere prayer that he'd sleep well, off he drifted to sleep.

The night was a dream. I got to unwind with some Beyonce favorites, there was an impromptu dance session (a great workout). We did our school homework and later husband hung up some of our wall art.

I'm now happy to write that both husband and I had a great sleep. Grateful.

Pictures of February

1) Baby boy hurt himself a few weeks ago while doing what he does best: running and running.

2) All dressed up and ready for a Sunday afternoon nap.

3) A hot day in Feb, probably the only day we experienced park worthy weather.

4) Hanging out on the Simcox porch. We stayed with them while searching for an apartment. Muito obrigado amigos.

5) Home sweet home. And baby boy loves his room.

6) From today's dinner. I wanted to make something easy, light and healthy.

New Home

Oh hello hello.

Just had to clean the cobwebs off this blog. Long time eh? Well, we finally have a new and permanent home:)By permanent I mean for the next few years we will be based here. Where is here you ask? We're in Denver! We've become city dwellers and I couldn't be happier. There's no better time in our lives to be living in the city then now. There will be sufficient time for suburban bliss later somewhere around thirty as the family expands.

Okay let's start by making it known that I LOVE our new spot. The location is perfectly situated within walking distant of shopping places, great restaurants and it's multicultural, multiracial, multinational. This place fits me like a glove because being different is only fun for so long, sometimes a girl just wants to blend in. Oh how I love Denver. Did I mention that being an interracial couple is not an anomaly around here. So, for those reasons, and many others, we're feeling quite comfortable in our new neighborhood.

The Robstar aka Robdawg aka the husband is doing well at the new job. He enjoys his work which makes life happy for all. Our new location also means that he's been able to get back into his athletic ways by playing soccer and basketball weekly. This also means more self inflicted sport injuries. He's busy healing from a two week old soccer injury which didn't stop him from playing another match last week. My job as the devoted, loving wife that I am, is to be as sympathetic as possible when these injuries occur. Even still I silently shake my head as he gives 100% when playing, that you'd think he's been paid for it! I guess a healthy body is worth the physical sacrifice and...the moaning and groaning till the next match/practice. And by the way, if you're ever in our home, do avoid the topic of the Broncos tragic performance at the Superbowl. Never to be mentioned. Never, ever to be spoken of. But if it's me you're chatting with, I'll have no problems shrieking with excitement when talking about Bruno Mars's brilliant half time performance. I've never taken much note of the guy before, but that performance had me dancing and singing and acting like a teen at a Bieber concert. Bruno Mars, I am now a fan. Who knew the dude could move like that!

Another person with moves to boot is our sweet busy little baby boy. He's now all grown up and running instead of walking. He also has a lot to say, every day, all day he talks about this and that and everything his mind can conjure up. He's go to words are mama, dada, water (pronounced: walker), cookie, ja, no, ok, la you (love you) and night night. He also started a strange and weird habit of screaming instead of crying. The scream is synonymous to the native Indian ghost dance singing and it is loud. I don't know where he got that from but it has got to stop. I can handle crying, but the screaming, especially in a shopping mall, can drive a loving mother crazy. Aside from that, baby boy is as cute as can be. He loves kissing and giving hugs. He gives the best hugs. He also has taken to caring for his dear old mama. I wasn't feeling too good a few days ago and it was just us two at the apartment. The little one just melted my heart when he came over to me sitting on the floor, gave me a kiss on the cheek, caressed my face and tried to pull a blanket over me. I nearly fell into a coma with the intense amount of love he was pouring my way. One of the sweetest moments of my life for sure. Little baby boy made my world a better place with his act of kindness.

Oh and he's an avid climber now, more on that another day.

Now for the most exciting part of this post.

While on a hood discovery mission, baby boy and I found an international food shop that stocks European and Middle Eastern food. The place is called International Foods, or something to that effect, and they only stock food from Europe and the Middle East. Now I know, just like me, you're thinking why on earth don't they just call it European & Middle Eastern Foods. Sure it's a long name but. I went in there looking for African food, so the name is rather misleading right? And it should be changed. Regardless of the name, the store now happens to be one of my favorite shops. They have a butcher that sells...drum roll...LAMB! YES YES YES! My life is officially made. Since moving to the US I've been on a personal mission to find lamb that is fresh and affordable. And every time my heart sinks into homesickness when the price tag is either too high or the meat is not fresh enough. Oh, how blessed I've been to find this wonderful store. I bought 2 pounds of meat for only $5. Can you believe it!? Then while pushing baby's stroller I walked home with a huge smile on my face caring the bag of meat along with some Middle Eastern spices which the owner said to use when cooking the meat. Once at home and with the baby engaged in play, I proceeded to bag and freeze the pieces for future meals and marinate the ones that were for dinner. Throughout this process, I couldn't stop smiling as I imagined myself devouring the meal ahead. I followed the spice instructions as told by the shop owner as I couldn't read what was written on the actual packet. Later I tossed in a finely chopped yellow onion, the marinated meat and some chopped celery into a pot and let it cook for about 17mins. On the side I had a pot of rice boiling. Because I was too excited to include another side dish, I refrained from cooking anything else. And boy! Was it a good meal! Oh my goodness! Every bite of the delicious tender lamb had me breaking it down like Bruno Mars at the Superbowl. So good. So good in fact I cannot wait till we get a dinner table and invite just about everyone we know over for a meal. This may be close to blasphemy in America, but forget turkey, eat lamb people. Side note: make sure it's fresh. Thank me later.

Before I go, and it being a Sunday and all I feel it necessary to also note that church is awesome! Our new ward is filled with young families like ours. The Bishop and his counselors don't look a day over thirty. Folks have been super friendly and welcoming and I think I've made a friend already. We had a play date with our kids at the Children's museum. The babies had so much fun that baby boy took a four hour nap afterwards. The nap didn't even spoil him for his bedtime.

So life is pretty alright.

Did I mention that I love Denver.

This is a good place to plant our feet. And finally I'm starting to feel at home in the US of A.

PS: our bank manager sports a fro. Talk about a grand welcome indeed.
PSS: a job well done to Lupito Nyong'o on her Oscar win. My favorite actress, Cate Blanchett took home best actress! Yes man! Wish we could have watched the Academy Awards but our tv is here and the cables are in Pueblo *insert sad face*We will persevere and survive life without watching television until someday soon when we visit Pueblo.