Thanks for the Blanket, Nana!

This Graham grinning and cooing all wrapped up in his new homemade blanket from Nana. It's perfect--just right for wrapping up tight like he likes it, not too hot, and plenty of holes to stick his fingers through. What a lucky boy to have such a Nana!

Russell the Rascal

Russell's last photo of his wild hair before (much to his dismay) I shaved it off. He looked at this picture a minute ago and said (with wide eyes and an excited voice), "At's ME dinkin milk!"

Stained Glass Masterpieces

One of my better "I'm a fun mom" moments when in the afternoon while making dinner I let the boys paint the windows "stained glass" with watered down tempera paint. I surprised myself by being extra-calm even when the paint spilled . . . several times. I even didn't get ruffled when the almonds I was toasting burned while I was taking this picture!

Last Night in Paris

Rich's photographic experiment at the Louvre at night with the slow shutter speed.


Graham at an outdoor cafe along the Seine River near the Musee D'Orsay. We tried to eat outdoors so we could make a quick getaway if Graham got bored.

Graham Stealing Hearts

Graham up close. Awwww!


Graham SMILING at some elderly French women we found to take our picture at church near The Bastille.

Touring with Rich

Rich and I in front of this big building called Invalides where Napoleon's tomb is and they treated wounded people from the war.


Rich thinking in front of The Thinker at the Rodin Museum.


Graham in the gardens of the Musee Rodin.

Romantic Evening at Eiffel Tower

We haggled with the guys selling trinkets outside and went up to the first level for dinner at a restaurant called Altitude 95. The Eiffel Tower is beautiful at night. You feel like you're in a movie!

Second Day in Paris

Graham up close and personal in his oh-so-French hat. It was wonderful to have some Mommy-Graham time alone. Things are fun with three boys, but very fragmented and crazy. More than once when we found ourselves outside with Graham's hat, we were scolded by older European women to get that baby's head covered.

Today we were getting over our jet lag, so we didn't get out until 3 pm. Graham and I took the long way to the Metro station to explore a bit, then took a long metro ride to Sacre-Coeur. We climbed all 290-some steps to the top, but I'm afraid Graham slept through the climb and the view. He was awake, however, to people-watch on the hill in front of the church with all the lovers lounging around!

Tonight Rich and I found a Thai restaurant around the corner from our hotel and a grocery store (hallelujah!). The Thai food was delicious, and we ate it outside in the beautiful night air. Graham slept through the whole thing yet again, and as I write they are both asleep beside me.

It is fabulous being here. Someday I'd like to live in a big city like this, maybe learn French, maybe learn to paint. Lots of years left to follow these dreams . . . after a little relaxing, I'm excited to get back to my current dream-come-true life at home with my husband and children.

Graham Demands to See the Arc de Triomphe

This is Graham and me at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. After walking down the Champs Elysees, I saw the Arc de Triomphe from across the street and was about to duck into the subway station and call it a day, when Graham decided he was hungry. So we sat down on a curb for me to feed him.

While I was feeding him, I noticed there were lots of people over there, and gee did they ever look small. By the time Graham was all full, diaper changed, and burped, we decided to take the underground tunnel we hadn't seen before to see the thing up close. It was a whole different story when we got there! It was gargantuan, and awe-inspiring. Plus, we were there just in time to see a neat ceremony for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier that lies at the foot of the Arc.

Why Breastfeeding is Great Reason #62: It forces me to slow down and consider the details of the wonders of the world I often miss because I'm in a hurry.

I never would have appreciated the Arc de Triomphe so much without my tiny traveling companion with a mind of his own!

On My Own in Paris

I wasn't so sure how I'd do Monday all on my own with my very minimal French (I kept lapsing into Spanish anytime I tried to communicate!) and a baby on my back, but I was ready to try!

Rich had meetings Monday, so Graham and I went to the Louvre and wandered around looking at the paintings. Unfortunately, the artist I most wanted to see, Vermeer, was in the section that was closed for the day. But I did see the Mona Lisa. There were crowds of people, so I didn't get a good look. Nothing spectacular to report there.

My favorite part of the museum were the art students in the galleries painting copies and/or interpretations of the works of art. It was fun to sit and watch them in their craft in various stages, and see what sort of people go to school to be artists. Surprisingly, many of them seemed to be of retirement age. Maybe I could learn to be a painter someday . . .

When Graham and I tired of the Louvre, we went outside and found a lovely spot on the grass in the sun and took a nap. Then we wandered through the Jardin de Tulieres with its ponds, ducks, flowers, and outdoor cafes. Then we took a walk down the Champs Elysees.

First Night in Paris

Wow! A dream come true . . . Paris with two of the men/boys I love most--Rich and Graham--while some of the people I trust the most (Grandma and Grandpa Cutler, Grandma Key and Aunt Kimmy) care for our other boys. I miss them, but it's so fun to be here. Rich has been pretty busy with work meetings, so Graham and I have been exploring Paris. Graham has slept through most of my touring, but he wakes up from time to time and nurses, giving me plenty of time to people-watch and sometimes get my bearings.


When we arrived in Paris we took a nap and then walked along the Seine in the cool night air to the Eiffel Tower. The river was beautiful and it was fun to watch all the Parisians and tourists taking Sunday evening walks. We walked all the way to Notre Dame, but we got there too late to see it in the daylight. We did see some interesting sideshows (juggling firewands, in-line skating on obstacle courses, cool tricks with a soccer ball) outside Notre Dame and walked through some fun neighborhoods.

I must say it's wonderful to complete conversations with Rich (when Graham is asleep anyway). Vacations are a good thing, especially in such a place!

Stranger Than Fiction

There are some days that are so crazy that all you can do is throw up your hands and laugh! On Wednesday we found out that Rich did indeed have to travel to Paris for work. We both weren't looking forward to a week without each other while one of us was in such a romantic place, so we figured out a way so that Graham and I could go with him to Paris and Ross and Claudia could watch the boys in Dallas. So Thursday I started doing laundry and packing like a mad woman so we could leave on Friday for Dallas.

The first adventure of the day came when I washed and dried ALL (no exaggeration here!) of Rich's dress pants with a waterproof gel ink pen and they all came out with black spots on them. Yikes!

So while I was calling everyone I could think of to get their opinion on how to get the pen out and directing the boys to pack their bags, I walked over to the stairs and noticed a cute little red handprint on each step leading upstairs to the bathroom.


No problem, I thought--all the paint I have within reach of the boys is washable. Then I remembered the acrylic craft paint I'd just packed in Russell's bag for a craft project they were planning to do at Grandma's house. Whoops! My darling little boy had poured a puddle of each color on the floor of my bedroom, and then when he noticed how dirty his hands were, he made his way upstairs to wash them because he can only reach the sink up there!

We have needed new carpet since we moved in, so I decided to leave the handprints there. Maybe the artwork will motivate us to get new carpet. Meanwhile, every person that walks in the door will get a taste of life with a 2-year-old!

Quarterly Enrichment

What a great idea!
News of the Church/October

The Blessed Pacifier

Last week I gave in and bought Graham a pacifier. What a blessed thing it is! When I bought the thing at Target I ripped it open and started using it right away to help us get through the shopping trip. Russell found one and decided to join in the fun. Isaac thinks it's fun to try to wean Graham of it by taking it out of his mouth and saying, "You don't need that!" and then giving it back when he starts crying. This particular picture was taken yesterday while Isaac and I were making dinner--one of the many situations when the pacifier comes in handy.

Mom's Got It Right Again

The part of conference that rings in my head today is from Susan W. Tanner's talk. She said her mother told her as a young woman to do her best to take care of herself before she walked out the door, but when she walked out the door, she needed to focus on others.

At first I thought, "Well, how do I apply that to me? I stay indoors most of the day!" But then I remembered my mom's modus operandi. Typically when we woke up Mom had already showered, dressed, put on her makeup and done her hair. I rarely do this before my kids wake up, rarely wear makeup, and on some days don't even bother to change out of my pajamas (my motto: pajamas should always be able to pass as regular clothes so you can stay in them all day without anyone knowing it!).

But Sister Tanner's talk made me wonder if a better approach to my stay-at-home-mom-ness is to take the time each morning for myself (reading scriptures, praying, making myself beautiful), and then walk out of my room equipped to serve my family with all my heart. The older I get the more I realize Mom had it figured out better than I realized!