Maybe I'm the last person on Earth to figure this out.  I'm sure I got some e-mail or reminder or something about it and ignored it. But, apparently there's a new blogger editor out for posting and it deals with pictures and sizes and spacing lots more efficiently and less aggravatingly.  Thank you so much Kathryn (my New Zealand blogging friend) for introducing me!  Here are the instructions on how to get it going.

1. Go to your dashboard
   
2. Click on 'settings'
3. This should bring you up in the basic tab
4. Scroll down to the bottom
5. Go to 'Select Post Editor'
6. You will find that you have a Green dot next to 'Old Editor' change it to 'Updated Editor'
7. Save Settings

And here's a picture I posted using the new editor.  This is his "please lift me out of this crib" face.  My kids do the best sad faces.

I'm not sure what this strange playground contraption was all about- but Zeb loved it. He must have climbed up it a million times. We found a new park today and went out with a bunch of friends. The weather is crazy- and I'll be honest- I'm starting to get a little bothered by it. Sure, it's nice to be outside. I'll be the first to admit that I am taking advantage of that fact EVERY day. But it's November 8th and I'm so over the 60's. I have my jackets and sweatshirts and warm clothes out and I want to USE THEM!!! I have no idea why Zeb had a hoodie on in this picture- it was totally unnecessary.



At least I can find joy in good deals if not in the weather. Great pre-holiday sales are in full force and besides the accompaniment of ridiculously early Christmas music and decorations- I LOVE THEM. I seriously get as good a rush out of a super great deal as I do a six mile run. Today we got both.

I got these seven fabulous preschool games for four bucks TOTAL. We'll probably give Zeb one or two for Christmas and then save the rest for birthdays or snowed in days this winter.

what a good good sunday.

I'd forgotten how nice it is to have just one kid. Yesterday after church and lunch, Ike zonked for three good hours. As soon as he woke up- around four- Zeb zonked and didn't wake up until THIS MORNING at 7:30! Here he is just moments after he came down the hall. He's still in his church clothes because he literally fell asleep sitting up on the floor yesterday. We tried to wake him up since we figured a four thirty nap would spell disaster later that night- but apparently he was EXHAUSTED beyond belief. He even slept through my raucous seminary kids this morning.Really- we only had one kid to deal with most of the day- and it was heavenly. Ike was just his normal easy self and Kent and I could simply RELAX.
Plus- to make matters even nearer to perfect- I went out with the missionaries for the afternoon and Kent made dinner.
I had been craving Plov all day. I have NO idea why. Plov is an Armenian/Uzbekistani rice dish that I ate in Russia a lot. Kent found a plethora of recipes and ideas online and ending up making some of the most delicious plov I'd ever tasted. This picture is basically what it looked like MINUS the ginormous garlic (eww) and plus a few other veggies. It will definitely be a new Sunday staple. I'll make Kent post the recipe later tonight. It's pretty darn easy to make and really so so good to eat. Just click on the picture and your mouth will start watering.

Nine months

I don't much like this picture of Zeb (I'm not sure why I posted it originally), but it's about the only nine month picture I have of him that was easily recreateable (not a real word, I know).

rugrat #1

rugrat #2Ike had his nine month check up yesterday and passed with flying colors. The kid is twenty pounds exactly. I don't remember zeb's measurements- but I do know he was in the fiftieth percentile- same as Ike.

Ike is moving around MUCH better than Zeb ever did. He's also A LOT easier. Zeb was so wiggly and squirmy and full of craziness. Last night we went out to dinner with friends and Ike just watched people from his carseat (and slept) for two full hours. Zeb would have been EVERYWHERE- and at nine months he NEVER would have slept in an environment that full of people and noise. Zeb at his current age is impossible at a restaurant! Which is why we left him at a friend's house.

Ike is calm and pleasant. He says "dad" but doesn't really even attempt many other sounds. As soon as he hears the front door open in the evenings he heads straight for it to look for Kent and then follows him around until Kent picks him up.

He loves to play steam roller around the front room with Zeb. I can't believe he doesn't scream and cry when Zeb rolls him and rams him against the furniture.

Ike is mellow and easy and perfect. I still forget about him sometimes. When he got his shot at the doctor yesterday- he didn't cry. Seriously. I know people say that and they are probably lying- but it's true with Ike. He didn't even care.

The only complaint I have about this kid is that he likes to be rocked to sleep. We don't have to do it- but it just makes the whole thing super fast and easy so we usually do. He's spoiled.

"Hey Kent, come here, I wanna show you something".
We both laughed out loud tonight when he entered the room and made that statement.

Zeb will only call Kent-"Kent" right now. I think it is so funny. Sometimes he even calls him Kent Miller.

the straight arm.

It's second nature to Zeb now. As soon as he sees (or hears) Ike sneak up from behind, he sticks his arm straight out and says "don't touch it, ike". I can't say I blame him. This kid is a little klepto right now. It's pretty obnoxious.
As of late his favorite spot to plunder is the fridge. He LOVES magnets- and unless Zeb is already there, the magnets are free game. He usually takes two and uses them as little ice skates. He glides across the kitchen floor and giggles the entire way.Look at those chubby little cheeks. I love to squeeze and squish them. In general I feel like he is so much squishier and much fluffier than Zeb was. He's like a little marshmallow.

two ohio disappointments and one positive miller breakthrough

1. Election day: apparent passing of issue 3- the construction of 4 mega casinos in Ohio's 3 C cities- and Toledo. Four times Ohioans have said no- but it looks like this time it's going to pass. Although I have enjoyed the overly dramatized ads stating that Satan is in the details of the casino building. They are actually kind of creepy.

It was, however, nice to vote for a mayoral candidate and realize that carty finkbeiner is finally finished!!

2. that crazy rapist in cleveland. Four more bodies turned up at his place today. How do TEN bodies just sit in a man's house/back yard/basement with NO notice?! Some were in shallow graves, some were under his stairs, some were just up on the third floor in a bedroom. I can't believe that that many women could go missing and this man could get away with it for THIS LONG. eww. ew. ew.

and to end on a positive note- here's another picture of rugrat #2 and his widely spaced teeth. The kid finally has six (with a few more coming in). Zeb had an entire mouthful at this point!! I think the extra teeth coming in are helping with his eating habits. I'm pretty sure today was the first day EVER that I've gotten him to eat three good sized real meals. Squash, yogurt, plums, oatmeal, carrots, and lots of wheat cereal. Way to go kiddo.