Bekahism #8

While eating waffles and drinking milk during breakfast.

Bekah: It's a great day for milkin' up!

Don't fear the flosser, Part II

Six months ago, Bekah suffered through the trauma of her first visit to the dentist's office. I won't rehash the details, but if you need a refresher, you can read about it here.

Monday we did the whole thing again. I prepped Bekah by telling her in advance where we would be going and what she could expect to happen. I told her I'd be there the entire time to make sure she was doing okay. I had her practice opening her mouth wide so the dentist could see her teeth.

Night and day, folks ... night and day. Instead of refusing to open for the hygienist OR the dentist, she did exactly as she was told. Instead of refusing to sit on the chair and freaking out when it started to move, she became only slightly concerned as the chair laid back. She allowed the hygienist to do all the polishing and flossing, and she let the dentist count all her teeth.

Bekah's huge change in attitude could be contributed to one (or all) of three things:
1. She's six months older than last time.
2. She remembers what it was like the first time, and so she knew what to expect.
3. This time, I had my teeth cleaned first, so she got to watch me first and knew what to expect.

Any way, I'm so glad I didn't have to wrestle with her. She did an amazing job, and she came away with three incredible prizes:

The pink balloon, the Cinderella toothbrush, and a fake grill. I'm not sure why the dentist is trying to make our little girl a hard-core rapper, and I'm not sure why Bekah picked the fake teeth over the myriad of other options in the prize drawer.

Close-up of the grill. 'Sup, homie.

We *heart* dinos

We had planned on going skiing yesterday, but we couldn't find skis for Bekah (read: to borrow from family members; we're too cheap to actually rent any), so we took a little trip south to visit the Museum of Natural History in Pocatello.

Bekah has been CRAZY about dinosaurs lately. She has a dinosaur placemat at the table. She got a giant dinosaur puzzle for Christmas. She has watched We're Back: A Dinosaur Story half a dozen times since borrowing it from Aunt Cathy. (Dweeb's her favorite, by the way. But Seth and I can't understand why ANYONE would want to watch that movie more than once. What was Steven Spielberg thinking?!)

So we thought a trip to see some fossils would be well worth the 45-minute drive. The girls enjoyed seeing the T-rex head, the stegosaurus skeleton and the "Diegos" (saber-tooth tigers) ...

Bekah and Ana check out the dinos.

Seth lifts Ana up so she can see the T-rex head. (It's on the right, in case you were wondering. The flash on our mommy camera is none too powerful.)

... but the real fun was in the Discovery Room. We spent at least half the time we were in the museum in that room. They had puzzles to put together, masks to try on, insect specimens to check out and skulls to touch. Who could ask for anything more?

Bekah, Ana and Andrea check out ... something. Actually, I don't remember what we were looking at. But you can bet it was cool!

Bekah loved the magnifying glasses. Yes, this shot is posed, but she was doing this without our prompting her shortly before this.

Ana lugging around a sedimentary rock.

Hopefully this satisfied Bekah's current obsession. Or maybe we're just fanning the flames. Either way, it was a fun way to spend a Saturday morning.

here's another

I felt like playing the guitar after dinner tonight, so here's another cover. This is Neil Young's "Don't Let It Bring You Down."

That's my girl!

If you thought this post was about Bekah reciting "The Lake Isle of Innisfree," Analee learning to ride a two-wheeler or some other great accomplishment (because of the title), you thought wrong. This is why Analee is definitely my daughter:

A fellow chocolate-lover and -slobberer. Truly a girl after my own heart.

Yes, Bekah enjoys the chocolate too. Unfortunately, I didn't pull out the camera until after she had finished her beater. Bekah is a very efficient beater-licker; it doesn't take long for her to lick one completely clean.

Photo catch-up

Just what you were hoping for: a huge blog post with lots of pictures that will catch you up on the last couple of months' activities in the Grover household.

First we'll start off with a few pictures of our Christmas tree hunting expedition. The Scott family always goes to Fall Creek (near Swan Valley, Idaho) the weekend after Thanksgiving to be one with the forest and take a small piece of it home.

Bekah was cuddling up to the cow pie, and the rest of us were all enjoying a good laugh at her expense. Then Bekah decided she wanted to lick the snow off the cow pie, and that's when we all shouted, "Noooooooooo!"

Analee hanging out on my back while we hunted for the perfect Christmas tree.

Seth single-handedly (well, okay ... double-handedly) hauling our find down the mountain. I had a wee one strapped to my back and was therefore useless when it came to carrying the tree. We'll have to start training Bekah so she can be in shape to help carry it down next year.

Next we have some random pictures shot on our new mommy camera.

Bekah and I doing the silly-faced self-portrait.

My attempt of a self-portrait with Ana. She was not amused.

One more random picture:

Seth and Bekah watching TV. Why, you might ask, is Bekah wearing a mittens and a scarf, along with a beanie AND earmuffs AND a Santa hat? Good question. I have no answer for you.

This is the Christmas morning scene ... pre-unwrapping, of course.

We got it all: the fancy cereals, the playhouse, the dollhouse furniture, the Little People house ... it was the Christmas of Houses.

Yesterday we hosted a playdate for the girls' cousins. Mack and Tav live in Rexburg, so it's a rare treat when we get to play with them.

Mack and Bekah played an incredible duet on the piano. A few moments later, the piano book fell on their heads, and then that tranformed the game. They would put the book back up, making sure it wasn't stable, and laugh uproariously when it would tip and fall back on their heads again.

And lastly, here are a couple fun pictures from today. Seth decided to humor the girls by climbing in the playhouse with them, and they had a grand ol' time.

Bekah has decided that the playhouse is, in fact, a doctor's house because her Grandma Susan gave her two doctor's kits for Christmas. Here Bekah checks out Seth's ear.

Analee is the pretty fairy princess of the doctor's house. And as we all know, every doctor's house needs one of those.

Haven't had enough? Click here and here to view more such pictures of our spectacular times.

campaigner

Here's a cover of Neil Young's Campaigner. Neil performed this song when I saw him in concert in October of 2007.





(Richard M. Nixon was the President of the United States during the 1970s. At some point following his death in 1994, his head was resuscitated along with those of other former Presidents. He was elected President of Earth in 3000.)

the Vacuum of Jericho

The other day we decided we need a new vacuum, because our old one kind of sucks. Or it doesn't suck enough, depending on how you look at it. Anyway, we took some of the money we received for Christmas gifts, plus some from payday yesterday, and got a much better vacuum.

Bekah was impressed. As we removed the vacuum from the box and assembled it, her eyes grew wide.

"This," she said, "is the Vacuum of Jericho!"

When I asked her why, she says "Because the people who are fancy at Jericho use that vacuum. And when the Jericho floors get dirty, that's the vacuum they use."

If you say so, child.

Our vacuum on the road to Jericho.

would you like otter with that?

As a hunter, I've made a point to make sure Bekah understands what meat is and where it comes from (which has lead to some interesting discussions we've discussed in the past).

Today we were eating lunch at Grandpa and Grandma Scott's house. They had ordered some racks of pork ribs which were set on the table in a large order-out tray. As we were eating, Rebekah looked thoughtfully at the long, skinny, brown racks of ribs.

She asked, "Are we having otter?"

Andrea and I both looked at her. "What?"

"Otter... is that otter? Are we eating otter?"



Actually, there is some resemblance. The funniest part is, Bekah didn't seem to have a problem with the idea of us eating otter. She'd already done quite a bit of work on her helping.

Bekahism #6

Daddy: Hey Bekah, want to play our Wall-E video game?
Bekah: Yeah, let's play it!
Mommy: Daddy, could you help me put away this laundry first?
Bekah: Mommy! You are a girl for folding clothes. Daddy is a boy for playing games.

Merry Christmas!

It's our 100th post! Celebrate good times, come on!

For those of you who somehow missed out on our Christmas card/newsletter, here's your very own, personalized digital copy. Click on it to see a larger version.

Christmas tag

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
I usually stick with wrapping paper. And Seth always has to comment on how my wrapping jobs look prettier than his. It's all about the creases.

2. Real or artificial tree?
Real, fo' sho'. We (the Scott family) have the awesome tradition of going to Fall Creek the weekend after Thanksgiving and cutting down our own tree. Our girls have been real troopers as they've been dragged along the past few years.

3. When do you put up the tree?
Again, usually the weekend after Thanksgiving. If we've got it, we might as well dress it up!

4. When do you take the tree down?
It depends on how well we've watered it. Last year we had to take it down the day after Christmas because it was shedding worse than a dog.

5. Do you like eggnog?
It's in the fridge. Apparently our girls love it too. Bekah asks for "cold eggnog" almost every morning for breakfast, but we hold off until later in the day.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
A bouncy, mischievous black miniature schnauzer named Otto. Santa left a note in our tree one year, and we got to pick him up the next May after he was born.

7. Hardest person to buy for?
My in-laws. I don't know why, because they're the nicest in-laws anyone has ever had, but I have a hard time figuring out what they would like/use/want.

8. Easiest person to buy for?
Rebekah and Analee. Since they're only 3 1/2 years and 18 mos. old respectively, it's easy to please them.

9. Do you have a nativity scene?
My mom has this thing about collecting nativities, so she has started me on the same kick. We have five nativities on our mantel.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mail. It's just not the same with the e-.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
There's no such thing as a "worst Christmas gift." But the worst thing that ever happened to a Christmas gift was when Otto chewed up the seat and handlebars on my brand new mountain bike on Christmas day.

12. Favorite Christmas movie?
I can't narrow it down, so I've got two: Muppet's Christmas Carol and A Christmas Story. I have yet to watch either this winter because we've spent our Christmas-movie-viewing time watching Frosty the Snowman and Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas. Bekah prefers those.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
As soon as possible, but never soon enough. I'm a stressball when it comes to Christmas shopping.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Not that I can remember.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
For Christmas Eve dinner, it's ham. But other favorite Christmastime treats include eggnog pie, candy canes and all the yummy stuff the neighbors bring over.

16. Lights on the tree?
We stick with twinkly white lights.

17. Favorite Christmas song?
Currently I'm loving Josh Groban's "Little Drummer Boy." Bagpipes rock!

18. Travel at Christmas, or stay home?
We travel the roads of Idaho Falls. With both sets of grandparents living nearby, we have to make stops at their houses.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
"Come Dasher, come Dancer, come Prancer and Vixen. On Comet, on Cupid, on Donder, on Blitzen. To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall. Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

20. Angel or star at the top of the tree?
I'm good with either, but our tree sports a gold star that lights up.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?
In our family, we got to open one present from our parents on Christmas Eve and then the rest Christmas morning. I think we'll do that this year with our girls.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
The crowds. I shouldn't have to wear football pads and helmet to make my way through Wal-Mart.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color?
Our tree has gold and red balls and ribbon.

24. Favorite Christmas dinner?
I'm a big fan of food, so anything that's homemade.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?
Clothes. I'm tired of having only two pairs of pants I feel are suitable for public viewing.


Tag! You're it! That means you: Lindsay, Amy, Annie, Tara, and Ashley.

ward party

Tonight was the Colman 3rd Ward Christmas Party. Highlights included a delicious Turkey dinner with four different kinds of Jell-O, Rebekah, Andrea, and I performing "Santa Claus is Coming To Town" (see video below), and Rebekah sitting on Santa's lap to tell him what she wanted for Christmas.

We were a little concerned about that last one, because the Santa Claus at the ward party bore a striking resemblance to Grandpa Grover (my dad). Rebekah, however, didn't seem to notice at all. She dutifully sat on his lap and told him what she wants for Christmas (currently she's focused on a new pair of sunglasses, because she lost her old ones; she says she won't lose her new ones because "I'll keep them on my face all day long"). Afterwards, Santa handed her a little goody bag. She solemnly walked up to me and asked, "Daddy, what's this?" "It's a present from Santa Claus, Bekah." "Can we open it?" So we opened it and she looked over its contents: candy, nuts, and an orange. She looked up at me and said, concerned, "Daddy, this isn't what I want for Christmas!" I had to explain to her that this wasn't her actual Christmas present and that I was sure that if she was good Santa would bring her what she wants.

All in all it was great fun.

-sg

journey through the past

It's been a while since I did the whole music-on-YouTube thing. So today you get a twofer, a journey into my musical past.



I wrote "Goodbye" when I was just barely 16 years old. Click here for the "studio" version, which does have kind of an awesome backwards guitar solo in it.



I wrote "Finally" as part of Andrea's 17th birthday present. Click here for the "studio" version. By the way, just so you know what's going on: towards the end of my recording this this morning, Rebekah came into the room and began jumping on the bed, shaking the camera. I pretty much managed to keep it together, although I think I did miss a chord or two. You can hear her ask "Dad, is this a harmonica?" as I turn off the camera.

Enjoy.

-sg

Sunday

Bekah's choice of hat for a Sunday morning? A Santa hat AND her red visor. It did wonders for her bangs. Bekah's choice of activity for a Sunday morning? Picking her nose while listening to Daddy read a story.

Look at our spiritual giant of a daughter! Analee reading the Conference issue of the Ensign.

This is what happens when Ana throws a fit while I'm trying to get her in the car. She pulled the straight-as-a-board trick, so it was impossible to buckle her up. Don't worry ... we got her buckled before we started driving.