Finally official

Well after graduating in December of 2007 I have just sort of been waiting for the time when I go back to school. Finally that time is upon us. Even better though, I will be able to bypass the masters degree, (which is slightly unusual for the sciences (by which I of course mean the physical sciences (physics, chemistry, earth sciences) and life sciences (biology (which of course umbrellas into a myriad of different disciplines (though I'm sure physics and chemistry and earth sciences do as well but I am not well versed enough to know what they are))))*. In the fall I will be starting a PhD program in botany. Fun times ahead. *(Sorry for the plethora of parenthesis).

Loving the little moments

I love how well Seth and Levi play together. Love, love, love. Lately they have been building lego towers together, "Really, really tall towers," as Seth would put it. They take turns putting each piece on, and giggle when the tower eventually crashes. They're two peas in a pod. You can so tell that they are brothers -- I just think they were meant for each other, and I am extremely relieved. I don't know if most parents have as much anxiety as I did about my children getting along, but it's something I have prayed and struggled a lot with before Levi was born and now, that they would be friends and be able to support one another. Serioulsy seeing my kids play together is one of the highest joys of my life :)

"Ctootie... Ctootie? .... CTOOTIE!!!"

Spring is completely underhanded here on the palouse; so it's snowing and I was racking my brain trying to think of something to do with the boys since it's snowing. --- FOOD! I'll make cookies with them ("I'm depressed because I eat, I eat because I'm depressed. It's a vicious cycle.") That's a fun idea right? Nope. Horrible idea. My boys apparently love cookies and cookie dough as much as I do, and I can't believe it's possible, but lack the self control and discipline to stop eating them! It's so funny how frustrating the whole situation became, I'm just going to write out some quotes for keepsake, "Ok Sethy, you can dump this sugar into the mixer" .......... accchooooo..... "Bless you Sethy" Full sneeze right into the kitchenaid. Seth:"I'm going to make it go faster." Rachael: "Sethy it's going fast enough." ......voomvoomvoomvooomvooom Rachael: "Sethy! What did I say?!" Rachael: "Levi, please sit down. Levi. Levi!?" Head plant hard on the rim of his highchair and some how got a small cut on his nose in the process. Levi: "Ctootie .... Ctoootiieeeee..... CTOOOTIEEE!!!" the pit of despair the whole time, it was the most miserable moments of his life, being deprived of a constant stream of cookies or cookie dough into his mouth. Seth: "I'm going to get more cookie dough," "After this cookie I'm going to get another." So Levi was crying the whole time, and dangerously sacrificing himself to get to the precious cookies. Seth was adamantly defiant the whole time, he was going to get the cookies, by stealth or stealing -- whatever it takes!

aarughghghrughgh

I'm unable to upload pictures and I'm trying to eliminate possibilities to this problem. I'm wondering if it's the usb cable. Does anyone have a Kodak easy share to share? I don't want to buy a new cable if I don't have to etc. etc.

Poetry Break

1. The Road Not Taken

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;	5
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,	10
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.	15
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.	20

I know, everyone has read or heard of this poem. Robert Frost, the "American Poet" -- which I find quite comical, because I think most Americans do not understand his poetry. He is the most misquoted poet I've heard of -- not the words themselves, but the meaning. I admire his sarcasm. To me this poem isn't a poem about great expectations, definitely not something that should be read at highschool graduation, but more of a gloomy poem of uncertainty and regret in a decision made.

First stanza, "yellow wood" -- It's autumn, he's at the fall in his life, the speaker needs to make a decision, and the overall mood of the poem -- physical sounds (o's-- no highpitched i's and a's) themselves are low and full of gravity -- not excitement. The repetitive "And" -- like the speakers fumbling for words, and making excuses.

Here's a clear hint, "I shall be telling this with a sigh" -- hm... Anyways, my interpretation of the poem is that the speaker thinks he made a mistake in his life, that he choose the wrong path. Maybe it's the pessimist in me but I've always read it that way.

Well, I think I've been de-schooled long enough to get back into poetry -- all those monotonous english courses (especially WSU english courses) sure took a wear on me. I've been thinking of this poem today -- just because of all the decisions that Jeff and I are making lately, and I have this poem ringing in the back kind'of as a warning, that I don't want to look back with a "sigh" on the decisions my path will create.

Victory! Victory!

Ok, this post is not for the weak stomached person. Seth pooped in his potty!!! (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) You honestly don't know how exciting this is. And even if you are aware of the potty problems that we've encountered over the last year, you still don't know how exciting this is. (!!!!!!!) We started potty training a little before he was two! -- Seth's had urinating down for over a year! We've been waiting patiently ("oh, it will happen when it happens") for this memorable poop day for a year and a half! It was so gross! So we decided 4 days ago (?) just to let Seth sleep through the night in underwear. Because up until then Seth would just hold in his poop until we put a diaper on him at night. I was skeptical, I wasn't thrilled about the idea of cleaning up poop in underwear - I shudder at the thought. Soo... for the last 4 days Seth has held in his poop, and I've been dreading and waiting for him to explode. But he went in the potty, I'm so relieved -- and out of the Seth's mouth: "I pooped in my potty! It kind'of looks like a worm." --- you can imagine why it looked like a worm, and I'll refer you back to the 4 day hold-in. So, it was the most disgusting moment of my life -- and it is so comical because I had to smile my way through it. "Congratulations Sethy!" -- exit the bathroom (blehhh, bleeehhh) trying to hold in vomit -- Return to bathroom Seth is hovering over his potty in awe -- hurriedly I plop the poop into the toilet, exit the bathroom -- (blehh, blehhh, blehhh,) --- Come back flush, "Should we call daddy! You're such a big boy!" --- exit, must get phone quick. Poor Seth he was standing in the bathroom waiting to be wiped for like 5 minutes before I could recompose myself. Is potty training supposed to be this difficult? Well Seth is strutting around with his chest puffed out, -- he's a big boy! And daddy came home with Lucky Charms for a reward. All-in-all not too bad of a turn out.

Baseball is great

So I'm stoked about the upcoming baseball season. First Griffey comes back and we get Mike Sweeney...we might not win it all, but we won't lose 100+ like last year. Also the WBC is actually very interesting to follow this time around. The Netherlands screwed up my (and probably everyone elses) bracket by beating the Dominican Republic (not once, but twice) and eliminating them from the tournament. Japan and Korea have predictably moved out of Pool A into Pool 1, and the USA has qualified for Pool 2 and can win Pool C by beating Venezuela tonight. I am predicting that the USA will march through Pool 2 relatively unchallenged until the pool winner game which will probably be against Venezuela. In Pool 1 I think Japan will move through to be the pool winner but Australia will upset Korea in game 5 and go on to the semi's vs. the US. This will set up a semi-final round of USA vs. Australia and Venezuela vs. Japan. USA and Japan will win to move onto the finals and of course my American bias dictates that America will win it all. No real surprises in my predictions except for Australia beating Korea in Game 5 of Pool 1.

Poetry break

a song in the front yard

by Gwendolyn Brooks

I’ve stayed in the front yard all my life.

I want a peek at the back

Where it’s rough and untended and hungry weed grows.

A girl gets sick of a rose.

I want to go in the back yard now

And maybe down the alley,

To where the charity children play.

I want a good time today.

They do some wonderful things.

They have some wonderful fun.

My mother sneers, but I say it’s fine

How they don’t have to go in at quarter to nine.

My mother, she tells me that Johnnie Mae

Will grow up to be a bad woman.

That George’ll be taken to Jail soon or late

(On account of last winter he sold our back gate).

But I say it’s fine. Honest, I do.

And I’d like to be a bad woman, too,

And wear the brave stockings of night-black lace

And strut down the streets with paint on my face. I love the metaphor "I’ve stayed in the front yard all my life." And the perspective from an upper class little girl looking at "charity children" and wishing she had the freedom of the lower class -- namely not being bound by social etiquette. I know my rebellious nature empathizes with the speaker :)

Functionality is the progenitor of morality, otherwise morality is necessarily an arbitrary function of imagination.

Potty Power!

Seth slept through the night in underwear!!!!! hurray! And the only reward he wanted was to put his mattress on the floor. He was so thrilled, he wanted to go and sleep on his mattress for a little longer. Oh Sethy, he is so funny.