Danny is in China again

Population of China: 1.3 billion (20% world pop.)
(population of USA: 304 million)

This trip to China is his fourth trip in seven months.
He'll be back next week, on the night of Melia's birthday and the eve of his.

Here is Danny with his brother, Scott.
(this girl is done growing, yes the Chinese are really very short!)

This factory is making the linens for Danny's company.

Here, pillows are ready for packaging.

He visits many cities each time he goes. He found it amusing on his first trip when the first city he stayed in was considered small by its inhabitants. Upon further research, he discovered it only had 4 million people. Huh.

Did you know they have only had the 'one-child rule' for 30 years? The year they made the rule they had 563 million. With that rule in place, they have still doubled in 30 years. That is a fast doubling rate! This makes me start to understand what that drastic communist planning was about! Americans, at our present growth rate, won't double for another 100 years.

what we've been up to lately

This is us on a date in downtown Reno.



Below is our family picture just after the run (don't we all look lovely!). We are at Fernley High, which is right next to our subdivision. I have done a decent share of substitute teaching there during both of my pregnancies.

Here I am with my friend, Candy. She ran the 13 miles in 2:07, I did it in 2:16. That is what kind of gal she is... always inspiring me to work a little harder, be a little better. It was all her idea to run in the first place.

My sister-in-law, Karen, initially inspired me a few years ago to run a half marathon when she ran the full thing (you know, 26 miles!). I don't think I will ever be inspired by her or Candy or my friend Rachel to run a full marathon (you guys are all amazing, though!). I am just glad this day got me motivated to exercise again, it has been a couple of years.

Above is my cute man with my cute Soph (who got very sick later on).

Below Melia is playing with Candy's girls, Jacey and Kiera.
Thanks for the little dress, Beth and Samara!!

Then here below I am working on the tree during Gen. Conf. weekend...it's actually going to be like a year to be completely done! I think I improved the branches a little in my 15 hours of work! Ughh, and the leaves...oh what a mess!

Last week we took a day trip to Sacramento to satisfy my aforementioned, crazy need to "get out of dodge," as they say. Danny and I are trying really hard to start taking pictures of ourselves again. It is difficult to like doing it...we are so much older looking than before! Not to mention our after winter pasty, round look!

Melia's favorite animals were the monkeys playing peekaboo at her from a large sheet they were lying under to be shaded from the sun.

We had a great time. The girls loved to get out and so did we!

And...here is a bonus picture! The girls are just playing together in the morning sun.
Sorry, Soph--I couldn't resist!

I love Jane Austen

Take the Quiz here!

Dear Dolly

I have never considered myself to be a Dolly Parton fan.

My sister, Beth, and I grew up calling her "Dolly Apartment." We figured she could house our little barbie dolls in her chest, it was so large! I can't even bring myself to put a photo of her on my blog she looks so silly!

But I just have to blog and say that I was very touched by her very real performance on American Idol last week. It was surprising and special to me. I wouldn't blog it otherwise.

If you didn't see it, please click on the link and watch this 5 minute clip!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=CC3SsJfjKo8

Beth had her baby!!

Welcome Jackson West Stroud, we are so excited to have you in the family!

Way to go, Bethany!

Sophie's Health Update

Sophie has practically snored since birth. And out of her ten months alive so far, I think she has been congested for 8 of them. I took her to the ENT Doctor and he said that her tonsils (and likely adenoids) are a size 3 on a scale of 1 to 4, 1 being normal size. So he says to plan on further action when she gets a little older. In the mean time I should watch for Sleep Apnea. That is when, while she is sleeping, she holds her breath for 5 seconds or more. I have only noticed her doing it for 2-3 seconds so far. And I think it is allergy related...which brings me to the allergy update.

I weaned her last week. I felt that she needed to be on a stricter diet so as to more reliably avoid any milk products weezling their way into her body from mine. She loves the soy formula. You should see how excited she gets to watch me prepare it. She loooves when I warm the water first in the microwave. She always wants to peer through the glass at the rotating cup of water. She holds the bottle like a champ, too. She doesn't even miss me. Crazy. Anyway. We went and saw the allergist today. He said she may have a more serious condition than the average milk allergy which is outgrown within 2-3 years. They will run some tests next week. I'll keep you posted.

pics of our family

Here are some random pictures of us.
Sorry I don't have one of me; I don't have any recent shots.

Update on Sophie: As you can see, Sophie's face has slimmed out a lot. I don't think she has gained any weight for over 3 months. She has just grown a little longer. She is a little doll. Right now she is constantly holding her little finger up to her eyelashes and feeling them open...and close, open...and close. She crawled today, two feet. While I was out running she crawled to Danny. Then he showed me when I walked in. It was great. Also this week, Sophie learned to scoot along the couch a few steps.

Update on Melia: She talks, talks, talks. It is fun. And she is still very much a princess--she plays dress ups day in, day out. Melia is 100% girl! She is also potty training--it is going okay. She still hasn't figured out how to poop in the potty (which is really wearing on me, I am trying to stay positive but oh it really makes me crazy when she goes and hides and tries to clean it up herself and it ends up all over her legs and dried to her bum, on the floor, in the carpet! yuk!).

Update on Danny: His broken foot has healed a little. The pain has lessened enough that it is tolerable. He hates taking medication, so he is glad he is able to suffer through the remaining pain on his own. He works a lot. He is busy with the marketing end of his job and then China keeps him working into the night (you know, because that is when the Chinese are awake). When he isn't working he is listening to his Chinese-pod or sports radio, and of course he watches nearly every Lakers game on TV.

Update on Annie: I am working on Melia's potty training. For Sophie, I am always on the lookout with my diet to be sure I have ZERO traces of milk products in my diet (she is very allergic to the milk protein, casein). I am pretty used to it now, but it is tricky to eat at others' houses or go to a restaurant. I will need to watch my diet for another 4 or 5 months, probably, until she is "weened." Then I guess we'll feed her goat milk for the next year or two! Also, I am planning on running a half marathon in a month and have made a goal to have Anne's tree mural completed by April.

Extra Update: My dad proposed last month to Gretchen Richards of Morgan, UT, and she said 'yes'! We really like her a lot. We are just waiting to hear when the big day will take place.

Get me on the road---fast!

Wow, I am so anxious lately. I don't know what my deal is...I think I need to get out. I have this crazy urge to pack us all up and drive to, well, anywhere!!! -as long as it is vacation! Since it is totally impractical and ridiculous to actually do this, I keep trying to satisfy this craziness by a date or a trip to the store, but the feeling is only growing stronger! I gotta get out of here!

Is it just me? Am being ungrateful? Is it the weather? Hormones? WhAt?

Newsmap- Link of the month

If you have not seen this website- I would highly recommend it.  I don't know if the blogger nation that happens upon this blog is really into the molecular structure of the bilingual sequence of this algorithm ... but a simple glance at it and I think everyone can appreciate the simplicity and art of this news site.  - http://www.marumushi.com/apps/newsmap/newsmap.cfm 

by the way, individual results may vary.... 

my handy bed heater

I heat my bed nearly every night with my blow dryer.
It is sooooo nice.
Danny asked me if it is a weird girl trick that all women do. I told him I wasn't sure.... But I've wondered about it since! So here is the question, oh blogosphere women, do you do this too?