Golifa

We used to laugh so hard because Miranda called Goliath "Golifa." I suppose it doesn't seem that funny when it's written out, but when kids say words wrong in a certain way it is just so cute that its funny, you know what I mean.
Well, Daddy did a magnet lesson this week for family home evening on the side of the fridge. Rosie gave him a set of David and Goliath magnets. He set up the armies on King Saul's side and on the bad guys side. I probably should know who the bad guys are. Sorry. Well, the good guys were blue and the bad guys red, I know that!
He built up the story really well, and was gathering intensity as he narrated toward the moment when he would introduce who the bad guys selected to fight for their team: GOLIATH.
Daddy said, "They picked their strongest guy, and his name was GOLIATH!" and took the forbidding Goliath magnet out and placed it on the fridge. "Or some people call him Golifa."
Miranda said, "Well I call him big ugly fat guy."
So, the lesson I got from family home evening is that we're doing really well at teaching our children to avoid calling names or labeling people. Sorry Golifa.

a hopeful farewell to winter

I don't dislike winter one bit. I even get excited when its about to arrive. But I'm really okay with it being over this time. I think it might be. I think it will be good for the kids and I to get out and run on grass. Can't wait. Here is a look back at a fun winter adventure we had, sledding. I miss my in-laws when I see these. I am in a constant state of missing them. Hello in-laws out there in cyberspace! We love and miss you!

those crazy Seminarios

Pre-post contemplation: How many times in my life am I going to be acutely aware of my insufficient parenting abilities?

Moving on to lighter, happier thoughts (the kind I should contemplate more often and deeply than that last one).


Sammy learned to open and close his little fingers for popcorn popping last week at Church. I was helping out with nursery, and he'd walk up and get in the personal space of the little girls and boys, and the girls whined a bit but the boys would just shove him. And then he'd fall back a bit and come right back for more. Atta boy Sam. Another funny thing last week for Sam was that Xiao Yu said, "Do you want to come over here, Sammy?" And stopped what he was doing, turned and looked at Xiao Yu and said, clearly, "No." He doesn't say no so we all had a good laugh. I suppose he might be able to say no...I often think that babies can say a whole lot of things they don't say just because, why? They can usually get what they need and want without using words. I wish I could learn that skill: not crying to get my way, but not saying something just because I have the ability.


Miranda, upon being taken back toward the chapel after a potty break during Sacrament meeting: "I don't want to go back into that horrible place!"


Fernando stopped me on the way up the stairs the other day and said to me, in all seriousness, "Instead of thinking of me as your husband maybe you should just think of me as a king, and all you have to think about is making sure I'm taken care of." Okay, so when I turned around, he had a sort of half-smile on his face, but I still think he doesn't think it's such a bad idea to live our lives that way. I told him, "I'm busy taking care of your subjects."
I love my husband.


I'm actually extremely normal. I don't know how those other three got that way.

THIS is an emergency

For Christmas, Daddy bought Miranda a 9-1-1 book. It has real phone buttons on it, and leads Miranda through several scenarios when it would be appropriate to dial 911. If she does so successfully, the book begins to make sounds like "911, This is an emergency!" followed by sirens that are realistic enough to make Sammy cry and cower in my arms.
Of course, Daddy got this book so that Miranda would be able to save her own and/or the rest of our lives by dialing 911. Surely you've seen toddlers do such things on those TV programs that recount amazing real-life situations. The book gives specific information to Miranda, telling her that she should first look for a grown-up to help, and if no grown up is available to help her, she needs to call 911. It also makes clear that dialing 911 is NOT for fun, and should only be done in real emergencies.

We called Mami Rosie (Fernando's mom) the other night so Miranda could tell her some VERY exciting news. "I went in the big girl potty ALL DAY!" Rosie was so happy. She told Miranda, "I'm so proud of you! I will send you some more big girl panties in the mail!" I said, "Tell Rosie what you do if you feel yourself needing to go peep."
Miranda: "I tell Mommy, 'I feel some peep, I need go to the big girl potty!' and if there are no grown-ups around, I call 9-1-1!"

Sam's style

Sam's got style. He's developed several signature dance moves over the last few months, including the Sammy Slide (I'll try to post a video sometime), and check him out in sunglasses. Unlike Miranda who did NOT like things on her head, Sam loves hiding in blankets, wearing wigs, walking around with the hamper over his head, and sporting sunglasses. Appropriate credit is given to the Seminario genes for such coolness. Oh, and he's also very patriotic.

Happy Birthday Xiao Yu

We had lots of fun for Xiao Yu's birthday last week. She is the greatest sister-in-law anyone could ever ask for. We spent most of the day cruising around town for cookable octopus. We ended up settling for calamari. She makes me laugh so hard all the time, and she is also so considerate and selfless. Whenever you get a gift from Xiao Yu, you know it comes straight from her heart. We all tried to make her birthday far away from home AND during Chinese New Year a memorable one.

The other day she made me laugh so hard. Since Katie is the single one left of our siblings, we all like to get into her business and give our opinions on her social life. I know she secretly loves it. Hah. We were having one such moment, talking about how to let a person know you do not "like" them in the nicest and kindest possible way. Fernando finally asked Xiao Yu, "Haven't you ever had someone like you that you didn't like, and you had to say, 'Sorry, I don't like you.'?"
Xiao Yu looked baffled and said, "I never said, 'Sorry.' I just said, "Get away from me."
I laughed so hard. I told her that I am having all of my children call their Auntie Xiao Yu whenever they have relationship problems.

Self-Righteous at the Library

At the library story time the other day, the theme was cars. The books, activites, and songs all revolved around that coveted adult responsibility of navigating a huge piece of metal on busy and unpredictable strips of cement. You can tell how much I enjoy driving.
Anyway, during one of the songs, the kids were supposed to make the sounds of several car functions: beep beep--horn, swish swish--wipers, and then the teacher introduced the third sound: a spitting-your-tounge-out-raspberry-sputtering sound. I think it was supposed to be the sound of the car's exhaust or revving up or somethiong. We're not allowed to make that sound at our house because it is the sound of a toot and thus making that sound is not polite.
So when the teacher introduced the sound, all the other kids started making the sound and laughing. Miranda looked over at me and said, "That's pretty disgusting." "Disgusting" is her favorite word right now next to "Why?" I was laughing inside, and then she put on a more serious face and said, "I'm not coming to this library anymore!" You libraries better step it up because it doesn't take much to offend us.

Happy Valentines Day to everybody in our family who lives far away and to the rest of you whom we also care about and to the rest of you (ha, joking)

Our Valentine's festivities have been excellent this year. Yesterday we got a package from Mami Rosie for Valentines and sent one to her. Miranda decorated the cards herself with glitter. She also ate a lot of the glitter. I'm sure her insides are sparkling right now. It's good to be beautiful inside and out, right? Pa got Miranda and I teddy bears with hearts last night, too. This morning we woke up to flowers and balloons from Daddy. Then I gave Miranda and Sam a few things, including these ADORABLE chocolate suckers I got at the Korean market that look just like Mimi and Sammy:








I should sue for royalties.

We did other stuff then later on we went and visited Daddy at work in our Valentine's best. Miranda was the Queen of Hearts (notice how she captures the fickle nature of the Queen with such ease...you'd think it comes naturally to her).

Samuel was Cupid. He employed the use of wings and weaponry gleefully.

Many a lonely soul found true love thanks to Sammy's aim. Miranda called him the naked flying baby. She refused to use the title "Cupid" because Cupid is one of Santa's reindeer. I really wish Santa had been more creative when naming his reindeer. But maybe Cupid was a casanova.
And now, sleeping children are beginning to wake. Soon the babysitter Katie will arrive and my husband will come home from his class and we'll be out on the town, away from the kids, eating scrumptous food, and talking about the kids. I hope your Valentine's Day is also full of reasons to be glad.

for ferMANdo

Thank you so much for making this my life. You are the better half. I love you.

Snowshoeing

First, I admit that at the moment when we were parked along the canyon road, trying to shove the kids into their respective harnesses while they both cried and resisted with the fury of, well, kids being shoved into harnesses, I didn't think snowshoeing with them was such a bright idea. I think I actually uttered a sarcastic, "This is going to be really fun, " as I tromped toward the trailhead, with a whimpering Sam strapped to my belly and an already cold, crying Miranda hefted onto Patrick's back.
But I was wrong! It was so exhilarating. The snow was perfect, the hollow was windless and still, and the sky was blue against the shady white. We had so much fun. Even the kids loved it...for awhile.
The best souvenir we have is this picture! I laugh every time I look at it. I feel like it's an emergency rescue scene, but really its just that we had to toss the kids over a few streams on our journey. I guess it goes to show that what is easy is not always what is most rewarding or most memorable.

1st tag ever

Okay McKenzie, here I go.

4 Jobs:

01. professor
02. k-12 poetry judge
03. EFY employee
04. writing lab tutor

4 Movies to Re-watch

01. Wizard of Oz
02. Anne of Green Gables (I know, I know)
03. Enchanted (a movie that you AND your two-year-old can watch multiple times)
04. Legacy
(wow I'm predictable)

4 Places I've lived

01. Italy
02. Nauvoo
03. Hawaii
04. Utah (A pretty great state)

4 TV Shows

01. Super Why
02. Am Idol
03. Gladiators
04. Coffee Prince (I had to ax Little Bill and replace it with this because even though I love Little Bill I watch Coffee Prince with my sisters every week and wow, can I just say Korean acting is where it's at!)

4 Places I've Been

01. Macchu Picchu
02. Ponte Vecchio
03. London Temple
04. Sacred Grove

4 People Who Email Me (regularly)

01. Rosie
02. Silvia
03. Grandma Howell
04. Myself (geeky, I know, but there are important things that I don't want me to forget about)

4 Favorite Foods

01. biscotti
02. chocolate
03. asparagus
04. eggplant

4 Places I'd Rather Be Right Now

01. with Fernando
02. Disneyland
03. Nauvoo
04. at the Seminario's in Cali

4 Things I'm Looking Forward to this Year

01. the kids' birthdays 1 and 3
02. a 30 year old husband and still being in my 20's
03. General Conference
04. 5 year anniversary!!!!!

tag to Amy G.

chinese

Fernando and Sharon hold cultural appreciation, understanding, and respect as valuable to pass on to their posterity. So let it be written so let it be done. Here's how it's going so far:

Sammy: After "Dad," his only intelligible words have been "luz" (Light in Spanish), "ji dan", which is "egg" in Mandarin (thanks, Xiao Yu), and "Patrick," who speaks Mandarin. He loves to say "ji dan", when he's falling asleep at night or trying to wake up in the morning, he'll just lay there and repeat it over and over again. While he's strolling about he says it. Sometimes he likes to hold the first syllable out until I start doing the same thing, so we have a fun little "jiiiiiiiiiii" duet. So that's how Sammy's doing in the cultural appreciation category.

Miranda: The other night I served her some soup. She looked at it and tenatively touched it with her pointer finger. Then her eyes fuzzed over a bit as she started thinking of a story that could help her successfully approach the soup. This is commonplace for Miranda, as she frequently copes through adopting alternative personalities, stories, or characters. Finally, she looked at me and said, "I'm Mulan, because Chinese people like disgusting things."

I guess we have a bit more work to do.

a very representative moment

Yesterday after we attended storytime at the library, I had to use the bathroom. There was someone else in there, so I told Miranda to just stand outside the very small stall and I was planning to close the door (imagine that! Being able to use the restroom in privacy?! What a concept).
Anyway, Miranda starts saying she wants to come in, and Sam is clamoring as well. I really have to go at this point. I lean my head down to grab the lock and shut the door, and before I can Miranda shoves from the outside in and I'm whacked on the head/face hard by the door. So in my pain I tried to just quickly get my wits about me and shove the door shut again--and I hear Miranda crying out in pain. I've shut her head and almost neck in the door! So I let her in, and by this time I have GOT to go so I just sit down and barely close the door. And yes I've got all my offspring in there with me. The other person seems to be finishing so I sort of press the door shut, and I say to Miranda, "Sorry about hurting your head! This seems to be the konk head family today!" and that's the funniest thing ever so she starts laughing. Then Miranda starts saying, "Yeah, and me and Sammy have diahreaah!" and they actually don't.

And I wonder, is this real!?! Am I the only one whose life is this ridiculous on a daily basis? Am I a victim of my own genes?

It is at this moment that I laugh so hard. I'm weak with laughing. I can hear the person in the next stall laughing and then leaving. So, again we provide entertainment free of charge when we could be making good money for it.