hello, stranger

Driving into the city today, there was a strange fog that shrouded the bright sunlight that I was hoping to see more of. Oh well... it was still pretty.

(the air base calls it freezing fog, and yes, it did look this strange yellow color!)

moments

I love Alaska's people. Propping a bike against a gate might seem like no big deal to some, but to me I see a perfect little picture. People here set up these moments for me all the time. Many of these moments I don't get a photo of, because many of them are of the people themselves.

If I were braver, I would just pull out my camera (after having figured out the motion setting), and snapp their picture - having asked them or not. People here can be so interesting; their huge fur parkas, their aged and weathered faces from mountaineering in the cold weather for years and years, the way they wear small crampons on their shoes just to walk from one place to the next, the way their faces light up when the talk about salmon runs, or packing a moose out from 30 miles from the nearest road in thigh deep snow.

The people here are so interesting! The moments they create are so interesting. Interesting in a marvelous, intriguing, inspiring way. Even if I don't hunt, or I don't ski, I love to learn about the people and the moments around me.

it takes a lotta work

Mont has started squeal-talking this week. I think it's hilarious! Hopefully people on planes and at church will too - not likely! I love how he has to gather up all his energy, tense his face, then squeal. I love tickling him and cuddling him when he's like this. He's just such a happy boy!!

jingle bells

Using these kickers I have here, I can fill the room with the sounds of bells and chimes. It's quite Christmas-y. Mont's Christmas gift to me; I just do the placement.

Jingle Jangle!!

on the first day of Christmas

Here's my version of a snowman! Nice and warm inside.

The wind is howling outside turning the delicate little snowflakes into something fierce and unfriendly. I like my version of a snowman, where I can see him all day long, in a warm golden hue of indoor lighting.

So what is your favorite Christmas tree ornament? Go take a picture!

frosty

Coming home from church today I noticed so many snowmen!! So before it got too dark (this is around 3:45), we rushed out to take some pictures.

I still have never made a snow man - I don't know what I'm waiting for... maybe New Years?

Happy snowman making!

*added at 9:39pm: the face-less snowman now has a face! Guess they just weren't done with it.

my thanksgiving list

• family - immediate and extended (and especially new additions!)
• friends - wish I could name you all
• a living prophet
• a home
• love and support 
• clean drinking water
• clean air to breathe
• delicious food to eat and cook with
• electricity (and indoor plumbing!)
• artistic inclinations (whether they turn out or not, it is fun!)
• Buckwheat
• uplifting and inspiring media (music, television, films, etc.)
• my happiness
• military efforts to protect freedom and people's liberties 
• good health

I just asked Mark what he's thankful for:

• his muscles

I'm also thankful that he can make me laugh!

when the first baby laughed

Yes, that is our timer beeping ever-so-loudly. 

I finally got Mont's laugh on video tonight with the help of his funny dad. I love his big ole' raspy laugh.

little man

No, this is not a BabyBjorn add, but if it were, I would buy it! Mont is too cute for me to resist. My friend lent me her carrier to try it out for some upcoming travels. So far, Mont really loves looking around while Mark walks around. He hates to face towards you and be strapped in though, so that's too bad. But at least this way is golden. Here are some other pictures from today:

I love how he looks at the lights. We set up Christmas today; can't start it too early with the Bensons, I've discovered. Seriously, one cousin of Mark's has a Christmas ROOM in her basement where she has Christmas set up all year long. And after July 4th she begins listening to Christmas music. ha!

Mont has found his voice!! Along with laughing, he'll carry on full one-sided conversations with us. We love it.

He really does look concerned with whatever it is he's explaining, doesn't he? What a fun munchkin:

And some more pictures of us lounging around the house tonight:

He has the same stick-out ears I do! awww:

He's figured out that he can hold up his weight as long as I hold him steady. He loves that 'standing sensation' and will stand straight as a board even when lying down just so I'm forced to put him upright.

This is "Big Chief" face, as I call it.

Or as Peter Pan would say, "Red Man"

14.5 lbs?!

Two days ago, I hopped on the scale, then hopped off.

Then Mark handed me our tall baby, and we hopped on together.

The scale went up 14.5 lbs!! He's only 3 months and 1.5 weeks!

This weekend Mont was cranky all the way from Friday night to Tuesday morning. It was a rough little weekend, and it was the first time in Relief Society I had to back out of the room while giving everyone (felt like everyone was looking) the "I'm sorry" look!

I thought it was a tooth coming up, which I can feel a little rough spot there, but after he was happy again yesterday, and after I weighed him, I think he was just having a major growth spurt. I haven't measured his length in a while, but I think he has to be over 25 inches.

He nurses every 2 hours or so during the day (holy schneikies), and at night he can go 7 hours from the time he last eats before he falls asleep. Then after that, he can go every 3 to 4 hours until 8 o'clock when it's time to get up.

Now we work on getting him to go back to a 7 or 8 o'clock bed time. Hard days in a row (like he had) always get him off his schedule (if it can be called a schedule)!

Beijing, China

Outdoors. The Summer Palace.

As I have come to expect, Mark has captured more incredible scenes through the lens of the camera he gave me exactly one year ago (happy birthday to me, tomorrow!). There are many photographs that I want to showcase (chose my favorites from ~800), so I'm going to put them in subcategories. enjoy!

Landscapes:

Mu Tian Yu. The Great Wall.

Man at work. Summer Palace.

MY man at 'work.' The Great Wall.

Architecture:

Rooftops. The Summer Palace.

The Summer Palace.

The Summer Palace.

Architectural Detail:

Outside. The Summer Palace.

Tile Rooftop. The Summer Palace.

Black temple wall. The Summer Palace.

Marble Staircase. The Forbidden City.

Outside. The Summer Palace.

Outside door. The Summer Palace.

Side Rooftop. The Summer Palace.

Indoors. The Forbidden City.

Wall. The Forbidden City.

Artwork and Sculpture:

One of thousands. The Summer Palace

Character stamps. Shangri La Hotel, Beijing

Outside. The Forbidden City. *Mulan's friend?*

Display on walkway. Summer Palace.

Outside. The Forbidden City.

An artist's signature. Summer Palace.

Nature:

Tree bark. The Forbidden City.

sweet addictions

*same as this, but different angle now that you can see homes around the steeple

So I tried to not post today... but I have been overloading on pictures lately, and I just want to post, post, post. I even told my dad tonight that I wasn't going to post, because I've been posting every day since, I think, Friday? Good golly.

But while thinking of my 'sweet addictions,' here's a little list of some other things I can't get enough of:
. finding old family pictures (black and whites, preferably)
. staring [and laughing] at Mont
. peanut butter m&ms
. reading under a blanket while Mont naps
. watching the snow fall
. reading D&C
. listening to Pandora Disney (and singing to Mont until he cries)
. Aveeno baby lotion
. sitting on the floor by the fire with Mont
. my flannel pillow case from my mom (so soft!)
. Ensign reading to Mont (while floor sitting by the fire)
. ice water
. warmed Carnation chocolate for breakfast (soothes my throat)
. and more peanut butter m&ms

. will you please tell me what your sweet addictions are so I don't feel quite so quilty?! thank you bunches.

Beijing, China

More pictures from Mark's trip to the Orient coming soon!

ps - phoenix birds in China represent The Queen
(or Empress)

how magical!

polar bears

are a grateful (yet mere) 500, or so, miles to the left of this picture.

snowy night

Doesn't the snow look like glitter?!

I snuck out to our front porch to take a picture

after Mont fell into a dreamy sleep.

I wonder if he's dreaming of Indiana Jones,

or maybe his furry friend Buckwheat?

Yesterday he laughed for the first time.

It made my heart race with the

fun possibilities

of how I can get him to laugh from now on.

So fun!

I am so happy tonight. It is snowing!

first snow

While Mont slept, I strapped on these hot-man-boots (hope no one saw).

Then I explored the space.
Only going a mere 10 yards or so... didn't want to stray too far with a sleeping babe inside.

lovely!!