my baby stalks the vacuum.

Like a bee to a flower, like backyard cats to cheese, like me to my inbox, Mary Tessa's desperately drawn to the vacuum.

I would have a sweet action montage here, but my camera was too sluggish. So you just get the approach and the arrival.

And, a cute video of some of her joy and rapture . . .

complete with vacuum AKA"jet-engine" background music (that unapologetically dissolves into baby-cam the last 20 seconds).

there was a little girl who had a little curl

I'm stewing--he doesn't want to kill babies.

I needed to revisit this post and these two articles to see why I think charity, good social action, and reproductive health issues are more complex than "for" or "against." The articles address why funding cannot flippantly be withdrawn from international reproductive aid programs. And if, after reading them, you still feel like saying, simplistically, "he just wants to kill babies," don't teach your five-year-old to say that on the playground.

I'm one who really avoids conflict, so this is hard for me to post, but I am feeling confronted by my inbox and my son's classmates.

a boy and his O

[while listening to NPR in the car on Inauguration Day]

Simon: Mom, what's the White House?

Alli: Can we live there?

Mom: Someone in your family has to be the President.

Simon: Mom, I have a new thing to be. . . . . . . . [dramatic pause]

Simon: President.

Alli: Mom, for President I want . . . [spoken like President is a holiday where you can receive things] . . . a . . . a street!

Simon: When I'm President I'm going to make lots of good rules. Like, Saturday . . . is Kool-aid day. Every school has to have kool-aid in their drinking fountain!

I'm so proud.

You should have seen me furiously trying to scratch down the words on an envelope at the next red light, while they all kept pursuing the conversation. It's a wild ride in the car with us, I tell you. You need to grow 7 ears. And cover 4 of them while Mary SQUAWKS along at 80 decibels and thinks she's contributing.

we miss Nanna

She bore our burdens, laughed at our jokes, played with our kids, and just made life generally jolly last week.

Nanna, thanks! We love you!

Allianna has invited you back for tomorrow, by the way.

a good day rising

We'll be leaving the house with a smile, down the driveway crafted by Nanna, Simon and Mark.

HAPPY INAUGURATION DAY!

a bit of MLKjr inspired service, as per Obama's request

We took the troops out for a very small smidge of community trash clean-up and beautification ; we made a small dent by picking up a black bag of trash for each of the six of us out of a nearby lot and did some festive chalk art for the two big days this week. Thanks Mark for taking the photos and picking up quite a bit too!

I'm sure the people who drove by when we were doing only chalking thought we were a bit kooky, but hey, this is what builds character, right?

Happy day to you and yours!

Kudos to Mark's mom for the well crafted O. She's out doing one on my driveway right now. You should come over and see it.

almost 29 in oh-9

in honor of all the 9-ey things this year, I'm snatching this list of 99 life experiences (thanks Julianne).

Things I have done already are in bold:

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a Meteor Shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a Mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris (almost--I was about to get on the train to paris when i decided to fly home standby and see Mark--he'd just gotten home from his mission)
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables (i don't know if any of them got to edible size)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train (Rhodesian Railways)
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a Lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping (close, does polar bear lake swimming on new year's count?)
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse (it was an eventful summer in Zimbabwe)
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted (thanks Dad)
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain (last month)
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial (very late at night with an exhausted baby Simon--thanks aaron for taking us!)
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle (aren't they all speeding?)
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible (Mark has . . . I'm two days into my goal)
86. Visited the White House (the outside)--very briefly
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (um, no thanks?)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life (only my children's . . .)
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone (in)famous (kind of . . . i saw muammar ghaddafi's entourage drive by)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

I guess my Resolutions are clear: the Alamo, leaning tower of Pisa, and Disneyland.

an old family recipe.

the oldest family recipe I've ever made.

Mark's great-grandma Nothum's Christmas nut rolls.

These are full of Christmas nostalgia for us because we first had them on our honeymoon in Missouri. When we returned again to Missouri for Christmas '07 we were gifted with this copy of the recipe and with the last roll from that year's batch (which had been secreted away for such aficionados as Mark and me). ;)

and now! I've finally made them. The recipe has such a fun old world feel. Thirteen egg yolks. Pecans. Not tooooooooo sweet. Perfect. January is a jolly month after all.

if you have Nothum descendants in your family, you should make them--they're not too hard! people around you will purr!

if you're not related to a Nothum, what's your oldest family recipe? leave me a comment--this topic really intrigues me!

and finally, my oldest genetic family recipes are: green tomato pie, cobbler, swedish fried rice, rhubarb pie, swiss steak, and grilled cheese sandwiches. (i see all you taye/boones out there smiling at this list!)

Christmas letter Post Script

We forgot three things:

1. Mark passed his candidacy exam a few months ago. !!!!!!!!!!!! This means he's actually allowed to pursue his PhD project, as opposed to be being a measly, course-taking, pre-candidacy student. He worked really hard (and I knew he'd pass), but it sucked the life out of him for a while.

2. We celebrated our 7th anniversary on December 22nd--I'm too much of a novice blogger still to have remembered to dedicate a post to this, but:

it's been a fabulous happy seven years, full of wrenching experiences, laughter at made-up songs, and now three very munchkin-y kids--I'm so glad I get to be on the same team with Mark for everything--here's to seventy more!

3. I love empanadas con queso now.

That's not really the third item, but, seeing as how I can't remember it right now, I thought you should know about the empanadas thing. I've been meaning to confess for a while. Stay tuned for the other item . . .

God rest ye merry gentlemen and elves . . .

Taking a break from this:

to bring you the following recap of our Christmas eve--Merry Christmas!

early in the eve:

if you're going for it all in one night, i recommend the premade tub of sugarcookie dough.

the "opening one present on the Eve" Taye tradition

thanks Catherine!--this was a rousing performance of Jingle Bells.

i'd like you to notice that all three kids' cheeks are pictured.

Our Nativity
(I couldn't lay on my stomach that pregnant, but she looks pretty comfy.)

Mary and the happy donkey


and she wrapped the babe in swaddling clothes and layed him in a manger

yes, some confusion with "Alli, you be Mary--and Mary, you be Jesus."

Good tidings of great joy which shall be to ALL PEOPLE, and
on earth, Peace, goodwill towards men



i have a small halo. and two cute, blue-clad shepherds.

yes, seals are herd animals.

Our good friends the Pypers stopped by, bringing food, family love, presents and song. :)

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

when H* freezes over . . .

. . . we stick our hands out the car windows and catch quarter-sized flakes! thanks Canada!







we love H*town and we love having it briefly look like our hometown :)


Sorry no pictures--i can't get it to work, soooooo, check some out at chron.com or, ooo oo, the Houston Rowes' got some!

you say 'twas yer birthday? well . . .

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

allianna's pink third birthday party has

come and gone and i don't have much to say other than: phew.

hokey pokey.

skip to my lou.

the best game (not pictured) was Pass the Parcel. google it. play it.

the aforementioned cake.

sweet friend Brielle.

they were delighted to pose together and hug. two shy pink gals have found each other--happiness!

see you again after Christmas.

okay, i'll be back before Christmas. i've still got the actual b-day with a VISIT FROM PAPA (!!!!!!!!!!!), various festive and enjoyable jungle shots. til then . . .

Princess Frostine.

NB: the time on the clock, the color of the frosting, and hey, while you're at it, my long-longed after utensil holder.

birthday party tomorrow.

i only like frosting, cake makes me curse.

i used to work my way through the task of the cake part and relish the "F" of frosting at the end.

got to go, squalling babe awakes and i'm the only responsible adult who doesn't have to get up at 5 for seminary . . . .

The more we get together, the happier she'll be.

To start off our family home evening, we always have a cheer. It goes like this, at the top of your lungs and repeated a few times:

"Welcome to FAM-LEE HOME Eee-VE-NING!!!!!"

Here was Mary Tessa's reaction to it tonight:

And while we're on the topic, I really like having a Mary while this new version of the classic rhyme is floating around:

Just watch the song intro (the video's really long).

It's always in my head--it just has to be sung to a girl like Mary!

running an apothecary around here . . .

hi. long time no talk.

we are running a ridiculous list of medicines and ailments around here. here goes:



first of all, i have to take a pill every morning and every night. one's a friendly thyroid one and one's a friendly "keep the child load at three" one. i do better at remembering this than you might imagine . . . anyway, i can't forget these.

next, let's see, how 'bout Allianna gets the old double ear infection. sweet, the 10 day antibiotic is always a good mental challenge. got to remember it down to the last drop. that was two weeks ago.

enter three balmy days of no medication (imagine sweet breezes here)

wham bang. to get this week started, Simon's down with the double ear infection. we--all three munchkins--get to attend the doctor's office of a monday morning (though, mind you, my kids always develop their ear infections on a saturday night . . . they had to move from the classic "friday night--dr.'s office closed for the weekend" time because our dr. now has saturday hours). sweet dr. hayes decides that for some suspicous weezing in Simon we should begin to use this apparatus:

three times a day, four puffs, six seconds each, for the next one or two weeks . . . help me me mind is starting to frizzle.

but i'm balancing it, i'm dispensing meds with style for days. simon's two meds and my two meds (accented by painkiller all around!)


by thursday i decide to take tess in to see if she can possibly join the fun. ge-uuuuust barely, she has some fluid in a' ear. soooo, how bout twice a day and keep it refrigerated too! even though there seem to be hundreds of teeming masses in the waiting room, the check-in office lady recognizes tess and the check-out insurance lady remembers us too. infamy, that's our goal. ;) but in my strange way, i'm flattered.










so let's just ease on in to friday. the calm, "keep everybody medicated with the rapid fire of a pizza delivery man" day to close the week. before we get there, Simon's teacher (who has been teaching for 20 years) asks me yesterday "ear infections aren't contagious, right? i thought so, but after hearing your saga . . . i was second-guessing myself." So ward members, we're not contagious and we'll see you tonight at the fireside. [scary darth vader-ish music playing]



guess what allianna woke up with:

Yes. Some kind of foreign PURPLE eyelid. it was twice this big when she got up. i'm SURE hoping they've got something to medicate it with. but applying warm compresses 5x/daily would be convenient too . . . really . . . AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!!!

so in case you're wondering, that's a grand total of 10 doses among us each day--not including Mark's Excedrin, which is nearing vitamin status among the Nolte line.

i'm gonna go look and see if there's any Halloween candy left. have i had breakfast?

oh, and we have an appointment for 2:30 this afternoon. patients of the month, i tell you. i'm going to bring the whole crew, just in case they decide to take our picture. cuz that's the way i roll.




*excuse the webcam photos--you don't expect me to know where the camera is do you :)

also, we're really pretty fine, no condolences necessary, just wish me mental prescience so i don't saute dinner in a tsp of antibiotic.

Simon says . . .

While excitedly setting the table for our company tonight:

Simon: "Mom, can I have a knife??"
Mom: "I don't think you're going to need one, bud."
Simon: "I do need one, Mom. . . I'm having soup."

Reminds me of a poem my Grandma Boone recites:

I eat my peas with honey--

I've done it all my life.

It makes the peas taste funny,

but it keeps them on the knife.

In an unrelated note, Tess is now crying because I just kicked my heel away from her two new BITING teefs.

SO sad to see our little friend go.

Mac the elephant died at the Houston zoo yesterday. He was born just before we moved here and it seems like he was one of our first friends. We've loved watching him grow--he has so much personality and mischeiviousness. On average, we probably saw him once a week and we will dearly miss him! I'm so disappointed that when we were there last Saturday Allianna wanted to go see the elephants, but we didn't; he died very suddenly Sunday night.

When Mac was learning to walk it was so funny because it truly looked like a man in an elephant suit pretending to be a baby elephant--it was so awkward.

For more, go here.

I want to lay flowers by his enclosure--is that allowed?

Jungle boogie

Jungle: the little birding preserve we discovered a few weeks ago.

Boogie: the reaction to all the mosquitoes (that ran us out of there eventually).

and, in our own yard, a friendly little botanical volunteer that cropped up after the hurricane:

this little tropical friend likes the number 7. Seven of everything you can count. Neat.

She shrieks for trash!

If you are her grandparent, you can notice that she's crawling up on knees now. The army arms can take a rest now. :)

oh and sorry that i didn't have any lights on--pump up your monitor's brightness.