.:Seth:Leia:Quincy:.

Baby Genius

2012-01-27T09:49:00.000-08:00

Q rolled over yesterday! On the floor, tummy to back. Sure, it was an accident, but so was the discovery of penicillin. Baby genius? I'll let you decide.

;)

Some things never change

2012-01-26T11:02:00.000-08:00

Here's the scene: I'm in the bathroom at church changing Quincy's diaper (which happens to be her first "blowout" on her brand new dress). A lady that I don't know comes out of a stall and starts washing her hands.

Lady washing her hands: Do you take care of her?

Me: (baffled) Uhhh, yes.

Lady drying her hands: (incredulously) Are you the mother?!

Me: (uneasy giggle) Um, yes.

Lady: (shock fills her face) But you are too young!!

I guess having a baby doesn't change quite everything.

5 weeks old and dressed for church

Daddy putting on her shoes

Look alike

2012-01-09T14:23:00.000-08:00

When Quincy was born we all thought she looked JUST like her mom. And then the swelling went away. Boy, were we wrong... this girl is 100% daddy's.

Seth on left, Quincy on right

So this is what they mean by labor of love

2012-01-06T21:46:00.000-08:00

To my three year old nieces, Clara and Sophia, who both asked after seeing my pregnant belly, "How is she going to get out?" At the time I told them to ask their moms, but girls... this is how she came out. Some people like to share a FULL delivery story, leaving no detail to the readers imagination. Personally, I am of the belief that some details were not meant to be shared. And with that in mind, here is the story of the birth of Quincy Elinor Bohne.

They say first labors last an average of 20 hours. Mine was 6. To those of you who labored for 20 hours, I bow to you and tip my hat. I don't know how you did it. I can only hope it was with a lot of drugs.

Our story started on Sunday, December 18th. I got out of bed that morning to go to the bathroom (Oh, I don't miss having a little baby sitting on my bladder one bit) and thought that maybe, just maybe my water had broken. Not like in the movies where suddenly the woman is standing above a puddle and crying that her water broke, but I thought that perhaps there was a little leak. So, I did what I do best... denied it and figured I'd call my mom at a more decent hour to ask her about it. Ten o'clock came around and I called my mom. I explained that we'd been walking (what felt like miles) around Union Square the day before and that I'd had some subtle cramping. Then that morning, perhaps there was a "leak." She told me I needed to go in and get checked. Of course I didn't want to. It was Sunday and I didn't want to disturb the on-call doctor and I certainly didn't want to be "that girl" that thought she was in labor because she peed her pants a little. But my mom seemed concerned enough that after a few more hours (of frantically packing hospital bags and cleaning) I caved and called the on-call doctor.

Good thing it wasn't an emergency. A receptionist took my information and told me I'd get a call back. Well, that call didn't come for about another hour, so Seth and I took Max to the park to throw a ball. We were sitting in the grass when the call came. The doctor agreed that I should at least be checked out. So we walked back home, packed up the car, and hit the road. Seth's first comment as we got onto the freeway was, "this isn't how I imagined it would happen," followed by, "I don't think this is really going to be it." I agreed to both statements. I wasn't in pain at all. Seth wasn't weaving in and out of traffic as I white knuckled the handle above the door grimacing through another contraction. Surely, this wasn't it. We started to feel stupid for calling and going in at all, and we nearly turned around. But, we didn't.

When we got to the hospital, we checked in with the statement, "We're probably just overreacting, but I'm here to be checked." So they did their test, and what do you know? I had a leak after all. They were keeping me, and we were having a baby. I was struck with fear. And then more fear. And then excitement. We were having a baby!

A bit past 4:00 pm the on-call doctor came in and truly broke my water and they got me started on a little Pitocin to get my contractions going. And oh! did they get going! The next 6 hours were filled with contraction after contraction with hardly a minute to breath in between. It must have been about 8 o'clock when they checked me and determined I was dilated about 4 cm (WTHeck?! Thats it!?) So, I suffered through a few more excruciating contractions and decided I wanted to get in the shower. (Hind sight: bad idea. The crazy-humid-shower-hair ruined the post-birth pictures. Plus, a little hot water is no match for death curdling contractions. And it's even worse when you're trying to keep an IV line out of the water while simultaneously working to keep a baby monitor hooked around you. Not the relaxing shower I was imagining at all.)

The shower hassle had me back in bed, begging to be checked a little before 10:00 pm. The nurse did her thing, and before telling me anything reached across to the "page nurse" button and ordered, "We need Dr. Adie for immediate delivery." Holy smokes, this thing was happening. Thankfully, not even time to ask for pain drugs or an epidural! I was dilated to a ten and the nurse told me that she'd like to have a doctor present, but if I couldn't help but push, well then push! The hospitalist doctor stood in the room looking a bit worried that she'd be delivering baby Q until Dr. Adie came rushing in, gowning up as she ran. With my doctor present I was given full permission to push this baby out! Just about 15 minutes of pushing later, I had a beautiful, healthy, screaming baby lying across my chest as Seth cut the umbilical cord. I wondered in awe of the whole situation as took in the moment. It'd all happened so quickly that through the labor I'd lost sight that at the end of it all, I'd be holding her in my arms. And yet, there she was. And I was already so in love. I had witnessed a miracle undeniable orchestrated by God. No other being could give us such an incredible and perfect gift. The missing piece of our family had arrived.

And that, Clara and Sophia, is how baby Quincy Elinor "got out."

With Dr. Adie.

Mama and baby's first picture together. (I might photoshop in some better hair :)

Such a proud daddy! (Seth later told me he wore this shirt because he wanted to be in something that resembled what she was used to seeing in the womb - oh, how I love him!)

A first of many kisses to come!

The picture sent via text to announce her arrival to our immediate families.

Daddy and daughter under the lights after her first bath.

First family picture

"40 Weeks Pregnant"

2012-01-06T14:00:00.000-08:00


Photo taken on New Years Eve (1 day before Quincy's due date). She's 1 week and 6 days old. I must admit, the thought going through my mind was I'm so glad she's already out and I don't have to go through labor tomorrow!

Quincy Elinor Bohne

2012-01-02T09:36:00.000-08:00

We welcomed baby girl, Quincy Elinor Bohne, into our family on December 18, 2011 at 10:34 pm. 6 lbs 8 oz and just 18 inches long -- our tiny little peanut. We couldn't be more in love. Photos and stories to follow when we find the will power to let her out of our arms for even a moment :)

Ward Christmas Party

2011-12-13T21:37:00.000-08:00

The best way to be initiated into a new ward is to plan its Christmas party. It's worked two years in a row for us! This year it was on quite short notice and for a quite gigantic ward. BUT it all came together in the end. We had some wonderful help from unknowing volunteers who graciously agreed to a lot more than they bargained for (but, then again, so did we!). We will be forever indebted to Sammie and Austin Lee (Austin not only shares a name with my cousin, Austin Lea, but looks eerily identical).

In the end we successfully served a traditional ham dinner to a crowd of about 300 in a fully "decked hall" with boughs of garlands and white lights (all that work and I forgot to get a picture!). We also invited everyone to wear their ugliest or most festive sweater, hence our outfits below :) Had their been a prize given for the best sweater, it'd had gone to Seth. I made that masterpiece in about 10 minutes the day of the party. Rudolph was complete with blinking nose and all. Seth later revealed that he only agreed to wear it because he was MCing and could "get away" with a more outrageous outfit.

Merry Christmas!

37 Weeks

2011-12-11T21:44:00.000-08:00

Bahaha, my cheesy pose turned out to be the best one!

Have you ever...

2011-12-09T10:46:00.001-08:00

...planned a Christmas dinner for 350 people? After tonight I think I might be able to start breathing again. Merry Christmas!

35 Weeks

2011-11-28T21:56:00.001-08:00

Oh so much has happened in the past 2 weeks that I want to blog about! Three year wedding anniversary, Thanksgiving, a baby shower, Christmas party assignments, etc. Unfortunately, I've just not had time to gather the pictures let alone my thoughts. But, so I don't get behind, here's a 35 weeks pregnant picture. A typical Sunday evening outfit... stretch pants* and one of Seth's sweatshirts.

*I used to find myself wondering, "What the heck is it with pregnant women and stretch pants?" And now I know - comfort without the amorphous giganticism that comes with sweat pants. Sure, the legs might not be in the best condition of their lives, but in comparison with the stomach, they're doing great. Note for the posterity: I don't go out in public this way.

California Baby Shower

2011-11-27T21:11:00.000-08:00

Seth's family threw me a wonderful baby shower on Saturday night. We all (female siblings, cousins, aunts, grandma, mom, etc.) met halfway between Walnut Creek and Modesto at a Chili's so that no one had to travel too far. We had a great time chatting, playing "baby memory," and showering/being showered with gifts. Seth and I are SO grateful for how generous everyone has been welcoming our little girl into this world. It's so fun to have so many people to share in the excitement with. This little baby is one lucky girl to be surrounded by so many who love her!

So much to be grateful for!

2011-11-27T20:27:00.000-08:00

Seth and I have been sooo blessed this year. A baby on the way, a move back towards family, a new job. Those are big ones and there's so much more!

We spent Thanksgiving with Seth's family. Maren, Jonelle, Chalyce, and Ryan all made the trip from Utah to be there for the week, so we figured we'd make a vacation out of it too! So we packed our suitcase and left the comfort of our cozy apartment and spent Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights up in Walnut Creek - vacation style. We wouldn't have wanted to miss out on anything while driving back and forth.

Thanksgiving dinner was full of ALL the trimmings. If there is one thing the Bohnes know how to do, its FOOD. However, I was the Thanksgiving grinch, of course, and stuck to my tofurkey :) The night ended with homemade apple and pumpkin pies in the backyard (California knows how to bring the good Thanksgiving weather).

The rest of the weekend included a trip to the temple, a dinner at Tulio's (didn't I say the Bohnes know how to do food?), and a baby shower for me and the babe on Saturday night.

After the temple - We couldn't have coordinated colors better had we tried!

The sunset was gorgeous. Not done justice here.

Cute picture of Ryan and Chalyce.

Be kind...

2011-11-23T09:56:00.001-08:00

...for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. {Plato}

It's been how long?

2011-11-22T20:24:00.000-08:00

It's been T H R E E incredible years since Seth and I were married - long enough that I can't remember life without him, nor do I care to! I love this man with all my heart. I remember being at Grandma and Grandpa White's house a little over three years ago when we were about to be married. Grandma was telling us how we thought we loved each other then, but ooooh we had no idea how much more we'd grow to love each other. I couldn't fathom being more in love. But, now I'm beginning to see. I can only imagine what a baby is going to add to this equation.

To celebrate our wedding anniversary we took a trip to Monterrey for the weekend. It's become a tradition to go for a little get-away together rather than give gifts. I like it that way. We walked the beaches, enjoyed Martinelli's with cheese and crackers, threw Max's floaty toy into the ocean 893,976 times, picked out our $6.9 million home on the beach in Carmel, enjoyed a delightful (and expensive, whoops!) dinner at the Monterrey Fishhouse, and even caught a holiday craft fair. I couldn't have asked for more.The actual day of (November 22) we were both back to work, but I received a special delivery. Flowers! I could hardly believe it - that is NOT Seth's style. I opened the card in unbelief when they in fact were from him. And then I got all teary eyed. I'm going to blame that one on pregnancy.

I love this boy.

33 weeks 5 days

C'mon. One more throw.

Closest we could get to a family picture. Max doesn't stand still on the beach.

Napa Valley

2011-11-13T20:33:00.001-08:00

We spent yesterday with our great college friends, Megan and Josh. They traveled out to Napa for the weekend where they were borrowing a friend's vacation home for a mini vacation. We joined them for the day walking through vineyards and experiencing the finer side of life that Napa Valley thrives on. The valley is FULL of beautiful colors this time of year and gave me the taste of fall that I've been so desperately craving. Oh how I miss having Megan right down the street! She can always give me a good laugh.

33 Weeks

2011-11-13T20:28:00.001-08:00

There comes a point in every pregnancy where you just inflate. Except for my friend, Kimi. Curse her. My point has come.

Napa, California

I forgot to tell everyone...

2011-11-03T15:24:00.000-07:00

I got a job! Just a little one. And it's only for about 5 weeks. But still, no more stay-at-home-wife for me! I'm working at a law office in Cupertino that does a lot of "Intellectual Property" stuff. Like trademarks. Me, specifically? I go through files. It's pretty exciting. Good thing I went to college, huh? I'm already enjoying the little (and I mean little) extra moolah it brings in. I only work about 6 hours a day, but man does it take it out of me. I have so much respect for the pregnant women that work full-time through their pregnancies. Somehow I just wasn't raised with that kind of work ethic. I like to play.

Other than that, I'm looking forward to our second birthing class tonight. Last week the instructor split us into male and female groups and gave us a mini anatomy quiz. It was a picture of a woman and her insides with blanks we had to fill in. We were allowed to work with our fellow gender mates. When we came back together the ladies had gotten all the answers right. The guys got most everything right. They just missed one. Can you guess which one? It starts with a 'v' and ends with an 'agina.' Yep, the same guys that watered the seed couldn't identify a ya-ya on the map. That gave me a good laugh.

Happy Thursday, it's almost the weekend!

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-02T17:59:00.000-07:00

Trunk or treating... does life get any better? I think this is my favorite church activity of the year. I love seeing all the kiddies in their costumes running from car to car with their bags full of candy. We brought Max this year (in costume, of course) as an added attraction to draw in the little ones -- not a single kid was afraid of him! He really is great with them. He sat in the trunk with us most of the night and would hop down for a pet when a little one wanted to get a real handful of fur.

We went as a family of skeletons, even little baby Bohne had a costume! It was a toss up between being skeletons or this beach babe. Haha, JUST kidding. But kudos to that lady.

Seth started his celebrating early as a yellow jacket with the fine lady bees of his team at work.

Max made sure the baby was anatomically correct. Four ribs... because that's as high as he can count.

We made our costumes using freezer paper stencils - the best discovery since Nutella.

Max's costume is from Target. Can't claim that one.

That's a black bean burger for anyone wondering :)

Our friends Nicki, Jonathan, and Adelaide as Salt, Pepper and Paprika from Blue's Clues :)

We gave out glow sticks along with our candy... an attempt to be the popular trunk. I'd say Max was still the bigger hit.


Maternity skeleton shirt stencil for anyone who found this blog looking to copy it! I'd fix the bottom right rib though and move the baby to the left a smudge.

Happy Halloween!

30 Weeks

2011-10-23T21:43:00.000-07:00

Did I have just a little too much fun (over)post-processing these? Perhaps. Do Seth and I need to work on our strike-a-sexy-GQ-pose faces? Most definitely. Is Max still the cutest one in the family? Clearly.

Death to my ears...

2011-10-21T16:18:00.000-07:00

... safe to eat raw cookie dough. The only question remaining is how much can I eat in a single sitting? Thanks to my sister, Ellilea, for finding and making this recipe for me. I owe you credit for a big accomplishment: today I officially passed my heaviest weight I've ever been. In my life. You say: You made it to 30 weeks pregnant before that happened? That's great! I say: You should have seen me after my freshman year of college. So why don't we celebrate and all go make a batch of these tiny drops of heaven... let's bring up the average BMI around here!

Heather's Safe to Eat Raw Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Ingredients:

Servings: 30

1 cup butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda (optional)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 (3 1/2 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding
1/4 cup milk (I used soy)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:

In large bowl cream butter and sugar until light in color.

Add pudding and combine well.

Stir in vanilla and milk.

Add baking soda, if you choose to & flour 1/2 cup at a time until combined.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Store in fridge or freeze small scoops in the freezer.

Enjoy, WITHOUT the worry of eating raw eggs.

You can choose to leave out the baking soda, but it adds a nice flavor to the dough, and I find we miss it when it is not there.

.:link to original recipe:.

Oregon Baby Shower

2011-10-19T18:04:00.000-07:00

Three words: Cozy, classy, comfortable. I think that describes the shower my sisters and mom threw me in Portland last week. I'm so grateful for how supportive and generous everyone is to welcome our little baby into this world. While the ladies enjoyed a delicious (and vegetarian!) luncheon spread, the guys hit the golf course. Luckily we were blessed with a rare Oregon autumn day with no cloud in sight.

We took home quite a haul! I should have taken a picture of our car packed and ready to go home. Baby things floor to ceiling! We are SO grateful for supportive family and friends. I don't know how anyone has a baby without them. Thanks to all those who came!!

Best spent $99

2011-10-18T18:29:00.000-07:00

For $99 I stepped out my door, onto a plane, and into the world of my nieces and nephews. I spent a wonderful nine days in Oregon last week; Seth drove to join me for the last three of them. The occasion? Norah's first birthday and a baby shower for our little one that I'll post pictures from next. We had a wonderful time with family and old friends!

My last first date ever

2011-10-13T11:53:00.000-07:00

Four years ago today I went on my last first date ever.

It was with a sun-kissed, Californian, blonde boy with a buzzed head and (cringe) skater shoes. October 13, 2007 was an overcast, rainy day, and I'd set out on errands before showering. I'd spent the entire day combing Utah valley's feed stores for medicine for my dog, Jubilee, who had a chronic case of demodex mites. Merely an hour and a half before the date I found myself 20 miles from home in Spanish Fork and stressed because I'd not found the medicine nor did I have a single thing to wear for the date. Desperation set in, and I stopped at the only store likely to sell clothes in Spanish Fork -- Shopko. Classy. I found a sweater that would do and raced home to shower and get ready for that knock on the door.

Seth showed up on time and handsome as ever. We went straight to dinner at Noodles & Co., a restaurant he'd picked specifically for its good variety of vegetarian options (a boy that does his research -- 2 points to him!). Then he let me know that we'd be meeting some people at Seven Peaks to go ice skating. He asked when the last time I'd been ice skating was, and I lied. Truthfully, it was the previous Friday night on another date that was not-so-great, but I didn't want to bring that up so I just brushed off the question by telling him it'd been a long time. Well the rest of the "group date" never showed so Seth and I circled the rink, just the two of us, lost in each others eyes. Just kidding. But I will let you know that there was some hand holding -- something that Seth would later reveal was pre-meditated and the reason for the ice skating activity.

We finished skating, and it was still early. At BYU returning a date home on a Saturday night before midnight was a clear indication that you weren't interested, so what to do? Seth gave two options: go catch a movie or head up the canyon for a walk by the river. Of course I chose the latter. So up we went and when we got to the parking lot Seth popped the trunk and pulled out a blanket for us to share (hmmm, maybe this was more planned than he let on). We started walking down the path and before I knew it that blanket was around both of us, and so was Seth's arm, whoa this guy was bold! Speaking of the way we walked side by side, hips swaying in sync, Seth said, "You know, we fit really well together." He's never lived down that first date line.

We spent the next hour or so sitting at the rivers edge talking and making up a "scary" story together in honor of the upcoming Halloween holiday. We also discovered that today was both of our siblings' birthdays (Happy birthday Shanny and Eric!) and we ended up giving Seth's little brother a call. I must have sensed this guy was special because I can't think of another first date that I've ever let a guy hold my hand, put his arm around me, and introduce me to a part of his family!

He returned me to my doorstep as a respectable gentleman would do just before midnight. I can't remember the details of the drop-off, but I know we didn't kiss (that would come just a few days later). He must have given me a good long hug though, because I can remember thinking that he gave great hugs. And so that was our first date, the last one I ever went on.

It's sometimes hard to believe that day was four whole years ago! But then I think of all we've done together and I find myself forgetting what it was like to live without him. A wedding, a college graduation for both of us, three moves across the country, a trip to the other side of the world, new jobs, a new cat, a new dog, a baby on the way! Happy four year dating anniversary, Babe! Thanks for asking me on that first date. I lover you!

One of our first pictures together. Halloween 2007. What a hunk!

Reggie's Tip of the Day

2011-10-11T16:04:00.000-07:00

This little knowledge nugget was shouted from Reggie's second story window* as I unloaded groceries from the car: "Don't you use cologne, or perfume, or lotion or none of that stuff 'cause it'll get in your breast milk. Google it."

Why do I even bother reading pregnancy books when my 50 year old male neighbor has got all the info I need?

*If you don't know Reggie, you can meet him in this post.

26 Weeks

2011-09-26T11:18:00.000-07:00

People meeting me STILL don't think I look pregnant. #*#&#! I'll admit, the outfits I choose for pictures probably emphasize the belly. But still. You think my stomach just naturally juts out like this?

Hallelujah we got some rain yesterday! 85 degrees and sunny EVERY day just doesn't do it for me... I guess I really do need opposition in all things. I was so elated to wake up to a little cloud cover and sprinkles that I almost cried.

On our way to take the prego picture at a little park near our apartment we passed a couple of antique suitcases on the side of the road with a "FREE" sign. At Seth's suggestion we stopped and snagged a really neat brown Samsonite one (that now sits with a blue one that I've had as decoration in our family room). Then, this morning I woke up and did my daily check of Etsy... and what's on the front page? The EXACT same one...for forty big ones! Good find to the Hubs!

(Note: You might be wondering why I'm always dressed up in these pictures. Which is totally against my number one fashion rule -- comfort. No. I don't wear a skirt every day. I don't even wear a skirt for a full day every week. It's more like four hours on Sunday. It just so happens that my week benchmarks fall on Sunday, so you get to see my polished church-going outfit instead of the plain Jane (or is it Tarzan meets Jane?) outfits I usually sport.)

Snapshots from an A's game

2011-09-20T16:20:00.000-07:00

View from our seats -- Seth and I in a few years

Lucky us, we were gifted tickets to another baseball game from Seth's work! These were our best seats yet -- in the 3rd base field box. They even had free peanuts waiting on our seats and we had our own personal waiter who ordered and delivered all of our food! Oh, and the game was good too :) We were happy to take Seth's parents and the A's are Seth's team, so he especially appreciated the game. It made for a wonderful last-weekend-of-summer afternoon!*

*and then we watched the most embarrassing BYU football game as they lost to the U and ruined the day.

24 Weeks

2011-09-11T17:54:00.000-07:00

Backstory: I was beginning to feel a bit self-conscious about filling a blog with pictures of myself; But, I also knew that I'd kick myself for not taking pictures to document my growth to whaledom. So, I thought wouldn't it be fun to put Seth in one? Surprisingly, he was quite a good sport with far fewer than the normal grumblings to be expected.

Then came Reggie. You need to meet our neighbor Reggie. How can I paint a picture of Reggie for you? First of all, Seth and I estimate he's in his mid 50's. He's a very friendly black man that looks a lot like Lil' Bill, just all grown up, and with the foulest music you've probably ever heard. And the music never stops. And it's LOUD. Our walls shake with the beat of his bass from "good mornings" til "good nights." He crosses the busy street in front of our house it seems all day long, and every time I see him, he's nearly getting hit by a car or the lightrail. He likes to talk to everyone. One time I walked out to get Max food which we store on our balcony, and I hear, "Hello up there! Hello?!" He just wanted to talk about the plummeting value of the American dollar, and the double property taxes incurred on a corner house - because it's on two streets, among other less appropriate subjects. It seems every time I walk outside, I see, or hear Reggie. He's just everywhere. And he might be a little crazy. We're not sure.

So back to the picture taking. It probably won't surprise you to hear that Reggie was there when we decided to try and snap this quick picture in our parking lot before church. As Seth was setting up the tripod I heard Reggie and his friend making all kind of noise from his second story apartment window - nothing new. Then as Seth hit the timer and came to stand next to me and strike "the pregnant pose" Reggie and his friend burst into applause and laughter and a peanut gallery of shouting. Needless to say, we were both too embarrassed to try and take another photo. We simply grabbed the camera, hopped in the car, and had a very somber ride to church as Seth tried to regain his manliness that the peanut gallery so adeptly had stolen.

23 weeks and a new haircut to boot

2011-09-04T22:10:00.000-07:00

According to my pregnancy book our little munchkin weighs a little over a pound this week. She is about 8 inches long and has lots of saggy skin. Apparently we're going to start depositing a whole lot of fat on her (and me) in this next month. This must be why my taste buds are telling me the more mayonnaise the better and the health nut in me just doesn't stand a chance. Bring on the pounds.

Almost an Eagle

2011-08-27T14:43:00.000-07:00

We helped finish up Eric's eagle project today. He built a cover for an old piece of farming equipment (truth be told, it was a poo *ahem manure* spreader) up at Borges Ranch. I got out my camera to snap a few pictures... but lo and behold this is the only one I got before it died.

Homemade gems

2011-08-26T18:59:00.000-07:00

Aren't handmade goodies always the best? I love having the time at home to make all my little practical crafts. Here's a peak into what I've been up to lately.


Aren't these fabrics fantastic? An easy snap closure and backs are lined with terry cloth to wipe up after a meal. Love them.


If you're going to have a baby in January, you'll probably need an owl beanie to cover that newborn baldy!

Eco-friendly wipes? Yes, please. If you're doing cloth diapers, you might as well be doing cloth wipes. I think these cheery prints are going to do wonders to my disposition during poopy situations.

I'm always looking to make back the money I spend in materials... and time. So if you want to make an offer I may have a few extra of the above items around my house to make you a few :)

EDIT: link to my etsy shop

Chinese slave

2011-08-21T19:31:00.000-07:00

I've been awful at taking pictures lately, which is usually the motivating factor to write a blog post at all. So here's just a short, boring update. You should probably stop reading. It's boring.

We're officially Californians! We spent Friday at the DMV getting the license plates and driver's licenses to prove it. Some unfortunate things happened at the DMV that day. First, as I just barely avoided failing a written driving test (should have studied up on my drunk driving laws apparently), Seth accepted our new license plates... 6SAX8649 -- not my first choice in an 8 digit sequence in which to identify myself. In my opinion, they shouldn't be issuing plates with the letters S and X in such close proximity, but who am I to make the rules? Second, I look utterly Chinese in my picture. Now before you go calling me racist I'll have you know that one of my very best friends (shout out to Justin) is Chinese and I hope to one day have at least one Chinese baby. I just don't have the heritage to justify these squinty eyes. Dad: white. Mom: white. No Chinese eyes there. And alas, my new driver's license. Um, ma'am, are your eyes open?

Saturday we spent the day in Walnut Creek. We started the day slaving under the hot sun pouring cement to begin Eric's Eagle Scout project. I'm exaggerating, it wasn't that hot and we weren't really slaves. In fact, around family you'd think I had a terrible disability - not a pregnancy. I'm hardly allowed to lift a finger without insisting my doctor told me I could. I'll admit, the special treatment does feel good every once in awhile. After getting the cement poured (where I was the tape measure specialist) we lounged in the pool the rest of the day. Max especially enjoyed this. When I get the picture from my mom-in-law I'll post it, but until then just imagine: big dog, bigger pool, inflatable raft. He was living the high life. Apparently he was also snacking on unripened tomatoes when we weren't looking. We woke up to the tell-tale gut wrenching sound of that lovely surprise coming back up this morning. On the new carpet. Delightful.

So there you have it, my boring account of our relaxing weekend. You really read the whole thing?

21 Weeks

2011-08-21T19:04:00.000-07:00

Momentous baby moment this week: Seth could feel the baby kicking! I've felt her (or thought I've felt her) jamming away in there for about 2 weeks now, but it was all the more reassurance that I wasn't imagining it when Seth put his hand on my stomach and felt a definite kick. His face was priceless. He was so excited (and Seth typically lacks the ability to show that general emotion). We were in the middle of our amazement that there really is a little girl in there... and then we both SAW it. We could SEE her kicking and both just lost it. THAT is a weird thing to see on yourself. She put on a good active kicking show for us that night -- so fun. And we're SO excited! Let's just fast forward 4 1/2 months please :)

The results are in...

2011-08-13T22:46:00.000-07:00

Get ready for sugar and spice and everything nice... It's a g i r l !!!

Chime in! Boy or girl?

2011-08-11T09:23:00.000-07:00

Alrighty folks, the telling day is T O M O R R O W ! ! Let's hear your votes*...

Losers will be on spit-up duty until 2013**

*You ought to leave a comment if you want to claim you got it right.
**Lucky you! Choose wisely.

Life's not always a fairytale

2011-08-10T11:29:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard, we're pregnant! And we couldn't be more thrilled! That said, I've been wanting to write the following post for a long time, but didn't know how to find the words that would adequately express all of my thoughts. So, bear with me.

I feel like a lot of what is portrayed in the blog world is a glamorized version of real life -- all smiles and very little heartache. Many times it leaves the reader feeling like their own life (a real, dynamic, and full one with both good and bad) doesn't live up to the ones of their friends. In reality, we all have our ups and downs, our personal trials and triumphs. Life isn't all cheesy grins into a camera's lens. Sure, it's natural to paint ourselves in the best light, but I guess I want to take a minute to be vulnerable. I want to empathize with those of you who might be facing a similar trial to one that I've recently passed.

It wasn't long ago that I wasn't pregnant and wondered if I'd ever be. Seth can attest that many nights I fell asleep puffy faced on a pillow dampened by tears wondering why things wouldn't work for us. I heard about couples that "oops!" got knocked up, and "oh, shoot! really didn't want to have a baby right now." And yet there they were, having a baby and there we were, wanting it so bad, and nothing. I'd open up facebook each day to see a new ultrasound, pregnancy announcement, or birth announcement and fight back the pangs of jealousy. It seemed to come so easily to others, yet for us all that loomed was the terrifying thought of the 'I' word... infertility.

If you're in this same situation, I just want you to know it didn't come easily for us. Certainly it could have been much worse. We weren't trying for three years, consulting doctors, and suffering through unsuccessful procedures; however, I now understand that when you want it, even a few months is an excruciating wait. For us it was closer to a year. In the midst of this trial I could see no light at the end of the tunnel, but now I can attest that the wait has made the fruit that much sweeter.

If you're facing this same trial, I hope this gives you a little bit of solace. The emotional roller coaster that comes with trying to conceive is one of the most painful things to face, yet no one talks about it, so a lot of times you end up facing it alone. I hope you can take a little bit of comfort in knowing that for at least one more couple, it didn't come easily.

Family photo

2011-08-08T14:23:00.000-07:00

Before Trent left for his mission we took the last family picture with all Bohnes present. It'll be several years before we're all together again (since EJ Bootyheimer will probably be gone on his mission before T-Bone gets back). Handsome group I do believe...

(Photographer: Christina Shook)

19 Weeks

2011-08-06T21:35:00.000-07:00

Santa Cruz beach and pier for a fun day

I've been everywhere, Man, I've been everywhere!

2011-07-29T18:23:00.000-07:00

The month of July has been C-R-A-Z-Y! We started the month celebrating Seth's 26th in Virginia, then drove across the country in our trusty moving truck, stopping to take in the sights and people of Utah, then finished the journey to California to our temporary home in Walnut Creek, where we saw Trent off to his LDS mission to Brazil, found an apartment in San Jose (where we'll soon move) and got Seth started with his new job. Shortly thereafter we learned of the passing of Sarah and Carley's dad, Tim Hill. Shocked and saddened by the news I was on the road again up to Oregon for the beautiful memorial service, and visited my cousin in Bend, and then on to Washington to visit my sister and her darling family. I made the trip back to the Bay Area yesterday and we're entertaining the idea of heading to L.A. for the weekend for our good friends baby to be blessed. The craziest part of all? The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded? $3.70. I think we're broke.

GET READY FOR PICTURES!

Celebrating his 26th with cheesecake. It was a low-key birthday
with dinner and a movie. The calm before the storm.

My moving heroes! That sweat was Deserved with a capital D. They moved our
3rd story apartment into the truck in 95 degree 80% humidity weather. We're so
grateful for them... Seth and I could've never done it alone.

I believe this is state sign 20/50 and perhaps the most frustrating of them all! In the last year
we've probably passed it 15 times, but never stopped because we were in a hurry or there was
"too much traffic." We figured we'd get it later... and never did. So here we were leaving the
East Coast for a good long time, and couldn't stop yet again... so you get a look
through the dirty windshield while driving sans Seth and me.

State sign 21/50. And it's worth its weight in gold. We decided to go I-80 back home instead of
the usual I-70 in order to get this new sign. Turns out the tolls on this new route set us back
over $80. Never again.

When the sun went down each day, Lucas assumed his position on the dash. Here we are
entering Utah. He and Max both get A+'s for their travel-ability.

While in Provo for 2 days we hiked the Y with Jonelle, Maren, and
Grandpa (who's 80!). I hope I can get up there when I'm his age!

Group picture of all those that attended Trent's farewell. He'll be serving the
people of Londrina, Brazil and teaching the gospel for the next 2 years. We're
very proud of him!

Up in Oregon now on a nice hike to Latourelle Falls with Lila, Sophia and
baby Norah. Much to Sophia's delight we found all sorts of berries, flowers, and
spotted slugs. She also got a huge kick out of throwing rocks in the river for Max.

Max and Sophia palling around at the vista point overlooking the
gorge. We probably spent another hour up here after our hike just
enjoying the rare sunny and clear Portland day!

Too stinkin' cute not to include! Norah loved crawling all over Max.
He'd move 10 feet to get away and next thing you knew, she was army
crawlin' it in his direction and right back on top! I can't wait for Max
to have his own little baby to entertain :)

We don't want to give anything away... but watch this

2011-07-01T19:38:00.000-07:00

The sun may rise in the East, at least it sets in a finer location.

2011-06-29T15:31:00.000-07:00

Of the last 27 days, I have seen my husband a total of 9. Nine days. The company Seth works for has been sending HIM to San Francisco every week and in the meantime sentencing ME to misery. Don't get me wrong, Max and Lucas are pretty good company, but we just don't do well without our Seth. Now, don't you worry, things are about to change! Seth was offered a new job yesterday in San Jose that we will be accepting. He gave his notice today, so we're going to be Californians in no time! We are very excited about being closer to family and can't wait to get out there. Looks like the Bohnes are continuing the tradition of yearly trips across the country in a Budget moving truck. Bring. It. On.

Enjoy some pictures of the nature walk Max and I took to keep us from mourning Seth's absence this week:

Please don't misunderstand our excitement to get to the West Coast. There are MANY things about Virginia we love and are going to miss!

"If you can't stand the heat...

2011-06-29T15:13:00.000-07:00

...get out of Virginia." (Isn't that how the saying goes?) I guess Seth and I and most of our friends just can't stand the heat, because we're dropping like flies and moving to other parts of the world. Alena and Sam left yesterday, Kari and Kirk left today, Kimi and Brandon a few weeks ago, Whitney goes in a few weeks, and so do we! A real mass exodus. As one final goodbye, we gathered our blankets and parked 'em on a patch of grass last Sunday after church. The boys brought their guitars and jammed a little, and us ladies... well, we just talked. I'm sure gonna miss this crew. I foresee in our future a few visits to 29 Palms, Hawaii, and wherever else they'll all get stationed!

Birthday splendor

2011-06-29T14:55:00.000-07:00

June 19th we celebrated my 24th birthday. 24! Wow, that seems old. Luckily I still pass for 12. (No really, I was mistaken for a 12 year old just today.) Someday my body will catch up with my very wise and mature inner soul ;)

Seth surprised me the night before my birthday (which fell on a Sunday this year) with tickets to a Beatles concert at a really neat outdoor amphitheater. Technically the band was called "Rain," but they are a tribute band...which means they dress up like the Beatles and sing all of their songs. It was incredible. They really were soo good and we had a wonderful time. He and his parents also went in together to get me a sewing machine! (Big thank you!) I can't wait to see what I can whip up on that thing! The actual day of my birthday we were able to celebrate the baby blessing of little Mariah Edwards with the entire Gutierrez family (who are a blast to be around). I came home to a cute surprise on my door from Alena, and to put the icing on the cake, quite literally, my darling husband made me my favorite dessert... angel food cake with strawberries and whipped cream. I feel so loved and so spoiled.

Have you heard?

2011-06-13T15:21:00.000-07:00

We're headed back to the Left Coast! Right where we belong.

Soon enough this will be us...

...more details to come.

Camping on Kerr Lake's edge

2011-06-01T19:29:00.000-07:00

We spent Memorial Day weekend just over the North Carolina border camping at a nice little spot on the lake. It was just us for a quiet little getaway and I can't think of a thing that would have made it any better.Ok, maybe a boat :)

Buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks!

2011-05-12T05:34:00.000-07:00

After Seth and I got married we often talked about "dating" other couples. You know, finding that other couple that Seth genuinely liked the guy and I genuinely liked the girl. This is a harder task than you might first suppose. Compatibility between all parties is often difficult to find. But that's what we found when we met Kirk and Kari :) We spent a Monday evening at the ball park a couple weeks ago watching the Nationals take on the Giants. The hometeam Nats won, but more importantly than that, my dream of catching a t-shirt out of the launcher was at last fulfilled! My studly husband got it for me. We were hoping for a foul ball as well (Kari and I risked our lives to be sitting in foul ball territory), but that one eluded us. Maybe next time.

Namaste

2011-05-12T04:46:00.000-07:00

Fantastic people, incredible location, breathing in rhythm to the soundtrack of God's own creation. This is my kind of yoga.

My newest friend Jenny (who has become my dog-owning running partner) just received her yoga instruction certificate! In order to fulfill the certification requirements she must log 8 hours of teaching. And so here we are, her willing guinea pigs :) We yoga (can that be a verb?) at Government Island, a beautiful park that just opened to the public last October. It's less than a mile from my house, and rarely a day passes that I don't grace it's paths for one reason or another. It's become mine and Max's little safe haven of all things natural.

Jenny is also training for a half-marathon to be run this weekend. So, as part of her training we ran 5 1/2 miles yesterday before she instructed us in an hour of yoga. There's nothing this girl can't do! I'm so blessed to be surrounded by incredible and strong women. Kari's one of those as well. Here's a girl that is an awesome, fun, and active mom.

I'm so blessed to have such great and inspirational friends here in Virginia. The day is coming quickly that they'll all move to their new homes in California, Hawaii, and North Carolina, but I know we'll always stay in touch. I'll miss our time here all together!

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T15:10:00.000-07:00

To our Moms:

We have spent the afternoon thinking of all of the sacrifices and love that you've shown us over the past twenty-odd years. We've also smiled and laughed as we remembered the fun and funny times. What ensued is a list of "remember whens." And so, without further ado here are the lists... Seth will start :)

Mom, REMEMBER WHEN...

...you would take me out to Taco Bell for lunch after picking me up from kindergarten?
...you woke up extra early with me on Sunday mornings to help me do my paper route?
...you would have after-school treats waiting for us?
...you created the perfect ice cream "LOG" cake for my 16th birthday?
...you always tried to get us to eat dinner together as a family?
...you did and still do make random movie purchases?
...you and Dad flew to the other side of the world to pick me up from my mission?
...you would treat us kids to Arby's every time we visited Utah?
...you would iron my shirt every Sunday morning before church?
...you then taught me how to iron my own shirt so that you didn't have to iron it?
...you were and still are the shuttle bus driver for students trying to get from seminary to school?
...you cheered for me at every one of my baseball games?
...you stayed up late and got that perfect score on the genealogy project I turned in?

Leia's turn...

Mom, REMEMBER WHEN...

...you took me roller blading through Golden Gate Park and I convinced you that you could make it down that hill with all the roots growing through the cement path?
...you took me to work with you teaching all the 5th graders about getting their periods so I thought I had already gotten mine at 4 years old?
...you taught me how to paddle board in Maui and told me, "just try not to fall on the coral"?
...you took me to Portland to see The Sound of Music and sang me all of the songs in our hotel room before we even had the chance to see it?

...you let me get a monkey, helped me take care of him all the time and got on the first flight to Utah when we found out he was sick?
...we lived in the Wal-mart parking lot while finding a place for me to live with a monkey and dog?
...you and Dad followed me around England to watch me sing songs I never learned the words to?
...you braided my hair into a crown as I sat uncomfortably in the bathroom nearly upside down?
...you used to sit on the red couch with no fewer than 3 dogs and 1 grandchild all piled on top of you?
...you co-directed my 5th grade musical and got me the leading role?
...you spent hours sewing tiny little collared shirts for my 2 pound monkey?
...you drove me (and El and Lila) to Portland every year to go on a back-to-school shopping spree?
...you walked me down the HUGE hill with Api and Daisy every morning to elementary school?
...you always had New York Sub, Big-O-Bagels, and fresh flowers waiting for me every time I came home from college?
...you made me laugh so hard I cried as you told another one of your poop stories?
...you got so mad at me when I came home with a ninety pound dog I'd just adopted, but caved just as soon as you saw how happy she made me?

We love you both and realize just how lucky we are to have been blessed with such incredible mothers and mothers-in-law! We wish you a wonderful day and hope you never forget how much we love and appreciate you.

Play ball!

2011-05-08T12:09:00.000-07:00

No matter where we call home, it never takes too long to find a softball team for Seth. Well it's THAT time of year again. Seth loves it, I love it, but most of all MAX loves it. He has quickly made himself a part of the team -- filling many roles. His top two: mascot and child entertainment. All parties involved benefit. We get a worn out dog, they get worn out kids.

As for the ragged group of men thrown on the field and called a team, they're surprisingly very good. The league they play in is a Christian church league -- the first Seth's been a part of -- which is really neat. It makes me giggle every time I see the dugout of hodge-podge old men sporting their "Latter-day Saints" team name across their chest, right above their big bellies. Each game ends with both teams holding hands around the pitchers mound and offering prayer.

I didn't see or hear yesterday's prayer, but I can almost guarantee it included thanks for the absolutely perfect weather. I fear it will pass too soon, but I'll soak up this 75 degree sunny weather as long as I can!

Buddies

2011-05-03T06:02:00.000-07:00

I love it when the picture tells the story.

I like to ride my bicycle

2011-05-01T11:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Seth and I intended to go for a little "roll along the river," but it quickly morphed into a single track, mountain biking, log hopping excursion. Ashleigh, you'd have been proud of us. It was an absolutely perfect day for a ride. Sunshiny 75 degrees. We capped off the day, strolling through downtown Fredericksburg, caught dinner at Sammy T's (tons of good veggie dishes) and ended with a milkshake from Carl's. It was a great day. A great day indeed.

Happy Birthday Maxi-moodle!

2011-04-17T15:52:00.000-07:00

The big 4 today...

We <3 you!

I've Got the Itch

2011-04-17T15:14:00.000-07:00

The trees are blooming, the sun is melting away that awful gray gloom, and I'm walking on Rainbows (yes it's SANDALS weather!). Am I the only one who's ready to seize this glorious season? I told Seth just yesterday, we have GOT to get out and just spend a week on the Appalachian trail! I've got that itch - the one that comes every spring and pesters me unceasingly... sleeping under a drywall and shingled roof every night of the year just isn't natural. I've got to get out and drink the fresh mountain air deep into my soul. I just finished the book Into the Wild about a young man who hitchhiked to Alaska to spend a summer living off nothing but the land. He ended up dying... but that's beside the point. Let's go camping!

The change in weather means we've all been able to dabble a bit in the outdoors this past month. Here's a little look into what we've been up to.

Lucas has learned the exact propulsion necessary to jump onto the balcony railing without toppling over the other side (we're on the 3rd floor) . We only hope he continues to master this new found skill. With every strange noise either Seth or I is bound to ask, "Did Kitty die?"

Twinners (accidental, but cute!) after enjoying a lunch date on a rainy day

We experienced the Cherry Blossom Festival runner style. One of the prettiest runs I've been on in a long time!

Isn't that beautiful? And the trees are pretty neat, too ;)

Max has been on a few doggy playdates (this one was to government island with Suki). We also found a dog park hiding right up the street from us!

Going away lunch for Leisha, the first of many departures this Spring. I don't want everyone to leave!

Made a delicious copy of "The Greek" pizza from California Pizza Kitchen... this recipe is gonna stick around for a long time.

Discovered a creek right behind our apartment building! The trees are so thick, we couldn't see it until we were bushwacking through them last Sunday. Now we spend a lot of time on our balcony drying Max. Here he's pictured with his best creek find yet - a waterlogged softball. We couldn't convince him to leave it for the next time we returned.

Greatest Comeback Ever Recorded in the History of the Madness of March!

2011-03-19T12:02:00.000-07:00

It was a sunny, yet blustery morning with the temperature hanging in the low sixties. Down five games to two, Seth rallied off victories in four straight games to defend his tennis title against Leia, the repeating challenger! There were no crowds watching (unless you count a mint chocolate-chip lab tied to the fence), but the heavens witnessed a little piece of greatness that morning! May Seth's winning streak of two matches continue on...

What luck

2011-03-17T19:08:00.000-07:00

My NCAA bracket isn't the only thing with a little luck this St. Pat's day! The weather surprised us with a beautiful day. I spent it with my favorite boys in our favorite spot. Lucky me :)

Happy St. Patrick's to all!

P.S. Go BYU! (and any team playing the team that Seth picked - hey, I have a title to reclaim)

Today I'm grateful for...

2011-03-16T08:18:00.000-07:00

Friends that share their time and talents with me.

Friends that teach me how to love, to be grateful and not take anything for granted.

And most of all, friends that have super adorable kids, and then let me take pictures of them.

Stepping into the Limelight...

2011-03-09T17:48:00.000-08:00

It's easy to love a guy that can play the guitar, sing, and will do both while recording with his wife :) Video footage was taken on our trip to Australia in May. Without further ado, "Easy Girl" by Coconut Records, done by yours truly and mine truly. This is what we do on Wednesday nights...

MaxAndLulus

2011-03-03T05:23:00.000-08:00

Zippity-do-dah, zippity-aye
I got another Etsy sale today!

I must say, I've found an online addiction. Like I needed another one. I <3 Etsy!

So far I've sold one pair of these:

And two of these (it's a growth chart):

Currently, there's not much to look at, but if you want to see my little store here's the link: www.etsy.com/shop/MaxAndLulus

February Rent

2011-02-28T05:19:00.000-08:00

Dear Aquia Terrace Apartments,

It has recently come to my attention that February has only 28 days instead of the usual 30 to 31. Please pro-rate my rent for the number of days in February that I will be living in my apartment -- which is 28.

Warmest regards,

Leia Bohne

Let's hear it for New York, New York

2011-02-23T07:22:00.000-08:00

Handsomest man in all of New York

We finally did it! We made it to the concrete jungle. I can thank the Mormon Bachelor for more reasons than one for the trip. For those readers not up to speed with LDS pop culture, check out the link above. Basically, it's just like it sounds. A Mormon guy going on a bunch of videotaped dates and all posted to a blog. Can you say addiction? That's what I have to it. My secret guilty pleasure is dating shows, and this one is no exception. So this video provided the motivation for our trip - it's the bachelor's date with Jane, who has a darling apartment in NYC. You ask how do I know it's darling? Well, we stayed there.

Here's the story. To get a hotel in Manhattan, you'd basically have to sell your soul. They're that expensive. And considering the forecasted freezing weather, a bench in Central Park wasn't looking so 'hot' either. As the old adage goes, desperate times call for desperate measures. Well, since I had seen Jane on a blog, I figured we were basically best friends. She could find me a place to stay right? So thanks to my right-hand-man, Facebook, I sent her a message. As uncreepily as I could I told her how much I loved her, and how I watch her video every morning when I wake up, and how I bought the exact outfit she wore on her date, and how I am creating a life-size model of her. I'm kidding. That was joke. I just asked her if she knew anybody that wanted to rent their apartment to a young, nice Mormon couple for the weekend. And bless her heart, she did! She was going to Iceland (rough life) for the weekend and let us stay in her room for a reasonable price. Sure, she had roommates, and Seth and I thought things had the potential to be a bit awkward, but they totally weren't! We were gone all during the day, and just crashed there at night. Her roommates were super friendly and didn't seem to think it odd that two complete strangers were sleeping in the next room. We love people like that. So thanks to the Mormon Bachelor staff... and Bachelor Rick, we think you should have picked Jane.

While in New York we had tons of fun. The highlights were definitely seeing old friends, Jessica, Casey & Lewis family, Jeff and Courtney. We enjoyed delicious New York pizza, and a cute Italian restaurant beneath Jessica's apartment. We walked the Brooklyn Bridge right as the sun was setting into the Manhattan skyline. We strolled through Central Park under a fresh blanket of New York snow. We cultured ourselves at the Met(ropolitan Museum of Art). And we enjoyed the "streets that make you feel brand new" of Times Square. The only let-down of the trip? Buying tickets to the most boring Broadway play you'll ever see, Driving Miss Daisy. But that's a story for another day. Seth and I had fun practicing our photo-taking skills. All of the pictures this trip were taken in the M setting. That stands for Manual. That's right, no more point-and-shoot Auto for us. We're real photographers now :)

"How does she know that you love her" fountain from Enchanted

Grand Central Station

Everyone loves a mustache on a stick

2011-02-13T17:14:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to make these mustaches on a stick for-like-ever now. So what did I do? Got myself on the ward Valentine's dance committee, insisted we have a photo booth, and volunteered to set it up. I contracted out the photography however to someone with a better flash. Young and old, boy or girl, the mustache works for everyone. You ask, what does a mustache have to do with Valentine's day? When you find out, let me know. All I know is... it was a hit!

Have I mentioned how much we love being in Primary? We have the coolest kids.

Flip side of the penny

2011-02-10T22:00:00.000-08:00

After catching dinner with Domineau, a school friend from Seth's major, we checked on Mr. Abraham Lincoln to see how the night suited him.

Suits him well, I think.

2011-02-01T13:55:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I check this blog just to see if there is something new. Like someone else would chronicle our life without my prior knowledge. Dang. Nothing again.

Adventure of the (Satur)day

2011-01-23T18:45:00.000-08:00

If you like museums, DC is the place for you. I must admit, I'll probably look back on our time living in this historical mecca and kick myself for every weekend that I didn't take advantage of it. But not for this weekend! Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum? Check. It was neat.

We started by taking Max to the dog park on the way up (we've created a separation anxiety mess out of him and now we must take him everywhere). Then on to the museum where we saw lots of crazy airplanes (my favorite was the Airphibian--just remove the tail and wings when you need a car), the spaceship Enterprise, and even learned how those astronauts relieved themselves in their space suits (I'll spare you a photo--but just know that I did take it). The night progressed to a friendly game of bowling. The wager was made that the winner would pay for dinner--so naturally I lost on purpose. Sucker :) As always... enjoy the photos.

I know Seth loves when I post these pictures :)

Eating seasonally

2011-01-23T17:47:00.000-08:00

I'm new to the idea of "eating seasonally." Like most Americans my age, I had no idea that tomatoes didn't vine ripen in January underneath the two inches of ice (that I just had to scrape off my car). And pumpkins, do you know why we carve them at Halloween? It's no coincidence that October produces gourds that threaten to take over the world every fall - might as well carve a few ferocious faces into those babies. For those of you who just had an "aha!" moment, I strongly recommend the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver. While I'm far from being able to take on Barb's lofty goal (only eating food that she'd either grown or known the grower) it opened my eyes to a healthy, sustainable way of eating that's good for the environment.

Another recommendation (and the one that got these "I can make a difference one meal at a time" juices flowing tonight is the movie Food, Inc. Check it out. In an effort to eat more seasonally, I made this little chart (click on the word chart to see it) of the fruits and vegetables that are in season in Virginia throughout the year. I'm sure if you live in the northern hemisphere and in a relatively similar climate, the list would be similar. I just printed my list and stuck it on the fridge... we'll see how well we can do. What a time to start--January.

A Merry Christmas for All

2011-01-20T08:39:00.000-08:00

As the holiday rotation would have it, we spent Christmas with the Cook side of the family this year. Since my parents have recently moved to Maui (poor things), we met at my sister Lila's new house in Camas. We had a wonderful time packed full of seeing family and friends. All of my nieces and nephews are turning into little characters and we looooved spending time playing with them and getting to see each of their unique personalities. Every time I turned around Seth was surrounded by the little boogers -- I think he's quickly becoming the favorite uncle. We can't wait to live back on the west coast where we get to see them more than once or twice a year! Here are a bunch of photos of the week taken with my new Christmas present, a Nikon d3000 :) Don't I have THE cutest nieces and nephews?

He's still got it.

2010-12-19T16:14:00.000-08:00

Three years, two months, and six days ago Seth took me on our first date. We went ice skating. I think he planned skating because he wanted to hold my hand... and it worked. It's pretty easy if you're as charming as my man. And it's made exponentially easier if you strap a pair of blades to my feet and send me onto a shining sheet of ice ;)

Now, over 3 years later and more than 3,000 miles from where we first met, we again stepped onto the ice--this time in the heart of Washington, D.C. at the National Art Gallery ice rink. White Christmas lights lined the rink, and the National Archives provided a stunning backdrop. Romance was certainly in the crisp wintry air. In fact, one guy had it right on when he stopped in the center of the rink and proposed to his girlfriend! All of us skating round and round cheered - it was right out of a romantic comedy.

We had lots of fun, and I called it a night when my toes finally lost all feeling and threatened to abandon my feet altogether. Thanks to Matt and Kim (Provo friends now living in Alexandria) for sharing this double date with us!

Look at that face--he's still got it!

Christmas card 2010

2010-12-09T08:39:00.000-08:00

If one of these little treasures didn't show up in your mailbox, then please accept this digital copy of our Christmas card. Love Seth, Leia, Max & Lucas

Baby Wolfley

2010-12-08T05:34:00.000-08:00

We had a mini baby shower for Chelsea yesterday at Kimi's house. She's having a little boy in March. Sadly, her and Aaron are moving next week to Twentynine Palms, California. I've always known the day would come when everyone would start moving away, but I'm sad it's happening so soon. I guess that's what you get when you live next door to a marine base. Chelsea and Aaron are such a fun couple! They'll be missed.

Enough sad stuff... the shower was fun! I made two cute little onesies (forgot to take pictures of them). One had a tie on it, and another had a mustache... they turned out really well. And I tried my hand in fondant frosting for the cupcakes. It's pretty fun stuff. Kimi made the darling diaper cake, and as always we had delicious food and great company.

A Night in Bethlehem

2010-12-08T04:37:00.000-08:00

Seth and I can't decide in what year Christ was born. 0 AD, 0 BC, 1 AD? I'm going to put my marbles in the 1 AD basket. Who wants to live in year zero?

On Saturday Seth and I were blessed to spend an evening dressed as Bethlehem-ites at our ward Christmas party. It was a beautiful event where everyone came dressed in "biblical attire" obeying the decree they received from Caesar Augustus to get their booty to Bethlehem and pay their taxes. Most everyone came dressed for success, but I ran a little time-warp dressing room and smothered anyone from the 21st century with a sheet around their body and a pillowcase over their head. The kids were the cutest in their little shepherd outfits.

While the people were easy to transform, the church gym was another story altogether. Luckily Seth and I were just worker bees on the project, leaving the actual planning, organizing, and stressing to people far more qualified. The end result was beautiful. A homemade stable of wood and hay served as the focal point of the production and housed the darling Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus. Tents adorned in rich fabric (i.e. more bedsheets) served as the street side shops serving era-appropriate food. And hundreds of Israel-ish props (baskets, lanterns, trunks, etc.) made it feel like it may have truly been Bethlehem (just squint your eyes so so can't see the basketball hoop).

Long story short, a lot of work went into this production. Seth and I happily spent the better part of last week at the church. Him helping to build the stable and city wall - manly stuff. Me packaging dreidels and hanging fabric - fluffy stuff. We had a great time being involved.

You know who wasn't involved? Ol' Kris Kringle. Don't get me wrong - I love that big red guy and think he does great work. However, it was nice to take a minute and turn the focus back to the real message of Christmas - the celebration of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He led a perfect life, teaching us the way in which we should live. His death and resurrection provided us with the Atonement, the ultimate gift, which enables us to receive eternal life and live with Jesus Christ, God, and our families again forever. I'm so grateful for that gift, and this season we have to celebrate and share it.

We hope the ward party was able to convey that message to all who came. I know it did for me. It's the primary kids that always get me. When they stood and sang (dressed in pillowcases and sheets mind you) I felt that stinging in my eyes that can only mean one thing - here come the tears. And they did.

Merry Christmas all! I hope you make some time in these next few weeks to consider the true message of Christmas.

Edit: According to Wikipedia, scholars put Jesus' birth sometime between 7-2 BC. Go figure.

Blessed

2010-11-30T18:15:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the generosity of Seth's boss, we spent the Thanksgiving weekend walking the beautiful beaches of Nags Head, North Carolina. As it turns out, the coast of North Carolina has a sandbar island that runs its length (like 200 miles long). Being from the West Coast, we never knew this. Apparently, it's a big deal over here and it's called "The Outer Banks." It's the premier summer vacation spot, and it's no wonder why... it's beautiful!! As I was saying, Seth's boss owns a beach house that is just a shell's throw from the ocean's edge, and he let us use it for the holiday. We (read: Max) were in heaven!

While we spent a lot of time relaxing, watching football, and eating, we kept busy outside the house too. Perhaps you have heard of the Outer Banks. Kitty Hawk ring a bell? We went to the Wright Brothers national monument, where we saw the sight of the famous first human flight. We took many, many walks on the beach and laughed and laughed as Max got "eaten" by waves and came out galloping, and looking for the next rock we'd throw. We played on the largest sand dunes on the East Coast and attended the annual Kites and Lights event (people strung their kites with Christmas lights and flew them after sunset to the tune of Christmas carols).

Of course I took a million pictures. So many that I was forced to discover collage options. And we got another state sign!

No turkeys*were harmed in the making of this Thanksgiving dinner.

*Only a Tofurkey

The best two years: A couple's interview

2010-11-22T15:45:00.000-08:00

Now:Then:

After two years of marriage, we've learned a lot about each others quarks, and our own too. The following is our impromptu interviews of each other on our second wedding anniversary which is... today!

Seth's interview:

Seth, what advice would you give to a new groom on how to stay married for 2 years?

1. Be thou humble

2. Anything you thought you wanted you don't really need

3. Compliment regularly and in different situations

What benefits from marriage did you get that you weren't expecting?

1. I can make comments during discussions at work with the old men talking about their wives

2. I can use my wife as an excuse anytime I don't want to do something or go somewhere even if she didn't say so

3. Someone else is thinking about how hungry I am besides me

With the good, comes the bad. What surprises did you get with marriage that you weren't expecting?

1. I have to cuddle every night?!

2. Is it really this hard to come up with meal ideas every single night?

3. Cold feet touching me under the covers

What spiritual insights have you gained since being married?

1. That the spirit mixed with a good coloring page can calm any primary class

2. It's much easier to stay awake while reading the scriptures when you are doing it with somebody else

What do you hope to gain from the next year of marriage?

1. A little Bohne

Which characteristics of mine have rubbed off on you?

1. I'm a vegetarian at home

2. Making up voices for the animals to say what they're thinking

3. Reading books for pleasure

What would you like your wife to know that you don't think she already knows?

I honestly can't wait to come home to you after work and I think everyday about how lucky I am that you are my wife.

Leia's Interview:

What have you learned about yourself in these two years of marriage?

1. I'm more like my mom than I'd like to admit

2. Not everyone is cut out to be a cook...but I'm learning

3. I could beat a donkey in a stubborn contest

What have you learned about me that you didn't know before you got married?

1. You're going to be 'the strict parent'

2. If garments had Calvin Klein ads, you'd be a male supermodel

3. You're incredibly forgiving

What animals would you have now if I never said no?

1. A monkey

2. A sugar glider

3. Another dog (Boston Terrier)

4. A blue and gold macaw named "Prince Ali"

What are the top three destinations you have visited with me since getting married?

1. Australia/New Zealand (this trip will probably never be topped!)

2. Spanish Fork Canyon (as simple as it was, a great camping trip to the hot springs)

3. San Juan Islands (honeymoon!!!)

Are there any habits you wish I would break?

1. Leaving wrappers all over the place!

2. Stop itching!

What movies have you watched with me that you didn't fall asleep halfway through?

1. I know there are some...but I just can't remember

2. ...oh yeah...500 Days of Summer (Joseph GL...soooo dreamy)

Is there anything you want Seth to know that you don't think he already knows?

I would choose Seth over Joseph GL one hundred times over. He's my real-life dream man. I love to hear Seth talk about and teach the gospel. He has a gift to share the spirit, and I feel so lucky to be married to such an incredible man. He still makes my heart pitter-patter and I miss him when he goes to work every day.

Happy anniversary, Babe!!

Trunk-or-Treat

2010-10-30T19:31:00.000-07:00

Chili cook-off + Hundreds of screaming kids in costume + Beautiful night = Perfect ward party

^Some of our favorite Stafford-ians

^Seth as an "e-male" and me as his "attachment"

(look closely and you'll see the big paper clip on my shirt)

^Had to include this to show the FANTASTIC sky

(completely unedited)

Dear Max,

2010-10-28T08:36:00.001-07:00

NO!!

NO, we did not spend an entire evening carving our pumpkins, meticulously placing each light inside its carefully drilled hole, and displaying them neatly on our living room floor for YOU. NO, it was in NO way an attempt to bring the great outdoors to you so that, heaven forbid, you would not have to walk all the way outside to relieve yourself. NO, the pumpkins did not need watering. NO, I don't think its cute to find a puddle of yellow on my platter. And NO, I don't enjoy cleaning up your bodily fluids.

Bad dog. Very bad dog!

Frankly disgusted,

Leia

The Real Housewives of DC

2010-10-27T19:12:00.000-07:00

Kari, Chelsea, Alena, Leisha, Lily, Kimi, and muah

Have I mentioned that there are some incredible gals out here in DC? Every week we try to get together and do something fun. This week we had a special Halloween lunch. Each lady was assigned an item (main dish, side dish, etc.) and they were supposed to "spook" it up. Everyone came up with a creative and scrumptious dish. I don't mean to brag, but we throw a mean potluck!

Chewing on Wood

2010-10-26T07:41:00.000-07:00

I just love family home evening. Sure, we're a small family, but that doesn't stop us. Last night we watched the Readers Digest version of General Conference and then carved pumpkins! I love Halloween traditions. They are so goofy. We even baked our seeds - which Seth and I both agree just taste like wood, but remind us of our childhoods. We used a different method of carving this year - the power drill! I got the idea from Martha Stewart's celestial pumpkins - a fun deviation from the standard jack-o-lantern. It was a simply delightful evening with my hubby.

Introducing my newest niece!

2010-10-13T08:32:00.000-07:00

Norah Abigail Chambers

Born October 6, 2010 at 5:30pm

7 lbs 15 oz

21 inches long

Congratulations Lila and Rob - I can't wait to meet her!!

Columbus Day

2010-10-11T17:11:00.000-07:00

In honor of exploration Seth and I headed back to Shenandoah National Park today to check out the B-E-A-Utiful scenery of White Oak Canyon and Cedar Run Trails. Our hike was just a touch over 8 miles with some "strenuous" elevation changes, but the entire hike was lined by waterfalls so we hardly even noticed. I love waterfalls like Seth loves ice cream. And this ice cream had a cherry on top - a waterfall we could slide down!! Did any of that connect? Oh well, I'm gonna keep typing. Shenandoah is quickly becoming one of my favorite national parks, and I think you'll see why after checking out these pictures. Thank you Columbus for giving us a day off... errr, I mean America.

Old Rag

2010-10-08T07:34:00.001-07:00

Apparently if you live on the East Coast and consider yourself to be even an amateur hiker, you've got to hike Old Rag. It's like a rite-of-passage. Perhaps akin to Central Oregon's South Sister (in reputation only, not terrain). I did it this Thursday with a few tough gals, Katie and Alena. It was a beautiful day for hiking - sunny, cloudless skies yet only about 70 degrees. We couldn't have asked for a more cooperative Mother Nature; however, we were hoping for a bit more red, yellow, and orange in the still very green forest. After all it's already October! Notwithstanding, the views were incredible.
The hike begins with gently ascending switchbacks for the first 3 miles or so, and then the fun begins. Imagine you're an ant in a dry riverbed full of river rock. That is how the remaining 1.5 mile ascent to the summit feels. Granite boulders the size of small houses make up the rest of the hike. A "trail" or rather path is spray painted every 5-10 yards to guide your "scramble" to the top. It's as much rock climbing as it is hiking. As she squeezed herself through one of many small crevices Katie remarked, "This is no hike for fat people," and we all agreed. Around every corner were breathtaking vistas looking over the Shenandoah National Forest in one direction and rural farmland in the other. The summit brought uninterrupted 360 degree views as far as the eye could see - a worthy reward for the effort it took to get there.
About three quarters of the way to the summit we came upon a dog nestled in the boulders. My first thought was Oh my gosh, a dead dog! because he didn't seem to be moving. Then as I got closer I could tell he was alive, but still wasn't sure he wasn't injured. I tried to rouse him a bit, but he was content curled in his little ball napping. Another group resting in the area mentioned that he was there when they arrived, and apparently was up here alone. I checked his tag and read "I live across from the Old Rag Mt. parking lot, please do not take me, I know where home is." This was not a dead dog, this was the luckiest dog in the world! He wakes up, goes for his morning hike, naps near summit, and heads back home for a bowl of kibble and beggin' strips. We saw him on our descent when we were nearly back to the car. He was trottin' along back home - not a care in the world. He lives the life!

We think the 8.5 mile hike took us a total of 5 hours (we forgot to check the time when we left), but that was with a lot of photo breaks, an enjoyable lunch at the summit, and a pace set to the rhythm of camp songs and Pocahantas which we shouted and sang as we walked (How high does the sycamore grow?). All in all, I'd say this hike is a must-do if you live in the area. I'll be going back with Seth once the colors change.

Once upon a long time ago...

2010-10-05T10:07:00.000-07:00

Warning: This post is for the posterity and is VERY long.

We went to Australia and New Zealand!! Now, I know it was a long time ago... but it's better to record it late than never. We were gone basically the whole month of May 2010. We spent about 2.5 weeks in Australia (time split between Sydney, Canberra and Cairns) and 4 days in New Zealand. We did SO much that I could never blog about it all, but I put together a "Top 10 Experiences" list from the trip. We had absolutely the greatest time of our lives. It was our "graduation gift" to each other. You know, the last hoorah before real life hit. The last time we could backpack around another continent before we'd be lugging kids with us. The last time we'd be able to go half way around the world without "accruing paid time off" to do it. And it was worth every single penny we spent! In no particular order.... our ANZ Top 10 list!

Sydney Harbour: One of the simple highlights of our trip happened the very first night. After doing the essential get-your-feet activities (checking in to the hotel, exploring the few blocks around us, taking a nap), we headed out walking for Hyde Park and Circular Quay. Night had just fallen and the sky still had that warm purple hue when we rounded the corner and I had my first glimpse of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. It was just one of those… moments.

The next morning we had a different kind of moment as we actually ran from our hotel and across the bridge for a morning run. This time we caught the harbour shortly after sunrise. I must say, both times took my breath away.

Tupou Family: No words can adequately describe the Tupou family. If our future family is even half as loving, caring, giving, hilarious and fun as the Tupous I’ll die happy. And that is the absolute truth. The father of this family is the Stake President in one of the areas that Seth served on his mission. After purposely attending their ward to see them, they invited us to return to their home for family home evening the following night. We knew that their son was getting married the following weekend and they were very busy with preparations, so we hoped not to put them out. They insisted it was no hassle, and we were elated with the invitation.

The following evening we boarded the train out to their suburb and hit the worst delays. We arrived an hour and a half late and were so embarrassed. But it didn’t take long for us to forget our shame when we saw all that they had done for us. This was no, “Hey c’mon over for FHE, we’ll throw something together,” like you see in America. I don’t think the Tupou family knows how to do things small. We pulled up to the house and in the driveway they had set up one of those outdoor tents (like you’d put up for a wedding), lined it with lights, and beneath it sat dish after dish of the most elaborate and beautiful food you’ve ever seen. We were treated like ROYALTY. They’d found out I was vegetarian, and put together the most incredible fruit platters, vegetables, and salads. I was in heaven.

In fact, the only thing better than dinner was spending time with them. I’ve never laughed so hard in all my life. Their kids (all highschool age and up) are all best friends and made me feel like I’d known them my whole life. After dinner President Tupou basically conducted a round of toasts… to us! I loved hearing the stories about Seth---errrr, Elder Bohne. The most prominent memory was of Seth going into the boys’ room and jumping on their beds to drag them out on splits with them. Their loving and complimentary words taught me an unmatchable lesson on how to treat people. Seth and I contemplated the whole next week on how to create such a loving family bond. They’ll always be a model to us, a standard for which we’ll strive.

Our personal tour with Fern: Fern is an incredible girl that Seth helped to reactivate on his mission. She was one of the must-sees of our trip. And oh did we get more than we bargained for! Fern drove us all the way out to the Blue Mountains where we were able to see the outdoorsy side of New South Wales. Not only did she act as our personal tour guide, she was the pop of color to the trip! She is so full of life and enthusiasm. Not only should we have paid her for what she did, she wouldn’t let us pay for a single thing all day! I hope some day we’ll be able to return the favor here in the states.

While in the Blue Mountains we rode the steepest railcar track in the world. I honestly don’t know how we lived to tell about it. And Fern – she almost had a heart attack from fear, haha. The track was built on about an 80 degree angle. I have NO idea how we didn’t fall right off. We also rode a neat sky rail over a super high valley, saw the infamous Three Sisters rock formation and hiked to see a few cascading waterfalls. After returning to the city she took us to see the Sydney Symphony perform in the one and only Sydney Opera House! We were so tired (still recovering from jet-lag) and so thank goodness the theme of the show was “Bugs Bunny at the Symphony.” While the symphony played they actually showed cartoons in the background! It was a really fun performance. Fern was so great and even provided us with all of the bus tickets we needed to get back to our hotel and everything! We were so grateful to spend the day with her and be benefactors of her incredible generosity.

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef: Wow. This thing is one of the great wonders of the world for good reason. Seth and I took a small 30 person tour out to two dive spots. The first was a coral island and the second just looked like the middle of the ocean until you got your head below the water. I was FREEZING cold at the first stop. So after shivering through 20 minutes of diving I decided to put on a wetsuit, and things got better from there. We saw and swam with a sea turtle!! I was attempting to talk underwater with Seth when his eyes got all big and he started to motion behind me. I turned and found a giant friendly turtle hovering just a few feet from my head. I reached out and touched him, and then immediately felt terrible when he swam away. I shouldn’t have touched him, but as everyone knows seeing an animal is never enough for me. I just can’t fight the urge to cuddle it. We also saw beautiful coral in every shape and color imaginable, the craziest looking fish, and one of my personal favorites: the giant clam. Seth even thinks he saw a reef shark! This day was one for the memory books.

Kuranda skyrail and animal park: While in Cairns we took a neat sky rail (think gondola) several miles up into the World Heritage Rainforest. The rainforest, while beautiful, was not filled with toucans, monkeys, and poison dart tree frogs as I always imagine. We had to go to the koala park to see the animals I craved. It was so awesome, and I could have stayed there all day had Seth let me. They let us just hang out with the wallabies and kangaroos… and they gave us food to feed them! I hugged them, and lounged with them, and made them chase me for food. It was a dream come true. And (for a small fee) I even held a koala! Her name was Princess and I’m not sure how thrilled she was to be tourist bate, but was adorable none the less. While in the little touristy rainforest village of Kuranda we also browsed the art galleries filled with aboriginal dot paintings and grabbed lunch before taking the scenic train back down the mountain.

Pebbly beach: While this trip was full of favorite days, this was my first “favorite day.” Pebbly beach is a beautiful cove beach nestled in the South Coast shoreline. The trees go all the way down to the beach where reportedly Kangaroos fill the sand every dawn dusk. Seth has seen them, but unfortunately they were nowhere to be found the day we were there. Our timing was not good (we got there about 1:00pm) but I couldn’t fathom that they’d gone that far. So Seth was a great sport and helped me scour the forest for where they might be sleeping. He wanted me to see wild kangaroos as mush as I did. To our dismay, the closest we came to a roo this day was seeing their scat.

The “favorite” part of this day came after I put the no-kangaroo-disappointment behind me and we ventured out to the rocky cliffs at the oceans edge. We found a huge boulder that jutted out into the water, yet sat completely dry. We climbed up and claimed our front row seats. The waves crashed violently around us as we sat on that rock. Massive walls of water exploded into the air in every direction. Seth and I shouted our amazement to each other over the deafening roar of the sea. I felt the sheer power of God’s creation all around me as we sat and took it all in. My heart feels full as I just remember the feeling that filled me that day.

Tinielu family: The most spiritual part of our trip was with the Tinielus. They are a family that Seth helped share the gospel with on his mission in Sydney. When we got to Australia and heard they had moved away Seth was really bummed until he found out that they had moved toAuckland, NZ… our next stop! So we got their phone number and address and started trying desperately to get a hold of them. After many, many failed attempts we began wondering if they were trying to dodge us. Perhaps they were no longer in the church and didn’t want to see a previous missionary again. But Seth was determined to keep trying. I could tell that this family was very important to him and so I supported him even when it came to what we did next.

Sunday came (the day before we left for home) and we still had not been able to contact anyone but the young boys of the family. We decided to ride the bus to the church building that we figured they’d attend. However, when we arrived there were only two cars in parking lot. No church today? We went in and found out that they had a special broadcast meeting earlier that morning. Discouraged but unwilling to give up, we decided to walk to the Tinielu address despite the distance. Having missed church I asked Seth to share with me an impromptu Sunday school lesson, so we talked about a scripture (John 17:3) and before we knew it we had walked the four miles to their family’s home.

Nervously, Seth knocked on the door. The grandma (who Seth didn’t know) answered the door. She spoke very broken English and was very suspicious of us standing on her doorstep. We tried to explain who we were but were basically being shewed away. We asked to leave a note, but she said she had no paper and no pen. So we scrounged up a piece of scrap paper of our own and left a short heartfelt note. And with that we walked away – defeated.

As we began walking back to the bus stop Seth asked if we could try just one more time. He suggested we go wait in a park and return in another hour and see if they were home. If not, we’d give up. And so we went to a park down the street and watched an adult league of soccer. When it started to rain, we decided we ought to go back. And so we returned. At this point I was embarrassed, and thought for sure they just didn’t want to see us, but Seth persisted and I tried to be supportive. When we knocked on the door a second time, a child answered and I heard the grandma exclaim, “Oh they came back!” and then Brother and Sister Tinielu appeared at the door and excitedly welcomed us in. They told us they were so sorry they’d missed all the calls but had no way to call us back. We chatted and got caught up on everything since Seth had been gone. We discovered that some of our worries were true. Ever since their move they’d been struggling with the new ward and had recently stopped attending church. I could sense the deep respect they held for Seth as they spoke to him of all that had been happening.

As we left and said our good-byes Brother Tinielu followed us out. “Elder Bohne,” he said, “I have to tell you something.” With tears in his eyes he continued, “I had a dream three nights ago that you were here.” Mind you that Seth had been away for over three years and had lost contact with his family. He continued to pour out his soul to Seth as we stood in the driveway and I was given an incredible blessing – to see Seth testify of the truthfulness of the Gospel, the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, the divinity of the family, and of God’s love for all of His children. Brother Tinielu was so deeply touched, as we all were, by the presence of the Spirit with us in that moment.

I know that the Lord put us in the Tinielus life at the moment. I know that Seth was inspired by the Holy Ghost to return to their home that second time despite the insecurities we had felt. I do not understand all the ways in which God operates his kingdom, but I know that we were able to be a small instrument in His hand on that particular Sunday. Had this been the only thing we did on our trip halfway around the world – it would have been worth it.

Bungee jumping the Auckland Harbour Bridge: When we booked our tickets to New Zealand I knew we had to do at least one thing while we were there – bungee jump in the very country it was invented. And so on our 18 month anniversary, May 22, 2010 we took the leap. Originally our plan was to go together (tandem) in celebration of the special day, but the bungee guides convinced us the freedom of falling solo was too incredible to pass up. (Wow, this is turning out to be an awful plug for marriage.) So we harnessed up and headed up the AucklandHarbour Bridge with 4 other young people. They had us jump according to weight and so between the two of us Seth went first. He requested to “touch” the water if the bungee technician could make it happen. Oh did it happen! He got totally dunked! Coming out of the water he was soaked from head to waist… but had a huge smile on his face. I learned from Seth and also requested to touch the water, but added that if he had to error in one direction (dunked or dry) that I’d rather be dry. And so I came within a foot of the water but didn’t touch it :/ Don’t worry, the rush was still there. And so, in celebration of “taking the plunge” we took another plunge of our own – happy year and a half, Babe!

Taupo hangi feast: After arriving in Taupo we checked in to our beautiful hotel situated right on a dock that led out to the volcanic crater Lake Taupo. With an extreme time deficit, we regrettably did not get to experience the geologic wonder for which this area is known; however, we did attend a hangi feast. It was a rainy evening, but that didn’t keep us from experiencing the traditional Maori way of cooking. Simply explained, they put hot stones into a pit, throw water on them to create steam, and then place the food (potatoes and lamb for our experience) on top. Cover it with a special cloth, wait, wait….wait, and voila! A delicious meal. Aside from just food, we were privileged to a special show that exhibited their tribal customs and dances (scary face paint and all). After the show we went on a special tour of a neighboring property that is heavily involved in a project to save the Kiwi bird from extinction. Since they are nocturnal, we were able to see them at their most active time. Unfortunately this was a look only exhibit (no furry Kiwi hugs available). Evolutionarily I don’t understand why these birds didn’t die out long ago. They can’t fly, they can’t even run very fast. They have terrible eyesight, and the egg they have to lay is HUGE. They said it’d be like a human giving birth to a 4 year old. The only thing they have going for them is their cuteness. Anyway, I digress. All in all, we had a wonderful night experiencing true Maori culture.

Abseiling in Waitomo: New Zealand is adventure tourism Mecca! Seth and I have vowed to go back and allot ourselves way more time to truly explore and ring all the life out of NZ. Seriously why did we only give ourselves four days? I need to live here. A definite highlight was abseiling (that’s rappelling to all you Americans) into the caves at Waitomo. To get into the cave we abseiled 40 meters down a narrow shaft, crossed a slippery log bridge, and shimmied our way between limestone stalagmite and stalactite formations. Our guides were a crackup: three young guys – two from New Zealand and one crazy Scot that spoke like a leprechaun. Honestly, they provided a great deal of the entertainment for the trip. The main attraction of the tour was St. Benedict’s Cavern. It is a huge opening in the cave that’s lined every inch with beautiful rock formations – bottom, top, and sides. The lady who owns the property (and thus the cave) would only allow the tour company to take groups in here if they could sufficiently maintain the beauty of this specific part of the cave. Since walking traffic would significantly damage it, they had to get a little more creative. So, they made a zip line through it! When we arrived at St. Benedict’s Cavern we took some time to admire its beauty. Then we turned out all the lights and one by one zip lined into the expanse of pitch black darkness. It was well worth our money spent! And that is why I must move to New Zealand.

SB+LB=♥

2010-10-02T16:12:00.000-07:00

Just one thing we do during conference.

Don't Rain on My Picnic!

2010-09-30T10:38:00.000-07:00

Stafford is a transitional place for many young people. We live just 10 minutes down the road from the Marine base, Quantico, where all marines are required to complete 6 months of basic training. As a result there are a good deal of marine wives that are my age in this area. They don't really have enough time to get a job, so many are just left sitting around and waiting for their husbands. In an effort to unite these women, Alena and I held a little picnic yesterday. Unfortunately it rained, so we had to scramble last minute to find an indoor venue. We ended up in the clubhouse at some of the ladies' apartments, which turned out to be just perfect. Thanks to everyone who came and brought delicious food! Here are a few snapshots from the day.

Kayaking the Interstate... River

2010-09-27T17:24:00.000-07:00

Today Alena and I kayaked from Virginia to Maryland and back. No biggy :) Truly, it's just across the Potomac. Did I mention it was raining? REALLY hard? We had tons of fun. And almost died. Twice actually. Once by speedboat, twice by monsoon. Enjoy a few pictures from our adventure below.

Adult Pinewood Derby

2010-09-24T17:51:00.000-07:00

We were beat. Beat by an unpainted block of wood with rocks and quarters taped on. But that's ok. You know what they say... first is the worst, second is the best.

This design was our second choice... our original idea: a carved syringe with the name "Lethal Injection." After realizing our carving skills and tools weren't up to the challenge, we settled with "Honest Abe." And considering the family-dominated audience I think this was the better choice.

And now, without further ado, photos of the Aquia Ward Adult Pinewood Derby silver medalist -- Honest Abe.

These little darlings (both were smiling when I set up for the picture) had the coolest car. Their dad (father of 3 girls) succumbed to their wishes for a Barbie car. It was great. Officially it was "Kamikaze Barbie." This one took the cake for Best Design.

It's a shame more people didn't come out for the event. It was such a fun idea. Seth and I had a great time making the car together this week!

Roughin' It

2010-09-19T17:26:00.000-07:00

This is my new friend Alena. She likes to wander around in the woods like me. You know, it's not everyday that you find someone who'll slap on a pair of Keen's and slosh through the muddy banks of a lake, and want to do it all over again the next day. Here she is with the butterfly she saved from a watery grave. I'm tellin' you -- she's my kindred spirit.

We went camping on Friday night, just a real quick trip, but fun nonetheless. This was the best family picture we could get. Max wasn't really up for posing, but we got him in the picture with a little gentle coercion.

Here is the cute newlywed couple - Alena and Samuel. They're super fun, and know how to rough it. We had a great time chatting around the campfire.

Seth and I went for a little hike before heading home on Saturday morning. This beautiful little creek provided a beautiful splash pad for Max.

And that's a little bit of what we did this week! The fall weather is starting to manifest itself here in Virginia. Daily highs are only in the 80's and the humidity has plummeted. We are so happy that we can finally enjoy the outdoors again.

The things you learn from a dog

2010-09-15T05:32:00.000-07:00

Walking and running with Max is one the highlights of my day. We drop Seth off at the commuter lot, and then head to a little neighborhood with sidewalks lining both sides of the street. We walk or run (depending on the energy I've managed to conjure up by 7:00 am) and see all the kiddies off to school as they wait for their bus. The sun is still low in the sky and has that delectable hue of burning orange that makes you squint and appreciate the crisp golden air. It's really the best time for pondering. Pondering why we're here, what the future holds, and occasionally what's for breakfast.

Today I got to thinking about standards and God's commandments. As I looked at Max, happily trotting alongside me, then stopping to mark a bush, then getting a tug from me to continue on, it made me think. You know, the leash that connects him to me isn't much unlike God's commandments. Allow me to explain.

In order for me to take Max out to beautiful places and to experience life to its fullest he's required to be on a leash. If he were unwilling to wear it, I'd be forced to leave him at home, where he'd experience very little. Sure he'd be "free" to do as he pleased, but look at how much he'd be missing. On the other hand, by accepting a tether and allowing me to guide him, his opportunities for happiness multiply. He can sniff more bushes, run more miles, pee on more rocks - true happiness.

Let's imagine for a moment that I decided to take him on our same morning run, but didn't leash him. He immediately is confronted with many dangers - ones that eluded him when I was able to regulate his route. Careless drivers rushing to work, spoiled food lying in wait for him to sniff out and gobble down, menacing squirrels ready to lead him into traffic. All avoidable calamities had he been connected to me, who can see the danger inherent in these things.

And thus here is the lesson we learn from a dog: It is better to wear the leash. Not only does it keep us safe from danger, it provides us opportunities to navigate the world and find happiness. While at first glance it appears as a restriction of freedom, it is really the device that gives us more.

And so it is with God's commandments. They keep us safe and allow Him to guide us to happiness. Not to mention, if you want to draw near to God, there is no better way, than tethering yourself to Him. After all, His hand is the one at the end of the leash.

Hang 10 VA Beach

2010-09-12T17:02:00.000-07:00

Saturday's adventure... surfing at Virginia Beach! We rented surf boards (just $20 bucks for the whole day) and hit the beach. The guy that gave us the boards asked, "So have you guys surfed before?" To which I answered, "Uhhhh, minimally, :) ." Even that answer was a bit generous... Seth has body boarded on a few family vacations, and me? I've tried my hand at surfing once or twice and felt comfortable I could keep from drowning. Nevertheless, he gave us the boards and into the (surprisingly warm) water we went!

While Seth started with a few balance issues, by the end of the day he was standing up on every wave he went for! I was so jealous. I got up a few times myself too, but not with his consistency. By 5:00 we were beat (and burnt) and got cleaned up and headed to the boardwalk for some grub and a romantic walk along the beach. Splendid. The day was just splendid.

K to the K

2010-09-12T16:44:00.000-07:00

Everyone meet KK. This lovely lady is absolutely wonderful! I have the opportunity of spending every Friday with her. This last Friday was special because it happened to be our stake temple day as well. We spent the day taking in the peaceful temple grounds, goofin' around with the camera a bit, and ended it off with baptisms and confirmations. KK was kind enough to do some of my family names. On our way home her mom took us all (including Seth) out to a great dinner, and we were able to chat and get to know each other. They are such a neat family! KK and I always have a great time together -- I feel so blessed to be a part of her life.

Mom & Dad visit DC!

2010-09-02T08:36:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed a wonderful week here in DC with my mom and dad before they scooted off for their new home in Hawaii. We took in the sites, caught a Nationals vs. Cardinals game, and spent an afternoon on the Potomac River. Most of all we just enjoyed being together, a luxury we don't get enough of living so far away.

Mt. Vernon

The Washingtons

Family home evening on the National Mall

Learning a bit about our Jewish roots

Mom and me at the Washington Monument

The whole crew (yes my mom is in there, just hiding)

On our segway tour--highlight of the week

Giving Fala a little love (FDR's dog)

Huge dorks at the Jefferson Memorial

Dad happy to be back out of the water

Kayakers and Canoers (minus Mom)

Thanks for coming Mom and Dad. It was so nice to have you here!

Look what I found!

2010-08-14T18:13:00.000-07:00

It took Seth leaving on a "men only" trip to make Max and me really go exploring.

Thank you Heavenly Father for this beautiful piece of earth; it was EXACTLY what I needed.

Now I just pray those pesky mosquitoes don't carry heart worm disease... or malaria.

Washington Nationals

2010-08-13T12:09:00.000-07:00

2 tickets to a major league baseball game - $0 (thanks Unicco)

Parking - $0 (thanks Unicco)

1 portobello mushroom sandwich - $9.50

1 chicken and fries meal - $10.50

1 bowl of Dippin Dots - $5

Waiting for a 2 hour rain delay - Argh

A spontaneous midweek date with my handsome husband - Priceless

(Perhaps my favorite picture of Seth... ever)

Our new little home

2010-08-12T08:22:00.000-07:00

This post is in response to the request of many (okay, maybe like one person) to see just where exactly we've been habitating for the past month (and will be for the next eleven). Our cute apartment is in a quiet neighborhood just a stones throw from the grocery store, post office, hair salon, and a few little restaurants. We are about 1o minutes from historic Fredericksburg (which we are yet to see) and about 45 minutes south of D.C. on a good traffic day. Our apartment is nice and bright with really tall ceilings which I love.

I've realized just how difficult it is to photograph a room while trying to take these pictures. They make our apartment seem so... white, bland, sterile, and crooked. All of which are not so in real life. So you'll just have to come visit to get the real view :) We love our new little home. Here's a little peak into where we eat, breath, and sleep nowadays.

3rd floor - our calves are starting to look good from climbing all those stairs!

Max is always waiting and the first to invite you in

That's just the front door from the inside

The living room and out that window is our balcony

Our cozy kitchen - small but perfect for just the two of us

The guest bathroom - the sign is a hand-me-down from the last bathroom I accidentally painted BRIGHT orange and could only "laugh" about

Our bedroom - I think it's due for a makeover soon

Our bedroom looking into our own bathroom - living in the lap of luxury

That's all folks. All it's missing is a few visitors to spruce things up!

Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Peck

2010-08-10T13:52:00.000-07:00

What a fantastic weekend with family! It was certainly a whirlwind of events. By the time we got back to D.C. yesterday I had no energy left -- and have in effect spent the last two days sleeping. So, what did we do that took it all out of me? Here's the lowdown of the weekend.

Wednesday: After three hours of sleep, Seth and I woke up at the ripe hour of 3:30 am to catch our flight to Oakland. Our flight was scheduled for 7:00 am but unfortunately our layover city of Chicago had a different plan for us. Thunderstorms over Chicago kept us on the ground in Washington until 10:00 am. A three hour delay meant we missed our connecting flight, and ended up having to catch the next available flight to Oakland, which got us in just four hours later than our original arrival time. We missed the Oakland A's game we'd intended to see, but all in all no harm done. From the airport Seth went home to Walnut Creek and I was whisked off to Manteca to enjoy a lovely bridal shower for Chalyce and Alyssa. We quilted two quilts for the ladies and enjoyed a delicious dinner and many, many desserts. Then, about 10:00 pm we headed back to Walnut Creek. It was just before midnight (PST) when we finally got to bed.

Thursday: Woke up early and stayed busy with lots of wedding preparations. After a stress filled morning we were able to attend the temple with many members of the Peck family. It was a nice way to put everything back in perspective. That evening we enjoyed a nice dinner and jumped in the pool for a chilly swim. The Bohnes thought of everything for the new backyard though. We warmed up around the fire pit as we dried under the beautiful night sky.

Friday: Perfect day for a wedding! We got up and leisurely made out way to the temple for the 2:00 sealing of Ryan and Chalyce. Everything went perfectly. Grandpa White performed the sealing and offered great words of wisdom to the couple and all in attendance. After lots of pictures we headed back to the house for a nice wedding dinner with family and closest friends.

Saturday: Day for the big reception. After running some wedding errands, Maren and I had the opportunity to help the florist with the table centerpieces. I learned some things about floral arrangements and the stress that goes into making sure you have fresh flowers for an event. Everything turned out beautifully for Chalyce and Ryan's reception. Flowers, cake, food, lights, people -- everything was perfect. We had a fantastic night.

Sunday: After a big waffle breakfast everyone started getting ready for their trips home and in Chalyce and Ryan's case, their trip to Hawaii. Somehow there was a mix up in communication and we sent them to the wrong airport, whoops! So, they went to Oakland and their airplane left from San Francisco - without them. I haven't heard the whole story yet, but I think they finally made it to their hotel in Kauai, just a day late. Haha. But what's it matter where you are when the one you love is beside you? Right? Seth and I had a bit of drama heading home as well. A one hour delay on our first flight left us sprinting to our connecting flight as our names were being read over the intercom system. "Would the following passengers report to gate A-11 immediately... Leia Boney, Seth Boney." We stepped on to the airplane gasping for air, but we made it. And now we're back home, dreaming of the next time we'll see the west coast.

Summer stroll on the National Mall

2010-07-20T10:58:00.000-07:00

Our new stomping ground!

Happiness is in the journey...

2010-07-20T10:32:00.000-07:00

I could write a lengthy narrative, but instead allow me to conjure up an image.

Our trip to Virginia:

16 foot moving truck. A cab for 2. One 60 pound dog. One relentlessly shedding cat. Seth. Me. All towing a 20 foot car trailer. Traveling 2,200 miles. At 60 miles per hour.

It looked kind of like this.We made the trip in 4 days and 3 nights. We splurged for a hotel on the 2nd night, but spent the 1st and 3rd in a cozy bed made in the Subaru. The best part of the trip? 2 new state signs in our quest to get all 50.

17/50
18/50

We made it!

Many, many thanks to the Edwards for housing us while we were indeed homeless!

Seth's birthday and 4th of July celebrations

2010-07-20T10:05:00.001-07:00

July 3, 2010

Seth turned 25 this year! We had a little surprise birthday breakfast at Kneaders with family and some of our closest friends. This crazy lady (and she was crazy) found out it was Seth's birthday and wanted to make him a hat. Turns out she was a balloon artist and went and got all of her balloons out of her car. And this is what she created...

Benji, Aubrey, and Abigail

Brothers and sisters

Katie, Cameron, Carley, Sarah, Britton, and Seth (his hat in the foreground)

Made sure EVERYONE knew it was his birthday

Just what he always wanted... clothes for his new job

Got this beauty up and running... Looking good Trent

Stadium of Fire that night

Honoring the eagle scouts
Watching Carrie Underwood perform... she was great
Last family dinner before we left for Virginia

Celebrating with some fireworks

Bohne/White family reunion

2010-07-20T09:54:00.000-07:00

I'm always happy to spend a weekend with these fine folks that I'm lucky to call my new family! Between a talent show, baseball game, food, rock band, alpine slides, ziplines, and crazy kids there was never a dull moment.
To top the weekend off we attended the baby blessing of the Gallagher triplets

Manti pageant & Leia's 23rd birthday

2010-07-20T09:23:00.000-07:00

June 16, 2010

For my birthday I wanted to take a trip down to Manti for the pageant... something I haven't seen since the summer before I entered high school. It was a beautiful night for the show and I was happy to have such great company (and good-looking, don't you think?).

Thanks to a little good luck, good timing, and a volunteer willing to turn a blind eye even Max was there to enjoy the show!We stayed the night outside of town a few dozen furlongs up a mountain.

June 19, 2010

Woke up to this delightful treat for breakfast. Seth treats me so gooooood. Notice the banana slices are even cut to spell H-A-P-P-Y B-D-A-Y

He got me a new pair of Rainbow sandals because he thinks all of my $2 Old Navy flip flops are gross. And he's probably right.Then we were lucky enough to babysit these little guys for the night.Max was our big helper.

We also got to wish Alyssa and Guillermo a congratulations at their engagement par-tay... so cute together. We ended the evening by walking through a tour of homes castle, catching Brady's (BYU men's) soccer game, and grabbing a very late night all you can eat meal from Pizza Pie Cafe. And that's how I turned 23.

Now accepting visitors

2010-07-14T18:53:00.000-07:00

We're finally in Washington D.C.!! After 4 long days of driving, and 3 longer days of apartment searching we finally found a perfect apartment in Stafford, VA. Sure it's a 45 minute commute for Seth... but commutes can be that long even if you live 3 miles from the city. The traffic here is outrageous. More posts to come, but this is to let you all know that we are here and safe and happy. And really, please come visit, we have an extra bedroom!! I'm gonna need visitors :)

To those of you are saying, "WTHeck?! DC?", to you I say... we have a lot of catching up to do.

Ryan&Chalyce

2010-07-04T23:15:00.000-07:00

Took some pictures for the love birds the other day. Love this one. Can't wait for August 6!

Raccoon-itas

2010-06-13T11:35:00.000-07:00

One of my awesome co-workers volunteers at a wildlife rehabilitation/rescue place here in Utah. As a result, she gets to take care of the most adorable little creatures. As a treat the other day she brought these darling wee raccoons into work. Of course, I called Seth and told him to bring my camera. Thanks Leah!