Now

Currently playing out in the room behind me... sounds of choo choos. Sweet Saturday morning.

Thankful

For our boys and everything they are
For a husband who adores me
For our daughter
For family who would do (and does) anything for us
For friends who love us
For a warm home
For an abundance of food
For a beautiful family in Ethiopia
For the gifts that God has given me to share with others
For endless experiences that have made me
I am so grateful

Party Preview

Happy Birthday Ashen

He's 3!

Yesterday we celebrated Big A's birthday starting with a very early morning (aka 6am) reveal of "the Big Wheel." Backstory: Our 6 year Neighbor Boy (NB) has a big wheel. Over the last year, as Ashen grew tall enough to actually reach the pedals on the Big Wheel, he became increasingly interested in riding the Big Wheel. NB did not really like sharing the Big Wheel with his little 2 year old neighbor friend and would reluctantly allow Ashen to ride it occasionally, but often berated him for not riding it properly, or going to far, or (fill in the blank). It was not pretty. His mom whispered to me one day that while they are away during the day (both parents work and the Big Wheel is left out in their driveway), Ashen was welcome to ride it. So, take advantage of the offer he did! Unfortunately, NB caught on because Ashen had to move the seat up every time he rode, and we often forgot to move the seat back. Oops! NB began hiding his Big Wheel under his dad's motorcycle cover, or under their camping trailer. Obvious sign. So, for the last couple months, I've let the Big Wheel be off limits, so as not to upset NB. Ashen pined for it daily, as did Torin (who enjoys just sitting on it and using his feet to walk it around) and so this became a very obvious 3rd birthday present. Ashen was thrilled and said, "this is just like NB's!" NB has not yet seen the Big Wheel. I can't wait to see his reaction :)

After a blueberry muffin breakfast, the four of us (Mark took the morning off--and yay, he's home safe and sound. I must post the spellbinding trials and tribulations of "A Mom Left Home Alone with Two Small Children While Dad Gallivants around Switzerland" at a later date) took off for an Amtrak station 45 minutes from our home. Though we were late for the original train departure time, fortunately the train was late. Ashen informed us after he prayed that the train would be on time that "the train will be waiting for us when we get there." Right he was...in fact we had to wait for it. Gosh, that was way too close--I can't imagine the disappointment if we missed the only available train of the day. So, the boys all took off on the train toward The City, while I hopped back in the car to chase them (not really, but one of us had to meet the train on the other side). It was the boys first time on an Amtrak Train--the Empire Builder that was coming from Chicago--and Mark said they loved it. No explanation is necessary for why this was the birthday treat, if you've been reading our blog for any length of time.

We ended his birthday with Ashen's choice of "Hotdogs at Costco!" Yes, that is my son's favorite meal out. Easy. He danced his way around the food court, and he and Torin found the drink vending machine buttons thrilling.

Keeping with the spirit of my boys' birthdays, here's a snapshot of Ashen at three:

-Sensitive spirit. He is intuitive beyond his years and very sensitive to others' pain (though you can also catch him laughing when one gets hurt too). He feels things very deeply and ponders more than any 3 year old I know.
-Favorites

• Food: Cheese, deli turkey, fruit and raw veggies. Does not like: pizza, most dinners (prefers to eat lunch), cooked mushrooms.
• Books: Curious George, Thomas, Caribbean Dream, Caps for Sale, Trains and Planes
  
• Activities: Brushing teeth, bathing, wooden train, going to the park, riding trikes/big wheel outside, playing in the sink, playing with cars, jumping off of anything, watching train shows

Ashenisms: Speaks fluently with very good grammar and enunciation, but often copies Torin's mannerisms and toddler speech issues (e.g. for "right there" they both say "ba-dare"), Flamangos=Flamingos, macamoni. Turns off the lights in every room at any chance he gets. Leaves me in precarious positions (eg. changing Torin's diaper in the dark). Likes to run nak@d as often as he's allowed--always after dinner, though.

I love age three already. It's so magical to watch my sons grow into themselves and to see their personalities revealed more every day. Ashen and I have some different temperament traits, which is making discovering him even more exciting for me. He is such a beautiful child, inside and out, and I count myself lucky every day to be his mom.

Switzerland - Young Leaders Conference

**Guest Post by Mark**

I am experiencing a rare gift this week, participating in a week-long Young Leaders Conference in Switzerland. When I first was invited to join the all expenses paid conference back in April, I wasn't sure if it was even the real deal. Why would I be invited out of the blue to attend a foreign-relations conference in Switzerland??? Why would someone go to this length to tease me? But after doing some research, I was somewhat convinced it was a reality. After some thought, prayers, and discussions with Sarah, we decided I should give it a go. The primary reason is that this is probably a chance in a lifetime invitation for an engineer to travel abroad as an "ambassador" for the US among up and coming (or already there) Swiss business, political, government, and journalist peoples.

After hearing the former Ambassador speak (Hon. Faith Whittlesey) the first evening, the premise for these annual conferences is to maintain and further develop relationships between these two countries because there is so much in common and there's a need to mend relationships after 8 years of poor foreign policy (not that Obama has made them very happy seeking out information on US people holding money in Swiss Banks, until now any information about these accounts have been secret, bank policy/law since before WWII).

I left home on Friday afternoon on a quick flight to Los Angeles where I transfered to the direct flight from LAX to Zurich, only 10.5 short hours away! I had a pretty quick transfer between United and Swiss, so I was worried that my checked bag wouldn't make the transfer in time. Before boarding I asked the Swiss Air people at the gate if they scanned my bag yet, and they couldn't find it yet. At this time, I and they realized that I didn't actually have a boarding pass yet, but somehow still managed to pass through security without it!!!! That's a big no-no. I was wondering when I went through security what would keep someone from printing out their own "boarding pass" and make it to the SECURE part of the airport. So they printed me up a pass to make me a legal traveler again. I got on the plane assuming that my bag still was not accounted for and I'd be waiting until Monday to get it.

I left LAX at 7:30pm in a wonderfully spacious seat, front row of the business section. These two Swiss flights are probably my first and last time taking business class, which is amazing compared to what I'm used to (crunched knees, elbows and shoulders bumping my neighbor, dancing to get in and out of the seat to hit the restroom). I arrived in Zurich at 4pm local time and proceeded to the baggage area, to report my missing suitcase. In the middle of the paperwork I glanced over at the conveyor belt, and low and behold, my suitcase!!! What a blessing!! So I grabbed it and, thanked the nice man for helping me start the paperwork, and headed for the guy with the Young Leaders Conference sign. We left in a van and headed to the conference center just outside of Bern, 1.5 hours away. I rode with to nice gals, one from LA (works for iTunes Movies and the other for Wall Street Journal - London). I got the pleasure of entertaining the driver as both women slept. The guy was what I'd expect to be a typical, old-school traditional male in Switzerland.

The ride included some great views of the Swiss Alps, the rolling fields, towns with both residential, commercial, and industrial all mixed together (they have a lot of district heating from these local industrial plants, very cool, or warm rather). We arrived at Gerzensee (pronounced Grr Zen Zee, but said quite quickly) after dark and after a long, hot, refreshing shower, enjoyed a nice dinner with my US counterparts and met a handful of nice people with great stories.

I went on a walk the following morning down to the Gerzensee lake which is among numerous fields and a pasture with some delightful cows, and the familiar and welcome smells too! Here are a couple photos from the walk. The first is the Study Centre where we have a lot of our meals and meetings this week. I will try to get some more photos of the Conference Center today.

I had the opportunity to have the somewhat stressful job of MC'ing the Opening Dinner last night, so I'm glad that's over with, but enjoyed it a little bit too. I got to "dress up" in my suit, which has happened only a few times in my life, and will happen a few more times this week (I have TWO suits now). My morning wake-up time is getting better, from 3:30am yesterday, 5am today, to hopefully 6:30 tomorrow. Today is full of panel discussions and breakout sessions to discuss a number of hot topics, closing the afternoon with a reception hosted by the current US Ambassador at this official residence.

I need to run and get ready for the day, but will continue with more trip information later. If this is too long or boring, it's primarily here to log my trip and keep those interested up to speed on what I've been up to here. Sorry for people looking for Ashen/Torin updates, I won't have any of those this week, but I did get to watch a couple wonderful videos Sarah posted for me on YouTube of the boys, felt like I was at home for a couple of minutes, it was WONDERFUL!! They are so funny, I have a smile from ear to ear this morning!!

Modeling

I can only imagine the 6 pack this little guy will have if he keeps this up ;)

Too good not to blog about

Inspired by a few fellow bloggers to make pumpkin pancakes, I have to say they were a smashing success. Everyone loved them and they kept well for the next day's breakfast too. They taste much like a pumpkin scone...but alas they are pancakes! I wasn't going to blog about them, but while eating them, both Mark and I agreed they are too good to keep to ourselves.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 t pumpkin pie spice (or substitute 1 t. cinnamon, 1 t allspice, 1/2 t ginger)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vinegar (I think this makes the milk turn into buttermilk...I was skeptical, but there was no hint of vinegar taste in the final product)

Directions
In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt, stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

We served ours with maple syrup, but others have made cranberry butter. Either would be yummy.

Enjoy!

Makes you go hmmmm...

I dont' know what to think about the fact that I made a sandwich like this to go into my son's lunch.