Saturday, May 24th in Zions National Park

Let me just take a moment to say how much I love my in-laws! Cody and I were both blessed with in-law families that we absolutely adore. My mother-in-law is the second greatest mother I know! We had so much fun hanging out with them in their beautiful home in Virgin. I feel somewhat guilty making Morgan come back to our cramped quarters here in Harlem. Besides having a great big lawn, a gorgeous home with lots of rooms and hallways, Cody's parents live minutes from Zions National Park. When people complain we are running out of room in this world, all I have to do is think of the magnificence of this place and I know Heavenly Father gave us enough room for all to enjoy and run around in, with some to spare.

Here is Morgan and his Daddy taking their strollers for a walk with the supervision of Papa Adams.A momentary pause to notice the stream.Then it was time to take off running again. What you are missing in this picture is the effect of Morgan's right arm swinging like crazy and his cheeks bouncing...but I'm sure you can imagine the immense cuteness factor! Three wonderful generations of Adams men. Great smiles had by all!
Not a bad view and Zions isn't half bad either!




Two of the greatest people you'll ever meet, Kurt and Chamaine. Thanks again Kurt for hanging out with us all those days! Morgan misses his future father-in-law! Morgan and his two dads...this joke just will never get old to me! Maybe if I just keep saying it enough it will come true...now that would be funny! (the joke I'm referring to is Morgan marrying Ansley...I just realized that kind of seemed like I meant Cody and Kurt were a couple...that would NOT be funny since Cody's all mine! Sorry Kurt, you'll just have to stick with Chamaine for eternity.)

Here is a funny video of Morgan taking his stroller for a walk and everyone else on the hike. Also if you want to see more photos from the hike, go to our Picasa Albums and enjoy.

I miss everything about these memories but am grateful to have made them and can't wait to make some more over Christmas when we get to go home again!

Ok, so here it goes...brace yourself

Ok, so I know I have been gone for awhile now and have had a serious lack of blogging happening on our little site, but no worries, we are back in NYC and Morgan in napping so I am back to blogging! Since I have a little back tracking to do I thought I get that over with first...

Here I am in Times Square right after we missed getting a picture of Morgan Freeman coming out of The Country Girl. My smile is masking my pain at not getting to actually meet him. It was a lovely night but Cody and I remembered why we never go to Times Square....too crazy!This is the lovely surprise that awaited me on Mother's Day morning. The scribble marks are from Morgan (with Daddy's help, although he did manage to get a bit of orange marker on his pajamas...good one dad!). Morgan was very excited it was Mother's Day as well.Cody got me the first 3 Harry Potter books (which he helped me out by reading while I was away and is now having a hard time not telling me all about...thanks dear!) and a diploma from the School of Hard Knocks (if you're a die-hard fan of 30 Rock you may remember that joke). Here is a great picture from Chamaine's Baby Shower on May 17th. I loved Morgan's new outfit that I bought especially for this occasion, since Chamaine loves pink and brown. Everyone kept thinking Morgan was a girl when he wore this outfit because it was pink and his hair is curly...hello the shirt has skulls and crossbones on it and he is clearly all boy! Some people have no fashion sense! Why have a kid if you can't dress them exactly how you want them and have fun with it, is my motto! Check out his new flip-flop sandals...too cute. Oh and he's crying because I won't give him the camera.

Chamaine with her nephew Peyton. It was a lovely shower and we're so glad we got to go and see everyone and celebrate the upcoming arrival of Ansley...Morgan's future bride!
Since I was in Utah I decided to take advantage and see some of my favorite people whom I never get to see. Here is my great friend Justin and his lovely wife, Lara and cute little baby girl, Ella. Ella got a kick out of Morgan and he enjoyed helping them learn how to baby-proof their home. Morgan was a little overly tired and not cooperating but we had a great time visiting with them and can't wait for them to come visit us in NYC!
So now we're down in Virgin, Utah at Cody's parent's home near St. George. I will post more of those pictures later since there are way too many to post all together. I never really see Morgan sleeping since his door is shut and I have too much to do to risk waking him up...but here we had to wake him on Memorial Day so I thought I'd take the opportunity to document how funny he looks waking up... life is rough for this little guy!


My bestest-good friend Mesha drove me down to Virgin and hung out for a few days. I stupidly did not get any pictures of us together but I did manage to capture her car rolling over to 200,000 miles when we drove to Vegas to pick up Cody from the airport. I was having a hard time driving and taking a picture at the same time so it is blurry and at 200,001 but it's still cool nonetheless! Honda Civics are pretty durable little cars!
While Mesha and I waited for Cody's midnight plane to arrive, we took the opportunity to hang out with some more of my favorite people, Mark, Cathy and their little boy Taj. They were gracious enough to stay up with us and keep us entertained until the wee hours. Mark is the coolest and Cathy and I are kindred spirits, so it worked out great for me that they got married. And now their little man Taj Mahal is a great friend for Captain Morgan, so life keeps getting better!Oh and yes I have a sunburn since I stupidly did not think the elevation and brightness of the desert sun would effect me that quickly. Oops.

Well, that is a random sampling of what we did on our Utah trip. More of the Virgin trip coming soon...

Morgan's New Mortal Enemy...Grass

I was hoping that this trip would be a good chance for Morgan to finally get well acquainted with the great outdoors. However, Morgan seems to be a City kid through and through! At the first chance I took Morgan out onto a lovely lawn of beautiful green grass and waited to see the excitement in his eyes and watch him wiggle his toes with wonderment. Sadly, this was not Morgan's reaction. As soon as his feet hit the grass Morgan hightailed it back to the nearest cement he could find. When I laid him down, he wouldn't even roll over to get himself up and off the horrid substance. He just laid there, with his hands and feet in the air just begging me to save him.

Here is the glowing Chamaine with her niece Nora. Gotta love the belly!
Morgan tolerating being out in the middle of grass because he was on a see-saw. I'm just a little depressed by the fact I look pregnant but let me assure everyone I am not!
Well, there is just a little highlight of our trip thus far. We are greatly missing Cody and can't wait to see him this Thursday night. Hopefully Morgan will get over his hatred of grass in time to enjoy his grandparents' home in Virgin.

Super Updates

So, I have a million things to talk about and no pictures and not much time. So here goes! Morgan and I are currently in Orem, Utah staying with my almost sisters Mesha and Chamaine. Chamaine and her wonderful husband, Kurt, have agree to let us stay in their home and let Morgan help them get ready to baby proof for their future daughter, who is due in August. Chamaine is beautifully pregnant and we are having a great time hanging out with Mesha during the day, since Chamaine works days and Mesha works nights. I am not enjoying being a single parent but Cody will be joining us in St. George next Thursday at his parents' home and we cannot wait!

Now to what we were up to before we left. Saturday Cody, being the wonderful man and husband that he is, got us tickets to go see Morgan Freeman on Broadway in a The Country Girl by Clifford Odets. For you non-theatre nerds this is a straight play set in the 40's about a has-been actor who has the possibility of a comeback if he can stop drinking long enough to remember his lines. Frances McDormand played his wife and Peter Gallagher was the director of the play within a play. Mike Nichols directed these amazing performers and I was in awe the whole evening. It was hard to watch my idol struggling in such a way and was heartbroken over his wonderful portrayal of this broken man. I would love to say everyone should go see it but it is not your typical Broadway fair and even though I loved it and Cody appreciated it, it may not be every one's cup of tea. While we were waiting in line before the show Morgan Freeman walked right past us on the side walk and I got a picture of his back with my cell phone. After the performance we waited by the stage door for an autograph but Big Morgan apparently does not sign them and he rushed right past us again but unfortunately I was so star struck I did not think fast enough to take a picture. Oh well, I have the memories in my heart and that will have to suffice for now.

Before we saw the play Cody took me to this lovely BBQ joint downtown near his work on 27th and Lexington. It is called Blue Smoke and for all of you who enjoy yummy food, and especially those of you who enjoy yummy food and have children at home, this is the place to go! Someone must have got the word out that this is a baby/kid friendly restaurant in downtown Manhattan because it was packed with strollers and baby carriers everywhere. They seemed to really welcome families and make it as easy as possible. They even had a step stool in the bathroom to make it easier for little ones to reach the sink and baby changing stations in both the men and women's restrooms. I was amazed. Even though we didn't have our Little Morgan in tow, we saw the potential for greatness and ease of dining with toddler. So remember the name Blue Smoke!

On Sunday Cody got me the first three Harry Potter books for Mother's Day along with a fake diploma to the School of Hard Knocks framed in anticipation for my upcoming newest diploma. That's right folks you heard it hear first I have officially turned in my thesis and am thesis free from now on! I printed it out Sunday night, got the three signatures I needed Monday afternoon and dropped it off with the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences of Hunter College. I would have felt more relieved if I didn't have to turn around pack up Morgan and I and head off super early the next morning but it is finally sinking in that I don't have to think about the Hill Cumorah Pageant anymore...but I must admit I am starting to feel nostalgic and think I will miss going this summer since we will be in Florida...I'll probably get over it pretty quick. So if anyone wants to read 60 something pages on the Hill Cumorah Pageant just let me know and I can hook you up!

So I think I am pretty much caught up on life for right now and will hopefully be able to post some pictures while we're here to keep everyone updated but just in case don't think we've abandoned our posting habits and I will sneak a peek at your blogs when I can. Have a great May!

Eight Things

8 Things I am Passionate About:
1. My husband and his thoughtful ways (i.e. Mother's Day Flowers that I love!)
2. My son
3. The Gospel
4. Theatre
5. History
6. My Family
7. My Friends
8. Travel

8 Past Books I have Read (and enjoyed):
1. Little Women
2. Count of Monte Cristo
3. Into Thin Air
4. Lord of the Rings
5. Memoirs of a Geisha
6. Plays by Beckett
7. Life of Pi
8. Plays by Ibsen

8 Things I Often Say:
1. Nice
2. No Worries
3. He lost his mind
4. Right On
5. Sweet
6. True, True
7. Super
8. No and Say More (to Morgan)

8 Things I Look For in a Friend:
1. Genuineness
2. Mutual Appreciation
3. Conversation
4. Loyalty
5. Truthfulness
6. Imagination
7. Excitement
8. Connection

8 Things I Want to do Before I Die:
1. Finish this dang thesis!
2. Have more children
3. Watch my children grow
4. Watch my grand-children grow
5. Travel to everywhere and anywhere
6. Create something lasting
7. Own the perfect home
8. Be at peace

8 Things I Have Learned This Past Year:
1. Being a mom is tough work
2. Being a mom is the best job
3. I continue to really like having my husband around
4. Problems don't go away by ignoring them
5. Sometimes you have to let go
6. Saying "Sorry" first does not mean you are weak
7. I know why families live near each other
8. Live in the now but celebrate the past and plan for the future

8 People I Want to do Eight Things:
1. Jill
2. Chamaine
3. Dawn
4. Kim or Mike
5. Jessica
6. Missy
7. Jamie
8. Anyone who found it interesting and wants to share

The Monkey gets Barenaked

I know I already posted today but my little monkey cracks me up. Morgan has decided that a great way to amuse yourself is to put a basket on your head and try to walk around the obstacle course of our home. Luckily he just laughs when he bumps into things or slips and falls down. What a funny kid.

PS. For those of you who will get this: "Get naked, put a bucket on your head, whatever." I also put on the Barenaked Ladies Snack Time album in the dvd player so we could listen to it this morning. Morgan immediately started dancing and I couldn't help but record it and then share it with all of you. I also got him to do some animal noises and wave good-bye...dance, monkey, dance!

It's Been One Day Since I Saw Them Live!

If you know me well enough, you know that you were supposed to sing that title to the tune of "It's been one week since you looked at me" from the song "One Week" by the Barenaked Ladies. Saying I'm a bit of a fan would be an understatement since I am an official member of the Ladies Room and have been since college. I have had the great pleasure of seeing them twice in concert, once when I was eight months pregnant.

Their music just makes me happy, enough said.

So a few days ago I received an email from the fan club letting me know the cd/book I had pre-ordered of their new children's cd, Snack Time, was on its way and that they would be in NYC this week doing some promo for it. I made sure I watched Good Day New York on Tuesday because they would be performing...sorry Morgan we had to miss Curious George. I also noticed that they would be performing at a Barnes and Noble in Tribeca later that day and doing a cd signing. Well, guess who dropped Morgan off at our friend Kiasa's and headed downtown for a little fun?!

That's right ME!!!

In order to get a seat I had to purchase another copy of their new book and cd, which I gladly did and was able to get a second row seat right in the middle. It was so fun to be able to see them this close in person. It would have been fun to share this moment and I'm sure Morgan would have sat still for a few songs but I think concerts will have to come a little bit later.

Ed Robertson and Jim Creeggan rocking out. I love Jim's face..."doing the white man's overbite" (what movie? what movie?)

I absolutely LOVE Steven Page's voice and I must say I am now a little in love with his green shoes!

The guys relaxed right in front of me while waiting to begin signing away. They were very nice about everything and seemed genuinely friendly. I needed two more signatures on a tote bag from their cruise Ships and Dip (a friend went on the cruise and brought home the tote for me with 3 signatures, and yes I totally want to go on the cruise next year!) and they were happy to oblige. I also got them all to sign the book for Morgan...now I have to decide whether or not to let him actually read that copy or get another one. "Tough Decision" (what movie? hint: say it with a french accent)

Morgan was also excited about the goodies and the music. We put on the cd while he was eating dinner and he totally rocked out! My little man has good taste. I totally recommend the new cd and book to anyone with kids or not for that matter. They have such catchy music and clever lyrics. Definitely music both child and parent can enjoy.

Here are some videos from the concert. The first one is a sample of their playful banter between songs and a part of an older favorite song of mine "Another Postcard" from the Everything to Everyone album. The second video is the end of their performance with a banjo version of "One Week". It cuts out because I ran out of room on my camera but still fun to listen to. Thanks for indulging a nerdy passion of mine and I hope you enjoyed.

How many licks does it take...

Or in Morgan's case...How many berries does it take to fill up those humongous cheeks! "I love to eat fruit and I am mesmerized by the camera...what is a little monkey to do?!"
So that is how we spend the end of most of our meal-times. I'm pretty sure Morgan just puts up with all the other food to get to the fruit/dessert portion of each meal. I can understand his love. I always have a large craving for fresh fruit, especially berries.

On another note, I spend two hours of each Sunday with the little ones in our Harlem Ward Nursery. We watch over the 18 mos to 3 year old children and try to teach them little gospel lessons. We have a wonderful nursery leader, Marci and lots of help from other mothers and dads. This Sunday the children were being so cute while sitting around the table for snack time that we couldn't resist taking a few pictures. The pictures are thanks to Ashley, who is helping her little son Eliot learn the ropes in nursery, since he will be joining us shortly. Note Aaron's cute little foot on the table. He is also a younger friend who was joining us for a little bit to give mommy Jihea a break (she's in the blue sweater) from chasing him around the halls.

Since Morgan is not an official nursery member just yet, he gets to wander around while I do singing time. I have a blast each week with singing time and love to watch the children get so excited about the different songs. What a great way to spend a couple hours.

In case you're wondering what I'm doing, we're doing "Old McDonald Had a Farm" and I'm making the sign for pig. Hand movements are always a crowd pleaser! So that's a little taste of what we've been up to. We are all sick in this house right now so haven't been in the mood for blogging but I'll try to get back in the swing of things.