More Jibbin' & Jabbin'

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Elf-Esteem

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Meine Maichala

After writing the last post, I was thinking about how mesmerized by our tree Keyan has been. In spite of its humble ornamentation, watching the tree has been a magical experience for him.

Nearly all of the ornaments are homemade, and one set has been in the family for a while. They are the the Maichala ornaments (pine cone dolls) made by my Oma. I thought I'd share the story with you all, because (1) it's one of the classics we read over and over again each year, and (2) I've never heard (or found) the story anywhere but from Oma.

O Tannenbaum

This year, we had planned to get our Christmas tree from a craft store (specifically, from the store's ream of green butcher paper).

But every time we would go to any store on some errand, Keyan's eyes would immediately go to the display of Christmas trees at the back, and he would say, "Ohhh! Look at the Christmas trees! They're so beauuuuutiful!"

We thought, "Well... maybe we can find a small, inexpensive tree. We'll just go look." So, we went to Frederico's just a mile or two from here. We got out and went straight to the smallest tree, which was about 4 feet tall. $39.99??? I couldn't believe it! (In a bad way, that is. I re-read that just now and it almost sounded like I thought that was a steal!) We skimmed the price tags on other trees, but they were all more or less the same. Then, as we were leaving, we saw a stash of smaller 2 and 3 foot trees leaning up against the fence. Perfect, we thought! But a couple standing nearby must have read our thoughts, because they hurried to grab the tallest, nicest looking one of the bunch. The other smaller trees were only $12.99... but they were so tiny that I couldn't bring myself to pay that much for one.

Then... lo & behold... a voice. "Hey, I know you." It was Zach Taylor, who attended high school with Jonathan & was also in the Missionary Training Center at the same time. They chatted while I took Keyan back to the car. Minutes later, I was surprised to see Jonathan walking towards us... holding a tree! He had seen one bundled up, without a price tag, so he had asked how much it would be. Zach said, "For you, Hoehne... 10 bucks." It was awesome. It's the most beautiful 3 1/2 foot tree I've ever beheld :)

I feel very blessed to have had that experience. Not because we got a tree out of it, but because I know that the Lord watches over us in even the smallest endeavors. A Christmas tree may be a small thing (literally, in this case)... but, to me, it is a symbol of the Lord's love for us- a love so much bigger than we can imagine.

Werner

Most of you know that my mother is from Germany. Well, recently we received news from a family member still living there. The thing is... we never knew he existed until a few weeks ago.

*Tante: Aunt
*Oma: Grandmother

My Tante Rosa (Oma's sister) had a son when she was younger.  But they were hard times, so she gave him up for adoption. No one ever knew! This son's name is Werner. Well, Werner is now about sixty years old; only recently did he discover who his birth mother was. But he could not find any information on the whereabouts of his mother- my Tante Rosa- so he got in touch with Rosa's other son, Dieter. Dieter told Werner that Rosa had already passed away, and so the identity of Werner's father died with her. But Werner has gained so much family since then! He has all of us, and we are so excited to learn about him... and he is so excited to learn about us. He recently wrote my Oma a 39-page letter telling her his life story. I can't wait to get a copy and have Jonathan translate it. Right now, all I know is that Werner is a theology professor.

Also, Werner has two sons: Johannes & Daniel. Johannes is in his 20's, and Daniel, I think, is about 20. They both speak & write English. I am so excited to have more cousins (however distant!) who are also close in age. This may seem like no big deal, but I have no cousins of my own. The only cousins I have ever known well are my cousin Kris & his wife Rachél. And technically, they too are my mom's cousins.

The other really neat thing is that Werner's family lives in Bayern, Germany. But Daniel is studying at the University in Munich. Well... some of you know that young men in our church serve two-year missions at the age of 19. Jonathan's younger brother just received his call. He is going to the Germany Munich/Austria mission. Geographically, his mission encompasses both Bayern and, of course, Munich. You just never know if he may come into contact with Werner & his family.

Learning about Werner has further confirmed to me the power of family ties. Here is a complete stranger who I have immediately embraced, simply by knowing that he is a member of my family. In family, there truly is created a bond that is easily formed, but not easily severed. I am grateful for that!

Joseph Bitner Wirthlin

I was shocked when I heard news this morning that one of the apostles of our church, Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, had passed away last night.  

I love each of our church leaders... but I think that, for many reasons, we all tend to gravitate to certain ones.  Such was the case with Elder Wirthlin.  He was my favorite apostle.  As much as I loved President Hinckley, I do not think that I cried when he passed away.  But I cried for Elder Wirthlin today.  I will miss him.  But, happily, I know he is with his sweetheart again :)

I think we all had a soft spot for him, especially after his conference address last October. I will never forget when he started to shake, but unwavering, continuing onm knowing the significance of the message he was sharing.  Then, Elder Nelson approached.  He held and steadied Elder Wirthlin so that he could finish his talk. What love the Brethren have for one another!  

I mean no disrespect to any members of other denominations when I say that I have such a great love for this Church!  Though we are each empowered to receive personal revelation and know for ourselves how to act and know what is true, I am still grateful to be led by leaders who are prophets, seers, & revelators.  I truly believe that "the Lord will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7).  I am grateful for each apostle who, like Elder Wirthlin, testifies of Christ daily and leads our Church by divine inspiration.  

Phew!

I have had no time to blog!  Life has been a little crazy around here.  First, I encountered some obstacles along the way to knee recovery.  My physical therapy aide had me do a wrong set of exercises one day and I ended up having to stay off my feet for 3 days straight.  Then I started babysitting again, and because I couldn't quite bend my knee yet, I had to bend over to lift the baby, and well, I totally killed my back.  Another few days in bed.  Then, we got the stomach flu. More time in bed.  Then, lucky me, I got it a second time a week later!  To top it all off, I am desperately trying to finish my last elective class (the deadline is Nov. 25), so that I can finally officially graduate from BYU!   

So, I apologize for being MIA on the blog; I'm sure things will be better after the holidays!

I did want to say thank you to everyone who shared their Halloween traditions & routines.  We ended up taking Keyan to Safe Halloween Downtown.  He trick-or-treated to some of the stores along Center Street, and then we came home for dinner.  We were going to take him out to trick-or-treat in our neighborhood, but by the time people had started turning on their lights, Keyan had already fallen asleep.  Oh well... he was a cute, little cowboy while it lasted!

The Trial That Will Make Me Stronger...

In more ways than one.

I am referring to the knee surgery I had this past Tuesday. I have genetically misaligned knees that have caused me a great deal of pain the last several years. My orthopedic surgeon strongly recommended surgery; a knee scope & lateral release. The knee scope helps alleviate arthritis by clearing out small pieces of broken cartilage and tissue in the knee joint that the misaligned patella rubs over on a regular basis. The lateral release is a procedure that involves cutting the ligaments in the knee; this release in pressure allows the kneecap to sit properly within its groove (and not be misaligned).

So, though it will be a trial in many ways, this procedure will help my knee get stronger. But Monday night, I learned that the procedure itself is not the only way I will be strengthened.

Because I had many anxious concerns about the surgery, I received a Priesthood blessing the night before. In the blessing, I was told that this surgery would be a greater trial than I had anticipated. It would be difficult, but I would grow in many ways & eventually overcome and be able to do "all those things." Well. Not quite what I was expecting to hear. But the words of that blessing are already coming to pass.

When I left the hospital Tuesday evening, I was feeling totally loopy, nauseated by the medication, and generally just out of it... but I was not in any pain. I was advised to take my pain medication on a regular schedule, even if I was not feeling pain, but because I was not in any pain, I did not take any more Percocet until a full 24 hours later- just before bedtime. Stupid, stupid me. When I woke up this morning, I definitely felt the pain, and the pain has progressively gotten worse over the course of the day. In fact, that is why I have been blogging in the wee hours of the night... I could not fall asleep for the discomfort I have been experiencing. During the day, for small time intervals only, I am supposed to try bearing weight on the affected leg, but much of the time, I am not able to do so.

I am also in a knee brace that cannot come off until later this evening (72 hours total). The chambers of the brace fill with cold liquid that is pumped from a cooler (full of ice and water) to keep my knee iced around the clock. When I get up to use the restroom or simply move around a little bit, the tubing trails behind me and I either trip on it or get my crutches caught in it. Little things like that cause my knee to hurt even more and frustrate the heck out of me! Lastly, I am not able to shower or wash my hair... which anyone can agree does NOT help in the "feel good" department!!

On the other hand, there is so much to be grateful for about my surgery. I am grateful that I was able to have it, period. For many years, I have been restricted to certain athletic activities, but over time, those limitations have been narrowing further. If I heal properly, I will have the capacity to participate in a variety of sports. I specifically look forward to running!

I am also so grateful for everyone who has had any part in making this surgery possible. One main concern Jono and I had about this surgery was the cost. We felt strongly I should have the surgery, but were unsure how we were going to pay for it. I am grateful that the means to do so presented itself, though in an unlikely way.

Let me explain. Mormons, of course, do not believe in gambling. But my Grandpop Frank is not a Mormon. And a modest amount of responsible gambling is an outlet for him. So a couple of times a month, my mom drives him to the Hard Rock Casino. Even though she just watches, my mom and my grandpa are able to spend valuable time together. And two weeks ago, it was valuable time- literally! Grandpop won a sizable amount at the slots. And he gave my mom half of it. My mom told me later, "I knew this money was meant for you- to help pay for your surgery." When she told me that, I broke down crying (these are the tears I was referring to in my conference post). I am so grateful that my parents would think of me in that moment. No matter the origin, the money Jono & I received was a great blessing and an answer to our prayers.

I am also grateful for people being so thoughtful and sensitive to my needs. Today, just when my spirits were reaching a low point, I received a care package from Ryan, Tina, and the kids. In addition to a homemade card and change purse (courtesy of Samara), there was a movie, a book of brain teasers, and some yummy treats to help keep me occupied during my recovery.

I was also blessed to have Joanne watch Keyan not only the day of my surgery, but also the day after so that I could rest (and rest I did! I slept 14 hours!). Then, next week, Tiffany has offered to watch Keyan and I will also be receiving help from Holly. Such help is priceless to me! Thank you to each of you.

Finally, I have to thank Jonathan. He has been AWESOME! He has been my gopher- getting me blankets, pillows, and movies. He's even made ice runs at 4am (twice) because we ran out of ice for my cooler. He's been my pharmacist- bringing me my medicine and a glass of water whenever it's time for the next dose. And he's been my chef- keeping me nourished with yummy food... like these enchiladas!

It's wonderful having someone take care of you simply because they love you. That is certainly one aspect of surgery that will make me stronger. And there are many more ways I have yet to discover!

The Niner-Niner Tag

9 TV Shows I Watch
1. Law & Order
2. Seinfeld
3. The Office
4. Frasier
5. Cash Cab
6. Ace of Cakes
7. Food Network Challenges
8. ?
9. ? I dunno; it was a stretch just to think of those!

9 Favorite Restaurants
1. Sweet Tomatoes
2. The Cafe (in Key West)
3. Wild Oats Cafe
4. Sampan
5. Frenchy's Salt Water Cafe (in Clearwater, FL)
6. La Pupuseria (on Center St in Provo; they serve Salvadorean food)
7. PF Changs
8. Maggianos
9. Coney's (just the frozen custard)

9 Things that Happened Yesterday
1. I slept like 14 hours
2. and laid around on the couch all day
3. ...watching several hours' worth of TV and movies
4. I took a bunch of Percocet
5. and ate a lot of comfort food
6. Occassionally, I got up to use the restroom.
7. I ate chili that I made and froze earlier this week.
8. And I talked to family members checking in on me.
9. Above all, I reveled in the joys of outpatient surgery.

9 Things that I'm Looking Forward to
1. Walking
2. And eventually running
3. Thanksgiving & a road trip to Idaho
4. Moving to Florida
5. Seeing my parents at Christmas
6. Giving Jono a big hug & kiss when he wakes up
7. Seeing Keyan's bright smile & hearing his "Good morning, Mommy!"
8. Tiff & Holly's help with Keyan next week
9. A better night's rest tomorrow night

9 Things on My Wish List

1. a house
2. filled with many more little ones
3. an acre of property
4. to be debt free except for a mortgage
5. but to pay the mortgage off in 15 years or less
6. The Routan Minivan
7. Spend all eternity with the man of my dreams (Lucky for me, I've already got the man & the means to attain that eternity)
8. Live in a green house (no, not that kind...) in a green town
9. Have all my children grow up to be happy, healthy adults

9 People to Tag
Hmmm... Instead... how 'bout whoever is reading this between the hours of 9pm and 9am?

Happy 26th, Sweetheart!

It just so happens that Jono is also one of my favorite blessings! I am so lucky to have met such a sweet & awesome guy, and even luckier that he wanted to marry me. And yet...

I am a terrible wife! I never even posted about Jonathan's twenty-sixth birthday. Which was September 14th. Almost a month ago. See? Terrible!

Fruit seems to be cake substitute for our birthdays lately! All I wanted was cherries for my birthday, and for Jonathan's- we went to his parents' house for cantaloupe, strawberries, & pineapple. So yummy!

For the life of me, I could not figure out why I had taken a picture of Joe and Jonathan zipping up their fly.

... And then I got to this picture and remembered they had been trying to find alternative ways to light the stupid match :P And for the record... no method worked. Well, no body parts or clothing anyway! They finally lit the match on a rock. True Eagle Scouts, I guess :)

So, Jono, I'm sorry for posting a month after your birthday. I may be late, but I love you!!!!

Our Cutie...

Keyan is definitely one of my greatest blessings. He is the cutest kid- inside & out. I love his personality; it's so fun to play with him and just spend time with him!

Here are some recent pictures:


Trying his hand at the Wii. Never too young for technology, right? Ha. Keyan obviously had no idea what he was doing!

My brother Shawn & his wife Lindsay were in town for the BYU-UCLA game, and that weekend was also Jono's birthday, so we all went out to Tucano's.

Then we all headed to Murray to watch the game at Lindsay's grandparents' house. That's right. Shawn & Lindsay were in town for the game, but we ended up not being able to get tickets! Sad, huh? It was fun to be together, though, no matter where we were. At one point, Keyan was being kinda rowdy, so Jono took him on a walk to the fire station. No one was there for Jono to ask permission from about sitting on the fire trucks, so he just went ahead and snapped some shots. As they were walking away, the crew returned... good timing!

Keyan loves horses, as well as the rodeo we went to last month. So, we thought being a cowboy for Halloween would be a perfect fit. The same day we went to Tucano's, we had walked around the Riverwoods and saw some darling cowboy apparel at Gymboree- very over priced, of course! But when we decided we definitely wanted to have him be a cowboy, I went back just to look at the prices again... and everything was already on clearance! I was so excited, so as soon as we got home, I wanted Keyan to try everything on. He totally refused! But he did want to watch Toy Story. So, I held up the shirt, hat, & boots and said, "Look! It's Woody's hat! And look, Woody's shirt! And his boots!" I'm not sure if I was being clever or manipulative... but you would not believe how quickly this cute boy put on the whole ensemble. Now he always wants to wear his hat & boots- wherever we go!

The Past Month...

So I'm a little behind in my blogging. Probably because I've spent a good majority of the past month complaining! Then, this morning, one great, but simple act, brought me to my knees. As I prayed, I completely broke down, overwhelmed by all of my blessings. I felt especially grateful for amazing parents.

Along the lines of gratitude, Conference was a nice, little jump-start for me. I've never been good at New Year's Resolutions; they've always seemed so superficial to me. But I always set new goals at each Conference. Like always, there were so many wonderful, pertinent talks during Conference. But perhaps the most meaningful message for me was when President Monson spoke about gratitude. I am so blessed, and I have so much to be grateful for. Our family goal for this is to have a gratitude jar. After scripture study each night, we'll write something we're grateful for on a slip of paper. A small thing, but I think it is recognizing the small things that can lead us to recognize the true extent of our blessings.

So I think I'll try less complaining, and more blogging of the beautiful blessings in life :)

Kiddie Kandids vs. Us

Ever since Heather, my photographer sis-in-law, moved to Logan and had baby #2, Jonathan & I have been stumped trying to figure out what to do for Keyan's 2 year photos.

Then we were at the mall this past Thursday when a girl from Kiddie Kandids approached us. She was in training and asked if she could practice by taking some pictures of Keyan and, in exchange, she would give us a free 5 x 7. The picture turned out cute

and we got some really good coupons to come back for a regular photo session, so we figured we would just go ahead and do Keyan's 2 year pictures at Kiddie Kandids.

BUT...

We just couldn't go through with it! We love doing pictures outdoors, so we decided to just do them ourselves. We borrowed my in-law's camera and took pictures near Hobble Creek Canyon, Bridal Veil Falls, & Big Springs. Honestly, I think they turned out much cuter than anything we could have gotten at Kiddie Kandids!

p.s. to Ryan & Tina, Shawn & Lindsay, and Mom & Dad (on both sides)... I numbered the photos, so you can pick which pose you want for your copy. Just let me know which number(s) you want. Everyone will get a copy of Keyan on the tractor, though. It's just too cute! :) Also, the slideshow does go kinda slow, and it chops off part of the pictures, so if you want an easier way to view them and pick which you want, go to http://s409.photobucket.com/albums/pp173/roxidaize/?albumview=grid The password is keyanhoehne.

The Utah State Fair

We went to the Utah State Fair this past Friday for the Utah's Own PRCA Rodeo. So much fun! The last rodeo I went to was in '04. I forgot how much I love them. When I go, the Lake City in me emerges (that's the farm town I was born in). I even started listening to country again :P

Walking around beforehand, seeing all of the animals

Krissy is one of my best friends who went with us; she's a true cowgirl :)

Keyan usually eats like a bird... so we were totally impressed that he downed this foot-long hot dog all by himself!

Watching the skydivers

(the skydivers)

The rodeo clown was firing off a "gun" and I guess Keyan just couldn't bear watching

A Day on the Farm...

... That is, a commercialized zoo style farm run for profit at Thanksgiving Point. But hey :)


If you could "hear" this photo, all you would hear is Keyan saying "Baaaaaa" to the sheep over & over again.


Keyan and I both loved the horses. They would nuzzle up right against you.


Even though Keyan kept telling me he wanted to ride a pony, I was skeptical. I thought he would freak out when I actually went to sit him on it. But he loved it. Our own little cowboy.

(I have to say, tho, I felt sorry for the ponies and horses who were hooked up to the merry-go-round all day long. The poor things looked pathetic.)


After riding the pony, Keyan insisted on riding everything.


This scale said Keyan weighed 50 lbs- Ha! Looks like too many other kiddies didn't know how to read the sign on the left.


You know, of course, I had to take a picture of these :)


Shawn, this one's for you...

... Guanaco!

Who is this... Incarnación?

My friend Alicia tagged me on her blog... which means I am going to share 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3 current obsessions/collections, and 3 random, surprising facts about myself. If I tag you, you do the same on your blog. And Megan, you're it! :)

JOYS
1. Bodies of water. Yes, sounds strange. But I am totally captivated by all bodies of water- rivers, lakes, streams, and of course, the ocean. That's why, wherever we end up settling down, I either want to be 2 minutes from the ocean or else live on a lake.
2. Wide open spaces. And no, I don't mean the Dixie Chicks song. Life is just too crowded anymore. Everywhere I look there are enormous, new houses popping up with no yard to speak of. Someday, I'd like to have not just a yard, but several acres of property. And live some place like Cache Valley with green farmland stretching every which way for miles. In fact, we'd move to Logan.. but I'd never survive the winters!
3. Not intended to be a self-righteous, eye-rolling response.... my third joy is the gospel. I was driving the other day and just thinking how blessed I am to have a testimony of Jesus Christ. Not just a belief, but a conviction. A conviction that there is more to life than this life, that families are eternal, and that there is One who lives and loves me more perfectly than I can comprehend. That is true joy.

FEARS
1. Snakes
2. Alligators. Sure, I've skied in Lake Tarpon tons of times, but that doesn't mean that every time I fell, I didn't imagine my legs as two long pieces of meat dangling in the water. (Was anyone with me the time I jumped out of RoseAnn's boat in the middle of the lake and swam about 100 m to shore? It's not nicknamed Gator Lake for nothing... what the heck was I thinking??!!)
4. Germs. I'm a Purell addict.

GOALS
1. Learn Italian
2. Run a marathon/triathlon. The marathon part would have gotten crossed off in October, but since I won't be able to run it anymore, I'll have to keep it on the list a little longer. I've also always wanted to do a triathlon. Maybe I'll start with a relay one.
3. Own a house! And fix it up (or preferably, restore it. Jonathan & I love older homes.) And have a huge garden. And maybe raise some animals.

OBSESSIONS/COLLECTIONS
I don't really have any tangible obsessions/collections, just obsessions that include:
1. Having a clean home (that doesn't mean that it always is... just that I really enjoy cleaning)
2. Doing family history. It's like fitting together pieces of a puzzle... and also like living a piece of that history. A few weeks ago, for example, I came across the passenger lists for some family members when they came to the states, including the passenger list of my mother and grandmother. It felt like I was there with them. I just love family history.
3. Reading good books.
(That's right, Alicia! No more daisy fetish! But they are still my favorite flower :) )

RANDOM/SURPRISING FACTS
1. I don't have any first cousins.
2. I am allergic to ibuprofen.
3. I love Jonathan! Okay, so no surprise there :)

Vote 4 Your Coach

My brother Shawn just started a website called Vote 4 Your Coach. I'm trying to spread the word about it and also get as many votes as possible for BYU :) But I suppose you can vote for your own alma mater if you want ;).

Go visit the page and cast your vote! Thanks!

Look at My Husband, Y'all !!!

That's what Flo says about Ramon in Cars, and that's what I'm saying about my gorgeous husband, Jonathan, who officially began teaching 4th grade today.

Jonathan was so nervous, but once in the classroom, he said it all felt so completely natural. And that is just as it should be, because Jonathan really is a natural when it comes to teaching children. His gifts abound when it comes to creativity, patience, and fostering a love for learning.

I'm proud to have a husband who loves what he does and works hard at it.

Taking Care of Business!

A little over a month ago, Keyan started notifying us that he had finished going to the bathroom in his diaper. He would lie down on the ground, lift up his legs, and say, "Diaper change!" We have a friend whose daughter exhibited the same behavior.... until she was four and a half years old. Horrified by that possibility, Jonathan and I decided to potty train.

But we were totally baffled by what approach to take. We researched a bunch of methods and came across one that had actually been part of a scientific study. The results were made into a book by Nathan Azrin & Richard Foxx entitled "Potty Training in Less than a Day." So we read it, followed it, and were quite pleased with the results.

Of course, I know what you're thinking- there's no way it can be done in a day. And that's true. For us, it took four days. One day, four days... it's all good to me!

To sum up the book: you train with a doll, then have your child mimic the training- all the while reinforcing with treats. The authors say you can still put your child in training diapers at night, so we have been putting Keyan in Pull-Ups, but he has woken up dry each morning.

We trained Keyan Thursday, and Friday was the last day he had a pee accident. Poo took a little longer... but when he woke up Monday morning, he went #2 all on his own and has ever since. I'm sure there will be accidents here and there, but if Keyan can stay dry for five hours like he did when we went to Logan last weekend, then I am pretty confident that they will be only occasional.

I recognize that this is not the only way to potty train your kids (many of you have already trained your kids and were successful with other methods)... but this totally worked for us. And I guess that's the point of my post. Different things work for different people. It really bothers me when people try to tell me I'm wrong about something I am trying with my child. In respect to potty training, we have been told things like "You are totally rushing your child. You have to wait until he's ready." (What does ready mean anyway? Don't we all define it differently and know when our child fits the definition we've created?) Another thing we were told was that we were going to make Keyan get a bowel obstruction by forcing potty training on him at such a young age. But we never forced Keyan to potty train (We all know the result of parent-child power struggles- parents never win!) and he did just fine. There is no right or wrong to parenting; we all do it differently. We learn from suggestions, not disparaging remarks.

Okay, I'll step down from my soap box now... and simply say that we are so proud of our little boy and the progress he has made!

I'm probably a boring mom that I didn't get "fun" underwear for Keyan to wear. But $5.74 for three pairs of Lightning McQueen underwear or $3.99 for seven pairs of plain white ones? I'm just too practical!

Sitting on the little potty.

And sometimes on the big potty, too.