To The Fathers In Our Lives

Thank you all for your selfless service on our behalf.
We're so happy that you're all a part of our eternal family!
We're thinking of you on this Father's Day!

We wanted to say a little about each of these amazing men.
Unfortunately, these little blurbs do not do them justice, but I'll try anyway.


Adam's Father, Terry:
Adam's father is generous and works very hard for his family. He is, and always has been, very devoted to his wife and children. He is quick to laugh and it's earned him the nickname "Big Ter." Adam's dad is a remarkable businessman and has his own very successful business in Calgary.


Adam's (Maternal) Grandfather, Gerald Melchin:

Grandpa Melchin is such a sweet man. I love the spirit that he carries with him. There is a warmth and a kindness that he radiates. Grandpa Melchin served in the first quorum of the Seventy, and has served as a mission president and a temple president.

My (Paternal) Grandfather, Boyd Busath:

I love my Grandpa Busath! He is quick to laugh and to say something kind to you. His easy-going manner instantly lets you know that you are with someone you can trust, someone to whom you mean the world. He always seems to have all the time in the world to hear about his grandkids and what is important to them. He is dedicated, too--just look at him BBQ-ing in the hailstorm! (The family dinner must go on!) My Grandpa Busath served in the US Navy, and was stationed in Japan when my father was born. He worked as a CPA and is super smart (I wish that had been passed on to me!!)

My (Maternal) Grandfather, Kenneth Burnett:

I love my Grandpa Burnett. He is refined, classy, and such a remarkable man. He has such an eye for design, and his home is always impeccable. I love his laugh and his sweet manner. He was the youngest member ever (at age 13) of the Utah Symphony!

And my step-grandfather, Walter Arabasz:

Walter joined our family several years ago when he married my Grams. He is such a gentle person. He is wise and kind, and I enjoy conversations with him because he always knows just what advice to give (and what advice to leave unsaid!) He works for the University of Utah in the seismology department, and is warning Utah about the impending earthquakes that are due in the valley. Perhaps some of you Utah-ites have seen him on the news!

Happy Father's Day to you all!

And The Winner Is...

Congrats to the winners of my Comment Contest...

Becca
Laurel
Lisa

That's right...the three of you that played, won!

And to the rest of you...pitiful. I think I'll do another one when it's not the first week of summer vacation. And I'd better see more comments next time! Seriously.

The winners get a special treat in the mail. I'll post what it is after you receive them (don't wanna ruin the surprise!)

Comment Contest!

Okay, so a great friend of mine, Megan, hosted a comment contest on her blog and I won! I'm pretty sure it's the first thing I've won since the costume contest (circa Halloween 1993).
Anyhooo....I'm adjusting it a little, to make it even more fun.

The rules/objectives are thus:
-You post a comment on this post
*Include your name
*Tell me something that will make me laugh out loud, or that will make me smile. Topics could include how we met, a shared memory, a time I made a fool of myself, or, if you don't know me very well, you could tell a joke. :)
-In one week, I'll put all the names in the hat and randomly draw a winner (or two or three, depending on my mood...haha).
-The winner will receive a surprise in the mail, perfectly tailored to them. It could be homemade, store-bought, something to eat, something to wear, or something completely useless. But it will be personal.

This is open to all readers--whether you have a blog or not. You can post a comment as an anonymous person (but you won't win if you don't include your name!!!)

Good Luck!!

Just a few random things....

We had a FABULOUS Memorial Day celebration on Monday. In the morning, we went for a few hours to our local water park. It was really fun to take Nate on the water slides, and he was so brave! I was expecting him to really freak out, but he kept wanting to go again and again. Plus...after he and I (and Aidan) went twice together, he was brave enough to go by himself! I was one proud momma. (Oh--we're talking about the "mini" water slides, made for little kids. But still...it's a miracle he went by himself!)

My friend Rhonda posted about the great relationship her kids have. I've been thinking about the same thing around our house lately. My boys get along so well. Aidan lights up whenever Nate is around, and he loves to be with his older brother. Likewise, Nate is such a fantastic big bro. He takes good care of Aidan, and lately he's been including him when he plays. It melts my heart. I loved walking in today and finding this:

The boys are camping out together. Nate made sure Aidan had some toys to play with!

I just can't get enough of this sweet face.

This cracks me up. We set up this mirror for him to play with and he's giving kisses.
I'm lucky enough to get a few myself. It's the best part of my day!


OK--this hasn't been super exciting, but at least our families can see what we've been up to this week. Miss you all! Love you!

As Promised....

Snips and snails and puppy dog tails.

Love This

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgrrQwLdME8

Help Me Solve This!

Okay, so it all started when my little sister called last night to tell me she had her first kiss! Soooo very excited to hear about it! It was with a boy she really likes and has liked for a long time. It was fun to hear her excitement as she told me every detail of the moment. (and she said she liked it, so that is good too...)
Fast forward to this morning. I told Adam that my sister had called to tell me she had her first kiss. His response--"Oh, you women. You make such a big deal out of everything."
Wha----? Since when is a first kiss NOT a big deal? He started in to a diatribe about how men don't remember things like that and it isn't a big deal to them. I asked him if he remembered his first kiss. No. Did he remember who it was with? No.
And he's trying to convince me that no boy makes a big deal about it. And they don't remember it.
So....can any of your husbands remember their first kiss? Or am I wrong?

Lately...

Things are rolling along. A little faster than I would like, but still. Rolling along.

Getting a little less sleep because of... a new crib for Aidan. Blessing and a curse. He no longer sleeps in my arms, which I loved. Now he has to fend for himself at night, which he hates.

Been comforting my 5-year-old because of....two root canals. For his baby teeth. Don't get me started on weak enamel. It's just not cool.

Loving being back in Dallas because of....nights like tonight, when I can get together with old friends. Celebrated sweet Julie's birthday. Loved being in a grown-up place with other grown-ups. Loved being with friends that I hope I know forever. (Didn't love being with the two short dates I dragged along. One was bald, one was complaining the whole time. Sounds like my dates from my single days.)

Loving being me because....life can be so beautiful when you just open your eyes. I'm waaaay more blessed than I realize.

Just realized I haven't posted a picture in awhile. Some are coming, I promise. I'm working on Aidan's 7-month-old photos. So I'll post some soon. He sure is cute, and just such a happy boy. I do love being a mom, that is for sure.

Adios for now! Go Spurs Go!!!

Hooray For Spanky

For those of you who know my friend Spanky from San Antonio, take a look at a sneak preview of his episode of Deal or No Deal:
http://www.nbc.com/Deal_or_No_Deal/video/#mea=249312

And send him some good vibes! Maybe he'll become a millionaire!

Episode Airs May 22nd (I think)

What-Not and How-To

I've talked about this before.....

I am airing all my dirty laundry on my new journal-blog. It is going to be a truly scintillating read. The only catch is---if you want to read it, you have to let me know because it is a private blog.

Well, okay, I'm not airing all my dirty laundry. But I just can't imagine writing too many personal details on this family blog, and yet I'm yearning for an outlet for my silly thoughts, my tender emotions, and my general disdain for all things dumb.

I'd love to have a few readers, but really, it's going to be just for me to think out loud and record my thoughts. Kind of like a free way to do therapy ;)

Oooooh, wouldn't you like to know what my first topic of discussion is? E-mail me with your email address or put it in the comment section of this post. See you there!

http://emsrantsandmusings.blogspot.com

Friend of The Week

I got this idea from another blogger, Kelly Anne. She is totally fantastic; I really recommend her blog if you need inspiration and a dose of humor. She took our wedding photographs, actually, and I've loved her ever since.

Anyways, the idea is to take photos of your friends and tell a bit about them.

This is my dear friend Lynette. She is stunning, eh?

Lynette and I met almost seven years ago when I moved to Dallas. Her husband was in med school at Southwestern, a year ahead of Adam. (Goodness, Lynette, that was when we lived in apartments and had no kids...crazy!) I had the pleasure of watching her daughter Ella (who is 6 days older than Nate) when Lynette finished out the school year after our babies were born. We bought our first home just a few doors down from her little family (again, before we had kids) and loved having such great neighbors.
I look up to Lynette so much. She has always been kind-hearted and sweet, and a little too pretty for her own good ;) I've seen her face her own struggles with grace and optimism. She's gone through things that I think lesser women could never handle, and I love her for being such a fantastic example of Christlike response to trials and life's experiences.
I love you, Lynette. THANK YOU for being so amazing.

(She had no idea I was doing this, so I hope that she doesn't get too upset at me for putting her in the spotlight!)

More friends to come, maybe not every week, but I'm going to try!

Congrats to Y'all

This is a mass message.

I just wanted to send out a big congratulations to soooo many of my dear friends who are expecting miracles.

I've been wondering where all my faithful blog friends have been (posts have been MIA) and now I know. It seems that while I was busy moving to Texas a lot of you were busy getting busy.

So a big shout-out to all you beautiful, bulging-belly women. What blessings will be mine as I hear about your adventures over the next few months!

Brook
Tracie
Amanda
Libby
Jen
Marci
Alysha
Rhonda
Nicole
Julie
Rachael

........And a few more that had better announce it before I do!!!

Dallas Arboretum

.my handsome boys.

(Baby Aideee...I've been having a bit of fun with my Photoshop, can you tell?!?)

Adam had the week off! Our adventure for today was a picnic lunch at the Dallas Arboretum. The Arboretum is the best place to be during the springtime! I was only slightly disappointed that the tulips that were in full bloom a couple weeks ago were all gone today. But to make up for it, the azaleas were showing their colors! Totally gorgeous!
And how could we help but have a fantastic day with these two boys...we're so lucky that they are ours!

More From The Arboretum

Yo Momma

I found this on this website. Tonight I needed this good advice, because man is Aidan a sad teething boy. By the way, I'm just curious...does Benadryl have XXX on the bottle? (Just kidding.)

It Was Mean

Okay, I know it was mean. But that was an April Fool's Joke. We are not expecting! (Although just thinking about it, I would actually be okay with it if we were)
Thanks for all the well wishes. When we really are ready for #3, we'll let you know :)

An Announcement!

Well, we've debated about announcing this, but we couldn't be happier, so here goes.

The Murdock family is adding a little person to our gang! Estimated date of arrival is October 2008 (yes, just one year after Aidan was born....are we crazy or what?!?!)

Any suggestions for names?

Happy Birthday, Laurel!

Happy Birthday to my little sister, Laurel.

Today she turns 25 years old, and to celebrate her quarter of a century, I want to share with you my "Laurel Busath Lakey Top Ten"
which is a mix of memories and things all about my sister.

10. She is the only person that has made me so angry I kicked a hole in a door.
9. We loved to make up and put on plays as kids. Unfortunately, the plays tended to be vignettes of me making her do degrading things. Sorry, Laur.
8. Laurel has a great love and a great talent for photography and digital scrapbooking and I'm always more than a little jealous of her abilities.
7. Laurel loves to travel and has been to many more places than any of the rest of us. She always brings home stunning photographs from her destinations.
6. She is a terrific mother and wife and is fiercely loyal to her loved ones.
5. Laurel was on the dance team in high school and although I made fun of her high kicks, I was totally jealous that she was sooooo good at it.
4. She has always been a tender spirit and is thoughtful and loving. One memory I have is kind of funny, but typical Laurel: My mom had bought live lobsters and was steaming them. When Laurel saw what she was doing, she screamed at my mom and ran to her room--slammed the door--and cried many tears for the lives of the poor lobsters. Tender heart. Very sweet.
3. She and her husband Nathan have such a beautiful relationship. I'm so grateful to him for taking such good care of her. She truly deserves it.
2. I've seen my sister grow up and mature and learn, but I was not prepared for how much I would love seeing her as a mom to little Eli. She teaches me constantly about how to be a phenomenal parent.
1. As far as little sisters go, there is none better. She is a true gem and I'm so thankful for her. She is in my prayers every day as I ask the Lord to watch over her, but also as I thank him for the opportunity to have such a sister.

I love you, Laurel! Happy 25th!

Ta-Dah!

I'm going to give you a little formula. It is a no-fail way to get a calling when you don't have one.

Step one: Stop your bishop in the hallway (preferably a big surprise)
Step Two: Say, "Bishop I was just wondering if you have callings for the Murdocks yet."
Step Three: When he evades the question with a simple, "We have something in the works for you, Sister Murdock," ask, "Bishop, see these hands?" (wave hands in his face) "These hands are young and able. Please put them to work."
Step Four: You could then foolishly make sure he knows your name. Because you really, really want a calling. I've found this works well: "Yes, the Murdocks need callings. We are ready and willing to work."


The next Saturday I was called in to the Bishop's office. No surprise there.

He says, "Is your husband home today?"
Me: "Yes."
Bishop: "Okay, great. Could you please call him for me?" (hands me the phone)
Me: (dials, hands phone to Bishop. Stunned husband on the other end)
Bishop to husband: "Brother Murdock, is there anything I could call your wife to do that you would not support her?"
Husband gulps. I gulp.
Adam: "No, I don't think there is."

Visions of Relief Society president fill my head. No, maybe a misisonary. Yes, I'll be the first mother sent to a foreign land to proclaim the gospel!

Or not.

Turns out all they want from me is to coordinate RS Enrichment. See, my no-fail plan worked! I am really excited to get started. First item of business: Figure out a way to get people younger than 65 to come to Enrichment. Good luck to me.

Home Is Where Your Heart Is

A few people have asked me to post a picture of our new home. Don't get too jealous, I know it's big and beautiful.

It really is a great home for us. We have three bedrooms, two bathrooms, two living rooms and two dining areas. We also have a two-car garage and a great backyard. We feel really blessed.

With all this space, we would love visitors! Come let us take care of you at the Hotel Murdock.

And yes, we still have the Green Stunner (aka my little Accord) that has gone many miles in search of the perfect place to live. Dallas to New Orleans to San Antonio to Kansas City to Calgary and back to Dallas. The circle is complete!

And just a little shout-out:
Congrats to Justin and Brook for matching in KC! I know that they will love the city and you KC-ites will be in for a real treat to have them as neighbors. Justin and Brook are the only couple we know who have lived in more cities since Hurricane Katrina than we have. Hopefully Kansas City will feel like home!

Happy Easter Y'all

We had a really great Easter celebration that lasted all week!

The Saturday before Easter we spent a "family day" that included a trip to the Eggstravaganza at the Cooper Institute where we sampled good food, tested the durability of all ten jump houses, and rode the tractor-pulled train. We finished the day with a great Mexican linner (read: lunch and dinner at the same time!)

Easter Day is generally low-key at the Murdock home. We woke up to find that the Easter bunny had come and hid a ton of eggs. He even included a basket for baby Aidan filled with springtime clothes and bibs. (which were desperately needed with the current teething situation and all the drool that is constantly flowing)

Nate was totally uncooperative with photos. I've included this one from last week just so you know what he looks like in all his handsome glory:



And Baby Aideee sporting a new bib...and lovin on the empty eggs
his brother let him play with:

Shaking out the loot all over the floor
(thank goodness the Easter bunny also vacuumed the house!)

Somehow, this is the best one I got of the boys:

Because some un-named parent decided to tickle them at the EXACT moment I was getting a great picture that was in focus and had a smiling Nate:

We were fortunate to have Easter dinner with one of Adam's friends from Calgary and his darling wife and five kids! We were a loud bunch and we loved every minute of it. Thanks, BJ and Heidi, for thinking of us lonely newbies.

I've decided that next year I've really got to step up my game. Or rather, I've got to make sure the Easter Bunny steps up his (her?) game. But really, an Easter egg hunt really is lame with just one kid. Next year we'll try something new. Any suggestions?

Happy Friday

What's Your True Color?

My Result: Orange

You're a bold, confident orange. A warm, powerful color that indicates a strong, welcoming personality, orange is the mark of people who are social and extroverted by nature. Vibrant, with an upbeat attitude, you have a bright, inviting demeanor. Energetic and fun-loving, you're a real friend-magnet. Your easy charm and unassuming manner make you the sort of person people want to meet and get to know better. Well-rounded and fun to be around, you enjoy helping others, so it's no surprise that orange also symbolizes attraction. Orange is an extraordinary color — for an extraordinary person.

What are you?
http://web.tickle.com/jumpto?test=colorogt&c=50652

Leave a comment and tell me what YOU are!

Blog-larious!

This is from my blog friend Amy's blog. She is one of the funniest people I wish I knew in real life.
Anyhow, just thought this would brighten your boring Thursday:

I'm releasing a build-your-own-comment section in response to all of your recent posts. You'll find that it's vaguely reminiscent of the chose-your-own-ending books we adored in elementary school. It's simple to use--just pick one line from section A, section B, and section C, piece them together and *bam,* you've got a comment from my heart to yours. Go ahead and give it a whirl...

Section A

Congratulations on...

I'm sorry about...

Oh! Look at that...

Wow...

Section B

(s)he's walking...

your recent race time...

your new appliances...

the house...

your significant other...

picture...

your rear end...

you're covered in mud...

your weight gain...

your weight loss...

your kid...

Section C

is adorable!

how cute!

is awesome!

is nasty.

sucks!

that sucks!

look(s) fantastic!

that's priceless!


...So, which comment would you like me to leave on your blog? -emily

For The Beauty of the Earth

We are so loving the Dallas Arboretum. For all you Dallas-ites, we got a membership and want to know...want to join us for a day in the sunshine?

You can see more pictures from our day on my other blog.





Can you spot the boy who is D-O-N-E with taking pictures? Too bad, because this might have been a good one!

101st Post

Spring has sprung in the Lone Star State. We spent yesterday soaking up the rays. I have some great pics that are with "The Editor" of my blogs and they'll be up soon.
Here is a teaser of the beauty we enjoyed at the Dallas Arboretum.



Oh how I love the sunshine!

I do not, however, love the migraines that have been my nearly-constant companion this week.
I drove to Wal-mart and had to call Adam because I was seeing double and was dizzy. I literally couldn't see anything unless I was staring straight at it. Kind of made shopping at Wal-mart during rush hour difficult. Luckily it got a little better before I had to drive home. Anyways, Adam thinks it is just migraines but is making me see a doctor about it. On the phone at Wal-mart, he told me: "The good thing is, you're young, which probably means it is not a stroke." The words every woman longs to hear.
Do any of you suffer from migraines? What are they like for you and what do you do about them? I'm a little nervous that this is a new thing that is not going to go away. It is not fun!

Okay to end this on a happy note, we think we've finally got a new A/C unit installed and almost ready to go! Thank goodness, because tomorrow is supposed to be 83* here!

Pride and JOY

Baby Aidan at 5 months!

Brrrrr....

I wish this was some Photoshop-ed picture. But alas, it is not. Can you see that? It says "Inside: 55" Degrees. That is how cold it is in my house. That is what happens when your heater breaks and you're renting.
Supposedly we're getting a new one. Hopefully before it snows again (there was SNOW on the ground this morning! Snow!)
In the meantime, double jammies and five blankets at night. And plenty of snuggling.

In December I was thrilled to find out that we were moving to Texas. I just couldn't believe that we were fortunate enough to get to move back to Dallas, the place where Adam and I started our lives together. I have such a great love for this city (I know what you're all saying--"WE KNOW! You haven't stopped talking about Dallas since you left! We get it!" Fair enough...)
Anyhow, I'm not sure how I envisioned our return. I certainly didn't expect anyone to say, "Oh good, the Murdocks are back! I can finally stop holding my breath! My life can now go on!" I'm a realist. I know that we were hardly missed. Texas life went on without us, shockingly enough. But I hadn't expected things to have changed so much. After all, I really didn't think I'd changed all that much. But being back has shown me that I am a much different person than I was when we moved away, yet I'm still prone to the same insecurities.
Take, for example, my work. I've gone back to the same job I had for almost three years. Everything has changed at my Y. All of my management is different. The rules are different. The staff is different. The parents, the kids...well, you get the picture. I think I've said the phrase "When I worked here before..." way too many times. I don't fit in there anymore, and I think the gals I'm working with are starting to resent that I thought I would fit in.
Then there is my old group of friends, whom I love dearly. Their lives have all changed, too, over the past couple years. They have more kids, more stress, less time. It has been a little weird for me to try to redefine our friendships. We went from same-city friends to long-distance friends and now we're back to same-city friends, and I keep wondering how it's all going to work out. Now I guess I know it won't ever be the same as it was, and I was a little naive to think that my life was the only one that changed. And that's not to say that my friends haven't been fantastic. It's not that they are not fantastic.
Oh!
I just figured it out! My own little epiphany, right here, right now. This thought just entered my brain. And it's all starting to make sense.
The real problem is that I didn't expect this move to be as difficult as all the rest were. I thought that because Dallas was familiar, the move would be easy.
The reality is that moving is difficult every time. You have to be brave and confident every time. You have to prove yourself as someone interesting and worthwhile every time. You still have boxes and boxes to unpack and a community to settle in to and a niche to find every time. It's exhausting every time.
So my apologies to all you who read this. It was like a little mini-session of therapy! And who says blogs are a waste of time. This was my own reality TV show right here. And I didn't even charge you cable fees. Lucky you.


And some updates, just in case you're wondering.

Nate will not play soccer. Not this season, at least. I'm going to try for t-ball. This time I'll know to request a team with no Sunday practice or games. I haven't told him yet and he broke my heart tonight when he said he's going to watch the other soccer players so he'll know what to do to be a good soccer player. I just didn't have the heart to tell him yet. So I said, "That sounds like a good plan, Nate."

Aidan is five months old. What the--??? Where did the time go?

Adam is almost done with his two-week rotation of night float, meaning that by this weekend he'll be able to sleep at night and work during the day. Novel idea.

I still have boxes everywhere. I've seriously got to get my butt into gear and get everything put away. Please, someone tell me they're coming to visit and see the house so that I get motivated.

And just so that the teasing doesn't go on much longer, the thing I was "putting off" was washing my hair.

Just kidding. I'm still not telling, not yet anyway. It's far too personal for some random person to read. (who am I kidding...only my mom reads this blog.) So, Mom, you'll just have to ask me personally. But let me tell you, it means BIG CHANGES! Big changes, people!