He's Back!

For the last week Ezra's personality has been altogether different.  He slept poorly.  He refused all baby food.  He nursed grudgingly and fitfully.  He cried constantly, whether he was being held or not.  He wouldn't play, he wouldn't talk.  And he wouldn't laugh or smile.  (A baby without a smile is incredibly depressing!)  The lost smile was especially noticeable; our friends at church noticed, family noticed, even strangers in the grocery store noticed.  The cause?  Baby's first tooth.

Today, the old Ezra came back!  He smiled all day long, and he laughed!  He played with his toys and started to verbalize and coo again.  Hallelujah!    

I thought I was a fairly patient and charitable mommy, until this last week, and learned that I have a long way to go.  But, for better or for worse (gulp..) Ezra has a lot more teeth yet to come, so I will get another go at patience.

p.s.--and today Ezra is eight months old!

Reason no. 139

Dear Dallin,

You know what I love about you?  You are focused.  You are not easily distracted from something important.  You are consistent and attentive.  And, because of you and your lovely qualities, our little indoor vegetable plot is thriving.  Our happy tomato plants thank you for being so diligent a water-er, and so do I.

Love always, Liezel 

Guilty Pleasure

I went to a garden center today to do some research for a little landscape design I am working on, and left with very itchy (figuratively-speaking) fingers.  I was touching and smelling everything in sight, all ga-ga with the plant pretties.  It was all I could do not to gather up a whole armful of 4" pots and race gleefully to the cashier.  With great restraint, I left empty-handed, though I might have salivated on a few perennials on the way out.  Supposing I had a yard, and supposing there were discretionary income (and time...) I could be a garden center junkie, no problem.   

Learning Together

My sweet little Ezra had a developmental evaluation recently, and it was determined that he has some gross motor delays.  During the evaluation, an early childhood educator commented on one of Ezra's behaviors.  She noted that at least seven times during the evaluation he would grunt and then look at me if he had a need, such as a toy that was out of reach.  Apparently, he has learned that I can solve his problems, and I probably have, unknowingly, responded to his simple communication pattern many times.  The early childhood educator didn't have to do anything more than bring up the observed behavior; I got the message.  Over the past few days I have thought of that little experience at least a dozen times.  I am impressed with Ezra's desire to communicate, with his understanding that I can meet his needs.  I am also more cognizant of my interactions with him, seeing now how observant and interactive he is with me.  I recognize that, even as a baby, he needs to develop certain "self-help" behaviors, and his primary means of learning that is from me.  It is very humbling.  Everything I do teaches him how to approach his world.
It is a fine line that I walk as a good parent.  I need to help without hovering.  I need to guide without smothering.  I need to give him room to grow.  I recognize that he is a happy little sponge, absorbing from me emotions, skills, mannerisms, and stimuli.  I feel so grateful to be a full-time mom and help shape his world in the best ways.  

Moon Gate Revisited

We are members of the botanic garden and visit many times a year. On those occasions when we are visiting the garden with other family members, we make it a point to have our picture taken at the moon gate in the Chinese garden. And, in the past two years, those pictures have captured various stages in our family progression. Here is our latest from the week before Easter when my mom and sister were visiting us. I think a family tradition is born!

When a thing is wick...

it has a life inside it...and it makes the advent of spring magical! She's here--spring that is--early and unseasonably warm, but most welcome. My sweetheart started our summer seedlings indoors, and the basil (pictured above) is going gain-busters. Some others are starting to come up now as well. We purchased a special T5 light this season for the seedlings, and it seems to be helping a lot.

On Monday, I planted an early spring garden at some neighbor friend's in our ward. They own an acre (or more?), and offered a "bit of earth" to us for planting. The best part? Thanks to their neighbors (who own several horses) the beds are seasoned with all the fresh manure they care to shovel. So, basically, my little seeds are growing in black gold. I planted spinach, 'Red Sails' leaf lettuce, arugula, chives, cilantro, green onions, Swiss chard, and snow peas.

Tomorrow I am planting a similar early spring garden at my mother-in-law's house. Bring on the leafy greens!

Tender Mercies

This past Monday it was my turn to prepare the lesson for our family home evening. I felt impressed to share a talk given by Elder David A. Bednar in the April 2005 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints called The Tender Mercies of the Lord.

Several times in this talk, Elder Bednar testifies to the following:

"The Lord’s tender mercies do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Faithfulness, obedience, and humility invite tender mercies into our lives, and it is often the Lord’s timing that enables us to recognize and treasure these important blessings."

With his words newly imprinted on our minds, the events of this weekend were most interesting.
On Friday, Dallin and I went to the temple for date night and Ezra went to Grandma's house. After our evening at the temple, we went to dinner at a mall area just a few minutes from Grandma's house. As we were leaving the parking lot, our car showed signs of serious distress. We had just gotten into Grandma's neighborhood when the car died. It came back on one more time, choked, sputtered, and then died again. We were just a block or so from the house and so we walked the rest of the way.

Let me interrupt for a moment to say that earlier that day I had been out and about with Ezra twenty miles from home doing errands; the car performed perfectly normal. We drove 50 minutes to Grandma's house that evening; the car performed perfectly normal. We continued on to the temple, another 35 minutes; the car performed perfectly normal. Only when were were minutes from Grandma's house--walking distance!--did the car have problems. I am humbled to think of all the things that could have gone wrong that didn't. I am humbled to consider how we were protected from harm's way throughout the evening. I am humbled to recognize the tender mercies of the Lord.

"The Lord’s tender mercies do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Faithfulness, obedience, and humility invite tender mercies into our lives, and it is often the Lord’s timing that enables us to recognize and treasure these important blessings."

We were stranded, but conveniently so! We stayed the night at Grandma's house where there are beds and food to spare. On Saturday, Dallin used his time and resources, and some mechanical grit I didn't know was in him, to diagnose and fix the car himself. My sweetheart put in a new fuel pump and fuel filter, and with some timely help from a mechanic friend, the car was up and running again.

We have been so blessed by the Lord's tender mercies!

Happy Birthday!

My sweetheart is celebrating a milestone birthday today (...rhymes with dirty). Perhaps the years have played a dirty trick, but baby and I are determined to make it his best birthday yet!

We love you!

An Irish Blessing

I think a wee bit of the Irish luck be with us this evening. The little one rolled over (from back to tummy) for the first time! It isn't just a passing fancy lads and lassies, for he's done it now several times in a row. A pat on the back for the little one; 'tis harder than it looks.

Time flies...

...whether you having fun or not!

So, I guess it has been a busy month, or I am just head-in-the-sand focused on doing daily life.

Here is a quick run-down of the goodies from this last month:

• My sweetie added two more orchids to our collection, of the Dendrobium genus. All three are currently blooming and on warm, sunny days, the fragrance is very nice.
• A new "health miles challenge" started through husband's employer, so we wear our respective pedometers religiously. Daily goal: 7000 + steps.
  
• Relief Society Women's Conference featuring Sister Barbara Thompson of the General Relief Society Presidency, who is quick to laugh at life and herself. A jolly woman with wonderful counsel.
• New efforts at better recipe planning/shopping is helping the budget! The other week I bought enough produce for almost every letter in the alphabet (apple, avocado, beet, banana, cilantro, celery...)
  
• A trip to the Denver Temple (& a baby switch-off) to do family names. Hooray!
• Ezra turned six-months old! He likes to grunt, bang his fists on the floor, verbalize, and clap his hands. Oh, and he is now eating baby food (officially). The pea puree is a big hit.
  
• Ward choir (sixteen member strong!) sang for our ward conference.
  

We Love You Daddy

While I was trying to catch some cute pictures of Ezra (and not having any luck), daddy came home from work. Enter daddy, hello smiles! We love you daddy!

Year 2012, Day 44

• Ezra had two pooped diaper/outfit blow-outs and he peed on me BEFORE 9 a.m. The good news? He has a good working system and (thankfully) we were still at home.
• Baby and I got cleaned up and went to run four errands at four different stores. Errand # 1: didn't have the color I needed. Errand #2: didn't have the size or quantity I needed. Errand # 3: didn't have the item at all; they were completely sold out (this is at a grocery store, mind you). Errand # 4: I needed to return something and even though I double-checked before leaving that I had the receipt, when I got to the store, it had somehow vanished (sigh.) The good news? I am developing some serious arm muscles with all of this baby-in-the-car, baby-out-of-the-car and Ezra was either asleep or content in his car seat for the entire escapade. And, I remembered to wear the pedometer today and my steps are racking up!
  
• The public library is having a children's book sale today--25 cents each or five books for $1.00. The good news? I went to the sale and found an armful of goodies, including one of my favorites, The Gardener by Sarah Stewart.
• And did I mention that the weather is gorgeous? Sunny, clear, a balmy 42 degrees. All things considered, it has been a good day.
  

Compelling Reason

A number of years ago, one of my co-workers discovered I was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He had heard a little about the Mormons from his Baptist preacher and asked what we believed. I was a little unsure of his level of genuine interest after that kind of introduction, so I began with some basic things. I told him that we pay 10% of our income annually as tithing to the church. I explained that we abstain from coffee, tea, alcohol, tobacco, and drugs. I told him about the law of chastity, our Sabbath day observance, and our humanitarian and missionary efforts around the world.

When I finished, he replied matter-of-factly, "Oh, so you are just good people."

And, by that brief definition, he was exactly right. Unfortunately, he and I never finished our conversation. He was called away to another work assignment, and shortly thereafter left the company. The fact is, a great majority of people across the globe are "good people", by that definition. I have had friends of other faiths who--for religious or personal reasons--paid tithes, abstained from harmful, addictive substances, lived the law of chastity, worshiped on the Sabbath, and were charitable and compassionate to their neighbors.

I have been bothered by that conversation all these years because, in my view, it was an unfinished conversation. If given the opportunity again, I would have started with The Book of Mormon. As "another testament of Jesus Christ" and a companion book of scripture to the Bible, it is the compelling reason we are unique among all other religions. The Book of Mormon is a record of holy scripture that chronicles the dealings of God with the people in the Americas over a period of roughly 1000 years. It clarifies the doctrine of Christ, the plan of salvation, and our purpose in mortality. It is additional evidence that God continues to speak to his children. The Book of Mormon is filled with references to Jesus Christ as received through his ordained prophets on the earth.

"Good people" is certainly nothing to be ashamed of, in fact, I am grateful to be seen in that light. But, there is more to the story. Along with being good people, we are also covenant-keeping people. The Book of Mormon contains, in clear terms, the nature of the covenants we make. Faith in Jesus Christ, who is so plainly revealed in The Book of Mormon, is the reason we desire to make and keep our covenants. My personal testimony of the truthfulness of The Book of Mormon reinforces my efforts to honor my covenants.

The Taste of Lebanon

I just stumbled across this food blog http://arabic-food.blogspot.com/with recipes from all over the Arabic world. If you like the tastes of these foods (or LOVE them, like me), this is definitely an amazing collection. We tried something simple tonight: a Lebanese-style lentil soup and chicken marinade. The flavor combinations were wonderful!

Grandpa Green

I recently discovered a new (2011) children's book called Grandpa Green, written and illustrated by Lane Smith. The concept is genius; he pairs horticulture and family history. I wish I had thought of that!
The story is told through the eyes of one of Grandpa Green's great-grandsons. We are given a living tour of Grandpa's defining life experiences as recorded in his topiary garden. The illustrations are simple: black-and-white pencil drawn caricatures and the green topiary creations. Clever details are sprinkled in that give this book a fun character. A great find!

A Macaroni Triumph

When I got married, I was cooking (for the most part) dairy-free and gluten-free. It made for some very interesting substitutions, especially with husband's favorite comfort food: homemade macaroni and cheese. My original macaroni and "cheese" recipe used sesame tahini, nutritional yeast, dijon mustard, and balsamic vinegar as the cheese substitute. We have slowly evolved from strict dairy-free and gluten-free to some gluten, and dairy sparingly. During said transition, I have continued to make macaroni and cheese, but with some minor substitutions, like soy milk instead of cow's milk or gluten-free flour rather than regular white flour. Results have been sadly flawed: soupy or curdled cheese sauce (or part soupy and part curdled sauce in the same batch--eek!) or completely bland tasteless paste for cheese sauce. I have finally realized that some things just have to be made perfectly by the book to work. Last week I bought a half gallon of real cow's milk for the first time in almost eight years. I also bought extra sharp cheddar cheese and real butter. I found this recipe http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/04/macaroni-cheese/and followed it exactly. And, after half a dozen attempts in the last several months, I have finally made a good macaroni and cheese. Hallelujah.

Tidy Tommy was here

As much as I like to be organized, some things just aren't on my radar. At such times, it sure is nice when handsome husband (aka Tidy Tommy) steps in when I just don't have the mental energy. He didn't just organize the pantry, like a good engineer he:

• analyzed the existing system
• identified the system's deficiencies
  
• outlined improvements for said system
• categorized the system's components and
  
• implemented defined system improvements
  

Basically, he made it look good enough for a retail display. (All the cans are facing forward with easily read labels!) And, like a good engineer, it is all in the name of efficiency, which translates into making my life just a little bit easier.

Variety Show

Along with music time, tummy time, story time, play time, bath time, walks, and errands, I have added (unintentionally) a nightly cooking show to the mix.

I host my own show and Ezra is my captive audience. He has grown out of his bouncy chair and now uses his high chair daily. It comes in handy when I need to cook dinner. He watches me intently as I chop, measure, stir, and simmer all manner of foods. He is fascinated by steam from boiling pots, dish washing, and the refrigerator. He will sit in his high chair, with an army of toys, for nearly an hour, content, as long as I am hosting a good enough "show." And by "show" I mean we have an intellectual conversation about my culinary doings. I tell him about chopping bell peppers, the importance of disinfecting the counter top after working with raw meat, how to tell when the pasta is ready, and the art of seasoning to taste. Chances are high I am raising a foodie.

One of my other hats is circus performer. Ezra, darling boy, has yet to figure out the entertain yourself bit. So, mommy is a singing dancing spectacle. I have been known to bark like a dog in order to produce giggles. All in a day's work; I love it.

O Remember, Remember

My parents gave my siblings and me a great treasure for Christmas. We each received a small leather-bound 3-ring binder with the "large and small plates" for our family. The "large plate" section of the book has records of our temporal or secular history. These include (as of right now) four archival quality compact discs of genealogy life sketches and ancestral photos.

The "small plate" section contains the sacred, spiritual records that are specific to our family. This part of the book contains a dozen or so faith-building personal stories transcribed from journals or written from memory. The small plate section is, of course, an unfinished record that will be added upon over the years.

This gift from my parents comes at an interesting time for me. I have, for about four months, felt a strong compulsion to record my own personal and family history in a more meaningful way. I think it has something to do with the new Relief Society book, Daughters in My Kingdom, and its emphasis on the organization's history. An understanding of where we came from, and who has gone before really can be an inspiration for good. I think it has something to do with the talk from David A. Bednar in the October 2011 General Conference, "The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn". I heard and felt in that particular talk my marching orders in regards to how I can bless my children. I think it has something to do with having a child and feeling a responsibility to the next generation.

Henry B. Eyring gave a talk in the October 2007 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and said the following:

When our children were very small, I started to write down a few things about what happened every day. Let me tell you how that got started. I came home late from a Church assignment. It was after dark. My father-in-law, who lived near us, surprised me as I walked toward the front door of my house. He was carrying a load of pipes over his shoulder, walking very fast and dressed in his work clothes. I knew that he had been building a system to pump water from a stream below us up to our property.

He smiled, spoke softly, and then rushed past me into the darkness to go on with his work. I took a few steps toward the house, thinking of what he was doing for us, and just as I got to the door, I heard in my mind—not in my own voice—these words: “I’m not giving you these experiences for yourself. Write them down.”

I honor my parents who have taken that thought to heart and are doing something about it. I express my gratitude to parents who have the righteous desire to inspire faith in the next generation. I thank my Father in Heaven for parents who "...talk of Christ, ...rejoice in Christ, ...[and] preach of Christ...that [we their] children may know to what source [we] may look for a remission of [our] sins" (2 Nephi 25:26).

More than Coincidental

For my birthday (2010) my sweetheart bought me an orchid. It bloomed for the first time nine months later, the week of our first anniversary. It bloomed for the second time the week of Christmas. Just coincidental? Yea, most likely, but fantastic timing, nonetheless.As I think about this last year and look forward to year 2012, I recognize with gratitude blessings received that are so much more than serendipity or coincidence. I acknowledge a merciful Father in Heaven and His gifts to our family in the following:

• January 2011 kicked off with wonderful news: I am expecting!
  
• Participation in the stake Relief Society choir for our February women's conference during the height of my pregnancy nausea. Somehow, the singing was a distraction and a spiritual boost through a difficult time.
• My brother and sister-in-law welcomed their first child in April, a perfect little red-headed girl.
• My sweetheart completed his rotation in June with a successful work campaign (the summation of months of round-the-clock preparation).
• My sweetheart began another year-long work rotation that meant we didn't have to move.
  
• I attended the Atlanta Temple re-dedication and cultural celebration in May.
• The privilege of serving for eight months of 2011 as a temple ordinance worker.
• Kuzmich 3 became 3 +1 adding their own sweet little boy in late August.
  
• Our sweet baby boy joined our family in a miraculous way in September. I thank extremely competent and inspired doctors for his safe arrival.
  
• A wonderful blessing weekend with many family members in town for the occasion.
  
• Thanksgiving and sushi night with all of my sweetheart's family in town.
• Christmas with most of my family in Utah.
  

Genealogy Fan Chart

I was looking at the new youth and family history site (https://lds.org/youth/family-history?lang=eng) on the lds.org home page and found this nifty nine generation genealogy fan chart. If you have an lds account it will create this chart for you automatically. Give it a try!

Genealogy Fan Chart

My Patient Patient

Ezra and I have been sick, and Ezra has been an angel of a patient. Even when I do mean mommy things like suck out his snot with a nose bulb or spray saline drops up his nasal passages, he is still so loving. Several times in recent days, he has given me a look that seems to communicate his gratitude for my efforts and his trust in my ability as a mother. I have really needed his non-verbal vote of confidence lately. I marvel at his happy ways even when he is obviously uncomfortable. He is such a sweet example to me of patience and understanding. I feel so grateful to be his mother.

E is for Ermine, don't you know...

During story time yesterday baby and I read an animal ABC book. The book, first published in 1954, was rather drab...A is for Alligator, B is for Bear, C is for Cat, D is for Deer, E is for Ermine...Eh? The letter E was apparently the curve-ball, the "are-you still-awake-out there?" page. Considering the previous four letters I was anticipating something mainstream and generic, like elephant or eagle or elk or earthworm or ewe.
But, curious George that I am, page 5 and this mystery animal prompted a little zoological exploration. (Perhaps this was the author's intention?) After a little research I have learned that an ermine is in fact a short-tailed weasel, also known as a stoat and lives in mostly northern climes, like Canada and Alaska.
The letter X animal was another interesting page; X is (obviously!) for Xenurus, as in Xenurus unicintus, the Latin name for armadillo. Right, I bet your three-year old will make a connection with that one. (***Note to self, share this story with your child the next time you drive through west Texas and carefully help him identify the Xenurus roadkill).
I guess I am a children's book snob, but I am not terribly motivated to read that particular ABC book again. I could, on the other hand, read Dr. Seuss's ABC book every day to my little boy. Dr. Seuss, who published his ABC book in 1963, not only understands his audience, he understands how important it is to educate AND entertain his audience. The variety, repetition, and word combination patterns are fantastic--bursting with creativity and fun. B isn't just for Bear, it is for barber, baby, bubbles, and a bumblebee. What little kid wouldn't giggle at the feast for the ears in "four fluffy feathers on a fiffer-feeffer-feff" or "the quick Queen of Quincy and her quacking quaker-oo"?! Y isn't just for Yak, it is a yawning, yellow yak with Yolanda on his back! I love it! Now that is a story time to look forward to!

p.s.--for older kids I love Graeme Base's Animalia, another alliterative alphabet book with stunning illustrations.

Music Man

It is never very productive to pine over bygone days, but I must admit I feel a bit cheated by the timing of my dating relationship with Dallin. I didn't meet him until after his music glory days in college, after his concerto competitions, after his time as concert master, after his recitals, and gigs for campus elites. Sometimes I wish I could have been a fly on the wall or a mouse in the corner during those days to see Dallin in first chair in the orchestra, Dallin wowing the crowds, Dallin in the spotlight.
This past week I got a small glimpse of that Dallin, and Dallin had a walk down memory lane as he was invited to sub in the city symphony orchestra where he attended college. I got quite the thrill attending an orchestra concert, which I am always game for. Even better, though, my sweetheart was in the orchestra all dressed up, and playing with professionals. I couldn't have been prouder. I love being married to a musician. I am sure there will be other orchestra invitations in the years to come. And, in the meantime, I can enjoy his fiddling from the comfort of our living room couch in pajamas. How did I get so lucky?

Collecting

Ezra and I took a lovely fall walk and while he slept, oblivious to all the beauty, mommy collected a whole slew of colorful flora. I was in a creative mood and came home and made a quick horticulture collage of my plant samples:

Categorizing is always fun, so I made a group for everything red:


And everything yellow:


For all the fruits, pods, and seed heads:


And because I am a plant nerd, how about alphabetically by Latin name? (arranged from bottom to top: Acer, Baptisia, Calamagrostis, Caryopteris, Catalpa, Chrysanthemum, Cornus, Fraxinus, Gaillardia, Geranium, Gleditisia, Juniperus, Lavandula, Malus...)


I won't bore you with all the other ways I thought to subdivide my collection, but suffice it to say, I am easily entertained.

Babies Don't Keep

For many years in my parent's bedroom hung a 1970s vintage needlepoint with a mother rocking a baby and the following poem:

Cleaning and scrubbing can wait 'til tomorrow,
for babies grow up we've learned to our sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs, dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep.

When I was younger I thought it was quaint, a nice cadence, a pleasant little rhyme. Now I realize how surprisingly true it is.

My little Ezra certainly isn't a newborn anymore. He already has differentiated his cries, and explores his vocal chords daily with new sounds. His response to visual stimuli is impressive. For example, when he sits in his bouncy chair, his eyes follow me all around the room, often craning his neck to see where I am and what I am doing.

In like manner, his response to audio stimuli has improved. Dallin recently performed on violin at a cultural event at our church. Ezra was very alert during the evening and was obviously hearing the different musical performances. When Dallin got up to play there was a heightened attentiveness. Ezra seemed to recognize the music and was especially aware of the sounds. A couple from our ward sitting nearby noticed and commented on the special response to Dallin's playing, as well.

Ezra's first few bath experiences caused panic and terror. He would scream beet-faced before, during, and afterward. A few days ago he had his first positive experience to the bath and realized that it could actually be fairly pleasant. Today I gave him a bath again. As I turned on the water and undressed him, he got a big grin on his face, recognizing (it would seem) that what was coming was a happy thing.

Before Ezra came, I spent a good deal of time "cleaning and scrubbing." I have to admit, I rather like housecleaning. I find a certain degree of satisfaction in Lysol-ed, squeaky clean, and sparkly. Lately, though I choose to spend the great bulk of my day on walks with Ezra, talking to Ezra, bathing Ezra, reading books to Ezra, listening to music with Ezra, feeding Ezra, changing Ezra, and loving Ezra. Let the house go to pot when there is such an adorable boy to keep me company during the day.

Seasonal Delights

In the weekly grocery mailer I discovered apples on sales for .69 cents/lb.--and not just one kind of apple either: Gala, Fuji, Red and Golden Delicious, Rome, Braeburn, Granny Smith, Johathan, and Jonagold apples! I made a homemade apple pie two weeks ago, but I might have to make another with apple prices like this! I don't think my sweetheart will mind.

Yesterday I made something rather sinful, or at very least not very healthy, and certainly not gluten-free. I found a recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, which called for 1 1/2 cups sugar AND 2 cups chocolate chips! But my sweetheart loves anything pumpkin, so I indulged because making them was just one more way for me to say "I love you." I am not much of a chocolate fan...but I think I ate five.

Last week I created some butternut squash soup and with the leftover squash half, plan to experiment with a butternut squash pasta recipe. I love the foods of fall! Huzzah!

Reason no. 28

Dear Dallin,

How grateful I am for you in this new adventure of parenthood! What a blessing to have you to share the load, to have you as my teammate, and to have your support when I need a break. Thank you for being my partner in the diaper changing, burping, holding, cuddling, dressing...etc. What an amazing season of life we are in--so glad we can do it together! You are a wonderful daddy, and you help this mommy in all the best ways.

All my love, Liezel

Come and See

Media attention has been especially focused on religion and politics of late and the old argument that Mormonism is a cult has resurfaced with increasing intensity. I find it so disheartening that such an intellectually immature claim continues to be touted by men in high standing in the public arena.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often nicknamed the Mormon Church) is a Christian faith, and by that I mean members worship in and believe that Jesus Christ is their Savior. I consider myself a disciple of Christ, meaning that I am trying to follow the example of the Savior and live a life consistent with His teachings, as found in the Bible. I consider the Bible to be the word of God and appreciate the doctrines and teachings of Christ that are recorded there. I belong to a Christ-centered church, not a cult; I worship Jesus Christ as my personal Savior, not Joseph Smith.

In the book of John, in the latter half of chapter 1, Jesus invites the curious Simon and Andrew to "come and see" to learn more of Him and His doctrine. Later Philip invites a skeptical Nathanael to also "come and see" Jesus.

"Come and see" is the open invitation from the book of John that needs to be applied to intelligent acquisition of truth. It is the invitation that needs to be applied in understanding the religious doctrines of any faith. Mormonism, along with all other religions, deserves a thorough, unbiased investigation.

Come and see what the doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is by attending Sunday services. Every chapel for worship the world over invites "visitors welcome". Use the church's interactive tool at http://lds.org/maps/ to locate the chapel closest to you.

Come and see what the church leadership teaches in its semi-annual two-day general conference. The conference is broadcast from church headquarters in Salt Lake City and is available on http://lds.org/ in text, audio, and video formats for immediate access.

Come and see how Mormons live their faith all over the world by visiting http://mormon.org/. Watch video profiles of just a sample of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or find a written profile of a Mormon in your hometown.

Come and see how the church strengthens its youth with clear standards of morality and decency at https://lds.org/youth.

Come and see how The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints blesses its members through principles of provident living, such as self-reliance, home storage, employment services, and education at http://www.providentliving.org/.

Come and see, use your intellectual reasoning, make a thorough investigation, and then make a judgment based on personal experience, not secondhand hearsay.

By Accident

I think I have been a little camera-happy in my desire to capture all of Ezra's cuteness. Newborns being what they are--not terribly photogenic and quite wiggly--I take 50 pictures to get one worth keeping. In the process, I end up with a series of pictures that could be turned into an amateur animation of flailing baby arms and random facial expressions. It is mostly by accident (and much persistence) that I finally get a decent shot. In no particular order, I present a photo montage of Ezra and his emerging personality.

Garden Envy

To whom it may concern:

I make a humble confession as a self-professed green thumb: the vegetable garden this year has been a grand flop. My aspirations for floriferous grandeur have been stanched. I blame a very lovely, though slightly obese, honeylocust tree that has been stealing all the sunlight. After months of nurturing half a dozen vegetable varieties from seed, all I have to show for it is one green tomato the size of a gumball.

I am most thoroughly displeased, and am very tempted to do some drastic (anonymous) pruning to said honeylocust by moonlight.

Sincerely, Liezel, a disgruntled gardener.

p.s.-I envy this neighbor's success (and his unobstructed sunshine)

Please Note

For any interested reader, husband and I have created a family blog. Not much to look at right now, but stay posted for more:

http://kuzmichconstitutional.blogspot.com/

I will include a link to the family blog on my blog page for easy access. Enjoy!

Announcing our little Ezra!

Ezra Mauss was born Friday 9 September at 10:52 pm. I was scheduled for an induced labor and had a scheduled time of arrival at the hospital, but then made quite a bit of progress naturally without the aid of Pitocin, and finally ended up in surgery for an unplanned c-section. I feel like I experienced the whole gammit of the labor and delivery process and learned so much, even if it was a day filled with unexpected drama. The most important part is that our little boy is here safe and perfectly healthy. We are loving being home and loving having such a precious boy for keeps. It was a surreal feeling when my sweet husband came in the hospital room with the car seat; I got butterflies as it sunk in that this really was for real, that after months of waiting we actually get to bring him home, and that he really is our little Ezra.
Dallin was an absolute angel through the whole process and did everything he could for my comfort. I feel so fortunate to have shared this experience with him. He is my greatest support and helper.

Nothing Yet

Today is my official due date; I made it to 40 weeks! Apparently less than 5% of women deliver on their due date, and it appears that I am not in that five percent. Nothing much is happening yet, just wanted to report I am still out here, waiting.
Perhaps I have created an all-too-comfortable womb and baby isn't ready to vacate. Perhaps he wants to be a September baby, which is, of course, a very good month to be born. Perhaps he has an attuned sense of irony and wants to redefine my definition of "Labor Day" by arriving this coming Monday. We shall see. Here's hoping I have good news to share in the next week or so.

I Believe in God

I would like to add my witness to the witness of this renowned scientist.

God is real; he is a personage of flesh and bones. He is our Father and cares for us with all the love and tenderness of perfect Parent. His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, also has a body of flesh and bones, and under the direction of His Father, organized the world and all things therein. I see in their handiwork, the fingerprint of Divine Creators. The order, the intricacy, the majesty, and the variety of the creations in the earth and the heavens demonstrate to me that there had to be a Divine Plan. All things in the earth and the heavens bear witness of the Father and the Son.
We are created in the image of God. We are the offspring of God and have divine worth and potential. Our Father knew and loved us before we came to this earth. He understood our potential and created opportunities for us to grow and exercise our agency in that pre-mortal world. Now, as mortal being on this earth, we continue to use our God-given agency to make choices between good and bad, between truth and error. Our loving Father in Heaven, a being of perfect love and mercy, desires that we use our life on earth in such a way that we may be worthy to return to Him.
I pray to God because I know that He hears me. I am one of His spirit children; He is my Father in Heaven. He has a parental regard and concern for me as an individual, even amongst the vastness of the universe.

I Never Knew

Is part of growing up liking a wider palette of vegetables?

I think I was open to most veggies as a kid, but perhaps had somewhat limited exposure to all the potential variety an olericulturist could offer. It wasn't until my twenties that I tried, and liked, such things as collard greens, mustard greens, and okra (thank you Georgia). Despite bad PR I have now tried, and actually love, brussel sprouts, especially steamed and tossed in lemon butter. This past winter I tried a root vegetable stew made from turnips, parsnips, and rutabagas and was pleasantly surprised.

Just this month, some friends at church gave us some of their bumper crop of homegrown Swiss chard, and I have a new vegetable love. Husband and I steamed the greens, ate them without any seasoning, butter, etc., and each had three servings, finishing the entire bowl in one sitting! How have I lived this long and never known that I love Swiss chard?!

I am still working on liking beets. One of these days I will meet a borscht I like.

And the Winner Is...

Recently, I went on a day excursion to the Denver Botanic Garden to identify some top garden performers for summer heat. Late summer has a tendency to wipe out a good majority of perennials. My interest was in those perennials that still had energy to bloom and put on a show in 90+ temperatures and occasional water. I should note that the plants I picked were thriving in the botanic garden AND in the average homeowner's yard, which would receive less care and attention than a plant in a public display garden.

Here are my top picks for late summer Front Range perennials:

Agastache rupestris Sunset Hyssop













This plant is just starting to put on a show in late summer. Normal bloom time is late July to frost. But, that is the appeal of the plant! When little else looks good, this plant takes center stage. It has delicate needle-like leaves and tubular flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. The whole plant smells like licorice and is an excellent water-smart or xeriscape choice. It grows quite large (3-4' tall), but has an overall fine-textured look that allows it to blend very well with most any other plant combination. This plant thrives in full intense sun (native to the Southwest).


Salvia officinalis Variegated Sage













Sage is one of those garden plants that has so much to offer: aromatic foliage, great textured (rugose) leaves, kitchen and medicinal uses, interesting color variations, good form, low water needs, and great heat tolerance. It is categorized as a subshrub, has woody stems, and can have a presence even in the winter garden. I consider it an excellent border plant along walks and the front edge of a bed because of its perfect little hedgehog mounding growth habit. Even if it isn't used as a culinary tool, it is perfect for a children's garden because it is small, scented, and textured. And, it still looks amazing in August!


Echinacea purpurea Coneflower













So, this is a very common garden plant, but for good reason! Coneflower is blooming non-stop (with a little deadheading to encourage regrowth) from JUNE to frost--that is a serious garden statement. The plant doesn't flop or fade in the sun. It doesn't need supplementary water once established. Coneflower has few, if any pest or disease problems. It meshes well with a plethora of other plants without being overbearing to any given garden combination. Honeybees and butterflies love the plant. It is long-lasting as a cut flower. If left alone through the winter the old seed heads (where a flower used to be) create an additional season of interest. All it asks is full sun.


Caryopteris x clandonensis Blue Mist, Bluebeard, Blue Spirea













Blue Mist shrub is easy to grow, adaptable to various soils, and somewhat drought tolerant. It begins flowering in late summer (usually mid- to late July) and continues until frost. Blue flowers are always a welcome and somewhat rare garden feature, so this plant has great design versatility and works well in a shrub border or mixed border with other types of perennials. I prefer this plant to other upright purple/blue growing shrub-like perennials (such as Russian Sage) because it has a much tidier growth habit and will not self-sow itself with abandon. The leaves are aromatic when rubbed, the flowers have a sweet fragrance, and it attracts bees and butterflies. Overall plant size is usually 2-3' tall and wide, prefers full sun or light shade.

Honorable Release

The Denver Temple closes tomorrow for a six-week renovation. Today was my last day to work as an ordinance worker. I have been given an honorable release from my time of service in the temple. My new priority is mommy, and I could not have given up being an ordinance worker for anything less worthwhile. It will likely be 20 or more years before I can return to that service opportunity, as the church asks that women with children still at home devote their full-time efforts to motherhood.
It is a strange sort of loss to be finished with my time as an ordinance worker in the temple. I was able to serve for three and a half years in the Atlanta Temple and about eight months in the Denver Temple. I consider that time a precious gift. Some of my most beautiful life experiences took place there. I know that I became more of a devoted woman of God by spending regular time in the temple. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and especially in the temple, we refer to one another as brother and sister. The women that I served with in both Atlanta and Denver truly feel like my sisters in the full sense of the word. My bond of friendship, kinship, and understanding with the sisters in the temple is both difficult to explain and hard to forget.
How grateful I am for this unique chapter in my life.

Luck of the Draw

Most every day I listen to Colorado Public Radio at home or in the car, and enjoy it simply for the blessing of good music with wonderful variety. Occasionally, though, there is an added perk for regular listening. Last Thursday a ticket give-away was announced for the closing concert of the 2011 season of the Colorado Musical Festival at Chautauqua. I figured that I had as good a chance as anyone, and called in. About 15 minutes later, the station called me back and I had two free tickets to the Friday night show! This was quite a fun splurge for us, as the tickets were worth $42 a piece.

The Festival Finale featured a group called Time for Three (Tf3), a trio of musicians (two violinists, one double bass) all graduates of Philadelphia's Curtis Institute of Music. They are an unexpected mix of laid-back, amazingly talented, crazy, classical, blue-grass, jazz, and country styles in an over-the-top energized jam session. If you have 9 minutes and twenty one seconds to spare, I highly recommend giving a listen to their piece "Wyoming 307". We loved the show!

Collaboration and Copycating, etc.

My latest creative efforts have been for 1) animal applique pillows and 2) a baby mobile.

Originally, I was going to make a mobile using the animal design from the quilt fabric (turtle, zebra, and lion). It turns out my beginner sewing skills are not quite up to make three-dimensional objects. My multiple attempts resulted in really sorry-looking deformed creatures. BUT, I was able to replicate the design as flat pieces fairly well. So, I gave up the 3-D mobile idea after finding a book in a craft store showing applique pillows. I think I did a decent copycat job of the animal shape. I appliqued the animals to fabric pillow squares and then my genius-on-the-sewing-machine mom did the beautiful stitch work to hold it all together. The pillows aren't quite done yet; they still need some piping edges and then will be sewn around pillow forms. A modified mobile idea was a little slower in coming. In my opinion, all the $50 (+) mobiles in Babies R Us were not at all worth having. Most were cute to parents walking into the room, but were not made to be interesting to baby lying in a crib. Not to mention colors and patterns that didn't work with the scheme I had already worked out. So, I did some Pinterest browsing, and found this gorgeous (and CHEAP) idea. I ordered a hanging photoclip mobile and made a dozen paper pinwheels in the color scheme that I wanted. Wa-la! Lots of color, lots of interest for baby, and it can also be easily adapted or changed out. And finally, pregnant momma at 36 weeks. Will work for popsicles and cold water. Whew! The heat wave is getting old!

Anxious for our new arrival

Last week our stroller/car seat travel system arrived. We put it together and then adorable husband proceeded to push the stroller through the entire apartment with a little-boy-on-Christmas-morning grin on his face. Every other day or so since then, he pulls out the stroller and takes it on another walk through the apartment, smiling from ear-to-ear the entire time. Just wanted to document the cuteness!
This is one anxious daddy.

Good Read

My friend Katie bought me The Read-Aloud Handbook in preparation for baby and it has been a most engaging book. The basic premise of the book is one I am already aligned with: Read aloud to your children on a daily basis from the day they are born. I am so grateful though for such a thoughtful gift because without some of the back story, the research, and the evidence in favor of such a practice as daily read-alouds, it would be easy to dismiss it as just one more good, but impractical idea. The author, Jim Trelease, presents fact as well as anecdotal story from his personal experience as a father, as well as 20 years of positive affirmation from the thousands of parents and teachers around the world who practice what he preaches.
The idea is especially palatable to me because he isn't trying to push a program or sell a product. Any parent or teacher of any socioeconomic standard can make this a reality! The author recommends just 3 Bs: books (thank you public library!), a book basket in the home so that books can be very accessible, and a book lamp in the child's room. To aid in the read-aloud process, the last 115 pages of his book is his "Treasury of Read-Alouds", an impressive collection of more than 1,000 recommended books for all ages and genres that are especially well-suited to reading aloud. If you have the desire, and a library card, you can't go wrong!

Mr. Trelease stresses the fact throughout the book that the goal of reading aloud to your children from infancy is NOT to produce super-babies, or 2-year old readers. In fact, he encourages that that not be the goal at all. It could be a possible result, but the main crux of the daily reading is simply to create parent-child bonding, and a love-affair with books. No more, no less. It is that simple message that resonates with me because it aligns very well with the church's counsel for daily family scripture study and consistent gospel instruction in the home.

As a personal aside, when I went to visit my family over Christmas, my youngest sister, who is a teenager, requested that I read-aloud to her from a picture book during my visit. She has been a voracious reader since she was an infant and had the marked advantage of six older siblings and parents who were willing to indulge her in regular read-aloud sessions. When I think of her and her interest even now, as a teenager, to be read to, I am inspired and encouraged to start early and do it for my children.

Quick Stop-Over

My brother, sister-in-law and my nearly three-month old niece (who until today I had yet to meet) had a long layover in the Denver airport. Dallin and I had a nice, though brief, lunch visit with them. Their daughter, Camryn, is just adorable, wide-eyed and incredibly content with observing her new world. So glad we could get together!

Say hello to cousin Ezra!

Creativity Central

Over the fourth of July weekend, for the last 21 years Denver has hosted the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, which attracts artists from across the country. The husband and I braved the 90+ degree weather for a look-see. The 200+ outdoor booths of eye candy in a five-by-two city block area was worth some sweating and swollen feet. Here is just a sampling:

Jack Rabbit on a tricycle was my favorite of this artist's creations (his other companions included bats, grasshoppers, fish, turtles, etc.)

This artist is a Denver local in her mid to late 20's. The top left piece is called "Cherry Blossom" and it truly gave a Japanese feel. Each "flower" is individually constructed of special paper, varnished, and wired in. I love the layers!

Not quite sure what the symbolism is, but I love the counterbalance and unexpected juxtaposition of objects.

At first glance, an interesting mixed-media sculpture,

but get a little closer in and notice an artist with a quirky sense of humor.