Shuffle Steps

I Heart D.C. . . .

2008-04-04T20:25:00.006-04:00

I really do. It's so clean and contained. This past Saturday we made our first trek down to the city with all three kids in tow. On the train home I overheard a young couple from Salt Lake discussing the city. The guy said there are city ordinances restricting buildings over twelve stories high. I don't know if it's true, but it would explain all the squatty buildings across the city. I love them. Even in person the buildings look like miniature architectural models, with meticulously manicured green space around them.

We started out at the National Portrait Museum. The kids played in the water feature in a new beautiful glass covered courtyard. One of the museum's temporary exhibits was a tribute to hip hop and rap. The kids loved the colorful graffitti and Brad loved seeing portraits of the famous rap stars from his youth.

Across the street from the museum is the new firm office of DLA Piper,a mega law firm Brad interviewed with last week. DLA Piper is one of the largest law firms in the world. I know that sounds like hyperbole, but they employ over 3,700 attorneys, in over 25 countries. Brad interviewed with their government contracts group, which is the area of the law he is studying in his masters program, and is practicing in his position at the Department of Justice. The D.C. office takes up almost an entire city block (a small portion of it is shared with the Spy Museum). The offices are very nice, built from scratch specifically for the firm late last year. Brad has a second interview with the firm next week. We are both really hoping he gets a job offer. Brad is definitely ready to ditch the government and "sell his soul" to the firm. And, if it means we can afford a single family home in the Washington DC area, I'll let him make the sale.

I tell myself that quality time with the family is more important than quantity, and that Brad functions better when he's over-extended. But if he gets the job, talk to me about it again in five years.

We then moved on to the the Smithsonian Kite Festival at the Washington Monument. Who knew communal kite flying could be so much fun? Brad bought the kids a delta kite with a six foot wing span. It is amazing.

You don't have to run with the kite for it to catch the wind.. If there is even the slightest breeze, you throw the kite up and it practically leaps into the air. The festival was a lot of fun. They had trick kite displays and a competition for homemade kites. We didn't stay for it, but later in the day they had a kite fighting competition. I think this annual kite festival might have to become a new Jorgensen family tradition.

Rice for Easter Dinner

2008-04-03T06:24:00.009-04:00

The first Easter Brad and I celebrated as a married couple was quite an eye-opener. We went shopping the day before, and I asked Brad if he wanted anything special for dinner. He said, "no," and I simplistically believed him. So after church on Sunday I made stir-fry and Scheswan chicken.

Brad moped around all day. Something was clearly wrong. I kept asking him what was bothering him and he continued denying that anything was wrong. Finally late that evening, he explained he was disappointed we did not have ham and potatoes for Easter dinner. That day I learned the importance of "the art of the occasion."

("The art of the occasion" stems from Brad's mom's ability to make everything beautiful, inviting, and generally special on holidays.)

Flash forward to this year's Easter dinner, and yes, we had stir-fry. Ben was really sick this Easter.

We didn't even dye easter eggs (sacrilege I know). But we did get a few good pictures of the girls in their Easter dresses.

Dayna was so excited to have an Easter bonnet.
Check out those thighs. Too bad chubby thighs aren't considered cute on someone my age.

"Fancy Nancy"

2008-02-12T12:55:00.004-05:00

For Christmas, Dayna received the book Fancy Nancy, by Jane O'Connor from her Aunt Cat. In the book, Nancy decides her family is simply not fancy enough for her liking. To remedy the problem, Nancy posts an ad for "fancy lessons" on the refrigerator door. Nancy's family takes her up on her offer. After the fancy lessons, the family goes to out dinner at The King's Crown pizza joint to practice what they've learned. Dayna loves this story and decided to recreate Nancy's ad for "fancy lessons." Here is Dayna's faithful reproduction of the advertisement.

Like the story, Dayna insisted we go to The King's Crown (Burger King) for dinner. We ate with our pinkies up and called each other "darling." It was a very fancy night out.

December Photos

2008-02-11T13:53:00.001-05:00

Here is a hodge-podge of photos I told family members I would post. Sorry I'm such a procrastinator.

The highlights from our Christmas. The doll house was given to us from a member of our church. Brad took the two weeks before Christmas off for paternity leave. I think he would have gone crazy if he didn't have the doll house project to work on. The house came unpainted and unassembled and Brad, easily spent 40 or 50 hours putting it together.
This is Dayna with her "American Girl" doll her Grandma C. gave her for Christmas. These kids are spoiled rotten, and they know it.

Ava in her blessing gown.

Dayna with her little sister.

Ava was blessed in church the Sunday before Christmas, Dec. 23rd. She wore this beautiful dress my mom brought out, and I wrapped her in a white blanket my sister gave me from her a trip to Bethlehem. I would include some family pictures, but I look pretty hammered. Brad kept telling me to smile and open my eyes as we were taking the pictures. I really thought I was smiling, but the pictures are pretty awful.

Ava Alise Jorgensen

2007-12-05T20:24:00.000-05:00

This morning, December 05, 2007, we welcomed Ava Alise Jorgensen into the world. She was born at 11:55 a.m., and was 7.5 lbs. and 19.5 inches long. She has a little bit of dark hair and looks a lot like her big sister Dayna when she was born. Although Mary and Ava are still at the hospital resting, both are doing very well.

Revised Christmas Carols

2007-11-26T08:43:00.000-05:00

Dayna has started learning Christmas carols at church. She has her own special version of the chorus in Angels We Have Heard On High. She sings, "Gloria, in eggshell is Dayna!"

Th(angst)giving

2007-11-23T08:01:00.000-05:00

Thank goodness thanksgiving is over. This year the holiday really stressed me out. Basically, I ignored every recommendation given by the experts on how to lessen the holiday stress. Such recommendations as:

1. If buying a frozen turkey, buy it at least two weeks in advance leaving plenty of time to defrost the bird in the refrigerator.
This past sat. I finally committed to cooking Thanksgiving dinner. I sent Brad to the store, and he came home with a 20 lb turkey. It was huge. I put it in the fridge to defrost Sunday morning. When I opened the package Wednesday night there were still ice crystals surrounding it. After a couple hours under running water, I was able to put it in the brine. Whew!

2. Plan your menu several weeks in advance, shopping for non-perishables early and perishables a few days before Thanksgiving. Do not plan to go to the store on Wednesday.
Wednesday morning I finally chose the recipes I planned to make, and went to the store to buy the goods. This was not the best idea, but the kids had fun. Dayna had made pilgrim and Indian hats in Joy School and they wore them for our outing.

3. Create a cooking schedule so you know when each item needs to be prepped, cooked and completed. Cook as much of the food ahead of time as possible. Cook any pies or side dishes prior to Thursday, and refrigerate. Warm them in the oven right before dinner.
This is really excellent advice. I did not follow it. On Thursday, I opened up to my favorite roll recipe and saw that I was supposed to let it sit in the fridge overnight to rise. Oops. So I had to improvise with a different recipe. The last two hours before dinner were a mad dash to try and cook the stuffing and the rolls, etc.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I have to let you know that this was not the first Thanksgiving dinner I've ever cooked (I've hosted at least two, maybe three.) I really should have known better, and I have done better in the past. Luckily, I have the fact that I'm eight and a half months pregnant to use as an excuse. :)

"Go-Time"

2007-11-19T08:18:00.000-05:00

This is Brad in his "go-time" shirt. He wore this shirt to Dayna and Ben's births as well as for both days of the Utah bar exam. While he was taking the bar my only contribution was to make sure this shirt was washed, folded and ready for day two of the exam.

I'm not sure if the term "go-time" refers to the adrenaline rush felt at each of these three events, or the complete terror Brad experienced during these ordeals.

When Dayna was born, I started having contractions at seven or eight in the morning. They continued all day until around five when they were finally strong enough for us to drive to the hospital. Brad was pretty freaked out. Through most of the labor and delivery, he hid behind the curtain of my bed. He would peak out periodically to let me know he was still in the room. Poor guy!

With Ben 's birth, I woke up in the middle of the night, for a routine bathroom break, and my water broke. I shook Brad to wake him up and told him what had just happened, and his groggy response was, "Wake me up when you have everything ready to go. . . . Give me another half-hour." Somehow, in his half-asleep state, he managed to drive us safely to the hospital. Ben was born early that morning.

Our OB-GYN this time around has agreed to induce. When he heard that Ben was born two-weeks early and was 9lbs 14oz, he determined that I was a good candidate for inducement. We've tentatively planned for Dec. 5. So the countdown has begun, and I'm making every effort to keep track of Brad's go-time shirt.
Wish Brad luck!

Which witch?

2007-11-14T07:20:00.000-05:00

Dayna knew exactly which witch she wanted to be for Halloween. She wanted to be a mean witch. Back in September I read her the Beverly Cleary book Ramona the Pest. In the book Ramona is a witch for Halloween, and so Dayna knew for months ahead that she was going to be a witch too. She was the mean witch from the film The Wizard of Oz. It ended up being really fun because two of her little friends dressed up like Glinda the Good Witch from the film. Dayna got really tired of me telling her that she looked cute in her costume. "I'm not cute," she'd say, "I'm spooky."

I know it's late to still be talking about Halloween, but it's still in full swing here in our house. Ben runs around our house chasing Dayna and yelling, "RROOARR" and "BOOOO." He will randomly come up to me or Brad with a bag or box in his hand and say, "Trick or Treat." It's a lot of fun, and he's added the words "thank you" to his vocabulary.

Dayna and Ben are really starting to enjoy one another. I love watching them play pretend. Their favorite game is to pull all the pillows and blankets off the beds, pile them up in the living room and play "sleepover party."

Preacher Man

2007-08-14T15:33:00.000-04:00

When Ben was just weeks old, long before he discovered he had appendages, he would clasp his hands together. It was just instinct with him like swaddling or rooting. When he did finally find his hands, he would occasionally manage to lace his fingers together. He would lie on the ground holding his hands tightly together, and stare up with the most docile expression.

Even now at two years old, he will still absentmindedly lock and unlock his fingers together as he putters around our house. I think he does it when he's trying to decide what series of actions will cause the biggest mess possible.

Sometimes when Ben throws tantrums, he will stand firm, with his bottom lip sticking out, interlace his fingers and rest them on his belly. He looks so puritanical. I swear he must look just like Jonathan Edwards did before one of his famous fire and brimstone sermons. I can't help laughing at Ben when he does this (which just makes him angrier.)

But Ben really is a sweet and sensitive boy. He has such fair skin that in certain places you can see the veins underneath. Brad says he has my eyes. The skin on his eyelids is thin and pink, and when he's tired and his lids start to half close he can look so pious. I hope Ben does spend some time as a missionary for our church when he is older. For now it makes me smile to know he's already practicing his sermon stance.

Mama Drama

2007-08-13T06:44:00.001-04:00

FRIDAY
The song "Don't Worry Be Happy," by Bobby McFerrin begins to play.

Mom: Oh, I love this song. It was really popular when I was a little girl. They used to play it on the radio all the time.

Dayna: Was this the only song that had been invented way back then?

SATURDAY
The four year old girl examines her mother who is wearing a swimming suit.

Dayna: Mom you have giant legs. Actually they're humongous . . . and they jiggle when you walk.

I guess I can't fault her for her honesty?!?!

Music & Lyrics

2007-08-09T19:36:00.000-04:00

One of Dayna’s favorite songs is “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.” She sings the last line, “...merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life’s a spotted dream.”

I like making up words to songs also. I like to sing along to the radio while driving in the car. If I don’t know the words I just sing any random thing that pops into my head. You should try it. It’s fun.

When the kids were babies, I’d change the lyrics of songs to include their names. “Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah,” became “Someone’s in the kitchen with Dayna.” “My Dayna lies over the ocean,” instead of “my Bonnie.” That song worked even better with Benny. However, Ben’s favorite theme song when he was a baby was sung to the song from Winnie the Pooh. My version of the song’s lyrics were: “Benny the bull, Benny the bull, funny little Benny, you’re Benny the bull.” Benny the bull is a character from the children’s T.V. show, Dora the Explorer, for those of you who may not be up on your children’s television. Dayna gave Ben that nickname really early on.

Womb Wonders...

2007-08-09T19:26:00.001-04:00

When I was pregnant with Dayna, Brad let me know that a child’s mother is “the primary socializing agent” in the child’s life. Well, I spent months worrying about that little psychological gem. I consider myself to be pretty awkward and socially backward. I didn’t want Dayna to spend her childhood being shy and intimidated as I had. I wanted her to be more like Brad than like me (which she is) --all that worrying for nothing. Even as an infant, Dayna sought engagement with others. I used to call her my little turtle, because she would stick her neck out to look around and try to make eye-contact with anyone who was willing to look back. She is naturally social. She remains unafraid to stick her neck out and make new friends. At times she can be so assertive and aggressive, it is often a little overwhelming. I love that about her.

When I was expecting Ben, I worried a lot about raising a boy and all that it would entail. I’ve known so many men who coast through life. They fulfill their responsibilities, but seem to be sleepwalking through their lives, with little or no enjoyment. I was anxious for Ben. I wanted him enjoy his life and his relationships. I wanted him to actually live his life.

There’s a story in Ezekiel, in the bible, about a prophet walking out of the temple to find the water reaching to his ankles. The next time he comes to check on the water it has reached his knees, and then his hips, the last time he checks on the level, there is “water to swim in.” I think this story must be the source for the African-American spiritual “The Water is Wide.”

I made a strip baby quilt for Ben in rich blues, hoping it would look like a river. I even embroidered the Ezekial reference in the corner of the quilt. I want Ben to be immersed in life. I want him to feel the joys and the sorrows of life deeply. I understand that this may seem like a strange thing to wish upon someone, but this is what I wished for him while he was in the womb, and this is what I continue to hope for today.

Ben is a laid back little boy; however, when he is excited by something like a particular T.V. show or trains, for example, he is passionate about it (borderline obsessive.) I think he will be the sensitive boy I imagined while I was pregnant with him.

It’s strange to watch my children learn and develop. I wonder if those feelings during pregnancy were premonitions of their future personalities or whether I am now trying to force them to fit some preconceived mold.

With this pregnancy, my only desire is that she will be healthy. I’ve lost some of my innocence and now know that sometimes bad things just happen. I sincerely, hope all is well.

Jefferson's Monticello

2007-08-06T20:50:00.000-04:00

Brad attended a continuing legal education course in Charlottesville, Virginia the last two weeks. He received a generous daily allowance from the government, in addition to a nice suite at the Residence Inn Marriott. The kids and I drove down to join him for the last week of the course. It ended up being a great, not to mention cheap, family vacation.

On a foggy morning we drove up to Tomas Jefferson’s Monticello estate. Thomas Jefferson originally patterned the house after Roman ruins, but after spending considerable time in France he revised his original plans. I had high expectations, and the house and grounds exceeded them. It is a beautiful design even by today’s standard. It must have been incredible for his time.

They only offer guided tours of the house, so we went through the tour with a group of twenty or so people, all of whom were adults except our two kids. It was great to see all that the house had to offer, but it was a little nerve-racking trying to keep Ben from toppling 200-year old artifacts and other priceless items. Some of the ropes they used as barriers were electronic, and the rooms were tight so trying to keep the kids from touching them ended up being a real challenge.

We tried to use the experience as an opportunity to teach Dayna about one of our nation’s greatest leaders, but it didn’t really turn out that way. After returning home to D.C., Dayna called her uncle Austin in Texas. Apparently, her only comments were about a small fishpond on the Monticello grounds. She informed him that the water was really old and dirty because Thomas Jefferson lived a long time ago. She also made it a point to tell her uncle that Thomas Jefferson had slaves, “…and they were black.” As if having white slaves would have somehow been more acceptable than having black slaves. It is interesting to see how she processes the world. Her views on social issues are particularly interesting, as she does not know to be biased or intolerant in any way. We should all be more like her in that way.

Ben, on the other hand, spent about fifteen minutes staring at a dead bug under a wood rail outside the house. He tried to get up the courage to touch it, while saying EEEWWWW, over and over again. He eventually touched it. It was pretty funny to watch him put his finger closer and closer and then pulling it away each time.

It was a fun vacation to a beautiful part of the country.

Welcome . . .

2007-08-06T16:39:00.000-04:00

Welcome to our new family journal. It seems like the advancement of our little ones (Dayna 4 and Ben 2) moves forward in a "shuffle," rather than a smooth, progression. They take two steps forward and one step back. One of the dictionary definitions for the word "shuffle" is "to mix in a disorderly mass." That perfectly describes our children and our household in general. For example, our little princess, Dayna, who has been potty-trained for 2 years, will randomly wet her pants. 99% of the time she has absolutely no problem getting to the bathroom on time, but on occasion, usually when she is having too much fun playing with her girlfriends, she randomly wets her pants. When she is asked why she didn't get to the bathroom in time, she simply responds, "I don't know." Uuuuggg! It is so frustrating. Two steps forward, one step back. A true shuffle step...

To be honest it's not just the kids who seem to be shuffle-stepping through life, Brad and I are often in the same boat as the kids. There are times when I think I've learned an important life lesson, only to later have an experience where I am made keenly aware that I need to re-learn the same lesson all over again. Even with all the shuffle-stepping that goes on, I feel that our gains are greater than our losses and we are collectively moving forward as a young family. This is life.

My intent is that this on-line journal will help us stay better connected to our family and friends who we do not see as often as we would like. I think it is important to share, especially with the grandparents, our families milestones, however small they might be.

Life is a journey, and it is often a hilarious ride! As a "stay-at-home" mom, there are days when my two kids have me doubled over in laughter, trying to catch my breath because I am laughing so hard. They say and do some of the strangest things as they try to understand the world around them. Because life often gets busy, I'm lucky if I can remember to tell Brad half of the funny things that happen in a day.

A blog seems like the perfect way for a parent to communicate about everyday life with their little monkeys. For all of those who have called me on the phone and mistakenly asked, "So how are the kids?" only to find yourselves listening to me drone on about potty-training, or worse yet, me bragging about their latest feat, hopefully this blog will help. The idea being that if a post is boring, you won't need to continue reading it.

Hopefully this will serve as a tool to help you know me and my family better, even in spite of the many miles that separates us. Thanks for reading!