Great Gaertner UK Road Trip: Preston and Liverpool

More than half of my ancestors come from Preston and Liverpool. Some of them, including Mary Rogerson, were among the first English converts to the LDS Church. I've grown up on their stories of sacrifice, faith, and heroism.

It was so special to stop in Preston, where there is now an LDS temple.

The descendants at the doors of the temple. 

Mary would be so thrilled.

We visited the river bank where Mary was baptized. 

and played on a park we found on the way.

Then we went to Liverpool, where these ancestors got on ships to a completely unknown future on faith alone. Some of them were single mothers, some of them had new babies, some of them spent every penny they had on the ship passage. 

On top of enjoying the funky hip vibe of modern Liverpool, we wandered around old ships at the pier.

And wept in gratitude for my ancestors faith and courage that paved the way for the beautiful life I enjoy.

We are truly standing on the shoulders of giants.

Christmas

Christmas 2014 was such a sweet holiday full of fun memories, cute boys, and a whole lot of love.

It was a Christmas miracle that Christmas was fun at all, since Jon came down with the flu right before (not the stomach flu, the flu-flu, which is infinitely more awful; and I know that is really saying something). The doctor said that maybe, if he was really lucky, he would start to feel better Christmas Day. I was prepared for a Christmas of cartoons and popsicles, and present opening postponed until everyone was better; since the six days before had looked like this:

But Christmas Eve at around 4:30, Jon got off the couch and started playing with his toys... when he hadn't done either in days! By bedtime he fell asleep in his own bed and was actually asking about Christmas. So Christmas was saved, and it was a really beautiful day.

Nay Nay provided the matching Christmas jammies. Daddy read the Christmas story while we acted out the nativity with our nativity set (still no costumes in this house, unless Joseph and Mary were firefighters).

In the morning, we had french toast for breakfast. And in keeping with my great Christmas culinary tradition, I burned  something (this year the Pannetone bread that takes twenty. four. hours. to rise).

Jonathan handmade his gifts for everyone, and his little giving heart was so full of excitement that he forgot he also got presents on Christmas... well, until he opened the first one and then he was pretty sure every present that wasn't from him was for him. He wore his fighter-pilot helmet and carried around his nerf gun (he doesn't know they have darts, just enjoys the satisfying "click") around for days. I absolutely love three-year-olds.

Jon played airplane with the cockpit panel 

Dap and I made him, and read all of his books with Nay Nay.

Jon had made a serving spoon for Vovo (hot glued purple beads on the handle),
freezer cookie dough for Dap,
a clay handprint bowl for Nay Nay,
thumbprint cufflinks for Daddy,
an orange clay "snowplow with a jet engine" for Danelle, who he is pretty sure is his big sister,
a rice hot pad (airplane fabric, of course) for Mommy,
and a taggie for Ben (more airplane fabric and super colorful tags)

And while most of these were my ideas (except Danelle's snowplow), he did a lot of the work. I would even say most of it. He loved the idea of giving so much that he made clay things for all of his friends in his church class--which were random and hilarious. A train for Ca, a "curling machine to curl things on the tracks" for Cl, a "June holding a toy" for Ju, and a "bulldozer" for T.

Ben had a perfectly sweet first Christmas. His favorite gift by far was his taggie from Jon, followed by his awesome Hankie Frankie (moms of babies, this toy is amazing--look it up on Amazon). He is so smiley and sweet, and Christmas Day was no exception. He is simply a joy.

The boys continue to teach me to focus on what is most important about Christmas. It really makes no difference that I forgot to take any "present opening" pictures or that I burned the Pannetone. What matters most is honoring Christ by doing what he did and continues to do: give.

Oh yeah--and Christmas afternoon naps. They matter a lot, too.

Big Boy Undies

So this happened last month...

Yep, this is about potty-training. But I'll spare you the details.

One morning, as I changed Jon's diaper he looked at me and said non-chalantly, "Mommy, I don't wear diapers anymore. I wear big boy undies."

Inwardly I thought, "Hallelujah! Good for you, but I have a six-week-old baby and this is not really a good time for me to potty train with you."

Outwardly I said, "Great! Run upstairs and put your airplane undies on and I'll set a timer to remind you to go potty." (We had undies on hand from our last attempt, which obviously failed.)

He put on his undies, and within two days was basically accident-free. All the problems from the last attempt were forgotten. It was his idea, and so it was going to happen. That is Jonathan all the way, if he owns it, he will make it happen. Tenacious little guy.

I'd love to take credit and share all my "secrets" for easy, tear-free potty training, but it was all him. I really just reminded, pulled pants up and down, and cheered. I'm so proud of him for choosing to grow up and do something hard, especially during a stage when many children tend to regress. He is a really special boy and I am one lucky, grateful momma.

A side note: Benjamin did not find the potty training days that magical; being put down suddenly mid-bottle or just as he was drifting off. If it weren't for Nay Nay's well-timed visit Ben would probably have some sort of trauma from the ordeal. Thanks for playing wingman, Mom.

An Airplane Ride

Dap and Jon share a special deep love for airplanes, so for father's day we arranged for a private sight-seeing flight for the two of them.

It was a surprise for both of them, and neither could believe his good fortune. I'm not sure who was more excited: Jon, Dap, or me (to come along for the ride and watch the excitement).

Jon put the headphones on and kept them on the whole time.

"Mommy, we're in an airplane! I'm like a pilot because I have pilot headphones on. We're on an airplane, Mommy. With Dap! I'm on an airplane with Dap, Mommy."

Every five minutes or so, he would look at me with a big smile and give me the "thumbs up,"

We flew over the isthmus and saw Daddy's work, the Capitol, the football stadium, the beautiful Wisconsin countryside...

We even flew over our house!

These two best buddies sure love their airplanes.

Happy Father's Day, Dap! Thanks for being so good to us.

Blessing Benjamin James

On July 6 Fabio gave our Benjamin James Gaertner a "name and a blessing." 

It's a special ordinance in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (similar to Christening but the baby isn't baptized--just formally named and given special promises the man blessing the baby feels he should give).

Among other things, Fabio blessed Ben with a "great attitude towards work," a "testimony of the Gospel of Christ," a "desire to share the gospel," to "recognize the Spirit," and to "follow a path of covenants."

All the grandparents were here for the occasion, which made it extra special. 

Especially when Dap stood in the circle for Ben's blessing. 

Nay Nay and Vovo were in baby-heaven, and the babies were in attention-heaven. 

And I felt overwhelmed with how good my life is and how blessed I am.

Blessed to have the sweetest 2-year-old ever.

Blessed to have such a beautiful, healthy, perfect baby.

Blessed to have the most helpful Dad who lives such a worthy life.

Blessed to have a Mom who lives to serve and taught me what motherhood is really all about.

Blessed to have a sweet Mother-in-law who is nothing but kind to me.

And especially blessed to have such a caring, gentle, worthy, humble, tall-dark-and-handsome-dream-boat to share my life with.

The boys are pretty lucky to have such a special Daddy who takes great care them.

Love you both, F&B.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving this year was full of surprises, but it ended up being one of our favorites.

When I was especially sick with new baby, my mom came out to help. She poured juice, read books, and did the laundry. It was such a relief to have her! Then, one night as she was locking up the house, she tripped and fell down our basement stairs! Fabio ran downstairs to check on her, and we heard a little "I'm in the stairwell!" She insisted she was fine, but when she still couldn't put any weight on either leg the next morning, we made her go to the Emergency Room. She had broken both legs (her right knee and left ankle), both so badly that they'd require surgery. After several nights in the hospital, the Dr. decided she couldn't come back to live with us since we didn't have a full bathroom on the main floor, and so my poor mom had to be transferred to a medical rehab facility! Fabio was a hero and ran around to get her what she needed even though he was in the middle of teaching, and I was still flattened by morning sickness.

My dad couldn't stand it any longer and jumped in his car and drove to Wisconsin to nurse my mom back to health. He completely rose to the occasion, not only nursing my mom and tending to her every need, but making food for Jonathan, keeping our kitchen cleaning, doing our laundry, and cleaning our toilets... and somehow still finding time to make wooden block airplanes with Jonathan! He was the hero of the month in no small way. Fabio was relieved to focus back on teaching, I was relieved to have help with Jonathan and the house, and of course my mom was relieved to have her hubby making sure she was well-cared-for at the rehab center.

She healed remarkably fast, and they sent her home to live with us just in time for Thanksgiving! I wasn't sure how much of a feast I was up to preparing, still feeling pretty sick most days, but between Costco and my dad to help we had quite the spread in the end! And as always, plenty to be thankful for.

rolls, stuffing, creamed corn, mashed potatoes, sliced turkey breast 

(a turkey was just not going to happen!), and pecan pie

Jonathan pounded down the potatoes (so did New Baby, if we're being totally honest), and we were so grateful to have our Naynay back.

And after it was all said and done and our tummies were ready to burst, Dap did the dishes (again).

Thanks, Daddy.

Oh What Do You Do in the Summertime?

Do you get your first proper hair cut?

Admire old airplanes with Dap?

Do you mow your grandparent's lawn?

Or do you laugh at jokes with your Nay Nay?

Compare muscles with Dap?

Do you go to Bear Lake?

To reacquaint with your "buzzins" (i.e. cousins)?

Or swim with your mom all the time?

Do you have lunch with old friends?

Do you drink "fizzy" with Dap?

Eat snow cones with Nay?

Ride a $1 carousel?

Or see a goat for the very first time?

Is that what you do?

So do we!

Batam, Indonesia

We thought we'd take a weekend trip while my Mom was in town, to see another part of our current corner of the world. So we took a 45-minute boat ride to Indonesia. 

Batam's a little beach island in Indonesia completely catered to Singaporeans who are looking for a short break. And... well, hey! That's us! We stayed in a place right on Turi Beach where the ocean was fifteen steps from our room, and we almost literally spent an entire weekend in this picture...

We tried to divide our time evenly between the hammock,

 The ocean,

 The sand,

 And the little hotel restaurant, where Jonathan charmed the live band with his enthusiastic applause.

Of course, the band members weren't the only ones smitten by our little man's charms... He has his Grandma wrapped around his chubby little finger.

We're so glad Grandma could come for a visit and share one of our little adventures with us! I'm really going to miss her when she has to go.