On a lighter note...

"Mom, come on. I am really too big to be posing for you all the time."

Actually, "CB" as Lyndon likes to call her now (aka-Claire Bear) will pose at will for anyone with any camera.

I do remember my sister Julie NOT liking to pose. Which is quite funny now if you chance across her blog where she posts silly movies and pictures of her and her kids.

We have documented home videos of Julie yelling at the cameraman (Dad) to not film or follow her, while dad kept teasing back that she would regret it, or that it was "for posterity."

So here's to Claire's posterity. May they be as stinking cute as she is.

Promises

I am attempting to explain or relate thoughts that may be very jumbled to you as a reader, so as those have said before, "consider yourself warned."

I just watched a really heart provoking documentary of Israeli, Arab, & Palestinian kids (Hereafter "I", "A", "P") (for those of you who netflix, it is called "The Promises Film Project"). It documented several years throughout their lives; asking them their thoughts and feelings on Politics/war/life surrounding them. I couldn't believe how soon the hatred began for some of them in relation to the other races and then how open minded and peaceful others were.

At one point the interviewer of the kids arranged a meeting among those who were willing. The kids played, laughed, and had a great time together and then in the evening of their day together, they talked politics. They all knew that things would change once they went their separate ways, and then cried.

Here's where I might lose you. So in pondering about the relations of the I, A, &Ps, I thought of relations in marriage-yeah-seems totally off topic, but bear with me. My marriage is not as explosive as the relations I'm talking about here (even though we've seen some fireworks (GOOD and bad fireworks if you get my drift, but mostly good)....I'm talking about marriages that have lost the love -see second link below-).

The A, I, Ps are related to each other more or less (we all are in the long run, in the very long run). They all claim Abraham as their father (do the 'P's?I need to check on that one). They all became angry with each other for one reason or another (the I's deserted the A's in Mohamed's time during a war, I's kicked everyone out after they've been "kicked" back out, way back in the day..yadda, yadda, yadda (I think that is yiddish....yadda I mean...). In any case it is hard to follow. Who hurt who first, who is really to blame, who deserves more punishment, who deserves to be reconciled, who deserves justice. When you listen to BOTH sides of the story, it is hard to feel like any one person deserves anything. Why can't they all just forget the past, let go of the hurt, kiss and make up and live life in peace? No really, why? Okay-I see why. Neither side is wiling to let it go. Change, as in change their own behaviors instead of focusing on the others faults, and love the other person. They think of a million excuses as to why it won't work, they don't trust- neither side has given the other reasons to trust. And in the end, they all kill each other (some just do it in uniform).

As we can see, the only person who will "solve" all this hatred is Jesus Christ. His atonement. Ah, but we hear that quite often, that response I mean-among Christians. But it is not used, or we don't quite understand how to use or keep using it to heal. Because this is huge. The wars and hatred I mean. The hatred is steeped in tradition (much like Laman and Lemuel telling their kids to hate the Nehpites- and in the end of that story everyone dies as well....except for the 400 years of peace..why? Oh yeah, Christ came and the people applied His atonement).

Have I lost you?

So the I,A, &Ps are like a husband and wife who for one reason or another now hate each other. And just like the I, A, & P's there are so many stories, traditions, sides; that no one can really tell who is to blame, shun, or side with. The sad thing is, this husband and wife feel much like the I, A, & P's in that the solution of peace is so far out of the picture that to them, it just won't work. Or peace is semi do-able, but actually "solving" the problem or ending the "problem" is impossible. That is unless they really, no really apply the atonement. Because if it really works. It is possible to heal.

Now, I am not an "I", "A", or "P", nor am I at the same explosive point in my marriage. So naturally it is easier for me to see the problem and the solution (note: not means to getting around to using the solution) than those in the middle east or in a sad marital state.

Here is the link: http://www.promisesproject.org/

Note: Only to those who know will understand why on earth I chose to bring this up.

P.S. Lyndon wanted to add this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRo8N_ZNpjM

(Lyndon really likes this song...it always surprises me what songs Lyndon likes....but I think I like it too. Give it a chance, plus it's the Black eyed Peas, so it's supposed to be cool, right).

Love,
Missy

Comparison

Claire is the bottom picture with the large puppy paws and Sydney is the top with the grumpy face. So do they look a like? We don't think so.

Berry Pickin Time

Bwahhaaahaa! Doesn't this look delectably evil? It tasted much better than it looks. We also had cheese cake with yummy blueberry topping. I mean seriously good cheesecake. (made in a blender) (but really folks, it was fantastic!).

Summer Part II

Dinner

Cabin

Covered Bridge (entrance to "the flume")

The "Flume" (like little "the narrows" with trees)

Our own little boom-box

Rarrhhhh!

Yup, 1600 feet and you're all out of breath (and milk)

Beautiful! (the bridge is nice too)

Beware of the Ents

Skinny-Dipping

What The?!

This picture kills me. Almost as much as potty training Claire kills me.

If you were to ask me how "training HER" (I feel like I am being trained more) was going, I would say right down the middle. She goes unasked and then GOES unasked in other places than the "potty". However, I encourage some of those places- for instance, I had her pee in the grocery store parking lot earlier this week because I had already packed Sydney and the food up, when she finally consented to telling me she had to go. At least her pants were off for that one.

We've got the chart, the stickers, the treats, the bigger prizes for filling up the chart, 30 pairs of undies, small kid toilet...what am I missing?

Advice is welcome, bring it on.

Enjoy This Moment, For This Is Your Life.

I find that I have slipped into the always a blog reader, rarely a blog poster blogger. I love reading other witty bloggers and spend most of my spare time doing so. So, when it comes to posting something interesting about my own life, I "A" have no time or "B" am all out of wit to post something I'd care to read myself. Hence, the pictures without dialogue.

However, I will attempt to update those interested on the life of the Tylers in New Hampshire.

Lyndon is heading into his second year of medical school on Monday and I am dreading/and not really dreading it at all. Mostly because I can't have Lyndon help me with anything and everything at times I want and then because I'll be happy to have some sort of routine back. AND, last year wasn't bad and I hear the second year won't be either (for ME, not Lyndon). It's third year that I am supposed to hate, so stay tuned...or maybe that's the year you don't want to hear from me due to the excessive complaining I may engage in.

Lyndon just spent the summer doing research on post operative procedures or rather advice given after the procedures in the ophthalmology field; creating a pretty savvy survey for Doctors in this area of medicine to fill out. He can edit this post if I didn't explain it correctly.

I spent time recouping from giving birth to Sydney and figuring out how to make Claire love me again. She loves LOVES Sydney, but is battling me with a new found will of her own. This has been hard for me. I cried the night I was having contractions, not because I was in pain (which I was) but because I was afraid that Claire wouldn't feel as loved or see the separation that having a sibling caused and hate me for it.....(not that I remember feeling that way...but maybe my parents could tell you otherwise when it came to how I treated Richard...). I am getting over the guilt I felt when focusing on Claire more than Sydney or Sydney more than Claire. I want to be with them both at the same time, but that is not always possible.

At my last doctors appointment my Doc essentially told me that it might be good for me to get a job so that I could get a break.I laughed at her reasons (being able to go to the bathroom in peace, not someone hanging on your leg all the time, blah, blah, blah). I could see her point, but never mentioned, "yeah, but did you ever feel that pull to be back home, the guilt, the yearning to know what your kids are doing?" Granted, there are days I'd like to check out, but if there is not a huge financial reason (which there actually is in my case, but bring on the debt I say!) then, I'd rather be at home, and I know other family members feel that way right now, who have to work. Besides, there were days at work that I really wished I could check out of and be at home...a lot of days like that in fact.

But back to the rest of us and not just me. We are excited for another year in New Hampshire. We love it here. Love the people, love the school, love the community, love it. Hate the cold, but love the large amounts of snow that come with it and everything else. Life is good.