Cousins

It's great to have cousins. I should know. I have somewhere in the vicinity of 70 first cousins. With my sister Emily and her family in town this week from Hawaii, Colton got to experience first hand how helpful cousins can be. Charlie seemed particularly concerned for Colton's well-being. While Justin was belaying the older kids on the rocks above, Charlie was making sure Colton didn't get hungry while we hung out below. Colton especially liked the dirt-covered ones Charlie picked up off the ground...

Naptime

Colton had been asleep for a really long time, so I peeked in on him, and this is what I found:



I think he must have fallen asleep while praying. He's so spiritual...(And yes his head is completely burried under that blanket!)

A master at last

I think it has long been my mother's dream for me that I would get a master's degree. I seem to recall many conversations with her when she told me that while I wasn't married, I should get a master's degree because it would be much harder afterward (and nearly impossible once you have kids).

Well, I managed to do all three. I started my program (an M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction with a concentration in instructional technology/instructional design and development and a graduate certificate in eLearning--how's that for a mouthful?) in the summer of 2007--before I was married. Then I got married, and I just kept on working slowly through (emphasis there on slowly)...and then I had a baby, and managed to take about triple the course load at that point so I could just get it done. And now it's official! Yay for graduating! Yay for having a master's degree! Yay for not having to use it right now! Yay for Justin for dealing with me when I had a paper or project that I didn't want to work on!

If you would like to see some of my handy work, feel free to check out my fancy-shmancy portfolio website that I created (that's right, I know how to build a website!): http://portfolios.gmu.edu/bdurham

Look Alike, Part 2

We were at a wedding recently of one of Justin's close family friends. As I went through the line, someone said to me, "I hate to tell you, Bethany, but that boy is all Scott." Since they only know the Scotts, I didn't say anything, but I'm going to have to respectfully disagree. As it turns out, I think this boy is actually all Durham.

My cute cousin Jessie posted some great pictures on her blog of our parents as babies. I take this as proof that Colton really does look like Grandpa Cole. What do you all think?

Sugar-free Tastalicious

Okay, I'm hardly going to claim to be a healthy eater. I don't necessarily even aspire to be (the chocolate cupcakes with peanut-butter frosting that I have on my kitchen table at the moment should attest to that). Come to think of it, in the last week, Justin and I have made (and eaten) yellow cupcakes with chocolate frosting, blueberry muffins with struesel topping, and the afore-mentioned choco-pb cupakes. It's kind of frightening when you actually write that out. Anyway, the other day at the gym, my aerobics instructor was passing out handouts, one of which included a recipe for some healthy lemon-coconut-date bars. Since we've already overloaded our dessert intake, I figured I might as well make these ones as well. It turns out they are very tastey!

If ever you are doing some sort of challenge, or aren't allowed to eat treats or sugar or something like that, this recipe would be a great way to get your dessert fix!

1 cup almonds

1 1/2 -2 cups pitted dates (Medjool or other semi-soft date--I found these in the refrigerated area of the produce section)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp sea salt (I just realized I forgot to add this, but they are still quite delish!)

Zest of 1 lemon

2 tbsp lemon juice (I just put in the juice of one whole, very juicy lemon)

1 cup shredded coconut

Put it all in a food processor (you may want to start with just the nuts and process them down to a chunky powder) and process until everything is evenly mixed. Then just press the paste (I'm not sure if paste is really the right word) into the bottom of a pan and chill. Then cut into squares. Yum.

These aren't exactly fat free, but they've at least got the healthy/trendy kind of fat from almonds. But there's not a lick of sugar! Enjoy!

Spring Fail

Dear Claritin,

For years I have turned to you to help me through the miseries of Spring. It hurts that after all this time you would allow me now to suffer without reprieve. Can you do nothing about the tickle in my lungs? Surely you could have some effect on my red, puffy, weepy eyes. And what about the stuffy nose? Please pick up your game or I'm going to have to replace you. That's all I'm saying.

Love,

Bethany

I think Spring is one of the best things about Virginia. So many trees. So many differnt kinds of blossoms. Finally warm weather. It's really quite perfect, except one thing. I think whoever came up with Spring should have re-thought this whole pollen thing. I mean, I know there has to be opposition in all things--experience the bad so that you can appreciate the good. But in this case, I think experiencing the bad is pretty much ruining all that is good about Spring. It's really hard to appreciate cherry blossoms and daffodils from behind a tissue. The end.

Look Alike

It seems like people always ask you who your child looks like. Is it weird that my answer is my sister? There are so many times throughout the day when Colton makes faces and I swear he looks just like Margaret. And, as it turns out, I also think he looks an awful lot like Joshy. Am I wrong?

I guess I should also mention that Colton also bears a striking resemblance to my dad. How is it that the kid can look so Durham-y but not actually look anything like me?