Prayers needed on multiple fronts

As much as I joke about poor Ethan's gravity-defying poo, it is potentially serious this time. It all started on Monday with varying degrees of diarrhea, followed by one very explosive incident in the car on Tuesday. That afternoon we put him down for a nap and when we got him up about 90 minutes later his diaper was full of bright red blood. I called the doctor on call and they said to bring him in to the office the next morning (unless he started to show signs of shock, in which case we would have had to take him to the ER). I took him in yesterday morning and the doctor thinks he somehow contracted E. coli or Salmonella or something similar. She did some cultures on a dirty diaper I brought in, and I did some more at home yesterday afternoon. We should have those results on Monday or Tuesday, so we'll know then whether it's bacterial, viral, or something more serious. He seems to be feeling okay, not acting sick; but we are still to treat him as if he's contagious, at least until we find out what he has. So no church or play dates, etc. So if it seems I am being a hermit it's because I don't want to infect anyone else! Any prayers you could send his way would be greatly appreciated.

In other news, Paul's grandfather is in the hospital and it is unclear whether or not he will recover. I'm a little fuzzy on all the details, but I know it is very serious and all the family is gathering in California, preparing for the worst. Paul's parents are heading out on Saturday, and Paul is looking into doing the same. Obviously, with Ethan's current condition, he and I will be staying behind, but we may go out later next week.

So, it's a bit of a stressful time here at the Snow house... we welcome all prayer donations!!!

New England Runs on Dunkin

We just got back from our mini vacation and we had a blast! Boston and New Hampshire were very cold (shocker, I know) but we survived. We drove up to Boston on Saturday and went straight into Cambridge. Parked and walked around the Harvard campus just a little bit, then ate some dinner and looked around a bit more. Then we drove to our hotel, where Ethan was a total psycho and didn't want to go to sleep. I think he finally passed out around 11:00, but Paul had to sleep on the pull-out couch with him. He compared it to camping. Fun.

Then on Sunday we drove into downtown Boston to see the sights. Of course there was a blizzard that day, and the wind was *strong.* It was fine in the beginning, we were having fun running around in the snow. Ethan was pretending to "ski" along the streets and throwing snowballs at mommy. But after 90 minutes or so we all got cold and decided to go to the aquarium. On the way there we stopped at Faneuil Hall for a bite to eat and to warm ourselves up. It was great! Ethan had pizza and Paul had a gyro. We all had a nice big cup of hot chocolate. YUM. Then on to the aquarium, which was awesome!!! Ethan totally loved it and we were happy for the warmth. We spent a good two or three hours there, then hoofed it back to the car in the wind and snow. After that we met up with our good high school friend Emily, whom we hadn't seen in like seven years. We had a lot of fun catching up, even if Ethan was a bit of a pill during dinner. Then we drove to our hotel in Vermont and passed out- it was a really long day!

Monday was our tour of Dartmouth up in Hanover, NH. Paul had an interview at Tuck, their business school, and I met up with a student's wife who drove me around town and showed me the ropes. We loved the town and the school is gorgeous. Everyone was really nice and friendly. Paul said his interview went well; we should have their decision by the end of March. At the end of the day we drove down to Connecticut to stay for the night.

We drove the rest of the way this morning and got back around 3:30 this afternoon. So, here are a few lessons we learned from this weekend:

1. New Englanders LOVE Dunkin Donuts. Seriously. There's a DD every 50 feet. In Hanover, the Wal-Mart had a DD inside, like ours has a McDonald's.
2. Sharing a hotel room with a three-year-old really sucks.
3. Wearing your husband's leather jacket because you have nothing warm that fits you when you're eight months pregnant just makes you look fat, not pregnant.
4. No trip with Ethan is complete without an episode of explosive diarrhea. Check and mate.

Oh, and here are the pictures. Sorry I'm not more descriptive in the titles, but you get the idea.

Tees Please

People get nostalgic for all sorts of otherwise meaningless things. For me, those meaningless things are tshirts. I don't remember the shirts in their final condition - as the pit-stained, thread-bare version of their former selves. Instead, I reminisce about their heyday. So, if you have a bottle, pour one out for some of my homies.

Pearl Jam "Mr. Point" Shirt - Vitalogy Tour (Back Graphic)

I have had at least five Pearl Jam shirts over the years (see the picture below for my LA 98 shirt) and even more shirts emblazon with some grunge band's logo. I have gotten rid of all of them but one: a Pearl Jam shirt Sarah gave me while I was on my mission. I got this "Mr. Point" shirt at a rescheduled Pearl Jam show my dad and I attended in Austin in 1995. The shirt never fit right but we enjoyed the show. The Ramones opened and we ran into a band member at the airport the following day. Think I eventually sold this shirt on eBay.

Us with the Kings (Sarah's Family) in Biloxi, MS - Summer 2004


Grand Royal "Pong" Shirt

I know. You cannot really see the shirt in this picture but it is the only one I have scanned into the computer. Have better examples at the house if you want to come over. The shirt was from the Beastie Boys' short-lived "Grand Royal" record label. The front graphic of a pong computer game screen was beautiful in its simplicity. One day the shirt literally just fell apart and an enormous hole developed. I thought about saving the graphic and sewing it onto another shirt but Sarah wouldn't have it. BTW - this picture was taken on Halloween 1998 in my BYU dorm room.

Michael Jordan Superhero Shirt

I cannot find any pictures of this shirt but it was one of several Michael Jordan shirts I had. I still have my "Why Jump" shirt but this shirt (which featured a silhouette of Jordan jumping in front of the moon and said something like "Not all Superheros wear a Cape") also succumbed to a fate of self-implosion. It just developed a large hole and was eventually tossed.

Paul's Room - Bartlesville, OK - 1997

This is a picture of my closet from high school. Beyond the visible shirts (some of which I still wear by the way - at least ten years after the fact), you can see a pair of my Dennis Rodman shoes. They had a gel interlining and featured zippers in case you were too tired to tie your laces. These also eventually blew up while I was on my mission in Oslo. RIP.

Fools Rush in Where Paul Fears To Surf?

Apparently I fear the unknown. I didn't realize it but most of my consumer habits seem to indicate that I don't like new things. When asked where I'd like to eat, I fall back on old stand-bys like Chipolte and Five Guys. When we go there, I stick to the exactly same order every time. In addition, if I have to buy a gift, good luck getting me to think beyond Target. This weakness bleeds over into my web surfing abilities. They are nonexistent. I frequent three or four sites with a occasional visit to another six or seven. That is it. The only way I discover new sites like Grand Central (let me know if you need an invite) is through Time. It had a special on the 50 Top Websites of 2007 (http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/0,28757,1638266,00.html) and 25 Websites We Can't Live Without (http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/0,28757,1633488,00.html), from which I found Esty and Uncrate, which Sarah mentioned in a post earlier. Beyond that, I devote little time to new websites...and I don't think I care. Nevertheless, here are the sites that make up whatever my web routine entails.

Frequently Visited Sites (At Least Every Two Days)
http://www.time.com
http://www.fortune.com
http://washingtonpost.com
http://www.yahoo.com

Yahoo is my preferred Search Engine because I like their News and Finance sections. I use GMail for personal email though.

I also am frequenting a few B School sites. One that is updated daily and is pretty thorough is Clear Admit (http://www.clearadmit.com/blog).

Less Frequently Visited Sites (At Least Every Two Weeks)

The two shows I watch with some degree of consistency are The Office (http://www.nbc.com/The_Office/video/episodes.shtml) and 30 Rock (http://www.nbc.com/30_Rock/video/episodes.shtml). Both are available online so I rarely watch them on TV anymore.

I also like the downloadable audio books from our library (http://princewilliam.lib.overdrive.com/F28B3DE3-1D35-4C3D-AE1A-EA1774AAA51D/10/349/en/default.htm). I haven't downloaded many of them but I love the flexibility and general selection.

I also visit a few other sites to tame my inner cheapskate (http://www.slickdeals.net), nerd (http://www.theforce.net and http://www.rebelscum.com) and fan (http://www.espn.com).

That's about it. Other sites occasionally gain my interest and then fade from view. Two that are currently of interest are located on BYU's main site: BYU Speeches (http://speeches.byu.edu/) and Sperry Symposium Speeches (http://byubroadcasting.org/sperry/). Need to load a few of these on the iPod.

(Web) Location, Location, Location

We have way too many webpages. Something that may hurt Sarah's future political asperations could leak but, in the effort of full disclosure, here is a full accounting of our precense. The only page worth any browsing is Sarah's YouTube page. There are more videos of Ethan in the bath there than you'd ever hope for.

Our Pages
Paul's LinkedIn Profile: http://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=&key=3477509
Paul's YouTube Page: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=snow8294
Sarah's YouTube Page: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=given2fly22
Our Flickr Page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulsnow/
Yet Another Flickr Page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8537006@N03/
Yes, we have three Flickr Pages: http://www.flickr.com/photos/22782220@N06/
Paul's Facebook Page: http://byu.facebook.com/profile.php?id=763980524
Sarah's Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=763685077
Paul's MySpace Page: http://www.myspace.com/monkywrech
Sarah's MySpace Page: http://www.myspace.com/ethansmom04
Ethan's MySpace Page: http://www.myspace.com/ethansnow

Okay, this final page is a gem. I initially had to put together a website for an economics class and ended up with this beauty. It's got everything - from my high school GPA to a copy of the Unibomber's manifesto. It's been almost five years since we graduated from OU but the university kept this page up, recognizing its value to enrich the lives of future generations.

http://students.ou.edu/S/Paul.E.Snow-1/

Reach Out and Surf Someone

Increasingly, we find that we use the web to stay in touch with friends and family. Most have either a blog or profiles on social networking sites. Obviously not that intimate but we still like to keep tabs on our peeps. Provided a list of sites below we try to frequent to stay up to update. If you've got a web prescence that isn't on the list, please let us know.

Local Party Animals
Hobbs' Blog: http://travandmel.blogspot.com/
Beatty's Blog: http://beattysix.blogspot.com/
Kunz's Blog: http://keepingupwiththekunzs.blogspot.com/
Ellsworth's Blog: http://www.jonshaunae.blogspot.com/

Family
Steve and Gena's Blog: http://stevesnowfamily.blogspot.com/
Lauren's Facebook Page: http://uvsc.facebook.com/profile.php?id=546989116
Niels' Blog: http://snowkidsz.blogspot.com/
Niels' Other Blog: http://niithewii.blog.com/
Claudia, Bryce and Kevin also have Facebook and/ or Myspace pages.

Ex-Mission Companions
Plant's Blog: http://www.xanga.com/teaplants
Christensen's Blog: http://christensenboomerang.blogspot.com/

It is a Luxury to be Understood

If the Snow Family is anything, it is a strong group of consumers. Got me wondering what a Snow version of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) would look like. If it's been a little while since your high school economics courses, feel free to brush up at the Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) website (http://www.bls.gov/cpi/cpifaq.htm#Question_1). If BLS decided to use just our family (vs. the 30k families they currently use) to calculate this metric, what would it look like? BLS looks at the prices of over two hundred different types of goods to get an idea of pricing treads. I didn't want to get too geeky here though so I decided to pick one company and one good for each of the eight main categories instead: Food and Beverages, Housing, Apparel, Transportation, Medical Care, Recreation, Education and Communication, and Other Goods and Services. Feel free to start your own family project to follow the price of these goods and then compare the Snow Family Index (SFI) vs. the CPI. Or, use the companies below for your stock picking for that 401(k), 529 or IRA. If you do though, plan on getting made fun of. Heck, if you are still reading this post even after I already described how dry and dull it was going to be, also plan on getting mocked. I'm just saying.

FOOD AND BEVERAGES
Company: Giant (Ticker Symbol: AMS/ Exchange: Euronext)
Good: Breakfast Cereal

Easy decision. Cereal reins supreme. We each have our own preference. Ethan is currently on an Apple Jacks kick, I prefer Wheaties and Sarah has some healthy, girl cereal like Special K or Honey Bunchs of Oats. As a side note, did you know the Giant brand of grocery stores is owned by a European conglomerate now?

HOUSING
Company: Citi (Ticker Symbol: C/ Exchange: NYSE)
Good: Crib

We don't buy much furniture - the main good that is of any interest under this category - but when we do, we like to at least consider Crate and Barrel - especially the outlet in Alexandria. No clue about the company's ownership structure but it definitely isn't public though. Could possibly be a holding company for James Bond bad guys for all I know.

APPAREL
Company: Land's End (Ticker Symbol: SHLD/ Exchange: Nasdaq)
Good: Under-Roos

This was a tough one. I suppose that most of our clothing cash ends up at Baby Gap and Gymboree but like to think otherwise. Chose Land's End because Sarah just bought a jacket from there is anticipation of moving to either MI or NH. In addition, we are currently stocking up on 2T male underwear for E-Man. Preferred patterns include Cars and Spiderman.

TRANSPORTATION
Company: Honda (Ticker Symbol: HMC/ Exchange: NYSE)
ConocoPhillips (Ticker Symbol: COP/ Exchange: NYSE)
Good: Car Insurance

Went with two companies here - Honda because we are still paying for the CR-V we bought last summer and ConocoPhillips because we buy company when we can. We don't buy car insurance very often but we have used it several times in the last year. First, the Stratus was totaled. Then, I rear-ended someone with a rental car. Then, someone backed up into the Neon earlier this month (Don't worry. It is fine and they paid for everything. We got a new bumper, which really makes the car look significantly more fly).

MEDICAL CARE
Company: Inova (Private)
Good: Contact Lenses

Inova is merging with Prince William Country Hospital System, where we will have Sadie in a few months. In addition, Sarah is going to get new contacts later this month though she'd prefer to spring for the lasik like JTB. Sorry Sarah. I'm just not as big a baller.

RECREATION
Company: GE (Ticker Symbol: GE/ Exchange: NYSE)
Viacom (Ticker Symbol: VIA/ Exchange: NYSE)
Goods: Dog Food

Toss up between the parent companies of NBC and Nickelodeon. Sorry Disney. I prefer you but think Sarah and Ethan stick to SpongeBob over Handy Manny.

EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION
Company: Virgin Mobile (Ticker Symbol: VM/ Exchange: NYSE)
Goods: Postage

Sarah and I both have pre-paid cell phones from Virgin and are really happy with them. We spend more on services with Verizon but feel, given we didn't have much of a choice in providers for landline phone service and internet, that we'd go with a cellular carrier here. The postage is merely a reflection of a recent eBay selling spree. Expect tuition to top next year's list in this category.

OTHER GOODS AND SERVICES
Company: Target (Ticker Symbol: TGT/ Exchange: NYSE)
Goods: Financial Planning

Not sure what to put here but chances are we are buying whatever this category entails at Target. We actually only pay Fidelity right now for any type of financial planning but that is minimal.

Title of the post is an Emerson quote BTW.

I No Doubt Deserved My Enemies, But I Don't Believe That I Deserved My Friends

I recently went through our address book and cleaned it up based - in part - on holiday letters we received and didn't receive. Some addresses got updated and others got deleted. That, coupled with a recent update of our photo albums, drove home the transient nature of some friendships and the staying power of others. It is easy to look back at old friends and notice how their interests, mannerisms, or idiosyncrasies have been incorporated into our lives. How the fabric our of family is woven with the threads we've accumulated through our relationships over the years. The most visible examples of this to me are the photo we hang onto of experiences we never had or places we've never been - all because the faces in them are those of friends. So, here are a few examples of such pictures. They aren't of us but they do contain parts of us.

Title of the post is an Whitman quote BTW. Thx FTD.

My new favorite site

I am in LOVE with etsy.com! They have the kookiest, coolest stuff there. I've been browsing their site for ideas of cool stuff to make for our new craft group. Melanie, you totally have to go check it out if you aren't already addicted to it like I am! Here are a few examples of the awesomeness on display there:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=419695

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8528011

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9101070

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8722079

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8509522

I have no idea if I could ever actually make any of those things myself, but it's fun to dream.

Holy weirdness

Paul likes to go to this site called uncrate.com, they have all this super weird stuff that men would find appealing. There's a "female" version called outblush.com that every once in a while I look at. A few weeks ago Paul showed this to me- it is so weird! You put these things on your eyelids, sweep, and voila- instant eye makeup! Isn't that bizarre?!

Tag, your husband is it

Paul in Oslo, May 2005

What’s his name? Paul Evans

How long have you been together? since February 21, 1998, our senior year of high school- almost ten years!!

How old is he? 28

Who eats more? probably Paul, though that's not really a fair question to ask a pregnant lady

Who said I love you first? I don't remember... it might have been me. It was definitely over the phone, and only a few weeks after started dating

Who is taller? we are actually the exact same height, and even wear the same size shoes. It comes in very handy!

Who is smarter? Okay seriously, what kind of question is this? I'd say Paul is *much* smarter when it comes to money, math, current events, and his analytical reasoning skills are much better developed than mine. I am better at science, spelling and grammar. I'm also better at remembering useless facts and dates. Paul never ceases to amaze me with the breadth of his knowledge- he always has an educated opinion on almost any topic, reads books and articles about everything from presidential candidates to the NFL. He puts me to shame.

Who does laundry? I do. I don't really like it, but it makes much more sense for me to do it than Paul. Besides, it drives me nuts the way Paul crams stuff into the washer- like three times the amount that is supposed to go in each load. I've gone to put things in the dryer after a Paul load and portions of some of the clothes weren't even wet!!!

Who does the dishes? it depends. Lately it's been driving me crazy to have anything in the sink, so I've been doing more dishes than in the past. And Paul has been working long hours and putting together B school applications, so he's been kind of busy in the evenings. But under normal circumstances, he washes the dishes after dinner.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? if you're standing at the foot of the bed looking at the head, Paul sleeps on the right side.

Who pays the bills? Paul. Like I said earlier, he is much smarter about money than I am.

Who mows the lawn? Triple S Landscaping Service

Who cooks dinner? Me. No qualifiers necessary. I cook. Always. But I like to cook so I don't mind. I would like some input on what to have now and then, but I don't mind doing the work.

Who drives when you are together? we share that responsibility. Usually it depends on whether or not Paul brought his wallet down from our bedroom.

Who is more stubborn? Paul would probably say me. But I really think it's him. He makes very educated decisions and is verrrrrry hard to convince otherwise.

Who kissed who first? hmmm... I guess it was kind of mutual. We looked at each other and it just kind of happened.

Who asked out who first? I have no idea. We were in high school, so didn't go on a lot of "dates."

Who proposed? Paul. It was so sweet- he kidnapped me from my sorority house at like 2 a.m. and took me to a nearby lake. He gave me 42 long-stem roses (one for each month we'd been together), and set out a blanket on the ground for us to sit on. He had written me a letter stating all the reasons he wanted to marry me and spend the rest of his life with me. After he read the letter, he got down on one knee and presented the ring (which we had picked out the week before). It was soooo sweet!!! He proposed on August 30, 2001 and we were married January 3, 2002.

Who has more siblings? Paul- he has four; I have one.

Who wears the pants in the family? I'd say Paul. We make most of our decisions together, but I feel like Paul has it together so much more than I do, so I trust his guidance more than my own.

I love you, babe! You're the best!!

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a... whale???

Two months from today... 60 days... and Miss Sadie is DUE!!! Crazy! It is a little surreal to me still. Paul likes to give me a hard time because I'll make comments like "Can you believe we're having another baby in a few months??" And he's just like "Well, DUH." I don't know... I guess after almost two years of trying to get pregnant and our loss in '06 I can't believe it really is happening. All the pain, all the sadness, all the longing and waiting and wanting is over. This baby is actually going to make it; she's going to be born and join our family. I am so excited to meet her and see how she's different from Ethan and also how they're the same. How I'm going to feel being the mother of two kids instead of just one. Life with a newborn again... am I ready for this??? We've wanted it for so very long, and now that it's almost upon us I hope I haven't over-glorified it in my head. I know we'll be fine and we will fall in love with her instantly. I just hope Ethan handles it okay and doesn't feel left out.

Anyway... enough of my ramblings. I had Paul take another belly shot of me last night. I swear, I get bigger by the hour. I've had several people say "You barely even look pregnant!" and others who've said "March?? I thought you were due in a few weeks!" I think I look ginormous, and I definitely *feel* that way. You be the judge.

Weekly Home Improvement Project #1

Because Paul has gotten into at least one business school for sure (still waiting on others, as you know) we know we will have to sell our house this summer. So we made a list of projects that need to be completed around the house before we put it on the market, hopefully in early April. Perfect timing, right? 'Cuz we'll have nothing else going on at that time...

Anyway, most of the projects involve painting. We decided to start off with the easiest painting project of them all: the kitchen. It has the least amount of wall space of any room in the house, making it much easier and faster to paint. (Paul already tackled the bathroom and Ethan's room while we were in Oklahoma- thanks, babe!) So we buckled down and taped all the edges last night, then got up and started painting this morning. Painting blows, but this really wasn't too bad. Like I said, it's a small kitchen so didn't take that long. And I think it looks really good! Much more universally-appealing than the weird goldish-yellow we had before.

Here are the after shots (sorry, couldn't find the before's):



Next on the list is laminate flooring. I'm really excited about that one!!

Ethan is My Co-Pilot

There are lots of reasons to get depressed after the holidays - the decorations go down, the goodies disappear and Oklahoma loses their bowl game. The big let down for me this year was Ethan. Specifically, it was the fact that I wasn't seeing him as much as I had during the holidays. I rarely see him before leaving for work and often only get a solid hour of time with him at night - into which dinner, bathtime and bedtime are also crammed. In responding to grad school essay questions that asked about my personal life over the last couple of months, I realized that playing with Ethan is probably my biggest hobby/ past time/ interest. The guy has a heart of gold - randomly offering up displays of affection. He also is consistantly, geninuelly happy to see me. The first thing I hear as I open the door each night is the shout, "Daddy!" and the patter of his feet as he runs to give me a hug. Does happiness come in a purer form than that? Love you short-stack. You're going to be a great older brother.

Washington DC Temple - Kensington, MD - December 2007

Hermitage Museum - St Petersburg, Russia - May 2007

Manassas, VA - January 2008

Santa Monica, CA - New Year's Eve 2006

Buying Booz on eBay (They Don't Card You)

I have found some Booz Allen related gems on eBay over the years. Realize almost no one will find these interesting but, after ninety-four years, the firm was bound to come up with some zany promotional products.

Henry Kissinger Signature - March 1980

Henry spoke to the firm's partners at the Worldwide Officers meeting in Florida that March. There were probably under 150 partner at the time, all of whom were all paid well. Each received a signed copy of Kissinger's book, "The White House Years." One of them was hard up for money last year and sold the thing for $20 on eBay. Oh how the mighty have fallen.

Fortune 500 Board Game

Fortune (also known as the bible if you are Charlie Sheen) put out a board game in the early eighties that had to infringe on Monopoly's copyright. I am guessing Parker Bros. didn't sue though because the Fortune game looks as boring as all get out (which, in case you aren't sure of the matter, is, in fact, really boring). Only reason this is interesting is because Booz Allen was one of the companies featured in the game.


Interested in more? Check out a 1959 profile of the firm in Time at http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,865099,00.html

Photographic Flotsam and Jetsam

There are several other pictures I cannot help but post. Only common theme is that the pictures are older and document either a fun or embarrassing memory.

Madame Tussuad's - Las Vegas, NV - Spring Break 2003

When confronted with a wax version of W, Sarah offered to help him with personal hygiene.

Las Vegas, NV - Spring Break 2003

I really like this picture. Not necessarily because I love Vegas but because the trip was so fun. We drove out from Oklahoma and spent the better part of the week on the Strip. Was a nice change, after focusing on budgeted student living the first year of our marriage, to let go and pig out at the buffet at Cesar's or go to a Riverdance show. Most of the memories from this trip are ones that just Sarah and I share. Think I'll keep it that way.

High School Dance - Bartlesville, OK - 1996

The sole purpose of this picture is to document that I did have another hairstyle at one time. At one point, my hair was longer enough to almost touch my shoulders. You could argue, though, that this is the same butt cut I current have - just longer. You wouldn't win that argument but that is definitely a position you could take.

Marine Corp Marathon - Arlington, VA - 2003

For two years, Sarah worked at the Organization for Autism Research in Arlington, VA. She worked right up until the day Ethan was born and then worked part-time another eight months after that. This picture was taken during OAR's first Run for Autism, where it sponsored runners in the Marine Corp Marathon. Immediately after the marathon, Sarah declared that we were going to run in it next year. Having never run more than a few miles at any given time, I was not supportive. We did attend the marathon next year but, given that it was only a few weeks before Ethan was born, didn't participate as runners. Guess I technically could have but I didn't want to leave Sarah alone for an extended period of time during the final month of her pregnancy. Yeah, that's the ticket.

Philadelphia, PA - October 2004

This picture is boring. Taken atop the Rocky stairs at Philadelphia Museum of Art. Used our student IDs to get into the museum - even though Sarah was eight months pregnant.

Snow Family Pictures Vol. 3 (2002 - 2004)

Most the anecdotes and jokes I shared get so old that, by the time I drop them, everyone is sick of me. Why change my behavior when posting on a blog? So here is one final volume of Snow family picture just to ensure anyone and everyone is annoyed.

Houston, TX - December 2003

Shelley (the dog) makes a rare appearance in the Christmas picture as we all pose around the swing set Dad built.

Houston, TX - December 2003

Hanging out in our pjs with photo albums from the advent calendar. Looks, based on her attire, like Sarah just got back from the neighborhood's gym.

Houston, TX - Summer 2003

This was taken prior to a Mexican cruise (I think). As you can see, Kevin (who is standing to the left of me) turned into a slender, brunette female. Was an awkward time in the family. :)

Chantilly, VA - January 2005

This was taken at the Westfields Marriott just prior to Ethan's blessing. He essentially spent the whole photoshoot screaming.

Manassas, VA - New Year's Eve 2004

We're watching the ball drop on TV but everyone is wasted. Most of the family had just come back from Russia only a few days earlier with Lauren and Niels especially looking worse for wear. Dad is again acting like Jamiroquai.

Snow Family Pictures Vol. 2 (1996 - 2001)

Not sure volume two of the Snow Family pictures will measure up to other popular sequels from the past - Empire Strikes Back, Godfather 2, 2nd Nephi - but, with any luck, it will serve its purpose of widening whatever rifts my earlier posts have caused within my immediate family. :)

Scuba Diving - Beaver Lake, Arkansas - Spring 1997

Kevin, Dad and I went through a scuba diving course that accumulated in two diving trips in Arkansas. It was a lot of fun but we neglected to pick up our certifications from our instructor. Doh!

Paul's High School Graduation - Bartlesville, OK, - May 1998

BHS represent! Actually think this picture is pretty tame from a revenge standpoint expect, maybe, for Niels, who was still a toddler back then. Impressed with how green our grass was.

Extended Snow Family - Bartlesville, OK - April 1999

This is the immediate family, Sarah, my grandparents, cousin and aunt prior to my departure to Provo to report to the MTC. Was the last time Sarah and I saw each other for two years. Probably wasn't the greatest good-bye since we had both been trying to control our emotions throughout my farewell before this picture. Was also during the Yum Yum Brand's (parent company of KFC and Taco Bell) Star Wars Episode 1 promotion where, with the purchase of a meal, you got a plastic cup with an enormous figure attached to the top. We collected all of the available cups as we drove cross-country. I even made my parents promise to keep Star Wars food packaging. Best part? They dropped me off in Provo, drove back to Oklahoma and put all the stuff in the attic to store until I got home. Talk about support. After my mission, I found it and immediately threw it away. We still have several of the cups though.

Anchorage, AK - December 2001

Sledding behind the house in Anchorage. Best part of this picture is Dad's Jamiroquai hat.

Anchorage, AK - December 2001

Christmas picture with Norwegian sweaters in the front room of the Anchorage house.

Snow Family Pictures Vol. 1 (1984 - 1993)

Alright. The gloves are off. I am posting pictures of family members in the bath, wearing neon and clothed in MC Hammer pants. It's on like Donkey Kong eating hot buttered popcorn.

Paul and Kevin - Denver, CO - Early 1980's

Sarah says it is easy to see Ethan in me in this picture. Not sure if that has to do with the fact that I am not wearing a shirt or not.

Snow Family - Bartlesville, OK - 1986
We put this picture in the front of a Book of Mormon that I eventually gave to Sarah. Notice the size of Kevin's head. It is larger that even the adults' heads. Impressive.

Snow Family - Amsterdam - 1989

Mom and Dad decided to cart a four kids under the age of nine around Europe for the summer. All while wearing a red fedora.

Snow Family - Paris - 1990 Between the T&C Surf Design shirts and sweat pants, do you think the French recognized that we're American?

Snow Family - Peter and Paul's Fortress, St Petersburg - 1993

Lauren is totally getting chewed out.

We visited this fortress again this summer. Didn't wear a Naked Mole Rates or Aladin shirt though. Not saying I didn't what to though.

Bullocks to free agency

Sooooo... in order to shift the focus off of myself and my prior... um... largeness, I thought I'd post about something else. Like Ethan. He's cute and illiterate, making him the perfect target.

We have been in the throes of potty training this week and it is going much better than I had anticipated. We've been doing it sort of half-a$$ed for a while, but I guess the notion of having two in diapers has finally penetrated my frontal lobe and I decided to give it a shot "for real," so to speak. It has included a lot of forced potty sessions, most of them involving a hysterical Ethan sobbing that he "can't go pee pee"; but if nothing else, this experience has taught me one thing: the amazing power of persuasion. I am constantly amazed at how motivating a stupid plastic man in a stormtrooper outfit can be in the mind of a three-year-old. Every time Ethan "produces" on the potty, he earns a sticker. For every three stickers, he earns a new Star Wars figure. (he is truly his father's son) This has gotten him to go on the potty more times than I can count. He is now to the point of earning at least one figure a day.

The problem arises in the initiation. Or should I say, lack thereof. Basically, he only sits on the potty at our prompting. Or he'll go pee, then 15 seconds later say he needs to go again, simply because he wants to earn another sticker. The connection of "I go on the potty when I need to pee" simply isn't there yet. But you know, I'm strangely okay with that at this point. He is staying dry nearly all day, so long as I am consistent in taking him to the bathroom every 90 minutes or so. This means that we pretty much never leave the house, but again, I can live with that right now. The bottom line is that he is learning *something* and is establishing the habit of regularly going on the potty. And best of all, we are saving money on diapers!!!!

I'm so proud of my little guy. He is getting so big. It is crazy to think that soon we will have another newborn and will start this whole process all over again. To think that Ethan started out that small and has grown into this little person who can run and talk and feed himself, etc. It's amazing. I really love watching him learn new things and his sense of pride in each new accomplishment. Plus he's just so freaking cute. That helps too.

My Lovely Lady's Bump (Check it Out)

Sarah is currently rounding third (pregnancy-wise) and has really been a team player (during this pregnancy). She has shown her resolve and will come out victorious. Alright, sport analogies aren't aptly suited to description pregnancy-related trials. The nesting instinct has definitely set in though and we are looking forward to Sadie arrival. Thought it would be appropriate to review Sarah's belly during the final ten weeks of Ethan's development. Hang in there babe! The end is in sight!

31 Weeks - Late September 2004
32 Weeks - Philadelphia - Early October 2004
We dropped by Philly after attending a Pearl Jam concert in Reading, PA the night before. Think we can safely assume Sarah was one of the only pregnant women in their final trimester at the concert.

33 Weeks - October 2004

We attended another concert with REM, Dave Matthews Band and Bruce Springsteen in DC the week of this picture - one of our last big nights out on our own before Ethan's arrival.

34 Weeks - Shenandohah - October 2004

We actually got out and hiked around the park after taking this picture. Sarah was very sore afterwards.

37 Weeks - November 2004

Distant District Memories

We really enjoy living in the DC area. It has been our home for close to five years and we always have fun exploring new areas and attractions. We have, admittedly, toned down our adventure seeking now that we are parents and have more demanding responsibilities. It is a great place though.

Great Falls, VA - Fall 2003

The parks in the Great Falls area are excellent for a leisurely hike and a great excuse to get out into nature. It is also fun to look at all the huge houses in the area as well. Agent Zero lives up there so you know its classy.

Supreme Court - Dec 2003

In an effort to make more friends outside of our LDS circle, we joined the Sons of Norway soon after moving to Alexandria in the summer of 2003. It is a fraternal organization that celebrates all things Norwegian. We enjoyed working at the group's booth at the Norwegian Christmas fair at Union Station. After that activity, we wandered around Capitol Hill. Got to tour the Capitol and view the sites at a leisurely pace. For our participation in the Christmas fair, we were suppose to be invited to a reception at the Norwegian Embassy. Apparently our invitations got lost in the mail though and we quick stop participating in Sons of Norway shortly afterwards. Very much an Eisner-Katzenberg falling out (thought I'd toss a Disney reference in for you there, Kevin).

Roosevelt Island - Fall 2003

During one of our early outings in DC, we decided to explore the island below the Key Bridge and situated right off of the GW Parkway. We didn't realize at the time that it was a monument to Teddy Roosevelt but came across his statue (along with several fountains) in the middle of the island. Added to the general sense of discovery we felt about being in a new place on our own at the time and we loved it.

NFL Kick-off Concert - National Mall - September 2004

Actually don't remember if this was prior to the 2003 or 2004 season but the NFL held a massive concert on the National Mall with Aerosmith, Mary J Blidge, the Foo Fighters (I think) and Britney Spears. It was loud, muddy and hard to see but, after scarfing down some hot dogs at a street vendor, we ventured over, after coming directly from work (Sarah and I both worked in Arlington at the time). We had fun, got dirty and screamed out Britney's name.

Christmas Picture - Capital - November 2003

Sharon dared the wind to take this picture for us. Now, I think we prefer opting for a simple family picture for the Christmas cards but back then we were still enamored with the sights and sounds of the city. I need to get Sarah, Ethan and Sadie matching Norwegian sweaters at some point so we can retake this picture.