500

Ten years ago last week, I started posting on Facebook. When I started, you always had to post in the form of "Kyra Moon is _____," so I got used to writing in third-person. A few months into it, even after the "is" requirement was gone, I posted this status:

Kyra Moon realized today that she thinks in third-person, and thinks about what her status is. Thank you, facebook.

As I've been approaching this my 500th official post, it's been interesting reflecting on how social media has affected how I've thought during the past 10 years of Facebook use and the past 7 1/2 years of blogging.

• Has it affected how I think? I think so. I have definitely practiced the art of describing a thought or event in a funny way. Kevin remarked once that how I wrote on Facebook wasn't quite the same as how I talked. In other words, I'm not that funny in person. (Not that I'm that funny on Facebook. But you can tell I try!)
• In some ways, this has been a good thing. When I wrote about my wisdom teeth seven years ago, I remarked, "Pain is temporary but the story lasts forever" and that's how I've tried to approach misadventures over the past several years. For example, when the car broke down near Joseph's elementary school in September, I consciously thought, "I'm going to see how funny I can make this story," so we played Chutes and Ladders. One major exception to this happened during my sister Kiana's wedding back in August. There were some really funny elements to the occasion, such as the time the stove was just left on and the house was filled with smoke and the terrible stench of burnt potatoes (funny of course because it ended up okay), but when I got mastitis I just didn't have the heart to tell a funny story about it anymore. I really could have, but I was just too sad and miserable to try. In general though, when something bad happens I immediately try to figure out a droll way to describe it. And that's probably good.
• Of course, there have been bad ways that social media has affected how I think. When I have felt lonely in real life, I have relied too much on social media to fill the void, and it has never been satisfying. Most people really won't click on links to my blog when I post them on Facebook. Most people really have their own lives to live and can't (and shouldn't) validate my blog or other social media all of the time. I had to learn that it was okay for me to put on a "performance" when I blog (as opposed to just journaling my life) but I couldn't expect an audience. I had to do it just because I enjoyed it
• As it turns out, most of the blogs I read now are just from friends who journal their lives without much fanfare, and I am glad they do it. I feel a real kinship with friends who comment on my blog and I comment on theirs in return. Although I guess they're still social media friendships, I still feel invested in them as friends because there's a two-way commitment. I am grateful for friends who read my blog, and I am especially grateful for the friends who read my blog that keep me posted about their lives too! 
• Speaking of that, I definitely don't mind nice random strangers reading this (like friends of relatives or friends of friends or whatever . . . I know of a few, but I don't think there are too many). I do like to perform, as I mentioned, and it's fun to think there is someone out there who might have gotten a smirk or two out of what I wrote. I will say, blogging sometimes feels like I've been singing loudly in the shower, gotten dressed and gone down to the living room only to find a group of friends and acquaintances sitting there. It's not that my singing was bad, but I didn't realize people could hear it! (Actually, I now prefer people to not read my blog until I no longer live by them, haha. It gives me more freedom to be goofy.)
• I tend to use a lot of Mormon language in my posts. I probably shouldn't assume that everyone who reads this is Mormon, but I sort of do. I have friends who are good about linking to definitions of Mormon terminology like "ward," "stake," and other such words, but I have never thought to until this exact minute. So, if you are coming from a non-Mormon background and reading this and have no clue what I'm referring to, I'm sorry for my laziness. Also, being Mormon is more fun than drinking coffee, so you should totally join! #sharegoodness
• So, do I regret some of what I've written? Oh, absolutely. I have used "Revert to Draft" plenty of times, even in the last month. This is not the 500th blog post I've published. And certainly not the 500th I've written -- I have 321 drafts right now. And a fair amount of those are fully-formed posts that I wrote with every intention of publishing, only to decide at the last minute that they didn't need to be published. But they sure made me feel better! If I have hurt feelings with anything that ended up getting published, I am really, really sorry. Any resentments I may have ever vented have evaporated, so don't feel guilty about my hurt feelings!
• Incidentally, when I was in 9th grade I found out I learned best by writing. Almost everyone else was a kinesthetic learner so I wondered if I'd answered everything wrong. Now I am 100% sure I learn best by writing. Now if only all that writing came out polished and beautiful . . .
• I have found that I usually shouldn't publish something written after 10 pm or before 9 am unless I've given it a lot of thought beforehand. Those are the posts that have to get reverted to drafts most often. Oh well.
• I don't have too many long term goals with this blog. I have occasionally thought about making a Facebook page that people could like, but I don't want to treat it as something that has to be promoted. I want to be able to post about real life sometimes without feeling like I have to perform, but I am not sure I want a whole new blog for that. Maybe I should just be a guest blogger somewhere else when I need a new outlet, but that might mean I would have to edit and revise what I write, heaven forbid. In general, I think the current model of posting whatever I want is working fine.
• I find I'm gradually changing what I post, not just here but with social media in general. These days I record my life using my blog, my Facebook, my Instagram, my journal, and my letters to my missionary brother. It feels silly to record my life in so many ways in the evenings instead of reading about new things, so I've tried to streamline how I use these media. No more Facebook albums, as much as I loved them. Most of the cute things my kids say will go into my journal now that Joseph has gotten more easily embarrassed by attention. No baby journal for Jacob since his life is plenty documented with Instagram and my journal. When I get to be 75 and decide it's time to compile a life history, it will be a monumental task and I don't need to make it any harder than it already is.
• And finally . . . since this is the 500th post, I thought this blog deserved a slight update. Not a layout update (if it really makes your eyes twitch, you are more than welcome to redesign my blog), but an update of my lists. If you are ever bored and don't have the E. B. White essays on hand to read, you can read a few of my favorite blog posts listed on the left side of the blog under the blog archive. Most of these are posts I put a little more effort into, including posts with funny stories. Of course the best blog posts are overloaded with baby pictures, but those didn't make it on this list of prose posts. They're not E. B. White level, but not much is!

And of course, thanks for reading my blog! Looking forward to the next 500 posts!

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Babies

Have I mentioned that Jacob is a dream? He is so smiley, so squishy, so good at naps, and so pleasant. I can't even handle it.

But he is more than just a wonderful baby. He is also a great mentor. And he's here tonight to teach us things that will improve our lives and careers.

1. Be proactive. If you see something, you should reach for it.

2. Begin with the end in mind. What do you want? Those blinky lights? Then keep your eye on the ball and constantly review your mission statement.

3. Put first things first. Prioritize the tasks in your life, starting with:

Important and urgent

Attention is important and urgent.

Important and not urgent

He can't really spend the night like this.

Not important and urgent

You really don't have to use the bathroom, mom. Don't leave me. Ever.

And finally not important and not urgent

Don't you dare check your phone if I'm awake.

4. Think win-win. If you go to sleep, then you and your parents will both be happy! If you smile instead of crying and swallowing air, then you won't be uncomfortable and your parents won't have to burp you.

5. Seek first to understand,

then to be understood.

Develop your ethos,

 pathos,

 and logos.

Or legos if you are an older brother.

6. Synergize! You can make a better selfie when you work together with mom.

7. Sharpen the saw. Renew your resources and energy for an effective, happy lifestyle.

Yep, he's got life figured out! And he's helping to keep us happy, too.

When Kevin went [close] to Bethlehem

When Kevin went [close*] to Bethlehem
I think he took great care
To visit all the landmarks, sites
And ancient buildings there

Inside the Church of Annunciation

Exterior of Church of Annunciation

Church of St. Joseph

Between the two churches -- Old Nazareth is down the stairs 

Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes

Church of the Primacy of St. Peter on the Sea of Galilee

White Synagogue in Capernaum

Carvings in Capernaum

Western Wall

Dome of the Rock

Azerbaijan was his first stop;

Its airport was no shack,

He carried his belongings
In his trusty old backpack

Beatitude Monastery

I think there on the busy roads
That he was meek and mild

And awed at all the tailgating
That made the driving wild

Perhaps when not in conference hours
He walked through holy lands

View from the Jerusalem Center

River Jordan

The Sea of Galilee

A stone from the time of Christ

And spent some time addressing
All his paper's new demands.

Editing is about as fun as a scorpion

And close beside the Garden Tomb

He dimmed the cell phone light

(From a different site, but still fitting)

And held his thoughts of Jesus close
Upon that holy site.

Ancient trees in the Garden of Gethsemane

*I asked him why he didn't go to Bethlehem, and he said it was hard to get to with public transportation on the weekend. Mary didn't use that excuse 2000 years ago when she was pregnant, but there weren't checkpoints back then either as far as we know.

Bananas

This morning I was thinking about the last day Joseph ate a banana. It was February 5th, 2016. We had strongly encouraged him to even though he really didn't want to. And then it turned out he had the norovirus that was going around Michigan right then so he threw up. A few times.

That was the day my mom emailed me to tell me that my Granddaddy was in the hospital with a major stroke. And then I got the second email that he had passed away.

It's a strange association that formed in my mind -- bananas and my Granddaddy. There are better foods to associate with my Granddaddy like the tamales he would make, the asparagus he and my grandma would eat, or even the bread at their house which had seeds in it. But it's been bananas. Every time after that when I would offer Joseph a banana and he would decline, I would remember, "He hasn't had one since my Granddaddy died." And I would miss him again.

Today Kevin had dinner downtown with a guest speaker, so it was just me and the boys doing dinner. Joseph had gotten grumpy over a dose of Vitamin N (No) right before dinner so I braced myself for continued grumpiness through dinner. I got Matthew a banana and started heating up leftovers.

"I feel like having a banana, but I don't know if I want it," Joseph whined. "I mean, I want one, but I don't know if I feel like it."

I acted less surprised than I felt. "Well, you can have one too if you want," I told him and opened one up for him. Be casual, I ordered myself. Don't get excited.

"I like all the peel off, remember?" he said.

Oh, I remembered. Frankly, I was surprised he remembered after so long. After that time in February that he threw up an unwanted banana, I guess the whole trauma of the situation made it so that he refused bananas altogether. He would eat them in smoothie form, but he would barely even touch them in their original shape. After a few failed attempts, we were done trying. It had been difficult even before then to get him to eat bananas, anyway. If there were any spots or if the banana broke while we opened it, he wouldn't eat it. We might have given up trying to give him bananas back then anyway even if he hadn't flat out refused them.

But this banana was fine. There were two little strings to get off, but it was otherwise unblemished. I made it a point to look the opposite direction as he carefully took his first bite of banana in more than 21 months. He took another and then remarked, "This didn't taste as good as I thought it would."

I gave him some salty food so that the banana would taste sweeter in contrast. That helped, and he finished half of it before getting tired of it.

"Sometimes, when I'm having trouble eating a banana, I use sprinkles," I told him truthfully. "Do you want some?" He grinned and nodded, and before long most of the banana was gone. Not the last two bites. But when you haven't had banana in almost two years, it's okay to make a gradual comeback.

And that was that. He eats bananas again.

And I miss my grandpa.

Video Angels

Now that you've completed your winter aerobics, it's time for a plethora of other videos! (Starring mostly Matthew and Jacob.) When I was going through all the videos from the past six months, there were probably a dozen where Matthew sings, "Oh oh oh let's go fly a kite" and then runs over to the camera and asks "Can I see it?" So the video was ruined.

But just so you know, he still sings that every day. Even if we can't get a good version of it.

He sings other songs too. About Batman, often.

He has strong opinions about lots of things, even if we're not sure why.

One of many attempts at catching him singing his favorite song.

The chickens at Edgerton Park have definitely become a favorite.

Joseph is so good at his bike!

The Pout Pout Fish is so fun.

This . . . just ends with adults trying to sing "I Love To See The Temple" but running out of air and being pregnant and stuff. Which isn't as fun as kids singing it. So the first few seconds are the best if you're short on time.

Wouldn't have nodding if I didn't have you.

I meant to do a spotlight when Matthew turned 2, but it never quite happened. This video would have been part of it, but instead you get it here.

And then . . . Jacob was born!!!!

So all the videos turned into minute long endeavors of watching newborn breathing. Can't get any better than that, right? (I didn't have many newborn videos of Matthew so I was determined to make up for this time. It turns out they are actually not as interesting as you think they are when you're making them. But I uploaded some of them anyway. Not all.)

Also, poor Jacob has been toughened up since the minute he got home from the hospital. He's handled it well. It might not even be too long before he's bigger than his brothers!

Matthew sure loves him though.

Oh the arm wrinkles.

This game kept him occupied for minutes. (Right up til the camera came out, of course.)

Jacob was about 3 weeks old for these videos. He is SO SWEET. 

And he makes sweet sounds. When they're this small, every sound they make is magical. 2 minutes worth, even. (I have so many videos in late August-early September it's not even funny.)

Spoiler: He sneezes and yawns in this 2 minute stretch.

I can't believe how much hair he used to have. Or how many long videos I made. Moms of newborns are easily amused, I guess. (Our upload speed is really slow so I feel obligated to share it because it took so much work.)

Aaaaaand back to Matthew! Or should I say, back to Batman!

Definitely in his top 3 favorite songs. Way better than the ABCs or Twinkle Twinkle. (Maybe the Super Why alphabet song is his 3rd favorite, though.)

Jacob loves to suck on his fingers so much. He also likes to engage in activities that promote hair loss.

He hasn't really taken to the pacifier, but he's still fun to watch with it.

Matthew calls spitting up "burping" which has made some funny conversations.

And of course, I have great conversations with Jacob, too.

His laugh is the best sound of my life.

Okay, I guess I was still determined to get a video of him singing "Let's Go Fly a Kite." But he's kind of stopped singing most of the words so it's a bit repetitive.

Sometimes, I realize I live in a magical place where I can less than a mile to see chickens and hear my kids talk to them. New Haven has its bright spots for sure.

It even has squirrels, too! (. . . just like everywhere else. Except maybe Florida?)

Every single word starts with a letter. And that starting letter is always worth saying a few times.

And, finally, to finish off this video dump, here are two little kids being cute.

We sure like them.

Winter Aerobics Course

We're getting to that time of year where only the most disciplined continue to run outside for exercise. The rest of us have moved inside. Tis the season for POPSUGAR fitness and Jillian Michaels if you are like me and not even willing to go outside to the car to drive to a gym.

Well, good news, folks! I have compiled a new aerobics course choreographed by my very own children. If you are looking for new and exciting routines, look no further!

First, let's warm up to some Bon Jovi. 2 years ago, Joseph introduced a routine while Matthew provided a laugh track. Now, Matthew has joined in demonstrating a modified workout which is especially appropriate if you don't feel like exercising. Jacob has decided to provide the laugh track.

The 80s music exercise dance party is just beginning. Next up, we've got some Journey to get our heart rates up to speed.

Let's move into some Rick Astley now. Remember, you can always follow Matthew for a modified version.

And some more Rick Astley.

And some more.

Do you feel rickrolled yet?

Now, it's time for some yoga to cool down.

Or not. Who needs yoga when you can dance?

And finally, we can use some Earth, Wind, and Fire to finish the workout session.

Again, I'd like to thank Joseph for being our dance instructor. Who knew there were so many dance moves in the world?