Hollandays

Look Who's One

2010-08-30T23:39:00.000-05:00

Has it really been a year since two tiny little boys made their way into our lives a tad bit too early? It still feels like a dream to me. A test of true patience and faith to know that some day we would be blessed with children. Every day that I get to see them and hold them is more exciting and wonderful than the first. They are the joys of our life, and we couldn't be happier that they're here with us. Happy Birthday Reid and Grant!

Mid-Treatment Photos

2010-07-25T14:39:00.000-05:00

Last week we reached the half way point for Reid's DOC Band. Five more weeks to go! For the most part it hasn't changed Reid's life to much and we haven't had any problems. I definitely think the DOC Band was the way to go. The Band itself is easy to wear and clean and leaves so much of his little head free. We also LOVE the staff at Cranial Tech. They are all wonderful and great with the boys. I think Grant has a crush on their tech Amy. He is always trying to get her attention especially if she is talking to Reid. Photos from his first visit are on the left and photos from this past week are on the right. Hopefully if his head keeps growing the way it did in the beginning we can be out of the DOC Band a lot sooner than the 12 weeks.

We're excited about the progress and can't wait to see him when the process is complete.

4th of July

2010-07-25T14:00:00.000-05:00

Reid's DOC Band for the 4th. We had a fun time using my Cricut to cut the stars and letters on vinyl. Real simple and quick but I think he looks super cute in his patriotic Band. Reid's head has been growing exceptionally well. We go once a week to get his head measured and the inside foam on the Band shaved to accommodate the growth. His growth the last 6 weeks has been a total of 17 mm. I can definitely see the difference. It was so noticeable even after the first week. We've reached the half way point and he seems to have adjusted well to wearing it all day and night. The Texas heat does not help his sweaty little head but he doesn't complain much. Bath time and swimming are definitely favorite activities now because he gets to take the helmet off.

Doc Band Baby

2010-06-10T00:50:00.000-05:00

Reid got his Doc Band helmet yesterday and so far he doesn't seem to mind it. It did not phase him one bit when it was placed on his head at the doctor's office. After initially putting it on we waited for about 20 minutes to have his skin checked for pressure spots. The Doc Band was then shaved and shaped a little to fit his head better. He was a very good listener as the cranial tech clinician, Amy, was explaining how to care for it. He sat very still and watched her for a good twenty minutes. The first two days we take the Doc Band off every 3-4 hours to check his skin for red spots. If the spot has not faded to a light pink within an hour we are to call the office for adjustments. Thankfully we have not had any problems with his skin.

Moments after having the helmet placed on his head he was all smiles.

I worried the most about how the helmet would effect his night time sleeping but again he didn't have any problems (However, as I'm writing this he is awake and crying upstairs). He slept through the first night just fine but because of his frequent head turning his helmet got a little twisted and he woke up with it slightly covering his eye. We were told that sometimes happens and as his head grows to fit the helmet it should stay in place better. Since we didn't have any problems with his skin the past two days tomorrow he starts the 23 hours a day.

His last night without the Doc Band. He loves his bed.

He looks so peaceful. Hope the Doc Band doesn't change this over the next three months.

Bling My Band

2010-06-10T00:49:00.000-05:00

It's decorating time! I've thought a lot about how I want to decorate Reid's Doc Band and I thought I would start simple and pay homage to UT. I cut the stripes and numbers out of vinyl and Clay bought some stickers from UT. Simple, but I think he looks so cute in his little football helmet (future Longhorn lineman!) I think I'll change it up every few weeks so check back for his new bling in a few weeks. Still waiting to see another doctor so we can decide what to do with Grant's head. He'll most likely be in a helmet as well in a few weeks.

10 months

2010-06-09T23:20:00.001-05:00

Has it really been 10 months? The time is flying by and we're having so much fun with these boys. It is so fun to watch their different personalities develop as they interact with each other and those around them.

Reid seems to already have a sense of humor and enjoys making silly sounds to make Grant laugh. He loves bath time (and the pool) and getting squirt with water or when someone gets "bonked" in the head with a toy. I love his laugh, it is so full of joy. He loves to stand and play more than sitting and I think he will be the first one to start moving. He's a solid little boy (weighing 25 lbs. now) that loves to hug and bury his head in your neck. He recently learned how to clap and gets so proud of himself when he does it. He's a super sleeper and is still taking 3 naps during the day and 12 hours at night. I think Reid might be a little shy because he doesn't often respond to new people when they talk to him like he does with us. He's a happy boy though and always has a smile for us.

Grant is our dramatic little boy that loves to babble and shout when he talks to you. He always has something to say and will let us know how he feels. He can be very sweet though and enjoys reaching out to touch our faces and pat our cheeks. He loves his brother so much. He is constantly trying to get Reid's attention. Reid doesn't have to do much to make him laugh. Even a sneeze from Reid will get a laugh from Grant. Grant also loves Niko and Jack. Jack's jumping and barking always bring a smile or laugh to Grant's face and he often gets mad if he can't reach out and touch the dogs when they are near. I think getting to the dogs is going to one day be the reason for his crawling. In case you couldn't tell this boy loves to eat. When he gets a spoonful of baby food he says "mmm" afterward. He's a flirt with people at the stores and loves to flash them his cute little smile.

I'm so glad these boys have each other. Having a baby is wonderful but having twins is the best. The most exciting thing to watch with their development is how they have grown to recognize and respond to each other. They already seem like great friends and I can't wait to watch them get closer.

I had to throw this one in because it is shows how most of our pictures turn out. Reid is usually looking at something other than us and Grant is shouting at us either in anger or happiness. This time he was not in the mood for pictures.

Last month we flew to Denver for my sister-in-law's graduation (way to go Dr. Kelly!) The boys got to see all their cousins and enjoyed the attention.

We took a little drive down to Colorado Springs to visit the Air Force Academy where Clay started out.

Heads Up

2010-05-30T23:59:00.002-05:00

As the boys near their ten month mark we are facing some new challenges in their development. For awhile now we have noticed their head shapes changing. Reid more noticeable than Grant. Reid loves his back and even though he can roll over and sit up he prefers to play on his back. He also hated turning his head while sleeping. All this together has caused a flat spot on his head that has been getting bigger. For the past several months we have been working on neck stretches and repositioning while sleeping and more tummy time but alas his little melon isn't changing so we have decided to put him in a helmet. This will hopefully round things out. Grant's head shape is a little different. He may have craniosynostosis which is the premature fusion of one or more cranial sutures, often resulting in an abnormal head shape. We are seeing more doctors later next month to confirm and decide on his course of treatment which may include surgery and will likely end in helmet treatment as well. We are going through Cranial Technologies for this treatment. The staff has been very helpful so far in answering our questions and very friendly. Most helmet treatment is not covered by insurance but we should be able to get a portion paid through reimbursement. The upfront cost is $3,500 each. I knew having kids would be expensive but these little boys know how to spend some money. They're worth every bit and we are happy to do whatever we can to ensure a good start for them in their lives. Reid will be in his helmet for about 3 months 23 hours a day. Grant will be around the same but probably longer because we are waiting on starting his treatment. The earlier the better is also the case with this kind of treatment.

Reid's before picture. I'll post pictures through the process to see how his little head is shaping up.

At Cranial Tech before his digital scan. He had to wear this stocking while sitting in the middle of several cameras so that a 3D digital image could be taken of the surface of his head. He did fabulous and sat very still so it was over rather quickly. We'll go back in another week to pick the helmet up and then return every two weeks to check the progress.

I've been struggling with guilt over this situation wondering what I did wrong. I think most mothers going through this have similar feelings but ultimately it doesn't matter how this happened but that we are trying to fix it. I don't want to have any regrets later and so we're going to get through this challenge the best we can. If motherhood has taught me anything it is patience. Not the kind of patience you need to raise two infants at the same time but the patience to trust in the Lord and know that the blessings and desires of our hearts come in his time. Of course I wanted my pregnancy, their birth and first year to be as normal as it could be but I'm learning and growing so much more through the challenges we've faced so far. I have faith and know that we are extremely blessed to have them and these minor challenges. I have two happy babies that eat and sleep well, and love each other and us. I'd say we're pretty lucky.

Flashback (part 1)

2010-05-04T23:00:00.015-05:00

The company I use to work for was always a big supporter of the March of Dimes. We raised money and participated in the city walk, and even held a mini walk at our school. It was always a fun event but I never really thought about how premature birth would change the experience of having a child or how much it affects the lives of so many families. This Saturday we will be walking in the march for babies to celebrate our boys. We feel incredibly grateful that our little guys survived their experience and have been asked to share their story.

Friday July 31st we had enjoyed a nice meal with our friends the Harmans and were about to enjoy a movie at their house. My water broke in their bathroom and I started bleeding. I called the doctor and was told to come to the hospital immediately. We went home and changed and I told Clay to bring a book because we might be there awhile. I wasn't in any pain and I didn't think things were too serious. That changed when the doctors started talking about prepping a room for surgery and calling in specialist. Baby A's water had broken and I was losing a lot of blood. Everyone was moving around so fast and talking about so many things, checking me, checking the babies, and I kept thinking I'm 26 weeks there is no way I can have these babies tonight. They sent in a neonatolotist to discuss the survival rate and what we could expect if our children were born at 26 weeks. They had an 80 percent chance of survival. What that really meant was staying alive. There were few guarantees about having a good quality of life. They were at high risk for severe brain bleeds, mental retardation, and many other complications. They would have to stay in the NICU until their due date three months away, maybe longer. I have never been so scared in my life. I felt so helpless and all I could do was pray they could find a way to keep them inside me.

I was given my first steroid shot to help the babies' lungs develop. More tests were run and after another ultrasound the doctor decided Reid had enough amniotic fluid to keep him safe. My blood work looked okay so it was decided we would hold off on the C-section for the night. There was a 75 percent chance they would be born within a week but the doctor had hopes that with bed rest I might be able to keep them in longer.

We spent the night calling family and wondering what was going to happen. I've never had a sleepless night like that one. We had waited for these babies for seven years and I couldn't think about anything happening to them. The next day I was able to get my last steroid shot which was good news for the babies' lungs. The boys were constantly monitored and I couldn't move for fear they would not be able to pick up the heart beats. I'm grateful for all the friends that visited during that time and tried to keep our minds off the scary reality. We lasted four days like that. Me in bed not moving, being checked every 30 minutes while Clay went to work, visited for lunch, then back for the night after work.

On Tuesday evening I started having contractions I couldn't feel them at first but the nurses told me I was having them every few minutes. They got progressively stronger and closer together. Around 2:00 am the doctor came in and said it was time. They were certain the contractions weren't going to stop, I was still losing blood, and the babies were coming whether I was ready or not. I had made it to 27 weeks and prayed that little time would be enough to help my babies survive. They left the room to prep things and I called to Clay to wake-up. Filled with worry, doubt, and more fear than I have ever felt I remember saying "They're coming now!" Clay changed for the operation and they wheeled me off around 2:30 am. I remember being very cold, shaking a lot, and not sure of what was going on. It was very fast from the moment they laid me on the table to when I heard that first cry.

Baby "A" - Reid Alexander

Baby "B" - Grant Benjamin

They had the tiniest cry I've ever heard. If you weren't paying attention you would have missed it. But I heard it and it filled me with unexplainable joy. It was the best feeling to hear them as soft and weak as they were. I actually had children and they were, for the moment, okay. The nurses brought each one over for a quick look. I couldn't believe how small they were. These tiny little dolls looked so helpless being taken too early from what was suppose to be their home for three more months. They were immediately taken away to the NICU while Clay followed after them.

I seemed to do well during the first few hours of recovery. The nurses seemed very impressed by the control I had over my legs and body as I walked to my new bed. They wondered if I was feeling any pain. I was. Those first few hours were pretty intense but out weighing that pain was my overwhelming desire to see my babies.

Flashback (part 2)

2010-05-04T22:56:00.006-05:00

I was very anxious to see the boys because I couldn't quite remember what they looked like. I had had such a brief glimpse and I needed to see them again. I had Clay take lots of pictures while I was in the recovery room so I could see their tiny little faces. The nurses finally let me go to the NICU about 5 hours after the birth. We first had to scrub in at the sink for 3 minutes. We would have to do this every time we left the NICU and returned. Our hospital bands were checked and Clay led me back to our boys' isolettes.

I saw Reid first. This tiny little 2 lb. 1 oz. doll hooked up to wires and monitors, he almost looked fake. He had probes attached to his skin to monitor his heart and respiratory rate, his body temperature and one attached to his foot to monitor his oxygen level and breathing. These were all attached to alarms which would sound when they would reach a certain level. He was also hooked up to an IV because they were still too young and weak to digest food. He started out with a nasal cannula to deliver supplemental oxygen.

As scared as I was to see all this connected to my baby I was overjoyed to see my little boy alive and for the most part okay. He did not have to be intubated nor did he have any brain bleeds. Already major accomplishments for such premature babies. As I touched my hand to the glass I cried. But not because they were hooked up to countless wires or because I knew we would spend months here with many ups and downs but because they were finally here and they were mine. I knew some day I would get to hold them close to me, take them home, love them, and have the family we had been dreaming of.

I had the same flood of emotions when I saw Grant. How lucky was I to get to experience motherhood for the first time with two children? Grant had his older brother beat by an ounce in weight and an inch in length but he looked just as fragile and helpless. Let the count down begin I thought. We were ready to be there for them however long it took to bring them home. And that's how our 10 week stay in the NICU started. We learned to take joy in the little accomplishments and push through set backs with faith that it wouldn't be like this forever.

They were first fed by a gavage tube They would be fed 5ml of milk through their nose or mouth and after an hour the nurses would check for residual milk in their stomach. It was heart breaking when they would find 4 ml residual. But of course their stomachs learned to digest the milk and by the end they were drinking 80 ml (about 2 oz.) from a bottle.

They each had to take a turn being hooked up to the CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure). Reid wore his the longest for about two weeks. Grant was off of it after 4 days. They received phototherapy for jaundice. The little sunglasses helped protect their eyes during this treatment. They did this for about four days.

Many premature babies have problems with apnea where they stop breathing for a moment or two. Their biggest challenge was overcoming this and remembering to take deep enough breaths all the time to supply their lungs with the necessary amount of oxygen. Hearing all the alarms go off when they didn't was the scariest thing for us. This mostly happened when we held them so it was especially frustrating. We could only hold them for a limited amount of time and when most of that time was spent trying to get them to breath we would leave sad and emotionally drained.

First time getting to hold the boys. They were 6 days old and I was allowed only 15 min. with each once a day. One of the hardest things to get use to was that babies that premature don't do well with the rocking or stroking their skin. It didn't feel natural to sit their without rocking them or trying to comfort them when they got upset. Sadly in the beginning the easiest thing for them was just to be put back in their isolette until they were more stable.

They stayed in separate beds for about 7 weeks. When they reached 4 lbs. and were able to maintain their body temperature with only blankets and one layer of clothing they were put in an open air bed together. They slept well next to each other. I took comfort in the fact that when we weren't there for them they at least had each other.

First picture with no wires or tubes. They finally learned how to breath on their own and we got to see what they looked like (Reid above, Grant below).

And now our tiny little guys are not so tiny any more. They've grown like crazy the six months they've been home and we're so happy to have them!

Look- alike

2010-04-19T22:56:00.003-05:00

I've always found it hard to tell which parent babies look like. We've been told the boys look like each of us. After looking at old photos of Clay and myself I think it is more obvious that we each have our own

look- alikes.

When in Texas...

2010-04-18T23:22:00.002-05:00

...take pictures of the kids with bluebonnets.

Our first attempt at bluebonnet pictures with the boys didn't go so well. They weren't too happy so we'll probably try it again so we can get a few pictures with those cute smiles they keep so well hidden.

Still learning how to balance while sitting.

Reid is so done with picture taking.

Lost them both this time.

Looking at the ground was much more exciting than the toys we brought or all the silly faces we made. I am making it my mission to get one picture with them both smiling at the camera. Although I might settle for them both looking at the camera at the same time.

Puppy Love

2010-04-18T22:00:00.000-05:00

It's been nice to have dogs again. We were especially grateful for them the other day when our neighbor and a few other houses in our cul-de-sac were broken into during the day. I wasn't home but I'm certain the barking dogs kept them away. At least I feel a little safer having them around.

Niko and Jack don't seem to mind the boys. They mostly ignore them. But in the past few days Jack has taken a liking to Grant. I think it started when Clay used Grant's feet to kick Jack's favorite ball. Now Jack will bring Grant the ball and leave it by his feet. He loves to lick him as well. We are trying to teach Jack that the only acceptable place to lick the boys is the feet. Grant enjoys laughing at the dogs when they bark and jump around. We're happy that the boys don't seem to be afraid of Jack's craziness.

Niko and the big hole he dug in the backyard. All that hair can get hot so he likes to cool off in the mud

El Paso

2010-04-12T17:53:00.000-05:00

During spring break we decided to make a trip to El Paso to visit my parents and collect our dogs.They have been with my parents since last July. We dropped them off there to be watched while we did some traveling. We never got to do that traveling because the boys came a few weeks later but it was nice to have them taken care of while I was on bed rest and then while we spent our time at the NICU. My parents have been wonderful to care for them for this long and they seemed to enjoy the grandparents' home. I'm not sure Jack was ready to leave the excitement of my parents back yard.

First road trip with the boys went pretty well. We debated on what would be the best time to travel for them and us and decided to leave Austin late afternoon so they could sleep through most of the trip. They took a nap the first couple of hours and then babbled and played with toys for the next few hours until it was time to eat. They really only got upset when we were trying to find a place to stop and feed them and then when it was time to sleep. They love the car but they love their beds more and for about 20 minutes they did not want to sleep anywhere else. After calming down and falling asleep we had a quiet peaceful drive. Clay was an awesome driver and drove through the night. We arrived around 3 am without any problems.

Reid meets his Great Grandma Zuniga for the first time.

In El Paso we enjoyed introducing the boys to their great grandma and some cousins, and celebrated my mom's birthday. We were also lucky enough to be there the same time as Aunt Sonya, who was home for her spring break. They enjoyed all the attentions but hated napping. They got little sleep during the day which made them grumpy but helped them sleep through the night. We introduced them to our dogs Jack and Niko. The original plan was to only bring Jack, the younger dog, home with us. But as we were loading the car Niko, who can't walk due to being hit by a car, dragged his way to the door and towards our car. He kept howling and barking at us. He knew we were leaving and wanted to make sure he was coming. It broke my heart to leave him again so we decided that even though it would be a lot of work to care for him I wanted to bring him home. The trip home went well despite taking a lot longer than the first trip. We left earlier in the day so we had more feedings to stop for and now two dogs that also needed to be let out. Our car was way to full. Maybe a mini van is in our future, especially if the boys ever get a sibling.

We've been told that both Reid and Grant look like their Abuelito by different people but I think Grant favors him more.

6 months

2010-02-26T15:45:00.024-06:00

It's incredible how little we've documented the boys life since they entered our world 6 months ago. We have a ton of pictures and I kept a pretty regular journal while visiting the boys in the NICU for close to three months. Sadly those things never made it here. But now I am a stay at home mom so I should have plenty of time to keep up with these sorts of things, right?

Life with twins is unlike any thing I could have imagined or prepared myself for. However, I would gladly do it again. For all the stories I've heard about life with twins these boys have been incredibly good to us. Of course it gets a little crazy when you're feeding and changing babies multiple times in the night and trying to teach a baby to sleep through the night when the other one is screaming. I love it though and it hasn't been as hard as I told myself it would be.

It helps to keep them on a pretty tight schedule. The NICU helped regulate their eating and sleeping times. They eat every four hours and usually take about three naps. They are doing really well putting themselves to sleep and we don't usually have any problems at night or for naps. They usually wake up once at night but for the most part sleep from 8 to about 8 or 8:30. This past week however, they have been waking up almost every two hours. Hopefully they can figure it out again and get back to normal. During the day we keep busy reading, singing, going for walks, occasional visit to Dad downtown for lunch, and just taking care of their everyday needs. It's amazing how quickly the day goes by.

The boys have done exceptionally well catching up in weight. At their six month appointment they were in the 70th percentile for weight but 3rd for height. Grant is now a little over 20 lbs. and Reid is not far behind at 19 lbs 6 oz. They are no longer being measured on the preemie charts which doesn't often happen this soon. Reid and Grant love to eat and we can't believe they have come so far. We remember the feedings in the NICU when we would struggle for half an hour for them to get through 40 ml. Developmentally they are still behind. We've seen a number of specialists since coming home: an optometrist, a pulmonologist every month for RSV shots, a cardiologist to check the PDAs they had at birth, ENT and audiologist to check Grant's hearing, and a developmental specialists. They have been given pretty much a clean bill of health by all the doctors but we will continue to see the developmental specialists until the boys catch up to where they should be.

They are babbling and laughing at us. Grant is especially talkative and is always trying to talk to Reid. Reid doesn't always respond but when he does it is the cutest thing. Watching them talk and smile at each other is the best thing about having twins.

Grant Reid

Grant loves jumping and will often jump himself to sleep.

Home at Last

2009-10-30T11:53:00.010-05:00

After....

73 days in the NICU

212 trips to the hospital

292 hours spent at their bedside

168 times scrubbing in for 3 minutes (8 1/2 hrs.)

8 lbs. 7 oz. combined weight gain

11 inches combined growth in length

Countless prayers and well wishes

Our boys are finally home.

Double, Double, Toil and Trouble

2009-07-24T17:19:00.011-05:00

Magically our boy and girl twins are now twin boys. The idea of two boys has taken some getting used to after the original excitement of having one of each. When we found out about the change at the ultrasound the doctor pointed “it” out several times to make up for the previous failure, and now we have more ultrasound penis pictures than we know what to do with. Luckily, we had not done too much boy/girl purchasing or decorating and are finding it a bit easier to plan for two boys. They are set to arrive around October 21. The babies seem to be doing well and growing on schedule now weighing in at a little over 1 ½ lbs. each. I have largely left the morning sickness behind now although it never really was morning sickness: pretty much any time of the day sickness, including my favorite - driving down the interstate at 70 mph with no bag or shoulder to pull over onto.

I have adjusted to the idea of being outnumbered by boys and think it will be fun to play with cars and trucks, sports, and all the boy stuff they do. It is a debate in the household whether we will have soccer or basketball players. Clay bought the boys some stuffed soccer balls the other day so I better get on it if I want the indoctrination to start early. Everything more or less seems to be falling in to place as we prepare for their arrival. We're both excited and at the same time overwhelmed by the prospect of doing everything double. But we can't wait to bring them home.

The first of many, many pictures...

One of the first ultrasounds at 7 weeks when we found out there were two little beans growing inside me.

In this one the boys seemed to be head butting each other. Can't wait till they're doing that out of the womb.

New Additions

2009-05-31T21:22:00.013-05:00

Finally a new post...has it really been 7 months since I've added anything new? I apologize to all those out there who have been dying to hear about the exciting Holland Days. Here's a quick run down of the past months since the last time I posted: Worked every week day for 12 plus hours (and some week ends), took a few days off for Christmas break to host Clay's family for Christmas, turned 29, several doctor's visits a week, took a road trip on Valentine's day in search of the best pie and BBQ in TX, got a new calling as Primary President, more doctor's visits, got pregnant, got really, really sick, more doctor's visits, slept a lot, visit from my parents, and celebrated 7 years of wedded bliss. It doesn't seem like we've done a lot, but everyday life can get pretty busy. We try to keep it fun though and do some exciting things on the weekends. We've been to a few concerts, seen some movies, hung out with friends, and just tried to enjoy the time that we actually get to see each other.

We are now ready for our lives to a get a little bit more exciting. As I said we found out we were pregnant at the end of February. After seven years, and the help of some fertility doctors we are trilled to be expecting a boy and a girl in October! I can't say how excited and thankful we are for this opportunity. I'm now 17 weeks along and comfortable enough to talk about the pregnancy with co-workers, friends, and people at church. Up until about 15 weeks we had only told our parents/siblings and a couple of friends that are very observant. Now, I want every one to know how happy this pregnancy makes me and how grateful I am for the two precious babies we will one day get to hold. Perhaps these new little additions will keep us updating our blog.

The Great Cram of 2009

2009-02-08T22:27:00.003-06:00

This is what I was doing over my winter break--stacking up books that I should've been reading. On January 12th and 23rd I had my two "comprehensive exams" to determine whether I can continue on in my phd program, the first on political theory and the second on public law. Each exam was an eight-hour exam consisting of three essay questions. The plan was to study over last summer, but when that didn't work out too well, the plan was to study during the fall semester, and when that didn't work out that well, the plan was to study over winter break, which I finally managed to do. The books shown in the photo are several (not all) of the books contained on my reading lists for the two exams. It was a miserable few weeks. However, I am also the master of distraction/avoidance,/procrastination, and even while studying during the last weeks in December and early January, I managed to read two entirely unrelated books (one of which was The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, which I really liked. I recommend it for any Shakespeare and/or dog fans out there) and beat a video game (Call of Duty: World at War). I learned last week that I passed the political theory portion, and will hopefully find out that I passed the public law portion sometime this week. However, I will add a disclaimer that I think I really botched one of my public law essays. I wouldn't be entirely surprised by an inadequate overall score as a result (okay, a failing score--it is essentially pass/fail). If that is the case, I'd have to take it again in August. Hopefully that is not the case. The exams are graded by all the faculty teaching in those areas, and we can see their grade sheets/comments when they are done. It is an eye-opener seeing the range of grades different graders will give the same exam, some commenting how well you answered the question, others commenting that you didn't answer the question at all. You've got to love academia.

We're #1, We're #1

2008-10-20T21:51:00.006-05:00

On Saturday Clay and I attended the UT/Missouri game. We've been in Austin for two years now and decided it was about time we experienced Longhorn football. We got a good deal on season tickets because of Clay's student status. This is our third game this season and I am loving it! The mid afternoon games haven't been too pleasant especially when the sun seems to single you out and direct all it's heat on your seat. This past week's game was especially exciting because of our new status as the #1 team in the country after our stomping of OU. With over 98,000 fans in attendance the atmosphere was intense. There was a lot of shouting, cheering, and high-fiving with total strangers. After attending two other schools with teams that had less than stellar programs it's fun to be at a school that is ranked # 1. Clay will say I'm only there to watch the marching band, and while I do stand up during half time to watch while everyone goes to the bathroom or sits down, I do enjoy the football. I'm already excited for the next game.

Hook 'em Horns!

Our Just Desserts

2008-09-14T22:19:00.013-05:00

There are two things that I have learned about the Holland family: One there is always room for dessert, and two they will turn anything into a competition. When faced with the decision to spend our night going to a comedy club, watching the bats on Congress bridge, going to the Drafthouse, or some other touristy thing for Wendy and John's second to last night in Austin, it was decided that we would have a pie making contest.
John called his parents to get Omi's "secret" pecan pie recipe, Wendy and Clay searched the Internet and the many recipe books on our shelves, while I tried to be resourceful and make a pie with ingredients we had on hand. We gave ourselves 30 minutes to come up with a pie and then went grocery shopping. I must admit I thought I would win hands down because I was the only one that had ever made a pie by myself. But the Hollands proved to be quite the competitors.
Each person had a designated cooking spot in the kitchen as to deter sabotage and stealing of ideas. There was a fervor of activity that lead to one almost-disastrous crust, one not-quite-cooked-in-the-middle pie, one is-that-ever-going-to-be-ready pie, and the oops-I-forgot-the-vanilla pie. Thankfully the only causalties were my clean stove and kitchen.

THE COMPETITORS:
Clay: Buttermilk Chocolate Chip
Andrea: Rasberry Peach w/Streusel Topping
Wendy: Key Lime Cheesecake
John: Chocolate Pecan

We needed some neutral judges so we solicited the help of the Harmans. With our pies in tote we arrived at their house ready for them to declare the winner. After some lively discussion, and lots of pie eating, the secret ballots were cast and the results were as follows...

THE CATEGORIES:

Nostalgia Factor: Andrea

Best Overall: Clay's Buttermilk Surprise

Best Aroma: Andrea (Cinnamon and Brown Sugar just smell better)

Aphrodisiac: Clay (it was creamy, gooey, and it felt a little wrong enjoying it so much)

Short Bus Award: Clay (I'm not sure what this really means)

Best Presentation: Wendy

Miss Congeniality: Andrea (friendliest competitor)

Honorable mention goes to John's Chocolate Pecan Pie - it was the first one to go.

Finger Lickin' Good

2008-09-14T21:42:00.002-05:00

My brother, sister, and I share a common flaw, a flaw passed down from our father. I know what you are thinking, and, no, red hair is not a flaw. As Mark Twain said, "While the rest of the species is descended from apes, redheads descended from cats." I'm not quite certain what that means, but cats must be better than apes, right? Ruadh gu brath! No, our common flaw is something else entirely, though now that I think about it more, it is not a flaw either. You see, we share in common an inordinate love for barbecue. How could something that feels so right be wrong? So what better way to spend a weekend with my siblings than to treat them to the wonders of Texas barbecue. We all made the 45-minute pilgrimage to Lockhart, Texas, home to two of the top 5 barbecue joints in Texas. How could we decide which one to try? We couldn't, so we had both. The verdict? Mmmm...meat candy. Best barbecue ever. At both, you order by-the-pound from a counter and are handed your meat and white bread or crackers on butcher paper. No utensils, no sauce, and slim pickin's for sides. I was initially skeptical of the no sauce approach, but was quickly won over by the delicious meat. No sauce necessary. Ultimately, I think we enjoyed the pork ribs more at Smitty's and the brisket more at Kreutz. Put the two together and you get one of the best meals you'll have. Of course, since barbecuing brisket is more an art than a science, I'm sure the balance might change on any particular day, so we'll always have to eat at both places so as to be sure we're not missing out. I think Andrea and I will return whenever we come up with a decent excuse to make the trip.The next day we were returning from zip-lining in the Hill Country and couldn't resist stopping at The Salt Lick since we were so close. Prior to Smitty's and Kreutz, The Salt Lick was our favorite barbecue spot in the area. It made honorable mention on that list of best barbecue in Texas. It was still excellent in its own way--we especially love the sauce. Instead of the family style meat buffet, we opted for a by-the-pound approach and still had plenty of leftovers, which we of course ate the next day. Count it, that's barbecue three days in a row. Three magical, delicious days. Thanks for the excuse, Wendy and John.

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah

2008-09-14T15:53:00.016-05:00

A few weeks ago John and Wendy came to visit on their way to BYU. As they have been here before we wanted to make sure we came up with new and fun things to do. Luckily we were able to take time off from work and spend more time with them this time around. One of my favorite things we did was taking a zipline tour through the Texas Hill Country. The tour company, Cypress Valley Canopy Tours, has an eco-friendly approach to the tour, our guide Iker told us about the trees and wildlife as we went from platform to platform.

John walking one of the bridges between platforms. Clay tried running accross one with his eyes closed and no hands. I think there might still be a bruise.

Here we are on one of the six zip lines. The harnesses are very flattering. While on the ground we were given a little practice run on braking and landing on the platforms. Suprisingly I never ran into any trees.

We spend a lot of time doing things in the city so we really loved taking a break to be in the trees. It was beautiful! Clay and I want to go back and spend the night in their Lofthaven, a little treehouse for two.

In defense of books

2008-09-01T22:06:00.003-05:00

This one's for Ben. Why read the book when you can watch the movie?

The usual response when one has seen a movie based on a book is, "The book was better." I do not think this is coincidence. Authors of books are not, like movie-makers, restricted by time and audience to compress complex plots and thoughts into a relatively short time. The author of a novel can fully develop and provide direct access to thoughts, emotions, and arguments of the characters. In a way, their thoughts become your thoughts for a time, and you must confront or
react to what you read internally. Because you are exposed to greater psychological depth in books, you have a greater chance to become deeper yourself. Relatedly, reading provides more mental exercise. Not only must you visualize what takes place yourself, and therefore
exercise the imagination, but to read well, everything must actively run through your mind. And
books give you the opportunity to take advantage of that experience, because books place you in control. You are given time to question, to consider, to go back and to reflect. Movies must convert and condense everything into faster-paced words and actions that often do not have the penetrating power of words on the page. Watching a movie you are pushed along with the action. It takes less time and less concentration; it is less conducive to rigorous thought. Ultimately, I think, that is the issue. You simply think more and better when reading.

P.S. I love movies. Great movies do make you think (though often after the fact) and can entertain in ways that books often can't. Images provide emotional immediacy, and are often worth a thousand words, as the saying goes. But I simply disagree that movies can provide everything that books can, or that movies can replace books without losing something vital.

Our First Time

2008-08-27T21:19:00.005-05:00

Clay: "I don't know what to say. It's hard writing a joint post."
Andrea: "It will only be this one time."
Clay: "I'm not in the mood to write."
Andrea: "You're not in the mood? That's a good line, I'll have to remember that."
Clay: "Fine..."

First times are always a bit awkward. Stay tuned for more from the Holland's days.