2010 Loumeau Family Christmas Letter

Dear Family and Friends,

2010 has been another year of change for our family. We strive to move forward and learn the things we need to learn so that we can become the people God wants us to be.

We’ll start with the most important member of our family, Amora. She just had her second birthday and continues to be a joy in our life. It’s incredible at how much she has developed linguistically in the past year. She can now form complex sentences and loves to sing (and sings most of the actual lyrics to songs). Her favorite songs include The Itsy Bitsy Spider and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. She’s quite a picky eater, so one of the biggest compliments I can get is “It’s nummy, Mommy.” My heart melts when she says three special words to Adam or me, “I love you.” She loves to wrestle with her daddy and read stories with her mommy. We have a special little girl and are so grateful for her.

I am embracing my task as being a full-time mom and wife. In addition, I have the opportunity to watch a 3 year old boy a few days a week. It’s great for Amora because she has someone to play with, and it gives me an idea of how life will be with more than one child (no, we are not announcing anything). I love to plan activities for Amora, have girl’s nights with the ladies, and go on a few dates with the hubby. We had a new addition to our family this year, Lucy, a sweet little Dachshund dog, who helps keep me busy. I have also had the opportunity to travel multiple times this year to visit family. Recently, we had three weddings in our families that I was able to attend. But all that traveling sure does have me hoping for a more quiet 2011. Maybe I will have time to pick up a new hobby.

Adam has also had quite a year. He started off working for US Bank in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. After a lot of thought and prayer, he realized that he has an interest for and talent in statistics. So in May, we packed up and moved to Boise, Idaho so Adam could attend school at Boise State University. He acquired a job as a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist (he helps people with mental illnesses maintain as much independence as possible) and went to school part time. He will be attending school full-time starting in January to complete the required prerequisites for a master’s degree in statistics. Adam loves to spend time with his family and participate in an email discussion group that allows him to share his brilliant perspective on many issues. He also enjoys watching football and basketball and is quite happy when the bowl season spreads its Christmas cheer every December.

Thanks to all of our family and friends for your support and prayers. We wish you all a Merry Christmas!

God bless,
Adam, Wendy, and Amora Loumeau

My TSA Story

I was traveling from Houston (IAH) on Sunday, December 19, 2010 with my husband and 2 year old daughter. We prepared for screening as normal, emptying our liquids and dividing the small liquids in Ziploc bags. I enter the metal detector and am not cleared because of the excessive number of hair pins I left in my hair from a wedding the night before. I am told to hand my child to my husband so I can get pat down. Fine, I get it.

As I am waiting, a TSA agent tells me (not my husband), that our stroller will be coming out of a different scanner. I am then informed that I cannot touch anything, not even my daughter until I am cleared from the pat down. I then wait a few minutes (not seconds) for a TSA agent (while my husband is left on his own to care for a 2 year old and gather all of our belongings).

The TSA agent (Agent A) then begins her speech of what she is going to do. I interrupt her to ask for clarification on what the exact policy is for the pat down, where she begins to get irritated with me and continues on her prepared speech without answering my question. During this speech, I’m watching my husband and daughter to make sure everything is going okay. I then see the stroller going out of the other scanner and call to my husband so he can get it. TSA Agent A then yells at me and runs to grab someone else’s belongings. As I’m trying to explain to her that those are not my belongings and I was just pointing the stroller out to my husband, another agent (Agent B, LT50 Demeke) comes up to yell at me as well. Agent B, LT50 Demeke, informs me that I was being incredibly disrespectful and called it upon herself to oversee and verbally abuse me throughout the duration of the pat down. She also walks over to my husband to lecture him on how his wife needs to learn respect for the sake of our daughter.

I am then cleared and ask for Agent B’s name and ID badge number. Agent B, LT50 Demeke, then scatters my boarding documents over a table, grabs my driver’s license and boarding document, and takes it to her post to write down my information. When I tell her she has no right to take my things like that (remember she was not the individual who was assigned to perform my pat down), she told me that she did indeed have that right and also had the right to have me arrested if she wanted. She kindly gives me back my documents along with her name and wishes me a Merry Christmas.

I arrive at my destination and find that the bag that I checked did not leave the Houston airport. After speaking with a retired airport employee, I am quite certain that Agent B, LT 50 Demeke, used my identification and boarding documents to pull my suitcase off my flight for further inspection (of course with no intent other than pure malice).

This incident makes me sick. As an American citizen, I should have the right to not be harassed like this. TSA needs to have checks and balances. They should not be the god of the airport where they can do whatever they want to passengers. Agent B, LT50 Demeke, should be put on probation at the very least for this malicious and abusive behavior, if not fired. We deserve a right to speak up and create real change.

Another concern I have is this: what if my husband wasn’t there? Who would have looked after my daughter and belongings if I couldn’t touch them? I am scared to find out. So scared that I honestly feel sick thinking of flying again.

Please send this to anyone who will listen. Something needs to change. Mothers and families should not be targeted by TSA like this. Terrorists should be targeted. This is malicious, destructive behavior that needs to stop. If we don’t do something now, how far will we let it go? How many more basic rights will be taken away in the name of safety?

Welcome Aunt Audrey!

My sister and her fiancée came last weekend from Florida for a visit and to catch a Boise State game. We had a nice time hanging out. I was happy to finally meet her fiancée--they are just perfect for each other. Amora had a nice time getting spoiled by her aunt and soon-to-be-uncle.

We of course had to hit up the Boise State store. The helmet was Amora's favorite sport's gear.


She also loved her little "mop". She "mopped" the entire store in blue and orange. I'm sure the employees were grateful for her help.


Another highlight was going to the Bruneau Sand Dunes which is a park of gorgeous dunes of sand in the middle of nowhere. This is a photo of us girls before we began the hike to the top.


Here are Audrey and Derek hiking up. Notice how far behind I am with the camera. It is not easy hiking up steep hills of sand with a 25 pound wiggly little toddler.


It was quite cold at the dunes, so I let Amora wear my sweatshirt. She loved her little straight jacket until she needed her arms to throw rocks. At least we got a few good laughs out of it.


This is how Amora smiles on cue.


And this is Audrey's impression. Any resemblance?


Thanks Audrey and Derek for a great visit. We can't wait to see you for your wedding in 2 1/2 weeks!

Halloween

Before Halloween, we had a few friends over to carve pumpkins. This was the first time I can remember carving a pumpkin with a pattern so it would look really nice. I was not disappointed. Patterns make it so easy for non crafty people like me. We had a cute little ghost to decorate our home. A family pose.


I just had to include this picture. I told Amora to show her teeth when she smiled and open her eyes. I guess that was one too many directions.


We went to our church Trunk-or-Treat. Amora was the cutest cow! She got very good at telling everyone the sound a cow makes. Moo!


Here is Amora heading out to Trunk-or-Treat. She's holding her friend Michael's hand. He loved leading her along.


And this is during the Trunk-or-Treat. She got so excited to get candy that she popped one in her mouth with the wrapper on.


Her favorite treats this Halloween include lollipops, Tootsie Rolls, and anything with chocolate. Holidays are so much fun with little ones!

Trip to Oregon Part 5: Done Traveling

We tried a different route home, hoping for better luck than our first attempt. The plan was to drive 5 hours to Vancouver, stay overnight, and have Amora fly home with her grandma while I drive home.

The thing about plans is that they always have a way of changing. We made it 4 hours to Salem, stopped for dinner at my Dad's house, and began our last leg of the day. About 20 minutes out of Salem, the check engine light came on. I frantically called my step dad asking if I should pull over. He told me I could most likely keep going, so I didn't stop until I made it to Vancouver.

After telling my mother-in-law my concerns, we agreed that it would be best if I fly home with Amora and leave the car in the care of my father-in-law. We readily agreed and made it home, without the car.

Amora is done traveling...


And really cute about it.


And the car? We are still waiting on an estimate with a mechanic in Vancouver. Maybe I will have my freedom again. I'm not feeling very optimistic about it though. Cast your votes: how much will this repair cost me?

Trip to Oregon Part 4: Medford

After Salem, Amora and I traveled even further south to Medford. While there, we visited her Grammy Fullmer, Grandpa, and Uncle Jeremy.

Amora got to drive her uncle around (or just stay in park in the driveway, it's all the same to her). This is one of her sheer pleasures in life. Bliss.


We went bowling as a family, which Amora tolerated. Really, she just wanted to play in the arcade and darted over until I finally forfeited my position on the bowling roster and let her push all the buttons on every machine to her heart's content.

And of course every visit with my mom includes a photo shoot. Amora clung to me for dear life, so I am pictured in every one of the shots.


We took Jeremy's dog on a walk to the school park almost everyday. The school has two playgrounds. As soon as Amora realized this, she insisted that we hit each playground every time we went. Jeremy absolutely adored her and asked her over and over again if she wanted to sit on his lap down the slides.


Amora also got to enjoy being read to by someone other than me. She was reluctant at first, but agreed to it after weighing the pros and cons.


We packed up and hauled out after a busy two weeks only to be detoured. About 20 minutes out of Medford on our way home, the car overheated and the head gasket blew. I was quite calm about this revelation until the mechanic gave an estimate of $2100 to fix the engine. Luckily, my step dad came to save the day and lovingly labored over my car for 4 days. Here is a photo documenting his hard work. $500 later and almost a week after our scheduled departure time, the car started, passed the 45 minute test drive, and we were on our way home for the second time.

Trip to Oregon Part 3: Salem

After Portland, Amora and I traveled south to Salem. We had a chance to visit with her Papa, Grammy, Aunt Esther, Uncle John, and cousin Billy.

We went to a pumpkin patch for the first time. There was so much more to do than just look at pumpkins. The kids got to play on a playground, feed goats, climb on hay stacks, and run through a fort. It was a nice way to get them used to each other again.


The cousins also played together almost every night we were there because we all met together for dinners. Here they are playing in the couch pillows. Billy weighs more than 10 pounds more than Amora. I was afraid he would crush her at times! Fortunately, there were no major incidents.


They also got to play with their Papa. Any resemblance?


Amora had some fun cuddle mornings with Papa watching cartoons. It surprised all of us because she generally prefers females, but she took quite a liking to him.


And of course, we took many trips to the local parks. Here is Amora with her Grammy Cyndee.


What a nice trip to Salem we had. The weather was perfect and the company great!

Oregon Trip Part 2: Portland

After the wedding, Adam went home to go back to work, and Amora and I played in Portland for a few days.

We went to the Portland Zoo (it is so awesome) and got to feed the birds. If you have the nectar, they just fly directly on your arm. It surprised me so much, I spilled half of the nectar on Amora. She loved being so close to the birds.


Aunt Laurie, Cheri, and baby Braylen came with us to the zoo.


Before we left, Amora was able to hold baby Braylen, which she absolutely loved.


We also got to spend a day with Amora's girl cousins. We took the girls to the park and they played for hours. I'm so excited to watch them grow up together. In this photo, they were taking turns going down the slides.


Ella loves to be a mini mommy to little kids and adored that Amora held her hand and took her around the park. Too cute.

Oregon Trip Part 1: The Wedding

We went to Oregon a few weeks ago for my beautiful sister-in-law's wedding. She and her hubby are such an awesome match, and we couldn't be happier for them. The wedding was absolutely perfect, it didn't rain (a miracle for Portland), and they were both glowing. Here are a few pictures:

Here's the radiant couple exiting the temple. We're all pretty positive that they are going to make beautiful babies.


The siblings. Can you tell these boys love their baby sister? It's so sweet.


The bridesmaids. It was so fun getting to know Hannah's friends. They all traveled to support her. What great friends.


They both looked beautiful. I just love this picture.


And there's my handsome husband. See why I married him?


This is probably the only blog post that doesn't include a picture of Amora. Don't get used to it. Part 2 of our trip is coming up. :)

From the Mouth of Amora

We have so much fun listening to the complete sentences our daughter is able to conjure up. Here are a few:

• We're at church taking the Sacrament water. Amora says (not whispers), "Mmm, nummy water."
• At church Adam asked me about where a friend of ours is. I told him that he was probably out in the hall with his son Max because he's a boy and boys are harder to keep quiet. Amora announces, "Max is a boy!"
• When she wakes up in the morning or after her nap she says, "Done sleeping, Mommy."
• We were at a friends house where I was chatting with the mom and I hear Amora yell, "Mommy, Izzy hit me!" I'm pretty sure Izzy is not going to like that Amora can now tattle on her.
• Amora and I were in the car driving to go shopping. She says, "I love shopping Mommy."
• When Adam got home from work yesterday, she exclaimed, "Daddy home!"
• But probably the best thing I hear all day is when she says, "I love Mommy" or "I love you."

This makes up for her premature terrible two tantrums. I love her.

So Cute

I love watching my daughter learn and grow. Here are a few highlights at 21 months (don't remind me that she's almost 2--it's gone by too fast):

• She loves animals. Pep=Pet an animal
• She's learning colors. She'll hold up a crayon and tell me the color, waiting for me to confirm that it's correct. My favorites: pinky=pink, geen=green, boo=blue
• She loves shoes and insists on choosing her shoes for the day. She'll try them on and switch them if I tell her they're on the wrong feet.
• Anytime we finish a fun activity, she'll say "again!"
• Nore=More
• Nummy=Yummy
• Amora is now getting into dinosaurs, thanks to Jacob (the boy I babysit). She insists that I give her a dinosaur sandwich every day and we read dinosaur books from the library.
• Last week as I'm changing Amora's diaper, she says, "Poop, looloo (doodoo)." I explained that poop and doodoo are the same thing but Mommy calls it doodoo. She responded by saying "I call it looloo."
• She loves to tease her daddy and call him Mommy.
• We got her a pillow that she absolutely loves. Since getting the pillow, she doesn't thrash as much in her sleep and hasn't fallen off the bed.

My shoe girl. This is how I found her after her nap.


At the fish hatchery. She kept exclaiming, "Mommy, fish!"


Looking for trouble.


Purse, check. Phone, check.


Dress up is fun!

Family Reunion

We went to Utah a couple of weeks ago for a family reunion on the Loumeau side. It was so nice to get to know everyone. We stayed in awesome condos in Park City and were able to sneak away to the outlets as well. Even though a lot of people were there, most of my pictures included one special little girl. I can't help it. Seriously.

She had time to play with her daddy. They love every minute they get to spend together.


She got to see her grandma and grandpa. Here she is taking a look at a picture of herself.


Impromptu family photo without the in-laws (what I called "Team Ron").


With the in-laws. Amora looks a little crazy in this picture, but I look nice. :)


All tired out after a long night of fun.


Thanks to everyone who made this weekend happen. A lot of sacrifices were made for us all to get together and we're all really grateful. Can't wait for the next reunion!

First Haircut

Amora's hair was driving me crazy! With a comb and scissors in hand, I resolved to cut her hair. I gave her a Popsicle to keep her still (which worked surprisingly well) and hacked away. The only way to become good is by practice, so here is my guinea pig.

The before:


After (not perfect but a definite improvement):


Another after (this time an action shot):