Yesterday morning my house was visited by the candy fairy! To adequately explain this occurrence, I need to back up a bit.
A couple of weeks ago I had a bag of chocolate that I took to my Young Women activity. Amber had asked if I would save her a piece of chocolate. And I had told her there probably wouldn't be any left over. Well, I got home that night, she was in bed, and I had a little bit of chocolate left. But I didn't want to wake her. So I had John put chocolate under her the girls' pillows. In the morning they found the chocolate and I told them the candy fairy had visited and left the chocolate under their pillows! I had to do some fast thinking when Timothy felt left out. So I dropped a piece of chocolate next to his bed and told him he had just knocked it off his bed when he moved his pillow during the night!
Okay, so fast forward to yesterday morning. Everybody was supposed to be getting dressed and ready for the day. I was in the kitchen making breakfast and all of a sudden Amber comes running out, "Mom, the candy fairy left smarties for Emma!" Then she ran to Timothy's room. "Timothy got some too! And there's some for Micah, and I got some too!"
At this point I thought John had been sneaky and left the smarties for everyone while they were downstairs looking for clothes. But then why was there candy under my pillow and under John's pillow? Still I thought, John was just being funny and trying to help the kids improve their moods a bit.
But my assumptions were wrong. John had not played candy fairy. I had not played candy fairy. So who did? The evidence points to Amber! I guess Amber has picked up on the fact that the candy fairy was fired recently and she took over the job! Gotta love her. She didn't tell me what she was doing, she just did it. I am in awe over how grown up Amber is becoming!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Tooth Fairy Adventures
Amber lost a tooth on Sunday. To say the least, I was not prepared for this occurrence. I knew she needed to get that tooth out as the new one had started growing behind and looked to be growing too far back. I had John work on the tooth and he eventually pulled it out!
But this created a problem. We weren't prepared for a visit from the Tooth Fairy! Oh no. What do we do? Amber wants to put her tooth under her pillow and she will be severely disappointed in the morning if she doesn't get anything from the tooth fairy that same night. So yes, I lied to my daughter. I told her the Tooth fairy doesn't work on Sunday so she might as well wait until Monday night to put her tooth under her pillow.
I think I will be forgiven for telling this lie to my daughter. I had to. I had to prevent the attitude stemming from the disappointment of not being visited by the tooth fairy.
But this created a problem. We weren't prepared for a visit from the Tooth Fairy! Oh no. What do we do? Amber wants to put her tooth under her pillow and she will be severely disappointed in the morning if she doesn't get anything from the tooth fairy that same night. So yes, I lied to my daughter. I told her the Tooth fairy doesn't work on Sunday so she might as well wait until Monday night to put her tooth under her pillow.
I think I will be forgiven for telling this lie to my daughter. I had to. I had to prevent the attitude stemming from the disappointment of not being visited by the tooth fairy.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Small (or big!) miracles
I did not realize how long it has been since I last posted. Life has a way of pulling me in so many directions and unfortunately the blog has fallen to the wayside.
At the moment I am awestruck with my eldest daughter. She has become so much more grown up and I am just noticing, I guess. She absolutely amazes me sometimes. On Saturday she received a little bit of money so she wanted to pay tithing. She found a donation slip and an envelope to put her tithing money in. As she filled out the donation slip, she noticed the line that said "Perpetual Education." She asked what that meant, what that was for. So I explained to her that in some places there are people who do not have the opportunity for an education like she has. I explained that we can donate money to the Perpetual education fund to help these people get an education. I fully expected that after hearing my explanation that she would just let it drop. I was shocked and amazed at her response. She turned to me and said, "I want to give money for that too!" Her eyes lit up and there was pure innocence on her face. How could I deny her the opportunity, in her own small way to do something for somebody else? There was no way I was going to tell her no right then. So she went to her bank where she keeps her pennies, and carefully counted out ten pennies! Ten cents is not very much, but to me at that moment, ten cents could change the world!
On Sunday morning I had told Amber to get three bowls out for the three kids who would be eating breakfast. Being insightful and observant, she realized that it was Fast Sunday and John and I would not be eating breakfast. So she turned to John and asked what it means to fast. John explained to her that we go without food or water, and that we pray for specific things and that by fasting we are more receptive to the spirit. He also told her we have the opportunity to donate the money we would have used on the meals we do not eat that day to help others who need a little extra help. Once again, I thought she would accept the answer and go eat breakfast. But she turned to us and told us she wanted to fast with us. I think my jaw hit the floor and I had to catch myself in my response. I started to say no because I didn't think she could handle it. But I stopped before I could get the word out. After all, I didn't want to discourage her. It was her decision. She wanted to participate in a fast. So why not let her try? So I told her that if she really wanted to, then she could. So, with a spring in her steps she went to the kitchen to get out two bowls instead of three.
Have I mentioned how much she amazes me? Despite the tantrums and the attitude, I really am proud of her. While we were enjoying treats after Family Home Evening today, I took the opportunity to tell her how proud I am of her and how much she has impressed me. She was positively glowing. If her smile had gotten any bigger, I think her face would have split in two!
I then took a few moments to tell Emma and Timothy why I am proud of them. Oh my, do I really not praise them enough? They soaked up the praise and were so much more willing to do what I asked after the few moments I spent telling them how wonderful they are!
Then it was time for pajamas. Amber quickly put pajamas on and asked if she could read a chapter of her book to me. So while we were waiting for the other two, I sat and listened to her read about Horrible Harry and the Ant Invasion! It was actually quite amusing to hear her read the story. We stopped halfway through the story to gather for family prayer and then I told her I would come sit in bed with her while she finished reading the story to me. By this time her face was glowing and the light in her eyes was unmistakable. I think we both needed this time. I enjoyed listening to her read me a story. It was a nice change from me having to read.
Amber finished her story and switched beds. I sat with Emma for a few minutes while she read to me. When it was time to turn lights out, Emma was only halfway through the small book she was reading. So with the promise of finishing the book tomorrow, we turned the lights out and the girls got ready to go to sleep. At that point I went in to Timothy's room and sat on his bed. While I had been reading with the girls, he would sneak under John's radar and magically appear on the bed with the girls! Then with utter disappointment when I turned him away, he would shuffle back to his bed. So I sat on his bed with him. Amidst the cries of "get off my blanket" we finally got settled and he asked me to lay with him as we read a story. I read Uh Oh Max to him, which only took a few minutes. When I finished, I left a happy boy in his bed ready to go to sleep! Yay! I count tonight as a huge success.
You see, tonight was a huge success because lately I have felt extremely frustrated. I have not been able to figure out what the kids want, why they are so whiny and just plain moody. While I still don't know why, I feel as if we averted some of that moodiness for just a little bit. I am not frustrated and we weren't fighting over bedtime. Yay for small miracles in my life!
At the moment I am awestruck with my eldest daughter. She has become so much more grown up and I am just noticing, I guess. She absolutely amazes me sometimes. On Saturday she received a little bit of money so she wanted to pay tithing. She found a donation slip and an envelope to put her tithing money in. As she filled out the donation slip, she noticed the line that said "Perpetual Education." She asked what that meant, what that was for. So I explained to her that in some places there are people who do not have the opportunity for an education like she has. I explained that we can donate money to the Perpetual education fund to help these people get an education. I fully expected that after hearing my explanation that she would just let it drop. I was shocked and amazed at her response. She turned to me and said, "I want to give money for that too!" Her eyes lit up and there was pure innocence on her face. How could I deny her the opportunity, in her own small way to do something for somebody else? There was no way I was going to tell her no right then. So she went to her bank where she keeps her pennies, and carefully counted out ten pennies! Ten cents is not very much, but to me at that moment, ten cents could change the world!
On Sunday morning I had told Amber to get three bowls out for the three kids who would be eating breakfast. Being insightful and observant, she realized that it was Fast Sunday and John and I would not be eating breakfast. So she turned to John and asked what it means to fast. John explained to her that we go without food or water, and that we pray for specific things and that by fasting we are more receptive to the spirit. He also told her we have the opportunity to donate the money we would have used on the meals we do not eat that day to help others who need a little extra help. Once again, I thought she would accept the answer and go eat breakfast. But she turned to us and told us she wanted to fast with us. I think my jaw hit the floor and I had to catch myself in my response. I started to say no because I didn't think she could handle it. But I stopped before I could get the word out. After all, I didn't want to discourage her. It was her decision. She wanted to participate in a fast. So why not let her try? So I told her that if she really wanted to, then she could. So, with a spring in her steps she went to the kitchen to get out two bowls instead of three.
Have I mentioned how much she amazes me? Despite the tantrums and the attitude, I really am proud of her. While we were enjoying treats after Family Home Evening today, I took the opportunity to tell her how proud I am of her and how much she has impressed me. She was positively glowing. If her smile had gotten any bigger, I think her face would have split in two!
I then took a few moments to tell Emma and Timothy why I am proud of them. Oh my, do I really not praise them enough? They soaked up the praise and were so much more willing to do what I asked after the few moments I spent telling them how wonderful they are!
Then it was time for pajamas. Amber quickly put pajamas on and asked if she could read a chapter of her book to me. So while we were waiting for the other two, I sat and listened to her read about Horrible Harry and the Ant Invasion! It was actually quite amusing to hear her read the story. We stopped halfway through the story to gather for family prayer and then I told her I would come sit in bed with her while she finished reading the story to me. By this time her face was glowing and the light in her eyes was unmistakable. I think we both needed this time. I enjoyed listening to her read me a story. It was a nice change from me having to read.
Amber finished her story and switched beds. I sat with Emma for a few minutes while she read to me. When it was time to turn lights out, Emma was only halfway through the small book she was reading. So with the promise of finishing the book tomorrow, we turned the lights out and the girls got ready to go to sleep. At that point I went in to Timothy's room and sat on his bed. While I had been reading with the girls, he would sneak under John's radar and magically appear on the bed with the girls! Then with utter disappointment when I turned him away, he would shuffle back to his bed. So I sat on his bed with him. Amidst the cries of "get off my blanket" we finally got settled and he asked me to lay with him as we read a story. I read Uh Oh Max to him, which only took a few minutes. When I finished, I left a happy boy in his bed ready to go to sleep! Yay! I count tonight as a huge success.
You see, tonight was a huge success because lately I have felt extremely frustrated. I have not been able to figure out what the kids want, why they are so whiny and just plain moody. While I still don't know why, I feel as if we averted some of that moodiness for just a little bit. I am not frustrated and we weren't fighting over bedtime. Yay for small miracles in my life!
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite!
Growing up we chanted quite regularly the old adage, "Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite!" As a young child I never realized bed bugs were real. I always thought it was just something funny to say so we would all go to sleep and sleep well. Little did I know that these bugs could actually invade my home!
As an adult I would hear stories about bed bugs in hotels, but I never really thought about it. I've stayed in plenty of hotels, but never thought twice about picking up bed bugs in the hotel! I never really considered it a real threat. After all, I never heard about anyone close to me having an issue with these pesky bugs.
So, when I started seeing little black bugs on the beds, the thought that they were bed bugs didn't cross my mind. I was only seeing them occasionally, so I thought it was just another common household bug. So I dismissed the bugs and went on my merry way. Occasionally I would wake up with bug bites but chalked it up to spider bites because we have had a lot of spiders in our home. The thought of bed bugs still did not even cross my mind.
Then I had my fourth child. We had just gotten home from the hospital and by this time the bug population had grown exponentially. I was waking up with a lot of bites, which I thought was hives. At this point I still didn't realize we had bed bugs. I am so oblivious sometimes! I told John that I must be having a reaction to the medication. After a short while I dismissed that notion. Then I thought, well, it wasn't too long ago we changed the laundry detergent. Maybe I'm allergic to that. So I started putting my laundry through a second rinse cycle. That wasn't doing any good.
As I sat pondering this predicament and being frustrated with not knowing what was happening, the thought came to my mind that we probably had bed bugs. I almost laughed out loud because the thought was incredibly ridiculous! Bed bugs? Me? In my house? No way! So I ignored the thought. Then I had the thought again, louder this time, shouting at me! So I went to the trusty internet. :) I googled bed bugs and found multiple websites. I found one with a good description and even pictures of these bugs. To my horror, this is exactly what I was dealing with. Bed bugs!
So, how was I to get rid of these pesky bugs? The prospect looked grim. I thought I could just get some bug spray and get rid of them myself. Maybe there was a good home remedy that wouldn't cost and arm and a leg. But, in all my research, I learned self home remedies were not effective against this resilient bug. We would need the help of a professional exterminator. The search was on. We found a company that we thought would do the job well. During the initial consultation they guaranteed their work. They were confident the problem would be taken care of! They left leaving us hopeful we would be able to take care of the problem. They came, treated our home multiple times, and then the warranty period was over! The bugs should have been gone.
We hadn't seen any bugs for awhile and hadn't been getting bit. All of a sudden Timothy started getting bit big time. One day he had so many bug bites it looked like chicken pox. Emma and Amber were getting bit. Apparently these bugs were resilient to the pesticides used to exterminate them! At this point I didn't know what to do. We had tried the professional exterminator, could we really afford another one?
Then I found out one of my neighbors was dealing with these same bugs. She told me about the company they went to and I decided it was worth a shot. I called them, and they were able to come the very next day. They seemed better qualified than the first company to treat bed bugs! I was confident we could take care of the problem this time. I was so full of hope.
Throughout all of this I had to keep reminding myself that this isn't what I call a "dirty" bug. I didn't get bed bugs because my house is unclean. I do admit my house is a disaster most days, but it isn't because it is unclean. In the bedrooms it is clutter. But the clutter did not cause us to get bed bugs. It isn't like ants that invade when there's food left out.
The other thing to keep in mind was that these bugs do not cause diseases. They are just annoying. And they mainly come out at night when we are sleeping because it is dark and they have a lot of time to eat! They like to stay close to the food source so they will stay close to the beds. We only had bugs in the three bedrooms upstairs. We did not have them in the living room, the kitchen, the bathroom, or the basement. That was a relief!
Because the kids had these pesky bugs in their beds, I was ready to throw out the beds and buy new ones. This second exterminator assured us we would not need to replace the beds. He was 100% confident he could take care of the problem. As far as I can tell right now, these bugs are finally gone! They are no longer invading our home. We have our home back. Pesky pests no longer make their home in our beds!
It has been a long journey to get rid of these pesky bugs. Fortunately we caught the problem before it was too bad. The exterminator has regaled us with stories of worse cases than ours. I am grateful we figured out the problem and have been able to take care of it in the early stages!
As an adult I would hear stories about bed bugs in hotels, but I never really thought about it. I've stayed in plenty of hotels, but never thought twice about picking up bed bugs in the hotel! I never really considered it a real threat. After all, I never heard about anyone close to me having an issue with these pesky bugs.
So, when I started seeing little black bugs on the beds, the thought that they were bed bugs didn't cross my mind. I was only seeing them occasionally, so I thought it was just another common household bug. So I dismissed the bugs and went on my merry way. Occasionally I would wake up with bug bites but chalked it up to spider bites because we have had a lot of spiders in our home. The thought of bed bugs still did not even cross my mind.
Then I had my fourth child. We had just gotten home from the hospital and by this time the bug population had grown exponentially. I was waking up with a lot of bites, which I thought was hives. At this point I still didn't realize we had bed bugs. I am so oblivious sometimes! I told John that I must be having a reaction to the medication. After a short while I dismissed that notion. Then I thought, well, it wasn't too long ago we changed the laundry detergent. Maybe I'm allergic to that. So I started putting my laundry through a second rinse cycle. That wasn't doing any good.
As I sat pondering this predicament and being frustrated with not knowing what was happening, the thought came to my mind that we probably had bed bugs. I almost laughed out loud because the thought was incredibly ridiculous! Bed bugs? Me? In my house? No way! So I ignored the thought. Then I had the thought again, louder this time, shouting at me! So I went to the trusty internet. :) I googled bed bugs and found multiple websites. I found one with a good description and even pictures of these bugs. To my horror, this is exactly what I was dealing with. Bed bugs!
So, how was I to get rid of these pesky bugs? The prospect looked grim. I thought I could just get some bug spray and get rid of them myself. Maybe there was a good home remedy that wouldn't cost and arm and a leg. But, in all my research, I learned self home remedies were not effective against this resilient bug. We would need the help of a professional exterminator. The search was on. We found a company that we thought would do the job well. During the initial consultation they guaranteed their work. They were confident the problem would be taken care of! They left leaving us hopeful we would be able to take care of the problem. They came, treated our home multiple times, and then the warranty period was over! The bugs should have been gone.
We hadn't seen any bugs for awhile and hadn't been getting bit. All of a sudden Timothy started getting bit big time. One day he had so many bug bites it looked like chicken pox. Emma and Amber were getting bit. Apparently these bugs were resilient to the pesticides used to exterminate them! At this point I didn't know what to do. We had tried the professional exterminator, could we really afford another one?
Then I found out one of my neighbors was dealing with these same bugs. She told me about the company they went to and I decided it was worth a shot. I called them, and they were able to come the very next day. They seemed better qualified than the first company to treat bed bugs! I was confident we could take care of the problem this time. I was so full of hope.
Throughout all of this I had to keep reminding myself that this isn't what I call a "dirty" bug. I didn't get bed bugs because my house is unclean. I do admit my house is a disaster most days, but it isn't because it is unclean. In the bedrooms it is clutter. But the clutter did not cause us to get bed bugs. It isn't like ants that invade when there's food left out.
The other thing to keep in mind was that these bugs do not cause diseases. They are just annoying. And they mainly come out at night when we are sleeping because it is dark and they have a lot of time to eat! They like to stay close to the food source so they will stay close to the beds. We only had bugs in the three bedrooms upstairs. We did not have them in the living room, the kitchen, the bathroom, or the basement. That was a relief!
Because the kids had these pesky bugs in their beds, I was ready to throw out the beds and buy new ones. This second exterminator assured us we would not need to replace the beds. He was 100% confident he could take care of the problem. As far as I can tell right now, these bugs are finally gone! They are no longer invading our home. We have our home back. Pesky pests no longer make their home in our beds!
It has been a long journey to get rid of these pesky bugs. Fortunately we caught the problem before it was too bad. The exterminator has regaled us with stories of worse cases than ours. I am grateful we figured out the problem and have been able to take care of it in the early stages!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Reflections on walking
Reflections on walking:
Walking allows the mind to clear and the soul to breathe. Walking awakens the senses allowing a person to enjoy the beauty of the day. Walking engages the senses that have been awakened allowing a person to appreciate the beauty of God's creations!
Reasons for these reflections:
Last week the other carpool mom was out of town, so that left me trying to get Amber to school in the mornings. I wasn't too worried, after all, how hard could it be to get everyone in the car and drive her there? So Monday morning rolls around, and I have about 15 minutes before time to go. I realize, wait, I need to get dressed! Then a couple of minutes later I made the last minute decision that I would let Amber walk to school with some of her friends. She begs me every morning to walk. So I made a phone call to make sure her friend was walking, and then we got everyone out the door. We made it on time! What a feat. I wasn't prepared to walk that morning, but we did it and Amber absolutely loved being able to walk. So I thought, maybe we'll walk all week long. That would be a nice treat for Amber.
Then I came home and was looking at my calendar, reminding myself of activities for the week. Ummmm . . . okay, so maybe walking was not going to work out. I realized I had an online seminar to attend for the next three days. I had to be signed in by 9 a.m. to get the credit for attending. Yikes, yikes, yikes. That's what I get for making rash decisions and getting Amber's hopes up! Never fear, the other moms who had been meeting us were willing to let Amber tag along. I really appreciated them letting Amber tag along. It made her happy to be able to walk. This was a little thing I could do for her so maybe she could have a better day, a better week. John was able to walk with her one of the days and she was so happy to have daddy go with her. What a special treat that was. She ended up being able to walk every day last week.
So Monday this week rolls around. I know there are very few nice days left to walk in the mornings. It is starting to get chilly and I won't be able to justify taking the other kids out. So, when I finished feeding the baby in enough time to let Amber walk, I once again made the last minute decision to walk. But I would have to send Amber on ahead and I would follow in a few minutes with everyone else. I called the carpool mom and told her Amber would be walking. I caught up to Amber about halfway to school. I had to almost run to catch up with her.
Yesterday was the PTA's Walk to School day. I had always planned on letting Amber walk, but I failed to leave as early as I had hoped because I got distracted. I didn't know when the other moms who walk were leaving. So I left and hoped to run into them. Apparently I was too late because I didn't run into any of them on the way. Oh well. It wasn't such a big deal. I'm a big girl and can walk with my children alone. It was actually an uneventful walk. My cousin did catch up with us and walked with the girls for a bit and then ran ahead to catch her friend. I think Amber was a little disappointed to not have her friends walk with her, but it happens. I stayed with her until her teacher took her inside. She was so excited that I stayed.
I was going to stay and let the other two play on the playground for awhile. But after a couple of minutes Emma was complaining about needing to go potty. I decided it would be best to head home rather than fighting to get her into the school restroom! It turned out she didn't need to pee as bad as she thought and we were able to take a nice leisurely walk home. We didn't have a reason to hurry, we didn't have to keep up with anyone else.
So with the few times I have walked with Amber, I have had time to think, to just be outside, and enjoy the fresh air. It has been a nice change from the regular routine. Now back to our routine, back to the carpool. I will miss walking, but I also enjoy the less hectic morning.
Walking allows the mind to clear and the soul to breathe. Walking awakens the senses allowing a person to enjoy the beauty of the day. Walking engages the senses that have been awakened allowing a person to appreciate the beauty of God's creations!
Reasons for these reflections:
Last week the other carpool mom was out of town, so that left me trying to get Amber to school in the mornings. I wasn't too worried, after all, how hard could it be to get everyone in the car and drive her there? So Monday morning rolls around, and I have about 15 minutes before time to go. I realize, wait, I need to get dressed! Then a couple of minutes later I made the last minute decision that I would let Amber walk to school with some of her friends. She begs me every morning to walk. So I made a phone call to make sure her friend was walking, and then we got everyone out the door. We made it on time! What a feat. I wasn't prepared to walk that morning, but we did it and Amber absolutely loved being able to walk. So I thought, maybe we'll walk all week long. That would be a nice treat for Amber.
Then I came home and was looking at my calendar, reminding myself of activities for the week. Ummmm . . . okay, so maybe walking was not going to work out. I realized I had an online seminar to attend for the next three days. I had to be signed in by 9 a.m. to get the credit for attending. Yikes, yikes, yikes. That's what I get for making rash decisions and getting Amber's hopes up! Never fear, the other moms who had been meeting us were willing to let Amber tag along. I really appreciated them letting Amber tag along. It made her happy to be able to walk. This was a little thing I could do for her so maybe she could have a better day, a better week. John was able to walk with her one of the days and she was so happy to have daddy go with her. What a special treat that was. She ended up being able to walk every day last week.
So Monday this week rolls around. I know there are very few nice days left to walk in the mornings. It is starting to get chilly and I won't be able to justify taking the other kids out. So, when I finished feeding the baby in enough time to let Amber walk, I once again made the last minute decision to walk. But I would have to send Amber on ahead and I would follow in a few minutes with everyone else. I called the carpool mom and told her Amber would be walking. I caught up to Amber about halfway to school. I had to almost run to catch up with her.
Yesterday was the PTA's Walk to School day. I had always planned on letting Amber walk, but I failed to leave as early as I had hoped because I got distracted. I didn't know when the other moms who walk were leaving. So I left and hoped to run into them. Apparently I was too late because I didn't run into any of them on the way. Oh well. It wasn't such a big deal. I'm a big girl and can walk with my children alone. It was actually an uneventful walk. My cousin did catch up with us and walked with the girls for a bit and then ran ahead to catch her friend. I think Amber was a little disappointed to not have her friends walk with her, but it happens. I stayed with her until her teacher took her inside. She was so excited that I stayed.
I was going to stay and let the other two play on the playground for awhile. But after a couple of minutes Emma was complaining about needing to go potty. I decided it would be best to head home rather than fighting to get her into the school restroom! It turned out she didn't need to pee as bad as she thought and we were able to take a nice leisurely walk home. We didn't have a reason to hurry, we didn't have to keep up with anyone else.
So with the few times I have walked with Amber, I have had time to think, to just be outside, and enjoy the fresh air. It has been a nice change from the regular routine. Now back to our routine, back to the carpool. I will miss walking, but I also enjoy the less hectic morning.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
We've been busy
Okay, so I've neglected this blog for quite some time. I didn't realize how long it had been. So here's what we've been up to the past couple of months.
During the summer months I was working a whole lot more. I had the best of both worlds. I was still able to be with my family while going in to work a few days a week. But it made the summer very busy. Coordinating schedules was the biggest challenge, but we were blessed to have one of the young women in our neighborhood be willing to babysit one morning a week for the entire summer! I'm sure she could have found something better and more fun to do, but I will always be grateful for her.
The last week of July was Girl's camp. The girls left on Wednesday and even though they aren't my family, I felt so sad sending them off without me. It was very difficult to leave them in the hands of others. I joined them on Friday morning and camp ended Saturday morning.
Right from Girls camp me and John drove to Nephi to meet up with Aunt Deb. My kids were with Aunt Deb and we had plans to stay with her for the rest of the weekend. Fun times were had by all.
About a week later I had Youth Conference. I hadn't been planning on being there, but then I realized I could be there at least the first day. It was so crazy getting everything ready for that. Plus I was trying to get everything ready for our trip to Michigan. It seems as if everything happened at the end of the summer! Thank goodness for the extra work I had this summer that allowed us to make the trip to visit with John's family. The kids were so excited to see Papa John and Grandma Kate!
We left for Michigan on August 13th. Now, the drive can be 24 hours, but with 4 small children, that 24 hours quickly spread into 30! It was a very long drive, but the kids were amazing in the car. The girls didn't fight very much, and the boys were happy as long as we got them out of the car seats every time we stopped! This was the difficult part for me because I wanted them to sleep most of the night, but alas, nothing ever goes as planned.
We spent about 5 days with John's family before heading back home. There were things I needed to take care of and school was starting on the 23rd. School here seriously needs to start later. I felt like we had very little summer. But part of that is my fault for working. I wouldn't trade it for anything though. Life has been crazy but has been so worth it!
Like I said, school started on the 23rd for Amber. Emma started Kindergarten a week later, on the 30th. It is so hard for me to see Emma coming out of school at the end of the day with all the big kids. Seeing her next to all the big kids makes her seem so little still. I've had a harder time sending her to Kindergarten than my oldest. I was so not prepared for this!
Since then we've signed Amber up for soccer so we'll see how this goes. She is so excited. John gets to be her coach, and I am a member of the soccer league board. Amber didn't want to play until she found out John would be her coach! It helps to see both of us excited about her playing. My hope is that she gains some confidence that spills over into other areas. In the past year she has lost a lot of confidence in herself. I would like to see her build her confidence levels again. It makes me sad to see how she is.
Oh, and in the midst of all of that, we've been to the Discovery museum downtown, and the Dinosaur museum at Thanksgiving Point. And the girls have found time to have play dates with some of their friends. I've found time for a few baking nights in the midst of all this craziness. I need to bake to keep my sanity sometimes.
Despite all of that, I have managed to keep my family fed, the grocery shopping done, and actually get a few minutes of shut eye! Sleep deprived mom is not fun. Just ask my kids, and then ask my husband.
During the summer months I was working a whole lot more. I had the best of both worlds. I was still able to be with my family while going in to work a few days a week. But it made the summer very busy. Coordinating schedules was the biggest challenge, but we were blessed to have one of the young women in our neighborhood be willing to babysit one morning a week for the entire summer! I'm sure she could have found something better and more fun to do, but I will always be grateful for her.
The last week of July was Girl's camp. The girls left on Wednesday and even though they aren't my family, I felt so sad sending them off without me. It was very difficult to leave them in the hands of others. I joined them on Friday morning and camp ended Saturday morning.
Right from Girls camp me and John drove to Nephi to meet up with Aunt Deb. My kids were with Aunt Deb and we had plans to stay with her for the rest of the weekend. Fun times were had by all.
About a week later I had Youth Conference. I hadn't been planning on being there, but then I realized I could be there at least the first day. It was so crazy getting everything ready for that. Plus I was trying to get everything ready for our trip to Michigan. It seems as if everything happened at the end of the summer! Thank goodness for the extra work I had this summer that allowed us to make the trip to visit with John's family. The kids were so excited to see Papa John and Grandma Kate!
We left for Michigan on August 13th. Now, the drive can be 24 hours, but with 4 small children, that 24 hours quickly spread into 30! It was a very long drive, but the kids were amazing in the car. The girls didn't fight very much, and the boys were happy as long as we got them out of the car seats every time we stopped! This was the difficult part for me because I wanted them to sleep most of the night, but alas, nothing ever goes as planned.
We spent about 5 days with John's family before heading back home. There were things I needed to take care of and school was starting on the 23rd. School here seriously needs to start later. I felt like we had very little summer. But part of that is my fault for working. I wouldn't trade it for anything though. Life has been crazy but has been so worth it!
Like I said, school started on the 23rd for Amber. Emma started Kindergarten a week later, on the 30th. It is so hard for me to see Emma coming out of school at the end of the day with all the big kids. Seeing her next to all the big kids makes her seem so little still. I've had a harder time sending her to Kindergarten than my oldest. I was so not prepared for this!
Since then we've signed Amber up for soccer so we'll see how this goes. She is so excited. John gets to be her coach, and I am a member of the soccer league board. Amber didn't want to play until she found out John would be her coach! It helps to see both of us excited about her playing. My hope is that she gains some confidence that spills over into other areas. In the past year she has lost a lot of confidence in herself. I would like to see her build her confidence levels again. It makes me sad to see how she is.
Oh, and in the midst of all of that, we've been to the Discovery museum downtown, and the Dinosaur museum at Thanksgiving Point. And the girls have found time to have play dates with some of their friends. I've found time for a few baking nights in the midst of all this craziness. I need to bake to keep my sanity sometimes.
Despite all of that, I have managed to keep my family fed, the grocery shopping done, and actually get a few minutes of shut eye! Sleep deprived mom is not fun. Just ask my kids, and then ask my husband.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Life through the eyes of my children!
Life can be so complicated as an adult. I find myself being caught up in the complications and stresses of life. Amidst the complications and chaos of my life, my children gave me a priceless gift. They allowed me a glimpse into their world, a view of life through their precious eyes!
Here is life through the eyes of my children! Enjoy!
Here is life through the eyes of my children! Enjoy!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Shoplifting was not on my bucket list!
Yes, I have a bucket list. A list of things I want to do sometime in my life. Shoplifting was never on that list, well until yesterday I suppose. But then again, I didn't intend to put shoplifting on that list. It just happened. I didn't realize I had taken anything until we had left the store! The sensors did not go off as we walked out.
So here's the story. Yesterday I was at the Park City outlets having a girls shopping trip. We were perusing the GAP outlet, trying on clothes and leaving many behind. At one point I had picked up a pair of socks thinking they were cute. I picked up a shirt that I wanted. We finished perusing and paid for our items. I had forgotten about those silly socks by then. So we left. Imagine my surprise and shock when I flipped the sunshade on the stroller only to find those silly socks! I hadn't even made an effort to pay for them. I had completely forgot about the socks in the melee of finding and trying on clothes. So I turned to Cori and said, Ummm . . . I need to go back. She looks at me all funny and asks, why. So I showed her the socks and told her I hadn't paid for them. So we get back to the store and I asked Cori to hold the door open for me so I could get the stroller in. She offered to just take the socks in for me! i am still flabbergasted that the sensors didn't go off when we left or when Cori went back in. I was mortified. So there you go. I am a shoplifter!
So here's the story. Yesterday I was at the Park City outlets having a girls shopping trip. We were perusing the GAP outlet, trying on clothes and leaving many behind. At one point I had picked up a pair of socks thinking they were cute. I picked up a shirt that I wanted. We finished perusing and paid for our items. I had forgotten about those silly socks by then. So we left. Imagine my surprise and shock when I flipped the sunshade on the stroller only to find those silly socks! I hadn't even made an effort to pay for them. I had completely forgot about the socks in the melee of finding and trying on clothes. So I turned to Cori and said, Ummm . . . I need to go back. She looks at me all funny and asks, why. So I showed her the socks and told her I hadn't paid for them. So we get back to the store and I asked Cori to hold the door open for me so I could get the stroller in. She offered to just take the socks in for me! i am still flabbergasted that the sensors didn't go off when we left or when Cori went back in. I was mortified. So there you go. I am a shoplifter!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Am I really that bad?
A couple of weeks ago I took three of my children to the store with me. One stayed at home watching a movie while John mowed the lawn. This was not the ideal situation for me, but I had no other option. Either let the kids wreak havoc on the house, get in trouble, and get in more trouble, OR take them with me where at least I can keep an eye on them.
So I headed out with a 7 yo, a 2 1/2 yo, and a 2 mo. old child. Now, this should not have been such a challenge, but my children were in a rare mood that morning. They wanted everything they saw in the store, of course! Keeping a 2 1/2 yo entertained at the store is a challenge. He likes to stand up in the cart, not the back of the cart mind you. You know that little seat on the shopping cart with the seatbelt to keep your kids safe? So my 2 yo plays Houdini. He can get out of that seatbelt in 2 seconds flat! I just stop bothering with it. But he does like to stand up. Maybe I have a surfer on my hands.
We were waiting to check out and my 7 yo gets bored waiting. My 2 1/2 yo gets bored and continues to stand up and climb out of the cart. I got mad at both of them. The lady behind me took it upon herself to comment about me and my unruly children. "Maybe you should stop having them if you can't handle them!" Ummm okay. I can handle my children. Why don't people just mind their own business? Obviously she doesn't remember what it is like to have a 2 1/2 yo boy who has a mind of his own!
But this incident did cause me to question. Am I really that bad? I admit I'm not perfect, but if I was perfect I wouldn't still be here, right? I try to teach my children how to behave. Actually, that trip to the store was to get items to help me teach them new chores! How ironic right?
So I headed out with a 7 yo, a 2 1/2 yo, and a 2 mo. old child. Now, this should not have been such a challenge, but my children were in a rare mood that morning. They wanted everything they saw in the store, of course! Keeping a 2 1/2 yo entertained at the store is a challenge. He likes to stand up in the cart, not the back of the cart mind you. You know that little seat on the shopping cart with the seatbelt to keep your kids safe? So my 2 yo plays Houdini. He can get out of that seatbelt in 2 seconds flat! I just stop bothering with it. But he does like to stand up. Maybe I have a surfer on my hands.
We were waiting to check out and my 7 yo gets bored waiting. My 2 1/2 yo gets bored and continues to stand up and climb out of the cart. I got mad at both of them. The lady behind me took it upon herself to comment about me and my unruly children. "Maybe you should stop having them if you can't handle them!" Ummm okay. I can handle my children. Why don't people just mind their own business? Obviously she doesn't remember what it is like to have a 2 1/2 yo boy who has a mind of his own!
But this incident did cause me to question. Am I really that bad? I admit I'm not perfect, but if I was perfect I wouldn't still be here, right? I try to teach my children how to behave. Actually, that trip to the store was to get items to help me teach them new chores! How ironic right?
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Good lesson to Remember
A friend emailed this story to me and I thought it was worth sharing with more than I had in my email list. I do not know who wrote the story, and I have not actually checked the truth of the story. But, as a story, it still has its merits. It has great worth as a reminder to us all. Yes, this is one of those many stories about veterans, but I have a soft spot for veterans in my heart. Maybe because my own husband is a veteran of many wars. It is difficult for me to fathom how so many people feel entitled to so many things, yet they fail to remember how they retain the freedoms that we all enjoy here in the United States. I think everyone can benefit from a little reminder once in awhile!
A lesson that should be taught in all schools... and colleges.
Back in September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a social studies school teacher at Robinson High School, Little Rock, Arkansas, did something not to be forgotten. On the first day of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of the desks out of her classroom.
When the first period kids entered the room they discovered that there were no desks.
'Ms..Cothren, where're our desks?'
She replied, 'You can't have a desk until you tell me how you earn the right to sit at a desk.'
They thought, 'Well, maybe it's our grades.'
'No,' she said.
'Maybe it's our behavior.'
She told them, 'No, it's not even your behavior.'
And so, they came and went, the first period, second period, third period. Still no desks in the classroom.
By early afternoon television news crews had started gathering in Ms.Cothren's classroom to report about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of her room.
The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the deskless classroom, Martha Cothren said, 'Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me just what he/she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you.'
At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it.
Twenty-seven (27) U.S. Veterans, all in uniforms, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk. The Vets began placing the school desks in rows, and then they would walk over and stand alongside the wall. By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place those kids started to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks had been earned.
Martha said, 'You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you.. They placed the desks here for you. Now, it's up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don't ever forget it.'
A lesson that should be taught in all schools... and colleges.
Back in September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a social studies school teacher at Robinson High School, Little Rock, Arkansas, did something not to be forgotten. On the first day of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of the desks out of her classroom.
When the first period kids entered the room they discovered that there were no desks.
'Ms..Cothren, where're our desks?'
She replied, 'You can't have a desk until you tell me how you earn the right to sit at a desk.'
They thought, 'Well, maybe it's our grades.'
'No,' she said.
'Maybe it's our behavior.'
She told them, 'No, it's not even your behavior.'
And so, they came and went, the first period, second period, third period. Still no desks in the classroom.
By early afternoon television news crews had started gathering in Ms.Cothren's classroom to report about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of her room.
The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the deskless classroom, Martha Cothren said, 'Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me just what he/she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you.'
At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it.
Twenty-seven (27) U.S. Veterans, all in uniforms, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk. The Vets began placing the school desks in rows, and then they would walk over and stand alongside the wall. By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place those kids started to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks had been earned.
Martha said, 'You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you.. They placed the desks here for you. Now, it's up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don't ever forget it.'
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Surgery
I wasn't surprised when Emma started getting strep every four to six weeks. Nor was I surprised when her doctor said to take her tonsils out. So off we went with the task of finding an ENT to take care of her. I found one close by specializing in pediatrics with lots of experience. His credentials sounded good on paper. Then I learned my friend had gone to this same doctor for her son's surgery about a year ago. I felt better about the decision. We met the doctor, scheduled the surgery, and went about our way.
Plan A- John and I will go with Emma on the big day. We will get someone to watch Timothy and take the baby with us. Amber had school so I wasn't worried about her.
Plan A failed. John had a test in class the morning of surgery. So that leaves me by myself to take Emma. Then the hospital said I couldn't take the baby, even if I am nursing him. Yikes. Okay, this really puts a kink in the plan. Then I found out Amber had short day at school. She was getting out about 1:00 p.m.! What in the world? It seemed nothing was going to happen easily.
Plan B- My dad will go with me and Emma. Jaime will watch my boys, and Amber when she gets home. Okay, looks good now.
But wait, Plan B failed. Despite being in college, my sister couldn't figure out how to get herself to class that morning so my dad had to take her in and pick her up. Class started right about the time I was planning to leave my house. Okay, so my dad would meet me at the hospital. Then I realized Jaime was planning on going out of town that day. Oops. I was feeling like I was asking too much for her to watch my kids and get ready to leave town. But I also felt at a loss for options right about then.
Plan C- My dad will meet me at the hospital. So far it looks good. And a miracle- my brother called, said he had the day off work and wondered if we had a babysitter. He was offering. Oh sweet relief. I could relieve Jaime of babysitting duty, especially since Emma's surgery wasn't scheduled until 11:15 a.m. That would have been difficult for Jaime. And as it turns out, this was more of a miracle than I knew at that moment.
So surgery day rolls around. Despite all my best laid plans, I felt we were derailed again. Nothing ever happens according to the strict plan. I was just pulling into the parking lot of the hospital when the nurse called. "Can you come in any earlier?" Um yeah, not a problem here. I'm feeling good about things right about then. Except that was about ten minutes to eleven. By the time we got fully checked in, it was 11:15. So much for being earlier!
Finally Emma was taken to pre op. We were there only a couple of minutes when my sister calls. Yep, you guessed it. She got out of class early and needed a ride home. Seriously, there's a bus. But to each their own, I suppose. My dad stayed with me and Emma until she was taken into the surgery room. But that wasn't until about 1:20. Yep, we had been there for two hours already. Why did they want us there earlier if they weren't going to get us in earlier? I was frustrated because Emma was so bored.
But, I do have a funny story here. We started watching Tom and Jerry. It was just about the only thing on that could possibly entertain a five year old. The nurse came in and stood between Emma and the TV. Emma moved her head so she could see. The nurse tried to talk to Emma, but Emma didn't want to talk. She wanted to watch Tom and Jerry. She was glued to the TV!
So about 1:20 Emma was wheeled into the operating room. My dad and I went to the waiting room where I checked in with the volunteer and my dad left to pick up Kim. 20 minutes later and I was in a consultation room waiting for the doctor. My dad was back just after I got into the consultation room. Luckily I was right by the elevator so he saw where I was.
Surgery went well. The hardest part of it all was seeing Emma come out of the anesthesia. It was awful watching her crying and hurting. And it is hard knowing she was still hooked up to so many things it was not feasible to hold her at that moment. When it was all said and done we didn't get home until about 3:30 p.m.
Five days later- Emma has improved by leaps and bounds. She is eating more regular foods. She is talking more. At first she would only point and grunt when she wanted to talk. Her voice is higher now that she doesn't have all that blockage in her throat. And I have learned that Emma has a high tolerance for pain. I think I knew that before, but she hasn't asked for much pain meds. I haven't forced them on her either. If she complains I will give her some. She is doing amazingly well.
She was playing outside yesterday. This morning she has been teasing everybody. She is starting to feel more like herself. I am so happy to see her take this so well. And so far, she hasn't acted like she's mad at me for putting her through all of this!
Despite the many roads it took us to get everything taken care of, I'm glad it worked out. Someone knows better than I how things should go. Maybe I need to trust him more!
Oh, before I forget. Check out this link if you want to see pics from surgery day!
Plan A- John and I will go with Emma on the big day. We will get someone to watch Timothy and take the baby with us. Amber had school so I wasn't worried about her.
Plan A failed. John had a test in class the morning of surgery. So that leaves me by myself to take Emma. Then the hospital said I couldn't take the baby, even if I am nursing him. Yikes. Okay, this really puts a kink in the plan. Then I found out Amber had short day at school. She was getting out about 1:00 p.m.! What in the world? It seemed nothing was going to happen easily.
Plan B- My dad will go with me and Emma. Jaime will watch my boys, and Amber when she gets home. Okay, looks good now.
But wait, Plan B failed. Despite being in college, my sister couldn't figure out how to get herself to class that morning so my dad had to take her in and pick her up. Class started right about the time I was planning to leave my house. Okay, so my dad would meet me at the hospital. Then I realized Jaime was planning on going out of town that day. Oops. I was feeling like I was asking too much for her to watch my kids and get ready to leave town. But I also felt at a loss for options right about then.
Plan C- My dad will meet me at the hospital. So far it looks good. And a miracle- my brother called, said he had the day off work and wondered if we had a babysitter. He was offering. Oh sweet relief. I could relieve Jaime of babysitting duty, especially since Emma's surgery wasn't scheduled until 11:15 a.m. That would have been difficult for Jaime. And as it turns out, this was more of a miracle than I knew at that moment.
So surgery day rolls around. Despite all my best laid plans, I felt we were derailed again. Nothing ever happens according to the strict plan. I was just pulling into the parking lot of the hospital when the nurse called. "Can you come in any earlier?" Um yeah, not a problem here. I'm feeling good about things right about then. Except that was about ten minutes to eleven. By the time we got fully checked in, it was 11:15. So much for being earlier!
Finally Emma was taken to pre op. We were there only a couple of minutes when my sister calls. Yep, you guessed it. She got out of class early and needed a ride home. Seriously, there's a bus. But to each their own, I suppose. My dad stayed with me and Emma until she was taken into the surgery room. But that wasn't until about 1:20. Yep, we had been there for two hours already. Why did they want us there earlier if they weren't going to get us in earlier? I was frustrated because Emma was so bored.
But, I do have a funny story here. We started watching Tom and Jerry. It was just about the only thing on that could possibly entertain a five year old. The nurse came in and stood between Emma and the TV. Emma moved her head so she could see. The nurse tried to talk to Emma, but Emma didn't want to talk. She wanted to watch Tom and Jerry. She was glued to the TV!
So about 1:20 Emma was wheeled into the operating room. My dad and I went to the waiting room where I checked in with the volunteer and my dad left to pick up Kim. 20 minutes later and I was in a consultation room waiting for the doctor. My dad was back just after I got into the consultation room. Luckily I was right by the elevator so he saw where I was.
Surgery went well. The hardest part of it all was seeing Emma come out of the anesthesia. It was awful watching her crying and hurting. And it is hard knowing she was still hooked up to so many things it was not feasible to hold her at that moment. When it was all said and done we didn't get home until about 3:30 p.m.
Five days later- Emma has improved by leaps and bounds. She is eating more regular foods. She is talking more. At first she would only point and grunt when she wanted to talk. Her voice is higher now that she doesn't have all that blockage in her throat. And I have learned that Emma has a high tolerance for pain. I think I knew that before, but she hasn't asked for much pain meds. I haven't forced them on her either. If she complains I will give her some. She is doing amazingly well.
She was playing outside yesterday. This morning she has been teasing everybody. She is starting to feel more like herself. I am so happy to see her take this so well. And so far, she hasn't acted like she's mad at me for putting her through all of this!
Despite the many roads it took us to get everything taken care of, I'm glad it worked out. Someone knows better than I how things should go. Maybe I need to trust him more!
Oh, before I forget. Check out this link if you want to see pics from surgery day!
Friday, May 14, 2010
Purging
I didn't realize it would be so hard. I feel as if I'm losing a part of me. The tangible reminders of my memories are no longer going to take up space in my home. I am purging baby clothes from my girls. Did I mention that this is hard? Am I crazy for crying over baby clothes? I think I'm too sentimental for my own good. I need to turn off my emotions. They're just clothes, right? But to me they represent so much more. As I sorted through the clothes, I relived the special moments. See, I told you I was too sentimental. Yikes.
I'm not done, but so far I have just about 10 boxes/bags of clothes to give away. I will be putting them on the curb tomorrow morning to give to charity. I will probably need John to tie my hands until then so I don't start taking clothes out of those boxes. I need to let them go. I need strength. I am weak in this!
My daughter just walked into her room and exclaimed, "Wow, that is a lot of boxes!" I didn't realize how far I had fallen. I mean I see the boxes and it is a lot, but when Emma is impressed with the amount, wow, I really needed this purging. Okay, I'll stop whining about it now. Wish me luck on getting all of this to the curb tomorrow morning before 10 a.m. I have lots more to go through so I'll sign off now. Once I'm done with this huge purging project I will report on my success or failure! I think I'll share pictures of the junk I'm going to purge from my home! Don't hold me to it though.
I'm not done, but so far I have just about 10 boxes/bags of clothes to give away. I will be putting them on the curb tomorrow morning to give to charity. I will probably need John to tie my hands until then so I don't start taking clothes out of those boxes. I need to let them go. I need strength. I am weak in this!
My daughter just walked into her room and exclaimed, "Wow, that is a lot of boxes!" I didn't realize how far I had fallen. I mean I see the boxes and it is a lot, but when Emma is impressed with the amount, wow, I really needed this purging. Okay, I'll stop whining about it now. Wish me luck on getting all of this to the curb tomorrow morning before 10 a.m. I have lots more to go through so I'll sign off now. Once I'm done with this huge purging project I will report on my success or failure! I think I'll share pictures of the junk I'm going to purge from my home! Don't hold me to it though.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Peace and chaos
The house is a mess. There are piles of laundry waiting to be folded and put away. There are also piles that have been folded that have been dumped out of the baskets by children who "need" the baskets to play train. Dishes create mountains in the sink. Miraculously we have a couple of clean dishes in the cupboards. The living room floor is the exhibition hall for school work to be proudly displayed. Books are the pathway from the living room to my bedroom and from my bedroom to the kid's rooms. Books are also the blankets the kids choose to sleep with on occasion. The kitchen counter and the computer desk are the vases for the flower bouquets so lovingly collected by my children. The bathroom contains evidence of science experiments consisting of water, toothpaste, and soap. The walls contain evidence of budding artists.
Yep, this is the chaos that rules my house. I am overwhelmed, running on sheer exhaustion most days. Frustration and diminished levels of patience have been my friends. However, amidst the chaos is the peace. I find a certain peace in knowing my children are home, healthy, and taken care of. I never understood how one could find peace in chaos until I had children. I still don't totally understand how it happens, but when I need peace, it is there.
Most days I don't worry about the mess my house has become -- until the Relief Society president comes over! :) Why, I shouldn't even worry about that! I just have a house that is evidence of life well lived. I think when I die, the Lord won't ask me to account for a clean house. He'll ask me to account for what I taught my children and the time we spent together. I'm not going to stress about hiding our life from those we choose to share it with. Some days the mountains of dishes will disappear. The school work and paths of books may be picked up, only to be replaced by new adventures!
Yep, this is the chaos that rules my house. I am overwhelmed, running on sheer exhaustion most days. Frustration and diminished levels of patience have been my friends. However, amidst the chaos is the peace. I find a certain peace in knowing my children are home, healthy, and taken care of. I never understood how one could find peace in chaos until I had children. I still don't totally understand how it happens, but when I need peace, it is there.
Most days I don't worry about the mess my house has become -- until the Relief Society president comes over! :) Why, I shouldn't even worry about that! I just have a house that is evidence of life well lived. I think when I die, the Lord won't ask me to account for a clean house. He'll ask me to account for what I taught my children and the time we spent together. I'm not going to stress about hiding our life from those we choose to share it with. Some days the mountains of dishes will disappear. The school work and paths of books may be picked up, only to be replaced by new adventures!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Random stuff from the past couple of weeks
Don't drop the baby. Leave him alone. No. Back away. Give him some room.
Does this sound familiar? I think this is all I say to my kids since we brought the baby home! I'm trying to give them time with the baby, I'm just nervous. They don't all have the softest touch, or the knowledge to give the baby what he needs!
I am grateful for their help most of the time. Get me a diaper, please! Even a 2 1/2 yo can follow this simple direction. Get some clothes for the baby. My 7 yo loves this direction. You wouldn't know she's a girl with her love for clothes!
A 5 yo conversation with another mom: Our baby only drinks milk - from Mommy. Okay, seriously, how much does she really have to tell everyone? Come to find out my 7 yo has told everyone at school all the details about how we got the baby. Okay, so the details from a 7 yo perspective are very different from fact, but . . . she's still talking to people. I just laugh because it is better than being embarrassed!
Okay, so now down to the nitty gritty. The doctors discharged Micah with serious jaundice. We had to take him in for the Bili test for an entire week. Ugh. Having his heel poked was bad enough, but seeing the scars now is so frustrating. His poor heels look like battlefields. The doc ordered the Bili bed and the Bili blanket. Let me just say, Pain in the keister! At the end of the week, doc decided the levels were stable, not going up, not going down. No more Bili tests for the baby!
Despite the challenges with jaundice, Micah has grown so fast. At his two week appointment he exceeded his birth weight by 5 ounces. His face is starting to fill out. He is the cutest baby, but I'm just a little biased in his favor! :)
So, now that I've figured out the whole camera thing and getting pictures off the camera, I thought I better post a link to some pics. Click here to view pictures of Micah's first couple of days! I'll try to post more from the last couple of weeks, but it is slow going for me. I need more time and energy. Forgive me if I'm slow on updates.
Does this sound familiar? I think this is all I say to my kids since we brought the baby home! I'm trying to give them time with the baby, I'm just nervous. They don't all have the softest touch, or the knowledge to give the baby what he needs!
I am grateful for their help most of the time. Get me a diaper, please! Even a 2 1/2 yo can follow this simple direction. Get some clothes for the baby. My 7 yo loves this direction. You wouldn't know she's a girl with her love for clothes!
A 5 yo conversation with another mom: Our baby only drinks milk - from Mommy.
Okay, so now down to the nitty gritty. The doctors discharged Micah with serious jaundice. We had to take him in for the Bili test for an entire week. Ugh. Having his heel poked was bad enough, but seeing the scars now is so frustrating. His poor heels look like battlefields. The doc ordered the Bili bed and the Bili blanket. Let me just say, Pain in the keister! At the end of the week, doc decided the levels were stable, not going up, not going down. No more Bili tests for the baby!
Despite the challenges with jaundice, Micah has grown so fast. At his two week appointment he exceeded his birth weight by 5 ounces. His face is starting to fill out. He is the cutest baby, but I'm just a little biased in his favor! :)
So, now that I've figured out the whole camera thing and getting pictures off the camera, I thought I better post a link to some pics. Click here to view pictures of Micah's first couple of days! I'll try to post more from the last couple of weeks, but it is slow going for me. I need more time and energy. Forgive me if I'm slow on updates.
Monday, April 12, 2010
The Story- Micah's Day!
It all still feels so surreal. The day we have waited for was finally here. I don't know as if I absolutely believed it would be this early, but hey, I'll take what I get. Thursday morning I started having contractions. But I didn't put much stock into that fact. I had already had a previous trip to the hospital with contractions that quit as soon as they put me in the triage room. Yeah, got sent home that time! So I thought, here we go again. I was so determined that I wasn't going to go to the hospital if I was just having contractions. I was determined that my water would break this time before getting to the hospital! So I went about my day as usual.
My morning: I went to the store, dropped off my wedding ring for cleaning, and then took a nap. By the time I got home from the store I was wiped. And I knew the time was getting closer. Contractions were starting to hurt more and I just had this overall icky feeling.
My afternoon: John was supposed to drop off his ring for cleaning and pick mine up. He didn't. Contractions were closer together, but I still didn't think it would be such a big deal. I still thought I was having a repeat of what we went through last weekend. I did not want to be sent home again. So when John went to school, I thought we still had lots of time.
3:00 rolls around and I am waiting for the kids to get out of school. It was my turn to pick up the carpool kids. At this point I was unsure of how much longer we had because contractions were not letting up. I found myself unable or unwilling to move. Luckily I didn't have to get out of the car to help any of the kids! I got the kids home, stopped at home to get Amber's booster seat (yeah, didn't have it earlier when I picked her up), and then drove to the jewelry store to pick up my newly cleaned and spruced up wedding ring! Ugh, I felt horrible. I told Amber I wasn't feeling well and she needed to help me out. I found myself approaching a red light when contraction hit. I was lucky to get the car stopped. But I made it home. That was about 4:00 p.m.
I got inside and I knew it wasn't going to be much longer but I hoped I could wait until John got out of class at 8 p.m. Yeah, he was at least 1/2 hour away at this point. My worst fear was being realized. John would be at school and it would take too long for him to get home. I sent him a text message that he needed to get home right away. And then everything just happened in a blur.
So John took an hour and a half to get home after I told him he needed to get home. While I was waiting for him, Amber was so helpful. She helped me get a bag packed for the kids since they needed to go to my dad's house for the night! Ummm, that was on my list of things to get done this week. I just hadn't had the time or the real desire to pack a bag. I knew if I packed my kids bag, it would be unpacked real quick when we ran out of clothes for the kids! So Amber was packing the bag and not complaining. Then she gave me a hug and said "I hope you feel better soon, mommy." What a melt my heart moment.
When John got home I told him to take the kids and then come back for me. I really didn't want to be in the car that long. Okay, my dad really only lives down the street from me, so it wasn't a big deal. I was so mad that I let him go to school that afternoon! All I could think about was, this baby is going to come in the car if we don't get there now! And of course, we were in rush hour traffic on Bangerter Highway. The hospital is only 15 minutes away in light traffic. Yeah, it took us half an hour to get there. I could barely get inside, the pain was so awful. Side note: I am a wimp. Pain and me do not mix. I stopped in the hallway and practically yelled at John to just go check me in. I could not move. I did not want to move. The nurses took one look at me and skipped triage altogether. We went right to the delivery room.
Epidural? Oh my yes. I wanted to be brave, but I couldn't. I needed that pain relief to get through this. Plus, I thought it would be a few hours still. An immediate epidural eased the pain and helped me relax a bit. Yay for pain meds. Did I mention that I am a wimp when it comes to pain?
I was admitted at 7 p.m. At 8:04 I delivered a healthy baby boy! He was 8 lbs. 1 oz. and 19 1/2 inches long.
It is still surreal, even after 4 days! We are so happy to have our little boy here.
Another side note here: I haven't figured out the camera yet so I have pictures, but haven't put them on the computer. Hopefully soon. But it really isn't my top priority right now. We'll see how the week goes. Or maybe the next, or the next.
My morning: I went to the store, dropped off my wedding ring for cleaning, and then took a nap. By the time I got home from the store I was wiped. And I knew the time was getting closer. Contractions were starting to hurt more and I just had this overall icky feeling.
My afternoon: John was supposed to drop off his ring for cleaning and pick mine up. He didn't. Contractions were closer together, but I still didn't think it would be such a big deal. I still thought I was having a repeat of what we went through last weekend. I did not want to be sent home again. So when John went to school, I thought we still had lots of time.
3:00 rolls around and I am waiting for the kids to get out of school. It was my turn to pick up the carpool kids. At this point I was unsure of how much longer we had because contractions were not letting up. I found myself unable or unwilling to move. Luckily I didn't have to get out of the car to help any of the kids! I got the kids home, stopped at home to get Amber's booster seat (yeah, didn't have it earlier when I picked her up), and then drove to the jewelry store to pick up my newly cleaned and spruced up wedding ring! Ugh, I felt horrible. I told Amber I wasn't feeling well and she needed to help me out. I found myself approaching a red light when contraction hit. I was lucky to get the car stopped. But I made it home. That was about 4:00 p.m.
I got inside and I knew it wasn't going to be much longer but I hoped I could wait until John got out of class at 8 p.m. Yeah, he was at least 1/2 hour away at this point. My worst fear was being realized. John would be at school and it would take too long for him to get home. I sent him a text message that he needed to get home right away. And then everything just happened in a blur.
So John took an hour and a half to get home after I told him he needed to get home. While I was waiting for him, Amber was so helpful. She helped me get a bag packed for the kids since they needed to go to my dad's house for the night! Ummm, that was on my list of things to get done this week. I just hadn't had the time or the real desire to pack a bag. I knew if I packed my kids bag, it would be unpacked real quick when we ran out of clothes for the kids! So Amber was packing the bag and not complaining. Then she gave me a hug and said "I hope you feel better soon, mommy." What a melt my heart moment.
When John got home I told him to take the kids and then come back for me. I really didn't want to be in the car that long. Okay, my dad really only lives down the street from me, so it wasn't a big deal. I was so mad that I let him go to school that afternoon! All I could think about was, this baby is going to come in the car if we don't get there now! And of course, we were in rush hour traffic on Bangerter Highway. The hospital is only 15 minutes away in light traffic. Yeah, it took us half an hour to get there. I could barely get inside, the pain was so awful. Side note: I am a wimp. Pain and me do not mix. I stopped in the hallway and practically yelled at John to just go check me in. I could not move. I did not want to move. The nurses took one look at me and skipped triage altogether. We went right to the delivery room.
Epidural? Oh my yes. I wanted to be brave, but I couldn't. I needed that pain relief to get through this. Plus, I thought it would be a few hours still. An immediate epidural eased the pain and helped me relax a bit. Yay for pain meds. Did I mention that I am a wimp when it comes to pain?
I was admitted at 7 p.m. At 8:04 I delivered a healthy baby boy! He was 8 lbs. 1 oz. and 19 1/2 inches long.
It is still surreal, even after 4 days! We are so happy to have our little boy here.
Another side note here: I haven't figured out the camera yet so I have pictures, but haven't put them on the computer. Hopefully soon. But it really isn't my top priority right now. We'll see how the week goes. Or maybe the next, or the next.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
It's about time!
It is about time I add a new post here. I've had a crazy busy month. Top that off with low energy levels and it isn't a good combination most of the time.
However, here's a recap of the busy, busy month!
My birthday was earlier this month! I am prevented from divulging my age for fear of retribution! (Not really, but it sounded good, right?) I spent the morning of my birthday helping out in Emma's preschool class. It was actually quite enjoyable. I planned it that way because it was a short day. Two hours was much easier than three. Besides, it was the last day I needed to fulfill my co-op obligation! Wahoo, I am done! So my husband called the teachers and told them it was my birthday! During circle time the birthday bear sang to me! It was too funny!
That afternoon I spent at the doctor's office with Emma. We got home from preschool and she was so lethargic and not acting like herself. During preschool she hadn't wanted to eat any popcorn. Hmmm, that was unusual. She loves popcorn. I was concerned. I took her in. Um yeah, so Emma had strep. That meant I couldn't make anything real yummy for dinner cause she wouldn't eat it and I didn't want to make her feel bad.
The next day yielded a total meltdown. You see, I usually get angry instead of crying. I hate to cry. It is much easier for me to get mad and then move on. In a few minutes I will be fine! So it was too much. I had a meltdown. I admit, I cried. I told John to go away. I just wanted to be alone. But then I went to see a movie with my cousin. Ahhhh, late night movies. Gotta love them. I was afraid I would fall asleep, but I didn't!
Then the next day I had fun getting pedicures, lunch, and icecream with my sister in law and my cousin. What a sweet balm for my soul. John stayed home with the kids and just let me be gone for however long it took to have fun! Fun, fun, fun. I had the most amazing day.
That next week I was out of town one day for work. Then last week I was out of town for three days for a conference. I wasn't too sad about leaving last week. I went to sunny St. George. Despite being away from my family, I had a good time. I was able to stay with my friend's daughter so I didn't have to pay for a hotel! The best way to go I say. I had such an amazing time with her. Plus she fed me dinner on Friday night! I am grateful she was willing to let me stay with her and her family. I drove home Saturday afternoon with my friend. We had such a good time together. I am grateful for the opportunity we had to get to talk more!
Oh, I almost forgot the dinner I had with Shirley. We haven't seen each other for quite awhile. Unfortunately, part of that is my fault. I bailed on her a few months ago. I had a period where everything seemed hopeless, and I just didn't go out with people. I knew I couldn't keep up an act at that time. I could try to pretend everything was well, but there were already too many cracks. But things are changing here on the home front and I feel much better! I am so grateful for those people who haven't allowed me to give up. Well, dinner and conversation was wonderful. It has been so good to be able to have time with people out of the house!
In a nutshell that has been my month. Craziness reigns still and it won't slow down anytime soon. But life is good right now!
However, here's a recap of the busy, busy month!
My birthday was earlier this month! I am prevented from divulging my age for fear of retribution! (Not really, but it sounded good, right?) I spent the morning of my birthday helping out in Emma's preschool class. It was actually quite enjoyable. I planned it that way because it was a short day. Two hours was much easier than three. Besides, it was the last day I needed to fulfill my co-op obligation! Wahoo, I am done! So my husband called the teachers and told them it was my birthday! During circle time the birthday bear sang to me! It was too funny!
That afternoon I spent at the doctor's office with Emma. We got home from preschool and she was so lethargic and not acting like herself. During preschool she hadn't wanted to eat any popcorn. Hmmm, that was unusual. She loves popcorn. I was concerned. I took her in. Um yeah, so Emma had strep. That meant I couldn't make anything real yummy for dinner cause she wouldn't eat it and I didn't want to make her feel bad.
The next day yielded a total meltdown. You see, I usually get angry instead of crying. I hate to cry. It is much easier for me to get mad and then move on. In a few minutes I will be fine! So it was too much. I had a meltdown. I admit, I cried. I told John to go away. I just wanted to be alone. But then I went to see a movie with my cousin. Ahhhh, late night movies. Gotta love them. I was afraid I would fall asleep, but I didn't!
Then the next day I had fun getting pedicures, lunch, and icecream with my sister in law and my cousin. What a sweet balm for my soul. John stayed home with the kids and just let me be gone for however long it took to have fun! Fun, fun, fun. I had the most amazing day.
That next week I was out of town one day for work. Then last week I was out of town for three days for a conference. I wasn't too sad about leaving last week. I went to sunny St. George. Despite being away from my family, I had a good time. I was able to stay with my friend's daughter so I didn't have to pay for a hotel! The best way to go I say. I had such an amazing time with her. Plus she fed me dinner on Friday night! I am grateful she was willing to let me stay with her and her family. I drove home Saturday afternoon with my friend. We had such a good time together. I am grateful for the opportunity we had to get to talk more!
Oh, I almost forgot the dinner I had with Shirley. We haven't seen each other for quite awhile. Unfortunately, part of that is my fault. I bailed on her a few months ago. I had a period where everything seemed hopeless, and I just didn't go out with people. I knew I couldn't keep up an act at that time. I could try to pretend everything was well, but there were already too many cracks. But things are changing here on the home front and I feel much better! I am so grateful for those people who haven't allowed me to give up. Well, dinner and conversation was wonderful. It has been so good to be able to have time with people out of the house!
In a nutshell that has been my month. Craziness reigns still and it won't slow down anytime soon. But life is good right now!
Monday, March 1, 2010
It's nice!
Earlier this morning I took Timothy outside with me to put something in the mailbox. It is such a beautiful day. When I got inside I was telling John that is very nice outside today. Timothy looked at John and said "nice, nice." Then he proceeded to pull down his pants. I guess he relates a nice day outside to not wearing pants! I was laughing too hard to get mad at him.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Friend Party
Amber has wanted a friend party for a long time. So we decided that a Friday after school would be a splendid time. Fridays aren't as busy as Saturdays for us. So we handed out invitations on Monday and told everyone to meet us at Chuck E. Cheese's. I admit I stole the idea from my friend Jaime. Although I'm not cool enough to decorate our cupcakes all fun!
Amber invited 7 friends. She picked the friends she wanted to invite. We had coupons for 100 tokens for pretty cheap. Her friends all came, she opened presents, and then I distributed tokens. The kids played the games and played in the play area! It was great. I had no set up, and no clean up. I didn't have to worry about my carpet getting messed up with cupcake crumbs! After playing for awhile, we gathered all the kids. They all sang Happy Birthday to Amber and then they decorated their own cupcakes. Amber just soaked up all the attention. She was so happy to have a party!
What a wonderful idea, having the party somewhere else! Doing cupcakes and tokens on my own, I didn't have to buy the birthday party package. I'm good! Okay, so really it wasn't my idea, but I'm glad I have friends that have good ideas that I can steal once in a while!
Amber invited 7 friends. She picked the friends she wanted to invite. We had coupons for 100 tokens for pretty cheap. Her friends all came, she opened presents, and then I distributed tokens. The kids played the games and played in the play area! It was great. I had no set up, and no clean up. I didn't have to worry about my carpet getting messed up with cupcake crumbs! After playing for awhile, we gathered all the kids. They all sang Happy Birthday to Amber and then they decorated their own cupcakes. Amber just soaked up all the attention. She was so happy to have a party!
What a wonderful idea, having the party somewhere else! Doing cupcakes and tokens on my own, I didn't have to buy the birthday party package. I'm good! Okay, so really it wasn't my idea, but I'm glad I have friends that have good ideas that I can steal once in a while!
Monday, February 22, 2010
Amber's Birthday
I can't believe Amber is 7 already! Where has the time gone? For the past 2 months she's been asking us how many days until her birthday. Once we got to February, we started making her count the days herself. It was a good exercise in subtraction/addition for her! She needs these opportunities because she certainly doesn't get them in school.
Anyway, this morning I had to run to the store to get treats for her class. She was so excited for me to stop by and drop off the treats. Because they were frozen treats, she got to walk with me to the office to ask the secretary to put them in the freezer. The secretary was so cute. She told Amber she would put the treats in the freezer only if she could eat them all. Amber just got her usual look. It was like, Duh, you're just being silly! You won't really eat them!
After dinner we had a get together with my family. Anybody who wanted to come. We had a family home evening with birthday cake after! Our family home evening was about how everybody is special and we all have something that we are good at! Amber had requested an ice cream cake for her birthday cake! So I made the cake with a chocolate brownie crust and orange cream icecream! It was yummy, but I don't think Amber will ask for another ice cream cake. It was a fun night. Amber opened presents and had fun with everybody there. We missed the few who weren't able to make it for whatever reason!
Anyway, this morning I had to run to the store to get treats for her class. She was so excited for me to stop by and drop off the treats. Because they were frozen treats, she got to walk with me to the office to ask the secretary to put them in the freezer. The secretary was so cute. She told Amber she would put the treats in the freezer only if she could eat them all. Amber just got her usual look. It was like, Duh, you're just being silly! You won't really eat them!
After dinner we had a get together with my family. Anybody who wanted to come. We had a family home evening with birthday cake after! Our family home evening was about how everybody is special and we all have something that we are good at! Amber had requested an ice cream cake for her birthday cake! So I made the cake with a chocolate brownie crust and orange cream icecream! It was yummy, but I don't think Amber will ask for another ice cream cake. It was a fun night. Amber opened presents and had fun with everybody there. We missed the few who weren't able to make it for whatever reason!
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Date with the kids!
Last week I was out of town for a couple of days. I know it is hard on the kids when I am gone, and it is hard on John too. Getting kids ready for school by himself? Just not easy! Remembering everything they need, well I usually do that! I just hoped Amber practiced her spelling for her test on Friday! Who knows what really happens when I'm away. It was probably party time all day long!
I felt bad that circumstances took me away one day longer than planned. I needed to make it up to my girls. I think Amber has the hardest time, she always feels slighted, like she's getting such a bum deal all the time even if I am home! So I had a plan. I was going to take Amber to see a movie on Saturday. Well, then I thought it would be fun to go on Friday afternoon, but I couldn't find one at a reasonable time. But the University of Utah had a gymnastics meet that night. So I decided I would take her to gymnastics! She was so excited to go somewhere with me. But the allure of gymnastics soon wore off. She got bored and we left about halfway through. I guess I can't expect an almost 7 year old to enjoy the same things I do! On the way home we stopped for ice cream. She was so excited. It was such a treat for her. I'm so glad I had the chance to take her somewhere by herself. I had fun with her.
So, the plan was to take Amber to gymnastics and then take both girls to the movie on Saturday morning. On the way to gymnastics Amber said, "Mom, you can just take Emma to the movie tomorrow because I came with you alone tonight. Then Emma can be with you by herself tomorrow." What a sweet little angel I have. I didn't really expect this attitude to last, as I fully expected her to want to go to the movie in the morning! But I love how thoughtful she was. Just the mere mention of letting Emma go alone on Saturday tugged at my heartstrings!
Saturday morning rolls around and yes, Amber wanted to go to the movie. So I loaded both girls into the car and we went to the theater. I took them to see Princess and the Frog, although Amber had already seen it! They loved being able to do something with me. It has been a long time since I have taken them on a date with mommy.
After the movie we stopped at Carl's Jr. for lunch since it was getting late in the afternoon. One o'clock is late for us, especially for lunch. The girls were hungry and I didn't want to hear them complain the whole way home! So we pulled into the drive through and Amber says, "Wow, mom, this is the second day you've done something nice for me!"
Am I really that mean? Okay, so we really haven't done much together and we haven't been able to eat out a whole lot lately. Financial circumstances have prevented us from splurging on the non necessities. I guess I didn't realize how hard that has been for my kids. They know they miss out on a lot, but I've really tried to do things with them. I know that I need to make a better effort to spend time with them doing things they enjoy.
Since Monday was President's Day the kids had a day off school. So in the morning I took them to South Towne Mall where they have this little dinosaur play place. They loved being able to get out of the house! We were there for quite a while. But the kids started getting tired and it was getting too busy for my liking. When the kids had to wait in a line of about 15 kids just to go down the little slide, that is too many people in a small area! They were starting to trip over everyone! While we were there, Jenna showed up with her kids. What a pleasant surprise. I wasn't really expecting to see anybody I knew as most people had other plans. It was nice to see her for the short while we were there!
Needless to say, we all had a good weekend. The kids were all happy to have had special time with mommy!
I felt bad that circumstances took me away one day longer than planned. I needed to make it up to my girls. I think Amber has the hardest time, she always feels slighted, like she's getting such a bum deal all the time even if I am home! So I had a plan. I was going to take Amber to see a movie on Saturday. Well, then I thought it would be fun to go on Friday afternoon, but I couldn't find one at a reasonable time. But the University of Utah had a gymnastics meet that night. So I decided I would take her to gymnastics! She was so excited to go somewhere with me. But the allure of gymnastics soon wore off. She got bored and we left about halfway through. I guess I can't expect an almost 7 year old to enjoy the same things I do! On the way home we stopped for ice cream. She was so excited. It was such a treat for her. I'm so glad I had the chance to take her somewhere by herself. I had fun with her.
So, the plan was to take Amber to gymnastics and then take both girls to the movie on Saturday morning. On the way to gymnastics Amber said, "Mom, you can just take Emma to the movie tomorrow because I came with you alone tonight. Then Emma can be with you by herself tomorrow." What a sweet little angel I have. I didn't really expect this attitude to last, as I fully expected her to want to go to the movie in the morning! But I love how thoughtful she was. Just the mere mention of letting Emma go alone on Saturday tugged at my heartstrings!
Saturday morning rolls around and yes, Amber wanted to go to the movie. So I loaded both girls into the car and we went to the theater. I took them to see Princess and the Frog, although Amber had already seen it! They loved being able to do something with me. It has been a long time since I have taken them on a date with mommy.
After the movie we stopped at Carl's Jr. for lunch since it was getting late in the afternoon. One o'clock is late for us, especially for lunch. The girls were hungry and I didn't want to hear them complain the whole way home! So we pulled into the drive through and Amber says, "Wow, mom, this is the second day you've done something nice for me!"
Am I really that mean? Okay, so we really haven't done much together and we haven't been able to eat out a whole lot lately. Financial circumstances have prevented us from splurging on the non necessities. I guess I didn't realize how hard that has been for my kids. They know they miss out on a lot, but I've really tried to do things with them. I know that I need to make a better effort to spend time with them doing things they enjoy.
Since Monday was President's Day the kids had a day off school. So in the morning I took them to South Towne Mall where they have this little dinosaur play place. They loved being able to get out of the house! We were there for quite a while. But the kids started getting tired and it was getting too busy for my liking. When the kids had to wait in a line of about 15 kids just to go down the little slide, that is too many people in a small area! They were starting to trip over everyone! While we were there, Jenna showed up with her kids. What a pleasant surprise. I wasn't really expecting to see anybody I knew as most people had other plans. It was nice to see her for the short while we were there!
Needless to say, we all had a good weekend. The kids were all happy to have had special time with mommy!
Monday, February 1, 2010
I'm telling! & more
Kids say the funniest things. Although this time probably wasn't the best time to laugh, we just couldn't contain ourselves!
Yesterday Amber was flicking water in Emma's face, which was making Emma mad. So John took things into his own hands. He grabbed the spray bottle and started spraying Amber. Of course she didn't like that! It wasn't fair, she never used the spray bottle! But, not being able to pass up this opportunity, I took the spray bottle from John. Staying out of sight I started randomly spraying water into the bathroom. I didn't know if I was getting Amber or Emma. Amid protests, we switched off. Then we let Timothy spray the water. By this time Amber was getting really frustrated, but she didn't know I had joined in on the fun! John got all the blame. Perfect for me. I could still console her at the end, right? Then all of a sudden Amber bursts out with, "Stop dad, I'm telling Heavenly Father!"
We couldn't contain our laughter at that point. It was too funny. We were laughing so hard. And this all came on the tail end of Amber telling us how it everybody at school makes fun of her and how it hurts her feelings. Laughing at her right then probably wasn't the best choice, but she said it with all seriousness and it was just too funny. Sometimes we just have to laugh!
So, here's another funny story. Okay, so it may not be so funny to you, but it makes me laugh. Once I realized what happened, and why Timothy thinks the way he does! I like to tease Timothy and when his tummy is bare, I tell him I see a bare tummy, and then I tickle his tummy! Usually this results in peals of laughter. To make sense of what happened, you have to know that Timothy's favorite book is We're going on a Bear Hunt. We read it over and over. His favorite part is where they find the bear in the cave and then run home! He always says "bear, hunt, me." Yes, he likes those bears.
Confusion time. He doesn't understand the difference between bare and bear. To him, it is all the same thing. So I would say "I see a bare tummy!" and he heard "I see a bear tummy!" One day he said "bear, tummy, me!" Okay, so he thinks he has a bear in his tummy? I can go with this. I can pretend with him. He wants to be like me so instead of a baby he has a bear in his tummy! But wait, that's not what he was saying. It would be wise of me to pay more attention. He started saying he was a bear. Then he would lift up his shirt to bare his tummy. He wanted me to tickle him! Oh, I get it, because I was telling him he had a "bear" tummy he likes to think he's a bear! He growls at me, and wants me to growl back. But what he really wants is for the "bear" to be tickled! I laugh everytime he tells me he's a bear.
Okay, so to everyone else, that probably isn't so funny. But I really do think my kids are amusing. We laugh so much around here, despite those days when I feel I'm at wits end with the kids and nothing seems to go right! I need the laughter to keep me sane. Thank goodness my kids provide the entertainment on a daily basis!
Yesterday Amber was flicking water in Emma's face, which was making Emma mad. So John took things into his own hands. He grabbed the spray bottle and started spraying Amber. Of course she didn't like that! It wasn't fair, she never used the spray bottle! But, not being able to pass up this opportunity, I took the spray bottle from John. Staying out of sight I started randomly spraying water into the bathroom. I didn't know if I was getting Amber or Emma. Amid protests, we switched off. Then we let Timothy spray the water. By this time Amber was getting really frustrated, but she didn't know I had joined in on the fun! John got all the blame. Perfect for me. I could still console her at the end, right? Then all of a sudden Amber bursts out with, "Stop dad, I'm telling Heavenly Father!"
We couldn't contain our laughter at that point. It was too funny. We were laughing so hard. And this all came on the tail end of Amber telling us how it everybody at school makes fun of her and how it hurts her feelings. Laughing at her right then probably wasn't the best choice, but she said it with all seriousness and it was just too funny. Sometimes we just have to laugh!
So, here's another funny story. Okay, so it may not be so funny to you, but it makes me laugh. Once I realized what happened, and why Timothy thinks the way he does! I like to tease Timothy and when his tummy is bare, I tell him I see a bare tummy, and then I tickle his tummy! Usually this results in peals of laughter. To make sense of what happened, you have to know that Timothy's favorite book is We're going on a Bear Hunt. We read it over and over. His favorite part is where they find the bear in the cave and then run home! He always says "bear, hunt, me." Yes, he likes those bears.
Confusion time. He doesn't understand the difference between bare and bear. To him, it is all the same thing. So I would say "I see a bare tummy!" and he heard "I see a bear tummy!" One day he said "bear, tummy, me!" Okay, so he thinks he has a bear in his tummy? I can go with this. I can pretend with him. He wants to be like me so instead of a baby he has a bear in his tummy! But wait, that's not what he was saying. It would be wise of me to pay more attention. He started saying he was a bear. Then he would lift up his shirt to bare his tummy. He wanted me to tickle him! Oh, I get it, because I was telling him he had a "bear" tummy he likes to think he's a bear! He growls at me, and wants me to growl back. But what he really wants is for the "bear" to be tickled! I laugh everytime he tells me he's a bear.
Okay, so to everyone else, that probably isn't so funny. But I really do think my kids are amusing. We laugh so much around here, despite those days when I feel I'm at wits end with the kids and nothing seems to go right! I need the laughter to keep me sane. Thank goodness my kids provide the entertainment on a daily basis!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Family Skate Night
The elementary school had a free family skate night at Classic Fun Skating in Sandy. The girls really wanted to go and I had promised them earlier in the week that we would go. After all, it was only a dollar for skate rental. Plus, we could take Timothy's little bike for him to ride, and John was home to go with us! Yay.
So we had dinner with Jaime and her kids, then we all packed up in the cars and made our way to the skating rink. We planned to be there about 5:30, but got there at 6:30 p.m. Oh well. That is how things go around here. We can always have the best intentions, but well, the best laid plans are always the ones that are flexible. At least it was Friday night. I didn't mind if the kids were up later!
First task upon arrival- skate rental!
John took Amber and Emma to get skates. They put them on, and then they couldn't stand up. Amber did okay on the carpet, but once on the rink she didn't particularly like to skate! Emma couldn't even stand up on the carpet. She fell on her butt one too many times. So she seemed content to lay on the floor moving her feet back and forth.
Then Saundra showed up and she had rented the adjustable skates for her 2 yo daughter. I hadn't even thought about that! I didn't even know those kind of skates were still in production! Those are the kind I grew up wearing! Yay, I was so excited. She let us borrow the skates for Timothy for a bit. He actually did very well. it wasn't until I saw Timothy skating on the carpet by himself that I had an epiphany. Emma needed skates like that! So she tried the skates on and loved it. So I exchanged her skates for the adjustable skates! She did so much better! She loved being out there with John. She even skated by herself. I'm glad we tried that. Now if Amber had worn her shoes instead of her boots she could have tried those skates too. Unfortunately her boots didn't fit into the adjustable skates.
We did enjoy the night. It was so fun to take the kids somewhere fun and spend very little money. We are so grateful for being able to go and for the time we could spend with friends. Nights like this are so wonderful.
So we had dinner with Jaime and her kids, then we all packed up in the cars and made our way to the skating rink. We planned to be there about 5:30, but got there at 6:30 p.m. Oh well. That is how things go around here. We can always have the best intentions, but well, the best laid plans are always the ones that are flexible. At least it was Friday night. I didn't mind if the kids were up later!
First task upon arrival- skate rental!
John took Amber and Emma to get skates. They put them on, and then they couldn't stand up. Amber did okay on the carpet, but once on the rink she didn't particularly like to skate! Emma couldn't even stand up on the carpet. She fell on her butt one too many times. So she seemed content to lay on the floor moving her feet back and forth.
Then Saundra showed up and she had rented the adjustable skates for her 2 yo daughter. I hadn't even thought about that! I didn't even know those kind of skates were still in production! Those are the kind I grew up wearing! Yay, I was so excited. She let us borrow the skates for Timothy for a bit. He actually did very well. it wasn't until I saw Timothy skating on the carpet by himself that I had an epiphany. Emma needed skates like that! So she tried the skates on and loved it. So I exchanged her skates for the adjustable skates! She did so much better! She loved being out there with John. She even skated by herself. I'm glad we tried that. Now if Amber had worn her shoes instead of her boots she could have tried those skates too. Unfortunately her boots didn't fit into the adjustable skates.
We did enjoy the night. It was so fun to take the kids somewhere fun and spend very little money. We are so grateful for being able to go and for the time we could spend with friends. Nights like this are so wonderful.
Cookie Decorating
So I signed up for a Cookie Decorating class thinking, this will be fun, right? And it didn't look like I needed to provide any supplies. That was a bonus for me, or so I thought. I should have thought harder about that one! Ha, just because supplies aren't listed on the class schedule doesn't mean I won't need them. So earlier in the week the instructor called me to confirm my email address, but apparently something went wrong in the communication. I wasn't getting the email! I finally got in touch with her and got the email the night before class.
Here's what I was supposed to bring to class:
Please bring 6 cookies of your choice to decorate
Please be sure to not over bake your cookies and have them be at least ¼ inch to ½ inch thick.
After the cookies have cooled, cover with Cookie Glaze with a pastry brush:
Cookies must have glaze on them before class
COOKIE GLAZE:
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Tblsp Water
1 Tblsp Light corn Syrup
Let cookies dry for at least 1 Hour
List of supplies to bring:
Apron
Bath towel
Scissors
6 cookies – covered with above glaze
Coloring for icing – Wilton paste or Americolor gels (Orson Gygi’s)
2 - 3 Small Bowls
toothpicks
Something to put your cookies on to take home (cookie sheet etc..)
Spoons
12 Decorator bags (disposable or Parchment paper)
Tips # 2, 3,16,18
6 couplers
1 batch of Color Flow icing
*** Make icing the NIGHT BEFORE CLASS ***
Do not refrigerate
So, that's what I found out I needed at 6:30 p.m. the night before class. I couldn't really leave right then, my kids were just starting to get ready for bed, John was still in class. So I was pretty much stuck for the time being. So I thought, I still have time to cancel, right? I'm just going to call and say I wanted a full refund of the tuition! But no, I couldn't just take the easy way like that! I had to go to the class! But then it gets worse. I had to have this icing made the night before class, and here it was the night before class? So here's the recipe I was supposed to use.
Wilton Color Flow Icing Recipe
Color Flow Icing Recipe: (full-strength for outlining)
Ingredients:
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon water
1 lb. (4 cups) sifted confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons Color Flow Mix
With electric mixer, using grease-free utensils, blend all ingredients on low speed for 5 minutes. If using hand mixer, use high speed. Color flow icing crusts quickly, so keep bowl covered with a damp cloth while using.
Makes approx. 2 cups color flow icing.
Make icing and place in glass container with a lid
If you do not have a glass container with a lid please purchase a new set of Glad plastic containers (find at the dollar store)
** DO NOT USE old Rubbermaid or Tupperware **
Icing will be stiff
So, who really stocks Color Flow mix unless you're into cake/cookie decorating? I certainly don't! I didn't even know what the stuff was! So 10:00 p.m. and I'm at the store with Cori trying to figure out what we're doing for this class! We decided to just get a couple of containers of decorating icing! That's the same thing, right? Ha, little did we know that we were really just buying buttercream icing! Duh.
So off we go Thursday night to this class, armed with what we thought was the correct icing! So I admit, sometimes I'm just a little dumb. I don't know anything about cake/cookie decorating. That's why we signed up for the class to begin with! Oh, and the tips I was supposed to have, um yeah, didn't have the correct tips either, but wasn't willing to spend money on a new set especially if I didn't like the class!
The class starts and we look at each other. The other people were armed with notebooks, taking notes! Oh my, this is serious. These people aren't doing this just for fun. Maybe they're trying to venture into a new business. And they have to have me in their class! I'm not serious about it, I just wanted to have fun! Finally we start trying to actually decorate. Ummmmm . . . yeah, the tips I have just aren't working. Oh well, we'll make do, right? We were making do.
Then it came time to thin the icing. All we had to do was add water, a little at a time. Okay, so admit, I was impatient and knew how much the instructor had to add. So I added a lot at one time. Oops. But our icing was not smooth! It was all grainy. (I've never had my own buttercream icing turn out grainy with too much liquid though!) We still didn't realize it was buttercream. But by this time we were positive it wasn't the correct icing. So much for following directions! Uh yeah, we tried. Then the instructor took my bag to help me with my stars. Her comment, "Why is this so greasy?" I looked at Cori and said, I don't know, my hands are pretty greasy. (By this time I could barely hold onto the bag!) So the instructor said, "This feels like buttercream!" I looked at Cori and we just laughed. We had known something was wrong here! All we could do at this point was laugh. We had messed up big time. Needless to say, our cookies weren't as pretty as the others. If the class would have been graded, we would have failed! Oh well. We took the class just for fun. And guess what? Despite the frustration and our failure at cookie decorating, we had a blast! I think it bothered the others in the class that we were actually having fun, but hey, they could have tried a little harder to smile, right?
I really needed that girls time. It was so good to be out and away from all the responsibilities of home! And I had a babysitter, who wants to know all of our cookie decorating knowledge. Do I really feel like I can show her? I'm going to try this at home with the correct icing this time! I will succeed. I can't let this be a failure just for my complete lack of ability to follow directions!
Let this be a lesson to me from here on out. Follow directions explicitly, especially when trying something new! Somebody else has been doing this longer and knows what they're talking about when they give specific directions!
Here's what I was supposed to bring to class:
Please bring 6 cookies of your choice to decorate
Please be sure to not over bake your cookies and have them be at least ¼ inch to ½ inch thick.
After the cookies have cooled, cover with Cookie Glaze with a pastry brush:
Cookies must have glaze on them before class
COOKIE GLAZE:
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Tblsp Water
1 Tblsp Light corn Syrup
Let cookies dry for at least 1 Hour
List of supplies to bring:
Apron
Bath towel
Scissors
6 cookies – covered with above glaze
Coloring for icing – Wilton paste or Americolor gels (Orson Gygi’s)
2 - 3 Small Bowls
toothpicks
Something to put your cookies on to take home (cookie sheet etc..)
Spoons
12 Decorator bags (disposable or Parchment paper)
Tips # 2, 3,16,18
6 couplers
1 batch of Color Flow icing
*** Make icing the NIGHT BEFORE CLASS ***
Do not refrigerate
So, that's what I found out I needed at 6:30 p.m. the night before class. I couldn't really leave right then, my kids were just starting to get ready for bed, John was still in class. So I was pretty much stuck for the time being. So I thought, I still have time to cancel, right? I'm just going to call and say I wanted a full refund of the tuition! But no, I couldn't just take the easy way like that! I had to go to the class! But then it gets worse. I had to have this icing made the night before class, and here it was the night before class? So here's the recipe I was supposed to use.
Wilton Color Flow Icing Recipe
Color Flow Icing Recipe: (full-strength for outlining)
Ingredients:
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon water
1 lb. (4 cups) sifted confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons Color Flow Mix
With electric mixer, using grease-free utensils, blend all ingredients on low speed for 5 minutes. If using hand mixer, use high speed. Color flow icing crusts quickly, so keep bowl covered with a damp cloth while using.
Makes approx. 2 cups color flow icing.
Make icing and place in glass container with a lid
If you do not have a glass container with a lid please purchase a new set of Glad plastic containers (find at the dollar store)
** DO NOT USE old Rubbermaid or Tupperware **
Icing will be stiff
So, who really stocks Color Flow mix unless you're into cake/cookie decorating? I certainly don't! I didn't even know what the stuff was! So 10:00 p.m. and I'm at the store with Cori trying to figure out what we're doing for this class! We decided to just get a couple of containers of decorating icing! That's the same thing, right? Ha, little did we know that we were really just buying buttercream icing! Duh.
So off we go Thursday night to this class, armed with what we thought was the correct icing! So I admit, sometimes I'm just a little dumb. I don't know anything about cake/cookie decorating. That's why we signed up for the class to begin with! Oh, and the tips I was supposed to have, um yeah, didn't have the correct tips either, but wasn't willing to spend money on a new set especially if I didn't like the class!
The class starts and we look at each other. The other people were armed with notebooks, taking notes! Oh my, this is serious. These people aren't doing this just for fun. Maybe they're trying to venture into a new business. And they have to have me in their class! I'm not serious about it, I just wanted to have fun! Finally we start trying to actually decorate. Ummmmm . . . yeah, the tips I have just aren't working. Oh well, we'll make do, right? We were making do.
Then it came time to thin the icing. All we had to do was add water, a little at a time. Okay, so admit, I was impatient and knew how much the instructor had to add. So I added a lot at one time. Oops. But our icing was not smooth! It was all grainy. (I've never had my own buttercream icing turn out grainy with too much liquid though!) We still didn't realize it was buttercream. But by this time we were positive it wasn't the correct icing. So much for following directions! Uh yeah, we tried. Then the instructor took my bag to help me with my stars. Her comment, "Why is this so greasy?" I looked at Cori and said, I don't know, my hands are pretty greasy. (By this time I could barely hold onto the bag!) So the instructor said, "This feels like buttercream!" I looked at Cori and we just laughed. We had known something was wrong here! All we could do at this point was laugh. We had messed up big time. Needless to say, our cookies weren't as pretty as the others. If the class would have been graded, we would have failed! Oh well. We took the class just for fun. And guess what? Despite the frustration and our failure at cookie decorating, we had a blast! I think it bothered the others in the class that we were actually having fun, but hey, they could have tried a little harder to smile, right?
I really needed that girls time. It was so good to be out and away from all the responsibilities of home! And I had a babysitter, who wants to know all of our cookie decorating knowledge. Do I really feel like I can show her? I'm going to try this at home with the correct icing this time! I will succeed. I can't let this be a failure just for my complete lack of ability to follow directions!
Let this be a lesson to me from here on out. Follow directions explicitly, especially when trying something new! Somebody else has been doing this longer and knows what they're talking about when they give specific directions!
Friday, January 22, 2010
The big, bad "S" word!
I can say that, he doesn't know, right? So I thought. I forgot how much a two year old will repeat. He probably doesn't understand what he says, but he hears me say things, and then he repeats it! Sometimes this is so adorable, like the time I told him he was being a pill. He turned to me and said no, you pill. I couldn't resist the laughter at that point. So when he repeated the big, bad "S" word I thought, oh no, I'm in trouble. Just don't tell the girls, they will certainly chastise me! They hear me say the word and remind me, "Mom, that's a bad word!" Okay, I know I've told them it is a bad word, but when I'm frustrated with something, it becomes something like this. Argh, this is so Stupid! Okay, I told you now. My big, bad "S" word! I realize I say it all the time. But I don't call anybody stupid. I just use it in reference to a situation. (Ummmm . . . starting to sound like rationalization? It is!)
Now that my two year old is repeating everything I say, I need a greater resolve to not say this word. I need to be an example to my children. My girls hear me and know I'm breaking my own rules! How is this helping them any? Ha, it isn't. But, it is a bad habit of mine. I tried once and couldn't break the habit. So I gave up. Yes, I gave up. I thought, if I couldn't break it once, why try again? Now that I have a third reason to break this habit, maybe I should give it another shot. It is a good thing this wasn't my resolution for the new year. I would have already failed!
Oh, and by the way, the lack of pictures is very apparent on my blog. Sorry about that. My pictures are all on my other computer. But somehow my other computer decided it didn't want to work anymore. I was in the process of backing everything up, unfortunately it didn't happen fast enough. I now have the lovely task of trying to extract my data from the hard drive. Also, I have decided that I won't be putting up many pictures of my kids. There are too many weirdos out there who will use random pictures without my knowledge or permission. But really, for now, I don't even have a way to get pictures onto a computer to share. Yikes. Soon it will all be taken care of.
Now that my two year old is repeating everything I say, I need a greater resolve to not say this word. I need to be an example to my children. My girls hear me and know I'm breaking my own rules! How is this helping them any? Ha, it isn't. But, it is a bad habit of mine. I tried once and couldn't break the habit. So I gave up. Yes, I gave up. I thought, if I couldn't break it once, why try again? Now that I have a third reason to break this habit, maybe I should give it another shot. It is a good thing this wasn't my resolution for the new year. I would have already failed!
Oh, and by the way, the lack of pictures is very apparent on my blog. Sorry about that. My pictures are all on my other computer. But somehow my other computer decided it didn't want to work anymore. I was in the process of backing everything up, unfortunately it didn't happen fast enough. I now have the lovely task of trying to extract my data from the hard drive. Also, I have decided that I won't be putting up many pictures of my kids. There are too many weirdos out there who will use random pictures without my knowledge or permission. But really, for now, I don't even have a way to get pictures onto a computer to share. Yikes. Soon it will all be taken care of.
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