Ordinary Miracles

Out of retirement

2010-10-01T10:39:00.000-07:00

Okay, I did something today that I'm kinda excited about, so I figured I would post it here for anyone who still checks in with me to see. Ta-da:

See that cute ladybug skirt? I MADE it. *I know.* Crazy, huh? I originally saw this skirt on this blog. I've never met the author, but I really admire her sewing skills and she makes lots of cute things. When I saw the free pattern for the skirt here, I decided I had to give it a shot.

I want to teach Hannah how to sew a little and this skirt is the perfect project for her. We went to the fabric store together and she had a great time picking out fabric and ribbon. But before we started, I decided I needed to give the pattern a test run. It took about an hour and a half and Rachel was pretty excited to put it on and wear it. It was fairly easy, even for an amateur like me and the possibilities with this skirt are endless. I want to try corderoy next. Anyway, let me know if you try this pattern and what you think.

Also, happy birthday to Delos and Misty today!

Hannah's Day

2010-02-26T10:43:00.000-08:00

(Hannah and cousin Alex at Colonial Williamsburg last spring).

Today is Hannah's 9th birthday. When I think back over the past year, it has gone so fast. Seems like we were just getting her ready for her baptism and confirmation and suddenly, a whole year has gone by. We had no idea then, NO IDEA, that we would move to Austin and now we've been here 7 months already.

Last night before bed, I told Hannah the story about going into labor with her (she's the only baby I wasn't induced with) and about her delivery and my first hours and days as her mother. I got teary eyed remembering the feelings I had then, 9 whole years ago. We'd been praying for a baby for several years and she felt like a complete miracle to me.

Hannah is still a miracle and a blessing in our family. She is so smart and talented and helpful and funny and we wouldn't be the same without her. I'm so glad our prayers were answered 9 years with our little Hannahbird.

Happy Birthday!

Winter in Austin

2010-02-23T08:24:00.000-08:00

When we left church at 2:00 pm on Sunday afternoon, it was beautiful outside - sunny and about 75 degrees. When we got home, I opened all the windows so we could enjoy the sunshine and breeze. It totally felt like Spring was on the way. And today, less than 48 hours later, this:

Snow!

Excluding our trip to Utah for the holidays, this is the most snow my kids have seen in years. The most we've had since we moved to Texas over 4 years ago. Oh well, I guess Spring will get here eventually.

Something to read...

2010-01-28T20:09:00.000-08:00

(Have any of you read this yet? Good? No?)

I am really, really desperate for some good reads. My mom had several Dick Francis books that I haven't read yet, but I forgot to steal them from her shelf before we left Utah. *sigh*

If you have any suggestions, let me know. I'm headed to the library this weekend.

Happy Birthday Dear Eric

2010-01-22T07:33:00.000-08:00

What a year it has been! I'm so excited that Eric is turning 1 today (and a little bit sad too). Plus, his day is extra-special because he shares his birthday with one of my favorite people ever: my sister Ellen.

So today I'm thinking about one year ago and how frustrated and sad I was when I couldn't be induced on the 21st since the hospital was so full. (Believe me, anyone who has been there understands, it was the ultimate devestation to hear that morning). And how great my two friends were to go with me to lunch (fish tacos from Fish City!) to console me. And I'm thinking about my insane power-walk the next day at CJ's work to put myself into labor and the relief when we got the the hospital and they admitted me and my contractions didn't stop (for once)! And I'm thinking about the moments after Eric was born and how all the nurses kept talking about what a beautiful baby he was and I agreed. And I'm thinking about all the sleepless nights since then and all the things we've done together as a family. And I'm so glad Eric came to ours.

Happy Birthday Ricky-Rick!

The problem is, I feel this way EVERY day...

2010-01-19T00:37:00.000-08:00

Look who's walking...

2010-01-17T19:11:00.000-08:00

My little baby is growing up! Eric started walking this week and while it IS adorable, he is also getting into everything and making messes everywhere he goes.

Can you believe he'll turn one on Friday? Neither can I. This past year has gone SO fast and my heart is breaking that he's so big already. But, it's exciting to see him growing up too.

Shabby Apple finalists

2009-11-13T19:39:00.001-08:00

Have any of you been following Shabby Apple's "Dare to Design" contest? I really like Shabby Apple dresses although I don't actually have any. I just think it's fun to check their site from time-to-time and see what they're offering. Especially since I think it's so hard to find modest dresses. Anyway, the 15 finalists are posted and you can go vote for your favorite here. You can only vote ONCE so I'm narrowing it down between these 3 but so far I'm still undecided. Whichever design wins will be a part of the Shabby Apple spring line and the designer will get 3% of the profits from the sale of her dress. Cool eh? Check it out and let me know which one you're voting for.

I have to agree..

2009-10-04T15:00:00.000-07:00

I think I need this for Eric.

Only $7.99 at gap.com

(plus an additional 15% off with code GAPSTYLE1)

Austin

2009-07-27T17:03:00.000-07:00

We're here - in the great city of Austin and so far, so good. But please remind me (if I ever consider moving again) how much I REALLY hate unpacking.

Go Brigham

2009-07-07T20:22:00.001-07:00

“As I have often told my sisters in the Female Relief Societies, we have sisters here who, if they had the privilege of studying, would make just as good mathematicians or accountants as any man; and we think they ought to have the privilege to study these branches of knowledge that they may develop the powers with which they are endowed. We believe that women are useful not only to sweep houses, wash dishes, make beds, and raise babies, but that they should stand behind the counter, study law or physic [medicine], or become good book-keepers and be able to do the business in any counting house, and this to enlarge their sphere of usefulness for the benefit of society at large (Discourses of Brigham Young, 216–17).”

I hope to someday enlarge my sphere of usefulness for the benefit of society, but for now it's my season to sweep houses, wash dishes, make beds, and raise babies.

I just finished...

2009-07-06T08:37:00.000-07:00

Book Six.

Again.

Cannot wait to see the movie.

J.K. Rowling is a genius.

Watch a trailer here and here.

America the Beautiful

2009-07-05T20:21:00.000-07:00

"Oh, beautiful for heroes proved in liberating strife,

Who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life!

America! America! May God thy gold refine,

Till all success be nobleness, and every gain divine."

(America the Beautiful, verse 3. Words by Katherine Lee Bates, 1859-1929).

We sang this in church today and verse 3 made me cry. I'm so grateful to be in this country and for the sacrifices that make our freedom possible. I know I don't appreciate it as much or think about it as often as I should.

"...Long may our land be bright with freedom's holy light.

Protect us by thy might, Great God, our King!"

(My Country, 'Tis of Thee, verse 4. Words by Samuel F. Smith, 1808-1895).

Cuties on my bed...

2009-07-02T19:25:00.000-07:00

Lots of times when I lay Eric down somewhere, Rachel will run over to lay down right next to him. I think it's cute (when it isn't annoying me) that she has to be so close. I wonder if he ever wishes for a little more personal space with all these siblings in his face all day?

Calling all Target shoppers

2009-06-30T20:13:00.000-07:00

I've been looking for a "maxi dress" like this for awhile now and saw this at Target.com. Looks pretty cute and comfy and I want to buy it, but it's out of stock. So if you see it at your local store, could you grab one for me (in either a M or a L please)? I'll pay you back plus shipping.

Thanks!

What the what?

2009-06-29T21:22:00.000-07:00

Is anyone else as bugged as I am that Wes is still around? How dumb can Jillian be? I mean, it's really nice of her to give him the benefit of the doubt and to trust her gut and all, but he's already told two other guys about his girlfriend. I can't wait until the "men tell all" episode - I really hope they show her face while they play the clip of him talking about how he's already made it six shows and he's so excited about all the publicity he's getting and how his manager told him it would be a great opportunity for his band. Ugh! Sick of him. He's giving Austin a bad name!

I felt bad for both of the guys that got sent home tonight. Poor Michael. I'm excited that Ed's back though - I really liked him and I knew she was gonna keep him around. Can't wait for next week's installment. For some reason, I think I'm pulling for semi-neurotic Reid. There's just something about him. Still like Kiptyn (despite his unfortunate name) and Ed though. But I'm ready for Jillian to kick Wes to the curb already.

Here's what our summer looks like

2009-06-27T20:45:00.000-07:00

We started the summer off with daily swimming lessons for two weeks. Hannah just gets better and better. And Charlie is turning into a little fish.

And Miss Rachel started dance lessons. She is adorable and loves going to dance with Miss Stephanie.

I know my photohgraphy and camera stink and these are taken through the window, but can you see her there on the left holding her teacher's hand?

And last but not least, Hannah and Charlie started karate. They both love it. Maybe too much. I frequently have to remind them, well Charlie mostly, that his teacher has asked him NOT to practice on his siblings without their permission.

What does your summer look like?

I think I must have WAY too much going on...

2009-06-25T08:04:00.000-07:00

WARNING: If you hide a Tupperware bowl of carmel popcorn in your oven and then turn it on later to preheat for dinner, this is what will happen:

Oh well, one less thing to move, right?

I think we finally bought a house...

2009-06-23T20:26:00.000-07:00

We spent the weekend in our new hometown, Austin. It was H.O.T. But it wasn't very humid, which I loved (even though I was H.O.T.)

And believe it or not, we finally bought a house. Here are a few photos. Right now we're scheduled to close on the 17th of July. Which is in 4 weeks, give or take and I can't believe how soon that is. I better get busy.

Do I love that there's tile in the family room? No. But if I've learned anything in the past 4 weeks it's this: buying a house is a compromise. And our huge entry way rug really needs to fit in this room.

I'm really excited for all the cabinets in the kitchen since we're leaving an amazing pantry here in Houston. The wall of cabinets on the left will hopefully hold most of our food storage. And I'm wondering how hard it might be for my dad to change the light fixture in the kitchen because I really hate it. What do you think dad?

2009-06-15T00:01:00.000-07:00

Today is CJ's first day at his new job. I'm nervous for him (who knows why since he isn't nervous for himself but I always hated starting a new job). We'll miss him, but we're excited to go visit later this week. And eventually, we'll find (and close on) a house in Austin so we can join him.

The University of Texas at Austin is dedicated to improving the quality of life of the people of Texas and the United States. We are a leading provider of education and research with a depth and diversity of resources unmatched by most other public universities. As an enduring symbol of the spirit of Texas—big, ambitious and bold—the university drives economic and social progress in Texas and serves our nation as a leading center of knowledge and creativity. (Taken from the UT homepage)

Did y'all know that in 2002 UT was recognized by Sports Illustrated as "America's best sports college"? I didn't either.

Hope you have a great first day CJ!

Oops!

2009-06-14T16:46:00.000-07:00

Today after church (and a late lunch) the doorbell rang. We weren't expecting anyone, but CJ answered and it was a family with a real estate agent who were here to see our house. Since we weren't expecting them, we asked if they could come back in 15-30 minutes so we could wake Rachel up, straighten up a bit, and get out of the house. They said sure. But about 5 minutes after they left, the agent called and said they wouldn't be back.

When I checked my cell phone later, the agent had called to schedule the appointment and I just didn't get it. D'oh!

Another agent called to schedule a showing tonight from 7-8, but about an hour later, she cancelled too.

3 people have scheduled to see our house since we put it on the market, but none have actually seen it yet. And today's mix-up was my fault. I'm sure the agent figures there are plenty of houses on the market so we don't have to show ours if we don't want to. Lesson learned: next time someone shows up to see the house (whether we know about it or not) LET THEM IN!

If this house ever sells it will truly be a miracle.

Food should NOT make me this happy...

2009-06-10T21:21:00.000-07:00

I'm still blaming the "extra" weight on the baby, but chicken flautas with guacamole at 11 p.m. can't be helping...

YUM!

School's out...

2009-06-04T14:56:00.000-07:00

Guess how we spent the afternoon?

Licking the bowl...

2009-05-30T15:08:00.000-07:00

4 Months...

2009-05-27T21:29:00.000-07:00

I know this picture is blurry but do you see the pure joy in that baby's face? He loves his Bumbo seat. It was a little spendy, but worth it. If you want to get one, look here.

Eric officially turned 4 months old last Friday. We were on our way to Austin - more about that eventful weekend later - so I didn't post. But today he had his 4 month well check. He weighs 13 lbs. exactly (25th percentile) and he's in the 50th percentile for length (or height I guess).

He's at such a great age. He's sleeping well - I usually only have to get up once in the early morning to feed him. He laughs and squeals and spits to get our attention and I just can't get enough of him. He is honestly the best baby I've ever been around. He endured the trip to Austin better than our older kids and spent countless hours in his car seat without even a tiny bit of complaint. He just looks around and squawks until he falls asleep. He's starting to grab toys too although he mostly just bonks himself in the face with 'em. I am so grateful for these past four months and for the happiness this baby has brought to me and my family.

Happy 4 months Ricky!

Charlie's haircut

2009-05-19T09:27:00.000-07:00

Wishful thinking...

2009-05-16T12:22:00.000-07:00

I took my kids to the nearby outdoor mall on Wed. to play in the water. They had a blast and it was really fun to watch them having a good time. When they decided they were finished and I got them changed into dry clothes, I decided to stop in and check out the Fossil store. I should never have gone in! They had the cutest stuff! Here are a few of my favorites. By the way Em, they also had the belt you featured on your blog recently and I loved it. I had an orange shirt on that day and the aqua bag looked SO cute with it. Too bad my birthday is already over and so is Mother's Day. How long until Christmas again???

You can thank me later...

2009-05-14T18:02:00.000-07:00

If you want a treat (and I usually do), try this idea I got from a friend. Make your favorite chocolate chip cookie dough, but instead of adding chocolate chips at the end, add 1 c. shredded coconut, 1 c. chopped pecans and white chocolate chips, then bake as usual. Yummy!

For Ellen

2009-05-12T20:43:00.000-07:00

Several years ago, after my sister Ellen had her oldest son, Luke, she found this cute little outfit for a baby boy and got it even though Luke was too big for it. She figured she would just hang on to it until she had her next baby boy. Well, 3 girls later, I guess she has given up hope because I got that outfit in the mail after finding out that I was pregnant with a boy. Anyway, it's almost too small for Eric now so I decided I needed to take pictures of him in it before we have to pack it away (you know ,to save for our next baby boy - hahahaha!) You can't see it in the picture, but it has these darling little sailboats on it and it's so cute!

Thanks Ellen! I'm trying to appreciate it like I know you would. And Eric says it's his favorite outfit!

Love your mother...

2009-04-22T17:54:00.001-07:00

Happy Earth Day!

Girls trip!

2009-04-21T19:57:00.001-07:00

Thursday morning, Hannah, Eric and I are on our way to Colonial Williamsburg, VA!

Several years ago (pre-kids), CJ and I spent a few days there and absolutely loved it. So interesting! We actually toured the mansion pictured below and literally took notes on our favorite features of the house. You know, for when we eventually build our own historical mansion/plantation.
We're hoping to attend a witch trial one night and go on a "ghost walk" on the next. I am SO looking forward to this trip and some girl time with Hannah, Misty, Alex and my mom.

So thanks for inviting us on this trip girls - we can't wait to see you! And thanks for letting Eric come along too even if he'll be the only boy. Someday, he'll be so embarrassed that I took him on a girls trip!

Easter

2009-04-16T14:10:00.000-07:00

This was my family Sunday morning, after the Easter egg hunt and before church.

Sheesh, what a day. CJ was sustained as a counselor in the bishopric and as he walked up to the stand, Rachel had a little meltdown and I had to take her out. Luckily, a friend came and sat with my other 3 kids so I didn't have to take them out with me. And I realized that Rachel is the only baby I've had without CJ serving in a bishopric (or being called shortly after the baby arrived). This is the third time for him (he keeps joking that he must not be getting it right) but the sad thing for me is now I have to sit alone each week but with 4 kids this time around. Woe is me, right? I'm sure I could have worse problems and there are lots of girls in my ward who do that alot. And single parents or part-member families do it all the time. But I've had 3 wonderful years of having CJ at my side every single Sunday. And he was home in the morning before church, helping me get kids ready and packing the diaper bag. And home after church helping feed the kids and getting them changed and down for naps of whatever. And now (too late) I realize how spoiled I was. I've had lots of offers from friends to help out during sacrament meeting and I'm so grateful to be in this ward where I know that help will be available to me - and believe me, we will need it. Okay, now I've vented a little and I'm going to much more positive about the whole bishopric thing - yay!

Hope you had a Happy Easter!

Tick-tock

2009-04-13T09:15:00.000-07:00

I love clocks.

I went into a clock store almost 10 years ago to buy a cuckoo clock for my husband who was graduating from medical school (and specializing in psychiatry - get it?) and I had to drag myself out of the store. I love the sound of a clock chiming on the hour and since our cuckoo clock broke, I miss hearing that little bird announcing the time. So I loved this idea for my entry way wall. It's been 3 years since we moved into this house and I have agonized over what to put in this huge space. But it's finally done. Almost. Now, I'm looking for a piece of furniture to go below the clocks. (Thank goodness for tax returns or that part would still be on hold.) I'm thinking about this from ZGallerie. It's even 10% off right now. What do you think?

Adam, Prince of Eternia

2009-04-10T10:24:00.000-07:00

Anyone remember He-Man?

Charlie was playing today and he put the baby's bumbo seat on his head and I told him he looked like Ram-Man. He had no idea what I was talking about, so I did a google search to introduce him to He-Man, Teela, Skeletor, Evil-Lyn and Cringer (He-Man's green tiger that he rode on - remember?) I used to watch this cartoon every day after school and my brother had a bunch of the action figures. I even found a clip that confirmed a vague memory of mine: He-Man was "with" Teela or at least he had feelings for her. Anyway, it was a funny walk down memory lane. I'm off to search the web for full-length episodes...Charlie is hooked.

Missionary Man

2009-04-09T12:39:00.001-07:00

See how good I'm being about posting on my blog? Hahahahaha! Whatever... I really must not have much to say or maybe I'm just feeling a little busy lately. Anyway, we took these pictures of Eric almost 2 weeks ago and I had to post them to show you how adorable he is. And I need CJ's mom to see them - she's the one who sent us the onsie!

Does he look like his dad?
Click on the picture so you can read the "nametag." Funny no?

I am SO in love with this kid!

Baptism day

2009-03-26T11:40:00.001-07:00

Well, it has been a crazy couple of weeks, filled with things like a baptism, a baby blessing, visits from family, home projects, a sick baby and just day-to-day life. But I've decided it's time to get back into my habit of occasionally posting about our life. So my first choice was to post about our sweet Hannah's baptism.

It was such a neat day - she was the only person who was baptized that day and I loved that it got to be all about her. It started off with a sweet prayer by Charlie. I honestly think his words brought the Spirit like nothing else could've. He prayed that Hannah would "have a good baptism" and also that "everyone on the whole earth can know that Jesus Christ is our Savior." What a sweet boy! Then Grandpa Wolf gave a talk about baptism. He reminded us of the words in the scriptures immediately following Jesus' baptism and said to imagine that Heavenly Father was saying those same things about Hannah. "This is my beloved daughter in whom I am well pleased." Then Hannah was baptized and it was really emotional (for me at least - but then, I cried most of the time we were there). It's hard to believe she's old enough to be making covenants already, ya know? Anyway, then Grandpa Larson gave a talk about the Holy Ghost and then Hannah was confirmed. Afterwards, we came back to our house and feasted on egg rolls and fried rice (thanks mom and Millie!) It was a really great day. I also have to thank everyone who contributed to her baptism book. It came together really nicely and I love that she'll have it to look at for years to come. Here are a few photos of our special day:

I wish someone had mentioned to me that my beloved J.Crew prison-stripe sweater was NOT flattering on a post-pregnancy body...)

Hannah and UIL

2009-03-10T10:04:00.000-07:00

So this post is long overdue. But back when it happened, I was just coming home from the hospital with a new little baby.

Anyway, Hannah had been staying after school once a week to practice for UIL. I don't know what it stands for, but basically, it's an academic competition for all the schools in our district. We found out just after Christmas break that she'd been selected to represent her school in the actual competition at the end of January. We were really happy and excited for her - and she was really proud of herself and her hard work. The competition was held a few weeks later. She competed against about 40 other kids and then found out that she'd been chosen to compete in the finals. Only 10 finalists compete and after all was said and done, she placed 8th! She got a little medal and it was such a big moment for her. We are so proud of her! She is a great student and really loves school and learning. I think she inherited that from her dad...

12 years

2009-03-04T12:29:00.000-08:00

Twelve years ago today, I entered the Salt Lake Temple as a single person, a little bit nervous but also so happy and excited. When I left, I was married - sealed forever - to the love of my life. In the past twelve years we've experienced a lot together. Here's a very brief look at our life together in numbers:

1 awesome trip to Europe (and countless other amazing trips together - including Hawaii!)

2 major moves (from Chicago to SLC and from Draper to Houston plus a few minor moves inbetween.)

3 houses (well, 1 condo and 2 houses)

4 kids

5 cars and 1 fishing boat

6 college degrees (okay, not quite but it feels like it sometimes - and only one of them is mine!)

(so, I was going to try to count up to 12 but it's getting way too hard)

1 hurricane.

2 trips to Disneyworld and 1 to Disneyland. (When can we go again?)

1 major career change.

3 memorable canoe trips (Starved Rock, Hallstadt, and the one here in TX - remember all those turtles and the OWL?)

1 car break down on Match Day in Chicago

4 trips to Sea World in San Antonio (and a few to Austin too - I still want to move there...)

Countless memories of building our life and family.

There's no one else I would ever want to do this with, C.J. You are a great dad and an even better husband. I love you and I'm so glad I married you 12 years ago. I would do it all over again! Here's to the next 12 (or so...)!

P.S. When you get home today, can you show me how to scan photos? I wanted to put one of our wedding pictures on here!

Brothers

2009-03-03T11:42:00.000-08:00

Happy birthday Hannah

2009-02-27T08:05:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Hannah's birthday and I can hardly believe she's already 8. Last night when I was tucking her in bed and told her 'Happy Birthday' she said the cutest thing. She said, "this is the anniversary of when you became a mother." And she's right, 8 years ago, I became a mother for the first time. What an 8 years it has been! Sometimes it's hard to remember what my life was like before kids. I forget sometimes - okay, almost all of the time - what a miracle it is to have her. About 9 years ago, in fact, our R.E. (that's a reproductive endrocrinologist or fertility dr.) told us that even with all the medical help we could get, we had a 15% chance of having biological children and we were taking classes with LDS Family Services to start the adoption process. And a few months later I found out I was pregnant with her (and now we have 4! Who would've believed it?) I guess miracles still happen because we've had 4 of them, but I have to remember that it all started with my Hannah-bird.

Anyway, I took her to get her ears pierced for her birthday and she did great - even though they had to do them one at a time. Tomorrow is her party - I'll have to post pictures of that (if I ever get around to it - it's getting harder and harder to blog lately, let alone even check my emails).

We are making her a baptism book and these are the two pictures my dad attached to his letter for her. I love both of them. And her book is going to be SO cute - so if you haven't done a page for her yet, you have a few more days to get it to me! And THANK YOU to those who have already done it.

At 7 or 8 months - one of my FAVORITE pictures of her.

When she was in 1st grade (last year) my parents were here visiting and one day, we got McDonald's and took to it school to have lunch with her.

***Happy 8th birthday Hannah! We love you!***

4 weeks

2009-02-20T11:25:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I actually meant to post this picture yesterday since Eric was 4 weeks old yesterday, but it was busy and I just didn't get to it until today. But since he wasn't born until after 4 pm, I guess he's still "officially" 4 weeks old until later today. It's making me crazy how big he's getting already and how much he's changed in such a short time. I need it to stop. right. now.

Don't you LOVE the little Wolf on his outfit? When I saw this Wolf line at Gymboree, I had to have something from it - especially for grandpa Wolf. He's gonna love it!

Happy 4 weeks baby!

I am a winner!

2009-02-17T12:14:00.000-08:00

So a few weeks ago - the week I had my baby actually - I entered Natalie's blog giveaway. And for once, I actually won! And last week, I got a fun little package in the mail. I got the one pictured at the bottom. It's called a "Mother Hen Apron" and it has little pockets to carry around your phone and paper&pencil - or whatever you want to have on hand while you've got a new baby. Isn't it so cute? And creative?

This little note was included. Thanks Natalie for the cute prize! I {heart} your blog!

Rachel loves Cha-Chi

2009-02-12T08:47:00.001-08:00

Rachel is starting to say EVERYTHING. I love this age because it's so funny to hear little kids talking and expressing themselves. And the best part - guess what she calls Charlie? She calls him "chachi." And it is so cute that we're all calling him that.

First bottle

2009-02-11T11:02:00.000-08:00

Hannah was completed fascinated on Saturday when she discovered that I could pump and that someone else (besides me) could feed the baby. She was so excited for Eric to wake up so she could give him his first bottle. I could get used to this....

It must be hard to be third...

2009-02-10T09:24:00.000-08:00

I'll admit it - my 3 older kids have been a little bit neglected lately. When my sister and in-laws were here to help, it wasn't so bad, but in the week since all our company left, it's been worse. I just didn't realize how bad until last night.

I was starting dinner and Rachel came in and asked for an apple. I grabbed one from the fridge and handed it to her without even washing it - mostly thinking that she wouldn't really eat it anyway. About 10 minutes later, after I'd gone upstairs to change the baby, this is what I found on the kitchen table. Not only did she eat it, she even ate part of the core!

When Hannah was two, if she had asked for an apple, I would've peeled it and cut it into easy-to-eat slices. But not Rachel. If she wants an apple, she gets one that isn't peeled or cut. It isn't even washed. And she'll eat it, core and all, because that's what happens when you're the third child. Poor thing!

A baby story

2009-02-04T13:37:00.001-08:00

Just in case you're interested, this is the story about how Eric was born. I'm writing it here so I'll be able to remember the details that I'm already starting to forget (even though only 2 weeks have gone by).

I was originally scheduled to be induced on Wed, the 21st of January. I got up at 5 am so I could shower and shave my legs (and only someone who's been 9 months pregnant can fully appreciate what that really means) and I called the hospital at 6. They told me that L&D was full but to call back at 9. Which I did, only to be told again that there were no beds available and that I should call back at 11. I was starting to feel pretty desperate at that point, but it got worse at 11 when I called again and they told me that my induction had been "bumped" to the next day. Luckily, my sister was nice and sent me out to lunch with a few friends which totally cheered me up (at least as much as I could be cheered up). I honestly kept wondering how I was going to make it through another night but somehow I did.

So on Thursday morning, I started the whole process again only to be told the same thing: L&D was full again and I would most likely have to wait until Friday. Ugh! So I called my Dr.'s office when it opened at 8 and asked if she could get me in since I hadn't seen her for 9 days and I wanted her to check me and make sure the baby was still doing okay. I went in at 9 and she told me that she would be happy to induce me the next day (providing the hospital had room for me). She said I was 4 cm and about 70% effaced and said she would "strip the membranes" to see if that would get things going. She also did that at my previous appointment and I'd had contractions off and on all day but that was it. Anyway, when we left her office, CJ and I drove over to his work where they have an indoor walking path and we started walking. We walked as fast as I could for about a mile and a half and I had contractions the whole time. We started timing them and they were every 6-8 minutes, but I was sure that I soon as I stopped walking, the contractions would stop too. So we sat and took a little break, but I kept having contractions! So we called the Dr. back and she told us to go straight to the hospital.

When I got there, I figured my contractions would stop and they would send me home, but they actually admitted me and took me to a room! And my contractions never stopped. I was actually in labor! Finally! I got to the hospital at noon and by 3:00 I was ready for an epidural. Nothing too miserable, but I was pretty uncomfortable and I had 3 hard contractions back-to-back and just figured I was done suffering. So the anesthesiologist came in and did the epidural and then they broke my water and started a little pitocin. (I think the Dr. was trying to hurry things along a little bit because she had a previous appointment at 7). Anyway, about 4, the nurse checked me and told me I was fully dilated and to let her know if I felt any pressure. A few minutes later, I did feel a lot of pressure so she called my OB and told her to come quick! A few minutes later, the nurse checked again and told me the baby was on his way (which I knew - I could feel it) and the Dr. came running in and put on her gloves and caught little Eric. I never even pushed. I guess that happens after 3 babies? Who knows? Anyway, it was a super-easy delivery once it finally started. He was born at 4:24pm - just a few hours after we had arrived at the hospital.

I am so glad that he's finally here. And I'm really glad my sister was able to help out for a few days. And then CJ's parents came and helped for a week too. It was great to have them to play with the other kids and help with laundry, shopping, cooking etc. so I could focus on Eric. Thanks for all your help guys!

Here's a picture of grandma Millie with Eric taken just a few days ago:

And his umbilical cord fell off on Sunday when he was 10 days old so here are some pictures of his first bath:

Introducing...

2009-01-28T12:06:00.001-08:00

Eric Joseph Wolf

Born: Jan. 22, 2009 (Yes, the day AFTER I was supposed to be induced).

CJ, Charlie and Rachel at the hospital. I mostly added this one because of Rachel's cute expression.

Everyone loves holding the new baby.

Charlie is already watching his favorite movies with his baby brother.

New baby with Aunt Alice who was the best helper ever! I was so sad to see her go yesterday.

We are so glad he's finally here. I'll post more about the delivery later...

What's going on around here:

2009-01-16T08:37:00.001-08:00

Since I was miserable last night, CJ attended my monthly book club meeting for me. We had read East of Eden and I totally loved it, so I was a little sad to miss the discussion and see my friends. Plus, who wants to miss the meeting after spending a month reading such a huge, long book? But, CJ had read it too and I think he had a good time (despite being the only boy there). I grilled him this morning because I wanted to know everything they had talked about. Isn't he a nice hubby to go for me?

Hannah only has a half-day of school today and then she and Charlie are spending the afternoon at the park with friends while Rachel takes a nap (since she didn't get one yesterday and it was bad news. We cannot repeat that today!)

I can't think of ANYTHING to make for dinner tonight.

My fabulous friends took me out to dinner on Wednesday night. The food was great and the company even better. And I got some really cute things for the new baby. Thanks guys! I don't know what I would do without you!

I keep wondering what I "should" be doing right now because I won't be able to once the baby comes next week. I'm sure it will all come to me once it's too late...

I'm hoping to get a massage tomorrow. And I need to return a few things too. Maybe I'll get a chance to go without the kids.

Hannah and CJ will both be home on Monday so we're trying to think of something fun to do.

Have a great weekend!

Sunday thought

2009-01-11T13:28:00.000-08:00

Saint Francis of Assisi once said, "Do not fear what may happen tomorrow. The same loving father who cares for you today will care for you tomorrow and every day. Either He will shield you from suffering or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace then and put aside all anxious thought and imaginings."

Good advice to someone like me. My anxious thought lately? I feel like I just might be pregnant FOREVER. Or worse, the baby will eventually arrive and I'll actually be the mother of 4 (!!!) children.

Celine Dion

2009-01-09T23:11:00.001-08:00

It's really late - like it's "actually-early-tomorrow-morning" late, but I got home from the Celine Dion concert a little while ago and had to post and tell you how much fun I had. We met downtown and ate at a really yummy Italian restaurant and then took a cab to the Toyota Center for the concert. I'm not a huge fan or anything (I didn't even know she was coming to town) but a friend had an extra ticket and invited me and I thought, "Who turns down a free ticket to see Celine Dion?" Obviously, not me.

Anyway, it was a really fun show. I'll admit to occasionally thinking about the Celine Dion spoofs on SNL (that are seriously funny) but man, that girl can sing! There were two songs where she sang part of it a capella and I just sat there and wished that I could sing like her. She's not the best dancer or performer I've ever seen but I was truly, truly impressed and amazed at her voice. She sounds incredible live and I had a great time with two friends - one an old friend and the other a new. Thanks E* for taking me - I had a great time!

I feel like a squirrel getting ready to hibernate...

2009-01-09T11:30:00.000-08:00

Not much to report on today. I saw the OB this morning. I've lost 3 pounds and I'm still measuring a week ahead, but otherwise, no progress. Right now, we're still planning on an induction on the 21st.

Then I headed to Costco. I spent an insane amount of money trying to stock up on everything I could think of to avoid going to the store for anything but essentials for the next little while. I had one of the big, flat, long carts and it was piled high (my poor kids were forced to walk for once which wouldn't have been so bad except that Rachel really enjoyed the freedom and disappeared on me twice).

Anyway, so here's a photo of my recently stocked grocery store, um, I mean pantry. I love all this space and I love having full shelves. Is that weird? My freezer is also crammed. I'm trying to think of every possible way to feed my family while not really cooking for the next month, so if you have any brilliant ideas or EASY things that your family likes to eat, let me know.

Tonight, I'm headed to a Celine Dion concert and tomorrow is our dinner/Wii date with some friends.

What are you doing this weekend?

January 6th

2009-01-06T19:04:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling guilty that I haven't posted for SO long and I even have some fun Christmas pictures on the camera. But since I don't have the camera upstairs with me right now, all I have to say is this:

Today is the third anniversary of our move to Texas. I can't believe it's been 3 years!

Today I am officially 37 weeks pregnant. Any tips on how to get some sleep?

Merry Christmas Eve

2008-12-24T16:59:00.000-08:00

We braved the crowds this morning to take our kids to the mall so they could see Santa. I'm not sure if the hour wait in line was worth it. But the kids waited it out at the Apple store playing with ipods and trying to figure out how to play "Lego Star Wars" on a Mac. Rachel loved looking at Santa but wouldn't go anywhere near him when we got to the front of the line.

While in line, Hannah spread some Christmas cheer by telling Charlie what to do. Rachel was just happy to get her picture taken.

And I think in this one, Charlie was serenading the crowds. I think the girl in line in front of us was tired of spending an hour with our little group - bah humbug!

Hope you had a Merry Christmas Eve!

New Truck

2008-12-19T07:59:00.000-08:00

They say when in Rome, you're supposed to do as the Romans do, right? Does the same go for the great state of Texas? We've been here almost 3 years and that was as long as my husband could last without a Texas Truck. We are now the proud owners of an '08 Dodge Ram. We took the kids for a ride around the block last night when CJ brought it home and they couldn't stop laughing and screaming. I think they're almost as excited as their dad.

Letter to Santa

2008-12-17T12:42:00.000-08:00

Dear Santa,

I know this letter is coming at you a little bit late in the game, but since I just realized that Christmas is only a week away, I thought I might as well let you know about the things I'm hoping to find under the tree this year. I'm sure you're well aware of everything going on in our crazy household (you're making the list right? Will you check it once for me?) so you know why this letter is so late.

So I've been a pretty good girl this year, don't you think? Here's my list:

1. Lasik

2. That other little treatment we've talked about (and no, it's not Botox! although I could probably use it)

3. An iphone or a Blackberry storm

4. Bumble & bumble thickening spray

5. A magnifying mirror that lights up and attaches to the bathroom wall (like the one in the hotel in Florida)

6. A giftcard to J.Crew (I want about a million things from there right now, but maybe after Christmas, they'll go on sale. Who knows what size I'll be after this baby anyway?)

7. Clinique dramatically different mosturizer (the gel, not the lotion)

8. Custom blended foundation from Prescriptives (I've always wanted to try it)

9. A shopping spree next spring when I've lost all the baby weight (who am I trying to kid - maybe next fall?)

By the way, thanks for your help in getting our house fixed before you make your big appearance next week! I couldn't be happier to finally have a complete ceiling. And CJ says thanks for the new TV (and I've forgiven you for showing up early) and for the new truck. He must've been especially good this year eh?

Tell Mrs. Claus hello from the Wolf Family and watch for some yummy cookies on the piano bench next week. See you next year!

Love,

Sara

One of my favorite things about Rachel...

2008-12-16T11:08:00.001-08:00

She wakes up every morning with "water buffalo" hair...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2008-12-10T17:16:00.000-08:00

Okay, I NEVER thought I would get a chance to post about this given where we live. But believe it or not, it is actually snowing right now. My kids haven't seen snow in 3 whole years - and this is a first for Rachel. I know for most of you (my family especially) this isn't a big deal or cause for celebration, but it feels like one for us right now. And I have to say that tonight, I am very thankful that our roof is fixed and the hole in our ceiling is now patched, textured and even re-painted.

It's a Christmas Miracle!

Charlie's 5th birthday

2008-12-09T05:45:00.000-08:00

These pictures are LONG overdue. Charlie had his 5th birthday way back in October and I wanted to post a few pictures of his fun Star Wars party.

First of all, my favorite present was his Star Wars sheets. As soon as I saw them, I knew he had to have them. He loves 'em! And the funniest thing is I'm pretty sure we had those exact same sheets while we were growing up. Even my mom recognized them while she was here visiting a few weeks ago. A guess everything old is new again...

He had a pretty cool Darth Vader cake. Also notice the Omnitrix on his arm. He has no problem playing the part of multiple super-heroes at the same time.

My favorite photo of the day (except that you can see the hole in our ceiling in the background)! A friend let me borrow her Yoda costume for Rachel but she wouldn't leave the little hat on for long so I was lucky to get this one. CJ was a really fun Darth Vader and had awesome light saber battles with all of the visiting boys. We had a great time and I can't believe how big my little boy is getting.

Happy Birthday Charlie!

2008-12-08T15:53:00.001-08:00

I have the nicest husband ever! I have done absolutely NOTHING today. Seriously, I barely even got dressed (and only because the construction guys were here today. Oh, and Charlie had a friend over so I had to so the other mom wouldn't know that I'm a total loser). And right now, CJ is in the kitchen feeding all of the kids dinner. Why, you ask? Why the extreme laziness? It's because I just started re-reading "East of Eden." It's the book our book club is reading for January and since it's so long, I decided to give myself plenty of time to get through it. I read it in high school and I remembered a little bit, but I started it last night and I honestly can't put it down. It's so good.

So, thanks CJ for not having class tonight and for fixing dinner for me. I'm going back to my book...

The search is over (maybe)

2008-12-07T05:59:00.000-08:00

Since we recently moved Rachel out of her crib and in to a "big girl" bed in Hannah's room, I am on the lookout for cute bedspreads for their room. When my parents came to visit a few weeks ago, my nice mom brought an extra suitcase so I could see a few from the Quilt Shop (at Gardner Village) in UT. I wasn't crazy about them, so she got to lug her extra suitcase home and return them - sorry and thanks mom! Yesterday, I stopped in at Pottery Barn Kids to see if they had anything on sale that would work (they didn't) and on my way out, I grabbed a PBTeen magazine to look through. And I'm liking these pink and green ones. The curtains and a few other things already in the room are in these colors and I like how plain and simple these are. I think they would be really cute on their new white bedframes. And I wouldn't have to replace anything else in the room.

What do you think???

Visitor

2008-12-05T05:35:00.000-08:00

Look who Hannah found in our house this morning. CJ thought at first that it was a baby alligator (!) but it turned out to be a baby lizard or salamander of some sort. It was the most excitement our family has seen in a long time and none of the kids can stop talking about it. Who needs Christmas presents?

Twilight movie

2008-12-04T13:34:00.000-08:00

So I'm sitting here in my freezing cold office (still no carpet in here and all our heat seems to be escaping through the huge hole in the ceiling. Luckily, this is as "wintry" as my neck of the woods gets). And I can't stop thinking about the Twilight movie. I saw it the day it opened. I was in AZ with 3 of my best friends - roommates from college - and we just had to go. So, we did and I have to say that I was kind of disappointed.

But now I keep wondering why? Everyone else I've talked to loved it. And I'm beginning to wonder what I missed? They all seemed willing to overlook the low-budget look of the movie and especially the lame special effects. They all liked Edward and Bella. They loved how closely the movie followed the book - which I admittedly liked too. Maybe my expectations were too high. I wanted the Cullens to be fantastically and unbelievably beautiful like I had imagined. I wanted Edward to be the perfect predator, but he seemed almost as human as Bella most of the time.

I will admit to liking the baseball scene probably because it was just like I had imagined it when I read the book. And I also liked the part where Edward and Bella first kiss in her bedroom - probably for the same reason. But overall, I left feeling let down and thinking that the story was so good and the movie could've been amazing but it wasn't.

Did you see the movie? What did you think?

Tag

2008-12-04T13:06:00.000-08:00

I'm sure you've all seen this tag: you upload the 4th picture in your 4th folder and explain. And since I've seen it a lot lately, I decided to finally do it.

This is a picture of Rachel last November. She had just turned 1 and we had just returned from a trip to Albuquerque (for the Balloon Fiesta) where she fell and broke her arm. Hence, the cute little pink cast. And the lips were from Hannah's Halloween pumpkin - Rachel loved blowing into them to hear the whistling sound. This picture made me very glad that our days with the cast are long gone.

I need some blogging time...

2008-12-03T07:53:00.001-08:00

I honestly can't believe how long it's been since I've posted on here. I guess it goes to show that I'm a little overscheduled lately. And I have lots of things I want to blog about: Charlie's birthday party (back in October), opinions on the new Twilight movie, my girls trip to Arizona, Thanksgiving, book club tomorrow night (I'm so excited to go after missing the last 2!), etc. But, I'm on my way out the door, so I guess it will all have to wait. Until then, enjoy one of my favorite cartoons:

Bye for now!

I am so spoiled...

2008-11-11T11:16:00.000-08:00

This is where I am spending my week. In a beautiful hotel on the beach. And I have absolutely nothing to do. I feel like I've died and gone to heaven. (If only my luggage would arrive...) The staff at the hotel calls me by name - like they know me. And they keep asking what they can do for me or how I'm doing. I'm doing GREAT, by the way.

CJ and I had lunch by the pool today. We're planning a walk on the beach as soon as he gets out of "class" at 4:30. I could really get used to this!

By the way, thanks to everyone who was so sweet about Charlie and his leg. He is doing so much better. And I have to mention that none of this dream vacation would be possible without my parents who are taking care of our three kiddos. Thanks for everything guys! I wish I could bring you here when the week is over - I'm sure you'll need it!

Day 2 - Blessing #2

2008-11-07T20:26:00.000-08:00

(Photo of staph bacteria)

So after my Temple post yesterday, there was no way I could NOT post about this.

Charlie got a mosquito bite at soccer practice on Wed. night. Thursday morning it looked really big and swollen and I figured he was having a little reaction to the bite. By the time he got home from preschool, it looked even worse. And when CJ got home from work and we showed it to him, it was really red, swollen, hot and oozing something. So I took him to a neighborhood clinic and got him some amoxicillan - they said it was "cellulitis." (Is that the right word? Sounds too much like "cellulite" to be right but I'm pretty sure that's what they called it.)

Then this morning, I was at Target and I happened to run into a couple from my ward and I showed them Charlie's leg. Turns out, their little boy had a staph infection a year ago that got extremely nasty and scary and required surgery and a long hospital stay and the poor kid is STILL on antibiotics for it. I knew all this of course - maybe that's why I wanted to show them Charlie's leg. Anyway, they recommended that I take Charlie to our regular pediatrician asap, so I called and got him in. And he has a staph infection in his leg. They changed his prescription (and it cost $94 MORE than his amoxicillan did darn it! And yes, that was our co-pay!) and told us to watch him very closely for the next 48 hours. Now is that crazy or what? I am totally convinced that seeing my friends at Target was NOT a coincidence. It reminded me (yet again) that I am loved, and watched over. Now, I'm just praying that Charlie's infection will go away and not interfere with our trip.

Just what I needed...

2008-11-06T11:22:00.000-08:00

Thanks to a great girl in my ward who recently agreed to do "temple swap" babysitting with me, I was able to go to the temple today.

I don't know how to say all of this without seeming to complain, but things have been a little out of control lately. I know, I know - we're all busy and we all have "to-do" lists a mile long, but lately, it has been more than that for me. I guess it's really a lot of things piling up: the kids have added extra things after school, our house is still a mess from the hurricane (though, for anyone who cares, we're actually getting our roof replaced next week which is a MAJOR step toward more repairs!), I'm in a state of panic that another person is about to join our family and I'm barely managing the 3 we already have etc, etc, etc. I've been working on a few projects as well and I just feel like every single minute of every single day is taken up and used and there's not anything left over. No happiness, no joy, no peace, just the frantic pace of life and I can never get ahead.

Until today. I almost backed out. I have so much to do in the next few days, I told my friend that I couldn't go this week. But I felt so annoyed to put off my temple trip - it's never convenient or easy to go - so I called her last night at 9 and decided that somehow, it was going to happen. And wow. It was the best 90 minutes I can remember having in a very long time. So peaceful and wonderful. I didn't really want to leave. How come I forget so easily the meaning and purpose behind my life? Why do I feel so alone sometimes when I'm not? How come I don't remember the promises I've been given? There's really no way for words to describe how I'm feeling right now, but I'm so SO glad I went today. It was just what I needed. And now I feel like I can face the frantic pace of life again.

Hooray (and Happy Halloween)

2008-10-31T11:54:00.000-07:00

Hooray for the return of Liz Lemon and 30 Rock -especially loved the line about Colin Firth in the opening sequence. Had a great night (once kids were in bed) watching all my favorite shows. Yes, I copied this post from another blog.

My Sleeping Beauty

2008-10-22T11:42:00.000-07:00

Costume: Old Navy ($11.25)

Birthdays...

2008-10-21T11:52:00.000-07:00

October is a busy birthday month for our family. It all starts on the 13th with CJ's birthday. We celebrated on Sunday night since Monday is CJ's class night and he was gone all day.
All I can say is this was the yummiest birthday cake (okay, it's actually a pie) EVER! It's from Baskin-Robbins and it was so good. Their mint chocolate chip is the best and just looking at this picture makes me need to go there!
Then, Rachel's birthday is on the 18th. I can't believe she's already 2! Where has the time gone? She's totally into Ariel lately, so daddy got her this great balloon.
The flame on her candle totally scared her. Charlie had to blow it out for her.
She was really excited about her Princess dolls (I got them at Disneyworld and I've been so excited to give them to her). She's been carrying Ariel and Sleeping Beauty around with her everywhere.

Next up is Charlie's birthday on the 24th. His "Star Wars" party will be this Saturday and we are busy trying to get everything done in time.

How low will it go?

2008-10-16T12:01:00.000-07:00

I paid $2.59/gallon for gas today and I was thrilled! I guess the oil companies have us right where they want us eh? How much are you paying these days?

Our funny Hannah

2008-10-09T14:21:00.000-07:00

Hannah brought a paper home from school a few days ago and I had to share it here because I thought it was so funny! It's called "The Me Puzzle" and hopefully it will help you get to know a little bit more about Hannah:

What is your favorite activity to do alone? Read

What career would you like to have in the future? Police

What is your favorite school subject? Art

What person do you most admire? Jesus Christ

What is your special talent? Leaping (???)

What is your favorite activity to do with others? A park

Describe your family. Mess-making, polite, smart, nice (I hate to admit it, but I'm sure that first response has something to do with me...)

What words best describe you and your personality? Artist, flexabal

What is your most treasured possession? My pink jule (I think she means "jewel")

Looking for a white dress...

2008-10-08T12:22:00.001-07:00

With Hannah's 8th birthday approaching, I have decided that we need to find her a baptism dress. And I'm wondering if any of you have any advice for me. I have found a few websites that sell white "first communion" dresses but most of those are a little too frilly for me. I don't even want to show them to Hannah because I think she'll want one but I think they're kind of hideous. I've found a few things that I like but they're not cheap. Someone told me that Marshall's and T.J.Maxx occasionally have first communion dresses but I haven't seen any at our local stores. What do you think of the following dresses? And where have you seen cute baptism dresses for sale?

Are some people rude or is it me?

2008-10-07T08:54:00.000-07:00

So two things have happened in the past few days that have made me fuming mad. And I'm wondering if it's some pregnancy-induced hypersensitivity or what. What do you think:

A few days ago, I was in line at a donut shop. I am clearly pregnant, was holding Rachel and had Charlie by the hand. An older guy walked in and gets into line RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME! I couldn't believe it! What made me even madder was the woman working there had seen me standing in line and knew I was next but went ahead and took his order before mine anyway. So I was mad at the old guy for cutting in front of me, but don't you think the saleslady should've said something? Maybe like, "I'm sorry sir but that woman was here before you and I'll be right with you?" That's what I would've done. Maybe I should've said something but instead I just waited until he was done and went next. But I've been mad about it for days! What would you have done? I should've said something, huh?

Then, yesterday, my two older kids had dental appointments. So we showed up at the office a few minutes early (by some miracle!) only to be told that the office had lost all of their patient information in their computers due to the hurricane and the dentist wasn't there and would not be able to see them. I was furious! The receptionist even had the nerve to say, "you can give me that look, but this is not our fault." Okay, first of all, what look? Second of all, does she think it's my fault? Does she have any idea or care that Hannah has missed 3 hours of school at this point or that I had to drive 35 minutes with 3 kids just to get there? And then another 45 minutes to get Hannah to school and 20 more minutes home. Don't you think the professional thing to do in cases like this would be to let your patients know that the computers weren't working and to call the office if they had scheduled appointments? How hard would it have been in the 3+ weeks since the computers were damaged to send out a form letter to their clients and ask them to call the office to confirm or re-schedule their appointments? I keep wondering how many other people are showing up there every day only to be told that they're out of luck? Why isn't the dentist there anyway? If I had any choice, I would switch dentists, but she's the only one in like a 40 mile radius that takes our insurance AND will see patients under the age of 8. But I am mad about it.

So, do these kinds of things happen to you? And do you get mad too? Or am I just a freak?

Sunday nights

2008-10-06T10:04:00.000-07:00

One of our favorite Sunday night traditions (even though we don't do it every week) is making carmel popcorn and watching a movie with the kids. This past week it was the "Stripling Warrior" video from the animated scripture stories. But I loved this picture of Rachel with her funny hair (her little ponytails fell out during her nap) and her HUGE bowl of popcorn. I bet she could eat the whole thing by herself too.

Favorite things - Canton edition

2008-10-03T00:17:00.000-07:00

I originally wrote this post several weeks ago and it got delayed by our trip and the hurricane, but I thought "better late than never" so here it is...

Also, just so you know, the results of Charlie's EKG were completely normal. So we're very relieved to know that his heart is working just fine!

Several weeks ago, I made a little overnight trip with a few girlfriends to Canton, TX. I'd heard of Canton but I'd never been there. Once a month, there's a huge "flea market" there - called Market Days - and vendors from all over set up booths and sell, sell, sell! It's massive and it took us two days to see all the booths (and we probably even missed some). We had a great time, despite the insane heat and humidity, and I wanted to post a few of my favorite Canton finds:

First I have to say, the quality of these photos is not great and they all look a little crooked for some reason so you may have to tip your head slightly to get a better idea... Anyway, this "cubby" near the fireplace of my house really needed a little bit of light. I like the picture but with the red paint, that corner is a little dark - especially at night. When I saw this little "lantern" lamp, I knew it was perfect for our dark corner and I love the way it looks!
I didn't get this candle or candlestick at Canton but I bought the pretty little beads to go around it. It's just a long strand of beads on something similar to fishing line and you can wrap it around anything to dress it up a little. We saw these at a couple of different booths and they had lots of pretty varieties and colors.
I love this clock! I think I've finally decided what I'm going to do on my massive entry-way wall (and it only took me two and a half years too!) and this clock will be a part of the finished product.
Also for my future entry-way decor, I found these cool lanterns. The bigger one was on display decorated with Christmas things inside and I thought it might be fun to change what's inside of it depending on the season.

Now I can't wait for all of our home repairs to get completed so I can finally finish decorating with my Canton finds!

Soccer

2008-09-30T09:52:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, we heard about a group of Charlie's friends that were all playing soccer on the same team. So a good friend of mine gave me all the info and I emailed the guy in charge and begged him to let Charlie play on the same team. Even though the team was at it's "limit" they just happened to have an extra uniform in that team's color and the guy agreed to add Charlie to the roster. Isn't the uniform cute???
So his first game was on Saturday morning and even though he'd never even been to a practice, the coach explained the rules to him and rotated him in so he would have a chance to play. I was so surprised at how well he did. He actually even scored two goals! I love this picture of him listening to his coach. He's the first #7 from the left.
I wish I had zoomed in a little for this shot, but he got to do a "corner kick" and I was crackin' up because he's holding his new shorts up - they're way too big for him. He was hitching them up the whole time he played! So his first practice is tonight and he can hardly wait.

Do you ever wonder...

2008-09-30T09:47:00.000-07:00

I saw this on a recent email from Boden and thought it was funny. But I actually do have a light in my freezer. Do you?

Jedi Training

2008-09-29T09:09:00.000-07:00

One of our Disneyworld highlights was Jedi Training at Hollywood Studios (formerly known as MGM Studios). Our neighbors, who went to FL for Spring Break, loved it and once Charlie heard their stories, we knew it was not-to-be-missed. Plus, since a hurricane had ravaged our hometown, we added a few days to our Disney tickets and decided to spend Tuesday at Hollywood Studios. We loved the Indiana Jones stunt show - I'm sure my kids have never seen anything blow up that close to them before - but like I said, Jedi Training (and the Star Wars store) was the favorite.

As the show starts, a real Jedi comes onstage and talks about the force. "A true Jedi uses the force for knowledge and defense - never for attack." He chooses 12 volunteers from the audience to come onstage with him. I had tried to prepare my kids for this, so they were both jumping up and down and screaming, "pick me! pick me!" and sure enough, the Jedi noticed and chose Hannah. She went onstage to get her Padawan robe and lightsaber and the Jedi taught them a few basic lightsaber moves. It was fun to watch her! (But I will also admit to having a few tears in my eyes for Charlie. He wanted to be chosen so badly and I think he was totally shocked that Hannah was picked and he wasn't. But, true to form, he quickly overcame his disappointment and cheered her on - brave little guy!)
And then, suddenly, the Darth Vader song from the movies starts and out comes Darth Vader with a couple of StormTroopers. It was so cool! Each of the new Padawans got a chance to fight Vader himself.
The Jedi was really cool and knew a lot of fancy Jedi moves!
Luckily, when we went back the next hour, Charlie got his chance! He was chosen and got to go onstage for Jedi Training too!
His fight with Darth Vader was so cute! We spent yesterday afternoon looking at our pictures from our Disney PhotoPass and their pictures were even better so now we're trying to decide if it's worth the huge pricetag to buy the photos on the CD. Both kids graduated and have offical Jedi certificates. I'm sure this is one we'll go back and do again someday!

Getting back to normal...

2008-09-25T10:56:00.000-07:00

So today was my first trip back to the grocery store after the hurricane. Since we threw everything in the fridge and freezer away, it was a MAJOR shopping trip and I was in the store for almost 2 hours. Anyone want to take a guess at how much I spent? Keep in mind, I took this picture after I starting putting things away...

Hannah and Charlie are both back at school which is nice - I'm glad I only had Rachel at the store today. We've had a couple of people here to give us estimates on our needed home repairs, but we're still waiting to hear from our insurance adjustor.

I took Charlie to the hospital yesterday for his EKG and we are anxiously awaiting the cardiologist's report. I also faxed a copy of the EKG to a friend whose husband happens to be a pediatric cardiologist so it will be nice to have a second opinion.

I've decided that we, meaning the people in the U.S., are seeing the fulfillment of prophecy. In the October 1998 General Conference, President Hinckley said, "There is a portent of stormy weather ahead to which we had better give heed." (To read the entire talk, click here). We watched a couple a different news shows last night along with all the commentary and opinions about President Bush's economic "bailout" plan and I can't help but think that we were warned by a prophet that days like this were coming. It scares me to think about raising my kids in days like the Great Depression and makes me think a lot about what I could be doing right now to prepare ourselves as well as possible for whatever comes next. We've been enjoying the "fat" years and I don't know if I know how to survive the "lean" ones. I don't feel panicky or anything, but one thing I personally learned from the hurricane and it's aftermath is that life isn't always the way we're used to it being - things can change drastically in a short period of time and it takes a long time to recover.

Anyway, those are my random thoughts today and for anyone who's interested, stay tuned for pictures about JEDI TRAINING at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Magic Kingdom

2008-09-22T11:07:00.001-07:00

We had such a great trip to Disneyworld. In fact, I think we all wish we were still there! We spent 2 days at the Magic Kingdom. Since we left for our trip a little earlier than planned, our first day there was a Saturday and it was a little bit crowded. Our next day there was a Wednesday and it was perfect. We walked onto Pirates of the Caribbean twice in a row and CJ took the kids on Splash Mountain 3 times with barely any wait. When we get our printer/scanner hooked back up, I'll have to scan the Disney picture of them going down the big hill on Splash Mountain because it's hilarious. For now, here are a few highlights of our two magical days in the Magic Kingdom:

Hannah got to meet Princess Aurora - CJ spotted her before there was a line which was nice.
And the kids were really excited to meet Mickey - Rachel only wanted to see him from a distance.
Rachel was so excited to see "'Rella" during the afternoon parade.
Charlie LOVED the Buzz Lightyear ride. I think he rode it 8 times in a row!
Here's a picture of the fireworks as we left the Magic Kingdom on our last night of vacation. Hannah was in tears. I wish you could see how cute the Halloween decorations there - I should've taken some better pictures of them...

Of course, we had to ride the teacups at least twice.
And here's everyone's favorite: DUMBO! (Although I think my kids liked Aladdin's magic carpets better since you can make them go up & down AND the person in the back can tilt the carpet as well).
Each kid got to choose one souvenir and is it any surprise that Charlie chose the Mickey Mouse lightsaber?
Rachel loved Mickey's toontown. She got to get wet and cool off a little and everything in Minnie and Mickey's houses was just her size.

We can't wait to go back!

We're home...

2008-09-20T12:39:00.000-07:00

Wow - what a week it has been! I hardly know where to start. I was really excited to get back from our trip and post all about our experiences at DisneyWorld (and we had a BLAST!) but there are a few other things that jumped into line ahead of that...

Thanks to Emily for her fun posts. She is an incredible person and I'm lucky to have her as a sister. She's clever and talented and very funny and if you're ever looking for a fun blog, check hers out - it's awesome. Thanks again Em!

And yes, Hurricane Ike is the big story around here. We had some damage but luckily, CJ had thought to leave a key with our neighbors or things would've been much worse when we got home yesterday. Here's a picture of our latest addition to our entry way:

Our neighbor was here on Monday cleaning a few things out of our fridge since the power had been out for several days when he heard what he described as, "someone driving a truck through your front door." When he walked around the corner, it was snowing insulation and a piece of soggy drywall was smashed on the foyer floor.

And our office got pretty wet as well. Our wonderful neighbor and another friend from our ward tore the carpet up for us before it could start to mold. It turns out that during the storm (which went on for about 13 hours according to our neighbor) the wind tore down shingles from our roof and then it got wet enough inside that several walls in the entry way, office, dining room and our bedroom will probably have to come down and be re-built and re-insulated. A big part of the ceiling will also have to come down (in addition to the section that fell). And we'll have to put new flooring in the office at least (I'm thinking hardwood!) and maybe in our bedroom upstairs as well. But all in all, I know it could've been much, much worse and we're blessed to have such good friends and neighbors and to be part of such a wonderful ward that did a lot to help before we even got home. I know there are several families in our ward that fared worse than we did and since Galveston Island is in our stake, I know our ward will be very busy in the coming weeks and months even to help those who lost much more than we did. We saw major damage along the highway on our way home yesterday over 2 hours away from our house and I think that more than anything made an impression on me. This storm was massive and dangerous and I'm very glad we weren't here for it. Almost all of the families we've spoken to that stayed here and weathered the storm have said they wouldn't do it again. Ike hit Houston 1 mile an hour under a category 3 and I can't even begin to imagine what a cat 4 or 5 would've done.

On the bright side, we had a fantastic vacation and Hannah hasn't missed a single day of school - and won't start again until at least Thursday and luckily, the state has given us 10 days that won't have to be made up. And my fridge and freezer are cleaner (and emptier!) than they've been since we bought them!

On an unrelated note, sometimes when it rains, it pours. I took Charlie to the Dr. this morning for what I thought was strep. His culture was negative - the Dr. said it's "adenovirus" but told me that he has an irregular heartbeat. She recommended that we get an EKG within the week and we met with the referral specialist to make an appointment at Texas Childrens Hospital for next week. Hopefully, it won't be anything significant but keep him in your prayers for the next few days.

stupid hurricane.

2008-09-16T22:15:00.000-07:00

my dad wrote this email tonight, and since it's about sara and this is her blog, i thought y'all might like to know:

CJ called tonight while they were waiting for the fireworks to start at Epcot. They learned today that there is more damage to their house than they had originally hoped. Yesterday, a neighbor looked around and called them and told them that everything looked pretty good, no broken windows or anything, but he told them that shingles and roofing material had been blown off down to the plywood in one area. (Which, of course, makes it vulnerable to serious water leakage in a hurricane that is dropping 5 to 10 inches of rain while it is blowing at 100 mph.) He didn’t go inside.

Today, a group from the ward was going house to house to members’ homes to assess and help. They went inside CJ and Sara’s home – the neighbor had a key. There is apparently a significant amount of water damage in their home in the area where the roofing was damaged. The insulation soaked up a lot of rain water, the drywall also got wet and then it all collapsed into their large open foyer. Those of you who have been there know about the lovely foyer/entry way of their home. This is the area they had professionally painted recently. (You can look at here to see what it looked like before and after it was painted). Anyway, the ward group did some clean up and then some patching (Hopefully that means putting a tarp or some plastic sheeting over the roof area where the damage was to avoid further water damage). I expect they won’t know the full extent of the water damage until they get home and get up into their attic.

The good news was that while the ward members were working in their house, their electricity came on. So they now have a little more information about what they are going to come home to. They have not yet decided which day they will go home, but they will check with the neighbors to make sure the electricity is staying on and, if so, may start for Houston on Wednesday (it’s a 16 hour drive so it will take a couple days). Of course, they also have to make sure they can get gasoline to get there. Things all along the gulf coast are still pretty iffy – especially through the Beaumont area. CJ said they may have to go further north. He also said they may drive directly to Austin first and leave Sara and the kids there with his sister – depends on what he learns about what things are like in Manvel before they head back (stores open? gas stations open? water pressure in the homes? sewer system working?, etc.) If things are still not really functioning there, they will probably just stay in Florida another couple days. They also, of course, want to find a contractor to start repairs as soon as possible, but I expect that may take a while due to how busy insurance adjusters and contractors will be.

confession #3

2008-09-15T00:04:00.000-07:00

i am a shopaholic.

my freshman year at byu i got a credit card in my name. oh the freedom! i was so excited. i went to the limited and spent $200 on clothes the day after it came in the mail. it was the most money i had ever spent in my life. i still remember what i got: a black wool knee-length jumper with tiny red plaid, a white button-up shirt to go under it, a red cardigan to go over it, some tights, and a pair of navy blue dress pants.

it took me four months to pay it off.

and in the meantime, i was still using the card.

i had to go home for the next two summers to work and pay it off.

every time i had a bad day, or did poorly on a test, or wasn't asked out when all my friends were, i went shopping. i was well dressed, but it was getting a little out of control. it wasn't until i got married that i realized what a moron i was. we paid off my credit card (poor dave) and i've kept it (mostly) under control ever since. shopping still cheers me up, but now i know the horrible feeling that comes with a credit card bill too big to pay off, and i'll never ever do it again. we buy everything on one card and pay it off completely each month. i won't ever be in consumer debt again.

still, sometimes a credit card and a mall are all it takes to cheer me up.

what cheers you up?

confession #2

2008-09-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

i love country music.

i know this is blasphemous to a lot of music lovers out there.
but ever since i heard "fishing in the dark" when i was 11 years old, i was hooked.
there is very little country music that i don't like.
love travis tritt, randy travis, george strait, reba, shania, faith, tim, keith urban (especially him), martina mcbride (she is the best to sing along to!)...and so many others.

can't stand the new "shift work" song that seems to be so popular.
dumbest song i've ever heard.

but for the most part, i think it's great.
the country station is always my first stop when i get in the car.
it's not all i ever listen to--far from it, actually--but i do love it.
"it's a great day to be alive" always cheers me up.
there are several different songs that always make me cry.

i love to sing along to country songs...in fact, the first (and only) time i did karaoke it was a country song. that is also one of the most humiliating moments of my life, but that's a story for a different day.

what kind of music do you love?

confession #1

2008-09-13T14:11:00.000-07:00

my friend lynette did a series of confessions once on her blog, and i've had the idea mulling for quite a while now. so i thought, what better time to do a confessions blog, than when i'm blogging for someone else? it's perfect. and maybe my husband won't see this and be jealous. win-win, people.

so, confession #1:

i have a crush on statboy.

do you ever watch pardon the interruption (PTI) on espn? i don't, unless my husband is home at 3:00 in the afternoon. but when he does, you better believe i'll be there for the last few minutes. the show is about sports (obviously) and two guys ~~banter~~ yell back and forth for 30 minutes. but towards the end, they ask statboy what they got wrong, and he proceeds to give them correct facts, dates, scores, etc. that they misquoted during the show.

statboy has his own show earlier in the day, but on his show he wears a suit and tie. on PTI he's got his top button undone, no tie or jacket, sleeves rolled up, and he just seems so authoritative. i wait for his 15 seconds every time the show is on. so i don't begrudge dave his 30 minutes of pti, as long as i get my 15 seconds of statboy at the end. he is SO cute.

who is your secret crush?

guest blogger emily

2008-09-12T15:02:00.000-07:00

sara asked me to guest blog for her while she escapes hurricane ike and heads to disneyworld.

so, here i am.

i'm emily, sara's younger sister (emphasis on young, heh heh heh). i live in clearfield, utah and have two little boys: isaac is 4 and noah is 2. i graduated from byu in political science in 2003 and currently work part-time from home for google, mostly after dinner when my husband is with the kids (but sometimes on fridays and saturdays when i need to get my hours in before sunday!). i love to read, breakdance, spend money, and blog.

just kidding about the breakdancing thing.

Ike Strikes (or comes to our rescue?)

2008-09-10T18:41:00.000-07:00

As of tonight, our area is officially under a "hurricane watch" and we got a (recorded) message from the mayor inviting us to voluntarily evacuate. Tomorrow morning at 8 am, our county is under mandatory evacuation and Hannah's and Charlie's schools are both closed. CJ has to work tomorrow but if he can leave early we just might leave for Florida then. Might as well take advantage of these days off from school and get a head start at Disneyworld! Hope all is well and we still have a dry house when we get back...

Happy Birthday Mr. Darcy (and a vent)

2008-09-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

Who loves Colin Firth? I do! I do!
L.O.V.E.D. him as Mr. Darcy in A&E"s "Pride and Prejudice" and in the "Bridget Jones" movies.

He's 48 years old today.

I also have to quickly vent all my frustrations about our upcoming trip. If you're not interested, please just wish Mr. Firth a happy birthday and exit my blog now. Trips are supposed to be fun and exciting, right? A chance to get away and relax a little and spend time together as a family right? Well, it doesn't feel like it right now. It feels like the elements are combining against us - literally! First of all, I just want to say that I am S-S-S-SICK of hurricane season and all the threats of hurricanes to our area. I know - it's a stupid thing to be sick of, but I am anyway. Ike is gonna cause us problems and yes, I'm just selfish enough to be bothered that's it's affecting our trip instead of thinking of all the poor people in Cuba whose houses blew down or got flooded and now have nowhere to live. (And since CJ is the emergency preparedness contact for our ward, don't even get me started on the number of phone calls and emails he's receiving about this storm. I'm talking HOURLY people!) We don't even know for sure yet which day we're leaving or at what time because it depends on when and where the hurricane makes landfall - work might be cancelled and schools might be closed, but who knows at this point?

In addition, Hannah's school district is giving us major headaches about excusing her from school. I totally get that school is in session and that ideally she would be in class every day. But a few days off is not going to seriously disrupt her 2nd grade education and it's not like she won't catch up when we get back. The bad part is that she woke up yesterday with a fever and missed school. Not good. That attendance secretary is going to hunt me down, report me to the truancy police and probably take me to court if Hannah misses any more school (and yet we're supposed to be gone next week). We're already planning to shorten this trip by several days because of the "attendance police" and it's makin' me mad that we're going to lose days at Disneyworld AND we had to re-book our hotel (both in Orlando and where we'll stay on the way and on the way home).

I keep hoping that by this time next week, we'll all be healthy and enjoying ourselves at Disneyworld and all the stress of getting there will be forgotten. For now, I'll just cross my fingers and hope for the best and try to stop feeling so stressed about something that I can't control and should be more fun than this!

New neighbor

2008-09-08T11:34:00.001-07:00

Anyone who has ever visited my house knows that we live in a neighborhood that is named for and modeled after the famous Ewing Ranch of the 80's-era show called "Dallas." It's a little bit ridiculous, I'll admit, and I get a lot of comments from people almost everytime I give directions to my house (mostly because of our street names). So at the entrance into our neighborhood, the sales office looks just like the Ewing house and we even have a field with our own (fake) oil derricks and some cows. Once, when we first moved here, a few of the cows escaped onto the feeder road for the nearby highway. Anyway, my kids LOVE our cows and always look for them as we drive into or out of the neighborhood. And we have a new neighbor!

We first noticed this little calf about two weeks ago and I finally remembered to stick my camera in the car so I could get a few pictures the next time we drove by. Isn't it darling? Just another one of those things that makes living in Texas so unique!

Charlie's favorites (age 4)

2008-09-04T12:04:00.000-07:00

food: honeycomb & fruit snacks

color: blue

movie: Star Wars

treat: licorice

TV show: Ben 10

game: Ben 10 & Star Wars

animal: lion and my favorite sea animal is a shark

toy: Ben 10 watch and Transformers (is anyone starting to notice a theme?)

drink: water

thing to do: play

something I'm good at: playing and helping people

place: Disneyland and Disneyworld

person: Ty and Jake

(idea stolen from Emily who stole it from Natalie)

Palin Power

2008-09-04T06:54:00.000-07:00

Not to get all political, but how many of you watched her speech last night during the Republican National Convention?

She seems (to me) to be the first "average American" to run for office in a long time. She's not Ivy League (she went to the University of Idaho) but she's done an amazing job as both a mayor and as the governor of Alaska. I think she's a breath of fresh air in a very stale race. She seems like someone I could talk to and relate with. Maybe it's her 5 kids or the fact that she refers to herself as a "hockey mom." I think choosing her was the best decision John McCain has made. But that's just me...

Plus, I'm dying for Tina Fey to impersonate her - they look like sisters! SNL needs to talk Tina into guest hosting JUST for her Sarah Palin look-alikeness!

In other news...

I had an awesome time in Canton last weekend. I was sad to miss Swiss Days (read more about it here) but I have to say that Canton was a very close second. I went with a couple of friends and it was so nice to have 2 days to shop without the kids. I found some fun things for my house too, so watch for pictures in a coming post!

Plus, I'm happy that Gustav didn't turn into what we worried it might. Right now we're keeping an eye on Hanna, Ike, and Josephine since we leave for Orlando in 9 short days. We still haven't told the kids and we're getting really excited for Disneyworld. I hope they're happily surprised and really good while we're there.

Addicted

2008-08-27T10:45:00.000-07:00

Hannah came home from a friend's house a few days ago with an Icee. I haven't had one for years but it looked SO good. So I took a little sip and it was. So, so good! It was Jolly Rancher Watermelon flavor and I can't get enough. They sell green apple too and I keep telling myself I'll try it but I keep going back to the watermelon. Yum!

By the way, I had my ultrasound today and we are having another boy. Charlie is so thrilled to be getting a brother.

Crush

2008-08-25T12:53:00.001-07:00

I know he didn't win, but I still love his voice. And have you heard his new single? It's on my ipod and if I was a little bit more computer savvy, I would play it for you on my blog, but instead, you can click here to hear a sample from itunes...

Back to School - 2nd grade

2008-08-25T12:25:00.000-07:00

This morning, it was back to school for Hannah. We went to her school last week to meet her new teacher and she seems really nice. I know Hannah is excited to go back.
But I felt a little sad this morning as she left. She's growing up so fast and I'm going to miss having her around all day (although I'll also admit it seems like I can get more done during the day). Maybe it's just hard to say goodbye to summer...

CJ also goes back-to-school tonight. He's starting a master's program and he has class on Monday nights from 5-8. So we're moving FHE to Sundays and I'm on my own for dinner and bedtime tonight. I know lots of moms do that all the time, but I'm not used to it, so I'm gonna be missing him today too!

In my dreams

2008-08-15T12:55:00.000-07:00

So, like I usually do when I'm in my current state, I've been having very vivid and strange dreams. Last night, I saw a commercial for the season premiere of "The Office" and I must be pretty excited for it because I had a dream that I actually worked in the office. And Michael Scott was always bugging me and trying to trick me into giving him back rubs and then he would hit on me. Weird. Thank goodness it was only a dream...

I wish that instead I could have a dream like the one Stephenie Meyer had that inspired her Twilight books. Not a vampire dream necessarily, just something that would spark my imagination so I could write a few bestselling novels.

Insomnia

2008-08-14T04:01:00.000-07:00

It happens to me every time. I hit my second trimester and suddenly, by some weird and cruel trick of nature, I can no longer sleep. I'm tired, I fall asleep and then between 2 and 4 am, I'm awake. Really, really awake. And can't fall back to sleep. I'll be ready to go back to bed around 6:30 or 7 - just in time for my kids to get up. I must forget about this part. Thank goodness for post-pregnancy amnesia.

So, I've been surfing since 4 am. I found a website for my old mission and I registered. And I FINALLY set up a profile on Facebook (I found your old email invite Ellen). You'd think I could use this time effectively, like maybe clean out my pantry or kitchen cabinets or Hannah's closet & dresser (oh wait, I guess she's sleeping in there right?) If you have any fun websites or ideas, it looks like I'm going to have a lot more time on my hands.

Milestone

2008-08-13T10:39:00.001-07:00

We have reached an uphappy milestone at our house. You see, we don't call our youngest daughter "the master of disaster" for nothing. She can turn a room upside down in seconds. And up until now, we had a simple solution: just close the doors. She made a mess in Hannah's room? No problem, Hannah keeps her door closed now. She kept snacking on the Tums on daddy's nightstand? That's okay, our bedroom door stays closed now too. She couldn't stay away from Charlie's Transformer collection? Whatever, his door is closed like every other door in the house.

Until Now.

Rachel has learned how to open doors. Our peace and (semi)tidiness is offically over.

On a happier note, I stopped in at Old Navy today and got all 3 of these jammies for Charlie for under $4. No, not $4 apiece, $4 total for all 3 of them. I am such a bargain shopper!

Funny

2008-08-11T10:00:00.000-07:00

I saw this on another blog I read and it made me laugh.

Have a Happy Monday!

Sugar!

2008-08-05T09:55:00.001-07:00

Want to see what happens when you leave a full box of Splenda on the table near a 21-month old and walk away for less than a minute?