A Desperate (Mormon) Housewife

We Heart NYC

2012-02-08T11:36:00.003-05:00

Santa's big present to the kids this year was a trip to NYC to shop.

Since Ciara's entire letter to Santa consisted of the entire American Girl catalog, he decided that this was the best way to handle that.

So Grandma Jill met us there, and spent the day shopping in the freezing wind and snow.

Caden with Jack Sparrow at the Lego Store.

Ciara had her heart set on going to the Statue of Liberty. Unfortunately, it is closed right now for refurbishing, and the weather was so horrible that we didn't want to onto the island at all. Luckily, Lego Store had the next best thing!

Caden at his favorite store: Nintendo World.

Ciara in the American Girl store, on our way up to our appointment with the personal shopper.

Ciara, making a promise to Maria, the best personal shopper!

With new doll, McKenna.

With her new baby, April.

We started the day at the 911 Memorial. The museum is still not finished, but the fountains and the grounds are open. It was so cold, and the kids didn't really enjoy it, but I was glad we saw it. I would like to go back when the weather is better, and when the museum opens up.

Then we headed up-town to FAO Schwartz, where the kids began their shopping.

Then it was onto the Lego store, Nintendo World and American Girl Store.

If any of you are planning on visiting an American Girl Store, I highly recommend personal shopping.

The store is so big and overwhelming.

Our personal shopper, Maria, had Ciara tell her what she wanted, and brought it to us.

We didn't have to wander the huge store; we got to sit on some comfy couches and relax.

Maria was also great about helping Ciara figure out what she really wanted.

She made sure she didn't want the doll just for the clothes, had her look at their hair and faces, and also made sure it was something she "really, really, really" wanted. (it had to be 3 really's, not just 2)

She also taught her how to properly take care of her doll's hair.

We had a great experience, and can't wait to go back to NYC soon!

Catch-Up

2012-02-08T11:19:00.000-05:00

I just went through all the pictures on my camera, and realized I haven't posted any pictures since the end of school last year. So here is a quick catch-up:

Here are Ciara, Tate, and Miss Winder on the last day of school. Ciara was sobbing so hard when I picked her up that day.

We visited the Philadelphia Zoo with the Scotts. It was so hot, but we had a blast!

Ready to ride in the Christensen's annual 4th of July Parade.

We made a few trips to Lake Tobias, this fun place with animals, convertible bus rides, and shirt-eating goats.

First day of school!

Ciara in her fall soccer game.

Halloween!

At the Christkindl market in Mifflinburg. It was FREEZING!

Life of Crime

2012-01-17T14:28:00.002-05:00

I know many of you have wanted to know more about my facebook post regarding Ciara and the forged signature.

Here is the whole story:

In her class, if you forget (or just don't do) a homework assignment, your name is written on the board.

For my perfectionist daughter, this is probably the worst punishment.

Not only has she made a mistake, but EVERYONE knows about it.

I think what happened is that she forgot to bring home her reading assignment one day, and instead of just doing it the next day, she chose to write her dad's signature on the paper so her name would not be written on the board.

I also think it has to do with the fact that she does not have a great teacher this year.

The teacher shows no interest in the kids, and doesn't seem to relate to them at all.

I have been very disappointed.

Because of this, Ciara doesn't see the need to try.

We have talked about it, but trying to explain to your 7 year old that you have to learn no matter who teaches can get tricky.

She is also having trouble with the kids in her class.

Some girls that she thought were her friends at the beginning of the year have become less nice.

Ciara gets very upset when people don't like her.

I blame this on the fact that my daughter has been raised to believe that everyone adores her.

(Because, let's face it, who doesn't?)

But with a teacher who doesn't care, and classmates that are not very nice, 2nd grade is becoming rather difficult for her.

Hence, her life of crime choice.

When I was informed that she forged a signature, my mind immediately flashed forward 10-15 years, and I was terrified that this was a pattern that was going to keep repeating.

I mean, if you are already forging signatures at age 7, what will you be doing at age 17??

I have tried to take a step back, and realize that this is not a pattern, just a one-time incident.

We just need a better teacher, and class.

I did beg her first grade teacher to just follow Ciara through all the grades.

We love her.

But since that probably won't happen, we will just have to figure out how to deal with difficult people.

Still, age 7 just seems too young to have to learn this.

Our Holiday

2012-01-09T08:45:00.001-05:00

I was able to overcome my Grinch-y feeling before Christmas, and we had a wonderful time.

Santa's big gift to the kids this year was a trip to NYC with a stop at the American Girl store, Nintendo World, Lego Store, and FAO Schwartz.

He did what he could, and wrote them a letter and filled their stockings.

But I think the kids were initially confused.

They came down expecting piles of presents, and instead saw a letter.

After they read it, they were more excited, but it was rather amusing at first to see the confusion on their faces.

For Christmas dinner, we met some friends for Chinese food, which was so fun!

I definitely would do that again, no worrying about cooking, or clean up.

New Year's Eve we went to a friends house as well.

Food, fun, a quick piano concert, and a rubix cube rounded out our evening.

And now we are already past the first week of January.

Time goes by way too quickly.

I hope we have a medically quieter year, no more cancer, tree crushings, or ear infections (or fractured fingers).

Grinch-y

2011-12-21T12:05:00.001-05:00

I am feeling Grinch-y.

Tired of all the money being spent.

Tired of my never-ending list of things to get done before Christmas.

I am usually such a huge fan of this celebration, and I am shocked at how I feel this year.

It could be that just too much has happened in the past week.

(Ciara had a minor surgery yesterday, and we found out last week that my mother-in-law has breast cancer)

I just feel like I can't catch up with everything that is going on.

Maybe if I eat more chocolate . . . .

No, probably not.

My heart had better find Christmas soon.

The Silver Lining

2011-12-07T21:17:00.001-05:00

I try to look at the bright side of things.

Even when I could be complaining (and believe me I do my fair share of it), I do try to look for the positive.

Complaint #1

Our family lives over 2000 miles away.

Silver lining-we are generally left out of the day to day family drama that goes on. Also, I think we work together when it is just the 4 of us. Being constantly surrounded by family makes our roles a little muddled-I am not just a wife and mother, but also a daughter, sister, daughter-in-law, etc.

Complaint #2

The plane ride home from said family was AWFUL. The family in front of us had 2 small children, both of whom threw up all over, and one of which cried the entire 5 hour flight.

Silver lining-We were not that family. Our kids were so good. They entertained themselves (yes, the DS had a LOT to do with that), and at one point, Ciara was reading books to Caden.

Complaint #3

Ear Infections.

Ciara had 6 ear infections last winter, and we are already on our second in 3 weeks.

Silver lining-I have already scheduled an appointment with the ENT (who I like), we have health insurance, and good medical care available.

Complaint #4

Flat tire Monday morning.

Silver lining-Rocky had not left for work, so he was able to come to my rescue. Also, I was very grateful that this happened on a Monday when I was just taking the kids to school as opposed to our 3 hour drive at midnight from the Baltimore airport

I think that is enough complaining for now.

We had a great trip to SLC for Thanksgiving. I LOVED getting to see everyone (especially Anna, my new niece, and Kylie, my cousin's baby). The kids had a blast, and didn't want to come home.

But we are now settled back into our routine, and looking forward to Christmas at home (in PA).

Parent Teacher Conference Time

2011-11-10T13:23:00.003-05:00

Yes, it is that magical time of year when we get to go and hear how great our children are.

I always love hearing (from people not related to them) how smart and wonderful my kids are.

I am always thinking it, but, to be fair, I am pretty biased.

So when an impartial observer says great things about my kids, I feel like I have done something right.

However, I do have on worry.

Both of the kids graded in the "Advanced" criteria.

(For those of you unfamiliar with this grading, the options are A-Advanced, P-Appropriate Development, B-can't remember what this means, BB-Below Basic)

Now, where do we go from here?

Caden's teacher had a plan, which I like. She said that he will start to do "Enrichment" activities that will be different than what the rest of the class does.

She has a plan so that he can continue learning new things, and not get bored while the rest of the class does the curriculum.

Ciara's teacher had no such plan.

I asked about it (especially for math, since they are still adding simple numbers) and she did say she would send home some extra sheets that are "optional."

OK, but where is the plan to keep her advancing, and not just staying in the same place?

Where is the challenge?

I worry because things come a little too easy for her, and she doesn't have to try.

I want her to learn to work for things, not to give up if it is hard.

She won't be learning that at school apparently.

Yes, I know that this is not a real worry.

They are both doing very well in school, and for that I am grateful.

I just want to make sure they are working hard, and not just coasting though.

What a Morning!

2011-10-26T08:51:00.001-04:00

I was getting the kids ready for school this morning.

They were upstairs brushing their teeth when the doorbell rang.

(It was about 7:40 am)

We all thundered down the stairs to open it.

It was two neighbor kids.

They then told us that an orange cat had just been hit by a car.

Our cat is orange, and I had just let him outside 15 minutes previously.

I kept asking the girls where the cat was hit.

(I needed to go and make sure that it was, in fact, our cat. There are a few orange cats around).

Both of my kids are sobbing with their toothbrushes hanging out of their mouths.

I keep trying to explain that it might not be our cat, but they don't seem to hear me.

While we are getting shoes on, Caden asks if we can get a new cat.

Ciara then says we need to give all the cat food and litter box to Amanda (a friend of ours who recently was adopted by a cat).

I keep telling the kids that we have no idea if Ty (our cat) was the one hit, so let's not get ahead of ourselves.

We did find the cat about 2 block away.

Luckily, it was NOT our cat.

(But I did see some other friends of ours walking down the street and am worried that it may have been their cat.)

Ciara is still upset that ANY cat has to go to heaven.

She was still in tears when I dropped her off at school.

And all this took place before 8 am.

I need to go back to bed.

Mommy Time

2011-10-22T20:41:00.002-04:00

Just a quick note to all the mommies with kids at home:

Don't forget your friends that don't have kids at home.

We are still around.

And probably bored.

Don't assume that we don't want to hang out with you and your kids.

We are OK hanging out with you and your children.

We are used to having play dates.

Just because we don't have any kids to bring to the date, doesn't mean that we don't want to come!

Just thought I would let you know.

Soccer Sucks!

2011-10-22T20:33:00.000-04:00

I really don't think that soccer sucks.

But this had been the most frustrating soccer season I have experienced.

It is Ciara's first season, and she is actually enjoying it, which I am grateful for.

But our team has NEVER won a game.

We have become experts in the art of losing.

Yes, I understand that it isn't about winning.

It how you play the game.

But when you see how they play in practice,

and then how they play COMPLETELY differently during games,

I just can't seem to control the frustration.

They are aggressive during practice, steal the ball from each other, and are not afraid.

During games, if the other team has it, they back up about 5 feet and let them take control.

And yes, I keep telling myself that they are 7 and younger.

I know that it doesn't matter as long as they enjoy themselves

And they do.

But when you see all the other teams, and the skill that they ALL have, it is easy to get a bit frustrated.

Oh, and not only have we never won a game, but I am pretty sure that we have only made about 2 goals (if that) during the entire season.

Today's game was the closest game we have had: 0-2

And during those 2 goals, our goalie was hanging on the side of the goal, completely oblivious to the game.

It was rather amusing.

I would honestly just love for our team to experience winning once.

Just once.

Is that too much to ask?

Apparently so.

The Lazy Post

2011-10-21T09:11:00.000-04:00

I really need to start writing posts when certain topics are on my mind.

I had two topics last week that I was constantly thinking about,

but now that I have time to actually write, the heat of the moment has passed.

Maybe my senses have been dulled because of all the laziness.

Yes, I have become LAZY.

I stay in my PJ's for most of the morning, watch Will and Grace, surf online . . .

I do get my cleaning and laundry done.

But then sit back down, grab my crochet hook, and just hang out.

I need some motivation.

But I really don't have a lot to get done.

(As a side note, why does the news keep showing graphic images of Kadhafi's death? I find them disturbing.)

I still occasionally bake.

I just don't feel like doing anything.

Could I be depressed?

Is the quiet and lack of children getting to me?

It is hard to say, but I don't think so.

I don't feel sad.

And if I felt lonely, I would just go and find some one to hang out with.

But I actually enjoy doing nothing.

So I will just go with it right now.

Helping Hands

2011-10-03T11:03:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine had a small emergency recently and called to request my help.

I could tell by her voice that she was desperate, and she struggled with asking me for help, presumably because she didn't want to intrude, or ruin my evening.

It was really a simple request, one that I was able and very willing to do.

But I understand her struggle.

Living far away from family, you have to do a lot more on your own.

When you have a husband that travels, or works long hours, as well as being far away from family, you really are on your own so much more.

You have to be able to rely on friends.

As a friend myself, I understand the hesitation to ask for help.

I feel guilty any time I have to do it.

But when I am asked to help, I feel flattered.

Flattered because that means that whoever is asking for the help is comfortable enough, and likes me enough, to ask me specifically.

Yes, I am making their crisis about me.

But, I am also hoping to remove some of the guilt that one may feel in asking for help.

So don't feel guilty.

Know that I am secretly pleased because you like me.

You really like me.

The More the Merrier?

2011-10-01T21:43:00.001-04:00

I was able to watch one of the General Conference sessions today at home.

Neil L. Andersen's talk on family got me thinking.
We believe in Families, and we believe in Children.

Mormons are generally known for having large (and sometimes VERY large) families.
One of the questions people (who are unfamiliar with the Mormon faith) ask me is,
"Why do Mormons have so many children?"
Some confuse us with Catholics and think it is an issue about birth control.
Not true.
I struggled with how to answer this question.
In the 11 years that I have been going to church, I have never heard a talk or had a lesson on the requirement of a large family.
There was never a minimum number of kids that families were encouraged to meet, nor was there EVER any mention of small families being less important.
Now I feel like I have the response.
We believe in Families, and we believe in Children.
THAT is why so many have large families.
We believe in families and children so much that it manifests itself in the abundance of kids in certain families.
He also states that the timing and size of your family is a sacred decision to be made between a husband and wife, through discussion and prayer.
My family stands out a bit at church, only because we have only 2 children.
Many of our friends have 5 (with #6 on the way).
One of them asked the other day if I felt any pressure to have more kids.
I answered that I didn't.
That wasn't entirely true.
Occasionally, I will feel like I am less of a mother because I have less children.
I know this is untrue, but occasionally, against my better judgement, the feeling still creeps in.
My husband and I have discussed, and prayed, and we both feel that our family is complete.
I still get a little sad thinking that I won't get to be pregnant again, or have another baby in the house.
That part of my life seems to be over, and it still makes me emotional.
However, I am just as much a mother as one who has 6, 8, 10, or even 20 kids.
I have friends who have been unable to have even one child added to their family,
and I believe they are just as much a mother as I am.
I also believe that my small family size will enable us to enjoy alternative avenues (fostering is still on my mind for the future).
For my large-familied friends, you have never made me feel less than you.
These are my own issues.
Just wanted to make that clear! :)

And It's Still Raining

2011-09-29T09:09:00.004-04:00

Seriously. Still raining.

We got a bit more water in the basement.

Nothing like before.

But today I have reason to Celebrate!

It is our anniversary.

11 year ago, Rocky and I were married.

Dang, that makes me feel really old.

In 11 years, we have lived in 3 states, 8 different houses, owned 7 different cars, had 2 kids, 2 cats, 2 guinea pigs, and a fish.

And I wouldn't have had it any other way.

(OK, except maybe all the moving. I am hoping to stay in one place for a while).

I still love looking at our wedding pictures (and if I had a scanner, I would have some on here for you to gaze at as well).

I can't seem to find the right words to describe the past 11 years, but just know that I look forward to the next 50 or so in this life (and then an eternity after).

And The Rains Came Down

2011-09-09T09:39:00.000-04:00

For the majority of my life, I have lived in a desert climate.

(OK, I spent 3 years in Bogota, Colombia which is the opposite of desert, but that was only 3 years).

I am used to dry, dry, dry.

And very little rain.

Which is probably why I usually like the rain.

I love a good thunderstorm!

Until now.

It was rained everyday for the past, well, I have lost count of how many days.

And not on and off rain, but constant, steady, never-ending rain.

We saw the sun for the first time yesterday!

According to the news, we received about 8 inches of rain in one and a half days.

And yesterday, this is what our area looked like:

Schools were closed early on Wednesday, and we haven't been back since.

We were lucky.

We only had 6 inches of water in our basement, which is not finished.

We do have a lot of cleaning to do, but most of the stuff down there is replaceable, and not very expensive.

I have friends who had almost a foot of water on the main floor of their house.

Many have been evacuated, and cannot return to their homes.

One of the most frustrating things for me has been that I can't get to my friends that need help. The flooding has closed most of the roads the connect our small communities, so we are all essentially islands for the time being. Just know that even though we can't get there physically, we are constantly thinking and praying for you.

While living in Utah, any time it would rain, there would always be at least one person to thank God during a Sunday prayer for the moisture that we had received.

Thinking about that made me laugh just a bit as we saw all the moisture we had accumulated.

I will also probably never enjoy the sound of rain on my roof as I fall asleep either.

School Days

2011-08-31T09:25:00.000-04:00

We survived the first 2 days of school.

You may not think this is something to brag about, but after Ciara's first day experience, this is definitely something I am happy about.

I was worried more about Caden, being that it was his first day of Kindergarten.

He did great!

Walked into the building without so much as a backward glance.

I, on the other hand, was wiping away the tears as I made the long and lonely journey back home.

After school, I came to pick up the kids and asked how their first day was.

Caden said great!

Loves his teacher, friends, lunch, recess, everything!

Ciara said terrible!

I was shocked.

What could be so horrible?

Little did I know . . . .

There is a certain student in her grade. I will call this student M.

M was disruptive, rude, and just plain awful.

Apparently, M threw a pencil box at the teacher's head, kicked and hit her, stole her scissors, attempted to cut the students, and cut the teacher. I was also told that the teacher needed to get stitches.

The principal was called up to the room, and another teacher came in to remove the rest of the students out of the room while they dealt with M.

M has since been suspended from school for a few days, so yesterday was a really good day for Ciara.

I did go and talk to the guidance counselor to find out what will happen.

I don't want my daughter to have to deal with this throughout the whole year.

If M's behaviour doesn't improve, they can remove M from the school completely.

But at what point do they do that?

If I get a Dr's note stating that this situation is stressing my daughter out, I can have her put in an other class. But would it stress her out more to switch classrooms?

I guess for now, I will be comfortable with the fact that M will NOT be back in class today, that the Principal will be closely monitoring the class, and that if it gets too bad I can fight to switch her teacher.

A lot of parents were talking about it yesterday at pick-up (whose kids were even in the class) and it just made me laugh a little to think that my daughter's first day will probably go down in elementary legend. People will be talking about this for a LONG time.

Summer Can't Be Over!

2011-08-11T09:23:00.000-04:00

What a summer!

I feel like we have been going 100 mph.

We have been to Chocolate World a few times, Lake Tobias, Halfway Dam, the Philadelphia Zoo, and everywhere in between.

Plus, we go swimming at our local pool almost everyday.

And the fun isn't over yet!

We are planning on going to NYC soon, and then next weekend Rocky and Cade will be going to a baseball game.

We have been filling in all the other days with trips to the pool and the library.

I still can't believe that school will be starting so soon.

We have the teacher assignments for the kids already.

Caden has 5 kids from his preschool class in his K class, but we can't seem to find anyone Ciara knows in her class.

I am just nervous about having no kids at home anymore.

What will I do?

My first instinct was to be a substitute teacher.

I called and got the application.

WOW.

I have to write essays, get an official college transcript in a sealed envelope, and fill out about a million papers.

Needless to say, a little more intense than I thought.

But I do think a part time job would be worth it.

I do have some conditions:

I can only work between the hours of 8-2:30, no Saturdays or Sundays, and I will need the school holidays off as well.

Does a job like that exist?

I guess I will find out.

(For those of you who have been asking about my father in law, he is doing much better. It was pretty rough for a while, but he is now in a rehabilitation center. You can get more updates on his condition at Joe and the Falling Tree.)

Baer's Anatomy

2011-07-01T10:15:00.000-04:00

I have always thought (and hoped) that if my life were to resemble a TV show, it would be "Friends."

Well, now that I am older and have kids, it might be more "Everybody Love Raymond."

For the past 2 weeks, our lives have seemed a little more like an episode from "Grey's Anatomy."

Most of you have already heard about this.

For those of you that haven't . . .

Last Saturday, while helping out with something at Girl's Camp, Joe (my father-in-law) was crushed by a falling tree. He was life-flighted to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center.

He had crushed vertebrae (6 I believe), and some broken ribs.

Amazingly enough, he was not paralyzed.

We were informed that all he needed was time to heal (like a year) and a special brace for his back.

After a few days, there seemed to be more wrong.

He wouldn't eat, and was having trouble breathing.

They discovered fluid compressing his lungs, and put in a tube to drain it.

Then there was a problem with blood clots, and he still was having trouble breathing.

They eventually intubated him, and planned on doing some sort of surgery on his lungs.

At this point, my mother-in-law finally decided to have him moved to a closer (and better) hospital.

I will just say that I am NOT a fan of UVRMC. They did not make it easy for her to transfer him.

He was then life-flighted (again) to IMC.

They performed the lung surgery Wednesday evening, and took out his breathing tube yesterday.

They are still debating on whether or not to do any back surgery.

This is one of the times that I wish we did not live so far away.

If we were within driving distance, we could have been there for a lot of this.

Being 2000 miles away makes driving not so convenient.

And plane tickets are so expensive that we have difficulty flying out at a moments notice.

I know that we can't make him better by being there, but at least I would feel like we could alleviate some of the burden on Rocky's family because we would be there doing our part.

Instead, we wait here every day for news, hoping that it is good.

We are grateful to everyone who has been able to help, with fasting, prayers, visits, and the general love and concern that friends, family and neighbors have shown.

Family Pictures

2011-06-25T15:00:00.001-04:00

Here is a sample of some family pictures we had taken a few weeks ago! A friend of ours is a wedding photographer, and we had scheduled to do this the first week in May. However, his wife went into labor on that day, so we had to postpone.
He also shoots what he calls "A Day In The Life" and I think that is what I will opt for next time. I was probably a little up tight (no, never! not me!) with the kids while trying to create the "perfect" picture of our family. Next time, I will just go for candid shots of my family doing whatever it is we do during the day.
So if you are looking for a great photographer, check out Vantage Pictures here in PA!

Graduation

2011-05-28T10:05:00.000-04:00

I can't believe the end of the school year is already here!

Since it was his last year of preschool, he had a graduation ceremony.

I was in tears the whole time.

I can't believe that we are done with preschool.

And now both of my kids are in elementary school.

What will I do with myself next year??

Should I get a job?

Hmmmm, probably not.

I will just make myself available to volunteer in the classroom as much as possible!

I have noticed that I am very reluctant to let Caden grow up.

With Ciara, I am excited to see her take the next step, but I would like to keep Caden young for a little bit longer.

If time travel were possible, I would love to revisit the days when my kids were babies.

Rough Week

2011-05-14T11:00:00.000-04:00

The plague has descended upon our house.

It all started last Friday with Ciara.

She woke up feeling not so great, so I let her stay home from school.

She got progressively worse throughout the day, with stomach pain, fever, and congestion.

Everyday, I thought she would get better, but she didn't.

She missed school on Monday as well.

Tuesday, she finally went back to school, even though she looked quite pale.

And lo and behold, Wednesday Caden came down with the same thing.

Ciara's also made a reappearance Wednesday night (they both woke up and threw up all over).

Thursday morning we had an appointment with an ENT.

I considered rescheduling, but being that it took me 8 weeks just to get an appointment, I wasn't going to give up my visit!

So I woke up the kids at 6:15 (the appointment was at 7:30, but it takes 30 mins to get to the hospital, and another 30 to navigate through the huge place to find the office).

I also gave them each a mixing bowl to carry with them at all times in case they got sick again.

So we trudged through the hospital, puke buckets in hand, to meet with the ENT.

Everything was fine at the appointment.

Ciara has some hearing loss (not permanent) due to fluid in her ears.

If it doesn't clear up in 6 weeks, we will put tubes in.

Anyway, we made it home, and both kids have been feeling pretty badly.

Ciara has been not sleeping due to noises she hears.

She says she hears footsteps in her head all the time.

I tried explaining that she is just hearing her heartbeat (because of all the fluid in her ears) but she still thinks that someone is coming to get her.

She wakes up crying multiple times per night with nightmares about this.

And she gets freaked out because she gets dizzy every time she shuts her eyes (another side affect of her ears).

I hope that we can make it the 6 weeks, and that it was actually resolve itself.

And to top it all off, I whacked my head extremely hard on the washing machine yesterday (don't ask me how).

Rocky thinks I need stitches, but I am still hopeful that it will just heal. It seems to have stopped bleeding, but it is really hard to see because my hair is in the way.

Either way, it is just painful.

Could we please have one, healthy, accident-free month?

Finally, Ciara's Birthday!

2011-05-07T09:24:00.000-04:00

I love looking back at all these pictures! What an adventure and joy you have been, Ciara.

Wait, Where Is My Hard Drive?

2011-04-19T16:07:00.000-04:00

So this is supposed to be a birthday post for Ciara, but Rocky has taken the external hard drive. That is of course where all the pictures are kept. So I guess her post will have to come a little late!

Sorry, Sweetie!

Instead, I will now impress you all with pictures of our painted living room and entryway.

I hung pictures too!

I am just so thrilled to have actual pictures hanging on my walls again.

Here are the befores:

The first picture of the hallway doesn't show the bright mustardy yellow color.

and the living room was a stripey wallpaper, not actually pink.

Here is what is looks like now:

As I am comparing the pictures, the new ones looks kind of dismal.

That is because it is raining.

It really hasn't stopped raining for about a month now.

I will have to take more pictures when the sun in shining.

What Are They Thinking?

2011-04-13T11:18:00.001-04:00

I am a little behind the times, but I just couldn't NOT write about this.

Abercrombie and Fitch has been all over the news lately for their padded, push-up bikini top.

No, it is not for adults.

Aimed at girls ages 8 and up, they created a push-up top, which has since been removed from their website.

They do, however, still have some tops (like the one shown below) on their kids site described as having a "removable pad."

This is one of the reasons I am so grateful to certain children's clothing retailers, such as Land's End.

This is what I want my daughter to look like while in a swimsuit.

Still like a kid, not a kid that looks like she is just a really short 17 year old.

I am not completely against bikini tops for girls.

But I know that even without the padding, there is NO WAY that my daughter would ever wear that triangle top.

I am pretty sure that A&F can't show any kids wearing their suits because it could be considered child pornography.

So, THANK YOU to all the retailers who keep kids dressed as kids.

Land's End is one of my favorites, basically because they have leggings that go with just about every dress, and all their skirts have shorts sewn into them.

Since I have a daughter who prefers dresses and skirts to just about anything, this has been a life saver.

They also have a great overstock section, where everything is always on sale.

I also enjoy Mini Boden and Tea Collection, but they tend to be a bit pricier.

If I had the money, I would be shopping their as well.

Here is the news story I found regarding the push-up top:

The Birthday Boy

2011-04-07T16:35:00.000-04:00

Instead of writing about how wonderful my son is, I thought I would take you on a picture journey of the last 5 years:

He is still happiest with 2 spoons and 2 bowls of food in front of him. We introduced him to the buffet style restaurant a few years ago, and he still prefers that style of restaurant to all others.

Today, I let him pick a special place for us to eat lunch, and he picked the China House Buffet. For his special birthday dinner, however, he picked salad for us all to eat.

Happy Birthday!

Ugh

2011-04-01T13:45:00.000-04:00

I was going to write a post dedicated to Lands End.

I wanted to thank them for allowing me to dress my children in clothes that let them be kids, and let them look like kids.

I have found that some places like to make children look like miniature teenager or adults.

Anyway, I had it all planned out.

And then another illness.

Ciara has another ear infection.

That makes 5 since the middle of December.

Now we get to see a specialist.

Unfortunately, we can't get into see the ENT until the middle of May.

I hate waiting. I really just want this taken care of.

I also hate the fact that she has had 5 different antibiotics.

I was under the impression that as children got older, their ear infections would be less and less.

Why is she getting them more and more?

And Caden still had fluid in his ear, but it isn't infected.

Give it another week, and we will probably be back in to see the pediatrician.

Out With the Old

2011-03-10T13:00:00.001-05:00

I have decided that I would like a new wedding ring.

No, not a bigger ring.

Just a new one.

I know that my husband is not too keen on this idea.

I am fine with selling my original ring in order to get a new one.

Does this make me heartless?

I love what the ring symbolizes, not the physical thing.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think my ring is ugly.

It has just become inconvenient.

It is a traditional diamond solitaire, with 2 diamond bands surrounding it.

What I don't like is the big solitaire.

I hit it on stuff all the time.

I scratch things (and people) with it.

Another problem I have with it is the metal.

It is made of white gold, which need to be coated with rhodium occasionally to keep it looking silver.

This tends to get annoying.

I have been doing some research online, and have decided I would like my next ring to be made of palladium.

It is mean to be lighter in weight, and is naturally a silvery color, so no rhodium coating needed.

Plus, it isn't as expensive as platinum.

Here are some examples of what I want:

Am I asking for too much??

Prescriptions

2011-03-09T17:09:00.000-05:00

Of course my kids just can't get over their illnesses.

Ciara has been through 4 rounds of antibiotics to get rid of her last ear infection (and the last prescription gave her a reaction).

And now Caden is on round 2 for his latest ear infection.

With Rocky's new job, we had to switch to an individual insurance plan. His work pays a certain amount each month towards our premium, which makes it work out pretty well.

The plan we currently have does not have a prescription coverage.

It would have been and extra $100 per month to be covered (out of our pocket).

None of us are using any prescription on a regular basis, so we decided that it was just a waste.

Even after all the medicine we have needed these past few months, I still know it wouldn't be worth having the coverage.

But still.

Amoxicillian I am OK with. At Walmart, it is only $4. But the next antibiotic that we need is $81.

Why does it have to cost so much?

If it doesn't work, can I bring it back for a full refund?

I would LOVE to see that!

Luckily we have a discount card that saved us $20.

Where do these discount cards come from?

If they are free, then why do I need a card? Can't you just lower the price?

Obviously, I don't understand our health care system.

And the reason I don't understand it is:

IT MAKES NO SENSE.

Stereotype

2011-03-03T14:01:00.000-05:00

I do not enjoy being confronted with stereotypes.

Really, I don't think anyone does.

But it seems that we just can't help but believe them.

As a Mormon, there are MANY stereotypes that people think define me.

I would like to dispel some of these.

1. I did not grow up in Utah.

2. I am not a huge fan of the Osmond's (I actually had to google them to get the spelling right).

3. I am not a Republican.

4. I am the only wife of my husband (I am amazed to find out how many people actually believe that we are polygamists).

5. I only have 2 children, and no, I do not plan on having 8.

6. I am not in love with Mitt Romney.

7. I do not support Glenn Beck (frankly, he kind of creeps me out).

8. I once had a nose ring, and I still have tattoos.

9. I do not consider BYU to be the only option for my kids future college plans.

(I actually worry that my kids will want to go there someday.)

10. I love Tupac.

Just thought you might like to know!

To Etsy or Not

2011-02-28T10:22:00.000-05:00

Since I have taken up crocheting, Rocky has been encouraging me to sell my items on Etsy. I have gone so far as to create a page, but I have not listed anything on it yet.

Basically, I am afraid.

I guess I am afraid of failing.

What if no one buys anything?

What if they buy it and HATE it?

Then I was introduced to the website regretsy, and my fear was increased.

What if I wind up on regretsy??????

I know that Rocky is just encouraging me to sell my wares to make money.

I think he still harbours hopes that I will be his sugar-mama someday.

I think he is delusional.

OK, I WILL post my stuff on there.

I WILL get over my fear of failure.

Even if no one buys anything, it still keeps my hands busy, and gives me something to do.

I will let you all know when it is done.

Caden is standing beside me and would like me to tell you that he has stinky bums and stinky brains.

He thinks this is the epitome of humor.

Eggs

2011-02-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

As Ciara and I were running errands on Saturday, she began to ask questions of a delicate nature.

I am not sure I am ready for this!

"Mom, how to babies get in the mommies tummies?"

In my head, I am panicking, trying to find an appropriate answer for my 6 year old without lying.

I want to be honest, but not brutally honest.

I explained that all mommies have eggs in their tummies, and that is where the babies come from.

"But mom, how do the eggs crack open?"

Then I had to explain that the eggs that mommies have are not like the eggs we eat for breakfast. They are much smaller.

"Well, what do they look like?"

That was one I really couldn't answer. I just tried to explain that they are very, very small.

I know that this is just the beginning of questions like these.

Will I ever feel prepared to answer them all?

Will I ever feel that she is old enough to hear the answers?

These questions are just a reminder that in a few short years, I will have to have a MUCH more detailed talk to her about these eggs and what exactly it all means.

Can't my kids just stay small and innocent forever?

Missionary Work

2011-01-28T10:23:00.000-05:00

Missionary work is a big thing for the Mormons.

Especially out here where we are few and far between.

We are taught that every member is a missionary.

I struggle with this.

For me, my beliefs are such a personal and private thing that I have a hard time bringing it up to other people.

However, I have a plan.

I will be a stealth Mormon.

I will just be the wonderful, perfect person that I am.

I won't tell anyone that I am LDS.

Everyone will want to be like me.

They will see my wonderfulness, and strive to do everything that I do.

Including . . .

Go to my church.

When they find out what church it is, they will be so consumed with thoughts of being like me that they will gladly follow me into church.

How is that for a plan?

(In case you couldn't tell, I am being extremely sarcastic. I really don't expect people to want to emulate me. However, if you do decide to be just like me, contact me and I can give you some pointers.)

We do feed our young missionaries on a regular basis, and have enjoyed getting to know all of them.

Here are our missionaries hard at work.

They built some snowmen and decorated them with their pass along cards.

Must have been a slow day.

Looking Back

2011-01-25T14:39:00.000-05:00

I did not blog much last year.

You would think that not much happened.

The opposite is actually true.

I guess that so much kept happening that I was unable to keep up!

A quick recap of 2010:

Rocky started a new job.

Moved 2200 miles to Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

Bought a house in Selinsgrove (so another move, but not so far).

Ciara and Caden attended 3 different schools.

All of my grandmothers died.

Rocky started another new job, but this time in State College.

New church callings (Sunday school teacher for me, Elder's Quorum Presidency for Rocky)

Lots of exploring!

(NYC, DC, Philadelphia, Lancaster, Baltimore, Hershey)

We have now officially lived in PA for 1 year.

I feel like I have learned some things.

1. I am still fascinated with the Amish.

2. Small country down does not always equal less diversity.

3. I am a pretty good baker.

4. 40 degrees here is MUCH colder than 40 degrees in Utah or Colorado.

5. Snow is not always powdery.

6. Probably most importantly, Heavenly Father has his hand in all things. I don't understand a lot of it right now, and a lot of things have not gone as planned (aka jobs) but I still know there is a purpose to all of this.

I will also have to post some pictures of my new hobby, crocheting!

I have been making baby hats constantly.

Not sure why, since I have no babies myself.

Considering starting and Etsy store to sell them.

Remembering

2011-01-10T09:14:00.000-05:00

On Friday, my cousin and his wife welcomed their first child. Thank goodness for technology, because it was on facebook that I found out that her water broke, and through texting that I was notified that she had been born.

They live in Las Vegas, so the chance of me seeing this new baby anytime soon is quite small.

I do love babies!

Every time I hear the news of a new baby, I immediately start to reminisce about my own birthing experience. Does everyone do that?

And now you all get to read about it!

(Aren't you lucky?)

Ciara was late. I can remember on my due date taking a walk with a co-worker (while at work, I think he was trying to get me to go into labor) and people would stop and ask when I was due.

Telling them all that today was my due date was kind of upsetting.

It got worse the next few days when I would have to say, "Oh, it was 5 days ago!"

She stayed in 10 days too long, and we finally decided it was time for her to get out.

She was officially evicted on April 19th.

I didn't want to be induced (I was hoping to go without an epidural) but was so tired of being pregnant, and going to the non-stress tests twice a week.

Plus, I had almost no amniotic fluid left.

Anyway, they broke my water, and hooked me up to pitocin.

Wow, that stuff worked fast!

I was in the worst pain ever for about 4 hours when I finally changed my mind and got the epidural.

I slept for the rest of my labour, pushed for about 2 hours (2 hours and 20 minutes to be exact) and there she was, my 9 lb baby girl.

Caden was a little different.

They knew he was going to be big, and at the last ultrasound (a week before his due date), they estimated him to be close to 11 lbs.

So my Dr decided that she was not "comfortable" delivery such a large baby, and pushed me to have a c-section.

I knew that he was not that big, and that I could do this the "regular" way, but after her terrifying me with stories of paralyzed arms and brain damage, we decided to have the c-section.

It was so quick, and anti-climactic.

But I did have a healthy almost 10 lb baby boy.

I wish I could go back and experience those days just one more time.

(Yes, I realized I could just have another baby to experience it again, but I really don't want another baby, just the experience of giving birth again. What a magical day!)

We Now Interrupt This Season . . .

2010-12-22T21:07:00.000-05:00

Our Christmas season has been interrupted with illness. And what horrible illness it has been!

If any of you are friends of mine on facebook, I am sure you have heard me complain plenty about this.

Sorry, I am going to do (what I hope is) the last of my complaining.

I just can't believe the wave of sickness that has passed through this house.

I had the flu a couple of weeks ago, and I thought maybe that would be it.

Of course not!

Caden came down with ear infections last week, which is not that bad. But then on Saturday, Ciara woke up with a fever. An hour later she threw up all over.

The puking lasted all day.

Sunday, I woke up with the same illness.

Fabulous!

For me, stomach illness is the worst kind of illness I can have. I just HATE it.

I would much rather have a flu with headache, chills, cough, etc.

But when you through in nausea, I want to die.

So Ciara and I got through that, but my throat began to hurt like it has never hurt before.

I started to spit instead of swallow because it hurt so much, and because it choked me.

I couldn't drink anything because I would choke as well.

Yesterday, I decided it was time to visit the Dr.

I had a feeling it was a virus, and they would send me home and tell me that it would just have to run its course.

Nope.

Strep.

I have not had strep since I was a kid.

Seriously, at least not in the last 15 years. I can't even remember the last time I had this horrible illness.

Then late last night Ciara woke up complaining about her ear.

Great, another trip to the Dr.

Since I had recently been diagnosed with strep, they wanted to test her as well, which is understandable.

Ciara did not think so.

The started screaming, clamped both hand over her mouth, and curled into a ball.

I had to pin her hands to her sides, tilt her head back, and then pinch her nose closed so she would have to open her mouth while the nurse stuck the long Q-Tip thing down her throat.

All that work did have a purpose, since the test was positive.

So now 3 of us are on antibiotics.

Plus, I have the biggest cold sores. And I do mean the biggest.

I would post pictures to prove it, but they look so bad, I really don't want anyone to see them.

They cover about 50% of my mouth, and they are all over the inside as well. Canker sore all over my gums, inside of my cheeks, seems like everywhere.

I am really a mess.

Plus, I really hate how antibiotics make my pee smell.

It is just gross.

**And on a side note, our boiler broke while it was about 26 degrees outside. But luckily I was able to get someone out here to fix it, and it did not cost an arm and a leg.

To Foster, or Not

2010-12-18T15:30:00.000-05:00

I have mentally written about 5 posts since the last one, but none of them ever seem to make it onto the blog. Not sure why that happens.

We have had quite the December. I went on a girl's day trip to NYC, Rocky started his new job (and new commute), I got sick, Caden got sick, and now Ciara is sick. I went to a Secret Sister gift swap, 2 cookie exchanges, and have been frantically finishing some baby books I am making for friends and family.

Lately, fostering has been on my mind. We (my extended family included) are sponsoring some children from Christmas (by sponsoring, I mean buying presents, and food, and anything else they need).

One of them is a 14 year old foster child. On his wish list, he listed fruit. He doesn't ask his foster parents for it because it is too expensive. For some reason, that really struck a chord with me. It almost made me cry. (I get pretty emotional around the holidays.)

I have a pretty strong feeling that our family is complete, in that we will not be having anymore children. Although now that I have put it in writing, some miraculous surprise is probably going to happen.

Seeing how much these kids need, compared to how much we have, I feel like we could do some good. I argue with myself about fostering in general. You hear all sorts of horrible stories about how fostering can go terribly wrong, and I do have my own 2 kids to worry about.

But what about the good stories? Foster kids are not throw-away kids.

Then I worry about the kind of influence that a foster child might have on my kids.

To that, I try to think of the influence my FAMILY might have on an otherwise forgotten child.

There are way to many arguments for and against this to write down.

I have discussed it with Rocky, and he is not enthusiastic, but he hasn't ruled it out. I think he is very concerned about what it could mean for our current kids. He will be much more willing when they get a little older, I believe.

For now, I hope that our 7 year old boy and 14 year old boy will have a wonderful Christmas.

We may not be able to purchase everything you have requested, but we are sure going to try!

Hoping and Hopping

2010-12-02T10:36:00.000-05:00

I can't believe the Holiday season is already here!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving, with lots of family in town for the occasion.

We spent some time in Hershey, ate our way through Philadelphia (literally, it was a food tour of the city), and had lots of fun!

I decorated the house for Christmas (with the help of my sister and parents).

And now I need to get some presents under the tree.

And one other big change:

A new job for Rocky.

Yes, another one.

I have to ask, "Seriously?"

I am tired of the job hopping. I know that it is mainly economy based, since architects seem to be hit pretty hard during this time. I am grateful that he has been able to maintain employment even though we seem to move a lot.

I am not moving this time though. At least, not yet.

The job is in State College, which is over an hour away. Neither of us are looking forward to the commute, but that should show how desperate he was to leave his current position.

Today is his last day, and I hope it goes well. Apparently they are trying to get him to sign some document stating he cannot market to anyone within a 50 mile radius.

Again, SERIOUSLY? Why would he sign that? Are they crazy?

I could have a whole other blog with stories from his boss.

We also have more guests coming out after Christmas, so I am preparing for the craziness to start again!

I will miss all the parties back home with everyone.

I have been contemplating having my own party here, but can't decide when to do it.

I was thinking New Year's, but I don't want to host a party while I have a house full of guests.

Maybe another day, or another year!

Holy Halloween!

2010-10-31T16:09:00.000-04:00

Last night was Trick-or-Treating here in Selinsgrove.

For some reason, they assign a night and a time for this celebration.

(Yes, I know it sounds strange, but I LOVED having a time limit, because we were done at 8pm, and had no one come after that.)

This year, I decided to give out juice boxes (or Capri Sun pouches). I had purchased 200 in preparation for this night. I had been told by some people that the street we live on is THE place for trick-or-treaters, and I thought 200 was a good estimate.

I was SO wrong.

Trick-or-Treating was scheduled to start at 6pm. Right on the dot, the doorbell began to ring.

I saw lots of cute costumes, and people were THRILLED with the juice boxes, even the teenagers.

I never had time to shut the door, the kids just kept coming.

At 6:50, I was down to my last juice box.

Yes, 200 kids in less than an hour.

SERIOUSLY??

I panicked for a bit, then remembered the candy the kids have been accumulating from previous Halloween parties. I ran and grabbed a bucket full of their candy.

I started to hand out the candy one Tootsie Roll at a time.

It sucked to go from hearing exclaims of delight (Cool! A juice box! Thanks!) to a barely audible "thank you."

Even then, I ran out of candy at about 7:20. Luckily, a friend of mine showed up in the nick of time with a car full of candy from a Trunk-or-Treat. She immediately brought me some candy from her car which lasted until 7:45, at which time a turned off the light. (It was scheduled to finish at 8, so I didn't feel too bad about shutting down 15 minutes early).

When Rocky got home, he told me that our street was by far the busiest. There were hardly any people on the streets just one block up and down from us.

We had a band on our street, and the police were our keeping an eye on everything and handing out glow sticks to all the kids. It was quite the event.

I have a small gripe about some of the trick-or-treaters.

If you are not old enough to hold your own bag, then you are not old enough to ask for candy. I couldn't believe the amount of parents with babies that were getting candy for them. I know the babies aren't going to be eating it.

Next year, I will be purchasing 300 juice boxes, and then turning off my light when they are gone. I am pretty sure we saw over 400 kids, but I really don't want to have to buy 400 juice boxes (or even pieces of candy for that matter). We will see how it goes!

I Know, I Know!

2010-10-28T14:07:00.000-04:00

Yes, I have been HORRIBLE about posting lately. Not sure where all the time goes, but it seems to be slipping by at an alarming rate!

We are all enjoying our first BEAUTIFUL east coast fall. The colors are just gorgeous, and the weather has been perfect.

I have been keeping busy by being crafty. I have taught myself how to crochet, and have been busy making scarves, and ear-warmer headband things with flowers on them. I will have to post some pictures.

I have also been reacquainted with my scrapbooking! It has been so long, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get back into it, but a friend of mine has asked me to make her a baby album, so I had to get going! I have really been enjoying being creative again. I will post pictures of the album once I get closer to being done. Plus, having a Cricut makes me want to experiment some more!

My organizing business has still been on my mind. I do need a name for it. Any suggestions?

Seriously?

2010-10-08T16:51:00.000-04:00

What was your worst birthday?

Mine was yesterday. I have never had a bad birthday. So I guess it was about time.

But, seriously?

That morning was pretty normal, waking up with the kids, getting ready for school.

I have to admit, I was a little peeved that Rocky didn't volunteer to take care of it all since it was my birthday.

And then the obligatory phone call from the parents to wish me happy birthday.

That's when it happens.

"Um, honey, we have some bad news."

My grandma died.

She had a heart attack earlier in the week, so I knew this was a possibility, but to find out first thing on the morning of your birthday kind of puts a damper on the rest of the day.

I have lost both of my grandmothers in the last 6 months, and since we have moved so FREAKING far away, I have not been able to make it to either funeral.

Now, besides mourning my grandmother, I also have to deal with the guilt of not attending the funeral.

I know it is OK, my family all understand (at least they tell me they do) but I still feel guilty.

I should be there with my family.

But I can't.

I was asked to send some stories of my grandma to my mom, and here are some of those:

She loved to tell people the story of when she watched my when my sister was born. Apparently, I was horrible and hid under a booth at McDonald's and refused to come out. Also, when she took me to the nursery to see my sister, I told her I didn't want that baby (she was way too red) and picked out an African American baby to take home instead.

She also loved her cats just a little too much. My mom got after her once because the cats were licking the butter on the table. Grandma tried to explain that her cats were like her kids, and we share with our kids. My mom didn't buy that and replied with, "Mom, my kids don't like their butts."

She loved her kids and grandkids a lot. I always felt loved and special around her.

She will be missed.

I hope this is the worst birthday I will ever have.

Business Idea

2010-09-27T13:45:00.000-04:00

If you haven't met me, I should start this out by saying that I am kind of a neurotic cleaner and organizer. I can't rest or relax if things are not put away and clean.

It is just how I am. It is hereditary; my mom has it and so does my sister.

Growing up, I thought this was just how everyone was. I thought everyone got grounded for leaving towels on the floor.

Then as grew, I noticed that not everyone's house is that way.

Most people are relatively neat, but not as crazy as my family. As an adult, I know that my house is cleaner than most, but also accept the fact that I am the crazy one. I don't care how other people keep their own house. I just choose to keep mine a certain way.

These last couple weeks, I have had the opportunity to help my friend organize certain rooms of her house. And the craziest part is that I REALLY enjoy doing it.

During one of our sessions, she suggested that I create my own business to organize other people houses, or even businesses I guess.

That got me thinking.

Could I actually do that?

I get stuck on the logistics of it. How do I tell people that I am qualified to do that? If you know me, you might appreciate my anal qualities, but how do I explain that to strangers?

She suggested taking before and after pictures. And then starting a website.

Does anyone else have an opinion? Could this actually work? Are there enough people out there who would pay for my help?

Funk

2010-09-10T14:10:00.000-04:00

So my last post sucked. I just couldn't seem to find the words to describe how much fun we had. And I know why.

I am in a funk.

There are several reasons for this funk:

1. I recently had a house full of visitors and they are now all gone. The house has felt empty.

2. BOTH kids are now in school (not full time, but I have a couple of hours 3 days a week to myself) so the house is REALLY empty.

3. I am missing my first girls trip. I have gone on a girl's trip (Mom's Gone Wild) since it was started (4 years ago) and this weekend, they are all (minus me) in Sun Valley right now.

I have been looking forward to having some alone time, but now that I have it, I just don't know what to do with myself. Today, I decided to turn on the TV.

What a Mistake!

I have been sucked into watching "A Baby Story." NOT the show to be watching while missing your children who are now old enough to be in school.

Watching all these women give birth has made me a little emotional.

(I guess another reason for the funk is just plain old PMS.)

I have been reminiscing about the births of both of my kids, and then I get all sad because they are so big now!

Where did the time go?

So here I sit, watching a "Baby Story" with tears streaming down my cheeks. Am I a wreck or what?

Then the thought hits, "Hey, I could just have another baby!"

Seems like the perfect solution, right?

Hmmmmmmm.

At first, this idea appealed to me. I LOVE babies, and what better to have one around all the time!

Then I remember the sleepless nights, diapers, breast-feeding, and being pregnant.

Also, is being lonely the best reason for having a baby? Probably not.

At least, not for me.

I am going to have to deal with an empty house at some point. I can't avoid it forever.

(And most days I really look forward to having alone time.)

Things to look forward to with my alone time:

1. Getting the house finally decorated. I need to paint, and soon. I put it of all summer, and now is the time to get it done.

2. SCRAPBOOKING! I have not made any pages in months, years possibly. Plus, I have 2 baby books to make for some friends that I HAVE to get done before the end of the year.

3. Being able to help out in school. I am really looking forward to becoming more involved in Ciara's (and eventually Caden's school.)

I will now focus on these last 2 items, and work on getting out of this funk.

(and some chocolate might help as well)

Pig Wrastling

2010-09-10T10:12:00.000-04:00

Yes, I went to a pig wrestling event. I have been informed by my sister that it should be pronounced "wrastling" since pigs are involved.
I have some friends who decided to create a team. The goal is to lift a 200 lb pig onto a platform in the middle of the disgusting mud and poop filled ring, and place a hat on its head. The team with the shortest time wins. Our team, consisting of 2 nurses, a professor, and a crew coach placed 3rd. We were all very proud of them. It was very funny to watch. We will definitely be going back next year.
Besides the pig wresting, they had a corn maze, and many other activities for the kids. The kids just ran around with their friends, playing in the corn, going down the slide and watching the pigs.
I have to say, at first I was astounded that I was going to a pig wrestling event, but I ended up having so much fun. The things you do in the country to stay entertained!
(Also, since school has officially started, I am hoping to keep up with the blogging a bit more!)

2010-09-10T10:06:00.001-04:00

Conversations at KFC

2010-08-26T11:01:00.000-04:00

There is a KFC/Taco Bell restaurant located on the highway not too far from here. I am a huge fan of Taco Bell, so I try to convince my family that we need to eat there more than they want to. Last weekend, after coming home from a great day of pig wrestling (yes, another blog with pictures will have to follow this), we decided to stop off at this Taco Bell. Now, what makes this Taco Bell so interesting (besides the fact that KFC is also there) is the fact that they have a KFC all you can eat buffet. I have never eaten from this buffet, basically because the sight of it disgusts me. There are, however, MANY others who frequent the buffet. And they are all interesting. Here is an example of some conversations I heard from the tables around us:
1. "So my brother is having a kid. Well, he thinks it's his. Yeah, his girlfriend did it with him, and then a few hours later did it with some other guy." All this was being said across the room at another table.
2. This was a mother and daughter talking. The daughter had a little baby girl with her. "Where did you get $2000?" "It was child support from when he went to prison. I just saved it up while he was locked up."
From pig wrestling, to paternity tests, to prison. What an interesting weekend!

Summer Trip

2010-08-11T12:58:00.000-04:00

We recently returned from our first trip back to UT after moving out to PA. What a fun and busy 2 weeks! Here is a basic rundown of all the things we did:
Had pancakes or waffles almost every morning for breakfast.
Visited lots of family!
Hung out with lots of friends!
Toured a bakery (and ate yummy donuts)
Went to Cowabunga Bay (a water park)
Went to Incredible Pizza (a fun place with games, go-karts, mini-golf, etc.)
Swam at my old gym (I still miss it so much!)
Swam at a college friends house.
Ate at Joe's (Crab Shack).
Went to the movie theatre, and saw Ramona and Beezus, and Toy Story 3.
Went to a carnival, and set off some fireworks.
NORDSTROM!
I am sure I am forgetting things, we seemed to have stuff to do every day. We had so much fun, but were still so happy to be home. I miss our family and friends so much, but have really adjusted to life in PA. I had forgotten about how awful the road construction can be, and how busy everything is. I have decided that I actually like small town life (although if we could just get a good gym and a Nordstrom close by, my life would be as close to perfection as it could get). I have almost recovered from our whirlwind adventure. We are excited to have lots of visitors in the next few weeks, and even more excited for school to start! I will hopefully be able to post more when school starts and actually have a few hours to myself during the week.

Opportunity Cost

2010-07-17T18:03:00.000-04:00

For some reason, I thought it would be fun to browse back through some old yearbooks of mine. It was fun, but it made me very nostalgic. I had a blast in high school, and miss it a lot. I am guessing a big reason that I miss it so much is because I went to high school in Colombia, and haven't been back since I graduated, nor do I have any immediate plans for a trip in that direction. (And I LOVED Colombia. If I could be Colombian, I would.) Many of my friend are more nostalgic for college, but I prefer high school. The main reason is that in high school, I could dream big. By the time I was in college, I had to make decisions about my future, not just dream about it like I could before.
In my senior yearbook, each senior had a whole page to write wills or dedications. Many of the people who mentioned me in theirs mentioned Physics or Chemistry (or Math). I was quite good at those subjects. I think most people who know me now would be surprised. I also won a Calculus award my senior year. Yes, I am apparently a math and science geek. I was also going to be a doctor. I wanted to be a pediatric oncologist. Obviously, I didn't end up doing that!
Now, I have no regrets. I do enjoy my life, but sometimes I wonder. In my Economics classes in college, I learned about opportunity cost. That basically means that by choosing one thing, you are giving up many other options (those other options are the opportunity cost). I have been thinking about my Opportunity Costs today. What I had to give up to get here. Many may think that I didn't have to give anything up, that I could have had it all. But I disagree. To be the kind of mother I wanted (and still want) to be, there is no way I could have done medical school, and held down a job after my kids were born. There are some days when I feel like I need to be so much more, that my brain is atrophying away by spending hours upon hours relating to young kids. Those are the days that I wish I had done more to have a career. But then I comes back to my children, and how even imagining someone else taking care of them makes me hyperventilate. In time, when both kids are in school full time, I do hope to go back to school to get some sort of medical degree (probably some kind of nurse) and I hope that I will make the time, and have the money to do just that.
Does anyone else feel that there is a whole other person inside your "mom" exterior? I am trying to find a way to bring these 2 people together, but so much of my day is "mom" that this other person (who I think is still in high school, because I don't feel a day over 17) gets ignored. Any ideas on how to bring these 2 people together, or am I the only one who feels this way?

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

2010-07-15T13:49:00.001-04:00

Having neighbors is an interesting thing. It is almost like family: you really want to like them, but they are always there, and can be annoying, and very interesting. Over the past few months, we have gotten to know some of our neighbors.
When I say "know" I don't mean in a deeply personal way. They all pretty much keep to themselves, but are very nice. When the kids held a lemonade stand, so many neighbors came over to buy lemonade, it touched my heart. But being that it is summer, and our windows are open a lot, we hear all sorts of stuff from the houses that surround us. The other night, at the house across the street, the teenage son was fighting with his parents. He called his mom a bitch, then said he was running away, only to apologize 2 minutes later and go back into his house. But the people on the opposite corner from us are definitely the most interesting. They have about a million kids (or is at least seems like that) and they like to shout at each other every evening. Almost every night, we hear the mom or dad yell, "Get your asses inside this house right now." And they also like to use the "F" word. A lot! They did, however, buy $2 worth of lemonade from my kids, so I try not to judge!
Our next door neighbors are nice. My kids love to peer through the fence and just stare at their kids. I hope they don't think my kids are weird . . . .

Eat Your Veggies (and Cookies Too!)

2010-06-30T16:59:00.000-04:00

Rocky think I am a little strange, but I am so proud of our garden! I have to post pics of it for you to really appreciate it.

These plants were supposed to be bell pepper plants. After they started producing peppers, I noticed that they are NOT bell peppers. After some internet research, I decided they were banana peppers. Then we ate some. They are NOT banana peppers. I have now decided that they are Hungarian yellow wax peppers. They are spicy. And I have six of these plants that are starting to produce peppers like crazy. If you want some, let me know!

We also have TONS of tomatoes. I, personally, hate tomatoes. I am apparently going to be making lots of salsa this summer. What else can I make with tomatoes to can?

Caden insisted on being in a picture. Next to him is our gigantic zucchini plant. This monster started out as a sickly looking leaf-looking thing. I had no idea it was survive and get so big! I have spotted 2 zucchini so far, with many other flowers budding.

Our lovely broccoli plants are huge! We have enjoyed eating our fresh broccoli. I will be sad when they are finally done.

A sample of they broccoli we ate from the garden.

Caden really wanted to take a picture of his sunflower. He grew this himself from a seed. He is very excited to see it get taller than daddy.

With all the veggies starting to produce, I have been thinking of recipes and cooking a lot lately. I have heard it said that you are either a baker (cakes, cookies, pastries, etc.) or a cooker (main courses, etc.). I have decided that I am a baker. I do enjoy cooking, but I do that because I have to. Baking I do because I really enjoy it. We would survive if I didn't bake, not so much if I didn't cook. Rocky is complaining that I am making him fat with all the baking, but I can't help it! There are 3 three-layer chocolate cake recipes that I am just dying to try my hand at, but I am waiting for autumn and cooler temps. (I can't really bake in the summer, and I am missing my hobby!) Does everyone identify themselves as a baker or a cooker?

Slacking

2010-06-24T09:35:00.000-04:00

Yes, it has been so long since my last post. I always think of great things to write about, but then when I finally get on the computer, I forget it all!
I am enjoying being a homeowner again, however not enjoying all the money that needs to be spent on the house. I had forgotten how expensive houses can get!
Our garden is doing quite well. Although the plants that were supposed to be bell peppers are producing some other kind of pepper. At first I thought it was a banana pepper. Then we ate some. They are definitely NOT banana peppers. They are WAY too spicy. Now I am thinking they are Hungarian Wax Peppers. Still don't know what to do with them all . . .
We have planned a Utah trip at the end of July! I am very excited to see everyone! The kids are excited too, and ask everyday if we get to go on the airplane today. We have 27 days to go!
I have been reading a biography of Queen Victoria. It is very interesting. Unlike many royals, she did marry a man she loved, and mourned him for the rest of her life after he died. But how strange to give birth to children and hand them off to other people to raise them! Victoria was never a fan of pregnancy and birth, or babies for that matter, but still managed to have 9 of them. After the first one, she was told the only way to prevent more babies was abstinence. Apparently, they couldn't do that so they had many children!
I also watched The Island last night. It is about a world in which people pay to have clones made. All these clones live together, but they don't know that they are clones. One of the reasons people clone themselves is to have babies. I understand pregnancy is not a piece of cake, but would anyone really clone themselves just to not have to give birth? I couldn't imagine someone else (even if it were my own clone) giving birth to my children. It was an interesting movie, a little creepy though.

Single Mom

2010-06-07T18:37:00.000-04:00

Lately, I have felt like a single mom. Rocky has been working so much. Here is what the past week has been like:
Last Saturday-work until around 5pm.
Sunday-at home.
Monday (Memorial Day)-work.
Tuesday-home for dinner, but back to work until 1am.
Wednesday-work until midnight.
Thursday-work until about 2am.
Friday-HOME!
Saturday-work (all day, until 7pm)
Sunday-HOME!
Monday-work until how knows when.
Tuesday-work again, probably until 2am.
I am glad there is work, because that means he has a job, but seriously?? I am afraid the kids won't recognize him anymore! I am just really tired of this. We never have any time together. Yes, it can be nice to be able to do whatever I want after the kids are in bed, but usually what I want to do is spend time with my husband. Believe it or not, after almost 10 years of marriage, I still love him and want to be with him! Most of all, I want to just talk with him. He is still my best friend, and I rely on him so much more since we have moved. In short, I miss my husband. I just needed to vent for a bit.

Memorial Day Weekend

2010-06-01T14:40:00.001-04:00

What a busy weekend! We had some friends over for dinner Saturday, had the missionaries over on Sunday for dinner, and went to 2 picnics on Monday. I am exhausted. The weather here in PA has been way too hot and humid for me. It really hasn't been that bad, but when we live in a house that is almost 100 years old that has NO air conditioning, it is just too hot.
We have been feeding the missionaries and lot more lately, basically because the 1st time we had them over they told me horror stories of the places they have had to eat around here (2 week old asparagus, brown floaties in water). I do feel bad for them. We have a very small ward. I counted in sacrament meeting one Sunday, and there were 45 people (including kids). In relief society, there were 10 (including the presidency), and in primary there are about 9 kids (junior and senior combined). There is 1 young woman (but she attends the other ward where there are more girls) and no young men. It was a bit of a shock. To be fair, we were warned about this when we decided to purchase this house.
On a different note, I watched Little Women last night on TV. I do love that movie (and book). I still cry when Beth gets sick, and then again when she dies. But what a beautiful story of strong women, and the bond between sisters.
I am going to end this post with pictures of the newest member of our family, Tyzon. Caden discovered him at PetsMart (where they have a spot for shelter animals). He is the cutest little kitten, and I just love having him. The kids are also thrilled. Rocky, not so much.

Shoe Love

2010-05-18T17:21:00.000-04:00

Since there is no Nordstrom around, I have been saving a lot of money. However, I am still drawn to the online shoe department where they have thousands of shoes for me to browse. Ahh, to dream that I would win the lottery and have a chance to purchase shoes until my heart is content. As a substitute, I am going to show you pictures of my favorite shoes that I found on their site.

First: the Fergie Rusher Wedge. SO fun in green! These are not too pricey, perhaps I can find a way to get theses . . .

Now the MICHAEL Michael Kors Sycamore Wedge. I have a couple pairs of Michael Kors shoes, and do like how they fit. These are a little pricier, so chances are I will not be wearing these any time soon. But I can look, and picture myself wearing them around the house while vacuuming, or cooking. . .

Last, but certainly not least, I have discovered these gorgeous shoes that I will dream about for a few weeks. This is the Sam Edelman Quinly Sandle. I am totally in love. I know it is wrong to love a "thing" so much, but I think these shoes are gorgeous. And so practical! I am sure they would look great while making the beds in the morning, or in front of my new washer and dryer . . . I think the red would really accent the color of these! I am sure that these shoes would be equally at home in the park chasing my kids around, or on the red carpet.

Again, it is a good thing that the closest Nordstrom is about 3 hours away.

Single Ladies Controversy

2010-05-14T10:31:00.001-04:00

I know this has been on the news, and it popped up on my AOL news. I just can't NOT comment. Here is the video for those of you that haven't seen it:

These girls are INCREDIBLE dancers, I don't think you can dispute that. But they are about the same age as my daughter. There is NO WAY I would have allowed her to wear a costume like that. Even some of the dance moves I found a little inappropriate for 7 year-olds. Do we really need to teach them to bump and grind? Won't they learn that for themselves at some college party when they are 12 years older? Perhaps the dance moves wouldn't have seemed so provocative had they not been dressed like Lady Marmalade.
Have I become ultra-conservative? Would any of you be comfortable letting your 7 year old perform like this?

Too Far Away

2010-05-12T20:08:00.000-04:00

This last week has been the first real demonstration of how far away we are. My grandmother died on the 3rd. This wasn't a surprise, she was old and not in the best health. But I was not able to make it to the funeral. I have felt just horrible about this. I know that there isn't anything I can do, and it isn't like me being there changes anything. But I still wish I were able to go, and it just reminds me that I don't live close to my family anymore, and I can't just be there.
Since I couldn't go to the funeral, here is my small tribute to my Grandma Gilmore:
As a child, I didn't really look forward to going to her house. Her and my grandpa smoked constantly, and all they wanted to do was sit and talk. For a kid, that is really boring. As I got older, I began to appreciate her more. I still hated the smoke filled house, and how it would take days for the smell to come out of my hair. But I began to enjoy her sharp wit and humor. Her laugh was always the best! It would sound like she was screaming. I am sad that my kids, or even my husband, never really got to hear the full sound of her laugh. I loved how she thought my dad was the best. It was so funny to see how much she favored him. He was the golden boy and we all knew it. Even in her final days, she made sure the nurses knew that Ron was her best son. She also always had candy out in little jars around the house. As she got older, so did the candy, and in the last 10 years I stayed away from the candy because it was almost petrified. We also loved how she pronounced certain words. "Rouge" and "Garage" and "Charm" and "Whoopie" were some favorites. She was a great story teller. I will never forget her story of when she was younger and she thought that "a queer" (her word, not mine) was coming on to her. She also told me about "pitching the woo" which apparently means making out. Goodbye Grandma Gilmore. You will be missed.

Customer Service II

2010-05-04T20:35:00.001-04:00

I already have a post titled "Customer Service" so I decided to make this #2. I have made some large purchases lately, and am frustrated with the lack of service some places provide.
1. Our realtor. As many of you know, we recently purchased a house. Our first realtor was very nice, however not proactive. He was happy to take us to the houses I found online myself, but never found one on his own. Wait, I take that back. He was very happy to show us houses he found that were NOT in our price range. So we found another realtor, who found us the house we are in now. SHE found it, not me on the internet. Anyways, when realtor #1 was told we had purchased a house with a different realtor, he became snippy. And he is an elderly man, so snippy looks really bad on him. He would not call us back, and made it a frustrating experience to try to get our deposit back on the house we had been temporarily renting. Luckily, we got the deposit back, and are now down dealing with him. But for the record, I do NOT recommend Jim H. with Villager Realty.
2. IKEA. We purchased the kids all new furniture and decided the best place to go for them was IKEA. The biggest problem is the fact that the closest IKEA is about 3 hours away. We planned the trip, and even borrowed a trailer to haul all the furniture back with us. I had checked online beforehand to make sure they had all the items I wanted in stock, which they did. We got there and found everything except for Caden's dresser. I found a salesperson, and asked if they had more. I was told they did have more, but they store them way up high, and cannot get to them while the store is open, and that I would just have to come back tomorrow. I explained that I couldn't do that since we live so far away. They just looked at me like, "So?" and walked away. After we went home, I decided to see if I could order one online. I found that I could, but when I went to check out, the shipping charges came out to be $299.00. Assuming this was a mistake, I called their 800 number to talk to someone. I told him the situation, and he assured me that $299.00 is the correct amount for shipping. SERIOUSLY???? The dresser only cost $120. Who would pay that much for shipping? In the end, Rocky was in Philly for some training, and was able to stop by IKEA and get the dresser.
3. Best Buy. Last week I purchased a new washer and dryer. I was so excited, this was the first new washer and dryer I have every purchased. I was getting a front load, which I have been dreaming about for a couple of years now. We went to Best Buy, Sears and Lowes. I had a coupon for Best Buy and for Lowes. I found the ones I liked at Sears, and they were on sale. Best Buy had a sale of buy one pedestal and get the 2nd free. I called Best Buy to see if they would price match, and they said they would. I also asked to make sure I would still get the pedestal deal as well, which they told me I would. So we went to the store to purchase them. When we got there, they explained that they could price match, but I wouldn't get the pedestal deal. WHAT?? I was told on the phone that they would. Their response: "Well, they made a mistake. Let me talk to the manager and see what I can do." When did purchasing appliances become buying a car? They come back with a different deal, which is crap. So we left and ended up at Sears. They got us the best deal, and also gave us a free pedestal. Thank you Sears! Best Buy: you suck!

New Blog!

2010-04-21T09:43:00.000-04:00

I have started a new blog about my kids. This blog is private, so if you want to be able to see it, send me your email address and I can get you added!

Pictures as Promised

2010-04-21T09:00:00.002-04:00

Here is the entryway to our house. We will be painting and doing other things to decorate. Below is the backyard. We are going to add a swing set and a vegetable garden. And here is the front of the house. The big tree covers most of it, but I think the tree is beautiful.

Finally!!

2010-04-18T21:22:00.002-04:00

We are finally moved in and finally have Internet, TV and a phone. And we bought a house! It is a great old house that I fell in love with, and was lucky enough to get to purchase. In this economy, you would think that we would be able to buy any house without the worry of other people wanting the same house. I found the one house here that everyone wants. We looked at it before it was listed, and thought we would let it sit on the market for a while. This plan did not work since 2 days after they listed it there was an offer in on the house. So we had to put in our offer pretty quickly. After our offer came in, a 3rd offer was also presented. Needless to say, we thought our chances of getting this house were pretty slim. Our offer was rejected, and we began to look at other options. A few days later we got a call back from the realtor, and they had changed their mind and decided to accept our offer! I don't know how that happened, or why it happened, but I am pretty grateful right now that we are moved in. I think the house is beautiful, and the street seems very nice, with plenty of kids. There are, of course, some trashy neighbors, but that happens everywhere. Here are some things that I have noticed about the country: 1. It smells. Our rental house was surrounded by farms. When the weather got warm, there was this awful smell in the air. I am familiar with the cow smell, but this was different. It reminded me of blue cheese mixed with Parmesan. It was a horrible, pungent smell. I finally asked a friend of mine what it was, she said it was fertilizer. It was the worst smell. Luckily, the new house is located in town (or in the borough) and I don't notice the smell. I thought country air was supposed to smell good, but I would rather smell exhaust than that funky smell. 2. Speed limit means nothing. People drive as fast as they want, limit be damned. We never see cops anywhere, although I know the exist. 3. Shopping is very difficult. I miss the convenience of driving down the street to Nordstrom. I am however, saving a lot of money. This post is getting rather long, so I will save my IKEA story for another time.

Three Weeks

2010-03-18T12:58:00.002-04:00

Yes, we only have 3 weeks to go before we get to move into the house. I cannot wait to decorate. I have been dreaming of painting for days now. I mentally redecorate and move in about every hour or so. And we will finally have INTERNET! Thank goodness. I will also be able to post pictures. Luckily the weather is gorgeous now, so we have been spending a LOT of time at the park. Rocky is still really busy at work, which is good, but bad since he isn't around much. But they are rewarding us with a trip to Harrisburg this weekend with a family pass to the IMAX to see Alice in Wonderland. The kids are very excited, as am I. We are also making a Costco run. I guess that is all for now. I do miss everyone, and hopefully we be much better and being in contact once we have internet (and once we are in an area where I get cell reception in the house).

Nothing New

2010-02-25T13:49:00.002-05:00

I am trying to keep up on my blogging, but I really don't have anything new to report. I am still just waiting to move into the new house (well, old house, but new to us!). Six weeks to go. The snow just doesn't go away. I was told before we moved here that it didn't snow all that often. But this year, it has. I guess it followed me. Great. Ciara is still enjoying school, as is Caden. We are planning a trip to the King of Prussia this weekend, as long as the snow stops. I get a kick out of the names in this state. King of Prussia, Wilkes-Barre, Jim Thorpe, Intercourse are all names of towns/cities. The reason for the trip to the KofP is for shopping. According to my internet sources, the mall in KofP is meant to the one of the best, 2nd to the Mall of America. I am quite excited to see it. I guess that is all for now. One day I might have more interesting posts. Hopefully.

Bored Beyond Belief

2010-02-09T13:17:00.004-05:00

Yes, I am bored. PA is nice, and I think I will be very happy here, but for now I am bored. I have no friends, and that is why I am bored. I have no house, which also contributes to the boredom. OK, we technically are living in a house, but it is a rental, and not one that we are planning on living in for too much longer. I have to TV, and no internet, so besides being bored, I feel completely cut off from civilization. I may go crazy. I spend tons of time at the library sucking up all the free internet that I can handle. I miss my friends and family. I need some entertainment. Please email me or call me. I am SO BORED. On the positive side, it has definitely made us more connected as a family. We pretty much just have each other to depend on, which is nice in some ways. But I still need friends. I know it takes time to make them, but couldn't I just run into someone and have them say, "Would you be my friend?" It worked that way in elementary school, why not now? We also now have a pet. We got a guinea pig. She is black and white and 5 months old and called Daisy. The kids are in love with her, but she is still quite shy. She hides most of the day, but we are working on getting her used to us.

Here in PA

2010-02-03T11:24:00.002-05:00

Yes, we made it. Everything is going well, I just don't have access to the internet. We have talked about getting is set up, but we are most likely moving again in April to a more permanent house. This new house is in a different borough (I am working on getting the lingo down) and I can't find any internet providers that service both areas. You would think this wouldn't be too difficult since the 2 places are only about 10 miles apart, but apparently this makes a big difference. I don't know if I can last for another 2 months without the internet in the house, but I may not have a choice. Ciara LOVES her school. After her first day there she told me that she doesn't want to go back to Utah. I am loving it too. I LOVE full day kindergarten. I LOVE the smaller class size. She seems to be much happier at this school. Caden is definitely bored without his sister. I have started him in preschool, but he is still with me most of the day, and we do boring stuff like run errands, and explore different areas. I get a little thrill every time I am at Target and the Amish come in to do their shopping. I am not sure why, but I am fascinated by it all. I am also confused as to the different kinds of Amish and Mennonite. I see some in cars, some texting, some all in black, some in buggies, but they all have skirts and scarves on their heads (or bonnets). I find it simply fascinating. I do miss all my Utah friends and family. I am really quite bored here. I know it will get better once we get settled. I can't wait to unpack everything and decorate. If I can just hold out until April . . .

Adios!

2010-01-09T22:00:00.002-05:00

It is my last night living in Utah, for now at least. I guess we could move back again someday. But for now, we are leaving. In a few days, we will be residents of Lewisburg, PA. What a way to start the new year. 2010 had better be great!

I know that I will still keep in contact with everyone, what with facebook and blogging. I was going to write some goodbyes on here, but I can't seem to do it now. I will totally break down and sob, and I really don't want to do that right now. I am trying to maintain my cool, and keep a positive attitude.

I do need to change some things about my blog. I will no longer be the "Utah" Mormon. I will also be starting a new blog that will be just about the kids, more of the day to day stuff with lots of pictures for family. I will let you know when I get that up and running, but that one will be private, and you will need to contact me if you want to see it.

So for now, I will sing off and write again from PA!

Handel's Messiah

2009-12-14T19:20:00.002-05:00

Last night, my sister and I were able to attend a performance of Handel's Messiah. (For those of you unfamiliar, this is where the "Alleluia" chorus comes from). I had fun, although it was a bit long for me, especially coming off a night of little sleep after a FABULOUS Christmas party. After our experience, I thought I would post a little guide with some tips for those of you wanting to go and see this for yourselves.

Tip 1: Take a shower. You may want to do your hair, and maybe put on some make-up. Perhaps, dress up a little bit.

Tip 2: If you are in the chorus, it is even more important for you to shower and put on some make-up.

Tip 3: Do NOT listen to the ushers. They have no idea what they are talking about.

Tip 4: Having the words printed in the program is NOT an invitation for audience members to sing. (There were at least 2 audience members singing, and one of them could not carry a tune).

Tip 5: If you are going to dedicate the performance to someone, make sure you know their name beforehand. Maybe practice it a few times.

Tip 6: Tune your instruments BEFORE the performance. Violins especially!

Tip 7: If you are a soloist, and are sitting up front where the whole audience can see, you may want to think about controlling your facial expressions. Now matter how much the music moves you, it is distracting if you are bopping away with random changing faces.

Tip 8: At the end of the performance, please do not think that the aisle is the best place to chat. Some of us are ready to go home.

It was a good performance, just a little long for me. I think I was still too tired. Lori and I really couldn't stop laughing at the Tenor and his facial expressions. I wish I had a video camera to record some of them.

10 Days Left

2009-12-13T17:19:00.002-05:00

This has been a crazy couple of weeks. Rocky has been gone for 11 days, and we have 10 more to go. The first five days he was in Las Vegas, and for the past 6 days he has been in Pennsylvania working with his new job. It seems to be going well, however we really miss him at home!

The Christmas season is officially here, which means parties, parties and more parties. Which I get to go to all alone. Great. It hasn't been to bad, thanks to all my friends and family who have been keeping me entertained. Then, in the middle of this holiday season, Rocky's grandpa died. This wasn't very unexpected. He has been suffering from Alzheimer's for the past 5 years or so, and has very recently declined very quickly. It is just hard because Rocky is gone, and is not able to come home for the funeral. I get to be our family representative. I feel kind of bad because I have had to find babysitters for the kids for so many other things, and now I get to pawn them off again.

I also think that all the changes have started to get to Ciara. She has been acting like the devil for the past week. She threw a big fit before school on Friday, which made her miss the bus and be a little late for school. We have had a pretty good couple of days, so hopefully this means she is starting to adjust a little bit.

I had my annual Christmas party with my friends last night. It was so fun, although I am so tired today. My throat still hurts from all the laughing. I have looked at some of the pictures already, and they crack me up! I can't post a lot of them, so let's just say a wonderful time was had by all. Some of the highlights of the evening were:

"I am going to be a Rockette."

"That snowman has been talking smack about you all night. You need to tackle him."

The Silver Lining

2009-11-26T21:50:00.003-05:00

Instead of dwelling on all the things in Utah that I will miss, I have been making a list in my head of everything I am looking forward to in our move east. I am very grateful for friends and family so close, but I have to look forward to our new adventure. Here are some things I am excited about experiencing next year:

1. Clean Air. After these past couple of gross, hazy days, I am very excited to be somewhere where the air quality is not a concern. Small town, less pollution = healthier Caden (I hope).

2. NYC. I have always wanted to visit NYC during Christmastime. I want to see the tree in Rockefeller Center, maybe see the parade, or the Radio City Music Christmas show. We will now have the chance to see this.

3. Washington, DC. We will be able to show the kids so many great things. Rocky has never been there either, and I am glad he will be able to explore as well.

4. Schools. The school system in our town is one of the best in the whole country. I will be excited to get the kids out of the over-crowded Utah schools, and into one where they actually spend money on the students and have the staff to teach.

5. Traditions. I am excited to create our own family traditions. I have spent every single Christmas and Thanksgiving with family. And I have loved it. But now I am excited to start my own traditions with my own family. It will be hard, and I will miss my family a lot, but it is about time I started my own traditions.

6. Family. Not my parents, but my own little family. When we lived in Denver, we acted much more like our own family, instead of someone else's kids. When we are constantly surrounded by our family, I feel that Rocky and I act more like our parent's kids that like and individual family like we should. I look forward to growing closer to my husband and to our children.

Lewisburg

2009-11-21T21:49:00.002-05:00

For those of you not on Facebook, here is the big news:

We are moving to Lewisburg, PA. Even as I write this, I still can't believe it. I really didn't think this would happen, but it has. We have house plans for a lot in Mountain Green, UT which we will never get to build. I was picking out appliances, counter tops, and furniture. I was so excited. And then this.

The Lewisburg firm called Rocky back in July. He wasn't that interested, since he had a good paying job here. But we figured that we could get a free trip and see Philly. Which we did. Rocky liked the firm, and PA is beautiful. But we were comfortable here, and the money was better here as well. The firm kept in contact with Rocky over the next couple months, and even flew him out there again in October. Again, the firm was great, Rocky really liked the partners, but the money just wasn't good enough to get us to move across the country. We started to put in offers on lots here, Rocky drew up house plans, and then on a Monday a few weeks ago it all changed. His current firm had a meeting where they told everyone that they had to go to a mandatory 32 hour work week (with a corresponding cut in pay as well). It wasn't the cut in pay that made us reconsider, but how unstable the cut made us feel. What comes next, being laid off (again)? Rocky was not confident that this firm would have enough work in the coming months to support everyone, so we decided to go where the work is doing well. And it happens to be in Pennsylvania.

When we were first toying with the idea of moving (back after the first trip there) I thought and prayed about the decision for a long time. I wanted to do what was right for my family. I waited and waited for an answer, and never got one. I assumed that meant we were meant to stay. So we made plans here. On a Thursday, Rocky called the PA firm and told them that he really wasn't interested. The following Monday was when the Utah firm cut his pay. That was the only sign I needed. I know many of you may scoff at my decision making, but I do believe that things happen for a reason.

So off to Lewisburg we go. Rocky leaves on Dec. 8th, but then will come back for Christmas. Then in January we will all go and become PA residents. I get butterflies in my stomach every time I think of it. But I know that we will be OK, and that it will all work out.

The F Word

2009-11-18T18:05:00.002-05:00

I think about this word sometimes. No, I am not talking about the real F Word (you know, the mother of all swear words). I am talking about the word "fat." My kids are discovering this word, and they like to use it. I understand that this is not a bad word, but when you are out in public with your kids, and they see an extremely large person, it isn't fun when they say (very loudly), "Mommy, that man is fat!" I understand that they are just saying that as a statement of fact, and not as an insult. But I think that the word "fat" has become an insult. When did it stop being a fact? I am sorry, but some people are just fat. I am torn between agreeing with my kids and telling them that it is not nice to call people that. When they see smokers and say, "Mom, that man is going to get sick" I whole-heartedly agree with them. Yes, smoking will kill you. But with everything we now know about obesity, is it wrong to also say that the morbidly obese will also get sick? This is such a touchy issue, that I hate to address it. How do I explain to my kids that they need to be healthy without ruining their self image? I believe there is a big difference between being overweight and being fat. But it is hard to define that line. For the mean time, I will just try to ignore the fact that my son likes to say that people's butts will pop.

Devious Child

2009-11-04T18:48:00.002-05:00

I will post the obligatory Halloween pictures soon, I just don't have my camera handy and I thought I would share this lovely story.

Yesterday morning before school Ciara commented on how it would be a good day to wear her flip-flops to school since they were not having recess. I explained that it is way too cold to wear them, and also I don't allow her to wear them to school. She said OK and put on her regular shoes and socks. I sent her off to school and that was that. She comes home from school and is wearing her flip-flops. I asked her where she got them, to which she replied, "In my backpack." I asked her when she put them on, and she told me that she changed her shoes while she was in line waiting to go into her class. I couldn't believe it. I didn't think I would have to worry about her changing her clothes at school until she was about 14. What other 5 year old would take different shoes to school to change into? What kind of devil child am I raising??

(On a totally different note, my Frye boots are so comfy! I could wear them all day and not complain!)

Grey's Addiction

2009-10-27T16:50:00.003-04:00

I meant to be better at blogging, but I got Grey's Anatomy season 4 and 5 for my birthday. I have been watching them around the clock. Even Rocky was getting into it. We would stay up way to late watching. We would finish an episode, and decide we could do one more. It was always just one more, one more until it was 1 am. I think they need a Grey's Anatomy addiction recovery program. I can't believe how obsessed I was.

Sick season has definitely started. Both kids were sick this weekend. I took them to the Doc on Monday to find out they both have ear infections, and Ciara has conjunctivitis. Armed with medicine, the kids are now better, but they have passed to cold onto me. Yuck. We have been watching way too much TV, but I just don't know what else to do when we are all sick. I have been going overboard with the hand washing (I really don't want conjunctivitis). And now it has been snowing all day. If I didn't have to watch the kids, I would actually enjoy laying around, bundled up with the fire, watching the snow outside. I am glad that the forecast for Halloween looks good. I hate taking the kids out in the snow.

Frye

2009-10-14T17:02:00.003-04:00

Yes, I know I have been a slacker. I have been trying to update every week, but time seems to fly by so quickly that a month passes before I realize it.

I celebrated my birthday last week, and one of my best presents is:

I have been eyeing these boots for months and was finally able to purchase them! They are the Frye Harness 12R. Very comfortable, and go with many outfits.

Yes, I do find it sad that boots can make me so happy. But what can I say? I am a shoe girl. My mom can remember Frye boots being popular back in the 70's. She was amused that they are now back in popularity again. I guess I will have to hang on to these, and perhaps when Ciara is my age she will want a pair too!

Thank you to everyone who made me feel special on my birthday! And thank you to the Frye company for making such cute and comfortable boots that were exactly what I was looking for!

Fall

2009-10-01T16:10:00.002-04:00

I can't believe that October is already here. I am loving the weather today, not too cold with lots of sun! This kind of weather makes me feel energized, not sure why. So I just celebrated my anniversary. Incredibly, it has been 9 years. I really can't believe it has been that long. It doesn't feel like it. It just makes me realize that I was just a baby when we got married (what were we thinking??). I can say that I have never regretted this decision, and can't imagine my life any different. Well, maybe I can imagine winning the lottery . . . The kids have picked their Halloween costumes. Ciara is Dorothy and Caden is the "scary" Spiderman (you know, the black one from Spiderman 3). They are both so excited and ask every day if it is Halloween yet. We drove up to Morgan and Mountain Green again to look at houses. I think we have both decided that this is where we want to live. I am still nervous (small towns and all) but I think it will be OK. It is just so nice and quiet up there. Although now Rocky thinks he wants to buy a lot a build. I don't know how I feel about this. Yes, it sounds great and I would love to pick out everything that would go in our house, but what if we go over budget, or if something else happens? I guess we will get it all figured out. I swear I had much more intersting topics to blog about, but I can't seem to remember them at this time. I will update again if I figure it out.

Mom's Gone Wild 2009

2009-09-21T18:04:00.004-04:00

This is my sister: (and her husband)This is my sister is Vegas: This is my sister (and Brandi) after a night out in Vegas: (we were still in Cesar's Palace when this was taken)

Our annual girl's trip was last weekend. We had a blast. And what happens in Vegas, really does stay there. Here are some highlights. (Sorry if you don't understand it all, but there are tons of inside jokes.)

"Blanket likes cheese."

"It just gets poky."

All the "nan" talk.

Time travel in the Grocery Store.

The porn house.

The shoe chair.

Sleeping in the streets of Chicago.

The puking spot at the gym.

Making (or burning) cookies at 3 am.

There are many more great memories. Although what is it about Vegas that makes the freaks come out? I thought we all looked pretty cute dressed up, but SLUTTY seems to be more appropriate in Vegas. So do fake boobs, peroxide hair, dresses that are better worn as shirts, and sequin shirts (especially on guys). And why do married guys think it is OK to hit on married girls? Just because we are both married doesn't make it OK. Oh well. I still had fun.

***Due to popular demand, I need to add some quotes and moments that were forgotten.

-"Where'd you get that panis?"

-"This $20 is for you to buy diapers for your baby."

-Brandi's 1 minute challenge.

-Singing hymns in the car. (He can sit on a tack.)

Oktoberfest

2009-09-09T16:52:00.002-04:00

This past weekend, we went to Snowbird's Oktoberfest with Rocky's parents. We spent the night Sunday night up there, and then got to play all day Monday. The kids had a blast. They climbed the rock wall, jumped on the big trampolines, rode the Alpine slide, got their faces painted, and tons of other things. Here are Joe and Caden coming down the slide.

And Rocky and Ciara coming down the slide.

Ciara got a rainbow painted on her face.

And Caden got a shark. He thought it was so cool that when his mouth opened, so did the shark's.

The only problem with this great trip: Rocky's mom's health. On Sunday before we left, she was saying how much on side of her body hurt, and also around her shoulders and neck. (She has had a heart attack before, about 3 years ago). We kept telling her that she should stay home and rest, but she refused. She was in so much pain that you couldn't touch her at all. And she had to walk really slowly and take deep breaths. Seriously, what is this woman thinking? We kept expecting her to keel over at any minute, but she made it through the trip. Monday night as we were eating dinner, I got a phone call from Rocky's grandma. She had been trying to reach Brendalyn (my MIL) but couldn't get a hold of her. She sounded like she had been crying, and I immediately thought that Grandpa Ward had died (he has Alzheimer's and is not doing too well). Brendalyn calls her mom back only to find out that her brother has died of a heart attack. He had one about a year before Brendalyn had hers. He was apparently driving at the time. I know that Rocky and I were both thinking that it means she just has a year left as well. I don't understand why the woman can't take care of herself. Joe (my father in law) decided that she would be fine, because he hasn't heard of a brother and sister dying so close to each other. Sound reasoning.

In closing, we had a good weekend, but a sobering one as well. My heart goes out to Rocky's uncle's family, and his Grandparents. How awful to loose a child, no matter how old they are. I just hope that Brendalyn will take better care of herself.

What a Summer, and First Day of School.

2009-09-04T00:12:00.005-04:00

Yes, I have not been posting nearly enough. I kind of took a break for the summer. I am hoping that being back in a routine will help. My goal is at least one post per week. We will see how this goes.

I have lots of pictures to share. We took our trip to Pennsylvania, which was fun. It is so beautiful there. There was only one problem. The one day we chose to be in Philadelphia also happened to be the day the First Lady and her daughters were there. They got there around the same time Rocky and I did, and apparently wanted to see the same things. Since they are under heavy security, they shut down Independence Square, which meant we couldn't see Independence Hall (where the constitution was signed) or the Liberty Bell. Oh well. Rocky's main goal was to eat a Philly Cheesesteak, which he did. We also went to Lancaster County, which is where there is large communities of Amish. I am strangely fascinated with them. It was just so neat to see the buggies driving down the streets with the cars.

And today we had the first day of school. I was so nervous. I am not sure why. It is just so scary to think how big Ciara is getting. I console myself with the fact that Caden still has 2 years to go, but I know it will go by so fast. I almost started crying after she got on the bus, but I put on some music to distract myself (thank you Tupac and Kanye). For those of you that are not aware, I go on an annual girl's trip. This is our third year, and we call our trip Mom's Gone Wild (of MGW for short). This trip is coming up on Thursday, and I CANNOT wait! We are going to Vegas. I should have plenty to blog about when we get back.

I just loved seeing these Amish Farms. The countryside was so green and beautiful.

I just loved to see this! Rocky thought I was a little crazy because I got all excited every time we passed a buggy.

Here is Ciara, waiting for the bus. As soon as she saw it, she decided she didn't want to go anymore. But she soon changed her mind and hopped right on. When she got home, she told me that some of the older girls in the neighborhood helped her find her class and sat with her on the bus. (Thank you Sarah Farnsworth and Carli Elgren for taking care of my girl!)

Here she comes off the bus. Caden hopped on, and I had to drag him off screaming. He doesn't understand that he doesn't get to go with her.

Damn Delta Airlines

2009-07-28T10:17:00.003-04:00

So we had another horrible customer service experience. Rocky and I have been planning a trip to Pennsylvania in the next couple weeks. We have lot's of skymiles, and thought we could use those for one of the tickets. We found his skymiles number, but couldn't find the pin number, and of course, you can't do anything without the pin. After a day of trying to guess the number, we were finally locked out of the account. Rocky decides to call and find out what his pin is. After a number of phone calls (one of which the representative hangs up on him) he finally gets it figured out. I then go online to try to book the ticket only to find out that we have been locked out of our account. I called Rocky to let him know, and he said they told him that our account is good now. I finally call myself, and tell them the problem. They tell me that I am wrong. This pisses me off. I am looking directly at my computer, and it says that our account has been locked. He tells me again that everything is fine with my account, and offers to walk me through the process of logging on. I explain that walking me through will not make a difference, since I am locked out. He again says that I am not locked out, and that everything is fine. Again, I say it is NOT fine since I cannot access my account. He finally transfers me to another department where they tell me there is nothing they can do, and that we have to wait 24 hours to access our account. I called Rocky and told him this, so he calls up Delta to argue some more. They then inform us that we need 50,000 miles to fly to Pennsylvania, and we only have 49,000. When did this happen? I thought that all domestic flights were only 25,000. Oh well. We got the flights booked, and then yesterday Rocky wanted to change one of the flights. He apparently had to go through many people, supervisors, and (after dropping the "f-bomb") ended up at the complaint department where they finally were able to work with him. Why are these people intent on making our life difficult? We were trying not to use Delta, but that is difficult when you are flying out of Salt Lake.

Enough of the anger, next post will be about my kids new favorite activity: snail races!

The Past Month

2009-06-24T14:31:00.003-04:00

Normally I don't let a whole month go by before I blog. But time seems to be flying. Ciara had her last day of preschool, her dance recital, choked on some quarters (I had to do the Heimlich on her) and she went to Vegas for a long weekend. Caden finished school, soccer, started a new soccer, and now has a stomach flu. Rocky lost his job, and found a new one Downtown which is nice (he was commuting to Park City before). And I sold my car and bought a new one. My original title for this post was "Dave Ramsey Sucks." Then it was going to be "Larry Miller Used Cars Sucks." But now so much else has happened, I couldn't dedicate the whole post to them. Dave Ramsey no longer sucks. I was just bitter because my husband started to listen to him, which is why we sold my car. But I ended up getting a somewhat cooler car (no more minivan for me) so I am happy. But purchasing the car is what made me had the Larry Miller people. I understand that salesmen are not to be trusted. But what this guy did really made me mad. In our quest for a new car, we ended up at the Larry Miller used car super-whatever in Sandy. These guys don't even let you get out of your car before they pounce on you. We explained what we were looking for, and one guy decides to help us. They can't find the car we want, so he starts to drive us on other dealer's lots to find us our car. We finally see one at Riverton Hyundai, and we look at it and are interested. We asked him how much the wanted for it, so he races in to ask. He comes back out and tells us that they have it at $20,000, but he can get us into it for $15,000. We say no thanks, and leave to go to another dealership. On our way out, we decide to call the Riverton Hyundai people just to see how much they tell us the car is. Lo and behold, they are asking $12,000. Seriously? Did they other sales person think we were stupid? It ended up being the car we purchased, but I was just so mad a the Larry Miller guy. To almost double the price and then act like he could get us a good deal? I understand they work on commission, but to blatantly lie . . . well, it is over, and I am liking my car so far. But do NOT go to the LHM dealerships.

Here are some recital pics:

Boys and Brats

2009-05-24T17:47:00.003-04:00

I had the opportunity to go to Ciara's preschool on Friday. They encourage parents to come in a help in the classroom throughout the year, so I thought I would go (Ciara had been begging me to come with her, and I was able to get Rocky to watch Caden so I could go). One of the first things they do is play outside in the playground. While we were all outside, her teacher (Miss Mari Lin) started talking to me. She said, "I don't know if you are aware, but we have a little problem with the boys and Ciara." I told her that I knew that Nils and Cameron both were a little obsessed, and that there had been some problems with that. She then goes on to tell me that it is not just those two boys, but all the boys in her class (there are six of them). Apparently, they are all a little attached to Ciara, and are constantly fighting over her. Luckily, Miss Mari Lin explained that Ciara is not encouraging it, nor does it seem to phase her. After playtime, we went inside and I was given a first hand look at this obsession with my daughter. As soon as the teacher called everyone over to the rug for circle time, the magic began. Ciara wanted to sit with me, so we went to find a spot. Immediately, all the boys circled around us. ALL OF THEM. There wasn't room around us for everyone, so they start to elbow each other so they could get closer to us. Miss Mari Lin had to come and move everyone into their own space. This happened every time the kids had to sit down. The fight for who got to sit next to Ciara would commence, Miss Mari Lin would have to move everyone, and then if someone got up for some reason, another boy would take their spot. It was a little crazy. I started to worry, especially when the teacher started to say that her daughter was the same way, and that it didn't change as she got older. I was prepared to deal with boys as she got older, but this young? Maybe it is just this class. Perhaps next year at kindergarten she will escape the notice of the boys.

One other thing I noticed was another little girl. Ciara had mentioned her before, about how she doesn't share, and she isn't very nice. I will call her "Pam." From the moment Pam came in, she was just plain mean. She was hitting and pushing the other kids, and she refused to do what the teacher asked. The thing that was most upsetting to me was what happened during our coloring time. I was sitting at the coloring table where the kids were making their pages. At one point, Pam and 3 other girls were sitting at the table. Pam starts whispering to the girl next to her. She then states (in a really snotty voice) that she is making a club with the girl next to her, but the other girls aren't invited because they aren't popular. She then starts to taunt them, and just kept saying how popular she is, and they can't come to her house, only popular people can. I was so shocked! A 4/5 year old talking about being popular? What is she learning at home? Is she getting this stuff from her parents, and older sibling, or TV? Either way, I just had a flash of her in 10 years as one of the "Mean Girls" of high school. Then I got worried for my kids. Is it too much to hope that they can just be nice people, not popular, not picked on, just nice, good kids? Are any kids like that anymore?

All in all, it was a very entertaining day at the preschool.

Breathe

2009-05-21T00:37:00.002-04:00

Monday I took Caden to see a Kinesthesiologist (or Voodoo Dr as I like to refer to him as). Caden has been on 3 prescriptions daily for a long time now, and I am hoping to get him on something more natural. (For those of you unaware, Caden is being treated for asthma. They have not diagnosed him as "asthmatic" but they just treat it like that. This is something we have been dealing with since he was 6 months old.) The "Doctor" just did some strange things (pushed on my arm and touched his stomach and put lasers on his chest) but nothing invasive. Then he gave us some homeopathic drops to give Caden. Well, Monday night was awful. Caden was up all night coughing and struggling to breathe. I thought, "Kind of strange that the day I see the voodoo doctor we start having all these problems." I didn't think it was a direct result, but still a little weird that it happened the same night. Last night was fine. He coughed a little, but slept well.

Tonight is a different story. Again, he can't sleep because he can't breathe. He is fine during the day. He played soccer today, no coughing. But the moment he falls asleep, he has coughing fits that last 10-15 minutes. We have the humidifier going in his room full blast. We have taken him outside to help calm the breathing down, but it just isn't cold enough to help. I feel so helpless when he can't breathe. I was holding him outside tonight just looking as his sleeping face. He still looks like my baby, but he is almost too big for me to hold now. The number one reason that I need to leave SLC is for his health. The air here is so bad, I KNOW it is making him worse. Even the doctor suggested moving.

I hope this natural stuff works. I really don't want my son on steroids, but if we keep having nights like this, I don't think we have much of a choice.

Things To Be Grateful For

2009-05-17T15:22:00.003-04:00

Today, I am grateful for Method Toilet Bowl Wipes. When you have a 3 year old boy, these wipes are a necessity. I don't know what I would do without them. Caden is usually pretty good about aiming, but occasionally he goes WAY off. I mean not even in the bowl. All over the floor and the wall. But with these handy wipes, it doesn't take that long to clean up. I can't imagine what I would do without these handy little wipes.

Yesterday we attended a Real Salt Lake soccer game. It was really fun, besides the fact that we lost. The kids had a good time as well. Caden has been playing soccer and was interested in how the "Daddy's" play soccer. We did have a good time.

And snow cone season has begun! I will have to do another post dedicated to this, since I live for snow cone season.

Good News!

2009-05-08T15:25:00.002-04:00

Rocky passed his final test! For those of you that don't know, Rocky has had to pass 9 tests in order to become a licensed architect. No, the Bachelor's degree isn't enough. Neither is the Master's degree. After both of those, you have to work many hours in order to be eligible to take the tests. Then you have to pass 9 of them. And if you fail one, you have to wait 6 months before you can retake it. We got the letter last night that he passed the last one, and that he is now eligible to be licensed. Wahoo! I know he must be thrilled, but as the wife who has been through this with him (I have been there throughout all the degree's and tests, and the kids have been there for a lot of it too) I finally feel like the studying and tests are OVER! Good job, Honey!

What Do I Want To Smell Like?

2009-05-06T17:50:00.010-04:00

I hope that many of you have decided to go into Goldsmith Jewelers and get your free pearl necklace! If that goes well, then I may get invited to other events and have more free stuff for you. So please help me (help you).

I have been on another perfume hunt. For some reason, I love perfume. My mom has never worn it, so I don't know where this obsession comes from. I try to find my "signature" scent (the one scent that is a staple and that when other people smell it will think of me). But every time I finish one bottle, I find a new scent that I like better than the last. I also notice that my perfume can vary depending on my mood. So in the quest for a new smell, I thought I would tell you all what some of my past favorites have been. Maybe someone else out there knows what my perfect perfume would be. If you do, let me know!

1. Laila by Guir Ness

This was one of my first grown-up perfumes. I used the Bath and Body works stuff, and the Body Shop stuff for many many years. (My smell of choice in high school was Vanilla. Not the flowery vanilla you find today, but true vanilla. I wish I could find it again). I found Laila at Nordstrom on accident. My Aunt likes to spray random perfumes on me as we walk through the department. One day she sprayed this on me, and I really liked it. I used it for about 3-4 years. I tried to get it again, and I still like it, but there are just so many good smells that I found another one to replace it.

2. Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel

When we took a trip to NYC after I got married, I knew that I wanted to do some shopping at Saks Fifth Avenue. I decided to sample some perfumes while I was there. That is where I found this one. It will always remind me of NYC, but I haven't worn it since. It has a kind of strange (to me) base that I just couldn't get over. I like the top notes, very floral, but after a while I just got sick of it. NYC is also wear I first discovered No. 5 (which will be mentioned later.)

3. Ginger by Origins

This was my pregnancy perfume. I couldn't wear any of my other favorites while I was pregnant because the smell of them made me want to vomit. But this warm fragrance worked. I still have a huge bottle of it, and I have tried it since my last pregnancy, but it just doesn't have the same appeal. I still enjoy the smell, but not all over me anymore. The bath stuff I still like, and I don't mind ginger shower gel, but having the perfume of it it just a little too intense. I do recommend it for pregnant people!

4. Light Blue by Dolce and Gabana

I found this one in Denver. Rocky and I were at the Cherry Creek Art Festival which happens to take place right outside the Cherry Creek Mall (best mall ever if you ask me). I sprayed a few perfumes on me while we walked around the festival, and I drove Rocky crazy asking him to smell different parts of my arm and tell me which one he liked best. I eventually picked this one, and really enjoyed the citrusy scent. There is another scent that I found that is very similar to this, but I can't remember what it is called. My sister likes it, but she doesn't think the two are similar. I think she just can't smell.

5. Bright Crystal by Versace

(Currently wearing). This was my last find. I love how feminine it smells. But I am almost out. So begins my perfume search. I smelled all the other Versace's since I have enjoyed this one so much. I really like Versace Signature. I am hoping to receive this for Mother's Day. So if you know me, and this I smell not so great, then I should probably stay away from Versace. I have noticed that some fragrances do not do well on my skin. My husband really like "Lucky You" by Lucky Jeans, but it turns sour on me. Not sure why.

Honorable Mention: Chanel No. 5 is also in my closet right now. I got this for Christmas many years ago. I only wear this on special occasions. It is such a heavy scent that I can't wear it during the day. But I still enjoy it.

From Logan to Provo

2009-05-02T15:46:00.009-04:00

Thursday was a busy day. It started off with me getting the kids ready for a road trip. My BFF Tiina was up in Logan watching her brother's kids, so we decided to drive up to see her. It wasn't too long of a drive, but the kids started to get kind of antsy. We made it up there, and it was so fun to see her! There were lots of boys to play with, so Caden definitely had a blast. Ciara was a little lost, I think. But she still had fun. After some hours in Logan, it was time for us to leave. :( We ran into some traffic on the way home, but still made it to my sister's house before 6:30, which was when we needed to leave for Provo. So we hopped in the car and made our way to Provo. Truth is, the only place I have ever been to in Provo is the mall, and that was only because they had a REALLY good Nordstrom (we have since gained our own big, fancy Nordstrom, so I should have no more need of driving to Provo). Why, you may ask, were you going to Provo? Thanks to my blog (and to my sister with the connections), I was asked to go to a jewelry store to see this new product.

This new product is Pandora bracelets. They are a new kind of charm bracelet. The jewelry store that introduced me to these is Goldsmith Jewelers (located 120 N University Ave). They were all so nice there. They cleaned our rings, gave us food, showed us how they make jewelry, and best of all, gave us free stuff! We each got a free pearl necklace, and best of all, a free Pandora bracelet with a free charm. The picture you see above is a bracelet that is full of charms, so mine doesn't look that pretty yet. But it will one day. I have already circled all the charms I want from the catalouge. They also have a fun website (http://www.pandora-jewelry.com/) where you can actually build your own bracelet. I have spent many minutes (or possibly hours) making up bracelets that I would love to own. I would also love to make one for my daughter. I had a charm bracelet when I was little, but as I have grown up, it seems more juvenile. Pandora charms are much more adult and sophisticated (in my opinion) so I hope that it is something that she will enjoy when she gets older.

As a treat for all of you, here is a coupon for anyone to head down to Goldsmith Jewelers and get a free pearl necklace. So head to Provo, get your free necklace, and check out their Pandora stuff! (But you have to go there by 5/9, so hurry up!) Give the coupon to your husband so he can give you the necklace for Mother's Day, or use it to surprise your mom.

Free Necklace Coupon

Where Was I?

2009-04-29T17:18:00.003-04:00

I really don't know what has been going on this past month. Usually I can post once a week or more, but lately I have not been on the computer. We had the birthdays, Easter, meetings, tests, staples . . . OK, when we last left off, I was going to check out another buffet. Golden Corral sucks. We all thought the food was awful (although they have a lot more of it than Chuck-a-rama). Rocky even had a feather left in his chicken. How does that happen? Then to top it all off, Caden tripped and fell, which resulted in 2 staples in his head. I still can't figure out how he fell so hard, but blood was every where, and I think we freaked out all the other patrons. He is better now, staples are out, but Ciara was very upset when this happened.

Tomorrow I am going to Logan to visit a good friend of mine (or BFF as I should call her) and can't wait! Then later in the day I will be making another trek down to Provo. It is going to be a busy day!

Also, I have registered Ciara for Kindergarten. I can't believe she is alreayd that old. I thought I would be all excited to have her out of the house every day, but I almost cried thinking about it. I am sure I will be more excited after it has happened. But still, she seems to young to be riding a bus.

And I finally moved both kids out of car seats. Yes, Ciara was 5 and still in our Britax. But now both kids have boosters. I got the Recaro ones, and I will have to let you know how I like them.

Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure:

Birthday Madness!

2009-04-16T11:26:00.006-04:00

Yes, I have been missing for a while. April is a crazy month for us. We kicked it off with Caden's birthday. For his dinner, we decided to introduce him to Chuck-a-rama. Since this kid loves to eat, we figured it would be a natural combination.

And it was. He ate about 8 bowls of yogurt and applesauce at the same time. As you can see, he had a spoon in each hand and was as happy as can be. He is definitely my special boy!

What we didn't count on was the other child falling in love with the buffet. Ciara was in love with the desserts and hot chocolate. So she has decided that is where she wants to go for her birthday. After talking with some buffet buffs, they have all directed me to go to Golden Corral. Apparently it is much better than Chuck-a-rama. We will see.

You might not be able to tell from this picture, but we did cut about 6 inches off Ciara's hair. It was all her idea. I kept trying to talk her out of it, but she insisted that she wanted short hair. So we did it, and I almost cried as I saw all the hair come off. But it looks really cute, and it can always grow back.

Caden got a big boy bike for his birthday, and it sucks that there is too much snow on the ground now for him to ride it. He has ridden it every day that was sunny, but now it is in the garage for a little while. Maybe this weekend. I cannot believe how big the kids are getting. It is just crazy. I know all parents say this, and now I know why. I will have to post more pictures of Easter and birthday parties later. Things should slow down soon!

Customer Service

2009-03-21T18:05:00.002-04:00

This past Tuesday, I was on a mission to get the kids some shoes for Easter. I have already acquired their clothing, and thought it was time to get the shoes, being that Easter is only a few weeks away. Ciara needed brown dress shoes to go with her dress. I usually get their shoes at Nordstrom, but have been made fun on since that sounds a little extravagant. This time I decided to check out some of the cheaper stores. I first went to Payless. They do not have any brown dress shoes. Then I went to Khol's. Again, no brown dress shoes, but some cute brown sandals that might be good for summer. I looked at the price, and they are $25. But I couldn't find Ciara's size. I also looked for Caden, but again, nothing. Either they didn't have his size, or they didn't have what I was looking for. Then we went to Famous Footwear. I have to say, I was quite disappointed in their selection. Mostly, they had tennis shoes, which is not what my kids need right now. I finally decided to go and check out Nordstrom. The new kids shoe department has this great fish tank with a coloring table right in front of it. The kids were in heaven. And Ciara loves shoes. She kept picking out new ones to try on. I found some really cute patent brown ballet flats for Ciara, and some stylin' skater type shoes for Caden. Of course, they didn't have their sizes. But the great thing about Nordstrom is that if they don't have it, they will find it and ship it to your house for free. Ciara shoes showed up on Friday. I had to hide them because she keeps putting them on. Caden's will be here in the coming week. The ballet flats were so hard to fit. They need to be somewhat tight so that they stay on the feet, but I hate buying shoes that fit so well, since they won't fit for long. Plus, Ciara has a really slim foot. We had to buy her ballet and tap shoes in a slim size. And most kids shoes do not come in a slim size. I decided to go a half size up on the flats anyway, so she can (hopefully) wear them through next year. The sales lady gave me some things to put in Ciara's new shoes to keep them on her feet (think Petals). She gave me 2 different kinds free of charge. That is why I shop at Nordstrom. Yes, some of their shoes are a little ridiculous (no, my kids do not need designer brands), but they do have great deals, and they really take care of me. Caden's shoes were only $5 more that they Payless or Khol's brand, and I would rather pay the $5, and have a better quality shoe and great service. So for those of you that think I am frivolous in shopping at Nordstrom, I no longer care. I love Nordstrom! The following day, I took all 3 kids (my 2 plus my nephew) to Albertsons to do some grocery shopping. It wasn't so bad with all kids. They were quite well behaved. I was having some difficulty finding things on my list. I couldn't find thermometer covers (we have one of the ear thermometers, and it needs the covers to work). I first asked at the pharmacy, and they said to check the baby aisle. Nope, not there. I gave up. We were checking out, and the check-out lady asked, as always, "Did you find everything you need today?" They always ask this, and I have always replied, "Yes." This time, I told her that I could find the covers. I thought she would just direct me to a different aisle, and I would have to come back and check out later. But someone else was sent on the search for me. Unfortunately, they didn't' carry them, but she suggested some other stores close by that would most likely carry them. I was quite pleased with the help. When we got to the car, Caden decided he didn't want to get in. I still have a basket full of groceries, and am trying to get all 3 kids in, and he throws a fit. Great. But one of the bagger/can-i-help-you-to-your-car? guys comes to my rescue. He came over, introduced himself (Adam), tried to calm down Caden, and loaded all my groceries in the car. I wanted to hug him. Just when I start to think that customer service is a dead language, I have a good week.

Disney on Ice

2009-03-18T12:00:00.003-04:00

Yes, we went to Disney on Ice. Just Ciara and I. We had front row seats, which was really fun. Ciara was just mesmerized by the whole thing. She had the biggest smile on her face the whole time. She was thrilled because Lilo waved at her, and Tinkerbell blew her a kiss. Also, Nana (the dog from Peter Pan) came right up to us. She thought it was the coolest thing ever.

Here is Ciara with my Aunt Rhonda. Her and her daughter came with us. We all had a blast!

Here is Captain Hook and the pirates. Ciara was worried that he was going to steal her snow cone, so we had to hide it under our seats.

Here is Nana, wanting some attention.

Karma

2009-03-08T12:16:00.002-04:00

So the funeral is over. It was considerably sad, but I hope that the healing process can now begin. I titled this Karma, because I have a small update. After my FIL was so rude, he had a small incident. He was having his lunch in his car in a Home Depot parking lot (this sounds strange, but he does this quite regularly) when he started to fall asleep (also quite normal for him). He says he felt some one hop in the back of his truck, so he woke up and ran out to see what was going on. There were 2 guys stealing one of his saws. He chased them, and caught up with them but they threw him to the ground. He was hurt, not seriously, but enough that he has been sore for a while. I feel bad that this happened. But my first thought was that karma will get you every time. He has since let the dogs sleep at their house with my SIL, but they have to stay somewhere else during the day.

On another note, I went to the new Nordstrom yesterday. It is beautiful. It is large, and pretty, and they have so much stuff. I could spend hours in there. But I didn't have time. I found an Easter outfit for Caden. This sounds easy, but since Rocky has banned all sweater vests, this is harder than it sounds. I had to find something that did not require a vest, and most Easter outfits for boys are all about the sweater vest. I found one, and Rocky has approved, so mission accomplished.

One other interesting thing happened. On Wednesday at the gym there was an incident. For those of you not in Utah, we had some pretty serious wind on Wednesday. As I went out to get in the car to leave, I noticed a car parked at a weird angle to mine, blocking me. I went back inside to find out what was going on, and it turns out that the wind had blown a car out of it's parking place and across the lot into the car next to me, just brushing mine. The worst part was they couldn't find the owner, so no one could move the car. And I had to pick Ciara up from school. I talked to the manager of the gym, and was very disappointed in him. He basically said, "Well, there isn't anything we can do. Sorry." And then left. That was it. I was really upset by that. I called the police, and they came out. I felt really bad for the people parked next to me, and they got almost all of the damage. I had a small scrape on my bumper, but as soon as I was able to leave, I took off so I could get Ciara. I still have no idea whose car it was. Ciara's school was great, they just let her play until I was able to get there, but I still felt so bad. I wonder what this says about my karma . . .

More Than Sadness

2009-02-28T17:02:00.005-05:00

I have been thinking about this for the last few days. There have been just too many thoughts bouncing around in my head, and I need to get them all out. I don't have a journal, so this suffices. If you do not want to read about depressing things, then do not read this. Also, many of you know my in-laws, and if you don't want to know more about them, then stop reading. I am not trying to judge anyone, but I am angry and confused. Wednesday evening, my sister-in-law's boyfriend committed suicide. Even typing this now makes me feel like ice is running through my veins. They had been together for a really long time (about 6 or 7 years, on and off for the past 2 years, but on for the last couple of months). There are just so many questions left after this. I don't want to post any details of it, because it is just too morbid. I will just talk about what happened after. My sis-in-law (SIL from here on out) is destroyed. I think that is the only way to describe her. I don't know how she will get through this, but I know she can. He did leave a note, and from what I have heard, he blames his dad. I know his dad was really hard on him, and expected a lot. But I feel so awful for both his parents. Being a parent myself, I can't imagine going through this, and feeling responsible. No one deserves this. I know I didn't know him well, but he was so nice. He was always polite, and played with the kids and always seemed to smile. He had so many friends, and his facebook page has been flooded with condolences. I just hope he is happier where he is now. During this, I have lost respect for my father-in-law (FIL now). The night it happened, my SIL showed up to stay at their house with the dogs (her and her boyfriend had 2 dogs together, which he was keeping). My FIL doesn't say anything nice, no "I'm sorry." Instead, he decided to throw a little fit because she has the dogs. My mother-in-law did put her foot down and let the dogs stay there. But my FIL was so angry, he didn't talk to his own daughter in the midst of her desperation. He didn't talk to her for over a day. Not until my mother-in-law made him, and even then all he could mutter was, "I'm sorry." Even when she was sitting on the couch sobbing, he couldn't get off his own chair to comfort her. I know he has these angry moods, where he is just mad at everyone, but to not be able to see past yourself to you own child who has been destroyed is beyond my comprehension. I have always tried to make excuses for him in the past, but I am beyond excuses now. My mother-in-law and I have had our differences, and I know she will always say things that make me cringe inside, but I have to respect her for trying to get her husband to be the dad. She is doing what she can with what she knows. It may not be the right thing, but she is trying, which is more than I can say for my FIL. I saw my SIL today, and she seems to be getting by. She does look empty, and just said, "I still don't believe it, it doesn't seem real." I can't even imagine what the next few weeks, months and years will look like for her. She has been very involved with his mom planning the funeral, and I think that has helped. She was able to see him yesterday and said he looks peaceful. I hope his spirit is also peaceful now. And I hope that she will also find peace one day. The obituary will be in the paper tomorrow, and I will post a link when I am able to.

OK, here is the obituary: Zac

Work, and Birthdays

2009-02-20T15:40:00.003-05:00

I know that I said I was going to blog about the octuplet lady, but I just can't. I am so sick of hearing about her, that I don't want to add to it. I will say she seems a little crazy, and I feel bad for all those kids.

I have been thinking a lot lately about going back to work. Yes, I kind of work now, but I work maybe 10 hours per week. I just like to imagine all the monetary benefits of me working. Plus, it would keep me busy so I wouldn't be tempted to spend money. (When I get bored I tend to buy things). But I worry about the kids. My current job allows me to bring the kids with me, which is great for the amount of hours I work. However, it might get more difficult trying to bring them with me more. I don't think they would like being there for 5 or 6 hours straight. Ciara is starting kindergarten in the fall, which means she will be gone every day. (I can't believe she is that old). I just wish I had picked a better major. Why didn't I do nursing when I had the chance?

I am also trying to find a fun place to have the kids' birthday party. I am not having it at home, so I have been looking at different places. I think my top 2 are Young Chefs Academy, or Bouncin' off the Walls. If anyone has any other suggestions, let me know!

Too Busy

2009-02-03T16:28:00.004-05:00

What is going on? I thought things were meant to slow down in January, but I am still so busy and February just started. I am gone every night this week, which I HATE. I haven't been very good at keeping this blog updated. I do have a topic I am working on right now, but I want to get all my facts straight before I start to rant (this has to do with octuplet woman). Meanwhile, I have been reading like a mad woman. In the past month, I have read the Harry Potter series, the Twilight series (twice), 19 Minutes, Revolutionary Road, Wicked, and am now on to Left to Tell. This last book is a must read for EVERYONE. It tells the story of a survivor of the Rwanda Holocaust. It is a true story of how she survived by hiding in a tiny bathroom with 6 other women for 91 days. They never left the room. It is such an incredible story, and I encourage everyone to read it.

25 Random Things

2009-01-28T17:44:00.006-05:00

Whenever I am away from my computer, I have so many things that I think about blogging. As soon as the computer goes on, I forget all of them. So why am I writing? I think I will just repost something from my facebook page. For those of you that read it, sorry. This is a repeat. But for the rest of you, enjoy! 1. I was in 5th grade twice, but graduated High School when I was 17 (blame in on going to school in 3 different countries). 2. I get a little obsessive when reading. I can't put a book down, and I don't rest until I am finished. 3. My feet grew 1/2 size after having 2 kids (6 1/2 to 7). 4. I don't run, but am interested in training for a marathon. 5. I recieved the calculus and physics award in High School. 6. I didn't learn to drive until I was almost 17, and didn't drive regularly until after High School. 7. I danced classical ballet until I was 18. 8. I HATE tomatoes, but love its products (salsa, spaghetti sauce, ketchup). 9. For about 5 years of my life, I had a British accent. 10. I have a great memory for random facts. 11. I have had 6 or 7 friends get divorced in the past year. 12. My first major was Biology (I was PreMed). 13. My last major was Spanish, and I did finish it. 14. I am constantly thinking of going back to school to be a nurse (if I had the time and money to do it). 15. I played piano until my 2nd year of college. 16. I also played the flute and french horn (but not for that long). 17. I love to sing. I am not very good, but I like to imagine that I am on Broadway. Musicals are my favorite to sing to. 18. I have honestly never tried any drugs. Not even pot. Not sure why, all my friends did. But I didn't. 19. I streaked once in college across campus. It was about 3 in the morning, and there were about 8 of us in just our shoes. 20. I went to Mardi Gras when I was in college. That is all you need to know about that. 21. I have travelled all over the world, to random places like Kenya, Singapore, Tahiti, and Dubai. 22. I actually like math. 23. I hate to ski. 24. I worry about raising my kids in Utah. 25. I want to loose 20 more lbs, but I love food too much to do it.

Obama in the Jury Room

2009-01-20T16:07:00.002-05:00

Today I had jury duty. I was dreading this for so long. For those of you that don't know, the last time I had jury duty, I was put on a trial that lasted 3 days. I was also 7 months pregnant, with a 1 year old at home. It was a horrible experience. Luckily, today, they settled out of court, so we were all released. While waiting, the coordinator put the inauguration on his laptop so we could all watch. It wasn't my ideal place to watch this historical event, but it was kind of neat to see everyone clap after he was inaugurated, and to see how much attention we were all paying to his speech. Yay for Obama! And where have I been this past week? I don't know why I haven't been blogging. I must have been busy. I did go and visit a good friend of mine in Ft Worth. I had the best time! I was so sad to leave Tiina, and hope to visit again. We ate so much food (and I tried Taco Bueno, and don't get what all the fuss is about). Mainly, we just talked and talked and talked. Do you all have friends where it doesn't seem to matter how long you have been apart, but you seem to pick up right where you left off whenever you do get together? Tiina is like that for me. I hadn't seen her in almost 2 years, but it didn't seem that way. I still miss you Tiina! I was also introduced the "Flight of the Conchords" while in TX. I will post you a clip from "Business Time" which makes me laugh every time I watch it.

Hoes Gotta Wash Their Clothes Too.

2009-01-08T23:39:00.003-05:00

So there was this show on when I was in college called Sifl and Olly. Most people have not heard of it. So much so that I was starting to believe that I had imagined the whole show. But I have found proof on UTube. Here are some of my favorite clips:

Christmas 2008

2008-12-29T12:40:00.003-05:00

We had a great Christmas. It was a little busy, but that always happens. We did decide that we need to make our Christmas Eve tradition of going to Rocky's grandparent's house an every other year thing. That should make it a little less stressful. We all got great gifts. The kids were so thrilled with everything Santa brought them. Ciara got an American Girl Doll that she now carries around everywhere. She named her "little Ciara." Caden got trucks, and cars, and a car crash track. He loves to make the cars crash into eachother. Some gifts of mine I would like to note are: an iPod touch (this is the coolest thing ever) a large jewelry box (now all my jewelry can fit in one place) I got so many great things that I don't want to list them all. But I believe we all got everything we wanted. Here are a few pics of our Christmas activities. Here is Ciara at her Christmas Program at school.

Here is Caden posing with his toys from Santa.

Here is Ciara showing me her new diaper bag that Santa brought.

Mom with her Yoga Toes.Dad with his socks.

Cleanliness

2008-12-18T16:04:00.006-05:00

So, Ciara's fever went away for a few days, and now is back. This is making me worry. My Dr. isn't in today, so I am going to wait until tomorrow (I could see another Dr. but I would have to take her in again. If I wait for our regular Dr, he may be able to just give us a prescription over the phone. Plus, he is our neighbor, and I like him, so I will wait). This is just really starting to bother me. Why has she had a fever for so long? Then all sorts of awful things start to run through my head. OK, I am sure it is just some simple thing. On to my real topic: house cleaning. For those of you unfamiliar with my family, I grew up in a super clean house. My mom is kind of a neat freak. Well, not just a neat freak, but a CLEAN freak. My sister has inherited a form of this, as have I (but I am much more relaxed about it than any of them). I understand that most people are not as clean as we are in my family, but I continue to be surprised at how cleanliness has become passe (meaning not very popular). I am not going to site those people that I am talking about, so don't ask if I am talking about you specifically. Every time I go over to a new person's house, I am always a little shocked at how not clean things are. And no, I don't go through the house with a white glove looking for dust. Usually, dishes are not done, food crumbs are everywhere, and carpets are stained. I will give two examples of people who do not read this. Example 1: An old friend of mine had so much stuff in their house that you could hardly move. Laundry would pile up (in the living room, no less), and there was just STUFF everywhere. Example 2: About a month or two ago, I went to a party at another person's house. The carpet was covered in dog pee stains. And they were very obvious stains that no one had even bothered to wipe up. It really grossed me out. I was afraid to walk on the carpet. So, is it just me? Am I being too hard on people? I promise, I will still like you and be your friend if you are messy. I am just wondering where have all the clean people gone? Is cleaning not cool now? Am I a nerd?

House of Sick

2008-12-10T12:35:00.003-05:00

December has begun with a bang for me this year. Let me give you a glimpse of my schedule:

2nd: work

3rd: volunteering at the Festival of Trees

4th: Junior League meeting, then book club meeting (which I didn't make it to because my JL meeting ran too late.)

5th: work

6th: my mother-in-laws family work party (kids movie at the theatre, then visit from Santa). After this party, Caden started screaming about his ear, so I took him to an urgent care facility, where they confirmed his ear infection. We got antibiotics and went home. We had planned on going downtown to look at the lights, but cancelled it because of Caden. We decided to go to Thanksgiving Point instead, since they have a drive though light display. Ciara developed a fever of 102 that night as well.

7th: church. Kids and Rocky stayed home, but I had to go and teach my wild 8 year olds (only 3 weeks left!). Caden also started to have diarrhea because of his antibiotics (they had to give him a stronger one since he was on amoxicillian 6 weeks ago for a previous ear infection).

8th: work, and sick kids.

9th: we skipped ballet because both kids were getting increasingly worse. Caden had stopped peeing, and wasn't eating because of his stomach problems, and Ciara still had a fever. I took both kids into the Dr. He told me to stop Caden's antibiotics, and then both kids have a viral infection that we just have to wait out. Great. Then I had to make cookies, go to work, and then head over to a cookie party (where I ate too many delicious cookies).

Now, here we are on the 10th. Both kids are still sick. Caden, I think, is starting to do better. But I was up with him from 3am until 4:30 am going to the bathroom. I think I may have forgot to mention, Caden has somehow potty trained himself in the middle of all this. We are not wearing underwear yet (until this diarrhea is finished, I don't want to put underwear on him) but I have been impressed that he makes it to the potty most of the time. So I am exhausted. I haven't had an uninterrupted night of sleep since the kids got sick (Saturday). I am watching my nephew today, but we are not going anywhere. I need to catch up. I haven't been able to check my email in 2 days, and when I finally did I had 87 emails. We have a packed schedule for the rest of the week as well. Tonight, we are all getting together to decorate my family's tree, tomorrow I have a luncheon, and then (if the kids are better) my sister-in-laws are taking the kids to zoo lights. Friday, Rocky and I have a Christmas party with friends, Saturday is the trek to see my grandma, then hopefully to see the lights downtown. Sunday is my sis-in-law's birthday. This is not a good time to have sick kids. I just hope they get better soon! Sorry that I haven't seen a lot of you in a while, as you can read, I have been busy!

Pacifier Issues

2008-12-03T16:10:00.002-05:00

I don't know what it is about today, but it has been the worst day. There isn't one thing that I can pinpoint that has gone wrong, but things just keep adding up. My biggest problem is Caden sleeping. He has been waking up at 5 or 6 every morning. For some, you may think that that is just what kids do. And yes, some do. Not Caden. This started when we took away his pacifier. He used to sleep in until 7:30 or 8. It might not be so bad if he weren't so tired, but he is exhausted, and therefore a total grump. He also has trouble going to sleep. Before his "binky-ectomy" (the medical term for removal of the pacifier), we would put him down and he would stay in bed. Now, he gets out of bed at least 4 times at night, and during naptime. We cannot get him to stay in bed. Punishment doesn't seem to motivate him either. Again, this wouldn't be such a problem, but he is just so tired, and he cries all day long, and gets mad at everything. I miss my sweet, good natured boy. I am breaking down right now and am going to go and get new pacifiers. This has got to stop. Although part of me is worried about bringing back the binky. Is this the wrong move? Or will he just eventually outgrow it? I know that he will have to give it up sometime, but I don't think now is the time. He only uses it for sleeping, and it stays in the crib. I guess I am just lost with this problem. Ciara didn't go through this. She was younger than Caden when we took hers away, but she didn't seem to use it as much. She usually held it in her hand while sleeping, and not in her mouth. Caden always has it in his mouth when sleeping. I am seriously pulling my hair out, which is why I have decided to cave. He needs his sleep, and I want my happy son back.

Tagged

2008-11-21T15:17:00.002-05:00

Yes, I have been tagged. I now am going to tell you 6 quirky things about myself.

1. I cannot sleep in an unmade bed. Even if I change the sheets right before bedtime, I have to completely make the bed (make sure the sheets, blanket and comforter are all pulled right to the top) and then I neatly fold it back. This drives Rocky crazy.

2. I am very particular about how I do dishes. I didn't know that this was weird, I thought everyone did dishes like this. My soapy water stays clean. I do not put any dish with any kind of food in my soapy water. No chunks, nothing. This is just common sense to me. But after seeing many other people do dishes, I realize this is not the case. I also do not put a lot of stuff in the dishwasher. Sharp knives, pots, pans, etc. do not go in the dishwasher. They are washed by hand (in my clean soapy water). I also HAVE to wear dish gloves. No question about it. Rocky's mom gets a kick out of my dish rules. She breaks ALL of them.

3. Certain foods on my plate are not allowed to touch. I don't mind if my steamed veggies touch my meat or sauce. But salad and rolls need to stay separate (preferably on a separate plate). As do eggs and pancakes (and waffles and french toast).

4. It drives me crazy to let my kids wear uncoordinated outfits. I don't mean they have to match each other, but individually I want their shirt, pants, skirt, shoes, etc. to match. Luckily Ciara is very into matching, so I don't have to fight her on this very much. But when Rocky dresses the kids, I have an overwhelming urge to redress them.

5. All my clothes are organized by color. I have different sections for shirts, dresses and pants and skirts, but within those categories they are organized by color. And the colors have to flow. Red becomes purple become blue becomes green becomes brown.

6. I count things. When I am on stairs, I count the steps. I count how many swipes when I put my deodorant on. I am almost always counting in my head. This one makes me sound a little crazy.