Boys and Brats

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

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

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!

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?

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

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