The Wonderful World of Wilcken

Keeping up with the Jones'...Blog!

2011-10-08T02:25:00.000-07:00

It seems like everyone has been updating their blogs, so I guess I should as well. A lot has happened since I have last typed, and I know I won't remember everything, but here's to trying.

The most important news I think is that I'm pregnant, at the moment I'm 20 weeks along. I've reached the half way point. We just recently got the ultrasound and the tech is 80% sure that we are having a girl. She's being really shy though, so next month we're going to have another ultrasound to make sure. But from the ultrasounds from the other kids, it looks like a girl to me. We were going to name her Molly Elaine, but that just doesn't feel right, so we're trying out Wendy Elaine, and we'll see if that sticks. Matt and I are so excited that it's a girl. That makes it even, and that's the way we like it. We might be done with our family, but we might have one more in us, we'll just have to see what Heavenly Father has in store for us. I had a big issue with finding a Dr. The doctor that delivered our first 3 kids was just diagnosed with early onset dementia, so he has retired. I went to another Dr. for a couple appts, but it was a horrible experience. He seemed like a good Dr. but not for me. My sister loves him, but I need more interaction from my Dr.s. So I moved to a Dr. that used to be in the same office of my old dr. and just recently split off a few years ago. A guy at Matt's work, his wife uses him and they've had a few kids, so we tried him. I think I'm in love! I didn't think I could love a dr. as much as I loved Dr. McKernan, but I am pretty sure I love Dr. Erickson more! He has everything that I loved about McKernan, and doesn't do that stuff that bugged me about him. I wish I found him earlier, but I'm not sad that I had Dr. McKernan while I could. This baby, whatever it is, is crazy wiggly! Matt can't feel it yet, but I can, oh boy can I!!! I can't wait to see this baby and have Dr. Erickson take care of me!

Matt is going to school and has a class with my brother-in-law Raymond. He loves being in class with Ray and I think he really loves his class. I love to see how excited he is when he tells me about things he learned in his class or things he read in his text books. He's going to make a fabulous nurse someday!

The last month Wade has been working on potty training. He's almost 4 years old and until very recently he had absolutly no interest. Matt decided to take things into his own hands and bought a "ducky potty". A little potty chair, so Wade can go to the bathroom anywhere. I fought it a little bit, but it's been very nice. That and the fact that we found out Wade's "currency" is mini donuts, it's been so much easier. He has recently graduated to the "big potty". He likes to flush the big potty, but Matt took the child proof lock off of the bathroom so he could go in and use the potty when he's got to go, but that was short lived. Because he doesn't tell me when he's going to go, only after, I don't always have eyes on him, and he put the entire roll of toilet paper into the toilet and then flushed it, clogging it, the child lock is back in place. Luckily the roll was almost empty, so it wasn't the biggest problem. Although, Sebastian was the one that found him, and told him he was in trouble for 16 years. It made me laugh a little bit, after I saw what Wade did and that he didn't make a huge germy mess like Sebastian's reaction implied.

Speaking of Sebastian, up until a few months ago, things were going to smoothly, he was polite and looked after his sister and brother lovingly and so sweet. In that last month, his new joy, is doing dishes. He had been asking to do it for a while, and I finally relented, since I couldn't keep up with them for a while, since I've been in bed during my really long bought with morning sickness that just recently subdued. He loves doing dishes. I just have to make sure my chair and my cabinets are protected. He just rinses them off and puts them so that I can put them in the dishwasher. I thought about making it his chore, but then I don't think he'll like to do it anymore, so I'll just let him go freelance as long as he is willing! He's also had an attitude like crazy this last month. I think we finally just nipped that in the bud a few days ago. He wasn't listening to all we were saying, he just heard the first part that was usually something like, "No, you can't have that...until after you do your homework." But he wouldn't hear that second part and would just go off. I think now that we know what the problem is, we can help him curb his anger.
Since he's become a 1st grader he doesn't want us to take him to the bus stop, and doesn't want me to wait for him either. It's not a problem as I can see the bus stop from our front window and it's only about 30 yards away from our front step. This week he's invited his friend to come home with him, since her mom has been a couple minutes late each day this week. It's great because I hang out in my garments all day, so the first time it happened that little 6 year old girl got an eyefull, but luckily, I have been hiding the rest of the days, but I had to tell Sebastian that since Jooniper's mom shows up just after they get here, that he just needs to stay with her for a couple minutes outside, before bringing her home.

Lydia doesn't have much going on since she's just 17 months old, but at the end of the month she's graduating into nursery! She's ready for it now, but we still have a couple weeks. She's just too cute for her own good, she just smiles, or giggles, or walks in her special little way and Matt and I just crack up. Everything she does is just so cute and girly. But along with that girly comes that girly attitude, when she wants something, she's got a deathgrip, and when she want's to be heard, she will be, I have never heard something so shrill and loud. Luckily she's got her brother's wrapped around her little fingers, so I don't hear that very much. She's addicted to blankets, but nothing specific, just blankets in general. And she loves her singing seahorse and any dolly she can get her hands on. She talks all the time, and I think she talks better then Wade. She's got "Baby" down. It's so cute!

I think that's about all I can think about right now, I just need to keep up with the Jones' more often. Ahhh, that feels better to get as much out as I can and into record. On a weird note, I can currently listening to an infomercial about Timelife rock and roll teen years from the 50-60's and I love it. I think I have an old soul. I just love to hear all these wonderful songs. Totally unrelated, but I thought it worth mentioning. I hope to be back to add anything else I can think of.

These are the people of Walmart!

2011-05-26T10:02:00.000-07:00

You gotta love Walmart! This is so funny!

Mother's Day.

2011-05-08T22:59:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's a period in the title, not my usual exclaimation point. I have been reading on FB about how everyone is having a great day and they are so thankful for their mom's and they are thankful to be moms. I just want this day to be over. Just like the others I am so thankful for my mom and thankful that I have been blessed to be a mom, but why does Mother's Day suck so badly each year? I think my expectations are too high? I guess I just expect the Mother's Day like you see on TV. The sleeping in, breakfast in bed, the kids cleaning up and making their mom cards being on time for church, the husband bringing flowers, making mom dinner... My family does do some things but I feel like I have to beg for them. I'm just being selfish, I guess if I don't expect anything, anything they do would be a bonus, but we have a whole year before I have to worry about that. I just have to be super great to my husband on Father's day and maybe he'll remember next year? BTW, Who decided Father's day should be after Mother's day, I think the Father's need a template. I was thinking that maybe it is that way because we only have to do as much as our husbands do for us on Mother's day.
Matt woke me up early to cuddle, the cuddling was great, but I really would have rather slept in. Then I had cold cereal for breakfast and had to get the kids ready by myself while Matt took his sweet time, when we got in the car Sebastian wouldn't buckle his seatbelt so I had to give him a spanking right there in the car and we were 20 minutes late to church, missing the sacrament (due to sickness and travel, I haven't taken the sacrament in a while, so I was quite ticked off). Church went ok, although I had to hear about all the things my 7 year olds did for their mom's that morning... It was all I could do not to cry! Then we went home, I put Lydis down for her nap and layed down in bed to watch some "Monk" on Netflix. Matt made me some left overs for lunch and left me alone for a while. I accidentally fell asleep in the worst position and my neck hurt for a little while after I woke up and I went to sleep with my contacts in so my eyes hurt for a while. (that was all my fault, but it didn't make my day any better) I woke up to Matt handing me Lydia. I took a while to fully wake up and I hate having responsibilities when I'm not awake yet, they just annoy me. So I wake up and have to watch Lydia while Matt sweeps and mops, again, very nice, I have been meaning to do that, but it just hasn't happened, I have been too tired since we got back from Utah last week so it's been pretty bad. I was a little grumpy until Matt called me out and I realized I hadn't fully woken up. I righted my attitude and played with the kids for while. (I have been saying "a while" a lot, sorry I'm just in the "a while" kind of mood!) And tried to figure out why Lydia was whiny. Then after I fed her again, for what Matt said was like the 3rd time she was fine. Then Matt made dinner, Pasta Primavera, my favorite and what I had asked for, which was fabulous, I put the kids to bed and we went into the bedroom to watch a movie. At first we were talking for a time, but all of a sudden Matt stopped talking and turned away and started the movie, it was really abrupt and it's the kind of thing that he does when he's really mad, so just totally not in the mood to get into anything today as I'm already on edge, I just left the room to cool down and let Matt cool down. After a while Matt comes in and we talk about it and realize that he wasn't mad until I left and I wasn't mad until he abruptly changed his position, so we both got mad at what we thought was one way when it was another. So we were seperated for 2 hours over a miscommunication. I just desperatley want this day to be over! I am so done with Mother's Day this year.

Matt told Sebastian earlier that he was wanting to go to congress to get this day changed to Anti-Mother's day as a mom doesn't do anything on this day. She's not being a real mom. I said, It's just a day where you get to be appreciative because you have to do everything a mom usually does. Matt and I have been having a problem, or rather I have. I have been way too sensitive and I get offended way too fast. Ther more I think about it, he hasn't changed what he says too much, I just don't remember his joking so insultingly before, I know I did, I just have tried really hard to stop, so in comparison, I guess he sounds like he's being mean, when he's just joking, and I haven't been able to take a joke lately. What is wrong with me? I should be greatful for Mother's day, for my family, for all the things that I have, that Matt is so super nice to me... Why do I take all of this for granted and just want more. I need a shrink!

Stuff and Junk

2011-05-03T09:33:00.000-07:00

Lydia has her first tooth! She got it April 25th, just a few days before her first birthday. Which reminds me, SHE'S ONE YEAR OLD. Her birthday was April 30th. She is walking all over the place and is just as happy as ever. She really loves real milk instead of formula and crinkles her nose when I get the gallon out of the fridge.
She's so cute!

We got our family photos taken last week on April 23rd. Heather Ellis took them at the Temple when Matt's dad was up from Australia! We had fun the few days he and his wife carol were here. Then we all went up to Utah. Amoung other things we went to the train station and crawled all over some real trains. I was surprised to see how big they really are. We got some good ones of the boys. We took some of our whole family and of just Matt and I, but they didn't turn out, I was super bummed! The others turned out fabulous though, so that's another pic set that I will be posting soon. We had a ton of fun there staying with Aunt Paula and Uncle Jim, but we had to leave early when Wade and Lydia got croup and we didn't want to spread it too far. As much as I hated to leave, it was good to be home and have nothing scheduled. I drove for 10 hours and Matt drove the last 2-3. I don't really remember much from that night, but I stopped driving when I was impaired, I didn't put my family's lives in danger, but I was proud to get us that far and to let my hubby sleep in the car. When I finally told Matt that it was his turn to drive, he said, "What, we're not home already, I thought you would get us all the way there!" Everytime he woke up and asked, I told him I was fine. The 52 ounce Dr. Pepper I had at 10pm carried me most of the way, until about 3am, when I gave up the reins. We're home now, and pretty much back in our schedule.

Lydia's official birthday party is May 14th, so pics will be posted then, and I'll be taking her 1 year pics soon at Cardinal stadium. I have taken the boys 1 year pics there so it's a tradition now. We take them in front of the big "1". I just finished her dress, so I'm so excited, I just have to find a time to do it this week because we were out of town and weren't ready for them on her birthday. I am so excited to see them especially since I made her dress. I will be posting those pics soon too, so I have birthday, one year, train station and family photos to come!

When everyone was here, our house was clean, but we didn't really clean while they were here and with mommy having some down time after our trip, it needs a good once over again, I hope I have enough energy to get it done before it gets bad again. I should. This week is really busy. I just put a bunch of stuff on the calendar and most of what is going on this month is this week. If I can make it through here, most of the month is quiet except for our trip to Disneyland, but after this trip to Utah I picked up a few tips about packing and what is needed, and the fact that I will start 2 days before we leave, instead of the day we leave. With the Utah trip, I had to pack everyone in one day and Sebastian didn't have school, so I had all 3 kids and they were in rare form. And Matt had school, so he was literally not home ALL DAY. By the time he came home I was pretty well packed, but the house was a disaster and I wasn't going to come home to a filthy house, so we left a little later then we wanted, but the house wasn't cluttered and dirty.

Wade likes to wear Sebastian's shirts and Lydia's pants? We have a dirty laundry drop in the first part of the hall and he finds them from there, or pulls everything out of Sebastian's closet. He looks goofy, but he's a happy little goofy looking guy! He just started puting on Sebastian's uniforms, so they look pretty similar, he sure does love his big brother, I just wish Sebastian liked him even a little, but that's the stage he's in, I hope they like each other when they're a little older.

I have had so much fun getting ready for Disneyland. I made matching shirts for the boys and matching shirts for Lydia and I. I asked Matt if he wanted one, but he wasn't into it. I won't wear them on the same days so he doesn't look too out of place. I might make him one anyway, it just depends on how much else we get done this month.

While writing this I looked over to see Lydia squatting. She was completely on her own, eating a cheerio and her little butt was about an inch from the floor and she was balancing. It was so adorable!

Sebastian is getting really good at reading. We practice all the time. He loves it, he reads a book in bed everynight before he goes to sleep. He just loves it. I would love it if he would read to his brother and sister, but he only reads to me and daddy. I think he's just embarrassed, he probably will start that soon.

Lydia and Wade are the best of friends. He takes care of her and she absolutely adores him. I love to see them together. He is so protective of her. He protects her from Monsters, and dragons(mostly toys, or some little game he plays, he has a fabulous imagination) He tells me when she's in trouble, or doing something wrong, but so I can stop her from hurting herself, not to I can get her in trouble, like Sebastian does with his little brother. I hope they are always such good friends!

Matt and I are doing great. We cleaned out our office so that his dad and Carol could stay with us. That was a huge accomplishment. I don't think that thing has been cleaned out in 2 years, since we moved in. And in order to clean out the office fully we had to put up a bunch of pictures in the family room, so our family room wall is pretty much complete, we just have to put pics in the frames, we will have enough once we get our pics from our photo shoot back. Speaking of decor, I took a pic of Sebastian and Wade each on the front of a train while we were in Utah and I'm going to put those up in their rooms sometime, I'm really excited about that.

Easter was fun, we did an Easter Egg hunt at our house and then dinner with Matt's whole family at our house. We made Ratatoille. It wasn't as hard as you would think. That was fun! The Easter Bunny doesn't leave us very much candy, but Grandpa and Nana brought us some from Australia and the Easter Bunny did, and then Grandma Wilcken did, so we're still working on it. Plus we have the unused snacks from our trip, we are good on junk food for a few more days. Somehow, even though we have put the candy away in the pantry, it keeps popping up, I need to figure out where Sebastian stashed it. When we were moving couches, I found Sebastian's stash of wrappers. He shoves them under the couch in the front room, there were so very many! I'm surprised he isn't sick all the time. It's been that place for months, because there was stuff we haven't had since the end of last year. I looked there and I only found 2 wrappers from Easter, so he has another somewhere! I just have to watch him more closely!

We still have some of the luggage that we borrowed from my parents for our Utah trip and yesterday Sebastian tried to zip Wade in it, I stopped him and a few minutes later Sebastian started yelling for me, in a freaked out tone. I ran in the front room to see Wade unzipping Sebastian from the luggage. I hope he realizes not to trap his brother because he can trap him right back! I was reminding because Wade just brought the luggage in here and is trying to contort into the smaller bag. Wade was curling up, Lydia started laughing and grabbed the top and threw it closed. They just laughed and laughed. So different! Right now, Lydia's wacking him in the head with the lid, they are just cracking up. I love those littles!

Well, there's probably more, but I just needed to get this out, I'll try to keep this updated a little more. Posts with pics to come!

Wade's Imagination

2011-04-07T10:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, just before I went to get Sebastian from the bus stop, Wade was standing on the edge of the couch, looking like he was about to jump onto the "poof" (what we call our LoveSac, a really big beanbag like chair) I feel bad because I have a double standard, I would have yelled at Sebastian to get down, but I just told Wade to be careful. (Wade will do it once and do it really gentley, but Sebastian will bust a hole in my wall.) So,
Me: You better be careful you don't fall.
Wade: An a brige. Oh no, the reeber!!! (The bridge is out, oh no, the river!!!)
Me: The river, uh oh, you better be careful you don't fall into the river!
Wade: Whoa, Whoa... Oh no, I fallin! (He "fell")
Me: Oh no!
Wade: Oh a boat! Whew!
Me: Oh Good!

Then a little later he was running around in circles on the floor, rolling his hands and saying something at first I couldn't make out, then I realized he was running around saying.
Wade: Whoa, Whoa, swippy ice! Whoa, whoa, swippy ice!!! (Slippery Ice)

He's so funny, he pretends like this all the time, and he wasn't just saying these things, he actually sounded like he was actually there and living it! So Cute!

Lydia's First Steps

2011-04-07T10:44:00.001-07:00

I had to remember to record it before I forget. Sunday, April 3rd. Lydia was playing on the ground with daddy and although I didn't see it, I could see where it could happen, she's getting really good at standing. She was standing and lifted her foot up to get a little closer to daddy. He said it was a full step. It won't be long!

FB February

2011-03-17T09:42:00.000-07:00

February 3rd
~Marital differences:
A hair in your drinking water...
Matt: take the hair out, drink water
Me: take hair out, dump out water, rinse glass, get more water
A little black bug in your drinking water...
...Matt: dump out water, rinse glass, get more water (probably get a new glass)
Me: take out bug, drink water.
Whose side are you on?
PS- I know I'm probably in the minority!

February 4th
~A girl selling something came to the door, I wasn't expecting anyone, I looked out the peep hole, didn't open the door. Sebastian looked out the front window, unlocked the bottom lock, I re-locked it. Right by the door Sebastian starts yelling, he knows her & that I called her & we have to let her in & she's not going to go away until I let her in. She can hear this and stays at the door for like 10 minutes. OY!
COMMENT: ME:She came back around 6:30!
And my husband pointed out that it was a woman. I said girl because it she looked younger and I get a lot of high schoolers coming around to sell me magazines to "keep them off the street"! Really? Last time I checked I lived on a street? Anyway, I digress. Matt pointed out that I was a little misleading by saying girl. So Matt looked out the peep hole and saw her and said she was definitly selling something and didn't answer the door either. I have been meaning to make a sign that says something to the effect of...
No Solilcitors...
We have all the
maintainance,
wrapping paper,
subscriptions &
religion we need!
GIRL SCOUTS WELCOME!

February 7th
~So Excited! I just finished making Sebastian's Valentine's day cards. Just make a couple little cuts on either side of his hand, insert a lollipop and it's a super cute card that I saw on one of my many craft blogs I follow. I'm glad it turned out so cute! Super Excited that Sebastian is too. YAY!

~We brush their teeth, They even do "swish" or use kids mouth wash and the boys still have really stinky breath. And they seem to love to breathe, laugh, and yell, very close to my nose. They won't let me get the back of their tongue when we brush their teeth and you know they keep the "swish" in the front of their mouth! HELP! I can't stand it any more! They don't have a medical condition, it's just bad breath!
COMMENT: ME: They are better now, I guess it was just something they ate, or a phase or something?

February 9th
~The only thing kids wear out quicker then shoes, is PARENTS!

February 10th
~Making Stack Enchiladas for dinner tonight! Prolly Sebastian's most favoritist dinner EVER! He's rather excited. He keeps saying, "I'll get the eggs out!" "It's not time yet Sebastian, you can do it when it's time." "OK, Is it time yet? Tell me when it's time." He's hovering around the fridge. So Cute!

February 12th
~We had a lesson on simplifying life and only doing things that are important. "You can scrapbook and toll paint in the millinium." Thinking of that really helps me bring my life down to Earth. I am spending more time with my kids and not doing activities that I don't really have to. I feel so much better!

February 14th
~Spent Valentine's Day cuddling with my Wadey Boo who had at one point today a temp of 101.4 under his arm. Then Matt came home for an hour to eat a spaghetti dinner I threw together and off to school. Then he's going shopping so he'll get home around 10:30, just in time to go to bed. Actually FYI, Matt and I don't celebrate V-Day, our 7th Anniversary is next week!

February 20th
~Yet again the vicious cycle of sick vs. clean house claims another 2 weeks. I get my house in order just to hear the dreaded, "cough cough" and I know there's no where to hide. My house is becoming a casualty again! That combined with the fact that Matt's been home sick and Sebastian's had 3 days off this and last week, My house has no chance! Wish my house a better week this week!

February 21st
~Today is our 7th Anniversary! If we had broken a mirror on our wedding day our bad luck would be over today! But that isn't the case, so we've had 7 years of blessings and good fortune, so here's to an eternity more of happiness and fun! Love my Honey!
Matt still had to work, so we just went out to dinner with the kids to Chili's because we had some coupons for kids eat free plus they have the 2 eat for $20 deal. So it became 4 eat for $20! Matt and I will be going out th...is weekend for our anniversary. We're going to the temple, then to a full day of Gameworks thanks to a Groupon and a $25 food coupon that I got for $1. Score. We may even go to the Arizona Science Center's Body Works (via another Groupon) I love those things! But I got the house clean yesterday, mostly, and all in all it was a great day!
COMMENT: ME:Oh, Plus because it was President's day, Matt didn't have school, or I wouldn't have seen him all day, so that was a nice added bonus! Sebastian didn't have school either. A nice family day

February 22nd
~Happiness is a 10 month old with her dress pinned back so she can crawl and a 3 year old with only one of his brother's socks on upside down so the heels on the top and it pulled up passed his knee, and then he puts it on his hand, up to his arm pit, fake laughing at "Cars" because they are tractor tipping and the tractors tooted! Ah Bliss!

~Just got back from Fry's. I bought a ton of grapes, I ate one as I was washing them so that the kids can just grab and eat them when they claim to be starving and want some crackers. I just might eat them all before I go to bed, I have forgotten how awesomely sweet and wonderful grapes are. I might have to buy these way more often, just for me! Yummy!

February 23rd
~My children have declared it "Only wear one sock" day! Lydia lost a sock and I'm too lazy to put it back on and Wade found a random sock and put it on, so I decided to jump on the band wagon and only put one sock on. It feels a little strange, I'm not gonna lie, but it's fun and the kids love it! So, Happy Only Wear One Sock Day!

February 26th
~Monday was our 7 year anniversary. Matt made me a CD with love songs, he called it "Happy Merry 7" which sounded to me like a weird 70's band. We laughed. Yesterday Matt took me to Gameworks on an all day pass (Groupon $50 for $20), then we ate there (Restaurant.com $25 for $1), the food is really good! Then he surprised me by taking me to Angel Sweet, a gelato place. It was so nice! I love my Matty!

~Hope the rain is still here when I am finally able to go to sleep. Wade fell asleep an hour early which is fine as we're going to have to leave here at 8:30 to get to church. But he woke up about an hour ago to a quiet house and I am the mom so I have a constant short straw to do the unfun things. I am so beyond tired and was planning on going to bed about 10 minutes before Wade woke up! AWESOME!
Plus I don't have anything productive to do. Everything that I could do is inthe bedroom where my lucky duck husband is sleeping, so I can't even get anything done while I wait for him to get tired again. I seriously pray I don't fall over while teaching my primary class tomorrow, I have been so beyond exhausted all day and I finally get some idea of relief before it's pulled out from under me!
COMMENT: ME:Once I got to sleep around 3 am the baby woke up 3-4 times (frankly i don't remember much of last night). I woke up exhausted, but I pushed through. I got a 3 and a half hour nap after we got home from church at 12:30. I wasn't planning on one, but I layed down to nurse Lydia and I went out before pretty quickly.

February 28th
~I have had 2 black eyes, countless headbutts to the nose and eyes that feel like something is broken and who knows how many bumps and bruises. No Matt doesn't abuse me, my kids do. Almost always using their heads, the hardest things on their bodies. Then when they gain control of that, they resort to using knees and elbows, whatever's handy. I just got 2 head charges into the eye socket from Lydia! OWWW!

~Sebastian is trading mischief for attitude. But Wade is picking up the slack quite nicely. The attitude is growing several million times faster than the mischief is evaporating, so now I'm dealing with a heaping helping of both. It doesn't matter what I say, as he doesn't listen anyway, it must be answered with defiance & exaggerations (nevers and always) Can I just skip the teen stage, I don't like it! PS, He's 5!

~I was emptying the dishwasher while doing dinner. I was getting my usual Wade help. When I turned to stir the spaghetti I feel a sharp poke in my bum. I turn around to see that Wade had gathered all the butter knives and wanted me to put them in the right place in the drawer. That certainly got my attention. It wasn't really hard, but when you're not expecting it...

~I'm not the greatest mom in the world, but I hope to be the greatest mom my kids ever have and one that they can be proud to call "Mom" If I can live up to that title and all the classifications that go along with that, I guess I'm just doing all right!

7 years of plenty!

2011-02-22T06:51:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, February 21st, was Matt and my 7th Anniversary. 7 seems like such a big number it is strange. Matt and I were talking the other day and it seems like we've always been married. That the time that we weren't married seems like it's another life and we were born married in this lifetime. We've had so many great times, but along with that comes the bad, it's just life, but the good, so far out weighs the bad that it's almost not even worth mentioning. We've had 3 wonderful children and the bad times with them are worth mentioning, as in there are a lot, but even with the craziness that kids bring, the joy does out weigh the sorrows! I am so glad that I was able to find my best friend in this world, and I wouldn't want to imagine my life without him. When I first got married, I was slightly greiving the fact that I got married so young and didn't get to date much, or be in the single scene for very long as Matt and I started dating when I was 18 and I got married a few months after my 19th birthday. But now I'm glad I didn't waste my time and the time of other men by dating, I did it once and I did it right. Now that I'm not a teenager, and I have lived my whole adult life with Matty, I regret nothing for marrying him so early. I do regret a lot of things that I have done in my life, as everyone does, but Matty is not, and will never be one of them. We decided to start having children pretty quickly, I was 3 months pregnant on our 1 year anniversary. I am so happy we started when we did, that way we can be young parents, and young granparents and we'll be young enough when our kids grow up to be able to enjoy that time we have alone together. I am so deliriously happy and I don't know what to do with myself. I am so happy that Heavenly Father trusted me with such a wonderful man like Matty and such wonderful little spirits that are our kids. Even though Sebastian and I butt heads often, I hope to be able to teach him the things that I wish I knew growing up and give him the understanding that I didn't feel I got. I have a brain that doesn't work the way a normal brain works, it functions perfectly, just not normally. It has it's own round about way of doing what everyone elses' brain does. Sebastian inherited that way of thinking, as well as my stubbornness, and I am scared that he'll have a hard time growing up like I did and I'm trying to give him the tools that I had to learn over time, so maybe he won't be susceptible to the same things that I had to endure. Maybe he can lead a more normal existence. I was right on the edge of some bad things because of it, but maybe that's the reason I turned out so well as an adult? I'm not perfect or even close to it by any means, but I made it as an active member of the church, and although I'm not perfect, no one is and I'm trying. We got married in the temple and we're still card carrying members so we must be doing something right! Sebastian is more active. He almost never stays still. He wants to cuddle with me, but it's hard when he doesn't stop moving, it makes it hard when his little knees and elbows are flayling everywhere. I feel bad that he can't because I want to cuddle him and I try really hard. Sebastian is extraordinarily smart. He asks lots of questions and is very curious. He loves to read and he loves to learn, I have to keep that going.
Wade is another matter all together. He's more my cuddle bug, he still has parts of me, but he's more layed back like Matt. I haven't seen whether he's inherited my brain, but he didn't inherit my personality, so we don't butt heads, at least not yet. He is more quiet and although he can be crazy at some times, he's more chill. He's more working on his own schedule for everything. He doesn't like to do things unless he needs to, so he's a little slow when it comes to the rules of development, but he's not slow or dumb by any means, I can see his intelligence, he's only doing what he wants when he wants it, and he gets his point across. Wade can be very still if he wants to and has inherited my relaxed sence of timing(at least the one I used to have, now I'm more wound up). If I had my way, Wade and I would just sit around and watch movies and cuddle all day long.
Then there's Lydia, she's new, I'm still trying to figure her out. She's a little more like both of the boys. She's really smart and motivated like Sebastian, but even quicker. Then she's a bit of a cuddle bug like Wade. She seems to be layed back like Wade, but when Sebastian gets her going, she can be really hyper and rough and tumble. She's almost 10 months old, and we still have a lifetime to figure her out. Girls are a whole nother ball game. I'm glad she has 2 older brothers to take care of her, and they do, sometimes a little too much.
We are a happy family and we're not done. We have at least one more child in heaven waiting for us, maybe 2, we'll see what Heavenly Father has in store for our family. But the one thing we know is that how ever many kids we have waiting for us, when the time comes, we'll be able to live together forever. I'm so excited to watch my children and my family grow and I love to spend time with Matty. There are new and fantastic things to discover and I am so facinated to learn. That is one thing that I love to do is learn and discover, and I love the people that were put here specifically for me to do that with. Happy 7 years down and eternity to go! My love only grows with each passing day!

oh, the joys of Mommyhood!

2011-02-16T20:39:00.000-08:00

We have been battling cold after flu after cold this entire Winter. We only get at most, 5 days of well before someone else comes home, or wakes up with a cough and the cycle starts all over again. But in talking to my friends at least this isn't a freak thing inside our family, it's just the extra cold winter this year (combined with the fact that it's Sebastian's first year in school). Luckily I have a very good immune system and have only gotten sick a few of the several times that it has been going around (at least enough to floor me). I have gotten the sniffles or a sore throat every time however. I am thankful for that, the down side is I have 4 (including my husband, the biggest baby of all, hehehe) to take care of and they can't all be sick at the same time, they go in shifts. Matt has been off of work and layed out, yesterday and today. Sebastian is getting over it and Lydia has a form of the bacteria, but Wade is just cycling in. But whether sick or not, I still have to take care of them. I still have to nurse Lydia, give Wade the cuddles that he needs, give Sebastian the reading time and attention he needs, as well as the extra attention and caring that my husband deserves. I may not be layed up each time, but between staying up with, and/or waking up the multiple times with the kids and baby, and having to do everything and be everywhere for everyone, on top of usually having the sniffles, which drains my energy, I am usually run ragged by the time we're over it and only have a day or 2 to recover before I hear the dreaded "cough cough" coming from the boys room. I love my kids and would do anything and the same goes for my husband. I don't mind taking care of them. We are sick every weekend so since Matt has a pretty easy job during church, and I can do it, and I have to find a sub for my Primary class, I have been going to church alone a lot lately, and that's the only time that I have to be by myself. Since at least one of the kids is sick every weekend, we can't take them to a sitter for fear of contagions, so Matt and I never even get out on a date for a while. Our Anniversary is this Monday and I hope the kids are at least well enough to go to our parent's house, I can't take these 4 walls much longer!
What caused this particular vent, is I have been fighting with Wade for the last few hours, and for the last few nights, to go to bed. Yesterday, he stayed up until 11:30pm, when I put him in bed at 8:30. It's almost 10pm tonight and there's no end in sight. Matt has been sleeping all day (...man, that would be nice, and on the other hand, even being sick, how does he sleep so long during the day and still sleep at night, that boggles me? But I digress...) So to get a little break, I let one of the kids cuddle with him and watch a movie while he's sleeping, he can sleep right through it, well as is inevitable, the child in question, whichever he may be, takes a nap and therefore doesn't sleep for hours after bedtime, while Matt slumbers. I'm not mad, I'm just flustered and frustrated. I'm so tired my right eye twitches all the time. Plus, on a unrelated matter, I think I'm starting to PMS again for the first time since I got pregnant with Lydia. I'm bloated, and I can't seem to stop eating, my face is breaking out, and I'm a little moody (although who could tell?) I haven't started flowing, but it won't be long now, once the PMS starts. I don't have anything that's "sacred" I used to be able to retreat to my room for a little me time and peace and quiet, but now I have little fingernails scratching, little voices calling, and a much taller voice, "What are you doing in there?", then coming in and handing me this kid or another or a combination thereof. I can't go to the bathroom by myself and I don't even have a little quiet corner to cry in. I would be ok, if I just could cry for a little while and get it out, but I'm shaking because I don't have any me time at all. If I could just have a day or 2 by myself, to get the house clean and enjoy the fact that it's staying clean for longer then... well, I don't think it's been clean totally since before we moved our stuff in. Because the kids are staying up so late I don't even get any "sacred" after bed time. Even if I get a minute between the kids getting to sleep and my sleep, it's full of cleaning, or not having any quality time because I'm stressed that the house is a disaster area. I don't have energy for my family and my house right now, so sorry house, you're not on the list right now. I'd continue, but I just stopped hearing my 3 year old stir, and hoping he went to bed, I breathed and now I'm hearing my 9 month old on the monitor. I still haven't figured out how they signal for a tag team change, but maybe if I could crack that code I could get some me time, or at least some decent sleep! OK, duely vented! Wish me sanity!

UPDATE: So I stop hearing my Wade (3) stirring so I'm crossing my fingers I'm done with the sleep fight for the day. I hear my phone ring in the bedroom, I know it's my husband Matt calling me to tell me he's on his way home from School. Then shortly after that I hear my Lydia (9months) crying. I get up from the computer after finishing my blog post just to see little Wade eyes glaring at me from under the covers. OK, so he's not asleep, but he IS in bed, so I chalk that up to a little victory. I go in to sit in the rocking chair in the nursery and nurse Lydia until she goes back to sleep, when I see that my phone (set to the "outdoor" mode just so I can hear it above the house noise) is setting on her dresser. AWESOME! I don't recall why I would ever put it in there, or when, but with my mom brain, that doesn't mean that I didn't. Although I also have some little elves that love to see me question my own sanity when they move things without my knowledge. When my kids are a certain age, I really have a time when I have to convince myself that I'm not going out of my mind and things aren't moving on their own.
Now I hear the garage door opening and I'm not alone again. It's ok, this one loves me and doesn't talk back (much lol!) and he is as empathetic as any husband is, maybe more, so it's another little victory among so many defeats!

Jim Belushi on Marriage

2011-02-03T12:43:00.000-08:00

I was watching "The Talk" on channel 5 just a few minutes ago and they had on Jim Belushi. Before they talked about his current tv show, "The Defenders" They talked to him about marriage. Surprisingly because we all think of his as a silly guy and a comedian at all times, he had some very profound marriage advice. He has been married 3 times and he and his current wife have been married for 12 years and have 2 kids. He said first that there was a song by (He said who, but I forgot) that sums it all up, (I'm paraphrasing, but it's something like,) "Leave me alone, or I'll go find somebody who will" And he says that it took his 3rd marriage to figure that out. Don't try to control, or command, or dictate, just leave them alone and they'll leave you alone and it's a great thing. He says his wife and he have very little in common and that helps, also along with that, he says that every night before bed they spend one hour talking to each other to connect and spend that time together. He says when they don't get that time after a while they find that they don't get along very well and that will lead to a fight, and a fight is just a way to connect quickly, but not the perferable method.

I found myself really soaking up his advice. Matt and I just started reading scriptures together each night as a couple and then spending a little time talking before we both fall asleep. I love this time together, and we are further away from friction and stife since we have started doing this. I really think he's got something when Jim talks about the power of that little connection. And I have never thought about fighting that way. It really is a way for a couple to connect quickly, and is good for a marriage once in a blue moon, but when you are fighting all the time I think that connection time after is lost when you go from fight to fight without that down time. Now, I definitly don't start fights on purpose, but they are inevitible in any true relationship and do serve to get both on the same page when used correctly. Meaning, when you find yourself in a fight, where are you going from there? That determines a good relationship.

It wasn't the usual means of marital advice, but if it works, and is from the right place in ones heart, I'll take it from anywhere. Hats off to you Jim Belushi!

Active Again!

2011-02-01T09:40:00.000-08:00

During the Winter months we have gone in and out of sickness (mostly in) the entire time! We have been hold in the house and not able to go to church very often, or at least as a family. Now with the Winter months thinking of coming to a close, and everyone on the well side of life, I hope we can keep this going! We went to church as a family for the first time in quite a while this Sunday. I feel like we've been inactive. It's so nice to get back to normal, and maybe I can get out of the house once in a while too. I've been getting a little bit of cabin fever. I did my hair for the first time in weeks the other day and it made me feel so much better. I didn't even know if my hair would curl the same way since I need a hair cut, but it was ok. I need to do that every so often even if I'm not going anywhere because it makes me feel like more then a frumpy house frau! Now if I can only remember how to dress myself...?

The Dreaded Stairs

2011-02-01T09:39:00.000-08:00

I love this, I would do a lot more things that I don't want to if it was this fun!

January FB

2011-02-01T09:37:00.001-08:00

January 1st:
~I watched "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" with Nicolas Cage. It was incredibly good! I really loved it! Matt did as well! I don't know why it didn't make any money? Why do dumb movies like "Super Bad" or "The Hangover" do so well, and really good family movies flop at the box office! I will be buying this one to support them making good movies! I usually don't like Nicolas Cage, but I think he found his character! He was convincing and really good! I loved it!

~Bunch of family came over to set off fireworks and sparklers. It was so much fun! Boys stayed up until midnight! We'll see what repercussions that will lead to tomorrow! Happy New Year! I don't know what the big deal is? Yeah, the date is different, but other then that, it's just another day, I don't know why the feeling in the air is different? Either way, Happy January 1st, 2011!

~I told my hubby that I wanted him to make me a doll house for Lydia when she gets a little older and I told him what I wanted. Then he just smiled & said, "when were you going to make that? I always wanted you to get into woodworking!? Me: "What?" Matt: "What, you make everything else?"
Well, he's not wrong!

January 2nd:
~Goodbye vacation staying up late & sleeping in and Hello 9am church in the morning with Matt gone at 7 for leadership meeting! Sebastian starts school again on Monday so the Universe is shocking me back into my schedule! I will be grateful next week, but I have a feeling that I'm going to be a little (more then usual) off tomorrow! But they changed me in Primary and I get the 6 year olds, I'm excited for the change! I am going to miss my 9-11 year old girls a lot! I was just getting into the groove of things!
COMMENTS: ME: Just got done teaching. I love my new class, but I went from a few older girls that don't really say much, to a few younger kids that will not keep their mouths shut. I'm going to have to switch up my technique!

~Vector that's me, because I'm committing crimes with both direction and magnitude! Oh yeah! Piranha gun! Oh yeah! Squid Launcher! Oh Yeah! I said cookie robots, a dozen cookie robots, why are you so...old? I love that movie! (Despicible Me)

January 3rd:
~I think humans were meant to be hibernating animals. No matter how much sleep I get, when I cuddle into a warm blanket with my nursing baby next to me I always fall asleep. I got 8 hours last night and another hour and a half this morning when my 3 year old woke me up. And I'm still a little tired. WHAT THE...? It must be the dark. It was headlight and streetlight dark at the bus stop this morning.

January 4th:
~I went to bed and after about an hour and a half the kids took turns waking up. I looked at the clock, approx. every 45 minutes someone was crying or crawling into bed with me. Needless to say, I didn't get much sleep. Luckily Matt took Sebastian to the bus stop and I got to sleep in! I love him so much! My kids never wake up that much, I don't know what was going on last night? I was worried that Wade would be up, but luckily he went back to bed pretty quickly. It was just the interuption of sleep every so often and having to wake up just long enough to get some water or put them back to bed. At one point we had to put a finally sleeping Wade back in bed so we had room in the bed when Lydia woke up, we don't have enough room for all 3 kids in our bed and room to sleep!

January 5th:
~I got my house clean for a New Year's party & I'm trying really hard to keep it clean instead of coasting for a while on the cleanocity just to realize in 4 days that it's dirty again. It's weird to put up the same toys every night when I know that they will be out early the next morning, but it is worth it to have a happy husband, a clean house, & a 3 min distraction as the kids find the toys in the toybox again! :)
COMMENTS: Samara Bonnell Starchman: Have you heard of the fly lady? I'm doing her baby steps and it's making a world of difference. I have her book "Sink Reflections."
Me: What's the gist?
Samara:Lot of gists. We are paralized by perfection. If we can't have it perfect, we don't even start. Check her out www.flylady.net Start with shining your sink. If you wake up and your sink is empty, clean and shiny, your whole day goes different. Sounds crazy, but I have to say, it's true.

January 6th:
~I was going on some craft websites to get some ideas and I found one with some really cute little girls clothes they say are designer and they are really nice. But I was looking at prices. I want to know who pays $60 for a onesie for their 6 month old? They are cute, but I don't know if they're $60 cute? I want that kind of money thtat I can just basically throw away $60 without even blinking! I think I've only spent $25 for any one article of clothes for myself or my husband and when I spend that much, it better be a good quality and even if it is, I consider all the options to buying or not. And I get upset if something I buy f...or my kids is double digits. But Sebastian's getting up there and now his clothes went from $5 to $12-$15 when he went from 5T to 6/8 in boys. I have an even harder time spending more then $7 on a baby. I know it's going to get stained eventually! Maybe I'm just cheap, but I can't handle spending that much money in one shot! People are crazy! I know they do it but for the life of me, I can't figure out why!

~When my Wade wants to watch Shrek: Forever After, he plugs his nose & makes a horn noise. "I didn't know we could do that!". It's so funny!

~The Lord provides and works in mysterious ways! I dropped the ball and forgot to order Wade diapers until yesterday & I didn't want to have to go shopping for 1 thing. They were due to be delivered tomorrow, so we were rationing diapers and I was very close to resorting to taping on a size 3 with masking tape, when... ding dong! Yes! Delivered a day early! Very Very Grateful!

January 7th:
~Pay it Forward 2011: I promise to send something handmade to the first 5 people who leave a comment here. They must in turn post this and send something they make to the first 5 people who comment on their status. *The rules are that it must be handmade by you and it must be sent to your 5 people sometime in 2011.
People that responded:
Sarah Facio-Hernandez
Jennifer Starchman
Samara Starchman
Tesha Jackson
Anna Raxter
(Will respond later as to what I made them each)

January 11th:
~For Christmas, Matt's mom gave us money for lighting in our front room. We bought our fan, & our chandelier just arrived today! I'm so excited! We are finally going to have all of our indoor light fixtures. The only thing left is our outdoor fan. I'm so excited we're getting our house in order. We only have limited funds for decor, so it's taking a while, but coming along nicely!

January 12th:
~Dear people who decide what colors to make school uniforms, As a mom, let me make a suggestion. GRASS STAIN GREEN would be a lovely color for the pants as the knees are already that color and it would save me some oxyclean stain remover. PS- While we're at it, white & khaki are the stupidest colors to put kids of any age in, heck, I'm not safe in them!

January 13th:
~People, don't complain that you don't have any money, then buy a brand new car, Large screen TV, or other huge luxury item! I don't know anyone's situation, but I have no sympathy for someone that has a hard time making mortgage or buying groceries, but can come home to 7000 channels of cable on a 200 in. wide screen TV. Plus now with Craigslist, what's your excuse?
Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do or do without!
I am happy that my friends can get things that are nice, but not after listening to a 20 minute bull session on how you had to eat Romen noodles for dinner all last week!

~I am thankful for toilet paper. I think it's one of the most used and vital inventions that is taken the most for granted! Thank you toilet paper for keeping me covered for so many years! Today I tip my hat to you!

January 14th:
~The boys love to watch Tom and Jerry all the time and as Wade watches it, everytime someone gets hurt somewhere he grabs that part on his body and says "OWW!" We watched America's Funniest Home Videos and he kept saying, "HAHAHA, OWW!" Matt says we have to teach them young to laugh at other people's pain! lol!

January 15th:
~We have finally been sick-free for about 3 weeks and Sebastian woke up this morning with a cough! Really!?!? It's a 3 day weekend and he's going to spend every waking minute kissing, hugging, and in his sister's face. Lydia is doomed, she doesn't have a chance! My life for the next 3 days will be a constant reminder to "GET OUT OF HER FACE!" and "LEAVE HER ALONE!" Fun!

~Why do my children have a personal vendetta against sleep? Not only theirs, but mine as well. My room is a revolving door of children all night long! Last night Matt helped, usually it's all me, Matt's a sound sleeper. I keep getting to bed earlier & earlier & I still wake up every morning exhausted! They don't usually get up at all, what's the difference in the last week? They're not cold or hot? I'm stumped!

January 17th:
~“Striving for success without hard work is like trying to harvest where you haven't planted” David Bly

January 18th:
~I have a remote monster in the house that eats them. That's the only thing I can figure. We have about remotes that operate the TV, VCR, Wii and Aux. One by one they are disappearing. It seems everytime I go into another room and come back another one is missing and as soon as I find it, another one is gone. We never know where all are at any one time. It's becoming an issue of stress! OY!
COMMENTS:Adrienne Roberts: Pick a spot up high where kids cannot get them, and always put the remote back there. You may have to get up more often, but it will aleviate stress and get some exercise in :) I know, I know easy for me to say...my kids are big now. Check in the couch, that is where mine used to get eaten till we gave them a designated home on the entertainment center.
Me:The problem is, I do put them up. Our entertainment center isn't too tall and my extremely tall 5 year old can reach it. He doesn't hide them, but he gets it down to do something and then leaves it on the floor where my remote monster 3 year old plays hide the remote from mommy! And the worst part is he almost never hides it in the same place. I just have to teach my 5 year old to put it back, but that's going to be a task in and of itself.
Jared Bulger: Logitech Harmony. They do everything.
Me:But then every time I lost a remote I wouldn't be able to do ANYTHING!

~If he were still alive, today Danny Kaye would have been 98 years old! I think that Danny Kaye was one of the greatest comedians of all time! I tip my hat to him and say, "The pellet with the poison's in the flagon with the dragon; the vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true." You will be missed!

January 19th
~week we started giving Sebastian an allowance of $1 a week and we keep a dollar bill on the fridge not only to remind him, but to remind us about that little currency he has. Well, now that he has money he thinks he can buy us off. He wanted to play World of Warcraft and daddy said, not now. Sebastian said, Well, you can have my dollar, I don't need it anymore! lol! After he got the dollar the first week, we took him to Target (he wanted to buy something even though we told him to save it up, well, it is HIS money?) And he bought himself a truck and now he's just a little mister moneybags!
COMMENTS:Raymond Starchman: When we started giving Ray a dollar, we sat him down on Saturday night and changed his dollar into 10 dimes then we put one in the tithing envelope. It was one of my most proud moments to see my son paying tithing! brought a tear to my eye... the bishop too!
Me:We have a dollar bill on the fridge for a reminder, but we give him 10 dimes (It's harder to put 10 dimes up with a magnet lol!). He has been sick since that has happened, so he hasn't gotten a chance to pay yet, but we have the dime separated and I have a tithing slip ready for him to fill out. The only problem is it looks like we're not going to be going again this week, we're all really sick. I seriously feel like we've become inactive, but we just haven't been well and the few weeks we were we had baby blessings and other things so we just don't go to church anymore. It's not as much fun as one might think to not go to church, we all really miss it!

January 20th:
~I was supposed to get my hair cut today (Which I desperately need) and my 2 littles and I are really sick! Dang it! Hopefully we get better soon, I need to get some layers post haste!

~I am so sick! I don't want to make dinner, but I feel an obligation to feed my husband and children, maybe, a little bit. I really want to pawn my children off for a while and just rest, but they're all sick too, so I'm hold up in the house with a house full of kids ready to take advantage when I'm not looking and I feel super crappy!
COMMENT: ME:Matt ended up making it. I just feel bad when he comes home from work that he has to keep working, I'm a little old fashioned that way, but luckily he's a very modern man and doesn't mind to help when needed! He's so sweet!

January 21st:
~Lydia became a little raccoon lately, so we have had to put the trash can in the laundry room so we can close the door. Both the boys and I have been throwing things on the floor lately because we are so used to the trash can being there. It's like we have Phantom Trashcan Syndrome.

January 24th:
~Matt:I think I'm finally coming home.
Me:Where are you?
Matt: Olive
Me: You're in an olive? :)
Matt: It's better than being in a pickle!
He came up with that pretty quick, I think he's been saving that one! lol!

~I am thankful for crafty friends that don't mind, or don't know, that I'm stealing all their ideas to decorate my home! I'm not completely devoid of my own ideas, but when there's something out there so cute and tempting, I just can't resist thievery!
COMMENT:Raymond Starchman: everything is better if it's stolen!

January 26th:
~In the middle of the night Wade woke up and when he couldn't get to bed right away, for some reason he wanted to put on underwear over his diaper. He ended up sleeping in our bed last night and when I went to wake him up, I pulled the blanket off to see a little boy in underwear. He looked so big! Where has the time gone? We will be married for 7 years next month!!!

January 27th:
~Ah sleep, someday I may know thee again!

Sneakiness

2011-01-25T13:58:00.000-08:00

I gave the boys cupcakes when Sebastian got home from school. Sebastian was done with his and left the table, but Wade, as usual, was taking his time and watching tv while he ate his at the table. All of a sudden I hear Wade start crying and saying "It's mine, it's mine!" I look over and he was whining and pointing to a messy chocolate ring on the table and saying "Didi took it!" I didn't see Sebastian around and I knew he had left a while ago, but I called really quick and said, "Sebastian did you take his cupcake?" Sebastian was playing in the front room and just matter of factly said, "No." So I figured he had gotten so involved with his Tom and Jerry that he didn't realize he had eaten it himself. I cleaned him off and when I went to throw the paper towel away I peeked in the front room to see Sebastian stuffing something really quickly into his mouth. I got really stern and said, "Sebastian what are you eating?" He just shrugged and said nothing. But then I looked in his eyes and saw that guilty glazed over look. So I asked him again if he stole his brother's cupcake and he gave me a guilty "No." So I said "What are you eating then?" and he looked off to the side of my head and I could see him trying to think of an excuse. So he is now banned from any type of dessert for all of tomorrow for lying, which is going to be a bit harsher then he realizes as he's going to be home with a day off of school all day. I figure what really happened was Wade got involved watching Tom and Jerry and wasn't watching his cupcake for a while. Sebastian took that chance that while he wasn't looking he could get away with cupcake and not get blamed. But by the time Wade noticed Sebastian was gone and Wade being the smart little critter that he is figured out the only person that would take it would be his brother! We have a detective and a thief in the family, who would have known? lol!
I just realized that I can't trust him at all, even when he sounds like he has conviction.

Sick and Blah.

2011-01-21T07:41:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning Sebastian woke up with a little cough. We were really careful and tried to keep him away from everyone and especially the other kids. But inevitably on Monday the other little ones woke up with the same cough. Sebastian got over it as of Wednesday, but the littles are hangers on. Not only is it going to be lasting longer, it's measurably worse. Wade has a really wet cough and is oozing from is eyes and nose. Lydia is going to same, but she's more like a running faucet as Wade is more like an annoying drip. It's hard to nurse her when she's oozing and she can't breathe. But last night when I went to feed her as she woke up, and she was sniffing and snuffing and huffing and puffing, I decided to put some essential oils on her. I have a concoction that I have on hand that is just a mish mesh of several sickness healing oils, like "Breathe" (blend of oils similar to vick's vaporub) "Lemon" (for drainage) "Vetiver" (for peaceful sleep) "Oregano" and "Cinnamon" (for antibacterial properties) and some more. I just keep that in my cupboard and when the kids are sick I don't have to worry about blending those oils. I put that on her chest, around her ears and on her T zone and cheeks and I would have put it on her feet, but she was mostly asleep and she had a footie on. It seemed that pretty instantly she calmed. Then this morning when I nursed her, you could tell she was just barely congested, but not oozing and huffing and puffing like those few hours before. She was pretty clear. I am so thankful that I found oils and for my sister that introduced me to them. They have blessed my life so very much. Now, I just have to remember to put them on my WadeyBoo and maybe we'll be over this yuck soon! I am a consultant for doTERRA essential oils if you are interested in blessing your family's life as well, see my link on the right below.
*This is not an ad, this is just a real life story that I wanted to share. I am just loving having a little more control when my babies are sick, instead of feeling helpless and if you want to as well, I just so happen to know a retailer! (wink wink!)

Clean...FINALLY!

2011-01-21T07:32:00.000-08:00

We just got our new washing machine and dryer delivered. We have been needing one for quite a while. We bought our current ones on craigslist when we moved into our house over a year ago. I almost want to say almost 2 years, but my memory of long ago isn't so good, so I don't know? They served us well for a little while, then the washing machine broke. We got it fixed and it has worked since then, but I think when the washer broke and it wasn't spinning the clothes dry and I had to wring them out, the dryer got overloaded and it has been progressivly getting worse since then. It got to the point where it took about 3 cycles to get the clothes in the dryer dry. We finally got it fixed and it worked better, but still didn't work right; it was still taking 2 cycles. Matt finally just said, forget it and bought me a new set! They have a few bells and whistles, but for the most part, just what we need. I love them. Now Matt just has to install them. I'm so excited! Anyone need a really cheap Washing Machine and Dryer that just needs a little TLC? They are good solid machines, the dryer just needs a little checkup and it will work perfectly. We'll give them away for $150 for the pair!

Locksmiths and Goldfish

2011-01-17T21:55:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was a very eventful day. It was Sunday so we had church of course! Matt had a meeting at 7am at the church and Sacrament meeting starts for us at 9am so I have to get the kids dressed and ready by myself. But today Sebastian was sick so Matt had planned on coming back after the meeting and staying home with him and Lydia while I took Wade to church with me because I teach primary and I hadn't gotten a substitute because he just woke up the day before with a cough. While Matt was gone at his meeting I decided since Sebastian was sick there's a good chance that Wade is too, he just hasn't shown it yet and he needed sleep so I didn't get him ready to take him to church. (Plus since he's advanced into sunbeams I have to wrestle with him in Sacrament and Primary because he refuses to stay still and I become exhausted. Plus it was a good thing, because he woke up this morning with a cough like Sebastian has.) So Matt came home and I went to church and taught the class and it was nice not having any one else to have to worry about but me for once. But I had stayed up pretty late the night before to get ready and I was really really tired and happy to get home. I was pretty out of it and the kids were doing really well, so Matt let me lock myself in the bedroom for a while and just watch videos and relax. Then around 4 or 5, I don't remember, Matt said he was going to take some cookies I had made around to his home teaching families really quick. I asked him if he would take Wade and he said yes, as long as I got him ready. That was easy enough. Then since Sebastian was watching a movie and Lydia was taking a nap I went back into my room to lay down. A little while later Matt comes in shaking his fist at me. It took him a minute but he said that he had locked the keys and Wade (strapped into his car seat) in the car.
Here's what I can figure happened from what I heard and from what happens very often when getting ready to leave, minus the locking the kids in the car. Matt opened the door and threw the keys in the front seat, we both do that often enough. Then he opened the side door on our minivan and let Wade in and told him to strap in. Matt went back into the house to get the cookies at which point Wade gets into the front seat and play drives. Matt comes back out, puts the cookies on the floor on Wade's side and pulls Wade from the drivers seat into his car seat and straps him in. Matt then closes the sliding side door, and goes around to get into the front seat where he finds Wade has locked it.
We don't have a spare set of keys for the van so we were pretty much out of luck. He blamed me at first because I "made" him take Wade. WHATEVER! Anyway, We called my dad, who owns a used car dealership in the area, although he lives out in Buckeye, but he couldn't get ahold of anyone that works at his used car lot to come and jimmy it and so Matt decided to call and pay someone to open the lock. We tried calling the police but they said "We don't jimmy locks anymore, we break windows" I tried to get ahold of the fire dept. but I didn't want to call 911 and I couldn't find a phone number anywhere online. My parents were trying to help and both of them kept calling every 5-8 minutes asking for updates or offering advice. I really appreciate it sometimes, but not when my stomach is in knots and my stress level is through the roof and my whole family is running around the house like crazy people. Matt and I (as can be expected in a high stress situation) are on edge and a little bit yelling at each other through the whole ordeal. We're trying to get a good price and do everything quickly and scrambling all over the place. I call a place the my mom recommends after googling it that say they are only $19 but we find out that it's $19 plus labor. Who knows how much that can be? So we end up canceling that. Matt and I get into a little scuffle about money and Sebastian is so sweet. (little back story, we keep a dollar up on the fridge to remind him that if he's good all week he will get a dollar) Sebastian says, "Mommy you can have my dollar, I don't need it anymore!" With all this high stress, I just cried and hugged him and thanked him for being so sweet! Then Matt is looking it all up online and figures out that it's only $68 to become a one year member of AAA and you get 4 free service calls a year. So the AAA guy comes out for free and has the door unlocked in about 30 seconds using this method.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFqCJtyYJ90

What was Wade doing this whole time? He had a bag full of goldfish crackers and he ate those just as happy as anything for about 10 minutes and then Matt went out at tried to get him to push the button to unstrap himself, but he just made a grunting sound while having his hand on the button and never really pushed and then promptly fell asleep. He was still asleep and we had to wake him up after the guy left. He didn't know anything traumatic happened at all, even though he was in the car, which was in our garage for about an hour.

Home Decor

2011-01-14T12:29:00.001-08:00

For Christmas we got some money specifically to put of lighting fixtures in the front room. Matt already installed a fan and it's beautiful! He is finally getting around to installing the chandellier, although, we only just recently got it in the mail, so it's not like he really procrastinated or anything. During lunch today he got it most of the way installed, but he was late getting back to work, he'll finish it in the next day or so. It's just the base lighting fixture at the moment, it doesn't have it's pretty swirly things on yet, or the glass bulb covers, but it's still beautiful. I can't wait to see it when it's all done.
Then the other day I went to costco and got a bunch of picture frames to put up in my living room. We have bare walls although you wouldn't notice because the comp desk and all of our junk nuggets are everywhere all over it and we can't use the shelves in our entertainment center because Wade gets into everything and breaks it so we have to keep everything on top adding to the illusion of clutter and busyness. I have decided that we need to decorate so that the 6 times a year that we have a party or someone comes over it will at least look nice. I got several frames for $10 a piece for 11x14 frames. Then I went to Kirkland Home Decor Store and they were having a super sale and I got a huge collage frame with 12-4x6 spots, 2-5x7 spots and 1-8x10 spot in the middle. I love it. It's huge and beautiful and it only cost me $30. Plus I got 3 frames for the bedroom for something like $5 a piece. And a 12x12 glass framed Monogram "W" for the living room and I'm more excited about that then I am anything else. I love to monogram things! I got that for $10. Matt said I spent my budget for the rest of the year already, but I didn't spend that much at all. He has no idea what they cost if I didn't get such great deals. Plus I didn't really spend that much in general. I am also looking into a vinyl tree branch for the living room or bedroom that I found on the internet that is around $4 plus shipping. I hope it turns out as nice in reality as it does in my head. In fact, because I'm not sure how I'm going to put it all together, I hope it turns out way better!

I'm Back!

2011-01-14T12:03:00.001-08:00

I haven't been blogging for a while to favor Facebook. I like FB because of the instant feedback and that I can see what everyone else is doing without having to go to everyones individual blog and what those that don't have a blog are doing as well. That caters to my voyeuristic side as well. That's why I incorporated my FB status into my blog, but I don't think that's sufficient. I don't always post everything I want to on FB because of the character limit per post and I don't like continuing in a comment. I feel like I have to sensor myself on FB too, as not to embarrass, my very embarrassable husband. I feel like I'm more myself on my blog. I stopped blogging when I didn't have time, or really feel like taking the time to spend to gather my thoughts in a comprehensive way and when I got out of the habit, all desire was gone. I have my desire to blog again, so I'm back. Also, I have been working on my store blog, handhomeheartmadestore.blogspot.com and to tell the truth as much as I love it, it's not really my forte and so it scares the crap out of me and so to make myself do it really takes me out of my confort zone. So when I have to come here and type it just brings back feelings of stress. I want to work on my store blog, I just need to get into a groove and quit freaking myself out! So I'm back and I'm better then ever!

Funniest Dang Thing I've Ever Seen!!!

2010-12-07T13:34:00.000-08:00

I LOL and I very nearly ROFL! It's the hilarious. I have seen it several times and I love it more each time! Love it!!! The second episode is pretty funny as well!

FB December

2010-12-07T13:17:00.000-08:00

December 2nd:
~Excercize tip of the Day: If you are holding a baby and bouncing her up and down with your arm to calm her, instead of using your arm, go up on your tip toes and use the balls of your feel. That's really good for your calves and a whole bunch of other muscles that I don't really care the names of! You can feel the burn almost instantly! Plus if you bounce with her she giggles harder! Go Figure!

~How is it that a 3 year old can disassemble something that it takes mama 15 minutes just to figure out how he did it, let alone put it back together? Wade disassembled his plastic drawers and pulled the casing out without moving the bottom drawer which is weighted down with something like 75 small and board books! Very Heavy! I think I have an engineering genius on my hands!

~Sebastian was invited to a little girl's birthday party that's in his class at school. I feel bad, but we don't want to stay at a stranger's home and we're not leaving our baby there alone, so we didn't go, plus it was on Sunday so that gave us an out as it was at the same time as church. Sebastian gave the mom a card with money in it the next day at the bus stop. I over heard her say something like " yeah cuz you didn't go to our party!" as she rolled up her window. I figured she was telling her kids in the car that Sebastian gave her the card because he couldn't get to her daughters party. I di...d leave a message on her phone a day or 2 before the party. Then the next day she thanked me and said that she opened it because she thought it was an invitation and that she had just gotten the message that morning. It was later that I realized that she was upset that we would invite her daughter when we didn't even go to theirs! I understand feeling that, but why would you say that out loud when a cute little 5 year old blond boy is handing you a card? I think that's so rude! It was even weirder because all over the invitation it had her shoesize and clothing size. I understand maybe a side note, but it was on there 3 times! I think we can take a hint!

~Sebastian got home from school and took off his sweater and his white uniform shirt had bright neon blue all (and I mean ALL) over it! I said, "What did you play with?" He said, " No, it's a cupcake!" A little girl had a birthday today and her mom brought cupcakes. HOLY STAIN STICK BATMAN!!! (PS-It's not the same little girl that is in the previous post, but that got me thinking of the other incident!)

December 5th:
~I have been so the last couple days the only time I had time to think, my thoughts were frantic! I just got done with my first craft show and I'm so excited! When you look at your own things you see all the flaws, it was nice to see people thinking my crafts were so fun and creative! Being my first I was really nervous! I think I did ok! I will be putting things on my blog store soon and updating everyone! Yay!

December 6th
~You would be amazed at what you can use to cook in when all other pots and pans are dirty! I think when the sink (and surrounding counters) are full of dirty dishes, the creative cortex of your brain kicks into high gear!
COMMENTS: Tamara Johnson Hancock: Mine shuts down...actually you might find me twitching and crying in a corner...that's where I spent the majority of my weekend :) (but I'm a spaz...it's something I've learned I just have to embrace)
Me: I would prefer to do that, however, since my house is pretty much in a constant state of at least some disarray, I would just basically be living in the fetal position in the corner. You know what they say : "If it wasn't for stress, I'd have no energy at all!" I use that to motivate me to find some reason to not do the dishes yet another day, if I can get through dinner without having to hand wash any dishes, I call that a victory!

December 8th:
~Accepted morning bus stop attire: bathrobes? I get it, but I think it's way too cold no matter how flannel they are. I like my solution better. Sweats and a T-shirt with a heavy sweater on top. Flannel is nice, but it leaves your legs exposed to the elements. PS- It was pretty nippy out this morning! Not quite a nose runner, like we've had recently, but it's a hood and pockets cold for sure!

~Sebastian came back from a field trip at the childrens museum covered in bright blue and green paint. Literally covered from head to toe. He had some in his hair and on his socks as well as his sweater and pants. I don't appreciate him coming home from school with his clothing ruined. I spot shotted it, but if this doesn't come out I will be highly upset! PS- The frosting did finally come out of his shirt!
COMMENTS:Tesha Jackson: That paint is supposed to be washable....there is a castle that they let the kids paint, fun for kids, not for parents who didn't put their kids in rags. They give them smocks but they should put them in full body smock things.
ME:ok, that's what it is, he told me he was painting a castle. I have been soaking it in oxyclean since he got home and I'll wash it tomorrow and hopefully it will come out. Thanks!

December 14th:
~My middle baby is 3 years old today! I love that little monster! Free lunch at Sonic, free Kid's Meal at Red Robin for dinner, watching "Cars" all day long because Grandma gave it to him yesterday for his birthday! He's got it pretty good and he knows it! Plus we're going over to the other Grandma's House on Friday for the official family party! Wade is so happy! Like Always!

December 15th:
~I checked Sebastian's backpack this morning to get the homework out and I noticed on a weekly calendar that monitors Sebastian's behavior (a red light, green light paper) it has "Christmas Program" written as a note for monday. I never heard anything about a Christmas Program!!! I am very upset if my baby had his first program and I didn't even know about it!!!
COMMENT: ME:I went in for a parent teacher conference today and she said she sent something home last week and told the kids that day to remind their parents. Didn't get anything though! Must have been the teacher's responsibility if it went out that early! Dang! O well! I like the school and I really like the buses. I am thinking of puting him in Eagle next year with all of his church friends. Most of the kids in our ward go there and love it!

~Tithing really gives blessings. We were a little short & today in the mail we got refunds from our mortgages & notification that they have been reduced because of the tax change. Plus we got some product rebates that we have been waiting for & although it's not a ton of money and we're not millionaires, we will now not have to worry so much! My Holiday stress level just went down a lot!

December 16th:
~As of Monday we joined the ranks of the sick! But we didn't know it until last night around midnight. Wade threw up on Monday in the car (all over the car) and I just thought it was a freak thing. Last night Sebastian and Matt joined in the joyus sounds of vomit and Sebastian retched at least 10 times poor thing! Dry Heaves! even better! They were in bed all day. Fingers crossed for a weller tomorrow!
COMMENTS:ME:There are several of our friends and family that have been sick in the last week or so, so I want to know who infected all of us at the same time?
This weekend we have Wade's birthday party and our family party and I don't know if we'll be able to make either one! errg!

UPDATE: We ended up having to postpone Wade's party at Grandma Wilcken's house until the next week. Sebastian ended up not going to school the last 2 days before the 2 week winter break. It was sad because you know that's when everyone just has fun and plays around, but I didn't tell him that and he was way too sick to care.

December 17th:
~I am so tired of people that make their bed and then are not forced to lie in it. If you screw up you should be able to be forgiven, but at the same time, you won't learn if you don't have to suffer with the consequences! Maybe people taking away the consequences throughout their lives is why they made that bed in the first place!

December 18th:
~There's a good possiblility that I'm going to have to miss my family Christmas Party because my family has been sick. Even though they are all better we don't want to wish this that we just went through on our worst enemy let alone our family and we just want to be on the safe side. I'm so totally beyond bummed! There's still a possibility, but it's very slim! :C
COMMENTS: ME: It ended up that I went with my Lydia and the boys stayed home and had pizza with dad. It was nice not having to run after littles and worry about them. I just had to check and see who had my baby, she got passed around a lot! I only got to... hold her when she was hungry! I love that about my family. It's great that they love babies! So much fun! I got a great tip on how to make watches, and a cute apron and some poppycock popcorn for Matt from the White Elephant! (It was Lydia's Choice, she knows how much her dad likes it (wink wink) and there really wasn't anything for her there. Next year she can pick her own!

December 21st:
~I had everything planned out so we wouldn't have a schedule this week and we could just relax and only do the things we wanted. Then that sick spell that washed over my family totally wiped out last week on the calendar! Then a bunch of people invited us to parties and activities this week! People, I love ya, but don't plan things the week of Christmas!!! So busy! This wasn't in my plans!

~My entire family was sick last week and I was fine. Guess who it hit today? REALLY?!?!? I had to take care of my whole family while they all layed in bed! Now I get a call from Matt from work, when are you going to make a real dinner! WHAT? I just took care of 3 kids one of which I nursed every few hours. I cleaned the kitchen, did the dishes made sure the house was standing and your kids where all in one piece with minimal abrasions, made major progress on the Christmas Present for you I was working on (he didn't know about that one) and I get a "when are you going to start making real dinner?" Matt slept an enire day when he was sick, AN ENTIRE DAY!!! And as I recall, I made dinner 2 times last week and someone refused to eat it because he was "too sick!" *Heavy Frustration relieving breath*
(calm voice) Really and truly, I was ok with it. I wasn't happy and as you can see, I'm still not, but I just needed to vent so Matt and I didn't get into a fight! Matty is a wonderful person and although I did make some last week, he didn't get to enjoy the dinners so I see where he's coming from! He didn't say it in the nicest way, but he's a man, what are you going to do? Love you Matty!
COMMENTS:Laurie Smith Wilson: Roseanne Barr said it best. "When you come home from work and the kids are still alive, I've done my job!" Sorry to inform you but it is an age old battle with men. It took me having a serious illness for years for mine to say "I never realized how much you did." Truly, will they ever get it!
ME: Thx. Yeah, he told me over the phone, so it wasn't as big of a reaction. If he said that to my face he would have gotten an earful right there! I just did a "REALLY?!?!?!" eye batting and took a deep breath and asked him if grilled cheese w...as ok, because I wasn't feeling up to making an all out meal. He said that would be fine as long as I put broccoli in them (meaning it has to have a veggie in his world to be a meal, that's how it was for him growing up, for me, if it had meat, it was a meal) But a half an hour before he got home I realized I had just put my cheese grater in the dishwasher that I started 10 minutes ago, so we had pancakes. He asked me if I had put sweet potatoes in them! I turned my gritted teeth into a smile before he turned around and just said, oh, I didn't think about that, I'll try that next time! While typing this I was just thinking that he doesn't have it too easy, but then I was thinking back to when I had a job at the exact same place he worked. It wasn't too much multi tasking and it's sort of repetetive, that's got to be mind numbing. Maybe that's why his mind was numb when he was talking to me! But on the up side, he gets to get out of the house without kids and socialize during the day, have office buffets and work parties. But with all the thoughts that went through my head, I don't think that men could handle having the rolls reversed, and I don't think women would like it! Maybe there's a design to all of this?
Joy Hunt Burton: It doesn't get any better...as they get older...you would think they would get smarter!!!But NO. Jerry made a terrible wife...two years ago after my heart surgery....I had to ask him to help me with everything I needed. No second guessing, no anticipation of my needs...and I was basically helpless. Start training NOW...or it will get worse.

December 22nd:
~Having a major craving for Taco Bell and I'm pretty sure my husband won't let me go get it. Anyone want to bring me some Taco Bell because they found themselves with extra as they were driving through our neighborhood? I'll pay you for it under the table!

December 29th:
~My Sebastian Scientist connected his 2 motorized trains together facing opposite directions and when I saw what he was doing, he said he was testing to see which one of his trains was stronger and then he made some observations, "I see that my red train is a little stonger than Thomas." He loves him some science! I love my little scientist!

December 30th:
~My parents got a crazy hair and we just got back from a "P" party! We ate Pizza, Pecan Pie, Peach Cobbler, Popcorn, Peanut Butter Fudge, Pop and played Poker! The boys played with some Pop-guns (dart guns, but that didn't start with P) that Papa got them, and we all had a blast, or should I say Peachy Keen Party! It was the Puss' Pajama's! I wonder what kind of party's next? I need a thesaurus! The party consisted of my parents, Randy and Gloria, Raymond and Samara, Larissa and Ian and Maddie, Raymond III, Lillian, and my boys and Lydia. It was really fun! I think that's a fun and easy way to plan a party. Just pick a game and use that letter for snacks! Takes a lot of the planning out of it! We will most definatly be doing that again!
COMMENTS: Samara Bonnell Starchman:We loved it too. The guns start with "p" if you call them pew pews. :)
Me:Wade called them that too! He got out of the car looked at the gun and said, "Pew Pew!" It was so cute!

~I can hear the rain outside my window, and the slight chill in the air, even in the house. If I open the door I can smell that wonderful rain smell! These are the days I wish we had a fireplace, so I can curl up beside it with my baby! I grew up with a fireplace and I didn't realize how much I would miss it!

December 31st:
~I can hear the rain outside my window, and the slight chill in the air, even in the house. If I open the door I can smell that wonderful rain smell! These are the days I wish we had a fireplace, so I can curl up beside it with my baby! I grew up with a fireplace and I didn't realize how much I would miss it!

FB November

2010-12-07T12:42:00.000-08:00

Now I'm just going to do this by the month! I'll leave off the November that I have already posted.

November 11th
~Thank you for our Freedom! Happy Veteran's Day!

November 12th
~Kids woke up at 6:30am! This is a big deal, his usual time is 8:30-9:30. I hate when he wakes up early. It just means I have to deal with a whiney, cranky boy until 4pm when he falls asleep & I can't keep him awake for anything, so he takes a half hour nap, the whole time I'm dancing him around like a little rag doll while making dinner. Then the bed time fight lasts until midnight! Fun to look forward to!

November 13th
~‎4 Towels! Yes, in case it comes up in conversation, or on a quiz show, it takes 4 towels to clean up a full gallon of milk spilled on the kitchen floor! Not to mention paper towels to clean up splatter on the UPPER cabinets!! While putting groceries away, Sebastian wanted to put something heavy away, he picked up the milk, and as I told him to put it back we both grabbed for it and down it went! There goes $1.67!
COMMENTS:Robert Tryon: At least it was on sale
Joy Hunt Burton: I have heard that people used to pay money to take a bath in MILK. It was supposed to make your skin soft. You could have had one for $1.67 ! Oh well....don't cry over spilled milk. He will get stronger and he was just trying to help Mom!
Me:He was just trying to help, but I was stressed and wasn't in the best of moods at the time. But I apoligized for yelling at him, When I went to his room to talk to him he said, "I thought you didn't love me anymore!" I explained that, that ...would never happen and he was fine. I didn't even yell that much, just "Sebastian!!! Get to your room and don't come out until I come and get you!!!" Which is always the case when there's a mess to clean up. That boy is a bit of a drama queen like his father, but don't tell his father I sais that. and yes, I am very grateful it was on sale this week, if I had to pay $2.18 (or whatever it is that week) I would have been a little more mad!

November 15th
~Ears are so awesome! I was laying in bed feeding Lydia and I had my ear next to the pillow and couldn't hear the tv. I lifted my head up and I could hear a little better, but it hurt to hold my head up in the position and I couldn't hear all the way. I prop my head up pushing the flesh of my ear forward to catch all of the waves! Perfect! EARS ARE AWESOME!
COMMENT: Raymond Starchman:ask your husband about what happens after the sound waves enter your ear... THATS awesome!

November 16th
~I am thankful for the gifts Heavenly Father has given me that I am given credit for, when they are from Him! It's a wonderful feeling to be able to take care of my family with abilities like sewing & creative solutions for minor problems with toys, clothes, shoes, etc. I am in awe of those that came before me & the things that they have taught me when running to the store to get another whatever, wasn't an option!

November 17th
~I am thankful for my husband and his job. I am thankful that he makes enough money that I am able to stay at home with the kids. We don't always have enough money for all the things that we want, but we always have plenty to spare for the things that we need! We are very blessed!

~I've not been feeling well lately, & I just realized that the more I'm stressed the worse I feel. I haven't figured out however, if the stress made me sick, or if I'm sick & the stress is just making my symptoms worse? I thought I might just be sleep deprived, but I had such a headache yesterday that I went to bed way early and I still woke up run down? huh? Wish me calming thoughts!

November 18th
~(I stole this post idea from someone, but I think it rings true!)
I am thankful for Goodwill, DI, Craigslist, Family and Friend donations, and yes even Walmart, and any other discount stores, without which we would be sitting on milkcrates in the same 5 outfits, staring at each other because that would be all we could afford to do!

~‎1 bunk bed + 5 blankets of different sizes = 1 tent in the bedroom.
1 Tent in the bedroom + old VHS player TV + VHS of Oliver and Company + closed door to make it "not too dark" (Sebastian) = 1 &1/2 hour of quiet mommy time!
All around score!
COMMENTS:Lee Reay: So how many ours of work did it take to prepare for that mommy time?
Joy Burton: Whatever the amount....it was worth it wasn't it!! Good planning works for everyone!
Me:Not much, Sebastian brought some blankets out and asked for some chairs to set up a tent. I realized that we haven't set up a tent since we set up the bunk bed. So I took the blankets back into his bedroom and set them up and they already have the VHS TV on their bedstand. (we rarely play it, but it's nice when I need some quiet to send them to their room with a video) So I just had them pick a movie and after 5 minutes of explaining what rewinding is for the 20th time. Boom! It was a little surprise Mommy Time! We will be having a few more planned sit in movies soon!

November 19th:
~My love turns 28 today! I'm not going to say anything about that because when I say "when did he get so old?" which is more a joke, people jump down your throat that we are NOT old! I get it, but can't I voice an opinion on how we feel? I don't think anyone else that age is old, I just have spent almost 7 years with a man & I still have the mind set that I'm too young to have done that! Is that so wrong?
COMMENT: Autumn Trim: i totally understand. heading towards 30 is scary. you have the right to feel what you are feeling. i mean compared to 21, 28 is kind of old. becoming closer to 30 than to 20 is a big time in someone's life. sort of a "quarter life crisis" it's been called! it might not necessarily be a crisis, but it is a time of change.

~I just got an email from Matty. It had no subject & no body, just a file. I called him to make sure that he sent it and it wasn't some kind of virus. He sent it. It was a pic of his hand signing "I love you" which is sort of a family thing, we sign I love you on one hand all the time! I sort of love that man! Happy Birthday Baby!

~I was a young single adult for a few months before I got married, I remember when I was a newly wed I missed being a YSA. Now I wouldn't go back for the world! I am so happy to not be playing teenage games. Not to worry whether this boy likes me or dodging that boy's advances. I thought I was happy then. Little did I know how little I knew of happiness! I love being married & I love to whom I'm married! Love ya babe!
COMMENTS:Robert Tryon: I was an active YSA for years. I had great time. I couldn't see how leaving that life style would ever be more fun. Boy, was I wrong. Being married is the only way to live.
Me:It only gets better when you share you love with a little one! You'll see soon! I don't think anyone could describe how your love grows with each chapter, but so far it has grown so much for me and I still have most of the book to go. The further I get into it the more my life becomes a page turner! I can't wait for the next love spurt, but I'm not in any mood to rush it! Life is good!

November 20th
~I was on IMDB.com searching Airbender. We just watched it & I saw "Jasper" from Twilight. Then I realized he's younger than me. Then I searched Twilight, and they are all younger then me! I am no longer in that age group. I'm not old, I'm just breaking into my rightful age. I am proud of my age, but if I say it people will make fun of me because I'm still a baby! I guess I have to be old to be proud of my age? It's not very fair!

November 21st
~Had an oober stressful day! Matt realized this morning just before he left for a meeting that my wallet wasn't in my purse or in the house or car! My MIL had to come over and watch the kids while I ran all over town trying to find it, all the places I was yesterday (m...ovie theater...Restaurant...etc.)! Then I had the Primary Program at church today, I had to teach in primary, my parents were coming to see the primary program, visited my 1 day old niece in the hospital, (fun, 'cept it's on a long To Do list!) we had planned on going to my parents later in the day (again, usually fun, but not when you have a stress headache and no clue where you're "life" is...) I just wanted to scream (I ain't going to lie, I did a few times on the way home when I didn't find it LOUDLY!!!). If I didn't find that wallet, It would take me weeks to replace everything in it, and a little bit of money that we dont' have right now (there wasn't much money in there, but just replacing things would cost money). It took us all day going from one place to another and waiting in the parking lot for a movie to get out so we could search the theater, but we got the wallet back untouched. My husband is now speaking to me again! My stomach is no longer in knots and my tention headache relaxed. It was under the seat that I put my purse in. Matt said it was really far in the back under the seat, you couldn't see it unless you knew something was there. And all the money was in it, so I'm sure it was untouched! Even the cleaning staff didn't find it. The entire day I was just one big tight muscle. When Matt found it my whole body felt like jello releasing that tense muscle. I was so relieved. We figured out it was missing around 10:30am and we didn't get it back until 7pm last n...ight. I was a bundle of nerves for 8 & a half hours! I am so glad we found it and I don't have to go through the added stress of having to cancel everything and be without for so long! we prayed a ton and my parents said they were praying. Maybe some one else was too, Matt told a few people at church. I'm so glad Heavenly Father gave me a "Yes" last night! That whole thing was not fun!!!!! PS-My niece Lilly is super adorable and made my day all that much better! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

November 22nd
~My honey only has a 3 day work week! Can't wait to get him all to myself for our 4 day weekend!!! Looking forward to Thanksgiving and the Christmas! Can't wait for the stressful stuff to be over after Dec. 11th (yeah, some of these are parties where we will have fun, but preparing for them doesn't make them less stressful). Then it's just all the fun, relaxing stuff!

~I took a shower and left Lydia in the living room with a bunch of toys. She can move around, but not very far or fast. When I came out, I looked around the corner from the hall and didn't see the baby and 2 seconds later I hear, boooiiinnng! She had made her way over to the springy door stop. It's so cute! She's having a grand time!

~I am thankful for my brain. It doesn't always work as I think it should, but it's been with me through thick and thin and it's gotten me out of some tight situations. It keeps me kicking and although I feel like sometimes I'm reverting, I AM learning new things every day! Thank you brain, for keeping me alive and letting me remember what my husband looks like... and maybe a few other things too!

November 24th:
~Busy day of baking and cooking yesterday now in the process of cleaning up my kitchen disaster so I can start another day of heavy cooking and baking. Even though my days are jamm-packed I'm having a good time and feeling very domesic!

~Happy Thanksgiving to all those who, like me, will be staying up half the night, basting, baking, browning, cooking, pre-heating, turning, thawing, kneading, soaking, timing, waiting and tasting, so that all those sleeping will have a wonderful relaxing Thanksgiving! I am thankful for those little sleeping things!
COMMENTS:Me: I started this out as a tribute to those working tonight, but I ended up making myself tear up. Is that as bad as laughing at your own joke? lol!
Eddie Frenette:or somewhere between basting and kneading there is an onion that got chopped...lol
Me:chopping... I knew I would leave a few things out! lol!

November 29th:
~Getting so much done lately. I have had a major lazy spell since the baby was born and she's 7 months old. Now all of a sudden my "mom gene" kicked in and I'm super productive! I ain't gonna lie, I am loving it! Maybe it's come because I have a major To Do list and I have to stick to it and the schedule to feel like anything is getting done at all! Wish me longevity!

November 30th:
~Double Duty Tip for the Day: Baby spoons work really well as condiment spoons. I love those disposible and washer safe cheap baby spoons that come in a pack of like 20. They are really good for things like sourcream, the little scoop is the perfect amount for things like nachos, or stack enchiladas. Very handy!

~First of all, is it supposed to take so much effort to mop the kitchen, or do I just have a crappy mop,and does anyone have any mops they like that don't cost too much. Second of all, Money Saving Tip of the Day: You can save on replacement mop heads if you only mop once every 6 months! PS-I spot mop frequently. You know, spot mop, like with a rag, just mopping the spots so it looks clean and it's not sticky! I'm doing that all the time, but as for getting out the mop and filling my sink with warm soapy water... not so much!

FB October 12-November 10

2010-11-10T09:30:00.000-08:00

October 12
~SO TIRED! I went to bed somewhat early and Wade woke up several times and then finally decided to stay awake around 5:45am! I got almost no sleep and he's going to be tired around 1:00 and then he won't sleep again tonight! I'm in for a hard couple of days! OY! Hopefully I may be able to get a little nap in or I might not be too nice today! My patience wears thin when my eyes are buring out of my head!

~Just spent 15 minutes on the stationary bike. I won't lie, it's a little harder then you think it would be, I think my kids uped the resistance. I just need to keep it going for another week and then up the time until I can go an hour or my butt disappears, I'll be happy with whichever comes first! Wish me motivation. Luck doesn't work for me, it's got to be my choice, I'm done wishing luck!

October 13
~My husband just informed me that we have 2341245436631986123 things to do. I better get going!

October 14
~Wade now calls liquid soap, "yucky drink!" Can you guess why? I couldn't see him over the baby carseat at Walmart and while I wasn't looking I guess he took a big swig! He started coughing and I had to clean him off, but he didn't get much in his mouth, most of it got on his shorts. He's fine. He does seem to want to try it again to make sure he doesn't like it! Silly Little Thing! It was after I figured out what he had swallowed, it was a little scary for the minute before I figured that out, because I also had some mouthwash and toothpaste in the cart! I just smiled once I knew he was out of danger!

October 15
Woke up 3 minutes before the bus got here! Oops! S'all good though, the school isn't far away and with Matty still home in the early morning, I don't have to pack up the kids to take Sebastian to school. And Wade slept in until 8:30 so we're crossing our fingers that he'll be anticranky today!

~I was cutting up some cantelope and I went to label it, like I always do when my hubby doesn't know what I've put in a tupperware. I couldn't figire out how to spell cantelope, so I marked it, "why did the watermelons get married?" What do you think my hubby will say?

October 16
~Did 15 minutes on the Stationary Bike again today. I got busy and forgot yesterday, but it was easier today. I did it a little bit slower knowing it wasn't super easy like I assumed when I started the first time. I kept a steady pace and I feel good, sweaty but good, I would even venture Great!!! I have to finish cleaning before I get to sleep and it seems like a piece of cake after a good work out! Yay me!

~Sebastian (talking about Lydia): She has bagel skin.
Matt: Bagel skin?
Sebastian: yeah, like you and me, skin that's like the color of a bagel...
(slight pause) but not blueberry!
...He speaks the truth!

October 18
~President Obama made an appearance on Mythbusters, I'm so glad his PR guy is working harder then he is!!!

October 21
~My back is killing! I went to bed, 11:30, got a few hours in, Lydia woke up. Couldn't sleep with her in the bed, she went back in her room, I finally got back to bed, Sebastian had a bad dream, & slowly pushed me off the bed, wacking me every few minutes. Matt is at work early, so I am up, not awake, but up! Hope to get a nap after Sebastian is at school. Going to the Fair tonight, wish me sleep & a pain free back!

~Tuesday the 19th, Lydia was up on all fours! She has been trying for a while, but she finally made it and stayed up for a couple seconds. She did it several times that day too! Even showing off at her cousin's 3rd birthday party. She isn't even 6 months yet, she will be on the 30th. She's going to be crawling at 7 months like her oldest brother! Batten down the hatches!

October 22
~Had soooo much fun at the Fair yesterday! We got wristbands and the boys loved the rides, & riding with cousin Ray! Sebastian did all the big rides, all that he was allowed on. Wade & Ray loved all the kiddie rides, they rode a ton on everything several times. Ate fried twinkies, snickers, cheesecake, & oreos. Yum! Thanks Papa!

October 25
~Yesterday Lydia was up on all fours like usual and she started to rock. She's probably going to be crawling before she's a month older. She's not even officially 6 months for another week! I have a feeling that when she starts going, we're not going to be able to keep her still! Here we go!!!

October 26
~Wade's favorite random thing to say, "Uh bye bye, oo no?" Which means if you haven't figured it out, "Are we going anywhere today or no?" It cracks me up. Lately it seems like we're out all the time. Luckily things are starting to slow down. I love that little boy!

October 27
~Watched a NatGeo Documentary on the science of Babies. It was AWESOME! It's amazing how Heavenly Father made everything so intricately beautiful. And how everything is put exactly where it needs to be for everything to work perfectly. I love learning about the beautiful creations, especially the human body! It's Awe inspiring! AMAZING!

~Sebastian asked me to take his shirt off when he got home from school then he took 2 med. sized stuffed fish and put them on his chest like a bra! He was very proud of himself. "Look Mama!" Talk about total randomness!

October 28
~AHH! Sebastian wanted to be a Dalmation like he was last year, got the costume out of the box last night. Rust stains all over, 2 washes later, still there!
UPDATE: I ended up going to the store, buying another white sweater and some white and place Fleece and a pajama pants pattern. I made him a pair of white pajama pants and glued black spots cut out of fleece on. Update more on the 30th.

~Why does it only take 2 days to get your house from clean to disaster area, but it takes at least a week to get it back in order? And that's only if your kids are out of the house every waking moment the whole week! I think I'm fighting a losing battle! I'm finally making some headway! Wish me a small victory! I will s...ettle for a room totally clean for more then 2 minutes! Is that asking too much?!?!?
The first day the house is condemned and on day 2 we call HAZMAT! But if we're just talking messy, it takes minutes!

October 30
~I had to make Sebastian a dalmation costume in a hurry as the one I thought I had, had rust stains all over it and I didn't get it out of the box until the afternoon before he needed to wear it at school. Stayed up all night making another, it got dirty, I washed it and because I glued the spots on they all came off! Talk about a good spot remover!!!! I'll sew them when I have a chance, Hot Glue tonight!
NOTE: I washed it saw the spots and just thought, ok, I'll just sew them on really quick. Turns out that sewing spots on already made pants is a little harder then I thought and we had a Halloween party that night! I could glue them back on, but I didn't have enough time for the glue to dry so I was stressing, I couldn't figure out what to do. I was freaking out when Matt said, just hot glue them! Genius! I seriously don't think that I would have come up with that one. The best I got was safty pinning them. I knew there was a reason I married him!

~After the boys were in bed Sebastian came in and when we asked him what he wanted, he said, "I'm not the best at anything!" and started crying! It only took us a minute to calm him and tell him that he doesn't have to be the best at anything, he just has to have fun at the things he does, and that maybe what he's the b...est at, he hasn't tried yet. He went to bed happy! Doesn't that just break your heart? It started at the Ward Halloween Party. He played once at trying to peal a grape the fastest and didn't win, so he broke down. Then like his mommy when he lays in bed A "tape of his failures plays inside his head" and he just needs a little encouragement sometimes! It's so hard seeing my baby go through the worst faults of mine and knowing that I gave him those through genetics. It makes me feel bad, but my mom says that it just means that I am the only person that could be his mom! That helps because I know what he's feeling when he comes to me with things like that! At least that give me hope that maybe he won't have as many break downs as I did as a child!See More

November 1
~Yesterday, Lydia was on the floor and the kids were taking inventory of their loot. Lydia did the inchworm and got 3-4 feet in seconds to check out cousin Gabriel's candy! And just this morning she has been all over the living room checking out her new found freedom! She's going to be a force to be reckoned with! (Inch...worm: up on all fours and lunging forward, falling on her belly and repeating)

~All of my babies have the sniffles! I love the sound of sniffing in the morning! OY!!! Kleenex and snot flying everywhere! Good times!

~Matt said he wasn't coming home before school because he needs to study for the test. What does that mean? Sonic baby! Hello corndogs, coneys and cherry limeades, my favorite 3 C's!!!

~I went into the boys room where they were playing to give them their toothbrushes and before I opened the door I heard him reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. I asked him if he recited it every morning, he said he did! I'm so happy that my kids get to do that just like I used to when I was in elementary school! Way to go, Riverside!

~ was posting to a friend & I was thinking, I'm really weird! Matt says I am when it comes to dreams. I don't mind being strange, but I was just curious, does anyone else have similar experiences with dreams? I can almost always remember them, they're vivid & in color, (I thought everyone's were, until Matt was shocked when I told him something was red?) most of them are just related to what I've read or seen lately, but some are deja vu dreams, & I don't know it for sometimes years in the future! Never significant moments, just random flashes in time.Those happen maybe once or twice a year maybe? Straight jacket anyone? I'm not psychic, it's just strange.
COMMENT: Valerie Suttles Smith: I've had many dreams that are vivid and in color, the colors in my dreams are just as bright or brighter than those in my conscious state. I don't find it strange at all, but then again, I'm as strange as it gets! ;)

November 2
~I have 2 very cute little boys for sale! Very Cheap. Must be separated to retain their cuteness. Any reasonable offer will be considered! Am getting rid of them to retain my sainity, or at least that which I have left!

November 4
~Wade chose an Almond Joy out of his Halloween Candy and I opened it and he took one bite, got a horrid look on his face and came running to me holding it up and saying, "Yucky, it's yucky!" I told him to throw it away and now he's in the front room dry spitting, trying to get the taste out of his mouth. I guess he's ju...st like the rest of the family, we haven't found one that likes coconut yet!
NOTE:I have since found out that Matt likes Almond Joys! Weirdo!

~We have discovered sound! Lydia figured out that she loves the sound, and possibly the vibrations, of a smaller Buzz Lightyear toy banging against a hard cover childrens book! She's pretty proud of herself!

~I am so tired of the children changing their minds!!! Mom I want Cereal for snack. You want cereal? Yeah! Then when I get it out and get a bowl and get it to the table, they sit down. I don't want cereal for snack, I want cranberries! The same with movies, once a movie is on and queued to begin, the crying starts. But... I didn't want to watch that movie!!! I have stopped changing them but the complaining persists! OY!

~Why does the TV get 3 times louder when my kids leave the room? I can barely hear it and the second they leave, I have to turn it down by about at least a third!

November 5
~We have a house full of sickies. It's not official because Matt has elluded the virus thus far. I decided yesterday if you can't beat them, join them, so I am sick now too. Sebastian stayed home from school today. Unless something drastic happens between now and then, it's looking like no church this Sunday as well.The... only thing worse then having sick kids is being sick yourself at the same time!

~I think Lydia had decided to skip the crawling junk and go right to walking! She gets on all fours, gets her legs under her like she's going to crawl and then straightens her legs and stands. It only lasts a couple seconds but she is really strong. And her balance is amazing! I forsee a lot of losing her in the house i...n the future. I have to remember to close doors, although next month she may decied to master that!

November 8
~I have realized that I've been talking to myself a lot throughout my life. I don't frequently talk out loud, but I've actually found myself mouthing things as if I'm talking out loud, or thinking as if I'm talking (slowly like I'm saying each word instead of instantly and quickly like you think). Like they say, "I talk... to myself because that's the only way I can guarantee intelligent conversation!"

November 10
~The newest addition to my resume... referee! Recently I have had to break up fights between the boys. I'm talking, knock down, drag out. I can pull them off of each other now, but I hope they get over that before they get too big. Although I still remember the story of my brother & his friend knocking a hole in my mom's wall in High School! Just one more thing to look forward to! I better get extra paint & plaster!

Observations

2010-11-10T08:54:00.000-08:00

The church teaches that everyone is put on the earth for the purpose of learning and testing ourselves to see if we are fit to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. We all pretty much believe that we are all important and are put here for a purpose. I truly believe that as well but I think I recently realized that maybe the plan is more intriquate then we realize. Or at least than I realized in the past. Being that I have a large gap in age between my youngest sister and me. I am 11 years younger than my closest older sister. I'm the youngest and I had a hard time growing up because of that. I'm not saying my life was hard for everyone. It was good, it made me the person I am today and my parents love me and everything, I just think it was hard emotionally, but it has made me stronger. Because of the large gap in age, my oldest brother is 23 years older than me and there were 3 weddings the year before I was born. Because of that I have a nephew 5 months younger than me and then the kids began to appear. Because of that I was always lumped in with the grandkids instead of the kids. I always resented it and was treated (completely understandably) like that from my siblings! I frequently wondered why I was born when I was. Being an awkward kid as it was, it wasn't the funnest thing to try to be grown up when you're not. Anyway, that was just a back story. I think that I was born when I was because it made me strong and gave me the understanding I needed to deal with my personality. I have strange tendencies and if I was raised in a "normal" environment I don't think I would have learned the skills to deal with myself and make adjustments to myself based on other people's personalities as to not offend others.
Also, my just older than me sister didn't find the man of her dreams, get married and have kids until she was a little older and I did the same when I was so young that we ended up having kids around the same time. I think that maybe all of that happened so that she would have someone to be able to talk about kids with while we're still having them and not after their kids are already grown. I also think that her son and soon to be born daughter and any other kids they may have, may need my kids as cousins of the same age, instead of teenagers. Maybe it's the other way around and I needed her to wait to find her family because I needed someone to do those things for me? I'm just saying that things are all falling into place and we're all where and WHEN we need to be.
Also quite a few years ago my brother (the oldest and only boy in the family) had a falling out and was austrasized (ironically) from my sisters. Having the personality that I have I was able to see past any flaws and continue to have his in MY family. He has thanked my continuously for that time and I think that I needed to be there as a buffer between him and my sisters. I decided to take both opinions into consideration and then, because I was not involved, I decided to become Switzerland and not take sides. It was a great hardship to remain Switzerland for all those years but I think it has finally paid off as the wall is beginning to come down.
I'm not trying to toot my own horn or say that without me things would have been disasterous, I am just figuring out that I have been placed here by divine design in the place, time and with the tools I needed, in the perfect possition to do the things that needed to be done. I'm sure there are so many other things that I'm not noticing, or not mentioning that I have discovered as to the "why?" that I am here. I just recognize some of the pieces in the intriquate puzzle that is Heavenly Father's Divine plan for his children and it's nice to be a pawn in his vision and know that I am guided and placed with purpose and reason. I have always loved the quote, "Everything is okay in the end, if it's not okay, it's not the end!" Heavenly Father has a plan. He knows what he's doing and he knows what we need and who we are personally and is thinking of us individually all the time! I know there is a higher power and I know that Heavenly Father is that higher power and I know that Heavenly Father knows that there is a ME!

Scary People!

2010-11-10T08:48:00.000-08:00

A mom at the bus stop told me this morning, that a few days ago a man in a blue truck tried to get her son and another boy to get into his car! She told me because he targeted the 2 little blonde boys, just like my Sebastian! She said it was the one day that she didn't get to the bus stop on tim,e although she hasn't seen that car since! I haven't missed a bus in a while but I'm so scared, Sebastian is so naive! I hope that he doesn't every have to face that situation, but it doesn't mean he won't. I need to teach him. I was naive when I was little and I think that is why Heavenly Father made me so scared! If I don't have common sense, at least I won't do things because I'm scared to. He shows that same tendencies, that's when I realized that maybe that's the give and take of personalities! The world is so scary! I just have to make extra sure to make the bus on time until I know that he has a little more common sense!

Blessings!

2010-11-06T12:16:00.000-07:00

You know how in the scriptures they talk about the gifts of the spirit (gift of tongues, gift of interpretation of tongues, gift to heal... etc...) And when they talk about them in Sunday School how they usually stop and explain briefly about the gift to be healed, only because it's a strange one to think about. Not many people think about the ability to be healed when you think of spiritual gifts, but I'm pretty sure that I have that gift!
Lately, my back has been giving out. I don't know why and it's never that big of a deal, just a little uncomfortable. Last night I went to a party and like always happens we stood up to leave and spent the next hour on our feet. That usually doesn't bother me, but because my back was already weak, it didn't help anything. So I came home with a slightly worse back then normal, but really nothing horrible. I took a tylenol and went to bed. I woke up a few hours later in horrible pain, there was no way I could go back to sleep, so I got up took a few Ibuprofin and layed back down. I all of a sudden got horribly nauseaus. My entire torso was reeling in pain. I didn't want to wake up Matt because he was planning on going to play ball with some friends in the morning. I lasted in the worst pain I ever remember for a little longer and then I made myself throw up just to get rid of the nausea. The only thing worse then nausea is the kind of nausea where you're sick enough to be uncomfortable, but not sick enough to purge. So after that, I felt much better, but my back was still out and I couldn't get back to sleep. So I gave in and woke Matt up to ask him for a blessing. As I do with every husband's blessing, I imagine every word that Matt speaks coming true. Like when he says be comforted or to be able to relax I imagine comfort and relaxation washing over my body like water and as I imagine, I can feel it. So I got a blessing last night, and my whole body relaxed and the pain melted away and I was able to sleep. I usually wake up with a little back pain until I stretch it out and this morning I woke up with no pain, discomfort or stiffness whatsoever and it was so refreshing and wonderful! I am so thankful that Matt holds the Priesthood and excersizes it's benefits and sacredness and I'm thankful for that wonderful gift to be healed. It's one of my most precious gifts to know that the spirit is with me and I have that ability. I will never take for granted those gifts of the spirit Sunday School lessons again!

Ehh~

2010-11-02T16:28:00.000-07:00

I am feeling so blah today! The boys... well, let me start at the beginning! For the last week or so the kids have waged war against my sleep. With Lydia waking up in the middle of the night for no reason, there is also, snotty noses, coughing attacks, cold hands and feet, bad dreams, and who knows what else I haven't had one full nights sleep in (my brain can no longer calculate time) I don't know how long. I'm not sure but I think that Wade has at least one ear infection if not more (well, I guess 2 is the max for a single person's ear infections?) Anyway, I get no sleep, then I have to wake up to take Sebastian to the school bus. Then Wade is cranky because he doesn't get enough sleep either. As soon as Sebastian gets home he and Wade are in all out War. All I hear is screaming and crying at the top of lungs and literally the only way to stop it is to separate them, the second they are in eye shot of each other the screaming commences again! My body is rebelling and my mind is non-functional. Lydia fell of the bed for the first time ever (hopefully the last)! Since Halloween the house has been a disaster area and I really need to clean, but I just can't seem to get any motivation. I have no energy to do anything. I am getting more and more frustrated. Lydia is getting more fussy lately and with the boys at odds, I just can't seem to do anything right. I am so upset with myself that I can't seem to make any headway on the housework and everything seems to be toppling in front of me. I know that it's not bad at all, but with my hormonal state, I'm not in my right mind! I need a break! Or better yet, a weekly maid would be nice!

"The Meaning of Life" by ME

2010-10-10T16:03:00.001-07:00

I started this on Facebook but I enjoyed it and it gave me an outlet to vent without ranting and I wanted to "write a book" so to speak. So I decided to continue it here!
I will probably be working on it for a little while, so I'll be adding to it once in a while!

Life is good! It's crazy and happy and tiring and "take your breath away" and silly and loving and Heavenly and "pull my hair out!" and spiritual and loud and off the wall and cute and "huh?" and wonderful and "I can't take it anymore!" and breathtaking and "I never want this moment to end!" and "I can't believe that moment is over!" and sweet and *sigh* and forever and "I don't think I can go any farther!" and "Look how far we've come!" and warm and fuzzies and yucky gucky and so very meaningful and close my eyes and open my heart and "Dance like nobody's watching!" and strength and courage and he...artwarming and homemade and bite my tongue and laugh even though you're fuming and "not now!" and "where did the time go?" and comforting and monsters in the closet and kiss the boo boo and "Mom, I need 60 cupcakes by tomorrow." and "I told you so!" and never and always and I wish and clipping coupons and basking in the glow of my children and cuddling with my husband and waiting for the bus and "Just give me 5 minutes alone!" and "I wish someone understood me?" and "I that know my redeemer lives!" and hugs and kisses and pepperoni pizza and ice cream sundaes and "You don't have any idea what I'm going through!" and "I've been where you've been and survived!" and "What do you want to do?" and "I don't know, what do you want to do?" and "I can't keep my eyes open." and "Why can't I get to sleep?" and "It's your turn."
and most of all GOOD!

Facebook September 20th-October 10th

2010-10-10T15:25:00.000-07:00

September 20th
~Saturday night, Matt finished painting the front room, and I finally hemmed the curtains in there, now it looks beautiful! Sunday afternoon, we got back from church, I went to feed the baby, Wade fell asleep in the car, Matt and Sebastian came to lay down with us on our King Bed and we accidentally had a family nap! Ni...ce for us until the boys wouldn't sleep last night! Oops?!?

September 22nd
~ I love the fact that the store fashions follow the seasons and not the weather. The shorts are gone and now they have down blankets, fluffy slippers, sweaters, sweat pants. Do the store buyers actually live here? Have they recently walked outside? I'm glad I can stock up for the month and a half that it's cold here!
COMMENT: Lee Reay: But all of the summer stuff is on clearance, and we will wear it until November and again in February.

~There's nothing like the sound of 3 screaming babies! Only one of which has anything to cry about, but I can't go and feed her when the boys are like this, when they are upset, if I leave something in my house becomes a casualty!!! Oh, the joys of motherhood!
COMMENT: ME: Ahh, sent them to their rooms to cry it out! Sweet semi silence!

~Me: "I said "Stop it!" already 3 times, if I have to say it again you are going to get a time out!, now Stop it!"
Sebastian: But mom, you just said it again!
Really!?!? Does he like getting in trouble, he makes remarks like this all the time where he would be getting instantly in trouble. He's telling the truth, but what... about self preservation, or saving your own butt? I have to explain why I said it that way a lot!
If I don't clarify what I said a few times in my threats, I have to hear, "Mom what did you say?, Why are you so mad?, Mom, I didn't hear you when you were talking, what do I need to do to get a time out?" I would rather sound like a babeling idiot then hear that for 20 minutes after I threaten a time out! Man that kid can talk!!! I can't imagine where he get that??? ;)

~Sebastian:"Mom, (question)?
Me: (Long drawn out answer to make sure he understands)
Sebastian: What? (Question)?
Me: (Slightly less drawn out answer)
Sebastian :Mom, (Question)?
...Me: (Short curt answer in an annoyed tone)
Sebastian: What?
Me: I don't know, what until daddy gets home to ask him!
Such is life!

September 23rd
~AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Hmmm, yeah, that didn't work! I really want to scream right now! I wish I could just open up my door and yell at the top of my lungs. I need that kind of release a lot, but I just feel the frustration welling up inside of me! I was hoping this would release, but no! I don't think the... neighbors would take kindly to a blood curdling scream every day or so. *sigh*

~I'm feeling very alone. Is it just my boys or are all parents with boys unable to own anything they like for more then a month? Things were pretty calm for 1-1/2 months while Sebastain was at school, but now Wade has wandered into his distructive phase. In the last 2 days we're down a Wii game, a newly apholstered couch, craft items... He's only still sleeping in doors b/c most everything, but the game was salvagable!

~Took an unplanned nap while feeding Lydia, woke up feeling better looked at the time, CRAP, Matt will be home any minute, and I don't have dinner. Get on the internet to google quick meals using ramen noodles, (we have so dang many) searching for a while, look over to realize that Wade is asleep! NOOO! It's hard enough... to get him to sleep without a nap! Blew that good feeling! But at least my stress is neutralized.

September 24th
~Matt says I can't put up Halloween Decorations until the house is clean. Hopefully we can get those up before Christmas... jk! Today is a good day! Yesterday not so much! Do you think if I glue the toys where they go, they would stay there? PS. I finished apholstering the couch last night. now I just have to cover the ...cushions. That was a bigger job then I thought, I'm glad it's almost done.
COMMENTS: Jana Sturgeon: wow. is there anything you dont do! :)
Jalene: I don't do toilets!
Larraine Thompson Tryon: Well at least you don't have to knock down the spider webs..they can be part of the decor!

September 27th
~Halloween Decorations are up! It's very festive, but I imagined having a bunch more in the halloween box? Hmmm. We just need to raid the after Halloween sales again this year. I know we have a bunch of new stuff we bought last year for Christmas. I love decorating the house. I just wish it was decorated for everyday!?!

~When you can't cook (ie. Me!) you probably shouldn't make several dishes you have never tried before in a row. It just gets depressing! Matt is supportive but I know he doesn't like what i make. Need to make a few easy meals to get my confidence back! I'm fine, I know I can't cook. It's just a little disheartening. I h...ave to keep telling myself, I can do so many things, and cooking is just not one of them!

September 29th
~Sebastian had a half day and is already home. Matt is playing hookie. He's sore from playing football with the YM yesterday and he has allergies and the sniffles he got from Sebastian. I have my family all home. Matt's taking a nap and Sebastian is "helping" him. Wade is pretty chill like usual. Lydia is taking her nap...! It's nice to have everyone home! Makes the home feel full and full of love!

September 30th
~Just got back from a parent teacher conference with Sebastian's teacher. She says that he is the top of the class but he tends to talk a lot during carpet time. We were a little worried as he's the youngest, but she says he is so far ahead of the other kids already! I love my little smarty pants!

October 1st
~The boys were yelling up & down the hall when Lydia was trying to sleep, so I told Sebastian (since he's the instigator) to stay out of the hall & to play quietly. I was walking away when I heard him yell to Wade, "Wade, go down the hall Wade!" A couple minutes later I hear, "Mom Wade's in the hall!" REALLY!?! When do ...you think he'll figure out that his voice carries? (especially his, he can't talk below a bellow!)
COMMENTS:Laurie Smith Wilson: Jalene, I so enjoy your adventures of motherhood! It brings back so many memories. My kids were convinced that I had eyes in the back of my head! Your days may seem long but when you look back you will have them for such a short time. Love them and teach them to Love!
Joy Hunt Burton: I find myself enjoying Jalene's adventures of motherhood as well. No one believes how fast time flies by and there are no more Children making your home happy each day! Enjoy and treasure it while you can.
Jalene Bonnell Wilcken: I love you guys! I always love to hear from a mom that's been there, done that! It makes me feel like maybe, just maybe I'm not as crazy as I sometimes feel! Thanks!

October 3rd
~Thanks for all the love and well wishes for my birthday! I had a great day! I was pampered, spoiled and treated like a queen! I went to a bridal shower, then a baby shower, my boys made me dinner, I got a nap. Matt took the boys to the park so I could have some quiet time, and then we had scooptacular ice cream! Good day, too bad it's already over!

October 4th
~On my birthday weekend, I kind of let the house go. Luckily lately it's been pretty clean, but I needed to clean up and go shopping and Wade woke up with the dry heaves. I feel so sorry for the little man. Not going to get much done. I can't go shopping with a little sick boy. So we'll be nursing my little man back to health. Poor Baby!

~Just recieved my new phone in the mail! Matt has been researching these things for months and he finally figured out which one to get me for my birthday! Now I can FB on my phone! ROCK! Tomorrow when Matt gets everything set up, I will be speaking to you from the comfort of my recliner! You will all be in awe of my awesome-osity!!! At least I will be!

~on my phone! AWESOME!!!

October 5th
~Ahh the rain! Awesome-osity to the nth degree!
Whether the weather be fine,
Or whether the weather be not,
Whether the weather be cold,
Or whether the weather be hot,
...We'll weather the weather
Whatever the weather,
Whether we like it or not!

~How does a 30 minute nap for Wade, translate into 3 and a half hours of awake after bedtime? WTJ?

October 6th
~First day of Sebastian's Fall Break. I got to sleep in for almost 2 hours. Wade still hasn't woken up. Which is fabulous as he didn't get to bed until 11pm. I hate when he falls asleep at 5pm because I can't wake him up for anything, even jumping around he's completely limp. Then he doesn't get to sleep for hours after bed time! Ahhh!

October 7th
~I've noticed that near the end of your pregnancy you never want to be pregnant again in your whole entire life, but when you're cuddling with your sweet baby in the hospital, you're ready to do all of it again as long as you get a little bundle in the end. Myabe that's just me? Even when I'm cursing having little munch...ins running around destroying things, I love my little babies and I love my kids!

~The boys flooded the kitchen again. I was putting the laundry away & they were alone for 3 mins while I put the folded clothes away.They filled an empty milk jug with water and it got too heavy. As I was coming out I heard Sebastian drop it & water run everywhere! I banished them to their room until daddy comes home. T...he quiet is nice! They have a VHS playing TV & toys, they will be fine for an hour & a half!

October 10th
My boys are sick :( They are ok, we just don't want them to spread germs at church. I have to stay home because I don't want to have to take the baby and teach a lesson in Primary with a baby and I can't leave her. Matt would maybe have stayed home too, but the silly boy accepted a call to substitute a Sunday School cl...ass, already knowing that we weren't going. Silly Little Thing!

~Life is good! It's crazy and happy and tiring and "take your breath away" and silly and loving and Heavenly and "pull my hair out!" and spiritual and loud and off the wall and cute and "huh?" and wonderful and "I can't take it anymore!" and "I never want this moment to end!" and "I can't believe that moment is over!" a...nd sweet and *sigh* and forever and most of all GOOD!
COMMENT: ME: I just wanted to discribe my life and I don't think I even scratched the surface, but I got a good running start concidering it's limited characters!

A Princess is Always Prepared!

2010-10-06T21:58:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine posted about an Emergency Purse Kit. This would be a great Bridal Shower or Baby Shower gift! Here's the link. This list seems do-able! I couldn't think of anything I would add, but while writing this I thought of sunscreen or sunscreen stick, I don't know if that's on the list or not, but if my family plans on being in the sun for more then 5 minutes that is a must! And while I was typing that, I thought of gauze and medical tape? Maybe, for bigger cuts? Anyway, enjoy!

http://queenofchaosandjoy.blogspot.com/2010/10/my-purse-emergency-kit.html

Someone commented that they needed to add:
nail clippers
Phone numbers so you can call people if you phone goes dead
a snack like crackers or peanuts
a toothbrush or brush ups (but that sounds like a personal problem...jk!)

SANY0199.MP4

2010-10-05T13:10:00.000-07:00

Holy Rainstorm Batman!

2010-10-05T12:27:00.000-07:00

I was enjoyting the rain! I love the rain! Matt came home for lunch as he does everyday and we took Wade and Lydia to check out the slight rainy drizzle. It was fun. Then Matt had to go to work and we went back inside. A couple minutes later it started to HAIL! Awesome! Then a couple minutes after that, Wade was holding his ears, Lydia was crying and I was holding both of them while our house got pelted with hail, large marble sized hail. Some up to 1- 1/2 inches in diameter. Luckily it didn't last too long. While it was horribly loud I called Matt. He told me he was stuck in his car, there was a river running in the parking lot and separated him from work. He had to call his boss. I was amazed at nature so I grabbed the camera and took some record. Fun stuff! *sigh* I love the rain!

I am having some technical difficulties, I will be uploading the clip to youtube and posting it that way, stand by!

FB September 10-17

2010-09-17T10:26:00.000-07:00

September 10th:

~Sebastian woke Wade up just before he went to school! ROTTEN KID! Wade is a little sick and now he's up 2 hours before I usually wake him up! Matt prayed that he won't be too cranky! I greatly hope that our faith is sufficient to hold up that prayer! He went to bed a little early last night, let's hope that's enough!

~I feel so much better than yesterday. I'm exhausted and Wade was forced awake a couple hours early, but I don't feel hollow or sad, just tired! I planned on going to bed after I dropped of Sebastian at the bus stop, thanks to Sebastian that didn't happen! SO TIRED!

~I'm not TOO awesome, I'm just awesome enough!

~ I was looking at some new baby pics and I was thinking, why are there always several pics of the baby laying in a sleeping father's arms? What is it about child birth or holding a newborn that makes daddys so tired?

COMMENTS:
Randy Bonnell: OK... its on, just because we don't have the super woman hormones going through our bodies like you do doesn't mean you can rub it in!
Tesha Jackson: They get nervous and stressed out watching us give birth and all! So once that is over they relax and sleep.
Charlotte Clawson: because they stay awake with you through labor and delivery?
Jalene Bonnell Wilcken: I'm more talking about a week to a month after they're born. I have a ton of pics of Matt asleep with the kids when they're just little littles. I think partly because mom's take more pics then dad's. and partly because dad's can sleep anywhere so they look so cute in chairs with the baby in the crook of their arms. But I still think it's a little universal and a little weird that everyone has a pic of a dad asleep with a newborn!
Lee Reay: It's because wives take the babies from the husbands if the babies get fussy, so the only time we have a baby is when it's tranquil. And you know how contagious sleep is when yoiu are holding the baby.

~Wade: Knock Knock.
Me:Who's there?
Wade: Knock Knock Who! ahahahahahhahahahaha!
He's so adorable!

~I made some super yummy fry bread for dinner and some cookies just because I wanted some after the kids went to bed. I feel so domestic!
COMMENT:
Jared Bulger: Cause you were such a WILD WOMAN before...
(Jared is a friend from High School)
Jalene Bonnell Wilcken: yeah, yeah, yeah!

September 13th:
~I was spraying some spot remover on some clothes this morning and Sebastian came in and asked, "is that windex?"... I smiled but before I could answer he added, "or is that Clothes-dex?" He's very good at deductive reasoning! That boy makes me laugh everyday. He's so smart that it's funny to look at the world through rational eyes, unfortunately the world isn't rational so I have to do a lot of explaining! It's fun!

~Wade is in the bottom bunk in Sebastian's (now the boys') room. Lydia is moved into the crib. All seems to be going well. It's so nice to go to the bathroom in my own room and not have to worry about waking up the baby! Yay personal space!

~Between Matt and I, we have killed about 25 flies (literally) and there are still several flying around the house! WHAT THE JUNK? We don't leave the doors or windows open and the infestation just started 2 days ago. Where are they all coming from?
COMMENTS:
Christi Williams Reay: we had that happen a year or so ago. I personally think we had a fly lay eggs in a trash can. I am not certain, but it was so gross. We just kept killing every fly we saw and took out all of the trash often.
Jalene Bonnell Wilcken: We take out the kitchen trash very often (not as often as I would like as my husband is rebelling against how much trash his family of 5 makes, but I digress) But we don't take out the bathroom trashes all that often? He is pretty sure it w...as the sink, I do dishes every other day and the off days the sink smells horrible. We eat too much milk and cheese and things that go bad quickly but I clean out the sink every time? So he's convinced it's the sink, whatever, I don't mind taking the blame, but it has to be something like that because when we leave the door open we get maybe 10 flies at the most and we are overrun!!! Luckily the mortality rate is not high for flies taking up residency in our house, so the numbers are deminishing, but they are still annoying! The fly death toll is well over 50 and they're still hanging on! Matt said "I don't know where they're coming from but we're spawning them full grown, aren't they supposed to be small when they are first born?" I agree, but I haven't seen any small ones, just the normal sized ones everywhere! We're finally getting a handle on them, but it's still gross!
(P.S.- When all was said and done on the fly issue, we still don't know where they came from, but in 3-4 days Matt and I killed well over 100 flies. GROSS! Since then, nothing. Not a fly to be seen! Weird huh!)

September 14th:
~Sebastian has a foot thing, he just has to touch everything on his feet absentmindedly when he's talking. I told him not to put a linking ring on his foot because Lydia puts it in her mouth and he said, "Yeck!" He was grossed out that something from his baby sister's mouth touched his foot! *sigh* (rolled eyes!)

~ I seem to recall my husband making fun of me because I bought 3 fly swatters for $1 total! ("We don't need that many!" "IT WAS A DOLLAR!") I don't hear any complaining now! Nice to have a fly swatter in every room! Killed 16 in the last hour! Stupid Flies! The Fly Death Toll is well over 100 now! Gross! Please don't think I live in squalor! Before we had our infestation we maybe had 2 flies a week on a bad week! We had sprayed for bugs and we don't even have many crickets or other bugs! I HATE BUGS!

September 15th:
~Our tenents renewed their lease for a year! Hallaluah! (Wow, that's probably spelled horribly!) I'm just so happy we don't have to make a decision about what to do on our house! So very happy! YAY!

~Got my hair cut today, I am trying to grow it out so I just got a trim, but the last time I got my hair cut it was an inside job, as in I did it myself and it's been slightly uneven for 6 months. Have you seen how short my hair is, that was unintentional, I just cut until it was even and then I had to stop myself befor...e I became bald!!! Thanks Aumee! It's Beautiful!

September 16th:
~Blog Template issues! I noticed the background on my family blog was gone mysteriously, so I went to change it and the layout totally screwed up, now it won't even load so I can't fix it! DANG YOU TECHNOLOGY! I CURSE YOU TO THE HEAVENS!
COMMENT: Finally got it all figured out! As addicted to technology there is so much I hate about it! I curse techonology A LOT!

~Dragnet and Adam-12! Does it get any better than this? Why don't they make shows like this anymore, they are too graphic, they leave nothing to the imagination! That's why our nation is full of people with no imagination! I'm all for simplifying! Just watched Andy Griffith! Ahh, the good ol' days, what every happened to those! I think I have an old soul! I want to live back when life was slower, (but I want to keep most of the technology)
COMMENTS:
Randy Bonnell: What about Alfred Hitchcock! Now that is some good TV
Jalene Bonnell Wilcken: I do love some of his movies, but a couple of them are just too long and nothing too scary happens, it's just the suspense, if I'm on the edge of my seat, I want a reason to be there, a real threat, not just an uncomfortable situation that ...resolves itself before it intensifies too much! I love old movies where it take the monster 10 minutes to change from his human form, or giant mutant radioactive gophers coming to take over the world! GOOD STUFF! Oh, or the robots that move at 3 miles an hour and freeze the victims in fear while they slowly make their ways over to the cringing, cowering helpless women to suck their brains out, just to be saved at the last minute by a man that jumps in front of the robot that looks like a very small vacuum cleaner and just helps the woman by grabbing her arm and making her run (which she should have been able to do on her own had the robot not made her so afraid!!! AWESOME! (Absolutely NO sarcasm!) TOTALLY ROCKS!

September 17th:
~ Listening to Thriller while I'm FB'ing and I can't help but dance, it's like I'm possessed with music! I love songs that take you captive! P.S.- Gotta love Vincent Price!

shell

2010-09-09T15:44:00.000-07:00

I have been feeling as of late like a shell of a woman. Like I'm going through the motions. Not living life, just surviving day to day. Matt told me to take a chill pill and relax. I really wish I could. If I don 't at least do something the house becomes beyond cleanable! I wish my house was all the way clean for one day, then I would try deserately to keep it that way. I need a break, and I won't be getting one for at least another 4-5 months when Lydia can go more then a few hours without me! As much as I love her, I almost feel like she's my little ball and chain, keeping me from ever relaxing! I know this feeling will end, it did with all the other kids, but it's really hard when I'm in the middle. After Lydia was born I let the house go and now that I'm back I feel like it's too far gone to get a grip! Plus I can't relax in a dirty home, so even when I'm not doing anything I'm far from relaxed! I don't know if men understand that at all? I really wish I knew what I needed because I know that Matt would ablige, but until I know what that is, I can't expect him to know! Sometimes I wish I could just tip the house over and dump everything that isn't in place into one place and then I can just start putting things away, that would be nice!!! Ahhh to Dream!

Facebook September 1-9

2010-09-09T15:24:00.000-07:00

September 1st:
~My feet stick to the floor, the plates stick to the tablecloth, the carpet is carpeted with toys and the front room is littered with food that doesn't fit in the pantry! Veni Vidi Vici! I refuse to let it win!!! I netflix Bear Grylls so I can cringe while I clean, and it's the eye of the Tiger Baby!!!

Septmber 2nd:
~Daniel Boone, The Jack Benny Show, and McHale's Navy! I don't like getting up so early in the morning, but I do love watching these shows from so long ago! Matt makes fun of Daniel Boone because there's a fight scene every 5 minutes, it is sort of like a western! And When Jack Benny looks into the future he looks all the way to 1985! I LOVE ALL OF THEM!

~ Today is Sebastian's 5th Birthday, and it kind of snuck up on me! I dropped off cookies at Sebastian's Kindergarten Class and we're having a small family party tomorrow, but I don't have any presents for him. Matt said he'll go today and get some for him!

~Such a bad mom! I was out at Target shopping for Sebastian's Birthday gift & looked at my watch just in time to see that I had 2 minutes to get home or I would miss the bus! Needless to say, I had to pick up Sebastian from the school! And ON HIS BIRTHDAY!!! He's OK with it, but I feel so bad!!! I did order him a scoopt...acular ice cream cake for tomorrow, I hope that makes it all better!
COMMENT: I thought for sure that he would be balling and break down. A week ago I almost missed the bus and the bus driver had already taken him back to his seat and told him what was going to happen when I came running out of the house to get him. He had teary eyes. We talked about what would happen if I ever didn't make it to the bus and so he understood that I would always be there, I just might be late. I think that's why he didn't have a break down, he was calm when I got him!

(Not Posted on FB: On the way home from the school he saw the gift that I was at Target getting so he and Wade played with it for a while. We went to IHOP for dinner that night because that's where Sebastian wanted to go. He got an ice cream sundae because it was his birthday. He said he had a good day! We had a birthday party at Grandma Wilcken's house Saturday (Sept. 4), we gave him a Moon Sand set that we had .S.planned on getting him too, so he did get to open a gift from us!P.S.- The Scooptacular Cake was well worth the wait! They get our repeat business! Yum-tastic!)

September 3rd:
~Does the new school attitude ever go away? Sebastian is getting really good at making his brother cry, demanding things from me in exchange for his love, (well, if you don't do that I'm not going to love you!) and just being an all around "know it all" and little bully! with 3 at home all needing my immediate attention..., by the time Matt gets home, I'm spent!

~ I find myself watching WordGirl even when the boys aren't watching with me. I love that show. That's one of the shows that will last a long time, and my kids will wonder what happened to when they grow up and youtube it and talk about it in High School! Yay WordGirl! P.S.- SHOUT OUT TO "THE ELECTRIC COMPANY" HOLLA!

~I tell Sebastian to clean up and he complains the entire time, and a constant, every 2 seconds complaining, it's mind numbing! Wade refuses, but I can usually trick him into thinking it's a game! I'm tired of spending my time everyday putting every toy away! HELP!

September 7th:
~I got a call from Sebastian's school at around 12:30. Sebastian had an accident and I needed to bring him a new pair of pants and underwear. Luckily I had just been out shopping an hour before, so we were already in "car mode". Ended up just bringing Sebastian home! Good thing it was a good day, I was able to teach without getting mad! Although, I never want to have to do that again! TOO MANY KIDS!

~Wade is softly playing on the piano and Sebastian said, he is playing a sad song because he wants his balloon! Silly boy!

September 8th:
~Got the Dishes finished finally! I hadn't done them since Friday or Saturday, I can't remember! Now my kitchen doesn't smell anymore! YAY! We use way too much milk! Gross!!! Now to tackle Laundry! I always underestimate it, I think we can fit it all in one load and I end up doing 3 full loads! It's like a game of hide & seek! Between Laundry and Dishes, if I get those done my daily (meaning the stuff I do everyday to keep the house from being condemned!) cleaning is almost 75% finished.

~Sebastian peed in his underwear at school again today! We discussed this yesterday and I thought he got it? Luckily I was smart enough to put an extra change of clothes in his backpack. I almost didn't but it turned out my intuition was right! Twice is nothing to worry about, but I want to nip it before it gets there! ...I sort of expected this the first week, but it's been over a month in school, what the junk?

~(when I finished typing I realized this is really long, sorry) We thought it may be he's embarrassed to ask his teacher, although he didn't seem like it when talking to him, he loves ...his teacher. Then we thought it might be because he's really shy and if they don't have stall doors in the boys bathrooms that might be a culprit! When talking to his teacher I found out that he does it the same time the last 2 days and today he was sitting right next to her. I also found out that his classmates are the ones pointing it out, but they don't laugh, they are helpful and a little sympathetic. And they have a bathroom in each classroom and it doesn't have a lock, but there is a door. Hmmm. She said she would remind him to go after lunch so it didn't happen. Great. Then after I got off the phone I talked to Sebastian and found out that he's never gone to the bathroom as school and since it's been hot he's been drinking a lot more water, so he needs to go and he's afraid that the toilet is too loud! That's been it the whole time. So I called his teacher back and she'll talk to him and flush it so he knows how loud it is and she says that some of the other kids open the door before they flush. Now that we both know it should stop, cross your fingers!

September 9th:
~ Never underestimate the power of a mommy's all better kiss! Wade came to me whining and pointing to his nose saying "ow mom!" and a little kiss later he's off playing like nothing happened! I think when you have a child, your kisses gain some sort of magical healing power! It's great being a mom! Good Times!

~I am so looking forward to the holiday season! I'm trying to get all the stressful stuff out of the way in the next few weeks, so that when it's crunch time all I have to do is relax and enjoy it! Isn't that what the holidays are all about! I wish I could start Christmas Shopping, but the sales are worth the wait. Stor...es don't accomidate early shoppers, they accomidate the procrastinators! Dang you stores!

~I usually get the frozen broccoli because I ALWAYS forget to make a veggie until the foods about 5 minutes from done. But my dad brought us some fresh broccoli.I ended up throwing away one of the broccoli bunches that I waited too long on, & was yellow. Wade got it out of the trash and said, "Mom, Broccoli" I said "yea...h baby that's broccoli!" He said, "Mom the broccoli's BIG!!!" Nothing gets by him!!!

~Today I feel CRAPTACULAR! Luckily the day isn't bad, I just feel sick and tired and run down and a tiny bit depressed (really and truly not a big deal, just the depressed that everyone feels from time to time!) I feel like my house is quicksand, the harder I try to clean the house the faster the house gets dirty! I need a maid!!!
COMMENT: P.S.- I didn't get a call from Sebastian's school and he came home in the same pants he left here in! BONUS!
COMMENT:oh, and he told me on the way home that he went to the bathroom 5 times today! He went from 0 to 5 times in one day! Good Job baby!

Let the stress fest begin!

2010-09-07T15:05:00.001-07:00

I am trying desperately to get things ready for Christmas so that I can enjoy it more and not be so stressed out! I have things for a few Christmas activities, but I feel right now, like if I don’t get my house in order I am going to have an issue when the holidays creep up on me! It’s already September and things are already piling up! At least I no longer feel like I’m drowning, but I still feel like I’m standing in it about chest high. Although now I feel a little more in control, I’m right on the edge of getting a little too crazy for my comfort! I just need to breathe and take it a step at a time! A few days of slacking and I will be way in over my head! Today was too crazy to get much done until I rest thoroughly, but tomorrow, I have nothing out of the ordinary planned, and Matt has school right after work, so I have the house to myself for about 2 hours between when the kids go to bed and Matt gets home from school, so I will hopefully get things under control! If anyone comes over and sees my house, please don’t judge me! Anyone that I know that would come and see my house wouldn’t judge, but I just want to check and reiterate, this is not the way we usually live! Since Lydia was born things have just spiraled! I just bought a carpet cleaner and I hope that will clean the carpets so that I can feel like my house is just that much cleaner! Once my clutter is cleared I will tackle decorating once piece at a time! Maybe by the time my family is done growing my house will be decorated and more “homey”? We’ll just have to see, but that’s my goal, so just a few more years!

Desktop Backgrounds

2010-08-31T19:00:00.001-07:00

I make a new desktop background for each month. This is September’s and It’s here to commemorate Sebastian’s 5th Birthday! I already made October (my birthday) and Wade’s (Wade’s Birthday). Now I just have to make Matt’s for November. I already have the bones for Lydia’s and that’s adorable, you’ll have to wait until April, or until I get done and see it and just can’t resist, whichever comes first!!!

Yeah, this next one is a bit eclectic, but it’s hard to get Wade’s Birthday and Christmas all in one!

P.S.- If you want me to make you a desktop background for your computer, personalized for you, or if you are a grandparent and want a copy of the ones that I made for me, just email me the specs of your comp screen (and pics if you want them personalized) and I’ll adapt it and email it to you. These are so fun to make!

FB Updates

2010-08-31T15:50:00.001-07:00

August 22nd:

~Got The Rocky and Bullwinkle show on Netfilx instant. I love seeing my boys plastered to the TV watching something that I used to watch when I was a kid. They also love the Mario Brother's Super Hour and Gummi Bears. Good memories being revisiting through the next generation. PS. Rocky and Bullwinkle is funny!

August 23rd:

~Walmart changed their diapers and Wade's allergic to them!!! I'm so upset, I can't afford these diapers let alone a name brand. I'm going to get them from Sam's Club or Costco. I'm leery of Sam's diapers because it's owned by the same people as Walmart. My poor baby was so unhappy and red, I'm glad I had a surplus of t...he other kind of diapers, if not, I don't know what I would have done?

UPDATE ON DIAPERS: I ended up having to take the stupid diapers back to Walmart and I also called and complained that they made my baby miserable. I found out that I can get brand name diapers at amazon.com for cheaper then Walmart brand with free shipping so they come directly to my house, score!

~Wade was drinking milk by the fridge & I looked at him to make sure he was still fine and he looked at me, took his cup from his face and said with a straight face, "Mom, milk in my belly." It was so cute. It came because we threw away his melted otterpop yesterday while he wasn't looking & he asked us where his pop wa...s. Matt said, maybe you ate it, is it in your belly? Wade said, pop in my belly. We just laughed!

~I feel like my life is just one unfinished project after another. I get excited when I finish the dishes and then I turn around and realize that my house is full of half finished or not yet started projects from top to bottom. And just when I think I'm getting a leg up, something comes up that needs my immediate attention and it sets me back 2 weeks! OY!

August 24th:

~Went to the Dr. today for Sebastian, his left hip and thigh were hurting, he was limping since yesterday, skipped school today, he never complained of being hit or hurt, he just couldn't walk. Dr. said the cold he had last week went into his hip. Ibuprofen and rest. Have you ever heard of a cold going into your hip? It...'s not "Toxic Hip" where you have to take antibiotics, but it's similar. Weird huh!

August 26th:

~I got a fair amount of cleaning done on the house yesterday! It's actually starting to look like a house instead of a storage unit. I still have a bunch to do, but it definitely got me motivated. Let's see if I can take another big bite out of the clutter and sludge today too! Wish me luck, or actually, wish me motivation!

August 27th:

~Give a kid a snack and you feed him for a day. Teach him to make his own snack and you kitchen will be a wreck FOREVER!

August 28th:

~BLING PANTS! YEAH! I'm what I like to call "3am funny". Since I don't drink, this is as close as I get to intoxicated. It doesn't have to be 3am to be "3am funny" Anytime there is a lack of sleep 3am funny appears. Lydia had the cutest bling pants on, I should have pic'd it. just thought of it! I will do so & get back ...to you. Don't post and drive... I mean don't drink and post! BLING PANTS! YEAH!

August 30th:

~recently cooked a lot of chicken & was freezing the broth in Tablespoons in ice trays & Sebastian was suddenly very interested. He said he wanted a popcicle. I told him he could, but it wouldn't taste like he thought it would. He kept bothering me, but when he understood, he didn't really want a "Chicken-cicle! I kind ...of wish I could have seen his face when I gave them to him, but I opted for the good mom choice! :)

~Watching Man vs Wild. I'm pretty sure I will never be reduced to eating raw fish, grubs and snakes or drinking urine while I'm at home, (at least I hope not!) so at least for the time being, I'm staying put! If I ever get there at home, please come and get me!

August 31st:

~Matt mentioned the other day, "What do you think people 150 years ago would think if you told them that now, people sit on their butts and pretend to plant and harvest crops with absolutely no actual yield?" Then I told him to finish my back yard so that I can start my own garden. He no longer has a problem. (OK, so I ...didn't really say that, but I thought it!) I think he has a point!

Comment: Ok, so I just thought of a comeback. (It's only been almost a week, that's about as long as it usually takes to come up with a good comeback) "What do you think people would have said 100 years ago if you told them that people would sit on ...their butts and simulate War without any yield, and for entertainment?" (*cough* Starcraft II *cough*)
Buuurrrrrnnnnn!

~Because Wade is the only one (besides the baby who doesn't care) home with me during the day, if I have to go to the bathroom, or leave the living room for any reason I tell Wade I'm going to be right back, so he doesn't freak out. Earlier he was leaving the room to go and get a toy and said, "Back, Mom!" as if to say,... I'll be right back. It was so cute! My little man!

~What's for dinner? What's for dinner? I was planning on making Stack Enchiladas and Sebastian told me when asked that he wanted "Chiladas" for dinner on his birthday which is on Thursday. Now I have to think of something else. I have a bunch of stuff, it's just a matter of what I want to make. What's for dinner?

~Is it normal for a 5 year old boy to eat you out of house and home without even blinking? Sebastian comes home, eats his snack which is anything from an otterpop to a corndog. Then he eats the leftover dry cereal from Wade's Breakfast. Then he steals crackers from the box I gave Wade for his snack. Then he bugs me unceasingly, "I'm starving, when's dinner?" "I'm so hungry, can we have dinner now?" Errrrrr! Oh, and then after dinner is finished, he bugs me for dessert! You would think I starve the boy by the way he scarfs everything down! I feel like I'm throwing food into a garbage disposal! I wouldn't mind so much if there was a little time inbetween the incessant badgering, I almost want to stop feeding him, just to make him appreciate that he is fed!

On a Roll.

2010-08-26T17:33:00.000-07:00

Here is an email I sent Matt just a minute ago.

Lydia rolled over, but I didn't see it. I put her on her back went into the bedroom for a minute to get Wade and when I came back she was on her tummy. Sebastian said he didn't flip her. As I'm writing this I see her trying and she did it again. She's officially a roller! Just so you know, I was literally typing while I watched her so you got a play by play! All my Love!

We got a high roller on our hands!

UPDATE 8-27: Lydia rolled over 5 times yesterday!

Quick Draw Posts

2010-08-20T16:07:00.000-07:00

I'm just going to repost some things that I posted on FB TODAY here so I can keep record of it. It's a little easier to post on FB so when I post a bunch, I may need to repost them here, but I will always type longer stories out here too. Keep your eyes open. There will be a few additions, You can only type 420 characters and sometimes I need more to adequately describe what I want to portray. It doesn't help that I talk a lot!

Let Sleeping Puppies Lie:
Bought a Twin Mattress at R&S Mattress & Matt & I put together the boys' Loft bed last night. Sebastian was psyched & slept on the top bunk last night. We tried to get Wade to sleep in the bottom bunk, but he was too bored & excited & didn't really stay in it, so we had to put him back in his crib. The plan is to let him... sleep in his new bed when he's super tired, & his crib when he's not. We'll see how that goes.

What were you thinking?:
Well, the loft bed lasted 1 night! Sebastian came in and asked me what these things that were on the bunk bed were for. He had 2 hand fulls of ripped off tread stickers, the ones that go on the rungs of the ladder with the sandpaper texture to keep you from falling! Yeah, "I wonder what these stickers are for, let me take them off and go ask mommy!" REALLY?!?!?!

Sweet Rolls:
Lydia is so close to rolling over. When I put her on the floor she almost instantly rolls onto her side. If she can figure out how to get that pesky arm out of the way, she's over. She also loves to arch her back, she looks like a little horseshoe sometimes. She's definitely as flexible as her mama! It cracks me up to see baby pics of me in her face, although she absolutely has her daddy's eyes! Cute combo!!!

Progress Report:
I was so worried about Sebastian being ready before he started school. I just got a mid-quarter progress report and he is getting the same marks that everyone else I'm sure got, making progress toward mastery in all areas. I'm so excited!

Ka-BOOM!:
I was watching an episode of Mythbusters when Sebastian came home from school. He sat down with his snack and said, "I've seen this movie before, it's where they want things to blow up." He said it very matter of fact and it made me smile! I love that little man!

No Soliciting:
On Tues. we got a door hanging paper that said that we had a delivery & we missed it and we needed to call the number to reschedule. We weren't expecting anything, & my memory is bad. We were very leery. I'm glad Matt called, it was a scam. It was a stupid Home Alarm Company. I really need to make a no soliciting sign!!! Matt made the guy put us on his NO CONTACT list. I love my big strong NO sayer! Except when he says NO to me. I have been planning on making a sign for a while. No Soliciting, Girl Scouts Welcome! Matt wants it to read, No Soliciting, Friends and Family Welcome unless you're soliciting! Cute, but I like mine better!

This one is from YESTERDAY.

Framed:
Just printed all current digital pics, 5 months worth. So happy, now I just have 7 years to scrapbook!!! I'm working now on filling my gift closet, once that is done, scrapbooking ahoy! When I was pregnant & nesting I went through & dated all the currently printed pics, so little by little I'm getting things done, I hope I don't have to wait until my youngest is in school to have enough time & energy to get it done!

Happiness is...

2010-08-19T15:14:00.000-07:00

Matt and I were talking yesterday and he asked me if I was happy? I thought that he meant right at that moment, like I didn't look very happy. I confusingly answered yes. I then found out he was talking about life in general. As we discussed we figured out that were are both deliriously happy. We have everything that we could ever want in life. (We did ammend that statement as we would like to have a little more money to spend, but that's not pivotal for our happiness, just a little wish). As far as life and love and fulfillment, we feel like we're complete. As far as we're concerned we're not done with our family, but we feel complete at this time. When I think about day to day I'm happy, when I think about the whole picture and scheme of our life I kind of feel like there are some people missing, but we'll just have to see what Heavenly Father has in store for us. I don't think I've been as happy with the big picture as I have ever been. I'm excited to live on and see what's around the corner, I feel like we can face and overcome anything together!

Crafty

2010-08-19T12:49:00.001-07:00

I love to do crafts and this one is on my craft blog that is under construction... handhomeheartmade.blogspot.com. I made this one for my sister's little baby, also under construction, possibly named Lilli. I love this idea and I'm glad I stole it. It came out way better then it was in my head. I love when that happens! Oh yeah, and, YAY PINK!

New Likes.

2010-08-18T14:16:00.000-07:00

I added these to my list of Favs!
First, I just discovered that Sam's Club has a service called Click and Pull. I have a business account, I don't know if you can do the same on a normal account. You go online to Samsclub.com and make your list, pay for it & then submit it. Then go to the store the next day, go to the customer service, scan your card and they load the groceries into your car. I am loving this idea. As much as I love shopping, and I do, I would love to cut down my errends at every turn so that's a good deal for me! Plus did I mention, that it's no extra cost. The service is free with a membership!!!

Second, TheTreasureBox.org. I haven't ordered these yet, we haven't had the room in our freexer, but we are in the process of cleaning it out and we are going to order in September. If we love this then we're not going to have to shop the traditional way except for stuff they don't have at Sam's. Go to the website and you can order boxes of food that are supposed to feed a family of 4 for a week for $30 a box. You can buy as many as you want. They are majorly discounted and you pick them up at a local place and they are mostly things I would buy anyway. They have a kid's box with comfort foods, a meat box, a normal box with most everything you need for a family of 4 for a week and a healthy TV dinner box (almost like a jenny craig thing). I think I'm going to get a normal food box and a meat box. We are planning on investing in a freezer and then saving a ton of food. For 4 weeks that's only $120 a month plus a few things like milk, bread & eggs that you have to get at the normal store. I hope this is good and I'll update you on the size of the box.

Domestic Goddess

2010-08-12T11:01:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine was complaining the other day that her husband never refilled anything, like the toilet paper or paper towels. I have a husband that does the same. My first reaction was to complain about it but that only lasted about a second. My second reaction kicked in pretty quickly of gratitude. I really love my life and my husband and my family. He and I both know that I was given the harder job in that what I am charged with will last into eternity, whereas his more time consuming responsiblilty (his job) will only get us through mortality. We are also both aware that I don't always do my job to the greatest of my ablily. But I am always trying and am getting better, although my cleaning ability has recently gone down due to the baby and lack of sleep and therefore energy, but has even more recently made an appearance and is on the rise. I figure my responsiblity is the house and whole house and nothing but the house. I need some help around the house, but it is my responsiblity to hire help or in this case ask Matt to take care of it, ie. kill bugs and open jars, hand pictures, fix stuff and take out the trash, (the later most of which he does sort of take care of automatically). The least I can do is put more soap in the bathroom and replace the shampoo bottles and toothpaste. I love being a Domestic Goddess and I hope to only grow more Domestic as time goes by! (I think my family hope that too!)

Father and Son Camp out

2010-07-30T10:10:00.001-07:00

July 17th, 2010

Matt and the boys missed the ward Father and Son's Outing because that was the weekend that Lydia was born. He was super bummed so he decided to take the boys out for their own little father and son's outing. He had been looking forward to it since before Lydia was born. He finally got a good time to go on the 17th. We got all ready and Matt was so excited! He brought his cook stove and his tent and so the day came. They left early Friday morning. Matt said that it was a total bummer the whole time. It rained just before every meal, so they had a hard time getting the fire started or cooking anything, although they did. Then there was a thunderstorm and Wade wouldn't set foot in the tent (although while we were airing it out he couldn't stop playing in it), so they had to sleep in the car. Matt thought that it would be better the next morning since they were making pancakes and Sebastian was looking forward to that. Sebastian refused to eat and was complaining all morning that he wanted to go home so they cut the trip short! I am really sorry that it turned out so bad, especially since Matt had been looking forward to it for so long and the whole time they were gone, I could imagine them having so much fun! They'll try again in a few more years! They are cute though!!!

Swimmers June 26, 2010

2010-07-30T09:59:00.001-07:00

This is Lydia's first time swimming. It was a little cold, but really nice. She liked it until she just got too cold. I love that hat!!! She is so cute in her little swimsuit, mama not so much! This was Sebastian's first time with "muscles" which is what my family calls arm floaties. He really likes them and they give him confidence. He tries to swim on his own instead of having a death grip on mommy or daddy! All in all, a really fun time!

MY BABY!!! sob

2010-07-30T07:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Sebastian's first day of school. He is going to Riverside Traditional Elementary. Yesterday I dropped him off at school but today he took the bus. I was fine yesterday, but I cried just after I put Sebastian on the bus this morning! He just looked so little on that big ol' bus! My baby is so big! I'm so excited for him, and I know he'll be good, but my baby is going to school!!! Sebastian asked me this morning if he would know anyone on the bus. 3 girls in his class go on the same bus, but I don't know what stop they are at. When we got to the bus stop I asked him if he knew anyone and he looked around but I don't think he did. Just before the bus came he saw a little girl from his class coming across the street holding hands with her sister. When the bus came and everyone lined up to get on she was just in front of us. She took his hand (their little fingers intertwined) and the 3 of them got on the bus together and sat together. Then I saw the bus drive off and I got half way home and I just lost it! Luckily Matt hadn't left for work yet, so he comforted me. I just didn't see that coming!

Matt made fun of me because I needed to get some money to the teacher so I pinned an envelope onto Sebastian's shirt. I know that a long time ago that's how they would send notes home to the parents from school. The envelope was full of money he needed to pay for lunches, I didn't want that hanging out in his backpack for 3 weeks. But frankly, Matt makes fun of me for a lot of things, so it doesn't really faze me anymore.

Isn't he so cute in his uniform?

I choose to believe in a Higher Power!!!

2010-07-18T23:30:00.001-07:00

I have been watching a documentary by Ben Stein called "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed". It's very enlightening. It's a look at Intelligent Design vs. Darwinism. It's more about how scientists and professors are fired from Colleges for even mentioning intelligent design as a possibility. How reporters are ostracized by mentioning intelligent design in an article even if they don't take a side. Ben Stein compares the inability to search all possibilities in science as the Berlin Wall and it too needs to come down. He has scientists from both sides in the documentary. The scientists that are debating intelligent design are from every walk of life, even those that are not religious at all. They aren't saying anything toward religion, they say that as soon as you mention intelligent design you are labeled a creationist and are shunned from the intellectual community. In listening unbiased to both arguments I find that most of the scientists on the Darwinist side's best explanation is that once you have read and understand Darwinism, you can't possibly believe in God, and that anyone that believes in any sort of intelligent design is just a raving lunatic and babbling idiot. The Intelligent Design side counters that they just want to be able to look at all possibilities without having a wall thrust into their faces. That you can believe in natural selection and parts of Darwinism without becoming atheist and that pairing science with the belief in some higher power can heighten your understanding of science and not dampen it. Another Darwinist says that there is no point to life, we're just things that live and die and that's the end. So what's the point? An I.D. supporter mentions that when you have that sort of a look at life, you don't seem to care about abortions or genocides. Ben Stein finds that Darwinism lead to Eugenics which in Germany lead to Nazism (not that all Darwins are to become Nazi's but that it's just the historical predecessor as Hitler thoroughly believed in pushing forward "selective breeding" or "genocide") and that just scares me. A leading Darwinist, Richard Dawkins was interviewed by Ben Stein and was asked what would happen if you died and met God, what would you say? He countered with quoting Bertram Russell: Sir, Why did you take such pains to hide yourself?

Now here's my take on things. If Darwinists would open their eyes to the reality that is the world, I would wonder why they can even question that there is divine intervention? Darwinists believe that life just miraculously simultaneousness happened with a big bang and all the right things happened just at the right time in the right sequences and with just the right composition to create life, but an intelligent being making those things happen is just too out there to believe? I am afraid with this censorship in schools that our children might only get one side of the story and it was said in the documentary, beware of the sound of one hand clapping, which means you need to look at both sides of any argument before you can make a educated decision. Many I.D. believers mentioned that Darwin had some valid insights on nature. That if he had stopped at natural selection and what happened with life that was already here, then they might be Darwinists too. It's the fact that he made his discovery have to encompass all of life that made it a difficult pill to swallow. I completely agree. I have always believed in natural selection, that just makes sense. But when it is used to explain how everything on the planet was formed and how life was even created, I find too many holes in his theories. I am not a person that is very good with my words. I have many thoughts and I find many of them intellectually based, but I often have a hard time articulating the ideas from my head out my mouth, or in this case, out of my fingers. But the one thing that I truly, strongly, deeply believe is that there is a God. I don't believe it because I was brainwashed from childhood. I was taught the Gospel of Christ, but I was also taught to think for myself. I have looked at both sides of the debate and being atheist or even just being an Easter Christian is definitely easier. Not only is there more free time during the week, but I wouldn't have to wrestle with my kids during sacrament meeting, I wouldn't have to prepare a lesson every week, I wouldn't have to leave my family to go to meetings and activities, but I would only have that extra time with my family in the short time I have here on Earth, so I choose the long term joy over the right now happiness. I choose to live like I have something and someone and somewhere to live for. I choose to believe that life is bigger then just cells and atoms and molecules stuck together that are amazingly just able to function on their own with no outside help. I choose to be a soul, not a freaky science project that no one gets credit for. I choose to pray and worship and look upward to a loving Father, not to the nothingness that is a hollow shell without hope. I choose to BELIEVE! I choose to HOPE! I choose to LEARN! I choose LIFE!!!

*I would recommend this documentary to anyone and everyone. I has really opened my eyes to the wonder that is life and it's easily accessible. It's on the watch instantly list on Netflix. And if you don't have netflix, I would be more then happy to have you over to watch it at our house, it's just that important!

Ebay Coupon Tricks

2010-07-08T12:25:00.000-07:00

I have been getting a lot of interest in learning how to buy coupons on ebay. Here's the instructions!

When the ads come out on Tuesday night (or you can do it on Wednesday morning and still get the coupons on time for the sales that week) online, you go online to any stores that you would go shopping at and write down any sales. Then you go to ebay.com.

Type whatever product and then "coupons" in the search area, (such as "Green Giant Coupons" or "Tide Detergent Coupons")

If there are coupons listed, then on the top left hand corner there are some tabs, click on the "buy now" or you'll just be bidding and they won't get there in time for the sales that week. Then, on the right side of that is a pull down menu that says "Sort by" click that and choose "Price + shipping: lowest first" or you won't be getting the best price. Then make sure when you go into the individual ads that you make sure that the coupons aren't expired, my sister bought some once that were expired for a few weeks. Then you find however many coupons you want to buy, they have coupon groups for 5-20 coupons, so find the best deal for the most amount, or at least, just however many you are wanting, there's no reason to buy 20 if you only need 5, but if they are the same price, you might as well buy the 20 and maybe share with friends or family. You know how to look for the best deal!!! Then you have to choose and buy the coupons. They will come before Tuesday, but I usually get them by Saturday. Then you just have to go shopping on Monday or Tuesday, or whenever you get the coupons. I can get things for anywhere from free to really cheap. I have gotten kraft dressing and BBQ sauce for free and gotten 12 rolls of scotts papertowels for $3. I have gotten some really good deals. and it's only a few dollars on ebay. Oh, and make sure that you have money in your paypal account, or it might take a while to transfer the money from your bank account and you won't get the coupons on time. Good luck, and happy savings!

Drugist

2010-07-06T12:10:00.000-07:00

Matt calls me a druggie. Monday morning I woke up at 6:30 ish am. It was Matt's day off so he was still asleep. I woke up with really bad back pain. I think it's because the baby sleeps with me and I sleep really stiff so I wake up stiff. But this wasn't the normal stiffness, I was in really bad pain. I still had some percocet from when I had the baby and I was fine then, so I took one and tried to go back to sleep, but it hurt so bad that I couldn't sleep, but as the pain drifted away so did I. Then a very short while later Sebastian woke up and I got up to make him some cereal. By the end of getting him cereal I was disoriented, nauseous (probably from not taking the pill with food) and dizzy. I was having cold sweats and I couldn't walk straight or focus my eyes. I hurried and finished and then got back into bed. I felt instantly better laying down. Then I almost instantly went back to bed. I told Matt to wake me up at 9:30 when we went to bed, so when 9:30 rolled around I only vaguely remember him waking me up. I had all intentions to wake up, but I closed my eyes and the next thing I remember is 10:30. I woke up to the boys yelling and crawling all over me and even with all of that, I had a really hard time keeping my eyes open. I remember when I was recovering from my C-Section that I could function, I have a lack of sleep all the time and I almost never react that way, so I don't think it's that. And although I feel bad about sleeping in when I promised Matt I wouldn't, which wasn't my fault. I don't think I could have woken up if I wanted to, my back no longer hurt and was fine all yesterday and I woke up and felt fine this morning. And I have to admit it was nice to be able to sleep and not keep getting woken up every few minutes from the kids.

Garden Gnomes Update

2010-07-02T20:20:00.000-07:00

About a month ago I posted "Garden Gnomes" about my garden and our 2 tomatoes. Here's a picture of the bigger one. I just barely downloaded them from my camera. I am not a big fan of tomatoes, but Matt said it was wonderful! We also recently found out that you have to shake the plant to make sure it gets pollinated. We also found out that Grandma told Sebastian and he knew, but didn't tell us. Well, we'll see next year if it works.

Randomosity!

2010-07-02T20:04:00.000-07:00

Something weird happened to me on the way to the Dr.s Office... I was on my way to the Pediatrician and I was going East on the I-10 and was just about to get on the I-17 North. I hadn't gotten into the off ramp lane yet, but I had my blinker on to do so and the White Nissan Frontier in front of me had as well as about 3 cars behind me. I was clear and on my way over, I had my eyes on the Nissan Frontier truck in front of me as I merged. Just to get the picture, a Frontier is the smallest trucks on the road. This one had a rack on the back over the bed and a ladder on the top of the rack, it had things in the back that I couldn't make out exactly what they were but the truck sufficed to say, looked like a work truck with tools of the trade in the back, like a maintenance truck might have. So, I'm merging and with my eyes on the truck I see a red-feathered, big fat, CHICKEN flying out of the back of the truck and right onto the freeway!!! Not so much flying like a bird would fly, but more like a rock would fly, if a rock had feathers and flapped it's wings uselessly! The chicken also had a band around it's leg, so it was a marked bird for some reason. Poor little chicken came careening out of the back of that little truck and bounced a few times on the freeway before I realized what had happened. By the time I looked back in amazement, all I saw were a bunch of red feathers flying around all over the freeway! I had to call my husband and my mom to report what I saw as I'm pretty sure that's not a regular occurrence! It was the most random thing that I could have ever imagined coming out of a work truck. I don't think the 2 passengers in the cab even realized that the chicken was gone. They got off on Indian School on the I-17 and I don't think they were the wiser. I went that way several hours later and I saw the blackened crumpled indistinguishable carcass of the poor chicken and not a feather to be seen. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes I would never had believed that something like that would have happened! Weird huh!

Freedom!

2010-06-26T02:04:00.001-07:00

Yay, I finally got out of the house! A bunch of friends and I went to Sunsplash in Mesa. It was fun! I went on rides that I wouldn't have ever thought I could have. I went on the one like a funnel, everyone called it the toilet bowl. That was scary! And then I went on just a normal tube slide and flipped over on my stomach on the second turn and went the rest of the way on my tummy, that wasn't ideal, but not bad, I didn't hurt myself or anything. Then I went on one that you use a 4 person tube and it's just like a really big bumpy slide! That was super fun! Then we went to the wave pool. Things have really changed there since the last time, you have to wait in line for everything, including the wave pool. I thought that was a little excessive! And we went to Night Splash from 7-11pm and everyone there was a teen and the girls all had itty bitty bikinis on and belly button piercings, and the boys had saggy shorts and tattoos. I am pretty sure that most of the kids I saw, including the girls had tattoos and I'm also pretty sure that almost none of them looked 18?!?!?!?! But I think you can get it with parental permission, and I seem to remember that kids in my High School learned a couple ways around that. It just makes me happy that I'm not in HS anymore! And when we were in the wave pool there were a couple of couples making out, and not just making out, but like MAKING OUT like to the point where I was wondering if they were using protection or if there was going to be conception right there in the pool! I just realized that I might sound like I'm complaining, but I'm just observing, and I'm just so dang glad that I'm not a teenager anymore! Teens are CRAZY! And looking back, I know that there were a lot of them that were just the same as these when I was one, but I think when you're in the moment, you don't notice all this crap as much, it's just normal, that's why teens are CRAZY! And then in the parking lot after closing, there was a haze of "not tobacco" in the parking lot. Night Splash or not, there were still kids there and isn't this supposed to be a family place? I swear, I'm not complaining, I had a super fun time and I'm glad I went with a group of adults or I would have had a miserable time thinking all of this with kids around. I am what they call a "people watcher" I just observe and I just thought I would like to report it here what I observed. I don't want to end on a bad note, so I'll tell you after we left the park we went to Sonic and we had so much fun just talking, as we did on all the long lines at the park waiting for slides. I had so much fun! We had a server there, Kevin, that would come out and be our "waiter" of sorts and then he would go in and take our orders over the intercom. It was kind of funny. He was a really nice guy. There were other people there, but it was late and almost closing time, so not many. That was a really fun night and a lot of fun being able to go out and not have to worry about my babies! Although I found out later, my baby was crying most of the time I was gone for me, but it was relaxing at the time because I didn't know that until later!

Hello? ...Is anyone out there?

2010-06-22T18:10:00.001-07:00

... anyone that's more then 4 feet tall? I just realized why I have so many mood swings and weird feelings. I realized that I have almost no adult interaction at all during the week. We are down to one car at the moment while my dad tries to find me a nice minivan for not too much money (he owns a used car dealership). So I don't get out at all during the day, so no playgroups, no going over to friends houses, or dropping the boys off for play dates, or even just going to Taco Bell during the day to get out of the house. Then Matt is gone until late Mondays - Thursdays at school so I don't even get some husband adult interaction that much, because he's tired once he gets home and goes to bed soon after getting home! I talk to my mom on the phone almost everyday, but other then that I'm not a big phone talker, although at this point I might talk to a wrong number for a few hours if they let me! I get in some emails and Facebook, but that's not like really talking, it's just not the same. Matt understands my needs and we do go on more dates on the weekends, but there's not much new information being exchanged as we talk to each other at least a little each day, and it's not that relaxing having to worry about getting back to the babysitter soon enough and trying not to spend much if any money. Then on Sunday's at church, I spend the first hour wrangling my boys and feeding my baby girl. Then I teach in Primary of all things, so I do get some spiritual uplifting, but it's lessons about being kind to your siblings and obeying your parents, not really the spiritual uplifting that I need being willingly locked up at home all week. Then the last hour I have to feed my baby girl again. Then it's back to the house that I have memorized from top to bottom! To be fair, once a week I have to go shopping without the kids, but really, it's not relaxing as I have to keep on a budget and I'm keeping a running tally the whole time! And with Matt coming home so late, I can't go to Relief Society activities, because I don't have a babysitter, and I don't have a car. My friends have offered to help, but really there's not much anyone can do, as not many of my friends have 4 extra seats in their cars! I'm not complaining, but it is taking a minor toll on my sanity! I don't get a chance to unwind, before I have to go again! I feel like I'm at a job I love, but I never get to clock out! EVER! Isn't it against the law not to get breaks?

Appreciation for the Past

2010-06-22T01:26:00.000-07:00

I was doing some sewing and I was reminded of how the women used to have to sew and on top of that, they HAD to sew that way because they didn't really have a Target around the corner. The first thought I had was the poor women that had to use their feet and rock with every loving stitch, and then I thought back further to the women that didn't even have a machine however primitive, that had to stitch every stitch by hand. I am strange as far as I like to stitch by hand, it makes me feel like things are more secure and that I really put myself into it, however, that's just a little part of the things that I make or just a mend or fix job, I don't think that I would choose to stitch a dress or even a busy project by hand. But I am also thankful that I have the ability to sew. If all else fails, I would be able to fix and even make clothing for my family even if by hand.

It took 25 years, 3 kids and 6 1/2 years of marriage to a wonderful man to make me come to maturity and appreciate the things that I have. I sometimes wish I could go back in time and tell my newly married self what to do, but then I can't think of one thing that I would change, no matter what horrible mistakes I have made and there have been billions, during those first years of marriage, they have all lead to my husband and I growing to intertwine like 2 vines together and become one. All of the things I have done, mistake or not, is what has made me, me and without those stupid blunders I wouldn't be exactly who I am today and I love myself, and I love the potential of the women that I know I will become, even though I don't know who that will be, I know I will love her too!

I am seeing women in a whole new light and sort of studying the way things used to be done, because I'm finding that combining modern technology with the knowledge of ages I'm finding convenience and happiness for my family. I'm not saying that I'm good at it, or that it's super easy, but it's good for my spirit and soul and I feel like it connects me to my ancestors! I feel like a strong smart woman instead of always feeling like I'm playing house. I feel like I'm providing for my family in my own way instead of treading water and struggling to keep myself out of insanity and my family fending for themselves because of my shortcomings. I feel like I'm finally standing on the pedestal my husband puts me on, instead of reaching and heaving myself to keep my fingers firmly attached to the bottom of it! I'm not tooting my own horn, or saying that I'm at all perfect or even close, but I do feel like I finally deserve to be called MOM! I hope I pay proper homage to my predecessors, and I hope they are looking down on me with a smile and a twinkle in their eyes, maybe saying, "That's my girl!"

Garden Gnomes

2010-06-09T12:20:00.001-07:00

I just checked our little garden...which is 2 tomato plants on the side of our house and 2 squash mounds with several plants in the smack dab middle of our yard. We are such "good" gardeners that even our weeds are dying! I think out of everything we MIGHT get 2 small tomatoes. yay. (anticlimactic) We'll do better on our next attempt. We didn't use fertilizer and we might not have watered enough. Next time we'll try for at least 3 tomatoes!!!

Announcement and Collage

2010-06-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

I know it's kind of small on this, but here's Lydia's birth annoucement and the second one is just a collage that I made to use as our desktop on our computer and I'll probably print it and put it our our wall somewhere! If you want to see it bigger, just email me and I'll email it to you! I'm sure I'll be doing more of these, so I'll post more as I make them, any of which, I can email to you if you want to see them better! Enjoy!

Photo Shoot!

2010-06-01T19:06:00.001-07:00

When Lydia was about a week and a half old, a friend of mine, Holly Warriner, came over and did a photo shoot with our little princess (and we were there too). Here are most of the photos from that shoot. I would have added them all, but some of them are similar so I didn't want to overload the blog, and these are my favorites! Enjoy!

On the Wings of Love...

2010-05-12T19:57:00.000-07:00

I can't go shopping for a couple more weeks so Matt went. I ran out of pads and I told him Always pads, I needed colors green and yellow. I don't know who thought of this, but pads are the same color whether they have wings or not. I don't know which executive thought up that, but they were not a woman, and/or married!!! So he brought them home and asked if they were the right ones and I said yes, as they were the right colors. Then when I looked closer I noticed they weren't the ones with wings, I forgot to ask for that, and since I can't go shopping and I didn't want to make him go back and get the different ones and I only had 3 left, so I couldn't wait until next week. I haven't told Matt, hopefully he doesn't read this... I don't know why they make them without wings, they don't even almost work the same (or frankly at all!). And so I have 88 pads that are almost useless and I have to use them, I don't want to hurt Matt's feelings, he does so well getting me what I ask for, I just have to make sure that I am more specific and add all the details to any product I need, but that's normal for men, so I am just so appreciative that he's so willing to help! I love my man!

P.S. - Does anyone use "Always" yellow or green pads minus the wings? If you do, buy a package of around 40 of the ones with wings and we can switch pad for pad!

OK, so Lydia slept for a while!

2010-05-12T13:10:00.000-07:00

Lydia took a pretty long nap so I just edited just a few of the pics from the hospital. I'll post the ones that will look more pro when I get them! Enjoy!

Here's the best Dr. in the world! Dr. McKernan and our first look at Lydia!

Dr. Dad, just before we go into the O.R.!

The best of the pics of our new family. This is as good as it gets!

She kind of looked like she was smiling, but it was just before a cry!

Daddy, Wade and Lydia

She's so cute!

Kind of another smile?

Wade and Lydia, he loves his new sister!
Sebastian and Lydia, he really loves his new sister!

Picture Update

2010-05-12T12:42:00.000-07:00

I am just too tired to post the pictures that I have. I have them uploaded, but I need to edit them a little bit first and I'm just too tired with a new baby and 2 boys that need my attention (See previous post). I plan on doing it soon, but we'll just have to see when Lydia sleeps better, or at least eats better at night. She doesn't eat well at night and I have to do all the work which wakes me up completely each time she's hungry. Anyway, on Monday, Holly, a friend of mine came over and took pro pics of the baby and a few of the family, I don't know if those ones turned out? So in a few weeks I will post the pics that I get from her. I'm so very excited! The pics she took are so cute, hopefully they turn out, Lydia was really wiggly! I know that they will be beautiful no matter what, Holly is a great photographer!

The Biggest Brother and the Medium one.

2010-05-12T12:29:00.000-07:00

This morning Lydia was still sleeping and I had the monitor on. I went to feed the boys breakfast and I had just sat down with my own bowl of cereal when I started to hear Lydia stir. I knew that if I went just then that I wouldn't get to eat breakfast as Lydia is so famished when she first wakes up that I would be feeding her for the next half hour and breakfast would go by the wayside. Knowing that Matt really likes it if I eat all the important meals of the day I start to scarf down my cereal. Lydia starts to cry but I am just trying to eat as fast as I can so that I will have enough energy to feed her. While my attentions were on the cereal, I start to hear a little voice on the monitor. It's Sebastian, he has gone into my room and is singing "I am a Child of God" to Lydia and talking to her. After I'm done eating I turn off the monitor and go in to feed Lydia. I come in and she's calmed down, but Sebastian is gone. I get set up to feed her and Sebastian comes back in with a singing book with primary songs on it and pushes the "I am a Child of God" button and sings it again. He loves her so much and takes care of her whenever he things she needs it. Sometimes this is kissing her all over when she's sleeping, but mostly he just likes to look at her. We'll just have to see how long that lasts...

As for Wade, he loves her, but he's still recovering from staying away from mommy for so long while I was in the hospital. He has a problem whenever he thinks that someone is going to take him away, or even when I go away into my room to take a shower, or just to get the baby. Wade loves the baby, but he's just having an attention deficit problem. I know that especially now, the boys need my attention so that they don't blame Lydia, but it's hard to split my complete attention in 3 directions, but it's getting better!

Baby Blogger

2010-05-04T10:44:00.000-07:00

So I'm still a little too tired to upload the pics off of the camera, but I'll make Matt do it and I'll get them up soon. I'm doing well as long as the medication holds up. Lydia is doing so awesome. She's so wonderful. She eats well, maybe too well some times, she seems to fill up too much and then spits the rest up. She is sleeping almost all the time, but I know that won't last too long, so I'm loving it while it's happening. The boys love having their little sister home, although it's only been 1 day. They both woke up this morning asking about her and where she was so they could look at her. They just love everything about her. By the time I got home yesterday from the hospital in the afternoon my meds had worn off and I didn't get my prescription filled for a couple hours so I was having a huge freak out thinking, "What have I done? I'm not ready for 3 kids!" But once my hormones balanced and the meds came home and the boys and Matt came home and I saw how it was going to be and realized that the pain and inability to move was going to go away and that the thought of taking care of the boys was a lot scarier then actually having to do it, and knowing that I have friends and family that are more then willing to help and it's okay to ask for help as long as I don't abuse it, and that I have the most wonderful husband in the world that is willing to do anything for me, I calmed down and realized that I can do this and I love my family and I love being able to relax and enjoy my family without the usual everyday distractions. I really love having all my kids and my family feels, at least temporarily, complete, although, through the minor pain, I don't want to even think of child birth for at least another year. I just feel warm and happy and whole!

Lydia Alice Wilcken

2010-05-01T11:35:00.000-07:00

Here we are with our new baby. Lydia Alice Wilcken. These were all taken yesterday. Sebastian and Wade haven't gotten to visit her yet but they should be able to later today. We will get pictures of the whole family.

She was born at 11:50 am on 04/30/10 she weighed 8lb 3oz and is 20 in. Baby and Mommy are both doing great.

Cliche

2010-04-25T15:58:00.000-07:00

So today is the last day that I get to go to church for about a month because Lydia will be born on Friday. Sebastian has been a little sick the last couple days, but not in the normal, cold/flu sense, just he woke up Friday and coughed and said he needed to throw up. He did go into the bathroom and gag a little. Then he was fine. Then yesterday after going to Grandma's house to be babysat while Matt and I went on our last date for a couple weeks-a couple months, when we went to pick him up he claimed to be sick and we found out he had eaten a weeks supply (or months if you count at our house we have very little) of candy/pop/junk food of other origin. Then at the end of Sacrament today Sebastian complained that he was going to "spit up" which is what he calls throwing up. Matt was torn as I had to teach a class, but luckily I only had one child there today so the class below me took her and we were able to go home with Sebastian early. I wasn't too happy, because it was my last time and I was going to slip out after my class was over and go to RS for once. Matt and I were a little suspicious because, although he said that he was sad that he was sick because he wanted to go to class, Sebastian seemed to be a little too chipper once we decided to go home. So here we are on the way home and Sebastian is playing with Matt's coat that he keeps in the car because his work is always freezing. Sebastian pulls off the little bead that cinches the bottom of the coat. Matt is watching unconcerned while driving when all of a sudden Sebastian starts crying and shoves his finger up his nose half way to his brain. Matt realizes that he has shoved the bead up his nose and then lodged it somewhere in his nasal cavity trying to get it out. We listen to Sebastian screaming and crying and Matt yelling at him to get his finger out of his nose and to keep blowing for the last 3-4 minutes on the way home. We get home and Matt gets the tweezers and a flashlight, but the bead is too far gone and Matt can't even see it, so Matt and Sebastian are off to Urgent Care. They are there right now, and Wade is here with me taking his nap. I had heard that the Urgent Care's biggest problem that they get is children sticking stuff up their noses, but I just figured that it wouldn't happen to us. I don't know why, I guess as an adult I just can't see where I would be playing with something little and think... "I wonder if this will fit in my nose?" or "Where can I put this that will be so off the wall that will baffle my parents as to my reasoning?" I just don't get it, although there have been so many things that Sebastian does that make me go "Wait, what?" that I don't know why I even get surprised anymore. That child has a mind of his own. The only thing that makes me worried is that mind of his own is so much like mine that it's scary sometimes, and on top of that he still surprises me! I think I have to get to the bottom of my eccentricities to be able to help him with his that he inherited. So, it's official, we have made a trip to the Dr. to get something pulled out of a child's nose! Does that abnormality make us normal?

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UPDATE:

When the boys came back from Urgent Care Sebastian's nose was "beadless". So here's the story as I was told. Matt and Sebastian waited and saw the Dr. at the Urgent Care Office. The Dr. saw Sebastian and couldn't see anything and Matt didn't want to have her manually look any further so they gave him a referral to a ear nose and throat specialist to have a CT Scan on Monday to see where the bead was so that they could better figure out how to get it out. So they leave "UC" (Urgent Care) with the referral and are on the way home when Sebastian "snots it out" as he likes to tell the story. And from what I hear, it came out, Sebastian told Matt and showed him the bead and mentioned that it has a booger on it! Then promptly drops it in the car. Matt can't find it, but it's in the car and not in my baby's nose, so I'm happy with that! I didn't realize how it stressed me out. When Sebastian came back and he was fine I guess all my feelings kind of fell out. I realized that I was really worried that Sebastian would be okay, and I just cried! Not waterworks, just a little cloudburst, but it made me feel better. Sebastian is fine and I have tested him asking if he wants to put this or that up his nose and he looks at me in disgust, I think he's got the lesson.

Only about 167 hours left!

2010-04-23T12:56:00.000-07:00

I have one week minus one hour before Lydia is here! We go in next Friday and have the baby at around 11:45-ish. I'm so very very excited! I keep having dreams about having babies, but in my dreams they are mine, but they aren't, like last night I had a dream that I had a little baby girl but when I woke up and remembered my dream, I had no "love connection" with her and I realized that the baby in my dream was a baby girl I saw at the Dr.'s office earlier this week. I'm so curious to see what she looks like. I'm not really doubting that she'll be cute, our boys were and are. I just wonder who she'll look like more. I hope she has red hair and I've prayed for that only once, quickly, because I know that's really not important at all, I did want to make it aware to Heavenly Father...I know, that's weird, but if he's willing to take requests, I'll make sure to at least mention it on my list. One more week! Last 7 days! Wish me luck!

More Pics...Finally!

2010-04-21T12:41:00.000-07:00

I just found some more pics on my phone. Here's some cute ones of Wade and Easter at Grandma Wilcken's House!

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Sebastian found our 3-D glasses and Wade was playing with them, he's just so cute!

Here's Wade and his basket!

Sebastian picking up an egg!

I told Sebastian to show me his eggs and his basket, he got a little ham and cheesy! P.S.- That belt is new and doesn't ever stay closed. So it obviously does it's job!

Daddy had to help Wade at first, he didn't know what he was supposed to be doing!

Sebastian found an egg!

Wade found an egg!

Wade didn't want to pose when I told him to, but he's cute when he doesn't know that I'm taking pics!

Pics... Finally!

2010-04-21T10:55:00.000-07:00

I have been getting several requests for pics. I finally uploaded them all from our Camera. I just printed all the pics that will make us up to date and there are around 145 so I'm obviously not going to post them all. Here's just a few of the more recent pics. We also just ordered a video camera, so look forward to seeing a couple vids of our new little one...that will be here in 9 days!!!... as well as maybe a vid or 2 of our boys! Here's us!

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This was taken just a few weeks ago, my sister needed family pics for a project that needed to be done before Lydia came, we'll be taking new pics as soon as she's here!

Here's our cute boys! I wish they were always so cute and huggable!

Little Wade loves to read, this is "Go, Dog. Go"

Sebastian won't give up the toy even to sleep...which if you want to know, is actually Wade's!

We went to the Phoenix Youth Museum and Sebastian and Daddy made this train out of wood planks!

Matt's co-workers threw him a surprise baby shower! That was about 3 weeks ago, we still have all but 1 of those balloons!

Wade likes to watch TV like this whenever this rocking chair footstool is out. I have a bunch of pics of him in similar positions. It's just too cute!

When he sees me take a pic he always looks at me, but only for a second, then it's right back to watching TV!

Santa brought Papa a PowerWheels Jeep. Papa lets the boys take it out for a spin when they come over!

Sebastian thinks that Santa got the wrong house!

Countdown, cont.

2010-04-16T10:07:00.000-07:00

2 weeks today! I'm so excited to be getting so close, but I'm really winding down. I'm getting so tired and no matter how long I sleep, it's never good enough sleep to matter. It also doesn't help that the boys have been acting out because I'm too tired and have a really hard time getting around to play with them, so I have to wander around the house cleaning up messes and listening to, "Mom, Wade __(insert disaster here)___!" And with Sebastian "the informant" telling on Wade constantly, which we have recently discovered is just a lie for, "I just __(insert disaster here)___!" It's no telling what I'm going to find when I get back from one of my many excursions to the bathroom! And Sebastian's started realizing that we know his little rouse, so he will introduce a bad behavior to Wade by doing it a few times and then when Wade joins in he tells on him. Luckily, I have seen it happen too many times to be fooled by that one.

But I'm not complaining, I just need to be more attentive and watch them better, Sebastian just wants my attention. I love my little boys! I'm so excited, and a little nervous about adding a little girl as number 3! But I'm always nervous until I see their little faces and then it seems like everything that I've been worried about melts away and it's all OK! I love babies!

Countdown...

2010-04-09T09:39:00.000-07:00

3 weeks left today!!! but who's counting... right? Lydia is coming April 30th. I went to the Dr. yesterday and he said that Wade was born this week in his pregnancy, so we will definatly have a bigger baby this time. Although it would be nice to have the baby this week or even next week, I'm glad that we won't have to have all of the stress and worry of a premie baby! He also said that I'm not dialated at all, which is good considering I'm going in for a C-Section and I still have 3 weeks. I wonder if I'll dialate even closer to my due date, I never really dialated that much with Sebastian and he was only 2 days early. We'll see, I'll keep you posted!

I got me a good one!

2010-04-07T23:30:00.000-07:00

I have about 4 weeks left on my pregnancy and I'm not going to lie, it's getting pretty hard. But I realized a couple nights ago that I needed to cut my toe nails and I have just recently gotten to the point where sitting is difficult, let alone reaching my toes. I asked Matt to do it and he is the best in the whole world, he just agreed and did it. In fact, not only did he cut them, but he filed them. He's the best!

Uh...Wait, What?

2010-04-01T13:38:00.000-07:00

I just caught myself, as I have several times, explaining things to myself, in my head. It's like I have to explain what I was thinking... in my own thoughts, like I was talking to myself and I was not with myself already. Maybe I have a few people running around in my head and they all have to make sure they're on the same page. I was making bread, and when I get done, as always I have to clean up the flour, which always makes a bit of a mess. When I was done putting the ingredients away I went to the clean the stove top which is where the flour mess occurs and I noticed the clean spot circle where the flour can was when I was using the flour, but there was also a smaller rectangle clean spot and it took me a second to realize that it was where the recipe book was, when I realized what that was, I then explained to myself that I was confused and wasn't sure what that clean spot was. I then caught myself explaining my thought process, like I was talking to someone else. So there you have it, that's the story for anyone that was wondering if I was alone in my head, I apparently have some friends.

Infomercials!?!?!

2010-03-29T01:10:00.000-07:00

I'm not going to lie, I watch informercials, and several times for products that I really want, just to check it out...ie. I really want a Ninja Blender and I have seen that infomercial several times. I could probably quote it. But I am watching an infomercial right now... because I don't want to get up and change the channel or turn off the TV... that I don't really need...or should I say want, because I really don't NEED anything that is advertised on TV. So I'm paying more attention to the fact that ALL infomercials are so scripted and dumb! Really, does anyone really fall for the idiotic spokeswomen asking so many questions, and then being so completely, deliriously surprised and flabbergasted when the product that she was paid to help sell actually does what they say they are going to do! (Which incidentally, several of the claims they make in the infomerical I find are "TV magic") All of the things that are advertised on TV, especially after midnight, aren't the miracle machines that they claim they are! I'm not knocking the actual products so to speak, I don't own all, or even very many of them, so I don't have enough experience to make a real claim, or accusation, but I have enough to make an assumption or at least an opinion. However, I'm talking about the actual infomercial and the fake acting which takes place! I especially love when they do "challenges". Is anyone really surprised when the product they are selling wins? I expecially love that average housewife in each of the in between commercials that is frustrated, sweating, covered in attachments, or throwing everything into the sink that is obviously not using the (competing product) correctly, and then when the sun comes out and there's a flash and how her life just got 300% better because she bought said product! I just wish that they could make an infomercial that would just tell the truth. You don't have to change much, just the fake reactions and surprised gasps from a recorded audio audience! Here's the gest of EVERY infomercial... If you don't want to read it, just scroll to the bottom.

Paid Spokesman (PS):Let's see whether the (product) will hold up in a "challenge". We have the (competing product) and you're going to use that to (clean, cook, blend, ...etc) and I'm going to use the (product) and we're going to try to (clean, cook, blend, ...etc) and see which product does the job better.
Idiotic Spokeswoman (IS): ok, that little (product) is going to do all the stuff that this big bulky (competing product) is going to do, I don't think so. I think I'm going to win this challenge hands down!
PS: (Calmly and Sarcastically) Let's go. ok, I'm using the (product) to (clean, cook, blend...etc) this (something hard to clean, cook, blend...etc) and the (product) is going through it so easily, how are you doing (ditsy name of IS)?
IS: (Frantically) you're already almost done with that, I'm still (something that the competing product needs to have done to work properly that the product no longer has to do). It's just (spreading it around, heating up, making a mess, ... etc) Ew, look at that mess! Wait for me, I'm still working on the (first challenge) and the (product) is already moving on to the (next challenge)! That's not fair, (dorky name of PS)!
PS: You better catch up (ditsy name of IS) I'm already moving on to the (third challenge). And with that, I'm done, where are you (ditsy name of IS)?
IS: You're already done, (dorky name of PS)? Wow, that was amazing, I'm just started and you're already done, I had no idea (lie) that the (product) that is that small and compact and easy to use could make such easy work of that (names some of the challenges). How could anyone live without this amazing machine? What do you say about that audience?
Audience: Wow, (recorded audible gasps of awe!)

There! Someone should pay me for everytime a similar script is used in an infomercial, I just put every other infomercial writer out of business!

My Cricut

2010-03-29T00:57:00.000-07:00

I had a nap today and therefore I can't sleep now! I'm watching a commercial for the Cricut Expression, which I already own. (Am I the only one that watches infomercials of things that I already have to get ideas on how to use them?) Anyway, I'm watching all the things that my machine can do, that I haven't even tried yet. Every time I try something new, despite usually being intimidated or just plain scared to try something new, I'm amazed at how easy it is to use it. I remember when I got the machine that at first when you don't know all the tricks to using it that you maybe regret buying it just a little because it doesn't seem to do all the things that the infomercial claim, or at least not as well. For instance, the cricut mat that came with my machine was not normal and being that I had never had one prior, I didn't know, so I had some problems, and was worried that all the mats were the same and I was having buyers remorse. But now, I love my Cricut! I try to find reasons to use it all the time. I'm so excited about Lydia coming so soon, and so I've been scrapbooking her ultrasounds. I love that I can title my pages. When I got all the scrapbooking stuff out, I came across Wade and Sebastian's scrapbooks. And I look at all the pages that I did on them. I realize that I had to cut out every letter and every shape and picture by hand and I don't exactly remember how long it took, but I remember taking days to finish one page. I finished I think 5 pages for Lydia in 2 days and that was only because I had to come up with ideas and I only workd on them for a few hours a day. Once I got the ideas for the page it took little to no time to assemble, and it took more time to stick the letters down then anything else and it didn't take long at all! I love my Cricut and if anyone wants to try it out if you're thinking of buying one and want to check it out, or if you're working on a project, call me! I'll be glad to give you more info or let you come on over and use the machine to finish your project. I love my Cricut!

It's Official!

2010-03-15T16:18:00.000-07:00

We have an official date and time for the birth of Lydia Alice. Friday, April 30th at 11:00am. We have to be at the hospital at 9am and then the C-Section is to be done around 11am. We're having her at the Arrowhead hospital on 67th Ave and Union Hills. So we have 6 weeks as of Friday and she'll be here! I'm so excited to have a final date, we were having to waffle on when she was going to be born depending on when the Dr. said that the C-Section could be done. Now we can finally count down. It was getting frustrating, thinking it was 8 weeks and Matt would remind me it was actually 9 weeks, because we were both going on different dates...mine being a little closer of course, but I don't mind waiting another week if it makes sure that we don't have to worry about another Premie. Wade is finally into the normal range, but it was very hard waiting and seeing other kids that were the same age that were bigger then Wade. I don't want to have that kind of worry with Lydia, so we are just wanting to make sure.

No more Crazy!

2010-03-15T16:14:00.000-07:00

Luckily, the mood swings are over... for now! A few months ago I had a hormonal depression for a few weeks and it was really taking a toll on me, my body and my family. I'm just glad that it only took a day or two to get over it. Matt was especially happy, every time he would talk to me in the last couple days, I would start crying and run into my room! He was getting a little tired of it! Just an update on the "crazys", they are gone, and frankly good riddance!

My Attempt at the Bright Side Today!

2010-03-12T12:06:00.001-08:00

~My Sebastian's Smile and Hugs and Kisses
~My Wade's crinkly nose when he's trying to be cute (and succeeding whole heartedly!)
~My Matty coming up behind me when I'm cooking dinner and kissing me, even when its Mac and Cheese.
~My OB/GYN telling me yesterday that I lost 8 pounds in 2 weeks without even trying!
~My Lydia kicking and making my whole body move when she does.
~My Sebastian saying something I didn't even know he knew what meant in a completely correct sentence in correct context to the situation and then asking me what he just said.
~My Wade talking as seriously as if we were in a business meeting and only taking gibberish!
~Watching Lost and getting lost in un-reality.
~My Matty taking me on a date without me having to ask.
~Those few days when Sebastian doesn't come to me with all the pieces of something and telling me he accidentally disassembled the insert any complex appliance or toy here into it's basic units when he accidentally wasn't paying attention and walked into it and it accidentally fell and now every part is disassembled from every other part of it and "can you fix it?" (those are good days and yes, that is looking on the bright side!)
~When my babies say please, thank you, or just plain ask nicely without having to be reminded! ~And it's doubly good when please and thank yous are said to me!
~When my boys laugh and it's not at the other's expense, but because they're laughing together!
When my Matty changes a diaper without being asked and shortly after the offensive odor is detected. (that happens often enough to make me happy!)
~When my house is clean and I can sit, knowing I have nothing to do! (That doesn't happen that often unless I have my family's help!)
~Not having to make dinner
~Not having any responsibility, just having the freedom to just have fun without worrying about anything! (that's more of a dream, although I get pretty close in the hospital after having a baby)
~(another dream) Someday having every thing in my house in the place because everything has a place. The kids are grown enough to keep things cleanish and everything else is taken care of with chores, so my job is not minimal, but it's not "everything". (I'm not looking for "Solla Sollew", I know there will be different problems, but I just want to get there in my life. Where the house is in somewhat order and all decorated and our family has fallen into a somewhat routine.
~Going out to eat, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, I'm not picky!
~A Doggy bag full of yummy leftovers
~Taco Bell, Whataburger, KFC, Macayos, Islands, IHOP, Red Robin, Sonic...
~Going to the movies
~Playing Video Games (not when you're addicted, that's not much fun for some reason, just when you do it once in a while, like once a month-ish, it's a lot of fun)
~Sleeping when you're tired.
~Accomplishing something that you weren't really sure whether you can do or not.
~When someone in my family says "I love you" to me (or anyone else in my family for that matter) and you can really tell that they mean it!
~My kids truly happy.
~My husband truly happy! Doubly so when he's happy with me!
~The Temple and realizing it's blessings in my life.
~The Gospel in general
~My Family in general
~My Friends
~Feeling Happy and the warmth of Love!

One of THOSE days!

2010-03-12T11:16:00.000-08:00

WARNING: This post is for me to verbally vomit and get my feelings out because I don't feel like I can tell anyone, or at least I don't want to because I don't want feedback or to feel like I need someone to tell me it's going to be ok, or give me a gospel lesson, I just want to "vent" so that I can get the feelings out of my body onto a page and out of my life and I can go back to my normally happy mood. It may tend to be depressing and probably repetative, but this post is more like a personal journal entry. I just want you to be warned, this is not even almost a typical feeling in my life!

Today is just one of those days where I have to force myself to look at the good things in my life in order to stay afloat! I really love having mood swings, NOT! And the worst part is nothing out of the ordinary, as far as the boys didn't destroy anything, there's nothing irreversibly messy, and all in all, everyone else in my family is in pretty good spirits considering "when mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." Lately I have been irreversibly happy, nothing could damper my mood and the love and happiness that I felt. And although the circumstances haven't changed, my mood has. I'm sure it had nothing to do with all the stress and frustration of yesterday, having to go to my OB/GYN and waiting there for 2 hours before even getting in to see the Dr. and therefore having to postpone the boys' Dentist appt. and having a nice nurse make it so that we could come in an hour later to the dentist and then dealing with being gone all day and just being so completely exhausted because of stress of being late and just generally, being gone all day. I just haven't recovered from yesterday I guess. I feel like no matter what I do no one appriciates or respects me...and yeah, I know, welcome to motherhood. I know that I shouldn't expect it because I'm not doing nearly as much as I should, on account of I'm pregnant, but I think I'm doing ok considering. I know I'm slowing down and I can barely bend over to get dinner out of the stove on days when I'm feeling festive and make dinner in the stove. And don't even start on the fun of getting things out of the dryer! I will give credit where it's due, Matt does help when I need it. And I don't want to diminish the appriciation that I have for that by saying that I just wish when I asked that I didn't feel like I was asking him to give me his limb. (He doesn't say anything, but his hesitation and facial expression is enough). And the worst part is I feel frustrated that I FEEL THIS WAY! Matt does so much for me I have to look at that, even if it's not willingly, it gets done and I really appriciate that. I feel like although my boys and husband always love me they don't always like me, and sometimes understandably so. Today I just want to retreat into my bedroom and spend all day there doing nothing. Just relaxing and watching mind numbing TV so that I can forget that I have a life. The only thing stopping me is that I love my boys and my Matty! That's the only thing keeping me from screaming and going insane. I have a really interesting internal struggle between my real feelings and these fictional thoughts that are depressing me. That's the reason for the post, I just need to type them out of my body! I think if I can put words to my feelings and bring them out of my brain and maybe confront them, they will be unearthed and go away, plus the crying the whole time of writing this doesn't hurt! At a time where I just think that a day or two of mindless pampering is in order my whole family gets sick and as always I don't. Matt and the boys get sick at least 4 times as much as I do and with my immune system, even when I'm sick it's not for long. I know that sounds selfish and stupid that I would be complaining that I don't get sick very often, but when you feel like you spend your whole life taking care of sick little boys (Matt included) you just want your day when you can be pampered, even if you're sick, it's worth something. Again, I have to look at the fact that more recently in my pregancy Matt has allowed me to sleep in on Saturdays, but I just wish that it didn't come with the guilt. Maybe the feeling of wishing to be pampered is better then the guilt I feel when I am? Guilt, frustration, stress, plus pregnancy pains, hormones, and mood swings, throw in some sick kids and a sick husband and no car in which to get out of the house and just get away once in a while and it leads to a super-mini breakdown. I've had real breakdowns before and this is not even on the same radar, but it's just enough to make me feel "emotionally heavy". Writing this has lifted that feeling quite a bit, but no one is going to want to read all about this funk that I'm in this much, so I'll go put the boys to bed, eat some peanut butter baking chips and just retreat into my head and try to forget this bleck that is myself for today. Hopefully by tomorrow (or better yet, tonight) all will be over and the spell will be broken. Cross your fingers!

3 Month Food Storage- Step by Step Ideas

2010-03-10T11:05:00.000-08:00

My sister made a suggestion that she was going to do her year supply, but I think that the 3 month supply is more manageable for our family and then we'll build to a 6 month supply and so forth. She takes one recipe that is common for their family, like a loaf of bread or Spaghetti and Meatballs and figures out what ingredients she would need for one year (or in my case 3 months) of that recipe based on how many times she would be using it during that time. If that doesn't make sense, for 3 months I figure that we would make Spaghetti and Meatballs 15 times. I need 10 meatballs per dinner, (I make them homemade, so I would need enough ingredients to make 150 meatballs) and 15 cans of Hunts Spaghetti Sauce and 15 boxes of Pasta and the pasta boiling water (which I don't put on the list because I figure if we're not going shopping for 3 months, we should have enough money to keep the water running) and enough Parmesean cheese for seasoning. Get it? So I went through my most frequently made recipes and found the ones that I can use that don't use any perishables (or at least ones that I can reproduce, like with dry milk or powdered eggs) and made sure that I had enough stuff (on my list, it will take a while to pantry those items) for those recipes. Then if we need to live off of our 3 month supply they will be recipes that we make all the time and I know that we like so that our babies may not even realize the difference. So I make a list, like we would have Spaghetti 15 times and then there's somethings like Biscuits and Gravy that we can easily make but we don't want to have that often that we only have 3 times, meaning about once a month. So I made a list of things for breakfast, one for lunch and one for dinner, making sure that for 3 months all the recipes and duplicate recipes add up to 92 which is about how many days are in 3 months. For instance...

Dinner
Recipe 1 - 15 times
Recipe 2 - 12 times
Recipe 3 - 12 times
Recipe 4 - 9 times
Recipe 5 - 9 times
Recipe 6 - 9 times
Recipe 6 - 9 times
Recipe 7 - 9 times
Recipe 8 - 6 times
Recipe 9 - 3 times
Recipe 10 - 3 times
10 Recipes - 96 meals

All the Recipes equal 96 so I know that I have at least 3 months of ingredients for recipes for dinner. Then I did the same for lunch and breakfast. Then I make another list of each recipe "doubled" to the number of times that we are going to eat it in 3 months, not forgetting the normal cooking supplies that everyone takes for granted, like butter, salt, pepper, cooking spray and olive oil... Then when I go shopping I have what I call "the second list" which is a list of things that aren't important that week, but it's something that if I have a light list that week then I get things off "the second list". Right now I'm working on replenishing my families' 72 hours kit and as soon as that "second list" is finished the food storage 3 month supply list will become my "second list". Starting by buying things that really don't go on sale and then for things that go on sale often, just waiting to get them on sale, preferably with coupons. And then in a few months I will have a 3 month supply! Yay me for following the prophet! I just wanted to share this idea because when I've tried before to get a 3 month supply I become overwhelmed and either give up or just plain fail in the process. I thought that maybe by sharing this as my sister did with me that it might help others to do it bit by bit and get a plan for success!

When I'm An Old Lady

2010-03-04T08:18:00.000-08:00

I saw this poem and it made me smile!

When I'm an old lady, I'll live with my son,
and make his life happy and filled with such fun,
I want to pay back all the joy he's provided,
returning each deed. Oh, he'll be so excited
. . . when I'm an old lady and live with my son.

I'll write on the wall with red, white, and blue;
and bounce on the furniture wearing my shoes.
I'll drink from the carton and then leave it out.
I'll stuff all the toilets and oh, will he shout!
. . . when I'm an old lady and live with my son.

When he's on the phone and just out of reach,
I'll get into things like sugar and bleach.
Oh, he'll snap his fingers and then shake his head,
and when he is done I'll hide under the bed.
. . . when I'm an old lady and live with my son.

When my son's wife cooks dinner and calls me to meals,
I'll not eat my green beans or salads congealed.
I'll gag on my okra, spill milk on the table,
and when she gets angry, run fast as I'm able.
. . . when I'm an old lady and live with my son.

I'll sit close to the TV, thru the channels I'll click,
I'll cross both my eyes to see if they stick,
I'll take off my socks and throw one away,
and play in the mud until the end of the day.
. . . when I'm an old lady and live with my son.

And later, in bed, I'll lie back and sigh,
and thank God in prayer and then close my eyes;
and my son will look down with a smile slowly creeping,
and say with a groan, "She's so sweet when she's sleeping,"
. . . when I'm an old lady and live with my son.

Have you ever...?

2010-03-03T19:04:00.001-08:00

Have you ever been so tired that you find it too physically taxing to breathe? Like it just takes too much effort and energy to take in and then let out each breath? I have been feeling that way lately. It's a combo of lack of sleep and pregnancy, but it's not fun! Especially getting ready for the Stake Preparedness Weekend where we go without electricity and our car for Saturday and Sunday. I'm trying to get the house all clean and prepared and I'm not able to find the energy in which to do it! Anyone have any tips other then "Get way more sleep then you are currently getting." or "Having the baby isn't going to help with the sleep situation!". I'm exhausted all day and then when it's just about bed time I get my second (well, I'm not going to lie, first) wind and since I haven't done anything all day I feel like since I have the little energy I have now, I should get SOMETHING done today and then I end up going to bed late again! You think I would learn, go figure!

Ah, Mom!

2010-03-03T11:57:00.001-08:00

I was cleaning Wade off after a lunch of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and Sebastian was running around playing. After I was done with his hands he started to go and play with his brother and I held him back and said that he wasn't quite done yet and just a sec. I am pretty sure that he was just making some noises but he distinctly said "Ah, Mom!" like they do in "Leave it to Beaver" or "The Andy Griffith Show". Like I said, that's probably not what he meant, it was probably just some noises as he didn't really have the "Ah Mom!" face, but it just made me laugh!

Heart Walk

2010-03-03T11:41:00.000-08:00

So on Saturday we got up early and drove down to Tempe Town Lake for the Heart Walk. Matt's head almost exploded on the way because the roads were all blocked before they said they would be and so it took forever to get to the place where we were supposed to park. We got there just on time though and then had a little bit of a walk just to get to the starting line. The boys went with us and we took the double stroller not only to keep them close and not have to carry them, but I usually need it to help me balance while I'm walking. However, Sebastian is getting quite heavy and it was easier for me to walk on my own and Matt took the boys ahead as I apparently walk too slow! I really was a bit afraid of the walk, because it's a 5K, which is just barely over 3 miles and although it was walking, I'm 7 month pregnant and I thought it would be hot. Luckily it was not only overcast but a little windy and I never really broke much of a sweat. Matt made fun of me because I was horrified of getting sunburned. I wore pants and a long sleeved shirt and a hat and slathered myself in sunscreen before we got out of the car. Whenever I said anything about getting burned he would say, "There is not one inch of skin that isn't covered, you're not going to get sunburned!" It's not only a normal concern of mine because I'm slightly caucasion, but when I'm pregnant, as I hear is common with most pregnant women, I sunburn more easily. I knew I would be sore when I was done and I didn't need to be in sunburnt pain on top of that! And although it was a bit harder near the end and my shins just barely stoped reminding me that we walked on Saturday (just reminding me, not in great pain or anything) I think I did really well. Sebastian walked about half of the walk (not consecutively, in and out and in and out) and Wade was perfectly content riding in the stroller the whole time. We walked it in right around and hour and a half! I'm pretty proud of us! I think Matt and the boys could have made it in an hour, but mercifully they went slower or waited for me when they got ahead. I really felt invigorated when we were done dispite getting not very much sleep the night before. Then we came home, ate and Matt let me take a very much needed nap!!! I would do it again, although, I would hope it wouldn't be while I was pregant, cause I'm not gonna lie to you, that was a bit hard!

I love my kids!

2010-03-01T10:18:00.000-08:00

Yep, I said it, and I'll say it again. I love my kids! They make me smile when they're not making me want to pull my hair out! When Sebastian comes running in my room in the morning and lays down right next to me in my arms and just cuddles or when Wade goes running up or down the hall in his flannel pajamas holding his panda bear Rawr around the neck and bouncing with every step! Or when Sebastian calls me, "You silly little thing" because that's what I call him all the time, or when Wade yells, "MAMA!" in a very loving and "ok I'm ready" kind of tone when he wakes up from his naps. Or when Sebastian says, "Let me think about that." with a finger on his chin looking very grown up, but still having his little boy voice it just makes me laugh, or when Wade says a line of pure gibberish followed by a real word like "cars" or "mama" or "daddy" and then looks up at me like we just had a serious conversation and give me a "now it's your turn for a rebuttal" look! Or when Sebastian comes in to tell on Wade and proceeds to give me a play-by-play of the last 2 minutes and it takes him 5 minutes just to tell me every detail (wonder where he got that?) or when Wade dances for absolutely no reason around the room, or when he's eating, or really at any time during the day whether there's music or not, he will just start dancing in dead silence and not just wiggling, he gets his head and arms and bottom and legs and whole body into this thing, dancing to the music in his head (again, I wonder where he gets that!). I can't help it, as much as they drive me up a wall, I wouldn't have it any other way! I love my kids!

Yum-O

2010-02-26T08:51:00.000-08:00

Last night my honey bear husband tested out our new bread maker. That was the best bread I have tasted in such a long time! It was so very yummy! I think we'll have to make bread everyday until we get used to having it around. I don't know if we will be able to finish the store bought bread in our fridge. He just made the basic white bread recipe and just that it was so fabulous! And he said it's really easy, I'm more excited about that! It's super quiet so I can do it while the boys are napping/in quiet time and it won't wake up Wade. Too yummy!

My Wonderful Husband!

2010-02-25T17:35:00.001-08:00

I have wanted a bread maker for quite a while as part of saving money, but mostly because of preparedness. I knew that it was something that was important as well as also being a sort of big investment, and was probably a little while off yet. My idea is, if I have enough peanut butter and jelly and a bread maker and the supplies for bread to last us 3 months, then we'll be set! We're good on the peanut butter, we just needed the other stuff. So this afternoon a package arrived and it was the breadmaker that I have been wanting for a while. He is just too sweet! I called him at work and told him that it has arrived and he said that it was a selfish buy, that he expects to have fresh baked bread at least once a week. I think I can oblidge him as he is just so wonderful! I love it when he surprises me like that!

What's in a name?

2010-02-25T11:23:00.000-08:00

Sebastian is so creative it makes me laugh that all of his stuffed animals, or anything that has a name is named either what it is, or what's written on it. For instance, his kitty is named "Kitty" and his bus is named "Tonka" because he asked what the word was that was on the bus' head and when we said Tonka, he said "oh, that must be it's name." On the other hand, Wade has a bunch of stuffed animals as that is one of his favorite toys, he just loves to hold soft furry things while he's watching TV or when he takes a nap. His have different names. He does have 2-3 animals named "Dog" because that's what they are, I know that's normal for kids, but his 2 favorite are a panda and a monkey that he got for either his birthday or Christmas in 2008. For a long time he couldn't say bear, but he got really good at saying what the animals said, just not what they were. So his Panda is called "Rawr". Wade actually named him, it took us a while to figure out what Wade wanted, then once we figured it out, things have gotten a lot calmer around the house. His monkey is sometimes called "Monkey" but one time we asked Wade to get a diaper, which sometimes if he feels like it, does happen. He ran around the corner, in the direction that diapers are kept and came back triumphantly carrying his monkey. Ever since then, Matt and I on occasion will ask each other if we have seen "Diaper" anywhere because Wade wants him to sleep. Eventually "Diaper" will probably revert back to "Monkey" but Wade knows and loves "Rawr" and that isn't going to change! (Rawr is his most favorite anyway!)

Hide and Seek

2010-02-25T11:08:00.001-08:00

We just got home from our 3-D ultrasound and just like every other time that we have tried to get a good picture, she is hiding. Every time we get an ultrasound the tech says something like, "Hopefully she moves before the 3-D because you can't get a good 3-D picture when she's like that." And even though each time she's in a different position, it's not good for the 3-D ultrasound. I guess, ulike the normal ultrasound, you need a pocket of fluid to get a good 3-D picture and she always has her face pressed up against something, be it my uterus or the placenta. She just doesn't want to be seen until the unveiling in April! I think that means that she will want to have something against her face when she sleeps, I have to remember that if she has a hard time sleeping once she's out in the world.

Bored of Food! Impossible!

2010-02-17T23:00:00.000-08:00

I have about 9 weeks left on this pregnancy, and I've only gained 11 pounds and my Dr. is so proud of me. The thing is I haven't been trying to not gain weight, although I am petrified that I will gain too much as I did with my first and I did gain a little with my second. I chalk it up to, and this is the first pregancy that I have gotten the hang of it, but constantly eating just a little bit. I eat 6-7 times a day but I just eat a little bit like my Dr. says is healthy. And frankly I am so tired of food. I think that maybe that's what I've needed my whole life. I have always found joy in food and now, I am so tired of eating. I feel like "Didn't I just eat a few hours ago?!?, Do I really have to eat again, I'm not even really hungry!!!" I usually have to eat again because I'm low on energy, not because I'm hungry necessarily. I hated having to think of 3 meals everyday to fix and eat and now I have to make so many, it's just too much effort. I don't mean to complain, I am just venting my frustration. Although I can handle that extra effort for a few more weeks if it means that I lose the baby weight plus, shortly after Lydia comes! I'm waiting for that up side of not having to eat quite as often, and still losing some weight!

Just 4 Kidz

2010-02-17T22:39:00.000-08:00

I don't know if you've ever heard of this store before, "Just 4 Kidz" and I don't know if there's one closer, and I can't seem to find any more, but my family and I were bored and over by Metro Center Mall so we decided to wander around for a while. I have been looking for cheap kids clothes, not only for my boys but for Lydia. We don't have much for her, and I don't want to have to go shopping after she's born. I heard that "The Children's Place" had some good deals, so when we saw that there was "The Children's Place" at Metro Center we made our way over to it, but also wanted to check this store out and it was on the way. While I was shopping Matt took the boys over to check out "The Children's Place" and the prices were higher. I love "Just 4 Kidz". A bunch of the stuff is out of season, but it's worth it for the prices we got. All the stuff is brand new and by the looks of the tags, shipped in from other stores like "Big Lots" and "Dollar General". I found T-Shirts for Sebastian for $0.99 that go all the way up to size 14-16 in boys. I also found pajama sets for $2.00 in the bigger sizes. They also have baby stuff from blankets to booties to footies for just a few dollars. Things starting at $0.99 and there may have been, but I didn't see anything over $10.00. They had shoes for younger kids, Sebastian (Size 13) and below for as little as $2.99. And the best part is as far as I could tell, it wasn't a sale, they had that kind of stuff all the time. And it's not like Ross, where if you find something you like and it's not in the size you want it, you have to search the rest of the store, it's set up like a normal store with all the sizes on one rack. I spent $34.00 and I got about 15 items. I could have gotten more, but I didn't want to go too far over the deep end! It is way worth taking a look if you have kids or if you're getting baby gifts! There are some things that have weird characters on them, but truly, almost everything in there is main stream like you would find at any normal kids clothing store, and they even have some Disney Character clothes and accessories. I strongly suggest that you take a look if you're in the market for things like this. We will be returning at least 4 times a year to stock up!

"Have Fun Fishin' Mater!"

2010-02-14T10:30:00.001-08:00

Friday our internet was down or I would have posted it then. We have a like 19 in. TV that has a built in VCR that we keep in Sebastian's Room and he watches VHS's during quiet time (well, actually he only watches "Homeward Bound" but that's his choice, we have lots of others). So Friday he says that it's not working because Wade stuck cars in the hole. I roll my eyes and go to fix it. I get about 6 cars out by hand and tell him that it should work just fine now. Then I go to do something else and he comes back in in a couple minutes and says it still doesn't work. I look and don't see anything else wrong with it, so I put in the movie and it won't go down into the player. It goes down in the front but it won't in the back. So I look for a couple more minutes and realize there's another car jammed way in the back, it's grey and black and it blends in and that's why I didn't see it before! It's just out of reach with my fingers and it's wedged just enough so that I can't tip it out of the VCR. I get a butter knife and several times I can get it just within reach of my fingers and then it falls into another little hole or crevace in the VCR. I ask Sebastian to get me some tongs and explain what they are, I know he has seen me use them before. He says after a while that he can't find them and brings me 2 forks. I try those, but they don't work, I need to use the tongs in one hand and the knife in the other to get this thing out. I go get the tongs, and try as I might, this car is just very stubborn, everytime I'm just about to get it out, it falls again. I'm just using the knife again, by the way, I did unplug the TV before putting metal utensils in it, just so you don't think I'm an idiot like my husband does, and I am getting more and more frustrated. Finally, in a little exasperation, I tip the TV upside down and shake it slightly and finally the car is dislodged and comes out. After telling Matt the story, he's amazed that the TV is still working (more like amazed that after all I did to it with the knife that it is still working). Wade did it again Saturday morning and I made him get the cars out. I don't think he makes fun of me as much since then. The whole ordeal took a little more then 20 minutes! Now I have to watch Wade and not let him in Sebastian's Room. I can't ban matchbox cars from Sebastian, he didn't do anything wrong and it is in his room!

Mom, TV's are Expensive...

2010-02-09T12:33:00.000-08:00

Sebastian came in to me while I was on the computer with a little bowl that he had gotten from a friend for Valentine's Day that was previously filled with candy. He walked up, matter of factly and said, "Mom, TV's are expensive." I agreed with him a little taken aback at what had just come out of his mouth. Then he said, "How about we put this on the counter and put some money in it and then when we get enough we can buy a TV?" he hesitated and added, "not now, but when we get some money." I said that would be a great idea and he should go put it on the counter. As he was leaving he turned around and added, "A TV for my room, because I don't have one for my room!" and ran out of the office.
Just a brief explaination as to why this came about. Our TV has recently konked out and has slowly been getting fuzzy. Matt has wanted a nice new bigger TV for a while, but it's just not in the budget right now, and he doesn't want to spend that money when they are on the verge of coming out with some new technology (Matt keeps up with that junk) So we bought one for cheap on Craig's List and were talking about having a TV fund sitting on our counter to contribute to buying a TV when the time was right, but that was about a month ago and we have not kept up with that idea since we have other priorities, since we now have a working TV. Apparently that idea was not lost on Sebastian and he has been thinking about it for a while. That boy has a memory like an elephant!

It's the Little Things...

2010-02-08T11:14:00.000-08:00

Maybe I'm weird... (well, I know I'm weird, but I mean on this fact)... but have you ever looked at something you've bought or something that you've made for your house and for not really any reason at all it make you instantly happy? I'm sure that happens to everyone when they finish a big project, but I'm just talking about a small little thing that no one else might even notice. The latest thing that is doing that for me is a bath mat, of all things! Since we've moved into our house I have been looking for a bathmat to put in the master. Everything is carpeted except the separate shower and toilet and a normal sized bathmat is too big. My sister had some that were the right size and she said she got them at Target. We never go to Target although I love their stuff, I don't have the time or money to do any shopping that isn't food related. We went out on Saturday as a family and happened to pass a Target, so we went in as we have needed a bathmat and a grill cover for the grill that Matt got from his brother for Christmas. We searched everywhere and found neither. Finally while I was just wondering around in the bathroom stuff I happened upon a clearance shelf with a couple bathmat's thrown on the bottom shelf. It was actually near the kitchen stuff. One was a regular one that I just kind of looked at as I passed and the other looked like one of those around the toilet mats. I almost didn't pick it up. But I decided, (as I always do and Matt makes fun of me for checking things so often) "Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained" and I bent down (with great effort as I'm pregnant) and looked and it was exactly what I needed and in the perfect color red too! It was $9 on clearance and it's square which is exactly what I needed, bigger then the ones my sister had, so even better for my needs. And although it was not really a big deal, everytime I walk into my bathroom, which being as I'm pregnant is very often, I smile. As strange as it seems I get a little shot of happiness instantly when I turn the corner and see that little splash or red. And it's not the euphoria that surprises me, I get that every now and then for different things, but it's at what is giving me that little boost that surprises me a little!

What a difference 5+ months makes...

2010-02-02T14:49:00.000-08:00

I've updated the look, maybe I can update the status? So I have heard that some people are missing my eloquent writing style, or maybe they just need a good laugh, either way... So where to begin?
~Well, as most know I'm pregnant with a little baby girl! It's not set in stone yet, but we're expecting her April 23rd! Her name is Lydia Alice. Matt was for sure that we were never going to have any girls, (even though we both wanted one) I'm glad that this time he was wrong! He's so excited, he's the one pushing to paint the "Girl's Room" pink before the baby get here!
~We are settling into our beautiful house and have been here almost a year. I love everyday we are here! I finally feel like we're home and Matt does as well!
~We're coming up on our 6th Anniversary and it feels like forever and just yesterday that we got married all at once. Meaning, I feel like we've been married for Always, and I feel like we have only spent a second of our lives together and I am just waiting to spend the rest of Eternity with my Matty. Between feeling safe in a new home and feeling safe and secure in our family, I just feel like things are finally where they have wanted to be for my whole life and now, the only thing left that I have to do is live and enjoy it! It's a great feeling, and I'm sure as more things fall into place that feeling will only get better!
~We were trying for a long time to get Sebastian into Kindergarten for next year, but his birthday being September 2nd and the cut off being September 1st or earlier, we were having a horrible time. We finally found a school that would take him and after that stress was over, we thought and discussed and realized that it was probably a better idea for Sebastian to wait another year! I think it will serve him better to just let him go to playgroup everyweek and hang out with kids and just have fun, as well as maybe get him into a sport this next year so that he will learn some group/team skills. Plus he needs an extra year to learn how to spell his name, it's a bit of a page-full!
~Wade's finally starting to talk regularly. His new favorite things to watch on TV...Besides Cars, Toy Story and Monsters Inc... Is Signing Time and Baby Einstein's Baby Wordsworth! It's so funny to see him say the word and then sign it, although I have to admit that almost all of his signs look like either bread, cookie or finished, even though I know that's not always what he is trying to say. I think he might also be fighting off an ear infection, I don't know I haven't taken him to the Dr. but I'm treating it at home with essential oils and I see that he stops crying and fussing when I put the oils on him.
~Speaking of oils, my boys, even my big one (Matt) really likes the oils and can see that they work. Wade is sick the most, so he gets them a lot and just stands still while I put them on, and he loves when I put them on his feet, he just giggles the whole time. Sebastian I think, sometimes wishes he was sick more often because he's a little jealous sometimes of me putting oils on Wade, but has now realized what they're for and knows they help Wade and so he likes to help me put them on Wade now. Matt as I said, when he mentions that something is wrong, like his tummy or his head, or his sinuses hurt and I mention oils, he says "Go get them!" And has even been known to put them on hisself before work if I put a bowl with the right ones in the cabinet for him. I love not having to do all that is involved with going to the Dr. for anything other then their well checks! It has truly saved my family so much money because I have taken our healthcare into my own hands! I really wish you would all look into it if you haven't already!
~We got a new piano on Craig's List and Matt got a PS3 on Ebay! That was our anniversary, Valentine's Day, Birthday presents. I got my piano for $150 and it's the best of both worlds, it looks practically brand new from the outside, and it's way more then 30 years old on the inside. Meaning it's beautiful and well taken care of, as well as very sturdily made! It has already been a blessing in our home! And although I wouldn't classify it as a blessing, Matt and Sebastian have been having loads of fun on their PS3. He got it for cheaper then a new one and it had 4 games that came with it. He sold some of the games and so got it for even cheaper! Also our TV gave out, so Matt bought us one for $70 on Craig's List. It's not horribly new, but it's a widescreen and it's a really high quality picture. And it fits in our Craig's List $30 Solid Wood entertainment center that we bought when we first got the house almost a year ago! I'm not bragging, but if you need anything, go on Craig's List and don't be afraid to ask for pics and to haggle, you can get some really good stuff! Hence, Craig's List in on my "Favorite Things" List.
~I know that there are more things that I want to tell you, and now that things are settling down and I have updated the look of my blog, hopefully I will find the time to write more often, so you don't have to read my blog for half an hour. I decided on this blog background because it's pink, and even though it's been made because of Valentine's Day, I'm keeping it up, because I love it and it's the first time that I feel like I can use pink when doing something that is supposed to be for my whole family. I am tired of blues and greens! Bring on the Pinks and Purples baby! Bring on the Disney Princesses! I'm starting to enjoy it!

Follow up - My Little Hero

2009-08-16T19:14:00.001-07:00

As a follow up to the previous post...
My dad is doing fine. His bump over his eye just got bigger and bigger for a day or two and then started to go down. The bruise around where he fell spread from his forehead to his chin and was very purple. The last time I saw him, a couple days ago his eye was healing nicely, there was no real bump and the bruise is taking it's natural course and will soon be a memory. And everytime we go to papa's house, Sebastian (my dad's "MAN") gets his kickbacks. He almost always gets a little more dessert (although I didn't think more dessert while at Papa's was even possible!). Everyone is doing well and Sebastian shines a little with pride when he is reminded what a big awesome helper he was!

My little Hero!

2009-07-28T19:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to my mom and dad's house and this is the account of what happened as far as I was able to piece together from eye witness accounts as well as my own experience. It was around 7:30ish pm, and my dad took Sebastian to get the mail. He didn't want to at first because he was worried that Sebastian would run off and my dad is confined to a wheel chair because of his really really bad knees. I gave Sebastian the rundown and gave him the rules if he was going to go with Papa! He agreed and they were off. My dad was going to take his new to him used motorized wheelchair that he had just received from a friend. He told Grandma to have Wade out there when he came back so he could give Wade a ride on the wheelchair. They left and then Grandma, Wade and I were just in the house waiting while they went to get the mail. After a while my mom got the idea that she doesn't know if Papa has a way to get back into the house, he can't reach the control panel on the garage, and they have a little gate with a latch that leads to the front door, so she decides to go out the garage and check on our boys... Meanwhile... Papa and Sebastian have gotten the mail and are on their way back, Papa tries to go back onto the sidewalk after crossing the street and his wheelchair tips over onto it's side. He tries to get Sebastian to stay close while he turns his wheelchair back upright and tries to get back in hisself. Realizing that, that is not going to happen, he asks Sebastian if he knows where Papa and Grandma live? He says yes! Then Papa asks if Sebastian knows what his mommy's car looks like? (as it was parked in the driveway) He said yes, then he tells Sebastian to go get Grandma and tell her what happened! He runs to Grandma and Papa's house, he can't get into the closed garage, and he can't open the aforementioned gate, so he's yelling for us to open the door and that Papa fell. A neighbor across the street and his friend who are out on their driveway looking at a motorcycle, getting only that he was screaming and upset and that someone has fallen come and try to knock on Grandma's door. Grandma is coming out of the garage as the neighbors are walking up the front step. Grandma meets Sebastian and a few seconds later the neighbors and knows only that Papa fell somewhere between her house and the mailbox. She runs in and grabs the keys and I run outside with Wade in my arms. The neighbors tell Sebastian to take them to Papa and they start running off around the corner! I call my brother Randy who we thought was home and lives only like a couple blocks away. He was on a walk with his wife, but they say they will be there in just a second. We round the second corner and see my dad sitting crosslegged on the ground next to his scooter/wheelchair and the neighbors talking to him. We get out of the car. The neighbors with directions from my mom and dad start to help Papa back into his chair. Sebastian says he's going to go get the (manual) wheelchair and runs off to go back to Grandma's house not stopping to hear Grandma call that she had closed the garage and there was no way to get into the house. He was bound and determined to help Papa and he was off. After the neighbors had successfully helped Papa back into the chair, we searched for Sebastian quickly and found him coming around the corner with his face very upset that he couldn't get into the house and visibly wet from sweating and red. The neighbors walked and followed him home and I walked with Wade and Sebastian behind a little ways, while my mom drove the car back. (as soon as she got turned around Sebastian joined her in the car) I overheard my dad telling the neighbors that he was fine as soon as he was back in his chair, and also confessing that he fell directly on his head. As we turned the corner to where we could see my dad and mom's house, we saw my brother Randy and his wife get out of a car that they clearly had hitchhiked in. Papa and Grandma thanked the neighbors perfusely as we exchanged the little knowledge of the story that each of us had, to piece together the account as you are reading it. Then our family went inside the house and the neighbors went back to what they were doing. To get back into the house, my dad has to go from his motor scooter, to a manual wheelchair and then to a computer chair that he uses to get around the house. As he was transitioning, a large bump on his head just above his eye and some minor scrapes began to make themselves known. Sebastian ran in and brought Papa one large ice cube to put on his head. He was very serious and very sincere. Then after a while of everyone telling him that he was such a good helper and he's such a good boy and how he saved Papa, he said "I'm such a good helper, I think I need a dessert!" Which by the way, he did receive! He's so stubborn and flighty sometimes that I have accually wondered what would happen if something happened and I would need him to follow directions if I was in dire need. I don't have to worry, he's a sweet little hero and he just works for Ice Cream Sandwiches! I love him so much! My dad says that Wade is "my boy" and after last night, Sebastian is "my man!" Thinking about all that happened last night, I almost want to cry, I must be doing something right to have such a special awesome little man! He's my go to if I need a hero and daddy isn't around!

Twos-day

2009-07-28T19:27:00.000-07:00

So Sebastian asked if it was Sunday, and I said,
"No it's Tuesday" and he said
"but do we go anywhere on Tuesday?"
"Yes Honey, we already went to the store and to the library that's where we always go on Tuesday"
"Oh, so it's Threes-day now, or is it fives-day? It's not Twos-day anymore?"
I just had to record that one on the blog! Enjoy!

Going Postal...um...or Fedup with Fedex!

2009-07-23T14:38:00.000-07:00

I was waiting for a package, I was a little excited about it, I had just happened to track it yesterday and it said it was put on the truck to be delivered that day and about an hour later I hear the doorbell! Yay! So I go to the door, the lady is already in her truck because it's been all of 5 seconds for me to get to the door. So I wave at her and I take the package inside. I think that it's a little big for what I ordered, but not ridiculously, so I don't think much of it, I notice the shipping label briefly, Vera Owens, Oh, I guess that's the lady that ships the things from doTERRA. Huh. So I cut the tape and as I'm just about to open the box, I realize that Vera Owens name is in the to: spot and my name is not on the package. Fedex delivered me the wrong package! So I don't open it, and I quickly tape it back up and run to the comp to get a hold of them so the driver can come back. I get off the phone and was informed that they will contact the driver...
An hour and a half later, still package less, or at least my package, I don't really care what Vera Owens bought online, although I do check the website on the package to see if it's anything that I should have peeked at, no, just some surf clothes like billabong or OP. Boring! So I call back and the lady is very apologetic! She says that there is no way to get a hold of that particular driver so they left her a message and she'll be back tomorrow. TOMORROW! ugh another day! So I went online this morning, and checked the status of my package and it was registered as delivered! DELIVERED! Yeah, but to the wrong house, doesn't count!!! So I called again, just to make sure that my package was on the truck. I was always calm and pleasant, not even a hint of impatience or upset, just wanting to find out what is going on. They assure me that it's on the truck and they leave the terminal another message. Then a couple of hours later I get a call from some head honcho! He's really really nice and he is saying that it shouldn't have happened and even if it did, it shouldn't have gotten as far as him. He only left me a message, but he was so sweet! I don't hold Fedex responsible, but I do hold this stupid driver responsible. Anyway, so then later, the driver came to my door to get the package and just left, then she went to Vera Owen's House and retrieved my package and brought it back, requiring a signiture, (which they should have to do anyway in my opinion! So just one day late, I got my package and all is well! 'breathe' It shouldn't be this hard to get something I want from fedex!

Long Distance...?

2009-07-23T12:58:00.000-07:00

I made Sebastian lunch and then I told him he needed to say prayer and then went into the computer room to check me email. A minute later I hear some light mumbling, that I don't even register in my mind until after the fact, and then I hear Sebastian yell, "Say Amen Mommy!" I just thought that he is so cute, I had to write this immediately, it only happened about 3 minutes ago!

New Favorite Hobbies!

2009-07-23T08:46:00.000-07:00

Wade enjoys long walks on the beach, candle lit suppers, sewing, and ripping both pop-up library books (a pass time that he enjoys sharing with his big brother) and the stands off of my picture frames. Someone I know, (cough, cough Wade) woke up at 6:30 am, not that early for some, but when you're used to waking up at 8am or later, it's a little "butt crack of dawn-ish". So he's totally awake, so I have to get up! While thinking about what has to get done today I remember that I have a baby shower to go to today. So I go to my baby gift closet and choose the right gift for the person I'm gifting, and realize that I have to sew it a little bit. I keep all the things I need for it cut and kept together, so it's going to be easy. Sebastian is luckily not awake yet so I go into my bedroom and shut the door so as to not wake him up. I am doing fine, then my phone rings and Wade brings it to me so he's in my bedroom now. All is well until Wade gets interested in my back stitch button. I am making a lot of little straight stitches so I'm using it a lot. So the gift has random back stitches throughout, but it's not a big deal, you can't even tell, I usually caught him before it actually stitched. Then while fending him off the back stitch button, I realize that he has found the hand crank! (I don't know what it's called but it's the thing that you use to go backwards and forwards and it turns when you are pressing down on the peddle) Every so often he smacks that, luckily not doing any harm nor good, nothing really. So it wasn't that bad, but it was a little fun! And then when he got bored of me shewing his hand away, he went and found some picture frames that were on my table in my room and ripped the little stands off! It's cute but I don't like things that I own being destroyed. Maybe it's just me? And speaking of destroyed, I think I owe our library a new pop-up Maisy book. What Wade didn't rip or destroy, Sebastian came in as relief ripper! But Sebastian says it was a suicidal book and it did it all itself. Then he changed his story and said it was an accident, but I understand one maybe even 2 ripping accidents, but it seems so thoroughly done, that accident doesn't really seem to be the right word. "The word I'm searching for, I can't say, because there are preschool toys present" (Toy Story)