The Coolest Dentist Around

Yesterday I took Daniel to his first dental visit.  I was worried.  With his shots and stitches, he hasn't had great medical experiences.  I thought for sure this would be one of those tramatic and heart wrenching times.  Since Daniel is only 2, I called the only Pediatric Dentist in town: Dr. Tyler Albrecht.

When we walked into the office, Danny instantly went to play.  It a veritable kid-zone!  There was a place for older kids to play video games, there were cars, trucks, toy kitchen, and there were a bunch of other kids there.  The staff was just incredible.  When Daniel's name was called, they let him take his toy of choice with him, and he and I went back into the dental area.

This was the real suprise.  It didn't look like a dentist office at all!  There were no scary lights, strange utensils, or weird chairs.  Just brightly colored and padded tables for them to lay on.  TV's were imbeded in the ceiling, so they could watch cartoons while laying down.  They had a huge fish tank, and the first thing the lovely assistant did was allow Danny to feed them.

She showed him her various tools, let him play with all of them.  He shot water out of the squirty thing, and had a grand ole' time.  They had stuffed animals everywhere, there where even ones with teeth that Danny got to brush with a large toothbrush.  He let the hygenist clean his teeth, and the dentist look at his teeth.  They had him help them count his teeth, it was so cute!  Daniel didn't want to leave.

The end result is that Daniel has 1 major cavity and 4 smaller ones.  His teeth have very weak enamel, so they are going to put a sealant on them, that way they last.  All of this will be done next week.  They will put him under for about 1/2 an hour.

I totally fell in love with the whole staff.  They answered all my questions and walked me through everything.  I felt comfortable the entire time.  I left feeling amazed and grateful for the experience.  I would have traveled a great distance to give Danny a good dental experience, and they are right here in Cedar City!  They specialize in children ages 1-18, and I highly reccomend them to EVERYONE!

Also, Dr. Albrecht's brother has an office right next door.  What does this other Dr. Albrecht do?  He is a Pediatric Optomitrist!  I kinda want to take Daniel to him just to see what kind of office a kid's eye doctor has!

Ah, Christmas Eve

I often find the time creeping up to Christmas interesting. Half the time it feels just like every other time of year, and the other half it has that extra "zip" that lets you know the Holidays are upon us.

This morning started like any other day. Children waking up at ungodly hours, followed by a husband's methodical way of going to work. We prayed, we read stories, I changed diapers. Scott kissed me goodbye, and told me he might get off early today. Then I remembered that today is special. Christmas Eve is always like that for me. The morning is totally normal, but as time creeps closer to evening, the more excited and merry I feel. An urgency comes over me as I think about the things that need to be done, and how I must do them sneakily so that Danny and others do not see. My mind is like a computer, calculating my plan of attack, and double checking the gifts and what I must do to make them "Wrapping Ready!"

This year has been fiscally tight for us, and so we are having a leaner Christmas than normal. This has thrown me for a loop, as I have been unable to do many of the things I love to do for this wonderful holiday. I find myself very grateful that my children are still tiny. That Christmas will still hold wonder for Danny if all he gets are some dollar toys. It is really the surprise of the presents that holds his excitement. Scott and I are enjoying the opportunity to remember what Christmas is really all about.

Merry Christmas to all of our dear and wonderful family and friends! Our hearts go out to all of you this season. We know many of you are struggling as we are, and we hope that you have a wonderful Christmas, inspite of or perhaps because of it all!

Face Book

So I finally caved. After years (or so it seems) of deleting invites from my various and wonderful friends, I took a great leap.

How did it come about that I gave into peer pressure to join this interesting click? My husband joined. Early last week he came to bed very late, and he was so excited about finding old friends and connecting with current ones. His obsession continued, and it wasn't long until I was sitting next to him while he found people we knew. Cousins, Uncles, Aunts, Brothers, Sisters, I was amazed.

He will tease me about wanting to "drive" the computer. Since I use it everyday, I am pretty familiar with the internet and how to do things. He will sit down, and I will want to help him get what he wants faster. It drives me crazy sometimes (and I KNOW it irritates him!) So, I kept wanting to give input on what he should to do. He finally just told me to eat humble pie and set up my own account.

So I did. Yesterday.

I am still getting used to it. I am focused right now on finding people I know. So, if you are on facebook and know me, I am there now too.

Tools!

Danny just adores tools. He thinks they are all his, and he wants to run around the house waving them, or sticking them in places they shouldn't go. His favorite to date is a Phillips Head Screwdriver. He can honestly tell the difference! He likes the Phillips because it is small enough to stick into the holes in his toys. He gets totally focused on fixing these "broken" toys. He can spend hours twisting the screwdriver in the little hole of the toy, and be completely happy.

Mom, however, gets scared when he runs with it. . .

I have managed to get all the screwdrivers hidden effectively. . . and yet today he found an Alan Wrench. Apparently, this is just as good as a screwdriver if you add a screw to the whole process. I like this a little bit better then the screwdrivers because it is smaller, and less likely to skewer him if he trips while running. Since I have all the electrical outlets covered, I let him play with it for a little bit.

Television: Limited!

Danny is a TV Junkie! He would turn it on first thing in the morning, and throw a fit if you turned it off at all during the day. This lovely habit happened while I was recovering from having Tiana. Last weekend I had enough. No longer am I "Recovering and Exhausted Mom." So last Monday I took control.

We no longer turn the TV on in the morning. For the first two days, it was really hard on Danny. However, as the weaning from the television continued, I found that he became a much happier child. He listens better, and he plays better too. His imagination is taking off, and he is finally interested in books. He has now become accustomed to being read to every day, and he loves it. Oddly, he is also going to bed earlier (usually around 8pm) and sleeping in later!

This has improved me as a Mom, because I have to pay more attention to him. I play more, I am happier, and I am more creative too!

I am very careful to keep the TV completely off until the late afternoon or evening. About the time I start thinking about making dinner, then I let him choose a Disney movie or one of the awesome educational shows I have on tape. Sometimes I wait until my Mother In Law gets home, so that he plays with them before becoming glued. This allows me to make dinner uninterrupted. It has been a wonderful thing for us!

Christmas Lists

I am supposed to make a Christmas List this year. When first asked what I want, it is always hard for me to come up with anything (unless it is a list of books) that I want. Scott asked me to come up with things that are NOT made of paper. (Something about my overflowing shelves. . .) This has caused me some serious thought. I am trying to really allow myself to discover my desires. For many people, this may seem odd. However, I rarely buy anything for myself. If I don't have extra money laying around (which hasn't happened for almost 3 years) I just don't get things I want. I always spend it on everyone else first. So I don't think of things that I might want. I am not allowed to put anything on the list that is for someone else. So, toddler toys, baby gear, etc. is out. Scott also said that things that are for the family don't count either. This has left me at a loss.

So I am starting to pay attention to things that I think would be cool to have. Any suggestions?

Holiday Ponderings

My children are asleep early today. I hope this means that they sleep through the night, but I have some qualms about how early in the morning they might wake up. In the mean time, I am enjoying this unsual peaceful time. Perhaps I should put them to bed at 7 every night!

Thanksgiving approaches. With it comes the begining of a wonderful holiday season. I love the holidays. How open it makes our hearts. I love that it starts with Gratitude and a recognition of the blessings from this year. As I look back on the last year of my life, I find I am completely amazed by the miracles that led me to today. Without going into a huge amount of boring detail, just know that this has, indeed, been a year of miracles. It has seemed long, and yet short at the same time.

It has been a year of waiting, daily expecting changes that haven't seemed to come yet. At the same time, daily experiencing miracles that give you the strength to wait a little longer.

It has been a year of changes, as we welcomed Tiana into our lives, and learned to be a larger family.

We have been blessed by our friendships, and by the deeper family ties we have developed. This has been a great year, and I will remember it with fondness, and quite a lot of amazement. Looking back now, I still cannot believe all the faith this year required, and how great the learning and growth has been for us.

I look forward to the year ahead of us. We have been prepared for something during the course of this year. I hope we prove worthy of it.

San Diego

We returned last week from a sudden vacation to my home town of San Diego. My cousin, Randy, was married on the 8th of November. We have always tried our hardest to attend each wedding in our family, and despite financial struggles decided to attend. Literally last minute, we organized a caravan of the Neil Logan family, and drove straight through to see Randy's wedding.

I am so glad that we did, I love seeing my Aunts and Uncles, and feeling those family bonds recement themselves.

While we were there, we went to the beach (the coolest free thing you can do!) We had a lot of fun!

Family Halloween Fun

Dad found these wings lying on the couch.

He is a buff fairy!

Introducing: Danny the Spiderman! Faith the little Kitty! And Tiana the Pumpkin!

Chiya Harsh as Angela* (from The Office) dressed as a Cat. Lemuel Harsh as Dwight (from The Office) dressed as a Sith Lord.

*My apologies to Office fans for not realizing her name. . .

Tiana, all smiles!

Danny's Decision

My Mother-In-Law bought Danny a halloween costume. She was so excited to see it on him, but we decided to wait until halloween because we were sure he would ruin it before the important day.

However, Danny took one look at this "bug" costume, and absolutely refused to try it on. He cried, he ran away, he yelled. There was no way to coax him into it. This left us with a new dillemma: what to make Danny for halloween. We were going to put his camoflauge sweats on and let him bring a gun, when I decided to see if his Spiderman costume still fit from last year. He is really into superheroes right now, and maybe he would enjoy that. So here is my 2 year old wearing a costume designed for 18 months. Good thing he is so skinny, but the bottoms of the legs were at his knees!

He was so excited! He jumped around the whole house saying "SiMan!!!!" He hardly stood still long enough for me to take the picture. He even slept in it last night!

Tiana seemed to enjoy her pumpkin costume. So at least one of new costumes were worn.

A week late! Sorry!

Here are the pictures from Tiana's Baby Blessing. Sorry it took so long!


We had to take two pictures cause both Scott and I wanted to hold the baby! Danny didn't seem to mind either.


My Sister-In-Law, Amber, made her dress. Isn't it pretty!

Tiana was blessed on Grandma Suzie's birthday. So we celebrated after the blessing.

Finally! Time for an update

Wow, the middle of october, and I finally find a moment to type an update. We have had a fairly eventful, yet quiet month. Having another newborn in the house has caused me to become pretty creative. I have to clean the house in phases that can take up all week. Tiana has been a wonderful baby. I am so glad she is my second child. She is so peaceful. She only wakes up once in the night, which is a miracle considering that my toddler still gets up at night (sometimes 2 or 4 times!) She was sleeping really well during her naps, so I could lay her down and do some house work or one on one time with Danny. However, she got cradle cap on her eyebrows a couple of weeks ago (I know, weird! I thought it only happened on the head.) and now she doesn't want to sleep unless she is being held. So I have had to do my clean up time during her awake happy hour. She loves to lay on the floor and watch her brother's crazy antics. This is wonderful, yet stressful. I have to constantly remind Danny to not jump around her.

We had a baptism this month, my nephew Jake was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Tiana will be blessed next sunday, the 19th. We had to juggle sundays because my sisters had inlaws who had babies right around Tiana. This way all our family can be there. Anyone who would like to come, our church starts at 1, just let me know!

Well, I hear my interruptions yet again. Hopefully I can post again sooner. . .

My Birthday

Yesterday was my 28th birthday. It was a very relaxing day. Scott had the day off, so we took a walk and played with our kids. We didn't do anything too exciting, but it was nice and pleasant. Then my Mother-In-Law brought home a Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake, and they sang Happy Birthday to Me! It was a lovely day.

Tiana - 4 Weeks

I have had requests for more pictures, so here they are!

My Two Brunettes




Danny sure loves his sister!

I am Back!

Tiana will be a month old tomorrow, and I am finally getting adjusted to being a mother of two. I know that my dear friends and family are wondering how our life is going, so I will take a quick moment while the baby is sleeping to fill you all in.

I have spent the last month being very careful of myself. I have been warned over and over that if you are very careful during the first 4-8 weeks after a birth that recovery is fast. Otherwise it can take some women a year to recover because they keep injuring themselves. I can witness to that fact a little bit. When Danny was born, I managed an apartment complex. No matter how hard I tried to rest and recover, someone would always knock on my door as soon as I drifted to sleep. I think it took me nearly a year to get back into routines and cooking, and stuff.

Now, I am still being a bit careful, but I find that I can juggle my little ones and get things done in little bursts while Tiana is napping. I will probably start with some gentle excersize tomorrow, like walking or maybe some yoga.

Scott has been working at Tunex, and totally loving it. He likes working with his hands, and the fact that he is around cars all day is still exciting for him.

Danny is such a big boy all of a sudden. He wants to help with his little sister, and I have to watch to make sure he doesn't pick her up.

Well, Tiana is crying, so I will update more later.

Pronunciation

Tiana: Tea-ah-na

We are currently calling her Baby, Tiana, Sister, Princess, Angel, and any other number of random affectionate titles. The plan at the moment is to call her Ana for short, however I know that as she grows Tia will be just as used. At the moment, lets just say I am going to allow her to grow into her own person before I personally start calling her Tia. I have known a couple Tia's, and while I love them dearly, I wanted to be able to think of my daughter and her personality first. However, I have no problem with anyone else calling her by any form of her name, and even using pet names. I reserve veto power, however. I definately don't want her pet name to be anything that might be . . . um . . . inappropriate.

Tiana Suzette

Tiana Suzette - born August 19 at 4:06 am.

She weighed 8 lbs, 2 oz and was 20 inches long.

She has dark brown hair, and is a peaceful, happy baby. The labor was only 4 hours long without any complications. She was born here at our house, and we loved every minute of it. Tiana and I have been recovering from the birth, doing our best to be careful with ourselves. I have tried to over do things twice, and find that I am wiped out the next day. It really seems to make a difference, to just allow others to help me so that I can be up and moving sooner, then trying to heal and get things done at the same time.

Thank you to everyone who has helped us! I cannot begin to tell you how wonderful we have been treated, and how many friends have helped us. We love you all!

No News

Being this close to having another child, I have been pretty distracted. I just thought I would let you all know, that as of this moment, Tiana still hasn't decided to show her face.

However, the minor, irritating, contractions have started, and I finally had to make some decisions about the birth that I had put off. Some of those involved figuring out who we were going to invite.

After lots of discussion, Scott and I agreed that we wanted a peaceful atmosphere this time. So we only invited our parents, and a few others. Danny will go to my parents home where he gets to play with Aunts and Uncles while the baby is born, then he can come meet her after the birth.

For those of you who may not be aware, we are planning a home birth. Daniel was a home birth too, and we love it. There is so much control over your own enviroment. This birth feels different to me then Danny's did. With Daniel, we felt it was important to be surrounded with family, and even some wonderful friends. We invited alot of people, and it was wonderful. Now, knowing my little son's outgoing personality, I can see why it felt so right to have so many people there.

This time, we feel the need for peace. I imagine that our little girl is going to be a quiet individual. This time it doesn't seem to matter who is there, so long as there is calm. I am not talking Scientology quiet. I happen to make noise while giving birth, and I am not going to be silent! However, it is more of a feeling than anything that we think will be important.

So, today I have my last (I hope) midwife appointment! I sure am looking forward to the post that introduces my little girl!

The Jackrabbit Factor

Last week, my mother met the author of this particular book. She was so impressed, that she went straight to her website and ordered the free e-book. It has since circulated through our whole family and has really had an impact.

Most of you out there might be pretty familiar with The Secret. This is similar, but actually was written before the secret came out. I think it shows the principles clearly, and gives you the laws of attraction in a beautiful way.

Unlike The Secret, it does talk about why certain dreams or thoughts may not have fruition, as well as laws that must be abided by in order to be in harmony. I thought it was beautiful.

I read the 87 page book in one day, and immediately did what it suggested. The most amazing new concept to me was that of gratitude. You must have gratitude for where you are at now, truly FEEL it! And you must have gratitude for what you desire in the future, and feel that gratitude as if you have it in the present. Odd to wrap the mind around, but I have had such peaceful and grateful feelings over the past few days, just doing those things.

I highly reccommend this book to everyone. It is free, and the emails that you can receive are really good too.

Here is the link: www.jackrabbitfactor.com

Read it, Love it, Live it!

Danny's Imagination

Danny's imagination seems to have truly kicked in! He has been pretending to be different animals. He was imitating being a dog for about a week. He would pant with his tongue hanging out, bark when he wanted something, and sniff everything. He would also lick your face.

Two days ago, he decided to change animals. He is now pretending to be a horse. He neighs, prances around on all fours, and even rears! The most common time of day for his animal antics seems to be breakfast time. Right when we are trying to get him to eat something! He is so cute.

He also is starting to get scared by things he sees. We are having to pay attention to movies now. Many of the monsters in Fantasy movies scare him, and since I don't want to wake up in the middle of the night to a nightmare, we are reserving those shows until after he goes to bed. So. . . Disney all the way!

We are still trying to figure out a way to get him to sleep past 6am. He will wake up anywhere between 5:30 and 7, but mostly at 6. The rest of us exauhsted Adults are trying to savor the morning sleep we have. We all have to get up at 7 anyway, we just wish he would let us sleep till then! We have tried everything short of letting him cry it out if he wakes up early (cause that makes everyone in our house wake up!) Any suggestions would be wonderful. He goes to bed at 9pm, and does take a nap during the day. We have thought about taking his nap away. . . but it is just too precious to me. It is my nap time too!

Meanwhile, 37 weeks and counting! Tiana Suzette can make her arrival safely at any time. . . however, the midwife doesn't think it will be this week.

New Job!

Car Sales have been very slow, due to the gas scare. Usually summer time is the busiest time of year for us, and usually brings in enough money to survive the winter famine (no one buys cars in the winter unless they are desperate.) This year, however, seems to have hobbled along. The cars that are sold now have so little profit to them that it hit us hard last month. Usually, when Scott sold 5 cars, it was a good month. Last month he sold 5, and it wasn't enough to cover bills. So he started looking for something else.

When we made it through half of this month with only one sale, we knew he had to do something, but couldn't find a job that would work. Scott was so frustrated, people would come and look, but wouldn't buy. He said it was like the weather, it looked like it would rain, but never did. When Sunday's deluge hit us, I was so thankful. It felt like this beautiful promise of refreshing moisture after a drought.

Yesterday Scott called about a couple of jobs, and thought to talk to his friend. Charlie told him he would call him right back. A few minutes later, Scott was on his way to Tunex for a job interview. He was told he could start tomorrow (or rather. . . today.) After talking to his Sales Manager, he was told to go ahead and start the new job. See, when you work straight commission, they don't really need or want you to stick around for two weeks. This way the other salesman can make a larger profit for their families.

So this morning, Scott left to work for Tunex. I don't really know what he is doing, kind of a grease monkey with focus? Scott is nervous, he has only every fiddled and tweaked his own vehicles. He is willing and able to learn, though, and he will be working with two good friends.

A sudden change for us, but so needed! I just hope that he enjoys it!

Nesting

I know. I go nearly a week and half without writing, and then have 3 blogs to post all at once. I really meant to post something during last week, but I kept finding other things I HAD to do. I blame it on the Nesting Instinct.

I am now 35 1/2 weeks. On Saturday I can consider myself safe from premature labor, and ready to have a baby any minute. Not that little Tiana will grace us with her presence that early. I am well aware that babies come when they want to. Danny was 8 days overdue.

However, it does mean that I am doing everything I can do get ready. Since I am having a home birth, it involves a little more than the normal preparation.

Last night, we rearranged our bedroom, so there will be plenty of room for the birth. Last week I went through Danny's room. I packed up all the toys he doesn't play with anymore, and decided to organize his closet. Since I am going to be putting Tiana's clothes there too, I thought I would go get some plastic drawers. We are on a tight budget this month, and so when I saw that the drawers were $10 and that it would take $60 to do what I wanted, Scott and I looked for another alternative. This is what we came up with:

For $3 a piece, these storage bins were perfect!

Anyway, I have been constantly distracted by this NEED to get my home in order. So, sorry for the lack of updates, I just kept finding something else that had to be done.

Nose Bleeds

I never expected to be woken up in the middle of the night by a nose bleed. Vomiting, fever, diahrea, even bed wetting, but not nose bleeds. I rarely get a nose bleed, let alone have it burst upon me while sleeping. Scott, however, gets them fairly often (compared to me) and so it must be genetic. Either that, or Danny picks his nose while he is sleeping.

Last night was the third time in the last 4 months that I heard Danny crying, and came in to find his face, hands and pillow covered in blood. The first time I nearly panicked, wondering where he was bleeding. Last night, half asleep, I hardly woke up to handle the emergency.

So, to you mothers who may have a cronic nose bleeder (and it only happens at night! So weird!) Let me give you a wonderful tool to stop the bleeding. Being the daughter of a chiropractor, my father sometimes surprises us with new and odd ways to solve problems. They always work, but you often wonder how. . .

Anyways, last year Dad solved a nose bleed for my sister by making her lay down on the ground, flat on her back, then he KICKED her heels! Twice on each heel. And the nosebleed stopped. I have no idea why kicking the feet cures a nosebleed, but it works everytime.

In the middle of the night, it is difficult to get Danny to lay flat (he is half asleep and crying too,) so instead I cradle him in my lap, straighten out his feet, and hit the soles two or three times. Sometimes I have to do it twice before it works (not as effective. . .) but it stops the nose bleed within seconds. This technique is so much easier than trying to plug his nose (he hates that!) or putting cayenne pepper up his nose (that works too, but try getting a toddler to let you do it!) or anything else I have tried.

Last night, I was up less then 8 minutes. I came in, found his nose bleeding. Got the diaper wipes, and cleaned his face and hands (I do this first so I can see if the bleeding stopped,) then I thumped his heels. I did it twice tonight. After heel thumping, I wiped his face again, and cuddled him while he immediately went back to sleep. Cake. Then I fell back in bed.

4th of July

Here are our pictures from the 4th of July. Oddly enough, these are the only ones I had. I must be remembering things wrong, cause I thought I had a TON of pictures! Oh, Well. It was a very memorable 4th, as we had my uncle and cousins there to celebrate with us. For three days we partied, chatted, and laughed. The boys played Halo, basketball, volleyball, while all the girls jumped in to play when they felt like it. (Needless to say, I didn't, but I still had a blast.)

I love seeing my extended family, we have so much fun! My mom had alot of fun stuff planned, but most of it fell apart at the last minute. It sure is great to know we can enjoy eachothers company without fancy planning. Us Logans aren't extensive planners anyway. I remember laughing when I saw my Aunt Becky's itinerary for the family reunion last year. It had a list of possible activities for everybody to do if they wanted, followed by "or whatever. . ." Our "whatever" tends to take the shape of gathering in the living room and talking. . . as the younger generation it mostly involves listening and laughing while Aunts and Uncles bring in memories of thier childhood. I love it!

Just in Case

We do have boys names picked out "just in case." Depending on how we feel when the baby is born, if it turns out to be a boy, we will name him either Isaac Ryan, or Steven Wayne.

However, I am pretty sure of my little girl. I knew she was coming right after Daniel since before he was born.

It's A Girl!

Early this morning, we went and had an ultrasound! Finally. We were wondering if we would get lucky, cause at this stage the baby is so big, she could have hidden from us. Especially as everytime we had tried to get a sonogram, we had been stopped.

The technitian was as certain as she could be that it was a girl (they can't be 100% sure.)

I must say, however, that the girl parts definately look different than Danny's parts did. Both Scott and I had thought we would be having a girl anyway, but it was nice to have it confirmed.

Now I get to do some shopping! We are at 33 weeks, so in 4 weeks we are safe. I am suddenly in the urge to rearrange and wash baby clothes, and get everything prepared for her arrival. I am so excited!

Her name will be Tiana Suzette.

The Decision

Today I decided to be a mother. With a second child on the way, I know it sounds odd to think I had to make such a conscience choice. When we became pregnant with Danny, I decided to be a mother. . . of a baby. Today I decided to be the mother of a toddler.

To those of you unfamiliar with motherhood, let me assure you that a mother of a toddler is very different from the mother of an infant.

The mother of a baby has a very predictable pattern to her day. She feeds the baby, changes the diaper, puts the baby to sleep. These three things repeat over and over, with the addition of cuddling, cooing, and awe as the baby grows. Also, the joys of naptime, when Mom can do her own thing without interruption.

The mother of a toddler doesn't have predictable days. She has to make sure that the toddler gets food (honestly, this can be a challenge!) She has to keep him out of cupboards, keep him from climbing stools, play with him (especially if he is an only child,) read to him, and resist the eternal temptation to simply plant the child in front of the television to distract him. Being the Mother of a toddler means that she has to discipline. She has to teach him appropriate behavior (You WILL Share your toys!) and she has to watch her own tongue because they now repeat what you say. Words suddenly become dangerous, especially words that trigger a rare excitement and expectation in the toddler. GO, COOKIE, CAKE, PLAY, etc. All these trigger words are often used in casual conversation, but a toddler tunes into them instantly and expects certain consequences to happen. Being the Mother of a toddler means saying NO. . . a lot, and it also means that you have to stick to your guns. Even being creative with your negatives takes effort.

In my particular case, with my in-laws living with us, being the Mother of a toddler means that I have to be firm. Scott is an excellent parent, and Danny responds well to his discipline, and loves to play with him. I have always been more relaxed, and so Danny responds to me differently. Lately, I have noticed that with two Grandparents in the house, and my laid back personality, Scott seems to be the only one making sure Danny suffers consequences for breaking the rules. This really is not a good thing. I noticed this when Danny wanted something, and went from Scott, to me, to Grandpa, and finally got Grandma to give him what he wanted. Two years old, and he already knows how to play the adults!

I believe strongly in the roles of the Grandparents, and I don't want to ask my in-laws to change their roles, simply because they live with us. So instead, I have to change my role. Really, it's a change that has needed to happen for awhile. Daniel is no longer an infant, and reacting to him as if he was isn't healthy for him. I am his mother, and so I have to be his mother in the stage he is in. It means a change in what I do, because I have to teach him and be active in his life. I have to be firm, and I have to talk to him and help him understand. It is different, but I am sure that I will survive. I had better get used to being the Mother of a toddler fast, because in two months I will advance to being the Mother of a toddler AND a baby!

I am learning! Slowly. . .

I have been trying to put a little video, so all of you could see Danny blow out his candles. It says it is processing, so it might be awhile. Also, I have tried to do the cool link thing, where you somehow tie a link into a word, so people don't have to see a long and involved link in the middle of your blog, so if anyone could tell me how to do it. I feel clueless, but I haven't been able to teach myself how to do it yet.



Another thing I have tried, is to get a picture to appear in the title of my blog in such a way that it looks nice. But it always seems to turn out funny looking.



I can post pictures, so here are a few from Monday night!

Daniel's 2nd Birthday!

Our little one is now 2 years old! He is growing up so much!

More boy than baby, he is talking up a storm, and proving how intelligent he is by mimicking everything we do. This is a picture of him the other day, when he fell asleep on Scott's lap. He is learning how to share, which aside from bedtime is our biggest struggle right now, so we are trying to bring him around more kids. This has really been helping him relax. Lately his little cousin, Faith, has been crawling and pulling herself up to a stand. She has gone from being a cute baby that lays around to a threat. He just cannot handle that she wants to play too. It has been alot of fun seeing him adjust. The other day he actually gave her a toy! It was wonderful. I will be posting pictures of his cake and ice cream. . .probably tomorrow.

Scott's 28th Birthday

Scott's Birthday was on Thursday, the 5th of June. It was quite an interesting day, as he had to work, and then right after work he had scheduled Home Teaching for that day too. However, it was also my Mother-In-Law's day off, and so she asked Scott to pick any meal he wanted.
He asked for a Tamale Pie, and for an Ice Cream Cake. So, after eating a super fast dinner of yummy Tamale Pie, Scott and I (his companion couldn't make it) took off 15 minutes late for Home Teaching.

After we got back, we did some real celebrating by singing Happy Birthday and blowing out some candles on a yummy Ice Cream Cake. Scott is on the phone with his brother, Sid, and wanted him in the picture. Daniel loved the cake - well, just the frosting.

His hands and face were stained blue, and it was the only part we could get him to eat!

My Bad

Dad is nearly 55, not 56.

My Dad, his age is finally catching up!

My father is currently a 70 in our church. Not one of the General Authority Seventies. When I was young there was a quorum of Seventies in each ward, they met separate from the Elder's Quorum. When this group was disbanded, the ordained Seventies were either made into High Priests, or sent to the Elders Quorum. My father has always thought that the High Priests were a bunch of old guys, and has done everything he can to stay in the Elders Quorum.

10 years ago, the Stake President called him in to make him a High Priest. My Dad, always willing to follow the Lord, asked if it was just because he was older, or if it was revelation. He pointed out to the Stake President that he had a brand new baby. The Stake President said "We aren't going to FORCE you to be a High Priest!" And so my father stayed comfortably in the Elders Quorum.

Now, my dad is probably one of only a handful seventies left, and is obviously the oldest person in his Elder's Quorum. Two sundays ago, his Elder's Quorum President (who is my age) cornered my dad, and asked him why he was a seventy. My dad told him to be quiet about it, that he was flying under the radar, and didn't want to be moved to the High Priest Quorum with the old guys. (Let's not forget that all his friends are High Priests, and that my dad is pushing 56.) Just as the Elder' Quorum president left, the Stake President saw my dad. "Neil! I need to talk to you!"

Apparently there are only 2 seventies in our whole stake. The Stake President informed Dad that he would be ordained to a High Priest on the 15th of this month. He told Dad he couldn't get out of it. He also told him that they had had a General Authority down to ordain someone to a High Priest, and he had asked why the person's dad wasn't doing it. It turned out that the person's dad was only a seventy, so the dad was ordained a High Priest, and then he ordained his son. I guess they want family to be involved in all the ordinations if at all possible.

So, in 12 days, my Dad will say farewell to his youth and join the "Old Guys" in the High Priest Quorum. My uncle Rusty is coming up to do the ordination (We are SOOO Excited to see you!!!) and we are going to have a party. I think it will probably be along the lines of Rest In Peace. . .

Dancing and Flirting

Last night I went with my mother and sisters to see Made of Honor. I thought it was really funny, but it had a lot of crudity to it, so I won't be seeing it again. However, there was a scene in the movie that really reminded me of Scott and I. To escape an obsessive girl, the main character grabs his best girl friend and dances with her, telling the obsessive one that she was his girlfriend and such.

There was a girl in my ward who had some interesting troubles. Unfortunately you couldn't trust everything she said, especially when it came to boys. She seemed to be constantly engaged, breaking an engagement, or some kind of drama. Problem was, no one knew who she was engaged too. Rinda and I knew her pretty well because Rinda was a Ward Missionary at the time, and Kim was a new member. We went to her baptism, and were often called upon to listen to her current crisis.

Scott, also a relatively new member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was preparing to serve a mission. He was in the middle of working on his braces, and while he didn't attend our Singles Ward, had many friends there. He often came to firesides and activities. Kim had somehow latched herself to him. She went out of her way to be wherever he was. He took Missionary Preparation at the Institute, and she not only went to his class but arranged with the teacher to be his "companion." She would call him for rides, and even spread rumors about him being her boyfriend. You can imagine how confused Scott would get when girls would look at him funny while he was trying to flirt with them.

That summer my roommate left to her Boy Scout Camp, and I stayed with my parents and dragged my sister, who had just turned 18, around with me everywhere. One such occasion was an institute dance. I can't exactly explain the mood I got into that night. Honestly, looking back, I have never been flirtatious with anyone other than Scott. I was usually the quiet, observing, reserved one who laughed, but didn't come out too much. By that time I knew Scott enough to be comfortable with him (although I can't seem to remember him before that night.) I saw him trying to dance with other girls, and I would see Kim interfere every time. Having once had a difficult person like me a great deal, I felt so sorry for the poor young man. He was so nice, but you could tell he was extremely frustrated with her. So, I offered my assistance. I found a moment, and told Scott that if he saw Kim coming at him, he could instantly ask me to dance, and that I would make it extremely difficult for her to stop the dance.

Scott thought it was a great idea. So, with Kim watching, Scott and I flirted outrageously. She would try to cut in, or would come and say she needed his help with something, and I would just smile and either slip my arm in his and follow him, or I would laugh and tell her she had to wait her turn. Needless to say, Scott and I had a great time. At the end of the dance, Kim came up to Scott and asked for a ride home for her and a friend. Scott agreed, and I could tell that Kim suddenly seemed a little too happy. You see, Scott had a truck. It only sat 3 people comfortably. I smiled at her and said, "There will be plenty of room, we'll just have to squish!"

I have never had so much fun in thwarting someone at every turn. Kim made sure she was the first one in the truck, but I just went to the drivers side and got in there. So the four of us were tightly packed in the truck's cab. Scott and I continued to flirt outrageously, and the longer we were in the truck, the deeper the frown became on her face. I admit shamelessly that it spurred me on. I knew the kind of frustration she had obviously been causing Scott, and I loved showing her that it had no effect on me. I was truly deaf to all her suggestions about it being too tight, and that I was in the way. Instead I sat right next to Scott, and laughed and talked, and giggled. I felt freer than I ever had in my entire life.

So really, I have to thank Kim. If she hadn't been there, I don't think I would have ever been so relaxed. The need to save Scott from her attentions caused me to drop all my protections and worries about how I must look, etc. Although we didn't really fall in love until after his mission, the seed was planted that night, all because I allowed my wall to come down in order to keep a stalker at bay.

Crazyness

I haven't posted in awhile, distracted and tired are my main excuses. Danny has been waking up really early in the morning, and he doesn't seem to want anyone else except me. After a few minutes of cuddling, he is ready to be passed of to Scott or the Grandparents, but I am still awake by then. I have been in the habit of using Danny's naptime to take time for myself, to write a blog or a handful of other things I want to get done. However, I hit the exhaustion point, and my dear Mother-In-Law forced me to bed. She didn't take any excuses, and I slept for a good three hours. It was lovely. She told me not to worry about intruding on them, and that she could things around the house.

I gave in pretty easily at that point. Especially because I might need more help than I had originally planned. Last Thursday I went to see my Midwife, and on a whim asked her to examine me. I am only 27 weeks, and it isn't usually necessary to do that until you are closer to delivery. However, my mother had a long history of an incompetent cervix, and that is always something I have to be aware of. This time, it seems my concern is a viable one. I was already 2 centimeters dilated, and I was softening alot. In layman's terms, this means that my body is getting ready to have a baby waaaaay too early.

So now, I have to take it way easy. Not stand too long, no major walking, hiking, lifting, etc. It isn't total bedrest yet, but we are checking again in two weeks, and if there are ANY changes for the worst, I am confined to couches and bed till it is safe to have a baby. Already, I am so grateful for the fact that my in-laws live with us, and my mother and sisters are a block away. I am probably going to need some help, especially with an outgoing toddler that wants so much to "GO!"

Pictures!!!

Several weeks ago, we had some friends over. Danny and the little girls found a new use for our stairs. All of his toys, including the gate that kept them from falling down those stairs, made quite a mess!

There they are! Caught in the act!

Danny is riding my Grandmother's old saddle. It is in our room, safe from any constant abuse. On the rare occasion we let him on it, he gets really happy!












Yesterday, Scott played some Halo, and Danny wanted to join him. 10 minutes later, Scott calls me in to look at our son. There he is, out like a light!

What a Beautiful Day!

I am loving the weather today! Not quite 9am, and I can go outside without a sweater! Nice. Last week was quite the adventure. We had something going on nearly everyday, and we had my inlaws too. It is different having them live with us. I think the biggest confict (it isn't really a conflict, but an unsureness) seems to be dinner. I never quite know if I am supposed to make it, if she wants to make it, or what they might like if I do make it. Plus, Scott and I tend to be pretty spontaneous, and will randomly decide we want company. This doesn't work so well now, as we need to consider my inlaws and how they are feeling first.

However, they have been a marvelous distraction for Danny, especially first thing in the morning. They let me doze on the couch while he runs to them asking for breakfast and such. This is especially nice because Danny can't seem to sleep in past 6am, and often gets up at 5:30. We used to put him back to bed, insisting that it was still bedtime, but his cries wake up his grandparents at that early hour, and so now I just get up. This means that I am nearing exauhstion at 9:30 and if I am not in bed by 10:30 I mourn the hours that I DON'T get sleep.

A Lovely Sunday

What a difference one adult makes! Today I had help in Primary for the first time in over a month. Just of the presence of Sis. Lewis made my little rascals easier to handle. There were only six today, and they still were wiggly and such, but she was able to take care of the restlessness while I taught the lesson and helped them play the games that went with it.



I ended church with some energy left over. Scott commented on how much more energy I seemed to have (I wasn't dragging the diaper bag in one hand and dragging Danny in the other.) I really did feel so much better. I was able to relax at my parents, without feeling the need to sleep, and I even went with Scott on his Home Teaching route and enjoyed some refreshing adult conversation.



All in all, I had a pleasant Sunday. A lovely break to a crazy week.



Meanwhile, today is the day my In-laws actually come to my house, so I have to get ready to help them. Hopefully everything goes smoothly here on out. . .

Change of Plans

We were planning on going up to Salt Lake this weekend, but things have suddenly appeared, and we need to stay here in Cedar City.

My Mother and Father-in-law have been having problems with the place they live. They live in a trailer park here in Cedar, and thought they were under contract to purchase their home. For this reason, they have been making large payments to pay it off quickly. Last summer they completely replaced the roof, and there are other general improvements they have made. About a month ago, the woman who owned the park brought a new mortgage contract for them to sign. It didn't account for all the extra payments they made and raised the monthly payments. They (not familiar with legal jargon) brought the contract to me and my sister-in-law (who is a mortgage broker) to read. We asked them where their original contract was. Apparently, they had never received a copy, and when we asked the owner for one, it was an entirely different one then the one my in-laws thought they had signed. Turns out that the owner claims they have been renting the whole time.

So. . . after lots of "negotiation" where the owner called all of us all sorts of names, and spitefully used my in-laws, they gave her a thirty day notice that they were leaving. She told them they only had until the first to get out. This gives us less then a week.

She refuses to refund all the extra money they paid, and also refuses to refund the money they spent on the roof (which, as they were renters they shouldn't have been responsible.) There is no real legal recourse because my in-laws didn't get receipts for the extra payments or keep any records of anything. She obviously doctored the "original" contract, and there is no way to prove it, except to say that both Amber and I saw it before it was signed. . . but that is just he said/she said.

Needless to say, with an extra room, we volunteered to have them come to our house until they found something they could afford. As they had not expected to move, they need to save up first and last month rent in order to get into anything. My father-in-law is looking around for a better job, and is hoping to go to St. George and into a retirement community.

So Scott and I are going to be spending this weekend clearing out the back room (I put my bookcases, and the boxes I wasn't ready to unpack yet there) and moving my in-laws.

On top of this stressful situation, my dear mother-in-law was in a car accident last Friday, and is in terrible pain. She isn't lifting boxes, and under my Dad's orders, is icing her body every hour. However, just from the repetitive motion of packing the boxes, she was in a great deal of pain last night. Scott tried to tell her to stop, but I understand her situation. With my Father-in-law working, she really is the only one who can do the packing. I would be doing the same thing in her place. Hopefully we can help her, and she won't aggravate her condition too much. I still cannot lift boxes, but I can do repetitive packing without too much trouble.

Our ultrasound will have to wait. . . hopefully we can do it on Scott's next weekend off.

Sunday is a comin'

There is nothing like having to teach a class to force you to truly use Saturday to prepare for Sunday. I have found that, while I can give an impromptu lesson with a bunch of adults, doing the same thing for 6 year olds just doesn't happen. If I have prepared the lesson well, and don't have to constantly refer to the manual, I can keep control of my class. Preparing in advance also gives me time to think of (with total inspiration, I assure you) some awesome hands on experiences for the kids. At six years old, sitting still just doesn't happen. Pictures, crayons, games, songs, all of these are required to keep their attention. Treats are indispensable. They seem to find it easier to behave if they know they get a reward at the end of it.

It is getting harder though, mostly because of my pregnancy. I seem to do fine through sacrament, but as soon as I sit down in primary I feel the need to take a nap. That doesn't work when you have nine 6 year olds that you need to keep track of. Keeping my focus during class time is hard too, and I am the Teacher! Last Sunday I just wanted to give up and play the popular "HangMan" filler game. I am very proud of myself that I stuck to my guns, but I was so tired when it was over that Scott almost had to carry me out of church. He DID have to carry Danny, the diaper bag (stuffed to the brim with my scriptures, water, my lesson book, etc.) his scriptures and notebook, and all of our jackets. My Darling Pack Mule! I sure appreciate him.

Hopefully I get a helper this week. Especially as it will make it easier to find a substitute for next week, as I am going out of town.

29 weeks?

So this weekend I will be 23 weeks along. Today we had our midwife's appointment, and I am measuring large. . . but not by a bit. I am measuring 29 weeks! (For those who don't understand, they measure from the pubic bone to the top of the uterus and that tells them that the baby is growing without needing an ultrasound.)

I have been measuring a little big consistently, but that was only by a week or so, which is normal. This huge jump from last month is odd to me. My midwife isn't worried, cause sometimes a baby has a big growth spurt and then evens up. The other two explanations are that I am 1) farther along than we thought or 2) twins.

Well, the twins issue will be settled next weekend, as I am getting an ultrasound then.

Tagged -

Sorry it took so long. For some reason it has been hard to actually sit down at the computer to write this week.

1. 10 years ago: I was 17, and getting ready to graduate high school. I was president of my seminary class and part of the graduation committee. My Grandfather Brown passed away. I was grounded for the last time in my life. This showed me my parents commitment to the idea that I was God's child first. (Whenever we were grounded, it was from everything except for church activities.) The week I was grounded I only stayed home one night. I even went to Lagoon (a utah theme park) because it was an activity for Seminary! The only activity I missed was a school dance, because everything else was for church. Pretty Cool!

2. 5 things on my to-do list today:
Go Grocery Shopping!
Type on my Blog
Family Home Evening
Deposit a Check (will have to do that tomorrow)
Laundry Day!

3. Snacks I enjoy:
Ice Cream (all flavors!)
Strawberry Shortcake
Donuts
Chips and Pico de Gallo
Bread and Bruschetta

4. What I would do if I were suddenly made a billionaire:
This is an interesting question for me. Having spent a lot of time studying finances and business, I have put a lot of thought into this kind of topic. After taking care of all my needs and wants, what do you do with the left over $900,000,000? I would build a legacy for my family, and teach them how to harness the resources they have for good. How to use the money to impact lives all across the board. This gives us an opportunity to truly make a difference in our world, I would find a need that I was passionate about and do what I could to fill it. At the moment, a great deal would go to promoting education. I believe that to feed a man fills him for a day, but teach him to make his own food, and you feed him for a lifetime. (Oh, and I would take all my family and friends on an extended vacation involving the Disney Cruise Lines and Disneyworld. I figure we might be ready to come home after three or four weeks.)

5. 5 places I have lived:
San Diego, California
Clearfield, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Thomas, Idaho
Cedar City, Utah

6. 5 jobs that I have had:
Assistant at a Ceramic Shop (I did it all!)
Clerk for Sunshine Nutrition
Secretary for a Chiropractor
Cook/Medical Officer at the Boy Scout Camp Steiner
Mentor for Idaho Leadership Academy

7. 5 Random Things people don't know about me:

- I would give up cooking in a heart beat. If I could find and pay someone to make wonderful, healthy meals, I would be content.

- I enjoy being bored. I didn't believe my Mom, she used to say that she loved being bored because it happened so rarely. Now I know what she means. Those moments when there is nothing pressing and quiet are a gift to me. I can do whatever I want. . . and then the moment is gone.

- I really enjoy the show Reba. It cracks me up every time I watch it. Also, Psych is my favorite TV Show, and I will watch every episode I can, and I love introducing it to people.

-Having done FLYLady faithfully for over a month, my house has stayed pretty clutter free. . .except that back room. I still have to tackle it in my fifteen minute increments.

- I am a Primary Teacher in my church for 6-7 year olds. I love them dearly, but I have nine of the rambunctious little ones, and they drain me every week. I have asked for and am praying for another adult to help me. (It was a calling for both Scott and I, but they asked him to be in the Young Men's Program.)

8. People I tag: Katie, Marilyn, Jenny, and anyone else who wants to post a bit about themselves.

More Musings

I really enjoyed Elder Gerald Lund's talk about hearts. I won't go into great detail, but it made me think of the kind of fence I want around my heart. I liked the sound of the little white picket fence with the sign "Welcome Friends." This kind of fence is mostly to keep the toddlers in, instead of others out. I like having an open home, one where others can feel welcome and comfortable, and I think my heart is a lot like that. I have certainly felt my share of heart ache and pain, but I found it was easier to heal if I remained open instead of closing myself off. I think I would add to the picket fence, my Golden Retriever. The gentlest dog I have ever met, he has also become quite the Guard Dog. He barks at those he doesn't know to warn them that, indeed, this place has protection. Yet, if they are friendly and do not abuse the privilege, he loves to have people over, and wants to play. This keeps most of the riff raff out, while enjoying the peace and love of good friends. Elder Lund applied these gates to the Spirit, and how He can carry the message "unto" the gates of the heart, but it is up to us to allow the message past those gates. I hope that my gate will always be open to the Spirit, and that my Guard Dog will ever love this Guest.

Conference Ponderings

I loved General Conference yesterday. I look forward to hearing more from our Prophets today. There were a few talks that struck me strongly this time, as always, and I wanted to share some of my musings.

I have always had a deep sense of spiritual matters. My testimony runs deep, and my relationship with Heavenly Father is very close. It is easy for me to get in touch with the spirit, and to feel and receive answers to my prayers. It surprised me as I grew up that others did not have the same kind of relationship with Deity that I did. Faithful friends of mine seemed to struggle to receive answers, and acted on faith more than on knowledge. I have pondered this for a long time, why I was always so sure. Faith in my life meant acting on the knowledge and revelation that I had received, knowing that I would be stopped if I had misunderstood something. I noticed, however, that Faith meant something different to others. Faith would sometimes mean that they would act as if they knew what the Lord wanted them to do, hoping that they were on the right track. They seemed to never truly know if He had spoken to them, but hoped they were right. I could see clearly that indeed, they had received and were doing right, but they were walking by Faith and I was simply there to give encouragement and, perhaps, some confidence. It bothered me a great deal, and I often wondered why such things came so easily to me, and seemed to be such a struggle with others whom I held dear.

One of the talks yesterday was discussing testimony and mentioned the gifts that are listed in Doctrine and Covenants section 46. "To some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world. To others it is given to believe on their words, that they also might have eternal life if they continue faithful. " (D&C 46:13-14) It struck me that perhaps, this was the reason. I seem to have been given the Gift of Knowing God, and others I have loved have the Gift to Believe. In the end, it doesn't really matter, as long as we "continue faithful" we shall all end up truly Knowing God, and having Eternal Life.

Unforseen Consequences of Mom with a Cold

1. I can't smell dirty diapers. This means that unless I actually look, Danny could have a dirty diaper for hours, and I don't even notice. Typically, this means that it is discovered as soon as Scott picks him up to give him a hug.

2. I can't hardly talk on the phone (my plugged nose makes it difficult.) Scott has had to make the phone calls to set up appointments for me.

3. Cooking is done with one hand full of tissues so that I don't contaminate the food. (Which is funny if you think about it, since the airborne germs are probably throughout our whole house anyways.)

The Glory of the Right Kind of Tissue!

My family has been, in general, a pretty healthy family. So when I went to college, I learned a few things that I had never even considered before. A beloved roommate of mine had constant colds. I lived with her for nearly four years and we always had puffs in our house. She swore to me they were heaven sent. She used to joke about single handedly raising their stock.

She came to visit me a few months ago, and asked in shock where my puffs were. She couldn't believe that I didn't even have a Kleenex box!

If I get a cold, it usually only lasts a day or so. Any form of tissue, except the toilet kind, is usually the last thing on my mind. However, having suffered for three days, I broke down and bought a 4-pack of Puffs. I think this is the first time I ever truly understood the difference between toilet paper and a Puffs tissue for your nose. It felt like velvet or silk, and soothed rather than irritated. I was truly amazed! I am now committed to keeping Puffs in my house. So next time you come down, Rinda, I will have plenty for you!

Feeling Better

I awoke this morning with some miraculous energy. I am now over the illness, everything except a lingering clogged and dripping nose. I felt really icky from two days of runny noses and coughing, so I took a nice long shower. It was wonderful! Cheyanne came to take care of Danny cause I just didn't feel up to showering with a toddler this morning. I had to start off in spurts, as I couldn't stand for long periods of time without feeling low on energy. By the end of the day, I have made lunch and dinner, finished the laundry, ironed the laundry, cleaned the house, and now I am ready to relax.

Safe to say, I am probably over the worst!

Bad Cold!

Today was a miserable day. I woke up sick. I couldn't hardly move. Danny was almost feeling as bad as I was. His cold came back with some force today too. Scott was wonderful and took care of everything until he went to work this morning. By then, Danny and I were cuddled in our recliner watching Cars. My wonderful little sisters Chrystal and Chalae came to help me today. Because of thier help with Danny, I was able to sleep most of the day away. (Last night Danny woke up every hour, so I was extremely sick and tired.)

I am now feeling good enough to type this little blog, and bid all of you a good night. Hopefully this is only a one day illness for me, but since I am trying to avoid medicine, it might be more of a struggle. I cannot wait for Spring to Stay!

Computer Troubles and The Food Network

My computer has been down for the last few days. It suddenly froze, and then after I turned it off, it wouldn't turn back on. So I had a friend walk me through a few things, and let it rest, and it seems to work just fine now.

Meanwhile, Danny was sick yesterday. It is odd, I have gotten used to his independence, but yesterday all he wanted to do was be held and cuddled with while we sat on the couch. Needless to say, I didn't get much done yesterday. I couldn't wait for Scott to get home, cause then he could hold him while I moved around. My body doesn't like sitting all day long.

When there isn't alot of things on during the day, you find some interesting shows. I watched the Food Network most of the day, and gained a new zest for cooking. My favorite shows were Paula Dean and Rachel Ray. Rachel's was very fun, and what I like - 30 minute meals! Meanwhile, I find Paula Dean absolutely adorable. She loves food, and doesn't hold back on the butter, it is beautiful!

As soon as the computer started working last night, I got online and started looking up cookbooks. I haven't actually purchased any yet, but I have a few in my shopping cart that I am considering. If there are any cookbooks that you have found amazingly useful, please let me know.

Danny's Easter Egg Hunt!

Finally! This evening we hid the eggs, and got to enjoy helping our boy find his candy.

Oops! An Egg Burst open, and the Jelly Beans

went Everywhere!