It feels like a Monday!

Wow. . . . I woke up this morning to Ethan yelling, "Mom! Jacob's throwing up!" Oi. Yesterday it was Ethan, today it was Jacob and Eva. Eva did not actually end up throwing up though. She woke up dry heaving and then slowly started feeling better after lying around for a few hours.
Jacob stopped barfing around 10:30a.

I think that our dish washer may be dying. I did a load of dishes last night and this morning the heating element was still on! I am glad that we did not die in our sleep, hello! I opened the dishwasher to get a spoon and just about melted my fingers off it was so hot.

Our microwave died on Thanksgiving Day on now this. They are both top of the line GE. Don't get GE. They are apparently crap! We have only had them for a year and a half and look!

Christmas

What a week! I had a fun Christmas. To tell you the truth I love Christmas, but I absolutely hate the season. I cannot stand the hustle and bustle of it all. Especially this year. This year has been very trying for me in general. I just could not get a grip on everything that was stressing me out this year.

I have been released from my calling, hallelujah! I loved my calling, but it was definately one of my breaking points. The Lord just knew it. I fullfilled my calling and I tried my best not to shirk on it, but I must admit that I could have done better if the circumstances had been different.

I look forward to this new year. I think that this is the first year that I actually get the starting fresh thing. I need it so badly. You may all be thinking, "That girl is just one big crazy!", which I have to admit is true. But, (Steph, if you are reading this, I know that I am not supposed to start a sentence with but) I know that everyone a their own share of crazy too. I do not know one soul who doesn't and if you still tell yourself that you aren't that just proves how much more that you have.

Anyway, I did have fun with my families as I was hum bugging it from having to do so much driving around. I love you and am glad that I got to spend time with you!

I am gearing up for this weekend. It is going to be crazy! Tonight James is volunteering at the temple for security, I am going to try to get some last minute shopping done and hitting smart and final for Ethan's B'day Sunday.

Saturday morning we have our church breakfast with Santa. For lunch we will be attending sweet little Sophia's #1 B'day. When we get home we will be doing some cleaning for Sunday and prechopping of the veggies that will go with Nacho's for Ethan's 6th B'day party.

Naptime

I sit here listening to the quiet. Mmm. It's like sitting in a big squishy, comfy couch with a big mug of frothy cocoa and a cozy blanket.

I am so excited for Ethan to be home from school for his break. Sure, I know that craziness is going to happen, but I have plans. Not set in stone plans because, lets face it, children don't let you set things in stone. My plans are filled with fun and baking and goofy sillyness! They start Monday. Today. . . well today I have to prepare for all of this goofyness by cleaning. What a bummer! But, it still makes me eager for what will be.

If you want to be included in the fun, by all means stop on by!

Christmas Story

So most of you know how our family does not include Santa Clause in our Christmas celebrations and for those of you who may not I will share this with you.

After James proposed to me, my sister Stephanie (who knew that I wanted to do this) asked if I was going to exclude Santa from Christmas. This was new to James and honestly I had not thought about it in years. James asked what she was talking about and so I told him.

I have felt for a long time that Christ has been left out of Christmas. Even though my parents brought us up with the knowledge that Christ is the center of Christmas, and we would even act out the nativity on Christmas Eve each year, I just always felt that Christmas was about the gifts. I did not want that for my family. So, my idea was to not include Santa and when my kids started asking questions that I would tell then the true story of St. Nicolas and let them know what a wonderful man he was and the great things that he did, but that that was a long time ago and that he had past away along time ago. The the Santa that people talk about is a story that people through the years have made up about St. Nicolas. James suprisingly loved this idea and wanted this for our family.

A couple of years ago, after coming home from exchanging gifts with cousins Ethan asked why they had recieved gifts from Santa and he had not. (He DOES recieve gifts from us) So, I told him of St. Nicolas and his wonderful story. He loved this insider knowledge and grasped the idea. He did not always relay the message in the appropriate light. When people would talk of Santa he would always yell out (most adamantly) that Santa is dead. As you can expect we have recieved many a horrified look from nearby parents. I tried to explain to him that other families enjoy their traditions of including Santa and that that is okay for them, but there is no gray area for Ethan. There is only black and white.

This year Ethan started school. When the Christmas season arrived many children have spoken of Santa and Ethan has argued his case not willing to let them believe otherwise.

A couple of days ago he came up to me rather defiantly telling me that he believes in Santa. I told him that his father and I are hear to teach he and his brother and sister the things that we know to be right and true and that he can still choose want he wants to believe. I went on to remind him why we choose not to include Santa in our celebrations, that we want to emphasize Christ as why we celebrate this beautiful season. I let him know that his decision is fine. It is not bad.

It was very interesting and suprising to see this little soul growing and thinking and discovering on such a subject. He was obviously having an inner struggle. I am proud of him for sharing this with me. That he chose to actually discuss this with me and share his feelings. I am sure that this must have been a scary thing for him. Not sharing his feelings in general, but doing it with the knowledge that it was something that he knew that I would not see eye to eye with him on.

Frost

We had our first frost yesterday. I looked in the back and it looked like there was a thin layer of snow on my garden boxes. It was pretty.

Today was Ethan's last day of school for the semester. He has a full 3 weeks off for winter break. Let the sleeping in begin! Woo hoo!

Thanksgiving

The past two years I have been straddling the fence on whether I like turkey anymore. Now that I have actually hosted Thanksgiving and prepared a turkey, I can say without doubt that Inot only do not like it anymore, but am disgusted by it. I can pick apart and cut apart a chicken, but just preparing the turkey I threw up and carving it I had two near misses.

I am now converted to having ham for Thanksgiving. Other than the turkey incidents I had a fun day and although I was dead tired by the afternoon, hosting wasn't as stressful as I thought that it would be. Everyone helped out and made it enjoyable!

Pre-Thanksgiving Campout

The past two days I have been cleaning, doing laundry, and knitting when I get a break in. Yesterday was upstairs today is down.

Sunday I thunked the turkey into the fridge to thaw. We are crossing our fingers that it will not be half frozen on Thursday.

Starting tonight James is off until Monday. We are planning on having a campfire in the back and James is going to see if he can sleep in the backyard tent (a dome tent that has been dubbed since it has been up since the summer) by himself if he waits until after the kids are put to bed. We will see. I forsee that the mini campers will suggest camping while there is a fire. They are a very persistant bunch.

Eva's B'day Bash

My little princess! She had such a fun time!

I don't know how she was able to walk around in her heels

but she did a great job of it!

Thank's everyone for coming and having fun with us!!

Trick or Treat!

Here are my cutie pies! They were so excited to wear their costumes. Especially my cyber hero's!

They totally raked in the candy at the trunk or treat!

Tunes Yo

Here are some cool tunes http://www.youtube.com/user/PomplamooseMusic#p/u/1/xycnv87N_BU

Good Morning Thursday

Today is Ethan's very first Field Trip to Snepf Farms. He is very excited!

Okay, I am not a big gamer, but James was showing this to me on you tube last night and it is soooooooo cool! Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rhd5xVkxnYg

Fall Is In The Air

I am so glad for the nice morning temperatures! Jacob, Eva and I have been walking each morning after we drop Ethan off for school. Today we say some Monarch Butterflies! I believe that we saved one's life when we approached a bird that flew off and then the butterfly did as well.

Utah

James' company got a contract for an assisted living retirement community that is going to be built it Utah. They will be starting this winter and will last about a year and a half. He will be going up at a week or two at a time. It will be interesting to see what he thinks of working in the cold.

I am sad, but it is also a blessing that he has a job that will have work for him. He has busy during these summer months, but I wasn't sure how the winter would go. Here in AZ no one is really willing to go without their A/C, but the winter is a different story. I wasn't sure what his hours would be like, but this should keep him busy.

Ear Infections and Waffles

Jacob was laying around all day yesterday. Today he woke up crying about his ear hurting. Ethan came and sat down by me and asked, "Why does Jacob keep getting sick?". Good question. Poor Jacob is going through all of it. It started a couple of weeks ago with the stomache flu, then last week he had a sore throat and high fever for a few days, and now his ear.

Poor guy. Thankfully, I happened to already have some numbing ear drops from the last time that Eva had an ear infection. I don't know how much more that Jacob can stand. Of course he hasn't had anything serious, thank goodness!

Today was a waffle morning. Thanks to Eggo's! Jacob wanted his blueberry waffles and he got them! He is tired of orange juice and really wanted milk, but I gave him Kool-Aide instead.

It has been so nice in the mornings and I have been dying to start walking, but that will have to wait until Jacob is better. Sigh.

No School!!

Ethan currently has fall break which lasts for two full weeks! Woo hoo, I get to sleep in! I miss the summer sleep in days. I know, I know. I am up kind of early writing this post. It is because our shower curtain bar hates us and fell down a lot of times this morning when James was attempting to take his shower. I was actually amazed to not hear any muttering or throwing of the stupid thing into the closet.

So here I am begining my day. When I gave my hubbers his 'see ya later, don't fall through any attics' kiss I found the air outside to be a bit on the chilly side. I think that I will take the kids on a morning walk about.

Take some advise from the Brady Bunch and have a Sunshine Day!

Blah

The flu has officially hit our house. Jacob and Eva have been lying around for the past two days with fevers. Jacob has been complaining of having a sore neck (throat) and I haven't decided if Eva is teething still or if she is coming down with something too.

Next week is the start of Fall Break for Ethan. He gets a full two weeks off. Hopefully Jacob won't pass what he has off to Ethan.

Good Morning Sunshine

There is Sunshine in my soul today, more glorious and bright. . . .

Splatt!!!!

Man oh man! There has been a lot of barf at my house lately. Poor Stephanie can attest to that! She was the latest target/victim of a lot of it. She came over for dinner last night thinking that she would have a nice visit. We were in the middle of watching The Sound of Music and (Jacob was laying on her) he sat straight up and projected it everywhere including Stehpanies unfortunate lap.

Last week it was Ethan and now Jacob. I suppose that it will be Eva's turn this coming weekend. For her sake I sure do hope that I am wrong!

Nada

I just realized that my previous title has nothing to do with the content that goes with it. I was going to write about how I love reading other people's blogs and then I never take the time to add to mine. Oh, well. . .

Are you there?

I love visiting my favorite blogs that show me new craft, recipe, gardening and life ideas. Then, I think I haven't done a post for a while on mine. I don't have anything new and fun to share, blah, blah, blah. . . .

I have been stock piling paint. The walls in our home are white and paint is expensive. Each week as I go shopping (Walmart baby!) I always stop by the 'Oops!' section in the paint department. I have found and purchased a few gallons this way and they are always at least 50% off of the regular price. I have even been finding colors that I was already thinking about purchasing ( evil cackling laugh while tapping my fingers together near my face, ah hah, hah, hah, hah, hah!!!! ). Woo hoo! Score for me!

I am soo incredibly cheep. I absolutely hate spending full price on anything! James has been wanting me to get a cell phone to be able to contact me whenever. . . and I get a little bit excited and think that would be fun. Then, I start looking around at different phones/plans and I just can't get myself to have to purchase a phone and then pay a hefty monthly bill on top of it. Not me! We went shopping at Fry's Electronics a couple of weeks ago and I saw an incredible invention that you can purchase an attatchment for your phone that you can use with your internet connection for basically free local and long distance service. It is like $20 a year. I am so going to go back and get it! I already pay that monthly for only local service. What the heck am I thinking?!

I can't wait for fall tempuratures to come. I want to start walking Ethan to and from school and right now it would be cruel and unusual punishment to make my kids endure these harsh conditions. They still get sweaty waiting in the truck with the A/C blasting when we go to pick
him up!

Knitting

I have always wanted to learn how to knit. When
my sister-in-law (Elaine) was in town last, she
was working on a project of her own and made my
inner knitter start itching to get out! So, I went
to Wal-Mart and picked up a begginer's knitting
kit, which came with a how to book with a few
pattern's, needle's and some other accessories.
I have been knitting for a couple of months
now and am enjoying it!

This is my third project. I started out making a
muffler for myself that turned out kind of iffy.
It is now in my camping bin. My second project
I was just starting to practice different stitch
swatches. Once I started though, Ethan wanted
a scarf for himself and now I have to do one
for each of the family before I get to do anything
else, which is fine. I still get to play around
with different stitches. Thanks Elaine for
inspiring me!

Body Parts

Here is Eva showing off her body part

knowledge! Up first is her belly. . .

her eyes. . . . .




and her teeth. . . .








and her tongue!

Photo Update

Here is Ethan on his first day of school! Jacob is obviously
giving him a kind send off. Jacob was very upset that day and
the following 2 weeks after. He has always been attatched to
Ethan. Ethan enjoys school and the friends that he has made there.
His favorite class is P.E. but he really enjoys all of his classes.
Everyday Ethan is excited to talk about the things that he has
learned and accomplished!

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!!!

Jacob is officially potty/poop trained! He doesn't even have accidents during the night anymore! I am so excited! (Just look at all of the exclamation points!)

Wow, I can't believe that I was dreading the task of poop and potty training him. A few times a day I ask him if he needs to go (just to remind him) and he usually tells me no and just takes care of it himself when he is ready. The Lord has blessed me immensly. I prayed for help and did some research, but research alone is nothing when it comes to a stubborn toddler. The Lord answered my many pleading sincere prayers on the matter and I am truly greatful!

Thanks to those of you who may have prayed on our behalf.

Hello It's Friday!

So, it is Friday! James was on call last weekend and has totally been fried waiting for the weekend.

He has totally been wanting to go camping, but since I have been more dilligent with Jacob's potty training, we will not be going this weekend. Maybe in September. We will have to see.

Since James is off this weekend I will try to post some photos tomorrow.

Poop has happened!!!

Woo hoo! Wow, Jacob has been terrified of pooping in the toilet ever since he has been introduced to it. Tuesday he finally pooped in the toilet all of his own accord and even without my knowledge. He came running out of the bathroom yelling, "I went stinky, I went stinky!!" I ran into the bathroom and he had flushed the toilet. I was so disappointed. (Something know one ever thinks that they would say or actually think) I told him that next time to let me see first. Apparently he was not done because 5 minutes later I hear him calling for me from the much more frequented commode! It was one the best things I have seen all year! A big pile of poop in the toilet and not in a diaper waiting for me to clean it! Woo, hoo!

This is a serious answer to my prayers. I told him that he did not get to wear diapers (pull-ups) any more and that he had to wear big boy underwear because he is a big boy. You should have seen the crocidile tears welling up in those big brown eyes. He cried all day long and in the afternoon he pooped on the carpet and guess who had to clean it up? Not I! It was Mr. Big Boy! I think that may have been the turning point for him, because it was like an hour later that he left his gift to the toitty. He has not had a poop accident since.

I am now working on his potty abilities. I have always just set the timer on the microwave and told him when to go. I am now having him going half naked around the house and he has to go on his own now, basically starting today. We will see how that goes, but I am still tingly about him pooping on his own that means that he is halfway there!

Slacker!!!!

Okay, my camera batteries died shortly after Ethan started school and I have not charged my camera yet. Although, I will do so today. I stayed home sick from church today because I have angry bowel syndrome today! Ewe, yes it's okay I know that is what you are thinking and so am I. Total grossness, let me tell you!

Anyway. I don't know if I will actually be posting any pictures this week, because I a decided to stop putting off poop training Jacob this week and figured that I will kill two birds with one stone and attempt to train Eva as well. We will see how the latter goes. I am so not looking forward to this, but I cannot have Jacob being 4 come October and still in Pull Ups. Plus I am sooooooooooo done changing him! I only have myself to blame. Pray for me. I am going to need all the help that I can get!

My Baby Boy!

My little boy is all grown up! Yesterday we got
to go to the school and meet his kindergarden
teacher! I can't believe it. Actually I can, he has
been wanting to be in school for the past year
and a half! Now he gets to. He will be starting
on Monday. After we left his classroom and
loaded into the truck he asked if that was the
playroom, we told him that that will be his
new classroom. You could see the wheels turning
in his head. I wonder what he was thinking.
I know what I was thinking. . . . I was remembering
the day that I got to seem him for the first time
(not drugged up, that is key). He was so little and
skinny and long! I remember what a little
monkey man he was!

Cloudy Day

Pretty fluffy clouds. . . Last week was a
cloudy one, and we even got some
rain too! Woo hoo!

Gotta have a popsicle break!!!

Mmmmmmm popsicles. . . .

My sticky girl eating her 'cicle!

Pretty, and it was so nice out too!

Fixer Uper's

I have been working on some projects in and outside of the house. I have built a compost bin out of pallets, but I still need to add the chicken wire to keep things from blowing all over the place.

I have built two garden boxes but have only dug out an area for one and it still needs to be filled in with dirt. I am waiting for a craislist post for free fill dirt!

I have also painted our downstairs powder room. I have been very ambishous lately! Wow!

Water Babies!

Here are the kiddo's splish'n and a splash'n!

Water Babies!

Here are the kiddo's splish'n and a splash'n!

Summer Fun!

We have had a few BBQ's with Grampa. He's cookin' us some dogs and chicken! Mmmm. . . . . Grampa makes some mean drumsticks!

Spring!

Yeah, it's springtime! I love the Spring. I can garden, it's not too hot/cold to play outside, and not too many pesty bugs out yet. Woo hoo!