Sister Celestial Day

Project #1 Green smoothies

Project #2 LasagnaProject #3 Freshly ground wheat breadIf you want to put me in action, either tick me off, or make me feel incredibly guilty. To be totally honest I think the motivation behind today was a little of both. The Stake RS gave a talk yesterday about our homes being more "temple like" Here are some direct quotes from the talk,

"I grew up with a mom that worked and our home was always dark and cold even though we had light and electricity." I work, so is my home doom and gloom? Over and over she said, "While my children were growing up I was there every time to greet my husband and children when they came home" Someone is home, it's just not always me. "I always made sure I had a delicious snack waiting for them" Do Cool Ranch Doritos count? "Meal times are so important, we can show our family we love them by fixing delicious and nutricious meals for them" I might need to read the label on that TopRamen again. "We should have rooms in our homes that are like celestial rooms, my friend even put white carpet in hers." There is not, nor shall there ever be white carpet in my house!!!

HMMMM I know this sweet sister did not set out to offend me or anyone else. But is this real? I know it's not for those of us that work, and I do believe it's a tiny bit off the mark for those who do stay home. That being said I set out to have a sister celestial day. I was fortunate enough to be able to work from home today. Working took the place of laundry. (something had to go). This is how it went:

I made my kids a hot breakfast
We all prayed together before they left for school
Took Princess to Dance
Exercised
Took Princess and friend to the store for a treat and get groceries
Played Pretty Pretty Princess and entertained the two 4yr olds while:
Making 20 Green Smoothie shake bags (project #1)
Made 2 Lasagnas one for dinner one for later #2
Ground wheat and made bread #3
My delicious after school snack consisted of

yogurt and toast;

(not the best but that's what they wanted)
Helped Master and his friend film their latest spy segment
Ate dinner as a family
Did massive amounts of dishes all day

(from the projects)
Indy ran Sport to Karate while I prepared FHE
Did homework with kids after FHE
Put clean sheets on my bed
I"m sure I did other misc things like pick up, clean up, change diapers along the way etc.
*All while returning multiple phone calls, emails, txt messages for work
OH MY HELL!!!!

I'm exhausted. Sister Celestial is made out of better pioneer stock than I am because I couldn't do this day in and day out. The topper is being 20 weeks pregnant with a pinched sciatic nerve, OUCH!
I collapsed in bed only to be sooo wound up I couldn't fall asleep. My cousin is right I need some of that Tylenol PM. This is what I would like to end with. I'm happy for Sister Celestial. If that works for her, more power to her. I think there are good righteous women out there in different circumstances with different kids with different needs. We all can't do "IT" the same way. My way is not perfect but like the rest of you I juggle and try to make "IT" work.
This is from Elder Ballard Spring Conf 2008:
"There is no one perfect way to be a good mother. Each situation is unique. Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children. The choice is different and unique for each mother and each family. Many are able to be “full-time moms,” at least during the most formative years of their children’s lives, and many others would like to be. Some may have to work part-or full-time; some may work at home; some may divide their lives into periods of home and family and work. What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else."

AMEN

ALL DONE..let the fun begin

I know I have a big head but this shows how little this guy is 6.0lbs

JANA is DONE and I'm sooooo JEALOUS! She skipped the last 4 weeks of pregnancy! Her water broke last friday, her due date was February 20th. Lucky for them this little guy is a champ and at 36 weeks he is holding his own. He is WAY cute and looks like Mark.

They will be great parents.

Congratulations Mark and Jana

We love you!

A Sunday thought..

Today was ward conference. I personally think it's nice to hear from the Stake President but really it's just a normal Sunday. (Master was wondering since it was ward conference, if we could leave after sacrament and watch the rest on TV) Our Stake focus is on Temples. In the third hour President Taggart was encouraging us to attend the temple but also to work on our family history. I don't know about you, but geneology and family extraction work is just not in my season of things to do at the moment. He then said, "Even if you can just consistently keep a journal it will bless your family." WA-LA!! I am via this blog keeping a consistent family history. Ok he didn't mention blogger specifically but I'm pretty sure this counts. YES!!!!

It's THAT time again..

I am a SUCKER when it comes to kids selling stuff door to door for fund raising. When it comes to Girl Scouts I have not had one knock on my door in years. Once upon a time I was a Girl Scout. Lately I have had a craving for Tagalong cookies. Last Saturday two darling girls from my ward knocked on my door and TA-DA my craving for Tagalongs shall be answered in a few weeks. I even got to be second on their form, just underneath their Grandma. 12 boxes coming soon to my freezer. YIPEE!

7up

Happy Birthday Sport

Birthday pancakes from Cass Presents and more presents
This is one of those battery operated 4x4's and he has go figured out
but not STOP...It could be a long summer chasing Sport

It is very common given Sport's medical history and trisomy 21 that people ask "how is he doing?" ...So here is the Sport age 7 UPdate: He attends the same school as Master which makes things much easier on me. He is in the 'function skills' class most of the time. He does however spend a good amount of time with his regular 1st grade class doing art and music and other activities. He has 'helpers' in his reg-ed class and according to his teacher there are always students eager to volunteer to help Sport. One highlight of my day is putting him on the bus in the morning. He gets to his seat and turns to look out the window; he gives you the biggest cheesiest grin you've ever seen...I need to video this because it is so funny. He likes school but the minute he gets off the bus he says, "football mom" and "shorts mom". He still LOVES sports and everyday would be in heaven if he could wear his sports shorts and a Utes t-shirt to school. From a health perspective we have been especially blessed the past two years. Managing without a colon has it's challenges but I will take that any day over spending time at Primary Childrens Hospital. He continues with Karate 2x a week and private OT therapy x1 a week. Sport has taught me a great deal about the expectations I put on my children. I've learned to expect the best, but the best is judged by his standard and at his rate, and thus I am thrilled with the progress he does make. His speech has made HUGE strides in the past year. His favorite word is still NO! but he does love to stand behind you and say, "I'm gonna spank ya bum" and he gives you a nice little slap on the bum. At his IEP the other day one of the therapists that works with him, felt that Sport would, "never form thoughts and put them down on paper". If she had been there I would have slapped her. I understand that may be her professional opinion, but does she realize the kid can say a prayer out loud all by himself? He may not be able to write it yet but heavens, he's only in the first grade. There are moments I ponder what Sport would be like if he didn't have Down syndrome. Would he be different? What would he be doing? I have NO answers. I am so super glad he is here and he is mine.... the rest just doesn't matter.

CHECK it out...

I've always heard the advice check your credit rating once a year from each of the 3 credit agencies. I've never done it. I pay my bills, why worry? I went to www. annualcreditreport.com. It's way easy to do and as long as you keep clicking on the free option it won't cost you any money. Little did I know there were two collection agencies on my report claiming unpaid bills. I had never heard of these agencies and the billing information dated back to 2006. It turns out that when we moved in the summer of 2006 some mail didn't get forwarded and thus got sent to collection. The collection companies had incorrect contact information and thus I never knew I was sent to collection. So LEARN from my mistake and check your credit report.

"Pound Sand"

This is one of my favorites, I think I picked it up in Jr. High. There are several others that go along with it;
"go fly a kite"
"take a hike"
"shove it"
"forget you"
...you get the idea. But do you say it to them or after them? We are counseled to 'watch our words' 'it doesn't help, it only hurts etc." I know my posts have been a bit random lately and I promise to get back to the good news stuff, however maybe it's the pregnancy hormones but twice in the last week I have desperately wanted to tell some people exactly what I think. Does it help? Does it hurt? Between a good friend and my friend/hair stylist (all hair stylist I think have a secondary degree as therapists). This was the combined advise.... "DON'T GO THERE, they (the people you're ticked at) are playing on a different play ground and it's one you don't want to play on or even visit because it's not any fun." I do recognize I could be totally in the wrong, on both accounts, however at the moment I've decided to not go there.

Here's Your Sign

NO SILKIES with JEANS

Or in this case My Sign. I did a not so smart thing the other day. I went to the Buckle to buy a new pair of jeans (my 1 and only pair had holes in the inseam). The great thing about jeans sitting lower on your hips is you can wear them further into maternity. I bought a pair that was a size bigger than normal and let the cashier know this WAS not my normal size I was 4 mo. pregnant. (She could have cared less, I know I'm vain.) I had to fly to Dallas on Tuesday and decided to wear my new jeans. Here comes the problem... When I am pregnant I don't get a cute round basket-ball sitting on my pelvis, my waist disappears and I get really thick around my entire middle, back and sides included, it's awesome. Back to the jeans...These jeans sit on your hips when you have hips, but when your waist becomes as big as your hips, you no longer have hips for the jeans to sit on. This particular day I chose to wear my silky G's. As jeans sometimes do they became looser throughout the day. By the time I got to the airport I was desperately afraid I was going to raise my arms for the security pat down and I would loose my pants. NOTE to self: do not wear the silkies with low cut jeans when pregnant = bad combination.

Pillow Talk

I don't think I"ll be saving this post for future generations, and will probably delete it sooner than later. That being said why am I even posting? Because I have pregnancy induced insomnia. I even tried warm milk tonight because the pump class teacher swore it was not just an old wives tale. GAG! Does not work I guess, if you can't get it down.
As stated earlier I am not a morning sick girl. I am an evening sick girl. The later the time the worse it gets. Thus I have taken to going to bed at unusually early hours 10, 9, even as early as 8:30. My reasoning is that if I'm asleep I won't feel miserable. Tonight I'm was in bed by 8:30. I have been feeling some stress about my lesson for RS next week. I read the lesson, the scriptures and was feeling zero inspiration so I watched the end of Brothers and Sisters. I never watch that show but in case you do Kitty's cancer is in remission and her very cute husband decided to not run for Governor, yay for them. The news came on next and I never watch the news because it reminds me there are real crazies in the world. Did you hear about the guy in Florida that murdered four family members at Thanksgiving dinner. Who knew you needed to come packing heat for Thanksgiving Dinner! Indy finally came to bed and this is how the pillow talk went.
Indy: I just paid bills and the T-mobile bill is messed up
me: What's wrong with it? (I was just about to fall asleep)
Indy: It says we have an extra $280 in usage charges
me: WHAT??
Indy: Don't worry about it we can look at it in the morning..
I am now wide awake so I lay there for about 2 minutes, can't handle it and go get the bill. We looked at it realized in November we had a lot to say by about 1000 minutes over the plan OUCH! back to the pillow talk -
remember I'm now wide awake and trying to keep the nausea at bay.
me: Do you remember what that guy at the hotel Monaco check in said to us that was so funny?
Indy: nope that was over a year ago
silence
Indy: now what are you thinking?
me: about plans and planning and the plan of salvation
silence
Indy: now what are thinking?
me: about President Jones and his theory.
Indy: This is why you have weird dreams because you think all these different random thoughts before falling asleep. Since hopping into bed I've thought about one thing and one thing only....
me: Babe I would love to help you but my head is swimming and the longer I lay here awake the more I want to puke.
Indy: I know I'll be fine.

OK he is either a really great husband or I am an awful wife...one of the two.

Resolutions and a Chubby Puppy

Typically at least one of my resolutions involves loosing weight. This year knowing full well I will be gaining weight for the next 5 months I am refusing to step on the scale. Ignorance is bliss. The one that started a diet today was our dog Shmuffy. After going to the vet we discovered we have a chubby puppy. She needs to loose 15lbs. We cut her food portion size in half, switched her to light food and will be increasing the amount of exercise she's getting. (Man that sounds all to familiar). Other resolutions:
1. Take a photshop class this year
2. Go to the temple more often
3. By this time next year be healthier and stronger than I am now. (notice no weight number involved)