The Life With In

Smelling me, smelling you

2012-02-05T16:51:00.003-06:00

My sense of smell seems to read things rather stronger then most people's. I smell every soap you use on your body. I smell your hairspray and makeup and weather or not you have a cat box in your house when you walk by. If you are wearing perfume you can floor me, coughing and wheezing for breath.

When I walk into homes or businesses its the smell that I notice first. The smell of the salt and dirt tracked on the carpeting (winter in Minnesota)... the smell of your cleaning products and weather or not the filter needs to be changed on the air exchange or furnace.

When I walk into a home I can smell if the dishes were done last night and if the garbage was taken out, what cleaning products were used, if you have cats or kids who pee their bed (and forgot to change it). I can smell if a kid barfed almost anywhere in the house.

I smell it in my own house too- the entry where the dogs weren't let all the way out, the beds that the kids didn't change, the whole upstairs reeks when they don't bring down the wet clothes they peed in. I can smell if someone forgot to flush a toilet and when my husband forgot to shower. I can smell if he's feeling stressed and can even smell it when the baby is sick. (Hubby takes on a dull smell with a s light metallic tang, babies take on a sharp, tangled smell).

I got rid of all shampoos, soaps, and cleaning supplies with a smell. (no pinesol or windex). I control all body care items like face cream, chapstick and deodorant to keep the smell down.

I love the smell of live dirt, babies heads, and all things cooking . I hate the smell of vinyl, melting plastics and diesel. I love the way my hubby's unders smell fresh from the dryer. I love the smell sunshine infuses into the line drying clothes. I love it when I can leave all the windows wide open in the house and get fresh air in.

I can smell my own hormonal state and that of others close to me. I firmly believe in human pharamones, and wonder how much more dogs could tell us about what they learn when they sniff us. I believe that interpersonal communications would be much easier in a world where nobody covered their own scents up. I like fresh human scents for what they can tell me.

I know you better when I can smell you. I know how to respond to you better when I can smell you. If you are truely going to be you- then smell like it.

Birthday Cake Time

2012-02-04T21:49:00.002-06:00

Roo's allergic to chocolate, I have allergies to eggs and milk, Clay can't do apples..... what kind of cake to make?

Buttery Coconut Pecan Cake (vegan)

mix:
3 cups whole wheat flour1
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup of ground flax seeds
1 heaping teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
cinnamon to taste

add:
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup palm oil (organic shortening)
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
1 Tablespoon vanilla

mix until fluffy and creamy.
Then add:
2 cups flaked coconut
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes.
Cool before frosting.

Frosting:
1/3 cup palm oil
3-4 cups powdered sugar
1-2 Tablespoons vanilla
Cinnamon and cloves to taste (also adds color)
whip until creamy.
Then add:
1 1/2 cups pecans
1 cup flaked coconut

Worked so awesome no ice cream needed.

Bed Time

2012-01-08T21:38:00.003-06:00

"It's after bed time, get your butts out of here."

I often wish my children would listen.... but then they would hear the words I say that do not show my love for them.

I try to be nice and give them a five minute warning- so they can close out their game and turn off the computers... and grab a last minute morsel to munch or find their back packs for tomorrow.... but when I start counting down to the removal of their allowance.... then I hear "but Mom, can I get something to eat? or I have to find my back pack."

I am too patient sometimes, and I say "yes," and "yes," and "yes," until all their needs are met.

Then I am done. And the answer turns to "NO."

"NO." you can't have another muffin.
"NO." it is too late to read a story.
"NO." you have lost your allowance.

It is amazing that those are the words we say to our kids when all we really want to say is "Good Night , Sweet Angels. Thank you for gracing my day with laughter and joy and activity. Now sleep so I can remain sane and spend a few minutes doing quiet chores before zonking out until the baby cries."

A to Z guide to me

2011-11-12T00:17:00.002-06:00

I'm stealing this meme from my pal Rachel over at the blog Totally Ovar It.
And I'm stealing it from Crunchy Chicken.

Age: 33, but usually can't remember until I do the math... it is easy to remember I'm over 30.

Bed size: King... 2 babies and a hubby sleep there.

Chore I hate: Homework!

Dogs: Samwise- 7yr old big black shag rug, and Odie a Austrian Shepard poodle mix. Way more small dogish then I had planned.

Essential start to my day: getting kids on the bus.

Favorite color: Any real colors...forget the uncolors!

Gold or silver: depends on what the application is.

Height: 5'10". Not as tall as my oldest kid.

Instruments I play: (kinda) piano, clarinet.

Job title: Mom.

Kids: Galen, almost 13, Ewan 11, Ian almost 9, Clayton 6, Shannon 3, Reuben 8 months.

Live: Small Town, northern Minnesota.

Mother's name: Lynn, Lynnie, Mom

Nicknames: none

Overnight hospital stays: Just after a few of my labor and delivery.

Pet Peeve: Children bugging me after midnight, phones ringing off the hook.

Quote from a movie: "Capt'n, there be whales here."

Right or left handed: right, until I carrying baby, then left.

Siblings: Older Brother, Younger sister.

Time I wake up: 3 am feeding, 4 am wet bedding change, 5 am screaming toddler, 7 am to wake kids for bus. 10 am to start the day.

Underwear: Yes. Details are only for my husband.

Vegetable I hate: I have to admit, I have never understood the point of an eggplant.

What makes me run late: Small children who don't listen.

X-rays I've had: wrist once to see if it was broken or strained (fall carrying kid), knee once to see if it was broken or sprained (accident because of kid).

Yummy food I make: vegan baked goods!

Zoo animal: The animal that gives me the largest thrills are the big cats, other then that I do really like giraffes.

The Old Man is Snoring

2011-10-14T21:21:00.003-05:00

If when it rains, it pour- then get ready for a blizzard.

That is just how it is feeling tonight.

-Just over a week a go- My little 3 year old girl got pneumonia, ended up in ER with 104.5 temp and wheezing.

+luckily the antibiotics took care of that and she was running around the next day.

-Last month my fridge broke. We were living out of coolers for 3 days.

+but we didn't have to replace it, it just needed a small part to keep it defrosted.

- We lost our PCAs at the end of August, took us all of September to qualify again- under a different program because we now in a different financial bracket.

-My washer broke this week. Claimed it lost communications with it's control computer. That looked like a $400 part to repair it.

+got fixed in just over 30 hours.....it turned out the wires to the control center had their insulation rubbed off by the drum. It is working again!

-My Iphone completely died a week or more ago. I don't need an Iphone. I lived just fine without it. Any plain cell phone would work... but no, it was on a company plan and we had to get approval through the CEO and that was easy, but I didn't realize I would be paying for it. They wouldn't accept my first or last born for payment either. And it just happen to die right after the brand new Iphone 4 made it's debut.

-Our car completely died on us while we were in shopping in Brainerd tonight. Car repairs are never cheap.

+luckily, and many great kudos to my Sister and BIL as they loaned us their van so we could at least take our family home.

Better make sure you have snowboots and hats and mitts out. Umbrellas aren't needed when it's snowing!

Warmth through Sonlight

2011-10-02T14:56:00.002-05:00

My father is an environmental engineer. He carefully designed a house for us that has a green house facing directly south to make the most use of the pale winter sunlight. In fact, it often works too well. When it is -40 outside, it can be 95 in the greenhouse. The advanage is that we can open the doors between the house and the greenhouse and heat our house with this captured sunlight.

Sometimes it just feels good to sit in the sun in the green house. It warms up chilly bones like a warm hug from God.

Likewise, when we walk in God's light, his love can warm our hearts and defrost our frozen feelings.

May we take opportunities to face the Son, and bask in his light, so we can warm our homes and all who enter there.

yesterday

2011-07-21T17:48:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a beautiful day!

All week we have lived in a steam oven. ... yesterday was technically the hottest, but the humidity was down at only 50% (vs the 98% we've had for a week). And the sky was blue and clear the the lake water so warm and there was a wonderful breeze, so we cooked hotdogs over a campfire for dinner, and the mix of baked beans, saurkraut and onions was so tasty, I had to make it 3 times. And the marshmellows where so golden brown and complete goo all the way through. It was aweseome.!

And I slept hard last night, it was so nice and cool, and then slept hard all morning.

New allergies, new fun

2011-06-23T00:57:00.003-05:00

I seem to have developed some food allergies recently. Most noticeably to dairy- any and all traces of dairy. So much as a kid who had eaten buttered popcorn to touch my arm will cause a burning rash, and butter powder on chips will cause my lips to burn all day.

Fun..... since dairy parts and proteins are hidden across a wide swath of food products.

I am currently on an emimination diet- to eliminate many potential allergens.... which means I can eat some fruits, veggies and a few weirdish grains. After looking high and low for foods I can eat... home seems to be about the only place they are served. Since I am currently off of wheat, soy, corn, potatoes, tomato, citrus and peanuts, pork, beef, shell fish, mushrooms, peppers and refined sugars of all sorts. Plus dairy.

This diet is to continue for about 2 weeks until my body behaves all happy like- then I can try 1 potential allergen at a time- for about 3 days. If I have no reactions then I can include it in my diet. I have been debating what I want to try first- wheat, corn or soy? Those are definitely the first to try to include again to gain any sort of normal eating patterns.

Why am I doing this?

Well- for about the last month I have endured constant gas- bloating, farting, burping - up to 60 times per hour (or more). And a rash started developing on my upper arms. After doing research on gas and rashes I realized that symptoms I have been having, imcluding constant runs, heartburn and other stuff all seemed to point to hidden food allergies. So I am now teasing out what those are... after I keep a record of everything I eat and how I react... I plan to get allergy tested and see of the 2 correlate at all- but digestive allergies don't always show accurately on typical allergy tests. There are often false negatives and false positives.

Civilization takes civilaized behavior

2011-06-16T11:10:00.005-05:00

I read this article today: http://www.businessinsider.com/18-signs-the-collapse-of-society-is-accelerating-2011-6#

And it does point out some trends I have been seeing this week.... now I understand what was talked about in General Conference as we were admonished to be kinder, more helpful, and really watch our behavior to be/stay an example of Christ.

And indeed I have found more times this past week were I have had to censor my own language or thoughts. And I was wondering what makes the swearing seem normal? Of course, all I had to do was look around at the media, mass and semi private to see it. It is way more common and way more accepted. But that does not mean that we need to allow ourselves to follow the trend towards less civilized behaviors.

Stand up for goodness, stand out due to polite behavior.

Just and average day around here

2011-05-25T16:20:00.003-05:00

Shanny got picked up by the police, before anybody here even knew she was missing. She went too see Grandma, while I was in Brainerd to buy more medicine for Ian, because she had poured all of Ian's meds down the drain and Ian's belly was growing larger, more distended that is, with out his meds to help him poo. I had Roo with me in Brainerd, which means that....

Getting away from home unnoticed was a pretty good feat for a toddler in a house where there are more adults then children.

That is because all the adults were focused on trying to get Galen through his schooling before the year ends. After lots and lots of detailed coaching he did finally get his math test finished. Yeah!

On to his science project!

Its a good thing we are putting up a fence.

Neuro-typical syndrom

2011-05-08T15:28:00.003-05:00

Happy Mothers Day!

And today I thank my kids for curing me of neuro-typical syndrome quite thoroughly.

Neuro- typical (think normal brained) people have strong imitation synapses. That means when they see somebody do something they typically want to imitate them. This is advantageous in learning how to hunt or what nuts and berries to eat, but so often this imitation often morphs into us wanting to have what others have and be just like everyone else. Of course none of us are just like everybody else, so we start pretending we are something we are not and make a facade of perfection. This "Facade of perfection" is neuro-typical syndrome.

As you may or may not know, in the autistic brain theses imitation synapses are very weak, these children don't just naturally pick all those unwritten rules of social engagement and usually are fairly clueless of what other people think of them. Of course these challenges reflect in the family functioning and pretty soon as a parent you have to give up and trying to be like everybody else- it just ain't going to happen.

Then we see that modern society is built upon an unsustainable systems and realize there are more then mental health reasons to exit the rat race.

Autistics are more likely to start a trend then to follow one.

and now for something really gross (but true)

2011-04-09T22:45:00.002-05:00

Why do nursing mothers even bother to wear shirts?

After all, we spend most of the day with it up over our breasts anyways.

The real reason is that the shirt can often protect us from the inevitable spit up down our cleavage.

Don't believe me? Try spending several hours nursing your baby without a shirt on.

If you can not try this experiment on your own, I suggest you just take my word on it.

1 week old

2011-03-20T21:43:00.000-05:00

and wearing an outfit that 3 of his brothers wore.

The Eagle has Landed

2011-03-15T23:06:00.002-05:00

After trying some evening primrose oils- labor started on Saturday at 4cm. I labored slowly but surely the day away, was able to keep busy with light house work and stuff. Mom took the kids to the local garage sale and lunch and then kept them until bedtime.

At bedtime I slept 1/2 hr until contractions got too strong to sleep through. Then I got up and labored in the bathroom until 4am when I got lonely and turned the lights on and threw open the door. That brought Mike in to labor with me. We listened to music, talked a little and dealt with labor. In a few hours Mom came and got the kids and made them Star Wars pancakes.

Meanwhile I was getting emotionally drained. I couldn't tell if I was making any progress, and my water didn't want to break. At 3pm ish Mike announced he finished some of his school work, so I said good and started packing to go the the hospital. I had had enough and was going to get this over with one way or another.

Mom and Dad passed the kids off to Ryan and Amber and came and drove us down. We called first and the Dr had ordered an ultrasound to do when we got there. But the nurse was able to garentee to the Doc the the baby was head down and that I was 7-8cm. I was satified, I had actually made real progress and just had to get through transition. There was real question about weather the water had broken. I was unsure, the nurse thought probably.

I turned down offers of pain meds, IVs and saline locks. I knew I could get through transition and birth without it. - And it would be much better for baby with out it.

So I labored for another hour or two and everyone was suprised that the baby wasnt born yet. Labor got harder and the doc came in to check me, he said I was 9 to eaily 10, being extra stretchy and noticed that water had not broken yet. So he broke it and asked me to push to see if it would do anything or if I would need a c - section. The push in the position of sitting up made me want to swear at the doctor. The doc decided to leave me and go downstairs to see about a c- section. He thought the baby would be too big. Meanwhile the nurse was trying to get me to lay back to check the baby's heart beat, but I yelled "I got to move" and got one leg off if the bed before I groaned, screamed and pushed the baby out in 30 seconds. I didn't plan on doing it- I just had to.

The baby was caught by the hospital bed- and I yelled for someone to take him. He was still half inside me and I couldn't push any more. So the nurse finally grabbed the baby and I was able to sit back, much releaved. They rubbed my tummy and got my placenta out. The doc came in and was much suprized and relieved. He did a quick check and announced to rips or tears.

Everyone was thrilled. He was a big boy, weighed in at 10 pounds, 15 oz. 22.5"
And we were both still happy and intact.

In retrospect all I needed was an experienced midwife and the home birth would have come off perfect- but those are hard to find in my neck of the woods, and as far as hospital births it was the best we could hope for.

Of course because the hospital bed was so short and narrow and not padded enough- I was thrilled to go home in 24 hours- against the hopes of the hospital and staff.

If hospitals really wanted to keep you there longer- they would have big, soft beds, and Charmin toilet paper- and food that is fresh, whole grain and organic :)

Meanwhile my 5 kids and a husband with 2 term papers to write needed me at home.

holding pattern

2011-03-08T10:02:00.002-06:00

You know what it is like to be on an airplane above your landing airport after a long flight and then are informed by the pilot that you do not have clearance to land so you are on a "holding pattern" but meanwhile because you are so close to landing you had to store all your electronics and put your tray table up?

That is what my pregnancy is feeling like today. The flight is over, but I don't have clearance to land yet.

I am in a holding pattern and just want this baby to come so I can resume the rest of my trip in life.

3 days until my 2nd due date

2011-03-05T11:02:00.003-06:00

well I am 3 days away from my due date- the one I calculated when I found out I was pregnant and not the one the ultrasound tried to tell me. The ultrasound dated this baby around 2 weeks ago.

Obviously he has yet to grace us with his presence. But I know that some babies need longer cooking times then other babies, I will let him finish cooking, trusting that he will enter the world how and when he should.

Of course this means that I am still uncomfortable, have ridiculous heartburn, and can often barely walk.... but having a safe, natural delivery- even if it means waddling around another week is preferable to the alternatives.

And yes, I have had contractions nearly every night for a month- but obviously that means nothing in and of it's self. The contractions are now stronger and crampier.... but they have yet to produce a baby.

And I also found out a few scary statistics about our local hospital.... the one I have planned as a "back up" should something go less then perfect. The c-section rate there is 57%. OUCH

That means that 57% of those who deliver there end up with 6 weeks of not being allowed to lift anything other then their babies and not being able to return to full activities for at least 6 weeks, and then could even have some post partum issues because of the lack of baby having hormones that help with attachments and breastfeeding. It also means that 57% of the woman who deliver there will most likely have to have another c-section if they want another baby.

A c-section with a first time mom might not be the end of the world- the only people you have to take care of then is you and baby. But a c- section for a mom of 6 is a death sentence for her house and near impossible to get enough rest to heal from properly.

And yet most c-sections in the US occur because we elect to have our babies when we want to. We don't want the inconvenience of waiting and cramping and waddling around until all known reasons to wait seem to evaporate into a pool of "I don't care how- just get this baby out!" feelings.

Over 50 % of attempted inductions end in a c- section. If you think about a 6 week recover vs waiting just a few more days until baby decides to come himself. It seems very short sighted of us to attempt to push the baby out early. But we Americans fear nothing more then inconvenience.

uncomftortablty large

2011-02-24T18:30:00.003-06:00

ok - I have reached the stage of pregnancy where I am officially uncomfortably large (in the belly). No bands fit comfortably around me any more- weather it be a waist band or bra band- so nightgowns become my favorite clothes- although I often find myself longing to run around naked like a toddler in the summer.

I got a new stretch mark this week. The only way I knew it was a new one was because it was bright pink and still tender to the touch. It stretches all the way across my belly button and up into my ribs. I am beginning to wonder how much bigger can this belly grow?.... but I know better then to ask. The universe is happy to provide answers like that.

And of course people keep wondering when I am due. I tell them I am past one of my due dates and heading towards the next. Right now March 8th seems like an eternity away. And part of me would try to force the baby out, but I would prefer that he is fully cooked first and I believe babies are best at determining that. No body has every been pregnant forever.

At least that is what I keep telling myself. I have never found a reference in any of midwifery textbooks or readings regarding a pregnancy that went on forever.

Not surprisingly there are lots of answers to that on line..... many mothers must ask themselves that.
375 days seems to be the record of medical proof (280 is normal) and the baby was still under 7 pounds.

But if you are looking for extreme cases there are a few cases of fetal calcification that occur in extra-uterine pregnancies and one of those has been documented at 18 years, another lasting as long as 60 years. These are really rare events.

Undenably Ornery

2011-02-21T22:12:00.002-06:00

I have reached a stage of undeniably orneriness. I feel like I should be laughing manically at all the evil things I am doing now- just because I am ornery.

- I don't share my sandwiches with kids who are supposed to be in bed/

-I don't correct spelling when I read through home work papers- I actually make them look it up.

- I make the dogs stay outside all day

-not allow TV time because the didn't get all the dishes done.

- I don't wan to be sat on, pounced on, ran into or crawled over.

- I do want to be held and cuddled, but only if you don't want anything from me- and only if you are older then me.

-I wish children had volume buttons and dream of making a sleeping draft to give them at bed time.

- I am not sure if I can even hold a civil conversation face to face anymore. I will automatically respond snarkly and make some evil jokes about cats that come to harm. And if you don't laugh that would be a good enough reason to bite off your head.

- And speaking about biting heads off (naa...., I think I'll skip this point)

Grand Multipara

2011-02-17T21:06:00.003-06:00

In many cases I am officially considered a "Grand Multipara" meaning that I have given birth more then 5 times. This changes the natural of labor.

In general the grand multipara has lots of prelabor and on and off again- then when real labor starts it is usually either easy or quick.

I think I first saw this effect with my 4th. Active labor (3cm to birth) was 25 minutes- this left me with no time to breath between contractions.

Number 5- went off and on again for about 1 week before I had an easy labor of about 1.5 hours. This labor left me in charge of myself and my birth.

Studies suggest that grand multiparas often have latent labor to about 6 cm- then the real work kicks in.

This seems to work pretty well for home birthers- we keep up with our life, ready for the baby to emerge at short notice, meanwhile our other children can get the attention they need and the laundry keeps getting changed and the floor keeps getting mopped - mostly because we got to keep busy so the waiting and unknowing of when our short labor will kick in won't drive us crazy.

There has been studies suggesting increased risk in grand multiparas- but studying into those studies and you will find that they represent the under-educated and poor folks of the wold- when adjusted to economic and health status they were just as safe if not safer then regular multi paras in giving birth. (assuming of course that drs don't interfere).

I have personally learned that my body works best without interference during and after labor. Generally I loose no blood and don't tear and the babies are strong and noisy.

I am excited though, because for each pregnancy I have increased my overall healthy eating standards and have been less medically involved, and often more physically active.

I look forward to another healthy baby in my arms, and the ability to sleep on my stomach again.

Ready To Burst

2011-02-14T20:07:00.002-06:00

Tonight I enter my "stay around home" phase of pregnancy. That means I am in my birthing safe zone and would not be surprised if baby made his entrance at any time.

And I feel ready to burst. Every other step feels like a contraction- I think it is just baby bones sticking out through all parts of my anatomy. Just about every part of me is sore and achy and when I look in the mirror I see a semi- truck, double loaded.

So far this baby reminds me most of Galen. That could be his size - or all the weight he made me gain. At least this kid is a picky enough eater to make me eat mostly healthy- plus all the good ice cream.

I have washed enough of his stuff for the first several days and have a nice stock of diapers, pads and the like ready to go.

The crib and new bedding have yet to arrive. I have enough for the first few days.

Mike wishes the crib would show so we could set up the nursery area.

Except for me feeling ridiculously uncomfortable, I could wait a few more weeks.... but he most definitely has my permission to arrive sooner then that.

The ultrasound showed him to be 2 to 2.5 weeks farther in development then the due date would indicate. Being that I never usually deliver somewhere between 39 and 40 weeks that puts me right around 39 weeks now. ... or the ultrasound is off and we wait until sometime in early March to burst. Unfortunately that feels like forever from now.

On your 6th baby there is no signs of impending birth like there was on the first 3. There is no walking around dilated at 3 cm for a week or 3. The cervix won't budge until labor starts- and then it knows what it's job is so well that everything will happen quickly- usually in less then a few hours. So this makes the "checks" the doctors usually do pretty useless. And it is pretty nice to know that there is one less reason for a stranger to have his fingers up your privates.

Baby drops and engages every time I stand up and disengages just as easily when I try to sleep. He must like sleeping in my chest. Soon he'll be sleeping on it.

a few more

2011-02-13T18:55:00.001-06:00

baptism pics 1

2011-02-13T18:48:00.002-06:00

Baptism pics 2

2011-02-13T18:43:00.002-06:00

Baptism Pics 3

2011-02-13T18:40:00.002-06:00

Ian's Baptism

2011-02-13T17:56:00.002-06:00

For those who wished they could have been there.

Ian was baptized today. We had a full room of wonderful people in attendance, including Grandpa Paul, Aunt Amy and family.

President Oldham conducted, Bishop Howard presided. Ian was all smiles and hugs. Mike managed to squeeze into the largest white suit they had.

The opening song was "Scripture Power", I gave the opening prayer.
Bishop Howard talked on Baptism. Then I help Shannon up to see the baptism. Ian wasn't overly thrilled about having his whole head underwater- but he managed without a cry. Brother Swankle and Bro Simmons were witnesses.

We waited to piano music (not as quiet as I would have liked) to Sister Brown to play to piano while Ian and Dad dressed. Then Grandma Lynn gave a talk on the Holy Ghost. And Ian was confirmed a member of the Church by his Dad, with Bishop Howard, President Oldham, Bro Swankle, Bro Simmons, and Bro Weaver (our Home Teacher) in the circle. Ian was told he would serve his mission and be a great servant of the Lord. Afterward Ian had to hug everyone again.

Then we had our closing song of I am a Child of God and a closing prayer by Bro Simmons.

The refreshments were nice. We had build your own sandwiches with a variety of choices in breads, cheeses, ham, turkey, condiments, tomatoes, pickles, and letus. And cut veggies sticks, fresh lemonade (made from organic lemons), apple sauce and brownies.

We had lots of help with clean up and lots of pleasant time talking with our wonderful friends and family who made it.

building a nest

2011-02-01T18:25:00.003-06:00

I had a few contractions on Saturday- which reminded me that contrary to how I may have been feeling that I will not remain pregnant forever.

That seemed to finally be enough motivation to actually do the things on my to-do-list that I have thus far been successfully ignoring. Little things like getting the baby's car seat ready and other little things like ordering a crib, and sewing those blankets that have been sitting on my sewing table for many months.

Mike calls it "nesting". It could be. It doesn't seem to be the classical form of cooking and cleaning- but those are things I never seem to stop doing with the 5 kids I already have, so actually focusing on baby stuff probably qualifies as nesting pretty well.

But please do not ask me to paint any thing or get matching curtains to the crib decor- everything would have naturally matched perfectly if baby Roo was baby Arwen instead. But now I get to combine Shanny's pink and butterfly room with the nice little mis-match boys collection I have. We have baby blue, baby yellow and nice primary dinosaurs. It's a good thing little babies don't care about how coordinated their bedrooms are.

In my experience he will probably spend most of the first 2 years in my room anyways.

contrasts and realizations

2011-01-30T21:41:00.003-06:00

Sometimes I wonder how much Galen understands about anything. In many ways he like a 7 year old in maturity, a 14 year old in understanding math, and in a body undergoing puberty and growing nearly 2” per month.

At church today we (bishop and parents) decided that he was not ready yet for the priesthood or his patriarchal blessing. In some ways it was a relief- to realize that there is a real lack of understanding and readiness for this developmental phase yet. It helped me to understand that he truly doesn’t understand many things that others his age and size do.

It was truly interesting to contrast this with Ian’s baptismal interview today. Ian gave clear and precise answers and had questions. Even though he started out rubbing his eyes and playing with his shirt he soon matched the bishop’s physical positions and actions.

Where as Galen refused to say a word and never once made eye contact. I think this is where is uphill battle is going to be in the coming months with schools and courts is to help them to understand that in that big body and active brain lays a little child- who is probably only accountable as a little child- but yet has the body and hormones of a teenager and needs that he can not voice that somehow going to school violates.

In some ways he is very much a cross between Calvin (from Calvin and Hobbes) and Mo- the third grader who shaves.

boots and balls

2011-01-27T19:28:00.001-06:00

There is something I probably should have considered when I bought my knee high- winter boots this year.

I didn't consider the amount of work they would be to put on when your pregnant belly reaches your toes. yeah- I have to lift my legs high enough to slide them into the boots. That is no longer as easy as it was a few months ago.

In fact my chances of successfully getting my boots on now increase greatly if I do my prenatal y0ga first- at least then I am less likely to pull a muscle in the contortions it takes to lift my legs above my belly while in a seated position.

If you would like to understand the challenge first hand I suggest you place several cannon balls in your hip cradle and makes sure at least one of these sits directly in your vagina, pressing on the cervix and wiggles of it's own accord (this position should also place all the weight on your bladder). Then add a 30 gallon garbage bag full of water tied to the outside of your abdomen- this should also become hard at irregular intervals and stick painful bony points out at different times.

Now after spending a month with the cannon balls and bag of water attached to you- try to get the boots on.

Busy Bee

2011-01-22T22:07:00.000-06:00

Today I kept myself busy.
I made pancakes !- i LOVE pancakes
and then I organized all the clothes I have for Shannon to grow in to- sizes 4- 12 an finally put them away. I made Shannon's bed.

Then I changed laundry, and scrubbed out the fridge and reorganized it. After that I took a nap- because I wanted to do a lot more this evening. So after the nap I made a huge stirfry, had dinner, then used the stirfry in egg rolls- made 30 of them. Followed by banana muffins for breakfast tomorrow.

I still probably have to help Ian make his bed. Sigh- and why can't kids go the sleep the first 100 times you ask?

The great Unknown

2011-01-21T21:22:00.004-06:00

I have only been a parent for 12 years,
and as such, I know absolutely nothing about teenagers. I may have already accumulated 37 years of child rearing experience, but none of that prepares me for the tasks that lie ahead.

I feel this especially strong as I did my best to skip over my own teenage-hood in search of a real life. I wanted to take responsibility and do real world things and my parents let me. I went to college at 16, opened my first business at 17. When I was 12 I started doing a lot of the cooking, meal planning and grocery shopping. I had no interest in driving a car until we moved 20 miles out of town and I needed the transportation. I had no interests in parties. I just wanted to study, dance and stay up late holding real conversations with my dad.

If anything I wasn't so much a teenager as an Adult in Training.

I really wasn't interested in the milestones of growing up, prom, graduation or first date never inticsed me to dreams or actions, cars were nothing more then dangerous tools to be used with care.

I never felt a bone of rebellion until I attended a dance camp in Canada where one of the main teachers was hypocritical. And in this state of rebellion, I colored my pointe shoes as the American Flag and wore them to class. I still remembered her face when she saw them- utter shock at such insolence- In her high shrieks at such a dastardly deed, I was thrown out of class. I never had to say a word.

Early teenage hood, I think was much harder then later. I had a new body and new hormones, and weren't quite sure how to handle either one. I remember my mom's frustration at how easily I broke into tears, and the confusion of what clothes I could wear vs what clothes I should wear . It was way to easy to draw attention to myself in all the wrong ways. My saving grace was that I really didn't care about guys yet or what they thought about me. In fact, in my memory there is really nothing more turn-offish then the stupidity and crassness of the 6th and 7th grade boys.

The problem is that I now have a 6th grade boy. One with a constantly changing body and a certain kind of stupidity that reminds me about what I hated most about middle school. I can't go home to escape from him or have my brother answer the phone when he calls me for the 100th time in the night.

I find that my oldest child is always the hardest. He is the one always making me blaze the new parental trails in my life. I had some idea what to do for my second and third and was giving advice to our pediatrician by the 4th (he asked me because he just had a new baby). I now feel very experienced in babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and even elementary schoolers- but teenage-hood??

If I allowed my self to be scared of the future- it is not peak oil that makes my heart beat harder- it is the unknown of parenting a household of teenagers- for the next 20 years!!!

Maybe I should have considered all the responsibility I wanted as an "Adult in Training "- because having 6 kid- this is the fate I caused myself.

It is probably a good thing birth control isn't retroactive.

Eternally Pregnant

2011-01-12T23:28:00.002-06:00

this is the phase of pregnancy that the feeling of being eternally pregnant kicks in. Pregnancy started so long ago, the belly has been huge forever, only now its so huge that you can't eat, sleep, breath or walk, and there is no end in sight.

The value of room service, bell hops and valet parking finally make the expensive hotels seem worth their money.... only you don't want anything they have on their menus. All you want is a simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich. And that is why is spend even more money to get the executive level is for that there is a staff person there who tries to cater to your every need, and you can get your pb&j unless she has gone off duty at 11pm, after stuffing you with fresh baked cookies and milk. sigh

And now I am home again- after playing my own bell hop- not so fun when it involves waddling up and down 3 flights of stairs with several toddlers. And I miss the cookies and milk, but most of all housekeeping.

But at least at home when I waddle to the bathroom every hour all night long, I can take a nice big drink of the water from the sink. It may keep me peeing, but it also keeps me from being one dried out pea pod in the morning. I shouldn't rattle when you shake me.

in case you think my last post was in jest

2010-12-25T01:33:00.004-06:00

On average each person got 6 pairs of socks, 1 candy cane, and 2 books, or 1 book and 1 toy, Galen and Dad also got a tie. And just to make it more fun, 1 of the books of each of the kids over 8 is on puberty.

2010-12-24T16:05:00.004-06:00

I returned all the toys,
I threw away all the candy,
I recycled the ribbons
and called them quiet handy

(need a picture of some children tied and gagged with Christmas ribbon)

I was tired of the noise,
the cries for new toys,
the living room hip deep in
debris from the boys

the cute little girl in tutus galore
is using my coat to mop up the floor

my boots have been pooped on, blame the small pup
who was not brought out soon enough, after he supped

but the thing that really gets me, today of all days
was getting my car stuck in the driveway
and why this peeved me beyond all exception
is that i had requested it be shoveled
by the boys, no exemption!

but alas, they did not do any of the chores I required
to earn the dear the toys their hearts have desired

and when Christmas comes tomorrow, yipee!
they will run to their stocking, and what will they see?

nothing but socks, half a dozen pairs per kid
and the whining will start, and they will flip their lid
even though we warned them, and often had said
that kid who do no chores, get pairs of socks instead.

so unless your feet are ridiculously cold
you better shut, listen and so as you're told.

2010-12-23T15:16:00.003-06:00

Dear Elementary School Principal,

It was so nice of you to send us a certified letter reminding us that it is our job to try to keep our autistic 12 year old going to school everyday.

Apparently you have not talked with his teachers, para or advisers yet as to the efforts we have gone through in dragging him to school kicking and screaming, or to the joy we have at home when we can't even get him through the door and then he spends all day screaming while hiding underneath the kitchen table.

As we do tend to the parental duties of feeding and caring for our 12 year old, he is now officially bigger then most adults, weighing in at 175 pounds and is 5'8" in height, and because we have no desire of becoming physically incapacitated, we have therefore given up the tactic that we have used for years to get him into your school of picking him up and carrying him while he is throwing his tantrum.

We have, of course, tried the traditional bribing of our son with toys, gifts, cash or video game time to get him to be willing to attend school. When we find something that peaks his interest enough he does consent to go until it is time for him to leave then house. At that point he takes on the same look as a deer in the headlights and clings to anything he can so that he can not be made to vacate our premises.

Yes, we would be thrilled to work with you and your school team to get him out of our house everyday. My ears, toddler and puppy would be ever so grateful. In that regard I have been requesting appointent times with the school psychologist, and autism specialist, along with his normal team of teachers, and specialists.

You are more then welcome to join our meetings and look forward to any constructive advice you may have.

Have a Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season. As to us here we will focus on getting through the changes in schedules with as few tantrums as possible.

Sincerely,
Tired Mom

snarky comments ahead

2010-12-14T11:42:00.003-06:00

This story was emailed me today. My comments are in red.

A Christmas Story
Christmas time always seems to have its share of hustle and bustle. Between the shopping got that done early via internet, kept it simple, parties yeah, enough of those, extra cooking, not really, as I basically cook everything from scratch anyways cleaning and decorating I gave up on this category the year my children stomped all the Christmas ornaments in November, there doesn't seem to be enough time for the really important things that should accompany the holidays uh make time for it. Last year was especially hectic. I was working part_time in addition to being a mommy of five children sounds normal. I was serving in the Young Women's Presidency and had a lot of responsibilities there. My husband had gone back to school to further his degree yup we are there too, so money was really tight when isn't it?. Our five children were in need of a lot of things that year, but of course, their Christmas "wish lists" weren’t full of necessities. They were full of wants nobody wants mittens or a sweater unless they have gone without. I was really struggling with how I was going to make THIS Christmas "as good" as previous years obviously she has never had an autistic child to completely ruins her holidays. We focus on surviving the changes in schedules. In other words, how was I going to fulfill all of their Christmas wishes don't even try, bake homemade gifts for all the neighbors and fami1y this year I am passing out unbaked mixes, and make sure my home looked like it was taken out of Martha Stewart's magazine? hum, let's revisited stomped ornaments and broken Christmas trees and ripped up presents, pretty is just not a priority around here. I just wasn't sure if I could do it all this year. I'm not sure if I can do it all with out most of the things on your list. In other words I would feel a complete disconnect with you right now and stop reading, but I'm having to much fun being snarky because I am ornery at the stubbornness of the men and young men in my life right now so I will continue to add my comments to what is set up to otherwise be a touching story.

I said as much to my visiting Teachers when they came for their visit early in December. I had almost canceled our appointment that morning, thinking that it was just "one more thing" to fit into my busy day. It was a relief, however, to be able to share my frustrations with them, to know that I wasn't alone. We visited, and they shared a wonderful message about the Savior. It was the little boost I needed for the day. I needed something more to sustain me through the rest of the holidays, however. As these dear, faithful friends were leaving, Carolyn gave me a small gift. She told me that I couldn't open it until Christmas day, so I put it under the tree. It looked a little bit lonely there, as I hadn't had time to wrap any other gifts yet. Wow it stayed there and wasn't destroyed instantly?
Sundays and church were always uplifting, that's because you are not stuck in nursery alone repeating the same lesson for the third time but through the week those feelings of peace would quickly dissipate as the stress of the season came back. On the thirteenth day of December, however, we received a surprise. After dinner, there was a little knock on the door. When my daughter, Stephanie, went to answer the door, there was no one there. A few minutes later, the same thing happened. This time my son James opened the door. His eyes must have been a little sharper, though, because he found the little gift wrapped in white tissue paper lying on the doorstep. Taped to the simple package was a note that read, "To the Dawsons on the First Day of Christmas." My children were delighted. We had done the 12 days of Christmas for other families before, but we had never been the recipient of the fun. James quickly opened the package and out tumbled a little sheep. It was only a few inches high, but we gave it an important place on our mantle. baaa
The next night, a little shepherd boy appeared wrapped up on our doorstep, followed by the three wise men the following three nights. We quickly understood that this was a Nativity set that we were being given. Every night, my family would gather around to see which of the Nativity figurines we would receive and add to our mantle. James and his two younger brothers would stand guard at the window every evening trying to "catch" the culprits, but they never did. The days ticked down to Christmas Eve and we had received every figure for our Nativity set except for the little baby Jesus. As we shared our evening together, reading the story of the Savior’s birth from the scriptures and singing hymns I wish my kids would sing, they would rather hide under the kitchen table and Christmas carols, the anticipation of the imminent arrival of the baby Jesus grew. We couldn't wait for him to come.
Somehow, that small reminder we had received every day on our doorstep helped to turn our hearts around to the real meaning of Christmas. I had noticed the children had been kinder to each other and had been more willing to help out without so much grumbling and complaining. And now, there was no talk of what Santa was going to bring we gave up on santa years ago. The talk was "Where was Jesus?" James checked the doorstep every few minutes, but nothing. It was getting late, almost time for bed, and Jesus still wasn't there. Finally, bedtime could wait no longer, and my husband and I tried to explain to the children that perhaps the family who had been delivering the gifts had gone out of town for Christmas or was busy with their own family. That didn't seem to pacify the children. As I tucked my 3 year old daughter into bed, with tears in her eyes she said, "We can't have Christmas without Jesus." I had to fight back my own tears as I kissed her goodnight and wished her a Merry Christmas.
The next morning was chaos, of course, with everyone opening their gifts and showing what they had received. As the gift giving died down, I went into the kitchen to start on breakfast. Stephanie called me back in with "Mom, there's another gift for you." I went back to the tree and found the little gift from my visiting teacher. I had completely forgotten about it as it had been pushed to the very back of the tree as more and more presents were added. I opened the gift and just stared. There, wrapped in a little note, was the little figure of baby Jesus. The note said, "I was here all the time."
No other gift I received that year meant more to me than the anticipation my family and I felt every evening as we waited for Jesus to arrive, and then the peace we received realizing that He was always there with or without all the other Christmas chaos.

world's hardest career

2010-12-14T09:18:00.005-06:00

No doubt about it. The hardest career any woman has ever embarked upon is that of motherhood.

It's a career that not only keeps you up at night thinking about it, but then also gets you up a night to change a wet bed and diaper.

It's a career whose office hours are relentless and whose prep work demands every spare second.

It's a career in what daily success is found in feeding, clothing and caring for those who do not want to eat what you made, or wear what is necessary to be warm, or cared for in any loving manor except when you are on the phone or on the toilet, or maybe if you are truly lucky, taking a hot bath.

It's a career in whose efforts often go un-noticed or are completely undervalued. But yet is so desperately needed that "time off" consists of changing 1 necessary activity for another. Like sitting down and reading bed time stories rather then changing yet another load of laundry.

OSHA has no say in the working conditions. It can be too loud, and no one has to offer ear plug. It can be unsanitary and yet the biohazard suits are unavailable. There aer routinly things to trip on in the walkways, and when ever those are picked up there are slick spots of spilled juice or milk.

and since the house is quiet, and the Christmas cookies are out of the oven, I am going back to take a nap, since I changed a bed and a child at 4 am, and went potty at least 5 times while I was supposed to have been sleeping.

girly movies

2010-12-01T08:03:00.003-06:00

I have to admit that having a little girl is forcing me to take a whole new look at the "girly" movies. for the first time in this house we are actually putting the movies with female heroines instead of the action packed boys' movies.

I do like the change of not having to have constant action, but then I look at what kind of a role model these female heroines are portraying and some of them make me shudder.

The Little Mermaid tops my list of shudder producing. As a young teenage girl, I thought it was the perfect fairy tale, but as an adult ***shudder****. In that movie Ariel is a spoiled teenager who has some unrealistic dreams, not based at all on knowledge, and she puts her father's kingdom at risk to achieve her dreams. And in the end she gets what she wanted for no other reason then her father couldn''t stop spoiling her. Ariel is sweet and innocent, but offers no moral behaviors to emulate.

I find this same quandary with Jazmin in Aladdin and Sleeping Beauty, more spoiled princesses gets what they want, in return for almost nothing.

I do not mind Mulan, as she is out to save her father and family honor and ends up saving all of China, and she doesn't act like a spoiled brat. Belle in Beauty and the Beast isn't too bad either, she has dreams, but is obviously well read, and saving her father is what introduces her to her future love.

My favorite "girly" movies though are some of the older classics. Cinderella is a lovely role model. She works hard, is modest, and only puts herself forward with the pushing of her fairy God mother. I also like Snow White, she is helpful and sweet and tolerates all challenges put upon her.

I haven't watched the 2 latest fairy tales put out by Disney. I have no idea what they portray the heroine as, but you can bet it will be linked to how often I let them get watched around here.

while up past midnight, munching ruebens

2010-11-25T00:45:00.004-06:00

I don't think that I will ever be able to eat a Reuben again without my husband accusing me that I'm pregnant.

With ian it was toasted almond fudge ice cream. With Galen it was anything that was available to eat (reminds me of him now). Ewan's pregnancy consisted of perfectly balanced meals, and
Shanny had me not eating much but plain yogurt mixed with applesauce (not pleasant, but it was the only thing I could stomach). I don't recall anything particular about what I ate in Clay's pregnancy.

It really feels in many ways as if the baby takes a hold of your body and refuses to give it back for a couple years. And aat that time he only relents his hold on you because you have been overtaken by another being-that you are incapable of separating with for the first 9 months.

I was kinda hoping to have this be a longer, more insightful post... maybe i will come back and revise it when i think of more to say.

Baby Blue

2010-11-12T18:53:00.003-06:00

do you know why they call it baby blue? because every single piece of baby boy clothes is in that color.

Mom went shopping down at our favorite kid store in Rochester and brought me back baby blue clothing. A whole wardrobe of baby blue baby clothing. The materials, brand, and size varied slightly, but the color not 1 measurement on the chromometer.

In fact when you start checking website for upscale baby clothes, baby blue is almost 100% guaranteed color to find baby clothes in. All the layettes seem to be baby blue.

I think i am beginning to understand one reason i really wanted a girl. Pink, purple and more pinks, with a touch of orange, green or yellow, sounds way more exciting then baby blue. True, you can find a fair assortment of baby pink out there- but at least there is variation in the shades and the ability to add ruffles and laces.

halloween grinch

2010-10-30T10:45:00.003-05:00

Ever feel like a Grinch?
I have a holiday I hate the most.
It is halloween. Why should any one go around dressed up as something they are not just to beg for candy?

I hate people giving kids (My kids especially) anything that is full of sugar and artificial colors and flavors. I am also no fan of anything gruesome. But if you really want gruesome you should have been with us last night.

We went to our church's halloween party- it was a chili cookoff (ie all the chilis you can eat) and then unlimited sweets for kids with some nice crafty activities.

the gruesomeness came in when my dear 5 year, who had a lot of sweets at school, ate someone's chili and chips and lots of candy and then started running around. He also started barfing. He barfed 3 times before he told me- all over the floors. And whole he was barfing he was still trying to eat another cupcake.

I am kinda surprised there wasn't more kids barfing by bedtime. but as any good parents we took the candy away.

one amazing thing to me is how much people are willing to spend on the opportunity to go begging door to door for candy. they can spend an unlimited amount on costumes, candy, bags, and gas that night. I also read the kids are something like 10 times more likely to be in a traffic accident on Halloween then any other day of the year.

Halloween is supposed to be scary and tricky and dark. Imitating evil spirits and all sorts of gore.

Yup so call me a grinch. i just don't get why anyone would want the halloween spirit in their lives. At least christmas is suposed to be joyful adn sharing.

Wish lists

2010-10-27T10:13:00.003-05:00

For those who have the desire to give us gifts this holiday (and birthday) season here is a wish list/guide to help you make your decisions. For those who feel obligated, but have no desire, please just send us a card with your family picture. We will treat your family photo as a gift and maybe even get it on the wall :)

Me:
set of 12 cloth napkins- blue would be nice color
set of glass storage containers for food
small vacuum with ability to vacuum all sorts of small crevices that brooms just can't do
a storage shed for bikes and trailers and stuff
cast iron 2 burner skillet- for eternal pancake making
a nice sheet cake pan (wore a hole in my last one)
a set of nice hot pads
long leg warmers- preferably wool, but cotton blend will work (they don't make long johns in maternity talls)
things inside my house done- like bathrooms, green house walls, and shelving and all sorts of small painting projects and little details
baby sitting certificates are always nice :)

Mike:
new fancy computer screen- call for details, it has to work with his new graphic card
a gift card to LLBean (he found lots of good work clothes there that he likes)
a nice church sweater in XXLtall
king size allergy bedding set- already ordered
dress socks
nuts, and other semi healthy snack foods

Galen:
I am trying to stay away from toys, as he is turning 12..... but he does love legos sets and bionicles and hero factory.
Size is adult large- pants are currenty at 36x30- shoes are size 12
Tan colored dress socks in full adult size.
Starwars books- jengofett stories
Star wars tie and white shirt
Items to inspire young priesthood holders
art set/ markers, paper ect
mp3 player charger cube
he will also be entering into boy scouts- so some good gear would be welcome

Ewan:
loves to build, create, draw
Size is 12
Slightly used jeans are his favorite. He keeps putting holes in the knees.
likes science experiments- tornadoes, earthquakes, volcanoes and other natural disasters.
art set (got markers and stuff...still need paper/easel)
needs a lock box to store personal items in
mp3 player charger cube

Ian:
loves to ask questions about computers. Maybe a technical manual or two
a hand held game system for potty time
build your own robot set
simple hand tools
Size 8/10
basic experimental toys like marble runs or erector sets

Clayton:
very cuddly, likes to watch movies
needs active toys- things to climb on, through, or jump from
floor gym mat
story time with adults
any 1 on 1 time with caring adults
likes toys of all varieties
wears size 6- really likes to wear camo
playdough sets

Shannon:
she is ready for building blocks- please someone get her building blocks- so she'll leave my frozen sticks of butter alone :)
wears a size 4- likes tutus and very fancy pink dresses
likes hair barrets
she is ready for color books and washable crayons
enjoys playing playdough or with real dough

Baby Boy:
needs a crib- used (as long it is very sturdy) is fine, we have a mattress
also could use a portacrib with a changing table top for the downstairs- already got
some clothing. He will probably never fit into newborn size- and usually will wear at least double his age in size (ie at 6 months he will wear 12m) I am missing some basics like baby socks and onsies, and prefer organic when possible. Right now he still needs pjs in 12m, and clothes larger then 12m.

Those are my ideas for now :) hope it helps with your holiday planing

a crop of boys

2010-10-17T19:24:00.003-05:00

My peer group is older then me. I went to college early, got married early, had kids early and now find that most of the people with children the ages of my older ones are close to 40. That doesn't scare me, except for the fact that they are all pretty sure they are done having children. They keep telling it would be best if I stopped by 35.

I have to admit, I can not argue with that advice. Even though I can handle a nursery of 6 toddlers single handedly week in and week out, that 36 is too many, even for me.

That being said, I am nowhere near 36, not even close to 10. 100 years ago 6 was just a beginning, and to get 5 of those to be strong, strapping boys would be seen as a bonus. 5 big, strong young men to help milk cows, plow fields and haul hay.

Maybe my DH and I have a destiny as farmers. And according to a fair amount of my favorite blogs that farming for ourselves and our local communities might be the best way to survive the coming future.

Besides a crop of boys, what else should I be planting on our 2 archer suburban plot?

ultrasounds or weird dreams

2010-10-14T23:14:00.004-05:00

well that weird dream where I was told I had 6 legs kicking me was just a weird dream. I only have 2 legs kicking me.

This fact, established by ultrasound today clearly simplifies things. I have 1 very big baby boy kicking me. So when I felt I was wall to wall baby- I was right, but instead of it being 2 little squirts it is 1 big squirt. One big squirt who is almost twice the size of the 2 little squirts would be. It might be another Galen.

This means I only have to worry about 1 crib, and not have to worry about a car big enough for the whole family (yet). As the minivan we have will suffice until we try again for our girl.

And it also means that worrying about birth control is also no longer necessary- which we were really considering if we ended up with multiples. It makes the whole birth plan and concerns over preemie babies disappear.

Everything will be easier with just 1 at a time- although I did get rid of all my boy clothes- assuming Clay was our last. Oh well, at least I get to shop for something :)

Food Count 2

2010-10-13T11:17:00.003-05:00

The last 24 hours I've eaten: (reverse order)

11 am 1/2cup bbq potato chips
7am 1 banana, 2 oz chicken
11 pm 1 cup yogurt
1/2 c corn chips, 1/2 c milk
7pm 2 slices garlic bread
2 ww buns
6 oz chicken
carrot sticks
grapes
6pm 6 sugar waffers
2pm 1 cup icecream
4 pm 2 scrambled eggs with cheese, ww bagel with jelly, apple
12pm baked potato with chili and saurkraut and cheese

Total Servings:
Fruits and Veggies: 7
Protein: 5
Calcium: 4
Whole Grains: 5 (yes the corn chips are wholegrain)
fats: 7
Refined Sugars: 2

The magic unveiling

2010-10-10T22:32:00.003-05:00

This week we take that first fateful peek inside my growing abdomen. What will we find there?

I had 2 ultrasounds in a row that produced shock. And then finally one that produced awwwe.
It took a lot of work to get my Shannon.

I have to admit that I am a little apprehensive this time. We know this is not a "normal" pregnancy. I have had 5.5 normal pregnancies and this is not one of them. We know we have healthy fetal heart tones. We have strong suspicions that we are expecting more then 1, which would explain all the unusualness of this pregnancy.

Other then that there are several other reasons why things could be different. I could have the wrong due date (which I know is not the case). I could have excess amniotic fluids- which would not be a good thing. I could have a cyst or a growth, I could just be "prestretched" - not! (Galen stretched me first thing, and I know how big I normally am at different stages of pregnancy. Usually I am just beginning to wear maternity clothes at 20 weeks, not growing out of them.)

Well anyways, You can bet we will be posting news here of what we find out this week. But you will have to wait until Thursday, for that is the day we peek.

food count

2010-10-05T18:08:00.002-05:00

I am just curious what I am eating in a day. So I will track the last 24 hours.

yesterday 7:30 pm - 6oz steak, 1/2cup green beans, 1/2 baked potato, 2 cups salad, 1 roll.
8pm- oatmeal cookie
10pm - more green beans, potaotes
12 am- 1 cup yogurt
3 am- oatmeal cookies with peanut butter on it
7am- banana, cookie, yogurt
12pm- sandwich, ham and cheese on whole wheat, grapefruit, salad
2pm- ham and cheese with out bread, 1/2 cup walnuts
4pm- 1/2 potato, few bites of steak
5:30 pm- 1 cup Brussels sprouts, 1 cup brown rice, 2 cups stir fry
6:30 pm- 1 cup yogurt.

so how many serving of what?
protiens: 7-8 servings
calcium: 4 servings
fruits and veggies: 10-11
grains: 8-9
high fats: 4

2010-10-04T13:15:00.005-05:00

well I am pretty sure I heard at least 2 baby heartbeats the other day- at the same time, but on different rhythms. And then in a dream I was told I had 6 legs kicking me.

Of course all this leaves me with questions the internet can not answer for me, no matter who much I research twins or triplets, I can not learn how it will go for me. Will my babies be born early or will they wait for 39 weeks? Will I be put on bed rest? I will need to find a nicu? and how to arrange the house and schedule to work with 2 or 3 babies at once?

I have dreamed of 2 of these babies. I have seen Arwen as a baby and as a young women. She has red hair. (Mike said he knew it). And then earlier of I dreamed of a boy with blond hair and long legs. I also saw him both as a boy and as a baby (in different dreams).

I haven't clearly dreamed of a third, that I can remember. I think it would be a girl though, but am not sure. Eowyn is what I would call her.

Triple Blessed

2010-10-01T15:16:00.003-05:00

I feel very blessed today.

I live a life where when I crave something- generally all I have to do is make it or run to the store for the 1 or 2 ingredents I am missing adn then I can make it. It doesn't matter much what I crave, there is always an easy way to get it- whether it is cheesecake or bowwow.

I also live a life where the information I desire lies at my fingertips (on any non-personal items, but a lot of others' personal items).

I also live in a house that is largely designed to heat itself and keep its self fairly clean, so when I have days that I don't feel blessed enough to do anything but sleep- I can choose to without falling too far behind.

I feel blessed to live in an age of washing machines, farmer's markets and fetal dopplers.

I feel blessed to have parents that dote on me, so I have the time to dote on my children.

I feel blessed to have the ability to store the food and clothes that we will need in the near future. (which reminds me of more chores to do)

But mostly I feel blessed to have bowwow, bananas and fresh picked broccoli to eat today.

Life is good.

Life is great.

I feel blessed to have the cutest kids on earth. I feel blessed to be challenged by their differences and special needs. I feel blessed to have time to read to them, cuddle them, adore them and be surprised and marveled by them.

I feel blessed to have a husband who is working hard to support us and grow his own capacity to love, serve and support us. I feel blessed to have a husband who is good at bed sport, and still looks at my naked, pregnant body, as if it's s sight for sore eyes.

I feel blessed to have a body that is capable of carrying babies, growing them 40 weeks and them pushing them out easily- and them nursing them for the next 2 years.

I feel blessed to have temperate weather so my windows are still open. I feel blessed to hear the noises of kids playing outside and the sunshine still warming my skin.

I feel blessed for my awesome life at this awesome time.

I know things will change, more challenges will come, and I feel blessed to be able to prepare for some of those changes.

2010-09-29T13:50:00.003-05:00

You know pregnancy this time around just feels tougher. I've been blaming it on being in my mid (gasp) 30s. Joke about letting the 20-somethings have the responsibility, to bare the children. (I popped out 4 in my twenties and all of them combined was easier then Shannon and this new one).

But actually I figure there is something going on. Having twins would explain the extra burden it seems like I'm carrying. And that seems like the best possibility to to cultivate on the matter.

I sleep enough to be pregnant with 2, sometimes I eat enough to be pregnant with 2. I'm big enough to be pregnant with 2, my digestive system is weird enough (probably squished) to be expecting 2.

This is where my thoughts end on the subject right not, and my brain shuts down if I sit down for more then a minute.

Morning Missionaries

2010-09-17T08:48:00.004-05:00

Ever heard the joke about the Elder who got confused and said to the lady when she opened her door; "Good Mormon, I'm a morning missionary?"

Traditionally, my response would have been "I'm sorry, but I don't do mornings."

That being said, I have now been up at 6:30 two mornings in a row making a nice breakfast for the family. I blame it on the baby. When the baby is hungry, I gotta eat- and so I might as well make enough for everyone.

Of course the opposite and equal reaction to this effect is that I want to be left utterly and completely alone by 10pm and then end up eating a midnight snack ( halfway through brushing my teeth). My kids don't like it when I lock the doors and take a long bath at 10 pm. They all seem to think that Mommy doesn't deserve time off and that help getting dressed can only happen by one certified by the Mommy Board.

So even though I tried to stay in the bathtub until all were asleep, they refused to go asleep until I could all help them with their issues. And I truly think when it comes to it that being a morning person is truely dependant on the amount (and quality) of sleep one gets the night before.

That being said, I am enchanted by the stories of Amish farm wives who get their houses scrubbed, have laundry on the line, and then manage to have a baby, all before noon. I am enchanted by the stories of how carfully they care for thier land and thier families and how life and all the decisions on which technology to use is based on how it will influence family life. Here we seem to base those decisions on trial and error rather then thinking them out before hand.

We have said no to TV (although we watch a lot of DVDs), and we say no to video games, but yes to a washer and dryer. We wash an average of 10 loads of sheets per week around here and without those tools this house would stink due to some special medical issues.

In many ways I want to become more like the Amish. I want to learn to take care of my stuff carefully, to be connected with my land, to have everything neat and tidy and look forward to the work of everyday items as the breath of life.

Many of these changes are very hard coming from a society in which we are taught to throw away and buy new on credit or the economy will crash and you will loose your jobs. But the change, no matter how hard is not only good for us, but probably essential.

Baby talk

2010-09-16T08:26:00.005-05:00

Oh was I hungry this morning! I woke up at 5 am with the desire to eat, but ignored it as long as I could, but 7 am I was out of bed scrambling eggs and toast.

This baby has been a bit picky- very much so about what I eat and when and has popped out of my belly at an alarming rate. I outgrew my bra size by week 6- the first time in 12 years I have changed bra sizes. The last time it happened I was pregnant with Galen. I went at that point from a nice pleasant 36 C to a huge 38 DD, and I have stayed at the 38DD every since- through 5 more pregnancies... this going up again was a bit of a shock.

And then my belly has been poofing out at alarming speed, but 8 weeks I was out of my regular clothes and into stretchy... but 11 weeks I was wearing full maternity clothes (this usually doesn't happen until around 20 weeks), These changes and a few interesting dreams have made us kinda wonder if we might be expecting more then 1.

In an early dream we were asked to adopt a boy by the church. So we went and picked him up and he was stranger until the second I took him into my arms and held him to me- then he was mine. The message of that dream was clear: that we would be having another boy. The adoption was on a spiritual level. The boy was planning to go to another family, but they decided they were done with having children and now he needed new parents. I cried at this because I couldn't imagine how much it would hurt to turn down a spirit that you know and love just because you had forgotten about it and decided against for "Economic" reasons.

Then just a few nights ago I dreamed that my brother had twins and named them "Ketchup and Chutney." Chutney was the child we know as Nahni and Ketchup was that same boy from the first dream. And when I saw him I said "I know you." and he replied back. I can't remember the words he said- but it was in the affirmative.

Since we are kinda planning this to be our last pregnancy, I am personally imagining 1 boy and 1 girl, since we are still missing our Arwen.

Only 1 thing is for certain though, there is something(s) in my belly that kicks and has a strong heartbeat at 165. The rest we will find out next month at the ultrasound.

night densities

2010-09-14T08:42:00.002-05:00

How come it takes until morning before you realize that 1 little Tylenol would have let you sleep all night?

Do we really become that dense when we are trying to sleep that we don't realize the reason the baby isn't sleeping is because she isn't feeling well.

After her tossing and turning on top of me all night I finally got her off to sleep this morning. And of , course like every good pregnant mom who has had no sleep the night before, I am going off to bed too.

it's offical, I'll post it

2010-08-20T11:15:00.003-05:00

ok, for those of you who don't already know, I am challenging my sister and having a baby #6 of my own.

She is due in March, hates chocolate, doesn't care for sweets (except ice cream) and has done a good job puffing my belly out already. So much so that I have already washed most of my maternity clothes to wear.

Other then that I am my normal pregnant self: sick, tired, nauseous, hungry, ornery, tired, nauseous, ect. Last week, my husband plugged my cell phone in and I asked him where it was about 6 times in a row before I remembered. (and I thought my mom was funny when she couldn't remember if she was wearing her glasses) sigh.

ok, I think I'll go take a nap again.

8 weeks

2010-07-20T11:30:00.002-05:00

8 weeks is a magic number today. There should be a little heart beating, little hands and feet and lots of other things in progress.

On Grumpy Old Men

2010-06-28T23:08:00.001-05:00

"I think though that they see things through all their experiences and have a harder time seeing things in other peoples perspectives.. and also do not always comprehend all the issues in same way. The younger people do.."

By a Grumpy Old Woman

current reading:

2010-06-12T00:42:00.002-05:00

Proverbs
The Millennial Messiah By Bruce R McConkie
The Duggars: 20 and Counting By Michelle Duggar
The Gift of Dyslexia by Ronald D Davis
Crossing The Rubicon by Michael C Ruppert
Confronting Collapse by Michael C Ruppert
At the Gates of Darkness by Raymond E Fiest

I just think it is an interesting collection of things to be reading at one time

Sigh

2010-06-09T22:46:00.002-05:00

justa few minutes ago I told the kids in loud whispers not to enter Shanny's room, It wakes her up. So then, after putting Shanny to sleep, I came downstairs and a minute later hear her scream. "Who went into Shanny's room?" I yell.
"Clay did." said Galen.
Clay comes down the stairs
"Clay, going into Shanny's room is a big no, no, no..., no, no. no no-no."
"Mom, you don't have to repeat yourself." he said.

The will of the people

2010-05-26T10:12:00.003-05:00

I realized today that when people refuse to follow rules (written and unwritten) that they become ungovernable.... and cause their governments to fail. Of course governments can fail for other reasons then their populous' behavior- (usually the two are intermingled) but the behavior of their populous will decide if another government can form or is doomed.

my psalm of the day

2010-05-24T23:43:00.003-05:00

the time of overthrowing Babylon has begun
vengeance must be taken on those who caused the widows and orphans to cry
on those who rape that natural world for their profits
on those who care more about their power then God's

Let those who scorn God's law
tremble when the earth quakes
let them fall to the ground in fear when the lightening strikes
let them huddle in their caves as the waves wash over them
and the hail stones fall from heaven like boiling water
And fires shall devourer them

Let those in Holy places stand tall while the earth shakes
praise God in wonder as the thunder booms
pray hand and hand before the waves
be sheltered in the palm of His hand
and let His fire purify their hearts into gold.

dream

2010-05-12T10:42:00.005-05:00

I had an interesting dream this morning. I was going to look at a house I was buying- only now it was in bad condition- the floors were all kitty-wompas, and everything was in disrepair. Only then - when I told my dad that I am glad I didn't buy this house yet. He said it was a good thing I had built the narc. My mom didn't seem to see the house- but she liked the people in it and offered to cook us lunch of oscar meyer hotdogs and set us in with mindless entertainment. That it when I noticed that it was kinda like an old folks home and it assumed I was staying. (I call this the American Zombie Institution- for people who like being trapped by advertisers and refuse to see climate change and collapse issues)

Then I fled. I got out of that house and into masses of big spacious buildings- lots of big catholic church type buildings- and throw other people's wedding- I was being chased- so I started to fly. But then my Shannon was left behind. And I couldn't fly holding her- I had to settle for long leap and slow decents. We excaped down some woods and then ended up in a museum type building. It looked interesting, but would just be distracting me from my goal of freedom- so I didn't listen to lectures of look at the exhibits (much). Then from behind me came a voice. "Help me remove this tag. They stuck it on me when they let me in here days ago." It was Galen. I removed his tag and asked him if he knew how to fly. He said he didn't, so I tried to teach him.

I knew that if we could just get to the true church's property we'd be safe.

Then I woke up and wondered if our spirits are used to flying- not having enough matter to hold then down with gravity... and then we get a body and are held down with the weight of it. Is that why we always dream of flying?

Six degrees- 1 degree

2010-04-12T11:22:00.003-05:00

I am on strike this week (as mom). SO instead of washing their clothing (that they refuse to bring down to the laundry room) or cooking their dinner (that they refuse to wash up after) I will be spending more time blogging, and this week's topic is a chapter by chapter summery of the book "Six Degrees" by Mark Lynas.

Today's Chapter is 1 degree. What would happen were the average global temperature of the planet rose 1 degree?

Massive droughts in California, the great plains and other "breadbasket" areas, change in global climate patterns. Loss of coral reefs, ice free artic, monsoons in Africa, loss of glaciers and glacial drinking waters, drastic changes in weather patterns, mountains held together by permafrost melting and flowing down, extinction of Pikas (small furry baby bunny like mammals),

"Hurricanes...only occur in the North Atlantic tropics. Not a single South Atlantic hurricane has ever been documented- that is, before March 2004... may of those who suffered, because they had also refused to believe that hurricanes were possible in Brazil, had neglected to take shelter as the storm barreled towards shore."

Tropical storms to graze mainland Europe, increase in strength of hurricanes (about double)

Basically, we have seen all/are seeing this already... our planet has already warmed 1 degree. What we have seen is just the beginning.

more on chapter one coming

Bathroom inspiration!

2010-03-24T08:05:00.003-05:00

I got inspiration in how to decorate my new bathrooms!

For our downstairs bath I want to do a "Garden at Fablehaven" Theme. We will have fairies, flowers and hummingbirds. This is the piece that inspired me. Fairy Toilet paper holder.

For the masterbath upstairs- I want to do a country cottage theme- using easily found items and ribbons. The colors are peach, burgundy and cream. (first stop here is to find the right ribbon and get some hot melt glue)

For the boy's bath- I want to play it straight. There will be a dark wood shelf against the empty wall at 6 feet height? with hooks underneath it and baskets for each of the boys on top. I will hang a long mirror, and then some framed picture over the toilet.

when you are still enough to he

2010-03-06T16:46:00.001-06:00

M E R I D I A N M A G A Z I N E
In Chile: The Lord’s Earthquake Warning
By Sister Lisa Laycock
Editor’s Note: President Larry Laycock and his wife, Sister Lisa Laycock head the Santiago Chile East Mission and had spent the two weeks prior to the 8.8 earthquake visiting each missionary apartment and preparing them for an earthquake. They brought specific instructions on what to do, supplied water purification bottles for the missionaries, told them how to create a 36-hour kit for emergencies and how to stay in communication should an earthquake strike. They prayed with each missionary and dedicated their apartments. Why? Because of a special experience that alerted them to what was coming. They told their missionaries, “If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear.”
They have 171 full-time proselyting missionaries in this mission.
Special thanks to the Laycocks for allowing Meridian to publish this letter that Sister Laycock sent to her family shortly after the earthquake sharing their remarkable experience of kindness from the Lord. They are in Chile with their son, Landon.
The picture of the missionaries on the cover and in this article were taken at a March 1st gathering. These are post-earthquake smiling faces.

Dear Everyone,
I am writing to let you all know how very grateful we are for your prayers, concern, and love. Please keep praying! We need the Lord's help and guidance in order to do all He would have us do to learn what He would have us learn from this earth quake tragedy, and to minister in the way He would have us minister.
During the past few days, we have witnessed many events which serve to remind us that the Lord is in charge and that as missionaries and members of His church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are performing His work, and as President Monson teaches, "When we are on the Lord's errand, we are entitled to His help." I want to share with you a few miracles that will help you to understand our profound feelings of gratitude.
When we were set apart for this calling, Elder Scott of the Council of the Twelve Apostles taught us many important lessons. He spoke from personal experience when he was a mission president in Argentina. One message that he shared with us is this: "At times, during your mission, you will be awakened in the middle of the night or the early morning hours with thoughts of specific things you should do for certain missionaries. Do not ignore these thoughts. They are promptings from the Holy Ghost who will communicate with you in the stillness of the night or the peace of the early morning hours. He will speak to you then because that is when you are still enough to hear."
Elder Scott further instructed us to keep a notebook beside our bed so that we could record these precious promptings. He said that by the next morning, we would be likely to forget the promptings if we didn't write them down.
We have been astonished at the fulfillment of Elder Scott's prophetic words. We have received many promptings in the exact manner that Elder Scott described. We are so thankful that Elder Scott taught us how to recognize and act upon these precious promptings. Had he not taught us, we may not have given these promptings the attention they require.
Nearly two-and-one-half weeks ago, I was awakened at around 4:00 AM by just such a prompting. I did not hear a voice, but the thought was as clear as if it had been in the form of spoken words: "There is going to be an earthquake. Prepare your missionaries." I sat up in bed and immediately remembered Elder Scott's counsel. That morning I told Larry what had happened. He immediately set to work organizing our missionaries to prepare for an earthquake.
In talking with our office missionaries to arrange for them to put together a list of everything we would need to prepare...in both Spanish and English...we discovered that the Lord had also let two of our office missionaries know of the possibility of an earthquake (in the form of dreams) and the need to prepare our mission.

We set a goal and arranged our schedule so that we could visit every apartment in the mission to check for safety and to review with our missionaries what to do in case of an earth quake. What a wonderful experience we have had as we have met with them and shared scriptures with them about being spiritually and physically prepared. "...if ye are prepared, ye shall not fear" (D&C 38:30).
We instructed every missionary to have a "go-bag" (36 hour kit). We reviewed our emergency action plan with them of where to go and what to do if they had phone service and in case they did not. We gave everyone a paper with all instructions in English and Spanish, and we reminded them that "this life is the time to prepare to meet God" (Alma 34:32-34). We shared with them our thoughts and feelings about the need for spiritual and physical safety.
Some of them became frightened and asked us if we knew something they didn't know. We smiled and repeated "...if ye are prepared, ye shall not fear." We didn't want to unduly alarm them, but we did want to impress upon them the need to be prepared. We tearfully reminded them of our recent transfer conference where we had shared our feelings about our dear Elder McKay Burrows who was unexpectedly called home in January while serving his mission in Romania...how he was prepared in every way to meet God. We reissued our challenge to "be prepared" in every way. Then we knelt with them in their apartment and dedicated each apartment, asking for a blessing of safety and security to be upon every apartment.
When the earthquake came, we were prepared. We did not experience the panic that many felt. We knew we were prepared. Because of the words of the Lord's chosen Apostle, Elder Scott, we had listened and heeded the quiet, but clear promptings of the Holy Ghost. We were blessed with peace in the midst of chaos. We learned an important lesson: our preparation helped us to avoid panic and fear, but the Lord, in His wisdom, allowed us to experience enough discomfort to know that He has all power. He is in charge. We are nothing without Him. We are dependent upon Him for every breath we take. Only He can save us from death and destruction. He is the way, the truth, and the life. He is our perfect example. If we follow Him, we will be saved through obedience to the laws and ordinances of His Gospel.
As the earthquake became more violent, the mission home groaned and wailed. The power died, so the whole city was black. The windows made a hideous screeching sound, and flying objects banged against swaying walls. The printer/fax machine, books, book ends, and fifty-pound television burst from the entertainment center and crashed to the floor, cabinets emptied, drawers flew open, the refrigerator moved, water sloshed out of the toilets, the floor jolted up and down as we ran across it trying to hold onto the walls to keep from falling down, and the piano toppled over like a small toy. As we made our way to the back yard, I remember thinking, "God is all-powerful. He is our only refuge from this horrible mess." I prayed and prayed for Him to still the earth.
When we reached the back yard, we watched in terror. By the light of the moon we could see the swimming pool water form giant waves and crash out onto the rocks. House and car alarms screamed into the night...some from being crushed by falling debris and others, I guess, from the bizarre movement of the earth. I am not sure if the intense rumbling sounds came from the earth itself or from everything else that was shaking so violently. Finally, it stopped.
When the calm came, we had to sit down because our legs were weak and unstable. My legs stayed wobbly all day and night yesterday. Today the muscles in my legs hurt like I ran a marathon. The aftershocks have been extremely unsettling. Each one begins like the one last night started. We just close our eyes and wait to see if it escalates or dies down. .I have never experienced anything like this!
We were awakened this morning by a very strong after shock. Larry jumped out of bed and yelled, "Welcome to another glorious day in Chile!" We just had to laugh. We moved a mattress into the floor in our bedroom and made Landon sleep in our room. He was in his room with the door locked the night before and we couldn't wake him up. He never locks his door, but he was playing a joke on Larry because every morning Larry wakes him at 5:30 AM for seminary by tickling him unmercifully. So Landon had decided to stop him.
When we couldn't open his door, in the middle of the quake, we thought he was trapped, so we screamed and banged. Landon thought that everything was falling off the walls because we were banging so hard on the door. I think we scared him more than the earthquake did!
Today, we attended a strong ward where Larry was invited to speak. The entire chapel and beyond was filled. People were so humble and so teachable. Larry taught the importance of doing the small things. He taught about Jesus Christ and the opportunity we have to love one another and to share what we have with others.
It was a great blessing for us to be with these beautiful Chilean people. Some have lost their homes...or at least parts of their homes. But they are strong and they want to serve the Lord. He taught of the scripture in Luke 21:11,13 which says, "and great earthquakes shall be in divers places...and it shall turn to you for a testimony." He also welcomed the sweet young woman who was in the congregation with the missionaries...her first time attending church...and then he invited her to be baptized from the pulpit. He asked her to please invite us to her baptism, and she said, "I will." The Lord always knows what His people need.
Landon was reading in Alma 15:17 today. He said, Mom listen to this. This is what is happening here in Chile just like in happened in Ammonihah. The people were humbled and "checked as to the pride of their hearts and began to humble themselves before God, watching and praying continually that they might be delivered from Satan, and from death, and from destruction."

Our hearts are filled to the brim with gratitude for all of the blessings we have received in the Chile Santiago East Mission. We see miracles every day. In the midst of great pain and suffering, we can always find our Savior. He stands with His arms open, pleading for all of us to humble ourselves and come unto Him. He loves us. He invites us to accept His gift...the atonement. He invites us to repent. He wants us to love one another and to serve one another. He wants us to bring our families and those we love to Him. We can do it. We can do all that He asks, no matter how difficult it may seem. "With God all things are possible"
We are having a devotional tomorrow for all of our missionaries to talk about the last week of Christ's life in preparation for Easter. We want to remind our missionaries to teach and preach with increased vigor of Christ. Last Monday in our office meeting, Larry suddenly stopped in the middle, and said, "During the prayer, I had a very strong impression that March 2010 is going to be our best baptizing month we have ever had in this mission."
Now we know why he received that feeling. We are going to prepare to bring many souls to the waters of baptism in March. Please continue to pray for us and for the people of Chile. Please pray for the missionaries to have strength and courage to do all that is being required of them, even in difficult times.
We are so thankful that the tsunami did not turn out badly in Hawaii. Who would ever think that an earthquake in Chile could threaten the shores of Hawaii? Thankfully, the Lord is in charge. He is the one to whom we must turn for refuge from every storm. He has the power to save us.
Editor’s Note:
The letter ends here, but President and Sister Laycock told us:
“We’ve never experienced anything like the earthquake. We have had 90 aftershocks, some stronger than others. Our legs are wobbly. It is a scary feeling to experience an aftershock because it brings back all the feelings we had during the earthquake.
“We love being with our missionaries. Because they were prepared, they were immediately able to turn their attention to helping others. They were never concerned about themselves. They were concerned with those who need help and by mid-morning the day of the earthquake, we were able to dispatch them to help others. We told them to investigate the needs of their neighbors and help in any way they could.
President Laycock noted, “The Spanish translation of Luke 21:13 says that there will be earthquakes in many places, and it will give you the occasion to bear testimony. We met with 10 sisters this morning, and one of them mentioned a neighbor next door whom they always asked if she would have time to speak with them, and she always said no. Yet in the crescendo of the toll of the earthquake, she was speechless with fear and not prepared. When the sisters said, ‘Could we pray with you?’, she answered, ‘I have time to pray with you.’ It opened the door to a teaching opportunity to share the gospel.
President and Sister Laycock said, “Everyone we talk to has been so willing to talk about Christ and God’s power. We’ve been sharing God’s love with them. We are seeing God’s love everywhere. People are reaching out to one another. They are serving one another. The news reports looting. We are seeing a different side. We are seeing people who want to communicate with God, who are sincerely looking for the truth.”

Home is where great change begans, not where it ends

2010-03-05T00:04:00.001-06:00

http://www.alternet.org/reproductivejustice/145575/radical_homemaking%3A_why_both_men_and_women_should_get_back_in_kitchen?page=1

How to be a girl

2010-02-24T16:21:00.004-06:00

By my 20 month old....

Being a girl means:
-snuggling pink kitties
-wrapping dolls in pink blankets
-putting the wrapped doll and pink kitty in the stroller and pushing it around
-walking around in mommy's slippers
-then walking around in daddy's boots
-tromping around in my pink boots
-wearing pearls all day and all night (also during baths)
-wrapping daddy around my finger
-growling
-laughing
-using my stormy eyes
- trying on mommy's pink turtleneck
- adoring shoes, especially fancy ones
-twirling in dresses
-tolerating hair bows and extra ruffles
-talking on the phone
-hamming it up when the camera comes out

2010-02-13T01:34:00.003-06:00

We went to a valentine's dinner tonight- it was a fundraiser for RReal (non profit that helps install solar heating in energy poverty situations) the food as fabulous. There was also a wine tasting section. We, of course, put our glasses upside down and just enjoyed the incredible food- but as the wines were being described as to their "nose" and flavor (sweet, fruity, peppery with a hint of vanilla). I thought I ought to sniff it.

My nose is so good I can smell if some one used non-organic soap half a house away- in fact soon after we were married Mike put on some aftershave after showering and I couldn't stand being in the same room as him, which was kinda challenging because we only had a 1 room apartment- I sent him back in to shower again- this time with no smelly soaps or creams. So I sniffed my dad's.

Ekkk! My eyes crossed and I just about fell to floor. I have never smelled anything so revolting or nauseating in my life. How can anybody even imagine putting that stuff in their mouth? It was so smelly I don't know if I could even bring myself to strip furniture with it.(and I had just spent the day staining the floors on my new house- I know smelly!)

My brother said that must be a sign that it was a good wine. I have 5 kids- so I think I know a good wine- and that was not even in the same category.

heaven or hell?

2010-01-14T22:15:00.004-06:00

True, the energy/economic/oil/climate crises are upon us.
True, no matter what we do we will see the end of fresh oranges in Northern Minnesota, and we will stop using our cars for all but life saving events. There will be riots (at least initially) and some people will go hungry (at least until they learn how to grow their own foods), and all of our computers will be worth no more then paper weights. Basically the end of all things driven by oil is heading our direction fast.

It is going to/already has caused our economy to collapse and our beautiful debt based banking systems. It is going to end industrial agriculture and security checks at airports. Buses will no longer transport kids to and from schools and computers, solar panels, plastics, and really annoying plastic kid whistles will no longer be manufactured. It is the end of our over consumption. Excesses of stuff will no longer be made or clutter our living rooms.

The questions is will we let them ruin us? or Will we let this make us stronger and better?

Most of us already know that the trappings of our oil based economy is not good for our physical or mental health and yet we can't seem to break free of the debt, the garbage, the fast foods, the many hours sitting at computers interacting with "friends" that we never really see.

We have been given this amazing golden opportunity to power down now and live a simpler life where we physically move our bodies to grow our food, where we choose to band together as neighbors and share our garden's wealth. Where we have time to have a simple chat or a roll in the hay- because there is always work to do and the only true dead line is our own hunger.

Is this heaven?

Imagine waking up when the sun beams hit your face in the morning. You stoke your wood stove/fire pit/whatever you heat or cook on and you start water boiling. You use what you prepared yesterday for a quick and hearty breakfast before going outside to feed your chickens and weed your garden. In the afternoon you take the jellies you set up yesterday (made from the raspberries that your kids picked) and put them in a basket. Now you either ride your bike or walk to town and enjoying the fresh breeze and interesting wildlife in the process. Nothing on the road is going faster then you (if you bike). You manage to avoid the known potholes and make it to town, waving to every face you see over garden fences.

You enter the market square and set the jellies on a table to be sold, but one of the first people who comes up tells you about a family that is sick with the flu this week. You ask your neighboring table to watch/sell your jellies for you while you go and visit the family, first stopping at your sister's/mother's house enlisting their help and pantry. out of her pantry you select 2 jars of chicken soup, a nice load of crusty bread and some apples, and cheese. Your mother/sister adds a ribbon and a little homemade note telling them to get well soon.

You walk this over to the sick family and not only take the opportunity to drop off the goodies and note, but spend a while pumping and heating the water to bathe a few of the children and wash some dishes. After eating the soup, you see the color and some energy return to their cheeks, so you wish them a get well and go back to the market, where your jellies have sold. You spend some of that money to purchase some homemade cheese at another vendor's in the market (because that is the one thing you haven't got the hang of making your own yet) and set off for home.

By the time you get home the sun is starting to sink from the sky. You take the opportunity to prep for dinner, and then feed the chickens again and heat some more water for evening cleanings. As the sun sets dinner is ready and your mother/sister and her family comes over and enjoys it with you. You knit/sew/mend while holding a lively conversation and then the conversation ebbs and the music being played by the menfolk wash over you. Finally you kiss them goodnight and send them off with several jars of your jelly, while you - by candle light tuck your family into bed.

Or is it hell?

Your house is cold, your food is low and there is no water and no gas in the car to go get water from the creek- which doesn't matter because it is frozen over anyways. The trees near your house are gone. They have all been turned into fuel for heating and cooking. You ate your last bag of army rations anyways and are determined that your kids won't starve. You have a gun and ammo- but the there is no wild life left to shoot. There are rumors that some people down the road have been hoarding food and you think your gun and you can make a good argument for them to "share."

The town is mostly gone. There was a big fire that burnt it down last week after a fight over supplies at the hardware store went sour. Lots of people lost what they had, but you don't have enough of anything to share with them (unless a powerless big screen TV is what they want). So you leave your family in the care of the oldest kid. You tell him "You're the big man now, while I'm gone." And you head out by foot to the road. You see a few other people packing guns walking in the same direction. "I heard there was food this way." you say. They grunt in the affirmative. But when you arrive it is too late. It is clear that somebody beat you too it. A few corpses lie around the house. A woman, children, men. The door if off it's hinges, blowing in the wind.

The choice is yours. Will you prepare? Will you build a community? Will you share openly and help those in need? or will you allow yourself or others to become desperate and resort to un-civilization?

I plan to make it heaven. I plan to plant, prepare, build

Why is it again?

2010-01-07T13:59:00.003-06:00

Why is it that when you have something you'd like to say, by the time things have calmed down enough where you can sit down and type- the thoughts have completely fled your head and you are left with vague impressions of what it is you were so elegantly composing?

Why is it that when you work hard to make enough free time in your schedule (say to take a class you've been needing to finish your degree) that some kid related things comes along and fills the space? (say Galen's tummy reacting to school food so now you need to make enough foods to pack for breakfast and lunch everyday)

And that when you are finally saying a few things that make sense you're blue eyed, blond haired pill comes and sits on your lap and asks for a nursing?

Predictions

2009-12-30T23:09:00.004-06:00

A lot of my favorite blogs post predictions at this time every year. You can read Sharon's here, and Orlov's here.

So I thought maybe I should do a few too, but first I asked the wisdom holders of the next generation.

Galen said that there will be a new Lego movie out. He even named it.
Ewan said that my parents' dog could die.
Ian said that he'll get new toys.
Clay said "I will get a new toys too."

My guess is that my children's predictions will be more accurate then mine :) Just remember to value my advice for the amount you paid for it.

10 predictions for 2010

1. That Shannon will learn how to take off all her clothes. This will occur in the same week she learns to open the house doors and run into the yard. Children always seem to learn new skills in sets of 2.

2. That the real price of oil/energy in all storable forms will continue to climb and that we will rejoice in finding ways to use less of it.

3. That it will take my family all year to successfully transition to cloth wipes for toileting use.

4. That Galen will continue to do well in school and that we will have to fight for getting enough challenge to keep Ian interested.

5. That we will be living closer to the earth, particularly for when we go to bed and arise each day.

6. That Ian will desire to take care of himself, and learn how to, and be willing to do it several times a day with minimal adult support. (ok, this one may be a stretch for this year)

7. That technology and the access to it will start to be limited due to budget constants. Many families will be priced out of personal computers and internet connections.

8. That airlines will continue to offer degrading services for higher and higher prices. This means that many families will also be priced out of flying. (that and the fact that new regulations will began to make the 1,200 mile trips by car with 5 kids look easy).

9. That Hunt Utilities Group will began marketing a very promising line of awesome houses that will not only lower utility bills (good bye heating costs) but they will also be designed to handle lots of kids effectively in small spaces. And they have a green house to assist in your gardening efforts.

10. That people will began to realize that other people matter to them, that other people matter more then another computer game or the next TV show and that they will began to talk with them more, play more games together and build a community.

Christmas Spirit

2009-12-25T23:19:00.001-06:00

Yesterday I saw Christmas. I got my car stuck trying to get out of an unplowed driveway and before I could call someone for help, 2 cars stopped and help me push my car back on the road. I think the amazingly quick response of the two different sets of strangers was a sample of the True Spirit of Christmas. If only we could all remember and do that everyday!

Christmas Rollercoaster

2009-12-24T23:14:00.004-06:00

Tonight, as we lit the dinner candles and turned off the light, we actually had a few moments of reverence. The kids felt awe. They were polite and asked for things nicely at the table. If that is what it is like to eat in the dark- then maybe we will do it more often. :)

But no worries- they made up for it big time after wards. The did the dishes quickly with almost no fighting- I even got them to sing for their right to open presents. But when the presents were open all *ell broke loose. I had 3 kids screaming at the top of their lungs. 2 because they didn't get the $90 toy the wanted and the third because she couldn't hold the doll fast enough(it was all strapped in to the package).

The doll was easy to take care of, but the other two... I should have thrown out in the snow for being ungrateful. Clay was having a first class melt down- I still don't know what his problem was. I wonder if he was trying to act like his brother. Ewan was the one who was pouting and fussing at not getting his $90 toy. I have warned the kids all year that I was not buying toys for Christmas (especially not expensive ones). It took him about an hour to calm down and began to realize how awesome the tool set I got for him was. Then he nailed up a letter holder on the wall that he got Dad for Christmas and enjoyed discussing the tree forts he could build. Right now he is hammering on something up in his bedroom.

I am not sure if I want to find out what it is.

oxytocin and autism

2009-12-14T15:55:00.002-06:00

Does this remind you of Galen?

"From the perspective of the newborn, babies also more often seem to have problems making close contact with their mothers after an oxytocin-assisted delivery, -which can lead to problems during nursing. Disproportionately, such babies coming in to my practice displayed behavioural signs of trauma. They were more likely to display the moro reflex and this over a longer period of time, and they were often very easily startled. Such infants are often known as "screaming childrenâ€�, and may only be calmed when on someone's arm. Usually, an infantile colic is diagnosed in such cases and a therapy is then arranged to address this "disorder'. Affected infants also tended to show a change in skin complexion, and to sweat. They were usually restless and only able to focus after a while. They were sometimes hypotonic or hypertonic and often had problems controlling head movements.

Even if these criteria are not seen as oxytocin-specific, but rather as general criteria for a traumatised baby, I first became aware of a correlation with the use of a labour promoter, because these same children were also the children who were not able to be comforted immediately after birth, even by their own mothers. While in cases of non-assisted births (even those completed only after many days of labour-related strain), once the newborns had overcome the stressful experience of birth, these children were subsequently able to be calmed through bodily contact. Could the missing of oxytocin at the bonding sites be a possible mechanism for the persistent restlessness of these children? "

read paper here http://www.hugthemonkey.com/the-perinatal-application-of-oxytocin-and-its-potential-influence-on-the-human-psyche.html

2009-12-06T22:48:00.002-06:00

Mothers are like fresh air and clean water... Nobody notices you until you're gone.

Also none of the above are counted as valuable in world economics either.

2009-11-16T20:46:00.004-06:00

Yup,
I have been quiet lately- that is because it is hard enough to talk in between coughing, and even harder to type.

So after hearing the kind of noises upset tummies make- in my chest last night, I decided that it might be time to go and have this crud (Minnesotan word for whatever is going around) checked out. And I officially have reason to feel like I have been run over by a steam roller. This crud, that I normally shake off in an afternoon nap has decided to bite and hang on for dear life.

So even though there is no tests to determine what kind of crud was able to catch me- the swine flu was the suspect upon the Doctor's lips. And the steam roller officially comes in with the secondary infection of pneumonia.

To tell the truth I was fighting something minor and barley worth the bother in October- but by Nov 3nd I was out.... chilled and engeryless. Coughing was established by the 10th. And I progressed to get less feeling ok by the day. Until I gave up and stayed in bed almost all day for the last 4-5 days.

Recession may be over?

2009-10-27T08:14:00.004-05:00

This article says the recession may be over Just in time for holiday shopping!

Seriously who are they kidding? ( the article is well thought out, but the idea of the recession ending seems ludicrous)IMHO it is their way of saying spend and spend for Christmas shopping is upon us.

I would venture to guess that most Americans who were scrapping by and lost their jobs ate up all their available credit before they were willing to go on state aid. And for those those who were not able to find another job.... and even for those who were, They have nothing left to spend on frivolous stuff this Christmas.

And although this may be bad for the economy it is very good for us. Imagine having the opportunity of learning that life does not suck just because you can't by everything- in fact life can be even more fun when you don't buy things. We have our houses so full of stuff that with a little ingenuity we can make do and find out that it is actually fun to make do, to find out how resourceful you can be- and you know what? It builds you self worth when you find ways to make do. It builds your self worth to have industry happening in your home, to be smart and useful once more as a human being should be and not just an unfortunate unemployed cog in a broken military industrial complex that has become our nation's lack of economy.

What I am trying to say is that it is time we realized that we need to revamp our personal economies and industry and worry less about the national one.

Tax rates and universal health care.

2009-10-26T09:02:00.002-05:00

We are currently earning $14/hour- not really enough to scrape by- that bring in about $1792/month of which $110 goes to social security and other taxes.
We have good health insurance- that costs our employer about $1495 per month (not counting dental).

If the US government has a single payer, universal health care then our business could pay us that $1495 per month more in wages. Our take home pay would be $3287/month.

Sounds great doesn't it? Well in most countries with single payer health care the taxes are high- 30-50 percent of wages. At 30 percent of wages that would be $986.10 going to taxes and a take home pay of $2300.90. That is $500 more in my pocket and it doesn't even count the savings of out of pocket medical expenses.

At 50 percent tax rate our take home pay becomes $1643.50 which is $38.50 less then what we are earning now- but our current medical bills (even with good insurance) comes to more then that from just 1 doctor's visit- so we would still be doing better then what we are doing now.

2009-10-19T23:53:00.002-05:00

This popular sovereignty necessarily implies popular responsibility. Instead of blaming their troubles on a king or tyrant, all citizens are responsible to share the burdens of governing, “that every man might bear his part”

-Dallin H Oaks 10-13-09

Aside from the obvious fact that this objection would deny free speech as well as religious freedom to members of our Church and its coalition partners, there are other reasons why the public square must be open to religious ideas and religious persons. As Richard John Neuhaus said many years ago, “In a democracy that is free and robust, an opinion is no more disqualified for being ‘religious’ than for being atheistic, or psychoanalytic, or Marxist, or just plain dumb.”[xiii]

read it

Magic is in the air

2009-10-19T14:28:00.003-05:00

or at least the aroma of a wonderful chocolate birthday cake. After I let Shanny taste that magic by spoon she followed me around with her little mouth open.

Wow- have we been busy lately. Every weekend for the last 2 months has been booked. This week my kids learned a lot about the cultural formalities that surround them. They attended a very traditional Lutheran funeral (complete with hotdish, rolls and red jello for lunch) and then a wedding.

This week we hope to tone things down again and get back into home making and family routines.... try to get that bedtime thing happening :)

quotes

2009-10-06T21:26:00.003-05:00

If God doesn't destroy Hollywood Boulevard, he owes Sodom and Gomorrah an apology.

Jay Leno

If you have a talent, use it in every which way possible. Don't hoard it. Don't dole it out like a miser. Spend it lavishly like a millionaire intent on going broke.

Brendan Francis

When you come to the edge of all the light you know and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly.

Barbara J. Winter

Nothing is so strong as gentleness, and nothing is so gentle as true strength.

Ralph Sockman

Happiness is a choice, not a result.

Ralph Marsdon

All violence in human life is caused by “wealth without work; pleasure without conscience; knowledge without character; commerce without morality; science without humanity; worship without sacrifice; politics without principle, and rights without responsibilities.”

Gandhi

Fame or integrity: which is more important?

Money or happiness: which is more valuable?

Success or failure: which is more destructive?

If you look to others for fulfillment,

you will never truly be fulfilled.

If your happiness depends on money,

you will never be happy with yourself.

Be content with what you have;

rejoice in the way things are.

When you realize that nothing is lacking,

the whole world belongs to you!

Lao Tzu

Bad times, hard times - this is what people keep saying; but let us

live well, and times shall be good. We are the times: Such as we are,

such are the times.

St. Augustine

If logic tells you that life is a meaningless accident, don't give up

on life. Give up on logic.

Shira Millgrom

"Don't spend your precious time asking 'Why isn't the world a better

place?' It will only be time wasted. The question to ask is 'How can I

make it better?' To that there is an answer."

Leo Buscaglia

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.

Thomas Edison

It is not only for what we do that we are held responsible, but also for what we do not do.

Moliere

It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to.

W. C. Fields

Adults are just obsolete children and the hell with them.

Dr. Seuss

The fruit of silence is prayer.

The fruit of prayer is faith.

The fruit of faith is love.

The fruit of love is service.

The fruit of service is peace.

Mother Teresa

Almost anything you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.

Mohandas Gandhi

Fwd: Chanhassen dinner theater photo break

2009-09-04T22:49:00.002-05:00

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

From: Mike Newbold <mcnewbold@yahoo.com>
Date: September 4, 2009 7:57:21 PM CDT
To: Raya Aaa Newbold <rayanewbold@yahoo.com>
Subject: Chanhassen dinner theater photo break

Here is the best photo from my photo op.

Sent from my iPhone

Emotive Minnesotan

2009-08-22T22:30:00.004-05:00

I was not raised to send greeting cards and hand written notes at every occasion. I was not raised to rejoice loudly and vocally. In fact interpersonal conversation involving anything I truly felt or thought was not highly encouraged. Most of this is part of my Minnesota cultural heritage. Emotion expend too much energy when we have to keep warm (at -60) and chop the fire wood.

Often times our attempt to share our emotions end up as a few brief words describing what we see or did rather then our feelings on the matter. One could almost think our emotions are covered in a parka- they show forth once a year for those 3 brief days of summer.

So how do we show forth our feelings? Those of us raised in MN have learned to read the body language through the parkas.... but that does not help those of us who feel the need to express.

I have found that even most of the time that I can not adequately express my self through prayer, but to praise or cry out in agony of soul I needed an outlet. So I had to learn to dance. I had to learn to sing.

And so, as my family gathers at the bedside of my Aunt Katie (and I am stuck at home, with hyperactive, bored and autistic children) I will dance for her. My dance will be one of joy of her part in my life, it will be one of sadness for the family as we will all greatly miss her, it will be one of hope and praise in the beauty of the atonement and resurrection and the promise of eternal families. It will go on until my resources are exhausted and my heart pains are sung out, until the sorrow is swallowed up and replaced with joy.

For Aunt Katie I wish I could share it and have those witness it feel it too.

Summer Pics

2009-08-17T01:04:00.001-05:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

2009-08-15T22:51:00.003-05:00

Ever worked for months or years trying to teach your child something and then you leave for a dinner party and come back 3 hours later and they are doing it all on their own?

Or that you give up on them ever learning it and then one day you glance out your window and see both of them (not just the one you were trying to teach) riding bikes down the driveway together?

I have seen enough examples like this over the last 10 years to figure out that we really are powerless to teach our children very much at all. When it is their time they will learn what they are ready to learn. (and not a knit wit before or after). it seems like the best we can do for them to learn it is be prepared to back away, let them do it and then applaud.

Yeah- it helps them to have to tools on hands and the examples of how to do it in front of their face... but really we can't teach to do it. They magically pick it up and one day go flying with out us.

2009-08-14T09:56:00.002-05:00

It was summer’s last hurrah- and this year it’s only hurrah. 93 and sweltering. Sweat beaded up and rolled down her knees and she sat at the computer typing. The dog nudged her leg. “Let me finish this paragraph and then I’ll take you out.” She muttered.

5 minutes later and after a little debate about the proper use of antecedents and pronouns she finally set her computer down and stood up. She stretched upwards and cracked her back. The sun had set and there was a promise of a breeze passing through the screen door. Her dog followed her as slipped outside. She felt the grass through her sandals and decided to slip them off. Yes, that felt good, bare feet on soft grass. Shadow was right behind her, his big brown eyes happy now and the mouth drawn up in a doggy grin. It was setting up to be a beautiful night. The sky was clear, but until her eyes adjusted she was mostly blind on the way down to the lake.

Nearing the beach she heard a rustle in the bushes. Shadow stopped and growled. “What do you see?” she asked him. “Some king of critter?” Then her eyes adjusted enough and she was able to see a white stripe in the darkness.

POOF.

Shadow barked as the skunk ran off. The stench hung heavy in the hot moist air.
“Come Shadow, into the lake!” Shadow bounded into the water. She paused to strip herself of clothes. She held them close to sniff them but couldn’t tell if it was her clothes or the air that smelled. So she tossed them aside and dove into the water.

Cute baby

2009-08-12T23:17:00.002-05:00

World's cutest baby contest.

Vote for my Shannon-- Please (really nice prize)

http://gapc-vote.com/?p=1690869

2009-08-12T16:28:00.002-05:00

Sent from my iPhone

Ewan takes tae qwon do

2009-08-12T16:26:00.002-05:00

Sent from my iPhone

2009-08-12T16:25:00.002-05:00

Sent from my iPhone

2009-08-12T16:24:00.001-05:00

Sent from my iPhone

Wish you were here

2009-08-12T16:23:00.003-05:00

Sent from my iPhone

2009-08-12T16:23:00.001-05:00

Sent from my iPhone

goop and poop

2009-08-08T01:44:00.002-05:00

Only those of us mothers who are specially chosen to cloth diaper and hand rinse them have the opportunities to find out exactly what it is their precious baby girl ate all week.

Most weeks I find things like Styrofoam (do you know that poop with a high amount of Styrofoam in it floats really well?) legos, balloon parts (gasp!)

But this week I actually had a new experience, besides the beans, corn, paper, Styrofoam, legos and the obligatory beads, I actually had a googly eye staring up at me out of the goo.

Maybe Grandma is right when she says that Shannon is a "good eater." At least she is also a good pooper.

This week in iphone pics

2009-07-11T20:24:00.001-05:00

This is my online scrap book.

Make a Smilebox photobook

Mood swings

2009-07-08T18:40:00.002-05:00

I didn't sleep well the other night. The full moon, Mosquitoes, and a very nursing kid did me.6
It is amazing who horrible the world was last night. My kids were all annoying whiners, and my husband was a good for nothing .... Don't even get me started on how my house looked.

But after about 8 hours of undisturbed sleep the world looked much better. My kids were cute and helpful, my husband wise and handsome and
My house looked livable.

I am beginning to think that sanity is directly related to the amount of sleep one gets.

No wonder some moms go crazy.

Sent from my iPhone

Fantasy

2009-06-22T00:48:00.002-05:00

It’s healthy to have a good fantasy life. At least that’s what I’m told.
So here it is Saturday evening 4:50pm and I am drifting into fantasy while driving into town to gas the car and buy groceries for the next week. I just dropped the kids at home after a whole day and a half of swimming and hanging with their cousins at grandmas. I was wiped- almost falling asleep…. When the fantasy hit.

I am tired and I really would like to go home. I would really like to soak in a big, hot bath- in a sunny, spacious bathroom. My fantasy bathrooms are always sunny and spacious, where the bathtub is so big and is surrounded by windows that are surrounded by woods- or a really nice walled off garden. So at this point, as soon as I realized I was fantasizing I took a quick reality check. Not going to happen. Because #1. We have a small (puny) tub, in a small interior bathroom (not sunny), and this small little tub is fed by a small little, less then perfectly functioning, hot water heater- and I know from experience that the little hot water heater can give you a 5 minute shower or run a load of diapers, and that in my last house the, bigger, nicer (working) water heater with twice the hot water was still just barely enough to fill our decent size whirlpool bath. (yes, I miss that bathtub, and that larger house more often then I would have thought)

So anyways, I thought I would just forget these details of my real life and see where the fantasy would lead me. And it led me, right after the nice long soak, to a clean bedroom- with my clothes laid out and waiting for me (and not being sat on by some little 5 year old with stinky pants who was waiting for me to vacate the bathroom). After that, I would emerge into the world…. refreshed, relaxed and clean in to a house that is clean and pretty- where someone even had taken the efforts to put out several bouquets of fresh, fragrant (lightly fragrant, and not overly strong) flowers in several locations, which served to add a dash of light and bright life to our living room- the flowers were in even in my (current) favorite colors of orange and yellow, highlighted with some greens and baby’s breath, that just seemed to say- welcome to your day.

And then I would enter the kitchen, the large, spacious, sunny kitchen. (did I mention clean and organized?) and there- spread on the table would be a light, healthy dinner- already for the family to eat. My kids would come in- scrubbed and tubbed- with their rosy cheeks glowing, wearing beautiful white, light weight summer PJs. They would smile at me as they entered and proceed to sit down quietly and fold their arms for prayer.
My hubby, smiling, would sneak up from behind me and cover my eyes and say “Guess what I made for you?” And then he’s show me some awesome desert- with chocolate and berries. He would let me have a taste, but make me promise to wait until after I enjoyed the main course. The kids would laugh gently and quietly fold their arms. The dinner would melt in my mouth and fill all of my nutritional voids for the day.

That is as far as my fantasy got before I arrived at the grocery store. Gassed the car, bought the groceries, drove home, made dinner, planted the tomatoes, bathed the kids, treated their sun burns, made treat and dropped like a ton of bricks.

Sometimes I look at my fantasies and think that I should full fill them- how can I get me life to be like my fantasy? Sometimes that’s a valid question. If I’m fantasizing about pancakes, then by golly, I should get off my butt and go make some. If I am fantasizing about a nice garden, then maybe I should works towards that goal. But if the fantasy is about something I really don’t care about or don’t really want (like life as a movie star), then maybe I should just ignore it. The problem with this fantasy is that it was right on the ragged edge of being able to pull off.

Do I put in the efforts required to reach the fantasy, or parts of it? Or do I chalk it up as crazy?

I didn’t know. So I bought myself some brownies at the grocery store and ate them on the way home.

This week in iphone pics

2009-06-20T22:51:00.002-05:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

2009-06-20T21:02:00.002-05:00

I dont know if you can tell- but Most of these empty posts were attempts to send pictures from my phone to my blog. The words made it, the pics didnt. Sorry- I will have to figure out how to do that.

Re: Noodles

2009-06-20T14:21:00.001-05:00

this must mean you are enjoying the cabin and beach today.. awesome.. that scruntchy face is terrible.. a good one to torture her with many years hence..
today has been a nice quieter day.. I am very tired again.. even though I already had a nap.. and now a nice supper of ham, bubbles and squeek and duck egg... very tasty and then a sticky pudding that was awesome..
The day started out with a parade, cool weather, and then a day in the trade show part of the event.. I bought a few pashima scarfs... with Rotary logos on them.. very pretty and a warmer pullon.. thingy... so all in all a very nice day.. went swimming last night... and am now ready to sleep again. I think..
nothing really exciting.. have met lots of nice people.. chatting here and there.. that is what it is all about...
tomorrow will be a long day.. up early for the first session of the conference... then a tea.. and then some wait time.. and then a renaissance festival at a real restored castle.. so.. it should be fun...
so tell me more about your day.. and what everyone is doing.. etc..
love ya lots
MOM

Raya Newbold wrote:

Sent from my iPhone

Fwd: "the grouch" eating sand

2009-06-20T13:08:00.002-05:00

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

From: Mike Newbold <mcnewbold@yahoo.com>
Date: June 19, 2009 8:02:54 PM CDT
To: A Newbold Raya <rayanewbold@yahoo.com>
Subject: "the grouch" eating sand

Sent from my iPhone

Fwd: Future martial artist

2009-06-20T13:08:00.001-05:00

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Begin forwarded message:

From: Mike Newbold <mcnewbold@yahoo.com>
Date: June 19, 2009 8:04:39 PM CDT
To: A Newbold Raya <rayanewbold@yahoo.com>
Subject: Future martial artist

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