Oh how i am loving this baby! I love her smell, i love her little noises and i even love changing her dirty diapers!! I am relishing every moment as this is most likley our last baby! My family felt complete the moment she was put in our arms but i have felt a major change! With the boys i felt like super mom, on a daily basis we went to the park at least once, the TV was rarley on, crafts and playdough were typical play activities and weekly we went to Heritage Park or Fish Creek park for fun day trips!! But now that has all changed! I feel HOUSEBOUND, the thought of going out with all three is completley daunting, i even feel a little anxious at the very idea! I know Isabella is 3 weeks old and this will change with time but i wonder if my poor kids are suffering, the TV is my main form of entertainment now and my Amazing husband transformed our undeveloped basement into a Kid play place for the boys and i find myself shooing them down there more often then not..... he also hired someone to do our backyard and went out and bought slides and swimming pools to distract the boys once we get some decent weather!! But still i feel cooped up, i am sooo use to being out and about! It will come with time i know, but i find i always doubt myself. "why is it so many moms out there make transitions with grace and style while i feel like i stumble before i stabalize?"
One thing is certain, i am on the phone alot more.... (poor husband and few good friends)-they get multiple phone calls a day..."Soooooo whats up....hows it going??? *smile* oh nothing new in the last 5 mins...ok bye bye then..." Makes you realize the good friends you have but how there really isn't to many of them to bug......*sigh*
Oh and the *tick tock* of the clock till i know Ryan is off work!!! Tick.....Tock....Tick......Tock, oh the joy i feel when i hear the 'BEEP' of his car alarm once he gets home!! Pure Heaven!!
What a difference a year will make, by this time next summer i see myself thoughly ajusted to this life of 3 kids, out and about giving my kids a good summer!!! For now we are survivin!! Oh my dear, i am glad my kids are little resilient smartys who play decent together! Thats what they have to look forward to this summer....
Isabella Elizabeth Moon came to us on Sunday June 21st at 7:50pm!! It was my Fathers day present to Ryan, now a father of 3 and a pretty amazing man at that! My delivery went really fast ( typical for me) and i enjoyed the new joys of an EPIDURAL!! My goodnes it was heavenly and although i am proud of myself for going throught the first two without medication i now think i might have been a bit silly!! She came in at 7pds 13 ounces, and 19 3/4 inches! My smallest yet! We checked Jaydens hospital card and he was 7 pds 13.8 ounces!! Oh how nice for my little body!! Dr Hitchcock was our doctor and i love her to death! Her shift ended at 8:00 pm! We made it with 10 mins to spare! Her older brother Jayden is just enamoured and in love, Tanner is starting to recognize her presence... but only slightly!! LOL!
It is finally hitting me that my little girl is here, and isn't she just adorable!!! Ryan has taken two weeks off of work and is being the major worker around the house keeping the boys entertained so i can focus on Izzy, my mom is off course the most amazing mother alive and has been over cooking and putting food in the freezer for us daily! My friends have also been amazing with offers of dinners and playdates with the boys! My mom and friends are so good to me and help out with this transition of ours!
Now the story behind this precious little pic, seriously this made me drop to the floor and laugh forever!! I have decided to bottle feed Izzy my breast milk so that i can have more help but she can still get all those good nutrients she needs!! I have been using a heavy duty pump to keep the milk production going and it has honestly been ALOT of work but hope it will pay off and i can give her the good juice for 3-6 months!! Thats the plan anyways!! Well Jayden has taken on quite the mothering role.... wrapping up his 'baby murphy' and giving her a bottle before bedtime and then there is this!! He found my old manual pump in the basement put it all together and then went out onto the deck to get his milk from his 'milk machines' for the whole neighbourhood to see!! I should of run outside and grabbed him to spare the neighbours but i was incapacitated rolling around on the ground in fits of laughter!! This little boy is hilarious!!
So i have this inability to relax, i guess those who really know me already knew this!! So i go of work early on Mat Leave to spend time with the kiddies and find that i need something to fill those rare and precious few spare minutes....so i go out and buy a sewing machine! This is a 'Hotter Hider' i found the link to the tutorial of my friend Jo's Blog and it was so easy and fun, i have made a couple more and my mom thinks i should sell them, but alas i have more fun just making things for friends!!
Oh Bubble Chenile, i bought tons of the stuff a couple of years ago when it was on sale, but it is not the easiest stuff to work with, acually down right tricky, the quilt on the left is for Izzy and i needed my mom to rescue it when i got around to putting the backing on! The one on the right is for my dear friend Pamela, and it was the first quilt i did 100% on my own!! Yippeee!!
What to say, What to say!! This is my belly at 37 weeks!! Now at 34 weeks my doctor said to 'be careful' and 'stay active' because the baby was measuring a week ahead! Aftere this appointment i was told to eat and gain weight??????? Like i have a lot of extra space for that! Yah right! She said that the baby is measuring small.... 'for me' at a possible low 7 pder!! I can't believe it!! Not possible! So now the countdown is on!! I am excited and nervous and a little over confident! ( which i am sure will fade! Hahaha) Heres waiting for our new little arrival!
It is amazing how time flys! I was just at my 34 week doctors appointment and the final countdown is on! With Jayden and Tanner the wait till the end of the pregnancy seemed to drag and drag!! Now with this one it is flying! So doctors appointment went well, Dr isn't quite sure of babys position, she did alot of 'hmmmmm' 'hmmmmm' as she poked around my tummy! And she declared at the end of the appointment that she wasn't 'unhappy' with my size! (Yikes she has always been happy with me) My belly size that is. I am 34 weeks but measuring 35 weeks, so basically my baby is getting fat! Just like Tanner my almost 10 pd baby!!! She continues to say.... "just be careful, your being careful right? Your active right?" Well i am trying i thought and i moderate my eating and i have a 4 yr old and 2 yr old i run aftere ALL day long.... but ever since that appointment all i can think about is this.........
I guess chowing down on one of these babys wouldn't be considered 'careful' would it!!!! I am also experiencing the nesting, i am doing the 'list' thing for my bag and babys bag for the hospital! I sewed a quilt! I know amazing! And i am almost done a nursing cover and have plans for some recieving blankets so basically the simpliest stuff i can get away with! If i get some pics taken i will show you! I am pretty proud of the quilt i must say! Being the second quilt i have ever attempted....in my life!! I wonder when this little one will come? all i can do is hope and pray for a healthy little baby and wait for the day i get to meet her!
TIRED..... yup that about sums me up latley!! So i am thinking ( even though i am not the most persistent blogger) you will be seeing even less of me for a while!! My goodness, i don't know how people have 6-7 kids. I am preggo with number 3 with 9 weeks left to go and all i feel is TIRED, TIRED, TIRED, TIRED!!! All the time!! No matter how goood a sleep i get or if i get a nap during the day, it doesn't matter, i am still TIRED! Body preparing myself for sleep deprivation i am sure! Oh i am also going to be introducing a bottle consistently with this one from the start! I am going to try to breast feed and give bottles as long as i can!! Any tips, my kids never really took the bottle because i was so scared they would regect the breastfeeding! But i NEED help with this one, i can not be the only source of food for a year!!
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, 3 times a day i am left scratching my head trying to think of new ideas on fun recipes to cook for my 4yr old, 2 yr old and full grown husband!! I have been searching the internet for fun ideas but it is usually fruitless, so again i am asking... Do you have a cookbook that you swear by? one for kids that makes lunches and dinners more fun? Please help a sista out and let me know!!
Carriers!!! I am addicted to them!! I have a hip carrier, a snuggle, a baby Bjorn, a Hiker back carrier, and a sling!! Oh how i love them! And yes with baby number 3 around the corner this is my new carrier of choice! It is called An "ERGO baby carrier" what i love about it is that it is a front carrier and a back carrier and it has wonderful support to your back and shoulders! I tried it out on Tanner when he was 7 months old and we were on Vancouver Island when a mom i made friends with was constantly sporting it for her little girl!! They are $$$$$ though so i have been hunting for a second hand one !! Does anyone have one for sale??
Yes we are done aftere baby number 3, i can say with certainty that we are happy and content with a family of 5! But oh the thought of going through that first year without a new rocking chair has me shuddering! The one we had was a cheapo form walmart and half the time i was in it with Tanner it sqeaked and clunked as i tried to soothe my sick little baby to sleep i could hear the screws, nuts and bolts dropping to the floor with each rock of the chair!! So yet again the hunt is on for a used glider for soothing little baby girl to sleep!! Let me know if you have one to get rid of for a price or know of someone that has one!! Thanks all!!
Ryan and I decided that we would get a 3D-4D ultrasound with this baby since we are finished and wanted to have the chance to do it!! It was super expensive since we had to go private since we had already had our first ultrasound! In retrospect i would of loved to do this with all the kids and just requested that our Doctor send us to a 3D office!! ANYWAYS!!! We invited both sets of Grandmas since i have heard endlessly that 'awww we never got to see ultrasounds... we would sure love to...' Haha! And we thought it would be a fun experience! Ryan met us there from work and Jayden came to find out what sibling he was getting!! It was on 17th Ave and it was such a nice room, couches, and cushy chairs a vido screen on the wall, a big table with colouring paper and toys for Jayden! So relaxing! Anyways baby didn't want to move to much but we still got some good pictures!! And we found out that it is definatley a girl!!! CRAZY... to be honest i don't think i will really truley believe it till little baby comes out!! But Jaydens reaction was the best!!! He jumped up and down, laughing, smiling and hugging everyone and then he went on to say that his little baby sister was his Princess and he was the Prince. He continued to say that his little cousin Liam was the King... we asked him what Tanner would be and he continued to say... The Fire Breathing Dragon!! Hilarious!! he said it so matter of factly like of course that would be what Tanner was!!! I love this Kid!! So Ryan will kill me if he finds out but Jayden already knows the name so he would get it out for us anyways sooo the fairley definate name is Isabella Elizabeth Moon. We could all ways change out mind last minute but it is a family name through and through which has the appeal to me, Isabella is my mother in laws moms name as well as my Fathers Grandmas name!! Elizabeth is my mothers middle name so i figure it will keep all the woman in the family happy! And Jayden has already started to nick name her Izzy, where as Ryan prefers Bella! Anyway pray for my scolding when Ryan finds out i have blabbed to the world!! I still can't believe it is a girl till she comes out! Might do a 'little' shopping though!! *wink* oh and a nursery. Calling, Katrina, Liz and Colby!! Help!!!
Wow has it been forever!! I think i learned my lesson on blogging once Pres Carter pulled me up at the front of a Relief Society Dinner to recite my previous post on Jayden and Heaven! I loved the opportunity just felt unprepared and wished i could of read the post from a page...slightly embarassing! So so random events! Jaydena and his swimming lessons, He is LOVING them, he now is mimicing the swimming motion, putting his head under water and blowing through his nose and just having a blast! I love watching him in his lessons though i do think the kids are capable of a lot more than they are having them do!! The belly is starting to get in the way of my play time with the kids on our FHE swimming excursions so Ryan is on double duty!!
You wouldn't be able to tell by the state of my house half the time but I LOVE A CLEAN HOUSE! I had been talking about organizing my disgusting pantry for weeks and then my Dear friend Katrina showed up took me to the loonie store and proceeded to do most of the work cleaning out my pantry while i helped her, and i was so grateful as i was genuinley exhausted from 2 little boys and the every growing preggo belly!! Now i am on fire, i finished my last day of work last week ( BIG HURRAY) and proceeded to do a slow burn of deep cleaning in the house! Oh and does it feel better, even though i still am in need of a vacumn and the basement is still a disaster zone, BUT Ryan bought my storage bins so i can sort, throw out and donate!! Basement cleaning is my new goal of the hour!! AND i am going to make a new rule, NO MORE TOYS FOR MY BOYS, PLEASE I BEG YOU!!!!! (Family members you know your the cuplrits!!)
Yup this was the state of my poor children for most of Dec, that is Tanner still in his PJ's surrounded by goldfish crackers, and juice. Wrapped in his favorite blanket...by himself and zonked out on the couch! I was sooooooo sick that i had no energy and left the kids to there own devices, which brings me to another thing. How come we get so much sickys in our house. Flu, Ear infections, Coughs, colds, Bronchitis! Do i need to start a new Vitamin routine! I truly don't understand what i am doing wrong...... Aw sweet Tanner!
So with all those sickys going through the house this is how i spent my time, unshowered, unproductive with each son demanding half of my cuddles and chillin infront of endless cartoons and movies!!!
A new year has come and i have so much to be thankful for, in this unpredictable time we just keep praying for security in our family and home and increased faith in our church! Which by the way i have been called as Primary 1st Counseler and have never realized before how much you depend on reliable people fullfilling there callings and also how much chaos and sweetness little children can bring to your lives.
I have to prepare for baby number three, which includes getting Tanner 1. In a bed 2. In a bed in his brothers room (shudder) 3. Attempt potty training & 4. off his soother, which he affectionatley calls Sue! Yikes, i also want to get the basement organized and dare i say.... developed, a renter in our suite, A full years supply of food for at least 2-3 adults, and grass and fence up in our back yard! And maybe even a little family vacation! I am nuts right!! Well we all know that!
I love to read post of other moms where they share the off the wall comments there children come up with and always think i should record some of Jaydens little moments!! Well this past two weeks i got some material that is for sure! Jayden is my child that will crawl into bed with me and and snuggle face to face and fall asleep together!! It was over this last week or so of sickness in the house that we found ourselves in a similar situation with our faces pressed together he started to say... "mommy what is heaven..." " well it is the most beautiful place where there are many people that love and care about you" " who is in heaven mommy..." " well Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, as well as little babys waiting to come down to earth... and people that lived long before you that you never got a chance to meet.." (haven't gotten to the find details yet...he is 4!) " How do we get to Heaven ..." "Well we live a long and healthy life and when our body is old and tired our spirit flys up to heaven" " Our spirit FLYSup to heaven???" " Yes honey it does!" "As fast as a c-train??" "faster than a c-train honey!" *squeels of delight* -moment of snuggling and silence follows...... "Mommy" "Yes" " Tell me how many bones are in my body...." To wich i couldn't help a snicker of laughter escaping my mouth before answering.. "well i don't know honey but i will find out for you! But your Bones are like a shield that protect your body all over..." "Not here though" He emphasizes while squishing his tummy!! "well no not there babe, that is where your organs are!!" "Mommy what are organs!!"... And so the explaining continued! But the thing that continues to amaze me is the inqusitive mind of a 4 year old, the things he picks up on, what he is aware of and his desire for knowledge, better start studying at night to better answer his late night quizzes!
Ok so seriously this is my way of depressing the steam built into my body, and really not to many read my blog so not so embarassing as well! Yesterday has got to go down as the worst day in my life! But trust me i will not whine this WHOLEblog. It started early thursday morning! Jayden screaming bloody murder, that his ear hurt. He had a nasty eye infection going that i figured we would take care of that day at is appointed eye exam and hadn't taken him to the clinic, well lucky me in the night it had moved into his ear, (i am use to ear infections as Tanner has ear tubes!) But wowzers! .... so up and at em, getting the kids ready to wait in line at the medicentre at 130th. COLD did i mention it is COLD! Well we were number 9 in line. Not so bad but we were still at the clinic till 11:00pm, oh and the parents there, yeesh please tell me i was never like a single one of them! I told the parents of kids that Jayden probably had at least pink eye so if they were playing to use the hand sanitizing pump provided to sterilize there kids! Well i got these looks, like ' how dare you bring your infectious kid to a medical clinic and expose our kids to his germs' ...jeezers thought i was doing you a favour by warning you! next time i won't and let your kids get all gooey eyed and crusty too..... ( acually no i would still warn your paranoid self).... i mean its not like we are in a clinic...to treat....sick...possible infected kids right....nononono... a clinic is for Heathy, Strong and Rambuctious people....Riiiiiight!! But that wasn't the end of ridiculous parents for our first clinic visit! Let me tell you there was no T.V there was no toys... there was one book! I hadn't even thought of brining anything becasue doctors offices always have toys right...... WRONG!! So i have a sick 4 yr old and a energetic 2 yr old to entertain with NOTHING! It wasn't easy but i was doing the best i could and lets be honest would you be happy being 4, sick, gooey eyes, sore ears and tired with nothing to do..... well i had this one man...( later determined to be a father, though what kind of father can be determined by yourself) who had the nerve to say to me " this Doctors visit has been very depressing for me" concerned i say 'why?'..... he continues " well we have a 3 yr old girl who is an ANGEL, and we just found out we are pregnant with a BOY!!" and then pointedly directs his glance to my two boys! My mouth drops and i have to restrain my self from slapping him upside the head. I force a smile and say " boys are great, i love my boys!" in my head i think -(get a couple more years on that girl and a couple more kids under your belt and lets see how tightwadded you still are, seriously dude you need to take a chill pill, get a grip.... bet you have never taken your ANGEL to a doctors appointment or dealed with a single Temper Tantrum...if your little ANGEL is even suseptable to those......) But i kept those thoughts locked up in my head and jumped up to chase Tanner on yet another lap around the clinic! FINALLYinto see the doctor! DIAGNOSIS...Bacterial eye infection in both eyes and an ear infection...not pink eye...bacterial eye infection ( he is very clear) PROGNOSIS...good! eyedrops 4 times a day ( oh please shoot me now...) and oral antibiotics 3 times a day for a week! And we are off! I can still make my eye exam appointment for Jayden at 11:30 ( they are concered about the infection is his eyes and want to check it out for themselves) Drop Tanner of at Grandma Moons ( this is number 1, for blessings of the day, my mom in law who is off work because of knee surgery takes little energetic monkey for 2 hrs so i don't have to deal with running around aftere him also... See good things happen with the bad!) Eye appointment, 1 hr! Energy and patience running out, hard when a 15second test for adult takes 25 MINS with your sick and tired 4 yr old. I am patient but it is running out!( i am 3 months pregnant remember) Eyes good, Medicated Ointment prescribed for the skin around his eyes and off we go! TO THE PHARMACY! Drop off prescription...estimated wait time... 30 mins! Take my blood pressure to pass the time comes in at 104/66 pulse 68..... ( hmmm is that normal..meh) Off i go running around the mall with Jayden and grab some lunch for Grandmas house! Pick up prescription and they don't have Ryans drug plan on file....perfect!! I pay and off we go to grandmas house for lunch and to pack up and head home!! 2:00pm heading home!!! ahhhhhh i think sweet relief!! Not so much! The sliding van door breaks as i am taking Tanner out of the car! It will not shut, though not for trying, i must admit thinking that more effort would do the trick and slamming it multiple times... ( Blessing number 2! Atleast it broke when i was at home and not inbetween first clinic and second or second and pharmacy or pharmacy and then home- or else poor tanner would of been a frozen ice cube!) ....but this left me unable to get my baked treats to a friends house for a bake exchange to happen in a couple of hours!! DOE!! into the house calling my husband who come home so i could run out to drop off my goodies!!But then as soon as i got hime he was out and working on the garage and i was yet again alone with sick Jayden and a cooped up Tanner! I was able to go pick up my treats at 9:00pm...finally! I drove Ryans car and on the way there got stuck in a snow drift on the side of the road, so i dug myself out with Ryans snow brush...which i broke! Then i sat in the car and cried a little. And headed into the house! It was acually aqward going into a situation with all these mothers and friends.... i felt like i hadn't had adult interaction in years.... i felt like people were looking at me and could see right through me...she hasn't showered in 3 days.... she yelled at her kids and then cried while hugging them 2 times today.... she is on the verge.... she wishes her husband was home more.......QUICK TURNAWAY and the last thing you do... DON"T SMILE!! Ridiculous i know but thats how i felt, i am also very free with my smile, i like to pass them around to anyone that looks my way and find it bizarre that people just dont ....smile! DO you know how it affects someones day when you just smile at them!! Anyhoo thank goodness for my rocks, though i don't hang out with them as much as i would like, Kristin .S. and Jackie. K. can always make me laugh, even if we are laughing at how ridiculously retarded i am! and an new girl that i only see occasionally Lyndsey. A. i can just go...just talk...verbal diarrhea... and she gets it! She understands how i feel when i say i litterally had to seperate myself from my 4 yr old and count to ten of i would of hung him upside down by his toes!! And we laugh...even though my laugh was a laugh that said i am on the verge of being put in a padded room... i like that girl! I still cried for an hour to sleep when i got home, wondered why i was so weak and couldn't make myself believe this was a GOOD DAY! But i have few good friends! Who make me laugh, keep me sane! And this bad day was mild, compared to what is going on in the world! So i am human.... i cry.... and i am blessed even in the worst day of my life!!
I am not usually politically minded! To be honest i just don't get politics, i always vote true to my conservative roots but i don't understand the mumbo jumbo of Parliment!! But what is happening in our country right now snapped me to attention and has me downright scared/furious!! Again i don't follow politics but the just of what i have been researching is that we had an election- Voted in Stephen Harper as our conservative leader with 12 less seats of a majority for Parliment! Then the Govener General heads out of the country and wouldn't you know, the Bloc, NDP and Liberals get together and are proposing a coalition government which basicaly means our votes will become null and void!! It is 'legal' but feels dirty and wrong and don't call me dramatic, but evil! I just feel it in my bones! The NDP and Liberal leaders are basically making a deal with the 'devil' The BLOC leader ultimate goal is to split the country apart, hows that for the warm and fuzzies!! I PRAY that our governer general will suspend parliment till Jan and then call a relection! But what we need to do is have our voice heard! We can do this a number of ways
First.... Petition!
Canadians For Democracy The Petition PETITION TO THE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT OF CANADA: WE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following: THAT in the recent federal election concluded October 14th, 2008 Canadian voters provided the Conservative Party with a clear and strengthened mandate to lead Canada through the current global economic crisis. THAT the opposition are looking to impose an unstable, unelected Liberal-NDP-separatist coalition that during said election they promised they would not entertain, with the Liberal leader expressly rejecting such a move as being bad for the economy. THAT Canadians have the democratic right to choose who will govern them and not have a surprise Prime Minister chosen through an unseemly and undemocratic backroom deal. THEREFORE your petitioners call upon Members of Parliament to oppose any political arrangement that would replace Her Majesty's democratically elected government without first consulting Canadians in an open and democratic election.
(written by Sandi Loyd Smith)We can write and protest all we want but right now there is one person who can and may do something if she hears from enough of us!Here's my voice..... add yours by emailing her as well!'info@gg.ca'
Honorable Governor General Michaelle Jean;
I am writing this email in earnest to have you please consider the future of this great country. What the opposition parties have done goes against everything our forefathers saw for this country and takes nothing into consideration for the voice of the people of Canada. What kind of example are we setting for our children by this? This world is in turmoil and the last thing we need is to further destroy stability of this country by choice! There is enough uncertainty without turning our government upside down. Please, consider your steps! Our futures count on it!I choose to write you and not my politicians because you are supposed to represent all Canadians and not a partisan portion of them. This is beyond a political argument here. I am no more Conservative, Liberal, NDP or Bloc…. I am first Canadian. What this coalition is proposing is destructive in the consideration for the future of sane and non partisan governing of this great country.Please consider this when you decide your course of action. Consider my daughter in Vancouver, my Father who is working overseas, myself, struggling as a single Mom and of my son in High School here in Calgary. We are all invested in this great country and want it to be a world leader in governing for the people, by the people.I’m not sure my voice is enough but I have to say something. What is happening is wrong. Force them all to the table and have them put their political egos aside and work together to find some way to save this great country of ours. What we need is a rational voice who will scold these politicians who have lost site of the greater good and tell them to agree to disagree and move forward in grace and honor to the positions they were elected to and govern to help this wonderful Canada transverse through this period of uncertainty in the world. I am begging here, please help. I understand that you can.
Thirdly... Make yourself seen!
-there will be a rally held at Calgary City Hall from 12:00 till 3:00 Saturday Dec 6th! Come to show your suppoert! Rallys being held in most citys, contact your city hall for times and dates
Now i don't have a very large blog following so if you see this post and know that you do, feel free to make a link to my page or copy and paste! We need to do all we can to maitain the illusion that we have rights in this country though i feel them slipping away!
Okay yes i know i know... i am one of those crazy Twilight fans!! The movie opens tomorrow and i must admit i have been planning this for weeks, i have my 'personalized premade t-shirt' i have my tickets pre bought, i have my hardcore friends planning to meet me at the theatre to wait for a long time before the movie starts to gaurantee we get amazing seats!! I have never been a 'groupie' fan like this even in my teenage years, i never crushed on actors or put posters over my walls! So what would i do if i saw any of the acually cast members one day!! Would i scream and giggle and jump up and down and then faint.... i have to say ...no! Suprised? Well to me this is a book made into a movie, it was a wonderful escape for me when i needed a daydream at the end of a hard day! And funny as it may seem, that is so nice, i am all grown up, married, kids, but i have a place i can go in these books and just dream of another world!! But.... if i ever did see these actors from the movie i would feel the need to pull them aside and warn them of the dangers of fame to fast, drugs, alchohol and image issues!! They are such beautiful people, and they are gonna get hit by a train when this movie hits the theatres!! I hope they keep there feet on the ground!
p.s-its funny because i think i have gotten a reputation as the crazy twilight fan so when i am talking to someone who hasn't read twilight, i think what a shame for you!! They seem to look at me like i am going to tie them to a chair and then proceed to force 'read' them the books, to be honest... i don't care what you do??!! Harsh? Just trying to make conversation people. Relax!
So i have loved to take pictures since i was a kid, i never hav pictured myself becoming some big professional but i aspire to learn how to take beautiful pictues if not just for my family but for my friends! Well last weekend i agreed to take some engagment pictures for a brother of a dear girlfriend of mine! I was nervous and scared to death! This would be the first time i had taken any pictues with any pressure, and it didn't go as wonderfully as i had dreamed. The lighting wasn't stellar and the camera just wouldn't capture the moments i saw in my head, so frustrating i decided in the car that was it i wasn't putting myself out there anymore, and as i was looking through my picture files that night, i found this picture which i had labelled in my head as "a daughters love"! It is of my dear friend Beckys little girl and her husband, i remember that she told me she cried when she first saw it!! And that is when i decided. I AM NOT QUITTING! I will take classes, i will study my camera, i will practice practice practice! Because i like it, i like taking pictures that stir up emotions in people! And i can only get better if i keep trying and keep puttin my heart on my sleeve! *deep breath*
So this is how i feel latley!! Tired, old and hiding from the world!! Don't get me wrong life is good.....NO life is Great, but there is always bumps along the way to make us realize how great it is! So Jayden has been in preschool for just over 2 months and everything has been going great! Or so i thought! I got a note from his teacher that said that he likes to 'poke and push' the other kids, i gave her a call and she went on to list that...
he has no attention span
he doesn't complete the activitys
he is a sucker for attention
he likes to poke and push the kids
All of which i can see my child doing! Needless to say i got off the phone and cried like a baby for the rest of the day! It just seems so harsh coming from someone else! I talked with Jayden and explained to him what was acceptable behavior and what wasn't! Then Friday the next week i got another note " Jayden tell your mom about the crayons" which resulted in another phone call and another list
Likes to break crayons
push down others block towers
still pokins and pushin
Well this time i was less teary and more determined, firstly Jaydens trains ( the apple of his adorable little eyes) got taken away for the ENTIRE weekend! And secondly i was chargined- my kid is a GOOD kid, all of these things ..though serious things that need to stop are normal for a 4 YR OLD BOY, yup we are talking about a 4 YR OLD BOY here people! I had to shake my head because my boy loves to read books- he will sit on my lap until i beg him to stop while i read him books, he plays playdough for hours, likes to paint and will go through his Alphabet with me every day!! He does productive things- hence he DOES have an attention span- LONG story cut short- he went to school on Monday and did awsome! But i did notice one thing through all this, i love peoples opinions and i will always listen and take there advice but it is sad how many things i heard cut him short! Like my new dear friend Steph said ' i am sad to hear these things of Jayden because if you just take the chance to get to know him... how can you not love him...he is so sweet' and that is how i feel, i know i am his mother but JEEPERS, i love him so much that i think the Best of him , and know he can accomplish whatever he Desires! I think the Most of him not the least! Now just so you arn't wondering, i am not a softy with this boy! I rule with a firm hand ( no i do not beat my kids :p) but they don't get away with much!!
I also wonder the funny comments i get from family members, you know the all knowing tilt off the head and looking at you from the corner of there eye while imparting there words of wisdom on your 'ill educated' little mind! Saying things like 'Now Jenny you know you better do 'Blank-obvious statement here'. I feel like shaking my head and going.... No really i usually bathe my kids with there clothes on....in ice water, or i always but my kids shoes on and then socks! Or i usually strapp my kids carseats onto the top of the car because they like the view! Or really pepsi, mars bars and Chips aren't a suitable breakfast menu!!!! JEEPERS, JEEPERS, JEEPERS! Come on give me a little credit here people!
My husband my precious husband likes to save money which calls for unconventional solutions to some problems, like framing our garage suite, he has his buddys volunteering there services to help him build it, which means that when i am not working i am a single mom now worrying about her desk job husband outside swinging the hammer and putting up walls... but maybe with the money we save we can go on a Family Holiday!! Maybe i am hoping for too much!
Well to those good friends who lasted this long fuming post thanks, i really needed that and love you all MWAH!
So i am all about gettig the christmas shopping done A.S.A.P and the hardest thing this holiday season has been to track down a train table for my little boy! It is all he wants and i can't convince him otherwise! These things are ridiculously expensive in store and i have already been to late on the mark for 3 calls on second hand ones listed online so i am pleading for help! If anyone knows of someone trying to get rid of a train table for a reasonable price... PLEASE let me know!! Thanks all!
So i have a girlfriend who has been talented in the quilt making department as long as i can remember but in the last little while it has progressed to the point that she is acually going to have her pattern in a show!! I am so excited about her quilt give away that she is doing right now on her blog!! (the quilt below is the new pattern she is going to give away) So check out her blog by clicking on the logo to the right that says 'Lizzy Anne' and check it out! I hope i win!!! Update: there is currently over 1,000 entrys to this quilt giveaway. What an exciting time for Liz.
I absolutley adore the fall! It is my favorite season and is when i wanted to get married! We had to push back our actuall wedding date to October because of in-law scheduale conflicts but if i had my way we would of got married Sept 16th!! Yup i still remember the original day that we had our wedding and reception booked for!! Anyways this year we have a nice fancy new camera and two greenies when it comes to photography so we decided to drag the whole clan down to Fish creek and play around with some shots! It was alot of fun, though i wish i had more spontanious creativity! I always have images in my head of moments that i would like to capture on film since i was a teenager but it has never translated well so i pass the camera over to Ryan and things just work! Maybe that will come in time! Until then enjoy!
Sorry i don't have any good pictures of the new house but i will get some soon! But we are done, thats right, last house for good! I HOPE! And i love it, it is right across from the pirate park and Ryan has his unique little design flare throughout the whole house! Funny, knowing that this is it, i am Mrs Eager Beaver to but our little stamp on this house, make it home for good!! I have set up a play room for the kids- with intentions to paint with chalk paint and more! I have already done a train theme in Jaydens room as assistant to my amazing artist friend Katrina DaSilva, Paintings are hung on the wall and i have intentions to paint the dinning nook and our bedroom and our bedroom furniture that got wrecked in the move and ..... well i have alot i want to do. To bad there isn't the time or money for it right now! But i dream! and i can't wait to continue making it a reality! And there is always developing the basement....
Since Jayden took to the TV when he was about 18 months i use to have tree house on at all hours of the day! Even if it was mostly back ground noise and they weren't even in the same room. I loved the T.V as a kid and i turned out ok, fit and smart! So i figured.. eh! But then i found out that if one parent had A.D.D that the amount of TV your kids watch increases of your children getting it by a landslide! That set a lightbulb off in my head. YIKES.
So i started thinking of ideas of how to get the kids of the TV and doing other things. With help from my girlfriends, sister and mom i set out to the looney store to get colouring books, crafts, playdough toys and paints, we stopped by the library to get Halloween themed books and dug out all our primary music and kids c.d's. I borrowed my girlfriends playdough recipe and made a batch and it was with a held breath that i started my new routine.... it was amazing, the kids didn't even want to watch the T.V. Jayden played with playdough for hours the first day, then he wanted to paint, and then play and then playdough! It was amazing. I started working with Tanner to take a bigger interest in books as i am a big reader and it only took 2 days to have him addicted. Now he sits in my lap for up to 45 mins wanting to read books all day! ( little more exhausting than cartoons i must admit) By the end of week one, we have greatly decreased our TV time, and when we do put it on before bed they acually sit and watch it for 20 mins! I love my kids even more, if possible, because i am spending more time with them. Jayden is still a fiesty butt but i hope he calms down the longer we carry on! I hope that this is a permanent thing and that my kids will keep learning and creating and growing. And my new love is Loonie stores, i have to stop in everyone for new ideas. Oh and if anyone has the old school playdough moulds for food and stuff i will $$$$ you gladley for them! Who woulda thunk huh?!
So i have had Jayden registered in the "Be Happy Preschool" since he was three years old. And now he is going!!! He loves it, never complains about going and never has a bad thing to say about it! The lady that teaches the class use to be in my home ward for years so i know that she can handle my little ball of energy! I can't believe that Jayden is going to be in Kindergarten next year, it is soooo crazy! I love him so much! I just wish that i could hear more feed back on how well behaved he is ACUALLY being! *sigh* I have acually found it easy getting into the routine of getting up and out the house every morning. (as my excercise classes are tues, thurs and Jayden goes to school mon, wens, fri) I have found the best girl to car pool with and Tanner is acually dissapointed when we don't get out every morning! haha
It is now official, i love Katrina Da Silva to the end of the world and back again! As Ryan and I planned to move into our new house i wanted to do something special for Jaydens room, we have moved him around alot and i wanted him to know that this was the last move and have something exciting for him too look forward too! So katrina and I came up with a Heritage Park themed room, it would include a steam train, train tracks, a railroad crossing, a train station, a bridge and trees and clouds! We figured no big deal it will take us 3 days tops, Easy Peasy! We planned on working on it at night once the kids were in bed and have it finished by the time we moved in on saturday! Monday night it started, and we rocked it out, it looked amazing already i knew it was going to be the most special room ever! Needless to say the days got longer the more we headed into the week, Both Katrina and I have two kids to take care of all day before we even ended up at the house by 7:30 at night then we were at the house till 1:30-2:00 am on average per night!
I was most excited to learn i had more artistic ability than i thought, katrina put me to work filling in the colour on the bridge, railroad crossing, and her mom taught me how to do the bricks on the Train station which i then finished on my own. It was so fun and i always petered out before katrina, i would then lay on the ground and watch her as she let her true talent shine through with the intricit (sp?) detail on the steam train, trees, and train tracks! By the last day i was regretting taking this whole project on to be honest, but it looked so amazing i couldn't be glum for long, The last night (friday) i was at the house till 5:30am when i finally caved and Katrina the animal that she is stayed there till 8:00 am. In total we figured we spent atleast 65-70hrs together on this project and though i don't know if i would do it again, it looks absolutley amazing. Katrina is a very talented artist who also does canvas paintings (of which we already have 3 hehe) she has now set up a website at www.dasilvadesigns.weebly.com click on her artwork link and if you scroll down to the bottom you will see Jaydens finished room, i didn't post them here to entice you to visit her website!!!
Who better to go to Vegas than your sis and girlfriend since elementary school
The Girls
Vegas, yup thats were my mom picked to go! I have been wanting to take her somewhere since she has been such a huge help with the kids. Watching Jayden while i went back to work full time and now watching both the boys so i could go to work 2 evenings a week!
So i gave her the choice and she choose Vegas, might have something to do with her longtime girlfriend being there at the same time same hotel for her 60th B-Day!!(whose daughter also happens to be my friend for...oh 20 yrs now) Oh i also decided that i couldn't go to Vegas with my mom with out dragging my sister along, she was happy to be dragged!!!
So what to say, Vegas is dirty, in more ways than one but i also really enjoyed it! I loved the shopping, the shows, the food and the pool, and most importantly the time with my sis and mom and friends, i think that i would like to go back and stay at the bellagio!!! And maybe shop some more!! hehe!
Jayden Jayden Jayden, the amount of energy this boy drains from me is absolutley amazing. About 3-4 months ago he magically stopped sucking his thumb and i was stunned! Then two weeks ago all of a sudden he started sneaking a suck on that thumb more and more! Till we are at the point now were he is in full on thumbsucking mode! I have resorted to using his "medicine" the 'thumbs away' spray i buy to keep him from sucking his thumb! He will let me put it on and not suck it while it taste bad but as soon as it washes off he is sucking away again! Oh vie! Oh and now he likes to carry a full sized quilt around at night as his 'blankey'.... and did i mention that Tanner must have a soother in his mouth and one in each hand... one step forward 3 steps back!!!
I was at work one night and when i got home Ryan had waited up for me, he is addicted to 'so you think you can dance' He said that he watched one dance that made him think of me and how sometimes he works so much. The last two weeks he has only been home when i have to work so he can watch the kids and Sundays. It is easier for me now than when the kids where younger but i just miss him terrible!!! Nice to know that even when we aren't together he is still thinking of me!
I had to share this inside joke that my bestfriend Pam and I have cause it always causes me a giggle. It was a couple of years ago and i was chatting with Pam about a girlfriend i had seen at the local walmart that i hadn't seen in years, i was excited to see her and catch up but noticed that our body language where completley opposite. My body was facing her and i was trying to have full eye contact while she was facing away from me, looked distracted and was discretley 'side stepping' away from me. As i was reiterating this story to my girlfriend i commented that it seemed like everytime i saw this girl she was never rude, or mean, always pleasent and polite but would aftere a short time start 'side stepping' away from me! And the phrase was born. I now notice that when a friend that i am talking with starts to do the side step away from me, i don't take it personally because i know i have done it to others before. But it is always fun to get on the phone with Pam and talk about my day and interactions with others to have her ask...'now is she a side stepper friend' and i respond....'come to think of it yah, yes she is.' and we laugh. Sometimes you can try to force a friendship because you desire it but the truth is when it doesn't click, it just doesn't click, and as much as i would like some friendships to become steadfast, you can't force it. And thats ok!
Oh Tanner! I was sitting at the table with my mom when i heard a mighty 'bang' from the back closet as i rushed around the corner my mom gasped 'oh no' and i burst into giggles. I couldn't stop laughing. That is the effect this little boy has on me! The first thing people comment on when they see him is his eyes! They are beautiful. And he is such a character, the personalilty my kids express in there faces is unbelievable..(which Ryan says they got from me from the endless expressions i have). I did of course vacumn up the flour and shake Tanner of good. My only wish from Tanner was that he would cuddle, he is fiercley independent and won't let me help him with anything! Aw my Love!
So Jayden plays on a soccer team called the Pandas, he hasn't gotten out much since it is on saturdays and i never realized how many things we had planned on saturdays but he seems to like it ok, might not be his sport but we will see! To be honest i think he would do really well at gymanstics (is that a manly activity?) because he loves to do somersaults and jump on trampolines and tumble about! He also loves to swim but because of poor Tanners ears we haven't gotten out much since Tanner was born. May call for a Mommy Jayden date day!!
This pictures is what i would summarize our Mexico trip as...absolutley amazing. The Harkers and us had first considered a group trip with 2 of our other closest couple friends months ago... and we finally did it. It was amazing... I intend to use my blogs as my own personnel journal so don't feel obligated to read on.... Friday May 16th the Harkers came down to Calgary and upon my insisitence thought it would be a brilliant idea to stay up all night till we had to be at the airport at 3:30 am to catch our plane at 6:30. Note: not such a bright idea on my part, being a parent to two kids like everyone else that went on the trip any amount of sleep would of been a smarter idea. I hate plane rides, one of my great fears. Well when we got to the ticket booth, we found out neither of us could sit with our spouses. YIKES. Needless to say i did cry on takeoff. And we all almost threw up on our landing, longest decent ever know to mankind. So off we headed to our resort...only to get stuck in a hour long traffic jam before we even got on the highway. Then we had a bridal party in the bus with us and the loudest guy on the bus insisted that we stop so he and his buddys could buy beer. First off i thought ' No i just want to get to my resort throw on my swimsuit and lay on the beach' but off the bus driver when to buy the idiots beer. Needless to say i had to smile when the driver charged them $40 for a 12 pack of beer. Can you say 'all-inclusive' resorts up ahead. Jeez. But then we got to our resort and it was heaven waiting for us. We stayed at the Sandos Caracol Resort and Spa. As we were checking in we had our other good friends that decided to come as well suprise us at the reception area. Lucas and Katrina had taken an earlier flight and had time to get unpacked and check out the resort before we got there. So off we went, we had a Deluxe suite with an in suite Jucuzzi ( which Ryan broke-enouph said) The rest of the day was spent, on the beach, eating and planning our week. Sunday the Da Silvas and us decided to head into Play Del Carmen to the LDS church there to attend sacrament meeting. It was so nice to see that no matter where we go in the world the church is excactly the same... and it was also nice to have Lucas translate the talks to us so we knew what was going on! Once we got back to the resort it was beach time, once we found the Harkers i was delighted to find that Becky had booked us hour long massages on the beach. Can i Say luxury at its best. I honestly have never been so relaxed in my whole life... yes i even fell asleep numerous times and woke my self up with mighty snores!! The poor Massage Therapist! The rest of the day was spent at our favorite pool playing and acting like teenagers again. Monday we had all decided to go on a "Adventure Tour' It included, going repelling into a cenote, visiting a mayan village, canooing across a lagoon, hiking, ziplining and climbing the Coba ruins. Let me tell you it was an amazing adventure. We were going from the time we stepped on that bus till they dropped us off at the resort. At the cenotes the girls all repelled into the cave but the boys got a little inpatient and jumped into the water from the mouth of the cave. Our little dare devils, our travel guide noticed that our group was a bit fiesty and showed us a ledge on the inside of the cave that we could climb and jump into the water as well, it is with extreme pride that i say that every one from our crew jumped at least once. Then it came time to climb out or get the 'elevator' where little mexican boys lift you out with ropes attached to our repleling harness's. I thought it would be fun so i gave it a go. They whipped me up so fast i was bouncing all over the place, i couldn't help but laugh my face off. It just struck me as funny. Then we visited a medicine man that knew the original mayan language and did a protection ceremony. Then it was off to the canoes and lagoon..soooo pretty! Ziplining was next and again our crew would of hiked through the forest 3 times if it meant we cold do it again. An authentic Mayan feast with chicken, rice and beans gave us energy for the end of our tour which was climbing the tallest temple in Coba. It would of been nice to have a LDS tour leader with us so we cold of heard about the ruins with our religion intergrated into it, but that will have to wait for the next visit. Coba ='d HOT HOT HOT and absolutley breathtaking. We could of spent the whole day exploring these amazing ruins but my energy was fading fast and i was glad to catch the bus back to the resort and take a shower and go eat. Tuesday we went shopping to Playa Del Carmen. I found stuff for Liam, and the boys. The Da Silvas and Harkers stayed longer and Ryan and i took the bus back so i could laze around reading my book and swimming in the pool. That night we went to our first al a carte dinner at the 'international' resturant. I remember there being racoons of the deck and my yummy pavlova dessert. The Da Silvas and us had a photoshoot on the beach of cute couple and friend poses before we headed to bed. Wensday the Harkers and us went to Xel-Ha it is an ecological water park. And it was so much fun. We went down a lazy river in our tubes that had cliff jumping spots along the way-which of course we did- and a rope bridge that attempted and fell off...and in the process the rebounding ropes stung my buddy Levi a tinge...sorry BUDDY :) Then we floated to the beach and had some lunch ( all food at park is included in admission!!) Ryan was feeling a little off and rested in the hamochs along with Becky while Levi and i found a good little waterside area with umbrella and chairs. While Ryan rested still ( to much sun for my man ) the Harkers and I went snorkelling. It was so crystal clear and there was so many fish. It was fun to go over to a bridge that people were feeding the fishes off of because the were splashing all over the place. Ryan eventually came out as well. I found i got really cold though and had to keep getting out to warm up. Which is crazy because it is so hot in Mexico. The next time i go snorkeling i might wear a wetsuit to keep me warmer so i can enjoy it longer. We also went over a floating bridge and Becky and I swam into some underwater caves and then hiked to a rope swing that swung into a little pool. Our men didn't follow us on these endevers but hung out together. We are fiesty girls!!! We did a little shopping before we headed back to the resort to see what the Da Silvas had bought from there day of shopping in Playa Del Carmen. That Katrina Likes to Shop. The Rest of the week was spent eating at the al a carte Japanese, and Al gauncho restuarants. Watching the night shows..... 1 2 3 musica DJ. Dancing at the disco and lounging by the beach and pool. Becky and I stuck with our excercise regime and went to the gym mornings we didn't have excercsions planned and there was one night that all the tenders came into the resort and we were able to barter and buy gifts. It was so nice to have the girls together to have girls night, talk, do our nails and laugh and laugh. The guys tired each other out playing volleyball, water polo, football and soccer. We also played poker together at night and the newley wed game which led to the most laughter and no fights!! Very Impressive!!! The girls went to one last shopping excursion on friday to PDC, i had finally caught the shopping bug by this time and would of spent hours shopping for jewlery if we didn't have dinner reservations that night. Going to the airport on saturday to come home was amazingly relaxed, the lines moved quickly and everything went smoothly, it would be nice if it was like that in calgary. I acually loosened up on the plane ride and even smiled a couple of times. Helped that my handsome husband was acually sitting next to me!! All in all i LOVED it and can't wait to go again... i hear that Lucas is even looking into cruises for next year...and he was the one that only decided to come 2 weeks before the trip happened! Someones caught the bug. I LOVE you guys so much, thankyou for sharing in this wonderful vacation with us. Nothing like time with my favorite people and handsome husband to set the tone for the rest of the year!!
It doesn't matter, where, or when. Jayden is usually sucking his thumb. He has been sucking his thumb since he was 3 1/2 months old and is now 3 1/2 yrs old. I was warned, i was pittied, i was scolded. Why though- i really didn't care, he was able to sooth himself, anytime anywhere. He never lost his soothing mechanism...as it was attached to his body. And man did it keep him quiet. It was only when we were wrestling about a week ago that i noticed his top teeth were getting crooked. I took him over to the mirror and said, 'Jayden look at how crooked your teeth are, that is because you suck your thumb, i don't know if the dentist will be able to fix it unless you stop sucking your thumb right now' , Jayden backed into the wall with a frown on his mouth and said 'mommy i don't want to suck my thumb anymore'. Yah sure i thought but hey i'll run with it. We had bought some 'thumbs away' spray more at the coaxing of my mother in law who has been on me to get him to stop sucking his thumb since he started. He asked for this 'medicine' on his thumb so that it would 'help' him stop sucking his thumb. For the next 24 hours i watched in complete awe at the determination Jayden had to stop sucking his thumb. For those of you who know my family. Jayden is constantly sucking his thumb, and he just stopped. He had been falling asleep with us in bed since we were in the middle of a move and his empty bedroom had him scared, i watched with tears in my eyes as his thumb would come to his lips subconsiously and he would push it away...and the rest is history!! He hasn't sucked his thumb once, not through temper tantrum, sickness, or sadness.... sometimes i wish he would! hehaha. Just joking, i am so proud of him.
So this easter we decided to do something a little different and we bought tickets for 'Butterfield Farms' easter egg hunt. It was a bit of a rip off and there weren't even easter eggs but rather painted rocks (Riiipppp offfff) anyways Jayden had fun planting seeds and both kids enjoyed the petting zoo portion. But i don't think we will be going back either way. Rather make my own REAL easter egg hunt right at home!!!
Tanner getting some attention from a baby lamb so cute!!!
Jayden with a baby lamb. He was acually hauling him off Tanner when he got swarmed with animals!!
Spring planting project, Jayden really got into this part!!
Easter egg hunt at "Butterfield Farms", kinda a rip off but atleast we tried it!!
I have been enjoying my new calling in church as a part of the 'Prepardness Commity'. We cover all areas of Prepardness including, emergency, financial, health and estate. I have been very excited to learn in this calling as i have been rather obssesed with this topic for a while now with now direction to head in.
Our first prepardness evening consisted or our 1.) Emergency Binder 2.) 72 hrs food in a milk carton and 3.) a candle that burns for 36 hrs in a paint can. The class i was in charge of was the milk carton class and i decided i would share it with whoever is interested. You will be able to click on the images to see excactly what is included in each kit. This is not a 3 day kit to make you tummy full and satisfied over the 72 hr time frame, but rather to keep you alive. I found that it was on average $8.00 per kit. To pack the kit first you need to clean and dry the milk carton and open the top. Back in your soup can and juice box first, next your 4 granola bars along side, next grab your hot rods and slide against corner with the little space that is left. Stuff all your gum and half of your candy into the littl space left. Next layer grab, your hot choclate, apple cider and cup o soup packages and lay flat in milk carton. Ontop of that layer grab your bag of trail mix and fruit leathers and fold around each other and lay on top of packages. Next add your crackers and the rest of your candy's (its ok of the crackers get squished, there going in the soup anyway.) pull the lid shut and staple away. I put the date of assembly on the paper that tells you the meal plan for the three days and taped it to the outside of the milk carton. It is good for two years. Along with this kit you need a two litre supply of water and a can opener. I store them in my front closet so they are quick and easy to grab if you need to run out of th house. Each kit feed one person for 72 hrs. I have one more to assembly and then we will have one for each member of the family!!!!!
I also have cards that have how much food you need to buy per week over a year period to obtain food supply for 1 person for a year. I can post those too if people are intersted!!!
Hope you enjoyed. I'll post more tips as i get them!
My beautiful, happy, smiley and loving Tanner. How he has blessed our lives! And been a total handful!
He got his ear surgery on Feb 21st at 8:05 am, at the Childrens hospital. He was full of energy (of course) right up until the surgery. And the process was so quick. I harldy had time to scarf down my breakfast before my beeper was going of to tell me he was in recovery.
I was acually excited for this part. I assumed that because he had been put under anesthetic that he would be drowsy and cuddley. Hardly. He was a screaming banchee. With full back arch. He was trying with all his might to pull out his IV, Blood Pressure Cuff and Blood O2 measurer. He was glaring at those nurses with a vengance i have never seen before.
He brightened up once we put him in his beloved umbrella stroller with moo cow in his arms. Recovery was relativley painless and i started to imagine my life with healthy kids and long night sleeps...... but alas this sunday it was Ryan off to the ER with Tanner again because of 4 hrs straight of screaming. I now believe that this is not the end of Tanners association with Hospitals and Surgerys!! I think he is going to follow in the footsteps of his Uncle Jeremy and Momma and get his adnoids and tonsils out...when i don't now. But aftere a bit of a pouty faced hissy fit to my husband about how life isn't fair. I have now bucked up and am ready to face more doctors appointments and whatever else is needed for my dear angel Tanner.
I just wish i got a picture of Tanner in his adorable hospital PJ's. Pink striped pants and a baby sized hospital shirt that opened up at the back. So precious. I guess you can find your baby precious and adorable in any situation.
Jayden is so smart, he knows excactly what is going on. On an adventure late at night to find C-trains, ( not at my choice but because of a night terror that left him crying and wide awake)Jayden started telling me about how 'Tanner had ear infections, an febers, and stuffy nobses, and how he had lots of surgerys and was sick foreber and foreber and eber" i responded, "i sure hope not' and he said "yah me too."
Are you Flippers? that phrase has made me cringe for the last 4 yrs. But i guess i can't blame people! We have bought and sold 3 house in 4 years and are now working on our LAST one. We just sold our Auburn bay house and are preparing for a couple months of moving here and there and storing boxs at different inlaws houses. It wasn't intentional i must implore! I never wanted to be a Flipper. And whenever people tried to ask my advice or questions i would try to give my limited input and shut my mouth... but with this last move i must admit i was even more uncomfortable. I found myself not wanting to tell people we were moving or that we had bought, yet again, another house. I tried to keep it a 'secret' as long as i could. When it got out i noticed what i figured would happen. Most people weren't excited... not that they should be. But i noticed alot of 'looks' or 'eye rolling'... i'm sorry i wanted to yell to these people. It wasn't me it was my husband... who i must tell you is BRILLIANT. SMART. BUISNESS SAVY. HARD WORKERand the reason we are doing as well as we are. I wanted to stay in the first house, forever and ever. But i am glad my man is the man he is. I will now be able to live in a house designed by my husband with my needs in mind, with a room above the garage for my parents to move into when the time is right so i can take care of them like i have always wanted to. It is gonna be tight, it is going to be hard. But i am proud of my man and all he has become and all he has done for this family. And i am not keeping it a secret anymore. Nope i don't think we are flippers. I think we are doing all that we can for the good of our family, our whole family. And that makes me proud and happy!
I turned into my mother but i just realized it the other day. I was having a very good performance review with my boss at work, the kind that makes you smile and blush a little bit because so many good things were said of you by your supervisors...my boss, who i have know for 6 years now, asked me how life was going, so on i blabbed about the latest projects, callings, tasks and medical hickups, i talked about how i would like to be trained as a supervisor so i could take on a saturday shift a couple times a month, and how i have been trying to pick up extra hours some weeknights when babysitting allows and as i finish rambling she adds a note to the end of my review...."does not know how to say no!!!", smiles at me for being young and energetic and then sends me out to work. Now i wouldn't of thought any more about this but i was having lunch with my girlfriend and we were exchanging weekend stories and she looks at me aftere i went on and on about church, baby showers, grocery, friends coming over for dinner, husband working overtime.......... and she said point blank "Jen did you sit for 15 mins this weekend and do nothing" i said "well i sat while i folded three baskets of laundry" and then the response came "Jen you do too much". I have been told this before but it kinda hit me..... i have become my mother. Growing up my mom has always been the woman that does everything, never says no, to the point of family intervention and physical exhaustion.
Then there is me, i work 2 evenings a week, take care of two kids, have 3 callings in church( visiting teacher-kristin and I rock, Prepardness commity and Nursery worker0. Workout when i can, laundry, dishes, grocerys, husband working late nights, outings with friends from school, work and church. Dinner plans with friends. Countless doctors appointments for my needy Tanner and meetings galore. I don't really realize how much i do till i start listing what i have accomplished that week. I once had my bestfriend tell me i was crazy on two occasions, once when i was going to school for nursing, pregnant and working full time, and then when i was pregnant with Tanner, working full time and taking care of Jayden. I think that all woman are busy. We do more (dare i say) than men. Men work and come home, for the most part that is it. Don't get mad, deep down you know it. Women work, take care of the house, kids, appointments, grocerys, laundry.....dare i go on?
I love my husband deeply, don't get me wrong. He helps me out in alot of ways. Coming home early to take care of the kids and getting grocerys for me when i just didn't find time. Calling me on the phone to tell me he misses me..... but woman just have that drive in them to GET THINGS DONE. We have too, Men will do it....eventually.
What do i wish to accomplish by this post....?????? Am i blabbing...DEFINATLEY. But i know in general all woman just want to be genuinley appreciated for what they do, and maybe "gasp" treated to a suprise getaway, or night out every once in a while..... heres to dreaming!
It was a week ago today that i found out. I had been getting the promptings forever to start and read the scriptures with Jayden so i had found him his own Book Of Mormon and we were sitting down on the couch with our respective scripture markers reading away when the phone rang. My visiting teaching companion had just heard the news that out beloved President Hinckley had passed away. Funny enouph as it seems i was acually relieved... awful you may think. But not relieved for me, but for him, because now he was once again reunited with his beautiful wife. I was not concerned at all for i knew that if any one would be welcomed into the kindgom of God it would be him. Were as i may feel a gut wrenching concern for the 'hollywood star' that passes suddenley. How are they coping, learning, growing on the other side? a little more disconcerting. But our Prophet!!! He was a amazing, intelligent and dedicated man, no worries for him.
As the week progressed i felt an amazing presence in my heart each day...the spirit was burning within me and it was getting stronger and stronger each day. I feel like something special has happened. Something that only happens once in a lifetime. I can FEEL the rejoycing in heaven in my heart. I can FEEL the happiness resonating from the angels in heaven. I believe that others have felt that this week also. The Prophet is being welcomed into the presence of our Heavenly Father with joyous celebration.
This feeling was reaffirmed at our fast and testimony meeting this sunday. I felt like the spirit was breathing through our congregation as the Bishop bore his testimony to us from the pulpit. I looked around with tears in my eyes and saw the same thing on many of the faces of my friends and family around me. Nobody needed to say a word... but they did. People streamed to the puplpit one aftere the other all meeting long. I never made it up but i felt the need!!! We have gone through something special this week, something powerful, something i hope i feel for the rest of my life. I pray this feeling NEVER leaves my heart, i want to immerse myself in this feeling forever, i love the presence of the spirit in my life, i love how i can feel my Heavenly Fathers love for me in its presence. Grateful, Loving, Happy, Teary, Powerful moments!!!
I don't know what a addiction would feel like, but i think i may have a mild one when it come to shopping...or 'retail therapy' as i like to call it. I am guessing that it is genetic and has been passed down from my mother...thanks mom!!! I find that i start dreaming of the perfect outfit, or that accessorie that i need for that outfit i have been putting together for a year now, some new sunglasses or a pair of cowboy boots..just cause i haven't had any ever before. Is it something that afflicts the female gender exclusivley? i know that my girlfriends may admit to being afflicted with this condition as well. For the sake of the bank account and my husbands sanity i avoid going to the mall, as soon as i enter my heart starts to beat a little faster, the whines from my kids fade into the background and all i see is the new colours of the season, that cute coat i tried on last month, the girly shirts and new skirts!!! Yikes get me out of here...QUICK. My biggest guilty pleasure would be to have a unlimited shopping spree that could last a week, with a baby sitter for the kids i would indulge in each store to my hearts content. A little piece of Paradise!!
Tanner Ryan Moon, he is now 14 months old, but man has he made his mark on this family. At 5 weeks old he had surgery for Pyloric Stenosis, which is a common but still scary surgery. It was a 5 day hospital ordeal that was heartwrenching and painful to watch. He had to have a tube go down his nose and into his stomach, a IV in his head and then another one got put in his hand... he didn't eat right away aftere the surgery which is when i finally broke down!!!
Aftere we got him home from the hospital we realized he had a flat spot on his head...oops i guess we weren't paying the attention we should of to 'alternating sleeping positions' so on came the at home therapy to make sure he wasn't laying on that side of his head.... then at a immunization appointment we got sent for assesment for his neck muscles and found he had a mild case of 'Torticollitis' in his neck- basically tight neck muscles that make the baby favour one side of his neck more than the other...so he constantly lookd tilted. So then came the physiotherapy at the childrens hospital every 3 weeks till he was a year old. But thats not the end of it, at 7 months he started to get ear infections- chronically. I have never been so sleep deprived in my life than this point of time. He has basically been on antibiotics constantly, minus a week here or there, since 7 months. Whenever he goes of the medicine he gets another infection. Throw in about 2 bouts of the stomach flu and it brings us up to today. He is schedualed for another surgery for Feb 20th to get tubes in his ears!!! I am excited, nervous about the surgery... but thrilled for a shot at some normalacy.
Now you may think that i may resent all these complications and appointments.... but i don't. If you don't know this child. He melts your heart with one gaze into his big brown eyes. One grin from his lips and you'll find yourself smiling aswell, a giggle from his tummy and thats it..your in love. He is the most chill child, when he is not sick. He is content to follow his brother around. Screeching wildly, stumbling to keep up. Rarley he will come up to you, but his hand on yours and every so briefly lay his head on yours....and then he is up and off again. I swear he walks better than Jayden did at this age. I figure Heavenly Father knew that he was sending me a very special child but to make it even in the universe sent along his own little challenges with this specially wrapped angel from heaven. I am glad, it has made me a stronger mother, and dare i say a BETTER mother!!! Tanner you are my High Maintance child... but a joyous blessing!!!
This Christmas i found that aftere 5 + years of marriage i have finally found the perfect balance between, friends, both sides of our respective familys and our own little family. I have always found it stressful and a frantic time of year to make sure we spend the time we need to with our friends, our respective parents and each other. Once grandchildren come along the grandparents are almost 'greedy' at some point to how much time they want. But not this year. We finally got it figured out. Sunday we went to the Nativity pageant, one of my favorite holiday traditions... Christmas eve we spent with just our little family, had a delicious dinner. Opened 1 present and watched christmas cartoons till bed time. Christmas morning we opened our presents and then headed over to my familys house. Jayden was thrilled to get...yet again another train set. And Tanner and Liam really ripped into there presents and chewed on the paper more than noticed the presents underneath them. It was loud and chaotic, but i would of had it no other way. We finally had my sister and her inlaws on the same scheduale as us so our whole family could be together. Then the following sunday we got together at the Moons house. It was the perfect space of time for the kids to 'chill out' and then enjoy there special time again. We were starting to have a hard time holding the kids off from opening there presents but Uncle Jeremy and Auntie Lisa showed up just in time or else they would of arrived to ripped paper, opened boxes and, hyper kiddies!!! Side note, next time you want to shop for shoes- maybe do it another day than The Moon Christmas. HEHE.....but no seriously :P All in all it was a wonderful time... i am so glad it only took 5 years of marriage to get this figured out!!!
So this is it, we are really doing it. Aftere watching my Sister and her Husband take trips every year to fun and new places we are doing it. We booked a trip to Mexico for this May. It is going to be even funner because our good friends the Harkers are coming with us. My wonderful mother has booked a week off work to baby sit for us and for that i plan to take her on a trip of our own before the year is over.
We are going to the "Sandos Caracol resort in Cancun"... i think, Becky was our researcher and knows all the details. It will be so fun to go with another couple, the girls can lay by the beach and drink our fruity drinks while the boys scoot around on little scooters.... dangerous, i fear already!!! Becky will help me get off my butt and do some tours as i fear other wise i would lay in the sun all day. Ryan may monopolize Levi's time so much that Becky will have to give him a 'time out' so she can spend some time with her hubby.
There is so many activities that the resort offers free of charge that i am sure we will have many fun stories to share with all.
I can't believe this i feel all grown up, going on a vacation without the kids, will we come back?.... of course we will!
So this Christmas season has flew by with way to much to record...and the tidbits i do give will still fill a page or more. We have been battling with Tanners ear infections for months now, the poor kid will be off antibiotics for 24 hrs and get hit with another infection. We finally got a specialist appointment for the end of Jan but that didn't stop him from getting a ear infection on Christmas Eve, the poor little trooper, he is a star through it all. So i have been back at work for about two months now...and i have to say... i like it. I know i am a odd duck, this is pointed out to me evertime i mention that i work and love it... all my friends stay at home. I am the odd one out. I have to say my two evenings a week with my friends chatting...while working...and getting paid for it...makes me a better mother. I enjoy the time i spend with my kids and am more ambitous in the things i try to do with them. I don't know if i will always work but for now...it is my sanity. Ryan and I took two weeks of vacation together this Christmas, the first time we have been of together when we aren't moving houses or taking care of newborns since our honeymoon. It is a new goal to try and take time off together every year. SO the party starts. In a matter of two weeks i was able to...
Go to a theatre night (the christmas carol) with my girlfriends from work.
Go to our MoHaDaRa party.
Got to Ryans 'James Bond' party, more details to follow.....
Go to a dinner with girls from highschool
work out without the kids 4 times.... a luxury indeed.
Go to a movie night with my mom and sis
Movie night with my mom-in law.
Get a date night with Ryan.
Attend a New Years party while having one at our house, more details to follow.....
GO to Heritage Park and Zoo lights with the kids.
This may seem like alot, but i can GUARANTEE i missed stuff there. It was funny, by the end of my vacation i was ready to go back to work to rest!!!
Now the Details!!!
Ryans work usually does a 'themed' christmas party. This year it was James Bond. We love to get into it so Ryan thought up this costume. It consisted of tux pants and shirt, with a bow tie hanging around his neck and kiss marks on his neck and face, he would be James Bond the night aftere and i would be the girl. He was HOT, let me tell you i was beating off the girls all night long, something about seeing the kiss marks on him made them crazy....funny thing is they are acually kiss marks from my sis's lips!!! The lipstick i wanted to use was like paint, i tried it on the night before and it took me hours to get it off! So my sister took on that 'task' with giggles and glee. The party was a blast and i enjoyed seeing the girls go nuttso for MY MAN.
So this is the first time we have socialized on New Years in forever. First we went to our friend Rob and Joe's and ate delicous food and socialed while watching a little bit of the Flames game. Then our friends the DaSilvas came over and we got the kids in bed while we ate more and watched the rest of the hockey game. Played card games and a stomach turning 'i dare you' round with a box of 'Bernie Bots every Flavoured beans'. Stayed up to midnight (gasp.. i know) and watched our neighbours set of fire works while crossing our fingers that there impairedness wouldn't result in a loss of there digits.
All in all it has been a blast, and i missed more than 50% of it in this blog. Tanner and Jayden had a wonderful Christmas and are getting a new cousin on Ryans side by this time next year... to much to go into and you will hear it all soon. Heres to 2008. CHEERS.
So we have moved into our new, slightly smaller house and are still settling in... i really want to dejunk the basement!!!
The kids have been sick forever it seems, Tanner has had ear infections for about amonth now, as soon as we have a couple days were we think they are gone they relapse, then he got the stomach flu and the whole family got it. So needless to say i can't wait for things to be boring for a while.
I am going back to work at the start of Nov, just for a couple of days a week, we will see how it goes. Would love to say more but Tanner is ..wait for it....yup he's crying.
I can't believe that Jayden is 3 yrs old. I don't feel old enouph to have a 3 yr old!!! He is getting more mature everyday. He is potty trained...still have some oops... His absolute favorite thing is trains and going to heritage park. Close second is books any kind as long as you just keep reading to him and off course he loves running around outside anytime, any weather.
Jaydens Birthday cake...Thomas the Tank Engine..Slightly obbsessed, we know!!! Grandma Parkinson made it of course. I don't know if she would even let me makes his cake hehe!
We went for our first 'real' family vacation in July. My parents drove our van out to Vancouver Island an we took a plane ( not brave enouph to drive two days in a car with two kids. Yikes!) We stayed at a place that my parents and i always went to when we were younger. It was a trip of many first for the kids. First plane rides for both Tanner and Jayden. Jayden was pretty good but didn't want to stay in his seat and Tanner was good but the pressure really played havock with his ears and he screamed during the whole decent on the way there and back. We stayed in a little loft room at the shorewater. It was really nice though interesting having 4 adults and 2 kids in a small space. The kids played on the beach for the first time and Jayden made lots of friends with other kids on the beach. It was great to see my parents playing with my kids on the same beach i have some of my first memories. There was a little campground resort a 5 min walk from our resort and it had a pool and some waterslides, we probably went there ohhhh....3 or 4 times with Jayden and once with Tanner. They loved it. We also ate lots of seafood, had many camfires, made plenty of sandcastles and had to much fun to put down in words. We are hoping to make it a family tradition as Angie came out with her son the following week and stayed with my parents as well.
This is from when the stampede was in town. We had a get together with friends from out of town. The Harkers from Magrath and the Rae's who where up visiting family, they traveled from Texas. The DaSilvas who are from calgary and i haven't shown a pic of Katrina cause she was very preggo and might beat me down if she caught me. hehe. New addition was the Franceschi's (my sister and bro-inlaw) We had a picnic at Auburn lake and the kids played in the sand and then the majority of us 'party animals' headed to the stampede for some traditional fun. How come i am so lucky to have these good friends???.... I don't know but i am sure grateful.
Well Ryan has been working his tail of and have been busy at home with the kids up to 6 days a week on my own so we decided we needed a break. And our good friends the Harker provided that gettaway. It was a wonderful weekend were Ryan and I were spoiled rotten. We can't wait to get more of our couple friends together for more adventures in the future.
So i have a couple minutes to myself i thought i would update everyone on what is going on with us. Ryan is still working hard at work with his new job and the extra work he has taken on for some friends. I don't think we ever realized when he took on this extra job that it would mean him working 6 days a week for 3 months and i definatley didn't realize i would be alone with the kids that long. But we are hoping to get that off our plate in the next couple of weeks, it has been a source of a near nervous breakdown for me as well as a little bought of exhaustion... i guess i am not superwomen like i thought. Tanner turned 6 months old this week and he is getting so active. He is rolling all over the place now and likes to be standing, with help of course. He loves to watch Jayden and is just thrilled when Jayden comes over and spends some time with him. Jayden is such a boy. His vocabulary is astounding, we are amazed with the sentances that we hear come out of his mouth. He loves to visit Grandma and Grandpa and spend time in the garden watering the plants or playing space shuttle. He also loves going to the park and is old enouph to go down little slides all on his own. I have contacted a lady that i have know since i was in elementary school and she is going to take him into preschool when he turns 4. He is growing up so quick, i can't believe he will be 3 in August. We are also planning a trip to Vancouver Island with the boys come July, my mom booked a condo on the beach and we are going to take a plane out there and run down the beach all week long, have campfires at night and roast hotdogs. One of my first memories was running up and down the beach on Vancouver Island in my supergirl outfit and it would tickle me pink if Jaydens first couple of memories are of us all running up and down the beach with his Grandma and Grandpa. We are also trying to sell our house. It is exciting to finally be at that point but it is alot of work to keep the house 'showhome' ready. I will keep you updated on the progress of the selling of our house. It shouldn't take long.... hopefully. Other things in the far future is the trip to some hot, tropical destination with the MoHaDaRa clan and hopefully a visit to Texas to see the Rae family. Lots going on as always........
This is the rare time we get a picture with our friends when the come up and visit us in Calgary. This day we went swimming and to the Calgary Zoo!!! It was so much fun, our babies Dani and Tanner shared one stroller and our toddlers Carley and Jayden shared the other one. If you zoom in on Jayden you can acually see him trying and suceeding in biting poor Carley ( sorry sweet heart he can be a stinker sometimes). We have matching strollers cause Ryan and I like to copy the Harkers!! HeHe. The kids had so much fun playing together and swimming. It was so nice for me to get a chance to get outside, use my muscles, enjoy the fresh air and spend some time with my family and friends. Ryan has been super busy so it was wonderful to see him out with me and the kids. It is now Ryan and I's turn to head down to see the Harkers. More fun to come i am sure.
I have been married to my Hubby for almost 6 years now and things never slow down. I love to be outdoors with my two boys and love to spend one on one time with them when i can! I work a couple days a week for social interaction but wonder what it would be like to not work and just be at home with my family!
