Thursday, August 30, 2012

Rarely

Rarely do I make food that is picture worthy. But this sandwich was so beautiful not even my crappy phone camera could mess it up! It tastes even better! I am loving my homegrown tomatoes!

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Germs germs go away!

It is sad when you see your pediatrician more than your husband! Okay that isn't 100% true but, it has been close to a month since everyone was healthy at the same time for more than 24 hours! We have had stomach bugs a couple of times, colds, and now an ear infection and pink eye! It is mostly Turner and Max. I just wanted to get out of town this weekend, but it looks like it won't be happening :( Oh well. Such is life.

The schedule has been working good. Although this morning Max was really upset because he didn't feel good, and I couldn't stop making breakfast to cuddle with him. I felt horrible, but Josh needed to get going so he wouldn't be late for work. It is hard for me to not be at the beck and call of my kids. It is probably good for them though (right?) I think we are going to be good to go to start school next week--if we can get the basement under control.

We have been rearranging and organizing the basement and somehow we had accumulated A LOT of junk! The fact that I haven't moved for the last 7 years has not been a good thing. It feels good to be getting rid of stuff that is just taking up space. I have the pack rat gene and I am constantly fighting it. Right now it looks like a war zone. Half of my family room is filled with things that need to be donated to the local thrift store! I love it! I keep telling Josh that we can make it work in this small house, yet the kids are crowding out my stuff! Just kidding. I love my kids way more than junk.

Rambling post I know--I guess I needed to get some status updates off my chest! Just kidding :)

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Equality in the testing



I have a degree in behavioral science. (Two words that took me FOREVER to learn how to spell!) So you could conclude that human behavior interests me. Reality TV was the coolest thing to me--back when it was new. Do you remember the Real World? I loved watching other people live. It drives my husband crazy when he asks something to the effect of, "what in the world are they thinking?" and I come up with 100 different possibilities. He seems to think I am taking sides with the "other person." Yet I just really love trying to understand people. I watch as some people really struggle, while others seem to skip through life. From our perspective, it doesn't seem fair. Yet Boyd K. Packer said something I really love:
"Our lives are made up of thousands of everyday choices. Over the years these little choices will be bundled together and show clearly what we value.


The crucial test of life, I repeat, does not center in the choice between fame and obscurity, nor between wealth and poverty. The greatest decision of life is between good and evil.


We may foolishly bring unhappiness and trouble, even suffering upon ourselves. These are not always to be regarded as penalties imposed by a displeased Creator. They are part of the lessons of life, part of the test.


Some are tested by poor health, some by a body that is deformed or homely. Others are tested by handsome and healthy bodies; some by the passion of youth; others by the erosions of age.


Some suffer disappointment in marriage, family problems; others live in poverty and obscurity. Some (perhaps this is the hardest test) find ease and luxury.  All are part of the test, and there is more equality in this testing than sometimes we suspect." -Boyd K. Packer "The choice" Ensign, November 1980 (pg 20)
So when you may be feeling like you have it harder than others, remember that there is more equality in this testing than we might suspect!

Monday, August 27, 2012

Schedule Shmedule

          Those who know me well, know that I am a completely undisciplined person. I am a procrastinator extraordinaire. I am a fly by the seat of my pants do-whatever-I-fancy-at-that-moment kind of person. I have a tendency to be lazy but really, I am usually busy doing something, just maybe not the most productive thing.Truth be told, I have a hard time forcing myself to do things that I don't like to do. I try really hard to make things fun--you know that spoon full of sugar thing, but I haven't figured out how to make scrubbing toilets fun day in and day out!
          Back in my professional days I struggled getting paperwork in. Especially if there was no set deadline. Back in school, me and online classes were mortal enemies. Papers? They were usually written at 3am the day they were due. I convinced myself that I worked better under pressure. I guess to some degree I feel like I ONLY worked under pressure. I really would sit down to write a paper early, only to have my mind go blank.  Good thing Facebook didn't exist in college or I am sure I would have never graduated!
          So here I am with the personal commandment to educate my kids at home! It isn't that I feel the need to follow a school bell type schedule but, I do feel like we need order in our home. We can't have order, and do home school if there is no discipline. Last year we did learning time between 9-12. I didn't have any other goals than that. Turns out it was hard to get my house cleaned before then, and I couldn't possibly make myself clean after that. Life was a crazy mess. So I started learning time whenever we got around to it after chores were done. Learning time became less and less as the months went on because I had a hard time forcing myself to get the chores done!
          I have been trying to figure out what to do. I work better in social situations, and with external factors. Unfortunately I couldn't convince any of my friends to come over and help me clean everyday ;) So I decided that we would do our jobs together as a family. My kids have a few jobs that they are responsible to do alone (make their bed, wipe down the bathroom . . .) but most of them we do together (the dishes, picking up, dusting etc. . . ) Today was the first day of the new schedule and it seemed to work pretty good. Someday I hope to just have our learning time be part of the family culture, but as of right now, we are "starting school" next Tuesday. So this week we are trying to just get the morning routine down. This means waking up my kids--which I haven't had to do before. I think overall this is going to be really good. Now the hard part--to keep doing it even when the newness wears off! Here is the schedule (you will for sure think I am crazy!) for any of you other home educators out there:
5am- wake-up/put in a load of laundry
5:15 work out (remember I have health issues--this is necessary)
6- shower/get ready for the day
6:30-scripture study
6:50- make breakfast
7- eat breakfast/family prayer/family scripture study
7:30- clean up breakfast/kids get dressed
8-do morning routine and daily chores
9-family learning time
12-lunch/clean up lunch
1-outside time
2-nap time/quiet time/personal study
4-run errands/start dinner/free time
6-dinner
6:30 clean-up
7-showers/pjs/brush teeth
7:30-read as a family (classics)
8-family prayer/bedtime
10-my bedtime
There! I put it out on the world wide web. Will that keep me on my new schedule? I doubt it! I just know that I need a house of order! Besides I have to realize that if I wasn't home educating, I would have the external force of having to get my kid to school on time. I can do this!!

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Nice to meet you self!

         It seems like we have had a perpetual illness at our house. It has been one thing after another for the last couple of weeks. Last night we found ourselves with two big boys burning with fever, one of puking all over the wall of the bathroom. Why he couldn't turn his head and make it into the toilet is a mystery that will never be solved. So I quickly called my co-teacher of our little 3-4 year old sunbeam {Sunday school} class and informed her I wouldn't be able to teach today. This is the same place I was two weeks ago for the same reason. Except today we woke up all healthy. I debated whether we should still go to church but thought we better err on the side of not infecting 300+ people with the unseen germs we maybe harboring. This has been why I haven't been blogging at all! I did spend sometime today reading the conference Ensign, and catching up on reading blogs. It was time well spent I felt like I spent time with God today. I felt like I spent time having God speak to me through other people. There was one particular blog I found that made me remember who I am. 
          Who I am has been on my mind a lot lately. It seems like some people never lose sight of who they are. Some of us have to discover ourselves as an old friend over and over again. A few months ago I took my kids to the aquarium in Sandy UT and ran into a friend from AZ that I hadn't seen in over a decade. She and I had both relocated to Utah, gotten married and had four kids. It was a great reunion. She had just had her fourth baby. I enjoyed catching up and hugging on her little one. We talked about how busy it was to keep up with a bunch of little ones, and how stressful life can get sometimes. She mentioned that she had posted a FB status a while ago that read, "Lost:a young woman named Holly. She has been missing for about 7 years. She was known by many to have a love of bookstores, scrap booking, reading, crafting, fashion and among many other things cooking. Possible alias': Mom, wife, I want, and I need. If you have any clues on where to find her please contact Mom or one of the other alias' immediately." I could relate!  This time of life is so crazy! Yet, feeling like you have lost yourself can lead to depression and depression can lead to not being able to be a good wife and mom. I did a research paper on maternal depression in college. I don't remember everything I learned, but I did learn that it wasn't good for your kids (specific I know!!)
          So a few weeks ago I went on a search for Tiffany. My husband and I had asked my parents at the beginning of the year if they could come out and stay with the kids for a few days while we went on a anniversary trip. We didn't know where we would go, we just wanted to get away for a few days. Then in June my husband got a new job {YAY!!} We were very excited except for the fact that it now meant that we wouldn't be able to get out of town due to not having any vacation days now. So we decided that we would get a hotel by his office, and do a little stay-cation! The thing I was most excited about was having two day by myself while he went to work. I was really excited for the one on one time too--don't get me wrong. But I hadn't been alone like that in a long long time. If you know me, then you know that I don't really like being alone but let me tell you--everyone needs it once in a while. 
        I was really interested to know what I would do when I had absolutely nothing that I had to do.  I went and got my hair cut, worked out, napped, put on make-up and did my hair, read and did my favorite thing of all--I went to Barnes and Noble and just looked at books! It was a very nice couple of days. The time away from my children (knowing they were in the best hands--their grandparents) was refreshing. It made me miss them like crazy! Yet having that break helped me to be refreshed in my zeal towards being the best mom ever--for them. I remembered that I am a right brained creative person with a love of art. I remembered that I am someone who loves feeling good about myself. I remembered that I love the scriptures and my relationship with God. I remembered that I love people, especially children. I remembered that I LOVE water! I love to drink it, swim in it, hearing it fall . . . anything to do with water. I remembered that I am a free spirit. 
         I found a blog today written by a woman that is truly inspirational to me! The way she writes speaks straight to my heart. I read what she wanted for her kids and I loved feeling like someone was writing what was written on the pages of my heart. It is time to take what I learned from finding myself and translate that into what I want while raising my family, and what my goals are for home school. Maybe someday I will completely know whom I am and my life mission, or maybe I can just have joy in the journey of getting reacquainted with myself over and over agian!

Monday, August 13, 2012

I's two!! I's two!!

Not claiming to be a pro-cake decorator, but the kids knew what they were!!

Amelia with Abby!

Cooper with "Elmo's song"

Why on earth is everyone looking at me and singing??

I've got this blowing thing down!


They both really loved opening presents. Here are a couple of new little people sets from Grammy and Grandpa!

Awowa!

The twins loved their birthday and we loved having three out of four grandparents here (missed you Dad!) It was really low key since I was trying to get ready to leave for AZ early the next morning. I am really loving two right now. They are so much fun! I ask, "Who's two?" and Cooper raises his hand and says, "I's two!" Then Amelia raises her hand, and says, "I's two!" It is pretty cute! So much fun!! Thanks Mom for helping me with the cakes!

Sunday, August 12, 2012

2 by 2 Jan. '11


           As you can imagine, my life changed about two years ago. On August 1st Cooper and Amelia turned two! Actually things began to change earlier in 2010, when at my Dr. appointment in January, I found out that I was expecting twins. I hope to never forget that day. Actually the thought of twins was on my mind since Josh and I started trying for #3. I don't know why, but I just had a "feeling" that I was going to have twins. I didn't tell a soul since it was nothing more than a feeling. Once I found out that I was pregnant, I did joke around about it being twins a lot with my husband and a couple of friends. I asked Josh to come to my first appointment in case there was "something wrong, or it was twins."
            As we went into the doctor's office my husband told the nurse that we were DONE--that this was the last baby. I just rolled my eyes. As we went into the ultrasound room Josh started chanting one-one-one-one. I guess I had talked about it being twins just a little too much. As soon as the doctor put his wand on my belly, I saw the distinct separate sacks with little jelly beans floating in them. I did what I always do in stressful situations--I started laughing. Josh kept saying over and over again, "Are you sure?" To which the Dr. replied, "I can't make something like this up."
           I think I went through every emotion for the next month or so until I came to accept that we were having twins. I never wanted twins. Now I feel so lucky! Good thing God knows what is best for me--and what I would really love.
          I read as much as I could and just knew I would have to go on bed rest. Josh and I had a bed rest plan and everything. Little did I know that when I did go into labor at 37wks3days my Dr. would come into the room and say, "FINALLY!" Labor was long, and the delivery was stressful. We ended up needing an emergency c-section right as my epidural wore off. I was pretty traumatized from the whole event for at least a year afterwards. Now I am just so happy that we are all alive and healthy (it takes me a while to get over stuff sometimes-especially being cut open while I can feel it.)
Three days before I went into labor!
They loved being together, even in the hospital
I was awe struck by this little girl. 
He has been a sweetheart from the start!










Aug '10

October '10

Oct. '10

Nov '10

Nov '10

Dec '10

Dec '10

This was a precious moment to me--I had made Amelia mad and she clung onto Cooper, and he glared at me!


Jan. '11






Feb '11

March '11

April '11

May '11

June '11

July '11

Aug. '11

Sept. '11

Oct. '11

Nov. '11

Dec. '11

April '12

May '12

June '12

July '12

July '12

          Watching these two little--very individual beings grow up side by side is one of the funnest things I have ever done!
           Cooper is very laid back--except when he isn't! It takes a lot to get him mad, but when he is, WATCH OUT! He loves to play with toys make people laugh--especially his sister. He takes good care of her. He loves to cuddle and his blanket and pacifier are his favorite things. He is talking more and more each day. He love Bat-bat and Joko (batman and joker) just because his oldest brother does. He mostly loves "Elmo's song"(Elmo.)He can wink. He is a joy to be around!
           Amelia is a talker! She is constantly gabbing about something. She loves her brothers so much, especially Cooper. She is a little Momma and pretty much runs the show. She loves to play pretend with her dollies. She is giving me constant updates on everything--every minute. She is polite and likes to be clean. She is pretty dramatic and can also be the most violent of all my kids. She is my biggest biter and scratcher. She certainly can hold her own. She tends to be shy in new situations and she has her daddy wrapped around her little finger.
           I thank the Lord that I was chosen to be a mother of twins. Not just any twins, but Cooper and Amelia (and Turner and Max too!) Happy Birthday my sweet darling children!!