Whew!

It's official: I'm all caught up with everyone's blogs on my Google Reader!! Yeah! (It only took me a week of diligence!) And for those of you who haven't converted to the wonderfulness of Google Reader and RSS feeds, I'll try to get to yours soon.

Friends Are a Gift

We made some friends!! Yippee! A gal in our ward that I have come to know in the Mother's Room at church, invited us to dinner at their house last night (isn't that one of the easiest and greatest places to make friends, the Mother's Lounge?). They are such an awesome couple and we had so much fun chatting and eating fabulous food (I have no idea how I could even come close to that to invite them over here for dinner:). So now I just hope they didn't think we're really boring or weird (I sound like I'm in Junior High, don't I). And we're going to the neighbor's house tomorrow to play, so that'll be fun too.

Plus, the Wilson's from our old ward came and visited us this weekend and we had so much fun catching up and playing. Thanks for visiting us guys!

The hardest part about moving was leaving so many good friends behind. I know, I'm whining again, sorry. I just have to have a pity party every other day or so until things gets better I guess. Our neighborhood and ward felt so close and this new one does not (I'm still miffed that the 3 new sisters that have moved in since we have were cheerily welcomed and introduced in Relief Society and I was not!). But Jeromy and I have been trying really hard to get out of our comfort zone to make it work here.

Anyway, we're loving our house now and wish you all could come and see it! If you can afford the gas, you're all welcome!! Until then, I'll try to start posting pictures as more and more areas of the house become more presentable.

Okay, Obsessed

I will admit that I'm a fanatic of Psych! So that's why we created this awesome cool widget for the most awesomest show ever!!!!! Yipeeee!!!

Obsessed?

Some may think I'm a fanatic about these books, but seriously, I think I'll be able to live for the next 42 days, 2 hours, and 4 minutes. I just happened upon this widget today and thought it was cool. (I am excited though!)

Audrey win's an Oscar

Tonight I was putting Audrey down for bed and she wasn't going quietly. After 5 books, 4 stories, and two songs I was ready to make my exit. That is when the following scene took place:

Jeromy: Audrey, It's time to go to bed.
Audrey: But Daddy, just one more story.
Cue puppy dog eyes, suddenly long flapping eyelashes, longing gaze, and hypnotizing powers.
Jeromy: Audrey, it is late. You need to go to bed.
Audrey: But Daddy...
Jeromy: No Audrey, lay down and go to bed.
Cue eyes filling with tears, slight quiver of the bottom lip, ease into a frown, prepare to cover face with hands, start line strong - but end it nearly in a wisper.
Audrey: Daddy, you're breaking my heart.
Cue shocked expression from "Daddy" followed by a:
Jeromy: What?
Audrey: Daddy, you're hurting my feelings.
Cue 5 more books, 4 extra stories, two verses, and 1 lecture followed by a promise to be stronger.

The Best $100 We've Ever Spent

When we bought our couch at RCWilley, they were doing a promotion for this swing set for only $100, so we got it. It takes up a good chunk of our yard, but it's worth it. We're so excited to be able to send the kids out back and play! And the girls are so excited too! They're so willing to do anything for us if it means they can go play out back. Boy, it was a bear to put together though, I'll tell ya. Oh, and since we got it just a few days ago, Audrey has learned how to pump her legs! Yeah!!!





And speaking of spending money, this is the best $60 we've ever spent. Jacob just loves his Big Toy! And I just love how he "devours" the star he's chewing on. I could just eat him he's so cute!

New Couch!

I can be so gloomy sometimes, yikes. Sorry 'bout that. So here's something a bit more cheerful. Our couch finally came!! We're so excited! It even has feathers in the cushions so it's way comfy. Now we're just waiting on the ottoman. What do you think?

Note to Self

This is more for me than for any of you, but I thought I should post it here so I can refer back to it later, and maybe even learn something new by writing down the old. Plus, maybe I'll get some kind-hearted, tried-and-true tips from other parents? (hint-hint;)

In an effort to figure out my strongly stubborn daughter, I want to make a list of things that I've learned work well with her, but can't exactly recall on our hardest of days (why is that?). So here's a list of them, in no particular order:

-The power of choice: if it's okay for her to decide about something, then by all means, let her decide!
-Give her responsibilities so she feels like Mommy's Big Helper.
-One-on-one time with her on a regular basis is vital. Make sure many of these are very silly!
-She gets cranky when hungry and/or tired. Just be prepared.
-Although it takes much more effort, a happy-go-lucky tone works so much better than a you're-in-trouble-missy tone
-Routines help her feel more in control
-Her temper is a mirror of my own. She learns how to deal with frustration from watching me, so set a good example, would ya Hil?
-Discipline immediately after the offense, have the punishment fit the crime, follow through, consistency, yada yada yada. (it's getting late and I can't remember anything else)

I know these sound pretty basic to you all, but they were hard ones for us to learn. I'm ashamed to admit how crazy it's gotten, but feel like I need to announce it so we can build a support system. Great, now she sounds like such a monster child, and she's not. We love her and are so glad to have her. Our lives seriously wouldn't be the same. She's such a great big sister to her siblings and (usually) loves to take care of them. She is always so honest with us. I'm amazed at how at just 4 years of age she can explain her feelings so well and get to the root of what's really bothering her. I know adults that can't do that. And by golly is she smart! She remembers practically everything that is told to her (we just wonder what she repeats back to her Primary teachers;). We love her dearly and that is why we are working so hard to be good parents for her.

Thanks for listening to my ramblings. I'm probably not making much sense anyway because of the hour.

(By the way Megan, the chart idea for her "accidents" problem worked like a charm! We hardly have to use the chart, because the threat of taking stickers off if she makes a mess was enough. Thanks!)

Frustration

I've been dealing with a bit of frustration lately and need to get it out. (Sorry in advance.)

-I don't get to blog near as much as I would like. I have a bunch of pictures I want to post, but by the time I get the kids in bed and clean up a bit, I'm done. I just want to go to bed so I can keep my goals of waking up early and exercising. Ugh. And I really want to keep current with friends' blogs, but I have something like 120 new posts on my Google Reader account; I don't know, I'm too scared to look anymore.

-I've got 3 book clubs going on this month, and normally I'd be lucky to finish 1 book in a month, but 3? Plus, there's the ones I want to finish before the summer's over that are sitting there, taunting me each time I pass them. Oh well. Maybe when the kids are in high school I'll be able to read all day??? It's just so hard not to get too involved with a book that I neglect the family all day long or stay up ALL night. Does anybody have any tips on how to step away from the book you're reading?!?

-It has been a very difficult week with Audrey. Okay, it's been longer than that (by about 2 years, maybe?), but this week especially. She had a hard time moving and acted out a bit because of the stress. That was to be expected, and we tried to focus on happy things with her to distract her. She was very excited about the new house, so that helped. But lately she's just been so defiant and it's really hard for me to control my temper when she openly rebels against us like that, so we've been spiraling. Why is it that I seem to be able to figure her out only to forget all that I learned a few months later when we both regress? Yikes. But today was a pretty good day. I was able to stay calm and we both made it through a tantrum okay and actually happy. But by bedtime I was emotionally tired and had Jeromy deal with her for me, and in so doing it took ALMOST TWO HOURS to get them into bed! Mount on top of this that I was trying really hard to get everything done (laundry, dishes, etc.) before bedtime so that I could finish my book tonight for my book club tomorrow night, and... you get the idea.


So, here I vent to make myself feel better, and my sweet husband is making me a snack in the kitchen because I've just told him that I need a break and so I'll be up late. Did I mention that he has to wake up in 5 1/2 hours? Thanks, hon, you're the kindest person I know.

Can Shelf Plans

Wow, I didn't think so many of you would be so interested in making a can shelf like mine (sometimes I feel like I'm the only one with a passion for storing food). I'm so happy to share these plans with everyone! Here is the link to the plans for my can shelf.

http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/FN_503.pdf

It's a big pdf file, sorry, but just scroll down till you get to page 92 (or 10-7). You basically need: 4-2x4's, a bunch of plywood, little strips of wood so the cans don't roll off the shelf, strips of cardboard (I've got a bunch of leftover boxes if anyone needs them!) to separate the different rows of cans, lots of nails, a few L-brackets, screws, thin wood strips for the sides of the shelves, and your food storage. We didn't do the little cut outs at the end of the shelves because it was too time consuming and we figured we were adult enough to know how to get a can off the shelf without pinching our fingers. I know the plans look intimidating, but where there's a will, there's a way! Please let me know if you get stuck or have any questions!

If you have a minute, you might want to check out the rest of the document (I know, it's huge, but most of the pages have huge fonts). It's designed for a food storage course complete with handouts and transparencies. It's got some great information if you're interested.

Since we're on the subject of food storage, does anybody have any ideas, recipes, websites, etc. they'd like to share?

Our Seven-Month-Old

Jacob is now 7 months old, can you believe it?!?! He is growing so fast: rolling over, always wanting to stand on your lap, not sit in it (we just can't get him to bend his legs!), eating solid foods, starting to scoot on the floor, and on Monday we noticed his first tooth! Time flies. He is such a delightful little guy. We're so glad he's joined our family. We love you, Jacob!

Here are some random pictures we've taken of him in the last month or so.

Jacob fell asleep while my Mom and I were unpacking. Poor guy!

His first pear! An actual slice of pear in a mesh bag thingy. He devoured it, putting the whole thing in his mouth and sucking on it till it was just a little bit of brown pulp, ew.

Jacob's first Rice Rusk (a cracker-like wafer that dissolves really easily). He liked this as well, lunging his head towards the cracker in impatience. And they're so dry that once we put it in his mouth, it would stick to his lips!

Uuuuurrrrrrggh!

What do you do with a fully potty-trained 4-year-old that doesn't seem to be able to make it to the potty in time? She waits till the last minute then sprints for the bathroom, but doesn't get her panties off (or more correctly, princess/ballerina paraphernalia) fast enough, and then she yells for me to come clean her and the floor up. I am really getting sick of this!!

My Can Shelf

Isn't it a thing of beauty? I'm so excited that I finally have my cans up and can cook with them now without having to go on a scavenger hunt in the basement. But after spending a whole day putting those cans away, I found a couple more boxes of stuff that needs to go on there, so I'm hoping it fits (crossing my fingers!). I love food storage!!



By the way, if you want the plans to make a can shelf of your own, let me know. It's fairly simple and only about $50 worth of lumber. But you need to have rafters or something to attach it to.

Little Brother

This morning I asked the girls if they would watch Jacob on my bedroom floor so I could finish getting ready for the day. This is what I saw when I came out. I almost got upset at Audrey for picking up her little brother when she's not supposed to, but then I saw how cute they were together and had to run and get the camera. So cute!





They are definitely brother and sister, are they not?

How Do You Find a Preschool?

Audrey told me how:

Audrey: Mom! We need to find a preschool for me!
Me: You're right! We do need to do that. Well, how do you think we could find one?
Audrey: We could follow the school bus!

What a smartey.

I'm So Thankful For Blogs!

My dear friend Megan said it best when she posted her Blogimony here. I must agree with her 100%! Please read and become converted:) (I should also add that blogs have made this whole moving transition a WHOLE lot easier!)

We Can't Wait!!

1 month and 3 days till Pysch Season 2 comes out on DVD, and 1 month and 13 days till Pysch Season 3 premieres on USA. This is the sole reason we have cable right now. Yeah!!

Apple Tree

We are so thrilled to actually have a backyard now! Well, I guess we technically had a backyard at our townhouse, if you can call a cement slab a yard. Anyhow, the girls have been loving the lawn, and I'm so excited to plant vegetables around the sides of the yard. Today we had a little FHE about gardens and then planted an apple tree. So fun! We hope to get a lot more done the rest of the week, and I hope to take lots of pictures. Right now the part of our house that looks the best is our lawn, so that's what I'm posting pictures of. Pictures of the inside are going to have to wait a little while, sorry!

New Callings

So yesterday Jeromy and I got callings. They called us, sustained us, and set us apart and gave us our visiting teaching/home teaching routes too. I was telling Jeromy that it's hard to feel part of a ward until you have a job. And he said that Pres. Hinckley said every new convert (which I kind of feel like lately) needs a responsibility, a friend, and nourishment by the good word. So two down, one to go. Oh, ya, our callings. We're on the activities committee. Cool, huh.

Lazy Excuses

I said I was back to the blogging world, and then I didn't do anything. I didn't post anything, I didn't read others' blogs, nada. I'm such a liar. I've also been pretty lazy around the house lately by reading instead of unpacking (in all fairness though I had just a few days to read a book for a book club).

But it's all about to change!! (Hint: This is my way of giving myself some motivation, if I tell people what I hope to do, then I have to do it or else I'd be lying.) I miss blogging so much and my friends even more, so I'm desperate to get back into it.

I guess I haven't been that lazy, actually. We've been to EVERY furniture store in a 30 mile radius in the last couple of weeks, and finally purchased a cute brown couch last night (it's a cloth sectional with feathers in the padding!). The sad part is it won't be here for about a month:( And we went to Jeromy's parents' house for Memorial Day weekend and had a lot of fun up there for 3 days.

To top off all of these excuses, Audrey has been learning the wonders of the internet. I was trying to think of things for her to do to stay out of my hair so I could unpack, and so I showed her the Wiggles website and all the cool games and stuff on it (and after a week of me getting sick of the songs, I showed her Playhouse Disney's website). It took her about an hour to figure out how to use a computer, and now she can navigate herself around those websites pretty well. Pretty impressive! Anyway, we only have the one computer unpacked right now and she's been hogging it. And now she's broken off the H key on the laptop's keyboard. It's a good thing I don't use that one much ;)

So there you have it. Lazy, full of excuses, and dying to get back into the swing of things. That's me. I hope I'm making sense right now, cuz I'm actually pretty tired. Well, I better go read others' blogs now!!