Yesterday was a really fun day for Thomas and I. Instead of going to Story Time, I thought I would switch things up a bit and take him to the Nature Sanctuary. He is obsessed with all kinds of animals, so I thought it was perfect timing.

Little did I know, I had picked the perfect day. I decided I wouldn't tell him until right before we left. I have found this works best with a 3-year-old because they are really good at being impatient.

While I was getting ready to go he was downstairs watching Sesame Street. I had just gotten out of the shower when he screamed (not just yelled, I'm talking panic scream)...

Thomas: Mom, come here, hurry!
I ran downstairs as fast as I could.
Me: What's wrong?!
Thomas: Rewind the TIVO!
Me: What...?

I backed up Sesame Street until he told me to stop. It was a farm scene with a bunch of pigs, cows...you know, your basic livestock. He tells me to stop when it gets to the goats.

Thomas: Mom, can we get one of those?
Me: A goat?
Thomas: Yes.
Me: What are you going to do with a goat?
Thomas: I will just put him in my back yard.
Me: What are you going to do with a goat.
Thomas: I can PET him (said like a teenager would say "Well, duh!)
Me: Thomas, we can't get a goat. What would it eat?
Thomas: I'll just give him Shredded Wheat. (Hey, at least it would be regular)

I told him we couldn't get a goat, but that we would go see some at the zoo (term used very loosely). Perfect Timing for a trip to the sanctuary! I'm sure he was thinking what an awesome mom I was at that point.

This is Thomas trying to figure out how he is going to get one of these little guys home with us. He was doing quite a bit of planning.

When we got home I started to go through the pictures and realized that Thomas took on the appearance of some of the animals we saw.

Thomas is to a donkey as a donkey is to Thomas.

Thomas can do the same thing with his eyebrows that a peacock can do with it's plumes.

He can give you the "I'm a lot smarter than I look" look just like the talking birds.

It was a great day and it was the best $5.00 I've ever spent because him and Clara fell asleep in the car on the way home and I got to take an afternoon nap.

The Truth Will Set You Free

Yesterday was one of those days. We didn't leave the house. I did some laundry, made dinner, and you know...did the whole housewife thing. I finally stumbled into the shower around 3:00, only because Steve would be home around 6:00 and I wanted to look like I had been part of the human race during the day.

After I got out of the shower, I made my way downstairs with Clara. Thomas was in the family room playing with his cars. I put Clara down on the carpet and thought, "cool, everything is under control, I'll go check the blogs." I was in there about 10 minutes when I heard...

Thomas: Mom, she pooped again!
Me: What?!
I came running out of the office with visions of baby poop all up Clara's back (a common occurrence around here)
Thomas: Gross, Mom!

Instead of mustard yellow walls and carpet, I turn the corner to see Thomas changing Clara's diaper and actually doing a really good job at it. He has her onsie off, her diaper untaped, and her legs in the air. He even had another diaper next to him.

I didn't know if I should be proud or embarrassed. Proud? Hey, I am training him well. His future wife will thank me and sing my praises when he changes his future children's diapers. Or is that embarrassed? Embarrassed because I was blogging and my 3-year old knew my 5-month old had pooped before I did.

I ended up finishing the job as he sat by and watched, but not before I grabbed my camera and got the shot. I had pictures that actually showed the poop, but I restrained myself. You can thank me later.

Not 10 minutes after all this happened, Clara was asleep in her swing and he was playing in the family room, again. I was in the . . . bathroom . . . yeah, that's right (wink, wink). I come out to find Thomas playing "let's make wigs like George Washington." It's a fabulous game. If you want to give it a try sometime all you need is a thing of baby powder and a 3-year old who likes to experiment with new hairstyles. Needless to say, I grabbed the vacuum and started sucking up the evidence before Steve got home. I even tried to get him to let me vacuum his head. Unfortunately, he wouldn't let me, he wanted to keep it on. I ended up just roughing his hair up every time I walked by him for the next hour.

P.S. If you come by our house during the next couple of days, don't be surprised if our whole downstairs smells like a baby's behind. All powdery fresh.

P.S.S. If you don't hear from me in the next couple of days, it means that Steve has read this post, disconnected the computer and has banned my from blogging.

P.S.S.S With that being said, I found this test on my friend Ginger's blog. I thought it was appropriate to take it. The first time I took it I scored a 70%. When I took it to get the code, I only scored a 65%. I don't know what happened in the few hours that passed, but the 5 point loss sounds a little better to me.

65%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

Created by OnePlusYou - Free Online Dating

I don't want to be sucked in!

Today was a huge wake up call. It's not any news, but when I was pregnant with Clara I was blessed with the lovely temporary disorder of Gestational Diabetes. For lack of a better term, it sucked! I had to be on a very strict diet. I had to watch everything I put in my mouth and I had to test my blood sugars 4 times a day. I did very well with the diet and actually was able to control my sugars with just my diet and exercise. It was hard, but it was easy because I was doing it for my baby. At my 6 week check-up my OB told me to watch it because women with a history of GD have 50% chance of developing it later on in life. I thought to myself, "Oh, that's not me. My mama always told me I'm special, so I am exempt from that group. I will be in the 50% that dodge the disease."

I guess I am not that special. Boo-hoo.

Last week I had to go have a blood test done to see how my blood sugars were doing. I have been testing them on my own, and they have been in the normal range. The test I had done is a "snapshot" of how I have controlled my BS (that's Blood sugar, not Bull s*#@) for the past 30 days. Anything below a 6.0 is non-diabetic range. My level was 5.7! Yes, only .3 away from being considered a diabetic. I am still considered non-diabetic, but the little 'X' on the chart was in the box right next to the high range. This is when my heart started to pound and I saw the freedom of what I wanted to eat being taken from me.

Now, let me tell you about how I have been eating the last 30 days. Actually, lets just back it up. Let me tell you about how I have been eating since I was told in the delivery room the diabetes was gone and I could eat anything I wanted. I have been eating so much sugar and basically anything I wanted. I have been using the nursing excuse. I am seriously out of control and I need to get myself in check.

It's time to face the music. I need to loose some weight. I need to start exercising. So here's what I am starting. I am starting a new blog (I wish that alone would make me loose a quick 15 lbs). It is called "Loosing the Junk in my Trunk." I am going to post recipes, my work-outs, and use it as a weight loss journal / resource. I actually want to open it up to any of my friends or readers of this blog who want to post to it. You can be an author on it, too! It's not just my blog, its our blog. Just email me or post a comment and let me know you want to participate and I will set you up. (disclaimer: I am not calling any of my friends fat, I think you are all beautiful)I think it will be fun if we do this together.

Happy Mothers Day!

Can I just say how much I love being a Mom. These are the two days in my life that I have burned into my memory. The birth of our children were the happiest days of my life. I love being a stay at home mom and I love spending my days with these two precious children. Life is wonderful.

Mothers Day was wonderful, too. Here are the top 10 reasons why...

10. Steve's Sunday meetings were canceled so he was able to be with us all morning!

9. Steve made me breakfast - french toast, strawberries, sausage, and orange juice.

8. Thomas said "HAPPY MOTHERS DAY" really loud over and over again, all day long.

7. I was able to use the "Mothers Day" excuse to put a really large flower on Clara's head. I wish I could call it a Big A*s Flower, but I don't swear.

6. Steve and I were actually able to sit and listen to the talks in Sacrament Meeting because my Mom came to church with us and let Thomas sit with her. Thanks Mom!

5. We were able to go over and spend the evening with my family. Plus, the weather was nice enough for the kids to sit outside and eat their dinner so the adults (if that is what you want to call us) were able to talk.

4. I got to sit out on the porch swing with my mom and Clara.

3. Thomas gave me a really cool necklace that he had been telling me about since Steve and him had gotten home on Saturday. He still has not mastered the whole secret thing.

2. Steve didn't complain when we got home from church. I left him upstairs with the kids while I ate a cinnamon roll and played on the computer.

1. I have a wonderful husband a two great kids that made me feel like a princess (not a queen, because queens are really old).

This is the picture in my new locket. I love it!

Who needs a campfire?

Friday night was the annual Father and Sons outing for our ward. We decided that we were not ready to have Steve take Thomas up the mountain yet. I'm sure Thomas would have had a blast, but it would have been a nightmare trying to get him to sleep in a tent.

Steve decided that the two of them would have a little outing in our backyard. They roasted marshmallows and had s'mores (they even made one for me!).

How does our garden grow?

I have mentioned that my new hobby is gardening. If you remember this, these pictures may be interesting. It has been a month since we planted our garden, and I am excited to say that our fruits and veggies are doing really well.

The bad news first. Our green beans have not done quite well. I am really sad, I had visions of sauteing them up with olive oil and garlic. Now I just have visions little brown stems decaying into nothing.

Maybe I shouldn't give up all hope, they are still a little green.

Now the good news. Everything else I planted is thriving and growing up a storm. I love putting on my overalls, starting the tractor up and taking a nice leisurely drive out to the back 40 to assess my crops every morning. (I can dream)

Farmer's Market, here I come!

Tagged By Holly

What is the best thing you cooked last week?
Spicy Nacho Bake was the only thing I cooked last week. We all got sick on Tuesday and ended up eating soup and take out the rest of the week. Just so you know, it wasn't the spicy nacho bake that made us sick.

If time, money, and babysitting were no object, where would you go and with who? We would rent a beach house in Lincoln City, OR for the whole summer and just hang out.

When was the last time you cried? I honestly don't remember the last time I had a really hard cry. I got a little teary on Sat.

List 5 things you were doing 10 years ago.
1. I was attending the singles ward and hating every minute of it.
2. I was having fun with my college friends.
3. I was finishing up my Jr. year at UNLV. I was actually attending my classes instead of hanging out at the institute all day.
4. In May of 1998 I went to NY with my friend Robyn. We spent the week racking up charges on our visa, seeing plays and having fun.
5. I was working as a long term substitute at a Jr. High school. I taught computers to 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. It was a year round school, so I had the job the entire summer. It was that summer that made me decide I would NEVER in a million years teach at a JR. High School ever again once that job was finished.

List 5 things you were doing 5 years ago. (2003)
1. Starting to panic because I realized my Dad's cancer was getting worse.
2. Steve and I were living in our first house and attending a ward that we loved.
3. We were having fun living off a double income, vacationing and doing whatever we wanted! (Don't get me wrong. We love having kids, we are just really glad we had a few years to enjoy one another.)
4. I was serving as the first counselor in our RS presidency.
5. I was teaching 3rd grade.

List 5 things you were doing 1 year ago.

1. Worrying that I was going to miscarry because my hormone levels were dropping.
2. Puking my guts out because I was put on Prometrium to sustain the pregnancy.
3. Enjoying Thomas
4. Loving my mom a little extra because she was spending all her free time at our house doing our laundry and cooking dinners for us.
5. Loving Steve a little more because he didn't care that I sat around in sweats all day, every day.

List 7 of your favorite hobbies.
1. Sewing
2. baking / cooking
3. gardening (new one)
4. photography
5. playing with Thomas and Clara
6. Watching trashy reality TV shows, you know...The Bachelor, The Hills
7. Sleeping

List 5 favorite foods.
1. dark chocolate
2. sushi rolls
3. A good salad that is pre-tossed with bite size pieces of lettuce.
4. Orange Chicken
5. Cheesecake

Name 5 place you have been.
These are places, not cities
1. The Sacred Grove
2. The Eiffel Tower
3. Buckingham Palace
4. Anne Frank's Hideaway
5. Oregon Coast (probably my favorite)

List 5 of your favorite memories.
1. When they placed Thomas on my stomach after he was born. The birth was not a great memory because the epidural didn't work and unfortunately watching "A Baby Story" wasn't a good labor preparation. I guess they have those classes for a reason.

2. Clara's whole birth. It was so easy and fast. When she came out I was able to hold her for just a second and then they handed her to Steve while they finished me up. I will never forget Steve holding her and talking to her for the first time.

3. Meeting Steve for the first time. I knew I was going to marry him.

4. Taking all the stairs up to the top of Notre Dame and looking out at Paris with Steve.

5. Any Saturday morning when all 4 of us hang out in our bed and talk. I guess Clara doesn't really talk, but she lays there with us.

Okay, I tag everyone who is on my link list.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Today was Steve's 38th birthday. Wow, It is hard to believe! We had a little party tonight with just the 4 of us because we are cool like that.

Thomas doesn't quite get the notion that you blow your own candles out on your birthday. Since he has been around and old enough to enjoy birthdays, it has become a group effort.

I swore I had some birthday candles, I searched everywhere in the house. We had to make due with the little jar candles that were lovely parting gifts from a baby shower. I knew they would come in handy sometime. I tried to crop out how messy our family room was, but it was impossible. There is something about Sundays that cause our house to go from clean to a total wreck within minutes.

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know why I had to put this picture in.

Happy Birthday, Hot Stuff! I love you!

5 Months!

Clara turned 5 months old yesterday. It's hard to believe it has been that long.

Here are some of her recent accomplishments.

*She can roll over from stomach to back and back to stomach.

* She is sleeping through the night again - month 4 was rough!

*She weighs 15 lbs 3 oz - thank you very much. Making good milk is one of my many talents!

* She loves her brother and giggles at him whenever he looks at her.

*She can put her binky in her mouth.

* She reaches for toys.

*She is starting to reach for our food.

* She can say, "I sure do love this family, thank your for having me."

Okay, not really, but I am sure she is thinking it.

Susan G. Komen

On Saturday, Amy (my BFF) and I participated in the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer walk. She has participated in the walk quite a few times, and I was excited to be able to do it with her this year. We even created our own team - "Amy Squared."

I was so overwhelmed when we first walked up to the starting point. I was relieved I was wearing my glasses because Amy would have seen tears in my eyes had they been off. I was so glad I woke up early to participate. I was impressed with the amount of people who came out to support such a great cause. Even though the walk was for breast cancer, I couldn't help but think about my dad the entire time we were there. He died of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma 4 1/2 years ago. I kept thinking about the struggles that the families of these women were facing. I've been there, I know what it is like to see this awful disease take the life of a loved one. My heart was breaking for them, but also rejoicing in the strength that they had.

After the race, we were walking back to the car and saw everyones favorite weather lady, Sherry Swensk. We were like a couple of little girls, our conversation was as follows...

Me: No, you go ask her!

Her: No, you go.

Me: Come on...

Her: Just go ask, you can do stuff like that!

(It went on for longer than that, I just wanted to give you a little taste.)

I am glad to say I am the one who finally got the nerve up to go ask her for a picture! I did kind of fib and tell her my son would be thrilled to see us in a picture together (hey, don't judge me, I needed an ice breaker). I will have to show him the news and then the picture so I can rectify the lie. If you know me at all, you know I have an extremely guilty conscience.

***After looking at these pictures, I now understand why people ask us ALL THE TIME if we are sisters. ********

Party in the Park

Friday was Mom's birthday. We decided that instead of going to a restaurant and trying to keep all the kids contained, we would have a picnic in the park. It was a great night. The kids all were able to play together and the adults were able to talk - what a concept!

Here are a few pictures from the shin-dig...

Thomas and my nephew Maverick have become quite the little buddies. Thomas loves Maverick and always wants to play with him. I love when Maverick comes over because the two of them can play together for hours - literally. I have Maverick come over whenever I need to get something done. He is such a handy tool to have up the street!

The sugar was getting to Thomas' head because he willingly posed for this picture.

From left to right: Liam, Clara, Harley and Thomas




The Birthday Girl!

These are the cupcakes I made for the party. They were so easy and so much fun to do. I dipped a sugar cone in white chocolate and then stuck large sprinkles on them while they were drying. I then used the "grass" tip from wilton to make the fringe for the hats. Jett hovered over them from the minute I put them on the table until Mom blew out the candles.

(If you want to read the letter, click on the picture and it will enlarge)

For Mom's birthday present, Steve and I bought her a ticket to go see Rod Stewart. We took her a little over a year ago and we all loved it. We heard he was coming back into town so we bought another set of tickets. I wrote her a letter from Rod telling her about the tickets.


Happy Birthday, Mom. We all love you and are so glad you are our Mom and Grandma!

Muffin Top

No, this post is not about my post-pregnancy waist line.

Recently, Thomas is into having muffins for breakfast. I shouldn't be eating them for breakfast because they are the fuel to the muffin top that this post is not about. However, Thomas is such a picky eater sometimes that I don't care what he eats, as long as it isn't a candy bar.

Yesterday, he woke up and came out of his room chanting his usual mantra..."Mom, I want a doughnut." He must have said this 3 or 4 times before he even saw me. I met up with him in the hallway and told him we didn't have any doughnuts, but we did have some muffins. That worked for him and I was glad I was able to get his mind on something else.

We went into the kitchen and I opened the Tupperware container containing the muffins and handed him one. He said, "Mom, can I hold the container?" I said what all other mothers who don't want to start the day off with a power struggle would say..."sure, why not." I really didn't think he would eat them all and I was going to be sitting right next to him to prevent him from doing so.

We sat together for a while and watched George, then I got busy on stuff around the house and tending to Clara. The next thing I knew, I walked by the muffin bowl and all the muffin tops had been devoured by my 3 year old. I asked him why he had only eaten the tops and he just said, "they're good, Mom." What could I do? He's right.

the aftermath

In this picture Thomas is practicing for his future career, celebrity bodyguard. I had no idea the muffins I made (okay, I'll be honest, Betty Crocker) were that sensitive to having their picture taken.

This post is dedicate to Elaine and episode #155.