Wanted: Dresser

My daughter is need of a dresser. My newborns use sweater boxes, to house their clothing. But now she has more than just sleepers and onesies, and her sweater box is busting at the seams.That's all I have to say that we need a dresser, and my husband has no time to go garage saleing with me, because he has study group all Saturday morning. And I am too shy to garage sale by myself, with two children in tow. Nor do I have the money after an $8,000 tuition payment this month. Look isn't she cute, doesn't see deserve a dresser like the rest of the family?!

Oh that, and I successfully took apart our baby swing. I'm so proud of myself, so now I have the room for a dresser. We love the baby swings when we have small babies for them, but they are the bane of life for the next 2 years. They are so big and bulky. I'm so proud of myself, for completely dissembling it all by myself, so it was easy to store away. Just look she is so sad, that her family treats her like a second class citizen and doesn't get her a dresser. What type of pathetic parents does she have?

5 Years ago today

5 years ago today, I went to go pick Chinese food up with my boyfriend's sister, so my boyfriend's brother could play a joke on my boyfriend with my engagement ring that was fedex to that brother's house. After Chinese food and family home evening, 5 years ago exactly to the number and the day of the week since we've had two leap years in the past 5 years, my boyfriend took me up for a drive in the canyon to try to propose to me. I foiled all his attempts to do anything nice, and so there we were on the side of highway 89 with cars whizzing by, perfect for our personalities, me demanding. Didn't matter, I wanted the ring, and even in the pitch blackness I could see the diamond sparkle. I couldn't see my boyfriend/fiance but I could see the diamond. I am always willing to give up any romantic notion of anything as long as I get what I want.

And we are still just as happy and goofy looking as ever, except now we look like we are 18 instead of 15. Luckily we are 25 and 27. (Lets see if my husband comments on the implications of that statement.)

It seems like the more our children drive me batty, the more I love my husband. That the positive thing about the bad times, it makes me realize that love is not only a fair weather sport. Now is a good time, but in the stressed times I realize how much I want to always be with my family, even if I'm not currently happy in the moment, I know the only way for lasting joy is with them.

How do the Amish train their children to be quiet in public?

A Sister's Secret by Wanda E. Brunstetter


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I saw a review for this in the TIME magazine, so when I saw in walmart I threw it in my cart, not knowing anything other than it was a popular book about the Amish. My mom likes the Amish so that was good enough for a paperback. I mildly enjoyed this book, there was nothing raunchy so that was nice, and I'm planning to read book two but it is not a forever favorite. It was a little predictable, but yet, I still wanted to ignore life and read it. Overall it raised the question in my mind, how do the Amish teach their children to quietly behave in public, while the rest of us "English" (speakers) are at a lost. (Yes I'm the mother who is yelling at my three year old to stop touching things and stop running away, who's baby is in the shopping cart, letting out a dull cry/fuss from dismay of leaving the house.) Also I found the whole lifestyle appealing because I don't think they are overrun by commercialism and junk. Yeah, the book was a fun quick read, and that gets three stars from me, even if my review had nothing to do with anything.

A Sister's Test by Wanda E. Brunstetter


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was my favorite book out of the series, even if it was a little predictable. They are cute books in my opinion, the make me want to read more and read quickly to figure out if it is actually as predictable as I expected. I enjoyed it enough that I wanted more story about Ruth, and #2. The book did a fine job in the amount of story, I just wasn't really ready for the love story to end. Yes, it was a slightly cheesy love story, but not gag cheesy, and completely clean.

A Sister's Hope by Wanda E. Brunstetter


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The book was less predictable than I expected. I never guess the villain was who it was, but I guess the author made it very unexpected on purpose. I enjoyed this one, but found myself wishing I was still reading #2, since I enjoyed Ruth's story the best. Nonetheless I read this book in a barely more than a day, that's how much I ended up enjoying the series. I would recommend this book, it you had the same taste in books in me.

Nan went to Tejas too!

After this vacation is all caught up...i think.
Grammy held her

She met second cousin, Evie

Pulled her cousin's hair

And most importantly, learned how to climb more than three stairs. She was a manic on the stairs. Oh lets not forget she learned she could crawl in a bathtub with water in it.

Needless to say she enjoy the trip. So many big cousins to play with.
Oh and friday I saw her take more than one step without holding on to anything, but she didn't realize she wasn't holding on, because she was so close to the furniture and holding a book in her hand.

Cousins are soo much fun

I had to make a collage

Cousin fun means lots of noise, which means when all else fails, stick on a movie. And if that doesn't work, running laps outside is a good fall back. But I know the movie at grandma's is a tried and truth method, how else would I and my brother and my fellow cousins within a few years of me have such an extensive knowledge of musicals.

Ok, board games are also a good time too.

I love to see the temple, with cousins in tow

He keeps asking to go back to "his temple" so I guess I really need to make a mini trip to draper, so he can reach out and touch "his temple" so the temple can touch him.

Vacay to the Motherland

I know my posts have been sporadic since my trip, with not much about the trip, so in case you were wondering what I looked like...

Here it is, me with a pouch on me with a head sticking out.
Maybe I should be a kangaroo for halloween.
Halloween... that justifies a whole another post in itself. If you have been following this blog since its conception, you know halloween takes a lot of stewing, and returns for me. This year another in the same. First a bear... then we got a Giraffe costume in hopes my son didn't grow, because he asked for one. He grew, luckily I have the receipt. He told his girlfriend's mom he was going to be a bear. But then we decided on a spider. How do I know whether he really wants to be a bear or a spider?! A spider would be cheaper and easier since I can use the same black sweats from last year....

Beautiful Pictures

While we were in Texas, Wendolin took pictures.

You can see more here

The pictures leave me with two questions.

1. When did my boy get so big?!

2. I think my daughter looks great in her turquoise ruffley shirt, considering her eyes, and the color of her brother's shirt. But will people wonder why I dressed my daughter in blue? It was either that or pink, or pattern. And you do not wear patterns when you are being photographed by Wendolin. And I didn't want pale pink, blah, thats been done before.

Quarter Centurion

On Saturday I hit that big quarter centurion milestone. It use to seem so old, but now since most of the people I know are older than that, it seems rather young. According to my life plan at 10, I wasn't going to get married until was at least 25 and graduated from college, I had more important things to do. Apparently life showed me up, my important things were a husband, two children, all before the college degree. (What those things were inbetween 22-25 were undetermined at that time.)

I was going nutty about a month ago, I felt too young for children at my kids' ages. I thought it was one thing to have a baby at 21, but not ok to have a 10 year old at 31. I felt pathetic for no longer playing the violin or piano, and wonder what was wrong with myself for being able to stay at home all day with my children, thought my children were going to die from their carseats, and felt like we would never get all our stuff to fit in our apartment.
Then like I said after talking to my sister in law, I got some perspective. I don't want to be a violin, or a piano teacher, I don't want to go to Hair school, I don't want to be a school teacher, or a tutor, I don't want to be a dental hygienist. I'm glad I have my degree in polsci and I full intend to do something with it, other than debate with my brother in laws. What I want to do now is enjoy my children, and take care of them, while my husband is very busy with full time work and school. My carseats are safe, the National Highway Safety Department said so, even if someone long ago told me it was "cheap". I'm ok with not baking my family bread everyday, I'm ok, with my children drinking milk and eating wheat and meat.
I even got a new haircut. During which my talented hair stylist, named Teresa, found my first gray hair. Which honest I could careless. My husband told me it wasn't my first and I have tons-- I never can tell if he is serious or joking. My son's speech is sweeter now, and my daughter is cuter. I needed a vacation. For me there is something about driving in Texas that grounds me to my life. I think I'm starting to get pre-laugh lines around my mouth when I smile, but I'm ok with that too. I always was in awe of adults with laugh lines as a child, for whatever reason. I'm almost positive I have more creases around my smile than I use to.

Although in a way I'm grateful for going nutty, it made me appreciate my husband more. I can't really tell you why, but its true none the less. Its kind of how I can't explain the love I have for him or my children. I can just tell you that I think my husband is really cute, and even if I was too young to get married, I'm glad he came into my life and that I married him. I also know I need my son in my life when I did, and was not ready for my daughter a day before she was born. Even though now I have a hard time believing she wasn't always apart of the family. We might never "fit" all our stuff in apartment, and I might never think it looks cute, but at least I have a huge stack of laptops in my bedroom.

Here is my real fear in life, everyone tells me it is so much easier to birth babies during the 20s than in the 30s. But yet, I don't want to be really old because I had all my babies young and I'm just old. You are as old as your children are. How I am I suppose to not be overly old, but still birth babies? I can barely birth them in my 20s, how will I do it in my 30s? And now that I've told the whole internet my biggest nonsensical fear, I can move on in life and enjoy my birthday. (Even though pitocin is painful, thank goodness.)
Last night I told my husband my other biggest fear in life is he will forget my birthday, normally I remind him everyday for 26 days, this year I was gone for most of that, so you will see how my fear is exacerbated. He responded his fear is that I will never let him forget mine. I'm not really sure what that means. But I reminded him that he told be before my 21st birthday that my birthday was his favorite day of the year.

LA

We went to LA, in the middle of Texas, and happened to find my husband sleeping next door to my brother. I had too many pictures, and I CAN'T bare to upload anyway other than picasa. So I made a collage. I'm being pathetic, please click to make it large, and see the fun we had.

We went to LA for so many reasons, mostly to see baby Lincoln. I had a need to see him before he moved past newborn infant stage.

My husband thought he needed to go to the beach, so he stayed there most of the time. He is in the background behind my brothers.

J needed to go to see and play with his cousins. As did N babe, she loved her cousins playing with her. It was none stop fun for her.

I didn't know it at the time but what I needed in addition to seeing my brother's boys, I needed to talk to my sister in law. So I could snap out of quarter life crisis. Thanks Teresa for bring me back to reality.

Afternoons like this..

After an afternoon like this I had to keep telling myself its alright, life is not doomed. I know my problem is completely trivial, but when you are tall like me is so depressing to never find clothes long enough. You see I am too tall for most of the dresses on the market. A few years ago I thought I found one long enough only to be told my husband it wasn't long enough. I thought I had been holding on to it, in hopes I would shrink or something. In LA I was shown, vintage hems, I thought I had the solution to my dress problem. Only to not be able to find my dress today...(sad face).
Hopefully I can find it....
If not at least the slips do open a whole new market of dresses that do not reach my knee.

Standing

I have 300+ vacation pictures that I could post but I just don't feel like it. Here is something more exciting. My baby standing. Not to mention look at those huge cheeks!

But instead of posting pictures, I would rather plan out my birthday, halloween, christmas, etc What do you want for christmas, sometimes I find gift exchanges easy, other times a littl more challenging..

Travel Injuries

My mom and I have been busy busy doing lots of projects since I've been at her house. But between piano lessons, my two small children, and appointments, my mom and mine only time is after my kids are in bed, which means we have been staying up past midnight almost every night. Needless to say I'm exhausted, so last night when I sliced my finger open on a straight pin, it was a good thing my mom and my sister was there to keep me from passing out.

It was a special moment.

Right after I sliced my finger I declared that I have not been able to stand the sight of blood since I got pregnant with my daughter 18 months ago. I was laughing hysterically out of exhausted while prancing around the room, pratically swooning with blood pooled up in my hand. Luckily my mother stopped my movements while my sister interpeted my hysteria vocals. My mother cleaned my hand for me, since I couldn't handle the blood in my tired state. I didn't really recover until after I ate to get my nausa undercontrol.

Sure my finger still hurts, but what I'm really wondering is why does blood still make me sick?

Like New

By the time I get home and upload pictures I will have millions of them. Even though I have my laptop with me, I doubt I will upload until I get home, I hate uploading.
I've reazlied our MBA honeymoon is over, since we've been gone it seems like every night my husband is doing something with school.
The kids and I must be having fun, it is apparent by how increasingly exhausted we get each day. My mom and I have gotten a lot of projects done be sure to check them out when I get around to posting them on my other blog.
But one of my highlights of the trip was going to go see Gary the jeweler. For the first time in 5 years I got my rings polished, cleaned and re dipped. When I went to pick them up today I didn't even recognize them they looked so good. It was a fitting time to get it done, as it was 5 years ago this month I was threatening my husband if he did indead want to get married to me I needed my ring by my birthday. I thought he was playing a trick on me, since he likes to tease, but indead he was telling the truth that the ring would be late because Gary was sick. Amazely enough I did get the ring before the end of the month. It was only a few days after the 26th. So I did decided to still marry my husband. Luckily for me, I'm sure the one who won. I think he is a much better catch than I am.

Too Tired for a witty titlre

We just got back fr0m a weekend in LA. It was lovely, we got to see Brent, the kids were excited to see dad. My husband loved being at the beach every day. While I went through my boycott sunscreen, because I hate listening "authority", and now I have a sunburn.
On the flight back to Texas my son barfed, he told me later he was glad for barf bags. The flight attendents were so unhelp, but what can you expect. Flight attendents are not there to be your friend, they are there to serve you a drink, and increase the price of your ticket.
My husband taught my 5 year old nephew some skateboard tricks, so he has won favorite uncle for a while. It was pretty cute to see my nephew doing the tricks, even if it was in his living room.
And luckily I had a chance to talk to my sister in law, so hopefully I recovering fr0m my quarter life crisis. More on that later...
Not to mention-- I got to see and hold my newest newphew! Although unfortunately I smelt too good for him ever to be happy with me. I guess thats the problem with having babies at similar times.

mini eee pc and nappy d

Last night as I was falling asleep, I wrote this great post in my head. At least I thought it was great, but it was late, so it was probably completely incoherent to everyone except for me.

My mom has a mini Eee PC that I am totally loving it. It is great to be able to blog with, check blogs, email, take Pinecone surveys, basically the only stuff I do online, and be able to follow my children around. Since its mini, I don't have to worry about finding a large flat spot to put it when we move locations around the house. Quite a few family members have iPod touches, but the problem is I'm not much of an internet surfer without being able to typing, since I mostly blog, email and check blogs. It would be great for those days that I spend 4+ hours outside our apartment, since the battery lasts around 4 hours. Not to mention I could hold the mini computer, my daughter and the scooter, while I walk up and down our half of flight of stairs. Normally I can't get all three with the full size laptop. When I think of the Mini Laptop, I think of one of my husband's and I's theme songs.

Yes, I love technology
But not as much as you, you see
Always and forever

Yes, that is from Napoleon Dynamite. I was dating Brent when I first saw Nappy D, it was in the theater and I remember walking out thinking I can't believe I just wasted 2 hours of my life. Then we got a copy of the movie a few weeks later. I thought it was so hysterical. During our engagement we were on a quest-- to show Nappy D to everyone who had never seen it before, or who had only seen it once and didn't think it was funny the first time. Yes, I think I averaged watching it once a week while I was engaged. I probably still have most of the movie memorized.

And with that you can dream of all the fun I've had with my mom...

New Post

I have nothing much to post about.

My children and I are in Texas, my husband is busy working and schooling.

I realized the other day part of the reason I'm glad we moved is for the most part most of our neighbors would never be classified as uber parents. Uber parenthood wears me out. The people I live around, have no problem with their children watching a little tv, or letting them dig in the dirt, they tell their children to stop whining, they aren't concerned about organic babyfood with DHA added, they are pretty convinced their children will survive childhood just fine. I find that a relief. Like the other day I mentioned my baby daughter has tan lines, I said I don't know if thats a bad thing, or good that she has vitamin D. Another mom said oh course it is good, everyone likes the sun and likes to be tan. Thank goodness I didn't have any moms staring me down for poisoning my children with UV-rays. The sun, can be so dangerous, I'm surprised anyone ever leaves their house. By the way, when we are out long term I do sunscreen, and I do put hats on my bald baby's head. But I unlike many today think sunlight is good. Vitamin D is necessary, not to mention we are happier with sunlight and fresh air.

Next topic

25 Days until my birthday....

Oh yeah, and my daughter got her first tooth last week.