hallelujah antibiotics

Sunday night I was too sick to join my children in their evening prayers, my father told me that my four year old son prayed, that the wicked would be super sick, and we would be super healthy.   I can only assume that meant, get mama well, because she isn't wicked.  He has been praying for days that we would all be super healthy, because well who wants their mom sick. My son has learned the lesson, bad things happen to good people. Through prays mixed with antibiotics I have made a miraculous recovery.
Miraculous is definitely the word I was looking for, I felt so terrible on Sunday, the last time I remember feeling that terrible was the first time I was in labor.  Or when I (along with my husband and child) got the stomach flu when said child was 10 months old.  That was pretty bad too, but I think this staph was worse than the stomach flu, pain wise. I'm crude, morbid, and easily excitable, so I told my mother while in the depths of despair before I had been to the doctor, (by the way sorry for all you sensitive souls). I told her that I didn't think I was going to make it. I told her I thought she was going to be able to take care of my chidren just fine.  But then I started to think, poor Brent, he would be so lonely.  I told her just that too, she said, well maybe for his sake you should try to hold on. (She has been my mother for almost 26 years, she mostly ignores my antics, but sometimes she can't resist and bring me back to logical life.) I thought about my poor husband, and so I pulled myself together to go to the E-care center.  I have strep throat, I in all my memories I have never had strep throat, nor in my father's, but maybe just maybe I had it as a very small child, my mother's memories aren't that clear. Never in all my life have I been so thankful for antibiotics, seriously.  I'm not that big of a fan of antibotics, yes, they are needed in some cases, but only in some, like steph throat, or staph infection.  Yes, I was glad the antibotics stop the staph from entering my heart, like the doctor feared, but the staph I had was not painful, just slightly itchy.  The strep I had, was PAINFUL, oh my goodness, I love my antibotics, I gladly wake up at 2 am, to take them again.
But that does not mean I don't think they are anything short of a miracle.

I've learned some lessons from all this:

1. Don't say you don't like help.  Don't say, the hardest part of the MBA for me, is that I have to allow people in the church to serve me, I would much rather be on the other end of things. Because life just might throw you a hard ball, and then you really can't take care of your children, for 2-3 days, because you physically can't.
2. I'm sure glad I'm a stay at home mom.  There was nothing sadder that hearing my Nan, say, Ma Ma Ma, all the time, she missed me.  It would be so sad to miss so much.
3. I should trust my instincts.  I knew I needed to go to the doctor by about 10 am on Sunday Morning, but yet for whatever reason I didn't trust my instincts, it was probably nearly 5 before I saw one.  I could have been on antibiotics earlier hours!
4. The Lord does answer prayers, my father gave me a blessing Saturday night because I slept so poorly on Friday, I did not sleep well on Saturday, but I slept better.  Much BETTER, and that is the point! I had the faith. Especially, since I was way sicker Sunday, that Saturday, so I should have slept worse.
5. If I could make it through this weekend of strep, I can make it through this next year of the MBA, some might think that sounds a little dramatic, but seriously, this weekend of strep was seriously as bad as labor.  Just like in the hospital, the nurse at the insta care place asked me to rate my pain level on a scale to 1 to 10, I said 7, seriously it was that bad. When I'm in labor, I don't know if I ever go past a 8, seriously my strep was that bad.  
6. My husband misses me.  Oh course he misses me, but my husband is pretty steady, and doesn't show emotion, so yes, I know he misses me, but he doesn't show it.  Until something like this happens, then I can hear the concern in his voice.  So yes, I would have rather been not sick, than hear he misses me, but hey lets look at the bright side.  He misses me.  I miss him.

Anyway, I'm getting better, I'm loving my antibiotics.  I'm no longer feverish, I stopped thinking Texas was hot around last Thursday, and now I'm back to thinking its hot.  I'll join you dad when you turn down the a/c.  Yes, for a few days, I was sleeping with quilts on top of me, during August is Texas, I was definitely feverish.
Luckily no one else we know got the Strep, not my children, or anyone, and that is nothing short of a miracle. 

School Holiday

My husband had three or four weeks off of school in August.  Life was quite dreamy, as you know we went camping multiple times, we spend week nights together, we did nothing and everything all at the same time.  It was glorious. But when the vacation from school started, I was extremely nervous, and apprehensive, I was worried about Fall Semester starting again, I didn't think I could handle another year of what last year was.  Luckily the vacation started with a Fast sunday, so I was totally able to enjoy vacation, I gave away my apprehension and enjoyed our couple of weeks of freedom.
Near the end of of the break from school, my husband went canoeing with his friend, their dads, and a scout troop.  Normally when my husband is out of town, we barely survive we hold on for dear life and he comes back and everything falls apart.
But not this time!  We barely even missed him. That sounds bad, but its not, we missed him, sometimes I felt lonely for his missing being in our lives, but it was only 4 days, and we didn't pine, although we might have whined.  There was only one time I thought I couldn't handle it, and that was when we were 30 minutes late to playgroup in the park, and my son was crying screaming at me because he skinned his knee and I didn't have a bandaid. But whether or not he was out of town or not, he wouldn't have been in the park, soo...
Anyway the point is we totally survived, we did more than survived, we lived.  We had fun even without him, we never needed to go eat a McDonalds.  Sure I bought two expensive books, I seem to have no financial self control without him around, I go shopping to make me miss him less, I guess?
But the point of all this, poorly written emotion, is I will totally be able to survive the second and last year of the MBA. 
Life is good.
Sort of, Brent has three classes, instead of two the first five weeks of the semester, each day he came home from his classes, for three days in a row and told me, its going to be a hard semester.  Each day I got tireder and tiredered.  But what I have going for me, is I'm not nursing, I'm not going to be weaning, and so my hormones should stay regular.  More information that you wanted?  Just keeping it real.
But after that canoeing trip, I know I can survive!

Me Equals L

I've pretty much always been obsessed with my initials, more so than my actual names.  I love initials, so much so, that I care more about my children's initials when I am pregnant than their name.
So of course as initial jewelry became trendy I thought it would be great to own some.  I never thought it was affordable.  (Actually I have picked up a few affordable L necklaces over the years, but none the less, a girl can always have more glam. Plus some have gone the way of dust, so I always need more.)  I went to a craft fair the other day, and hoped I would fine a booth with such, but no.  Lots of other grungy trendy right now, pendants, but no monogram pendants.  Unfortuantely I don't know how silversmith, although I would love to learn, to take a class, but at this point no such skills, so I was thinking about other skills I have to make something.
When I decided to look at etsy, just to think longingly about such fashion.  When low and behold, I can afford people who don't have their own website.
Here are some of my favorites:
green wax seal monogram necklace
Another wax seal monogram
No-painted wax seal monogram necklace
Oh! and a fine silver wax seal necklace
Vintage Type Writer Key Monogram Necklace
Lets not forget a Scrabble Title
This isn't a monogram at all just super cute

I'm pretty fond of the wax seal monogram, I think I might save my online survey money for one, but at only $3 a survey, sometimes it takes a while to build my paypal supply.  It would be easy to spend a small fortune at etsy, so I usually only buy from what is in my paypal, never supplementing funds, to keep myself in moderation. 

BABIES

My baby is quickly becoming not a baby. But one thing for sure is she loves babies. She helped grandma babysit her cousin the other day. Nan's cousin, not grandma's.

She even let him kick her, and grab her face.

One Month

My birthday is in a month.  Last year I was worried, it stressed me out.  Now I'm not, I'm completely comfortable with my age.  I love it, I feel so comfortable.  25 is great, I look in the mirror in the morning, and think this is me, I might be too skinny, or too tall, or too something, but its who I am, and I don't have to worry about changing.  Its a great age for my marriage too, I have quirks, my husband has quirks, but its who we are, and we just know how to live with each other.  I think back to being a teenager, when everything is so awkward, and you feel so self conscious, but woo-whoo that is not my life anymore, I am who I am, and no amount of stressing will change, that I'm tall or that I always put my foot in my mouth.  I never cared, but really I really don't now.  Anyway, I just wanted to point out that 26 seems like a good year too, but 25 was great. 

Halloween Ten

Are you thinking about Halloween?  I am, my birthday is in a month and two days, which means I've also thought about Christmas, which means I should back track and go to Halloween.  November First, of last year, we made a ghost costume for Old Bunny, ever since J has wanted to be a Ghost this year. He has been talking about it for the last ten months.  A few weeks ago we went to DI for the whole reason of looking for a white sheet, but I forgot!  I never once looked at the linens, and instead spent $30 on other things.
But its time to be prepared, so I googled ghost costumes.  Sure ghosts are easy, just a sheet, and two holes.  But I wanted some extra ideas.  I like to have a visual, and I have never once paid attention to ghost costumes.  Not to mention I'm worried about my son's visibility.  I'm not convinced two holes in a sheet is very safe. But my son wants the most simplest ghost costume, two holes for eyes, and a round hole for his mouth. But his dad and I have different ideas, we don't think they are safe.

Photo from Real Simple

I was thinking something real awesome, but the more pages I showed him, the more he told told me, "that doesn't even look like a ghost" I do really like this one, and he'd actually have peripheral vision.

from MNN.com (mother's nature network)

 I think we will end up something in the middle, with face paint to give him the black circle eyes and mouth. Something less scary but like these.  He doesn't like scary.
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Overall I'm not too excited about facepaint, I don't like it, never use it, but I would rather face paint then no vision.

I have dreams of my children in the same theme costume.  I think it would be great if my son was a pirate and my daughter was a parrot.  Even thought my son likes pirate stuff, he doesn't wan to be pirate.  So since this will probably be the last year, my daughter can't tell me she wants to be a princess, I'm thinking a ghost costume for her too.  So I can have at least one year of cute matching kids.  Should I do the same ghost costume, like that one from the MNN.  Or, slightly different, I don't know if she'll let me put that type of costume on her.  I was thinking a white hoodie and a white tutu.  I know not so ghost like, but she is pretty picky and pretty girl, and I think she would really love something like this or this, minus the headbands.

He once mentioned being Spiderman a few weeks ago.  But I brought up the ghost again, and he said oh yeah. I hope he sticks with the ghost, one day I expect him not to want me to make him a costume, but I thought I would at least be allowed to until after kindergarten.  I'm not quite ready to buy a costume. Plus I'm not dressing Nan up as MJ, so he needs to stick with something I can make so they can be matching just one year. I did find a pink spidergirl costume but I would rather die than put my almost two year old in that.
Now what my daughter really likes to do is pretend she is a mommy, so for Halloween, maybe I should just put her hair in a pony, dress her in a downeast wonder tee, yoga pants, and put her baby doll in a sling. Would anyone guess what she is?

One last thing, an actually ghost pattern
I might have posted this on the wrong blog?  I'm confused?!
I have seen invested three dollars in a white queen sized sheet, it will give us lots of wiggle room.

A Hose

Lots of people want things...
like a house
or just a yard
or a garage
I'm not worried about any of those things, all I really want in life is a hose.
Yes, a hose.
A hose, then I could hose off my car after a camping trip.
A hose, then I could water our plants in one effort, instead of 5 trips.
A hose, then I could hose off my children's muddy toys.
A hose, then my kids could scream in the sprinkler (they already do, just not on my time-- the groundskeeper's schedule.
A hose, then I could hose out dirty children's crocs.
A hose, sounds so glamorous.
A hose, that's when I've arrived in life.
I don't even need my own hose, I would share just like a share a parking lot, and the green space.
Just for the record I have had access to hoses before, I just took them for granted.
Oh, a hose.

*sigh*

Excuse me, I must go dream about my future hose.


Note: I have a huge patio, and lots of green grass, trees and shade in my apartment complex, even a pool, an old tennis court, picnic tables and a playground. Not to mention two cars (but no garage, just one covered parking place). All I'm missing in life is a hose.

No Bug, No Itch

I know we use to want to buy a house, but right now that is the last thing on my mind.  I'm loving life right now, (except when I want to scream at my kids).  I seriously have so much fun, not being settled down, I feel too young to be settled down.  I had to grab something in the store today, and I came back to my car, the middle Subaru in a pile of three.  I thought about how much fun my husband and I, filling up the back, putting in our kids in, and just going.  We always seemed to be always going on our next adventure lately, and I been having so much fun.  The other day my grandma said, you two are so busy you should have wings you do so much.  How true, I feel like my red Subaru are my wings, takes us to were ever our fun is.  The more time passes the more of Brent and I's friends buy houses, and fill their houses with new trendy furniture.  I'm sure its a blast, but I honestly have no desire to do it right now.  I would rather have another baby right now then buy a house, and earlier today I thought, I can not have any more kids two make me go out of my MIND!
One day I will buy a house, one day I'll have another kid, but right now, I'm just too busy having fun with what I have.
But I realized the other day, buying a house is sort of like having a kid or getting married, at least in my American culture.  Couples who have chose not to have a kid yet, seem to always say, we are having too much fun, we don't have time.  Or when someone is single, and it seems all the girls around them get that itch, and everyone ends up engaged with in only a few months of dating their boyfriends, and the single person says that is the last thing I want, I do not have that itch.  That's how I feel about home ownership.  I do not have that bug, I don't have that itch.  I don't want to spend lots of money on new trendy furniture.  I'm restless, I'm ansty, I don't want to settle down, I don't even want to sign another year on my lease.  I want to see the state, I want to see the country, I want to see the world, but of course not without my family.  I'm really not the type of girl that leaves her kids.  There are a lot of things people want in life, but for me, the one thing I don't want to regret, is not seeing enough.  I don't want to move and tell people I never got around to it.  I want to see all 50 states, then I want to visit it the world.  I have started to visit the world, just haven't made it very far, only five countries isn't that much.  My grandfather went on an expedition to Antarctica when my dad was a kid, wouldn't it be cool to visit Antarctica, its actually not as impossible as it sounds, you can take a boat ride part of the year from Patagonia, Chile, to the tip of Antarctica, wouldn't that be awesome?  I have no time for new trendy houses, I have the world to see, live and travel.

Missing in Action-- I'm trying to finish three books before monday, don't expect any long drawn out, wordy blog posts about my inner-thoughts.  I know it will be hard to survive without the expanse of my psych being explained on the internet. Try to be strong...

What are you Reading?

Today my daughter wanted to go out and play.  While my son spends many hours playing in the grass, my daughter does not get to go out unless an adult is with her.  Normally she is distractable, this morning, it she had been determined since breakfast. Since I had already done the laundry, and paid the bills, grabbed my book and open the door for her, because goodness sakes, I can not go outside and just stare at my children playing, that is not my personality.
A girl from church, that I have maybe talked to three times, drove up to visit a neighbor of mine.  Although we haven't talked much, I guess I do know her, my husband works with her husband at church, and my husband has visited their house numerous times. She greeted me, asked me how I was doing, and then said you must love to read.  Every time I see you are reading.  Really? I asked, I was embarrassed, every time she saw me I've been loafing around with a book?  How many times has she seen me, I don't know if I've ever seen her outside of church?  We discussed for a bit about reading, and my book, and then that was that.
I did spend the rest of the day loafing around with a book though.
I decided to reread some of the Harry Potters.  When I last saw The Half Blood Prince, I had no idea what was going to happened next, the plot was a complete surprise.  I definitely didn't know who R.A.B. was.  I planned to immediately read The Deathly Hallows, but at least six months had past since that, when I picked it up.  I had no idea what was happening the first chapter, so I went back to the Half Blood Prince.  I figured why start at the beginning of the series, how many times does a girl have to read book 1.  Anyway, I finished the Half Blood Prince; (I can't read about Dumbledore's funeral without getting teary eyed).  On with book seven, I have no idea what is happens, I have only read it once, so I can't wait to spend another few days loafing around reading. But I'm sure the plot will come to me as I read.  Nonetheless, I do know who R.A.B. is, I asked my brother, who promptly told me, a question I regret asking.  Sure now I know who, but I don't know anything else, it was lame of me.  But just so you know, to people I barely see, I am always loafing around reading.  Ok, she didn't say it like that at all, she seemed genuinely impressed, but that doesn't change the fact that I was genuinely embarrassed.  At least reading is a much more respectable hobby than blogging every day, when you aren't a professional.  Does that seem odd to anyone "professional blogging"?

Small Children in Church

Church with my daughter today was not so pleasant, apparently she did better than usual in Nursery (class for 18 months-3) which apparently meant she was terrible for us during sacrament meeting. I find it extremely taxing to take care of my small children in church. A few weeks ago, we were in church with my brother in law, sister in law, and their family, their children were well behaved mine were not. I have been thinking about children in church for weeks now.
My sister in law's kids range from 11 to 4, where mine range from 4 to 20 months.  Slightly different, but I was filled with regret watching her four year old in compared to mine. Then again hers is use to sitting next to her older reverent brothers, where my four year old is use to sitting next to his 20 month sister who still can't go the entire sacrament meeting without crying MULTIPLE TIMES. Today, either my husband or I held her in the back almost the whole time.  She couldn't not stop whining.  When we were visiting family I wondered will my children be well behaved when they are 11, and 8?  I really do not know. I really really hope.
My son use to be prefect in church, oh he was a miracle, he never cried, sure he was an active child, but he was pretty good.  He rarely made noise.  Then I was in the middle of a difficult pregnancy, and I guess he was feeling neglected, not to mention we moved, and from then on he wanted to lie down in the aisle, mind you close to the bench and out of the way, but next to the aisle.  I could not move him, without getting contractions, and Brent was often busy with responsibilities that kept us from sitting together, which meant, in the aisle he stayed. Once the baby was born, and he felt even more slighted, when my husband or I tried to move him, he screamed and kicked, and left out this low grade siren-like noise on the floor in the pew.  So in the aisle he stayed.  Until we moved, it was a much more functional ward, and I could tell aisle laying would not be as accepted.  Sure I had allowed us to get in a bad habit, but who doesn't pick up some bad habits when they are trying to care for a high maintenance colic reflux baby. By that point my daughter had hit the height of her non- colic multiple hours a day crying since she was way older than 3 months old, but non the less very challenging, so my son exchanged his bad habit of aisle laying for some he picked up from here.
 In case this story isn't long enough for you, I will tell you, my children are not well behaved children in church, nothing like should be expected of them knowing who raised their parents.  But yet, life is what is, and I try my best.  I'm sure someone looks at me and wonder why is her toddler crying so much in church, and then look to my four year old and say, her preschooler too?  That is just bad form, she should teach them better.  No matter what my husband and I try they seem to be determined to really really not be happy.  My four year old did fairly well today, he spent the first 20 minutes whining, and falling out of his chair, sliding onto the ground in utter dismay, that the three packs of fruit snacks he ate during Sunbeams had not held him over, and he need a snack.  Finally after the Aaronic Priesthood sat down, after the sacrament, I gave him is snack. (I'm pretty sure he doesn't need a snack if he gets one in Primary, but all hell would brake loose in a Mormon chapel if I didn't bring it.)  He spent the next hour prostrated on the ground eating his pretzels, whispering to himself, and driving a matchbox car along the chair legs.  Yes, we thought he was almost angelic during church with behavior like that.  Some may say, take him out that isn't acceptable, but what take him out and run wild in the halls, let him wrap himself in the curtains in the halls?  No thank you, we will struggle along in the meeting.  My husband and I discussed when he is no longer allowed to lay down in church.  I mean some Sundays, we all want to sprawl out on the pew, take a little nap, but at some point it is very unbecoming.  Will he grow out of it, will we have to force him out of it?  I don't know.
Overall I feel like we are making progress it has been a month since we had to take our daughter out in the hall.  Some may wish we took her out, but we are trying to teach her to behave IN the meeting.  I was terribly embarrassed when we were visiting family, at how noisy my kids were, but I really did try. I spent the next few weeks embarrassed in my church.  But then one Sunday, my husband had priesthood duties, only 20 minutes without his help, but I felt like I was drowning faster than the clock was moving.  I thought of all those judgeful eyes staring at me, especially when my son decided to switch which pew we were sitting in.  Then I thought wait... what would Jesus think (not do)?  Would he think oh that terrible sister needs to beat those children, my children were never that poorly behaved, or would he know I was trying my best. I know it would be the later, which helped me relax, but unfortunately my relaxed state did not rub off on to the children.  But it has helped my nerves a bit more.
I have recently realized that although I know I'm not the only person capable, it was meant to be for my daughter to be my daughter, and for her to come to a family like she has.  She is very challenging, and I know a single teen-aged mother would have not been able to care for her.  I also watch many families with young kids leave church early, as awful as she behaves, the idea is not tempting to me.  I honestly can't imagine it, just as I can't imagine not paying my tithing.  Yes, my daughter need a family like she got, or she might never learn to sit in church. I've watched women struggle with children older than mine, so I'm pretty sure you don't hit a magical age where finally they are old enough.  No its an acquired skill.  I know they can do it, because they are very well behaved in my grandma's house.  Sure they can move from their seats, jump if they want, talk if they want, cry if they want, but there is plenty that is "no touch".  They know exact how to behave there, and what is allowed and what is not allowed, so one day, one day, they will finally get church. And hopefully one day after that they will love it, like their mamma does.  I love church did you know that?  They can't keep me away, I rarely spend 4 weeks away after my baby is born, I come back early from vacations.  I go to all three hours when I've visiting family or on vacation, yes, I love church. When I'm in primary I can't imagine not being a teacher, actually of late I've been praying they don't release me.  When I'm in Relief Society I can't imagine how I survive Primary each week, I love it all.  Luckily my son does love sunbeams, he's just not so sure about the other hour.

Packing Lists for Backpacking

Ready for more backpacking stuff!  I'm afraid I'll lose my list for next year.

Per Person

My daughter was terrified from the thunder.

1 tee shirt
1 pair of pants
1 long john top and bottom
2 undies
2 pairs of socks
1 rain jacket
1 beanie
1 brimed hat
1 plastic $1 pancho
1 whistle
1 bowl
1 plastic spoon (they are lighter than metal)
(1 fleece jacket) (depending on the person, J and are always cold camping, while Brent is not)
(pair of light weight shoes)-- depending on how you role, a pair of light weight shoes to give your feet a rest when you aren't hiking like water socks or something. I brought crocs for my kids, but we might not bring them next time, because the kids don't have as much weight in their tennis shoes as we do. We never used the cros

Per Pack (this list is for two adults with large packs, and two small kids)
2 black trash bags
1 jumbo ziploc

1 flashlight (you want a light weight one)
1 emegerancy blanket
1 small tube of sun screen
1 small bug spray
1 lighter
2 sleeping abg
1 small towel
2 Nalgene bottles

Per group
1 stove
1 fishing pole (we need a lighter reel, my husband loves to fish and has a backpacking rod)
first aid kit and mole skin
toliet paper and shovel
tent
tarp
3 sleeping pads (we are all small so we share the three among us four)
tin foil
water purifier
tampons (one thing I read said women should always carry a few, even if not expecting to need them)
duct tape, just a little bit, so to save weight but to fix a broke pack or something
light point and shoot camera
tweezers/fingernail clippers
4 light toothbrush (like travel ones, with caps discarded)
toothpaste (or a little bit of baking powder to save weight, this past time we all used a half used small kids favored paste)
lip balm
parachute cord-- 50 ft (its lighter than rope)
Just for the record, my son wears pullups at night, and my daughter is in diapers.  We brought only two pullups for J, and few extra diapers, I think we came back with four.  Then a whole pile in the car.  When you start backpacking with kids, you want to be within a few miles of the car, with extra supplies in the car, just in case.  Kids are durable, and rubbery, but at the same time, easily traumatized.  

When it was all over, we drove to this waterfall also in the National Forest, but it was next to a parking lot, no need to hike.  See look, we survived, same day we hiked out.

Although it was almost problematic.  If we would have hiked anymore, I don't know if I would have survived at the waterfall.  You could follow the steep falls for awhile by walking down cement stairs. If I would have backpacked longer, I think I would have collapsed, I felt like I had marathon legs (you know how people who finish marathons can't use stairs for a few hours afterward.). Anyway, we had fun, and can't wait to do it again.
P.S. if you notice, none of us are wearing jeans. They are heavy and slow drying. Cargos are a definite plus.
We also brought no toys, other than thumb sucking blankets and a sippy cup.  Dirt, rocks, flowers, and grass are the best toys anyway.  Next time we won't bring a sippy cup, because she is outgrowing them.  But definitely useful for toddlers, or babies.

How my brain works

Come July 26th, it is two months before my birthday.  Perfect timing to start wondering what my hearts desires for my presents.  What I want to eat, and what would be a great birthday.  Unless I'm not ready to age one year, in which case I have a quarter life crisis for a few months.
But if I'm planning my birthday, then what do I want for christmas three months later.  Now I have a christmas baby, so what does she want for her birthday?

Backpacking with Kids

As previously stated we went backpacking, if you have never been backpacking with small children there is a lot of this (pictured below):  But also its important to go at your child's pace so they enjoy it.

There is so much to this post that is floating around in my head, I don't know what to think or say.  All I know it it was a learning experience, and we wish we knew someone for advice.  We almost talked to another family there with little kids, but they we noticed them with a saw, and that's not really our style of backpacking, plus they were secluded and we didn't want to be rude. If anyone finds this post from Google, please give us advice. We went up to Ruth Lake in the Unitahs, it was gorgeous.  But here are my thoughts.

1-- The biggest plus about going was my husband became the primary parent.  They wanted him to hug him if they got hurt, they whined to him for food.  Pretty much anything went wrong and they went to him, our 19 month old even shook her head no when I tried to hug her, and went and hugged her dad with a big grin on.  Its the exact opposite at home, they never whine to dad, they never want him to fix their sorrows.  It was bittersweet, I did have a ting of regret, but it was awesome to just be along for the ride, instead of flying the plane.  I think they knew I'm incredibly incapable of taking care of myself if the wilderness and so I couldn't help them either. When it comes to survival my husband is the one in command. (I'm pretty sure there is nothing sweeter than watching my husband and daughter holding hands hiking together.)

2-- My children love camping, they love being in the dirt, the tree, the flowers, the rocks, and even a little water if they are allowed, so they absolutely love camping.  Backpacking was no different, although they did get a little fatigued with the backpacking portion, but so did Brent and I.  His pack was 40+ lbs, and mine was 30+.  Brent and I are light people, that was 10+ too much for both of us, 20 lbs total.

3-- This was the first time we had been backpacking with kids.  We didn't really know what to pack or what to expect.  We started with a small trip, three days, about a mile in, and a mile out, then day in-between of day hikes. It was my daughter's (19 months) second trip actually hiking instead of walking, (she didn't make the whole mile).  My son (4 years old) had never hiked with a pack on, other than two miles we walked at home through a park on flat dirt. His pack wasn't much, a 1-liter water bladder, his jacket, his thumb sucking blanket, two pulls ups, and his sister's thumb sucking blanket.  The way in he didn't make the whole mile carrying, it I had to take it, but he did do the day hikes with it, with just his jacket, and the hike out.

4-- We bought my son the REI Squirt Hydration Pack.  I had to sell my husband on this one.  I picked it for a few reasons, 

   1.  REI stuff is cheaper than name brands.  

   2. I wanted to pick a hydration pack because its hard to get tired kids to drink water unless its fun, and easy.  A straw from your back is fun, don't believe me watch my kids fight over it.  My daughter will probably get one for her birthday.  

   3. REI's squirt was one of the smaller packs, and my four year old is small, but the only one that was small and also had room from other stuff in the pack.

5-- So back to the packs, Brent and I were carrying 10 lbs too much for both of us, then my husband also had to carry our daughter part of the way.  We had never packed two people's stuff in one pack.  People without kids would say they are little how much stuff do they need?  More than adults, the smaller the person the more stuff they require.  Brent and I both had two sleeping bags in our packs, Brent carried the 6lbs four man tent. (I thought he weight it and got 6 lbs, but the site says, 7.5?) We brought too much clothes for three days, normally conventional wisdom says, one change of clothes for a week. But we were only gone for three days, we decided after the trip, one change of clothes, if you get wet stay in the tent in your pajamas, until your clothes dry in the dry desert air. One change of underwear, for the kid, we brought two, because wet underwear is gross, but it never got peed on, so we'll take our chances.  You may wonder how much one extra can wear pair of underwear weight?  It adds up. I also probably brought 6 lbs of nuts, too much for three days.  I also learned my kids will not eat peanuts, just bring them m&ms and craisins.  (Do you see how uncomfortable my husband looks with 60 lbs on his back?)

6--We brought too much food, we didn't know what the kids would eat, and we just didn't know a lot.  If I'm hiking 5+ miles with a pack, I could use two powerbars a day, but on kids hikes, two is overkill for me.  I can't stomach that much without being able to burn all the calories, and protein.  Powerbars are not light. What was good, was two packs of oatmeal, per person over two for breakfast. The kids also loved granola bars, but none of that is extremely light.  We ate Mountain House food but it wasn't really kid friendly tastes.   

7--I totally packed wrong, its hard to pack an internal frame with two sleeping bags, and three people's clothing.  So we had to stop and repack, because I felt like a beetle about to be stuck on my back. I haven't backpacked since before I had two kids, its easier to backpack at 17 with a strained ankle then in my twenties after two kids.  I can't imagine next decade.  Hopefully if we do it more it will be easier.
I think that is enough for now. 

 I have been talking about backpacking since my son was my daughter's age.  I thought we could do an overnight trip.  I think the weight never appealed to my husband, not to mention he was scout master at the time and camped once or twice or a month. So we never did anything other then hike during the day.  But then this spring we were visiting one of my husband's friends and his family and he was saying that he wanted to take his wife and daughter backpacking, and I guess it inspired my husband.  Not to mention also in the spring we were down in Grand Staircase Esclante and we met a family with three kids under probably 6 who were backpacking. I like backpacking for a few reasons, one I hate camping next to a RV.  Number two, team sports have never appealed to me, I don't like playing organized sports, but backpacking is the type of athletic activity I like.  Not to mention it not everyone else can backpack.  Anyway we really enjoyed ourselves, I'm disappointed we don't have another chance to go before next summer.  Three days, two nights were perfect for us, my daughter wouldn't have last any longer she was exhausted.  But maybe three nights next summer.  Who knows.

As a note, there is a lot of information on backpacking with kids, but there isn't a lot, we put our kids in this while we are gone, or we pack this.  I doubt my stuff is useful, but I wish there was some real useful specific information on backpacking with toddlers.

Thursday Night, Friday Morning Date Night

Last night my husband and I had signed up to go to the Temple.  So we found a babysitter, and left.  Then we came home and loaded everyone in the car along with a lot of our camping gear, and drove out west into the desert, to watch the Perseids Meteor Shower. Luckily our kids fell asleep in the car.  My husband set up the tent and sleeping bags, while I made sure the kids didn't start screaming.  Once we put our kids in their sleeping bags, I laid in there for a few minutes to make sure everything was ok. As lay next to them, still spiritually elated from the temple, I thought I'm the luckiest girl alive. Growing up I didn't want to be a mom, I didn't realize it would be more than just dirty diapers, jam hands, and crying.  I'm glad I found out that there is more than that to motherhood, and its much better than babysitting, but also much harder, and never goes away.  But I'm having so much fun in life right now, being a mom, a wife, a person, we just have so much fun together. I feel like 25 is a sweet spot, I feel so calm and relaxed who is I am, where I am in life, where I am in my relationships, especially my marriage.
But back to the Meteors, it was really cool, we saw the skinny sliver of the moon, set. and go away under the mountains.  So the sky was bright with stars.

  Its neat to be out in the middle of no where and see the different colors of the night sky.  We saw the cluster of stars, that I guess is the milky way. The edge of the milky way?  I don't quite understand astronomy.

 We saw plenty of shooting stars.  So naturally I thought of the hit song, Airplanes, "Let's pretend that airplanes in the night sky are shooting stars, I could really use a wish right now." Not to mention my husband took his camera to do some astro-photography but didn't get any pictures of shooting stars, but plenty of satellites and airplanes.

Back to the events at hand, we watched the stars and the meteors for about an hour, until my neck got tired, and  I was tired, so then I went to bed.  Then we woke up at four and watched some more shooting stars.  It was pretty cool, I really will admit it was awesome to see so many shooting stars. Then it got too light, most of the stars went away, and the photography was useless. So I convinced my husband to pack up and stuff our kids in the car.  We drove home and got at home at 6:30is-7ish, and then all went back to bed.  The kids and I until 10:30, but Brent had to get up earlier for working at home.  It was a lovely 17 hours.
As we drove away from the dusty flat ground covered in prickly weeds...

 I thought about when I was engaged and many people told me don't have babies right away, its so fun to be first married before your kids are born, you can do so much fun things, and you aren't tied down, you can go camping and other stuff all the time.  Now this is a lot of advice all mixed together in one run-on sentence, but the point is, I think they were crazy.  Good advice for some probably, but not the advice Brent and I heeded.  We had a baby right away, be even with that, we have a blast all the time, we don't feel tied down at all, we do some much, and have so much fun all the time. Its so easy with two kids-- built in best friends, and we just pop them in the car and go. They sleep on the way, and when we get there.

 Brent and I are having the time of our lives.

Look, its a planet.  Ten bucks to who can tell me which one.  Just kidding, I'm not going to pay you, but I don't know what planet it is.

Revisiting the Old-- Potty Training

No I have not started to potty train, despite my daughter's wishes. Yesterday just to be prepared, I bought teeny undies, and training pants.  But I was firm that it wasn't happening until after our trip without daddy to grammy's.  Then I talked to grammy, and told her: Nan tells us when she wets her dry diaper, she signs potty, and yesterday (Monday) she brought me the diapers and wipes.  So I changed her, I was surprised to find a not dirty diaper.  Then five minutes later she had a dirty diaper, I wished I knew that was what she was going to do.  I wished I had the little potty out. 

But only slightly I'm not potty training until after vacation.  Yes I'm aware now that I will be potty training before my birthday but not before an airplane trip.

My mother told me, let her sit on a potty if she wants, just don't potty train her.  She told me Nan will get frustrated if she is trying to communicate and I ignore her. Ok, true, and you don't want a child upset about potty training before she starts.  So then that evening, I showed everyone new training pants.  Nan was all about them, something new that is pink!  So I pulled some on above her diaper. She was so happy. Then we put the other two pairs from the pack on her head.  And when a toddler looks like this you know its only a matter of time before life as you know it is over.

She kept the training pants on top of her diaper for the rest of the evening, but took the ones of her head.  She complained all evening about her wet diaper.  Then it was time for bath.  For probably eight months now, I start the water, then take off her clothes and her diaper, and she stands there naked until its time to get in.  Never once has she peed.  By this point the little potty was out, just so she could get use to it.  We started the bath, I pulled of her diaper, but left the training pants around her knees.  I asked if she wanted to sit on the little potty she told me no, but then she pottied all down her legs. It was so funny I thought that it was the only day she has ever peed before the bath.  So at least now she knows what it feels like to have it run down her leg.

This morning, she was so upset when I put a diaper on, I don't know if she was expecting training pants or what? She tried to pull it of, and screamed, but the diaper stayed on.

Walking REI Ad

At some point in life we switched who we were. After almost two years of not being a scout master, apparently my husband has taken us on. And since then, we have become that type of family, that goes and wanders around REI in our spare time. We wander around looking at all the stuff we want. We don't buy it all but we buy plenty. We've become the type of family that is broke because we spend all our spare cash on camping gear. In our spare weekends we go camping.  We are just those people now.  In the last 6 months, we have bought a backpacking pack for my husband, a child-size backpack with a hydration bladder in it for my son.

Two children's sleeping bag.

A four person tent that is 6 lbs, so its doable for backpacking as a family. (Sort of, my husband wants something lighter.)

Oh and see that camp-stove also a new investment, but not REI brand like the rest of the products.  When we are camping I look around and feel like I'm in an REI commercial.

I have a love hate relationship with REI.  Really how much REI products do we need?  But their staff is well informed, their products are cheaper than others, quality and have good warranties, how could I say no?

Repetitious Prayers

We have been counseled not to say vain repetitions in our prayers.  My son has the repeat button on, but he has the faith of a four year old babe, and so its anything but vain.
Here is what we likely hear multiple times a day.
"Please bless that nothing dies,
except for the really old people who will be resurrected."
Yesterday he said the scripture in primary, I only wish it was the prayer.

I Hope They Call Me on Mission

My paternal grandparents have 15 grandchildren.  Fourteen served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, except for one.  Me!  Here is my story.  Why I'm writing it down on my blog is beyond me, other than its been floating around in my head.
When I was a Valiant or Merrie Miss, I remember wanting to go on a missionary when I grow up.  In fact I can go farther back in my memory, and remember singing, I Hope They Call Me on  Mission, when I was in junior primary and being awe-inspired at the idea of going to a mission.  It was what I wanted to do all growing up.  I remember wondering why I seemed like the only girl I grew up with who wanted to go.  In young women's they give you lessons on the importance of temple marriage, only after a mission I thought.  (Well until I got older and defiant and I told my leaders I don't want to get married or have kids, but a mission was always in the plans.) A mission and me were where it was at.
Until I was seventeen and went in for my Patriarchal Blessing. I have this nice long lengthy paragraph about this missionary work I will do.  But while the patriarch spoke I had this strong impression in my heart that said, "not while you are 21". I thought WHAT? Part of me wanted to be bitter, this was the thing I had wanted to do for the longest time, I never dreamed about marriage as a little girl only a mission.  But then I had another impression, don't spite yourself, this is a once a lifetime opportunity.  So even though I was upset the spirit told me not when I was 21, I continued to listen and be inspired.
Even though the spirit told me that, I had a hard time letting go of my dream for the next two years, I continued to plan and tell people I was planning on a mission.  Except every time I did, my heart felt like I was telling a lie.  Before I left for college, I remember meeting with my Bishop, and he asking me what my plans where, and then at one point he said have you ever thought about a mission when you are 21? (I doubt he asked every girl this, but I'm sure I told him a 10 year plan of education.)  I said I had, and thought it would be great.  He continued on telling me how great sister missionaries were and how they can do work the Elders can't.  Once again I felt myself getting bitter, why would he tell me this, if it might not be in my future like the spirit told me?  It took me months to reconcile this experience, but then I realized the Lord had already told me what he told me, why was I looking for more signs.  It was shame on me not the bishop.
But still I had a hard time reconciling my dream with the spirit.  Luckily one day when I was 19, my sister in law asked me if I wanted to go on a mission.  I of course responded in the positive.  But at this point, I was starting to be confused, I knew it was my dream, but I also knew it probably wasn't a reality.  I'm positive my sister in law, recognized some hesitancy from me.  I said if nothing else everyone in my family has, look at all my cousins too.  Then she looked at me squarely and said just because they did doesn't mean you have to.  Just to set the record straight, I never felt any pressure from my parents, grandparents, or siblings to serve a mission.  I just always remember wanting to, and as I grew up more of my siblings and cousins kept serving missions.  But all of sudden sister in law gave me the power I needed to follow the spirit.
Brent also gave me some help.  No its not when he asked me to marry him.  I was friends with him, and his friend Justin, long before Brent and I ever dated, and as a young 18 year old, actually almost 19 year old, I said I don't date Return Missionaries, I'm going on a mission in two years. (Let the record be straight, neither of them asked me out, I was just being pushy.)  Brent strongly rebuked my forth-rightness, told me, girls are not commanded to go on missions, girls who have not felt inspired to go on missions but go anyway are not always successful.  If I boy asks me out I should say yes.  His friend seconded him.  (Some would say, oh he just wanted to ask you out, but I highly doubt that was the reason for his tirade, considering he didn't ask me out for another 10 months, and he had multiple girlfriends before me.)
And so with that, I started to reconcile my future, but it still wasn't easy.  But it made it easier in 11 months when I knew if I continued to date Brent I would get married to him.  I would be getting married, before my 21st birthday, before I could send in my mission papers.  Even with all this though, it was a hard decision to date Brent, I knew I loved him,  but come on my mission.  I knew Brent wouldn't wait three years for me, and I knew I wouldn't expect it of him.  I knew I wouldn't have waited for a missionary, so why could I except it from anyone else.  It was just it was.  It was a hard decision to make, but what helped me was the vivid memory of sitting in President Snyder's living room and the spirit telling me "not at 21." Although that was only one thing that made it difficult to get married at 20.  Twenty is very young, and no one was more aware of the reality of this than me.  Let me assure anyone who wants to knows, getting married young was not a thing my husband and I entered into lightly. It was definitely the best decision I made, then crazy of crazies, I had a kid at 21.  I kept thinking this must be my mission. Then funny thing is by the time I hit 23 I stopped being obsessed with the idea that my son was "my mission" But the thing I was worried most about, was how could I know the gospel as well as someone who went on a mission?  I wouldn't have two years or 18 months of studying the scriptures, but then I realized I could study the scriptures too, and I could know the gospel as well as anyone.  I swore to myself I would never be the mother who said, I didn't know the scriptures, I had to learn the stories with my kids, or I had to ask my husband a scripture story when someone asked me to present one in church.  I'm sure this is part of the reason my husband and I have always studied the scriptures together, and individually.
I remember being in an institute class, (after I was married) and the teacher before class, asked a girl who was 21 if the spirit had mentioned a mission to her.  She said, I've prayed about it and prayed about it, and I got run for student council.  That's the point, not every girl goes on a mission, only if the spirit tells her to go.  The spirit told me, I'll have plenty of missionary work just not when I was 21 on a full time mission. And this is the reason my adult life has turned out like it has.

Oh and one more thought:  Hopefully this doesn't sound too pathetic.  If I didn't serve a mission, at least my husband did, and I can live through him. I have met people from Chile (well at least one), I've skyped with some, and I've become friends with a lot of my husband's companions' wives, well at least three of them.  None of them went on missions either, so its a nice camaraderie of women I have who don't know much about Chile, but can pick the conversation up just were we left of last year.  In twenty years from now I will not be surprised to if I still see at least two of them every few years.

Listening about Love in Church

Today in church, I thought the speaker brought up a good point.  He was referencing the idea of whatever we love the most is what we will serve.  We should choose to love the Lord the most, so we naturally serve him and have charity.  Then he said when his mom was a young women's leader she would tell her girls, be careful who you fall in love with.  It is easy to love people.  That is really all he quoted from his mother.  But he mentioned he agrees with the idea, it is easy to look at someone's true soul and after getting to know them to them love them.  What he didn't say, and was obviously implying, or at least his mother was implying back in the day, is be careful who you fall in love with, it is easy to fall in love, and if you aren't careful you will fall in love with someone who might not have the same convictions you have. 
I whole-heartedly agree, be careful who you fall in love with.  I never had any intention of falling in love with Brent.  I've grateful that I did, but more than that, I'm grateful I fell in love with someone who shares my convictions and opinions.  Because I honestly had no intentions of being attached to him, it came silently like flaxen cord.  Luckily it wasn't sin I found, but a nice worthy priesthood holder.  I give him a hard time, because I told him I didn't want to be friends with him, because he was a return missionary, and return missionaries want to get married.  He said I don't want to get married; I'm not looking to be married.  But you see what happened, a year and half later we got married.  He still swears he wasn't trying to get married.  Anyway, this post went in a different direction that I planned.  But be warned mothers, tell your daughters and sons be careful who or what you fall in love with.

Maybe Crazy

I might be crazy, but this time it is not fever induced.  I am thinking about potty training my daughter come October, I don't want accident around my birthday.
She would 21 months, which is even younger than I potty trained my son, I think he was about 26 months.
But I think she is ready, she stays dry for hours, she wants to change her own diaper, and wipe herself.  I started trying to teach her how to pull her pants up and down.  Not to mention she loves to be big! Not to mention I hate changing diapers, I would rather clean up accidents, then change diapers, changing diapers is 100% guaranteed mess, accidents is like playing the lottery, sometimes you get lucky and don't have to deal with human waste and other times you don't get lucky.
My only hang up is she doesn't know how to talk.  But then I found this, potty training sign language!
I also need a taller stool for the sink.


(I go to church with a girl that potty trained both her boys at 12 months, she said right after they were comfortably/skillfully walking.  Dr. Acredolo did say, "Contrary to popular belief, toddlers are often ready to start training as early as 12 to 18 months.")


Since I wrote this, my baby has also started telling me when she wets her diaper, yup she is ready.

Keeping it Real

In the sake of keeping it real, here is a really unattractive picture of me. This is what I look like when I visit my husband at work and eat day old donuts.

These were taken months ago, when it was cold, and my baby was sick, and had huge red bags under her eyes.

Sadly we didn't get to meet any other co-workers, everyone telecommutes.

End of the Month Party

We are friends with Brent's old mission buddy's family.  They are moving so we went to their going away part.  Here is my husband and daughter, and a whole lot of other people.

My daughter going for some water balloons.

My husband and his buddy he met in the MTC, Jake Shillig.

My kids and their youngest.  Like that my daughter is telling their baby off?  Yup, that's the type of child she is.  But in other baby stuff, there was a couple there that spoke Spanish, so they were talking to my husband.  They also spoke English, but they were speaking Spanish to my husband.  I do not speak Spanish, although its my husband dream that I do.  I had Spanish classes in school from third grade to 8th, so I can pick out words here and there. But my favorite was, when they said Nan's name in their Spanish sentences, it sounded so pretty, if I was obnoxious I might start telling people to pronounce it that way, but yet I'm not, so I guess one day we will have to move to Latin America so people pronounce my daughter's name all pretty like.

Then right before we left, my son wanted to cross the river with his dad, we were proud of him, he didn't realize part of it would be really high up, but he didn't freak out when he had to cross it.

Lessons from the Old Testament

Since we are doing the MBA our blessings are so thick we can see them with our eyes not just with our heart.
We recieve so many blessings the air is thick with them (in a good way).
But the Old Testament has taught me something.
I told my husband last night when we grow up and become rich and fabulous let's not "lift our heart up to [our] destruction" paraphrased from 2 Chronicles 26:16
I would prefer not to "transgress agaisnt the Lord [our] God".
But really that's just me.

On a completely side note, I think I might be going crazy, at least feverish.  Every night I struggle falling asleep, but am completely exhausted. I startle awake a few times, finally falling asleep to wake up very groggy in the morning. Last night I did feel like I had a low grade fever, I was cold and felt like I was throwing a fit, but I honestly have no idea. During the day once my daughter goes down for a nap, I go pass out on the couch.  So exhausted I can't stand it.  Then wake up foggy feeling, in which I write a really weird blog post.  See yesterday, and the following Friday.  I even took naps on Saturday and Sunday, I never nap on Saturdays.  My previous blog post could use some editing, but oh well, what is published is published, and I'm just keeping it real right? Like I said I might be going crazy.  What a better time than to prepare to go backpacking with small children.  Four people's stuff on two people's back.  The children might be small but require just as much stuff as adults.

Embarrassed, and so wordy!

Editor's Note: I'm pretty sure I was feverish when I wrote this, if its a little eccentric even for me, you'll know why.


I do not have a blog roll full of people I don't know.  I use to read lots of blogs of people I don't know, but when it got to the point that I wanted to know more information about people I never met in real life, I had to turn it off.  It was weird, you just shouldn't know so much about people you never met.  Ok, truth be known, I could careless how much all y'all know about people you have never met, you could read celebrity gossip all day, and read blogs of people you don't know all day, but really that's just not for me.  There are a few "professional bloggers" I glance at about once a week, but only for a pretty post or a good laugh.  I don't want any intimate details about their lives. And well there are plenty of more bloggers that aren't professional that will give you ample information about their lives, like me.  But really I'm self absorbed, and assume you are, so I don't expect you to look at my blog.  Unless you know me in the real world some how, but then again, I don't even expect that.  But if I do know you in the real world even just casually good chances are your blog is on my google reader.  I was once told I don't leave much to imagination on my blog.  I never learned the skill of not hanging my dirty laundry out, I guess.  I think my mom wished I was always a little more tactful than I am. The point is I've made progress.

Actually that isn't the point at all.  The point is, I normally don't read random blogs, I especially don't like to read about strangers that live in my same state, and well that takes out about 75% of the bloggers that have anything in common with my life.  Have you ever notice that Mormons are what like 2% of the population, a little less, but yet take up like 75% of the female bloggers out there.  

This is not the point either, back to my confession of spending the other afternoon blog stalking, I was so tired, and I thought I wanted to sew, but it turns out what I really wanted to do was pull all my material out on my bed, then stare at a computer screen and let my brain collect low doses of serotonin.  So low that I would have been in a better mood staring at a wall, but just enough that I never wanted to pull myself away.

Anyway, so I found this blog, and I was laughing until I cried, the way she described her kids was so funny and so relate-able to me. Any person who says something to effect of the secret to a great blog is neglect and chocolate frosting is right up my alley. But I'm not a good blog stalker, so I don't read all the posts, I skip most until I find ones that interest me. Although I was laughing until I cried at some posts, thats not what I sharing with you. Here are two good nuggets, for all us to remember in life.

1. From this post "My friend Barbara (you all know Grannybabs, right? She's awesome) suggested this absolute gem on her blog, "Specialization is the key to appearing competent." Memorize that. It's a great homemaking tip. Barbara says she knows how to sew aprons and make homemade mac and cheese, pumpkin cookies, and jam. That's it! But she's really good at those things and people think she's a very  snazzy homemaker. Find your four things and live your life. This is a true pearl of wisdom. Thanks Barbara!"

So true, I'm not good at most stuff, I just stick to what I know, like sewing baby blankets, making doll slings, and baking cupcake.  This summer if I had to bring a side dish, I brought chopped up apples, crasins or raisins all mixed up in cool whip.  Seriously I bought that salad to four different functions this summer, easy, sweet tasting, and not broken, so why come up with anything other else. But wait I need a fourth skill, reading YA fiction.  Its amazing how awesome you look in public if you are half way through a novel while sitting in the doctors office instead of reading a magazine.  That being said, I'm more often found with a magazine.

2. From this post "Emma Thompson gives the best advice when she tells Maggie Gyllenhaal that you can't have it all. It's the post-feminist truth. You don't need it all and you can't have it. I don't. But I have enough. You might think that I'm a fantastic blogger and my children are charming but I have a really fat stomach and I have to suck in all the time and it is very tiring. I might think you have a great life and shapely legs but your blog is really boring. See? None of us have it all. ... I like what Emma Thompson says about this. It's kind of a revelation." I completely agree, you can not have it all, life is about choosing what you want and not worrying about what doesn't fit. But see what did I say, so funny, this blogger chick totally has the sense of humor of the type of girls I would find at EFYs and would laugh so hard the whole week.  Who cared about finding boys, it was really all about finding a really really funny girl to be friends with and laugh at her syncism the whole week.  Boys come and go and are always stinky, until you find the one that you want to marry, but he is still slightly stinky, and you are willing to put up with it.  Yes, boys come and go, but humor lasts, I still laugh about some of the jokes that my EFY friends said.  Ahh, humor! Truth be known once again, I was plenty boy crazy, for taller than me mormon boys who I never met before.

Toys

My sister in law just sent me a book in the mail, called Too Many Toys. I didn't know if I wanted to laugh while reading it or cry because it hit so close to home; toys over run our lives.  My kids are exposed to all different toys: wooden ones, noisy ones, plain jane on sale plastic ones, not to mention plush polyester ones made in factories.  My mom likes nice classic wooden ones, my husband's mother likes noisy ones, because then you know where your kids are, while I tend to over shop in the polyester plushy aisle.  I rarely buy toys, my kids are usually given toys by people, especially their grandma's, but never by their father. If they ever get a toy from me other than on their birthday or Christmas, they pick it out and it is almost always a plastic toy.
  My daughter loves plastic bald babies (dolls), we have more plastic bald baby dolls than any under 2 year old girl should have.  I was 100% ok with her fascination with plastic bald babies, until I saw this slide show, then I wondered why doesn't my daughter like beautiful cloth dolls?  Hmm, maybe she hasn't had a chance, maybe she needs some cloth dolls. Then again maybe its because she is not 8 and because she is not posed.
Even though I don't think plastic is cuddly, plastic bald babies, look a whole lot more like real people than any cloth doll does. She has an ingrain knowledge of where real babies are, I never taught her, but boy is she good a pointing out real bald babies. And so the cloth doll looks more beautiful, but the plastic doll looks more.... realistic?  I guess in the eyes of 19 month old. 

Still we only have one cloth doll and she was probably made in China.  Do you think I have the energy for something like this. Probably not, and I doubt I have the skills. And just for the record, I'm pretty sure this is the cutest set the Black Apple Lady has ever made.
I didn't expect for the post to end with a hopeless craft, maybe this belongs on my craft blog, since I'm too tried to sew right now.