My Husband is Amazing

Thanks to Braden's awesomeness, I'm able to use my computer again to do any little thing I want to do and oh boy it is really nice to let him have his computer back and stop stealing it mercilessly.  I'm terribly ashamed at how much I was using your computer, thereby preventing you from the important things you needed to do, and I'm sorry, but you were always on my mind.

As a reward, I owe you 10 great massages, redeemable any time you want.

Also, thanks for setting scribefire up so that I can post to this blog, and thanks for testing it out with this post.

I will love you always and forever until my dying day.  Baby.

Sonnnnnnnnn, she said

Alive......Oh, I'm still Ali-aaaaaa-ve. That's hard to write out. Try it.

Anyway, just a quick post here. We've all been really sick for the last few weeks; thus, the lack of postage. We took a sick Katie to her well child checkup (4 month, but she had just turned 5 months...oops) on Tuesday. She has pretty bad eczema, a double ear infection and bronchialitis. And yet she's still been pretty good-natured, considering. So she is on antibiotics for 10 days. The hydrocortizone cream has done wonders for her complexion...it's basically clear. Braden said to her yesterday: "Wow, Katie, I never knew you had such beautiful skin!" And she does. Katie is also now able to roll over from her back onto her stomach as of yesterday. She can go the other way, too, but hasn't figured out how to do both at the same time. Trust me, I'm fine with it. At that age, Jenna figured that out pretty quickly, and then would roll across the room when I looked away for 30 seconds.

We are hopefully on the upswing of these bad colds/viruses we've had lately. We're crossing our fingers. Now if we can just catch up somewhat on sleep! :)

Hope everyone's doing well!

What's This? What's This?

I do believe about one minute of searching Google yielded me this result. And I do believe that's a French Silk Pie on the home page. I dream of French Silk Pie. I dream of it on March 8th. But I'll settle for having it on a different day in March, if it comes to that. Oh, yes.

Mmm...French Silk Pie. ;) ;)


I love you, Braden.


(I had a lot of fun writing this post...I crack myself up.)

The Bear

Jenna's doing a little better, but last night she had a fever of 104 degrees, which responded well to tylenol and ibuprofen and went down to 99. It was still 100.2 this morning, and she's still got a deep voice, cough and runny nose, but at least the fever's gone down. She's still very cranky booty, understandably.

We hope she feels better soon, but it's very likely she won't be at church. Actually, I don't think I'd let her go even if she is feeling better. Nursery is a breeding ground for all germs imaginable, and I don't want to add to it.

Primary Quote(s) of the Week

During the Sharing Time Primary lesson on Mothers:
(Senior Primary)
Ker: What else do mothers do?
8 year old boy: (very softly) They kill.
Ker: What?
Boy: They kill. They're killers.
[...]
Ker: Oh, they're healers!! Yes, yes. Thank you for your comment.
(I know I wasn't the only one who heard "killers", because the Primary chorister started laughing behind the chalkboard. I leaned back and said, "I bet I know what you're laughing at!"

Another quote said randomly when I was looking for other answers from the Junior Primary:
7 year old girl: People die.
Ker: Okay! (moves right along to the next subject...)

When Will It End???

This cold/flu season has by far been the worst ever. I realize that now I have two kids who are very capable of catching colds and whatever else, but geez!!

When I went to get Jenna up this morning, she sounded the worst I've ever heard her. And I mean she sounded like 50 frogs were in her throat, all clamoring to get out at once. Poor thing. She also felt really hot to me. She's stuffed up and really miserable. It's been a rough day for both of us, since I have to deal with a lot of whining and crying, which is hard for me, but at the same time, I try to handle it as best I can because I know she doesn't feel well. I think she's feeling a little better now, since I gave her some Tylenol and am trying to make sure she's hydrated. This was actually the first time she refused to take the tylenol; every other time she just drank it right down. I had to bribe her with some VeggieTales.

Anyway, we were supposed to go down to the pregnancy center for our monthly appointment (we can go until Katie's 1), but I had to cancel because Jenna was so sick. I was really bummed about that, since it's hard to get another appointment soon, but I was able to get one in two weeks. Usually I have to wait another month, so that's pretty lucky.

Here's hoping Jenna gets better soon and doesn't pass it along to any of the rest of us! :)

GrA-Mer

I'll save this person maybe a little bit of embarrassment and not say where I got it (it's easy to look up, though). I found the following review while looking at fitness dvds on Amazon:

"I'm sorry girls but I didn't like this one, the instructer is just a little to peppy, and the ladies following her just look like manicanes. Not just that but it wasn't as hard as I like it, I perfer to sweat up a storm, also some of the moves I have never seen before and didn't feel like they were working anything. Definitly, the cardio part was way to low impact for me I perfer a heart pumping working this one is more just movement. The band was different but I also didn't feel like it worked too much. Also, the lightening, and backgrounds, and the way it was shot was a little cheesy. I also own the Women's Health Wedding Workout and it is awesome it really makes you sweat and incorpartes alot athletic moves. So far it's my fave!"


I've highlighted my favorite new word. Is that like a man-hurricane? Maybe it's a new superhero. :)

Thanks for the tip

Found this on craigslist, since I would like a punching bag. I have nowhere to put it, but a woman can dream, right??

Click here and read the title.

I don't have a wife...can I just beat up Braden instead? :)

Quotes

"Did you hear the garage door?" - Jenna

"Did you hear Mommy bike?"- Jenna - when Braden turned on the teapot, which sounds a lot like the stationary bike. She calls it "bi-kee-kee."

Braden: What a pretty dress!
Jenna: Daddy pretty dress? Noooo...

"We're driving in our minivan with two kids in the back seat. We are so old." - Braden

"Calm down, Katie!" - Jenna, after hearing me say that to Katie while she was screaming.

Hmm

It's funny that I just posted a quote about trials, and here I am going through one. I'm sure other people wouldn't even consider it a trial, but it is to me, and I'm not going to elaborate here. Suffice it to say that I struggle with something I'm asked to do on a regular basis, because I don't understand it, and for some reason it just really annoys me. Add to that two very unsettling conversations today on the matter, and I'm left so upset that my stomach hurts. So trying to plan for my Sharing Time lesson is out, and I don't even know if I'll be able to sleep until I get it at least somewhat resolved. It would be lovely if the person I'm trying to call to talk about it would be home to talk.

Anyway, thanks to my mom for letting me vent earlier. I needed it.

Sorry this is so cryptic, but some things you want to blog about, and you shouldn't. Nevertheless, writing something helps me calm down or sort things through when I need to.

Trials

"No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God . . . and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven"--Orson F. Whitney, in Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle, 98

Scriptures

"Parents must have a knowledge of the standard works to teach them to their children. A child who has been taught from the scriptures has a priceless legacy."--President James E. Faust, Ensign, May 1983, 41

Katie Bear!!

Just a quick post because we're about to watch American Idol, and it's getting late.

Miss Katie Katie is teething!! We were at the mall play area tonight, and Braden felt a tooth coming in on the bottom just left of center. Jenna starting teething at 3 months, so I'm not surprised at all. Braden then proceeded to insert his thumb in her mouth to give her something to chew on, and she promptly obliged. He said he felt like blood had been drawn, to which I replied, "Well, don't put your thumb in her mouth!!" :)

It does make a lot of sense now that she's been sleeping more than normal the past couple of days. Yesterday she slept so much that I was worried that she wouldn't sleep through the night. Thankfully, she did, though, and regularly sleeps about 8 hours at night now, sometimes more. No whammies, no whammies!!!

Jenna Sayings

Jenna is right at that stage where she is starting to put words into sentences, and she cracks us up on a regular basis. Here are some examples, just within the past day:

Braden (while changing Jenna): Where's Jenna booty?
Jenna: Where'd Jenny booty go? (reaches for it) Oh, there it is!

Jenna (in the bathroom; Jenna always comes in with me): Mommy potty!
Ker: Mommy went pee-pee in the potty!
Jenna: Mommy goldfish? (She gets a reward of goldfish when she goes in the potty)

At the mall play area, Braden, Jenna and a 4-year-old girl were playing tag:
Braden: I got you!
Jenna (screaming at the top of her lungs but touching no one): I GOT YOU!!!!!!

In the car tonight:
Ker (after an annoyed comment about the car in front of us driving so slowly): Mommy cry?
(I said this jokingly because a couple of days ago, I kind of chewed out someone who cut me off; nothing bad or anything, but Jenna's response was to say, "Mommy cry" because she could tell I was upset, and she's really in tune to people's emotions.)
Jenna: Noooooo. Mommy E [insert our last name]!!


She also jokes around with us, too. She's such a comedian. This conversation happens on a regular basis when Braden puts Jenna down for the night:

Braden: Bye, Jenna.
Jenna: Bye, Mommy.
Braden: I'm not Mommy; I'm Daddy.
Jenna: Bye, Katie.
Braden: I'm not Katie; I'm Daddy!
Jenna: Bye, Gama (Grandma). [rinse, repeat....inserting whatever random name she wants]

She is her parents' daughter for sure; she thinks she's sooooo funny. :)

GOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's "goal" in Spanish, for those who don't know. It's a pretty easy word to remember and very fun to say loudly.

Anyway, I mentioned in an earlier post that I've been exercising regularly (5-6 times a week) since January (I started slowly in December). It's been my goal to get down to a certain weight by July. Well, I'm .2 ounces away from my goal, and it's only March! I'm thrilled. That's down 12 lbs since I actually made the goal the first week of January. I still actually look like I could be 2 1/2 months pregnant, because my stomach refuses to work with me, but I have plans to target that area shortly. I'm actually only 1 lb. away from my pre-pregnancy weight (for both Jenna and Katie). Despite my mommy stomalage (stomach-lage), I feel great and have made leaps and bounds in terms of stamina and endurance since I started exercising. It's been so great for my health and overall happiness. I have plans to continue my exercise kick for the rest of my life!

I am also continuing to enjoy the pool at the Y. If we're still here when we decide to have our next kid, I plan on using to pool to keep in shape during the pregnancy. I was in the pool once during my last pregnancy, and I LOVED IT. I was 7 months pregnant, big and luggy, and as soon as I got in the pool, I didn't feel pregnant anymore! It was wonderful. Maybe I should just live in a pool for the entire 9 months of my next pregnancy. :)

And I have to give props to my mom, because I tried to swim laps for a little while, and it exhausted me. That is tough stuff!! It exercises muscles that I didn't even know I had. And here my mama kicks my trash in the pool exercise arena. You go, Mom!!!

Mama Bear

I took Jenna to the park today, because it was an okay day weather-wise. I was about to go down one of the slides and was trying to get Jenna's attention, so she could watch me (she'd already gone down right before me). Suddenly, someone shoves me in the back and yells, "GO!" It's this 4-year-old punk whose dad is 15 feet away yapping on his cell phone, oblivious to his child's behavior. I turn to the kid and say, "Hey, wait!" and then proceed with what I was doing. No apology and nothing but defiant stares from this kid. Anyway, we go over to the smaller kids' area and Jenna looks inside the window of a little house there, and all a sudden the kid starts screaming at her, saying not to do that. She thinks he's playing and goes around to go in the house where he is. I'm seriously right behind her, because I sensed what he might do, but he was too fast, and I turn the corner right as he shoves her to the ground. I didn't think, I just acted. I'm ashamed to say that I actually grabbed his shoulders and shook him a couple of times, shouting, "HEY, YOU DO NOT PUSH MY DAUGHTER TO THE GROUND!!!", amongst other things, like how rude he was and to stay away from Jenna. I should not have touched him, but I just snapped when I saw him hurt my child. When I calmed down a little bit later, I regretted actually touching him. I doubt anyone's ever done anything like that to him, because I could tell he was a bully. There is a difference between accidental and on purpose knocking someone over, and this kid KNEW right from wrong, plus he was twice Jenna's size. If a kid is being a bully and is a little bit younger and still learning right from wrong, that's one thing.

Just so people know, there is no way I would have reacted like that if he had not pushed me before. I could tell that he was oblivious to consequences and just did whatever he wanted. I mean, that takes guts to push an adult and still be defiant. There are some serious issues going on. Also, if the father had been around, I wouldn't have done that, either. But he was still yapping away on his cell phone and moseyed on over a couple of minutes later. I told the dad what his kid had done, and the dad had to tell his son like 4 times to apologize to Jenna. The kid just stared at both of us and finally said, "But she doesn't even talk yet!" And yet the boy was trying to communicate with her earlier!! And I said, yes, she does talk, and stood there waiting for his apology, which he finally said sullenly.

No worries, I'm not to go crazy on some kid in the nursery who pushes Jenna. Like I said, there was a clear understanding of right and wrong in this situation, and I'm not going to stand by and let someone hurt my child.

My adrenaline's pumping again just thinking about this situation. What would you do?

Quote

"Every home is a house of learning either for good or otherwise. Family members may learn to be obedient, honest, industrious, self-reliant, and faithful in living gospel principles, or they may learn something else. "Learning the gospel in the homes of Church members should be centered on the scriptures and on the words of the latter-day prophets. The Lord has commanded parents to teach their children."--Joseph B. Wirthlin, Ensign, May 1993, p. 70

Primary Split

So today was our first Sunday where we split the Junior and Senior Primary. It was really hectic trying to get it all figured out, but overall I think it went well. I do think that it will be even better with time, and now I'm a believer in splitting. I wasn't in favor of it first, but the reverence sure was better this Sunday than last Sunday, although last Sunday was the worst I'd ever seen it.

Anyway, the Primary President is gone for a couple of weeks, so I have Sharing Time the next two weeks in a row. BUT, then I don't have to do it at all the month of April, so that will be a nice break. I'm actually getting better at teaching the kids, I think, but it is a lot of work, and I still get really nervous in front of people, no matter what age they may be.

In other news, I am starting to get my birthday restaurant free stuff! So far today, I got emails from Old Country Buffet, Qdoba, Hooters (yes, Hooters), Cold Stone, Dairy Queen and Buca di Beppo. Hooters and Cold Stone are the only ones so far to actually give you something for free with no strings attached; all the rest are buy one, get one free type deals. I'm still waiting for my Red Robin free meal email. I'm excited about that one! Braden said that he guesses it ultimately was a good thing that Olive Garden screwed him over on his birthday, since it was a result of that that I started looking for places that actually give you stuff for your birthday.

It just occurred to me that this may be the first post to ever mention both Hooters and Primary. "Today we took the Primary to Hooters for our ward activity, and they had a blast!!..." :)