Facebook?

So, I've never had a...what do you even call them--a profile(?) on a networking site such as myspace of Facebook. I've just blogged and that's been plenty fine and good for me. My cousin has a facebook account and one time she showed me about a million people that I went to high school with and I did think that was pretty intriguing, but I never did take the plunge.
However, I'm thinking more and more about doing it. I think it would be fun to find out where people ended up and what they are doing. I'm always fascinated by people--isn't that one part of the draw to blogging?
So, what do you think? Do you have a Facebook account? If not, why? Do you like it more than blogging? What do you post on your Facebook account that you don't post on your blog? Lots and lots of questions...

Finding the Time

This holiday season, in fact all holiday seasons since I had children, has been hectic. I always enter the month of December with so much expectation and excitement. I want to do the 12 days of Christmas for someone, I want to make homemade treats and deliver them to all my friends, I want to make homemade gifts for loved ones, I want to go see the lights at the temple, I want to do a cookie exchange, I want to send out Christmas cards, I want to put up the tree with my family while Christmas music plays in the background, I want to help my children understand the true meaning of Christmas, I want to make homemade crafts with my children, I want to help my daughter learn to play her Christmas song perfectly, I want to make sure Owen gets more opportunity to be included in the events of the season while not ignoring the baby either. I'm sure there's more that has escaped my mind or I've repressed in order to survive.
Some of these things got done, others didn't or haven't yet (there are still some days left). The problem I'm finding is time. I want to do all of these good things--I really do. The predicament is doing these things with kindness in my heart and patience for those around me--more specifically my children.
Perhaps I'm the only person with this flaw, but I'm willing to confess it--I am not patient. I get irritated when I can't get everything done that I have on my list to do. I am all about lists. I can't sleep without them--literally. I wake-up in the night and just lie there until I've written it down and mapped out a plan of action. Sick, sick, sick.
In all of my desire to bring a little bit of joy to those around me, I often feel like I'm bringing no joy to my own children. I lose patience for Ryanna's million questions and slow processes, I lose patience for Owen's messes and his ignoring me, I beg Eli to hold off from receiving attention/food/whatever so I can just get "one more thing done!"
All of this leads me to my resolutions for next year. Gaining patience would be the obvious goal. Yes and no. I'm not naive enough to believe I'm going to reach that goal in one year let alone one life, but I can do something about making better time for my children. I want to do more one on one activities with them. The obvious connection between that and patience is not readily visible. Dealing with three children at one time has been quite a new and trying experience for me. However, one child at a time is not only more manageable, it's even fun.
Last night Ryanna and I took a cookie making class together. I signed us up for it a couple of weeks ago. I was under the assumption that we would be making the cookies together--which didn't actually happen--but we still had an hour and a half of time with just the two of us. It was fun to learn some new things and just have her by my side. There is such joy in spending time with your child when really can let yourself unwind.
So, my goal for this next year--one of them and perhaps the most important one--is to make more quality time for our little family. Our lives already feel so busy and I know it'll only get more crazy, but I truly believe that the most important days are these--while my kids are young. I need to use this time being a good mom. I just don't want to look back at this time and wish I'd spent it gaining close relationships instead of to-doing every day. It's going to be tricky no doubt, but it is definitely a worthwhile goal.

Cookie Exchange Extrodinaire

(Several of the dessert plates are hidden under other plates because we had so much!)

I had this great idea last week to get together some girlfriends and do a cookie exchange. I love to take plates of homemade goodies to friends, but it gets a bit overwhelming to think of making multiple desserts in large enough quantities and in a fast enough time that they are still moist. I had heard of this concept of exchanging Christmas sweetness before, but I had never participated--let alone thought of hosting the whole event.

Well, I went ahead and dove in and contacted a bunch of friends--there ended up being 8 of us total--and we got together this morning to divide the spoils. It was absolutely amazing to see that many cookies/treats all in one location.

The way I worked it was to have each woman bring a dozen of whatever she chose to make for each of the other women. So, there were 8 of us total, so I had to make 7 dozen of something to share with the other ladies. I chose to make Chocolate-Peppermint Sandwiches (homemade oreo with peppermint filling, dipping one corner in a chocolate glaze and rolling it in crushed peppermint candies--I know, I know--pretty gourmet--look for my TV show on the Food Network later this year).

(These are the mini cheesecake type desserts)

Well, the cookie I picked wins an award for smallest quantity ever for a recipe. I ended up doubling the batch FOUR times. That's right, if I would've done individual batches I would've made it 8 times!!! AND, that didn't make enough cookies either. I ended up supplementing with a shortbread type cookie called Cinnamon Coins.

The biggest problem with the whole exchange is that after seeing all of these scrumptious desserts, none of us want to give them out! I think a new tradition is born.

Featuring: Coconut Macaroons, Pecan Sandies, Peppermint Oreos, Cinnamon Coins, Nutter Butter Cookie Truffles, Ginger Crinkles, Fantastic Fudge, Cream Cheese Cups, Candied Pretzels & Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chippies!

O Christmas Tree!

Last night we put up our Christmas tree. We have a beautiful, fake tree that my parents bought us several years ago. I love the tree because it has bendable branches and my mom also helped me pick out all these beautiful dark blue and silver ornaments to fill it. IKEA & my mom made decorating the tree affordable.

It used to be almost like a tree you'd see in a store--perfectly matching ornaments and such. Then, along came Owen and last year he seemed to want to pull all of the ornaments off the tree that were within reach. Only one of the ornaments actually completely broke. The rest of them just needed some new string. I did that this time around.

(not all of us were into decorating the tree)

My tree is starting to look less and less like a perfect store tree and I'm actually still just as much in love because of the memories that these new ornaments are bringing. There's the ornament featuring a picture of Ryanna glued to a frozen juice lid. There is the snowman with a bell for a bottom which Ryanna got from her violin teacher last year. There are two snowmen that have Ryanna and Owen's names written on the back with the year that they got them from us. I'm trying to get each of the kids an ornament each year, so when they get married they can have some ornaments of their own.

I remember the tree at my house growing up had some ornaments I had made. The one I remember most was a bird's nest inside of half of a pantyhose egg container (who is old enough to remember those pantyhose eggs?). It's amazing how decorating can bring back such strong and wonderful memories.

Last year's decorating party!

Watch me eat an ornament!

Cheesey smile!

Ahhh, too cute!

MY Idea of Black Friday

So, I didn't get up early to go to all the "doorbuster" sales this morning. I'm sorry, but 4 am? I am up at that time often these days, but it's with a nursing baby, not with piles of merchandise in my hands.
Seriously, why do these stores do this to themselves? I had never participated in these sales before last year. We live across the street from a Kohl's and they had some items I wanted, so I decided to go see what I could get. When I walked in and saw the line of people, I thought that they must be waiting in line for something other than to check out. Surely that was it. Then I walked through the store and the two lines cross each other. What is this?
Needless to say, I shopped for about an hour and waited in line for over three hours. THREE HOURS!!! I am happy to say that one of those items was my Hoover Floormate that cleans my wood floors and saves me a lot of work, but it was still a ridiculous wait for that price.
My idea of Black Friday? Trust me, someone out there is going to read this and someday you'll see something like this soon.
Rules for MY Black Friday:
1. If you show up before 11 in the morning, you pay double for your items.
2. You can choose to peruse through the store for your items, or for a small fee you can have a personal shopper locate all of your items while you kick back and get a pedicure, massage or sip a smoothie (or hot chocolate)!
3. The sale prices remain the same all day and you can get a raincheck if we run out of what you want.
4. You can bring your husband and he can sit in our football/basketball (HUGE flatscreen) relaxation room.
5. Bring your kids too, there's free babysitting!
6. Last, but not least, the sales associates would be friendly and knowledgable. (Okay maybe this one is the most unrealistic of all).
Trust me, this is the store of the future. I'd shop there for sure!

Time for Thorough Check up?

So, the other day I was updating my recipe book. I remembered that I had never printed off my recipe for Ruth's Chris's Sweet Potato Casserole that my cousin gave me. I knew I had posted it around Halloween time of 2007, so I clicked on my blog history and just started scrolling through last year's posts.
Scroll, Scroll, Scroll. Just out for a scroll (ha, ha).
All of a sudden one of my posts caught my eye in a BIG way!
What the heck is that picture? It used to be a picture of a heart. Not anymore, someone changed the IP address so that it was now pornography. I don't want to gross you out with the details, but I was a bit panicked to see it there. I kept thinking, "I wonder if anyone else has browsed through my blog history recently and discovered this photo?!?!?!?!?"
So, if you happen to discover any other not-quite-right photos on my blog, PLEASE let me know. And, you may want to browse through your blog history if you have ever copied and pasted a picture onto your blog.
And, for you--person who change the address of a cute little heart to that of porn--shame, shame.

Happy Birthday Owen!

Yesterday Owen turned two. I should've posted yesterday, but it seems that anymore our Saturdays are jammed full of activities.

Instead of cake, we had homemade apple pies made by my grandma and we gave him ice cream with chocolate sauce on top--yum! He remembered the hat from nursery last Sunday and ran to get it when we told him we were going to sing "Happy Birthday" to him.

For his birthday, his great-grandparents bought him a Radio Flyer Hot Wheels type car which he loves. (So does his sister.)

He also got lots of clothes from his other grandparents. Lots of cute, cute, much needed clothing. In fact, I was thinking about how wonderful my mom and dad are to buy my kids (and even me and my husband) clothes. I think that we would own about five pieces of clothing between all of us without their clothing us--so thanks!

And, we got him two shirts. Not just any two shirts, but BYU T-shirts! About a month ago Owen decided he only wanted to wear BYU clothing. This was a tricky proposition because he only owns three BYU T-shirts. I started to have to convince him that different clothing was paying homage to BYU with its color scheme. Luckily, little boy clothing has lots and lots of dark blue. He was excited to wear one of his BYU shirts yesterday (they won by the way!) and he even slept in it.

Happy Birthday to my sweet, sweet, growing too quickly, little boy!

Book Club Rules

These are the Rules of Ryanna's Book Club:

I will write them out for you~

1. No Brudrs ulood No Brothers allowed

2. No keking the wols No kicking the walls

3. Dot tac sufhing too Don't take something too

4. No keking yor feet No kicking your feet

5.No being unmodest I think that one's pretty clear

6. No gum

7. B Qiet Be Quiet

To make these rules more clear, you must understand that the Book Club was held outside in a tent which was formed by two kitchen chairs covered by a not quite big enough blanket. As a parent, you can see what these rules revealed about that particular day (interpretation matches each number above):

1. She was not getting along with Owen.

2. Owen had attempted to enter the Book Club and had been kicking down the walls.

3. Owen had been ordered out of the Book Club and escaped with contraband.

4. As preventative maintenance for the club, kicking feet of any kind would no longer be permitted. It was fun while it lasted.

5. This is the influence of good parenting showing.

6. This is the influence of school rules seeping in.

7. We're reading in this dark tent, trying to ruin our eyesight. We don't need you screaming and ruining our hearing too.

All in all, I'd say she has a great future as a dictator ahead of her.

Then, there are these notes, that I just absolutely love. See interpretation below:

I love you. You are the best Mom ever to me. You are skinny and fabulous and a great cook and I miss you every time I'm away.

The end.

Election Humor Part II

Today I volunteered in Ryanna's kindergarten class. While I was chatting with the other woman that volunteers, she told me that I had missed the most exciting part of the day.
The kids are keeping daily journals where they record a couple of sentences dealing with whatever they are thinking about and perhaps draw a picture to go with those thoughts. Since the election happened last night, Ryanna's teacher told the class she was going to write about Barack Obama being elected as the new President.
Apparently that's all it took.
One boy said, "My dad says Barack Obama is a trickster!"
Another little boy yelled out, "My dad says he's DUMB!"
So, with that, the teacher decided she would NOT be writing about the election.
The other am kindergarten class was not without their own controversy. When one little boy said that his dad was going to vote for Barack Obama, another little boy became hysterical and burst out with, "He's a baby killer!"
I guess that the passion associated with this election was not reserved to the adults and it has not yet cooled.
Stay tuned for more drama from the kindergarten class...

Election Humor?

So, I meant to post this conversation last week, but didn't get around to it.

I was looking at something on the internet when Ryanna came up to the computer. Apparently there was a picture of something related to the Presidential election on the screen that caught her eye. The conversation then went like this:

Ryanna: I voted for Barack Obama.

Me: (Shocked face and voice because this child has been referring to this man as A-Rock A-Bama since she's heard his name.) What?

Ryanna: I voted for Barack Obama.

Me: You mean that if you could vote, you'd vote for Barack Obama?

Ryanna: No, I voted for him today in school.

Me: Really? (I had heard nothing about this.) How did you vote?

Ryanna: On the computer. It was just pretend. I didn't really vote mom. (Whew! Thank goodness she cleared that up for me.)

Me: So, why did you vote for him?

Ryanna: Because he has all the answers.

Me: (Amazed that she has such good comebacks to these questions.) Well, do you even know the name of the other person running for President?

Ryanna: Yes, John McCain.

Me: (Feeling a bit in awe to be in the presence of someone who is about as politically informed as me and is only age 5) So, why don't you like John McCain?

Ryanna: He's mean and he doesn't have the answers like Barack Obama does.

Me: Oh.

Now, don't ask me where she heard all of this stuff. She has been subjected to every presidential debate, but she complained whenever we turned them on and she didn't stay in the room to watch them. I don't know where she got all of this information--school maybe?

So, it's true, your kids are listening even when you think they aren't!

***This message was paid for by the Parents Who Need to Pay Closer Attention to What Their Children are Overhearing Council.

Fall Photos

It looks like he has a queue!

The other day while Owen was taking a nap, I got some photos of Eli and Ryanna. I thought they turned out rather cute. Then there are the Halloween photos--Ryanna was a peacock and Owen was a hamburger. If there was a prize for cutest costume, I think Owen would've won it. I've never seen so many people in love with a costume.

The last detail you should know--don't bend over when you're alone in a hamburger costume--you'll never be able to get up.

Pumpkin Shirts!

On Monday, the kids and I decided to get a bit crafty and have some fun. I had found this tye-die project in a magazine that I get called Family Fun, so we gave it a try. (I would post a link, but there isn't one on their website.) It was really quite easy and we had a lot of fun making it happen. You can follow our process below. (And yes, that's Owen smiling--it's all he does for a smile anymore.)

Guess I'm a Soccer Mom & Wife!

Ryanna's first ever soccer game was yesterday afternoon. Don't ask me why they scheduled a game for 2 in the afternoon since it was 96 degrees. And, don't ask me why they would assign any team to wear black jerseys in the Arizona heat.

Being that I'm the parent that stays home, it has been left to me to buy all of the necessary gear for this soccer endeavor and being that I never played soccer, I was a bit clueless. It involves such things as shin guards, really, really long socks, a size 3 ball and soccer cleats. I guess it also involves some athletic shorts, but I didn't get around to buying those before the baby came and I haven't felt much like shopping for that stuff with three kids. That should explain Ryanna's stretch pants ensemble. Though I think her dad was embarrassed by it, I thought it made it quite easy to spot her in the pack and trust me, there is always a pack when this age plays.

I didn't know what to expect for this game. Ryanna has not been that interested in sports period. I signed her up for soccer for her to have the experience. She's only been to two practices (should've been three, but I forgot in the madness of watching BYU get demolished by TCU on Thursday). Not to mention that Ryanna is pretty mild mannered by nature and sports really require a bit of a pushy and competitive edge.

Well, to my delight, she was awesome!! She was really good at getting to the ball and kicking it in the right direction. This sounds funny, but at this level that is quite a big deal. One boy showed up for the last quarter, got on the field, got possession of the ball and tore down the field and scored in about 10 seconds. Too bad he scored against his own team! Most of the other kids took breaks from the action, but Ryanna played the entire game without being pulled. She loved it. She was disappointed that she didn't score a goal, but I was totally impressed with her efforts.

I also had to laugh when the coach decided to name the team at halftime. Are you ready for this? Her suggestion and the team pick--The Black Panthers! Boy oh boy. Is she going to be attending practices or rallies after this? And to top off the funniness, the boy that was the very best player on the other team was named Cain. Cain--who does that to their child--an atheist?

Owen would've played too if we would've let him. During halftime he took his own soccer ball out to one of the goals and practiced shooting. It was pretty cute.

Eli slept through the entire event--big surprise. He has to sleep because it takes a lot of effort to stay awake all night.

After Ryanna's game, we went to Derek's indoor soccer game (they won). I guess I'm the only one in the family that doesn't play besides Eli and he can't even hold his own head up yet. Oh well, someone needs to be the driver and biggest fan.

Express Yourself!

So, I'll admit to being a bit harsh on women who "gave up" on nursing their children. Both of my children nursed for over a year and were great nursers from the very beginning. I'm beginning to think that some of their nursing talent may have come from the fact that neither one was born until 41 weeks. Then again, my children are geniuses, so you'll have to decide for yourself.

Along comes this baby who is so incredibly beautiful AND did I mention he has a dimple? Yes people, when we die scientists are going to ask for a sample of our genes to determine how my husband and I--both dimple-less--have created three consecutive offspring with beautiful dimples. I digress, but dimples are dang cute.

Like I was writing, Eli is cute, but the boy was tongue tied. His tongue is tiny anyway and his frenulum (that piece of skin that ties your tongue to the bottom of your mouth) attached all the way to the very front of his tongue. Luckily, the doctor clipped it. Snip, snap and we thought he'd be on to nursing glory.

It hasn't been nearly so simple. For whatever reason, it could be that he was born early, it could be that his jaw has a bit of an under bite, it could be something else I haven't figured out, but this boy has really struggled to nurse. I'm not talking about having him latch on and then fall asleep after a minute or two. I'm talking about how it can take me thirty minutes of coaxing, begging and encouraging to get him to latch on. And, that's only for one side. In other words, I can spend an hour to get him to nurse for 15 minutes. We both end up a little cranky about the whole thing.

What I'm saying is that once again I'm being given the opportunity to learn to be a little bit less judgmental. I have thought about quitting and just going to formula. Not just for myself, but for Eli's own level of comfort and relief. However, I do love the snugly closeness of nursing and when he latches on, it's such a sense of relief and accomplishment for both of us (even if some of the positions I have to contort myself to will probably put me in a chiropractor's office). Not to mention all of the wonderful health benefits associated with nursing.

So, I'm not going to quit, but it's certainly an uphill battle. We'll have one absolutely terrible nursing session where I'm ready to pull my hair out and the next time it only takes a few minutes and he's latched on and ready to eat. Be patient with us--we're both learning new skills here.

Eli

Here is Eli!

He was born on the evening of October 7 after four pushes.

He is a tiny guy weighing in at only 6 pounds 9 ounces.

Both Owen and Ryanna are super thrilled to have him home and want to hold and kiss on him all the time. Owen comforts Eli when he cries by chanting, "It's okay baby. It's okay." Ryanna is already planning the birth of the next baby which she assures me is a sister.

Eli was tongue tied at birth, but we had that cut yesterday and are happy to report his nursing has greatly improved.

He has a tiny cry that several nurses mentioned sounded like a recorded cry that you would hear from a doll.

He loves to sleep most of the day away and remind us how cute he is in the wee hours of the night.

All in all--we're all in love.