I love it and you're awesome!
My sweet friend Jessica brought by a Finals Survivor Pack present for me last night. How sweet is this!? She knew I'd have my nose in the books all day, be up to my ears in study material, and need a way to unwind.
I squealed when she gave it to me. =) How fun is it to have awesome friends like this?
Well, I was going to link to this blog from last year's mid-term week, describing how overwhelmed I was feeling at the moment, how unprepared, and how this semester has pretty much gone over my head.
But a lot of the details aren't quite the same, so I won't... hee-hee...
I am under a lot of self-imposed stress, but I think I'm handling it ok. Working out like crazy has, I believe, really helped my stress level this time around. In the last 48 hours I've actually worked out 5 times if you can believe that--2 cross fit sessions, one of which was really really hard, and 3 sessions of Turbo-Jam. It's all good. I'm a bit sore but I think I'm getting addicted to the endorphins.
And it's hard to get too depressed about the whole situation because I figured I'd need to get less than a 25% on the final to not pass, so I think I'm good. I am studying every spare second, going over essays and old test questions until I'm blue in the face, but, at this point, it is what it is. I had a really hard time this last quarter (the nervous system is not my friend, it's not!) but I'll just go in an do what I can.
So, pray for me. I'll be taking my final tomorrow, and then I can just be relieved that it's over until August.
How is it possible that 5 years ago I quit working for the school district as a sign language interpreter? For 5 years, I've stayed at home with this little baby (and my other chitlins), feeling like home was where I needed to be and where I could do the most good. 5 years doing daycare. My youngest is 5! How is that conceivably possible?
We had a fun party Saturday with all the fixins. . . with a hot dog lunch, pinata, bubblegum machine cake, and slip n' slide, how can you go wrong? Thanks for everyone who came or called and helped us make Ethan's day great. =) Sean took most of these pictures-they're not perfect, and as Ethan was opening presents, Sean would get too excited and curious to take a good picture of the gift itself after it was unwrapped, but for the most part, Sean did a good job.
The bike makes motorcycle noises when you turn/rev the handles.
I have to admit I"m pretty darn proud of this cake. I copied it from a book. Fun, huh?
"Lucky" by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat. Love this. Love.
"Then" by Brad Paisley
"Here Comes Goodbye" by Rascal Flatts
"How do you Sleep" by Jesse McCartney
"Come on Eileen" by Dexy's Midnight Runners
"1234" by Plain White T's
"Stop Crying your Heart Out" by Oasis
"Everything" by Lifehouse
"Gives you Hell" by the All American Rejects
"Jump Jive an' Wail" by Brian Setzer Orchestra
What are you listening to?
The last couple of weeks in church during singing time, Joanna has been teaching the kids the "Go the Second Mile" song, which is basically about doing more than asked, performing more service, being extra helpful around the house.
The lyrics:
When there is a task to do,
Do it with a smile.
Do more than you are asked to do
and go the second mile.
In your work and an in your play,
try it for a while.
You'll find that you'll be happy when
you go the second mile.
Why is it, that I do a week's worth of 'whites' laundry, and put away exactly 17 pairs of underwear for my 4 year old, but only 4 pairs for my 9 year old?
And on that note, it appears that the new laundry detergent did not cause Ethan's hives. Or if it did, then it was just a one-time thing. After the incident last Tuesday I experimented by dressing him in one article of clothing from that load of wash each day. No hives. This weekend just about everything he wore was washed in the All Free & Clear and no hives.
So...what could it have been?
Several years ago when our kids outgrew the ol' standby aluminum swingset--you know, the one that lifted off the ground as you swang back and forth?--we did some craigslist-ing and found a used swingset for sale on the east side. I don't remember how much we paid...maybe around $1000? Maybe less? I just remember it was a great deal because the ones we liked were selling for around $3500 at Costco and even more at Rainbow.
Anyway, we bought it from a lady who was running an official daycare center in her home. She had learned that she couldn't keep this up in her backyard unless she had the rubberized stuff put into her yard as to prevent injury. We brought it back here and set it up--the thing is a monster. Not only does it have the middle fort and slide area, but it has 'wings' for swings on either side. So at any one time, we can have 5 kids swinging away.
The problem is, after taking it apart and putting it back together, some of the bolts and whatnot were stripped, so it never set just right. It leans pretty bad to the left, but it still looks relatively (ha) safe. We need an engineer to come on over and tell us what to shift, move, straighten, whatever. In the meantime, 3, 4 years later, the kids have been fine with it.
However.
Dad Blogs is giving away one of these:
You can enter to win one here as sponsored by Kids Creations. They are also giving away a great camera to take pics of your chitlens whilst they enjoy said play set. We would love this because it would stand fully upright! And as my kids grow older and bigger, something a little more structurally sound would be a good addition to our backyard.
I'd love if you referred to me when you enter. If I win, I'll give our playset to a very deserving blog reader. If you win, I'll happily take a plate of cookies. Good luck.
K, so...I've been a tad lazy in my blogposts lately as nothing too interesting is happening and my class is currently mopping the floor with my brain. Seriously, nothing is sinking in lately and I'm already having nightmares about the final which I take in a week and a half. Is it too late to change my mind? I don't really want to be a nurse do I?
I did these layouts last weekend and am making progress on my Disney Album. I will never ever ever ever ever again do an entire vacation album. It's way too much work. I've been working on this since October I think, and am about 75% done I think. It's great and I love looking at it, but I'm so tired of seeing myself in the same outfits and scrapping the same color scheme. Heh. Oh well, had to try it at least once.
We'll be having another scrapbooking crop on April 25th (saturday night) if anyone is interested. Just email me for the particulars. =)
Ethan woke up yesterday morning just covered ears to ankles in hives. The poor kiddo looked like he had one bad bumpy sunburn. He's not allergic to anything that I know of and hadn't eaten anything weird, rolled on any grass, or done anything different.
Except, I did just start using a new detergent this week, and the pajamas he wore the night before were likely the first out of that load that he'd worn.
The odd thing is, the new detergent is All Free & Clear, the stuff that has no additives, perfumes, or dyes--I buy this for Cameron who has horrible eczema outbreaks this time of year--so why Ethan would be allergic to this is beyond me.
Dan was on shift but got permission to swing by our house in the ambo and give Ethan a shot of benadryl. {Ethan wasn't happy about that.} It did decrease the itch and I was able to schedule an appointment with his pediatrician for later in the morning.
Now by the time I finally got to the appointment with Ethan and 2 daycare kiddies {after having a 'duh' moment and realizing the office had moved...everyone back in the car, kids!} Ethan's hives had all but vanished so I pretty much felt like this was all a waste of time anyway. The hives were gone, I was pretty sure the detergent was the culprit, and the kiddos were missing their naps. But just to be sure, I kept the appointment.
A wasted hour later, we left the ped's office with no new information, no prescription, nothing but the knowledge that I was going to have to figure out how to use one detergent for Ethan and another for Cameron.
So what advice can you give me? Is there any middle ground here? Or do I just need to keep Cameron's clothing, bedding, towels, and everything separate from Ethan's wash loads? This stuff ain't cheap, so I hate to waste the whole thing just to try various other brands, but maybe that's what I need to do.
And why the heck does the "Free and Clear" promote allergies in my son?!
{First of all, many thanks to you who expressed your concern over my ill-timed influenza this past weekend. I am feeling much better...a bit dehydrated and tired, but I managed to stay out of the bathroom for hours at a time yesterday. Success! It made for a rough Easter, but was certainly not our worst Easter of all time. Some of you remember our double rollover car accident Easter 01 that nearly killed my husband? Yeah...I'll take a million flu outbreaks over that any day. Anyway, thanks, I'm good now. Let's hope it doesn't spread to anyone else in the house.}
I can't tell you how many facebook requests I've had lately...it seems that every week for the past 6 months I've had old friends from singles ward or new friends from my current ward ask me to join one of these latest online crazes. And don't get me wrong, I'd love to say hi, chat at ya a bit, catch up, whatever. But can't we do that in person? Over the phone? By email? In my opinion, Facebook is just the latest networking fad that will come and go in the next couple of years not unlike myspace. For the record, I have a myspace account that I haven't updated in well over a year. I spent a few months researching anyone and everyone I could think of, said "hi, whatcha been up to the last 15 years?" and then that was the end of it. I could be wrong, but this is likely heading the same way.
I'm sure it's fun. I'm positive people are having a blast reconnecting and/or just social networking with current and past friends. But ladies and gentlemen, between school, my blog, and my incessant love of email, I spend way too much time online as it is. I don't need one more thing to add to my need-to-check-daily-hourly-minutely list!
If you want to get a hold of me...gasp...call me! Email me! I even instant message on occasion! Do I really have to be on FaceBook to be your friend?
And don't even get me started on Twitter. Wow, something people use to keep others in the know regarding what they do hourly! Or more often! I just know this would be way too much fun and way too time consuming. I'm not doing it because I don't think I'll enjoy it...the opposite in fact. I know I'll enjoy it too much! And again, like myspace, I think this fad will run it's course. I just know my limits, people. Please, enjoy without me. Don't think less of me because I won't join your online clubs and friends' lists.
The bottom line is, I don't need one more thing to be addicted to, and I know that is precisely what these two things would become. Your latest tweet and what's on your wall will just have to pass me by and leave me in my only-a-blogger status dust.
You'll still love me, right?
My typical experience with gardening is that plenty of greenery grows, but little to no actual vegetation. This year's growth thus far is consistent, but I'm still hopeful that I'll get to actually harvest. The time is soon approaching--I planted in February.
This is zucchini. I'm really hopeful about these guys--the plants get so big that I always think for sure they'll be successful.
This is in the middle of each plant--does this mean it's about to blossom? I hope so! Zucchini bread here I come!
Surprisingly, my carrots haven't done too well this time around. I don't think they're gonna amount to much.
The green onions looked much better a couple of days ago, but I just cut a bunch out to eat. The green onions always do well, and are so good on mexican food dishes, baked potatoes, hawaiian haystacks, and more.
These are some bell peppers plants that sprung (sprang?) back up from last season.
And something else I'm really excited about (I lead a really tame life) are these tomato plants! They've taken off! I only planted them maybe 3 weeks ago...and already I have over half a dozen little tomatoes growing.
Aren't they cute? I so love home grown fresh tomatoes.
So from these pictures, do you see anything I'm doing wrong? Any advice would be helpful!
My latest review is up and live over on my Review Blog.
Go check 'er out.
You'll find a link and an opportunity to win a case full of yogurt too, if that's your thing.
Good luck.
Have I shared these with you yet? I did these a couple of weeks ago. Nothing too fancy.
Impromptu scrapping at my house this Saturday night. Might not be an all-night-monster-scrapfest as we are known to put on, but if you're interested, let me know--you're welcome to attend.
Dear body,
I am sorry for what I put you through last week.
Namely, the 125 "Good Morning" hamstring exercises with 25 lbs of weight that at the time, seemed completely doable and did not hurt too badly.
I am sorry that the following day, and every day since, your hamstrings have been so tight, that you have not been able to completely stretch out your legs without immense amounts of leg pain.
I apologize that the simple task of bending over the dishwasher to empty it, is no longer possible. Also in this category are the following: shaving with straight legs, running, bending over to tie shoes, picking up laundry from the floor, squatting in any form, and so much more.
And I am sorry that you can no longer keep up with your 4 year old son. Even when you're really all out trying.
Sometimes, I forget, that you are thirty-three year old body, and that you need to take things in stride, a bit easier at first, and with a good dose of before and after stretching.
I forget that just because Jesika Gardner can do 150 of these in her sleep, I think that you can.
I ask forgiveness for the decrepit state you are in, and promise next time, to consider this past week of pain as a standard in which I never again want to return.
Please take these Tylenol with Codeine with my apologies-pills I have had lying around for nearly 5 years since my C-section with Ethan circa April 2004. {Are these even any good any more?}
If those do not work, please relax, eat these newly baked, fresh and warm chocolate chip cookies, and consume them, enjoying each and every deserved calorie.
Body, I hope you will accept my humblest and deepest of apologies and some day return me to my former state of being able to straighten my legs and touch my toes.
Sincerely,
Amie
PS: CrossFit, you are the devil.
Wednesday night we indeed went to the LDS temple in the valley to enjoy the Easter Pageant "Jesus the Christ". It's a fabulous representation of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus from the New Testament. We were the first ones there and got seats right up front, hanging with friends, eating, takin' pics, and having a good time passing the night.
Ethan's favorite part is always tracking down the centurions and soldiers and swiping their swords from them.
All three boys went around getting signatures from the cast walking around hours before the performance started. Ethan would go up to one, stand there patiently, and when the actor finally noticed him, he'd thrust his program in their direction and say, "write your name!"
It was only warm for the first couple of hours, then it cooled off a bit, but not as cold as it has been in the past.
I think my bangs may be getting a tad out of control. I'm considering going back to my blonde highlights next month. Anyone have any opinions on this?
Always with the dirty face. Why do they lick their lips while they eat? Yuck.
Yup, koolaid face all right.
My surrogate. =)
Could she be any cuter?
Major ham.
Cute pic of Abby.
I told him to smile. =)
I think they were going for mysterious here. 
Now onto the pageant, and Jesus as a boy. 
One of the angels at some point, I forget when. 
The angel chorus.
The 10 Virgins parable dance (it's fuzzy, but it's one of my favorite parts, so I wanted to include it). 
These next few always give me goosebumps.
You can't tell, but the baby he's holding is like 1 yr old-we met her earlier as the cast was walking around mingling with the audience. She was so cute!
My camera didn't take pics too well once the lights went down, so these are the best of what I captured. To see it better, go next week! It runs most of next week and starts at 8p. I hope you'll go, and enjoy it as much as we did. =)
