The Rest of March

Wow! I've been a blog slacker. Since this is my way of journaling the things that go on around here it isn't very good to get behind. So here it goes:

Of course Eliza was blessed at the beginning of March then it was quiet around here until our dog, Tag, ran off and came home all bloody on March 12th. At first we thought he maybe got hung up on some barbed wire or something, but then two girls from our neighborhood showed up at our house to tell us he got in a fight with one of the girl's dog. We can't imagine Tag did anything to provoke it. He's the sweetest dog you'll ever meet. We never had the heart to tell him he got beat up by a girl!! Ha, ha. Actually it really wasn't funny. She bit into him on his left front and back legs. We cleaned him up good and opted for the wait and see how he does treatment. And he's healed up just fine. He's going to have some nasty scars though. Poor dog. He's had some back luck. The good thing is he comes home now after he runs away or better yet he hardly runs away at all anymore.

For some reason I decided to start potty training Haley on March 13th. As we all know, she's a bit naughty when it comes to keeping her clothes and diaper on so I decided to take the plunge.
{Please excuse the messy hair.... apparently I had a one track mind.... potty training! No time for ribbons and bows or grooming! But hmmm.... there's time for snacks on the potty?! Priorities people. Priorities! Oh and she got herself dressed in these pictures.}

{The pile of "wet" pants after an hour into the "training".}

So by day two I was ready to quit. I couldn't believe I thought it was a good idea! What was I thinking??? But Haley wasn't about to let me put a diaper back on her and I'm very VERY glad she refused because a few days later we were able to call potty training a success. We still have some #2 issues (sorry for that detail), but overall.... she's a big girl now! Yay!

On St. Patrick's Day I made green mush, clover shaped toast and colored the milk green for breakfast.... let's just say that the mush didn't get eaten as well as it usually does. It was an interesting color! I think it got compared to vomit. Yum! Kaden again this year wondered why a leprechaun didn't visit our house. Isn't it a well known fact that they don't visit EVERY house.... just a few houses and classrooms? Right? But the best part of the day was when Tye informed me it was "Thanks Patrick's Day". There was no correcting him. Too cute. I "LUB" that kid and he recently informed Nate and I that we go on dates because we are in "LUB". Awwww, my heart just melted again. Does he have to grow up? Oh and while I'm on the subject of Tye, here's a little conversation we had one night:
Me: "Good night honey bunny."
Tye: "Hey Mom?!"
Me: "What?"
Tye: "Call me pudding cause I like to eat pudding."
Me: "OK. Good night Pudding!"

Tye had a field trip for preschool to the Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point on March 25th so I decided to brave it and go too.... with Haley, Eliza and my niece, Britney (I was tending her that day). I don't know why I always cringe at the thought of taking more than two kids out with me. I was tired of holding myself back because of my wild imagination and it turned out just fine. The world didn't come to an end like I imagined it would. I tend to think the worst.... Haley might have an accident or run off or throw a tantrum, Eliza will think she's starving and scream bloody murder, or all those things might happen at the SAME time!!! Aaaaah! See, I overreact.



It turned out just fine and Tye, Haley, Britney and even I had a fun time.... and Eliza was an angel!

On March 26th - 28th we visited my sister, Marci, and her family in Rexburg. We never have to have any big plans when we visit. Our kids just love being with their cousins with nothing to do but play. Nate and I (and Eliza) were able to go out the first night with Marci and her husband, Tony, while my nieces watched the kids. We went out for sushi... my first REAL go at it. I must admit it was good. I had had tastes here and there, but never had it be my meal.... I always had a cop out. My sister swears this place we went to in Idaho Falls is THE best place ever. I guess I better go try some somewhere else to compare.... I know I won't have to twist Nate's arm for an excuse for sushi. :) Nate and I did a session at the Rexburg Temple while we were there. We had gone to the temple open house a couple years ago so it was fun to go back and see it again. Nate helped get their home theater set up and we had a movie night. So really it was nothing spectacular or super exciting, but it was fun to get away and look at some walls that aren't my own! And I love my family. So fun to see them!

So other than those "momentous" moments our other happenings have been Nate traveling for work, the kids going to school, piano lessons (Kaden just started!), chorus, activity days, scouts, cleaning, cooking, laundry, homework, family dinners, and so forth! Super exciting around here, ain't it?!

HELP!!

I'm in a rut. It is driving me crazy. I know I have a newborn, but come on, I can't use that excuse forever. (Is she even considered a newborn still???) She's already 3 months old... TODAY! Where did January and February go? Not to mention most of March, too. {sigh} Well anyway, my rut is I'm not productive. Sure I'm taking care of children- feeding them, cleaning them, etc.., but I feel like my house is in disorder and confusion 90% of the time (the other 10% is when the kids are in bed and I'm still awake for a minute or two). I do the bare necessities to get by each day and think I'll get on top of it all tomorrow. Well as we all know, that way of thinking only leads to trouble. I've attempted assigning each day with it's tasks to spread it out so it's not so overwhelming, but I find that I talk myself into doing it TOMORROW and then the cycle starts all over again. So what's a girl to do? The biggest problem is Nate ends up having to help me get control of the chaos after he's worked all week and that's the last thing I want him to be doing..... picking up my slack. He is so great and is so willing to help. He does it happily and doesn't make me feel like a big fat loser, even when I am. But really, he shouldn't have to be scrubbing floors and folding laundry.... dishes? Yes. He HAS to help do dishes. Sorry, that's just not going to change. :) So if any of you have any tricks to keeping motivated and maybe even making cleaning "fun", I'm all ears!

Hokey Pokey

Tye: "Mom, tell me the story about Hokey Pokey."
Me: "Who's Hokey Pokey?" (All I'm thinking is.... You put your left arm in. You put your left arm out.....)
Tye: "You know, the boy whose nose grows."
Me: "Ohhhh, that boy. You mean Pinocchio."
Tye: "Yeah, that one!"

Blessing Day

Eliza was given a name and a blessing by her dad today at church. We felt very blessed to have a lot of family there to share the special day with us. Nate did a great job and Eliza was bright eyed and quiet during the whole blessing. She fell asleep shortly after Nate sat back down and stayed asleep through the rest of our church meetings. I thought she was so adorable all dressed up, but it's a good thing she was sleepy and not wiggly since she was pretty slippery in her satin dress! We are so happy Eliza joined our family and look forward to watching her grow and accomplish the things the Lord has in store for her.

Play-Doh

Aye aye aye! She's trying to get the Play-Doh out all by herself... again, but why she has to do it naked I may never know! She likes to eat it too. {Yuck!}

Made in China

Rachel was looking at a tag the other day and said, "The people in China must be REALLY good at making things." I asked her why and she said, "Because they make a lot of stuff. Almost everything I've seen is made in China!"

Catchin' Some Z's

He never came for dinner when I called for him.... Zzzzzzzz....

Happy Go Lucky

Just had to share this. She always smiles when I can't grab my real camera so I have to resort to using a phone camera. One of these days I'll get a good quality one, but for now this will have to do. She's a happy baby and I'm lucky to be her mommy!

BYU Basketball

We took Rachel and Kaden to the BYU vs. New Mexico basketball game last Saturday. We met my parents, my bros-in-law Ryan and P.J. and a few of their kids there. I hadn't been to a basketball game in years and years. It was fun for me to get out somewhere other than the grocery store. Milk... check. Bread... check. Ice cream... check, check (you have to double check that one. Can't go home without it!!). A lot more entertaining. Believe me! ;)
We ended up with an extra ticket because we decided that Tye wouldn't really enjoy it and would complain the whole time so we invited Kaden's cousin Brayden. His parents watched Tye, Haley and Eliza for us.Kaden had lots of energy up until half time and then the whining commenced! Maybe we should have brought Tye??! So to try to keep him happy and entertained we took pictures with Nate's phone, we hooted, we hollered, we cheered.... but he just wasn't feelin' it. I had to force smiles out of him. I think Brayden got a little bored too, but didn't show it like Kaden did.
Rachel on the other hand had a great time. I think she liked the Cougarettes best. I thought it was cute to catch her holding on to Nate's arm. Awwww.
Can I get a woot, woot!.... ahem.... sorry....
I think in the end Kaden would say he had a good time. And I was glad that Eliza decided to take a long nap for the babysitters. It's always a little nerve racking worrying if she's fussy or refusing a bottle if she's starving, but she did great... so I'm told. I thought it was a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.... too bad the outcome wasn't better. BYU lost 81-83.

Fireside Thoughts

Last week I was able to go to a fireside where Sister Barbara Thompson, 2nd Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency was speaking. She is hilarious. I had no idea what a treat I was in for. Since I've had Eliza I haven't gotten out much, at least not to do something for MYSELF. So I took advantage of the opportunity and made Nate cancel scouts so I could go. :) I'm so glad I did.

The first thing she said was how much our prophet, President Monson loves each of us. I have heard it said before and never doubted it (but never put too much thought into the matter either), but for some reason this time I completely felt it. It was a very touching experience. Great start to the evening!

Her basic thoughts that evening were that we need to choose the Lord. Things aren't always easy and we will always have challenges, but if we walk with God the journey will be so much easier and happier. Then she asked us what things keep us close to our Heavenly Father. What keeps us holy women? Some answers were scripture study, temple attendance, service to others, and sacred music. She had such way of bringing in humor without deterring the spirit. I left there feeling very hopeful and happy. It was just the right medicine for a "shut-in" like me!!