Peace and Freedom

Last night we were lucky enough to get to hear Brielle and the other 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders at school do a music program on Peace, Freedom, and the Civil Rights movement. I really loved it. Brielle did a great job.

(to hear these, you may want to go down the sidebar on the right and pause the music player)

This was the 3rd graders singing ... Brielle is on the left, kind of hidden a little, 2nd row from the top on the end... Jesse (Brielle's cousin) is sometimes in the picture on the right. (same row as Brielle)

This is how Tessa acted for most of the program ... half the time she was pulling on my arm which caused the video to be shaky (sorry).

This is the last song, We Shall Overcome ...

Brielle did a great job, even if we could only see a little bit of her for half of it.

Wishful Thinking

Why is the sky
dripping solid rain
when it should be dripping
sun beams
why is the air
frigidly churning
around my blowing hair
cold
why does the sun
hide it's rays from
our view behind
gray clouds
this winter is trying
to linger
beyond what we would
like to feel
it's making me chilly
and drearily trying
to steal
the spring
maybe our warm hearts
could push the coldness
away to another winter
and bring on the warmth
our cold souls would sing
at a sunny blue day
and soak in the
rays

Book Review: Poison

Poison, Betsy Brannon Green

This is a book in a series ... the series focuses on the same people from Haggerty, Georgia. Each book is about someone different, but always has the same characters and places in it. This one is a little different because they all went on vacation to Hawaii (where I wish I was right now).

It's an LDS murder/mystery/romance sort of book. Betsy Brannon Green is an author who knows how to write in twists and turns and in the end I was surprised. So that's good.

I would definitely recommend this series, but you should start from the beginning with Hearts in Hiding.

I have been so lazy in my reading lately ... I need to get back on the ball and write more reviews!!

My New BFF

Isn't it lovely? (it's a mattress if you can't tell) No more back aches, sore necks, and hip pain. No more falling off the bed because it's so heaped in the middle. No more rolling over and causing an earthquake.

Only perfect blissful sleep.

Poor Matt

He's sick. Pneumonia. Isn't that horrible? He's been lying in bed coughing and barely able to talk. Hopefully, with the medicine he got yesterday after a trip to the urgent care, he will get better soon.

Man ... we just can't catch a break in the "winter crumminess." I'm really ready for spring and fresh air.

Twelve

I'm 12 weeks pregnant! That seems a little like a milestone ... (well, maybe not to you ... but to me) Brielle took my 12 week "belly" pic today ... I guess I am getting round ... It's fun for a little while, but I can remember too well how annoying it is later on ... I guess I'll try to "enjoy" it while I'm still the size of a normal person (not an elephant). (and "enjoy" is a relative term)

(now that I'm looking at this picture ... I look huge. How is it possible that I am only 12 weeks? Last time I was not this big until the 20s.)

Eye Yie Yie

This is Tessa's black eye. Doesn't it look pretty gross? She got it on Saturday when Matt and I were out.

She's been a pretty good sport about it ... I look at it and think she's wearing eye shadow.

I guess it's just one of those life experiences she'll put on her check list of having done.

Black eye. Check.

Did you See?

I have less than 200 days until I have this baby.

That's exciting. Actually, this week I'll be out of the first trimester. One down, 2 to go!

Yesterday

I had a really nice Valentine's. Matt was kind enough to watch the girls for 4 hours so I could go to the Stake Women's Conference at church ... it was really nice. I sat with Karen and Veronique, and afterward we all got to eat lunch together. I'm glad I went.

Then we were lucky enough to have a babysitter come over, and we got to go out to dinner with some friends... we both had steak. It was nice ... the restaurant was right on the water, and our table was in the corner, so we had a view from each side.

Then we went and watched a movie ... in general, we don't go out too often, so I was happy to get to do something.

Sometimes it's nice just getting out, you know?

Complimentary

Today at lunch Tessa gave me quite the compliment.

"Mom, your hair looks like noodles."

She was eating ramen noodles and said that my hair looked just like what was in her bowl. How thoughtful. What a lovely daughter I have!

Rose Colored Glasses

Tessa is so funny. This morning she and I were sitting, finishing up breakfast. She looks at me, grabs her hair and says;

"Mom, when I touch my hair, it can change colors. See?"

Then she looks at my milk and her water and says;

"Milk is white. Water is silver."

I tell her that usually water is considered clear. She tells me;

"I think it looks silver ... and my glass (which was a clear glass colored glass) changes colors ... right now it's green."

What a nice thing to live in such a colorful, fun world!

Eleven

Today is the 11th ... and I just happen to be 11 weeks pregnant. So I thought I would put on my 11 week "baby belly" picture.

In the past, I really haven't looked too pregnant until around 20 weeks or so ... this time is WAY different. As you can see, I already look pregnant. Somehow, my body just knows what to do, and it is doing it ... quickly. I think my uterus must be like memory foam; it's remembering being big and trying to go back to that shape.

So sad. I don't know if I'll just be way bigger the whole time, or if it will just catch up to itself at some point and even out.

Oh well ... I guess it's one of the joys of pregnancy (if you can call gaining weight and girth a joy).

Oh Boy!

Right now I think I know 7 pregnant women ... they're all having boys. So you'd think this would be the year for boys, right? Of course Matt and I would prefer a boy, since we have 4 girls already. If it turns out to be a girl, we won't cry or anything ... but if we could CHOOSE ... we'd choose boy.

I'm getting insanely curious to find out. Unfortunately, that's not until March 30th.

It's so hard to wait.

I'm such an impatient person.

Here it Goes Again

Do you think spring will ever come? (I'm really hoping it's soon ... but I guess I know it's still a ways away)

Since taking this video ... the grass and roofs and everything are all white now.

And the Eyes Have It

Poor Kate. Yesterday she somehow managed to pull a stuffed animal down onto her face, and it got into her eye. You wouldn't think a stuffed animal would be able to hurt it, but it did. Her eye was all red and swollen and kept dripping. Unfortunately this was before church, so I sent Matt and the other girls off to church and took Kate to the Urgent Care. They put dye in her eye and said she has a corneal abrasion right down the middle of her eye ... the dr. said it was a big one too. How could a stuffed toy do that? So weird.

Anyway, we got a prescription for eye drops and I guess it's just supposed to heal up on it's own ... apparently eyes heal really quickly.

This is the 2nd time she's scratched her eye poor thing ... first time was when she was a tiny baby and somehow scratched it with her fingernail.

She's had quite the past few weeks ... I guess that's life when you're a toddler.

The Blessed Event

Do you ever have days where you feel like you are so blessed? Today is one of those days for me. It wasn't a perfect day, and Tessa was a stinker for most of it, Brielle has a horrible cold, and Kate took off her diaper and ran around with poo on her bum ... but in spite of all of that, I can see the countless ways my life is great.

How is it in this scary, crazy, mixed up world we stay relatively healthy and safe most of the time? It's a blessing. I know it is. I think, all of the time, that we are either the luckiest people in the world, or the Lord really loves us to give us so much.

Some people might look at my life (ok ... not just some ... probably many people) and think, "her house is so small, and she lives in the city and has all those kids and is pregnant with another?" Even with my "small" (it's all relative I realize) home and "large" (again, all relative) family I am happy. Actually, I think that's backwards. I think I am happy because I have a large family and we are always together because we don't live in a huge mansion where we can all be doing our separate things all the time. (don't you think the word mansion is funny?)

Now of course I would love a bigger house. And there are days that all these kids with one on the way seems like a GIANT undertaking. But I am glad I'm doing it. I am thankful that my challenges are mine and I get to live my life.

Matt took the girls to his mom's house tonight and left me home alone to "rest." What a nice husband I have. As they left they all wanted hugs and kisses and Tessa told me she would miss me. So sweet.

Blessings are all around us; we just have to be looking and we'll see them everywhere.

Did you Hear?

David Ragsdale was sentenced a week ago. The story is here.

He was sentenced to spend 20 years to life behind bars. I don't know how I feel about that.

Suggestions ... Anyone?

I am in serious need of ideas for getting my kids to do chores ... they are not great at helping out. I love them, and would never want to say anything bad about them ... however, they need to learn to clean. Don't you think? It's just one of those life skills that have to be learned.

I am one of those people who don't think family jobs should be tied to an allowance ... so that won't work. I think that they need to do things around the house because they are part of a family, and as part of a family everyone helps out.

That being said ... what can I do? Seriously, I have no idea how to make it happen.

Anyone have any great ideas?

Mama Saw the Doctor (week 10)

Well, it was one of the many pregnancy appointments that seem pointless. Weight, blood pressure, tried to hear the heartbeat on Doppler (it's still a little early ... we heard the heartbeat at little moments, baby's so small it's hard to nail him down) ... pretty much that was it. Did that require a whole visit? I don't think so ... but that's what they do. It almost seems like a waste of time and money.

Four more weeks until the next time I see the doctor ... another lame visit it will be I'm sure. At least everything is going normally.

The little girls had fun playing with their cousins ... thanks Aunt Jessica for watching them.

***did anyone here in WA notice the beautiful day we're having? It's so nice. This morning when I was opening the curtains, I called Linzi over, and the rising sun had made the sky pink and orange. So pretty. When you stand in the sun, it's actually warm.

I can't wait for spring!!!

We're Having a ....

...baby! For some reason, seeing the pregnancy test for me this time (well actually, it was 6 home tests, 1 at the hospital, and 1 at the dr.'s office) didn't truly convince me I was pregnant. I was half expecting them today to tell me that there was nothing in there and I was crazy.


That didn't happen. The baby looks good ... very stubby ... little arms and legs that are tiny still and a huge head. There was a heartbeat though, and everything looks normal.

So I guess I'm really pregnant.


My official due date now is September 2nd. That's good ... hopefully he'll come early in August so we don't do it right when school is starting. (notice how we're already calling him a "he.")

Tessa was mad today because they didn't get to take pictures of the food in her tummy ... I tried to tell her it wasn't in my tummy but my uterus ... she didn't really catch on.

Sick of it All

A couple weeks ago I was thinking how lucky we were to have been passed over in the sick department so far this winter.

I spoke too soon.

This weekend we have been so sick. It's been horrible. It started last week with Kate on Tuesday, she threw up right before I had to go to New Beginnings and Matt to school. Luckily, while Aunt Karen babysat, nothing more happened. Then Friday on the way to school Tessa threw up in the car. (I REALLY hate that) ... then later she threw up in the car again, A LOT. Well, I figured she had just gotten what Kate had ... then as Tessa was throwing up again (this time all over herself and the couch) the school called and said Linzi was sick. I had Matt go and pick up the girls because I was busy cleaning Tessa up ... and when they got home, I learned Linzi had been sick in the car. (luckily not my car again; Matt had the foresight to bring a bucket) So now we had 2 sick kids ... it was an hour later that I was feeling really bad. I spent the entire evening in bed, sicker than I have been in years. I threw up so many times and had a fever ... it was really horrible. The girls just vegetated on the couches like little comatose things ... so sad. In the middle of the night, Matt started getting sick. By morning, we were both feeling horrible, and I can honestly say, it's the first time we've both just stayed in bed the entire day before. I feel a little sorry for the girls, but there's not much we could do. By Sunday morning, Brielle was throwing up.

What a horrible weekend. Kate is the only one who didn't get sick this weekend (knock on wood) ... I hope this calls it good for our winter "flu."

Yuck! Let's hope none of you get this ... supposedly the school says it's been going around. There's something about being sick on top of being pregnant that just is more horrible.

Poor us.