Yesterday, we began our annual drive to Winston, OR to visit Steve's dad and stepmom. It's a long drive, even longer now that we live a few hours south from where we used to live. Last night, we drove to my brother's house in Saratoga Springs, just west of Lehi. Our plan was to leave there by 8am this morning. Well, Matt had a rough coughing fit last night and woke up around 5am. Steve took him downstairs hoping I could get more sleep but by 5:30 I knew I was awake for good, so we loaded up the car and had left by 6am...2 hours earlier than planned! Yay!
The drive went fairly smoothly. Matt watched The Peanuts Movie numerous times (it's his new favorite - he's watching it and giggling as I type this), which kept him happy, plus I had puzzles, books, coloring books and markers, and matchbox cars/planes to keep him busy so he wasn't always watching a movie.
We stopped for lunch in Winnemucca, NV, about 6 hours into our trip. I had packed sandwich fixings, veggies, and fruit, so we just needed a place to have a picnic. We found a cemetery just off the freeway, which was perfect because I love cemeteries and it was shady and grassy. After lunch, we walked around for a bit, looking at tombstones and found some pretty old ones. We loaded back into the car and headed out of town, on the way to Reno, NV, our final destination for this leg of our journey. We had gone about 10 miles when suddenly Steve pulled over; several lights on our dashboard had lit up, including the brake light. When I looked up the various lights in our car manual, the brake light explanation said to stop driving the car immediately and get it into a Subaru dealership to get checked out. Well, the brakes were working fine...at least for the moment...and we didn't want to pay for a tow truck, so we found a turn around spot (one of those that is reserved for authorized vehicles only - glad we didn't get caught!), and headed back to Winnemucca. Using my phone, I looked up repair shops and found a Les Schwab that was right off the freeway. We took it in, they immediately looked at the car, took it for a drive, and said everything looked safe and fine and that it was probably the car's computer misfiring. They said we needed to take it to a Subaru dealership and that it should be safe to drive to Reno.
One the drive to Reno, I called the Subaru dealership and talked to the service department. The guy said to bring it in but wasn't sure they could work on it today as they were booked solid and really busy. We got into town about an hour before they closed and went right to the shop - after some confusion because I was reading my map incorrectly. The service desk lady was a little perplexed by the lights and told Steve they would have to do a diagnostic test for $130 but wasn't sure if they could do it today. At that moment, a mechanic walked by and said he'd look at the car. He diagnosed the problem within minutes and a couple minutes later had fixed it (a Evap leak - no, I don't know what that is) and sent us on our way...no cost at all and about 10 minutes of our time! Answer to my prayers!!
Our hotel was 5 minutes away from the dealership, so we were "home", checked in, and settled quickly. It felt soooo good to be done driving for the day. We were so tired of being in the car that we chose to eat at the hotel's restaurant instead of going somewhere else. My expectations were set really, really low. I've been to some pretty subpar restaurants attached to hotels, especially hotels like ours, nothing fancy, a Best Western. I was very pleasantly surprised by how good our food was. Matt ordered a kid's cheeseburger and it was soooo good. My BLT was spot on, and Steve devoured his fish and chips. He even said the chips were the closest to being British that he's had in the US besides the British shop in Layton. Even the chocolate shake tasted better than expected. Plus, the staff was super friendly and went out of their way to chat with Matt and make him happy. It was really pleasant and recharged our batteries.
After dinner, we went for a walk around the inner courtyard of the hotel. It was lovely with trees and a walking path that led to and around a swimming pool. Of course, Matt wanted to swim as soon as he saw the pool. We're planning a trip to the beach this week, so we had our swimsuits, so we went back to our room and put them on. There weren't very many people swimming but the few kids that were were super friendly and respectful. Matt had a blast and got pretty brave with his "swimming". We laughed and splashed and swam for awhile...at one point we even had the pool to ourselves!
We came back to our room, gave Matt a bath, took showers, and have been watching tv and playing for a couple hours. Matt took a nap in the car today so he's going to be up for awhile...lately he's given up naps, which means he falls asleep quickly after his 8pm bedtime. The rare times he falls asleep, he then stays awake til 10pm or later. Plus, it's a hotel room and he has a hard time settling down...it's so exciting!
Even with the hiccup of the car (and maybe even because of it a little), we've had a really good day. Despite the really early start, we've all been happy and in good moods all day. I hope the trip tomorrow goes just as well. It will be so good to see Steve's parents and I'm looking forward to them seeing Matt.
Julie :)
Saturday, July 02, 2016
Saturday, May 14, 2016
Matthew Is Getting Too Big!
The last few days have been semi-momentous in our household.
First, Matthew sat on the little toilet without a diaper and almost went potty on it. He repeatedly asked me to take off his diaper, would sit on the potty and "go" (not really but almost), flush it, and then want his diaper back on so he could actually pee. It's a good sign and combined with a couple others, makes me realize that he's getting closer and closer to potty training. I'm not sure I am. Sigh. I keep telling myself it will be worth it when it's done, but I know it's going to be crazy at first. And, there's a lot to be said about the convenience of diapers.
Here he is. I had to delete a lot of shots when he'd move and uncover his cute little tushy or private area. :)
Today, we set up Matthew's new toddler bed! Since he's getting so close to potty training, I wanted to get him used to sleeping in a bed instead of a crib. That way he can go to the bathroom in the middle of the night or during quiet time. I really struggled with him leaving his crib...for two reasons. First, it means he's getting older and bigger and no longer my little guy. Second, and much more importantly, it means he will have freedom of movement during quiet time. He doesn't nap any more (unless he's sick or something), but I still put him in his crib for a couple hours along with a few cars, books, and other toys. He'll happily play in the crib until I get him out, so I get a couple hours to rest, read, clean, watch tv, or anything else I want to do. I worry that without the crib restricting him, I won't get that time any more. Today was our first quiet time with the bed and it went ok. So so. He stayed in his room for the most part but I had to threaten to put him in his crib if he left the room again, which did the trick but won't once we take out the crib. Also, he got into something he shouldn't have, which is my fault for not taking it out of the room. I figure it will go one of two way...maybe both depending on the day...he'll either get used to chilling in his room for an hour or so (I doubt I'll get 2 hours any more) and play peacefully in there until I get him or once the newness of his toddler bed wears off he won't stay in his room for 15 minutes without me constantly having to tell him to go back in there. Either way, my life has just changed. yay.
Here are a couple more recent pictures of him, just for kicks. Enjoy!
First, Matthew sat on the little toilet without a diaper and almost went potty on it. He repeatedly asked me to take off his diaper, would sit on the potty and "go" (not really but almost), flush it, and then want his diaper back on so he could actually pee. It's a good sign and combined with a couple others, makes me realize that he's getting closer and closer to potty training. I'm not sure I am. Sigh. I keep telling myself it will be worth it when it's done, but I know it's going to be crazy at first. And, there's a lot to be said about the convenience of diapers.
Here he is. I had to delete a lot of shots when he'd move and uncover his cute little tushy or private area. :)
 |
Sitting on the potty
|
 |
| Matt's new bed with afghan from Grandma Susan and blanket from Nana |
 |
| Splashing on the steps after Mom cleaned off the chalk drawings. He got wet and had a ton of fun. |
 |
| Chilling with Dad. They are two cool, handsome dudes. |
Friday, April 15, 2016
Pneumonia, Snow, and Snarls
Tuesday, Steve came home from work and promptly started feeling unwell. Periodically, usually when he's unbalanced somewhere in his life (ie, not enough sleep/water or too much sugar), his heart starts beating irregularly. Every time it happens we go to the ER where his heart stops beating irregularly, the doctor runs a lot of tests, and nothing happens. Every time I tell myself that the next time we'll try waiting it out, but when it happens I just can't take that risk. One doesn't mess with the heart.
My mom came to babysit Matthew and we headed to the ER. The lady at the check-in booth is a good friend of mine that I hadn't seen for awhile, so we caught up while the nurses took Steve in for an EKG and then situated in a room, connected to all sorts of machines and IVs. By the time I got to his room 10 minutes later, his heart was beating regularly again, which was a relief, of course. We sat for a bit, admittedly enjoying watching The Voice without a 2-year old demanding our attention. The doctor came in and said one of Steve's tests didn't rule out a clot in his lungs, so he wanted to do a CT scan to make sure there wasn't a clot. The last time Steve had a CT scan, we discovered he's allergic to the dye, so the doctor ordered a bunch of drugs to be put into Steve's IV beforehand to counteract the allergic reaction beforehand. While we waited for the drugs to get into his system, a tech came in and took an x-ray of Steve's chest.
The drugs worked, Steve didn't have an allergic reaction, and we were feeling like it was almost time to go home when the doctor came in and said Steve didn't have a clot in his lungs (yay!) but he had pneumonia. You could have knocked us down with a feather...Steve wasn't experiencing any of the symptoms of pneumonia - fever, difficulty breathing, etc. The doctor and nursed watched Steve's oxygen levels for a bit after taking him off oxygen and almost had him stay overnight. Fortunately, they let him go home...with a breathing apparatus to help strengthen his lungs, and inhaler, and a prescription for an antibiotic. We arrived home after 11pm.
Steve has stayed home the rest of the week. Wednesday he wasn't feeling bad at all but since pneumonia can be contagious, he didn't want to risk spreading it at work. He has pretty much stayed out of the scene at home so as not to infect Matthew, so it's almost been like he's been at work. Except I can leave Matthew with him watching a movie while I clean the house and shower. Today, Steve is feeling kind of cruddy, the worst he's felt all week. I think part of it is the forced inactivity; he doesn't do well with having to do nothing all day.
The snow probably doesn't help. Yep, I said snow. Lovely spring time weather. A few days ago it was upper 60's, sunny with a slight breeze. Today, snow. So, the sky is gray and gloomy. Even though it's kind of pretty, after being in the house all day for several days, it probably doesn't do a lot to boost Steve's spirits.
Just before I put Matthew down for "quiet time" (he rarely naps any more but will stay in his crib for 2+ hours playing cars happily), we got out the crayons and coloring books. One is full of pictures of Hot Wheels cars and drivers and that is the one we colored today. There are skulls on almost every page and Matthew calls them "bad guys". As he colored them black, he made a bunch of snarly faces. I thought they were super cute. Here's an example:
My mom came to babysit Matthew and we headed to the ER. The lady at the check-in booth is a good friend of mine that I hadn't seen for awhile, so we caught up while the nurses took Steve in for an EKG and then situated in a room, connected to all sorts of machines and IVs. By the time I got to his room 10 minutes later, his heart was beating regularly again, which was a relief, of course. We sat for a bit, admittedly enjoying watching The Voice without a 2-year old demanding our attention. The doctor came in and said one of Steve's tests didn't rule out a clot in his lungs, so he wanted to do a CT scan to make sure there wasn't a clot. The last time Steve had a CT scan, we discovered he's allergic to the dye, so the doctor ordered a bunch of drugs to be put into Steve's IV beforehand to counteract the allergic reaction beforehand. While we waited for the drugs to get into his system, a tech came in and took an x-ray of Steve's chest.
The drugs worked, Steve didn't have an allergic reaction, and we were feeling like it was almost time to go home when the doctor came in and said Steve didn't have a clot in his lungs (yay!) but he had pneumonia. You could have knocked us down with a feather...Steve wasn't experiencing any of the symptoms of pneumonia - fever, difficulty breathing, etc. The doctor and nursed watched Steve's oxygen levels for a bit after taking him off oxygen and almost had him stay overnight. Fortunately, they let him go home...with a breathing apparatus to help strengthen his lungs, and inhaler, and a prescription for an antibiotic. We arrived home after 11pm.
Steve has stayed home the rest of the week. Wednesday he wasn't feeling bad at all but since pneumonia can be contagious, he didn't want to risk spreading it at work. He has pretty much stayed out of the scene at home so as not to infect Matthew, so it's almost been like he's been at work. Except I can leave Matthew with him watching a movie while I clean the house and shower. Today, Steve is feeling kind of cruddy, the worst he's felt all week. I think part of it is the forced inactivity; he doesn't do well with having to do nothing all day.
The snow probably doesn't help. Yep, I said snow. Lovely spring time weather. A few days ago it was upper 60's, sunny with a slight breeze. Today, snow. So, the sky is gray and gloomy. Even though it's kind of pretty, after being in the house all day for several days, it probably doesn't do a lot to boost Steve's spirits.
Just before I put Matthew down for "quiet time" (he rarely naps any more but will stay in his crib for 2+ hours playing cars happily), we got out the crayons and coloring books. One is full of pictures of Hot Wheels cars and drivers and that is the one we colored today. There are skulls on almost every page and Matthew calls them "bad guys". As he colored them black, he made a bunch of snarly faces. I thought they were super cute. Here's an example:
I wish I could have gotten some of his faces full on but he wouldn't hold still and certainly wouldn't do the snarl while looking at me. It was cute.
Other than Steve's pneumonia, we're all doing fairly well. I hope you are too!
Julie :)
Monday, February 22, 2016
Sick Again
My poor little guy is sick again. I could tell he was getting sick on Friday when he wouldn't eat anything...not even noodles from the Chinese buffet we go to when he won't eat anything else because he always eats their noodles.
Saturday, he had a slight fever and was a little grumpier than usual. He still wouldn't eat anything nor would he drink very much. However, he was still fairly active. He threw up his milk that morning, so I figured he had a tummy ache and told Steve we shouldn't give him any milk/yogurt until Matt felt better. Sunday, while I was at church, Steve gave him milk...and he threw it up promptly. Poor guy. Yesterday, he didn't have a fever but was more lethargic and still wouldn't eat or drink. We're pretty sure he had a sore throat all day because he wouldn't even eat a popsicle or drink soda - two things we rarely let him have and that he LOVES. When I got home from church around 1pm, I cuddled with Matt and asked Steve to make us some popcorn. Matt loves popcorn. At first he refused to eat any, but eventually he started to and ended up eating a decent amount. We had to remind him to drink his water and a couple times even used a syringe to make him drink when he absolutely refused to drink from his cup. We were able to stave off dehydration throughout the day, my main concern. In the evening, he perked up quite a bit. Still wouldn't eat but started drinking more and had his third pee diaper of the day. We hoped it was a sign he was on the mend.
Nope.
Last night, Matt woke up around 3am crying and miserable. I went in with him, he fell back asleep, so I went back to bed for 10 minutes, and then went back in when he started crying again. I ended up taking my pillow and a blanket in there and slept for a little bit; waking up whenever he got sad and reminded him that I was there. His fever came back this morning and he was really listless. I called my dad and he came over and gave him a blessing. Matt's temperature had reached 101.8 and he was sobbing, "Help me!" over and over again. Dad suggested taking him to the doctor, which is what I was feeling, too, so we headed to the doctor.
By the time we arrived and were shown into the exam room, the ibuprofen I'd given Matt when his fever spiked (it had hovered around 99-100 previously) had kicked in and his temperature dropped. The doctor checked him out and said it was a virus and to make sure he kept getting plenty of fluids. It was a comfort to know that he didn't have strep throat or anything else that needed to be treated by an antibiotic.
Steve had left work and met us at the doctor's during his lunch break. After the doctor, Matt and I headed home and Steve ran to the store to get some things for Matt.
It's hard work taking care of a sick kid, especially when he only wants one parent (me) most of the time. I'm fortunate to have such a wonderful partner who takes care of me while I'm taking care of Matt. He does everything he can to make sure we're both as comfortable as we can be and have everything we need. I don't know what I did to deserve him...in fact, I'm pretty sure I don't deserve him at all, but I am sure grateful for him.
Matt still isn't doing great. Right now he's resting in his bed. His temperature is still in the normal range, thankfully, and he's drinking more water. He had a sucker earlier...another thing he loves but refused to eat yesterday...and we took that as a good sign. He also ate half a banana. I have faith in his body's ability to heal itself (since it's nothing beyond its ability without help) and I have faith in the blessing my dad gave to Matt that offered comfort and promised a return to good health.
I hope you and your family are staying healthy. I know so many kids who are sick right now!
Julie :)
Saturday, he had a slight fever and was a little grumpier than usual. He still wouldn't eat anything nor would he drink very much. However, he was still fairly active. He threw up his milk that morning, so I figured he had a tummy ache and told Steve we shouldn't give him any milk/yogurt until Matt felt better. Sunday, while I was at church, Steve gave him milk...and he threw it up promptly. Poor guy. Yesterday, he didn't have a fever but was more lethargic and still wouldn't eat or drink. We're pretty sure he had a sore throat all day because he wouldn't even eat a popsicle or drink soda - two things we rarely let him have and that he LOVES. When I got home from church around 1pm, I cuddled with Matt and asked Steve to make us some popcorn. Matt loves popcorn. At first he refused to eat any, but eventually he started to and ended up eating a decent amount. We had to remind him to drink his water and a couple times even used a syringe to make him drink when he absolutely refused to drink from his cup. We were able to stave off dehydration throughout the day, my main concern. In the evening, he perked up quite a bit. Still wouldn't eat but started drinking more and had his third pee diaper of the day. We hoped it was a sign he was on the mend.
Nope.
Last night, Matt woke up around 3am crying and miserable. I went in with him, he fell back asleep, so I went back to bed for 10 minutes, and then went back in when he started crying again. I ended up taking my pillow and a blanket in there and slept for a little bit; waking up whenever he got sad and reminded him that I was there. His fever came back this morning and he was really listless. I called my dad and he came over and gave him a blessing. Matt's temperature had reached 101.8 and he was sobbing, "Help me!" over and over again. Dad suggested taking him to the doctor, which is what I was feeling, too, so we headed to the doctor.
By the time we arrived and were shown into the exam room, the ibuprofen I'd given Matt when his fever spiked (it had hovered around 99-100 previously) had kicked in and his temperature dropped. The doctor checked him out and said it was a virus and to make sure he kept getting plenty of fluids. It was a comfort to know that he didn't have strep throat or anything else that needed to be treated by an antibiotic.
Steve had left work and met us at the doctor's during his lunch break. After the doctor, Matt and I headed home and Steve ran to the store to get some things for Matt.
It's hard work taking care of a sick kid, especially when he only wants one parent (me) most of the time. I'm fortunate to have such a wonderful partner who takes care of me while I'm taking care of Matt. He does everything he can to make sure we're both as comfortable as we can be and have everything we need. I don't know what I did to deserve him...in fact, I'm pretty sure I don't deserve him at all, but I am sure grateful for him.
Matt still isn't doing great. Right now he's resting in his bed. His temperature is still in the normal range, thankfully, and he's drinking more water. He had a sucker earlier...another thing he loves but refused to eat yesterday...and we took that as a good sign. He also ate half a banana. I have faith in his body's ability to heal itself (since it's nothing beyond its ability without help) and I have faith in the blessing my dad gave to Matt that offered comfort and promised a return to good health.
I hope you and your family are staying healthy. I know so many kids who are sick right now!
Julie :)
 |
| Matt before he was sick. He was so pleased that the popsicle turned his tongue blue. |
Saturday, February 20, 2016
Almost a full time job!
I can't remember if I mentioned in my last post that I was once in a Relief Society presidency before...as the first counselor...in a singles ward.
For those of you not of my faith, a singles ward is just like a regular LDS congregation except there are no married members besides the bishop and his counselors who lead the ward. It's a way for single adults to interact with like-minded people of the opposite sex and hopefully find friends and possibly even a spouse.
I'm sure being the RS president of a student ward has its own set of challenges, but I know for a fact we didn't have to deal with half of what a regular, family ward has to deal with.
Pretty much since day one, compassionate service has been on the forefront of what I do. Funerals, moms having babies, sick moms with sick kids, emergency room visits, deaths in the family...all things we didn't even think about when I was in the singles ward and yet have already dealt with in the three weeks I've been in the position. Of the 21 days I've been RS Pres, I think there has only been 7 days I haven't been called about someone who needs something. It's kind of wearing.
This past week, we had an incident that left an awful taste in my mouth and a pit in my stomach. I couldn't sleep all last night for thinking about it. I made a mistake and said yes to something and got taken advantage of...more accurately, the ladies in our ward who provided the service were taken advantage of (although I pray they never realize it and receive all the blessings they deserve for their generosity).
Yesterday, Matthew and I watched an hour of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood in the morning (he's sick so we didn't go to the gym like we usually do). One of the episodes was about making mistakes; everyone makes them and the important thing to do is to fix them if you can and to learn from them.
Well, I made a mistake and am determined to learn from it. I chatted with the bishop (the leader of our congregation) and he assigned me to come up with some guidelines for our ward's compassionate service efforts.
I believe in providing service to those in need. It's one of the three fundamental purposes of the Relief Society and it is a godsend to those who give and receive the services. I was counselled recently to never turn away from an opportunity to serve; however, I fear that there are members in my congregation who are abusing this service, and it makes me sick in my heart. Already, there are ladies in my ward who are getting burned out from all the compassionate service needs of our ward (we have at least a dozen women who are expecting babies in the next few months - we provide 2 meals for each pregnancy - plus all the elderly, sick, and others).
It's only been three weeks. What is in store for me the next year or so (hopefully not too long)??
Julie :)
For those of you not of my faith, a singles ward is just like a regular LDS congregation except there are no married members besides the bishop and his counselors who lead the ward. It's a way for single adults to interact with like-minded people of the opposite sex and hopefully find friends and possibly even a spouse.
I'm sure being the RS president of a student ward has its own set of challenges, but I know for a fact we didn't have to deal with half of what a regular, family ward has to deal with.
Pretty much since day one, compassionate service has been on the forefront of what I do. Funerals, moms having babies, sick moms with sick kids, emergency room visits, deaths in the family...all things we didn't even think about when I was in the singles ward and yet have already dealt with in the three weeks I've been in the position. Of the 21 days I've been RS Pres, I think there has only been 7 days I haven't been called about someone who needs something. It's kind of wearing.
This past week, we had an incident that left an awful taste in my mouth and a pit in my stomach. I couldn't sleep all last night for thinking about it. I made a mistake and said yes to something and got taken advantage of...more accurately, the ladies in our ward who provided the service were taken advantage of (although I pray they never realize it and receive all the blessings they deserve for their generosity).
Yesterday, Matthew and I watched an hour of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood in the morning (he's sick so we didn't go to the gym like we usually do). One of the episodes was about making mistakes; everyone makes them and the important thing to do is to fix them if you can and to learn from them.
Well, I made a mistake and am determined to learn from it. I chatted with the bishop (the leader of our congregation) and he assigned me to come up with some guidelines for our ward's compassionate service efforts.
I believe in providing service to those in need. It's one of the three fundamental purposes of the Relief Society and it is a godsend to those who give and receive the services. I was counselled recently to never turn away from an opportunity to serve; however, I fear that there are members in my congregation who are abusing this service, and it makes me sick in my heart. Already, there are ladies in my ward who are getting burned out from all the compassionate service needs of our ward (we have at least a dozen women who are expecting babies in the next few months - we provide 2 meals for each pregnancy - plus all the elderly, sick, and others).
It's only been three weeks. What is in store for me the next year or so (hopefully not too long)??
Julie :)
Saturday, February 06, 2016
Funeral
Today I survived my first funeral luncheon as Relief Society president.
For anyone reading this who isn't LDS, the Relief Society is an organization of women in the church whose purpose is to teach the gospel and provide relief and support to the women in the church. Each congregation, known as wards, has its own Relief Society with leaders and teachers from the ward. They are all volunteers.
Last Sunday, I was called to be the president of my ward's congregation. I have mixed feelings about it, but I believe that it will be an excellent experience with a lot of hard work. I have two counselors who have specific duties as well as overall helping the ladies in the ward. After choosing my two counselors, I had to pick a Compassionate Service Coordinator. Her job is to organize help (most often meals) for sick families, women who just had a baby, and people who just had a death in the family. The gal I chose accepted the position on Tuesday, the same night I found out about a death in the ward.
Well, actually, the lady who died isn't in my ward but her daughter and ex daughter-in-law are and they requested help with the funeral. I called JaNae, the Compassionate Service Coordinator, thanked her for accepting the position and told her about the funeral. Technically, she doesn't start until being "sustained", or approved, by the congregation on Sunday, but she jumped in without worrying about it and was such a huge help.
JaNae called several women in the ward and all agreed to provide rolls, salads, baked potatoes, and desserts for the funeral and I cooked a couple hams. Everything went well and we had a lot of help before, during, and after the funeral. It was kind of stressful but was a complete success. The family and friends were so appreciative and it felt good to serve them in their hour of sadness.
I had kind of hoped to not have a funeral for a bit so I could get used to this new position, but now that it's come and gone, I'm okay that it happened my first week. Baptism by fire.
Julie :)
For anyone reading this who isn't LDS, the Relief Society is an organization of women in the church whose purpose is to teach the gospel and provide relief and support to the women in the church. Each congregation, known as wards, has its own Relief Society with leaders and teachers from the ward. They are all volunteers.
Last Sunday, I was called to be the president of my ward's congregation. I have mixed feelings about it, but I believe that it will be an excellent experience with a lot of hard work. I have two counselors who have specific duties as well as overall helping the ladies in the ward. After choosing my two counselors, I had to pick a Compassionate Service Coordinator. Her job is to organize help (most often meals) for sick families, women who just had a baby, and people who just had a death in the family. The gal I chose accepted the position on Tuesday, the same night I found out about a death in the ward.
Well, actually, the lady who died isn't in my ward but her daughter and ex daughter-in-law are and they requested help with the funeral. I called JaNae, the Compassionate Service Coordinator, thanked her for accepting the position and told her about the funeral. Technically, she doesn't start until being "sustained", or approved, by the congregation on Sunday, but she jumped in without worrying about it and was such a huge help.
JaNae called several women in the ward and all agreed to provide rolls, salads, baked potatoes, and desserts for the funeral and I cooked a couple hams. Everything went well and we had a lot of help before, during, and after the funeral. It was kind of stressful but was a complete success. The family and friends were so appreciative and it felt good to serve them in their hour of sadness.
I had kind of hoped to not have a funeral for a bit so I could get used to this new position, but now that it's come and gone, I'm okay that it happened my first week. Baptism by fire.
Julie :)
Monday, February 01, 2016
Snow Day
Last night it snowed over a foot!
Our house faces north, which means our front yard still had several inches of snow leftover from previous storms. Our backyard snow had melted enough to see all the dog poop we hadn't picked up because of the snow. I was going to pick it up this weekend but didn't get around to it. Now it is once again covered and who knows when the snow will melt again.
School in the county, including the university, are closed for the day. That almost never happens in Utah, despite all the snow we get. I don't remember ever missing school because of snow when I was a kid. My freshman year at the U, there was a snow day, the first in over 20 years. I had gone to an early morning meeting at my church, trudging through the thick snow from my dorms, and didn't hear about classes being canceled until I was back in my room.
Steve's work texted him this morning and said he could choose whether or not to go to work today. He waffled awhile before choosing to go to work. I guess I didn't hide my disappointment well, because he came back inside a moment later announcing he was staying home! Yay! I want to do something special to commemorate the day. I don't know what yet. :)
Happy snow day!
Julie :)
Our house faces north, which means our front yard still had several inches of snow leftover from previous storms. Our backyard snow had melted enough to see all the dog poop we hadn't picked up because of the snow. I was going to pick it up this weekend but didn't get around to it. Now it is once again covered and who knows when the snow will melt again.
School in the county, including the university, are closed for the day. That almost never happens in Utah, despite all the snow we get. I don't remember ever missing school because of snow when I was a kid. My freshman year at the U, there was a snow day, the first in over 20 years. I had gone to an early morning meeting at my church, trudging through the thick snow from my dorms, and didn't hear about classes being canceled until I was back in my room.
Steve's work texted him this morning and said he could choose whether or not to go to work today. He waffled awhile before choosing to go to work. I guess I didn't hide my disappointment well, because he came back inside a moment later announcing he was staying home! Yay! I want to do something special to commemorate the day. I don't know what yet. :)
Happy snow day!
Julie :)
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Two Firsts...sort of
Good morning!
This morning we experienced a semi - momentous event; Matt went pee on the potty! Kind of. When we came home from the gym, I changed his diaper and told him that someday he'll go pee in the potty not a diaper. He then told me he wanted to go pee on the potty right then. So, I didn't put a diaper on him and put him on the little potty we got him a couple months ago. It looked like he was going to pee right away, but he didn't. He tooted quite a bit so I thought maybe he'd poop in the potty. Nope. He sat on the potty for an hour.
I know it seems a bit anti-climatic but it really is a big step. It was the first time he ever sat in the potty without pants and with the purpose of actually going pee. Usually he's obviously pretending. I think his bladder just got a little shy. Hopefully, he continues to make these little steps and we can start potty training in awhile.
The other first actually happened; we had Family Home Evening for the first time last night. I had asked Steve last week if we could start doing it weekly and he said ok. He's so supportive. After the gym yesterday morning, I went to Deseret Book and bought some things for lessons and activities with a toddler. After dinner and cleanup, we gathered in the living room. I said a prayer, told a story from the Book of Mormon with pictures, and then we played a new game while sipping on our treat - strawberry/banana/chocolate smoothies. The game was Noah's Ark Dominoes. Matt really liked it and we all had fun. We ended with a prayer then went downstairs to watch the movie Cars for the millionth time until Matt's bedtime.
As Matt gets older, there will be so many things pulling at us, so many time commitments that will interfere with family time. I really want to make FHE such an ingrained part of our lives that we'll do it even when our lives get crazier than they are right now. I believe it's important to have that family time that also focuses on the gospel. I really really appreciate Steve's willingness to go along with it.
I am always looking for potty training tips and FHE with a toddler ideas if you have any. :)
Julie :)
This morning we experienced a semi - momentous event; Matt went pee on the potty! Kind of. When we came home from the gym, I changed his diaper and told him that someday he'll go pee in the potty not a diaper. He then told me he wanted to go pee on the potty right then. So, I didn't put a diaper on him and put him on the little potty we got him a couple months ago. It looked like he was going to pee right away, but he didn't. He tooted quite a bit so I thought maybe he'd poop in the potty. Nope. He sat on the potty for an hour.
I know it seems a bit anti-climatic but it really is a big step. It was the first time he ever sat in the potty without pants and with the purpose of actually going pee. Usually he's obviously pretending. I think his bladder just got a little shy. Hopefully, he continues to make these little steps and we can start potty training in awhile.
The other first actually happened; we had Family Home Evening for the first time last night. I had asked Steve last week if we could start doing it weekly and he said ok. He's so supportive. After the gym yesterday morning, I went to Deseret Book and bought some things for lessons and activities with a toddler. After dinner and cleanup, we gathered in the living room. I said a prayer, told a story from the Book of Mormon with pictures, and then we played a new game while sipping on our treat - strawberry/banana/chocolate smoothies. The game was Noah's Ark Dominoes. Matt really liked it and we all had fun. We ended with a prayer then went downstairs to watch the movie Cars for the millionth time until Matt's bedtime.
As Matt gets older, there will be so many things pulling at us, so many time commitments that will interfere with family time. I really want to make FHE such an ingrained part of our lives that we'll do it even when our lives get crazier than they are right now. I believe it's important to have that family time that also focuses on the gospel. I really really appreciate Steve's willingness to go along with it.
I am always looking for potty training tips and FHE with a toddler ideas if you have any. :)
Julie :)
Tuesday, January 05, 2016
Sing Song Boy
I have been singing to Matthew since he was in the womb. I sing church songs, traditional kids' songs, songs I made up just for Matthew, and a couple songs my dad used to sing to us when we were little. At first, I dreamed about him singing along with me when he got older, but as he grew, he showed no interest in my songs. They helped calm him and prepare him for bed, but he didn't seem to care about the actual songs.
Goes to show how kids pick up on things without parents realizing it sometimes.
Sometime last Fall, Matthew started making noises like he was singing while I sang. Then, in November, I started singing a song and Matthew repeated a word I had just sung. My heart almost burst. He continued to repeat the last word of each phrase and sometimes he'd sing the word before I did. He actually knew the song! I sang some more songs and he did the same thing. I taught him a couple church songs that have actions, and he picked them up quickly.
Christmas time was fun. He loved the Christmas carols, especially Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer which he continues to request. He used to sing the last word of each phrase until my nephew Porter taught him the phrase "like a light bulb", so now that's all he'll say...except "ho ho ho" at the right time. It's pretty stinking cute.
I love that Matthew likes to sing. He really gets into it sometimes, too; holding out the note, singing loudly, doing actions. I hope he continues to enjoy it. Steve and I don't have the best singing voices, so Matthew may not be the best singer either, but who cares. As long as he enjoys it. And who knows, maybe he'll be pretty good.
Goes to show how kids pick up on things without parents realizing it sometimes.
Sometime last Fall, Matthew started making noises like he was singing while I sang. Then, in November, I started singing a song and Matthew repeated a word I had just sung. My heart almost burst. He continued to repeat the last word of each phrase and sometimes he'd sing the word before I did. He actually knew the song! I sang some more songs and he did the same thing. I taught him a couple church songs that have actions, and he picked them up quickly.
Christmas time was fun. He loved the Christmas carols, especially Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer which he continues to request. He used to sing the last word of each phrase until my nephew Porter taught him the phrase "like a light bulb", so now that's all he'll say...except "ho ho ho" at the right time. It's pretty stinking cute.
I love that Matthew likes to sing. He really gets into it sometimes, too; holding out the note, singing loudly, doing actions. I hope he continues to enjoy it. Steve and I don't have the best singing voices, so Matthew may not be the best singer either, but who cares. As long as he enjoys it. And who knows, maybe he'll be pretty good.
Saturday, January 02, 2016
Happy 2016!!
Happy New Year's Everyone!
Yes, I know I'm a day late. However, I'm just impressed that I'm only a day late. Writing has been lower on my to-do list lately, but I plan to do it more often now that the holidays are over and I can crochet more leisurely now.
Did you have a fun celebration for the new year? Steve and I had planned on going out to dinner New Year's Eve and then catching the new Star Wars movies, but our babysitter canceled. We had asked my mom to babysit, but she had knee replacement surgery a few weeks ago and wasn't sure she was up for watching Matt after all. After we tried my dad and he was busy, we decided to stay home and have a relaxing evening at home. We put Matt to bed, and then played games and watched Frasier on Netflix. We weren't sure we'd make it to midnight but perservered and saw the ball in time square drop (2 hours after it actually did, but who cares).
Yesterday, I took Matt to the gym and then to JoAnn's to buy yarn for the next afghan I'm making. I couldn't resist. I knew I'd be watching a lot of tv and just couldn't stand the idea of not crocheting for some of the time. When we came home, I discovered Steve cleaning the whole house. He insisted that I shower and get ready while he continued to clean. I had a date with my little sister, Macey, to watch the original Star Wars movies at our house at 11am. She had NEVER seen them before!! I couldn't believe it.
It was fun to sit with her and watch them. She knew some of the basic "secrets" of the series and several quotes but had never seen them. I have both the remastered version and the original version, and I chose to have her watch the original this time...to see them the way they were first created. She laughed at some of the silliness of them, and I didn't mind. I love the shows but am not so devoted that I couldn't see it too. We were only able to watch the first two because she had plans with friends, and I know how important friends are when you're 17. I offered to let her take Return of the Jedi with her to watch when she wants, but she declined and asked if she could come back sometime to watch it with me. I was thrilled! Macey is a great gal and I definitely want to be closer to her. It was so nice to sit with her, chat a bit, and pig out on leftover candy and popcorn. Steve kept Matt upstairs the whole time. He is such a great man.
After Macey left, we played as a family for awhile. My mom came over for dinner and played Trivial Pursuit with us after Matt went to bed.
Today, we've taken it easy. I'm still in my pjs and didn't put Matt in clothes until after lunch. Steve is at my brother's house playing games and watching football. Matt and I were invited too, but I wanted Steve to get some time to himself, too. He is always either working or playing with Matt, so he needed a break, even if he didn't realize it.
So, I'm on my own for a bit. Matt is sleeping...he was grumpy all morning so I knew he would fall asleep easily, and he did. After I finish writing, I'm going to crochet a bit and possibly read, depending on how long Matt sleeps. Aaaahhh. Relaxation.
I hope everyone has a wonderful 2016!!!
Yes, I know I'm a day late. However, I'm just impressed that I'm only a day late. Writing has been lower on my to-do list lately, but I plan to do it more often now that the holidays are over and I can crochet more leisurely now.
Did you have a fun celebration for the new year? Steve and I had planned on going out to dinner New Year's Eve and then catching the new Star Wars movies, but our babysitter canceled. We had asked my mom to babysit, but she had knee replacement surgery a few weeks ago and wasn't sure she was up for watching Matt after all. After we tried my dad and he was busy, we decided to stay home and have a relaxing evening at home. We put Matt to bed, and then played games and watched Frasier on Netflix. We weren't sure we'd make it to midnight but perservered and saw the ball in time square drop (2 hours after it actually did, but who cares).
Yesterday, I took Matt to the gym and then to JoAnn's to buy yarn for the next afghan I'm making. I couldn't resist. I knew I'd be watching a lot of tv and just couldn't stand the idea of not crocheting for some of the time. When we came home, I discovered Steve cleaning the whole house. He insisted that I shower and get ready while he continued to clean. I had a date with my little sister, Macey, to watch the original Star Wars movies at our house at 11am. She had NEVER seen them before!! I couldn't believe it.
It was fun to sit with her and watch them. She knew some of the basic "secrets" of the series and several quotes but had never seen them. I have both the remastered version and the original version, and I chose to have her watch the original this time...to see them the way they were first created. She laughed at some of the silliness of them, and I didn't mind. I love the shows but am not so devoted that I couldn't see it too. We were only able to watch the first two because she had plans with friends, and I know how important friends are when you're 17. I offered to let her take Return of the Jedi with her to watch when she wants, but she declined and asked if she could come back sometime to watch it with me. I was thrilled! Macey is a great gal and I definitely want to be closer to her. It was so nice to sit with her, chat a bit, and pig out on leftover candy and popcorn. Steve kept Matt upstairs the whole time. He is such a great man.
After Macey left, we played as a family for awhile. My mom came over for dinner and played Trivial Pursuit with us after Matt went to bed.
Today, we've taken it easy. I'm still in my pjs and didn't put Matt in clothes until after lunch. Steve is at my brother's house playing games and watching football. Matt and I were invited too, but I wanted Steve to get some time to himself, too. He is always either working or playing with Matt, so he needed a break, even if he didn't realize it.
So, I'm on my own for a bit. Matt is sleeping...he was grumpy all morning so I knew he would fall asleep easily, and he did. After I finish writing, I'm going to crochet a bit and possibly read, depending on how long Matt sleeps. Aaaahhh. Relaxation.
I hope everyone has a wonderful 2016!!!
2016 Resolutions - January
A few days ago, I was watching The Today Show while working out at the gym. Someone was on the show talking about weigh loss resolutions and somethings to do and not to do with them. One thing he said was to not try to change too many things at one, and another was to shoot for short periods of time, like a month, instead of the whole year. I liked both ideas and decided to incorporate them. Hopefully, I'll remember to set goals every month throughout the year.
One reason I like the idea of monthly goals is the flexibility in changing something that doesn't work without seeming to have failed. If a resolution isn't helping me or is too challenging, I can tell myself to just stick with it for a little while longer, to the end of the month, and then I can try something else.
I also have decided upon a Theme for 2016. The past two years my theme has been Kindness; first to those around me, even strangers, and then focusing on being kind to myself. They've been my only resolutions and I feel I've done well with them, although there is always room for improvement. This year my theme is Faith not Fear. I had a Sunday School lesson about this and I realized how much fear I have; fear that Steve or Matt will die, that I will die and leave my child without a mom, that the world is so mixed up and crazy, that I'm not doing enough to teach my child, etc. So, Faith Not Fear is a good thing for me to focus on throughout the year.
My January Resolutions:
1. Eat one apple a day and have one serving of vegetables with both lunch and dinner.
2. Eat only one sugary treat a day. This doesn't include fruits and honey.
3. One day a week, no sugar. Again, fruit and honey don't apply.
4. Remember Christ more. My Relief Society lesson next week touches on this and I'm still working out how I'm going to accomplish it.
5. If I can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.
Do you do resolutions/goals? I know it's kind of going out of fashion, but I still like it. If you do them, Good Luck!!!
Julie :)
One reason I like the idea of monthly goals is the flexibility in changing something that doesn't work without seeming to have failed. If a resolution isn't helping me or is too challenging, I can tell myself to just stick with it for a little while longer, to the end of the month, and then I can try something else.
I also have decided upon a Theme for 2016. The past two years my theme has been Kindness; first to those around me, even strangers, and then focusing on being kind to myself. They've been my only resolutions and I feel I've done well with them, although there is always room for improvement. This year my theme is Faith not Fear. I had a Sunday School lesson about this and I realized how much fear I have; fear that Steve or Matt will die, that I will die and leave my child without a mom, that the world is so mixed up and crazy, that I'm not doing enough to teach my child, etc. So, Faith Not Fear is a good thing for me to focus on throughout the year.
My January Resolutions:
1. Eat one apple a day and have one serving of vegetables with both lunch and dinner.
2. Eat only one sugary treat a day. This doesn't include fruits and honey.
3. One day a week, no sugar. Again, fruit and honey don't apply.
4. Remember Christ more. My Relief Society lesson next week touches on this and I'm still working out how I'm going to accomplish it.
5. If I can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.
Do you do resolutions/goals? I know it's kind of going out of fashion, but I still like it. If you do them, Good Luck!!!
Julie :)
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Afghans 2015
I have been crocheting nonstop since March and have created quite a few afghans, totes, and other items since that time. My grandma taught me to crochet when I was a kid, my mom retaught me about ten years ago, and she retaught me yet again this go around. It's been a lot of fun finding patterns to create, choosing colors for people, and having something to do in my down time. Since I started so early, I didn't really feel stress to finish anything until I decided last minute to crochet an afghan for Steve. I neglected my house and Matt (not really, but kind of) until I finished it.
I thought about taking a month-long break from crocheting before starting up on this year's crop of gifts, but my fingers are already itching to start on some patterns my cousin gave me for Christmas.
Here are the blankets I made this year. I wish I was a better photographer so you could see better just how nicely they turned out. I tried to put the pictures in the order I made them, but Blogger was being weird and I didn't want to figure out what was happening.
I thought about taking a month-long break from crocheting before starting up on this year's crop of gifts, but my fingers are already itching to start on some patterns my cousin gave me for Christmas.
Here are the blankets I made this year. I wish I was a better photographer so you could see better just how nicely they turned out. I tried to put the pictures in the order I made them, but Blogger was being weird and I didn't want to figure out what was happening.
 |
| I gave this to Steve...obviously. It was a lot of fun to make, once I figured out the mistake from the blog from which I got the pattern. It took a long time to make because I wanted it to be wide and tall enough for Steve to fit under comfortably. I really like how it turned out. I used Red Heart yarn so it's thick and very warm. It was my third-to-last blanket. |
 |
| Steve was just as surprised to see Matt's mini-me blanket as he was to see his own. It's cute that they have matching afghans. Matt loves it...although not as much as the blanket my mom crocheted him when he was born. *smile* I used leftover yarn from Steve's blanket, so it's the same kind. It was my second-to-last blanket. |
 |
| This one was the first afghan I ever made. It was for my brother Corey's birthday. It was made with four strands of yarn; white, black, red, and gray; that I held at the same time, so it's thick and warm. I used Red Heart yarn. I wish now that I would have made it a little bigger, but it is a good lap blanket. |
 |
| This is the second afghan I made and is a Christmas present for my stepmom Paula. I used Caron yarn and it turned out so soft and silky. It was a simple design but elegant and comfy. |
 |
| This was the third blanket I made. I gave it to my mom for Christmas. Again, I used Caron yarn - five different colors - and it is quite soft but warm. This is the most complex blanket I made and the longest to make. Also my favorite. |
 |
| This is the last afghan I made and it was for my sister-in-law Jenny's birthday. It was converted from a baby afghan...I just made it wider and longer. I couldn't find the right kind of yellow in the softer Caron yarn, so I used Red Heart yarn. I love this yellow and would have been happy to keep it. :) |
 |
| I made this one for Steve's stepmom Janie. It is a take on granny squares but instead of doing lots of little granny squares, it's just one big round. I was crocheting Paula's afghan when we visited Janie and Ron in Oregon, and Janie mentioned that she'd like a pink blanket and a blue one for Ron. So, that's what I did. This was used with thicker, coarser Red Heart yarn but the pattern made it so lacy that it turned out quite soft. It was my fourth blanket. |
 |
| I decided to make Ron an afghan to match Janie's but in blue, as per her request. I used Red Heart yarn again but this time used a smaller needle than the pattern directed so it turned out tighter, less lacy. I like it better an wish I would have done Janie's the same way. It is afghan number 5. |
Friday, December 18, 2015
My Tough Guy
Yesterday, while working out on the treadmill, a gym employee approached me and told me I was needed in the daycare. Usually this means Matt has a poopy diaper that needs changing. This time, it meant he needed his mama.
From what the daycare worker told me, he and his best buddy, Kempson, had run at each other wielding doll-sized plastic cars. Only those two know what their intent was; the result was Matt being slammed with the toy right on his kisser. His front teeth bit into his upper and lower lips causing blood to flow everywhere. Face wounds always bleed more than is warranted, so at first I didn't realize how badly he'd been hurt. As the blood slowed, I saw the scuff mark on his chin, the raspberry between his nose and lips, and some deep cuts on his lips.
It took about 15 minutes to calm him down, and once he was calm, he wanted to go home. So, I packed up my stuff to leave. Unfortunately, home wasn't our destination. We had dropped my mom off at her physical therapy session (knee surgery a couple weeks ago) and needed to pick her up shortly. So, we stopped by Dad's work to show him what had happened to his little buddy. Matt screamed bloody murder because he wanted to go home...NOT to Dad's work or to Grandma's house. So, I popped a sucker in his mouth and he was good to go. I asked him if it hurt his mouth...I know it had to because it opened up the wound and he started bleeding again...but he said no and refused to stop sucking on it. At least it made him happy.
I could tell his mouth hurt him yesterday, even after I gave him some pain medicine, but he was still a cheerful little guy. He's just like that. It's hard to get him down for long. Today, when the above picture was taken, he's practically back to normal. He hates it when I put Vaseline on his lips but he lets me because I told him it will help his lips get better.
Steve warned me to get used to this happening. A friend told me her oldest son bit clear through his lower lip TWICE.
Heaven help me and all other moms of little boys.
It's a good thing I don't drink.
Thank God for chocolate.
Julie :)
From what the daycare worker told me, he and his best buddy, Kempson, had run at each other wielding doll-sized plastic cars. Only those two know what their intent was; the result was Matt being slammed with the toy right on his kisser. His front teeth bit into his upper and lower lips causing blood to flow everywhere. Face wounds always bleed more than is warranted, so at first I didn't realize how badly he'd been hurt. As the blood slowed, I saw the scuff mark on his chin, the raspberry between his nose and lips, and some deep cuts on his lips.
 |
| What a smile! |
I could tell his mouth hurt him yesterday, even after I gave him some pain medicine, but he was still a cheerful little guy. He's just like that. It's hard to get him down for long. Today, when the above picture was taken, he's practically back to normal. He hates it when I put Vaseline on his lips but he lets me because I told him it will help his lips get better.
Steve warned me to get used to this happening. A friend told me her oldest son bit clear through his lower lip TWICE.
Heaven help me and all other moms of little boys.
It's a good thing I don't drink.
Thank God for chocolate.
Julie :)
Thursday, December 03, 2015
I'm still here...
...I promise!
When I quit Facebook, I decided to blog more. I still intend to, but currently, every free moment I have is spent crocheting a blanket for Steve for Christmas. I didn't start it until a few weeks ago and it's a big blanket so it's taking a long time, especially since I can only work on it when Steve's not around AND when Matt is either sleeping or playing well on his own. The last 5 weeks, I have neglected my housework and my son (not really...I just don't play with him nearly as much), but I'm almost done with it, thankfully. However, I have enough yarn left over that I came up with the idea to make Matt a smaller version of Steve's afghan, so I will be crocheting like mad for a couple more weeks.
When both blankets are finished, I'll post more frequently. And clean my house again instead of paying my niece and nephew to do it like I did last weekend.
No regrets. Worth every dollar. :)
When I quit Facebook, I decided to blog more. I still intend to, but currently, every free moment I have is spent crocheting a blanket for Steve for Christmas. I didn't start it until a few weeks ago and it's a big blanket so it's taking a long time, especially since I can only work on it when Steve's not around AND when Matt is either sleeping or playing well on his own. The last 5 weeks, I have neglected my housework and my son (not really...I just don't play with him nearly as much), but I'm almost done with it, thankfully. However, I have enough yarn left over that I came up with the idea to make Matt a smaller version of Steve's afghan, so I will be crocheting like mad for a couple more weeks.
When both blankets are finished, I'll post more frequently. And clean my house again instead of paying my niece and nephew to do it like I did last weekend.
No regrets. Worth every dollar. :)
Monday, November 16, 2015
Raising a Boy
Lord, I'm not sure I'm cut out for raising a boy. My heart isn't strong enough.
A little over a week ago, I made grilled cheese sandwiches. Matt has a stool/tower he uses to watch me and help me cook. I pushed it away from the electric grill but not far enough. I had told Matt it was hot, hot, hot and not to touch it, but he either didn't understand or didn't care. He smacked his hand down on it for just an instant. The look in his eyes as he realized the pain just about broke my heart. I grabbed him, cared for the burn (only first-degree, thankfully), and loved him until he was calm. By the time he woke up from a nap, he was fine; his hand was just a little red and swollen. By the next day, it was as if he'd never been burned. We were fortunate; it could have been worse. I learned that he has to be even farther away from heat sources - the boy is getting so big!!!
Today, he was in his crib for quiet time while I prepared grilled cheese sandwiches. Yes, the same meal. I might have to stop making this accursed lunch! Anyhoo, Matt was playing with cars, happily chatting away. Just before I put the sandwiches on the grill, I heard a loud thump from his room followed by him crying hard. I ran into the room and saw blood coming out of his mouth. My heart stopped for a beat or more. I grabbed him and applied a tissue to his mouth, trying to see where the blood originated. He cried and cried until I put a cold, wet washcloth on the inside of his lip, which was slowly puffing up. Once the blood stopped, I could see two teeth marks on the inside of his lip. He must have fallen and hit his mouth so hard that his teeth bit into his mouth. And you know how bloody face and mouth wounds can be. Matt soon felt just fine, especially when Steve came home. He ate lunch without a hint of mouth pain. Whew.
When I told Steve what had happened, he said, "Matt's a boy. He's going to get hurt." Oh great. I know it's true and my heart can't handle it. And he's only TWO!
Wish me luck.
Julie :)
A little over a week ago, I made grilled cheese sandwiches. Matt has a stool/tower he uses to watch me and help me cook. I pushed it away from the electric grill but not far enough. I had told Matt it was hot, hot, hot and not to touch it, but he either didn't understand or didn't care. He smacked his hand down on it for just an instant. The look in his eyes as he realized the pain just about broke my heart. I grabbed him, cared for the burn (only first-degree, thankfully), and loved him until he was calm. By the time he woke up from a nap, he was fine; his hand was just a little red and swollen. By the next day, it was as if he'd never been burned. We were fortunate; it could have been worse. I learned that he has to be even farther away from heat sources - the boy is getting so big!!!
Today, he was in his crib for quiet time while I prepared grilled cheese sandwiches. Yes, the same meal. I might have to stop making this accursed lunch! Anyhoo, Matt was playing with cars, happily chatting away. Just before I put the sandwiches on the grill, I heard a loud thump from his room followed by him crying hard. I ran into the room and saw blood coming out of his mouth. My heart stopped for a beat or more. I grabbed him and applied a tissue to his mouth, trying to see where the blood originated. He cried and cried until I put a cold, wet washcloth on the inside of his lip, which was slowly puffing up. Once the blood stopped, I could see two teeth marks on the inside of his lip. He must have fallen and hit his mouth so hard that his teeth bit into his mouth. And you know how bloody face and mouth wounds can be. Matt soon felt just fine, especially when Steve came home. He ate lunch without a hint of mouth pain. Whew.
When I told Steve what had happened, he said, "Matt's a boy. He's going to get hurt." Oh great. I know it's true and my heart can't handle it. And he's only TWO!
Wish me luck.
Julie :)
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Why I Quit Facebook
Recently, my church put out a statement that has created some uproar. When I heard about it, my first thought was, I'm so glad I don't look at Facebook any more so I don't have to see everyone's opinions about this.
I joined Facebook to reconnect with a college roommate I hadn't seen in years. I had no other way to get a hold of her. A friend suggested Facebook, so I finally caved and joined. At first, I enjoyed it. I read about the lives of people I rarely or never get to see. I was able to share events in my life easily (too easily??) to lots of people.
Slowly, my news feed contained less pictures, stories, and life events and more articles that "perfectly expressed" the opinion of the person who shared it. Articles about politics, religion, parenting, lifestyle choices; not all negative but certainly not all positive either. The negative ones always left a black hole in my gut, especially when shared by someone I really care about. And almost every article had its share of negative comments that disagreed with the contents, and sometimes, the commenters became quite nasty and mean.
I unfollowed people. I thought about unfollowing more...like almost everyone but really close friends and family. Turns out, that may not have been an option. My friend started unfollowing a huge amount of her friends. FB issued her several warnings that she was abusing the "unfollow privilege". She ignored them and was eventually blocked from unfollowing anyone!!
I chose to quit FB.
There is a sense of peace that comes to me from not having other people's opinions bombarding me on a "news feed" continually. I get my news from fairly credible news sources (I say "fairly" because I'm not 100% convinced of the media's ability to be impartial or unbiased) so it's not like I'm an ostrich with its head in the sand and having no clue what's happening around it. The difference is that I get the news without all the commentary and opinions and arguments from every Tom, Dick, and Jane. There is so much negativity in the world without me welcoming it into my life by the negative views that routinely showed up on my FB.
Now, I have to reach out to people to find out what's happening in their worlds, to make a little effort instead of just pushing the FB app button on my phone. I email, text, call, and even write the occasional letter to connect with my loved ones. When was the last time you received an email from someone?? An email that was just them telling you about their lives and asking about yours? I bet you can't even remember when someone sent you a letter. I can because I have a wonderful mother-in-law that sends us handmade, hand-written cards once a month. They are lovely to receive. I can't remember the last email I received that wasn't from a business, school, city, or a comment on my blog.
It is sometimes said about science, "just because they can, doesn't mean they should".
Nowadays, everyone has a voice, an outlet to express their opinions about every little thing in this world. It's not a bad thing. Heck, I have a blog partly to express my opinions, to have a voice. It's empowering and special. The problem is that people haven't learned to shut up. There are some things that don't need to be said, especially to everyone on FB. Just because you can, doesn't mean you always should. And so, since there is too much chatter and too little restraint, I choose to be a lot more selective.
I don't foresee going back to FB any time soon, but if I do it will be with a very short friends list.
Thank you for putting up with my FB rant. I promise to be more carefree and happy in my next post.
Julie :)
I joined Facebook to reconnect with a college roommate I hadn't seen in years. I had no other way to get a hold of her. A friend suggested Facebook, so I finally caved and joined. At first, I enjoyed it. I read about the lives of people I rarely or never get to see. I was able to share events in my life easily (too easily??) to lots of people.
Slowly, my news feed contained less pictures, stories, and life events and more articles that "perfectly expressed" the opinion of the person who shared it. Articles about politics, religion, parenting, lifestyle choices; not all negative but certainly not all positive either. The negative ones always left a black hole in my gut, especially when shared by someone I really care about. And almost every article had its share of negative comments that disagreed with the contents, and sometimes, the commenters became quite nasty and mean.
I unfollowed people. I thought about unfollowing more...like almost everyone but really close friends and family. Turns out, that may not have been an option. My friend started unfollowing a huge amount of her friends. FB issued her several warnings that she was abusing the "unfollow privilege". She ignored them and was eventually blocked from unfollowing anyone!!
I chose to quit FB.
There is a sense of peace that comes to me from not having other people's opinions bombarding me on a "news feed" continually. I get my news from fairly credible news sources (I say "fairly" because I'm not 100% convinced of the media's ability to be impartial or unbiased) so it's not like I'm an ostrich with its head in the sand and having no clue what's happening around it. The difference is that I get the news without all the commentary and opinions and arguments from every Tom, Dick, and Jane. There is so much negativity in the world without me welcoming it into my life by the negative views that routinely showed up on my FB.
Now, I have to reach out to people to find out what's happening in their worlds, to make a little effort instead of just pushing the FB app button on my phone. I email, text, call, and even write the occasional letter to connect with my loved ones. When was the last time you received an email from someone?? An email that was just them telling you about their lives and asking about yours? I bet you can't even remember when someone sent you a letter. I can because I have a wonderful mother-in-law that sends us handmade, hand-written cards once a month. They are lovely to receive. I can't remember the last email I received that wasn't from a business, school, city, or a comment on my blog.
It is sometimes said about science, "just because they can, doesn't mean they should".
Nowadays, everyone has a voice, an outlet to express their opinions about every little thing in this world. It's not a bad thing. Heck, I have a blog partly to express my opinions, to have a voice. It's empowering and special. The problem is that people haven't learned to shut up. There are some things that don't need to be said, especially to everyone on FB. Just because you can, doesn't mean you always should. And so, since there is too much chatter and too little restraint, I choose to be a lot more selective.
I don't foresee going back to FB any time soon, but if I do it will be with a very short friends list.
Thank you for putting up with my FB rant. I promise to be more carefree and happy in my next post.
Julie :)
Wednesday, November 04, 2015
Snow Day
There's always something magical about the season's first day of snow. In May when it snowed, I grumbled and groaned, but six months later, and I'm loving it.
The loving could also be contributed to what I'm eating and drinking as I sit on my comfy red sofa and watch the snow tumble down outside. Last night, I made an apple crisp that was divine. Those of you who know me well know that I'm not a fan of apple pie or crisp or anything with baked apples. You can imagine Steve's surprise when I announced that I was baking an apple crisp. It was a spur of the moment inspiration caused by returning home from grocery shopping, opening the fruit drawer, and finding several bags of apples of indeterminate ages. I knew that one bag I had purchased last week...it contained 4 apples...the rest had one, two, or even three apples and I had no idea how old they were. So, I took the 6 apples and tested them for hardness. They were still firm but also a little soft. I knew I wouldn't eat them as is, but they weren't bad so I didn't want to throw them out. I don't do pie crusts (someday, maybe, but not now), so I hopped on Pinterest and found an apple crisp recipe that looked good (i.e. had a lot of the crumble on top).
Oh, the smell that permeated our kitchen as the crisp cooked! I may not be an apple pie lover, but I've always loved the smell combination of apples and cinnamon. The crisp was delicious, even without the recommended ice cream or whipped cream. Yep, even I liked it. This afternoon, after putting Matt to bed, I'm indulging in reheated apple crisp leftovers and am a happy girl. Especially because I'm also sipping on hot apple cider. Mmmmmm. I'm a huge apple cider fan.
Hot apple cider + warm apple crisp + comfy red sofa + sweatpants and comfy sweater + snowing outside + toddler in bed = a really wonderful moment for me
I hope that wherever you are, you're as happy and comfortable as you can possibly be.
Julie :)
 |
| From our front steps |
The loving could also be contributed to what I'm eating and drinking as I sit on my comfy red sofa and watch the snow tumble down outside. Last night, I made an apple crisp that was divine. Those of you who know me well know that I'm not a fan of apple pie or crisp or anything with baked apples. You can imagine Steve's surprise when I announced that I was baking an apple crisp. It was a spur of the moment inspiration caused by returning home from grocery shopping, opening the fruit drawer, and finding several bags of apples of indeterminate ages. I knew that one bag I had purchased last week...it contained 4 apples...the rest had one, two, or even three apples and I had no idea how old they were. So, I took the 6 apples and tested them for hardness. They were still firm but also a little soft. I knew I wouldn't eat them as is, but they weren't bad so I didn't want to throw them out. I don't do pie crusts (someday, maybe, but not now), so I hopped on Pinterest and found an apple crisp recipe that looked good (i.e. had a lot of the crumble on top).
Oh, the smell that permeated our kitchen as the crisp cooked! I may not be an apple pie lover, but I've always loved the smell combination of apples and cinnamon. The crisp was delicious, even without the recommended ice cream or whipped cream. Yep, even I liked it. This afternoon, after putting Matt to bed, I'm indulging in reheated apple crisp leftovers and am a happy girl. Especially because I'm also sipping on hot apple cider. Mmmmmm. I'm a huge apple cider fan.
Hot apple cider + warm apple crisp + comfy red sofa + sweatpants and comfy sweater + snowing outside + toddler in bed = a really wonderful moment for me
 |
| Backyard |
I hope that wherever you are, you're as happy and comfortable as you can possibly be.
Julie :)
Monday, November 02, 2015
Halloween 2015
Happy Halloween!
I hope everyone had a fun, safe holiday. We had a fun time and actually had festivities two days instead of just one. Lucky us!
We started by going Trunk-or-treating at my dad's church Trunk-or-treat. For those of you who don't know, trunk-or-treating consists of people handing out treats from the back of the vehicles in a parking lot, usually a school or church, to the costumed kids. I guess it started as a way for kids to safely trick or treat to people they knew or something like that. A lot of the churches around here do it, but ours wasn't and it was a good time to see my dad, so we went. Here's us:
Steve and I decided that next year, we're choosing warmer costumes...we were pretty chilly and the weather wasn't even as bad as it could be for this time of year.
Matt had no clue what was happening. The costumes kind of freaked him out at first and he didn't want to carry his pumpkin or walk on his own. I had been working on getting him to say "Trick or Treat" all day but he had been pretty unenthusiastic. We walked past a bunch of cars, looking for my dad. When we found him, I had Matt say the magic words. He hesitated, but finally muttered something resembling them. HIs eyes lit up when Grandpa put candy into his pumpkin! Whoa! We chatted with Grandpa for a bit, then found my step-sister and her two girls and went around to cars with them for a bit. Matt's "trick or treat" got more hearty with every car as the candy poured into his bucket. He's definitely got his mama's sweet tooth. He also was very generous with the "thank you's" and received quite a few "aaaahhh"s because he's so stinking cute.
We stayed less than an hour before heading to my church's Halloween dinner. As we walked into the building, Steve threatened to leave if he was the only one dressed up. I assured him that most likely, we'd be the only adults dressed up and told him to buck up. Turns out, I was wrong, a couple other adults were also dressed up and several children. There were a couple games for the kids, and Matt loved the fish pond (more candy) but didn't want to get his face painted or do anything else. I'm learning that my little man is a little timid. I'm okay with this. We ate chili, corn bread, and salad then headed home because Matt hadn't napped and was getting ornery. It was time to get him his milk, relax a bit, put him to bed, and then collapse for the rest of the night.
The next day, we did a couple things around the house before setting off to buy a new dining room table. I won't go into why in this post, maybe later. We came home and got ready to go tailgating at the SUU football game with my dad and Paula. I really enjoy tailgating. We keep it really simple - hot dogs/brats, veggies, chips, fruit, and a dessert. We got there around 12:30, a little before Dad, and bought some SUU sweatshirts in case the game was chilly. Dad arrived around 1pm and we just hung out and ate for a couple hours. My niece Brooke was dancing with her dance school, so we got to watch her. Her parents had left for the Utah football game and her brother was hanging out with friends, so we invited her to eat with us and to go to the game with us. She did. I also saw my old boss, Eric, and his wife at the tailgating party. His daughter was dancing. I couldn't believe how old she was!! It was good to see them and to chat a bit. The years I worked for him were some of my best work years.
The game started a little slow but picked up and became a fun game to watch. It was soooo warm, though! We had all dressed for chilly weather, so it was a little uncomfortable. SUU maintained a lead the whole game but there were a few tense times when we thought they'd lose. They ended up winning - Yay!
We left the game a little early (after the 3rd quarter) because we were all getting hungry, especially Matt, and I had made a soup in the crock pot earlier in the day. Dad had church meetings to get ready for and Paula wanted to see Macey off on her Sadie Hawkins date, so it was just us and Brooke for soup. I had also wanted to leave a little early because it was prime trick-or-treat time. I love, love, love handing out candy to trick-or-treaters and seeing their costumes. So, the rest of the night, we just hung out and handed out candy. Steve took Brooke to her Halloween party around 7pm, we put Matt to bed around 8pm, and then sat out on our driveway to pass out candy to lower the chance of waking Matt. Just before 9pm, we packed up our chairs and candy and headed inside. The number of kids had dwindled and we were getting cold. We came inside and had a nice warm mug of hot chocolate. A perfect ending to a nice Halloween.
Next year, I think we'll take Matt trick-or-treating for the first time. I decided that he had received more than enough candy from trunk-or-treating the night before and didn't need more. He's young enough to not realize what he missed.
Julie :)
I hope everyone had a fun, safe holiday. We had a fun time and actually had festivities two days instead of just one. Lucky us!
We started by going Trunk-or-treating at my dad's church Trunk-or-treat. For those of you who don't know, trunk-or-treating consists of people handing out treats from the back of the vehicles in a parking lot, usually a school or church, to the costumed kids. I guess it started as a way for kids to safely trick or treat to people they knew or something like that. A lot of the churches around here do it, but ours wasn't and it was a good time to see my dad, so we went. Here's us:
 |
| Cleopatra, SUU football player, and Julius Ceasar |
Matt had no clue what was happening. The costumes kind of freaked him out at first and he didn't want to carry his pumpkin or walk on his own. I had been working on getting him to say "Trick or Treat" all day but he had been pretty unenthusiastic. We walked past a bunch of cars, looking for my dad. When we found him, I had Matt say the magic words. He hesitated, but finally muttered something resembling them. HIs eyes lit up when Grandpa put candy into his pumpkin! Whoa! We chatted with Grandpa for a bit, then found my step-sister and her two girls and went around to cars with them for a bit. Matt's "trick or treat" got more hearty with every car as the candy poured into his bucket. He's definitely got his mama's sweet tooth. He also was very generous with the "thank you's" and received quite a few "aaaahhh"s because he's so stinking cute.
We stayed less than an hour before heading to my church's Halloween dinner. As we walked into the building, Steve threatened to leave if he was the only one dressed up. I assured him that most likely, we'd be the only adults dressed up and told him to buck up. Turns out, I was wrong, a couple other adults were also dressed up and several children. There were a couple games for the kids, and Matt loved the fish pond (more candy) but didn't want to get his face painted or do anything else. I'm learning that my little man is a little timid. I'm okay with this. We ate chili, corn bread, and salad then headed home because Matt hadn't napped and was getting ornery. It was time to get him his milk, relax a bit, put him to bed, and then collapse for the rest of the night.
The next day, we did a couple things around the house before setting off to buy a new dining room table. I won't go into why in this post, maybe later. We came home and got ready to go tailgating at the SUU football game with my dad and Paula. I really enjoy tailgating. We keep it really simple - hot dogs/brats, veggies, chips, fruit, and a dessert. We got there around 12:30, a little before Dad, and bought some SUU sweatshirts in case the game was chilly. Dad arrived around 1pm and we just hung out and ate for a couple hours. My niece Brooke was dancing with her dance school, so we got to watch her. Her parents had left for the Utah football game and her brother was hanging out with friends, so we invited her to eat with us and to go to the game with us. She did. I also saw my old boss, Eric, and his wife at the tailgating party. His daughter was dancing. I couldn't believe how old she was!! It was good to see them and to chat a bit. The years I worked for him were some of my best work years.
The game started a little slow but picked up and became a fun game to watch. It was soooo warm, though! We had all dressed for chilly weather, so it was a little uncomfortable. SUU maintained a lead the whole game but there were a few tense times when we thought they'd lose. They ended up winning - Yay!
We left the game a little early (after the 3rd quarter) because we were all getting hungry, especially Matt, and I had made a soup in the crock pot earlier in the day. Dad had church meetings to get ready for and Paula wanted to see Macey off on her Sadie Hawkins date, so it was just us and Brooke for soup. I had also wanted to leave a little early because it was prime trick-or-treat time. I love, love, love handing out candy to trick-or-treaters and seeing their costumes. So, the rest of the night, we just hung out and handed out candy. Steve took Brooke to her Halloween party around 7pm, we put Matt to bed around 8pm, and then sat out on our driveway to pass out candy to lower the chance of waking Matt. Just before 9pm, we packed up our chairs and candy and headed inside. The number of kids had dwindled and we were getting cold. We came inside and had a nice warm mug of hot chocolate. A perfect ending to a nice Halloween.
Next year, I think we'll take Matt trick-or-treating for the first time. I decided that he had received more than enough candy from trunk-or-treating the night before and didn't need more. He's young enough to not realize what he missed.
Julie :)
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Sick Season
The last couple weeks have had some tough moments. Matt, Steve, and I have all been sick once or more during this time period. Ugh. Is there anything worse than having a sick child, especially a little one that doesn't know what is happening?
Second to one's child being sick is being sick oneself while needing to care for said child. That was me yesterday. I have been warding off a cold for awhile now, having just enough symptoms to make me annoyed but nothing so serious as to warrant Steve staying home while I rest in bed. Yesterday, while playing with Matt, I started to feel worse. I rested my head on the couch armrest for a bit, and when I lifted it up, I felt so nauseous I thought I was going to pass out.
I called Steve and asked him to come home. It was a little before 4pm, so at least he'd only miss an hour of work. He came home, I went to bed and stayed there a few hours. I had fever chills and a headache and felt like I needed to vomit but couldn't. I finally was sick and felt well enough to join my family downstairs. Luckily, Matt loves playing with Steve so much that he took it well when I couldn't play with him. He's so irresistible when he says, "Mom, play with me?"
Our normal bedtime routine is for me to help Matt brush his teeth while Steve gets his bedroom ready (window and curtains closed, bed cleared of any toys, etc.). We read a book or two together followed by prayers. Matt then says good night to Steve, and he and I read one more book. I then tell him one of three stories; Three Bears, Three Pigs, or Jack and the Beanstalk; and then sing a few songs to him. By this time, he's usually quite calm but still awake. I put him in his crib and give him lots of kisses. I even let him stall a bit with some of his cuteness before I say a final good night, I love you, and leave the room.
Steve has put him to bed before, but always when I'm away from home. Last night, he tried to do it but Matt knew I was home and wouldn't calm down. Steve brought him downstairs for us to read one story and to say prayers. I sang him the two songs I always sing last and kissed him good night. Steve put him to bed but Matt cried and cried and cried. It was soooo sad. So, I woman-up'ed and went into his room and did our bedtime rituals, feeling like I was going to either faint or puke at any minute. God blessed me with strength to make it through and by the time I made it back downstairs, Matt was asleep. There's just something about Mama, I guess. *smile*
Fortunately, Matt's cold is coming to an end. Whatever I had managed to work its way out of my system around 5:30am after a sleepless last. I feel weak and tired today but better than I've felt for a couple weeks. Steve is also feeling good. We've been sick more often than we've been since having Matt and I realized why last night. I take Matt to the gym's daycare!!
Usually, Matt and I stay at home and are fairly isolated except for the weekly trip to the grocery store and family gatherings. Last Fall and Winter, I attended church without him, so he didn't go to nursery. I know parents take their kids to the gym and to church nursery even when their kids are sick. Not every parent (I don't) but there are some. Matt has never really been exposed like he is now, so he's getting sick more and sharing it with good old Mom and Dad. It's going to be a rougher sick season that we've had in the past, but I think it's going to be a good thing in the long run. I've worried a little about Matt being isolated. Going to the gym and to nursery isn't only just helping him socially, but probably also giving his immune system a healthy workout.
Remind me of that when we're sick next time. I have a feeling it's going to be a long sick season.
Julie :)
Second to one's child being sick is being sick oneself while needing to care for said child. That was me yesterday. I have been warding off a cold for awhile now, having just enough symptoms to make me annoyed but nothing so serious as to warrant Steve staying home while I rest in bed. Yesterday, while playing with Matt, I started to feel worse. I rested my head on the couch armrest for a bit, and when I lifted it up, I felt so nauseous I thought I was going to pass out.
I called Steve and asked him to come home. It was a little before 4pm, so at least he'd only miss an hour of work. He came home, I went to bed and stayed there a few hours. I had fever chills and a headache and felt like I needed to vomit but couldn't. I finally was sick and felt well enough to join my family downstairs. Luckily, Matt loves playing with Steve so much that he took it well when I couldn't play with him. He's so irresistible when he says, "Mom, play with me?"
Our normal bedtime routine is for me to help Matt brush his teeth while Steve gets his bedroom ready (window and curtains closed, bed cleared of any toys, etc.). We read a book or two together followed by prayers. Matt then says good night to Steve, and he and I read one more book. I then tell him one of three stories; Three Bears, Three Pigs, or Jack and the Beanstalk; and then sing a few songs to him. By this time, he's usually quite calm but still awake. I put him in his crib and give him lots of kisses. I even let him stall a bit with some of his cuteness before I say a final good night, I love you, and leave the room.
Steve has put him to bed before, but always when I'm away from home. Last night, he tried to do it but Matt knew I was home and wouldn't calm down. Steve brought him downstairs for us to read one story and to say prayers. I sang him the two songs I always sing last and kissed him good night. Steve put him to bed but Matt cried and cried and cried. It was soooo sad. So, I woman-up'ed and went into his room and did our bedtime rituals, feeling like I was going to either faint or puke at any minute. God blessed me with strength to make it through and by the time I made it back downstairs, Matt was asleep. There's just something about Mama, I guess. *smile*
Fortunately, Matt's cold is coming to an end. Whatever I had managed to work its way out of my system around 5:30am after a sleepless last. I feel weak and tired today but better than I've felt for a couple weeks. Steve is also feeling good. We've been sick more often than we've been since having Matt and I realized why last night. I take Matt to the gym's daycare!!
Usually, Matt and I stay at home and are fairly isolated except for the weekly trip to the grocery store and family gatherings. Last Fall and Winter, I attended church without him, so he didn't go to nursery. I know parents take their kids to the gym and to church nursery even when their kids are sick. Not every parent (I don't) but there are some. Matt has never really been exposed like he is now, so he's getting sick more and sharing it with good old Mom and Dad. It's going to be a rougher sick season that we've had in the past, but I think it's going to be a good thing in the long run. I've worried a little about Matt being isolated. Going to the gym and to nursery isn't only just helping him socially, but probably also giving his immune system a healthy workout.
Remind me of that when we're sick next time. I have a feeling it's going to be a long sick season.
Julie :)
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Going back to work
I'm going back to work!
Last night, I skimmed through my next Relief Society lesson. For those of you who are LDS, it's lesson 21 from the President Benson manual. I only read roughly half of it and what I took away from it was the importance of work and the blessing received by working.
I've been suffering from a bit of depression lately...okay, for awhile. Nothing too serious but it's been annoying. I get sad for no reason, have mood swings, and am ornery more than usual. I've wondered if I have postpartum depression - can you have PPD two years after giving birth???
Some of the blessings President Benson mentioned: independence, industry, thrift, self respect, vigorous health, praiseworthy achievement, a clear conscience, and refreshing sleep. Sounds great to me! So, I decided to go back to work to see if that will dispel my depression. Heck, it can't make it worse, right?
I told this to Steve this morning over breakfast. He raised one eyebrow (okay, I'm not sure he can actually do that, but if he can, he did) quizzically and asked where I was going to work.
I dramatically swept my arm in an arc encompassing our house, "Here".
Last night, I decided that if I was my boss, I'd fire me. I've really slacked off lately. I'm obviously not the only one who has noticed...not only is my upcoming lesson about work but our Enrichment night was about, among other things, cleaning and organizing our homes!! Try telling me that the Man Upstairs isn't trying to tell me to get back to work.
Using an example given at Enrichment, I've created a weekly chore chart for myself the is totally do-able. Each day consists of two or three tasks that should only take 30-45 minutes, total, to complete (excluding laundry which makes up for its length by its ease). Some days, I even give myself flexibility to choose a project that is a one-time or once-in-awhile chore instead of a weekly chore - cleaning out a closet or cleaning behind the stove, etc.
The lady who taught the house cleaning lesson at Enrichment said something that really struck me. She said that if you love your house, you'll take care of it. I do love my house. It's my home and has felt like my home from the moment we finished unpacking. I don't take care of it, not the way it should be, I mostly just keep it from getting too bad. That's not enough and it's going to change.
Saturdays are bathroom cleaning days, so this morning I woke up and cleaned both upstairs bathrooms. It would have been easy to not do it, since we were invited to play with family, but I did it quickly (but well) and it feels sooo good to have them clean.
I have a testimony of prophets and believe that by following their counsel, I can receive all the promised blessings. I believe that as I follow President Benson's inspired admonition to work, that I will be blessed with self-respect, sleep, good health, a clear conscience, and hopefully relief from the depression I'm struggling under. Even if the depression is caused by untreated PPD or even a chemical unbalance (its hereditary in my family), working can do only good things for me. I know I will be blessed, my family will be blessed...both physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Julie :)
Last night, I skimmed through my next Relief Society lesson. For those of you who are LDS, it's lesson 21 from the President Benson manual. I only read roughly half of it and what I took away from it was the importance of work and the blessing received by working.
I've been suffering from a bit of depression lately...okay, for awhile. Nothing too serious but it's been annoying. I get sad for no reason, have mood swings, and am ornery more than usual. I've wondered if I have postpartum depression - can you have PPD two years after giving birth???
Some of the blessings President Benson mentioned: independence, industry, thrift, self respect, vigorous health, praiseworthy achievement, a clear conscience, and refreshing sleep. Sounds great to me! So, I decided to go back to work to see if that will dispel my depression. Heck, it can't make it worse, right?
I told this to Steve this morning over breakfast. He raised one eyebrow (okay, I'm not sure he can actually do that, but if he can, he did) quizzically and asked where I was going to work.
I dramatically swept my arm in an arc encompassing our house, "Here".
Last night, I decided that if I was my boss, I'd fire me. I've really slacked off lately. I'm obviously not the only one who has noticed...not only is my upcoming lesson about work but our Enrichment night was about, among other things, cleaning and organizing our homes!! Try telling me that the Man Upstairs isn't trying to tell me to get back to work.
Using an example given at Enrichment, I've created a weekly chore chart for myself the is totally do-able. Each day consists of two or three tasks that should only take 30-45 minutes, total, to complete (excluding laundry which makes up for its length by its ease). Some days, I even give myself flexibility to choose a project that is a one-time or once-in-awhile chore instead of a weekly chore - cleaning out a closet or cleaning behind the stove, etc.
The lady who taught the house cleaning lesson at Enrichment said something that really struck me. She said that if you love your house, you'll take care of it. I do love my house. It's my home and has felt like my home from the moment we finished unpacking. I don't take care of it, not the way it should be, I mostly just keep it from getting too bad. That's not enough and it's going to change.
Saturdays are bathroom cleaning days, so this morning I woke up and cleaned both upstairs bathrooms. It would have been easy to not do it, since we were invited to play with family, but I did it quickly (but well) and it feels sooo good to have them clean.
I have a testimony of prophets and believe that by following their counsel, I can receive all the promised blessings. I believe that as I follow President Benson's inspired admonition to work, that I will be blessed with self-respect, sleep, good health, a clear conscience, and hopefully relief from the depression I'm struggling under. Even if the depression is caused by untreated PPD or even a chemical unbalance (its hereditary in my family), working can do only good things for me. I know I will be blessed, my family will be blessed...both physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Julie :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)