Movie vs. Book: Eat, Pray, Love

On Friday, our "Girlfriends' Book Club" watched the movie Eat, Pray, Love after we read the book. I liked both even though they won't be making it onto my all-time favorite lists. I do have to say the book was a lot more passionate than the movie. The movie also left out a lot of details, as movies tend to do. I think my overall opinion would be to watch the movie or read the book. After doing both I felt a little deflated after watching the movie. I know I understood what was going on better in the movie after reading the book, but I really felt like the movie lacked the passion the author discusses in her pursuit of finding healing and determining her spiritual identity.

Benjamin Button and Forrest Gump

"Benjamin Button" is to my generation what "Forrest Gump" is to my parents' generation. Both are awful movies, in my opinion, but both show living through many generations of time through the perspective of someone who is out of the ordinary. Both show perspectives on living through periods of time that have impacted how society today interacts and the things it accepts. Both are tragic love stories where the two lovers lose and find each other a number of times over their lifetimes. I can say that I have watched both movies, but I did not like either one.

Primary Teaches Me About the Scriptures

The theme in Primary this year is "The Scriptures are True." In our ward, the Primary leaders are encouraging the children to bring their scriptures to Primary. I didn't realize this until I subbed in Primary a couple of weeks ago.

When we came home from church that day I took the children downstairs where I had a stack of Book of Mormons I didn't know what to do with. I gave Benjamin and Bekah each their own Book of Mormon and found some small pouches I no longer had a specific purpose for to use as scripture covers. For Family Home Evening, we talked about how the scriptures are set up and read so verses from the scriptures about the story of Helaman's Stripling Warriors. Benjamin even read an entire verse out of Mosiah by himself.

I love that my children have the opportunity to attend Primary once a week and learn more about the scriptures from others who share our beliefs. I love when my children show excitement for things I have been trying to teach them in our home because they realize what we are teaching is important to someone else too. I love the scriptures and the knowledge we gain from reading and pondering them, and hope my children will continue to develop testimonies about the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Toothless Ryan No More

After months of teething off and on, Ryan has his first tooth! He has been the slowest one to cut his teeth, Bekah had two teeth by four months old and Benjamin cut his first two teeth at two months. I am relieved the teeth have finally broken through because now I might get my happy and content baby back which is much preferred to the sad one that wants to be held all day long.

It Takes a Village to Raise a Child

Not exactly the same title as the book by Georgia A. Davis, but I have to give her credit because the title of her book makes me think about what it takes to raise a child. I am now learning that its not that the village itself is raising and directly influencing the child, the village is helping the parents with raising their children.

When I first started having and raising children I felt so alone on trying to figure it out. I felt like I didn't have a variety of resources available to draw from and I wanted to be careful what influences my child experienced on a regular basis. Now, I am truly rediscovering the comfort and help that comes from having a strong support system and friends who have a variety of experiences in raising their children at the same time I am using mine.

Benjamin has been struggling at school lately. Mostly he has been struggling with keeping his hands to himself and expressing frustration correctly. Unlike when Benjamin or Bekah were brand new, I now have quite a few friends I can rely on who share our parenting style. It is such a relief to have some who doesn't tell you what to do, but shares ideas on what they found worked for them with their children and the challenges of being a parent. It is also comforting to know that others struggle with similar challenges in raising children instead of feeling like no one knows what you are going through because you aren't connected to others like you want to be.

I am grateful for family who give their support and ideas from afar, but every day I am just as thankful that our "village" is expanding with people we can rely on and trust with the challenges of being a parent. I would have to say that it takes the help and support of a "village" to raise a child without losing yourself or your sanity. Thank you, to all of you who are part of our village.

I Love Chocolate for Breakfast

I love chocolate. It is one of my biggest weaknesses when it comes to food so when I can have a relative healthy version of chocolate for breakfast it makes me smile. When I have chocolate first thing in the morning I usually skip the cookies and candy bars and head straight for the chocolate frosted flakes or chocolate cheerios. If I am not having that, I make myself a cup of hot chocolate or grab a Fiber One bar with chocolate chips. Yeah, I love chocolate for breakfast.

Benjamin's Bag, a Minor Feat

Yesterday, I finished Benjamin's flame bag. I feel bad because we picked out the fabric on President's Day and it has taken me quite a long time to get around to sewing it together. Yesterday was the first day all week I was able to put the baby down for a nap without napping with him. I took advantage of my few minutes of peace to sew the first half of the bag. Then, Ryan woke up and needed to be fed and did not want to be put down again. I really wanted to finish the bag so I strapped on the Baby Bjorn, snapped in the baby, and returned to the sewing machine to finish sewing his bag. We had a very delighted boy when it was all done and the bag stayed pretty much attached to his arm the rest of the day.

Listening to Books in the Car

I like to listen to books on CD while I am doing chores or playing on the computer. I don't often have the opportunity to do this because my children are at a very needy stage of life and seem to be masters at interrupting Mom. Because I travel for awhile to piano lessons, I started listening to a book on CD each week as I travel to and from my lesson. I started turning the story on when I have the kids in the car and it has made a big difference on our driving experience. My kids are actually quiet when we drive from place to place and they ask questions about the story we are listening too. I find it interesting the things they pick up  on and the conversations we get to have about words or descriptions given in the book.

For example, I am currently listening to a story about a genie who changes into different animals and bugs to get from place to place. The genie was describing which kinds of animals were good to change into and which ones weren't so good. Benjamin asked me why a mole wasn't good. First, we had a discussion about what a mole was and we came to the conclusion that a mole was like a meerkat but fat and blind. Then, we discussed what made an animal good or bad. We determined that an animal was good to change into if it was smart and fast. Our conclusion on why moles were bad was because they were slow and blind, and that is why the genie that a mole was a bad animal.

I also appreciate that I am picky on what kinds of books I read and listen too. A lot of the books I listen to are written on a teenage or young adult level and are fantasy. This means my children can use their imaginations because they understand most of the action and descriptions taking place. I also try to read books with limited or no vulgarity, sexual descriptions, or violence. This choice means I can be comfortable with sharing the stories with my children.

I am very passionate about reading and would probably do it all day long if I could get away with it. Alas, life comes with chores and responsibilities so I will enjoy my brief escapes into someone else's world when the opportunity presents itself.

Agriculture Day at Farm Country

We made bead bracelets with sheep's wool.

We made hats that represented different agricultural jobs.

We learned about how this lamb's black wool will turn white (except its head and legs) as it grows up.

We planted seeds.

W played the "hold me" game with Ryan and he found fun things to grab.

We made tortillas in a bag and our own butter.

We had to explore extra doors and windows.

We ate our homemade tortillas with our homemade butter and cinnamon and sugar.

We learned about good and bad bugs in farming and earned plastic bugs to take home. (Yuck!)

On the way out the boys compared themselves to the wheels of a tractor.

First, we discovered Daddy is almost as tall as the back wheel of the tractor.

Then, we discovered that Benjamin is almost as tall as the front wheel.

We also went on a fact scavenger hunt to learn more about what some agricultural products are used for. Here is most of what we learned:

1. Chewing gum is made from the by-products from corn.
2. Shampoo contains honey from bees and lanolin from sheep's wool.
3. Salad dressing contains soybean oil.
4. Shaving cream contains fats and fatty acids from cattle, pigs, and sheep.
5. Crayons are made using soybeal oil.
6. Wallpaper is made possible by the hides and skins of cattle, pigs, and sheep.
7. Candles are made using wax from bees.
8. Soap contains by-products from chicken eggs.
9. Paint  is made using fats and fatty acids from cattle, pigs, and sheep.
10. Jell-O (I may never eat this again) has gelatin in it which is made from horns and hooves of cattle, pigs, and sheep.
11. Combs are made from the hooves and horns of cattle, pigs, and sheep.
12. Magazines are printed with soy ink.
13. Drinking straws are made possible by corn by-products.
14. Carpet contains wool from sheep.

And finally, we discovered that Benjamin is learning to read signs because he helped me read several of the facts we found.

One New Year's Goal Complete: Read 12 Books

I have read my first 12, actually 13 when I noticed, books of the year. Since my resolution was to read 12 books this year I am making an adjustment to try to read at least 36 books in 2011. I will continue to keep track of them on my blog, but just for the record my first 13 books as of March 23 are:

1. A Spoonful of Poison by M.C. Beaton
2. Bound by Honor by Virginia Weldon
3. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert**
4. Extras by Scott Westerfeld*(**)
5. Fablehaven: Keys to the Demon Prison by Brandon Mull
6. Mister Monday by Garth Nix*
7. Riding Freedom by Pam Munoz Ryan*
8. River Secrets by Shannon Hale
9. Sunday's at Tiffany's by James Patterson & Gabrielle Charbonnet
10. The Ladies Auxiliary by Tova Mirvis**
11. The Princess Academy by Shannon Hale*
12. Wicked: Legacy & Spellbound by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie
13. Wicked: Witch & Curse by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie

*Books I listened to on CD.
**Books I read for the book clubs I am in.

Christmas 2010

For Christmas this year (2010), we hosted my whole family (siblings, sibling spouses, and parents.) It was a lot of fun to have everyone together even if our house was bursting at the seams. I am glad everyone was able to make it and had a good time.

New Jammies on Christmas Eve

Pillow Pets (with sleeping bags) from Santa

Ryan's pillow pet

My three sisters: Mary, Joy, and Kristina

(Gary, Mary's huband, somehow escaped getting his picture taken)

David & Denise, his wife

My Mom & Dad

Benjamin excitedly displaying his dinosaur blanket from Grandma Margaret & Grandpa Bruce

Bekah playing with her fairies, one of the many things she asked for.

Benjamin snuggled in his pillow pet with his snake from his sister.

Ryan is not too sure about all of the excitement.

Bekah was super tired by late afternoon on Christmas. However, she refused to take a nap unless she was able to sleep with all of her new blankets and stuffed animals.

Pink blanket from Grandma Margaret & Grandpa Bruce, comforter from Grandma R & Grandpa R, the bright pink monkey picking out by her pillow is from her brother, Benjamin, and I am sure her hippo is under the covers somwhere.

Grandma Remarries

The lady on the right (okay, the only one in the picture) is my maternal grandmother. The gentleman on the left is Grandma's new husband, also recently widowed in the last year, and Grandma's long-time home teacher according to my sources. Congratulations, Grandma! It will take some time to adjust to this new addition to our family (or do I say additions because he has a family of his own?) but we are very happy for you to have found a companion to spend more of your life with.

P.S. I borrowed this picture (before cropping it) from Jake's (my cousin-in-law) Facebook album. Thanks!

Crockpots are a Wonderful Dinner Tool

I love my crockpot(s). I use the big one at least once a week, sometimes more. The little one I am still trying to determine how to use since it has no temperature settings. On busy days, it is nice to make dinner after breakfast and not have to worry about cooking it later in the day. On days when I have time after lunch, but will be busy in the evening, it is nice to make dinner ahead of time and keep it warm in the crockpot. I am so appreciative of whoever invented the crockpot. It saves my time and helps create delicious meals.

We Now Eat in the "Kitchen," Not the "Chicken"

Bekah is our very talkative child. She does have a hard time pronouncing some of her words though. One of her challenging words has been "kitchen." Whenever Bekah would refer to the kitchen she would say "chicken" which was very funny because she knows the difference between the chicken we eat and where we eat chicken. Over the last couple of weeks Bekah has finally been able to say the word "kitchen" with consistency. Listening to her concentrated effort to manipulate this word in her mouth is endearing. I love sharing in her joy at being able to pronounce a word that has been hard for her for so long.

Reach for It!

Ryan has started reaching for things with his whole body in the last couple of weeks. The first thing he reached out for, and leaned towards, was his dad. It was so precious! Now he reaches for his mom, dad, the dog, and anything else he finds interesting he wants to get his little hands on. I love this picture because even though he isn't reaching for anything, he is wearing a shirt like Michael's and it reminds me of how much he loves seeing and playing with his daddy.

Agatha Raisin Mysteries (By M.C. Beaton)

One day while blog hopping I came across a blog by an avid reader who liked some of the same books I like. Because of her concise summary of an other I had never read, I decided to try out an Agatha Raisin mystery from my local library. I found her writing interesting but not enough so to want to go read some more mysteries with her as the dective. Maybe I needed to start with her first mystery so I could grow attached to the characters from the start. Not that it would be necessary because beside character relationship references the book was not like a continuation of "the story" like a sequel would be. Maybe I need to develop a better understanding of English social practices and interactions because England is the setting for these books and I am American. Maybe I have just read a variety of other authors I find more intriguing mystery writers with stories with more depth. Maybe I was a little turned off by her obsessive need to pursue a man. Other than those few things, I found the books to be well written and interesting just not something I would enjoy immensely in the future. It was good to try something new, thanks for blogging about it, whoever you were.

Temple Square Lights

During the month of December we went to see the lights at Temple Square. We just took our little family and spent a short time admiring the lights and listened the Nativity Story. The children love the music and the nativities. I am glad it is one of our family traditions.

When Overscheduled, Something has Gotta Go

I like to be doing something almost all of the time. I do not like to be so busy that I feel like I am running from one activity to the next without time to breathe. This feeling means that my children do not have a long list of things to do each week. Techniquely, getting Benjamin to school and making sure his homework is done takes a lot more time than I had anticipated. For a few weeks we had somewhere to go every day of the week and I felt like my house or my children, or both, were being neglected because we were out running around so much. I decided it was time to make some changes and I had to cut something out. Not because we do a ton of things (what we do do is outlined below), but because I felt like we needed to spend less time running around.

1. School - I couldn't because Benjamin is learning a lot from his school class that he has refused to learn from me.
2. Grocery shopping - We have to eat. 
3. Paying bills and saving money - Bills have to be paid each month, but I did try to condense this down to less than two trips a month and started paying online what I could so that I would save myself a stop or two in the process.
4. Gymnastics - Bekah is learning gross and fine motor skills as well as how to listen to a teacher/coach and work with classmates.
5. Storytime - My kids love the storytime ladies and going to the library.
6. Naptime - When I or my children don't sleep we are grumpy bears.
7. Playgroup - I enjoy the social interaction and so does Bekah, but sometimes it is just impossible to get out the door ontime.
8. Playdates - Playing with friends is nice, just not every single or every other day.

What ended up making the cut was storytime. Instead of locking myself into one time each week to go to the library, I have adjusted to going in the afternoons or evening on a day that is convenient rather than trying to cram one more thing into our busy mornings. Storytime has also dropped down on the priority list now that my children let me read to them on a regular basis. One of the reasons I clung to storytime was the fact that it was the only time my children were read aloud to for more than five to ten minutes a day. Now, we can read for almost an hour before we either run out of books or have had enough reading time. It helps when we bring home a beach bag sized pile of books every time we go to the library.

I also had to make some attitude adjustments about other things. For example, naptime does not have to happen at one o'clock or not at all. The important part is having a nap and some days that happens at one and other days it happens at three. Another thing I had to do was be brave enough to let Benjamin walk himself to the bus stop. It is only a few houses away and it was getting more and more trying to load up all the kiddos in the cold weather to go sit at the bus stop twice a day. I now stand on the front porch or lawn and watch Benjamin walk up the street to wait for the bus which has reduced the burden of getting Benjamin to school by a good 20 minutes each morning, and I don't have to disturb a sleeping baby or worry about what state Bekah's hair and clothes are in. Playgroup has become optional depending on Bekah's level of cooperation and attitude. We have made it the last couple of weeks and hope to be able to attend for the next few weeks as well depending on Bekah's behavior.

Life is full of adjustments and changes. I think the challenge is in deciding what is most important and being willing to let other things fall off the schedule. I am glad for the inspiration I have received in making these changes for our family and the relief I have experienced after making said changes.

A Clean House Makes for a Calm Week

I previously discussed how much we were able to accomplish last Saturday, and it was a lot more than a typical Saturday. I have to say that starting the week with a clean house was a totally different experience than starting the week with a house that needed to be clean.

Because the house was clean, on Monday I was able to spend an hour practicing my piano, get some exercising done, and listen to a book on CD all while my children spent Benjamin's day off from school as a pajama/movie day. Having a clean house made it easier to do the dishes every day because that was about the only "housework" that absolutely needed to be done, and picking up took care of the  other areas of the house that I needed to clean. I was able to spend more quality time with my children without fretting about what was waiting to be cleaned that I had yet to get to. I enjoyed my home more and I felt more organized and together.

I know that every week won't be like this, but I sure enjoyed it and hope it can happen again sometime soon. Thank you, Michael, for all of your help last week. I couldn't have completed so much cleaning without your wonderful help with the house and the children. I know you don't feel like you did much, but what you did do was HUGE for me. Thank you so very, very much!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I'm not Irish, but I like holidays so today we celebrated St. Patrick's Day with a traditional Irish dish and lots of green.

I started the day by making green eggs and ham (secret: add blue food coloring to eggs before cooking), green milk, and then we made sure everyone was wearing a little bit of green. Later in the day we made green Cake Mix Cookies from a french vanilla cake mix, 2 eggs, 1/4 c olive oil, green food coloring and chocolate chips (baked at 350 F for 8 to 10 minutes). Finally, for dinner we had Corned Beef and Cabbage. I tried cooking corned beef several years ago for St. Patrick's day and since the instructions are on the package and it comes with a seasoning packet it is super easy (the hardest part is remembering that it takes about an hour per pound to cook) and is now a tradition for our family.

The children were delighted with the cookies and dinner, Benjamin and Bekah really liked the corned beef. Though the eggs surprised them this morning, mostly because we woke them up a little early so we could eat breakfast as a family before Dad left for work.

May the luck of the Irish be with you! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Accountant is Part of my Job Description

Being a "stay-at-home" mom, my job description is often muddled. Having so many responsibilities makes the tasks of each day different and varied. I am trying to define myself and my duties a little bit more each day so I can give people a better idea of what it is I actually do. I will probably be writing more posts that include "part of my job description" in the title as I am able to pinpoint parts of my job that have the same title as other people's full time jobs.

Now, on to the description part. As the family accountant, it is my responsibility to pay the bills, put money in savings, record where all of our money goes, reconcile our accounts, and determine if and when we have the resources for large purchases. Twice a month I sit down and spend a concentrated amount of time doing this and try to keep our budget in mind as I make purchases the rest of the month. Yesterday, I sat down to pay the bills and balance the checkbook and I realized it was time to make some adjustments to our budget and bills to provide for a much needed, larger purchase. I am proud to say that after an hour's time and several phone calls (and several phone calls made last week) I was able to reduce some of our recurring bills by a total of $80. Just a small victory in trying to reevaluate our current expenses to help provide for something else.

I enjoy when my job calls for something beyond the normal routine. It helps me improve my problem solving skills and reach new goals. I also appreciate my husband's in-put on financial decisions and his confidence in me on how we spend the money he so generously provides through his full time job. I would have to say that today the "accountant" surpassed expectations in completing her job.

Confessions of a Closet Piano Student

I confess, I am learning to play the piano. It's one of my bucket list items and a friend of mine needed more students so I took her up on the offer. To be honest, learning something as an adult that most people learn as children makes me rather self-conscious so I was waiting for the right opportunity to present itself, or maybe I was just making up excuses to put off learning the piano.

In January, our ward was split into two wards and Michael and I were asked to be the caretakers of the church building. Our official title is "Physical Facilities Specialists" and we are responsible for making sure the building is secure each night, scheduling activities and use of the building, and ensuring that those in charge of cleaning the building do so. I also found out that we are responsible for repairs. Anyway, this responsibility isn't very interactive and I felt like I wasn't going to have much of an opportunity for growth in this calling. However, receiving this responsibility pushed me to find other areas for growth and so when the opportunity to learn to play the piano presented itself I was pleased to have the support of my husband in pursuing this goal.

I am so grateful to my friend, Dawn, for teaching me to play the piano! She is patient and kind with all of my questions and the weeks when I don't practice enough to learn all of my lessons. I couldn't ask for a better teacher!

I feel like my hands can't keep up with all of the things I am learning and processing in my mind. My most recent lesson has been a little challenging because about half the songs require me to move my hands to unfamiliar positions which is something new. After spending a good half hour becoming more and more frustrated at my (perceived) continued stumblings, I opened up my lesson book to the first set of songs written on a staff and proceeded to play through the first half of my book. This simple exercise helped remind me how much I have learned in the last six weeks, and that is a LOT.

I now know both the treble and bass clef notes (I use to be able to plunk away at the treble clef only.) I better understand time and key signatures. I am improving my sight reading and maintaining my rhythm while playing. I can't play hymns out of the hymnbook yet, but I am more able to recognize the actual notes while singing in church and I have a couple of songs in the "Simplified Hymns" book that I can play with what I have learned so far.

At times I find it so challenging to squeeze in enough practice time that I want to quit. Thankfully, my wonderful husband reminds me of how much I have learned and how important it is that I take this time for myself and developing my talents. With this reminder, I find it easier to find time to practice and continue with what I have started to do. It is definitely challenging to find time to learn something new with three precious children, but it is worth taking time to care for myself and develop as a person not just as a mom.

Snuggles are Perfect

For me, snuggles are perfect. There is no other form a physical interaction that makes me feel as special and loved as being snuggled. Every morning my three sweet children (and the dog who thinks she is a fourth child) come and snuggle me before we get up and start our day. I love snuggling with my husband after the kids go to bed. Some days I wish we could just snuggle all day long with no need for cleaning, eating, going to school, working, etc. Alas, this cannot be so I will enjoy my snatches of snuggles throughout the day, often demanded for one child or another, and be reminded of how much I am loved.

The "Completion" List

Today was a work day at our house. An abundance of piles and messes had materialized throughout the week and needed to be taken care of. We must live in our house or something. As I was trying to determine where to start this morning, I contemplated making a "To Do" list so I could make sure I completed everything that needed to be done. The simple thought of doing this overwhelmed me, but then I was inspired to make a different kind of list. I called a "Reverse To Do List" which can almost be called the "Completion List." I made a list of almost everything we completed today with the end result being we accomplished a lot more than the "have-to"s in a shorter amount of time. Our list looked something like this:

• MICHAEL
• made breakfast
• bathed all three children
• fed the baby (3)
• washed the kitchen counters
• helped Benjamin tie his shoes
• re-made the children's beds
• cleaned up Bekah's accident
• went to the store to pick up stuff for an oil change
• vacuumed family room
• put the baby to sleep (2)
• warmed up lunch for all of us
• changed the oil in the Charger
• washed, dried, and folded 2 loads of laundry
• served dinner
• held, played with, and fed the baby so I could read
• put the children to bed
• served up ice cream for us
• watched a movie with our children

Benjamin and Bekah helped pick up and put things away while Mom an Dad were doing most of the chores. Benjamin also went to a birthday party and Bekah played "Mommy" while she watched a movie.

• CHARLYNN
• took Benjamin shopping for birthday present
• made our bed
• stripped the children's beds
• sorted laundry
• took out all of the trash (diapers, bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen) and recycling
• brushed and styled Bekah's hair
• unloaded and loaded dishwasher
• cleaned and organized pantry and kitchen tables
• cleaned away cobwebs
• picked up family room
• reorganized bathroom shelves
• fed the baby (3)
• refilled bottles for feedings
• scrubbed bathroom baseboards
• washed bathroom sinks, toilets, mirrors, and floors
• washed, dried, and folded 4 loads of laundry
• read a book
• made dinner
• changed all of the clocks
• checked the church building to make sure everything was secure and changed all of the clocks
• made popcorn for kids
• watched a show with Michael

I think I will have to use the "Completion" list the next time I have a lot I need "to do."

I am Good at Interruptions

I did not say that "I do interruptions WELL," I just said I am "good at" interruptions. I constantly find myself being interrupted for one reason or another which leads to forgetting what I was just doing. To prove my point, I have been trying to update my blog since Monday and this is the first time I have made it to the "New Post" page without getting distracted by various interruptions. As I type the baby is fussing because he is tired or needs a diaper change, Benjamin is playing the Wii and needing positive reinforcement, and Bekah is coloring quietly instead of needing to talk to me.

I often wonder how I accomplish much of anything with the plethora of interruptions I experience every day. Somehow, the laundry gets done, meals are prepared, children bathed, house picked up, dishes done, bills paid, reading happens, naps are taken, and errands get ran even amidst the myriad of interruptions. I guess I am getting better at it interruptions than I give myself create for even though I still find them frustrating and distracting. Someday I will do interruptions "well." Today I will content myself with being "good at" interruptions.

The Return of Miss Chatterbox

I never thought I would say this, but I have missed Bekah's constant chatter. After a week of her being horribly lethargic and quiet Bekah is finally feeling better. She is back to chatting muych more than she was last week when she started running a fever and laying around. While she has not made a compelte recovery she is more and more her chatty self each day. I am glad our Miss Chatterbox has returned.

Plumber is Part of My Job Description

As a Domestic Engineer I have a variety of titles that fall into my job description. For example, chauffer (taking the kids places out of necessity or for entertainment), tutor (I help Benjamin do his homework and read his books), accountant (I pay the bills, budget our money, and make most of our purchases), cook, laundress, janitor, and housekeeper to name a few. Occasionally, I come across something that does not fall into my "usual" jobs category. One day, a couple of weeks ago now, I took it upon myself to purchase a handy-dandy $3 drain unclogging tool. I spent about an hour unclogging our tub drain and removed all kinds of hair and gunk (no, I did not take pictures because that would be too gross) from our tub drain. Now we do not have to take foot baths at the same time we shower because the tub actually drains. Hopefully I won't have the exercise that talent, or my new tool, again anytime soon. I think I would rather stick using the plunger on clogged toliets when I have to play plumber next.

Eating Breakfast Like a Big Kid

Ryan is growing so big so fast that I often find it hard to keep up with his eating habits. In other words, didn't I just feed you a minute ago? He has grown 5 inches and gained 5 pounds since birth and so we are starting him on cereal a little earlier than his siblings did. He loves the stuff! In between bites, he leans forward and opens his mouth for more. Today, I tried substituting cereal for a bottle feeding and while he ate about 3 tablespoons of cereal he still wanted more and downed a 4 ounce bottle. It looks like we will have to incorporate cereal into our daily routine from now on.

Comic Books are Growing on Me

Benjamin is a boy. Among about a million other things that come with having a boy, I have discovered that Benjamin has a passion for comic books. Not something I am very fond of because I feel like they are leaving a chunk of the story out, even with the pictures. But, since I am trying to spread my horizons and encourage my children in the things they are interested in, I have found that comic books can be interesting. I now can actually read them to Benjamin instead of asking Michael to do it, and I am learning to enjoy them. Maybe this enjoyment comes from sharing something with my son and watching his eyes light up when he reads "bam," "pow," "swoosh," or maybe it is because they help see a little bit into the way Benjamin's mind works. Either way, I have reached the point where it doesn't totally unnerve me to read comic books to my son. I just ignore the incomplete and sometimes incoherent story line and relish spending time reading with my little boy who is not so little anymore.

Sunday Walk Turns Into a Sunday Drive

When we woke up this morning, the skies were mostly clear so I told our sweet girl that maybe we could go for a walk later and possibly go to the park. I forgot to check the weather, something I rarely do anyway, and I did not expect to have light showers off and on all day. Unfortunately, we were not able to go for a walk today but we did decide to go for a drive.

First we drove to the temple and talked with the children about the importance of the temple and how we can be worthy to attend the temple. Then we drove up the canyon until the rain turned to snow at which point we turned around and headed back down the canyon. After that we drove around some neighborhoods at the mouth of the canyon and admired the architecture. During the drive we listened to a story about an orphan who had a special talent with horses called "Riding Freedom."

We had a wonderful drive and while I would have liked to take my family on a walk I truly enjoyed riding around with our little family and experiencing the beauty created by God's hands as well as the beauty created by men who were given talents and gifts from God. I love Sunday drives and sharing this time with my children. I am glad they were able to enjoy it too (I could tell because there was no whining, crying, fighting, etc. coming from the back seat).

"Does Running Late Count as Exercise?"

My friend, Naomi, posted this on her status on Facebook today. I had to laugh because that is about the only kind of "exercise" I seem to get lately. For someone who likes to be on time, it is often frustrating. However, I am learning to adjust a little bit at a time. Having three kids, even being pregnant with number three, really has thrown off my expectations of how long it takes to go anywhere. We still take about the same amount of time in the store or appointments, it just takes longer to get out the door.

The time it takes to do the extra tasks with having a baby seem to absorb the time and energy I could spend on exercising. I don't mind the extra work, I just need to find the time to work in some extra exercise outside of running after my kids, running up and down the stairs in my house to get things or put them away, and running late. Until then, I will smile and remember I am getting "exercise" when I am running late.

Whole Wheat Pasta

I am constantly looking for little ways to improve our diet. This week I wanted to make lasagna but we were out of noodles and while at the store I compared the price of whole wheat noodles to enriched noodles. The price difference was about $0.50 so I took a chance. Our meal was much more satisfying and enjoyable. We didn't even notice any difference in the way it tasted. I will definitely be looking into buying whole wheat pasta more frequently.

Gymnastics

Our pretty princess is in gymnastics. Just the basic level where they work on balance and flexibility. She loves it! I was even able to find her this cute (and modest) gymnastics leotard for a reasonable price. Every week I am amazed with something new she discovers how or learns to do.

Hair Experiment

I am always looking for new things to do with Bekah's hair. I have attempted twists before but end up taking them out because I can't get them to stay twisted. At church on Sunday a friend had part of her daughter's hair in twists like those pictured above and I asked her how she did it. "The trick is to twist the individual sections one way and then wind them together in the opposite direction," she said. So on Wednesday I tried it and it worked!