Homemaking

I just finished reading Dr Laura's book The Proper Care and Feedings of Husbands for the second time. Its an amazing book. A lot of women wont read it because they think it sounds sexist but seriously if you read it it actually is somewhat derogatory towards men. She says they are simple and if you understand the few things they need and meet those things, they will do anything for you. The funny thing is that I think most men would agree and not be offended by that assessment.

I think what I love most about the book is that she helps remind me that John is my partner. He has different roles than I do. My role is to take care of the home. Yes, the mundane chores get old after doing them over and over and over but its the role that I chose. Its the role that I want. It gives me so much freedom to be creative, flexible, and choose to do fun and exciting things during the day. I don't have a boss to answer to and if I want to take a day off an be a little more lazy, I can. Not only that I am so grateful that I can be here to raise our sons.

But my role also comes with a lot of power over the lives of those in my care, including John. Where much is given, much is required. When I am happy and keep our house clean and running smoothly I feel happy and satisfied and that is reflected by everyone in our family.

Boys don't change much in my opinion. Husbands are just grown up boys.

My sons need a lot of validation and a lot of affection from me. Just a few days ago Davis came up to me and said, "Hug Davis, Mom." I gave him a hug and smothered him with some kisses and then he ran off to continue playing. I am constantly having to look at what they did and I get asked about 10 times a day, "did I do a good job?" John is more subtle in his asking but he still has the same needs for validation and affection.

Having a husband to care for is not a right, its a privilege.

A privilege he gave me when he chose me to be his wife and companion.

I'm just glad to be reminded how lucky I am and sad that sometimes I need a reminder to treat John like the amazing man that he is. I'm not his mother, I'm not his boss or his manager.

I'm his partner.

He needs respect and consideration as much as I do and if I give it, I will get it. He works hard too, it might be different work but he still gets up every morning, hours before I do, to go to work for us. I appreciate him for that.

If you haven't read the book, I would recommend it.

I wish I had read it long before I was ever married.

General Conference Kids Packet

If you want it you can find it here

Im finally rid of our house!

Yep, that's right all 10 pounds that I gained while building it!

I'm so happy.
I gave myself 2 months from this post to lose it and I did!

It also happens to be my Davis pre-pregnancy weight.
My brown eyed lover boy!

Oh my goodness how I love Monday morning when Caleb is off to school and Beckham goes down and its just me and Davis.

Now onto the 10 pounds from Caleb...it will be gone by Dec 1st.

Stay tuned!

GOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!

Today Caleb scored his very first soccer goal! He is doing so much better and actually catching onto the game and loving it!


Poor Davis cried the whole game because he wants to play so bad! Hes going to be one competitive kid!

What I found this morning....

someone can stand!

And he hasn't stopped all day!

Just my jumbled thoughts....

I keep having these thoughts go around and around in my head and I know if I just don't get them out they will keep occupying the back of my mind...and I need all the mind space I can get!

The first is fall...you can feel it in the air. The mornings are crisp. Caleb's been wearing his favorite Transformers sweatshirt in the morning and as the bus comes it feels how the school year is suppose to feel. Okay and lets be honest, the wind is back. The wind that makes me run to open my drapes each morning to see if my little trees are still standing since we lost our poor Stella to a bucket blowing in the wind. Nighttime bike rides are pleasant and peaceful. Today our house smells like cinnamon and vanilla and I am giddy!

I feel like last year I was robbed of fall.

One year ago my mind was plagued with thoughts of preterm labor. Each day just hoping to hold on for a few more weeks. It was about a year ago too (okay not really- its still about a month away, but I'm thinking about it a lot as fall is starting) that my sweet sister in law and parents offered to take our kiddos to CA for a month. A full month! Last year we didn't even get to eat Thanksgiving dinner with our kids. We knew they were in good hands but still the holidays are for family and last year we felt too free from our responsibilities for us to be really happy.

I am so excited to embrace all of fall this year.

I finally feel great, back from the dark world that bed rest sends me to. Back to being a loving happy wife and mother. Back to the daily routines of dishes, laundry, bath times, bedtimes, mealtimes...and enjoying them. Back to working on projects around the house and finding cheap little ways to decorate and make our house more and more a home and sanctuary from the world.

It feels so good to be back!

The second is not as happy.

I got a call the other day that the radio station here was offering this deal where if you donate $39.99 to a charity that helps educate people about missing children and how to prevent it they would give you a coupon book of services donated by local business. At first I was skeptical but then I found out that there were 4 oil changes, at least 3 haircuts, about 15 car washes, 3 free jumping jacks....and I could keep going and bore you but I wont. I was excited, especially since I needed an oil change anyway. I said I would buy it. Then they told me if I got 2 other people to buy them I could get 1 for free. So the next 3 friends I talked to I asked them if they wanted one and found 3 other people and split the cost of the free book so it only cost 4 of us $30.

It was a great deal. But I felt selfish.

I have to find deals and steals like that right now-its the only way we are surviving in this market. But as I went to the Saturn dealership to get my oil changed for free, I felt sad. Sad that I cant given them my real business. Sad that they donated this for missing children and education when I know they are already struggling and I cant give something back to them.

We need our transmission flushed, we know this and are saving for it. They told us it needed to be done and that they could do it for $179. But the truth is that I know that I can use my Dixie Direct coupon book and get it done for $100 somewhere else with a coupon.

It makes me feel like I'm taking advantage of businesses, business that are struggling to stay open. Business owned and operated by people with families too. But what else can I do? I can do so much with $80!!! I cant afford to give them my business even if my heart wants to.

I still hate this economy and its making me sad. The pull between whats best for me and whats best for mankind just don't match up right now. It makes me feel guilty for being so thrifty but then I feel guilty when I buy things full price.

See why I'm all jumbled...

Fall has brought joy, peace, anticipation

vs

guilt, fear, sadness that I feel for the economy and the people suffering

That's a lot to feel at one time, but I feel better already just having typed it all out.

So if you made it this far, thanks for listening.

Joy school

Today was my first day teaching Davis' joy school. It was such a pleasure. I love when I get to have some time to focus just on him. Davis is seriously the most amazing and SMART little boy. He knows all of his letters, and can tell you the sounds that some of them make. He can also do all of his numbers, count, and even do a little math. I cant really take credit for it either, he has picked it up himself.


Today as I was watching him color, his new favorite thing, and looked at how well he stayed in the lines my heart just swelled with pride.

He really is amazing.

He challenges me in different ways than Caleb did and I'm glad that I have more time now to focus on the things he needs as his little mind is taking off and he is learning so much.

He is a wonder and I'm so glad he and his big brown eyes belong to me!

The sad tale of teeth...

Poor Beckham...for MONTHS his teeth have been coming in. This last week the teeth have come down but didn't break the skin. You could see the ridges of his teeth through his white pressed gums. John expressed it the best,

"teething has turned our angel baby into devil baby."

The only time he is happy is in the shower or the bath. He has been taking 2 to 3 a day. The shower is the best because he cant drowned so I can put him in for a half hour and get something done!

I had finally had enough! He wont let me rub his gums so I got him all ready to take a shower and just went to town on rubbing his gums and pushing on them! He howled like crazy and John teased me about being mean and die hard, but guess what...when John went to take a bath with him (yes, another one about an hour later) guess what had finally broke through!

His top left front tooth!

One down...3 more still trying to get through!Lots of showers to come I'm sure!

Updated: This is what I found later in the day when I had to heat up the shower and he obviously heard it running while I was changing laundry...

Soccer season starts!

Yea! It soccer time!What a difference a year makes.

Last year Caleb was running in circles and wouldn't get in the action. This year he actually went for the ball and got in the action! He is #2 just like his Daddy was.

The focus

Ohhh and he got that really handsome coach that he had last year too ;)

His cheering section...
Decked out to cheer for another team that we don't really want to talk about!

Best part is still Capri Sun and fruit snacks!

How we keep cool in the summer

Jumping on the trampoline with ice cubes of course!

Excuse me!?!

Today I got to mother help in Caleb's class. As it was time to go I told him he got to ride home with Mom and he was not very happy about that because he wanted to go on Steve's bus. As we were walking to the parking lot I was joking with him about why he would rather ride the bus than come home with me. His response:

"Yeah, but Mom Steve is cool."

I said "excuse me, and I'm NOT cool!?!" His response:

"No, you're pretty"
(which slightly redeemed him)

As we were driving away I was behind the ever cool Steve's bus and Caleb said "follow him Mom!" I said, "No I'm going to pass him because I'm cooler!" Caleb's answer:

"Ummmm Mom, remember you're just a little bit cool."

Cant wait to think of what he thinks about me in first grade :)

Davis' Big Day

Yesterday Davis started Joy school! Doesn't he look excited!?!
Actually this was the best picture I could get because he was running all over and wouldn't stop!


He was so excited to be a big boy like Caleb. He wore his Mickey Mouse backpack for hours before. I tried to put his sandals on him and he said he had to wear shoes to school, like Caleb.
He had a blast and loved it! I'm excited for my turn to teach next week!

He also started Neighborhood Gymnastics!


Wednesdays are going to be busy for him for the next 7 weeks (not to mention Mom). He listened and did so good. I'm so proud of him!

What a day!

What a big boy!

Vacation recap, pictures edition

We interrupt this vacation message....

I have a blogging friend over at the r house blog. I really like her and her blog. Her personality reminds me of mine a little bit. She is a very passionate person and not afraid to be a little feisty. She empowers me. Yesterday she had to go to court. Brief summation of why:

They adopted baby

Father decided to contest it

Gavin is now 1 and happy in their home

Birth mother wants him to be adopted

They went to court

She isn't really optimist about how it ended in the courtroom and now they just have to await the judges decision.

Her lawyer knowing how worried she is told her that

"judges respond to prayer."

Will you join me in praying for the judge to feel the truth?

Seriously I cant imagine what it would be like to wait to see if you get to keep your baby, the baby you have raised since he was days old.

Ive tried and it just makes me physically ill.

We had an experience a few days before we left on vacation where John couldn't find a very important contract at work and he was freaking out when we all went to lunch. Caleb really wanted to go to work to help him and was sad that he couldn't go to work and look for it. So I told him that when we want to help someone but cant we can pray and Heavenly Father can help them for us. So we said a prayer that Daddy could find the papers and right about that time at work John found them.

Caleb's faith is perfect, it never occurred to him that his prayer would not be answered.

My faith- I was wondering what I would tell Caleb if John didn't find the papers.

I'm going to take my own advice and pray for someone I want to help but cant actually help myself.

Perhaps I need to put Caleb's perfect faith at work.

Join me please!

I will keep you posted.

San Luis Obispo

We are here...it is beautiful.

We are at my brother Brian's beautiful home. I don't think Ive really expressed how lucky I am to have the brothers I do. A little bit about Brian, hes amazingly smart, he can build and figure anything out, and although he puts on a facade of being tough and impatient, he really is a softy and full of so much compassion.

He is a rock.

Yesterday I woke up and went for a run in the cool crisp breeze with the smell of eucalyptus all around me. I felt like I could run forever it was so perfect in every way. The breeze, the palm trees, the gorgeous houses....I then realized I'm at a lot lower elevation, but still there is nothing like the exhilaration of a good run in the perfect surroundings.

We spent the morning preparing for my niece, Ashlynns baptism.

It was perfect

She glowed

I'm proud of her.

Hanging out with the family can only be made sweeter by one thing...

B
Y
U

beating Oklahoma.

What can I possibly say about THAT!!!

What a perfect day. And here is the cherry topping...

I really do love my family!

Things that make me go grrrrr....

John is taking 4 1/2 days vacation starting tomorrow and through next week...

Problem is he has had to work all of those 40 hours this week
so that we can go and hes probably going to work an extra 40 when we get back!

Wouldn't complain so much if they didn't make us use his vacation time

I just want to steal him away...he works so hard and deserves a break

Ashlynn's Baptism
The Beach
BYU Football
Family
Sea World
Knott's Berry Farm
Golf
The Temple
Galaxy game

It will be so nice when we can just go!

Makin' a splash

We went to the Hurricane Pool for Caleb's Karate party last week and we were AMAZED when Caleb went over and got in line for the high dive! We were a little nervous but let him do it and he loved it! By the end of the night he was doing spins, cannonballs, the splits, and crazy jumps off of it. It was hilarious to see the line for the high dive because it was all teenagers and adults and then Caleb would be in between two people twice his size. And since hes such a heavyweight the board would hardly bounce for him. We of course had to go back for FHE to get a video.

Here is his cannonball:


Davis was not going to be outdone either ( although we did say no to him going on the high dive even though he wanted to)



And lastly here is our little Beck's doing what he does best (as for the video being a little crazy...well its hard to hold a camera and make sure your baby doesn't drowned at the same time!)



As for us being surprised at Caleb going off the high dive, I was going through pictures and came
across these:

And then his love for the high dive became a little less surprising!