Recipe found Here
All I can say is Wow!
Loving our ever changing, crazy, fantastic life
Monday, March 28, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Things I've Accomplished and Want To Accomplish (Continued)
I want to apologize in advance - blogger is being dumb and won't let me space this out! Argh!! Things I Have Accomplished: 1. Learned to really like having house plants and even managed to keep most of them alive! 2. Taught myself how to sew useful things for my family 3. Taught myself to knit - but I'm no officianado. I can make pretty easy things only. 4. Re-upholstered a couch by myself. 5. Had a baby without an epidural - something I wasn't certain was at all possible, and hopefully something I can accomplish again. Things I Want To Accomplish in the next year: 1. Teach myself to crochet. 2. Have a gathering in our house when we get our backyard in. 3. Try 15 new recipes 4. Be a better friend. 5. Make a piece of furniture from scratch. That looks good. :) (Last weeks was pretty wordy, and this week I felt like keeping it simple. It's easier to read that way too.) :)
Friday, March 25, 2011
Aftyn-isms To Remember
Earlier today right around naptime, my mom came to visit and as she left reminded Aftyn to come to her house soon and swing. Aftyn wanted to go right then, but we told her we would do it later which seemed to appease her. A few minutes later, she still wanted to go and swing so I had her go and ask Reed if he would take her for a ride later to go and swing.
Fast forward to about 30 minutes ago, as Aftyn looked out the window in the front room. She stood looking for a few minutes and then said "ride". And then walked over to Reed and said "swing". Hilarious! She remembered all these hours later that Daddy had promised her a ride to go swing, with absolutely no prompting from Reed or I.
Aftyn likes to look at the field of cows by our house as we drive by and talk about the baby cows, the mommy cows, the daddy cows and even the Aftyn cows. What a funny girl. She makes me laugh at how sweet and trusting she is about what we tell her.
Aftyn calls washing your hands after you use the bathroom, "rub rubs" because you rub and rub your hands together with the soap and then in the water to rinse off the soap.
Fast forward to about 30 minutes ago, as Aftyn looked out the window in the front room. She stood looking for a few minutes and then said "ride". And then walked over to Reed and said "swing". Hilarious! She remembered all these hours later that Daddy had promised her a ride to go swing, with absolutely no prompting from Reed or I.
Aftyn likes to look at the field of cows by our house as we drive by and talk about the baby cows, the mommy cows, the daddy cows and even the Aftyn cows. What a funny girl. She makes me laugh at how sweet and trusting she is about what we tell her.
Aftyn calls washing your hands after you use the bathroom, "rub rubs" because you rub and rub your hands together with the soap and then in the water to rinse off the soap.
Baby Blanket - Done!
It may not look like much, but it's mostly made of minky so it is REALLY soft and each of those designs on that blanket have been zigzagged around. Let's just say it took a lot of work, but I am pleased that it's done! :)Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Ankles Turned Cankles
I've had this strange phenomenon occur at least 3 times this pregnancy.
One ankle swells, the other one doesn't.
I'm mildly concerned it could be something bad and so I called my midwife today,
but I haven't heard back yet.
In the meantime, it's kind of amusing to be able to enjoy the lovely ankle on one leg,
and the elephantitis going on in the other.
Anyone ever enjoy this strange phenomenon while pregnant?
By the way, can you tell which ankle is swollen?
**In further updates, due to the noticable size difference in my baby bump this time as compared with Aftyn's, I'm going to try to beg my midwife to have mercy on me and have me deliver at some set point before 40 weeks.
Big babies run in my family and I'm afraid! **
Monday, March 21, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
7 1/2 weeks . . . . . and counting!
You might think I'm referring to the birth of the baby I carry everywhere with me, but no.
I'm referring to the big, exciting birthday that is coming this year to me.
It's going to be the BIG 3-0. That's right. 30.
Thankfully, at this time in my life numbers don't bother me.
And thanks to a very healthy appreciation taught to me by my mother about birthdays, I always love my birthday. Who doesn't love a day that's all about you ?! My mom would say it's just my personality that makes me love parties and having fun. Maybe so, but I digress.
Since this year I am turning an age that I used to think: a) I would never reach and
b) I would be SO old when I reached it
I've decided it needs some special preparation. Just for fun.
Plus it takes my mind off the aches and pains of pregnancy and motherhood and life.
I think it would be fun to make a Bucket List of sorts for myself. One list of things I have accomplished in my (soon to be) 30 years on earth and another of things I'd still like to accomplish before I reach 31.
For the next 6 Sundays until my birthday arrives, it's on a Friday, I will share 5 items from each list until I hit 30 things. Sounds like fun to me! Hope you enjoy.
5 Marvelous Things I Have Accomplished
1.Surviving a half-marathon. And really, it's due to my running partner that I survived and even accomplished the whole distance.
2. Traveled to England. Thanks to my brother and sister-in-law who lived there and also to my travel wise husband who wanted to go enough to convince me. Now I want to go back. A lot.
3. Sealed in the Temple. I love the blessings we receive, I love knowing that my husband and kids can be with me forever. And that I in turn can be with my siblings and parents and their families. It's truly awesome if you think about it.
4. Being a Mother. Thanks to those who mentor me for helping me through it all, I'm grateful for the love I have for my daughter and knowing that I try every day to be my best for her and so she can be her best as well. Can't wait to be able to look at all my kids one day and know that I had a part in helping them learn and grow.
5. Running. Seems weird, I know. But the fact that I enjoy running as much as I do and knowing how much I used to hate it, I am grateful for what I have learned through running. I am grateful to be able to be more in tune with my body. I recognize the more I listen, the more I learn about how my body wants to be treated and the happier I feel when I do what it wants. I'm sure there's a spiritual law in that line, something having to do with when we listen to our spirits how much happier we are as opposed to when we listen to the world and all the stuff it tells us we should become and do.
5 Marvelous Things I Want To Accomplish
1. Plant our first garden. With the help of those who live in this house with me. I think it could be a lot of fun and a great teaching tool for Aftyn.
2. Survive the addition of a 4th member of the family. Making all the adjustments, helping Aftyn know she is still wanted and needed, learning to juggle my normal life with an infant added in.
3. Read the Book of Mormon before May 24th. For my family reunion in July, we've been challenged to read the whole BOM by then. I'm trying to be consistent at it, but I need to figure out if I'm reading fast enough to finish before this baby comes because I'm not sure I'll be thinking about reading when I'm sleep deprived and surviving day to day life. Just to be sure, I want to be done before she's due.
4. Be adored by my primary class. This just makes me laugh, but I recall thinking (when I took my class of 8 year olds on just before January) that I wanted them to like me because I could tell that some of them didn't think I was so cool. I think they've seen how much I care for them and how much I enjoy our class, but still. I would like to continue to feel that through however long I teach them that I will be a teacher they enjoyed. :) And that they felt the spirit from and someone who taught them a lot about the gospel. Especially that last part. I recall at about 8 was when I started learning a lot about the gospel, and I'd like to feel that I helped them understand more and learn more about Jesus Christ.
5. Evidently I can't count, because I posted this after only # 4. Teach Aftyn a whole primary song that she can sing. She loves to sing, but right now has a hard time remembering words or the songs are too long for her. I guess I better start searching for a short song with easy, repeating words and a catchy tune. You might find this task a little weird, but I grew up in a very musical family and want to make sure and pass that along to my kids. Since we don't have a piano and couldn't possibly fit one in our house anyway, I teach her songs by singing them to her or playing them on the cd player. This means I just need to be more consistent in the songs I sing to her and make sure she can hear the words that I sing.
I'm referring to the big, exciting birthday that is coming this year to me.
It's going to be the BIG 3-0. That's right. 30.
Thankfully, at this time in my life numbers don't bother me.
And thanks to a very healthy appreciation taught to me by my mother about birthdays, I always love my birthday. Who doesn't love a day that's all about you ?! My mom would say it's just my personality that makes me love parties and having fun. Maybe so, but I digress.
Since this year I am turning an age that I used to think: a) I would never reach and
b) I would be SO old when I reached it
I've decided it needs some special preparation. Just for fun.
Plus it takes my mind off the aches and pains of pregnancy and motherhood and life.
I think it would be fun to make a Bucket List of sorts for myself. One list of things I have accomplished in my (soon to be) 30 years on earth and another of things I'd still like to accomplish before I reach 31.
For the next 6 Sundays until my birthday arrives, it's on a Friday, I will share 5 items from each list until I hit 30 things. Sounds like fun to me! Hope you enjoy.
5 Marvelous Things I Have Accomplished
1.Surviving a half-marathon. And really, it's due to my running partner that I survived and even accomplished the whole distance.
2. Traveled to England. Thanks to my brother and sister-in-law who lived there and also to my travel wise husband who wanted to go enough to convince me. Now I want to go back. A lot.
3. Sealed in the Temple. I love the blessings we receive, I love knowing that my husband and kids can be with me forever. And that I in turn can be with my siblings and parents and their families. It's truly awesome if you think about it.
4. Being a Mother. Thanks to those who mentor me for helping me through it all, I'm grateful for the love I have for my daughter and knowing that I try every day to be my best for her and so she can be her best as well. Can't wait to be able to look at all my kids one day and know that I had a part in helping them learn and grow.
5. Running. Seems weird, I know. But the fact that I enjoy running as much as I do and knowing how much I used to hate it, I am grateful for what I have learned through running. I am grateful to be able to be more in tune with my body. I recognize the more I listen, the more I learn about how my body wants to be treated and the happier I feel when I do what it wants. I'm sure there's a spiritual law in that line, something having to do with when we listen to our spirits how much happier we are as opposed to when we listen to the world and all the stuff it tells us we should become and do.
5 Marvelous Things I Want To Accomplish
1. Plant our first garden. With the help of those who live in this house with me. I think it could be a lot of fun and a great teaching tool for Aftyn.
2. Survive the addition of a 4th member of the family. Making all the adjustments, helping Aftyn know she is still wanted and needed, learning to juggle my normal life with an infant added in.
3. Read the Book of Mormon before May 24th. For my family reunion in July, we've been challenged to read the whole BOM by then. I'm trying to be consistent at it, but I need to figure out if I'm reading fast enough to finish before this baby comes because I'm not sure I'll be thinking about reading when I'm sleep deprived and surviving day to day life. Just to be sure, I want to be done before she's due.
4. Be adored by my primary class. This just makes me laugh, but I recall thinking (when I took my class of 8 year olds on just before January) that I wanted them to like me because I could tell that some of them didn't think I was so cool. I think they've seen how much I care for them and how much I enjoy our class, but still. I would like to continue to feel that through however long I teach them that I will be a teacher they enjoyed. :) And that they felt the spirit from and someone who taught them a lot about the gospel. Especially that last part. I recall at about 8 was when I started learning a lot about the gospel, and I'd like to feel that I helped them understand more and learn more about Jesus Christ.
5. Evidently I can't count, because I posted this after only # 4. Teach Aftyn a whole primary song that she can sing. She loves to sing, but right now has a hard time remembering words or the songs are too long for her. I guess I better start searching for a short song with easy, repeating words and a catchy tune. You might find this task a little weird, but I grew up in a very musical family and want to make sure and pass that along to my kids. Since we don't have a piano and couldn't possibly fit one in our house anyway, I teach her songs by singing them to her or playing them on the cd player. This means I just need to be more consistent in the songs I sing to her and make sure she can hear the words that I sing.
Friday, March 18, 2011
A Letter To Spring
Dear Spring,
I could really use you right now. Could you please decide that you're here? I long for warm sunny afternoons to play outside and go for walks. I long to soak in your warmth while looking out my window at all the beautiful flowers budding in my yard. I yearn to plant seeds and see them grow.
But alas, winter keeps blowing back in with a ferocity I don't recall in years past. Could you please help it to release its icy grip on the wind and the rain? My spirit would be forever grateful as I'm beginning to lose hope that you are coming sometime soon. You've almost broken me, winter. But I've still got hope. And it looks like this:
I could really use you right now. Could you please decide that you're here? I long for warm sunny afternoons to play outside and go for walks. I long to soak in your warmth while looking out my window at all the beautiful flowers budding in my yard. I yearn to plant seeds and see them grow.
But alas, winter keeps blowing back in with a ferocity I don't recall in years past. Could you please help it to release its icy grip on the wind and the rain? My spirit would be forever grateful as I'm beginning to lose hope that you are coming sometime soon. You've almost broken me, winter. But I've still got hope. And it looks like this:
Monday, March 7, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Happy Birthday, Reed!
Dear Reed,
We're so glad that you were able to make it home in time for us to celebrate your birthday!
You are a wonderful reason to celebrate today.
Thank you for being the glue to hold our family together.
Thank you for making the time to play with Aftyn every day, to make her giggle and laugh, to lift her way up high to do "jump jumps". I love to hear her having so much fun with you and when you're done, to hear her say "more". She loves her daddy so much and life without you is not nearly as much fun.
Thank you for being such an equal partner in our home. Thank you for appreciating me and for all the work and effort you go to to help me when I am really needing it. Thank you for being patient, being calm, and being a good influence on our home. We love you Reed and we want you to have a very happy birthday!!
Lots of loves,
Alysa, Aftyn and Baby B
We're so glad that you were able to make it home in time for us to celebrate your birthday!
You are a wonderful reason to celebrate today.
Thank you for being the glue to hold our family together.
Thank you for making the time to play with Aftyn every day, to make her giggle and laugh, to lift her way up high to do "jump jumps". I love to hear her having so much fun with you and when you're done, to hear her say "more". She loves her daddy so much and life without you is not nearly as much fun.
Thank you for being such an equal partner in our home. Thank you for appreciating me and for all the work and effort you go to to help me when I am really needing it. Thank you for being patient, being calm, and being a good influence on our home. We love you Reed and we want you to have a very happy birthday!!
Lots of loves,
Alysa, Aftyn and Baby B
Thursday, March 3, 2011
The Update I've Been Trying Not To Write
Here's some of the fun stuff we've been enjoyiong lately in our lives:
Bronchitis
Teething
Pregnancy
Stomach Aches
Doctors Visits
Dinner Brought To Us
People Offering To Watch Aftyn
Reed Gone For 5 Days
Sewing
Cleaning
Laundry
That list pretty much sums up our lives for the last 2 weeks. Sounds busy and exciting, hmm? Other than the bronchitis, it was just life as normal. I'm glad to say with the aid of antibiotics, the bronchitis is just a thing of the past.
We're starting in on birthday season for our family - it's Reed's turn first here in a couple of days. And one of the last birthdays we'll be celebrating this birthday season will be this baby's birth day. So strange to think it's that close, but if you look at my ticker, it's counting 82 days left.
82 days!
I've been trying not to go on and on and about being pregnant because I know with Aftyn it was probably overdone and maybe you all were pretty sick of hearing about it. This time around, it's coming fast and we're not trying to rush through it out of total anticipation. I'm appreciating the buildup of excitement this time around and not so impatient to have her here. I can't wait to see who she will look most like, and if she has hair and if she looks more like Reed and what her little personality will be like. But in the meantime while we wait, it's fun to enjoy her kicks and all the loves Aftyn gives to her while she's in my belly. It's neat to see Aftyn already showing some affinity for her.
I've been trying an experiment with this pregnancy as well. Thanks to Aftyn's birth, I went into this pregnancy a little worried about having a LARGE baby. (Aftyn was 8lbs 2 oz, which is pretty small in my family). In talking to my midwife, she suggested watching my weight gain to help control the size of this baby. Since I was already wanting to gain as little weight as was healthfully possible, I took on that challenge.
I'm proud to say that so far I have done GREAT with that, and I am hoping in the end to prove that large babies are just part of my family legacy not tied to our weight gain in pregnancy because in spite of my small weight gain, this baby seems just as large if not a smidge bigger than Aftyn at this point, from my point of view. (I know this sentence is a total run-on sentence, but I'm tired and can't think how to fix it. Please overlook it.)
Here I am at 28 weeks, 2 days:
So sad, but these are the first pictures I've put on here from this pregnancy. Oh well. Thanks to my photographer sister, I will have some pictures to remember this pregnancy by taken in a few weeks.
Bronchitis
Teething
Pregnancy
Stomach Aches
Doctors Visits
Dinner Brought To Us
People Offering To Watch Aftyn
Reed Gone For 5 Days
Sewing
Cleaning
Laundry
That list pretty much sums up our lives for the last 2 weeks. Sounds busy and exciting, hmm? Other than the bronchitis, it was just life as normal. I'm glad to say with the aid of antibiotics, the bronchitis is just a thing of the past.
We're starting in on birthday season for our family - it's Reed's turn first here in a couple of days. And one of the last birthdays we'll be celebrating this birthday season will be this baby's birth day. So strange to think it's that close, but if you look at my ticker, it's counting 82 days left.
82 days!
I've been trying not to go on and on and about being pregnant because I know with Aftyn it was probably overdone and maybe you all were pretty sick of hearing about it. This time around, it's coming fast and we're not trying to rush through it out of total anticipation. I'm appreciating the buildup of excitement this time around and not so impatient to have her here. I can't wait to see who she will look most like, and if she has hair and if she looks more like Reed and what her little personality will be like. But in the meantime while we wait, it's fun to enjoy her kicks and all the loves Aftyn gives to her while she's in my belly. It's neat to see Aftyn already showing some affinity for her.
I've been trying an experiment with this pregnancy as well. Thanks to Aftyn's birth, I went into this pregnancy a little worried about having a LARGE baby. (Aftyn was 8lbs 2 oz, which is pretty small in my family). In talking to my midwife, she suggested watching my weight gain to help control the size of this baby. Since I was already wanting to gain as little weight as was healthfully possible, I took on that challenge.
I'm proud to say that so far I have done GREAT with that, and I am hoping in the end to prove that large babies are just part of my family legacy not tied to our weight gain in pregnancy because in spite of my small weight gain, this baby seems just as large if not a smidge bigger than Aftyn at this point, from my point of view. (I know this sentence is a total run-on sentence, but I'm tired and can't think how to fix it. Please overlook it.)
Here I am at 28 weeks, 2 days:
So sad, but these are the first pictures I've put on here from this pregnancy. Oh well. Thanks to my photographer sister, I will have some pictures to remember this pregnancy by taken in a few weeks.
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