Bathing with glow sticks

Have you ever taken a bath with glow sticks?

That's what I thought.

Don't knock the idea til you've tried it. VERY cool.

Gettin' Big

Lydia will be 4 months old tomorrow... so before I forget, here's her 3 month shot. Oops :)

True confession: I'm a list cheater

True confession. I'm a compulsive lister.

I need lists for everything, partially because of my horrible memory, but more so because I like the feeling I get when I cross something off that list. Let's call it a "high of completion." I have lists for the grocery store, lists for Walmart, birthday idea lists, to-do lists, etc. I mean, who doesn't?

True confession. I'm a list cheater.

Some days I don't sit down to write a list until lunchtime; the first chance I get to sit down when both children are strapped to chairs. Even though I have already gotten a few things done, you better believe I'm still going to write them down on my list, simply so I can cross them off again. A waste of ink and paper? Perhaps, but it is quite the boost to my sense of accomplishment.

Example:

Sure it's lunchtime and I have already done half of the list, but that's why it's so great writing all of those already-accomplished-things down! Besides, then if the house is a mess, I'm a mess, the dishes aren't done, and dinner's not planned, I can still feel like I accomplished something. I mean, check out how many things I crossed off already. You should really try it sometime. I won't judge.

Flossing? What's that?

Last week I went to the dentist for my bi-yearly torture session. Which, I will share, is noticeably LESS tortuous when your appointment is in the morning. This is before the stresses of a day's worth of patients can be taken out on your teeth and gums...

Anyways, at the end of my cleaning the hygienist told me that my "problem" area is around the corners of my teeth, and that I need to spend more time each day flossing around these corners.

I almost laughed, but then I realized she was serious.

She obviously didn't realize that "flossing around the corner of my teeth" is not a huge priority for me right now. Had we had more bonding time without my mouth stretched to the limits, I might have reminded her that I'm lucky if I get to brush my teeth twice a day, much less floss. Frankly, if I can shower atleast every other day and brush my teeth twice a day, it's been a darn good week.


My Priorities
1.Survival of my children. This includes but is not limited to the following: physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional well-being.
Specifically?
Physical: at least one nutritional meal a day as well as several other meal-ish/snack times, clean-ish clothing, baths as often as "stinky" child persists, medical attention when necessary, lots of hugs, exercising through dancing/jumping on my bed and playing tag, and diaper changes every once in a while
Mental: ample time singing the ABC's, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, The Wheels on the Bus, I Am A Child of God, etc., drawing, pretend games, learning numbers
Spiritual: reading scriptures, praying, trying to teach obedience
Emotional: plenty of "I love you," "you're beautiful," "you're so smart and so funny" as well as lots of hugs, kisses, and individual holding time

2. Survival of my husband and self. See above specifics.

3. Sleep

4-100. Other really important things

101. Basic, but not necessarily "critical" (Sorry Mandy...) hygiene rituals. Example: flossing around the corners of my teeth and painting my toenails


My teeth may fall out, but with any luck I can raise healthy and happy children.

I guess I'll keep going to the dentist so my teeth have a guaranteed flossing session at least twice a year.

Payback

Dear Lydia,
Sometimes I have to put you down on the floor or on the couch while I cook dinner. It is just too hard frying chicken while mashing potatoes, setting the table, and cutting up fruit AND holding you at the same time. It is pretty clear by your screaming that you don't like me putting you down in front of the TV, even if it is Baby Einstein. I just want you to know that in about 8 years, you'll be begging me to let you watch TV while I cook dinner. But I won't let you. You will be setting the table, emptying the dishwasher, or grating cheese, etc.

Payback.

But trust me when I say this, it's just because I love you.

"Feelin' hot, hot, hot!"

It's hot here. Really hot. So hot in fact, that when we visited St. George last week, I considered never coming home. Have YOU ever been to St. George?! It's hot. But apparently, not as hot as where we are now.

I called my mom the other day to complain about it being almost 100 degrees in October. (admittedly, it was only October 1st). Then I had flashbacks of when I called her from Provo in September, a few years ago, to complain because it was snowing.

Let's face it, I'm a 70-73 degree kind of girl, with a max 30% humidity level tolerance.

I only bring this up because Halloween is rapidly approaching. And if you are concerned about my "dressing up" as a nudist, you might want to start praying for cooler weather.

I'm just sayin...



*No pictures posted for obvious reasons. You're welcome.

Pictures, and there's a lot more where these came from...

Thanks Stacie for taking some pictures for us. I'm really happy with how they turned out, despite Brooklyn's refusal to smile. :)