Brady the Goofball!

Friday, October 10th--There may be many a blog entries with this title. He's just my little goofball, so much that I even made up a song about it and we sing it together. (Sorry, peeps, it's a private little tune as are the many I make up for my kids.) Today he gets "goofball recognition" because of a little outing we had. After running a few errands, just him and me, we ended up at Burger King for lunch. I promised Brady if he ate all of his lunch (mac & cheese, fries and apple fries) he could go in the play room. He quickly ate and then we went in. There were only a few kids but he made friends with all of them fast. One in particular was a girl probably 7 or 8 years old. He followed her everywhere and laughed and asked her to watch him climb the towers. Perhaps he prefers older women? It was cute to watch him interact with her. At one point, the two of them had sat down on one of the steps and were chatting. She asked his name, he said, "Bwady" (yes, that's how he pronounces it). She told him her name (I didn't hear that part) and then she pointed to her mom down below. She then asked him who his mom was and he pointed down to me. Then my little goofball matter-of-factly said (and think about Brady saying this with all of his confidence), "MY moms name is..........mommy." All of the parents heard him and we all had a good laugh. (he does know my given name) A few minutes later it was time for us to go. The little girl he was hangin' out with had to go as well. They traded Burger King toys, his was light purple, hers was red so they swapped. Then Brady and I went into the bathroom to scrub off all the nasty germs that cover those playroom towers. We got out and the little girl was gone. Brady was so sad! We went to get in the car and he was looking all over the parking lot. Then he said, "Oh, no fair! I wanted her to come to our house and pway with me!" I said, "Brady, I don't know her mom and we didn't exchange phone numbers." He said, "But MOM, she's my new fwend and I like her aLOT!" I said, "I'm sorry. I don't know what to do, she's gone." He folded his arms in a huff and grunted.

I felt bad driving away knowing he seemed to have the "hots" for the cute little, older-than-him, blonde but I guess if their paths are meant to cross again, they will. The bigger thought is: Is my 3-year-old son already girl crazy? Please no!

A Day At the Dentist

Tuesday, October 7th--Right after Elise got home from school, the kids got their teeth scrubbed and then off we went to Greenwood Dental. This was Brady's first official cleaning so we had Elise go first to see how the "pros" get it done. She did beautifully, no complaining, no whining. The only thing she hated was the flouride at the end (When I was a kid, I always hated that stuff at the end too!). The x-rays showed no cavities! WOOHOO! That means she got to be a part of the "Tuffy Tooth Club" again. It sounds like a big deal but really, she just got to pick either a t-shirt or toothbrush with motor. She chose the t-shirt, in pink. Dr. Greenwood said she needs to see an orthodontist, the teeth coming in don't have enough space and are coming in crooked.
Brady, on the other hand, holy moly, what a nightmare! You'd think watching his sister and all go smoothly, he'd be willing to sit down and get his own teeth checked. Nope, not even close! He screamed from the very beginning. The dental tech gave up and asked Dr. Greenwood to come in and take care of business. He opened Brady's mouth and had things done faster than I've ever seen! They wanted to do more but it was just impossible. He also does not have cavities. Phew! He chose the Transformers motorized toothbrush. Dr. Greenwood told Brady if he calmed down and promised to be good at his next visit then he could pick a prize today. Brady, as he whimpered, said, "No!" So, no prize and of course, that didn't go over well! We left the dentist with a very happy little girl and a very disgruntled little boy. Can't please 'em all! I'm just glad neither of them have cavities!

Can't Help It, I Have to "Plug" This Book!

Thursday, October 2nd--I've been wanting to get my hands on this book for a few months now! I saw Elissa Wall on "Oprah" a while back. She talked about the book and her horrific experiences being forced to be married at 14 years-old while growing up in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS). I've always been curious about this religion. It is a break-off of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons). This book explains a lot about the religion and the pros and cons of the religion. Much of the current downside of the religion has to do with leaders (Warren Jeffs) making strict rules and strict punishments that very few can live up to so people are being "kicked out" of the religion and their established FLDS towns.
This book is AMAZING! I've had it on hold, at the library, for 2 months and it finally became available. It took me less than a week to finish it, much of the chunk being finished in the last few days. I recommend it to anyone. The one thing I came away with, after reading this book, is how grateful I am for my freedoms. I'm grateful for religious beliefs that allow me to date, fall in love with, and choose my spouse. I'm grateful that things like "reassignment" don't exist in the LDS church (you'll have to read about it!). I'm grateful for being a parent that will teach my children my beliefs and testimony but also that they have the right to choose what "works" for them. I truly hope my kids will continue to learn, grow and develop testimonies of the LDS church, just like I have, but if they decide otherwise they will know I still love them and won't judge them for that, let alone cast them away and never make contact with them again.
Read this book, if you haven't already. It's excellent! It won't disappoint.........at least it didn't for me! If you read it or have already done so, please let me know what you thought about it.

Behold, the Monstrous Watermelon Is Done!

Friday, September 26th--Yes! We gave the melon a knock to check for that "hollow" sound and sure enough, it "hollowed" at us. Nate gave Elise the knife to ceremoniously cut her melon from it's nurturing vine. We're not sure why she felt the need to put on her dirty red socks to use as gloves but it didin't matter. And, of course, because she wanted to control the entire situation we made her carry it inside too! ha HA! Nate said, "Lets put it in the fridge to chill for a while and then slice it later." I said, "Are you nuts?! Cut that bulging piece of fruit open NOW!" The rind was rather tough but he got it open. The aroma of fresh watermelon filled the air. Ooooohhh Aaaahhhhh! We let Elise take the first bite since she's the reason it even exists. She took a big 'ol bite and went, "MMMmmmmmm!" So I assumed it was a deliciously, sweet watermelon, not so! I cut a chunk next and took a bite--it tasted like the watermelon right up next to the rine, kind of sour. It seems as though it needed a little more time. It was a false "hollow"! Our original plan was to share Elise's harvest with her neighbor friends but we decided probably not. Then again, kids are crazy over sour stuff. Maybe we still will! Really, the most important thing to this whole adventure is the thrilled and excited look on Elise's face as she enjoyed the product of her efforts and love. She even planted more seeds......in a designated spot!

My Willow Tree Nativity Set

Friday, September 26th--As I mentioned before, I've been wanting to complete my Willow Tree Nativity set for 2 years. My dear friend, LaDonna, started it for me after I expressed a sincere desire to own it. I never expected her to do so, it was so very generous, but she gave me the main set for my birthday, in 2006, and I am still so touched by her sweet gesture. Since then, I've wondered if I should start buying the other coordinating sets or just ask for them for Christmas or birthday. The sets are kind of pricey so I didn't really want to buy them myself. This year, for my birthday, was the first year I couldn't think of a single thing I wanted other than completing my set so I combined all my birthday money and gift cards and went to Hallmark. I was able to buy everything but the "creche" (stable) and two of the farm animals. The original set came with Joseph, Mary/Jesus, shepherd, 2 white sheep, 1 set of stars, and the donkey. So you can see there's much to this set. I love it SO MUCH I can't bear to pack it up and only display it for Christmas so it will stay in my living room year 'round. Maybe for Christmas I will complete it once and for all. Once again, I can't think of much I would like for Christmas other than a Wii and Wii Fit. Nate's not too keen on that idea. Aw, shucks!
Thanks again, to my family, for contributing to such a wonderful birthday gift. And thanks, LaDonna, for being such a special, dear friend!

I've Been Tagged So Here Ya Go!

Friday, September 26th

Here are the rules:

NO CLEANING

NO STRAIGHTENING

NO WIPING KIDS NOSES

Take these pictures right now

Kitchen Sink

(Well, I just couldn't take the picture without a clean sink so I broke the rules. Sue me! ha ha ha)

My Fridge (Got the Halloween stuff up! Fun!)
My Bathroom (Yes, I cheated again! Had to straighten up!)

My Closet (No, I didn't cheat on this one. Maybe I should have! Anyone want to install a closet organizer for me, for cheap?)

My Favorite Room (Family Room--with folded laundry!)

My Laundry Room (How much can you CRAM into your laundry room?)

My Favorite Pretty Shoes and Favorite All-the-Time Shoes (yes, you'll usually see me in the fake Crocs--they're ugly but so dang comfy!)

Self-Pic (uh, yeah....)

Dream Vacation: The two "E's"--England and Egypt, always been my dream trips. And my desire to go to both is equal. The pic on the left is Westminster Abbey, in London. And the pic on the right should be obvious. I wanna go NOW! : (

Okay, so I tag whoever wants to do this. It was fun!

You Say It's Your Birthday? It's My Birthday Too!

Monday, September 22nd--Yes, it's my birthday today. The big 33. Yep, feelin' a little "old", I guess. However, it has been a wonderful birthday! Nate has made the weekend and today so great. Saturday, he let me relax and take it easy. Sunday, he made homemade lasagna for dinner. It was yummy. My sister, Alishia, and her family came over. She brought some cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory (frozen, from Sam's Club, actually, but quite tasty!). We visited and then Nate brought out presents for me. He got me a blender that makes smoothies, "Meet Joe Black" DVD, a DVD with 3 John Candy movies and Willow Tree "3 Wiseman" figurines to add to my Willow Tree Nativity. I got some cash and a cute candle thingy from my parents. Alishia got me a gift card. Elise and Brady helped make my birthday weekend nice by trying so hard to get along and make cards and pictures for me.
Today, Nate took the day off and did everything. He took the kids to school and then picked Brady up. He took my car in to get a new battery. He did the dishes, fed me lunch and made up a bubble bath for me. He also took care of the kids and Bohdee. After I got home from work we drove up to South Jordan to go to Applebees for dinner. Most of Nate's family came. We had a great time visiting and eating yummy food. Then off to Nate's parents house for cake and presents. Nate asked me what I wanted for my birthday cake and was pleasantly pleased to find out I just wanted a home baked yellow cake with fudge frosting---my fave! He baked it earlier and it tasted great! I received some wonderful gifts from Nate's family and lots of hugs. I especially loved the cute cards my nephews, Christopher and Xander, made me. With all the cash and gift cards I got I am able to complete the rest of my Willow Tree Nativity set. It started with the basics and now I'll have the whole thing. I've been waiting for this for two years! A great birthday, indeed!
Nate, again and again you know how to make me feel so special. It's not just on birthdays or holidays. Just last night I was talking to my mom. We were talking about whether or not she and I married our "knight in shining armor". There wasn't even a hesitation, I told her I married mine. I mean that with all my heart! Thank you for making my birthday so wonderful. The few birthdays I see as my favorites include you. I love you so much!

A Full Week With Bohdee

Monday, September 22nd--It has been an absolute crazy week with our new pup, Bohdee! I can honestly say I am exhausted. Last Tuesday I took him to the vet to get his first round of shots and have a check-up. Much to my great frustration, it was discovered Bohdee's ears were full of thick, wax-coated, fox tails (pointy weed). The vet said his ears were quite infected and by the looks of them, looked quite painful. My poor pup! The fox tails were deep enough into his ears they had to sedate him to get them all out. I left Bohdee in the great hands of the vet and his techs and rushed home to call the woman we bought him from to chew her out for such neglect. Previously, she was very kind, full of advice and willing to help in any way. Once I told her she needed to help pay the extra, almost, $200.00 in costs for Bohdee's ears, she turned into quite a witch. I was disappointed and have decided not to even bother collecting from her. Once I picked up Bohdee and got him home he just wanted to snuggle and stay close to me. I realized I saved him from any more days of pain and discomfort, since he was neglected prior to us picking him up. The next day Bohdee was a different dog. He's more responsive, curious, and willing to venture away from the family room. I spent most of last week sleeping on the couch to help him get more comfortable in our home. He sleeps in a port-a-crib and has slowly been figuring out ways to escape. He's also proven he LOVES to chew things, including my laptop power cord! Oh, the humanity! We've enjoyed having him so far and plan on getting the chewing thing taken care of ASAP. He's potty trained and eating really well. The kids adore him and love to play with him every chance they get. They've also learned to pick up after themselves so Bohdee doesn't take their things to chew on. For the most part, other than the "present" he left on my living room floor today, it's been great! I finally have the straightened up house I've always wanted!

How Can I Help?

Tuesday, September 16th--For a couple of weeks now I've been following a story that has made international headlines. I first noticed this story on KSL.com. It is the story of Stephanie and Christian Nielson. They are parents of 4 young children, living in Mesa, AZ. Stephanie's family lives in Provo, UT. Her parents are local politicians. In the middle of August, Christian took his wife along on his final flight for certification to be a pilot. I can imagine how exciting that flight began but, sadly, it ended tragically. The plane crashed, killing flight instructor Doug Kinneard. Christian was burned over 30% of his body and Stephanie over 80% of her body, both lived. Both remain in medically induced comas as the specialists at Maricopa Hospital Burn Unit try to repair the extensive damage. Internally, they are doing well so the focus is on the massive burns and surgically placing skin grafts where necessary. Their 4 young children are living with Stephanie's sisters in Provo.

I feel I've become, almost, obsessed with this story. I want to read about updates every day. I want to know they're doing better and want to know their children are doing well. I don't know this family, never met them. I've read Stephanie's blog: http://www.nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/ to get to know her, Christian and their family. Her sister, Courtney, has kept an amazingly detailed blog so the world can know how these two are doing, and their children. The blog is: http://blog.cjanerun.com/ Stephanie's siblings have been featured on the "Today Show". They've also been mentioned in "People Magazine". KSL does updates and so do many other news stations. Every time I read the updates I find myself asking, "What can I do? How can I help?" Their medical bills are already in the millions and will continue to grow. Doctors predict their care will continue for another 3 months. I believe I heard their insurance would cover up to a million in hospital costs so their stuck with a few more million to cover on their own. I could donate money but how would $100.00 help when bills are in the millions? Many people have been doing benefits. That sounds great but where to begin? I know the family has received many donations but still not even close to what's needed.

So here I am giving a "Shout out!" to everyone. What to do? Who would like to help me help them? Has anyone else been following this story?

Every day I think of the Nielson's. Often I shed tears. I think about their children and how much they must miss their mom and dad. I'm sure they long to be in the arms of their parents again, being held, cuddled and told how much they are loved. I pray for this familly and hope for the very best outcome. Check out these blogs, you will be uplifted and touched and hopefully, you'll understand my sincere desire to do something and want to do something too.

Our Adorable New Addition

Sunday, September 14th--Elise, Brady and I have been working hard on saving money for a family dog. I didn't think we'd even be close till after Christmas. I kept telling the kids they should ask Santa for a puppy and then we could use the money we saved on puppy supplies. Well, I'm so proud of the 3 of us because we saved up enough. It helped that I worked plenty of extra hours this summer and the kids were a little more willing to earn money by doing extra chores. On Saturday, the 13th, I was on KSL.com looking at the dogs listed for sale. I have been going onto this website for the last few months, getting an idea of what kind of dogs are available and prices. I found an ad for 4-month old male Shih-Tzu's for sale in nearby American Fork. I gave the owner a call and we were off to check them out. I felt prepared to know what to do with all the many pieces of advice I've received. There were cute little Shih-Tzu puppies all over the place. One in particular stood out. The owner named him "Bowie". When I held him he just gazed into my eyes. I was hooked! Elise and Brady loved the puppies and they loved them too! Nate wasn't quite sure what to think. We told the owner we wanted to think about it and go to PetSmart to get supplies. After lunch at Arby's, the kids and I convinced Nate we really needed Bowie. He gave in and I gave the owner a call to arrange for pick-up after we returned from the fair the next day. She said she would hold him.

We picked up little Bowie, who we renamed "Bohdee". All was well and he seemed quite content to be in my arms. The owner had even trimmed him and got him ready to go. Bohdee is a pure-bred Imperial Shih-Tzu and we have the paperwork to AKC register him. We were able to purchase Bohdee for a really good price.

I got Bohdee into the car and we were off, or so we thought. The car wouldn't start! It wouldn't even turn over. After an hour and a half of contacting our insurance, talking to tow companies, and arranging for a ride home the neighbors pulled up to their house and offered to jump our car to see if the problem was the battery. Sure enough, it was. PHEW! We made it home and not once did Bohdee even whimper. He spent a few minutes looking around the house and then we put him in his bed and we all went to bed.

Bohdee is such a sweet little pup! It's only been a day and he's won our hearts over, even Nates. He loves to cuddle. I hope this is the way it's going to be, for the most part. He's adjusting well and we're so happy he chose to come home with us.