Mother's Day 2013

Mother's Day 2012 
Mother's Day 2011
Mother's Day 2010
Mother's Day 2009

Embrace The Camera

Every Wednesday at our house is library day.

I didn't go to the library nearly as often as I should have when Elodie was younger and it was just the 2 of us. She was 4 before we started going on a regular basis where as Addysen has known the library since she was born. The perks of being second come in spurts sometimes.

The library here is a tender mercy for me. There is very little I love about being here in Texas. Which doesn't mean much as there is very little I LIKE about being here in Texas. The list stops after Christopher's job....

I am by no means trying to get sympathy comments. As a family we are happy and healthy and for that I am extremely grateful. This is, however, a part of our reality and my job to document it so we can go back in 5 years and realize how great the whole scheme was.

So there.

Back to the library. When we moved here, and after things settled down, I realized how very much we were starting over. I cried over little things...."How do I EVEN get to the library!?! I don't even know where it is!"

And then the heavens opened and I found the library. And it wasn't hard to find. And it was close. And brand new. And had row and rows of kid books. And because the library was brand new...the books were brand new too! I was in love.

And after every Wednesday trip I had a new story to tell Chris.

How the book that everyone in Arizona was on the wait list for I got without having to put my name on any list.

There is never ANYONE there. With the exception of one or two people using the computers. There. Is. Never. Anyone. There.
We have the entire building to ourselves.

The shelves are always packed. And they have a section of books fresh from UPS.

In the summertime in Arizona the shelves are ALWAYS bare. As they should be. Not here. I'm wondering now if I should boast about this as it means not many people are checking them out. Their loss. My gain.

The summer reading program was AMAZING! So many awesome prizes to keep the girls motivated including a free ticket to the circus!

One time I was looking for a photography book and the library didn't have it. The guy working the front desk was trying to help me find it but was having no luck. I shrugged my shoulders and said it was no big deal. The next week when we went back to the library that very book was waiting for me! Still. In. The. Wrapper. A $80 book ordered just for me! Christopher cut his eyes at me on this one assuming I was flirting with the guy to get the book....but I didn't!

Just last week I went with a list of books I wanted to check out. They didn't have 3 of the ones I wanted and immediately asked me if I wanted them ordered.

I am so grateful for this library. I don't think I could have handled it if we had gotten here and there was no library. Or a junky library. Which could have been worse than no library at all.

I'm so grateful for this one day out of the week that my girls and I can go to the library. To enjoy a nice clean space all to ourselves.

I love reading. I have so many vivid memories of reading as a child. Going to the library with my own mom and brothers. And having a love affair with the library in college. I was just telling Chris the other night how I would pack my journal around with me. I would find a cubicle in a corner and in between studying or doing homework I would make time to write in my journal. I loved it so much that after I graduated and moved back home I would still take time to stop at the library after work, find a cubicle in the corner, and write in my journal.

I love the library here. And every time we are there, I say a silent prayer thanking my Heavenly Father for this little tender mercy.

The rest I am still trying to figure out!


And bonus! There wasn't a single person around to give me crazy eyes when I pulled out my camera and took some timer pictures of me and the girls reading together!

All in the details.

When I told Chris I made 3 lists, one for each girl, I said "I'm not trying to micromanage but...." He said "A list is micromanaging" I said "No, a list is just a recommendation of how things should be done." ......

So yes, maybe I am micromanaging just a bit. But in my defense I did tell him that he didn't have to go by the list hour by hour. It's just there to help to make sure all runs smoothly during the day. Mostly for Evyn.

This leaving home by myself sounded so much more fun 2 months ago. Now in the moment, trying to get all the details finalized, it feels easier to just stay home. Which is why most women don't go any where by themselves. It's just easier to stay put and do it all yourself! But I need it. It will be good for me, for the girls, and even for Chris.

There are a lot of details but when it's all said and done, if everyone is safe and happy does it really matter if Evyn had a vegetable for lunch and a fruit for dinner? Or if there are a few dishes in the sink? Not really.

I know I will be excited about this trip once I am on the plane happily reading my new book. Did you know I haven't flown alone since before Elodie was born! When the lunches are made, Elodie is at school, the last of the laundry is done, Addysen is at a playdate, and Evyn is napping quietly at a friends house until Chris goes to pick her up. He is working a half day tomorrow so it will be just a few hours in between when I leave and he swoops in.

I am so thankful for Christopher. He knew this was important to me and made the effort to take time off of work so I could go to Arizona. So thank you Chris! You will do great just you and the girls! I'm sure you will be happy to go back to work on Tuesday though!

I'm so excited to see my friends. I need this. I miss them and can't wait to soak them all in! To do some photoshoots. And most importantly see BREAKING DAWN!

So heres to safe travels, a good book on the plane, a dad with his girls, soaking up friends in the valley of the sun, and a high dose of Edward Cullen!

A year ago today...

One of the fun things about facebook is on the sidebar it will tell you what you posted a year ago today. A very justified reason to stay on facebook. It serves as yet another journal.

On this day, one year ago, we announced on facebook that we were expecting baby #3. It was hard for me to hide it since like the facebook status said I threw up in our front yard, I was married to the couch, and my blog was severly outdated! One look at the blog and anyone could have seen that something was definitely up!

And here we are a year later. One crazy year later but alas we are still standing. The nausea eventually went away. I got my old self back. And in return we were blessed with a now almost 5 month old little baby. Crazy how some things usually end up working out in our favor. Notice how I didn't say all things. If only we could see the end from the beginning. I jokingly admit that if I could just see the whole picture of why we are here in Texas I would do it! If it's just for the job then I will suck it up and do it. And while I'm sure there is more to learn from this experience, I'm pretty certain Heavenly Father knows I will do it regardless so why bother.

Why was I writing this again? Oh yes, Evyn Kate.

She is so lovely. Ready and waiting for anyone to look at her so she can give them a huge smile. She is grabbing at toys. She is on the verge of giggling and I'm pretty sure she is starting to figure out who the heck we all are. She won't take her eyes off of me, she beams at Christopher when he walks in the door and she is fully mesmorized by her 2 older sisters as they play around her.

And lets not forget she is a major multi-tasker already. I'd like to see you try and suck your thumb and play with rings at the same time! Harder than it looks!

Slowly...

She is starting to figure out that she doesn't need to eat immediately when she wakes up from her naps. That snuggles are kinda nice...I think so too.

2 accomplishments on Tuesday.

We met some friends at the pool this morning. When the girls took swim lessons a couple of weeks ago I met another mother and we started chatting every day. Come to find out she is in a neighboring ward, her husband is also an engineer and the ward mission leader,she and her family moved here about a year ago, and we both have girls around the same age as each other. So naturally we hit it off fairly well and have gotten together once before to let the girls play.

The first accomplishment of the day was that I took 3 small children to the swimming pool by myself, I was on time, Evyn was a dream, and nobody drowned! Was it stressful? Yes. Will I do it again? Maybe in a few weeks. (The pools here stay open through September) I think the hardest part is that Elodie wants to be in the deep water while Addysen needs to stay in the shallow area. I can't hold Evyn and Addysen at the same time so it's pretty much torture for Addysen to see Elodie in an area she can't go. We did try the deep end ( I put Evyn in her carseat close by) but Addysen was chocking me and there was a point where I thought I might need to be rescued by one of those teenage lifeguards! Thankfully Addysen wasn't too keen on not being able to touch the bottom so back to the shallow end we went. And nobody drowned...did I mention that? Stressful.

The second accomplishment came as a surprise. Last year we set a few swimming goals for Elodie and one of them was to go off the diving board. She never did but we felt like she learned so much last year and we were fine with it. This year we didn't push the diving board, mainly because with 2 smaller children I would have a hard time keeping an eye on Elodie.

The 2 friends we met at the pool both went on the diving board and Elodie was getting frustrated that they didn't want to play in the shallow end of the pool. I told her if she wanted to play with them she was going to have to go over there or just be happy playing in the area where we were and wait for them to come back. She didn't like that so off to the deep end she went. The 2 girls mom was over there with them otherwise it wouldn't have been an option. Anyway, a few minutes later Elodie comes running over to me to tell me she had gone off the diving board and wanted me to watch her! She was so proud of herself! Addysen wanted to watch her too so we went over and soaked our feet while Elodie went on the diving board over and over again. She was so thrilled with her new accomplishment and I was so happy she conquered her fear.

To my surprise the next time Elodie got a chance to go on the diving board she chose the HIGH DIVE!! Her friend Zia had been going on the high dive most of the time we were there and Elodie kept saying she thought it looked fun but was afraid to try it. Personally I don't like high dives so I wasn't encouraging her! Besides I felt like the regular diving board was a big enough accomplishment! I thought she was crazy but she walked right up to the high dive, climbed the ladder, walked to the edge, waited her turn, and then jumped! The girl didn't hesitate a bit!

I was shocked!! I couldn't believe she had done it! And not only done it but had chosen to do it! And she loved it! She did it over and over again!

Sadly, I didn't have my pocket camera with me. Christopher had used it the night before and forgot to put it back in my diaper bag. So the only picture I got was with my phone camera. Bummer! We plan to go again on Saturday and I will for sure remember my camera!

I know jumping off a diving board shouldn't evoke any motherly deep thought but I couldn't shake the thoughts that were running through my head when we were driving home.

I loved that Elodie had a fear that she conquered. I loved her enthusiasm and excitement when she came out of the water. I saw how excited she was to feel so big and included in something her friends were doing.

But then I got to thinking about that old saying "If your friends jumped off a bridge would you?" I mean. What if to you it didn't look dangerous or scary? Would you still do it?


I saw this as a great opportunity to talk to Elodie about peer pressure and the different types of peer pressure.
When we got home I sat Elodie down and asked her how she felt about going off the high dive and what made her decide to do it. I told her that sometimes seeing someone else do something is a good thing and you want to do it because they are doing it. And then there are other times where it's okay to be afraid and not want to do something other people are doing just to fit in.

I know part of the reason she jumped off the high dive was because she saw her friends doing it. And I know a part of her thought it looked fun.

I mostly just wanted to make sure she understood that (in the grand scheme of things) there will be times that our friends pressure us to do things. And we have to really think hard about whether their influence is a good one or a bad one.

Clearly I think this case was a positive influence because it helped her overcome her fear and do something new. Just like when she learned to ride her bike because of her best little friend Emma. But it isn't always that way. And while I know she is only 6, I really want her to think about it. To make a decision for herself and not because someone else pressured her into it.

Being a parent is hard stuff sometimes. And I can always turn a little thing into something much bigger.
I'm so proud of this girl she is turning in to!

But to lighten the mood a little...here is a cell phone picture of Elodie on the high dive!

Just like you.

Parenthood comes in waves for me. There are days that I feel like I'm on top of it and I've got it all figured out. More like my house is clean and look at my cute girls all matchy matchy in their gymboree dresses! And then other days I feel so overwhelmed it's a little mind boggeling. You know the "Oh my gosh I'm a parent and I have to raise this child to be the best she can be and teach her everything she needs to know so she appreciates me and loves me when she is older, not to mention become a great mother herself." kind of days. And the "Oh dear I'm going to have a teenager and boys are going to want to date her and she is going to go to HIGH SCHOOL!" TIMES 3 mind you!!!

In some ways I think it's good- the good "feel on top of it" days make it all worth it when the overwhelming mind boggeling days hit you!

I had a mind boggeling moment today.

And it all came from walking into the kitchen and seeing these 2 cups sitting next to each other.


I'm a water drinker. If you come to my house you will find a water cup,full, on my counter. My girls know it because instead of ever asking for a drink they just go in the kitchen and find mom's cup. It's a good habit I'm teaching them because we rarely have anything but water or milk in our house. This is not to say that the girls at sonic don't know us by name....or that I'm not known for picking up a coke at the checkout in Wal-Mart. My girls also know this because when we are checking out Elodie always ask me if I want her to get me a coke. {Cringe}

In the last few weeks I've noticed a few things about Elodie. It's something that has been happening all along, I just am noticing it more and more these days.

She wants to be just like me. {GULP}

And these 2 cups sitting side by side reminded me of more proof that she is trying to be like her Mama.

-She likes to wear an undershirt. I wear those shade/downeast undershirts and lately Elodie has been wearing just a white shirt underneath all of her clothes. I need to just get her a real undershirt so it's not so bulky.

-She wants her hair to look just like mine. Either down completely or with just a clip in the back. She still lets me play with it but most of the time she wants some variation of my hair do.

-She wants to wear lip gloss and put on lotion.

-She wants to put her pajamas bottoms on in the evening but keep her top that she wore all day on. It's something I do all the time because it's just easier when I'm making dinner or doing baths.

-She likes to cross her legs.

-She carries her cellphone around and pretends to text her friends.

-She talks to Addysen like I do. I am constantly reminding her that I'm the mother.

And I know as she gets older there will be things that she does like me without knowing it. And there will be things she doesn't want to do like me. Hopefully more of the first and very little of the second!

Sometimes I cringe when I hear Elodie say "But that's how you do it!" because honestly I know I could do better at setting a good example for her. But I'm also thankful for those opportunities of awareness because it helps me want to be a better mother.

I love my girls. I know it's a huge responsibility to be their mother. It's 24-7 no doubt. And while Christopher's example will teach them about the type of boys they will date and eventual want to marry (amongst other things), my example will teach them how to pick those boys, how to be a good wife and a great mother. How to cook and clean and find balance in their lives.

And while I know that I will make mistakes every day, I hope when they are grown they can say the same thing about me that I say about my own mom. If I can be half the mom she was and is to me then I'll be doing something right!

Tough Stuff.

I was on the phone with my friend Jaime the other day. She asked me how everyone was adjusting to the move and I told her that I didn't feel like I real parent until we moved. And it's hard!

Thankfully we have never had to deal with too many tough things with our kids. They came healthy. Have grown properly. Their smart and social. And other than a few temper tantrums and true 3 and 6 year old behavior parenthood hasn't been that hard. And what a blessing that is to say that.

And then we moved....and it feels like REAL parenthood has slapped me in the face! All of a sudden I've had to be strong when I didn't want to be. I've had to suck it up and be HER shoulder to cry on. I'm the one saying things like "This is going to be GREAT!" on the first day at a new school. And when her new teacher called because Elodie was having a moment and thought it would be a good idea for her to talk to her mom, I had to take a deep breath and find a way to cheer her up. When deep down I wanted to cry with her, pack everything up, and move back to Arizona!

I remember standing in our empty house with Christopher crying my eyes out and asking him "What in the heck are we doing?!?" And to be honest, 3 weeks after moving, I'm still not sure!

When we decided to make this move I had 1 major concern. Leaving Elodie's school. And besides leaving great friends and family, I cried most when I thought about having to switch schools.

To say I loved Elodie's school is an understatement. She has had amazing teachers. Great curriculum. I helped out in the classroom once a week and loved getting to know the students better. And overall in the last 2 years it has been an awesome experience. We loved it there!

The last week at her old school was HARD! Pretending everything was okay and normal while we were boxing up our house and counting down the days. I hated it. I hated when the monthly newsletter came home, when the kids were practicing their songs for the end of the year concert, and talking to the other moms about the end of the year party. It was so emotionally draining on me to be the mom in front of Elodie and pretend to be happy and excited about our move.

On the last day of school I wanted to pretend like it was any normal day. (I really wanted Chris to go pick Elodie up but he was busy packing.) But Ms. Matthew wouldn't let us. She bought lunch from Jason's Deli for Elodie and all the kids wore their field day shirts for Elodie. And while it was sad to say goodbye, I'm so grateful for these great teachers that Elodie has had! Elodie has loved them and they have adored her in return!

I know this all sounds a bit depressing but it's the hard parts I want to remember too-because this move has been anything but easy for all of us. And while Christopher has gotten this great opportunity with a great firm, we are still trying to find where we fit in as a family here. And I'm not sure how long that takes! And I must also say that Elodie's new teacher, Ms. Mahany, has been just as lovely as Ms. Matthew and has made Elodie feel so welcome in her classroom.

Mother's Day 2011

When Dad is away...

Christopher was in Texas from Friday morning to Saturday night. Not a huge time away from home but technically the girls didn't see him from Wednesday evening to Sunday morning at church. He worked late on Thursday evening and they were both sound asleep when he got home and his flight in on Saturday didn't land until 10:40pm. He also had early morning meetings before church (which is usual). A long time for 2 that are use to seeing their dad every day.

I can't really remember the last time Chris traveled for work/school/etc, and while we did the whole long distant thing while dating-that was well over 10 years ago. I like having that guy around so I wasn't all that happy with the idea of him being gone either. Especially the weekend!

If Chris were a traveling man, here are a few things I learned about myself...

-My house wouldn't stay as neat as it typically does. It was kind of a vacation for me! And while Christopher isn't a neat freak or expects things to look a certain way when he gets home, I like to have things completely done before he gets home so I've got a break too. Because if he gets to leave work at work why can't I right? The house didn't completely fall apart while he was gone but it was fun to not do any housework all day on Friday.
-There wouldn't be nearly as many home cooked meals!
-I would stay up way too late doing crafts.
-My blog would be way more up to date.
-I would read much more than I already do.
-Our tv would never come on.
-We would spend WAY too much money! I don't want to be at home, let's go spend some money!
-And my girls would have a WAY earlier bedtime! And they already go to bed between 7 and 7:30pm. I'm thinking 6pm would be a great bedtime!

And yes, while I understand that the newness would wear off and we would get use to a new normal without dad around as much, it was a fun playtime for all of us!
My girls were excited to have a GNO and Elodie wrote all about it in her journal! It's fun to spice things up a bit every once in a while but like I said, we enjoy this guy of ours and we kinda want to keep him around!

{Picture taken when the girls saw their dad for the first time at church on Sunday. They were so happy to have him home!}

Survival Mode

I have quite a few post in draft mode- my little 1st grader photoshoot, the first day of school (which was 3 weeks ago), oh and that fabulous trip to Utah that we took BACK IN JULY! But all of those post require pictures and that just seems a little too much for me right now.

So this post is picture free and I can handle that..

My Doctor calls the first trimester "Survival Mode"- yes my friends..if you haven't already figured it out-or read on facebook since that was about as much energy as I had to get it out there. We are pregnant. Baby #3 is on it's way and due at the end of March. A. Very. Long. Time. From. Now! We are very excited about this pregnancy and can't wait to add another baby to our family. Elodie, of course, immediately asked if the baby was a boy. We shall see.

I agree whole heartedly with my doctor. Especially as I have gotten older and have 2 children. This pregnancy has really rocked the boat.

My house is in survival mode.
My BLOG is gasping for air trying desperately to survive.
Dusting and Mopping have gone out the window.
I can barely feed my kids.
Grocery shopping is at the bottom of the list.
Getting Elodie up, dressed, fed, and lunch made takes every bit of energy I have.
And Christopher has assumed all roles while I drool on the couch.
He is amazing. And I hardly ever brag about him. But seriously, as I type this he is doing dishes. He has stepped up to the plate and I want to cry because I seriously couldn't do this without him.

I kinda feel like I got fooled into this pregnancy. Most of you might not know but my pregnancy with Elodie was Miserable. I think I maybe gained 7 or 8 pounds with her pregnancy and she was 6 pounds 8 ounces when she was born. There is a good reason Elodie and Addysen are almost 4 years apart. And then we got pregnant with Addysen and her pregnancy was amazing. I was sick a little bit but maybe threw up a handful of times and kept a WEEKLY journal of my pregnancy. That alone should tell you how great I felt! So when we decided to try again (8 months ago) I didn't think twice about the sickness. Piece of cake. Maybe with each pregnancy I would be better. WRONG! I'm right back to an Elodie pregnancy! UGH!

So bare with me my friends...I am struggling...and if I can make it through this first trimester and hopefully start to feel better I will be back. Until then, enjoy yourselves. Think of me when you are enjoying your food, or skipping through the store. I will be back.

Joys of motherhood

-Elodie kept us up all night last night. This came as a surprise because she is normally a good sleeper. Some nights you can hear her wimpering in her sleep but nothing uncontrollable. Last night was awful. She cried all night long and when we asked what was wrong we got the "I DON'T KNOW!" response. I vividly remember being a child and when my parents would ask me a question, before I even got a chance to respond, they would say "Now, don't say you don't know, because you MUST KNOW!" To which I would say "I DON'T KNOW!" Now I find myself doing the same thing with Elodie! What goes around comes around right? It all started around 9pm while I was still at work. Christopher's first attempt to calm her down included letting her sit in his lap and whispering consolling words to her. It didn't help! By 3:30am I was threatening to take Hello Kitty away and making her sleep in the car. Around 4:15am she ended up in bed with us still wimpering. I rolled over to see her light on, the hall light on, and I could hear that the TV was on too! That's when we kicked her out of our bed and sent her back to her bed! At 7:45am when I finally dragged myself out of bed, she was happily sitting on the couch watching tv. By that time Chris was up and had already gotten her breakfast. She greeted me with a "GOOD MORNING MOM!" just as happy as can be!

-This morning, Addysen and I took Ginger to the vets office. She needed a physical and an updated rabies shot. I hate the vets office. I always leave feeling like the worst mother ever AND Ginger ALWAYS gets so worked up walking in that she poops on the floor IN THE STORE! It never fails! So, I found myself picking up Ginger poop with a baby wipe, while pushing a stroller, and dragging Ginger back to the vets office. Thank Heavens for baby wipes right? At this visit we found out just how awful of a mother I am...

1. Ginger is overweight. She should be 5-8 pounds. She weighs 13.5. Her vet said "You see this bulge here and here? It shouldn't be there!" HOW RUDE! Way to give a girl a complex! Doesn't he know it's winter and she has been hiding under her winter coat all year! Our vet was happy to right us a perscription for diet dog food. I happily said no.
2. Christopher just gave her a haircut and we found a bump on her skin. When I showed it to the vet he casually said "Oh, that? Well, that there is a non-cancerous skin tact." All I heard was the word cancer! She is fine but apparently, since she is getting older, we will start to see more and more of them. I hate that she is getting older!
3. She has bad teeth. Did you know you should brush your dogs teeth once a day? I have a hard time remembering to brush Elodie's teeth and just this morning almost left the house without brushing my own teeth! We have toothpaste and a toothbrush for Ginger, I just haven't been the best with brushing them....at all! Turns out she has so much plaque build up that she will have to be put under for them to get it all out. He was happy to right me up an estimate and wanted to know if I wanted to schedule that appointment. After looking at the $250 bill I said, "I'll just work on brushing her teeth more regularly.
4. She has a little razer burn from the trimmers and I accidentally knicked her on the ear while helping Christopher trim her up....he made sure to point both of those out!
And
5. Her nails need trimming. So badly, that he made a note of it on the computer!! HARSH!

$65 later, one rabies shot, and a estimate for a $250 teeth cleaning we were out. And then I called Chris crying!

On a happier motherhood note, I went to Fry's. Spent $16 and saved $74! Take that Vet's Office!

22 days done- 9 more to go.

Almost a month ago I read on someone's blog that their monthly allowance for buying clothes for their daughter was $10...yes, $10! I couldn't believe it!! I thought about it for a while after reading her post and started thinking about how much I spend on my girls in a month.

Then I cringed and moved on to thinking about other things. More important things....

In all seriousness, I wondered if I could challenge myself to do the same thing. I'm by no means a shopaholic but when it comes to my girls...especially matching outfits...I can justify any reason to buy them clothes! So then I took it a step further. I decided I would go a whole month without buying a single piece of clothing for my girls. They have a ton of clothes and Addysen hardly wears any of Elodie's handmedowns because I'm always finding cute new things for her.

So I started October 1st and I'm proud to say that I have been successful so far. It's not to say I didn't think of cheating. There have been plenty of moments standing in Gymboree with something I just had to have. But I've been good and resisted the urge...Slowly putting it back on the rack and quickly walking out of the store!

I can't say this has been a life changing experience- but it's been nice to show some self-control and dig a little deeper in the girls drawers to find all those pieces they don't wear hardly at all.

I can't wait till November 1st though because I have found the perfect dresses for the girls! They scream "PUT ME IN A FIELD AND TAKE MY PICTURE!" It'll be like my "welcome back" present to myself!

Have you ever done the 30 day challenge? Gone without something for 30 days?

I am hyperventilating right now!

OVER GROCERIES! Yes, yesterday I was excited about reorganizing my already organized pantry...today I am giddy over how much I spent at the grocery store! Clearly, if I ever won a year supply of food storage I would be over the moon!

I have always been very conscious about how much I spend at the grocery store. I clipped coupons and price matched but didn't really go beyond that. Recently I joined couponsense. I have a few friends who had signed up and were saving extreme amounts of money and building their year supply super quick. Obviously the words save and year supply peaked my interest. So I joined.

And after being a member only a few days I have rocked some serious sales. And the best part is I'm only a beginner so it's got to get better from here on out! Yesterday I went to Safeway and bought 4 boxes of fruit snacks, 4 boxes of cereal, 4 boxes of granola bars, a huge packs of chicken thighs, and grapes and spent $15. I thought this was pretty good but new I could do better! And I did!

Today I went back to Safeway and bought all of this..


4 boxes of ritz crackers
2 boxes of ritz crackerfuls
2 boxes of capri suns
bananas
and another bag of grapes-because after one day the girls had already polished off the ones I bought yesterday!

My total came out to $4.98 and I saved $30!!! I saved 87%!!!! I seriously skipped out of the store and couldn't wait to call my friend Melissa!

I guess I can officially join the "Molly Mormon" group! I don't think there is one but I wouldn't be surprised!

Making the Switch

When we first registered Elodie for kindergarten I blogged about whether or not she was going to go half day or full day. In the beginning my decision was to put her in half day the first semester and if she loved it, we would switch her to full day the second semester.

That plan was in place for the first day of school...and that's it. The minute Elodie got in the car she went on and on about going all day. You may remember her asking me when were we going to get her a lunchbox so she could stay all day.

I blame this on 2 things. 1- Her 2 little girlfriends from church are in her class and are both full day. And she knows this. And 2- When the teacher walks the half day kids out, they have to walk right passed the picnic tables where all the rest of their class is eating lunch. How unfun is that!?!

Oh, and I also blame pre-school. She was totally overprepared to go to kindergarten! ;)

I talked her out of full day for the entire week but on Thursday when I picked her up, she was pouting. I asked her what was wrong and she told me she was the only one that was half day now. Initially I thought maybe she was just saying this to make me feel sorry for her. So on Friday when Chris picked Elodie up from school I told him to ask her teacher if Elodie was telling the truth. Sure enough, she is the only one that is half day now. The class started out with 6 half day kids. And to top it off, Friday was pizza day at lunch and Elodie had to miss out. Chris felt so bad for her that he let her pick her own place to eat (Panda Express) and they went out to lunch together.

So, now I feel like we have to switch her! She can't be the only one going home when the rest of her class is staying! And besides that she loves it and wants to stay. I can't really deny her that.

So, we talked to her teacher who said we could try full day the entire week and see how it goes. She thinks Elodie will transition fine. I know how it will go. Elodie will love it.

She was so excited to get a lunchbox and bring it to school and even more excited to stay and eat lunch with her friends. Again, I can't deny her that! I remember a time when I begged my mom to ride the school bus...I'm sure she wasn't crazy about the idea either.

I still think it's too long of a day.

I still think it's a lot of fluff in the afternoon.

I'm still not convinced I want her going all day but know it will tear her apart to pull her out now. I just have to keep reassuring myself that's it really not that much longer than halfday. Only 2 and 1/2 more hours.

Ugh. Sometimes being the mom stinks! And we are only in kindergarten!

On a postive note, I'm excited about all the one on one time I'll get with Addysen. She is still napping twice a day so she really doesn't know Elodie is gone. As if I needed to worry about how all of this will scar Addysen! But it will be nice to give her all the attention that Elodie got at this age!

In reality, I know myself well enough to know that either way I will feel guilty.
If she goes half-day I will feel guilty that she is missing out on time with her friends and lots of things that she could be learning. On top of that, I'll feel guilty if I'm not filling her afternoons with as much fun and learning and she would have gotten at school.

On the other hand, if she goes full day, I'll feel guilty that the days are too long, she won't have enough time at home to relax, she will be tired and overworked,she won't have enough free time, and on and on and on!

Or maybe, I'm just overthinking it all and this post is a waste of time.

Happy Mother's Day!

To my girls- Thank you for making me a mom! I love being a mom! I love you Elodie and Addysen and I am so thankful for you both! I am constantly learning to be a better me because of you both!

To my mother- I love you! You are my friend, my support, and I am who I am because of you! Words will never be enough to tell you how truely grateful I am to have you in my life. THANK YOU for being the mother you are to me! I am who I am because if your example and if I can be even half as good a mother you were to us, I will be doing something right. Thank you for being a MawMaw to my girls! They love you and I am so happy they have a special bond with you!

To my mother in law- Thank you for being my mom away from my mom. I love you! Thank you for Christopher! He is a wonderful man and I know he is because of you!

To my sister in laws- I may not of had sisters growing up but I have them now!

To my sweet friends- I love you guys! Thank you for being my friends! I am so blessed to have mommy friends to relate with and chat with and have girl nights with! Playdates are my lifesavers!

And to Christopher- Thank you for making me a mother. For your support, love, and patience. We make a great team daddy. I love you!

I'm losing it!

I clean my bathrooms on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I clean my toilets on Wednesdays. Every week.

Yesterday was Monday. I cleaned my bathrooms. Today is Tuesday. This morning I woke up thinking it was Wednesday. Because I thought it was Wednesday I cleaned both bathrooms and toilets before I realized it was Tuesday. Good for my bathrooms, not so fun for me.

And since tomorrow is Wednesday and I hate getting off schedule, I will clean my bathrooms again.

Unless I forget it's Wednesday and think it's Thursday.... Are you still with me?

Please tell me I'm not the only one!

Decisions Decisions

As a parent, it's up to me to make good choices for Elodie when she is younger so as she gets older she will choose to make good choices too.

Along the way, people can offer advice but in the end, me and Chris determine the outcome.

The crossroads we find ourselves at right now is SCHOOL

In my hometown of Central, Louisiana there are 3 schools. Public schools that is. An elementary school, a middle school, and a high school. Not many options but sometimes that can be a good thing.

In the area we live in here in Arizona there are 5 elementary schools around my house. 2 are within walking distance!

UGH!

How to choose the best one? Well, there's been a lot of talking amongst moms, preschool teachers, church members. Anyone I can get my hands on that has a child in school, I pester them.

After a few weeks of weighing out each school, we made a decision.

Today I, along with a friend who's daughter is friends with Elodie, got to tour the elementary school and sit in the 2 kindergarten classrooms. I was thankful there was only 2 teachers. I'm starting to reach my limits with choices!

We chose this particular elementary school for a few reasons.

1. The kindergarten class offered half day, which most of the schools out here are full day with no option of half day. That is of course until the budget cuts are decided.

2. The curriculum is fast pace and a little more challenging than most other public school.

3 2 of Elodie's friends are planning to attend the same school.

and

4. I wasn't going to have to test Elodie in. The deadline to turn 5 for most public schools is August 31st. I would have to test her in to kindergarten and while I'm fairly certain she would pass, it's one more thing to worry about. At the elementary school we chose, the cut off is September 30th. No testing in. And there is no doubt she is ready for kindergarten! That and I'm certain I'm not paying for another year of preschool!

After touring the school and the kindergarten classrooms I felt certain that I would be happy with our decision and excited for Elodie to start school in the fall.

And while all of that is true, I'm left feeling more confused than ever.

Half day vs. Full day.

Half Day-

8:30am to 11:15am

Elodie wouldn't miss out on any work. Any work done after lunch is review from what was taught in the morning.

She would still get quite a bit of playtime which I think is still important at the ripe age of 5.

An easier adjustment from preschool.

She may not be as tired in the afternoons.

There will be homework and if she is home at noon she will be more willing to do homework at 4pm

More time with her family.

Full Day-

8:30am to 2:15pm

From 11:15 to 11:45am is lunchtime. Along with a recess, Elodie will get more time in the classroom than half day.

It's only 2 extra hours.

I know Elodie would notice that she was leaving school while all her friends were staying for lunch. I think she would be disappointed to know she was missing out on something.

Not as much playtime.

Less time to relax before homework, dinner, family time.

Will she be more tired in the afternoons?
Squeezing in playtime with friends would be tough.

Is it too long to be away from home.

She has 11 more years to be gone all day..why rush it?

See what I'm left with?

So all you mothers with kindergartners. Whether full day or half day, I need help. Christopher thinks the answer is easy and doesn't mind her going all day. On the other hand, guess who's left to deal with the aftermath? ME!

Any comments or suggestions would be helpful. The nice thing is I can always put her in full day and take her back down to half day if it's too much. On the other hand, if I put her right in to half day, I can't switch her to full day.

Why do I feel like a bad mother no matter what decision I make. If I put her in half day I feel like she will miss out on something. If I put her in full day, I feel like it's too much time away from home and family.

Am I making a good decision for her because it's what I know is best for her. Or am I making the decision based on what I want or think.

UGH!

What did you do this morning?

This morning we spent 2 hours in the doctor's office. No emergency. Just coincidence that I scheduled Elodie's 4 year check up and shots on Friday the 13th! We were a little behind on the check-up. 6 months to be exact. I'd been dragging it out because I hate shots for myself and hate them double for my kids. I'm slowly learning to be an independent mother and not depend on Chris to do all the dirty work. Besides, in order to register her for kindergarten on the 2nd of March, her immunizations had to be up to date. The clock was ticking!

The doctor's office was sllllloooooowwwww!! We waited in the waiting room for an hour before being escorted to the smaller waiting room to see the doctor. It wasn't fun but it had to be done.

Did I mention I took Addysen with me!?! I would have felt worse if I would have left her with someone! Especially since the doctor's office is within 5 minutes of my house and I for sure thought we would be in and out. Not the case on Friday the 13th.


Elodie got 4 shots today. 3 routine plus her kindergarten booster. Boo Hoo! I can't believe she will start kindergarten in the fall. Crazy!

She's still a petite little thing.


Weight- 32 pounds

Height- 39.5 (which would be another reason we are waiting another 2 years to go back to Disneyland.)

10th percentile for weight and 15th percentile for height.

If I had to pick, I like this age for shots. I talked to Elodie about the doctor, how the shots would hurt for a little bit but she would be okay by the time we got to the car. It made it easier for me knowing she somewhat understood what was going to happen. It's always harder when their babies and their screaming looking at you like "what the heck are you doing to me!?!?"





She was brave for the first shot and then the alligator tears start forming. I don't blame her and cried right along with her. Poor girl. She's better now. McDonald's for lunch, the promise of a new My Little Pony from Target, and the fact that she doesn't have to get another shot until she is 11 made her better.

Overall, she is healthy and we are so happy for that!

Note to self

The next time Elodie spills an entire bottle of orange soda on your kitchen floor, you will need to mop 3 times before the stickiness goes away. Maybe 4 as the 3rd mopping is drying as I type. She did this yesterday and it's been the story of my life since lunchtime yesterday. I wish I would have thought to take a picture. Who knew it would still be consuming my time 24 hours later!!

Pray that I don't have to mop a 4th time!