Our Christmas Top Ten List

Here's 10 reasons why our Christmas was so memorable this year:
10. Our neighbors across the street have a blow up nativity that Julianna got really excited about the very first time it was out. I had to explain to her that it only comes up when it's dark, and that we can't blow it up, only our neighbors. So every day, she would say, "It's dark! Let's see if Baby Jesus is there!" And most of the time it was, and that made her happy. Our neighbors even let her go touch the nativity.

9. Julianna and Blake got to play with their cousins, Will and Lily, again. My sister Callie and her family came down from Oregon for her husband's winter break from law school. It was fun to see them play together, especially on Christmas morning with all the toys. I wish I got a picture of all four of them together! But here's Blake with Will.

8. Julianna got exactly what she wanted for Christmas--a stuffed Spongebob doll and a DVD--she's pretty happy. She also liked the other presents--especially the magnetic dress up dolls.
7. Blake is OBSESSED with robots! He got a red robot for Christmas and loves it so much that the batteries have already died. He even got robot pajamas from Grandma and loves to wear them. If you ask him to be a robot, he'll move his arms and walk like one, and even make an "oo, oo" noise for you.

6. Blake really likes his Caterpillar dump truck. On Christmas morning, we caught him putting one of Julianna's new dolls in it and then dumping the doll, of course. He calls it his "big truck."

5. At my parent's house, Blake would go looking for Buffy, the cat, every half hour. Buffy likes to hide in the cupboard in the laundry room and lay on towels. Blake made it all the way into the cupboard just to pet her.

4. Julianna is even more scared of Santa this year--at the Ward Christmas party, she wouldn't even set foot in the same room with Santa. Some older kids tried holding her hand and pulling her in, but she wouldn't do it. Just cried and screamed. There's always next year, I guess.

3. Julianna keeps asking me, "Mommy, is it Christmastime?" I think she actually knows what that means this year, so maybe if I tell her it's not Christmastime, she'll understand why the nativity isn't across the street anymore. I hope so!

2. "The Polar Express" is a new favorite movie of the kids, especially Blake. He is mesmerized by Santa Claus and Christmas.

1. And the number one reason Christmas was the best...We got a trampoline from my parents! The kids love it! Too bad it's been so cold and rainy! But we all love it and finally have something in our backyard besides dirt and weeds. Thanks Mom and Dad! (This picture was taken in the assembly process--it now has an enclosure around it.)

We hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and that you have a happy New Year, too! Keep giving me ideas for my blog title! So far I really like using "minivan."

I decided to go public!

So I did it...I'm public again. Maybe this will make it easier for you to all read my blog. Here's my new blog url--so please change it on your lists! Sorry to do that to you, but I didn't want my name in the url:

www.thefourredheads.blogspot.com

I've decided to make my blog less personal, as far as names and profiles go. And you all need to help me think of a word to fill in my new title. It's like the movie title "Four Weddings and a Funeral," but I don't want to use the word funeral, of course. So give me some ideas! And enjoy the link for this really funny Christmas song! I heard it on the radio and had to find it on youtube (copy and paste, sorry, or go to youtube and search The Most Fattening Time of the Year). By the way, how do you put a whole youtube video on blogger?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNKearCSXXM

Christmas Tag!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?- Depends on the gift. A certain "SpongeBob" gift probably won't be easily wrapped, so a bag might work. Or it's fun to make a little poof of paper scrunched at the top and tie with some ribbon. Does anyone do that anymore?

2. Real tree or Artificial?- Haha, funny story about our Christmas tree. Last year we got a deal through Joel's school and had a real tree in our tiny townhome. It took up half the family room but it smelled great! We let the ward use our 6ft fake one for the giving tree. So this year, we have a house, but decide not to get a real tree, so we pull out the fake one again, only to discover that one of the plastic legs (is that what they're called?) is cracked. So I put it up carefully, hoping that it will last just one more year, and just two days later, I hear a CRACK and somehow the tree fell on top of Blake! He was okay--it's a small tree. So Joel decided to put our fake tree in our real tree stand. And amazingly, it worked! That's our Christmas tree story this year.

3. When do you put up the tree?- Either right after Thanksgiving or at least by December 1st.

4. When do you take the tree down?- January 1st or so.

5. Do you like eggnog?- YES! YES! YES! Except at Grannie's I tried Southern Comfort eggnog, and it was WAY to thick. But yes, I love egg nog. My dad sometimes puts it in his cereal. Haha. You should try eggnog ice cream, too.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?- I still remember getting my first bike. That was a big moment. And of course getting our first pet, Millie, in a box under the tree. I loved Millie, the black cat.

7. Hardest person to buy for?- My parents because they already have everything and always say they don't need us to get them anything, but you always feel like you should, because they're your parents!

8. Easiest person to buy for?- Little kids are easy--although Julianna is getting more specific now. As long as it's somehow related to Spongebob, she's happy. And when I ask Blake, "What do you want for Christmas?" he says, "A ROBOT!" It's cute.

9. Do you have a nativity scene?- Yes, one that is hands-off, and a few that are okay if the kids touch them.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?- I think mail is just more traditional. I'm sure I will get to the point where I will just email them. We'll see. Every year I think, who would even know if I didn't send a card out? But I always end up doing it anyway.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?- Can't think of anything.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?- It's a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street. Polar Express is my kids' favorite now.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?- The first week in December.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?- No, not yet. I'm like you, Katie, I have done that for weddings.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?- Fudge, Christmas cookies, those peppermint nougat taffy candies (my absolute favorite).

16. Colored or Clear Lights?- Clear lights this year, but I do really like red and blue. Especially on houses--I love seeing the blue, even purple lights!

17. Favorite Christmas song?- "Sleigh Ride." "O Holy Night" is good because it's so pretty, but also because when you hear someone singing it, you're just waiting to see if they can hit that really high note. I did this yesterday at our Stake Christmas Program. He came very close to the note!

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?- Family is always close, so we don't go too far! This year we will have everyone at my parent's house in Corona.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?- You know Dasher, and Dancer, and Prancer, and Vixen, Comet, and Cupid, and Donner, and Blitzen--but do you recall, the most famous reindeer of all? Rudolph...just sing the song!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?- Star.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?- The kids get to open pjs Christmas eve and sleep in them and then we open everything else Christmas day. (ditto, Katie.)

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?- Crowds, long lines. People too concerned about shopping and not thinking about what Christmas is really about.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color?- Red and gold, or red and silver.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?- Anything my mom makes is GREAT!

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?- The TWILIGHT series of my own instead of borrowing. That's all I can think of.

26. White or Warm Christmas?- Doesn't matter to me. It can be Christmas anywhere, but if it's really hot, that wouldn't be fun. As long as it's colder, that will do. I'm so used to it, anyway.

27. Favorite thing about Christmas?- Seeing kids open presents. The feeling I still get waking up Christmas morning, even now that I'm a mom.

28. Favorite Christmas Tradition?- Just spending time with family and being together. Of course reading the nativity story from the Bible. Looking at all the Christmas lights. Building a fire in the fireplace.

29. Favorite Christmas Location?- Anywhere with family!

30. Who do you tag?- Callie, Karina, Cindel (if you two ever read my blog anymore!!), Katrina, Rhonda, anyone who wants to!

Un-private?

I have been toying with the idea of making my blog un-private, or public again. I think it might allow some of you to see it more often (because I know there are some out there that just don't want to take the time to sign in just to see my blog) so tell me what you think. Should I go public again? But what about all those weird people that could come across my blog? How do I make sure it's safe to be public? I might have to get rid of the Wiggles stuff.

Other than that, no big news here. Just waiting until Christmas break! 4 days...yeah! Then it's three weeks off for Joel and 2 weeks for Julianna. We're enjoying the rainy weather--it almost feels like Christmas here. What are all your plans for Christmas?

Julianna's Birthday

Yesterday Julianna turned the big 5! I still can't believe we have a 5 year old now! Wow. It really does go fast. We already celebrated her's and Blake's birthday in Arizona last week, but we still had to sing to her on her actual birthday so she could feel special. When we told her that she needed to come up to the counter so we could sing to her and she could eat her birthday cookie and ice cream, she threw a fit, so that's why Joel had to go over to her. The second picture is what she did in the morning before preschool when I asked her to smile for the camera on her birthday. She's got the tongue curling down! Just have to work on the smiling. And then this was her birthday hat she brought home from preschool. She also got to spend her $5 bill from Grandma Shaw (Joel's mom) at Walmart. She picked out a Spongebob coloring book (we actually didn't have one yet) and the Spongebob krabby patty candy. Yes, she still loves Spongebob. She had a nice birthday and kept asking, Mommy, can I be 5 now? I think she got so used to telling me that she's going to be 5, and when she actually became 5, she wasn't sure about it. We love our Julianna! She's growing up fast.

Thanksgiving at Grannie's in Prescott, AZ

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Blake turned 2! (And I finished Twilight!)

Blake turned 2 on Sunday! We went to Chuck E Cheeses on Friday night, and the next morning he was sick. Sunday he was even sicker, so he didn't get to go to church on his birthday! He's doing a little better now. But he had a good birthday and liked saying "ha' berfday" and saying that he's 2. Here's some pics of the birthday boy:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLAKER!

And in other news, I finally did it, after so many of you have asked me to read it. I finished Twilight! Now I need to read the other 3! But at least I finished Twilight before the movie this week. I am so excited to see it! The book was great, and I even told Joel all about it. It took me a while because we've just been so busy lately, but I really look forward to reading the others, and now the movie!

Bye, Mary Lou!

Today was Julianna's last OT (occupational therapy) session with Mary Lou. She is taking a new job in San Jose and we are so sad! We sure have loved driving down there to Oceanside once a week to meet with her. Julianna will still be on call, so I hope to still bring her in once in a while to see another OT there. She has taught Julianna so much, and me, too! So now I will try my best to be her very own OT at home! Here are some pics of what she did today:

Tagged!

T.V. Shows I Love To Watch
1. American Idol
2. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
3. SpongeBob (no really, I like it!)
4. Jeopardy
5. Wheel of Fortune
6. Supernanny
7. The Today Show
8. Oprah (occasionally)

Things that Happened Yesterday
1. Went to aerobics at the stake center
2. Went to Target to buy Blake a birthday gift
3. Talked to Katrina on the phone
4. Talked to Callie on the phone
5. Broke up many fights between Julianna and Blake
6. Picked up my paycheck from the SJ Valley Academy
7. Went to dinner and FHE at the Parker's house
8. Put the kids to bed!

Favorite Places to Eat
1. McDonalds (I really do!)
2. Quiznos
3. Coldstone Creamery
4. Panda Express
5. The Olive Garden
6. Any pizza place
7. Wendy's
8. Macaroni Grill

Things I Look Forward To:
1. Bedtime
2. Thanksgiving
3. Christmas
4. Spending time with family
5. Colder weather!
6. Being a school teacher
7. Seeing Julianna and Blake all grown up!
8. The day when I don't have to change diapers anymore (ditto, JoAnna!)

Things on My Wish List
1. Get totally in shape & have a rockin body (ditto again)
2. Decorate my house!
3. Landscape the backyard
4. That I could deal with my kids better- patience, no yelling (yep)
5. Painting the house
6. Being a published author
7. Becoming a teacher someday
8. Reading Twilight

I tag:
1. Callie
2. Karina
3. Cindel
4. Kristen
5. Jenny
6. Melanie
7. Katrina
8. Katie

Blake, not again....!

So you might all remember that horrible day I had back in September when our AC was broken and Blake locked himself in my bedroom and I had to call ward members to get him out, and he was free mainly because our windows were open. I'm sure you all read that and thought, surely Kera learned from that experience so it wouldn't happen again. Well, you're right! I did learn from it, and put a baby gate in front of our door. Problem solved. Until...Blake climbed out of his crib, and instead of buying another baby gate to put in front of his door at night (so he doesn't roam the house) so my gate can stay put, I decided to just use one gate. Well, it seemed to be working fine. He's been in a big bed for about 1 1/2 weeks. And this morning he was playing in the ball pit upstairs and it starts to get quiet. I run upstairs to find that he's locked himself in my room, AGAIN! I didn't remember to put the gate in front of my door after he woke up. So this time, our windows are definitely shut, there's no way I can get in there. And to make it worse, after calling his name repeatedly, he is not responding. So now I am worrying that he's hurt in there and I can't help him. So what do I do? What would anyone do in this situation? I called 911 for the first time in my life. I told them on the phone that he wasn't responding so they sure did hurry. But while I waited for them, he did respond, thank goodness! They were here in minutes, and I mean everyone! The police, fire department, and an ambulance. So they started bringing up all sorts of tools, asking me if I cared if the door got broken down, etc. The FD had these huge axes. The police officer noticed my net above the loft wall (because the wall is so short) and he commented, "At least we know you care about safety." Yes, officer, I do. I have the child locks to prove it. So anyway, Blake can hear all the commotion of like 8 people outside the door so he starts to cry. And the FD is trying to just break the doorknob, not the door. After only 5 minutes, they do it, and the door opens and Blake sees all these strangers outside his door and runs to me. They thought it was pretty funny. And I told Blake as the whole crew left that that's why he can't go in Mommy's room. He said, Okay. So that's what happened this morning. Luckily Julianna was still at school and didn't have to see all of this. So all we need to do is replace the doorknob, which we should have done a long time ago since we don't have a key for the knob! And I assure you all that this WILL be the last time this happens! The funny thing is that our whole street was blocked off this past Saturday by police and fire department. We don't know why. But I'm sure after today's incident, people are wondering what the heck is going on in our neighborhood! So that's my story for today. I hope it will be a long time before I have to write about another catastrophe.

Halloween!

Oak Glen

So funny!

Thought I'd share this picture I got in an email. Yes on 8! I'll try to post Halloween pics tomorrow!

Sea World October!

We decided to take a trip to Sea World today! Joel took off work and we all went to Julianna's therapy appointment in Oceanside. Then it was off to Sea World! It was a great day.

More about me

I saw this on Melanie's blog and thought it would be fun. I've done one similar to this, but it's been a while. And Lindsey, I'm still working up the courage to do my 100 things--I will get there!

10 years ago I was...
1. Starting my junior year of high school at Irvine High. I was excited about my AP English Language class.
2. Working my first job at Longs Drugs as a cashier. That store isn't there anymore!
3. Driving my first car--a Ford Festiva. The smallest car ever made. The engine sounded like a wind-up toy. But it got me around!
4. Just attended my first EFY in Santa Barbara with my childhood friend, Angie. We hadn't seen each other in a long time and were roommates for EFY. I miss Angie!
5. Still playing my flute and I think this was the year I did choir for a semester. It was fun. I also started yearbook this year and got to write stories about the school and students. Yeah, I was cool in high school.

Things on my "to do" list...
1. Clean the fridge! Long overdue.
2. Paint the entire house! I have a strong desire to paint lately but I need to take it slow...
3. Buy a nice pumpkin so we can carve it for FHE tomorrow.
4. Find some things for Blake's costume.
5. Read "Twilight"--yeah, I'm like the last person to read it, I know. Still working on it, Katie!

Favorite snacks...
1. Apples and peanut butter
2. Pudding
3. Marshmallows (they've been popular around here lately, mostly because of Julianna)
4. Yogurt
5. Cheddar cheese Pringles

Places I've been...
1. Chicago
2. Nashville
3. Texas
4. Hawaii
5. Arizona (so yeah, I've never outside the US, but Hawaii was fun!)

Jobs I've had
1. Barnes and Noble cashier, cafe person (yes, I made the caffienated drinks)
2. Rite Aid photo developer
3. BYU bookstore employee--book section and photo section
4. Freelance editor
5. Substitute teacher (my favorite!)

I tag anyone!

Goodbye, Crib...

We had an interesting afternoon. I put Blake in his crib around 1 today, shut the door, and left the room. Only one minute later, I hear him saying, "Hi." I'm thinking, he sounds too close...and sure enough he's just walking down the stairs saying "Hi to Julianna and me, like he's done nothing wrong, and then runs into the family room! And then I remember that last night, he started to figure out how to climb out of his crib, but didn't do it completely. And I had the thought that it might happen soon. Well, not even 24 hours later, he's climbing out of his crib! So anyway, I had no choice but to put him down on his big bed that is already in his room. After 1 1/2 hours, he's asleep (I think....he shut the door and I don't want to open it and wake him up!) So, that's my story for today. Blake's in a big bed now, a little earlier than I planned (I was going to do it when he's 2, which is only a couple weeks away) but it will be fine! I hope he keeps it up!

Hello from the "craptop"

Well, we are borrowing the craptop again until we get our computer fixed AGAIN. And Dad, we haven't even had time to try the software you gave us because we've been so busy! We might do it tonight. But anyway, there was a video on my camera that I wanted to share. It's when we were watching Belle. Blake tried really hard several times to ride her like a horse. Thought you'd like to see it, and everyone else who loves Belle will enjoy it, too.

Quick post

Hello all. My computer might have a virus again! AHH! It's because we tried to use playlist.com to put songs on our blog. Beware of that site! So now I only have 5 minutes before the internet stops working--great virus! Not enough time to download videos or pics--sorry! Anyway, we are alive and well! Julianna is back to her normal ways after we stopped watching my mom's dog. We watched the dog (Belle) for a week and the whole time, Julianna was SOO good because she didn't want to hear Belle bark. But the day after Belle went home, she was back to her tantrums and biting and screaming. So fun. Maybe that means we should get a dog, huh? But we are doing well. Hopefully our computer will be fixed by Halloween so we can post pics. And I'm sorry I can't comment on all your blogs because of this virus! I really only have time to look! But just wanted to post and say all is well here!

Recent Videos

I can't believe it's been a week almost since I've posted! Where has the week gone? I've been trying to take some videos of the kids so you can see them in action. Here they are! Sorry they seem a little fuzzy, and also sorry for the first video ending with a shot of Julianna's behind! Oops! Didn't notice that before! Well, enjoy!

Farewell, Blot

Well, it finally happened--Blot died this week. He was truly a survivor --he lived for over 2 1/2 years. We first came to know Blot (we named him, not them) when a family in the ward went out of town and asked us to watch him. I overfed him, and he literally was on the verge of death. I was already thinking I would need to go buy them a new fish! But Joel cleaned his tank, and he survived! Then a few months later, this family moved out of state, so he became our fish in the summer of 2006, when I was pregnant with Blake. Joel decided Blot needed a friend, so we bought another little fish to put in his bowl. But this fish started attacking Blot, and nipping at Blot's tail and fins until they were in shreds. So we had to separate them, but Blot survived again, even though he had trouble swimming for a while! In the last week or so, Blot really started to slow down, to the point where he would just lay on the bottom of his bowl. But even in his last days, he still tried to get off the bottom and swim to get his food. Well, yesterday, he wasn't trying anymore. And we knew he was gone. We told the kids Blot was dead, and Julianna said, We need to give him more food! So last night, we flushed him down the toilet, and said, Bye Blot! Blake then lifted the toilet seat, looking for Blot. But I think they now know he's dead! We just can't believe how long he lived, and how many times he was near death but still survived. And that's the story of Blot the black moor goldfish.

More pics

Blake discovered that these bowls fit perfectly on his head!

Julianna's head is bigger, obviously!

Julianna "warming up" for her first school picture day. We missed picture day last year because she started at VIP tots right after. I was told she didn't smile in her picture, but she was at least looking at the camera. It will be a good memory!


Julianna's IEP (Individualized education plan) with the district was great. It was a long meeting, and we made some good goals for her, like being able to write her name by herself, identifying numbers and letters, and engaging in play with others for 15 minutes at a time. Her IEP was 16 pages this year! Much longer than last year. Everyone working with her has great hope and say she has so much potential. I am so grateful for all the support we are getting for her! And soon we will get more, because she was officially diagnosed with autism as well. This was the first time we have gotten a real diagnosis for her, besides SPD, which isn't really a diagnosis at all, although she still struggles with it. But now that she has this diagnosis, she will get many more services from the county and the district, which will help us out tremendously! I really thought I was just going to burst into tears as soon as I heard them say autism, but I still haven't. It really has been a burden lifted from me, in a way. I feel more at peace with everything now, somehow. Her teacher also thinks she is more on the Asperger's syndrome side of autism, but autism was diagnosed to get us all the services. She's also in the moderate range, not mild as we had thought. I just feel relieved to know more about Julianna and know that her future is bright! She is learning so much everyday!

Pics of our redheads

Just for fun...Blake studying his flash cards. He already knows all the words, so why not relax in them instead.

The hat wearers together. Sorry it's out of order!

Blake got caught playing in the sink....

This is what he had to climb to get inside....no problem for this kid.

He also found some of my makeup but I made sure he didn't get into it!

As the Wiggles would say, "Hats are really groovy. You wear them on your head."

Julianna had to join in on the fun.

In other news...we are doing just fine. Our computer is fixed! It runs like a new computer now. Julianna has her IEP with the school district tomorrow where we go over the results of all the assessments that have taken place this month. Everything else is going well. Looking forward to conference weekend!

A new look

So I got bored with my yellow background, but my kids still like the wiggles, so I thought I'd mix the two. I chose brown because I LOVE brown--whenever I buy clothes, which is not that often these days, I am always drawn to brown. So, there you go. A nice brown background with some Wiggles mixed in.

My new favorite LDS song--listen and love it too

It doesn't feel like it's been 4 days since I've posted. I wanted to share my new favorite church song that Joel and I happened to hear on BYUTV a few weeks ago. We hardly ever watch it, except on Sundays, rarely, and happened to catch a CES Fireside from this month with Elder Holland. At the end, the BYU combined choirs sang "My Kindness Shall Not Depart from Thee." I was so touched by this song--the words and music just go together so perfectly that even when I think of it now I get goosebumps. It really is a beautiful song that you all must listen to. Someone put it on youtube, with the last words of Elder Holland. Grab a tissue! Here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwzMNKAT0p4

Pillow Jumping--a new sport

Here's a video of something the kids are really into right now. They love jumping onto pillows from the couch and the stairs. Blake is so brave--he jumps from the third step and now he also does a sort of belly flop jump. This is actually really good for Julianna--it's a type of occupational therapy. Enjoy the video!

Supernanny coming to San Jacinto?

On Thursday I got a surprising phone call. About a month ago, I heard on the news that Supernanny was having open casting calls in Anaheim. We thought about going, but decided it would be too much effort. So that same day, I just went to their website and applied online---it's really easy to do. And so Thursday, someone named Crystal called me and said she was a casting agent for Supernanny. I couldn't believe it. So she talked to me for about 10 minutes and asked a ton of questions about our family. Then she emailed me a very long application that I just sent in last night. I asked her if they call everyone who applies online, and she said, Well, we try to. Meaning, not everyone gets a call, I'm guessing. There's no way they can call everyone--they must call people they might be interested in having on the show. Now I'm not sure if being considered for Supernanny is something to be PROUD of, but I sure would appreciate the help! I feel like we need to get a good system or order going, especially in dealing with Julianna's behavior, and now Blake is taking after her. If Supernanny can discipline Julianna and teach me how to do it, I would be grateful! I will keep you all posted on how this turns out.

Updates and you tube video link

Well, I am back after over a week. Our computer is still being fixed, but my Mom gave me her "craptop" to use until it's done (a very old laptop that has been a backup for others as well). To update you all on our recent problems, everything is fixed (except the computer, of course) so we are grateful for that! Things are looking up now!

Julianna has started occupational therapy in Oceanside through Rady SD Children's. She is doing great and it is very worth the drive out there once a week for one-hour sessions. Lately I have been thinking that she might actually have autism and we are going to have another assessment by the school district very soon, I hope. I still feel like I haven't figured her out yet or gotten the right diagnosis. It is very frustrating as a parent to not really know what is going on with your child or all that you can do to help her. I do feel like we are getting closer. We love Julianna so much and she is a blessing to our family.

I was researching Sensory Processing Disorder or SPD (what we know she has for sure) online and came across this youtube video. It's the first time I've ever seen a news story on this disorder, and the child is VERY much like Julianna. It almost makes me think again that she really doesn't have autism at all, just SPD. You should watch it and see what you think. All of this has been weighing on my mind lately so that's why I'm sharing with you. Here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDaj4daRWJc

A blogworthy story

The past 3 days have certainly been interesting for us--so many unexpected things happened. Now, I will be venting, and maybe complaining, but there is an interesting ending to this story so far. So, first, the passenger side power window on our van stopped rolling up, then our AIR CONDITIONER broke in 100 degree weather--out of nowhere it just stops. Then our computer was acting up, and we think it might have some viruses because Word is not working. This all happened on Saturday. Sunday was great--church, drove to Corona (with one window down--good thing it's hot) to see my brother Cliff get set apart as a missionary. It was an amazing experience. Then Monday comes (today), and I am busy on the phone calling about getting the car and AC fixed (the computer will be for another day). So, right when I'm backing out of the driveway to bring in the car, our garage door opener breaks. Joel installed it only one week ago, with some help. And I couldn't fix it by myself, so I had to unload the kids and go back inside since I couldn't leave the house with the garage door open! So then I get back on the phone, trying to get to the bottom of this warranty on our AC, and I hear Blake crying upstairs. I go up only to find that he has locked himself in my bedroom! And the doorknob has a keyhole, not a small hole that can be picked with a small screwdriver. So I'm still on the phone with the warranty company, at the same time trying to rescue my son trapped in a non-air conditioned upstairs bedroom, he's crying, I'm struggling, Julianna is confused as to all that's going on. So the phone call is over and now I can really focus on unlocking this door, and nothing is working. So I say a prayer. And my first thought is to call a neighbor from the ward who lives closeby. As soon as I tell her what is going on, I burst into tears--I couldn't hold it back anymore. She gets here with her son, and they can't do anything either, so they call my home teacher and he brings a ladder and his son. Our idea is to have his son climb up and go in the window. They asked if my windows were open, and I said, yes, because my AC is broken. So they quickly get the door unlocked and Blake is free! And as all the helpful ward members leave, one says, good thing your AC was broken, otherwise he really would have been trapped in there (unless we broke down the door). So here's what I learned-the Lord works in VERY mysterious ways sometimes. Did my AC break because the Lord knew Blake would lock himself in my room a few days later? Who knows. But it is really weird to think about that. Anyway, our car will be fixed tomorrow and our AC soon after, and the garage door, too, oh, and the computer, and everything will go back to normal soon, I hope. But it is true that trials can be blessings and we can learn from them and that everything happens for a reason. I just hope we get a break for a while!

Tagged

Thanks for the tag, Shelly! You and I have a LOT in common, by the way. I could almost use all of your answers! Especially the one about coming home late--I do the same thing! I'll try to make mine different. Here's my post:

Joys:
1. Sleeping. My college roommates pointed it out best by calling me a koala. Now I don't get as much sleep since having kids, but I REALLY like sleeping. I hope that doesn't mean I'm lazy! It's just something I find joy in, is all.

2. Exercising. It all started with Tae Bo in high school, then LOTS of stroller walking after having Julianna, and now my latest joy--going to the gym. I love having that time just for me to work out and focus on myself and know that I am doing something good.

3. My family. Even with all the stress of work, school, and busy kids, family still brings the greatest joy of all. I love seeing Blake learning new things or having new discoveries, or Julianna developing a new skill or saying something unexpected, like, "Mommy, I think I love you." Those little moments bring so much joy. And of course, spending quality time with Joel is wonderful.

Fears:
1. Wrinkles. I already have one wrinkle, an obvious one, under my right eye. It's there even when I don't smile, and my sister Karina was telling me it was because I don't wash my face everyday (this probably stems from liking sleep a lot). Just having one wrinkle makes me fear what it will be like to have more. I guess I should wash my face, huh?

2. Spiders. I hate them so much. I'm getting better at killing small ones, but if I see a big one, and Joel's not home, that would probably top the list of fears for me. So far this hasn't happened yet, but if it did, I would probably put the kids in the car and go somewhere for a while. I am scared of spiders.

3. Regrets. I am afraid that I will have lots of regrets in the future. Regrets about how well I did as a mom and wife, how I used my talents, how I used my time, what I did to help others, etc. I am afraid of having those regrets in the future and knowing I can't do anything about it.

Current Obsessions:
1. I'm really not one to obsess over things much, but I guess my most recent one, if you ask Joel, was finding a house. It was a very long process, TOO long, but worth it in the end. Joel would often tell me I was obsessed with REALTOR.com.

2. Getting help for Julianna. An obsession, a healthy one, that has been ongoing for a few years now. This one probably stems from having no regrets in the future--I want to make sure I have done everything on my part to help her get the resources she needs. And it really has been, and will continue to be, a journey for our family.

3. Can't think of another one right now! Joel might know better than me.

Surprising facts:
1. Weird body tricks: I am double jointed in my shoulders, can put my legs behind my head, and touch my tongue to my nose. (Some of you already know this).

2. I've never had a cavity.

3. I've never been out of the U.S., not even Mexico.

I tag: Cliff (if you have time), Jenny Johnson, Alexis Bergman.

Cliff's Farewell

Yesterday we went to Corona for my brother Cliff's mission farewell. He will be serving in the Florida Jacksonville mission and leaves for Provo in a week! We had my Grannie there, and my Uncle Ivan and Aunt Julie, Megan and Joe. My sisters and I, minus Callie :( sang "The Olive Tree" in Sacrament Meeting right before Cliff spoke. He gave an amazing talk about enduring to the end. I know he will be such a great missionary. We will miss him! (Sorry I didn't get lots of pictures, Callie.)

Julianna's First Day

Julianna started her second year of preschool on the 25th. She was so excited to go on the bus again and sit by her friend Drennen. She really likes preschool and I'm glad she'll get 2 years in before kindergarten. VIP Tots has been great for her so far. I can't believe she's going to kindergarten in one year! She is growing up so fast. As far as the potty training goes, no success. I actually had to take her to the emergency room one night a few days ago because I thought she had a bladder infection. Turned out she had no infection, but she was in a lot of pain, and Thursday really tested my patience as a mother as I waited many hours for her to relieve herself. Luckily she did, so we didn't have to go back to the ER, and she's just fine now. So here I am again, at a loss as to how to potty train this girl! She will start some new occupational therapy out of SD Children's hospital next week, so hopefully they can give me some answers. Regardless, she is doing great and we are proud of her.

Olympics are over--now watch this funny video

I'm so sad the Olympics are over--I had so much fun watching them. I was a devoted fan of the USA. Now any TV shows just won't compare. My favorites to watch were beach volleyball and indoor volleyball. Swimming and gymnastics were pretty good, too. Julianna liked to watch at night with me before she went to bed. I'm surprised she hasn't asked about them since they've been over. Joel's uncle sent this video to us--it's very funny and I think it actually happened (a few decades ago). Enjoy.

Me as I really am

TAGGED: ME AS I REALLY AM. Here are some pictures of us and our house as they really are--no cleaning beforehand or even tidying up. Here goes...

The Sink: A few dishes, rinsed. I prefer to do all the dishes at night, not throughout the day.

Laundry Room: Pretty clean, but some clutter on dryer, which is normal. Usually from projects around the house.

Bathroom: Clean but clutter from my makeup and blowdryer and curling iron, which I did NOT use that day.

Fridge: Pretty empty because we bought a fridge a while back that was WAY too big for our family, and also it's grocery shopping day.

My favorite shoes: Tennis shoes. I love to walk and go to the gym. I'm trying to start loving running. They're also the most comfortable shoes I have. Otherwise I'm always wearing flip flops.

My favorite room: The dining room. It's away from the TV and it's usually clean.

Our Kids as they Are: Julianna got a dumdum because she sort of went on the potty for the first time (yeah!), hence the long shirt and no underwear, and Blake of course had to have one, too. Her potty training is slowly progressing (only day 2 now of probably my 4th real attempt--let's hope this one works).

Joel as he really is: Relaxing after his first day back teaching again and after his Elder's Quorum meeting, watching a new DVD he got for his birthday last week.

Me as I really am: Yes, here I am in all my no makeup glory (well, a little mascara.) It was laundry day so I was busy with that and hadn't gotten ready yet. A typical day for me!

I tag: Lindsey, Alexis, Cassie, Kristen, and my sisters. Be honest!