Way to go, me!

I know I already posted today, but I'd like to report that I walked and jogged a little bit for 35 minutes in our clubhouse workout room! I also did an abs workout afterward, and I did the abs workout yesterday as well! It's a modest start, but it's a start!

Sweet Lady Freedom!

So I've decided that since I'm done with my old job for-eh-VER, I might as well make the blog public again. This was inspired by my being nosy and looking at people I used to know on friends' blog lists to see what they're up to, coming across someone I'd actually like to keep in touch with, and clicking there to find that I, alas, have not been invited to view their blog. I totally don't blame these people, because I've been doing it for 7 months, but I decided that now that I don't have to keep backbiting co-workers out, I want to be able to keep in touch with anyone who wants to keep in touch with me!

If I ever have to go back to work (HEAVEN FORBID), I might private it again (I like using adjectives as verbs), but for now, welcome one and all, as long as you bear me no terribly ill feelings...

Here are some pictures I'm rather late in posting.

Meeting his honorary grandmas at Mommy's former workplace

With former co-worker and friend Britt, and her baby, Brooklyn (I looked so awful)

Leaving for Jamie's first outing to the park (first walk in stroller)

He's obviously bursting with excitement!

Told ya. He was enthralled. :)

A little family pic :)

That weather is so AWOL now. Idaho is such a jerk this time of year. Winter and Spring duke it out for like two or three months, with no clear winner until May or June, sometimes later...

Free "Living Scriptures" Offer

Did I mention we got a laptop? It's pretty nice, a slightly early graduation gift for Jason (who graduates NEXT WEEK! Holy cow!) from his parents. I've found so far that it's a lot easier to just mess around on the computer to no end when you can do it while lying in bed :)

Doing this, I came across an offer that a friend of a friend had on her blog and it looked cool. It's a supposedly free Living Scriptures family fun pack. It has an animated dvd for kids, a dvd of some documentary, a 48 page FHE book, and 8 Book of Mormon character magnets. It's even supposed to include shipping, and they didn't ask me for any monetary info, so what the hey. Go to https://www.livingscriptures.com/gbh/offer.asp if you're interested.

By the way, I was trying to be super-cool and do a "click here" where you can just click the word "here" and it takes you to the website, and I couldn't figure out how. Any pointers?

Another note, in case anyone cares, I tried making the baby wipes, and it so didn't work. Maybe I did it wrong, but I don't think I could make them as well as store-bought ones, anyway.

If you're the patient type, you can wait until I receive my free living scriptures stuff and I'll post on here whether, as Jason puts it, I got ripped off in any way or not. :)

Positivity

After a little while of having no time, I finally looked at friends' blogs today and I noticed something--the ones where people were happy and positive were more fun to read. Sure, it can be comforting to read about someone having a hard time with something because it can make you feel understood for going through the same thing, etc., but what is the point in letting those things get you down for very long? The Lord has always looked out for me and, since I got married, for our family. He doesn't make everything go perfectly, but He makes sure we're taken care of.

So I've decided to do one of those gratitude journal things. I don't know if I'll make a habit of it (though I probably should), but I want to do it today.

Things to be grateful for this week:

1. I have an amazing husband whom I don't deserve, but who loves me more than anyone for some reason, anyhow.
2. I have an adorable, healthy baby boy who loves his mommy and daddy so much that he never wants them out of his sight.
3. Said baby woke up a few minutes ago, saw me looking at him above, and smiled so big, Mommy wondered how she could ever be frustrated with him.
4. I got to crochet a cool beanie with a flower on it this week, and I got to go to a Relief Society Enrichment group where we made something really cute, that I cannot reveal yet because they will be gifts for the baby girls of multiple readers of this blog. (Ooh, intrigue! :))
5. The weather is FINALLY getting nice enough to take the baby out, and I'm planning to take him on his first walk in the stroller today!
6. Also, Jamie is finally sleeping longer at night! HALLELUJAH!
7. We're switching to Alltel, so I'll be able to talk to My Circle people forever w/o worrying about peak minutes! (Sam, get ready for a gab-a-thon! :))
8. JINA IS HOME FROM HER MISSION and will be calling me today! I've missed her so much!
9. In a little over two hours, my husband will be home and it will officially be the weekend!
10. I might get to watch "Twilight" with a friend tomorrow!

Love to you all, and I hope you have a great weekend!

Loving the new camera

FINALLY, this loaded!

Monster!

We went to meet Drake, Callie and Jordan's tiny new baby, who was born on Monday at 5 lbs 1 oz. Check out the difference!

(And isn't that the cutest little half-smile on Jamie's face?)

Chicken Pot Pie

My mom made this for us while she was here, and it was so good. Jason and I usually aren't even fans of pot pies at all, so that's saying something! I made it again last night, and it's a bit of a pain to make, but not terrible, and so worth it. I've decided that every time I make it I'll double the recipe and freeze one so I only have to do the process half as often--and I love having meals in the freezer for when I don't feel like cooking.

Chicken Pot Pie

1 c carrots, sliced

1 c potatoes, cubed

1 c chicken broth

1 c half-and-half or canned (evaporated) milk

2 c chicken, cooked and cubed

1/8 tsp thyme

1/8 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic salt

4 Tbsp flour

4 Tbsp margarine

2 refrigerated pie crusts

Take pie crusts out of fridge 1/2 hour before using. In medium sauce pan, melt margarine. Stir in flour, add broth, half-and-half, and seasonings. Cook til thickened. Parboil fresh vegetables. Place veggies and chicken in pie shell in 9" pie pan. Pour sauce over. Add top crust, brush with milk and sugar. Bake at 425 F for 30-40 minutes when fresh, 1 hour when frozen.

Optional veggies: onion [I used about 1/4 c], broccoli, frozen peas.

Sorry I don't have a yummy-looking picture; you'll just have to use your imagination. But here are better pictures!

New camera!!

Got the new camera last night, and it's pretty awesome! And that's without knowledge of most of its features yet! :) Don't ask why the second picture is sideways, the original isn't like that and I can't figure out why blogger insists on loading it that way. Frustrating.

Peace!

It's moments like this that make the sleep deprivation, lack of personal time, and fussiness all worthwhile.

Birth announcements are finally out!

What's kind of sad is, they look better on the computer than in print.

I still like them, though. I've had so much fun designing them! Thanks so much to Shara for her guidance! She recommended a couple of really good sites for getting them designed and printed, for nothing but shipping on the first 50 prints. Since my dad hooked me up with the stamps and I got the envelopes by the pound, I'll get all of them done for probably less than $5.00. NICE!

The newest developments: just this morning Jamie slept for about four-and-a-half hours straight! Progress!! Also, Daddy discovered that when you gently pull down his bottom lip or touch his little outstretched tongue with the pacifier, smile, and say, "blip, blip, blip" when he's in a good mood, he will give you the most precious smiles! I woke up to this on Saturday morning--such a happy way to do so!

He also learns more sounds all the time, and he's filling out. He loves to look around at everything around him and sleeps less during the day. Basically, he's becoming more of a regular baby, not just a newborn.

Oh, also: Happy Anniversary to Us! We were married two years ago today! We already had a fun dinner on Saturday night, leaving the baby with sitters that weren't family for the first time: our good friends, Jordan & Callie. We felt fine about it, other than the normal missing him and hoping he didn't think we were leaving him forever, but it was awfully funny being the parent giving the instructions after a whole life of being the baby-sitter receiving them. :) Tonight, we'll probably just have a nice dinner at home, and we've got a bottle of sparkling cider in some fun flavor.

So off I go to research our camera candidates on amazon, and hopefully we can choose one and go get it before the week is over. Have a good Monday, everyone!

Another project

You know, the flowers in my wedding bouquet picture up there are so beautiful, they almost hurt to look at them.

So the newest project is: make your own baby wipes. They gave me a little handout about it at my WIC appt yesterday (Jamie is now 9 lbs 6 oz, by the way!), and it looks ridiculously easy and cheap, so I'm going to try it and see how it goes.

For those of you who make your home in the Nor Cal area, we'll be taking a trip out there in April after graduation! We'll probably get there late on Monday the 13th and leave Monday the 20th. We're having the baby blessed at my parents' ward on the 19th, which I am so excited about, because it means the extended family and friends can come! I'm so excited to introduce the little guy to the Cox clan!

Speaking of the little guy, he gets more adorable every day. And we're getting a new camera soon, so hopefully more pictures and even video will be coming. It's so cute when he wakes up smiley, or smiles at us randomly at other times.

Let me brag that I've gotten a lot done today. I've straightened up the bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, and living room a little, done the dishes, made a menu and shopping list, pumped right on time for once, and washed our sheets, comforter, and mattress cover (since Jamie's pee diaper leaked out on the bed this morning). OOH! AND I lifted weights!

Jason and I have decided we're finally ready to get fit again, and we started by doing core, thighs, and stretching last week. Then Monday we did core, buns, and stretching, and last night after getting about 4 hours sleep the night before, we went to bed at about 6 p.m. and skipped working out. But we feel better today and are going to get back on it. I would have done more than my arms, but the baby had a little blowout while sitting in his chair watching me and by the time I'd changed him, fed him, and gotten him to sleep, I had to pump and then get other stuff done. I'll do more tonight with Jason, anyway. We're gonna be so hot! :) It's amazing how much fitness I've lost, though. The mild levels of my videos are way hard for me now, when before I was usually doing advanced. But that gives me something to aspire to.

Okay, I've blabbed enough. But I wouldn't be me if I wasn't verbose, right? :) Baby's waking up, anyway.

Kristina needs...

Ash tagged me for this game, so now I have something to post while I'm pumping at nearly 4 a.m.!

Here’s how it works: Google “[your first name] needs” and share the first 10 results.That's it: it is that simple. But be honest! These are actual quotes from the top ten results.Tag the person who tagged you, and pass it on to tag three other people.

1. ...a two parent adoptive family with one or two older children *aw, that's kinda sad*
2. ...to find something to do tonight to keep her mind occupied
3. ...Food!
4. ...your help
5. ...lots of support for speech therapy and occupational therapy
6. ...a bone marrow transplant
7. ...a tech makeover
8. ...some serious help
9. ...a tent revival
10. ...a JJJOOOBBB!!!

Apparently there are some very unfortunate Kristinas out there. I feel blessed.

I tag Sam (since she's apparently been very bored, poor thing), Liz, Stacy, and Sarah Lynne. And anyone else who wants to. Thanks for thinking of me, Ash!