The Weekend Update

Jason felt recovered enough to make the sojourn to his parents' house, to the airport early (3 a.m.) the next morning, and the flight to my parents', and we came as planned. Or so he thought, anyway. Considering how the whole thing exhausted him (and me, and Jamie), how many obstacles we encountered to get here, how many things went wrong, etc., we were seriously wondering for awhile if we weren't supposed to come.

But I think that has mostly passed, and we've been having a nice visit. We've gotten to know our future sister-in-law Michelle and nephew Conner better, which has been nice. It took a good week+ to get all of us into a well enough state to be able to do anything, though! (Jamie, my mom, my dad, Rob, me, and then Jason AGAIN all had bouts with sickness.)

Oh, and I've taken a few pictures, plan to mooch a good deal off of Rob's (since he offered), and will post some once I've uploaded them.

Favorite highlight: Jamie and Ali (aka Lexi, cousin) giving each other hugs and kisses during their playdate Wednesday!

Anyway, I hope you all have a happy and SAFE New Year's! Be careful out there!

Bummers

My mac 'n cheese is cooking. (Actually at the moment it's just mac.)

Took the hubby to the ER this morning after dropping Jamie off with friends. Jason has strep throat, pretty bad. Been taking care of him. It's extremely contagious. And we have a two-year-old.

Will almost definitely have to change our flight to Sacramento, which means missing the big family get-together that my mom and I have been excited about for weeks (not to mention paying an extra $130 just to change the tickets--thanks a lot, jetBlue).

May even be leaving Jamie at our friends' house for the night, because Jason is still miserable and may need to go back to the ER.

I'm fighting tears at the thought of not seeing my baby until tomorrow, yet guiltily feeling relief at the thought of not having to worry about taking care of both of them at once. But still feeling a physical ache and wanting my baby in my arms...then thinking that my arms might have germs on them that would get him horribly sick.

Oh, the pathos of parenting.

Mesa Temple Christmas Lights

On our way to the temple!
This was the first time we put this sweatshirt on Jamie (Black Friday, $4), and he LOVED the hood. He got so upset if it came off his head.

Lol. So close to having a decent picture of all three of us...

Pushing an empty stroller, chasing a crazy toddler.

These were out in the middle of the great big lawn.

This was Jamie's favorite place, that he kept coming back to: a set of steps, with hardly any lights!

It's impossible to do the lights justice, but I had to try. Merry Christmas!

Halloween 2010! and a couple other randoms

Three cheers for being able to post pictures again!

Hip, hip,
HURRAH!

Okay, one's enough.

Okay, is it just me, or is this seriously cuteness overload? (We got out Jason's old snowboots to complete the Popeye ensemble.)

Our ward party was out in the parking lot, which I didn't like much; terrible lighting for pictures.
By the way, Jamie's hat was 49 cents at Goodwill and had Thomas the Train on it, which I simply peeled off and replaced with a piece of fabric I'd painted an anchor on.

Our costumes were a hit. Lots of people complimented us, Jason had a great time hamming it up as Popeye, and people were stopping us at church that Sunday saying, "Hey, weren't you Popeye and Olive Oyl?"

I got the sweater new for ten dollars, sewed the collar and cuffs on, made the earrings out of buttons, and used sticky tape to put the ribbon on a skirt I already had. I've taken the collar and cuffs off the sweater now and plan to wear it in Sacramento--since it's too warm here most days.

These are Goodwill pants that I made into bellbottoms, and I sewed the bib collar thing (I forget the real name of it) myself. I also made the corncob pipe out of a cork and a piece of wooden dowel. We couldn't afford the price the army-navy surplus store wanted for a sailor hat, and I'd already done enough work on the costumes; I didn't want to make one. Oh well.

Just for the heck of it...

Jamie's first tricycle, which his Grandma and Papa Noall bought him as an early Christmas present!
He doesn't actually ride it yet, but he loves pushing the buttons that do turn signals and make music and horn noises.

Good grief, my baby is getting so big!

Bragging rights

I have to brag, just a little bit...

I just roasted a turkey (using Giada de Laurentis' recipe from food network--soooo good and moist) all by my little ol' self.

AND I made real mashed potatoes, stuffing with chopped onion and mushrooms, crescent rolls (out of a can, but still), and some AWESOME gravy from the turkey drippings. All by myself, mom!!!

And I've determined that I will not be doing all this again until we move, because I seriously threw a couple of small tantrums due to the tiny-ness of our kitchen, in conjunction with there being nowhere to put anything outside the kitchen, either. It's RIDICULOUS. Those of you who have a decent-sized kitchen and actual counter/cupboard space, please go kiss it and thank it for being a part of your life. As for future Thanksgivings, I will be mooching off my mom's or Cheryl's kitchens just like always, but more able to help out therein.

Anyway.

I made a yummy-tasting turkey dinner!!! I really am quite proud of myself. I'll make my mom's turkey-barley soup with the carcass (lovely word), and endless quesadillas and a few meals with the leftover meat.

Thanks again for the free bird, Cheryl!

thoughts swimming around

I think I'm too obsessed with blogging. When I have a thought, I think too often about how I would blog it.

Some random things going through my head right now, that I just feel like putting out there for the heck of it:

I tried to buy barley at Super Wal-Mart and then Albertson's; neither carried it. Barley. I had no idea it's such an oddity.

I'm overstretching myself on "neighbor" Christmas gifts. I have so many ideas and want to do them all; yet money, time, and common sense get in the way...

Is it silly that I'll click the "Follow" button on blogs to show a friend support, yet I use my list on my sidebar to actually read them? (I hear a lot about Google Reader but I don't know anything about it.)

I love my friends. There is something endearing about reading the more honest blogs, or maybe I should say blunt, where people talk about how hard things can be. I guess it makes me love you guys even more because I see more of what you have to deal with, and how well you do it, and you give me strength and encouragement.

Well, I guess I'd better go make my hot fudge sauce. I have some jars I want to get rid of, so I'm giving away the sauce in them to some people. There are also candy cane reindeer (for the kiddos, particularly my primary class), my mom's unbeatable (try, I dare ya) fudge, and butterscotch cashew bars in the works. (Don't you wish you were my neighbor? ;)) I was going to make a few ornaments to give away, but I'm not sure that's going to happen now.

Oh, and my mother-in-law got a buy-one-get-one-free deal on her Thanksgiving turkey and gave me the free one, so we're doing another turkey dinner Monday. I've never roasted a turkey completely on my own. Between that and the sweets for giving away, my head has been spinning with ingredients...

Maybe it will make me feel a little more grounded to get the sauce done tonight. Adios.

Of course.

Yeah, totally didn't win. You'd have seen a post with a lot of exclamation points by now, right? Bummer. BUT, here are a few happy things:

1. Arizona is apparently just slow to catch up, because guess what? Some of the trees are finally starting to change! We're actually getting some pretty autumn colors...in December, but I'll take late over never!

2. My dear brother texted me asking for my address the other day and said to expect a package Saturday--today! CAMERA CORD!! (Unless it was some sort of sick joke...)

3. We borrowed our friends' carpet-cleaner vacuum thing, Jason cleaned our area rug and I cleaned our carpets upstairs, and it has made THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE!! They're now way cleaner than they even were when we moved in, they look decent instead of nasty, and it seriously has made us so happy.

4. Last night we went to the Mesa temple to see the lights, and it was AMAZING! I took lots of pictures that do it very little justice, but it was worth a try. Jamie had a great time running around and getting in people's way. We'll be going back again to see a performance and the "nativity scenes from around the world" art exhibit.

5. Jason has offered to watch Jamie all day today so that I can get Christmas/normal things done; I realized last night that we have barely a week and a half before we'll be traveling to California again. EEK!

6. IT'S THE CHRISTMAS SEASON!

Well, Jamie is done eating, which means he wants my attention, which means I need to go before he acts up to get it. (Jason is getting cleaned up and then will be taking over.)

Yeah, Jamie just chucked his sippy cup at me. Gotta go.

PHEW.

*Deep breath*

I have now entered literally about 25 different giveaways trying to get me a dang Silhouette, with multiple entries and postings (on FB, blog, etc.) and liking or following this or that, whatever they told me to do...I only drew the line at actually opening a Twitter account so I could "tweet" about it...

...and I probably still won't win one and it will have been a waste of a good few hours.

But then, what if the fates smiled on me and I actually won? (You would hear me screaming, no matter where you live.) Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right? And I'm on vacation out of town, so it's not like I had a bunch of other important stuff to do...

The fact is, I don't have the $$$ to use their fabulous "if you didn't win, you can still buy one for way cheap!" discounts (it's still two hundred stinking dollars!), so I can either try my darndest (which, trust me, I truly have) to win a free one, or definitely not get one at all.

I'm not sorry I did it.

I will probably cry if...okay, most likely when...I don't win one, no matter how sternly I tell myself to be realistic, but I had to try.

Giveaways galore

Entering a giveaway and had to blog about it for a double entry.

Also at another website, here.

Aaaaaaand another, here (grosgrain fabulous).

Next: http://www.theidearoom.net/2010/11/giveaway.html

http://shanty2chic.blogspot.com/2010/11/silhouette-machine-giveaway.html

http://momsreview4you.blogspot.com/2010/11/silhouette-machine-product-bundle.html

(can you tell I'm serious about this?)

http://lovestitched.blogspot.com/2010/11/sponsor-giveaway-silhouette-sd-machine.html

http://www.decorchick.com/giveaway/silhouette-machine-giveaway-and-special-discount-code/

http://tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com/2010/11/just-in-time-for-christmas-silhouette.html

http://bedifferentactnormal2.blogspot.com/2010/11/silhouette-sd-review-and-giveaway.html

http://www.houseofhepworths.com/2010/11/25/giveaway-silhouette-sd-machine/

http://tomkatstudio.blogspot.com/2010/11/fabulous-giveaway-win-silhouette-craft.html

This one got me three entries! http://www.deals4dummies.com/2010/11/silhouette/

"Too late. Had your chance. Muffed it." {said with British accent}

Anybody recognize what movie that's from? Just curious.

I haven't done a "Jamie update" post for awhile now, and I know I'll be sorry later when I'm trying to update his baby book. I told myself I would do it this time, but I'm a couple days late. Oh well, at least I'm doing it.

Jamie at 22 Months

Weight:
about 23 pounds
(believe it or not, this is an improvement--he's a pretty little little guy)

Height:
I think about 33 inches

Sleeps:
About 12-13 hours at night, 1-3 hours during a mid-day nap (usually about 2)

Words he speaks:
improvement here, too!
Mama
Dada
Mamama -- Grandma (after me saying, "you wanna call Grandma?")
"Datun" (the word that means everything)
"Bo" -- Boat
"Da doh doh doo" or other variation -- Don't touch
"Mo" -- More
Uh-oh (whenever something falls, I gasp, anyone drops anything, even strangers)
Uh-uh
Wow
Whoa
"Ba-ba" -- Thank you (in the same sing-song voice I say "thank you" to him in)
"Uhhh" -- Up (only when prompted)

And he'll try once in awhile to make actual sounds to imitate the words we say, instead of just saying "Dat-un."

Words he signs:
More
Eat/Hungry/Food
All done
Milk
Thank you (sort of)
Hat (I made up that one)
Candy (he made up that one!)

Since Daddy had the idea to put him down for naps with a few books to look at until he's ready to sleep, he's been a bit more interested in them, but still not a lot. It's funny to hear the enormous thump of each board book being tossed out of his crib once he's ready to sleep.

We go to Wiggle Worms at the library every Wednesday morning, where he knows the routine well--he makes some of the movements with the songs, and at the end where each child is given a letter stamp on their hand, he hurries forward to the lady before they even announce it, fist outstretched. (He also usually goes back and charms the lady into giving him one on the other hand, as well.)

He loves to help. After his diapers are changed, he loves to take the wrapped-up dirty diaper and put it in the trash can (downstairs, non-poopy) or diaper pail. If we give him something and tell him to "take it to Mama/Daddy," he usually will hurry off. It's so sweet.

Jamie is very independent and wants to be a big boy. If he sees a cup, he'll beg to drink out of it instead of his sippy. He likes big portions of food put before him, though he doesn't usually eat them all. He likes to feed himself, wipe his own face/diaper area, and be like mommy and daddy in any way he can. He still loves putting his feet in our shoes, carrying around my purses, and wearing his own little hat after he saw Daddy wearing his. (This has been nice, because he wouldn't wear it before and loudly complained about the sun being in his eyes.)

He's also very needy and loving. He doesn't like to play by himself, and gets upset if he can tell we're not paying total attention to him. He loves to sit next to one of us (usually not on the lap), squashed into the extra space in a chair.

He has started to rub and pat our backs at times, just like we do to him.

He's fairly friendly with other children; he doesn't really play with them, but isn't afraid to plunge into the middle of a group--especially if food is being offered.

He definitely prefers me putting him to bed over Daddy, probably because I usually sing him a song from the Primary songbook.

He loves to see and point out airplanes flying by. (Since we're sandwiched between Sky Harbor in Phoenix and a smaller airport nearby, there are plenty.)

On Sunday when we pick him up from nursery, he had a picture of a turkey with a scribble on it and the words "I am thankful for ______________." Filled in on that line with crayon were the words "Mama and Dada." When they said, "What are you thankful for, Jamie?" apparently that is how he answered, whether he knew what they were saying or not. I'll be saving that paper. It's on the fridge right now.

I would add pictures to make this more interesting, but
MY CAMERA CORD STILL HAS NOT BEEN SENT BACK TO ME, HINT, HINT, BIG BROTHER!!

By the way, the quote in the post title is from "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang." Random, I know.

It's late, but I had to share...

...even if it's just with an infinite void.

I just went shopping at JoAnn's. (It's really called just JoAnn, but that bugs me. Saying "I went shopping at JoAnn" makes it sound to me like I went shopping inside some giant woman's body or something.)

Anyway, I had a $40 gift card. (Thanks again, Mom!) I walked in and saw a 90% off sign by some Halloween stuff. That was just the beginning.

I got some fun stuff for Halloween next year, a few things to make Christmas presents with, a few things to improve the cardigan I bought with, etc. I also used at least two JoAnn coupons and a Michael's coupon.

Total: $34 something.
Saved: $124 something. (!!!)
Money that actually came out of my own wallet: $0.

HECK. YEAH.

I almost don't want to take the tags off the Halloween stuff. It's so dang satisfying seeing $29.99 on a tag and knowing I only paid three bucks for it!

'Tis the season for gratitude posts

I know, you see these everywhere around this time of year, but I recently realized that I should be much more focused on gratitude than I have been. I needed to write it.

First off, small but appreciated blessings: I'm grateful that my sweet husband got up, got Jamie, and took him downstairs without my even asking him so I could have a little time up here to myself, hence why I'm able to write this.


The biggest blessing in my life is undoubtedly the gospel of Jesus Christ, including His love, example, and atonement, and the living prophet who speaks for Him. I believe that the laws of God don't change, but that people try to interpret scriptures to make it sound like sin is just a lifestyle choice, or an expression of individuality. I cannot express how grateful I am to have had personal witnesses from the spirit that the president of my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, is a true prophet. We don't worship Thomas S. Monson; we only love and honor him as a wonderful, righteous man who has been chosen to be the mouthpiece of the Lord.

The First Presidency of the Church: L-R Pres. Henry B. Eyring, President and Prophet Thomas S. Monson, Pres. Deiter F. Uchdorf

The older I get, and the more I see of the pain that inevitably occurs when we make choices according to our passions and appetites, the more fervently grateful I am every day to know that our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have not left us to figure things out on our own. President Monson speaks for our Savior, and gives us the guidance and clarification we need in this "modern" world. His counsel, reinforcing what Jesus Christ taught, helps us to see through Satan's attempts to deceive us into believing that wickedness could be happiness.

I like this description from mormon.org: "While we can all receive revelation in our lives, an authorized prophet at the head helps us all to keep aligned with God's will in our day instead of needing to argue about the interpretation of former revelations. President Monson is a man with a long personal history of listening to the Spirit of God in his dedicated service to those around him who need a friend." link here.

Note: I realize that it may seem to some as though I blindly follow this man in the name of Christ. I can only say that prayer and the holy spirit are also involved in these decisions to follow this man, as well as the good fruits of his labors. I believe that anyone on this planet has as much right to have heaven tell them if what I am saying is true or not. I thank our Father that you don't have to rely on my words alone (see James 1:5 & Matt. 7:16-17).

I'm so grateful for these men, and for the twelve apostles, and all the other good men and women who give so much of themselves to keep the Church going. I wish I could fully describe the wonderful peace and happiness I feel when I have a chance to hear them speak. (Especially Elder Uchdorf, right, ladies? ;) So handsome and charming! :))

Well, of course there's a TON more that I'm grateful for, but I guess it will have to wait for the next post.

I think this video might have been from last year, but I watched it again and loved it and felt all warm and fuzzy inside, so I wanted to share even if I already have.

Our family will soon be growing!

Ha. You thought I was going to announce that I'm pregnant, right? I love messing with people. ;) (I'm not, btw.)

No, I just wanted to tell you all that my brother, Rob, is getting MARRIED! He and my sweet sister-in-law-to-be, Michelle, have made it official!

Congratulations, you two!

Family visit pics and videos

My parents and brother Rob came out here to the surface of the sun (my Halloween socks are going back in the decorations box without being worn once--still too hot :( ) to visit us a couple of weeks ago now, and I've been overdue on posting the pictures! All the credit goes, once again, to Rob--it's easier to just mooch off his work, since he's an avid picture-taker and I'm a slacker.

Just so you know, these are a bit mixed up, but you get the idea.

Jamie's evil laugh, where he throws back his head and sounds like a mad scientist or something.

My fam was here from Thursday to Tuesday, and on Sunday evening we went to the Mesa temple visitors' center. See Jamie reaching up to the beautiful statue of Jesus? (Saying "dat-un, dat-un," his word for nearly everything these days.)

P.S., I am so dang excited for the Christmas lights at the temple to be completed! We've gone over to help put some up once so far, and apparently the display is comparable to Temple Square in Salt Lake City at Christmas time, which I've only gotten to see once. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Christmas lights, and the temple is beautiful anyway, so what a great combination--without the cold!

Anyone want to come visit and see them??

The Mesa temple, with its beautiful reflecting pool. This temple was completed in 1927.

One afternoon Rob, Jason, Jamie and I went to a nearby state park (which we didn't even know about, Rob looked it up) called The Lost Dutchman Park. We didn't stay long, since it was warm and turned out to be not the best play area for a 20-month-old, but it was cool scenery.

Rob got this ^ really cute picture on the way there.

Walkin' down one of the paths.

Some of the Arizona scenery

Whaddya think, should this be our Christmas card this year? Maybe we should go back and get more of a close-up.

Jamie and Grandpa. Jamie so enjoyed having more people around to show off for! (And yeah, Jamie does spend a fair amount of time in pajamas if we're not going anywhere.)

One of many cute pictures with Unca Rob

and with Grandma!

Jamie is the pickiest eater ever in his high chair, but he's such a little beggar with our food, practically no matter what it is.

The night before they went back, we tried to have a nice dinner at Black Angus, but it was the same day as we went to the park, so Jamie was tired and didn't last long. We appreciated it, though!




Thanks for visiting, family! We're so looking forward to coming to California for Christmas!

Old news

I'm still waiting for my camera cord.

Will you guys still care at all to see our costumes (that I worked so very hard on, or it was hard work for my low skill level, anyway) if the pictures aren't posted until a week after Halloween?

Good deals make me happy

I decided a few days ago that I want a cute hat, (1) to go a little out of my comfort range and actually try to be somewhat stylish, and (2) for the days when I hate my hair. And today, I found one--and didn't have to pay for it! This is crucial, since we are in dire financial straits again...or I guess I should say, more than usual. Long story short, I went to DSW Shoes to try to use gift cards I've had since last Christmas, found nothing, was literally on my way out when I saw a really cute hat! (I'd even looked through all the other hats and nothing worked.) So I got my hat without touching my bank account! YAAAAAYYY!

Also, earlier this week I was at Goodwill scouting out materials for our Halloween costumes and came across two wooden dining chairs that I actually liked...for SIX DOLLARS EACH! I was so happy. This has been my plan since we got the table, to "eventually" find wooden chairs for one side, and use the bench on the other. The turquoise Ikea chairs we've been using drive me nuts--I can't count the times I've tripped over or stubbed toes on them because of the stupid way they're designed, and they're not very comfortable. These wooden chairs are a totally light color, yet they still look WAY better than those dang Ikea chairs (which are now stacked in a corner, because there's no other place to put them...)

They're not amazing quality or anything, but they're made of real wood, and eventually they and one of the benches that came with our table will both be refinished to match it, and we will actually have a MATCHING SET! We've gotten lots of compliments on how well the table turned out, and we're very happy with it.

I also just went to Target (which is like setting a mouse loose in a cheese factory--I probably should abstain completely) to find a red shirt for my costume, and found a nice red sweater for $10, plus some other good clearance stuff for me and some for Jamie, too.

Why is it that having a few new things lifts my mood so much? It's the opposite of what I should be doing--saving every penny I can. But BEING poor is one thing--feeling like you always LOOK poor and shabby is like adding insult to injury.

I just feel like I'll be better able to face things in a new cardigan.

Btw, I would have snapped a few pictures of the stuff to make this post more interesting, but my camera cord stowed away to California with my family, so I'm waiting for it to be mailed back.

Any guesses on what we're going to be for Halloween? I'll give you another hint: part of Jason's costume is a cork.

A twist on the plan of salvation

Have you ever known anyone who really didn't treat you very well, at least at times--even threw your attempts to be kind to them or help them in some way right back in your face? Then have you been in church, been taught once again that we should love our enemies, bless those who curse us, and even pray for those who despitefully use us? (Did I get that right?) I have, and I've wondered how on earth I'd ever be able to do so. My other cheek is not easily turned.

I was thinking a little while ago about how hard I try to help Jamie, to feed him the right foods so he'll be healthy, which he usually throws on the floor, at me, or at nearby furniture; to show him good books that will expand his mind, which he ignores; to clean his poopy bum so he won't get a rash, while he kicks and hits and thrashes (although we have made some progress with that); etc., etc.

Just to clarify--I DON'T HATE JAMIE! I get unbearably mad at him sometimes. I still have truckloads to learn about patience. I might sometimes consider him my enemy, for a little while...but I never hate him. I would throw myself in front of a moving bus for him without hesitation if I needed to. I love him so much that it literally hurts sometimes.

But isn't it interesting how our Heavenly Father's plan works? "I'd like you to learn to love people who at times treat you like garbage. I'm also going to command you to multiply and replenish the earth, and you can thereby kill at least two birds with one stone."

I'm just sayin'.

Disney shirts (the cheapie way)

Well, Sam got the package in the mail, so it won't spoil it now if I share what I made for her kids!

Well, and for my kid, too.

Shirts: Wal-Mart. (And no kidding, not bad quality! So soft and reasonably thick!) Less than $10 for all three. (I don't remember exact prices.)
Fabric to make appliques out of: The Little Mermaid fabric: I've had it since high school, when I used it to make pajama pants for Sam! Cars fabric: would have been less than a dollar, but I had to wait so long at Wal-Mart for them to find someone to cut it for me, they let me take it for nothin'.
And I used Heat 'N Bond double-sided fusible web, with plenty leftover.

Close-up of the detail for the boys' shirts.

This was another project inspired by Crap I've Made, from this post.

I just cut around the picture I wanted from the piece of fabric, but not too close to where I wanted the finished edge to be.

I ironed that to the web, then trimmed them both (attached to each other) to where I wanted them for the finished product.

Then I peeled off the paper backing off the other side of the Heat 'N Bond, and there was the plastic-y coat on the back side of my fabric picture, just like on an iron-on patch you can buy! (I'm not gonna lie. It was cool and made me a little excited.)

I ironed that to the T-shirts, sewed around the edges--and that's it!

Ariel was a bit harder, simply because she had more colors around her edges and I wanted to match them. That took a few thread switches.
I was so happy to find not only a cute, not-too-expensive purple shirt, but one with a glittery little neckline, even! You can't really tell in the picture, but the Ariel fabric has sparkles, so they match. So cute and girly!

This is my kind of project--cute, fun, non-tedious, and completed in one evening (except for sewing around Ariel). And the materials provided inspiration for a movie to watch while my friend Jina and I crafted--we put on The Little Mermaid and had a great time. :)

I'll definitely be on the lookout for more cheap shirts to play around with!