Puke Fest '08

It is such a helpless feeling as a parent to know that your child is hurting and not be able to take it away, make it better or fix it. If you have children you know this feeling well. Some times the aches are emotional and cannot be remedied with a band aid and other times there isn't anything except time that can help. In our case last night, there weren't enough hands to catch and clean up the puke!

My poor DD Cakes went to bed complaining of a tummy ache. I didn't pay too much attention as he is the KING of stalling bed time and he needed his rest to get up early for his last game. Unfortunately he woke up at 11 crying and puked on and off (mostly ON and when I say ON I mean ON the bed, ON the floor, ON himself and ON me!) until 3:30 AM. Funny thing about children is the uncanny quality of resiliency that they possess.

He woke up this AM and was one hungry little guy! He seems virtually unaffected by the events of last night despite his hysterics during those long hours. He hopped in the shower to get cleaned up and couldn't wait for something to eat! From a parental perspective I can tell you that it is not a sacrifice at all to lose your sleep and clean up after your little loved one! The reward comes when the color fills their face once more, when their eyes light up again, when they are once again filled with all kinds of energy and exude sun shiny love!

On the B Side: I sure am glad that D is feeling better and I am grateful that despite all of my gagging last night that I did not toss my cookies! We're keeping our fingers crossed and praying our guts out that nobody else in the fam contracts whatever it was that was ailing our little guy. xoxo

My Moonbeams

This photo is one of the very first taken of my Moonbeams together! It's hard to believe how much times as passed and how quickly it has gone. So much has happened in that time and I have to admit that as wonderful as every stage is...our lives together just keep getting better! Each stage seems to trump the previous even when you can't imagine it being any better. Does anyone else feel this way?

Last night poor Ellie was a disaster. She was so tired and had herself worked up. I allowed her to come lay on the couch with me for a little bit. She laid quietly for a few minutes and than randomly asked, "Mom, why are ants small and we're big?"

A discussion about our Heavenly Father ensued which quickly led to the topic of what happens after we die. I couldn't possibly tell you why/how her little mind led to that but we have talked about this often. Again we talked about our spirit going to heaven, like a ghost a very friendly ghost and she giggled and asked, 'like the Holy Ghost?'. Yes Ellie, like the Holy Ghost! Contented my tired little girl passed out moments later. The mind of a 4 year old is rather perplexing and so intriguing to me!

Dayton has been enjoying Kindergarten and had a field trip to the Dinosaur Museum this week. He was excited as previously his dad had taken him there and most of the kids in his class had not been there before. He was anxious to show them all of the fun stuff and is anxious to go back. Being that today is Friday it's his day to hug Ariana at school. Apparently they made a promise to hug every Friday but only on Friday!

Today after school we're going to the Aquarium for some more fun. Tomorrow AM Dayton has his last Junior Jazz game for this season. The rest of the day will be consumed with cleaning, laundry and naps. I have a trunk full of stuff for DI and should finish unpacking one of these day ;)

On the B Side: I am grateful for each day we have together! I have a darling little family and feel so blessed dispite the hardships that come. It's the day to day stuff that means the most as the time is so precious and moves so quickly.

SMARTIE PANTS!

When I was a little girl we lived next to my Grandparents. Poppop was a Dentist so they didn't keep a ton of candy with sugar at their house; however, Mommom always kept a Weis bag hanging from the back door in the kitchen by the steps leading to the basement containing much coveted Smarties! Today the Smarties in my life are even more delightful!

During a quiet car ride home from Grandma Mikey's Ellie innocently asked, "Mom, Why are you disappointed in me?" and I responded that she had not been listening. Her response was "Can we please not talk about this anymore?"

Last night Dayton lit up like a light bulb and exclaimed, "I know. Let's name our baby Jesus!". He had all the pride that a little five year old could manage. He was so proud of himself and thought it a splendid idea!

On the way to school this morning Ellie explained to me that "Sharks eat humans and well that they swim around them and then flip over and bite people in the bottom." She also insists that sharks eat human legs regularly.

Today when Jazzy came home from work Dayton hopped up and emphatically proclaimed, "Whoa, you crapped me out". I think he was going more for "You scared the crap out of me" and it made me re-think some of the things that may slip out of my mouth!

On the B Side: I am grateful for their inquisitive nature and their ability to think about things on their own. I am thankful for their bright little minds and their desire to learn. They make their Momma giggle...I mean proud!

Video Blogs from the Kids

Again, I swiped these their Dad's blog but I couldn't possibly resist my little moonbeams! They made their own little autobiographies tonight and they couldn't be anymore precious. The silly glasses are the icing on the cake!

On the B Side: I am grateful for moments like these that we can capture and keep forever. It is a wonderful time in which we live! I love listening to their little voices and watching their priceless expressions at such tender little ages. They are growing and changing so quickly! I love that they are both so full of their own little personalities! xoxo

13 Weeks

This pregnancy is an eternity for the children! Mark keeps teasing that he is going to take the baby out. Ellie is determined to name a girl Clarice after Rudolph's girlfriend and Dayton is dead set on naming a boy Rudolph. Needless to say they will be disappointed!

What's important to know this week is that the baby can smile! The baby weighs around an ounce and is 3 inches little! This is officially the Second Trimester and still sooner than I knew I was pregnito with D&E!

On the B Side: I am grateful for smiles. They are such a simple gesture of kindness; an expression that seeks nothing in return and can fill hearts with comfort.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968)

The children have done a wonderful job trying to understand the importance of this day. As I was searching for information to share with them I found a myriad of amazing quotes to honor this great man that I would like to share. I am going to post a few along with a powerful tribute that was put to the music of U2's 'Pride'.

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

“In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

"The time is always right to do what is right"

"Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."

"Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed."

and last but not least...this was a big one for the kids;

"The strong man is the man who can stand up for his rights and not hit back."



On the B Side: I am grateful for martin Luther King and the life time of principles that he not only taught but that he lived. Equality, justice, freedom, peace and kindness stand out in my mind as the things he desired most for all man kind. May we each learn what we can from this man and the many good people in our world who have much to give.

Just a Spoonful of Vinegar!

It has recently come to my attention that vinegar has many common uses. Here are a few of the practical ideas that have been shared with me and one caveat!

-I am the queen of leaving wash in the washer for extended periods of time. I could give a thousand excuses but the point is that Clancy the Pants enlightened me. When your wash is icky you run it through with a cup of vinegar and the VOILA the stink is gone.

-I get 'fustrated' (in the words of D&E) when shampoo appears to magically stop working. The residue that builds up and leaves hair feeling dirty is maddening. Shellbait has kindly advised that a vinegar rinse on your hair will remove the residue. TA DA!

-White distilled vinegar can be used as a household cleanser. Due to it's level of acidity it's effective for killing most mold, bacteria, and germs. Cleaning with white distilled vinegar is a smart way to avoid using harsh chemicals and it is environmentally friendly and very economical. Wow!

-What we recently discovered and WOULD NOT advise is using vinegar as a means to cease hiccups. Marcy and Jeff were here for dinner and games recently. Marcy suggested a teaspoon of vinegar as a remedy and insisted her family has always successfully used this method. Jeff's last words were, 'I'm not going to throw up, am I?' and before that spoonful could hit his stomach BAM he barfed all over the table! We all scattered and everyone including Jeff broke into belly aching hysterics! Consider yourself forewarned!

What makes this even funnier is that Ellie uses a cup full vinegar at the counsel of her doctor in her bath to resolve skin irritation. It works well for this purpose and Ellie affectionately refers to the vinegar as her 'bum juice'. Now she is telling everyone that Uncle Jeff drank her bum juice and 'frew up'!

On the B Side: I am grateful for those who do not offend easily, for those who have a sense of humor and are able to laugh at difficult situations despite distress. I am also grateful that I wasn't the one with hiccups! ;)