Thursday, April 27, 2006

RANDOM

We are leaving for Utah in mere minutes; Rich is doing a wedding and the girls and I are tagging along for some cousin fun, bargain shopping, temple square, etc. I am feeling almost normal today, so it's a nice day to go on a road trip (sans nausea).

I just have a few random thoughts. First--I really, really love Dole Whole Fruit Bars ("no sugar added"). I can't believe that sometimes I forget how good they are and don't buy them for my "treat." I was torn between a whole box of Coconut bars, or the mixed box of raspberry, strawberry, and tangerine-- I am glad I chose the mixed because I love all three--I had tangerine this morning and I am eating a strawberry now.

Here are some other random thoughts I have picked up lately, mostly from radio or TV.

California spends $10K/year per student in public school vs. $30K/year per prisoner in prison. 80% of inmates are High school drop outs. Do the math…just dollar-wise, doesn’t HS student retention seem like a good investment? How about no drivers licenses or full-time work permits for anyone under 18 or without a diploma? These are ideas I like, but I just wish education didn’t have to happen by coercion. Alas, if that’s what it takes…

A quote from an MSN article about “White Trash Chic”: “White trash still retains the associations of trailer parks, Camaros-up-on-blocks, screaming babies, unemployment, public drunkenness, lack of education or social skills — but not the social stigma.” Oh, really? So I guess I am living in the new fashion hot spot of the universe…well, the hottest place north of the Mason-Dixon line. And I am hoplessly OUT of style.

“A mother who radiates self-love and self-acceptance actually vaccinates her daughter against low self-esteem.” –Naomi Wolf

Wow. I could write a whole other post about that Naomi Wolf quote... it has made me think twice about all the things I say in front of my daughters--an ongoing subject in my self- and family-improvement efforts. Regardless of what I'd hope I'd be or how I wanted to look, or what I am good or not good at, I HAVE TO come to terms with WHO I AM RIGHT THIS MINUTE (and how I look, and what I do, etc.) so I can "vaccinate" them against all the crap girls fall for when they don't love themselves. Self-respect begins with me. (see this post for more about my ever-present concern for my daughters).

Okay, time to load up. Pictures and travel log coming soon.

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

The Wee One

In case you can't tell, this is our baby's fuzzy profile. We learned may good things from the ultrasound this morning, like:
  • The baby has a big head and brain
  • The baby has a nice spine that is fully connected in all the right places
  • The baby has a 4-chamber heart, two kidneys, a tummy, and a full bladder
  • The baby likes to suck on its hands and kicks like a donkey
  • The baby does indeed have two arms, two legs, and digits
AND...
while no one will say for sure, The baby appears to be a BOY! Yep. So break out the blue, and let's celebrate! I celebrated early by getting a great haircut and highlights last night. Nothing like an evening of beauty and a healthy ultrasound to make a pregnant mommy feel WAY-better!
PS: HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my nephew JACK-A-RACK! He's two today and such a sweet boy--we love you, Jacky! And HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY to my "Other Mom," Ellen Buchert on 4/23, my brother-in-law, Davey, and my brother, Marshall, on 4/24. Addie said, "My two uncles have birthdays today? Awww...I love my uncles, all my uncles...the grown up ones AND my little-kid uncle!" (Marshall turned 7).

Monday, April 24, 2006

More Saturday

I took this picture while taking the girls on a drive Saturday. It's just south of town as you head toward the Pop Stand...that's Livingston Peak.
I took this picture about 2 miles and 5 minutes after that first cloudy one...weird, huh? This is the entrance to Paradise Valley, about 5 miles south of town, just before the East River Road turn off.
After we played at the park, the girls went over to the creek to feed the ducks some bread and popcorn. There were ducks, geese, and swans, but we try to feed the ducks the most because the geese and swans are bullies. Addie liked the swans' black feet.
By the way, it's Monday morning and it's still snowing. I had to go get some milk earlier and I about froze to death--I thought it was warm enough for just a fleece, but no--it's 31 degrees and very windy ("feels like 18"). But it's supposed to be 60 degrees and sunny tomorrow and 75 degrees by Friday. Whatever! Gotta love spring in Montana!

Sunday, April 23, 2006

Busy Saturday

Rich put in all our fence posts on Saturday--it took him 9 hours of work! To keep the girls out of his hair, I took them on a little adventure to the park and on a drive. After lunch and nap time, Addie and I had a bubble bath, too. We even talked Daddy into taking one later because he was so sore from all that hard work. We sure appreciate him and we can't wait to have a fence! Addie at the park
Heidi on the slide at the park
Silly Heidi in the tunnels

Addie and Heidi enjoy the tire swing at Sacajawea Park


Mommy and Addie enjoy a bubble bath...I love my tub!

By the way, it got up to 70 degrees on Saturday--Addie even played int he sprinkler with the neighbor kids--and today, once again, we woke up to SNOW, and we still have flurries! Crazy spring weather in Montana! At least it's beautiful.

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Check Up


I had my regular OB check up yesterday. All seems to be well, baby's heart beating loudly on the doppler, belly measuring right-on for 18 1/2 weeks (baby is supposedly 10 inches long from head to heel--wow!). My active blood pressure is still totally out of control--they take it once when I walk in and again after I sit there for a while--the first one was 156/100 (!!!!) and the second was 128/80. What the freak! I was told to keep taking my BP at home twice a day and come back to report every two weeks because if it stays above 145 when I am active, they will put me on "rest." Which is so totally practical when I am home alone with two little kids each day. I am praying that it will all balance out SOON!

I also logged the crazy head/body aches/vomiting I have been having every 6-7 days since early March. The doctor looked at the list of symptoms and told me that it looked like my migraines had returned (I haven't really had them much since I was about 24) and that I had been lucky because most migraine sufferers get them way worse during pregnancy. Of course there is no medicine I can take right now besides Tylenol, naps, backrubs, and tub soaks, so I guess I will carry on!

We have our diagnostic ultrasound on Wednesday 4/26, so we should know which kind of baby we are having in a week! We are so excited! I don't know if I blogged it, but a couple of weeks ago, I dreamt that I had my 20-week ultrasound and it was a huge baby boy--so huge that they delivered it by c-section at 21-weeks! Wishful thinking, I know--who wouldn't love a healthy 21-week pregnancy!?

Monday, April 17, 2006

Spring, my eye!


It's snowing, and it's BEEN snowing since the sun came up (or maybe even before that). Addie had her date with Grandma today and they built a snowman. Heidi was not so lucky--she had to stay home with me and all I let her do was play in the snow on the deck.
She likes eating snow almost as much as dirt!
I should have pix of the girls in their Easter dresses later today--we took them with my mom-in-law's camera--they looked really cute in their matching Laura Ashley lilac dresses!

Easter Sunday

Addie & Heidi at Grandma's
Heidi, Cousin Danny, & Addie
Addie & Heidi again
They also hid eggs at Grandma's House on Sunday...Heidi was an old pro at finding eggs!
Addie, Danny, & Heidi search the sandbox for more Easter eggs.

Easter Fun

Addie & Heidi discover their baskets Sunday morning...

Our Bunnies
Heidi eating her chocolate bunny for breakfast

Addie and her chocolate bunny


This was actually Saturday...Addie played with Heidi's toys while Heidi was napping

Saturday, April 15, 2006

Happy Easter

Enjoy your celebrations today and the symbolic beauty of spring! Here is one of my favorite thoughts about Easter and the Resurrection...
“Then dawned the first day of the week, the Sabbath of the Lord as we have come to know it. To those who came to the tomb, heavy with sorrow, the attending angel declared, ‘Why seek ye the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5).

“ ‘He is not here: … he is risen, as he said’ (Matt. 28:6).

“Here was the greatest miracle of human history. Earlier He had told them, ‘I am the resurrection, and the life’ (John 11:25). But they had not understood. Now they knew. He had died in misery and pain and loneliness. Now, on the third day, He arose in power and beauty and life, the firstfruits of all who slept, the assurance for men of all ages that ‘as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive’ (I Cor. 15:22).

“On Calvary He was the dying Jesus. From the tomb He emerged the Living Christ. The cross had been the bitter fruit of Judas’s betrayal, the summary of Peter’s denial. The empty tomb now became the testimony of His divinity, the assurance of eternal life, the answer to Job’s unanswered question: ‘If a man die, shall he live again?’ (Job 14:14). …

“And so, because our Savior lives, we do not use the symbol of His death as the symbol of our faith. But what shall we use? No sign, no work of art, no representation of form is adequate to express the glory and the wonder of the Living Christ. He told us what that symbol should be when He said, ‘If ye love me, keep my commandments’ (John 14:15).

“As His followers, we cannot do a mean or shoddy or ungracious thing without tarnishing His image. Nor can we do a good and gracious and generous act without burnishing more brightly the symbol of Him whose name we have taken upon ourselves. And so our lives must become a meaningful expression, the symbol of our declaration of our testimony of the Living Christ, the Eternal Son of the Living God”

(President Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Symbol of Our Faith,” Liahona and Ensign, Apr. 2005, 4–6).

ON THIS DATE IN HISTORY...

...two years ago, Heidi Lynn joined our family. Thank you, Heidi, for all the sunshine and joy you bring to each of us! Happy Birthday, Heideline!

Happy Hunting

Today is Heidi's second birthday and we celebrated with an Easter Egg Hunt at our house this morning. Here's our neighbor Brianna and Addie finding eggs out on the lawn.
There's Brianna with Addie close behind on the other side of the yard.
Heidi found lots of eggs around the aspen trees...
...and in the rocks!
Around the lunch table: Heidi, Addie, Gracie, Kelli, Tyrel, & George Tyner (from church), Riley, Mackenzie, & Brianna Watt ( our nice neighbors).
Addie laughs at Heidi drinking a Capri Sun; Cailin & Colton Orton are behind Heidi.
(Not pictured are Orrin Tyner and cousins Danny, Rosalie, Jake and Sam, who were eating in the family room).
All the Easter Egg Hunters with their loot!
Heidi got a Barbie bike from Daddy so she can ride with Addie on the driveway
Nana sent a snuggly baby doll
Cousins Danny & Rosalie brought Heidi a BABY pony! The Tyner kids got her a smaller wedding pony and a Little People dinosaur. The Watt kids brought a fun doll with a little bed and diaper bag full of stuff, and the Orton kids brought a fun Strawberry Shortcake puzzle. It was better then Christmas around here!
We sang happy birthday over Easter Basket cupcakes...
...and Heidi (or was it Addie?) blew the candles out.
Heidi enjoyed her cupcake!
Heidi and Jake played for a while in the princess tent in Heidi's room...
...Poor Jake get his fill of pink stuff at our house (although he sure has fun playing babies and pushing the shopping cart or stroller around!)
Just as the party ended, Great-Grandpa & Grandma Elrey called and sang Happy Birthday to Heidi. A little after 1pm, the birthday girl crashed for a nap with her new baby doll, pony, and a special birthday bottle of chocolate milk ("mockit miwk")...she's still asleep! :) Thanks, everyone, who remembered Heidi's special day!

TGIF

Friday morning, my brother Matt called and asked if he and his family could come stay over Firday night...OF COURSE! So we did our traditional trip to Chico Hot Springs with the kids...we kidnapped Rich from his office about 5 minutes early and headed down the valley to take a dip in the hot springs, then eat some yummy pizza at the Poolside Grille. The timing was perfect! We loaded up the kids to head home at 8pm and they were in bed by 9pm and we enjoyed a little grown up visit and a good night's sleep! Heidi (next to Matt) at the Poolside Grille at Chico
We drove up the canyon from the resort to the old town of Chico and took a picture of this shed.
Jake & Addie being silly at Chico
Amie with Baby Sam

How the Flowers Looked 4/11...

We noticed our first hyacinth in the front yard on Tuesday...
...and our daffodil bloomed that day, too. Now there are 4 blossoms out there trying to withstand the wind!

Thursday, April 13, 2006

Thanks, Aunt Amie!

Heidi got a birthday card and headbands from Aunt Amie, Uncle Matt, Jake, & Sam! She was so excited, so wore them all at once!
Here she is looking out the front window at the neighbors riding bikes
She cried when I went to the mailbox without her...that's why her eyebrows and cheeks are red!
Thanks for the pretties, Posties! We miss you so much and can't wait til you come hang out with us again!!!!

FAMILY LETTER 07.28.19

Dear Loved Ones,                                                                                                        We have just ...