Favorite Things

Remember Oprah's shows where she lists her faves and gives them away? I thought about doing the same thing. The listing, that is. Not the giving away part. He he.

Feel free to do your own; I'd love to see it!

Here are products or brands that I find myself always reaching for.


Food

pasta sauce: Hunts, Prego
salsa: Pace
cereal: General Mills, Malt O Meal
peanut butter: JIF
ice cream: Blue Bunny

chocolate: Dove, Hershey's
sour cream: Daisy

cheese: Cache Valley
chips: Lays
drinks: Crystal Light
store bakeries: Reams, Harmons


Health and Beauty

personal items: Kotex
deodorant: Degree
toilet paper: Cottonelle

paper towels: Viva
hair spray: Aussie
shampoo: Pantene
kid shampoo: Suave
baby shampoo: Baby Magic
diaper cream: Desitin, Butt Paste

baby lotion: Johnson's
body lotion: Bath and Body Works

eye makeup: Avon
lips: Bonne Bell

Cleaning

general: Clorox wipes, vinegar
toilet: The Works cleaner
glass: vinegar
floors: Lysol, vinegar
dish soap: Dawn
dishwasher: Electrasol tabs
laundry: Tide Detergent, Downy softener, Clorox bleach


Clothing

kids clothes: Old Navy, Target, Kohls, Children's Place
kids shoes: Mervyns, Kohls, Target
kids socks: Hanes

Retail

Best craft store: Roberts
Saddest thing not to have out west: Dunkin Donuts

Best unknown eatery: Moochies Meatballs
Best crazy place to shop: NPS Market Square in SLC

Dow drops 777 points

'The time will come when the destiny of this
nation will hang
upon a single
thread'.
~ Joseph Smith, 1840

Would that be today?

Totally just kidding

Time flies

I can't believe how fast this pregnancy is going. I remember with my first baby it was torture just waiting long enough to wear maternity clothes. It was the longest pregnancy in history. He was born in Feb; we had the nursery ready to go in Sept!

Now I am so focused on *life* that I am confident this baby will come WAY before we are ready. I'll be lucky to find all the onesies before getting out of the hospital. I get weekly emails on what is happening with the baby's development, etc, and I'm always like "Oh yeah - I'm another week along!"

And knowing this is our last makes me want to savor it just a bit more, which is not happening much. In fact, feeling not so sick anymore almost makes me forget I'm expecting at all.

Except my clothes don't fit.

Do I need my maternity jumper out already?

Times change.

I'm the mom - ask me anything

I'm an expert.

Not on housekeeping - goodness no.

Not even on cooking, although it's a passion.

Actually, ask me what you want about Zheng He. Anything you want to know?

I hear ya - a week ago I didn't know him either. But, see, I had a history explorer report due today and he was my assigned topic.

Map? I can draw his travels freehand. Facts? I know how many shipmates he took.

Next week ask me about my latest book report. Next month I will know an awful lot about a certain state. In January I could be a master at the science fair.

If I keep working really hard I should be able to pass fifth grade (and third, and first) this year.

I'll be more careful

I'm good at making lists.

I'm really good at making lists for me.

And I'm super good at making lists for my family.

I like to be productive and see what I (they) need to accomplish all in one spot.

So I'd like to say that after reading this story, I will think twice before asking hubs to do things I need. You never know what might happen.

Man's Search For Meaning

My sister started a book club this month and because I am a busy mom I'm not able to really attend the discussions. But I am always profoundly affected by the books I read so I love getting through a book and being able to talk to others when I'm done.

So I hurried and read the book today so I could give a bit of input as they meet without me. LOL (I sent an email with some of my questions and thoughts as a stand-in)

The book is by Victor Frankl and my sister talks about it much more on her blog. I enjoyed it, even though he's pretty verbose. We will be reading a new one in Oct, so I'll let you know what it is, in case anyone is interested in following along.

Today I am thankful

...for a morning so cool that wearing flip flops to the school hurt my toes

...for good friends we have been able to hang out with over this last weekend

...for finding the ingredient for tonight's dinner that I thought I lost

...for a sister who feels comfortable sleeping/showering/eating here

...for good health

...for kids who do the right things for the right reasons (sometimes)

...for an empty dishwasher

...for homemade jam

...for positive outlook that makes it easier for me to serve

...for a quiet house

...for football in the fall

...for really cold milk

...for silpat baking sheets

...for folded laundry

...for not having to water the lawn

...for taking time for me without feeling guilty

Ahhh, computers.

My favorite invention when working properly. When not, one of the biggest sources of stress.

We lost reports, church bulletins, and pretty much everything we were typing over the weekend. Strider put to work a few long lost IT skills and we are functioning again.

I do want to thank all you moms for your comments on finding out that we have a girl coming. Pretty much the consensus was "Get over it - it's the only way to go"! I know I sounded depressed when I should have been excited. Sorry for the downer.

Just being honest here, but if I had it to do over again, I think I would keep it a surprise. Maybe I'm one in a million but I feel that way. And there's no shopping to do; we have all the pink stuff we can handle. So here's to 18 weeks of...knowing!

Princess #2 on her way

Woo Hoo!!

Here is a picture of her (profile, lying down, looking left).

Here's the "proof". Apparently it was obvious. She was spread eagle.


So, what's our take on the whole thing?

We are thrilled, number one!!! Shocked, but thrilled. We were convinced we were going there only to verify it was a boy. We both felt that way. Kids all hoped for a girl and are deliriously happy.

And man, Princess has cute clothes and I'm so excited they will be worn again!

Now when it comes to the decision to find out, and open the proverbial Christmas present early, the jury is still out. I feel....funny. Weird.

Do I feel like I cheated? Yeah, I do.

And keep in mind that I really thought it was a boy, so I've been trying to let go of that "boy brain" for 48 hours now.

The baby was active last night and I told hubby, referring to "her" for the first time that way and it was so strange. It said "it" first and corrected myself. All our babies have only been "they", "it" or "baby". Always. So it will take some getting used to.

We have always had major trouble picking boy names, so that's a blessing I suppose. 4 months of agony we don't need to experience.

I'm trying to define my feelings right now. The only thing I can really say is that I feel...lacking, maybe? Every time my doctor, midwife or husband yells out "It's a BOY" or "It's a GIRL" to me, it is followed by a slippery, semi-blue, sometimes crying, always lovely bouncing baby being placed in my waiting hungry arms.

So I feel a little excited and a little empty. I feel like I had half a baby on Monday, and I get to wait out 19 weeks for the rest of it. Do I sound like a lunatic? Most likely. After all, much more than half of people in America find out what they are having. Maybe after doing it the surprise way so many times I just got in that mode and can't get out.

Last night Bugs said "Mom, I want the baby so bad! I wish we didn't find out, because now we have to wait forever." Maybe he said what I feel too prideful to say. I mulled over this decision for the longest time. I went back and forth like a tennis ball for 2 years or so. I knew I wanted to know, didn't I? At least I thought so....

Wear pockets

My tip today is simple.

Wear pants with pockets when you clean.

I found these items while vacuuming. Without pockets to stick them in I would have to have stopped many times over.

Works for me!

To participate in Works For Me Wed, go to Rocks in My Dryer.

Is the suspense killing you?

Baby poll

See my sidebar for a gender poll. What's your guess?

So touching

I got home from a great family dinner tonight to find a surprise waiting for me. I was given a 'heart attack' by the Activity Day girls in the ward. Two months ago I was released from being their leader and Primary teacher and moved on to a Relief Society calling. Tonight they showed me love and gratitude with hearts and messages up and down the doors and sides of my house!

I was so overcome. It was one of the most rewarding callings I ever had and I got to know the neatest and sweetest girls. Special thanks to my friend Tracy, their new leader, for helping them with such a kind gesture.

Special bonus, tomorrow is my birthday so it's like a double treat! :)

No privates, Mom

Tomorrow afternoon I have a 20 week ultrasound and we are going to try to find out the baby's gender. Fifth time's the charm? We have always opted for the suprise factor before. But what the heck; we want to know now.

On the way home tonight my boys were talking about the ultrasound and what they "look for" when determining the sex.

So Bugs, the 8yo, says "Mom, that's why I don't want to be a doctor. I want to be a fireman or an astronaut so I don't have to deal with private parts and stuff like that". LOL!

Fall wardrobe

My only girl has a hard time when seasons change. There are no hand-me-downs! She is also growing rapidly. So that's why I was pretty excited to get all these 4T things for $40.

7 pairs of jeans
2 shorts
3 skorts
3 stretch pants
3 corderoy skirts
1 pair overalls
1 denim jacket
3 sweaters
3 tees
9 long sleeve shirts
2 halloween shirts
2 vests
2 sundresses
3 pairs of pjs
3 pairs socks
striped tights
2 swim suits, with tags
sunglasses
gardening gloves (yes, little ones)

Ute fans

Hubby got us 2 tickets to a Utah game for a date (I must be hard pressed for a date to sit in that red section). But things have come up and we can't go now.


Utah VS Oregon State
Thursday, Oct 2, 7:00pm
Section N29

Asking face value, $25 each.
If interested, let me know (and leave your email addy if I don't have it).

Where have I been?

What I have been up to lately, picture style.

A little of this:

A lot of this:

Sending babies to preschool:

Hanging out with sisters at a cooking show:


A little creating:

And baking and bottling:

Unfortunately, not nearly enough organizing:

But still dreaming of something that looks like that!!

Be back later

On Hiatus.

Time to purge and organize.

Tagged

Tagged by Sonja...

List 3 joys-
my family, creating things, a clean house

3 fears-
losing a family member, car breaking down when I am alone, kids not knowing how much I love them

3 obsessions-
the internet, staring at my hubby, making yummy food

3 surprising facts-
I had spina bifida that fortunately closed before I was born, I used to deliver newspapers in high school, I have been married for 12 years and am just now experiencing my first sibling having a baby.

Ok who is ready for a tag....Ash, Wendy, Jess

Rules: List 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 obsessions, 3 surprising facts and tag 3 more people on your blog.

I'm drowning!

Do you ever whine about something because the system is just not working for you, then have Prince Charming come along with great ideas and lots of enthusiasm and do all this work and change the very thing you whined about and now you don't know if you are any happier?

You see...

Because we decided to do this:

I am left with wondering what to do with this:


I have had sudden streaks of brilliance over the last few weeks (yeah right) and I have been really frustrated that I have no craft/scrap area I can work in. Every time I want to scrapbook or make cards I have to haul out all my stuff and make a mess, blah blah blah. I know, poor me. We had the space; it just wasn't being used right. It dawned on us that the computer was in the hall where we have the huge desk and all the scrap stuff is thrown in the corner of the family room and piled all over the small desk you can't see anyway. So hubs got busy on Labor Day afternoon and ran the phone line downstairs, and drilled and drilled and moved and hooked up and cleaned.

I enjoy the new computer spot. Still getting used to being down in the corner, but I think I like it. Turns out I am spending 1000% more time down here, as it used to be the "kid spot" and ignored a LOT. But now it is clean (well, two days so far) and organized (thanks to Strider, not me) and I can "play" with my stuff alongside the kids.

But the upstairs is depressing! I have not had the time yet to organize all my billion supplies, and it wasn't even cleaned before the switchover, so I have dreams of scrapping up a storm, but that storm seems very far away.

Any tips on totally rearranging a brand new space that I'm spoiled with but too grumpy to tackle?

To join in the WFMW fun, visit Rocks in my Dryer.