Manic Monday

I don't think I could be any more frustrated with today. I have seemingly talked to every unhelpful customer service rep possible. And why is it that all my customer-service-needing errands/calls must be done all at once?
I have literally spent over 2 hours on the phone with three different companies trying to take care of various problems. Bills are wrong, credits have not been given, our new camera is not downloading to the computer etc, etc.
To make things short, I finally took care of all the billing problems and hoopla and after being on the phone with Canon's tech support, they have concluded that my USB port on my camera is bad, thus needing to send it in for a replacement....AGAIN! Their upgrade program has worked fine for us, but their stock selection has been lacking, thus making it weeks before the model we need is in. I guess I can still take pictures with my old (well, 8 days old) camera. I just can't download photos, so the blog will be rather boring. I have some way cute pictures on it right now that I really wanted to download too, but they'll have to wait I guess. My biggest frustration is that I can't really work on Zoe's birthday invitation like I wanted, so it will be late in being sent.
But for right now, I'm just glad I don't have to call anyone else today....I'm really not much of a phone person as it is, and two plus hours is just absurd. No wonder I've had a nagging headache all day. UGHHH!

Oh what do we do in the winter-time?

This winter has been especially long. We long for spring and were excited that it hovered around 40 degrees today with sunshine aplenty. Taking advantage of the milder weather, we ventured out on a walk this fine President's Day. We took the usual route, saw the dogs in their big-fenced in yard and the horses, always eager for visitors. (note to self: do not wear a white coat when going to see horses. One of my sleeves is now green where the horse decided to sniff me with his rather dirty muzzle) Lily LOVES to be outside, and our 'quick' walk around the block turns into quite the long excursion. She finds joy in the very simple things and satisfies her curiosity by doing everything she can possibly think of. She knows what it means to figuratively 'smell the roses' (and how I wish it was warm enough to actually smell roses). Here's a little glimpse of our walk and the fun that can be had making 'polta dots' in the snow. (sorry it's sideways, I didn't realize you couldn't flip video clips like you can photos...you'll get the idea though)

And now you know why our little walks turn into rather long outings. And the thing is she just doesn't seem to get cold and will stay outside as long as we'll let her.

And when we're not so fortunate to get to play outside (which seems to be about 95% of the time during the winter), we burn off energy in other ways. Here's a little taste of what my life entails as a stay-at-home and often house-bound mom.

Bath Time: cute little bums

Coloring: Lily is such an enthusiastic colorer. She LOVES to color--especially with markers. It's usually something like this: I'll say, "will you write your name?" and she'll say "12-A-D-11-14-B-Lily Peedsen!" Already such an Einstein at 2 1/2! :o)

Eating: Lily, the particular eater, eating just the top, inside part of her toast, and Zoe, the moocher, waiting for a piece to fall.
Climbing: Zoe will get atop or go up anything she can--toilet paper, stairs, you name it.

More Eating: Cheesing and eating fish crackers on the go

Posing: Practicing her diva pose, Lily thanks her fans...

Movies and Naps: Watching movies and falling asleep in weird positions

Eating Again (and making demonic faces when the camera is pulled out)

New tricks: Finding new ways to carry around food--Hey, a mouth always makes for a good third hand! (if you haven't noticed, Zoe REALLY likes to eat)

Being the sweet babes they are: Sugar and spice....
Snuggles...and lots of hugs!

Tagged

Okay, Abbie tagged me, and now I tag Michelle D, Brynn, Mandy, Kayla, Lori, Heather and Michelle H. Do you honestly think I'd only choose three?!
A: The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.

B: Each player answers the questions about themselves.

C: At the end of the post, the player then tags 3 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

10 Years Ago Today.... I was 17 and a junior in high school. I was probably doing nerdy stuff like calculus and AP History with my nerdy friends. (actually we were really cool) I would drive the box-on-wheels (aka Astro Van), when my parents would let me drive somewhere. I was probably learning to drive stick in Champ, Brynn's car, while trying not to die and deciding who to take to the next dance and all that other great highschool stuff. I'm sure my group of friends was singing at some function, festival or concert, and I was earning my money at Canterbury reception center and GNC. Basically I was just busy.

5 things on my to-do list today....

1. Shower
2. Clean up something...numerous times
3. Go to costco for bread and milk
4. Go to Maddox for a belated Valentine lunch (with the kids, Andrew, my mom, stepdad Scott & little bro, Carter)
5. Prepare my lesson for YW

I Enjoy......
being where it's warm!!! being by a computer/internet, doing the daily crossword puzzle in the newspaper, reading the newspaper, eating, baking, scrapbooking, shopping and being with my family

What would I do if I was suddenly a billionaire? Buy cool houses, live somewhere warm, spread the wealth with those who would appreciate it, save it

5 of my bad habits:

1. Doing a whole lot of nothing after my girls have gone to bed...mainly on the computer.
2. Staying up late due to above said reason.
3. biting my nails.
4. Not exercising consistently
5. procrastinating doing laundry

5 places I have lived:

Bountiful, Utah
Logan, Utah
Fort Lee, Virginia
Oakley, UT
Clearfield, UT

Jobs I have had:

busgirl, caterer and food-prep at Canterbury REception Center
Stocker for GNC
Waitress
Food worker/cashier at USU's Carousel food court
Production Line worker at EK Ekcessories
Office Manager at a pain clinic
temp office worker at 2 presbyterian churches
Outpatient Clinic Rep at U of U's Summit Clinic
MOM

5 things people don’t know about me:

I would buy tons of cool shoes if I wasn't so practical.
I love being pregnant and experiencing childbirth.
I love to bake but don't really like to cook.
I love the smell of dryer sheet lint, dust, magazines and books .
I have written in my journal every day since I was 11.

(see archives post"RANDOM" for more than you'll probably want to know about me)

I TAG: the aforementioned individuals and anyone else who feels so inclined

My Eternal Valentine

"When two hearts race, both win."

It was five years ago, Valentine's Day 2003, that we became engaged. Andrew had done an extremely good job at downplaying Valentine's day all together. He said it was a 'forced' holiday and really wasn't all that romantic considering that the whole point behind the holiday is having someone dictate a day for people to be romantic. I was a little bummed and not expecting much. After getting out of class mid-afternoon he picked me up and blindfolded me where he proceeded to drive me to an unknown, mystery place. Still blindfolded I was led through an outdoorsy type of place, walking through snow where we stopped in a glen of trees. Here he took the blindfold off to reveal balloons tied all over the trees forming a frame around us. He then handed me a gift bag with a CD and perfume. For a moment I thought he would have pulled out a ring, and quite honestly, when I was handed the gift bag I was a little disappointed. But still giving him props for being romantic on a holiday in which he wasn't too hip about, I racked it up as being extremely thoughtful and was excited that he'd atleast done something.


But then he told me we couldn't leave the balloons there so we'd need to cut them all down and let them go. He gathered the dozen balloons or so and led me through the little forested area and onto the 'green' of the fifth hole at the Logan golf course. Only the green was white with untainted snow where he had imprinted a huge heart with his footsteps and filled with rose petals. As we stood in the middle of the giant heart, he let the balloons go one at a time and said something he loved about me with each one. On the last one, he knelt down and pulled out the box, the question was asked, and I was actually too in shock to answer right away. He had done such a good job in making me believe that it wasn't going to happen that day and had even sidetracked me with the whole gift bag. But, he repeated the question, and the rest is history.


I thought the pictures we took that day were lost on our old digital camera's harddrive. I was never able to figure out how to get them off before it broke, but then after publishing this post my sweet mother-in-law, Karen, e-mailed me this pix that she said she found on a CD along with our other engagement pictures. That made my valentine's day...almost as good a gift as the one five years ago :o) (*aside*; And perhaps I was inspired to post this story without realizing it. I don't know if there ever would have been another occasion in which Karen would have known I didn't have the pictures, and I have just assumed all was lost. What a precious gift!

So this Valentine's day, five years later, I look back with a grateful heart for a man who managed to surprise me all the same. Valentines days are not quite like that anymore, but I love him even more. Thanks for being my eternal Valentine, Babe! I love you always and all ways!

Reminder...

I hope that my child looking back on today

remembers a mother who had time to play.

Children grow up while you are not looking.

There will be years ahead for cleaning and cooking.

So quiet now cobwebs.

Dust go to sleep.

I'm rocking my baby

and babies don't keep.

8:08 Bliss

So I have to document the fact that despite yesterday's nighttime fiasco, tonight's routine went MUCH more smoothly. In fact, as the title suggests, BOTH of my girls were off in dreamland by the above-mentioned time. HALLELUJAH!
I have to mention that I appreciate all the people who allow me to read their blog and give me a window to their lives. As many of you know and experience the daily routine of being a mom or parent, I am deeply grateful for the support and harrowing stories that help me feel that I am not an island...we're all in this together and loving it. Despite heinous bedtime chaos, snotty noses, countless poopy diapers and a gazillion toys which never seem to be put away, there is also unprompted 'i love you, mommy''s, snuggles and giggles, quiet times, boundless energy and childlike curiosity, and awesome insights from these, our little ones. I wouldn't trade any of it!

I can't win

Why is it when one kid is sleeping the other one is either awake or trying their darndest to wake the other one up? it's gotta be an addendum to murphy's law....a child who is sleeping will not stay sleeping due to sibling.
A little explanation. Lily has been TERRIBLE at going to sleep lately. If she naps, it's late in the day and then she's up till 10 or after. If she doesn't nap she's usually up until 9 or 10 anyway. Not that I dont' try to get her to go down at 8:30 or so. She is just very consistent and insistent that she will not lay down unless I stay in there. So as not to create a bad habit, I rub her back for a few minutes, kiss, goodnight, leave the room, Lily comes out of room teary-eyed, "don't leave me....", Repeat, repeat, repeat. FRUSTRATION!
Zoe has actually been a great sleeper almost since she's been born, but lately she has been crying her guts out when I leave the room. It will taper off for a few days and then come on strong again. And lately they are both booger-ridden which doesn't help. We actually thought Zoe had an ear infection yesterday, took her to the doctor, no ear infection just a cold. But she is so not like herself. She's usually a pretty happy, mild baby, but yesterday and today she's had these crying fits where nothing will appease her. I'm guessing it's teething although she never acted this way with any of the other 8 teeth she's already gotten. sigh.
So tonight I was stoked because Lily didn't take a nap and I was praying for an 8:00 bedtime for them both. Even better I got Zoe to go down calmly and quickly at 7:30! So 8:00 rolls around, routine is done, Lily in bed, rubbing her back. Then Lily says something out loud. Zoe wakes up (why are they sharing a room again?). So I get up from Lily's bed to lay Zoe back down, Zoe is going back to sleep....Lily gets up, loudly says, 'what are you doing, mom?' and Zoe pops up screaming. ARGHHH!!
I lay Lily down sternly, say be quiet, rub her back while Zoe cries and miraculously a tired Lily falls asleep. Then it's out of the crib to clean up a very snotty and slobbery Zoe. But she won't lay back down without freaking out now. So I've now been holding her on my lap while she chews on the top of the squeezable syringe that comes with the infants tylenol. (good for teething?) So what started out as an optimistic 8:00 bedtime, short and sweet, turned into the usual hour plus bedtime saga at our house.
And while my husband sits in his cop car listening to the Jazz game on a quiet night when even the druggies and transients won't come out, he tells me that it's really me who has the easy job...
You be the judge! :o)

Hooray!

Our new camera finally arrived! And even better, the old card was just fine and all my pictures were saved! double prizes!

So here is a little look back...

Lily's first haircut:

Some 'before' shots-- long enough for a ponytail...

All the way down, rapunzel-style...

Here she is sitting in the 'big chair', waiting...

the first snip...

the blow-dry...

All done...what a pretty, grown-up girl!

And so not to leave Zoe out, here she is in her new booster chair

Zoe getting Daddy loves...

sleeping like an angel...

and lastly, a too-close-up shot of them both!

TAXES

Confession: I enjoy doing our taxes. As soon as all our forms arrive come the end of January, I look forward to putting them all together and sorting them out. I find a great sense of satisfaction knowing how everything fits together and making sure everything is accounted for. Plus it helps to know that we're getting money back. Second child, second tax deduction...cha ching! :o)
No really, I look forward to tax season. I guess it's the math person in me. My mom always said I should have gone into a math field, but why do math when you can major in Family & Consumer Science!? What a fun degree...but that's another subject.
For now I'll just enjoy my little obsession with making sure all the lines and numbers add up (and it helps tremendously to be using a tax program that's free online...gotta love that double checking.)
Happy tax season!

In MEMORIAM...

Adam Jared Wrigley 4/11/04--2/3/07

It's already been a year since you passed on, and we miss you so very much.

We are comforted in the fact that families are eternal. Your short life touched so many, and we glory in the day when we will meet again. And as one of your many bits of wisdom goes,

"Be a Happy Head!"

We'll try sweet boy, we'll try....

'What is This Thing That Men Call Death'

by Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley

What is this thing that men call death,

this quiet passing in the night?

'Tis not the end, but genesis

Of better worlds and greater light.

O God, touch thou my aching heart,

And calm my troubled, haunting fears.

Let hope and faith, transcendent, pure,

Give strength and peace beyong my tears.

There is no death, but only change,

With recompense for vict'ry won.

The gift of Him who loved all men,

The Son of God, the Holy One.

It's GROUNDHOG DAY!

It's cold out there today....

it's cold out there everyday, what is this Miami Beach?...

But the question on everybody's lips, their chapped lips, is....

"Does Phil feel lucky?"

That's right woodchuck-chuckers, it's GROUNDHOG DAY!

(and no, I'm not playing yesterday's tape, no dejavu)



LIVE IN THE MOMENT....

Spring is right around the corner, shadow or no shadow.....atleast we hope this snow will let up soon....

Today is truly the best, random holiday ever!