I Miss My Husband

First, I wanted to thank everyone who offered to help me while Devin is gone!  THANK YOU!  You all are so nice and you might regret your offers when I call you someday when I'm about to lose it!  Ha, I hope it doesn't come to that!  But really, it hasn't been too bad.  It's been 4 days already...only 18 more days until I see him!  (Yikes, that sounds like a lot of days!  Maybe I shouldn't have counted.)  

Second, though I really miss Devin of course, I sure have been able to catch up on some things around here!  One of those things is my digital pages.  I am now current.  I just have to go back and do a few pages with some pictures I had printed before I started doing digital.  Doing it by hand is not near as fun as it used to be.  It's so easy on my computer.  I don't have to get everything out, measure stuff, put everything away.  It's faster and better doing digital!  But, I want to get those pages done so I can be totally current.  

So, here are some of the pages...

And, I was thinking, there are quite a few ladies I know whose husbands are gone quite a bit.  I mean, more than the 8:00-5:00 job.  Like, not home in the evenings or weekends, or they work odd hours.  I don't know how they do it.  And, with more kids!  Maybe I'm a baby, but I would always be grumpy if I had to deal with that.  I LOVE Devin's schedule with teaching.  Sure he won't make mucho delores, but that's fine with me because when school starts, he'll leave about 7:00 and be home by 4:00 everyday and he'll never work a weekend or holiday.  It rocks.  I don't know how those moms do it.  I really couldn't.  You all are awesome and amazing.  

Um, no. I don't think so.

Henry was born on his August 27 (his actual due date, ha!) last year.  Anyone who has been in Arizona in August very well knows how hot it gets.  Devin likes to call it "warm" because he says it makes it "bearable" and "hot" implies "unbearable."  I call it hot because it is HOT!  

Exhibit A:

Seriously?!  That's hot.

Granted, that was right when we got in the car after it had been sitting outside for 2 hours, but still!  It cooled down to the actual temperature of 99...also hot.

This leads me to me back to my story...

So, last summer I was 9 months pregnant in August and my dad asked me, "So, have you been using your clothesline to dry your laundry?"  

I wasn't upset he asked me that question, I just wasn't sure if he realized how crazy that idea was.  A pregnant lady, 9 months pregnant to be exact, standing outside in 115 degree weather to hang clothes out when she had a perfectly good dryer inside her nice, air conditioned house?  Um, no.  I don't think so.  Even though Devin was doing his student teaching at the time and not getting paid, I was fully happy to pay $3 or whatever is cost to dry my laundry in the dryer.  Maybe if I was as tough as a pioneer woman I would have used the clothesline, but I'm not that tough and will never claim to be.

But...today I hung the towels out!  It's still "warm," not quite hot, so I'll do it for now.  And, I'm not pregnant, so I guess I should do it anyway.

Tomorrow I have to put my Big Girl Panties on!

As my friend Ashtyn said it:)

Okay, so I am very sad to say that tomorrow Devin is leaving for San Diego for the summer to sell pest control with a company called Moxie Pest Control.  I will miss him SO much and I know the boys will too!  Jaxon and Devin play swards and "wrestle main-we-a" every day when Devin gets home.  At least we will be able to see him for about ten days around the the middle of the summer.  I will be staying home with the boys and probably going a little bit, who am I kidding?  a lot crazy!

A few nights ago, as Devin and I were watching the season finale of 90210, it really hit me that he was going to be gone.  I started thinking about putting both boys to bed every night (Devin usually does Jaxon and I do Henry--that's what Devin's doing now), all the house chores, and mostly COOKING!!??  People, I know I can cook, like I am fully able to read a recipe and use kitchen tools, but do I enjoy it?  NO.  Do I want to do it?  NO.  Mostly because of all the interruptions from the boys.  There is a slight chance I might like it if I didn't have to stop every five minutes to make sure Jaxon wasn't sitting on Henry or trying to feed him rocks.  Needless to say, I got all stressed and I have been pretty grumpy the last few days since I had that realization moment.  

So, anyway, now that you know what is going on and how stinkin' ornery I've been, listen to this...

My sweet husband made me my favorite dessert:  blueberry pie!  Yum!  It's all from scratch of course, crust, filling, fresh blueberries.  Wow, I just might eat the whole thing tonight!  No, actually I need to savor it and make it last since he won't be making me any other yummy desserts for a while.  (He said it would be ready at 9:00 and I am counting down!)  

That was so sweet and thoughtful of him and I just love him so much.  We are totally best friends and he is like the best listener I know.  Crazy, right?  A guy, a good listener?  But it's true.  He is thoughtful and when I have a concern, he is always willing to do what he can to make things better.  He is really incredible!  One thing I think is true about our relationship is, "We're not perfect, but we're perfect for each other."

Anyway, so now that I got all that out, I am going to try to think and say only positive things about the situation and see how that goes!  I'm sure it will be fine.  I can be independent when I have to be.

Here's to me keeping my sanity without him.... 

and... 

blueberry pie!

Easter 2009 & Swimming

Devin's Graduation

Yes, these are a little old, but just got done...

Old News, New Pics

These are some of the pages I did recently (I'm about a month behind...)

This Is My Smile

This was just too cute...he looked at me and said, "Mommy, this is my smile." Then he smiled like that.  I ran and got the camera for a pic to remember that serious cuteness!

Crawling & Teething

On Saturday, May 2 he took his first real crawl steps, just a few days over 8 months.  By now, 5 days later, he's crawling all over the place!  He's a lot like Jaxon in the fact that he hates crawling and just wants to walk!  Henry gets so mad when he can't stand up.  Jaxon started walking at 9 months after just crawling for about a week.  I don't know if Henry will make it by 9 months, but he sure hopes so!  I will be glad when he can walk too because he'll be a happier kid!

Also, on Saturday, May 2 I felt Henry's first tooth poking through the gums!  (It's his right bottom middle.)  He had a little fever so I was giving him Tylenol and good thing because with a tooth coming in, I'm sure he was thankful for the relief.  I hope they don't take long to come in because teething is a tough time for him and me.  When he's in pain and cranky, then I'm cranky too.  Loose loose situation!  I remember when Jaxon was teething, he was hardly ever cranky, but it sure seems to rough on Henry.  My poor baby!

Now maybe he'll grow some hair??!!

Love/Hate Relationships

So I realized recently that I have a few love/hate relationships in my life...

1.  Costco

Definitely LOVE this place.  I enjoy getting mass quantities of products that I only have to buy once a year because they'll last that long.  I always see things I don't NEED there, but I totally WANT.  I wish I could have like a million dollar gift card to that place so I could get some fun thing along with the stuff we need.  

I hate how much money I spend there!  It's ridiculous!  I go in that place for two items and come out with about 100.  I don't know how they do it, but I think it's the most successful up-selling store I know of.  Maybe it's the samples...

2.  Long Days

I LOVE when the sun gets up early and goes down late.  It's so nice to have a long day and get lots accomplished.

BUT, it's so hard to get the kiddos to sleep when the sun is still up!  Henry usually goes down about 7:00 and Jaxon 7:30, but since the sun is still up then, they think they need to be awake still!  Then, it happens in the morning too...they're up at the crack of dawn!  When is a mom supposed to have her own time if the kids aren't sleeping long enough!?  Jaxon has blackout curtains in his room, so those help, but they're not in Henry's room.  I need to put ups some super classy foil or something!  But the thing about that is, then it's dark in the daytime and I don't like that either.  

I thought of another while at WalMart today...

3.  Spiderman

I guess I don't really love Spiderman, but I think it's super cute when Jaxon gets excited about pretty much anything with Spidey on it.  I think Jaxon would love it if we found Spiderman toilet paper!  

I hate that Spiderman is everywhere!  Every time a turn a corner at the store, pretty much any store, there he is in some form.  Just from my venture to the store yesterday, here are a few of the things a saw:  beach towels, pool toys, goggles, whole bathroom set:  trash can, cup, toothbrush holder, ice packs, tons of clothes, sheets, blankets, curtains, lamps, pillows, and there was so much more!  You name it, they slap Spidey's face on it and the kids will go crazy!  There is no escaping him!  This leads to multiple fits (or at least sadness) from Jaxon when I don't purchase everything in the store related to Spiderman.  What it is about him anyway?  I think all little boys I know love him!

Why I Love Sundays

Just a few things I love about Sundays...

1.  Seeing my cute boys (all 3 of them) in their white shirts.

2.  After church, Jaxon trying to sing the songs he learned in nursery--so cute!

3.  I don't have to feel guilty for relaxing instead of cleaning.

4.  It's a nice, calm day--not busy.

5.  Knowing that even though my husband is gone most of the day, it's because he is serving the Lord.  

6.  Seeing all the fun people in our ward and knowing what a great support they all are.

7.  And, of course, feeling so uplifted after attending my meetings!  (I definitely need a weekly recharge!)

What a great day!

If You Live in Copper Basin...Read This

Yes, folks, that's a rusty razor blade.  I found it in the sand at the park in phase 4.  

How did I find it, you ask?  (Someone really did ask, so I'll let you know.)  I was walking around the play equipment to the other side where Jaxon was going to be emerging from the slide.  When I looked down at the sand where he would be landing when he came out, I saw it sticking up about half way out of the sand.  I thought it looked like something sharp, so I picked it up and then realized what it was.  He coulda stepped on it right there if I hadn't seen it.  He was wearing his shoes, but yikes!

(Kinda funny how it's like the exact color as our tile.  Now when I'm describing the color of our flooring, I can say, "Oh, it's rusty razor blade brown."  Perfect description.)

I remember when I was a kid and my mom always made me wear shoes at the park and I hated it.  I always knew there could be something in the sand, but finding this...scary.  

Movie Recommendations

17 Again

LOVED it!  It stars my crush, Zac Efron, and it's SO funny!  I didn't know I'd be laughing so much.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW9TkWY6Cng

Yes Man

I really liked it.  It's very funny and makes you take a look at your own life and consider, "Am I really living?"  You know, like, "Am I taking opportunities and allowing yourself to have fun experiences?"  

One girl said something like,  "The world is a playground.  Adults forget somewhere along the way."  I like that.

Though, there was one scene we were warned about so we skipped it.  It's with an old lady--if you see it you'll know.

Also, check out this site for movie ratings:  http://www.kids-in-mind.com/

Zoo

We took the boys to the Phoenix Zoo for the first time on February 26.  Here's how it went...

Cheese Faces

I don't know who taught my kids what to do when we tell them to say "Cheese" for a photo, but I think we need to work on it.

This is what I get...  

Of course, Henry can't really be held responsible for it, but it looks like he's already on his way to the same fate as his big brother...

Though Jaxon did get it right this time, and I'd say he's pretty dang cute!

Oh, and here's what happens when Jaxon tries to dress himself...we'll have to work on that too!

I LOVE MY BOYS!

Potty Trained

I think it's safe to say that Jaxon is potty trained!  He comes and lets me or Devin know when he needs to go.  We didn't use soda to make him go a lot, we just gave him a treat each time for a reward.  That kid loves chocolate, but he thinks soda is "hot" and he says, "I no wike it." when he tries it.  Today is the sixth day without any accidents.  It took 2 weeks--not too bad!  

Yea!

6 Month Stats

I can't believe Henry is already 6 months old!  He is sitting up, rolling all around, scooting backwards, and eating some solids.  He doesn't sleep through the night yet, but we're working on it.  He loves baths, music, being outside, and mostly, his brother.  He is such a joy to have in our home.  We love him so much!

His stats:  

Weight:  18 pounds 12 ounces, 83%

Height:  26 5/8 inches, 46%

Head:  Forgot to write it down...

Interesting...

Having sex can be good for your health

March 10th, 2009 @ 7:03am

by Hanna Scott/KTAR

Making time for a little romance could be good for your health, according to Dr. Michael Roizen with the Cleveland Clinic.

And, don't skip the sex!

"Humans maybe are the most sexual species of all," said Roizen.

He added, "Men who have sex three times a week have a 50 percent reduction in heart attacks and strokes, compared to their peers."

Women can benefit too, he said.

"For women, it's quality. So if you have high-quality sex, the amount of time you want it, it's two to eight years younger in both feeling, looking," said Roizen.

A good sex life also is healthy for the mind -- Roizen said for most people, boosting their romantic encounters from once a month to once a week is the happiness equivalent of getting a $50,000-a-year raise.

http://www.ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=1099693

YEA!

No accidents today and he pooped in the toilet!!!

Potty Training Update

It has been a week and we have made major progress!  Jaxon is doing so good at going potty in the toilet.  He tells us when he needs to go and only had 1 accident today and 1 yesterday.  

But...when it comes to pooping, he just won't go on the toilet!  It's frustrating (but we can't show it).  He'll be sitting on the toilet having lots of gas but insisting he doesn't need to go.  So, we let him get down, he goes outside, and literally 1 minute later, he'll come in a say he went in his underwear.  This has happened like 3 times.  Devin and I have come to the conclusion that he Jaxon is uncomfortable going in front of people.  I have tried leaving him on the toilet to give him privacy, but he doesn't like me to leave either...  We also think he is just comfortable going in the back yard.  

So, I think I am going to put his potty chair on the porch in the backyard to get him used to going on the chair in an environment he is used to and then try moving it into the house.  Though, he does like to go on the big toilet (with a little kid seat so he doesn't fall) so I am not sure if he'll want to go on his little potty...  I don't know what else to do!  Any ideas???

Bachelor - My 2 Cents

Okay, I don't want to waste too much of my time on this, but I do have a few things to say...

First, poor Melissa!  Obvious reasons, I don't need to list them.  She's super sweet and she'll find someone.  She did a great job of sticking up for herself and bringing up good points like, "You chose Melissa, but you're not willing to fight for Melissa."  Good girl!

Second, I was SO mad at Jason when he broke up with Melissa and said he loved Molly, but after thinking it through, I'm not so upset.  

Here's why:  

I think it's lame he says he's just "following his heart" because that really isn't the reason.  Anyone who says the aren't in love with someone anymore, whether it be a girlfriend or wife, might say that.  That's just an excuse that people don't really like to challenge, "Oh, following your heart, huh?  That's stupid."  People don't think it's bad to "follow your heart," so that's just what he calls it.  Their (Melissa and Jason's) relationship just wasn't what he thought it would be, so his "heart" changed his mind.  And, I thought it was dumb for him to say he can't control his mind from having thoughts about Molly.  Um, married men better know how to control their thoughts!  So he better learn how if he wants to keep a wife.

Truly, and Jason did say this one time in one of the after interviews and I totally agree with it, he said something like, had this been real life, he would not have stopped dating any of the final 3 girls when he was forced to because he wasn't ready to make the decision, but of course, there were time constraints on the show.  He said he would have kept dating them until he was ready to make a good decision.  I agree.  I think the show, which it's not the show's "fault," it's just the rules, forced him to make a decision before he was ready and it was such an extreme decision, when he realized it wasn't the right one for him, he needed to go back on it.  

Of course it sucks he didn't make the right decision the first time, but I do think it's better he fixed it sooner than later.  I don't know if he really gave Melissa and his relationship a fair shot (being in a long distance relationship is tough enough, let alone having to keep it a secret), but he thinks he did.  I don't quite understand how the "chemistry changed..."

I don't know, it can be argued either way.  "He should stick with Melissa, he proposed to her."  Or, "It's better he didn't marry her and then change his mind."  Though, I partly think he proposed because that was his purpose, to find a wife.  His plan was to propose, not just find someone to date.  He carried out his plan in the amount of time the show allowed, but it wasn't really enough time.  But, once again, had it been in the real world, he wouldn't have chosen so quickly.  

I don't know if I explained what I really mean clearly, but I shouldn't spend too much time on this!

Anyway, why do we all care so much???!!!  Dang reality tv, sucks me in every time!

Anyone up for America's Next Top Model?  Season premiere was on tonight!  Oh, and American Idol--love it!