as a theif in the night

well, we know it's night

another one bites the dust

Who ever wrote "another one bites the dust." must have been talking about jars of peanut butter at our house. I think we open a new one every other day.- There are 3 empty jars of peanut butter in one load of dirty dishes- and I've only made one loaf of bread in the last week. Must be those pancakes, waffles adn everything else one eats PB on.

weekend update

another update that covers everything I haven't written about all week.

me: I think I almost have the basic sales estimates and budget done- now I need to line item things in the budget and try to tlive with it. :) Other than that I did go to the gym this week adn swam 10 laps. Galen and Ewan enjoyed the kid's zone (they played basket ball). I have also read a most intersting books on garbage. Mike says I've gotten into trashy books. And it made me think (i've got to be careful about what I read because I always think about it and how to apply to my life). At the conclusion, after folloowing all of her trash and recycling, she asks herslef, adn us this question:

"What would happen if we slowed our pace of buying, if we kept our furniture, appliances, adn cars for life, or even twice as long as we did now? Would the economy grind to a halt, throwing millions of workers ont he welfare rolls? Advocates of green design immagine a sunny future of high employment. it would take lots of people to refashion everything using only biological and technical nutrients. (according to the institute for Local Self-Reliance, sorting and processing recycables-of which everything of green deisgn would be made- employs ten times more people than landfilling or incineration, on a per ton basis)." Elizabeth Roythe, Garbage Land 2005.

Also she describes San Fransico's desire and goal to go to Zero waste by the year 2020. I am deffinetly thinking about heading towards that goal myself. I think I will start with getting washable nursing pads (already in iventory). Then I will think about reuse instead of repurchase. If I ever get the laundry in line I will think about using cloth diapers. Of course I never throw any cloth out. Papers, metal and some plastics are recycled. I have already begun composting kitchen scraps. As for waste water- that goal will wait upon a more rural location or more desperation. (oh by the way, Shea lso talked to the man in charge of London's waste water issues. He said that if he were desinging the system today, they would skip over sewers and jump right into composting). Humanue is great for composting, when it is not combined with urban run off or other things commonely flushed down toliets (like perscripton drugs).


Mike: has a new thing to model adn other than that is suffering from a sinus imnfection and allergies- the poor guy wan't up to much this morning- however he did enjoy holding the baby. :)

Galen: Galen earned his white leader belt (a white belt with a yellow stripe) on Friday. He did very well for one testing for the first time. Although he wasn't up to the orange belt kids (but that is 3-4 belts away). He has been semi challenging in the past week because there is not activites to keep him busy.

Galen meets his teacher and sees his classroom on wensday. We are all very much looking forward to school around here. He will be in first grade with specialist support.

Ewan: Ewan had decided that it is his job to tease and pick on people. Some day soon I will litterally sit on him next time he trys to pick on me.
Ewan also meets his teachers this week. He will be going to school 3 mornings/week (the mornings I plan to work out).

Ian: Ian gave me my scare for the month this week. I was reading a book while he was bathing in the other room (door open and visual contact available) when I stopped hearing happy noises out of him. So I got up to check on him. He was unmoving face down in the bathtub (by this time it was drained) adn I screamed "IAN!" which startled him awake and he started crying.
5 minutes later, after dressing him and putting him to bed, my arms were still shaking. Adenerlin must be strong stuff.

Clayton: Clayton has grown. He is now growing out of the 6 month size clothing. He smiles and talks to us, and just loves been walked around. And he sleeps. Last night he slept 8 hours. Ususally I get 6-7 hours outo f him before he's hungry but that has been extending. He slept most of yesterday, adn even slept at my nap time. it was amazing to nap for several hours with the babe next to me and not have him decided he's hungry. I am begaining to think he likes to hear us breathe at night as much as we like to hear him.

Overall we have had anoisy week, but I have found that quiet places are not commen to cities. If I step out side for some quiet that is when 20 motorcycles decided to ride by on thier noisy bikes. And then there are the nosy airplanes, the cars, cars, cars, cars. The resuarants that always have TV or radio or both on and ect . . .

I have long ago discovered that life is more managable if we let a few quiet moments in. I think that is what is worng with the American culture; Quiet is too hard to find, making acting out the only way to decompress from the nose of our lives.

I must be a fly

I'm stuck on the web.

And other amazing happenings of the day: I got a health club membership adn a personal trainer. Me! My personal trainer is a Rn who specializes in pre and post natal fitness. She has 3 children of her own. The health club has yoga classes at the exact time I was looking for them (while Ewan is in preschool) and has a swimming pool for laps and family swim and unlimited child care for $12.month (assumming you are there, that included up to 4 children). So I am somewhat excited. I decided that now was a good time to get into shape because I don't want to wake up in the hospital in 50 years wishing I had taken the time to take care of my body. And because if I live to be 96, I want to be active and busy.- That reminds me that for a 95 year old president Hinkley is doing amazing.


also tonight I read half of Charlie and the Chocolate factory to the kids (then we had to make some chocolate cookies). Galen was actually able to tell me about what I was reading.

Let's see I have 10 pounds of fresh organic peaches on my counter, and another box of fresh organic veggies. Ia m already munching the green beans down pretty fast, and am getting somewhat tired of tomatoes. This is a banner year for tomatoes.

Ian got a bug bite (we think spider) on his ear, and the poor ear has swellen up terriblly. He looks like dumbo or doopy on the one side.- I did get a pick of it so I will post it soon- Luickly it hasn't seen to have bugge dhim too much. I put some peperment oil on it this morning and gave him some benadril this afternoon. IT finally stopped swelling, and we all hoping it goes down overnight.

Meanwhile we shool out his blankets and looked around his room just to see if we could find the offending bug. But He might have even been bitten before bedtime and it just wasn't noticable until this morning.

So does anybody want a stab at creating a budget for my business? I'm willing to accept donation or ideas.
(budgets and sales projections are my job for the week- I still have a few kincks to work out).

Smile Fest Cont.

Smile fest

finally the pics I have been promising!

weekend update

busy, as always. Even if we do nothing around here it is busy.

This week my kids were at daycamp. They generally enjoy themselves there. And I was only called to pick Galen up early once.

Saturday I allowed myself to "model" for a friend in Mary Kay. I came out looking like a mary kay cassulity, adn spend 10 minutes washing all the makeup off my face- as I didn't look as bad as some of them there. The make up seems to get quite thick on the people who have been in mary kay for a number of years.

My hosuecleaner then called in with a sick child. So I told my family if we each completed the chores we are assigned then we can go watch "Sky High" but the work had to be done in time to catch the 5:10 matenee. Galen and Ewan had to clean thier bedroom, change thier bedding and have thier floors adn walls washed. Mike had to mow the lawn and I cleaned and mopped the kitchen.

We all enjoyed the movie, and Galen kept standing up pretending to fly. If mind power is as strong as I belive it to be that kid will literally fly away some day.

Yesterday we made it to church on time,a dn actually sat in the chaple.

Today I am dealing with work stuff that I allow myself to ignore all weekend.

Have a wonderful day!

Peanuts Philosophy

Charles Schultz Philosophy
'
The following is the philosophy of Charles Schultz, the creator of the"Peanuts" comic strip.

You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just read the e-mail straight through, and you'll get the point.
1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor andactress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do? The point is, none of us remembers the headliners of yesterday. These areno second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But theapplause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades andcertificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier?
The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not theones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They arethe ones who care.

Pass this on to those people who have made a difference in your life.

"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrowin Australia." (Charles Schultz)

question of the day.

Is there any reasn a fleet of school buses would not want to run on bio diseal?

inspired to inspire

Dear Amber,
Your idea about 5 minutes of yoga doing lots of good is inspiring. Can I inspire you to create 5 minute yoga routines? You know, have a 5 minute routine for energy- 5 minutes to relaxation, 5 minutes to calming, 5 minutes to grounding, ect. . .

I am not sure how to best present it. . . I would assume to someone who knows a little yoga, maby in pamphlet form for each routine? With visuals on each pose.

5 minutes I could squeeze into me scheduel if I had a clue on what kind of poses to follow to create a good little routine.

Strange thoughts

Below is presented Several Mini Essays, collectivly entitled: "Strange thoughts while Grocery Shopping"

Grocery shopping with 2 kids is not usually presented as an easy task. And indeed it is a very dangerous task if the kids are old enough to ask for things, and it gets even more dangerous if they can argue thier point. Therefore I try my darndest not to grocery shop with my 4 and 6 year old, so today I ended up taking my 1 month and 2 year old. Biggest challenge was finding room in the cart to put the groceries. I thought for a while that Ian would end up on the conveyer belt to rung up with the groceries. The other challange was the baby. He caused delays every time somebody new passed the cart.

"Oh," they'd say as they stopped. "How old is he? It's a he, isn't it?" And then to make the delays even longer Clayton smiled at them with his tounge sticking out. To tell you the truth even though these delays created a much longer grocery trip, as the mother of the child being cooed at- I really didn't mind.


On the subject of bread: there are 2 extremes on one end is the light nurtionless fluff, and on the other end are the wheat bricks. I select mine somewhere between the two. It has to be 100% whole grain, and it should be able to be squeezed (however, queezing should not make a perment dent).

Today I must have been a bargain hunter, for when I saw the canned beans on clearance I bought them out. When I saw the organic cheeze on clearance, I bought enough for 2 months. And I bought them out of the clearance organic steaks. However, it did make me worry. For if these aren't selling what do other people eat?

ps

trust me, you are glad you are not here right now. The noise level is horrible but we will be putting the main noise maker to bed very soon!

Too much weekend

My kids had too much weekend this weekend. They played hard outside with thier cousins for 2 and 1/2days almost non-stop. They had a fire and cooked marshmellows and ate smores, watched the stars. Then they also had a double birthday party, with more playing outside, a pinata with candy and a big trampoline and 2 birthday cakes!.

Needless to say they are so worn out and strung out (on candy and sweets) that we did not stay at church long. And now they are fussy, fussy, fussy. So bed time will be comming soon.

Suprisingly Clayton is also worn out. I don't think he has been held by that many different people in his whole accumative 5 weeks of life. He got home today, ate twice, and has been asleep on our bed ever since.

However, we did have a great place to stay and had some great family time, and just plainly had great fun. Maby next time we will spread the fun out alittle.

Cooing baby

Sleep did not happen last night until sometime after midnight. It is just hard to sleep when your children aren't yet.

So this morning I didn't get up at 6 and do yoga and a bunch of other wonderful stuff. I slept until 9:20, and nursing my baby from 4:50 to 9:20 on and off all morning. He is one happy baby. He just loves lots of snuggle time with Mommy.

And then at one point last night I woke up to discover that there were 5 of us in bed. The bed can handle 4 (that is Ian and Clayton) with out my noticeing, but when Galen or Ewan crawls in I notice and I wake up Mike to move them.

Well, That is all I know. Have greats loads of fuN!

moving up

Now that the change has happened for long enough to most likly be made perminately I will announce it.

Ewan is out of pull ups, he stopped wetting the bed almost the instant we put Ian in pull ups. And Ian is out of diapers and is offically potty training (at a slow rate).

Good Morning World!

Hope your day is going well.

I started today at 6, doing yoga, then had couple scripture study and prayer. Then after doing a little business and showering I made abig breakfast and at the table we read the BOM and had mornign family prayer. We are trying to make a morning scheduel like this a habit and routine. The scripture study went so well that the kids took thier BOMS upstaris to "read it" to themselves. I think they spent most of the time looking at the picture, which was one of my favorite pass times as a kid.

Now after breakfast and cleanup, I might actually have to get to some real work. (this is a joke incase you are wondering, before breakfast everybody is supposed to be dressed, and Galen needed a bath this morning. It took 2 of us to undress him and get him into the tub.)

The movie worked

Tonight, after letting my kids play with a bunch of thier teaqwon do buddies (with water guns and sweets). I brought them home, bathed them and we all set down to watch the Wizard of OZ together.

The movie worked. 2 kids fell asleep while watching the movie, and the third a little while later on the coach.

Clayton is now 24" long and he will hopefully be getting blessed tomarrow.

Facial Expressions

Some one is learning to smile- now Mike and I will spend hours talking and making faces at him just to get a smile. Not every job lets you spend quality time with your baby when he is awake and ready for interactions.

- as a side note I was up until 2am packing and shipping last night- so I'm going to go take a nap.

Clayton's Diganosis

Clayton had his check up today. He weighs 12 pounds, 5 ounzes, and is now 23" long. (Galen is 52", Ewan is 43", and Ian is 38")

The doctor started examining him and said "what a beautiful baby". He later diagnoist him as a "very happy baby."

Galen and Ewan are at day camp, Ian is napping and my brain is going fuzzy so I am going to take a nap too. (I've so many of them lately, maby that way I can get some work done tonight)

I wish

I wish there was a sight on the web that always had the new information that I am seeking on it.

And what do you know about the power of true stories and sales?