Veiled Beauty

You may recognize this statue from "Pride and Prejudice" (the newer version with Keira Knightley). It is called Veiled Vestal by Raffaele Monti. And it is the most beautiful marble bust I have ever seen. I bet it's even more breathtaking in person. Just thought I'd share the beauty.

Vote!!!

Ok. I'm completely pilfering this from Nicole, but I thought that it was really profound. Let me be clear first...I am not, nor have I ever been, tied down to one political party. I believe that we should go with the best individual for the job. Having said that, I thought that this quote was as true today as it was then.

"In this 20th century, every great step forward has come during Democratic administrations. Every movement backward has come under Republican auspices, and it is the people who have paid dearly...Too much is now at stake--here and throughout the world--to take the wrong path now. There is one way to stop the forces of reaction. Get every vote out on election day, and make it count. You can't afford to waste your votes this year. I'm not asking you just to vote for me. Vote for YOURSELVES!... Vote for the standard of living that you have won under a Democratic administration! Get out there on election day, and vote for your future!"-- Harry Truman, 1948

Tha'll Do...

Nothing much new. Just taking things one day at a time. Two days this week, I was so exhausted by midday that I was telling H that I believe we are done having kiddos. I love my kids to pieces, but you really do forget just how much energy they require; mental, physical, and emotional. I even managed to fall asleep laying in Little Man's carseat the other night. Yeah, I need more sleep. So, I'm trying to get to bed much earlier and trying to not wear myself out. It's odd how quickly your mood and energy can change. Yesterday, I got Little Man to sleep in a good nap and was just pumped to get out of the house for a bit. So, I made my way to the grocery store...I know, such an exciting life. Anyway, by the time I was checking out at the register, I was exhausted again. And the other day, I was nodding off at 5 p.m. and then raring to go by 8 p.m. Odd.

The LonDolls dinner was great. We met up at a bakery and had sandwiches. It was wonderful to sit and visit with the girls, sitting and chatting with no rush to be elsewhere. We really missed Whit though since she couldn't travel down. No fun. But the girls are all doing well, living life. I really appreciated H for watching the kids and tending to Little Man while I was out. I think I need to make it a priority to get out every once in a while and relax and visit with my girls. I wish that Jen, my love in Maine, lived closer. I could see us packing up all the kids and taking off for a whole weekend each month. I love and miss her to pieces.

I can understand why so many women slip into postpartum depression. New moms are tired, they're stressed, they are lucky to get a shower everyday, and when we look in the mirror, it's easy to focus on the lingering weight and sagginess. I understand. And that's why it's so important to take your focus off these things and place them where they should be...your beautiful little one, making time for friends, and spoiling yourself with more rest and less "must do's". It's really hard to do all this when you are so used to putting everyone else first, but it's so important. I have checked out a couple of library books that I never finished. Who knows if I'll actually get to read them, but at least they are ready for me to steal away for a moment and soak up some reading. I also dug out some material that I bought for a couple of baby blankets. Not sure if they'll be completed anytime soon, but they are sitting there, tempting me if I have a moment. It's so important to give yourself an outlet. Jen does so with her beautiful crafts, and is currently focusing her creativity on her house. I have some crafts and good books....and an occasional nap.

Sure, life is stressful right now. Things aren't going perfect. But we're healthy, we're happy, and we're still smiling. That's enough.

I did something stupid.

After Little Man's doctor appointment today, I made my way to the mall. I rarely go to the mall unless I have a reason. Today, I was going to Motherhood Maternity to buy some super comfy nursing bras for my niece who lives an hour from the nearest location of this store. Anyway, while checking out, the cashier asked if I'd like to donate a dollar to the March of Dimes and receive a little ring on a bracelet that said "Be Healthy, Be Happy". So, I said, "Sure, why not?"

I was not fond of the string bracelet that was holding the ring and removed it. Since the ring looked a bit small, I first placed it on my pinky. Too big. Then I put it on my ring finger. It only went to my knuckle. After a few tries on other fingers, I decided to try the ring finger again and I was able to work it over my knuckle. I realized immediately that that was a mistake. A stupid, stupid mistake. In case you don't know, I have huge knuckles. Not elephant man huge, but huge. Every minute that the ring was on my finger, it seemed to get tighter and tighter. I tried to lick my finger and slide it off. Nope. I tried to coat it in soap and water. Uh-uh. H tried to help by pouring oil on it and pulling and twisting. No and OWWW.

After trying this a few times and winding up with a lot of pain, a purple finger and an indention, I knew it was time to find a professional. I called a nearby jeweler and explained my situation. He told me to come on over and he could try to cut it off. After a short drive with an aching, red finger, the jeweler snapped the ring in two with some cutters and I came out pretty unscathed, except a nick from the ring breaking. I thanked him profusely and he smiled that smile that you only get when you've just been freed from the consequences of doing something STUPID. I promised him I would never work a ring over my knuckle again. Not unless I want it there for eternity, and a purple finger.

In other news...
Little Man had his 2 month appointment today. He now weighs 12 lbs. 1 oz. and is 21 inches long. It's no wonder he no longer fits in his small outfits and is outgrowing his size 2 diapers. This kid is packing it on. Everything looks healthy and great. He even did a great job being calm and patient while we waited for the doctor. And all that was only rewarded with a bunch of vaccinations; one oral and three injections. I hate it when they have to do stuff like shots, PKUs, and his circumcision...oy vey, don't get me started on that. I will not be disappointed if I never see another one of those in my life. He let out some heartbreaking sobs and, later, was sore and screaming. After some tylenol and a nap, he was much better. I hate that we have to do it again in two months.

My aunt is getting married tomorrow. She has been a widow for almost 12 years. Her husband, my uncle, was a great man. So, it probably is expected that it would take that long to find someone else that would make her happy again. I hear he's a great guy and I hope they are very happy. I'm terribly sad that we can't be there for her special day. That's one of the bummers of living so far away. Her sons will be there and I haven't seen them in years. I would love to sit and chat with everyone and be there with my family.

Tomorrow is a busy day. I will be attending a baby shower for my sis-in-law's sister, H and the kids are going on a hike with his brother, and I am meeting the LonDolls for dinner. A few wonderful hours to catch up with my girls and take a little break from mommyhood. Don't get me wrong, I love it. But it's nice to have a little time to relax with friends without getting spit up on, changing diapers, or walking around in a bouncy way to soothe a fussy baby. Unfortunately, I don't think Whit will make it. But I'm still hoping for a great dinner.

Well, that's all for now. Please send good thoughts and prayers this way. Times are tough for most, and we're hanging in there too. Love ya.

Good Genes, I Guess.

Nothing new or terribly witty to post. Just the usual. I'm getting decent sleep. Little Man wakes up every 3-4 hours, gets changed, eats, and passes back out. He is becoming more intentionally responsive. So, when he smiles, he's actually smiling at me and not just because he probably passed gas or something. He is also seeing things that are farther away and his movements of his arms and legs are more controlled. During the day, he'll stay awake and alert for an hour or more and then he'll eat and pass out for naps. Pretty manageable. *crosses fingers* He is also growing very fast.I actually got quite a bit more done today than most days. I cleaned the living room, did some laundry, sorted some clothes, and paid some bills. I still need to do the program flier for church tomorrow, get the kids in the bath, and make something for dinner. *sigh*

Bree was finally able to come over and meet Little Man. She squeezed him and hugged him and snuggled him and, basically, loved all over him. It's hard not to. He's so squishy and soft. I can't wait to do the same to her kiddos when she has babies. They'll be gorgeous. I mean, look at them. It would be impossible for these two to make a baby that is not darling.

Tee hee.

9 Years and Counting

Today was our 9th wedding anniversary. 9 years ago, H and I said "I do" after only knowing each other for four months. He jumped into an instant family when he married me and took on the role of Mister's father. And I have to say, he's done wonderfully. He is a great father and a caring husband.

We knew that we weren't going to do anything big for this anniversary since we just had Little Man. So, after my doctor appointment this morning, we headed up the mountain and ate lunch at a restaurant at a ski resort. Of course LM was with us, but he did well. H and I ate pizza and drank Dr. Pepper until we couldn't possibly have anymore. It was nice to eat and talk and enjoy the mountain air and scenery. I love when we get the opportunities to just sit and talk. Connecting, even for just a bit, feels great.

After that, it was back to life. I picked up the kids from school and then we headed back to their school later for the open house. And then a quick trip to the grocery store, home, dinner and off to bed for the kids. A simple day, but a nice one.

Funny, I don't remember all this from the last time I had a baby.....8 years ago.

Some "new" mom insights (the "" marks are only there because I have a new baby...not because I am new at being a mom):

Babies have a sixth sense. When you have successfully gotten them to sleep, they can sense when you are thinking of laying them down. They choose that moment to stir awake and you have to start over again. When they are napping, they can also tell when you are trying to do something productive or entertaining, such as the dishes or trying to update your blog. They choose that moment to wake up early from their nap and immediately expect food.

New moms no longer see the appeal of long hair. Sure, it looks great, especially from all those vitamins you've been taking for 9+ months. However, you regularly find yourself wondering just how much time you could save styling it at a shorter length. Shorter length = shorter styling time = more baby naptime to do other things. You are also not feeling very attractive at this time in your life anyway (ponytails, spit up on clothes, no shower for 3 days), so why not just cut off a large portion of that hair that is not getting styled anyway? Believe me, I'm seriously fighting the urge.

Clothing choices are no longer ruled by fashion. It doesn't even really matter if you match anymore. The only definite requirements are that there is no visible spit up spots and your top can easily be lifted up to the height of your chin in order to pull out a boob and provide nourishment...which then shortly ends up spit back on your clothes. Seriously, I asked H the other day, with multiple wet spots on my shirt, why I bother to get dressed at all.

Nursing does not require that you are awake. You can lie on your side, pop the boob in his mouth and lapse into a coma without him missing an ounce of food.

And Finally...

They are worth it. No matter how tiring the day can become and how little sleep you manage during the night, you wake up each morning, gaze at that chubby-cheeked face and smile...because he's yours.

Finally...a moment.

I can't begin to convey just how busy it's been. And that's just taking care of the baby, the kids and the house. Little Man is doing well, growing round and eating and eating. I remember that things were really busy after having Tiny. Mister was only 3 years old and quite a handful at the time. It felt like I had three kids instead of two. And, well, now that I have three, I have to say that it does seem easier this time around. Sure, I'm not getting much done around the house and I'm ready for a nap every afternoon. But, the kids are older and a big help. And having H work from home helps too. Before, he was still in the military and working all day, sometimes 12-hour shifts. And his schedule kept changing too. It's nice to hand off Little Man for a few minutes so that I can have a break or do the dishes or make something to eat.

Another thing that I have been noticing is my post-baby body. I have, with both deliveries, regained my pre-baby body within reasonable amounts of time. And it seems that I am being blessed in that way again. I have lost about 80% of the saggy, squishy belly that is usually left behind after it's held a tiny human for 9 months. It's taken a month to lose that, so I'm hoping that I'll be even more slim in another 4 weeks. Who knows? Maybe I'll even fit in some of my jeans, instead of my maternity pants.

Fun news: My Bree is finally back from Florida and I'm really looking forward to see her soon. Melissa has a bday coming soon. The bad news is that she will be moving on that day. The good news is that she's moving in with Liz. Couldn't think of a better roommate to have. But Bree and I are hoping that we can all get together soon and celebrate anyway.

Well, Little Man is waking up from another very short nap. Later.

Breaking Dawn

I just finished reading this greatly anticipated conclusion to the impressive series. I liked it. Sure, there were some parts that were a bit anticlimactic. But I think it was pretty well done. Though many readers may not like this, I like it when the author leaves just a few strings untidy, loose ends. It lets the reader use their imagination and continue the story in their own minds. All in all, I will continue to recommend this series to everyone.

Family is a blessing.

I haven't been blogging because I had family in town. It's been really great. My parents stayed with us for a week and helped us out sooo much around the house and with the baby. I love it when they visit because my mom always helps me whip the house into shape and my dad fixes anything that needs it. And they loved spending time with their new grandson. They love their grandbabies. It makes me sad that we don't live nearer to them so that they can enjoy the kids more often, and the kids can enjoy them too. And it made me really sad when they had to leave early this morning.

I would love to live nearer to my family, but there are things that hold me back from moving there. Having gone through the school system there, I was not very impressed with it. I would probably decide to homeschool the kids if we ever lived there. Also, the nearest university is an hour away and I plan to be back in school in the next year and a half. Another reason, and I am hesitant to state it, is that I don't think the peer groups that the kids would be around if we lived there would be a very good influence for them. I know, I know...you can have those anywhere you live. But, like I said before, I've lived there and experienced it. The kids in that town are always grouping together. You have the hispanics, the preppy whites, the blacks, etc. In school, we felt like we HAD to belong to one of these groups...not an easy task when you're a mixture of more than one. And once you were accepted, it was hard to resist peer pressure from the group. It was like that high school was the embodiment of an after-school tv special. It sucked. While I liked being near my extended family, school sucked. And because of it, I got into a lot of trouble there. I saw family members, friends, and church members alike making poor decisions...mainly influenced by their surroundings and people around them. Am I eager to uproot my kids and put them in these situations? Heck no.

So, that is why, thus far, we have not moved back.

My brother and his family also stayed with us for a couple days on their way back to Alaska. My brother is in the Air Force and is being stationed there for the second time. They loved it the first time they were there and are glad to be going back. The distance from family is a negative, and the price of living. But it was the best of the choices given them. I hope we will get to travel up and visit them while they are there this time. H is definitely in favor of that, and going fishing up there. Their kids are split on the move. Their daughter is happy to go back, but their son is not. He made a lot of friends at their last location. I hope they will do okay with the move and make the best of it.

Well, I was starting to get used to having a lot of help, and now they've all gone home. Maybe we can try to make enough income to fly family out whenever we like. I wish. Well, this post is starting to sound like a pity party, and I try to never throw those. So, just know that we're all healthy, happy and doing well. Little Man is a good sleeper and is growing fast. (But not too fast, Bree.) The kids are ready for school to start in a few weeks and H is keeping busy with his work. I hope you're all doing well too. Love you.

Oh Yeah!

Because you should never underestimate a guy that can make you laugh...and make you hot on a cold night.

A Head's Up

Just a warning...my posts may become fewer and far between. My days have been filled with breastfeeding, naps, diaper changes, and staring at my new little man. That is also what I will be referring to him as in my posts...Little Man. He is filling out from all that good eating and his jaundice also seems to be getting better. He will see the doctor again next Friday.


He sleeps pretty well at night, in three hour stretches. We also seem to be working out the kinks and hiccups of breastfeeding. I'm hoping that that will get much better soon. This is, by far, the hardest part of adapting to a new little one. So, in the meantime, I may post some new pictures intermittently, but will probably ease up on postings for a while. Hope you will all keep checking back though.

HE'S HERE!!!

Matthew Caleb was born on Friday, July 18, 2008 at 11:16 a.m. He was 7 lb. 11 1/2 oz. and 19 in. long. He was also two weeks early, and I have no complaints about that. My water broke at 1:45 a.m. and he arrived after 11 a.m. Not bad. The labor went well, especially with the epidural. We are both doing well and are now home resting. So, without further ado, let me introduce you to our new little man.

How skinny is too skinny?

I read this article today about the actress Megan Fox. You might know her as Mikaela in "Transformers". The director, Michael Bay, of both "Transformers" and the sequel in pre-production right now has asked the actress to gain 10 lbs. before beginning filming the new movie. Apparently, she had lost some weight for a recent film and was asked to regain it because Bay "doesn't like skinny girls". Now, upon first reading this, I had no objections. I applaud the use of "healthy" actresses. However, I was a little confused when observing some pics of the actress. Let me show you...

The first pic is from the first "Transformers".

The next one was posted by TMZ.com just yesterday.

Can someone point out the difference? Because I'm having trouble seeing it.

By the way, I know that the movie is in pre-production because they are filming it near my hometown, the same place they filmed the first film's opening scene in the "middle east". Yeah, that was filmed in NM, not Qatar. I loved seeing those familiar dunes and mountains when I was in the packed theater at the premiere. It made me a little homesick...and proud.

He's Awaiting the Final Curtain

I am so tired. This kiddo is sitting as low as he can get without starting to come out. Even the midwife was surprised by how low he was today. But, alas, no further progress. I am still dilated to a 2 and am 60% effaced, same as three weeks ago. You would think that with all my cramping, contractions, and uncomfortableness, that something would be happening. Nope, looks like this kiddo has decided to stick around to the very end. I have about 15 days left until my due date.

But I'm not just sitting around counting the days. I am still working on the house. Currently, I am doing Mister's room, aka the black hole. That kid has waaaay too many toys. So, we are drastically downsizing the loot and organizing the rest in bins. I bought three bins; one for stuffed animals, one for legos, and once for the rest of the toys. The catch is that he has to choose among his belongings wisely because if they don't fit in the bins, he can't keep them. I will be doing the same with Tiny's room. I'm also hoping to downsize mine and H's clothes and belongings. Less stuff, less mess, more time.

I am also becoming acutely aware of just how bare my walls look. I may need to start planning some future painting projects...you know, post-baby arrival.

And now for some pics from the camping trip. Enjoy.

I may post more pics later. The internet is dreadfully slow today.

A 4-Man Tent Does Not Always Mean Just That

We went camping this last weekend, just for one night. Some of H's business associates were doing a family hike and overnight campout in one of the canyons last Friday night. I told H that I was willing to go on 2 conditions: 1) I didn't have to go on the hike. It was 3 miles long and I get tired going up the stairs at home. 2) We brought smores. So, he agreed to my very reasonable conditions and we packed up and headed to the mountains.

Liz was gracious enough to offer us her 4-man tent to use and we purchased an air mattress and some new sleeping bags. Everyone met up at one of the ski resorts and headed out for the hike. Me? I stayed at the resort and hung out in the truck, watching "Stranger Than Fiction" on my laptop and eating snacks. The mountain air was a pleasant 50+ degrees and I surrounded myself with pillows in the back seat. I had my own private drive-in theater. After about 2 1/2 hours, H and the kids returned from the hike and we headed down to the campsite that the group reserved. Less than half of the hiking group met up at the campsite and less than half of that number stayed for the night.

I found a nice, flat spot for us to pitch the tent, then H blew up the air mattress, and set up the blankets and pillows. The tent went up really easy and we set the mattress in before pumping it. It is a queen mattress and H bought a manual pump. Just imagine trying to blow up a really thick queen mattress with a bicycle pump. H was huffing and puffing while airing it up. I asked him how much the electric pump was at the store and he replied, with a bit of forlorn in his voice, "$12." Needless to say, we'll be returning the hand pump and getting the electric. After finally getting it set up, Mister found a leak in the mattress, which H had to patch.

After all that work, we then started some dinner. We barbecued some kabobs with beef rib meat on the grill. Others had brought foods wrapped in foil and threw them in the fire pit to cook. Since the ribs would take a little while, the kids and I happily moved on to the smores. There is nothing like a gooey, messy, warm smore over the campfire. It was heaven. The meat also turned out just right. We all sat around the fire, eating and chatting. I had not met any of the people there before and we had a pretty good time.

When it was late and time for bed, I left H chatting by the fire and headed for the tent. Once inside and comfortable, I realized that just because a tent is referred to as a 4-man tent doesn't necessarily guarantee that 4 people will fit in it. This is especially true when 2 of the 4 are a pregnant woman and the large man that is H. With me and the kids situated, I knew there was no way that H would be able to fit in with us comfortably. He ended up at the bottom of the mattress, under our feet. He and I didn't get a lot of sleep that night. This was compounded by the fact that I remembered right before heading to bed that I require at least 2-3 trips to the bathroom at night. Thankfully, there was a restroom just one campsite over. But, I have to say, growing up on horror movies, particularly "Friday the 13th" did not make the trips to the bathroom very comfortable...not to mention all the animals that I knew were staring out of the bushes at me. As long as they weren't wearing masks and carrying machetes, they didn't bother me much.

In the morning, H informed me that our camp had had some visitors early that morning. He had gotten up and opened the tent door to find two moose in the camp. They were just passing through, sniffing the tents and checking out the three guys that chose to camp out in the open. H woke them up and warned them of the moose nearby, but he was really in awe of them. Unfortunately, the moose had headed out before we could get up to see them. We did see a doe, though, and a lot of chipmunks. We made a breakfast of bacon and scrambled eggs. Bacon over a campfire cannot be beat. Yum! After breakfast and some more chatting, we packed up, cleaned up and headed home...where we quickly laid down and passed out for a while. It was a lot of fun and I'm glad we went.

The Newest Member of our Church

We had a very full weekend. Thursday, we watched fireworks in our area and they were some of the best the city has ever put on. Friday, I cleaned house and we attended a bbq at my sis-in-law's sister's house. After dinner and some birthday cake for her husband, the kids lit fireworks and we enjoyed the cool breeze of the evening. We headed home late and passed out easily.
Saturday was the best day of all. Tiny was baptized at our church. She has been really excited about it and was all smiles and anticipation. After cleaning up the house more and preparing some food, we headed to the church. I helped her dress in her white baptism jumpsuit and led her back out into the room. We sang the opening hymn "I am a Child of God", had an opening prayer, and I gave a talk on baptism. I told Tiny that getting baptized was the best decision I ever made and that my life has been greatly blessed for choosing to follow the Lord, she being one of those blessings. It was a short talk, but the smile she gave me said that it was important to her.Her daddy then took her into the baptismal font and performed the sacred ordinance. She came up to me, wet and smiling from ear to ear. I helped her change into dry clothes and brushed her hair. All the while, I was talking to her about how proud I was of her and explained what I meant when I said that she was one of my blessing of baptism. Had I not joined the church, I wouldn't have met her father, and then been blessed with the wonderful family that I have. It was such a special moment that I was able to share with her. After we returned to the room, we heard a talk on the Holy Ghost, after which she received that blessing. We followed with another hymn, "I Love to See the Temple" and had a closing prayer.
Afterward, everyone, family and friends, came up to congratulate Tiny. At one point, she whispered to me, "I can't stop smiling." She had a large grin on her face. Her face and her eyes were bright with the Spirit of God. She had that smile for the rest of the day. We had a little get together at the house afterward. Many of our family and friends came to eat lunch and a cake that my sis-in-law made that looks like a set of scriptures with a verse that Tiny picked out. My sis-in-law is really gifted when it comes to making cakes.

All in all, Tiny had a great day and that makes me happy.


And the day didn't end there. Some folks from H's graduating class were having a picnic since many of them would be in town for the 4th. So, after about an hour of recuperation, I was ready to go again and we headed down to it. H got to visit with a lot of old friends and I made a few new ones. The kids ran wild by the creek and had a blast. We finally made it home late and crashed for the night. It was a long, good day.


Today, we just had church. I'm thankful for that because I don't know how much more excitement I can take in one weekend. Now, we're going to relax a bit. I see the doc again on Thursday and am hoping that some progress has been made. This much discomfort and fatigue is more worth it if I know it's doing something. I hope you all had a good holiday weekend and are doing well.


By the way, here's the latest belly pic. Looking low?

Just an update

We returned home yesterday from a trip to Boise. H's grandfather passed away last week at the age of 95 and after a really good life. So, we attended the funeral and viewing on Monday. He was a good man that had a good wife and kids. He was always very positive and loved to eat. He worked hard, loved his family, and helped everyone he could along the way. I see a lot of him in H. It was a nice service, full of kind words and a few tears.

Afterward, we attended a reception at H's aunt and uncle's house. H is the youngest of 10 kids and it was the first time in four years that all of them were together. We also got to visit with many aunts, uncles, and cousins. It was really nice to visit and catch up with everyone.

It was a little up in the air if we would go, since I am so far along in the pregnancy. But I visited the doctor on Friday and he was fine with me traveling. My appointment went well. I am already dilated to 2 cm and am 60% effaced. Those of you who have kids know what all that means, those that don't might be a bit put off if I explained. Overall, I feel good for being so far along, but I am having spurts of discomfort. I'm really tired and my feet tend to swell up enough to swallow my ankles. Not very attractive. It helps though when H randomly compliments me and tells me that he thinks I'm very sexy.

I honestly don't know if I'll make it to my due date. But I will keep a close eye on things and keep you updated. I will also try to post pictures soon of the belly, our late Grandpa, and of the trip. Hope you're all doing well.

A Pretty Nice Weekend

Nothing much new here. I had the privilege of having tea with the LonDolls on Saturday. Unfortunately, Bree is not here this summer...but it was still lovely. I decided to take Tiny with us since she is an honorary LonDoll. She was also looking a little bored, lying in front of the tv on a hot summer day. She really perked up when I invited her. When we got to the bakery, she just lit up, looking around the room at all the teapots and decorations. I loved her reaction. While the tea was great and the company was, of course, excellent, it became very warm in the bakery and pretty uncomfortable. It is proving to be a sweltering summer, not improved by being pregnant.

Saturday night, our church ward had a potluck. I am now in charge of arranging such activities and had a lot of help from others setting up. It turned out pretty well, and the food was great. Sometimes I feel a bit overwhelmed by all my church callings. But, of course, it always works out.

Sunday, we visited my brother-in-law's family because my nephew was ordained a deacon at church. Afterward, we had a great dinner and cake and then hung out, napped, and played around. It was a pretty pleasant day, except for my not feeling very good.

I always wondered how women were confused about whether or not they were in labor. Both of my labors were pretty clear cut and unmistakeable. But yesterday, I woke up feeling odd. I had a dull ache in my back and across my stomach, like when I have PMS. This lasted through the day, only slightly increasing. I was having fake contractions, nothing new. It was a bit frustrating because I was pretty uncomfortable at times and thought that if I was going to be that uncomfortable, that it should at least progress, or diminish. Anyway, I didn't feel better until really late last night. So, now I can understand a little better why some women get confused.

The house is coming along slowly. I started working on Mister's room today and only got about halfway done. He still has a lot of stuff under his bed and in his closet to sort through. That kid has a large garbage collection littering his floor. Tiny's room will be next, followed by my own, then I will work a bit more on the rest of the house. I'm not going for a spotless house, just more organized and easier to maintain, with less stuff cluttering it up. I'm hoping this isn't a neverending battle.

Nusery Before and After

Before:

After: