Aren't nick names a funny thing? I woke up this morning thinking about this most random thing. Maybe it was the lack of sleep I've been getting lately. Maybe it's the fact that my 15-month-old son has suddenly started calling our three-year-old, Olivia, "La-La," because he can't pronounce her name. Haha. It's so stinking cute, by the way. But yeah, it has me thinking about nick names. Why do some stick? Why do some fade away into nothing-ness?
For some reason, I have always had an affection for calling my kids by a nickname. When my oldest son was born (he will be eight in June), my sister started calling him Logi-Bear, and the name stuck. To this day, he goes by this nick name, or the shortened version, "Logi." I even wrote a short story series (there are only currently two stories in existence), based on the name.
Bailey, my 5-year-old, has been called "Bailey Boo" since forever. When she was a baby, we called her Bailey Cakes - and though I call her that one on occasion, "Boo Boo" is the one that has really stuck. I call her "Pun'kin Pie" too, and I think that one is her favorite.
Miss O, my 3-year-old (poor child), has had so many nick names. "Miss O," was one given to her by her aunt a few year ago, and that one has certainly stuck. I also call her "Stink Bug," because she is such a little stinker. Haha. And then there is the afore-mentioned "La-La," which just recently came about. We were at our church building recently helping to clean the building, when I started calling out her name at one point in the night. The baby, who was following close behind me, tried mimicking her name, only to pronounce it as "La-La." We all thought it was so adorable, especially when he continued repeating it with such enthusiasm, and has since done so to entertain us. He is so proud of his accomplishment too. Haha. Let's see if that one sticks. It would be cute to hear him calling her La-La even when he is old enough to pronounce her name more accurately.
The baby also has a few nicknames. His name is Ashton, but we call him Ash or Ashy. I call him "Mister" a lot, for some reason, but his name was actually derived from my older son's desire to call him Ash, after the Pokemon character. I didn't want to just name him Ash, so we compromised, and named him Ashton so my son could call him Ash.
Now, my oldest daughter has given herself a nickname. When she started high school three years ago, she started going by the name, Emmie. Her name is actually Madison, so people often get confused as to how she derived the nick name for herself (it isn't the typical nick name used for her given name, but she isn't the typical teenager either. Let's just say she is a special individual. Special and creative - one who likes to make her own rules. Hehe). But yeah, she has since told people at her new school and in our new ward that her name is Emmie, so you can imagine the confusion when I refer to this mysterious "Madison" character, and these people have no clue as to who I am even talking about.
So yeah . . . I know some people refuse to be called by a nick name - even a shortened version of their own name. Or they refuse to call their children by a nickname, and that's fine - to each his own. Maybe I just like nick names because using a term of endearment with someone implies a closeness to them, a strong bond. Or who knows. Maybe I am just a weirdo.
Do you have a nickname? Do you call your kids by a nick name? How did those nick names come to be? Enquiry minds must know. :)
Saturday, April 21, 2018
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
The Right to Not Say Anything
I have been trying to avoid Facebook today, as the barrage of negative posts have been flowing in from my Liberal Facebook friends, who have continued with vigor to weigh in on their disappointment and disgust with last night's election results - basically attacking Trump's supporters with accusation of bigotry, sexism, racism, etc . . .
I told myself last night, after learning of Trump's victory over Hillary Clinton, that I was going to refrain from commenting on or engaging in any political commentary throughout the day today, as I knew emotions would be heightened, and tensions would be magnified - and to be quite honest, it's not worth losing friendships with people I've known for years because of a difference of political opinion.
There were several times throughout the day, however, that I saw a post and almost could not refrain from defending myself and my choice of candidate. I just don't understand the hypocrisy that I've been seeing all over social media today; to call ALL Trump supporters bigots, racists, sexists, etc. is to engage in the very same behavior that these people claim to have been oppressed by. Type-casting works both ways, my friends, and it does nothing to build bridges, mend fences, or to extend an olive branch. Besides, do these people not realize that I am someone THEY know in real life? Come on, friends, let's sit back and think about what we're posting on social media.
I, for one, did not chose to oppose Clinton because she is a woman. Just like I didn't choose to oppose Obama (four AND eight years ago) because he is black. Their race and/or sex had NOTHING to do with my disdain for their policies, nor my decision to rally against them . . . and I could have chosen to stand from a rooftop (or on my Facebook soapbox) and shout my disapproval of these facebook posts, continuing to stir the pot and perpetuate the anger and outrage, but what would that have accomplished, really?
In the end, I decided that it was best to simply utilize my right to not say anything, and chose rather to unfollow a few people for the next week or so until emotions settle and the hype of this election dies down. This choice was not made with the intention of cutting anyone out of my circle of influence on a permanent basis. I just need to separate myself from the dissention and the hateful posts to maintain my own sanity. So yeah, today I am grateful for the right to not say anything.
I voted. My voice was heard. My candidate won . . . and I have a sense of peace that we are headed in a direction that will make America great again. So, why would I need to get on social media and say anything about yesterday's election results, perpetuating the discord?
I know there are many who disagree with my choice of candidate, and that is perfectly okay. After all, this is America, and I choose to continue to respect those who disagree with me all the same; otherwise, I would not be friends with them - on Facebook, or in what we like to call "the real world."
So, here's to hoping that Trump comes through with the promises he made to make America great again. In the meantime, I will continue to pray for him and for the healing and unification of this great land. God bless the U.S.A.
I told myself last night, after learning of Trump's victory over Hillary Clinton, that I was going to refrain from commenting on or engaging in any political commentary throughout the day today, as I knew emotions would be heightened, and tensions would be magnified - and to be quite honest, it's not worth losing friendships with people I've known for years because of a difference of political opinion.
There were several times throughout the day, however, that I saw a post and almost could not refrain from defending myself and my choice of candidate. I just don't understand the hypocrisy that I've been seeing all over social media today; to call ALL Trump supporters bigots, racists, sexists, etc. is to engage in the very same behavior that these people claim to have been oppressed by. Type-casting works both ways, my friends, and it does nothing to build bridges, mend fences, or to extend an olive branch. Besides, do these people not realize that I am someone THEY know in real life? Come on, friends, let's sit back and think about what we're posting on social media.
I, for one, did not chose to oppose Clinton because she is a woman. Just like I didn't choose to oppose Obama (four AND eight years ago) because he is black. Their race and/or sex had NOTHING to do with my disdain for their policies, nor my decision to rally against them . . . and I could have chosen to stand from a rooftop (or on my Facebook soapbox) and shout my disapproval of these facebook posts, continuing to stir the pot and perpetuate the anger and outrage, but what would that have accomplished, really?
In the end, I decided that it was best to simply utilize my right to not say anything, and chose rather to unfollow a few people for the next week or so until emotions settle and the hype of this election dies down. This choice was not made with the intention of cutting anyone out of my circle of influence on a permanent basis. I just need to separate myself from the dissention and the hateful posts to maintain my own sanity. So yeah, today I am grateful for the right to not say anything.
I voted. My voice was heard. My candidate won . . . and I have a sense of peace that we are headed in a direction that will make America great again. So, why would I need to get on social media and say anything about yesterday's election results, perpetuating the discord?
I know there are many who disagree with my choice of candidate, and that is perfectly okay. After all, this is America, and I choose to continue to respect those who disagree with me all the same; otherwise, I would not be friends with them - on Facebook, or in what we like to call "the real world."
So, here's to hoping that Trump comes through with the promises he made to make America great again. In the meantime, I will continue to pray for him and for the healing and unification of this great land. God bless the U.S.A.
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| Photo Credit: The Purple Lady |
He doesn't love me the way I want him to
Today is my husband's birthday, so I would be remiss if I didn't express my gratitude for him today. I have been struggling with how much I miss my mom lately, and how alone I have felt since her passing . . . combine this struggle with crazy unpredictable pregnancy hormones and I feel like I have been a little hard on him, as a result. Sometimes I get frustrated because I don't think he appreciates me, or loves me the way I think I deserve to be loved, and I allow these misconceptions to fester inside and create a bitterness that perpetuates contention and a lack of charity.
Now, we all know that's a bunch of malarky . . . that my husband does, in fact love me and appreciates me, and I was recently reminded (again) of such as I came across one of my favorite quotes:
So, here is a list of 10 reasons why I am grateful for my husband:
1. He recently revealed to me that he has a playlist that he listens to regularly, which he titled, "Love My Wife Better," and it is filled with songs that encourage appreciating what you have, and loving the ones in your life more fully. This may sound silly, but I thought it was one of the greatest romantic gestures he has ever shown me;
2. When I express my frustrations with him, he rarely ever lashes out at me, or gets angry. He just takes it all in, as if to process what the problem is and how to fix it. I often mistake this for failing to communicate with me, or shutting down emotionally, but I've come to realize that just because he isn't outwardly giving me the validation I seek in the moment, it doesn't mean he isn't internalizing the problem, trying to think of ways to improve, and make my life easier. I love him;
3. He is not too prideful to admit when he is wrong;
4. He honors me and our commitment to each other with his integrity, and by being loyal in thought and action;
5. He values my happiness;
6. He loves our children unconditionally, and though he often comes across as being the tough disciplinarian (especially with our teenager, and our son), he is usually the first one to show them an increase of love.
7. He is always telling our children to respect and obey me, and to act when they are told (by me) to do something. This may seem like a simple thing, yet to me it is huge. I have seen first-hand how some parents undermine each other in front of their children, but I feel like I have his support and respect 100% in this area.
8. He values physical intimacy. Let's get real for a minute . . . when you've been married almost ten years and you've got four kids (with one on the way), This. Is. Huge.
9. He makes me laugh; and
10. He is genuinely good, and he seeks after righteous things for me and for our family.
I truly am grateful to have this man in my life, and I am committed to focusing on his goodness as I thank my Heavenly Father for blessing me with such a devout eternal companion.
I love you, Babe. Happy Birthday.
Now, we all know that's a bunch of malarky . . . that my husband does, in fact love me and appreciates me, and I was recently reminded (again) of such as I came across one of my favorite quotes:
"I've learned that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to, doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have." -UnknownI've been praying a lot lately for revelation on how I can be a better wife - how I can better communicate my needs, while still being compassionate toward my husband and finding ways to foster acceptance and forgiveness in our relationship; to be more loving and supportive toward him, that I might gain a better understanding of how I can strengthen our relationship and perpetuate love instead of resentment . . . and as I came across this quote again, I was reminded to reflect on all the ways he does show his love for me. It's just amazing how in the course of a few short days, my attitude has changed to one of gratitude, and I actually find myself at a loss for words at how lucky I am to have him in my life.
So, here is a list of 10 reasons why I am grateful for my husband:
1. He recently revealed to me that he has a playlist that he listens to regularly, which he titled, "Love My Wife Better," and it is filled with songs that encourage appreciating what you have, and loving the ones in your life more fully. This may sound silly, but I thought it was one of the greatest romantic gestures he has ever shown me;
2. When I express my frustrations with him, he rarely ever lashes out at me, or gets angry. He just takes it all in, as if to process what the problem is and how to fix it. I often mistake this for failing to communicate with me, or shutting down emotionally, but I've come to realize that just because he isn't outwardly giving me the validation I seek in the moment, it doesn't mean he isn't internalizing the problem, trying to think of ways to improve, and make my life easier. I love him;
3. He is not too prideful to admit when he is wrong;
4. He honors me and our commitment to each other with his integrity, and by being loyal in thought and action;
5. He values my happiness;
6. He loves our children unconditionally, and though he often comes across as being the tough disciplinarian (especially with our teenager, and our son), he is usually the first one to show them an increase of love.
7. He is always telling our children to respect and obey me, and to act when they are told (by me) to do something. This may seem like a simple thing, yet to me it is huge. I have seen first-hand how some parents undermine each other in front of their children, but I feel like I have his support and respect 100% in this area.
8. He values physical intimacy. Let's get real for a minute . . . when you've been married almost ten years and you've got four kids (with one on the way), This. Is. Huge.
9. He makes me laugh; and
10. He is genuinely good, and he seeks after righteous things for me and for our family.
I truly am grateful to have this man in my life, and I am committed to focusing on his goodness as I thank my Heavenly Father for blessing me with such a devout eternal companion.
I love you, Babe. Happy Birthday.
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| Photo Credit: The Purple Lady |
Monday, November 7, 2016
Playing Catch-up
I have been a little bit of a slacker the last few days, and have been remiss in posting for the 30-days-of-Gratitude Challenge, so here is my attempt to reconcile this shortcoming:
Day 3: I am thankful for date night. Because of our fun, little birthday perk email from Fogo de Chao in Downtown Summerlin, my hubby took me to a nice dinner on Wednesday night to celebrate our birthdays. This place is absolutely amazing. Their food is delicious, the service is incredible, and they made the night super special by writing, "Happy Birthday" on my dessert plate (and on Hubby's to-go box that he ordered his dessert in). They even lit a candle for me, and comped both of our desserts. We went there for our anniversary back in April, and they comped our dessert then too. And did I mention their food is insanely delicious?
Anyway, with my husband's crazy schedule, we aren't always able to spend a lot of time together, so date night is one of my favorite things. Date night isn't always as fancy as dinner at Fogo de Chao; sometimes, we escape for a quick meet-up between Philharmonic rehearsals. Sometimes, it's not even on a weekend (like our Wednesday night birthday dinner celebration). Sometimes, date night is something as simple as a quick trip through the drive-thru, and a night of playing Pokemon Go - but it gives us an opportunity to unwind, and to spend one-on-one time together. I truly love my husband, and I am grateful that he has always placed value on something as important as date night.
Day 4: Today, I am thankful for power. We had an outage on the 4th, and it quickly became evident how often we take something as simple as electricity for granted. We had no access to the internet, the tv, and couldn't even turn the light on to use the restroom. It was a "fun" few hours with all the kids home (and no power), to say the least.
Day 5: A competent, teenage-daughter. This girl saves my life some days. She is usually the one that helps me out around the house, and often steps in to help with the kids when she can see that I am feeling overwhelmed. There were a few nights this last week when the hubby was working late and she offered to take the kids while I went out for some alone time. I didn't take advantage of her offer at the time (kids needed baths and had homework to do), but she did watch the kids a few times last week while the hubby and I went on our birthday date, and ran some errands another day. I don't know what I am going to do in a few years when she leaves the nest and starts on her own adventure into adulthood. I am truly blessed to have her in my life, especially with a new baby due in January.
Day 6: The sacrament. I read recently in the Book of Mormon about the time when Christ visited the American continent after he was resurrected, and how the multitudes of His disciples waited in reverence as he touched and blessed each one of them. I've read this story plenty of times before, but this time, I found myself reflecting on my own relationship with the Savior, and how I treat the time that I have to partake of His Atonement every Sunday when I take the sacrament.
With three small kids to keep our hour in sacrament ever-so-interesting (along with a few other primary aged children that usually sit with us during sacrament because they live with their less-active aunt, and come to church alone with their 13-year-old sister), I often find it difficult to maintain reverence while the sacrament is being passed, and usually feel like it is nearly impossible to feel the spirit. This scripture story has helped me to truly reflect on the importance of that time honoring our Savior, though, and I have actively started looking for ways to keep the kids engaged in activities that remind them of the Savior, allowing me to think of Him during that time as well.
It's a work in progress, but I am truly so grateful for the opportunity that I have each week to partake of the sacrament, and renew my covenants with Him.
Day 7: Tomorrow is Election Day - so today, I am thankful for the ability that I have as an American (and as a woman) to vote. I think of all the men and women who sacrificed so that I could have this freedom, and I feel it is truly my duty to let my voice be heard. It probably sounds cliche, but it's something I take very seriously.
My husband and I voted early this election, and there were a few issues on the ballot that are very important to us. So, even though I was not 100% satisfied with the candidates we have to choose from this election, I still have a great sense of pride knowing that I participated in such a meaningful event, and that I did my part to honor our forefathers in their mission to make this country great.
Day 3: I am thankful for date night. Because of our fun, little birthday perk email from Fogo de Chao in Downtown Summerlin, my hubby took me to a nice dinner on Wednesday night to celebrate our birthdays. This place is absolutely amazing. Their food is delicious, the service is incredible, and they made the night super special by writing, "Happy Birthday" on my dessert plate (and on Hubby's to-go box that he ordered his dessert in). They even lit a candle for me, and comped both of our desserts. We went there for our anniversary back in April, and they comped our dessert then too. And did I mention their food is insanely delicious?
Anyway, with my husband's crazy schedule, we aren't always able to spend a lot of time together, so date night is one of my favorite things. Date night isn't always as fancy as dinner at Fogo de Chao; sometimes, we escape for a quick meet-up between Philharmonic rehearsals. Sometimes, it's not even on a weekend (like our Wednesday night birthday dinner celebration). Sometimes, date night is something as simple as a quick trip through the drive-thru, and a night of playing Pokemon Go - but it gives us an opportunity to unwind, and to spend one-on-one time together. I truly love my husband, and I am grateful that he has always placed value on something as important as date night.
Day 4: Today, I am thankful for power. We had an outage on the 4th, and it quickly became evident how often we take something as simple as electricity for granted. We had no access to the internet, the tv, and couldn't even turn the light on to use the restroom. It was a "fun" few hours with all the kids home (and no power), to say the least.
Day 5: A competent, teenage-daughter. This girl saves my life some days. She is usually the one that helps me out around the house, and often steps in to help with the kids when she can see that I am feeling overwhelmed. There were a few nights this last week when the hubby was working late and she offered to take the kids while I went out for some alone time. I didn't take advantage of her offer at the time (kids needed baths and had homework to do), but she did watch the kids a few times last week while the hubby and I went on our birthday date, and ran some errands another day. I don't know what I am going to do in a few years when she leaves the nest and starts on her own adventure into adulthood. I am truly blessed to have her in my life, especially with a new baby due in January.
Day 6: The sacrament. I read recently in the Book of Mormon about the time when Christ visited the American continent after he was resurrected, and how the multitudes of His disciples waited in reverence as he touched and blessed each one of them. I've read this story plenty of times before, but this time, I found myself reflecting on my own relationship with the Savior, and how I treat the time that I have to partake of His Atonement every Sunday when I take the sacrament.
With three small kids to keep our hour in sacrament ever-so-interesting (along with a few other primary aged children that usually sit with us during sacrament because they live with their less-active aunt, and come to church alone with their 13-year-old sister), I often find it difficult to maintain reverence while the sacrament is being passed, and usually feel like it is nearly impossible to feel the spirit. This scripture story has helped me to truly reflect on the importance of that time honoring our Savior, though, and I have actively started looking for ways to keep the kids engaged in activities that remind them of the Savior, allowing me to think of Him during that time as well.
It's a work in progress, but I am truly so grateful for the opportunity that I have each week to partake of the sacrament, and renew my covenants with Him.
Day 7: Tomorrow is Election Day - so today, I am thankful for the ability that I have as an American (and as a woman) to vote. I think of all the men and women who sacrificed so that I could have this freedom, and I feel it is truly my duty to let my voice be heard. It probably sounds cliche, but it's something I take very seriously.
My husband and I voted early this election, and there were a few issues on the ballot that are very important to us. So, even though I was not 100% satisfied with the candidates we have to choose from this election, I still have a great sense of pride knowing that I participated in such a meaningful event, and that I did my part to honor our forefathers in their mission to make this country great.
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| Photo Credit: The Purple Lady |
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
Birthday Perks
Today is day two of the 30 Days of Gratitude, and today, I am grateful for birthday perks. As a kid, having a birthday on Halloween was always so awesome because here in Nevada, we celebrated Nevada Day on October 31st, so we always had the day off of school. Now, if that isn't a birthday perk, I don't know what is. It probably spoiled me to a degree, though, because as I became an adult, I always felt like birthdays were an excuse to have the day off from work. Unfortunately, not every boss I ever had always agreed with me, and I was denied the request for the day off on more than one occasion. Boo. This was the beginning of the birthday disillusionment, I believe.
Shortly after I graduated high school, the party-pooper bureaucrats in the school district decided to change the day the holiday is observed to the last Friday of the month, so while having a three-day weekend at the end of October is fun, it only falls on my birthday once every seven years or so.
Being a stay-at-home mom of four, with three of my kids already in school, I always think it would be much better if the kids didn't have to go to school at all on Halloween, and we could just stay home spending the day carving pumpkins, watching corny Halloween movies . . . and maybe baking and frosting some halloween-shaped sugar cookies, while frolicking in our costumes until the time came to go trick-or-treating. Is that really too much to ask for on a girl's birthday? Hehe.
So, let's get real for a minute. Growing up is hard to do. Some days, it just plain stinks. Being an adult isn't all bad, though, and it definitely has its perks too. My husband, whose birthday happens to fall eight days after mine, messaged me today asking if I got a birthday email from our favorite (not so cheap) Brazilian steakhouse, that we usually reserve for special occasions - like birthdays and/or our anniversary.
I checked my email, and sure enough, I did in fact have an email from them for $25 toward a lunch or dinner. The best part is that Hubby got one for his birthday too, so he totally gets to take me there for a belated birthday dinner with a $50 discount toward our meal. Score. Now, that is a birthday perk that I can get behind.
Shortly after I graduated high school, the party-pooper bureaucrats in the school district decided to change the day the holiday is observed to the last Friday of the month, so while having a three-day weekend at the end of October is fun, it only falls on my birthday once every seven years or so.
Being a stay-at-home mom of four, with three of my kids already in school, I always think it would be much better if the kids didn't have to go to school at all on Halloween, and we could just stay home spending the day carving pumpkins, watching corny Halloween movies . . . and maybe baking and frosting some halloween-shaped sugar cookies, while frolicking in our costumes until the time came to go trick-or-treating. Is that really too much to ask for on a girl's birthday? Hehe.
So, let's get real for a minute. Growing up is hard to do. Some days, it just plain stinks. Being an adult isn't all bad, though, and it definitely has its perks too. My husband, whose birthday happens to fall eight days after mine, messaged me today asking if I got a birthday email from our favorite (not so cheap) Brazilian steakhouse, that we usually reserve for special occasions - like birthdays and/or our anniversary.
I checked my email, and sure enough, I did in fact have an email from them for $25 toward a lunch or dinner. The best part is that Hubby got one for his birthday too, so he totally gets to take me there for a belated birthday dinner with a $50 discount toward our meal. Score. Now, that is a birthday perk that I can get behind.
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| Photo credit: The Purple Lady |
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
Thankful for Tender Mercies
Since my mom passed away last February, I have really been dreading this upcoming holiday season, and with the official kickoff of the holidays this week (the festivities start with Halloween around these parts), and my birthday yesterday, I have been feeling her absence something fierce these last few weeks. I knew that this holiday season was going to be a particularly difficult one for me - it being the first of many without her, but as my birthday approached, I started to feel myself dipping into a depressed emotional state - one that I know has been affecting my ability to be a good wife and mom.
I am not going to lie . . . I’ve been having a little pity party lately, entertaining thoughts that since my mom is longer here, there is no one left that understands me like she does, no one who loves me like she does, or takes a genuine, sincere interest in my happiness like she does. I don't doubt that pregnancy hormones had a role to play in all of this emotional chaos, but I also know these negative thoughts have been contributing to my unhappiness lately.
My sister-in-law, The Purple Lady, recently extended an invitation for me to join in on her traditional 30-days-of-gratitude challenge, and I knew it was a message from the Lord that I needed to focus on the things in my life that I am thankful for, and that doing so would bring me joy this holiday season. So, here it goes . . .
Today is day one of the challenge - and today, I am thankful for tender mercies. Just tonight, I attended my daughter’s Young Women in Excellence program at church, and I was reminded by a special guest speaker that I am a daughter of a loving Heavenly Father who knows ME, who understands my struggles, and wants me to be happy.
During the speaker’s talk, we read 1 Corintians 10:13, which says:
“There is no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
I think in this scripture, it’s safe to say that we can also replace the word, “temptation” with “trial” or “suffering,” and it still holds true, and reflecting on this scripture tonight reminded me that this IS true in my own life.
I know the Lord allows us to endure certain trials because they are meant to strengthen us. I can’t tell you how much my testimony of the Savior’s Atonement has grown since my mother passed away - because I have seen first hand how the Atonement applies in my life - and I know that I HAD to experience this trial for that growth to be achieved. Despite that knowledge, however, the trial has not always been easy to bear, and I am grateful for the simple reminder I received tonight that the Lord is on my side, and that with his comfort to fortify me, I can and will get through this too.
When I got home from the program tonight, I hopped on Facebook and soon found myself reading an old post that I wrote a few months back, where I spoke about a tender mercy I had received regarding a playlist I had put together after my mom’s passing - how listening to it that day brought such a tremendous feeling of comfort and peace, and how I was also reminded then of God’s love for me.
It was almost as if by reading this post, the Lord just wanted to remind me (once again) that He has always been right there beside me . . . to guide and comfort me in my sorrow, and to strengthen me when I think I can’t possibly bear the weight of it all on my own.
I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who does hear and answer my prayers. I am grateful for my knowledge that because of His perfect Plan of Happiness, I WILL be together with my mom again, and I am grateful for the tender mercies I receive daily to remind me of His love for ME.
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| Photo Credit: The Purple Lady |
Thursday, January 29, 2015
An Ode to Poop . . .
Okay, so this isn't really an ode in the traditional sense, but it’s just too good a story not to share. Let me first put this disclaimer out there (in case it wasn't made obvious by the brazen title. Hehe) that this is a post about poop. So, if you get a little uncomfortable with this topic, or if you still have yet to be exposed to the less glittery parts that come with having children, then this post may not be for you. I know, I know . . . children are beautiful, wonderful angels, sent from our Heavenly Father to bless our lives and bring us immense joy - and I am so grateful to have four of my own - but let’s be real for a second . . . being a parent is messy. I am sorry to dampen the illusion here, but any new parent will come to this realization the very first time a newborn poops on them. lol.
I know that this is still somewhat of a tabu topic, but come on, Dinosaur Train has an entire song dedicated to the subject, and I think it’s time we all get a little more comfortable talking about poop. That being said, can I just state the fact that I am not a fan of potty training! I will even go so far as to say that I LOATHE the topic completely, and I have plenty of logic to justify my rationale here, but this experience takes the cake . . . or should I say, the poo!
My two-year-old has been potty training for a month now, and for the last few weeks, I have had to leave her completely “butt-nakey” while at home because she’s gotten to the point where she will go pee pee in the potty when she doesn’t have any clothes on (from the waist down), but will pee in her pants if you put the even slightest piece of clothing on her (even a pair of panties).
So yeah, we’ve had a little nudest in our midst for the past few weeks, and she has been doing really well during the day in the potty area. Still, she refuses to sit on the toilet and go poop, so I’ve been a little nervous to take away the Easy-Ups at nap time and bed time, or any time when we happen to be out and about running errands - for fear that she might have an accident when a clean bathroom and/or shower are not readily available. Then, she started doing something super naughty. She would continuously tell me that she did not have to go poop (in order to avoid a trip to the toilet under my supervision), but then would sneak an Easy-Up out of the nursery, put it on all by herself, then proceed to poop in said Easy-Up.
I finally got to the point where I felt like her over-all progress was at a stand-still, and if she was becoming aware of her need to poo to the point that she could put an Easy-Up on to relieve herself, then she was definitely just as capable of telling me she had to use to restroom so I could take her to the potty.
Anyway, at this point, I was completely fed up with the whole process, and I suddenly had an epiphany: I had been allowing her to use the Easy-Ups at nap time/bedtime, etc. to avoid an accident, but what I was really doing was enabling her to use them as a crutch to avoid any real accountability in the #2 department, and It was stalling her progression. As long as I made the Easy-Ups available, she knew that she had them as an option.
So, a few nights ago, I decided to take away the Easy-Ups (altogether) cold-turkey. The first night, she did really well and actually slept through the entire night without a single accident. She woke up the next morning completely dry, so I took her right into the bathroom and she went potty (Yay!). I was feeling so proud and even posted about our victory on Facebook.
She stayed dry pretty much all day - even when we were out and about running errands. I thought to myself, “Yay! Maybe taking the Easy-Ups away finally did the trick. Maybe, since she no longer has them to lean on (or pee in), she has realized that she HAS to go in the potty . . . all she has to do now is figure out the poop part." Right?
Then came the night. It all started when she wet the bed (in MY bed, mind you) in the wee hours of the morning. I was lying there one minute, all cozy under the covers, having a nice, comforting dream, I am sure, about something warm and dry . . . and then I rolled over onto the pee-soaked sheets. Now, those of you with children have probably encountered something delightfully similar to the pleasurable experience of being ripped from your sleep only to realize that you are suddenly lying in someone else’s urine, so I am sure you can totally relate to the gaggle of thoughts that raced through my only-partially coherent mind. It was only pee; though (I can assure you that as a parent, I have come into contact with much worse), so after my initially annoyed reaction of, “REALLY?!?” I just got a towel and laid it down underneath her. Don’t judge. lol. I figured that if she could sleep through lying in her own pee, then there was no point in waking her up to change the sheets. Besides, the baby was also in the bed, and I didn’t even dare risk waking THAT beast. There’d be no getting back to sleep for sure.
Now, before you get too concerned about our lovely, new-ish, EXPENSIVE mattress, please take comfort in the fact that the mattress protector WAS on the mattress when all of this went down. So, at least I can praise the heavens for that little saving grace. That mattress protector, my friends, is seriously one of the best purchases we have made to date. You cannot survive parenthood without one.
So, after all of that was said and done, I had nothing but hope for a more productive day on the potty-training front. B-Boo slept for a few more hours, then woke up dry and went straight to the potty. She even did really well throughout the morning, notifying me when she had to go, and she didn’t have any accidents - but then came the terrible, awful . . .
Not long after lunch, she started to complain that her bum was hurting, and from past experience, I had come to realize that this usually meant she was cooking up a nice #2. I asked her several times if she needed to go “poopy", but she kept assuring me that she didn’t. I even tried to get her to sit on the potty at one point, and she absolutely refused, so I figured maybe her bum WAS just hurting. After all, she had been a little constipated, so I thought maybe she had a mild case of hemorrhoids, poor thing.
I should have just followed my instincts and MADE her sit on the potty; though, for just as I allowed myself to get preoccupied with putting away some laundry (heaven forbid I try to be productive while my child is potty-training), she walked into the room with a look of discomfort on her face, stopped a few feet away from where I stood, distracted, and sort of bent her knees awkwardly, reaching down between her legs. I thought at first that she was just trying to convey that her bum was hurting again, but instead, her expression turned to one of repugnance as she stood upright and held out a handful of poop.
She then stood there wailing, “Ew ew ew ew ew ew,” as if she hadn't realized previously that pooping in her hand would be so repulsively grotesque. After my initial exclamations of shock and horror, I marched her to the bathroom and made her dispose of the abomination in the toilet, then proceeded to wash her hands profusely and made her sit on the toilet until I was absolutely certain that she had vanquished the stuff completely.
Afterward, when the reality of it all sunk in, I just sat shaking my head, thinking, “WHY?!? Why does this have to be so hard?” I hear all these stories about how easy it was for some parents to potty-train their kids. Why can’t I have ONE child that just gets with the program without a long, drawn out procession of potty-training drama?
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Thoughts on Repentance . . .
I recently started reading The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis for a book club in which I participate, and I have to say, my mind is blown. I have always loved C.S. Lewis for his deep, thought-provoking insight on Christianity - ever since I first read about the Lion/deity figure who sacrifices himself on an "altar" to redeem the sin of another. It left me in awe over the brilliant, beautiful parallels between Aslan's sacrifice, and that of the Savior, and Lewis continues to inspire and amaze me in this book:
"I do not think that all who choose wrong roads perish; but their rescue consists of being put back on the right road. A sum can be put right: but only by going back till you find the error and working it afresh from that point, never by simply going on. Evil can be undone, but it can not 'develop' into good. Time does not heal it. The spell must be unwound, bit by bit, 'with backward mutters of dissevering power'--or else not. It is still 'either-or'. If we insist on keeping Hell (or even Earth) we shall not see Heaven: if we accept Heaven we shall not be able to retain even the smallest and most intimate souvenirs of Hell. I believe, to be sure, that any man who reaches Heaven will find what he abandoned (even in plucking out his right eye) has not been lost . . . "
What a beautiful illustration of the importance and simplicity of repentance. It's all about "The Mighty Change of Heart (an excellent talk by President Ezra Taft Benson, by the way)". There is so much to ponder on in those few, short sentences, and that's just a snippet I took from the beginning of the preface. Haha.
Seriously, though - for someone who was not a member of The Church, I feel like C.S. Lewis really had a solid testimony of our Heavenly Father's Plan of Happiness, and truly understood the purpose of our time here on the Earth. After reading something so simple, yet so acute, I can't help but feel affected by his depth and creativity.
His writing has inspired me to reflect lately about the kind of writer I aspire to be. I want to write things that move people; things that provoke deep, stimulating contemplation. But how do you get past the fluff in your writing and write about stuff that matters? That is the question, my friends. That is the question . . .
Saturday, November 8, 2014
Death By Chocolate Bundt Cake
Today is my husband's birthday, so I asked him if he had any requests for a birthday cake. Now, my husband is a huge chocolate lover. His mentality: Is there any other flavor? So naturally, he requested a cake that has become one of our family's favorites - chocolate zucchini cake.
This cake is truly the most decadent, moist cake I've ever made (the ganache is seriously to-die-for), and I know how much he enjoys it, so initially, I agreed to make the cake - but then the wheels in my head started turning . . .
A while back, we attended a church dinner where bundt cakes of all flavors served as the center piece to each table, and we were lucky enough to sample one chocolate bundt cake that was insane. From the first bite, I just had to know who made this cake. I asked around and found the culinary genius, and asked her if she'd be willing to share the recipe. She said she would get it to me, but since I was in nursery at the time (I've since been released and received an exciting, new calling. More info to come on that at a later date), and am never in Relief Society, I haven't seen much of her, and still have yet to get the recipe. This, my friends, is why I love Pinterest. :)
With that deliciously decadent slice of heaven in mind, I recently searched on Pinterest for a recipe, and to my satisfaction, there were plenty. Hehe. I was initially searching for one I could make from scratch, but most of them required espresso, or coffee liqueur, so I pinned one that starts with a devil's food cake mix and adds a few simple ingredients to bring about this chocolatey goodness, in all it's glory.
I tweaked the recipe that I found a bit to fit my preferences, so where the recipe asks for water, and oil, I used milk and melted butter. I also replaced the sour cream with greek yogurt, as it has the same consistency and works just as well in creating moisture in baked treats, yet it has several health benefits as well, and is lower in calories. If you want to reduce the calories of the cake even further, you can also use 1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce instead of butter, and I do this often enough - but for today, we are keeping things simple . . . and personally, I just think that butter makes for a better cake. I know, I am an enabler. No shame here. ;)
Anyway, the cake turned out beautifully. My mom was over last night to watch the kids so my husband and I could enjoy a night out to celebrate our birthdays (mine was on Halloween), so we enjoyed the cake as a family before going out . . . and can I just say that I have a NEW favorite cake! It was so chocolaty and moist. I felt like I died and went to chocolate heaven with every sinfully delicious bite.
Also, because I love the ganache from the chocolate zucchini cake recipe, I decided to use that as a topping on our bundt cake (the recipe that I found on Pinterest suggests chocolate syrup . . .bleh!). It was literally "the icing on the cake" . . . so stinkin' yummy!
No licking the computer screen, please. Hehe. If you have a special occasion to celebrate for that special chocolate lover in your life, though - or heck, if you are just in the mood for a nice slice of chocolaty goodness, give this recipe a try. I promise, you will not be disappointed.
So, without further ado . . .
Death by Chocolate Bundt Cake:
This cake is truly the most decadent, moist cake I've ever made (the ganache is seriously to-die-for), and I know how much he enjoys it, so initially, I agreed to make the cake - but then the wheels in my head started turning . . .
A while back, we attended a church dinner where bundt cakes of all flavors served as the center piece to each table, and we were lucky enough to sample one chocolate bundt cake that was insane. From the first bite, I just had to know who made this cake. I asked around and found the culinary genius, and asked her if she'd be willing to share the recipe. She said she would get it to me, but since I was in nursery at the time (I've since been released and received an exciting, new calling. More info to come on that at a later date), and am never in Relief Society, I haven't seen much of her, and still have yet to get the recipe. This, my friends, is why I love Pinterest. :)
With that deliciously decadent slice of heaven in mind, I recently searched on Pinterest for a recipe, and to my satisfaction, there were plenty. Hehe. I was initially searching for one I could make from scratch, but most of them required espresso, or coffee liqueur, so I pinned one that starts with a devil's food cake mix and adds a few simple ingredients to bring about this chocolatey goodness, in all it's glory.
I tweaked the recipe that I found a bit to fit my preferences, so where the recipe asks for water, and oil, I used milk and melted butter. I also replaced the sour cream with greek yogurt, as it has the same consistency and works just as well in creating moisture in baked treats, yet it has several health benefits as well, and is lower in calories. If you want to reduce the calories of the cake even further, you can also use 1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce instead of butter, and I do this often enough - but for today, we are keeping things simple . . . and personally, I just think that butter makes for a better cake. I know, I am an enabler. No shame here. ;)
Anyway, the cake turned out beautifully. My mom was over last night to watch the kids so my husband and I could enjoy a night out to celebrate our birthdays (mine was on Halloween), so we enjoyed the cake as a family before going out . . . and can I just say that I have a NEW favorite cake! It was so chocolaty and moist. I felt like I died and went to chocolate heaven with every sinfully delicious bite.
Also, because I love the ganache from the chocolate zucchini cake recipe, I decided to use that as a topping on our bundt cake (the recipe that I found on Pinterest suggests chocolate syrup . . .bleh!). It was literally "the icing on the cake" . . . so stinkin' yummy!
 |
| "Get in my belly." lol. |
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| Yum sauce. :) |
No licking the computer screen, please. Hehe. If you have a special occasion to celebrate for that special chocolate lover in your life, though - or heck, if you are just in the mood for a nice slice of chocolaty goodness, give this recipe a try. I promise, you will not be disappointed.
So, without further ado . . .
Death by Chocolate Bundt Cake:
Ingredients:
-1 package devil's food cake mix
-1 small package instant chocolate pudding
-1/2 cup milk
-1/2 cup melted butter
-4 eggs
-1 cup plain Greek yogurt
-1 11.5 oz. package chocolate chips (approximately 2 cups)
-chocolate ganache and powdered sugar to garnish.
Directions:
Combine your first 6 ingredients and whisk until there are no dry clumps! (I just threw them into the bowl of my stand mixer for about 2 1/2 minutes). Stir in your chocolate chips and pour batter into a greased/floured bundt cake pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes.* When cake is done, a toothpick or fork will come out mostly clean. Leave in pan until completely cooled. After plating cake, drizzle with chocolate ganache and a dash of powdered sugar to garnish!
*Note: I learned a few years ago from my sister-in-law at Silver Spoon Catering that the trick to a super moist cake is to not over bake it. I usually set my timer for a few minutes before the time given in any recipe, then check my cake with a toothpick. This particular bundt cake was baked to perfection in about 38 minutes. ;)
*Note: I learned a few years ago from my sister-in-law at Silver Spoon Catering that the trick to a super moist cake is to not over bake it. I usually set my timer for a few minutes before the time given in any recipe, then check my cake with a toothpick. This particular bundt cake was baked to perfection in about 38 minutes. ;)
Chocolate Ganache:
6 oz heavy cream
9 oz chopped chocolate (semi-sweet or milk)
Directions: To prepare the ganache topping, heat the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate chips. Wait 3-5 minutes then stir to combine. It may take a few minutes of stirring for the ganache to come together… but it will. It will thicken as it cools. When warm (but not hot) pour over cake and allow to drizzle down sides. Allow frosting to set for about 30 minutes before serving.
Happy Birthday to the love of my life. Now, let's eat cake! :-P
Happy Birthday to the love of my life. Now, let's eat cake! :-P
Credits:
Chocolate bundt cake recipe adapted from Pretty Providence.
Chocolate ganache recipe found at Parsley, Sage and Sweet.
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
50 Shades of Tantrum
I seriously think I deserve an award (maybe Mother-of-the-Year?) for my NEAR psychotic breakdown in the grocery store yesterday afternoon. Any mother, no matter how many kids she has - whether it be one or . . . seven - knows that yes, there are days when your little "darlings" are complete angels. Perhaps they received a supremely recovering night's sleep and somehow miraculously decided to join forces to bring about a magical day of puppy dogs, rainbows and butterflies . . . and then there are days like the one I had yesterday. In reality (or at least it seems for me, lately), those magical days of peace and tranquility have come to be few and far between; yesterday being no exception.
For some reason that I can't seem to recall at present, I had this super bright idea to make a trip to the grocery store yesterday afternoon with my three youngest kids (ages 4, 2, and 6 months) in tow, sans the luxury of a backup set of hands. Maybe deep down inside, I secretly enjoy torturing myself. Maybe subconsciously, I thought, "What better way to challenge my patience, to flirt with the edge of insanity, than to venture into the depths of the Inferno with some kind of sinister death wish. Yes, that must be it. I must have a death wish.
In all reality, this specific trip could not have been avoided. There were some groceries that I needed to pick up, and only had a small window of time in which to do it. Trust me when I say that if I'd had any other option, I would not have made the aforementioned faux pas of attempting this feat at all. But it is what it is.
This actually reminds me of one Saturday a few months ago when Zach was busy with work and I had to take all four kids with me to Costco. That, too, had been a similarly frustrating experience, and as I stood in the check-out line - with a full basket of groceries, one know-it-all, cantankerous teenager, two rambunctious toddlers, and one starving, screaming baby - on the verge of ripping my hair out, or simply curling into the fetal position on the floor with my thumb in my mouth, a passerby (a lady who must have thought it would be amusing to break me) chose that particular moment to "commend" me on my bravery for venturing out into the world with four kids in tow. Come on. Really? I tell you, it took everything in my power not to come unglued on the lady. I had to actively remind myself that she too is a child of God (lol), that she was probably well-meaning, and that it would be in no one's best interest for me to tell her where to shove her "encouragement". Generally, I do try to have patience with people, even if they are ignorant or have a complete lack of empathy for others, but man - some people seriously have no tact . . . which brings me back to our most recent fun, little outing.
From the minute we entered the grocery store yesterday, L-Bear was acting all kinds of crazy. He kept leaving my side to run down the aisle, around the corner, then back up the other side of the aisle, and he did this with a maniacal cackle, as if he thought it was the most hilarious thing in the world. The first time he did it, I gave him a warning. The second time he did it, B-Boo followed suit, and I suddenly had two screaming banshees running through the produce section of the grocery store. I finally grabbed him by the shoulders, looked him straight in the eyes and told him to calm down or he was going to get a spanking when we got home.
He discontinued running around after that, but almost immediately started begging me for a treat. I told him that I would give him a treat IF he could manage to make good choices and survive the rest of the shopping excursion without being disobedient. Yeah, he didn't last five minutes, and when I took his treat out of the cart and threw it into a random aisle as we passed by, the meltdown ensued. By then, I was completely over the whole experience, so I decided to cut my losses and head for the check-out lines, L-Bear following behind in a pathetic state of misery. There was weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth - and every judgmental head turned and stared as we walked by. ((sigh))
As I stood at check-out unloading my cart of groceries, he continued begging and pleading with me to let him have a treat. I reminded him (calmly, I might add) that I don't reward disobedient behavior, and so the cries continued until finally I felt like bending him over my knee and giving him a good sound lashing right there in the middle of the store. Just kidding . . . kind of. lol. I don't really beat my kids, but that day . . .
Anyway, B-Boo must have felt like it would be a good idea to follow suit and start running amok, because as I was checking out, she started diving under the checkout counters on each side of me, and now both kids were completely filthy.
As soon as the cashier was finished with my transaction, she took off to who-knows-where, just in time for B-Boo to start crying that she was bleeding. I looked down, and sure enough, she had blood all over her left hand. "What in the heck did you do?!?" I exclaimed. "I don't know," was all she could muster as a response, yet there was blood coming from two separate cuts she had managed to give herself. One on the back of her pinky finger, the other on the tip of her index finger, the former of which was quite a little bleeder.
I looked around for a cashier to ask for some paper towel, but everyone seemed to suddenly be avoiding me, so I quickly fished the baby wipes out of my backpack and wiped as much of the blood off before applying pressure to the bleeder. I couldn't get the darn thing to stop; though, so I stood up to look for an employee to ask for a band-aid, and had to say, "Excuse me," several times before two cashiers nearby would break from their conversation long enough to help me.
One of them finally went to retrieve a band-aid for me, and as she did, I looked down and saw B-Boo throwing up all over herself. ((sigh)) I don't know if it was the sight of blood that made her sick, or what. But sheesh. I am telling you, it was not a good day.
So yeah, there I stood - well, I guess it was actually more of a stupor - wiping up my kid's vomit with baby wipes, as the aforementioned cashier returned with the band-aid. As she handed me the band-aid, she clearly saw me cleaning up the vomit, but still turned and WALKED AWAY. I was seriously almost in tears at this point, and I could not believe that there wasn't a single store employee nearby offering any amount of help.
So yes, I deserve an award - for not snapping and burning the whole place down, if anything. I tell you one thing, I don't think I will be frequenting that particular establishment any time soon, and my kids will definitely not be getting ANY treats from the grocery store any time soon either. I think it is about time they learn the difference between "right" and "privilege." I tell you one thing that I've learned from all this malarkey: nothing, and I mean NOTHING, is so important that I'll ever need to venture into the grocery store with all three babies on my own EVER again. That's for dang sure. smh.
For some reason that I can't seem to recall at present, I had this super bright idea to make a trip to the grocery store yesterday afternoon with my three youngest kids (ages 4, 2, and 6 months) in tow, sans the luxury of a backup set of hands. Maybe deep down inside, I secretly enjoy torturing myself. Maybe subconsciously, I thought, "What better way to challenge my patience, to flirt with the edge of insanity, than to venture into the depths of the Inferno with some kind of sinister death wish. Yes, that must be it. I must have a death wish.
In all reality, this specific trip could not have been avoided. There were some groceries that I needed to pick up, and only had a small window of time in which to do it. Trust me when I say that if I'd had any other option, I would not have made the aforementioned faux pas of attempting this feat at all. But it is what it is.
This actually reminds me of one Saturday a few months ago when Zach was busy with work and I had to take all four kids with me to Costco. That, too, had been a similarly frustrating experience, and as I stood in the check-out line - with a full basket of groceries, one know-it-all, cantankerous teenager, two rambunctious toddlers, and one starving, screaming baby - on the verge of ripping my hair out, or simply curling into the fetal position on the floor with my thumb in my mouth, a passerby (a lady who must have thought it would be amusing to break me) chose that particular moment to "commend" me on my bravery for venturing out into the world with four kids in tow. Come on. Really? I tell you, it took everything in my power not to come unglued on the lady. I had to actively remind myself that she too is a child of God (lol), that she was probably well-meaning, and that it would be in no one's best interest for me to tell her where to shove her "encouragement". Generally, I do try to have patience with people, even if they are ignorant or have a complete lack of empathy for others, but man - some people seriously have no tact . . . which brings me back to our most recent fun, little outing.
From the minute we entered the grocery store yesterday, L-Bear was acting all kinds of crazy. He kept leaving my side to run down the aisle, around the corner, then back up the other side of the aisle, and he did this with a maniacal cackle, as if he thought it was the most hilarious thing in the world. The first time he did it, I gave him a warning. The second time he did it, B-Boo followed suit, and I suddenly had two screaming banshees running through the produce section of the grocery store. I finally grabbed him by the shoulders, looked him straight in the eyes and told him to calm down or he was going to get a spanking when we got home.
He discontinued running around after that, but almost immediately started begging me for a treat. I told him that I would give him a treat IF he could manage to make good choices and survive the rest of the shopping excursion without being disobedient. Yeah, he didn't last five minutes, and when I took his treat out of the cart and threw it into a random aisle as we passed by, the meltdown ensued. By then, I was completely over the whole experience, so I decided to cut my losses and head for the check-out lines, L-Bear following behind in a pathetic state of misery. There was weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth - and every judgmental head turned and stared as we walked by. ((sigh))
As I stood at check-out unloading my cart of groceries, he continued begging and pleading with me to let him have a treat. I reminded him (calmly, I might add) that I don't reward disobedient behavior, and so the cries continued until finally I felt like bending him over my knee and giving him a good sound lashing right there in the middle of the store. Just kidding . . . kind of. lol. I don't really beat my kids, but that day . . .
Anyway, B-Boo must have felt like it would be a good idea to follow suit and start running amok, because as I was checking out, she started diving under the checkout counters on each side of me, and now both kids were completely filthy.
As soon as the cashier was finished with my transaction, she took off to who-knows-where, just in time for B-Boo to start crying that she was bleeding. I looked down, and sure enough, she had blood all over her left hand. "What in the heck did you do?!?" I exclaimed. "I don't know," was all she could muster as a response, yet there was blood coming from two separate cuts she had managed to give herself. One on the back of her pinky finger, the other on the tip of her index finger, the former of which was quite a little bleeder.
I looked around for a cashier to ask for some paper towel, but everyone seemed to suddenly be avoiding me, so I quickly fished the baby wipes out of my backpack and wiped as much of the blood off before applying pressure to the bleeder. I couldn't get the darn thing to stop; though, so I stood up to look for an employee to ask for a band-aid, and had to say, "Excuse me," several times before two cashiers nearby would break from their conversation long enough to help me.
One of them finally went to retrieve a band-aid for me, and as she did, I looked down and saw B-Boo throwing up all over herself. ((sigh)) I don't know if it was the sight of blood that made her sick, or what. But sheesh. I am telling you, it was not a good day.
So yeah, there I stood - well, I guess it was actually more of a stupor - wiping up my kid's vomit with baby wipes, as the aforementioned cashier returned with the band-aid. As she handed me the band-aid, she clearly saw me cleaning up the vomit, but still turned and WALKED AWAY. I was seriously almost in tears at this point, and I could not believe that there wasn't a single store employee nearby offering any amount of help.
So yes, I deserve an award - for not snapping and burning the whole place down, if anything. I tell you one thing, I don't think I will be frequenting that particular establishment any time soon, and my kids will definitely not be getting ANY treats from the grocery store any time soon either. I think it is about time they learn the difference between "right" and "privilege." I tell you one thing that I've learned from all this malarkey: nothing, and I mean NOTHING, is so important that I'll ever need to venture into the grocery store with all three babies on my own EVER again. That's for dang sure. smh.
Monday, October 20, 2014
A Poem about "Like"
Madison came home from school today with a homework assignment to write a poem in iambic pentameter, and since we had a crazy schedule this afternoon of doctor's appointments, running errands, picking up kids from hellandgone, and trying to squeeze dinner in before softball practice, we didn't even get around to the assignment until a time when Madison is usually being sent to bed. That being said, we were both pretty exhausted (maybe even bordering on hysteria? lol) when we joined forces and came up with this gem, and the fruits of our labor are pretty hilarious:
A Poem About "Like"
I've read a lot of poems about love,
But those sad suckers can go take a hike.
There's something else that I am thinking of,
So I will write this poem about "like".
I like to read imaginative books.
They allow me to leave this world behind.
To get by on more than just my good looks,
I must keep creativity in mind.
I like to eat bologna on white bread
with mustard, but please hold the yucky cheese.
I like to act, but that just goes unsaid,
And poetry - but keep it simple, please.
I like to play with my new softball glove,
But chocolate, THAT'S something that I love!
The poem even comes complete with artwork of epic proportions . . .
You're welcome. :)
A Poem About "Like"
I've read a lot of poems about love,
But those sad suckers can go take a hike.
There's something else that I am thinking of,
So I will write this poem about "like".
I like to read imaginative books.
They allow me to leave this world behind.
To get by on more than just my good looks,
I must keep creativity in mind.
I like to eat bologna on white bread
with mustard, but please hold the yucky cheese.
I like to act, but that just goes unsaid,
And poetry - but keep it simple, please.
I like to play with my new softball glove,
But chocolate, THAT'S something that I love!
The poem even comes complete with artwork of epic proportions . . .
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| Artwork courtesy of MaddieMae. :-P |
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
The Home Stretch
I seem to have been on an emotional roller coaster lately with all these pregnancy hormones (hence the minimal attention to the blog), and as we enter into this last little stretch of the pregnancy, I now find myself battling feelings of insecurity one minute, experiencing excitement the next - only to end in a mini freak out session about the fact that in just six short weeks, I will be the mother of FOUR kids. Yikes. How has the time gone by so quickly?!
The chaos all started with an abnormal test result that came back after I had my prenatal blood work done in January. That had me pretty messed up for a few weeks until we had some confirmatory testing done and everything came back normal just a few weeks ago. I'll get into more detail where that is concerned in a later post, but talk about dealing with some unnecessary stress. Good grief. I was pretty much an unproductive basket case for the duration of that trial. Thank heavens it is over, and I can focus on this pregnancy and getting prepared for the delivery.
Now that the end is in sight, though, I must admit that I am feeling a little ill-equipped for baby #4. I remember when I was pregnant with L-Bear, we had the nursery finished and even re-painted MNM's room MONTHS before he was due. I even made both of them cute little quilts to welcome him into the world and to help her feel not-so-left-out. When I was pregnant with B-Boo, I bought all the material to make her a quilt, but never got around to it, and it is still sitting in a bag next to my sewing machine almost two years later. lol. Now, we have another baby coming and we still don't even have a vehicle big enough to fit all of us in it. Sheesh.
Maybe one day I will get it together. Maybe one day I will have the babies out of my bed and into a room of their own. Maybe one day I will even go through all of B-Boo's baby clothes and re-organize them for the new baby in her new dresser (which we have yet to purchase. lol).
We did decide to have another baby shower, which will transpire in a few weeks, and I am really looking forward to actually celebrating this great blessing. Hopefully, after all is said and done, we can start to settle down a bit and get a little more organized. Go ahead and say it. I am a disorderly mess. I won't hold it against you. ;)
The chaos all started with an abnormal test result that came back after I had my prenatal blood work done in January. That had me pretty messed up for a few weeks until we had some confirmatory testing done and everything came back normal just a few weeks ago. I'll get into more detail where that is concerned in a later post, but talk about dealing with some unnecessary stress. Good grief. I was pretty much an unproductive basket case for the duration of that trial. Thank heavens it is over, and I can focus on this pregnancy and getting prepared for the delivery.
Now that the end is in sight, though, I must admit that I am feeling a little ill-equipped for baby #4. I remember when I was pregnant with L-Bear, we had the nursery finished and even re-painted MNM's room MONTHS before he was due. I even made both of them cute little quilts to welcome him into the world and to help her feel not-so-left-out. When I was pregnant with B-Boo, I bought all the material to make her a quilt, but never got around to it, and it is still sitting in a bag next to my sewing machine almost two years later. lol. Now, we have another baby coming and we still don't even have a vehicle big enough to fit all of us in it. Sheesh.
Maybe one day I will get it together. Maybe one day I will have the babies out of my bed and into a room of their own. Maybe one day I will even go through all of B-Boo's baby clothes and re-organize them for the new baby in her new dresser (which we have yet to purchase. lol).
We did decide to have another baby shower, which will transpire in a few weeks, and I am really looking forward to actually celebrating this great blessing. Hopefully, after all is said and done, we can start to settle down a bit and get a little more organized. Go ahead and say it. I am a disorderly mess. I won't hold it against you. ;)
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Source: twowritingteachers.wordpress.com via The Purple on Pinterest
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Thursday, February 20, 2014
Focusing on Gratitude to Get Through the Day
So, these last few weeks, I have been feeling pretty lame due to illness and some other stress factors that I have been facing - And as I usually tend to do when life gets chaotic, I have been neglecting the blog as a result.
I have been a bit too scatter-brained lately to produce anything halfway worth reading. I think about my blog every few days - heck, I even think I might have something worth talking about, but then the dust starts to settle, life and stress start to surface, and my brain is toast again. I start to think that maybe I will feel much better after this week is over when we'll (hopefully) have some more answers where my health is concerned. I even think I will try to sit down and focus on positivity more, and who knows - maybe a miracle will happen, and something somewhat legit or even halfway interesting will emerge.
In the meantime, however, I am trying to recall the wise advice I received recently, which inspired my last blog post: Every single day you make a choice. I know that I am so blessed to have such an amazing support system, and I thank Heavenly Father daily for the strength I am able to receive through the Atonement and through the joy my family brings to me. I was reminded of these blessings again today during my personal scripture study, wherein I read about the pre-existence and how we were foreordained to do certain things. I have a firm testimony of this principle, and I know that I was foreordained to be a mother. I receive a tremendous amount of comfort knowing that I am taking on such an important role in our Heavenly Father's Plan of Happiness by striving to be a faithful wife and mother, and raising my children unto the Lord.
So to get through today, I choose to focus on these blessings, and will lean on the comfort of the Savior to bring me out of this funk. In an attempt to do so, I decided to write a list of the things I love about each of my children. Obviously, this list could go on for miles, so for all intents and purposes, I will focus on a few, simple things I love about each of them - some of the things that make them uniquely special in my heart.
So without further ado:
1. MNM (my 13-year-old daughter) - I love how:
a. she still likes to lie with her head in my lap and cuddle every once in a while, as if she were still a small child;
b. she loves to read and always has a book in her hand; and
c. she likes to show her gratitude in simple, thoughtful ways, like a homemade card or a song that she sings and dedicates to me. She has such a big heart, and I am so lucky to be her mom.
2. L-Bear (my 3-year-old son) - I love how:
a. he is constantly telling me that he loves me and cares about me "so much";
b. he climbs into bed with me each night and tells me all the things he is sorry for doing that day - bless his little heart; and
c. he wants to go with me everywhere I go, and always wants to be a helper in the kitchen. He is my right-hand little guy, has such a thoughtful, loving spirit, and I am so lucky to be his mom; and
3. Baby Boo (my 21-month-old daughter) - I love how:
a. she wraps my arm around herself every night to fall asleep;
b. her eyes light up and she gets so excited every time she hears the song, "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" from "Frozen." She even clicks her tongue at the appropriate time, and has started repeating a word or two of the song, which is absolutely adorable; and
c. every time L-Bear hits her or does something to her out of impatience, I tell him to say he's sorry - yet without missing a beat, SHE will go over to him and wrap her arms around him - almost as if to say, "It's okay, brother. I love you." She truly has such a sweet spirit. Her smile lights up my heart, and I am so lucky to be her mom.
It's amazing how having an attitude of gratitude can instantly change your mood. I am thankful for each of my children. They are the shining beacon in my life that reminds me of how truly blessed I am. They are my saving grace, and it is they who are constantly teaching me how to be the best version of myself, how to be a better daughter of our Heavenly Father, and how to truly love. I am so thankful for the blessing of their presence in my life, and I am thankful that Heavenly Father entrusted me to be their mom. :)
I have been a bit too scatter-brained lately to produce anything halfway worth reading. I think about my blog every few days - heck, I even think I might have something worth talking about, but then the dust starts to settle, life and stress start to surface, and my brain is toast again. I start to think that maybe I will feel much better after this week is over when we'll (hopefully) have some more answers where my health is concerned. I even think I will try to sit down and focus on positivity more, and who knows - maybe a miracle will happen, and something somewhat legit or even halfway interesting will emerge.
In the meantime, however, I am trying to recall the wise advice I received recently, which inspired my last blog post: Every single day you make a choice. I know that I am so blessed to have such an amazing support system, and I thank Heavenly Father daily for the strength I am able to receive through the Atonement and through the joy my family brings to me. I was reminded of these blessings again today during my personal scripture study, wherein I read about the pre-existence and how we were foreordained to do certain things. I have a firm testimony of this principle, and I know that I was foreordained to be a mother. I receive a tremendous amount of comfort knowing that I am taking on such an important role in our Heavenly Father's Plan of Happiness by striving to be a faithful wife and mother, and raising my children unto the Lord.
So to get through today, I choose to focus on these blessings, and will lean on the comfort of the Savior to bring me out of this funk. In an attempt to do so, I decided to write a list of the things I love about each of my children. Obviously, this list could go on for miles, so for all intents and purposes, I will focus on a few, simple things I love about each of them - some of the things that make them uniquely special in my heart.
So without further ado:
1. MNM (my 13-year-old daughter) - I love how:
a. she still likes to lie with her head in my lap and cuddle every once in a while, as if she were still a small child;
b. she loves to read and always has a book in her hand; and
c. she likes to show her gratitude in simple, thoughtful ways, like a homemade card or a song that she sings and dedicates to me. She has such a big heart, and I am so lucky to be her mom.
2. L-Bear (my 3-year-old son) - I love how:
a. he is constantly telling me that he loves me and cares about me "so much";
b. he climbs into bed with me each night and tells me all the things he is sorry for doing that day - bless his little heart; and
c. he wants to go with me everywhere I go, and always wants to be a helper in the kitchen. He is my right-hand little guy, has such a thoughtful, loving spirit, and I am so lucky to be his mom; and
3. Baby Boo (my 21-month-old daughter) - I love how:
a. she wraps my arm around herself every night to fall asleep;
b. her eyes light up and she gets so excited every time she hears the song, "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" from "Frozen." She even clicks her tongue at the appropriate time, and has started repeating a word or two of the song, which is absolutely adorable; and
c. every time L-Bear hits her or does something to her out of impatience, I tell him to say he's sorry - yet without missing a beat, SHE will go over to him and wrap her arms around him - almost as if to say, "It's okay, brother. I love you." She truly has such a sweet spirit. Her smile lights up my heart, and I am so lucky to be her mom.
It's amazing how having an attitude of gratitude can instantly change your mood. I am thankful for each of my children. They are the shining beacon in my life that reminds me of how truly blessed I am. They are my saving grace, and it is they who are constantly teaching me how to be the best version of myself, how to be a better daughter of our Heavenly Father, and how to truly love. I am so thankful for the blessing of their presence in my life, and I am thankful that Heavenly Father entrusted me to be their mom. :)
Friday, January 31, 2014
Every Single Day You Make a Choice
These past few weeks have been a bit of a challenge with the babies being so sick. It all started over the Martin Luther King Day holiday weekend when L came down with a cough - out of nowhere. We still went to church that Sunday, but by Monday night, his cough had gotten progressively worse and he was up half the night coughing so badly that he almost threw up several times in bed.
I kept him home that Tuesday as a precaution, and was glad that I did, as he ended up throwing up all over the floor, leaving a trail from the couch to the bathroom door at about 10:00 a.m. that morning. Had I sent him to school, I'd have had to walk to go pick him up since we still don't have a second vehicle. As I stood with him in the bathroom afterward, trying to clean him up well enough to stick him in the bathtub, B comes traipsing into the restroom and slipped on his vomit. I spent a good portion of the rest of that morning cleaning up children and puke, then rubbed them both down with essential oils before laying them down for a nap.
L ended up missing school Wednesday and Thursday of that week as well, but was feeling much better by Friday (although, he doesn't have preschool on Fridays). Only by then, B had come down with the same virus, full blown. Thursday night and Friday night were pretty horrible for her, the poor thing. She had such a difficult time coughing and choking on mucous that she threw up several times both nights. Friday night, we went through every last towel, sheet, and blanket that we had in the house before the coughing subsided enough for her to finally get a few hours of sleep. I had to do 5 loads of laundry (linens and clothes) the following day, just to get through the pile of laundry that had been soiled from the whole fiasco. By that time, she had also started to battle a fever off and on, and continued to do so throughout the course of the next few days.
Saturday night, she didn't throw up at all, but she started this extremely bizarre behavior, where she would wake up in the middle of the night screaming her little head off. She would also start scratching at her face in a fit of rage and would hit herself in the head, sometimes grabbing onto her hair and pulling, as if trying to yank it out. It was almost like she was possessed or something, like she was out of her mind. I don't know if she was just in a severe amount of pain, or what, but we tried applying and diffusing essential oils, offering her a drink of water or something to eat, but nothing seemed to get through to her. She just kept going back and forth from Zach to me, then back to Zach, and by the time she finally started to calm down, the three of us (Zach, the baby, and I) were out on the living room couch practically sleeping in a sitting position. We were so exhausted.
Sunday night, the fiasco started again, only this time it lasted a total of almost three hours. Poor Zach had to get up at 4am for work in the morning too. I dare say that neither of us could have possibly gotten more than three hours of sleep that night, so the next day was pretty challenging for both of us. I was sure glad when B finally slept through the night (for the first time in almost a week) on Monday night.
Since Tuesday, both kids have been on the mend, but life has still been pretty stressful, as it usually is when kids aren't feeling 100%, and can tend to be clingy and whiny - not to mention all the naughty little annoying things they have been doing all week to drive me bonkers. Zach has been gone a LOT with work and lessons, too, and I've been stuck home without a car for the majority of the day (each day) with not much of an opportunity for any kind of break from it all. I think that especially has been pulling on my sanity strings a little.
Anyway, through the chaos of the last few weeks, I started to feel a bit down. I think the Lord has really recognized my need for a little extra TLC, though, for I have felt His love in abundance - particularly over these last few days.
It all started one morning with a simple, little meme that a friend posted on Facebook. I had had a particularly stressful time fighting L tooth and nail all morning just to get dressed, and after he was finally on the bus and on his way to school, I was left feeling on edge and emotionally beaten. I happened to log on to Facebook shortly after returning to the house, and the meme was one of the first things I saw. It was an animation of a scene from the inside of a tour bus. On one side, there sat a man who stared out his window at the dull, rocky side of a mountain, a sad frown painted on his face. On the other side, there sat a man peering out of his window at a beautiful scene of sunshine and rolling hills, a smile illuminating his expression. At the top of the picture were the words:
Seeing this image immediately put me in check. I was reminded that I am in control of my feelings, and that I have the power to either see the positive things in life, or dwell on the negative, overwhelming things, ultimately leading to feelings of sadness and frustration.
That same day, I felt the prompting to recommit myself to daily, personal scripture study - to invite the spirit into my life, and to give myself a constant reminder of our Heavenly Father's love for me. It's only been a few days, and I cannot tell you the incredibly positive impact it has already had on my emotions AND my thinking. I think when we focus on the blessings in life, the many marvellous things we have to be thankful for, it's easy to see the beauty in simple things that challenge us, things that might otherwise be devastating to our happiness, should we choose to only see the frustration in our situation.
Yes, I have a lot on my plate on any given day, as many stay-at-home mothers do - shoot, as parents in general do - but I am so grateful that I have that opportunity to begin with, that I have such beautiful, healthy, amazingly magnificent children, and that I get to be the one they run to when they are sick, scared, tired, sad, etc.
I know that they are only small for a very short while, and that before long, they will prefer to hang out with their friends or to be left alone in their room to read or listen to music (as I am already getting a taste of this with my oldest, M), and I won't be such a desired commodity in their everyday life. I know that then, I will have much more time to do that personal reading I long for now, to go grocery shopping on my own, or to just stinkin' use the restroom in peace - but it will be then that I long for the days that they were small and just wanted me hold them in my arms. It will be then that I will look back on this time, wondering how it all passed by so quickly.
I am thankful for the love that my Heavenly Father has shown me through my trials these last few weeks, for the blessings in my life, and for the constant reminders that as one of His beloved children, I am loved and I matter. I am also grateful for a friend who acted on the prompting to post a simple meme on Facebook - one that reminds us that, "Every single day you make a choice," because from here on out, I am choosing to focus on gratitude and love. :)
I kept him home that Tuesday as a precaution, and was glad that I did, as he ended up throwing up all over the floor, leaving a trail from the couch to the bathroom door at about 10:00 a.m. that morning. Had I sent him to school, I'd have had to walk to go pick him up since we still don't have a second vehicle. As I stood with him in the bathroom afterward, trying to clean him up well enough to stick him in the bathtub, B comes traipsing into the restroom and slipped on his vomit. I spent a good portion of the rest of that morning cleaning up children and puke, then rubbed them both down with essential oils before laying them down for a nap.
L ended up missing school Wednesday and Thursday of that week as well, but was feeling much better by Friday (although, he doesn't have preschool on Fridays). Only by then, B had come down with the same virus, full blown. Thursday night and Friday night were pretty horrible for her, the poor thing. She had such a difficult time coughing and choking on mucous that she threw up several times both nights. Friday night, we went through every last towel, sheet, and blanket that we had in the house before the coughing subsided enough for her to finally get a few hours of sleep. I had to do 5 loads of laundry (linens and clothes) the following day, just to get through the pile of laundry that had been soiled from the whole fiasco. By that time, she had also started to battle a fever off and on, and continued to do so throughout the course of the next few days.
Saturday night, she didn't throw up at all, but she started this extremely bizarre behavior, where she would wake up in the middle of the night screaming her little head off. She would also start scratching at her face in a fit of rage and would hit herself in the head, sometimes grabbing onto her hair and pulling, as if trying to yank it out. It was almost like she was possessed or something, like she was out of her mind. I don't know if she was just in a severe amount of pain, or what, but we tried applying and diffusing essential oils, offering her a drink of water or something to eat, but nothing seemed to get through to her. She just kept going back and forth from Zach to me, then back to Zach, and by the time she finally started to calm down, the three of us (Zach, the baby, and I) were out on the living room couch practically sleeping in a sitting position. We were so exhausted.
Sunday night, the fiasco started again, only this time it lasted a total of almost three hours. Poor Zach had to get up at 4am for work in the morning too. I dare say that neither of us could have possibly gotten more than three hours of sleep that night, so the next day was pretty challenging for both of us. I was sure glad when B finally slept through the night (for the first time in almost a week) on Monday night.
Since Tuesday, both kids have been on the mend, but life has still been pretty stressful, as it usually is when kids aren't feeling 100%, and can tend to be clingy and whiny - not to mention all the naughty little annoying things they have been doing all week to drive me bonkers. Zach has been gone a LOT with work and lessons, too, and I've been stuck home without a car for the majority of the day (each day) with not much of an opportunity for any kind of break from it all. I think that especially has been pulling on my sanity strings a little.
Anyway, through the chaos of the last few weeks, I started to feel a bit down. I think the Lord has really recognized my need for a little extra TLC, though, for I have felt His love in abundance - particularly over these last few days.
It all started one morning with a simple, little meme that a friend posted on Facebook. I had had a particularly stressful time fighting L tooth and nail all morning just to get dressed, and after he was finally on the bus and on his way to school, I was left feeling on edge and emotionally beaten. I happened to log on to Facebook shortly after returning to the house, and the meme was one of the first things I saw. It was an animation of a scene from the inside of a tour bus. On one side, there sat a man who stared out his window at the dull, rocky side of a mountain, a sad frown painted on his face. On the other side, there sat a man peering out of his window at a beautiful scene of sunshine and rolling hills, a smile illuminating his expression. At the top of the picture were the words:
Every single day you make a choice.
Seeing this image immediately put me in check. I was reminded that I am in control of my feelings, and that I have the power to either see the positive things in life, or dwell on the negative, overwhelming things, ultimately leading to feelings of sadness and frustration.
That same day, I felt the prompting to recommit myself to daily, personal scripture study - to invite the spirit into my life, and to give myself a constant reminder of our Heavenly Father's love for me. It's only been a few days, and I cannot tell you the incredibly positive impact it has already had on my emotions AND my thinking. I think when we focus on the blessings in life, the many marvellous things we have to be thankful for, it's easy to see the beauty in simple things that challenge us, things that might otherwise be devastating to our happiness, should we choose to only see the frustration in our situation.
Yes, I have a lot on my plate on any given day, as many stay-at-home mothers do - shoot, as parents in general do - but I am so grateful that I have that opportunity to begin with, that I have such beautiful, healthy, amazingly magnificent children, and that I get to be the one they run to when they are sick, scared, tired, sad, etc.
I know that they are only small for a very short while, and that before long, they will prefer to hang out with their friends or to be left alone in their room to read or listen to music (as I am already getting a taste of this with my oldest, M), and I won't be such a desired commodity in their everyday life. I know that then, I will have much more time to do that personal reading I long for now, to go grocery shopping on my own, or to just stinkin' use the restroom in peace - but it will be then that I long for the days that they were small and just wanted me hold them in my arms. It will be then that I will look back on this time, wondering how it all passed by so quickly.
I am thankful for the love that my Heavenly Father has shown me through my trials these last few weeks, for the blessings in my life, and for the constant reminders that as one of His beloved children, I am loved and I matter. I am also grateful for a friend who acted on the prompting to post a simple meme on Facebook - one that reminds us that, "Every single day you make a choice," because from here on out, I am choosing to focus on gratitude and love. :)
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Delicious, Remineralizing Fruit Smoothie
If you read my post from yesterday, you'll already know that I have been doing some reading lately on how to remineralize your teeth. Well, this morning, I came across this great article that has some very good information on some of the diet changes that can be made to start the process. I read in the article that adding coconut oil to your diet can be very beneficial, so I decided to try it today when making the smoothie that I have been making for the babies with the cod liver oil/butter oil capsules.
Well, the smoothie was a huge hit. Both babies chugged it down, and I thought it was absolutely delicious (although, I took my portion of the smoothie out before adding the cod liver oil/butter oil capsules since I can just swallow those whole. I wanted to make sure the babies got as much benefit from the capsules as possible).
Anyway, since this smoothie was such a success (it definitely met with my little ones' approval), I thought I would share my recipe, in case any of you were interested in trying something like this yourselves.
Delicious, Remineralizing Fruit Smoothie
2 cups raw milk
1 container greek yogurt
1 cup organic spinach or kale
1/2 cup organic coconut oil
1 Tbs. local organic honey
1 banana
1 cup frozen mixed berries
1 cup frozen strawberries
2 cod liver oil/butter oil capsules (per person) - I used Green Pasture Butter Oil/Fermented Cod Liver Oil Blend capsules.
Directions: In a blender, combine all non-frozen ingredients (except for the oil capsules) until smooth. Add the frozen ingredients, blending well after each addition to ensure smooth consistency. When contents are blending smoothly, remove any portion of the smoothie to which you don't wish to add the oil capsules. Add oil capsules to the remaining portion of the smoothie (in the blender) at this time and blend until smooth. Serve and enjoy.
I know it's best to always go fresh/organic when possible, and that not everyone likes to add frozen berries to their smoothies, so if you choose to use all fresh, organic fruit, you will need to add a little bit of ice at the end to give it a slightly frozen consistency.
And there you have it. If you try this smoothie, let me know what you think. Or, if you have a good remineralizing smoothie recipe that you would like to share, please feel free to do so. I am still learning the ropes of the remineralization process, so I may tweak the recipe a bit as I become more knowledgeable. In the meantime, enjoy. :)
Well, the smoothie was a huge hit. Both babies chugged it down, and I thought it was absolutely delicious (although, I took my portion of the smoothie out before adding the cod liver oil/butter oil capsules since I can just swallow those whole. I wanted to make sure the babies got as much benefit from the capsules as possible).
Anyway, since this smoothie was such a success (it definitely met with my little ones' approval), I thought I would share my recipe, in case any of you were interested in trying something like this yourselves.
Delicious, Remineralizing Fruit Smoothie
2 cups raw milk
1 container greek yogurt
1 cup organic spinach or kale
1/2 cup organic coconut oil
1 Tbs. local organic honey
1 banana
1 cup frozen mixed berries
1 cup frozen strawberries
2 cod liver oil/butter oil capsules (per person) - I used Green Pasture Butter Oil/Fermented Cod Liver Oil Blend capsules.
Directions: In a blender, combine all non-frozen ingredients (except for the oil capsules) until smooth. Add the frozen ingredients, blending well after each addition to ensure smooth consistency. When contents are blending smoothly, remove any portion of the smoothie to which you don't wish to add the oil capsules. Add oil capsules to the remaining portion of the smoothie (in the blender) at this time and blend until smooth. Serve and enjoy.
I know it's best to always go fresh/organic when possible, and that not everyone likes to add frozen berries to their smoothies, so if you choose to use all fresh, organic fruit, you will need to add a little bit of ice at the end to give it a slightly frozen consistency.
And there you have it. If you try this smoothie, let me know what you think. Or, if you have a good remineralizing smoothie recipe that you would like to share, please feel free to do so. I am still learning the ropes of the remineralization process, so I may tweak the recipe a bit as I become more knowledgeable. In the meantime, enjoy. :)
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Can Tooth Decay Really Be Healed Naturally?
So, I have a bit of an embarrassing confession to make. I took the family to the dentist last week for routine checkups, and to my horror discovered that B-Boo (my 20-month-old) has two cavities (one in each of her bottom-back teeth), and L-Bear (my three-year-old) has seven! Yes, that's right...7!
I was completely shocked (and embarrassed as a mom) because at their last check-up, neither of them had ANY cavities - AND I am the one who usually holds them down to brush their teeth every day and make sure they are getting cleaned properly, so I just can't fathom how so much damage was done in such a short amount of time. Even more horrifying than the fact that they each had so many cavities, however, was the thought of each of them getting drilled on and having to endure the pain of needles and said drilling. :(
And because B-Boo's cavities are right in the center of her back teeth, the pediatric dentist referred us to an oral surgeon for an evaluation in case she needs to get a root canal. Can you believe that?!? A ROOT CANAL! She isn't even 2 yet! I am sure you can imagine my horror - picturing my 20 lb., tiny baby girl, as petite and precious as she is - being sedated and lying helplessly on her back while they drill on her and cap her poor, little teeth. Yeah, I immediately started feeling a sense of panic. I am sorry, but she is just TOO dang little to be needing a root canal. ::sigh::
But then I remembered an article that I stumbled upon on Facebook a week or so ago called Toddler's Severe Tooth Decay Halted in Only 5 Days. I scrambled around Facebook that evening, trying to remember how far back I had seen the article, and who had posted it so I could go back through and read it in detail. Then I found it, thank Goodness.
The article talks about the average number of toddlers with cavities increasing over the last 5 - 10 years, and how something must be seriously wrong with our children's diets in order for such a drastic change to have occurred in such a short amount of time. Unfortunately, it didn't go into detail about how to fix the problem, but it did share a video testimonial of a mother whose toddler's decaying teeth were healed by simply changing her diet according to a book that she had read by Ramiel Nagel, called Cure Tooth Decay. Naturally, it piqued my interest, so I checked out the author's website and soon found myself on a mission to find an alternative solution for my babies too.
Can cavities REALLY be healed naturally though - without drilling and being filled? Has everything we've ever thought about the properties of our teeth been wrong all along? Some of the research I have come across as a result of this enlightening concept has completely blown my mind, and I am still in the process of learning so much more. I ordered Ramiel Nagel's book and it should be here in a few days, but in the meantime, I have been doing some of my own research, and have already started to put some of these findings into effect.
For example, Sarah, the author of the above article posted a link to her previous blog post titled, "How I Healed My Child's Cavity." In that article, Sarah talks about her pre-teen son who had a cavity, and how she healed her son's cavity with information that she had learned from a book called Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Dr. Weston A. Price, former head of research for the National Dental association who pioneered the idea of healing cavities naturally through nutrition. Apparently, Dr. Nagel's book (Cure Tooth Decay) is even based on Dr. Price's program, which has been proven to be 90-95% or more effective in remineralizing decaying teeth.
Anyway, so Sarah started giving her son butter oil and cod liver oil every morning with a breakfast of raw butter and honey, and after only a few weeks, she took her son into the dentist to discover that his cavity had, in fact, healed on its own. After reading this, I started asking myself, "Why raw butter?" I soon found out that raw butter is very vitamin rich and has a lot of super healthy components that are vital in the remineralization process.
According to an article by The Paleo Mama, which also refers to Dr. Nagel's book, Cure Tooth Decay:
After reading this, along with Dr. Price's assertion (regarding cod liver oil and high vitamin butter oil) that, "One without the other did not do his patients justice, but the two together worked like magic", I ordered some capsules from Amazon that are a blend of the two oils. I started taking the capsules myself but realized very quickly that it was going to be dang near impossible to get the babies to swallow them, so I tried blending them up in a fruit smoothie, which both of the babies love. Yay.
I also decided to look into getting some raw milk and butter to start giving the kids, but found that it is really difficult to come by, so I started looking up videos on YouTube about how to make raw butter yourself. I plan on making some raw butter tonight, and will let you know how that venture turns out. In the meantime, what are your thoughts on healing cavities naturally?
I will post an update as soon as the kids have had follow up appointments and the state of their oral health has been re-evaluated. ;)
I was completely shocked (and embarrassed as a mom) because at their last check-up, neither of them had ANY cavities - AND I am the one who usually holds them down to brush their teeth every day and make sure they are getting cleaned properly, so I just can't fathom how so much damage was done in such a short amount of time. Even more horrifying than the fact that they each had so many cavities, however, was the thought of each of them getting drilled on and having to endure the pain of needles and said drilling. :(
And because B-Boo's cavities are right in the center of her back teeth, the pediatric dentist referred us to an oral surgeon for an evaluation in case she needs to get a root canal. Can you believe that?!? A ROOT CANAL! She isn't even 2 yet! I am sure you can imagine my horror - picturing my 20 lb., tiny baby girl, as petite and precious as she is - being sedated and lying helplessly on her back while they drill on her and cap her poor, little teeth. Yeah, I immediately started feeling a sense of panic. I am sorry, but she is just TOO dang little to be needing a root canal. ::sigh::
But then I remembered an article that I stumbled upon on Facebook a week or so ago called Toddler's Severe Tooth Decay Halted in Only 5 Days. I scrambled around Facebook that evening, trying to remember how far back I had seen the article, and who had posted it so I could go back through and read it in detail. Then I found it, thank Goodness.
The article talks about the average number of toddlers with cavities increasing over the last 5 - 10 years, and how something must be seriously wrong with our children's diets in order for such a drastic change to have occurred in such a short amount of time. Unfortunately, it didn't go into detail about how to fix the problem, but it did share a video testimonial of a mother whose toddler's decaying teeth were healed by simply changing her diet according to a book that she had read by Ramiel Nagel, called Cure Tooth Decay. Naturally, it piqued my interest, so I checked out the author's website and soon found myself on a mission to find an alternative solution for my babies too.
Can cavities REALLY be healed naturally though - without drilling and being filled? Has everything we've ever thought about the properties of our teeth been wrong all along? Some of the research I have come across as a result of this enlightening concept has completely blown my mind, and I am still in the process of learning so much more. I ordered Ramiel Nagel's book and it should be here in a few days, but in the meantime, I have been doing some of my own research, and have already started to put some of these findings into effect.
For example, Sarah, the author of the above article posted a link to her previous blog post titled, "How I Healed My Child's Cavity." In that article, Sarah talks about her pre-teen son who had a cavity, and how she healed her son's cavity with information that she had learned from a book called Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Dr. Weston A. Price, former head of research for the National Dental association who pioneered the idea of healing cavities naturally through nutrition. Apparently, Dr. Nagel's book (Cure Tooth Decay) is even based on Dr. Price's program, which has been proven to be 90-95% or more effective in remineralizing decaying teeth.
Anyway, so Sarah started giving her son butter oil and cod liver oil every morning with a breakfast of raw butter and honey, and after only a few weeks, she took her son into the dentist to discover that his cavity had, in fact, healed on its own. After reading this, I started asking myself, "Why raw butter?" I soon found out that raw butter is very vitamin rich and has a lot of super healthy components that are vital in the remineralization process.
According to an article by The Paleo Mama, which also refers to Dr. Nagel's book, Cure Tooth Decay:
Raw milk is very rich in fat-soluble vitamins, like Vitamin A, K, and E. It is, also, rich in water soluble vitamins like C and B-complex. A quart of raw milk from grassed cows contain 50% more vitamin E and 7% more folate than pasteurized milk. Moreover, fresh raw milk naturally contains vitamin C which is completely absent from pasteurized milk (source). All these vitamins are extremely necessary for good oral health.
Raw milk is extremely necessary if you are interested in remineralizing your teeth and healing present cavities.
After reading this, along with Dr. Price's assertion (regarding cod liver oil and high vitamin butter oil) that, "One without the other did not do his patients justice, but the two together worked like magic", I ordered some capsules from Amazon that are a blend of the two oils. I started taking the capsules myself but realized very quickly that it was going to be dang near impossible to get the babies to swallow them, so I tried blending them up in a fruit smoothie, which both of the babies love. Yay.
I also decided to look into getting some raw milk and butter to start giving the kids, but found that it is really difficult to come by, so I started looking up videos on YouTube about how to make raw butter yourself. I plan on making some raw butter tonight, and will let you know how that venture turns out. In the meantime, what are your thoughts on healing cavities naturally?
I will post an update as soon as the kids have had follow up appointments and the state of their oral health has been re-evaluated. ;)
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Hopes of a Happy Ending
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| Gems of Reflection, #52 |
I absolutely cannot believe that a whole year has gone by since we started these Gems posts last January. Yet here it is - New Year's Eve - and here I sit, nostalgically writing the last one.
It was more than a year ago that I stumbled upon a jar of journal prompts that belonged to my late mother-in-law, and it has been such a treat reflecting on each little Gem over the course of this last year. If you have the time, click here and look through some of these posts, then comment on your favorites below. It would be an awesome tribute to her, and a pretty neat way to ring in the new year. :)
Now, focusing on this final reflection, I feel kind of saddened by the fact that I don't really know a lot about my mother's wedding dress, or even the day they were married. My parents were married very young, and divorced when my older brother and sister were still really little. They then remarried a few years later, and that second wedding is the one of which I have more knowledge.
I remember seeing a picture of her in the silky, silver dress that she wore that day, and I believe they only had a small ceremony and get-together at our house in Henderson.
Sadly, my parents were divorced when I was a senior in high school, but my mom did get married again a few years later. I wasn't able to attend the wedding, as they were married on a romantic, Alaskan cruise ship, but she looked absolutely beautiful that day in her cream wedding dress and elegant pearls. I only wish that story had a happy ending, though, for my mother is one of the most loving, selfless people I know, and she deserves to be truly happy. Unfortunately, however, that marriage ended abruptly just shy of their six-year anniversary.
One thing I know about my mother, though, is that is she is a survivor. She has been through so many trials in this life, yet she always manages to stay true to her faith in Jesus Christ, maintaining an attitude of gratitude. If anyone has a reason to be bitter or hopeless, it is her, yet she continues to give of herself and love those around her unconditionally.
My mother has always been someone that I've looked up to as a pillar of strength, and I know that she doesn't need a man in her life to be happy; however, I still hold onto the hope that one day she will meet her Prince Charming, and will have her happy ending all the same. :)
Reflecting on Education
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| Gems of Reflection, #51 |
College was a bit of a struggle for me, only because I was a single mother working full time AND going to school full time too. M, who was only a toddler at the time, went from daycare to daycare, often not seeing me but in the morning and at bedtime, and looking back, I think she may have really suffered from the lack of one on one interaction with me.
I don't regret getting my education; though, and I had many awesome experiences that shaped my thinking and molded me into the person I am today. College is where I really started to hone my love for English grammar - where I first started thinking that one day I might want to be an English teacher. I also really gained a love for the Spanish language in college, and it was this point in my life when I really started to become fluent. It was partly due to the several (five) semesters of Spanish classes that I took, but it can also be attributed to the opportunities I was given outside of school (at work, for example) to speak the language and communicate with others on a regular basis.
I got my AA in English in the 2005, and I am grateful for the scholarships I received, and the numerous family members who supported me through the process and helped me to accomplish that goal. I only hope that one day I'll be able to go back to school to complete my Bachelor's Degree - possibly with a minor in Spanish. Maybe by then, we'll be living in Utah, and I can get my BA from BYU. That would be awesome! :)
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| Source: twowritingteachers.wordpress.com via The Purple on Pinterest |
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