Fast post.
Check the bead drawer blog. Even if you never have. There's a contest. AND a little news. My jewelry has been picked up by a boutique. Or 3. (!!!) Actually it's one company with 3 locations. Salt Lake, Orem and St. George. They also have a website. (I'm still doing customs per email requests) I remember wishing I had something cool enough to be in Pebbles in my Pocket (I was thinking scrapbook layouts) NOW my jewelry has been chosen to be sold there. To say I'm busy is an understatement. To say I'm excited would be putting it lightly.
Second. Lester has a full time job. Finally. Finally. FINALLY. And we survived a pretty bumpy year and a half. Things have always been manageable even when it didn't look possible.
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In other news. The boys have said some pretty funny things lately.
Eli: Hey Aunt Meggie, we (he and Grandpa) went to Grandpa's school. He has good candy and cute girls!
Megan: What more could you ask for!?
Caleb: singing: H1N1, H1N1, H1N1. Don't get sick! Wash your hands and use a kleenex. Don't touch your friends when you cough! H1N1, H1N1. La la la. (I wonder if mothers during the plague thought similarly odd about singing ring around the rosies?)
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Yesterday we had the furnace replaced. It had holes in it. Carbon monoxide anyone? I'm glad we had those carbon monoxide detectors everywhere.
Then we had the plumber come and take a huge wad of 'long dark hair' out of the drain. This may be the only time I actually wanted to claim that I was a fake brunette. Certainly hair color washes off in the drain. Right?
I was waiting for the plumber and got to school late, my boys weren't there. Anywhere. I drove the walking route home and didn't see them. Until I saw Gabe walking down the driveway with the phone, with his Dad on the other end. Caleb was hiding under his bed crying. He was worried I wasn't coming. I cried with him. That must've been really scary. But he knows what to do next time.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
It's Exciting!
Something Huge is happening at our house.
Right now I'm crazy busy with a project. A big project. As soon as I feel like I'm caught up with the project I'll be posting about it for sure. Even if it's only a brief moment between this project and the next phase of the same big project. I will stop and write it down.
Right now I'm crazy busy with a project. A big project. As soon as I feel like I'm caught up with the project I'll be posting about it for sure. Even if it's only a brief moment between this project and the next phase of the same big project. I will stop and write it down.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Tuesday Adventures in Dentistry
Last Tuesday, we went on an adventure.
We woke up early. Brushed our teeth and did a bit of running around like crazy hoping we'd remember everything. And then we started to drive. And I started to read. Out loud. After one chapter of Junie B. Jones Aloha ha ha, I was informed that Gabe hated Junie B. books. She interrupted the teachers, talked out of turn and didn't stay on task. (Kettle meet Pot) Gabe then told me that this time, he was kind of enjoying it. So I could continue reading.
I don't know if you've read these books, but they are pretty dang funny. Lester and I were laughing at least once a page. I think that amused the boys more than the story.
We drove North, through morning work rush traffic. It was fun. Made me glad my commute is non-existent.
Near Brigham City I was told that they were done hearing the story. But the story had one more chapter. I really wanted to finish it, but couldn't bring myself to ignore them while I finished the last couple pages. Maybe another day.
We got to Logan, for the boys dentist appointments with 15 minutes to spare. I didn't look at the speedometer or the clock the entire way, it was just too stressful for me to think about. I had thought we needed to leave 30 minutes earlier than we did. Boy did Lester prove me wrong. He is now the official family driver, especially for longer trips. (Not that I was ever the official driver, just making it official).
Caleb had 4 cavities. Now before you think me a horrible mother who never brushes her kids teeth and feeds them candy before bed, let me explain. Caleb has enamel displasia, which thanks to Dr. Allen I know means that when the teeth were forming under the gums the enamel didn't completely seal. Bad news. It means Caleb is extra susceptible to cavities. Because of those 4 cavities, Caleb needed a little bit of a sedative. He was given Versed. I was prepared for him to be a little drugged up dopey but wow, he exceeded my expectations. I wish I'd had a video camera with me.
After taking his medication Caleb sat in the waiting room waiting for it to kick in. The girls who work in the office are pro's at recognizing the signs. One especially cute girl came out to get him. Caleb had a huge dopey grin and what he and his brothers have deemed 'stars in their eyes' look that means a girl is especially cute. She asked him if he was ready to go back, he didn't speak just kept smiling. Then he insisted that he needed to tie his shoelaces. He is learning and doing quite well, but it takes a good two minutes sober. Imagine adding drugs to the mix? He was having a hard time getting the first part accomplished. Then he started to lean and tip over in the chair. But in true Caleb spirit he just kept smiling.
When he got up to walk back it was all I could do to keep from giggling, he looked like a mini drunk, swaying, staggering and almost missing the door. Good thing he had help.
After Caleb finished his dental work we went back to the recovery room. Can I tell ya, I love this dental office. The staff is amazing and they make the kids feel like superstars. We hung out for a little bit and waited for Gabe to stagger in, he'd had some nitrous and was a little spacey himself.
Before driving home we decided to make a detour to the Gossner dairy. Grandpa loves cheese curds and we thought it a perfectly fitting way to thank him for watching Eli while we were gone. There was also a hope, spoken by the guys, that they'd have ice cream.
For our entertainment on the way home, we had Caleb. Caleb on dental sedation drugs. Hilarious.
First was the bobbing head. And the occasional attempt to stand up. In the car, while it was driving. He never got his coordination gathered enough to even unbuckle his seatbelt. But the direction and intent was there. He wanted out. I worried that this was the beginning of the angry kid syndrome we'd been warned about. I was really really worried when they mentioned that side effect. Caleb has angry child syndrome any time anyone wakes him up when he's sleeping. When he feels he is being ignored, even for a second. With Caleb angry child syndrome could have been scary. But he never got it, he was a happy drunk.
Then it was the goofy grins and giggling. And the eyebrow raising. Caleb does this often to add emphasis to whatever he's saying. But paired with the goofy grins and the haphazard eyebrow raising it was making me giggle.
When Caleb started talking to us it was pretty random conversation.
Caleb: Mom in that little room the girls were dancing on the walls. Really. REALLY. They were. Why were the girls dancing on the ceiling? (goofy grin, emphatic eyebrow raise and a nod)
Me: Do you think they were trying to entertain you?
Caleb: Maybe. But probably only the doctor. It could be boring looking in mouths all day.
At Gossners I got Caleb a small ice cream. Big mistake. He hadn't eaten since 9pm the night before, he wanted my ice cream and his ice cream in one bowl. (I forgot to mention, when he is hungry that's another time the ACS can kick in). I wasn't about to mess with the ice cream situation, so I just gave him both. I tried to offer to feed him but he wouldn't have it. He wanted to feed himself. So he did. Caleb had an extra drippy spoonful of ice cream hanging off the spoon. He wagged his tongue side to side passing it through the drips of ice cream. It was messy but so funny to watch he was concentrating on that spoon but couldn't keep his eyes focused.
At one point he looked down at the Styrofoam cup and plastic spoon, to him it must've looked like gold.
Caleb:what about their nice bowl and spoon? What will we do with it when I finish eating my ice cream?
Me: Caleb, you get to keep it.
Caleb: REALLY? Big grin, and another enthusiastic eyebrow raise.
Thanks Dr. Allen for the fixed teeth.
We woke up early. Brushed our teeth and did a bit of running around like crazy hoping we'd remember everything. And then we started to drive. And I started to read. Out loud. After one chapter of Junie B. Jones Aloha ha ha, I was informed that Gabe hated Junie B. books. She interrupted the teachers, talked out of turn and didn't stay on task. (Kettle meet Pot) Gabe then told me that this time, he was kind of enjoying it. So I could continue reading.
I don't know if you've read these books, but they are pretty dang funny. Lester and I were laughing at least once a page. I think that amused the boys more than the story.
We drove North, through morning work rush traffic. It was fun. Made me glad my commute is non-existent.
Near Brigham City I was told that they were done hearing the story. But the story had one more chapter. I really wanted to finish it, but couldn't bring myself to ignore them while I finished the last couple pages. Maybe another day.
We got to Logan, for the boys dentist appointments with 15 minutes to spare. I didn't look at the speedometer or the clock the entire way, it was just too stressful for me to think about. I had thought we needed to leave 30 minutes earlier than we did. Boy did Lester prove me wrong. He is now the official family driver, especially for longer trips. (Not that I was ever the official driver, just making it official).
Caleb had 4 cavities. Now before you think me a horrible mother who never brushes her kids teeth and feeds them candy before bed, let me explain. Caleb has enamel displasia, which thanks to Dr. Allen I know means that when the teeth were forming under the gums the enamel didn't completely seal. Bad news. It means Caleb is extra susceptible to cavities. Because of those 4 cavities, Caleb needed a little bit of a sedative. He was given Versed. I was prepared for him to be a little drugged up dopey but wow, he exceeded my expectations. I wish I'd had a video camera with me.
After taking his medication Caleb sat in the waiting room waiting for it to kick in. The girls who work in the office are pro's at recognizing the signs. One especially cute girl came out to get him. Caleb had a huge dopey grin and what he and his brothers have deemed 'stars in their eyes' look that means a girl is especially cute. She asked him if he was ready to go back, he didn't speak just kept smiling. Then he insisted that he needed to tie his shoelaces. He is learning and doing quite well, but it takes a good two minutes sober. Imagine adding drugs to the mix? He was having a hard time getting the first part accomplished. Then he started to lean and tip over in the chair. But in true Caleb spirit he just kept smiling.
When he got up to walk back it was all I could do to keep from giggling, he looked like a mini drunk, swaying, staggering and almost missing the door. Good thing he had help.
After Caleb finished his dental work we went back to the recovery room. Can I tell ya, I love this dental office. The staff is amazing and they make the kids feel like superstars. We hung out for a little bit and waited for Gabe to stagger in, he'd had some nitrous and was a little spacey himself.
Before driving home we decided to make a detour to the Gossner dairy. Grandpa loves cheese curds and we thought it a perfectly fitting way to thank him for watching Eli while we were gone. There was also a hope, spoken by the guys, that they'd have ice cream.
For our entertainment on the way home, we had Caleb. Caleb on dental sedation drugs. Hilarious.
First was the bobbing head. And the occasional attempt to stand up. In the car, while it was driving. He never got his coordination gathered enough to even unbuckle his seatbelt. But the direction and intent was there. He wanted out. I worried that this was the beginning of the angry kid syndrome we'd been warned about. I was really really worried when they mentioned that side effect. Caleb has angry child syndrome any time anyone wakes him up when he's sleeping. When he feels he is being ignored, even for a second. With Caleb angry child syndrome could have been scary. But he never got it, he was a happy drunk.
Then it was the goofy grins and giggling. And the eyebrow raising. Caleb does this often to add emphasis to whatever he's saying. But paired with the goofy grins and the haphazard eyebrow raising it was making me giggle.
When Caleb started talking to us it was pretty random conversation.
Caleb: Mom in that little room the girls were dancing on the walls. Really. REALLY. They were. Why were the girls dancing on the ceiling? (goofy grin, emphatic eyebrow raise and a nod)
Me: Do you think they were trying to entertain you?
Caleb: Maybe. But probably only the doctor. It could be boring looking in mouths all day.
At Gossners I got Caleb a small ice cream. Big mistake. He hadn't eaten since 9pm the night before, he wanted my ice cream and his ice cream in one bowl. (I forgot to mention, when he is hungry that's another time the ACS can kick in). I wasn't about to mess with the ice cream situation, so I just gave him both. I tried to offer to feed him but he wouldn't have it. He wanted to feed himself. So he did. Caleb had an extra drippy spoonful of ice cream hanging off the spoon. He wagged his tongue side to side passing it through the drips of ice cream. It was messy but so funny to watch he was concentrating on that spoon but couldn't keep his eyes focused.
At one point he looked down at the Styrofoam cup and plastic spoon, to him it must've looked like gold.
Caleb:what about their nice bowl and spoon? What will we do with it when I finish eating my ice cream?
Me: Caleb, you get to keep it.
Caleb: REALLY? Big grin, and another enthusiastic eyebrow raise.
Thanks Dr. Allen for the fixed teeth.
Monday, October 5, 2009
To Do: Everything is Fun
*Clean out the closets. Yikes. Put away summer clothes. Bring out the long sleeves. Times 5.
*Work on Jewelry. Find some targets, ie: boutiques to take my jewelry to. I have to find a place to sell. Decide on a blog shop cart. Would you buy from the jewelry blog, if the payments were made via paypal?
*Make more jewelry. And even more jewelry. And sell extra beads on etsy(?) to local beaders (ksl?)
*Get the boys cavities fixed, then dump out all remnant of sugar that'd invite them back. My waistline will thank me too.
*Get my butt out of bed and RUN. Lester made a proposition involving spending $$ earned for each pound lost. I have 40 to spare and that would add up to a really fun birthday shopping spree.
*And in my spare time I need to clean out the office (clutter totally zaps my creativity), scrapbook the last 5 years of our lives and make some more jewelry.
*Work on Jewelry. Find some targets, ie: boutiques to take my jewelry to. I have to find a place to sell. Decide on a blog shop cart. Would you buy from the jewelry blog, if the payments were made via paypal?
*Make more jewelry. And even more jewelry. And sell extra beads on etsy(?) to local beaders (ksl?)
*Get the boys cavities fixed, then dump out all remnant of sugar that'd invite them back. My waistline will thank me too.
*Get my butt out of bed and RUN. Lester made a proposition involving spending $$ earned for each pound lost. I have 40 to spare and that would add up to a really fun birthday shopping spree.
*And in my spare time I need to clean out the office (clutter totally zaps my creativity), scrapbook the last 5 years of our lives and make some more jewelry.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
On my mind lately:
Dear Costco, have I told you lately that I Love you? A kajillion homebaked Brownies for less than $30 is awesome. Let's keep the secret (ghiradelli mix) recipe between us. Dear Oven, I haven't forgotten the last time we made brownies together. Do.NOT.Messthisup! (I tried to bake two large pans of brownies for a Teacher luncheon a few weeks ago and ended up with brownie spillage and chocolate batter baked to the bottom of my entire oven).
I'm teaching the lesson in Relief Society on Sunday. Actually TWO lessons. I was given two chapters to cover. I am excited, scared, terrified and hopeful all at once.
I hate dreams that wake you up in tears or a cold sweat, last night was a bad one. And the night before. Maybe if I make sure I go to bed really really tired I'll be too tired to dream.
I have no idea why that first paragraph is showing up so huge, it looks normal in the typing section.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Spoke too soon
This morning while dropping Caleb off at school, I noticed a crying Kindergartner. I felt so sad for him. And his mother. But silently I was grateful that my boys were excited for school. There would be no tears.
I got home and started getting Eli ready for preschool. I asked him to put on his backpack so I could take his picture. His reply? "I don't want to have a picture!" and "I don't want to put on my backpack!".
I made him anyway. Then I tried to coax a smile out of him. ON the porch. With his backpack on.
He started crying. And cried all the way to preschool. (Across the street) He cried when we got inside. He cried harder when I pointed out the friends that he knew and reminded him that I loved him and would be back 'soon' to get him. At the teachers prompting I left quickly and I am not sure how much longer the tears lasted.
It's going to be a difficult couple of weeks for Eli, while he gets used to preschool again.
It's almost enough to make me feel bad for celebrating a couple of hours by myself. In a house that will stay clean. Temporarily.
I got home and started getting Eli ready for preschool. I asked him to put on his backpack so I could take his picture. His reply? "I don't want to have a picture!" and "I don't want to put on my backpack!".
I made him anyway. Then I tried to coax a smile out of him. ON the porch. With his backpack on.
He started crying. And cried all the way to preschool. (Across the street) He cried when we got inside. He cried harder when I pointed out the friends that he knew and reminded him that I loved him and would be back 'soon' to get him. At the teachers prompting I left quickly and I am not sure how much longer the tears lasted.
It's going to be a difficult couple of weeks for Eli, while he gets used to preschool again.
It's almost enough to make me feel bad for celebrating a couple of hours by myself. In a house that will stay clean. Temporarily.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Seeking Serenity
Sometimes I get the feeling that I'm looking for something at exactly the wrong time. Today it was some serenity. A little peace and quiet. I had been feeling as though the whole world was yelling. Life has gotten noisy.
Now I know you're probably laughing. I do have three (3!) little boys. Anyone who has known a little boy knows that quiet is a rarity. I haven't forgotten where I am. Nor am I on a journey to Neverland in search of Unicorns.
Peace and Quiet, Calmness and Serenity can be found in a life with boys. And chaos.
I was determined to find it. Today, of all days.
I first started looking for the moments of peace this morning when the boys had gone downstairs to wake up Grandpa. It was short and interrupted by the need to get their church clothes out, put mine on, comb my hair, maybe some make up. So I hustled, hoping that the calm would be there after I accomplished the first set of to-do's. It wasn't there. The boys came up just as I finished curling the last piece of hair and demanded food. Lester left for church a little early, he was teaching the Priesthood lesson today. I was on my own.
To say I looked again for a minute of calm would be a joke, try getting 4 people ready for church in 30 minutes when you are the minority and everyone else is 8 and under.
I looked for it at church. But Elijah didn't want to go to nursery, so I spent Sunday School entertaining a very chatty 3 year old.
Sacrament time didn't fair any better, even though the two youngest boys were visiting and sitting with a neighbor. How could I NOT enjoy the fact that they were behaving well and sitting with someone else? I was too worried that they were disturbing a new set of hearing-aid wearers in the ward who weren't used to dialing up the volume on their 'ears'.
I've also realized that as a mother you have a certain degree of 'mothering attention'. If you have one child all that attention is given to one. As you have more children that attention is divided among those who are present at the time. So the absence of two only meant that I had 100% of my mothering attention to be absorbed by Gabriel. (Or so He'd hoped)
I looked for some serenity in the bathroom. You know a quiet place where there's running water and a lock on the door. But they found me. And chose that time to 'need' the bathroom for it's more commonly known purposes.
I looked for serenity in the bottom of the taffy jar, the candy actually laughed at me as I tried to pretend I'd found it.
I looked again for the peace and calm in the bottom of a juice glass filled with orange sherbet. I took it outside, when it threatened to mock me for believing I'd find calm there. I sat in the hammock, alone, for the first time today. And as I sat there I looked up at the trees. The leaves were fluttering in the breeze. It was calming. Then the breeze got a little stronger and those little leaves flapped faster and faster. But you know that's when it hit me. Even though they were being shaken within an inch of their tree hanging existence they hung on and actually looked like they were enjoying it.
The secret I learned is; if we're anchored to what we've always known and believed even the winds of chaos can't shake us permanently from our spot. Knowing this provides the greatest source of peace of all.
So I found it, just not where or when I thought I would.
Now I know you're probably laughing. I do have three (3!) little boys. Anyone who has known a little boy knows that quiet is a rarity. I haven't forgotten where I am. Nor am I on a journey to Neverland in search of Unicorns.
Peace and Quiet, Calmness and Serenity can be found in a life with boys. And chaos.
I was determined to find it. Today, of all days.
I first started looking for the moments of peace this morning when the boys had gone downstairs to wake up Grandpa. It was short and interrupted by the need to get their church clothes out, put mine on, comb my hair, maybe some make up. So I hustled, hoping that the calm would be there after I accomplished the first set of to-do's. It wasn't there. The boys came up just as I finished curling the last piece of hair and demanded food. Lester left for church a little early, he was teaching the Priesthood lesson today. I was on my own.
To say I looked again for a minute of calm would be a joke, try getting 4 people ready for church in 30 minutes when you are the minority and everyone else is 8 and under.
I looked for it at church. But Elijah didn't want to go to nursery, so I spent Sunday School entertaining a very chatty 3 year old.
Sacrament time didn't fair any better, even though the two youngest boys were visiting and sitting with a neighbor. How could I NOT enjoy the fact that they were behaving well and sitting with someone else? I was too worried that they were disturbing a new set of hearing-aid wearers in the ward who weren't used to dialing up the volume on their 'ears'.
I've also realized that as a mother you have a certain degree of 'mothering attention'. If you have one child all that attention is given to one. As you have more children that attention is divided among those who are present at the time. So the absence of two only meant that I had 100% of my mothering attention to be absorbed by Gabriel. (Or so He'd hoped)
I looked for some serenity in the bathroom. You know a quiet place where there's running water and a lock on the door. But they found me. And chose that time to 'need' the bathroom for it's more commonly known purposes.
I looked for serenity in the bottom of the taffy jar, the candy actually laughed at me as I tried to pretend I'd found it.
I looked again for the peace and calm in the bottom of a juice glass filled with orange sherbet. I took it outside, when it threatened to mock me for believing I'd find calm there. I sat in the hammock, alone, for the first time today. And as I sat there I looked up at the trees. The leaves were fluttering in the breeze. It was calming. Then the breeze got a little stronger and those little leaves flapped faster and faster. But you know that's when it hit me. Even though they were being shaken within an inch of their tree hanging existence they hung on and actually looked like they were enjoying it.
The secret I learned is; if we're anchored to what we've always known and believed even the winds of chaos can't shake us permanently from our spot. Knowing this provides the greatest source of peace of all.
So I found it, just not where or when I thought I would.
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