Starving Baby

If Jacob could talk he would most likely tell you that his parents starve him. I swear the boy must have a hallow leg or something. Lately he has been waking up every 2-3 hours at night to down 4-6 ounces of food. This is serious business because he claims he hasn't been fed in ages and will die if not taken care of. Good thing we are there to oblige, but some sleep would be nice. I don't know if anyone has told him that even if he gets chubbier, he still needs to use his hand to fend off his siblings. Being bigger won't be of any help to anyone, except to fulfill the plot to tire out mom until she konks out and then kids ruling the home.

I mean, look at those thighs. Can you say squishy chubbiness?! I love them. Chubby babies are adorable, but at the way he's going I am going to have arms like those of Linda Hamilton's in "Terminator 2". Who needs to work-out when hefting around Jacob? So watch our for my "guns" because I don't think this boy will be slowing down anytime soon.

Who needs marriage?!

I just recently read a blog about Jamie Lynn Spears calling off her wedding to her boyfriend. (No, I didn't seek it out, it was a banner on a "your baby" email and I was intrigued.) She and her boyfriend still live together and are happily enjoying their 9 month old daughter, but decided to put off the "pressure" of marriage for now. What's the difference anyhow, it's just a piece of paper and a ring Spears claims.

Shudder, vomit, scream, run, hide, and whatever other reaction you can think of that shows my distaste. We all know how the world feels about marriage. It's no secret. The article didn't really surprise me and I couldn't care less about Ms. Spears. However, I found the comments to the blog more shocking that the actual news itself. I included a few just to give you a taste of how wonderfully whacky society's standards are now:

To answer your question Whit the point of living with someone if you are not married is to get to know the person before you marry. Don’t judge others for being realistic. I lived with my husband for 7 years before we married and marriage did not change anything. We’ve always been happy married or co-habitating. I don’t believe in doing anything blindly. Over 50% of marriages end in divorce. Let’s get real please and if you can save yourself till marriage great for you. But those are unrealistic standards for the majority of people.

So nothing changed after you got married? No stronger commitment or obligation to each other? That's sad. And so what if 50% of marriages end in divorce? Marriage just doesn't happen to you. It should be a conscious choice, one that you recommit to and work together on every day. It's easy to avoid divorce. Don't be a stupid idiot. And why is it so unrealistic to save one's self for marriage? Does no one know how to control themselves anymore? I know, we want instant gratification and if marriage is just a piece of paper, why wait?

I think that it would be better for her not to get married yet. She has a child and she is still a child her self. I think she needs to focus on the child first and then maybe a year or so down the road then start the planning of their wedding. You have a child that needs you focus on that and not add extra stress on top of a child

If she is a child herself, then why the heck is she having a child? No one seems to have a problem with that one! Yeah, because planning a wedding and being married is SO much more stressful than being a parent. Right? Maybe if you have nannies to care for your children. Argh!

I think shes doing the right thing, shes got a little baby girl already so why not wait to get married. getting married doesn't really mean nothing now a days!
im a mum of a 15 month old and have been with my bf for 4yrs and marriage is deff not on the cards just yet! xxx

Yep, getting married doesn't mean anything! Good for you not being married. That way it'll be a lot easier for your boyfriend to leave you when he wants to. And let's tell her she is doing the right thing so we don't feel guilty about our own mistakes. Plus, I want an unwed bratty teenage mom to be my child's hero, don't you?

I think at their young age it is better to wait for marriage. If they are happy in the situation they’re in & their daughter is well cared for, then it’s probably a smart move to give themselves time to figure out who they are as individuals & what they really want from life & a marriage. I don’t think any teenager really has all of that figured out. Better to put it off than to marry too soon & have it end in divorce, especially with a child involved. I think it actually shows a bit of maturity on their part.

I agree that they are young and need to figure out themselves. However, they should have thought about that before having sex, which resulted in said child. No matter what anyone says, they are no longer kids. They are parents and need to act as such. Whatever they want out of life better include that child they had together. But I know, I'm assuming they would actually be responsible people by saying the above. Oh yeah, and it would be far worse for their child for them to get a divorce than split up because then there wouldn't be that whole name change thing. Don't want mom and dad to make an commitment that really would be in the best interest of the child. And as for maturity, you're kidding, right? They are immature, which is shown by the fact that they are teenage parents. Um, yeah.

I grew up around divorce and switching between my mom and dad on the weekends. That was not fun. But it didn't turn me off to marriage. Instead of running away from and avoiding it, I realized marriage is a beautiful wonderful thing, if nourished properly. It really makes me angry to see people treat marriage so lightly. There is a huge difference between living together and being married. And having married parents makes a giant impact on any child. I didn't go "blindly" into my marriage. It took a lot of prayer. We married only after two months of being engaged and have been happily married for 8 1/2 years. What we are doing takes maturity and understanding, not the world's way of avoiding commitment. Thank goodness for the Gospel and a sound understanding that marriage and family are sacred and holy!

No Thanks Chuck E.

There is this Chuck E. Cheese commercial that I have seen lately that drives me bonkers. It's two moms talking over walkie talkies as they spy on their kids playing outside. They keep in contact with each other as they sneak around to make sure they always know where the kids are and let each other know when the kids go inside or move location. Then comes Chuck E. Cheese on the tv asking if you want a safe place for your kids to play then you should go to said food place where the kids can eat, play, and be safe. The end shows the very happy moms saying the Chuck E. Cheese slogan.

This commercial bothers me so much because it is a product of our insanely over-protective parent society. We can't just let kids play anymore. We have to monitor their every move. Something bad could happen if we don't keep an eye on them at all times. Imagine the horror if we let them play outback or at a friend's house! Why don't we just send them to the ghetto with hundred dollar bills stapled to their clothes and see how they fare?! What kind of negligent parent lets their kids play on their own?

Well, I guess I am one of those horrible parents. I let my kids play outside and even in the neighbors yard unattended. I know, I am evil. I am just asking for my kids to be hurt or seriously twisted for life. What has happened to our society when we can no longer feel comfortable sending our kids out to play in their own yard? Are we that worried about bad things happening to our children? Can we not allow them a little freedom, especially when it comes to play? I think, and I remind you that I am one of those horrid negligent parents, that children should be allowed to run free in their yard. They shouldn't have to be monitored all the time in their play. I also am highly against structured play groups that delegate activities for the kids. Childhood is a time to develop one's imagination. There is no end to a child's creativity. As I write this my children are busily making a King Boo family out of balloons and markers. My kids are always coming up with interesting and fun games. Their little spirits would be crushed if I was constantly towering over them and watching their every move. And as they got older, they would fight against me because I kept limiting their creativity and freedom.

Parents who spy on and stalk their children are only asking for problems in the future. Childhood is also a great time to let children learn trust. I trust my children to play outside and behave. When they are naughty and fight or make messes in the neighbor's yard, that privilege is revoked until they have proven them self worthy of it again. They are allowed to make choices and learn the consequences for their actions. Children who are not allowed to exercise such freedom have a tendency to grow up irresponsible and clueless about how their actions affect others.

So sorry Chuck E., but you didn't sell me on that commercial. Not that I would take my kids to a place like that often anyway. Along with believing that my children should be allowed to be children, I also believe in a bank account, which would be wiped out if I went to Chuck E. Cheese every time my kids wanted to play. We'll just stick to the backyard and take our chances.

Three Months!

Happy 3 months! Where did the time go? Jacob is a sweet little angel that loves to smile at us and talk. Here is a little video of him sharing his views on life.
Enjoy!

Oops!

Whoops! I wrote the wrong address in my calorie blog! Sorry Michelle, the website is actually www.caloriecount.about.com On the right hand side it says "new members" and that is where you can click to sign up.

I am Blessed

It's been awhile since I've written about my awesome husband. The poor guy has had some crazy months adjusting to a new baby, having many needs in the ward, and working a job that can be stressful and often involves crabby clients. How he does it? I just don't know.

I was reminded of how awesome my husband truly is when I got back into contact with some friends from my hometown ward. I had dated some of the guys and it was interesting to see that a few of them had fallen away from the church. Boy, my life would have been way different had I ended up with one of them! It made me think how glad I am to know my husband has a strong testimony of the Gospel. Now, I know no one is invincible to sin, but I'm pretty sure my husband isn't going to go astray any time soon. I think about my sister who is going through a divorce after twenty years of marriage and six kids. Things just didn't turn out as planned and it has been years since her husband has set foot into a church. What would I do if Marshall decided to "call it quits" on the Gospel? (Probably kick him in the rear, right?) My greatest concern before marriage was finding someone who wouldn't poop out and go inactive after a few years of marriage. But it's a worry I don't have because I know Marshall and I know his testimony is built on a firm foundation.

I see him as he sacrifices for his family in working long hours as an attorney. He firmly believes that, if possible, a mother should be at home with her kids. This can't always happen in life and he knows that, but he does everything in his power to make it possible for me to be at home. I know he gets discouraged at work. Who doesn't? I know there are many summer days when he wishes he could be swimming with us rather than being stuck in his office. But he never says "Sue, I'm taking time off for me. I'm done. You go to work. I need to relax." Marshall knows what is expected of him as a provider and carries it out with amazing ability.

He sacrifices for the Gospel to serve our ward and bless our ward and family. I cannot begin to imagine all that he gets to deal with, and I am glad I don't know. He has many happy moments and also sad ones as he works with people. Much time and service is required of him as bishop and yet he does it freely. He doesn't really ever complain about surprise phone calls, emergency meetings, and unexpected crisises that occur, taking him away from home for longer and keeping him further from rest. (Most likely because I do enough of the whining for both of us!) He truly loves the members of our ward. This example is just one in a long list of unfailing service in the church, from a stalwart missionary to a dedicated Gospel doctrine teacher and almost everything in between.

He is amazing. I am sure I don't say it enough, but I have great peace in knowing I married a strong, dependable, Gospel centered man. What more could I ask for? I know my husband will never fail us or the Lord. The joy that brings me is indescribable. I truly am a blessed woman.

It Works!

My husband and I are on a quest to lose weight. Me from having a baby and him from living the sedentary office life. The Wii Fit was the first step and now we've started something new to also help us meet our goal. The experts say changing your diet is the key to losing weight and I am a believer. Thanks to www.caloriecounting.about.com, we have been keeping track of our calories and activities. It is the coolest website and I love it!

Signing up is free and so is the service the site provides. You answer a few questions about your body and lifestyle and then it sets a goal for weight loss. It tells you how many calories you need to eat each day to meet the goal. You can go and keep a food log to keep track of the calories you eat with each meal. It has a huge database of food that you can look up and enter into your log. Then it keeps a running tally so you can see how you are doing for the day. It has been so helpful to see the actual numbers add up and know where we stand. Plus, it's gotten us to pay more attention to serving sizes and be more creative with meals. For instance, I had no idea that 9 tortilla chips counted as a serving and that one serving of those chips have 140 calories. You can see how it could add up fast. So last night for dinner for taco salad we had lettuce, salsa, sour cream, a dab of shredded cheese, black, beans, meat, and then a few corn chips crumbled on top. We got all our normal ingredients, just changed the lettuce to more and the chips to way less. It was healthier. I'll admit that my husband and I have gotten used to never feeling full, but we also have gotten used to eating less. Entering in the information on-line also makes us think before we eat. (Do I really want to waste 200 calories on jelly beans? I don't want to see those calories taken away!) It's almost like a competition for us to see how many calories we can have left after dinner. That means we can have a cookie or two or a light snack later.

The website also lets you keep track of any activity you do for the day and that increases the number of calories you burn. Did you know carrying around a baby, 15 lbs., burns 400 something calories in one and a half hour? I do that and more every day! You can log exercise, chores, walking up stairs, etc. It's great.

And there are also all sorts of recipes and information offered on the site.

We started this on Saturday and since then we both have lost a few pounds. It's been fun to see the results and be more aware of what we are putting into our bodies. I like this system too because you can still have treats, but it'll cost you calories from your total so you have to be wise and not pig out. You all should check out the site. We are big fans!

What makes the difference?

I love Facebook! It's so fun to reconnect with people I haven't talked to in what seems like ages. Just this weekend I found a bunch of people from my home ward in PA. It's been fun to catch up with a few of them and see where they are in life. But in some ways it's kind of been a bummer to find out some of them no longer are living the Gospel. Some kids that came from what seemed like strong families have ended up choosing another path in life. Others have stayed strong. I know as a youth I worried my Young Women leaders because of my family situation, challenges, and choices and yet now I have a temple marriage and am very active in the Gospel. Shouldn't it have been the other way around? What happened?

There is no question about the value of family home evening, family prayer, and family scripture study in the home. We have heard over and over again that families need to do this on a regular basis if they want to stay grounded in the Gospel and be successful as a family. I look at my husband's family and see how strong they are in the Gospel and I know it is a result of the above. Having a Christ centered home is key, a place where your children can feel and recognize the Spirit. I want my home to feel different than the world. I want my children to see it as a place of comfort, peace, and rest. (We're still working on the peace part. You know, we can't go one day without having numerous fights over toys, markers, or something else.) My husband and I attend the temple on a regular basis and our kids know that is what you do. They can't wait until they are older and can go. My kids also know that the place to get married is the temple. No where else can make them a family for forever. They also know about being modest, what harmful things to avoid taking into their bodies, how to treat others, what not to say, and so on. We're teaching them these things through family home evening and daily interactions.

I know the kids from these families grew up with those above things in their homes. So what happened? I think as parents it is important to never deviate from the Gospel. It can be a hard thing to do with our children growing up in an ever challenging word. But if we are teaching them from the beginning about what the Lord expects from them and are not trying to be their friends, but rather parent first, it is possible to be strong. Not giving in over an immodest prom dress, exclusive dating, mixed gender sleepovers, R rated movies, etc. Once we start to give in on a few things, the whole game is over. Our kids will see that certain aspects of the Gospel aren't as important to us and, therefore, them if we make exceptions. She'll get over not being able to wear the strappy prom gown, but she may not get over the path she heads down by wearing that immodest dress. We first need to live the Gospel and show our children that we don't take any "vacations". We need to let them see that following the Lord makes us happy and brings joy and rich blessings into our lives. And need to point out those blessings.

By having FHE, scripture study, prayer, and the Gospel in our home, we also allow our children the opportunity to gain their own testimonies. This is key in having them become strong and faithful members on their own. I didn't grow up with all of the above in my home, but I kept going back to church because I knew it was right and what I wanted in my life. We need to let our children get a testimony. This doesn't mean we throw them out into the world and say "Okay, find your way." No, this means we give them the teachings and tools in our homes for them to develop their own testimonies. And we let them make choices so they learn there are consequences for their actions, like staying up really late on Saturday night makes you really tired when you get up on Sunday morning for church. Or buying an immodest skirt causes you to lose money when mom uses said skirt as a cleaning rag because such clothes aren't allowed in our home. To have a testimony they need to be taught the doctrine behind why we live the way we do and that choosing the path of the world leads to misery. It was much easier for me to live the Gospel once I knew what was expected of me and WHY. When our children have their feet firmly planted in the Gospel, they can endure the challenges that will come from life. We won't always be there to hold their hand. The best thing we can do for them from the very beginning is help their testimonies blossom and grow.

It's been interesting to see how we've all turned out from my old ward. It's been sad in some cases, but it's also been a great reminder to me of the importance of my duty as a parent to teach my children the gospel. When all is done, it will be up to them how they turn out as adults. I know parents who raised their children in good homes only to have them go astray from the Gospel. But I know that by having a Gospel centered home where my kids can gain their own testimonies, know what the Lord expects of them, and feel the joy of choosing the right, my children have a great chance of turning out right.

We NEED this

The power of suggestion is amazing and the best at it are the television commercials. Normally when my kids watch tv and see commercials, which is rare due to our dvr recording most shows (Man, are we spoiled!), they tell me how they want most of the toys they see advertised. No big surprise there. But this week Anna has been home from school for Spring break and, being older and wiser, has picked up on a few products that I NEED to get.

The first is Pampers diapers. She saw a commercial for them and swears we HAVE to get them for Jacob. You see, Pampers claims it's diapers stops leaks and my innocent child believes that a diaper exists that can actually do that. So now whenever the kids see that commercial, they immediately yell out "Mom! We need to get those diapers for Jacob!". But I am much wiser than the advertisers would have me be. I've had four babies and I know that the possibility of a diaper that stops leaks is the same as President Obama doing something to help the economy. Ain't gonna happen. It's a fairy tale never to be realized. Plus, through experience, I know Pampers don't work as well for boys as Huggies do. But I do think my kids' concern is sweet.

At dinner the other night I was talking to Marshall about putting some garden fresh veggies in a baggie. Anna immediately piped in "Mom, you need to get the green bags. They help your food stay fresh up to 7 days longer." Oh my goodness. I knew exactly which commercial she was talking about because she almost quoted the ad verbatim. That commercial where using those special green storage bags will help your food stay fresh longer. Apparently Anna had also seen that on tv this week. Marshall and I tried our best stifle our giggles and thanked Anna for her help.

This summer it'll be interesting to see what else she picks up from commercials. It's also goes to show the importance of knowing what your kids are watching. They are little sponges and absorb everything so make sure they are watching good things on tv. I can't wait to see what new products I need to buy this summer. The possibilities are endless.

Random

1. Daylight savings is evil because I cannot seem to pull myself out of bed before 7 am. I am sure Jacob has nothing to do with it.

2. Speaking of Jacob, how in the world did he gets to be almost 3 months old? Ah!

3. Thank goodness for allergy meds. I went a few days without them and ended up being so congested. Now I am have them again and am on the mend. One day I hope to smell and taste things again. Grr.

4. Our good friends that moved to Idaho stopped by to visit us yesterday morning for a few minutes. They were on their way to Disneyland. It was so good to see them. Now I REALLY want to go to Disneyland.

5. I am very excited to travel back East to see my family this summer. However, the thought of flying with four kids does not fill me with excitement.

6. Why do boys like to dump toys? No playing with them, just dumping.

7. Now that Jimmy is potty trained he finds his "nut" so fascinating. Boys.

8. We're surviving Spring Break.

9. Why can't "The Office" and "30 Rock" be on every night? I am so excited that they are on tonight and both are new episodes.

10. Why do babies prefer to be held while standing and not sitting? Anna keeps asking me that. I wish I knew the secret because it would make my life easier.

11. I love Easter and spring time. We decorated for Easter yesterday and I noticed that we have a deplorable lack of Easter decorations. I told my husband that this was an emergency that needed to be taken care of ASAP. He thought I was kidding.

12. Why do weeds grow so freely? I need to win millions to hire a landscaper to re-do my whole backyard. That would be sweet.

13. My kids are so dang cute that I could cover them in kisses all the time.

How's that for random?

A Good Dose of Jacob

Everyone could use more Jacob in their lives. Both of these pictures are too cute. One laid back look and one sly smile. Enjoy!

Happy St. Paddy's Day! We lvoe holidays here and we have been so excited for this one. Last night everyone picked out something green to wear so that they don't get pinched today. The girls were so prepared that they even slept in their green clothes. This morning we had bright green pancakes for breakfast and tonight we are having potato soup and green corn muffins for dinner. Yeah for food coloring paste! THe kids are most excited about the visit from the leprechaun. He comes every year to mess up their bedrooms, whcih they find hilarious, and leave a treat. So the anticipatio begins. We hope you all have a wonderfully green fun St. Patrick's Day!

Accepting the Pooch

When I gave birth to my first child, I felt prepared. I took the prenatal class and had learned all about childbirth and what to expect. However, no one told me about what happens to your stomach after you give birth. After gazing at my beautiful baby girl, I glanced down and noticed what used to be my firm stomach was now replaced with a mass of sagging flesh. What?! I wanted to call the doctor, nurses, and security and demand an explanation. Had I passed out and no one told me? Surely I had and during my unconsciousness some horrible accident had happen, leaving my stomach doughy and streaked. Something had to be done! This wasn't the stomach I had started out with! I felt robbed. No one had told me about this part.

Now I'm four babies later and a little bit wiser. Well, somewhat. I'm impatient in general and obsessive when it comes to my body. Having Twiggy and Twiggier for sisters doesn't help. Somehow I got blessed to have the solid German body. I've always feared ending up a woman with hips that can fit up to six or more passengers. I still tried on my pants a few days after getting home from the hospital. Gotta see how much I have left to lose before I can wear them again, right? I still do try them on periodically. And I still get frustrated that I haven't bounced back to my pre-baby size. Hello, I've been exercising for a month! Why isn't the skin just sucking itself back into place? Let's go body! Get a move on! Like I said, I've only become a little bit wiser.

Now I admit, but don't tell my husband because then he'll know I really do know, I think I look pretty good after having had four kids, with the youngest being a two month old. I know that, but yet I still get bummed out about having the dough belly and baby hips that take time to firm up. I don't like the way my body looks right now. And because I get blue over my "softer" self, I forget what really is important in all of this. The reason why I have the stomach I do is because I had four beautiful children. Friday night as I played Red Rover and Red Light/ Green Light with the three older kids, giggling to our heart's content, I thought about how much I love my kids and how glad I am they are mine. Or when I catch Jacob's eye and his smile flashes, legs kick, and mouth coos at me, I know I am the most important person in his world. How I have the power to chase away all bogeymen and monsters to make my three year old feel safe at night. Or to snuggle up with my four year old when she is hurt and know she feels loved. Listening to my six year old read and seeing the pride beaming from her face as she finishes the book on her own.

I am a mom! My job is priceless and important to the sweet children I raise. Who cares about a little old pooch that doesn't disappear in two months? And, plus, that skin is a sign of something amazing my body and I did. I'm sure I'll still get frustrated while I work on getting my pre-baby body back, but I am going to try to be better at not letting some silly lose skin take away from my joy in being a mom to four adorable and precious children.

We Did It!

I feel invincible. I feel like Rosie the Riveter above, "Watch out for these guns because they can do anything!" I've conquered the enemy, slain the dragon, and come out victorious. I am on top of the world!

To what am I referring to? Potty training! It is finished and I am beyond excited. After three days of many accidents and tears, with Monday morning dawned a new hope. Suddenly, it all clicked and we had success! Jimmy started to tell me when he had to go potty and has ever since. We've had zero accidents. Jimmy feels so proud of himself and loves to wear his Thomas the Train and Spider man "panties". (He swears they are not undies because his sisters call them panties.) We've gone out to various places in undies and have not had a problem at all. The kid has learned when he has to go and he lets me know when it is time. And he even is dry at night. I am loving life!

It is amazing how empowering potty training feels. I was so nervous about this because 1) so many people have told me boys are difficult and 2) it was my first time flying solo. I admit, it was a struggle to train Jimmy. He was one stubborn little guy, but I held out and now am reaping the rewards. Marshall was in school when both the girls were trained and he took an active part in the process. So I was worried about doing it on my own and so proud of myself to see that I could do it too. You know, stick it out and not go insane or be super grossed out. (Remember, I hate bodily functions and would ban people from using the bathroom after I clean it, but then that would defeat the purpose of having a bathroom, right?) But I did it!

It's amazing how much happier both Jimmy and I are now that it is over. He feels like a big kid and loves it. He loves using his Lightening McQueen potty seat. It's awesome! I feel like I can do anything as a mom. Go me! I am so proud of my little Jimmy. We can do it and we did!

Another Reason to Hate Flying

I hate flying on an airplane. I really do. The only thing I like about it is that it gets me to where I want to be a lot quicker than driving. But I truly hate to fly. I hate not being able to see out the front and see where I am going. (Like I'd be able to tell in the clouds, right?) I hate feeling trapped. I hate being charged for stupid random things, like luggage. (What? You brought clothes on your trip?! $25 extra, ma'am.) I hate going through security. Every time I have flown alone with the kids, and I have done it a few times, I always get pulled aside for the extra fun detailed search. Yeah, let's make my traveling alone with two or three kids even more adventurous. Having to put my toddler down while being searched was totally not stressful for him or I. Better watch out for that young mom, she's scary. I may not have been before, but going through security could make me develop some insane homicidal tendencies.

This summer we are flying back to Pennsylvania to see my family. I am so excited to go back to my lovely green Keystone state. Not only will I be able to take in time with my family and trees, but also I can have good Italian food and water ice in abundance. Heaven, I tell you, heaven. But I am already dreading the flying aspect of our trip. And now I have a new reason to be annoyed.

I just saw a piece the other day on the news about the TSA body scanners. I was intrigued and confused at the same time. Scanning bodies, huh? People are randomly selected, which will include me since it always does, to stand in the machine and get scanned. A TSA screener is in another room looking at the black and white image of the scan to see if there is anything suspicious, or of a differing shade, that may be a concealed weapon. Cool. A new way to find out if someone bad is trying to sneak something on an airplane to do some harm. I am all for that.

However, I am not excited at the same time because the scanned images are extremely detailed. The TSA says it protects privacy by blurring passengers' faces and deleting images right after viewing. Yet the images are detailed, clearly showing a person's gender. "You can actually see the sweat on some one's back," said James Schear, the TSA security director at the Baltimore-Washington International Airport. Umm, this is where I have a problem. This is where things get a little too Big Brother-ish, of the "1984" nature, for me. I am a private person. I think the security can be intrusive enough as it is. I understand why it has to be, to a degree, but I do not feel comfortable getting into a machine that broadcasts an image of my naked body to some random stranger. I don't care if they don't see my face. It is a gross invasion of privacy. And who's to say the person screening the images isn't getting their "jollies" from looking at nude people all day? I've read about perverts that go into the EMT profession so they can take advantage of people who are incapacitated. I wouldn't put it beyond some sick person to do the same thing with the TSA scanning.

I am all for keeping us safe from terrorist attacks. But I think in some areas "we" have gone a little crazy. I can understand the logic behind the scanners, but I do not agree with their invasion of privacy. Of course, I am "old fashioned" so maybe this whole detailed body imaging isn't a big deal to anyone else. But I find it disturbing. And I am sure I'll have to go through it, or reject it for the pat-down instead, because I am a scary young mom. We'd hate to profile the people who seem like threats, but rather go after the lady with three screaming kids and a baby.

Pure Evil

Daylight savings is evil and of the Devil. Okay, not really, but I still hate it. As if life isn't tiring enough, let's play tricks on our bodies to change the time periodically so we sleep in too late from feeling like it's early or get up too early because it feels like it's later. Yipeee! Bring on the fun!

We had a really hard time falling asleep at a decent hour the night before the time changed, even though Marshall knew he had to get up early for church meetings. And getting up the on Sunday and Monday was like waking the dead. "Wait? Why does the clock say it's 7:15? I am soo tired. It must be a lie! It must! I need more sleep!" Evil, I say, evil. Today we did get ourselves out of bed by 6:20 thanks to Jacob.

Add kids to the equation and the fun just multiplies. On Sunday night the girls kept asking us if it was really bedtime because the sun hadn't set. Both nights the kids have had a hard time going to sleep. Their little bodies say they've still got an hour to play. What are Mom and Dad thinking putting them to bed earlier? Is this some kind of joke? And then they sleep in the next day, which is nice if you get up to enjoy the time they are asleep, but then you have to jump on them to wake them up and get the zombies ready for school. Not to mention the extreme crabbiness factor.

It takes a good week or so for everyone to get used to the time change. As if bedtime, sleeping, and waking up with children isn't always a random adventure of laughs. C'mon. I tell you, daylight savings is evil. Pure evil.

One Year!

Monday marks the one year anniversary of Marshall being put in as bishop. In some ways it seems like it was only yesterday that we got that fateful call to meet with the stake president and in others it seems like life was never any different.

The hardest thing for me is sharing my husband with a ward and all that it entails. I like to be organized and I don't like surprises. It's been an adjustment getting used to unexpected phone calls and emergencies. Don't people know that interviews happen on Tuesday and Sunday? That means that people can only have emergencies or deaths occur on Tuesday and Sunday, right? ;) Some days I am great about letting my husband run off to whatever need has to be met and others I am not. I still have a lot to learn. But there are a few things I've picked up in the past year that have made this experience priceless:

1. Caller ID is my best friend.
2. Angels do exist, both from this world and the next.
3. Sunday is not a day of rest, but rather the survival of the Sabbath causes one to need a day of rest.
4. At times I've learned more than I wanted to by answering the phone, listening to the answering machine, or just by opening the front door.
5. I live in an amazing ward full of wonderful people.
6. Older members can have great wisdom and experience. They've all "been there" and are proof that it gets better.
7. Having your dad be bishop is "way cool".
8. I'd rather have my husband be gone acting as bishop than be gone because he needs to see the bishop.
9. Life usually doesn't go according to plans.
10. The Lord makes all things possible. Even if He asks you to scale up an 80 foot high rock wall with one hand tied behind your back and your feet bound, He'll help you reach the top.
11. I am never alone, even if I feel alone. There is prayer and a listening Father in Heaven who is always waiting.
12. I may feel forgotten, but I am often remembered in many prayers and cheered on by numerous ward members.
13. I would fail without the influence of the Spirit in my home and life.
14. I can lug a car seat, church bag, diaper bag, and Primary lesson bag all into church on my own.
15. It is okay to ask for help.
16. My husband is amazing at balancing work, family, and church.
17. Every moment with Marshall counts.
18. The mantle does fall on those who have been called and it has been neat to see it happen to Marshall.
19. I love being called "Sister Bishop" and getting hugs from dear elderly ward members every Sunday.
20. I'm not the only one who thinks my husband is a humble, well studied in the scriptures, righteous man.
21. Some Sundays are spent in the hall with two or three kids in tow. But that's okay because what matters most is being at church, even if it is in the foyer.
22. I have a long way to go on being patient.
23. If the phone rings after 7pm, it will ALWAYS be for Marshall.

The list could go on and on. I've learned so much and yet have a long way to go. It's been a challenge. I've shed many tears. But I wouldn't trade any of those hard times for missing out on this experience. I feel very humbled and honored to be a bishop's wife and serve along side with my sweet husband. It has been a wonderful privilege so far.

I love my body

I am so grateful for my healthy body. This week, like the past few, has been crazy. Today was full of all sorts of surprises that left me feeling blue. So this afternoon I tied on my running shoes and went out for a jog. I've been doing that more and more and loving it. I get a break from everything and get to be active. I love to exercise. I love to escape from "life" for a little. My jogging time is my meditation, renewal, happy time. I step back and think about things in my life while I jog. I release the tension from my day. And I focus on pushing myself a little bit further every time. I love the feeling of having completed a jog or a work-out session. There comes great satisfaction and peace, as if saying to myself "Look what I just did. I rock! I am amazing!" I'm so grateful that can be active, that I have a healthy functioning body. What a blessing!

Day 1

Today I am starting to potty train my little Jimmy so I am not wasting time on writing a blog, though I have lots to say about lots of things. It's time. One of us may lose his/her life in the process. I am sure both of us will cry. But I am determined and keeping this above image in my head.

What a woman!

As far as mother-in-laws go, I think I got a pretty sweet deal. Not only is she a good person, but I actually like her too. This is a big deal if you have ever read "Dear Abby". I'm actually supposed to be hating my m-i-l, but I don't. Kathy's awesome.

I admire her for her strong testimony of the gospel, her ability to raise six kids and stay sane, her vast medical knowledge, sense of humor, practical advice, non-interfering ways, charity, kindness, and the fact that she is a fun grandma. I've had the "privilege" of living in her house a few times during internships,etc. and even still we like each other. That's a big deal. She always speaks her mind so there is never any wondering where you stand with her. And she worries about silly things like I do, but not the same things, so we get along just fine. Plus, she raised one amazing son that his mother-in-law thinks can do no wrong.

One thing I love that Kathy does is "grandma day". Twice a month she takes the kids for three hours in the morning. It is a great idea. Yes, it's nice for me to get out without any kids in tow, though right now I still keep Jacob with me because we don't want to leave him with Grandma and cause too much stress, and do what I want. Get a haircut, window shop, clothes shop, mop my floor, take a nap, you name it. With my husband being so busy as bishop, I hate to leave home to do any of those things on nights he is actually home. That is too precious of time to waste. This way I get my "sanity time" without taking away time from being with him. Could she give me a better gift than that?

But what I really like about "grandma day" is the memories the kids are building. They come back and tell me all about playing with their cousins and Grandma, adventures that include picking apples, building blanket forts, baking cookies, playing in the garden, picking flowers, and running around like crazy maniacs. It's great!

One of the main reasons we moved to St. George was so that our kids could be near grandparents. We wanted them to grow up knowing and having memories of their Grandma and Granddad. (Too bad we can't be near all the grandparents!) I lived near my grandparents, but never really knew them or felt very comfortable around them. We just didn't have that "grandparent/ grandchild" relationship that you hear about. But my kids do with their grandparents. They love going to their house. They feel welcome and comfortable. They get excited to tell Grandma the latest stories in their lives. And Jimmy loves to garden with Granddad. When the kids go to their house, they know they'll feel loved and important.

So I love Grandma, my mother-in-law. She's an awesome lady. I hope when I reach the "grandma years" that I can be as cool and as fun a grandma as she.

Being Money Smart

Since times are tough in the economy we thought it would be wise to evaluate our budget and see where our money was going. My husband has a wonderful job, but it doesn't hurt to stay money smart to avoid the many problems we see in the country around us, ie. living beyond one's means. So we sat down and looked over things.

This is where I share that I am a dork. The kind of person who gets excited to buy new school supplies. I loved the beginning of the school year or semester because it meant new pens, pencils, and notebooks. (Party animal!) There was just something so fun about being prepared. Well, I felt that same excitement about going over our budget. I am our budget person. I am always crunching numbers because I like to know everything down to the last penny. I live for good deals. There are certain things I will not pay full price for. I just can't do it! So budgeting is in my blood.

But I digress. We discovered that there were a few things we really didn't use much. Like the newspaper. We both rarely have time to read it. The funnies are great reading material for the bathroom and I love getting all the fliers in the Sunday paper, but was it all worth $10 a month or $120 a year? Not really. So we cut it out. Sweet! It was nice to do some "housecleaning" and get rid of a few money wasting expenses.

And we also started a fun new budget system for our groceries, toiletries, and entertainment money. It's the cash system and it's wonderful. Instead of using our credit and debit cards, which can leave room for "splurging", we take out the cash amount allotted for those areas of our budget. It goes into an envelope and we take out what we need when we go shopping or out to eat. The idea is that once the money is gone, it's gone. So we have to be good with our purchases and make sure we don't go crazy at the store. (Well, I still often go momentarily insane shopping with little kids, but that's a different kind of crazy.) It also motivates us to split up over the month when we go out to eat so we still can have fun near the end of the month. I love it! It's so much fun. When I went grocery shopping at the end of the month, I was proud to report that I had $4 left when I finished! Not bad for a month's worth of shopping for food and toiletries for 6 people. It's a fun new "game" to see how low we can go. We still treat ourselves to some fun stuff, but are more conscience of what we buy. "Do I really need that or not?" It's great! And it's calming to know that we are being smarter with our money.

Even though I am a dork about my budgeting, it pays off. Everyone should pay attention to where their money goes. I don't care how wealthy you are, you still need to be money smart. Maybe you'll even be crazy like me and have fun doing it! Wouldn't that be a great new craze to start?

Two Months and Taking Over

Someone needs to tell my adorable baby boy that he is only two months old. I don't think he got the memo. He is already 14 pounds and growing, getting too long for some 3-6 month clothes. Jacob started rolling over at seven weeks. The doctor was very impressed since most babies don't do that until four months old. Not my guy. Put him on the floor and watch him flip over. He keeps trying to sit himself up in his car seat and bouncy seat. Work those abs! And he refuses to nap in the morning because he does not want to miss out on the action. I can trick him to sleep in the morning by carrying him around in a Snugli and rocking him to sleep. Afternoon naps are doable, but only after some strong convincing. My three year old gave up his naps in December, which means Mr. Two Months Old needs to be napping for a long time still. But for some reason he is determined to take over the world at age two months. I can only imagine what kind of kid he will be once he gets mobile. Look out world, here comes Jacob! At least he is as cute as cute can get.

A Most Special Calling

I guess I can congratulate myself for being in-tune with the Spirit, at least sometimes. Over the past few weeks I have been getting "bored" with my calling as a Relief Society teacher. Don't get me wrong, I love to spout off doctrine in Relief Society. Yes, I am a shy person, but I love to teach the Gospel. I am also a passionate person and the Gospel is my biggest passion. But I was feeling that I could be doing more and honestly missing Primary. Crazy, right? I was so excited to get out of Primary before, but now I missed it.

Well, yesterday I was extended a new calling as the CTR 7 teacher. There are some downsides of having your bishop be your husband since my call was given to me as I was getting dressed for church. (I still feel robbed of my interview time!;) ) I was sustained in sacrament and even had the chance to teach my class too. I wasn't going to start until next week, but my class's teacher didn't show up for her last day so I was on. It went smashingly well, partly because it was the same class I taught when we first moved into the ward. They were CTR 5 then and now are bigger and wiser. And the bonus is my eldest, Anna, is in the class. Can I tell you how excited she is? It's a great group of kids.

I love Primary. It's like motherhood. Sometimes the kids can be insane, but working with them is very rewarding. And I cannot think of a more important calling in the church than serving the children and youth. (we'll save talking about working with the youth for another blog) I wish more people understood the importance of their callings as teachers in Primary and Nursery. Kids are no fools. They can tell when a teacher is prepared and when a teacher cares about them. For some kids church is the only time they have to feel loved and feel the Spirit. Teachers of young children help set the stage for their impression and future enjoyment of church. If they have a miserable time in Primary thanks to a lame teacher, they won't want to keep coming back. Kids want to know they are loved. They will want to go back to a place where they feel that love. That largely comes from teachers and leaders.

There is no time too soon to start teaching a child about the Gospel, that he or she is a child of God and as such is special. What child wouldn't want to hear that? The earlier a child is taught the Gospel, the easier it becomes for it to be a natural part of their life. I love watching my own children share and discuss the knowledge they have learned from us at home. Sometimes it's pretty amusing, like Jimmy telling us that we have to hide our money in our room to keep it safe from the Holy Ghost, but what matters is that they are learning about who they are and what God expects of them. I often wonder if my kids even hear what they repeat and read in scripture study, but then they'll say something about a concept taught in the scriptures we read a few nights ago and completely blow me away. Kids pay attention, they know what's going on around them, even if it seems like they don't.

That's why I cannot think of a better calling than teaching children. It is a special and important job that can be done well by all sorts of people with varying personalities and styles. But the key is that the teacher must be dedicated, have a testimony, and love his students. How hard is that? It's so easy and, yet, so important. The Lord will bless those who serve with all their ability and cherish those who do their best to teach his little ones, a most special calling.