Can you say Laundry Time!?

Wonder of Wonders!

I can hardly believe what I received in the mail today! After fourteen months of repeated phone calls, denial letters and pleas for help or insurance company FINALLY agreed to pay for Buddy's surgery on his teeth! The horrible irony about all of this is that those teeth that had the surgery were pulled last July, after a second dental trauma! But, they will pay...HOORAY! Persistence pays off! If you get denied...appeal, appeal appeal!

The Kids' Room

Before















During
















After

Buddy is VERY happy with the color. Mimi also likes it. Sweetsa still smiles and laughs when we go into the newly painted room.

Unfortunately, the new paint has already been christened. The other night as I was getting into bed, I heard Mimi start to cough, and then gag, and then, yep...the birthday cake and ice cream from her cousin's b-day party was all over the new paint!
Ah, well. It was bound to happen some time or other, right!?

Also, about a couple days after painting, we were watching a show "Moving Up" (I think it's on TLC ) and someone called this "public restroom blue". So, sorry if it reminds you of a public rest room. I still like it!

The other thing is that our computer monitor is having some problems...so I'm seeing weird circular rainbows (again) where I should just see Utah Sky blue walls (Yup, that's really the name of the paint!). Let me know if you see them (the circular rainbows, not the blue walls) too...we'll send you to a doctor, no J/K, then I'll know it's not just the monitor but probably the camera that's sick too!

Another answer?

In a previous post I mentioned that I haven't been feeling right for a while. While I was still nursing Sweetsa, I had attributed all my symptoms to still nursing and waking up during the night, especially the exhaustion. But we stopped nursing in December, and if anything, some of the symptoms have become more pronounced! Little things like super dry and cracking skin, insane shedding of hair (even the Nurse Practitioner's eyebrows rose when I described having to "groom" our clean laundry of my hair...gross, I know!). Or brittle nails, or cold intolerance...from one who used to wear shorts and sandals in the dead of winter, this year I've been scrambling for blankets, long sleeve shirts and sweaters!
After listening to my mom, sister-in-law, sister, and cousin-in-law talk about various symptoms of hypothyroidism (in several conversations), I broke down and made an appointment to get my thyroid function checked. I was absolutely amazed to hear affirmation of some of the "little" symptoms, that all together could signal improper thyroid function.
Anyway the results came back, and yes, my thyroid is having some issues. Hopefully with the meds I'm starting I really will start to feel "normal" again, although I think I'll settle for less exhausted all the time...and maybe keeping my hair on my head!)

Success Again!

On Sunday, Buddy gave his first talk in Primary. I was very glad that I didn't have to teach RS again (having taught the two previous weeks!) I was able to slip out and help him give his talk about David and Goliath. I wasn't sure if he would actually say anything, remembering the struggles we had with Mimi for a year and a half, before she actually gave(said) a talk. But as soon as I knelt down next to him and started whispering in his ear, he repeated what I said, not shouting or heavy breathing into the mic either! He did get a bit shy towards the end and would only say "uh-huh" or "yes" to what I said. He then knelt down behind the podium. I thought he was hiding, but after church he told me that he was being like David and praying "like this, Mom." (while demonstrating the kneeling for me). I love watching these little ones grow in knowledge and faith!

Our Sweet 18 month old!

I almost can't believe it's been 18 months since Sweetsa joined our family! the time has literally flown by! Sweetsa you have grown so much, even though your are still so little! At your 18 mos check up last week, we learned that you are a bit over 19 pounds (only a 3 oz gain from last month), but you have grown 3 inches since your last well check! Good Job Girl! We love having you so cuddly and cute!




Your are rediscovering the joys of the outdoors, and would rather be there than almost anywhere else (it's a toss up between the bath and outside!) You used to sit and find interesting things in the lawn, but now you are everywhere! You want so much to be able to ride the bikes and scooters like Mimi and Buddy, but you need to grow a bit more and get a bit more coordinated before you can do that. It makes you happy just to run after them, though!


You love being close to people and will give anyone who cries a hug, especially if you are the cause of the crying. Yes, you aren't afraid to stand up for yourself, when the bigger kids try to make you do something. You always enjoy our nightly cuddle and snug time, before bed.

You love to have things on your head. I love hearing your little giggle, after you've "hidden" under a blanket, the laundry, or the clothes set out for the day. It frustrates your sister Mimi sometimes, when her clothes "walk off", and aren't where she expects them to be. But it makes us all laugh to see you so pleased with yourself with a random article of clothing on your head!

But I think the thing that you enjoy most of all is music and singing. Any time you hear music you start be-bopping around, waving your arms and twirling to the music. You also love for us to sing songs, when we come to the end of the song you are so good about making the sign for more, with such a pleading look on your face! How can we refuse that!? Your favorite song is little Bunny Foo Foo...you love bopping the field mice on the head! (This is Sweetsa dancing in her crib in the morning.)

It is so fun to watch your personality come out more each day, as you learn more about the world around you. We love having you in our family. Happy 18 month mark!

The answer?

So here's the situation...
More than a couple times through out the past year I have discovered that the door to our upright freezer (located on our summer porch)has been left open for several hours. This has resulted in great distress due to loss of frozen foods to less than optimal temps. Added to this frustration is the countless number of times hear myself say "shut the refrigerator door!" every stinkin' day (let alone the number of times I say this without even hearing it!)

Anyway, after the loss of about 10 pounds of various now unfrozen, unrefrigerated chicken parts the other day, I went out and got these nifty things to keep my kids OUT of the chill boxes. However, the joke is on me. The main culprit in all these shenanigans (Buddy) figured out how to open the locks within about five minutes of examining them!! Argh! He hasn't tried to get into the freezer (that I know of) YET. But I did put the lock up as high as I could. I guess the effectiveness of the freezer lock it yet to be determined, but the fridge lock is a total bust! The funny thing is, he'll still open the fridge, get whatever he wants (after five minutes' contemplation), shut the door and lock it again!!! Maybe he thinks the lock is for Sweetsa!?

The Breath of Spring

The dawn of hope is like a breath of spring--
It stays a while, then leaves.
All too soon we let our hearts forget
the joy we just received.

But Darkness will tempt us to believe
That we were only dreaming.

Still, Hope can lead us to a better place
Than we have ever been.
And if we live each day with greater faith,
Hope will bless us again and again.

We can all endure the deep despair
The darkest night can bring,
If we'll just believe, we can receive
The healing breath of spring

From One who breathes the hope we need
Into every breath of spring.

**These are the lyrics from the song Breath of Spring by Michael McLean from the oratorio The Garden.**

My projects and kid projects

Well, I guess I should be grateful that my kids can occupy themselves while I'm in the midst of attempting a project. But I'm also starting to think that my projects should be confined to evening hours when little sweethearts are snoozing (since even Sweetsa is trying to wean herself from the dreaded nap-time! YIKES!)

Here is Buddy (and Sweetsa's) "collection from the other day. They did the same thing today as I tried to figure out what I'd do (if anything) for Easter dresses for the girls this year.





We've painted the living room. This project was done after kiddie bedtime. We were up 'til 2:30am finishing the second coat. We still haven't put our pictures back up though. I'm trying to decide what I want where and what new "wall decorations" we "need". We'll see what the finished product looks like!






I have no idea what I was occupied with last Sunday (maybe it was dinner). When I realized I hadn't seen or heard Sweetsa in a while, I looked around and discovered this pretty picture in the bathroom. Sweetsa has started getting into more and more things recently. She has learned how to pull or push the kitchen chairs around (it is pretty amazing to watch that little body work out the mechanics of moving a chair that is heavier than her!)


Mimi has learned how to do Sudoku. Here is the first puzzle she did.














Here are the curtains I "embellished" with a spare spool of ribbon. I got the curtains on clearance, and decided they would work for our curtainless kitchen windows. Mimi helped with threading the ribbon through the bottom of the curtains. Mimi is doing a bunch more constructive help these days. I am having to get over my control-freak tendencies and let her be able to things by herself. And in the middle of the curtains you see the "Christmas Cactus" I'm trying to get blooming again. Anyone have any suggestions other than water and good sunlight?