Rock a bye

I love bedtime. Not for the calm and tranquility it brings when all my children are snug and sound asleep, but for the rock-a-byes that I have with my cute little boy. He doesn't snuggle me as much as I'd like him to, but for this time of day he lets me rock and rock with him. I think he knows it's either rock with mom or go to bed. However, sometimes he is just so tired that he doesn't even want to rock, just bed he points and whines. It's a little sad on those nights. Rejection. I don't mean to bring up Nathan's colic months again, but I finally found a bright side to that time (just 14 short months after the fact). It was rock-a-bye time all the time. I do mean all the time. I guess I kinda miss all that rocking. I find myself looking for the rocking chairs in the homes I visit. I have two, don't you have at least one?

Summer Time

Is summer time supposed to be busier then school time?

I found myself asking that question a lot in the last week. We are in full summer project mode! Krista is taking sewing and cooking lessons, and soon volleyball lessons and we must get her back into private violin lessons. Kelsey is taking piano lessons and cooking lessons and is begging me to let her take sewing lessons. Did I mention that I am the instructor of all these lessons? Okay, the volley ball camp is at the gym and I just have to pay for them and take her there. But you would be so proud of me, my girls are learning so much and we are just bonding, bonding, bonding. It was so funny, Krista said to me that since it took me one hour to make an apron, it would be so much faster for the two of us to make one. Ha ha ha. I have to say that I am not exactly an expert in any of these fields but I am proficient enough to teach a beginner. And except for the piano lessons they all take place during the magnificent and wonderful 3 hour nap time of Nathan boy.
I am kinda missing the things I use to do during that magical time of day. But that's another post. I will post krista's apron we made. It's gorgeous! It's a full length apron that is red with black pocka dots (yes,like a ladybug!) We finally made Kelsey one this morning and it's green and pink and brown stripes with hot pink rik rac - (as "edgy" as I want their rooms to be, Wendy)
We were in the kitchen making no bake cookies (I told you I'm not baking anymore) and I discovered that my apron is very frumpy and my girl's looked so fun, it's just gotta be my turn. So next I am making myself a gorgeous thing, fru fru as can be, I'm really excited!

We are swimming a lot, and my farmer's tan is already gone, even with the 50 spf. Thank you Mom for great tanning genes. (right Tawnya?)Its been so much fun to do all of these activites I find myself a little sad to go to work, cuz I don't want to miss out on all the fun.

Tuesdays and Fridays Meet Me at Rosa's

Those are salmon taco days for me now. I try to eat them twice a week or any kind of salmon 2x a week. Those omega 3 fatty acids are like best friends to my mood and waistline. I don't crave junk when I'm eating the omega 3's, just so ya know they are in avocados, walnuts and salmon also flax seed. I love to put ground flax seeds in my pancake mix in place of egg and oil most days. (I do think eggs and oil can be a healthy part of a good diet in moderation) However I only use olive oil and butter for added fats. If I am making a cake for friends I do use canola oil. But I even pop my popcorn in olive oil. I'm careful with my measuring of fats though, cuz calories still count! any way omega 3's are what kept me out of postpartum depression with Nathan, you know his colic certainly wasn't any help. Speaking of the cutie, time to put him to bed! Later Gator.

One of my favorite subjects to talk about

I love to cook. I do things a little differently though. I am always experimenting on my poor family, actually they think they are lucky. I love to tweek recipes or ideas of recipes or combinations of recipes, you get the idea. I also like to see if I can get away with healthier versions of my favorites without anyone knowing. I'm kinda the sneaky cook without doing the puree thing. I also know the trick that works well. The rule of eleven! I don't ever make my kids eat anything, however they are required to try everything at the table. One tiny bite is usually not to intimidating, and I'm not the kind of girl to serve brussel sprouts or chopped liver or anything I hated as a girl. (no offense if that's a personal fav of yours) It goes like this after 11 tastes your child's taste buds ajust to the new flavor and a lot of the time they will eat it , at least its worked well for me on many things. So I thought it would be fun to share a few of the things I do to avoid dieting yet still be healthy. I don't bake for the most part anymore, it was just something I have decided to give up for now. However,I do bake birthday cakes and brownies. Why? I don't like brownies and my family loves them, so brownie points for me. And I love to make homemade frosting and I have the sweetest little heart cake pans that layer in a cute stack. Its just too fun for birthdays, Valentines day, Activity day parties, Anniversaries, just so much. But aside from those things I just buy one of whatever I am craving and just try to eat half, I did say try. I think that is a big part of the whole eat healthy be healthy thing for me. Also, whenever I eat a bread product I go whole grain with as much fiber as possible. If you know me well at all you might even say I'm a fiber freak. Is that too much information?

Thank you Marcy

I just wanted to thank Marcy for reminding me this morning that I really needed to update my blog and just how many fun things I have to talk about. I have been working with her in the Nursery as a long term substitute and I think its the funnest calling I have ever not had. I wonder if I could lobby to get it "for real" . I gave the lesson on Sunday, and I have to say it was a lot easier and funner than the Relief Society lesson I was asked to give on Easter. I gave Randy a preview of my lesson and I think he was a little jealous that his lesson wasn't "I have a Body". I just can't believe how much fun church can be. Games, snacks, songs, stories, toys, did I mention the snacks? And I do have a few, I probably shouldn't admit that, but I think it's just one of the perks. The best reason for me to be in Nursery right now is that I am finally not roaming the halls during Sunday School and Relief Society. I am getting a full lesson now, thank you very much. oh, yeah, and I can make a mean back sling for the dolls. The little girls flock to me during toy time to get their Babies placed on their backs so they can get to work doing some serious playing. I just love it! Bishop, what do you say?

A hobbie or two

I am a thinker. I think before I buy and sometimes things sells out before I decide its right for me. Good for the budget. But I have been having a hard time figuring out what I want my hobbies to be,I love to cook and sew and take pictures and and and. I just need some focus. I think I want to get my girls room cute cute cute. They are old enough to take care of things and grateful enough to flip out when I do things for them so I am looking for cute projects for girls rooms that are more edgy then fru fru. I am also looking for fun ideas for hair accessories and projects that we could do together. Randy has enough softball nights that we can just turn those into girls night! Nathan luckily has a strict 7 pm bedtime. My sanity hinges upon it!

so let me know what ideas you have.

Picture taking class

I am so excited about a class on taking pictures of your kids! Its at domestic bliss and only $35! I am going to get my new camera soon and can't wait to post more more more. I love taking pictures, and still am in mourning over my last camera. I think this will be just the thing to pull me out of my slump! But don't expect too much from me, as I just pick up my pictures taken by the pros and I was not impressed, Nathan is just really tough to get a good picture of right now!

There was a really great picture of Nathan on one of Krista's posters for school. I loved hearing from Marcy Turley that her son said it was the favorite picture at school because Nathan's smile was just so great. Krista begged me to keep him in the picture and so I did. I later thought it was a good move, ya know how advertisers use puppies and babies to sell?