Potty Trained???

I don't know why anyone ever came up with that term. Because after just potty training Kody, my fourth and presumably last child, I have come to the conclusion that there really is no one specific way to train them. Each of my kids did it differently. When new parents to toddlers ask for my potty training advice I offer only this: gently prompt them, wait till the child is ready, and be reasonable. I do not want a four year old with a big poopy diaper near me, do you? "Kody - Toaddy - Toddler" now uses the potty all by himself. He picked up this new nickname because he is now a toddler because: He tells me ahead of time when he has to go without me having to remind him, We have started making extended outings in diapers, and he is waking up dry during naptimes and mornings. I can't believe we have this all wrapped up and he is not even two and a half.

But for those who are discouraged or prompted to compare, remember this, I have a four year old who has been potty trained for almost two years who still can't sleep one whole night without peeing so he still wears diapers to bed. It's all about the child I tell you.

Brilliant

So my friend, Emilie, recently did a blog post recap on her top commented on blog posts. I loved it. Throughout the day when I needed a distraction I clicked through them rereading some and finding things I had never read before. It was brilliant. And so in true copy cat version I am steeling her idea. But...making it my own. Here are the top ten posts that no one commented on in the history of my blog. I'll give you folks a chance to do your commenting now. Some of them are weak on my part. I know. But endure them again suckas.

10. Taking It To The Next Level

9. The Loot to Boot

8. Mat Club

7. Manheim Auto Auction Addendum

6. New Year's Eve

5. Sunday

4. In A Week

3. Other Texas Highlights

2. I Wonder If...

1. LoVe

The Insanity

I like the Twilight Series.

I don't love them.

I act crazy when it comes to Taylor Lautner.

But it is more part of my goofiness than him.

I read all the books and saw the movies.

But I will still never really understand the intensity of love from some people or the demand for these.

Yes, my daughter, in second grade, was given New Moon Conversation Hearts for Valentine's Day.

Yes they say things like "bite me" "live 4ever" and "i trust you"

Yes I do have the giggles at seeing them.

And Yes I wanted to share this silliness with you.

I Miss My Friend

In Utah I had two very close friends. Despite my very social nature, I tend to often surround my self with one, possibly two very close friends. At certain periods in my life friends have rotated in and out of this position based on location and stages of life, but I am just not someone who is close to many people at one time. After moving into our home in Utah, quickly we made friends with Jennie and John. It's very weird how it all came to be really. I don't remember how it started or our first social experience. I think they might have invited us over, but it was natural and easy.

Quickly her and I became best friends. For as outgoing as I was, she was shy. For as patient as she was, I was antsy. She was the female version of Travis and often times we joked that her husband was the male version of me. It worked well. When we met she had just had her third boy and I had Bella and Wyatt. We both came from big families, wanted big families. We had similar parenting styles and strategies. Eventually we continued to have kids together. Each time one of us would announce a pregnancy, the other within a month or so would announce theirs as well. Eventually we ended up in a primary presidency together. My other close friend materialized by being in this presidency with us. Previously I had not known her very well. Between the three of us we had three babies. We kept a spare port a crib in the primary closet, which was the size of a walk in closet. And shuffled babies amongst us all Sunday long as needed.

We raised our kids together for four years. Our kids played well together and never seemed to tire of one another. Many days we spent sharing lunch, meeting at the park, or ending up in presidency meetings that would end and we would linger with one another until nap time. Our kids ended up in the same preschool and same Kindergarten classes. But what I miss about her was our fierce closeness. I could share my every insecurity with her and she would soothe my ego and emotional fragility into a state of confidence and poise. I never felt competitive or jealous when around her, because being in her presence naturally made me a better person. If ever I needed a break from my kids, I could call her without thinking twice about it and gladly she would swoop in and ease the burden. For me this is monumental because my pride often prevents me from asking for help.

Our spousal friendships were as good as our friendship and we shared a couple of date nights and family home evenings with one another. The picture above is when we took the their four wheelers and motorcycles up to Hobble Creek Canyon and spent that family home evening riding around the mountains and enjoying nature. We went to the BYU basketball games, sitting in VIP seats, thanks to Jennie's Dad, where we basked in the sweat of the players, the somewhat offensive mouths of the students behind us, and semi shared company of L. Tom Perry. And although these were awesome experiences, I miss Jennie. I miss her being three blocks away. I miss the accumulation of these experiences shared together. I miss singing 867-5309 to her as she laughs at me. I miss seeing her several times a week. I miss talking to her. Heavens knows neither of us are meant for long distance relationships. I miss her and I miss that I haven't found anyone to take her place even after two and a half years. I'm starting to think that she may just be irreplaceable.

I Feel It Is My Duty

From my last post I have had many questions regarding my first item that I am giving up for Lent. It was to abstain from Chick Lit. Many people wrote comments inquiring about what Chick Lit was. So here I am to inform you, I feel it is my personal duty - obligation - as a voracious reader to inform all of my women blog readers.

"Chick lit is genre fiction within women's fiction which address issues of modern women often humorously and lightheartedly. Although it sometimes contains romantic elements it is not usually considered a subcategory of the romance novel genre because the emphasis on family and friend relationships in the book are often as important as her romantic relationships.

Jane Austin and the Bronte sisters are the originators of the genre although credited later after others followed suit. Both the Bridget Jones Diary movies and Clueless are all considered to be taken from Jane Austin books." All of this info has been compiled and edited from Wikipedia.

Additionally this website defines it quite well too.

For me it is defined by a book that totally relaxes my mind, involves boy meets girl, drama, and happy ending and I usually think it is in paperback form, although often if they become popular they will rerelease them in hardback for a second edition. Think Sophie Kinsella and the Shopaholic Series, although my favorite of hers is Can You Keep A Secret?

And for those who are already asking why I am giving it up for Lent, the answer is not because I feel morally opposed to it for any reason, but that I spend far to much time consumed by its addictive pages. For perspective I checked goodreads to see if they have a chick lit category and found that not only did they, but I have already read 16/20 top rated chick lit reads.

Now my first weekend has come. I am jonesing it already. Urgggh.

Just Because I Am Late...

.... posting about it doesn't mean I don't consider it one of the best holidays ever. What is this holiday - more than 75% of the nation doesn't even celebrate it - how sad for you? The holiday is Fastnacht Day. Doughnuts on crack as I have told many people when asked about it. And I'm not going to lie, I've been eating them for days since Tuesday anyway. And I have a couple more still in dough form in the refridgerator to be used later this week. Yum. And what have I given up for Lent you ask? No I am not Catholic, Mormon actually, but I will use any holiday neccessary to motivate me to give up bad habits and dietary vices.

1) No chick lit

2) No eating after 7pm

Yes I know that #2 is one of my New Year's Resolutions, but I am struggling - so I have taken it to DEFCOM 2 level of action second only to DEFCOM 1 being preperation for all out nuclear warfare.

Wish me luck.

That's What He Said

These are the crazy things I hear:

Issac: Mom, on my next birthday I am going to be a dad.

Another one during FHE, after teaching about marriage between a man and a women

Wyatt: Women and men marry one another because if a woman and a woman got married they would have too many babies, and if a man and a man got married they wouldn't have any kids, so a woman has to marry a man so they can have just the right amount.

Another time from Travis

Mary: I want to be skinny.
Travis: Maybe you should turn into a vampire.
Mary: What does that have to do with anything?
Travis: I don't know; I just think it would be cool.

Issac again when talking about a real letter he got that was laying on the floor.

Issac: I think we need to hang that email on my wall.

LoVe

The love of a good man has forever changed my life for the better.

Hopefully you are all blessed with this love too.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Family...Isn't It About Time

This is the logo of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints commercials. Our church is all about eternal families and making time for families now in a busy life/world. For me this is relatively easy. I am loving spending time with my kids. And one of my favorite things to do is read to them. I read most everyday to the kids before naps. But the other night before bedtime I decided to read to them all since it has been forever now that two of the four are in school. Travis sitting on the other side of the room caught the vision of what was going on and was smart enough to capture it in photos to remember forever. This is why it is important to spend time with your kids, I just don't think they will ever get enough of it. Just check out the intensity on their faces to have this undivided attention. And ignore my reading face.

Have You Ever...

seen a cuter boy? He may be ornery, moody, and grumpy but he can also be tender, cute, and sweet. Thanks for reminding me of the later three characteristics today, bud. Sometimes I need those reminders.

I'm Loving It

(Weird drifting left a lone ridge 18" high in our driveway while the rest was less than an inch)

(This is 4 1/2' deep snow. Yeah!!!)

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. This is good wisdom for all you non-snow loving creatures. As for me and my family we are still playing nonstop. Last night after the snow slowed down and the wind stopped gusting so strongly, we took the kids out to play. They had been waiting all day. We shoveled mazes, made tunnels underground, and burrowed homes/rooms at the end of tunnels for the kids to "live" in. I love this winter wonderland. Plus it's a dang good workout if you can't go to the gym to shovel all day and play in waist high snow.

Seriously Fun

Helping my kids and the neighbor's kids to create the same great memories I have of snow, I took our neighbor's sledding path from their yard to ours and added a little ramp for some flying action.

I am an ardent believer that people who don't love snow have lost touch with their inner child. Tell me that doesn't look like fun.

Heaven

a. bella eatting the fresh snow

b. bella throwing the powder

c. winter self portrait

d. joyful wyatt

e. our own little "ralphy"

f. our pine tree, backyard, and house

g. miracle - kody happy in the snow

h. "i fell over"

i. travis shoveling the walks and driveway

j. kids going home after neighbor sledding

(check the retaining wall shows snow depth)

k. issac bombs me with snowballs

I'm A Masochist

I just knew it. I was going to barf. I glanced all around the room. Surely there had to be a trash can in this room. What room doesn't have a trash can? And I can't possibly be the first one to have this feeling in this room. This room a black lit room of torture. Upon first viewing it, it seemed all cool and inviting. I was digging the feel of the glow of white in the room from the black lights, the limited visibility, and the blaring music. It was almost as if I was at a dance club. I was pumped and ready, but soon after I was burning with pain, and then I was feeling my stomach revolt against me.

Honestly the oatmeal and half slice of banana bread I had for breakfast were not happy and they had joined forces to create one large lump that threatened to overtake me and come up on their own accord any minute. I could feel the overly warm saliva coating the inside of my mouth. With my senses on full alert, I could taste the metalicness of humanity. Seriously where was the trash can? This is when I finally gave in and lowered the dial on my bike. But just a little for just a moment. I mean I don't want to embarrass myself like that. And that is when I realized that I love spin; it may be my new favorite workout.

Spin I have come to realize is a sport unto itself. It is for the die hard of athletes, the serious gym goers, and the quite possibly insane. I'm sure that you could do it very easily if you never moved the intensity dial, but that type of person wouldn't bother to take a spin class at least not more than once. I had felt totally out of place upon arriving. I had traipsed into the room, loving the feel, excited to try my first spin class. People were there early, warming up with a steady rotation of their legs on their own. I felt like a foreigner with all the people in head to toe spandex work out attire, hello 80's biker shorts and matching shirts, several bandannas, and many pairs of real cycling shoes, and a host of people shouting at me that I would definitely need water and a towel.

Set up on my bike with water and a towel both of which I actually did need, I was taken for a journey not in the physical sense because these are stationary bikes, but emotionally because there was a time in class when I wanted to give up and all I chanted in my head for five full minutes was "I am mentally tough". And I'm pretty sure based on the look the rider beside me gave it might have come out audibly a time or two as well

Cons were legs of jello for the day, the threat of bodily fluids revolting, the culture is intimidating, and a seriously sore bum. The Pros are it was the best workout of my life, self directed intensity, dark room, blaring music, and no mirrors to see the sweating, red faced, panting specimen I think of as myself. But that last one might just as easily be a con because seeing me fatigued is usually enough motivation to push myself further.

All in all I am already planning my gym visits and daily routines around every spin class available. If that isn't a promo for spin I don't know what is. Try it and when you do tell me all about it because I would love to hear.

I Wonder If...

• the teachers and faculty at Doe Run Elementary would think it was quite as cute and funny that I let me kids go into school late so that they could play in the snow this morning if they weren't excellent students and ahead academically
• my son will always be so happily entertained as he was at his sixth bday party yesterday with basically just balloons and friends
• I will end up hating rolls after baking and eating so many
• it will actually ever snow three feet like Travis and I have prayed for every week of every winter since we have been married
• my kids will struggle to perform well on standardized tests, like I did, despite being very smart. First Wyatt was in the highest reading group, but then after testing was placed in the second highest reading group, but after not being challenged by the reading Wyatt's teacher put him back in the highest group
• when I look in my purse I will ever not find items like legos, pick up sticks, and tumbling monkeys
• it will even snow the predicted one foot this weekend
• I'll ever prefer paying bills to updating my facebook and blogging accounts
• I have accomplished anything in a typical day despite how much I get done
• I decline being PTO secretary next year if I will feel like I have more time or if I will just fill that time with other activities; I even know how to not be involved in tons of stuff
• when I publish this, will people think that I am stealing the fabulous "Laura M's" blogging idea
• I should stop taking belly dancing after this year is up; this is just a "Veruca Salt" whim; there is a purpose to me dancing; this is a waste of money
• any of the stuff occupying my mental energy is even worth the thought I am putting into it

It's All About the Bread

I admit it.

I am a bread addict.

Missing: A roll recipe for my collection of favorite breads.

Challenge: I am looking for the perfect "Dinner Roll Recipe".

My favorite store bought ones are Rhodes Rolls.

My second favorite are Martins Potato Rolls.

Suggestion: Submit your best homemade roll recipe to me as a comment or through email.

If you need my email, ask for it via a comment.

The winner will be receiving something great from me.

In A Week

Although I feel frayed around the edges this week was filled with so many fun and relaxing activities. It started with a trip to the Poconos this past weekend. Travis and I did a whole lot of nothing besides lounging around, going out to eat, and antiquing. Travis loves looking for antique books. And it turns out he is quite the pool player which was a bit of a surprise. He beat me three out of four games - not that I am good, but he is.Then we came home Sunday night. I was around Monday enough to watch Bella's midyear recital. Since I just did a ballet post I'll spare you the video, but as always she was super cute. Next I went to East Amherst, NY right outside of Buffalo, which I am told was rated one of the top ten best places to live. I believe it as it is gorgeous and the snow storm while we were there was an added bonus. There I visited with a friend from Utah. I took the two younger boys with me. The two older kids were in school and my awesome neighbors picked them up from the bustop and watched them until Travis got home. This is the boys totally tuckered out at the hotel after checking in at a little before midnight. I just watched them sleeping with their cute pudgy hands and feet and faces and kissable lips.

Then I arrived home Wednesday night just in time to change and grab a bite to eat before my belly dancing midyear show. I sucked it up but as promised I took video to post. But then I discovered that the video is 131 MB and blogger only takes up to 100 MB videos. So I will spend this week trying to find a way to convert and shrink the file of both me and my fabulous teacher dancing.

Then Wyatt had a birthday, I can't believe he is six. We were supposed to have a party, but the flu hit our house starting with Dakota. The party was postponed until tomorrow night. But yesterday Wyatt started barfing after church. So we will just have to wait and see. Why does my Poconos vacation feel like light years away? I don't feel rested at all anymore.