Happiness in 21 Days

I came across this quote a few days ago:

It's not that I am unhappy, but I feel like I can be happier every day. I have challenged myself (and you can join in) to write three things I am grateful for every day for the next month which is actually quite timely since Thanksgiving is in 27 days! I will be posting once a week, but will write three things daily.

I am grateful for:

• My husband who is always there to support and love me.
• My children who have helped me grow exponentially since I became a mother not quite 4 years ago.
• Prayers which connect me to my Heavenly Father.
• Nutella.
• My ability to become a mother. It's not easy for everyone, and I pray those who wish can have that gift soon.
• My home/house. It has been awesome to build it up and make it more than it was. I can't wait for all the small renovations to be finished! This place has been a lovely refuge from the world.
• Trees so high you can't imagine climbing to the top.
• Flowers 
• Handwritten love and friendship notes.

This week's pregnancy update:

How far along? 15 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: 10 pound loss

Maternity clothes? Yes. So comfy, but I really want to get maternity skinny jeans. 
Sleep: Crazy dreams. So crazy. 
Best moment this week: Caving to my cravings. :) 

Movement: Yep! Nothing you can feel from the outside yet. 

Food cravings: Nutella. Still that Spinach Artichoke dip. 
Anything making you queasy or sick: Too much movement, anything too smelly like wet dog, trash, dirty dishes, etc.
Have you started to show yet: Yes!   

Gender prediction: Girl?

Labor Signs: Noooo. Wayyy too early!

Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: MOODY!
Weekly Wisdom: Do one chore a day to sort of stay on top of the cleaning... 
Milestones: Baby moving once in a while.  

Fun Get-togethers and 14 Weeks!

1. We went to lunch with one of my best friends last week and her sweet little family! They are on their way to Harry Potter World! We went to Cracker Barrel and after this funny older lady took our picture for us and she couldn't tell if she was taking the picture or not so Racheal ended up with a lot of pictures on her phone. haha

2. The girls actually like The Nightmare Before Christmas which I thought might be too scary for them. But they like it. I guess it ties two awesome holidays together! 

3. I watched a few episodes of the show Quantico on Hulu last week, and I have to say I was VERY disappointed in how they depicted a returned missionary. Not only was he not valiant and pure on his mission, but he tried to get the girl he got pregnant to get an abortion, AND then he shot and killed himself. This just seems EXTREMELY unlikely to happen during a mission especially when you have to have your companion with you all. the. time. If he were to get a girl pregnant I really really think he would not have her get an abortion. Mormons hold life as precious and irreplaceable. I would just like to see the media portray Latter Day Saints as upright individuals holding to their morals and standards. It bugs me and I am honestly not sure I want to watch more because of the show's choice to stomp on values. It bugs me. 

4. We had our ward Halloween party yesterday and it was great! After dinner and the costume contest we had a trunk-or-treat in the parking lot and Faye got a cookie while Madeline "shopped" for candy. This is the best picture I could get of the girls in their costumes: 

Fairy

Cinderella. She was so excited to be able to have makeup!

5.. I am now 14 weeks pregnant and I wanted to start posting a semi-weekly questionnaire. :) Enjoy!

How far along? 14 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: 10 pound loss (not complaining since I wanted to lose 20 pounds anyways)

Maternity clothes? Still wearing some from my last pregnancy...so comfortable and cute. 
Sleep: Terrible. But, whatev. And I love getting a nap during the day when I can. 
Best moment this week: I can feel the baby move once in a while and I know some people think it's too soon, but YOU DON'T KNOW MY BODY. And, my body has always been on the sensitive side so I can even feel when I ovulate and on what side. 

Have you told family and friends: Yes! Everyone is excited. 

Movement: Once in a while a little quivering! 
Food cravings: Goldfish, ice cream, steak, Spinach, and artichoke spinach dip--I want that so much right now!
Anything making you queasy or sick: Too much movement, anything too smelly like wet dog, trash, dirty dishes, etc.
Have you started to show yet: Yes! I have a lilttle bump and I'll take a picture for my next questionnaire.  
Leakage: noooo.
Gender prediction: So far...I'm not as sick as the first time (though I'm still so sick), and wayyy more sick than the 2nd time. I kinda want it to be a boy, but I love my girls and another would be fun. I just don't know though. I'm gonna say boy.

 Labor Signs: Noooo. Wayyy too early!

Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: MOODY!
Weekly Wisdom: Force the food down. Take a prenatal. Do what you can and let that be enough. 
Milestones: Baby moving once in a while.  

Our Little Secret

This pregnancy I have been sick; food aversion up the wazoo! I've lost about 10 pounds which is better than last week when it was 15 pounds. I've been making myself eat regardless of what is in front of me. It's been a challenge. 

We went to California last week and got home yesterday. It was an awesome laid back trip; minus catching a cold the day we got there, and a dude hitting our rental car (good thing Marcus had the foresight to purchase the rental insurance). I got to enjoy my In-n-Out burger, and my Del Taco burrito. Yummy!

We planned a little visit at a cute little park in Pasadena with Zach and Sabrina and their sweet baby. We haven't seen them since college and the last time Sabrina was about to pop! We loved catching up!

I turned 25 on our trip! We went to The Cheesecake Factory for dinner with my grandparents and some cousins and aunt and uncle. It was awesome! I forgot to take a group picture, but it was a good time.

Some pictures:

This was on the way to California--the FIRST out of THREE planes.

The girls were pretty well behaved until Faye had a meltdown the last hour of the ride.

Always climbing. Mom got them some pretty princess dresses which they love. 

Mom taught Madeline how to roll dough for refrigerator rolls in prep for our Sunday Conference lunch. She was amazed that they turned into bread after they were cooked. 

The ride home was so exhausting. The TSA made us miss our flight so we had to find a different one that landed in Georgia at midnight.

This is us "sleeping" in the airport. And in case you were wondering...it is impossible to find a quiet place in the airport because they clean it ALL night long and the stupid announcements don't turn off even when flights aren't scheduled to get there until morning. 

At least the girls were able to sleep. A nice security guard gave us blankets and travel bags filled with bathroom essentials which was such a blessing since our bags were on their way to New York and then Charleston.

Our stroller seat lays all  the way back which is another blessing since Faye was able to sleep nice and comfortable there. 

We got home 1/2 hour before my scheduled doctor appointment so we went and got to see the baby! It is so cute and was sucking its thumb and scratching its head. We can't wait to find out what it is, but that won't be until December, but they may be able to tell a little earlier if we have another ultrasound due to my high risk factor. I don't care if it's a girl or boy, but I  think I'm great with girls and if it's a boy I'll rise to the task. Some days Maddy thinks she wants a brother and other days she wants another sister. We shall see.

While Marcus went back into the airport to pick up our luggage after my doctor's appointment we waited in the car and Faye fell asleep in my arms which is so rare for her these days. 

Fall, Lost Dog, Laundry, AND Memories of Preschool

Fall is rolling in and I feel a renewal in myself. I wish it got a little colder here; felt a little more like Fall does back home, but at least it's cloudy and raining today! Time to break out the hot cocoa. 

1. We found a dog last weekend and he is basically a good dog. He just needs training to learn boundaries and manners. We have a soft spot for him, but we are not his forever home. I hope his family is looking for him. He has a collar but no name tag and no microchip. He is young. -sigh- poor guy. A friend is going to foster him for a little bit and hopefully find him a home. The shelters here are kill shelters and it would be so devastating for him to die because his family dumped and abandoned him. 

2. We're going on vacation in 5 days! Marcus surprised me with a trip back to my family in California. I have been really homesick lately. After a fire and flood my parents' home is FINALLY rebuilt (after 2 years) and looking fabulous--I wish it was like that when we were growing up! 

3. I was proud of myself for completing 3 loads of laundry yesterday. And I mean the whole shebang: washing, drying, folding, AND putting away! 

 

4. I'm old enough to say "20 years ago" and remember things.... Speaking of: When I was in preschool I thought this boy named Michael was the coolest thing on this Earth because he had a black leather jacket and gel in his hair. Wow. One day I asked him if he liked my dress. It was a horizontal stripped green and black jersey knit dress. It wasn't beautiful but I liked it. He looked at me and then he looked at this other little girl wearing your Sunday's best dress with flowers and toulle (at preschool...) and he said he liked hers better. My heart broke for the very first time. 

Another time in preschool I was sitting in the sandbox playing with a friend that had long black hair and tan skin. We were digging holes. She told me "you have a bee on your hand." Up to that point of my 3 years on this Earth I had never encountered a bee. I looked at it and it was a huge bumble bee waving its butt. I screamed because mom had warned me they could hurt me. I shook my hand to get it off me, but the deed was done. I had been stung. It (for lack of a better word) STUNG! I can still feel the hot venom in my thumb. I survived, and I am not allergic to bees. 

My twin sister and I were not in the same preschool class, but one time they combined our classes and I thought her teacher was just so neat! She brought an iguana to school. We got to pet it. He fit on her whole arm and just sat there staring at us. 

Sleep has always been one of my favorite things to do. We go way back. During nap time at this preschool I went down without any problems and I loved rolling my little pad out to sleep on. It seemed like I was asleep forever, on this particular day, and suddenly a large block tower fell to the ground inches from my face. I was now awake and terrified. I was being attacked. I still don't know why the teachers didn't wake me up after nap time was over...or why they let a kid build a tower so close to me...

Sometimes my class met in one small group and one big group. My small group was sitting at a banana table while the big group was probably practicing singing in another room or something. I think  we were being tested or learning letters or something. Anyways, it was a long time waiting there. I felt the urge to pee, but you're not supposed to talk when the teacher is so I didn't know what to do. Then it happened-- warm pee filled my pants and underwear and fell under me. After the lesson I didn't move. I think my teacher caught on because she let all the other kids leave while I stayed in my chair. I was so embarrassed. I knew I wasn't supposed to pee anywhere but the toilet. Ashamed, I sat there waiting for my teacher to come back. She must have called my mom because the next thing I remember is my mom walking in and taking me to the bathroom to change into a new outfit. I was so relieved. My mom had saved me! That was the last time I ever peed my pants. 

I am so afraid of spiders. SO. I think it stems from this one time. I was going out into the play yard and as I was doing so, I looked behind this air-conditioning-type-unit-thing and I saw it; A GIANT black widow spider. It was at least the size of a quarter. I told the teacher right away that I saw the spider. I wanted to touch it. It was pretty with the red, but I stepped a little closer and the teacher yelled "No! It's dangerous! Don't touch it!" Obviously as a 3-year-old that meant ALL spiders are dangerous and scary. Yeah, I think it's her fault I hate spiders. I don't care, kill them all. 

Words from Faye and Madeline...and Me too

While the toddler is asleep...

1. I feel like a failure some days. My husband will come home and look around like "I went to work and fulfilled my responsibilities...what did you do?" It's only a look that lasts a few seconds, but I know what it means, and he would never actually say those things. But I can tell. So, some days I just feel like a failure. But let me tell you, I do not have enough energy to keep everything spic and span. I do not have enough energy to keep the toys in the playroom, or fold three loads of laundry. I do not have enough energy. Children are like life-suckers. They get all their energy from the 12 hours of sleep they get at night. They get it from the food they constantly eat. They get it from me. Where does the energy I have go? Preparing breakfast, lunch, and sometimes dinner (though my husband shares in this responsibility), changing diapers, running errands, cleaning major messes, comforting scared sobs, kissing boo boos and owies, and dressing everyone. Yes, getting ready for 3 people (sometimes 4) means I don't get to spend a lot of time focusing on how I look. So I look half thrown together most days. But you  know what? This is the life I chose, and the life I always wanted. I just imagined it to be a little more...easier. I love my children. They make my love grow exponentially every day. I never knew my heart could feel so much love. I never knew it could hurt so much when they get hurt, or that I could be so happy and joyful that it made me cry because my daughter said a prayer, or she said "I love you, you're my best friend." So, even though I have no  energy to actually do anything, I know I am doing something...loving my children unconditionally.

2. Things Madeline says: "Mom, the FREAKING thunderstorm woke me up!"
"Mother, please help." Of course, I'm not the mother she is referring to. She is talking about her My Little Ponies.
"Oh no! Your cutie mark is missing!"

3. Faye has two new words in her vocabulary: hello and apple. Oh, and "wow!"

4. Most people don't know this but I had a miscarriage. I never thought that would happen to me. I had no problems getting pregnant with Madeline nor with Faye, so it shocked me when it happened. It was early and the doctors consider it a chemical pregnancy, but to me it was the hope of having another spirit in our home. The doctor I saw said "I wouldn't even say you had a miscarriage because you haven't had your menstrual cycle yet and it could just be a week early...it's considered normal to have 2 irregular cycles a year..." Whatever dude. I have never had a cycle start a week early. EVER. Two weeks after my miscarriage I had a normal period, so he was wrong. It was a miscarriage and this was the period--now 2 weeks late. I am okay now. I am happy. Life is good. I was upset and depressed for a week, but now I just want to get back to normal. I'm in waiting mode right now...the waiting game sucks! And yet, some have to wait so so so long for their littles. I don't know how I would handle that. But the thing is, we handle the trials we are given. They are all different and some suck more than others at different times of our lives. Good thing the Lord has our backs. He knows what we want. He knows what we NEED.

Bookshelves and Vacation

I have been trying to get my lovely home in order since we moved in last September. It is slowly coming together.

We made these last month:

My sister-in-law moved in and we went on vacation. It has been non-stop since last Tuesday, but I think it's better than being bored. Our vacation was spent in downtown Charleston which is such a great city. It's sad all the crappy things happening around (the dog Caitlin's muzzle being taped shut, the person being shot by the cop, and the recent mass shooting at the church) because it really is a great place. We went to the aquarium which was fun and Grandma got Madeline a cute mermaid which was expensive but perfect for a grandma gift. After we ate at a popular sandwich joint and I got a Gyro which really hit the spot. My salivary glands are watering just thinking about it. Then we stayed at a hotel and ate at a fine dining restaurant with some fancy fish. The next day we went to the beach. It was a really laid back trip and we really enjoyed ourselves. I wish I had money to do so much more, but we're here for a while so we have time to get to all those places. The girls LOVED the beach. So much.