Forgive the bragging

...but I think my little girl is a memory whiz.

We were driving in Salt Lake today. While on North Temple McKenzie said "Mom, Boozer bus was here!" (For those of you who havent heard the story, during the NBA playoffs the UTA busses were wrapped in Jazz logos and had pictures of Carlos Boozer & a few other players on them. She WENT NUTS over them!) I was shocked that she recognized where we were at, especially since it has been several weeks. Then, when we got near the Gateway Mall, she pointed to the Energy Solutions Arena and said, "Boozer play baskball dere, mom!" I looked around for Jazz logos or signs, something that would have clued her in, but couldnt find a thing. She went on to say, "Me watch Boozer! With mom. And dad. Yay Boozer!" and did her thumbs up sign. What a nut! Oh, and does anyone know if Boozer is available for hire at birthday parties? He'd probably go over bigger than any disney character! LOL!

I also have to say that she is maybe the sweetest thing ever.

After we got home, she got out the doctor set grandma jodi gave her for Christmas. She plays with it a lot and likes to give us shots or listen to our hearts. But today, unprompted, she got out the stethoscope, brought it over, and said "Me listen to baby in tummy". SO CUTE! (She went to my last OB appointment and got to hear the heartbeat through the dopler speaker and thought that was cool, but never with a stethoscope) After she got done listening she told me the baby was happy. Good to know!

Lyrics that annoy

So, I am sure you have all heard Miley Cyrus' song "See You Again" It's a catchy tune, and I kinda like it. But, I can't get over part of the lyrics. It goes like this:

I've got my sights set on you
and I'm ready to aim...

See! Right there! If her sights are set, isnt she already aiming? THAT is why this song bugs me. lol

Shuffle Challenge

What songs are you on your ipod? I hit shuffle, and these are the first 10 that showed up.

1. Lips of an Angel (acoustic) - Hinder
2. Never Again - Nickelback
3. Let It Snow - Frank Sinatra
4. Dora Explorer Theme Song (I have songs on there to entertain McKenzie, too!)
5. My Town - Montgomery Gentry
6. I Can Only Imagine - Mercy Me
7. Into the Night - Santana ft Chad Kroeger
8. Beautiful - Jim Brickman ft Wayne Brady
9. Do Wah Diddy - Manfred Mann
10. Show Me Heaven - Jessica Andrews

Bare your soul and post or comment your shuffle list, too!

A product of a rainy morning

The rain/snow is keeping us in the house this morning. Laundry has lost its appeal, and the other things I should be doing aren't calling to me either. It's a quiet morning for hot chocolate and snuggling in thick blankets. I am quickly being sucked into the inter-world playing with unnecessary things on the computer. I polarized this photo for no particular reason, and thought it turned out interesting. Here's to hoping I get a life soon!

A Simple Request

Stop and smell the flowers

My daughter is OBSESSED with flowers. She delights in picking dandelions, can't go outside without picking and smelling herbs from my garden, and must point to every flower we see. While we waited outside the Manti temple this weekend, she went nuts over their bed of tulips. It took a lot of convincing to encourage her not to pick the "pretties", but we finally were able to compromise on gently smelling the flowers. She did this for ever, walking up and down the flower bed smelling each flower over and over. Tell me this is not the most adorable thing you have ever seen?

Pastas, Breads and Potatoes... Oh my!

My doctor finally called! (He'd been calling me on my home phone while I was out of town, even though I had given him my cell phone number. Grr....) Anyway, my anemia test came out perfect, but there were problems with my glucose level. It was under 50, which is quite low. (70-99 is the normal range) I was surprised, since I had been bracing myself for high glucose which = diabetes. For now, I am supposed to be on a very high carb diet which will increase the amount of glucose in my bloodstream. I am also supposed to snack often, and always have an emergency snack with me at all times. So, breads, pastas, potatoes AND snacking? This could be torture! LOL! I love it!

Right now they can't tell if I am truly hypoglycemic, or if I am just being exceptionally affected by the hormones the placenta produces that sometimes upsets the bodies absorbtion of sugars. I go in for more tests and monitoring tomorrow, and they may administer the official glucose drink test a little earlier than normal in this pregnancy to make sure things are under control. But, for now, there is no reason to worry. In fact, it may explain my unusual (for me) craving for cereal (a starch carb) and milk (a sugar carb). Isn't it amazing how the body knows what it needs?

Cris and I had a lot of fun on our ride home from Richfield this weekend. In fact, we were yakking so much, we missed one of our exits.

McKenzie was an absolute angel on the ride home, which surprised us, considering she had already been through a busy weekend that had required long periods of sitting still and trying to remain calm. (I did say trying, right?)

Anyway, we got to talking about going on a road trip and thought about going to Vegas. Yes, gas prices are high right now, but a weekend away sounded like a perfect temptation. We invited Ashli and Cody and they happily agreed to tag along. We will be heading down for some fun the first weekend in June. I can't wait!

Congrats!

The wedding and receptions turned out well, and I am happy to say we survived the busy weekend! Wahoo and congrats to Malory and Devin!

Sharon, the photographer, has shared a few of the pictures and they are amazing! I can't wait to see them all! I also couldnt help stealing this one off of her photography blog:

My mother, McKenzie and I helped Malory get ready for the reception. McKenzie is OBSESSED with makeup and insisted she help. She put a little on Malory, but was finally convinced to make me over while I put the finishing touches on Malory.

One funny McKenzie-ism from the wedding: When Devin walked into the rehearsal dinner with his identical twin brother, McKenzie stopped in her tracks astonished and said "THERE ARE TWO OF THEM!" So funny!

One more thing...

We moved the ultrasound to June 3rd. Our main insurance kicks in on the first. And even though the billing shouldn't come through until the time the baby is delivered, Cris pointed out that 2 weeks may not be worth the risk of paying a $1400 medical bill just for the fun of it. (Can you believe ultrasounds are really that much money? I didn't, until Cris showed me the statement from McKenzies.) I hate it when he is right. I am impatient and want to know NOW! lol I also want a peak at this little baby to ease my mind with the latest happenings going on. But, our doctor assures us everything is fine with the little one and we shouldn't worry. Yeah right.

Still Waiting...

Well, I still havent heard back from the doctors office yet. I called this morning to try and get the results, but my doctor performs surgeries on Thursdays. I left a message for his MA, and since I havent heard back, I am assuming that there is nothing much to report. Something major would warrant immidate contact, right? Well, unless they are still flipping a coin to see who has to be the one to let me know I have 4 days to live. But thats not a pleasant thought. So, I am going with the verdict that I am just weird. You don't sound surprised.

We are heading out to the Richfield area for the beginning of the wedding festivities. Wish us luck! I'll be back this weekened and will try and update you then. Adios!

Watching the Game

Just a couple pics I took of my two couch potatoes after the first quarter of the Jazz game. Notice her unmatched socks: she has a thing for digging out random socks everytime I do laundry. These were the choice of the evening.

PS - GO JAZZ!!!

And then it was foggy, silent and dark

Yesterday evening, I snuck out to Wal-Mart. I walked around picking up things (most of them things I didn't know I absolutely HAD to have) and then waited in the check out line. The person before me had some coupons for film developing that were causing quite a ruckus, and holding up my line for 10+ minutes. My items were on the conveyor, as were the persons behind me, so I was literally quite stuck. While trying to wait patiently, I suddenly started to feel funny. I got hot and lightheaded, and wanted to find somewhere to sit down and get a cold drink. But, I was stuck. My head started to feel heavy and thick, and then my vision went blurry and dark, and I couldn't hear. I remember thinking to myself a few things, one was "don't cause a scene!" and the other was "Maybe its a stroke and I am going to be deaf and blind forever?" My inner monologue is quite comforting.

I thought about abandoning my items and sneaking out of the line to a bench in the front of the store, but I didn't trust myself to even walk those few steps. I was sure I was going to pass out - only to wake up with a crowd of people staring at me and a siren approaching in the background. I told the person in line behind me that I was 4 1/2 months pregnant and thought I was going to blackout (letting someone know I was pregnant was my biggest concern), but I don't know if she understood me, because I couldn't hear myself speak, or see more than her outline in a dark blur. I fell to my knees, and rested my head on the side of my cart. I sat there for a few minutes, and soon felt okay enough to stand up. My vision was not normal, but okay, and I could kind of hear - like when you go swimming and get water stuck in your ear. I was still really hot and sweating like crazy. I glanced around me. The other customers were looking at me curiously, and the cashier had an expression on her face that looked like "Sheesh, the wait isn't THAT bad" and she apologized for the hold up. The woman behind me (that I had told I was going to black out) said "It's a mite bit hot in here dear. 4 1/2 months will do that to ya!" and whacked me on the shoulder. I remember thinking "Why didn't anyone help me?" but was also glad they didn't, in some ways too.

Eventually I made it out of the store and was freezing. My shirt and my hair was soaked through with sweat. I grabbed a coat from my trunk and wrapped myself up and cranked up the heater in my car. I reached for my cell phone to ask Cris to pick me up, but I had left it at home. I sat there shivering for another five minutes, and then I was completely fine. I actually felt good. It was the strangest thing ever.

I got home and told Cris what had happened. We paged my doctor, but when he took too long to respond I called the Mayo Clinic 'Ask A Nurse' line my work provides. She asked me a million questions from the color of my urine to what I ate for dinner, and decided it was not worth an emergency room visit. Cris was to monitor my speech for slurring and encourage me to rest. She said it may have been something simple, like a vein may have been pinched off by the weight of the baby, or my blood pressure dropped from standing (my bp is always quite low, especially when I am pregnant). Or, I could have anemia or gestational diabetes. (The diabetes made me wonder because I had grabbed a few milk duds to munch on on my way out the door. Hmm...)

I called my doctor this morning to report what had happened (the page must not have went through, because he says he never got it) and he encouraged me to come in for some blood tests this morning. So, hopefully, I should hear more tonight or tomorrow morning. I will keep you posted. What is up with all of this health drama lately? This isn't me! Maybe it's revenge for my last pregnancy being so uncomplicated? BAHHH!

But, I could be like Cris and look at the bright side. He teased me last night and said that I had created the perfect excuse, should I grow tired of my sisters wedding festivities this weekend. What an optimist, huh?

This may give you a complex

A few months ago, one of my blog readers witnessed a traumatic event in my life. At the time, I tried my best to remain calm, but inside I was screaming. In fact, I nearly collapsed with all encompassing emotions threatening to take control. What was this horrible event you ask? It was slime. Yes, slime.

I picked up the telephone at work to make a call - while two drivers waited patiently at my desk - and instead of my ear finding the receiver, it found a cold pile of goo. I shivered, gagged a lot, and dove for the clorox wipes and lysol and started to scrub my ear off. Then I tackled the desk. And the phone. And the keyboard. And the chair. And everything else within arms reach, including spraying my little box of paperclips. The drivers sat there staring at me, wondering what clean freak demon spirit had possessed me. Eventually, I was able to share my story. And, being supportive co-workers, they laughed until I thought THEY were going to fall on the floor. I chose not to blog about the incident at the time (or maybe more accurately, the trauma had attempted to block the experience from my memory) but I read an article that reminded me of that day. It's just a little article on MSN about germs, and unusual places you find them. I am NOT tolerant of germs, and in fact may have a slight compulsion disorder when it comes to disinfecting, so I found the article interesting. I suggest you read it - especially since it recommends never making your bed - FOR HEALTHS SAKE. Mothers day may have just passed, but it shows, sometimes moms don't know everything. LOL!

The Bump

So, here is the 4th month baby bump picture. Actually, it's closer to 4 1/2 months, but who's counting?

End of the Innocence

McKenzie woke up exceptionally happy this morning. She was so sweet and cute, I almost couldn't stand it. Almost. We made french toast and got gussied up and headed out for a morning at the Fashion Place mall. I had some gift certificates that were going to expire, so we went to see what we could do with them. We wandered through a lot of the stores, and McKenzie amazingly remained adorable and sweet. She would point to something on a rack and say "Ooooh! Mommy, me like that!" or "Pretty for mommy!" I had fun holding things up and asking her opinion. She acted so grown up, I had a hard time not bursting out in laughter at her comments. At a few of the stores there were kids running around and darting in and out of the racks. But not my Menzie! How often do I get to say that? Usually, clothes shopping is a nightmare where we both end up exhausted and near tears. Oh, my little girl is growing up!

We found some good deals and found a few complete outfits (including shoes!) for the both of us, all within our gift certificate amount. Talk about awesome! Menzie also picked out some cute croc shoes she can play in this summer. She absolutely adores them, and refused to put the box down after we bought them. You would think those $6 shoes were the highlight of her little life. Better than Disneyland, I tell ya!

There was about $10 left on my gift card, so we decided to grab some lunch in the food court. She stayed pretty close to me, but wanted to wander some, and really wanted to flirt with the people at the tables near us. I'd still have to say she was good, but it makes me uncomfortable when she gets away from me in a public place like that. You never know who could walk by and snatch her up, or what nasty stuff she could get into. So, I picked her up and set her on my lap for the "stranger talk". I felt so horrible crushing her innocence and letting her know that there are a few bad people in the world, but I guess it needed to be done. I kept it simple and told her that there are some bad people who would like to take her away from mommy, but if she stayed by me I would keep her safe. She listened, nodded her head and said "Ok. No bad guys." and remained in her seat without a problem the rest of the time. Didn't even wiggle! I couldn't believe it! Maybe I should have explained the evils of the world earlier? Dinner away from home sure would be easier.

Anyway, that little microscopic conversation about strangers made me sad. I guess I spend a lot of my parenting time trying to teach her new things & show her the fun and beauty of the world, while discreetly covering up the bad before she is exposed to it. Sure, thats a great plan for a lot of things, but it hit me today how many disheartening conversations we're going to have to have about the horrible things that go on today. Just the little tiny bit we talked about today made me feel predatory, like I was bursting the bubble housing her pure mind. So goes the journey of motherhood in the attempt to raise a well adjusted child in a scary world. Wish us luck! ;)

Happy Birthday, Shorgill!

Happy Birthday, Sharon!

Shorgill (Or, I guess more correctly now that she is married, Shanderson) has been a good friend of mine for many years. We became friends in elementary school, and I remember sunny afternoons in her private Orgill Park. Yes, there were THAT many park benches in their backyard.

Sharon also was the catcher on my softball team when I was the pitcher. We had so much fun! After official team practice, we spent many nights pitching until dark in my backyard. My dad often helped us, until an unfortunate incident blackened her eye, and I am pretty sure she hasn't played since.

There was also an incident at our familys cabin. After freshly showering and blow drying, she managed to soak her entire self in 8" of merky pond water. There's more to the story, but she hasn't allowed me to mention that for years. So, I recommend you go visit her blog and leave a comment encouraging her to post on the topic. I promise it will be good fun!

After we got in high school we shared a mutual boyfriend, (NOT at the same time) and have delighted in sharing stories from those times. After school, we even worked together at Holt's Carpet for a few years and had some fun times there.

In all seriousness, I really do admire Sharon. She is a fun, vivacious person, who is also incredibly caring. She goes out of her way to help anyone in need. She's also quite creative. She has an amazing talent for music (she conducted the Utah Symphony in fifth grade) She was also the editor of our high school yearbook, and now runs a wonderful photography buisness.

She has several sites she manages, some being for her business. But she also has a website for her daughter, Katie, a "taking time for me game", a weight loss blog, and one of my favorite personal blogs ever. Go ahead and stop by her main blog, links to the other pages are on her site. You wont regret it.

Happy birthday! (And since I cant resist: Can you see the pink?)

Overheard at my house

So, I just poured myself a glass of Dole Orange-Peach-Mango juice. There was some strange power drawing me to that peculiar green carton in the juice section yesterday at Macey's. I took a risk and bought it, and ya know what, I like it. Lots. Anyway, as I was finishing my second glass of the day, it reminded me of the conversation that went on at my house last night, and I smiled a little remembering my quick witt and supreme mental prowess. lol. It went a little something like this:

CRIS: Blech! Don't buy that juice again; it's gross!
ME: What juice? The Orange-Peach-Whatever stuff?
CRIS: Yeah, the girlie stuff.
ME: Well, you seem to be outnumbered in the gender area in this house. Where have you been the last two years? Besides, I like it. You can have Kool-Aid if you want.
CRIS: You don't drink juice - I only see you drink water.
ME: You are only home in the evenings. Orange juice typically doesn't call to me when we are having pot roast or lasagna. I drink juices in the mornings, honey.
CRIS: Besides, you keep buying these packs of juice (referring to the 6 packs of individual bottles) and you'll drink a few, but then they sit in the fridge and I have to finish them off.
ME: Why do you have to finish them off?
CRIS: So they dont go bad.
ME: They are good for months, you know?
CRIS: I just know you'll never get back to them. You should stop buying them.
ME: I work three days a week. I take one each day to work. Then I have a four day break before I go back, so they sit there waiting. A six pack should last me exactly two weeks, if you'd let me get to them.
CRIS: (feigning hurt) Are you saying I can't have any?
ME: No, you just complained about it.
CRIS: Ugh. You should let me do the grocery shopping.
ME: Sure. (Cris raises his eyebrows in anticipation and disbelief) As soon as you finish the list I gave you two months ago. I'm still missing three items from it.




I love the bantering Cris and I give each other. However, I am pretty sure it drives those of you around us nuts. Oh well.

I gave in

So, it wasn't quite 11 am, but I was still overcome with the desire to fill my face with saucy cheesy goodness. And what better to do the trick than a cheap 5 for a $5 Tontinos cardboard pizza! Sure, they are the same brand that was recalled for causing illness or genetic mutation - I dont remember which. But, these are the NEW and IMPROVED batch. I checked. And so what if everyone tells me they are the nastiest thing around, and probably do not qualify as actual pizzza. I like them, in fact, more than actual pizza. Although, I try to avoid them. But today I was no match. Menzie was whinier than usual and definiely rose to a higher level of maintenance. I needed something to cope, okay? And I do have to say I am glad I actually avoided the chocolate. Thats one big point for me, right?

So, I popped one of those little buggers in the oven, and the minute it was done, I devoured it. Almost all of it. Yikes.

You may ask what happened to my "eat healthier" ambition? I ate a banana and some juice first, okay? :)

Oh, and Amy, I remember in Middle School you won a years supply of Tontinos pizzas. I just want you to know that everytime I open one, I think of you! Creepy, huh?

Out and About

So, it's cloudy and looks like we are in for some rainy weather today. In fact, I just heard the first raindrop hit the window as I typed that last sentence. It's okay, though, because the weather man has threatened thunder and lightening and we havent had a good thunderstorm in months.

I had thought about going to the Gateway mall today to mosey around the outdoor shops, enjoy a nice lunch al fresca and maybe swing by the childrens museum. But, I am beginning to think that maybe that adventure would best be suited for another day. So... that brings up the topic of discussion for today. What kinds of fun things do you like to do with your kids in the summer? We've tried the zoo, Lagoon, the aquarium and Liberty Park, but are always open for new and fun suggestions. What do you recommend for a 2 year old in the Salt Lake area? What would you avoid? Leave a comment and share your ideas.

Also, has anyone been to the Tree House Museum in Ogden? I found it online and it looks pretty neat, but didnt know if it was geared more towards older kids. Please advise! THANKS!

The Dew Park

We've been wanting to get a swing set for the backyard for a long time. I keep researching online trying the find the perfect set for the cheapest price, but shipping makes things unreasonable. I have checked online listings for used ones in the area, but every time I find one that would work, I call on it and its already sold - even if the ad is less than an hour old. GRRR! We saw this set at Sams Club last year and loved everything about it, except the price tag. Granted it was a good deal for the quality of the set, but OUCH! This year we saw the same set for $200 less, and I'd have to say we are tempted. Right now I am trying to twist my dads arm into finding time to help us assemble (from what we hear its a 20-40 hour process) If I get the thumbs up from him, I think we may be in business. (And this post is in NO way trying to twist his arm. Hehehe!) Now does anyone have a suggestion to keep the 50+ neighborhood kids away? LOL!

My Sunshine

Malorys Bridal Shower

Malorys bridal shower was on Friday. I just now getting to posting the pics. Whoops! Here are some of my favorite pics of a few of the guests. Thanks everyone for coming!

My mom and Malory

Aunt Jan, Malory and Grandma Dona










The Peterson Girls:
Andrea, Malory, Olivia and Aunt Shelly
My sister and I

I am not sure, but I think she may have been recreating a pose from her bridal pictures? Hehe! We colored her mouth with a funny shower game. Personally, I think its a good look.

Malorys future m-i-l, Cindy, is in the background

Bridal Photos

Sharon just emailed me a few of Malory's bridal photos. I love the bright spring colors and think they turned out great!

Wedding Prep

My sister is getting married in two weeks! My baby sister! It's crazy!

Sharon, from www.heartprintphoto.com is taking Malorys bridal pictures today! I am so excited to see how they turn out! I had been looking forward to going with her to get the pictures done, but a scheduling conflict changed the photo shoot from the Fawsons farm in Grantsville to Thanksgiving Point at 1:00. My mom and I are throwing Malory a shower at 4 in Grantsville and I dont think there is any way I can go. In fact, since Thanksgiving Point is more than an hour away, I am hoping Malory can make it to her own shower on time! So my mom and I are both feeling bad for not being there for Malory, but she does have her soon to be mother-in-law and a few freinds tagging along with her. Hopefully she forgives us soon!

Malory is getting her endowments next weekend, and then the wedding festivities officially begin the following Thursday with the rehearsal dinner, Wedding and Richfield reception on Friday and the Grantsville reception on Saturday. It should be an eventful week!

I am hoping to get Malory back up here for some sister/sister/mother/grandma time (since I can't think of anything fun or appropriate for a bachellorette party). I thought maybe on Friday we could go and get pedicures and a facial or something girly like that? I've never had a facial and am open for suggestions. Does anyone have a good place they can recommend? The only place that popped to mind was Santuary, but only because I sold the flooring to the South Towne location. So send in your rave reviews. Or even horror stories, I guess! LOL! Either way, help!

I never owned a plunger...

until my daughter started potty training.

Enough said.