I Hate...

Money! Trying to get all the things I need in order to help us make more money, I can't afford. Even doing it alittle at a time and I still can't. Grrrr. Why does the world revolve around money?

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #46

 Hey its MilSpouse Friday Fill-In once again, head on over to Wife of a Sailor and join all the fun!

Are you a different person than you were five years ago? submitted by Sisterly Thoughts
I'd say so, I've gone through a deployment, three very rough pregnancies, mother to three amazing kids worth everything I went through to get them here. Lots of growing up. You know. I feel a lot older than I am.
If you could go on Amazing Race, who would you take with you as your partner and why? submitted by Thoughts from a Poekitten
I guess this might sound dumb, but I don't know what the Amazing Race is, but my partner in anything is my Hubby, Christopher. My guess from the name it involves getting from one location to the next and fast. (I'm not big into reality tv beyond Cake Boss, another secret about me ;) ) I'd take my Hubby because he's really smart and would be a far better navigator than me. I don't have very many friends and can't think of anyone else I would rather take then my best friend. ;)
Does Facebook or Twitter actually bring more stress or good in to your life? submitted by Just an Arizona Girl
To be honest probably more stress. It makes me sad because although I have alot of friends on Facebook, but most would never want to do anything with me and barely talk to me on it. So its more a source of pain and a way to hear about everyone else.
June is National Soul Food Month- what’s your soul food? submitted by NH Girl Displaced
 I honestly don't know. I really like Italian food. I also really like steak, medium-rare! I also like Mexican food. Maybe my soul food is all of the above. ;) Although having my gallbladder out makes eating things a little more tricky, but I still try.

If you could live in any other era than the current, which one would it be & why? submitted by Sugar in My Grits

I know its not really an era, but I go be a pioneer. I'd trek across the United States in a covered wagon or come across the ocean to America. I know things were so much harder in some ways back then, but there are somethings that would be easier. Less technology. For the most part you know who your friends are. I don't know sometimes I feel out of place in this era.

I Wish...

I had the energy to write. Its been one of those days. I have no energy. I have a horrible migraine and of course it had to be a day that my toddlers tested my patience in every way possible. Its been a rough couple of months and I'd love a nice long vacation (minus kids at the moment sounds real nice), but maybe I can find a nice inexpensive family vacation to take this next month. Any suggestions. We've had a bout of pinkeye run through our house and of course we've had to do everything possible to keep them far from the baby. But I think its finally finishing its course, which is good cause Rhiannon is getting blessed this weekend and we have friends & family coming to celebrate with us. No one wants to be around sick kids. Anyway, my energy has run out. I'm hoping to feel better tomorrow, but I'm going to be pretty busy this weekend since I'm going to be making a really big pirate island cake. Anyway, pictures will follow of the blessing and the cake. I'd love to hear from all of you about your weekend plans.

Pixie Update

As you can see I have a much happier baby girl! Thank heavens. She's actually trying to talk to my camera at the moment I took the picture. Her fever is virtually gone although we've been erring on the side of caution and we keep her with her humidifier as much as possible. She still wheezes and coughs, but its sooo much better than it was. As long as it continues to get better than I don't think we need to worry about anything. Which is important since next Sunday is her big day. She's getting an LDS blessing and I'd hate for her to miss it or rather have to reschedule. Our new goal aside from getting her 100% better is to keep her from getting the pink eye that her two older siblings now have. At this house we just can't catch a break. So keep us in your prayers cause this Army Momma needs a break and a nice long vacation!

A Dream

courtesy of Montague County Cemetery

I've been trying on and off to go to school to be come an Archaeologist/Historian, but I haven't been since Aidan was like 9 months old. Its been awhile and I miss it. But its kind of hard with two toddlers and now I have a baby it makes it even harder. Anyway I have a subscription to an Archaeology magazine and I just love getting it, but unfortunately it only comes every other month. But I guess that's what the internet is for, it fills the gap of the times I don't have fun articles to read.

I would really love to go work on some fun excavations and the like. It would be so much fun. I was talking with my Father-in-law, who is also an Archaeologist a week or two ago about how they identify bodies from the civil war. It was really interesting and very simplistic since they didn't have dental records back then. Just talking about it makes me want to be apart of it all. To find some treasure that tells some story about the people who lived before us. Even if I can't do an excavation yet, I want to find a new cemetery (or rather an old cemetery) to go trooping through and take pictures.

I hear the cemeteries back East are so cool. Some of the most elaborate headstones and I always wonder about the people who are buried beneath the headstones, even the most simple of ones. I'm always sad to see the ones that have fallen into such disrepair that you can no longer read who it
belongs to. I have a strange fascination with cemeteries if you (courtesy of Listverse) can't tell. I hope you don't think me too strange. It does go great with my career choice, which is awesome. When I can find my own pictures of cemeteries I'll post them up because I have some neat ones. Anyway, I was just dreaming of having an archaeological adventure and I hope I won't have to wait too long.

                            courtesy of Encyclopedia Britannica

courtesy of National Geographic

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #45

 Welcome to MilSpouse Friday Fill-In! I love it, so if you have never participated or just haven't this week head on over to Wife of a Sailor to join up!

Underwear Parties, how old is too old? submitted by Wookie & Co.
Can I be honest? What's an Underwear Party? I hope somebody will explain that to me. I did read someone else's response to this question before I answered and I really liked her response: 'What's an underwear party? Are we talking a party where you only wear undies or a party where you buy undies? Never going to happen with the first and never to old for the second.' Thanks for such an awesome answer Kara from The Ramblings of a Marine Wife. I agree with her on the first point, but I'm not sure if I've ever been to a party that sells undies. Unless you count Slumber Parties or Party Gals. Now you know another secret about me! ;)
What was your favorite class in high school? submitted by Adventures of M-Squared
Drama and History. Quite the combination wouldn't you say. Drama was my escape from everything and I could totally be myself. Plus I love to act. ;) I find myself missing it very much these days.
Have you ever convinced packers/movers to pack something they aren’t supposed to for a PCS? submitted by Ground Control to Major Mom
Luckily I have never had to PCS, but once my Hubby passes his PT test he'll be going Active Duty and then I'll get to experience that side of being a MilSpouse.
Blogging plays a growing roll in the media. If you were asked to embed as a blogger with a deployed military unit, would you go? What do you think your blog would be like? submitted by To the Nth
That's a hard one, because that would be the experience of a lifetime I think. It would definitely require some heavy discussion with my Hubby and lots of prayer to decide what's best for our family. But maybe for a short amount of time like a month or two, because even that length of time can give sooo much to blog about. I'd try to write more about what life is like when their not out in danger. The fun of being deployed, because I love some of the stories my Hubby tells from his deployment. They had some great times, but I still would talk about the harder times too. I would try to make it a perfect combination without frightening anyone, but not exactly candy coating it either. Still try to stick to the side of deployments most people don't see, the things they do for fun.

Do you think kids should attend year-round school? submitted by Marrying the Navy

I don't think I like that idea. I know that there are supposed to be benefits to that, but it deprives them of the big summer break where most people take vacations and kind of screws up schedules and stuff. Not a big fan of it.

A Mommy Blogger's Hero!

Ok, so I really love reading Mama's Losin' It. Her blog is humorous, serious and just straight up enjoyable. She is one of those writers and fellow bloggers that gives me courage to keep going as a Mommy blogger. Well, as I was purusing her blog tonight, when I should be sleeping I came across this and decided that it was too funny not to share. I hope you enjoy it and if you haven't been over to her blog, please I strongly encourage you go read her blog. I know you love it and you'll be glad you did. Have great night!

http://youtu.be/bTbzZB--g7k/

Thursday Blog Hop

It's Thursday again and time for Confessions of a Marine Wife blog hop, so head on over and join in all the fun. Happy early Thursday! I'll be posting an update on my Little Pixie later this evening so check back over for that later.

Wordless Wednesday

A Night On the Ped's Floor

Aidan  & Aislynn made a trip to the ER a couple weeks ago and were diagnosed with croup. Yuck. So,  of course we kept them far away from our sweet little Rhiannon since I stress and worry so much about her getting RSV and her little preemie lungs not being able to handle it. Well, for all that we tried to keep them apart she still got sick. It started with a stuffy nose about a week ago and then about three or four days ago she started having a little cough, but it didn't seem too bad. But each day it seemed to get worse and worse. Unfortunately we've been having some financial issues due to some pay issues and so we were hoping to make it until pay day this week, but yesterday when she became very lethargic and was running a fever. I became worried. All she wanted was to be held and didn't want to be moved. She couldn't complete her coughs and was wheezing, we decided that we couldn't afford to wait. So we hopped in the car and drove the two hours to the hospital. My poor baby went through hell and back again last night. I feel horrible, but we needed to find out what was wrong. She was still running a fever when we got there and they decided to do a whole lot of tests since she was so little. They needed to run an IV and it took two sticks before they got one to work. They were all impressed at what a little trooper she was. She had to have a catheter to do a urine sample.

We did chest x-rays, blood tests, and constant monitoring of her SATs. We also had two visits from the the Respiratory Therapist to have her nose suctioned out and a breathing treatment. They had to splint her arm to keep it straight since she wanted to fold her arm all up against her chest, so it wouldn't interfere with her IV. I felt so bad. All the techs and nurses who helped take care of her, all fell in love with her. They all felt so bad when she'd cry when they'd have to do something that would hurt her and take such great delight in her smiles and her trust in them. They told me they wanted her to stay with them and keep taking care of her. Which can I just say makes my day and made things seem easier.

All of her tests came back looking good and they did manage to break her fever, the only test that caused them concern was her lactic acid levels were high. Then add in her respiratory rate was high as well, so they decided to keep her over night for observation. So, we left the wonderful ER friends we'd made and went to make new ones on the Pediatrics floor. We were actually their only patient on the floor for most of the night and we had the best nurse. They were so awesome with Rhiannon,
talking so sweet to her when they had to adjust her IV or when the Respiratory Therapists came back twice more to take care of her little nose. They were just awesome. She even got to wear the cutest little hospital gown that I just loved and really wanted to take home, but she decided to barf on it just before we left so I couldn't manage to sneak it out.

After a night of observation, the Dr came in and told us that all her tests looked great. That we had lucked out and that all she had was an upper respiratory infection and not RSV. (Big sigh of relief) So, I just have to keep an eye on her fever and suction her nose before I feed her. I hope that she gets better soon I hate seeing my sweet little Pixie sick. She's such a ray of sunshine in our lives, its hard to see her sick. We got discharged and we went to picked up Daddy & the other kids. Then made the long drive home.

 The only way she'd go to sleep was if I pulled the crib up right next to the bed I was sleeping in so she could see me and I could hold her hand. After having fought sleep for hours, she finally fell asleep for thirty minutes before she woke up again cause she couldn't breathe.

 My poor baby.

 Getting ready to go home. Rhiannon in her cute hospital gown.

In the carseat ready to go home. Goodbye hospital!

Military Monday

 

Welcome to Military Monday Blog Hop presented by lovely Semper Wifey, so head on over and link up. Meet new friends and find new blogs to follow!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #44

Come join MilSpouse Friday Fill-In and get to know yourself, and of course make new friends! I'm always finding something new about myself from answering such unique questions. Come join, you'll be glad you did!

When you vacation what type of vacation do you like to take (beach, historic, adventurous, food oriented, etc.)? submitted by Megan Dub-Yuh
Honestly, when we get to take a vacation we're happy with whatever we can get, but we try to include some of all. We are big history buffs seeing as my Hubby's Dad is an Archaeologist/Historian & I am the same you can be pretty sure we'll hit any historical locations we can.
What is your best memory associated with a song (you know we all have tons!) submitted by Ramblings of a Marine Wife
That would be my Hubby and my song 'Come What May' from Moulin Rouge. It was our we can do anything song through our dating years, through his basic & AIT and then mine, plus his deployment in Iraq. Its kind of our glue. To me that's the best memory, we use it to help us through the tough stuff!
If you had six months with no obligations or financial constraints, what would you do with your time? submitted by Married to the Army
I'd go exploring and adventuring around the world. I'd see all the sights and write a novel. Just be one big adventure!
What is one thing about you that people do NOT typically notice at first that you wish they would? submitted by Our Motto is Patience
That I have a good heart. I'm quiet and super shy, I'm not super great when it comes to making friends and sometimes I don't come across very well, I guess. I have more people who practically run screaming away from me then stay and want to get to know me. I don't have very many friends and not from a lack of trying. With all the trouble making friends, it makes it even harder to put myself out there. So I kind of retreat into myself. Through my writing I really open myself up, because no one can see me and I can say what I need to. I pretend that people actually care.
…. submitted by The Three Turners: It’s a summer of sequels, and if you had to live in one of each of the following “worlds” (there are three total) which would you choose and why? 
–X-Men: Be a Mutant, what would your power be?
I'd be a telepath/telekinisis, I know a total Jean Gray. I used to pretend to be her in elementary school, she was my cartoon hero. (now you know a secret about me ;) )
–Harry Potter: Be a Witch or Muggle?
A mix, only then can you truly appreciate the magical powers plus you don't have the whole pure blood craziness going.
–Twilight: Be a Vampire or Werewolf?
Vampire all the way, there is just something sexy about a 'Twilight vampire' and plus the werewolves just piss me off. ;)

Rhiannon's 3 Month Photo Shoot Teasers

 

Rhiannon and I had a photo shoot last night. I think it went quite well. I love taking photos and I'm constantly learning new things. Here are just a few of the ones I took. I'd love to hear what you think. I can't believe my baby is three months old and probably weighs close to 10lbs. My sister in law had her baby yesterday morning five weeks early just like Rhiannon and Bentley weighed 4lbs 7oz & 16.6" (Rhiannon was 5lbs 1oz & 17.5"). I even get the privilege of taking her pictures when she gets out of the hospital. I hope I do I good job. So, please I'd love suggestions and comments! Enjoy my beautiful Pixie!

 This is Aislynn's blessing dress, I had to see how it looked and I wanted to see if they looked alike. We'll do a comparison when I can track those photos down.

Here is a hair clip that I made this week and am in the process of making a few more. I'm hoping to put together enough to sell. If you are interested let me know. ;)

Thursday Blog Hop

Hey ladies head on over to Confessions of a Marine Wife and join in her Thursday Blog Hop! Its so simple to do and will open up even more fabulous blogs for you to enjoy!

Why?

Why do I bother? Why do I bother to include anyone in special family events like having my daughter blessed when no one cares and isn't coming? Its stressing me out more than planning the big potluck. I don't even know if anybody is even going to come! Today really, really isn't my day. I'm so sorry if I'm making you listen to all this crap. Please feel free to skip this and ignore me for a day or two. My hormones are all over the place. Although I'd gladly accept any number of shoulders to cry on at this point. The fetal position is starting to look better and better.

Anyway this whole anger moment is due to the fact that I have a huge family, in fact we have tons of people that we want to invite to Rhiannon's LDS baby blessing at the end of the month and share in such a special moment with us. I sent out a Facebook invite (since that's the thing) to do two months ago and have been sending out official mailed invites over the last week. I've gotten all kinds of hurtful responses about why people aren't coming and tons of no responses at all. Even some of my close family aren't coming and I wonder why I bother, honestly. Its a lot of work to put together a big event like this and I feel like no one cares. I told my husband I was going to just cancel it and do a simple just immediate family & a few friends, and I should have. I have enough stress going on that I don't need this.

Anybody willing to share a shoulder to cry on?

Birth Announcement

I know this isn't the best shot of this, but when I can get to my scanner I'll scan a big copy of this in. Here is the birth announcement I put together for Rhiannon and have been sending out all week. My sister-in-law's sister took the pictures the week after Rhiannon was released from the NICU. Its hard to believe she was so small, but at the same time at 13 weeks she's still small being under 10lbs.

What A Day!

I'm in a bad mood today. Ok, so not really a bad mood so much as tired, stressed, in pain and just miserable. Its just been one of those not so great days. You know as women we ALL have them and I HATE them. I could really do without those kind of days, but they inevitably show up every now and then to say 'Hello.' Anyway, I'm hoping to put myself in a better mood in the next while before I go to bed. Maybe I should go to bed now, but Rhiannon will probably start crying as soon as I start to lay down or Aidan will pound on his door over something stupid. So I'll wait a while.

See bad mood day. Big. Time.

A funny and sad thing happened today. Aidan said his first cuss word and it wasn't Mommy's fault! You can't see it, but I'm jumping up & down, doing a small victory dance. Actually be glad you can't see it, its kind of scary. Although as Latter Day Saints we are very strongly encouraged to not swear, I will admit that my Hubby and I are far from perfect with that one. Unfortunately with both of our time as soldiers we've managed to pick up some choice phrases, but since we've had kids we've managed to tone it down to hells and damns for the most part. And when we do let stuff slip out when our kids are around we tell them that we shouldn't have said that and we don't say that. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be the Mom who gets called into the preschool teacher's office because my three year old said something bad.

Anyway, my Hubby got upset over something this afternoon and said quite loudly, 'Damnit!' Then not more than ten minutes later Aidan marches down my bedroom hall and repeats the same thing. I wanted to laugh at the irony and I am chuckling about it now, but I kept a stern look on my face and sent him into Daddy. My Hubby then told him that we don't say that and that Daddy was naughty for saying it too. The irony of the situation is that we've talked about it for months that we've said a few things and have managed to avoid our kids repeating them, and finally he's actually repeated a swear word. I hope he won't do it again, but knowing kids it won't be the last time.

I hope everyone is having a better Wednesday than I am. I'm hoping to be feeling better tomorrow so I can do some more crafting and work on some headbands & clips. I'd like to sell a few things on etsy, but I'd like to get more of a stockpile. When a get a few done, I'll post up some pictures cause I'd love to hear what you all think. Have a great night!

Wordless Wednesday

I Might....

There might be a new complication in my life .
I might be ok.
I might be lying about being ok.
I might tell everyone.
I might tell no one
I might be worried about what I did wrong.
I might believe that it happened for a reason.
I might only be thinking with my heart.
I might think about it logically.
It might make it hurt less.
I might tell myself that to tell myself that.
I might pretend to be tougher than I am.
I might need a friend.
I might need a listening ear.
I might not know where to go for one.
I might wish to avoid the lectures.
I might just want a friend.
I might not know who to turn to.
I might hate locking it away inside.
I might tell you what this is about.
I might not.


Then again this might just be another poem.

~For those who suffer silently.

The Practice Pirate Cake

After we had all that fun at Jungle Jim's, we headed home with our friends to have a BBQ and I went to work to finish a pirate island cake that Aidan requested I make. I haven't made a fancy cake since last summer, cause...well its just way too much work with so many little kids. So, the night before I baked the cakes and cute them down to the shape of the islands (unfortunately I didn't take and pictures) & a basic icing coating. I usually freeze the cakes, but there wasn't time so it made the process a lot longer. But we got back the next evening and I went right to work making homemade icing thanks to Buddy on the Cake Boss. I then iced and created a pirate island paradise covered in playmobile figures to help. What do you think?

This was a test run cake for the one I have to make at the end of the month for the big family birthday party. I have a few kinks to figure out before then, but I think all and all it was a good test run for the next one. Although the next one has to feed more people. ;)