I got a promotion!

Well, my husband got a promotion, but isn't it the same thing? When his pager goes off, we both wake up. Actually, I wake up and then spend 10 minutes waking him up. (And another 10 falling back asleep, but who's counting) When he works overtime, I work overtime. What he makes, I spend. So, yeah, we got a promotion! Yahoo! In honor of this great day, I want to do a top 10.

10) getting over the flu (yeah, puking at 22 weeks = not much fun)
9) signs of spring
8) sonic's new smoothees
7) new maternity clothes (as in holeless!)
6) going out of town this weekend with the girls
5) refurbishing the old family heirloom piano so my daughter can take lessons
4) son #2 singing "e-i-e-i-o" to Old MacDonald (he is only 16 months old; yes I am bragging)
3) son #1 telling me "I love the baby in your tummy" (music to my years since he hated the last one)
2) daughter reading/devouring everything in sight
1) promotions, of course :)

Who inspires you?

One of my dearest friends did an amazing thing this past weekend. Actually, it wasn't that amazing for her, because she is capable of anything. But to the rest of us who sit back in awe and watch her - it was amazing. She is a talented musician, artist, writer. She is a kindred spirit and a wise soul. And she is a survivor. I cannot say enough good things about this woman. I will just show you how incredible she is. This past weekend we had our Stake Relief Society Conference and my dear friend was an integral part of it. Our theme was "Born for Glory". Have a look at what she handmade for each and every attendant... this truly is a one of a kind creation.


Not only that, but she wrote this to accompany each plaque:

She is born for Glory,
A daughter of God and
A hard-working woman,
Out of sight she balances faith.
Her worn apron speaks,
On its strings testimonies will hang.
Women walk silently.
Truth keeps her garden,
His whisper speaks,
Honor becoming to the Light.

She hand signed each one as well.

I feel so blessed to know this woman, and not just to know her but to be close to her and to be able to draw strength from her. She is such an inspiration to me. I hope you all are so lucky to know someone like this, or be this to someone else.

slang

There has been a general trend over the past 25 years or so to put positive meanings to seemingly negative words. I am not up on all the lingo, but some examples are: bad, wicked, phat, and whack.

Well, last night at dinner, my daughter came up with her own. We were eating a high class meal, to which she commented "This is nasty yummy!"(much in the same way you would decribe something as "wicked"). Now, unless I misunderstood that toothless grin of hers (or someone has actually told her what is IN Kraft macaroni and chesse) she was complimenting the chef. In slang, of course.

Yes, I make some nasty mac-n-cheese. Totally whack. And I am proud of it. :)

The fountain of youth...

... are we ever NOT looking for it? I can think of maybe two times in my life when I didn't wish I was "younger" (at least, in the physical sense)... that would be when I was a teenager, and when I went to college. As a teenager, like most of my peers, I thought I knew it all; I hated being treated like a child. It would have been dreadful to have to relive a single second of my past life. When I got to college I had my first taste of freedom. In fact, I didn't want to be any age except for the age I was, at that very time. The idea was to live completely in the moment.

My almost 7 year old is in pursuit of this mythological unravelling of time. I didn't really understand it at first; she's the oldest and therefore has "responsiblity", a term that makes her feel very special. In the last couple of years she's proudly stated her age to anyone who would listen - the pizza man, the check out girl, random house visitors - completely proud of her stage in life. She's allowed to make some of her own decisions, like what to wear. She can get her own snacks. She can decorate her own room. She can walk to our neighbor's house by herself. She can write her name. She can read. In fact, there's hardly anything she CAN'T do. Her younger brothers definitely aspire to be like her, to do these things that they begin to fight for at the ripe old age of 2. So, why would she suddenly want to be younger, especially after surviving the birth of not one, but two younger brothers with the greatest of ease, and embracing her development into a perfect young lady? The explanation lies on a burp cloth, my friends. Yes, it is true. See for yourself:

(I bought these, by the way - aren't they adorable?)

When you are a baby, it IS all about you, apparently a feeling we covet again and again throughout our mortal lives. My daughter is feeling replaced by a younger, spoilbound version of herself, and is therefore developping feelings of rivalry. I suppose there was no competition in having little brothers. She still had her own image, which resembled everything opposite of them. Now, that image is going to be shared by a new little center stage piggy. We've been pouring through her old baby clothes, redoing the nursery in colors very similar to those in her own room, discussing names. This world is no longer her own, the world of being the daughter. No wonder she wishes she could turn back time, much like we look back at our younger abled selves and yearn to relive the past.

One can hardly blame her.

Wild Card Wednesday...

So Wednesdays are going to be my off the wall entry day. The topic may be anything about nothing, a poll, unorganized thoughts... whatever comes to my mind! And the more different the entry is from the day before or the day after, the better. :)

So, let's begin, shall we?

Okay, there is one thing in my life that I don't think I could ever live without. The most ingenious creation known to man. Something I would probably have on hand even if I randomly woke up on a deserted island, because I never leave home without them. I bet you think you know what it is my smart, smart friends. But you're probably in for a surprise here, or maybe disappointment, because what I'm referring to is wet wipes, in all their simple glory. Are they the most versatile product ever? I think so! I'm not sure how I ever survived my pre-children life without them. Now, there are probably a thousand uses for wet wipes that I have not yet discovered, after all they are near perfect, but here's a list of what I've tried and tested, with 100% success. Prepare. to be. amazed:

cleaning floorboards
removing almost any stain from clothing
getting tennies white again
cleaning the bed of my flip slops to remove dirty footprints
cleaning smudges off of upholstery
getting stains out of the carpet
cleaning gucky noses
giving quick sponge baths (not me, the baby:))
spot cleaning my kitchen floor

As much as I'd like for everyone to believe that I slave over my tile and wood floors, or that dust never falls on my floorboards, or that I have my children trained to never ever spill, or get boogars, or get food anywhere on their faces, I believe in honesty, and in giving credit where credit is due. So. Share all your easy wet wipe secrets with the blogoshpere. Right here. Right now. Please don't hold back ;).