Excuses, Excuses

I know it has been a while since I have posted anything, but I really have been a little pre-occupied lately. Here are my excuses....

Excuse #1

I have been spending most of my days in the bathroom. Yes, sitting on the floor “watching”, but mostly waiting for Avery to use the big girl potty. We have put the potty training thing on the back burner for a long while now because we were moving, then Finley was born, then we started remodeling, and the list goes on. But, we could not put it off any longer. We are going with Paul’s family to Disney World and then on a 3 night Disney Cruise in April and in order for Avery to go in the pool or into the Kids Club on the boat, she has to be completely potty trained. Telling her this was just the motivation she needed (along with pink M&Ms, heart stamps on a chart, and many trips to the dollar store for a “new toy”). We read lots of books, colored, and we also made up this little song (to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star) to help pass the time. (I catch her singing it around the house now... it is quite catchy, if I do say so myself!).

Tinkle, tinkle big girl Avery
No more diapers, only panties
So we can go on a really big boat,
and you can get a pink M&M.
Tinkle, tinkle big girl Avery
No more diapers, only panties!

I was initially frustrated by the whole process… if I had to clean up one more “accident” I thought I would scream. I called or talked to many of my mom friends during the process and they all reassured me that what we were going through was completely normal and to just stick it out. We did! It finally “clicked” (as everyone said it would) and now she is doing great! Avery has now gone about 2 weeks now without any accidents. I know it is really her accomplishment, but I feel, in some small way, it is my accomplishment too! The only down side is that we are now all battling severe dry skin from all the hand washing! Small price to pay! One child is officially out of diapers! Yahoo!

Excuse #2

Just as the potty training thing got a little easier, everyone in our house came down with this terrible cold. Finley has been hit the hardest, poor thing! The girls look so pathetic, but still so cute. Avery feels so icky that she doesn't even have the energy to attack her sister as they sat watching CARS together. Thank heavens for small favors! That was the only moment that Finley would let me put her down in the past few days.

Excuse #3

Just as I was going to sit down a the computer for a blogging session, I realized that since we moved the computer to its new home, I still had not found the USB cord for my camera. I proceeded to look for that darn thing for days, with no luck. I finally had an epiphany this morning (which is why I am able to actually post this)... our new printer has a card reader built in to it, so I just popped my SD card in and voila...pictures! HOORAY!

Excuse #4

Drum roll please….

The kitchen is FINALLY done! Ok, it has been functional for a few weeks now, complete with running water and appliances, but we just got the cabinet hardware installed earlier this week. That was just the finishing touch I was waiting for to reveal the final result. Check out the BEFORE pictures HERE and HERE. It has come a long way!

To celebrate, I made my first (in a few months) truly home cooked meal last night. I made Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Pasta. This is one of my very favorite fall/winter meals. Sooooo yummy and it is much healthier than it tastes! It is most worthy of sharing. Get the recipe HERE. It is worth every bit of effort (which cutting and cubing the butternut squash IS quite a chore, but Trader Joes and Costco do carry pre-cubed butternut squash). Try it.... you will not be disappointed!

Excuse # 5

Now that the house is pretty much done (on the inside at least... the outside is a whole different story), I have been busy unpacking and organizing and cleaning... just the way you do when you move into a new place. That is what we are doing now... FINALLY moving in! But, it takes time... especially with two little distractions running around, getting into everything! I am usually having to SAVE Finley from Avery, as you can clearly see!

I am all out of excuses for now, but there is ALWAYS something, so keep checking back!

President Gordon B. Hinckley

Gordon B. Hinckley

06/23/1910 - 01/27/2008

Gordon B. Hinckley, prophet and president of the LDS church, passed away this past Sunday evening at the age of 97. I joined the church in 1997, just shortly after he began serving as president of the church. I have loved watching him, learning from him, and enjoying his sweet spirit as well as his keen sense of humor. He is an amazing man and I have been so uplifted to listen and take heed of his counsel over the past 10 years. I will miss him. But, I am so happy for him at the same time. He finally gets to rest! He is now with his sweetheart who left this earth life almost 4 years ago….he often spoke of how much he missed her. What a sweet reunion that must have been.

• HERE is a great compilation of quotes and teachings by President Hinckley that I found to be very uplifting (as posted by my friend Kelly McCaleb). I especially love the quote from Sister Hinckley at the end!

• Here is a tribute to President Hinckley by Glenn Beck that I found touching.
  
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• Following is a photo essay of the Hinckley's that I was sent in my email several months ago that shows President Hinckley's sweet spirit and a touch of his humor.
  

We Thank Thee O God For A Prophet

Photos and captions are by Scot Facer Proctor.

President Hinckley always uses his cane, just not much for walking. Accra, Ghana.

See what I mean. He was told to carry a cane and that's what he does - he carries it.Elder Russell M. Nelson is at far right. Accra, Ghana.

Not all of us have such a fancy pointing stick as President Hinckley. Kirtland Temple.

We marveled at the contrast of Joseph Smith's visit to the White House to meet with President Van Buren and President Hinckley's visit to the White House to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor given a United States citizen.The White House, Washington, D.C.

President Hinckley said that "Sister Hinckley would have loved this event."The White House, Washington, D.C.

You just can't help breaking into a smile when you are around Gordon B. Hinckley. Kirtland Temple.

President Hinckley is patient with all the photographers who are constantly taking his picture. He did say to us one time, in a quiet tone, that "if all the cameras in the world were thrown into the ocean, there would be a great flood." Kirtland Temple.

Who can resist President Gordon B. Hinckley's warmth? Kirtland Temple.

President and Sister Hinckley were just the trademark of happiness in Ghana. No one could keep their eyes off of them. Their warmth was infectious. Their kind waves of the hand always made everyone feel loved. Accra, Ghana.

These two are love birds, no less. Kirtland, Ohio.

I'll never forget when President Hinckley invited his precious wife to the stand in Moscow and introduced her to the 2,000 present as his "Babushka.''It brought the house down - they loved it. Moscow, Russia.

When we first published it, one woman wrote to us and said,"If people don't believe Mormons are Christians, just have them look at this picture of Sister Marjorie Hinckley." I so agree. Nauvoo, Illinois.

How blessed we are to live during the administration and ministry of President Gordon B. Hinckley. Nauvoo, Illinois.

HELLO 2008!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! A WARM WELCOME TO 2008!

SIDE NOTE: I brought the glasses and "crown" home as souvenirs from the new year's eve youth dance last night (I am SO not used to staying up that late anymore). Avery was in heaven today showing off her new accessories!

Magic Words

Tonight Avery was all ready for bed, but was trying to bide her time playing with toys in the living room. Paul was not in any hurry to put her down because he was engrossed in the basketball game on TV. At a break, Paul said “Ok Avery, it is time for bed!” Her response…. “No, Daddy…I want to watch the Lakers.” Those were magic words for a Laker fan daddy to hear coming out of his little daughter’s mouth… so, she got to stay up and “watch the game” and cuddle with Daddy. I think she already knows how to work him… at the tender age of two! She has daddy wrapped around her finger!


I just want to know one thing... what is up with those short shorts they were wearing last night?!

Back in the Saddle

Well, it has been 2 months since my last post! Time flies when you are having fun (or when you just have WAY too much going on!). We are all alive and I am still sane (amazingly enough). I think I am ready to return to the blogging world and get "back in the saddle" so to speak. So, for a quick update:


We were displaced for the entire month of November while the kitchen was torn out here at the house. The girls and I went to my mom's house to help her recover from a back injury and escape from construction chaos. Paul came up for the Veteran's Day Weekend and we went to Tahoe for a long weekend.... burrrrrrr!!! It was a little chilly, but we had a fun time! We saw Paul again when he came up for Thanksgiving. It was nice to have some time away from the construction, but it was hard to have our little family separated for such a long stretch of time. Avery really missed her daddy. Paul was a little bummed that he wasn't there to see Finley start crawling, but he gets to see enough of her crawling now that we are home because she goes EVERYWHERE and she is into EVERYTHING! How do you really baby proof a home in the middle of a remodel?! It is my newest challenge!

We returned the first weekend of December because we had doctor visits, dentist appointments, Christmas parties to attend, shopping to do, and more construction to endure. But, while we were gone (and since we have gotten home) progress has been made! Our new front door is in, the kitchen cabinets are in and painted, the floors are in, the baseboards are up, furniture is placed in functional locations- the house is ALMOST liveable again! It is really starting to take shape and I absolutely LOVE it! Now all that is left to do is to get the kitchen appliances in, which should happen some time next week- I am soooooooooooooooooo ready to cook and eat real food that doesn't come with fries and soda, or a plastic toy. I am also ready to just BE at home. So, when this is all done I think I am going to go into hermit mode for awhile. If you want to see us- you know where we will be!

We were able to stay here for Christmas- we were even able to get a real live tree on Christmas Eve! A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE! All in all, we had a wonderful Christmas in spite of the fact that we still don't have a functioning kitchen and things are still disordered and chaotic at the house. The fact that we were all together and the joy on Avery's face Christmas morning made it well worth the stress!








Now, we look forward to 2008 with hope of order and routine as well as some fun... playdates with new friends and neighbors, birthday parties, making dinner for friends, hosting out of town guests- all the things that we have missed out on this past year!

Halloween Festivities!

A quick trip to the barn for pictures
(surprise, surprise) ....

Trunk or Treat on Tuesday at church- Avery finally warmed up to the whole Halloween idea; although, she reminded us that she REALLY doesn't like scary costumes (she has always had issues with characters at Disneyland, mascots, Chuck E. Cheese, and the like)... she thinks everyone should be fairies and princesses of one variety or another! It was a good practice run!

The real deal Halloween night at the Rober's house. Avery had a lot of fun trick or treating- she tried so hard to keep up with the bigger kids. She really got into it and did great!

Finley was just content to look cute and be carried around, holding onto her wand wherever she went!! It was a fun night/week!