A resolution revolution....

Every year, I resolve. I resolve to change something, do something better, or just plain be better. Last year, as I lay in bed for most of the majority of my days...I felt my resolutions dissolve into...hallucinations. But this year is different and new and great and I am un-sick! I've been looking for inspiration for my resolution revolution...something different, kind of quirky (it only fits) and fun! Because I would love a little fun! So I've been inspired! I love pitctures, always have, always will. And although I am not a photographer, I have a lousy camera and I think my creative eye for such things is not necessarily on the mark. I am going to take a picture a day of my little life. Because although many parents will be able to look back and think on certain ages and remember a plethura of things to tell there grown children....that is not one of my strengths...my memory has collapsed into an abyss of hopelessness. I can not remember what day, time or taking of things. I am sleep deprived, often food deprived and so to thwart off that lump that gets into my throat when I think of the possibility of not remembering such a wonderful time in my life...with such wonderful people around me. This is what I resolved to do. Starting this fine January 17th 2012 I will take a picture a day. The good the bad, the sweet the unkempt...it all! Wish me luck!

Sleep...lovely Sleep

So really I can't complain in the sleep department. I have an AMAZING husband! While I have been sick, and excessively sick at night, he gets up with every child that seems to bob their little head into our room. And for some that may be never, but as of late it has been every three hours someone has cried, crept into our bed and made nasty moaning death sounds on the stairs. Regardless, my man has been up at no matter the time of night. So I was thinking as I lay there one night, cause of course I'm not really sleeping just laying, how am I going to help this poor man of mine....this is getting ridiculous. As a dad Joel is just one big softy when it comes to cuddling and such, so it really didn't bother him at first...but then the routine kicks in, Dad's don't know the devious kid routines:) Macie is an un-diagnosed insomniac. I'm not joking, she's super creepy at night and talks, and moans and gets out of bed incessantly she never seems to just go to sleep, the deep sleep. Anyways, I am putting this out there for all you mother's that may have a creepy sleeper. I was told, by my mom more than likely that calcium helps in sleeping. It seems to me that the answers for my entire life's woes, according to my mom, have been vitamin C or calcium. So I kind of did a daughter-shrug off (you know what I'm talking about) But....NO REALLY! This stuff works. I have taught her to swallow pills, cause if you know anything about calcium if it is not in it's pill form it is utterly nasty in liquid and or chewable...seriously barf in your mouth. So I have taught her to swallow 4 pills of calcium magnesium a day. Two in the morning and two right before bed. And you know what!!? It's working! So if you have any little bed buddies, give this a try...if they aren't swallowers you can get it in capsule form and pour it into about anything and everything...shakes, oatmeal, whatever your weapon of choice! Good luck! And hopefully GOODNIGHTS!!

Lent?

So Eastern Orthodox folks begin their days of lent tomorrow. Truthfully I do not know much about the nature of a lent, besides the fact that you give up something that truly is not good for you, or is it something you really enjoy to show sacrifice? Correct me if I'm wrong. But it has got me thinking. What would I lent?! Chocolate perhaps, at this point Tums would be a hard lent, maybe even sleeping so much. I have thought that I will lent one personal struggle for myself...I will lent my procastinating habits. I will finish one thing that I promised myself I would finish each day. Regardless of sickness, distractions, and giving myself outs. I will finish the laundry when I say, I will clean the toilets when I assign myself and I will go for a simple walk when I plan too. I think this will help my days not seem as long right now and foster some feelings of successful accomplishment! What would you lent!?

I can wear red lipstick...

It is hard to not find oneself, when oneself is sick, to not be utterly consumed by it. I am finding it difficult to not think about it and carry-on. I find it most difficult because it seems to be the Achilles heal in everything I do. Everything I desire to do, need to do, or find myself pining to do, is directly associated with how sick I am or not! I am an avid reader of Stephanie Nielson's blog the nienie dialogues. Look her up!! She is amazing and her story of struggles and real life pain, are something I find myself able to relate to right now. She survived a small aircraft accident, with 80% of her body badly burned. She is a mother of four, and for the last five months has been my mommy-mentor...minus her vegan eating habits...I'm Albert bred, I love ALBERTA BEEF :)

One post that left me especially touched was her desire to simply be able to wear red lipstick again. I remember reading the things she was going through, the enduring she was picking herself up through each day, and thought to myself "I CAN WEAR RED LIPSTICK" I can do many things, my body although sick and a pain in the neck more often than not, is not burned to the point where my lips are in need of surgery and or any other part of me. I am blessed. My attitude, which while pregnant seems to ebb and flow as much as my mood, really does facilitate what I can do, where I will go and who's life I will serve. And as you will see indefinitely I have at least 3 and easily 4 reasons to spout out sunshine through my discomfort! My challenge for myself this week, try a little harder to smile a little more, especially when it hurts! And wear some fiesty red lipstick while doing it!!

A mommy read that can't be beat!!

For any of you mommy's out there that just some times think to yourselves, among other things, "I have no clue how to help this kid to listen?" I have a book for you! It's an oldie but a goodie...It is entitled "Love and Logic Magic for Early Childhood" This book is specific for children from birth to six years but the author Jim Fay and Charles Fay have a plethora of different books. They vary from how to teach your children about money to how to help your teenager. Regardless, good read, worth your time and the rewards are wonderful!!

I feel a little sock monkey action comin on....

Who doesn't love the classic cuddle of a sock monkey! And not only are they inherently cute, they are very attainable and affordable. Little did I know when scrambling for a way to incorporate a girl and boy decor in the same room that a certain sock monkey theme would lead me to pages upon pages of the adorable renditions. I am hooked!! Now if only I had all the money to do all the creatively wonderful ideas I have!

As soon as the mailman sends the much desired bolts to our much desired and missed crib, Tyce's room, formerly the master closet and his new found room (formerly Sawyer's room) will become new found friends! And in parent land, the luxury of brushing teeth, dressing appropriately and incorporating new items into our weekly ensembles will happen more regular. (However, do not be alarmed if I still am caught in lulu's and a hoodie at 4pm! Some habits die hard! The uniform prevails, whether closet availabile or not!)

So here are some of my ideas...send me your ideas too!

-Polka dots-bordering pillows and as an accent- in both brown and red (brown for Sawyer and Red for Moo)
-Sock monkey fabric-see Moda Funky Monkey's and or just look up sock monkey fabric! So cute!! This for either curtains or duvet covers.
-I am thinking of making a solid quilt with a caricature of a monkey that "resembles" Sawyer and Macie, one on a solid brown background for Sawyer and the other on Red...
-If not the previous idea I will make canvas fabric art of sock monkey look-alike heads to hang above their beds!

I am thinking about painting the room a pale tealy bluey color...super hard to describe...but I want a little more umph than a chocolate brown (which is also heavy for a girly room too) and or a bland pale tan. Thoughts...

I have more obscure ideas filtering through this brain of mine, but I will leave it at that for tonight. So excited, now just hoping I can separate the newly purchased bunkbeds (off craigslist of course!) for the time that Tyce is not joining them in the big kid room!

4 kids and 2 bedrooms. Not my favorite, but I am going to make it work and make it dang cute!!

Stay tuned in for updates...this one may take awhile!

Redundant

Some things in life are simply repetitive...ie every day I wake up and my hair looks like it's been through a massive wind tunnel, every morning I either tame the mane or endure looking like a victim of some terrible tornado....every morning I think, this is sooo redundant! At least give me some variety, one day the bangs could be haywire the next a few "crowning" moments, maybe a days grace in between would be smashing...but alas every day the same amt of chaos surrounds my head!
I feel that reflects some of the trials in my life...redundant. Although I don't always see the prior actions that facilitate the ending mess. Unlike knowing every night once I sleep and do the ritual turning I will have a hair "don't" in the morning. I don't always know what choices have led me to the exact same trial...or maybe if I thought about it more I do. Regardless, I have decided when a trial cycles, when it's beginning, middle and end tug at some faint memory in my dysmal memory bank (this too could be the problem ). I will pay attention. For instance right now...yet again I find myself "deathly pregnant", by that I mean, all life stops and I am quarantined to my bed/couch. And even though my life stops, I annoyingly have to watch the other people affiliated with my life going on without me...or inspite of me. Frustrating! Why do some bodies get so feeble and others do not. I have often felt angry, deflated and ANNOYED, at the fact that my stamina is not that of others! But the Lord has repeatedly given me scenarios where I have had to be okay with being the weak link in the chain, where I've had to, heaven forbid, let people help me. And let me tell you...now that I have had this redundant trial over a handful of times , that I THINK I GET IT. It has to do with the atonement. It has to do with relying on the Savior for EVERYTHING. Not just to find the keys, or to feel good before going to sleep. But for the gut-wrenching, heart-throbbing, tear-jerking moments in life where you literally want to wave the white flag and collapse. Those ones...those moments, where you want to hide from plain view and no one to pay too much attention to you. HE is asking you to let him pay attention to you and you to do the same! Hallelujah I get it...at least for today!

SOME THINGS ARE CLEARLY WORTH BEING REDUNDANT FOR...INVALUABLE LESSONS, INVALUABLE GIFTS...