Roy, Sheena, D, K, A, C and L

Roy, Sheena, D, K, A, C and L

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Sunday, January 29, 2012

This Week...


  • I took A to the doctor.  Turns out she has an ear infection and throat infection that is probably not strep but is actually viral.  She's on antibiotics for her ear and nothing for her throat.  Tylenol and IBU I guess.  Also, the doc did her 2 year well-check.  A is a big girl.  She's in or near the 90th percentile for head, height and weight.  The doc isn't worried though because she is proportioned well.  Poor K doesn't have any clothes to herself anymore because A wears them all too.
  • I only went to the gym once (see sick child above).  Now I remember part of why I have a hard time going.  It seems like every time I get serious about working out someone gets sick.  I'm not giving up though.  I'm back at it again this week!
  • K and A are usually good friends.  They've started sharing the top bunk.  They talk and giggle and read stories in the top bunk after we put them to bed.  I know I should put a stop to this late night (8:30) behavior but I am so happy for them to get along that I just can't bring myself to be too harsh about it!  This is what Roy and I found Saturday night when we checked on the girls:

  • I am stressed about D's research project.  ELECTRICITY?!  Why oh WHY?!  We picked out some books from the library.  I've also been thinking about taking him to one of the dams on the river to see how hydropower is generated.  I think we may be building an atom in the next few weeks.
  • Saturday D had a birthday party at PSU.  We braved the wilds of Portland to bowl with friends.  It was fun.  We went last year too and it is always a good time.  I really like his friend and the family.  They are good friends and neighbors.
  • I hosted book club at my house Tuesday night.  We discussed Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Anna Chua.  I never would have read it on my own but it was good to read and discuss.  I am glad for the opportunity to expand my horizons.  I also need to be more like a tiger mother but not to the crazy side like Ms. Chua. 
  • Roy and I went out TWO NIGHTS IN A ROW!  Did you hear that?  TWO!  We went to ward temple night on Friday night.  We hadn't even thought about it until one of the young women I work with on Wednesdays asked if she could babysit for free while we went.  Um, yes.  So we did.  Then, Saturday morning at 6:45 AM I got 3 texts from the bishop.  (Who does that?  A busy man in Florida  does that.)  He was supposed to attend a Yule Ball being put on by the stake for 16-18 year-olds.  Since he was in Florida he wouldn't be able to attend and neither one of his counselors could make it either.  The youth love us could we go?  Sure.  So we did.  It was so much fun!  We had a nice dinner, chatted with the youth, listened to a great talk about dating (DO IT!) and danced our little hearts out.  I gave Roy a hard time because he couldn't dance but the clincher came when he was supposed to lead the youth from our ward in the YMCA.  He doesn't know the YMCA.  That's right.  HE DOES NOT KNOW THE YMCA.  I did not know it was possible that there was a single person in the US at least who doesn't know the YMCA but apparently there is one and I married him.  The youth got a great kick out of it though.  Good times.  I love going out with that man.  It is always a good time.  

Monday, January 23, 2012

Seeking Input

I love this wall hanging from I Am Momma, Hear Me Roar.  I have been wanting to do it for some time but I don't want the quote she used.  It is a good quote and if I didn't have a different favorite I would totally use it.  However, I love the following quote from Marianne Williamson.  So I spent some time and made my own file to print.  I'm looking for input from you to tell me what I should change or leave the same.  I've been looking at it for so long I think I've become desensitized to it.  Also, I'm not very good at imagining what it will look like on a 2x3 foot print.
So there you have it.  What should I do?

Saturday, January 21, 2012

The circus came to our house!

K the Strongman with D the Ringmaster

The lion tamer and disobedient lion:

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Snow Day

Here in the land of zero snowplows when it snows enough to stick to the road, school shuts down.  Wednesday was just such a day.  I got the flashalert text at 4 am letting me know there would be no school.  K has been asking for snow for months.  She heard it was winter and has a firm belief that winter = snow.  Her first words when she got out of bed were, "Daddy!  I'm ready to go play in the snow!"  These were all taken before breakfast!

It was actually raining a bit while they were playing in the snow.  Honestly, how many places can you play in the snow and rain at the same time?  Luckily it wasn't a freezing rain.  Been there, done that and it is a mess.  The snow was pretty much gone by nightfall and school was back on today.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Another letter update


I know I haven't been the best about writing right now.  I guess I should have made a resolution to blog more regularly.  Somehow I think I would have broken that one!
I wrote a letter to my brother tonight and realized that much of what I told him is what I wanted blog about.  I know it is not the usual HILARIOUS writing you are accustomed to getting here.  I do have some projects I've been wanting to show off so I'll try to get right on that....
He's the one on the right.
Dear Elder Rick,
Things are going well here.  The kids are all healthy.  A has taken to calling herself “Mokey the Bear” after Smokey the Bear.  Grandpa Pyatt taught the kids a little song about Smokey the Bear while he was here over Thanksgiving.  While mom and dad were here after Christmas, A was singing, “Mokey the Bear! Mokey the Bear! Mokey the Bear!”  Since then, she has taken to calling herself Mokey.  It is hilarious and sweet.  She has also really started singing.  A few of her favorite songs are “Church (I Belong to the Church of Jesus Christ), Sunbeam and LaLa (Elmo’s World song)”.  I’ve thought about you as a little boy lately too because A has recently discovered Barney.  She loves Barney!  I remember Barney came out when you were little like her and you used to love Barney too.  There’s a lot of music in it and I think that’s part of what attracts A.
K is doing well.  She is still loving preschool.  She is actually learning quite a bit too!  We got a Wii for Christmas and she has taken to it quite well.  Her favorite games are boxing and dancing.  She’s not too shabby at boxing.  It is something to watch her punching a guy out on the TV.  She’s brave too.  I took her in for a doctor’s appointment right before Christmas.  She needed 4 shots but didn’t necessarily have to have them that day.  It would be convenient because we were there but she just had to have them before she starts Kindergarten.  I talked things over with her and gave her the choice.  She decided to just do it.  So I held her on my lap and she bravely took her 4 shots with nothing more than a whimper until the last one.  It was MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) and that one is a sore one.  Even then she only cried a bit.  I was so proud of her!  She was scared and didn’t really want to do it but did because it had to be done.  That’s very grown up of her.
D is also doing well.  He has a project coming up in school called ‘Be an Expert’ where he picks a topic to be an expert about.  He has narrowed it down to three topics: “How to make a thermometer”, “how to drive a train”, and “Electrical Circuits”.  Tomorrow we will do some preliminary research on each of those topics to determine which one has enough information and interests him the most to do a report and 5 minute presentation.  I love that he is doing this in first grade but also kind of hate writing reports.  This is worse though because I am not writing the report.  I am trying to let him write the report without putting too much of myself in it!  We went to a “Great to be 8” fireside for him this year.  It is a bit difficult to believe that he will be 8 this year.  I kind of cringe inwardly at the thought of Cub Scouts but I smile outwardly because it is a good program. : )
Roy just got a new calling.  He is the new Elder’s Quorum president now.  It is a big job that will require a lot of time and effort but I know he is up to the challenge.  I’m grateful the Lord trusts both of us with this responsibility.
You asked about goals in one of your last emails.  I didn’t forget because I wanted to tell you about my goals.  I don’t know if you are familiar with Emily Freeman.  She is an LDS author that I have heard speak a couple of times at Time Out for Women with mom.  She has a website and challenge/journey to read the entire standard works in a year.  I decided to take the journey so I’ve been reading 7 pages a day.  So far I’ve read Moses, Abraham and part of Genesis.  It is good for me to have a goal to read for.   I like to read my scriptures but doing it consistently has always been a struggle for me.  I’m an on again/off again reader.  When I have a set goal of what I want to read I do better.  Plus, it will be easier to get through some of the more difficult parts of the Old Testament by committing to read 7 pages a day.  At least that’s what I’m hoping for. 
My other resolution is to go to bed at 10:30 regularly.  I am a night person.  I’d rather stay up late to do something rather than get up early.  This was okay in college but now I’m almost 30 and have kids.  It is harder to get up and work and be the kind of mother I want to be.  So I’m imposing a bedtime on myself.  I’ve already broken it several times.  However, just like other parts of life, I am not letting my follies bring me down.  I’m just recommitting myself to do better.
 I should have a bunch of more goals but I figure if I set too many resolutions then I’m just setting myself up to fail at them all.  It is better to work on a few at a time.  Roy and I did have a chat this weekend and rededicated ourselves to working out and being healthier.  I’ve set a pretty rigorous exercise schedule for myself.  We’ll see how it goes this week.  I’m trying to change my mindset from “I’m going to lose X pounds” to “I’m going do this for a week.  Then I’ll do it next week.  I can do it for a month.”  Yeah know, just taking things a week at a time.
Well, that pretty much brings you up to speed on things here.  We love you.  The kids love you and are so proud of you.  K was looking at “pictures of Chile” on the mission blog tonight.  They all like to talk about you and your mission.  Keep working hard and praying harder.
Love,
Sheena

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Resolutions, goals, whatever

It is the beginning of the new year and I do like to set goals/make resolutions at the beginning of the year.  I like to start fresh.  And even if I don't make it I get closer than if I never started.  This year I picked 2 things that I know I need to work on.  Yes, only 2 because I'm hoping that these 2 things will make it easier to change/control other aspects of myself.
#1.  I love the night.  I love the darkness, the quiet, the kids sleeping, being alone, vegging, blogging, surfing etc.  This would be fine if I didn't have a family and need to be chipper in the morning.  (Which, let's face it, I'm not and may never be.)  However, I need a bedtime.  So this year, I am giving myself a bedtime of 10:30 p.m. (it's coming up fast right now....)  I resolve to go to bed at 10:30 p.m.  That being said, I will make allowances for special occasions, ie date nights and GNO (because what self respecting GNO ends before midnight?).  Other than those, 10:30 and I'm in bed.  So far, so good.
#2.  I happened to see this FB post from Hilary Weeks on January 1 and I'm doing it.  I'm taking the challenge to read the entire Standard Works (Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon*, Doctrine and Covenants* and Pearl of Great Price*) in 2012.  That's only 7 pages of scripture a day!  Now I figure if I average that then on days when I have more time or ability, I can read more than 7 so that on those days I can't quite make 7 I'll be okay.  So far, I'm almost through the first book in the P of GP.  I forgot how much I enjoy it!  This is good for me.  I do better reading the scriptures when I have a goal I'm trying to reach.  Otherwise I lose track of reading and let it lapse.
There you have it.  My 2 goals for 2012.  By working on these 2 things I'm hoping to be more energetic and happy in other aspects of my life.  Feel free to join me in either or both of these challenges if you want...

*LDS specific scriptures