My sister got on my case yesterday for not keeping my blog updated lately. The problem is that I really don't have anything interesting going on right now. So, the following post is completely random. I'm sure that's what you've come to expect on this blog anyway, so here goes. . .
1. Nothing like some bright Valentine's flowers to cheer you up in the middle of February! Not to mention awesome husbands who bring them home. And chocolate. Don't forget the chocolate.
2. Reed hasn't been quite as busy at work as he usually is, so he's had a little more free time than usual. It's been really nice, because he's been able to help me out more with those Saturday chores that are becoming increasingly difficult for me to do! He's also been taking the boys out to play basketball, which they love. On top of that, he's really been enjoying our new Super Mario Bros. game. A couple of weeks ago he beat the game. . . or so he thought. He got through the final castle only to find out there was more. . . Reed, of course, likes to finish what he starts, and he won't be satisfied until he gathers every coin and conquers the game. He's getting close!
3. Ty had his Valentine's day program at preschool, and Dad actually got to come! I think this might be the only program he's ever been able to go to. Ty thought it was pretty cool!
4. Ty also got to take a fun field trip to the fire station.
5. Last week I decided it was time to potty train Blake. I've been really dreading this. He's totally not ready (read: resistant!), but I wanted to do it now before the baby comes. Newborn + potty training 3-year-old = no thank you. Plus, we're pretty much housebound due to cold weather anyway. Why not? The problem is that Blake had never once gone on the toilet. Ever. Usually when I potty train I give the child cool new underwear and have him throw all of the "baby" diapers in the garbage. No pull ups. We just stick it out, accidents and all, and it gets better after awhile. I figured it probably wouldn't be quite so easy this time, so I decided to try something a friend suggested---park him in front of the TV on a potty chair and give him as many juice boxes as he will take. And then he has no choice but to go in the toilet, right? The day actually started out much better than I anticipated. He was excited about the underwear and the juice boxes, and actually went in the chair! No freaking out! The problem is that I think I might have made him sick with all of the juice boxes! By afternoon he had diarrhea and a complete meltdown. The diaper went back on, and he won't go near the underwear. On the plus side, I have at least been able to get him to go before bed, and first thing in the morning. At first I thought maybe the juice was expired, and that made him sick, but I checked the dates on the ones left in the cabinet, and they are just fine. Can 5 juice boxes give a child diarrhea? I'm feeling a bit guilty, can you tell? I had geared myself up for a hard core week of potty training, and it totally fell apart in one day. Now I don't know if I have it in me to start again. Any brilliant tips I need to know about?
6. Speaking of brilliant tips, can anyone tell me how to avoid this mess every. single. day?
7. I've been nesting in a big way. It's been so nice for things to slow down after Christmas, so I could get my house put back together. My house was a complete disaster after the basement project and the holidays. I have spent a lot of time cleaning out closets and cabinets and trying to check things off that have been on my To Do list forever. It's been great, but I still have a lot of work to do. My friend Linn issued a challenge to throw away (or donate) 3 things every day of January. I'm not sure I quite did this every single day, but I did have several major purge sessions, and it felt great.
8. Speaking of purge sessions, I spent a day at my Mom's house helping her clean out the den. It was a big job. There were some boxes in the bottom of the closet that have probably been there since they moved in 20+ years ago. In one of the boxes we found her wedding album---which I had never seen! We also found my baby book that had a few entries in it. I found out that I used to call my dad "honey" and "Christopher" because that's what Mom called him. Oh the treasures you can find!
9. This is my project for this week: the spice cabinet. This space has been driving me nuts forever. It's so frustrating to cook when you can't find the right ingredients!
Hopefully by next week the space will look something more like this:
Stephmodo (BTW, I love this blog!)
My Grandma has a drawer just like this, and I loved it when we lived there. The problem is that I just don't feel like I've got a drawer available close to my cooking area. So, I'm going to have to make the cabinet space work. Wish me luck!
10. Last night my sister Alison and her husband Zach came over for dinner and games. We played Settlers of Catan. For those of you who have never played, it's pretty much the best game ever made. Seriously. We love to play! When Reed and I were newlyweds we had good friends who introduced us to Settlers (and the world of strategy games), and we'd play for hours on Sunday nights. Since we've had kids, finding the time to play games has been a lot harder, but we still play any chance we get. If you like games and have never played Settlers, you need to! Come on over and we'll teach you. . . and eat a lot of junk food in the process!
7 comments:
We love that game and you have to get the touch and brush that they advertise on tv. It has saved my sanity.
Yeah for an update and yeah for purging houses. I'd better get on my own advice eh?
I potty train by the juice box/tv method as well, so no brilliant ideas for you. Sorry:( I hope it gets better, though!
My spice cabinet is also out of control. Chase keeps trying to get it organized and it's still one of those things that I take apart every time I'm cooking! I need to have a drawer. That would absolutely help. Though...then i'd have to buy all the same kind of spices. I guess it would be worth it, though. Right? Good luck to you on that.
I'm not nesting yet but I've been crazy about home projects. It's like I no that with my fourth any and all "free time" I may have ever had will evaporate. I need to get this stuff done before s/he gets here!
BTW, do you know what you're having yet?
And since you asked, the answer is no. I haven't listened to those radio shows I was going to. I took down the blog almost immediately because my first response was exactly what I was fearing. Essentially it stated that I thought all conservatives were morons like Sean Hannity...which is NOT what I was saying even a little bit. So, for fear of offending complete strangers and all of our new ward members I took it down. It might go back up (albeit, slightly re-worded) some day. We'll see...
That should read, "It's like I KNOW that with my fourth..."
I'll give you five guesses who has been awake since 4:45.
From my own sad experience I know that juice can give a kid diarrhea. I was babysitting a particularly active preschooler. all day and kept plying him with apple juice to keep him calm. By mid-afternoon the diarrhea started and wouldn't stop. He was potty trained but at one point, he couldn't make it to the toilet fast enough and sprayed diarrhea across the floor and up the side of the toilet. Yuck.
So here is my one idea for potty training boys. Put some cheerios in the toilet and let his brothers show him how to shoot the cheerios. Or you can paint a target on the back of the toilet. It sounds to me like he understands the process, he just doesn't feel comfortable with it? So maybe if you make it more fun, he'll stick with it. Good luck!
I started potty training Logan after Christmas, and it was a total pain, but great now that we've stuck with it. I bought a bunch of candy that he loves and gum and did the potty treat game. It worked great for Logan, but probably rotted out his baby teeth so I don't know if it's any better of a method. I also told him that Costco wouldn't sell me diapers anymore because they knew he was a big boy so there was no hope of going back to diapers. Good luck with Blake, and just remember there is nothing worse than 2 year old pooh in a diaper, yuck!:)
I had no idea you guys played settlers,we love that game and sadly own every edition and expansion. We call it "Hatelers" now because of the viscious fights it's caused in Matt's family! So now we only play it with my family! Good luck organizing, I filled an entire trash can last week cleaning 2 hall closets, apparently I'm a hoarder and didn't even know it!
I haven't posted a comment in a while but I am still reading! I am ashamed to say that we let Dallin get to 3 before potty training. I wanted to do it before then but he showed no interest and since Cami was a preemie she had all these monitors and doctors visits so I was not motivated. But, right after he turned 3 we had had enough and guess what, He only took one day to potty train. Pee and poop in one day. It was magical. So.....think about going on his time. Or not. I feel your pain.
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