Today while Azure was getting dressed she shut the door to her room which is unusual. Vince began knocking/pushing on it to be let in.
Azure said, "Vince I'm getting dressed. I don't even have a shirt on. You can't come in. You can't be my husband, you're my brother!"
She is so funny! Apparently she was listening very carefully when I told her that the only boy that can see her naked body when she gets older is her husband.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Monday, February 6, 2012
Christmas Eve & Christmas Day
*and I'm just now getting around to posting about Christmas*
I have to say that this past Christmas was one of my favorites so far.
Christmas Eve we made some goodies for our neighbors: caramel stuffed apple cider cookies and brownies.
We did a photo shoot at Bonaventure Cemetery. Kinda morbid to do family pics at a cemetery, right? But, it's such a picturesque place. I will post some later.
We had a low-key Christmas Eve dinner consisting of potato latkes with applesauce. I am not one to stress out making extravagant meals 2 days in a row.
After dinner we headed out to look at Christmas lights around town. (The houses that went all out.)
By the time we got home it was past Azure and Vince's bedtime and they were tired. The "fun" traditions I had planned- act out Luke 2, read A Night Without Darkness, sing Toyland had to get scratched. So, we sang Silent Night (I think) and briefly acted out Luke 2 while Daddy read. All in Christmas jammies, of course. I love Christmas jammies!
After we put the kids to bed I read Nephi's scriptural account and decided to change our tradition of acting out Luke 2. As great as that chapter is- this is much more pivotal and moving to me! Christ speaks to Nephi the night before He is born, as a man and then is born as a baby the next day. It's amazing to me that not only those in Jerusalem saw the star, but those in the Americas too who were waiting patiently for it and who were about to lose their lives because of their beliefs. So miraculous! So timely. I love the Book of Mormon!
I woke up before anyone else Christmas morning to put the finishing touches on breakfast- oatmeal pancakes with apple butter, leftover latkes, sausage and egg casserole, and strawberries.
Then we found out our exciting news that we were so giddy about! That was one of the reasons it was such a memorable Christmas. As an update on the miscarriage- I am still feeling good and peaceful. Thank you so much for your kind comments friends!
I think the main reason Christmas was so memorable was because it was on a Sunday this year. I wasn't sure if I'd like it, but I LOVED it. It made Christmas much more meaningful to me.
I loved that we only had Sacrament meeting and could come home and spend the rest of the day as a family. I honestly wouldn't mind if we only had Sacrament meeting every Fast Sunday :)
I got to sing "O, Come, O, Come, Emmanuel" in a quartet. And then I led the Primary children singing, "Picture a Christmas" and "The Shepherd's Carol". Charles was one of the narrators. The whole program was so beautiful!
Azure was happy to receive a photo book from Aunt Tally and Uncle Angel.
The sweetest gift I received was a little notebook from Charlie filled with 48 reasons why he loves me, complete with illustrations, entitled: "A Pocket Guide to Deanna Marie Lamadrid-Jensen Lovability Quotients." I cried and laughed. It's good to read when I start to get upset with him ;)
I loved Charlie's reaction to this gift I put in his stocking:
He's still waiting for a chance to use it. Maybe Halloween?
We continued with our tradition of caroling at Hospice on Christmas Day. This was the icing on the cake of a meaningful and memorable Christmas. We sang to a woman who was very hard of hearing. At first she didn't even look at us and continued watching TV. Then as we began to sing she turned towards us and a huge grin spread across her face. Charles was holding Vince and she kept looking at him and smiling. Charles and I could barely sing because we were so choked up with the spirit. We will most definitely keep this tradition.
Afterwards we headed over to the Coopers for Christmas dinner. Among other things, I made a chocolate peppermint trifle that was really tasty thanks to Emily's peppermint bark. However, I sliced my finger pretty badly while chopping up candy canes with the new knife Charlie bought me for Christmas.
I can't wait until the next time Christmas falls on a Sunday!
I have to say that this past Christmas was one of my favorites so far.
Christmas Eve we made some goodies for our neighbors: caramel stuffed apple cider cookies and brownies.
We did a photo shoot at Bonaventure Cemetery. Kinda morbid to do family pics at a cemetery, right? But, it's such a picturesque place. I will post some later.
We had a low-key Christmas Eve dinner consisting of potato latkes with applesauce. I am not one to stress out making extravagant meals 2 days in a row.
After dinner we headed out to look at Christmas lights around town. (The houses that went all out.)
By the time we got home it was past Azure and Vince's bedtime and they were tired. The "fun" traditions I had planned- act out Luke 2, read A Night Without Darkness, sing Toyland had to get scratched. So, we sang Silent Night (I think) and briefly acted out Luke 2 while Daddy read. All in Christmas jammies, of course. I love Christmas jammies!
After we put the kids to bed I read Nephi's scriptural account and decided to change our tradition of acting out Luke 2. As great as that chapter is- this is much more pivotal and moving to me! Christ speaks to Nephi the night before He is born, as a man and then is born as a baby the next day. It's amazing to me that not only those in Jerusalem saw the star, but those in the Americas too who were waiting patiently for it and who were about to lose their lives because of their beliefs. So miraculous! So timely. I love the Book of Mormon!
I woke up before anyone else Christmas morning to put the finishing touches on breakfast- oatmeal pancakes with apple butter, leftover latkes, sausage and egg casserole, and strawberries.
Then we found out our exciting news that we were so giddy about! That was one of the reasons it was such a memorable Christmas. As an update on the miscarriage- I am still feeling good and peaceful. Thank you so much for your kind comments friends!
I think the main reason Christmas was so memorable was because it was on a Sunday this year. I wasn't sure if I'd like it, but I LOVED it. It made Christmas much more meaningful to me.
I loved that we only had Sacrament meeting and could come home and spend the rest of the day as a family. I honestly wouldn't mind if we only had Sacrament meeting every Fast Sunday :)
I got to sing "O, Come, O, Come, Emmanuel" in a quartet. And then I led the Primary children singing, "Picture a Christmas" and "The Shepherd's Carol". Charles was one of the narrators. The whole program was so beautiful!
Azure was happy to receive a photo book from Aunt Tally and Uncle Angel.
The sweetest gift I received was a little notebook from Charlie filled with 48 reasons why he loves me, complete with illustrations, entitled: "A Pocket Guide to Deanna Marie Lamadrid-Jensen Lovability Quotients." I cried and laughed. It's good to read when I start to get upset with him ;)
 |
| How awesome is this?! |
He's still waiting for a chance to use it. Maybe Halloween?
We continued with our tradition of caroling at Hospice on Christmas Day. This was the icing on the cake of a meaningful and memorable Christmas. We sang to a woman who was very hard of hearing. At first she didn't even look at us and continued watching TV. Then as we began to sing she turned towards us and a huge grin spread across her face. Charles was holding Vince and she kept looking at him and smiling. Charles and I could barely sing because we were so choked up with the spirit. We will most definitely keep this tradition.
Afterwards we headed over to the Coopers for Christmas dinner. Among other things, I made a chocolate peppermint trifle that was really tasty thanks to Emily's peppermint bark. However, I sliced my finger pretty badly while chopping up candy canes with the new knife Charlie bought me for Christmas.
I can't wait until the next time Christmas falls on a Sunday!
Friday, January 20, 2012
Trust and timing
The next post up is Christmas Eve & Christmas Day. However, there is a story that needs to be told before I post it.
It is an extremely personal story. I feel I need to share it. I hope it will help comfort someone in the future. Indeed, I have been comforted because of posts such as these recently. I understand that everyone's situation is different and in no way do I feel that the answers I've received from the Lord are universal.
When Azure was about 3 months old I stayed up late one night while she and Charles were asleep and started writing a document called "Conception Plan". You may find that comical as I do now. But, of course I didn't then. I am a planner. I pulled up the calendar and mapped out when to conceive our next 3 unborn children.
I wrote: "Baby #2 Conceive in May 2009, born Feb. 2010"
When this plan turned out to be a very real reality I gave thanks for our great fertility. Of course, I know that plans don't always work out, but I feel part of "if ye are prepared ye shall not fear" includes making a plan.
Truth be told- as the conception date was approaching for baby #3 I wasn’t feeling ready. I didn’t thrill at the thought of moving with a newborn or moving 9 months pregnant trying to find an OB in a city I wasn’t familiar with to support a VBAC. Vince was so whiny and clingy. He screamed every time I left the room. I couldn’t even go to the bathroom most days without a screaming protest. (He still does that by the way, just not as often.) Having another baby was the not at the top of my list.
We went to the temple seeking confirmation. Both times the feeling was undeniable. Yes, we were to have another baby regardless.
Then other responsibilities got added to our plate. I started to doubt again. How would we be able to handle all these things while I'm throwing up and laying in bed for 3 months straight?! Slowly the Lord replaced all these doubts with faith and filled our hearts with love. Our circumstances didn't change, but we changed. We became giddy at the thought of having another baby.
To make a long story short(er) my conception plan failed the 3rd time around. The month came and went with a negative pregnancy test. Every month that followed loomed an unknown. I tracked my ovulation each month and made plans. Every month the plan changed. Surely the Lord was teaching me to (once again!) trust in His timing.
I felt kind of like Abraham. The Lord knew all along that he would be willing to sacrifice Issac. Abraham, however did not know. The test of faith was for me, not the Lord. I felt I could see the reasons why it wasn’t happening and I accepted them.
I also continually asked myself, "Why do we even want more children when the 2 we have drive us completely crazy?!" But, yet I knew it was right for us. Isn't that a strange phenomenon?!
It’s still hard for me to give up my sense of control. I didn’t want our remaining children to be more than 2 yrs apart in school. I don’t really know why but, I didn’t. I also have always despised the idea of having a baby during the holidays.
On Dec. 22 (the anniversary of our engagement) Azure and I were snuggling on the couch together after watching Home Alone (our advent activity for the day). I was about to accompany her upstairs to her bed when she got a huge grin on her face. At first I had no idea why she was smiling, but then all the sudden I knew why. It's one of those moments where time seems to stop and you know you need to relish it because it's a sacred moment.
"What?" I asked, smiling and feeling pretty confident of what she would answer.
"I think I just felt [the name of our next girl] in your tummy."
It was very tender. I felt it a gift that the Lord revealed to both of us, at the exact same time, that I was pregnant before it was confirmed. I love sharing moments like that with her. She is very close to the spirit and a very sensitive, observant child. Quick to observe.
I wanted to wait until Christmas morning to take the test. "Wouldn't that be such a fun Christmas surprise?!" I hesitated a little because I didn't want to be depressed if it were negative yet again, but I felt that if it was, I would be able to handle it.
Sure enough Azure was right! I wrapped the pregnancy test up as a present for Charlie. We had decided to only open stockings before church and presents afterwards so when I handed it to him, he declined saying that he'd wait till we got home. I was feeling too anxious to wait any longer, I had already known for about 2 hours and I was dying! I insisted.
I loved watching his face as he realized what it was. His genuine infectious smile spread across his face. A chuckle. And that gleam in his eyes.
On the morning of Dec. 26 I was determined as a bee to get our freezer packed full of meals before the first wave of nausea and vomiting hit. I slaved away in the kitchen for a total of about 24 hours during the following weeks. It felt good to be so productive. I had so much to show for my work.
But, then the wave never came. And my protruding stomach stopped protruding. "Something must be wrong," I thought. But, almost 2 weeks went by without any spotting. "Maybe I'm just not going to be sick this time."
I tried to stop worrying about not being sick and enjoy not being sick. And then last Saturday night, Jan. 14, I started spotting. It's hard to describe all the feelings I felt. So many things.
I got down on my knees and cried my heart out to my Heavenly Father. I could hear Azure and Vince laughing downstairs as they played with Charlie getting ready to watch Stuart Little. I gave thanks for the two healthy, happy children I did have and prayed that if it could be His will that the baby would be okay.
Charles gave me a blessing after we put the kids to bed. I don't remember all that he said but, I do remember feeling that I had a choice in how I was going to accept this. He said I had already laid the foundation. I remember feeling grief at these words because to me it meant the baby was, in fact gone.
I went to bed feeling terrified. A couple of friends of mine had had painful contractions with their miscarriages. My mind flashed back to the night before Azure was born- a lonely, painful night. And the night my labor started with Vince- again lonely and painful (though bearable- i hate back labor). I didn't want to pass a similar night. Especially since I wasn't going to get a baby out of it.
I sang "Abide with Me 'Tis Eventide" in my head and felt peace. I knew the Lord loved me and would get me through. I woke up a few times during the night with cramping, but not contractions.
The next morning, still unsure of what was really going on, I found that I was bleeding, not spotting. The next few hours I wrestled with the Lord in between sleeping. My cramping and bleeding felt like a physical representation of the turmoil I was feeling inside of me. My whole being. In my heart, my mind, my uterus.
I finally got out of bed. My angry, bitter tears were all used up and I started to calm down. I felt like I needed to write down what I was feeling. I wrote, "...I want to choose faith and acceptance. Though, it is hard. Or is it? Isn’t it easier to just have faith and not fight against the Lord’s will? I feel confused and uncertain."
After writing a little more, I perused the internet and immediately found this blog post. I found it interesting that she had a similar experience with her daughter telling her she was pregnant. And I half chuckled-half sighed to read "the story of my life seldom follows my carefully-laid plans." I had just written in my journal that I felt confused and uncertain. The turmoil I was experiencing was dying down, but after listening to this song she linked to, I felt completely healed.
The words sunk deep in my heart:
Monday I went in to get my hCG level checked. For those of you curious about the medical side- I'm pretty sure I passed everything on my own and won't need a D&C (99% sure). I'll go in again next week to make sure my hCG level is under 5.
The nurse asked me when I had had a positive pregnancy test. "Christmas morning," I replied. She turned her head to look at me and sighed, "Oh, I'm so sorry." I was touched by her empathy and as tears filled my eyes I had the thought that by next Christmas we would have our baby- that the tears of sorrow I had shed would be restored to tears of rejoicing next Christmas as I would have that same spirit in my arms.
I am slowly learning to give up some of my control. We won't be having a baby in May or even late Aug/early Sept anymore. Vince and this next baby will be 3 yrs apart in school. This baby will probably be born during the holidays. I'm okay with that and am actually excited about a possible Christmas baby, which is BIG for me.
It is an extremely personal story. I feel I need to share it. I hope it will help comfort someone in the future. Indeed, I have been comforted because of posts such as these recently. I understand that everyone's situation is different and in no way do I feel that the answers I've received from the Lord are universal.
When Azure was about 3 months old I stayed up late one night while she and Charles were asleep and started writing a document called "Conception Plan". You may find that comical as I do now. But, of course I didn't then. I am a planner. I pulled up the calendar and mapped out when to conceive our next 3 unborn children.
I wrote: "Baby #2 Conceive in May 2009, born Feb. 2010"
When this plan turned out to be a very real reality I gave thanks for our great fertility. Of course, I know that plans don't always work out, but I feel part of "if ye are prepared ye shall not fear" includes making a plan.
Truth be told- as the conception date was approaching for baby #3 I wasn’t feeling ready. I didn’t thrill at the thought of moving with a newborn or moving 9 months pregnant trying to find an OB in a city I wasn’t familiar with to support a VBAC. Vince was so whiny and clingy. He screamed every time I left the room. I couldn’t even go to the bathroom most days without a screaming protest. (He still does that by the way, just not as often.) Having another baby was the not at the top of my list.
We went to the temple seeking confirmation. Both times the feeling was undeniable. Yes, we were to have another baby regardless.
Then other responsibilities got added to our plate. I started to doubt again. How would we be able to handle all these things while I'm throwing up and laying in bed for 3 months straight?! Slowly the Lord replaced all these doubts with faith and filled our hearts with love. Our circumstances didn't change, but we changed. We became giddy at the thought of having another baby.
To make a long story short(er) my conception plan failed the 3rd time around. The month came and went with a negative pregnancy test. Every month that followed loomed an unknown. I tracked my ovulation each month and made plans. Every month the plan changed. Surely the Lord was teaching me to (once again!) trust in His timing.
I felt kind of like Abraham. The Lord knew all along that he would be willing to sacrifice Issac. Abraham, however did not know. The test of faith was for me, not the Lord. I felt I could see the reasons why it wasn’t happening and I accepted them.
I also continually asked myself, "Why do we even want more children when the 2 we have drive us completely crazy?!" But, yet I knew it was right for us. Isn't that a strange phenomenon?!
It’s still hard for me to give up my sense of control. I didn’t want our remaining children to be more than 2 yrs apart in school. I don’t really know why but, I didn’t. I also have always despised the idea of having a baby during the holidays.
On Dec. 22 (the anniversary of our engagement) Azure and I were snuggling on the couch together after watching Home Alone (our advent activity for the day). I was about to accompany her upstairs to her bed when she got a huge grin on her face. At first I had no idea why she was smiling, but then all the sudden I knew why. It's one of those moments where time seems to stop and you know you need to relish it because it's a sacred moment.
"What?" I asked, smiling and feeling pretty confident of what she would answer.
"I think I just felt [the name of our next girl] in your tummy."
It was very tender. I felt it a gift that the Lord revealed to both of us, at the exact same time, that I was pregnant before it was confirmed. I love sharing moments like that with her. She is very close to the spirit and a very sensitive, observant child. Quick to observe.
I wanted to wait until Christmas morning to take the test. "Wouldn't that be such a fun Christmas surprise?!" I hesitated a little because I didn't want to be depressed if it were negative yet again, but I felt that if it was, I would be able to handle it.
Sure enough Azure was right! I wrapped the pregnancy test up as a present for Charlie. We had decided to only open stockings before church and presents afterwards so when I handed it to him, he declined saying that he'd wait till we got home. I was feeling too anxious to wait any longer, I had already known for about 2 hours and I was dying! I insisted.
On the morning of Dec. 26 I was determined as a bee to get our freezer packed full of meals before the first wave of nausea and vomiting hit. I slaved away in the kitchen for a total of about 24 hours during the following weeks. It felt good to be so productive. I had so much to show for my work.
I tried to stop worrying about not being sick and enjoy not being sick. And then last Saturday night, Jan. 14, I started spotting. It's hard to describe all the feelings I felt. So many things.
I got down on my knees and cried my heart out to my Heavenly Father. I could hear Azure and Vince laughing downstairs as they played with Charlie getting ready to watch Stuart Little. I gave thanks for the two healthy, happy children I did have and prayed that if it could be His will that the baby would be okay.
Charles gave me a blessing after we put the kids to bed. I don't remember all that he said but, I do remember feeling that I had a choice in how I was going to accept this. He said I had already laid the foundation. I remember feeling grief at these words because to me it meant the baby was, in fact gone.
I went to bed feeling terrified. A couple of friends of mine had had painful contractions with their miscarriages. My mind flashed back to the night before Azure was born- a lonely, painful night. And the night my labor started with Vince- again lonely and painful (though bearable- i hate back labor). I didn't want to pass a similar night. Especially since I wasn't going to get a baby out of it.
I sang "Abide with Me 'Tis Eventide" in my head and felt peace. I knew the Lord loved me and would get me through. I woke up a few times during the night with cramping, but not contractions.
The next morning, still unsure of what was really going on, I found that I was bleeding, not spotting. The next few hours I wrestled with the Lord in between sleeping. My cramping and bleeding felt like a physical representation of the turmoil I was feeling inside of me. My whole being. In my heart, my mind, my uterus.
I finally got out of bed. My angry, bitter tears were all used up and I started to calm down. I felt like I needed to write down what I was feeling. I wrote, "...I want to choose faith and acceptance. Though, it is hard. Or is it? Isn’t it easier to just have faith and not fight against the Lord’s will? I feel confused and uncertain."
After writing a little more, I perused the internet and immediately found this blog post. I found it interesting that she had a similar experience with her daughter telling her she was pregnant. And I half chuckled-half sighed to read "the story of my life seldom follows my carefully-laid plans." I had just written in my journal that I felt confused and uncertain. The turmoil I was experiencing was dying down, but after listening to this song she linked to, I felt completely healed.
The words sunk deep in my heart:
Whatever you're doing inside of meSurely, the Lord wanted me to hear this song right at that moment. I surrender to His will. I have felt so much peace since. To be honest, I am surprised at how peaceful I feel about it. But, I think I understand the reasons why this had to happen. I'm grateful I wasn't that far along- only 7 weeks.
It feels like chaos, but somehow there's peace
Though it's hard to surrender to what I can't see
I'm giving in to something heavenly
Monday I went in to get my hCG level checked. For those of you curious about the medical side- I'm pretty sure I passed everything on my own and won't need a D&C (99% sure). I'll go in again next week to make sure my hCG level is under 5.
The nurse asked me when I had had a positive pregnancy test. "Christmas morning," I replied. She turned her head to look at me and sighed, "Oh, I'm so sorry." I was touched by her empathy and as tears filled my eyes I had the thought that by next Christmas we would have our baby- that the tears of sorrow I had shed would be restored to tears of rejoicing next Christmas as I would have that same spirit in my arms.
I am slowly learning to give up some of my control. We won't be having a baby in May or even late Aug/early Sept anymore. Vince and this next baby will be 3 yrs apart in school. This baby will probably be born during the holidays. I'm okay with that and am actually excited about a possible Christmas baby, which is BIG for me.
"The issue for us is trusting God enough to trust also His timing. If we can truly believe He has our welfare at heart, may we not let His plans unfold as He thinks best?" -Neal MaxwellI'm grateful He loves me enough to give me His plan, not mine.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Advent Activities
I have been pinning for an advent calendar for years now. I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted, but when I saw this one with the embroidered family name on the bottom I felt this was pretty close.
Each day we pulled out a slip of paper from the numbered pocket to find a Christmas activity written on it.
A couple of the activities was unwrapping a Christmas book to read by the tree. I wrapped books we checked out from the library and also ones we already owned. I also got lazy and didn't wrap some :) I didn't buy a single new book this Christmas though, I really want to own Christmas Day in the Morning
. Very inspiring! After reading this book Azure attempted to make Charlie a lunch for work as soon as she got up the next morning. So sweet.
Vince is already experiencing the woes of being a 2nd child. We didn't even let him "help" make one because I knew he'd just shove a bunch of candy into his mouth. So, he sat watching eating only graham crackers. Though, at this age we of course let Azure "build" one. Don't worry Vince- next year.
Making more gingerbread houses at the Hyatt on the Savannah River. Emily made real gingerbread. Tastes so much better than graham crackers. It turned out to be 75 degrees that day. So lovely!
We got to see a huge barge go down the river right in front of us.
We painted dreidels on the 1st night of Hanukkah.
Then played the game the next night.
We made Christmas crafts including edible snowflakes made out of tortillas and mini-marshmallow men.
Also on the list was making Christmas treats for our neighbors which we didn't get around to doing until Christmas Eve and then all our neighbors left. We ended up only passing out one plate of goodies the day after Christmas to our neighbor across the street.
Christmas this year really felt focused on the Savior and not so much on gifts. The advent calendar helped me plan in advance simple activities that were also rich in meaning and symbolism. (And also just fun and frivolous.)
One of the nights after returning from our New Orleans trip I bought Azure a small string of white Christmas lights for her to hang up in her bedroom window. Before opening the gift we read about 5 scriptures referencing how Jesus is the light of the world. Then I hung them up for her and she used it as her nightlight every night until Christmas. I hope to make it into a tradition now.
Each day we pulled out a slip of paper from the numbered pocket to find a Christmas activity written on it.
A couple of the activities was unwrapping a Christmas book to read by the tree. I wrapped books we checked out from the library and also ones we already owned. I also got lazy and didn't wrap some :) I didn't buy a single new book this Christmas though, I really want to own Christmas Day in the Morning
. Very inspiring! After reading this book Azure attempted to make Charlie a lunch for work as soon as she got up the next morning. So sweet.
Gingerbread houses for Family Home Evening made with leftover Halloween candy. Genius! My first attempt at making "royal icing."
Making more gingerbread houses at the Hyatt on the Savannah River. Emily made real gingerbread. Tastes so much better than graham crackers. It turned out to be 75 degrees that day. So lovely!
We got to see a huge barge go down the river right in front of us.
And a tugboat.
Preschool Pals: Azure, Evie, and Quentin. (Missing Tyla)
A woman from church got admitted to the hospital in December. I told Azure about it and asked if she would like to draw her a picture and go visit her. She seemed very excited to do so. It really brightened up Carol's day I'm sure.
We made Christmas crafts including edible snowflakes made out of tortillas and mini-marshmallow men.
Also on the list was making Christmas treats for our neighbors which we didn't get around to doing until Christmas Eve and then all our neighbors left. We ended up only passing out one plate of goodies the day after Christmas to our neighbor across the street.
Christmas this year really felt focused on the Savior and not so much on gifts. The advent calendar helped me plan in advance simple activities that were also rich in meaning and symbolism. (And also just fun and frivolous.)
One of the nights after returning from our New Orleans trip I bought Azure a small string of white Christmas lights for her to hang up in her bedroom window. Before opening the gift we read about 5 scriptures referencing how Jesus is the light of the world. Then I hung them up for her and she used it as her nightlight every night until Christmas. I hope to make it into a tradition now.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
New Orleans & Florida Trip
This year Midyear was in New Orleans (Midyear is a clinical pharmacist convention for networking and continuing education seminars). We are not fond of New Orleans. Trashy. Lewd. Debaucherous. The last time we went in Dec. 2009 we said we would never go again. And there we were, exactly 2 years later.
Charles got into the Black Friday spirit and purchased a 2 screen DVD player to mount on the back of our headrests to decrease the amount of screaming/whining fromour lovely children Vince. Best purchase ever made. We had been jimmy-rigging it before using the laptop. The DVD player is MUCH easier.
Our first day in New Orleans we ate beignets at the famous Cafe Du Monde and wandered around town. Later that night we (minus Charlie) met up with Dan and Janine and had dinner with them. Janine was a big help. I was exhausted after carrying Vince around all day. We didn't bring a stroller or a sling.
*As I took these pics and was stressing out over tantrums I thought to myself: 'I'm going to post these pics on the blog of our trip and everyone will think that we had such a lovely time but, we DIDN'T!' So, I decided that I would tell you the whole truth about this trip. Since the ordeal in May I have learned that being honest with myself and others is most liberating.*
Vince drove me crazy the ENTIRE trip with his incessant whining. I am NOT loving this stage he's in. (He's actually gotten a lot better the past week and is much more pleasant.) He is really lucky that he's so adorable {those eyes, that smile!} or I'd be tempted to ship him off somewhere. He was sleep deprived but, could never really sleep.
I did get to spend an afternoon with my freshman roommate Cammen who lives in Lafayette. We met up in Baton Rouge for lunch and to let the kids play. Azure had a lot of fun with Kelsie who is almost 4. It's so cool for me to see my children make friends with the children of my old friends; friends I had before we were moms. We're so grown up!
The next day we headed to the aquarium.
I had the brilliant idea to rent a double stroller so I could push them and not worry about them running around. My back was aching from carrying Vince all the previous day. So, I waskind of upset when I handed them my credit card to have them tell me they only accepted cash. Then I watched them push the stroller away into the back. I really wish they would have taken pity on me and just me use it. I know I looked pathetic.
We tried to do as many fun things as possible while Charlie got to schmooze it up with world renowned pharmacists over 5 course meals (all expenses paid) in the best rated restaurant in New Orleans until the late hours of the night while I sat in the car listening to Vince scream because he was so tired, but wouldn't fall asleep. At least Azure and I listened to some of our favorite Christmas songs and sang together while Vince paused for a couple minutes. To Charlie's credit, he doesn't enjoy schmoozing. So other than the amazing food, he would have rather been with us too.
The last full day we were there, my sanity was hanging by a thread. Am I getting that point across?! Usually I get to take a break from the kids every night when I put them to bed around 7pm, but not this week and I was feeling the lack of any personal time. Big time. So, on a whim I decided that I was going to go do something I wanted to do. Alone. I went to the Italian American Heritage Museum. That was exactly what I needed.
The spirit of Elijah was there FULL FORCE turning my heart to my sweet great, great, grandmother Anna and great, great grandfather Nick. I remembered that New Orleans was the first city they ever saw in the United States when they came off the boat from Sicily. The city I was currently in. What did they think of it? Oh, to imagine the anticipation and hope in their hearts as they walked off and looked around. I was humbled and my bad mood lifted. I felt so incredibly grateful for them. For their bravery. They came here with nothing, knowing no English. They were humble strawberry pickers and worked for hardly anything. I love them for their sacrifices!
I was in a pretty good mood after that. And to top it off we ate muffalettas for dinner. I'm glad we ended on a good note leaving New Orleans. And then it just kept getting better.
Except for the Baton Rouge Temple being closed. At least we got to add it to our list and we got to sing "I Love to see the Temple" with the kids while walking the grounds.
So, we kept driving till we got to Pensacola Beach. Gorgeous. This is why we want to live in Florida.
We had dinner at Carraba's and ordered our 2 favorite meals and shared. A sense of calm washes over me every time I eat salmon and sip lime infused water. The sensual effect is even more powerful when I can gaze directly across from me at Charlie's sweet face. After dinner we did some shopping at the nearby outlets.
Then we finally arrived at our hotel on Panama City Beach. Things definitely had gone from worst to wonderful over the course of a couple days. I frequently need to remind myself that bad days never last for long.
The view from our room:
Charles got into the Black Friday spirit and purchased a 2 screen DVD player to mount on the back of our headrests to decrease the amount of screaming/whining from
Our first day in New Orleans we ate beignets at the famous Cafe Du Monde and wandered around town. Later that night we (minus Charlie) met up with Dan and Janine and had dinner with them. Janine was a big help. I was exhausted after carrying Vince around all day. We didn't bring a stroller or a sling.
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| St. Louis Cathedral |
*As I took these pics and was stressing out over tantrums I thought to myself: 'I'm going to post these pics on the blog of our trip and everyone will think that we had such a lovely time but, we DIDN'T!' So, I decided that I would tell you the whole truth about this trip. Since the ordeal in May I have learned that being honest with myself and others is most liberating.*
Vince drove me crazy the ENTIRE trip with his incessant whining. I am NOT loving this stage he's in. (He's actually gotten a lot better the past week and is much more pleasant.) He is really lucky that he's so adorable {those eyes, that smile!} or I'd be tempted to ship him off somewhere. He was sleep deprived but, could never really sleep.
I did get to spend an afternoon with my freshman roommate Cammen who lives in Lafayette. We met up in Baton Rouge for lunch and to let the kids play. Azure had a lot of fun with Kelsie who is almost 4. It's so cool for me to see my children make friends with the children of my old friends; friends I had before we were moms. We're so grown up!
The next day we headed to the aquarium.
I had the brilliant idea to rent a double stroller so I could push them and not worry about them running around. My back was aching from carrying Vince all the previous day. So, I was
 |
| hooT |
The last full day we were there, my sanity was hanging by a thread. Am I getting that point across?! Usually I get to take a break from the kids every night when I put them to bed around 7pm, but not this week and I was feeling the lack of any personal time. Big time. So, on a whim I decided that I was going to go do something I wanted to do. Alone. I went to the Italian American Heritage Museum. That was exactly what I needed.
The spirit of Elijah was there FULL FORCE turning my heart to my sweet great, great, grandmother Anna and great, great grandfather Nick. I remembered that New Orleans was the first city they ever saw in the United States when they came off the boat from Sicily. The city I was currently in. What did they think of it? Oh, to imagine the anticipation and hope in their hearts as they walked off and looked around. I was humbled and my bad mood lifted. I felt so incredibly grateful for them. For their bravery. They came here with nothing, knowing no English. They were humble strawberry pickers and worked for hardly anything. I love them for their sacrifices!
Except for the Baton Rouge Temple being closed. At least we got to add it to our list and we got to sing "I Love to see the Temple" with the kids while walking the grounds.
So, we kept driving till we got to Pensacola Beach. Gorgeous. This is why we want to live in Florida.
 |
| They are too cute to be mad at for long |
We had dinner at Carraba's and ordered our 2 favorite meals and shared. A sense of calm washes over me every time I eat salmon and sip lime infused water. The sensual effect is even more powerful when I can gaze directly across from me at Charlie's sweet face. After dinner we did some shopping at the nearby outlets.
Then we finally arrived at our hotel on Panama City Beach. Things definitely had gone from worst to wonderful over the course of a couple days. I frequently need to remind myself that bad days never last for long.
The view from our room:
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| I love you Vince, even though you drive me crazy! |
A pretty good trip after all.
Monday, January 2, 2012
2011 Year-end Statistical Report
Remember these ?! We didn't even do it last year. Lame. We won't let you down 2 yrs in a row!
States visited: 9
Countries visited: 1 (Charles, Guatemala)
Here's our report for 2011
Countries visited: 1 (Charles, Guatemala)
Tomatoes harvested: 1
Gallons of milk produced: 102 (Deanna)
Pounds of cheese consumed: 101
$ saved using coupons: $1298
$ saved using coupons: $1298
Flights boarded: 4
Diapers changed: 1,823
Books read: 312
Degrees obtained: 1
Races run: 5
Green smoothies consumed: 68
Hours wasted on the internet: 2,001
People we wanted to punch in the face, but didn't: 9 (consider yourself better people than us if you never get the desire to punch others in the face :)
Hours of service rendered: 2,967 (we try to balance out our anger issues :)
Degrees obtained: 1
Races run: 5
Green smoothies consumed: 68
Hours wasted on the internet: 2,001
People we wanted to punch in the face, but didn't: 9 (consider yourself better people than us if you never get the desire to punch others in the face :)
Hours of service rendered: 2,967 (we try to balance out our anger issues :)
Happy New Year!
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Savannah River Bridge Run
On Sat. Dec.3 Charles and I ran the Savannah River Bridge Run. This was the morning after our talent show and right before we headed to New Orleans for Midyear. It was a busy weekend.
I won't wax too poetic about this run as I did last year's. But, I will say again that I absolutely love running 5Ks. I have no desire whatsoever to run a marathon but, I'd surely run 12 5Ks a year.
I trained with the kids in the jogging stroller about 2x/wk starting at the end of Oct I think. The Saturday before the race Charles and I took turns running the bridge without the stroller. That was the first time I ran without them and I realized that I had done a good thing conditioning with extra weight- race day would be a breeze not pushing them.
Remembering how Zumba helped me last time, I did a 1 hr class at the YMCA the Thursday before the race. That definitely helped!
I ate 2 oatmeal pancakes that morning for breakfast but, should have only eaten one. It was a fun morning date for us since we had Michelle babysit. We left before Azure and Vince even woke up. All the sudden I had to use the bathroom 10 mins before the race started. The line was super long for the porta-potties so I had to practically sprint back with less than a minute before starting. I actually think that was a good warm-up for me though.
It was a beautiful, clear day. Pretty cold for Savannah though, mid 40's when we started. I felt great almost the entire run. Again, thanks to motivation from my song list. I didn't look at the course beforehand which was a bad move on my part. Because I couldn't mentally imagine where the finish line was, I didn't push myself when I should have. Then when I finally realized how close I was I tried to give it my all- that was when I started feeling the effects of that 2nd pancake.
My goal was to get under 30 mins so when I saw the clock read 29:41 I panicked and sprinted as fast as I could. I felt like I was going to throw up and was looking for a trash can. Luckily, I didn't. The time when I crossed was 30:01. I was kinda upset that I was so close, but not close enough. Imagine my surprise when I related this to Charles and he reminded me that my start time didn't start until I physically had crossed the start line, not when the race actually started. My time was 29:01! A whole minute faster than I had thought! My fastest 5K time ever. It makes a huge difference not having pushed the jogging stroller.
Charles ran the double pump. The 5K and then a 10K! He is intense. He ran the bridge 3 times. One time was definitely enough for me.
I only have this one pic of us. Here's the website of more pics of the bridge. It is really pretty.
I won't wax too poetic about this run as I did last year's. But, I will say again that I absolutely love running 5Ks. I have no desire whatsoever to run a marathon but, I'd surely run 12 5Ks a year.
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| Our backyard and "garage" |
Remembering how Zumba helped me last time, I did a 1 hr class at the YMCA the Thursday before the race. That definitely helped!
I ate 2 oatmeal pancakes that morning for breakfast but, should have only eaten one. It was a fun morning date for us since we had Michelle babysit. We left before Azure and Vince even woke up. All the sudden I had to use the bathroom 10 mins before the race started. The line was super long for the porta-potties so I had to practically sprint back with less than a minute before starting. I actually think that was a good warm-up for me though.
It was a beautiful, clear day. Pretty cold for Savannah though, mid 40's when we started. I felt great almost the entire run. Again, thanks to motivation from my song list. I didn't look at the course beforehand which was a bad move on my part. Because I couldn't mentally imagine where the finish line was, I didn't push myself when I should have. Then when I finally realized how close I was I tried to give it my all- that was when I started feeling the effects of that 2nd pancake.
My goal was to get under 30 mins so when I saw the clock read 29:41 I panicked and sprinted as fast as I could. I felt like I was going to throw up and was looking for a trash can. Luckily, I didn't. The time when I crossed was 30:01. I was kinda upset that I was so close, but not close enough. Imagine my surprise when I related this to Charles and he reminded me that my start time didn't start until I physically had crossed the start line, not when the race actually started. My time was 29:01! A whole minute faster than I had thought! My fastest 5K time ever. It makes a huge difference not having pushed the jogging stroller.
Charles ran the double pump. The 5K and then a 10K! He is intense. He ran the bridge 3 times. One time was definitely enough for me.
I only have this one pic of us. Here's the website of more pics of the bridge. It is really pretty.
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