Tis the Season

Whew! This time of year gets so busy, but we have been having a whole lot of fun! We have been busy with family, parties, decorating, performances, and our usual gingerbread houses. Paul's sister Analia arrived last thursday with her family and they have been skiing at Solitude. Paul is supposed to go with them tomorrow.
Now stuffing ourselves with holiday goodies, I am excited for Christmas Eve and Day! Hope you are all having a great holiday with family and friends!

Gingerbread Houses










Elizabeth's Dance Performance

Birthday Princess!

My Little Hailey Bear!!!

Happy Birthday!!!! I cannot believe that my little Hailey Bear is turning ONE today!!!

I remember her birth like yesterday! Just like everything about her since then... it was pretty much a peice of cake. She was born 12/3 @ 4. Teeny little thing only 5lbs 14 oz, and I was home in less than 24 hours!

Hailey is truly a very joyful child! She has been smiley and full of laughter since we brought her home! She grumbled like a little bear as a baby and squeals like a wild animal in delight now! She is snuggley and loves hugs and kisses. She just started walking very well and is quite the adventurer! I cannot wait to see what she will grow to be! And what fun we'll have in the meantime!

Go RSL!!! Soccer: A Woman's Kind Of Sport

First I will give a "Hell Yes!!" to REAL Salt Lake who brought home the MLS Cup (Soccer National Championship) yesterday against the LA Galaxy (aka Landon Donovan and David Beckham)! Gotta love it when the underdog/wild card wins the title!!!

Now, coming from someone who isn't a "sports-lover"- REAL season tickets and fan-hood may seem like a stretch for me. However, I've got real love for this team and the game of soccer. And let me tell you why. In the midst of the confusion, rules, regulations, ect. that is SPORTS, comes the straightforward game of SOCCER! A woman must have invented it, here's why:

1. OBJECT OF THE GAME: Kick the ball into the net. (Round ball into square net- we are always doing that)

2. SCORING: Bicycle kick, Header, Left Foot-- You get 1 point. That's it kids. 1 goal, 1 point. Very logical.

3. RULES: Don't touch the ball with your hands. No rough housing. Stay in bounds. (Off sides was added later by a man :) Straight forward.

4. LEAGUE PLAY: You still get a point if you tie. Isn't that the nice thing to do?

5. You run like hell for 90 mins. No time outs. 3 subs ( but don't count on it). And the crowd complains if you need to sit down or flop. Kind of like being a mom- eh?

...and people wonder why there are so many "Soccer Moms" not football, baseball, or basketball. And that my friends is why I love soccer!

Swine Flu?!?!? Or just a DAMN cold!

Much like many of you, or so I am finding out, my entire family has been sick for the last 3-4 weeks!! Not getting better, not getting any worse, today I have a fever, tomorrow I will have a sore throat. Are you kidding me?
Well, I stood in line for 4 hours in the cold, snow, and wee hours of the morning so that my kids and myself could be vaccinated for seasonal and "swine" flu. So why are we all still sick, and what are we supposed to do about it?
When all else fails, and Hailey gets a wicked fever... we GOOGLE it! So you don't have to waste your time.... read on, but read all! (answers courtesy of webmd.com & cdc.gov)

What are swine flu symptoms?

Symptoms of H1N1 swine flu are like regular flu symptoms and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue. Many people with swine flu have had diarrhea and vomiting. Nearly everyone with flu has at least two (are you kidding me?!?!?) of these symptoms. But these symptoms can also be caused by many other conditions.

That means that you and your doctor can't know, just based on your symptoms, if you've got swine flu. Health care professionals may offer a rapid flu test, although a negative result doesn't mean you don't have the flu. The accuracy of the test depends on the quality of the manufacturer’s test, the sample collection method, and how much viral sample a person is shedding at the time of testing.

What are the emergency warning signs?

In children

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
• Fever with a rash

In adults

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting

So everyone I know has the swine flu ( especially Hailey who got quite sick last night)... or do they?!?!

So here is the other info I received after sitting on hold, and brow beating every medical professional whose number I have saved in my cell phone... sorry guys!
-A fever that can be controlled with Tylenol, and lasts less than 48 hours probably isn't the swine flu.
-A loose, productive cough following a common cold... probably not the swine flu.
-Rapid breathing quite commonly accompanies a fever, less than 60 respirations a minute... probably not the swine flu.
-When kids feel sick, they don't eat a lot. Wet diapers and regular bowel movements... probably not the swine flu.

So Hailey has not been rushed to Primary Children's but Wild Oats is a bit richer..

Elderberry Fights Flu Symptoms -Jelly, Jam, or Wine Won't Help -- Only Extract Works

This is more evidence that this herbal treatment for flu -- if taken when flu-like symptoms first appear -- could help people get through this year's flu invasion a bit easier.

Thom's findings were presented at the 15th Annual Conference on Antiviral Research in 2002. The study has been accepted for publication in the Journal of International Medical Research.

The study involved 60 patients who had been suffering with flu symptoms for 48 hours or less; 90% were infected with the A strain of the virus, 10% were infected with type B. Half the group took 15 milliliters of Sambucol or and the other group took a placebo four times a day for five days.

Patients in the Sambucol group had "pronounced improvements" in flu symptoms after three days: Nearly 90% of patients had complete cure within two to three days. Also, the Sambucol group had no drowsiness, the downside of many flu treatments.

The placebo group didn't recover until at least day six; they also took more painkillers and nasal sprays.

It's likely that antioxidants called flavonoids -- which are contained in the extract -- stimulate the immune system, writes Thom. Also, other compounds in elderberry, called anthocyanins, have an anti-inflammatory effect; this could explain the effect on aches, pains, and fever.

Elderberry extract could be an "efficient and safe treatment" for flu symptoms in otherwise healthy people and for those with compromised immune systems, such as the elderly, Thom adds.

So I now own every form of vitamin C, echinecea, elderberry, and oscillococcinum. We continue with the neti pot, hand sanitizer, hand washing, and nightly salt gargle and nasal cleanse. I'll let you know how it goes. Wish me luck!

..oh, and FYI Just in case you aren't already a germ-a-phobe.

How long does the flu virus survive on surfaces?

Flu bugs can survive for hours on surfaces. One study showed that flu viruses can live for up to 48 hours on hard, nonporous surfaces such as stainless steel and for up to 12 hours on cloth and tissues. The virus seems to survive for only minutes on your hands -- but that's plenty of time for you to transfer it to your mouth, nose, or eyes.

Oh Crazy October!

Elizabeth's first fieldtrip was to the Pumpkin Patch... her spoils.

It has been a CRAZY October, and I cannot believe that it is over so soon. So much to look forward to when the seasons change, I cannot help but look forward to Thanksgiving!

Quick update on the Girls:

Elizabeth is doing great! She loves preschool and ballet. She is starting in with the "I don't want to 3s" and fighting nap and bedtime like a real warrior, but mommy still reigns QUEEN (don't mess) and I thank heavens for Love and Logic every day. Her favorite word to use lately is "actually", 'Elizabeth are you going to eat your lunch?' 'Actually mommy, I'm all done eating.' Hilarious. She also really likes to change her name. 'Mommy? You know what my name is? Pia.' Pia is her favorite name to be. Again, I have no idea where she got it, but it is seriously cracking me up.

Hailey is adorable as ever, but MAN has that girl got lungs. She screams. Not because she is mad, but because it's funny. Then she yells. Because she is pissed :) Sweet girl. We try not to let her get away with too much... but she is stinkin' cute! She love plugs and cords. She is getting her 2 top front teeth, they have been terrible and she has not been sleeping through the night. I guess that is good practice for me. She is adjusting well to mommy being gone twice a week, but by Thursday she cries whenever I leave the room for about half a day. Poor thing. (Me or her?!?!) She is taking her first steps, very exciting! Everyday she is getting braver and braver. Yesterday she climbed all the way up the stairs for the first time and I had to ask Elizabeth if she carried her. She is also becoming very interested in books and I wish I read to her more... augh.

Paul and I are great, busy as ever. Paul has the girls for 4 hours by himself every Monday night and has taken like a champ! In fact, last week I came home to girls in pjs, dishes done, kitchen spotless, and everyone playing downstairs. I was SOOOOOOO happy and relieved! Go Paul!

Here are pictures from this month... Halloween included!

Playing in the leaves pre-trick-or-treating!

Libby, what should we do with your candy?
"Just make a train!"

Loosing My Mind.... To Find My Senses

Someone said that, "Sometimes we have to loose our mind to find our senses." I think it was Dan Millman, which may be proof that I have lost my mind. But this is a good thing.

Apparently the pregnant hormones/ whatever the hell else makes you loose you mind during pregnancy, were on the war path these last few weeks. I officially lost my mind, cried for maybe the first time in close to a year ( yes, it was for no reason), and I am back on the path to regaining my senses/sensibilities. Hallelujah!

You see, " I had a fever!!!" and the only prescription is:


A little clear thinking from my good friend Henry David, a GODIVA hot chocolate from the B&N Cafe, a couple good 500+ page books in under a week, and some exercise. Oh, and a little bit of cow bell! I feel like a new woman!

Fall Is Here!!!!

Fall is my favorite time of year!

BALLET, Ballet, ballet....

What a busy week we have had, and what a way to end it... BALLET! Elizabeth had her first ballet class at the Ballet Centre in Murray today! Whew! It was fun. It is a "Mom and Tot" class with the moms able to participate as much or as little as they choose. (I brought my ballet shoes, hehe!) I have to admit I was a bit concerned that Elizabeth would not love it. She isn't used to following exact directions for a long period of time, I have tried to show her how to point her toes- she says "no mommy like this", and I worried it would be too slow paced. I was very wrong. She was all business and VERY into what she was doing. Do not mistake her look for a scowl in the following pictures.... she was seriously concentrating, then laughing and jumping up and down after every exercise. I just might have a Prima on my hands :)
At one point her teacher Miss Kellie told them they were going to walk across the floor like Princesses! Libby jumped and shouted with joy. So Miss Kellie asked her, "Who is your favorite princess Elizabeth?" Without hesitation, she jumped up and shouted, "ME!!!!"

Here are a few shots from our first fun day!

And no tots ballet class would be complete unless it ended with The Chicken Dance!

First Day of PRESCHOOL!

Whew! We survived- both getting into preschool (Mommy couldn't make up her mind) and our first days.
We signed Elizabeth up at the Winner School, where I taught dance for 7years! Miss Connie, the owner, was awesome to fit us into a class in spite of my procrastination. At orientation the darling teachers, Miss Jamie and Miss Justine, took all the kids to do activities while the parents got all the info for the year. I thought Elizabeth would FREAK... she didn't bat an eye. She was gone for about 45 mins. before we went and met them in a classroom where they were painting their preschool bags.

The first day of preschool, I prepped Elizabeth the best that I could. I planned for a total meltdown as soon as she realized I was leaving her there. I was so surprised, she was AWESOME! She was at preschool for 3 hours and only cried for a moment 20 minutes before I picked her up. "I just wreally need my mommy," she told Miss Jamie. When I asked her how her day was... "Good, but I WREALLY need a Slurpee!" Well, if that's all it takes.... I am such a proud mama!

Last Bit O' Summer Fun

Labor Day Weekend was a blast, thanks to Katie and Shawn, up in Oakley, UT @ the Clegg Cabin!

Not bad for 4 months pregnant, eh?!?
(Seriously, I was DYING by the time we made it to the lake!)

Paul tested out the Rover on the ATV ONLY road... it made it!

Auntie Sarah was the best froggie catcher EVER!

Long story short, Marissa's pants, unders, and socks are hanging on the tree behind her. And yes, she walked to that spot barefoot- no problem!

Hailey dug the 3 wheeler...

Libby tried her hand at fishing...

All 4 Kids had a GREAT time "CAMPING"...

Even though we were up all night long with fussy kids and whinny babies, we ate, hiked, sat, and yes- even had mate! It was a great weekend, a perfect way to end the summer!

Hmmmm....

I have the cutest kids, they are so different... it's hard to imagine what the next one will be like-

Well, let your imagination run wild because we went to the doctor's today and Baby #3 has an ETA -- FEBRUARY 18th, 2010!!!!

That's right I am expecting again, SURPRISE! Although most people do not get to determine the sex of their baby at their first doctor's appointment, Paul and I may be the exception. Dr. Ponder has good money on a BOY!!!! I am sure you can imagine our excitement and surprise!

More news to come...