10 on Tuesday

1. Our house is sold. Still conditions and all that but there is an offer and it's been accepted. Which is AWESOME :) we need to find a house to buy now too :)

2. I have a lot to edit. I've been shooting quite a bit lately. A couple favorites from recent shoots.



3. Yesterday was bake day. Today is clean up from bake day. hahahaha

4. We have Regan's grad this weekend. In Medicine Hat. Thankful G&G Steed are watching the kids so I can go and attend his grad without dragging my kids to something they wouldn't enjoy.

5. Eli lately has been getting up only once a night. Which is a HUGE improvement. Still I wish he would sleep all night, but I am just trying to be thankful it's not 4 or 5 times anymore!

6. Each day I've been thinking about how close we are getting to being done residency. Regan and I were talking about it on the phone this morning. I can't wait for all kinds of reasons. One of them being home call. Meaning when no one is at the hospital he can be at our house. (well once we move out to Raymond.) And that he will work less time and make way more money. Sounds like a win win. He slept at our house last night and it has been the only night this week and will be until Friday night. Pincher Creek rotation is seriously crappy for the travel factor.

7. I am ready for summer to be here and school to be done.

8. Someone stole Alden's scooter. He is so sad about it. I think we are going to buy him one again right after school.

9. Our tax return should be here soon. And we got LOTS back. It's AWESOME :)

10. Friday and Saturday we were busy and out of our house a lot for showings so I never got a chance to share my Foto Friday, so here is the collage.

List 20: songs I could listen to over and over

First off thanks for the encouragement. I already do all those things to make it consistent. My mom actually calls me a bedtime natzi(sp?). I am SERIOUS about bedtime. His deal isn't going to sleep, he does that great. It's STAYING asleep (past midnight and beyond). Even when he was smaller crying it out never really worked for him. (Till him I thought that was just something people said about their kids and they never really followed through with crying it out. But he'd just keep screaming till he was ready to throw up.) He can pop off those door handle things. I am working on just getting him to eat ANYTHING before bed that will fill him up and I think we are going to try moving him into the same room as Alden and see if that helps. Just someone in the same room. Last night was only 4 times ;) hahahahaha I was really at my wits end as it had been a few days with at LEAST 5 times. That is way to much.

On to my songs.....
List 20: songs I could listen to over and over:

1. When I go by Slow Club

2. Anything by Lenka

3. Stay by Lisa Loeb

3. Honey Bee by Zee Avi

4. The Luckiest by Ben Folds

5. Haven't met you yet by Michael Buble (and most of the rest of his songs)

6. Anything by Meaghan Smith

7. You & Me by Frances England

8. Anything by Mindy Gledhill (especially all the Pennies)

9. The little things by Mathew Barber

10. Let it be me by Ray LaMontagne

11. Cry if you want too by Holly Cole Trio

12. I'd rather be with you by Joshua Radin

13. Breath of Heaven by Amy Grant

14. I am Aglow by Sarah Harmer

:) I just went through my favorite list on iTunes and added the most played ones. I could add more but this is long enough!

I need help!

Seriously I don't know what to do about Eli's sleep.
Last night he was up more than 5 times.
I get up as much with him as I do with a newborn.
And I have one of those on the way too.

I feel trapped and I am not sure what to do.
But I can't keep up with the current schedule. Regan is working in Pincher Creek so he gets home around 630-7pm each night when he's not on call. And I can't make Regan get up all the time when he has to commute one hour each way (he is TERRIBLE for falling asleep while driving) and being up for on call and he kind of helps with people's lives, so he should sort of be alert. ;)

So I have been staying up to hang out with him. Which means bed time at around 11pm. Then Eli is up 4-6 times a night. And up for the day between 5-630am. I am pregnant and taking dicletin (which makes me more sleepy). I feel like a zombie most days. I just don't know what to do.

I am just at my wit's end. And I don't know what to do. He gets up for unknown reasons. Last night one time cause of a bad dream, twice to go pee, and the three other times who knows. He just keeps showing up in our room. I think part of it is that he is a terrible eater and I think he is hungry so he wakes up with a stomach ache. But his eating isn't getting any better either.

I just don't know how I will survive having a newborn with this current craziness going on.

10 on Tuesday

1. Yesterday was so good. We just really hung out at home. Did very little. And it was soooo good. It has been a long time since all of us (including Regan) were home with nothing to do. No house showings that day, no appointments, really just hanging out. It was good!

2. Speaking of yesterday, Eli and I went for a little walk in the alley way after the rain (or I should say during a break in the rain) and I just let him wander and I followed him. It was relaxing and enjoyable.


3. Had my ultrasound last week. It makes it so REAL! And they moved my due date up a week. Reg says that it doesn't mean anything.... but it said the 16th instead of the 22nd. So I'll take it :) Here's the little munchkin!


4. We have had around 8 showings so far. 4 in one day. One tonight right at supper time. Sure hope our house sells soon!!

5. All this rain makes me feel like we are back in Nova Scotia in spring time.

6. We had another dinner club Friday night. And the theme was Moroccan. Have I mentioned I think dinner club is SO FUN??? I made desserts. AND I was lucky enough my brother came over so I could go to book club too this week. So great when I can leave the house without kids when Regan is so busy.

7. I love when I capture little moments like this one where Lucy was reading to Eli on the couch.


8. We had a bit of a family day on Saturday. Each kid got to pick one thing to do. Alden picked mini golf (which he LOVES and Eli is TERRIBLE since he just kept running away and getting into other's courses), Lucy picked a treat and Eli picked the playground. I also had two photo shoots that were volunteer. Both were fun.




9. I just finished reading driven and the ladies auxiliary. Both were GREAT books and I'd recommend both!!


10. Friday morning we met some friends at the park for playgroup. And that was great too! It was a good week last week!

Spiritual Sunday

“Your number one concern in life should be your personal relationship to Jesus Christ. He’s the sovereign Lord of everyone. Settle that matter to start with. It’ll do more to change your life and stabilize your life than any single thing you can do. When you’ve done that, when you want to be something or do something, that’s good. Ambition is a wonderful thing. Feed it, nurture it, use it, apply it. But in the process, don’t barge off on your own. Just keep that other fact in mind: Is this what God wants me to do?”

Not a usual source of Spiritual Sunday quote. You may or may not know Earnest Manning; he was the longest serving premier of Alberta (1943-1968), and obviously also a spiritual man. This quote comes from his biography and was a response from him to a question of whether or not he would encourage his grandchildren to enter politics (The Good Steward: The Earnest C. Manning Story, Brian Brennan, pg 166).

Foto Friday: Week 19

:)

Listography 18 & 19

List 18: Favorite Childhood memories

1. When our basement flooded (one of the times) and we had to sleep in the living room. It was wall to wall beds for a few days (or maybe longer) and it was like a big sleepover.

2. When Kelly was born and all of the boys and me were sitting around the table and the phone rang, dad answered (we all knew it was my Aunt from the hospital). Dad said okay okay and sat back down. Didn't say anything to us, even though we all knew what the call was. Finally after us pestering he said "You guys have a new baby............sister." All the boys said "oh man" and I said "YES!!!!!"

3. Getting sealed as a family in the Cardston Alberta Temple after Bob had joined our family.

4. Playing in the huge snowdrifts outside our house and in the rodeo grounds.

5. Sleeping over at my grandma's house in Creston with our cousins and playing outside in their farmyard in the trees and streams for hours.

6. Canning peaches with my mom and my siblings. All lined up in the kitchen, each with our own jobs.

7. Learning how to roll our pie dough with my mom when I was very young.

8. My mom handing out donuts on Halloween.

9. Climbing onto my dad's lap and snuggling with him, measuring my hands against his big hands.

10. Opening matching dresses on Christmas morning with Kelly.


List 19: Things that are overrated.

1. Charlie Sheen.

2. Dark Chocolate.

3. Twitter

10 on Tuesday

1. I am feeling quite zombie-ish this morning thanks to a certain almost 3 year old who was up 4 or 5 times last night (can't quite remember). Good thing Regan was home to go in a couple times to put him back into his bed since he did the SAME thing the night before when Regan was on call. I am seriously almost ready to lock his door or drug him or something.....

2. Our house is officially for sale and on the market. So buy it, will ya??

3. I am feeling a little bit all over the place. Wondering why things happen a certain way, why things I think will work don't, why I care so much what others thing, why Eli isn't sleeping, why I am getting out of the "mormon" crowd for pictures (do they think I am too expensive or am I not giving good results), why is Lucy being so uncooperative lately, why does Alden seem so tired all the time lately... why why why.

4. I love homemade bread. Made a bunch yesterday.

5. Loving my 365 project. I am terrible about actually putting them online but I am taking them every day. I was going through them last night and just loving that I am doing it.




6. Wondering who is out there reading.... Did you lately I have over 200 people reading this. WOW. that's crazy. Maybe I should be doing some more exciting posts hey :) hahahaha

7. I bought this thing last summer (Reg thinks it is still a waste) but my kids loooove it. Eli asks for it as soon as the weather is nice. This day he took a bag of left over spaghetti (one of his favs) and jumped and ate and jumped and ate. What a silly kid!


8. I love candy. A little tooooo much.

9. I have read 10 books in the last month and a half. Can you say reading binge??

10. Tomorrow is the beginning of house showings..... can I do this????????

In the kitchen: Butterscotch Icing

I found this great recipe for a classic Layered chocolate cake here at Best Bites. I wanted to make it. But I wanted to try something different for the middle and the inside.

So instead I caramelized some bananas (you can see how to do that here from Emeril). I put the caramelized bananas in between the cake layers and then I made a butterscotch icing to go on top.



Butterscotch Icing
1/4 cup corn syrup
2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup whole milk
2 Tbsp butter
2 cups icing sugar (approx)
Combine everything except the icing sugar into a thick bottom pan. Bring to boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Stop stirring and continue to boil until it comes to the soft ball stage. Take off heat and cool until just warm to the touch. Using a hand mixer, beat until right consistency, adding just enough icing sugar to get to right texture! Spread over your cake and enjoy!

Spiritual Sundays

"The assurance of immortality also helps us bear the mortal separations involved in the death of our loved ones. Every one of us has wept at a death, grieved through a funeral, or stood in pain at a graveside. I am surely one who has. We should all praise God for the assured resurrection that makes our mortal separations temporary and gives us the hope and strength to carry on." -DALLIN H. OAKS OF THE QUORUM OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES

Since yesterday was the anniversary of Regan's brother Ryan's death and today is my sister Kelly's birthday I thought this was the perfect quote for today.

Foto Friday: Week 18

Blogger has been giving me headaches the last few days!! Couldn't log on or do anything! BOO to that!

But here is this week's Foto Friday!

10 on Tuesday

1. I am happily working with a great organization Tiny Light where I get to take pictures for sick kids!! They have a great new announcement over here.

2. It wads Lucy's last day of Ballet yesterday and.... well..... I totally forgot! Terrible i know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3. Finished another book called The Little Giant of Aberdeen County. I'm going to start a different one today. I've been crazy about reading lately!!

4. I went to Time out for Women with some great friends. It was so so so good. I liked the speakers and all of that too, but enjoyed the time with my friends just as much. (if not more :) )
Here's a shot of all of us Nichole took of us.

5. I was on a cleaning streak yesterday. And I plan on doing more today. For REAL I am going to get this house on the market soon!

6. My mom took Eli and Lucy for the weekend (Regan was on call) and Alden was at friends house. I am glad it worked out. But man I hate asking people to help me with my kids. Seems like lately I need a lot of help in that area and it drives me CRAZY.

7. School is winding down soon... crazy!!

8. Man my heart burn has been waaaaaay worse this time!

9. Ever seen this beautiful blog? I looove her work!!

10. I really need to get going on the day :)

Mother's day 2011

Not a lot to say, but I wanted to add some pictures Regan took yesterday of me and my kiddos.



I am grateful to be a mom, for my mom and for my mil.
I am blessed.

Foto Friday: Week 17

This week's theme is quite fitting for Sunday. I wanted to do a shot with my mom but she hasn't been in this week and won't be till this afternoon. So instead I went with MY motherhood. And since I am "in the mothering way" I went with my belly. I wanted to have Eli stand and put his hand on my belly but he just couldn't stay still for me.... so Lucy helped me out AGAIN. :)

Love the shot of Heather and her mom (both great ladies!!) and Mary's great color and crop!!

In the Craft Room: National Scrapbooking Day

is coming up (it's on the 7th of May). And today if you looked you could find a whole pile of free digital elements from different designers (to start the blog hop start here ). I downloaded a whole bunch of cute stuff today and made these two pages. I love using paper and stuff but sometimes just playing in photoshop is just so easy and fun!





Go download some free stuff!!

10 on Tuesday

1. I love Catherine's comments on my blog. They make me smile. IE Read yesterdays comments :) Her blog is funny, you should read it.

2. Yes it's a fact. Eli is potty trained. He is wearing diapers to bed (soon to be pull ups after I go buy some). Can't even believe it still, but I haven't changed a poopy diaper in 9 days. So I'd better believe it already!

3. Finished Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. SUCH a good book. I can't even explain to you how much I liked it. And how it made me feel validated in a lot of ways since I do cook from scratch most of the time and we do eat at home most of the time. I am now realizing how I can change more to help out by buying more local food. If you haven't read, it, read it.

4. Not that I want rain all day, but I will take it instead of snow.

5. That's about all i have to say today. so apparently it's 5 on Tuesday :)

In the Craft Room: Rock Star

It has been way to long since I scrapbooked. I had packed up my srapbooking / craft room to put our house up on the market (no I haven't gotten it on the market yet - this week!) And I have been going through craft withdrawal!!! And I couldn't find which box in the garage had the stuff in it. Well Saturday I went looking and found my paper. :) And it made me soooo happy to make a page. I've already printed other pictures and picked out my next page. :)



I got out my fabric and machine to make them accessible too so that I can sew somethings. Now that I am feeling a bit more energetic and WANTING to craft again more... I'm going too!!

How about you, made anything of any sort lately??

Spiritual Sundays

He Showed Us the Way to Return Home
“The Savior came to the earth to show us how to live the plan that was authored in heaven—a plan that, if lived, will make us happy. His example showed us the way to return home to our Heavenly Father. No other who has ever lived has been so ‘steadfast and immovable’ (Mosiah 5:15). He was never distracted. He was focused on carrying out the will of the Father, and He remained true to His divine mission. …

“You are a part of that wondrous plan that was presented in the premortal realms. Your coming to the earth now has been anticipated since the plan was accepted. Your position in time and place is no accident. Your ‘exceeding faith and good works’ (Alma 13:3) then has laid the foundation for what you may accomplish now if you are faithful and obedient. … You have a great work to do. In order to accomplish your divine mission and live the plan of happiness, you too must be steadfast and immovable.”

Elaine S. Dalton, Young Women general president, “At All Times, in All Things, and in All Places,” Liahona and Ensign, May 2008, 116.