We Love Sushi!

So I loved sushi since before Dan and I got married, but it was not something Dan had ever tried or wanted to. Then about 2 years ago he decided to try it. He didn't think he was crazy about it, but at the same time he didn't hate it. About 6 months later he decided to try it and has loved it ever since. They acutally have a sushi place here in Twin Falls now and it is really quite good. That is our treat when we have a "date" without the kids. Dan even has learned how to make California Rolls (they have cooked crab in them). The other night he decided to make some California Rolls to take in to work to eat and made a couple of extra for me. I decided to save mine for a treat today.

I weighed in at Weight Watcher this morning and made it back to my lifetime status where I don't have to pay (2 lbs within my goal weight)!! When I got home I got out my California roll for lunch. Caleb wanted a piece and wanted to dip it in the soy sauce so I let him try a piece. He ended up eating four pieces!! Dan and I were quite surprised as he is not a big eater. I think it is very true to a certain extent that kids pick up on the eating habits of their parents. We agreed that we hope he keeps up his interest in trying different foods. When he gets older we will definitely have to let him come for sushi with us sometime.

Reflections On A Week Almost Gone

It has been an interesting week. It started out on Monday when I had a lunch meeting with a woman who is trying to push her parenting class on the hospital and is trying to get money from anyone she can get to listen to her. The problem is she has a very offensive personality, is extremely opinionated and has certain views on the type of people that belong in her class and those who don't. Also, if you don't supporty her 100% then she has nothing decent to say about you. The other areas of the hospital have shunned her and I am her last ditch effort. I think she thought I had more power and access to money than I do.

Things got even more interesting when I got home that evening to find a letter on the counter for me. I have always loved mail and was excited to see who had written. When I looked at the name and the address on it I did not recognize at all. I opened it and a black and white picture fell out of myself and two other girls when we were in about 7th grade. I pulled the letter out and recognized the handwriting right away as belonging to one of the girls in the picture. The letter turned out to be an apology for how awful she treated me when we were growing up and how she regretted things. For those of you who didn't know this, I was picked on really badly by a good majority of kids in the small community I grew up in. The funny thing is that she was not one of the people that stood out in my mind as being one of the worst. In fact I thought she was decent to me the last couple years of school. However, I still appreciated the letter and wrote her back. I haven't been able to stop thinking about her letter all week. It has been 14 years since I finished high school and here I am reflecting on many things (which is obviously what she is doing as well).

On Thursday I successfully received the grant from Lowe's that I applied for, for our childbirth classes. They donated to us an excellent variety of home safety items for out infant safety and CPR class. Thanks Lowe's!! This was my first big project I pursued as the new Childbirth Education Coordinator.

Everybody in the house is doing great. Elton's ear infection is doing better, Caleb almost has the whole alphabet down, Max is just hanging out, and Dan is off to work for the weekend now.

Caleb On Wheels!!

Caleb got a tricycle yesterday. After making the purchase at Fred Meyer's, we took him to our local Safe Kids Coalition office and got him fitted with a bike helmet and pads. Safe Kids is wonderful. They provide the community with a free service of checking and installing car seats, fitting helmets, and providing home safety information. They also sell car seats, bike helmets and other gear at very low prices.

Do We Have Another Thomas Fan??

It looks like Elton might think trains are pretty cool like his big brother. Caleb loved the drive-in last night and stayed awake for the whole movie and did not think he was ready to go home yet when we left. I think I liked "Charlie and The Choclate Factory" better than the original, but although Dan liked this version, he says he sticks with the original. Caleb did not find it scary at all.
Dan is back at work tonight. When Caleb got up from his nap that was the first thing he asked for - Daddy! He was so upset about daddy being gone to work I caved in and bribed him with choclate. Now the boys are hanging out watching the new Baby Einstein DVD "Baby Wordsworth". Once again Baby Einstein has done it. I'm sure I speak for mother's everywhere when I sing the praises for these movies.

When Caleb was a baby that is how I got to take my showers and get ready. I can also say over time how I think the movies helped Caleb learn so many different things. He now goes to bed listening to the music from the movies.

Days Off With Daddy!!

Dan was off work yesterday and today so Caleb had big plans for him. Caleb's favorite things to do with Daddy is to take a shower and rebuild his train tracks. Yesterday when Dan got up they took a shower together and built the first train track. Then Dan found train track layouts for "Thomas The Train" online. He printed a bunch out and put a whole book together for Caleb. I tell you that it doesn't get more impressive than that - a daddy who can make a train track book!! Caleb was totally in awe and took the book to bed with him last night with the promise from daddy that they would build another setup in the morning. I think that Caleb's train table and Thomas the train toys were the best thing we got him into. Occasionally he will play with his other toys, but he mostly spends hours entertaining himself with his trains. You can really see his little mind at work. He is starting to learn that he can figure out how to configure the train track and he sounds so proud when he says "I did it!!".

Elton has a double ear infection and is trying as hard as possible to keep up his usual playful temperment. I also think he might be starting to teeth even though I don't see or feel anything yet.

Tonight we are all going to the drive-in and going to see "Charlie & The Choclate Factory". Dan and Caleb watched the old version "Willie Wonka & The Choclate Factory" a few days ago to get ready for tonight. This is about the easiest way for Dan and I to get to a movie right now. We tried it a couple of times with Caleb 2 years ago and would just let him sleep during the movie. I'm sure that's what Elton will do, but this time Caleb will probably stay awake for the movie.

Pool Fun

Today was Elton's first time in a swimming pool and Caleb's first time swimming this year. We went to Grandma's as she has access to a community pool for her subdivision. Caleb has always loved swimming pools and has absolutely no fear. He will jump into the pool whether you are ready to catch him or not. You really have to keep a close eye on him. He went under once when I was showing grandma how to use the camera and I had to fish him out. Elton was only in for a few minutes since I can't put sunscreen on him yet (one more month). I woke him up to take him in so he wasn't quite sure what was going on.

Cleaning The Closet

I spent Sunday and Monday afternoon in my closet. No, the boys did not drive me there. I decided it was time to pack up my maternity clothes and go through everything else. I packed all of my clothes that are bigger than what I am now wearing (the first time I've done this in the 5 years I've been at Weight Watchers). I think I was always scared too before because what if I needed them? Well, I have made up my mind that I'm not going to need them and so they don't need to be in my closet. The Mustard Seed (our church thrift store) was the recipient of the fruits of my labor.

Playing With Cousins

We just got the word last night that Anissa's (Dan's sister) girls had just gotten a new playset for their backyard and wanted Caleb to come over to play with them. Anissa's girls (Christa & Cassidy) are twins that will be 2 in August and are going to have a new little brother or sister around the beginning of September. So Caleb is 10 months older than his cousins and Elton will be around 6 months old when his new little cousin will arrive. When Caleb gets together with the girls there is a lot of running, screaming, jumping and anything else they can think of to spice things up. I can't imagine what it will be like when there is 5 of them running around together. While I think they are going to have a lot of fun together as they grow up I also know they are probably get each other into a few predicaments too.

Buzz Lightyear - To Infinity And Beyond ?

Have you ever paid attention to how everything is marketed to gain the interest of children? Caleb has been asking for "Buzz Lightyear" pull ups for weeks now. The majority of parents I have talked to have said that the pullups were a waste of money so not to bother. I have tried, and so far nothing else has gotten Caleb serious about potty training. Yes, he is a boy, and as most will tell you, he is not interested in potty training as he is too busy playing with his trains.

The other thing that people try to do is make you feel guilty about daycare. I will not feel guilty. Caleb loves his 2 days a week there and his little friends. He asks to go there.

Where am I going with all this? It seems like maybe 2 things are maybe working to get Caleb interested in potty training: watching kids at daycare use the potty and Buzz Lightyear. After picking Caleb up the last couple of days from daycare he has actually started verbalizing an interest on sitting on the potty. He also mentioned one of his little friends with Buzz Lightyear pullups. We went to Costco after church today and picked up a box of pullups. I told him that he could put one on after his nap. Since wearing Buzz, he has peed in the potty twice (probably too much detail for some of you) and is in bed eagerly awaiting morning so he can put Buzz back on. I am not getting my hopes up to high, but it is a start. If Buzz can get my kid to use the potty then more power to him!! As I sign off tonight I say "to infinity and beyond"!! This picture will go in his scrapbook and will be something to haunt him with as a teenager when he doesn't want to listen to mom!

Saturday

So it has been a pretty uneventful day around here. I went to Weight Watchers this morning and had a pretty good week. I have to say I love the meetings and the people there. I have been going to Weight Watchers for 5 years now and don't know what I would do without it. I eat a lot better, feel a hundred times better than before I joined and actually like clothes shopping. I'm not quite back to where I was before I got pregnant with Elton, but I know I can get there in time.

The boys got to go to grandma's house as Dan is working this weekend. Caleb really likes hanging out a grandma's and was very eager for me to leave this morning. As I was talking to grandma, he was pushing me to the door telling me "mommy go to work". He knows he gets free reign at grandma's and you can't beat that. I think that must be the great part about being a grandparent - you don't have to set rules or discipline them, and you get to send them home. He wasn't happy about leaving, but at least grandma sent him out the door with some "Winnie The Pooh" movies to borrow.

The Boys

After a long hot day here is what the boys in the house like to do: play and hang out.

Gotta Love Realtors!!

So I am in Twin this morning in a fetal monitoring class when my phone rings. It's our realtor saying that someone wants to show our house this afternoon. They aren't sure on a time, but they think somewhere between 1:30 and 3:00. I was too tired last night after they boys were in bed to clean so I can't say the house was in the greatest shape for showing. Dan worked last night and was sleeping, so I called to warn him. He had to cut his sleep short and get up and get the house ready. This has happened to us before and he is so great about getting the house in order. However, it is really frustrating when people don't show up. Needless to say they never showed. The only saving grace to Dan getting up early and getting the house ready was that another realtor called to show the house. My question: Do realtors not realize that a little notice and consideration (when someone in the house works night shift and you have a couple kids) would be nice. Dan has actually been in bed sleeping before when realtors have shown up to show the house without even a phone call. I think someone needs to write a realtor book of etiquette.

Jammy Days

The boys and I are having a jammy day today. It is so nice because we don't have to be anywhere or do anything today. We don't get many days like that. An energy drink for me (gotta have my caffeine), cartoons, Baby Einstein, toys, and we are set.

Need Help!!

So since I am new to this I am not quite sure how to do this and need help from any fellow bloggers out there on figuring things out. Please give me any suggestions or ideas you have so I can get this up and running.

New To Blogging

So I am new to this blogging thing and just trying it out. It seems like so many people are blogging these days I figured it was time to see if I could figure it out. I am hoping this will be a good way to keep all those family and friends not nearby updated on my life. So I guess I'll give it a shot and see how it goes.