It has begun

Here is a picture of me and what my mouth looks like now. It doesn't hurt, but there sure is a lot of spit involved. Apparently I will get used to it. Also, here is a picture of my arm, after the allergy testing (about 25 little shots). Most of the swelling has gone down. Poor me. No really, I am fine. Ellie also went back to the doctor today for the white spots on her tongue. Apparently it is some sort of virus (not catchy - FYI other mommy friends), and hurts a lot. So she has some mouth-washing stuff. We are healing up just fine and are grateful for insurance and doctors.

Trains

Adrina and I and the plunkos went on a train adventure today. We rode on the FrontRunner from SLC to Ogden. Then we had a nice lunch and then rode back. Except for everyone wanting a nap (except the small children?!) on the way back, it was quite fun! It was a great adventure and the train is very nice - everyone should try it sometime (but after Wednesday, you will have to pay).

Here is a copy of my piece this week. Write and show your support for charter schools.

http://www.transcriptbulletin.com/Opinion/Charter-school-to-give-parents-more-options

'The prophet said to plant a garden....'

So that's what we did. Last night the Herrons and the Korths went to plant our 2008 garden. We are sharing with Gary and it is huge!! We have five rows of peas, a huge pumpkin patch, three rows of onions, etc. It will be most excellent. Here are some pictures.

Matchie-matchie

Here they are! Ellie had just gotten up from her nap, so she was a little grumpy.

We have a potty

Yes, there is a potty and there was a potty (maybe even two). Here's the story. Ellie occasionally wants to sit on the potty. Nothing wrong with that! But then you have to hold her up there, on the big girl potty, and she's wiggly, etc. So we got her a little potty yesterday. She loves it. There is a green frog sticker on the potty. She carried it around with her yesterday and had to have it by her bed to go to sleep.

Well this morning, she was like 'potty!' So I took her jammies off and put her on the pot and went off doing my morning stuff: making the bed, getting dressed, collecting the laundry, etc. She comes over and says 'potty!" and I'm like "ok, nice!' But when I got over there -sure enough, we had USED the potty! (well, she had, not we). It was pretty exciting.

Unfortunately, now if you even whisper the 'P' word, she starts yelling 'potty' and wants to strip down and head up to the bathroom. We think she might have gone again this afternoon, because we are not sure where the wet spots came from, but whatever.

The other exciting news of our Saturday is that the real matchie-matchie dresses are DONE and will be worn to church tomorrow. (Stay tuned for a picture). Kellie is the BESTEST sewing teacher EVER! I know WAY more about sewing than I ever did before. To the extent that I ripped out the zipper AND the seam for my polka-dot skirt and re-did them, BY myself!

Wow, that only means like, four projects to go! I realize if you have been counting that this is more that I started with, but those cute little skirts for Ellie! And that one skirt I started a LONG time ago, that I found in the teapot bag, that just needed a hem - you can't hold those projects against me!

So for the record: 1) flower wall hanging 2) other flower wall hanging (ok, I love flowers and no allergies when they hang on the walls!) 3) t-shirt quilt 4) backyard wall hanging. That last one is like real quilting, which will be practice for the froggie quilt that I want to make for our next birthmom. Do you think she would like a cute green and blue quilt with princess frogs on it? I have to get cracking on the practice quilt - don't worry there is that apparent two-year-wait-to-adopt - so I'll have plenty of time to get the frogs done. Happy Saturday!

Ellie is my baby

Yesterday Ellie presented me with my first 'flower from my child' - from my collection out front. Here she is sticking it up her nose (small children- they have no logic - so do not try to reason with them) and then letting me sniff it.

Also, my sister Heather came to see me today and cousins Emma and Ellie had some applesauce (very popular).

Ellie has sort of figured out picture taking - so here is a self-portrait of us. I get my top-mouth-braces-thing next week - yah!??!?! If it works good - I only have to get TWO teeth pulled, not FOUR. I was consigned to two, four is definately worth a fight, so I am currently stretching out the top of my mouth by hand, so it will grow big and I can keep all my top teeths. Will that work?

Ellie's first FHE lesson

So Ellie and I practiced up and she 'gave' her first Family Home Evening lesson last night. She held up a picture of Jesus and said, "Follow Jesus." Well, that was how we practiced it. It was still really cute. We are feeling refreshed after our day of lazing about Monday and looking forward to finishing up our clothes sewing projects today with Kellie and gang!

Adoption days

We went to our adoption class today. A birthmom panel and an adult adoptee panel. It was nice. It is WAY windy here - crazy. I'm on no allergy drugs until Wednesday morning - UGH. We decided I WILL get braces. I go on Wednesday (anyone want to sit Ellie for like 3 hours on Wednesday morning?) to do stuff and see what comes next. AH! Any advice for former-braces wearer out there?

I finish some crafties

Today I finished like four crafty projects (don't tell Josh, that I DID actually buy more fabric - Ellie found some fabric like her blankie and was pulling it around the store yelling 'BLANKIE' so I got some and made a back-up blankie!) See attached pictures. The skirts still need hems (HELP KELLIE!), but the TEAPOTS are DONE (you are AWESOME Lori!) and on the wall!

Also note that Ellie expressed interest in getting dressed today (see the picture). She's SOSOS cute! Then she had a rare diaper-blow out (no pictures, sorry) so we changed outfits again.

Only five crafties to go! Here's this week's column:

http://www.transcriptbulletin.com/Opinion/Growing-city-library-is-good-news-to-readers

Wednesday widows

So Josh was also gone on Wednesday night (he just stayed in Logan), so I invited some of the other Wednesday night widows over (Bugs and Kellie) and we watched Bugs lay on the couch and feel ill and the kids run around. A good time was had by all. And that chocolate ice cream - YUM!

The zoo in the snow

Yes, Kellie and I and the four plunkos went to the SLC library today (awesome) and then we were brave and decided to go to the zoo. Only it started to snow. Hard. And kept snowing. And it was cold. And we looked at the animals. And then we came home. Pictures to come when I find the cable. Brrr!!

Running, flowers and ice cream

OK, here is the exciting wrap up of the last few days (it is a bad sign when I start composing bloggs in my head?)
1) Ellie has discovered ice cream on a stick. She ate two in a row yesterday (see photo) and would NOT share (but did let mom help with some licks).
2) Sara and I ran 3.1 miles in 32 minutes! We did a run on Saturday and we are both still alive (but we did not win any of the raffle prizes, even though we stayed an extra 1.5 hours, which is slightly pissy).
3) The first daffodil is up! Spring is here! It is awesome! (drive by and see it, and its blooming neighbors.) Bugs, I saw your lovely flower - it looks great!

Here are some more links to stuff we are doing:
http://www.transcriptbulletin.com/Opinion/Citizen-involvement-makes-good-government

http://www.parentprofiles.com/profiles/db21760.html

Breathing with all your lung

Or maybe with all your lungs? MAN - life is good! So I came home from the allergist and washed all our bedding (ok, so I do change the sheets - but like how often do you normally wash all your blankets AND pillows??) That is suppose to kill all the dust mist poo (yes, it is the poo that you are allergist to, not the dust mites themselves). And I took some new drug and when I went to bed - HOLY HANNAH! I could REALLY BREATHE. This may sound basic, but I think I have not been breathing so well all these weeks. Wow, it is totally awesome. That's my happy news. And Josh is coming home today. And my flower seedlings are sprouting! Even if it is snowing all the time.

Tired

Man, I am tired. Ellie and I spent Monday afternoon until 7 a.m. Wednesday in Logan with Josh. It was awesome - they have STORES there! Plural! I went to Michaels and got a bunch of child-happy crafties, to entertain small and medium sized children. So if you have some, bring them over!

This morning (like 25 minutes after I finally got to sleep), it was time to come back to Logan. I had some allergy testing. I am EXTREMELY allergic to sagebrush - good thing we are living here in Tooele-land right!? AHAHAHAHA -it is like sagebrush CAPITAL around here!!!!! (see picture at right).

I had the basic test and then more actual needle shots to determine levels of reaction to: most trees, most grass, dust mites. There is not ONE place in the world without some of those things!!! They eventually sent me home because 'you are really sensitive, we need to do more testing later - but right now we need to send you home because your system is freaking out.' Yah! After 3 days in the spring with no allergy drugs !?!?!?

Anyway, we came home and I wanted to take like a 3 hour Benadryl-induced-coma-nap, but Ellie only wanted to sleep for like 25 minutes - WHY!??!?!?!?! Anyway, I am trying to grade homework and making cupcakes for the playgroup kids tomorrow. Happy Wednesday nigh! Josh gets home tomorrow - yah!!!!

The dress is done!

Yes, we are half way toward our goal of having matchie-matchie dresses for me and Ellie. (Still waiting to see if Josh will wear a matchie-matchie tie). Here is Kellie - my fabulous sewing teacher- and the finished product! We are cutting out my dress today. Happy cutting!

The mural - WOWOWOW

Happy Conference weekend! Heather, Jason, Emma and Sara all came to our house to celebrate conference. It was a blast, we ate (too much), napped, talked, and.....

worked on the farm mural for Ellie's bedroom. If you live near me - come and see it on Monday! (we will be going to Logan on Monday afternoon). Happy week!

Plasma races

Yes today at playgroup Stacee and Bugs had a race on the plasma cars. I am not sure who won, but a good time was had by all. Abby fell asleep in my lap and I had a nice cuddle with Mallory AND Lola.

Heather and Jason and Emma and Sara are coming for our Battlestar Galactica party! We will be having Battlestar Tacos and Number 6 cake (lush cake) along with Adama eye candy (candy). EHEHHE. It will be AWESOME! Watch a clip at http://www.scifi.com/ and get caught up!

Cooking Club - desserts!

Yes, tonight was the famous Tooele Third Ward Cooking Club night featuring...desserts! It was AWESOME! There were 17 fabulous ladies in our kitchen eating desserts (chocolate bread pudding, lushing pineapple angel food cake, cream puffs, chocolate turnovers, nilla wafer/peanut butter cookies, rice crispy treats) and chatting - very fun. Here is a picture of me making cream puffs, I was really much more excited than I look. Also some pictures of our guests.

Ellie and I went to the Living Planet Aquarium this morning with Cousin Elizabeth and her kiddos Philip and Amelia. Here is a picture of Ellie and Philip - SOSOS cute! It is a great deal - $15 for a year membership for an adult - and Ellie gets in for free for another year! We REALLY enjoyed looking at the fishies and crawling around in the play area.