Lessons learned: This week - Macaroni

Angela LOVES macaroni. (AKA Kraft Dinner) But, when you don't find it on sale for $0.67 a box like I did *this* week, it runs for a dollar more and I'm not always willing to pay for it now that it only lasts 1 meal with Angela and Audrey eating it as opposed to the 2 or 3 when it was only Angela. So, while I was getting some treats at Bulk Barn (Best place ever. Love it.) I saw a container of Mac and Cheese powder. I thought, this is excellent. It's KD sauce and I can buy my own macaroni and make it for cheaper!!!!

Now, in the past, I have learned that there are just certain things that you do not try to replace. Like using "no name" shortening instead of Tenderflake or Crisco... FAIL. Do not do it. When we go shopping together and I say "I wonder if I can use "such and such" instead..." Jamie usually says, "Don't do it. Just pay for it or you will regret it." And at least half the time he's right. (It's probably more, but we'll just give him the 50% so I feel better!)

Anyhow, I thought for sure the cheese sauce would be fine!! I bought "ABC" pasta's and Ange and I journeyed home to prepare our new delicious meal..........

Well. I made it. I tasted it. I hated it.

I gave it to Ange thinking she won't care and she took 1 bite and spat it out and said "Mommy, it's 'isgusting." LOL I laughed so hard. So I failed at the processed cheese powder and luckily found some KD on sale for this week to make up for the failed event.

There are just some things you cannot replace!!

Hmm...

There were 2 beautiful baby boys born last week to friends of ours. They are just perfect little babes!

We found out this week that we will be having another girl. I am glad to know that we won't have to put a boy in a pink girls room! lol I was a little worried about that..... We haven't decided on names or anything else at the moment. I don't think we can even believe this is still happening. I certainly didn't think we would be having any more children! I guess it's a reminder that our plan isn't always going to go according to "our" plan.

It's been an emotional week as well. I mean, this has been the most emotional of all my pregnancies... I get choked up during the On-Star commercial when the pregnant lady gets in an accident and her husband says "I'm on my way!!" Haha. But while these beautiful babies are being born, I have learned of a few other friends who were not as fortunate and lost their sweet babies. There are only so many words that can be said to comfort. I cannot imagine the feelings that are going through their hearts as they had to say goodbye to their sweet angels.

I am lucky enough to have two healthy girls who I get to tuck in every night. And when they are asleep, I go back in their rooms and re-cover them with blankets and watch them dream. I rub their faces and memorize the contours of their face. I always walk out of the room and say to Jamie "I love our girls". Those few simple moments to watch them peacefully and dream and hope for them are so precious. I now understand why my mom used to come in to our rooms late at night and kiss our foreheads even as we were young adults.

I am so grateful for the beautiful gospel that we have. I can only imagine how my friends are feeling, and sympathize with them as much as I can. And I know that through the gospel, and the sealing blessings that are available to us, we will see these angels again. I wish them all the strength and love that I have that they will be comforted. I do not know the answers to why but I have been reminded for the last two months of the scriptures Isaiah 41:10. "Fear not, for I am thy God. Be not dismayed for I am with you." I wake up in the mornings thinking these lines. I keep it with me and it is most cherished. I am grateful that there is someone who knows how we feel at all times and that we can go to Him and lay these feelings at His feet, and He will help us carry them. I know I cannot do it on my own.

Another day, another story...

.... Actually, that's not really accurate because my days are pretty repetitious!

Everything is coming along! Jamie is working and enjoying it. He is such a great dad and spends time with his little girls whenever he gets the chance. Some days they only get to see him on the rides to and from the train and it can be difficult on them. More so for Angela because she misses him so much! She loves when they go on walks or to the park or play soccer. She always comes home with a leaf or a rock for me! :) And she is so excited to tell me what they did. She talks so much these days and sometimes I can't figure out how she learned to say what she did! :)

Audrey is a crazy girl! Way more active than Angela ever was. She opens every drawer and pulls everything out! She constantly plays in the toilets if the doors aren't locked!! Good thing they're always flushed....... Haha! And Angela always closes them in to rooms. Like a dark closet, or their bedroom or she closes all the doors and they are stuck in the hallway! It is really funny sometimes. Every time I find them in the closet, Audrey is sitting in the wicker basket wrapped in my super fluffy and soft robe. It is really cute how she'll just sit there rubbing the softness! She looks like she will doze off even if she's just woken up. She also climbs everywhere! If she is on our bed, she'll crawl backwards until she slips off. Or if she's on the couch and the ottoman is in the way, she'll just slide backwards over the arms! She is a nut!

We find out on Thursday what the gender of the next little one will be. We've had a few friends have babies this week and it brings back all the memories and feelings of the previous ones. I start to feel anxiety! I don't like not having control and I have a hard time relieving it when it's inevitable! We are planning another home birth so we'll see how it goes.

I am very excited for Christmas!!!! I have already planned a Pampered Chef party just for fun! Woo hoo! And a friend and I have planned a cookie exchange for the last 2 years so we are on to our 3rd and I hope it's a good turn out! It's fun to hang out with friends and get a nice assortment of cookies for entertaining! I plan on making homemade fondant chocolates again this year. They will be way better than last year! Last year we didn't boil the fondant long enough, so it will be easier this year after going through the trial period last year!

Oh, and we are having Audrey's 1st birthday party, so I have to go do the invites!!!

Magic Bullet!!!

Ok - For years I have watched the infomercial for the Magic Bullet... And loved it!

The funny actors they get to come in - LOL - So funny. And how easy is it?! Oh heck! Now, I don't fancy all the microwaving they do, but that can be replaced with proper cooking!

Well, one wonderful day this week... We were at Costco, and they had the regular deal for $50!!! SWEET! So, Angela was the deal-breaker. We asked her, and at first she said "No" because it didn't look so exciting to her. And then she saw the coloured cups and says *gasp* "GREEN!!!!!!!!" And that was it.... SOLD!

So..... Tonight..... I am making quesadillas for dinner. We'll see how it goes guys! We'll see how it goes.... I made an omelet this morning, but I had the wrong blade on so it didn't break up the peppers. Oops! Still tasted great though!

Oh, baby!

Well, life has been eventful as always and we can finally take a breath! Almost...

Firstly, we are having another baby. This one is due February 24th, 2010. 3 babies under 3!! Good work Jackie and Jamie.. Sheesh! lol

Also, Jamie is going to be HOME all the TIME! YAY! Jamie has changed jobs and got a job in Toronto with RBC! He is looking forward to it and is grateful for this new opportunity.

Angela is quite the chatterbox. She was talking to dad on the phone the other day (They went out to Alberta to visit with my mom's family) and she told him that she was eating a hot dog and grapes and she spilt her water on the couch. lol I got on the phone to help him understand what she'd said and he said he understood it all!! lol She loves to call Jamie when he's not home and tell him what's happening at home.

Audrey is a crazy girl! She crawls super fast. and she took 7 steps this week!

This baby is making me as sick as I was with the girls. Some days are great and some days I just want to sleep allllllll day long. I had a dream the baby was a boy! I kind of hope it is so that Jamie can have a little guy to play with.

And other than that, we are just enjoying having daddy home for all of August!! We got a zoo pass and we're going to take the girls to the temple to see it. It is going to be great.

There is only one thing that I want right now..... My passion for cooking. It has disappeared!!! I just never want to cook! I just stand there and stare at the food thinking "What should I make?...." or "I do not want to cook....." Which is so not me!! I love to cook!! I think it's the summer. I just hate cooking in the summer. Winter is so exciting. Soups and roasts and mmmmmmm.

AND CHRISTMAS! I am getting ready already!! Can't wait!

July!

Holy camoly I cannot believe it is the end of July!!

(Before I begin, I do not remember if I wrote about my finger injury that happened the day before my birthday.... But if I did, I'll check later, lol, the finger nail has finally fallen off!! It is a sad looking finger, that's for sure!)

Time flies!! This summer has been busy and fun filled for the kids. Going to the parks, swimming, zoo.... Angela is sporting a lovely tan!

It has been nice and cool and quite frankly, even though everyone else hates it, I am SO grateful. This is our second year in our home and we do not have air conditioning, so it has been a real blessing for us. We keep the windows open at night and the house is cool until about 3PM, and by then it's cooling off outside again! I hate to jinx it, but I hope the rest of the summer is just as beautiful!

Angela is getting so big. Oh my goodness. She says so much! She knows several books off by heart - Goodnight Moon, Pajama Time, The Going to Bed Book, Hippos Go Berserk, to name a few. She is potty trained as long as I hide the diapers from her! lol She will totally put on a diaper so she doesn't have to go on the potty! What a baddy.

She loves to sing and dance. In the car we almost always sing: Book of Mormon Stories, I Wiggle, Popcorn Popping, Sunbeam, Fun To Do, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Twinkle Twinkle. Those are some of her favorites and she'll say "Song?? How 'bout..... Hmm...." While she puts her finger on her lips. lol

She is very helpful with Audrey. She will run and ask her if she's okay, she'll say "Audrey! What're want?" lol Every morning and after naps she throws open her arms and says "OOD MORNING!" (Yes, the G is supposed to be missing!) She brings her food and treats or shoves her soother in if she wants it. She also says "Shhh. Audrey, be quiet!!!" If Audrey is crying.

She has learned emotions as well. If you look sad she says "Mommy sad? Are you okay?" And she'll come give you a hug. She loves to hug during the Barney song too. lol She also does "squishies" where she hugs you really tightly!

Audrey is a nut!! She's still taking a couple steps. She crawls up the back cushions of the couch in my bedroom and grabs ahold of the bar on my bed and pulls herself up! Crazy girl. She still has no teeth. She looks so cute because she has such a huge smile!! The lack of teeth however do not stop her love of food and eating. This kid could eat for HOURS if there was an endless supply!! She ate a taco the other day courtesy of Grampa. She ate those lemon and orange gummy slices that are covered in sugar, you get from Bulk Barn?? Anyhow, she just gnawed and the piece came off!! lol She loves food. She is very good at ripping it apart with her little gums.

The kids are also on a schedule which is totally amazing. Audrey was never on a schedule other than the fact that she'd go to bed every night! lol For a couple months she would only take 2 1-hour naps in the day and it drove me crazy!! Finally she started taking naps and now she's usually awake by 8am, nap from 10-1, nap from 3.30-6 and then she goes down for the night at 8.30-9! It's fantastic since Angela didn't start a routine until she was 1!!

Anyhow, everything is great. We are doing well. We love our family and friends and have had lots of fun this summer!

We are also excited as David gets home from his mission in November and Sarah will be getting married this fall! Lots of exciting things happening!

Summmmmmmmmer!

Goodness, I cannot believe how time passes! 

We had a lovely family birthday party for Angela's 2nd birthday. It was great to have our family in our home - Even though it was a bit smushy! 

She is such a character, our Angela. She can make you laugh hysterically or grab your face and say "I lub you" when you're feeling down. She has tea parties with her dolls and Audrey and puts her toys to sleep in the drawers of her dresser. She sings songs and does actions to many church songs. She is a smart little cookie! She counts to 20. She loves wearing eyeshadow if she sees me putting it on and makes sure that all her fingers and toes have nail polish on as well. lol 

The other day in the pool, Amber sprayed her with some water, and she said "Oh no! My hair!!" Haha, she is my daughter, that's for sure!

We had uncle Ben come and visit for 10 days and she loved sitting next to him and playing on his computer! 

When we drop Jamie off at the train station, she always says "Wave to daddy!!!!" And she shouts "Bye daddy!! Lub you!!!!" And when we go to get him she anxiously says "Where daddy?! Ohhhh he coming!!!"

She tries to pick Audrey up if she sees her crawling, and she hugs her (often around the neck so Audrey doesn't like it much!!) And she takes great care of her by giving her treats, her soother if it falls, and blankies when she's asleep or in her car seat. If Audrey cries she says "It's ok, sweetharr." and kisses her. 

Audrey is already 8 months. I cannot believe how fast the time flies!!! She's just my little baby and now she's standing and trying to walk!! She is so active and she is definitely a mommy's girl. She wants to be held all the time now! 

The girls often lie awake  and giggle and laugh together. Angela throws her toys into Audrey's crib and Audrey just laughs. It's so cute. 

If Angela is in the bathtub, Audrey stands next to it slapping the edge. Angela will start splashing her and they have such a fun time together. It's so great to see them love each other so much.

I love my family so much and I am so excited for everything to come!