My Week So Far

It's been a busy week with lots going on, school starting, playdates, parties... A full week, but a great week. I love the start of school because I like falling back into a set routine. I think I thrive with routine just as much as my kids do. It's fun to be spontaneous and flexible, but I get so much more done during the day when drop offs, pick ups, naps help to organize my time better. Anyways I thought I'd blog a bit about some happenings:

• Sophie has loved her 1st week in 3rd grade and is especially excited that in "Technology" she gets to work with Apple computers. Adrian had a wide grin when she wrote on one of her homework papers, "if I had 100 dollars I would by an Apple computer". Sounds like soon Adrian and Sophie will be ganging up on me to join the Mac-side. I still stubbornly like Windows.

• Benjamin can pee standing up! I don't know why I was excited for this milestone as it's been my pain to clean up the bathroom!

• Nina loves frozen peas! Christina's little Leah loves them so I tried it out and it's become a favorite snack for Nina.

• Benjamin can't wait for preschool to start and asks everyday if he can go to preschool, but his preschool doesn't start for another couple of weeks. I totally think it's a scam - we have to pay for the whole month of September even though they only have like a week and a half of regular classes. Oh well, other than that I absolutely love his preschool and he gets to have the same teacher this year that Sophie had when she was 4.

• Sophie has not complained about doing homework at all thus far and they have had them write a bit, which is her least favorite thing to do. I really hope this non-complaining trend continues.

• Sophie has complained about practicing piano and I am willing to take any advice to make that a more enjoyable experience for us both. :)
  

• Overtime just, well... sucks. Sorry that's sounds a bit harsh, but Adrian putting in much longer work hours has been rough. He's got a lot going on a work right now and needs to do this, but because he's usually out the door bright and early, I no longer have the alone-getting-ready-time that I used to have while Adrian got the kids breakfast. Argh! I think, however, that Adrian is enjoying the new schedule since he's such a morning person... Still having a hard time understanding how anyone can be a morning person... :) The closest thing I resemble in the morning is a tired grizzly bear! :)

• Nina loves facing forward in her carseat! Her first day facing forward was Monday and as soon as I put her in her carseat and she realized it was switched around she started waving her arms and legs and making happy sounds! :) She has especially liked being able to see the DVD screen now and all car trips have so far been such a treat for her. I'm sure the novelty will wear off soon. :)
  

• I love my new i-Pod playlist, which coincidentally has a lot of the same songs from Cami's wonderful playlist she played at giant journaling. Love those SYTYCD tunes!! Must also acknowledge a heavy influence from the Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse playlists (well the calmish songs from those playlists - man, turns out Stephenie Meyer is a rocker-chick!! :)). Here's the playlist in full:

1. A Narnia Lullaby (this is the one that Mr.Tumnus plays for Lucy)
2. Breaking the Habit - Linkin Park
3. Hide and Seek - Imogen Heap
4. Come Again - Sting (oh, this is a beautiful song from his Songs from the Labyrinth album)
   
5. Hamburg Song - Keane
6. The Moment I Said It - Imogen Heap
7. Sing for Absolution - Muse
8. Can't Take it In - Imogen Heap (from the Narnia soundtrack)
9. Hey There Delilah - Plain White Ts
10. Ruled by Secrecy - Muse
11. Every You Every Me - Placebo
12. Night of the Dancing Flame - Roisin Murphy
13. Time is Running Out - Muse
14. Infra-Red - Placebo
15. Here With Me - Dido
16. Running Up that Hill - Placebo (great cover of a favorite Kate Bush song)
17. My Immortal - Evanescense
    
18. Dawn - Pride and Prejudice soundtrack (picture Mr. Darcy walking through the field :))
    

Sophie's 1st Day of 3rd Grade

Sophie had a great day today, her 1st day of 3rd grade - can you believe she's that old!! These were some pics we took before school.

Pay It Forward Exchange

This exchange has been on many friends blogs, so I thought I'd play along (not to mention I get a homemade gift from Kellie - thanks Kellie!!)

Here's the blurb on it:

I will send a handmade gift to the first three (3) people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. You may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog. (So, you must have a blog to participate.)

August Art Pic

So this month's art pic was inspired by a trip while on vacation to a little art gallery/shop on Center Street in Provo that specializes in Christensen prints. Adrian and I know this little gallery well because it is right next to our favorite deli - Hickory Kist. When we were young marrieds at BYU I worked at First Security Bank on 9th East and Adrian worked at a small computer company on Center St. so we used to always meet for lunch at Hickory Kist. And then if we had time we'd stroll down Center St. and look in this little gallery. It has always specialized in Christensens, well at least since I was in high school.

This time it had quite a few worked by his daughters. (Ashlee, I know you really like their works and at this little shop some prints actually weren't as expensive as you would think. Maybe they have a web site?) I was especially struck by Christensen's angel paintings. When I think of Christensen the first thing that pops into my mind are poofy clothed, funny, fairy-tale type paintings, but these angel ones seem far more moody and how I love moody art! :) So this one was my favorite and I hope you like it too:

Men and Angels - James Christensen (I couldn't find a date for it)

Successes!!!

Warning: this is a potty post... :)

This is the potty-training update I was hoping to do and it's coming true... Ben has kept his Pull-Ups dry for a day and a half now and that is including last night!!! YAY!! We ended up doing the Pull-Up thing because he has more fear of making the little cars in the front disappear if he pees on them then of peeing in underwear or on the floor - go figure, wouldn't you think the later would be more traumatic?? Anywho, I am so happy with his progress!! I must say that I think a turning point was yesterday. Ben had a little playdate with Eli over at Christina's and actually went in Eli's cool musical potty-chair. Then sweet Christina had a "potty parade" for Ben, picking him up and marching him around her house singing "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" and letting him pick a treat from Eli's special potty treat jar. I think it worked like a charm! Christina, you are a good friend for getting so excited for Ben's success and helping out the potty situation immensely! Ever since that potty parade Ben has gone in the potty! We've been having lots of rounds of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow"! It has just been #1's, but I'm not going to worry about the #2's right now - I'm fine with letting him go in the Pull-Up and changing it after, I'm sure that will come in time. (Man, is that just a little too much detail for all of you not in the middle of potty training?? I feel like potty talk has taken over my whole vocabulary at the moment. Sorry.)

So we still have lots to work on, switching over to underwear and making sure Ben tells us when he has to go (he has a couple of times now)... But I am happy with the progress and hopeful it will continue. Yay!

Recipe Swap

Think I need to post and think about something other than potty-training so I don't go crazy. (Yeah PT is still not going so well...many accidents, only 1 success and that was yesterday right after my last post...) So I think I'll post about recipe swap last night. By about 7 o'clock last night I was frazzled to say the least and was so happy to get out of the house and leave the bedtime routine to Adrian. So off I went to recipe swap. It was a boost to get out of the house and enjoy the company of the wonderful women in our ward. The conversation was great and the food was awesome. It was nice to forget my day as I chatted. The theme last night was desserts and all the dishes were delicious. I myself took a thawed frozen Oreo cream pie (Edwards brand). I just wasn't up to cooking yesterday with all the potty trips and clean ups. (We had McDonalds for dinner.) Out of guilt tho, I'm going to post the recipe I would have made if I felt up to it. It's a really easy cream cheese pie that sets up incredibly quickly.

No Bake Easy Cheesecake

8 ounces cream cheese

14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

9” graham cracker crust

21 ounce can of your favorite pie filling, chilled

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually add the milk; stir until well blended. Stir in the lemon juice and vanilla. Pour the filling into the crust and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Top with pie filling before serving.

Potty Day 1 Update

3:45pm. Not so good news so far. Frustration has definately set in for me, but I'm still keeping a smiling stiff upper lip around Ben. He's had...uh I think 4 or 5 accidents at this point and has not once told me he needs to go before peeing or doing a #2 in his underwear (and of course on the couch or floor). I have some serious laundry to do. I'm quickly losing faith that this attempt is going to work out. I've started searching Cami and Ashlee's blogs for PT tips and have gone onto the Dr. Phil website too. I think I'm going to try to hurry and make a personalized potty book for Ben - get the pictures today and make it on the computer tonight. Oh, what I really want is a break right now. This was not the update I was hoping to do, but venting about it via blog has, surprisingly, helped me feel a bit more positive... Time for another trip to the potty with Ben...