What's the latest?

Since my blogging is almost nonexistent these days, I thought I better write something before people start not checking it altogether. But I can say that my disappearance has been justified.

You see, first off, I'm about 11 weeks pregnant with baby #4. I feel like I'm going to loose the contents of my stomach every waking moment of the day. If I move, I get severely nauseated. My kids probably think I'm dying from all the laying around I'm doing these days. We are excited, but boy am I ready to be over this first part. I usually clear around 12 weeks, so I'm crossing my fingers that it's the same this time.

Secondly, I've been  fluish sick for a straight two weeks now. I eventually ended up on antibiotics, but I think it amplifies my nausea. The bright side is, I'm not blowing my nose every five seconds and I only have one more day left of the medicine. Although my throat feels a little soar right now...not a good sign.

Thirdly, I don't have a camera right now. So sad. Sophia killed our last working camera last Monday during family home evening. We carved pumpkins and when I asked her to take a picture, she dropped it right on the lens. Without pictures, I loose the motivation to blog. I better figure out something, because the holidays are coming up quick!!!

But on a brighter note, I completed and executed my second Primary program today. The kids did amazing and I was very proud of them. I have THE BEST chorister ever. She's amazing! Gabriela sang a solo again to "Follow the Prophet." She eats that kind of stuff up. And for the record, I did not write my child a solo into the program. The chorister picked her to do it. I don't want people getting the wrong idea since she sang a solo last year as well.

Sophia is taking horse back riding lessons (maybe I'll have pictures one day). She absolutely loves it with every fiber of her being. It has been the best thing for her and Julianne has overcome her fear of horses since she goes and watches every week with me. She brushes it, helps saddle it, leads into the arena by herself, and is really really good at riding. She started trotting last week and she can weave the horse through cones all by herself. Her teacher told me that most kids her age get stuck on one skill for a month or so, but with Sophia, she teaches her something new each week.  Another trainer actually commented on her last week as well. Who knows where we'll go with this?

Gabriela lost her first (well really her second) tooth yesterday. She has had this wriggly tooth for like two weeks and the other tooth has actually popped up behind it because it wouldn't get out of the way. It was never really loose enough for me to feel confident I could pull it out. Well yesterday, Gabriela and I were talking about it and she told me she had an idea. She's been full of ideas lately and most of them are pretty good ones. Anyways, she proceeds to tell me that she needs some of that stuff you put on your teeth and you can't feel them anymore. Are you talking about Orajel? I told her I didn't think I had any of that stuff, but I got up to check the medicine cabinet just to humor her. I did not think this was going to work. Well low and behold, right there, front and center, was the Orajel. I gave her a tiny drop on her finger and she sticks it in her mouth. It wasn't three seconds later, that she didn't pop that tooth right out of there on the first attempt. It shocked her. It shocked me. I was totally impressed. She has carried that tooth around 24/7. She actually lost it last night and was devastated because she couldn't put it under her pillow. We found it later and then to my horror, I noticed she had taken it to church and had it out showing it to her primary teacher up on the stand. I could not believe she brought it to church and I apologized profusely to her teacher about it. I will be happy when the tooth fairy comes and picks that thing up!

And lastly, our biggest challenge right now is Sophia and the potty. The child has reverted back to peeing and pooping her pants. Don't know why? Can't figure this one out. It is about to kill me though. She was completely potty trained for six months at least. Now it's like she has no bladder or bowl control. My only guess is that she just holds it and when she decided to go, it's too late. It is gross, frustrating, and did I mention gross. But here's the crazy thing. She wakes up in the middle of the night to go potty, just about every night. I guess she's not distracted at night. I don't know. Who knows?

Today was definately refining

Man alive, has it been tough around here this week. We've got every ailment under the sun under one roof. I've been sick since Sunday. Call it a head cold, call it the flu, call it what you want, but it is miserable. I think my voice is going to go out tomorrow, because it has moved into my lungs and the coughing is killing my throat. Julianne ended up with a double eye infection and taking her to the doctor is like taking a cat to the carwash. Not a good thing and then you have to WWF her to get the eyedrops in her eyes. She runs away proclaiming, "I don't want toooo!!!"

Well then Gabriela has the Egore eye today, so I started her on drops and then Sophia's complaining that she doesn't feel well either. She coughs here and there, but nothing serious...that is until about 7:00 tonight when she starts crying about how bad her ear hurts. I make and afterhours appt. for her and take the perscription to Walgreens. As we are standing in line, she pukes in the floor, right in front of the massive crowd around the pharmacy. I was kind of stunned and didn't know what to do next. I eventually, with the kind suggestion from a spectator, rush her off to the bathroom where I strip her of her jammies, wash her off, and zip her into my jacket and we bolt for the door.

Oh and did I mention Julianne is naughtier than ever and has taken full advantage of me everytime I try to lay down and get some rest. I rented and movie for the girls today and while I was watching with them she was upstairs, ditching her diaper, and pooping in Sophia's closet. Yep, you read that right! She pooped in the closet. It's actually a really large amoir, but sill, who does that? But before I discovered that I had to make my way up the stairs trying not to step on the entire bag of trail mix that she dumped down the stairs. Not one peanut, chocolate chip, or cranberry left in the bag. I think I'm going to lease her out for a year. Anybody want a naughty two year old. She has a great smile, but that's about it lately.

It's hard not to get depressed at times like this. The house looks like a bomb went off, I feel like I am a walking time bomb, and well I feel like I've been hit by a bomb, so my spirits are a little down and out. I can't really rest because I have naughty preschoolers who as soon as they know Mom is laying down, drag kitchen chairs over to the pantry to start their rade. It never fails and what is more astonishing is that they think I can't hear them. Anyways, I'm tired and am going to bed. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.

The Blessing of Your Health

Today I'm a little down. I just hasn't been a good one for me. Primarily because of the way I'm feeling. It all started about 12:30 last night when I woke up and realized I couldn't breath. I got up hoping to find my inhaler next to my bedside, but soon realized it wasn't there. I started fumbling around my room, and then made my way to the kitchen, the medicine cabinet, the bathroom, my purse, back to my bedroom, under the bed, and all the while feeling more anxious than ever, that I NEEDED THAT MEDICINE! I was starting to panic as I was gasping for air. Finally on a whim I started searching underneath the piles of clothes in my room and finally found it.  I guess I should keep my room a little cleaner from now on, so stuff doesn't get hidden under other stuff.
Once I took the medicine, I went back to bed and when I woke up in the morning, I could tell I was still symptomatic. And the day has pretty much been the same. How is that only a few weeks ago, I was healthy enough to compete in a triathalon, and now I can't walk up the stairs without gasping for air. It's frustrating, it's defeating. My allergies are what triggers it and it is apparent that fall is just as bad a spring for me. I also think I could be coming down with a cold and that could be triggering it as well.  It just really makes me grateful for my health when I have it. I don't want to be on inhalers and medication my whole life. But it seems, I just can't do without them right now. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm actually looking forward to winter, so that everything that grows is buried under a foot of snow. Maybe then I'll find some relief.

A Sneak Peak

 We had our picture taken by a friend in the ward, and I went to bed in sheer joy last night. It was the best family photo session we've had to date. Mostly due to the fact that my kids cooperated and were happy. Christina was great with the kids. We got in and out and everyone was still happy when we were done. And then I saw the pictures and my heart melted. I was actually seeing the fruitition of and idea I had months ago. Back when I picked the patterns, the fabrics, the location. It all came together and I just couldn't be happier. I just wanted to give a sampling here. I've got to save some for Christmas cards, right? You can see the rest at http://www.handsfullphotos.blogspot.com/

A Follow Up

After posting last week, it hit me that I can't change everything all at once. If there is going to be change, it has to happen little by little. So I determined last week that I would focus on our bedtime routine. It has made such a difference for us. We have done our best to get our kids in bed by 8:30 with a routine that starts at 7:40 if we can help it. We read for twenty minutes, get jammies on, pick out our clothes for the next day, brush teeth, and then say prayers. I initially wanted to spend part of that time putting their room back together, but that hasn't worked out yet. My friend suggested we do a five minute pick up with a timer. So maybe we'll try that next week. But I'm realizing even a little bit of a routine is better than none.

Seeking Motherhood Mentor.............................Quickly!!!

Man alive, I feel like a chicken with my head cut off. I'm flying by the seat of my pants most of the time. I don't make advanced decisions and am the world's worst about consistency. I have awesome intentions and can make a plan with the best of them. The problem is, I can't do it. No, not really, I can do it, but there is nothing that makes me do it, and I simply fall back into playing defense. Maybe I need a sticker chart!

I need a good offense. I need a coach!!! Anybody want to volunteer to be my mentor? I just need someone to help me make a plan and then hold me to it. Check up on me each week. I know my life would run much smoother and I would feel like I'm ahead of the game instead of always running to catch up.

For example, this morning I don't wake up until 7:10 and then realize that I'm late and I need to get Gabriela up and going. She hates being woken up and tells me she doesn't like this family and she only smiles when I'm not around. That made me feel just peachy. By the time I get her to school it's 8:15 and then I have to rush home to get Sophia up, fed, showered, and to preschool by 9:00. I send her to school with soaking wet hair, Julianne with soaking wet hair, and me still in my workout clothes unshowered. I know there is a better way of doing this. I should be getting up at 6:00, showering, reading my scriptures, and making Miguel a lunch all before 7:00. We should be laying out clothes the night before and the kids should have a specific bedtime. There is just no accountability. I wish I was just that disciplined but I'm not.

Any suggestions, people?
How do you stay consistant?

It's Always Fun When the Millers Come!!!

This post is long overdue, but it has been nonstop since the end of August, so I'm doing a lot of catching up. The girls have looking forward to their cousins coming into town for months. They love them so much and there was a lot of anticipation for their arrival. And once they did, it was nonstop action for a week. We started off with a family bowling night. My kids loved it, especially since they cut the music loud and turned on the blacklights. They were more interested in shaking their tail feathers than bowling and then it ended in an impromptu ice cream party at our house at 10:30p.m.

The next day, once Gabriela got out of school, we headed up to Deer Creek, and spent the day on some seadoos. We were suppost to have a family campout, but Rebeca suggested this and it was so fun, that we have decided to make this the back to school tradition instead. Sophia was hooked after the first ride and she went out as often as she could. She didn't care who she was riding with.

When the kids weren't riding, they entertained themselves in other ways.

When I took Julianne out on the lake, after much coersion and finally by force, I looked down because she was heavily leaning on my arm, and she fell asleep. I guess the wind and waves rocked her to sleep. It's actually the story of her life. So I had to bring her back in and Miguel went and laid her on a blanket to finish her nap.

So this picture has a good story! I took Elena and Sophia out for a ride, they are both 3, and we decided to ride the north perimeter of the lake just to see what was out there. As we got closer to the edge, I decided we better stay back for fear we might get stuck and as soon as I had that thought we ran up on the grasses and they got sucked up into the seadoo. What does that mean? Well we broke down and were stuck at the northern edge of the lake. I tried not to panic as we just sat there floating in the lake. I tried sitting on the back edge and pulling the stuff out, but it was useless. I didn't know how long it would take for someone to come looking for us. The girls were hopeless and said they would never see their daddies again.

So I used the opportunity to teach a lesson in faith. I suggested we say a prayer that someone would know we were missing and know were to find us. I tried flagging down other boats with no luck. The situation was looking bleak as a big dead fish floated by and we were drifting closer to shore. Then we saw our rescuer. Uncle Mike, Elena's dad, was coming. I was waving him down and then desperately tried to get him to stop before he ran into the muck and was stuck too. Luckily he stopped, but he ended up floating into it anyway. After a while he cleared and towed us in. That was scarier than being stuck, because it felt like he was just going to pull us over. The girls would scream with fright. It made for an interesting story. It was probably and hour and a half adventure.

The Ruiz kids: Beto, Rebeca, Graciela, and Miguel

The oldest of the girlie cousins: Gabriela, Annabelle, and Raquel

Miguel and I thought we better get some practice in before our big Sea World audition! We practiced all our tricks and syncronized seedooing to an eager audience. It was great. And then we decided that that was enough and a race sounded more fun instead, so Miguel dared to race him to the other side of the lake and reach a speed of 50mph. Yeah, no problem there. I actually felt like I was 16 again with the wind whipping through my hair. I like adventure and this was right up my alley. Thanks guys for a great day.

And as a side note: we had family pictures taken a few days later. I don't have them yet, but here's what I do have.

And don't let Miguel fool you. He's the KING of ugly face making!

We're a little crazy in this family.