It's over, and here's a wordy recap!

So, I was waiting for pictures to post...but since I am at the mercy of others because I didn't have a camera all week, I'll go ahead and do a picture free post and add pictures later.

First of all, I did in fact survive the week..............barely. Owen was sick all week. The poor kid was in a lot of pain and spent his days on the couch or playing wii. His strep tests all came back negative and so his diagnosis was tonsillitis. We were just waiting it out while he was in a lot of pain. On Thursday his tonsils were completely white and he was in more pain so I took him to the doctor again. They did another strep test and a mono test, both of which came back negative, and sent us home saying that he just had a nasty virus. Luckily by Saturday (today) his tonsils were no longer white and he seems to be finally recovering.

I also ended up having a great birthday. My friends threw me a brunch, and even found me a sitter for Owen since I couldn't take him in public. It was the greatest 2 hours! After being stuck in the house for a week it was so nice to get out. Although I called John late the night before almost in tears because I felt guilty leaving my sick child at home while I left to hang out with friends. To which he replied, "Jess, you need to get out of the house. Owen will be fine." And he was right. It was a great morning...I have great friends!

I came home and had a lazy afternoon while my mom took Ains to her house and they made me a cake. Later that night my parents came over and we made pizza's had cake and opened presents. Apparently I needed some help in the accessory department because between my friends, parents, kids and John, I got a jewelery box, 2 bracelets, 3 new beaded watch bands, and 2 pairs of earrings and a necklace. I will now look very cute!

I ate a ton of food for 2 days (because I had to eat all my leftovers the day after my birthday)...I'm pretty sure I at least doubled my weight watchers points both days. Oh well, it was worth it!

The kids did a lot for me on my b-day too. John had them make some decorations before he left. Ains drew me some pretty scenery pictures and Owen drew me a picture of me as a baby and a trash can. If that's not thoughtful, I don't know what is. My mom helped the kids decorate with streamers and balloons while I ran an errand, and the kids even wrapped their gifts all by themselves. They did a surprisingly good job!

So all in all my birthday ended up being a great day!

We picked up John on Thursday night. I was looking forward to having some relief more than anything else. Between Emmie and Owen I had been woken up almost hourly for 4 mights in a row and I was really dragging. I don't know how single parents survive, or how women with husbands that travel a lot, survive. Basically, I need help. Maybe it was just the circumstances of the week, but I couldn't have done it on my own. I had to have help with my kids and help even getting to the store. I'm sure another week would have been easier, and it would have been easier without a baby, but still!

John spent the week eating. He said he had ribs every day he was gone. And while his conference was good, I don't think it was good enough to erase the slight tinge of guilt he felt due to the sickness, and exhaustion that filled my week.

But he's home now, we're all healthy, happy and back to normal.

And he even taught Emmie to roll over tonight! That's right, Emmie rolled over! Maybe it was a fluke, but I'm counting it!

I got a picture! Here's part of the group of my wonderful friends. We're missing 4 in this picture...but it's the best I got! (Wendy, Natalie, Me, Christina, Natalie, Lisa, Brooke)

Let's hope it doesn't get any worse

Not to complain or anything...but today was terrible!!! Yesterday was fine. The kids were good and I had friends come over to watch a movie with me last night, although we never actually watched a movie, just talked until 2:00 in the morning. It was a lot of fun, although it made today a little rough.

Today when I woke up I had an ah ha moment. Owen's voice sounded funny yesterday and I brushed it aside thinking it was just a cold, today when he still sounded funny and had no symptoms I decided to take a look at his throat. It looked AWFUL!!! It was completely swollen and had white splotches all over his tonsils. Instead of going to church we went to an insta-care place where they swabbed his throat and the strep test came back negative. He's been acting pretty normal, even getting in trouble, and hasn't had a fever. They are growing a culture right now and we'll know Tuesday morning if it's strep or tonsillitis. I wanted to get him on an anti-biotic soon so I wasn't stuck home all week. The Dr. there wouldn't give me a prescription until strep was diagnosed. I will probably start him on some anti-biotic illegally tomorrow anyways. I'm hoping it's strep so we can do something about it and not just have to wait it out.

Emmie has also made it a little difficult. She's been completely needy, or maybe I was neglecting her a little too much. Sometimes I wonder why I never have the children that just naturally sleep through the night at 6 weeks. Today was one of those exhausted days where I was desperate for her to take more than a 20 minute nap and sleep for more than 2 hours at a time at night...no such luck.

I was completely selfish and bummed about my week all day. I'm stuck at home, can't run errands, can't get the kids out of my house, might have to miss a birthday party with my friends. I'm hoping it all works out and I'm just being overly dramatic. How selfish is it that I was more worried about me than Owen. Maybe it was the fact that he was sick and still getting in trouble that made the day that much harder to swallow. How do single parents do it?!!!! Here's to hoping tomorrow's a little better. (At least my attitude :)

Home Alone

Well, I'm a single parent for the week. John is off in Memphis eating BBQ and learning about prosecuting drug crimes. I'm without a camera and without a husband on my birthday! We'll see how the week goes. I'm a wimp, so it's a good thing I married a man that rarely travels!

V-Day 2010

My valentine's weekend started out fabulously because I got my new microwave, cupboard, and oven all up and running Saturday morning. The guy that cut down our old cupboard is a genius...I think it all turned out fabulously! I lost a bit of cupboard space but it was well worth it.

Saturday night John and I went on a date with some friends. We went to dinner and to the dollar theater to see New Moon. Dinner and the company was great, but I didn't love the movie. John hated it. Maybe I would have liked it better had I seen it the first time with a bunch of girls on opening night, but since I had just given birth at that point, I guess we'll never know. The acting was just a little too painful for me at times, a lot of times...but I digress...

Today the kids woke us up bright and early, and despite our best efforts to send them back to bed, our day started out early. We've been doing the 7 days of Valentines for the kids (every morning they've woken up to small little gifts like pencils, candies, etc.) and unfortunately day 7 was a bust because Ains came to our room declaring that she hates the candy that I put out for them in their own little tins. Who hates heart suckers and gummie hearts? My daughter, the twinkie hater, apparently! We then had pink heart shaped pancakes for breakfast. And Ains and I had fun making her hair look like a heart this morning.

Pretty impressive huh!? I thought it turned out cute! Although I'm just a big copycat, at least I'm a good copycat! :) We went to church and then came home and had heart shaped pizza, watched a movie, and had pink strawberry milkshakes for dessert. And the night will end with the kids having a sleepover with John tonight. Poor Owen fell asleep during the movie though and is missing the quality wii time that John and Ains are currently enjoying. Poor guy.


And now if I may reminisce for a moment...There was a death in our ward today that has made me stop and think a bit. The woman that died was in her 80's, so while she had lived a good life, she was so full of spunk that her death was a total shock. Her name was Vee, and I always thought that was kind of cool. She was the nicest and most outgoing woman. She had a cherry tree and let people come and pick cherries every year. Last year we headed over and she was out picking with us and she taught Owen how to eat a cherry off the tree. I always thought that I wanted to be like her when I got older. She was so funny and full of life. I loved her comments in relief society and I loved how much fun she was still having in life.

For some reason I have a fear that something tragic is going to happen in my family. I think I'm just a paranoid mother, but for some reason it is a real fear of mine. Her accident yesterday has just reminded me how precious life is. Who would have thought that last week was the last time I would have the chance to talk to her. It's just so scary to think of the accidents that happen so unexpectedly.

And on another random note, because I have too much time to think apparently, I was just thinking about last years valentine's day. I don't remember anything but the fact that I took a pregnancy test and it was negative. And I was crushed. And John felt bad for me and so he let me choose the movie for the night and we watched Little Women. I wouldn't have been depressed that night had I known I actually was pregnant and that little Emmie was on the way. What a blessing!

3 Months!

A bit about Emmie:

She hates the dark (if she is awake)

She loves to suck on her hands

She hates when I try to pick her nose

She is INCREDIBLY happy! It's almost as if she sits and waits for someone to look at her so she can smile at them!

She is a snacker...I don't think she ever eats until she's full. She just wants to eat little bits all day.

She loves to dance!

She hates the car

She is giggling and cooing and it makes my day.

She is has grown out of her 0-3 month clothes, the girl is definitely getting some chub!
She is still a terrible sleeper, in fact I think she was a better sleeper as a newborn...but I don't care as much this time around as I did with the other two for some reason. Except on the days when I'm truly exhausted...

Out with the old!

Due to the fact that I have a teeny tiny kitchen, and I've come to accept that fact that I will not be looking for a new house this year as I had originally intended, I am currently fighting for every inch I can get. So we bought a new stove and an above stove microwave, and a friend of ours is currently cutting down our old cupboard so it will all fit. Hopefully it all gets installed soon. Because i sold my oven an microwave already (I think I should have listed them for a little more because they sold in 24 hours where as I thought it would take a few weeks!)...so much for cooking! Looks like we'll be eating cold food the next few days.

McCall Winter Carnival

This past weekend we headed up to McCall again for the winter carnival. The trip started out great...Owen and Emmie slept almost the entire way there and Ains only whined a little bit. The only unfortunate moment happened when we first got to the cabin...my dad's 4 wheel drive went out and he couldn't get his truck up the driveway. It's a pretty steep hill, and after several tries, he gave up and the truck spent the weekend immobile at the bottom of the hill. We are super lucky that Kort married into a family that has a cabin up there. Unfortunately it is going up for sale. Deep down I hope it doesn't sell so that we can keep using it every year or two. (I know, I'm mean.)
We got there Friday afternoon and headed out that evening for the fireworks. We had never gone to the fireworks before and they were amazing! I don't know if our expectations were low, seeing as how McCall is such a small town, but seriously it was the best fireworks show I've been to in a while. We thought it was the finale 3 different times. The crowd would clap thinking it was over, and then they'd start up again.

The crowd was standing close to where they were shooting them off. You can see a little flame in the distance in the above picture...that's where they were lighting them. The ash was dropping on us, it was awesome! Owen laid down on his back to watch most of the show, until he got ash in his eye, then he stood up.

That night the kids ate their first twinkie. I feel that I have failed them as a mother! How have I not introduced twinkies to my children yet? Good thing I thought to bring some up with us. Owen loves them, and Ains (my daughter with the weirdest taste buds on the planet) thought they were disgusting. In her words they were, "doughy". Whatever!
The next day we headed into town again for a parade and to look at all the ice sculptures. Once again, McCall didn't disappoint. I can't think of the last parade that I went to that was actually a good parade. This one was great. They kind of have a Mardi Gras theme and everyone collects beads from year to year and the people on the floats throw beads to the kids as well as candy. Everyone was dressed crazy and having a fun time.

This is Ainsley crying because they weren't throwing candy she liked....but she is a little hard to please, the girl doesn't like twinkies for heaven's sake!

The BSU band and cheerleaders even made an appearance.

If you look closely at this horse you can see all the paint on him...the animals even got dressed up.

Notice this dogs beads!
After the parade and a freakishly long walk to a restaurant we could sit down at we headed out again to see the sculptures. They were pretty cool, like every year.

And here's proof that Emmie was with us the entire time. I put her in a snuggli in my coat and she loved it. As soon as I put her in she would fall asleep. She slept through the loud fireworks, sirens, and drums during the parade. Granted I was plugging her ears, but still. She did amazing. She was a great little traveler and super happy! She only cried in the car, cause she hates the car, and got a little fussy on Saturday night. What a good little girl!
After sculptures we took the kids home and they went sledding down the driveway at the cabin (the driveway my dad couldn't get up). Owen was soaking wet by this point because he had walked through EVERY puddle we walked by, and there were lots! He still wouldn't come inside and went sledding for about an hour. When I finally got him to come inside I took off his boots and they were soaking wet. I literally could have wrung out his socks. How that kid was happy outside in the freezing cold I'll never know!

Other than that we just hung out at the cabin and played games. This year it was nine's and hand and foot. Good times!

And now I will share my 2 favorite moments of the trip. The first happened here...

after fireworks the first night. Some guy came up to my dad and asked if he knew where a liquor store was. My dad looked back at him confused and said, "The licorice store?" The man was a little confused until someone else jumped in to answer his question. Maybe you had to be there...but the interaction was hilarious.

And my very favorite thing of the entire trip was that John forgot to pack his coat and had to borrow this one from Dan's grandpa that was left at the cabin.

He looked awesome walking around town in that get-up! I offered a cash prize for anyone that could spot a worse coat...no one could.

But what really made the coat hilarious was when a girl on a float in the parade pointed at John and said, "Look at that guys coat!" And then on Friday night after the fireworks, a woman trying to get John's attention called him "mam". Yes, John was referred to as a woman in that coat. I still giggle thinking about it. And now I like to call him mam just for fun. You should try it too! He loves it, I promise!