It's Friday! WHAT?!

Warning: This is long. It is not required reading. I am not a writer, professional or other type. There was just a lot in one Friday. It was one of "those" days.

I woke up at 7am, determined to post this as my facebook status. "yay! Mommy gets to spend most of the day with my super fun mischievous monkeys." ha ha ha. Did not make the post. Instead, after the kids got back on the bus I laid down for a little while. The cute little monkeys were still sleeping. Needless to say whatever events transpired between 8-9 am, I had BLACK fingernail polish on my Carpet, and multiple colors on my two little monkeys. The little one (15 months) was the major cause. The bigger one (3.5) at least had her nail polish mostly on her fingers and toes. I think she may have even spilled a little and cleaned it up. I went running all over the house trying to find the carpet cleaner. (I am still not even sure where the cleaners are kept, but I know there was a full bottle last time I cleaned the carpet.) Whatever! I called Josh he said to try alcohol (not peroxide). I tried that it worked a little (not really). GRRRRR!! So my facebook post was this around 9:30. "help! how do I get fingernail polish out of the carpet?" I got a comment right away, but I didn't have whatever the stuff was. Anyway, the second comment was for Shaving Cream. Well Whatever! I had that, even if it was the gel kind I was definitely going to try it. Will a little scrub and repeat, IT WORKED! So keep that one in your bag of magic tricks! I didn't try fingernail polish remover because I had a bad experience with it taking the varnish off my table. I don't like that stuff to much. And Really RHE a RUG! You sound like my mom.

so Yay! House smells STRONGLY of fingernail polish and rubbing alcohol, when someone comes to my door. Mommy in her jammies (with her belly hanging out because everything is either too small or too big) hurries to find a little more to cover up with. By the time they get to the door the baby has a stinky diaper too. UGH! Mommy takes care of business, takes cares care of baby.

Mommy gets sick! REALLY! Just as things are settling back down, but still in the bathroom, someone calls and wants to come over for a quick visit. SURE! All is well. My kids still had and have fingernail polish on them and the bigger one is still in her jammies (this has to be a personal choice daily). Oh and don't forget to put the dog in the garage every time someone is coming over and let her out after they leave.

Mommy is ready for a nap, or at least a break to play on the computer for a while. I swear there was another big mess, but I've blocked it out by now. The Monkeys are their regular mischievous selves; fighting over crayons and markers, playing in the cupboards, jumping off the couches, etc. By 1:30, the little one goes down for a nap! YAY! and Daddy comes home for lunch. I hear the bus. The kids should be together Jaxon comes home. "Mom I didn't see Boo on the bus. I saw her at swimming. I saw her at lunch, but I didn't really see her when we were playing at the park." hum? It's okay Jaxon, I am sure she is at the school or got on the wrong bus. Mom calls the school looking for her daughter. At this point I am sure the Librarian is in a panic looking for her. After about 20 minutes, we get a call back. She got on the wrong bus and the super nice bus driver took her back to the school. The librarian tries to figure it out. Simply put, she was supposed to get on the same bus as she rides in the morning, but she gets home around 11am, on a different bus (the kindergarten bus with a supervisor). This is which one she got on. Not to mention her teacher doesn't teach in the afternoon so she wasn't there anymore. Seriously, at this point a mom with any type of brain would have simply planned to pick up her kids! Her Daddy picked her up, mommy still in rags. She didn't talk at all. Poor traumatized thing. She didn't say much to mommy, but simply got her lunch and finished it at the table. We talked with her while we ate and she seems to be her happy self again. I guess it happens. Kids have a snack, Daddy goes back to work, the little one is still asleep, the big ones are all good, Mommy lays down again and this time she crashes (well almost), the little one wakes up. He plays with the kids, Mommy lays down and sleeps.

Mommy can hear the kids outside, all is well. Mommy hears Jaxon tell the girls to stay out of the water. Way to go big brother. Mommy wakes up. I can't believe I fell asleep like that, I must be sick. Kids are still outside playing good. Mommy goes out to check. The little one is now a little muddy (remembering the water). I take out a sweater for the babe, but it turns out he was smelly again and ready to come inside. MMMWWAAAHHH! Kids are good. Girls are singing loudly outside, little one is eating a poptart which he got out of the cupboard himself. Did I mention I am ready for child locks! EVERYWHERE! I have never even used them before. UGH!

Kids are good, Mommy lays back down and plays her stupid stupid games. Daddy comes home FINALLY. he is late. Mommy can hear daddy, "What did you guys get into? What is all this, what are you eating? Is that chocolate in there? yuck. What is all this Red stuff? Jinaya stay out of stuff!" Mommy says, "I am sure it is the Nestle Quick and it was probably the little one." "Jeeps stay out of stuff." Daddy comes in to talk to mommy. Jina is eating something Chocolaty with a spoon, but I am not sure what is in it. "Probably water", Mommy says, "we are out of milk." "Oh we are almost out of milk." "No we are all the way out, we need to go to the store." Plans are made Daddy is ready to leave. "Will you take the little monster with you? Please Please Please, I've been with him all day." "That is what you signed up for Mommy" Guilty! Indeed and I do love them all. Ok. Dad calls from the other room. I can't take him he looks like a ....sentence didn't get finished, but with all the fingernail polish still grrrrr. Daddy leaves.

Mommy starts to blog. The monster sits right next to mommy and tears all of the things out of the garbage. *sigh* I will pick it up later. Monkeys get on mommy's bed. The little one jumps, falls off, and bonks his head. No kidding! Mommy holds him. Daddy calls. Mommy can't talk. Big sister, Boo, holds poor baby. He's all better.

Daddy calls again. "put the dog in the house, I am opening the gate, and tell the kids not to open the door." ok. Daddy comes home. Jinaya runs out to greet them. Nikki runs too, right out the gate. Daddy Growls A LOT! Dogs are barking, Nikki is running. Jaxon is whistling. (like that is going to work! Oh wait, she's coming back.) It must be for the kids. Nikki is coming back! It is like a miracle. She runs past the gate and past Jaxon. Dad goes after her up towards the neighborhood. Take Jaxon with you. Mommy hears them with in minutes all back safe and sound. It is 8:30pm. Is this day over yet?

I am sure as you read you thought to yourself, Mommy stay off the computer and those stupid games and you would prevent a lot! I agree so true! Being sick is so frustrating!

Happy Friday! ;-)

Here's To Good Days

All last week I was DREADING getting out of bed. I was getting soooo tired of exercising with no results. Every morning, I lay in bed talking myself into keep going. I told myself all of the great things, like yay! for 3% and feeling better, more energy, eating better, able to drink more water, and more energy. The list always comes back to feeling better with more energy. YES, I did tell myself this every SINGLE morning. I also tried to say well who needs energy. I decided I felt better on the inside when I exercised and I thought of my grandma saying, "Make yourself a Good Day!" So I guess if that is what is going to help me "make myself a good day, then I better stick with it." The nasty weight will come off sometime, but until then, I will "Make myself a Good Day" by starting it out right!

Well I am happy to say it works for me!

New Groove?

Well I can't say that I have found my "groove" but I can say I am feeling cheerful amidst whatever. I had talked with my mom about her reading in the scriptures a month or so ago. She was talking how Satan will "Seep" into our homes without our knowing. She likened it to computers and Internet. Things that can come into our homes so easily through these channels. In my life I have noticed a small seep and I want to share it with you as a warning, so you can be protected. I am completely embarrassed to say this, but I am happy so Whatever!

I was having some trouble with alcohol. Ha! Not doing it, but wanting to. It was bad enough that I didn't go on a business venture because I didn't want to be in that path of temptation. I didn't feel I could trust my "natural man" tendencies to avoid the substance. And among other things I was just plain sad, almost like a depression. I was still plugging though my daily duties and trials just fine. Because of certain circumstances, we haven't had a temple recommend for quite a while. They came due around the same time as the baby, and we were here and there and holidays and excuse excuse excuse. Anyway we finally got our recommends that that very night I was elated! I feel incredibly happy. I still have the same daily struggles. Not much seems to get accomplished. I am having headaches. I have sick kids (one or the other), and I don't feel like I can go out much. But I feel happy, it's kind of cheezy! And we did attend the temple to boot! :D

Anyway, I think Satan was seeping into me and I wasn't fully protected. Even if I was not able to attend the temple, the blessings of a recommend holder are bountiful. I wasn't even going to post this, but when that little nagging doesn't go away, I've learned that those promptings are meant for someone. :D I hope you all can find those little "seeps" and protect yourselves, home, and families. I love you all!!!

Showing Compassion

Well, this isn't my story, but it has changed how I "try" to view other people and situations. So I changed the name, but if you recognize it and want the post deleted just let me know. and I may not have all the minor details right.

This all happened in a few brief moments while sitting at "the" (one and only) stop light in Ephraim. Ann was sitting in her car as the second vehicle in line waiting at the stop light. When the light turned green the car in front of Ann did not move. She was waiting patiently for the person in the vehicle to move. Thinking they just weren't paying attention. The car behind Ann started honking. Can you believe it HONKING! in EPHRAIM! nobody honks in Ephraim, that is just plain RUDE! So Ann turned around and gave the driver behind her a dirty look. How could this driver be so inconsiderate, after all the person in the front car probably just forgot.
* * *
A couple days later at the local market, a man came up to Ann. She recognized that she knew him. He proceeded to apologize for honking that day on the street, and then told her that his wife was in labor and they were on their way to the hospital. The car in the front was just sitting there, and he didn't know what to do. A honk would get the attention of the driver so they could all be on their way.

So Ann was showing complete compassion for the driver in front of her, but she was not even thinking of the driver behind her. I think this is so easy. It is so easy to be understanding of the person who is struggling with addictions or the wife whose husband is cheating on her. It is not as easy to be understanding of the woman who seems to have it all together. We expect that woman to be able to do everything. For the addict, the person who is struggling, or even the one who is constantly letting us down, we can be understanding or "we just expect that from them", but when it comes to the loyal one who seems to have a happy life and always be there to help. We sometimes forget that he/she is having challenges too. We are quick to judge in the way we think they should act.

Anyway, I hope I haven't offended anyone. I feel like I have always tried to look at all views of things, but I have really taken this story to heart and have tried to look behind me as well. Sometimes when people are so understanding and I am not, I have taken offense to what they say. Probably because I have felt guilty for my own feelings. I did not want to make anyone feel angry at me. I just wanted to share my new views. :)

Bedtime Struggles

Well...I really am going to post about Boo's Birthday, but I want to find the camera first and I have to remember to ask Josh where it is. Remembering is the tricky part. :)

Please be aware the following contains a "not so happy" personality for one of my children, and I do love her so dearly. She is a very happy, beautiful girl and makes us laugh constantly. She does deal with life a little more strongly than others. I could change the names...but really we would all know anyway.

Things are pretty much the same around here. Although Jinaya is going through a "new" developmental stage I have not dealt with before. She does NOT like to go to bed (yah what kid does). Well she will scream and hit things and just be so crazy. It is not easy to deal with. I have learned that she just needs to be loved no matter how loud she screams.

We have been dealing with this for a few nights, each time doing something different (sleeping in the living room, sleeping in the bean bag, sleeping on our bedroom floor, etc.) But yesterday we tried many approaches. Keep in mind she was screaming at us the ENTIRE time. The first was spanking. There were no results. Next, I told her to get in bed or I would put her there (with counting). She got out of bed faster then I could put her there and well I just didn't have the energy to keep up with her. Next, I told her she needed to get in her bed or I would shut the door (again with counting). She did scream louder (a result). She also told me, "You're not leaving me." "Don't shut the door." (I will admit, sometimes these things can be funny, but with the frustration, Mommy stuck to her guns.) We did this for quite a few times as I thought I was getting somewhere. After a while I decided she was getting confused and maybe only hearing "get in bed and Shut the door" not the whole of the sentences. So next, I went with her into the bedroom and shut the door, I sat by the door. I told her that when she got into her bed, I would open the door. I told her this a couple of times. By this time she was mostly just crying, not screaming. Then I turned on the broken record and very calmly told her to "Get in your bed" I did this over and over for every response. After a couple of minutes she had stopped crying and went to bed. I tucked her in and as I left the room I opened the door as promised. She immediately yelled at me, "You're not Leaving, SHUT the door." Um??? So I went back in and she was still in bed....gave her kisses and Shut the door and left. She was asleep in seconds. Although we did not dare check on her for a while.

As parents we have come to the conclusion that Jinaya is afraid to go to bed alone (even though she sleeps with Boo?) It is a little like "stranger anxiety". Also, she gets so angry she doesn't know what she wants to do and of course needs to calm down before any of her own choices can be made. She wants to be held and snuggled, but she can't get comfortable and doesn't go to sleep. She also has been going to bed "big girl style" for quite sometime now. Many kids make their own solution to this problem, with a blanket, bear, binki, etc. Jinaya does not really form attachments like that. Our next step is to try and encourage an attachment for her. We have a few ideas, but do welcome suggestions. We will not let her sleep in our bed, nor in our room. She did sleep on our floor once this week, but with a baby bassinet there just isn't room.

So...why post this? I think there are many times when mommy's deal with new things and situations and kid styles. The same things don't work for every kid. Sometimes the kids just don't understand. Plus I like to learn from what has worked for others...so there :-P

Lost in Springtime?!!?

Oh it is the season....at least yesterday was sunny and nice. The kids can play outside and have fun. They even tried to do a little swimming, but it is not quite that warm yet. Although the warm weather for me means lost little girls. AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I know I posted about this not to long ago. And really what kind of mother just keeps loosing their kids! I know it's never happened to anyone else. So if you want to know the story here it is:

Josh had come home from work sick and was sleeping in bed, when I asked him if he was conscious enough to listen for the girls while I took Jaxon to school, he said "yes". When I got home the girls, Jinaya and Boo, were sitting on the curb at the end of the sidewalk waiting to ask me if they could go and play with a friend who was also waiting outside. Apparently Boo had asked Dad if she could play and Dad said she needed to wait and ask Mom. So the girls were just waiting for me to get home. Jaxon and Boo went to play and Jinaya came inside. I put on a movie and thought she may fall asleep for a nap soon. I went in and talked to Josh again, this time I was running to the store for milk.
On my way home, about 1 block from our house, right next to the college, I could see a police car with its lights on kind of parked in the middle of the road. I wondered what was going on, but didn't see anything else. When I walked in the door I was a little noisy and expected Jinaya to come running, but she didn't. My first thoughts were that she had fallen asleep somewhere and I went looking through the beds, pillows, and blankets, not seeing her anywhere. I next went to the bathroom with images of what horrors would lie for me there. She was not there. My house is small, and at this point I began to panic. Josh was also waking up and getting dressed. I asked him if anyone had come inside and talked to him, because the front door was shut and Jina can't open the front door yet. He was a little groggy and said that Boo had come in and asked him something.
I walked over and asked the kids if they had talked with Dad and if they had seen Jinaya. They said no to both questions. Confused I went home and searched through the house again. By this time Josh was awake and had gone through the house 2 times. I walked back over and talked to the kids they said they hadn't seen her and hadn't been back to the house, but maybe Boo did? I told them we couldn't find Jinaya, she was lost. The kids came into the front yards and proceeded to look for her with us. Josh went to the park and I proceeded to walk down to the end of the block where I had seen the cop. I called a few friends and neighbors to see if they had seen her. I turned back to see the three little children kneeling in the front yard praying to Heavenly Father to help us find their sister.
By this time I was sure Boo had gone inside to talk to Dad, Jinaya had slipped out and wandered somewhere, and then Boo went back to play. Jinaya may have followed the cats somewhere. She is a happy little girl. Usually she would be playing with kids, but sometimes you get little wandereres. By the time I had gotten to the end of the block, I was having contractions. There was a guy doing some yard work. I asked him if he had seen a little girl wandering alone and asked about the police car. He had not been working out there long enough to have seen the car and he had not seen any little girls except the ones who lived close by. On my way home I met up with Jenny, whom I had called thinking maybe Jinaya would have wandered to her house. I stopped and asked some more of my neighbors, knocking and calling on the phone. Jenny walked down to the park, Josh had gone through the house and backyard again, and was now walking somewhere else? I didn't know where, but he walked around another block. I had no idea where to look next or what to do? I went in the house quickly double checking everywhere, and pleading with my Father in Heaven, then I called the police. I walked outside while I was giving a description. 2 seconds after I got off the phone Jenny called from the park asking if I found her. I was sure she had. I was totally panicked at this time and while I was telling Jenny I had just called the police, I walked back into the house and saw Jinaya asleep on the floor. She was hunched over and curled up. She had fallen asleep reading books. She was in a corner, by the bookshelf, but also surrounded by a box with books and a tall foot stool. Even in her bright pink dress, she was well hidden. Not only well hidden in plain sight, but also right next to our main walkway. Every time I walked through the house, I walked past her. (at least 8-10 times). I even had Jenny walk in to see if she could she Jinaya and she didn't. I called the police back, luckily they hadn't gotten there yet. Another friend pulled up to my house at this same time and had mentioned they had already had the cops in their neighborhood twice this spring looking for lost little ones. One child was hiding outside under a bush.
My other children were relieved, although Jaxon had no doubts that we would find her because he had prayed. Jaxon had told Josh that we would find her because Jaxon prayed to Heavenly Father and asked for his help. Josh told Jaxon that Jaxon was right because he prayed we would find her. Josh also claimed not to be really that worried, but I did not.
Anyway, Jaxon went and played, Jinaya woke up about 5-10 min after we found her, and Boo stayed to play with her. We didn't much let Jinaya out of sight for the rest of the day....even in the house. That evening, while Josh was taking out the garbage, Jinaya followed him to the door and was walking out. He told her to stay inside, after all she'd already been lost once that day. :)

A Sharp Valentines!

Well, it's been a long weekend for the Sharps! Mom and the kids got home today. While they were away, Josh painted the living room. We are trying out the two-toned look? It looks great, but it isn't the color I had in my mind. I did pick it out, but it does not look the same as the card? Really how does this work! Anyway, Josh spent every extra minute painting all through the night. So it was all done and cleaned up by the time we got home! We love our Daddy!!! He is so awesome!!

The girls spent the weekend being sick. The sickness seems to be everywhere! Good luck to all of you and your families.

Boo has an ear infection. When I took her in, the Doc confirmed her asthma and set us up with an inhailer. (We already have "the machine.") All seems to be healing on Boo. In fact, when we got home she got out of the car and went to Emily's house.

Jinaya, it seems, also has asthma (thanks Dad!), but not quite so bad yet. She; however, threw-up all over Papa, and spent the night fevering. I don't think we are in the clear yet with Jinaya. She does still have a cast. The countdown is TWO more weeks.

Jaxon is fine and well. He played and played all weekend. Jaxon spent a lot of cherished time with Uncle Braydon. Jaxon even went to the LDS Services held at the hospital. His comment to Gramma was, "Well it's kinda better when they don't have you do so much." The services were only 30 min. long. :)

JoDee spent the weekend Shopping!! and DRIVING! and being with Nellie! Tomorrow I have a Pampered Chef show and then it's off to bed, to keep the swelling down.

Sanka, Are ya dead Mun?

Hello, Here we are. Alive and doing well. We have had HUGE adrenaline rush getting through all the many Christmases, and climbing out of the sick hole getting back into life. The daily routine of dropping off and picking up, etc. I am having a hard time remembering who, when, what, where, and everything else I need to know. According to Josh it's "placenta brain". Anywho, I do have a lot to post about...and here's a list to help me remember.

• Christmas
• New Years Day
• I had a birthday and that was about it. Usually we have a fun party, but we didn't.
• Ultrasound (wahoo)....remember it's a surprize.
• And well to top it off a broken arm

Last week, we (me and the girls) went to the doc for our monthly checkup on Tues. On Thurs., we ALL drove to the "Lamb Shed" (Mt. Pleasant Hospital) for the Ultrasound. On Saturday, Josh and I drove back to the ER with Jinaya and the broken arm. She fell of the bed. We aren't exactly sure what happened, but she does tend to sit on the Edge of everything. And she's fallen off before. Jinaya was tired before playing on the bed, and after she fell off, she took a 2-hour nap.

Josh was outside working on a friends car (he had the door off fixing the window) when I told him I thought her arm was broken and we needed to take her in. He had to quickly (ya-right) put the car back together in the dark. Luckily he was done.

Jax and Boo went over to play at a friends house, while we went in. The kids were confused and curious and Jinaya's well being. Of course a broken arm is not so big a deal to many, but NONE of us has ever broken a bone before, except a toe and that doesn't count.

Anyway, Jinaya is such a brave little girl! She would NOT take any medicine! She cried long enough for me to figure out it was hurting and we needed to take her in. Once she went outside, she was better; and by the time we got into the car, she was singing twinkle, twinkle. I had called the ER, to let them know we were on the way, (this way they could contact their tech people and we would have to wait for them). When we walked in, the ER doc looked at Jinaya. She was standing on the ground and he got down to her level and talked to her. He felt her good arm and her broken one. She gave him the dirtiest scowl I have ever seen her give!!! And she didn't move a muscle, not even a flinch on her scowl. He touched her wrist and her elbow, and then her arm. When he touched the brake, there was such small fraction of a shudder, that I looked at the doc to make sure he saw it. She did not want to move! Anyway, They gave us a bed, and the doc gave her some ice cream so she could take some meds, after that she started to warm up a little. She became a little loopy and by the time she was all splinted up, she RAN for the door.

The x-ray showed a brake and the bone was bent about 10 degrees. 10 degrees is on the border for re-setting, so in the follow-ups this week. We decided to try and cast it to see if it would shift back naturally. The worst case would be a resetting later, but for now, she has a hard purple cast that goes over her elbow. She is getting used to using her left hand for most things, but she prefers not to eat with a spoon. She does still color a little, but not as much as she'd like to. Anyway, I have a photo from today, and it's a little blurry, but I will get some more. :)

OOOOHHH!!! It's a lot blurry!!! Sorry. But it is sad to see a tiny one in a cast. Jinaya will be 2 years old next week.