Preg-O

I don't know if anyone actually reads this, considering I don't keep up on it more. I believe I will once baby "I-don't-know" comes along. You'd think I'd have LESS time, but I think I'll have MORE desire. Right now just being pregnant takes everything out of me. Here's the deal. I'm 33.5 weeks along. The baby measures a week ahead. I measure small. Last week we had a second ultrasound because I was measuring so small (I don't actually know what my measurement is) that the doctor wanted to make sure the baby was okay. She's fine. As said, she's a week ahead.
I'm ready to be done. But I want her to stay "baking" until she's "done." Heartburn, constant backaches, everything aches...just not fun. Let's just say I'm glad it's my last pregnancy. My goal was to be done by the time I was 35. I'm pushing 34 (I can't believe that!) So, I'm done. We still intend to adopt a child, but we'll have to wait and see how the details on that actually play out.

We toured the new IHC Riverton Hospital today. NICE!!! The delivery and recovery rooms are very nice. It'll be great to deliver in a NEW hospital. But hopefully we'll wait at least 2 weeks, so they can work out the "kinks". I love that they have a fold out sofa bed for overnight guests. So many of the other hospitals just have one rocking chair, maybe a recliner, and hard chairs to sit in. Where's the spouse supposed to sleep??? Now that this is child #4 I don't actually expect (or want) Jeramie to be sleeping at the hospital, but they have the sleeper beds in the delivery room also, which will be good for him to get some rest. If we're going for the status quo here, I go into labor at night, I get the epidural (so I'm not up and around) and I'm in labor for about 9 hours before I deliver. So nice rooms, and I'm glad they've thought of the guests.

In the meantime...if only this little one would reveal her name to us. We're stumped.

Where does the time go?

Wow! Is it already the end of September? I try to lose track of time because it helps my pregnancy go by faster. Nine months is a long time...especially for those that are not particularly patient (like me).

In the past 2 days the weather has turned and autumn is here. I love autumn! True it means that winter is just around the corner, but I'm not one to get ahead of myself. I try to take each day as it comes, it'll pass quickly enough as it is. Fall is beautiful here in Utah. The changing of the leaves, the oranges, reds and yellows that can be seen all around, the fresh, crisp air, pumpkins... There's so much to love.

Well, time to get ready for another doctor's visit. After this one we're down to every two weeks!

So Much to Do, So Little Time

If there's anyone out there that actually reads this blog, my apologies for being so lax lately. It's been a busy month! For Labor Day weekend we enjoyed taking some time off of life and going up to Eden, UT with my in-laws. We've worked out a system that my mother in-law and I each take a day bring food for, we eat out one night, and on Monday we eat whatever's left. There's always plenty of food! I took some great pictures of my girls and also some of my in-laws...now I just have to get my son's done.

POTTY TRAINING!!!

The day arrived (last Saturday to be exact) to potty train our youngest. Jeramie is the potty trainer in our f-mily. How did I finangle that one you may ask...well, our goal is to have one kid out of diapers before the next one comes. So, I'm always pregnant at potty trining time. The method we've chosen to use is the one in "Potty-Training in Less than a Day". It's a book that's been around for a long time. Matter-of-fact the person who suggested it to me said her parents had used it on her. But the method still works...pretty well. There's definately follow-up, but the bulk of it is done during one-on-one time in one day.
Since my kids and I have to be out of the house we went to the new McDonalds and swimming. By the time we were done swimming it was time to go home.
So, now we have a BIG little girl. She does a great job. She loves the potty.

CANNING

I've taken up canning. I used to help my mom can when I was young, but haven't done it myself up until last year. Last year my neighbor and I made peach freezer jam (flop) and apple pie filling (big hit). This year, I must say, I'm quite proud of myself. So far I've canned awesome strawberry jam, raspberry jam, bottled peaches and bottled pears. Normally I would give myself kudos for doing this, but this year, being 6 months pregnant, I'm giving myself EXTRA kudos!!! I still have 1/2 a box of peaches, a box of pears, and 3 boxes of apples to do. Today I had to take the day off though, I couldn't really move after the canning yesterday.

PREGNANCY

Tomorrow I take the famous glucous test. If you've been pregnant you're familiar with the orange drink that tastes like icky, flat, orange soda. And here I was thinking that I could work on the new baby book for a few hours, looks like I'll be going to bed soon, since I have to take the test in the morning (I'm not a morning person - but most people reading this probably already know this about me).

And that's life for me...

Eeewwwwww!

So this morning I told my son that he needed to take a shower because, well, he's 4 and 4 year-olds can be stinky. My daughter that's two got all excited about a shower and promptly said "shower!" I told her she was not taking one, she took one yesterday, and didn't need one. He got in the shower and the next thing I know she comes in the bathroom, stark naked, with poop all over her behind. Eeewwww!!!! What a way to kill a morning. I left Spencer to wash himself and went to work cleaning her up. Oh the joys of motherhood! I tell you...you couldn't PAY me enough to do this job! Motherhood has to be on a volunteer basis, so it's something you're passionate about. Because, as I said, you couldn't pay me enough to deal with poop, pee, boogers (both nose and eye), and all the other messes that come with raising children. Oh! That reminds me...I need to go clean off a chocolate smeared handprint I noticed on the wall (I know it's chocolate because the poop was greenish, I think from antibiotics she's been on). Again I say -
Eeeewwwww!!!!

Bored Outta My Gourd

I'm SOOOO bored! Are there things I could be doing? Yes, sure, of course. Are there things I probably ought to be doing? Ohhhh, probably. Is there anything absolutely mandatory, that if I don't do it my world will fall apart? Nope. Spencer is off riding his bike with a couple of other 4 year-olds, thinking he's so cool doing his little stunts (what a stud). The other boys moms are keeping an eye on the three of them - they remember what it's like to be pregnant and tired and happily take him off my hands for a while. Fortunately he's an easy kid to have around (especially when his siblings aren't nearby). My girls are getting along so nicely. Marina is being a "little mommy" to Alyssa, who is currently riding on Marina's shoulders - yes this does concern me and she's now off. Most of Marina's homework has already been done. Dinner? We're going out for pizza as the Activity and Treat part of FHE.
Speaking of FHE...we had an excellent lesson given in Priesthood/Relief Society yesterday. It was about...FHE. In summary the teacher (one of the bishopbric) related that FHE is not always the easiest thing to have, and most of time you really have no idea whether or not your kids are really listening, but, surprisingly, they often are. He also went over Elder Faust's 9 parts of FHE. Tonight's lesson, "Creating a Heavenly Home" it's an article in a recent Ensign that I really liked. It talked about listening to uplifting music, reading good books... Hopefully some of it will sink into my kids heads.
I'm still bored. The books I want to read are either so far packed away that I need my hubby's help to get them out, or they've been placed on hold at the library and I'm waiting for them to come in.
Maybe I'll take a nap...

Another Day

As the days drag on, one following another, sometimes I don't even know what day it is. Most days are relatively the same. Get Marina off to school, get the other two fed and dressed, try to deal with my 2 year-old's constant demands and 4 year-olds moods. What is it about 2 and 4 year olds? I like age 3.
I want to sleep all day. I'm entering my 3rd trimester and fatigue is constant. If if weren't for my kids I would be spending a lot more time sleeping. However I wish I could get comfortable enough laying down to get really good sleep. I tend to sleep really well until about 4a.m. After that I just can't get comfy. Before that I usually have good dreams. Last night Colin Firth (young & fit, not current) was in my dream. Like I said, good dreams before 4 a.m.

Oh well, time to get moving...it's only 2 in the afternoon...

Jam vs. Tornado

Where were you 10 years ago today? What makes today especially important? It is the 10th anniversary of "THE" Utah tornado, the one that hit downtown SLC. I was at work. It was 2 days before my wedding. Jeramie was on the freeway and unbeknownst to him, fairly close to the tornado. He saw the explosion made from one of the buildings, and the wind/lack of line of sight on the freeway were dangerous. Scary moments. However...two days later our wedding was beautiful. The weather was gorgeous. For mid-August it wasn't that hot. The temple pictures, ride from the temple, reception pictures and reception were all done without anyone being bothered by heat. In a word, it was PERFECT!

10 years later...

Today my friend Susan and I made Strawberry Jam. 33 pints of Strawberry Jam. I'm so excited. For some time I've been wanting to learn to can (it's that whole self-sufficiency thing), and it's exciting to actually be doing it. Last year when I told my mom I was getting into canning she thought it was so great that she brought over all her canning stuff that was taking up space in the eves above her garage. It's fun to have support in a new endevor. I can't wait to try the jam on a piece of toast tomorrow (have to give it set-up time). The jam is bright red and beautiful - we used the recipe for cooked jam in the Sure-Gel box of pectin. Sure I'm exhausted, it was a long day. But it was worth it!!!

What a difference 10 years make, eh?

Conserving Energy

I recently received my power bill. YIKES!!! So, in an effort to conserve energy, and $$$ I've turned up (down?) the a/c, which makes it warmer in the home. Ok, let's be frank...IT'S HOT! I can see that despite the overhead fans being on I'm going to have to turn the a/c back down (up?), being pregnant compounds everything and makes everything more exaggerated than it really is. So whether or not it is really hot, I am. It gives new meaning to the phrase "One hot mama!"
I have so much to do. Starting with getting my kitchen clean. My friend Susan and I are going to can strawberry jam tomorrow. Hence, the kitchen needs to be clean so we have room to work (The a/c will be cranked! Make no mistake :) ) Apart from the kitchen I have so many little things to do. I don't know if they'll ever get done. I just don't have the energy. By the time I have energy, it'll be next year. Literally. Oh well. I guess until then we'll just take things one baby step at a time.
I have a doctor's visit today...we'll get to listen to the little one's heart. That's always exciting. We're working on baby names. So far nothing has really "moved" us. We'll keep looking.

They're Hitched

The deed is done! Paul and Michelle are now officially Mr. and Mrs. Schirmacher. Yippee!!! I'm ecited to have a sister in-law on my side of the family! The wedding went well. The bride was so beautiful, and the groom was very handsome. I, of course, have to say that my children were gorgeous! Spencer looked very dapper in his 5-piece suite, complete with purple tie (the wedding colors were purple, green and yellow). Marina and Alyssa were pretty as princesses in their white dresses with purple sashes/petals in the skirt and jackets. Marina looked lovely with her floral hair wreath on. Alyssa flatly refused to wear hers. No problem, we improvised by tying purple ribbon bows in her hair.
Alyssa was a mommy's girl yesterday. I even had to walk down the isle with her because she wouldn't let go of my hand. For such an incredibly independent little girl she sure picks her moments to be clingy!
Marina is growing up so quickly. She was just beautiful in her dress and did a wonderful job of spreading her flower petals down the isle. Before and after the ceremony she was attached at the hip to her cousin (ok really, my cousins kid) Melissa. They're so cute!
Spencer took his responsibility as Ring Bearer VERY seriously. He walked carefully, held the pillow with the rings carefully, his face was serene. He sat down next to my mom and paid close attention to the ceremony until it was time for him to take up the rings. He carefully walked up to Paul and stood still as a statue as the couple untied their rings and put them on each other's hands. He then walked solemly back to his seat and remained still until the ceremony was over. I was so proud of him. As soon as the ceremony was over all bets were off, he was off and running just like any other 4 year-old.
It was great to see so many people from the ward I grew up in. I enjoyed chatting and reminising with them. I was sorry that I didn't have more time to spend chatting with my family that came. I was chasing my kids all over the place (and my body is paying for it now). I hope my family knows how much I love them!
In the morning I went to the ward building to help dip strawberries (my mother had volunteered to take charge of the refreshments). All of the REALLY big strawberries were set aside and double or triple dipped and then deliciously consumed by the "kitchen help." Now we're all strawberried out.

Of course going through this wedding makes me remember my own wonderful wedding nearly 10 years ago. Everything was beautiful. The food (banquet), the music (Mariachi band), the weather (two days after the tornado the weather was picture perfect). The temple was amazing. Jeramie looked amazing. Even I looked amazing (one is allowed to say that about one's own wedding day). Here's a shout out to my mom and dad - THANK YOU FOR MAKING MY WEDDING DAY WONDERFUL!!!

Enough rambling. This funny girl needs to find some food to eat. I'm starving. And please - no strawberries!

My First Post

Hello World!
So I've been thinking about starting a blog for a while. Not that I really read any other blogs, but just because sometimes I want a place to get down all the thoughts buzzing around in my head, and don't really feel like writing them on paper. Isn't typing so much easier. This is a great place to tell about my day, thoughts, recipes, kids... So I guess this is my announcement to "my" world" - small tho' it may be, that I am here. We'll see where this takes me.

My brother is getting married tomorrow! I'm so excited for him. His fiance is such a wonderful gal and we're really looking forward to having her in the family. I know there's been a lot of stress in getting the wedding ready and I just hope that everyone can make it through the day tomorrow all in one piece. I love the dresses I've bought for my girls and the suit I got for my son. The girls are the flower girls and our son is the ring-bearer. Whose idea was it anyway to entrust a 4-year old with $$$ rings as a ring bearer? Crazy tradition!

We're also happy for them because they're taking some of our old - yet very usable - furniture off of our hands :) We've been finishing our basement and there's a lot of stuff that we just don't want to go back down there.

Speaking of finishing our basement...It's so close to being done and yet we can't seem to get up the gumption to finish our part. It's so minor. Putting the plates on the outlets/switches, putting up the baffle/trim on the lights, painting around and on the doors... Little things, lots of little things. These things would normally have been done ages ago, but along with doing the basement I'm halfway through my 4th pregnancy. Sometimes it's all I can do to make sure the kids are fed and dressed (I mean really...do they HAVE to be dressed???)

Well, I'm off to change a diaper and figure out what's for dinner. Arby's sounds good to me. I have a great coupon on a family deal. That's my vote!