Yesterday on my birthday, I decided I needed to do something that I have never done before. After all you only turn 32 once right? So after much thought and deliberation I decided that falling into a window well would be the best option. And doing it while 30 weeks pregnant would really make it exciting right?
So that is exactly what I did. I decided yesterday morning that I needed to plant some bare root roses that I bought 2 weeks ago. I'm not sure what happened but I managed to catch my foot on some cement which caused me to start stumbling. My belly decided to take the lead and I could not catch myself. I saw the window well in front of me and I knew I was going down. I flipped head first into the well and landed on my left side. I dragged myself out of the well and into the house.
I called my Dr. who told me to go over to Labor & Delivery at the hospital so they could monitor the baby to make sure he was o.k. Of course I started to panic. Falling is not good when you are pregnant. Falling into a window well 4 feet down is really not good. So there I was laying in a hospital bed on my birthday with a bunch of monitors hooked onto my belly. Hmmmm maybe this wasn't such a good idea.
Luckily the baby seemed to take the fall just fine. His heart rate was great and he was moving around like crazy. It is just me that is sore and bruised. Maybe next year I will give a little bit more thought to what I want to do for my birthday.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Saturday, April 26, 2008
12 years ago today...
I married this wonderful man. I love and appreciate you more and more each day. Happy anniversary, Scotty.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Arches
Scott and I decided to take a short trip down to Arches during Spring break. And by short I mean we left Thursday morning and got back Friday night. It actually turned out to be the perfect amount of time. Enough to go on some hikes, but not too much for me to handle at this point. The weather was perfect and everyone enjoyed hiking.
On Thursday we decided to hike to Corona Arch which is located just outside of Arches. It was a great hike and a great arch. We hiked about 3 miles. Scott was in charge of carrying Owen and I was in charge of the water and carrying baby #4. I think we were about even with the weight. Does that tell you how much I have gained so far. :( But considering I am quite lighter than my husband I think I had the heavier load!
On Thursday night we had Pizza from Pizza Hut, a tradition when we drive through Moab. The real fun came when we tried putting all 3 boys to sleep in one queen size bed. We turned them so they would all fit lengthwise. After about 10 minutes of them squirming, kicking and giggling we put one of them in our bed and Scott between the other two. Of course Scott and I ended up falling asleep faster than they did! The amount of energy that these boys have is amazing.
The funniest part about the hotel was the "lady" who checked us in. Scott went in to get our key card while I waited in the car with the boys. When he returned he turned to me and said "I don't think Karen was born a Karen." I caught a glimpse of her when we brought our stuff in and sure enough Karen was an obvious transvestite. That or she was the manliest lady I have ever seen.
The next morning we hiked to Landscape Arch. Once we got there, Scott decided he would take the boys further on the trail and see Wall Arch and Double O Arch. (I think the real reason why he wanted to keep hiking was to try out his GPS toy that he recently purchased.) Since the distance between bathroom breaks for me is ever shortening and knowing there was no bathroom at the end of the trail, I decided to turn back and wait for them at the car. That was an extremely good choice on my part because the trail turned out to be a lot longer than Scott anticipated. They ended up hiking about 4.5 miles. I would have had to find a bush and that would not have made me happy. The boys were troopers though and had no difficulty keeping up. Their favorite part was seeing all of the lizards and playing in the "Cheeto sand."
On our way home we decided to take a small detour and stop by Emery. Emery is a small town in the middle of nowhere that has been slowly dying for the past twenty years. It is where my Great Grandparents lived and where my dad spent his summer vacations helping his Grandfather farm. My family has had the tradition of stopping by Emery on Memorial Day to see the old abandoned homestead and to pick wild asparagus that the Pioneers planted years ago. Usually the asparagus is past its prime by Memorial Day so we were hoping we could find some of the first spring shoots. We know now that the middle of April is too early. Next year, we will try for the first or second week of May.
On Thursday we decided to hike to Corona Arch which is located just outside of Arches. It was a great hike and a great arch. We hiked about 3 miles. Scott was in charge of carrying Owen and I was in charge of the water and carrying baby #4. I think we were about even with the weight. Does that tell you how much I have gained so far. :( But considering I am quite lighter than my husband I think I had the heavier load!
On Thursday night we had Pizza from Pizza Hut, a tradition when we drive through Moab. The real fun came when we tried putting all 3 boys to sleep in one queen size bed. We turned them so they would all fit lengthwise. After about 10 minutes of them squirming, kicking and giggling we put one of them in our bed and Scott between the other two. Of course Scott and I ended up falling asleep faster than they did! The amount of energy that these boys have is amazing.
The funniest part about the hotel was the "lady" who checked us in. Scott went in to get our key card while I waited in the car with the boys. When he returned he turned to me and said "I don't think Karen was born a Karen." I caught a glimpse of her when we brought our stuff in and sure enough Karen was an obvious transvestite. That or she was the manliest lady I have ever seen.
The next morning we hiked to Landscape Arch. Once we got there, Scott decided he would take the boys further on the trail and see Wall Arch and Double O Arch. (I think the real reason why he wanted to keep hiking was to try out his GPS toy that he recently purchased.) Since the distance between bathroom breaks for me is ever shortening and knowing there was no bathroom at the end of the trail, I decided to turn back and wait for them at the car. That was an extremely good choice on my part because the trail turned out to be a lot longer than Scott anticipated. They ended up hiking about 4.5 miles. I would have had to find a bush and that would not have made me happy. The boys were troopers though and had no difficulty keeping up. Their favorite part was seeing all of the lizards and playing in the "Cheeto sand."
On our way home we decided to take a small detour and stop by Emery. Emery is a small town in the middle of nowhere that has been slowly dying for the past twenty years. It is where my Great Grandparents lived and where my dad spent his summer vacations helping his Grandfather farm. My family has had the tradition of stopping by Emery on Memorial Day to see the old abandoned homestead and to pick wild asparagus that the Pioneers planted years ago. Usually the asparagus is past its prime by Memorial Day so we were hoping we could find some of the first spring shoots. We know now that the middle of April is too early. Next year, we will try for the first or second week of May.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
2 things I never do - but did today
1. I never take all of my kids to the store by myself.
This just turns into a nightmare for everyone involved. 1 kid is easy, 2 kids if I'm desperate and 3 kids if I have absolutely lost my mind. Apparently I have lost my mind because I loaded them all into the van this morning to go to Walmart. And the fact that I decided to go to Walmart also points to my mind being lost because I hate that store and usually avoid it at all costs. Why Walmart? I needed to buy some food, treats and other various items for our short trip to Moab this week. One stop shopping at its worst.
On the plus side, I have been watching Super Nanny lately to remind myself of everything I should be doing and am not, and before we went in I clearly told them my expectations, and if they behaved I would let them pick out a treat to take with us on the trip. I'm sure she would have been proud of me.
2. Buy potato chips and soda. I rarely if ever buy these two items. The only time I consider it is when we either have company coming over or if we are going on a trip.
As I was loading the cart full of potato chips and soda, Bennett turns to me with a concerned look on his face and says "Mom, I think we need to buy some vegetables." Taylor then looks up from the potato chip package he had been studying and says "Mom, we need to put these back, they have too much fat in them." Believe me I was shocked! Did I listen to their advice? Absolutely not! I'm excited for these rare treats just as much as they are! But it did make me feel like I am not a complete failure when it comes to feeding my kids!
Did they get their treat in the end? They did surprisingly well. Not well enough that I considered the trip pleasant, but good enough that I let them pick out a treat. And to no surprise, they picked out gum. In their minds the ultimate reward.
This just turns into a nightmare for everyone involved. 1 kid is easy, 2 kids if I'm desperate and 3 kids if I have absolutely lost my mind. Apparently I have lost my mind because I loaded them all into the van this morning to go to Walmart. And the fact that I decided to go to Walmart also points to my mind being lost because I hate that store and usually avoid it at all costs. Why Walmart? I needed to buy some food, treats and other various items for our short trip to Moab this week. One stop shopping at its worst.
On the plus side, I have been watching Super Nanny lately to remind myself of everything I should be doing and am not, and before we went in I clearly told them my expectations, and if they behaved I would let them pick out a treat to take with us on the trip. I'm sure she would have been proud of me.
2. Buy potato chips and soda. I rarely if ever buy these two items. The only time I consider it is when we either have company coming over or if we are going on a trip.
As I was loading the cart full of potato chips and soda, Bennett turns to me with a concerned look on his face and says "Mom, I think we need to buy some vegetables." Taylor then looks up from the potato chip package he had been studying and says "Mom, we need to put these back, they have too much fat in them." Believe me I was shocked! Did I listen to their advice? Absolutely not! I'm excited for these rare treats just as much as they are! But it did make me feel like I am not a complete failure when it comes to feeding my kids!
Did they get their treat in the end? They did surprisingly well. Not well enough that I considered the trip pleasant, but good enough that I let them pick out a treat. And to no surprise, they picked out gum. In their minds the ultimate reward.
Monday, April 14, 2008
A life lesson
There are several reasons why I have Taylor and Bennett taking Tae Kwon Do. One, obviously is for the physical exercise. It is a time where they can go and act like boys. Running, kicking, screaming and fighting are o.k. In fact, it is even encouraged. Along with that is the extra stuff they are learning - strength, coordination, balance etc.
However, there is another reason why I have them signed up. It is because Tae Kwon Do also focus's on other traits that are important in life. The tenets of Tae Kwon Do are:
Integrity
Perseverance
Courtesy
Self-Control
Indomitable Spirit
Master Augustine does an amazing job at incorporating these tenets into his lessons. And he does it when the kids are very open and ready to listen to him. There is no lecturing involved, but every single kid understands what he is trying to teach them and the importance of the lesson. Not only is he a great teacher and loves to teach, he has earned an incredible amount of respect from all of his students and parents without demanding it.
Last Saturday, Bennett and Taylor tested for another belt. During Taylor's test time another kid was trying to break his boards and was not succeeding. He had tried so many times to break them that I'm sure his foot was hurting and to top it off he was crying. Every single parent there felt so bad for him. In fact his mom couldn't watch anymore and had to go outside.
Master Augustine asked him if he wanted to give up and try for his new belt next month and this little boy refused. Finally he broke his board with Master Augustine's encouragement. However, the real lesson came right after. Master Augustine turned to his student's and said "Who here would like a $100?" Of course every student raised their hand. He then asked "Who here would be willing to let me hit you on the back of your hand with this pen for that $100?" Every single kid, again raised their hand. He went on to explain that earning another belt is like receiving $100. Sometimes it is hard, difficult and may hurt, but in the end they would get their reward. A perfect lesson in perseverance. Short, simple but very powerful for those kids.
After every test Master Augustine has a tradition of signing the boards that the kids break. This is what he wrote on one of Taylor's boards:
Congratulations My Friend
You're Awesome Keep It Up And
Never Give Up No Matter the
Circumstance
Master Augustine 04/12/08
I talked to Taylor about this after his test. Needless to say, he understood the lesson - no explaining necessary. So Taylor I hope you remember this lesson every time you see your board. There will be times in life when what you are trying to accomplish will be hard, difficult and may even hurt a bit. But please remember - Never give up no matter the circumstance.
However, there is another reason why I have them signed up. It is because Tae Kwon Do also focus's on other traits that are important in life. The tenets of Tae Kwon Do are:
Integrity
Perseverance
Courtesy
Self-Control
Indomitable Spirit
Master Augustine does an amazing job at incorporating these tenets into his lessons. And he does it when the kids are very open and ready to listen to him. There is no lecturing involved, but every single kid understands what he is trying to teach them and the importance of the lesson. Not only is he a great teacher and loves to teach, he has earned an incredible amount of respect from all of his students and parents without demanding it.
Last Saturday, Bennett and Taylor tested for another belt. During Taylor's test time another kid was trying to break his boards and was not succeeding. He had tried so many times to break them that I'm sure his foot was hurting and to top it off he was crying. Every single parent there felt so bad for him. In fact his mom couldn't watch anymore and had to go outside.
Master Augustine asked him if he wanted to give up and try for his new belt next month and this little boy refused. Finally he broke his board with Master Augustine's encouragement. However, the real lesson came right after. Master Augustine turned to his student's and said "Who here would like a $100?" Of course every student raised their hand. He then asked "Who here would be willing to let me hit you on the back of your hand with this pen for that $100?" Every single kid, again raised their hand. He went on to explain that earning another belt is like receiving $100. Sometimes it is hard, difficult and may hurt, but in the end they would get their reward. A perfect lesson in perseverance. Short, simple but very powerful for those kids.
After every test Master Augustine has a tradition of signing the boards that the kids break. This is what he wrote on one of Taylor's boards:
Congratulations My Friend
You're Awesome Keep It Up And
Never Give Up No Matter the
Circumstance
Master Augustine 04/12/08
I talked to Taylor about this after his test. Needless to say, he understood the lesson - no explaining necessary. So Taylor I hope you remember this lesson every time you see your board. There will be times in life when what you are trying to accomplish will be hard, difficult and may even hurt a bit. But please remember - Never give up no matter the circumstance.
Throwing and Kicking
Bennett "throwing" Master Augustine in his attack and defense. He was a little unsure what Master Augustine was doing at first. The little kids love this!
Bennett and the other little dragons showing off the boards they had broken.
Taylor doing three hook kicks. After he was done he told me he needed an ice pack on his heel!
Bennett and the other little dragons showing off the boards they had broken.
Taylor doing three hook kicks. After he was done he told me he needed an ice pack on his heel!
Peas
Two things I love fresh from the garden are peas and tomatoes. I could do without everything else and would be quite happy. Last year was my first attempt at gardening. In our Eagle Mountain house we had no yard for a garden whatsoever so my attempts at gardening consisted of planting 2 tomato plants at the end of my planter beds in the back.
Last year I decided to do the Square Foot Gardening method with raised beds. I bought my peas and put them in the ground around St. Patty's day and waited for my harvest. They came, but very slowly and when all was said and done I enjoyed about 10 of them total. I had no idea what I had done wrong, so this Spring I did a little research to figure out what I need to do right this time around.
This year I soaked the peas 3 or 4 days before planting them to give the germination process a kick start. I also decided to put walls of water around some of the peas after I planted them to keep them a bit warmer. I know they work well for actual plants so I figured I might as well try them with seeds. I'm glad I did because there have been several nights, where I thought for sure even the walls of water wouldn't be enough to keep my peas alive. But sure enough, they helped immensely. Utah Springs are notorious for being freezing and then blazing hot. Peas don't like that. They like nice cool weather.
Here is a picture of my peas growing happily in their wall of water. They were planted 3 or 4 days before St. Patrick's day. They are now sending out feelers to climb, so it is time to take off the water and put my trellis up.
This is a picture of my peas that I planted a few days after St. Patrick's day without a wall of water. They were soaked the same amount of time before planting. A HUGE difference. I will actually be surprised if I get many peas from these. I'm going to bet that it will get too hot before they can start producing. I guess we'll see.
I also experimented with where I planted my peas in my raised beds. Because the beds are raised, the soil warms up a lot quicker in the Spring, but it cools off faster as well. I planted 2 squares of peas with walls of water. One was planted on the outside corner and the other in the middle. The middle one looks significantly better. So next year - all my peas will be planted in the middle with water.
Are you wondering why I am blabbing on and on about peas? Because next year, when I try to remember what worked and what didn't I can look back and read this. I want to have so many peas, I don't know what to do with them. This gardening thing is definitely a learning process - but worth it!
I also planted my tomatoes (with walls of water), broccoli and onions today. For tomatoes I planted 1 Celebrity and 1 Sweet 100. I loved the Sweet 100 last year. They are cherry tomatoes, so I would just go out and literally graze on them daily. This is the second time around for my broccoli. I planted a bunch a few weeks ago and they all ended up dying because of the cold. Now I just have to wait a few more weeks until I finish putting in all of the rest of my stuff!
Last year I decided to do the Square Foot Gardening method with raised beds. I bought my peas and put them in the ground around St. Patty's day and waited for my harvest. They came, but very slowly and when all was said and done I enjoyed about 10 of them total. I had no idea what I had done wrong, so this Spring I did a little research to figure out what I need to do right this time around.
This year I soaked the peas 3 or 4 days before planting them to give the germination process a kick start. I also decided to put walls of water around some of the peas after I planted them to keep them a bit warmer. I know they work well for actual plants so I figured I might as well try them with seeds. I'm glad I did because there have been several nights, where I thought for sure even the walls of water wouldn't be enough to keep my peas alive. But sure enough, they helped immensely. Utah Springs are notorious for being freezing and then blazing hot. Peas don't like that. They like nice cool weather.
Here is a picture of my peas growing happily in their wall of water. They were planted 3 or 4 days before St. Patrick's day. They are now sending out feelers to climb, so it is time to take off the water and put my trellis up.
This is a picture of my peas that I planted a few days after St. Patrick's day without a wall of water. They were soaked the same amount of time before planting. A HUGE difference. I will actually be surprised if I get many peas from these. I'm going to bet that it will get too hot before they can start producing. I guess we'll see.
I also experimented with where I planted my peas in my raised beds. Because the beds are raised, the soil warms up a lot quicker in the Spring, but it cools off faster as well. I planted 2 squares of peas with walls of water. One was planted on the outside corner and the other in the middle. The middle one looks significantly better. So next year - all my peas will be planted in the middle with water.
Are you wondering why I am blabbing on and on about peas? Because next year, when I try to remember what worked and what didn't I can look back and read this. I want to have so many peas, I don't know what to do with them. This gardening thing is definitely a learning process - but worth it!
I also planted my tomatoes (with walls of water), broccoli and onions today. For tomatoes I planted 1 Celebrity and 1 Sweet 100. I loved the Sweet 100 last year. They are cherry tomatoes, so I would just go out and literally graze on them daily. This is the second time around for my broccoli. I planted a bunch a few weeks ago and they all ended up dying because of the cold. Now I just have to wait a few more weeks until I finish putting in all of the rest of my stuff!
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