Work Play Work

I'm starting to feel like I need to begin every post with "I'm still here!" because I am still here, just not taking the time to post on my own blog.  I used to blog during naptime and I now I a) edit/upload photos b) clean house c) teach piano/English or prepare for cub scouts or d) sleep.  I'm pretty tired these days.  All the time.
(I used to sleep at night but now I .... see above)

Photo business is good, partly because of the time of year, I'm sure. For the first time I'm trying to catch up with my sessions.  We made two Salt Lake trips last week, one for wedding photos and one for the BEST DAY EVER where my dad was confirmed in the state senate to be an 8th district judge, and all my siblings except the missionary were there.  Jordan flew in for the day, Brent & Megan came for a few weeks, Matt & Heather drove from Idaho to see it.  We ate brunch at my Grandma Woodruff's, spent a couple hours at the capitol, ate dinner at the Red Iguana and thoroughly enjoyed each other's company.  We just don't get to see the cross-country family often enough.

and then Jordan missed his flight back home....darn late Senate

This Friday we spent the afternoon with some old family friends and their horses.  I got brave and rode for a while, even with this rapidly-expanding belly.  Good times.

We still haven't decided where to go on our big vacation in 2.5 weeks.  Ha!  The important thing is, Slice will have 9-11 days off AND he's getting a 5% bonus with his next paycheck. Thank you Newfield! Sometimes I love the oilfield, you know?  Those times are usually when Slice checks the bank account.

Let's see ... that's about all that is going on here.  Between play dates, family time, photo shoots, work and everything else, we've been gone a lot the last few weeks.  I'm not expecting things to slow down in the next month - but after that would sure be nice!  And no sick kids, pleaseandthankyou.

big little success

Last Thursday we finally finished the bunk beds. (And by "we" I mean mostly Slice.)

This design is cool - it's two separate beds held together with an outside railing. So if we ever want to use the beds separately, we can take it apart easily.  Sweet versatility.

It was a risky venture putting the children in it, because we took MG out of the crib and took away her bink AT THE SAME TIME.  Miraculously, and I do mean miraculously, she was happy enough with her new bed and pillow to go to sleep.  She slept all night.
We've had a few rougher nights and naps since then, but still, the cold turkey method worked for us.

The rest of last weekend was a whirlwind - Slice went to a 2-day paintballing camp. He got home, I went to the Relief Society dinner and part of the broadcast. I left early, we went to the high school and took Homecoming pictures until 11:30 p.m. On Sunday, my other nursery leaders didn't show up (but 14 toddlers did). Monday we worked all day and attempted family pictures in the evening.  It was sort of a disaster.  My children were very obstinate and the wind didn't help.  Oh well!  We got an updated-for-now family photo!

my fave, despite/because of Slice's goofy half-smile

Yesterday I moved my gallery wall in the front room.  It's been bugging me since I moved the piano a few months ago, and finally I bit the bullet.  Spackled/repainted the wall and shifted my artwork around, and now all I need in that room is a tall skinny bookshelf to fit by the piano.  Like, hmmm, this?  $119 on Amazon?

Well, that and some new carpet .......

Today Slice is back at work and I am putting away the seven loads of laundry I also did over the weekend.   I have 7 photo shoots coming up, which is exciting, and an ANNIVERSARY TRIP IN NOVEMBER to look forward to!  Guys! I'm going on a trip!  

News

This time it was Carolyn who spied the ultrasound strip hanging on the fridge, while we were canning applesauce in my kitchen.  It's an adventure to can anything with little ones underfoot, but we've done both applesauce and peaches and I'm pleased with the result.

This time what's consuming my thoughts is how to fit everyone in this house.  I'm constantly doing this anyway, but when I'm nesting it gets worse.  I've been bugging Slice for months about getting/making a bunk bed for Liam and MG, preferably smaller than a twin size so it will fit comfortably in their 10'x10' room with large windows.  (BTW, at 21 months MG is still sleeping in her mini-crib.  It's time to get her out of there.)

I've been Googling and Pinteresting and, once I got him on board, Slice started Youtubing.  I liked this one, he liked this one; since he's building it, we're going with the latter. Without the bulky ladder and strange paint job.  The only place in this country with a mattress size between toddler and twin is IKEA, so I ordered two mattresses from there to go in the bunks.  We're making progress!  I'll let you know how it goes.

In other news: RAIN.  Like the rest of the Utah, we've had incredible amounts of rain in the last two weeks.  Last time this happened was June of 2011, when there were no gutters on our house and the water ruined our basement walls.  (Still not fixed, in case you're wondering.)

Watching a storm from the back of the Explorer

We did take our kids camping for the first time last weekend, though. It was a ward campout and we hauled my parents' trailer up. It rained when we got there, most of the night, and again in the morning when we were packing up.  All around, a pretty good time.

Liam started preschool and tumbling a few weeks ago.  He loves both, and MG loves having some one-on-one time while he's gone. I'm really, really enjoying my kids right now.  MG is starting to chatter all the time and communicate pretty well.  Liam is smart enough that I can talk to (i.e. reason with) him like a much older person.  They're both loads of fun and I'm grateful for the time we get to spend together.

Show and Tell

Emily likes to remind me that I haven't posted on my blog in three weeks, so let's just get a couple things out of the way.

1. It was summer and I warned you I would be NOT posting while I was enjoying it.  Enjoy it I did.  With a lot of Netflix, plus naps.

2. I turned 26.  Closer to 30 than 20, which is fine with me because,

3. I started wearing maternity pants a week ago. Yes, that means what you think it means, and if I broke it down even further it would go something like "four months along, been 'showing' for a month but didn't 'tell' until last week, ready to be done with night sickness, tired of midnight bathroom trips, generally irritable....and already in nesting mode."
 
So.  We're doing this again.  Hooray!

Now I have a real reason to hibernate until next spring.

P.S. Isn't it weird how like 40 people have announced pregnancy in the last month?  Sheesh!  I can't even keep track!

P.P.S. I need you all to help me convince Slice to NOT find out the sex of this baby. Start pestering him now.

more side jobs

Here's something awesome about living in a small town - you never know what you might get asked to do.  Set up and maintain a city website? Teach a small group of homeschooled 8th graders? Volunteer on the Housing Authority Board?  Buy the equipment for and take high school dance pictures?

We finally got the studio stuff last week (great, more debt), and Slice immediately set some of it up in our front room and started snapping photos.  I have freaking adorable children, even with messy hair and clothes and more attitude than I know what to do with. I should stop looking at these pictures and start looking at the growing pile of laundry behind me.  But come on! That face!  

Slice is back to work, and working more than ever.  Last hitch on he worked for 10 days in a row. We need a cheap but faraway (and long and child-free) vacation.  Preferably before December.  Any ideas that don't include Disneyland? Anyone??

Summer of Love

How many people do you know who got married last weekend?  If it's more than seven, you got me beat.  If not, well....

The only wedding that I attended was that of my good friend from high school.  If you have ever wondered how your really amazing brother will find a girl that is amazing enough for him, you know how I've (pretty much always) felt about Jer.  It's a special honor.

He found the girl, and I'm sure she is deserving of his affection, and I was really pleased to be present for the ceremony.  Pleased enough that I didn't snap a single picture of the occasion.  Slice was unable to come (work) but my parents and younger siblings (who were already in Salt Lake) took the offspring and gave them a jolly good time at Liberty Park.

He's still talking about that Batman car.

Meanwhile, I was gallivanting around downtown, feeling like a real person - not just a mom but a REAL PERSON! - for a few joyful hours.  Thinking about my own wedding day in the Salt Lake temple over five years ago.  Still waiting to see who the rest of the Brotherhood decide to wed...

Dog Days

We're seven days into my favorite month!  Happy August, everyone!

We finished up July with another Roosevelt family reunion, Woodruff side this time.

Missing a bunch of people, even several who were AT the reunion earlier...

Dopp, Battistone, Morgan kids

Dorian took three days off work to be there, and we played hard for those three days.  By the end we all looked like this.

I tried to train for the UBIC 5k, but the day after the reunion ended, my kids woke up sick.  They were barfing by evening and I was trying not to.  I felt sick for maybe two days, then got hit with a nasty cold the week I was planning to do my 3-mile runs.  UGH.

Still I did it.  Last Saturday was the 5k, 10k and triathlon.  None of my sisters were there but Lisa ran most of the way with me, until I had to stop and walk for a couple blocks.  I finished four minutes faster than last year even with my cold, so that's an accomplishment, right?

Red face.  Always.

The rest of UBIC was pretty much nuts, with Slice playing three tennis matches and being in the parade twice and me trying to keep the kids hydrated and happy, and not sunstroked.  They both took 4-hour naps Saturday.  Hallelujah! 

Good thing, because we had a pretty late night with the Spin Doctors and the awesome fireworks afterward.

 All in all, it's been a good couple weeks. Have I mentioned how much I love summer??

more July

One thing I forgot to mention in my "July crazy" post is that Slice is now getting fire calls day and night and so far, he drops WHATEVER he is doing to get to them.  Leave the wife and kids at the park (at a company party) with no vehicle and a piano lesson in half an hour?  No prob.  Nothing is as important as that fire alarm!
His goal is to get there first and leave last.  Well, okay, he doesn't try to leave last.  But he's found a new brotherhood, a new obsession.... and I have to get a little fun out of it.  Especially with my abandonment issues.

In other news, I signed up for the UBIC 5k again, this time without my sisters.  I've been trying to get running again, and dang it is hard.  Partly because I never get going until it's at least 80 degrees outside.  Bad move on my part.  I've only worked up to 2 miles so far.

Kids are still cute, even when they're a pain, which is most of the time.  I'm going to rename MG "Sassy" because - well, if you spend any amount of time with her you'll know why.  THAT GIRL.

Liam is mostly potty trained, which means after 19 months of two children in diapers I only have one.  Hallelujah!  Let's hope she wants to be done with them soon!

Now I'm off to watch my new favorite show Call the Midwife. And throw dirty diapers at the people lighting off fireworks right in front of my house.
(You all read about that, right???)

makeover

Here's one thing I did for the yard sale.  Shelf - free. Spray paint - on hand.  Map + glue - on hand.

I just made an easy $80!

When the kids get the phone