Speed Blogging: February 2013

About 5 weeks ago, I started this post about how caught up I was on life. A week later, I went back and revised it. Two weeks after that, I revised it again. Here I am, buried in my To Do list, and yet another three weeks or so has passed. Work started slowing down but it was obviously the calm before the storm (little did I know). Things can change so quickly and it seems like it's feast or famine. I'm okay with that, but I sure wish I was more on top of my game when the feast came along.

So yeah. Work. Overrated.

Meanwhile, I'm still going to pretend that I can catch up on blogging. We've done a lot of fun things and I'm not ready to move on. Yet. There's no guarantee that will always be the case, but for now it is. Which is why I'm going to take this opportunity to blog about the wonderful month of February.

The first Friday of February I unexpectedly had the day off. We celebrated at Chick-fil-A.

I made Clara remove the wall decor that her and her cousins put up in December.

Lilly dressed up as a strange woman and told the girls stories. They were captivated.

Hangover from sleepover at Grandma's.

Swings in giant trees could be on my top ten favorite things.

I finally put my Christmas stuff away. I wanted to have it done by February first, but I was a few days late. I do, however, still have "leftovers" that we've found around the house sitting in my laundry room.

I finally used my Blendtec. Jason bought me one for Christmas and I made him take it back since there was a better deal online. Then I wouldn't let him buy it online at home so he had to do it while at work. When it finally came, I pretended if I didn't open it, it'd be like the money was never spent. Jason opened it for me and I've enjoyed it ever since. Originally I thought it was way too much to spend when I already have a blender that I can make my green smoothies in. However, it is way more versatile than I thought (raw veggie soups!) and therefore, worth the money.

I bought and froze tons of strawberries, blueberries and bell peppers. I feel so organized on days like that. My pictures uploading sideways, however, does not make me feel organized.

Hazel learned about nostrils.

While I was working at Jack-in-the-box, I had lunch with my dad a few times. I already miss that.

We read lots of books.

The second Sunday of February was super busy. Well, that entire weekend was busy. Saturday night Landry and Kevin and their families came over for dinner. On Sunday, Clara had to give a talk, I had to teach my first Relief Society lesson, Hazel had to bring the snack to nursery and we hosted family dinner. Knowing it'd be busy, I tried to plan a meal that would be easy. Somehow I convinced myself pie would be good for dessert since I could make it on Saturday and it would still be good on Sunday. However, the entire time I was making them I realized it was a rather foolish decision. At least they tasted good.

We had a rare frosty morning.

Clara handmade Valentines for her class.

Valentine's Day breakfast: heart-shaped french toast and strawberries.

In over four years, I have never had the need to use a check for my business. Until now.

On President's Day my cousin and her boys came over to pick oranges. I am related to some pretty great people.

Horsey rides. Good thing Hazel's a lightweight like Clara so this type of fun works out.

Clara made a salad for lunch: spinach, carrots (cut with a butter knife again), tomatoes and dressing.

Hazel started doing this when I told her to open her eyes.

We went to a Cub's spring training game at Hohokam. It was really warm out.

And I couldn't help but take pictures of the sky during the month. I love our sunsets here

Chronicles of Poo

Don't read this if you don't appreciate a healthy discussion about bodily fluids being expelled from the body, from both ends. I'd like to record this for my sake and am not making anyone read it. This week started out with an overly whelming list of things to do. For starters, instead of working one day at my client, I had committed to three. I am working on some very large projects and they need extra help so temporarily, I agreed to a few more days. On Tuesday, I got a call from my mom that Hazel threw up. My mom said I didn't need to come home so I stayed at work. Later on, she threw up and had diarrhea in my mom's car. I know no one needs to know the details, but for posterity, I hope everyone never wonders about the kind of person my mother was. I took the kids home and did our usual. Hazel wasn't feeling great, but seemed to be better. That night, I felt like I should go check on her around 9:00pm and she was in the middle of throwing up all over. We caught the last few drops in the bucket I left with her in bed. I changed the bedding, cleaned her up and got her back to bed. Wednesday I cancelled on my client. Even if Hazel was better, I wanted to hold her while she wasn't feeling great. Hazel was very weak, but we had no diarrhea and no puke. Thursday morning, was even better and we went to the park. Thursday afternoon, Hazel woke up after sleeping for about 30 minutes. I went in to discover the grossest thing I have experienced as a mother. Even with a pull-up on, there was poo all over her clothes, on the sheet, on the mattress pad (thank goodness I have the mattress in a plastic cover!), on the plastic of the mattress, down the slats of the crib, onto the metal grid that the mattress rests on and onto the carpet. Not in one spot, but two. I cleaned her up, rinsed the the bedding off, threw everything in the wash with lots of bleach, sprayed Lysol all over her room and wiped down her entire crib with a disinfectant wipe. Once I got that done, I baked a cake for a stake Relief Society meeting. It wasn't going to win best of show, but at least it tasted good. After dropping it off, I came home and made pizza for dinner. It turned out really good! I used Peter Reinhart's recipe for the dough and the sauce. Hazel asked to go poo-poo about 8 times in a 15 minute period and went every time. It wore me out picking her up, lifting her on the toilet, holding her on the toilet, taking her off, washing our hands and putting her back in her chair to eat. The second I sat down she'd say, "Momma, need to go poo-poo." So we'd repeat. Over and over and over. I was so wiped out by the time I put everyone to bed (of course Jason had softball games so he was gone when all this happened). That night was uneventful, but I had to go to work the next day so Jason took the day off. So here we are on Saturday. Hazel is slowly getting better and the consistency of her poo has improved. She is eating and drinking and is back to being a bit feisty.

Needless to say, I dropped the ball on a lot of my clients this week. I'm usually good at multi-tasking. However, when my kids get really sick, it's like I focus on only one single thing: taking care of the sick child. Nothing matters as much as that. When I was really stressed Tuesday night, I decided to read old blog posts and see what March of 2012 was like. And guess what? On a day I was supposed to go to work, Clara spiked a high fever (for the first time in a year). I had to cancel on the people I was working with and I was really stressed. The thought quickly came to me: it all worked out then and everything was fine, and it will be the same this time around. After all, I can only do my best. It's interesting to me how quickly and easily nothing else matters when my kids are sick. That is my number one priority and it doesn't matter what else I have to sacrifice. My mothering mode kicks into overdrive and my focus narrows completely. Life seems to be still and simple in our home as I take care of basic needs while the world continues to swirl around with chaos around us. It was also comforting to be reminded that I went through a similar thing a year ago and everything turned out in the end. Sick kids are no fun, especially on a holiday weekend. We've had to miss so many fun things because of this. Jason and I have been trying to tag team so Clara can at least enjoy herself. I wish we could make memories as a family, but it has been good for Jason and I both to get lots of individual time with each child. Last night Clara and I went to dye Easter eggs while Jason stayed with Hazel. This morning a friend took Clara to an Easter breakfast because Jason was gone golfing. Jason took Clara to Dan's 30th birthday party while I stayed with Hazel. Tonight I think I'm going to take Clara to the Easter pageant while Jason stays with Hazel. It's not ideal. And I have lots to do (although I do have to admit having to stay home with Hazel took a lot off my plate). But, I have felt so grateful for so many things since this all started. My mom. The flexibility of my job. The flexibility of Jason's job. Bleach. Disinfecting wipes. Lysol. Weather cool enough to air out the house. Feeling okay about being a slacker at work and feeling at peace that I was doing the right thing and not second guessing my decision to cancel on my client and underperform. Washing machines. Being able to let Clara enjoy so many festivities. Getting to be the one to wait on Hazel hand and foot (even if I did just about lose it Thursday night after she asked me for the 8th or 10th time to go poo while I was trying to eat my dinner!). That Hazel is potty-trained and other than the crib episode, all other poo has gone in the toilet where it belongs. Prayer. And life. Life people! I don't think it's a coincidence that things like this happen so often when I am maxed out with work. It's always a good reminder of what is really most important in life and that it's okay to slow down every now and then. Plus, it's just the stomach flu. I will gladly take that if it means I get to stay on earth with my family.

I Can't Help It

I should be going to sleep. I've been averaging 4 hours of sleep and I'm feeling pretty worn out. But when I finished up the things I absolutely had to get done and noticed it was not yet Midnight, I opted to blog a bit about my little super star Clara. She is special and I know that, but lately, she has been even more incredible. Sometimes I look at her and feel like someone has tricked me into thinking she's only six because in so many ways, she is way beyond her age.

On Sunday, I was feeling really sick, but we were trying to make it to a nursing home where my dad conducts church so Clara could give a little talk. I had fallen asleep on the couch around 9am for a few hours and we needed to leave at 12:30. While I was scrambling to get everything together, Clara made a salad for lunch since she knew I wouldn't have time. She cut up some romaine, carrots, avocado, tomato and cucumber. She added some already chopped bell peppers. At the nursing home, she got up in front of about 20 strangers and told them she was going to tell them how we got to earth. I am pretty sure she meant why we came to earth. Anyway, she held up pictures she drew and talked about how we were spirits before we came to earth, how we have the beautiful earth because Heavenly Father loves us and how our family was married in the temple so we can be happy. She's so fearless.

On Monday, she made her own cheese crisp. She also heard a book at school about our invisible buckets and how we can fill ours and each others. She has made quite the conscious effort to do things that fill up buckets and avoid things that take away from our buckets. She also taught this concept in our FHE lesson.

Wednesday morning I couldn't get out of bed. She woke up, got all ready for school, got herself breakfast, ate, got a snack for school and went to school (Jason took her while I continued to sleep... I need more than 4 hours of sleep). She is so independent and helpful, likely more so even then I was at the age of 8. She is constantly helping me with Hazel and wanting to help in the kitchen.

Today, she decided she was going to sell things to people (rocks, flowers, pine cones and acorns). She called up family and asked them to come buy stuff from her, not even thinking twice about being nervous. It was hilarious watching her take it so serious, never for one second realizing her prices were soaring above fair market value. She sat in the front in her wagon for over an hour not even knowing if anyone would come (people came, thank goodness). She made nearly $5, which was more than the $1 she hoped to make so she could buy a book from school.

She's just one incredible little girl and she never ceases to amaze me.

Recharged

In the past week, I've had the opportunity to spend some time in the mountains for a few days, not once, but twice. We were in a cabin both times, but didn't have internet on either occasion. It was a reminder that for me, that is the perfect vacation. Some people feel recharged after vacations without their children. I feel recharged after a vacation without the internet. I feel like it's the only real way to take a true vacation.

Trip #1

Trip #2

More on both to come. Someday.

It Snows Here All the Time

On the February 20th, I had an HOA meeting and when I got to the location, it was raining. I decided to sit in my car and see if if would let up. Instead, it started snowing. It was fun! 

The next day we went and took pictures of the Superstition mountains. I let Clara use my small camera and she loved it. She had the camera up to her face most of the time.

And thought she was hilarious taking pictures of me taking pictures of her.

So pretty!

Tons of people stopped where we were and I overheard some old people saying how this happens maybe once every thirty years. I didn't dare correct them, but one time it snowed before we had kids (picture on 3.12.2006 from Spook Hill)... 

and then when Clara was a month old, it snowed and I'm guessing there was snow on the Superstitions because there was "a lot" of snow in Mesa on Recker and McKellips on 1.21.2007... 

and then when Hazel was a month old, it snowed, but not much (picture taken 2.18.2011 and I'm not gonna lie, I'm not 100% sure that's the day it snowed, but it was pretty close). 

So, rare? Yes. But once every thirty years? Not so much. This is the fourth time in about 8 years that I've seen snow in Mesa and/or on the Superstitions.

A Hiking We Did Go

For President's Day, I wanted to do something to get out of the house. Clara requested a hike to Hole in the Rock (although I'm not convinced she knew what it was) and I thought it sounded fun. Apparently lots of other people thought it sounded fun because it was packed! It was fun, but it was not ideal not having Jason there. Clara kept getting stuck on steep parts of the mountain (not the little trail up) and I couldn't leave Hazel to help her so I had to do it while holding Hazel. But we still had fun and enjoyed the beautiful weather.

Clara was super hyper and Hazel would not look at the camera. I think I bribed her for this one, but for almost every other pictures she said, "Me no smile, busy eating."

 

Little mountain goat loves to climb. I told her next time we'd bring Jason so he can watch Hazel while her and I go exploring.

Okay, for more trail mix I'll say cheese... I'll even open my eyes.

 

Little poser.

While at Hole in the Rock, Clara and I decided we should hike a trail/mountain for every letter of the alphabet this year. The next week, we started it off with a family hike up "A" Mountain.

If you have any good family-friendly hikes, please share! Oh wait, there's only about 3 remaining bloggers out there...

Road Trip in Less Than 24 Hours

On the 16th of February, we headed up to Snowflake for Makenzie's baptism. Some people hate road trips, but I love them, especially with my family. My kids are usually pretty good in the car and with nothing to get in our way, we have hours to spend laughing, talking and planning as a family. Jason and I sing Disney songs to the kids (did you know Jason has more of the Disney songs memorized than I do?). We're usually all laughing by the end. Except for Hazel... she's usually saying, "Stop it. Too loud." The kids ask questions about all sorts of things, which often initiate fantastic conversations. Jason and I talk about our future and how we're going to pay off our rental house and buy more property (and then we get home and it's back to reality). As with many road trips, the end destination was to see and spend time with family, which rarely disappoints. 

 

I asked these kids to hug each other for a picture and you would've thought I asked them to change each other's diapers. Seriously. Besides that, they're good kids.

 Grandpa Penrod ran around the parking lot with Hazel while I was taking pictures. Nice.

We enjoyed a wonderful baptism and headed back to Len and Maricel's for dinner, dessert and the greatest entertainment this world has to offer: 4 Penrod boys dancing to Just Dance 4.

Way past bedtime, we headed to Michelle's to crash. Except Michelle and I "accidentally" stayed up until after 4:00 am talking. I love having a cousin that doubles as a friend. I'm just wondering why I never take pictures with her and I suppose it's because 99% of the time we spend together is after 10:00 pm. We headed back Sunday morning to get home in time for church. It's always fun to leave reality for a bit and spend time with loved ones.