I think we have found the sleep solution for Matthew. It came in the form of a cheap MP3 player, a set of speakers, and a playlist of quiet songs.
When Matthew heard the music start, he jumped into bed, didn't make another peep, and he is now sleeping soundly IN his bed. Sweet success!
Monday, July 19, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
A Date
One of our favorite family traditions is going on Mommy/Daughter and Daddy/Daughter dates (and a really occasional son date). We love getting to spend one on one time with the kids and they really look forward to it too. Because Matthew is so young still, his date is usually at home with whichever parent stays with him, but I'm so excited to start taking him out places soon.
Emma and I went on a Mommy/Daughter birthday date last weekend. We had a coupon for Build-A-Bear so we decided to do that. She wasn't really sure what was going on when we got there. I told her she could pick any animal that she wanted and she kept trying to pick the already stuffed animals. She didn't understand why she had to take one of the unstuffed ones. She finally picked the puppy and we headed over to the stuffing machine. She loved standing on the pedal to make the machine turn on.
After the puppy(whose name changed every time I asked her) was stuffed she got to pick a heart for it. She squeezed a lot of love into it
and then got to put it in.
After the puppy was all sewed up she got to wash it. She LOVED this.
We had such a fun time. It's so fun to really be able to talk with her and have conversations and hear all about the things she thinks about. She is such a special little girl!
Emma and I went on a Mommy/Daughter birthday date last weekend. We had a coupon for Build-A-Bear so we decided to do that. She wasn't really sure what was going on when we got there. I told her she could pick any animal that she wanted and she kept trying to pick the already stuffed animals. She didn't understand why she had to take one of the unstuffed ones. She finally picked the puppy and we headed over to the stuffing machine. She loved standing on the pedal to make the machine turn on.
After the puppy(whose name changed every time I asked her) was stuffed she got to pick a heart for it. She squeezed a lot of love into it
and then got to put it in.
After the puppy was all sewed up she got to wash it. She LOVED this.
We had such a fun time. It's so fun to really be able to talk with her and have conversations and hear all about the things she thinks about. She is such a special little girl!
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Boundaries
Most of you know that Matthew has some major sleep problems. Ever since he got sick at 6 months, he has struggled with sleeping. He will do really well for a few months and then he'll get sick or we'll go out of town and we'll be back to square one.
Right before we went to Idaho Matthew had been sleeping great. He had no problem going to bed or taking naps. That all went out the window while we were in Idaho and he has really struggled since with going to sleep. As soon as we leave the room he gets out of bed and runs out of the room. In order to keep Matthew in his room, we threaten to put him in the crib (pack n play). He HATES cribs so this works well...however, it only keeps him in his room, not his bed. The first few nights he would lay down and cry at the door till he fell asleep. The last 3 nights he has gone to the door, opened it, and then fallen asleep in the doorway with the door open. He KNOWS how far he can go...and he will go as far as he can. :) Hopefully this doesn't last long...
Right before we went to Idaho Matthew had been sleeping great. He had no problem going to bed or taking naps. That all went out the window while we were in Idaho and he has really struggled since with going to sleep. As soon as we leave the room he gets out of bed and runs out of the room. In order to keep Matthew in his room, we threaten to put him in the crib (pack n play). He HATES cribs so this works well...however, it only keeps him in his room, not his bed. The first few nights he would lay down and cry at the door till he fell asleep. The last 3 nights he has gone to the door, opened it, and then fallen asleep in the doorway with the door open. He KNOWS how far he can go...and he will go as far as he can. :) Hopefully this doesn't last long...
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Not For The Weak of Stomach
If you are going to be swimming outside for 3 1/2 hours, please learn from our mistake and put TONS of sunscreen on your kids OFTEN. Otherwise you'll get to see what a 2nd degree burn looks like...and it ain't pretty...
I did put sunscreen on both kids...just obviously not enough and not often enough. The crazy thing is that Emma got toasted and Matthew didn't get burned at all...go figure...
If you have a weak stomach, stop reading here...seriously this is gross. Poor Emma! So she is going shirtless for awhile and we aren't leaving the house any time soon. Not fun at all!
She has these blisters all over both shoulders. We have been draining the bigger ones and putting aloe on several times a day.
I did put sunscreen on both kids...just obviously not enough and not often enough. The crazy thing is that Emma got toasted and Matthew didn't get burned at all...go figure...
If you have a weak stomach, stop reading here...seriously this is gross. Poor Emma! So she is going shirtless for awhile and we aren't leaving the house any time soon. Not fun at all!
She has these blisters all over both shoulders. We have been draining the bigger ones and putting aloe on several times a day.
Before and After
By request here are before and after pictures of me. I can't believe I'm actually posting these...I can't believe I used to be this big...seriously if I ever need motivation to stay healthy I will definitely come look at these pictures.
These pictures were taken in October and November of last year...so about 5 months before I started losing weight. And I had actually gained more weight since these pictures were taken. Yuck!
So, anyway, here ya go...
AFTER
28 pounds less...I bought this skirt 2 years ago and couldn't even zip it up (it was one of those things I bought for someday when I lost weight). Now I can zip it and even then it just about falls off of me.
I found this dress in Idaho and fell in love with it. My mom ended up buying it for me as an early birthday present. I love having new clothes that I really feel good in.
These pictures were taken in October and November of last year...so about 5 months before I started losing weight. And I had actually gained more weight since these pictures were taken. Yuck!
So, anyway, here ya go...
BEFORE
I look very pregnant... I also don't fit any of these clothes anymore.
I look very pregnant... I also don't fit any of these clothes anymore.
AFTER
28 pounds less...I bought this skirt 2 years ago and couldn't even zip it up (it was one of those things I bought for someday when I lost weight). Now I can zip it and even then it just about falls off of me.
I found this dress in Idaho and fell in love with it. My mom ended up buying it for me as an early birthday present. I love having new clothes that I really feel good in.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
An Anniversary Surprise
Our fifth anniversary is next month...hard to believe! However, Jon surprised me a month early with a gift that he made.
While I was in Idaho with the kids, he worked a bunch of overtime and then came home and worked on the gift. With the help of his good friend Terry, he made this gorgeous headboard. (Sorry for the wonky coloring...it doesn't do the headboard justice).
This gift means a lot to me. First of all, I love homemade gifts. Jon put a lot of thought, time, and blood, sweat, and tears into this and I love that I have it as a reminder of his love. Second, I have been wanting a headboard for a LONG time...about 5 years. :) I had mentioned making or buying a headboard in the last few months, but it just didn't seem possible. While I was in Idaho Jon told me he had a surprise for me, but I NEVER would have guessed it was this. I was SO surprised when we walked in the house and I saw it. It means a lot to me that he sacrificed so much to do something special for me that he knew I would love. He really is one of the most thoughtful people I know.
Thank you Jon! I love you!
While I was in Idaho with the kids, he worked a bunch of overtime and then came home and worked on the gift. With the help of his good friend Terry, he made this gorgeous headboard. (Sorry for the wonky coloring...it doesn't do the headboard justice).
This gift means a lot to me. First of all, I love homemade gifts. Jon put a lot of thought, time, and blood, sweat, and tears into this and I love that I have it as a reminder of his love. Second, I have been wanting a headboard for a LONG time...about 5 years. :) I had mentioned making or buying a headboard in the last few months, but it just didn't seem possible. While I was in Idaho Jon told me he had a surprise for me, but I NEVER would have guessed it was this. I was SO surprised when we walked in the house and I saw it. It means a lot to me that he sacrificed so much to do something special for me that he knew I would love. He really is one of the most thoughtful people I know.
Thank you Jon! I love you!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Farrell Reunion- Donnelly, Id
Our last stop on our Idaho trip was Donnelly, which is between Cascade and McCall. Jon's parents were having a reunion with their kids and we were SO excited. We stayed in this really nice cabin, way up on the mountain. It was really beautiful up there and we had so much fun hanging out and visiting. The only big bummer is that by this time in our vacation, the kids were DONE. Matthew really struggled, especially in the sleep department, and both kids kept asking if we could go home. But they were troopers and we really did have a good time.
Our first night there, a huge storm came in out of nowhere. There was rain and wind that were so strong they knocked huge trees down everywhere. It was a mess. And we were without power for the next day and a half. That was an adventure! Definitely not one we would have chosen, but in the end it ended up being a blessing. We were out in nature, surrounded by family, and we had no electricity or electronics to distract us. We had to get creative, especially with cooking, but we did it. And I really am grateful to have had that experience. I'm also grateful that the power came back on. :)
So, on to the pictures...though there are several more that I want to get from other people.
Our second day there(the day with no power) we had scheduled to go boating. Luckily they were able to clear the roads enough for us to get to the lake and the temperatures warmed up just enough for us to spend all day outside.
This was along the road on our way to the lake...see that poor car under the tree.
I thought these next two pictures were so sweet
On the boat
Matthew hated wearing the life jacket...I can't say that I blame him.
Me and Emma on the tube. She put up with it, but both kids got off the boat as soon as they could and played on the beach for the rest of the day.
Matthew, Emma, and Jenny getting out of the sun
Matthew's new hobby...opening and closing doors
And this was by far Emma's favorite thing about the cabin...a close second was watching everyone play MarioKart.
While we were at the cabin Emma had a birthday.
"Emma, how old are you?"
We had a little party
We got her a kid's camera that she LOVES...and we now have about 300 pictures of feet and close ups of the couch. :)
Her cake...we couldn't decide which cheesecake we wanted so we did half Reeses and half regular. Jello no bake cheesecakes are the Best!
Our last day there we took the sidewalk chalk to this cement tunnel and colored away.
Jon's masterpiece
That night we went fishing one last time. Jon and some of his siblings had been several times during the week, but we wanted to squeeze in one last little trip. The fish were plentiful but too small to keep.
Matthew looked so funny just chilling in the stroller reeling in fish.
And of course the kids had to get in the water too. Don't you love Emma's hiked up skirt?? :)
We made so many memories during the last 3 weeks and I'm so grateful that we were able to go and see all of our family.
Our first night there, a huge storm came in out of nowhere. There was rain and wind that were so strong they knocked huge trees down everywhere. It was a mess. And we were without power for the next day and a half. That was an adventure! Definitely not one we would have chosen, but in the end it ended up being a blessing. We were out in nature, surrounded by family, and we had no electricity or electronics to distract us. We had to get creative, especially with cooking, but we did it. And I really am grateful to have had that experience. I'm also grateful that the power came back on. :)
So, on to the pictures...though there are several more that I want to get from other people.
Our cabin
Our second day there(the day with no power) we had scheduled to go boating. Luckily they were able to clear the roads enough for us to get to the lake and the temperatures warmed up just enough for us to spend all day outside.
This was along the road on our way to the lake...see that poor car under the tree.
I thought these next two pictures were so sweet
On the boat
Matthew hated wearing the life jacket...I can't say that I blame him.
Me and Emma on the tube. She put up with it, but both kids got off the boat as soon as they could and played on the beach for the rest of the day.
Matthew, Emma, and Jenny getting out of the sun
Matthew's new hobby...opening and closing doors
And this was by far Emma's favorite thing about the cabin...a close second was watching everyone play MarioKart.
While we were at the cabin Emma had a birthday.
"Emma, how old are you?"
We had a little party
We got her a kid's camera that she LOVES...and we now have about 300 pictures of feet and close ups of the couch. :)
Her cake...we couldn't decide which cheesecake we wanted so we did half Reeses and half regular. Jello no bake cheesecakes are the Best!
Our last day there we took the sidewalk chalk to this cement tunnel and colored away.
Jon's masterpiece
That night we went fishing one last time. Jon and some of his siblings had been several times during the week, but we wanted to squeeze in one last little trip. The fish were plentiful but too small to keep.
Matthew looked so funny just chilling in the stroller reeling in fish.
And of course the kids had to get in the water too. Don't you love Emma's hiked up skirt?? :)
We made so many memories during the last 3 weeks and I'm so grateful that we were able to go and see all of our family.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Idaho: Part 1
After a 3 week vacation in Idaho, we are finally home. It was so good to see all of our family but by the last week we were all ready to be home. So, I'll start at the beginning and summarize our 3 weeks as best as I can.
My two sisters and I, who all live far apart, were able to plan a trip home at the same time. Since all of our other siblings live in the area, we were all able to be home together(except Abby who was on a school trip part of the time).
That night after a yummy dinner, we roasted marshmallows and had s'mores.
Kaden, Emma, and Spencer showing off their Buzz Lightyear pajamas
Grandpa read to all the kids every night. They loved it!
We went to the splash park in Rexburg one day. I thought my kids would love it, but that was not the case. There is a big bucket that dumps water on the playground and they were both terrified of it. So...we sat and snacked most of the time.
I love this picture. Kaden would go up to Matthew several times a day and squeeze his cheeks and talk to him. It was very cute.
Riding the carousel at the park. Emma loved it. Matthew hated it...he is not a fan of rides at all.
Five kids might be too many for one tub. :)
My dad did a lot of babysitting so we could run errands, go to the temple, and have a girls day out. One afternoon my mom and sisters and I went to lunch at Johnny Carino's and then went to see Letters to Juliet. Such a fun afternoon!
There was a LOT of trampoline jumping.
Matthew claimed this cute little tractor as his own. Notice the cheese stick in the back...funny kid!
I signed Emma up for swim lessons...SO much cheaper in Idaho...my sister signed up two of her kids as well. Emma and Kaden were the only two in their class. They had a great teacher and absolutely loved their lessons.
One of Emma's favorite things at my parents house were my dad's cars. She played with these for hours.
A group of us went up to Yellowstone to watch "The Foreigner" at the Playmill Theater. My family goes to the Playmill at least once every summer and it is always fun to be able to go with them.
Esther, Nathan, Mom, Dad, me, Noah (and Rachel taking the picture) went this year.
Kaden's birthday was the 19th so we had a joint birthday party for him and Emma (both turning 4!). All the cousins went to see Toy Story 3 and then we came home and had pizza and a Buzz Lightyear birthday party.
All the cousins
My sister and Mom made these adorable matching outfits for the 3 girl cousins.
Silly faces
One of my favorite pictures of the kids together
Talking to Daddy on Father's Day
How sweet is this?
Sharing Grandpa's mug. For some reason all the kids just had to drink out of this, even though it's as big as they are. :)
One afternoon I took my kids and Kaden to walk around the greenbelt and feed the ducks.
Our last day there we went to Tautphus Park playground and zoo. It is a small zoo, but I thought it was perfect for the kid's attentions spans and we all had a great time. I even splurged the 25 cents so the kids could feed the goats. They loved it!
While there, my brother in law, Nathan had a birthday. We went over to his parent's house for a party. Both kids loved playing in their pond.
After dinner we played croquet.
Our two weeks there seriously flew by SO fast! We really had a great time. I especially loved seeing the kids play with their cousins. I really hope that they grow up to be great friends.
My two sisters and I, who all live far apart, were able to plan a trip home at the same time. Since all of our other siblings live in the area, we were all able to be home together(except Abby who was on a school trip part of the time).
We got to Idaho Falls in the early morning hours and went to bed. After we woke up, our first item of business was to get hair cuts. I was in desperate need of one and Emma was ready for a trim. She loves getting her hair cut and had a great time.
That night after a yummy dinner, we roasted marshmallows and had s'mores.
Kaden, Emma, and Spencer showing off their Buzz Lightyear pajamas
Grandpa read to all the kids every night. They loved it!
We went to the splash park in Rexburg one day. I thought my kids would love it, but that was not the case. There is a big bucket that dumps water on the playground and they were both terrified of it. So...we sat and snacked most of the time.
I love this picture. Kaden would go up to Matthew several times a day and squeeze his cheeks and talk to him. It was very cute.
Riding the carousel at the park. Emma loved it. Matthew hated it...he is not a fan of rides at all.
Five kids might be too many for one tub. :)
My dad did a lot of babysitting so we could run errands, go to the temple, and have a girls day out. One afternoon my mom and sisters and I went to lunch at Johnny Carino's and then went to see Letters to Juliet. Such a fun afternoon!
There was a LOT of trampoline jumping.
Matthew claimed this cute little tractor as his own. Notice the cheese stick in the back...funny kid!
I signed Emma up for swim lessons...SO much cheaper in Idaho...my sister signed up two of her kids as well. Emma and Kaden were the only two in their class. They had a great teacher and absolutely loved their lessons.
One of Emma's favorite things at my parents house were my dad's cars. She played with these for hours.
A group of us went up to Yellowstone to watch "The Foreigner" at the Playmill Theater. My family goes to the Playmill at least once every summer and it is always fun to be able to go with them.
Esther, Nathan, Mom, Dad, me, Noah (and Rachel taking the picture) went this year.
Kaden's birthday was the 19th so we had a joint birthday party for him and Emma (both turning 4!). All the cousins went to see Toy Story 3 and then we came home and had pizza and a Buzz Lightyear birthday party.
All the cousins
My sister and Mom made these adorable matching outfits for the 3 girl cousins.
Silly faces
One of my favorite pictures of the kids together
Talking to Daddy on Father's Day
How sweet is this?
Sharing Grandpa's mug. For some reason all the kids just had to drink out of this, even though it's as big as they are. :)
One afternoon I took my kids and Kaden to walk around the greenbelt and feed the ducks.
Our last day there we went to Tautphus Park playground and zoo. It is a small zoo, but I thought it was perfect for the kid's attentions spans and we all had a great time. I even splurged the 25 cents so the kids could feed the goats. They loved it!
While there, my brother in law, Nathan had a birthday. We went over to his parent's house for a party. Both kids loved playing in their pond.
After dinner we played croquet.
Our two weeks there seriously flew by SO fast! We really had a great time. I especially loved seeing the kids play with their cousins. I really hope that they grow up to be great friends.
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