Saturday, January 30, 2010

Saturdays and Sewer Trouble!

Joe headed downstairs to the basement to check the old "Dogdish" style jacuzzi that is located in a Spa house behind our house. He came back in and informed me he had called Roto Rooter. "Do you know there are six drains in that little building?" "Not one of them is formed properly to drain water from the rooms and in the old Steam Sauna there is several inches of standing sewage....there is mildew and carpet and tile damage" He called our insurance agent to make a claim. Once again, I am so glad Joe is home this weekend! Is there ever a convenient time to have your main waterline backup? Probably not. At least you will know what projects we will be busy on over the next couple of months (carpet and tile removal, removing an old steam sauna, taking a sauna through a door and onto a basement patio, regrouting a gutted shower, etc.) *Later, update*...the sewer main to the house was blocked up ($255.00) and the Spa house was filled with sewage that also seeped into the house basement...patches of carpet and foam, stored "Rose Cottage" furniture under the stairwell, antique furniture set, baby changing table, table leaves, and other stored furniture will all have to be replaced because of mildew and sewage water damage. Hmm. **Newest Update**There was also an ice dam or broken pipe and the ceiling and back of the wall is starting to show mold. They began working and stopped today and said, "we will have to turn this over into a 'mold demo(lition)'." This will most likely change the insurance claim and mean that we will be paying out of pocket to get this "moldy house" torn down. Is it the pregnancy hormones that make me want to cry?

Monday, January 25, 2010

How to not be a "Victim."

I was listening to a "teaching moment" today by Heather Madder of BestLifeDesigns and found it interesting: Victims blame others for their troubles, powerful people take accountability. Stop blaming others for your weight/health issues, financial trouble, relationship challenges, etc. Be authentic with yourself! Being honest with yourself and your pain. Truth will allow you to heal. Tell people the truth. You are designed and destined to be whole. Take inventory of where you are right now and accountability for where you are right now. "Any time you have an overreaction to an issue, you have an unresolved issue that is not healed." "I am cocreating all that I am experiencing right now!" You can ( and are the only one that can) save you (with help from the Creator)! The key to every victims prison is inside of you. "What would you give to wake up tomorrow morning and open your eyes and have a life that you absolutely love! To have a family or people close to you or around you that celebrate you, that honor you, that trust you, to have a job that you just cannot wait to get to--where you are making money, plenty of money to care for yourself and the people that you love, and have a fit healthy body with tons of energy and a fir active life? What would you give for that?" Here's what is required: I create what I choose--I am a cocreator. Next step is to seek truth (change).

Thursday, January 21, 2010

A Party for Susie

Susie had a wonderful birthday! Aunt Melissa called and invited Susie to come and play with cousins: Eli, Sam, Andrew, and Cami. (She has been the angel watching Ashton children while mama Lisa is in the hospital with undiagnosed headaches). Susie was excited to bring My Little Pony fruit snacks to share. This allowed me to grocery shop, clean, and get to baking cupcakes. On the way home from picking her up she fell asleep and gave the girls and I time to make an angel food cake (for the adults I anticipated coming). We had a little celebration for Susie tonight. We were grateful for Aunt Beth (and her support), Jackson, and Lolly, Grammy, and Pop Pop who came to wish her well. We enjoyed balloons, homemade and store bought presents, and fun party foods: Pirates Booty, pizza, Pink Lemonade, Strawberries and Cream Sponge cake, Ice cream varieties: Vanilla, Creamery Cookies and Cream, and Creamery Real Raspberry, JuJu Hearts, Marshmallow hearts, cinnamon hearts, Fruit by the Foot favors...Lots of laughter, running wild, and wind rattling through the house as another sotrm blows in tonight.

Happy Third Birthday, Little Lady!

This is Susie's posed "smile."
It is hard to believe that our little lady, Susannah, turns three today! She is saying and doing more than ever. Early this morning is was snowing and we expect another storm to blow in this afternoon (according to weathermen--are they ever accurate?!). Still, when she opened the drapes this morning she said, "Ahh, look. The sun got dressed!" These photos were taken this past Sunday on the way home from church. She is hiding and laughing about the snowman's carrot nose. She loves this yard man (D.I. $1.00) and likes to rock his arms and dance with him. He is just her size.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Mothering Tips from a Joyful Mom

Here are some of the things that I have learned along the Parenting Path: (No doubt you will learn what works for you and yours). People (big and small) are NOT the same if they are too tired or too hungry! (Or with teenagers--need a shower.) Time saving tips: When husband is home, trade times for cutting up veggies and nutritious snacks, making out shopping and menu lists, and going grocery and errand shopping. Chop and store veggies in cold water Tupperware on Sundays to snack on through the week. Cook casserole meals on Saturday when Dad is home and can help with children/baby. Etc. Plan to do ONE thing a day with your child(ren)! Go to the park, make a snowman, take/give a ride in a sleigh, go to library story time, grocery shopping, etc. Consider play dates and child sharing to give mom some "alone time" or "date time with Daddy". Band-aids are magic! Buy them 40 latex free colored band-aids for a dollar at the local dollar tree and enjoy 40 (separate) minutes of validation and instant hurt fixes. (What a wonderful thing a band-aid and a bit or generic antibiotic ointment on a microscopic "hurt" is. Instant validation. Courage. A flag or banner to show your friends of family of your recent devastating wound!) Teach independence: Clean out cupboards and drawers close to the ground and store dishcloths in the lowest, odd kitchen utensils/tools in the drawer up from there (no sharp objects: peelers, graters, knives, etc.) Put plastic cups and plates, and bowls in another bottom drawer and teach the little ones where to find a cup and how to climb up on the toilet--reach the sink and get their own cups of water. Observe a "Quiet Time." This is as much for mother as it is for a toddler or preschooler. After I had two small children (a new baby and a two year old), we organized a routine (not a schedule)...it went something like this...Older child wakes up around this time, we get up and eat breakfast. After breakfast, we make beds, and get dressed. (Breastfeed the baby is liberally put in every hour and a half and so we stop and read small stories throughout the morning). Snack time is mid-morning. Various chores (laundry, dishes, etc.) spaced in between waking baby's needs. Lunch, after lunch, we read a story and my preschooler knows it is Quiet Time. Quiet Time rules vary depending on the age of your child. Young ones who still nap may lay by mom and keep head on the pillow and be quiet. Our rules are that head stays on pillows, stop wiggling, and be quiet. I have a basket of "treats" that they can choose from after Quiet Time. With an older child who may or may not still take naps, they are to stay on their bed and be quiet. I put books to read to themselves, "safe" toys, or things by them. We also have a lock on the outside of their door and sometimes I have set a timer and left it in the room so they know that there is a sart time and a finish time. Quiet Time takes some time to set up and get used to in the routine. Older children (H and R) used to practice Hypnobirthing with me and really enjoyed this Quiet Time with Mom before J was born. (H still comments on it almost seven years later--it was very "relaxing" for her). We have two "Cleaning Parades" where we march through the house and tuck things into the right places...one in the mid morning and one before dad gets home in the evening. You can sing several clean ups songs..."We can play, we can play, now it's time to put away, away, away, away, away, away, away, away..." or "It's time to clean up" fro Barney. A soft answer turns away wrath. Code signs and words. I speak Finnish to my children. It is our "silisous keili" (secret tongue, language). They know when Mom counts low in Finnish to stop, or uses the word "lopetta" (stop), "nyt" (now), etc. Also, for a very young child who is disobeying...words like "treat" "candy" or "bubbles" may bring them back a lot faster than "No! Come back here!" As they streak naked out the front door and giggle naked down the street. Simplify your words...I used to explain with sentences to my oldest. When R came along...I simplified to "no!" "Stop" "Hot--ouch, burn!" Repentance at a young age. With H, I learned that she would escalate my emotions and push my buttons when she or I was tired. We spent some nice times learning about repentance and praying together and then "starting over" after we had had some miscommunications or misunderstandings (starting at age 2). H sometimes said amazing things--far beyond her age, after some of these sessions. Time outs for Mama too. Time outs worked for H, and NOT for R. But for H, and Momma, we would take a time out to settle down or think about what we had done. With R, we did Time In, which means that I had to stop right then and look to see what the trouble was. She did NOT want to be separated from me when she was upset or had made a mistake. I had to get down on her level and see why she was misbehaving and correct or distract her. Library resources. Use them for audio, video, DVD, AND books. Discount stores for educational videos. Savers and D.I. have great Fisher Price toys and videos (most are going to DVDs). A Video break can be a break for Momma too. Use cleaning wipes and disinfect well. Rotate toys and movies so that children don't get "bored" of them by putting some away for a special occasion. Coupons--to use or not to use? If they are helpful, great...if they overwhelm and take up time--skip them and buy things on sale at Macey's and Buy Low. Buy when things are on sale--pick up two or three of something you regularly use. Put favorite recipes in a binder/ folder to be found easily. Junk drawer--perfect for the bits and bobs found around the house that have no "home" of their own. Keep everything in perspective..."this too shall pass" This stage, tantrums, sleep awakenings, teething, morning sickness, winter sadness, etc. Find JOY every day: enjoy a snack, a piece of chocolate, start an audio from the library while you wash dishes or fold clothes, Calendar baby's milestones, JOURNAL with a three ring binder, remember schedules, events, moments, emotions,...

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

It Came!

It Came! Our Families Blog Book from 2007-2008. A bit of our family's history, bound, published, and in color. Thanks to Joseph for pushing we get it slurped and being patient but ordering it anyway when I really wanted to upload more pictures into the text only entries...The girls and I sat down on the couch and read, and reread all the events that had taken place and remembered. Please, if you don't blog--journal. Journal just a little bit. It doesn't have to be important stuff only...although I would recommend children's birth days, blessings, anniversaries, days of gratitude, etc. I will too. I will do better at keeping a journal: daily, weekly, monthly. Each year for the last five years I use a 50% off coupon (if they are not all ready on sale) and go to Roberts Craft Store and buy a three ring binder with colored vinyl. I then write on the side in the handy clear pocket provided on the back of a precut index card, Julie's Journal 2010. (The writing is all in purple Sharpee marker--consistently different I guess). Inside, I am able to stick in children's artwork, ticket stubs, cards (when I get them) from husband and family, and paper that my dad prints for me for my birthday (which is simply lined three ring binder paper). I love the binder because my artsy, try to be organized but never really pull it off self, can get behind and not fret. I don't have to do things in order. I can add e-mail print outs and old cards, etc. anytime throughout the year (or the following year when I am cleaning) and it doesn't matter! My children's favorite bedtime book of all time is my (or Joe's) journal. They love to hear the funny things they did or said. They like the good days as well as the Alexander's Horrible No Good, Very Bad Day days. Plus, they like to see the artwork they did that I date and sign with their names in clear plastic sleeves spread throughout my journal. (For those who don't like to keep the originals because the art is too bulky, etc. You can take a digital picture to remember it and then not feel so badly about recycling their treasures!) Whatever works for you...JOURNAL!

Monday, January 18, 2010

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

With the children home on holiday today, we felt it fitting that they learn a little in Family Night about this great man for whom they got a break from school. We enjoyed reading aloud pieces of his "I Have a Dream" speech from his March on Washington in 1963. His life served as a catalyst for all American's Civil Rights. He is one of my heros. Afterwards, Hannah choose a peach shake fro dessert and here is what happened when I put the straws too close to Susie and got distracted.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

New Year, New Books!

This year, as usual, I have been listening to new audio books and occasionally get to actually hold a book in my hands and read it. I have been listening to the Gregor the Overlander series by Suzanne Collins (author of The Hunger Games). One that I am having a hard time letting go is Eoin Colfer's The Supernaturalists. It was read by a great reader and actor. The storyline maybe similar to Jane Eyre in a male modern day format and perhaps that is why it resignates with me. It tells the story of an orphan, Cosmo Hill and his escape from a state-run orphanage and his rescue by a group of other orphans whom he joins to help the world. I love the hint of another, better life and the idea that these teens are doing their best to better a stark modern world. Happy Reading 2010!

Friday, January 15, 2010

Penelope

Tonight we watched the 2006 DVD Penelope. The premise is that a wealthy man's son falls in love with a servant girl but as he announces his love and engagement to his family, they laugh and he ends up marrying a "blue blood" more suited to is class. The servant girls falls off a cliff and the mother of the girl, a local witch, comes to the estate and curses the family line with a curse: the next daughter born will be cursed to look like a pig until she can be loved by one of her own. It was a fun family movie to see. It left me with thoughts. Rebekah mentioned, "Mom, I think the movie was not about a curse at all. I think it was trying to show us that we need to learn to love ourselves!" I agree. In the end, Penelope is speaking about the story to her little students and one remarks when she finished, "It's always the mother's fault!"

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Funny Things Susie Says

It is hard to believe that little Susie is almost three. She has said some funny things lately. Sunday, we went to Uncle Matt's ward for baby Cora's blessing. After, we ate lunch and then loaded up and drove home past Seven Peaks Water Park. Going past the park, Susie says loudly, "I can go swimming...and I don't even need a swim suit!" (There is snow on the ground and the park is closed for the season). The other night, she and I were late nighting and talking about the baby coming to our house. The baby will drink milk and Susie is not a baby but a big girl. "Big girls can eat toast, cheese, bread, soup and yogurt!" I tell her. "I DO NOT like SOUP!" She responds. "I like sugar!" (We had homemade chicken and rice soup that night for dinner).

Monday, January 11, 2010

Joe's (and Julie's?) New Year's Resolution!

Joe came up with a resolution this year on New Years: He informed me that he does not think we should buy chocolate in 2010! (by this, he also means "we" in other words, Julie should not buy chocolate in 2010 either). I was a hard sell on this. In other years it has been to focus on exercise or temple attendance, or eating two vegetables at each meal. I broke the resolution on January second. Joe reminded me in the car as I was offering him a piece of newly acquired Daim Swedish chocolate (which he took and ate by the way)! (We had been shopping for the first time at the Swedish mega-store Ikea. I have wanted to go to Ikea since they announced there would be one in a near by city, opening in 2007). So, it will be (or seem like) a long year--2010. If you have pity on me and you are buying chocolate...enjoy a piece for me and if you really want brownie points in heaven--drop or send some by!

On the Mend!

We have had a busy week (end) and I will soon post Russian Christmas and Region PTA Reflections Awards. Just wanted all to know that we made it through the sick week and (tiredly) we are back to the push and grind and grateful for it...children in school ( with no fever and just lingering coughs--knock on wood), Joe back at work and Julie with her impossible daily job list. Wishing you all wellness and happiness in this new year! Hope you, like us, can see the sunshine today (despite the horrible inversion)!

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Russian Christmas

Susie and Joe by Lavonallis' tree and garland.
Russian Christmas orated by Leland Campbell
This year we celebrated Russian Christmas with Grammy's Borsch (red cabbage soup), our Strawberry Greens Salad, Beth's Clam Chowder, and Anne's Trifles, Punch, and Peppermint Pig tradition. Pop Pop read to us about celebrations in Russia and traditional food and holiday events there. Campbell children remarked about what they remember about growing up with Russian Christmas and good food and family memories were had by all. (*Russian Christmas is celebrated on January 7, thirteen days after Western Christmas according to the Russian Orthodox Church which uses the old Julian Calendar.)
The girls ate Borsch.
Jonathan doesn't want to.
Susie shares bites with Dad.
Grammy remembers her traditions growing up.
Newly engaged Dave and Kellene.
Grandpa holds the Peppermint Pig (red bag) and hammer and tells something he is grateful for in 2009 before tapping the candy and passing it along.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Region Reflections Contest

PTA Reflections Regional Awards were given out tonight and we were very proud with Rebekah and her film, "Beauty is Nature." She filmed it herself with our small hand held camcorder up the Hobble Creek Canyon. She was awarded an Honorable Mention in the Region.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

New Year, New Illness

I should have suspected Susie was coming down sick when she fell asleep in front of the compter The Adeno virus has come knock, knocking at our door this new year. It has brought with it a coughing cacophony, chills, fever, and mucus. At New Years, Susie had nights of high fever (heat rashes on her and me, when I was holding her) and coughing...Little Jonathan awoke from a nap yesterday afternoon with a temperature of 104.7-106.2. When I called about reducing his fever, I was told to bring him in to the doctor to rule out secondary illness. While there, he failed his pulsox monitor yesterday and so he ended up at the hospital for chest x-rays. Uncle Matt (his pediatrician, along with Grandpa) was kind to meet us back at the office at 10:30 p.m. where his oxygen saturation was still at 88% and where he was started on steroids and breathing treatments last night. He has bilateral viral pneumonia and has breathing treatments every four hours around the clock (2:45 a.m., 6:45 a.m. 10:45 a.m., etc.) Rebekah has the cough and low grade fever now. Susie has gotten over the fevers and now has the residual bronchitis and cough. So far, Hannah does not have the fever and "feels" for the other children but has a mother that still wants her to go to Pre-Algerbra and cello lessons at school. Want to sleep over? We have entertainment (with lots of drama) and action ALL NIGHT LONG!
(I should have suspected when Susie fell asleep on the floor at 6:00 p.m. in front of the computer that she was coming down with something).

Sunday, January 3, 2010

New Years Resolutions

Joe and I have been discussing New Years Resolutions (and writing them down to become goals). Some have been practical things like paying down debts, spiritually connecting to the hearts of our children on a regular basis, using/rotating/making monthly menus/learning to use beans and lentils with Food Storage, creating laundry "units" to hang and put away clothes in one place... What are some of your goals? How do you organize to create a simpler, more peaceful home? How do you save money?

Saturday, January 2, 2010

A Trip to Salt Lake

IKEA
Just the sight of the menu makes Susie happy! (Pickled herring, smoked salmon, and open faced shrimp and egg sandwiches were also on the menu).
Swedish meatballs anyone?
Thanks for taking our picture Hannah--sorry Susie.
This afternoon, Joe, Hannah, Rebekah, Susie and me went to Ikea in Salt Lake. This was our first experience in the Swedish super store (that opened in Draper in 2007) and I had a lot of fun! Fortunately, Jonathan got a call from Truman (from his school class) before we left and was very excited to be playing and not shopping. Ikea is an experience. You grab a store map and a mini pencil, tape measure, cart, and some patience and off you go--floating adrift and gawking at all there is to see! The girls claim now that they were "bored" but they acted far from that as they sat at each different computer chair and tried out the computer desks, beds, room furniture, etc. in the mini-room displays. About midway through, we stopped at the restaurant and had the Swedish Meatball Plate with red mashed potatoes and Lingonberries. (Rebekah was hesitant about trying meat and berries but gave it a go. Hannah was willing but did not find it to her liking). Julie (with Joe's help) finished hers off and felt delightfully full. At this point, we were short on time and hurried through the basics of home and textiles and self serve downstairs to the checkout and Food Market. At the food market, we tried samples of gingerbread cookies and found Rye bread (in a box mix), Lingonberry jam, salty licorice fish, chocolate, and candy.
Some "finds" included two sets of finger puppets ($4.99 each), a baby mobile ($14.99), a duster ($3.00), two cutting boards ($2.00), two shirt bibs ($4.99), three burp cloths ($3.49), and an interactive cloth book ($9.99).
From the Food Market we "found" Diam chocolate with caramel and with toffee pieces, "pearl"sugar, Lingonberry preserves, Jelly Rat candy, Rye Bread, Ginger cookies, and Lingonberry cookies.
We had no idea that Ikea shopping would take so long...we hurried to the car and we were off to visit Great Grandma Edith Jex Clayton and (finally) deliver her Christmas presents and card. Great Grandma Edith looks good! Ophthalmologists were able to detect bleeding in her eye and stop the macular degeneration and save her sight recently by injecting fluid to staunch he bleeding directly into the eyeball. Her daughter is keeping her company and sent us home with a plate of homemade toffee for Joe (who commented, "Edith remembers just what I like!") and a large bag of Chex Mix for the children. Our visit was too brief but the girls were able to play a few piano songs for Edith. We hurried home (because we had left Jonathan playing with a new friend for five plus hours. He was well and his friend was sad to see him go home!). (Sidenote: Susie fell asleep and so Joe waited in the car with her to let her nap. He tried reading scriptures and fell asleep and got a brief nap while the girls visited with Edith).