The Ricks!

Magic Moment

2012-01-24T21:45:00.000-08:00

     My children were born in New Mexico where the seasons are Mildly Cold, Warm, Hot, and Sizzlin’. Grayson has a few vague memories of the quickly melting snow, and we had a beautiful white Christmas this past year, but, Jaye has never seen falling snow.

     Recently, we were walking home in the crisp Idaho night, and a light snowfall began. Grayson immediately started running around with his tongue sticking out. But Jaye just looked up and squealed, “Bubbles!” She joined Grayson in scurrying around and swiping at the flakes, shouting, “Pop! Pop! Pop!”

     I hope she finds these bubbles as magical, when it’s -11 degrees and the wind is whipping.

Family Home Evening

2012-01-18T12:55:00.000-08:00

So, I had this grand dream that I'd be posting more blogs, since I have new and exciting things to talk about. But, I'm busy trying to learn the ropes of this new life. I'm really grateful that almost anywhere I need to go in town is on two main roads from my house. It takes less than two minutes to get to church (We may actually be on time, from here on out!), and the stake center is right down the street. It's awesome! Barry bought this poor student discount card, and we have been using that to eat out at all the fun places in town.

People keep asking me how I handle moving from the house we owned to an apartment. Honestly, not a single complaint here! We have a dishwasher!!! And we have the washer and dryer IN our house! No more walking out to the creepy, black-widow infested, garage! And it's three bedrooms so I'm currently working on cute-ing up my girls' room! And Grayson loves having his own room. Almost every day he says, "I love our new small house!"

I'm so grateful for all of our blessings!

But what I really wanted to blog about today, is this past Monday's Family Home Evening. My son is CONSTANTLY (I grit my teeth when I say that), asking me and Barry to play "Beyblades" with him. It's these metal tops (based off a t.v. show which he also loves), that you put on this device, pull a rip cord, and launch them into this little plastic stadium so they can "battle".

I was in charge of F.H.E. this week, so I found the perfect story from the Book of Mormon about Captain Moroni leading soldiers to war, and how they prayed for protection. So I read the story which talks about a specific battle, then talked about how important it is to pray during our own "battles", and then discussed what those might be.

And then I announced that we had ten minutes to go find a battle costume and come back for a Beyblade battle tournament. I'm so grateful I have an awesome husband, who was just as surprised as the kids by my announcement, but (ALMOST) just as willing to participate.

So when everyone came back with costumes donned, we did a battle top draft. And then we did a search for battle music on Youtube, and then had the GREATEST BATTLE TOURNAMENT in the World while the battle music played!!!

I can't remember what Barry's name was. I will have to edit this later.

This is actually a real "Jinga" costume from the Beyblade T.V. show

Jaye wanted to wear a ninja costume

Laycee the little homie

Mommy, the Monster Masher

This gives you an idea of what the "stadium" looks like, if you have no idea what I'm talking about

It was fun. And I learned you can relate anything to the Gospel :-D

Adventures in Rexburg

2012-01-09T18:45:00.000-08:00

     So, today was an adventure. At the moment, Barry’s scooter is in need of a new battery so he has been taking our van to school. But, I’m not one of those home-bodies; I like to go out. So, today I decided I would drive him to school. So, today was my FIRST time driving in Rexburg! And I seriously felt like I was in a video game! There were students popping out of nowhere, all over the place! They just launched themselves into the street, and I had to dodge them like those giant cannon bullets in Mario!

     It made me realize just how “small-town” I am. I’ve never lived close to a real university, and the only time I’ve been on a university campus was as a teenager for EFY (Especially for Youth Camp) at BYU-Provo. So, this is a crazy, surreal experience seeing ALL these people. After we dropped Barry off, Grayson asked me, concerned- “Mommy, why is everyone walking?”

     We’re just not used to this! And I don’t know how Barry can say this, since he’s from Utah where there are a billion colleges, but he’s never been to a college campus during an active semester, so this is quite an adventure for our whole family. I feel like we live in an ant farm… everyone is just walking. ALL the time. EVERYWHERE.

     But the best part of the day, was about five minutes after we were all in the car, on the way to drop Barry off, we realized I had grabbed the car keys that just happened not to have a house key on it. GREAT. So we called the Manager.

Who didn’t answer.

     We decided Barry would just call me when he got out of school, and then I realized I didn’t have my phone. (On my first day out alone! Grrrrreat.)

     So, for five hours I had to keep the kids entertained. This meant a highly nerve-grating trip to find a jacket at the Deseret Industries Thrift store, where the kids thought it was hilarious to climb out under the dressing room door and hide while I was changing, and Laycee’s incessant screaming (she never screams), because she pooped. And, of course, I left all the diaper stuff out in the car. Then, after using my extra-great parenting skills of bribing my kids to behave with ice cream, we spent an hour-and-a-half at McDonald’s, where I didn’t have a phone to text or talk to anybody, and the only other person in the play place didn’t speak English.

So Fun.

     Then after dodging bullets again to pick up Barry, we drove to our manager’s house (who finally answered the phone), to pick up the spare key. It was dark. It was cold. And the key didn’t work.

     The kids and I piled back into the car while Barry did the guy thing of trying the same not-working key, but hoping for a different result. But then, my smarter-than-the-average bear thought to pull out his Maverick Gas Card and jimmy the lock. And we finally made it inside.

     I feel so safe knowing that the contents of our entire lives open to a thin piece of plastic. And now that knowledge is posted online for everyone and anyone to read. :P

    Anyway, I think I’ll stay home tomorrow.

The scoop...

2012-01-05T19:17:00.000-08:00

   So, Barry and I had officially decided to stay in Carlsbad, NM for good. We made all these plans, Barry was going to work at the mines, and teach Martial arts on the side, and I was going to start working at developing a local children’s theatre. With these plans, we got under contract to buy a bigger house for our growing family. We tried to sell our house on two separate occasions. Everything kept falling through, to the point we realized that this probably wasn’t the right path for us.

   And then my dad lost his job. As my parents searched for job opportunities, they kept joking that we should just up and move with them. At first we joked about the idea of moving with my family, but this lead to some serious conversations about where our lives were headed. After a lot of discussion and prayer, we decided that Barry really didn’t want to stay at the mines, because of its horrible environment. Secretly, we applied to New Mexico State University and got in. Then we decided, if we are going to be completely insane and uproot our family to go back to school, we might as well go somewhere we want to be! So we applied to a bunch of schools up north.

    When we got the acceptance e-mail from BYU-Idaho, it just felt so right. We finally announced our plans to my family… who were way excited and supportive. (When I expected them to freak out and worry.) And then for a third time, we put our house up for sale in November.

    Our realtor told us that November and December were dead months for sales, and warned us we probably wouldn’t sell our house until after the year was over. But within two weeks, our house was under contract, to everyone’s GREAT surprise! BAM! We sold our house!

   Through the advice of a friend (THANKS CAMBREE!), we got on the BYU-I bulletin board to look for apartments. We were set to get a two bedroom apartment because three bedrooms were WAY out of our price range. But we found a couple trying to sell their contract to a CHEAP three room apartment. We emailed the manager and she told us that someone had already taken that contract but there would be another apartment available and she put our name down for it. BAM, by chance, we landed an even bigger apartment than we were planning!

    We decided to sell our second car, thinking we would just leave it in a parking lot (where everyone sells their cars), and if someone was interested, we would have my parents handle the transaction for us. Barry mentioned it at work and right off the bat, someone offered to buy it right away in cash! BAM! We sold our car!

     I had to have some serious emergency dental work done, and Barry and I were so distraught because all the money we had saved up for the expensive move was going to have to go toward the dentistry, but through a HUGE AMAZING BLESSING, I ended up not having to pay a cent for the work. BAM! We still had money!

   EVERY SINGLE LITTLE DETAIL FELL INTO PLACE. We know without a shadow of a doubt, that this is exactly where we are supposed to be going and what we are supposed to be doing. Outside of our family and most of our friends, people have been so skeptical and judgmental of our choice to go back to school.

We’ve heard it all.

“Why can’t he just do online school?”

“You are going to hate being poor, it’s going to be so hard on your marriage.”

“You are crazy.”

“I can’t believe you are doing this with three children!”

     But I just smile at them and let them think what they think. Don't get me wrong, I know this is going to be hard. But never in my life, have I felt so loved by my Father in Heaven, and I’ve never felt his guiding hand so strongly. And I am also extremely proud of my husband. Almost every man he worked with at the Potash mine told him that they hated their job, but when he asked why they stay, they always sigh and say “the money’s too good.”

     I’m so proud that my husband will never be one of those middle-aged men who sighs and looks back at what could have been. What a brave studmuffin I married!

Here’s to new adventures!

We should sue Walmart

2011-12-08T15:27:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, as we were waiting in the “Customer Service” line at Walmart, my children grew more and more impatient. This, of course, led to them finding entertainment in the obstacle course of shopping baskets, which the store uses to return items to their correct places. Grayson was doing his usual daredevil stunts on a big metal dolly. Right as I was telling him to get off so he wouldn’t get hurt, his foot catches between the metal bars, and he goes smashing, head first into the floor.

Luckily, there was no blood… just tears and a nice little goose egg.

Today, we faithful customers of Sam Walton, returned to Walmart for a second round of pain and anguish. Laycee has one of those car seat carriers that snaps into the cart. Apparently, I didn’t get it snapped in all the way, because as we were going over the first bumps into the store, her car seat flipped over and nearly spilled over onto the floor. It was one of those horrifying moments where time slows down as you watch your child in mortal danger. Luckily, the carrier teetered precariously in the seat part of the basket, and we caught it just before it, and our INFANT DAUGHTER, toppled to the floor.

And then… we were back at the safety of our minivan, preparing to get the kids in the car. Our van has the automatic door openers, and we didn’t notice that our shopping cart was in the way of it’s course. Right as Grayson was climbing into the car, the receding door bumped into the very corner of our basket, which launched it forward straight into Grayson’s forehead, which forced the opposite end of his head to smash into the doorway.

Luckily, there was just a little blood…. And tears… and a nice little goose egg.

We should sue Walmart for emotional and physical damages. Or we should just learn our lesson and never go back. Or just make our kids wear helmets, and other protective wear. Or we can just be grateful that we don’t have the hospital on speed dial… yet.

Near Death experience

2011-12-03T14:38:00.001-08:00

I had a near-death experience this weekend. Since we will be moving in just a few weeks, we are trying to “make memories” with my family, especially my little brother. We invited my brothers over for a movie and game night sleep over sort of thing, and Barry and I wanted to WOW them with an amazing dessert. So where did we look? Why, “Pinterest” of course. (I’m slightly obsessed with the website.) And the dessert is this:

A bottom layer of Chocolate chip cookie dough, a center layer of double stuffed oreos, a top layer of fudge brownie mix… then after it is baked and all hot and gooey, you top it with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge.

I don’t understand how I am still alive to write about it.

How I know my husband loves me!

2011-11-29T10:59:00.001-08:00

I decided it’s about time to post some memories of my dear, sweet, wonderful, amazing, stud muffin, husband.

    One of the most painful, miserable experiences I have ever had (beside pregnancy, birth, and surgery) happened from meeting Barry’s family. After dating for a few weeks, Barry asked if I would join him in Utah to meet his family. Of course, I agreed and we had a wonderful time. (His family was not the painful miserable part!) For the drive home, I borrowed one of Barry’s dirty shirts, so I would be comfortable.

    And I was. Very Comfortable. Until the next day. I awoke with a burning feeling under my arms. As the day went on, the pain went from uncomfortable to searing hot misery. Moving my arms would make me cry, and my brother (who was renting a house with me) helped make a nest of blankets on the floor in the living room so I could wallow in front of the t.v.

    I missed a day or two of school, and finally couldn’t hold off the boyfriend any longer. Despite my protests, he came to check on me. When he walked in the door and saw me highly unkempt, and probably smelling unpleasantly, I knew he would turn around and walk away. But he walked in the door, and sympathetically asked what was wrong.

    I burst into tears and screeched, “My armpits hurt!” Crying more from embarrassment than from the horrendous pain. Instead of laughing (which I would’ve done had the roles been reversed), he just sat down beside me and asked if he could give me a priesthood blessing. I looked at him incredulously and said, “You are not going to give my armpits a blessing!” But he was persistent, and finally I let him. Then he scheduled a doctor’s appointment for me (I don’t really like doctors and avoid them like the plague.)

    And so I embarrassingly went to the doctor. The diagnosis was this: I had had an allergic reaction to the deodorant residue from the shirt I had borrowed from Barry. With that rubbing against my arms for a whole three hour drive home, I was left with severely infected hair follicles. Disgusting, right? That is just what you want to explain your new boyfriend!

    With medicine, the infection wore off in a few days, and Barry stayed by my side the whole time. So if anyone wonders how I know that Barry truly loves me…. It’s all in the armpits.

For you, Chris

2011-11-22T21:43:00.001-08:00

    My little brother seemed slightly disappointed that I missed my “Take you back, Tuesday” last week. It’s so nice to have such a faithful reader, so I decided to dedicate this week’s memory, to my little bro.

     I now take you back to high school, where I was sitting on stage after having just performed a play. A group of us were sorting through the props that we had brought from home. As we were laughing, movement caught my eye. I watched two shadowed figures running across the catwalk (where the lights are hung, high above the stage). These boys, whom I recognized, were NOT supposed to be up there, and my patriotic sense of duty to the theatre urged me to go “tattle” on them to the principal. (Nobody messes with MY theatre!) My techie friend, Robert, agreed to go with me and vehemently I stormed into the principal’s office. As he offered us a seat, I couldn’t help but notice that he was staring at me with the most questionable look. I laid out the issue, gave the boys' names, and became really frustrated that he was obviously not taking me seriously. As we walked out of the office, the end of class bell rang and students came pouring into the hallway.

And all of them were staring at me.

I didn't understand. Questioning my self-worth, we fought through the throngs back to the theatre. As we were walking back on stage, Robert suddenly erupted into a violent fit of laughter. I was furious.

“WHAT?!” I yelled, desperate to know what had made me the target of humiliation.

And then he reminded me.

REWIND-----------------------------------------------------------

     I was sitting on the stage after just performing a play. A group of us were sorting through the props that we had brought from home. I dug through the pile and found my contribution… a pair of my little brother’s bright blue Scooby-Doo underwear that a character in our play accidentally pulled out of his pocket. In my brilliant sense of humor, I said, “Look, I’m a butt head” and proceeded to put my little brother’s (clean) underwear on my head. As we were all laughing, two shadowed figures caught my eye… and I forgot all about my little joke. And thus it was, I confronted my Principal with bright blue Scooby Doo underwear on my head… and then walked into a crowded hallway… with bright blue Scooby Doo underwear on my head.

And then, it all made sense.

Fat stories

2011-11-09T14:14:00.000-08:00

I didn’t even realize that yesterday was Tuesday! That’s what happens when you stay at home all day with little kids, you lose all concept of time. Anyway, so the stories today, are dedicated to my embarrassing fat moments in school. For the record, this is in no way me trying to get people to tell me I’m skinny… they’re just stories… that make me giggle. My self image is in no way, in question.

STORY NUMBER 1-

When Senior year began, the two elective classes I took were theatre and choir. At the beginning of each year, the drama teacher would take her students on a tour of the theatre. Now, I had already taken this tour a million times, so I was prone to joke off more than listen. At one point in the tour, as the teacher was droning on about the fly system (the pulleys that lift the scenery), I decided to very ungracefully, hop up on a table to sit. When I say “ungracefully”, I mean that I hit it too fast and sort of pushed it back, causing the metal table legs to fall off and the table collapsed under my weight. You can imagine my fellow students’ shock from the random crash from behind them.

Later that day, I went to choir. Before we started class, our director stood in front of us and in his sarcastic humor, found it absolutely necessary to relay a story. He had heard that earlier in the day, some stupid kid had sat on a table in the theatre and actually broke it! The choir erupted into laughter and added a few more distasteful jokes about the fat kid that broke a table! Fortunately, I was the only member of my theatre class also in choir. No one else knew… that I was that fat idiot.

Thank goodness.

STORY NUMBER 2-

In college, I had the great fortune to play one of my favorite roles ever, Penny Sycamore in “You Can’t Take it with You”. There is a certain scene when my character is describing the play she is writing to her family. During one of our performances, as Penny tells the story of a girl screaming to a man not to take her virginity (it’s a tasteful play, I promise), I decided to add a little dramatic effect by diving onto a chair.

That chair buckled… and by buckled, I mean that the wooden legs completely shattered under my weight. I fell to the stage floor onto a pile of broken wood and just laid there while the audience… and my fellow cast mates… roared in laughter. I tried to keep saying my dialogue, but it took several moments for my cast mates to recompose. Even by the end of the scene, there were still tears in a few of their eyes, from trying not to laugh. (And I was working with AMAZING actors, who NEVER broke character… so that might explain just how ridiculous I looked.) After the scene was over, I went off stage, only to find the rest of the cast back stage, still laughing, and already working out some jokes…. where I was the punch line.

And those my friends… are my fat stories.

DEAD ANIMALS... LOVE... and LIES

2011-11-01T10:50:00.000-07:00

Classy title, right?

    The first dead animal tale is dedicated to my cat, Miss Kitty. I was one of those kids whose pet was pretty much my best friend. So you can forgive me when, at thirteen, I harshly called my little brother’s babysitter a murderer, when she let our cat out of the house and it got hit by a car. I came home from Girl’s Camp and received the news. Begging my parents to let me see the cat, my dad told me that unfortunately he had buried it. I asked to see the grave, and after a few minutes pause, he told me he would take me after church the following day.

    It was so fitting, to be in our Sunday dress as we drove miles out past the river, to the small altar of stones where my beloved cat was buried. I said goodbye.

    After we were married, my dad was recalling the tale of Miss Kitty to Barry, and all of the sudden the story sounded different… something about a dumpster behind the Stake Center. WHAT?!?! Shocked, I asked him what he was talking about, and he said, “Did I never tell you?” He then told me the REAL story. He had already thrown the cat in a dumpster when I had asked to see it. So he actually drove miles out of town (on a dirt road by the river) and staged a fake grave site so his daughter could find peace of mind. I CAN’T BELIEVE HE THREW AWAY MY CAT! But I also can’t believe that he did that for me!

It’s not very often a lying father shows how much he really cares.

STORY NUMBER 2-

    In 8th grade, our science class incubated duck eggs and watched them hatch. Before the big day, our teacher announced that we were allowed to take the ducks home… with permission. I floated home on a cloud as I told my parents I could have a duck! Then they smashed my dream to smithereens. I was devastated, until my friend Brittany said her parents were allowing her to take two ducks. One for herself, and one for me! We named them Oscar and Felix and they were our babies! We took them on a walk and they faithfully followed because, in one day, we were already their mommies.

    A few days after we brought our babies home, Brittany showed up to school, with swollen red eyes, she sought me out. “Our ducks died,” she solemnly whispered to me.

“What happened?” I wailed.

“I don’t know! They just died,” she answered. And that was that. My first shot of parenthood, and our babies were dead within a week. I cried my heart out, thinking that I wasn't there for them, or I had done something wrong.

    Four years later, as a senior in High School, Brittany finally told me the REAL story. That fateful night, she had this brilliant idea to let the ducks sleep with her in bed. And then she rolled over in the middle of the night. And how she didn't feel the sudden lumps in her mattress... I will never know.
   It makes me wonder if our hamsters really did die of old age. Or if our turtle really was released into the wild. Or if our bird really was given to a friend of the family. Maybe it’s all lies. LIES, I TELL YOU!

Hi. My name is Krystle. And I'm an over-doer

2011-10-26T21:31:00.000-07:00

    I have always been one of those people who likes to overdo everything… it’s something I got from my mom. If we are going to have a party… We. Are. Going. To. Have. A. Party. Celebrations are a big deal in this household. Halloween is no exception! Yesterday, my three children and I braved Wal-mart in order to buy our week’s menu of Halloween-themed dinners ( a tradition we started last year). When we got home I “had to” make Laycee’s Halloween costume (notice I put “had to” in quotations. I know that you never HAVE to make a costume for an infant, who doesn’t care and doesn’t appreciate it… but like I said, I am over-doer.) Then I “had to” make Halloween dinner # 1: French toast (I used Halloween cookie cutters to shape the bread into Ghosts, pumpkins, haunted houses, bats, and coffins.) After the kids went to bed, I “had to” make my Trunk-or-Treat decorations. And then I “had to” play the piano for two hours.

    What does playing the piano have to do with Halloween, you ask? Nothing. I’m simply trying to explain why I forgot my “Take you back, Tuesdays!” Blog. So Welcome to “Remember When, Wednesday!”

     I don’t know about you, but the first thing I’d do when I received my yearbook was flip to the index and find what pages my picture could be found. Freshman year of High School was so exciting because it was my very first hard-bound, mark of getting older. The minute that book was in my hands I raced to those final pages but, much to my chagrin, one solitary number was beside my name. I felt so disappointed to know that my grand legacy of high school-hood was only documented by one less-than-memorable school photo. As sophomore year began, I was determined to get my picture in those coveted activity pages.

    During this year, I got my first big role in a play. I was cast as "Motherella", the evil step-mother in a one-act entitled, Cinderella wore Combat Boots. A friend and I had too much fun designing Motherella’s hair and makeup. I ended up wearing an unflattering rainbow-colored Mumu with huge ratted hair, a unibrow, a giant mole, and a slight mustache.

    When I received my yearbook for sophomore year, I was ecstatic to see TWO whole page numbers by my name. Hurriedly, I flipped to the activity page my name was listed. Not only was that unibrow, mole, and mustache documented for the ENTIRE school… the photographer also caught me at this angle where my double chin was very pronounced. Actually, it wasn’t even a double chin… it looked like my chin sort of just melted into my neck. I was mortified! My first thought was to call my best friend for comfort.

Our phone call:

ME: Heather… turn to page 245 (page number has been changed)

HEATHER: (flipping through her yearbook) What?

ME: Do you see that picture?

HEATHER: The one of that ugly dude?

ME: Heather! THAT’S ME!!!!!!!

HEATHER: (Pauses. Then, in the background through a muffled reciever I hear uncontrollable bellowing laughter)

The moral of the story: Be careful what you wish for!!! You may wish for an immortalizing sparkling portrait that others will envy and never forget… and end up as “that ugly dude”.

...That no one will ever forget.

Take you back Tuesday!

2011-10-18T19:32:00.000-07:00

The other day I was thinking that I should write down some of those stories from my past that I never wrote in my journal. Since I am much faster at typing, I decided to use my blog as a gateway to yesteryear. After all, my blog is called, “Pieces of Krystle”, so Tuesdays are now dedicated to writing pieces of my past.

So welcome to “Take you back, Tuesdays!” These anecdotes won’t be profound… as a matter-of-fact, I will be showing that it really takes a life time to master the dorkiness that I call, Krystle.

For instance:

It was the first day of Senior year of High school. I was determined that this would be the year I changed my stars. I was going to be a different person. This year… I was going to leave my mark. I was going to stand out.

On this day, I took extra care to curl my hair (which was significantly longer), and picked out a nice outfit. I got to school wearing a confident smile, making an effort to greet everyone as they passed. Joining the herd of students stampeding up the stairwell, my mind was focused on achieving my goal. So focused… I didn’t notice the pile of toothpaste someone had unloaded on the stairs as a practical joke. Without warning, I suddenly found myself lying on the ground, the loose papers I was carrying gently fluttered down around me. The stairwell froze and all eyes were on me. Then my ears started buzzing… I was being laughed at. There were two choices: Melt into the floor and disappear into miserable embarrassing nothingness, or get up in front of everyone and pretend to laugh at myself like I’d somehow planned the whole scene. Unfortunately, as I was standing up with a forced grin, I realized that my rear end was covered in blue goo. More chortles ensued, luckily I had a hoodie to tie around my waist.

That was that. My goal was achieved. Only five minutes into senior year and I already stood out. My minty fresh start was the end of changing my stars. I’d much rather be plain old Krystle, anyway.

I wonder what Walmart is like in Russia...

2011-10-14T18:22:00.000-07:00

     So, at Walmart today, I was feeling pretty good. I caught two guys checking me out! (I did shower today, after all!) That never happens with two small children in tow… or ever… so I was pretty ecstatic. But then, a woman checked me out… and then another… and another, and by this time I realize that I am not THAT good looking, so I deduced that something must be wrong! I darted into the nearest empty aisle, pulled out my cell phone, and took a picture of myself. And sure enough, those two men who made my day, were staring at the huge mascara smear across my cheek.


     Darn.

     I wiped the smudge off, and continued on my way. As I was in the meat section, this woman came popping out of nowhere and was raving about how beautiful Laycee wass. She was loud, boisterous, and RUSSIAN! I’m not sure if she was drunk or just a really happy person, but she (without asking) ripped the blanket off of Laycee, and started kissing her feet… very loudly. "Muah! Muah!" Then she finally turned to speechless me, and LOUDLY said (in a thick accent), “I’m sorry! I just luff babies!” She smiled and began to walk away but then spotted Grayson peeking over the cart. Her eyes lit up! “You have a boy too! He’s beautiful!” She then playfully shouted, “Come here!” and started chasing Grayson, which of course, he loved. He climbed up on the meat railing and his foot got caught. She came over to him and was trying to yank him off, oblivious to the fact that he was stuck, and Grayson started yelling, “Ow!” She just looked at me and said, “Sumting is wrong.” I pointed out my poor son’s stuck foot, and she helped wiggle his shoe out of the bar.

    She smiled and then began walking away. But then turned around and shouted “ONE MORE TIME!” and reached out to tickle Grayson. Before she could reach him, he darted out of the way playfully, which threw off her balance and this middle-aged Russian goes crashing to the floor! Before I can say anything, Grayson dives on top of her and she just starts rolling around on the WALMART MEAT SECTION FLOOR tickling him! Loudly!

     A poor fellow shopper was trying to get through, but patiently waited while this bizarre woman was belly laughing… on the floor… without a care in the world. Finally, she got up, smiled at me like that wasn’t THE STRANGEST thing I had ever witnessed, and then casually waved goodbye to my son.

I am so grateful she didn’t hear him call out to her, “Can you come over and play at my house?”

What an eventful day we had at the circus… I mean, Walmart.

    Barry was laughing his head off as I reenacted the whole story, complete with a poorly executed Russian accent. When I finished wiping the tears from my eyes, I noticed my husband pouting. He looked at me and sadly said, “Why does the cool stuff always happen to you when I’m not there?”

It's official...

2011-09-07T11:30:00.000-07:00

There is nothing more annoying than getting three kids all packed and loaded into the car just to pull out of the drive way and realize the front door is still wide open.

I seem to do that a lot lately.

CURSES

2011-09-03T21:16:00.000-07:00

     We must be cursed. Growing up, whenever I would complain about someone to my mom, my mom would always say, "The Pox on them!" A "curse" she got from her mother. Obviously, someone wished the Chicken Pox on the Ricks. Sunday, I noticed a few mosquito bites on Jaye's tummy and they progressively got worse until her entire tummy was covered in little red, welty, bumps. Tuesday, I saw a few little bumps on Grayson's stomach and we decided to call the doctor.
      I thought for sure they were just having allergies, so we told Grayson that after we visited the doctor, we would go to the store and buy a Beyblade with his birthday money. (Something he really REALLY WANTED TO BUY.) That was dumb of us to promise. After the doctor looked at them, he turned toward me and started flapping his wings. Chicken pox?!? Really? I didn't know that was even still around! He told me that the sickness wouldn't manifest harshly because they have both been immunized but he said we needed to keep the kids home for 5-7 days. He even had us exit his office out of the back door, instead of through the front waiting room, so we wouldn't be exposing other children!
    When we got in the car, Grayson excitedly asked if we were headed to the store to buy his Beyblade... Oh No. You have no idea how difficult it is to explain to a four year old, that the few little tummy bumps he has means he is sick and cannot leave the house! He has been begging me every day if he could go to the store, go outside, have his uncle over to play, wake Daddy up, have friends over, have the babysitter come watch him... he even cried when I wouldn't take him to the doctor with me! We've all been miserably stuck. Although, I laughed when I looked through the pictures I've taken this week, it seems like we've had the best week ever! I've tried to keep them entertained... but I count down the days until Tuesday when we can leave... and interact with human beings!!!
(Some pics from the last few weeks.These really show my kids personalities... we are just a bunch a goofs up in here.)

Painting little figurines from the Dollar Tree... that blessed store...

Finger painting...

I had to leave the table to feed Laycee, and all the sudden Grayson starts laughing and shows me how he has painted his arms... great. Thank goodness for washable paint!!! (From the Dollar Tree!)

Running around chasing each other to pass the time.

Like I said... we're just a bunch of goofballs

I bought like 5 cups worth of random buttons for a buck at a yard sale. They finally came in handy!

Two more cursed days... We can do this!!!

Three's Company

2011-08-27T09:18:00.000-07:00

For nine months I heard it all. “You guys are crazy for having your kids so close!” “Three is going to be the hardest thing ever!” “blah blah blah…”

I’ve had nine months to mull over the idea of being stressed out for the rest of my life. I was sure the minute our baby was born, I would be close to tears from there on out. BUT, life hasn’t changed all that much… yet. So far, Laycee is just a sack of potatoes… eating and sleeping, although she is starting to be awake more during the day. Nothing has gotten too hard yet. We DO have to get up earlier to get everyone dressed on time. But, I STILL have time to play games with Grayson, time to color with Jaye. I just do it while nursing a baby… constantly. My kids both adore her, and they both love to help dress her, bathe her, and Grayson even begged me to let him change her diaper. It was a big mess, but I love seeing how much they love her! Jaye is close to being Elvira from Tiny Toons… A little too much love from big sister. Grayson is being trained on how to carry her properly, because he DOES carry her… we just need to make sure that hand gets under her neck, NOT her head. Laycee is an awesome baby! Hardly cries, and gets up every two hours like clockwork to eat at night.

So, to all you people who freaked me out for months and months about how miserable I was going to be… THANK YOU! I was prepared for the worst and so life with three has been surprisingly… not the worst. I love it!

So far.

I’m sure my opinion will be changing when Laycee starts crawling!

Baby time!

2011-08-19T21:20:00.000-07:00

Forgive me if this is really poorly written, I am extremely doped up with pain meds, but I figured I’d better write this now, or I never will. Anyway…

What a whirlwind these past few days have been! August is going to be the craziest month for the rest of our lives!

August 11- I found out the doctor who has done the surgeries of both Grayson and Jaye, would NOT be back from his vacation in time to do my C-section. I started freaking out, I don't like doctors anyway, so to have the ONE doctor I really completely trust not be there... I was a bit of a mess.

August 12- Showed up at the hospital at 7 am. After the spinal block, they waited a few minutes before checking if I was numb. The doc poked me with the scalpel and I could feel it! They decided to wait a few more minutes and all of the sudden I felt like I couldn’t breathe, so I started yelling that I couldn’t breathe and they tried to tell me it was just anxiety. The doc poked me again, and I told them it hurt. They asked “which side did we poke?” I couldn’t think, I was so scared, and so the doctor said, she’s just nervous, and was about to start cutting, when I screamed, “The left side!”

Thankfully, the nurse anesthetist was listening, and told the doctor I really could feel them and that they needed to knock me out. So, I was unconscious for surgery. They don’t allow anyone else in during an unconscious surgery, but for some reason, they let Barry in, which is kind of cool because he took pictures of the C-section, since he didn’t have to be by my side.**WARNING, GRAPHIC PICTURES BELOW! I didn't post these on facebook because they are kinda gross, but I think they are cool!** They told Barry later, that the Spinal block must have gone up (hence my inability to breathe) instead of going down, so I am so grateful someone in the operating room listened to me! It could’ve been terrible!

I came home after two days in the hospital and a few days later I started getting a horrible pain in my incision site. I went to the doc and they decided it is mildly infected. GEEZ! So, it is taking a LONG time to heal but at least I have a beautiful baby that reminds me to smile.

We named her Laycee (Because we love the name, and the spelling because it has the AY like JAYe and GrAYson. Weird reason, but it makes sense to us! And Rachel after my mom and we like to add a disclaimer that our sister-in-law Rachel is pretty amazing too so she gets credit in Laycee's middle name too! :)

*****

Yesterday, August 18, was our anniversary! Since I was in so much pain, Barry asked my mom to watch Grayson and Jaye for the day, and he rented a pile of movies and we just stayed in bed with a bag of candy and a pan of brownies, and watched movies all day. It was fantastic and I don’t know how we have ended up with three kids in just five years, but I love our family. When they got home from Mema’s we all built a fort and played in it! I am sooooo blessed!!!!

Oh, and did I mention August 14 is Grayson’s birthday, the 13th is my brother’s birthday, and the 19th is the birthday of both of my nieces. YIKES! WHAT A MONTH!!!

My beautiful little girl

2011-08-02T19:18:00.000-07:00

Grayson absolutely loves to get his picture taken on my cell phone. One day, he was feeling particular loving toward his sister, and asked me to take some pictures of them. Unfortunately, he wanted to do "silly face" pictures, and for some reason, the face he made has stuck with my daughter. She thinks it is hilarious, and now I can't get her to make any other face for pictures. Sigh.

Believe it or not, this is just a sample of this face. I have a whole lot more on my camera. What a goofball!

Brilliant.

2011-07-30T22:02:00.000-07:00

Barry was given a free pair of headphones… really nice Smith and Wesson brand, the kind you wear when you go shooting. For fun, Barry decided to give them to Grayson, and my son was thoroughly excited as Daddy explained what they are for.

Just before bedtime, Jaye managed to cut her chin and the screaming was Oh. So. Pleasant. Grayson ran away. A few seconds later he came walking out of his room wearing the giant blue headphones, smiling. He was staring at Jaye, and said, “Huh. These really are great!”

I think he is on to something, I should market these for parents.

WARNING: A very whiney complaining Krystle

2011-07-24T16:56:00.000-07:00

I. Am. In. Pain.

I’ve had a sore pelvic area for pretty much most of this pregnancy, but these last few days have become unbearable. On a scale from one to ten, ten being- take me to the emergency room, I’m about a 7. It hurts to walk, it hurts to stand, it hurts to roll over while sleeping… Last night I even found myself wimpering in pain each time I had to roll over or get out of bed to go to the bathroom. Yesterday, at Walmart, I had to do some shopping, and slowly and miserably I waddled through the store. After purchasing my groceries, I went to the service desk up front to pick up something I had ordered online. The woman looked at my receipt and told me I had to pick it up at the photo lab at the back of the store. I started crying. The thought of walking that far was overwhelming. My mom wants me to go to the doctor, but since it’s Sunday, I looked up my issue online.

And guess what? Supposedly, this is “normal” and I just have to deal with it. I couldn’t even find any suggestions on how to ease the pain. There better be a darned cute baby coming from all this, because I seriously feel like I can’t do this for 19 more days.

There. That is the end of my complaining.

Out of the mouth of babes...

2011-07-22T10:10:00.000-07:00

Grayson had a fellow youngster over to our house for a play date. It happened to be laundry day… a RARE day at our house. Amongst the toys and various other floor "decoration", I had piles of dirty laundry in the hallway and clean folded piles in our living room. The little girl walked around in horror and asked, “Why is your house so dirty?!” Later on, she went to the bathroom, looked in the toilet, and said, “the inside of your toilet is really dirty. I don’t want to use it.”

Apparently… I seriously need to clean my house.

Ax Murderer music begin...

2011-07-11T19:38:00.000-07:00

The kids were in bed. It was dark out, and Barry and I were just snuggling into bed to watch a movie. All of the sudden I heard an eerie noise creeping toward our house. I asked Barry if he heard it, and, of course, he didn’t. A few seconds later, I could still hear the noise so I asked Barry to listen and finally he heard it. An ice cream truck was coming down our street… at NINE p.m.!!! You have no idea how chilling it is to hear that little kid music blasting through the darkness! The music passed our house and Barry and I were joking about how unsettling it was, when all of the sudden, the truck flipped a U right past our house, and started down the street… AGAIN!!!

It sounds ridiculous, but this was totally one of those scenes in a horror movie! Or an action flick where the bad guys pop out and start shooting up the neighborhood. What kind of ice cream truck keeps going when it has been dark for over an hour? And what kind of sick parent would let their kid run out to get ice cream from a stranger in the darkness?! Barry said if the truck came back he was going to call the cops.

I couldn’t help but burst out laughing… Can you imagine that as an emergency call?

“Yes, would you please send an armed officer … there’s an ice cream truck outside of our house… and it’s creepy. “

Dear World, What's wrong with you?!?!

2011-07-09T14:41:00.000-07:00

    I fell upon this blog called, “Mocha Dad”. Don’t ask me how I found it, I’m not even sure why I started reading it. But this blogger’s mission is to break the stereotypes for African American fathers and show how involved he is in the lives of his children- his words, not mine. This dad read an article about how, statistically, married couples who DON’T have kids are happier than those who DO have kids. Mocha Dad didn’t agree with the article, although he did admit that parenting isn’t always a happy route, but opened his blog up to discussion. I was pretty horrified with the comments, although I should be used to the views of the world by now. Here is one such comment:

     “All you "I wouldn't change a thing" parents are missing the point. What's important here is that a growing body of research shows that you are not as happy as you think you are. It's hard for you to see this because you lack perspective; you made the irreversible choice and now you have to tell yourself it's good. It's like having a bad tattoo. Those of us without kids experience higher levels of happiness for a more sustained period of time... our whole lives. If you don't tell yourself that "it was all worth it" you will be depressed. It's an illusion that you must maintain to justify the years of hard work it took to raise your kids.

     And another thing... most people that choose not to have kids are not fearful of their parenting abilities nor do they come from single-parent homes, at least not any more than those of you that do have kids. They simply know a path to lifelong happiness when they see one and don't crumble to long-standing generational pressures to continue lineage. So get off your high horses, moms and dads of the world. You're no great martyrs. You are empiracally less happy than those without kids, but you'll never understand why because your lives have been narrowed by the demands of child rearing.”

     Really?!? Is the decision to have kids really based on such selfish reasons? I don’t feel very happy about 60% of the day with my kids. I’m cleaning up messes, wiping bums, kissing boo-boos, refereeing fights… it’s messy business. But I am also learning humility,strength, compassion, charity, patience, sympathy, and most of all, love. I feel like in the end, I will be a much greater person than a childless version of myself could ever become. So the article may be right, I might not be as happy (at times) than those who chose not to “continue their lineage”, but in the end I believe I will find more satisfaction with myself than the childless could ever dream.

(For the record, my thoughts only apply to those married couples CHOOSING not to ever have kids. I understand that some couples can’t have kids and I believe those trials will make you just as strong as raising children.)

Do people think before they speak?

2011-07-05T20:02:00.000-07:00

    It seems like now that I’m really starting to show, people are starting to notice my family more and more. Like the guy who saw me struggling to get both of my kids out of the car and told me we looked like a clown car, because the kids just kept on coming. Or the random comments at Walmart to me and Barry as our kids beg us for pennies for the donation vortex thing… “Wow, you really have your hands full!”

Or today…

     I was trying to kill some time so I took the kids to the “Family Dollar” store. Of course, the toy display is the first thing you see when you walk in, and immediately Grayson got the “I wanna’s!” He usually isn’t so whiney, but we kept him up LATE for the Fourth of July, so today was especially bad. Trying to evade an argument, I told him maybe we could get whatever he was showing me at the moment, for his upcoming birthday.

That didn’t work.

     He started pouting, and dragging his feet, and trying to hide in the clothes rack, or just yell, “PLEASE MOMMY! I WANT IT!” Jaye is also trying to exercise her independence by walking, so she was fighting to stand up in the cart. I would make her sit down and she would start whining and stand up in defiance- over and over and over. One of the workers came up to me after studying my kids, then asked (in a very judgmental tone), “When’s the next one coming?” I politely answered: August 12.

And the woman started laughing at me. It was one of those cackles where you can just hear her brain saying, “Good luck, lady!”

     I was kind of embarrassed. I got in the car in a bit of a huff and was giving myself the pep talk- I know three kids will be hard, but I can do it! I felt like the Little Engine that Could. Then I got home to the pile of dishes, and the mountains of laundry, and the mess of a house… and I got a little worried.

    But today, the kids had combed hair, matching clothes, shoes on the right feet (without socks, though) and I even managed to feed and bath them... so maybe there’s hope for me after all.

Doc Appt.

2011-07-01T15:19:00.000-07:00

     Today at my Doctor’s appointment, the nurse told me she was concerned because there was sugar in my urine. She asked if I had anything sugary for breakfast, and I just started laughing. Last night I hosted a baby shower… with a dessert bar… and boy howdy, did I have at those desserts! I explained that to her, and she started laughing. Then she asked my permission to write that on my chart because she thought the doctor would get a kick out of it: “Excessive desserts last night.” For some reason, that sounds so rebellious: excessive desserts.

    Also, my Doctor asked me when we had scheduled my C-section and I told him August 9th. Then his smile faded and he said, “Oh no…” Something you NEVER want to hear come out of a doctor’s mouth. He told me that he was going to Columbia at that time and wouldn’t be able to do the surgery.

“OH NO!” indeed!

     This is the doctor who delivered both of my other babies! And his replacement doctor is the only one I reeeeally DON’T like! “Or,” he finally added as I was sinking into stressful despair... I could wait until the 12th when he will be back … a whole three days after our original date.

I can handle that.

June

2011-06-23T20:25:00.000-07:00

    Once again, I have been absent from the blogging world. It seems like I use the excuse, “I’ve been busy” quite often, but I am recycling it once more.

I’ve been busy.

    But my sister-in-law, Rachel, seems to find time to blog and she does a WHOLE lot more than I do, so my excuse seems kind of wimpy, compared to her. So here I am… attempting to update my blog.

    Almost half a year ago, the children’s librarian approached me about directing a show for the “teen segment” of the Public Library summer activities. I never thought it would actually happen, but here I am, practically 8 months pregnant and directing a cast of ten fantastic teenagers.

    We were given two days out of the week for the month of June to throw together a one-act play, called “A Bagful of Fables”. I don’t really have help with the show, so I have bought or made all the props and “costumes” myself. THANK GOODNESS for the Dollar Tree!!! And these past two weeks I have painted a 20 foot backdrop for the show… in my living room. By myself. THANK GOODNESS acrylic paint wipes off of wood floors!!! (Pictures to come soon. My AMAZING husband just taped it all up at the library today!)

     So… I’ve been busy. I got a chance to go to Walmart all by myself (a RARE opportunity!), to buy shirts for my cast. But being alone with my thoughts at Walmart, without the screaming, whining, begging, whining, rambunctious, whining children… made me think of my children, the upcoming one in particular.

I got excited.

And I bought her an outfit.

    The first money I’ve spent on the little bun in the oven. Only seven weeks left, and I’m just getting around to thinking about having her here. Is that sad? Or is it yet another sign that this has been the easiest pregnancy EVER?

...Or am I just too busy?

I should never be a science teacher!

2011-06-12T17:51:00.000-07:00

    Grayson sort of grasps the concept of pregnancy… I’ve tried to explain it. He still gets a little confused so I thought if I could show him the baby moving, I’d have the perfect opportunity to explain things better. The baby was moving a lot, so I laid down on the floor and told Grayson to watch my tummy.

    He saw the baby move and all of the sudden his face melted from curiosity to complete horror. He looked at me and gasped, “It’s trying to crack you open!”

    What kind of horrible images am I planting in my poor son’s head?!? I think I will just retire from trying to educate my son about the baby… I don’t want him stuck with nightmares for the rest of his life!

Worst. Week. Ever.

2011-06-08T20:48:00.001-07:00

I was going to write earlier this week but I am soooooooo glad I didn’t! It would’ve been the most depressing, life-sucking post you would have ever read. And then you would never come back to my blog again. I’ve been sick. And miserable. And really REALLY sick of being miserable.

    Saturday, my throat started hurting, and by Monday, I had a full-on mash up of yuckiness. My throat was in so much pain it hurt to breathe, and I couldn’t even breathe through my nose. And my ears were so stuffed up that it made me feel dizzy non-stop. And of course, I get sick on the week that Barry only gets one day off, and has to sleep peacefully during the day as I struggle to be a sick mother. We just can’t get a break, can we Mothers?

    So, I’d have to say I get negative points on the “Good Mother” score board. I feel so disappointed in myself, I found myself yelling constantly, which was made even worse by the screechy cackling witch voice my sore throat created.

    On Tuesday, I got the kids their breakfast, turned on a movie and went back to bed. A few minutes later, Grayson pounded on the bedroom door, shouting, “Mommy! Jaye went poop!” I sprung to the doorway, and found Jaye standing there holding up her sweet little hands, covered in… you know. Grayson led me down the hallway and pointed at the smeared mess all over the floor. (Jaye decided to take off her diaper… and THEN do her business.)

     The sight was so overwhelming I just threw Jaye in the bath tub and sat on the floor beside her sobbing. Grayson was so concerned he went and woke up Daddy, saying, “Daddy, Mommy is crying!” I yelled at him to leave Daddy alone. Grayson then asked why I was crying. I didn’t know what to say so I just said, “Mommy doesn’t feel well.”

     A few minutes later, Grayson came back in the bathroom carrying my medicine. I snapped at him because he knows NOT to touch any of our medicines. And he looked at me with the saddest eyes and said, “It’s for you, Mommy. To help you feel better.”

    I gave my sweet child the biggest hug I could muster, and started sobbing again.

    Like I said, SERIOUSLY NEGATIVE POINTS on the “Good Mother scale”. When I feel better, I’m going to work on fixing that!

Third time's the charm

2011-06-03T21:07:00.000-07:00

   When we first moved to Carlsbad, I was called to be the Sunbeams teacher. A few months after that, I was called to be a mother. I was so sick I hardly ever made it to church, and when I was feeling up to going, I was wishing I felt sick. My class was awful, although I’m sure it was the hormones blinding my judgment. I would get into the car after church and sincerely tell my husband that I was going to be a horrible mother because Sunbeams made me realize that I hated children.

     One day during class, one of the more “loveable” rugrats told me he knew sign language. I watched as the child signed “I love you” to me and my heart melted. “You love me?” I asked, my voice shaky with emotion. He rolled his eyes as he said “no!” and then signed his message again. “I said, I don’t love you!”

   The dimpled fingers of this tiny little three-year-old made me cry. A lot. Then I asked to get released. (More for my horrible, non-stopping illness, though!)

     I was relieved to learn a few months later that I didn’t really hate kids, but I always cringe (and laugh) when I think about Sunbeams. It has been a little joke between me and my husband. Three years later, last Sunday, I was asked (extremely last minute, as in, as class was starting) to sub for the Sunbeams class. This class isn’t known for the best-behaved children (I would know, Grayson is now in there), but I agreed to take on the task.

     The lesson was about appreciating our sense of taste and smell: easy peasy. I thought I was doing an excellent job with my spur-of-the-moment lesson. I drew a large oval on a sheet of paper for each child and asked them to draw a face on the oval, and to remember to be grateful for our noses and mouth.

    One little girl reached for a crayon and said, “I’m going to draw a frown on mine.”

   “A frown?” I asked. “Why are you going to draw a frown?”

    The little girl looked at me and earnestly said, “Because it doesn’t like you.”

     Memories of a little boy signing to me came rushing back. I started laughing at the fact that a whole new generation of sunbeams acted the same way. I must just have naturally bad rapport with three-year-olds. But the point of my story is: I didn’t break down and cry in front of these little “angels”. And that just goes to show you how FANTASTIC this pregnancy has been for me!

What a goofball!

2011-05-10T12:45:00.000-07:00

These are just a few of the silly things Grayson has said recently:

*His preschool has been doing a Jungle-themed lesson plan for the last six weeks. At the end of the six weeks, they watched “The Jungle Book”. When we picked Grayson up from preschool I asked, “Did you watch a movie today? What was it?”

Grayson said, “I don’t know. It was about a bear and boy in his underwear.”

*Our fam was getting ice-cream at a little parlor in town. A guy was leaving the store so Grayson popped up and held the door open for him. The man said, “Thank you, Sir.” Grayson ran over to Barry and said, “He called me, sir! I’m not Sir!” Then he ran back to the doorway and shouted to the guy who was getting into his car, “Hey, You can’t say those words!”

(Barry tried to explain that all men are “Sirs” and all women are “Ma’ams”. )

*Grayson announced that he was thirsty, but wanted “the green drink” (Kool-aid). We were out of the green drink so Barry ran off his list of options from the fridge, but our son was very disappointed. Barry said, “maybe we can find something in the pantry,” and skeptically went on a search. He came out with a packet of Kool-aid and showed it to Gray. Grayson just smiled and said, “See Daddy, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

The most bizzare blog I've ever written

2011-04-30T18:58:00.000-07:00

I will try to write this as tastefully as possible, but it is just so funny I had to share! If it offends, I apologize. But, Jaye has a brother and Daddy and her concept of going to the bathroom has come from them. Now, Jaye has an “outtie” bellybutton. I guess to her, it resembles… well, “guy parts”. Whenever anyone mentions the word “potty”, Jaye runs to the bathroom, lifts up her shirt and holds her bellybutton over the toilet. She will stand there for a minute or two, and just “go potty”.

It. Is. Hilarious.

Now, here is a new one. She is actually wiping! haha

I hope potty-training isn't confusing for her!

Medical short stories

2011-04-17T21:13:00.000-07:00

1)    About a month ago, my son’s finger happened to be in the way of a very heavy door. He smashed his fingernail, and for the past month we have watched as his nail turned to a very unsightly bluish-purple. Yesterday, it finally fell off, to the complete shock of my son. He cried, and begged for a band aid. Dr. Dad administered the bandage, but every once in a while he notices, “hey, my finger kind of hurts,” and gets upset again. Today, as we were sitting down to dinner, Grayson noticed his finger was hurting and began to do that in between whining and crying sound. We told him that we would pray for his finger to feel better, and he immediately folded his arms in faith. Dr. Dad gave the prayer, and as soon as we said amen, Grayson looked at us bewildered, and said, “it still hurts!”

I think I know what the next topic of family home evening will be…

2)  Since Grayson associates doctors with being sick, he calls Dr. Pepper: Sick Soda. We've tried to explain that Dr. Pepper doesn't have anything to do with being sick, but you know how kids and their little imaginations are.

   Barry came down with the stomach flu this weekend. Today he sadly explained to the kids why he wouldn’t be joining us for church, he wasn’t feeling well. As I was driving the kiddos to church, Grayson said, “Mommy, Daddy was naughty.”

Of course I asked, “why?”

“Because he drank sick soda, and now he’s not feeling well.”

What do you say to that?

One of those days....

2011-04-14T19:47:00.000-07:00

    Today we were scheduled to get Easter pictures of the kiddos at Walmart. Since I was going alone (BRAVE SOUL I AM!), Barry sat Grayson down and told him if he was good for pictures, Mommy would buy him a toy (Bribery- the best parenting). So we got to the studio, and Grayson was AWESOME! INCREDIB LE! He was adorable in every picture, a perfect smile, a little studmuffin. He even got Jaye to smile for her only smiling picture. I was so proud I couldn’t wait to go to the toy section.

And then…

    He had to go potty... right as I sat down with the photographer to edit the photos and choose my prints. The photographer stayed with Jaye while I ran him to the bathroom. Now, Grayson is at that age where he is mortified to use the Girl’s bathroom because… it’s for girls. As he noticed I was tugging him past the boy’s bathroom, he dropped to his knees and started whining, “I don’t want to go to the girls bathroom! It’s for girls!” I had to drag him in and he started wailing. I ripped down his pants and sat him on the toilet and explained that I couldn’t send him in alone to the boys bathroom when there were strangers there, it could be scary. I’m pretty sure he didn’t hear a word I said through the sobs, but all the women using ALL the other stalls sure heard me. Finally, after two or so minutes of coercion, I got fed up and said, “Your only other choice is to hold it until we get home. What do you want to do?”

    At this time, I think his body decided what it wanted to do. He peed. All. Over. The. Place. He just kept going, all the while bawling his head off, while I’m shouting at him to get it in the toilet. Those poor women got quite the entertainment, but we still had to go back and order the darned pictures. I told Grayson that he would just have to sit in his wet pants (wow, this makes me sound kind of terrible), while I ordered pictures. So, I sat him in the basket next to the computer and he cried for about ten minutes while the dang lady tried to sell me the most outrageously expensive photo packages they offer. Grayson stood up and started pulling off his underwear… in front of everyone. Luckily I remembered I had a pull-up in the diaper bag. So, my son sat happily in the basket wearing a green dress shirt, vest, tie, and pull-up. That’s it.

    As I was paying for the pictures and apologizing to the woman, Grayson tugged on my shirt and asked, “Can we go get a toy now?”

It was a long… loud… tearful… drive home.

Ricks: The Musical

2011-04-12T18:32:00.000-07:00

I have a habit of turning everything I do into song. Tonight, I was trying to get the kiddos in bed and started singing:

“It’s time for bed, so come on get in bed!
It’s time for bed, come on you sleepy head!”

While I was repeating my "part", Grayson unexpectedly started marching around with his toys singing (the same notes I was!):
“I can’t, I can’t do that.
I can’t, I can’t do that!
I can’t go to bed!”

It was like I was living in a REAL musical where people randomly break out into the same song! It was the perfect moment.

Now if I could just get him to sing different lyrics, like: “Yes Mommy, I listen to everything you say…”

rough morning

2011-04-02T19:44:00.000-07:00

I dared take my two kids around to the local yard sales today. Surprisingly, they were great, until we hit this huge fund-raising rummage sale at a local business. My kids joyfully dug through the bins of dirty toys while I sat on a dirty couch and watched them. They played for several minutes before I announced it was time to go. And Grayson threw a fit. A big one. I had to literally drag him across the parking lot while Jaye whined in my arms. Forcing my child into his car seat, I gave the big mommy lecture on how is behavior was disappointing to me. He looked at me with those big brown eyes and asked if we were still going to play his new bowling game when we got home. As punishment, I said “no”.

We drove in silence for a few minutes.

Grayson finally spoke up. “Mommy…”

“Yes?”

“You broke my heart.”

Where did he learn that one?!?! I didn’t know whether to laugh or feel really guilty. I broke a three-year-old’s heart! What a tragic moment in parenthood.

...But we still didn’t play the bowling game.

Random funny stuff...

2011-04-01T17:13:00.000-07:00

Grayson has turned into one of those children who rambles incessantly, constantly telling us some new story he made up. His newest story was an epic tale about Santa Claus. Santa was trying to deliver his presents but he fell out of the sleigh and got stuck in the snow. And who should come and save poor snow-ridden Santa?

Jesus.

‘Atta boy. I’m glad he understands Christ’s role… with a little Christmas flare thrown in! haha

********************************************************
New Story:

So my twelve year old brother was out of town when Jaye had that weird allergic reaction. When Chris (my brother) got home he asked to see pictures of her so, I pulled up my blog. He looked and said (very dramatically) "OH! SHE LOOKS HORRIBLE!!!"

yeah... he was looking at our family picture at the header of my blog. I hadn't even scrolled down to the allergy pictures yet!

I guess it's time to put a new family photo up.

One of those scary mommy moments

2011-03-23T11:57:00.000-07:00

This morning, Jaye got in bed with me around 5. I noticed her eyes looked puffy, I assumed it was from her spill yesterday. When we all got up around 7, I saw that not only was she puffy but there was a weird welty rash on her face. Upon inspection, I found the rash covered her entire body. I called the Doctor to see if I could fit her in earlier (we had a regular check up at 10:30) but they said no, mornings were for “healthy patients”.

(Took this on my cell in the morning)

Her face kept getting more red, so I decided to take a shower so I would be ready to go to the doc. By the time I got out of the shower, her arms and legs were beet red, and her fingers and toes were dark blue. I was terrified, called the doctor again, and asked if I should take her to the emergency room. The receptionist told me to bring her in right away, so still dripping wet I packed my kids in the car and rushed over to the doc. I couldn't even get Jaye's shoes on her feet were so swollen!

When I walked into the office, the receptionist shouted out (edited), “OH MY GOSH!” and kept apologizing that she didn’t tell me to come in sooner. Her reaction was a little ominous, I was starting to freak out thinking I would have to rush her to the emergency room and the news was going to be horrific. But the doctor checked her out, and basically said he had no idea what had set her off, but it was definitely an allergic reaction to... something. So vague. I hadn’t given her anything unusual to eat, so he told me to watch for another reaction (as if I could miss it!) and try to remember what I fed her. She got a steroid shot to bring down the swelling, and some liquid steroid stuff for the next few days.

So now what am I supposed to do? Feed her peanuts to see if it happens again? I feel stuck not knowing what caused it. But even though it is frustrating, I am soooo grateful she is alright.

And grateful we didn’t have to fork out a million bucks in emergency room costs.

(Here she is a few hours after the steroid shot and the swelling is all gone. She still looks terrible, poor girl.)

There is beauty all around...

2011-03-22T13:30:00.000-07:00

    So remember that awesome family home evening lesson I gave yesterday?

    Well today my kids were playing on my bed and Grayson pushed Jaye. She flew ever so perfectly right into the corner of my dresser drawer. Now, she has a nice little slice under her eye and it looks like it’s going to be a black eye. I’m so glad the concept of Love at home sunk in for my son! But I have to give him a break… he wasn’t doing it to be mean. He was “being a ninja”.

    Jaye was wailing so I lost it and started crying, and Grayson tried to calm me down until he saw the blood then he started crying. So we all sat on the couch holding each other and cried for about ten minutes. I guess that counts as love at home, right?

FHE idea

2011-03-21T19:05:00.001-07:00

I don’t know about you but I have a difficult time doing a lesson for little kids for Family Home Evening. My kids are difficult to entertain, but I found an idea online that sounded fun, tried it out tonight, and it was a success!

Here it is if you want to use it!

Beforehand, do some research for pictures. Find clipart pictures or regular pics of showing love (such as cleaning the house, picking up toys, giving hugs, etc) and pictures that don’t show love (pushing, whining, making bad messes, etc). Cut them out. You will also need a poster of some sort (I just used an 11x14 poster board, and either glue sticks and/or tape.

THE LESSON:

Start off by singing “Love at Home”. Explain what “Love at Home” means and discuss ways we can show love. Then, show pictures of Jesus performing different acts of love, and explain how by showing love at home, we are being like Jesus.

Have your family take turns drawing the pictures you cut out from a bag, and have them decide if it shows love at home or not. If it does, have them glue it on to the “Love at Home” poster. Grayson had a ton of fun looking at the pictures and telling me all about them, and he got all of them right too! (I’m a proud mama!) And although Jaye can’t talk, she still (with help) managed the glue stick well and had fun putting them on the poster.

When we were through, I had them point to different pictures and tell me what about it was showing Love. Then I asked them to try and remember to show love at home, and had them hang it on the fridge.

*SIMPLE!* And now if they are bad, I can take them to the poster and talk about it with a visual! YAY!

If any of you mothers of young children have FHE ideas, PLEASE share them with me! I’m still a work in progress!

Dialogue

2011-03-16T21:33:00.000-07:00

Scene: Grayson is sitting on Mommy's lap. Mommy is relaxing and wearing a hoodie.

GRAYSON: Mommy, is there a baby in your tummy?
ME: Yes, there is!
GRAYSON: (lifting up my shirt) where is it?
ME: In my tummy.
GRAYSON: (still investigating) Is it hiding? Is it in your pocket? (He shoves his hand all the way through my pocket until his hand is poking out of the other side and gives me a concerned look) Where is it?
ME: You won't get to see it for a loooong time.
GRAYSON: (thinks about it for a while) Is there a baby in my tummy?
ME: No
GRAYSON: Why?
ME: Because boys can't have babies, only mommies can
GRAYSON: Why?
ME: Because that's how Heavenly Father made us

loooong pause.

GRAYSON: I think my tummy is a boy.

I can already tell I'm going to be HORRIBLE at giving "the talk".

I can't think of a good title :S

2011-03-06T19:11:00.000-08:00

     In December, we had Grayson’s speech tested. As a therapist once told us, this kid is unnaturally gifted cognitively (we’re pretty sure he is going to be a sporting legend), but it was really difficult to understand him. He failed the speech test, which sounds like it should be bad but it is a huge blessing! He got into this amazing free preschool that offers weekly speech therapy. When I was registering him in December, I had to sit and talk with his soon-to-be teacher and tell her my concerns and describe my child. I told her I was worried that he was very hyper and had a difficult time focusing. The teacher set a written goal that by the end of the year, Grayson would be able to focus at least 70% of the time in class.

    Parent-Teacher conference was a few days ago. I sat down with his teacher and she pulled out her goal sheet and literally laughed at me. She informed me that not only was Grayson the best behaved child in her class, but he was a role model to the other kids, and she had no idea why I was concerned! I thought she was joking!

     Well now I’m just plain jealous. Why can’t he be the best behaved kid at home? There are no well-behaved role models in this household! Sometimes, motherhood just isn’t fair.

On a side note:

     Usually, I take a shower while Barry is available to watch the kids, but yesterday I was in dire need of a shower and Barry was sleeping (for night shift). I chanced taking a shower by getting the kids set up with a movie. When I was finished and opened the door, Jaye was waiting for me with a huge grin. I noticed that her face was unusually glisten-y, and her hair was sticking straight up with some kind of weird goo. Upon investigation, I discovered half a stick of butter was missing from the table. BUTTER!!!

What could have possibly run through her mind, to inspire her to open the butter dish and put that nasty junk in her hair!?!?

The world will never know.

of course....

2011-02-03T20:10:00.000-08:00

Ever since we were married, our bedspread has been this hideous, ugly, plaid, bed-in-a-bag thing that has been puked and peed on (by the children, not us!) and has been looking pretty worn out. So I decided to fork out close to 100 buckaroos that I saved for this bedspread I fell in love with at Walmart. That is a WHOOOOOLE lot of money for something so frivolous but it was GREEN (my favorite color!) and Barry liked it too! So it has been on our bed for a few months now, and I have been a total nazi about keeping it clean. Everyone has to have a towel or blanket over their lap if they eat something, and the children are not allowed (if I catch them in time) to have any kind of food item on my bed.

So today, I needed to get a piece of gum out of the diaper bag to help ease my queasiness and I put the bag on the bedspread. And then I got ready. And then I picked up the diaper bag. And guess what was in that blasted bag? A bottle of PURPLE cough medicine I threw in for Jaye, and the lid was just barely unscrewed... and viola! The bedspread nazi, of course, was the one to cause the first huge PURPLE spill on the blanket.

It cost us FOUR dollars just to wash it at the laundromat! FOUR DOLLARS!!! And TWO more to dry it! How about you take my house and children for payment too! SHEESH! But on the upside... at least my bedspread won't be coughing anytime soon.

Interesting version...

2011-02-01T13:25:00.000-08:00

Grayson wanted to "read" a book to Jaye. She picked out "Goodnight Moon" and the story went a little something like this.

Goodnight moon.
Goodnight red balloon.
Goodnight mittens.
Goodnight kittens.
...And the bunny jumped out of bed. And he jumped on the nightstand and onto the floor. And then his mommy got mad and she came in and spanked him because he tried to get out of his room.
The end.

Shows you how traumatic bedtime is at our house.

Wish me luck!

2011-01-01T09:33:00.000-08:00

Wow, I just hit 150 blog posts. For some reason, that seems pretty awesome to me, and a good number to start off the new year!

I've been thinking a lot about what New Year Resolutions to set for myself. Literally, I have been wracking my brain because there are so many things I want to accomplish. Last Sunday, a friend of mine gave a talk in church about New year resolutions and it really hit me that I need to choose ones that are the most important, and I'm not talking about those 30 pounds I will desperately want to drop in nine months! So I finally narrowed it down to one thing.

Be a Better Mom.

That's my new mission statement. This one sort of embodies everything I want to improve on. Spending quality time with my kids, getting the laundry done (and folded and BACK in the drawers) before our dirty clothes eat our hallway, cooking good meals, showing more love to my husband, working on becoming more spiritual, etc.

That is the most important thing I need to change. Especially now that I'm pregnant and my angry fuse is only a few millimeters in length and my laziness level is neverending.

I also have a tiny goal of writing more on the blog, I used to write a blog almost every day, so I want to start up again. Maybe I can use my REAL resolution as blogging inspiration.

Well folks, what are your resolutions?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Once Again...

2010-12-30T22:55:00.000-08:00

    So here it is folks: I'm pregnant. Again. And yes, it was planned. I had this ridiculous assumption that the third time around would be a breeze. I guess, mastering the art of puking directly into the garbage could be considered a step up. And after hearing stories of other women's obnoxious cravings for fruit and veggies, I believed that this would be my fate. But once again, the only thing that can quell my nausea is fast food. So far: cheese burgers. And hot dogs. I'm not gonna make it out of this next year under 30 extra pounds, I can already tell. What's the most depressing out of my entire ordeal? I was pregnant the last time my driver's license photo was taken and my face was "retaining water". (That's my excuse and I'm sticking with it!) I finally lost all that darned baby weight and was excited about how I looked, and guess what? I glanced at my driver's license today and it expires when I'm about 8 months pregnant! That's seven more months of cheese burgers and hot dogs! I don't think the photo will be much of an improvement from last time.

   I bet most of you are saying, "she shouldn't be whining, she is receiving a precious blessing!"

   In response I say, "It's my blog, I can say what I want!" but also, let me illuminate my sitiuation. I have two kids now, so the days of wallowing in miserable peace are gone. I have to be a mommy! Yesterday, I was trying to steal a few minutes of rest on the couch to settle my stomach, when suddenly my one year old dive bombs onto my head and starts pulling my hair and laughing maniacally, and my son hands me the end of a jump rope and starts yelling, "Pull me! Pull me!" So I start dragging him across the floor, while my daughter continues her attack. As Grayson reaches the carpet, I look at him and say, "Grayson I shouldn't pull you on the carpet, the rope might break." After the announcement, my focus drifts to the daughter trying to rip my hair out and I forget I am still pulling on the rope then WHACK!

... The handle of the jump rope pops off in the full force of pulling, my hand snaps back and I stab myself in the neck with a piece of dollar tree plastic. It hurt. Bad.

    Sitting there in utter pain, I couldn't help but think: I want three of these things?!?!

   Not wanting to scream at my kids for my self-mutilation, I spoke through clenched teeth, "Grayson, pick up those toys." (Pointing to the never-ending mess on the living room floor.) Without question he did his duty, ran back to me, looked me in the eyes and said, "Are you happy now, Mommy?"

    I'm not happy. I'm miserable. But seeing that sweet concerned look on my horribly obnoxious three year old made me realize, yes. I do want three of these things.

SURPRISE! HERE I AM!!!

2010-11-12T21:15:00.000-08:00

I’ve been told by several people that I need to start blogging again. And seriously, I really do. I don’t know why I stopped, just one of those things, but here I am, with a renewed goal to WRITE. Hopefully, all my “fans” will still be there to read my “amazing and interesting” life story!

I am going to try and nutshell my life for all you:

THINGS GOING ON RIGHT NOW:

*Grayson has un-potty-trained himself. Remember that blog I wrote about how brilliant I was for doing that family home evening and my brilliant son listened to me and became potty-trained? Yeah, well, I lied. Unintentionally, though. I think he has realized how “lucky” Jaye is getting her diapers changed, so now… not only does he NOT go on the potty but he tries to get us to change his pull-ups too! This is the first time we have ever seen him be jealous toward little sis, but I’m not a very happy camper. (He does do the messy business on the toilet still… THANK GOODNESS!!! )

* Our house is up for sale. We have decided to make Carlsbad our official home and since the interest rate on homes are so low here, we decided to take a crazy chance and sell our baby (the house… not Jaye). I won’t miss this house. I love it so much, but I won’t miss it. If it sells that is.

*I have three weeks and one more semester until I have my Musical Theatre degree from WWCC. It’s only taken me SIX years to get, but it will definitely fill a very important goal for me. I am extremely excited to move on from WWCC!

*My husband and I were “called” to be the road show coordinators for our ward. Our stake is huge. We have to drive an hour to get to the stake center, so they don’t do a lot of activities for the youth, so we wanted to make this road show a memorable experience for the youth in the THREE weeks they gave me to throw something together. We are doing a spoof on Dora the explorer and are totally copying Dierdre McDonald’s firefly dance idea and we choreographed a swing dance. It’s been sooooo fun and I LOOOOOOVE working with the youth again!

THINGS FOR THE FUTURE:

*I think Baby number three will be in the works soon. It’s just one of those things we just know is the right time. Even though THREE kids will be INSANE!... We already started shopping for a minivan. Haha!

*I recently have become interested in Social Work for a lot of reasons, but I think that might be something I will pursue. If my bachelor’s takes as long as my associate’s, I have PLENTY of time to decide on a major!

*You know those giant, really far-fetched dreams you sometimes get? I’d like to be a singer. Like Hilary Weeks, kind of thing. I love to write music, and I’m getting better at writing good music (not there yet) but I would love to write and sing the kind of stuff that someone would listen to and feel strengthened… that inspiring and sometimes sappy cheesy kind of music.

THINGS THAT HAVEN’T CHANGED:

*Motherhood is still hard. But I’m learning.

*My husband is still my best friend and the most amazing person in the world. Sometimes I find myself thinking how in the world could there have possibly been someone so perfect for me. I never imagined marriage could be this good.

*I eat way too much chocolate. But I blame my husband. When we watch our shows at night, he likes to whip out our magic bag of never-ending Halloween chocolate and we eat like bears storing up for winter time. You know those movies where the rich people dump their millions on a bed and swim in the cash… that’s kind of what we look like with candy wrappers. It’s not as sexy as rolling in money.

*I seriously need to get back on weight watchers.

But that is life in a nutshell. Jaye is walking. Grayson might be accepted into a special preschool for kids with speech delays: he has a difficult time with some consonants like fish is Bish. Or Kitty is Titty… which makes for some confusing conversations. I’m so grateful we got him screened for speech! And I’m just plugging along in school and in life. And I absolutely love it!

That is the biggest Nutshell ever! Phew.

Blast from the past

2010-07-28T19:38:00.000-07:00

     Since my brother moved to town, we have been nostalgic over movies we used to watch as kids, or sometimes even movies we watched when we lived together in college. It’s been so fun finding these movies and forcing Barry to watch them with us! Last night, we watched “Surf Ninjas”. (Anyone remember that one?) Well it was hilarious! And it’s definitely something I recommend to everyone, (Not surf Ninjas, but watching movies from your past). Nothing is more therapeutic then going back to childhood for an hour and a half!


     New topic: I have naturally bad teeth, so I have had to visit the dentist, EVERY Wednesday this month for some work. While there, I got to talking about little baby girls with one of his hygienists, and she mentioned that she loves hair bows. So, I mentioned that I make them. She told me to bring some in and although I’m sure she was just saying that I decided to actually bring some in. So I brought in a few, and by the end of my visit the box had been passed throughout the entire office! And they all begged me to come back with more tomorrow, because tomorrow is pay day! So I came home and made a bunch of bows, and tomorrow we’ll see what happens! I guess it pays to go to the dentist… hahaha! But it’s nice to do hair bows again. Jaye refuses to wear them right now so I stopped making them. Needless to say, I have reeeeally needed a hobby! I’m working on writing a musical, but that’s just a- whenever I get a chance to sit down and fiddle with the piano, and I’m also helping to decorate my brother’s upcoming wedding, but I’m searching for a HOBBY. Anyone? Ideas? (Have I asked for ideas before?)

Anyway, here is the recipe I made tonight. We thought it was scrumdidilyumptious so I thought I would pass it on. I LOVE easy meals so here it is:

FIESTA BEEF ENCHILADAS:

1 lb. ground beef
½ c. sliced green onions
2 tsp. minced garlic (or garlic powder)
1 c. cooked white or brown rice
1-1/2 c. chopped tomato, divided
¾ c. frozen corn
1 c. shredded cheese (Cheddar or Mexican Blend)
½ c. salsa or picante sauce
Corn tortillas
1 can (10 oz) mild or hot enchilada sauce
1 c. shredded romaine lettuce

1. Preheat oven to 375. Spray 13x9 dish with cooking spray. (I covered mine with tin foil and then sprayed, EASY CLEANUP)

2. Cook ground beef in nonstick pan until no longer pink; drain. Add green onions and garlic; cook and stir 2 minutes.

3. Add rice, 1 c. tomato, corn, ½ c. cheese and salsa to meat; mix well. Spoon mixture down center of tortillas; roll up. Place enchiladas seam side down in prepared dish. Pour enchilada sauce evenly over the top.

4. Cover with foil; bake 20 minutes or until hot. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, and bake until cheese melts. Top with lettuce and remaining tomato.

(I filled enough tortillas to feed us, then put the rest of the mixture in a freezer bag for a rainy day!)

I'm back!

2010-07-21T17:09:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine told me I needed to blog about all the fun and/or crazy things we do as a family. I’m really grateful for her little shove… it’s been way too long since I have blogged. I have no excuses this time, I guess I just fell off the bandwagon.

But I have had a wonderful summer! My brother’s girlfriend/ fiancé decided to get baptized! That has been the most exciting news of the summer! My parents rented a twelve passenger van and carted us all down to San Antonio for the big day! It was a lot of fun, and I can’t wait for her to join our family in October!

I am taking a math class at the college! All of the assignments are done online and I misread the due dates, so I spent an entire day working on my homework (I thought the due date was during our trip to San Antonio) but then I figured out the REAL due date. So I accidentally finished the 5 week class three weeks early! Only Krystle Ricks would manage a blunder like that! But at least I passed!

I’m trying to get all my credits done by the spring, because (DRUM ROLL!) I will be able to transfer it all up to Western Wyoming Community College and finish my degree from there. YAY! And then my goal is to finish a bachelor’s BEFORE our ten year high school reunion. So I can have bragging rights! 

Anyway, so that’s where life has placed me right now. I really like life.

So Ricks family adventures:

For FHE on Monday, we took the kiddos to see “Toy Story 3” at the drive-in theatre. About 20 minutes into the movie, our car battery died! So we all creeped up to the car next to us and asked if we could sit next to their car and listen to the movie! Luckily, they were really nice, so we laid a tiny fleece blanket on the ground and squished together. It didn’t go as planned, but was a lot of fun!

And for FHE on Tuesday night, we called a lady in town who has a swimming pool and asked if we could “borrow” it. I made a Ham and Cheese braid to take with us, and we had a picnic by the pool and swam for an hour. It was soooooooo fun! They had a big blue fish like Dory painted on the bottom, and for a while Grayson was scared of it. At one point, he floated over it, and said, “The fish is going to bite my bum-bum!” I don’t know where he gets this stuff! Haha!

So that’s it for now! I mentioned on facebook about making pretzels for FHE, so here is the recipe:

PRETZELS:
1 tablespoon yeast
1-1/2 c. water
1tablespoon sugar
1 tsp. salt
4 c. flour
1 egg, beaten
Coarse (Kosher) Salt

(the batter was a little thick so we added a little more water to make the dough more shapeable)

Ham and Cheese Braid (One of the Ricks FAVORITE meals!)
1 loaf Rhodes bread dough
1 stick butter
1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not generic)
3/4 thinly sliced ham
1-1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp. poppy seeds

(the Rhodes bread is in the freezer section.) thaw loaf on a floured surface. Roll dough out into rectangle shape so it's approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Melt butter; combine Ranch mix. Spread about 5 tblsp. of mixture on rectangle. Layer ham and cheese down the center of rectangle. Use a pizza cutter to cut strips along each side of dough (even numbers on each side). Starting at bottom, take each piece, cross and twist. Continue criss-crossing until your dough is braided. Carefullly place on greased cookie sheet. Brush remaining butter/ranch mix over top. Sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

(This is a good freezer meal too! Instead of baking, wrap loaf in plastic wrap and then foil. )

(You can also use marinara and pepperoni to make a pizza braid! And if you combine two loaves to feed more people, use a BIG cookie sheet. It grows pretty big!)

Family Home Evening

2010-06-07T22:30:00.000-07:00

We've been having a frustrating time potty-training our two year old. His potty days fluctuate from total independence to refusing to mention needing to go potty. As I was perusing the aisles of Dollar General, a favorite past-time of mine, I noticed this Potty Training activity book from Sesame Street. Grayson isn't familiar with Sesame Street but the book came with a huge fold out Potty Chart complete with big Stickers. I bought the book and decided to have a Potty lesson for F.H.E.

I read Grayson a little book (we found in the dollar bins at Target) about how the potty works. Then Barry read through all the pages from the activity book. Then we showed Grayson the poster, explained the stickers, and as a family went to the bathroom and ceremoniously had him help us tape up the poster. We made it a big deal. And guess what?!? It WORKED!!!!!!!! It's been about three weeks, and now he runs to the potty all by himself, does his stuff and shouts "I went Pee Pee (or the other business), I get a sticker!" And then we do the sticker dance. I'd say Grayson is about 95% potty-trained!!! So for you other mothers out there, trying to think of a way to potty-train: This is what worked for the Ricks Family!!!

HALLEUIAH!!!

Evolution of Grayson and the garden hose

2010-06-06T22:23:00.000-07:00

Grayson: fully-clothed

Five minutes later...

Ten Minutes Later...

Plug...

2010-05-13T12:05:00.000-07:00

Hey friends and family! I'm just putting in a little plug for my other blog! For those of you who don't know, Barry and I have made a goal to walk on a new sidewalk every day (Sundays excluded) for the summer. This challenge is based off of my new favorite quote:

“Many couples permit their marriages to become stale and their love to grow cold like old bread or worn-out jokes or cold gravy. These people will do well to reevaluate, to renew their courting, to express their affection, to acknowledge kindnesses, and to increase their consideration so their marriage can again become beautiful, sweet, and growing. While marriage is difficult, and discordant and frustrated marriages are common, yet real, lasting happiness is possible, and marriage can be more an exultant ecstasy than the human mind can conceive.”

~Spencer W. Kimball~

So in trying to avoid a stale marriage (and watching too much t.v.), we started our challenge on May 11.
So the blog has started. If you are interested in following the journey, I'll try and make the journey interesting! So, pop on over and leave comments- especially comments on what you are doing to enrich your own marriage!!!

THANKS!

http://www.sidewalktherapy.blogspot.com/

Out of the Mouth of Babes...

2010-05-12T19:27:00.000-07:00

     My husband is a big Star Wars fan. I can't even describe to you how excited he was to find a "Chewbacca" shirt in the toddler section at Target. He looked at me with pleading, puppy-dog eyes, and without saying a word, I knew the shirt would be coming home with us.

   Barry pulled the shirt out of the target bag, and ceremoniously presented it to Grayson. "Look Grayson!" he said, pointing at the picture, "who is that?"

   Grayson studied the shirt, looked at Daddy and sweetly answered, "Jesus".

smile.

2010-05-09T22:01:00.000-07:00

Several months ago I mistook a pair of Barry's pants for my own and quickly discovered my mistake when the jeans wouldn't go past my thighs!

Just wanted to say... Today I intentionally tried on a pair of Barry's pants.

And they fit!!!

It's a good day.

Adventures in Doggy-hood.

2010-04-08T20:22:00.000-07:00

I've been on a blogging hiatus. But I haven't blogged in a while because I have been so busy. That's nice. We have mostly been busy, because we were asked to choreograph the High School's Musical, "Once Upon a Mattress". (And might I add that I can't wait for Elise to move back to town because she was one of the few who showed genuine interest in supporting our theatricity {and yes I made up that word. It sounds cool though.}) Anyway, it has been really great to be working with Barry (even though we don't always agree) for the show. We have almost done every single number together and I wouldn't want to spend the day any other way than dancing with my best friend!

The second reason I have been extremely busy is..... DRUM ROLL...... we got a dog. Remember how I was blubbering about a little Blue Weenie. Well, we went back to the pet store weeks later (why do I torture myself?), and they were harboring more of those adorable little Blue Weenies, so we gave in a bought one. And it has a line right down the middle of its face just like the first one I fell in love with, so once again, we named it Harvey (after Two-Face from batman, get it?).

He is adorable.

And a puppy.

And certainly not house-trained.

Which is why we don't allow him in any of our rooms.

Which is why it was frustrating that Grayson let him in the house before I could stop him, and the little Weenie ran into Grayson's bedroom and hid in his bed as we were all shouting at him to stop.

And then I ran into the room and picked him up.

Little did I know he was peeing.

I guess it's hard to turn off the water hose, mid-stream.

I unintentionally aimed him straight at my poor son's face.

Grayson was wailing before I could turn the dog away to spray the rest of the room.

Barry took the dog.

Probably so I wouldn't kill it.

I took a sobbing Grayson to the tub.

He very well may be scarred for life.

But I'm still thinking we can use this. The next time Grayson is disobedient...

"Don't make me get Harvey!"

... Continued

2010-03-17T15:46:00.000-07:00

So, my parents are out of town. But my brother's girl friend is in town. So Barry and I appointed ourselves chaperones and moved into my parents house for the week. We forgot to bring over an extra change of clothes and our toiletries so I was feeling pretty disgusting by mid-afternoon. I got in the car and drove to the first stop sign and I noticed a woman yelling at me from across the street.

"Your tire's flat!" She screamed. So the tire we had gotten repaired the day prior... Unrepaired itself. I was so frustrated that I returned to my parents driveway, unbuckled Grayson and let him go wild in the car, while I sat in the driver's seat and sulked for 35 minutes until Barry got home from class.

Not my finest hour.

So, we filled up the tire and rushed (within the speed limit) to the tire store. And parked next to a car that had been hit, smashed and totaled. And then I shut my mouth.

My week really hasn't been that bad.

Math Equations by Krystle

2010-03-15T16:52:00.001-07:00

**Part 1**

Babysitting+two two-year-olds= pain.

I was babysitting a little boy who is about the same age as Grayson.

They don't get along.

I could handle the bickering until the boys attempted to smash each other's appendages in my kitchen cabinets. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. I threatened Grayson with a timeout and began leading him from the kitchen. Being the terrible two year that he is, he decided to go limp in protest.

I wasn't expecting it.

That was the Grayson that broke Mommy's toe. Completely in half. It hurt. A lot. I now have to walk around in a nice surgical boot for three weeks. And of course, this happens about three days after I have been asked to choreograph the high school's musical.

**PART 2**
Baking+distractions= pain

Barry has been taking excellent care of his invalid wife. He decided to bake his famous cookies and grill steaks for dinner. Very ambitious! The timer beeped on the oven while he was outside so I decided to be helpful and answer the call. As I was pulling the cookies out, my brother, in his judgement of perfect timing, told me to look at Grayson.

I looked.

And without telling my brain, my hand decided to keep pulling out the cookies straight into my arm. That takes talent!

**PART 3**
Spending money+car= pain. emotionally.

Our local radio station holds an annual auction where local businesses can auction off gift certificates. As I was driving to get my haircut, I overheard one of the bids. A full-house insulation auction! Something we need to do in our house, so I called Barry and we decided to bid for it. A nice sum of money for poor starving college students. We won the bid! Yay!

About five minutes after winning the bid, my beautician notices that the back tire of my car was completely flat.

Naturally, on the day and minutes after we decide to spend our precious resources on the insulation bid, I manage (out of all the space on the road) to hit a tiny little nail.

WHAT A WEEK!!!!

My Sacred Charge.

2010-03-06T20:46:00.000-08:00

Nearly three years ago, I suffered. I suffered immense pain, misery, insomnia, near-bulemia, and more pain and misery. But it was for a good cause, one which I fully intend to hold as a bargaining chip during my son's teenaged life. I chose to suffer so I could experience the greatest, sweetest, and most rewarding joy life has to offer: Motherhood.

I remember the day so vividly when the doctor placed a little swaddled infant in my arms. His intensely dark eyes stared into mine, and I basked in the joy of this beautiful creation of mine. I accepted the sacred charge of taking care of this helpless being. I knew I would cling to this moment forever, along with all the wonderful memories, this little angel and I would build together.

Earlier this week, Grayson developed an ear infection. The kind with the sore throat, coughing, runny nose, high fever, etc. I have felt utterly helpless as my sweet little angel suffered through his pain. At the height of his fever (102.7 degrees), he awoke from a nap crying and I ran to him. Carrying him to the couch, I pictured my loving sweet infant baby from two and a half years ago, and sat down. I craddled him in my lap and wrapped my arms around him, reliving that first moment we met.

Until he shouted, "STOP!!!! I WANT DAAAAAAAAADDY!"

And peeled my arms away.

And jumped out of my lap.

And punched me in the gut. (Metaphorically speaking).

Nine months of misery and woe, four hours of hard, hard labor, a lifetime of worry and stress, and that's the thanks I get!?

Ahhh... Motherhood.

I know... right?

2010-03-01T15:40:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, my brother surprised us with some huge news: he has a girl friend. We were super excited to find out that she was coming up to Carlsbad to meet all of us, but my brother's job changed his work hours, thus shattering their plans. She was sad. He was sad. I was sad.

Around this time, we also acquired a Scooter from my aunt and uncle, but they live in San Antonio and we weren't really sure how to pick it up.

Soooo... we decided if Dee Dee (his girl friend) wasn't going to come to us, we were going to go to her... and get the scooter.

I was super excited to leave for our trip, even though we left 8 at night for a 7 hour drive, I was going to meet Dann's girl friend! With weight watchers, I'm starting to look pretty good so I was especially excited to go on our mini-vacation and meet new people!

The day before we left, my voice started to get a little scratchy, and by the time we arrived in San Antonio at four in the morning, I sounded like the love child of Fran Drescher and a troll. We hit the hay, and at 7 I woke up and my eye was hurting so I dashed to the bathroom.

It was bright red and swollen half-way shut. So before I have really met my brother's mystery girl friend, I not only sounded like Fran Drescher and Troll jr. but I look like Quasimodo!!! It was mortifying. I felt like I should hunch over and shuffle out of the bathroom shouting "Sanctuary!"

I ran to our bed, and squawked, "Barry, look at me! I'm a monster!" But before I could run out of the house, jump in the car, and hide under a draw bridge with my fellow trolls, Dee Dee walked in and we met. And I like her.

And after she adjusted to my horror movie character imitation, I think she liked me too.

It was a good trip.

QUICK OVERVIEW-
Friday-
*Went to S.A. Zoo
*Checked into our very first hotel
*Ate at the Magic Time Machine (A restaurant where all the waiters have to dress and act like their character. Our server was Mario, but we met Dora the Explorer, Batman, Frenchie, Indiana Jones, and Jasmine.... SO FUN!)

Saturday-
*Picked up Barry's Scooter
*Went to the S.A. Children's Museum-SO COOL!
*Ate lunch at a duck pond, chased down an icecream truck, fed the ducks
*Went to a REAL mall and bought Gray and Jaye's Easter Outfits, haha
*Ate dinner at Chuy's (A really good and fun Mexican restaurant)

Sunday-
* Was 15 minutes late for 9:00am church only to discover it was 8:30 am church and we were really 45 minutes late! nice.
*Visited my Mom's side of the family.
* Drove the looooooooooooong drive home and got back to Carlsbad at 1am.

SHEESH, what an adventure -packed weekend!

Life's not fair.

2010-02-19T19:43:00.000-08:00

You know what I really hate? Pet stores.

Since we couldn't have pets when we lived in an apartment, we would take Grayson to the store all the time, so he could grow up used to animals. So it's sort of a tradition of ours now... we go to the pet store about twice a month. BUT, every time we go, they are selling puppies. And puppies are like babies... in cages... with fur. And if you think caged, furry babies are cute then you see my dilemma. I want one! I want all of them! The last time we went, they were selling an "Apple Head Chiauaua (there are way too many vowels in my attempt to spell that!)" and it basically looked like an electricuted hampster... or an electricuted baby... with fur. It was adorable! But I HATE, no I LOATHE those yappy little things (when they aren't so adorable!) so I had a little restraint.

Another time, there were Korean Jindos, BEAUTIFUL PUPPIES! I really wanted one, but Barry reminded me that our back fence is broken thus unsafe for a doggy. We found out later that those puppies which were selling for 50 Bucks, are really worth 1000 Bucks! We missed such a great deal!

And then today, we walk into the store... and are greeted by the sweetest little brown puppy. It started shaking when it saw us, and wagging its tail. The owner said I could hold it, and I did. The whole time we were there. It's face had a line down the middle, one side was brown and one side was white. They called it "Two-Face" but we named him, Harvey. (As in Harvey Dent... who becomes Two-Face in Batman. Yeah yeah... we're nerds.) So, me and Harvey wandered around the store, and the whole time he quietly nestled in my arms and licked my face. And I fell in love.

But Barry, being the cold, heartless (AKA reasonable and realistic) man that he is, reminded me of that DARNED fence, and that right now is not a good time for us to buy a puppy. So begrudgingly, I locked little Harvey back in his cold, loveless pen, and left a piece of my heart with him.

Maybe I should start picturing my baby as a puppy.

Without fur.

Or the cage.

Or... maybe I should just stop going to the pet store.

Date Night... Afternoon.

2010-02-18T16:04:00.001-08:00

I taught a class for my Church's Relief Society about the importance of having date nights with your spouse. It was the best class, meaning, I learned a lot for myself. Soooo... for our new goal to have a date night once a week from now on, we started with Ping Pong and Pool at the rec Center. There were a bunch of Pool tables so we got Grayson a stick and his own balls so he played on his own while we had our own little date. And it was perfect because I won once, and Barry won once- no spousal feuds here! (Did I mention we are both slightly competitive?) So there you have it- Week 1/ Date Afternoon. And the best part... COMPLETELY free!!!! To end this short blog- I will throw in my new mottos.

#1- "Marriage can be more an exultant ecstasy than the human mind can conceive." -Spencer W. Kimball~

#2- The most important meeting of the week is Sacrament Meeting, and the second most important is Date Night." L. Tom Perry

So think about it... I hope you set this as a goal too! Here's to Exultant Marriages!

Pictures!

2010-01-30T13:26:00.000-08:00

I really appreciate all the encouragement I received about my hair bow "business"!!! It has been so fun, and yesterday my brother and I drove to Roswell, and ribbon just happened to be 50% OFF at Hobby Lobby!!! It was like Christmas all over again! So I will be spending the next few days trying to make as many bows as possible! The store that is selling mine is looking for Spring bows that match their outfits and Punky Rock Star looking ones. Here are a few of the Spring Line bows I made yesterday... I thought I would start with the cutesy stuff, which I like, before taking on the challenge of Rock Star stuff which I'm not the biggest fan. But I do plan on selling my bows on Etsy too- hopefully that will be a good experience. So here are a few of the ones I made... I hope you like them!

They look cuter on a baby, but this will have to do for now. Thanks again everyone for the encouragement! I love you all!

Off to a good start!

2010-01-27T13:55:00.000-08:00

So 2010 has rocketed into my life with an awesome beginning! Aside from the fact that I can't seem to stop writing 2009 on all checks and paperwork I am loving this year so far! I felt sort of depressed last year, which I'm pretty sure had to do with being pregnant and hormonal, but I just felt sort of I dunno... If I think of a word, I'll let you know, but I was feeling down. Part of it had to do with the fact that all of my friends have degrees and I'm still putting along trying to get an associate's degree (some day I will have a bachelors), part of it is a bunch of my friends have found talents that they can make money off of and I couldn't think of anything, and part of it was I felt overweight and frumpy. So that's how I have started my year.

Well, I've been trying to learn how to make hairbows for Jaye, and I was making some decent ones, but when my sister-in-law came here for Christmas, she showed me how she makes them. Some how I caught on, and now Delmonico's, a baby boutique in town wants to buy my hair bows! WOO! I showed the owner a bunch of examples and she said, "these look like professional boutique bows!" so she showed me what colors she wanted and tomorrow Barry and I will be driving a whole hour away to buy supplies and I will spend the weeking swimming in ribbon! It's been such a fun hobby and everywhere I go, people ask me where I bought my hair bow, so my dream of making money off of a talent is coming true! WOW! I feel so fortunate!

I also am still babysitting about once or twice a week for a woman in my church, and her husband found out I LOVE typing so has hired me for a nice amount to type for him. He just opened up a new dental practice and has been having me type up TONS of dental paperwork for him, so there's three jobs I've acquired which makes me feel in a small way, OK maybe a big way for me, accomplished! How nice.

And lastly, I just had my third week weigh-in at weight watchers and I have already lost 10 pounds! WOO!!! I am so glad I joined! There is no way I could lose all this weight on my own so fast. It has helped me feel so good about myself!

So there it is, that's how my January has been going. FANTASTIC!!! And Grayson is starting to soften out of the terrible stage, and parenting is getting a little easier, that's always good! BUT... Jaye already has her two bottom teeth and likes to bite me- OUCH! That's the only negative so far! But here's hopin' the rest of my year goes well! I hope everyone else's is too!!! Let me know what blessings you have received!

(Sorry, I just read through this and I sound like I'm bragging... but I'm just really excited!)

Was it worth it?

2010-01-16T10:43:00.000-08:00

So remember yesterday? Well, turns out- Grayson somehow found two markers in his room (I don't know where he found them, we are really good about keeping them out of reach) and colored all over the beautiful wooden lego table my Grandpa built him for Christmas.

THANK GOODNESS for washable markers!

Did I learn a lesson? Yes. Bring on the "artwork", I need my quiet time!

Huh.

2010-01-15T12:44:00.001-08:00

I put my son down for a nap about an half an hour ago. He never went to sleep. Note the sarcasm in my voice as I say Big surprise. So here I sit, listening to him rustle around in there, making all kinds of noises, and I've learned something. I've reached that point in parenthood when I would rather risk drawings on the wall or destroyed toys than give up my ten minutes of peace to check and see what he's doing.

Krystle... the hussy!

2010-01-04T10:53:00.000-08:00

The doctor that has delivered our last two babies has gotten very close to me and my family. So close, that he feels comfortable hugging me at the start and end of every visit. Now, I myself am big on hugging! I love it! But today's doctor's visit was a "Hello World, I'm naked!" visit. The kind where you strip off your bottoms and sit with a tiny 1-ply sheet over your lap, pretending like you aren't sitting naked in front of two people, and praying that those two people are also pretending you aren't naked.

Even in high school, I couldn't bring myself to change in front of other girls in the locker rooms, so you can imagine my discomfort at the doctor's office. What you can't imagine, is what it's like to hug a man (who isn't your husband), without your pants on! I don't care if I was covered, and I don't care if he was pretending I was fully clothed, but the truth is... I really appreciate pants, even if they are a few sizes bigger than I'd like them to be.

Starting young...

2010-01-01T19:36:00.001-08:00

To hail in the New Year, my husband and I took the family to Chili's restaurant. If you know the place, the tables are sort of crammed in there, for a cozy atmosphere... or something. Well, we were sitting there innocently, when a waitress began seating people at the table behind ours. One of the women was standing behind her seat, waiting for her friend to sit, and Grayson just turns around and rests his sweet little hand on her bum... and held it there. And that nice woman just pretended like nothing was going on, while a two year old stranger harrassed her. I think I was too surprised to say anything so he keep his hand there for at least half a minute... although it felt like an hour! Barry and I finally snapped into reality and quickly told Grayson to "Get your hand off of her!"

Shouldn't it be another 14 years before I'm supposed to be shouting that at my son?

A whole new year!

2009-12-31T18:24:00.000-08:00

I can hear fireworks already going off as I sit all alone in my house... husbandless. He's been gone for three days at his Grandmother's funeral, I miss him like crazy! But he will be back around midnight to bring in the new year, so I will make good use of his absence and write a blog. It's been almost a whole month since I've written, but that doesn't mean I've had nothing to write about.
Christmas was absolutely wonderful. My entire family made it to town and we partied the heck out of the week. I was introduced to a new board game we will be buying soon, the craziest game I have ever played. To give you an idea of its contents, my brother had to construct a snorkel out of household items and wear it for the entire game or lose points, I had to write a haiku about a man with five arms, and write and read without laughing, a sentence about the person to the right of me using the words "exercise equipment, magestic snot, sunbeams, and ancient Greece". My sister-in-law couldn't make eye contact with anyone, and my other brother had to talk in the third person. Yeah... Crazy.
I didn't really ask for anything for Christmas, and was thoroughly surprised by the amazingness of my gifts. But that sort of relates to my next topic, soooo...
NEXT TOPIC:
My New Year Resolutions.
Bah, I hate that phrase, but here are my goals for the year.

1- Of course, lose weight. But to accomplish this I will be joining Weight Watcher's next week (And the crowd goes Wild!!!) I am super excited, and have great moral support from my husband and sister-in-law! The goal for the year is 35 lbs... HOT BODY... here I come!

2- My relationship with the Savior has gotten pretty lax lately. I would like to fix that, so super spiritual revamp... I'm coming!

3- My ultimate dream (one of three or so) is to publish a novel. I know... that's what everyone says, right? But it's true. My laptop of seven years has decided to break up with me, and my husband surprised me with a ***NEW NEW NEW LAPTOP LAPTOP LAPTOP** for Christmas! Not only that, but he got me "The Everything Guide to Writing a Novel" book. I've said it all along but, WHAT A STUDMUFFIN!
I think I have a really great idea for a story and have been working on it here and there, but here's the resolution... Finish the first draft by the end of the year. I'm really nervous about setting this one as a goal, but with my new computer in tow, there's nothing I can't accomplish! (Too melodramatic?)

4- Enjoy the year! Woo!

Of course, I'm still trying to find a way to make money out of being crafty, but I'm not quite crafty enough... that dream will just have to be on the back burners until I finish my story.

And there you have it, folks. A sneak peek at the inner desires of Krystle Ricks.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Peace.

2009-12-07T14:59:00.000-08:00

I have had the opportunity of joining a 6 person women's choir in town. I was sort of skeptical at first, being that the other five women are at least double my age, but ages aside, we sound REALLY good together. It has been such a blessing, giving me that needed outlet from mommyhood.

In answer to my friend Emily, we are able to squeeze rehearsals in Fridays at four. Barry watches Grayson and I take Jaye for just an hour or so, and it has worked out swimmingly.

This past Sunday, we "debuted" at the First United Methodist Church Christmas Party. The woman who started the group belongs to that church and that is where we rehearse, so naturally that is where we performed. We are performing again for a city function the day before Valentine's Day, but the group is hoping to get our name out enough to have our very own concert some time in March.

Although I am sooooooo excited to be apart of the group which is undecidedly "Belle-issimo" or "LaBelle", the purpose for blogging this is this...

I was sooooooo grateful to attend the Methodist Church' Christmas Program. I don't know if you have noticed, but this world is an extremely scary place... and getting ever more scary. Sometimes, the challenge to raise my kids to be good people seems impossible. Like just mine and my husband's personal faith verses the ENTIRE world's "teachings". It was such a peaceful feeling to go to a church that was not my own and see them standing for the same things I believe in. To see the small children stand up and sing "This little light of mine" and the teenagers narrating the event, and the adults singing about the Christmas season. Or just seeing how many people filled the sanctuary (the chapel). Even though we aren't the same faith, I felt at home in their beautiful sanctuary, standing with others who are standing for something. My kids have a fighting chance afterall... :)

My poor back...

2009-11-16T15:20:00.000-08:00

This morning I woke up, using every sore muscle in my back to stay on the three inches of mattress space I had... Jaye slept in our bed last night and some how, Grayson found a way to stuff himself in between the three of us this morning. I looked up and saw Him and Jaye sleeping peacefully, and poor Barry sleeping warily at the other side of our queen-size, practically dangling over the edge. And the discomfort made me happy. I LOVE those brief moments of quiet family togetherness.

Our first outing

2009-11-03T10:00:00.000-08:00

Today was my very first day to take both of my children out in public... alone. Jaye had a checkup scheduled... and I was extremely confident. I brought an extra bag full of toys, activities, and goodies for Grayson's entertainment. We got to the Doctor's office and I got a huge stack of papers to fill out for the baby (this was her first appointment, because of certain circumstances, we didn't have the one week check up.) So I am trying to fill out papers... I have Jaye wrapped comfortably in her carseat with Grayson beside me coloring- things were great.

And then...

Jaye started crying, she decided she was hungry even though I fed her 45 minutes earlier. Then Grayson sees an empty cup in the garbage, pulls it out and tries to drink out of it- YUCK! So I tackle him down and get him a clean cup and visit the water cooler. We get back to our seats, and I pull out my nursing wrap and start feeding the baby while Grayson, I have yet to understand how he came to this conclusion, decides that a cone shaped cup will stand on it's own and tries to set it on the seat beside ours and it dumps out all over the place. So Jaye is put on hold while we clean up our mess. I get back to feeding Jaye, and Grayson goes back to the water cooler.

Now, I'm not being biased here, but I have an extremely smart child... which is why I was EXTREMELY surprised when he tried to set the cone shaped cup down again.... so that mess gets cleaned up and I get back to Jaye. THEN, Grayson sees that whomever had just walked in, didn't close the front door all the way so he swings the door wide open and tries to run outside. I snatched the sleeve of his jacket just before he made it out, so I am sitting there nursing Jaye and probably squishing her head the way I was leaned over holding on to Grayson's jacket while he is flailing on the ground, screaming and trying to unhand me, and I'm also trying to keep my nursing wrap straight so I don't expose myself to the FULL waiting room. A kind mother finally came to my aid, and closed the door... while all those other people just sat and stared at the circus.

So finally we made it in to see the doctor. Things were great. Jaye is healthy. Grayson was mesmorized by all the doctor's tools and gadgets. We went back through the waiting room and he waves and says "HI!" to everyone and melts their hearts. Then he goes straight to the water cooler and just pushes the button so water is spilling out everywhere while I'm trying to schedule another appointment. Another little boy comes to join in the fun, but Grayson didn't appreciate the company and just shoves the poor sick kid over. The kid starts screaming so in front of everyone, I make Grayson say sorry and then I apologized to his mother... who was highly unappreciative.

And on that grand note, I hauled both my kiddos back to the car before we could give the waiting room more hilarious anecdotes to share.

The journey was rough. But I made it through! WOO! I am OFFICIALLY a mother of two!

More adventures in motherhood

2009-10-03T20:05:00.001-07:00

Don't judge me... I know it's disgusting, but I haven't showered in almost a week. This is because

A) I'm flat out too tired.
B) Cleanliness is the last thing on my mind right now
C) Standing is about as comfortable as walking barefoot through gravel

And there are my excuses, but even I know it's time to shower when not even pulling my hair up can hide the "glossy shimmer" and a hat is my only option. So I showered. But Daddy wasn't home, and Grayson doesn't take naps so I had one option. He had to shower with me.

Here is my experience:

Grayson cried because he didn't like the water on his head... not in his face, just on the top of his head. As I shampooed, Grayson quickly nestled his back against the back of legs, so my rear end (which as we know has put on enough weight this pregnancy to act as a perfect umbrella) would shelter him. But while he was blissfully comfortable, I couldn't move or else I would knock over Grayson, or heaven forbid allow a few drops of water to wet his hair. So instead, I nearly drowned because my face was stuck right in the stream of water.

Toward the end, Grayson finally mustered the courage to stand, so in that moment I reached for the conditioner. In a tub full of bath toys (that could even keep me entertained) Grayson found joy in doing one thing: using my hiney as a set of drums. And he drummed... and drummed... and drummed. (I didn't realize my back end was so multi-functional.) As soon as the conditioner was rinsed out I hurriedly turned off the water and practically dove out of the bathroom.

Thus ended my first and LAST attempt to shower with my son.

But I learned something amidst this whole traumatizing ordeal... I think I will stick with wearing hats.

My poem

2009-10-02T08:38:00.000-07:00

(I jotted this down at the doctor's office yesterday... if you can't tell, it was inspired by my wardrobe)

HELLO PEANUT BUTTER

Today I tried my hardest,
A fine look to achieve;
Coiffed hair, clean clothes, and make up…
But there’s peanut butter on my sleeve.

I just needed to do some shopping,
A quick run to the store,
But my child had it in his mind
We needed to do a little bit more.

I ran past an elegant woman
A true image of perfection,
With my hair flying out of place
As I chased my son in every direction.

They never tell you when motherhood starts,
The things you’re giving up.
Say “goodbye” to easy livin’,
And “Hello” to wearing lunch.

“Hello” to all those sleepless nights,
whining, “No!” Mine!” and “More!”
“Hello” to painful wounded feet
from stepping on those toys on the floor.

“Hello” to food smeared on the walls
and stains on all my clothes.
Goodbye to lids, toy parts, and keys,
Where they go… Nobody knows!

“Hello” to loves and snuggles,
giggling and constant fun,
dinner, bath time, family prayer,
and kisses when the day is done.

Goodbye to that elegant lady;
The one I passed as I ran down the street.
The one with jewels and Hollywood looks
And designer shoes on her feet.

I don’t wear fancy perfume
And I don’t own expensive clothes,
But the pearls of joy I string each day
Are more priceless than she knows.

Here I walk hand in hand with my child,
And really that’s all that I need.
Because I am a Mommy and I…
Am proud of the peanut butter on my sleeve.

Growing up....

2009-09-25T15:09:00.000-07:00

In these past few weeks, Grayson has decided to grow up. He has officially retired his crib and only sleeps in his "Big Boy" bed (a twin mattress on the floor). Because of this new transition, he has also decided ONE WEEK BEFORE I HAVE ANOTHER BABY that he no longer needs to take naps!!! This is the worst stage he could possibly hit RIGHT NOW, but oh well... at least I have one week to adjust.

Grayson has also decided that he wants to go potty on the potty. Whenever he walks past the bathroom, he sees that gleaming porcelein reminder that "Hey, I don't have to wear pants!" and immediately strips down. (I don't think his desire to potty train has anything to do with going to the bathroom!) So, I spend my days with a clothes-less child (See video below). The other day he walked into my room while stripping off his diaper. I was still in bed, but attempted to talk him into keeping it on. He just looked at me and ripped it off. (Grayson loves to dance naked and combined with his speed and talent of ripping off a diaper, I'm beginning to worry about future career paths.)

Then I tried sweet-talking him into going to sit on the potty without my assistance (a desperate attempt to get five minutes more of rest). Grayson smiled at me sweetly as if he understood exactly what I was asking...

then peed in the garbage can.

...At least he has good aim.

Crazy kid!

2009-09-20T20:03:00.000-07:00

This kid won't stop dancing for anything!

Our love food.

2009-09-16T18:28:00.000-07:00

Last time I was pregnant I mentioned to my husband that I really wanted some doughnuts. The next day, he came home for lunch with his hand tucked behind his back and I was sooooooooooooo excited that my hubby would bring me flowers... until he unveiled the bag of doughnuts behind his back. Then I was mad. I wanted flowers. (Now, I can see how wonderful he was for listening to me, though. Don't judge me!)

Tonight I was in a bit of a sour mood because we had to cut our shopping trip short because of our whiney little boy. We stopped at Albertsons to buy bread and I sent Barry in by himself, because I was not going to try lugging Mr. Cranky-pants into another store. When Barry got back in the car, he surprised me with doughnuts. My favorite kinds of doughnuts. This time I didn't get mad.

So here I am eating my chocolate and maple covered doughnuts, and I realized something. I'd rather have doughnuts over flowers any day. Thank you husband... I love you.

And I. Love. Doughnuts.

Life....

2009-09-15T21:22:00.000-07:00

When I was a senior in High School I was in a show called "Harvey" and our cast became close as family. We spent almost every night hanging out, including this tiny short little redheaded freshman boy. He was so full of life, and fun, and obnoxious because he wanted to be like all of us "cool" seniors.

I ran into him a year after I graduated and he was completely different... just running around the wrong crowd.

And I just found out yesterday that he died... something involving alcohol.

About the time I found out about my little freshman, I found out one of dearest friends is getting baptized.

She couldn't be happier and her outlook on life is so positive.

It just amazes me to see where our choices can take us.

Dear Marilynn....

2009-09-09T09:04:00.001-07:00

My mother-in-law had six kids and I have a question for her.

"HOW IN THE HECK DID YOU DO IT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?"

Don't get me wrong. I was EXTREMELY excited to have a second baby... then I got scared... then I got really scared... and now I'm starting to get excited again. But PREGNANCY... if I didn't love kids so much I would announce to the world right now:

"I'M FINISHED!!! NO MORE KIDS FOR THIS FAMILY!!!"

Here are my excuses:
Morning sickness, not wanting to eat anything but peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, the painful carpal tunnels I get only when pregnant, swollen feet and hands, itchy belly, waking up every 20 minutes just to roll over, extreme exhaustion, terrible anemia, back pain, pubic bone stretching pain, constipation, crying ALL the time, wishing Grayson would just sleep all day, the way it hurts just to pick Grayson up, the waddling, the way I get nauseous when I kiss my husband, the excess 40 lbs. that always find their way solely to my rear end....

It gets old.

But it's almost over.

Until next time....

Motherhood....

2009-08-27T17:44:00.000-07:00

The other day I was crying because Motherhood has officially gotten hard. (And I know, it only gets harder, but bear with me, I'm new at this!) My sweet little boy who used to only want to be with Mommy and give hugs and kisses is now a punk. He loves to scream, his favorite word is "NO!" Everything is "Mine!" and he is just plain ol' stubborn (but that's might just be a Ricks' trait, haha). The other day I was visiting teaching, and the girl I teach was telling me about her "Monster Nephew" and compared him to Grayson. I was Mortified and embarrassed and felt like a complete failure. Being a stay at home Mom or SAHM (thanks for the acronym, Em) can feel pretty dissatisfying, stressful, and miserable sometimes.

(For the record, I truly do love being a SAHM, but for this blog, the focus won't be about that!)

Well, I laughed because about a day after I finally laid out all my frustrations to my hubby, a close friend wrote a blog about basically the same thing. And then today, another close friend wrote THE SAME EXACT thing. All of our kids are about the same age, so obviously it's not our parenting that is the problem... it's just a horrifically common stage that all kids go through, even if we feel it's all our fault.

To my friends (you know who you are), I just wanted to say, that something which gives me peace and perspective about our situation is to not only read the scriptures every day, but to read talks and articles from church leaders about the importance of family. It doesn't make the day easier (well, sometimes it does) but it helps remind me that it's all worth it.

I was reading this month's issue of the Ensign (that would be a magazine published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) and two quotes stood out to me, since I've been thinking about this topic all day...

"Not only has the Savior suffered, but so have most of the prophets and other great men and women recorded in the scriptures. The point is this: if you are having a bad day, you've got a lot of good company- very, very good company." -Jeffrey R. Holland (Lessons from Liberty Prison)

And...

"Don't feel guilty or dwell on thoughts of failure. Don't compare yourself to others. Do the best you can, and the Lord will provide the rest. Have faith and confidence in Him, and you will see miracles happen in your life and the lives of your loved ones." -President Dieter F. Uchtdorf (The Influence of Righteous Women, Sept. 09)

I know that we are all doing the best that we can... so Keep the faith and we've been promised miracles! Even though, right now a miracle might be just making it through the day!

3 YEARS OF WEDDED BLISS! :D

2009-08-20T14:13:00.000-07:00

It seems to be the tradition to write a little blog about your spouse for Anniversaries so I thought I would jump on the band wagon and do the same since we just celebrated our anniversary two days ago.

I know, I am a procrastinator.

So, Barry is a stud muffin. That's really the best way to describe him. He is amazing, and hilarious, and extremely geeky. He is the perfect person for me... to sum it up, my mom at least once a month asks me "Where did he come from?!" whenever I tell her another amazing, wonderful and thoughtful thing that he has done for me.

STORY:
Last Christmas, I decided very last minute that I wanted to be in our church's Christmas party Talent Show. About two days before the party, we were driving with my mom who happened to be listening to "High School Musical" and her CD just happened to come with the karaoke version. Since Barry and I both work with the youth of our church we thought a Disney Hit would be perfect. That night we rented the movie and memorized the choreography to "What I've been Looking For", and the next night we put the song on repeat and sang along over and over, belting at the top of our lungs in the middle of the night, while painting our new house. And then in front of all our peers, friends, and adults... we busted out High School Musical. (I wanted to post the video but that might have to come later.)

That's my husband in a nutshell. He would do anything for me (and has), he has the courage to sing cheesy Disney songs with me in public, he treats me better than a princess, he ignores the giant pregnant belly (and the giant un-pregnant belly after the baby's born), he is willing to go to work and school full-time just to take care of us. He has a gorgeous singing voice, since we've been married we've had the chance to work on four musicals together, AND... he does the dishes.

Like I said... A stud muffin.

Random pics

2009-08-16T14:01:00.000-07:00

A happy family picture at Grayson's Birthday

Grayson loving his new bug pajamas

Riding his new Spiderman Scooter

Just being cute at Barry's office BBQ

The big 1+1!!!

2009-08-16T13:44:00.000-07:00

My Baby is Two!!!! HOLY COW, TIME GOES BY WAY TOO FAST!!! This Friday, we had a small get together with Grandma and Grandpa Kramer, Uncle Christopher, and our good friends the Folsoms. The kids played in the sprinkler while the parents all got to eat dinner in quiet, then we opened presents, and ended the night with cake and icecream.

(You know you are a parent when the party ends by 8:30 because you're exhausted!)

So here is Grayson out in the sprinkler with his friends and Bubba (Uncle Chris)... but none of them are in the picture. Sorry.

This is the bug cake, and Grayson holding up a bug he "caught" from the cake.

Grayson is pointing at one of the bugs on his card, and looking at the Leapster his Great Grandma bought him.

So Grayson is two and I can hardly believe it. We've been having so much fun now that he is getting older. He loves dancing... and I mean LOVES it! This morning, while we were all getting ready for church, Barry put in "Mozart" and Grayson started jamming out. I guess he can find a dancing beat in any type of music! He is so smart, is starting to say a bunch more words, and his most recent fascination is bugs. He's kind of obsessed with them, as you can tell from his birthday pictures. We had a bug party, He can find the bug in any story we read, and he LOVES real bugs... (Mommy, not so much.) The other day he saw a beetle on our floor so he picked it up and turned on the music and danced with it. It must of been quite an exciting dance because the bug didn't come out alive... but even though I have to stiffle my groans and screeches anytime he shows me some new bug he picked up, I love how curious he is about them. I love everything about him!

But we will see if I am still gushing about my child when he becomes a BIG brother!

But for now.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRAYSON!!!

Just thinking...

2009-07-28T12:07:00.000-07:00

I just found out today about two middle-aged couples in my church who are seperated and/or getting a divorce. It reminded me that marriage is a never-ending process, you can't just get married, and BAM- instant eternal happiness! Sometimes, it seems unbelievable to me that a couple can stay together for years and years, just to end it. I just hope I never stop dating my husband and I hope he never stops flirting with me. What are your opinions? What do you do to keep your marriages strong?

P.S. I guess I never officially announced that we FINALLY got air conditioning!!!!!! WOO!!!! It is HEAVEN.

Another long, drawn-out sigh from me.

2009-07-26T18:49:00.001-07:00

Every once in a while, I just have to lay all my gripes about the world down on the table... here goes.

The other day, a girl in our musical showed up wearing a "Rolling Stones" tee shirt. My husband asked her if she even really liked the Rolling Stones. The girl blushed and admitted that she had never really heard any of their music. She was just wearing it because it's trendy right now to wear classic band shirts.

The other night, I was in the dressing room with the women of our cast when I over heard a group of high school girls making fun of another high school girl in the show because she didn't drink alcohol. One of the girls actually said she was going to be "the forty-year old virgin". That blew my mind. I had to stand up for the girl so I told them that I had never in my life tasted alcohol. Before they could say anything, the GROWN-UP women gasped and asked if I was serious. Then told me how neat they thought that was... everyone was so shocked!

I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but still- I am. It's just hard for me to fathom that A) fashion and media is strong enough to get people to wear clothes they don't even like and B) that not drinking is such a shock. What is wrong with the world! Is it really that hard to enjoy life without the assistance of alcohol? Hmmmm...

And my last gripe for the night..... I hate laundry.

what's been going on

2009-07-20T11:48:00.000-07:00

Soooo... we still haven't gotten our wiring put in for air conditioning. My parents went out of town this weekend, so Barry and I moved into their deliciously cold house. For the past week, all I've wanted is for Barry to call the air conditioning company and give them a great big piece of my angry pregnant mind. But, if you know my husband, he would never consider such a thing unless he had proof that the company was intentionally trying to fry the bun in my oven. So he called for the umpteeth time, trying to get information and was a polite as ever. The company owner finally spoke to him and apologized, saying that their electrician has some kind of life-threatening disease and has to leave to get treatments. They have to use another company's electrician when this happens so their schedule never gets top priority. Talk about a slap in the face! I am so grateful that I have such a calm and logical husband! I can't even imagine how terrible I would feel if he did chew them out only to find out we're frustrated because their electrician is dying!

And speaking of being grateful for my husband, I AM SO PROUD OF HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Barry was put on a waiting list to the nursing program here. We've been waiting for months, with no clue what would be happening to our lives in the upcoming future. But we got the call a week ago, and Barry was ACCEPTED! He starts at the end of August so we are frantically trying to get all his paperwork and medical examinations finished. He is determined to go to school full time and work full time, so I am sort of freaking out! I'm going to be a completely single mom as of August, and a single mom of TWO in October! But, I'll be a single mom with the GREATEST HUSBAND in the world!

My excuse.

2009-07-15T09:18:00.000-07:00

I've had several people ask me if my computer is broken because I've been a pitiful blogger lately. In answer to this query- Nope. My computer is fine and dandy (for the moment). The main reason I haven't been blogging is this: I am hot! Ever since we got back from Alabama, our house has been sweltering, even with the swamp cooler on its highest setting. The lowest temperature our house has been in two weeks is 86 degrees. That doesn't exactly make a pregnant lady very happy. So I have spent my days as a hobo, bouncing between my mom's house and friends' houses... using them all for the sweet cool of refrigerated air.

After months of discussion, Barry and I finally agreed it was time to pay the pretty penny and get real A.C. for ourselves. We justify the massive cost by our recent decision to stay in Carlsbad a little longer than we had originally planned. So, this last Wednesday, "Dynamic Heating and Cooling" came to our house, ripped out the beastly furnace (the original furnace from the '50s) and also ripped out part of our wall in the process... sigh. On Thursday, I asked them if they would be done that day, and the foreman assured me they were definitely going to be done. YAY!!!!! BUT.... (there always seems to be a "but") their electrician just happens to be on vacation for the next two weeks! They have a substitute electrician but it would take days for them to get all the proper permits, but he said they would come on Monday.

Monday. No electrician. Barry called the company and now they have decided the electrician might be here Wednesday or Thursday... "might be"- my favorite phrase. So it's Wednesday, it's in the high 80s, and I' m still waiting... I have to say, amidst this whole predicament, I've developed the greatest empathy for the Wicked Witch of the West. I know exactly how she feels!

Hmmm...

2009-07-06T21:19:00.000-07:00

Tonight, someone asked if a fifteen year old boy was my son.

Being mistaken for an older woman is not as flattering as people make it out to be.

Another motherhood moment...

2009-06-30T20:46:00.000-07:00

So, Barry and I are involved in the community theatre's summer musical, "Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat". Fortunately for us, Grayson's bedtime falls right about the time that rehearsal starts, so for the last few weeks we have just carted him and his portable bed with us. We set up the bed in a back room and baddabing... Instant bedtime. It has worked out so well, and no one in the cast has been bothered by our home-away-from-home-ing.

Well....

Tonight, Grayson cried for about half an hour. When he realized that no one was coming to his rescue, he climbed out of his crib to find us. (It's a really small theatre, so hold back your gasps. We could hear him open the door kind of small theatre.) So he runs over to me and.... he's poopy. Like the find a gas mask and run for your life, kind of poopy.

And......

We forgot his diaper bag.

Sooooo....

Barry and I had to hold him for the entire rehearsal which ran 40 minutes later than it usually does.

And now........

we all smell like find the gas mask and run for your life poop.

My deepest apologies go out to the cast who had to be near us tonight. I apologize. I'm a mommy. And I stink.

THE SCOOP!

2009-06-25T13:32:00.000-07:00

Well, it's official! Barry and I are having a GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOO!!! I am sooooo excited!

And we are officially scheduled to have my C-section (I have to have a C-section. They don't allow VBAC's in Carlsbad) on October 6th! I don't know what time yet, but that's the News! YAY for babies!

This is the most innappropriate picture I will ever post of my little girl. When the doctor was checking the sex, he said, "Oh, I see a little hamburger!" I said, "did you just call it a hamburger?" and he points at it and says, "Well, that's what it looks like!" haha! So there you go. With Grayson they said they saw his "little floater" and now we have a "little hamburger"! Do you think they teach those terms in medical school? hahaha!

Here's her face. (We only have a 2D Sonogram machine here) She sort of looks like an japanese anime character... haha

Another day...

2009-06-22T21:31:00.000-07:00

Well, today was MORTIFYING!!!! The worst moment of Mommyhood, thus far. We just got back from Alabama, so our fridge was completely empty. Grayson and I decided to do a harmless shopping trip to Walmart. Now, Grayson is WILD. RAMBUNCTIOUS. ANTSY. (Insert your own word here). He WILL NOT sit in the basket with a seat belt, so I let him ride in the cart (ignoring the warning sign they place on all shopping carts) but it has worked out well so far.

Today, I was simply reaching for a loaf of bread, turning my back for five brief seconds, just to turn around in time to see my son nose dive out of the shopping cart and hit his head on the floor. (It looked awful, I honestly thought he broke his neck for a few seconds.) But, two Walmart workers just happened to be walking by when it happened so they jump on their walkie-talkies and call a bunch of people over with a first aid kit and paper work. The store manager comes and makes me fill out a statement paper, and then she kept asking me, "Now you DIDN'T have him strapped in, correct?" She asked me that like five times, as if making sure I knew the whole incident was my fault. I was so grateful though, a passerby just happened to be an EMT so she came over and checked out Grayson and she actually snapped at the manager, pointing out that their shopping cart didn't even have a seat belt on it. Finally, they warned me about the signs of concussions, brought me a new cart with a seat belt, then told me they would be calling tomorrow and left after asking me if I was sure Grayson didn't need an icepack. I was just waiting for her to give me the "worst mother of the year" award, the way she was treating me. After they left, the EMT lady said, "Don't let them bother you, they're just worried about getting sued. All three of my kids have had broken noses and arms by falling off of stuff... that's just what kids do. "
It was nice to have someone there be a little understanding or sympathetic. I KNOW it was my fault (and partially my wild child's fault) for falling out of the cart. But still... it was so embarrassing. I guess I am officially inducted into the Motherhood club. Luckily Grayson didn't even get a bruise. I won't be stepping foot in a store for a while.

Photo shoot...

2009-05-30T19:24:00.000-07:00

You can judge me or call me a bad mother, but you're wrong. It was a brilliant plan.

I've always wanted to take pictures of Grayson by our tree. Don't ask me why... I just love those pictures of little kids on or by trees. Unfortunately, Grayson has a mind of his own now and refuses to pose or smile for any kind of photo. Well, he was climbing this very tree the other day and his little foot slipped and was caught in a Y part at the bottom. Instead of helping my poor stuck child, I saw an opportunity. Fate was playing its part so I ran inside to get the camera (Don't gasp too loudly, the camera was right by the door!) My little boy was trapped, glued to the tree I've always wanted to capture on film and I got to snap all the pictures I wanted! He couldn't move! (Insert evil laugh here.) In most of them, he is shouting, "MA!" (That's Mom in Grayson talk) and trying to break free, but I got a few cute ones. No smiles, but cute. And in the end, he finally sat for five seconds so I could take one last picture... So I'll take that as a sign that he wasn't too traumatized.

GRRRR....

2009-05-03T12:42:00.000-07:00

I don't have anything fun and exciting to blog about so here is a gripe, because people love listening to other people complain right? RIGHT??? Anyway, Here are things that drive me crazy.
1- TEXTING in the movie theatre. Seriously, if you honestly think people won't notice and become irritated by the constant little flashing light of your phone screen... you're probably not bright enough to be using a cell phone.

2- Teenagers who talk CONSTANTLY during movies. (Can you tell I recently went to the movies?) There was a group of about ten teenagers who talked during our entire ACTION movie... WHO DOES THAT?!?!? I can understand maybe wanting to chat during a sappy drama, but this was WOLVERINE! There were explosions, slashings, fight scenes, sexy men... YOU JUST DON'T chat DURING ALL OF THAT!!!!

3- Teenagers in general. (and children) OK, I know a lot of great teenagers BUT... I feel like the majority of youth nowadays are simply not being taught respect... and yes I blame the parents. My good friend is a second grade teacher and she already has bratty kids talking back to her. I heard of a kindergartener (I think I massacred the spelling of that) that yelled at the teacher using the Mother of all Swear words!!! Teenagers crack jokes about things I consider entirely sacred. AND... THEY TALK DURING MOVIES!! What is WRONG!?!?! Where are the parents and WHAT THE HECK are they teaching these poor kids!?!

4- It's hot!!!

That's it. That's my gripe. Maybe I shouldn't go to the movie theatre anymore. I think the stress it causes might be bad for the baby!

Kids do the darndest things...

2009-04-19T14:29:00.000-07:00

I guess this is my 100th post! YAY!!! But that's not what I'm here to write about. Our house isn't that big, but it is mostly (fake) wood floors, so it takes a while to sweep it. The other day I was sweeping, and my "wonderful" little boy followed me around the entire time with his recorder, blasting the only note he could play. Usually, I would be pulling my hair out but typically, he tries to grab the broom or dustpan and then cries when he doesn't get it... so that one, close-to-a-dog-whistle-pitched recorder note was beautiful music. I actually finished sweeping. What a great day!

Yesterday, I was also trying to clean. The recorder was no where to be found. But what was found was this huge spiderman alarm clock my little brother passed down to Grayson. Its batteries are almost dead so very mumbled, Spiderman would say "I'm just your friendly neighborhood Spiderman" followed by some bizarre dying crunchy noises. Well, the button to that little phrase was easy to push so that's what followed me around as I was cleaning. Over and over and over and over and over. "I'm just your friendly neighborhood Spiderman" crunch crunch crunch.

Next time, I think I'll dig out the recorder before I start cleaning.

Things.

2009-04-16T14:23:00.000-07:00

Mommy and Grayson and Daddy in their matching shirts; Easter Sunday.

Grayson doesn't smile for the camera anymore, so this is genuine. And my favorite pic in the world. HE got a little frog that does flips and this was the first time we wound it for him. haha

Still watching the frog...

If you haven't noticed, I haven't blogged in a while. Our computer crashed... again. BUT, my amazing tech brother fixed it... again. So he will be mailing our hard drive back today so we should have a computer up and running in a few days. YAY!!!!!! SO I thought I would just fill you in on the few things that have happened over the span of this time.

#1- nothing exciting.

#2- my husband turned 25... and for your information says that he is NOT old, and won't be old until he is really old. It bothers us when young people say they are old... haha.

#3- We officially have tickets to fly to Alabama in June!!! I will be meeting Barry's oldest brother and family for the first time, and although I know them relatively well and I already love them, I'm kind of nervous. haha! It's like I'll have to impress his family all over again, like I did so they would let him marry me!!! But seriously... I AM SOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED!!!!

#4- I am already 13 weeks and 4 days along, and today they couldn't find the baby's heartbeat. I freaked out a little bit, but they found it on the sonogram. The doctor said the baby was hiding behind my pelvic bone. So everything is great, I am healthy, baby is healthy...

#5- I found out I have only gained one pound thus far. Which should be really exciting news, but it's not. It's like being told... "You're just fat." haha. Oh well, it will give me a resolution for the new year right?

#6- Barry's almost done with all his pre-reqs and will be applying for the nursing program soon. I am so proud of him and can't wait to have him home for the evenings this summer.

So there you go... I could only come up with six things for an entire month's span. Oh well, life is good! Hope you all had great Easters... sorry I haven't been able to keep up on your blogs!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BARRY!!!!

2009-04-16T14:02:00.000-07:00

Barry's birthday happened to fall on Easter this year but I tried to make it his birthday anyway. On Friday, we went bowling with some great friends of ours (don't ask our scores, they were pathetic haha) then we went to another friend's house for cake and ice cream. Next comes Easter. I was supposed to sing in Sacrament meeting, but go extremely sick the Friday before (Don't worry, I am fine now) so the night before, I taught Barry a new song and he ended up singing in my place. My Grandparents were in town, and by the end of the song they were both bawling... oh yeah, he's that good! For those of you who don't know, my husband pretty much has the most gorgeous voice ever, and you should all be jealous :). So after church, we had Barry's birthday BEFORE we celebrated Easter. So we opened his presents: two cards from my parents and grandparents, and then I got him a new frisbee golf set and I also gave him a bag that he lost about four years ago. It was his favorite bag and my dad found it a month ago in their garage so I wrapped it up and he was soooooooo excited! So then we had MORE cake and icecream and that was Barry's Great birthday. I love my 25 year old stud!

Luck o' the Irish!

2009-03-18T09:06:00.000-07:00

A while ago, I mentioned to someone that I wanted to get Grayson a Happy Saint Patty's day shirt and the person informed me that I was not Irish, therefore should not celebrate the Holiday! That's just absurd! I have always decked out in full-green attire for the day so as not to get pinched (Why that is the tradition... anyone know?). And ever since I can remember, my parents made Brinner (Breakfast for dinner) for the Holiday and dyed everything Green. And I mean everything. Green Eggs and pancakes all the way down to green milk. Green milk is actually very hard to swallow, it just seems so wrong.

This is a tradition I have wanted to pass on to my family, but Tuesdays just happen to be Barry's early class. On Tuesdays, I pick him up from work at five, we hurry home so he can change, and then he's off to a 5:30 class. I wanted to make Brinner, but that's a timely meal, and I didn't want to wait till he got home from class because Grayson would be asleep so I decided to go with sandwiches. GREEN chicken salad sandwiches. It looked so gross... almost worse than green milk. But I served it all on green dinnerware and we drank green Koolaid and had green jello for dessert. It was fun. But seeing green chicken may not be the best thing for a pregnant person... ICK. I love Holidays!

My apologies!

2009-03-16T18:48:00.000-07:00

After reading certain comments, I need to apologize. I guess I never made an official announcement to my blogging friends... For those of you who are confused about my last few blogs: I am pregnant! My first doctor's appointment is this Friday (ABOUT TIME!) but without the official sonogram, I am due October 16th. That might change after Friday! So right now, I am about eight weeks along, and this pregnancy is a billion times easier than the last one. There's no screaming at Barry to pull over so I can decorate some random parking lot with my recycled lunch (or breakfast, or dinner), there's no awfulness at all! I just have to dive for the garbage can as soon as I wake up in the morning and if I eat right afterward, I'm great... until I start feeling hungry again. The only thing that's been rough is I feel incredibly lethargic. Like, Mono lethargic. I'm active for maybe an hour (active can be anything from sitting and playing ball with Grayson to real active) and then I have to fight to stay awake for the rest of the day. I have to take a nap every single day when Grayson does, and even though all other women who have suffered through what I'm going through support taking naps, I feel so lazy. Soooooooooooooooooo Lazy. So that's where I am right now. Oh and for all those who are wondering, this one was 1oo% planned as well! And I don't care what I'm having, as long as it is male or female! haha! So there you go.... IT'S OFFICIAL!

Masculinity at its best

2009-03-01T21:30:00.000-08:00

From the day he was born, Grayson was one hundred percent ALL boy. He already knows how to "shoot" toy guns, make car noises when he plays with hot wheels, and grunt when he fights with action figures. He loves football, basketball, hitting us with his fake sword and light saber, and sit in the driver's seat and twist the steering wheel while making car sounds. I never even had a single person mistake him for a girl (except once when I put him in a yellow, polkadot outfit... never again). There is just one little thing that my tough guy does that just doesn't fit:

He loves that silly green bead necklace. From the day he found it, he's loved it. He puts it on and wears it for hours at a time... even while grunting and fighting with action figures. We call it "Bling" because for some reason, that just makes it sound more manly. Or maybe just more gangster. Anyway, I haven't let him wear his "bling" out in public yet... but I'm sure I'll be forced to let him some day. Or maybe I'll go buy him a big gold chain with a diamond money sign... That's a little tougher than beads.

Seven minutes in heaven... or two hours.

2009-02-28T22:13:00.000-08:00

Tonight was fabulous! After hurling my guts out and breaking the blood vessels in my face from doing so, Barry and I ended having ice cream and popcorn for dinner! I didn't really feel like eating real food, and of course Barry wasn't complaining, so we busted out our individual cartons of Ben and Jerry's "Everything but the..." If you haven't tried it... You just haven't lived. Vanilla and chocolate icecream with heath bar chunks, peanut butter cups, white chocolate chunks, and chocolate covered almonds... heaven in a pint. ANYWAY, so we ate "dinner" while snuggling up on the couch watching a cheesy romance movie. It felt like we were dating again... minus being pregnant! So fun. I married the perfect man... for me, at least.

Life and Love... :)

2009-02-24T12:03:00.000-08:00

Life is so boring right now. Hardly anyone has posted a blog in a while, so I'm wondering maybe February is just a slow month for everyone. You people need to start writing more because I need something to read! These last few weeks have been rough. I am so incredibly un-busy right now, I am going crazy! But it's not like I can leave the house, because walking too much induces the "up-chuck" effect.
But besides a mysterious rash in a place I can't mention, Grayson is healed from all other ailments (ABOUT TIME!). I'm slightly worried because the staph infection left little scars under his eye... I just hope they go away as he gets bigger. BUT, now that's he's feeling better, he's back to entertaining himself. "Who needs Mommy when I've got my car to scoot around the house?" So with a healthy boy, and a busy-with-work-and-school husband, I'm stuck sitting on the couch twiddling my thumbs. Yesterday, I sat and watched like a three-hour version of "Anne of Green Gables" while Grayson played around my feet. I've practically lived on the couch, and I am getting soooooooo sick of it!

Couch Potato Me is not only affecting me, but everyone. My lack of living has created the most boring conversations. When Barry gets home from school all I have to talk about is Grayson (which of course will never get old) and whatever news I dug up on the internet. Because I have been bored, I've become a boring person. YIKES! I've got to get out, get some fresh air... go to Walmart!

As a side note, I never mentioned Valentine's Day. Like I said, Barry has been extremely busy. He told me he was worried that he wouldn't be able to get me anything for V-Day because of that fact, so jokingly I told him he'd just have to pick another day to be my special day. So Valentine's rolls around and my parents LOVINGLY agreed to watch Grayson so Barry and I could make the hour drive up to Roswell. We got to have dinner at a restaurant that WASN'T Chili's (the only good restaurant in our town) and we got to go to an actually nice movie theatre where you didn't have to squint your eyes because the screen was blurry and covered in tears and spit wads. It was a perfect day.

The Monday after comes and Barry is late for lunch... an unusual happenstance. So he walks in the door carrying a huge bouquet of bright happy flowers, a pack of snickers bars (my favorite) and a receipt to a movie I wanted which he purchased online. I opened the card and he had crossed out the "Happy Valentine's Day" and wrote above it, "Happy I love Krystle Day!" So he gave me my special day after all! My husband is so thoughtful. I love him so much!!!

Can't teach an old dog new tricks...

2009-02-16T09:37:00.000-08:00

Very recently, I have learned something about myself. I just do not learn from my mistakes. On Valentine's Day I baked like four or five dozen cookies. I had some friends and their little kids come over to decorate cookies. But as I was baking, I did something. Over and over and over. I melted my eyelashes! More specifically, the mascara on my eyelashes. After EVERY SINGLE batch of cookies beeped, I would open the door, lean into it to check the coloring... and every time a waft of heat would melt my face! I realize that I do this whenever I use my oven, be it casserole or dessert! Which mean I go through a great deal of my life with five giant eyelashes, because all of them have melted into this giant tarantala look! I'm telling you this, because some day I am going to go blind. And when you hear this news, you can shake your head at me and say, "She never learned..."