Won something I won something, won something la la la!! I won a book on clean eating from this blog. I love healthy eating so I'm excited. I don't pay attention to my weight anymore now that I'm pregnant but the other day I went to get my blood taken and the weighed me. I had gained 16 pounds. 16 pounds!!  It just goes to show I am NOT one of those naturally skinny people who doesn't have to work for it. That'd be 2 pounds a week I've gained since I stopped exercising. I work hard to stay in shape and nobody is going to take that away from me. It's not because I have an amazing metabolism or anything!

So, I was reading the Ensign (our church magazine) the other day and read this:

The Internet allows instant access to many resources that can strengthen and enrich our lives. Many spiritually uplifting Web sites give direction and inspiration. The following ideas can help you stay connected to reality without completely disconnecting from the good things the Internet has to offer.

Limit Your Time

Rebecca Renfroe, from Idaho, USA, used to blog and read others’ blogs almost daily. Her mind was always in “compose” mode—mentally writing a blog about what she did with her children instead of just doing things with them. She realized there had to be a balance.

She says, “The Spirit helped me to recognize that having a blog was not the problem—devoting too much of my time and energy to it was. I had literally been giving portions of my life away: trading away quality time with my children and my husband, trading away time for serious, in-depth study of the scriptures, and even trading away hours of sleep that affected my ability to serve others, to be sensitive to the Spirit, and to maintain a healthy lifestyle.”

Sister Renfroe learned not to let good things get in the way of better things, as Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles counseled: “Just because something is good is not a sufficient reason for doing it. … Of course it is good to view wholesome entertainment or to obtain interesting information. But not everything of that sort is worth the portion of our life we give to obtain it. Some things are better, and others are best.”1

Tee-hee! :) A little humbling/embarrassing? Well I don't think I'm that bad but you can bet I'll never ever be in "compose" mode again!! 

This is How We Party

So May long weekend is not the same kind of party it once was for me...but it's still a party! We planted our garden and did yard work and left lots of time for fun.  If me and Brad could live anywhere it would be at Heritage Park. We love it there and I think Brad and I would have survived very well as first settlers. 

Who's soo excited for the swings? They are Melissa's favorite ride!

Who's having the most fun on the merry go round?

A ferris wheel, "just my size!"It was so cute, since Breanna was scared of everything else.

When you grow up in small town Southern Alberta, you live for parade day! (That's Dave, Candace and my Mom, aka Nana)

Usually, someone in your family is part of the parade. Even better when they hand out candy and give you EXTRA!! (That handsome Scout is my little bro. Dallas and Grandpa Greg is on the float)

I didn't realize how much Jesse loved this parade until afterwards when he kept asking when we were going to see the next parade and when he started banging everything in the house, calling it his "drum". He got us all involved and before we knew it we all had an instrument and were marching around the house. It got really loud and annoying after a while.

After the parade we went to Nana's house for yummy sandwiches and stuff...mmmmm. And we couldn't leave without a trip to the purple-slide park. Those slides are terrifying! Straight down! 

Now it's back to work, ho hum :(

I forgot how fun and relaxing this is. Oh I love the warm air. I even got in and the water was coooold. But somehow the kids didn't notice. They were in and out all afternoon. 

Happy sunny beautiful world.

Spring day. A friend rings my doorbell and takes Jesse to the park. Breanna and I sit on the front porch eating lunch and waiting for him to come home.

The air is warm and smells sweet like lilacs.

We eat this yummy salad. I can't get enough of it.

He is home and everything is perfect. Jesse puts his arm around Breanna and says "I love you, Breanna." They play together all day. They have bruises all over their legs. They are a team.

Tee-Hee

 I was feeling really sick this afternoon and had to have a nap. So we came downstairs and I fell asleep on the couch. Well when I woke up I saw these on the computer and laughed my head off. I guess they discovered photobooth! Hahaha-thanks for letting me sleep kids :)

Now I'm going to go throw up.

I

You Make Me So Happy

How did I get so lucky??!!

Simple Pleasures

One of the only things I ever think about these days is food. 

My favorites so far this pregnancy:

Mmm...the tangy sweetness of frozen raspberries...or fresh, either way they are too expensive, but too worth it!

Trust me if you don't like these you are missing out on one of the most savory foods on the planet. Ooooh, the salty pickled delight of olives....just try them one more time?

                                        

I actually had pretty much stopped buying bananas altogether before I got pregnant. Now they're a staple again! Just so easy to eat!!

                                  

So Brad and I went to dinner at a Moroccan restaurant the other night when my stomach was giving me all kinds of trouble. I could hardly eat my meal, sadly, because it was good...I think. Anyway, at the end of the meal Brad got some weird dessert and I wanted some of that hot drink I saw the waiter pour into someone's cup from WAY up high and it was cool. He said it was mint tea, I asked if it had caffeine and he said, such a minuscule amount it's negligible. So I thought, sounds herbal to me! Well I drank it and WHAM! Instant relief! My stomach felt SO much better! I could almost hear a choir of angels singing in the background. I told the waiter, he offered us the recipe and it turns out it's tea tea. Oops. I told my Mom and since she's the best Mom in the world she said, if it makes you feel better:

"WHO CARES DRINK IT!!!"

Haha. To me if it comes from my Mom it might as well come from God. So, mint tea it is.

THE END

P.S. To all y'all who I interact with lately and especially my Mom and brothers and sisters. I know I'm a grouch and crabby and cantankerous and anything else you want to call me. Sorry. Hopefully it'll be over soon, but for sure in 6 1/2 months.

Now do you believe me?

Maybe this picture doesn't do it justice but I am sporting a full-on pregnant belly! I swear my stomach was pretty much flat before this. AND despite what Brad thinks I am not sticking it out! 

I did, however, spend a couple of minutes putting on lipstick, just for the photo op. The rest of my makeup or what's left of it is from yesterday, though. And can you see the unfinished housework in the background? I wonder if I will ever feel good again and if my life will ever be worthwhile to anyone again. Right now it doesn't feel like it. Oh, and if you think I look cute now, thanks...enjoy it while it lasts!! In 6 months I will look like something like this:

(Me, 9 months pregnant with Jesse)

Will you still love me? :) 

But really, I am soooo excited to have another baby! Yay! 

Only Moms will get this.

Here's how I know I've been letting my kids watch too much TV lately. 

Breanna brought a book over to me and said, "Mom, when you see the eyes say 'eyes'." Okay. She flipped the pages and when I saw eyes I said "eyes." She said "say it louder" so I said it louder. She said, "say it LOUDER!" So I shouted "EYES!". And she said "great job, Mom."

Soccer

Some of the highlights of Jesse's first soccer game ever. Little kid soccer makes for some good comedy.