The PeePee Monster and adventures in Potty Training

So starting yesterday I began this great 3 day potty training system. You start out by having them throw out all the diapers, put on the big boy pants (none of the sissy pull ups or training pants) and go for it.... I won't bore with details on exactly the method... if you want to know, buy the book right? Anyway, so yesterday I stayed positive and encouraging the whole time, all the while thinking that the 20+ pairs of big boy underwear I bought were not going to last me through the day.

Lets just say that there were a lot of accidents... But... at 6 I woke him up, he had wet the bed once... we changed him, got him to try to go potty, then put him back in bed. When he woke up, totally dry... Not one accident until after 6 tonight, and it was because I tried to make him go on a regular toilet... which scares him still... He kept the one pair of underwear dry the entire day! He would look at me and say, "Mommy, Potty!" then we would go in and he would do his thing.... I am so proud of him! We had an issue with no #2's... until he got in the bath, then a screaming fit when I tried to get him to do that on his potty... but all in all, i am so proud of my little guy!

I worry that tomorrow it will all feel like a wonderful dream and we will be back having accidents... but i have faith that we won't! Now if I can just get him to Poop, then get him to go on a regular toilet so I can leave the house! (any suggestions on this would be great...)

Adventures in potty training! WOW!!! Its all about taking the time and having the attitude... and some kids will take longer, but keep with it! It will happen!

Who Wants To Cruise?

So I am possibly going to be booking a group for a great Mexican Riviera Cruise sailing in early June 2010... it is a 7 Day, On the Carnival Splendor... Right now I can get a rate of $549 per person... but if I can get a few more people who want to go, I should be able to either get a better rate, or at least get some good free stuff thrown in! It sails out of LA, so those that live there, sweet... and those that don't it is a cheap flight or a decent drive...

Let me know if you want more info or if you know someone else who wants to go! This could be a ton of fun! And just because I am doing a group, doesn't mean you have to know the other people in the group... you don't eat together, or have rooms that are close... your bills are completely separate.. for all you know you never even know that someone is in your group.... you just use each other to get better rates and free stuff!

Life In Texas

So I am not a Texan by any means, but have made the drive out twice now, and have been here almost two months.. (minus our not planned extended visit to utah)... really, in Austin, unless you have a ton of money to go blow, there isn't a whole lot to do. If you love to eat, and have some bigger clothes to grow into, or are ready to go buy a new wardrobe, then you will love it here. So much freakin amazing food! No matter where you go, its like you've died and gone to heaven... really...

But it really makes me appreciate the beautiful state that we call HOME... Where you can go hiking up the canyon, you can go down to the lake, or take a drive to Park City, or go camping to Pete's hole... All of which can cost as much or as little as you want... I miss our mountains... and I am so excited to get back for Fall... the gorgeous weather, crazy storms, amazing colors in the trees....

So many things are changing this fall. I am getting bigger and bigger every day (and she is already a very busy girl! ) I have a new nursery to get ready, work to do, and lots more... I am past my half way mark in the pregnancy and only gained 10lbs... which at this point is on the low end of what should be gained... but I am huge.... AH! What an experience this one has been! This who pregnancy has been so different, starting from day one. But will be so great in the end! She hasn't been sitting on my ureter yet, so that's a plus!

Anyway. I should be back for good around the end of September... I don't think there are that many people who really care that we are gone, but for those who do, we will be back soon! No worries, we are not staying here for good!

yay for spring!

So I was just going through my blog and realized.. man, this isn't a happy place to be! Oh my gosh! What a downer! So instead of venting today, which is usually what I do when I blog.. I will speak of happy things... k.. so Ricky is coming home next week to visit! I am so freakin excited! He has been gone for two weeks now.. (oh my that is a long time...) he is coming home from Tuesday to Friday and then going back... So we will get to be together for our anniversary! 7 years! We are so old!!!

So I am trying to think of some fun cheap things we can do for our night.... Thinking a movie... some gelato, dinner.... but maybe a matinee, and some ripples? lol... either way it will be sooooo nice to just be together!

and my veggies are growing so good! and my son is so freakin cute! (i think i might update his blog... it's been almost a year...)

thats all! Have a great weekend!

Forgiveness

So how do you forgive someone who says horrible things about you? How can you consider that person a friend, when either to your face, or in a round about way, they call you names you won't even say out loud? Do you pass it off as a bad temper or do you realize that after all that time when you thought you had a good relationship, at least now you finally know how they really feel? In turn, how can you ask to be forgiven when you have said something that has hurt someone? thoughts?

I feel..... well... i feel... hm...

So just this conference was really a wake up call for me. It was probably a wake up call for a lot of people.. But it really just called my attention to what I have become. A self absorbed, selfish, poor excuse for a friend... I have been so wrapped up in my own problems, in my own little world, feeling so alone and depressed, that instead of reaching out to be a friend to others, I have been perfectly happy to be out of the loop. I have disappeared from some of my most valuable friends because as far as I was concerned, no one could possibly understand what I was going through.... Not that I would tell anyone.... because every time i felt like i was having a confidential conversation, a week later Ricky would come to me and ask... "what did you say to ..." cause her husband just came to me and said..." So I went from feeling like I had people I could talk to, to feeling confined.. not being able to trust those that I should be able to...

There were a couple of times I tried to talk about it, but then it ended up feeling like a competition, like who's life sucks more... Like I said... conference really made me feel, well, like I was acting.. .selfish and like a bad friend. Not once did I stop and think, wow, maybe someone has it worse and I can help them out.. Or, no matter how I feel, I have to have faith that I can get through this and try to get over myself. I have been in a bad place, that's all there is to it. On top of that, the people who are supposed to be there for me are some of the one's causing even more grief... And the friends who I have neglected have given up on me. Whether or not they are completely done with me, only time will tell. I understand if I have been written off, no hard feelings. I am just kicking myself in the rear for allowing it to happen.

I have been sucked back into my twilight books... i have been better about it this time... it isn't as all consuming as it has been in the past... just my happy little place to get away...

Moral? I feel like I am getting better. I want to be a better friend. I want to be understood though if I am having a bad day and need to be alone. My friends from high school can attest, I like my alone time... lol... those were my saturdays most of the time... my me day's .... anyway. I sorta feel like bella, after she has started hanging out with jacob after edward left... like there is possibly a way to live, despite all that has happened... Like there is an end! i can't see it yet, but it is there somewhere!

I will say this. I am grateful for what I have. I have a beautiful little family, and regardless of anything else that happens, I will still have my beautiful little family. (unless i crack up and go to the loony bin! :D j/k)

BIG LOVE gets NO LOVE from me

So I just got this email from my cousin in law, saying that Big Love, by HBO, by Warner Bros. has worked with an ex-LDS person who helped them recreate Sacred Temple Ordinances, and Sacred articles of clothing to be used in an upcoming show. REALLY???!!!! First of all, I don't care who you are, that is very disrespectful. Even if you have left the church, can't you still remember how special and Sacred those things are? And why would Warner Bros. be so stupid as to air something, knowing that they will turn away most if not ALL of their LDS watchers? Why would I want to support Warner Bros. in anything that they produce? Even Harry Potter... yes, which makes me sad... but really!

Are they angry at the 2% of the voters in California that are LDS that voted against Prop 8? That is twice California has turned it down... Not just the LDS group, but the entire state... Stop blaming it on one group and see that we aren't the only ones who voted! I hate that Utah is being boycotted because of that... Grow up we all have a right to vote. But I do not believe that is any reason to destroy the sanctity of a religious practice.

I urge everyone to Write to Warner Bros. and simply tell them how you feel. I did.. I did not get angry or rude, but simply stated that I know it will not be worth it to them. They will lose more than viewers for HBO, they will turn away an entire Relious Sect. Maybe the economy is good enough for them that they can afford that. Anyway... That's it. I am so dissapointed in them and the disrespectful producers that would even allow it. And I will be very sad if it comes out. But ultimately, they will be the ones losing...

Work Work work...

So I have started back into the work force... I am done consulting... for now at least... I am working for a company called L I M E marketing. It is a marketing firm that does Branding, Identity, Logos, Web-development, etc. We are hosting an event in April called the Colors of Chocolate... i am sure you can guess what the theme of that night will be. so we are going to have some really good gourmet Chocolates! If you know of any companies that might need a new marketing firm, let me know and i will send out an invite... it is fun though! it is a group of young creative people... not a group from the old boys club. anyway... i miss my boys while i am at work, but it will be okay! that's it.. just a quick update.

Figuring out how to Ping...

Think Think Think

Thanks to my amazing, smart, handsome and very busy son, I have some very fun little songs stuck in my head. Such as, The Hot Dog Dance, Think think think, Blast Off... Now, if you have a toddler, and use the TV to calm your little one as I do often... You will probably know exactly what songs I am talking about. Mickey Mouse clubhouse, Tiger and Pooh, and Little Einsteins... The three shows that rule this household. I always swore that I would not be that mom that had the TV on all the time. But my gosh, what did they do when they didn't have that option?! What did our grandparents do with our parents to keep them busy?

Therefore... I am putting the question out there... We do story time at the library, and go to the mall play area, and go to grandma's house. Anyone have any suggestions on what to do during the day? Activities for toddlers to keep them busy? I really Hate having the TV on all the time.... And his toys only keep their interest for so long... So... Looking for ideas!

5 Minute Chocolate Cake

Please don't hate me for posting this... but this actually is really good... just make sure you don't skimp on the oil, otherwise it can be a little dry...

Get a large Mug...
in it put the following..

4 Tbsp Flour ( i use half reg. flour and half whole wheat flour)
4 Tbsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Cocoa
mix well

now add
one egg, mix well
3 Tbsp Milk
3 Tbsp Oil, mix well again
3 Tbsp Chocolate chips (if you want... i want)
Splash of Vanilla, mix well again

Pop it in the Microwave for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.... The cake will rise over the top of the mug, let it go! let it cool a little, and either tip onto a plate or leave it in the mug...

I like to cut a circle in the top, and put some chocolate chips in the center, then put the top back in... it is yummy! Again, please don't hate me for this. But using some whole wheat flour, and skim milk, and some good healthy oil can make it a little less ... bad... ?

Favorite Recipes: Very Healthy!

Much Requested Fruit and Nut Cookies:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup light oil
3 egg whites
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 tsp best-quality vanilla
1 cup un-bleached flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup bran or oats
2 Tbsp ground flax seed
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 cup slivered almonds

(i leave out chopped dried figes, but if you like, add 1/4 cup)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. combine sugar, oil, egg whites. stir in dried fruits and vanilla.
3. combine all dry ingrediants, then stir into egg mixture until just combined.
4. fold in almonds.
5. drop by tablespoon onto baking sheets lined with parchment or a silpat.
Bake for 12 minutes, cool on racks..

and enjoy!


My newest Favorite, fat free Banana Applesauce Bread!

1 cup un-bleached flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking soda
4 egg whites
1 cup (about two or three) mashed bananas
1/2 cup skim milk soured with 1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp best quality vanilla
( i leave out the walnuts, but you can add 1/2 cup walnuts, 1/2 cup raisins if you want)

1. preheat oven to 350, lightly coat a 9x5 loaf pan with cooking spray and dust with flour
2. combine dry ingredients in large bowl. in a small bowl, beat the egg whites until they are fluffy.
in a small bowl, prepare the soured milk. pour bananas, soured milk, applesauce and vanilla
into a large bowl.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until just blended. fold in the egg whites, then add nuts and raisins if desired.
4. Pour into the loaf pan and bake for 55 minutes...

Amazing! super moist, and a mild bread. great toasted with some good salted butter on top! yay!

These are both super easy and well worth it. I make the bread probably once a week, depending on how many bananas Brandon wants to eat... I used to make the cookies a couple times a week and keep them around to munch on when I needed a snack... love them!

Coming Clean

So, for some reason, I have a burning desire to tell a story. One of which will not contain names because I do not wish to end up in a law suit... But non-the-less, I still want to tell it... So here it goes... So I was working at a company we will call company A... I had worked there for several years, had gone through quite a bit running the thing with my friend Brandon, I mean doing everything... The guys who were in charge spent most of their time with the sister company and so Brandon and I had a lot to do. I worked anywhere from 50-60 hours a week easy and really was able to make a difference... Things changed and in a 6 month period I went from being very important to being shoved in a cubicle in the back corner of the brand new office that I had put so much time into... Well, I started out in an office, went to Europe and came back to all my stuff being moved out into a cubicle... anyway, so on top of that I was moved into a position that really didn't have anything to do. So I sat there, all day, playing on the computer. Some would say sweet! But I hated that. I would go and ask for things to do, and they would tell me to be patient...
So I made it known that I was unhappy with my current work position(with other people of course, not my current company)... It didn't take long and I was recruited by one of my favorite people to this amazing job! WOW! They were starting me 20k more than what I was making, with a new car, and I would be working with the Owner... Who was young, liked my ideas, and didn't treat me like a piece of furniture... Sweet! So I interviewed, was offered a chance to try out the company to see if I liked it. I loved it! It was run by young people (no offense to the company A and"the guys club") who wanted to hear what others had to say. I came in as the office manager, to oversee the staff and make sure that they did their jobs, were productive, efficient, etc.
When I gave company A my two weeks, they made me feel so bad. Told me that I would be back. Why were they fighting so hard to keep me if they didn't have anything for me to do? Why should I waste their money when I wanted to be productive? So I declined, we parted peacefully, I took a long weekend and then started with the new company. It is always hard to come into a company as the boss. Well, not even "the Boss" but as an authoritative figure. Myself, along with a few other people, were brought in to "clean up". Was there any question that for some people it would be a pissing match? So I was the mean one with a box of tissues in my office for all the people I had to bring in and have a talk with. But we worked together, a lot, and got everything organized and starting to run okay. I worked pretty much with the owner, and a couple others, almost all day every day. Again, was asked what I thought and wasn't ignored when I offered my thoughts. I heard the guys back at Company A saying things, like that I wouldn't last, that I couldn't handle it. wow! what faith they had in me...
Sad thing was, that after working at this new company for only two months, and getting it organized... We revealed that it was a ponzie... I had a very trusted accountant come in to give us an opinion on whether or not the books could legally be cleaned up. This person left without a word, and came to me the next morning, almost in tears, pleading with me not to go back. (i was pregnant at the time) Begging me to not have my baby in prison! My Gosh! I knew things weren't right, but I had hope that they could be fixed... I didn't realize they were that bad! So I quit that day. I ended my contract. Not from anything that I said, because I didn't tell anyone except for the owner at the end of the day, but I heard that several other employees left that day as well. I had a baby on the way, a new house with a mortgage 3x what we were used to paying, and no plan. But I had faith that doing the right thing, getting out of the scheme, would obviously be the best choice.
That company still owes me for April of 2007.. the whole month... I know that I will NEVER see that money. But all in all I am grateful for the experience. I am glad that I was able to go out, and be treated as someone with intelegence and ideas that are worth listening to. Sure, old guys know a lot about business, but sometimes it takes a fresh perspective, young and innovative suggestions to help grow.