The Metler Elves

I got this link from my sister-in-law...a good holiday laugh.

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1124793850

I Need to Be Alone

Eric took my car to work yesterday so he brought the carseat in to the living room - today Haylie sat in it and buckled herself in and just sat there for the longest time - the carseat was facing the kitchen - so she was not looking at anything interesting. I took a picture of her - then she said "Mommy, I need 'lone." I said, "What, you need to be alone?" and she said "Yeah." So I left her there - staring at nothing for a few minutes, then came back and asked her if she at least wanted to face the TV so she could watch her PBS and she said yes - so I dragged her seat in front of the TV and she literally sat there, buckled into her carseat, for an hour!

This independence is a welcome relief after the week we've had. Haylie starting throwing up Monday night and never stopped. She could not hold anything down - not even water. No fever, no diarrhea, no other symptoms, she just plain couldn't eat or drink. Finally got her into the doctor yesterday and he said if she didn't start holding fluids down soon they were gonna have to get her on an IV. Ugh. Well, we threw caution to the wind last night and gave her some food - what did we have to lose? - then Eric gave her a blessing and not only did she keep the food down, but she slept peacefully through the night and is doing fabulous today. Whew. This is the second time in the last couple months that Eric has given her a blessing and she has recovered immediately. I am so grateful for his priesthood. I feel so blessed to be a member of the church and that Heavenly Father is truly aware of our needs and blesses us constantly.

Here's a pic of her Tuesday night when she was feeling rotten - she laid there in the tub quietly for the longest time - look at that face...

Yummy Recipe

I don't know about you, but this time of year makes me crave soup. I just tried a new potato soup recipe from my mother-in-law's website and it was (in my humble opinion) FANTASTIC!! Even Eric couldn't stop talking about how good it was. It makes a lot, which for us is good because Eric always likes to take leftovers to work for lunch. It was also very easy - which is very important to me!! Just wanted to share with any of you who crave soup like I do. Also check out the other recipes on the site - there are tons of good ones!

http://www.mlre.org/index.php?recipe=293

Enjoy!

I'm Thankful...

I've been wallowing in self-pity lately - and with it being Thanksgiving time, I decided it was time for me to sit down and list some of the good things I have going for me. So here goes:

I'm thankful for Tylenol with codeine - I've been feeling MUCH better and only taking it about once a day (if that)!
I'm thankful that I'm not an elephant - their gestation period is 22 months and a newborn calf is about 265 pounds!
I'm thankful for my c-section - as much as it has caused me pain - Haylie wouldn't have made it here without it
I'm thankful that I am a woman and am able to bear children
I'm thankful for my body pillow
I'm thankful for my husband - he works very hard to take care of us and does a great job
I'm thankful for Haylie - she can make me crazy, but she brings me more happiness than I ever thought possible
I'm thankful for my parents - as far as I'm concerned, they did everything right (and still are!)
I'm thankful for my little house - I complain that it is too small, but I realize that it is also less to clean!
I'm thankful that I know who I am, where I came from, and where I'm headed
I'm thankful that we have been blessed financially - most of the time I don't know how it works, but it always does
I'm thankful for my friends - they are my second family

Those are the things that have been on my mind lately. I'm going to try to be more positive and focus on these things rather than the things that have been bringing me down. I thought of a lot more "trivial" things to be thankful for - I think I will make another list and post separately...

That felt good.

Eric's Been Tagged!!

What's the best thing you cooked last week?
Saturday morning: Blueberry pancakes for Kristie and Haylie

If money were no object, where would you go and with who?
When I have a few extra mil’ laying around, I would go to the International Space Station. Kristie could come too...

Five things you were doing ten years ago...
1. Working six days a week at Subway 9am to 1pm, then 1:30pm to 10:30pm walk across the street to my second job at an Auto Parts Store / Gas Station / Automotive Repair Shop on Camp Pendleton.
2. Serving a mission in South Korea.
3. Eating Korean food
4. Speaking Korean. Oh wait, that part didn’t come for another 12 months after arriving in Korea.
5. Wondering if the “fire pooh” would ever end… (Koreans eat really spicy food!)


Five things on your to do list:
1. Earn MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer). I’m part way there. I’m currently a MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional). Only 5 more tests to go.
2. Earn CCNE (Cisco Certified Network Engineer). My first test of 6 is 11/30.
3. Magic Conch will Eric ever finish his Bachelor’s Degree from Fresno State? Maybe someday. (SpongeBob reference)
4. Buy my beautiful wife a new car.
5. Finish my honey do list. This may be the hardest one of all. It never stops growing.


Five favorite snacks:
1. Sugar Coated __________ (It doesn’t really matter)
2. Donuts
3. Cookies. As long as the nuts are kept to a minimum.
4. Divinity
5. Are you sensing a theme?


Five bad habits:
1. I care too much.
2. Lack of consistent exercise regimen. I could stand to lose 5 pounds. Then Kristie wouldn’t complain about my favorite snacks.
3. Too much time on the computer. I spend all day on a computer. Sometimes two or three servers at once. I try to limit my time on the computer when at home. One of the main reasons I don’t have a MySpace page or Blog. It’s good to unplug!
I’m sure Kristie could think of others.


Five favorite foods:
1. If you can grill it, I will eat it.
2. Did I mention sugar?
3. If it is typically served after dinner…
4. Cream Puffs filled with homemade chocolate pudding
5. Cheese Cake.


Top 5 places I've been:
1. Volcán Barú – Panama. Only place in the world you can see the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans at the same time. Been there! Done that! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volc%C3%A1n_Bar%C3%BA
2. Washington DC – Smithsonian
3. Niagra Falls
4. Mt. Rushmore
5. Seoul
6. Panama (Central America)
7. Mt. Whitney


Five favorite memories:
1. Seeing Kristie in the San Diego temple right before we were sealed.
2. The birth of Haylie
3. The birth of Anna ____ Metler. Jan 18, 2008
4. Returning from my mission. See my parents at the Carlsbad airport.
5. Helping Grandpa Olson repair things at Medicine Lake.

The Best Prescription Ever!!!

I went to the doctor today. I've still been in a lot of pain and so he told me that I should just take it easy and take some Tylenol with Codeine. Nice. Maybe now I'll be able to make it through the next 8 1/2 weeks. Then I told him that I was really hoping for a new car because I am still driving my little 2-door MANUAL transmission Honda Civic. This is what he gave me:

I'm quite sure I have the best doctor on the planet...too bad it isn't really redeemable.

I've Been Tagged...

Whats the best thing you cooked last week?
Last week was not a good week for food...but last night I made sweet & sour chicken and it was FANTASTIC!

If money and babysitting were no object where would you go and with who?
I'd go anywhere with Eric...maybe Hawaii, maybe Europe...it really wouldn't matter!

Five things you were doing 10 years ago:
1. Chasing boys at Ricks College
2. Not studying nearly enough
3. Staying up way too late
4. Getting reacquainted with my best friend from childhood
5. Learning all about dorm life and roommates

Five things on your to do list:
1. Relax
2. Take it easy
3. Put my feet up
4. Be lazy
5. Eat

Five bad habits?
1. I have to pick at things - chipped paint, scabs, etc. etc.
2. Apparently I only have one bad habit because I can't think of any more...If anybody wants to chime in - I'm sure you've all noticed them...I promise I won't be offended. :-)

Five favorite foods?
1. Steak & Potatoes
2. Anybody who knows me knows I love food. All of it. Especially when I don't have to make it - to pick only 5 favorites would be rather difficult for me. However, I will note that P.F. Changs is my favorite Chinese food restaurant. In-N-Out is my favorite burger joint. Key Lime pie is my favorite pie. I'll do just about anything for a milkshake. I love anything with peanut butter. The best restaurant I have ever been to in my entire life is Rodizio Grill in Salt Lake City, UT.

Top 5 places I've Been:
1. Tahiti
2. Hawaii
3. Lake Tahoe
4. Mammoth
5. Yosemite

Five favorite memories:
1. When Eric proposed to me on top of Mt. Soledad overlooking the temple
2. Getting sealed in the temple
3. The first time I saw Haylie with that cute little bow in her hair (I did not get to see her as soon as she was born because I was so doped up that I passed out and didn't see her until a few hours later when I got out of recovery)
4. Snowboarding with Eric in Idaho when we were dating and Mammoth for our honeymoon
5. Going to Magic Mountain with my dad for my birthday tradition

Now it's my turn to pick who gets to be tagged. Umm...Julie and Grandpa Garry! I wonder if he'll do it...:-)

Where is that child's mother?

Here are just a few pictures of Haylie taken over the last couple weeks - she's become such a silly one - she cracks me up.


This is after eating an ice cream sandwich by herself



She found a satin nightie in my drawer and put it on - because it is SILKY, of course



This is a mat from a photo frame - she originally had it around her waist but I didn't get the picture fast enough, then she put it on her head

Today she decided to eat her sandwich "hands free" - she ate the whole thing like this

Leaves are Falling

It has been "unseasonably warm" in Fresno for this time of year, but still much cooler than the heat of the summer, and the leaves are starting to fall. It is making me so excited for the holidays. I'm sure that has something to do with the fact that my body temperature seems to have gone up about 10 degrees so the cooler weather feels FANTASTIC! But also, this is the first year that Eric and I are going to be home for the holidays. I decided a while ago that traveling to Fallbrook at Christmas time was not going to be an option with the baby coming only 3 weeks after Christmas. Then I decided a couple weeks ago that traveling for Thanksgiving was not going to be an option either. So, we've been invited to a friend's mother's house for Thanksgiving and we'll be spending Christmas right here in our own house. Eric and I have had an ongoing battle when it comes to purchasing a Christmas tree. This may make me sound like a bit of a Scrooge, but I have felt that it is a waste of money to buy a Christmas tree each year when we are not even HERE on Christmas (not to mention a fire hazard). So, every year we've compromised and either had very small "Charlie Brown" type trees like this from 2005...

or trees like this from 2006...

I told one of my friends that we were not going to have a Christmas tree last year and she was horrified by the thought - so she gave us this little guy to make sure we didn't turn into TOTAL Scrooges.

Well, since we are going to be home this year, Eric is thrilled out of his mind that we will be getting a REAL TREE...a BIG TREE...one that won't be overshadowed by the pile of gifts!!

Happy Holidays!!