tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32953214293886753762024-03-13T04:56:23.568-07:00Metler FamilyEst. 2002Kristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269526399455305996noreply@blogger.comBlogger228125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3295321429388675376.post-84835714874288479442013-05-01T09:59:00.000-07:002013-05-01T09:59:02.523-07:00Mixed EmotionsOur neighbor is off her meds again. She is paranoid schizophrenic, and for some reason, she has it in her head that we are evil. She thinks we are in the mafia, that we're storing dead bodies in our (non-existent) basement, etc. Her current complaint, which kept us up at 1am this morning is that we planted 4 little trees in our front yard right along the property line. Now, when she complains, she doesn't write nasty letters or knock on our door and complain, at least not yet) - she goes out in her driveway and yells towards our house - really really loudly - usually in the wee hours of the morning. We call the cops, and last night - they showed up a split second after she shut her door and holed herself up inside. I have such mixed emotions because on the one hand, I'm angry that she's causing stress in our lives, I'm angry at "the system" that makes it really really difficult to get her the help she needs. On the other hand, I recognize that it is a mental illness and that she truly has no idea what she's doing. When she is medicated, she is a pleasant neighbor - I know that there is a good person inside there, and I want to help her. These emotions pull me in different directions all day long. I want to plant more trees just to piss her off, but I know that that is not the right thing to do. So today I just watered and fertilized my trees, and planted some lavender plants - it felt just defiant enough to feel like I'm doing something but maintaining my integrity in the process (I hope). It's very difficult to keep the anger at bay. In the meantime I have a fence guy coming out tomorrow to quote us on a fence around the front yard - at least then she can't get on to our property. Ugh. Kristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269526399455305996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3295321429388675376.post-73428065692238604352013-03-18T18:11:00.000-07:002013-03-18T18:11:06.635-07:00Trust Those Mama-InstinctsSo the last several months have been a bit of a struggle for Anna and me. She is a super smart, strong-willed, confident, sassy little thing. We were having daily...er...hourly knock-down-drag-out fights over the most minor things. She gets an idea in her head and there is no way to deter her from that idea. Ultimately it would end with me being very frustrated and literally dragging her (kicking and screaming) to her room for time out where she would yell, scream, and throw things until it was time to come out. She has a very hard time hearing no, and behaves as if the rules that have always been the rules are some sort of surprise every time she gets punished for breaking them. As a mom just really doing her best, I was getting WORN OUT. I decided I needed to go see a therapist just so I could get my feelings off my chest. I know I can always be better, but I need someone to help me get there. So I went to a guy at Kaiser and while I'm sure he is an excellent therapist, he was not for me. However, the one thing he did recommend was that I take Anna to visit one of the child therapists. So we've been seeing a therapist together for a while now and I really feel like we're getting somewhere. Anna won't talk to him yet, but he has a lot of helpful suggestions for me - and I really feel like I am understanding her better, and life has gotten a little "easier". <br />
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In the midst of all this, she had to go see the dentist for a large cavity in her mouth. Miss Thing would not even sit in the dentist chair. The had me sit in the chair with her on my lap so they could look in her mouth. They discovered one tooth that was going to require either a polpotomy (a baby root canal) or extraction. And several other teeth with various degrees of cavities. His recommendation was that we go to a pediatric dentist to have the fillings done so that they could sedate her since she wouldn't even sit in the chair on her own. So we went to the pediatric dentist, where, once again, she refused to sit in the chair. Their recommendation: Full anesthesia. Knock her out, let her sleep....all for the low price of ~$850 out of pocket! Well, I was considering it until today... Again, one great thing came of that appointment: the dentist recommend we cut out any kind of gummy snacks. This would mean fruit snacks, fruit roll-ups, gummy vitamins, etc. We had a lot of stuff like that in the house. But I decided we needed to do what she asked - otherwise Anna may be in for more of these appointments than we'd like. So, bye bye gummy snacks. I figured while we were doing it, let's cut out as much of the other sugary stuff as we can. High-fructose corn syrup became my focus. I've eliminated just about everything in my house that contained high-fructose corn syrup and guess what...Anna's behavior has improved dramatically. She still has tantrums, and still struggles in some areas, but she is so much easier to reason with. We rarely have kicking and screaming fits and she's listening so much better! I really feel that the high-fructose corn syrup was messing with her head!<br />
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I had been reading about strong-willed children and read that celiac disease can also cause behavioral issues in children if left untreated. I spoke with her doctor about it and he said it would be worth checking out - only it would require a blood test. Oh dear, really, you think I'm going to get her to sit still for a BLOOD DRAW? Oy. Well, my sweet friend Erin offered to take Anna for me because it was just really stressing me out. So Erin took her and told her that the people in white coats were scientists and they needed to take a little bit of her blood so they could study it. Anna marched right in there, put her little arm out on the table, watched the "pokie" go in her arm and take her blood and never flinched! So, now I know that she's capable of doing difficult things without all the dramatics. We all know our kids act out more for us than others, and Anna has never been any trouble for her teachers at school or church - so it makes sense, but now I know what she's capable of! (Blood test was negative for celiac, btw)<br />
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The dentist called last week to schedule Round 1 of her treatment for her cavities. We discussed the possibility of using nitrous oxide (laughing gas) for the treatment but I told them that after her superstar behavior getting her blood drawn I didn't think it was going to be necessary. I told them I'd be more than happy to have that as an option should she need it. So I told her I was not going to be able to be in the room with her for her appointment, because clearly I invoke the drama within her. So I took her back to the room and had to pry her little hands from my neck, but I plunked her in the chair and headed to the waiting room. About 5 minutes later, the assistant came out and said that they were able to calm her down enough to sit in the chair, and that they needed my consent to use the nitrous. I said, "Have you tried to do any work on her?" Answer: "Well, no, we wanted to do the nitrous first so she would be calm enough for us to work on her". I told her that I would prefer that they try to do some work prior to using the nitrous. She takes the message back and promptly returns to the waiting room and asks me to come back and talk to the doctor. So I meet her right outside Anna's room, and I can see Anna in the chair (but she can't see me) chatting quietly with the other assistant. She is sitting perfectly still, not crying, just interacting with the assistant. Doc says she "highly recommends using the nitrous up front to create a calm, peaceful environment so the child is not traumatized. We need to do 4 fillings that are very minor, they are the smallest cavities and we want her as calm as possible, because if she can't do these 4 fillings <em>with</em> nitrous then we'll know that she won't be able to do the more difficult ones and we'll require full anesthesia." Ummm, aren't you looking at this the wrong way? I thought that we had agreed that we would try it with nothing, THEN do nitrous if she has any trouble. Why not give the kid a chance? Why go straight to DRUGGING HER when you don't even know how she'll react. She is sitting still, so go for it. She tried to convince me to do the nitrous for a good 5-10 minutes when I finally insisted that she move forward without it. I told her that if she totally freaks out, then we can reschedule for another day and use the nitrous, but I feel in my heart of hearts that she can do this - she needs to prove it not only to me, but to herself. She reluctantly agreed to try it without. So she asked me to remain standing by the door to see how she would do. They laid her chair back, put a bib on her, put little safety glasses on her, and went forward with their work. They were so good with her, explaining what every tool was, showering her with compliments and stickers, turned on a movie on the ceiling, etc. After about 5-10 minutes, they turned to me and said "You can go wait in the waiting room, she's doing great." D*&% right she's doing great! I TOLD YOU SO!!! (That's what I said in my head). I quietly returned triumphantly to the waiting room. After about 10 minutes the assistant came out and said, "She's doing so well, we'd like your permission to do two more teeth" UMM, YES! Do as many as you'd like! So, needless to say, I'm ridiculously proud of my little girl today. She got 4 fillings without any nitrous and without any numbing agent of any kind. We scheduled another appointment for the other teeth that are a little worse, and they'll need to give her a shot of a numbing agent, but I think I've convinced them that she's a tough little cookie and won't be requiring nitrous next time around. I just thought it was so odd that the <em>pediatric</em> dentist just resorts to nitrous as an automatic necessity. They were really really good with her - why not go with that? Why drug them unnecessarily? Very frustrating. But I am sooo glad I stuck to my guns and didn't let them do it. Score one for Kristie! Score 10 for sweet Anna! I'm so proud of her!<br />
<br />Kristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269526399455305996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3295321429388675376.post-59769073184139746472013-03-16T12:39:00.000-07:002013-03-16T12:40:00.692-07:00Savings Account??<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have a savings account. Well, we've always had a savings account - we've just never been able to keep anything in it! I had to post a picture - a screenshot of our Chase account, which we opened specifically for the purpose of getting out of debt. Recap: Last February I opened a Chase Credit Card with 0% interest for 15 months. I transferred our CC balance to that card with the goal of paying it all off within that 15 months. Starting balance: $13,160.00. We set up the Chase checking account to receive a direct deposit totaling $700/month that would go straight to the CC. We officially made our last payment on March 1st. 12 months!! We are going to continue to have the money deposited into the checking account, then promptly transferred to the savings account. So the screenshot below shows a balance in the SAVINGS account - and a $-.07 balance on the credit card. Notice also, the statement showing that the credit card account has been CLOSED and is UNAVAILABLE for use. :-) This makes me happy. I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who purchased pies from me, or brought me sewing projects, or payed me to babysit your kids, or just plain cheered me on along the way. Every little extra bit helped, and we witnessed SO many miracles through this process. I am soo excited to be here - it sorta felt like we'd never see the day! WOOHOO!!!</span></div>
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<br />Kristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269526399455305996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3295321429388675376.post-2047467823936604652012-12-31T22:25:00.000-08:002012-12-31T22:27:02.680-08:00Goodbye 2012, and Goodbye DEBT!!!So the last time I posted about our debt..WAY back in July...we were at $7,863. Today, December 31, 2012, our balance is $694. I had really really really hoped to have it completely paid off before January 1, 2013, but all things considered, it's really amazing that we've come this far. For example, in November, we had a busted pipe under the house. It was leaking nasty water and who-knows-what-else under our foundation. It looked like a swamp under there. It was a $3,000 job to remove the gunk and replace the pipe. THANKFULLY, our homeowners insurance covered the majority of it and we ended up paying about $200 out of pocket. It was another miracle. The plumber said that he RARELY sees an insurance company pick up the tab for this type of issue. <br />
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We have had so many experiences like this that have just really been incredible. 2012 was good to us, and I have a feeling 2013 is going to be even better!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!! (Look for me on January 15th when Eric gets paid again - I'll be doing the Debt-Free-Happy-Dance!!)<br />
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I just want to thank everyone who bought pies, cinnamon rolls, crochet goodies, sewing services, etc, etc. We really couldn't have done this without you!Kristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269526399455305996noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3295321429388675376.post-3357666410952925292012-07-10T12:39:00.003-07:002012-07-10T12:39:52.990-07:00MiraclesOur "Debt-Free by 2013 Plan" is in full swing! We have been so blessed. Here are the numbers:<br />
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April 2, 2012: Balance $10,026.00<br />
July 10, 2012: Balance $7,863<br />
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Truly incredible. So, many miracles are taking place. We are going to have to cut back on our payment this month because we will be taking a roadtrip to Arkansas. Not what we had in mind for this year, but my Grandpa, who just turned 90, is getting baptized. Miracle. Grandpa has always been incredibly supportive of my Grandma, and the church, but has never had much interest in being a member himself. He met some sweet sister missionaries who were able to wiggle their way into his heart and teach him the gospel. I told Eric I wasn't missing this for the world, and I felt very strongly that we all needed to be there. So we're gonna make it happen. <br />
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In the meantime, I decided that I wanted to make some blackberry pies to sell to benefit our Debt-Free Plan. I figured I'd have enough berries to make about 10 pies. I figured at $10 each I'd make $100 to put on the credit card. At first the sales were slow-going (advertised on Facebook), and then I had to turn people away. :-( I just took the 10th pie out of the oven and still have ripe berries to make 2 or 3 more pies...and the blackberry bush is still exploding...Miracle. The blackberry bush has new blossoms...Miracle. Blackberry bushes only blossom once. Seriously. Call me crazy, but I think that since Heavenly Father is so supportive of our Debt-Free Plan, He has made the blackberries over-produce so that I can sell more pies. It is truly miraculous. <br />
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Our latest bounty</div>
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I am so grateful that we can witness miracles, even today. Pie, anyone?Kristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269526399455305996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3295321429388675376.post-47024947123083248732012-04-10T11:18:00.001-07:002012-04-10T11:18:43.055-07:00Easter in VegasLast week, Eric found out that he was going to need to travel to Las Vegas for work. He was going to fly out Sunday evening and return Monday evening. But the non-stop flights from Vegas to Fresno on Monday weren't lining up the way he would need, so his boss suggested that he drive...and take his family along! We had such a fun weekend. We left Saturday morning, got to Vegas around 3:00, and the girls immediately wanted to go swimming. The weather was warmer than it has been in Fresno - probably in the upper 70's. We took a quick dip in the pool then headed out to Circus Circus for dinner. We ate at the buffet, where I gorged myself, then headed up to the kids gaming area. They have a little setup in the middle of the room for circus-type performances. We could see the ropes and nets for a trapeze and thought that would be really cool to see. Well, they do different performances every half hour, and the performance we got to see was a couple of roller-skaters doing tricks on the smallest roller-rink stage I've ever seen. No trapeze for us, but that's ok - the rollerskaters were pretty incredible. <br />
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Sunday, Anna woke us up with, "The Easter Bunny came!!" The kids had left a note at home for the Easter Bunny asking him to find us in Las Vegas. They were thrilled to have a little Easter egg hunt in the hotel room. After breakfast, we went to church in Henderson. We met up with a friend of Eric's from college so it was nice to see some familiar faces. Sunday afternoon we just hung out in the hotel room for a couple hours, then headed out to the monorail to take us to the MGM Grand for dinner at the Rainforest Cafe. We stayed at the Marriott right by the convention center so the monorail station was literally right across the street. The girls were begging to ride the "train" so it worked out nicely. They loved it. They loved everything...their little eyes and minds just took it all in. So here are some shots from the Rainforest Cafe. I took all the pictures with my phone, so not the best quality. Silly me forgot the real camera.<br />
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Haylie with her souvenir cup and toy</div>
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Ian didn't get his own souvenir but Haylie let him play with hers. Oh, and funny thing, every 20 minutes in the Rainforest Cafe, there is a thunderstorm complete with lightning and the animals go a little cuckoo...Ian was not a fan. We had to get him out of his high chair and hold him each time it happened. So cute. </div>
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Anna with her souvenirs</div>
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Eric was pretty excited too! ;-)</div>
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So on Monday Eric had to actually work (you know, the reason why we were in Las Vegas...) so the kids and I headed up to the Las Vegas temple. It was beautiful, of course. We walked around the grounds for a bit, until we all realized we needed to go potty. Thankfully, there was a church building right next door and people were there, so we got to go in and use the facilities! <br />
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Cute kiddos in front of the temple</div>
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This is the view of the temple from the church building. Gorgeous.</div>
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This house was across the street from the temple. I love Victorian homes, and thought this house was just beautiful. Can't really see the turret behind the tree on the left, but it was adorable!!</div>
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We still had a little time to kill, and I couldn't find any parks around so we headed to the next best thing...McDonald's Play Place. :-) We played at McDonald's until Eric was ready to be picked up. Grabbed some lunch and headed home. </div>
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We stopped at a rest stop somewhere in the middle of the desert. Haylie was pretty intrigued by the idea that we were in THE DESERT. The girls have been watching a cartoon on Netflix called Oscar's Oasis. It's a little gecko that is in the desert always searching for food and water. (reminds me of Scrat from the Ice Age movies - very cute) Anyway, now we were in the desert like Oscar! So I snapped some shots of the kids roaming the desert hills...</div>
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Anna</div>
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Haylie and Ian</div>
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I can't help but feel like this trip was another one of those blessings I talked about in <a href="http://metlerfamily.blogspot.com/2012/04/debt-free-by-2013.html">this</a> post. I feel like we made this commitment to be debt free, and once again Heavenly Father blessed us with something that we didn't think we'd be able to have for a while (a nice vacation as a family). Eric's generous boss paid all the expenses with the exception of gas, and our own entertainment/souvenirs. He does get reimbursed for mileage, which will more than cover the cost of the gasoline. It's pretty amazing. I feel so lucky and blessed, and grateful to be right here, right now. </div>
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And now, back to the grind...</div>Kristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269526399455305996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3295321429388675376.post-72324030635432641272012-04-02T14:11:00.002-07:002012-04-02T14:11:45.692-07:00Debt Free by 2013So, remember my post about how I'd been feeling really anxious about something...and I thought it had to do with my house? I think that was only part of it. I think the other part of it was that it was time for us to start thinking more about getting out of debt. It started when I got a credit card offer in the mail from Chase. I usually just throw them away, cuz let's face it, the last thing we need is another credit card! But I think I was inspired to open this one up. It offered 0% financing on balance transfers through May 2013. Let me back up a few years. In 2006, we had just bought our house, and we did something stupid. We let the dumb salesman in the door. He sold us a water softener. Stupid, stupid, stupid. It's been 6 years now and I still want to punch myself for letting that man in the door. You know how "they" say that it is hardest to forgive yourself? It's true. Anyway, we put the balance on a credit card. Not long after that, the economy started to take a nosedive. Times got tough. We started using the credit card for things like groceries and other "necessities". At the time, we really thought we didn't have a choice. Long story short, here we are six years later and with more debt than we'd like to have looming above our heads. We made the commitment about 2 years ago to stop using the card. And I'm proud to say we've stuck to our guns! However, interest charges have made it very difficult to pay the balance down.<br />
I was not going to post exact amounts here, but you know what..I think I will. I think I need to get it off my chest, put it out there as part of the healing/forgiving myself process. It's embarrassing and I'm ashamed, but I want to use this as a way to track our progress and maybe have some cheerleaders along the way...please be gentle with me. :-) On February 28, 2012, I transfered $13,160.00 to the Chase 0% interest card. It was my goal to have the balance paid off by May 2013. 15 months. That was going to be really pushing it on our current budget. I talked to Eric and we agreed that we would really place our focus on the debt. Other "wants" would just have to wait. Tax returns would go straight to the balance. Eric's end of year bonus would go straight to the balance. Anything extra we might get...straight to the balance. It is amazing what that kind of resolve can do to change your perspective on things. Identifying wants vs. needs. Planning the grocery list based more on survival than what looks the most delicious. *I love to try new recipes and make delicious food...but we agreed that we'd put that on hold and keep it simple. My first trip to the grocery store after we made this decision, I spent $20 less than my average. The 2nd trip to the grocery store...I spent $60 less than my average!!! I canceled our Costco membership a couple years ago - I guess partially blaming Costco for some of the debt (obviously not Costco's fault, but you know...) I've realized that now that our family has grown quite a bit since then, that bulk shopping will actually benefit us now...so I'm going to get a Sam's Club membership to help us save even more on groceries. $40 for a membership will be so worth it in the amount I will save buying pull-ups and snacks there rather than Winco.<br />
Okay, so another little side note. It's gonna get a little spiritual up in here. Not one week after we made our decision to put everything we have towards the debt, Eric's boss called him into his office. He said, "Eric, I want to give you a raise." I think, if I'm doing my math right, it turned out to be about an 11% raise. Our first thought was, "Think what that will do to help us make our payments!!" And then it struck me that this was a blessing straight from Heaven. It is my belief, and I know it now more than ever, that Heavenly Father knows each one of us individually. He knows our struggles, He knows our strengths, and most importantly, He knows our hearts. I believe that He knows how badly we want this to happen, and He paved the way for us through this raise. I am so grateful for my faith, and for my amazing blessings! (Oh and hooray for my husband working super hard and earning the raise!!!)<br />
So with the raise, I have sorta' changed our goal...I want the debt gone by January 1, 2013. 9 months from yesterday. Here's the kicker...I really think we can do it!!!<br />
Moving on, here are some things we've done or are doing to save money:<br />
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<li>After we got the credit card, we received an offer in the mail from Chase, that if we opened a Chase checking account, they would give us $150. Sold. $150 more to put towards the balance!</li>
<li>We will be taking the difference in pay from the raise and having it directly deposited into the Chase checking account. That way we won't see it - we will continue to live off the budget we've had, and imagine that money does not exist. All of it will go towards the balance.</li>
<li>I read on our power company's website that you could earn a 20% credit on your bill if you save "x" amount of energy through the winter. I lowered our thermostat and just got an e-mail letting me know I earned the credit! Seems small, but every little bit helps!</li>
<li>I will not be cutting my hair again until we are out of debt! I'm in desperate need of a haircut, but I'm sacrificing!!! So if I look like a ragamuffin for the next 9 months, you know why! ;-)</li>
<li>Plan simple menus ahead of time, shop only for the items needed and refrain from grabbing extras. It is amazing what this has done for me! </li>
<li>Every time I think about buying something that is not a necessity, I write down the cost of the item, and I refrain from purchasing! It is interesting to see how the dollar here and dollar there add up to something pretty significant. </li>
<li>I've sorta' made a game of it...see where I can save next...my whole attitude about money has shifted...it is invigorating!!!</li>
<li>We canceled our home phone - we're paying enough for our cell phones...no use having two different phones! </li>
<li>We haven't paid for TV in years. We had Dish for a while, several years ago, but have not had it for quite some time. We pay $7 something for Netflix and nothing else. Sooo worth the savings!</li>
<li>We pay our tithing to the church. 10% of everything we earn goes to the church. I know we are majorly blessed for this.</li>
<li>I'm keeping a 2013 Debt Free Bucket List...I'm writing down all the things I want to do or buy when we are debt free. It gives me something to work towards, something to hope for. It will be so worth it to wait for these things. And some of the items are so simple, it seems silly, but it will be so much sweeter after our hard work.</li>
<li>I buy my shampoo at the Dollar Tree. Yup. There, I said it. VO5 happens to be one of my favorites. Is it the best shampoo? No. Does it clean my hair? Yup. </li>
<li>I'm selling cinnamon rolls for next Conference...locals let me know if you're interested!</li>
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I know there is more, but I'm having trouble thinking of it now. So here are some numbers showing our progress so far:<br />
February 28, 2012: Balance $13,160.00<br />
April 2, 2012: Balance $10,026.00 <br />
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We just got our tax refund so that took out a very large chunk! This is very very exciting for me!!! Kristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269526399455305996noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3295321429388675376.post-2336778720747097122012-03-29T11:25:00.001-07:002012-03-29T11:25:37.681-07:00A Few of My Favorite ThingsTime is flying by so quickly - and there are so many things I want to remember. I really need to start writing things down more! So I was compiling a list in my head yesterday of cute things my kids are doing, and other things that, at this point in my life, are making me happy.<br />
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*Anna declaring to me "Mommy, you're awesome!!"<br />
*Ian giving the best little hugs and kisses<br />
*Ian wrapping his little arms around my legs<br />
*Ian's dimply face when he smiles<br />
*Haylie sitting in her bed at night with a flashlight reading chapter books<br />
*Haylie getting embarrassed when talking about a boy at school <br />
* Eric cleaning my kitchen and keeping it looking beautiful! <br />
*Eric working super hard and recently earning a raise to better support our family<br />
*Working towards being debt-free!! Our goal - debt free by 2013. I think I will be blogging more about this later...<br />
*Healthy kids!! We've had a lot of illness floating around here lately and it is soooo nice when everyone is healthy!<br />
*I'm running now! I think I might even be able to call myself a runner! Currently training for a 5k, then will move on to 10k, then if I am still alive, a half-marathon! The Disneyland half-marathon to be exact. Erin, thank you for being my running buddy - I would soooo not be doing it without you!!!<br />
*My piano. I don't get to play as often as I would like, but I do love to play. Grateful for my calling at church that forces me to practice - I've improved soooo much over the last 3(!) years. <br />
*Haylie learning to play piano - that girl is good! :-)<br />
*Future Anna...I have a feeling that future Anna is going to be one incredible girl. She is such an independent, confident, strong-willed little 4-year-old. When she learns to harness all those traits, she is going to be a strong, independent, take-crap-from-nobody kind of chick. For now, I must endure, and do my best to help her learn to harness the energy, but I look forward to meeting future Anna.<br />
*Ian. Just Ian. I don't want to play favorites....but...*wink wink* Man, I love that kid.<br />
*Knowing, now more than ever, that my Heavenly Father knows me and loves me. I am so blessed.<br />
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I know there's more...I'll continue adding to the list as they come to me. Kristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269526399455305996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3295321429388675376.post-87709472082587748122012-02-28T10:35:00.002-08:002012-02-28T10:35:37.223-08:00Big Boy BedI needed a good excuse to sit down, and realized it has been a long time since I have blogged. Life is busy - and I've been crazy busy reorganizing my entire house! About a month ago, I started to feel very anxious about my house - feeling like there was something I was supposed to be doing, or <em>something. </em>Like Heavenly Father was trying to tell me something but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. I've been feeling like we're outgrowing the house (which we are) - the house is 997 sq.ft. with 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. A master bedroom, all three kids squeezed into one room, and an office/playroom/sewing room that was just not working out. I couldn't get on top of the messes being made. So, after much prayer and consideration, I realized that we just need to work really hard to make our limited space work - be smart about it - sacrifice! So, we decided to give Ian his own room. The office/playroom/sewing room was not working, so let's get rid of it! For the last week, we have been moving furniture, and rearranging all three rooms in the house. Here's a summary of what has taken place:<br />
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*bought a smaller, simpler headboard and footboard for our bed (solid oak sleigh bed still for sale - $200obo)<br />
*moved the TV out of our room (!) will replace it with a flat screen someday...<br />
*moved an entire dresser from our room (now storing some clothes in boxes under the bed)<br />
*moved the computer desk and sewing table into the master bedroom<br />
*removed crib (which is still for sale - $50) from kids room<br />
*got the girls' old toddler bed out of the rafters and painted it green for Ian<br />
*moved all of the girls' toys into their bedroom (now that the crib is no longer in there)<br />
*rearranged closets in Ian's room and master bedroom<br />
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There is still a lot of work to be done (and a lot of stuff to be thrown away or stored) but man I feel so good about the progess so far! <br />
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Ian (who is almost 15 months old) LOVES his new room. He can't tell me he loves it with words, but his actions are pretty clear. The first couple nights he was in his big-boy bed, he was in the room with the girls. It took about an hour each night to get him to settle down and go to sleep. This is typical when you first make the transition from crib to bed, but last night was his first night in his own room and he did not get out of bed ONCE! Eric tucked him into bed, and we never heard another peep out of him! Same story with his morning nap today. I tucked him in and he was out. I think he really values the quiet (I don't blame him - his sisters are just too much sometimes!!) This morning when he woke up, he immediately started playing with some of his toys and I just heard cute sounds coming from his room. He is so happy! And so am I! <br />
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I never thought that losing our "extra" room would make me feel so much better, and feel like I have MORE space than before, but I do! It is such a great feeling. I really wish I had "before and after" shots, but for now, this picture will have to do. Ian fell asleep on the floor yesterday. I think he was admiring himself in his cute little mirror and wore himself out! ;-)<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hUuoFkjAhdc/T00eRfwnPeI/AAAAAAAATMI/XNtmi3fwpLg/s1600/IMG_7314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hUuoFkjAhdc/T00eRfwnPeI/AAAAAAAATMI/XNtmi3fwpLg/s320/IMG_7314.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Kristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269526399455305996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3295321429388675376.post-35595840661942429802011-12-05T10:57:00.000-08:002011-12-05T11:14:58.688-08:00Ian's Walking!He hasn't decided to walk exclusively yet, but he has some seriously good balance - and likes to walk when he is not in a hurry. Speaking of not being in a hurry - I am not in a hurry for this kid to grow up. Why is it going so fast???<br />
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</div>Kristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269526399455305996noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3295321429388675376.post-23809131313450396532011-11-14T14:05:00.000-08:002011-12-08T16:56:43.485-08:00Arkansas TripI had the opportunity to go see my Grandma and Grandpa Bledsoe (my dad's parents) in Arkansas last week. My parents go out every year to visit, but I hadn't been out to visit since I was 10 years old! Grandma and Grandpa paid for my plane ticket, and Ian was able to sit on my lap on the plane - the girls and Eric stayed behind. I had such a lovely time. Grandma was worried that we would be bored, but it was so relaxing. I learned some new crochet techniques, visited Hobby Lobby for the first time, and discovered the fabulousness of FLEA MARKETS!!! Here are some of my favorite pictures:<br />
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The whole crew after church (this is the view from my Grandparents' front porch!)<br />
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Four generations<br />
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Ian with his Great Grandparents <br />
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We went for a nature hike in the woods - looking for critters, enjoying the quiet (their property is 15 acres!).<br />
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<a href="http://localhost:54839/1653e44935bfba9d3e1387a12ec7308e/image/f0b6252822790851.jpg"></a> This was taken in Hot Springs, AR on our way to the airport. It was raining, but the colors in the trees were beautiful!<br />
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I found some great deals at the Flea Markets...what fun! We had two thunderstorms unlike anything we get here in California. On two different nights, I was awakened by a VERY loud clap of thunder that just about made me jump out of my PJs! The lightning was nearly constant lighting up the sky. So fun! <br />
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This was Ian's first time on a plane, first time meeting his Great Grandparents, and he was such a good boy. I think Grandma and Grandpa really enjoyed having him around...he provided some great entertainment. <br />
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Next May, my grandparents will celebrate their 70th (!!) Wedding Anniversary. They are hoping to come out to California to celebrate. I am hoping that I will be able to return to Arkansas again next year. (A HUGE thank-you to all my friends/family who helped by watching the girls while Eric was at work - you guys Rock!!)<br />
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For lots more pictures, go to <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/kmetler">http://picasaweb.google.com/kmetler</a>Kristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269526399455305996noreply@blogger.com0Glenwood, AR, USA34.3267653 -93.550742834.2743128 -93.6297068 34.3792178 -93.4717788tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3295321429388675376.post-40591959621540140122011-11-07T10:34:00.000-08:002011-11-07T10:34:33.235-08:00Monkey Boy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I know I've been posting a lot about Ian, but I just really can't help myself. I've put together a bunch of pictures I've captured of him over the last several weeks. He has become quite the talented climber. I thought Anna was good, but Ian is taking it to a new level. He'll be 11 months in a couple days and he is just so adventurous.</div>
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Using my purse as a pillow in the shopping cart at Winco. </div>
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He pulled himself up onto the ottoman, then climbed up onto the rocking chair!</div>
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This is Mr. Snuggly at Haylie's soccer game on Saturday. It was COLD out there!</div>
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I brought in a storage container to get winter clothes out for Anna. It got turned over on its side, and little man climbed on up and checked out the goods on the cabinet.</div>
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This picture was catching him on his way down...but he had his chin all the way up over the top of the cabinet. Oy.</div>
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Usually he's trying to climb OUT of the playpen...here he is trying to get IN! </div>
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We call this "Jail Baby". </div>
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First Haircut!</div>
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He tries to climb out of the high chair now too. Even when I strap him in, he can wiggle his pants off and turn around. SCARY!</div>
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We had to put Anna in a big girl bed when she was 14 months old because she was trying to climb out of the crib. Ian has not tried to climb out of the crib yet, but I have a feeling that day is not far off...Love love love my boy!</div>Kristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269526399455305996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3295321429388675376.post-31457428216058912592011-10-24T13:09:00.000-07:002011-10-24T13:22:19.851-07:00Ian = Too Big<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Tr83O2ZeMHI/TqXCJd7KUoI/AAAAAAAASbM/YcQQZjZqDdI/s1600/Ian+Edited+Pics+1011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Tr83O2ZeMHI/TqXCJd7KUoI/AAAAAAAASbM/YcQQZjZqDdI/s320/Ian+Edited+Pics+1011.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Ian is 10 1/2 months old already. Time is going by too quickly. I feel like I missed out on the whole newborn thing with him since he was so big at birth (9lbs. 6 oz.). However, I am so enjoying every moment with him. Well, maybe not every moment. He has been teething and not handling it well (I don't blame him). He has gotten 4 teeth within a matter of a couple weeks. He has 2 on top and 2 on the bottom now. Anyway, I thought I'd write down some fun things he does / has been doing because I'm so bad at documenting this stuff! When he is not teething, he is a very happy, smily, content little dude. He's been pulling himself up on everything since about 8 months. Started crawling between 8 and 9 months and is now moving on to climbing. Yesterday he managed to pull himself up, climb up onto our ottoman, then onto the rocking chair. We had to take Anna out of the crib at 14 months and put her in a bed because she was climbing out of it...I have a feeling Ian is headed in that same direction. Over the last couple of days he has been standing next to the couch or whatever he happens to be holding on to - and he lets go and just stands there - perfectly balanced. He's very tall, but his weight gain has actually slowed and he's not in the 90th percentile anymore. Probably because he's so active now. It is certainly not a lack of food. I have never witnessed a baby eat so much! My girls, who have always been tiny, never ate like this! I'm a little scared for my grocery budget as he grows even more. I have been teaching him some baby signs - so far the only ones he knows are "More" and "All Done". When his food is gone, I sign all done and usually he starts crying! "More" is definitely his favorite sign...and I have a feeling that will also be his first word. He signs "More" and says "MMM" "MMM". I have an appointment for his first haircut on Friday. I'm not ready for that ~ every time I've seen a little boy get his first haircut, he instantly looks all grown up. I have never been one to wish my kids would stay little - but for some reason I just want my little man to stay that way. I kind of think he's the cutest thing on the planet and don't want him to grow up to be a smelly boy. ;-)<br />
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PS. My friend Erin took these beautiful pictures of Ian. Kristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269526399455305996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3295321429388675376.post-20960502947070704352011-10-14T22:04:00.000-07:002011-10-14T22:04:10.756-07:00Wicked<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I learned something today. A 2x4 is not 2 inches by 4 inches. Nope. It's 1.5 inches by 3.5 inches. Apparently this is common knowledge for some. Not me. Not Rachel (my sis-in-law who partnered with me on this project). So, I am rather lucky this project worked out the way it did. I ordered the vinyl lettering (<a href="http://www.milesofvinylforyou.com/">www.milesofvinylforyou.com</a> - FYI, this company is here in Clovis) to fit a 2x4 thinking that it was ACTUALLY going to be 4" wide. Anyway, here is the latest. Total cost = $10</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--DFZpBvW698/TpkRIcXxI4I/AAAAAAAASUw/3VHxOq2wlBk/s1600/IMG_7100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--DFZpBvW698/TpkRIcXxI4I/AAAAAAAASUw/3VHxOq2wlBk/s320/IMG_7100.JPG" width="320" /></a> (Click to make the picture larger)</div>
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The ribbon on the Letter "I" is just kinda' hanging there because I thought the "I" block was a little boring - still gotta' figure out what to do there...</div>
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Here is the inspiration (saw it on Pinterest, for sale on Etsy for $20 + $10 shipping) This one is a little bigger, but I think our copycat version is pretty darn good.</div>
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Thanks for doing this with me, Rachel!</div>
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<br /></div>Kristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269526399455305996noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3295321429388675376.post-16113199092781748662011-07-29T10:12:00.000-07:002011-07-29T10:59:14.292-07:00Progress<div><div><div><div><div><div>I figure I'm going to have it all figured out right about the time the kids leave to go start their own families...even then I'm sure I will still be very confused. However, I have made some serious progress this week! I have often referred to Anna as my "Anna-mal" - she's a little bit crazy, a lot sassy, and a lot stubborn. She has personality for miles, and can be a super-sweet girl when she wants to be. I tend to compare Haylie and Anna (as I think most parents tend to compare their children to each other) and they couldn't be more different. Haylie has always been quiet, shy reserved and obedient...in most ways. We've had our struggles, for sure. Anna has always been loud, outgoing, etc. I am not saying she is bad, but it has taken me some time to get used to it after having a quiet one like Haylie. </div><div> </div><div>Since Ian joined our family in December, the family dynamic (obviously) has changed drastically. Anna is now a "middle child" and we are all feeling the effects of that! I am learning a lot about both girls and *thankfully* learning how to manage the new dynamic. After much observation (especially during my C-section recovery and Christmas Break) I realized that Haylie, in her quiet way, was provoking a lot of Anna's outbursts. Duh. I was punishing Anna for hitting, but not realizing that Haylie was also in need of punishment for saying mean things, or otherwise provoking her sister. It felt good to make that realization and stop blaming Anna for everything! </div><div> </div><div>So in spite of my best efforts, Anna has still been having some anger issues: growling, screaming, stomping her foot, etc. I am so grateful for my 6am walks with my friend. I feel so much more clear-headed in the morning and we like to say we solve the world's problems in that 50-minute timespan. We have discussed, at length, some things to I could try at home to help Anna to not feel so displaced. Side note: I can tell she is suffering from the whole middle child syndrome thing, but she only takes it out on Haylie - thankfully, not Ian. So, one of the things we talked about was getting some alone time with Anna. Sure, ok...how am I supposed to do that in the middle of summer when all the children are home and I'm nursing a baby, etc, etc.? So it didn't happen for a while. On Tuesday, Haylie was invited to go play with a friend and Anna really wanted to go to...then the light bulb came on! "Anna, Haylie is going to go play with her friend, do you want to do something special with Mommy and Ian?" Her response? YES! I asked her what she wanted to do and it took her no time at all to decide that she wanted to go to the zoo and feed the giraffes. So I decided that we would do just that. I asked her to keep it a secret from Haylie and would you believe it? She totally kept it secret! I did not know a 3 1/2 year old could do that! So we went to the zoo and I let her be the guide. I let her make all the decisions about where to go and what to do next. We had the. most. lovely. day. It has been sooo long since I have felt that much love and compassion towards Anna and I was so grateful to have that opportunity to feel that way again. She was sweet and kind and happy as could be. Wow, we <strong>both</strong> really needed that alone time! Not surprisingly, we have had a great week - she still has her typical 3-year-old fits, but I really think that I was able to reassure her and let her know that I haven't forgotten her in all the chaos of family life. I feel like we have really come to a greater understanding of one another. What a blessing! Here are some pictures of the day - she wanted me to take pictures of her all over the zoo, and I was happy to oblige.</div><div> </div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oouBleRdpZs/TjLxane3MLI/AAAAAAAAR4c/jkzWfy81VK4/s1600/IMAG0622.jpg"><img style="width: 191px; height: 320px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634831523371233458" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oouBleRdpZs/TjLxane3MLI/AAAAAAAAR4c/jkzWfy81VK4/s320/IMAG0622.jpg" /></a></div><div>Feeding ZuZu (sp?) the giraffe<br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FQ1YcEmfz2U/TjLxaNdPAqI/AAAAAAAAR4U/9zMFP4DT0IQ/s1600/IMAG0626.jpg"><img style="width: 191px; height: 320px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634831516385084066" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FQ1YcEmfz2U/TjLxaNdPAqI/AAAAAAAAR4U/9zMFP4DT0IQ/s320/IMAG0626.jpg" /></a></div><div>Hangin' on Nosey the elephant<br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BtVOpu_sRxM/TjLxZ-hzZDI/AAAAAAAAR4M/Mmo1IDqhFe8/s1600/IMAG0627.jpg"><img style="width: 191px; height: 320px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634831512377713714" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BtVOpu_sRxM/TjLxZ-hzZDI/AAAAAAAAR4M/Mmo1IDqhFe8/s320/IMAG0627.jpg" /></a></div><div>Sittin' on the boy on the turtle<br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-opelh06Ucas/TjLxZvbT60I/AAAAAAAAR4E/adHaFYCAT18/s1600/IMAG0629.jpg"><img style="width: 191px; height: 320px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634831508323953474" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-opelh06Ucas/TjLxZvbT60I/AAAAAAAAR4E/adHaFYCAT18/s320/IMAG0629.jpg" /></a></div><div>Tackling a giant lizard (I have no doubt my Anna could win that fight!) ;-)<br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NDl-GPKgyrA/TjLxZcBsfDI/AAAAAAAAR38/jAs7zU_UPWY/s1600/IMAG0634.jpg"><img style="width: 320px; height: 191px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634831503116237874" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NDl-GPKgyrA/TjLxZcBsfDI/AAAAAAAAR38/jAs7zU_UPWY/s320/IMAG0634.jpg" /></a></div><div>On our way out...my sweet, wonderful, happy, spunkly little Anna and me. I love her so much and am so grateful that she is part of our family. I can already see that she is going to be a smart, strong, confident woman who will be incredibly successful in life. I love you Anna Banana!</div></div></div></div></div></div>Kristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269526399455305996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3295321429388675376.post-10877673589985462652011-07-28T15:46:00.000-07:002011-07-29T09:32:11.185-07:00Vacation July 2011<div><div>We decided to keep our vacation simple this year. We went to Fallbrook to visit with family and spent some time at the cabin in Big Bear with just our little family. I forgot my camera so all of these pictures were taken with my phone. Not super high quality but you get the point. We had a great time seeing cousins and grandmas and grandpas, etc...</div><div> </div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lsJz9W5JXjc/TjHpmtNcx7I/AAAAAAAAR1w/rqI3Luu_U_4/s1600/IMAG0541.jpg"><img style="width: 320px; height: 191px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634541459997509554" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lsJz9W5JXjc/TjHpmtNcx7I/AAAAAAAAR1w/rqI3Luu_U_4/s320/IMAG0541.jpg" /></a></div><div>At the beach - Anna was a little scared of the waves (which was fine with me!!) and stayed ashore most of the time. I taught the girls (and some cousins too) how to catch sand crabs. They thought that was pretty cool. Ian hung out in his playpen and with Grandma Jane in the shade.<br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8sb-xlbSAZI/TjHnrkM00TI/AAAAAAAAR1o/YHQ247kntHs/s1600/IMAG0542.jpg"><img style="width: 320px; height: 191px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634539344455061810" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8sb-xlbSAZI/TjHnrkM00TI/AAAAAAAAR1o/YHQ247kntHs/s320/IMAG0542.jpg" /></a></div><div>You know us...we can't really go anywhere without catching critters along the way. This is a blue-tailed skink...Uncle David and (cousin) Steven found it in Grandma Jane's kitchen! I did not even know these existed in Fallbrook. It was very cool. We admired him for a while then let him go back outside. <br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GQdELKXWFnU/TjHnrViKD3I/AAAAAAAAR1g/IZUV2kZIqB8/s1600/IMAG0550.jpg"><img style="width: 191px; height: 320px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634539340518002546" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GQdELKXWFnU/TjHnrViKD3I/AAAAAAAAR1g/IZUV2kZIqB8/s320/IMAG0550.jpg" /></a></div><div>At Grandma Jo's house, cousins Shea and Remi came over for a sleepover. All the girlies sleeping...so cute! </div><div><br /> </div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5byxk2vnnOI/TjHnrIn_Y6I/AAAAAAAAR1Y/GYs6jr6V9IA/s1600/IMAG0554.jpg"><img style="width: 320px; height: 191px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634539337052808098" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5byxk2vnnOI/TjHnrIn_Y6I/AAAAAAAAR1Y/GYs6jr6V9IA/s320/IMAG0554.jpg" /></a></div><div>At Big Bear lake, the girls were very excited to go fishing. They did not catch anything, but they had a great time!<br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tju0FpHU-cA/TjHnq4-TiXI/AAAAAAAAR1Q/vjtYRCAzpYo/s1600/IMAG0558.jpg"><img style="width: 191px; height: 320px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634539332851435890" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tju0FpHU-cA/TjHnq4-TiXI/AAAAAAAAR1Q/vjtYRCAzpYo/s320/IMAG0558.jpg" /></a></div><div>Ian just chilled in his stroller. See how his feet are sticking out? This is how he rides in the stroller. It's hilarious! <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-moYqAcFzCQs/TjHnquMR-_I/AAAAAAAAR1I/GLv9b7V_Hm0/s1600/IMAG0568.jpg"><img style="width: 191px; height: 320px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634539329957264370" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-moYqAcFzCQs/TjHnquMR-_I/AAAAAAAAR1I/GLv9b7V_Hm0/s320/IMAG0568.jpg" /></a></div><div>Mommy and Little Man. He loves the backpack!</div><div> </div><div>When we got home, I felt a little bit like I needed a vacation from my vacation, but it was fun.<br /></div><div></div></div>Kristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269526399455305996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3295321429388675376.post-85487397715368999322011-04-12T08:28:00.000-07:002011-04-12T08:44:38.964-07:00Prom!<div>Eric and I met just after we graduated high school. He graduated from high school in Panama, where his dad was stationed in the Marine Corps. In '97, just after graduation, his dad was stationed at Camp Pendleton, near Fallbrook where I grew up. As it turned out, many of the military families were in my ward in Fallbrook. The point is, Eric and I didn't start dating until 2001, therefore, we never attended a dance together. Last weekend, we got a second chance! Eric was called as the Stake Young Mens Secretary and was therefore very involved in the planning of the LDS Prom. He was asked to chaperone, and he asked me to accompany him (via e-mail)! hehe. Anyway, we had a lovely time. It made me feel a little old, and it made me miss "the good </div><div>'ol days" - in the sense that I love to dance, and used to go to all the dances as a young adult, then you get married, and BOOM, no more dancing. But, it also made me feel very grateful for where I am in my life. I'm so much more comfortable in my own skin now than I was in high school. I feel happier and more beautiful now than I ever have. So without further ado...here are our Prom pictures!</div><div> </div><div><a href="http://localhost:49459/26827664ed10ae78a617ff1d3d3a6b30/image/3d3e6bd94ade4de.jpg"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://localhost:49459/26827664ed10ae78a617ff1d3d3a6b30/image/3d3e6bd94ade4de.jpg?size=320" /></a> <a href="http://localhost:49459/26827664ed10ae78a617ff1d3d3a6b30/image/9f75927bff13b636.jpg"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://localhost:49459/26827664ed10ae78a617ff1d3d3a6b30/image/9f75927bff13b636.jpg?size=320" /></a> <img border="0" alt="" src="http://localhost:49459/26827664ed10ae78a617ff1d3d3a6b30/image/5efb946a0fbab6fd.jpg?size=320" /></div>Kristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269526399455305996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3295321429388675376.post-28773623296080582622011-04-10T21:46:00.000-07:002011-04-12T09:19:13.168-07:00Family Pictures<div>We had our family pictures taken by a sweet girl in our ward, Sarah (Check her out on Facebook, Sarah Leone Photography). She is currently attending college and planning to attend photography school. She gave me the gift of a photography session when Ian was born, so here are a few of the shots she took:</div><div> </div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-123OfU_51aI/TaR0avuq9UI/AAAAAAAARkA/tZqApEywn8k/s1600/_MG_4684.jpg"><img style="width: 256px; height: 320px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594724639938639170" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-123OfU_51aI/TaR0avuq9UI/AAAAAAAARkA/tZqApEywn8k/s320/_MG_4684.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tRLdks_sLwo/TaR0aOrvDeI/AAAAAAAARj4/v8B-PB73X1A/s1600/_MG_4664.jpg"><img style="width: 320px; height: 202px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594724631067954658" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tRLdks_sLwo/TaR0aOrvDeI/AAAAAAAARj4/v8B-PB73X1A/s320/_MG_4664.jpg" /></a></div><div>This one is my FAVORITE!<br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w4ZhZA8aJmE/TaR0Z8KPEOI/AAAAAAAARjw/AJpemT6Yp24/s1600/_MG_4683.jpg"><img style="width: 234px; height: 320px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594724626095608034" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w4ZhZA8aJmE/TaR0Z8KPEOI/AAAAAAAARjw/AJpemT6Yp24/s320/_MG_4683.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tVp3MWi9DVM/TaR0Zco-1hI/AAAAAAAARjo/kQ-FOWEtBv8/s1600/_MG_4634.jpg"><img style="width: 320px; height: 214px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594724617634633234" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tVp3MWi9DVM/TaR0Zco-1hI/AAAAAAAARjo/kQ-FOWEtBv8/s320/_MG_4634.jpg" /></a></div><div>I think I look a little chubbalicious in this one but I suppose that's just the way it goes after having a baby, eh?<br /></div><div><div>She also took the pictures on the right side of the blog, with the exception of Ian. I took that one myself! Anyway, Sarah did a great job and I'm sure she'll do great in photography school. </div><div> </div><div>To see more of the pictures I took of Ian, click <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/kmetler/IanApril2011#">https://picasaweb.google.com/kmetler/IanApril2011#</a></div><div> </div></div></div></div>Kristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269526399455305996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3295321429388675376.post-11928008564775696382011-04-10T21:28:00.000-07:002011-04-10T22:14:24.702-07:004 Months Old!<div>Ian is 4 months old today! I can't believe it! Time is flying by so fast. He is such a big boy - and eats a lot, so I was very excited to start giving him cereal. He was an absolute champ from the first spoonful! He wanted to keep grabbing at the spoon, but soon got the hang of it and kept his hands down. Here are some shots of my sweet boy:</div><div> </div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8MDPmy-LLFw/TaKEJfEmuCI/AAAAAAAARjA/flg6kU6ws9k/s1600/IMAG0113.jpg"><img style="width: 320px; height: 191px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594178985642080290" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8MDPmy-LLFw/TaKEJfEmuCI/AAAAAAAARjA/flg6kU6ws9k/s320/IMAG0113.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D0aFFXE9EDY/TaKEJFnOvfI/AAAAAAAARi4/nLnQ1UXniKs/s1600/IMAG0107.jpg"><img style="width: 320px; height: 191px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594178978807987698" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D0aFFXE9EDY/TaKEJFnOvfI/AAAAAAAARi4/nLnQ1UXniKs/s320/IMAG0107.jpg" /></a><br /><div>We've been "sleep-training" for the last couple weeks. He is doing a great job sleeping through the night. He sometimes still wakes around 3 a.m., but if I give him his pacifier he goes right back to sleep. Usually I can feed him around 10 or 11 pm and he'll sleep till about 6 am. Hopefully having cereal will contribute to good sleep! Love this little guy!</div></div></div>Kristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269526399455305996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3295321429388675376.post-8577543291547914802011-03-21T11:58:00.001-07:002011-03-21T12:19:45.832-07:00Welcome, Spring?!So why is it that the worst part of the storm always seems to hit just as you have to go out and pick your child up from school? Seriously, my alarm rings to tell me it's time to pick up Haylie, then a flash of lightning and a downpour of hail suddenly falls from the sky (and as soon as I pulled the car into the garage, it stopped). The hail was so loud hitting the roof of my car that I had to yell for Anna to hear me - and she was sitting right behind me! And the wind was blowing so hard that when I got out of the car to get Haylie, my pants got totally soaked. Anyway, I snapped some pictures with my phone as I was driving away from the school. <br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6aXedS5flN0/TYeiG8f6XnI/AAAAAAAARd8/-msHpjWv44U/s1600/IMAG0230.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 191px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586612102979280498" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6aXedS5flN0/TYeiG8f6XnI/AAAAAAAARd8/-msHpjWv44U/s320/IMAG0230.jpg" /></a><br />Hail piling up...<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SSSol4lke7Y/TYeiGTBU9NI/AAAAAAAARd0/gvdIXsbZWI4/s1600/IMAG0229.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 191px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586612091845145810" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SSSol4lke7Y/TYeiGTBU9NI/AAAAAAAARd0/gvdIXsbZWI4/s320/IMAG0229.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-32pBayJURx0/TYeiHOc2HFI/AAAAAAAAReE/sq6FnYKk6qE/s1600/IMAG0234.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 191px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586612107798256722" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-32pBayJURx0/TYeiHOc2HFI/AAAAAAAAReE/sq6FnYKk6qE/s320/IMAG0234.jpg" /></a><br />Anna has been asking me to make it snow for the last couple of days (cuz, you know, I'm all-powerful like that) - so I told her this was snow - it sure looks like it! <br /><br />Yesterday was the first day of Spring and we had record rainfall. It rained steadily all. day. long. Our backyard looks like a pond and there is still hail on our lawn about 45 minutes after the downpour. Brrr. Welcome Spring?!Kristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269526399455305996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3295321429388675376.post-10928366959625629462011-03-18T12:30:00.000-07:002011-03-18T12:40:04.478-07:00Hair Today, Gone TomorrowI've been growing my hair out for about 3 years now. It's never been this long before, and I love it. Well, I love the way it looks, but not the upkeep! I almost always have it up in a ponytail to keep it away from baby-grabby-hands, and when I have it in a ponytail, it gives me a headache cuz it is so heavy! So anyway, several months ago, I decided I was going to grow it long enough to donate to <a href="http://www.locksoflove.org/">Locks of Love</a>. It has to be 10 inches in a ponytail. Well, I reached my goal and finally booked my appointment. I've never been attached to my hair, but I gotta admit it was a little painful this time around after spending so long growing it out! But, it had to be done. So, here's the before shot:<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QTagcDyucIc/TYOza6tdfUI/AAAAAAAARdo/18KgQIXGne8/s1600/IMAG0193.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 191px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585505237887450434" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QTagcDyucIc/TYOza6tdfUI/AAAAAAAARdo/18KgQIXGne8/s320/IMAG0193.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />And after:<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7brCaWPEqxc/TYOza_ofV8I/AAAAAAAARdg/Dun4iCxtoPU/s1600/IMAG0194.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 191px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585505239208777666" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7brCaWPEqxc/TYOza_ofV8I/AAAAAAAARdg/Dun4iCxtoPU/s320/IMAG0194.jpg" /></a><br /><br />It feels soo unbelievably good to have all that hair gone! I hope some sweet child enjoys my hair. ;-)Kristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269526399455305996noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3295321429388675376.post-21477440398066056052011-02-27T20:11:00.001-08:002011-02-27T21:04:07.045-08:00Bittersweet<div>I suppose that this day is more sweet than bitter, but I just feel like this little dude is growing up way too fast! Here is a picture of Ian in his bassinet at 10 weeks. <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kP7FL7KHeBU/TWsiJUWGIBI/AAAAAAAARcc/cbc94UoDUUc/s1600/Ian.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 191px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578590106904043538" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kP7FL7KHeBU/TWsiJUWGIBI/AAAAAAAARcc/cbc94UoDUUc/s320/Ian.jpg" /></a> </div><div>He's too big! Granted, he usually sleeps with his legs curled up so technically he still fits, but as soon as he stretches out, he hits his head. Sooo, I figured it was time to put up the crib. We decided to put him in the girls' room and it is a little scrunched in there, but the girls are very happy to have him as a roommate.<br /></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W8_PD1CSzhE/TWsiJJEtBGI/AAAAAAAARcU/1bpNP5oLxDo/s1600/IMG_6629.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578590103878304866" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W8_PD1CSzhE/TWsiJJEtBGI/AAAAAAAARcU/1bpNP5oLxDo/s320/IMG_6629.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AOWrahZP5zg/TWsiI0J8k1I/AAAAAAAARcM/O7QtCgH1nWA/s1600/IMG_6633.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578590098263151442" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AOWrahZP5zg/TWsiI0J8k1I/AAAAAAAARcM/O7QtCgH1nWA/s320/IMG_6633.JPG" /></a><br />He's happy in his new bed<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FqBcoYJhkxo/TWsiIhyRRmI/AAAAAAAARcE/kSKLElol5c4/s1600/IMG_6634.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578590093332006498" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FqBcoYJhkxo/TWsiIhyRRmI/AAAAAAAARcE/kSKLElol5c4/s320/IMG_6634.JPG" /></a><br />My handsome little man<br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CjHcGx_0MLc/TWsiIReTc_I/AAAAAAAARb8/tBjMmY6mbPc/s1600/IMG_6635.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578590088953295858" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CjHcGx_0MLc/TWsiIReTc_I/AAAAAAAARb8/tBjMmY6mbPc/s320/IMG_6635.JPG" /></a><br />Finally, the boy actually looks tiny. ;-)</div><div> </div><div>Isn't that bedding adorable? It's from Ikea and I love it. And he did great for his first night in the crib - he only got up once at about 3 a.m. I love this little guy so much, and it is soo nice to have my bedroom back to normal, but I gotta admit I'm gonna miss having him close to me at night...</div><div> </div><div>PS...don't worry, I did not leave the pillow in his bed. I know that is a no-no. I just put it there for the pictures.</div></div></div></div>Kristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269526399455305996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3295321429388675376.post-79779894784823275622011-02-23T08:43:00.000-08:002011-02-23T10:32:11.939-08:00Ian's Blessing Day<div>We drove down to Fallbrook last Friday to bless Ian. Usually a baby blessing is done in the church meeting, but we have always done ours at Eric's parents' house. It is so much more intimate and special to us. My brother and his family were able to come and the kids got to play with their cousins. Ian is such a good baby, and we are so blessed to have him in our lives. </div><div> </div><div>Here are some pictures from the event. </div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tCIH6o1CA28/TWU6l7ahY-I/AAAAAAAARYQ/QpLcrhKTKS4/s1600/IMG_6606.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576928136846730210" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tCIH6o1CA28/TWU6l7ahY-I/AAAAAAAARYQ/QpLcrhKTKS4/s320/IMG_6606.JPG" /></a><br />My brother Jeff, Eric's brother Neal, Eric's Dad, Eric, Ian, my Dad, and the Bishop<br /></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vp57VS6rOIg/TWU6lv6qq4I/AAAAAAAARYI/7b9BnPKhoKQ/s1600/IMG_6613.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 240px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576928133760330626" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vp57VS6rOIg/TWU6lv6qq4I/AAAAAAAARYI/7b9BnPKhoKQ/s320/IMG_6613.JPG" /></a><br />Little Man folding his arms reverently<br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DORLE7gA3c8/TWU6lTbhyWI/AAAAAAAARYA/HGliwkVfL_c/s1600/IMG_6615.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 240px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576928126113532258" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DORLE7gA3c8/TWU6lTbhyWI/AAAAAAAARYA/HGliwkVfL_c/s320/IMG_6615.JPG" /></a><br />Big smiles...That's Eric's head in the corner...gonna need to photoshop that out...but Eric can always get this boy to smile.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t96UbzxcYfc/TWU6lAJ02jI/AAAAAAAARX4/MlyAMtm7HF4/s1600/IMG_6608.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576928120939010610" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t96UbzxcYfc/TWU6lAJ02jI/AAAAAAAARX4/MlyAMtm7HF4/s320/IMG_6608.JPG" /></a><br />The whole group. Notice my girls are the only ones not smiling? </div><div> </div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /> </div></div></div>Kristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269526399455305996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3295321429388675376.post-67769283306087585662011-02-02T13:01:00.000-08:002011-02-02T14:45:11.974-08:00Life With Three<div><div>If the frequency with which I have been blogging is any indication as to how I am doing with three children, well, you'll notice I haven't blogged since BEFORE the baby was born...things are much busier now. For example, it is about 1:00pm and this is how my day has gone: Haylie came in at 5:00am complaining that her ear hurt. Eric gave her Tylenol and she went back to bed. She came back in at 7am crying - her ear still hurt. I called the nurse line and begged for a phone appointment since I had my own doctors appointment at 9:45am that I could not miss. Then I called my neighbor to see if she could come sit with the girls during my appointment. At about 8:00am I was sorting through the kids medications looking for the kids' Tylenol. Something had spilled in the basket and all the medicines were sticky. As I was washing the sticky bottles, Anna grabbed the basket and took a bite out of an adult Tylenol tablet that had fallen to the bottom of the basket and had been soaked in whatever medication had spilled. I panicked and took her straight to the bathroom and stuck my finger down her throat to get her to throw it up - she wouldn't throw up but then I remembered the poison control number on my refirgerator. Called poison control, was assured that she was going to be just fine. (For the record, a 25 lb child can tolerate 2000mg (!) of adult Tylenol before you have to worry) Why didn't I call the poison control line before sticking my finger down her throat??? Well, she didn't seem to mind, she was actually laughing as I did it. Nice. Moving on...Doctor called at 9 am and thankfully agreed to give Haylie a prescription over the phone. Neighbor arrived at 9:15, I went to my appointment, then waited at the pharmacy for 2 prescriptions - fed Ian in the pharmacy while I waited. Returned home to find two happy girls hanging out with our sweet neighbor. THEN, Anna was playing with her Zhu Zhu Pet (a small hampster toy that rolls around on the hard floor and makes noises) - decided to lay down next to her Zhu Zhu Pet and got her hair caught in the wheels. I had to cut her hair to get it out.</div><div> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_erFwtHTWefE/TUncUEGaAhI/AAAAAAAARW0/I2_EGLnaSxM/s1600/IMG_6587.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569224651476435474" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_erFwtHTWefE/TUncUEGaAhI/AAAAAAAARW0/I2_EGLnaSxM/s320/IMG_6587.JPG" /></a></div><div> </div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_erFwtHTWefE/TUncUgysO7I/AAAAAAAARW8/De5qmf3YhfE/s1600/IMG_6590.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569224659178372018" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_erFwtHTWefE/TUncUgysO7I/AAAAAAAARW8/De5qmf3YhfE/s320/IMG_6590.JPG" /></a></div><div> </div><div>Then, just as I was beginning to write this post, Ian spit up all over me - I had to change my shirt AND my pants, AND scrub the couch. And somehow he only managed to get one little drop on himself. Needless to say, I am staying busy, but loving it. Oh, and I should mention that the little dude is just getting over RSV (Respiratory Syncitial Virus) as well. For a couple of days he was so congested that he could barely eat and couldn't sleep on his back, so I ended up sleeping sitting up with him on my chest. He came out of it pretty quickly and without incident, so I can't complain too much.</div><br /><div><div>My Zoloft is working great - I've had no signs of post-partum so far, thankfully. I'm tired and exhausted, but wouldn't trade it for anything. I am so blessed. </div></div></div>Kristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269526399455305996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3295321429388675376.post-87549158876790123802010-12-03T19:35:00.000-08:002010-12-03T19:40:37.263-08:0038 Weeks<div>It was not my intention to post this picture on my blog. But when I saw Anna in the shot, I just had to share. Originally, I had Eric take the picture to send to my sister-in-law - who was teeny tiny with both her pregnancies and just can't believe how huge my belly is. So anyway, after Eric took the picture I noticed that Anna had jumped in the shot and was sticking her little belly out as far as she could. </div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_erFwtHTWefE/TPm3bU04RAI/AAAAAAAARMg/-YAlpXz_RzY/s1600/IMG_6377.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 240px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546666096158327810" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_erFwtHTWefE/TPm3bU04RAI/AAAAAAAARMg/-YAlpXz_RzY/s320/IMG_6377.JPG" /></a><br />So there you have it, my huge belly at 38 weeks - and my little Anna Banana trying to be just like her mommy. :-)<br /><br />One week from today our little dude will be here!!! :-DKristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269526399455305996noreply@blogger.com0