Identity Theft

For the past 7 years I have been working in the Primary for my church. When I was first called to the Primary by my bishop in Provo, I was a little apprehensive. He said, "I think you will be perfect, because you are a kid at heart." It was a growing experience, but I enjoyed those two sweet little sunbeams. We moved and changed wards twice since then and both times I ended up in Primary within 2 weeks of moving in. I love primary. I love the simple lessons and the music. I love the sweet spirits of the children, I love their innocence and their willingness to learn. I think kids are hilarious and just so honest. I love that you are a celebrity when you walk down the halls of church...all the kids say hi or wave.

This Sunday I was released from my calling in Primary. I was heart broken. I couldn't stop crying through sacrament meeting and on my way home. I will miss the kids so much. I know that change is important and I really do feel like I am supposed to be in my new calling (relief society meeting leader), but it doesn't make it any easier. Primary has been part of my identity for the last 7 years. I am in mourning and needed to share. Also to any of my friends that are currently serving in primary: If you need a sub, feel free to call me!!

On a happier note, Charlotte got to meet Santa.

Big fail??

I just told Rich that I should update the blog and this is the conversation we had:

Me: I should update the blog

Rich: Yeah, you should. Baby pattern baldness was a big fail.

Me: oh really?

Rich: Yeah, you only got 2 comments

Me: hmm (I was chuckling that he was feeling like I had failed by not getting comments...I mean don't get me wrong I also like comments, but "Fail"? It just seems a little melodramatic)

Rich: I am not trying to make you feel bad, but there are a lot more cute pictures of Charlotte that you could post. People would rather see her cute face than her balding pate.

I guess I ought to update with cute pictures then.

Grandma came to visit. It was a quick visit, but we enjoyed it:

Thanksgiving was yummy:

Charbaby loved swimming with daddy and Doodoo and spending time with Nana:

Charlotte is cute:

This baby shower at our house was fun and Charlotte thought it was tiring:

Rich got puked on. He asked for a rag and I grabbed the camera:

Story from work/me ranting about things that annoy me: The other day I got a message from an 18 year old patient that said, "Needs birth control refilled. She is away for school and can't come in for an appointment" There was a sticky note on the chart that said, "Patient's mother called back 3 minutes after the patient called and said, 'Unless Julia (my coworker that was out that day) wants to take care of a baby she BETTER fill my daughter's birth control pills." This totally annoyed me. First of all, this girl hadn't been in for her appointment and I am SURE she was home all summer and waited until she was away to get this message in. But more importantly, I am shocked that the mother feels that it is OUR responsibility to prevent her daughter from getting pregnant. Seriously?!?! How about a little self control people.

Baby Pattern Baldness

This is male pattern baldness:

This is baby pattern baldness:

Halloween costumes

I have a love/hate relationship with halloween costumes. When I was growing up my mom would ask me what I wanted to be for halloween and I would have these grand plans in my head. For example in 3rd grade I wanted to be a genie (I Dream of Genie style) I had this vision of me actually looking EXACTLY like the girl from show. Then my mom broke the news that I would be too cold and immodest in the midriff-bearing outfit, but she could make a skin colored long sleeve shirt to go under it. I was so stubborn and didn't want a flesh colored shirt underneath. I cried, whined and pouted for 2 months in the hopes that she might change her mind and just let me be cold/hott (yes, hott with two T's. Showing your belly button always equals hott to a 3rd grader) on halloween. Then finally the day of our school party hit and reality set in...I really wan't going to transform into the genie and my mom wasn't budging. I rummaged around the house and decided to be "somebody who just woke up." I donned my bathrobe, slippers, ratted my hair into a fresh bed-head look and headed out. I was warm, but not hott. I still got candy so it wasn't a total bust.

Our first year here in Richmond we went to the ward party. Rich had a costume...I did not(I felt lame). We got to the party and saw all these great costumes and I realized the next time we would have to step it up a notch.

The next year I started brainstorming BEFORE the day of the party.

A few months before halloween I was listening to the TV in the other room and heard an eHarmony commercial. The idea came that we should be an eHarmony couple that didn't match with the posted profiles. Later that week I asked what he would think of shaving his head for the costume. It took him a total of three seconds to declare it "epic" and be on board. It was pretty epic...and quite honestly it freaked me out that this might be my future.

The next year we decided on H1N1 and then Rich caught H1N1.

So last year in July we came up with an awesome idea for halloween. It was 3rd grade all over again. We wanted to go as a mom with her baby in the baby bjorn. We couldn't figure out the physics of making me taller than Rich (the show Happy Endings managed it and I was pretty jealous).

We thought about him carrying me on his back all night, but we didn't know if that would work out. Anyway, last minute we had to scrap that idea and go with the Justin Beiber thing.

This year we decided in July to be the Charlotte's Web crew. I decided to become domesticated. I pulled out my sewing machine. My mom brought me this machine 4 years ago and she has showed me how to thread the bobbin 3 times. Despite her help, I was way too scared of it and had not ever used it. Finally this summer I googled it and figured it out. I was pretty proud of myself..

This year I was HATING the costume when I was finishing it at 1am but I loved how cute Charlotte looked the next day. We love our little Charlotte spider.

Grateful

I have to be honest. I am feeling pretty overwhelmed with life right now. There is so much to do with preparations for the primary program and the church halloween party/service project that the primary was put in charge of and full time work and a beautiful baby girl that deserves tons and tons of kisses and keeping my house from totally falling into chaos and laundry and dinner and trying to keep up with exercise and relationships with friends and...and...and..blah blah blah blah blah. The list goes on.

This morning I heard the sad news that my friend's little sister passed away and I have another friend that started out her week by getting a double mastectomy for breast cancer that will require chemo.

As I was driving home from church I was feeling a little sorry for myself and I thought of these two amazing ladies and how they must be feeling on this Sunday. I had the epiphany that I have so much to be grateful for. I composed a post in my head where I would post pictures of all the things I'm thankful for in my life (that is not going to happen...too much time and too many more important things that need to be done).

The point is:

1) I have so many things to be thankful for

2) To my friends who are suffering right now, I am praying for you.

A couple of pics for my family!!

We survived

I went back to work full time on Monday. Let me just say Monday morning was so very emotional. Mostly for me! Monday night we crashed.

Say what?

I am working on the primary program for church again this year. I decided to switch it up this year. Typically I send home a topic and ask the parents to help the children write their own parts and ask that they send back their response in their own words. Well I found that I was becoming obnoxious with emails begging for responses. SO this year I gave each class a list of questions and asked for the kids to answer them during class. I loved the responses. Some of them were very touching (I tried to include them in the program) and others were just so funny. I had to share them here.

My favorite primary responses:

What does it mean to dress modestly? Wear a sweater –Girl, Age 6

What does it mean to dress modestly? Wear a moustache. Boy age 6

What is the word of wisdom? No mud, alcohol, drugs, chairs Boy age 6

Share an experience of how the Holy Ghost helped you: sum boy waes talking not goob and the Holy Ghost told me to leave. Girl age 7

Tell about your baptism. How did you feel that day? Awesome Boy age 8

What does it mean to dress modestly? Not put tattos

What helps you to know and decide which book, Tv programs, movies and music are good and wholesome? Read the title Girl age 6

What helps you to know and decide which books, Tv programs, movies, and music are good and wholesome? Samuel the Lamanite Girl Age 6

What does it mean to dress modestly? Like in clothes, sort of in the fall wear clothes that are kind of fashionable like your going to the temple or a party. Boy age 6

What is something you will do to keep the word of wisdom? Drink Milk Boy, Age 6

What is the word of wisdom? I know what it is, but cannot describe it very well. Boy, age 6

What helps you to know and decide which books, tV programs, movies, and music are good and wholesome? My dad chooses out the movies and he usually says that books are ok. We don’t usually watch TV Shows.

What are some ways you can show kindness to your friends? Be nice to them, start over on Zelda. Boy Age 4

What do you do or think about during the sacrament? Games; like church games Boy age 4

What are some things you can do to show love and respect for others? You marry; and be quite in class. Boy Age 4

I am trying to be like Jesus by: Cleaning the house ever Saturday. Girl Age 4

Can you tell about a prayer that you have had answered? I prayed for a toy- a helicopter truck, and I got it for Christmas. Boy age 6

Share a story about someone who prayed in the scriptures: Nephi- I don’t read the scriptures very much I read other books. Boy age 6

Can you tell about a prayer that you have had answered? I haven’t had a prayer that has been answered. Boy age 6

Can you tell about a prayer that you have had answered. At the hurricane I was having a nap and the thunder scared me. I prayed and Heavenly Father Helped me to not be scared. One time on the way home from swimming lessons it was raining really hard and we couldn’t see where we were going. We prayed and Heavenly Father made it stop. Girl age 6

What are some things you can thank Heavenly Father for? For going to a carnival at St. Mary’s Hospital yesterday. My family and my house. Boy age 6

What are some of the things you might ask Heavenly Father for? To not be sick so I can go outside and play and play Xbox. Boy age 6

How has the temple blessed your family? It’s made my mom and dad be sealed together and so they could have us. The same child was then asked: what does it mean to be sealed to your family in the temple? I don’t really know what it means. Boy age 5

What is something that you do to follow the Prophet? I help my brother when he needs my help. Girl age 5

Where does a mission call come from? The prophet (or Heavily Father)

Share a missionary story from the scriptures? The docter and covenants

Share a story of a time when you were protected by following the prophet: Someone pushed me out of my house when it was really windy, but my dad helped me back inside. Girl age 5

What is something that you do to follow the Prophet? Read scriptures- sometimes cause I don’t know how to read. Boy age 5

Where can we hear and read the words of our Prophet today? Be kind and be nice Girl age 5

Share your testimony of our modern day prophet, Thomas S. Monson: We can share. Girl age 5

Where does a mission call come from? The mail Girl age 8