Merry Christmas

Buttermilk Biscuits

Do you remember the Sir Mix-a-Lot era? You know, "I like big butts and I cannot lie!" Well, I think I was in about 5th grade when that was popular. I think I even had their tape because I have that song, and their less famous song "Buttermilk Biscuits" memorized (to this day!) Anyway, the other day I opened a package of yes, buttermilk biscuits, and I started singing the song. Makaylee thought it was funny and made me sing it like 10 times in a row, and then she had it memorized. Now it is one of her favorite songs to sing, and I obviously think it is hilarious! 3-year-olds are so much fun!

In case you are curious about the actual lyrics: print version

Rowen's Rolls

Oh, I just love my chubby baby! I could just kiss his cute little fat rolls all day long! (Don't you wish fat rolls were still cute, even when you grow up!) Chubby legs!
Chubby arms!
Chubby Cheeks!

I think this kid consumes like 1000 calories a day! Because, man, can I eat! Sometimes Terry looks at my massive portions of food and says, "Enjoy it now, while you can!" I am seriously always hungry, and somehow I've still managed to lose my baby weight, plus some! I think I may nurse this kid until he is like 5 years old!

Milk Connoisseur

I don't think I have mentioned before that Rowen has allergies. He had blood in his diapers when he was about 1 month old, and the Dr. told me to try a dairy free diet! It was really hard at first, because I am a dairy lover! But it worked (for a while.) I switched to soy milk, soy yogurt, and soy ice cream. I got used to the taste, even liked it a little. Then Terry gave him some soy formula one night while I was at work. I got home about a half hour after he had finished it, and he was being fussy. A few minutes later he had projectile vomiting that literally hit the wall across from us! After that, the blood in his stool reappeared! I went back to the Dr. and she suggested I cut out all dairy AND soy! So, then I switched to Rice milk. However, the last sip of rice milk has so much chalky-grain in it that you practically have to chew it! GROSS! So, last week I tried Almond milk, it was my last resort, because it sounded icky. But guess what? It is the closest to milk that I have tried! It's smooth and creamy! Terry even agrees! It's a little expensive, about $2.85 for 1/4 gallon, but I think its worth it. I guess you could call me the milk substitute connoisseur

A New Perspective

I recently learned about one of Terry's acquaintances from high school. She has cancer, and a husband, and 3 little boys, and one awesome blog. The first night that I opened it, I could not stop reading, and bawling, and reading for several hours until I got through it. I ripped off this next quote directly from her blog :

"The lesson in Young Womens today was on how we spend our time. Time means so much to me now. Its not like money that can be bought and saved. Its a gift that has to be spent every second. It will all have to be accounted for. Where do we splurge?

I don't want to spend any of my precious time on anger, judgment, or envy. I don't want to spend it on keeping up with the Jones'. I don't want to spend too much of it in front of the TV. I don't want to spend it worrying. I don't want to spend it yelling at my kids. I don't want to spend it alone."

Wow! Can I just say that reading this was an Ah-ha moment for me! She is so positive, and inspiring to me. It has really given me a new perspective! To not take anything for granted, even the little, mundane things we do day-to-day as moms.

New job for Terry!

Congratulations to Terry! He got a new job at Stampin up! He will be the Human Resources Benefits Specialist! He has wanted to get into the HR field for a while now, and I am so proud of him. Stampin Up is a gigantic scrapbook chain, and they have a humongous building like 5 minutes from our home in Riverton! I will have access to huge discounts on scrapbook stuff too, so this move will also benefit me!



Terry's last day at Aetna was today. I came in with the kids, so he could show them off one last time. Every one there was kind, as always. They gave Terry a journal that many people had signed. Almost all of them mentioned what a good example Terry is, what good ethics he has, and that he is always kind to everyone. I am so proud of him, he really knows how to walk-the-walk, and talk-the-talk. He really is so genuinely kind, and has such good integrity. I am happy that other people recognize that in him also!

Grandma Joye

A few weeks ago my Grandma called me and told me that she felt some sudden tenderness and swelling in her neck. I told her to go the the Emergency Room, because I thought it was a blood clot. The Radiologist diagnosed her with a blood clot in her jugular vein, and they placed her on blood thinners. She had to give herself shots in her belly for a week! Well, a few days ago she felt like the blood clot moved, so she went back to the Dr. He did another ultrasound and told her that she never had a blood clot, but that she has a mass in her neck around her thyroid! She had a biopsy done on Wednesday, and she just called to tell me that it is Cancer. It is follicular carcinoma of the thyroid. She is still recovering from shoulder replacement surgery a few months ago, and the whole surgery and hospital thing did not go so well for her then! For one thing the heart monitor flat lined during surgery, and they gave her CPR until someone bumped into the monitor, and her heart beat magically returned! (She had not really flat lined, but the heart monitor malfunctioned!) She had a sore sternum for a few weeks!!

I am really concerned about her health, because she is almost 80! But she is so positive, she never ceases to amaze me. She told me that she was in the temple a few days ago, and that she feels really peaceful about it. She thinks everything will go well, and be okay. I am going to try to send her positive thoughts and prayers too. I can be a pessimist at times when it comes to health. Because I am a nurse, I look things up in my big medical books, and I look at worse case scenarios. One of my new favorite quotes is "Whether you think you can do something, or whether you think you can't, you are always right." My Grandma always thinks that she CAN, which is why she is so blessed, and active at her age!

Grandma Joye holding Rowen in the hospital

Dear Rowen:

Mommy kisses you and squeezes you tight
and graciously feeds you all through the night.

Daddy lifts you high, and calls you a stud,
and we can all see that you're his little bud.

Makaylee hugs you and treats you so well
seeing her innate kindness makes my heart swell.