Tis' the Season

Presents are purchased

Cards are out(... about 185 of them!)

Neighbor gifts, teacher gifts, kids friend gifts, etc are delivered

Tree is up and decorated

Parties have been hosted and attended

Check, check check...

To do...

Wrap

Bake

Cook

Enjoy

Of how they fly!

This week we celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary. Crazy to think about the last five years, where they have gone, what we have done... so here is a wrap up counting down...

Dec 1st 2002- I am working, flying around somewhere. Dating an average guy with an exceptional family. Thinking this might be great, I adore his family... him... well, jets just say it's good that all ended!

Dec 1st 2003- Doug and I are just "hanging out." He is moving to Toronto to work on a film and I am thinking, "Well, that's good, now I don't have to let him down because CLEARLY, he is not the man of my dreams!"

Dec 1st 2004-We spend the day at the Salt Lake Temple tying the knot, in the most frigid weather possible. The ceremony is PERFECT. The pictures, etc after... well, let's skip that. Yet, three days later, our reception is PERFECT!

Dec 1st 2005-We are living in our new home in Lehi, I am 3 months pregnant with our first little bumpkin, Toria. We spend the weekend in a lodge outside of Heber-lovely place.

Dec 1st 2006-Still in Lehi( we love it!) Anniversary at our "honeymoon inn." We enjoy our first holiday with our baby girl, and lots of family who come to visit.

Dec 1st 2007-I am 6 months pregnant with Baby #2, Rome. We take a very difficult trip(for me that is) to Vegas for the weekend-leaving our poor little gal with my Mom. She feels completely abandoned... scarred forever. Not so much.

Dec 1st 2008-Rome is 8 months old, Toria is 2 and we our on our"one night close to home" anniversary. Since every other year I am nursing! So off to the "anniversary inn."

Dec 1st 2009-Baby #3 is 4 months from arriving. We have a relaxing day getting massages, having a quiet lunch, and finally pedicures.

Five years, almost 3 babies, a house and lots more in between... next thing I know I will turn around and it will be 25!

Make my day... or month!

Again, a greatly tardy post. We have been on a trip to he lovely and warm state of AZ... a post on that to follow. No internet access... excuses, excuses. Moving on...

About three weeks ago, on a lovely Sunday afternoon. I was chatting with a friend after a meeting. Let me start this story with a description of this friend. First of all, she is gorgeous, tiny, stylish and always, ALWAYS looks perfectly put together. Add to that that she has beautiful kids that also are as put together as she. And top it off, most importantly, that she exudes a calm and confident demeanor, she has a radiant countenance, is knowledgeable in things spiritual and temporal, is well educated and pretty much is the kind of gal I look at think... now that is someone who has it together! She is so classy and I find it hard to even imagine her cleaning a toilet or mopping a floor- not that she is not a hard worker, but you know those people just seem above such menial labor that pretty much surrounds my day. She is someone I admire greatly and think is pretty much the cream of the crop.

Well, now that you have an idea of who this is coming from... she basically threw me for a loop and gave me about the best compliment one can get, especially form someone like her. She told me, in a much more eloquent way, that she thought I was amazing and great. I know this seems like a funny post, but I just had to let this said sister know that, it was one of the best compliments I have ever had. So.. to you... Thanks!

You just never know what others think...

Boys will be boys

And this is how our Friday went... little boys heads and square banisters do not mix well.

At least 2 hours in the ER, being strapped to a pappose board, and getting 4 lovely stitches did not dampen his spirits too much. Although, this picture was taken about 8 hours later.

Illiterate and tired

I am working on getting the ever anticipated "rest of summer" updates up. But, much to my dismay, my dear hubby(whom is the master of this lovely computer) has done some tampering or something with the shortcut he so kindly created for me to shrink down my photos for your viewing pleasure. And since I am far from the master of this machine, I am at a standstill until he is home from work long enough for me to mention this to him. Yes, he is working LOTS these days. I am not a fan. The other day he arrived at our abode at 11 pm- yes I said ELEVEN! I am going to have to call up those general authorities and give them a piece of my mind... what kind of slave drivers are they?

As a side note, does every Mom out there have "getting their 3 year old to go to bed" problems? Or am I just miserably failing in that aspect of my parenting? I swear I have tried everything... but am very open for suggestions. I am talking sitting in her room for 2 hours singing and doing everything she can to not fall asleep. Pretty much, just driving me crazy. If I would sleep in her room with her(which I have done) she falls right asleep. But, alone... it's the ninety minute wind down. HELP!

Toria's big "3"

On a hot and windy day in July, we celebrated our little gal's third birthday. All She wanted was a circus/elephant party. So... that's what she got. I attempted to turn our backyard in to a "greatest show on earth." We had our deck turned into a circus tent(note the "windy" previously stated, not so helpful in keeping that tent together). A clown, "Bubbles",  who provided the face painting/magic show/balloon animals entertainment. We had two amazing cakes(thanks Aubri!!!) 1)an elephant and 2) a circus tent. We had a pink elephant pinata, make your own clown hat, circus coloring pages... and well, that's about it. The only request that I could not make happen for my ever so easy to please tyke was an elephant ride. Yes, just a small request. But, alas, there are no elephants for rent in Utah. In fact, there are no elephant rides, that I could find, anywhere except for India. A little too far and too exotic of a trek for the time being. Still, she was thrilled with everything. Especially the elephant cake. I think she only stood staring at it for about 15 minutes.

Excuses, Excuses!

I admit it. I am a pathetic, finicky, non-consistent blogger! I know all of you(all 3 of you that read this) are just dying to hear updates of my amazingly exciting life. I really only have 2 reasons(ok... excuses) for my absence, here goes.

1) When I get behind, I think of all the time it will take to catch up. Hence the reason that my scrap booking effort has not been completed past my freshman year of college(and never will! I have written off that dreaded means of torture and guilt forever. I'll save my soap box on that one for another post.)

2) Baby #3 is on the way and I have been feeling, how shall I put it, less than stellar. Now there are many of you that I cannot hold a candle to. I'm not saying this is a good excuse. I am not throwing up 14 times a day, I am not bedridden, or anything of the like. But the daily nausea/vomiting/exhaustion/etc. have taken a bit of wind from my sails. 

But, nonetheless, back on the bandwagon I am! I will post about my firstborn's 3rd birthday(only 2 1/2 months late), my son's biting tendencies, and more! 

I hear the faint cheers of my 3 followers!

Goin' to the chapel

My daughter has a bit of an obsession. She is infatuated with everything involved in, thought about, or pertaining to being married/a wedding. In church, she bears her testimony... "I will get married in the temple." She sees a bride, on t.v., in a picture, anywhere... "Mommy, she is married, is she married in the temple, who is she married to...???" She sees any type of bouquet of flowers... "When I get married, I will have flowers, are those my married flowers?" 

And always this one:

T: Mommy, I will get married

Me: You can't get married until you are bigger, a grown up.

T: I will just get little married now.

The latest on this string is her absolute certainty that she will marry Rome. She asks/tells him: "Rome, will will you marry me." "Mommy, Rome and I will get married and he will put a veil on my head, and I will have beautiful flowers and a beautiful dress and we will be married." (Because we all know that marriage is ALL ABOUT a swanky dress, nice flowers, and the veil. Nothing more too it than that. Right?!) She then proceeds to make him dance with her and continues to tell him that they are married now. I try to inform her that in not so many years the idea of marrying your brother will not only sound unappealing, but downright gross. Nope, she's set. He is THE ONE. Well, at least I know I will like the in-laws!

Lessons from a three year old

I shared this little tidbit with some friends the the other night:

ME: (something along the lines of...) Toria, that was a very bad choice and it makes me sad                  when you do that(pathetically, I don't even remember what it was that she did!)

TORIA: well, Heavenly Father loves me even when I make bad choices.

Howe do you respond to that one? Other than agreeing and being so glad that she knows this. One of the said friends responded with reminding me of the fact that this is so great that she knows this and how fantastic it will be if she can carry this with her thru her life. (Thanks, said friend.) And I thought about this so much. How great is this that she knows that she has someone that no matter what, will always love her. How much better would we all be if we REALLY knew that and REALLY believed this with all our hearts? I don't know about you all, but I have a feeling that most of us are much harder on ourselves than ANYONE else would even think about being. If we treated our friends like we treat ourselves sometimes, we wouldn't have many friends! Thus(I love that word), let's just give ourselves a little break and remember who loves us. 

The simple joys.

It doesn't take much to keep our little fam happy... 

A little rock band with Dad:

A little quality time:

Any, I repeat ANY "movement oriented" anything for the little guy(watch out neighborhood kids, he will climb on and claim any of these he sees):

Some little "fruits" of our garden:

The best things in life.

Rainy summer days

Where oh where can that little sun be, oh where oh where can he be? I am R-E-A-D-Y for it to be full fledged cook an egg on the sidewalk, get in a boiling car, socks-no-more, sunscreen necessity kinda weather. 

No more rain, at least for a bit. It's time for the kiddie pool to be a permanent fixture in my yard! 

But... in the meantime... in my (no so present, I will get on to that one later) free time, we have done some of this....

And LOTS of this... ( am I the only one whose child has a CONSTANT runny nose?!?!)
But mostly this month I have been cherishing, aching for, and relishing the time I have with my kids and husband. See, I have decided to put myself thru... well there is no other word for it... hell. Sparing the gory details of the matter, I am almost done with a VERY, VERY long work training. Most days I wonder if I will make it to the end. My Mom(the amazing!) has been watching them valiantly, and although my kids adore her in every which way, I know that it has been a stressing month on them, My hubby, my Mom and yours truly. As if I didn't want to squeeze the munchkins at every second before, I now hold and cuddle them till they wrangle themselves from my iron grasp and will not take another moment of my affection. And add to that the fact that the Mr. has had to step up the responsibilities at home, which he has done humbly and beautifully. (He's not doing the cleaning, but dang it, he has provided the means to have someone come in and do so!) And add the fact that I am completely neglecting my calling(fellow Presidency... my deepest and most heartfelt apologies... I promise double time soon!) The end is near. We can, we will make it. Underutilized Mom, signing off.

Bubble Blowing Skirt and Top GIVEAWAY!!!!

Bubble Blowing Skirt and Top GIVEAWAY!!!!

Vintage Wedding Refashioned Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Vintage Wedding Refashioned Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

The Joys of Motherhood

So, last weekend my two little kidlets were both sick. Toria=sinus infection, Rome=ear infection. Which equals lots of antibiotics. Toria seemed to be pepping right up, she was even playing outside as I put the final touches on my garden this year( I am late, I know.) After a fun filled morning of hauling topsoil/compost/peat moss, planting, and lots of sunny-filled weather, the kids and I headed off to the local nursery to try and scour up some strawberry plants(again, late, I know!) They both fall asleep in the car, my favorite! But, we arrive and I have to wake them up, not my favorite! As we are walking into the nursery, Toria says,"Mommy, my throat hurts." I don't think much of it. I am carrying Rome and trying to make a quick trip of this outing when I kneel doen to check on Toria and... she begins to projectile vomit all over me, herself, her clothes... EVERYTHING! We are not talkin' a little but of puke here my friends, this id full fledged "Stand By Me-Pie Eating Contest Puke." It's one of those moments that seems like it lasts for about 10 minutes but is really about 12 seconds. Meanwhile, rome is crying, Toria is devastated, she starts apologizing, "Mommy, I'm sorry I spit on you!" I don't know where a bathroom is, I don't know what to do with Rome, I don't know how I am going to get myself home before the stench begins. Finally, a sweet angel-of-a-gal directs me to the bathroom, bring me heavy duty towels, holds Rome, and is as kind as can be as I strip Toria down to her skivvies(I would have done the same, but for some reason it's only appropriate for the 3 and under crowd) and attempt to rinse us all off as best as can be done. We proceed homeward and luckily make it before the foul odor gets to me, and my poor sweet girl just kept pleading for us to go back and get the strawberries. We did make that trip again the next day. Am I brave or stupid?!?! 

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...

It's here, it's really here! Warm weather, kids playing in the streets, sprinklers at full throttle. All signs that my time of year is now in session! I love, truly LOVE our neighborhood. I love that kids knock on the door every day to ask if Toria can play, I love that I can walk to at least 8 houses on my street and ask to borrow a cup of sugar, I love that we can call our neighbors our friends. So... this summer is one to be excited for! Toria has (FINALLY!) learned how to ride her trike. Rome will(cross my fingers) be walking sometime in the not so distant future. And all is well in the Stewart realm... I wish such a fine summer for all! 

Happy Belated Birthday Rome!

My adorable, angelic, mischievous, always hungry, cuddly, little boy turned one!!  So, we (well, I) went for the army themed party, since really... what does a one year old have a preference for? He loved his cake, as he does anything that is edible. He is seriously the best baby and has reiterated that each child has his own unique personality. He is crawling like a speed racer and is just waiting for the courage to let go of whatever he is holding on to and take off a walkin'! He finds himself quite funny and his favorite jungle gym to crawl on is me. He loves, adores, and fears his sister... smartly so, as is is always a mystery if he is going to be loved on (85% of the time) or tackled down/grabbed/whacked(15%). He has completely solidified that fact that I want heaps more kids, ok, two more really. Happy Birthday my my sweet BUBBS!

Simple Skirts GIVEAWAY!!!!

Simple Skirts GIVEAWAY!!!!

On my mind

Lots on my mind the past few weeks. I have been away from civilization, in a remote sub-saharan desert... ok, not really, but in Taiwan, and away from internet access. 

So, I have been thinking a lot about my life. And, seriously, I wonder how I have been able to get off so easy. I see so many around me struggling with major, MAJOR things. Almost all brought on not because of poor choices, bad planning, or any fault of their own. I am starting to think I need to be really ready for some major tsunami to come charging in. 

A friend of mine just lost her baby at 21 weeks. As I heard of the news I just cried and cried. It was her first pregnancy, so anticipated and hoped for. I cried for her. For her husband. For her baby. For my babies. For the babies I hope to have in the future. It made me so very sad. And I know that His plan is much better and wiser then ours. And I know that His purposes are perfect and right. But still, I cried. I cried because I can't imagine carrying a precious life, having to deliver the body that housed that life, and coming home with nothing. Nothing to hold. Nothing to swaddle. Nothing to dote upon all the love that was building. Coming home to a quiet home, when you really wanted sleepless nights, soft coos and even loud cries. Because those things mean life. Those things mean a baby.

I am one of those weird people that reads the obituaries every day. I am always drawn especially to those that I think should not be on those pages. The young, the healthy. I don't know why I read these. Maybe because I have had more than I would like of young death in my life. My sister, my Dad, my friends. And even having had these losses, I cannot imagine the sadness and emptiness of losing a child. I hope and pray(literally!) daily that I can have my children protected. Don't we all? Not that I am more deserving, or more needing of this blessing than any other parent in the world. I think of the mothers in poor or third world nations where their children are dying is expected and "normal." How do they go on? I can't even begin to understand their plight. How is it that I am able to be here, in this country, in the place that I am where health care is so easily accessed and expected. I suppose that they are much stronger women than I. Much more capable to handle these trials. All I know is that i am grateful to be where I am. 

It has been on my mind. Checking out for the night.

Wabbits and eggs

Our Easter was a nice one. Simple. Off to church in the morning, then dinner and egg hunt at Maka's(translation: Toria's name for my mom). I did itty bitty baskets for the kids, no need for a two or one year old to have tons of sugar, right? It was such a nice relaxing day-truly how I feel the holiday should be. And we were celebrating two things...Easter and Rome's birthday(birthday post to follow...) Now on this day, and so many other our two little munchkins are in to one thing and one thing alone...

 

For Rome it's

FOOD! 

Don't mind the girly bib, it's the only one at Maka's house.

For Toria it's

ELEPHANTS!

Maka(aka Easter bunny) found these animal eggs. And of course Toria walked around all day holding the elephant ones.

Some days feel like this... I don't like it. This too shall pass...

Paper Crane Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Paper Crane Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Summer of 69 Thrift Store Refashion Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Summer of 69 Thrift Store Refashion Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Modern Pirate Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Modern Pirate Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

What's in a name?

My dear little Toria has taken upon herself quite the unique name these days. I must, I repeat must, state her name as "baby elephant" in all requests, questions, and statements. 

"Can you please put your toys away?"

"Can you say 'baby elephant, can you please put your toys away?' "

"Baby elephant, can you put your toys away?"

"Of course"

"Let's get in the car."

"Can you say' let's get in the car baby elephant?' "

"Let's get in the car baby elephant"

"ok"

Incidentally, I have now said the words "baby elephant" about 973 times in the last three days... let's hope this is a short lived phase.

To save or not to save...

So, it's almost eleven at night and I continue my bleary eyed search for added discounts for my online ordering. Why oh why do I feel like it is worth it to spend an hour to save $4 on my gap.com order? Why do I feel so much more justified in buying Toria adorable little dresses and shoes if I can get a mere 10% more off? I just am a penny pincher to the core. I don't know where this came from... before the days of wedded bliss, I would shop to my little hearts content on fab accessories, clothes, and lest we not forget shoes, without a thought of the price. (Ok, a thought, but a passing one) Now, I have completely embraced the bargain hunting mentality. Wether it is sassy heels or spaghetti sauce I must save as much as I can. If you need a discount code, a coupon idea, or the best price on that great clutch. Look no further my friends... I am only a phone call(or e-mail) away. And the happily ever after to this story is that my little plum did get the delightful red dress, but not the snazzy red pumps. I waited too long and now her size has vanished. Maybe, if I am lucky, they will have them in the store... the quest continues...

Nails on a Chalkboard

Quick post, it's late and two nights a a sleepless toddler are wearing on me. I gave a little class yesterday and in the program I was referred to as "Becky" Stewart. Ok, so not to be witchy here, but who takes it upon themselves to assume one's nickname? Don't get me wrong, I am sure the dear sister who typed it up(or PC'ed or MAC'ed I know, no one types things up anymore) just figured that was what I went by. Well, I DON'T! And I don't ever want to. No offense to the name "Becky", but I imagine a dirty faced five year old with red pigtails when I hear that name. It truly is not me, not that I wasn't a dirty faced five year old at one point, but now... it's just not me. Sorry for the rambling, just had to vent for a second. I am off to sweet dreamland... hopefully I will be resting my peepers for more than 2 hours tonight!

Me!Me!Me!

I sit here reviewing my blog and realizing that about 99.9% of my posts are about or involving my kids. Not that this is a bad thing, but dang it, it's MY blog and should have a bit more chapter and verse about MY thoughts, MY ideas, MY life, and MY feelings. I think I got into this offspring whirlwind because, when I think of what defines me, I think of my family. Now, mind you, my little tadpoles are adorable(in my opinion), funny, and fantastic... BUT there is more to me than being just "Mom." So, one of my resolutions this year is to allow my blog to be more journal-esque(I know it's not a real word, but I like it!) And since we are on this "bettering" road... here are the ones I am working on for good 'ole 2009.

Take time to breathe, stop worrying about so much and take a chill pill. I would have to say that about 360 days a year I am on "GO" mode. I wake up and from the first morning breath to the lying down of my head I try to get as much done in my "ever so effective" style of multi-taking as I can. I always want my home to be spotless, My kids to be played with, taken to enriching/educational/fun/fantastic activities, my meals to be fabulous/heathy/impressive(and goodness forbid that I do not introduce a new recipe to my family at least once a week!) I am picking up toys, filing papers, sewing halloween costumes, visiting sick friends, planning parties, attempting to beautify my little house(gosh I wish I knew how to make my space=what I want it to look like), work out(why, oh why was I not born with Heidi Klum's body? or something even somewhat resembling it?) etc., etc. , etc!!! Whew! I feel tired just talking about it. I am trying to(this is REALLY hard for me) realize that I will never be Emeril, Martha Stewart, Nate Berkus, or any other representation of "the best" at something. I have to get it in to my stubborn noggin that I can be  just good at something an that's ok. 

Stop worrying about what other people think. I do love shoes and clothes, even though I now spend a thrice of what I used to on these items.  I do stare at the mirror contemplating my far from perfect figure, wishing the FAA would approve at-home liposuction. I have to remember that most people at church/the grocery store/children's museum don't even notice me, much less what I am wearing or my chunky thighs. I so want to look fashionable, put together, classy elegant, and lest I forget skinny. I sometimes feel like people look at me as an old, frumpy mess. So, as I ramble here... this is one of my big goals. Stop worrying what people think. I mean, I'm not going overboard. I won't be at Target in pj's. I won't be pounding down ben and Jerry's by the pint.

Really, REALLY be more in tune with my Father in Heaven. I have this(reference above) innate desire to be so very, very good. To want to always do the right thing . Unfortunately, I do not always put forth all the effort to achieve this. I slack in my scripture study, forget family morning prayers, and even (I know, it's reprehensible!) swear if I stub my toe. There are many, many more faults/shortcomings/weaknesses, but there is only so much space in a post. I really, REALLY want to go the 110%. Do what I need to do to be the me I want to be. I will keep you updated on my progress... as long as it's forward and not backward!:)

Focus more on my husband and marriage. I think I have, as many of us do(at least I hope I am not alone in this boat) let my kidlets come before my dear spouse. I mean really, what am I without my guy? He is so great to me. What kind of man stay up until 3 am putting my new elliptical machine together? I GREAT one! What kind of man brag to his friends about his wonderful(thank goodness he thinks so) wife? A GREAT one! What kind of man say,"You look the same as you did before both kids!" A GREAT(albeit blind) one! So, no more complaining about his lack of grocery shopping, cleaning or cooking(none of which he has done even once in our marriage!) I will begin the boasting, appreciating, and spoiling now.