I'm done for today.

The fabulous cousins get here TOMORROW! I am really excited. In fact, I just remembered that I still needed to get a car seat for them from my neighbor. Good thing I am blogging...

Well today has been major cleaning day. Bathrooms, mopping, carpets, kitchen, laundry....I am exhausted from that AND L and I got up and ran this morning before that cleaning extravaganza. (Well, I ran, L sat in the stroller and drank her cold milk.) Needless to say it has been a long time since we performed the daily run to the clubhouse...followed by Lily and I doing our squats see here. Exercise has been badly need by my thighs. But it felt good, that is until I got slightly woozy from the heat and the fact that I hadn't eaten breakfast. Note to self* eat breakfast before running in Death Defying Sauna. Lily also skinned her knee on the squats. On a more positive note, I did lose 3 pounds on this 1.5 mile run... of course I gained it back after drinking about a gallon of water on my return.

Other highlights of the day include watching Snow White with Lily. I was sorely disappointed in Snow White's ability to defend herself against anything, and to not realize as her potential as someone other than Prince Charming's girlfriend. Glad Disney's girls today have a little more personality...Belle, Mulan.

I will sleep well tonight!

Sunday Again

The week has flown by. I get absolutely nothing done when Gary is here, but I still love it. All that changes tomorrow, because school starts again. I am glad we've had the past four weeks off.

Things I am grateful for:
1) My piano lessons, I really enjoy teaching kids. I love to see them get excited(However, I am glad they are private lessons and my kids are over at five (most of them). Who would've thought a science geek/lab rat would cross over.
2) My daughter who teaches me not to complain. L woke up with a runny nose. She was upbeat and not at all moody so we decided to go to the first church meeting and see how she fared. She was her usual self, happy and upbeat. At the end she still had a runny nose with some sneezing and the decision was made NOT expose her to other germ-laden children (and her to them obviously) I know she is not feeling good, but she has still been happy the entire day. When I am sick I am such a baby. How contradictory...
3) I am grateful for my health.
4) I am grateful for a genius husband, who found us a phone company after ours went mysteriously out of business...don't know how I feel about internet phones.


Things to Do:
1) Be really nice to Gary.
2) Clean my house major... we have cousins coming Tuesday!!! Yeah!
3) Not get sick, and get Lily better.
4) Start a better scripture study program.

Sunday

Today the talks at church were all on pioneers. I decided that the pioneers in my family are my Grandpa D, and my mom. Each made a choice to have a different life, and for that I am grateful.

I am also grateful for my beautiful neighborhood and wonderful friends. ...and brilliant sister who passed her boards with flying colors (hopefully Gary will do the same next year) and my brother in the MTC, and my very generous in-laws and parents who make travel possible on a med school budget. I feel like I take so much for granted, but at the top of my list is an amazing husband who is much better than I.

Goals: Judge other less & try to see opportunities serve others more.




Reminiscing on my trip here is my Grandma D. I am glad we got to see her and most of all have Lily see her.

no more Mama...

So with my family I am known as Pam. With 8 people at my home calling me Pam, and 4 people at Gary's home calling me Pam... guess who came who came home calling me Pam? That's right L. It drives me bonkers. She is only one in the world who can call me Mama. And although she has started saying her own name, (which is extremely cute) It is not okay to say mine. It actually makes me intensely upset, to which I then find myself laughing at being so upset. But what do I do? Like I said it drives me crazy.

Unfortunately, she is really cute, and hard to scold.

I'm Back.

After three glorious weeks away from home, I am back. I like going away for a while, because then when I come home, I am ready to come home. This trip was very fun...

I will use the next few days to discuss some high lites, because as I made a list, it brought more and more memories to share.

In retrospect, this trip was for me. Both my mom and my mom-in-law pampered me. I really needed a little pampering. Mom took me on a shopping spree, which has extended my wardrobe, and more importantly made Me feel pretty once again. My clothes actually fit at the moment and they are not too big or post pregnancy looking. My mom-in-law used her connections to get me a really cute hair cut. And it is has been a year since the last. Oh, hair having your hair cut can make you feel so cute. Don't worry no drastic changes, just lots of layers.

I realized over the extend of this vacation that I probably need a little more pamper time for myself as it does wonders to my self esteem. I also realized, that although I like to keep my house clean, and my yard neat, and plant a garden, and put in flowers, and keep L respectable looking, and create good meals, maybe I need to focus a little more on how I look and dress, because it really does make me feel better about myself.

In addition, I got attend three weeks of church responsibility free. It was wonderful. I got to sit in relief society and Sunday School and sacrament meeting (my relatives took over L) and feast on spiritual topics and I haven't had that opportunity in about a year. I think this is something I needed as well. All in all the trip was a very rejuvenating one.

I also got to go on a date with G and see the new Harry Potter movie. I love the books, and hopefully will get my hands on the next one (which comes out this Saturday) relatively soon. We'll see.

From Gary Films LTD

Gary RULES!!!

Well Pam is out of town, so I thought it would be fun to hack into her blog and post some of her risky pictures. Then I realized it might be more fun to post a recent movie about our family. If you can't get the movie to work in your browser, click on the direct link below. Enjoy!


Double click on the video for full screen.
Direct Link

Another sewing project...

Whoa, have I been on a sewing kick lately. See here and here. But I went to a garage sale to look for an umbrella stroller and came home with the cutest Gap skirt and empire waist shirt. The shirt looked pretty easy to copy, and I couldn't make the shirt without making a hat. Total cost: $.70. It is a nice thing kids are so small, and take so little clearance material from Walmart.

On a different note...I love jeans...especially skirts. my favorite outfit last year was her jean overall dress (it would go with any shirt) and now I think it is this skirt (again because it is cute and goes with any shirt. (and cost $2 at a garage sale).

I think this outfit will have to say hello to Grandma on Friday.

I like the light in this one too. Not so much detail of the clothes, but definately a beautiful profile shot out the window.



This is Lily's personality. Ride the horse so hard till it tips over.

Here is the whole outfit. I do like making her cute.