better late than never

It's been a while...I know! Our Canada day was great. My family was here for the big event and then we had a BBQ at my aunts. Later that day we had another BBQ at my friends and then we went to the town carnival. It was so much fun!

Here's something I've been thinking about for the last few days. It is my opinion and I know not everyone will agree but here it is. When a person gets engaged and has a bridal shower is it appropriate, even if the bride wants it, to give lingerie? I don't think it is. If you are a member of the church, IN MY OPINION, you shouldn't even be wearing that kind of stuff. At a shower recently held, the bride got some risky lingerie. Even if it was a joke, I don't think it's appropriate because it only makes the giver of the gift look bad...especially if it's another member of the church. My opinion is that it's wrong. But obviously, that's just me. I am learning to not speak my opinion so freely because it can get me in trouble sometimes and because I realize that not everyone thinks the same way I do...thank goodness!

Tanner is in swim class this week and next and he loves it. He loves the water and I'm hoping he learns some techniques instead of just playing around in the water. I am doing some fun things like mini at home camps with him. This week I'm doing a sports theme and we are going to play all different kind of sports. Last week we did a space theme and made planets and aliens. Next week we're doing an airplane theme and we're going to build an airplane (not a real one) and talk about different kinds of planes. Tanner likes it and is excited about our different themes. He's so cute.

The other night he kept coming out of his room (which is really out of character for him) and finally in a firm, strong tone I told him to stay in his room and go to bed. I went in his room to check to make sure he was staying in there and he said to me "you're a terrible Mom". I told him "I'm sorry you feel that way, but I love you". Then Matt said to me "you know why he says that, don't you?" and I told him I didn't. It's because sometimes when I do things like the one time I forgot to put on his bike helmet and my friend gave me trouble, I said "I'm sorry I forgot, I'm such a terrible Mom". Not even thinking about it. But I guess I do it more than just that one time because Matt said he's heard me say it a few times. So I have to watch what I say about myself.

Other than that, our summer has been going great.

What a difference

A year really makes a difference. As I dropped Tanner off in Calgary yesterday, I was thinking about where I was last year at the same time and let's just say it was not in a good place. Matt was jobless and I was suffering from some serious depression because of where our lives were. My Mom took Tanner for a few days so I could have a break from life and it was very much needed. And now this year, Matt's working and our relationship is good...he's such a good, hard worker and he really wants the best for his family. He really tries hard at everything he does and very rarely complains. I know he really hates something when he says even one thing negative about it. It makes me realize that I complain way more than I think I do. He never has anything bad to say about anything and when I start complaining or whining about certain things, he just lets me vent and then says something like, well, who cares...you're a good person and you're just trying your best. I love that man!
I feel like such a retard lately because I took Tanner to Doctor last week to get a referral for and ENT specialist and it was a resident that came and looked at him initially. When he was done I asked if the Doctor was coming in and he said that only if I wanted him to but that he (the resident) was a doctor. My response was "oh, good". OH GOOD!!!!! What in the world! I was just caught off guard because normally when a resident looks at him when were anywhere else (the ACH or his pediatrician in Calgary) the normal doctor comes in and looks at him as well.

THEN...as if that wasn't bad enough, I had a pap (I know TMI) today and just before he (the same resident who saw Tanner last week) left the room, he told me the gown and cover up were under the pillow and to put them on. I was a little confused because normally unless you're having a full physical (which I wasn't) you just undress from the bottom down. So I did just that and then when the nurse came in I said "I don't need to take my top off do I?" She said no just as the resident came in. Holy embarrassing! I was just confused because when he said to put the gown on, I thought "why do I need the gown on...maybe he thinks it's a full physical". I think I will be on my death bed before I go back to the doctor again. It was far too embarrassing. Hopefully I'll have an exceptionally healthy year and not have to go back for Tanner or I for a year.

So next week I have major company. My Mom, older sister, Amy, my Aunt Carolyn, my younger sister, Megan, and her son Emerson, and my Aunt and Uncle from Utah are all coming to my place for the Raymond Parade! Plus, my Mom and her 2 sisters are having their parents sealed to each other and then being sealed with their brother (who previously passed away) to their parents. It will be a wonderful thing. I'm really excited. I don't know why but I think about how sad it has been that they were not sealed together as a family until now. It makes me feel even more grateful that I am sealed to my family forever. Well, needless to say, I have some major cleaning to do. My sister, Amy, HATES HATES dusty things so I have to dust. I have to say, I'm not a big duster. Thankfully, I don't have a huge house to dust millions of little areas. Then on Monday, Matt and I will clean for our own FHE activity. The lawn will be needing to be mowed, but that takes us about 1 hour tops if we both do it. If he does the back and I do the front, it's easy. I am going to clean as I go in the next couple days and just do a final cleaning on Monday. I know, what a boring life I lead...lol. Well, I should get going. I have scripture study to catch up on.

Have a great day!

OH! everyone should check out my sister's website. It's so fun! Just click on "Megan Doll" on the side bar. You won't be sorry.

What do I have to say????

I have thought of many posts to write and things to write about but of course I did not write them down and they have escaped my mind. Tanner is going up to Calgary this week and I'm looking forward to having time to myself. Lately, Tanner has been acting up and not listening at all. It must be because there is no school. I can't be that bad of a parent, can I????

We've been busy with yard work and weeding our garden. It's a lot of work but I can't wait for the reward. We have found out that the cost for a pass to the pool here is going to be $200 for a family of 4. I'm hoping that individual passes might be cheaper. It's $5 for adults and $3 for kids so to make it worth the $200, you'd have to go every day for the whole 8 weeks it's open. It just might not be worth it. If you have a larger family, it will cost more per child. We haven't totally decided yet. For sure NOT a family pass, but either 2 passes (1 for me and 1 for Tanner) or just pay as we go to it.

I am reading the book "The 5 love languages". It is really a good book. It has already made mine and Matt's relationship better. Knowing each other's love language is really helpful for both individual and relationship purposes. I would highly recommend the book to anyone. The next book I'm going to read is Anne of Green Gables. I'm looking forward to reading it. Then I'm going to read Pride and Prejudice. I finally watched the BBC version of that and loved it a lot. It's 5 1/2 hours long but so worth the time.
Anyways, that's about all for now.

Surgery

So Tanner's tubes fell out of his ears and he will have to have some put back in. We have decided to close our file at ACH with the ENT there and do the surgery down here. We feel that if this is to happen often, then it would be more efficient to have it done here rather than up in Calgary where the wait list is fairly long. It's not a difficult procedure. He'll be in and out in a day but he does have to go under. I have a feeling that this will be a life long thing so it's better to be closer have have shorter time to get in than longer. I'm 100% fine with it. It's no big deal. At least not for Matt and I. After a surgery or two, we have become efficient in our handling the side effects...tiredness, sleepiness, restlessness, crying, needles, doctors, lack of appetite. It almost, for us, becomes second nature when were in the situation. Maybe that sounds like we don't care, but we do. It's like practicing riding a bike or writing. Once you do it a couple times, it becomes easy in a way. There's always a light at the end of the tunnel.

Anyways, that's the news around this part of life.

I'm a midget

Today Tanner had a kindergarten readiness "test"...seriously?!...No comments from me on that one. Anyways, the teacher handed the parents this package as we were leaving. It contained some memories of each child's year in pre-school. In it, they had made this book of memories. It was so cute. One of the pages was a page all about Mom. These are some of the things that Tanner said: I was 30 years old (correct), I am 1 foot tall (um, hello...I may occasionally act like a baby, but do I look like one?) and weigh 100 lbs (so so so off). My favorite thing to eat is Kraft Dinner (I think he was thinking of himself on that one), when I'm not busy looking after him I like to clean (that's pretty accurate) and that I would like to talk to Susanne (yep, I always want to talk to Susanne so that one was right on). Now for Matt: He is 17 (I sure hope not), Weighs 40 lbs (that's only 7 more pounds than what Tanner weighs) and is 10 feet tall. His favorite food is deer meat (100% right) and his favorite sport is hockey.

So there you have it friends, I am a fat midget and Matt is a skinny, probably not even there, giant.

More later.

A short public message for Jamie

Jamie, hello, of course I watched Grey's!!! I can't even wait. I was going to stop watching it at the end of this season, but now I HAVE to watch it next season. I think George is out. His story line depleted this season so unless they have something totally awesome for him, I can't see him returning. And we will visit in June when I drop Tanner off for the week. I believe it's the 26th that I'll be up. It's a Wednesday for sure. The Wednesday before July 1st.

Okay now for all those other people who possibly read my blog....

It's been a great 2 weeks. Calgary was really fun and we were all very productive. We had a great Mother's Day and celebration of my sisters' birthdays. Megan will finally get some clothes she wanted that fit her after having baby "E". He's such a doll...no pun intended. He didn't like Matt too much though. He got scared when he started talking to him. Maybe with time Matt will be less scary...lol. It's a bit of a sensitive subject for Matt. A small hit on his self esteem. Most kids/babies love Matt. And I'm not just saying that. Matt is amazing with all my friends' children. He's just such a good Dad.

I found this paragraph from a talk that Julie B. Beck gave back in November 2007. It's part of a really great talk and I would encourage all of you to read it because it is a really great talk (I know, I said that already).

" Mother's who know do less. They allow less media in their homes, less distraction, less activity that draws their children away from their home. Mothers who know are willing to live on less and consume less of the world's goods in order to spend more time with their children"

I believe in that quote full heartedly. I love that so much. It helped to confirm to me that not having T.V. in our house and not having a computer and only listening to church (because that's the only wholesome music I have) music is helping us be more spiritual and helping the spirit be in our home more frequently and more strongly. I am glad that Matt and I made that decision because it has blessed us in many ways. We do spend more time with each other and building our relationships with each other. And that's the most important thing right now. Well, one of them.

The weather has finally started to be consistently warm that it we don't have to dress in layers.

Here's a nice little story for you. ANd I would love any of your opinions to tell me if you think I made the right choice.

When Tanner rides his bike, he likes to "park" them behind the vehicles. We are telling him every time he goes out to park in the special spot he picked (which is on a grass hill on our yard) and not behind the car or truck (it's Matt's Dad's, not ours...on loan). So a couple weeks ago, he left his tricycle behind the car and as I reversed I hit it. It didn't do any damage, just scratched it a little bit. We reminded him again that it's not safe to leave his bike behind the car or truck because they could get wrecked and then he would have no bike to ride. So last week he parked his 2 wheeler with training wheels behind the truck. We got in the truck much later that day and when I went to pull out of the driveway I heard this "klunk". I knew right away what it was. So I jumped out and got the bike and showed Tanner that the front wheel was completely bent and that he wouldn't be able to ride it. He seemed a bit sad but then said "you can buy me a new bike". To which I said that we could not buy him a new bike because he needed to take care of the bike he already had (plus we don't have $60 to buy him a new bike every time his bike gets run over). So then he didn't say anything and I told him he would have to ride his tricycle again. When we went to my Mom's on the long weekend, she has a bike for him that someone gave to her. We'll let him have it when he comes home for July 1st from Calgary but did I do the right thing in not buying him another bike? Is there anything else I should have said to him? How can I help teach him to care for his bike? That is my wonderings...

Well, I should go and pick up the little munchkin from school. He only has 5 more days left...crazy! He has his final music performance tomorrow and Megan and my Aunt Carolyn are coming down for it. I'm really stoked about it. It should be really cute. Anyways, Have a great day!

up and coming weekend

I just picked up the car with it's new tires...nice!

I am really excited to go to Calgary this weekend. I'm sure my Mom will have lists of things for us to do, which she generally always has.

Last night Tanner was the Goalie at Soccer and he did a great job. He was such a little star goalie...my biased opinion. He's really enjoying soccer right now. I do have to get him some new running shoes because right now he's only got one pair and they're his indoor school shoes. I know I can get a pair at Wal-Mart for $5.98 so I think that's what I will do. Next year, I'm going to put him in Soft Ball just for something different...expose him to a different sport. I think it will be good. We have to try and find a sport that doesn't involve too much physical contact because of his kidney (he only has one and we must protect his good one from getting damaged).

Well, I think that's it for now. Happy Long weekend everyone!

Baby it's warm in here

I think I'm getting baby fever. There have been a number of babies born to women around me or announcing of babies coming. I'm itchy. Itchy all over. Itchy for a baby...let's hope it happens soon.

On another note, we have to get new tires put on our car tomorrow. We got a flat tire this weekend coming home from Calgary and it was repaired but it didn't last so we are getting new tires. Such is life.

Matt got a aerating job. Hopefully he'll get some good business this summer from people. Especially if we are going to have a baby

This month is so busy! I can't believe that it's almost half over. Time is so precious. There's none to waste.

Well, I'm off to find some books for T-Dog (Tanner's new nickname...apparently). I'm not sure I like it but Matt does so whatever. At least it's not the horrid nickname my sister's friends use to call her in jr.high.

I am so super excited about the Grey's finale this week.

More later.

What do you think

Last night at book club (yes, I know, I'm such a nerd...lol) we got on the topic of obedience to laws of the land vs laws of God. I heard a talk...or it was in part of a talk...that mentioned that when the law of the land is different from the commandments, we are suppose to try to live the law of the land. Then I got thinking today, isn't that what the article of faith say is We believe in being subject to kings presidents rulers and magistrates in obeying, honoring and sustaining the law.

We got talking about hos doctors aren't allowed to suggest certain alternatives because it's against their oath or whatever...but they could call you up (or talk to you in church) when they are outside of medical walls and tell you those alternatives. Wouldn't that be considered, in a black and white world, deception or lying? When you withhold the truth that's not being totally honest.

I'm reading (as if I wouldn't be) this book called "The Tomas Jefferson Education". It is such a good book. I am actually considering the possibility of thinking of home schooling Tanner because of reading this book. Education has, in many societies, become socialistic and not so much about educating. This, in my opinion, is not the way to educate children. It talks about the difference of teaching vs educating. Teaching is more about the conveyor belt type life and educating is more about inspiring and teaching kids to think for themselves and not what the government wants people to think.

You can see it a lot in schools. All you have to do is look at the fact that recently they are talking about letting children out of discussions on anything religious...be it evolution, or even the creation of the world. They basically are taking God out of schools altogether and not allowing kids to make the choice. There was a really good sentence in the paper today that I will have to post another time because it was so good. I think the people who are so worried about this are most likely people who have no strong religious affiliation and are concerned that their child will be easily influenced to believe something else. Why should that matter? We live in a country where we are supposed to be able to worship freely, right? So how does controlling the topic of religion allow that freedom to citizens of the country?

I think it's almost comedic that the government tells us or tries to prove to us that they are such heroes in giving us "free" things like 'free' health care, or 'freedom' of speech, or 'freedom' of religion. Yet those things aren't really free. We all will have to pay double in health premiums as of July 2010. We don't really have freedom of speech or religion because if we did, those who believe something different from what the government thinks you should believe in, wouldn't be persecuted for believing something different. Well, that's my rant for now. Just something to 'chew' on, I guess.

Anyways...what do you think?

random musings

Tonight Matt and I are going on a date with my best friend and her husband. We are going to see the movie about wolverine. I am not a huge x-man/wolverine fan. In fact, they kind of bore me but I really need to go on a date with Matt and I love spending time with my best friend so I am going to go. Who knows, maybe I'll enjoy the movie...lol. It does have Hugh Jackman and he's pleasant on the eyes. I'm excited to go. Matt and I haven't been to a movie since...well let's just say I can't remember the last time we've gone together with each other. I think maybe it was Christmas...I can't remember. Matt got 7 movie passes for his birthday and he's sharing one with me so we can go out together. I sure do love him. I have to admit that I'm a tad bit selfish when it comes to gifts. If I got a movie pass, I would have a hard (although it wouldn't be impossible) time sharing it with Matt. It would be worth the sacrifice though.

Last night I learned to crochet and today, I have a migraine. It's very muscle intensive to do that. I get all tense and then the next day, I pay. I have to learn to relax a bit more. I am making a blanket. A baby blanket...no not for me. I don't know who, but it's blue. So clearly for a boy.

I have some quotes out of the book that I just finished reading that I thought were good and I would like to share.

Bruce C. Hafen: When troubles come, the parties of a contractual marriage seek happiness by walking away. They marry to obtain benefits and will stay only as long as they are receiving what they bargained for. But when troubles come to a covenant marriage, the husband and wife work them through. They marry to give and to grow, bound by covenants to each other, to the community, and to God. Contract companions give 50 percent; covenant companions give 100 percent. Marriage is by nature a covenant, not just a private contract one may cancel at will. Jesus taught about contractual attitudes when he described the "hireling," who preforms his conditional promise of care only when he receives something in return. When the hireling "seeth the wolf coming," he "leaveth the sheep, and fleeth...because he...careth not for the sheep." By contrast, the Savior said, "I am the good shepherd,...and I lay down my life for the sheep" (John 10:12-15). Many people today marry as hirelings. And when the wolf comes, they flee. This idea is wrong. It curses the earth, turning parents' hearts away from their children and from each other (D&C 2)

Bruce R. McConkie: From the moment of birth into mortality to the time we are married in the temple, everything we have in the whole gospel system is to prepare and qualify us to enter that holy order of matrimony which makes us husband and wife in this life and in the world to come.
Then from the moment we are sealed together by the power and authority of the holy priesthood-the power to bind on earth and have it sealed eternally in the heavens-from that moment everything connected with revealed religion is designed to help us keep the terms and conditions of our marriage covenant, so that this covenant will have efficacy, virtue and force in the life to come. Thus celestial marriage is the crowning ordinance of the gospel, the crowning ordinance of the house of the Lord. Thus the family unit is the most important organization in time or in eternity

Those quotes just really stuck out to me. In a world where the family is being torn down all around us, I just feel so strongly about keeping our families from being destroyed by the adversary. We have to have strong foundations in our marriages to have a strong family so I felt the 2 quotes were kind of connected in a way.

On another note, my Mom bought us a clothes line. One of those umbrella ones. I'm so excited to have it. I only have one line across my backyard so I'm limited in the amount of clothes I can put on it. With air drying all our clothes (except towels and underclothing) we have quite a bit of clothes. I usually have 3 loads of clothes to do in addition to the towels/sheets and underclothes. It will be great to have more line to dry clothes. I love doing laundry. I love seeing the clothes blowing in the breeze. I'm kind of a nerd...I know. It is just so satisfying to me to do laundry. I love sorting the clothes and organizing them in the washer so I can fit them all in so one side isn't heavier than the other. I've never dreaded doing laundry. I'm weird, it's okay. I dread other things like cleaning my room, or sweeping. I don't like sweeping. I like mopping, but not sweeping.

We are going to Calgary for the May long weekend and I'm excited. It's the first time since Christmas that Matt will be able to come with us. He is now working at the county of Warner and so he has Fridays off so we'll enjoy a bit of a longer holiday. Seeing as we don't go many places together, it will be a nice treat for us to be together as a family. He won't get 2 weeks vacation since this is just a seasonal job so any extra long weekend together will be awesome. He's been off this week and in the past I would normally dread when he's home for long periods of time, but I've actually quite enjoyed it this time. I usually dread it because it kind of wrecks mine and Tanner's routine. But this time, he has been really helpful and even trimmed the lawn and he's getting Tanner new bike tires today. So it's been great. I guess I feel like I'm in a different place in my life and I am not as easily annoyed at change or difference. I think that's what makes it different this time. I'm trying to just go with the flow and not be uptight about things that really don't matter. I am trying to look at the eternal perspective and choose weather what is going on is worth getting upset or annoyed at. It's change, but I feel good about it.

Well, I think that's it for now. I hope everyone is having a great day and enjoying the weather (it's pretty nice here).