a couple of happy pics...

My fav breastfeeding pic...I was parked in the car one day, Duck took the pic, he was such a happy baby.

This is him now....he's such a big boy...



Sunshine is getting so big to! He is getting so smart day by day. He is teaching his brother so much and has started drawing again...which makes me happy. Now if he'd only let me keep his work.

I'll have to get the new pics off the camera to show you how big he's getting.

Apollo came home finally. I was brought to tears to think of the fact that my cat had more than likely frozen to death in the below freezing temps. He finally came home, best to our thinking he was probably stuck in a garage or shed or something until whomever set him free. He was hungry, very hungry actually and thin. He ate so much and then rested and wanted back out.

Well I need to run, I have to be up really really early.

Me.

hydroponics....

So...looking at this title many will think that my mind is heading down an illegal raod. On the contrare. It is a wonderful idea! Building a garden in water makes sense for those who don't have access to land to build garden in and who want to grow year around but are like me who are stuck in a cold climate state. The ideas are amazing~you can grow things faster and inside year around....oh.and the best part is...it's cheap to do. We have plans for three different types of systems, two that can be put inside and one that is strictly for outside. If we can get it done in time, this will grow all of our lettuce plants. Well we are going to have company tomorrow and I want to get my stuff done today...I'll look up more on hydroponics...here is a youtube clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ah3zrGRmx80&feature=related

Service and cleaning...

Today we went out into service, we had a great time. I was very very very pleased to have the opportunity to speak with one of the other sisters. I found out that she batch cooks for herself once every 6-9 months and will be doing it again really soon. WOW I really love the idea of batch cooking and I feel that canning soups and such falls under those ideas. I volunteered to help her if she needed any...I can't wait. I will also give some seeds to her from my seed share for her neighbor who gives her veggies regularly. I also heard that another sister would be great to get into contact with about a possible garden for her...I have some seeds set aside for her as well. It is amazing how God really does bless us.

Duck had school today, it seemed to go well. I will help him type up any notes he needs to get done, this way he won't have to spend hours upon hours of typing, he can dictate and I can type. I have several loads of clothes to fold so I really want to get to it before it's too late. I want to get them all put away tomorrow so I can purge what needs to be purged and go on to possibly painting.

Toodles.

I strongly dislike....

bird food. I'm not a bird...I'm a human, there are humans who have made good yummy food for us to eat which I love to consume. Now, this being my first day, I can't have any. Here's what I ate today:

Breakfast: yogrut, fruit and walnut salad

Snack I had 2/3 can of mandrain oranges drined (in light syrup)

Lunch: 1 cup mixed white and brown rice, 1 cup mixed veggies, 1/3 chicken breast baked.

Let's see what dinner holds out.

Dinner: 1 1/2 cup of mix rice with soy and teriaki sauce, 8 oz of nonfat yogurt

I will probably have a snack of either fruit or yogurt, I could eat yogurt for every meal...

Me.

Day two and the funk...

Day two of potty training has been a success. While Smiley is still really upset he can't wear a diaper he is really looking forward to getting cars undies. I tried to clean a bit today and it worked well, I got some done. I know that this house doesn't get dirty or messed up all at once, so I can't get it all clean at once. We are working on a schedule that will be good for all of us.

Today we got our gas bill...ouch! It was over 200 dollars. This isn't going to be a good week at all. We will just have to watch it.

I'm starting my diet in the morning, this will hopefully be the one! I've been in such a funk lately, I have no energy no nothing. I'm feeling rather depressed and just down, I need to get this done, this weight off and get more motivated to get things going. So I will make a rewards list for myself. This way I have something to work for other than loseing the weight. Something small but rewarding all the same. We'll see how it works.

Today was the day...

when I got up this morning I went to my meeting, I came home after talking to S. I decided that today was the day I was going to potty train the baby who is now 3. He has been refusing to take off his diaper, to wear underware. Well I now know he can do it. He has had one accident all day long. That is unbelievalbe. He has gone all day long going to the potty until we left to go to a friends house for dinner. It was a good time, good friends, good meal, good times. Gotta take little big man to the bathroom.

Toodles.

What to compost...

In case any of you were ever wondering.....here is a list that someone put together of things that you can compost. This is estimated to reduce the amount of waste by 1/3.

http://www.plantea.com/compost-materials.htm

Copy that link and put it in the keyword search to see all the different things you can compost. Some of the most interesting that I found was urine, dryer lint and tea bags. I think that we are going to try to do a lot more this summer with compost, we are going to set up a two bin compartment.

Well I need to jump up and get some things done around here, S was nice enough to give me the day off since labor was bad and we got a new manager back.

My heart breaks....

I watched some videos after I posted last. My heart breaks for those in Haiti and all over the world that is struggling. We are worrying about which TV we are going to buy or which dish washer I want and there are people starving in light of a serious quake. I've been told that we've lost at least 16 brothers from the Haiti congregations, relief work has already started for the congregations in that area. They are already rebuilding the halls and finding refugee for the families. There has got to be something that I can do, even if it is small. I heard a story about a mother who's 2 yr old was at daycare, she ran to the daycare to find it crushed, but she could still hear her daughter. She talked to her for days while rescue crews arrived and started to pull away the rubble, she made it out alive and nearly unhurt. The torment that must play on a parent is gut wrenching. To think that the are down there searching for thier families and finding dead bodies or have to listen to them pray to live and in most cases still die from the time it take to reach them is impossible to think of as a parent. For the 2 or 3 minutes that Sunshine was missing that day, I nearly passed out from not being able to breath and scared to my wits end....I couldn't imagine going through this.

Tonight was the first night that we forced our kids to sleep in their own bed. Sunshine told me that he was sad. I laid next to him for a few minutes and told him that he'd be fine that I would be right across the room. He kept waving to me and signing I love you. I'm really proud that he made it to fall asleep, we'll just see if he stays that way.

I should get off of here, I want to be up in 5.5 hours and I have a meeting in the morning.

Tata...
Me.

A great day...

We all went to the meeting today, it was nice. I spent most of it in second school with the speaker down with the boys. Sunshine has a sensitivity to the loudness of the speakers in the auditorium. He did very well in the beginning, it was smiley that was having a problem sitting down and listening. We will work on this, being 3 it is tough to sit and listen for 2 hours. It was a really good talk.

We came home, had lunch and I took a nap while Duck worked on his homework. I'm really happy see him doing it in a timely manner. I really want to get him done with school, he is really smart and really ready to make something of his life.

Sunshine is really starting to talk well, he is also understanding a lot more. I'm really happy with his progress lately, he is shocking us all. The two of them have conversations that are so cute. He said the funniest thing the other day. He was made at his dad and he said, "Dad, short people aren't funny!" It was so funny!!!

I'm really happy with my garden plans, I am so happy and excited. I can't wait to start the seedlings.

Well we are watching a movie and I need to go, I'd like to wash my uniform and fold the clothes before bed.

Night.

I love my husband...

So we were both on the computer for a bit today...I thought I'd send him a private message, just to be silly. We kid with eachother all the time..like we'll say, "how's your girlfriend doing? or Tell you boyfriend to stop parking in my spot!" So today I sent him an IM that said, Hey sexy, wanna father my children? We're married, we can have fun...well then I saw who I sent it to...let's just say that it wasn't my wonderful husband, it was my uncle. Now...before everyone freaks out, NO I don't feel like that at all toward him...he has a wonderful family, they are actually our age and have fun like we do so he is probably going to laugh about it and tell the whole family. All in all, I was embarrassed and can only chalk it up to the wonderful relationship I have with my husband. So what's the first thing my wonderful husband did? Called my dad....that little rat.

Garden Plot

I have drafted a new plan for my garden plot.

I will be putting things as recommended on the packages with minor adjustments...

There will be 7 broccoli
5 cauliflower
5 cabbage
4 zuchinni
3 squash
2 buttermilk squash
2 egg plant
4 regular cucumbers
5 pickling cucumbers
8 roma tomatoes
3 cherry tomatoes
5 regular tomatoes
12 mix salad bowl lettuce
11 head lettuce
8 spinach
18 peppers - mix from various color and salsa
9 celery
16 peas
4 kidney beans
2 great northern beans
1 pimento bean
14 green beans
5 rows of 23 corn on the west side

On the pergula I will have the Loofah and grapes and more loofah around the dog pen.

I have a spinach bush coming and I will need to find a place for sunflowers.

The egg plant, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, peppers and peas will all be supported. I have a support system in mind and will pick it up with our tax check. With the ideas I got from the master gardner and his layout, this should be a very productive year. I just need to find some way to keep it all watered and happy.

Once the corn comes up it will be replaced with beans, the cucumber will either be replaced with more tomatoes or squash stuff. I will replace the cauliflower and broccoli and the peas. Since I won't have a need for more cabbage unless I know someone who wants them, I will have no need ot plant more. Depending upon the need for the egg plant, I will decided wether or not I'm going to plant more. Tomaotes are our biggest concern... While we gave a lot away this year, we only made 20 pints of salsa which is gone except one pint.

Okay...need to run gotta make some dinner.

Me.

Nestle Boycott...uh....

Okay so I read a blog and while I've heard about this before I did a lot more digging this time...

Okay...I have a few questions. Before I start I want to say that in 99% of the cases, breast milk is the best for the baby. It is cost effective since it is free and on top of that it is designed1 for the baby by the mother. The one percent is the mothers that either can't produce enough or when the milk is not right for the baby which is what I'm 95% is sure that is why it didn't work the first time for me. Since it was literally making him sick. Okay so now to my questions:

1. I understand that Nestle is the biggest, but why are they the only being boycotted?

2. I watched several video from the Phillipines and a couple from other "3rd world countries"...the biggest problem I see isn't with Nestle it is: Governments who don't enforce laws, crooked doctors, nurses and hospitals who take bribes and commericals (which can be controlled by the governement since it is happening here in the US) But the #1 problem is in the water and education. Formula isn't best for babies, but there are millions of babies who grow up healthy on it, the problem is in the water that is mixed with the formula. It is causing illness and death...not Nestle. So...a possible solution, instead of the repeated attacks on the company..why doesn't every ban together and get them to provide (AT THE SAME COST OR LOWER) the formula in a ready to use version? It would have to be singles since most people don't have access to a fridge...but you get my point?

Why isn't more being done to educate these women? The biggest benefit to breastfeeding bar-none is the fact that it is free. Most of these poeple spend over half their monthly income, which they can't afford, on formula. Perhaps if the government would enforce their laws this would be a non-issue to an extent. Everyone in life has a choice, heck women have the choice to have an abortion, doesn't mean it's right for the baby. It really boils down to education, unforutnately in these countries influence is their education..that and crooked healthcare.

As for me and my household, Nestle is in my cabinets, I won't boycott a company on the grounds that they sell the most or have the biggest advertisements in countries that promote an option for women. That would be like boycotting McDonald's for selling more hamburgers because of their ads or Walmart for having he lowest prices. To me it is obvious that the few possible hundreds of thousands and even possibly million people who are participating in this boycott are not making enough of an impact on the company...obviously it is thriving. I also heard somewhere in the documentry that there was only a handful of formulas at first, now there are 30 some..or something like that. Here's a boycott idea..why don't we boycott the Phillipines or other countries until they toughen their laws on such things???

As I said at the beginning, I am all for breastfeeding, I would do it again with any child I had and for as long as I did. It was free, it was ready, I didn't have to get up in the middle of the night and go to the kitchen to heat up a bottle, it was easy and very bonding. The health benefits remain to be seen. One child while being autistic (which didn't happen because I gave him a bottle) also has sevear asthma which he had to take steroids for to help his lungs. My breastfed child who is "normal" also has asthma and has to take steriods for, he is also anemic, under average for children who are his age (which their father was also). Both are happy, energetic and loving little boys.

While I appreaciate there are people out there who are so passionate for a cause, perhaps there needs to be solutions found/created based on what is and not what should be, since it isn't the way it should be. Wouldn't that be a more productive use of everyone's time...including the babies everyone is trying to save? On a side note, if this is the direction being give by these doctors, can one only imagine the other gross malpractice that is going on in those countries?

Just a thought...a very sad situtation with no apparent possible joyful outcome...until the end of this system. Rev. 21:1-4

Puttin' through...

Well not a whole lot has happened, I feel better while I still have an episode here and there. I can't wait to get health insurance so I can get my heart checked out again. All in all I feel fine. I worked early this morning and did everything that I could to get the store on the right foot, I sure hope that everything worked out. I'm not worried, I just hope that I did everything I was suppose to. It has been slow at work, I don't remember it being this slow last year, but maybe it was.

Duck starts back to school tomorrow. Wed we went down to see GG, I was called and told that hospice has been called in. If I can make it down in a couple of weeks, I will.

I'm about ready to order my seeds and I realize that I will have enough for 2 or 3 gardens..that's a ton. I'll just store them for next year or find someone who wants some. I'm going to try egg plants soon so I can see if I like it. I'm also going to move the garden around a bit, I've got a different plan and I need to make sure that I put more salsa stuff, we have gone through over 19 pints since the garden was harvested 3 months ago.

Well I've got a long day ahead tomorrow. I want to start putting together my starts and schedule for planting.

Toodles.

Holy Puke Batman...

Everynight before the baby goes to bed, he throws up. This has been going on for 3 days now. He'll feel fine, jump, play and be rotten, and then all the sudden, there he blows! If he keeps this up he will be going to the doc. This is annoying and it really upsets him. You can tell he feels yucky afterwards, which means another bath and then he seems like he is very embarrassed by it.

Okay, I need to scoot.

Me.

AHHHH.....

Okay...so I've been working with Duck to try to get his class schedules set up where he can be done in the fall/winter. I don't see it happening. Today he will get his revised circulum and he is going to be 2 classes off. The only way to him through would be for him to take the max amount of classes between now and then...it isn't possible. He's bauking at 15 hrs...there is no way I can get him to do 18. Now to the hard part. I need to see if I can get my schedule set on a fixed schedule until the end of this term and the I think that I will be able to stick with the same schedule.

Smiley lost all of his dinner again last night, I'm wondering if he is getting a cold or something and getting a mucus backup, it seems to happen more when he coughs or gags. I know that sounds obvious, but now he has more symptons of having a gi bug. NO FUN.

Sunshine hasn't been eating as much lately and he has been asking for his breathing treatments so we are doing what we can go make sure that he is staying healthy...he is the on that I worry most about healthwise.

I'm feeling a lot better, the medicine seemed to do the trick..I still have a spell now and again but nothing major. I can't believe how hard it was to do anything besides focusing on walking. Unless you've ever had that you probably wouldn't even know what I was talking about. I hope that you never do.

Well I want to finish rearranging the upstairs and fold the laundry and get it put away. I all need to FC the toddler bed.

TTFN.
Katy

and the winner is:

well both boys...for the child that could wake mommy and daddy up in the worst (while not their fault) way. At 2:30ish Smiley woke me up hacking..I knew what was coming...a long night of catching his puke. Yipeee....how did I get this prize? So then at 4ish, Sunshine woke up doing the same...oh my. Now I'm going to have two children throwing up on each side of me. My poor brand new pillow was scared. I scrunched him up as small as I could and turned him verticle so he would hopefully stay out of the damage path. So far so good. Hopeing it was over this morning when Smiley was lively and smiling, I was sadly mistaken...He just did it again. So that makes it now 5 times and he has already cleared his stomach for a second time. The only thing that I worry about with him is the fact that he is so tiny, he might dehydrate quickly. As for Sunshine, he had nothing to really put up, he didn't eat hardly anything at all yesterday.

Well I have to get ready for work, sine I'm feeling better it would be a good idea to go in instead of loafing around here. The med is really working well, it just makes me so tired.

Later...toodles.

Plans for this year...

* We are going to buy a electric furnace for the house and we are also going to install a wood furnace.

* Second wind mill

* Solar heater

* Respectable clothes line

* Lose weight

* Start exercising 5 days a week 1-2 miles a day

* Plant two plot garden

* Finish basement

* Paint entire inside of house

* Learn how to make clothes

So far that is all I can think of...I need to get going. I feel a lot better today, the medicine is working and I hope that I can return to work tomorrow. Thankfully S gave me the day off.

Toodles.
Me.