30 Things I'm Grateful For This Week . . .

1. The way a Mom-mind works. When the going has been tough, we have a way of being unable to recall details of those times...which, paired with the glorious returns in love we receive from our sweet children, is the reason we are able to stay in the game. (For example, I don't know many moms who, in the midst of the first weeks with their first baby, swore they weren't having any more. It's so much more overwhelming and demanding than anything else you've ever experienced, it just appears actually physically impossible to repeat. One would die from repeating the cycle of feeding, changing, not sleeping, feeding, worrying, feeding, learning, crying, feeding, loving, feeding, not sleeping, not sleeping, not sleeping even one more time. I was so there...yet, hmm, I was pregnant again four months later. On purpose.) We wipe these times from our mind's eye so that we can serve our purpose...or at least our main purpose...in this lifetime. :)

2. The clarity of mind granted to me so that I may make hard decisions when it comes to my children's health (together with JC, of course). At one point in time I could only muster up the ability to act in whatever way was presented to me. Which was fine. Now, I can think, ponder, research, pray, feel, listen, love and then act. And it brings much peace of mind knowing that I am caring for my kids with their long-term well-being in mind. (Did both those words need hyphens? I am still not granted gramatical clarity...did I misspell gramatical? ...or misspell?...)

3. A job where JC is highly valued and needed, yet when he becomes miserably sick, his need to care for himself is understood and supported. 

4. A James that loves to play by himself and never feels neglected if this is what he must do all morning...for a few mornings in a row. It is his preference anyway, so even if Mom and brother are sick and sister is grumpy, he doesn't really know the difference. Just keeps up the role play with the jungle animals either way.

5. A feverish baby that, even though he is teething and has an ear infection and is hotter than just about anything, will wake up once an hour at night...but just want a little comforting and will then go right back to sleep and even reply (every time) to my whispered, "I love you, goodnight" with a "wah yoo, 'night."  This granted me the opportunity to see him often and be reassured that even though he was miserable he was okay and also the opportunity to still get some sleep...even though every time I got up with him I noticed my throat getting more and more swollen and sore, my body moving slower and slower and my energy level dropping like...like...something heavy.

6. A husband that, on night two of the above routine, took over the hourly call of duty so that I could get some delirious sleep.

7. A Mom that welcomed a bored-out-of-her-mind and tired-of-all-these-sickies Bethany to her house for an afternoon so James could play by himself in peace and I could stumble about, still deliriously, tending to a still feverish Ben.

8. A doctor who, upon seeing us all, did everything he could to get us on the road to recovery and told me I was doing everything right and to keep it up. Joyful words to a mother's ears!

9. JC's boss being understanding and relinquishing claim on him for the morning when I literally could not get out of bed and when I tried, could hardly move but only lay there and cry. 

10. My mom (again) coming to the rescue when JC did head in to work later in the day to keep my older two busy and happy for a couple of hours while I did my very very best to keep Ben comfortable and content. Also, my mom being honest about her other committments and being willing to stick to them and let me be a big girl and handle my family because this is the kind of thing that keeps me from being eaten up by guilt for all the help she gives me, worrying that I'm making her neglect something else. It shows me that she trusts my ability to step up to the plate when I need to and it teaches me about balance, even in the life of a mom. :)

11. JC's colleague at work who took over his load of work for most of the afternoon/evening and told him to go home and take care of his family.

12. JC for doing so.

13. My dad for, on his birthday, coming over late at night to help JC give Ben a blessing. And then for talking like Kevin from The Office and making me laugh...even in the depths of despair. (This is not a phrase I use because I actually think I have the worst plot on the face of the earth, it is simply a quote from Anne of Green Gables...I use it when I am feeling like an overly-dramatic redhead.)

14. Priesthood blessings.

15. A worthy husband.

16. My mom giving James something fun to do on the day Bethany went to preschool and Ben still needed full-time soothing and cuddling. Also, picking Bethany up from preschool and keeping both of them until after dinner time so they could have a good day instead of a neglected day. This is also what enabled me to take Ben to Urgent Care to get his ears looked at, confirming thoughts of an ear infection. Knowing is half the battle!

17. A GREAT Pediatric Urgent Care right by our house where staff is kind and courteous, doctors are concerned, respectful and thorough and they call you back the next day to check on your kid.  Not the receptionist. The actual person who treated your little one. And actually remember who you are and why you were there. I am really picky when it comes to health care. This place makes me fly. By the way, being on Day 4 of horribly sickly/tending to horribly sickly baby/when does this leave time for a shower...I looked really really pretty when I braved leaving my house to take him there...

18. Being granted no gag reflex whatsoever for one day when I really needed it in dealing with a little one with tummy troubles. Something amazing happens when you are in a situation and have absolutely no "out." It's like you just look around, say "this is what it is and I have to do what I have to do" and...that's that!

19. Kids who went to bed with no resistence whatsoever on Friday night so sickly me wouldn't have to deal with three resistent kids by myself OR JC helping me with resistent kids and being late for his committment of taking our nephew to see David Copperfield. Neither had to happen. They went right to bed.

20. A quiet evening for me on Friday night and a bit more energy to boot. I cleaned the seemingly tornado-struck playroom while watchind a recorded episode of Ugly Betty. I am NOT grateful for a moth the size of a matchbox car (really...once it was dead we actually compared it) flying into the house while I was cleaning. At first I thought it was a humming bird so I shoo'd the cat away and tried to decide what to do. Then I realized it was a moth and all but threw the cat at it and demanded that he take care of it RIGHT NOW. After watching him play with it, slowly batting it to death, for a while, I gave in to my heeby-geebies and just left the room...had every intention of cleaning the kitchen next...had a coughing fit...had to go to bed. 

21. A fantastic father for my children who gets up with them early and lets me sleep in with Ben on the weekend then takes them out for pizza when they fill up their "obedience charts." (That's a whole other post...we have about a million lists, charts, etc. in this family...) James was Saturday. Bethany is coming up this Tuesday!

22. Gorgeous weather this weekend that allowed even the sickest of us (still me and Ben) to at least sit outside while the other kids rode their scooters and JC hauled out the "big trash" on Saturday morning.

23. A friend in the ward who did not come burn down my house when I had to back out of my committments for the ward party she was in charge of on Saturday night. I hadn't cooked for my family all week...chicken enchiladas were not going to be coming from my kitchen any time soon...and my singing part in the super-fun Broadway-themed dinner party. Maybe it made her feel better that I was actually really sad about missing it. :( The chance to sing?! On stage?! I don't care if it was for a goofy broadway spin-off. Sing! On stage! (sigh...)

24. A mother-in-law who brought dinner and hung out on Saturday night even though her previously-booked babysitting services were no longer needed. And, in doing so, introduced us to Cafe Rio's chicken soup. (I was still eating only soup at this point. Day four.) It was divine.

25. A husband willing to go out on an otherwise "in" night and get hot chocolate for me because something sweet sounded good and anything involving fruit stings my throat.

26. Good recorded Monk-n-Psych episodes to ease my "I don't get to sing tonight" pain.

27. A husband that mocks me for the fact that I keep apologizing for things that are not my fault (messy house, being sick, etc.) and who, when he notices I am self-conscious about the third-eye-blemish on my forehead says "You are beautiful." and then a while later..." . . . could you make it stop staring at me?"

28. The hope that kids are resilient and forgiving...after a day like today...

29. Everything I learned about ear infections and ways to treat them this week. Because now that my throat is starting to feel better, I'm pretty sure I have one.

30. The knowledge that prayers are answered. This didn't come to me this week...I've had it for most of my life, if not all. But I sure drew on that knowledge a lot. When you are holding your baby who is in pain and burning with fever...this is when the most fervent prayers are uttered...over and over again. Please please please.  When your kids are thirsting for your attention and care and you literally cannot give it, prayers of "reaching my reaching" fly up to heaven one after another. And when you sometimes feel like you're not getting the results you are looking for but can draw on, with complete confidence, the knowledge that your prayers are heard and answered, hope and faith pull together...along with the charity of others...to assure you that you are being watched, loved and cared for by someone who loves you and your sweet babies more than can be understood.

HOUSEHOLD UPDATE:

JC - playing wii fit as we speak (as I type/you read...?) Apparently feeling dandy. Only took him one day to bounce back from being sick. It was amazing. And he used every ounce of his energy this week to take care of us...whether by working to support us or physically caring for us here at home. I'm so glad he got to have a little night out this weekend to take in some magic instead of the raw reality he had to take in the rest of the week! 

Me - throat slowly getting better, energy about back to normal, ear infection starting but let's hope I can kick it quickly. Morale hanging in there. :)

Bethany - complained of a sore throat for part of the day but said it was better by the end of the day. We shall see! She is a trooper, that's for sure. She felt fine most of the week and helped me, hugged me and tried tried tried to obey me in order to keep the peace around here. She deserves some big time play time. Date with Daddy on Tuesday!

James - throwing some fantastic fits this weekend! They go in the record book, that's for sure. Coughing and congested but pretty content and even happy for the most part!  Let's keep our fingers crossed that he stays healthy this week...if anyone is going to catch whatever I had, it would be him. He's always the hardest hit. I hope I hope I hope he doesn't! BUT, after a really great wrestling match with JC tonight, he should be on a high for days. He loves wrestling with his daddy.

Ben - pain from his ear seemingly gone. Fever gone. Inability to be satisfied with any efforts to keep him happy? Still here. Probably due mostly to the fact that molars are still coming in. But, at least I know what I'm dealing with...like I said, half the battle. BUT, he is back to playing, back to laughing and still saying "wah yoo, 'night" whenever he is layed down to sleep. OH! And sleeping through the night (mostly) again. Best thing ever.

SO, a new week...I'm hoping to get back to sleeping, back to playing, back to cooking, back to cleaning and back to being aware of the general state of the world around me. 

Let's do this thing.

A Tag to Ease the Pain!

In an attempt to lighten the mood of my blog after my last woeful post, I'm back.

JC has taken Bethany and James to his Mom's place for a family dinner. Pizza, cousins and running around.
Ben and I are here for...more of the same. A sore throat (mine), an ear infection (his) and Elmo (repeated episodes that we reluctantly share). He is allowing me to cradle him with one arm and casually extend the other to type freely on my handy laptop, as I like to call it. He goes between being fine with this kind of activity to being apalled at any part of myself being extended to anything other than him. I don't blame him, sad little earache man.
I will not expound on a week about as miserable as I remember ever having but instead do a fun 'tag' (one of a few I've neglected in recent months...makes me worry that I'm starting to take my blogging too seriously)...

This one comes to me from my sister-in-law Alice. Thanks! This is one of the cutest ones I've seen!


7 THINGS . . .

7 things I can do:
1. Just about anything one-handed. You name it, I bet I could accomplish it with one hand. I'm probably just asking to be proven wrong but I am pretty confident given I make it my business to be able to perform any task holding at least one child.
2. Dance like carlton on fresh prince. It's possible that only Ali and Kristyn have seen this. and they've seen it a LOT. I am sure there are plenty of other people out there who can do this but I like to think that the talent comes in being willing to do it in front of other people.
3. Speed read. I doubt it is the same as REAL speed reading but I read from top to bottom and skip the left to right part. My sisters get it.
4. Organize. Once, JC let me hire a professional organizer to come help me with our office. As we visited and I walked her through what systems I already had going, she kept complimenting me and asking if she could take notes. I got some good pointers from her but being complimented by a professional organizer was like christmas and my birthday rolled into one. (Now if I could just find the time to put my apparent skills into play!)
5. Pop my hips whenever I want. I don't mean stick them out to one side with an attitude. I mean like making the bones in my hips make unnatural sounds. JC hates this and calls me a freak every time I do it.
6. Bellydance. JC does not hate this.
7. Remember things, people, places, moments, conversations, events from a long time ago in detail. I think how busy my brain was at the time determines what I remember though because I don't know if I could recall much from last week or even last year...yet scenes from highschool and the years after are crystal clear. JC hates this just a little because I make him feel like he has a terrible memory.

7 things I can't do:
1. Quiet my mind completely...I'm working on it so that I may live to be 30. or even 27.
2. Finish anything but last in car racing video games (i.e. mario kart) I am just naturally horrible at these for some irreparable reason.
3. Memorize songs on the piano. I can play just about anything you put in front of me (just about, that is) but I cannot find the part of my brain that memorizes such things.
4. Do math in my head. This is so not a part of whatever type of brain I have I can't even bring myself to expound.
5. Drive on, or be a passenger on, mountain roads without nearly losing it. The kind where there is one lane going each way, one being against a cliff going upwards and one running along a cliff dropping downwards. My limbs literally begin to go numb if I even think about it.  I am trying to talk myself out of this fear so I can let JC take me camping sometime in the not-too-distant future.
6. Move from downward facing dog into cobra without resting my torso on the ground partway through. Those people are crazy strong. I am having cake and ice cream in a celebratory manner on the day I am able to do this. Then perhaps I'll move on to mastering Bhujapidasana.

Ha!

7. Swallow. Though...that is just right now. Well, and when I was on the operating table during my c-section with Ben. I still don't know if it was mental or actually happening but the sensation of not being able to swallow when you try to for pure muscle non-compliance is extremely unsettling. I knew it couldn't hold any long term meaning but I still made JC tell the doctor like three times.

Right now it's more of a pain thing.

7 things I say often:
1.  That is not okay. (when the kids disobey and/or injure each other)
2. Late night tonight? (In reference to JC's workday...his office has gotten CRAZY busy lately. Not something I can really complain about; We just miss him!) 
3. Hi Mom, how's it going?
4. Let's talk about feelings! (What I sometimes say when JC asks what I want to do that night or sometimes when I just want to see him pretend to fall asleep uncontrollably.)
5. Sorry about (insert here any of the following: the house, dinner, "this" - said with a sweep of my hand over my general appearance). To which JC always replies with something along the lines of "you're fired" "how dare you neglect the dishes to keep my children alive" or "I ought to punch you square in the face" - - the last one being a quote from King of Queens but used nearly honestly when I apologize for bad hair, no makeup, etc. because he hates when I apologize for my appearance or think that he judges me on it.
6. Seriously? (I'm not good at telling when people are being sarcastic)
7. See you in the morning! We'll have a happy day. Love you. Goodnight.

7 things I love about JC:
1. See #5 on the last list. He truly appreciates what I do and even when it puts him out a clean house, a hot meal or a hot wife he sucks it up because he gets that if I could make it happen I would. He trusts my efforts and is patient with me.
2. He is a really great dad.
3. He has pride in who he is yet is very humble and willing to learn.
4. He is a magician! I have to admit that he's let me in on a few of his secrets but it STILL blows my mind when he 'does magic.' I think it is a rare and exciting talent.
5. His facial hair. I know that sounds like a shallow thing to list but I really do love it. :)
6. His sense of humor. He has a quiet, dry sense of humor and I love it. 
7. His honesty. I know it doesn't always come naturally to him to put himself out there with straightforwardness (oh my gosh, is that really one word??) but he has shown a willingness to put honesty before comfort and before pride. I admire him for that. 

7 favorite foods:
1. Chocolate Chip Cookies 
2. Celery and Peanut Butter
3. Cream Cheese...on just about anything
4. Homemade bread
5. Chinese Food of all kinds
6. Avocado...on just about anything
7. Purple plums. Not the red ones that are black on the outside. Purple ones. Sweeter. Mmm.

(This, by the way, is a horrible list to make when you are unable to eat anything more than soup.)

7 people I tag:
1. JC (ha-ha...now you have to blog...)
2. Lindsay J.
3. Lindsey C.
4. Lindsey W.
5. Katie R.
6. Katie H.
7. Katie W.

Haha...I thought I would be funny and tag all the people who read my blog with the same name...so you guys are formally tagged. And the rest of you should all do it too because it was fun. I want to see what everyone has to say.

I'll be back in a few days when I'm more chipper. :)

The Depths of Despair

Miserably sick baby.

Miserably sick me.

Miserably restless kids.


That's all she wrote.

What We've Got

We've got LIGHTS!

Here JC is, enabling me to check "install motion detector lights" off our 2009 to-do list!

Doesn't he look studly? 

...Yes.

We've got A NEW CLEANING LADY!

The kids were especially content one morning early this week; I was playing with them on and off, straightening up on and off.  It seemed, more often than not, there was Bethany at my side saying "Can I help you, Mama?" (She calls me mama whenever she's not mad at me. Then, I'm just "Mom"...I like being Mama better!)

So, I saddled her up with the vacuum in the music room, thinking I would let her push it around and get her fill. Low and behold, she not only enjoyed herself but did a great job!

At first, Ben thought he wanted to help.

After he dropped out, she kept going with a vengeance.

Even getting corners...

And attempting to get underneath all she could too!

Well! I'd say I better enjoy this phase while I can!  

You know, over the last couple of years I have had house help on and off depending on what was going on at the time...I still utilize my Mom's generous offer to take the kids for a good majority of a day once a week so I can keep on top of things here...but anyway, there's just something unsettling about hiring someone to clean my house for me. Don't get me wrong; it was a lifesaver at the time and I wouldn't change that I went that route...but I just love feeling connected to my home in that way. I found myself looking forward to the day when I would be able to work on my home with my own hands and provide a good environment for my family by keeping it clean and inviting. I'm still far from where I'd like to be as far as keeping up on it goes but in reality, we're still sort of moving in! Lots of organizing and small projects that take time as well. I'll get there. 

SO, the point is, I'm so excited to be doing things like vacuuming, especially with my kids. Serving and caring for each other through taking good care of our environment together is something I look forward to immensely and I'm so glad it's already starting!

We've got COLD!

The weather up and changed on us this week! Last week we saw temperatures in the eighties one day and moving into this week, we were suddenly down in the forties! Thirties at night! Now, I know this is by no means super cold weather when considering how cold winters get elsewhere. But, it was such a change-up for us that we had to marvel at it a little...and of course, get out and enjoy it!

Ben, looking dashing in his fleece beanie. So cute.

Just runnin around...

Bethany snuggled up in her swing and spent her time outside spinning away!

James, for the few minutes he indulged me and kept his hat on, was a bit mismatched but I'm not juding...

Especially considering MY footwear. This is what happens when my "attempt to get dressed before JC gets home from work" khakis meet "my feet are cold on the kitchen floor" fuzzy socks and then together they meet my "downstairs outside" shoes that have been sitting on our back balcony for the last two years.

She looks like she's in a catalog. She could judge my footwear.

For some reason, the cold had Scout acting up. He kept climbing into the little playhouse above the slide and bugging the kids. Then he would run out the window...

down the side of the playhouse...

...and hide inside until, at the moment I least expected, he'd run at me fullspeed and pounce at my ankles. Or my shoulders. Whichever he felt like. I'm not kidding. He can jump up and grab on at my shoulders...and attack. 

The kids would laugh.

Ben DID eventually come to my defense and try to talk some sense into his furry friend.

We've got CITRUS!!!

My neighbor (the same one that gave me the stalk of a bush to grow into my own bush...may it rest in peace) brought us an amazing bunch of citrus last Sunday! Lemons, grapefruit and oranges to eat and juice to our hearts' content! Turns out Bethany and I love grapefruit while the boys will stick to their sweet oranges. And the lemons...well...I'll have to experiment with some recipes this week perhaps...Here's what last week brought in this area:

Orange and Honey Cooked Carrots

I'm sorry, I just had to take a picture...it's so colorful and lively! Oh, and the smell...

Mmmm.

I found a recipe online (I love having a laptop in the kitchen!) and it turned out not-too-bad. Next time I'm going to tweak it to be more flavorful. But, oh yes, there will be a next time...even if it's just to see this sight once more.

Ooh, maybe next time I'll try with lemons!

We've got COLDS!

(not to be confused with COLD. We had that too.)

At this point, I don't even remember what day this was! But, one day, James woke up with a fever and stayed pretty miserable all day. Bethany and Ben were warm and congested but not hit quite as hard as our sweet James.

He spent much of the day standing in the middle of the floor, shoulders hunched over, saying "Mommy, I cold." (would not let me put socks, a jacket or a blanket on him)

"Mommy, I tired." (would not let me hold him, help him sit or lay down or put him in his bed)

"Mommy, I don't feel good." (would not drink the juice laced with herbs and vitamins or eat the fruit I kept offering him...nor was he interested in a backrub, cuddles, or laughing at anything funny I did or said...well...I thought I was funny...)

"Mommy, I sad, I miss Daddy." (would not talk to JC on the phone during his lunchtime)

It got to the point where it was just too heartbreaking to watch him stand there so miserably, so I decided some kind of intervention was in order and what resulted was a dinosaur nest. Apparently, all our resident dinosaur needed was the apropriate resting place for him to recover from his illness. I twisted together our large tent-making sheet and a big blanket, made them circular-shaped and voila...a nest.  I didn't have him quite convinced so, on a whim, I included dinosaur food/leaves surrounding the nest. I needed something to use that broccoli for anyway.  

It worked. He finally sat down to rest and get warm.

And finally eat something. So did his siblings. That broccoli was gone in like, five minutes!

And I had a happy boy.

Who was, finally, able to get a much-needed nap.

This is how dinosaurs say good night.

Since I had been spending much time on James, but also needed to get dinner going, I indulged Ben in a little Elmo. JC had picked up a new Elmo movie for the kids for Valentine's Day and left it for me to use when most needed.  Since I had started feeling un-well too...it was needed. :) Dad saved the day even though he was at work!

Later, after naptime and dinner, it was all any of us could do to keep ourselves out of fever-ish tears, so we all settled in for a repeat of "Elmo Loves You" to wait for JC to get home from work and make us all a little bit less miserable.

The kids kept crying for him which was even more heartbreaking than James' defiant stand-off/refusal to be comforted earlier. 

So, I gave them pictures to hold.

Here's James, gazing at his.

He gets back to the movie but keeps a firm hold on his daddy.

Ben layed on the floor with me. And the link-a-doos.

Bethany held her picture on her lap and kept mumbling "...daddy..." Look at her flushed cheeks! Poor baby girl.

JC got home to us early that night. And got us all tucked in for bed and feeling a bit better, just like I knew he would.

We've got ONE BABY DOWN, TWO TO GO!

Or, at least, that's how I measure my progress in getting back in shape! 

I finally hit a major milestone...got all the baby weight off...from Ben! Haha...yeah, I've had three babies' worth riding around on me for a while and I am finally back in the game, getting back where I need to be.  It feels fantastic to be making progress. There are a lot of reasons it hasn't happened before now but it's all about slow and steady and I'm just happy the pace has picked up a bit due to some harder work on my part and the decision to actually make choices consistent with what I know.  Isn't that just the key? Anyway, I've still got a ways to go but I'm a third of the way there! 

I'm actually one of those people who love working out, so it's so great to be fitting it back into my schedule more consistently.  I love feeling stronger and healthier because that is one of the best things I can give myself, my kids and my husband.  JC is a major support to me and I'm lucky to have him encouraging and complimenting me along the way, not to mention being willing to be on baby-monitor-duty while I'm out in the workout room shaking my groove thang.

By the way, Yoga Booty Ballet has changed my life.

You think I'm kidding.

Best thirty dollars I ever spent.

So, now, I'm working off James...hopefully I'll be back here within a few months declaring another baby down!  

Something about that doesn't sound right...but you know what I mean...

We've got A STOMACH BUG.

(Yeah, that one doesn't get an exclamation mark.)

So, last night, about midnight, Bethany was our first round of changed sheets, new pajamas, a drink of water and comforting (all while being immensely grateful for my talent of breathing without smelling).  About four a.m., James was round two...then round three...then later in the morning, round four. Poor baby, everything always hits him hardest.

Things seemed to clear up for them pretty well through today, though Ben has had tummy troubles all day, diaper rash and the highest of all the fevers. 

Couldn't tell ya what it was...but hopefully it's nearly gone. 

But not without skipping church, canceling dinner plans with JC's dad and canceling two playdates for tomorrow. :( 

Oh, and not without VERY restless kids. I fear for the week we may have, trying to keep them resting and recovering while at the same time trying to keep our sanity and for heavens' sake, without TOO much TV time. I'm so tired of that thing. But grateful for it. It's a love/hate relationship we have. (Though it probably hates me more than loves me for all the times I have neglectfully allowed the kids to color all over its screen...handprints, scribbles, mooshed banana...I'll tell you one thing though, it LOVES JC for being the one to finally buy a screen shield for it...)

SO...what we've got is a pretty average time around the Ballard Household, though I will take less sickness and more warm weather please. (I will curse myself for that request come summertime)

It was a lovely Valentine's Day weekend though...I surprised JC with babysitters Friday night and dinner at our usual Valentine's spot, Flancer's Cafe in downtown Gilbert.

(Story:

The day before JC left on his mission, we spent the whole day together. Nothing romantic, necessarily, though there was definitely love involved. Flancer's is where we ate lunch. In the corner booth. Buffalo Chicken on my plate and Philly Cheese Steak on his. Lovely March weather.  Anyway, now it's our spot.)

So, dinner at Flancer's (This time Chicken Parm on my plate and BBQ Chicken on his) then on to a movie of his choosing (though he did let me choose between two he narrowed it down to)...We saw Push.

Eh.

Side-note...The best part was the two couples that came in half an hour into the movie, parked themselves on either side of us and proceeded to make out through the entire movie.  The best part of THAT was the guys seemed to care less about all the affection they were getting...they were watching the movie more than anything! I wanted to be twelve-ish and giggle. Instead I was just embarassed for these chicas.

Hey, I know what it's like to be time-starved and really want to enjoy the precious time you have out with your honey. I wouldn't doubt these girls had a kid or two at home that kept them from expressing said affection in a more private setting some of the time. But...uh...kids DO sleep at some point in time and, in the very least...you own a car, do you not? Haha...anyway...

Let's keep it classy.

But, back to the weekend...up until the stomach bug stuff hit, it was nice and chill.  We celebrated Valentine's Day, cleaned out our cars, read books, went to the park, had our normal Saturday night whole wheat cheese-less pizza (well, for the kids at least) and watched some home videos. Good stuff.

I think I'm off to watch some recorded Monk'n'Psych with JC before bed and perhaps make a vauge outline of ways to keep the kids happily less-active during the next few days. Crafts? Books? Some new made-up game? I guess we shall see.

Oh, by the way, Monk'n'Psych refers to the two episodes of our shows that come on on Friday nights...we always end up watching them later in the weekend and refer to them as one since...well...that's how we watch them.

One more by-the-way...JC got me Season 2 of Ugly Betty and the Pixar Short Film Collection this weekend. 

Stoked.

How-to of the week: How to Recover from a Funky Week...

Smile at the flowers gracing your kitchen counter...bought for you "for no reason" by your sweet husband.

Breathe them in.

Play potato head with your little girl...and laugh when she makes an "Aunt Becca" potato head. Apparently, Becca, you're fancy.

Crank up the music on your handy little laptop while fixing lunch.

Delegate the task of putting the baby to sleep.

Cut yourself some slack about your two year old being a two year old and constantly getting hurt. (James was trying to do some creative climbing and fell behind our yellow chair, nearly biting off his lip. Or so it seemed in the first few post-injury moments.)

After all, he appears to be willing to take care of it himself with a Lightning McQueen ice-pack. 

And is smiling within minutes.

Enjoy watching your kids get daddy time. Especially the youngest who looks just like him...especially when they are matching.

Beautify something... 

...like your daughter's bedroom window.

(After spending a quiet evening working on them while JC watches a fight at a friend's house and the kids slumber, check "Bethany's Curtains" off the 2009 to-do list!)

Give your baby his first taste of watching sports with his dad when the Cardinals play in the Super Bowl.

While your husband is busy watching the Super Bowl, eat delicious brownies that his mom made.

Of course, sharing with the kids.

Take funny pictures of your kids.

When your boys fall asleep in the car because they didn't get naps, just open the doors and play outside with their sister for a while, letting them enjoy their slumber.

Find amusement in the fact that the cat weighs as much as your three-year-old, but she still wants to hold him.

When finally cleaning out some areas of the house that were harboring stuff from around Christmastime, don't care too much that the kids found Baby Jesus and the "hay" he was cuddled in and spread it all over part of the kitchen floor.

Get your filthy gone-through-too-many-babies-and-too-much-neglect carpet and playroom furniture professionally cleaned by a company that specializes in non-chemical products.

Friendly on the eye, toes, toosh and lungs. :)

Dance wildly around the playroom with your kids to 98 degrees' cover of "True to Your Heart" that plays during the credits of Mulan. 

(I don't have a picture of this moment. Nobody's loss, trust me.)

Then, realizing how much sincerely better it made you feel, do it again.

And again.

Laugh at how embarrassing the whole Boy Band Era was...then go fish out all your old CD's so you can listen to them anyway.

Mostly, say a thousand prayers of thanks in your heart over the course of many days as you realize how truly truly blessed you are to have the support and love of so many kind and gracious others.

I really couldn't ask for more.

Thank you to everyone who helps me see that, even when I'm in a funk.