Where is May?

Ok, so I didn't realize until just a moment ago exactly how long it has been since I posted. A whole month! Crazy!! I've been forming posts in my head throughout the past days, but haven't had the time to post. The problem is condensing a month (especially one as busy as this past one has been) into a post in the 5 minutes I have to post!! Anywho, enough blathering, on to the important stuff.

In my last post, I wrote that James had decided to find a job down here. However, jobs in the field he wants (welding) are hard to come by down here when you are just an apprentice. So, he headed back up north the first week of May. Sad, but you get used to it after a while. He had a few interviews that went really well, so hopefully he'll hear something. In the meantime, he's working up there and probably going to start an online degree.

On Mother's day weekend, we went to the William Watson Lodge for the weekend. Jessica had to work during the weekend and James was up north, but Manda and Tem were able to come. We had a good time, playing cards and relaxing.

TJ was constantly getting into everything in the kitchen, but we managed to keep the lower cupboards stocked with only non-harmful items!

So, the Tuesday after Mother's Day was my birthday. Let me tell you, it was nothing special. I was (and still am) behind in my sewing, so I woke up early and sewed until 3:30 when I had to head in to my first (and only) shift at Swiss Chalet. Because James stayed home for so long, our money got pretty tight, so I thought I'd get a part time job to help out. However, the job was not so hot and, by the time I figured out what I spent in gas, I was only making a whopping $70 a month. SO not worth it! So, I called the owner and explained the situation to him. He was really understanding and that was that! The highlight (cough cough, major sarcasm) was when Jessica and Amanda (who also work at Swiss Chalet) got the entire wait staff to bring a huge cake and sing to me while I was working.

The rest of the week was filled with sewing. I had one more grad dress I had to finish, and since grad is tonight, I can post the pic of it. It was exactly what she asked for and I loved it. I thought it was so cute!

Ok, I quit trying to get these the right way. The bow (obviously) is on the back and is HUGE!! She really wanted it to make a statement and I think it does.

Then came the long weekend, which was filled with scrapbooking. My cousin is getting married in June and has asked us to do a bunch of pages for decorations. So, my aunt came down and we scrapped late into Saturday (okay, actually early into Sunday). I'm going to get some pictures from Grandma of the layouts I did and I'll post them in the next few days. (Yes Kelly, don't fall off your chair, there will be 2 posts from me in the matter of a week!!)

On the 19th we had a day long birthday celebration. Manda's husband Tem's birthday is the 19th, mine is the 13th and Terry's is the 28th, so we combined them all into one party. We went to the one o'clock show and then went mini golfing at Evergreen and for a picnic at Henderson. It was great!

Manda lost her golfball in the fountain, so she climbed in to get it!! I just left the 3 (yes, 3) balls I lost in there!

If you look at the last post, you'll remember TJ got a golf set for his birthday. He LOVES it! He walks around the house whacking every round thing in site, so mini golf was THRILLING for him.

There was a little boy in the swing next to TJ and they kept making faces at each other, so I look more excited to be swinging than TJ, but oh well! He did really like it, I promise!

Tuesday and Wednesday, I had a really bad headache, so I'm now even further behind in my sewing. I've got a scrapbooking class tonight I'm going to and then I'm chaining myself to my machine until I'm all caught up. That pretty much sums it up!

Cheerful

In all of life and learning, have much fun. Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured.

-President Gordon B. Hinkley

Ok, I know it hasn't been a full month yet, but I have so much to say that just can't wait. Besides, its Sunday, so I'm not working or cleaning my house. TJ is busy playing with his legos and I don't feel like working on anything at this moment. So, here goes. You know how some Sundays, you go to church and every word the speakers say is just for you. Today was one of those for me. The topic the speakers were given was cheerfulness. Let me fill you in on a few of the things that have happened. First and foremost, James decided to quit up north and be home. While this is a wonderful thing, it has presented some really difficult challenges. Financially, we are nowhere near where we wanted to be when he was done up there. So, now we are left "homeless" with no prospect of buying a house in the near future. As he has been trying to find a job that will support us, we are quickly realizing just how much will have to happen for us to get out of mom and dad's place. (Not that we don't love them, we just need our own space.) Add to that the stress of not having a paycheck for the last month, and... well I'm sure you understand how I've been feeling. So, money worries aside, I've been feeling very trapped. The prospect of living with my parents for the next 5 years makes me cry. Literally. The business, as most business do, is going slower than I hoped, only because I'm figuring out all of the little quirks and getting stuff worked out. Things are going well now and I'll have the first major batch of stuff done by Thursday, so I'll post more about that later this week. Add to that that April has been one of the busiest months on record, and I haven't been very cheerful lately. The talks were so great and reminded me that I have so much to be grateful and cheerful about. I have a husband who wants to be with his family, a son who is healthy, smart and ridiculously cute, a family who loves and supports me, a house to live in, bed to sleep on and food to eat. The things I feel are "missing" in my life are all attainable if I am patient. (I know, it sounds SO easy) I have had many great examples of happy people in my life, all of whom I've said I want to be like. Part of being like them is learning to be joyful despite adversity.

Ok, enough of this being serious stuff. On to the fun stuff. On April 13, TJ turned 1. We were supposed to go for a picnic at the lake, but it snowed, so we moved our party inside at the church where James' parents go to church. We had such a great time!! TJ got lots of presents and was spoiled rotten, as all good grandchildren should be. Here are some of my favorite pics from the evening.

So, TJ`s actual birthday was on the same day as the opening of Swiss Chalet, where both of the girls are working. They were great. Amanda, made TJ a birthday bandanna (which he didnt wear very long). Then they brought him a dirt cup for deseret and sang to him.

Manda, Mom and I went for lunch the day after his birthday and he had an ice cream cone. I didnt get a good shot of the after, so here is the nice, clean before.

James mom and dad bought TJ this cute little lego wagon to go with the HUGE bag of legos James and I bought him and he loved it. He also got a swimsuit and pool from Grandma and Grandpa Thornhill (which I am sure he will love when he gets the chance to use them), a ton of clothes from everyone and a cute little golf set from James brother and his wife.This was the him eating the cake. I made cupcakes, so it was a more tolerable amount.

Before...

Today, we had a weenie roast out at Aunt Annettes because Brandy, Simon andthe girls are down. It was great fun!!! TJ has been taking a few tentative steps lately, so he went for a walk with his cousins! So cute!After a while, they got tired, so they sat in the grass and played for quite a while.

Ok, I have a million more things that have happened this past month, but this post is long enough!! I will talk to you all later!

See you in a month!

Ok, so I just wanted to drop a quick line and let everyone know I am alive. Sick, but alive. However, my illness is environmentally induced. As it becomes spring, hay and grass, my mortal enemies, come out to wreak havok on my sinuses. It will pass (somewhat). My poor little TJ is sick too. Unfortunately, his is not as simple as mine. He has bronciolitis, which is similar to bronchitis, but just in a smaller part of his chest. We took him to the hospital twice last week and they gave him some medicine. He is getting better, but slowly.

Exciting news, my fabric shipment got here this week!! I'm VERY excited. However, it means that I will be VERY busy for the next few weeks. So, if I don't post again this month, please forgive me. I will be checking in on all of you, but can't guarantee I'll be able to catch some free time to post! We'll see what the month brings!! Wish me luck!!

Catharsis

I have a confession to make. I hate Southern Alberta. I'm not kidding. I hate the wheat fields, the brown, the wind, the cold, the cows, the lack of culture, the lack of people, the lack of trees, tall buildings, anyway, you get the idea. This lack of love for my home leads me to have some pretty severe winter grumpies. I get moody and snap at those around me. (If you are one of those people I have snapped at lately, I apologize) I can't breathe properly and I have constant headaches because of it. I get very lathargic, have zero motivation and just want to stay in bed until its warm. So why, you ask, don't I move? Its simple. The people around me. I don't make friends very easily. I am quite shy and frequently mistaken for being snotty because of it. Also, I'm constantly worried about offending others. I'm just not comfortable around new people, so its rare that I make friends. The friends that I do have here are so great. I can't imagine leaaving them. And my family is here. If you know my family well, you know we get together all the time. And its not just that I'd miss the get together's, but its really great to have TJ be so close to everyone. Honestly, if it was just me, I'd be somewhere far far away. Probably the theater district in New York or in sunny Florida or in back in Utah.

Ok, so you are probably sitting there thinking why is she rambling on about this. What is the point behind this complaining? Its because after this winter down time, comes the spring catharsis. A catharsis is a purging of emotions. In every play, the hero has a cathartic moment, a moment when his outlook on his life changes and he realizes he can go on from there. This is what happens to me every spring. I have that moment when I realize that things are ok. I have had some great Cinderella moments in my life. What, you may ask, is a Cinderella moment? Its a time in your life when you get to live your life exactly the way you want to. When everything falls into place and you get to live out one of your wildest dreams. Some people only get one or two of these moments in their lifetime and I've already have a few of them. Yes, they only last until midnight, but they give you something to dream about the rest of your life. There are days when I would love to go back, but then I think about what I get to do now. (Some days, it takes a few days for that to make me feel better!!;) I may not be exactly who I want to be or where I want to be, but I am with the people I want to be with. My location does not get to determine who I am, only I can do that.

I love that I get to start each spring with a fresh outlook on life and a renewed sense of wonder. I love myself more each spring and am more greatful for those around me. I still don't like Southern Alberta and I don't know that I ever will, but it is where I call home these days and I don't forsee it changing anytime soon. And I'm ok with that!

Catch Up

I have been neglecting my blog lately. I apologize to all my faithful readers. (smirk, chortle, snort!!) I have been a very busy bee lately and it doesn't look like I'm going to get to slow down for a while. However, thats ok by me. Its amazing how much needs to be done to start a business. There are all these little things that you would never know need to be done until it is actually time to do them! I haven't been doing much sewing, just a lot of figuring out. Fortunately, I am almost done the figuring and am going to move on to the best parts, design and production!! Yipee!! Oh, and I'm very excited to say that, because of all the figuring I've been doing, we are now able to offer the bags at a lower price than they have been priced. (The new pricing will take effect when the next installment hits the shelves!)

So, other than business, the majority of my time this past month was spent planning and pulling off Manda's wedding. It went really well. I won't bore you with too many details and I'm sad to say my pics on my camera didn't turn out too well, so your going to have to wait for the pics from the photographer.

Tonight Tem and some of his friends made us traditional Nigerian food. It was REALLY good. I was really nervous because I'm not really an adventurous eater, but I was pleasantly suprised. Here are a couple pics of that.

Sorry, I know its not a great post, but it might be better than nothing. I am working on a much better one in my mind, but it still needs a little working out. Till then, be happy!!

Ok, I'm it

I need a break from watching the needle on my machine going up and down, TJ is actually sleeping, I don't feel like cleaning anything (even though I REALLY should) and I think this mommy tag Susie came up with is great, so I'm going to do it!

Typical Time of Wake Up

Well, TJ usually wakes up between 8:30 and 10:00. I however, get up by 7 so I can get things done, because once he is awake, I accomplish nothing!

On a Good Night When You/Kids go to sleep

TJ goes to sleep sometime between 10:30 and midnight. I usually follow within half an hour or so. However, James usually calls when he is done work around 1, so I kind of nap until he calls and then sleep after that.

How long have you been a momma

It will be 10 months on the 13th

How many times have you been a new mom

Just once so far, but even being able to say that is kind of a miracle for me. If that is all I get, thats ok!

How old were you when you became a mom

I was 26

Favorite Kids Show

TJ doesn`t really watch TV yet, but I love Fraggle Rock and the Muppets. I also like Veggie Tales.

Least Favorite Kids Show

There are oh so very many. I am not really a TV person.

Favorite Chore

Vacuuming with my Mom's Roomba!! LOL. Actually, I really enjoy organizing things.

Least Favorite Chore

I hate cleaning the bathroom. I make James do it. I especially hate dusting. I don't have little trinkets for that very reason. It really drives James crazy that I won't let him put out little things all over.

Meal you Cook Most Often

I try to keep it mixed up, but in general I prefer chicken and fish over beef. I know, how un-Albertan of me.

Kids Favorite Meal

TJ LOVE watermelon. He also really likes most any fruit or veggies. He does NOT like anything that is mushed up and fed to him in a spoon. Unless you are eating it too, then its ok.

Five Things That Make You Smile When You Are Being a Mom

1. When I get home from school and TJ sees me and his face lights up.
2. When TJ grabs the phone (even if its not ringing) and says "i dah" (Hi Dad)
3. The way TJ snuggles me when he gets sleepy
4. That I'm the only one who can comfort him when he wants Mommy
5. Watching TJ hit each milestone and learn so many new things each day.

Favorite Thing Your Husband Does With Your Kids

Its HILARIOUS to watch James change TJ. Really, if you need a good laugh, you should watch it.

Last Time You Went Out With No Kids

Last night I went to a scrapbooking thing. Thanks Grandpa!!

If You Could Take Your Kids Anywhere, Where Would it be

Paris, because I really want to go there. Ok, really, I want to go back to Disneyworld when TJ is old enough to remember it.

Favorite Pastime or Activity With Kids

TJ loves drumming on things, so we make music all the time. I also love his reaction when we do rhymes.

One Thing You Said You Would Never Do When You Were a Mom

Let my kids be the kid without manners who nobody wants to have over.

If You Had an Afternoon to Yourself, What Would You Do

Um, depends on what I've been doing in the few days before. I would probably organize my sewing room. I really need to do that. I should be doing that right now. If it was already done, I would probably work on TJ's quilt or do some scrapbooking.

One Thing Your Mom Did and Now You Do

Favorite Quality of Your own Mom

Her youthful spirit. Shes more like a kid than a lot of the kids I know. She always knows how to have fun, but also when its time to be serious.

Favorite Kids Book

I love Enchantress of Crumbledown. Its for teens. Its fantastic. As far as younger books, I'm a Dr. Seuss nut.

Best Advice For a New Mom

Um, I don't really thing I should give any. I'm pretty much the newest mom I know and I'm constantly asking for advice. Speaking of which, any advice on when to stop using the little bitty bathtub? I'm very nervous about bathing TJ in the big tub, but he's outgrowing the little one.

Scariest or Most Heartbreaking Moment as a Mom

Pretty much the whole delivery/after delivery. TJ's heart rate was way too fast and I wasn't doing very well either, so they said they were going to try using a vaccum and if that didn't work in 2 minutes, we were going to do an emergency c-section (the one thing that scares me spitless about having babies). Fortunately, the c-section wasn't necessary, but TJ wasn't breathing right when he came out and his heart was still beating WAY too fast, so they brought in someone for him. Seeing her come running (literally) into the room probably scared me the most.

Last Time your Child Told you They Loved You

When he flopped out of Jessica's arms onto my head so I would hold him at dinner tonight.

Last Time You Said I Love You to Your Kid(s)

When I put him down for his nap almost a whole hour ago (yee haw!)

Sorry, too tired to come up with a good title!

Is it sad that I look forward to reading the blogs as much as I do? Its like having friends when I don't get to leave the house. Oh well, if it is sad, so be it! Life has been so busy the past few weeks this may be a little of a long post. Sorry 'bout that!

My poor little TJ has cut 3 teeth in the past 2 weeks. He has not been a happy camper. He hates eating food from a spoon, so he usually eats what I am eating. Lots of fruits and veggies. (Sidenote: This is actually working well because I'm really watching what I eat knowing that he is going to eat it too.) However, when he is teething, he doesn't want to eat anything. He always loses some weight, which he doesn't really have to lose. To add to that, he has had a nasty little cold for a week or so now. I love him, but he is oh so very cranky. He was a little better today, but only a little. I'm hoping this new trend will continue and he will be back to his happy little self soon.

James was home last week, so that meant we were INSANELY busy. He had about a billion doctor apointments. He has had tonsilitis 4 times this past year, so he has to have his tonsils taken out. He already had a specialist appointment with an ear nose throat specialist when he comes home next time, so Dr. Smith just added a note to why he was seeing him. The original appointment was to see if he can get his deviated septum fixed. Then he had an appointment at the sleep apnea clinic. He has a loaner machine to use while he is at work this week to see if it helps. He was supposed to have a dentist appointment, but it didn't get approved in time. He also has to have lasik surgery before he can be a cop, so he was supposed to have an appointment at the eye dr. However, the dr. ended up having to be out of town for a few days, so that got postponed til next time too. I have a full time job just keeping up with all of his appointments!

I made a cake for a little girls first birthday. She really loves frogs, so they wanted a frog cake. That was pretty much the only direction they gave me, so this is what I came up with.

We have been busy little bees getting ready for the wedding. We had the invitations made within a couple of days and then mailed out, but they got sent back because the guy at the post office told us they weren't oversized and they were. Now, they are re-stamped and back in the mail. Other than that, we have done some guest book pages, bought the dress, veil ect., had a bridal shower/bachelorette, planned the decorations, meal and servers and a whole lot of other stuff. Next week I'm doing the bustle in her gown, making a jacket for it, and a dress for the afterparty. That is assuming that Amanda gets better. She has been really sick for the past 2 weeks.

Other than that, my time has been almost completely consumed with class, sewing and mommying. Class is going really well. Its been pretty easy so far, but it is early on. I have taken the first load of bags to Anna Banna. I'm super excited about them. I've got two more styles I'm finishing this week and then have one or two more to figure out. The ones I've done so far have all been based on patterns by Amy Butler. Of course, I couldn't use her patterns because they are copyrighted, so I looked at her bags online and made my own pattern based on that. I'm so excited about how they turned out. I'm going to make change pads, burp cloths, blankets and bibs to match. Everything but the bibs will have the fabric on one side and co-ordinating minky on the other. That should all be done within the next 4-5 weeks. I'm still waiting on my minky samples and then I'll have to place my order. Otherwise, it would be sooner. Its hard to believe my business has actually gotten up and running. Things are going well and seem to be falling in to place nicely. I'm going to have some pictures professionally done once I have everything finished, but here are a few I took in the mean time.

This is the "Manda" bag.

This one is the "Jesi"

Ok, this won't rotate no matter what I do, so here it is sideways. This is the "Kelly".

And I couldn't do one more post without a picture of my cute little guy. This is one of the few times he was happy this past week. I can't get this one to rotate either. Stupid new computer.

Well, thanks for reading! Hope it wasn't too boring for you!