I feel like this year, 2014, has been the best year of my life.
Is it because of the things I have done, the places I have been and the things I have seen this year? No.
Having our family complete; three amazing children and a perfect marriage along with the life we have had leading up to our move here makes everything perfect. The Summer was perfect. The holidays are perfect. I am so truly happy.
What makes my life perfect? 1) Having spent an amazing 4 years in Italy with Sterling and our boys. 2) Now living within driving distance of our families. 3) Having a daughter...being able to do all the fun girly things with her I don't get to do with/for my boys. 4) Having decided our family is complete. Planning to not get pregnant again or go through labor and delivery. Knowing that these hardships of raising a baby (waiting for her to sleep through the night etc) are the last time I will go through these.
Other simple things like the trials I have faced that have made me as strong as I am today. Example: My insecurety and desire to have people like me and to know my friends are true friends. I went through that the whole time I was in Italy and maybe even before that. But now I am happy with the many friends I have here. I don't have a best friend, besides Sterling, but know that I have a list of girls I can call to go hang out or invite over.
Another example: last winter here in Rapid City was very harsh. Cold and windy together. This Winter so far it is nowhere near that. It does get cold but we have some almost warm days as well. And the wind has been very tame so far this Winter. So now when it's 0 degrees outside I don't mind going out to go shopping or go get stuff done outside. I don't mind being out the cold a little while because there is no harsh wind.
Another small thing that makes my life perfect ...I realized recently that I don't have to worry about getting fat again. After Tiberias was born I gained more weight than I have ever had on before. I allowed myself to be in maybe 2 photographs at that time. Both of them I stood on the outskirt of the picture so I could crop in the photo, cutting off part of my body to show less of my fat.
I shortly after worked my butt off with Sterling to count my calories (eat like 1200 calories a day), doing pushups and situps and hiking. Combined with breastfeeding Ty my weight melted off.
I have been worried about gaining back the weight ever since.
When we came back to America a year and a half ago I started eating not so healthy. We had gotten into a very good healthy eating lifestyle in Italy. Then we came back to all the fast food we had missed and celebrations with family. Then Sterling was away from us 4 months. Then we moved to South Dakota. I have not gotten back into a healthy eating lifestyle since. I did workout during my pregnancy with Athena...so my body stayed in shape. And after Athena was born , if I wore a tummy sucker under my clothes, I looked like I had not just had a baby. I looked great. I have been breastfeeding Athena but not working out much or eating healthy. Now she is almost a year old and I am still "thin." So recently I realized...I am not going to get fat again. I can stop worrying about it. Now that I am no longer breastfeeding Athena I do need to start working out often. Replace the calorie burning with another way of calorie burning. And I should start eating a bit healthier. But if I don't I am not afraid of blowing up like a balloon. Definitely something to celebrate!! :)
Not only that but the fact that I know how to lose weight if I need to. It takes years to learn how your body best loses weight and I do know my body.
My family has done some awesome things this year! Visited Mount Rushmore a few times as well as some other fun places in the area. Had grandparents come to visit because of the baby being born. We drove down to Provo and visited our family when Travis got married. But what made it the best year of my life, so far, is where I have been and what has tried me to bring me to this perfect state of mind and true happiness. No dream could be sweeter than my life. No hope or wish could make one happier than my life makes me.
Not only is it the past and present that bring joy to me but the aspirations for my future. Sterling and I talk about our future sometimes. We talk about having a piece of land after retirement, where we start out in a trailor while we build our dream home.
We talk of having animals on our land which we care for.
We talk of having a motor home and taking family trips sooner rather than later.
We once talked about living in or near a small town where we could open a little diner.
Sterling talks about being a cop, his dream job. And I honestly hope he gets that experience and loves it.
I dream about how I will spend my time when my children are grown. Photography, cake decorating, scrapbooking, sewing, keeping up my singing voice and performing for church and community events, etc.
The thing about dreams, with my husband, they tend to come true. Sterling has made so many of my dreams come true. With us being down to earth and financially secure (we are planners) it is totally feasible for any of our dreams of retirement to come true.
God has given us so much. And every day I thank Him for His blessings.
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Callings
We moved into the Rapid Valley ward in December last year. It took a few months before I was given callings...Sterling as well.
I was called to two callings around the same time. 1)Relief Society Enrichment Committee Head. To lead the committee that plans and throws the monthly RS activities.
2) Co-Gospel Doctrine teacher. Malinda Stone would teach one week and I would teach the next.
I enjoyed both callings. My 1st calling was a lot easier for me. I had a lot of fun with my committee planning and throwing fun events. We did the Annual Birthday Dinner (huge success), a Get To Know Your Sisters Game Night (Success!), Visiting Teaching Conference (Which was a success despite the drama one sister caused) and a cake decorating Basics class taught by Druceal Sheldon (frosting decorating) and myself (fondant). It was moved from one date to another due to weather so we had a small turnout of about 5 sisters aside from the teachers. But it was a success anyway. It would be awesome to do annually.
My Gospel Doctrine calling also took up a lot of time but only every other week. It took about three days of working on my lesson to get it prepared. Being a mom of three I don't find that much alone time each day to work on it.
I learned so much by studying the scriptures! Old Testament is not easy for me to understand. But praying for help and studying it over a few days has really opened my eyes. I would read some of it and not understand it at all. But with the help of the manual and the Seminary manual and reading it a few days after the 1st time, I understand. I have never learned the Old Testament as well as I have by teaching it.
I have also been an unofficial Primary substitute. Not many people in the ward are willing to take on a primary class. So I do it. After a few weeks of teaching Gospel Doctrine I feel really confident to teach, even last minute, a class of 3 year olds or 5 year olds.
I have been subbing when I can in Ty's 3 yr old class while his teacher had her third baby and has been staying home with him.
And my last calling is Visiting Teacher, of course. I have been one to strive to get 100% visiting teaching each month when possible. I did well at it in Italy.
Now I have three kids and my husband works two totally different shifts rotating every other week. And the sisters we visit are spread out. Two live in Box Elder which is 15 minutes away. One lives close to me. But we can't seem to get them to let us come visit on the same day. So we make different trips when we can. One sister only wants to see my companion because she has had her as her vising teacher for a long time. And the other two are also inactives.
Visiting Teaching is, sadly, a burden now. I pray that it will change. I no longer feel I can get 100% v.t. each month. I feel I need a break every other month. It has been stressful with my life being so busy.
It has not been that long since I got my callings in this ward. But I am being released from both of those callings and placed in another. I will be in the Relief Society Presidency...one of the counselor. Although I am not sure which one...first or second. The Bishopric member could not remember which when he asked if I would accept the calling.
Of course I would accept. Ster thinks I will be as busy in this calling as I was in both my current callings.
On Sunday I will be released from gospel doctrine and hopefully Enrichment Committee and set apart in the new one.
The Relief Society President is my visiting teaching companion Missy Davis. Her other choice for counselor is a woman I do not know. And the Secretary is not changing...Laura Smith.
Actually, I have not been told I will be released from Enrichment Committee. I'm just kind of hoping so. It's a busy calling and if I have to do that as well as Relief Society Presidency I might be way too busy.
Ster thinks I will be kept in charge of overseeing the committee but that I won't be in charge of coming up with the ideas for events and hosting them. I will probably continue to make the flyers (digital and printed) because I am good at it and getting it done promptly so everyone can plan for the event.
I am so thankful to be a part of the Lord's church and to have so many opportunities to serve. I am blessed in countless ways for serving in the church! Some of those ways are gaining experience in different areas and growing.
This will be my first time in the Relief Society Presidency. I am
I was called to two callings around the same time. 1)Relief Society Enrichment Committee Head. To lead the committee that plans and throws the monthly RS activities.
2) Co-Gospel Doctrine teacher. Malinda Stone would teach one week and I would teach the next.
I enjoyed both callings. My 1st calling was a lot easier for me. I had a lot of fun with my committee planning and throwing fun events. We did the Annual Birthday Dinner (huge success), a Get To Know Your Sisters Game Night (Success!), Visiting Teaching Conference (Which was a success despite the drama one sister caused) and a cake decorating Basics class taught by Druceal Sheldon (frosting decorating) and myself (fondant). It was moved from one date to another due to weather so we had a small turnout of about 5 sisters aside from the teachers. But it was a success anyway. It would be awesome to do annually.
My Gospel Doctrine calling also took up a lot of time but only every other week. It took about three days of working on my lesson to get it prepared. Being a mom of three I don't find that much alone time each day to work on it.
I learned so much by studying the scriptures! Old Testament is not easy for me to understand. But praying for help and studying it over a few days has really opened my eyes. I would read some of it and not understand it at all. But with the help of the manual and the Seminary manual and reading it a few days after the 1st time, I understand. I have never learned the Old Testament as well as I have by teaching it.
I have also been an unofficial Primary substitute. Not many people in the ward are willing to take on a primary class. So I do it. After a few weeks of teaching Gospel Doctrine I feel really confident to teach, even last minute, a class of 3 year olds or 5 year olds.
I have been subbing when I can in Ty's 3 yr old class while his teacher had her third baby and has been staying home with him.
And my last calling is Visiting Teacher, of course. I have been one to strive to get 100% visiting teaching each month when possible. I did well at it in Italy.
Now I have three kids and my husband works two totally different shifts rotating every other week. And the sisters we visit are spread out. Two live in Box Elder which is 15 minutes away. One lives close to me. But we can't seem to get them to let us come visit on the same day. So we make different trips when we can. One sister only wants to see my companion because she has had her as her vising teacher for a long time. And the other two are also inactives.
Visiting Teaching is, sadly, a burden now. I pray that it will change. I no longer feel I can get 100% v.t. each month. I feel I need a break every other month. It has been stressful with my life being so busy.
It has not been that long since I got my callings in this ward. But I am being released from both of those callings and placed in another. I will be in the Relief Society Presidency...one of the counselor. Although I am not sure which one...first or second. The Bishopric member could not remember which when he asked if I would accept the calling.
Of course I would accept. Ster thinks I will be as busy in this calling as I was in both my current callings.
On Sunday I will be released from gospel doctrine and hopefully Enrichment Committee and set apart in the new one.
The Relief Society President is my visiting teaching companion Missy Davis. Her other choice for counselor is a woman I do not know. And the Secretary is not changing...Laura Smith.
Actually, I have not been told I will be released from Enrichment Committee. I'm just kind of hoping so. It's a busy calling and if I have to do that as well as Relief Society Presidency I might be way too busy.
Ster thinks I will be kept in charge of overseeing the committee but that I won't be in charge of coming up with the ideas for events and hosting them. I will probably continue to make the flyers (digital and printed) because I am good at it and getting it done promptly so everyone can plan for the event.
I am so thankful to be a part of the Lord's church and to have so many opportunities to serve. I am blessed in countless ways for serving in the church! Some of those ways are gaining experience in different areas and growing.
This will be my first time in the Relief Society Presidency. I am
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Valentine's 2014
This year for Valentine's day Sterling's parents were staying with us. They came to see our new home in Rapid City South Dakota, meet our new baby Athena and help us during this newborn time.
Mom Roundy has been so helpful! She has cleaned and taken care of the kids everyday! Dad Roundy has worked in the mornings and early afternoons then read and played with the kids after that. He also spent time doting over her. She's so cute how could you not?
Mom also helped me throw a baby shower for my friend Martha. We threw her party on the 11th and she had a scheduled c-section on the 14th (Vday).
The party was awesome! Mom watched my kids while I made and decorated a cake and cupcakes for the party. She helped clean for the party and even make sure everything we needed during the party was had. We had a ton of girls show up and only a few kids who played together downstairs.
On Valentine's day we did not have a big romantic date. Nor did mom and dad. Sterling had to work but we were able to spend time together as a family.
The day after Vday Sterling and I went on a date. But first we took Ster's parents on a road trip. We all drove to Wall to see Wall Drug Store. Half of the cool store, which was like a mini mall, was closed for the winter season. So we drove on...to the Badlands National park.
We drove through and it was beautiful. So windy and cold though. Not snowy cold but just cold enough to be annoying. The wind was really all that was annoying because it was crazy windy.
We saw some fun wildlife; prairie dogs...whole towns of them, deer, big horn sheep and buffalo (from afar).
That evening Sterling and I got dressed up and went to Applebee's for dinner. It was busy, being a Saturday night in a busy town. But it only took 15 minutes for them to have a table ready for us.
We then drove to the church for a ward Valentine's dance. It was like a party more than a dance because only about 7 couples came. And there were some really fun people there...outgoing women. Singing and dancing, snacking and socializing. It was a lot of fun! Sterling did not want to go but went because he knew how happy it would make me. Once there I didn't want to torcher him so I decided we didn't have to dance the fast songs. They played the Electric Slide and a group was doing the dance. Sterling revealed to me that he had never heard that song before so he had of course never learned the dance. I was shocked. In Vegas as the LDS youth dances we always danced that song.
And Sterling surprised me by saying he would try it! So we got on the dance floor! It took me a long time to get it myself...having not danced it in so many years.
We socialized. There were only two couples there I had not met before. One woman I was friends on facebook but had not met her. The other was a young military member and his fiance who was here visiting. So we met both of those couples.
We slow danced, gazing into each other's eyes, feeling the magic we still have between us. It was so romantic!
We had fun! And at the end of the dance they played "Earth Angel" by the Four Seasons.
As Sterling and I danced he sang me the words of the song; "Earth Angel, Earth Angel,
The one I adore, Love you forever And evermore. I'm just a fool, A fool in love with you."
It was cold out but not too cold. I was so tired, as mother's of newborns are by 9pm, but had such a wonderful night.
Sterling and I had agreed not to get each other gifts this holiday. But I saw a Darth Vador mug in the Valentine's section of the store and I couldnt help but get it for Sterling. Then he had pointed out a poster, of the Hobbit The Desolation of Smaug, that he liked a while ago so I decided to get him that as well. Mom and I framed it in a big frame Ster and I had lying around and we put it on the wall in the tv area of the downstairs. He loved his gifts but felt bad that I did those when he hadn't gotten me anything. He did get me my favorite though...Twizzlers. And he got me a flowers and branches mold for cake decorating...one I picked out and purchased and told him it was a Vday gift from him. :)
The Sunday after Vday we all went to church together. The weather was wonderful that day!
Sterling received a calling...to be Scout master and a Young Men's leader. I received a call to be Co-Gospel Doctrine teacher. I am a bit intimidated by this calling because I have to stand and teach adults every other week. But I think I'm up for the challenge.
We were set apart that day. Then the bishopric offered me another calling which they had previousely decided to ask me to do but then forgot about it.
I can't think of the title right now! It's a committee that organizes and puts on Relief Society events and occasionally ward events. I will be the head of the committee. There are currently 6 members but they plan to have 8-10.
I'm not intimidated by this calling because I will have plenty of women on the committee to help me out. And because I love planning and throwing social events.
Mom and dad Roundy stayed about a week and a half. They left today...flew back to Utah. We loved having them visit! Now I'm going to be crazy busy. With Luke going to school and then having homework after school, house cleaning, taking care of the kids, meals, my hobbies like blogging and the church.
Sunday will be Sterling's birthday! I will be teaching Gospel Doctrine for the first time then we'll celebrate Sterling's birthday. Then we are feeding missionaries twice that week. The sister missionaries once and the elders once. And Sterling is going on a camping trip that weekend with the scouts.
Plus, I have to do something special to celebrate when Tiberias spends a whole night in his own bed. He's been so freaked out that mom and dad might leave him in the night that he gets up screaming and crying "mom? dad?" And he doesn't want to go back to his own bed. He sleeps on the floor in our room. Sometimes it's before midnight and sometimes it's as late as 5am. But if he can make it to 6:30a without coming to our room, and he doesn't freak out then we celebrate.
Twice we've done this. Only two nights in the last like month has he been good to sleep through the night and not drive us crazy.
I come up with a song we dance to because he loves to dance. We play Pin the Tail on the Donkey. We even have a special treat like homemade brownies. He loves having these parties! But they take up my time when I'm already so busy! Now mom Roundy is no longer here to help me take care of the kids and clean the house.
Now I have to stand on my own two feet. Learn how to be a mom of three without a mother here to help me (a few weeks before mom Roundy came my own mother was here helping out!)
And now I'm about 5 weeks past my delivery so I'm allowed to start working out again. I am happy to get back into working out. And I love that there's no pressure. I'm not over weight. I look pretty good. It's the first time I've started my pregnancy thin ...so staying in shape throughout the pregnancy really helped me looked great right after the delivery. My first week back at church people said I don't look like I've just had a baby. My husband even reassures me of that. And Sterling isn't one to tell me things just to make me feel good. We're too realistic. When he or I do something like that it's not very convincing. That's what makes me feel I am not a very good photographer...because Sterling won't compliment my work very much. I really get the impression he thinks I'm not that great at it. And it makes it so I think I'm only okay when really I want to think I'm pretty good. Others tell me I'm really good.
Other than that Sterling is the best husband ever!
Anyway, my point was that it feels great to be able to start working out and not have the pressure of NEEDing to lose 5 pounds. Yes, I need to lose weight. I want to lose ten pounds. But I don't worry about it because I have not worked out much in over a month so when I do start it should work to lose weight. And breastfeeding really helps me lose weight.
I am tired! I am happy but tired! And it is so windy here! I'm starting to really hate the wind. But mom Roundy pointed out...we are on the prairies where the wind blows. That's just the part of the U.
S. we moved to.
Mom Roundy has been so helpful! She has cleaned and taken care of the kids everyday! Dad Roundy has worked in the mornings and early afternoons then read and played with the kids after that. He also spent time doting over her. She's so cute how could you not?
Mom also helped me throw a baby shower for my friend Martha. We threw her party on the 11th and she had a scheduled c-section on the 14th (Vday).
The party was awesome! Mom watched my kids while I made and decorated a cake and cupcakes for the party. She helped clean for the party and even make sure everything we needed during the party was had. We had a ton of girls show up and only a few kids who played together downstairs.
On Valentine's day we did not have a big romantic date. Nor did mom and dad. Sterling had to work but we were able to spend time together as a family.
The day after Vday Sterling and I went on a date. But first we took Ster's parents on a road trip. We all drove to Wall to see Wall Drug Store. Half of the cool store, which was like a mini mall, was closed for the winter season. So we drove on...to the Badlands National park.
We drove through and it was beautiful. So windy and cold though. Not snowy cold but just cold enough to be annoying. The wind was really all that was annoying because it was crazy windy.
We saw some fun wildlife; prairie dogs...whole towns of them, deer, big horn sheep and buffalo (from afar).
That evening Sterling and I got dressed up and went to Applebee's for dinner. It was busy, being a Saturday night in a busy town. But it only took 15 minutes for them to have a table ready for us.
We then drove to the church for a ward Valentine's dance. It was like a party more than a dance because only about 7 couples came. And there were some really fun people there...outgoing women. Singing and dancing, snacking and socializing. It was a lot of fun! Sterling did not want to go but went because he knew how happy it would make me. Once there I didn't want to torcher him so I decided we didn't have to dance the fast songs. They played the Electric Slide and a group was doing the dance. Sterling revealed to me that he had never heard that song before so he had of course never learned the dance. I was shocked. In Vegas as the LDS youth dances we always danced that song.
And Sterling surprised me by saying he would try it! So we got on the dance floor! It took me a long time to get it myself...having not danced it in so many years.
We socialized. There were only two couples there I had not met before. One woman I was friends on facebook but had not met her. The other was a young military member and his fiance who was here visiting. So we met both of those couples.
We slow danced, gazing into each other's eyes, feeling the magic we still have between us. It was so romantic!
We had fun! And at the end of the dance they played "Earth Angel" by the Four Seasons.
As Sterling and I danced he sang me the words of the song; "Earth Angel, Earth Angel,
The one I adore, Love you forever And evermore. I'm just a fool, A fool in love with you."
It was cold out but not too cold. I was so tired, as mother's of newborns are by 9pm, but had such a wonderful night.
Sterling and I had agreed not to get each other gifts this holiday. But I saw a Darth Vador mug in the Valentine's section of the store and I couldnt help but get it for Sterling. Then he had pointed out a poster, of the Hobbit The Desolation of Smaug, that he liked a while ago so I decided to get him that as well. Mom and I framed it in a big frame Ster and I had lying around and we put it on the wall in the tv area of the downstairs. He loved his gifts but felt bad that I did those when he hadn't gotten me anything. He did get me my favorite though...Twizzlers. And he got me a flowers and branches mold for cake decorating...one I picked out and purchased and told him it was a Vday gift from him. :)
The Sunday after Vday we all went to church together. The weather was wonderful that day!
Sterling received a calling...to be Scout master and a Young Men's leader. I received a call to be Co-Gospel Doctrine teacher. I am a bit intimidated by this calling because I have to stand and teach adults every other week. But I think I'm up for the challenge.
We were set apart that day. Then the bishopric offered me another calling which they had previousely decided to ask me to do but then forgot about it.
I can't think of the title right now! It's a committee that organizes and puts on Relief Society events and occasionally ward events. I will be the head of the committee. There are currently 6 members but they plan to have 8-10.
I'm not intimidated by this calling because I will have plenty of women on the committee to help me out. And because I love planning and throwing social events.
Mom and dad Roundy stayed about a week and a half. They left today...flew back to Utah. We loved having them visit! Now I'm going to be crazy busy. With Luke going to school and then having homework after school, house cleaning, taking care of the kids, meals, my hobbies like blogging and the church.
Sunday will be Sterling's birthday! I will be teaching Gospel Doctrine for the first time then we'll celebrate Sterling's birthday. Then we are feeding missionaries twice that week. The sister missionaries once and the elders once. And Sterling is going on a camping trip that weekend with the scouts.
Plus, I have to do something special to celebrate when Tiberias spends a whole night in his own bed. He's been so freaked out that mom and dad might leave him in the night that he gets up screaming and crying "mom? dad?" And he doesn't want to go back to his own bed. He sleeps on the floor in our room. Sometimes it's before midnight and sometimes it's as late as 5am. But if he can make it to 6:30a without coming to our room, and he doesn't freak out then we celebrate.
Twice we've done this. Only two nights in the last like month has he been good to sleep through the night and not drive us crazy.
I come up with a song we dance to because he loves to dance. We play Pin the Tail on the Donkey. We even have a special treat like homemade brownies. He loves having these parties! But they take up my time when I'm already so busy! Now mom Roundy is no longer here to help me take care of the kids and clean the house.
Now I have to stand on my own two feet. Learn how to be a mom of three without a mother here to help me (a few weeks before mom Roundy came my own mother was here helping out!)
And now I'm about 5 weeks past my delivery so I'm allowed to start working out again. I am happy to get back into working out. And I love that there's no pressure. I'm not over weight. I look pretty good. It's the first time I've started my pregnancy thin ...so staying in shape throughout the pregnancy really helped me looked great right after the delivery. My first week back at church people said I don't look like I've just had a baby. My husband even reassures me of that. And Sterling isn't one to tell me things just to make me feel good. We're too realistic. When he or I do something like that it's not very convincing. That's what makes me feel I am not a very good photographer...because Sterling won't compliment my work very much. I really get the impression he thinks I'm not that great at it. And it makes it so I think I'm only okay when really I want to think I'm pretty good. Others tell me I'm really good.
Other than that Sterling is the best husband ever!
Anyway, my point was that it feels great to be able to start working out and not have the pressure of NEEDing to lose 5 pounds. Yes, I need to lose weight. I want to lose ten pounds. But I don't worry about it because I have not worked out much in over a month so when I do start it should work to lose weight. And breastfeeding really helps me lose weight.
I am tired! I am happy but tired! And it is so windy here! I'm starting to really hate the wind. But mom Roundy pointed out...we are on the prairies where the wind blows. That's just the part of the U.
S. we moved to.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Making Friends
Dinner Party
The family room downstairs has the office area all set up and decorated...Sterling's doing. The new sectional couch is down there, the 32inch tv and the awesome ottoman we just got. We can't really decorate the walls yet because we plan on doing so many changes in that room; we will replace the tv with a huge one and mount it on the opposite wall from where the current tv is. That means moving the sectional as well.
Sterling is going to build book shelves to go on the shelf that runs all the way around the walls. Put our dvd collection and book collection on them...on both sides of the fireplace he is going to put in (in the center of the wall). He has worked hard to clean and paint that fireplace stove. It looks great now!
The boys have a bunkbed in their room and tons of toys too. But I can't do much organizing in there until their other bunk bed/desk/drawers piece of furniture is delivered from the store.
The kitchen looks great; all we did there was add a refrigerator/freezer.
The dining room has a tiny table that was my craft table in Italy. There are no decorations on the wall. But we bought a fine dining table with two benches and chairs that will be delivered tomorrow! Then we'll decorate the wall and that room will be complete. (Crossing my fingers that the table is not too big for our dining area)
We had our friends the Liefker's over for dinner yesterday, despite our unfinished dining room.
Brenda, Ben, Braeden and Bryson. And as soon as they arrived Brenda told me the exciting news...she's pregnant! She's about to start working a new job and was surprised to learn she's pregnant. So now that shakes things up a bit.
She is dealing with the first trimester sickness.
We gave them a tour of the house.
All the little boys played downstairs in the boys' bedroom and the tv room (where they love throwing all the big pillows off the couch, jumping on the couch and the ottoman and pulling out the games we placed inside the ottoman.
Sterling and Ben started getting to know each other in the office area of the downstairs where Ster keeps a bunch of his projects and things right now.
Brenda and I chatted upstairs and then I made dinner; pizza spaghetti skillet. After dinner we ate homemade chocolate chip cookies Brenda made. Yum!
Sterling taught Ben how to play Mancala...a game we have. Then after dinner Ben taught Brenda and they played a few rounds while we all socialized.
They asked us how we met and we roughly told them the story. Then they told us the story of how they met. Some of it was that they dated then they broke up. She started to move on and was dating someone else. He tried to pursue her and once she agreed to just see him and hear him out it didn't take long for him to propose...they were not even dating each other. lol.
A few things I really like about the Liefker's:
They are religious and actually go to church. Not our religion but a religion.
They lived in Germany and came back recently. So I don't feel bad at all talking about Italy because they have had some amazing experiences in Germany themselves. Usually I feel kind of bad talking about Italy because people are so envious. I don't want to be bragging ever.
Braedon and Bryson are really nice boys. They are not bullies. And all four of our boys get along so well. They have so much fun together! Ty doesn't like to play with them as long as Luke and Braedon do. Ty will come hang out with the grown ups or the baby sometimes. But I guess Bryson does that too. Maybe it's their age. The older boys have fun with friends longer.
Baby Shower
A day or two ago I started itching to plan a cake. I need a reason to make and decorate a cake! A baby shower would be awesome! Then I realized that maybe, just maybe, my friend Martha is going to have or wants to have a baby shower. Her due date is coming up, late January, and I have not heard a thing about a baby shower for her. It is her third child but it's her first girl. And she does have plenty of girl clothes so she doesn't need those. But maybe she'd like a diaper and wipes party? And I can make a cake to show off and share.
I text messaged Martha and she said she doesn't have any plans for one but would love one. So now I am planning her baby shower!
Quickly I have to find women to help me plan and throw the shower. Martha gave me some names of her friends in the ward. Once I have a committee we will meet sometime this week to plan the event...get the ball rolling. I am excited! :)
Martha wants to make little hair bows for her baby as an activity at the party. I think it's a way cute idea. Better than just baby shower games. I'll have Martha pick out her perfect baby girl shower cake and I will make it.
Friends/Neighbors
I also really like the Nopes who are in our ward and live just across the street. They had us over at their house with their (I think) 5 kids for New Year's Eve night. We have not had them over to our house yet because we didn't have furniture and now we have a newborn. In a week or so we'll have them over for a meal or something.
And Druceal I made friends with recently (a play date at her home)lives just across Twilight street from us. She has two kids and she does cakes, painting and homeschooling.
There are many wonderful and sweet women in the ward that I know I will make many friends. I am excited for this year. To start doing cakes and photography again. To have playdates/baby showers and events where my friendship grows with the women in the ward. And to host events at our house which is awesome.
The bad thing about living up on the top of the hill is the wind. Now, there is wind all over Rapid City! But it hits the back of our house so hard! Atleast it's not the front of the house it hits all the time.
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Athena Comes Homes
Athena was born on Wednesday January 15...three days ago.
In the hospital she slept as expected; sleeping all day and night except to be fed and held. She loves being held.
We had one night in the hospital. The next day once she hit 24 hrs old the nurses took a blood test from Athena's foot to see how Jaundice she was. She was jaundice so they told us to schedule another jaundice blood test for the next day.
At home Athena has been sleeping most of the day. In the evening I have tried to hold her and wake her up so she would sleep better at night. It worked the first two nights at home.
The very first night at home she did not want to go to sleep and kept me up until almost midnight trying to figure out what she wanted. It turned out she wanted to be swaddled so she couldn't move and wrapped in a blanket so she would be hot.
Yesterday I did not wake her in the evening and she did refuse to sleep until about 1am. Luckily my amazing husband took her and stayed up with her when she refused to sleep. I had pumped a little milk that evening when Athena was refusing to wake up and eat when it was her feeding time. So Sterling bottle fed her while I slept.
This morning he got up with the kids and I got up to tell him to go back to bed. He deserved to sleep in! He did go back to bed for a bit. Couldn't sleep in too much because we had a doctor's appointment for Athena. My parents took the boys to church and we went to the doctor.
Athena has had to get her foot pricked and blood taken every day since she's been born. Poor girl! Her jaundice level has risen every day! So every day we have to go back to the hospital to see if it gets better.
We have been giving her time in the sunlight, about two hours a day, multivitamin drops for the vitamin D in them and lots of liquids to help her get the nutrients she needs and poop more. She has been pooping about 4 times a day. I have also been taking vitamin D pills my dad has. But even with all these efforts her jaundice level continues to increase. Today her level was 16. If it goes up to 20 then the hospital will send us home with a UV blanket to keep her wrapped in.
Luke was very yellow and weird colored after his birth and his eyes were yellow too. He was very jaundice but did not get a UV blanket. Tiberias was a little jaundice but it was not a problem.
Athena doesn't look jaundice. Her eyes are fine and her skin is more red/pink than anything else. But her jaundice levels are so high.
We have to go back to the hospital tomorrow morning. Or, I do. Sterling will stay home because our furniture is being delivered from the furniture store.
My parents have been here for over a week and have been so helpful! They have cleaned the house and taken care of my boys...spoiled them even. But tomorrow morning they are leaving first thing! Luke has the day off of school for Martin Luther King Jr day. So Ster will stay home with the boys and I will take Athena to the doctor again.
Sterling will not go into work all week. He's on daddy leave. That will really help me by not making me go out in the morning to take Luke to school. Ster can take Luke and the two youngest will stay home in the warm house with me.
It is hard not to clean the house and do my normal stuff...being at home. But I have to rest and recover from the delivery. So I will take advantage of Sterling being home...put him to work. Get him to clean and do laundry and take the boys out for some fun now and then.
We are all healthy and happy. Mom had gotten the flu then Luke got sick. But everyone is feeling fine now. We are so happy because life is amazing!
In the hospital she slept as expected; sleeping all day and night except to be fed and held. She loves being held.
We had one night in the hospital. The next day once she hit 24 hrs old the nurses took a blood test from Athena's foot to see how Jaundice she was. She was jaundice so they told us to schedule another jaundice blood test for the next day.
At home Athena has been sleeping most of the day. In the evening I have tried to hold her and wake her up so she would sleep better at night. It worked the first two nights at home.
The very first night at home she did not want to go to sleep and kept me up until almost midnight trying to figure out what she wanted. It turned out she wanted to be swaddled so she couldn't move and wrapped in a blanket so she would be hot.
Yesterday I did not wake her in the evening and she did refuse to sleep until about 1am. Luckily my amazing husband took her and stayed up with her when she refused to sleep. I had pumped a little milk that evening when Athena was refusing to wake up and eat when it was her feeding time. So Sterling bottle fed her while I slept.
This morning he got up with the kids and I got up to tell him to go back to bed. He deserved to sleep in! He did go back to bed for a bit. Couldn't sleep in too much because we had a doctor's appointment for Athena. My parents took the boys to church and we went to the doctor.
Athena has had to get her foot pricked and blood taken every day since she's been born. Poor girl! Her jaundice level has risen every day! So every day we have to go back to the hospital to see if it gets better.
We have been giving her time in the sunlight, about two hours a day, multivitamin drops for the vitamin D in them and lots of liquids to help her get the nutrients she needs and poop more. She has been pooping about 4 times a day. I have also been taking vitamin D pills my dad has. But even with all these efforts her jaundice level continues to increase. Today her level was 16. If it goes up to 20 then the hospital will send us home with a UV blanket to keep her wrapped in.
Luke was very yellow and weird colored after his birth and his eyes were yellow too. He was very jaundice but did not get a UV blanket. Tiberias was a little jaundice but it was not a problem.
Athena doesn't look jaundice. Her eyes are fine and her skin is more red/pink than anything else. But her jaundice levels are so high.
We have to go back to the hospital tomorrow morning. Or, I do. Sterling will stay home because our furniture is being delivered from the furniture store.
My parents have been here for over a week and have been so helpful! They have cleaned the house and taken care of my boys...spoiled them even. But tomorrow morning they are leaving first thing! Luke has the day off of school for Martin Luther King Jr day. So Ster will stay home with the boys and I will take Athena to the doctor again.
Sterling will not go into work all week. He's on daddy leave. That will really help me by not making me go out in the morning to take Luke to school. Ster can take Luke and the two youngest will stay home in the warm house with me.
It is hard not to clean the house and do my normal stuff...being at home. But I have to rest and recover from the delivery. So I will take advantage of Sterling being home...put him to work. Get him to clean and do laundry and take the boys out for some fun now and then.
We are all healthy and happy. Mom had gotten the flu then Luke got sick. But everyone is feeling fine now. We are so happy because life is amazing!
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Kindergarten, Furniture, Buying a House and More
We finally closed on our house! It did not take very long for purchasing a house but we were planning on it being a little sooner. We were going to close on the 6th but because of the holidays it got pushed to the 10th.
After we closed on the house we celebrated by going to dinner at Denny's. We love going out to eat together. It's really fun. And we love Denny's. Unfortunately our Denny's here has bad service and runs out of food ingredients too often.
That week was a bit crazy. On Tuesday the movers brought our belongings from Italy! All week I worked on unpacking boxes and trying to start getting the house organized. I ended up working more than I should have at the end of my pregnancy but I did not feel any danger in doing so. I just replaced my workouts with constantly being busy.
So we started some stability for Tiberias. Being in a house we told him was our new home was not enough for him. He would say "This isn't our house. We don't live here!" I knew that getting our furniture and his books, toys, etc back would be the start of him settling in this house.
He had trouble sleeping and would wake us up every night...being in the bedroom next to ours. When our stuff came we moved Lachoneus and Ty downstairs to live in the bedroom just at the bottom of the stairs. Ty started sleeping so much better! Maybe it's because the house isn't empty anymore.
So Sterling and I were able to sleep better...except for my being big and pregnant and having to take a restroom break 7 times a night.
Let me backtrack some more...Lachoneus started school! Friday the 3rd of January. All day kindergarten. He has a really nice teacher and a huge class (25 students). I like the school so far. It's a elementary, middle and high school in one building but separated by parts of the school and play grounds. Unfortunately school playgrounds are almost all there are in and around Rapid City. There is tons of shopping but it lacks parks for kids! Very unfortunate!
Parks and libraries...that is what I love to do with my kids. There is a library on base that has a tiny kid section but it has a jungle room (a fun play room for young kids).
Then there's a library in a college near our house...small kid section. And a library in downtown Rapid City with an amazing kid selection and lounge! Unfortunately you have to meter park to go to the library! No free parking. The longer you stay the more you pay. :(
There is, of course, a library in Luke's school. So atleast he gets to go to the library and check out books to bring home. He is a beginning reader so it's fun that he gets to bring home books for practicing.
Adjusting to school there are a few things Luke wasn't doing so well with at first; rough housing and staying in your "center" to play. We pretty much encourage rough housing with Sterling in our home so it being "bad" at school is an adjustment.
And even though Lachoneus did two years of preschool where you were given a center to play in and told to stay there until it was time to switch centers...he doesn't like being told where and what to play with.
Adjusting to Luke going to school for me:
It is quieter at home without Luke. He is a five year old and so he talks quite a bit. But I am enjoying having it be quieter during the day. And Tiberias takes naps many days so I get almost two hours of "me" time...or atleast until the baby comes.
I have to adjust to Luke coming home with homework, packing him lunches (he prefers home lunches over cafeteria lunches), taking him to school and picking him up. He does not take the bus because we live so close to the school. The school, Valley View Elementary, is like four blocks over and another four up...something like that. If the weather was warm I'd walk it but so far we drive.
Luke being in school will give me the opportunity to really focus on educating Tiberias on his Alphabet. So far I've been too busy to really do it. Then Luke comes home and I'm working with him on homework from school and homework from me...to make sure he's caught up to where his teacher is teaching. Right now the focus is him writing his real first name and his last name, and learning sight words.
So Luke started school then our stuff was finally delivered to our house. We closed on the house! Then Saturday evening my parents arrived. They came to help with the house, the boys and the delivery of the baby.
Sunday we all went to church together. Tiberias finally had his first day in Sunbeams. Primary, yay! His teacher had way too many Sunbeams and Sterling ended up helping in the class for third hour. I'm a little worried now about Ty being happy in that class. He hated nursery for like a year now so I was really hopeful that Sunbeams would make him happy. But now I worry that it won't be organized enough to make him happy. The crying kids and un-organization is what I think Ty doesn't like about nursery.
Sterling made crock pot roast, carrots, onion and potatoes for Sunday's dinner.
Monday Sterling went to work. Luke went to school. My parents helped me clean/organize and set up the babies bedroom/storage room that is next to mine and Ster's bedroom. My dad put together the crib. It's so nice to finally get the babies stuff set up. The bassinet is set up by my bed. I do want to find a changing table with drawers for her clothes. My parents gave me the crib we now have. Mom bought it used in Mesquite and brought it up for us...it's really cute and looks great in that room.
My parents also brought up our china cabinet that they have been using while we lived in Italy.
Now it's in our living room and we're figuring out what we want in it...to show our travels.
Our couch from Italy was going to be in the basement in the entertainment room but the movers couldn't get it down there. So it's in the living room right now. We are going to get rid of it though. We bought two couches for the living room and a big sectional for the entertainment room. They will be delivered on Monday the 20th. That's the day my parents leave though. So they miss out on being here when we have a furnished house. However, they are planning to come back in the Summer...see Mount Rushmore and do some other fun stuff. There is actually a lot of fun things to do around here in the summer.
Monday afternoon Sterling and I went on a date. We went to sign a paper at the home insurance place then we went to an early dinner at Applebys. It was yummy but we were in a little hurry to get to the movie. The theater turned out to be extremely close to the restaurant.
We saw the Hobit Desolation of Smaug. It's the 2nd Hobit movie. I enjoyed the first one a lot more. This one dragged on a bit to me. But the whole time I was trying to figure out where I know the female elf actor from. I never figured it out. I just looked it up online...it's the female actor from the tv show LOST ( Evangeline Lily).
Athena would not hold still for the first half of the movie then was moving off and on the rest of the movie.
Ster and I had a great time being together without the kids. We were going to go for dessert after the movie but it was raining...had been all afternoon and evening. We stopped at Office Max to buy printer paper then Walmart for ice cream. Since it was raining and kind of cold we thought being home, making dessert ourselves and watching tv in our jammies sounded more fun than eating dessert at a restaurant. I didn't realize that going home would really be the end of our alone time though. We went home and Sterling started a project while I made dessert.I made Ster's mom's hot pudding cake but it didnt turn out right.
Luke and Ty were awake over an hour after we got home. We got them to bed then we finally had a good time....dessert while watching The Middle.
Today, Tuesday, Tiberias is not feeling well. His neck hurts and he may be sick. Plus, it's snowing like crazy. There's already a few inches of snow on the ground whereas yesterday there was no snow. Mom and I are going to go shopping for couch throw pillows and lamps for the living room. I'm not sure what time we will go...we are waiting for the snow fall to die down.
I need to cut Ty's hair today...it's too long. I need to finish packing for the hospital. I need to pick which camera to take, pack my computer and snacks for me. We'll need to pack some food for Sterling too...I'm not sure about their hospital cafeteria.
Tomorrow morning I have to call the hospital by 4:30a to let them know I am coming and see if they have a room ready for me. I can go in as early as 5:30a if they have a room. We'll induce the labor. My parents will be home with the kids...Luke will go to school. Then mom will come to the hospital for the delivery. Dad or Sterling will pick up Luke from school at 2:55pm. I am hoping Athena will be born early afternoon at latest.
The kids and my dad will get to come meet the baby that afternoon at the hospital. We'll stay one night in the hospital, Athena and I, if all goes smooth.
We're planning on taking my parents out to the Texas Road House for lunch on Friday. Luke has no school Friday or next Monday...a long weekend.
Maybe Ster will take my parents to see Mount Rushmore this week or weekend. None of us have seen it yet. It's less than an hour away, I hear.
I am so excited that tomorrow Athena comes into our family! I can hardly wait to hold her in my arms!!
After we closed on the house we celebrated by going to dinner at Denny's. We love going out to eat together. It's really fun. And we love Denny's. Unfortunately our Denny's here has bad service and runs out of food ingredients too often.
That week was a bit crazy. On Tuesday the movers brought our belongings from Italy! All week I worked on unpacking boxes and trying to start getting the house organized. I ended up working more than I should have at the end of my pregnancy but I did not feel any danger in doing so. I just replaced my workouts with constantly being busy.
So we started some stability for Tiberias. Being in a house we told him was our new home was not enough for him. He would say "This isn't our house. We don't live here!" I knew that getting our furniture and his books, toys, etc back would be the start of him settling in this house.
He had trouble sleeping and would wake us up every night...being in the bedroom next to ours. When our stuff came we moved Lachoneus and Ty downstairs to live in the bedroom just at the bottom of the stairs. Ty started sleeping so much better! Maybe it's because the house isn't empty anymore.
So Sterling and I were able to sleep better...except for my being big and pregnant and having to take a restroom break 7 times a night.
Let me backtrack some more...Lachoneus started school! Friday the 3rd of January. All day kindergarten. He has a really nice teacher and a huge class (25 students). I like the school so far. It's a elementary, middle and high school in one building but separated by parts of the school and play grounds. Unfortunately school playgrounds are almost all there are in and around Rapid City. There is tons of shopping but it lacks parks for kids! Very unfortunate!
Parks and libraries...that is what I love to do with my kids. There is a library on base that has a tiny kid section but it has a jungle room (a fun play room for young kids).
Then there's a library in a college near our house...small kid section. And a library in downtown Rapid City with an amazing kid selection and lounge! Unfortunately you have to meter park to go to the library! No free parking. The longer you stay the more you pay. :(
There is, of course, a library in Luke's school. So atleast he gets to go to the library and check out books to bring home. He is a beginning reader so it's fun that he gets to bring home books for practicing.
Adjusting to school there are a few things Luke wasn't doing so well with at first; rough housing and staying in your "center" to play. We pretty much encourage rough housing with Sterling in our home so it being "bad" at school is an adjustment.
And even though Lachoneus did two years of preschool where you were given a center to play in and told to stay there until it was time to switch centers...he doesn't like being told where and what to play with.
Adjusting to Luke going to school for me:
It is quieter at home without Luke. He is a five year old and so he talks quite a bit. But I am enjoying having it be quieter during the day. And Tiberias takes naps many days so I get almost two hours of "me" time...or atleast until the baby comes.
I have to adjust to Luke coming home with homework, packing him lunches (he prefers home lunches over cafeteria lunches), taking him to school and picking him up. He does not take the bus because we live so close to the school. The school, Valley View Elementary, is like four blocks over and another four up...something like that. If the weather was warm I'd walk it but so far we drive.
Luke being in school will give me the opportunity to really focus on educating Tiberias on his Alphabet. So far I've been too busy to really do it. Then Luke comes home and I'm working with him on homework from school and homework from me...to make sure he's caught up to where his teacher is teaching. Right now the focus is him writing his real first name and his last name, and learning sight words.
So Luke started school then our stuff was finally delivered to our house. We closed on the house! Then Saturday evening my parents arrived. They came to help with the house, the boys and the delivery of the baby.
Sunday we all went to church together. Tiberias finally had his first day in Sunbeams. Primary, yay! His teacher had way too many Sunbeams and Sterling ended up helping in the class for third hour. I'm a little worried now about Ty being happy in that class. He hated nursery for like a year now so I was really hopeful that Sunbeams would make him happy. But now I worry that it won't be organized enough to make him happy. The crying kids and un-organization is what I think Ty doesn't like about nursery.
Sterling made crock pot roast, carrots, onion and potatoes for Sunday's dinner.
Monday Sterling went to work. Luke went to school. My parents helped me clean/organize and set up the babies bedroom/storage room that is next to mine and Ster's bedroom. My dad put together the crib. It's so nice to finally get the babies stuff set up. The bassinet is set up by my bed. I do want to find a changing table with drawers for her clothes. My parents gave me the crib we now have. Mom bought it used in Mesquite and brought it up for us...it's really cute and looks great in that room.
My parents also brought up our china cabinet that they have been using while we lived in Italy.
Now it's in our living room and we're figuring out what we want in it...to show our travels.
Our couch from Italy was going to be in the basement in the entertainment room but the movers couldn't get it down there. So it's in the living room right now. We are going to get rid of it though. We bought two couches for the living room and a big sectional for the entertainment room. They will be delivered on Monday the 20th. That's the day my parents leave though. So they miss out on being here when we have a furnished house. However, they are planning to come back in the Summer...see Mount Rushmore and do some other fun stuff. There is actually a lot of fun things to do around here in the summer.
Monday afternoon Sterling and I went on a date. We went to sign a paper at the home insurance place then we went to an early dinner at Applebys. It was yummy but we were in a little hurry to get to the movie. The theater turned out to be extremely close to the restaurant.
We saw the Hobit Desolation of Smaug. It's the 2nd Hobit movie. I enjoyed the first one a lot more. This one dragged on a bit to me. But the whole time I was trying to figure out where I know the female elf actor from. I never figured it out. I just looked it up online...it's the female actor from the tv show LOST ( Evangeline Lily).
Athena would not hold still for the first half of the movie then was moving off and on the rest of the movie.
Ster and I had a great time being together without the kids. We were going to go for dessert after the movie but it was raining...had been all afternoon and evening. We stopped at Office Max to buy printer paper then Walmart for ice cream. Since it was raining and kind of cold we thought being home, making dessert ourselves and watching tv in our jammies sounded more fun than eating dessert at a restaurant. I didn't realize that going home would really be the end of our alone time though. We went home and Sterling started a project while I made dessert.I made Ster's mom's hot pudding cake but it didnt turn out right.
Luke and Ty were awake over an hour after we got home. We got them to bed then we finally had a good time....dessert while watching The Middle.
Today, Tuesday, Tiberias is not feeling well. His neck hurts and he may be sick. Plus, it's snowing like crazy. There's already a few inches of snow on the ground whereas yesterday there was no snow. Mom and I are going to go shopping for couch throw pillows and lamps for the living room. I'm not sure what time we will go...we are waiting for the snow fall to die down.
I need to cut Ty's hair today...it's too long. I need to finish packing for the hospital. I need to pick which camera to take, pack my computer and snacks for me. We'll need to pack some food for Sterling too...I'm not sure about their hospital cafeteria.
Tomorrow morning I have to call the hospital by 4:30a to let them know I am coming and see if they have a room ready for me. I can go in as early as 5:30a if they have a room. We'll induce the labor. My parents will be home with the kids...Luke will go to school. Then mom will come to the hospital for the delivery. Dad or Sterling will pick up Luke from school at 2:55pm. I am hoping Athena will be born early afternoon at latest.
The kids and my dad will get to come meet the baby that afternoon at the hospital. We'll stay one night in the hospital, Athena and I, if all goes smooth.
We're planning on taking my parents out to the Texas Road House for lunch on Friday. Luke has no school Friday or next Monday...a long weekend.
Maybe Ster will take my parents to see Mount Rushmore this week or weekend. None of us have seen it yet. It's less than an hour away, I hear.
I am so excited that tomorrow Athena comes into our family! I can hardly wait to hold her in my arms!!
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