After not sewing for a few days, I went back to it today. I was digging through more of the fabric piles and I found two projects that were half finished. They were vests for me. A few years back, I thought I would make a vest for each month of the year to fit in that month's decorating theme/season. I had one for June in a sunflower pattern and one for July in a 4th of July pattern.
I took out the two vests and looked at them for a minute, and decided not to finish them. Wearing vests isn't really my style and I wasn't sure they would fit anyway.
For the first time EVER, I decided not to finish a project, and I didn't feel bad about it. I hadn't sewn the lining to the fabric yet, so I cut out as many squares for fabric blocks as I could and then threw away what I couldn't use.
Slowly but surely, I'm going through my fabric stash and making decisions what to do with it. Many of the projects I will still finish. There are more for me to start. They may not go to the person they were originally intended to, and maybe I will use some of the fabric for something other than what I originally bought it for. I've also added the option to simply not finish the project and to cut up the fabric into squares for blocks or other projects.
Deciding not to finish a project doesn't mean I've failed at something. Tastes change over time and maybe that project doesn't fit who I am anymore.
A few months ago, I went through a folder that had pictures I had cut out of magazines. These were pictures of decor or craft projects I thought I would like to do. I threw out almost all of them because they just didn't fit my style anymore. A few were of paint projects that I just wasn't interested in doing anymore. I'm not a painter. I can't paint a doll to look like it has a real face. I can't blend colors to look shaded or make things look real. When we were getting ready for one of our moves, I gathered up all my paint supplies and gave them to the Relief Society. I decided there was no reason to keep the paint when I wasn't using it.
Lately I've been thinking I want to revamp the decorating in my house, especially my kitchen. I'm not talking about giving everything to the DI and starting over from scratch (although that would be fun). Rather, I'm trying to look at everything with fresh eyes and try to imagine using things in places other than where they've been. Just because something's always been in my kitchen doesn't mean it needs to stay there or stay in the same place. I'm not quite sure what I want to do yet, so I'll be taking some time to think about how I want things to look.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
goals report for January
Well, I got lots of sewing done, and quite a bit of scrapbooking done, and not much in the way of organizing the files.
I finished a nightgown for C, a pair of pajamas for J, a set of table runners in a snowflake pattern and the crib skirt. I cut out and sewed together the tops for a set of table runners in spring colors--just need to sew on the backing for that. I also cut out lots of blocks of leftover fabric to make fabric blocks for my baby. My final fabric-related project was clearing out odds and ends pieces of fabric that were too small to do anything with. Not too shabby.
I worked on the Alaska scrapbook and I think I'm about halfway done. I'm not worrying too much about making it super cute but I do want it to look good. I do need to get more page protectors to add to the ones in the book already so that's held me up a bit but I plan to work on it lots this week and hopefully I'll have it done by Saturday, Feb. 6.
I haven't been able to get motivated to tackle the files. I'm kind of dreading that because there are several years worth of files that I need to clean out. I look at the files and I wonder, do I REALLY need to keep all this stuff? The past few weeks have been so warm that the snow in the backyard has melted. Last Friday I cleaned out the garage--moved stuff that is normally stored in the shed but had been put in the garage for awhile. I put some old tax envelopes in the "dead file box" and as I looked at the envelopes going back to the beginning of our marriage (we've been married 12.5 years now!) I wondered why I was keeping all this stuff.
I've started a new system for keeping track of electronic payments. Before, I'd print out the confirmation page and then file it in the company folder. Then I got the idea to just keep track of confirmation numbers so that in case of a company telling me I hadn't paid, I would have the confirmation number available. So I set up a Microsoft Excell worksheet with the payment date, the company name, the bill amount, what the bill was for, the confirmation number and the bank account used to pay the bill. I started that with the January bills and so far it's working well. I've never had a company tell me I haven't paid a bill so I'm glad I won't be using any more paper and ink to print out confirmations that I don't even need.
Another problem with printing out the confirmation pages was that I use my bank's Bill Pay feature, so I'd have several different companies on one page. Where do I file it? That was what finally motivated me to set up the tracking form in Excell.
So, while I may not have accomplished everything I wanted to in January, I did make good progress, so I'm happy with that!
I finished a nightgown for C, a pair of pajamas for J, a set of table runners in a snowflake pattern and the crib skirt. I cut out and sewed together the tops for a set of table runners in spring colors--just need to sew on the backing for that. I also cut out lots of blocks of leftover fabric to make fabric blocks for my baby. My final fabric-related project was clearing out odds and ends pieces of fabric that were too small to do anything with. Not too shabby.
I worked on the Alaska scrapbook and I think I'm about halfway done. I'm not worrying too much about making it super cute but I do want it to look good. I do need to get more page protectors to add to the ones in the book already so that's held me up a bit but I plan to work on it lots this week and hopefully I'll have it done by Saturday, Feb. 6.
I haven't been able to get motivated to tackle the files. I'm kind of dreading that because there are several years worth of files that I need to clean out. I look at the files and I wonder, do I REALLY need to keep all this stuff? The past few weeks have been so warm that the snow in the backyard has melted. Last Friday I cleaned out the garage--moved stuff that is normally stored in the shed but had been put in the garage for awhile. I put some old tax envelopes in the "dead file box" and as I looked at the envelopes going back to the beginning of our marriage (we've been married 12.5 years now!) I wondered why I was keeping all this stuff.
I've started a new system for keeping track of electronic payments. Before, I'd print out the confirmation page and then file it in the company folder. Then I got the idea to just keep track of confirmation numbers so that in case of a company telling me I hadn't paid, I would have the confirmation number available. So I set up a Microsoft Excell worksheet with the payment date, the company name, the bill amount, what the bill was for, the confirmation number and the bank account used to pay the bill. I started that with the January bills and so far it's working well. I've never had a company tell me I haven't paid a bill so I'm glad I won't be using any more paper and ink to print out confirmations that I don't even need.
Another problem with printing out the confirmation pages was that I use my bank's Bill Pay feature, so I'd have several different companies on one page. Where do I file it? That was what finally motivated me to set up the tracking form in Excell.
So, while I may not have accomplished everything I wanted to in January, I did make good progress, so I'm happy with that!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
projects
My big goal for this month is to finish projects. For the last 3 days I have been really focusing on sewing. I have finished a crib skirt; made a nightgown for my daughter; made pajamas for my older son; made two placemats of a cute snowflake pattern on dark blue fabric, and have started cutting out squares to make fabric blocks. I have lots more sewing projects to do such as making a few skirts for my daughter; making a crib bumper and quilt to match the crib skirt; making quilts out of old jeans; and finishing projects that were started and not finished. I don't know if I'll get them ALL done this month but I'm going to do as many as possible.
I'm also working on the Alaska scrapbook. That is my one scrapbook goal for January.
I have an organizing project to do too..which is to get all the papers filed and the filing cabinet cleaned out. This will help with getting things ready for doing taxes.
I'm also working on the Alaska scrapbook. That is my one scrapbook goal for January.
I have an organizing project to do too..which is to get all the papers filed and the filing cabinet cleaned out. This will help with getting things ready for doing taxes.
Friday, January 1, 2010
my word for 2010: PEACE
At the end of 2008, I heard from my friend Nancy about choosing a word that would represent what her focus for 2009 would be. I thought that sounded like a really cool idea and so I chose the word ENJOY for 2009. I think for the most part I did pretty good at remembering to enjoy the moments as they happened, especially with my baby Alex.
So here we are at the beginning of another year and I have decided my word for 2010 will be PEACE. Peace in my home through establishing and maintaining routines that will help get the work done that needs to be done so we can enjoy a calm, peaceful environment. Peace in my family by working on reining in my temper and watching how I talk and the words I choose. Peace in my work by planning ahead and staying current so that I'm not stressing out trying to do payroll at the last minute. Peace in my church callings by preparing ahead of time and thinking things through.
Of course, I would love to have Peace on Earth by having people love one another (think of all the problems that would be solved if we'd love others and think of their welfare). I don't know if that's possible but I do know it can happen in my home so that will be my focus for 2010.
Happy New Year and may you have a Peaceful 2010!
So here we are at the beginning of another year and I have decided my word for 2010 will be PEACE. Peace in my home through establishing and maintaining routines that will help get the work done that needs to be done so we can enjoy a calm, peaceful environment. Peace in my family by working on reining in my temper and watching how I talk and the words I choose. Peace in my work by planning ahead and staying current so that I'm not stressing out trying to do payroll at the last minute. Peace in my church callings by preparing ahead of time and thinking things through.
Of course, I would love to have Peace on Earth by having people love one another (think of all the problems that would be solved if we'd love others and think of their welfare). I don't know if that's possible but I do know it can happen in my home so that will be my focus for 2010.
Happy New Year and may you have a Peaceful 2010!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
will see you soon
I haven't abandoned my blog. It's just been really busy with Christmas and all. I'll be back soon with updates and pictures.
Monday, November 16, 2009
planning christmas
Well, even though I'm in the middle of trying to catch up on my words for NaNo (I won't tell you how far behind I am--it's too embarrassing), I took some time out to put together my Christmas planner. I first heard about this idea from Flylady and OrganizedHome.com/OrganizedChristmas.com. Basically you put together a planner (or a section in your household notebook, again, ideas from these two websites) that is information central for all things related to Christmas.
These are the sections I have in my Christmas Planner:
**Getting the house ready (cleaning), broken down by room/area.
**December calendar with all known commitments already written in. I will write in other commitments as they come up.
**Gift ideas list for all the people we are giving to.
**Gift tracking form (with spaces for how much each gift cost, and if it is wrapped)
**A list of the special meals I plan to make throughout December, along with the specific dishes for each meal.
**A list of the cookie recipes I plan to make, as well as other goodies.
**I will have a manila envelope in there too to keep all the receipts so if something needs to be returned, I have the receipt handy.
I have also seen ideas for forms for if you're going to travel and if you need to ship a package. Google "Christmas Planner" and you'll find all sorts of ideas to help you have an organized, Merry Christmas, in a clean house and without breaking the bank!
I have already got my budget set and I am on the hunt for sales--food, toys, clothes, etc.
Now it's time to get started on all the handmade stuff.
These are the sections I have in my Christmas Planner:
**Getting the house ready (cleaning), broken down by room/area.
**December calendar with all known commitments already written in. I will write in other commitments as they come up.
**Gift ideas list for all the people we are giving to.
**Gift tracking form (with spaces for how much each gift cost, and if it is wrapped)
**A list of the special meals I plan to make throughout December, along with the specific dishes for each meal.
**A list of the cookie recipes I plan to make, as well as other goodies.
**I will have a manila envelope in there too to keep all the receipts so if something needs to be returned, I have the receipt handy.
I have also seen ideas for forms for if you're going to travel and if you need to ship a package. Google "Christmas Planner" and you'll find all sorts of ideas to help you have an organized, Merry Christmas, in a clean house and without breaking the bank!
I have already got my budget set and I am on the hunt for sales--food, toys, clothes, etc.
Now it's time to get started on all the handmade stuff.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
nano
Well, we're a little over a week into NaNoWriMo and it's turning out to be a lot harder than I thought it would be. I have to make time each day to write, but that's hard to do when I have a daily list of to-dos that's got 25 things on it and I'm always thinking of 25 more things to do. It doesn't help that Christmas is in six and a half weeks. [whoa, is it really only 6.5 weeks to Christmas?!?!]
The bigger problem I'm finding myself with is the temptation to edit. I spent a lot of my writing time today reading up some historical stuff on the internet. I'm trying to make everything historically accurate as far as the time line goes, as well as actual people, events, places, etc. That's not the point of NaNo. The point is to get the story out. Editing can come in December.
I think it's OK to go back and add something new that I thought of, but it's not OK to go back and change things to try to make it accurate. So that's my challenge.
Now that I've identified my problem, back to writing I go....
The bigger problem I'm finding myself with is the temptation to edit. I spent a lot of my writing time today reading up some historical stuff on the internet. I'm trying to make everything historically accurate as far as the time line goes, as well as actual people, events, places, etc. That's not the point of NaNo. The point is to get the story out. Editing can come in December.
I think it's OK to go back and add something new that I thought of, but it's not OK to go back and change things to try to make it accurate. So that's my challenge.
Now that I've identified my problem, back to writing I go....
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
chores
[trying something new]
Since my children were about 18 months old, I have had them help around the house. We started out with simple jobs like helping to pick up toys, putting their dirty diapers in the garbage, putting their dirty clothes in the hamper, putting away pajamas, etc. Later I had them take their dishes to the sink after meals, make their beds, help put away laundry and other more advanced chores. For the past while, I have had a rotating schedule of kitchen work and housecleaning. We would rotate through a daily schedule of setting the table, clearing the table, unloading the dishwasher and loading the dishwasher. We also rotated through weekly housecleaning: dusting upstairs, dusting downstairs, cleaning the upstairs bathroom and cleaning the downstairs bathroom. I took care of mopping and vacuuming the floors. It worked pretty well most of the time.
This month I decided to do something different. Mostly I wanted a change, but also I want C&J to learn how to take care of an entire room. Also, I want them to learn that sometimes we pick up messes made by others. So for one entire week, each of us will have a kitchen job and be responsible for one room. This is in addition to their usual chores of cleaning up after themselves in the bathroom, taking care of their bedrooms and doing homework.
So, for this week, Christie sets the table and is responsible for the living room. That means that it is her job to make sure that the living room is completely tidied up each night. It doesn't matter if Alex's toys are scattered around or if Jordan's school papers are left out. She can ask other family members to pick up their own stuff, but it is her responsibility to make sure it gets done. Jordan's jobs for this week are to clear the table and to tidy the family room. Same rules apply. My jobs are to empty the dishwasher and tidy the bathrooms (both upstairs and downstairs). Steven's job is to clean the kitchen. Since that is a rather big job, the person who has the "clean the kitchen" job doesn't have another room to be responsible for.
On Saturday, Christie will dust and vacuum the living room; Jordan will dust and vacuum the family room, and I will clean the bathrooms (meaning, scrub the sinks, toilets and tub).
Next Sunday (11/8), we will rotate to the next set of chores.
Should be fun.
Since my children were about 18 months old, I have had them help around the house. We started out with simple jobs like helping to pick up toys, putting their dirty diapers in the garbage, putting their dirty clothes in the hamper, putting away pajamas, etc. Later I had them take their dishes to the sink after meals, make their beds, help put away laundry and other more advanced chores. For the past while, I have had a rotating schedule of kitchen work and housecleaning. We would rotate through a daily schedule of setting the table, clearing the table, unloading the dishwasher and loading the dishwasher. We also rotated through weekly housecleaning: dusting upstairs, dusting downstairs, cleaning the upstairs bathroom and cleaning the downstairs bathroom. I took care of mopping and vacuuming the floors. It worked pretty well most of the time.
This month I decided to do something different. Mostly I wanted a change, but also I want C&J to learn how to take care of an entire room. Also, I want them to learn that sometimes we pick up messes made by others. So for one entire week, each of us will have a kitchen job and be responsible for one room. This is in addition to their usual chores of cleaning up after themselves in the bathroom, taking care of their bedrooms and doing homework.
So, for this week, Christie sets the table and is responsible for the living room. That means that it is her job to make sure that the living room is completely tidied up each night. It doesn't matter if Alex's toys are scattered around or if Jordan's school papers are left out. She can ask other family members to pick up their own stuff, but it is her responsibility to make sure it gets done. Jordan's jobs for this week are to clear the table and to tidy the family room. Same rules apply. My jobs are to empty the dishwasher and tidy the bathrooms (both upstairs and downstairs). Steven's job is to clean the kitchen. Since that is a rather big job, the person who has the "clean the kitchen" job doesn't have another room to be responsible for.
On Saturday, Christie will dust and vacuum the living room; Jordan will dust and vacuum the family room, and I will clean the bathrooms (meaning, scrub the sinks, toilets and tub).
Next Sunday (11/8), we will rotate to the next set of chores.
Should be fun.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
{organizing}
Recently I have started some small organizing projects. Some of them I have been thinking about for awhile and they've started to nag at me so I decided to take advantage of the time before NaNoWriMo starts and JUST DO IT.
One small project I did was go through my magazines. I had magazines from Martha Stewart Living, Country Sampler, Backyard Living, Creating Keepsakes, a magazine that we get through our banking/insurance company, and a few odd ones I picked up here and there. I also had several years worth of General Conference Ensigns.
I went through the MSL mags and tore out pictures/articles I wanted to keep. I did keep the entire March (gardening) and December (Christmas) issues. I did the same thing for the Creating Keepsakes mags. I kept all the Backyard Living issues as those were really thin mags and chock full of ideas/articles/etc. I wanted to keep. I tossed all the Ensigns (felt guilty about that but reminded myself that the current issue was the most important one, plus I could find all the articles online).
When I started, I had two 6.25 inch wide magazine holders full of mags and a few tucked in beside them. When I finished, everything I am keeping fit into one of those holders.
What I'm keeping:
What I'm getting rid of (recycling):
One small project I did was go through my magazines. I had magazines from Martha Stewart Living, Country Sampler, Backyard Living, Creating Keepsakes, a magazine that we get through our banking/insurance company, and a few odd ones I picked up here and there. I also had several years worth of General Conference Ensigns.
I went through the MSL mags and tore out pictures/articles I wanted to keep. I did keep the entire March (gardening) and December (Christmas) issues. I did the same thing for the Creating Keepsakes mags. I kept all the Backyard Living issues as those were really thin mags and chock full of ideas/articles/etc. I wanted to keep. I tossed all the Ensigns (felt guilty about that but reminded myself that the current issue was the most important one, plus I could find all the articles online).
When I started, I had two 6.25 inch wide magazine holders full of mags and a few tucked in beside them. When I finished, everything I am keeping fit into one of those holders.
What I'm keeping:
What I'm getting rid of (recycling):
Monday, October 12, 2009
National Novel Writing Month
Also known as NaNoWriMo, it's a challenge for writers to write a novel of (minimum)50,000 words from Nov. 1 to 30. Steven has done it for a couple of years now and this year he convinced me to try it.
I'm still thinking about what I want to write about but I am thinking of writing a pioneer girl story.
We'll see how it goes.
I [heart] fall
I love fall! It is my favorite season! I mean REAL fall, not the sort of "fake" fall that comes when children go back to school. Around here, the end of August when school start is still really hot--all those nice jeans and long sleeve tops I buy at the back-to-school sales are too warm to wear, so my children go to school in shorts and t-shirts.
Lately the weather has been just gorgeous--cool (and even COLD!) mornings and evenings and very pleasant days. We've had a couple of rainy days and the mountain tops are dusted with snow and the leaves are changing colors. It really gets me in the mood to do projects around my home and yard.
I have spent quite a bit of time canning. I have made tomato soup, chile sauce, salsa, peach chutney, and peach jam. I have canned cherries and peaches. I have some strawberries in the freezer I bought early last summer that need to be made into jam. I want to make applesauce. A friend has asked to borrow my pressure canner to can beans--I would like to learn to do that. So apart from strawberry jam, applesauce and possibly beans, I am done with canning for this year.
Maceys had their big case lot sale and I stocked up. Right now all the boxes are in the garage. I need to re-organize my food storage room to move what's left from last year to the front and make room for the new stuff. I didn't buy everything I want to--some things (such as Swanson's broth, baking supplies, Jello, etc.) are cheaper in the holiday period between Halloween and Christmas. So I need to inventory those items and see how much I need to buy so when they do go on sale, I'll be ready! My big freezer in the garage is stuffed full. I've probably got three months worth of food in there!
I've been making a list of fall projects I want to get done around the house and yard before snow flies. Or at least before the weather gets REALLY cold. I need to change out the children's clothes; check and replenish our 72 hour kits; refill the propane tanks (our emergency cooking fuel--I used up all the tanks this summer with the canning and grilling); do final yard maintenance; clean up and organize the garage so Steven can park his car in there; and a whole list of other things.
And one goal among all the "to dos" is to simply step back once in a while (once a day at least!) and breathe in the fresh fall air and notice the colors and just enjoy the season.
Lately the weather has been just gorgeous--cool (and even COLD!) mornings and evenings and very pleasant days. We've had a couple of rainy days and the mountain tops are dusted with snow and the leaves are changing colors. It really gets me in the mood to do projects around my home and yard.
I have spent quite a bit of time canning. I have made tomato soup, chile sauce, salsa, peach chutney, and peach jam. I have canned cherries and peaches. I have some strawberries in the freezer I bought early last summer that need to be made into jam. I want to make applesauce. A friend has asked to borrow my pressure canner to can beans--I would like to learn to do that. So apart from strawberry jam, applesauce and possibly beans, I am done with canning for this year.
Maceys had their big case lot sale and I stocked up. Right now all the boxes are in the garage. I need to re-organize my food storage room to move what's left from last year to the front and make room for the new stuff. I didn't buy everything I want to--some things (such as Swanson's broth, baking supplies, Jello, etc.) are cheaper in the holiday period between Halloween and Christmas. So I need to inventory those items and see how much I need to buy so when they do go on sale, I'll be ready! My big freezer in the garage is stuffed full. I've probably got three months worth of food in there!
I've been making a list of fall projects I want to get done around the house and yard before snow flies. Or at least before the weather gets REALLY cold. I need to change out the children's clothes; check and replenish our 72 hour kits; refill the propane tanks (our emergency cooking fuel--I used up all the tanks this summer with the canning and grilling); do final yard maintenance; clean up and organize the garage so Steven can park his car in there; and a whole list of other things.
And one goal among all the "to dos" is to simply step back once in a while (once a day at least!) and breathe in the fresh fall air and notice the colors and just enjoy the season.
Monday, October 5, 2009
One year ago....
One year ago…
I cannot believe that my baby is one year old today.
One year ago this weekend was General Conference. My doctor’s appointment was on Friday the 3rd. I was due on Thursday, Oct. 16th; scheduled to be induced on Friday, Oct. 10th. When my doctor checked me, I was 4 centimeters dilated. That surprised me because I had never been dilated that much that early with my other two babies. Steven was with me at the appointment and we all agreed I probably wouldn’t make it to my scheduled induction date.
Saturday the 4th we watched both sessions of General Conference. I was having some pretty intense Braxton-Hicks contractions all day but nothing unusual. I’d been having BH contractions for quite awhile. Steven and I both had the feeling the baby would come that weekend sometime. We had already arranged that Steven’s parents would take Christie and Jordan when it came time to go to the hospital. My parents were on their mission in Africa. Anyway, after the afternoon session, and having dinner, we decided to go do some errands—we were almost out of milk and needed some other things. So off we went. I think we went to three stores. I rode in the mobility carts because walking was so uncomfortable. Sometime while we were out my contractions became a little more intense. We started timing them and by the time we got home around 8, we decided maybe we’d better head to the hospital. While Steven helped C&J pack overnight bags, I called the Swains and the interpreter agency. Steven’s parents live in Draper and we agreed on a ‘code knock’ that would identify them so C&J would answer the door. After making sure they understood what to do, hugs and kisses, and a picture of me (practically the only picture taken of me while I was pregnant), we headed to the hospital.
I was admitted to triage, put on a monitor and then we waited. My contractions were still very uncomfortable but weren’t increasing in intensity or frequency the way I remember they did with C&J. We were there from about 8:45 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. We spent the time alternating between me resting in bed and walking around to see if things would get moving. Each time the nurse checked me, the dilation was the same. Finally, the nurse suggested we go home. She gave me discharge instructions and we went home.
I was hungry so I had a quick snack, then we went to bed. I don’t know if my contractions settled down a bit or if I was so tired I didn’t feel them or whatever, but I didn’t wake up til 10 am on Sunday. I only woke up because I had to use the bathroom very badly! Usually I wake up several times a night to go to the bathroom but I slept so soundly that I didn’t wake up at all! I was still tired, so I had a little snack again then went back to bed for another 2 hours. When I woke up at noon, I was feeling pretty good, so I suggested to Steven that we shower and get dressed and get over to Mom and Dad Swain’s in time for a late lunch and the afternoon session. He agreed with that so I went to take a shower.
I had barely gotten dressed when I started having back contractions. I had never experienced back labor with Christie or Jordan so that was really different! It was about 1:15 or so at this time. Steven was downstairs and I didn’t want to try to navigate the stairs, but he hadn’t showered yet so I was sure he would be up soon. So I lay down on the bed and started timing the contractions. Steven came upstairs and I told him what was going on. Over the next hour and a half, he got dressed, ate something, I tried to watch the Sunday afternoon session of conference on the internet, timed contractions and finally at about 2:45 I said we needed to go back to the hospital. So Steven called his parents and the interpreter agency, then he helped me out to the car and back we went. I was having pretty intense back labor
by this time and I knew that this was the ‘real thing’.
We got to the hospital and by this time there was no doubt at all that I was definitely in labor! The admitting nurse took so long to do the admitting stuff that finally I told Steven to ask if we could do all this later—I was sitting in a wheelchair practically doubled over. The funny thing about all this is that I don’t really remember having uterine contractions—I’m sure I did—but everything I could feel was in my back!
We got to a room and Steven helped me change. Then the nurse got me on the monitor again and called the anesthesiologist for an epidural and checked me. I was still dilated to 4 cm. The nurse had some trouble locating the baby’s heartbeat for the fetal monitor so she did an ultrasound and it showed the baby was transverse instead of being head down. So she called the doctor from my clinic who was on call (Dr. P) because if the baby was transverse, I’d have to have a c-section. Five minutes later Dr. P arrived, and did an ultrasound herself. In that time, the baby had flipped to head down! The nurse was flabbergasted and kept saying, “But he was transverse five minutes ago!”
We then had some time when nothing much was happening.
Then things got interesting. The baby’s heartbeat kept dropping low and then going back up. Finally it dropped so low that Dr. P got really concerned and decided a c-section was necessary. I was taken to the OR and given the heavy-duty meds while Steven and the interpreter got into scrubs. I don’t remember much of the time in the OR because the meds made me feel so out of it. I was awake and somewhat aware of what was going on but not really comprehending. We stayed in the OR for quite awhile—each time Dr. P was ready to drape and cut, the heartbeat went back up for a bit before dropping again. She did something to adjust the baby’s position and that helped the heart rate go up and stay up long enough that she was comfortable proceeding with a normal delivery. So we went back to our room where we waited out the rest of the time til I was 10 cm and ready to push. Pushing was fairly easy and not too long.
Our baby boy Alex was born at 8:40 p.m. on Sunday, October 5, 2009, weighing 8 lbs 2 oz and 19 inches long. After the initial exam and clean up we had our interpreter call some of our family members (we didn’t have phone numbers for everyone) to let them know and to pass the word along.
We then moved up to our hospital room on the maternity floor. By this time it was pretty late and Steven was exhausted from everything that had been going on the past 24 hours so he headed home. Alex got his first bath around midnight then we both went to sleep.
I cannot believe that my baby is one year old today.
One year ago this weekend was General Conference. My doctor’s appointment was on Friday the 3rd. I was due on Thursday, Oct. 16th; scheduled to be induced on Friday, Oct. 10th. When my doctor checked me, I was 4 centimeters dilated. That surprised me because I had never been dilated that much that early with my other two babies. Steven was with me at the appointment and we all agreed I probably wouldn’t make it to my scheduled induction date.
Saturday the 4th we watched both sessions of General Conference. I was having some pretty intense Braxton-Hicks contractions all day but nothing unusual. I’d been having BH contractions for quite awhile. Steven and I both had the feeling the baby would come that weekend sometime. We had already arranged that Steven’s parents would take Christie and Jordan when it came time to go to the hospital. My parents were on their mission in Africa. Anyway, after the afternoon session, and having dinner, we decided to go do some errands—we were almost out of milk and needed some other things. So off we went. I think we went to three stores. I rode in the mobility carts because walking was so uncomfortable. Sometime while we were out my contractions became a little more intense. We started timing them and by the time we got home around 8, we decided maybe we’d better head to the hospital. While Steven helped C&J pack overnight bags, I called the Swains and the interpreter agency. Steven’s parents live in Draper and we agreed on a ‘code knock’ that would identify them so C&J would answer the door. After making sure they understood what to do, hugs and kisses, and a picture of me (practically the only picture taken of me while I was pregnant), we headed to the hospital.
I was admitted to triage, put on a monitor and then we waited. My contractions were still very uncomfortable but weren’t increasing in intensity or frequency the way I remember they did with C&J. We were there from about 8:45 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. We spent the time alternating between me resting in bed and walking around to see if things would get moving. Each time the nurse checked me, the dilation was the same. Finally, the nurse suggested we go home. She gave me discharge instructions and we went home.
I was hungry so I had a quick snack, then we went to bed. I don’t know if my contractions settled down a bit or if I was so tired I didn’t feel them or whatever, but I didn’t wake up til 10 am on Sunday. I only woke up because I had to use the bathroom very badly! Usually I wake up several times a night to go to the bathroom but I slept so soundly that I didn’t wake up at all! I was still tired, so I had a little snack again then went back to bed for another 2 hours. When I woke up at noon, I was feeling pretty good, so I suggested to Steven that we shower and get dressed and get over to Mom and Dad Swain’s in time for a late lunch and the afternoon session. He agreed with that so I went to take a shower.
I had barely gotten dressed when I started having back contractions. I had never experienced back labor with Christie or Jordan so that was really different! It was about 1:15 or so at this time. Steven was downstairs and I didn’t want to try to navigate the stairs, but he hadn’t showered yet so I was sure he would be up soon. So I lay down on the bed and started timing the contractions. Steven came upstairs and I told him what was going on. Over the next hour and a half, he got dressed, ate something, I tried to watch the Sunday afternoon session of conference on the internet, timed contractions and finally at about 2:45 I said we needed to go back to the hospital. So Steven called his parents and the interpreter agency, then he helped me out to the car and back we went. I was having pretty intense back labor
by this time and I knew that this was the ‘real thing’.
We got to the hospital and by this time there was no doubt at all that I was definitely in labor! The admitting nurse took so long to do the admitting stuff that finally I told Steven to ask if we could do all this later—I was sitting in a wheelchair practically doubled over. The funny thing about all this is that I don’t really remember having uterine contractions—I’m sure I did—but everything I could feel was in my back!
We got to a room and Steven helped me change. Then the nurse got me on the monitor again and called the anesthesiologist for an epidural and checked me. I was still dilated to 4 cm. The nurse had some trouble locating the baby’s heartbeat for the fetal monitor so she did an ultrasound and it showed the baby was transverse instead of being head down. So she called the doctor from my clinic who was on call (Dr. P) because if the baby was transverse, I’d have to have a c-section. Five minutes later Dr. P arrived, and did an ultrasound herself. In that time, the baby had flipped to head down! The nurse was flabbergasted and kept saying, “But he was transverse five minutes ago!”
We then had some time when nothing much was happening.
Then things got interesting. The baby’s heartbeat kept dropping low and then going back up. Finally it dropped so low that Dr. P got really concerned and decided a c-section was necessary. I was taken to the OR and given the heavy-duty meds while Steven and the interpreter got into scrubs. I don’t remember much of the time in the OR because the meds made me feel so out of it. I was awake and somewhat aware of what was going on but not really comprehending. We stayed in the OR for quite awhile—each time Dr. P was ready to drape and cut, the heartbeat went back up for a bit before dropping again. She did something to adjust the baby’s position and that helped the heart rate go up and stay up long enough that she was comfortable proceeding with a normal delivery. So we went back to our room where we waited out the rest of the time til I was 10 cm and ready to push. Pushing was fairly easy and not too long.
Our baby boy Alex was born at 8:40 p.m. on Sunday, October 5, 2009, weighing 8 lbs 2 oz and 19 inches long. After the initial exam and clean up we had our interpreter call some of our family members (we didn’t have phone numbers for everyone) to let them know and to pass the word along.
We then moved up to our hospital room on the maternity floor. By this time it was pretty late and Steven was exhausted from everything that had been going on the past 24 hours so he headed home. Alex got his first bath around midnight then we both went to sleep.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
it hurts to see friends hurt
Yesterday (9/22) was one of my best friend's birthday. I actually met *A* and *L* in summer 1996 when I was living in SLC doing an internship. I lost touch with both of them for awhile...when Steven started working at Sorenson full-time, *A* was his supervisor and we have since become best friends.
Yesterday was not the best day for *L*. Two months ago, she was hit head on by a drunk driver. Thirty hours later, her husband was rear ended. Last Thursday he had hip surgery to fix some problems that apparently had been aggravated by the accident. So they have both had some serious challenges lately.
I knew that *A* would not be in any shape to do anything for *L*. And I was sure that that was really hard for him. So last week I contacted the other ladies in the "group of 5" that we socialize with, proposing the idea of a surprise party for *L*. Then I contacted *A* to work out the details. As it turned out, yesterday was not a good day for *L*. She was experiencing a lot of back pain, so we moved the party to *A* and *L*'s house so she wouldn't have to travel. 4 of our 5 were there--#5 just had a baby so we didn't expect her to come. We had a great time, just the 4 of us, with two new babies, laughing and talking and eating.
After the other ladies left, I stayed for awhile to chat with *A* and *L*. We talked about lots and lots of different things.
*A* started a blog to chronicle their family's challenges. See it here. I had known a lot about what was going on--I have spent many hours over at their house, just trying to find ways to help them get through all this. But I hadn't really realized how bad it was.
It hurts to see your friends hurt. For whatever reason. Another friend of ours, *MM*, was in a terrible car accident nearly 3 years ago. To this day, he is still undergoing various surgeries to fix his legs. In fact, he is scheduled for a major knee operation sometime in the next 6 weeks. Although we were living in Orem at the time this happened, the news reverberated throughout the Utah Deaf Community. I have seen friends struggle with infertility, with the death of a child, with employment, with finances, as well as health issues. And it's never easy. There's so much you want to do for them but you also know you can only do so much.
At times like this, what really helps is to remember the Lord's promise in 1 Cor. 10:13 that the Lord will not allow us to be tested more than we are able to bear. Although it seems at times that our idea of what we can bear and what the Lord knows we can bear are two very different things, still, the fact that we are going through what seems to be a terrible trial, and somewhat surviving, is testament to the strength of the human spirit.
I also find the Lord's response to Joseph Smith's pleading (when he was incarcerated in Liberty Jail) inspiring:
"My son [and I might add, my daughter], peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes." (D&C 121: 7-8)
It felt good to do something for *L* to make her birthday a good one. I hope my eyes and heart will always be open to noticing when others need help (even if they don't ask for it) and to be able to give it.
Yesterday was not the best day for *L*. Two months ago, she was hit head on by a drunk driver. Thirty hours later, her husband was rear ended. Last Thursday he had hip surgery to fix some problems that apparently had been aggravated by the accident. So they have both had some serious challenges lately.
I knew that *A* would not be in any shape to do anything for *L*. And I was sure that that was really hard for him. So last week I contacted the other ladies in the "group of 5" that we socialize with, proposing the idea of a surprise party for *L*. Then I contacted *A* to work out the details. As it turned out, yesterday was not a good day for *L*. She was experiencing a lot of back pain, so we moved the party to *A* and *L*'s house so she wouldn't have to travel. 4 of our 5 were there--#5 just had a baby so we didn't expect her to come. We had a great time, just the 4 of us, with two new babies, laughing and talking and eating.
After the other ladies left, I stayed for awhile to chat with *A* and *L*. We talked about lots and lots of different things.
*A* started a blog to chronicle their family's challenges. See it here. I had known a lot about what was going on--I have spent many hours over at their house, just trying to find ways to help them get through all this. But I hadn't really realized how bad it was.
It hurts to see your friends hurt. For whatever reason. Another friend of ours, *MM*, was in a terrible car accident nearly 3 years ago. To this day, he is still undergoing various surgeries to fix his legs. In fact, he is scheduled for a major knee operation sometime in the next 6 weeks. Although we were living in Orem at the time this happened, the news reverberated throughout the Utah Deaf Community. I have seen friends struggle with infertility, with the death of a child, with employment, with finances, as well as health issues. And it's never easy. There's so much you want to do for them but you also know you can only do so much.
At times like this, what really helps is to remember the Lord's promise in 1 Cor. 10:13 that the Lord will not allow us to be tested more than we are able to bear. Although it seems at times that our idea of what we can bear and what the Lord knows we can bear are two very different things, still, the fact that we are going through what seems to be a terrible trial, and somewhat surviving, is testament to the strength of the human spirit.
I also find the Lord's response to Joseph Smith's pleading (when he was incarcerated in Liberty Jail) inspiring:
"My son [and I might add, my daughter], peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes." (D&C 121: 7-8)
It felt good to do something for *L* to make her birthday a good one. I hope my eyes and heart will always be open to noticing when others need help (even if they don't ask for it) and to be able to give it.
wow, long time
It's been awhile since I've blogged here! I have been busy with keeping up with school, canning and other family stuff. Hope to post more often now!
Friday, August 28, 2009
more canning
More canning! Today (Friday, 8/28) I am making tomato soup! We haven't had any for a year because I didn't do any canning last year with a new baby due. So I have lots of things to make! I have already done 16 quarts of cherries and now I am working on tomato soup. For as long as I can buy tomatoes at the local farmer's markets, I will make tomato soup, chile sauce and salsa. I also bought 3 dozen ears of corn today that I will blanch and freeze. A friend is picking up a box of peaches for me (she got a box for herself) that I will bottle. I also have some strawberries in the freezer to make into strawberry jam. I would also like to make peach jam and applesauce.
One of the best things I ever bought for canning is my camp stove. Seven years ago, the Allen family gathered at Grandma and Grandpa Allen's home for what turned out to be the last apple harvest for our family. G&G had several apple trees. That year the apples were all pressed into apple cider. Everyone who lived in Utah gathered to their home to sort and wash the apples, take them to the cider mill and then to process some of the cider into apple juice. We had three camp stoves set up in the garage and 6 pots of water to process the cider. We set up an assembly line to warm and sterilize the jars, lids and rings; fill the jars; put lids and rings on; get the jars into the pots and watch them. It was pretty cool and I decided when the time came I would do the same. The first year we lived here I bought a camp stove and made tomato soup and salsa. I think that's all I made that year. Anyway it was great for keeping heat out of the house and so I am doing the same thing again this year.
One of the best things I ever bought for canning is my camp stove. Seven years ago, the Allen family gathered at Grandma and Grandpa Allen's home for what turned out to be the last apple harvest for our family. G&G had several apple trees. That year the apples were all pressed into apple cider. Everyone who lived in Utah gathered to their home to sort and wash the apples, take them to the cider mill and then to process some of the cider into apple juice. We had three camp stoves set up in the garage and 6 pots of water to process the cider. We set up an assembly line to warm and sterilize the jars, lids and rings; fill the jars; put lids and rings on; get the jars into the pots and watch them. It was pretty cool and I decided when the time came I would do the same. The first year we lived here I bought a camp stove and made tomato soup and salsa. I think that's all I made that year. Anyway it was great for keeping heat out of the house and so I am doing the same thing again this year.
starting up again
With the start of school, Cub Scouts and Activity Days will be starting up again. This past Wednesday was Pack Meeting and the ward had a BBQ at a local city park. It was a lot of fun and we had fun chatting with some of the neighbors. I am really grateful to our local ward for welcoming our children into their activities, even though we are not members of the ward. They have done a lot for us and it is much appreciated!
back to school
Well, we are back in school! School started on Monday, August 25th. I took Christie and Jordan to school and went in with them to see their classrooms and meet their teachers. Jordan is in 3rd grade and Christie is in 5th grade. Christie started 3rd grade at Westbrook and we just loved her teacher Mrs. Gertsch so we requested that Jordan be put into her class and he was! Mrs. G. wasn't in the classroom when we went in but since I've already met her it wasn't a big deal. Christie's teacher is Miss Blake. She seems really nice. Seems the 5th grade classes don't rotate among the teachers like they did when I was in 5th grade (eons ago, it seems) but the teachers do rotate for certain subjects. Each day this week Christie and Jordan have come home happy and excited to tell me about what they did that day. Looks like we're going to have a great year!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Landscaping
[one project done]
After a year of talking about it, we finally replaced the rock wall in front of the house, between the front door and the garage.
This is what it looked like before:
Terrible, huh? I never really liked it because I thought it was too low, and it looked really amateurish and not well done. Then Jordan started pulling some of the rocks off the top and it just went downhill from there.
Last night Steven knocked out the rest of the rocks and broke off the cement and Christie and Jordan hauled the rocks to the north side of the house where we will store them for awhile. We hope to do something with them.
After the rocks were all removed:
This morning the crew showed up and the first things they did were to remove the concrete that the old rock wall had been on top of and to dig the trenches. The first picture shows the pile of concrete that was dug out.
After the trenches were dug, they were filled with gravel.
The first few rows of stone.
A wet saw was used to cut the stones to make the corner.
Front view.
Side view showing the wall in relation to the house.
The dirt that was dug out to make the trenches filled the bed pretty well. We will probably add a few more inches of topsoil later. Now I need to research plants and make a plan for that flower bed. We probably will wait to plant til early fall so the summer heat doesn't kill the plants.
Next project is to replace the rocks on the other side of the front of the house with curbing. I hope to get that project done within the next week.
After a year of talking about it, we finally replaced the rock wall in front of the house, between the front door and the garage.
This is what it looked like before:
Terrible, huh? I never really liked it because I thought it was too low, and it looked really amateurish and not well done. Then Jordan started pulling some of the rocks off the top and it just went downhill from there.
Last night Steven knocked out the rest of the rocks and broke off the cement and Christie and Jordan hauled the rocks to the north side of the house where we will store them for awhile. We hope to do something with them.
After the rocks were all removed:
This morning the crew showed up and the first things they did were to remove the concrete that the old rock wall had been on top of and to dig the trenches. The first picture shows the pile of concrete that was dug out.
After the trenches were dug, they were filled with gravel.
The first few rows of stone.
A wet saw was used to cut the stones to make the corner.
Front view.
Side view showing the wall in relation to the house.
The dirt that was dug out to make the trenches filled the bed pretty well. We will probably add a few more inches of topsoil later. Now I need to research plants and make a plan for that flower bed. We probably will wait to plant til early fall so the summer heat doesn't kill the plants.
Next project is to replace the rocks on the other side of the front of the house with curbing. I hope to get that project done within the next week.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Day 3: Ketchikan
We arrived in Ketchikan Monday morning.
Facts about Ketchikan: It's the southernmost sizable city in Alaska. It has an estimated population of about 7,368, making it the 5th most populous city in Alaska. It is known as the "Salmon Fishing Capital of the World". It has the world's largest collection of standing totem poles. It gets an average of 152 inches of rain a year and an average of 37 inches of snow.
Side note: Through NCL, cruise passengers can book "shore excursions" in each town the ship docks at. K&S booked a trip for the whole family in another town. Steven and I decided we would explore Ketchikan on our own.
There's not much land between the water and the mountains so we got off the ship and the town was right there.
The Norwegian Star, looking at the back.
View of Ketchikan from the dock.
The sign welcoming visitors to the "Salmon Fishing Capital of the World".
We stopped at the visitors office and got maps of a walking tour. We went with 3 other siblings and spouses.
Ketchikan has quite a collection of totem poles. I learned some interesting things about totem poles. They were carved to honor deceased ancestors, record history, social events and oral tradition. They were never worshipped as religious objects.
The picture above shows the Chief Kyan totem pole. According to the sign next to it, the figures represent the Crane, the Thunderbird and the Brown Bear.
We saw totem poles all over Ketchikan and there's a Totem Heritage Center in town that houses a display of original totem poles.
This next picture shows a salmon ladder. It is a concrete structure that was built to help the salmon on their way up the creek to their spawning grounds.
This is a view of the Thomas Basin Boat Harbor from Stedman Street. The ships are docked just to the left of the harbor. There's a wooden street in front o fthe buildings to the right.
Creek Street. Ketchikan Creek runs through the middle and the buildings are built on pilings that overhang the creek. This was the "red light district" of Ketchikan.
Dolly Arthur was Ketchikan's most famous madam. This was her house.
Ketchikan Creek. See all the green moss on the rocks--this area gets over 100 inches annually of rainfall. The area is very lush and green.
Another view of Ketchikan from the docks near the ships.
Ketchikan is very hilly and some streets are actually built of wooden staircases. These are called staircase streets.
This is a view of Newtown (which is located west of the historic district) from the ship. You can see that there is very little land between the mountains and the water. We saw this in each town we visited. You can also see how the mountains are solidly covered with evergreen trees. We also saw this everywhere we went.
Facts about Ketchikan: It's the southernmost sizable city in Alaska. It has an estimated population of about 7,368, making it the 5th most populous city in Alaska. It is known as the "Salmon Fishing Capital of the World". It has the world's largest collection of standing totem poles. It gets an average of 152 inches of rain a year and an average of 37 inches of snow.
Side note: Through NCL, cruise passengers can book "shore excursions" in each town the ship docks at. K&S booked a trip for the whole family in another town. Steven and I decided we would explore Ketchikan on our own.
There's not much land between the water and the mountains so we got off the ship and the town was right there.
The Norwegian Star, looking at the back.
View of Ketchikan from the dock.
The sign welcoming visitors to the "Salmon Fishing Capital of the World".
We stopped at the visitors office and got maps of a walking tour. We went with 3 other siblings and spouses.
Ketchikan has quite a collection of totem poles. I learned some interesting things about totem poles. They were carved to honor deceased ancestors, record history, social events and oral tradition. They were never worshipped as religious objects.
The picture above shows the Chief Kyan totem pole. According to the sign next to it, the figures represent the Crane, the Thunderbird and the Brown Bear.
We saw totem poles all over Ketchikan and there's a Totem Heritage Center in town that houses a display of original totem poles.
This next picture shows a salmon ladder. It is a concrete structure that was built to help the salmon on their way up the creek to their spawning grounds.
This is a view of the Thomas Basin Boat Harbor from Stedman Street. The ships are docked just to the left of the harbor. There's a wooden street in front o fthe buildings to the right.
Creek Street. Ketchikan Creek runs through the middle and the buildings are built on pilings that overhang the creek. This was the "red light district" of Ketchikan.
Dolly Arthur was Ketchikan's most famous madam. This was her house.
Ketchikan Creek. See all the green moss on the rocks--this area gets over 100 inches annually of rainfall. The area is very lush and green.
Another view of Ketchikan from the docks near the ships.
Ketchikan is very hilly and some streets are actually built of wooden staircases. These are called staircase streets.
This is a view of Newtown (which is located west of the historic district) from the ship. You can see that there is very little land between the mountains and the water. We saw this in each town we visited. You can also see how the mountains are solidly covered with evergreen trees. We also saw this everywhere we went.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
4th of july dessert
We usually have a BBQ to celebrate the 4th of July. This year I found a great deal on raspberries, strawberries and blueberries so I made this great shortcake dessert.
The recipe:
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1 cup fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons sugar
SHORTCAKE:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Dash salt
1/4 cup cold butter
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
Whipped cream, optional
In a small bowl, combine the strawberries, blueberries and 2 tablespoons sugar; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking soda and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine milk and sour cream; stir into crumb mixture just until moistened.
Spread batter into a greased 9-in. pie plate (batter will be thick). Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake at 350° for 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes; cut into six wedges.
Split each wedge in half horizontally. Serve warm with berry mixture; garnish with whipped cream if desired. Serves: 6
The recipe:
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1 cup fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons sugar
SHORTCAKE:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Dash salt
1/4 cup cold butter
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
Whipped cream, optional
In a small bowl, combine the strawberries, blueberries and 2 tablespoons sugar; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking soda and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine milk and sour cream; stir into crumb mixture just until moistened.
Spread batter into a greased 9-in. pie plate (batter will be thick). Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake at 350° for 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes; cut into six wedges.
Split each wedge in half horizontally. Serve warm with berry mixture; garnish with whipped cream if desired. Serves: 6
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