Chitter Chatter

Today is Jackson's birthday. I can't believe he is 7 years old. It seems like just yesterday we were heading to hospital to have him. He is such a good boy. I am so lucky he is my son! He woke up ready to open gifts! Douglas and I gave him a video game (his request) and some art supplies. My parents gave him a drawing tablet to use with his video game machine. It allows him to draw on it and play games like Pictionary which will be fun to do as a family. One of the things that I found for him is a sticker mosaic. It is a picture with a bunch of little numbered squares. Each square signifies a specific color sticker. All the stickers are about 1/4 inch square, so they are small. Once you get them all put on, it forms the picture. Jackson started one, but Paige has really been enjoying them :)!

Jackson requested Crepes for breakfast. He wanted them filled with Nutella (hazelnut spread), bananas and whip cream. They are delicious. I was so proud of myself for only eating one. Sometimes I have to remind myself that it isn't the last time I will ever eat and that I will get a chance to have something delicious again. Seems silly, but it works, when I do it. I am really trying to eat better. This week was kind of a mess with Valentine's Day, hostessing a baby shower and Jackson's birthday, but I am trying not to let it discourage me. I can't go back and be better now, I just have to move forward. I know how to keep myself eating healthy...don't have junk food around! I am the same way with spending money. If I don't want to spend, I can't go shopping. I don't have a whole lot of will power when the temptation is right before me! I wish I did, but I know myself and that is now how I am.

I have been so discouraged with losing weight. My body just seems to hold on to it for dear life while I am nursing. I think I whined about this previously, but it is constantly on my mind, mainly because I can't fit into any of my clothing. I think I am going to start a "modified" Weight Watchers. I am going to track my points, but not be quite as rigid as the actual plan. I just need to be heading in the right direction. I am getting Douglas on board too because he needs to lose some weight before he starts working. And, it is so much easier when as a household we are eating healthy together. A lot of the responsibility falls on me since I shop and prepare the meals.

Wow, I got way off topic. I was talking about Jackson's birthday....He has been having a great time playing his games and not having to do his chores. Who wants to do chores on their birthday! He requested Five Guys burgers for lunch, so we will head over there. He has been dying for a bacon burger. I love to make birthdays special for people. We went and it was so delicious! There is nothing like a good burger once and a while. We should take you to Five Guys when we come to St. George. I think you would really enjoy it...or we can pick it up and bring it home for dinner!

Well, the day passed and here I sit Sunday afternoon. I am making Jackson write thank you cards for his birthday gifts. You would think I was asking him to cut off his own leg. He has whined and complained about doing it. He is still whining as we speak. I make him write neatly which is another battle to fight. He wants to just scribble something and spell all the words wrong and have it be okay. Arg! He can be such a stinker!

Jackson's birthday turned out very fun for him. He has been wanting a Chuck e Cheese party forever so we decided that he could invite a few friends and we would do it. He had five friend plus Paige. They set up a party spot with tablecloth, plates, cups etc. The kids all get 20 tokens to go and play games. After about 45 minutes they served pizza and then had Chuck-e come out to sing happy birthday, have cake, sing and go in the ticket blaster. I think the ticket blaster was the highlight for Jackson. You go in this booth that blows tickets all around. The birthday kid grabs as many as possible. They have one ticket in there that is worth 1000 tickets. Jackson got it! He was beyond excited. Too bad they only have junk toys for which to redeem tickets. I had made a yellow cake with chocolate frosting for the party. The kids gobbled it up. That is always a nice thing!

Douglas had a class all weekend so unfortunately he was gone most of the day. We picked him up on the way to the party. I will be very happy for him to no longer have school activities on the weekends and evenings. It gets very tiring.

Did I mention that I got called to teach Relief Society? Today was my first day and I taught lesson 4 in the George Albert Smith manual about the prophet Joseph Smith. I thought it went really well. It is always hard to know, but I felt the Spirit and I guess that is what really matters.

So, I have been having issues with Bennett and sleep. He was waking up to 6 times a night, whenever his pacifier would fall out. He didn't know how to go back to sleep without it. I felt like a walking zombie. I had been praying to know what to do and kept having the impression that I needed to stop letting him sleep with the pacifier. I ignored it though because it seemed way too hard and I assumed that it would mean a lot of sleepless nights. Well, finally I was at the end of my rope and just committed to do it. Guess what?? He has been sleeping like a champ ever since. I went in on the first night and he had found his little thumb and was sucking away. So, the past two nights he has slept great. He even took two long naps yesterday which he has NEVER done. Man, I am filled with so much hope that he will become a great sleeper after all. He is such a happy, contented baby. Since we got home from St. George I feel like he has really settled into his little personality. Now, being well rested, I hope he will be even happier. I love well sleeping babies for my sake, but also because I know how good it is for them. So, even though it has only been two days, I am very hopeful.

I forgot that the missionaries were coming for dinner. Blast. Douglas reminded me last night, but I had really hoped for a lazy Sunday and easy meals. Oh well. I threw some chili together. I will make some biscuits and roasted cauliflower. I just have left over cake for dessert and that will have to do. I love to cook when I am in the mood, but when I am not, it is really no fun.

On Thursday I helped a girl in the ward hostess a baby shower over here. It was a bow making shower for the girl who is having a girl. We had some food and everyone spent the time making bows for the new baby. It was fun. I am reminded that people's crafting abilities are not the same. We all have our own strengths and that is not some people's strength :)!! Some of the bows the women made were so hideous. Is that mean to say?? Haha. It is true though. It is still kind of them to try.

We have been looking through potential homes recently. The realtor that is going to help us find a house in St. Louis sends us new listings. It is so fun and exciting to look through them. It gets me so excited to finish up here and move on to St. Louis! I just want to stay put for a bit! Douglas, Bennett and I will go out there in April to hopefully find something. There is one I have seen online and I am so hoping it is still available when we go. It seems like it would be a really great fit.

Well, I need to focus on dinner. I am so excited too for Downton Abbey tonight. Douglas and I are loving it!!