Where were you...

20 years ago?
1990? Seems like a lifetime ago. I was almost 11 years old - in 5th grade at West Jordan Elementary. I loved my friends (Ann, Lena, etc), but really wished I could be in the popular crowd (glad now that I wasn't, though).
Here's a journal snippet from 2/20/90:
"Dear Diary, Today was very typical. We got a lot of our scores, though, and I tried out for the play. I don't really think he'll pick me cause I was so shy, though. Love, Heidi Potts"

10 years ago?
I was almost 21 and was less than 3 months away from marrying my eternal companion. I was going to the U of U & had started working for the Forest Service at the federal building downtown.
Journal Snippet from 2/13/00:
"The poem Footprints best describes last week. It was a completely overwhelming week, full of appointments, assignments, projects, plans, and unexpected trials. The Lord TRULY carried me through last week. I could not have done it alone. No way in the world. Oh, the Sabbath day. It is the jewel in my week. A day of (somewhat) peace, relaxing, throwing off the cares of the world & worshipping our Master & Redeemer..."

5 years ago?
2005 - living in Park City - still working for the Forest Service. I was just a few months pregnant with our first baby, McKinley, and we were so excited to be pregnant. We loved our home up there, though the commute down in the early morning hours was not fun with morning sickness.
Journal snippet from 2/23/05:
"It was such a beautiful drive into work today. The moon was so big and clear. I still have yet to wake up and just feel fabulous for about the past 3 months, but I'm just thankful to be able to go to work and be pregnant. We learned another lesson last week about how precious life is.
On Friday morning (the 11th), Jason got a call from his mom that one of his cousins was in the hospital & not expected to make it (Tira)...Last Thursday (the 18th) was her funeral. There were some really good speakers and musical numbers. Ya know, it just made me think about what people would say about me if I left this world tomorrow. They couldn't say “oh, she was the most generous, giving, serving person. She would stock your shelves with food if you didn't have any and she would give you her coat if you were cold and she was always happy & complimenting people.” Those are the things they said about Tira. I guess they could say that I was good with money and that maybe I did my job well or something, but the real stuff of life, I just don't think they could say. In fact, I wonder if Jason would at last just wonder what he ever saw in me. IT'S TRUE! I need to be more like my Savior - more like Tira. She really was loving to everyone...We had Monday off work & were lazy the whole day. We were supposed to do planning, but Jason had a headache & we really didn't get to it, though he promised we eventually would. He was cute, though, following me around all day, holding me, telling me how much he loved me & how beautiful I was. He really is a sweetheart."

5 minutes ago?

Trying to get Kezia to sleep longer for her afternoon nap, putting a Dora movie on for McKinley for naptime/quiet time, trying unsuccessfully to get a nap in myself, folding laundry.

Girls Camp-In

Daddy went to a Klondike scout camp last night (seriously, how does camping in the freezing cold snow sound like fun?)
So... since he was having a camp-out, we decided to have a camp-in! We started with building our "tent." Then we had a blanket picnic eating corn dogs. By that time it was dark, so we really got to use our lantern. We painted nails (which really isn't so camp-ish, but what girls night is complete without painting nails? ), we went on a (stuffed) animal watching safari, we read some books, sang some songs in our tent, and had some s'mores and ice cream. Then we watched Charlotte's Web. What a fun night! McKinley got to have a sleep-over with mom, too, since dad wasn't there to cuddle with.
Yay! All the fun without the cold! Here's some pics...

Thoughts...

BEWARE! Below are the mind-ramblings of a sleep-deprived, often-incoherent mother:

1.KEZI: Sleep...how I miss you. So terribly. Kezi went from being a solid sleeper to waking up 3-4+ times a night the past few weeks. And what does that equal? A tired, ornery, non-motivated, sad, sad mommy and wife. Not fun. I've tried to put on my detective hat here. Teething? Growth pains? Gas pains? I've tried Tylenol, schedule changes, crying-it-out, etc. Nothing seems to make a difference. I'm hoping it's just a phase (I found in my journal that Ireland did the same thing at 3 months). Anyone that has suggestions, though, please send them on. I'm about ready to try anything.

2.IRELAND: I keep wondering when to start potty training her. She'll be 3 in July. She keeps wanting to go - keeps taking her diaper off and sitting on the potty. Sometimes she goes, sometimes not. My reluctance comes from my first experience with potty training. McKinley kept regressing and it ended up being this big power-struggle thing. I hated it. Maybe Ireland will be a cinch. Who knows? I don't want to miss what might be a window, but if she's like McKinley I have neither the mental nor emotional strength to go through that right now.
3.McKINLEY: My sister thinks that McKinley will be super-bored in school if we put her through another year of preschool (she barely misses the deadline - Sept 9). McKinley knows pretty much all her letters, sounds, and can read small words with a little help. She was doing some of her cousin's homework with him & even helped him with some of it. I know she's not a genius or anything, but most of her friends are going to Kindergarten this year. I have no idea what kind of effort it would take to try & get her in this year. Any help from anyone who has gone through this would be helpful!

4. No updates on Jason's job search. He's had quite a few interviews & even though he feels really good about them, there's just so many applicants, it's hard to compete. It's been a full year now with no income. I can't say it doesn't weigh us down sometimes - it's always there in the background. The stress never completely goes away. We are hopeful, though, and cannot deny the miracles we've seen as we've gone through this. An entire year with no help from the government? I'd definitely call that a miracle - I didn't think our savings would last us 6 months, let alone a year. Definitely a miracle. And we definitely will take this trial over so many that we have seen others go through. We have much to be thankful for...

5. I've read a couple good books lately - The Giver and The Secret Journal of Brett Colton. I think I read The Giver in middle school or something. I remember it being a good book. And it definitely gave me something to think about - and things to feel blessed about. The Secret Journal of Brett Colton was just a great book with a creative story line. It was an easy read. For more in-depth reviews, become my goodreads.com friend! I'd love to see what you're reading!

January Slideshow & Summary...

Here's the goods for January...



McKINLEY:
-Mom got up to bear her testimony during fast & testimony meeting and got pretty emotional. The next person got up & also cried. Then the next person didn’t cry & McKinley kept asking “Mom – why isn’t she crying??”
-Kezia was crying in her room & we were going to let her cry for a few minutes. McKinley got her music box, put it outside of Kezia’s room and said “here you go Kezia. This will make you happy.” -Just before church McKinley said “Mom, I want to be a boy.” Mom asked why. McKinley replied “So I can do the bread!” (sacrament)
-McKinley earned enough points this month (6) to get a sleepover with a cousin, so she got to have 3 nights of sleeping over with Michael! They had a great time watching movies, playing, going to the birthday party, and running away from the “toddlers.”
-We were talking one night about being smart. McKinley asked if she was smarter than mom & dad. Mom said “Well…probably not until you’re about 9 or so.”
-We had some boxes lying around & McKinley had fun cutting them, ripping them, taping them, and trying to made a spaceship like the one in the Moondogs book.
-McKinley’s bike from Christmas: She started out like a speed racer – doing great – making great turns, going fast. She had a couple small falls. Nothing big. But then she started getting scared of the bike & would never ride it. S l o w l y with mom holding the handle she has gotten less scared, but she still goes VERY slow and stops a lot to make sure she won’t crash.
-McKinley has enjoyed playing “go fish” and is getting pretty good at it!
-One morning McKinley said “Mom I am going to put on my lipstick” – except she said lipstick in a whisper. She said it again. Mom asked why she kept whispering “lipstick.” Mc – “I don’t want Ireland to hear!”
-After a morning playdate with Cambria Cox, McKinley asked if she could play with Lizzy. Mom said that she’d already played with Cambria. McKinley said “But I haven’t had enough fun today!”
-McKinley has been doing this thing where if she is supposed to be doing something (like cleaning her room or going into time-out or going to bed) she will run up to us. We’ll get upset & tell her to do what she’s supposed to be doing & she’ll say “But I want to give you a hug!”
-Somehow a small moth had gotten in and was flying around our dinner table. McKinley said “Well, I hope he’s not looking at my mom with his beady eyes!”
-While mommy & daddy went skiing, Grandpa took McKinley on a special date to The Princess & the Frog!

IRELAND:
-Ireland found a glue stick and Grandma Potts’ and apparently thought it was lipstick.
-McKinley fell on her bike & dad came over to comfort her. Ireland then pretended to fall down & ran over to her dad to have his attention, too.
-Ireland wanted to sleep in McKinley’s bed one night. Mom wasn’t so sure about that, but Ireland said “Be Patient!” (hmmm – wonder where she hears that from?)
-We asked Ireland to get McKinley a drink of water, so she got a cup, filled it halfway with water, drank half of it on her way over to McKinley, handed it to her and said “you’re welcome!”
-Ireland was sick for a week or so and had such a hard time swallowing. Her throat hurt so bad that she cried every time she swallowed something. We took her in, but it wasn’t strep & finally went away after a couple more days.
-Ireland prays for dad to find a job at every prayer, but apparently she thinks everyone needs a job and prays “please help McKinley to find a job, and bless Kezia to find a job..”
-Ireland had Dora shoes that mom was helping her to put on. Mom pointed to Boots & said “look – it’s Boots!” Ireland looked at mom & said “No mom! They’re not boots – they’re shoes!” – we went back & forth with that for a little while.
-Ireland goes through 4 or 5 cups a day – she doesn’t like using the same one twice and she still likes to make little water experiments.
-For some reason, Ireland says Ok-kay.
-One day after mom took her bowl to the dishwasher, Ireland said “I’m so proud of you!”
-Lately if Ireland wants help and mom or dad are doing something like reading or on the laptop, she will look at us straight in the eye & say “Put it down! I need help!”

KEZIA:
-Ireland has grown SO much in the past month! She is using her hands a lot more and is a pro and using her jungle gym and making the music go.
-Ireland has been smiling and laughing – so cute!
-Kezia still LOVES ceiling fans and will sit and just watch them for quite a while.
-Our other 2 were never this attentive at such a young age, but Kezia will sit and REALLY watch Signing Time or Baby Einstein.
-Kezia is getting much stronger in her neck strength!
-She has regressed in her sleeping patterns and we suspect she’s starting to teethe since she’s drooling a lot now as well. We hope she gets in a better sleep pattern soon! Right now she’s up 3-4 times a night.
-Kezia was also sick for a bit this month and had lots of congestion and coughing.
-She’s had quite a explosive poopies and we’ve been going through multiple outfits a day.
-At the end of the month, we tried out the exersaucer & she really did great! She loves it!