Saturday, December 12, 2009

Update on us, finally

I've done what I always hate to see other people do, but I have posted a bunch of stuff at once... again. I'm apologizing, but I'm not sorry since it's just the way things had to be. Anyway, so here is an overall update on us (see "Kaleb at 6 Months" for all the fun stuff on him).

*Well, the beginning of November started off with a bang... okay, so it was more like a screeching of brakes as our highlander was getting repossessed at 8:00 in the morning. We knew it would happen, so it wasn't SO traumatic. Funny part was when the tow-truck guy called a few minutes after leaving to see if we wanted to get anything out of it and if he could come pick up the keys. I know it's their policy since people can get really hostile over such an event, but it made us laugh. Thankfully, my parents have graciously let us borrow my dad's retired work van. It has been a godsend... even if it only gets ten miles to the gallon. It's better than a bike!!


*We hosted Thanksgiving dinner for both sides of our family again this year. It was a lot of fun! So much food. Maybe next year we won't start off with chips and salsa and guacamole and deviled eggs and actually save room for the turkey and fixins. The best part of the night was when we all got together for Catch Phrase. My favorite word was Lick!


*We then decided to participate in the midnight shopping on Black Friday. The only reason for this was to get the $50 gift cards the mall was offering if you shopped before 3 AM. Unfortunately we got in line a little too late to get them. It was fun to say we did it, but we will never do it again unless we KNOW there is a CRAZY-GOOD sale on something we DEFINITELY want.

*Ammon and I were in charge of our ward Christmas party. We prepared for 250 people and were not disappointed! The young men and young women were our waiters and they did a great job (and extra Kudos to all who helped out in the kitchen above and beyond the call of duty). The primary children preformed a little nativity scene which we missed because of backstage duties, but overall I got rave reviews from attendees.

*We put up our Christmas decorations the other day, and the Dr. Seuss tree is back. Every year we have talked about getting a new topper for our tree, one that is less overwhelming for our 30-year-old fake fir. But then, when we see the adorable crookedness, we just don't have the heart.



*And now, I have three stories that show just how frustrating people can be... (sarcastic sigh) Ahhh... working retail at Christmas:
STORY #1: A lady came into the store with a toy we sell called a Rody. It's basically a Donkey version of the balls that have a handle that you bounce around on. (Google "Rody bouncing horse" to see a visual). Anyway, she had purchased the toy for her son and wanted to return it. She claimed that he kept falling off of it and she just didn't want him to play with it anymore. Firstly, it is a bouncing item for kids under three... don't ya think a kid might fall off of it occasionally? Secondly, we have a demo in the store that kids can ride on. We encourage kids between 1 and 3 to try it out... helps to sell it. Thirdly, all of our receipts say that we don't take back anything that is opened unless it is defective. So when I told her our return policy she refused to believe it was on the receipt (which was taped to the box that she had brought Rody back in). When I showed it to her, she said, "well, then its defective". I said, "What's wrong with it?" She replied, "It won't stay inflated". I was pretty sure she was just making this up to get her money back, so I told her, "Well, ma'am we will have to do some rigorous testing to make sure it is defective before I can give you a full refund." She was so desparate to save face she said, "Fine". I took her information and she left. My manager pumped that little guy up and we squeezed the Hee-haw out of him, but he was still fine after four days. The moral of this story is: People will do anything to not be caught in a lie
Story #2: I am often by myself when I work, which wasn't a problem until a few weeks ago. The other day, it was a busier time. I was gift wrapping while trying to answer a question for someone as well as greet all of the random people that come in the store. Then a younger gal comes walking toward me from the back of the store and says, "Um, one of the kids I'm watching just had an accident on the floor, so there's like a puddle of pee back there." I start to ask, "Would you like some paper towels or a mop or whatever to clean it up?" BUT she turns around and snaps at the kids to get out of the store NOW. No offer to clean up. No request for the closest bathroom. Not even an attempt to dry the poor little girl off!!! NOTHING!!! She proceeded to point the kids out the store without an apology, so I'm left to clean up the mess. The moral of this story: PEOPLE ARE SICK!!
Story #3: I middle-aged woman came in the other day shopping for something for a 5 year old and 8 year old and needed ideas. We pointed her in the right directions, and I eventually noticed she was accompanied by some mentally handicapped teenagers (they had been close by, but I didn't realize they were with her at first), apparently she was their teacher or aid. After she had picked out some things, I asked her who they were for. She pulled one of the girls over and said, "This little girl's cousins in Seattle had a terrible house fire and lost everything including all of their Christmas presents. I wanted to do what I can for them." The moral of this story: There are Angels among us.

Kaleb Christmas

It appears that Kaleb already loves Christmas. He sings along to Christmas songs in the car and while we putting up Christmas lights we decided to do a little photo shoot. Here are some of my favorites!!



























Kaleb at 6 Months

Kaleb is now 6 months old! Or at least he was on the 3rd. At his Dr's appointment he weighed in at 20 lbs, 1 oz (90th percentile) and was 27.25 inches (70th percentile). So many things have happened for him over the last 6 weeks. Firstly we are having him sit up on his own in the bathtub. I tried that reclining chair for a little while (thanks for letting me borrow it jess), but he couldn't play in the water and he got so cold during the bath cuz only his behind was submerged in the water. SO we moved him back into the little bathtub, but without the ramp. He seems to like having bath toys as he was showing daddy:





We have moved him up to the bigger carseat that holds up to 30 pounds and we have even started giving him solids. Of course, rice cereal first and just this week we started him on veggies: so far, peas are his favorite. Next week, we will be doing fruits. It's very exciting!! Definitely makes our meal times more interesting. Below is a video of one of his first ever spoon-feeding sessions. It ends up being more a video of him trying to escape his dreaded Bumbo, but I think it's still cute:








Below are just a few updated photos of Kaleb... okay so they're almost a month old, but I really like his expressions!!










I just love Kaleb's cheeks, especially now that his back is so stable, his neck looks so skinny!!



Kaleb has been a lot more fun to watch and play games with. We put a mirror alongside him and he just got a kick out of that!!




This is a video of Ammon and I playing Peek a Boo with Kaleb. Makes us laugh so much:






And this is a video of Kaleb's first trick:








He is also getting much more observant (unfortunately). He already knows which is his toy remote and which one is the real on and he was obsessed with the little picture on this sweater for a good five minutes.


Speaking of observant, Kaleb has gotten more into watching TV, or at least, watching us watch tv. The other day, we put him in his play pen behind the couch that faces the tv and when I turned around to check on him, i saw this: Kinda freaky!!






And with Kaleb's new observations means new toys:

Wrapping paper






This is the ring that holds his elephant... the rattle that hangs from the handle of his carseat:



And of course, video games:




With new toys, comes new friends... and apparently arguments with his new friends. Below is a video we caught while Kaleb was mad at one of his favorite toys. It must have been a very heated discussion because we can't seem to get his attention afterward!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M777-S3NhE4&feature=channel


Sick of Running on a Treadmill

I mean this figuratively of course since I haven't worked out much over the last few months. I just want to take a moment to vent... which is a horrible thing to do on the first real post in over a month, but I feel like these emotions need to be expelled in order for me to be rid of them, like a bad virus! Lately I have had this virtual depression come over me (almost like I'm completely overwhelmed) for about a month. At first I thought it was just the extra hours at worked combined with my desire to really be involved with holiday festivities... combined with preparing for our ward Christmas party. However, the word "overwhelmed" didn't ... it wasn't right. I'm not overwhelmed. Disorganized yes, but not overwhelmed.



However, something happened today that turned on that figurative lightbulb. I won't go into details what the last straw was, but I will say this: I am sick of running on a treadmill. I hate the feeling that I am working and not going anywhere. For instance, I am literally working but not making any more money... in fact, in the long run, I'm losing money by working. Also, I am given the opportunities to make decisions and then the very person who gave me those responsibilities re-makes the decision how he/she would prefer. And the worst one of all, that we have been praying for a full year for Ammon to get a good, stable job... and he still doesn't have one. I know the economy is what it is and we are definitely not the only ones suffering, if we are suffering at all! I know we are not doing everything perfectly to be able to even call up to the heavens and demand that we 'deserve blessings', but I feel like we are trying. Again, I reiterate, this is just a vent, something to let you know perhaps why I have not blogged in over a month.



That being said, I know that we are blessed. I feel it every time the heater comes on and see it whenever Kaleb smiles and my hubby hugs me. We are so lucky to have the support we have and still have our own house. So please don't reprimand a frustrated old woman for needing to blow off steam. I've just been thinking of that story of the man whom God asked to push a boulder, so this man pushes for months and months, but it never budges. Finally, the man asks God why the rock never moves. God tells him, "I didn't ask you to move the rock, just to push it. See how much stronger you are from all that you have been through." Hopefully, this means we are getting stronger... though most of the time I feel like I'm getting weaker. Go figure!