A Princess and Twins!

So, for Halloween Kaitlyn was a princess.  She wasn't entirely sure about the trick-or-treating thing when we first gave her the pumpkin basket.  However, after the first 2 houses of ringing the doorbell and then getting candy, she loved it!  It was raining here so we drove to a few selected houses in my old neighborhood.  Kaitlyn ate far too much candy and had a great time!  Also, while we were in West Jordan, my dad fixed my sewing machine.  (Yes, I just got it back from the shop after a six week stay and, as always, there is always more wrong when you get the machine back than when you took it in).  Anyway, I celebrated by making myself this adorable wrap skirt.  I got the pattern off the blog Chocolate on my Cranium.  Anyway, I had some leftover fabric so I made Kaitlyn a skirt this morning.  We matched at church today and got many compliments.  I love it!  The skirt is warm, flattering, cute, and adjustable for when I either lose weight or get pregnant!  (Opposite effects on the skirt, but both goals that I will be happy with in any order).

72-hour Sanity - Week 6

Currently on sale for $3.33 at Cabela's: this 6-tool utility knife.  It comes in yellow, orange, red, green, black, and pink!  (If you order it online it's $4.99)  They also have a little nylon case that can hook onto a belt or fit perfectly inside the pencil box in our kits!  We got red for Dad, orange for Mom and pink for Kaity.

Finally uploaded pics

I finally uploaded pictures of the Gospel ABC book.  Take a look and vote to the right!

72-hour Sanity - Week 5

So I know it's been a while but hopefully I can once again continue with my once-a-week purchases for our family 72-hour kits.  Eddie Bauer had these cute little crank/solar flashlights on sale for $7.99 each with a purchase.  I bought a shirt on clearance and then 3 flashlights.  They can work either using their solar panel or by the hand crank.  You do have to remember to crank them once a month so the battery doesn't die, but you don't have to worry about storing extra batteries or what to do if one leaks.

JENNIE WE ARE MAKING THESE

http://chocolateonmycranium.blogspot.com/2010/10/half-circle-wrap-around-skirt-tutorial.html
You, me, mom, no arguments.  (We could make a little one so the monkey can match, too).  Can you say family pics?

Awesome

Taken outside the Clyde building, the engineering building on BYU campus.

Projects

I've added a new page, "projects."  I'm trying to get a feel for the projects that I make and whether or not I could open an etsy shop to sell them.  If you could take a look at the project tab periodically and then vote on the sidebar (or leave a comment), I'd greatly appreciate it!

So remember how we hoped that September was less busy?

Yeah, no.  Kaitlyn is growing well and has learned how to help us with many household tasks.  She likes to sweep, so we have to dodge the broom a lot.  She likes to put clothes in the dryer, so as long as they're clean, I'm fine with re-drying things that just got finished.  She likes to help with the dishwasher, anything goes in.  Unfortunately, this means that sometimes I have to pull a book out of the bottom of the dishwasher and dry it off before running the machine.  Most recently, she's begun helping with the organization of kitchen drawers, desk items, etc.  Basically, we are rethinking wherever we have been putting anything for the last 4 years.  The other day I bought a new drawer for the kitchen and I've been reorganizing everything in the front room/kitchen/hallway.  This means, of course, that there is stuff EVERYWHERE.  Of course, at this time we decided to go look for a new couch, and Wednesday night we found one.  It's dark tan and microfiber and really nice.  We were going to go pick it up yesterday morning with the help of a friend and his truck.  Well, Thursday morning at 1 am I woke up with severe stomach pains.  I tried everything that had worked before: laying on my right side, pepto, ibuprofen, warm bath, nothing worked.  Jared kept waking up every half hour to check on me, and at 2:45 I asked him for a blessing.  Afterwords, I felt that we needed to go to the ER.  So, Sean & Jennie came over and slept in our bed so that someone was here for Kaitlyn, who was a good girl and slept through it all.  Jared and I went to the hospital, but of course we ran into shift change so we had to stay for quite some time.  At least they brought me some pain med - I was able to relax and doze some.  Sean & Jennie had to leave by 6:30 so they could get ready for work/school so Jared called his cousins.  Chelsea answered and came over to switch off, so she slept on the couch until we got home at 7ish.  At the hospital, they did an ultrasound and found a 2 cm gallstone.  I was way excited because this meant that we could do something about it (I've had gallbladder attacks for the last 6 months).  We were referred to a surgeon who couldn't fit us in until the 18th of Oct, so we called the health center and they gave us another surgeon to contact.  I dropped Kaitlyn off at a friend's house and she happily played with her two little girls and a neighbor boy from about 10 until 1:45.  Jared and I drove up to American Fork to see the dr, who said that he had a cancellation today for surgery and could remove my gallbladder, if we wanted.  Yay for not waiting!  This morning Chelsea came back over to sit with Kaity, then at some point they went up to campus where Chelsea met Scott and switched off the bug.  Scott came back to the apartment until around 10:00 when my parents got here to watch Kaity for the rest of the day.  I went into surgery and lost a gallbladder.  I woke up around noon, argued with the nurse in post op because I wanted to roll onto my side and she thought I was trying to get up.  Then I was I was in a private room and faded in and out while talking to Jared and listening to Mickey Mouse clubhouse, which I insisted he watch.  Shortly after 2pm, I woke up, went to the bathroom, told the nurse I felt WAY better than after the c-section, went on a walk around the halls, got dressed, and was home by 3pm.  So, I'm sorry to everyone who didn't know I was having surgery today, I didn't know I was having surgery today.  I feel really good: a lot better than I thought.  I have four holes in my tummy and feel like I've had an extremely intense ab workout.  However, I'm extremely grateful for the comforting presence of the Spirit and the blessings of the Priesthood.  I'm so thankful for Ryan, who picked up my couch today even though we couldn't help with it.  Thank you to Sean, Jennie, and Chelsea who got up way too early to come sleep at our house.  Thank you to Robin for letting me add one more little girl to your day at very short notice.  Thank you to Mom and Dad for coming over, playing with the neverending source of energy that is your granddaughter, and doing our dishes and laundry, it is so appreciated to have a clean home, especially since neither Jared nor I have had the energy to do it lately.  Thank you especially to Jared who has now stayed up 4 consecutive days till 1 am to take care of me, and would still go do anything for me if I asked, even though he can barely keep his eyes open.  And a very big thank you to my beautiful, well behaved princess monkey.  She never fussed or screamed or whined at any of her impromptu babysitters these past two days.