Journaling

- On Saturday night, Nate took me out to celebrate Valentine's day.  We went out to the Gateway and ate at Ztejas.  The food was amazing and I was really blown away by the service.... I don't normally care or notice, but it was so incredible how quickly they brought out the food, all the servers were very nice, the food looked fantastic, and it just made it feel like a fancy restaurant.  It was really nice.  I love eating out with Nate because he always tries new places, new foods, appetizers... it's just really fun.  I like that.  If it were up to me we would be boring, eat at Chili's or Applebee's every night and order the exact same thing every time.  So anyway.  I had a good time :).  After dinner we went over to the theater and saw The Vow.  I really liked that movie!  I had not heard much about it and hadn't seen the previews, so it was a pleasant surprise.  I cried through a lot of it, just putting myself in the characters' shoes, but it was really thought-provoking and interesting show.  Anything with memory-loss just gets me for some reason.  It's my old fear.  I was grateful my husband was okay with seeing a chick flick :)  He sacrifices so much for me.  Makes me feel special :).  It was a really nice, relaxing date.  We both haven't been feeling good, so it was a much needed break from life.  The kids spent the evening with Grandma and Simon.  Steve also came over for a bit to play capture the flag with them, so I think they got a good break as well.  Something we all needed.
2-18-12

- Sunday was nuts for me.  It was my week to conduct in Primary, but our pianist was going to be gone and she had said she was desperate and couldn't find "anyone else" to sub for her, so I consented.  Luckily Carol took over the conducting so that I didn't have to perform a comedy act bouncing up to the mic and then down to the piano, doing a one man show.  So I sat and played the piano for all of Primary.  Then in Sacrament meeting, I was playing the organ and had to finish the closing song, jump up to say the closing prayer and then hurry and go back to the organ to play the postlude music.  As I'm saying it now, it doesn't sound that bad, but I hated it.  No matter how guilty I feel I will refuse to say a prayer the same week that I am playing the organ.  The guy made me feel like a dork.  He's all, "Can you say the closing prayer in 2 sundays from today?"  And I said, "Well, I am playing the organ that Sunday?"  And he quickly retorted, "So is that a yes or a no?"  All huffy because I was making him say more than 1 sentence to me.  So I accepted.  I hate to say no.  I hate feeling like I could help out and didn't.  I hate thinking about what he would have thought of me and if he would have been bugged that he had to find someone else.... bla bla bla.... all my stupid things.  So I consented.  But I will not do that ever again.  I shouldn't have to do that.  So anyway.  It stressed me out.  I'm a baby about stress lately for some reason.  When I got home, I laid down in bed and slept for 5 hours.  I have the best husband on the planet, yes I do.... he let me sleep for 5 hours.  So anyway.  Hopefully this cold will let up soon!
2-19-12

- Monday was our day off, President's Day!  The whole family was off!  It was so exciting!  We spent most of the morning, Nate and I, trying to feel good enough to do something.  Nate spent a LOT of time preparing and cooking his Coconut Fried Salmon for the cookbook sampling open house thing.  I had planned on making my Tangy Meatballs for it, but luckily I had looked through the book for the recipe to make them and realized it didn't make the cut into the cookbook.  So while I was annoyed that it wasn't in there (along with a million of the recipes I wasted time sending in- I'm not really bugged, just sound like it), I didn't have to make the millions of meatballs I was going to have to make.  I was slightly relieved.  We headed down to Nate's parents' house and stayed there for an hour or so.  It was nice, I guess they had a pretty good turn out, sold 2 1/2 boxes of books, and make quite a bit of money.  So that was good to hear!  We had promised the kids something fun, and since Nate and I were seriously out of it, we decided a movie would be fun.  We went to Journey 2 the Mysterious Island.  Most of the kids liked it.  It's always fun to go to 3D movies with them, they constantly reach up and flinch at things flying out at them.  Charity and Kelly got a good giggle about the peck-popping.  And Kelly liked the baby elephant.  Bradley liked all of the animals on the island and how different they were.  Luke said, "None of it."  When asked what his favorite part was.  It wasn't really his type of show I guess.  Makes me laugh that he's so brutally honest :).  He kept laying on my lap and asking me when it was going to be over, so I knew it wasn't his favorite :).  Noah on the other hand, he had a blast!  He loved the lizard part!  He has been playing with his lizard all day today (the next day), doing all the same things that the lizard in the movie did.  He basically took notes and has been making good use if them ;).  Erika liked the butterflies, but she, like Luke, was not completely entertained the entire time.  She was ready to go way too soon.  Overall though, we had a good time!  I love that I can predict how soon the popcorn bucket will get spilled all over the floor, and also how soon each kid will ask to go to the bathroom and get a drink.  It makes it easier for me to handle not actually watching much of the show.  I'm learning :).  I loved what I saw though, I hope we can rent that one when it comes out.  Good times.
2-20-12

- Nate's back at work today!  What a crazy week it has been for he and I!  He and I have both been fighting this cold for the last week or so, and Tuesday he just couldn't hardly drag himself around, so he called in sick.  He was planning on going on Wednesday and was feeling a little better, but his stomach had different plans!  He threw up that morning, right before he was going to take the kids to school.  Luke was funny about it, but this was the first time Nate has thrown up in 10 years, so we felt pretty bad for him!  Took all of his strength for the rest of the day and it wasn't until Thursday he was finally able to feel a little more like himself again.  He decided to give himself one more day off, and just use the day to recover complete.  So Friday he is back.  It's weird to not have him home.  I sure have enjoyed his company and appreciated his help.  Even when he's sick, he's still working hard for his family and that has been priceless with how we've been feeling.  We've both had to do more than we thought possible.  Somehow the kids have gotten out of it alive.... nobody else has been sick!  It's a huge relief, but very strange!  I'm always waiting for someone to throw up out of nowhere.  SO anyway.  Hopefully we're done with that and Nate can get back into training at work and get on with things!
2-24-12

- Life has been full of craziness this last week.  I'd love to catch up on it all, but I don't think I will.  Maybe as I remember things.  Hopefully this cold will subside soon.  I feel like my head weighs a million pounds and I wish I could breathe through my nose, but I'm trying to stay positive.... yeah right.  I did get the opportunity to go on Charity's class field trip Thursday (3-1-12) thanks to my Mom babysitting.  We went to the Water Treatment Plant, the County Dump, and the Recycling Center.  This wasn't as fun as our trip to Lagoon last year, but SO educational, and I really quite enjoyed it!  I think everyone's favorite part was the claw :).  What a fun job that would be!  It surprises me all the things they told us about garbage and how quickly we as society accumulate it.  Makes me want to do a little better at Reducing, Reusing and Recycling.  I'm not the best.  My least favorite part about this field trip was the temperature!  It was snowing most of the day and we were in and out of buildings.  The worst was having to eat our lunch out in the snow and wind!!!  I'm a wuss.  I didn't love that.  And it really didn't help with my cold.  Oh well.  The rest of it was fun and I loved spending the time with the coolest girl in Mrs. Davis' class.
Today, 3-3-12, I had the opportunity to go to a baptism.  Chandler in our ward got baptized today and they needed a pianist.  I LOVE baptisms.  I know I've said this before, but it really is neat.  I liked having Bradley with me too.  I am glad he will get plenty of opportunities this year to witness that and get excited for his.  It's kind of a ways away, but I'm sure it will come faster than we think :).
While we were at the baptism Lukey got to go to yet another birthday party, for his friend Aeden.  He sure looks grown up when I pick him up and he looks at me all nonchalantly.  Like he doesn't need to be excited to see me because he's only been away for an hour and a half, and he was having so much fun the whole time, that he really didn't miss me all that much anyway :).  Cute boy.  I love watching him.