Minimalist running

I’m going to try these shoes and I’ll let you know how it goes!

 https://www.saguaro.com/?ref=7oc5cN1M

Morning with Sisters Dew and Nelson

There is Sunshine in My Soul Today-opening hymn
Come Thou Fount musical number

Sister Nelson
Use your agency to authorize the spirit to teach you
This is a gospel of remembrance.
How can we use our times?
Make very wise choices about how we use our time, so we don't have "oh, I could have had a (______)(v-8)"
moments. What will you regret when you are old.
Attend the temple frequently.
(Erin:Clean out your house!)
Weightier matters Matt. 23:23
Family History-family ordinances
Schindler's List "I could have gotten one more!" Why didn't I?
Why did I spend so much time doing that (less desirable thing)?
Where is your focus?

Sister Dew
The Sisters of Zion
How do we focus when we don't have to? on what's really important?
D&c 88 The Lord will hasten his work in its time.
It makes no sense not to learn everything we can learn.
What are you walking around with that gives you great power? Do you utilize it?
The Lord expects is to learn how to open the heavens.
When we are given ordinances, we are given power to access God's power.
Ask for angels to help you.
This life is all about Dou you want to be in the kingdom more than you want anything else
Day will go better if I start out learning something (scriptures).(!)
ADOPT A PATTERN TO LEARN.
When I get casual in my relationship with God, I am a grumpy, grumpy person.
The spirit can teach me anything.
When we are really seeking to understand what we're walking around with.
The more we focus on our covenants we will be taught and empowered by the spirit.

President Cottle blesses us to know that Heavenly Father loves you.

Schindler's List
Why did I use so much time focused on how Nate wastes his time?

Read the next ten or twelve verses.

THE SISTERS OF ZION

The sisters of Zion are called to God's labor,
We willingly serve Him with spirit and might.
We go to the nations with truth everlasting,
We teach of the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ.

We thank thee, O God, for a prophet to guide us,
We trust in his words and our purpose is clear.
The angels of heaven are walking beside us,
We'll share our glad message with all who will hear.

We go forth enlisted with Helaman's Army
In numbers much greater than ever before.
With power and spirit we'll faithfully witness
The heavens have spoken and truth is restored!

!!!YNAB!!!

Nathan and I have found a new love. Well, a really cool and useful tool. It's YNAB, You Need A Budget. Really. It's a cool program with an app for your smart phone so that you're always up to date. But wait ... there's more. It's not just budget software, it's a whole new way of looking at money, using money, saving money, getting out of debt, and so on. Mom introduced us to the idea of using it. I was skeptical. They have a 34 day free trial period (slightly mor than a month, so you can actually see how you're doing after a complete month!)

Skeptical: me

Nathan and I paid off all our debts (other than our mortgage) almost a year ago and really felt that we were doing quite well in the budgeting area, i.e. living within our means and saving for (_). YNAB has changed our life, well, made the money part of it a lot easier. We can see at any moment what money is available in each budget and can record what we spend the moment we spend it and it will be updated on all the devices we have connected to our YNAB account. But wait ... there's more! Free classes! recordings of classes, support, forums...  YNAB is helping us make informed spending decisions, manage our money simply, and save more money faster.

From their site:

Save More, Faster

Did you know that after one month, the median net worth increase for a YNABer is $200? After one month! After nine months, the median net worth increase is $3,300! Yes, the sky truly is the limit.

How is this possible? Most budget software asks you to guess a number on the 1st, inevitably leaving you to feel guilty on the 31st because you guessed wrong. YNAB is a new kind of budget, a flexible 'living budget' that helps you deal with overspending and makes it easy to save for your goals.

Goodness!! I sound like a paid advertisement!

Well, I sort of am. I mean, if you tried it out and wanted to buy it and clicked this link, you could get $6 off the purchase price of $60. I would also get $6. I kind of wish I didn't, just so I could say "I don't get anything from this, it's just so wonderful I have to tell you about it." Well, it is. Whether I get any money out of it or not. It really is just that wonderful. And you certainly don't have to use that link. Find a friend that has YNAB and use their link, pay full price, or take a free class (they give away a copy of YNAB4 to one person in each live webinar). And you can take the classes wether you currently use YNAB or not.

radKIDS

I'm teaching my first radKIDS class. The students are in second grade and my son is also taking the class. Graduation is on Friday and I'll let you know how it goes. I've felt ill prepared and dissatisfied with my teaching, but I'm starting to feel better. Three students gave me hugs today! They made me feel really good.
Today's class went especially well, the Sam's Secret portion most especially. The kids were mostly receptive during the discussions and drills. When we were reading the story (Sam's Secret), it was just like a story time and they all were paying attention and I felt like they liked having a story time. I was nervous in preparation for that story because it's about dealing with uncomfortable touch and private parts and telling so that the person doing it will be stopped, punished and helped. Whew! that's done.
Tomorrow we will prepare the children's certificates and review the physical skills so everyone's ready for graduation (stopping the red man (a man covered in pads))
This is good and I could (and will for many years) certainly do it again :-)

This one is really old. not sure how old, maybe in February?

The latest stats for the girls are: Ivy is 34.5 inches tall (almost three feet!) and all of 22 lbs!(little chunker(note of sarcasm here)) and Bronwen is 21 inches long and just over 8 lbs and growing, wahoo! Bronwen's umbilical cord was still attached as of this morning, and would be still, except that her pediatrician pulled it off (I hope I never have to go through that again) It was a bit scary, I must admit. Bronwen's belly bled a bit, but not for long. The pediatrician says that she'll still have an outie belly button for a while and it will pop out when she's mad or cold for a good while after that. If it's still outie when she's 4 or 5, they'll operate to close the hole (where the umbilical cord was joined to the intestine). Wow, I learned a lot today. Aside from that, B is doing quite well. she's becoming more and more aware. We took her to church for the first time on Sunday and everything worked out very well. I enjoyed being back in the mothers' room and got to talk to a few of the other mothers in the ward and from our old ward. I have been missing that interaction.

Ivy is also very well. She is on the tall side (75th percentile) and certainly on the small side for weight (10th percentile). The pediatrician watched her walk to me and climb up on the chair and said she looks healthy. We talked about her speech and Cami (our pediatrician) says she's right on track. She talks a lot. Often her tongue is too slow or her vocabulary too small for what she's wanting to say, so she fills in with a lot of  deedle-eedle-eedle and other such sounds. She loves to sing, something quite common at her age apparently. Her favorites are: The Imperial March, the Star Wars Theme, the Wise Man and the Foolish Man, I Want to be a Mother, and Happy Family. She doesn't know all the words, but she's getting there.

She moved into Levi's room on her birthday and they have been loving it. We tried having quiet time together, then separated them. After much begging and pleading, however, they are back together even for quiet time. Night time went about the same way, but we smoothed that out as well and the two are very happily permanent roommates. They take a little longer going to sleep at night and for quiet time, and sometimes one or both bet little or no sleep during quiet time (making for a hairy evening, I must say). Those two really do like each other, and they know each other better than anyone else knows them, I think. And that also means that they each know how to push the other's buttons. Yeehaw! 

Levi is looking forward to starting Joy School again tomorrow. There will be another child joining the group, so now there will be two girls and the three boys. Should be fun.He is certainly growing up. He is almost three and a half feet tall and managed to sit fairly still for a real haircut (no clippers, just shears) this week. He is very sensitive. Sensitive to others needs, especially Ivy, and very sensitive to discipline or criticism, which I'm sure he recieves too much of. Levi is a very good helper in the kitchen and around the house. He loves responsibility and contests, but is not a very good not-winner (e.g. if he's not first to finish).

Nathan and I are reading and researching to prepare to homeschool Levi starting in the summer or the fall, or now, or... I just need to figure out how to do it. Probably, what I need to do is just something, then continue as long as it works and change when we need to. It's the getting started that is hard for me. Any suggestions? Recommendations? We're reading "A Thomas Jefferson Education" and I'm reading "Beyond the Hole in the Wall" as well as some articles I run across online. I'm trying to get a handle the education I want to give my kids, whether in school at home or elsewhere.

We had  lovely holiday season. Bronwen arrived a little earlier than expected (Dec. 5) on Nov. 20th (details in p.s. if you're interested). We ended up in a hospital to deliver, stayed for 24 hours after delivery and came home on Wednesday. Mom made dinner for us that evening and the Hansens joined us. Levi and Ivy spent Monday night and part of Tuesday at Mom's house, then transferred to the Hansens' home in Cottonwood. Nathan and B and I let Mom and Hansens know when we started home and they all arrived about 20 minutes after we did. When the kids met B, Levi proclaimed, "She's the sweetest baby I've ever seen!" The kids took turns holding our newest child. Ivy gave B her first styling session (with a comb) as she held her.

love, Erin, Nathan, Levi, Ivy and Bronwen

P.S. Monday, the 19th, my water broke at about 8 in the morning. Total surprise because I "don't have" early babies, not to mention that I hadn't experienced any contractions. I called Molly (my midwife) and Nathan and Mom. Molly asked me to pay attention and let her know if I was still leaking in a few hours. Yup, I was most certainly leaking. I talked to Molly and she said that if labor didn't start on it's own, she would come over after dinner and we would get it going. So, I worked on putting a gate in my fence with my father-in-law, hosted lunch for Mom, Ray, and the David Hogans, and just did my normal stuff. Nothing. No contractions, just leaking. Nate came home around 4:30, as usual. No contractions. Dinner at 5:30. Nothing. Kids to Mom's house around 7.(I actually don't really remember the sequence of events after lunch. The kids might have gone home with Mom for quiet time. You'll have to ask her) Nada. Done with bed-time ritual at 8. Still nothing. Molly arrived before 8:30 with a lll her stuff and her oldest and youngest daughters (ages 14 and 11 months). We did blue cohosh (not recommendable) and tried some essential oils and I walked the stairs. I had a contraction here and there, but nothing strong and nothing regular, maybe five total contractions. Felt really tired, so Nate and I went to bed. Tried some more cohosh around 1 in the morning and went back to sleep feeling very tired. Molly went home.

Woke up between 6 and 7. Molly came back about 8:30. It had been 24 hours. We decided to try Castor Oil. Nate picked some up at Harmons as well as some 7-up to help it go down. Molly suggested waiting 4 hours and doing it again if nothing happened and then going to the hospital 4 hours after that. Nate and I decided to try castor Oil and if nothing happened in two hours, to head to the hospital. Nothing happened. We left for the hospital around 11:30, got there, checked in, and waited. waited. At 2, I had my first contraction, and it was definite! my goodness! A little later, my OB walked in and told me she was gonna start me on Pitocin. NOOOO! But, she would't listen. However, after one drop of pit, My cervix was dilated to an 8 and the nurse turned the pit drip off. HALLELUJAH!!! Just a little while later, I felt B's head pushing down and two contractions later, she was born. It was 4:30, I think. I experienced just over two hours of contractions and only pushed for two contractions (three according to the OB, but what does she know, really? (totally kidding about what she knows, btw)).

24 hours later, we left the hospital after a lovely stay. Things are generally going really well ever since.

Little House

The children and I are reading the Little House series together. We read a chapter every day before quiet time and sometimes, L even requests we read a second chapter. We are about one third of the way through "Farmer Boy" and just read the first chapter of the parents' vacation time. L keeps asking if Almonzo and siblings are join to eat all the sugar (he's very concerned about said possibility). I am reading the later books in the series while I nurse B and am currently a couple chapters into "Little Town on the Prarie". I just read the Fourth of July chapter, and having recently read the Fourth of July chapter in "Farmer Boy", as well as a recent readings of the Constitution together with other founding documents and so forth, I feel like wirting about ... my thoughts ... and their (the authors') thoughts.

"Laura and Carrie (Ingalls) knew the Declaration by heart, of course..." I want to know the Declaration by heart. I can at least still say the Pledge of Alliegance correctly by heart. (I found that out last weekend while attending a Homeschool convention at which we started to main day off with all of us pledging allegiance together to the flag of the United States of America. Wahoo!)

At the finish of the reading of the Declaration at the festivities in "Little Town," Pa began to sing "My country, 'tis of thee," which causes Laura to reflect:
"Suddenly she had a completely new thought. The Declaration and the song came together in her mind, and she thought: God is America's King.
"She thought: Americans won't obey any king on earth. Americans are free. That means they have to obey their own consciences. ...Why, when I am a little older, Pa and Ma will stop telling me what to do, and there isn't anyone else who has a right to give me orders. I will have to make myself be good.
"...This is what it means to be free. It means, you have to be good. ... The laws of Nature and of Nature's God endow you with a right to life and liberty. Then you have to keep the laws of God, for God's law is the only thing that gives you a right to be free."

True that!! Er, I mean, I agree! Wholeheartedly!

The other day, when the kids and I were reading about the Fourth of July in "Farmer Boy," I got all teary reading the words of "The Star Spangled Banner. " They were concerned, as they ever are when I cry, and I tried to explain the history of the song and the Revolution. I was less than eloquent, but I bore testimony of the importance and miracle of the founding of this country. And we have time. They and I will learn together.

In my reading lately, I am learning much about the founding of our country. It was a magnificent time, a time of particularly momentous miracles. The founders showed quite blatant impertinence in the Declaration: The likely hood of winning the war for independence was slim to none. Representatives from each colony had such trouble doming to agreement on anything. God's hand was bared. The Founders themselves,, whether Christian or not, bear testimony to guidance and blessing of Deity.

Baby-on-tummy pictures

 This is Levi-in-my-belly. I asked my CNM Danielle to draw it.

 This is Ivy-in-my-belly, accompanied for picture by Levi, now just over 2 years old. I asked my home-birth midwife Molly to draw the picture. (It's her first one.)

 This is B-in-my-belly, accompanied for the picture by Levi (almost 4 1/2) and Ivy (almost 2). I asked my OB Dr. Twelves to draw the picture (It's her first one. Odd request, she said).

Baby Belly

Starting with Levi, I asked my care provider to draw a rough picture of the baby on my belly, showing the baby's position and a smile.

Aren't these kiddos so cute!!

Birth Affirmations

I finally got around to printing, decorating and posting birth affirmations around my home, due in large part to the encouragement of my sweet husband.

These help me prepare for and visualize the birth that I want to have. It worked with my last birth, so here we go again! Wahoo!!

And here is my sweet daughter assisting me:

We have about a month left to wait, give or take, and the nesting bug has hit. I am doing my best to clean out and organize and prepare everything for our precious new arrival.

Blessed

As I was thinking about life, specifically MY life, and I realized how blessed I am. I have all the things that are most important to me: 1- a very good husband, 2- children, 3- the option to stay home with my children. There are things I would change(have more children), things I'm unhappy about(too much debt, not enough children). However, today the Lord helped me remember that those three are the things that I want in highest priority. I don't always act like these are my priorities, but I trust Heavenly Father and Jesus to mold me into a better person and help me to keep these priorities in the front of my mind. They love me and want me to be happy. I am very blessed.

Fortune Cookie

We went to the Chinese Gourmet in Murray for dinner tonight. When we were finishing up, our waitress brought us fortune cookies. Levi picked one, opened it as instructed and pulled out this fortune:

Hahaha! Amen!!

What went wrong?!?!!!

Aaaaah!
I'm a ...
Well I don't know what I am
or what I've done wrong.
My children
BOTH of them
Brace yourself
Neither of my children
(dun-dun-dun-dun)
Will eat cheesecake.

Not a biggie, you say, cheesecake is rather rich, heavy, whatever. Maybe, BUT, Aaron (a 12 month old that we babysit) inhaled one and a half pieces in the time it took me to eat my one piece. I feel that I have failed my children in some terribly important way and they will suffer for it for ... well, a long time.

I don't want to

I don't want to play on the sidewalk.

I don't want to sit on the stoop.

I don't want to lick any ice cream.

I don't want to slurp any soup.

I don't want to listen to music.

I don't want to look at cartoons.

I don't want to read any stories.

I don't want to blow up balloons.

I don't want to dig int eh garden.

I don't want to roll on the rug.

I don't want to wrestle the puppy.

I don't want to give you a hug.

I don't want to shoot any baskets.

I don't want to bang on my drum.

I don't want to line up my soldiers.

I don't want to whistle or hum.

I don't want to program my robot.

I don't want to strum my guitar.

I don't want to use my computer.

I don't want to wind up my car.

I don't want to color with crayons.

I don't want to model with clay.

I don't want to stop my not wanting ...

I'm having that kind of a day.

by Jack Prelutsky

growing up!!

After many, many, ... many moons, I'm back to say, "Yes, we're still here" AND growing up. Ivy's hair is long enough to hold a little clip in it (not that she leaves it there). She started being able to crawl about a month ago and is now very confident and quick, quite the mobile little peanut. She love ice-cream, and her preferred method of consumption is from a cone.

 She is also, as of the 19th (Monday?), a professional at going up stairs. I mean, instant professional. She just decided to go up, and up she went. 

Tonight, she started learning, with Booboo's help, to go downstairs. Also a first, tonight she waved goodbye to Booboo as we were walking back to our house. I didn't even know she was doing it until I heard Mom calling to me to tell me to look at my rather amazing (and sweet) daughter.

Other notes: she stomps and claps when she's excited or sees someone she loves. She is a very good dancer and her favorite songs are "Bushel and a Peck" and "Mairzy Doats".  She scrunches her nose and/or grunts and/or yells when she wants something really bad.

Levi is also growing like a weed. He seems taller every day and is officially in 3T clothing (i.e. I finally put away everything else). He is learning to go potty in the potty rather than a diaper. He never has an accident when he's naked, and he's getting better when he wears underwear. He even remembers to go to the potty when he's wearing Pull-Ups. He loves Elmo (especially Elmo's Potty Time), Signing Time, Curious George, Little Bear, Star Wars, Cars (esp. Lighting McQueen and Mater), Buzz Lightyear, and most especially, Ivy. He likes to hug her, kiss her, giver her nose kisses (Eskimo kisses), carry her places, sit on her, stand over her, and other such things. We try to limit any potentially harmful activities.

One of their favorite things to do is take a bath together, and the favorite place to do that is in Booboo's kitchen sink. (Levi has outgrown our sink, but Mom's is deeper and slightly bigger.) 

They also will occasionally deign to bathe in our upstairs tub. They love to make themselves into ice-cream sundaes. Levi received this foam soap from Mom's friend Kathy Pitt, who's grandkids love it, so she wanted to share the love.

And here are some more that are just cute:

Cold swimmer

On the stars 2.July.2011

Self explanatory.

This one is almost a year old. Levi is modeling a shirt Mom made for Ivy. Cute, nicht?

This was in March.

Ivy was blessed March 13th: Ivy Fiona. Being held here by my aunt Becca Hogan.

Star Wars fans!!!!

Storm troopers at the Safe Kids fair. Notice the "pale green pants" and the very nice giraffe boots, too.

80's girl. She got this out fit from Auntie Zan and the headband from among the stuff I wore when I was a baby. 

Ivy and her friend Alivia.

Master Levi

Knight in shining froggy boots

Nose kiss!

Ahh!! Darth Vader's in my bathtub!! (Explanation: Levi is Darth Vader whenever he has something covering his face.)

Levi's birthday party. That's his friend Cade.

The hungry Caterpillar. Notice the super-cute socks Ivy is wearing that came from my Auntie Kris.

A boy and his grandma.