Last day

Thank goodness...it is the last day of January! This month has dragged on. Maybe it is all the smoggy days we've had. The other day you could hardly even see the mountains, it was absolutely disgusting. I know winter isn't over but we are a step closer to it by moving into February. Plus, there are only 28 days in this month so it shouldn't drag quite as much.
I guess January is usually like this. December is such a busy month that it just zooms by but then you get into the new year and things slow down, which is really nice at first. After awhile though it feels as though time has truly come to a halt and begins to just crawl. I know part of it is being pregnant. It is only natural that I am looking forward to May so the months in between are going to feel much slower. I have a million projects I should be working on to keep me busy but everyday life gets in the way most of the time. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind everyday life, that's what its all about really.
Lilli has been wanting a lot of attention lately. I think cabin fever is just setting in. I want to eat all kinds of junk food and Lilli wants me to entertain her every moment of the day. We have tons of fun but it does make it hard to get the stuff on "my list" done. There will always be time for my list, however she won't always be 4 and want me to play with her, I usually choose to play.

So I am really looking forward to February. I am hoping to make it a productive month and hopefully March will be here before we know it. MARCH, so close to Spring!

So farewell to January, maybe next year I'll spend January in California! I think it would help the month feel a little bit sunnier! ;)

The best ever...

I just have to put it out there. My midwife is the absolute best medical provider ever! She really is amazing. I've had 4 different providers for each child, mostly due to insurance changes. Anyhow, Rebecca was my provider with Lilli and is for this one as well. If I could go back in time and deliver all my babies with her I would. She is the most knowledgeable, caring, and calm person in the world. Lilli was delivered at the free-standing birth clinic Rebecca was working at but now she has her own place and even attends home births now! We will be having a home birth this go around. I am so completely excited. I was going to do it at her birth clinic but the hospitals we would transfer to are literally up the hill from us so our house is actually the better option. (Though Rebecca's record is outstanding and out of some 300 births she has attended in Utah alone she has only had to transfer a handful of moms, none in emergency situations, and NO babies have had to be transferred.)  I CAN'T wait for my home birth! To just be at home, relaxed, surrounded by the things I love and know. I can't think of a better way to bring a baby into the world. AND to not have to drive somewhere and then drive back home after the delivery. It is a dream come true for me. With Rebecca there I don't have a single worry, I know that the baby and I are in good hands, the most capable hands possible, and all will be well. Check out her website and learn more about this amazing woman!
I would post some pictures of her but the external hard drive that has all of my pictures is missing. :( It is very traumatic. I hope and pray we will find it sometime. (A few of your prayers added might help) ;)

SO if you ever hear of anyone looking for a good midwife or OB, have them check out Rebecca. She truly is the BEST! Actually she and I have big plans for my labor, we plan on watching Little Women. We started it with Lilli but Lilli decided to arrive before the movie finished. ;) We are going to give it another go this time. Now to wait 3 1/2 more months, give or take. (hopefully take!!)

Speaking of imaginations...

When I was little I loved to imagine and "play pretend". Some friends were horrible at pretending, to be quite honest, some were mediocre, some were pretty good, but I only remember one friend that was great! Julie...she lived in a small town in Arizona. It is a place I lived in off and on throughout my childhood, even when we weren't living there my grandparents did. Every time I visited I just had to call Julie.
When we were at my Grandparents we would climb up onto the roof (at this point I will put out the disclaimer, when I say roof many people are astonished that we were allowed to play on the roof. My grandparents house, when first built, was supposed to be temporary...which turned into a 20 some year  home. Anyhow being temporary it was built small, MAYBE 10 feet high. When I got married to Lars he became the second tallest in the family at 6 ft 1 or so inches. My brother in law was the tallest at 6 ft
4 inches. (or something like that) anyhow these guys had to duck to come inside, and I'm not sure how much clearance Scott had once inside but the house definitely didn't "fit" him or Lars.
My friends used to call it munchkin land. ;)
Anyhow, my friend and I used to climb on the roof and start our adventure for the day. I remember one particular story we would play out.
There was an evil witch. We were princesses. Instead of waiting to be recused by a handsome prince or knight we would come up with elaborate escapes. Some involved the canal that ran behind the house, or the small pond next to the house. I'm pretty sure one involved an old tub that we put in the pond to use as a boat.
At Julie's house there was the barn. Nothing else needs to be said about that, hours of fun and many imaginative ideas :)

My friend Jamie in California was probably about as good at "pretending" She and I pretended to be singing stars, played some sort of pet shop or something with stuffed animals, and pretended when were in a tv show, complete with theme song.
Often though we just did silly little things. There was a drain in her backyard that was connected to the storm drains on the street. So we would hide underneath a plastic pool and yell at people walking by. "Help I'm stuck in the drain!" we did have a couple people actually stop and talk to us but I'm not sure how that ended without the cops being involved which they never were. I simply can't remember if they just didn't believe us or if we finally told them it was a joke.

When I've seen my kids playing in the same types of ways it makes me so happy! I wish I was still as good at pretending. The realities of adulthood often overpower our imaginations- I think it is time to start practicing to get mine back in tip top form :)

When I was little

Lilli likes to make up stories but when we tell her they are nice stories she says "It's not a story, it happened when I was little, remember" 
For instance... "Once I got burned a little from the spaceship when it was taking off. It's okay though, I wasn't hurt bad." 
Or "One time my Pegasus took me for a ride and then when we were in the sky we saw a rainbow. Then the dragon came but we got away." both stories, when told, were met with similar replies "Wow, that's pretty cool!" To which she said "Don't you remember? It happened a long time ago when I was a little kid." (says the 4 year old) ;) 

Love the imagination! Her stories crack me up every time, I'll have to remember to write more of them down. 
4 is so fun, I'll miss 4 when she turns 5 but 5 is exciting and fun too. I'll still miss 4 a little though. 

Motherhood is not for sissies

Seriously! Motherhood is not for the faint of heart. It is more rewarding than anything in this world but have you ever noticed that the things that are rewarding require unusually difficult tasks to get to the reward, that true rewards only come after a LOT of hard work. I LOVE having kids. I can't imagine being without my kids, and I adore being with them. That isn't to say that each day isn't riddled with various battles. When they are little there are diapers to change, toddler independence to encourage and yet tame so you can accomplish something that day. I have teenagers now, things have changed a lot and yet so much is the same. I still have independence to encourage and yet tame. They want to exert their independence which is wonderful, and yet they have to learn that because EVERYONE had independence, free will, and the ability to choose that there are rules to be followed and compromises to be made, even when we don't love the rules or compromise. We are often still learning this as adults :) 
With toddlers and young kids there are many fun games to play, so much to explore and learn. With teenagers you get to have more discussions and find things you have in common. It is often some of the best times. You know the line "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." It is the first line in Charles Dickinson's A Tale of Two Cities. It continues with "It was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness..." 
I swear he could be talking about the teenage years. I feel like that is what my teenage years were like. :) I'm sure my kids feel that way, and feel that we as parents are the difficult ones. I'm sure at times we are. After all, we are wingin' it here. There doesn't seem to be a right answer for how to do this, to help your kids move from childhood to adulthood. This transition period call teenage-hood. I'm stumbling in the dark hoping that I am headed the right direction. My kids seem to be overall happy, and we are just beginning this journey of teenage-hood. Hopefully we come through at the brink of adulthood with love in our hearts for each other, with mutual respect, and with many fun and funny memories. Sometimes I wish I could start all over and cherish the younger years more, I guess I'll just need to be mindful to do that with their whole lives, including the teenage years. Seize the day, find the good, and remember that I will miss it all when they move out eventually. 
The fact that I can look back on the older kids younger years and laugh about some of their antics is proof that eventually we see the humor in even the most frustrating situations at some point. Oscar breaking his window when he was 4, while being babysat, so we would have direct access to the backyard, Emma rubbing peanut butter all over the hardwood floors and "skating" on it. Emma cutting the bottom off my favorite dress so that it would fit her because it was so beautiful. Oscar and Emma sneaking the food coloring downstairs, mixing it with water to make "magic potion" and pouring on the carpet so that things would grow there. ;) All of this, and so much more, frustrated me so much at the time. So many messes to clean up. But it shows the way they think, their spirits, how much mischief two young children can get into. I know I'll have fun memories of them as teenagers as well. Of course there are many good memories that you don't have to wait to cherish but knowing that usually even the tough times will be cherished and laughed about eventually can help you get through them. 
So I mean it- motherhood is not for sissies, and every mother I know is proof of that. So much stronger than they think, so much tougher and yet gentle. Here is to all the mothers out there. Remember to laugh! 

Anxious much?

Not everyone knows this but I have anxiety. Honestly it is a pain in the neck. Most of the time I'm just a worrier, like most Mom's. ;) 
I think the thing people don't understand about anxiety is that you can feel anxious for absolutely no reason. Sometime it is triggered by things, being sick or reading too many articles about the many bad things going on in the world. Very often though, there isn't a trigger. That is the worst part, you just feel anxious as though something bad were going to happen, even when everything is fine. 
The odd thing is that I'm a fairly rational person. If there is a crisis in the family I can usually handle it with no problem. If one of the kids gets sick I am able to take care of them and am usually able to easily distinguish between a sick kid that needs to see the dr and one that is ok to just stay home and recover. I work hard to give my kids freedom as they grow so they can learn responsibilty but I make sure that they are not in danger and that they have the physical and mental "tools" they need to deal with those freedoms. I can see that sheltering kids doesn't help them grow up in to healthy well adjusted adults. Kids have to be able to make choices and take responsibility. 
The point is that I work hard to stay rational despite my anxiety. 
I do however tend to over worry if someone is late coming home or aren't where they say they are going to be. I am always sure when I get sick or hurt that it is some deadly illness or injury. I allow my fear of dying and leaving my family behind to override rationality. 
I don't usually get panic attacks but I have had them. Usually when I am over worried about something. The horrible thing about panic attacks is that it can become a vicious cycle. If you have a panic attack somewhere or about something you can associate the attack with that thing, thought, or place. It makes people want to avoid those things. I have always worked really hard to make myself continue to live a full life. Face fear to a reasonable extent and push past fears and anxiety to enjoy my life. 
For those who have never experienced a panic attack (and trust me you don't want to) you feel as though your breathing is suddenly constricted, you heart races and all you can hear is the beating of your racing heart. You feel hot and sick. People who have never previously suffered from a panic attack often think they are having a heart attack the first time they have a panic attack. You can't think for the pounding in your head, and for me it often feels as though I am almost disassociated from my body. I have learned how to deal with them and get through them. I know that though I may feel like I'm dying that a panic attack can not kill me. I breathe through it, remind myself that I am fine and not dying. I try to think of all the good things in my life. Like I said it doesn't happen very often, I've only had a few times in my life where it had happened but they are horrible and I don't wish it upon anybody. 
Most people express surprise when they learn that I have anxiety. I'm glad that I am generally successful at leading a normal life, that I don't lock myself in my room, and that I dont come across as a highly anxious and high strung individual. ;) 

My point in blogging about this is that I am sure there are many people that know someone who deals with this or those of you that actually have anxiety. It isn't made up, I would LOVE to not be a worrier. I would love to not feel anxious for no reason. And I most certainly would love to never have another panic attack in my life. 
Like depression where telling the person to cheer up won't help, and will often make it worse (they already feel guilty and sad enough as it is) telling a person with anxiety not to worry won't help. Lars is wonderful and patient, though I know he doesn't fully understand what it is like. He tells me to let him do the worrying about me, I worry about and take care of everyone else, he can do it for me. It is very sweet. He always listens to my worry or complaint and then will often get me laughing about how silly it is. 

If you have anxiety you have my sympathy. If you are feeling overwhelmed by it know that it is something that can be controlled, it doesn't go away but life can still be "normal" and good, even with anxiety. Look on the bright side- most people with anxiety are usually very levelheaded in an emergency. As it was explained to me, we worry about everything enough beforehand that when something actually happens our minds have kind of already been prepared for it. ;) Be patient with your loved ones that don't have anxiety. They love you and I'm sure there are things they do or deal with that you don't fully understand. Listen to what they have to say, and lean on them when you need it. And remember, there is no shame in getting help when needed. You can feel more "normal". Life is good, we are here, we should enjoy it as much as we can. Live your life instead of fearing the world. 

If you know someone with anxiety. Be patient. They aren't trying to be annoying or anxious. You can help them though. You can listen to their fears, assure them of the good things, and of your desire to take care of them as they take care of you. And if it is serious, you can get them help so they can get back to real life. Get back to living rather than hiding from fears.

That is my more serious post. I may post about anxiety again from time to time but usually I try to take a light-hearted approach to it. When you have anxiety you already take too many things too seriously. You have to be able to joke as much as possible. Laughter is truly magical. 
Everyone would do well to rememeber that more. Enjoy life- the good, the bad, and the ugly. You are alive and there is so much to be happy about, sometimes it is harder to see that but the good things are always there. 

So though you may worry, remember to be happy too. 

Baby kicks

I've been feeling the baby move for weeks now. It starts out so subtle that you aren't even sure that is what you are feeling. Now, however, the baby's kicks are getting quite strong, I can even see the kicks at times. It is so fun. Unfortunately he seems to always be most active when no one else is around. Emma is dying to feel the baby kick but he always seems to be napping when the kids are around. (Or at least moving in ways that can't be felt from the outside.) I did find out that chocolate cake makes him really happy. :) My sister and I went and got a piece of the worlds best chocolate cake from Moochies the other day. Seriously this stuff is heavenly. So the baby had been pretty quiet that afternoon but a minute after I started eating my cake he was kicking like crazy. He kept at it while I was eating and settled down a minute or so after I finished. I'm afraid he's going to come out a chocolate addict.

Other things going on-

I am over halfway through the pregnancy now! (By a week- LOL)

I am getting ready to start the baby's quilt. I'll post pics throughout the project

We have a baby name!

I have actually made dinner almost every night this week! (Doesn't sound like much but it is an indication that I am feeling way better)

We are officially sick of winter at our house- everyone keeps asking when it will be spring. Poor Grandpa has a hard time with the cold, wet weather so I am really hoping for a respite from the cold for his sake. I know I should just be happy with each day and what it brings but I'd like to take walks without worrying about falling because someone didn't shovel properly.

One of rabbits looked like she was getting a tooth infection but happily we were able to help her through it and she is doing well. (She wasn't eating for a couple days and I had to put her on a soft food diet, which if she is on it too long can reek havoc on her digestive system) After a couple days though the swelling went away and she is now eating regularly. She is now living in the house again. She was a house bunny before but last February she decided to live outside with the other rabbits. (Literally she decided. She would always hop to the door to be let out but after that she never asked to come back in) I guess she had her adventure and is ready for the cushy life again.

I'm so glad that Monday is a day off for everyone. LOVE long weekends. I just wish we could go somewhere but even though it is a long weekend it is still too short for much of a trip. Hopefully we get some stuff done around the house at least.

I'm dreaming of Disneyland- as always. Wish we could take a trip, but it will probably be awhile before we do. *sigh* I know many people don't fully understand my addiction but it is just where I belong. ;)

I guess I've kind of resigned myself to living in Salt Lake forever. I still hope to move somewhere new someday but I will do my best to just be happy where I am. It isn't that Salt Lake is all that bad, I just love other places more. Maybe if I was an avid skier, or a skier at all, I would feel differently. But to me it is too hot in the summer and the winter is too long. Even if the summer didn't get as hot as it does I would probably like it more but it seems unfair to have both the extreme cold and extreme hot. I do love the spring and fall! We shall see what the future brings but for now I will find things to love about Salt Lake City and will be happy. I am happy, I have many things to be happy about, I just long for adventure. :)

That's all for now folks. Until next time...please shovel your walks! ;)

A little late but here are some Christmas photos

The present he REALLY wanted! A pokemon DS game. Unfortunately his DS stopped working
and we had to send it in for repairs. Poor guy hasn't been able to play the game yet. ;)

Oscar and his new camera

Excitement over something star wars Henry gave him

Lou and all her accessories

More Pokemon

Lilli and another one of her silly faces. :)

A new doll! Santa must have known she was getting it because he brought a new stroller for the doll.

The kids in their new PJs :) They look like they get along but this was in between
Oscar and Henry fighting about who's taking up who's space. ;) 

The tiebreaker- It's a...

BOY

Crazy 3D picture of the baby sucking his thumb

We went today to Millcreek Imaging to get our ultrasound. This place was awesome. The ultrasound tech took us back and did the most thorough detailed ultrasound we've ever had. She also made us a cd with the pictures and a dvd of the whole ultrasound. If you ever need any type of medical imaging done I highly recommend this place. She let the kids take turns using the ultrasound "wand" (for lack of the actual term). That was really fun. 

Anyhow, our baby boy is perfect and it is always such a fun time to get to see the baby, watch him move, and know that all is well. Emma was a little disappointed at first that the baby isn't a girl but she is still very excited and has already gotten over her disappointment. Lilli was happy, she had told me last week that the baby is a boy so she wasn't surprised at all. She just knew. I guess kids intuition really is amazing. The boys are excited to have another brother and that girls are now outnumbered at our house. I was just amazed that our pattern continues. Boy, girl, boy, girl, boy. CRAZY! Emma is sure if we have another one it will be a girl since the pattern has stayed the same but I pointed out there is a 50/50 chance it would be yet another brother and I would like to get through this pregnancy before I decide wether or not we should have another. ;)

NOW I can do some baby shopping and also make a quilt. SO excited! :) 

Baked Oatmeal

This is so delicious! The kids eat it, even the ones that claim to dislike oatmeal. I've never been a big oatmeal fan myself, I always thought it was too mushy. This bakes up perfect, and tastes reminiscent of an oatmeal cookie/bar.

Baked oatmeal-

6 eggs
3 1/4 cup milk
1 cup oil (vegetable, canola, or it is really good with coconut oil)
1/2 cup maple syrup (the real stuff! You can substitute 3/4 cup of apple juice concentrate, undiluted)
5 tsps cinnamon
4 tsps baking powder
6 cups rolled oats (can use quick oats, see note below)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds
Optional: 1/2 cup raisins, or other dried fruit or chopped fresh apples

1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Grease 9X13 pan
In mixer with whisk attachment or a large bowl with hand mixer, whip eggs, maple syrup (or apple juice concentrate) milk, and oil, whisk until foamy.

Add cinnamon, baking powder, and oatmeal, stir until well mixed. Add nuts and any other add-ins desired. Stir in and mix well.

Mix the 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon together.

*If making oatmeal with quick oats, pour in pan, sprinkle with the brown sugar mixture and let sit for 15 minutes while oven heats up.  Bake 40 minutes at 350.

** If using rolled oats, pour into pan, sprinkle with brown sugar and cover and let sit in fridge overnight. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. ( I think this way is better because you can prepare it ahead of time and I think the oats turn out better)

It is really good topped with yogurt or if you are a little naughty with some whipped cream ;)

Enjoy!

Not much

So one of my goals is to journal/blog more. So here I am. Not much is happening though. It has been a nice quiet week so far. I LOVE it. I LOVE not working again. I love feeling better and this part of pregnancy.

I think the kids are going a little crazy with the calmness of our lives after all the excitement of the holidays. At least we are back into some semblance of a schedule.
Oscar and Emma have been arguing like crazy though. This isn't a new phenomenon but it seems like they've kicked it up a notch this week. AND they fight about the silliest things. On the list yesterday was when was the last time Oscar made nachos, whether or not we need to have something planned every night, and if Oscar is helping Henry with his homework the right way. The last one was the most valid out of all of them but even then it was so silly. ;) I don't think they even realize they are arguing half the time. It almost makes me laugh, and sometimes I do end up actually laughing out loud at the silliness of their arguments. Gotta love having 2 hormone-filled teens in the house. (I think 12 counts as a teen...it is still full of ups and downs with the emotions.)

I have a favorite breakfast right now. It is baked oatmeal and is so much better than mushy stove or microwave cooked oatmeal. I'll post the recipe following this post. I'm still tired a lot and though I want to get up and make breakfast for my family I don't always get up early enough. This meal is perfect because you do most of the work the night before. You throw it all together, let it sit in the fridge overnight, and then pop it in the oven for 20 mins in the morning. Plus it is pretty healthy but still really delicious. Almost tastes like an oatmeal cookie.

Have I told anyone out there lately that I hate cars. They are such money-suckers! It seems like we finally get both of ours up and running perfectly and then 5 minutes later one of them needs something else fixed. And that isn't even counting all the money we literally pour into the cars in the form of gasoline. I think I'll move somewhere it doesn't get below 50 so I can just walk or ride my bike everywhere. (Sounds like a good plan anyhow) :)

3 more days until the big ultrasound. Lilli told me yesterday she thinks the baby is a boy so we shall see. Kids are amazingly intuitive at times so it'll be fun to see if she is right. She loves to talk to the baby now that my belly is getting bigger. She'll come up and just pat my tummy and say "Hi baby!" and then runs off and play. It is so cute. She talks about how she'll be a good babysitter to the baby. Ummmm.....well...at least I know she wants to help. Maybe a little too much but it will be fun anyhow. The other kids are still excited but they've all been through this before and for the most part kinda forget about it in the day to day of life. They are all excited to find out what we are having though so everyone cross your fingers that we can find out! ~Baby don't be shy just this once~ ;)

I love watching my kids grow up but sometimes I long for the days when they were little. We used to have such fun just hanging out in the yard, going to the park, and just playing. They get big and though they still like to hang out they don't "play" as much. I miss those days. That's why I may never stop having kids. ;) (Okay okay, I'm just kidding, I will stop but it is a very melancholy thought) I have to learn how to have fun with my teenagers more though. Take the time to find the things we can do and create memories of these years too. I sure love my kids! They are so fun, so smart, and so amazing. I don't want to miss a second of their lives.

On a more selfish note, I really need to find a cute maternity dress that isn't too short. You wouldn't think that is hard to find but it is. Why do pregnant women want to show off so much of their bodies?! I saw a couple really cute dresses but they are pretty pricey for something I'll wear for less than 6 months. Check them out here and here though...totally cute, classy, not frumpy and yet not showing off more of my body than I think the world needs to see. ;) They have really cute non-maternity dress too. Hopefully I can track down something cute for half the price. Wish me luck!

That's about it for now-I am looking forward to this new year. Of course the anticipation of the new baby makes it that much more exciting! I love being pregnant but I still just can't wait to hold my new little one in my arms. There aren't many things that feel as close to heaven on earth as holding a brand new baby. They may not do a lot when they are little but they let you learn to love completely and unconditionally. Can't wait!

2011

Baby belly 18 weeks

It's a new year and time for goals, resolutions, etc. Usually I would say to lose weight but since I'm expecting a baby that isn't the best goal, at least not for the first half of the year. ;)

There are some things I would like to do this year, my to do/goal list. Nothing all to exciting. The normal things...get out of debt, spend more fun time with the family, eat better...things like that. Other things I want to get done, organize the basement, rearrange/decorate the kids rooms, get ready for the baby. 

Nothing amazing, nothing outrageous. Just the normal stuff we so often seem to be working on. 

I am itching to go on vacation. I know, it does sort of contradict the getting out of debt. I think it is winter that does it to me though. I get cabin fever and just want a change of scenery. We were supposed to go to Seattle this April but I'll be 35 weeks pregnant and don't really want to drive 12 hours and then walk around the city all day, for 5 or 6 days. We'll have to put it off for a little while. I am planning on a girls weekend with a few of my very good friends and also another one with my sisters and niece at the end of April. (Yes I'll be almost 36 weeks but it is close to home and I'll be wanting something to do to take my mind off of my hugeness and impatience to have the baby) :)

I want fresh fruits and veggies. This happens to me when I'm pregnant and it is usually in the winter when they aren't in season at all. So then I end up eating chocolate, and too much of it. 

Thank goodness I am feeling like eating again though. The worst part of the pregnancy is over and I am entering the fun stuff. Getting a big belly, feeling the baby move, and next week we have our ultrasound and *hopefully* we'll be able to find out if the little one is a boy or girl. Put your votes in now. I keep saying girl but find myself saying "him" when I talk about the baby. Is it a "premonition" or just a slip of the tongue? We shall see, either next week or in another 20 weeks. 

Also new at our house...I quit my job. I was planning on quitting once the baby came but it looks like my Mom, who is my direct boss, will be out having knee replacement soon so I thought I'd just bail early and work on things at home I want to get done before the baby comes. I did enjoy the work and am really going to miss a lot of the people that I've known for the past few years now, but it's time to move on and hopefully I'll be able to keep in touch with many of them. (There's always Facebook....lol)

Now that I'm feeling better I have the baking "bug". I want to bake and try new recipes. It is especially dangerous now that I'm not working because I was always able to take the extras to work so I didn't end up eating to many of them. (My co-workers were always willing participants) Now if I bake I am going to end up with lots of leftovers and find myself grazing upon them throughout the day, and consequently becoming as big as a house. ;) Guess its just time to just start selling my stuff.

Everyone goes back to school tomorrow so I'm hoping to get some cleaning and organizing done. Wish me luck ;) Happy new year all!