Let the Countdown Begin!!

My parents have an official return date from Nigeria and it is ONE MONTH FROM TODAY!!! Can you believe they are going to be home so soon?! In some ways it seems like it has gone so slowly, but in other ways, fast too. I'll just say I'm beyond excited for my missionaries to come home.

Here's to the next 30 days!!!!

Today Was a Great Day!

Here's why:

First, these were found.


I can't even recall the last time I felt such relief. After being lost for nearly a week and a half, Owen finally located my beloved wedding ring and watch. I remembered placing both in my pants pocket for some reason (cleaning up something icky, I'm sure...probably dishes) and then later I had put the pants on the floor by my bed while I took a nap. Some time in between those two instances, the jewelry went missing. We searched high and low and we were just about to the point of desperately combing through the garbage to see if they might be there. Luckily it never came to that (and we would have turned up empty-handed anyhow) because Owen took all the cushions off the rocker in Miriam's room and there they were. I was one happy girl.

Then, this arrived in the mail.


Woohoo...it's official; I'm a college grad!

Also, today was sunny and beautiful most of the day. And after over a week of nearly constant rain, this was a welcome change. Although I will admit I love the rain too...it makes everything so pretty and green and it is definitely helping my parent's yard bloom and flourish.

And last, the sun must have perked up my rained-out-motivation because I accomplished a bunch of things today. In my book, that always makes for a great day!

If I Were a Toddler...

...where would I hide my mom's wedding ring and watch?

The Story of a Busy Blogger

I can hardly believe it's already June, but then again, May was just a whirlwind month for our little family. We've been busy, busy, busy, although I look around the house and it sometimes seems like I've gotten nothing done! But, in case you're interested, here's a quick recap (minus the beginning of the month because it was mostly not noteworthy):

• From the 14th to the 25th we got to test out having two children. My brother and sister-in-law left for a cruise to celebrate their upcoming 15th anniversary. We kept their youngest little Katie-girl. She's 7 months! What an experience that was! It was fun, but not much other than watching kids was accomplished. So, in case I ever think it will be a good idea to have children 10 1/2 months apart from each other...just tell me I'm crazy and slip a birth control pill in my water. Only kidding, but seriously, tell me I'm crazy.
• On the 26th we celebrated my 23rd birthday! Holy smokes, I'm only 2 years from being a quarter of a century old. How does that happen?! We had a hip hoppin' good time by restaurant hopping. We started with an appetizer at Texas Roadhouse, then went on to share a delicious turkey burger at Red Robin. We had planned to finish up with a scoop of ice cream at cold stone, but we were so full by the time we started at Red Robin that we knew there was no way it would happen. Plus, our server at Red Robin was kind enough to gather every server in the restaurant to sing a nice embarrassing song to me. Owen even helped out...awkward. This included an ice cream sundae that we somehow managed to squeeze in.
• This past week has been filled with getting back into a nice routine with just one child. I've been digging in the dirt a lot and deep cleaning the kitchen cupboards. I'm hoping to get some good organizing done so that when my parents return, the transition between us going and them coming is nice and smooth. And, I just want things pristine when they come home because they deserve it.

So, now, here we are. June is here and things will still be busy, busy, but I hope to be blog, blog, bloggin' it up in the meantime.

Just For Mom

Although we've had a couple weeks of gloomy and blustery weather, spring has definitely come to Idaho. My Mom's beautiful daffodils are in full bloom and the tulips are getting there. Since my Mom is missing two springs in a row, she has mentioned that she's missing her flowers. And, what better time to share some pictures for her to enjoy than Mother's Day?! I hope these help brighten your day, Mom! And if they don't, maybe me telling you "you're the best mother a girl could hope for" will.

Love,
Haylee Sue

Answers to Questions

It's been nearly a month since graduation. Has it really been that long already?! Since then (and even some before) I have been asked the same two questions numerous times, although sometimes in different forms. In an effort to curtail the mysteries, here are my answers:

Are you going to teach this fall?
Alternate questions: So, what are your plans now? Are you looking for a job?

A reasonable question with a simple answer. HECK NO! said as a drawn out response for added emphasis -- if I were the swearing type I might even replace the heck with something less attractive. But I'm not, so I don't. In fact, I've never actually said this to anybody yet, but I've thought about it.

*And yes, I realize that "Heck no!" really doesn't work as a response to "So, what are your plans now?" but the rest of the response does...so just keep reading.

I guess I've done quite well at masking my complete aversion of the public education system over the past couple years, because people are asking this question in the first place. But really I'm always amazed to be asked this question anyhow. I guess I can blame it on our society that has come to accept moms working and sending their kids to daycare, so me following suit wouldn't surprise anyone. I imagine this question was not so common forty years ago. In any case, I am not looking for a job and although I never plan to use my degree to teach within the public schools, this is not the reason I have such a strong natural response to this question (in any form).

The truth? I believe mother's belong at home with their children. This belief is ingrained so deeply in my core that I felt strongly enough to write a research paper on this very topic when I was only a freshman in college. That's five years ago, folks! So, this is no young mother epiphany. This is just me.

I could drone on and on about how I feel the lack of mothers in the home has led to the downfall of society and moral fortitude, but I'll save that for another day. Put simply, I plan to be at home actually teaching and learning with my children, and not just when they are "school" aged. Who says "education" has to wait until age 3 or 4 (pre-school) or even age 5 (kindergarten)? Miriam and I talk, sing, dance, eat, sign, cook/bake, clean and play all day long. This is the perfect education for a 16 month old and most young mothers do these things naturally...it's just part of being a mom. But if I'm not home, I can't do these things with her. And if she's at a daycare or being watched by someone else, then someone else gets the benefit of my baby's short childhood while I miss it. Plus, Miriam won't be learning through authentic activities and experiences, nor getting all the attention she deserves.


Are you wondering what to do with all your time now?
Alternate question: Bored yet?

I want to chuckle every time I'm asked this. I usually answer a simple "no, I'm plenty busy." Meanwhile I silently think to myself, "Uh, hello?! Have you forgotten in the short 3 or 4 years since your kids were this age how active toddlers are?!" Goodness, gracious! All the child does is go, go, go! But, even more than just keeping up with Miriam, here is a list of things that am able to do with all of my "free-time" now (HA!):

• Nurturing my family and marriage
  
• Having personal scripture study
• Actually seeing Owen on a regular basis
  
• Exercising!
• Working to improve our family's provident living and self-reliance
• Bargain hunting -- including grocery deals
  
• Cooking real food (as opposed to the frozen pizzas we were eating during my student teaching -- yuck!)
  
• Keeping the dishes done and kitchen clean
• Washing the laundry AND getting it put away
• Puttering around the mansion to pick random things up and put them away(which were usually displaced by Move-Everything-Around-Miriam or Leaves-Things-Out-Owen)
• General housecleaning (dusting, vacuuming, sweeping, moping, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera)
• Working on personally-fulfilling projects (crafts, organization, blogging, etc.)
  

Get the idea? These are some of the many things that I either seriously slacked on, didn't have time to do at all or was too exhausted to even think about for the last two semesters of my undergrad education.

So, at the end of the day, know this...I don't plan on working outside our home anytime soon...and I'm plenty busy.

No More Baby Here

Miriam's nightly routine is very predictable and well...routine. We like it that way. We eat dinner, she takes a bath and plays a little. She gets her teeth brushed, then we read stories, say prayers and I sing primary songs while she nurses. Then it's off to bed and she snuggles up with her bear, her quilt and two pacifiers (yes, two -- one in the mouth and one in her hand...they'll be gone soon). This is what we've done for months and months now. Even before that, (when she was really little) the only parts that were different were no dinner (she nursed right before bed) and no teeth brushing (no teeth to brush). A couple weeks ago, she decided she wanted to change the pattern. No nursing.

She usually asks for milk ('dak' when she says it -- it's a good thing she signs so I actually know what she's saying) right before I put her in her crib, but she didn't. I offered anyway and she squirmed and wiggled and refused. So, I put her in bed without it. I figured she'd eventually start whining and ask for milk. Nope. She fell asleep. The next night, same thing. No milk. It's been two weeks with very sporadic nursing so I suppose it's safe to assume she has weaned herself. Sad day.

Well, I suppose they all have to grow up some time, but I guess I wasn't expecting this so soon.