Bargain Shopping

Hi There -

I just want to brag about all of the stuff we just scored for our new house! If you aren't a member of freecycle.org, go be one. I've gotten so many things from there and recently the list just piled up. That's one good thing about living in a rich area; rich people take care of their expensive stuff and then GIVE it away! Thanks Beverly Hills and Manhattan Beach! I might as well give a shout out to craigslist too, we scored some really good bargains, there recently as well!

Freecycle
Armour, to go in my dining room and store my seasonal dishes and linens
Couch with a hide a bed, to go in the loft - practically brand new, just been sitting in a garage so needs to be cleaned.
Two Giant area rugs
Too many boxes to do with that will pack our entire house and probably give some away
Packing paper
Starry night turtle for Bruce that has 8 different constellations that project on the ceiling

Craigslist
Medium sized round dining table plus four dining chairs, less than a year old to go in our kitchen nook - $200 for all (retail for $339 at Ashley Furniture and chairs sold for $129 ea.)
Four bar stools to go around our island in the backyard - $20 each (retail for $89 ea at target.)
White diaper changing table - $40

I'm so excited! Kiel picked up everything today and besides a few scratches at the bottom of the dining chairs everything else is in EXCELLENT condition! Why pay full price on brand new items when it's going to look like a used piece of furniture in just a few months anyway?

And if you're wondering why buy it all now and not wait until we moved? Because LA's used stuff is much better quality, imo!

All Better and guess what we've been doing?

Yesterday Bruce went back to the burn unit to make sure his hand was healing properly and it's all healed! If the blisters pop, it's okay because the skin underneath is all better. The doc even said he could go to the park so that's where we went right after his appointment. Poor kid hasn't been to a park in a week because we didn't want him to get his hand infected.

Here are the kids having fun in the swings. This was Rhyan's first time in a swing and she really liked it!

Other than that, we are busy packing our house away. Frances comes next week to help and of course we need to fit in Disneyland before we leave. Our kids have never been and we thought it would be a nice way to say goodbye to sunny, so cal.

After Fran's family leaves we finish packing, rent a moving truck and move our family into our BRAND NEW HOME! We have to be out of our apartment by April 30th.

Kiel is working hard and in between work he is trying really, really, really hard to teach Rhyan how to crawl. I keep telling him that I am not ready for her to do that yet but he really wants to see her crawl before we move away. Luckily, us girls stick together and she has decided she is just not quite ready.

Although Rhyan has not given into daddy's pleads, she still manages to get around. She rolls everywhere. And by no surprise Rhyan is a great eater! She just mastered her pincher grasp and can and will munch on cheerio's all day if I let her. Bruce has recently become a fan of T.v. and will actually stop to watch Elmo's world on Sesame Street, Rhyan will watch the entire show. She LOVES t.v. She's so funny, she will laugh at the characters, clap her hands when Elmo comes on and just stare. I usually have to keep the t.v. off during tummy time or she won't do anything but stare at the television.

And, a couple of weeks ago Rhyan was a model for a photography class taught by my favorite photographer, Alexia Sotello. I let her students practice taken pictures of her in exchange for a few pictures taken by Alexia. Rhyan wasn't able to get her pictures taken by Alexia when she was born so I was really happy that I got to have a few shots before we move. Here is one of them:

Besides Bruce making a full recovery he is a talking parrot! He repeats EVERYTHING! Today he said "cool dude" "Awesome" and "Awww, crap!" And yes the last one was from me. I really need to watch what I say, starting now. Luckily, we don't use profanity but some phrases could be more kid appropriate ;) He has become quite a picky eater lately. Our pediatrician says it is a phase that is appropriate for his age and I am hoping it is just a phase. I've been making a lot of smoothies lately and when he's not looking I throw in some spinach as well. That's the only way I can get him to eat leafy greens.

Well, wish us luck. We will be bay area bound pretty soon!

Noteworthy events

1. March 25th, Rhyan's two top teeth broke through at the same time. That makes four chompers before 8 months of age!

Sidenote, I'm happy to report she is very gentle with her teeth ;)

2. March 27th, Bruce Pee'd all over Rhyan.

Explanation: I was getting both kids ready for a bath. I sat Rhyan down in her Bumbo chair and undressed Bruce first including his diaper. He bent down to pat her on the head and then he PEE'D on her! In typical girl fashion, Rhyan screamed her head off, as if she knew what just happened. I watched the whole thing in slow motion and tried to get B on the potty during mid stream. All I can say is, well if Rhyan didn't need a bath before she definitely needed one after that incident. Boys!

Ouchie

We made a family field trip to the ER today. Bruce wanted us BOTH by his side so the whole family went, hopefully Rhyan doesn't get anything icky from all of those infected people in the waiting room but whatcha gonna do?

This morning I was getting ready for my last hoorah in Beverly Hills with my girlfriends before I leave them for good. Kiel was going to watch both kids until 1pm and then a babysitter was going to take over from there while Kiel went to court. I was almost done getting ready when Bruce joined me in the bathroom crawled on top of the toilet seat and picked up my curling iron, hot rod first. I was brushing my teeth and totally forgot that 1. the curling iron was on my right side, it is usually always on my left and 2. that it was still on. Well, as soon as I heard the piercing screams I immediately knew what happened. I grabbed Bruce and ran downstairs screaming for Kiel to get an ice pack!

Now, please learn from my mistakes because there are plenty in the above paragraph.

1. I didn't listen to the still small voice that told me to close the door ALL the way, 3 seconds before Bruce came charging in the bathroom.
2. I didn't pay attention to the hot curling iron
3. I put ICE on a 2nd degree burn, you are NEVER to put ice on a 2nd degree burn. Cool water, ointment, gauze... NO ICE. And it's okay to give childrens tylenol to relieve the pain.
   

Lessons learned!

Today ER, tomorrow burn unit.

Check out those blisters ;(

Here he is being a really good boy while they treat his hand.

Check out his Pitchers mitt :(

Spiritual Thought

Awhile ago I posted a spiritual message that got a pretty good turn out, so I thought Sundays would be my day to post something personal and spiritual, publicly.

Yesterday, Rhyan and I went to an Auxillary meeting and got to hear Sister Jean A. Stevens, first counselor in the General Young Primary Presidency speak. She was awesome and I loved listening to everything she had to say. Unfortunately, I had to excuse myself the last fifteen minutes because Rhyan was tired.

But during the first half of the meeting Sister Stevens pointed me out of the crowd and asked me to come up and bring my baby with me. So I did. She then asked me to introduce myself and my little girl. Rhyan, of course smiled to the audience and made everyone's heart melt. She is super sweet like that, always. After I introduced us, she then asked me "What is the one thing you want for Rhyan?" Of course this made me cry and I hadn't expected to be answering this question in front of everyone but it was something that I have thought about since she has been blessed.

The one thing, that I want for all my children, if it could only be one, is to have a strong relationship with their father in heaven. To be able to turn to Him, when they feel they can't turn to me. To lean on him ALWAYS.

And that's it. I of course wish the best life possible for them, but nothing to me is more important than to know your self worth, and that my friends is achieved through Him.

Life is full of trials and struggles and I know my babies will experience no different. But they can conquer all through Him.

I have many hopes and dreams for them but this is the one that HAS to come true, all others are just icing on the cake.

Because through Him, all things are possible.

Mommy and daddy love you, Bruce and Rhyan!

xo

B-Ball

About a month ago while we were at the park a few college kids took over the basketball courts and had a lovely game of one on one. Bruce noticed these fellas playing and immediately ditched the slide and wandered over to the courts. He stood there on the side lines just watching until I told him we had to go. Of course that was a huge temper tantrum and we left while he screamed B-BALL, B-BALL, B-BALL!

So a few weeks later I spotted an easter basket that had a real life size basket ball in it and made the purchase. Why not? Bruce spotted the easter basket early and would not stop yelling B-BALL, until I relented and gave him the ball. (out of sight, out of mind no longer works for our little man.)

Now every morning Bruce's first words when he wakes up is B-BALL (it used to be car) and before he goes to sleep he yells B-BALL. Kiel lets him sleep with his B-ball. I don't think B-ball has ever made it in B's crib the whole night, he usually throws it out before he goes to sleep.

Anyway, B-ball goes to the park with us every day and instead of Bruce hogging the slide, like he used to, he now hogs the courts. Our little boy is on those giant courts for hours trying to throw his ball high enough to get it in the basket. Unfortunately, he's just not big enough.

But today he went over to a friend's house and they had a mini basket ball hoop, something that we have been thinking getting him for his birthday. And wouldn't you know, he's actually pretty good at B-ball...
and it's in!

Feeling Beachy?

Okay we can move now.

I was feeling really bummed the other day that my kids wouldn't be SoCal babies and raised RIGHT - NEXT - to - the - BEACH.

It's no surprise that we love it here, and who wouldn't? Besides my dad, who happens to hate the beach, who wouldn't?

Anyway, I now HATE the beach.

Today I trekked my two babies under two along with 50 lbs of stuff so I could avoid melt downs and I can tell you that the beach is NOT a relaxing place to enjoy mother nature and hang out.

Oh, no my childless friends, the Beach, is now my worst nightmare!

The sand, oh I hate the sand. The sand that goes in their eyes and their mouths and somehow comes out their rear ends.

The water, that threatens to take my babies away from me every chance it gets. It freaks me out!

Yep, no relaxing there.

And then the sun, trying to protect them from the sun is another night mare.

And then the clean up, which is worse than getting there...

No thanks, I'll do the beach maybe in like, 3 years?