To Georgia and Back

I have been home for a few days now from Georgia. It was so great getting to visit my sister and her family. It's been two and a half years since I saw them last! It was also great getting to road trip with my youngest two siblings. Yes, I had talking points and they believe there were cross references. My mind works that way though...everything can be related. =) It's not often that I get to sit down and talk with these two so it was great to have hours upon hours to talk. It also helped to see funny things on the road, like a mattress tied to the back of a semi moving truck.
I guess there was too much fun being had, because I didn't pull my camera out much. I didn't even get pictures with my sister or of her family. Kind of bittersweet I guess. It was so fun getting to see where my sister lives and the people she hangs out with. After we arrived EARLY in the morning Sunday, we all went to bed. However, Haydn had slept in the car for hours already and was ready to play. Sure enough, he played with his two cousins. He hadn't ever really been able to play with them before. They were instant friends and he calls them his cousin friends now. How we miss our cousin friends though.
One evening we went out to my sister and her husband's favorite Mexican restaurant. Haydn had fallen asleep in the car on the way to the restaurant so he was LOTS of fun once we got there. He is very much like his father, very cranky when he is just one of the following three: hot, sleepy, hungry. This fantastic evening, Haydn was all three! The waitress was taking our drink orders after putting chips and salsa on the table. Haydn thought the little carafe of salsa was a beverage. I asked him what he wanted to drink and he insisted that he just wanted "this." After I explained to him several times that he really didn't want it to drink and that it was not a beverage, he insisted. The whole time he was unwrapping a straw. Finally he put the straw in the salsa and took a BIG GULP! I knew what he was going to do, so I announced to everyone to watch. Sure enough, the salsa burned his mouth and he was in desperate need of a drink. However, we had just placed our orders. The only thing I could give him to calm the heat was a chip. This is not the first time I have seen someone do this. When Liz was younger, she did the same thing. The difference, Liz didn't know she was drinking salsa. She thought she had picked up her cup of juice which happened to be red.
We were able to go see several historical buildings in the downtown area. It was actually pretty cool the history of the town. I think we chose the hottest day to go and do that because it was 103 degrees. Whew...it had been hot before we left, but not quite in the 100s yet! We had heat advisories and heat index over 100, and the whole time I had been driving around town with the windows down. (I love fresh air!) But there is definitely a difference when you are walking around in 100 degree heat and riding around in 100 degree heat index.
We also got to go the to aviation museum. Apparently there was a 2 star general at the air force base close to the museum and he had a goal of getting a museum set up. There were lots of airplanes and WWII items. Going through a WWII section was kind of difficult for me. I am currently reading a book series that follows a family through the trials of WWII. Some things are a little more graphic than I can handle and I have a much better understanding of the war. Adam loves history and I really wish he could have gone.
We spent most of our evenings playing board games. I LOVE playing games. We were able to have great conversations during this time too. There's a few games I'd like to add to our family game collection. The worst part of the trip was that Adam wasn't with us. We missed him so much and hope that next time, he can go. He was just too busy with work to be able to take that much time off.

Sitting in a Doctor's Office

After sitting in the doctor's office for 3 hours for a glucose test, I saw a LOT of things I don't think I should have. I have some advise for pregnant women.
1. It doesn't matter how bad you feel, but wear clothes that match...mismatched clothes scream fat, not pregnant.
2. Don't wear pants that are too tight where everyone and their dog can see that you are wearing panties that are too small. Wedgies are never cute, and especially not on an oversized, pregnant butt!
3. Wear shorts that are long enough. Yes, most women get stretch marks, but we don't want to see them running down your legs.
4. Adding to the stretch marks, nobody wants to see the stretch marks on your belly, or your arms. Please cover them up.
5. Please do not discuss the conception of the baby. I don't care if you are a teen, 20s, or older. Trust me, nobody wants to hear that!

On the other hand, it was cute seeing so many couples getting to 'see' their baby for the first time or finding out the gender. I even saw one soon to be grandmother bring in balloons. So sweet.

Good news for the Roe's though, no gestational diabetes. I previously thought that gestational diabetes is no big deal, but there are so many complications caused by it. I am so glad that we are both healthy!

Happy Birthday America!

I know, I'm a day early. If I don't say anything now, I'll miss it. Soooo...Happy Birthday America! I am so thankful for the freedoms we enjoy and the men and women who made and are still making that possible. I don't want to forget the families of those men and women. I know it's a huge sacrifice for the families to send their loved one off to war and wonder if they will return. I always get teary-eyed when I see soldiers. They will never know how much their job means to me personally.

Adam and I have been watching a show with a heavy military presence. The characters are either in the military or married to a soldier. I am also reading a book series that takes place during WWII. With those two current influences of military in my life, I feel like I need to show my thanks that much more. I just don't know how to show it. Sure, I've seen the youtube videos about signing "thank you" to soldiers, but do they really appreciate that? I don't know.

I know, this is a holiday about our Freedom and not to thank the military. However, our freedom wouldn't exist without the military.

Happy 4th of July everyone! Enjoy it, be safe, and remember those who made/make it possible.

Girls Camp

About three years ago I had asked to go to Girls Camp. It's a camp for just the young women (ages 12-18) in our ward (along with the other wards in our stake) to go to a camp and be spiritually enlightened and learn camping/first aid skills. I went the few years I lived in Washington but never went as a youth in Missouri. I was asked to be a leader one year when my little sister was going and that was pretty fun. Anyhow, I asked about 3 years ago to go to camp but they had enough leaders then. This year, our ward was short on leaders or leaders could only make it for a couple of the nights. I only went one night but made a lifetime of memories. I got to know several of the girls that I otherwise wouldn't have. It was interesting to me to see the different styles in running the camp. When I went as a youth, we camped with other girls who had been to camp the same number of years as us. This time around, we camped as a ward. Either way, friendships and bonds can be made. I missed all the silly camp songs though. That's the problem with having it at a Boy Scouts camp. There were several fun activities the girls could do at this camp that they probably wouldn't have been able to do elsewhere. Anyhow, I had so much fun with the girls and the other leader from our ward, I hope I can go next year.

Mac and Cheese

I feel like the only thing Haydn will ever eat each time I make it, is Mac and Cheese. He loves that stuff! He seriously will ask for it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! When we go out to eat, Mac and Cheese is what he orders. (I have no idea why in the world someone would ever order mac and cheese when they go out to eat...on that note, I don't know why anyone would ever order MEATLOAF either!!! Blech!) The smell of noodles cooking kind of make me nauseous. I could explain, but then you might be disgusted at the smell of noodles too. Anyhow, I often give in to the mac and cheese. We even had to make a rule that we will not make mac and cheese every day. So far, we've been good. My biggest concern about the mac and cheese is that it really doesn't have a lot of nutritional value. He doesn't like a lot of fresh fruit. He'll eat bananas (only about half of it though), grapefruit, and grapes. He claims to like blueberries and requests them all the time, but I've never seen him actually eat one. I can get him to eat canned mandarin oranges, peaches and pears. He'll eat just about ANY fruit as long as it is dehydrated. Seriously...raisins (what kid doesn't like raisins), apples, bananas, even mangos! So how do I get him to eat something other than mac and cheese? I've tried telling him that he needs to eat all his food so he can grow big and strong (which he has interpreted as really tall like my dad). I explained that Thomas the Tank Engine gets his energy from coal and water otherwise he wouldn't be able to go anywhere and Haydn needs to eat food and drink plenty of water so he can get his energy too. I shouldn't complain...I'm pretty sure I was a pickier eater than he is!

Keeping up with the Jones's

I have pondered over this topic for a few days. I wondered if I should even say anything considering it 'might' offend someone. I do a lot of things, or rather, I don't do a lot of things to avoid offending someone. It is not my intention to offend. If it was, you'd know.

Everyone has had a "keeping up with the Jones's" moment in their life. (I know you have!) Someone always has something better: a bigger/cleaner/nicer/better located/etc house, newer cars, better kids, better spouse, better finances, better job, better weather, better vacations, better life, etc. You get the point.

This weekend I attended a wedding for one of my friends from high school. During the reception Adam said "when I get married...blah blah blah" and continued to express things he would do the same or differently. Funny...ha.ha.ha. Adam is NOT getting remarried unless I am dead. =) But really, we laughed and joked. There were a few things said in the wedding and then, not talking about marriage but were again said, in our lessons at church the following day. I remember back when Adam and I were getting married we were asked to think about what marriage is to each of us. I remember saying "marriage is learning to love an imperfect person, perfectly." I know I heard that somewhere, but it stuck with me. I think we can apply that to all people though, we can love all imperfect people, perfectly. If we are capable of doing so, we are loving people the way God loves each one of us.

We have had our trials. We have had our ups and our downs. Some of our imperfections have come out at different times and we have had to learn how to love through those imperfections. I know our trials are not over, and we will have many many more. I know that several of our trials have brought us closer to each other and we have learned to rely on each other more than we did before. That is life.

Anyhow, after this weekend I felt like the Jones's. I felt happy with my life. Not just happy, but so thankful for my life. I really cannot think of a word to describe how I truly feel. It's like I understand my life better now. I have never been in love with my house, but I do like it. I love my husband so much. He really is the best husband (for me). I love my son and am so happy to be his mother. I feel like I learn just as much from him if not more than what he learns from me. I have good friends. I live in a good, safe town. I get to be a SAHM and I LOVE IT. There are tons of things we can do and relatively close...for free! My little family is close and often express our love to each other. I love hearing the 20 times a day "Mommy, I love you too much." I love that my husband kisses me bye each morning and hello each evening. I love that we sit at the table for dinner together and most of the time we even have breakfast together. I love that I don't feel like I have to hide things from my husband and vice versa. I love that we can truly talk about anything. I love that my family shares spiritual experiences and feelings with me. I love that my husband and I are on the same page about parenting and religion. There are so many other things that I love and wouldn't change for the world. I know that I have this peace and love because it is give to me by our Father in Heaven.

On our way to the town where the wedding was, we saw the Kansas City Temple. It's still under construction, but absolutely beautiful. I have had wonderful experiences at the temple and know the importance of them on this earth. I also know of the trials the early Saints had to go through living in the area where the temple is located now. When we saw the temple, I had overwhelming and conflicting feelings. Not good versus bad, but extreme happiness and sadness. My breath was taken away from me. To me, the temple is so much more than a building. I am so happy for us today to have that temple, and so sad the early Saints did not have it. Maybe that is why I feel the way I do. I am so thankful for the many blessings in my life and feel like the 'richest' person in the world.

Chores, chores, All I do is Chores

That's going to be the song Haydn is singing before too long. He always wants to help with everything and to help him develop those skills, we've given him chores. One thing he has to do is gather all the little trashcans in our house and dump them into the bigger one. It's actually quite cute watching a little 3 year old 'taking out the trash.' I'm so thankful he wants to help, most children do.

I have had a hard time staying on top of my chores. Our schedules have changed so much and my energy level is so low these days. There are a few things that I must stay on top of or else we all will suffer. Since we are rearranging our house, I have a couple rooms that need a little work and one that needs a lot of work. When rearranging things, I need Adam's help. He's been so busy between work and his calling at church. So, little by little right?