Beef. It's What's for Dinner.

I am not a meat eater. I eat chicken. I don't really like ground beef but I tolerate it in lasagna, hamburgers, and tacos. I will occasionally eat steak but only if it is WELL DONE. Pork is a new thing for me but I never cook it myself. My poor husband loves it when my brother invites us to barbecue because that means he'll actually get some red meat...I really hardly ever even buy the stuff and when I do, it sits in my freezer for quite some time before I get brave enough to cook it.

OK, so I'm pretty sure my baby must be needing some protein or something because on Saturday night, we ate dinner at my brother's house. We had some leftover ham from Easter and at one point (after eating several pieces already), I walked out of the kitchen munching on one piece and holding another piece in my other hand. We all thought it was pretty funny that I, the vegetarian of the family (I come from a family of hunters & carnivores), couldn't get enough of that ham. Fast forward to Sunday dinner at my in-laws' house. We were eating roast and potatoes and I was really hungry to begin with, but again, I could not stop eating the meat. I really have never enjoyed roast so much. I had just finished dishing up my 2nd (or 3rd) helping of potatoes & roast when Jeff says,

"Can you believe we're just sitting here eating muscle?"

Eww. On a normal stomach that would make you stop and think a little before taking a bite but my pregnant tummy instantly felt sick. I told Jeff that I didn't think I would be able to eat the rest of my meat and then I proceeded to start to CRY because I was so sad that I couldn't enjoy my roast any more. I have NEVER felt sad about not getting to eat red meat, I can promise you that. And I definitely don't make a habit of crying in front of my mother-in-law (not that she wouldn't understand, I just want to act tough). I sat there for a few minutes and tried to think of something else and finally I was able to eat the rest of my meat (I was really hungry), just not with the same gusto as before. :)

I am Pro-Husband

This is the part where I climb up on my little soap box and tell you how things really are...or should be. I better be careful or I may tumble off...in all seriousness though, these are some thoughts I think often but have been reminded of in the recent past.

I am well aware of the fact that there are some women out there (and I mean out there - I am not speaking of those reading this blog) who are nagging, controlling, and just downright mean to their husbands. I believe it is an easy habit for anyone to get into, including myself. I do, of course,want things done my way, on my own time, and sometimes I find myself being overly critical of Jeff when he doesn't complete tasks according to my express directions. I am also aware of the way it would make anyone feel if they were often treated in such a demeaning way, especially by the one they love the most.

I am lucky enough to be married to a wonderfully thoughtful, sensitive, and independent man. Yes, he is a grown man and while I am his equal partner in our marriage and role as parents, I am not and never will be his mother. Sure, we have to plan and coordinate our lives and our goals but there is no need for me to control his daily activities. I especially don't need to explain to him how to do such menial tasks as loading the dishwasher, changing the baby's clothes, or divvying up the food for the kids' plates.

My husband, as most husbands I know, works a busy job and spends countless hours away from home dealing with bosses, stressful deadlines, and hectic commuter traffic. He is continuing his education and spends time in classes and studying. He also works faithfully at his church calling and hometeaching, etc. What worse thing could happen to such a husband than to come home to find, instead of a loving wife and children, a chaotic, unorderly existence where more demands and expectations are placed upon him? This does not mean that husbands should come home and rest & relax all evening without contributing to the household or family in any way. On the contrary, a husband should come home and take time to be with his family and help & support his wife with the things she needs. I have found that the more peaceful and orderly the atmosphere is in my home when my husband gets home, the easier it is for him to feel relaxed and able to pitch in, play with the kids, and listen to my ramblings. Of course, there are lots of evenings when my husband can't even be home until late and so I do the evening routines on my own. It is on those days that I especially try to remember that Jeff had a difficult and busy day, just like me.

I also believe, and this is just my own personal belief, that my husband should not be expected to do my work, meaning the housework. I am lucky enough to get to be home with my children and the house all day, so I should be able to take care of it. Again, this does not mean that my husband never helps out because he does lots for me around the house. But, I do try my very best to finish my chores before he comes home...therefore, I don't have a honey-do list for him when he gets here. This is all theory though, because like I said, Jeff helps me out a lot and I really really appreciate it.

I have seen and am currently witnessing (in a very indirect way) the negative effects that a nagging, controlling, and critical wife can have on a husband. I think that even the saintliest of men would crack after a few years. I was amazed at the bluntless of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's comments in his General Conference address one year ago: "A woman's words can be more piercing than any dagger ever forged, and they can drive the people they love to retreat beyond a barrier more distant than anyone in the beginning of that exchange could ever have imagined."


Just a few thoughts this week...

My Sweet Girl

I have always know what a great girl I have but lately Madlyn seems to be maturing into such a responsible, unselfish, nurturing girl and I absolutely love it! She has always shown some of these characteristics but they are definitely developing more. Some of the things she's been doing lately: asking me if I need drinks of water or food and making sure I'm comfortable, trading plates with a friend so that her friend could have the pink one, getting sunscreen and rubbing it on Cole before he plays outside, getting Cade in & out of his high chair and helping him with drinks or food, etc. I am surprised at how often she stops and thinks of someone else before herself and sacrifices something for them. But she did something the other night that brought tears to my eyes - please indulge me while I share. We all came in from riding bikes outside and Madlyn was complaining of a tummy ache. She said that she wanted to eat dinner in her bedroom. I hesitated because that is definitely against the rules at our house but then she said that she wanted it on the tray. It is a simple green & white checked tray used for breakfast in bed or the like and I've actually never used it. But I knew when she requested it that she was needing a little extra lovin' and attention so I told her that I would bring her dinner on the tray. I got her all settled in her bed with her food & water when Cole interrupted her. I went in to see what the issue was and Cole said that he wanted the tray. I told him that I had a tray he could use, a.k.a., a cookie sheet, and that he could come sit on the couch with me and watch Wheel of Fortune. All Cole said was, "No, I want that tray." Madlyn immediately took her plate and cup off the tray and said, "He can have this tray." I asked her what she would do with her food since it might spill on her bed and she said, "I'll have a cookie sheet. If he wants this tray he can have it and I'll put my food on the cookie sheet."

I know it seems like a simple thing but I know how excited she was to use the coveted tray and then for her to let him use it, no questions asked; it was an amazing thing to see. Here are some pictures of my cutie from the past couple of years:

Maddie on her 3rd birthday

Maddie at 2 1/2

Baker Madlyn at 3 1/2

Big Sis (her favorite title) at 4

Tag!

What were you doing 10 years ago?
I was 16 years old in 11th grade, crazy busy with show choir (we went to Branson, MO for a competition that spring), the high school musical (I just called it that because my kids love that movie), Regionals & All State choir, and all that good stuff. Yes, I was a choir nerd.

5 things on my list today:
1. pay bills
2. register Madlyn for kindergarten (aaah!)
3. make some kind of St. Patty's Day dinner (we have friends coming over)
4. laundry
5. proofread my brother's research paper

5 snacks I enjoy:
1. chocolate chip cookies
2. peanut butter sandwiches (no jelly) and milk
3. I honestly can't think of anything else, maybe it's because I'm pregnant and nothing sounds good.

3 bad habits:
1. I rub my feet together (or on my leg) when I pray and when I'm trying to go to sleep - it used to drive my sister crazy when we shared a room!
2. I interrupt when other people are talking - sorry if I've done it to you - I really don't mean to!
3. I have a hard time looking right at a person's face when I'm talking (not when they are)...I feel self-conscious or something.

If I were suddenly a billionaire...
I would, of course, pay off our house, car, and school. And then I would pay for Jeff & me to go to school for as long as we'd like to (we'd probably both have about 5 degrees). I would share the wealth with young couples trying to go to school and make it on their own, and I would support our parents as they get older if they ever needed it.

5 (or more) places I've lived:
1. Clay Springs, AZ
2. Provo, UT
3. Rexburg, ID
4. Tempe, AZ
5. Mesa, AZ
6. Flagstaff, AZ
7. Queen Creek, AZ

5 jobs I've had:
1. secretary/receptionist/pump driver :) for my dad's concrete company
2. cook and cashier at the K Cafe at Kmart (totally embarrassing)
3. telemarketer selling newspapers (for 2 1/2 days)
4. copy specialist at Alternative Copy Shop by ASU
5. cashier/bookseller at Deseret Book
6. my favorite by far: wife & mother

5 things people don't know about me:
1. I love math and sometimes just feel like solving some algebra problems.
2. I love Wheel of Fortune and aspire to make big money on there someday
3. I love words: reading & writing, and I plan on writing books.
4. I air type when I'm watching movies or talking to my husband - whatever I see or hear I type.
5. I have 'juvenile myoclonic epilepsy' but have only had petit mal seizures.

People I'm tagging:
anyone who feels like it

Easter Pageant

I took Madlyn & Cole to the Easter Pageant last night with Jeff's brother Jamey, his wife Katharine, and her brother Bobby. It was exciting for them, especially Madlyn, because she knows the story of Christ's life and death so well. Maddie was ALL questions the entire time. I love that she is so curious about things, and this was no exception. Her questions continued into the night..."Why were the people who killed Jesus so mean? Is it because they don't have any friends and are sad?" My favorite comment from her was this, "I felt a little sad when they killed Jesus but it was OK because it was so important."

Cole was a little jittery and didn't sit still for the play but went back and forth between me & Jamey. Jamey kept giving Cole little tidbits of information and Cole would run over to me and share it. "Mom, they are going to kill Jesus." "Mom, Jesus lives today!" "Mom, Jesus was resurrected. He did it!"

For me, the Easter Pageant allowed some time to reflect on my feelings about the life, death, and resurrection of Christ and for my own testimony to be strengthened. It was a great experience and I was grateful for the opportunity to share it with my two precious children.

Murphy's Law

Why is it that the day that I clean my kitchen floor is the day that everyone decides to make a mess on it? Within one hour of finishing my floor yesterday, three or four sticky, messy catastrophes had already managed to happen on my freshly mopped floor. Sometimes I wonder why I even try. Aaaah!

*while I was mopping, Cade tried to walk across the wet floor to me, but ended up sprawled out like Bambi on the frozen pond. Madlyn & Cole thought that looked pretty fun; and after repeated warnings from me that it would NOT be fun and would actually hurt, they decided to try it anyway. By the time I finished, all three kids were sitting on my kitchen floor crying because they had gotten hurt from slipping on the wet tile. Does it make me a mean mom if I found that kind of humorous?

Jeff won't want to hear this

Cole has a little trike that he's been riding around and he has recently become a little unsatisfied with it and always wants to ride everyone else's bikes instead of his own. I've decided that Maddie will probably get a new bike soon and that we'll just paint hers red so that Cole can ride it. So today when I was putting him down for his nap I asked him if he would like a bigger bike like Maddie's with training wheels. "I want a princess bike like Raelyn (except he says it Rae-ryn) with white training wheels like Raelyn." Sorry Jeff. I'm doing my best to raise a manly man for ya but he just keeps coming up with things like this!


p.s. I can laugh about stuff like this because Cole is about the most boyish little boy I know - there is nothing girl about him (except that he likes to wear dresses and wants a princess bike)!

Ramblings...

Cole is definitely going through a phase these days...I guess it's the age. His new thing to do is instead of using words to communicate, he just makes this loud noise that seriously sounds like a cow is trying to die or something. It really is driving me crazy; I try to tell him that I'm not quite sure what that means when I hear it; I hope we're making progress. At night before bed, I always ask for a big hug from my kids. Cole has decided that I'm not worthy of a big hug, but that two tiny hugs (he puts his fingers together to indicate tiny) would be OK. It must be a boy thing.

Madlyn just learned how to ride her bike without training wheels. She was making some good progress last Saturday when she first asked Jeff to take them off but then she had the week to practice with MOM. By Friday, my patience was about gone. Every time I would start pushing her, she would slam on her brakes. I'm sure it didn't help matters when I threatened to quit helping her if she slammed on her brakes one more time. Saturday afternoon, Jeff went out with her and she rode down the street the very first time he tried; he has the magic touch (or maybe it's called patience). Since then she has learned to start off on her own and she has been riding around like a pro. After all my lectures on trying again and persevering (I am such a mom), I'm grateful that we can enjoy the excitement that comes from accomplishing something that she has worked so hard for. I told her yesterday that I was so proud of her and she said with a huge grin, "I'm proud of myself too." I will post some pictures soon.

Cade has mastered the art of walking and thinks he is so cool. Yesterday after church, Jeff & I were on the couch talking and Cade kept walking back and forth, each time checking to make sure we were watching. He is LOVING the beautiful weather and has been having fun playing outside with the kids. He is such a cutie. Again, pictures to come.

Jeff has been an angel husband lately. He is always wonderful but I feel especially grateful for him the past few weeks. He has singlehandedly made dinner the past 3 Sundays, 2 of which we had company over: the missionaries and his parents. On Friday night, he stayed with the kids all night while I volunteered at RAGNAR for my Sole Sistas! He hasn't ever had Cade during the night before so he was pretty nervous. I don't think anyone even woke up while I was gone (or maybe he didn't hear them) but I was so grateful. Then on Saturday morning, he let me sleep while he fed and dressed the kids, AND cleaned my messy house. He cleaned the kitchen, vacuumed ALL the rooms, helped the kids clean up the toy room and their bedrooms, etc. It was so refreshing to wake up to a clean house. He has been so patient and loving with me, especially since I haven't been feeling too well. I love to call him at work and tell him that I need him to come home because his immediate response is, "OK. What time do you need me?" Of course, I never make him come but I appreciate his willingness to drop everything to be with me.

I have a great life, I really do. Sure, there are days when I want to put an end to the sick cow sound in my living room or I just don't feel well and I don't want to make dinner. But then I get to watch my daughter learn how to ride her bike, I get my two tiny hugs from my son, and I get to watch my baby make his first steps across the room. I know that I have what really matters: a wonderful, amazing family who I love so much and the Gospel that makes it all worthwhile. My blessings are great indeed.