SMART Habit Saturday

I missed another week, but I have still been trying to remember to take a vitamin and working my way through 64 ounces of water. I have been doing okay. I feel good about what I have been able to do.

This week, I want to work on exercise! I have been eating better and now, I want to work on exercise. I want to do something physical every day. Aaron wants to as well, so that should make it easier!

If you want to become a better person one habit at a time, go over to The Lazy Organizer and learn all about it!

Mmmwwahh!!

What's that? You think I shouldn't write three posts in one day? Well, I couldn't resist. Belle was having fun playing with my hats. This is the newest one.

I think I may have created a monster, though. She thinks that is the face I want her to make when I am trying to take her picture.

The Simpsons

Here we are as Simpsons. What do you think?? Go to The Simpson's Movie website to make your own avatars!!

Luke Simpson

Belle Simpson


Tirzah Simpson


Aaron Simpson

Thursday Night in Knots

I went to my first Thursday Night in Knots at my local yarn store. It was a lot of fun. I got a lot of my current hat project done and laughed a lot, too! There are some neat ladies that go. There were 21 people and one dog. I think I have finally been inspired enough by other peoples' knitting to try to learn how to knit socks! I just need to buy the stuff! I am excited. I haven't done socks and I think it will be fun as well as challenging.

Daisy Chains Crochet

I started a new blog for selling my crocheted kids' hats!! I was tired of clogging this one up with only pictures that really needed to go somewhere else. So, if you are interested, go over to Daisy Chains Crochet. I am still working on it, so it is a little rough! I'd welcome any suggestions you may have.

Good Reading Habits

Our local library has a summer reading program again this year. If we read for 20 minutes per day, the kids can each get a free book after two weeks. They have really gotten into it and it has been pretty easy now that we are in the habit. I don't have to remember--they remember for us. They love to have books read to them. I think they'd listen until our voices gave out!! It is so nice to have them love books so much. Aaron and I are such book-lovers that we love that our children are following this habit.

Aaron and I have also been reading a lot this summer. We've both been reading young adult fiction by David Lubar and Neal Shusterman. They are both great authors and have written really interesting novels. I've read Dunk, Flip, Hidden Talents & True Talents by Lubar. Right now, I am reading Everlost by Shusterman.
Flip and True Talents are probably my favorites out of these, so far! You should check them out. As a warning: they are mostly free of language, but there is some violence.

My Family is Joining the World of Blogging!!!

My mom and sister just joined the world of blogging!! I am really excited to finally have more people I know blogging! Laura is here! And my Mommy is here! I also learned that my cousin is on blogger, too! He and his wife are here!!

I'm so excited!

I am a freak!

We were going to get some groceries and I saw one of the ugliest insects I have ever seen. (That is saying a lot, because I took an entomology class and got to study lots of icky insects!)

So, anyway, I was carrying Belle and trying to avoid the flying maniac. It landed on my shoulder and I became a flailing maniac. I put Belle down and tried to get the thing off. I was screaming like a...okay, like a girl! It was not pleasant. It finally flew off. I don't know what the thing was. All I know is that it had huge black poky things coming off of it!!

Aaron proceeded to make fun of me for acting like such a freak-show. It was quite the spectacle. There were probably people thinking I was schizophrenic... Oh, well. At least I didn't get stung...I wonder if it could sting. I am getting the willies just thinking about that thing.

Cloche-ish Hat!

I finished another hat, today!! (And, yes I think I may be slightly obsessed with making hats at the moment!) This one is sort of a cloche and it is for a friend's daughter. She is turning two. We got to be pregnant together with our girls and our daughters have gotten to play together a lot during their first two years!!

I can't decide if I like the bow to be the front or the side, yet. I guess the wearer (or her mommy) can decide.

Boy's Hat and a Flower Hat

I finished two more hats!! I had a lot of fun with them and they were faster than the first one, since I had the pattern more defined. I want to get a mannequin head to show the way the hats would lay on a child, but until then, here they are! I could change the colors and size of the stripes any way. As for the flower hat, I think I want to change the design a little, but I like the idea.

I may have a chance to sell them in person, or just put them on eBay or something. I haven't fully decided what to do, yet.

I really want to work it out so that they are fully customizable. Any size, color and design. I am really excited!

4th of July Pictures

Aaron used to do a lot of Revolutionary War reenactment. He started when he was about 15 and stopped a few years ago. Recently, he has gotten back into it! So, what better time to dress up and play a period instrument, but the 4th of July??(He's the one with the black and yellow hat on the left... playing the fife.)

So, we went to a city parade and had a lot of fun. I met a woman who adopted a child from my home town in Florida...how random is that? She was super nice and let the kids sit on her tarp (right on the curb) so they could see better.

Belle really liked the free flags they gave out. She even stole one... We gave it back and the little girl's mom gave Belle a smaller one that she could handle better. She had a lot of fun waving it around.


Since the parade took place near an Air Force base, we got to have planes fly by along with the fire trucks, police cars, and Hummers with soldiers in them.



Miss Utah is also in the military!! She served some time in Afghanistan (or Iraq, I don't remember). I thought it was pretty cool that she wore her uniform with her Miss Utah sash and carried her crown in her hands! It is awesome what women can accomplish, now! I want that kind of example for my daughter. (Sorry the pic isn't better, when the camera was ready again, she was too far away.)



As always, there are a few...different entries:

This one was a casket being pulled by a motorcycle.



I don't know why this founding father was put on a fake elephant, but he also had a guy chasing after him with a shovel to make sure he didn't leave a trail... HA!



Then, there were the most eligible bachelors. I guess they weren't having any luck with the dating scene, so they entered the parade, rode motorcycles and put their phone numbers on their backs. It was pretty funny!



We then went back to Aaron's parents' house and had a BBQ. It was a nice day and we all had fun! I hope you all had a great 4th of July, too!!

SMART Habit Saturday

Hey, look at this, I'm early, today!! I have been out of the SMART loop for a few weeks. I have actually been doing really well on some of the things that I have done as SMART habits, many, many times! Since I got my Palm Pilot, I have been doing REALLY well with my scripture reading. I downloaded some of them to my eReader and it has been great! I also set scripture reading as a task that I have to check off everyday! It is great! I have also been a lot better at exercising the last couple of weeks. I have mostly been just going on walks, but it has been really good for me, the kids and sometimes Aaron!

As I am writing this, I don't know what to work on this week...

I'm still thinking...

Okay, I know! I want to make sure to take my vitamin and drink at least 64 ounces of water everyday. Both of these things will help me to be healthier. I have a bottle that fits 64 ounces and that helps a lot. I can measure it easier.

So, I hope you all have a great week!!

If you want to join up, go here and here to learn all about SMART habits!!!

Really Live

I found Dumb Little Man several months ago. It is a blog dedicated to giving tips for anything and everything in life. It is a great collection!! A few days ago, the topic was 39 Ways to Live and Not Merely Exist. I really liked what they had to say. It wasn't just advice for exotic places to see, but ways that you can really live and enjoy life.

This world, this life has so much to offer that it is a shame when people don't go out and explore it!

I really think that people should to the things they enjoy. Life can be hard and we all need things in our lives that can make us happier! It drives me crazy when people decide to go into careers that they hate, just to make money.
Don't get me wrong, we all need money, but if you can get it doing something that makes us each happy!! Going to work is hard enough when you like it. I have had plenty of days that I didn't want to go, even when my job was something I loved to do!!

Here and Doing Okay

I just wanted to post a little note to say thank you for all of your loving support and prayers! You are awesome! I have gotten a lot of emails and comments lending support and it has been wonderful. I'm glad that I joined this caring, loving community of bloggers! I have a loving family that has helped me so very much, as well.

I am doing alright. I wouldn't say that I am stable, yet, but I am on my way. I am starting to get back into my normal routine. Well, I am actually starting to get into a better routine. The doctor told me that as long as I am not cramping, it is okay to do the things I was used to doing. I went for a nice walk with the kids and Freckles this morning. It was great, except that she isn't such a good go-for-a-walk kind of dog, yet. We haven't been so good about taking her our for walks, so it is too new for her. She has to smell EVERYTHING and goes all over the place. I think she'll eventually be a great walking companion, with a little work. We brought Freckles home and then walked to the park. The kids had a lot of fun and I enjoyed talking with another mom who was there.

So, since I had a wake up call when I got on the scales at the doctor's office, I am going to focus on getting healthy!! Our diet isn't too bad, other than the fact that I eat too much. But, my activity level is horrible!! I need to get out and get active!! So, that is my new goal. If anyone has any tips on what gets them going, let me know!!

You may not want to read this...

I don't know if I am even going to post this and I can't believe I am typing, but I think it may be therapeutic for me. It's a little after 2 am and I can't sleep, since my hips and back are aching.

I just wanted to tell you that I have had a miscarriage.

On Thursday night, I started to have some really light spotting. By morning, it had developed into heavier bleeding and some light cramping. I called the doctor's office when they opened and had to wait a little while to talk to the doctor. In that time, I was still bleeding and the cramping got worse. I continued bleeding with clots and some tissue. The doctor called back and I was able to make an appointment for that afternoon. They also set up an ultrasound at the hospital. (They don't have an ultrasound machine at his office, since he is a family doctor.)

I called my sis-in-law to see if she could watch the kids. She changed her plans and came over to keep me company. She ordered a pizza and took the kids to Aaron's parents' house to play while we had my appointments. She is awesome! She's more like a sister than an in-law.

By the time Aaron got home, (he is substitute teaching for summer school) The bleeding had slowed and the cramps were gone.

At the doctor's office, we learned that the bleeding was coming from my uterus.

We went to the ultrasound appointment and learned that I was no longer pregnant. There was nothing in my uterus.

This one has hit me harder than the miscarriage I had about 6 months ago. I can't keep doing this. I can't keep the cycle of trying, and failing to get pregnant and then get pregnant and lose the baby.

Aaron told Luke. He said it was about the hardest thing he's ever had to do. Luke keeps asking questions about the baby and, somehow, that almost makes it easier. I don't know why.

Anyway, I don't know how much I will be blogging in the near future, so I have you all have a good week.

I forgot to post about this hat!

I got the idea to make and sell crocheted hats for kids with fun colors and cute designs. This is my first one. I made it for Belle. What do you think?

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Belle is a music-lover. She loves to play the piano, especially when she can do a "duet" with her daddy. She loves to dance and make up songs. She used to sing a little song with only the word "Dada". Aaron called it the Daddy song. It is adorable to watch!

She has started requesting songs for me or others to sing to her. She loves "Baby Mine" from Dumbo. She calls it "Baby Song". Her favorite is "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star". She sings along, but doesn't know how to say all of the words so she makes some sounds that are close and waits for the words she does know. It is the most adorable thing! Twinkle sounds more like "cockle". It is so funny.

For her, music calms her down, makes her happy and is fun to do!! It is great for us, since Aaron and I love music as well!

Mei Tai

I got my new Mei Tai (pronounced "may-tie") to carry Belle and later the new baby around in.

I love it! (Even though, by the expression on my face, you wouldn't think so.) It is so nice to be able to have her up and I can't wait to use it at the next festival or whatever that we go to where we have to walk around a lot and need her not to wander off. I also need to start walking so that I don't gain 50+ pounds with this pregnancy like I have with the others. It is really easy to use and fun for her, too.

When we were at my in-law's for Father's Day, yesterday, Belle was really grumpy. I asked her if she wanted to go in it and she said yes. I put her in the mei tai and she calmed right down and ate some of her dinner. It was amazing! I can't wait to use it when I have three kids and need my hands.

If you are interested, I got mine from here! Right now, they are starting to only sell organic products and so they are discontinuing the non-organic stuff. The prices start at $19.99, rather than their normal price of $63 (other places have them for $98!!) So, if you are in the market for one, now is the time to buy! The one I got is called stars and stripes. It is really sturdy and well-made. They also have instructions for how to wear it. Here are some more great instructions and pictures for wearing a mei tai!!

If you are interested in babywearing or in just using a carrier that is more comfortable, (I fit into the later category.) go read this post I wrote about it with links to lots of information.

Update: They have added new patterns and upped the price a bit, but they are still cheaper than anywhere else I've seen.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.........

.............Oh, was I writing a post? I have been getting so tired already! Pregnancy, and staying up late but getting up early will do that to you. The great thing is that Aaron is a teacher and so he is home during the summer...he is great about letting me get a nap!

I have been a bit queasy, but not too bad. I hope it stays that way. With my other pregnancies, I rarely threw up, but I did feel awful enough to wish that I could, just for the relief!

Luke is my little protector. He is always reminding me that I need to be careful because I am pregnant and asking me if this or that hurts because I am pregnant. (Yesterday, Belle was climbing all over me, including my tummy and it worried Luke.) He is so cute. He is so excited for this baby!

Belle really doesn't have a clue what is going to happen, but I think she'll be giddy when the baby comes. She is a baby-lover!

The Faith of a Five-Year-Old

About three weeks ago, Luke started praying for a baby brother. That was apparently the perfect timing, because we found out that I am pregnant!!! I didn't want to tell everyone this early, but I am not good at keeping this kind of thing a secret and Luke has started to tell everyone, anyway. We asked my sister-in-law to watch the kids while we go to the doctor and I knew she'd be suspicious anyway. We are really excited!!

The baby is due on February 12th! That is a great time to have the last part of a pregnancy. I'll make my own warmth and not need an air conditioner at full capacity!

The problem is that Luke is CONVINCED that it is a boy! I hope for him that it is. We have already started explaining about how prayers are answered and how they are not. Yesterday, I said that it might not be a boy and he said, "Did God not hear me?" It breaks my heart. He is such a sweet & trusting little guy! It is so nice to see his faith in action, but it is hard knowing that we may have to work really hard to help him understand.

If I ask Belle whether we should have a boy or a girl baby come live with us, she always says "Booooyyyy." It is really cute. I think she'll be easier to convince that a girl would be okay, too!