Attempt #2

So a couple years ago I made an attempt at taking the PE test. I did not do well... And even though I have quit my job, I'm still going to try and become a (licensed) professional civil engineer. I went down to Salt Lake tonight to study with a couple guys I used to work with who are taking it as well. Hello! Can we say LOST?? I haven't even thought about engineering since I quit and I'm trying to conjure up coefficients and density constants and equations that I used to have memorized. Man do I have a long way to go. So if I disappear for the next 3 months, I do apologize. I have to relearn 4 years each of school and work experience to pass this test. This agonizing 8 hour test that is the bane of my existence. Oh man, what am I getting myself into? Anyone want to offer to watch my kids starting at 6:30am on April 24th? LOL!

Made me laugh

So how many 1 yr olds do you know who just sit and look at family pictures? This is how I found Nathan the other day. He was just laughing and talking to the pictures... At one point, he had his knees bent and his feet in the air. :) Sweet boy

Walking

My little "tiny" baby is starting to walk. Ok, so this has been a month and a half process, but we're making progress!! Back in December he would do a step - fall, step - fall... I am claiming his first steps were Jan 2 when he actually walked 3-4 steps in a row and then fell. Am I wrong in this? Should I count Dec? Well he is doing better now, but he still won't walk but once or twice a day and usually not till after Daddy comes home. Maybe next month he'll try walking a little more often. He SERIOUSLY prefers to crawl and when you try to stand him up he refuses. He is such a man that way. ;) If you try to make him do something (ie. stand up, fold his arms, etc) he freaks out. I'm already strategically planning how to survive his teenage years. Anyway, so here is a video of our almost 16 month old walking. ::sniff:: ::sniff:: (and in case you're curious Eli started walking about this same age)

I want to cry

This was Nathan after dinner tonight...



Hmm.... any guesses? How about a peanut allergy? I had my suspicions from a few months ago when I was making peanut butter bon-bons and he was wheezing after I gave him a little taste. I didn't let it bother me because it could have been the sawdust that he started crawling in right after so I figured I would try again later. Tonight I made pad thai for dinner with crushed peanuts and didn't even think twice about it. I just gave him a little and he ate some, and threw some just like normal until he started itching his eye. And then he didn't stop itching his eye. He quickly developed this beautiful rash and though you can't see it in the picture there were white spots in the rash too... SO much fun. I'm just going to hope and pray that its not severe.

BUSY!!!

So the last few weeks have been a little busy for us, but definitely this last week. My sister Erin was in town with Cecelia (who is Nathans age) and their dog Vicar. It was so fun to see them and spend some time with them. We tried to get out of the house and do things. Some days we succeeded better than others. We went down to the aquarium in Sandy which was fun and up to the Hill Airforce museum in Roy. Lots of big airplanes. Sorry, no pictures. All I have is this one from the aquarium day. Problem was once I took it, the batteries died... stupid camera.
Then over the weekend, we were watching our friends dog as well. So we had 2 extra humans and 2 extra dogs. :) Actually not as scary as it sounds, but it was hectic. Well Erin had to get back and so we traded her and her daughter for three large males. Chris had a few of his mission buddies come and stay with us for a night as they headed up to Logan for a little day o' fun. They met a few other guys from their mission up there too so it was a mini-reunion. Me and the kids spent the day down in SL at Meres house and then went to Bretts parents house to hang out with his family for the rest of the afternoon (Brett was one of Chris' mission friends). Turns out Nathan doesn't love me as much as I thought. He took right to Bretts dad and seemed to prefer him to me. Oh well. I also found some more people who love the Biggest Loser as much as I do! So after that fun night my kids have inherited another set of Grandparents. :) As for our house, we've lost all our boarders, but our days will remain fun filled until after Tuesday. When is the next girls night out? I'm going to need it. LOL!

Chris made bread!!!

Look at my fabulous husband. He is always making fun things, and since we got a wheat grinder for Christmas - Chris tried it out! This was his first attempt at wheat bread. It was actually very good. We still have tons to learn about wheat and gluten and all that fun stuff... but we're getting there!! I guess I should try next. (we'll see)

A learning experience

Oh my, I have so much stuff that I need to blog... But I don't feel like downloading the pictures right now - so you just get my rambling thoughts. Maybe tomorrow I'll find a few minutes.

So today was quite the learning experience for me. We had my classical education book club on Thursday and went off on a tangent about food. There were a couple of us that were much more ignorant than others and wanted to learn more. Field trip!! They took us to Good Earth and gave us a little tour of the health food that they use and what they use it in. Ok, I have things in my pantry now that I have literally never heard of. Quinoa and Millet were the two I'd never heard of, but stuff like barley and flaxseed and mung beans... who would have thought they had practical purposes?? Not I. I haven't tried anything yet, but I'll let you know how it goes when I do. I'm curious to see barley and lentils become ground beef or millet turned into a fruit salad (frog eye type salad). I don't think I'll ever be at the point where I'm going to make my own butter and cheese and milk like these other girls but if I can use some new things that will get my family healthier - thats all I want. I have so much to learn and I'm at the overwhelming point where I just want to cry. I'll get it though. One step at a time. I realize this is a lifetime thing not an overnight thing but I'm trying to get the lifetimes worth of information overnight... not good.

So on to a lighter subject... Anyone excited about this new season of tv?? Biggest Loser is turning out to be my FAVORITE show on television (besides Eli Stone). And yes, I am the type to curl up with my favorite bowl of ice cream to watch it. ;) They've only had one episode so far and I am already getting attached to some of these people! There is this 19 yr old kid who started off as 450 lbs and these polynesian guys that are going to be fun... and I want to see the old guy get healthy since he passed out on the first show. Unfortunately Reaper doesn't start until March. Whats that all about?? I really need to watch some of these shows that I have been taping. I don't even know whats on my DVR at the moment I just know that my # of hours available is quickly dwindling. Some of it might be the 4 hours of Superstars of Dance that I am yet to watch. ::sigh:: I guess thats the good thing about DVR is you can fast forward through all the stuff you don't want. I remember during Dancing with the Stars - I could watch the 2 hour program in 30 min or less. Anyway, well I'm off to give my kids a bath.