Update

I'm sure you ALL wanted to know that potty training is going remarkably well. I'm not brave enough to take him out in public without a pull-up on ( i know, it's only been 4 days) but at home, except for when he's sleeping he is all underwear. I'm still at the stage of having madatory 1/2 hour potty breaks, but he does tell me every so often when he needs to go, and we've only had two accidents, when I missed our potty break. I figure two accidents in four days isn't too bad!

I had so many people ask me between 6 months and a year ago if Jeremiah was potty trained. My response was"uh, no...." but I was thinking "Oh no! Is he supposed to be? Am I neglecting some monumentous motherly duty out of laziness?" But he really wasn't ready, and despite all the social pressure to have my child potty trained by 2, I am so glad I waited. I have dreaded this step for as long as I can remember, but because I waited until he was ready it (so far) has been remarkably easy and worry-free. I don't have to fight him on going to the bathroom (although sometimes he needs coaxing to take a break from playing long enough to do his business) He is picking it up naturally, and has now decided that he doesn't want to sit down on the toilet to pee, but stand up like a Man! Whatever. As long as he does it, I'm happy.

Now we just need him to start reading by age 4, doing algebra by age 6 and graduate from college at age 16. :)

Just kidding.

One Giant-Step for Mankind!

Yes friends, thats right, the beloved process of toilet-training has officially begun! I promised myself that when I ran out of diapers for J-dawg I would buy no more. I thought I had one package left in my stash (I buy in bulk) but turns out that package was for Leah.... so that meant I had one diaper left as of yesterday evening..... I guess that meant I was potty training today! So, I quickly got some things together, and got things ready for today.

We've got two stickers already. YAY! Once he fills up two rows he gets an ice cream party.Yes, those are buzz lightyear underwear. He has an assortment of Disney characters, and he gets to choose which ones he wears. He was SO proud to be an underwear wearing boy "like daddy"...don't worry, Greg's don't have disney characters on them. :)

Wish me luck!

Self-Reliance

A lot of you have built up your food storage and water storage, you have gardens and great skills that help you be self reliant. The Lords servants have taught us over an over how important it is.... well, I'm just doing my part.

I don't have food storage, or water storage, I don't have a garden, I can't fix my own car, I can't repair big things around my house... but I've known how to use a pair of scissors since kindergarten! Greg says I'm not allowed to cut my own hair, because he thinks I should feel okay about spending money to get a great haircut that I love. He wants me to do something for myself and not feel bad about it.... well.... I did, and I don't feel bad about it at all. I call it: homemade haircuts. :) I've never been so wreckless with the scissors but I've also never been so happy with the result. This is my homemade haircut, what do you think?

Sounds of the Season

Today was lovely. I had six kids ages 4 and under. We played on the playground, we blew bubbles, we ate a snack, we ran around a lot, we took out every toy we own in the kids' small 10x11 room. Despite the minor chaos, it was an absolutely lovely morning. I LOVE open window weather. I love taking a nap in the middle of the day with the window open and hearing all the wonderful sounds that come with this time of year. You know what I'm talking about, the breeze blowing, the lawn mowers, the sprinklers, the birds chirping, the distant sounds of kids playing and laughing, and if you listen really close you can hear the sound of new life bursting from the earth. I LOVE IT. It's one of the things that reminds me that God loves me. He loves me so much that on a day that could have been stressful, and crazy, he gave me the beautiful sounds of spring to make me smile.

My little Parrot

Jeremiah's favorite movie lately has been Transformers. He has a few cars that he pretends are transformers and he loved watching the movie that we borrowed from my brother in law. As I listened to it more and more I realized that there is a lot of language that I didn't want my lovely 2 year old to repeat. It hadn't happened yet, but I thought I would take care of it right then and there. Transformers was promptly returned to my brother in law. Then today as I was browsing real estate I heard a little voice behind me, playing with his match box cars say "were you masturbating?"...... YEAH, of all the words he could have picked up from that movie. We had a serious conversation about how that word isn't appropriate to use, like "shut up" we just don't say it in daily conversation. I can just see him pulling that out during nursery or something. MAN I have to be careful about what he hears!

Breaking My Addiction

Hi, My name is Heather, and I am addicted to the Bachelor(ette). I told myself after last season that I was DONE, THROUGH! No more watching people making out ALL OVER THE PLACE, I don't need to see that. I once heard that if you would feel uncomfortable BEING THERE watching it, then you shouldn't watch it on TV. I would feel so uncomfortable standing in the corner of the room staring at two people making out. So why can't I quit? Because Jillian is beautiful, in a way that doesn't mimmick anyone else; and she is strong and she knows who she is, and becuase I am a sucker for love stories, "reality" or scripted. I think its because deep down women, wether we're 5 or 50 dream of prince charming coming and sweeping us off our feet. It could be the boy that sits in from of us in algebra, or our husbands of 25 years.

I was so strong, until I went over to my inlaws for FHE and my sister in law was watching the premier of the Bachelorette... GRRR... i'm intrigued! But I made a big step forward as I have not watched it online in secret, like that i have in previous seasons. BE STRONG!!! Because really, I don't want to be standing next to a couple sharing too much saliva... I just don't.

PS. I wish my teeth were that white!

My Beautiful Life

If I could have any job in the entire free world I must admit it would be the job I already have. I know some people don't enjoy the endless piles of laundry; toys constantly ending up under your feet; the "MOMMY....." being yelled over and over, and sometimes you can't find the child yelling it; the bodily fluids you have to clean up from the floor, their beds, your clothes; the "she's touching me!"; the ripped pages out of books; the limited time for yourself; etc. But I myself never get tired of those things... no, not really, but there ARE certain moments that make life as beautiful as it is. The innocence of children is inspiring to say the least, and spending time with them, doing nothing but embracing their exuberance for life is truly a blessing. I have been learning the past few weeks that it matters very little what you have in this life, but very much who you have in your life. I am so grateful for the priviledge of spending each waking moment with these two yahoos. I think they are beautiful in every way and I hope to put more effort into celebrating the small moments that make life worth living.

You gotta see this

Okay, so it made me laugh, go here. I think you'll laugh too.

Pardon the blurry pictures. I think my camera was on a weird setting I didn't know about. Here is the CLASSIC Leah picture, with tounge sticking straight out.

Jeremiah wanted to take some pictures. This is his perspective of life: And of course, when the Mr. Potato head pieces come out there is always loads of funOh yeah, my kids love me :)

Going innactive

Yes, I am officially going innactive... as a blogger. This is what has been going on with us lately:

Greg was obliged to look for a new job.

We quickly became grateful for the prophets council to stay out of debt and to save.

Greg found a new job (wow, that was fast).... in UTAH.

We found a cheap apartment and moved to Salt Lake. (6 hours in the car alone with two children, I quickly became grateful for modern conveniences such as portable DVD players)

We realized that we should have been more grateful for the free rent we had for two years.

We got food poisoning, or the stomach flu, we're not sure which, and were sick in bed for nearly a week. Because of all of the childrens bodily functions happening at the spur of the moment we had to have our carpet re-cleaned professionally two weeks after we moved in.

Greg started studying for his level 2 CFA exam. He eats breakfast lunch and dinner at the office, works out at the gym AT THE OFFICE, and studies AT THE OFFICE. We only see him on Sundays when he sleeps all day (except for three hours of church). At least its easier than it was last year. Only 1 more test after this one!!! Hurray!

We bought our first washer & dryer AND a 2nd car for under $1000. So far, all of them work GREAT!

I have been blissfully and lazily enjoying being JUST a stay at home mom.

I have been overly ANNOYED with neighboors all around us. I did not sufficiently appreciate being so separated from our neighboors in our townhouse. The music, the yelling (and cursing), the banging of doors, the smoking on decks right next to the playground, etc.)

We have all been able to enjoy being close to the Hirschi side of the family.

I started browsing through real estate listings, but have been given strict instructions that I can't start seriously looking until after Greg finishes his exam the first week of June.

I realized that houses are EXPENSIVE here. I wish we bought a house back in.... oh, 1990, when my parents did and only had $80,000 to pay off.

I began wondering why people take pictures of their decorating and their furniture more than their actual house when they are posting photos for listings. I AM NOT BUYING YOUR BED.

I began missing Boise when it started snowing every day and we couldn't leave the apartment.

Then I began wondering where spring went, when we skipped straight to summer; wearing as little clothing as possible to stay cool.

So we are spending what little time we have together as a whole family doing fun things. We're hoping to make new friends in our ward, though it hasn't happened yet. I will post some photos of us goofing around lately. Sorry I haven't taken very many the last two months. I will get better.