Happy Birthday to my MR Talin!

This boy is the joy of my heart.  I love all my kids.  But this little guy has a sweetness about him that I just can't get over.

I pinned this great tractor cake I was going to make him.  Then my brain said, "The kid is two he can't appreciate it.  Hours of work for hmmmm..... "  "Just make a cake, frost a road on it and throw on a toy car. "   

Standing in line and saw some red zingers (red twinkies really)  and thought hmmm.... looks like a McQueen car my son's favorite. . . add a few mini oreos. . . 

Should we do a curvy road?  or a figure 8?  I asked my kids. .  

Then my smarty pants little seven year old "Why not a 2?" After all Talin was turning two.

So we did.  So for all of those of you who want to tackle a fun cake with out spending hours - OH AND I HAVE DONE HOURS on cakes with my girls ;)  Here is a simple BOY CAKE idea for you.

I didn't even pipe anything.  Just put some white frosting in a zip lock bag and made a small cut in the corner!  (I love that cause you can just throw it away!)     

Talin Oooooh ing at his new toy :)

Adilynn's Birth

Arrived at the hospital at 7:30am to be induced.   Gels and walking Gels and walking for 3 hours.  The nurse ready to send me home because I am stuck at a 4.  Me telling husband that if I get sent home, grandma is still keeping the kids - and we are going to go shoot or throw things.  (Anger is built up.)

My amazing doctor telling the nurse to do as she asked and get the me the petocin already, we are having a baby today!  (Me loving my doctor)  

Hubby and I waiting an hour to go into the new room.  Moving to that room and waiting another hour in that room before we see anyone.  WHY?  Oh a lady just gave birth and was bleeding out - whole wing of doctors and nurses were in there trying to save her- no big deal.  (Actually shockingly it didn't really freak me out I just wanted to have this baby already!)

Doctor breaks water at 8:30pm ish  (oh yes already over 12 hours)  Contractions are doing weird things - sometimes 2 min apart sometimes 4 min.  10pm  I get my IV drug that takes the edge off for 1/2 hour.  (No epidural that was $1,000+ more) 

 Getting back pain so nurse tells me to lay on my side - if baby is in the wrong position laying on my side can help.

 after that IV drug is nice and worn off I get the urge to push it's about 10:55pm and they say I am not all effaced and only an 8.  I hold back a couple of pushing contractions. . . 

They sit me up to push. I get a contraction NOTHING.  No urge to push.  I swear to all of them that I wasn't lying about the urge to push - but now nothing.  Wait for the next contraction (feels like 10 min - probably 3 min) NO urge to push.  3 more - NO urge.

Nurse suggests I try giving birth on my side or even on a SQUAT BAR?  I say lets try again - NOTHING.  On my side we go.  

I have given birth 3 times before - I know what I am doing - the urges etc.  The previous two times were also with out an epidural so I know - my body says push - i have a nice long hard contraction that helps me push the baby out.  3 pushes and they are out. . . 

Not Adilynn.  This little stinker decided to be face up.  Do you know what that means?  WAY more PAIN.   And for some reason - it meant for me anyways that I would have a contraction and only pulsating urges to push through out it.  I was so frustrated!  It was like I would start to push and my body would go NAH, never mind.  I would stop, confused and my body says "push dummy!".  

Finally I just decided to force it and push anyways.  I did have to stop after her head was out so that my doctor could turn her head and suction:

Then CRANK-the baby if you can't tell from the picture- so she was the "right way"

 This was so painful.  I felt her little nose, and every elbow, shoulder and knee.  Face up babies hurt.  Ok giving birth hurts - but face up babies REALLY hurt.  They are supposed to come out face down and all smooth like.  HUH!

 All that said, I was happy to have her out.  It is amazing how the body works.  The adrenaline just acts like a numbing agent for your body after wards and you just relax and are so glad it's over.   Unless you are like me - all I wanted to do was eat.  At an entire meal before I held her.  I was STARVED after just nibbling all day.  (With Talin I ate too much and threw up during birth so I had to hold back for what - oh yeah it had been 17 hours since i had a meal (breakfast).

So at 11:14pm a perfectly healthy baby girl entered this world.  The talk of the nurses and my sis in law (the picture taker) was how freakishly big her umbilical cord was.

They took her away to be cleaned.  The baby nurse was a little annoyed with me.  She thought baby was super hungry and I should nurse her.   I was like - UM all I have heard is how HUGE that cord is and it has been feeding her VERY well.  She will be FINE!    

(I am busy eating my sandwich)

I know I am terrible.

BLESSING FOLLOW UP POST

Remember the post "Can I bleed any more money?"

Long story short - insurance played all sorts of games with us. We had until June 22nd to decide if we were continuing coverage.  We paid the hospital cash $3,500 and should get almost $2,000 from insurance premiums towards that since we decided to drop them because of their games.  So instead of paying around $8 - 10K for the baby WITH insurance - we dumped insurance a month before having the baby (but with all the mess ups - had 4 months of premiums saved - and not deducted yet)  so I paid my doctor $2,000 for everything, hospital $3,500 and a few odds and ends of maybe $500.  

Total: 6K - 2K = 4K the original planned amount.  

Pay your tithing and have faith - He will work things out - even if it is in ways you never thought.

We are grateful for the blessing of her health so we could do it that way. 

And we are grateful for the most sweet and calm little spirit to enter our home.

She is my easiest baby yet!!!! 

Adilynn Rae has arrived :)

I know I know put up pictures of the baby, of the kids - I will I promise.  Too tired for much tonight.  Just waiting for the dryer to finish. . .

Adilynn Rae Miller was born at 11:14pm on May 30th.  :)  8 lbs 6 oz.  (my second smallest)  She came (I was induced) 4 days early - but only because I lied to the doctor about dates so that I don't have to go the WHOLE time because my babies are obviously big!  (In fact they always measure a week or two ahead of what they really are - so I can get away with it.)

 This is my favorite picture :)

 This shows her face well.

And this one shows my handsome hubby and all her hair!  (most of all my kids!)

Just had to laugh how I put on my last post how happy i was to have my easy calling, and just have more fun/time being a mom and with my new baby.

Had sweet baby Adilynn late Wednesday night. . . got a text Sunday morning asking if I was going to church 'cause the bishop wanted to meet.  Then Bishop offered to come to my home before church instead. :)

He asked me to serve as . . . . . wait for it. . . . RS Secretary.  I just LAUGHED when he asked.  My husband offered to explain my laughter.

See - when we moved to Arizona I was a Primary teacher for about 8 months
- then Primary sec. for over 3 years
Cub Master for about 8 months (still not sure what they were smoking with that one - um I had 2 daughters and came from 4 sisters NO brothers)
YW Sec. for 8 months (then we moved)
This new ward we moved into -
hubby and I were nursery for 5 months
then I was Humanitarian for 5 months. . .
Now - full circle - secretary again.

I am happy to serve, and for the chance to get to know more people etc.  But I am kinda done with the secretary thing - been there done that for about 4 years now :)  Funny thing is all I really want to do is teach.  My preference - Gospel Doctrine - but I would take ANYThing if I got to teach.  I miss it and I love it.

My president has agreed to let me teach a first Sunday lesson a few times - so that makes me happy anyways. :)

Well, I am just super grateful that after only being home for 2 days- and ALL of her siblings coming down with fevers, nasty eye infections and who knows what else - she appears to have dodged the bullet.  I think I have some kind of cough thing now. . . apparently throwing your 7 year old her first birthday party with 10 little girls - 2 weeks after you have a baby weakens the immune system - cause I was feeling fine till last night.  My hubby keeps trying to remind me that it takes 6 weeks for your body to heal. . .

I feel good - except my throat - and I am TOTALLY playing volleyball on wed. :)

Out of the Mouth of Babes

We had company and a few other crazy late nights and got out of our whole read scriptures before bed routine for about a week. . .

One night we round the kids up to say prayer - and Talin (my 18 month old) goes over and grabs the Scriptures and starts passing them out to everyone.  It was again past bed time - but how could you tell him no?       . . . A quiet and perfect example from an 18 month old.

Yesterday I was 1/2 way through my breakfast (so were my girls) when Mia exclaims, "Mom, Why is Talin Folding his arms?"   . . . again my babe - reminding us of what we had forgotten.

Now you may say that he is used to a "routine" and this is why he does it.   Well, maybe to an extent.  But he sees me sweep, and doesn't bring me the broom when the floor is dirty - or the toilet brush.

I honestly believe that this little man just came from Heaven not to long ago - and he knows the importance of spiritual things.  He knows what feels right, and when we are doing what is right.

Made me think of a few things.   #1 - scares me just a little to bring another even more perfect little bundle of joy into our home in just a few short weeks.  I am to make a home for the most perfect little person - straight from Heaven - that is a little intimidating.

#2 - I am so grateful for the plan of our Father in Heaven.  How much wisdom.  Not only are we given these little children to teach us patience :)  he he.  But to teach us too sometimes.  To keep us focused on spiritual things - not just the daily grind.  (My guilty nesting here...)    He also gave us children to love.  Some people don't even believe in a God that is much more than a spirit or power.  We know that He is real, that He is our FATHER.  The love that He has for each of us is so much more real - because I have a chance to be a parent.  I can understand how He loves EACH of us - even when we make wrong choices and disappoint him.

I used to rely on the love that my earthy father has for me - to understand a Heavenly Fathers love.  That was good.  But now, being a parent makes me understand so much more.

I am grateful for the knowledge of Heavenly Parents.  And for the chance to BE earthly ones.

(This made me think of how important it is to our Heavenly Father - to share the gospel with everyone.  - To offer the joy and peace of the gospel to each of His children.

So in this new ward i have a SUPER easy calling.  Too easy really.  (Humanitarian.)  And sometimes I wish that I could "do" more.  But I have realized that because honestly for the first time in my life I have a low key calling.  I have more time.  I have enjoyed this time with my Family - and because I am not super involved with "church callings"  I have been able to do other things that I haven't done before.  


We had a block party - super simple and low key - but it was WONDERFUL.  I got to meet so many wonderful people I would never get to know - and it was just good to see how many good people surround us.   I am excited to be friends with many of them.  I am excited to be a little more out of my "mormon bubble" and hopefully be a good name/example for Him and His church.  I am excited for this "easy calling" time for both of us (hubby and I).


Just my thoughts lately. :)

Can we Bleed anymore money?

Can we bleed anymore money?  

Don't take this as a plea for pitty or money - that is not what it is.   It is simply a RANT.


So a few months back there was a huge pay cut of some "side" work my hubby did - that killed us.  But we made it through it.  Made some very hard decisions.  But I felt that we were doing our best to be honest in all of our dealings - even the tax typo on turbo tax that cost me $2800 that I had no idea about until my sweet tax guy caught it the next year. :)  That was lovely.

Anyways,  we cut WAY back and honestly tried to do what was right.

Then we were blessed.  At least that is the way that I saw it.  And I feel that we were.  Blessed in some amazing ways.   I took a deep sigh of relief knowing that trial was over and their was absolutely NO guilt about anything.  Completely honest with all of those little choices.

Even stinking saw that costco forgot to take the vitamins out of my cart and charge me for them.  Stinking had to see that one didn't I :)  took them back to pay the $18 i owed them.

Well, I guess I haven't learned my lesson?  I don't know.

Right now I am feeling like SERIOUSLY can we BLEED any more money?

Those who really know me know that I am not a spender.  I am tight.  Well, some how, it's gonna have to get tighter.  If you walk by me - you just might hear a squeak.  I am going to have to be one of those people who is so tight, their buns squeak.

So here is the rant.

I have been planning a head - everything was going to work out - it was tight but we were good - all future baby bills etc could be covered.

Here is what the next 3 months look like:

550 on hubby's malpractice insurance
650 for car insurance
500 my hubby REALLY needs new tires - things are almost bald.

400- 600  to buy a flight or drive to my sisters wedding.

HELP:   do i drive my 4 kids (including a 2 month old newborn to Utah by myself - pick up my sister to drive the rest of the way to Washington state for 600.   Or do I just fly the newborn and i to the wedding - sorry grandma and pa you don't see your grand kids - sorry sister they aren't at the wedding - but is only 380 and a whole lot less hours and stress for me.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

THEN the BIG ONE:  Just found out last week that something got MAJOR messed up with our health insurance (such a long story)  and un known to us - a former boss CANCELED our COBRA health insurance plan.  

UM I am having a baby in a month people!!!!

Yeah - so. . ."good news" is that MAYBE we are still on some kind of insurance - but it was changed on us from a $2,400 deductible to a $4,000 deductible.   UM THAT IS PER PERSON.  And incase you are wondering - yes the baby is a WHOLE OTHER deductible.   We were planing on paying up to 4,800 for this baby - now - it's possible to pay 8,000.

Can I bleed anymore money!?

So - once again we will go with NO EPIDURAL - that might save me 1,000.   ish.   I don't mind that but seriously, if I could go into labor on my own - I would strongly consider having her at my home!  But that just scares me too much. :)   For lots of reasons.

Anyways - just need to rant a little.    Feeling a little um yeah!   Guess I still need some humbling or something.

DID you know?

Did you know that if you play R.S. Softball at 32 weeks prego you will not only have a ton of fun and a great laugh as your friend Kim tries to throw the ball to third and pegs a girl in the head. . . instead. . . :)

But you will WADDLE possibly for the remainder of the pregnancy? I pulled muscles that I didn't even know where there. just lifting my leg up to cross it over the other while sitting down is a complete TASK. A painful one.

Yesterday i decided to buy a cute prego top. But of course I had to see if I would wear it not prego and if I could alter it. SO i decided to suck in really far so i could see what it might look like not prego. I was impressed - ALMOST saw a waist line.

THEN for the next 1.5 hours I had the most horrible pains! It honestly felt like I had done 1,000 crunches or something. I got home and drank some COLD CHOCOLATE milk to make sure I hadn't squeezed my poor little baby girl to death. Cold Chocolate milk always wakes her up - a little sugar buzz I suppose. Thank goodness she is ok.

FYI Sucking in super pregnant is ill-advised. OUCH.

SiDE NOTE: have you ever tried to squeeze through a space and suck in your belly to make it? Doesn't work when you are pregnant either. Unless perhaps you do the SUPER suck in like I did in the dressing room mirror - but then you will hurt so you might as well walk around.

FUNNY STORY: Kaylee (my 5 year old) was yelling at Talin (my 18 month old) to come play up stairs with her. She started getting frustrated because after 4 times of calling he still wasn't coming.

Me: Honey, he can't understand you, he doesn't know what you are saying.

Kaylee: (short pause - wheels turning) GUGU GAGA WAGU DA.

Love kids. they just crack me up!

Funny Story

Pretty sure I haven't blogged this one. It came up again yesterday and is always a good story.

Last pregnancy i got tests results back saying I tested positive for TWO things. Strep B and . . . as I looked over the lab work the only other possibility was gonorrhea.
I looked at my husband and said, "I am sorry, I think I may have given you gonorrhea. I can't believe the things you can get when you are pregnant." HIS FACE - poor guy.

Me: "Isnt that one of those diseases you get from drinking the water in Africa?"

Him: "No it's and STD."

Me even more confused.

I didn't know what to say. I just knew what the paper said.

Him: "Great, people ask 'how did you get gonorrhea?' And I get to look at at people and tell them 'My pregnant wife.'"

I just laughed because I didn't know what else to do. I couldn't believe the CRAP women have to go through when they are pregnant. I recall laughing and crying all at the same time.

Eventually, I am not sure when. . . I figured it out.

Don't worry . . . I am naive and a dork. I did not have it. Just strep B. Oh but the look on your hubby's face when you HONESTLY think you gave him a nasty disease PRICELESS!

Projects & cutting back :)

Well, we are all moved into our new house. so there are a few random totes or boxes in the garage that still need unpacked. But it's all good. :) I was going crazy building extra storage under our stairs - and and extra shelf in our bedroom. Curtains, painting and the like. Then it was getting the back yard put in. Now I just need trees and some bushes ;) Oh, then I got pregnant with #4 and a lot of that was put on hold because I was sick and tired :) Now I am in the second trimester thank heavens and have more energy to get things done. :)

At first I was not in love with our new home. It's kinda my hubby's baby. :) he picked it out when I was in Utah. I have to say that it is really growing on me. Now that i have "nested a bit" and fill more settled I like the home more and more. I do feel like we can grow up in it. :)

So I had my whole family come down for Christmas and stay with us - it was a super full house - and a lot of my efforts were getting ready for that. . . . now that they are gone I am excited to get back to my other projects :) Working on some curtains that don't belong in a kitchen, but I think that is why I like them :) and I love what I did for the "rod" . WOW I sound like a bragger don't I. I am in this - do things a little different than the norm - cause I like it stage right now. The curtains aren't done yet -long story- but I will get to them soon. :) So far they look like this:

ignore the happy bday banner in the back that still needs taken down. . .

again- i still have more ruffles and two more panels to go. . .

What do you think? Too bedroom y for a kitchen?

Here are the rod holders. I wanted something a little decor like since it would be in between the windows and be seen. . .

I like saying that they were only four bucks! But then I remember I needed 4 of them and it doesn't sound as cheap. . . this was before I knew about the for seen cutbacks needed :)

So my new goal has been a bit forced on me/us due to circumstance - but I get to see how many projects I can get done with out spending money. I have projects I have been working on - so some of the materials needed I already have - so I am just going to have to concentrate on getting those done. :) It really is amazing how much you can cut back when you need to! Even when you were pretty frugal in the first place.

So. . . I guess I will show some of the things I have been working on :) since I haven't blogged in forever between everything. . . this are some of the reasons why. . .

MIL gave us this lovely TV unit. It has SOOOOOO much storage. But I had oak. . .

so one day I painted it. And about a year later I finally got around to putting the wainscoating in the sides like I wanted.

Really want to do it to the top two glass panels too - what do you think?

(I know I need to get some decor in the bird cage - but if I cover it - then it goes somewhere else. . . so i am waiting.)

There are issues with painting the LAMINATE oak - but overall I love it despite the issues. I used a good coat of primer first. :) And the thing is beastly heavy so My hubby wouldn't move it out into the yard - so it was all done in the family room ladies - means I didn't sand but might should have ;)

So I had these Christmas wreaths in the windows that I LOVED and then after Christmas my doors felt so naked. So since I couldn't afford the every day wreaths I want (nor have I seen them). . .

These are my right now fix. Picked up these UGLY blue and plaid Christmas stars 90% off = $2 each. a little paint and scrapbook paper. . modge podge. . . they are fun and different.

So I have had these windows stored at my old place with no wall space - so I made these wreaths for them. . . Cost FREE. Just took two small paper plates and cut wholes out - taped them together for my wreath base because I didn't want to go to the dollar store for a wreath base. . . a buck is a buck. . . and I just used an old hymn book that was free and missing pages. :) There are tutorials online everywhere about these.

Here one is in detail. . .

So the question is: since these are in the same room (not the same wall) as my french doors, can I have two doors with wreaths on them? this has been my wrestle. . .

I also painted a table i picked up on Craigslist for cheap. LOVE the detail on the legs. The tabletop was supposed to be white - but the polyurithane turned it yellow. It has other issues. so we will beat it up and then I will re sand and paint it one day. .
I wanted to put this sign up at my new place. Love it. But the doors are all super tall and about 5 inches from the ceiling. . . so my friend suggested a nail in the door NO! my sis suggested the command strip hanger! BINGO love it! Might need more door signs. . . :)
Fun with paint. Did you know for a buck you can get white spray paint and paint any frame and mat? That is what I did to update some silver gold frames and love it. ALL EXCEPT THE PART THAT I DROPPED THE SPRAY PAINT ON THE GLASS TRYING TO SHAKE IT UP AND TOASTED THIS GLASS BUT OH WELL. all the more shabby chic right? :)-

Lastly. I took some muslim cut, burnt and glued me some flowers and leaves. painted up this old nasty oak frame and mate and couldn't figure what picture to put in it. just set it up on my TV stand thingy and decided to just leave it. FREE accessories, love it!

these are just some of the things I have been up to. . . hopefully in a month I will have a post to wow you with all the projects I got done for free or cheap. . !