Gladly

Last night as I was putting James to bed I sat in his rocking chair and sang to him, part of what I do every night. The song of the night was "Teach Me to Walk in the Light." At the end of the third verse when I got to "Gladly, Gladly, we'll walk in the light" James interrupted me with "Gledly?" and then kept on repeating "Gledly, gledly, gledly..." It was so cute but I was laughing so hard just because he always chooses the most random words to repeat. A few nights ago he was gibber-jabbering about something or other and Brian asked him "Are you speaking Chinese?" and James replied completely articulately "Chinese?" This morning when I got him up from his nap I discovered he had a dirty diaper to which I responded "Oh my goodness, James!" All day long he kept saying "Oh goodness!" Over the last few weeks he's learned to say "please" and I am loving it. The only problem is, now I don't know how to say no to him when he asks for something with a please attached. Usually it's "Up, pweez," but sometimes when it's "More, pweez" to a cookie I end up giving in even when I know I shouldn't because how can you say "no" to "Pweez?"

After I was done singing to James, I asked him for a kiss goodnight. He sat up, licked me on the cheek and then laid back down in my arms and repeated with a yawn "Gledly?" Not exactly a kiss, but close enough and I'll take it! So GLAD this boy is mine--even when he makes messes like this:

He was NOT happy I was taking his picture.

Countdown to nursery . . .

James had his 15 mos check-up this week (3 more months until nursery!). To celebrate, he (and I) came down with a nasty case of the stomach flu. Just as I was starting to pride myself on the fact that he's only been sick twice in his entire life (both times in Utah), he came down with the flu. Go figure. Anyway, to celebrate his 15 month existence, here are a few of his favorite things.

James LOVES hats. He loves to say "hat," he loves to hold them, loves to put them on other people, but he does not like to wear them himself. Oh, and he also adores his dad. Here's a shot of Brian being a good sport:

James also loves to "tickle, tickle." Usually when he wakes up from a nap, as soon as I pick him up he'll put his arms around me and say "tickle, tickle" and start tickling my neck. He and Brian get in tickle wars almost daily.
James is starting to really love animals. His favorites are dogs and cats but he also loves birds, which he calls "caws" (because whenever we see them I tell him that's the sound they make). We went to Gatlinburg the other day (so overrated, in my opinion) and James had a good time chasing the pigeons. He freaked out when they flew away though. It was a combo of hilarious and so sad--he'd crouch down, put his hands over his head, and scream at the top of his lungs. He put on quite the show and had a crowd watching him after awhile.

His last favorite thing is his mother, of course. As sad as it was to see him sick this week, I kinda liked that I was the only thing he wanted the whole week. Of course, I'd take him being healthy any day. One reason I love this picture (ignore my weirdo look) is because it's one of the few pics where I think James looks like a Candrian. No offense to the Richmans, who are all nice looking. I just look for every excuse to think James is more like my side of the family.

James' growing is slowing down. In the last 3 months he only gained a couple pounds (although I swear he's gained 10) and he's grown about an inch and a half. He's now in the 35th percentile for weight (also mind-blogging to me) but the 65th for height.

Deals, deals and more deals!

Growing up, my parents drilled into my brain that every penny counts, so I've always been incredibly, almost overly, cost-conscious. But since we moved to Tennessee and I am no longer "working," I have become almost obsessed with living as economically as we can. At BYU, my multi-millionare financial planning professor always told us "Live like a student for 10 years after you are a student and you'll live like a king the rest of your life." Now that I think of it, it may be 20 years, but I'm really, really hoping it was only 10.

Anyway, I almost never pay full price for anything, but the last couple months I've scored better deals than I knew possible. Here are a few of them that I am rather proud of . . .

Thanks to my amazing friend Kimberly for introducing me to the wonderful world of Amazon.com for diaper shopping. I didn't come away quite as good as she did, but I didn't do too shabby either:

1036 diapers and 2160 wipes (not all pictured here).

Paid less than $22 (no taxes, no shipping).

*(I accidentally bought a box of scented wipes, which I can't stand, so if anyone out there actually likes scented wipes, let me know!)

A couple of months ago I bought this (Don't read into it. I am definitely NOT pregnant--it was just too good of a deal to pass up in preparation for "someday") on Babies R Us's ebay site :

Double Jogging Stroller

Paid $12.99 (included free shipping).

Normally priced at around $189.

CVS items (laundry detergents, dish soaps, shower gel, toothpaste, make-up)
Actual cost: $44; Paid: .56-cents

Last month I decided to start playing the "CVS game" that you used to hear about on the news all the time when the first wave of the financial meltown hit our economy. You know, the ladies who shop at CVS or Walgreens and come away with hundreds of dollars of items for mere pennies? Well, I was skeptical of it at first. I just didn't see how it was possible, but a lady here in Knoxville explained it to me and encouraged me to give it a try. Now I am a believer. I have to admit that every time I get a deal like this I feel guilty at first, like I am robbing the place. Then for a second I feel super embarassed for being so dang cheap. But then I think "Sheesh! Who cares about all of that--I just got an awesome deal!" and I walk away with a smile on my face and embrace my inner thriftiness.

Last but not least, here's my favorite deal of all. The last few months, every time I looked at our near empty living room the thought kept crossing my mind that instead of getting furniture to fill it, I should really look into getting a piano. I play the piano a little and so does Brian, but I'm not a musical person by any means so I looked at craigslist a few times and never saw a deal I wanted and then forgot about it--forgot about it until a woman in my ward sent an email saying she had a FREE piano to give away. Email-addict me, who normally checks email 10 times a day (a leftover bad habit from my working days of sitting in front of a computer for 8-12 hours a day), I didn't check my email all morning and didn't email her until several hours after she sent out the offer. I thought there was no way we'd have a chance, but lo and behold, the next day she called me saying out of the tons of people who emailed her, she wanted me to have it. Wow. A FREE piano! It's super old (built in 1920) and kinda quirky looking, but as Brian continually reminds me, a piano is a piano and this one was free. It actually sounds really lovely and I think it's safe to say we've already enjoyed it. Here's James tickling the ivory. Whenever I start playing, he gets upset until I pull him up on the bench with me.

So there are a few of my good deals. If you've scored any good ones lately I'd love to hear about them!

Ingenious (or just plain crazy) Ideas

James used to be the worst napper on the planet. When we lived in Virginia, luckily, he was young enough that he used to fall asleep in the car quite often (now the only time that happens is occasionally on the way home from church). Sometimes after running errands I'd find myself pulling up to our house with him asleep and I knew if I even so much as budged his carseat, he'd wake up, so I'd just leave the car running and sit in the front seat and read. Or if it was nice outside, I'd turn the car off and roll down the windows just to keep him sleeping. It was ridiculous the lengths I'd go to get that kid to stay sleeping and sometimes I found myself wishing that I could go inside and clean the entire house while he snoozed in the car.

Another thing that was hard for me was lugging around my baby's clunker of a carseat. I have a bad back so carrying around that heavy thing was torture for me and for some weird reason, I thought buckling him in and out of his carseat was the worst! I remember the week he was born, and therefore the first week we ever had to use a carseat, I made Brian do it most of the time and I even remember thinking "Anytime I want to go somewhere I have to go through all this!?! Are you kidding me!?!" For a formerly very independent and free girl who could go anywhere anytime she pleased, the very thought of all the ins and outs and buckling and unbuckling was enough to keep me from going anywhere most of the time. It seems funny to me now that I've buckled him in and out of his carseat thousands of times, and although it's still kind of annoying sometimes, it's mostly a breeze. But back then, when it was all brand new, I hated it more than anything and always wished there was a way to avoid it. Which brings me to my point (sorry it took so long): I know I can't be the only mother who wishes they didn't have to bother getting their kid(s) in and out of the carseat for a quick two minute errand. Or the only one who pulls up to their destination only to find that their kid has totally zonked out and oh geez, now what are you supposed to do? Do you drive around some more to keep them asleep or do you just get out and do what you need to do even though it will wake them up?

Some days I just wish I could leave James in the car SO badly just to make my errand quicker and easier (and quite frankly, to save my back). Of course, I know I'd most likely get arrested if I did that (and I'd be named unfit to have children), so it's obviously not even an option. But it got me thinking (plus, reading this blog affirmed that other mother's are thinking the same thing) that wouldn't it be awesome if there really was some way around all of that? One of my least favorite errands to run with James is going to the Post Office. The other day all I wanted to do was mail my sister her bday package but the package was too big to drop off in the mail boxes outside, so I had to go in. Well, the pull down dropper/bin on the wall near the entrance (if it has an official name, I don't know it) wouldn't open, so that meant I had to wait in a very long line with a squirmy little toddler, who refused to ride in his stroller, just to get my package to the right place. When I finally made it to the front of the line, 15 minutes later, I was so bugged and wanted to yell at the guy "Your drop off bin is jammed! Do you realize how difficult that has made my life?" And then I started thinking that the Post Office seriously needs to consider getting a drive-through window just like the banks have! How awesome would that be?

I know some grocery stores have delivery services, and I'm not so stretched thin that I need a full-service delivery for my groceries. And in all honesty, I actually love going to the grocery store. It's kind of relaxing for me and as weird as it sounds, if James could handle it, I could probably spend a couple hours there every time I go. But on those days where all I need is milk or eggs or some other random staple I completely forgot to get on my last trip, I sure wish there was a drive-through grocery window or a courier/curbside service where you can call ahead and say "Hi. I'm a mom and while my kid was screaming bloody murder through aisle #7 last Monday, I completely got side tracked and forgot to get milk. Here's my credit card #. Charge me and I'll be there in 10 minutes to pick it up." And then you'd just pull up to the store and some awesome grocery guy/girl would run it out to you. How awesome would that be?

Or, I guess what it all comes down to is that all I really need is a husband who doesn't work 100 hours a week so that he was actually home enough for me to run errands without my kid. Sigh. But seriously, a drive-through window at the Post Office or a curbside grocery pick-up would still make my life easier. Any one out there have any solutions to these types of things?

Birthdays and Word of the Day

It had to happen and it did. And now it's over. Thank goodness. One year older and wiser . . . or something like that.

It was a good day complete with semi-sleeping in (James sleeping until almost 8, followed by two naps later in the day), Brian being post-call and therefore getting most of the day off, an awesome foot massage by a random Chinese man, lots of J-Crew from my siblings (they know me well), many phone calls from wonderful friends and family, dinner at my new favorite restaurant in Knoxville, finding out we're getting back every cent we paid in last year's taxes and then some, and lots of hugs (and a slobbery kiss) from my sweet little boy.

And just to make you smile, a picture of this darling child. I love, love, love this boy! He learns a new word just about every day but today's word is my favorite in awhile. Today he learned how to say "salsa." He takes a chip, asks for the salsa and then proceeds to dip it like a pro. Definitely my son.

James and 30

For waiting so long to get a single tooth, James is sure making up for lost time. He is currently getting eight teeth. EIGHT! Four have popped through and the other four are right behind them. I feel so bad for him because I know he's hurting big time and I don't blame him for his recent crankiness. I can't ever get a shot with his top teeth showing. But he looks like a little vampire sometimes. Ignore the dirty face, please.

I love the way this kid looks when he wakes up in the morning. You can make fun of us for using one of those halo-sleep sacks. Someone in our house is still afraid of putting blankets in his crib(hint: it's not me). I'm not sure James would be able to fall asleep without it though. In the mornings he'll often walk around wearing it like a cape.

Here he is with a ball he stole from church (I put it back this morning, don't worry).

This little tri-stacker toy is the best five bucks I ever spent. It entertains James (and any other kid that comes to our house) for hours. I got it on clearance at Marshalls and I wouldn't have given it a second glance if James hadn't kept reaching for it, but I'm glad I gave in because I'm not sure what we ever did without it.

Stacking blocks obviously requires serious concentration:

Lastly, I'm not normally one to advertise my birthday, because who does that? But tomorrow I hit the big 3-0. I go back and forth between wanting to cry and wanting to celebrate. I'll let you know what actually ends up happening (actually, if it's crying I'll probably keep it to myself). Why is getting older so hard/weird/uhg/dramatic/dreaded!?! I know it's an inevitable part of life but sometimes I wish we could hit a pause button if we'd like to stay a certain age for longer than is standard if we're happy with the way it is going. My late 20s have been good to me and I don't think staying in them longer is too much to ask!

So, happy Valentine's Day to everyone and happy birthday to Andrea, my favorite person in the whole wide world. I wish you could be here with me so we could turn this weird new age together.

All Good Things Must Come to an End

*I started this post almost a year ago and totally forgot about it until tonight when I was going through drafts of posts. Anyone else have any past-favorites to add to the list?


As soon as I start really liking a product, without fail the company that produces it will discontinue it almost immediately. Here are a few of those favorite things:

Blistex Spa Effects chapsticks (These were awesome. They came in a three-pack, blue, green, and yellow and all had a hint of eucaliptis and tropical fruit, but not cheap plastic-tasting fruit. Nothing but yummy goodness. I still have two of them and dread when they're gone).

Bath and Body Works daffodil fields lotion (Have you ever smelled a daffodil? They stink. Like really stink. But this lotion had the mildest, non-flowery smell and I loved it)

Loreal Shine Delice Coconut Craze lipstick (I'm a sucker for lip products. Probably because I feel like if I don't put anything on, I look like I just rolled out of bed. This shade was my favorite of all times. Loreal doesn't make any shine delice products any longer, but a few are still available on Ebay and Amazon--not this one unfortunately).

Pushing Daisies TV series (This was clever. So very clever. There was nothing else like it on TV. Although I do admit, the plot line could only go so far).

Arrested Development TV series. Funny, funny stuff. If you haven't watched it, you may not know what real humor is. Buster is my favorite.


These ones go way back . . .

Nabisco Quackers crackers. Although I was a goldfish crackers kid growing up, I remember these crackers being so much more flavorful and delicious. They came in cheddar and sour cream and chive and I ate them by the boxful.

PBMaxx cookies. These were square with a thick cookie layer, tons of peanut butter and covered in chocolate. I remember them only coming with 4 in a box and not lasting long at our house. My mom always hid them in a special lower snack cupboard behind our kitchen island and when I thought no one else was around I would sit behind the island and eat them in secret. All of them. And then instead of throwing the box away, I'd just leave it in the cupboard hoping no one would know it was me that ate them all. I'm not sure of the logic behind that one.

General Mills Ice Cream Cone Cereal. I just remember these being super fun to eat and super delicious. If I close my eyes I can still taste it.

Cookies and Creme Twix: There are rumors that this is back, but I have yet to see it in any store. Growing up, we lived just a couple blocks from a Dan's grocery store, so during the summers we would walk up almost daily and waste our money on something we didn't need. Like a whole box of twixes (back when they sold them in boxes) that I would devore all by myself.

Lifesaver Holes: I think these were short-lived. They were probably pointless, but I thought they were the coolest candy ever and I got so excited buying the little canister they came in. I'm having a harder and harder time even finding regular packs of lifesavers in stores these days.

Crystal Pepsi: This was a dumb thing to like. I didn't even like regular Pepsi and I still don't. I just remember these was possibly the first items I ever bought from a vending machine. Andrea and I used to get them in middle school and we thought they were the best things ever. We were such nerds.

Okay, here's a really random/funny one . . . Swan's Crossing: I'm proud to say I have never watched a soap opera in my life--unless you count this show. It was somewhat of a soap opera for kids, starring Sarah Michelle-Gellar and some other 90s teens stars. They do some random dance to a song called "Gotta Grow Up" in the intro that I just re-watched on youtube and totally remember thinking was the coolest. Ahhh, memories!

Please share your favorite things--I'd love to hear them!