Moving sale!!!!

moving sale lots of awesome stuff. 8-noon. Sept 24
2581 s 1400 w Rexburg 83440
first come first serve, if interested please just come by.

irst come first serve, if interested please just come by.

 

Bomb.com pasta with italian sausage and queso fresco

So I didn't take the picture but the recipe is a total hit of my own creation and it was BOMB.
Momma JoAnn Sevy's sugu sauce-use what you need for the pasta then freeze the rest :)
(((1 onion chopped fine but not minced
1 tbl garlic minced
1 can tomato pure-use this can for 1 can of water
1 can tomato sauce
couple handlefulls parsley
1 tbl salt/pep
1 tbl sugar(my own twist on the recipe)
Cook onion and garlic down. Add the rest, boil, then simmer til desired thickness.)))

3 cups pasta of your preference
italian sausage-cooked
**queso fresco-(the whole wheel)
1 tbl sweet basil
1 tbl parsley
Cook all together. The longer it sits the better! This lasted us like 3 days. Total crowd pleaser. :D

Not a full day at church but still a full day in the gospel

This may not be a big deal to some but I'm a really literal person and as most who know me would agree I'm obedient to a fault...That makes going to church for the full 3 hours..or the fact that I haven't attended a full block in months a very weird and confusing reality. It's not for lack of wanting to be there. I've just joined the club of moms in the church that going to church with a baby is rough. I enjoy it, mommy hood, but I've had to lower my expectations of the physical attendance and put more emphasis on the spiritual attendance.

I called my sister asking how church works with babies because Lucy used to let me get through all three hours, then it dropped to through most of sunday school, and now she has enough patience for the sacrament and maybe the rest of that meeting before she melts down. She said to just do your best because that's all anyone can ask.

I felt guilty for not going the whole time when I knew there are moms and dads that have done this for eons. My situation is peculiar though because Thomas is in a singles ward bishopric and therefore not readily available to just take Lucy during the meetings.

I started to ask myself what was the point of going to church for me. Not in a defeatist mindset, but more like why am I going. Is it so I can say I was physically there though I wasn't getting any of the lessons and Lucy was screaming thus ending in me going home and putting her down for a nap? What's the reason we go to church? The main reason is to partake of the sacrament. The rest of the meetings are for the edifying of the members...since my mom in law broke her foot she has been using most of her time to prepare her gospel doctrine lessons. She runs them by me and figures out what direction she is supposed to teach the lesson and I get the lesson for the week in a more intimate setting.

I decided that Sundays I would have no expectations. I would accept how ever long Lucy slept in the morning, take her to the temple grounds before church if there was time, be there for the sacrament and then stay for as much of the meeting, getting out of it what I could, and then when she was in total hysterics I would take her home. Then when home and during her before-church naps I would study the lessons and read from other gospel works.

I want to stay with Lucy and perhaps it would be easier to stay if I weren't the only mom at church, but either way I'm still trying to be as committed as I can. I don't want to start any bad habits and when she is older and able to stay awake for a little longer you can believe I'll be back the whole time.

Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest. I don't know what that is supposed to mean because just like in the mission, Sunday is anything but a day of rest. So I have to really work and plan for it in order to be restful. It's ironic but it's quiet, Lucy is sleeping, I've been able to partake of the sacrament and treasure it more because that is sometimes all I get. I hope to return back soon for the full time and be physically active as well as spiritually active, but for now, what is in my heart will have to do.

I was given a blessing once that told me many have been wounded due to Satan's lies and my heart shall feel and know forgiveness. I had a thought come to me this morning that I will experience the temptations that others go through so that I will feel for those that struggle and know forgiveness. I don't act on the temptations I face but in my mind going home early from church is a rough choice but now I understand that people have all kinds of circumstances and hopefully hearts are in the right place. Those who know me well know I love to participate and add insights and learn from the lessons at church but I'm not able to be there right now, so one on one time with the Spirit will be my lessons.

Colds, sunburns, sins, and choices.

I had an ahaha moment that applies to two things we can suffer from in this world...colds and sunburns. In both cases as soon as we have them we want them GONE as quick as we got them.

We should view ours sins the same way. We should eagerly run to the Savior to be cleansed from our weaknesses and shortcomings.

Instead, I've noticed the trend today is, "I was born this way, I can't change." We would never say that about a cold or a sunburn. We would never let the cold or sunburn own us and hang onto it for dear life.

In conjunction with these thoughts they piggy back President Monson's last talk in conference that history turns on small hinges, being choices.

I've had recent experience that when we make a choice to do something different, our lives change. Good choices lead to good habits, bad choices lead to enslavement.

I made it a goal two weeks ago to delete fb off my phone and for the most part, I've done decent with it. The times I slipped was when I chose to put it back on my phone and it sucked my time away. When I didn't have it on my phone I found myself doing other things that made me feel more productive. I been strongly tempted to go back to a phone that only receives calls and texts, except I like my notes app and being able to reference pinterest at the store.

I also made it a goal to do a daily exercise. I'm surprised how easily this one has happened because I hate exercise, but it's actually getting easier.

I'm also reading physical books, and it's helping me break free from constant technology which is stealing our attention.

If we do something, it will happen. If we don't, nothing changes.

I also made it a goal when I'm sitting and need to get something from across the room, I used to think, "I don't want to get up and get it ALLLL the way over there." Now I just get up and I'm not surprisingly more active. It would drive me nuts when my students needed something and wouldn't get up and get it because it required effort...I noticed they became MORE sluggish and those that just got up were happier, more productive, and furthered their talents. The mindset and actions are totally interconnected. 

Not having success at something in your life? Make the physical changes that aren't happening. Otherwise, stay a prisoner.

Once you sin, eagerly run to have it cleansed. Don't hold onto it. It will change you from the master to a slave.

Stay at home mom starting tomorrowish

Tomorrow is my last day of work for at least a very very very very long time. It's my last day as a high school art teacher and at around 1 pm I will officially start the new job title of Stay at home mom.

My plans are to live life to the fullest and show Lucy all this world has to offer.

This brings me to the part of the Relief Society motto I want to make my theme: "We are beloved spirit daughters of God and our lives have meaning, purpose, and direction."

Too often I heard the accusation growing up about stay at home moms "What does she do all day?" Well as my mom in law is a stay at home mom, she is one of the busiest women I know. She is there when people need service. She is the first responder when Thomas and I need a quick sitter for Lucy. She keeps her home a place where people love to congregate and stay, often at the sacrifice of personal comfort. She also studies the gospel more than any person I know. She is the epitome of living her life with meaning, purpose, and direction as it always seems directed toward serving others and beautifying her environment in a practical way.

I made 3 simple goals on sunday during sacrament meeting.
1) Delete facebook from my phone, keep messenger so people could reach me, and only check it once a day and post paintings and pics....aka...limit my facebook time immensely!

2) Read from physical books.

3) One exercise a day, whether that be simply walking, stretches, or what not.


I found myself this week naturally doing these things. I quit using fb as much and all the sudden I had things to do in its place.

This didn't happen over night. It took weeks of thought and prayer telling Heavenly Father that I knew I was addicted to fb and I knew this world had so much amazingness to offer that I needed help in getting there. I picked goals that were simple, attainable, and did not have a time frame. They also require simple actions.

I'm not a perfectionist, but I plan to make sure my home is clean...actually clean with cleaner. Bed made. Food made and trying new recipes and making clothes and essentially just always trying to better myself.


Above all else I want to dedicate myself to Lucy. I've become a fairly selfish human being and I want to be more selfless. Now that I have a child that took 4 years to get, my biggest goal and a little more abstract to follow...never take her for granted. The thing I can make a goal for is quickly repenting when I get frustrated with her.

I'm not perfect, but this is how I'm using the Atonement to help me as best I understand it. Channeling that enabling power to become who I know is best for Lucy and her future siblings and Thomas, the best thing to come into my life and asked me to stay in his.

I've coined a new phrase. "Familyist". I'm interested in what makes the family better and fighting for its rights. Because in the end we are all about family or we are nothing at all.

Lucy, I'm home!

The Pregnancy

Well after 3 miscarriages and almost 4 years later, we finally got to experience one of life's greatest and for us, most anticipated joys. We brought a little girl into the world.

My pregnancy was overall an enjoyable experience. I did have a few weeks of morning sickness, but it was during the summer when I could literally do nothing and get away with it so that was a blessing. I did have pizza cravings, sweets, and breakfast was something that i actually wanted. Pop tarts especially...weird.

Thanksgiving I was 7 months and according to my mom and sister I looked only 4. At 9 months, I looked like I swallowed a basketball, but I turned out to be one of those women who got lucky enough to not show from behind and when I sat down my belly kind of did a disappearing act.

I had occasional heart burn but not nearly as bad as others I'd heard about. The most peculiar part for me was back pain because of where it was and what it felt like. Middle top, and felt like someone was jabbing a wooden spoon in my back, or more familiar to most...when you swallow something that was too big and it gets stuck in your throat...that was super comfortable.

But overall, I was really lucky and am forever grateful.

My doctors Merideth and Codd were AWESOME!!! As were the Seasons womens center nurses. I recommend them to EVERYONE. Codd performed my surgery that we believe is what made this possible. Merideth delivered Lucy.

The Induction

Lucy was due Sunday Feb 7th but we went to the hospital Monday Feb 8th at 630 to induce her. The first thing I said to the nurses was that I wanted to schedule my epidural and they all started laughing. I told them I wasn't in pain now but I planned to avoid it as much as possible. My nurse Jill was awesome, in fact they all were :)

They got me hooked up to an IV and Meredith broke my water. That was an interesting experience and not painful but surprising. I didn't even know it had happened until my whole bed was soaking, which was fine because the hospital had towels and sheets for all that. Then they started me on pitosin. They wouldn't give me the epidural until I'd experienced some major contractions on my own for some reason. I got to a 4 and had to go the bathroom and that's when I started to experience painful pressure. I think the worst part of a contraction is it's inescapable pain/major discomfort. The only thing that helped was being bent over and at one point I thought I'm just going to give birth on the potty lol.

To get my through the contractions Thomas and I started watching NCIS to take my mind off things which turned out to be a bad idea because I had to focus too much during a contraction. So we put on a bugs life and Princess bride. Both I'm super familiar with and they were my saving graces.

Fortunately they ok'd my epidural at a 4 and the anethesiologist was really good. He said if I could handle the IV no problem then getting the epi was no big, and he was right. Then again I was going through according to Thomas one of the biggest I'd had yet so perhaps it was masked. I'll never know. Either way it wasn't bad at all.
 They told me to sleep as much as I could since I was going to need my strength for later. BOY were they right. It was actually really pleasant listening to familiar movies while falling asleep.

It started to work by making my feet feel like lead, then my legs, then tingling, then totally dead. The hardest part honestly of the whole experience was not being in control of my lower half and that was totally weird and scary. I knew no one would but I felt like I could have been taken advantage of. The epidural also made me really sleepy. I could move my feet, but the scariest part was when Thomas and the nurse would hold my legs to check dilation and  empty my bladder, I literally felt nothing and it was just weird...your eyes seeing someone touch you and not feel it. It just totally weirded me out and I had to close my eyes and plug my ears for some parts. It also worked with gravity so where ever was pointed down the most got the most numbing.

I was amazed and nervous when they would come to check my dilation because I seemed to jump so fast. By 4 pm I was a 9.5 and I thought oh my gosh I'm about to have a baby...augh!!! Though as exciting and all it was, I was getting super sleepy and by the time it was time to push I had my eyes closed until I felt pressure during a contraction and then the deep breath, and then pushing hard even though I couldn't feel where I was pushing for 10 seconds each time for 3 times.

I pushed for about 2 hours and they got an oxygen mask on me and they gave me stuff for nausea and low blood pressure. It was interesting because I felt like at one point I knew when to push and pretty much directed it. The changing of the guard happened just before I delivered so all the sudden I went from 1 nurse to 5 in my room. They all introduced themselves and I was like, yea, uh huh, hi I'm in lala land. Anyway, I got a little too good at pushing because just before she was fully out Dr. Meredith told me to stop pushing and I didn't hear him, so Thomas had to tell me to stop due to the cord being wrapped around her once....yay only once!

They also told me since she had pooped in the womb they didn't want her to cry so they could suction out her lungs and when she came out she started crying and I immediately started to say Don't cry!! Don't cry! Cuz I didn't want her to get an infection.

The only thing birth plan wise was I wanted a clean baby and they didn't give me a clean baby but that was ok because once they put her on my chest I grabbed her and just wept. I wasn't sure if I was going to be one of those that instantly was in love with their child or if it would take a second....I wept uncontrollably with joy and disbelief. I was so grateful she was here and healthy and even cooler I started to soothe her and she soothed immediately with my touch. Nothing beats it. Welcome to earth life Lucy Araminta at 7 lbs 1 oz, 21 inches long, 6:32 pm!!! 

Thomas was a total champ during the whole thing since he was on my right side holding my leg and he got to see the whole thing...I'm sure an experience he'll never forget. He cut the umbilical cord and when they said the placenta was coming out I turned away. I didn't want to see it.

Dr. Meredith stitched me up after telling me I'd torn a 2 and I thought how interesting sine I didn't feel it. Still didn't feel him stitching me up. Well done everyone!

Coming home and first night back

The most note worthy part about staying at the hospital was my inability to sleep because they said they'd only bring her to me if she needed to be fed...in my mind that was every 2-3 hours.  So I anticipated it and it never happened til 5 in the morning so I didn't sleep because of it. Although it was annoying because around 1 I needed help going to the restroom but I didn't want to wake Thomas who was already on those stupid modern couch bed things and probably wasn't sleeping well anyway, and when I finally got brave enough to call for the nurse, the first time she didn't hear me and so the second time I buzzed twice so there would be no mistake.


As I said on a different post, the drive home was weird because everything familiar to me seemed new from the city to our house.

When we went to bed we put her in my sisters sleep and play and like a paranoid new mom I watched her like a hawk to make sure she was still breathing. Getting her to sleep was hard unless I put her on the crook of my arm and laid in bed with her. Probably not the safe thing since I could have crushed her or smothered her with blankets or something, but alas that was the first night.

The next night Thomas couldn't wake me one morning early early to feed her(which I was still getting the hang of and was super sore) and I felt rested when I woke, leaving him totally exhausted and I felt supppppper guilty because I let her go 8 hours without food because of my comatose, so the whole day she got even with me by snacking more...equaling painful feeding.....

Happily!....we tried setting alarms for 3 and 7 am for feedings and by this point Lucy was used to the sleep and play from my sister so sleep for her wasn't a problem, if we fed her prior to bed. We woke up that 3rd morning feeling so good! Lucy ate like a champ and we felt like we'd found the key...or at least I had. Thomas is still catching up on sleep.


Favorite things about her thus far

Unfortunately she got a little jaundice but that's an easy fix if caught early and she is probably at the peak now coming down.

She does what we call the motorcyle legs. The girl is all legs...wonder where she got it :)  

 Nana Brooksby in a 3 generation picture.

 This tall drink of water is more of a shot glass but just you wait!

We made an appearance at the stake married student dance just 4 days after she was born. Funny thing is I still look pregnant in this picture, and I'm not going to show you what I really look like but needless to say I'm already back in my normal jeans. Don't worry though, I have a little pooch still :)

Just love these two :)


She also whimpers and squeaks and it's super cute.
Obviously, she and I get the most cuddle time out of anyone and she smells so good! Except when she fluffs or farts and then she is pepi le pew.
When she gets a burp up or is able to poop I say "good girl!"Well you could tell I'd been around her for 3 days because when Thomas burped I almost said "Good job Thomas!" in a baby coo but I caught myself. We got a good laugh out of that.

Either way we love her. People ask us where we got the name. I loved the show I Love Lucy growing up because she was funny. Thomas and I both love the movie While you were sleeping with Sandra Bullock who plays Lucy-no need to explain..just go watch it if you need explanation. We also love Lucy from Lion Witch and the Wardrobe because of her faith and conviction but still human quality.
Araminta is Thomas's great grandma's name from his mom's side and that's where Lucy got her middle name. 


Lessons learned from the hard past just make her more worth it now.
As many of you know, Thomas and I experienced 3 miscarriages before we got lucky enough to have Lucy. Those were painful experiences but I learned compassion, empathy, and more faith in the plan of salvation because of them.
During the pregnancy when I thought something might be off I didn't freak out. Instead I told the Lord that I had no control over what was happening inside me and that I was going to put it in his hands. Talk about peace as a personal choice and the blessings from it.
I also felt patient during most of the pregnancy because it had taken so long to get there that I reveled in the experience and was finally one of the girls that walked around town with a belly. To each their own right?
Even more I don't freak out about things yet that might be wrong and I feel it's a tender mercy from the Lord. I know there will be PLENTY of days where I want to pull my hair out or will feel overwhelmed, but for right now, I have support a plenty and an awesome husband who I love seeing with Lucy.
Life is not easy and sometimes just down right sucks, but I know that when we put our faith in God's plan things are much easier for us, peace of mind and heart are invaluable.