Oh brother.

Conversation between Tatum (4) and I while Grant was in the bath.

Tatum: Can you get him out so I can dump the water from his tub?

Me: Just a sec, I need to wash his bum and penis.

T: It's called a weenie, mom.

Me: Oh really? Who told you that?

T: Hannah. (her cousin, 3)

Me: Hmmm. Why was she talking about weenies?

T: Because Colby has one. (Hannah's brother, 1)

Me: Oh. Well, where was Colby?

T: Taking a nap at Grandma's house. We were upstairs in Grandma's bathroom.

Me: .......

Yikes.

From BABY girl to BIG girl :(((

------>>>>>>>>

My baby girl is growing up! :((( She is my only girl that doesn't have her ears pierced. I have never let any of their hair get this long before the first trim. I don't want her to grow up! But, since I haven't invented that time stopping machine, I guess I will have to let her.

Before

During

After

She was a little freaked out by holding her hair at first.

Oh my gosh, she looks so much like Megan!!

Oils

A few weeks ago Will, Grant and I flew to Kansas City, MO to see my brother, Ross, graduate from medical school (KCUMB).

It was so much fun to go and see family.

My sister, Megan lives in St. George, KS (near Manhattan, KS).

They are only about 2 hours apart from each other.

Chelsea, Hannah, Colby, my parents and us all flew out there on the same flight and Paula flew out at the same time from Vegas.

We flew into Kansas City, MO and then drove to Megans in a rental and Ross and Lindsay's other car.

We got to stay with Megan for 2 nights in her house and explore her cute little town.

My favorite part was going to the Friendship House and getting their home made breads and cinnamon rolls!

If it weren't for the scary tornado's that would be a really great place to live!

We headed back to Kansas City where we met up with Jay, Mike and Jackie at Ross and Lindsay's. Dad, Mom, Mike, Jackie, Megan, Adalyn, Ellie, Claire, Paula, Will, Grant and I shared 2 hotel rooms (yeah, it was a little crazy).

Jay, Chelsea, Hannah and Colby stayed with Ross, Lindsay, Braden and Cashel at their little apartment.

It was such a blast to hang out with everyone.

There is always a lot of laughing involved!

It sure does make it nice that all of can easily laugh at ourselves.

It makes the teasing a lot more fun!!

Ross's graduation was on Saturday morning and was such a great commencement ceremony!

I am very proud of Ross (and Lindsay, too) for making it through this difficult time of schooling.

On Sunday, we visited Liberty Jail visitor's center and went to Independence, Mo. Liberty Jail was very moving.

Independence was also very interesting!

On Monday, we went to Far West, MO and Adam-ondi-Ahman.

Those were both very spiritual experiences.

Will and I both really want to go back again and spend a little more time.

At around 4 am on the Saturday morning,

Grant fussed and so I fed him and went back

to sleep, when we got up to get ready for the

graduation, he would not nurse at all.

He hadn't been feeling well since we flew out.

In fact, he had projectile vomited all over

Will the morning we flew out (around 4 am)

and then again on the plane. He had a fever too,

poor guy.

He didn't nurse that day for hours.

I don't think he ever fully nursed that

day or the next day. I was so engorged

on Saturday night that I had to hand

express, since I didn't take my pump.

That was not fun. I did that several times

on Sunday and a couple times Monday.

He just did not want to nurse. He did

eat some baby food throughout the day and

would snack on cheerios, but that's it.

By the time we flew out on Monday night,

I was so uncomfortable and one spot

was starting to burn on the right side.

As soon as we got home around 10 pm,

I pumped a full 16 ounces!

But the burning only intensified.

The next morning my skin was red and

hot to the touch and swollen in that

spot. Grant was still not wanting to

consistently nurse, so I pumped each

time I tried feeding him. He didn't really

want to take a bottle either.

That day, I rubbed 1 drop of my doTerra 100% CPTG Melaleuca oil on the red spot. A website I looked at recommended Melaleuca for Mastitis. I really did not want to have to go to the dr and get an antibiotic, but it did not look promising. That night, I rubbed it again with 1 drop.

I was planning to do it again on Wednesday morning, but when I woke up, the redness was almost completely gone and so was the swelling. It was still a little tender, but not as bad as it had been. I decided not to use the oil and see what happened. By that night, it was completely back to normal in looks and only minutely tender in that spot AND Grant nursed for a complete session!!!

By Thursday, my skin was completely healed and no pain at all!!! I am so totally convinced. I love my doTerra oils!

(If you want to learn more, visit my doTerra store page. If you want to buy some oil at wholesale prices, let me know!)

JA Biztown

On Monday, Will and I volunteered to help out with the 5th Grade JA Biztown field trip. It is SO cool! The kids prepare for weeks ahead of time learning how to keep a check book and interviewing for the job they want, etc. They even hold elections for the town mayor and for the news anchor. Mariah ran for news anchor of BZTV against 10 of her classmates and was the campaign manager for her friend that ran for mayor. Neither of them were elected, but they had so much fun making signs and things! Mariah ended up scoring her 2nd choice job as camera operator at BZTV!

The town consists of 19 businesses that are sponsored by businesses in the area. I oversaw the Best Buy in town and Will oversaw Intel. Each of the kids had to open their Key Bank checking and savings accounts and manage their own money.

Each student had their own job. Each business had a CEO and CFO and they had responsibilities all laid out for them. The kids earned a salary and got paid twice during the day. They were given 2 break periods where they could use their JA bucks to purchase items from the stores in town. There was also a little cafe that they could purchase a cup of soda or popcorn/chips all run by the students!

Best Buy sold small electronic things like light wands, calculators and light up jewelry. The kids could buy things to take home from NW Sports store, like a full size basketball, soccer ball, etc. They also had water bottles and things. There was also an Animal Shelter where you could adopt a "pet" that you got to keep. (Stuffed, of course.) Mariah bought a virtual pet from Best Buy and then bought a soda on each break.

It was such a fun day and all the kids seemed to really enjoy themselves. During Mariah's first break, we were eating (the lunches we brought with us) at the cafe and this boy comes to the counter and orders his soda and then turns toward us and says "This is SO COOL! Kinda like a birthday party....only 500 times BETTER!!!"

Mariah's 5th Grade class with her teacher, Miss Cuddy. Mariah and BF's Svetlana and then Alex

The mayor giving a speech at the opening town meeting

Young Women in Action

A few months ago, Mariah's school started up the annual YW in Action club. They are about "empowering young women to realize their full potential in all aspects of life".

Today they got to take an after school field trip to a local cosmetology school where they each got their hair styled by a student. Then the school gave each girl a "swag bag". It had lots of free stuff in there to encourage personal hygiene, etc. I was really surprised and so grateful for those that took the time to put all of this together. These 5th graders need some encouragement!

ok, just one teaser

Maybe I'll get it sent out one of these years!

To blog or not to blog....

I went through a really weird time during my pregnancy with Grant. I don't know how to explain it without writing a novel, but I have been feeling much more like myself over the last month or so and have been getting the itch to blog again.

With my type A personality, I have the urge to go back and play catch up, but I have convinced the inner me to let it go and start from today and go forward. I am not making any promises, but here goes.... (ok, maybe tomorrow. It's late and I'm tired. LOL!)