SFL 355 Chapter 3 Project Video Clips

For those of you wondering, I am posting these videos here for an assignment I have.  So just enjoy =)

"Ben's Playhouse Part 1"

"Ben's Playhouse Part 2"

"Ben's Truck"

"Isabelle Changing Diaper"

Fun stuff!

The latest happenings at our house:
-Isabelle & Ben are both doing the same 4-H clubs this time, which makes it super easy on us!  They do a creative food club on Monday and a basketball club on Tuesday.  They both LOVE it!  Well except the first day of basketball when Isabelle got hit in the face =(  but she recovered and had fun the next week.  And Ben has learned some sweet basketball moves!
-I have FINALLY found the perfect shampoo and conditioner.  It is Dove and I buy it in bulk at Costco.  Life Changing!  Well more accurately Hair Changing!  So many less knots now =)
-We went to Cache Valley for Easter with Matt's family & Andrew came along.  It was a lot of fun being with family.  The kids enjoyed the Easter Egg hunt a lot!
-I spent the night at the hospital last night =/  Here is the whole story....
*I went to class Monday morning and was fine.  I attended my next class (STATS) and my back started to hurt, and of course I'm a dummy and just thought it was how I was sitting.  Nice try stupid head!  Class ended and I realized my kidneys were being little stinkers.  I went to my STATS Lab and had to leave in the middle of that because my back was killing me.  By the time I made it to the car and had called Matt I knew that I was going to have to head to the ER.  Thankfully there was an ER right by campus that I could go to.  Matt said he would meet me there & I called my Mom to distract me from the pain so I could finish my drive safely.
*I made it to the ER and the pain that was already horrific pretty much exploded and I'm sure that everyone in the waiting room was like get me away from the lady who is dying because I'm sure we will catch whatever she has...thankfully stones aren't catching.  Thankfully Matt got there shortly!
*I went back to the treatment room and was given pain meds, didn't help, so they gave me more, didn't help so they gave me more....are we seeing a trend???  They couldn't give me the really good stuff until they talked to a urologist so I patiently waited, whimpering on the outside and cursing them to the fiery pits of Hades in my head.  Rational thinking & pain don't go well together!
*They then told me that they were going to keep me overnight for pain management.  Basically nothing they could give me over the counter would help...bummer.  The only times I have stayed in the hospital was when I gave birth.  This was a weird experience.  But all of my nurses rocked!!!  Seriously such great care!  My urologist came and visited me and told me my surgery was scheduled for the next morning.
*Andrew came to visit and help Matt give me a blessing.  So thankful for these men and that they hold the Priesthood!!!  Mallory also came to visit later that night and brought us frosty's from Wendy's.  She is pretty awesome in every way!  Matt and Mal left and I finally was brought my medicine (the ones I take everyday) about 11:30.  The pharmacy was being extremely slow =(  I had a really hard time sleeping.  My IV kept getting kinked and so the machine would start beeping.  And apparently I don't breathe well at night so the oxygen monitor would beep at me too.  Then my IV was low, so that started beeping.  Seriously....the beeping NEVER ended!  It was a long/very short night of no sleep.
*I got woken up at 6:30 and they took me to the OR prep room.  I remembering getting some medicine to make me loopy, and then vaguely remember them wheeling me to the OR and having me move to a different bed.  But I can't be really sure that actually happened.  The next thing I knew a nurse was waking me up and I felt AWFUL!  I have never felt so awful after a surgery.  My whole body was going to explode with anxiety and my mouth and throat felt tight.  It was like a living nightmare.  The anxiety lessened but didn't officially go away for a few hours afterwards.  It was horrible!  When I got back to my room and with Matt I got really claustrophobic and apparently was trying to take off my gown and was scratching and took my blood pressure cuff off and threw it on the ground.  Haha!  Totally want to see that in replay one day!  Unfortunately I have scratches now on my abdomen and legs...worse reaction to anesthetics.  I still feel that tightening in my chest, now 10 hours later, and worry about the anxiety.  Hopefully by tomorrow I will be fine!
*The doctor took out the stone, and he put it in a jar and gave it to Matt.  After my surgery I passed a smaller one and the nurse saved that one too.  We need to keep them cause those suckers are EXPENSIVE!  Haha!  Matt and I took a walk and then I got to eat some lunch.  I chose oatmeal cause that stuff is good!  And I didn't want to eat anything too crazy on my empty, medicated stomach.  Then I finally fell asleep and slept for a good while.  When I got up I was hungry but opted to leave and not wait around for hospital food.  So happy to have that experience over with.  Oh and just as I was changing to get ready to go home....guess who started her period? No, not Matt, but good guess!  Haha...me!!!  I mean really?????  Couldn't that have waited just a couple more days.  And I also have burning due to the stone extraction so that makes it even more fun.  I know, you guys are all so jealous!
*So where were the kids all this time???  Well it just so happens that it is their Spring Break this week and since Matt has work, and I have school, they wanted to go to Matt's parents in Cache Valley.  A huge blessing!  But I miss them.  And wish they were here =(  Hopefully I will talk to them soon...like now...I'm trying to convince Matt to call his mom as I type =)
*Yay!  He is calling!!!
-Winter semester ends in 2 weeks and I am SO excited!  I am going Spring term, but it's like half a semester so it will be over faster =)

The pursuit of Happiness

It was SO nice outside yesterday!  Matt and I went to Costco last night and as we were leaving I felt the familiar hot air they have blowing just before the exit and then I automatically braced myself for the cold.  I didn't even think about it, it was just an automatic response.  But guess what???  It wasn't cold!!!!  I about cried I was so happy!!!  Just thought I would share that little sparkle of sunshine with ya!

How happy was I???  

As happy as Ben (Kindergarten) when we let him order ribs!

Throwback Thursday: 2005

Ben didn't get upset until Matt made him sit for a picture.  He was enjoying his butter scalp massage.  Isabelle is now taking appointments.  She's only available on the weekends & you must come to our house =)  Excellent masseuse I tell ya!

P.S.  This is what happens when mom leaves dad in charge ;)

Cultural Diorama: Artsy Mama Who Swims Like a Fish!

Bright Colors and Creativity!

I love taking on new projects around my home.  This is a picture of the table and chairs that I painted and recovered.  I like to think that no project is too big for me.  Growing up I feel that I was able to express my creativity.  My dad is an artist and my mom claims we get all of our creativity from him.  I beg to differ; I think she is pretty creative herself.  We had works of art around our home, and you could always find my dad painting.  I like to express myself through objects I place in my home.  These chairs are bright and cheery and I love the fun element they bring to our kitchen.  I relieve a lot of stress through my creativity and I love completing a project that I have had on my mind for awhile.

Chlorine High!

I started swim lessons when I was four years old.  My dad was my coach.  Throughout my childhood and high school I was a swimmer.  It was a big part of our lives.  We had swim practice during the week and swim competitions on weekends.  I love the feeling of lightness in the water.  I absolutely love the smell of chlorine, it always makes me a little homesick and nostalgic.  The best relaxation comes to me through water.  When I have a stressful day you can most likely find me taking a nice hot bath, or in the pool at the gym.  I love that my kids are in swim lessons and enjoy being in water just as much as I do.   

I Love Being a Mom!

My life revolves around these two little cuties!  I am blessed to be a mother.  Isabelle is 9 years old, and Ben is 8 years old.  I grew up with an amazing mom.  I wanted to be just like her when I grew up.  Becoming a mom for the first time was a monumental moment for me.  I was living my dream!  I want to be at home as much as I can with them.  Now that I am going to school I try to work my schedule around theirs.  I like being home when they are home and I enjoy sending them off to school in the morning.  It is extremely important to me that I be highly involved in their lives. So far I have been able to accomplish this and still go to school full-time.  My parents instilled in me the importance of family, and were always there for me growing up.  I hope that my children feel this same importance through my example.

School Blog Project

Within the next day or so (okay maybe today, who knows!)  I will be posting my Cultural Diorama for my Multicultural class.  It is just a few pictures that describe my and my culture.  Just so you know what is going on when it goes up!  Hoping for an A, so keep your fingers crossed!!!!!  And it will be very interesting, so you should probably read it =)  Just saying.

Random picture of Ben.  

He was welcoming in the year 2012.  

Yup it`s a year old, but it makes me laugh, so that`s basically all that matters.

Busy, busy, busy

Here is what has been going on lately:

• I've been swamped with homework.
• I took a test on Friday, took one on Monday, will take another one on Thursday (or Friday), and will take another one on Saturday (or Friday).  My brain is fried.
• Isabelle has been taking Zumba at 4-H.  She says she doesn't like it.  She wants to grow her hair long and join the club that does hairstyles.  Whatever makes her happy.  Ben still loves karate at 4-H. 
• Ben earned his Bobcat!  Well he earned it awhile ago, but just received his patch last Thursday.  He only has 3 more things to do and he will have his Wolf done.  He is busy and he loves Cub Scouts!
• Ben competed in the Pinewood Derby last Thursday.  There were only 5 boys who participated, and one of those is highly inactive (at church and scouts).  Ben is the only Wolf in our ward.  Ben cam in dead last, which made Matt proud in a wired way because his car always came in last too.  Like father, like son!  
• Matt has another calling.  So in addition to being an Elders Quorum teacher, he is also a Ward Missionary.
• I am in Cub Scouts with Ben.  I had to buy a $40 scouting shirt for myself.  It was pretty annoying having to fork over the money, but such is life.  I get to go to the meetings and will either be with the bears or wolfs, depending on where they need me.  Two deep leadership is highly important!
• Mallory stays with us some nights during the week and I have loved visiting with her.  She is highly entertaining.
• Matt turned 34 on January 8th.  He got the new Robert Jordan book and went to the midnight release and book signing with Jordan, which just happened to fall on his birthday.  He was a happy guy indeed!  He also got new computer stuff.  Some cool black light liquid cooling system.  Not quite sure exactly what it is, but it now looks like Vegas downstairs!  It is pretty freaking cool.
• We are going to Henry V at BYU this Saturday.  It is for kids, so I am hoping my kids really enjoy it. We have to get some culture in these ruffians!
• I am enjoying being at BYU.  It has a great atmosphere.  Although I do miss all of my friends a WSU and in my old ward.  Life in Orem is definitely different, but I am hoping things keep looking up.
• My Niece Avynlea got baptized last Saturday.  We were able to make it, although it was a really short trip!  I wish we could have visited with everyone a little bit longer, but we will just have to wait until this summer.  

Anyhow, that is what we have been up to.  Hope everyone is doing well!