Shutterfly Christmas Cards

I've always wanted to send out a Christmas card, but have never done it. With this deal from Shutterfly though, I couldn't resist. Who wouldn't want 50 free Christmas cards? We got some amazing family pictures taken this summer by a family member, so we actually have something cute to put on a card and share with family and friends. I looked through Shutterfly's designs and they're pretty stinkin' cute. I'm really excited about it. I'm not one who is all about the Christmas cards that just brag about what each family member is doing because no one likes to read those, seriously. However, it is nice to see pictures of your loved ones that you may not get to see very often. So to put it plainly, I'm excited to send cards this year especially when they're super cute free ones from Shutterfly. (I really need to start blogging more, it has been FOREVER!)

Hey, check out some of their cute products, my favorite ones are their different Christmas cards, of course!

Christmas Cards - http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-cards
Christmas Photocards - http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-photo-cards

The Great Gilly Hopkins

So I just wrote a research paper on the banned book list and censorship in the classroom. I picked the topic myself because I really am a fan of our first amendment and don't appreciate it when people say what I can and cannot read. I am an advocate of parents having a say in what their children read. A parent can judge the maturity of their child and whether they can handle the content of certain books. However, a parent does not have the right to tell me what my child can or cannot read.

Anyways, so as I was researching this topic I came across an interview with Katherine Paterson, who wrote Bridge to Terabithia, as well as other numerous books. I loved Bridge to Terabithia, it made me bawl like a baby. So I was astounded that that book was on the banned book list for the ridiculous reason of paganism (when the kids did silly worship stuff in the forest, it's the imagination, hello!) and the language that the kids use. Anyhow, another book of hers received even more criticism than Bridge to Terabithia, but I had never read it, so I knew that I had to. This book is called The Great Gilly Hopkins. Amazing book. Again, I bawled like a baby through it. This book has been criticized even more because the main character, Gilly, has the mouth of a sailor. It's really not that bad, I've heard much worse on network television. After reading this book the question came to mind, what is wrong with society? After reading this book I felt so much more enlightened than I had before. People need to stop being prudes. In her interview, Paterson told how she had been accused of being anti-Christian. She is the wife and daughter of a minister. Seriously. How ignorant can people get? Next thing you know, we're going to be as bad as the Nazis and burn every book that we don't necessarily agree with or like. Anyone seen Footloose lately? Enough said. We have the freedom to put the book down if we don't want to read it. Kids have the option of reading another book if they don't feel comfortable reading the one that is assigned. I have made a goal to read as many books as I can that are on the banned book list. I will not be a party to censoring such wonderful things. Seriously people, let's grow up a little.

Life in General

It's been a really long time, but I feel as if I have been really busy. Ok, so not super busy, mostly lazy, and sick. There has been this cough/cold thing going around for a while and I was so lucky as to contract it from my wonderful husband. I have been coughing and hacking for about 3 weeks now. And the end isn't in sight. I'm not a huge medicine fan so I haven't really taken anything for it. I caved in and took some Advil cold and sinus. I hope it works.

I love being a mom. My kids are amazing. Dagny was potty trained for a week. Then one day after peeing on the floor 3 times, I decided that I'm done. We put the princess potty seat away and that's it. Yet every time I see other little kids that are the same age as Dagny and they're wearing underwear, I cringe and feel like the crappiest mom ever. Why won't Dagny just pee on the potty? Seriously, aren't diapers super uncomfortable? Wouldn't she rather feel dry and grown up by wearing little girl panties? No, not my little girl. She will not be bribed and could care less about the candy. I'm at my wits end and I give up. Sunny boy will not crawl. He's 8 months old and pulls himself around with his forearms. He weighs 23 pounds and I'm tired of carrying him. Any day now, I'd really love it if he'd start crawling, or even better yet, walking!

I'm going to school online to become a teacher. Every day on the news I hear about more budget cuts in school districts where hundreds of teachers are getting laid off. I sure know how to pick a career, huh? It gets so frustrating trying to get my homework done, clean the house, cook dinner, do the laundry, and not totally neglect my kids that some days I really could just up and quit school. But I must persevere. I know that I'm going to be a teacher; you might even say destined to teach the children of our future to love literature. I don't know what the future will be in the job market for my career, but doggone it I'm going to get my degree. Even if there's no teaching jobs available, at least I'll be able to check one more goal of mine off my list.

Exciting Adventures at Wrestling Tournys

I'm not an expert on mothering. I've only been a mom for two and a half very short years, so I'm definitely learning something new every day. However, you'd think I'd learn from past mistakes and be more prepared when I go to public places. So, this past weekend we went to a wrestling tournament because (1) I really do like to watch wrestling, it's an acquired taste, but definitely entertaining and (2) I want to spend as much time as I can around Noah. If I didn't go to wrestling tournaments then I wouldn't see Noah for 2 days in a row, which really sucks. Anyways, Dagny has peed through her pants a number of times. After many oops moments of forgetting to bring extra pants I learned from my mistakes and brought an extra pair with me. However, I failed to bring an extra shirt. So we drive all the way down to West Jordan and Dagny is as happy as a clam drinking her sippy cup of apple juice. We go inside and sit down, and Dagny is sitting on my lap and acting not herself. She just wanted to sit on my lap and kept pointing to her mouth. I figured she bit her tongue or something. Moments after that thought passed through my mind Dagny projectile vomits all over me, herself, and the bleachers at West Jordan High School. I forgot how Dagny gets car sick. I just kept thinking how grateful I was that we were running so late that we didn't have time to eat breakfast. Luckily at wrestling tournaments there are huge rolls of paper towels everywhere and disinfectant cleaner for when kids get bloody noses, etc. My wonderful husband and another wrestler were kind enough to clean up all the vomit. Not just clean it up mind you, but disinfect it as well. But I had another problem. I didn't bring extra clothes for myself and I brought only pants for Dagny. So what did I do? I went to Walmart and bought both of us some new clothes. Great way to start out the morning, huh?

Croup and Christmas

It has been forever, I know. But I find that my life has become quite busier from when I used to have just one child. The past while has been a little crazy with wrestling season starting up again. I took the kids to a tournament, which I said earlier that I wouldn't because I didn't want to risk Sunny getting sick. Well, they both got sick. I'm almost certain that my niece had croup and of course, my kids now have croup. If any of you don't know what croup is, it sucks. It started with just a slight fever and the sniffles, then a little cough. It progresses to really raspy breathing and a cough that sounds like a dog barking. Dagny has been unbearable. Her voice is gone and she cries every time she coughs because her throat hurts so bad. The other night she woke up around 3:00 AM. Luckily Noah took the night off from work to help out a little and he stayed up with her watching Disney movies. Sunny has been more lethargic and just whimpers every time he coughs. Both kids want to be held all the time, which is harder than one might think. They're getting better and luckily no ear infections, knock on wood.

I am really excited for Christmas this year, which is kind of a first for me. I think it's because Dagny is super stoked. She loves Christmas music and lights. I made a super cute Christmas advent calendar that I found from my friend Julie's blog and put fun Christmas activities in it for Dagny to do each day. We've painted toenails Christmas colors, watched Christmas movies, read stories, and so on. It has been really fun. Our Christmas tree isn't much, but I'm glad we have a cheap one because Dagny really likes to rearrange my ornaments and touch the tree all the time. One branch is slightly bent out of shape because of this newfound love. But the spirit of Christmas is in our homes and we're excited!! Yay for Christmas!