Missing Daddy

12 hour days are super long. Four 12 hour days are really really long. But we're at the end and I made it. Matt's new work schedule is going to be interesting. But we've made it through two weeks.
Here's the three of us hanging out at a good moment today.

Bathtime Fun

We have a princess problem in the house. Both mommy and daughter are obsessed with princesses. Daughter more than mommy, but we're both guilty. More about that one another time. Onto the bath fun. So we've done bathtime paint before and it was a blast, but recently my little princess wanted to "paint the stars" like in Disney's Tangled. So last night we did it. I got the recipe for the paint from a book (The Everything Toddler Activities Book) but it's so simple. 1 part cornstarch, 2 parts soap (I just use the baby shampoo/soap that we always use in baths) and a drop of food coloring. I only make a little at a time because she uses all of what I give her in one bath usually. I was very proud of her painting. I think its the first time she's made something purposeful artistically. Usually she just plays with whatever material we're using.




And because the little one is so fun. Here's a picture of him right now. (In the back is the princess watching "Brave." I told you we have a problem.)
I just weighed him and my little three and a half month old weighs about 17 and a half pounds. His big recent achievement is he can roll over, both front to back and back to front.

I think I want to blog again. I have too many blog-type things in my head and I finally have the great desire to get them out somewhere. So I think I will try it again.
Just an update on my life - I have a second child. Little boy. Love him. Being a mom of two is a lot of fun. And tons of work. And most of you know about that one.

Previously my blog has been just the family scrapbook type thing, but one reason I want to blog again is to get out my social/political thoughts. I should probably start a new blog, but I'm just going to do it here. So it will be me, good and bad.

So my political thought for the day was inspired by a letter to the editor in our paper today. The author mentions an experience actually asking at an insta-care how much the care, prescriptions, etc. was going to cost. The author is insured, but wanted to know to help keep costs down. She said the staff responded as though she was crazy.

Healthcare is an interesting thing in that in my experience you never see a price tag up front. You just get your bill and get interestingly surprised by how much things cost. Many people with insurance never even look at that bill. You pay your co-pay/co-insurance/deductible and don't think too much about it.

But it is interesting. My sister-in-law recently commented that when reviewing her hospital bill she noticed that they charged $20+ dollars for ibuprofen. If we were given a sticker cost when given said pill, at the time she may have declined and had my brother go get her a whole bottle at the store for $3. Now as a commenter said, she's not only paying for her ibuprofen but several other peoples as well. But she should still have the option.

Heathcare is the only business I can think of where we don't get at least an estimate up front. And I have to wonder why? I have been without insurance several times in my life and I made different choices based on costs of things. Why would it be so difficult to give an up front estimate of what things would cost. And we'd all know it was an estimate. In home improvement, construction and car repair they give estimates. Sometimes it ends up being more, sometimes less, but they at least give you an estimate before you begin something.

We all talk about the expense of healthcare, what if we could much more easily shop around. More people would realize how much cheaper an instacare is than the emergency room. I think that we would make different decisions. Not necessarily ones that would harm our health, but that would cost insurance a lot less money. Just my little thoughts.

And as a side note, it is interesting with two children in one room. While I was writing this post my little girl had a bad dream (I assume) and started crying and woke my baby. Little girl is back asleep. Baby is having more trouble. I don't know how to work this one. Guess I'll learn with time.

Family

So many of our moments in life are about family. Family creates home. Family shares love. Family creates laughter. Family is Forever.

Which is why this last weekend make me so happy. For Easter weekend we got to go witness the baptism of a nephew and visit all of my husband's family. Its the last time that we will all be together for a while, as many of us are headed on journeys far away (or not so far, but at least farther). What a joy it is to be adopted into such a great family. Its amazing how quickly you can feel like a part of something. There's so many jokes about in-laws, but I'll tell you they didn't get mine.

Also, I did get to visit with my Mom, Dad and Brother. Even got to drive my brother to ask his first little prom date. So much fun to try and be a part of each siblings lives as much as I can. This family is already all spread out. We currently have siblings living in 4 different states, soon to be 5 (including Utah). But we still try to keep in contact. Lots of joy with my own family too.

Finally, I'm so grateful families are forever. That is thanks to our Savior, and the resurrection that we celebrated this weekend, we get to live with our families forever. Just as they are here, but not with the far away part. I'm grateful for my Savior for providing that way.

I thought this picture was a fitting representation of what we can become. My little daughter is perfect and Christlike right now. I hope that she will see the Savior always in her life, always right beside her, just like this picture.

Back to Blogging

So, If you notice its been almost exactly a year since I have posted on this blog. And now officially I reenter the blog world. It was something I determined was not what I wanted to spend my time on. But now I think it is.

Year in review:

Matt - went to the police academy, graduated as the valedictorian of his class, spent forever looking for a job, did lots of temp work and whatever to keep us afloat, finally actually got his old job back and just a few weeks ago landed a police job in Rock Springs, WY. He starts in two weeks.

Me - Piano studio began booming. Had up to 22 students at one time. Also started teaching preschool music class. Love it! Learning to be a mom. Love that too, except when child should be sleeping and isn't. That happens often. But I really truly love my daughter and watching her grow. Moving and sad to leave my studio. Also, had the new years resolution to eat something different for dinner everyday of the year. 3 months in and I've done it. May not be able to keep it up with the move.

Annalee - Grows and loves and is happy. Had a severe skin condition, which we discovered was food allergies. Lots of issues with that. Now she doesn't eat wheat, eggs, soy, peanuts or other nuts and she is much better. She loves stuffed animals and making animal sounds. She also loves sesame street, curious george, and backyardigans. She loves playing in the backyard and most of all she loves being with mommy as much as possible.

I will write more another time, but there's my year sum up and I've started. Anna is awake now, so off I go to be Mommy.

Adventures

Annalee and the rest of us have been on several adventures lately:

Delivering scouting-for-food bags with the cub scouts.

General conference at Grandma Walkers. We also went to a fun birthday party at Aunt Sharla's.

More bundling for cub scouts. This time we played basketball.

All dressed up for Relief Society at a care center on Tuesday. Anna loved the old ladies.

Don't look at me. This is all moby-ed up for housework.

And helping in the kitchen. She can hold on to things now.

Exercising with mommy in the lovely April snow.

Lots of adventures.

Talking

I hope to have a whole slew of posts coming soon because I'm really really really behind. But at least I have pictures and stuff to say. I'll get it done eventually.

This is just a fun video. Ignore me on the video please. Anna has started "talking." A little more like babbling and cooing, but its super fun. She's just adorable and I like that we can play with her more. There is nothing like the look she gives me when I'm completely focused on her. Also, as Anna has started to talk I realize that I'm a horrible baby-talker. I used to be 100% anti-baby talk and then I came around to the fact that using a different voice for babies is important for their vocal development (thanks school) plus it lets them know they are the one you're talking to. Now I use bad grammar and don't pronounce "th" or "r's" correctly. Maybe I'll fix it. So, here's the video of Annalee.