I dislike Mondays!

As I said on Thursday, I had a busy weekend. We left Friday to go to Portland and made it there in pretty good time too! We spent the remainder of that day visiting with my cousins(technically my Father's cousins, but they are closer to my mother, sister and I that we claim them! he he...) and getting my 7 year old hooked up to play on the Internet at their house so that he felt entertained! The purpose of the trip was to help clean up a bit so that we can have my sisters baby shower at their house. Well, that wasn't the case. I personally think I will need a few more full days there to be able to get the cleaning done and be of any use. As it stands, I was able to visit, go to a birthday party for a 12 year old(who I was impressed with as far as how he interacted with my boys, both the 4.5 month old and the 7 year old), take a nap and watch some television. I don't have television so that was a real treat for me! I did enjoy the time with family however. I haven't had the chance to get to that area for a long time and I love all of my family and miss them when I don't get to see them.

The trip home was full of fun as well! I stopped at Wildwood Forest Park (which is located just 15 miles west of Government Camp on Hwy 26) with my 7 year old and 4.5 month old in tow. It was a great spot to stop to stretch our legs. As fair warning goes, it costs $5 to visit this park for parking. Prices vary for different options at the park, such as group events. That is normal for forestry parks though, as far as I have noticed at least. I did not take ant pictures at that stop and I could kick myself for that. My oldest was willing to carry his little brother along the trail so that we could walk farther because he had "tons of energy". We found a small area along the trail that had a creek with some logs that had fallen across and where creating a dam effect. So, naturally, we had a short lesson on dams while we watched the water slowly flow through the fallen logs. The oldest also mentioned how he thought "nature was the most beautiful thing ever". Isn't that sweet? After that stop we found our way to Government Camp. There we did the basic rest area routine of restroom usage, a snack and I fed the baby. The baby was acting as though he did not want to eat, so I placed him back into his carseat and off we went. Not even 20 miles down the road the baby started screaming again. I found a handy chain up area to pull over in and there we sat, letting the baby nurse for longer! Next up, Madras!

We found McDonald's in Madras and spent some time there "stretching". We ate some food (I "cheated" on my diet and ate my sons packet of apples, they were 4 carbs so not too terrible) and the oldest got to play on the "big toys" as my kids call them. The baby got to eat there too! While big brother was taking another run through the play structure he got to relax and nurse for about 20 minutes. The play area filled up fast and there was about 15 children running around the one room. That was more than enough kiddos for this mama! So we took our chance to leave and get back on the road. The rest of the way home my oldest played with the baby almost non-stop! The one time he stopped playing with him was because he was crying. I later found out that he was crying because his big brother hurt him by accident by scrapping his nose with his fingernail. It was hilarious to hear both of them laughing almost hysterically. I on the other hand was not in as great of a mood as them. I ended up getting a tooth ache somehow and it was painful to have my eyes open, let alone concentrate on driving. But, obviously, I did it! We left Portland at 10:22 AM (My oldest is a walking, talking time schedule. He can tell you what time any event was throughout the day) and we arrived home at 3:45 PM. Roughly a 5.5 hour trip that would non-stop be 4-ish hours. Trips always tend to be longer when you have young children. And that is fine by me. I would rather take my time than make good time.

Last summer, my husband and I took the 6 year old and 4 year old (and baby technically since I was pregnant) to California to visit some of my husbands family. We ended up touring all of the Oregon to California rest areas between Sunriver, Oregon and San Francisco, California! I had permission to go from my OB-GYN, as long as I made frequent stops. Since the rest areas are roughly 2 hours apart, or less, that worked out great! I got to potty and stretch and so did the kiddos and hubby! However, all the frequent stopping and stretching caused us to make that drive in just over 12 hours! Yikes, long drive! Especially while pregnant!

Looking at that picture from almost a year ago, I notice how much my 2 middle boys have grown up! I know that isn't the best of photos, it is what I have though. We only took our phones with us for photos due to my pregnant brain forgetting to go buy a couple disposable ones! (ugh, stupid pregnant brain!) The trip was enjoyable anyways. Regardless of the pictures being "great" or not.

Back to current times...

I became a BzzAgent! How exciting! My sister has been one for awhile now and has tried out several products that our family has come to love! Such as, Burt's Bees sensitive lotion for my #2 son who, like his father, has eczema and needs a little bit extra moisture on his skin. I have not yet had the pleasure of getting on board with a BzzCampaign, but all my surveys are done and I am awaiting further notice from the BzzAgent site on what to do next! So, look forward to some "item reviews" here! Hopefully I can find items useful to everyone and we can all benefit from my becoming a BzzAgent! I will be talking a lot about anything that I try out through BzzAgent.

I believe I mentioned getting the baby some "speedo" type swimsuits for this summer in my last post. Well, Here is the Beach Print one...

Again, sorry for the picture being so blurry. He is a baby, they wiggle! LOL.

This one seems to be more "snug" around his legs than the other one (red, and I forgot to snap a picture of) was. However, it also seems to have a bunch of extra room in the center area. I do prefer this one to the red one though because this one has an interior soaker, like an all in one cloth diaper does. I am considering switching to cloth diapers from paper or "store bought". This baby just seems to act more comfortable in them when he has had them on while being my sisters "model" for the ones she has made.

          Speaking of, here is the size small she made and tried on the baby during her last visit! That is the best, non-blurred photo I have of him in it. And, hey! My sister too! He he... She made a newborn size and a size small. The newborn size didn't turn out as she had hoped. It was also her first one she had made. Bound to have mistakes on the first go at things! Which is why I am buying extra materials to make doubles of gifts for family! That way they can have the nice and pretty all done right stuff and I can keep the "flubs" for references. I also have decided that "craft stores" are the wrong way to go when it comes to buying fabrics! I can buy the same fabric (exactly the same pattern, everything) for $7.99 per yard at the craft store or I can buy it for $4.99 per yard at Wal-Mart. Sorry craft store, I'm going with Wal-Mart on this one! Don't get me wrong, I enjoy going to the craft store and looking around. I even buy stuff when I go in there! (Gasp!) I found a bunch of things I would like to use during my sisters Baby Shower that are, of course, gender specific! (Grr... I wish more things could be gender neutral!) And my sister insists that we did not do any sort of games during my baby shower. This, I'm sorry to say, she is wrong about. The guests did a baby bingo along with some sort of a guess the gift game. I have hard copy pictures as proof of this! I only have 2 particular games I want to have at her shower and they would be the "Never say Baby" or also known as the Safety Pin game and Baby Bingo. Both of these she does not have to take part in! I would like her to at least "put up" with the Baby Shower routine and have fun with it. I had a blast at my Baby Shower and I hope that she can have just as much fun! And I was in a car accident the day of my shower! Just before the shower actually. This being her first baby, I would like for her to be able to do all the "first time" stuff! Including the fun baby shower games. We shall see. Hopefully she gets more "into it" as time goes by.

In the meantime, I need to knuckle down and get more of my projects finished! Either that or all she will be getting from me is a few post cards saying "I am making... Please wait for gift to arrive in the mail!" LOL.I have a few things near done. One thing completely done and wrapped and ready to give to her at her shower. That was something that took me not too long to make but it was my first try at making one for someone and I feel it turned out rather well. It is gender neutral and hopefully I can find the time and energy to make one that is gender specific once we know what they are having!

I got a message from my brother-in-law last night that my 4 year old was refusing to eat dinner. So, they stripped him down to nothing (to avoid further mess and stains as he was already trying to destroy his clothes) and made him sit there until he ate. In the time it took my brother-in-law and I to have the conversation about what was going on the 4 year old was sent to bed with no dessert and no television! I apologized to them for his behavior and said that is exactly what I would have done. The look on my sons face in the picture that was sent along was priceless! You could tell that he was not happy with being naked at all! But, as the saying goes, do the crime then do the time! Hopefully by the end of next week he will be aloud to come back again. I do not know why my kids tend to act out the way they do sometimes. My oldest and the baby were awesome while on our mini vacation. I get home and I am told that the 6 year old was great and minded his Dad the entire weekend and he turns around and starts being a brat to me. What is that about? Some peoples kids... He turned it around at bed time however and decided he had missed me and his brothers.

Now that I have rambled on and on. I can do it some more! With the weather warming up and things not as cool as before it is time to break out the shorts and tanks! In my case, I have to buy some new things for the summer. I started my new stash with a pair of shorts that go to my knees and some tanks my sister gave me when I visited her. I foresee needing to buy more in the near future. If I can get my weight in check that is. I seem to be stuck at this one weight and not moving very fast in the loosing direction. I think I need to be a little more strict with myself in what I eat in the next few days, weeks and maybe months to come and see if I can get the pounds to drop like they had been. I lost 15 or so pound right after having the baby in November and around another 15 to 20 pounds since I started low-carbing on January 1st. Since my weight keeps bouncing back and forth between these 2 weights I am frustrated to no end! It is a total loss of between 30 to 35 pounds, depending on the day!

Today, a 3 carb Atkins bar and 3 cups of coffee for breakfast and then a salad for lunch and BBQ (on the George Foreman Grill inside) for dinner! Hoping to have dropped a few extra pounds tomorrow when I check out my weight again!

Now that I have rambled and rambled and probably numbed a few minds with my ramblings... I shall leave you for today! Enjoy and have a great day!

~TTFN!