Potty Training Wash-Out

Oh.....My.....Goodness.  There are simply not enough words to describe my day.  I've been deliberating for a while now as to whether or not Marin is ready to potty train, so I figured that I would give it a hearty try this weekend.  I purchased 12 pair of little girl panties and had a talk with Marin this morning about what it meant to be wearing them and how we need to make sure we don't pee pee in her panties.  I dutifully set the kitchen timer for every hour so I could take her in to sit on the potty.  The day was a disaster. 

Not as soon as Marin would finish on the potty, but 20 minutes later she would wet her pants, so we re-adjusted the timer for every half an hour, which was too close together and stressed her out as evidenced by tantrums.  So we tried every 30 minutes, with no luck.  Marin spent most of the morning stressed out by the ordeal and crying and throwing tantrums and changing her clothes, and I spent the morning trying to stay calm and figure out what we were doing wrong.  Finally, the last straw came at 4:15 this afternoon as I was trying to get my things together to head to the store.  I had JUST put Marin on the potty and she had gone (for which she had been getting stickers and a marshmallow) and as I set her on my lap to put her shoes on 10 minutes later, she was wet AND messy.  I almost flipped a lid and started crying I was so frustrated.  So....I have learned that while my daughter is able to pee pee on the potty, she is NOT ready for potty training....HUGE difference...apparently. 

This is among the other things I have been doing today:  Welcoming VT into my home, jarring applesauce, roasting pumpkins for pie filling, cleaning the kitchen, dishes, feeding and referee-ing a two year old with other kids, running to the store, making dinner, and as I type: baking two pumpkin cheesecakes for tomorrow.  The one project I had to forgo tonight was Marin's Halloween outfit.  I had been trying to find the time for over 3 weeks to buy and assemble her Blue's Clue's outfit, and it was just too much today.  Not to mention my scratchy throat and cough.  So, alas, Marin will have to wear a store bought outfit this year :(

Tomorrow will be better, while still busy.  Buying a costume for Marin, picking up my paycheck, midwife appointment, dinner at Kris's aunt's home for his grandmother's birthday.

A Daddy Daughter Day

Last Saturday I had the wonderful opportunity to spend the day crafting away with the Relief Society while Marin and Daddy had some time together.  It was WONDERFUL!  I love spending weekends with my family, but I will say that on a rainy Saturday...crafting with other sisters was just fantastic and a welcome break.  Kris took Marin to a children's museum for a few hours and while it wasn't as grandiose as the one in Vegas, it was a fun place for Marin to explore and play.

They had a great time together and we all went to get ice cream when I got home and Marin woke up from her nap.

And my projects?  Here are just a few that I actually finished, they are scheduling another Crafting Day seeing as how most of the sisters didn't finish their projects:

My Autumn Pumpkin, it turned out so well!

 And my Christmas Tree, I had some issues with the Gorilla glue, it shifted the wood, so my tree is a bit lopsided, it just adds character ;)

 Our Family Name plaque!  I've wanted to make one for the longest time, and here it is!  I added the little filigree at home, I think it needs a border and a metal wall-hanging-device before I find a proper wall for it.

Carving Away

Halloween means carving pumpkins and carve we did!  Daddy helped Marin with the pumpkins guts, to which, Marin's response was always an eager and enthusiastic "Eeeeew, grosssss!".

We had to wait until this past week to carve them considering the humid weather here would rot them so quickly.  And I'm glad we waited!  Our little pumpkins this morning were already sprouting some green fuzz!

"The Hardest Part...

....Was letting go, not taking part...".  Since there is much to catch you all up on, I should start with our bit of sad news.  After some sad and painful deliberation, Kristoffer and I decided it was time to find our dog, Mollie, a new home.  I am very sad thinking about this even now, as the events just transpired yesterday.  Mollie was welcomed into our home 18 months ago as a 4 month old puppy trapped in a large dog's body.  She is beautiful Golden Retriever and has always been most gentle with our Marin.  This has been, on my part, the only reason she has stayed with us for so long.  She has always been a very high energy dog, and we hoped that by the time she passed her first birthday (LAST October), she would begin to settle down, and then we were told to wait another year, so we did.  Having a high energy dog can be do-able in the right circumstances, and unfortunately, we were ill equipped to deal with this.  Mollie regressed quite a bit during and after our move and was a daily source of frustration to myself and a loaded rocket waiting for Kris when he would return from work at night.  It was exhausting.  I felt no affection or love or even obligation to the dog and would frequently snap at her.  I didn't like that this side of me was rearing it's ugly head, and I liked even less that my daughter was witnessing my frustrations.  Kristoffer was having difficulty finding the time to exercise her as much as she needed and discipline her on a consistent basis. 

All of these factors were part of our long overdue decision, and yesterday we made the decision that Mollie deserved a home that could offer her the exercise, discipline and affection she needed and deserved.  Kristoffer found an applicant, met with them and sent Mollie to her new home.  We are so sad to have made this decision and we do miss her.  My most feared moment came this evening when my sweet Marin asked where Mollie was...my eyes teared and I answered that Mollie had gone to play with some friends. 

Mollie has been a wonderful part of our lives for the last 18 months, and knowing we have a little boy coming who will demand even more of our time, makes me realize we have made the best decision for all of us.  Someday we will have another dog and look forward to that day.

My husband has returned from his day of meetings, so I will join him and finish my blogging tomorrow!

Riding the "E"

Dear Samantha, you've worked 30 hours this week while cooking a rapidly growing baby inside your ever expanding belly.  You have run errands and endured the horrors of Portland traffic, grocery shopped and cooked meals and cleaned house and done dishes twice a day.  You've cared for a trying two year old, a disobedient psychotic dog and a naughty cat.  You've watched your hard earned money disappear from your bank account....while saving ZERO dollars.  You've pulled together some last minute visiting teaching card making and distribution, ushered in the washing machine repair man, babysat other children and have somehow managed to spend just about every last minute of each day in the service of someone or something while seeing your husband for a grand total of....2 hours this week.  And today, well, today, you can do all of this with a swollen, scratchy throat and clogged, achy head.  Muwwwwaahhhhahahaaa! 

Good luck and best wishes, The Universe and it's awesomely stellar powers.

Samantha has been "Riding the 'E'" (empty) this week, can you tell?  No apologies for not posting, it's been a busy week and I am ready for warm bath, sweats and a sock around my throat (to help the sore-ness, of course).  So, you will have to wait a little while longer for quality posting. 

Ca-Ching!

Today I am picking up my first real paycheck from my new job out here!!  Can you tell I'm excited?  Even though I know that by the end of the day, it will be long gone, I am still happy to be bringing in some much needed cash.  And, lest you think I will be frivolously spending it on...whatever, I laugh in your face!  My first purchase will be diapers and groceries and the rest of it will go straight to bills...being a grown-up is such a drag sometimes!

Marin LOVES "tunnels", as she calls them.  Any blanket anywhere is destined to become a tunnel.  If she is by herself, she puts it over her head and yells "Tunnel, mommy, look!".  If she is with daddy, they drape the blanket over their heads, just the two of them and...well, I don't know what they chat about in there, but it sure is funny!  And if mommy is feeling ambitious, I drape the blanket over objects and make more of a fort for her to crawl around under.  Any way you slice it, she always up for "tunnels".



This weekend, I am hoping to go to Roloff Farms and get pumpkins for carving, and then maybe find a place to pick some apples.  Marin will have her first REAL experience with pumpkin 'guts' and Kris of course is excited to show her this.  I have also been wanting to make either applesauce or apple pie filling for jarring. 

*Sigh*....Fall is in full swing and I am LOVING every minute.  I'm hoping to make some sausage dressing stuffed acorn squash sometime soon for dinner, so I will let you know when I have a recipe for that on my food blog.  And of course, I have to get to my sugar pumpkins for homemade pumpkin pie, but I will keep you all posted!

Salt Lake Getaway

This past weekend was a whirlwind of driving and dating and dining and all things delightful!  Kristoffer and I (mostly Kris I think) braved the 13 hour car trip with a 2 year old and a dog and headed to Salt Lake for my friend Amy's wedding and to see family.

We had a wonderful time!  Although the car ride was nothing to be desired, our stay was just what the doctor ordered.  We left Wednesday evening after I finished my shift and drove the whole night through to Perry, UT where Kris's dad lives and stayed the following night with him.  Marin loved playing with grand-dad and he bought her a 'present' (which she refers to now as), a Crayola plastic color box she can carry with her, containing markers, crayons, paper, and stickers.  She loves her 'present'!

Then we headed into Salt Lake to stay with Kristoffer's mom for the rest of our visit.  If Marin has a 'biggest fan', it's Trine, for sure!  Marin spent pretty much the rest of the time playing with Trine and learning how to say her full name, Marin Elise Lyman, it's so cute!  They were able to feed some ducks and have a picnic, go to the bookstore and find some books for Marin to take home, tussen tak!  (I hope that's right!).

During this time, Kris and I were able to spend some MUCH needed time alone together, outside of our living room ;)  We went to dinner and mini-golfing at Boondocks on Friday night, soooo fun!  It has been a while since I've been mini-golfing, although we tied, I think my hubby went easy on me, he's such a nice guy.
Saturday we kind of slept in and spent the morning with family, then got ready for the temple wedding!  Amy was so lovely, and the sealer had many great things to say regarding marriage.  I am so glad my hubby chose me to be his eternal companion, I am just so in love with him, and I am grateful we can be together forever with our family, no other wordly pleasure can compensate for this sacred fact!  After the sealing Kris took me to The Garden for a very late lunch/early dinner.  I had never been and the food and view was fantastic!  We chatted and took our time and gazed at the magnificent temple, so wonderful!  Then we headed to DI to buy some baby boy clothes.  I am needing to fulfill some pregnancy 'nesting' urges and DI was JUST the place to do that...so many clothes for 1/4 the cost!  After the reception we stopped briefly at Sephora and headed back for pizza and a movie.  I also talked my awesome sister in law into dying my hair, I've been wanting to go dark for a few weeks and Melodie indulged me, thanks Melodie!  It looks great too :D

Sunday we left early and weathered the LOOOOONG drive home, but here we are and are so glad to have come back with some great memories!

It seems it's been a while since I put some pictures up of Kris and I, so here are a few we took at the temple.

My belly at 22 weeks, I had no idea I looked this pregnant!

Amy and her brand spankin' new hubby!  So happy for her!

View from the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.

Kris and I at the top!

Marin and grand-dad!

They played this game called "Oh-NO!" where Marin would let go of the string of a slowly wilting helium balloon and watch it slowly float to the ceiling and have grand-dad catch it just in the nick of time.

As you can tell, she just loved this game!

Uh-oh, this time it got away!

Bath time splashing.

Amy and I at the reception.

If you are wondering what this sad blur is...haha, I know!  This a moving picture of the Macaroni Grill where Kris took me to dinner to meet his family for the FIRST TIME!  I had flown to Salt Lake for Spring Break in March 2006 and we went straight from the airport to the restaurant to meet his family.  Wow, over 4 years ago!

My new hair!  I love it, and so does Kris...I've been meaning to go dark for a while for the fall, and for a change, it feels so nice to have something different.  I don't look too bad, eh?  Sorry you can't see much in this picture, I was at work and had it pulled back into a bun.



Today is a day for a walk and laundry and dishes and cleaning my house, welcome back to reality I guess!

Cool Nip

*Sigh*....Fall has FINALLY arrived here....cool, clear days, crisp breeze, falling leaves, it is gorgeous out here and I am loving it.  If I had the money, I would buy a hay bale and gourds galore to decorate my front porch.  This time of year makes me think of corn mazes and pumpkins and crock pot dinners and all things cool and crisp outside and warm and cozy inside!  Today is no exception either, what a lovely day, I was so remiss to send my husband off to work on a steal of a day like this, but alas...away he went :(

This weekend brings much excitement for us...my friend is getting married in Salt Lake and we are headed down to celebrate with them!  I am so excited!  Not only is Amy a totally awesome friend that I have soooo many rib-cracking-while-laughing-so-hard memories with, but she has found a wonderful man after a long journey...I am so happy for her!  Of course we will be spending much of that time with family and Marin...well....she's welcome anywhere she goes!  I persuaded Kris to take me out on a date while we are there, considering how long it's been since we have actually been on a date.  I figured he would still know the best places to go, but I forgot it's been over 5 years since he's lived there!  So, if you have any suggestions for cool-'dive'-hole-in-the-wall places, please, let me know!  We leave town Wednesday evening after my shift is done at 6pm and will get there Thursday morning (yikes!), this is quite the road trip!

Little Lyman is getting to be one strong boy!  Yesterday at work he was quite insistent on letting me know he had something to say...he's starting to pack quite the punch!  Kristoffer has been able to feel him kick, actually for the first time a few days ago, and it's wonderful for Kris to have that physical awareness that his little boy is there.  I will say, there are moments I surprise myself by remembering I am carrying a BOY this time instead of girl...but it feels so right to have a little boy join our home, I am very excited. 

I have been diligent with exercise, although, my midwife gently told me that I most likely shouldn't be running anymore.  I think perhaps it had something to do with the excruciating pelvic pain I would have for the rest of the day after a rendez-vous with the pavement.  So...while I am glad to not be in pain, I am sad I don't have a quick calorie burning exercise, looks like it's walking and pilates for me!  My last weigh in was 20 pounds for 21 weeks...YUCK...DOUBLE yuck!  Kris took the scale away from me because I was on the verge of tears over this...so, it may be a while before my next weight check.  I'm getting angry just thinking about it....

Yesterday I read the most delightful book:  The Princess Academy by...ummm, shoot, I don't remember.  It's a story about a young girl who lives in a secluded community high up in the mountain who is called with all the other village girls of a certain age to attend the Princess Academy.  The prince will choose his bride from the academy girls and the rest may return to their families, but of course, the heroine of the story is called upon to be brave in some unexpected twists she and the girls encounter .  It sounds like a totally juvenile book (in essence, it is...it's in the juvenile section), but I had it recommended to me by some church friends and I loved it!  The writer is excellent and the story line is easy to follow and well woven together.  I think I will check out some other books by this author as I was quite impressed.  And yes, I read the WHOLE thing yesterday while I was at work, all 310 pages, when I get into a book, it's GONE!

Today is a play date with a friend down the street and packing for out trip, can't wait to see everyone!