Things I've Learned...and 10 Things Again!

I had plans to do one last post for August...figured I'd finish it off with a bang and do my overdue 10 Things to Remember lists again. But that didn't happen. I drove home from Raymond Saturday night (a great plan I thought since Brock hates his car seat but it kinda back fired since he didn't sleep the whole way as planned) and by the time I got home I realized that I was seriously sick. Fever, horribly sore throat, and achiness. Yep, Strep. Of course I couldn't see my doctor until yesterday and by then I could hardly swallow ANYTHING! And the swelling was getting so bad I could hardly talk. Thankfully, the antibiotics he prescribed are working FABULOUSLY and I am almost back to normal. But don't worry. I'll finish every last pill....don't need a repeat episode. And from that long winded, round about explanation, I have learned some things:
1. I need to pay more attention to me and what's going on with my body - see I'd had a scratchy throat and head ache for a couple of days and Saturday it just got worse as the day went on. Had I been paying attention I could have avoided a lot of pain and yuckiness.
2. My bright ideas are not always bright and I have to improvise
3. I have the most fabulous hubby. He took all 3 kids to church by himself on Sunday so I could stay home and sleep and stayed home from work yesterday. He did tons around the house and with the kids and just let me sleep or veg. Yup, he's a keeper.
4. I was reminded again of how thankful I am of modern medicine.

So today I've been folding laundry, dishes and all the boring things that need to get done around the house. I need to get seminary organized, Zane organized for school, and a couple more reminder calls for piano. But I'm taking a break. Time to do the 10 Things that I've been meaning to do....

10 THINGS I WANT TO REMEMBER ABOUT.....

ZANE:
1. You've grown up so much over the summer! You like your independence when it suits your purposes but still like to pull out the "I can't do that" pout when you don't want to do something
2. You make Brock giggle like crazy
3. You learned how to carry Brock even though it still gives me a heart attack
4. You stayed at the park all by yourself in Raymond
5. You loved running in and out and jumping on the tramp and playing games all over the yard in Raymond
6. You did so much better with Auntie Lishie and Uncle Jay's dogs the last 2 times we saw them
7. You have played so hard this summer and have the tan, bruises, scratches and scars to prove it
8. You make friends so easily. At the beach, at the park, or down the road. You have a talent to play with anyone
9. You're excited to go back to school
10. You're still my cuddly little boy under all that dirt!

RHETT:
1. Your hat obsession...you must wear it at all times, and it must be turned ever so slightly to the right. No matter how many times I straighten it out, you turn it back. It must feel better that way
2. Your stubborn insistence that you aren't 'big enough' for some things like putting your shoes on or wearing underwear
3. Your obsession with blue - you insist on a blue cup, a blue plate...if there's a choice of color you will pick blue
4. You adore Zane. And want to be with him always. I'm anticipating a rough week or so when Zane starts school in a couple of days.
5. You love to mug on Brock...and have found some tickle spots. You two will be great friends
6. When we're in Raymond you always want to know where Grandma and Papa are.
7. You loved helping Grandma with the strawberries and raspberries. Your attention span wasn't long but you had fun bringing the buckets back to the house and scouting for tomatoes!
8. Whenever you wrestle with Daddy and Zane you always switch sides to whoever is "winning"
9. Sometimes you like to pray, sometimes you don't
10. You still ask me every night "mommy, you sleep with me?" even though you know I will come and cuddle with you until you go to sleep. It's wonderful to be so loved!

BROCK:
1. You sleep through the night most nights
2. You are still so drooley even though you've cut your bottom teeth
3. You have smiles for everyone
4. Your hair is blond and sticks up everywhere! Grandpa Dooley says it looks like a dandelion that's ready to be blown.
5. You rock from side to side as soon as you're standing or sitting on someone. Grammie S calls you Rockin' Brock
6. You're appetite for real food is getting bigger
7. You're starting to think about getting up on all fours and rocking....won't be long until you're crawling
8. You are still a tight wad with giggles. And when Grandpa Dooley informed you of this you laughed at him. He thought it was very rude.
9. You HATE your car seat for trips longer than half an hour...grrr.
10. You're changing so fast that it makes me sad...but it's so fun to watch you grow and learn!

CLIFF:
1. You were such a great Mr. Mom while I was sick...you unpacked, did dishes, laundry, fed kids, put Brock down for naps, even took all 3 to church....Meant so much!
2. Passing your love of golf and sports onto the boys. I think it made Zane's year when you took him golfing Trevor, Kegan, Trent and Parker. Those 3 little boys were in heaven.
3. Your handiness around the house. The tiles in the bathroom look awesome and I love the new fence and gate.
4. Your moral support - no matter what.
5. Trying to lead our family with the spirit
6. How your face lights up when you play with the boys
7. You're right - we would make a horrible team if we played charades! I can't act and you can't guess!
8. Teaching the boys magic tricks! They LOVE it!
9. You and Trent making chili for the ward party and making it as hot and spicy as you could. You only called 3 or 4 times to ask what to buy and how to make it! (I was in Raymond and Jennie was out of town to. Thanks for using their kitchen!)
10. How much you miss me when I'm gone...I miss you tons to!

ME:
1. I can't believe how fast summer went by! I hope I did enough with the kids to make great memories and build anticipation for next summer.
2. I'm not as far along on losing the baby weight as I wanted to be but I'm still trying
3. I had to admit to myself, to Cliff and a few of my closest friends that I was battling some depression. That was hard. Still have some hard days but mostly back on track now.
4. Trying to keep mind from racing in so many directions as I think of everything...seminary, piano lessons, kid stuff, Cliff's calling.....
5. Trying to recognize the spirit more in my life and record those instances down to remind, help and encourage my family when they look back on this record later in life
6. So glad I've kept this blog...it's my journal and it's so fun to look back, pick a month and read the entries. So much I've forgotten! Makes the effort worth it!
7. I miss quilting. Not sure where I'm going to fit it in this fall/winter with everything else going on but I'm really hoping to get a couple of projects done!
8. Excited to be an auntie soon! So glad it's Alisha and Rikki who are pregnant and not me!
9. Dreading the potty training with Rhett. Ugh.
10. I know that I've got things worked out in my head...and some on paper...just anxious to get the next couple of weeks going and over with to see if everything I've got worked out is actually going to work...and to find out what isn't going to work and needs changing. Hoping it doesn't take us too long to settle back into a routine.

OUR FAMILY....
1. Having 3 boys is so much fun!
2. Some of the highlights of the summer - family visited and coming to visit - beach visits, the corn maze....we made some good memories!
3. Far from perfect...some days we fight, some days we don't. But we always love each other!
4. We like to play UNO together
5. Watch a lot of sports together....sigh.
6. Sometimes we have great FHE nights...and sometimes we don't. Still working on it.
7. Have some great new pictures thanks to Rhonda
8. Is looking forward to new cousins soon
9. Probably won't be back to southern Alberta until Christmas
10. Love each other