Highland Splash Park

We went to the Splash Park in Highland yesterday for Family Home Evening. It was really fun. Nathan was done being splash before Audrey, but we will definitely be going back this summer.

Gibby Campout 2010

We had a wonderful time camping with the extended Gibby family. We had a nice shady camp area in Mantua's Box Elder Campground. A stream ran through it and provided hours of messy fun for the many cousins. Audrey was in heaven, she always is when there are lots of kids to play with. I survived two nights on an air mattress while 29 weeks pregnant. I was a little stiff and my pelvis has been quite painful, but it was the perfect temperature and I loved catching up with the family.

I have been learning how to digital scrapbook. Here are a couple pages I made from the camp out.

And another tummy pic:
29 weeks

Cloth Diapers

It has been several months now since I have started using cloth diapers. I thought I would share a couple things about them.

Things I Like:
1) I feel like I am doing my part. I heard that diapers I used when I was a baby will still be in a landfill when Audrey's kids are around. Diapers fill up a pail at home so quick, imagine a whole city's worth of diapers just sitting there smelling bad for years and years to come. Eeew! Better to flush the poo and wash the diaper I say.

2) No more saggy butts! It has been a challenge to keep diapers on my kids, they just slip off their skinny little booties, unless I have a onesie on them AT ALL TIMES. These cloth diapers I have stay up on their own!

3) I am saving money! The diapers I am using right now will even snap down to a smaller size for the baby when he/she comes. I'm set. The initial cost was nothing when you think of me hardly ever buying diapers for the next 3 years, or more if we have another one. I spent $70 on 12 with double liners.

Things I Don't Like:
1) Well, I actually have to deal with a poopy diaper, rather than just chucking it, but the sprayer on my toilet helps a lot. Now if I could get Curtis to help. He won't even let me show him how, so that he won't have to do it.

2) There was a learning process. How to wash them, which brand I prefer. But I have conquered those hurdles and now it's pretty easy going.

Some Tips:
1) I use disposable diapers on Sundays or if we will be out all day long, like the wedding on Saturday, then I don't have to haul around a stinky diaper all day.

2) Dads have an easier time with velcro, than with snaps.

3) Pocket diapers allow you to get a deeper clean, because all the layers separate.

4) I stuff my diapers as I fold the laundry, they are always ready to grab and put on.

5) One size fits all saves money so you don't have to buy different sizes as they grow.

6) I wash them in Ecos (dye free, fragrance free, fabric softener free), oxi-clean and water softener powder. Always remember to fold down the velcro straps or they will be stuck to everything. I also only wash them with other diapers and kitchen rags.



Nathan loves picking the color he will wear or just saying the color as I put it on him.

Painting the Fence

I bought fence paint over a year ago, but last summer came to fast and hot. I finally started painting today. We have a big fence and we have to do both sides on three of the lengths around our house. I hope to do a little each day before it gets too hot. Audrey and Nathan are great helpers (for about 10 minutes).

Disneyland!

We had a wonderful time at Disneyland a couple weeks ago.
This was our first time together and with kids. My sister Alaura came with us.
It was so nice to have her help. We spent all day at the park, from 8:30am to 12:00 am.
We wore ourselves out, but we were able to do everything we wanted to in just one day with our Give-a-Day, Get-a-Day Passes.

Nathan had talked about meeting Mickey and shaking his hand for a long time before the trip. He was so excited and proud of himself for actually getting to do it.

Minnie walked right up to us as we were playing in Toon Town.

Audrey loved the big roller coaster type rides, like Splash Mountain and Space Mountain.
We were surprised because she's usually such a scared-y cat.

Buzz Lightyear to the rescue!
The ride broke down while we where on it so we were actually able to walk
right by Buzz as we were escorted out. Nathan was in heaven.

This princess mickey hat is the only souvenir we bought. Nathan really wanted a Buzz Lightyear spinner, but the prices are out of this world. You would think the park would realize that if the prices were lower they would sell more, but I guess we are unusually cheap, we even shared a meal for dinner and packed PB&J for lunch.

The line to meet the princesses was really long and slow. We were almost at the beginning when the kids started crying and saying they didn't want to meet them anymore.
I stuck it out and they were both glad to meet them.

We really wore Nathan out. He fell asleep in our arms at about 9:30pm and only woke up for the Pooh Ride, which we went on twice while Curtis and Alaura rode Indiana Jones.

Our hotel room was ok, a cheap Days Inn within walking distance
from the park that we got for free using our credit card points.
It had an extra room with a 3rd queen size bed and an additional full bath,
but the pool was freezing, the "hot tub" was cold and green and the towels were like sand paper.
We were all a little disappointed since we were really looking forward to swimming. Next time I will read customer reviews before a book a hotel.

Curtis made a matching game with more pic and details. You can play it here: http://matchthememory.com/gibbydisneyland

I am a Hypocritical Food Nazi

Lately I have realized I am a hypocritical food Nazi. I don't mean to be. I have learned so much about food and how good and bad it can be, yet it has been so hard for me recently to live how I know I should.

Examples of my Nazi-isms:
I saw a woman choosing a variety of donuts at the grocer's bakery and thought to myself, "Who is she trying to kill?"

I notice what is in carts in front of me at the check out stand. Mostly they load up soda pop, potato chips, pop tarts, cookies and NO FRUITS or VEGGIES. Even the bread they select has high fructose corn syrup as the second ingredient. I wonder if they realize how much sugar, bad fats and chemicals they are pumping into their kids, who happily eat all this overly processed junk just because it tastes good.

I was asked to bring a variety of chips to a party a couple weeks ago. I was so embarrassed to have three bags of chips in my cart, worried that someone I knew would see me and think that I am a hypocrite.

Examples of my Hypocrisies:
My cart is never perfect. Something usually sneaks in: a bag of licorice, or some cheese crackers for the kids. I have also had a huge downfall for chocolate covered nuts of late. When they sneak into my cart, they usually sneak into my belly too. You would think that being pregnant I would have a greater desire to eat healthy, but I feel as though I have no self-control.

I am really trying. I avoid as many chemicals as I can: MSG, artificial sugars, sodium nitrate, high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, even cooked oils, but my lack of control over sugar has got me beat. These vanilla alphabet cookies I bought for our trip to Disneyland have been addictive. My doctor explained that too many carbohydrates and not enough protein leads to big babies and small placentas, which means high blood pressure and weight gain. So I really should be avoiding sugar. Why does it have to taste so good?


Here is a video of Dr. Oz talking about sugar: