I have been derelict in my blogging duties.

I admit it. I'm sorry.

We had a wonderful time in Vegas (Emma wants to go back!) but I came home sick.

Not just pregnant sick, really virusy sick. And got over that one and got another.

I haven't been to church in, like, 3 or 4 weeks. I had to drop out of the quartet I was supposed to be in for a stake event because not only was I too sick to make the practices, I completely lost my voice for about 3 weeks. It's just now starting to come back.

So I haven't really had any energy for blogging. I am reluctant to admit I haven't even been reading other people's blogs much.

Besides me, the kids have been sick. Emma missed preschool about 3 times, and Bridey is having trouble sleeping at night because of the coughing and congestion.

So. I suck, I'm sorry, but I will probably not really blog again for a while, until I'm feeling better. It will be at least another week.

Feel free to tell me how awful I am.

So Long for Now

We're heading off to Vegas! Jeff is preparing for his EA exam and there is a seminar there (the one in L.A. was on Sat.-Sun., which is obviously a religious conflict. So his work, which is awesome, is paying for him-- and us-- to go to Vegas instead, where it is held Thurs.-Fri.)

I'll tell you all about it when we get back (we are staying at Circus Circus and meeting someone from the Nauvoo forums, both of which I am sure will be fun.) So so long until we get back!

Sooooo hot.

The last four or five days have been sweltering. I'm talking 113-120 degrees F. Even at night it's not cooling down like it usually does. And of course, the air a church has not been working properly. I went for Sacrament meeting and then had to come home (Bridget's nap time anyway) because between the nausea and the heat, I almost passed out in the bathroom.

Emma apparently told one of my friends that "the baby in Mommy's tummy made her feel sick." Hmmm, I may not HAVE to figure out how to break it to my dad and Sheri (they're coming over tonight for a Labor Day barbecue-- they have no a/c on the first floor of their house, and the swamp cooler is not working, so they're bringing the food they are feeding us over here and will grill the steaks and corn they're bringing on the big community grill out by the pool, then we will go swimming.)

I get pregnancy symptoms REALLY EARLY. I'm about 2.5 weeks past ovulation, and I've been sick about 2 weeks. I'm talking "morning" sickness (not necessarily in the mornings only!), dizziness, food aversions, cravings, severe fatigue, chestal swelling and soreness (already my nursing bras don't fit right, grrr), frequent urination, swollen feet, mood swings, crying at commercials, and general snappiness. Also, salty food tastes way more salty and sweet food tastes overly sweet. Luckily, instead of craving junk food this time (how I gained almost 60 lbs. with Bridget), I seem to be craving fresh fruits and veggies, salads, and whole grains. For instance, the other day I went to the store thinking I wanted chips and dip-- and ended up gagging at the sight of chips and dip, and getting 12-grain crackers and soft cheese with herbs and garlic (pasteurized, of course) to dip them in. I may have a repeat of some of my Indian food cravings I had with Emma, though, and man am I going to miss the Lebanese grill we loved in Richardson this pregnancy. I am also trying very hard to drink water before and after I eat-- this seems to make me less hungry and more satisfied, and helps with some of the "morning" sickness as well. It is looking more and more like I have a window from about 3 PM to 10 PM wherein I can eat, as long as I do it carefully, without losing anything I get down. Hooray! I do, however, have heartburn during that time. Grrr. But I am hoping my weight gain will be more sensible this time, considering I started with 18 extra pounds to begin with. *sigh*

Also-- and this is the saddest part-- ketchup does not make me gag, but it does seem to give me heartburn. I am having to severely limit it. Wah!

Well, I have to go make some mango sorbet for tonight. We were going to make home-made ice cream but I gagged at the thought of all that fat and sugar, and decided to make sorbet instead. Hey, at least the kid's keeping me straight on my diet!

Positive!

Even though it's a little early-- ovulation was the 12th-- I decided to test last night. I've had several negatives already (I can't help testing early-- that's why I buy my HPTs at the dollar store or in bulk online.) But tonight, POSITIVE! It's faint (because it's early) but it's there!

*does an excited happy dance*

I'm a little nervous, of course, since the last one was a loss. So your prayers would be appreciated, as always. But this one feels good. It feels right. It feels... sticky. ;) Yay!

Happy Birthday to Flybaby Giveaway!

If you like giveaways head on over to Growing a Life where the ever-adorable Flybaby is going to be giving away some great gifts (some for kids his size or who will be his size, some that big people will enjoy, too!)

(Now, I think his mommy, Damselfly, is helping a bit, but that's just me. Don't tell Flybaby 'cause I don't want to hurt his feelings! ;) )

Happy birthday to Flybaby from the Ketchup Family!

PEE-PEE IN THE POTTY!!!!!!!

EMMA DID IT ALL BY HERSELF!!! And wiped herself, put on her dry panties, flushed, and washed her hands. She got FOUR quarters to put in the M&M machine (gumball machine with Giant M&Ms in it; dispenses 3 at a time, the perfect number, lives on the back of the potty) AND we are going tonight to get her the Curious George coloring book we promised her when she did it the first time.

She is very proud and is calling everyone she knows to tell them.

That is all. :D

Heavenly Father Loves Us-- And Our Kitties, Too

Some time last night Emma let the cats out. Roli came in an hour or so later, of his own accord, but Patrick was out all night and all day. We've been calling and searching for him, and I was really starting to worry. Every time we set foot out the door Emma would call worriedly, "Patrick! Patrick!" I think she felt bad that she let him out and now he was lost.

Tonight we went out to get some dessert (mainly just for me to get out.) While we were on our way, Emma was calling for Patrick as we stopped at every corner. It was rather heartrending. Jeff said, "You know what we haven't done and should try? We can pray for Patrick to come back." Well, it worked with my cell phone!

So when we came in, before we had our dessert, we had a family prayer and included a plea for the safe return of Patrick. Emma was not behaving very well during the prayer, and while I went in the bedroom with my cake, she and Abba had a bit of a talk. He reminded her of how we should behave during a prayer and she said, "I will say a nice prayer now." So she did. She prayed, "Heavenly Father, thank you for George [her Curious George movie she watched today, or her Curious George shoes? I'm not really sure], please take care the cat, he will come home. Name Jesus Christ, Amen."

As she said her prayer, Jeff felt he should open the front door. He's not really sure if he heard a "meow" or if it was just an impression to go to the door-- but Patrick was at the front door! After hours of worry, calling, searching, fearing the worst, he was returned to us unharmed, immediately after we prayed. "Ask and ye shall receive!" We were overjoyed and explained to Emma what had happened, that Patrick came home because Heavenly Father watched over him and answered our prayers. We then knelt again for a prayer of thanksgiving. My heart is so full that my eyes are welling up as I write. I am truly, truly grateful that he is safe-- and that Emma is learning of the value of prayer.

A Good Imagination and Dinner Tomorrow

Emma has a great imagination. Always has. Jeff told me he overheard this conversation between her and a roll of packaging tape this evening:

Emma as Emma: No, that is not very nice! You're on time-out!
Emma as roll of tape: No, I don't like time-out!
Emma as Emma: Yes, you do, now go sit on the couch!

I couldn't stop laughing for about three minutes when I heard that one.

Later this evening, my mom and sister stopped by. Megan is going to Ohio, leaving this weekend. She's been accepted for a graduate school program in ceramics, which she really is very enthused about. It's kind of her dream field and she's been stuck in a dead-end job for years; hopefully this will open up new avenues for her. She wanted to see us and the new place before she left. They brought over ice cream and cookies for dessert and she also brought a bunch of canned and dry and other shelf-stable goods that she had no desire to move and hadn't used up, of course we always accept free food! She and Emma chased each other all over and had a blast. Of course, later Ems got into the ground chocolate Megan left (she and I both use it instead of cocoa in many things) and mixed it with water and gave it to her sister with a spoon... *head in hands*

The Watermelon Festival is this weekend but I think we are going to have to skip it because we all have sore throats and it would just be too much. We'll run a few errands but be back in time for a nice long nap before I have to fix dinner for the sister missionaries (we got all our shopping for the next 4-6 weeks done Thurs. night so I don't have to do that tomorrow; I spent $131-ish and saved $80-ish, including the "chicken deal" dinner for dinner that night, a pretty standard trip for me, including getting loads of stuff free or nearly free, and I will not need to get anything more in the next few weeks except maybe some bread or milk.) I'm feeding them chicken sour cream enchiladas (recipe follows), canned refried beans, and Spanish rice (recipe follows.) Oh, and a salad, probably. Or maybe just cooked veggies, I even have some fresh corn... But I don't know if I will be up to that, so if I do veggies they will probably be frozen. Dessert will be pineapple upside-down cake (I assume you all know how to make that, using yellow cake mix, canned pineapple, etc., but if you don't I'll happily post the recipe.) Not really Mexican food, more Mexican-influenced American food, but I enjoy it (although since I have to use mild stuff for the kids, there will have to be hot sauce on the table for sure!)

Chicken Sour Cream Enchiladas

About 4 cups chicken, cooked and shredded (I usually poach it; frozen thighs will do, and you can add a little more if you want to make more enchiladas from this)
1 cup sour cream
1/2 Tbsp. cumin powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 jar green salsa, any heat you desire (I use La Victoria, mild if the kids are eating it, medium if they're not-- would be hot but Jeff prefers medium!), divided
Flour tortillas
cooking spray
3/4-1 cup cheese, grated or shredded
additional sour cream, cheese, black olives, cilantro, and/or green onions, for garnish

Lightly grease a casserole dish or tempered glass pan with cooking spray (I often use a lasagna pan or a 9X13 baking dish.) Mix chicken, seasonings, sour cream, and 1/2 the jar of salsa in a bowl. (If desired you can add onion and/or garlic as well but since the salsa has them I generally don't bother.) Place a few Tbsp. of this filling in each tortilla, spread evenly, and roll them into cylinders. Place the rolled and filled tortillas seam side down in the baking dish. When it is full, pour the remaining salsa over the top (if you've made a large amount of enchiladas or used exceptionally chunky salsa you can thin it down with a bit of water to make sure you have enough to at least partially cover the enchiladas and that you have the right consistency.) Top with cheese. Bake uncovered in a 425 degree oven until the enchiladas are quite hot all the way through and cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with toppings just before serving or on the plate, or let your family/guests add their own.

My Mom's Spanish Rice

Long-grain white rice (I guesstimate the measurements, sorry; I usually do about 1 handful per serving and count on about 8-10 servings.)
1-3 cloves garlic (or more according to taste)
1/2 large or one small onion, diced
olive oil (doesn't need to be EVOO) to cover bottom of pan
1 jar red salsa, preferably chunky (again, I use La Victoria)
1/4 cup stuffed green olives, sliced (use more or less according to taste)
water
salt and pepper to taste

Sauté garlic and onion in oil in a deep skillet or sauté pan with a lid over medium to medium-high heat, until they are just beginning to cook. Add rice and stir just until it is coated with the oil. Add salsa, then stir in olives. Add just enough water to make sure the rice is well covered. Cover and reduce heat to low to medium-low. Simmer, stirring periodically and adding more water as needed to prevent burning, until rice is cooked and all liquid is absorbed. Fluff before serving. (For a richer flavor you can use vegetable or chicken broth or stock instead of water, but I almost never do.)

Generous of Spirit

Emma very occasionally has a problem sharing now that she is 3. But usually, she is very generous about sharing and giving.

A while back we mentioned that her cousin Jaden was going to be turning 3. (It was this Sunday.) Emma said, "I will get her a birfday pwesent." I said, "Will you buy it yourself?" "Yes, I will work and buy it." So she has been doing extra helping and extra chores to earn quarters. She earned five so I took her to the dollar store and she picked out a present herself, and paid for it herself, with money she earned. She was very happy.

Tomorrow I am going to pack it up, with our gift and card, and send it (it would be today but I accidentally left it in the car.)

I'm kinda proud of the kid. She didn't want to choose it and have us pay for it, she wanted to work and earn the money herself, not to get something for her, but for her cousin.

Musical Mondays: Be Thou My Vision

I still haven't got those pics off the camera! So I'll post them and a quick summary of my trip later. In other news, the baby gate we bought on eBay (an Evenflo Wide Spaces Swing Gate with two extensions; the opening is 91 inches, very hard to find a baby gate for that!) came today and we will be able to close off the kitchen so we don't have to keep re-shelving the things in the pantry cupboard, yay!

For now, I'd like to tell you a bit about another of my favorite hymns, "Be Thou My Vision." If you don't know it or would just like to hear it and read the lyrics, the Cyber Hymnal has it here.

Those of you who know me know that I am very into my Irish heritage, and Irish music as well. So it is only natural that I love this very Irish tune and hymn. The music seems somehow ancient and harmonious with my soul, there are several folk tunes that I can think of that do that to me, but this is one of the only hymns that do it. The words are an ode to God, a song of praise and joy and somehow longing at the same time, of a man (or woman) striving always to be better, to do what we should and what we can, to embrace the Light of Christ that shines in the hearts of all men if we but listen for it.

I heard this hymn several times throughout my childhood, the tune probably even more than the words, but the first time I know it was really called to my adult attention was (and this is rather embarrassing/amusing) when it was featured in an episode of Without a Trace! A transgendered individual sang it in one of the flashback scenes, although we didn't know until later that this person was transgendered... Yeah, I know.

In any case, I recalled the tune from my childhood but not the lyrics, so I went to look it up, and fell in love with the hymn all over again. This hymn ranks high whenever I see a thread or hear a conversation about people's favorite hymns, which is kind of interesting to me. Do I hang out with a lot of Irish-American nuts (well, I know at least some of my family are) or is it just a really beautiful tune and/or words? For me, I think it's a little of both. The tune strongly evokes emotions about my heritage and connection with the past, and is also a beautiful tune and gorgeous, meaningful words. Also, I just like music, hymns, and Irish tunes and poetry. So, yeah, this one's got me on all counts. :)

On hiatus, I guess

Sorry, no Musical Mondays today; hopefully back next week. I'm finished with Harry (finished it in about 7 hours total; would have been less but I kept getting interrupted and having to re-read the page I just read! Dratted kids! ;) ) But I'm not feeling my greatest, and every spare moment I feel okay I've been unpacking and putting things away (when I'm not taking Ems swimming! She loves her pool!) Ems is going back to preschool tomorrow so hopefully I'll be able to get stuff done, and Thursday, too, and this weekend we'll blitz the boxes together, and then hopefully next week I'll be able to get back to blogging. I just don't even have energy to get pics off the camera right now. Sorry, all. But coming down from the trip and into a house that needs unpacking and organizing, I guess I just don't have it in me to blog right now. :( I still love you all, though!

We're back.

We're here, we're safe, I'm reading Harry Potter, which came to my aunt's while I was gone and I started late last night.

Sorry, blogging= not as important as finding out the end of Deathly Hallows.

Will write more later.

Having fun!

Hello from Tulsa! We're having lots of fun and went to the zoo yesterday. Pictures when I get back! The trip was rough but it was worth it. :D

Jeff, if you're reading this, shouldn't you be doing something else?

So Long Until Next Week

We're leaving for the airport in an hour and a half! We'll be back a week from today (plus a couple of hours.) I will be checking my e-mail once in a while while I'm gone, so if you need to contact me, you can e-mail or call my cell phone if you've got it.

Hooray!

Musical Mondays: Wayfaring Stranger

So we went to Emma's developmental clinic evaluation today. I'm not emotionally ready to talk about it right now. At least not to blog about it. I think I want to talk it over with my husband and friends first.

Instead, here's Musical Monday. Today I'll be sharing with you "Wayfaring Stranger", because it fits my current mood and I can sing it with soul today.

Download an mp3 here to listen. Sorry my voice is a little rough today; I should probably drink something but I just don't feel like it. I had a little trouble with some of the fricatives, too, not good with my mic control today, but Bridey is kinda fussy so I don't really want to re-record it in case it bothers her.

This song is an old one; it came out of the camp revivals held in the South. This particular song seems to be a result of a combination of "Negro spiritual" and "Appalachian spiritual." It probably began as a song that was sung by Black congregations, then was used in a few white revival meetings and grew from there into its current form (according to people who study these things.) It certainly has that bluesy feel; the words are not quite cheerful, though happy enough. They speak of salvation, but they speak of salvation coming at the end of a long, hard road. They speak of meeting those departed and the Savior with hope, but with weariness. Life can be tough, and I think this song acknowledges that, while still not losing perspective that life is still good, that after death there is still life.

Lyrics, as I sing them:

I am a poor wayfaring stranger
Traveling through this world of woe,
But there's no sickness, toil, or danger
In that bright land to which I go.

I'm goin' there to see my father,
I'm goin' there no more to roam,
I'm just a-goin' over Jordan,
I'm just a-goin' over home.

I know dark clouds will gather 'round me,
I know my way is rough and steep,
But beauteous fields lie just before me
Where God's bright band their vigils keep.

I'm goin' there to see my mother,
She said she'd meet me when I come,
I'm just a-goin' over Jordan,
I'm just a-goin' over home.

I want to wear a crown of glory
When I get home to that bright land,
I want to shout salvation's story
In concert with the blood-washed band.

I'm goin' there to see my Savior,
To sing His praise forever more,
I'm just a-goin' over Jordan,
I'm just a-goin' over home.


Do you know, I don't actually remember learning this song? The tune, anyway. I remember reading the book Come Sing, Jimmy Jo when I was in 5th grade or so. Part of the lyrics are used in it, and I remember humming a tune as I read without consciously thinking about it. A year or so later my dad's band was rehearsing it, and I was at one of the rehearsals. I remember being shocked that it was the exact tune that I had hummed! The words that weren't in the book were familiar, too, and I found myself singing along. So, unconsciously, somewhere along the line I must have heard this song and remembered it, at least once. I did have to learn additional lyrics when we decided to do the song as part of our set after I grew up and joined the family band, but the tune has always been there.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this installment of Musical Mondays! Next week I will not be posting Musical Mondays because I will be in TULSA!!! (Look at that, I'm cheered up already!)

Lost and Found

Yesterday we went out and somewhere along the way I lost my cell phone. The store I was at when I noticed was kind enough to call it-- someone said hello, realized I wasn't one of his friends, and hung up. He didn't answer again. I called my husband, let him know that I'd lost it and we would be at the park, and he continued to call a few times (he also called T-Mobile, and they added 50 minutes to each line so we wouldn't go over, and gave us options for what to do if we didn't get it back.) When he got to the park we discussed it, and he decided to call a few more times. I prayed that my phone would return to me, and afterwards felt that I should send a text message to call my husband's cell if found. A few minutes later, while he was again on the phone to T-mobile, another call came in. Someone wanted to return my cell phone! He said, "Where are you, so I can come get it?" "Sunland Park." They were right in the parking lot 100 feet from us! He went and got it and thanked them (it was missing its cover but I didn't care!), then I went over and thanked them. It was a grandfather and his two teenage/preteen grandsons. I found out that the younger grandson had been the one to find it. I offered to buy him an ice cream or something to thank him and he broke into a shy smile but refused. I guess that the constant calling made the guy who initially found it nervous. He decided to take the cover and ditch the phone. Right before I texted my phone (hmmm... right after my prayer?), this honest young man saw someone take the cover off a phone and drop it on the ground. He picked it up, and saw the message, and made the call. Hooray!

Only five short calls were made, and nothing important was lost (I can get a new cover! It's the phone numbers that I've been too lazy to store anywhere else reliable that I don't want to lose! And I wouldn't have been too thrilled to pay $100 for a new phone, either.) Hooray for another answer to prayer!

I'd love to hear your stories of lost things that were returned in unexpected or special ways. :)

And speaking of lost and found, my uncle used to be a locally-famous record producer and DJ. (This was a loooong time ago, in Phoenix, AZ.) I was idly googling my maiden name and came up with this CD (I'd heard that there was a CD out but not seen the blurb for it yet.) Apparently he is still rather respected by aficionados of the music of his heyday and they keep making compilations of the music he produced. I don't remember which one but one of them has my dad's name on the back for one song, too; he tells the story as such: "One day when I was about 15, my brother Mike, your uncle, came in and said, 'Hey, I wrote these words and I need music for them. Write me some music to go with them and I'll give you half-credit for writing it.' [My dad is a self-taught guitar player, got a guitar at age 12 and taught himself to play by listening to the Beatles. He's always been very musical. He now plays at a semi-pro level, and can listen to almost any song and immediately play it.] So I strummed a few minutes, set down some simple chords and a melody, and the cover read 'Words and music by Mike and Bill Lenaburg.' When we had our school dance at the end of that year, the band who was playing covered that song, and they said, 'I hear one of the guys who wrote this song goes to your school. Bill Lenaburg, will you stand up? Let's give him a hand!' It was the only dance I ever went to where there was no shortage of girls wanting to dance with me all night!" (I guess my dad was kinda a skinny kid. ;) ) I didn't actually know all of this until a few years ago; when they started coming out with these compilations my dad started telling all about his big brother Mike and how he idolized him growing up. I guess Mike was a really big influence on my dad, and one of the reasons he's stayed into music all his life is time spent with my Uncle Mike as a teenager.

How about you guys? Got any cool family stories you discovered in the last few years or so?

I hate this. :(

I am two days late for my period. I took several pregnancy tests and, in frustration, went out and got an early pregnancy test (supposed to be 99% accurate on the day of your missed period.) Negative. So that means one of two things: I'm waiting for a period I don't want, and my body has decided not to cooperate (most likely) or (less likely), I'm pregnant but my hCg is so low that it's undetectable by a urine test-- which probably means I'm going to miscarry early, again.

This stinks. Really bad. I'm sad.

But I AM going to see Rayann next week. Yay for that. That cheers me up some.

First Blogiversary

Today is my Blogiversary-- it's been one year since I started this blog! I had a big long post but Blogger ate it.

So I'll just say, that the best part of blogging is the friends I have made. I can't believe I have stuck with any form of journalling for a whole year; I think the feedback is definitely what has kept me going. And it's just been a great experience. Here's to many more years in the Ketchup Bottle!

Musical Monday: Bringing in the Sheaves

Today I'd like to share with you the hymn Bringing in the Sheaves, by Knowles Shaw, music by George A. Minor.

This hymn has a special place in my heart. A lot of people think of it as a "harvest time" hymn, often sung around Thanksgiving and such. But really, the hymn is much deeper than that, and appropriate all year 'round. It's both about having a joyful demeanor, that you may reap joy in return, and about missionary work. The simple words are accessible on several levels, and that is why it has remained a popular hymn since 1874 when it was written.

I have many memories of this hymn. The repetitive, bouncy, rhythmic chorus and the sheer joy of this hymn made it a favorite around our house, whatever we were doing. I remember singing it while cleaning growing up, especially the "pre-holiday-guests" cleaning before Thanksgiving, but also in the summer. The chorus makes for excellent "echo" singing, so often one of us would start and the other would bring in the echo (which, traditionally, would probably be sung by the bass, but we didn't have a bass!) The rhythm would carry us through scrubbing floors, polishing furniture, cleaning mirrors and windows, or whatever we were doing.

As I get older, I have often found myself humming it to myself while I walk along, and a bounce appears in my step. I find it almost impossible to be sad while singing or listening to this song, and it is excellent for banishing angry or depressing thoughts; I find it re-focuses me on the feelings I should be giving my time to, rather than wallowing in sadness or anger, it re-purposes my thoughts. The hymn acknowledges sadness: "Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master/Though the loss sustained, the spirit often grieves." But it also reminds us that "When our weeping's over, He will bid us welcome." Life is full of trials sometimes; it is supposed to be. But at the end of our lives we will go to a place of joy the likes of which we can barely conceive of. And a loving Judge and Friend will then let us know our mistakes are forgiven (if we have repented), that the most un-lovable parts of us are loved, and that our work is just beginning.

A new place to live-- an answer to prayer!

You all may have seen me complaining about this apartment and the troubles we have with it and the landlord and such. Well, we're moving.

I'll be further from the park and Sun Thrift (although closer to another park and the library), and we'll have to work out a way to get Emma to and from preschool, but we will figure something out. It is in our ward still (important because it provides a sense of stability to Emma), only a few blocks from my dad's house, has a pool, gated entry, underground parking, two bathrooms, and is just a nicer place to live. We will only be paying about $250 more per month-- within our budget-- we won't be paying an illegal water bill or a sewage bill, and we will be able to start moving stuff in a few days. They're not even charging us a full month's rent as a deposit, or a pet deposit for the cats.

We're giving our thirty days' notice today. (Or maybe Wed., when we sign the lease.)

I've got mixed feelings. I'm not thrilled about moving so far from Emma's preschool that she has to go all day, but I think we will both adjust. And you can't put a price on feeling safe in your home. (We will NOT be giving CPS our new address!)

We have been praying for a new place to live, and this is just an answer to our prayers. We are excited to be moving!