My Life, Rated (according to this site, anyway)

This Is My Life, Rated
Life:	7.2
Mind:	6.3
Body:	8
Spirit:	8.8
Friends/Family:	9.1
Love:	7.3
Finance:	5.9
Take the Rate My Life Quiz

Obsessed

I discovered these tortillas from Jody, who heard about them, I think, at his Weight Watchers meeting. They are really great for you. According to some, they are 0 POINT tortillas, but they are more like a half POINT. They are from Dunford Bakers, and I have not seen them in a grocery store, but they sell them at the store in their bakery-- 8556 South 2940 West (It is between 3200 W and 2700 W on 8600 S/Haun Dr). They are whole wheat, and let me be honest, I have always thought whole wheat tortillas were comparable to cardboard. But these ones are so good, that I have had 4 packages in less than a week (with very little help from anyone else, as they would complain!). Worth a try. And hey, they are even up front by the door so that the test of your willpower is short (and sweet-smelling).

I had to include a picture of Jake. I just love this poochie! He is on my bed, of course. He thinks it is his. I guess it is in a small way, since he sleeps there every night. This #$%^ dog just cost us like $400. The extra (above the other shots, etc) was a teeth cleaning, $175, plus anesthetics and an iv (what the heck, do I really need this?!). Honestly, do I really need to do this every year? I mean that is too expensive! I am going to create a poll. Watch for it when my kids are not getting into everything and I am supposed to be getting one kid from the high chair (going to check the diaper right now...) and the other in bed for a much needed nap!

Me and My Hubby

This was the pic I made us have taken on Valentine's Day. It is good to do, ya know! Thanks to our waitress. And yes, I am cheesy enough to wear red on Valentine's Day. Besides, it is my favorite color. I was also wearing those heart socks I found at Target. ;)

Cleanest Highchair in the World

How is that possible, you ask? Well, I actually dislike cleaning the high chair very much. I bought one that has way too many crevices and places for food to get stuck. I need a toothpick to get it fully clean. Why? Why do people make things like that for kids? I was clueless when I bought it and did not even think about it. Well, anyway, that is all beside the point. For about 12 hours, my highchair was cleaner than when I bought it. But it is what happened right before that I am going to make you sick (I am sure) by telling you.
So last night, we were eating dinner and I was finished but Sydney was still eating. I left her in her highchair and went about my business, cleaning up, loading laundry, whatever. I was all over the house. Ethan was driving me crazy, so in an effort to get him out of my hair for a minute (or second!), I told him to go give Sydney a kiss. So he ran to her, then ran back to me yelling "Syd got poop all over me!" WHAT?! So I walk over and actually notice what it is she has been doing. Her diaper was poopy (I feed my kids with clothes off, just a diaper on) and she had proceeded to take it out of her diaper and smear it all over her and her highchair. SICK. Sick. SICK! Avoiding the poop was out of the question- I had to scrub her off in the bath tub... she did not love that, and I am not exactly the pinnacle of a nice, loving mom while touching poop... So while she was in the tub, I cleaned the poop off her high chair. {No worries, I could see her.} I am actually surprised I did not damage the chair and my floor from the amount of bleach I used. The strap had to soak over night, because of course, it was covered in the mess, but other than that, this chair was cleaner than ever!
Now if anyone asks why these kids usually wear so many layers, well, I could not handle this if it were in her crib or on her carpet...

Insulation

I just had to share this valuable (I think, anyway) information. If you have not finished your basement yet, and plan on it, well I have a little tip for you. Check with your gas and power companies about rebates for installing insulation. Whether they offer them, or not, I would strongly suggest it anyway. We put insulation on all outer walls, under the joists (between floors) and between every room. I noticed that the last two months, our gas bill is less than it was last year. Last year, when we were only heating upstairs. We have another thing that may contribute to that, but it also may not make a difference. I am guessing that most people keep their basement vents closed. Well, I nannied for a family and really liked that they had a thermostat upstairs and a separate downstairs. We looked into something like that. We did not get a completely separate system (would be nice, but $$$), but it is zoned? I think that is what it is called. So it all comes from the same heater/ac unit (yes, my basement needs ac!), but you can control the temperatures separately. So right now, I have my basement set at 62 degrees, but when I go down, I raise it to whatever, and then change it back before I come up. The whole point of me boring you out with all this house info-- if you can do the zoning, I would definitely splurge. It is well worth it in the long run.
But the thing I think really is something that has helped, is all that insulation. The gas/power companies may still have rebates out there, which will more than pay for the insulation (especially if you install it yourself! Sidenote: if they do, you could buy the insulation now, even if not finishing basement yet, keep all the things and send in for the rebates. That way you get the money back. ) But, even if they do not pay for it, you will still save money on your gas bill.
My sister's house is about 2700 Sq Ft (total) and she said their gas bill was about $150. That is how much ours is and we have a 4100 sq ft (total) house. They did not do any extra insulation.
I am not sure what the other variables are, but I thought I would send out some info on this random matter. Have a great Sunday Eve. Hopefully you are not awake right now :)

My Bishop

I just had to say. I really like my Bishop! It is actually interesting. We met him at the ward campout, only a month after we moved in. He was actually not the Bishop at the time, but in the Bishopric. Anyway, he looked so familiar to me and after we got talking, I still did not know why he looked so familiar. So a few weeks later, a friend from high school, who is also in my ward-- (who I love, by the way, she is great!) was telling me that he was from the same place as us. I knew exactlty how I knew him. Well, I actually never knew him, but he has two sisters that I went to school with and they look alike enough, and I knew their mom. Besides all of that, we made friends with him and his wife right off. They are such great people.
I had heard that our Bishopric has had a hard time with callings-people who don't like each other, so they can not be in callings together, must release this person cause the new person called can't work with them, etc (yeah, RIDICULOUS) and just having a hard time getting people to accept callings, give talks, etc. Plus normal things, like dealing with issues people have in the ward, such as adultery, financial woes, pornography, death, etc. I just really have a great amount of respect for him and his counselors. They have a hard job! THEY ARE NOT PAID FOR SUCH HARD WORK! I am sure that he had no idea he was going to have to deal with jr high-like issues, either. I know their families. I know that they have so much to do for work, and home. In fact, the Bishop has three small children- the oldest is 4 (or 5?) the next is 3 and they have a new baby. He has a demanding career as well. {That is just the Bishop, I know the others are similar. }
I am just trying to say that I really do love and appreciate these people. They did not sign up for these callings, and yet they do them, happily, and really genuinely care about us. I know they care about my family, at least. The Bishop pulls me aside regularly and asks how we are doing. They put in the time and effort to teach things that we, as a ward family, need to hear (I actually found out today that my Bishop does not really like public speaking all that much... what a trooper!).
Though, I am guessing, they will never read this blog, THANKS to my bishopric and their wives, we love you!

Disappointed in and "Old" Favorite

One of my favorite things about Old Navy is their holiday merchandise. I love to buy their holiday socks (shhhh... don't tell Stacy and Clinton). Sometimes, I go there JUST for that. I made a special request at Christmas for them, and Jody said they did not have any. I went for some Valentine's stuff, and they had a very small selection. No socks. They are not selling them anymore. I was very disappointed. I had actually bought Ethan a really cute shirt from Wal-Mart last year- it said Hunk of Burning Love on it and it had a white flame heart. So harley-ish and cute. I checked them out last Saturday am and I could not find anything Valentine's for little kids. Then, when I went to Old Navy and was disappointed (by their St Patrick's Day stuff, too, since they usually have great stuff for the holiday my family loves to celebrate), I decided that maybe I was crazy and would drag my two FUN (HAHAHAHAHA) children to yet another large store. That was AWFUL. First of all, I forgot to look in the holiday section, thinking they may have clothes in the.... CLOTHES section. No dice. I did see cute Easter stuff... and wouldn't you know it, none of Syd's size. DO these people order two of each size? I mean come freaking ON! Anyway. At this point, my precious little 3 year old is YELLING that I am "a dumb idiot Heather" and I am really about ready to strangle him right there, in front of everyone (why not? I am already embarrassed as it is). That is when it dawns on me to go to the holiday section. Then I get there, and there is not a boy thing in sight. Come on, I am not the only mom who likes to dress her kids up in holiday shirts! I know I am not! So I had to resist buying Syd anything cause they had such cute stuff. And I was lucky at Old Navy and bought her the cutest outfit. So I did grab me some socks (thanks Target!) and a few one-spot items (like a green-jeweled tiara-- I tell you, we celebrate and go to the parade and everything! I love that cheap little section).

Jody got lucky. No heart attire this year. HA HA. I bought these pants one year. I think it took him a couple years to actually wear them, but he does now. I love it when he wears them!

So I am a day late, but I really wanted to take a pic since I am a dud and did not last year... They even both had their cute outfits on... I bought Ethan's shirt from Target, though I think it is just a regular shirt, not holiday. Don't mind this possessed look he has on his face...

I am waiting for her hair to grow and hopefully get curlier :)

I hope you had a great Valentine's Day!