Monday, February 14, 2011

Valentine's Day

It was a tiring day. I started laundry, went to the store, & grabbed juice boxes for Adam's class. then dragged Zachary to Adam's school where I was carring in a heavy load and having contractions the whole way into the school and to his class. I discovered that Adam had forgotten to tell his teacher everything that we talked about this morning including his lunch money.

From there I ran home to put groceries away and then ran out to regiester the boys for swim classes, came back scarffed some lame food, and went to the Dr. I found out that everyone is healthy and that I lost a pound since the last visit. That was a bonus!

This whole time I'm having braxton hicks and just getting really worn out. I had a few minuets before I had to go and pick up Adam so I turned on the TV for Zachary and I layed down. Ahhhh.

I'm picking up Adam and I see him coming out upset and crying. He didn't want to leave his star student items in the class and I of course wanted him too. We had a little friction and he won but it took everything out of me. From that point on I saw all of the hurtels that I had to get through (ie: homework, dinner making, serving, and trying to get the boys to eat, clean up, FHE, video games, bedtime, etc.) and just caused me to get emotional. Feeling that I needed a break I excused my self to my room where I was followed. Thanks Kathryn for talking with me and listening to all of my complaints.

I got some really nice v-day surprises. Adam did his homework with out giving my any guff, I just warmed up some leftovers and gave the boys some hot dogs, and Josh came home with all of the v-day things. He came in with a dozen roses, chocolate, & a card that made me cry. I've never considered myself a sucker for these goodies but after the day that I had it made me melt. No matter what day it is I really do feel loved and my boys genuienly think that I'm pretty. Just tonight Adam was telling me that he loves my eyes and my beautiful eye lashes. I'm a very lucky mom and even luckier wife. Even though I had a tiring day in the end it was a very nice v-day.

Moments to be remembered

Sunday morning Zachary came into our bedroom with his filghty hair wagging and sassy kitty under his arm. I knelt down to greet him with a good morning hug and sweet kiss. Then after I got my greetings he went to my belly and gave it a hug and a kiss too and declared "I love babies." I know that he will be a very attentive older brother.



As I was getting ready for church and putting my make-up on Adam was on our bed. He called out "let me see you mom" I peeked around the corner and Adam said "you look pretty mom."

What a sweetie!



Ok, here is a belly picture. I can see why I haven't handed Josh the camera and made him take my picture lately. Oh well, it is what it is.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Pregnancy

So yeah, I'm about 33 weeks pregnant. We are having another little boy and we are expecting him to come into our family March 24th, 2011. We plan on naming him Andrew David Engstrom. We are really excited for him to be a part of our family.

For the past couple of Sundays I've been away at other meetings for the stake and so no one at church has seen me. So today I guess I surprised everyone at how big my body has gotten. The comments were many. I can't believe what comes out of people's mouths to a pregnant woman. The best comment that was said to me today was "Wow, you look more uncomfortable than someone who has swallowed a whole elephant."

What do I say to that? I think just smiled and said "yep." and laughed uncomfortably.

Christmas #2

After we got home from our Christmas vacation to our snowed in house Josh had an unexpected day off of work. We used this snow day to recover and to open the rest of the gifts that we couldn't fit inthe car. Josh recieved his little gifts and then we opened the wii. Blessing or curse? The Faldmos knew what the boys were getting and so they sent a couple of games...Lego Batman and Lego Star Wars. Those games have been a source of joy, contentions, excitment, tears, and laughter. She gets the award for the best/most used gift for our family this year.

We learned that daddy can hold one the nunchuck and Zachary holds the controller and can beat up the bad guys. It is so cute the way that he gets into the game and fights. I love the way his little body shakes and hair bounces.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Munchkins

Working with the youth I know that someday that my sweet boys will be teenagers that will be embarrised to even achknowledge our excistance. Josh and I will go form super heros to weirdos. So in effort to remember these blissfull moments I'm making more of an effort to write these moments down. This is one of those moments that you just want to bottel up and relive when ever you are having a challenge.

I got to go to a meeting tonight and I was givin munchkins (doughnut holes) to bring home. I announced to the boys that I had treats and they came running. The favorities for the boys were the chocolate ones. Those quickly got grabed up. Adam got the last one and I guess he noticed that I didn't take any of the chocolate munchkins. He came around the table to me and said " mom, I'll break off a piece for you." I figured out that he wanted to share the last one with me. I didn't have the heart to tell him that I don't like those and to take the whole thing for himself because he was so excited to give me some. He split it in half and with a sweet smile gave me my share. He just melts my heart.
Zachary had one in his hand too and followed the example of his older brother. He tore off a small morsel and said with his fun smile, "this is for you daddy."

I just love my boys.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

More Snow




I feel like I'm experiencing a winter like what George Washington did during the winter of 1779-1780. However I have the great comforts of heat electrisity, super markets with really good grapes, phones and all of the other luxeries that we enjoy in this time.
We have had more snow than I can ever remember seeing except when i worked on the mountain but that was an elevation of about 9,000-10,000 ft. I know that people complaine about all fo the snow and yes it is expensive to salt and plow the roads but it is really pretty. I feel like I'm living in one of the cards of Currier & Ives.
The best part of the snow are the snow days. I get to have the boys with me and take a break from our usual routine. It is tradition that when we have a snow day that we go out and play in the snow and I make chocolate chip cookies. We have had so many snow days that I just make a large batch of cookies, freeze several dozen cookies dough balls and pull a couple dozen out to bake each snow day. One of Zachary's favorite treats now is "a cookie ball".

Another adventure that this weather has offered our family this year is great sleding conditions. For the past couple of Saturdays Josh has taken the boys to a park with a little bunny hill and a nice path to walk up it. The boys and Josh have had a good time riding down the hill. I am a spectator. I hope that next winter is as good as this one because we have big plans to go snow skiing in the Pocono Mt. I know that it will not be what I have been spoiled with in Utah but it is better than doing nothing. Plus I really want to introduce my boys the the sport. It is my favorite activity to do on this earth and I really hope that they love it or grow to love it. I am thinking that if they like sleding the they will love snow boarding etc. Right?

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Blizzard

I can't believe this winter. We have had a snow or ice storm every week since we got back on the Dec. 26th. That first storm was pretty crazy since we drove through the whole thing from Charleston, SC to Spotswood, NJ. I think that Josh was white knuckeling it for 700 miles. It was slow going. We counted about 35 cars that had spun off of the road and 4 wrecks. I kept on thinking that we should stop and get a hotel but Josh persisted. I really thought that we were going to have to stay at a hotel when we got to NJ. They had the worst roads out of any state that we drove through. We later learned that the unions decided to do a bad job on purpose. What is wrong with these people?
My eyes really got big when we got off of the NJ turnpike and onto the the roads less traveled. Places that I had been several times before even our neighborhood were unrecognizable because of the amount of snow that blanketed everything. I'm glad that we had GPS. The snow finnally won when we arrived at our house. We were fotunate to break the bank of snow onto our street but when we got to our house we were stopped.
The snow level that is seen in this picture is up to my car door window. If you look closely you can see Josh's foot prints going up the driveway.
It was 1:00am, I'm pregnant, the boys are asleep in the backseat, and we just have little over 50ft between us and our house. Before I could ask Josh what we should do he was bounding up the driveway in over two feet of snow. He opened the garage door, grabbed the snow shovel and started to make a path to the car. A few moments later another figure showed up and started to help Josh shovel the snow enough to get our car in. It was our neighbor Romero 22yr. old marine that was home for Christmas. One of the best highlights to our vacation happened at the last 50ft on our trip home.