Happy Halloween!

Halloween Costumes 2008

The paper gown was the best because it fit me here, way back in September. And, it fits me now (though a bit tighter). And, HELLO, so cheap.

The following pictures are from our ward's Trunk or Treat, which really ended up being Classroom Door Trick or Treat because of the rain. Everett had fun at his very first carnival.

The Patient
My OB thought the idea was ingenious.

The Doctors-the OBGYNs

Evy's version of bowling is more like wrecking ball.

Evy's First Sack Race: Thanks, DADA!

The Spoils

These pictures are from hanging with Rebecca and Max decorating cupcakes and making popcorn hands. Everett also received some potty training and football tutoring from Max.

Some of our ghosts, ahem-Erik, were anatomically interesting.

We had an excellent time; thanks Max and Rebecca!

Missing: Sheila's Cerebrum

I've lost it. The only things I have left are love, swollen ankles, and the best two boys on the planet.

I wasn't gifted with athletic ability (though in high school I worked hard on swim team and made Varsity--but I think my coach gave me pity votes).

My musical ability is now dormant, but when it was working it took a lot of work and I don't think I ever achieved uber excellence.

My sewing skills are marginal . . . and the fact that I have lost it means I can't smart myself out of mistakes I have made in my relationship with my White Sewing Machine.

I can still make a pretty good Lego waffle (I toast it twice, people, that takes EFFORT). And, I am considering a Lego waffle to have all four food groups because that is what I gave Everett for breakfast. (Though he did request a banana, too. The 2 year old has better thinking powers right now, of course.)

But, I really miss my brain. I consider it the one reason I can manage this existence and so that those around me won't think I am a total lame, except when playing the sports or pop culture card in Trivial Pursuit. And, sometimes I am completely dead weight when playing that game. My family still plays the Junior version. Give me nature or children's literature any day.(my penchant for run-on sentences has gotten worse)

I don't get jokes. Seriously. I don't GET THEM. This is the hardest on Erik because instead of laughing at his antics I think that he has made huge judgement errors in language, logic, decency, and stories. [insert Sheila's mad scowl]

I can't find addresses; I have forgotten my phone number.

For the first time in my life, I turned my underwear BLACK in the laundry. For the life of me, I can't figure out what happened. And, it wouldn't be fair to blame it on the washing machine. In general, black underwear actually sounds alluring . . . I've seen myself more recently than you have. This black underwear is not alluring.

I know I've lost it because I saw something on Oprah about it. OH, NO! Did I just mention Oprah? Yes, and it was her doctor or that Dr. or Wizard of Oz (or whoever/whomever) that said that pregnant ladies have the brain power sucked out of them because the baby takes up all the brain fat . . . or something like that. And the Doc suggested taking amino acids or omega something threes. SEE? Evidence right there. The only thing I took away from the 5 minutes of watching the show was that the effects can be reversed through a lobotomy---any volunteers?

No, the lack of sleep isn't helping. And, I am going to commit felinicide because my cat thinks that colder weather means she can party all night and morning long. I saw her sneaking out in her pink high heels and red lipstick this morning at 4:30. Where does she get the energy when she only got home at 2:00? She needs a job. (no, I won't kill the cat. she does a great job of distracting and entertaining Everett--even though he still likes to drink out of a cup the same way she drinks out of her water bowl. and, everyone in the neighborhood loves her. crazies.)

I can't spell. I usually manage a couple of mistakes per post. I just spelled checked this post---15 errors.

A gourmet meal means that I cooked ground beef, mixed in some jarred spaghetti sauce, and put it on some pasta that I cooked for 10 minutes. I cannot handle any complexities without it (my brain, not the gourmet meal, oh--whatever).

It is gone. I've lost it.

Anyone seen it or have one I can borrow until Christmas? Otherwise, I think it is possible I might feed Everett M&Ms for lunch believing it has all four food groups, too.

Do they do Amber alerts for missing brains? If they know I am a really nice person, will that make a difference?

Chills and Thrills

Erik's Thrills: The Trunk or Treat is over. Due to rain, we had to hold it in the building which is a logistical quagmire given the size of our congregation and how many cool friends came along for our ward's party. We were able to manage it okay, though.

Sheila's Thrills: I am feeling better thanks to Erik and an angel friend who watched Everett while I slept for several hours today. I am even getting my voice back. In two days I'll be at week 35 and am grateful for good health. Everett and I had a chance to hang with some cool friends on Friday. It was great to have a chance to talk with an adult, and he was entertained the entire time with her son.

Everett's Thrills: We had a chance to have lunch with Dada this week. I love eating chips and salsa and was able to eat out of my own salsa dish! Every day I have new words. The phrase that I added most recently was,"I did it!"

Chills: Baby, it is COLD outside!

Jinxed

Last night, after our church's Halloween party, I was laying down at home (contractions had started again--but the day had been mostly contraction free), and I coughed a bit, just a little bit. Erik said,"Are you getting sick?"

"Whaa!?! It is just a little cough."

And sure enough, I woke up sick this morning. That and infuriated at the stupidest cat on earth. Seriously, this cat is so stupid and LOUD.

Erik is off to Ward Council (goes twice a month). I have a tendency to be frustrated on these mornings because by the time the meeting gets out and he picks us up, we are late for church services. I hate being late for church. And, along with my compulsion on wanting to be on time to stuff, there is a benefit of strategically picking where you will sit when your toddler sees Sacrament as "jail break-out" practice. When you are late, you can't be picky on where you sit.

But, tangent aside, I won't be frustrated this morning as I am not going to church. We'll see how Everett feels when he wakes up. (we are usually sick together)

First contraction occurred at 7:46 AM. Today is going to be a lot of fun.

LIES!

No, this is not about the election or any candidate. All week we've been excited to catch the UT game. But, no, we are a part of a small section of the US that won't have the opportunity to watch it on ABC. Even Hawaii gets to see it. Hawaii is at least 5 hours away from the Central time zone. I live closer to both Oklahoma and Texas than those residents in Hawaii, and should that matter? Probably not, but REALLY!

And, no, I won't be watching the Virginia Tech game instead. I'll be too busy pouting.

I mean, if I am going to name our next child "Colt McCoy" then I need to be able to watch the game. Right?

Scheduled to Record

Tomorrow we get to see the Longhorns in action, again! We are really, really lucky to have another game televised!

Erik will miss part of it due to setting up for our church's Trunk or Treat, poor guy. We have it set to record.

We are so excited! Hook-Em!

34 Weeks

We made it another week. Remember, the goal is 37 weeks. At this point, bedrest isn't something that the doctor will consider if I go into labor--the doctor will just try to deliver the baby as safely as possible.

3 more weeks to go to meet the goal. Random detail: The baby is most active late at night and in the wee early hours of the morning.

Highlight: Yesterday, I bought some smoking hot RED pants on sale to wear to make my rotation of pants be every three days. I feel so cool wearing them. Because, really, who has a pair of RED pants? I can't wait to wear them, again on Saturday, when they go through the rotation.

Overall, the days are inconsistent rotating between horrible to okay, due to contractions. Today was on the rougher side. I had my sweet caretaker, Everett, by my side all day. He even gave me his blankie to lay with on the couch.

Everett is currently finishing up watching Cars. He always gets upset when The King is pushed into an accident in the race. "NO, NO, NO, NO!" he screams. Poor guy! (Just wait until you see him in his Halloween costume.)

Thinking for Yourself

Starting sometime during my teenage years, it wouldn't be unusual for me to walk into a darkened room and be surprised if the lights didn't automatically turn on for me. Whaa? Yeah, I don't know why either. I didn't live in a place with motion sensor lights, I didn't have maid service to light candles before I entered a room, and, as far as I know, I am not delusional.

Maybe I just thought my effervescent personality would just magically "light" the place.

In the end, I would indignantly huff and turn the light switch on myself (no, the huff wasn't necessary, but, REALLY, I expected the light to come on without any effort on my part).

Thus my motivation for this posting. There are many things going on right now in politics across our nation and in specific states, and you just need to do the thinking for YOURSELF!

Vote after analyzing the issues and after analyzing the candidates, don't just vote how your parents, your spouse, your professor, your church, or you mailman votes . . . research it out, pray about it if you like, and then go VOTE!

I don't think that this venue, my blog, is an appropriate venue to discuss my own political beliefs or voting preferences. But, if you have a blog, and you want to blog about politics . . . use your own words, think for yourself, don't put something out there because your bestfriend had it on her blog or this and that organization said it was imperative that you do something or say something . . . think it out for yourself and then put THAT information out there. (and then go eat a chocolate chip cookie, because, hello, that kind of decision making and discernment takes effort)

Think for yourself, speak for yourself, and know that there are not many situations where you are "right" and the voter who votes opposite is "wrong." Seriously. It gets to perspective, life experiences that shape opinions and ways of thinking, and hierarchy of what the individual voter believes is important. For example, given my background in education and my experience in education, what do you think is at the top of my list when I examine what positions candidates have . . . yeah, I know that isn't the very first for many, many others.

And, just so you know, I now have a room that lights up just because I walk in . . . we have a motion sensor on our basement level light. NICE!

Evy's 2nd Year Pics

Erik--

We were right. That was a dead shrew, not a mouse, that we found in front of our house (compliments of Twiggy). Thanks for cleaning it up.

We love you!

Sheila & Everett

Multiple Intelligences--The Origin

So, being an edugeek, I still try to read articles and journals related to education, learning, and cognition. My grad school's publication Ed. Magazine recently published a profile on Howard Gardner, the guy responsible for the theory of multiple intelligences (MI).

I found it to be a pretty good write up about him. Part of it may surprise you if you haven't had a chance to learn about him before but are impressed with the idea of MI.

Evy Turns 2

Our goal this year was to have birthday activities instead of a birthday party for Everett. He opened presents from family as we received them, and he was really able to enjoy each one--being "two" you get overwhelmed a bit easily. We were so glad that we did this as he responded very well.

Last weekend, we started Evy's birthday celebrations. We really wanted to schedule a chance for him to tour a firehouse. It was just seeming to be too hard between all the schedules, and then I found out that Fairfax County was having open firehouses for fire prevention week. SCORE!

THE Firehouse!

Everett had a blast; the most mundane fascinated him. He seriously thought the bunkroom and the urinals were REALLY cool. No kidding.

Apple Picking

The next weekend, we planned to go apple picking to continue with his birthday festivities and found out from a friend how we could go apple picking and go to SONIC! All is right with the world when pieces like that align. (There are not any Sonics close to us. And, Sheila was able to go and buy milk and yogurt out in the country with country prices . . . heaven!)

The actual birthday day was so much fun for Everett. Breakfast started with his favorite doughnut--the kind with sprinkles. One or both of us were with him during nursery at church(they were shorthanded), and he did really well. They sang Happy Birthday to him. He really didn't know what was going on, but he didn't cry or run away.

After nap, he had a birthday treat, M&Ms. We then made his birthday cake together. In making the cake, he wanted to add food coloring. So, we added the colors one by one and watched them spiral together. Actually made the white cake more festive.

For dinner we had his favorite, NOODLES! Of course the sauce was everywhere. And then we added red icing to the mix on his face. It was fabulous!

Shameless Videos:
Birthday Song



Birthday Cake



Chatting, Giggling and Reading with Evy (5 videos)

Chills and Thrills

Everett: Evy played with one of his friends this week while Mom went to a doctor's visit. When he saw the same friend in Sacrament at church today, he basically tried to vault the pew in order to go over and say hi. He is really gaining in words and two word sentences. It is amazing to see the development. He turned 2 today. There will be another post with all the details later.

For Erik and Sheila: We are glad that all of us are healthy and are excited that the baby will arrive soon. Oh, and we got our flu shots! Aren't we cool.

UT beat Missouri . . . and we get to see next week's game, too.

"I Thought You Were Rich!"

You lucky ducks; my insomnia (currently 4:30 in the morning) propels me to write some thought provoking musings to make connections for myself with the result being a post for your pleasure or torture. If this "hard time sleeping" continues, I'm gonna have to start a new blog just for my verbal tinkerings.

Someone told me recently, "I Thought You Were Rich!"

My first thought was, "What happened to dispel that notion for you?" And, then, I started to wonder WHAT was this person talking about. Me, Rich?

Mentally, I took a quick stock.

The thing I am most prideful about is our post-graduate school furniture (we got 2 years after Erik finished graduate school, after we had been married 9 years), which had all been bought at warehouses or on clearance with cash we worked hard to save. I was lucky enough to have a man, my husband, that was willing to go with me all over DC to buy the items at a price I thought was fair.

All of our clothing is bought on sale, most on sale at outlet stores.

Our only car is over 10 years old and hits 170,000 miles very soon. (Hoping to get 2 more years out of that smoking hot automobile.)

We don't have luxury items. Our TV is 12 years old and is less than 30 inches wide.

I prefer pearls to diamonds. I prefer wearable art to pearls.

I get my hair cut three times a year.

We don't go on exotic, expensive vacations. Well, except for that cruise we went on in 2005. That was a pretty cool 10th wedding anniversary present.

For years after graduate school, Erik and I used to joke that we needed to wear helmets all of the time because all our money was going to school loans. It still does. Really, it does. And that is okay because we wouldn't be the people we are today, doing the things that we can do, without those educational opportunities and sacrifices.

I do have a particular taste in work clothes; I call it professional dressing and it includes suits. But, I haven't worn them since February and most were bought on clearance. I gave most of those clothes away to other ladies just entering the job market. Don't worry, I did keep at least two outfits in case something happens to Erik--and I need to throw myself into interview mode to find a job.

We do have a mortgage(s) for our townhouse, which I can urban-suburban living. THAT transaction almost put me in a psych ward. I am the cheaper spender in the relationship, who grew up in Texas where housing is CHEAP. When all the financing discussions started, it was like watching sausage being made. I decided to let Erik handle the details, he has the MBA people, and I went out to the car and curled up into the fetal position. Of course, we bought the house in a very different time, very different market than what is going on now.

I was going through our budget the other day trying to find areas to tweak, despite the cost of gas going down. And, I was struck that one of the cereals we buy on a consistent basis uses more milk than the other cereals we buy. AH-HAH! I can cut that cereal from our consumption and decrease the amount of milk we need to buy. Then, I caught myself, realized that I was being a bit too cheap, and went on to other parts of the budget.

So, all of this flashed pretty quickly through my mind. And, you know, I decided that I am rich. We struggle, pray about, and sometimes wonder how the finances will work out for the month, but I basically have everything that I need. I don't need much. I don't get to buy whatever I want when I want, but that helps me exercise self-discipline and healthy planning and spending habits. I have to spend less on groceries and eat food that I don't always like because of the realities of living. I am forced to research my purchases for the highest quality at the lowest price.

And so, my response to this person was, "I am rich. But, even more than that, I am blessed." So, when I when I said to the person who was still seemingly in shock by the facts that I don't have a maid or a cook or that we DO struggle to make ends meet like others . . . all I got was a blank look.

That's okay. It was a poignant moment to remind me:

I am blessed to have a husband who will work alongside me in trying to keep costs down. I am blessed to have friends and family who give me hand-me-downs so that my kid has clothes (and looks good, too). I am blessed with an upbringing that taught me the value of a dollar and how to stretch it as far as possible (stretching is so ingrained that I cut my sponges in half when I open a new one). I am blessed to have the opportunity to pay tithing and fast offerings. I am blessed to have had the opportunity to go to college and graduate school. I am blessed to have a family and husband who are willing to take the time to "do it ourselves" in our home when we need an improvement or something fixed (the Sjolseth family rule is we don't touch the electrical or plumbing without qualified help). And, I am blessed enough to afford a personalized license plate, "UT Austin." (love that personalized plates are so cheap in Virginia)

My life is pretty cool.

Pregnancy Picture--33 Weeks

Hello, Halloween House!

Check it out:

Halloween Gingerbread House

33 Weeks

33 WEEKS!!!!!! Can you believe it? Can you?

I am so psyched! 33 weeks and no prescribed bedrest. Of course, I am not able to do a fraction of what I normally do on any given day when I am not pregnant, but who really does? (No, don't tell me that other pregnant ladies can do whatever they want like shop--run--shop--drive for over 20 minutes--shop--go for walks, I want to believe this maybe false idea that they can't because it is my reality.) I have cut back my activities to like almost nothing for MONTHS now, but when I feel okay and don't feel like throwing up, I can cook a pretty good meal and dance around with Everett and think of projects to do that "have" to get done before the baby arrives.

33 Weeks--I can't believe it!

Baby S

5 pounds and 8 ounces (average at this gestation is just over 4 pounds)

measuring at 35 weeks physically

hiccups daily

freaked me out when he had a "slow" week last week

still has a hand at his mouth for every sonogram

beginning to run out of room

(No, we don't know that it is a boy.)

Mommy

As I finish up this 8th month in a couple of weeks and head to the 9th (once I get to just over 35 weeks), I am in uncharted territory. What is week 36-40 like? The doctor says no elective induction until 39 weeks. SIGH--I was hoping I could just be induced the moment he took me off the contraction medication at 37 weeks.

For now I am just always tired--don't sleep at night. I am running out of TUMS. In the morning my face is swollen. In the evening the rest of me is slightly swollen (like a roasted marshmallow, not like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man). A plus to having swollen facial features is I get the Angelina Jolie lips all for free.

I am lucky sufferer of horrid contractions, but according to the sonogram the cervix is fine (in fact the perinatologist scared me a bit by saying,"I hope that your cervix starts opening more because otherwise you'll have a cesarean.") I don't care if I have to get a c-section---but all this concern over the cervix and then I need a c-section!!

Dear High-risk Doctor, Just be happy that I am no more trouble to you, that you will never need to see me again--though it sounds like you are very much like Dr. House and get giggly over complication. Sincerely, Me

Previous to this sonogram, I didn't want to have to need the sonograms. I don't care how many "pictures of my baby" I received. I want a NORMAL, AVERAGE, boring pregnancy. As much as the sonograms were a pain to go to and keeping track of all that goes with doctors' appointments was a burden, today's sonogram was . . . awesome. I didn't have one with Everett this far along in the pregnancy. This baby is running out of room, you can see hair (evidently this baby has a headful), you can see eyelids, you can now connect the bumps in your belly to the locations of the head/butt/body/feet without question, you can see more definition in the fingers and feet and chubby cheeks. What an opportunity I have had to watch the development of life, the life of one of my own children so closely!

OO-need to take a break, contraction really hurts. . . . . Okay, I'm back.

My OB admonished me today that despite all the good and giggly news from the sonogram, I am to take it easy and rest A LOT. I am hitting the part of the pregnancy where I went into labor with Everett, 35 weeks. My personal goal is 37 weeks.

I've updated my Netflix cue. I've given up the guilt that usually comes if Everett watches TV for over an hour while I nap on the floor. I have sitters lined up for Everett when the event occurs (Thank You, Ladies!). And, I should probably pack some hospital bags.

As far as I am concerned, we are hunkering down for the home stretch.

Erik ran into our old Bishop, who is currently in our Stake Presidency, this past Sunday. He was one of the very few that knew we were going through IVF when we did it in 2006. He visited and blessed Everett in the NICU when Evy showed up early. And, he always has our well-being close to his heart. He asked how I was doing. Erik gave him the bitter truth (which I don't always share/talk/blog about).

He replied: Birth in itself is a miracle. For some people, birth takes many, many miracles.

Amen, Brother! He gets it.

The Mighty Mission Five

Patrick Horne, Arlissa Reynolds, Erik, Dale Franklin, Andrea Wagenbach

Erik served in the Finland Helsinki East mission from 1991-1993 for our church. He actually served in Russia, but at the time there wasn't a mission home in Russia (USSR at the time). He was like missionary #26 in the USSR--in all of the 11 timezones. And even though he was a missionary, he never knocked on doors, rode a bike, and sometimes didn't even wear a nametag (kind of different when you are working in a country that is communist). After awhile, the mission he was in became the Russia St. Petersburg mission.

This weekend we had a chance to catch up with four of the missionaries that he served with during that time. (If you have never heard any of his stories, call him up and invite him over for dinner. Entertaining is too subtle a word to describe his experiences.)

Arlissa and Andrea served up authentic Russian fare, the rest of us just brought food. In all, the fare was delicious, the company was divine, and the hostesses with the mostesses had a screen set up in back to 1) go down memory lane with pictures and "guess the quote" and 2) show CARS in larger than life glory. (They even had a special table for toddler Evy to eat at during the meal. Talk about first-rate treatment.)

We had a great time! It was fun to catch up . . . wonder about the people that they haven't seen in awhile and gain even more perspective on an experience that shaped all of their lives. (Really, you have to hear some of Erik's mission stories.)

Whinisitis

Definition: (noun) a condition of the toddler brain that creates the compulsion to whine without any cause or instigation. Typically, whinisitis is relieved with random items or actions provided by the caregiver. No item or action can be depended on for repeated relief from whinisitis. One who is afflicted with said condition is called a whiner. For more see to whine.

Said favored songs of those afflicted are "Whine All Night Long" and "It's My Party, I'll Whine If I Want To." The act of whining causes the whiner's caregiver a long, slow, and debilitating death of all working brain cells. Whinisitis can instigate desperate behavior on the side of the caregiver after durations of whining; this is called the Desperation Period.

Case Study: Everett, a budding two-year old, has recently contracted an acute case of whinisitis. His caregiver, Sheila, when giving an oral history of his health and her mental status, included the fact that she would rather he tantrumed than whined. Tantruming, though stronger and louder per episode, is shorter in duration than whinisitis. Said caregiver was completing family shopping when the Desperation Period hit. Standing in the refrigerated section, she saw some "cat sugar cookies" produced by Pillsbury.

"Look Evy! Kitty cookies," She exclaimed, faking way more interest and enthusiasm than these tasteless wafers of dough would normally insight.

"[punctuated silence which was previously whining] Kiddy-koookys?" Everett said quietly as if he couldn't believe it.

"Why don't you hold the box?" Sheila suggested.

The whiner's calm demeanor lasted 90 seconds before whining began again. However, the 90 seconds provided needed respite and rebuilding of neurons for Sheila enabling her to function all the way to the check-out lane.

The cookies tasted horrible. But, he was happy to look at them (once he finished whining all through the 10 minutes they took to bake) and ate most of the offered cookies. And, yeah, that is part of the laundry in the background. Hope it makes you feel good about the status of your laundry right now.

Keys are Key

If you have a toddler than can reach the front doorknob by standing, standing on a chair, climbing on a bunch of pillows or the cat------make spare keys for the front door, hide them, and give them to neighbors.


You'll kiss me for the advice later.

Duh!

And in case you can't read it:

TEXAS is #1

and Erik won the "Ugliest UT Sweater" competition!

Chills and Thrills

Chills:

• Evy and Sheila were sick again. Evy is taking longer to fight it off this time.
• Sheila is growing increasingly uncomfortable. The contractions are getting fairly painful. They aren't clustering--so that is good. Food aversions are back. She fought off three spiders today with her Shark vacuum--Go Sheila!

Thrills:

• We started celebrating Evy's birthday on Saturday by touring a firehouse. (I can hear Grandma A cheering for the birthday celebrations.)
• We were able to find homes for many of the things that need homes.
• Erik is hanging in there.
• Sheila was able to vote--absentee voting, Baby!
• We met up with some former Russian missionaries from Erik's mission and discussed the "good" old days. We'll post pictures later.
• We were able to watch the UT game--probably one of the very few this season due to the fact that not many have been televised. And we all loved cheering for Texas. Everett now has "touchdown" in his vocab.

Time to Vote

Ugliest UT Sweater Competition

To those new to voting, we have had a running competition since 2004 for the bragging rights of "Ugliest UT Sweater." The rules: voting must occur at a party and/or online using a recent picture . . . must use the same sweater each year.

We had a Red River Rivalry party scheduled, but then the hosts came down with raging fever and stomach flu. So, we REALLY need you to vote to settle this year's competition and smack-talk. (Please vote using the poll on the right.)

The Competition

Reminder: Free Stuff

Some things have found new homes. There are still several items up for grab.

One addition:

The links to other stuff:

Free Stuff Going Fast

Evy and Friends

Everett has had the opportunity to spend time with his friends these past couple of weeks (mainly because my friends are helping to watch him while I recuperate or go to a doctor's apptment).

Here are some shots of Evy and his friends.

(Thanks, Elise, for sending pictures.)

Everett and Everett (can you tell who is who?)

Everett and Benny (they were in mid-consult about a tricky patient)

I'd like to point out the toy of choice whenever a toddler comes to visit. There hasn't been a toddler that didn't come gravitating back to this one once it was discovered. The balls that come with it require a bit of strength to get through the holes . . . golf balls work perfectly!