I'm still here...

I am way behind! I should have posted the Glade Sense & Spray winners this week, and I need to get a new belly shot for you all. I'm happy to announce that I have the Sense & Spray winners, the belly shot will come soon.

I wasn't on the computer much early this week because of a little scare. Monday evening brought some spotting, and by Tuesday morning I had quite a bit of lower back pain, cramping, and just plain soreness to accompany it. The on-call doctor told me Monday night that the spotting was likely to due lifting heavy things or intercourse, but to call Dr. Rowles the next day if I was still concerned. The explanation made perfect sense, but the cramping and back pain started to scare me. So Tuesday I was on bedrest until my appointment with my doctor.

The appointment showed that all was well. Dr. Rowles did an ultrasound just to make sure both Fric and Frac were doing well. Fric was going nuts, and Frac was chillin. Just like last time. My Mother-in-Law thinks that maybe Fric is a girl because Kaia was always nuts on the ultrasounds, and Frac is a boy, mellow just like Mo was.

After seeing the babies, he checked my cervix, to make sure nothing was going on there. And nothing was. So my scare was pretty much over nothing, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. He did recommend spending the rest of the day resting. The cramping and back pain are from the extra weight of 2 growing babies on a back and belly that just wasn't prepared for it. I did feel better for the rest, and am trying to do more laying down every day. Next up is a comfortable office chair!

Now for the winners:
Shauna
Agnes
Dolphin Girl
Denise
Jennifer

I'll be contacting you for your address, if I don't already have it. I'll be back tomorrow!

What I did this weekend. By TJ

What I did this weekend:

• Watched the movie Hancock. Loved it too, although don't ask me about the 10 minutes toward the end where I dozed off. I woke up in time for the ending, and that's what counts.
• Felt the babies kick for the first time! I felt the baby on the lower left side, Saturday afternoon. Will call the left baby Fric. Then later on Saturday, I'm pretty sure I felt the other baby. That baby is more to the center of my right side. That one can be Frac. (Dana nick-named them a week or so ago)
• Dried two loads of laundry at my parents house.
• Enjoyed not teaching Sunday School and just being the helper.
• Helped Dana turn the front room into our tv room and our tv room into Mo's bedroom/playroom. Mo loves his new room and is so proud of it, and we're enjoying the coziness of our new tv room.
• Gave in to my OCD. While converting the rooms, I began putting my books onto bookshelves. I realized soon that I had religion books next to health books, and novels in between. I told myself just to get all the books downstairs and onto shelves, then organize later. That lasted all of one more trip. I couldn't stand it. Very quickly I had the craft books on the shelf above the cookbooks. Then the homesteading, preserving and gardening books next to the craft books. Those books flow in to my Hollywood biographies and TIME coffeetable books. Then another shelf houses all the religion, christian fiction, and devotional books. Then all my pregnancy, endometriosis and general health books. Finally we have novels. I felt so much better after that.
• I grew! I may have to take a new belly photo tonight. Between Friday and Monday, I got way bigger!

Glade Sense & Spray Review and Giveaway

About 2 months ago, or maybe less, I became a Bzz Agent and signed up to take part in the Glade Sense & Spray campaign. I've seen the ads on tv, and was interested in how it worked.

I love the concept. Rather than a plug in air freshener that is always releasing scent, often to an empty room, it is motion activated. Also, unlike a spray freshener that the kids are likely to use and keep using, this gives off a metered spray and then locks out for 30 minutes.

My first problem with the Sense & Spray was, it was hard to find a suitable place in my home for it. The bathrooms are very small, and the cats' water dishes are in there. I didn't want it to spray each time a cat jumped up to get a drink of water. Especially because 2 of my cats would be scared of the spray and run off. The kitchen was the next best place, but it is also really small. And, I knew it would be triggered almost every half hour when I'm home.

I did settle on the kitchen for placement. I hate that because we have an open home design, any smell in the kitchen can also be smelled in the dining room and front room. I love that because we have an open home design, the Sense & Spray freshens the dining and front room too.

The other problem we have is the Clean Linen scent that I chose is too strong in the kitchen. It makes me wish I'd chosen another scent. It does smell good in the front room and dining room, just not when you are right on top of it in the kitchen.

I would like to see Glade add some more subtle and natural scents to their collection. I like fragrances that are light and natural. One company that has done a wonderful job with this is Method. Their fragrances that include scents like Pear-Grapefruit and Rain are very light, but still refreshing. I would love to see similar fragrances from Glade.

Another solution would be a dial that allows the user to turn down the amount sprayed each time, or allow the user to set a longer lock-out period.

Overall I like the Sense & Spray and will try it again with another scent and maybe another location.

Now I have 5 coupons to giveaway. Each coupon is good for $4 off a Glad Sense & Spray holder. This coupon should allow you to try one out for FREE! If you would like a coupon, just let me know in the comments. Leave a comment by Friday, May 8th, and I'll use a random number generator to select the 5 recipients, and announce on Monday the 11th. (Coupons are only redeemable in the USA) Anonymous comments are welcome, but please make sure I have contact information for you in the post.

The Winner Is...

Ok one last birthday photo and post. I'm starting out with a bad photo of me. My sinus infection turned my nose bright red, and I don't have a good photo editor, so I had to leave it. We aren't sure why my neice wasn't smiling, but we all had a good laugh at her crazy face. As you can see someone did buy me a beer, a beer brewer that is.

My parents gave me a home brewery and a boquet. What was cool was it took me a bit to realize that the boquet wasn't just flowers, it was money also. I guess similar to a money tree? So I have my spending money for Vegas and my aunt and uncle have promised to give me tips on all the ways to have a great time without spending too much so I can make the most of what was given to me. Because it's a business trip, my food expenses will all be reimbursed. I still plan to make the most of the inexpensive, yet good buffets. I work for a non-profit so we have to be a good steward of the money (and the gang-bangers broke out yet another window this week).

And now the announcement you have all been waiting for! I asked Kaia to pick a number between 1 and 11. She chose: 5. So the winner of my first ever blog give away is Julieann! So send me an email with the hat of your choice, and your address, and I'll be sending you a package!

This is usually Show & Tell Friday but Kelli is taking Easter weekend off to enjoy her family. We plan to enjoy ourselves at our home. Saturday we will scope out a possible camping spot in the Yakima River Canyon. We will also clean up the trailer and restock it for camping season.

Sunday we have a sunrise service, followed by breakfast cooked by the elders. Then I'm teaching Sunday school, and we have our Easter worship service followed by egg hunt. Sunday afternoon we have a birthday party for our friend Jeff. Showers are predicted for us on Sunday, but we will still enjoy ourselves. I hope you all have a wonderful Easter!

Measurements (This post will stay on top see below for new posts)

Remember growing up how the "BIG" birthdays were 13, 16, 18, and 21. After 21, though the big ones become the decades: 30, 40, 50 and so on.


I know that there will be plenty of jokes and harrassment today, so let me be the first to say that today (March 13th) I am officially the BIG 3-0! Gone are the days of my reckless youth. No more tattoos, body piercings, riding ATV's, drinking beer, wearing short shorts, going barefoot outside, wearing bikinis, catching frogs in the mud, loud music...


Ok those of you that know me are laughing so hard right now that you are about to pee yourself. For those of you that have had a few children (like me), you have peed yourself and are searching for clean pants!


I plan to continue all of the above (except body piercing, because I can't think of anyplace else I'd like to have a stranger put a needle. I know some of you can't believe I thought of places that I wanted a needle. But, seriously, it's expensive and I'm done). The only things different now that I'm turning 30 and not 21 is: I don't have a bunch of friends wanting to buy me a drink. It's time to start using the anti-wrinkle creams. I have to dye my hair now due to grey hair, not roots (I'm beginning to match my bedroom walls).



To celebrate my birthday, and the beginning of spring, I'm doing my first ever blog giveaway! I will close the giveaway on March 20th. So if you would like to recieve the gifts below, please leave me a comment. I'll randomly choose a number and announce the winner on March 21st.


First, you have your choice of a handmade baby hat. Either the Spring Chick cap which is about a 3-6 month old size.Or the Basic Navy in newborn size.



Even if you aren't having more children, there are always grandchildren or that unexpected baby shower. And a handmade hat makes a great gift.

Second, I'm doing a re-gift. I received this from a former secret prayer partner. She is a wonderful and strong lady. She battled cancer, she lost her husband and she is still the sweetest lady! She was my prayer partner twice and gave me some amazing gifts. This gift is beautiful, but I've never used it, have no place to display it, and it's just not me. I feel bad that it sits up above my kitchen cupboards, and I don't have the heart to just sell it at a yard sale. So giving to one of you seems the best solution.



It is really pretty, and hand painted. These colors are perfect for Easter. So if you would like to receive these two items, please leave a comment for me, and help celebrate my birthday!