The high price of parenting

My brother sent me this email....and as a mother I greatly appreciated it. Read and enjoy!

This is just too good not to pass on to all. Here is something absolutely positive for a change. I have repeatedly seen the breakdown of the cost of raising a child, but this is the first time I have seen the rewards listed this way. It's nice.
The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140.00 for a middle income family. Talk about price shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition.But $160,140.00 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into:
* $8,896.66 a year,
* $741.38 a month,
* $171.08 a week.
* A mere $24.24 a day!
* Just over a dollar an hour.
Still, you might think the best financial advice is; don't have children if you want to be 'rich.' Actually, it is just the opposite.What do you get for your $160,140.00?
* Naming rights. First, middle, and last!
* Glimpses of God every day.
* Giggles under the covers every night.
* More love than your heart can hold.
* Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.
* Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
* A hand to hold usually covered with jelly or chocolate.
* A partner for blowing bubbles and flying kites.
* Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks
performed that day.

For $160,140.00, you never have to grow up. You get to:
* finger-paint,
* carve pumpkins,
* play hide-and-seek,
* catch lightning bugs,
* never stop believing in Santa Claus.

You have an excuse to:
* keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh,
* watch Saturday morning cartoons,
* go to Disney movies, and
* wish on stars.

You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day..

For a mere $24.24 a day, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero just for:
* retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof,
* taking the training wheels off a bike,
* removing a splinter,
* filling a wading pool,
* coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and
* coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.

You get a front row seat in history to witness the:
* First step,
* First word,
* First bra,
* First date,
* First time behind the wheel.

You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great grandchildren. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match.

In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits, so one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost.

That is quite a deal for the price!!!!!!!
Love & enjoy your children & grandchildren & great-grandchildren!!!!!!!
It's the best investment you'll ever make!!!!!!!!!

Take time to enjoy being a parent!

Face Lift

I know, I am only 32, and I am not a movie star by any means, but I had a face lift last Thursday. Okay, not a real and complete face lift, but something along those lines. I had a non-cancerous lump under my ear that would keep growing if it wasn't removed. The lump was in my saliva gland. Because all the nerves and muscles to your face run through this area, the doctor had to do a surgery similar to a face lift to carefully remove the tumor. I am grateful he did this because I enjoy smiling and blinking, just some of the things these muscles help me do.

Don't I look so happy to be at the doctor the next day?

I had mentally prepared myself for pain, but not numbness. I still can't feel parts of my face, or my entire right ear. I have a four inch incision that is just starting to itch. The long surgery and recovery kicked my butt, and I spent four days after surgery not doing anything but laying around. (Too bad I wasn't more coherent so I could enjoy myself those days).

In case you are considering a face lift someday, let my try to dissuade you. Here are my reasons for not having facial plastic surgery:

*I still can't open my mouth very far, I have to shove my food in my mouth to make it fit.

*The drainage tube with bloody goo in it is GROSS!

*I couldn't shower for three days with my lovely bandage on my head.

*I think it will be weeks until I can wear earrings again.

*Because I am very right-eared while talking on the phone, I can't talk on the phone and do something else. My left shoulder muscles just won't hold the phone up. FYI: My right ear must have callouses on it for the phone....my left ear hurts when I hold the phone up to it for too long. Is this normal, or do I talk on the phone too much?

*My face is still a little swollen, and bruises are creeping up (at least the darkest ones are under my chin)

*Real moms don't get the same recovery/take it easy time that Hollywood stars get.

*I have to keep my hair pulled back so it doesn't itch my incision, which then scares anyone who comes near me.

*Dried blood is very hard to clean out of a swollen ear canal.

*I felt like I had an ear infection for six days straight....my poor kids who have had ear troubles...I have an whole new empathy for them.

*Talking wears you out when you have to think about making your numb lips move for four days.

*My top lip is very chapped because I can't reach to wipe the bottom lip's chapstick on it (my lips just don't move like that right now), and I keep forgetting to swipe the chapstick across my top lip also.

The incision is one solid line that goes behind my ear lobe also.

I do wish my tumor was found in about twenty years, when I could consider a face lift at the same time. Now I don't think I would go through this again even for my vanity!!!!!!

It Happened to Us

Before

It is one of those things that I thought we had outgrown at our house. We have never had a problem before tonight.....Ainsley cut her hair! She thought it was being crazy while she was dancing. She walked into the storage room, grabbed my sewing scissors and cut four inches off right in the front. I didn't even cry! She did when I yelled at her though. After I calmed down and looked at it, I figured it could have been a lot worse. Jared wanted me to leave it, but things like crazy uneven hair reflect on the mom in my book. I don't think that when I see it on other kids, but I know people think bad things about me when I let my kids look like trash. We marched down to Great Clips immediately. The whole time she was so excited to get her hair cut-the little brat. You would have thought she planned this the whole time. Just tonight I was commenting on Kim the girl's blog about my devil fourth child. She lived up to it! This is my baby who got her ears pierced at two and a half because I caught her trying to pierce her own ears after I told her she had to be five for pierced ears. Ainsley knows what she wants, and will get what she wants, no matter what I say about it. Three other kids who never tried to cut their own hair....and then comes Ainsley. That kid is going to drive me crazy. I think my blog is named after our house when she is creating mischief! Jared and I remind ourselves that it is a dang good thing she is so darn cute and funny and snuggly and sweet sometimes and happy and .....(Can you tell we have to keep reminding ourselves of her good traits?)

After

Look at that grin and tell me she isn't proud of her mischief!

It's Christmas Adam!

Our family likes to celebrate Christmas Adam......(Adam came before Eve). Kinda kooky I know, but it is our family Christmas party. Dinner is whatever anyone wants. We watch Christmas movies, and everyone sleeps around the tree. The kids love it! Some years we all go to a restaurant, and other years we pick up take out from several spots. Jared wasn't too thrilled, but tonight is sounding like a several place night. Lizzie is thinking pizza, Emily and Tyler want Panda Express, and Ainsley is undecided. Unfortunately they all argue about which movies to watch. Any good ideas? Bajio here I come!!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!

I Love Goo Gone!

So today I was doing my normal laundry. I pulled out of the DRYER a load of pajamas and ten pairs of khaki school pants.....all covered in ink! I mean COVERED, not just a few ink spots on each of them. It was like someone had exploded a pen in their hands and then wiped the ink EVERYWHERE. I saw this and actually didn't cry...yea for me! I did call Jared and say I wanted to cry though. Anyway, I pulled down the Goo Gone from the shelf and started squirting. I honestly went through 6 ounces of the stuff. I threw everything back in the washer and hoped for the best.

Forty-five minutes later I had prepared myself for the worst. At least I would have two weeks to find all new uniform pants for my kids to wear to school. But guess what.....almost all of the ink came out!!!!! There are still a few big thick spots left, but I will try Goo Gone again. Does anyone have any ideas on what to do if Goo Gone doesn't get the rest of the ink out??????? Also, I can't find an ink pen anywhere in the washer or dryer or in pants pockets. Where could it be?????

Five pairs of pants are saved....no ink at all left on them. HOORAY!!! Merry Christmas to me! THANK YOU GOO GONE!!!!!!

FYI: My family of six went through 56 pairs of socks in seven days. Emily and Lizzie win the prize with 13 and 12 pairs of socks each! If only they could clean their rooms as often as they change their socks..........

My Favorite

When I decorated for Christmas, I wanted to do a post about my favorite Christmas decoration, but I haven't taken the time to do it until now.

Two years ago we went to Glenn and Lance's for dinner and Temple Square. I mentioned to them that if they ever went to Guatemala again to please buy me a corn husk nativity. I told them if theirs ever disappeared to come look at my house. I loved it because it is so unique. I collect nativities. Glenn has given me several and I love the ethnic variety of them. The day after Christmas Glenn and Lance appeared on our doorstep with a package for us. I was so surprised when I opened it and it was the corn husk nativity. Lance said that to them it was just a nativity, but to me it was something special. I cried of course. Since them I am always so excited to get it out. This year I had to move it off the piano into the curio cabinet because the cat was also interested in it. This nativity reminds me not only of Christ's birth, but the thoughtfulness and generosity of some people. Thank you Glenn and Lance for this special decoration! Did you buy another one in Guatemala?

A few years ago I only used nativities to decorate our house for Christmas (besides the tree) in an effort to not have so much extra "stuff" out. I loved the feel of it and have continued every year since. I have two of the Fisher Price Little People nativities; one for me and one for my kids. Last year I bought an embroidered sign that says "Children Need a Stable Background." It has a Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus on it too. I love to have these reminders of the real reason for Christmas surrounding me. Too often I get stressed and not take time to reflect on our Savior's birth. Sometimes I will just sit and look at my nativities to ponder and relax.

I love this time of year. Not only for all the joy and visiting, but for the special meaning of the birth of our Savior!

Its Festival Time!

I LOVE FESTIVAL OF TREES!!!

Nothing gets me more in the Christmas spirit than Festival of Trees. This year I got the opportunity to help Tyler's class decorate four trees...for the four seasons. I think I mainly volunteered for helping in the class so that I could help on decorating day. I love decorating day. The whole South Towne Expo Center is filled with people decorating Christmas trees. Can you think of a happier setting? The generosity of so many people always amazes me. I love that every single penny raised from festival goes to Primary Childrens.

Yesterday Tyler's class was going on a field trip to see their trees. I checked the girls out of school and we all went. Of course they all complained of aching feet after awhile, but they kept plodding along. Somehow we planned it right and the gingerbread houses were at the opposite end of where we started.....this kept them walking. They are always amazed at the things people can do with candy.

Ainsley's preschool decorated a tree also. We had to go find it first thing and check back on it several times. One time when we were walking away she asked if we could just stand and look at her tree for a long time. I am excited that my kids get to participate through their schools in this wonderful event!

If you have a chance this week, go to Festival of Trees. It is open from 10-10 thru Saturday. I promise that you will love it too!!