4/28/11

{internet}: fotos and bunnies and spring

Hi.  I missed you.  For the last week and a half-I have been without the internet-which has been just terrible and makes me feel like maybe I've grown a little bit dependent.  I was forced to call people on the phone or text them if I wanted to communicate!!  I actually had to leave my house and see people in person because I couldn't e-mail things!!  Just horrible. 

I think sometimes my desires to take cooler pictures than everyone else document my life I get caught up in the look at me I'm trying so hard, instead of taking warm loving pics just to capture those small moments.  Not always-but sometimes, and being unable to post everything I want to has maybe been good for me.  Don't judge, I'm being honest and it's rough. lol

The Jehovah's Witness missionaries won't leave me alone.  It's given me numerous times now to practice bearing my testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel.  Maybe it's just because I'm not mean to them, maybe because I offer them water to drink, or maybe just because I asked them questions about what they believe they keep coming back!!  I don't really know what to do at this point.  I point blank explained that my curiosity about their religion was merely to understand more about what they believe-not because I was looking to switch.  And I have very bluntly explained that not only do I believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, but that he restored the only true gospel to the earth.  I do have to hand it to them-they know their bible, and I can't fault them for that.

Oddly enough the Jehovah's Witnesses did have some impact on me.  They don't celebrate holidays and I never understood why.  After some explanation it definitely makes more sense.  When it comes down to it-Easter is a pagan holiday (spring=bunnies=fertility=goddess=solstice=pagan) So I really do get why they don't want anything to do with it.  It made me rethink how important it is to see through all of the commercial-ness that many of our holidays have become and really try and focus on what's really important.  Of course the Easter bunny came to visit our house, and he will continue to, but I think the bunny will be Saturday's holiday and Sunday will be when we focus on what Easter is really about.

Paisley is going through a "mommy's-girl" phase and I can't complain.  I'm her favorite person right now and I'm really enjoying it.  She has been pleasantly happy lately (I think she's in-between teeth) and it has been so fun.  She loves giving everyone loves and kisses and is understanding more and more everyday.  Her constant chattering is resembling words more and more and I'm starting to understand the root of what I think she's trying to say.  It's nice.  I look forward to the day that we can fully communicate!!

My allergies are getting better and better-slowly.  I hope these drops are working!!  I feel confident in their abilities-hopefully they continue to help!!

I finished The Work and The Glory.  I LOVE.  If you get the chance, read it.  I love how it was written, I love that it has references at the end of every chapter, I love the storyline, I love all of it.  I cannot recommend it enough.  Be prepared to be a bit paranoid while you read-maybe I was just into it, but I really was more worried about our safety (unnecessarily) while reading the books.

4/12/11

{recreate}: missing

So...as you can see I've been messing around with the blog.  This is the first time I've made everything from scratch and there is definitely some pros and cons...  I like what I've done, but I feel it's missing something, so I have some questions to ask...
  1. Is the yellow too bright?
  2. Do you usually look at blogs at 100% on your monitor, or do you zoom in to like 150%?
I thought there would be more questions, but maybe not.  Now I just need to figure out what I'm missing...

4/7/11

{infirmities}: day 4

Right now I am on a mission to cure my allergies-not just treat them with meds.  I am under the impression that it's possible to cure them-I have read a lot about it and I believe it's possible, I just need to find out what's going to work for me. 

Currently I have invested in a neti pot.  While it is not a complete fix, it does seem to be helping.  I also am drinking 1/8 C of Apple Cider Vinegar once a day.  It is nasty, and the worst thing ever to ingest!!  It also may be helping.  I'm also taking Las Vegas Allergy Mix drops under the tongue.  They're basically a homeopathic method-they're supposed to help me build up an immunity to the things that I'm allergic to. 

I believe I'm a good candidate for building up an immunity to things because I'm not allergic to my cat.  I am allergic to every other cat I come across-indoor or outdoor-to the point that I break out into hives, but I am no longer allergic to my own.  I feel like there is some significance to this.

So I appreciate all the suggestions for medication-but I really have tried them all with zero results.  I wouldn't be in this state if they hadn't stopped working.  (And yes, I have tried ALL of them-I've had allergies my entire life, believe me I have)   And really I want to try and get away from treating allergies solely with meds SO that next time I'm pregnant or nursing I still have something I can do. 

Luckily something I'm doing is beginning to work, so I'll keep posting on progress because I'm really excited that I may have found a cure!  (at least for me ;))

4/6/11

{infirmities}: spring

I'm beginning to feel like this is becoming a tradition...every year spring hits and every year I get really sick every 2-3 weeks.  I'm done.  I quit.  The worst part?  Paisley has allergies too.  For the last 3 nights she has whimpered all night long in her sleep and all day long in her awake-she's teething on top of it, and to make matters worse, has a killer black eye that has to be contributing to her headache:



(these are from Jon's cell phone so they aren't the best...)  She also went ahead and found the food coloring yesterday and she now has one pink hand and one blue hand.
If any of you have ANY suggestions for allergies, I need them.  I am dying.  For reals this time.  It's really, really bad.  I took Nyquil and it didn't even touch them!  It's bad!  Since none of the normal medicine is working I have been trying a neti pot, the Las Vegas allergy mix drops under the tongue, apple cider vinegar, and I'm trying to get my hands on more local honey-I don't think I was taking enough of it regularly enough. 
I'm tired of being sick every couple of weeks...I don't know what I need to do.  I've really been eating healthier, exercising and taking vitamins more regularly...my sleep schedule has been better...IDK!!!  Any and all advice is welcome...and hopefully one day soon I will stop whining!

4/4/11

{update}: a couple things...

I feel like I need to update but there hasn't been any huge event happening so I just haven't written...I guess there are a couple things:
  • Paisley currently has an awesome black eye.  Pictures and story are coming soon.  She is busier than ever...she's supposed to be napping right now and I can hear her talking to herself and giggling...I can't decide if it's time to go down to one nap a day-but I really don't want to give up the 2 nap routine!!  She is trying words more and more everyday, but her solid go-to words are still uh-oh, shoes, and cheese.  She has started kissing everyone on the mouth, which is actually really cute and is getting more and more mischievous every day.
  • Jon went down to the drag races in Vegas last Friday:
  • As you can see they went all out classy and sported handle-bar moustaches and baseball caps.  They came home sunburned and all hyped up on testosterone from watching the crazy fast cars.
  • I am dying with allergies.  I don't know what to do.  I'm going to go get some local honey today and start drinking it like mad.  I've heard that the honey really helps-and I've always tried to buy local in the past.  It just didn't dawn on me to take it everyday like a medicine.  We'll see if it works...
  • I have been super busy with Spring pictures-I love it, but I haven't been this busy in awhile and it is crazy!!  I'm so excited-I've got 2 weddings coming up in a month and it's going to be a lot of fun!
  • I have been reading the Work and the Glory.  If you haven't read this series, you should.  I've always wanted to get to know the early church better-and this is the perfect way to do it.  While the main family that you follow in the book is fictional, everyone else is not and it has helped me get to know the early members of the church, and more importantly, I feel like I'm finally getting to know the Prophet Joseph Smith.  The only consequences of reading the series is that I'm constantly on edge.  Being a Member of the Church at the time of the books was very dangerous and I have to keep reminding myself that I don't live in Missouri during the extermination order and that mobs are not going to come drive me out of my house.  There was so much heartbreak for those early saints and sometimes it is really hard to read all of the terrible things that happened to them.  It's no wonder that they came here!!
  • Conference was awesome.  As always. 
I think that about wraps it up...I'm hoping to post more pics from California soon!!  We had such a nice little break for our anniversary...♥