writting a letter to Oprah

So let me be the first to say this I don't like Oprah, I don't tend to agree with the things Oprah says and besides Tina Faye who played Sarah Palin in SNL I think she singlehandedly had the most influence over why Obama sits in the White house (besides God of course who knew this would all happen) anyways I'm also I sucker for free things and recieved her O! magazine free for a year It's been ok because at Christmas she had a 5 dollar coupon off any hallmark purchase so I got to use that, but today I was reading her November issue (I am like my mom and months behind on my reading) and was highly disappointed, Oprah was quoted as thinking as a child as she watched her grandmother hang up laundry outside that she wanted a better life than that, or that there was more to life than that. A couple of pages later some fashion designer is quoted as saying when she was a kid she saw her dad give her a washing machine for a gift and how happy her mom was and "knew that was NOT the life for her" I guess I shouldn't put these in quotes since they aren't quite the exact words they said but ya get the picture. So I wrote a letter. I mean seriously Oprah is on at 4 in the afternoon who does she think watches her show, if she wants all women out in the workforce then she would have never been as big as she is (her show not her body, I see she has struggled with that over the years)

I would love if Kjell brought me a washing machine that actually worked, and ya know what in the summer I hang out my laundry to *gasp* air dry to save a couple bucks. I mean you'd think with how green liberals are supposed to be they would make that manditory. But heck they have maids for all that stuff. Or they can just afford to throw their stuff away and get new stuff. I LOVE being a stay at home mom. WhenI started almost four years ago that first month I thought I would die. I wanted to be around other "humans" soooo badly. But now I couldn't imagine life any differently. I get to help my kids learn, I get to see every new thing. And it may not always be easy living on one income, but we make do.

Our spending freeze ended yesterday on a HIGH note. we were able to be 1200 dollars in the black this month. That means I had money to pay off a small debt we owed, and put a lot of money in my envelope system, and towards paying for this baby and paying off my house. We don't eat out, I don't get my nails done and I rarely get to see a movie in the theater. but I get to have the best job I could possibly have, being with my kids and teaching them the values and morals and life lessons that I want them to know.

So Oprah... I'm sorry this stay at home mom is going to continue hanging my laundry out to dry and if you would like to ever help a "poor ole stay at home mom out" I'd sure love a front loading washing machine and matching dryer. It'd make my day!

Fight or Flight?

So I must learn to keep my mouth shut. Yesterday I was telling someone we had had no drama at our house for the first time in a long time. The "big drama" was the naked lady lamp that our neighbors decided to get rid of by putting it next to their garbage can Friday afternoon after trash came Friday morning. Luckily someone with a different sense of humor than me came a long and picked it up, I'm guessing I did post about it on facebook! So at least it didn't sit there a week!

People always say a person's true identity is revealed when they face a crisis, and what we are going through right now is not in any sense a crisis but once again in my weeks of self discovery (somehow I've been learning a lot about myself in the past couple of weeks!) I've decided when I get backed into a corner I'm definitely a fighter not a flighter. I think I've always been this way not very afraid to voice my opinions in high school or in college. Then you reach that age of "adulthood" where you are supposed to learn class and not open your mouth with every issue that presents itself. I have done that very well for awhile. Then we moved back to a small town. :) nothing like small town drama. Where anyone and everyone can decide for themselves that your business somehow became their business, where even if I live here for 20 years the Nordgrens will still be the "new people in town" and last names totally matter. Don't worry I'm not bashing small town I mean I've lived in one all but 6 years of my almost 29 year life. They have their perks too, like going to a neighbor for a cup of sugar or on move in all the food that was brought to us (probably more to be nosy than to be hospitable but still) when Kjell and I lived in Independence MO we didn't know a single one of our neighbors just that one was obese, one had a dog and one smoked pot. If my kid is found playing in the street THREE people stop at the house to make sure I knew where she was and when a rattle snake crawled out of our yard the man who killed it let us know it came out of our yard. And that feeling of going to football games on Friday night and seeing the whole town there. And everyone getting geared up for prom. I mean it's got it's good too! But in a city everyone kind of minds their own and none of those issues really get brought up. So there's no need to be loud and disagree.

The question what would Jesus do always gets me too because especially when I'm mad I picture him with the whip and clearing out the temple. lol if only my reasonings were as holy as His. So the dilemma still presents itself how do you disagree with someone and not go about it in sin. How do I argue without being mad, or feeling maybe just maybe in this situation I'm smarter than the other person. Hummm this I shall ponder as I prepare my next chess move. Isn't that what life really is though a bunch of reactions because of the way others react so on and so forth.

So as we have our small town drama here in Atwood I'm excited to announce I can now feel the baby kicking. which may be a good thing since I'm still not sure this whole pregnancy is real. I mean I always said I wanted that surprise pregnancy but this one is still such a shock to me I may still be in shock when we come home from the hospital. If this kid is like either of the other two in about a month it's presence will be felt OFTEN and PAINFULLY (my right ribs are still bruised from the other two) then maybe it will sink in!

demolition

So I noticed I haven't written for awhile. I finally got caught up on e-mail, hadn't been there since before Christmas. Then we went to Colorado for a Sun-Thursday and I'm almost as far behind as I was before we left! Oh well. In Colorado we got to see some of our good friends in Denver, Justus totally loved their dog and cat, and the kids played inside the dog's pen for a LONG time! Then we went on to a camp near Estes Park with a group from our church to do work. The first day I worked tearing down wallpaper, then scrubbing (not as easy as it sounds) the glue off of the wall behind the wallpaper, then I mudded all the holes in the wall of a couple of the rooms before they painted and I excused myself not wanting to be around the fumes. So the next day since all the ladies and younger people were painting I followed Kjell around, I decided I really enjoy "men's work" at things like this. We got to put trim up in the rec room, we had to measure and then nail those babies down, I got to use a nail gun first time ever. You'd think since I was a criminal justice major and had a ton of time shooting a hand gun I wouldn't be scared of a nail gun. But I was for the first couple of times I did it. The next day I was supposed to be working in child care but Justus did horrible with me there he wouldn't let me even look at another kid and screamed they said "he hasn't acted like this at all" so I decided that was my cue to go work somewhere else and let someone else watch my son. Kiah could care less she loves to play with other people. I'm so glad I chose to leave because I got to help demo a cabin. There Kjell and another guy his age were in charge and then sr. jr high boys so when I came up they didn't really care but they put me in the bathroom, all by myself to take care of that room. At first I was slow, I took the light fixture, mirror and shower curtain out with a screw driver. And then used a crowbar to pry all the drywall out. ( At this point with all the dust flying I wondered how much safer this was for a pregnant women than painting was but I was having a blast) Somehow I manage to get the room basically finished (with a few helps from Kjell) but of course when it comes to the toilet the guys totally take over, and start throwing an ax at it from across the room. Boys will be boys! This dorm had two bathrooms and when I was "almost finished" with this one we all moved to the other side. Well this time I had learned a lot.. slug away, forget unscrewing things just punch a hole in the dry wall and it will come off plus you will get more dry wall done at the same time.

You may wonder how a preggo woman like me made it working this hard in the high altitude. It's called two other kids who had to have afternoon naps. So I got to hang out with them and nap a bit and get a bit caught up on my magazines (if you count starting at the beginning of Nov and getting to the end of November of catching up) So that was nice.

We left with our two kids and the three jr. high girls we had invited from our awana group on Thursday. One of the girls got car sick on the way out of the mountains. I'm just so glad she felt bad before we left because I thought to get a couple barf bags. We were also blessed that she started right next to one of those slow cars pull over spots because once we got started back up we would have had to drive a good 4 minutes down the road before we would have been able to stop. When we got home Kjell pointed out that we were really naughty though, we left the bag and a couple of baby wipes next to the road. I NEVER even thought of that as littering I had to turn my head away and just focus on breathing so I didn't end up next to her! So I have littered in Co, and I feel horrible!

We got home anxious to sit down and watch all the games, only to find that due to operational error (I won't mention names but it wasn't me!) we didn't have the games recorded. We got home about half time of the second games, and then we kept hearing how the first four games were all amazing and we were really disappointed but we have been sitting in front of the TV ever since. If you don't know the NCAA tourny is the whole reason Kjell and I are married so we love to watch it together.

I'm starting to look pregnant. I guess I knew that would happen lol! I did order a new workout video I'm going to do starting on Monday call Calean, it's by the same company that does P90X but it is a little bit easier, not as intense AND I get two days off a week rather than one. And the workouts are shorter. So that is very exciting. I had been just doing a couple workout videos and wasn't too impressed with me being in charge of what I did when. (didn't feel like I was pushing myself enough) but I feel happy to start this one. We will see if I will be able to do all the moves. I will finish this mid June the way it looks and i may want to be working out more outside by then so we will see if i get it done.

GO JAYHAWKS

Children's Mercy

So I explained to someone why we went to Children's Mercy for Kiah's laser treatment and I realized many people probably wonder why we did it. Especially now when we don't have any extra money. Having a child born with a birthmark on her face has been a learning experience for me. Of course I have always been biased and thought I've had the most beautiful children in the world. When she was born they figured it was a stork bite and would eventually go away. It was when she was about one that we took her to a children's dermatologist and found out that it was a "vascular malformation" which basically means while she was in utero her body produced some extra blood vessels. It never really bothered me but we had to explain to every new person we met, no she did not fall, it's a birthmark. As her hair grew longer I just decided bangs were the way to go. That way it wouldn't be as noticeable and what's wrong with bangs? I even went and cut my bangs so that I could be like my daughter to make her feel more comfortable. We decided we would make it a good thing "Kiah that is where God gave you an extra special kiss before you came to earth." which worked until her little brother was born with a birthmark on his butt.... just didn't quite have the same feeling then lol.

But around Christmas Kiah came to me one night and said, "mommy, I tried to rub my birthmark off last night, I don't want it anymore." Kjell and I look at each other and are basically speechless, the bangs and just life had almost made us forget she even had it. It hadn't yet become a problem she every once in awhile would get asked about it and she would just tell them "it's my birthmark" usually that was enough minus the one lady who had the audacity to argue with my daughter and say "no honey surely you fell" But we are also realistic parents knowing we can't shelter our daughter from mean people. kjell never understood in the beginning why I thought it was such a big deal, then he became a jr high teacher and saw just how mean kids that age can be, even without something so obvious. So when Kiah said it was time, we said ok.

On Tuesday we got to take her to children's mercy in Overland park. I absolutely LOVE the children's mercy hospitals, drs, and nurses and feel so grateful every time I walk in there that the only problem my child has is skin deep. When Kiah got her MRI (about a year and a half ago to make sure it was only a surface mark- sometimes they can have roots and since it's on her head they thought it may extend into her brain., it didn't) I wanted to cry, someone asked me if we took any pictures of Kiah getting her MRI I said no because it really would have been disrespectful to those who have so much bigger problems. The nurses were awesome and even said, "mom it's ok to be nervous we know you don't do this every day but we do, and we will help you with anything you need " and were just sooooo reassuring.

I've never seen Kiah act as she did that day, she is usually very loud, talkative and doesn't know a stranger, she became withdrawn, and very melancholy I just wanted to hold her and take away any anxiety she had but she chose to even sit far away from Kjell and me. The laser treatment only took about 15 seconds. They did three little laser bursts and then we were done. For two weeks it will probably look worse and in about a month we should be able to tell if it worked. They said that if this doesn't work they have "stronger lasers" that they would be willing to try when she is older. To me that is a relief. This will always be Kiah's decision. When she wants things done, when she wants them to stop. I just feel this is something she is the only one who truly knows how to deal with it. If you don't really know my daughter you may be wondering "why in the world would she allow her THREE year old to make such grown up decisions" For now I just feel it's the right thing to do, and she is so smart super smart and to me above her years. I trust what she wants. We just continue to pray that God will give us, the doctors and Kiah wisdom in all of this.

So there is the long short of the story LOL

Spending freeze update

I've had some people ask me how our "spending freeze" went this last month so I thought I better get on here and update. I have been really busy trying to stay on top of my two Bible studies I'm doing plus my 90 day read through the Bible I really feel very busy. Plus Kiah and I were sick off and on for ten days and finally started feeling better last weds. The one area in my life where I have fallen off the wagon... working out EVERY DAY... or every other day or every other other day..... Yeah so I need to order my chalean workout I really want but I'm torn becasue I still haven't seen a price I want to pay.

Ok here's how Feb went. Our CC bill was about half of what it usually is. Most of the bill was gas (kjell went to Colorado for a weekend to ski with one of his friends, and we went to CO to watch the KSU game this was Kjell's Christmas present) and groceries, for my cooking day that was supposed to be held before we started this freeze. Kjell also needed an oil change for his car, our only "frivolus" purchase on our CC was a bill for 6.77 for the dinner we had when we were in CO for the basketball game, we ate at noodles & co drank water and I had a buy one get one free coupon. Now I'm going to review our bank account. (I've got the accounts open so I can see what we spent) Justus had to have a hair cut and I am not going to cut his hair (yet) so that was 10 dollars, we also ate a meal before one of the HS basketball games and that cost us $15 I also had to pay the eye doctor for Kjell and my appointments and my year supply of contacts. An extra 235 that won't be spent monthly. All in all I was pretty impressed. When I added what we had made and what we had spent we had 450 dollars left over. The first 150 goes into savings for our car insurance and house taxes so we have that money when they come due every six months. Then the rest was divided four ways. our house payment, money we owed for our home renovations, into savings for the new baby dr bills, and our envelops which I think I have mentioned before. I just want to let people know that we are trying to save money but it is EXTREMLY important to Kjell and I that at least a tenth of our income goes straight to God, it always has and always will, He has blessed us with everything we have and if we tried to save money by stealing from Him... no it's not going to happen. I don't want anyone to think I am trying to sound holier than thou I just want people to know you can live on 90% of what you make and still be fine. Have I ever looked at that money and though man that extra money would be nice to go here or here or here.. yeah but there is a reason that our money seems to be like the widow's oil and flour in the Bible and it just keeps coming and coming and coming, it'ts because we do have faith that no matter what God is always faithful that we have enough and often more than enough.

Well I already know that that March will not be quite as good as Feb, why we came to Topeka and Topeka always means shopping, Kjell needed new shoes for work and found some he really liked at payless and he used his spending money to pay for half, I also won another party to host with a new product but it's a sandwich party and they basically provided the bread so with all the extras I have had to buy to make it a meal I will have spent about 40 dollars on that. Plus we did run out of some food in our pantry amazingly enough. We had to stock up on our ranch dressing at aldi!

I'll try to sit down when we get home from KC/Topeka and let you know about my freebies for the month. oh my survey totals will impress no one this month. I made a measly $13 dollars but there are months like that (more months like that than the other) but they do help you get to those $165 dollar months!

Please pray with us as tomorrow is Kiah's appointment with the laser specialist at children's mercy. My prayer is that they will be able to do the treatment, and that they will tell us it is the lower of the two costs we were quoted. As of right now insurance has denied covering the treatment because they don't find it nessicary. I plan to appeal their decision but will wait to write my letter when we get home. Some dr in california got to decide all this even though our dr said it was needed. Gotta love st funded health care.. Probably should start with the politics ;) but they knew we had the appointment for three months and only told us last week they were going to deny us, make me made. The hospital wanted us to cancel our appointment but we have been planning the trip for 3 months (it's a 7 hour trip it takes some planning) and weren't about to cancel it two days before we were suppposed to leave. We have saved some money and should be able to cover at least one treatment but I just have a feeling they won't be able to turn down my appeal. I can write a pretty convincing letter.

How to make a habit stick

I think I have come to the realization that I have discovered how to make a habit stick. In November I started my "90 days" of P90X in December I started my "90 Day read through the Bible" and I think I've figured out why they both chose 90. Ninety days at least to me is what changes something from an obligation to a habit. I have been "finished" with P90X for about a month now, but any day I don't work out I feel like I am letting myself down, I haven't done near as many P90X workouts because no I really don't want to give an hour 15 minutes every day. I served my 90 days but if I don't do some sort of workout for about 30 minutes I feel like I have let myself down (and I'm still holding out on wearing my own jeans until it's shorts season- no maternity clothes for me until at least my birthday (April 29th) ha we will see. As for the Bible reading since then our Sunday School class at church started a Beth Moore take home study (with video during Sunday School) and a couple ladies and I started a Nancy Leigh DeMoss study. Both studies are AMAZING... but what do I find myself grabbing FIRST THING in the morning EVERY morning now? My Bible, even if it's only to read one or two chapters I feel lost if I haven't had my daily intake of my Bible reading. Even when I was reading through the doldrums of Isaiah and Jeremiah and all the other books about how God is going to destroy the cities. I still wanted to be in God's word and now that I'm finally in the New Testament I'm begging Matthew and Mark and Luke to slow down and share more details of Jesus with me. So wow, when I started P90X I wanted to find a way to get physically and spiritually fit and I think I'm on to something. And I'm also very proud that at 15 weeks pregnant I STILL weigh less than I did when I got pregnant with Justus and my jeans still fit fine.

So what is next on my list for things to start doing for 9o days so I do them all the time, housecleaning... that's a huge one for me. I inherited some family genes that don't allow me to keep a clean house, oh how I wish I had gotten Great Grandma Isaac's skills in that area! I seem to go like this my house is clean for one week out of a month and the rest is a a total disaster area. I get it clean because of (fill in the blank probably someone stopping over) and then maintain it for a week and then just stop maintaining. So I would like to do that. Also I bought Kiah a book for her birthday that is a Preschool learning Bible book with pictures to color I bought it so that we would do one picture together every day. Well by fault of both of us (more mine) we haven't been doing it very good so I would like to start that. I'd also like to start reading Justus one book a day, which I know I did with Kiah every day when she was his age but she never tried to escape after page one like he always does. With Kjell I guess a good night kiss would work, we've kind of gotten out of that habit, I'm glad that he and I still do our nightly devotion together though.

So anyone else got anything they want to add to the list for themselves? let me know. Oh yeah and the last two weeks I've been doing Jillian Micheals 30 day shred. I though hey 30 minutes a day can't be too bad right? It's hard but I'm starting to love it. I have a hard time doing the weights though when mine are 6 lbs and they are holding like 2 or 3 lbs.

So I lied, a little

Well I started doing P90X back in October and finished it in late January. I had so many people ask me about the program, start the program or are getting ready to start the program and the main two questions were did you like it? and did you lose weight? I said it was the workout I loved to hate. I also said I fit in jeans that I hadn't worn since before I was pregnant with Kiah, and that I lost two pounds. All this is true. What I failed to mention is that when I was finished with the program two weeks ago I was 11 weeks pregnant. Yes I did 14 weeks of P90X while being pregnant for most of it. And now at 13 weeks I feel I am just starting to show, and I actually still haven't gained any weight. The reason we actually waited so long to tell people (well long for us) was because I just really didn't want to have anyone telling me, "you shouldn't be doing this workout" "do you think you should be doing this?" and all those other questions that people think they can let you know they feel when they find out you are pregnant. It's like it's a free ticket to tell someone what you think is right for their body (if you think I sound cynical remember I have had two other children I'm just being truthful!) I was super excited though when I went to my doctor and I've seen two different people and they both said, if I want to stick with the program I can! They even told me they had one lady who did her ab workout until she was THIRTY SIX weeks! I felt that was my green light to do what I need to do to stay in shape! As for P90X when we first found out I was pregnant, I kept doing the same workouts but took out the ab ripper (which when my dr told me that last week went right back in!) and then switched out my favorite (but deffinitly most butt kicking) workout plyo and switched in cardio (which became my new favorite) There I feel like I have let a load off of my chest! So now I'm 13.5 weeks along. Still working out not wanting to burn myself out on P90X since mom and I plan on doing the full 90 again in Jan 2011 and start planning our cruise (something I told mom we were doing when I was done having kids and done nursing. I've been saving for YEARS!