Sunday Thoughts part Two.

I took over the LDS Etsy group not too long ago.
I don't know how I feel about it.
We are having a giveaway and only one person has entered. Seriously if you have a giveaway during one of these "giveaway hop" things online you get like 500 entries for rancid lotion and I have one for hairpins I buy all the time. They didn't even do any of the extra entry options.

I still haven't updated the face book page I created with everyone's pictures.
I haven't sold anything since I took over. OK last night I sold something and I do have "orders" that are contest entries. We are starting a treasury page but my sister reminded me that we have to be careful since it is a religious group.
I now appreciate those groups more- We are still in our infancy but it is hard getting a group off it's feel. How rude not to enter my giveaway. I'm planning to buy the item and send it to whoever wins. I guess Susan since she is the only entry.
The other day someone on twitter was recommending a famous ex Mormon blogger and I felt a little funny. a "recovering" Mormon? Really? I am pretty sure these people wouldn't want to be my friends. I have some friends that aren't Mormon anymore but I don't need someone who thinks Mormons are stupid. because I am Mormon. Don't be fooled by my cursing mouth. Anyway I am a little nervous that this etsy group could be blending work and church which I am a little wary of. I don't want to alienate people by seeming like I am pushing my religion on them. I don't want other sellers to leave comments on the treasury that they are not Mormon- just to let me know.
maybe my blog won't get famous for my lackluster postpartum depression and failure to leave what some see as an oppressive religion. Maybe I will get boycotted by people who don't want to buy from a Mormon.
I have all sorts of apprehension about this, but I hope our group does OK. or at least the giveaways.

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Sunday Thoughts.

John cleaned the whole house while I was gone. Also I feel like the second Mark and Sara arrived their house was clean.
the second they arrived.
and it wasn't me doing the cleaning. Every time I visit them a few things have happened.
1. They have completed another repair project. This time they had a chicken coop and a shed. an AWESOME shed you can't see from the street. How the heck did they build it? Also they had a little stepping stone area and landscaped area in their yard. Judging by the speed with which they dispatched the mess I left their house in (I tried but those last four hours before the kids went to bed undid all the work and I just lost my motivation) I think their home projects took them about two hours.
2. Eddie speaks you know. I was wondering if he just mumbled and then as soon as his parents came home he came in and talked to me. What. The. Heck. I literally thought he was just really behind in speaking but no- Eddie missed his parents and was giving me the silent treatment all weekend. I didn't feel as bad Sunday because he was talking to me again. A three year old who never speaks to you because he is mad at you is a terrifying thing. Eddie is pretty funny you know.
3. Six kids is too many for me. I felt like I was a zombie running around all day and Aida just explained everything to me. I swear all the kids went to bed without feeling bad when they didn't have Aida as a sympathetic listener. Maybe I am just paranoid though. Baby Mark wanted to stay up all night and Maya and Eddie woke up around 6:00. Mark and Sara somehow keep them in their rooms until 7:00 but I am not the young child whisperer so I didn't. They made it to their appointments on time (except soccer in the rain, which I skipped- still feel guilty) and I think all of them like their parents more at the end of this.
4. I would totally do it again. Sara said she wants to have a vacation where her kids go on vacation and she gets to stay home with Mark and I told her that I would come get the kiddos. I really would but Sara will never take me up on it.

Maybe because I blog about babysitting and I do such a shoddy job. Maybe her kiddos boycotted me, which I could understand. I was so excited about our house I wanted to play a game. and our friends came and we did. It was really nice. But some rodent ate ALL OUR STRAWBERRIES while I was gone. I was so sad. Danielle cried.
JOHN CLEANED THE ENTIRE HOUSE. I died a little of happiness. Now I get to go into the basement and work. the nice, not too hot basement.
and to top it all off I got a gift card to Home depot for my birthday. I'll be off spending that this morning. I do love the home projects. Maybe I'll buy some new plants- squirrels chipmunks and rabbits seem to keep eating ours.
rude.

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Cloth Diapers and Maya

Our cloth diaper video. Thanks Maya!
for the contest at http://whyclothdiapers.com/contest-details/

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Follow Friday

Have you ever done one of these? I haven't and I'm curious about how they work. Follow Friday on Twitter is pretty exciting.

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Kiddos in Jersey

People warned me that six kids is a lot to handle. I gently reminded them that I can't really handle two children.
I found the school.
Aida helped me find piano lessons.
I called Sara to find dance lessons.
I found McDonalds. Actually several of them but we've eaten there once.
We have made it on time to things so far. Only one more soccer game and birthday party to go.
and two more bedtimes.
Maya cried when she was going to bed. So did Danielle- but she only wanted goldfish crackers.
There are no more brownie bars. Or bananas.
I forgot to pack any underwear for me. and I had to go buy diapers for baby boy since we are using cloth.
baby boy.
oh baby boy- why aren't you sleeping? Last night was straight out of my nightmares. I was totally ready for bed at nine when all the girls went to sleep- but baby boy wanted to stay up all night.
in the words of Harley- he is a bad baby.

My thoughts:
1. How the (*^!@$*&^ do people with six kids keep their homes clean?
2. Potty trained boys- yeah. Do I have to clean up the bathroom before they get home? No wonder Jana ripped her whole bathroom apart after it was done.
3. Does anyone else have a baby that is immune to the cry it out method? How long can he possibly cry before being ready for sleep?
4. I am glad I don't have to do anything for those chickens. No one with six kids should have chickens. Unless they also have a Lucy to care for them.
5. I love my nook. More than anything.
6. Aida informed me that I could load the dishes last night. Thanks Aida for reminding me not to put it off until the middle of the night. I think she will be a more responsible mother someday.
7. I love my baby but he is the fussiest when we travel. No I don't want to hold you all day. The second thing I forgot was the baby carrier.
One day down, two to go.
oh dear, Sara reads my blog...

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Religion and Marriage Excellence

Religion can help you achieve the highest level of awesomeness in the Janae and John Marriage Excellence plan. I love my church but I don’t think we have any monopoly on marital happiness. The John and Janae Excellence program would have to discard and even scorn these misconceptions.

For example, one of my friends assumed that her marriage decision to marry in an LDS temple, where they teach you that your marriage will extend beyond the grave, would help her in everyday communication with her husband.

Oh dear friend, how wrong you were.

Think not of what your religion will do for you, but what fun you can have with a little creative editing of your religion. Some think that re-arranging the words of church leaders to change their meaning is the first part of apostasy. Others will say that it is what the devil does to lead you away. I will tell you it is also a super funny marital activity.

Really, if you take your religion and yourself all that seriously in marriage you will break under all the pressure. If you don’t, your spouse is lying to you about your capabilities. The people who are the most confident in their correctness and righteousness in marriage are also the most deluded.

One of my least favorite religious sermons on marriage came from the Ensign in May of 2003. I think with a little editing I learned something profoundly important about how my religion has changed my marriage.

“As is common today, when we married she registered with a local department store. Instead of listing all the pots and pans and appliances we needed and hoped to receive, she chose another course. She asked for silverware. She chose a pattern and the number of place settings and listed knives, forks, and spoons on the wedding registry and nothing else. No towels, no toasters, no television—just knives, forks, and spoons. The wedding came and went. Our friends and our parents’ friends gave gifts. We departed for a brief honeymoon and decided to open the presents when we returned. When we did so, we were shocked. There was not a single knife or fork in the lot. ...

My Wife….never went to the many ward dinners she cooked, or never accompanied the many meals she made and sent to others who were sick or needy. It never went on picnics and never went camping. In fact it never went anywhere; and, as time went by, it didn’t even come to the table very often. Some of our friends were weighed in the balance, found wanting, and didn’t even know it…. Eternal Marriage is just like that. We need to treat it just that way.”

Lessons from this religious parable:

1. No one gets what they register for
2. That doesn't mean you won't eventually get it. They don't give those registry completion discounts for nothing.
   
3. My mom didn’t want to go camping, and my dad certainly never went on any marital picnics. Probably because it was actually against their religion. Now I know why.
   
4. No spouse in their right mind makes the same pie for their small family that they will make for a group.
5. These days no one comes to the table to eat when they could be watching T.V.

Could this famous sermon be why my mom started getting us silverware when we were 12? Maybe you got a barbie or some other age appropriate present, but I could start the judging and balancing before I was even in a relationship. and that is an eternal perspective if I ever saw one.

Want to achieve marriage excellence? Find you own personal sermon on marriage. Seriously feel free to leave it as a comment. Also, remember to use the silverware at your wedding. For eating that super expensive food.

Quotation taken from Elder F Burton Howard of the Seventy “Eternal Marriage” Ensign 2003. Out of context.

Silverware Image source here

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Sunday Thoughts: The Perfect Mom

I have really missed the perfect mom.
I don't think the perfect mom's daughter learned how to count to twenty from watching "Preschool on T.V."
The perfect mom really has more energy than I do. She is constantly looking for ways to make the world better. Maybe actually she is looking for ways to undo the environmental damage she did by having children. So the perfect mom does as much as she can to use local meat. One thing you can do? Get you own chickens. These chickens might not save you money but they will help you appreciate your food more. Maybe you wouldn't be so fast to throw that overcooked chicken out if you realized how long it took to raise it. And if you weren't dealing with chickens so loaded with hormones that they grow up in ten minutes.
The perfect mom would get her chickens a haven where they would lay eggs. Maybe colored eggs or brown eggs. The perfect mom would have a clean chicken coop. She would use the eggs to feed her children and maybe take the yolks out to help reduce cholesterol consumption. Her children would learn the importance on vigilance in caring for the chickens. And she would never take meat for granted again.
maybe her children would learn to be vegetarian or only eat eggs instead of chicken.
If her family chose to continue to eat meat that would be OK too. because their mother had provided them with the most valuable thing to the perfect mom: understanding.

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Dear Friend,

Dear Eastwick,
I am so sad that I will never see you again. I wasn't ready to break up. I never got to say goodbye. You weren't even really canceled. ABC is such a bunch of jerks for not ordering any more episodes. I loved that one of the girls could control men. I decided I would steal with that power. And the one that could control the weather? Maybe my plants wouldn't have died. And I never really understood the other one's powers but she sort of got the short end of the stick.
How is this show canceled? Cybil Shepherd is in it. I don't know her personally but I think she was pretty good in the show. I will never know exactly what is happening. No more episodes were ordered. HOW RUDE. ABC likes to make strange decisions about which shows continue. The Forgotten? Seriously? No offense Christian Slater you are darling. Maybe there was just too much girl power.
You are made from a book? I think I should buy that book. Kat did have that funny way of speaking. Did ABC see that you got the highest score ever from one reviewer? You were supposed to be the best new show of the season. I thought you were. I had no idea they tried to make you a show in 2002. With some other interesting stars. I wonder if I can get a copy of that... Oh and one with Cher and Michelle Pfeiffer and Susan Sarandon Jack Nicholson? Huge.
What was up with how stupid Roxie was? fail.
nominated for a people's choice award- those things really don't mean anything to networks I guess.
Dear ABC: thanks for nothing. not even ending it or producing a really cheap movie to tie up all those frustrating loose ends. you are rude.
At least I still have Castle.
I will miss you forever,
Janae

image source here

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Sunday Thoughts

Main Sunday Thought: I finally worked up the nerve to ask if I could stop being assigned to visit that one cat lady.
If you can't clean up after your pet AT ALL, please find a new home for your pet, especially if that pet is a cat because they get smelly.
What I wonder if I should say: If your child looks that much like a skeleton because you weaned them, probably it is too early and you should let them nurse. Better to have child that nurses a long time than have a child with failure to thrive.

I made a friend today. It was nice. Also nice to finally feel like I know what I should be doing right now.

Today I went to church. I was really proud of myself for staying. And it was pretty calming which I liked. Also Danielle peed on her sleeve when she went potty and I almost died- I scrubbed it out in the sink and used hand soap to wash it a little because I didn't have a backup outfit and Danielle wanted to stay for nursery.
Oh so many thoughts this Sunday: Mixed, Happy, grateful- and a little bit sad that the battery to my portable device died so I couldn't distract myself with it at church.

Cloth Diapers: OK so I've got to think of something new here. I thought my house smelled funny. It was the diaper bucket. The disposable liners seem to move around a bit in the flip diapers, which I like for the cloth but not disposable.
I have never felt like I was doing so much laundry only to discover I have a room full of dirty clothes.

One of my new years resolutions is officially over- We parked a car in the garage. John helped me move the cement pallet to the side. Turns out moving 30 cement bags is hard work.

Scranton is a funny city to show people around. I can't believe I got to see my friends from Germany! It took Danielle all of two seconds to locate the candy they brought me for my birthday.

This little guy is finally sleeping through the night. I don't know how people survive with children that don't sleep. Good thing he was so sweet. Still don't know if I will survive having any more children but that's OK.

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My Birthday: Marriage Excellence Journals

Today is my birthday. last night baby Mark slept through the night the first time ever. He went to bed at 11:00. He is still asleep.
I just died a little of happiness.
So it's time for a new installment of- John and Janae's Marriage Excellence Program! Because marriage totally rocks. especially compared to being single in college.

A Journal-

A journal can be a beautiful thing. I just listed a Keep calm and carry on journal/notebook in my shop You can write about your dreams, your thoughts, your loves. You can record when your children played and how much you love your life. Now my church always tells people to keep track for your posterity. keep a journal, record your life.
This reminds me of a time when I was trying to tell John he always responds badly in a fight. He asked for specific details. Seriously most people can't remember the exact conversations they had about fighting. Well they can't remember them a few months later but what about if you kept a daily log? Could my religious institution be guiding me toward marital excellence by recording specific times? How much more valid would my complaint that he "never puts his shoes away" be if I had a log of every time I put those suckers in the closet?
It's time to be a record keeping people. For the sake of your marriage- write down when these fights happen. Saying "we always fight about dishes" doesn't mean anything if you haven't kept a record.
The John and Janae Program actually advocates three journals, the record keeping journal is the first of these. You know your spouse has asked you what the heck you are talking about in a fight- now you will be able to tell them.

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Cloth Diapers

So I've been using cloth diapers for a while. Actually G diapers with the disposable insert.
Disposable. Flush-able. right. The first time I saw the disposable insert I thought to myself- that is going to clog my toilet.
Correct.
Which brings me to a new idea- what about a food disposal in the bottom of the toilet? They would never be clogged again. That could take the flushable inserts any day.
John told me that was sort of gross. Turns out that a little company named Shanghai Gerpman industrial company thought it was a good idea too. You can find one here. I don't think I will buy one, but it could be good for my little disposable diaper inserts- then I would never have to use the disgusting swisher stick again.
I finally went to cloth diapers since the doctors told me to- why didn't I do this with Danielle? She had persistent diaper rash all the time and was a free range baby for a while. Then my sister in law decided to cloth diaper. She told me how she does it. and Claire decided she will do it when she has babies. Sara did it in New Zealand. Buying diapers for two children pretty much broke my heart in half so I thought- if I am going to have any more children I might as well get on board. Well Danielle is potty trained (thanks Mark and Sara) and Mark is finally out of diapers- so we are continuing the transition. I still haven't purchased safe laundry detergent and thought about air drying them in my backyard (please let the fence magically be put in) so I am using the disposables I bought. Oh wait, Mark also only has six covers so far. Not quite the two dozen or so people recommend.
Thanks for the support girls- wish me the best with the washing.

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Sunday Thoughts

I love Maple Bars.
and twix bars.
and mint milano cookies.
and bagels.
and chocolate covered almonds.
and bear claws.

a lot.

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