Satisfaction in San Antonio!!

Man I love exploring new places. We have been so lucky to live east coast close to Manhattan and now we not only live in a really beautiful city, but being close to San Antonio too!

It's a great city, with really big drawes such as the river walk, The Spurs basketball, the Alamo, Sea World, and who can not forget the TEMPLE!!

Last Saturday I went to the temple and Seth took the boys to Sea World. This Saturday we loaded up and ALL went to Sea World. We spent all our time at the Happy Harbour, which is the children's section of the park. Kiddie rides, fountains, and rope walls with slides.Ryan and I had so much fun on the mini amusement park rides. Remember the egg beater or the teacups ride, that was my favorite! This was a day you not only minded getting wet, I was walking up to the kiddie fountains and spraying myself. OK OK! I have to admit that getting wet was not my only design. I was sitting around with all the other moms/dads and then I started thinking to myself, "WHY AM I SITTING HERE, WATCHING ALL THE KIDS HAVE ALL THE FUN...NO WAY MAN!" SO i was the only adult splashing around in the fountains....whew that felt great! In-hibition....gotta love it, try it sometime!!!

So after about 3 hours of that we were off for the next thing on our agenda.....FILL OUR TUMMIES!! I happened to see that there was a RAINFOREST CAFE on the San Antonio river walk. (The river walk is a beautifully landscaped little river that runs through the heart on San Antonio, it is lined with restaurants and hotels. ) So I had heard it was an awesome place to eat, but wasn't really sure why....until today!!!! It was worth the short walk from our car! It was sooooooooo fun! We walk into this amazon place that is covered in fake ferns and birds and gorillas and snakes, and pandas! Oh, and tons of fish tanks. Every half hour it sounded like a thunderstorm. The kids drank out of these phycho-delic flashing lighted cup. Our dessert was shaped like a volcano, but was the best tasting brownie volcano I have ever had!

Then it was time to take a boat ride on the River Walk. SOOOO COOL! It's freggin Beautiful!!! There are so many yummy restaurants that are along there that I can't wait to try! Gotta Love It!!

"I'm going on a date with my mom tonight!"

These are the words I heard him tell his 5 year old pre-school classmate today....that was when I was sure he truly was excited about going out with his old momma.....
From the beginning, Ryan has been collecting those McDonald's speed racer cars, I have to admit they are pretty cool. We really have not been going to McDonald's at all lately, I don't even know how this began! Marketing at its best because now we have to get the whole collection...especially the "Mach 5" Tonight he finally got it and he started jumping up and down at the Mc Donald's Counter....

So subsequently he really wanted to go see the Speed Racer movie. So this morning I thought why not, me and Ryan can go together. So I was like, "Ryan! Want to go on a date with mama? You can pick out the restaurant and then we will go see Speed Racer!" He started jumping up and down and said, "YES!" Awww so sweet. I said where do you want to eat and he was like McDonald's...oh what we do for our kids. I don't eat at McDonald's, we get carry out if anything. So I cringed and said, "OK!"

All day was a countdown, it was two more 4 more hours and then 3,2,1, then minutes. We ran into friends and he told them he was going on a date with his mom. If only that was still cool when he is 15! I told him he had to take a nap because we would be out late and like a robot he said, YES mommy and went and got in bed.

I showered, got dressed and came downstairs and he said, "OH Mommy you look pretty. yes, you look very pretty!" AWWWWW he is sooo sweet, he just makes my heart melt!!!

AT 5:19 on the dot, he started screaming,"one more minute!!!"and I started screaming and out the door we went. We talked about just about everything, he kept saying "THIS IS DEFINING!" I think he was trying to say exciting??????

We had 5 minutes to play on the playground and when it was time to leave, he excitingly said, OK mom, threw on his shoes and off he went. There was no arguing, moving snail speed as usual.I reveled in the moment and smiled to all the other moms as they looked at me like, HOW DID SHE DO THAT????

SO, then we got cookies and potty and then, GO SPEED RACER GO!!!

It was a BLAST! I know it didn't get good reviews but I liked it a lot and so did Ryan, every racing scene he held his little McDonald's car out front and made racing noises as he moved his car around...so cute

At the end he adjust himself and says, "I want to give you a kiss," leans over and kisses me on the cheek! Sweetest boy on EARTH!!!!

It was sooo fun ! We had a great time. I am so grateful to have such a sweet special son!!!

Had to share...

If you have a few minutes..read this article...truly eye opening or eye popping

The House of the Lord

Dear Diary,

Today was an amazingly special day....it started out with a trip through Texas Hill country on-ward to my lil slice of zion...the San Antonio temple. My hand-cart...a Toyota Camry which we had to pull over because everyone kept pointing to our tire and so come to find out all it was? Our $17.99 Walmart wheel covers coming off..

We drove by a couple taco stands and my tummy called out to me. I thought hey there are tons of these things, we'll pass more. Well every time I would see one, I'd yell, "STOP!!!" As Seth went, "huh what where?" IT DOE SN"T MATTER WHERE! In the time it took for you to look see for yourself, it is 60 mph 5 minutes ago! This happened about 3 times. I took lots of deep breaths...(happy thoughts, peaceful thoughts, I'm going to the temple!) We must have past about 10 breakfast taco stands on our country drive, but I ened up eating a chocolate brownie energy bar...uh.

Our car turns the corner onto the golden path to the temple and as we come over a bluff, I see it in the distance....well it looked very much like a large and spacious building with something shiny on top...."That's IT!" LAHHHHHHHHH!!! THE TEMPLE...excitement, peace. Wow this is a really nice area I think...townhomes, a new SUPER TARGET, and then there it is as if it were the corner of Broadway and 42cd street.....large white granite....colorful gardens, and a white fence...signatures of our classic Mormon temple.

We stop at the light looking to our left to take it all in. Ryan reading the steet sign exclaims, "DEAD END, DEAD END!!!" We calm him, sensing the irony...

The parking lot is full of tired cars. I am dropped of at the steps leading to a huge waterfall wall. I step back from the car and wave and watch as my three boys roll away...then my attention turns to the waterfall which lead my eyes upward to the words, "Holiness,,,,THE HOUSE OF THE LORD"

Up the steps, glance at the stone waterfall, up more steps and land on a concrete leading to the door with the ornate white handle. Needs washed I think. Then another set of doors, white handle. This time the handles are noticeable clean, free of buildup in the niches of the scrolls. I enter.

Peace, familiarity, my spirit is HOME, HAPPY, and CONTENT. Feelings bring me tears. Why tears? Why am I suddenly filled with gratitude. Gratitude for everything that can rush into my mind in mere milliseconds.

Grateful to be a member of this church, grateful that I can attend this temple...and feel this love...grateful for the magnificence of everything that God was, is, and will be forever. I feel light, full of love, full of warmth.

I exit. The sun greets me. I breath in the warm air. Seth pulls up, parks, and car doors open. Ryan runs towards me and we embrace. Ryan,"OH, It's beautiful!" "Yes, Ryan this is Heavenly Father's house, this is how the houses and gardens may look in heaven. Do you feel it? Do you feel the warm feeling in your heart?" "Yes, I feel it will heal my heart if it is cracked," Ryan retorts. I reply, "Yes, Ryan it healed my heart today...."

Picture This....

OK so Katie tagged your Ohio friends, well technically we are Texas friends, but we met in OHIO? Anyway, it looked fun. THIS IS AN IMAGE TAG! I love Google image. It has become my best friend with my calling primary...so here goes...

My FAVORITE THING:

MY FAVORITE PLACE:


MY FAVORITE FOOD:

MY FAVORITE COLOR:

THE TOWN I LIVE:

MY FIRST PET'S NAME:

NICKNAME I WAS(AM) ONCE CALLED:

MY COLLEGE MAJOR:

MY FIRST JOB:

MY GOAL FOR THE NEXT YEAR:

PLACE I'D LIKE TO VISIT:

AGE ON MY NEXT BIRTHDAY...


So who to tag.....IF YOU SEE THIS......YOU ARE TAGGED!!!

BUT AMY<>

To my friend...VAL

Ryan loves to chat with my freind Val! He watches for her smily face to pop up all day and then this is what he says....

Day Five.....only one oopsie, and one poopsie!

He he! I just crack myself up. OK so here goes, he only had one accident and I take half the blame because I wasn't being as good about putting him on the potty during that time. Overall I am still way way pleased because as long as I get him on the potty, he will pee....and that is progress folks!

And now for the one poopsie. How do I get that going? I think he was holding it for about 5 hours to get a chance to get away from me. Which he did and I knew what he was doing! But no juice today so at least it was WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY easier to clean up this time..... So any suggestions about that??

SO who is your favorite idol folks.....

I don't see this as a contest of talent: rockers vs. ballads....

I think I have to go for Cook. He is amazing at composing and "making the song new" plus he is an amazing singer.

Archy-letto makes my heart melt, but wasn't impressed when he leaves the ballad arena.

Therefore Cook all the way baby, which way do you swing?

Day Four........Success!!

YaHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The harder the work, the more exciting the PAY-OFF! All of those that potty train, know the feeling the first time they actually pee in the potty!

I digress. This morning I gave Ethan 3 juice boxes (big mistake, don't give your potty training child juice, see below for why) and we watched 3 BABY EINSTEINS and Ethan sat on his potty the whole time without coaxing.

Finally he started to pee!!!!! Just a drop, then I think he got scared and stopped... he said, "UH OH" I said it's ok keep going, but he wanted up.

So we jumped up and down, we high-fived, we yelled, we got candy....then I walked away and he peed all over the floor, then I cleaned that up and he pooped all over the floor, I got that cleaned up and new underwear......and HE POOPED again...remember the JUICE? OK can I say RUNS!!! Oh man, this was the final straw...I kinda lost it and had to vent to my potty-training Coach VAL. She gave me some new advice and encouraged me to keep going, especially since he did pee once.

So Ethan was down for a nap. I woke him up and he was DRY!!! So I sat him on the potty and wham bam thank you mam, he peed and not a few drops, like a full-on fill the cup pee!!! Ok so twice.

We had one accident in between, but then right before bed he peed again.

SO that's 3 times!!! FOR my 25 month old. I was sooooo happy. Like just got engaged happy, or just found out you are pregnant happy, or got your dream job happy. Elated happy!

Persistence did pay off, I know this is far from over, but it gave me the encouragement to keep going, that progress is being made and it can be done.

This is to no mo' DIAPERS!!!!

Thanks so much to everyone for your words of encouragement and especial thanks to VAL!!! THis is a picture of Ethan saying "YAH, while eating a full-on candy bar!" OH YA!!!

Day Three....No change

No change except Ethan is becoming More resistant to the potty. When it's "potty time" he runs away.

While he's sitting on there, what do I tell him? I've been trying to tell him to push, but he just stairs at me and stands up.

I know about when he needs to pee, I'll try to get him down for a while till he goes...20 min. later we both get tired of it and I let him stand up and he walks away and I hear, "uh oh"

I don't think he has put it together yet. I don't think he has put together the whole sensation with ,"ok I need to sit on that potty thingy"

Last night, I had an appt. at 7 to get my new ward calling..........Primary Music Leader....YAH! I'm so excited. I LOVE primary music and can't wait to make all those music posters and props and sing our little hearts out!

That appt. did not take long enough so after I was done I was racking my head for things I could do. I didn't need anything anywhere!!! Then I though oh, I do have poison oak on my arm, let's go to urgent care...It was better than nothing. Can you believe I would rather go to a doctor and get a shot of steroids in my butt than come home and finish potty training and putting the kids down for bed that night!

When I did come home pumped up with steroids I really did want to run around, work out! I challenged Seth to see how many push-ups we could do. He didn't want to do it without a reward....MEN ONE TRACK MIND!!!! I just wanted the satisfaction of a good competitions and winning and bragging rights.

Anyway I did 20 MAN push-ups. And that's a lot for me. Seth did 20 MAN push-ups...so who's the winner????

C'est MOI!!! (My logic, I'm a girl doing man push-ups= challenge)

Day Two...frustration sets in for both

The day was just about the exact same as yesterday, except the novelty has worn off and the challenge was getting him to sit on the potty at all and then to get him to sit on there for more than 3 seconds. I'm trying to keep it positive and make him not want to do it.

Finally, there is still no pee going into the potty, still the same amount of wet undies.

I guess I can say that he was sometimes saying pee pee BEFORE he peed, but not enough time for me to run him to the potty.

Any suggestions Val? or anybody...oh and yes, we used the toddler potty today in the family room and Ryan went in it two times and was rewarded with a candy bar. Ryan thinks its a pretty good gig, now to convince Ethan.....

I AM NOT GIVING UP!!! Pray Pray Pray!!!!

Bad Matt, Bad Bad Bad!!!

VS.

Why? I love the bachelor..I watch it all season so I can get that butterflies in the stomach feeling at the season finale and that first limo drives up

BUT

He never picks the RIGHT GIRL!!!! Shayne??? Are you kidding ME!!!!

Ya she's a nice girl and all, but his first gut reaction that she is this spoiled Hollywood starlet that comes from a broken family....she won't move to Britain....all she know is when things get tough you leave....and how can he keep up with her spending habits??? I don't' know I just don't think they have the chance that he would have had with Chelsea +++++++++ he said that he felt more passion for her....

I feel so bad for Chelsea, I can relate. If I ever had to start over, I know I would guard my heart too. I think the fact that Shayne was so young and inexperienced allowed her to open up more and ultimately make Matt "love her " more freely. The walls we put around our heart, they are the demise of so may potential Bacholorettes. I know that I have built walls around my heart. And I have a hard time with forgiveness, but there is a time where I do feel that these walls we built are there for a reason. But it does stop us from loving completely and allowing being loved completely back. I have a lot of wounds in this area and I am very closed of. It sucks, because I know that I am not allowing for full happiness, but I am so sick of being disappointed,appalled and ultimately blaming myself.

ANYWAY, best of luck to Shayne and Matt,.....whats my fret it's not like they ever truly get married, and even if they did I would always be thinking its b/c Shayne wants the publicity to get her career going, which no doubt it would. I am a women Scorned. I just need to go back to watching chick flicks where there is one guy chasing one girl and they hook up and in 2 hours you can get that same butterfly feeling. I got it big time in 27 dresses...Made of honor, some but not as much...I guess I'm not as big for Mr. McDreamy....more of a ...oh never mind :)

Day One... Laundry Day

Potting Training Day One:

Well last night I spent a couple hours reading a short how-to book on potty training that I HIGHLY recommend. ThePottyTrainer.com It was a short read in one seating that told you everything you need to know about the subject. When to start, how to emotionally pre-pare yourself, how to get your child ready, and actually how to do it. So I was really ready for this morning, I have a plan

- morning party- Ryan like this part, we walked in clapping and yelling, "Yah you are a big Boy, look you get to wear underwear like Ryan!!
-No DIAPERS-this part I was scared of b/c of the mess, but I have found it to be pretty easy. Yes, he has peed his pants 3 times and pooped once, but he is always on his feet, so it was contained and he told me when it happened so we went into the bathroom and I handed his a wipe and we changed underwear.

- I set the microwave timer for every 20 min. and when the timer goes of we start to chant "Potty time potty time whoop whoop" the boys join in and we march to the potty. I turn water on, I say push pee pees out and sometimes we look at magazines.

-So far he gets of the potty, take the insert out, flushes saying "bye bye pee pee" and then I say, yah you sat on the potty and give a sticker. He likes getting to pick one out and put it on the wall poster. I just keep telling him that if he puts pee pee in the potty he gets candy...he LOVES candy

Then I help him pull up his undies and he walks away, plays for about 20 min. and I hear, "uh oh pee pee, or this morning it was uh oh poo poo" and he walks over to me

I just say, Ethan put this in the potty and hand him a wet wipe that he has to wipe himself with and then a new pair of undies.

It is 6:38 p.m. Day one and he has NOT put anything in the potty, I have 6 pairs of wet underwear, and a lot of laundry to do! But after a good pep- talk from my good friend Val I am convinced I'm doing it all right and in a day or two he WILL put something in the potty and when this day happens we are going to PARTY!!! We are gonna call grandma and AMY and we are gonna get CANDY!!!

The hard thing about potty training is not the "potty training" its like breast feeding on crack. Once you get done putting him on the potty, doing the sticker, cleaning up the subsequent mess in his pants, you have to start all over, so the dishes in the sink stack up, the house is a mess, laundry and cleaning get thrown aside, and you feel like you want to run screaming to the nearest McDonald's and apply for a job. Because a greasy hamburger pit is better any day than a day in toddler potty training!!!!

Alas, I am confident that this too will pass and in a couple weeks or so I will have a functioning life again, this time free of diapers, wipes, and messes!!! HOPE

What I have been up to....

First the rents......What did we do? We played with the kids, we took walks, we went to parks........Then the M-I-Ls and F-I-LsWe ate great food, flew kites, went to botanical gardens, and watched movies!Then(drum roll please......) the stunning,beautiful, (other) Cochran's!!!! Amy and Lilli (Dilli)Ryan was sooooo AMAZING with Lilli. He played with her, helped feed her, brought her toys...this is him putting a birthday hat on her, it was so cute! We shopped, BIG SURPRISE....we went to TWO outlets! Our favorite stores....Coach, Kate Spade, and Burberry ofcourse! I am proud to say I bought a bag of chocolate covered gummy bears and some green spatula's from Williams Sonoma to match my kitchen...hehe(it's like you Rachel buying pink pans!) Amy found some treasures as well. :)We ate at lots of yummy food places, but this is me and Amy's foot ROCKIN the Chipotle....oh YAH!!!!

Thanks for coming all, we love our OHIO visitors!!! Welcome anytime!!!

Potty training commence....cross fingers!!!!!

I hated mother-hood......while I was potty training Ryan. Two weeks before his 4 year old pre-school was due to start he started putting his "poopie in the potty" for good. His future pre-school teacher gets the credit. She went through the laundry list of things to try, which I had done them all, to which she said, "Well, maybe his prom date can talk him into it!" What finally got him to do it wa cleaning up after himself. If he did the deed in his pants, he had to do all the clean-up...rinsing,soaking, washing, idsinfecting.....we did this one time and from then on...he wa on the potty. This was after about a year of several attempts at the training. I was hating life many of this time.

So Ethan from a young age has shown interest in the subject, but I have shunned it b/c I STILL remember the trauma from Ryan. It's only been a little over a year!!

But I have run out excuses, first it was wait till he was 2, then it was I had a string of company coming....I have no more excuses, well today I said, I'll start tomorrow. It's like starting a diet. You always find a reason to start TOMORROW. I have the supplies purchased, well the pull-ups. My plan:

1)Fill a sippy with water and give it to him early in the morning and keep full through-out day so he needs to pee a lot.

2)Set a timer and every 45 min. set him on the potty. If he pees in the potty, he gets candy.

3)Have him wear pull-ups, not underwear ....yet

See right now, he pees in his diaper, say's "PEE PEE" grabs his crouch and runs on the potty and goes "shhhhhhhhssssssssss" (the sound of pee pee) then he throws almost a whole roll of TP in the toilet flushes and walks away.... So the DESIRE is there.

My goal: have him fully trained by JULY. Thats about 50 days....so to all you season'd moms out there, if you have ever potty trained a two year old, I would LOVE to hear any advice, tricks, and what you did.... Wish me luck with the potty talk!