T-t-t-too Much Time on My Hands

Little did I know last summer as I attended a Styx concert and sang along to "Too much Time on My Hands," that this summer would bring me just that. WAY too much time! I think all I was really thinking about having on my hands then was the shaved ice! There's only so much you can do while laying in bed to prepare for a life changing event like brining home two little ones... but I'm trying to make the best of it. Here's what has been occupying the majority of my time:

-Searching for hand-me-down baby gear on Craigslist and KSL (that other people will have to go and pick up!)

-Catching up with The Book of Mormon challenge (our ward challenged us to begin in May and have it read by the end of August)

-Learning how to crochet and making a baby blanket (Yesterday I did this all while watching The Sound of Music -it was great. And today I've had the songs stuck in my head- such a cute show.)

-Making grocery lists w/ more detail so other people can go and buy them for me.

-Mastering the card games I know and learning a few new ones thanks to PySol. My two new found favs are Braid and Picture Gallery. (Warning: If you're addicted to Solitaire stay away from this program! It has hundreds of other card games that are just as addicting!)

-Playing the game FarmTown on Facebook... I have reached the level of "Mighty Farmer." Thats huge. I have planted thousands of crops and harvested them, and I have 8 sheep, 3 chickens, a donkey, a horse, and a dog, plus orchards of various trees. It's pretty fun. Especially now since I've enlisted the help of two of my sisters!

-Catching up on friends' blogs (this actually makes me feel like I'm talking to them... kind of pathetic but really fun!)

-Re-learning how to tie hemp necklaces and learning a few new styles. (Keegan had to chastise me on how unsquare a lot of my square knots looked... but they are much better now!)

-Talking on the phone with family. (I think we'll have to call T-Mobile and ask for some extra minutes this month! oops!)

-Looking up appropriate wedding dance music for my little sisters wedding... there were some funny suggestions on this site.

-Looking up safe "exercises" to do while on bed rest and implementing them a few times/day. I'm glad I have my little hand weights now!

-Talking to the sub over my classes to get updates on how things are going and where to go next. (At first it was REALLY hard to let go of this part of my life... but I have realized that I am much less stressed than before. Most of teaching was eustress, but I have to admit: Now that I am waking up around 9 when 2nd hour is just starting, it is so nice! I really miss it, but for the most part I am just grateful that I still get a full months check w/ only working about 4 days in May. Couldn't have done that with too many other jobs.)

-Reading pregnancy and parenting books that family and friends have let me borrow. I'm most likely not going to be able to attend the hospitals classes on birthing etc, so I'm trying to educate myself as much as possible with these and the help of credible websites.

-Talking to Carma my 80-year-old cleaning lady. :-D Possibly one of my favorite people, Carma is our sergeant grandma that is atypical of most grandmas. This apartment looks a million times better than it did when we moved in! As Keegan puts it, "She cleans things I didn't even know were dirty! But every time she comes back with a dirty rag." She was one of the first to find out I was in the hospital and immediately wanted to do all she could to help. So she told me she'd come and clean the house and "shine me up," and that she did!

She still owns and operates her own cleaning business (in-between working at the temple most days) and is incredible! I just love her and she is so fun to talk to. So far she's done the typical cleaning chores but has also done some big ones! She took the doors off of our shower and scraped off all of the nasty molded caulking. After hauling those away she put in new caulking and that tub has never looked so good! She also refinished all of the cabinets. We'd be out a small fortune if she'd let us pay her. But she is always so happy to come over and that is what makes it so wonderful. She's served 5 missions for the LDS church; the lady understands service. We love Carma! I definitely feel an increase in my sense of sanity when everything is nice and clean (especially when I don't have to do it!)

-Watching episodes of "Psych" and "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader" w/ Keegan and "The Office" w/ Karinne and Dalen. Lately these are our favorite shows. Thank you Hulu and Joe!


It's been 2 weeks so far... I feel really blessed to have so many good people around taking such good care of us. Keegan has been great and is expanding his culinary skills. Thankfully he is able to stay at home most of the day while working and then go in to the office for the last few hours.

In the weeks ahead I'm planning to do a lot more of the above and finish at least two baby blankets while watching all of the movies people have let us borrow!

Did I manage to convince anyone how great bed-rest is? ;-) No? ....good!