New age lamaze

My good friend Sachia is pregnant with her first baby. In preps. for her new arrival (coming in 4 weeks) she signed up for a lamaze type, relaxation class. She had planned this class months in advance and at the last minute her husband had to go out of town for work. So, she called me. The thought of her doing the class alone, or not at all, was not an option. She asked me if I would be willing to go to the class with her. I thought, why not, I could always use a good review, she needs to go and I don't want her to have to go alone. So off to the class we went with our water, snacks, and pillows. What we didn't realize was that this was a class specifically designed for coaching. Everyone had someone with them....a "coach." Everyone elses "coaches" were husbands. This is the part where my giggles started and annoyingly continued for the next three hours.

We walked into the room and this was the position our demo baby was in. What kind of class?

This was our competition. I think all eyes were on us for the first half hour. Two pregnant girls? Are they together? Friends? Lovers? The giggles wouldn't stop!

The "moms" practiced different relaxation positions to help ease their pain through labor, while the "coaches" (me) massaged and practiced helping them through their contractions. So, basically I ended up massaging her the whole night. Good thing I'm a massage therapist or it could've been real embarrassing for both of us. Plus, she really needed it. I have to say my favorite position of the night was when we were supposed to hug with her leaning into me and relaxing. Both of our bellies were touching, we both just busted up laughing. Yeah right! I still can't talk about it without cracking up. We stole the show!

Sachia, I know you hate pictures of yourself right now but nothing looks worse then me in this picture! I look trashed. (I was) You're welcome for making you look so good :)



Coach and Mom





















I had to get video during our break of Sachia explaining the class. Only for a friend I love!

FATHERS and SONS

A week ago it was fathers and sons, which is held church wide on Mothers Day weekend. This is so Niki and other mothers across the land get a break from the boys. We had a lot of fun. The camping isn't quite the same as it is in Utah where there's real mountains. This was a place called Wilderness Park that was just down the road from a subdivision. It was a small grassy field with the whole Stake camping near each other. Still, there were pine trees, so it's not too bad. When we got there, kids were kicking a soccer ball, so Max naturally joined in for over an hour, and after one too many dads got hit in the face with the soccer ball the game was over. A campfire was made and everyone gathered around for the ward "skits." Each year our Ward has the WORST skits, ha ha, it's almost embarrassing.

This was probably the latest Max has stayed up in a long long time. It was almost 11pm when Max finally went to bed. In the photo below it was around 10:30 and he was staring off and pretty much out of it without blinking. After a few "Max," Max," "MAX!" 's, he would say "uh what," as if he was woken from a waking sleep. We stayed up a little later and had dutch oven cobbler, which was after the smores and other treats.


I look really really ugly. This is the first official Fackrell family tent.


There was a spot up a trail near the camping area that the kids were going up to because it was "haunted." Some of the older kids were telling the younger kids that many years ago Americans and Native Americans were taken to the top of this hill, burned alive and their bodies thrown down the hill...yeah, I know, not your typical bed time ghost story. Anyway, I walked up here with Max and snapped the photo below. Later on at home, I added in an Indian with photoshop and told Max that I took a picture of a ghost. He was in shock when I showed him the final photo.

BEFORE


AFTER


Here’s a little video of me scarring Max. We were walking up to the “haunted,” area; Max and Ethan Tervet were talking about the ghosts and such, so I took advantage of the situtation. With the second video a few kids were at "the spot," and I made it seem like I heard something and they all flipped out. When they're running down the hill that is true terror driving them down. It was hilarious!

Am I crafty? Not a chance!

If you were wondering, why would you, this is a scuba mask Mia made. How does she do it? So talented! Now I'm sure you're wondering where she gets her mad skills from. Truthfully, she made this at story time at the library. It had nothing to do with me, which might be why it turned out so cute. Matt hasn't been home for a few days (busy directing his episode of Yo Gabba Gabba this week) so this morning when Mia put this on he had to take a picture. I mostly posted it for him.


I forgot to post these last week so here they are for all to see. We had girls-craft-and-eat-a-bunch-of-cheesecake-and-cookies-night at Natalie's house last week. I don't consider myself a crafty person but these turned out ok. Although, I have to admit Ciana is the master behind this very well threaded shark...which by the way, Max loves!



This, I also sadly have to admit, was the work of none other then me. See Rebecca, the eyes aren't that crooked! Ha ha! You're stomach muscles had to be sore from all the laughing about my kitties eyes. They look a lot better then when I started. I thought for a few minutes, while mastering this up, there was no hope. It was bound to look less like a kitty and more like roadkill. Not bad for my first try. And, it only took me THREE HOURS! Thanks girls for stuffing me full of sugar, keeping me awake way past my bedtime and for the "way past our bedtime" conversations that followed. :) Too fun!

My Mother's Day

What a fun day yesterday was for me. Actually, Saturday was pretty good too. Matt got me a massage at the Amadeus Spa. I went Saturday and enjoyed it more then you know! It was great. And, I had been needing it. On Saturday Max kept saying, "Mom, don't get out of bed tomorrow morning until I tell you to. I wanna do something for you." Being one of the brighter bulbs, I knew that meant breakfast in bed. So, Sunday morning I woke up before anyone else...of course. I rolled over and woke Matt up and said, "We have to get up and get ready so go wake up the kids and let's get the show on the road." Max would've been so upset if I got up before he had a chance to bring me breakfast. So, I ordered up oatmeal and toast with a side of strawberries and orange juice. It took Matt another few minutes to get it together, and by then we could hear the kids in their room. Most of the time Mia comes in our room crying about something. "I'm hungry!" Or, "My eye hurts." That's a popular one for some reason. It was a great Mother's Day gift to hear them in their room singing to each other. Very rare I must say. They were on the top bunk scratching each others backs and Max was teaching Mia some songs he had learned in school. After presently listing for a few minutes I jabbed Matt with my bony elbow and he was finally up and at 'em. A few patient minutes later, (on my part) with one eye cracked, while I still pretended to be sleeping, in came my breakfast. "Happy Mother's Day!" Mia was carrying the strawberries, Max the orange juice (good call matt) and Matt the tray. Mia was so excited she was laughing and in her excitement dropped the strawberries on the bed. She started picking them up, an occasional one going into her mouth and of course licking her fingers with each pick up. We were all just cracking up. What a perfect morning for me. And to top it off, I didn't lift a finger the entire day. Matt did all the cooking and cleaning while I vegged out like a beached whale. It was great! I'm one lucky Mama and I have the best kids in the world! I love you Max and Mia!

Max made me this cute flower pot with a beautiful flower he planted in it at school. The pot is painted and says happy mother's day, and I love you all over it. There's also a See's vanilla sucker in it with a picture of him on it. So cute.

This is great! It's the card Max made me. He said he messed up on one part, it's supposed to say, "thank you for feeding me" and he wrote seeding me. (just to clarify) Anyway, I got a good laugh out of it.

Sleeping beauty

I got the biggest kick out of this. Mia fell asleep in the car the other day and when we got home I drug her in the house and plopped her on the couch. I was sure she would wake up but she was out cold for 2 hours! I could've had a party in the same room and she wouldn't have budged. What would it be like to be able to sleep like that? I was envious. So, I had to take a picture of this cute little girl getting her beauty rest. Then today I was looking at this photo and remembered a similar one of me as a kid. To think I used to be able to sleep like that. It had to be shared. And now we know where she gets it from. :)

3 1/2 years old after a long day and no nap.

8 years old on a relaxing Sunday afternoon.

A blast from the past

Sunday night while we were eating dinner we got a phone call from Max's school that said school was canceled Monday because of the fire in Sierra Madre. (He goes to Sierra Madre Elementry School.) So, the first thing we did Monday morning was take a trip to good ole Michaels craft store. I let the kids pick out one thing. Mia picked out finger paints, of course it had to be messy, and Max picked out a necklace making kit. It just so happened to be a hemp necklace kit. So funny! I instantly had flash backs to the 90's when I considered myself a professional hemp necklace maker. I think it was a St. George soccer girl thing, sadly, but I had mean hemp skills regardless. I would go to the bead store with my friends once every few weeks to pick out the latest rockin' bead items. It always reeked of insense that was covering up the smell of pot. Ha ha! Anyways, I would go home and master up my latest creation and then give it to the "boy of the month." Just whoever I was interested in at the time. They were always very excited and loved their necklaces. (Again, not sure if that was just a St. George thing. I'm sure it very well could be.)

When we got home I pulled out all the stuff for necklace making and wondered if I could even make anything. I was a little shocked, more impressed but slightly embarrassed when after 10 years my hands knew exactly what to do. I whipped together a bracelet for Mia and a necklace for Max. They weren't the best work I've done but I enjoyed my blast from the past. Hope you enjoy it too.

This only lasted a few hours.

He was so excited to wear this to school. Cute little hippie boy!