President Hinckley...we will miss you.

Riley's baby blessing

Yesterday we had a "defining moment" in our lives. Riley received a name and a blessing. I am so thankful that some of our friends and family were there to celebrate with us. I am also so thankful for Ryan and his desire lead our family righteously. There are quite a few pics...

Riley and Me

Yesterday we went to our ward party. It had a culture theme so we dressed Riley up in an outfit that Ryan's parents had bought for Ryan when he was a baby in Japan.It was a blast we ate many different foods that I never would have tried other wise! It is freezing in Rexburg so we had to wear little thermals underneath.He looked so cute this pic doesn't really show just how cute!

SHINDEN DE GOZIAMASU

The Rexburg Temple is being dedicated one week from tomorrow. As one of the four custodians I get to clean each evening: 10 to 2. It has been fun these past three weeks. My responsibility resides with the 2nd floor or ordinance room level. I am a little concerned because I am responsible for getting all the detail cleaning by the 3rd and there is still quite a bit to do. My fear is that one of them will walk in look around, find something and then ask for the custodian who didn't get the job done. They'll pull me aside and condemn my soul. You've heard of what Elijah did right? He spoke a curse upon the Earth and it withheld rain for years. I will be the modern example of cursing via President Hinckley. Pray for my soul.

Finding ways to enjoy Rexburg in the winter

If you have ever been to Rexburg in the winter you know that it revolvesaround one thing... snow,well and the wind and freezing cold temps but I am trying to look on the positive side folks. Anyway on MLK day we decided to go sledding with some friends, it was a blast! No Riley did no go sledding (what kind of mother do you think I am.. pay no attention to the posts titled "child protective services") Anyway we held him and he was in awe as the white snow. My grandma even gave him this cute snowsuit! Also note the second pic where we all look like marshmallow men ..ok I look like a marshmallow man!

Again don't call child protective services...

Riley has taken well to his swing, he usually takes about two naps in it. However, he still can't hold his pacifier in his mouth so this is the solution.

My guys

I feel as though I am the luckiest woman in the world!

Senioritis

Dr. Loren Wallace Shurtz DDS USC '25, Dr. Homer John Shurtz DMD OHSU '44, Dr. John David Shurtz DDS UW '75, and soon to be Dr. Ryan Homer Shurtz DDS OSU '12. With the future looking bright and the fourth generation dental student knowing where the future is heading, my undergraduate studies might be in peril. My fear is that senioritis will creep in and my motivation to excel in my classes will begin to suffer. I have already spoken with several associates who are stricken with the illness and will not recover. If anyone has a fail safe prescription to ensure immunity, I would love to here from you.

The Take Over

The Better Half had Facebook. I had a blog. Then The Better Half began to discover that all of her friends had blogs too. Blogging became a need and thus began The Take Over. It was innocent at first. She began to just add posts. Then she refused to use the code names I chose merely out of amusement when she posted, claiming they were "retarded". The real reason was that she didn't like her code name. I began to get feedback from associates that they didn't understand my posts. They claimed I was weird; which is true. Soon the background was changed, then changed again and again. It now resembles a colorful doily. The only item that still remains is the title. It is only a matter of time until the power in the apartment decides it needs to change.

The Ohio State College of Denistry-update

Ryan is in!!!!!!! We are moving to Ohio! They called us this morning to extend the offer! I am so proud of him and if you couldn't tell I am sooooooo excited! It is good to know what we are FINALLY doing with our lives!

THE OHIO STATE

December 1 is a big day for Dental School Applicants. Ryan applied to 4 schools but Ohio State was the one that seemed most interested .This made me very happy because that is where I am from and I haven't lived in Ohio for 8 years.It is also close enough to family but also far enough away. Anyway in December we found out that Ryan was on the waiting list... number 12 to be exact. Well today Ryan got an email telling him that he is number one!!!!!!!!!!!! They only take 26 out of state applicants out of 800 and some. We are hoping and praying!

Blogging Anonomyous

My name is Sheena Shurtz and I am addicted to reading other people's blogs.I love to read what is going on in the lives of others. What is weird though is that I just don't look at my friends blogs, I will look at their friends blogs in hopes of finding someone else I know( I know, now that I admit it it does sounds criminal). It is a problem, but on the bright side I have found some people that I haven't talked to for awhile(I am not trying to make excuses..ok maybe I am).It is like when you see a People Magazine in the grocery line or even worse one of those magazines that talk about aliens disguising themselves as humans, you want to look away but something draws you in. I find myself just glancing, then skimming and before my groceries are paid for I know exactly what is going on in Brad Pitt's life down to where he is spending his Christmas vacation. Call me nosey, maybe that's the problem but I actually look forward to new posts because it keeps me updated! So thanks for your wonderful posts that bring happiness and humor to my life.

WIC

If any of you out there have ever had to "deal" with WIC then we are in the same boat!Let me know if any of you have ever went there and had them tell you something positive. I started going when I was about 4 months pregnant. The "nutritionist" always had something to tell me about the weight I was gaining and of course Breastfeeding. I have always planned to breastfeed but after I had Riley it took 10 days for my milk to come in!!! And it wasn't even that much, granted I got some , my mom and grandma didn't receive any so I feel lucky! So 4 days after coming home from the hospital I called one of their "lactation consultants" she had me try everything I had already done and then I asked well if my milk doesn't come in what formula is best and she said, "well, actually breastfeeding is best" DUH! So needless to say I never contacted her again I went through the lactation consultant at the hospital who actually was a lactation consultant and a nurse, not someone who had a good milk supply and didn't have any problems breastfeeding. She told me about some natural vitamins that work and they actually helped my milk come in. I just never got enough so I have always had to supplement. Well two weeks after I gave birth I had to go to WIC for some class on of course; Breastfeeding. I was in the waiting room and the "nutritionist'' in front of everyone in the waiting room looks over at me and says, "do you need anything changed on your checks?", well I got up and went over quietly to her because I was already feeling like a bad mother because I couldn't exclusively breastfeed and tried to whisper to her that I needed some formula as well and she says really loud, " well you know you are going to lose your bonus checks".. Not the tuna and carrots!!!!! No thanks I would rather feed my child. Then she proceeded to tell me everything that the"WIC lactation consultant" told me before about getting my milk in in front of everyone in the waiting room! Hello doesn't this violate HIPPA. Now every time I go in there and ask for formula I get the whole rundown about how breastfeeding is best! My doctor calls them nipple Nazi's,it makes me laugh he also told me my son could still go to Harvard even if he was formula fed. I love my doctor. I don't think they realize that there are people in this world who actually want to breastfeed that can't. The things I put up with for government cheese!

PLEASE RESPOND!

Anyone who reads this, can you plaese write your blog address in the comments section because they all erased when i changed the back ground Thanks!

Riley had his 2 month checkup and the tallies are in he weighs 14lb 4 ounces and is 23 1/2 inches long!!! he is in the 91percentile for his weight and 54th for height. well Ryan and I are not small people so this is no shocker to me. He is getting so big! Here is another picture at the request of my Mom...

This is for the Grandparents...

Riley is now 10 weeks old( time flies) and so smiley and sweet! He finally likes his swing that is until he realizes that it is putting him to sleep!

Please don't call Child Protective Services...

Riley is generally a good sleeper granted he either sleeps in his car seat or on the boppy, Hey don't judge me a new mother will do many things for sleep. He refuses to sleep on his back and I don't put him on his stomach because of SIDS so those are the two options and he actually has had a couple of nights with 7 hours of straight sleep! This past month we traveled to Oregon and back and his schedule has been off so he is having trouble going to sleep on his own so Ryan or I either have to rock him incessantly or we found a new trick, this is the way Ryan and his dad sleep except it is with a pillow instead of the blanket.( This is only when we are holding him and his nose is free to breath, never at night or naptime! I promise!

Some of us aren't so fortunate....

So when I was pregnant I tried to eat the right foods and excercise (the latter part didn't last as long) so that after I had the baby I would have no problem losing the weight... Boy was I wrong. I have never felt so icky, so needless so say thanks to our friend Shem, I am now on the South Beach Diet.He did the diet and saw results. After much coercion Ryan decided to do it with me. It will be easier to not have to fix two dinnersl So we are in phase one ..a.k.a. the no fun phase , I understand a fraction of what people with addictions go through I am having withdrawals from carbs , we cannot have ANY carbs,well at least the ones I like, like bread and cereal. I am dying for a glass of milk but oh no way too much sugar, so I hope I see results we'll see, oh yeah and I am excerising which helps make me feel better about myself! There are way too many girls that I see that have a baby and two weeks later are back to their original size..ugh! Well I am determined so here goes, my goal is by month 4to be back in my original pants!