The ultrasound

Well we had the ultrasound this morning and it was so awesome! It was great to see the little baby. We could see him (yes HIM!) squirming around and making kicking and punching motions. Especially when the doctor was poking him to get him to move around a little bit. WOW!

At first it was a bit disorienting trying to figure out what we were looking at. I am so glad that the doctor knew what he was doing- he pointed out the head, hands, belly, legs, etc. Then we caught on that we were looking from the top down. The doctor moved the probe thingy to the side and then we could tell that we were seeing the baby from the side.

We went through and looked at all the important stuff- brain, heart, kidneys, diaphragm. We even saw the little bladder. And the most important part- we found out we were having a little boy! That was the only thing that we didn't need the doctor to explain to us (we're still laughing a little about that)... it was very obviously a little boy. :) We had given baby a pep talk before the visit and said that it needed to not be shy- and he wasn't!

It was amazing to find out that we were having a baby, and then to see it for the first time. And then everytime we heard the heartbeat was just the most wonderful noise ever. But to know that we're going to be having a little soon in just a few months... wow, it just blows my mind. :)

And just some pictures for you guys. We have a DVD but I'm not uploading it.

This is baby all curled up (sorry not better quality). The head is the round thing on the bottom, left side. You can see the spinal column and his little legs tucked in above the body.

And here he is doing bicycle kicks or somersaults. You can see his legs and feet stretched out above him.

Another picture of baby all stretched out
(hands are up by his head so you can't see his arms or hands).

I feel like pouting...

I was just wandering around on saltlakecitymommies.com and found a post about a chick trying to sell her house. It is the most darling house with a wonderful kitchen- and just the right size! And the worst part? It's exactly what I was hoping to pay for a house.

I want to pout.... and throw a temper tantrum (I want it I want it I want it). But Dave and I have already decided to stay put for a little bit longer and get everything in order first.

Dang.

(Anyone want to buy me a house? I'll trade you a 2 bedroom condo).

Remodeling/fixing up the kitchen

So Dave and I have had this idea for a while now on a way to get some more storage- and an almost real pantry for me- in our kitchen. We have a closet in our kitchen that has some shelves and also held our washer and dryer. We decided that if we could get a stackable washer and dryer then that would free up one whole side of that closet space and we could build shelves in there- and viola! a pantry!

So Tuesday we went out bought a stackable washer and dryer. It was that nights adventure just to get the washer and dryer up into the apartment and last night we spent the evening just getting it into placed and hooked up. You'd think (maybe for a moment) that this would be relatively easy. And it almost was. :) First we had to move the old appliances and clean the floor below. So we had this dance of appliance going on- we'd move one, then move the other, and to make room we'd have to move the third. Then we shifted the new one into place. There were a few mishaps with the water hoses (not tightening enough, not shutting off the water, fun stuff like that... it just helped to keep the floor clean). We had to make a run out to lowes to pick up the vent tubing (that connects the dryer to the vent) and also picked up a shelving unit to go on the other side.

So we get back home, get the whole thing connected and try to move it into it's finally position. Now we had measured multiple times to make sure that it would fit just where we wanted it to and also measured the amount of space left over. Turns out we were probably 1/8 of an inch off so we can't the whole thing into the spot we wanted. And even if we did find the 1/8 of an inch somehow to move it... well, the hot water hose is an inch too short. So now the shelving unit we bought is one inch too long (so frustrating!) and we have to go out and try to find a new one. The only problem is- most shelving units come standard at 36 or 48 inches long... so finding one just an inch shorter is going to be tough!

We're going to be so relieved just to get this thing put up and the kitchen cleaned up. And the old appliances sold. Know anyone who wants a washer and dryer? We're selling them for a good price!

Sometimes it's just nice to stay home

(Almost) All of us girls: Top Row (L-R): Phegda, Mama (Carol), Julie

Bottom Row: Xan (Alexandria), Sima, Me (Deb), Stephanie

Bottom (Midget): Bella (Sima's daughter)

This weekend was a pretty good one. :) I had a chance to relax and I still got a lot done!

Dave's sister, Sima, came into town from Texas. So Friday night all of us girls got together for a girl's night at Stephanie's (another sister-in-law) house. It was so much fun! The excuse was to get to know Phegda (the newest member of the family- just married to Alex in January), but really we all just sat around telling great stories and talking about life. I had so much fun! It was so good just to hang out. The only girls missing were Darcie (SIL- married to Nick) and Sophia (One of the two nieces, Bella- the other niece- was there). I wouldn't mind doing that more often! :)

Married into it: Phegda (married to Alex), Me, Julie (married to Mark),
Stephanie (married to Chris), Missing: Darcie (married to Nick), Sophia (Julie's daughter)

The Originals: Xan, Mam, Sima, and Bella

Saturday was more family stuff. Dave and I went up to Xan's house and hung out with (almost) everyone. That was also a lot of fun. We had a great spaghetti dinner and I had a chance to talk baby with the girls. Sima brought a lot of Bella's old clothes, so if our baby turns out to be a girl, it is going to be one well dressed little girl. :) If it's a boy... well, we'll just have to go shopping.

(Some of) The boys: Dave, Mark, Chris

Sunday was the usual- just a quiet day- a chance to relax with Dave. :) And the best part? Not having to get ready for the week because it was a three day weekend!

Monday I woke up and just felt like getting stuff done. It was fantastic! I think that the weather helped. It was the "warm before the storm." It was pretty mild for most of the day- I had a chance to open up the windows and air out the condo (and we even turned off the heat!). It probably wasn't THAT warm, but it felt great to have fresh air. Lately I have been picking the oddest things to clean/fix up. I have a list as long as my arm of things that I want to do to the condo. The goods news is that some of it I can do myself. The bad news is that some of it can get pretty expensive. So I'll slowly be tackling those and just picking my favorites (or must-do's). I've been on a detailing kick so I have been cleaning the stuff that doesn't usually get cleaned- wiping down the walls, cleaning the baseboards, wiping down the area where the carpet meets the wall (the vacuum just doesn't seem to get all of the dust from there). Dave (smart cookie) just stayed out of my way. Oh yeah- and I painted our room. Just an accent wall, but I think I'll like it. We'll see. :)

And the joys of home ownership... Our drier is broken. It takes hours to dry one (small) load of laundry. I don't know what is going on. Anyway, so I think that we are going to have to find a new (cheap) drier (classified ads for sure). Oh yeah. And our oven is on the way out as well. It's not baking at a consistent temperature anymore and well, it's about 20 years old (maybe). So we have to pick up a new one of those as well. And for the win... we need to replace the surrounding walls in our shower. I'm tempted to just try to do it myself, but we'll just have to see about that.

PS: Ultrasound- one week- get your votes in now! If you look closely at the picture of me and the other wives, you might see the beginning of my baby bump!

Anyway, hope you all have a great week planned!

Bragging Rights (once again)

Ladies, I'm sorry to break it to you (again), but I really have snagged the best man. Dave surprised me this morning with a bouquet of roses. I had no clue that he was even planning anything. Dave really is the most sweetest and wonderful husband and I am so blessed to have him in my life.

Okay, I hope I've made all you ladies out there jealous. :)

I love you Dave! Thank you so much for the flowers- they smell so wonderful!

Randomness

So it's been one of those weeks where I've been stressing myself out for needless reasons. Well, at the beginning of the week it seemed like the end of the world, but now I just feel a little bit sheepish because everything is going to work out just fine.

I'm not sure if I mentioned it before, but Dave and I are back in the "staying at the condo" mode. I think we are going to continue working on it and do some cosmetic touch ups. But we're going to try to make it work for us for a few more years. And we'll see where we are at then. It's been an abrupt 180 from last week, but it will all work out for the best. :)

As for this weekend- well it's a three day weekend. :) A nice, long weekend. Dave and I really wont be up to much. Maybe just more house cleaning for me but I am getting the itch to start buying baby stuff. :)

So Silly but I'm excited

So there's this tasty burger chain from Southern California that has been slowly expanding East and North (basically in Salt Lake's general direction). And this morning I found out that In & Out Burger is opening up shop in Draper! Draper is still like a 1/2 hour (or 45 minute) drive for us, but it's a heck of a lot closer than the 4 hour drive it used to be!

I'm just thrilled. :)

Sorry for the long hiatus

Well the winter has returned here. We'd been having clear weather for the past week and on Thursday and Friday it even got up into the 50's- it was so nice! But this morning the rain turned to snow and it's grey and wet out there. Oh well. Maybe this will be winters last hurrah? (Knock on wood). I wouldn't mind rain for the rest of the winter/spring instead of snow.

Our weekend was okay- more stressful than relaxing. There are so many questions up in the air right now. What do we? How will this all work out? What's the best choice? How do we make this happen? Stuff like that. Dave and I have very clear ideas on what we want to do and where we want to go but we're having problems with the logistics right now. More like it's just me having problems with the logistics. I don't think of myself as a control freak but at the same time it is really really hard for me to just let go and know that someone else will make it happen or will take care of me. I feel like it's my responsibility to get things done. Time to revert to the saying that got me through rough spots before "Let Go and Let God." :)

We looked at houses on Friday night. We saw a whole bunch of immediate "no's" and one "this is more like it." But after much discussion I think we're going to wait and see what kind of changes Bean brings along. Who knows though- that could change again next week- it's one of the things that we are so back and forth on.

Speaking of Bean- we scheduled the ultrasound for February 23! We'll find out what we are having on that day! Just a few weeks now (2 to be exact). I am so excited! Both Bean and I are doing well- I've started gaining weight. I am a little over 17 weeks along- getting closer to the halfway point.

Anyway, that's about everything in recent memory. Oh yeah- last weekend we had to take Dave to the hospital. We had gone out to dinner and after dinner Dave slipped on some ice and scraped his hand up. He had cellulitis (where bacteria gets into the blood stream), so he had the red line running up his arm showing the infection. Scary stuff! He had to go on 3 rounds of antibiotics (2 IV's and 10 days of pills). Blech. Poor guy. He's doing much better now and his hand is well on the way to healing.

Draper Temple

Sorry guys- I haven't been trying to ignore you guys. There just hasn't been much to say lately. Although it seems liek I have lots to say today. :)

Last night Dave and I went to the Draper Temple Open House. That was pretty awesome. It was my first time inside a temple. After the LDS Temples are built and before they are dedicated, there is usually an open house. This allows anyone to tour through and see the new temples and all of the detail that goes into them. It just makes me that much more excited for when it is my turn to go through a temple and get sealed to Dave. :) (The following link is a news article that has some pictures of the Temple if you are interested: http://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=5322959&nid=148)

The other big thing is that Dave and I are going to start looking into buying a house! Well, at least seriously start thinking about it. We'll see.... :) It would be nice to have enough room for people to stay with us when they visit and having a yard for Pookie and for our kids would be so wonderful. We'll see what is in store for us!

And we're back...

Dave and I in front of the Eiffel Tower (at the Paris Casino)

So Vegas was a success. :) It was good to get out of town and enjoy ourselves for the weekend. We did a lot of walking and I did a lot of eating. :) We didn't take nearly as many pictures as I would have liked, but oh well.

Let's see... the drive down was pretty uneventful. We had good/clear weather on the way down- lots of sun. It was fun to see the temperatures rise the further south we went. :) We left 30 degree weather and arrived in 70 degree weather. The other fun part of the drive down was watching all the cars that went speeding by us get pulled over. :)

We stayed in the Venetian- we had a nice, big room and we could actually see the Mirage's Volcano from our window. We saw the tail end of one of the eruptions. Saturday was pretty quiet for us... we walked over to the Planet Hollywood Casino and got dinner at the buffet there (it was recommended to us by one of Dave's friends). There were so many people on the streets that it was hard to walk anywhere quickly. The casinos themselves were also pretty packed. Dave and I opted for a quiet night in our room to relax. We did catch the Bellagio Fountain show- that was just amazing! I wish I had taken pictures, but I don't think it would have come out very well.... The guy next to us proposed to his girlfriend and she accepted, so that was kind of cool. :)

Sunday we walked the entire length of the strip and got breakfast at the Luxor. This gave us a good chance to really see the casinos in the day light (Vegas looks so different during the day versus night!). It was nice because there weren't nearly as many people on the sidewalks so it made it easier to walk and see everything. We headed back to the Venetian and started gambling. :) Dave and I played the slots the most but we really had fun with the video poker. The table minimums were a bit expensive, so we stuck to the machines. :) Dave is quite the poker player and won a fantastic amount of money in a very short amount of time. Good for him! We then walked back down the strip to play at the New York (just for something different) and finished with dinner at the Bellagio Buffet (I was just loving that!). We then finished our night back at the Venetian. On our way up to the room Dave convinced me to stop and play a few rounds of Roulette and I ended up winning about $50! Whoo hoo!

Sunday Dave and I were out the door pretty early- we wanted to get back to Salt Lake. The best part about trips like these is seeing another town and then realizing how much we love home. :) We were happy to be on our way back to Salt Lake.

Over all it was a good time. :) We're looking forward to visiting Vegas again- sometime. Probably not any time soon, but one of these days. I'm not sure where the next place we'll try to vacation is, but I want to try to go Yellowstone, Disneyland, Portland, and some of the National Parks in Southern Utah. Maybe the Grand Canyon too.

Slacker

Sorry guys- I keep meaning to post an update but I don't have much to say!

The 2nd appointment was last week. I still haven't met the doctor. I was supposed to last week, but she ran out for a delivery at the last minute. Oh well- maybe next time. We listened to the heartbeat again! I love that. :) All is well for now.

Tomorrow Dave and I head to Las Vegas. I am so excited about that. This week has gone by so SLOWLY! because we are both so ready for a mini vacation. :) Dave's mom is going to be staying at our place to take care of Pookie (what a relief!). Other than that... a long week is behind us and a 3 day weekend is ahead!

End of Week

I told myself I wasn't going to make any new year resolutions this year. But in the back of my mind I was thinking that maybe this year I would try harder to send out at least a card to my siblings/nieces/nephews/etc. But this is incredibly hard! And I've already fouled up (sorry Kenny- your birthday totally snuck up on me). I wish I could send out one massive blast of cards at the beginning (or middle- or end for that matter) of the year and just send everyone's card all at once. It's not that I am not thinking about a person- generally I know when everyone's birthday is, I just fail to follow through. Anyway... if you get birthday cards at random points in the year, that's me trying to let you know I am thinking of you. I guess I could just forego the birthday card and go with a "I'm thinking of you" card randomly throughout the year.

Anyway... this weekend is going to be short and sweet. We're going to be hanging out with Dave's brother Chris tomorrow. That kid cracks me up. :) Other than that, it will be a quiet weekend (isn't that what I usually say?).

I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon. That's going to be the highlight of the day. It feels like this appointment came a lot faster than the first one. I have a feeling that the following will be the same. By my calculations, I think we'll be finding out what the baby is in March. So you'll just have to wait until then. Although it would be interesting to see what you guys think we'll have. :)

Next week Dave starts a Kung Fu class in the evenings. I figure that this is the last time (at least for a while) that he'll be able to take a class like this, in the evenings, so I encouraged him to do it. Plus he's always talking about how he wants to take one. But between that and soccer I won't be seeing him as much (I'm spoiled rotten, and selfish to boot, and I don't care).

Middle of the Week Ho-Hums

Well, the good news is that it is the middle of the week. The bad news- there is just not much going on out here. We've been getting wave after wave of snow storms here (which I'm okay with because at least it seems like there is a purpose for the cold weather). I've already got Spring Fever... I'm excited for Easter and mild temperatures and budding trees, etc.

Wish I had something fun to tell you guys, but really, there is nothing going on around here. The next doctor's appointment is on Friday- I'll be able to listen to the heartbeat again. I think my baby bump is growing. It looks like I have a beer belly (after all my work to get rid of the original). I am looking forward to looking more and more pregnant- I love the bellys. :)

We also got notice that Dave's oldest brother is getting married on the 17th (of January). Congratulations to him and his fiance! Dave and I are actually going to be out of town that week so that is kind of a bummer. But I am excited for them!

2009

Well, a new year has arrived. (Sorry guys- I don't do internet on the weekends which is why it has taken me so long to wish you all a happy new year). Dave and I managed to stay awake until midnight, but I couldn't stay up much later than that. We have had 2 consecutive four day weekends and this is our first full week of work in a while. It's going to be rough. But at least we only have to do it for a few weeks before we get another 3 day weekend and mini vacation to Vegas. :)

It's been a quiet start to our new year so far. Unfortunately Dave and I were involved in a fender bender on Friday. That was no fun- but we did discover that our Subaru is a tank. :) The car behind Dave and I failed to stop (perhaps even failed to brake?), pushing our car into the car in front of us. The back bumper on the car in front of us was cracked, the front bumper on the car behind us was snapped/destroyed. Our bumpers? A scratch on the back bumper and the little license plate holder on our front bumper snapped. Yup, I love our little tank. :)

Wish that I had more to say, but it has been a quiet start to the year. It's going to be an exciting year though. Dave and I have lots planned for this year- including the birth of our first baby, getting sealed, lots and lots of traveling (both before and after baby arrives), and fixing up the house.

OH YEAH! Dave and I started our first house projects! We put a ceiling fan in our living room (getting rid of this nasty/horrible chandelier), a new faucet on our kitchen sink, and this next weekend we're going to put another ceiling fan in the baby's room (I am still working out how that room is going to look in my head). Next up: I'm going to learn how to tile and redo our bathroom. :)

Anyway, I wish you all the bestest in 2009- it's going to be a good year!

2008 (In Review)

What a whirlwind of a year. I don't think Dave and I could have packed any more momentus, life changing events into the year if we had tried. Let's see if I can pick out just some of the highlights....

January
I was baptized and confirmed into the LDS church (what a great way to start out the year!).

February
Dave and I went ring shopping. Dave thought we were just going to go look. I thought that if I found what I was looking for we'd get them. So we got an engagement ring and a wedding band for me and a wedding band for Dave.

I got Lasik done. I can actually open my eyes under water (if I want) and go to bed and get up in the morning without worrying about contacts. I looked great in glasses though so I kind of miss that.

March
Dave made me wait a good long time before *finally* asking me to marry him. :) On March 21, Dave got down on bended knee (well, actually 2 bended knees) and asked me to marry him. Of course I said yes.

April
Pookie and I moved in with Dave (I know, naughty naughty), but it really was a good decision.

May
Dave and I graduated from the University of Utah. What an accomplishment for the both of us! The best part was that we graduated with the same degree so we were able to sit together during the ceremony and then walk one after the other. :)

I started a new job! And I still love it!

July
MARRIED! Mwahahahaha. Dave is all mine. :) And you all came to celebrate with us. Thank you for that.

For our honeymoon we spent a long weekend up at Snowbird. I love that place in the summertime- it is so beautiful. :)

September
Dave's birthday

October
Pookie's birthday

Dave, Pookie, and I take our first road trip together. We headed off to the Oregon Coast by way of Portland for a visit with the family.

November
Deb's Birthday

Five days before Deb's birthday we found out that we were going to have baby number 1!

Our first Thanksgiving together. We joined Dave's family for an awesome feast.

December

Our first Christmas together!

Over all it has been quite a year. What a blessing!

What happens in Vegas....

I'm so excited to say that I just booked a vacation for Dave and I to go to Vegas! We are going in a few weeks (just enough time to get excited but not so far away that it feels like it will never get here). A good friend of mine suggested getting some vacations in before the baby is born- these next few months are the only time that Dave and I will have for ourselves. Dave has never been to Vegas and I have been wanting to go on a road trip and Vegas is the perfect distance (6 hour drive- far enough to be different not so far that I never want to get in a car again).

Anyway, I am just so excited! :) There are so many things that I want to do with Dave- show him all the big casinos and watch the fountain at the Bellagio and the pirates at Treasure Island. And just relax! :) Oh yeah- and buffets. I am already excited for the Bellagio Buffet. :)

Christmas

Well Christmas has come and gone. And it was a great first Christmas for us. :) I think that Pookie had the most fun out of everyone. Most of our pictures are of Pookie enjoying her toys and unwrapping gifts. Next year it will be baby. Dave and I were too busy opening our presents and enjoying them to take pictures (we got a few in early).

My new blanket- this thing zips up and turns into a nice little wrap (complete with sleeves). I love this thing. And so does Dave. And Pookie for that matter.

Pookie was in fact helping to unwrap her presents. She would grab a piece of the paper with her teeth and pull. It was pretty cute, but pretty hard to get a picture of. She's unwrapping a box of Milkbones here. She also got some new balls for playing fetch and a rope (about as big as her) for chewing on.


Our Collection. :) Mwahahahahah. :)



Dave opening his stocking (obviously these pictures are not in chronological order).

Christmas Eve Dinner. We knew we would be celebrating Christmas dinner with Dave's family, so I wanted to do something special for just us. :) It was fun but we ended up eating too much of the appetizers and didn't have much room for dinner.

So Christmas was awesome! I got lots of cooking stuff- including a cookbook of my Grandma's (that she got when she was a teenager). Dave surprised me with a super awesome electric mixer so now I can make bread so much easier (if only I could have had it when I was making the rolls for Christmas Eve dinner). :) I love it! I am going to start making homemade bread all the time now. :)

And we got our first baby stuff! My mom sent us a washing pad (so cute!) and the cutest onesies! My favorites are the ones that say "I heart Mommy" and "I heart Daddy." :)

Dave got a lot of books and camping/emergency gear. He also got some more games so he spent the weekend working on those. :)

The rest of Christmas day was pretty lazy. Dave cooked and I sat back and relaxed. :) For dinner we went up to Xan's house and had some tasty Spanish food- Paella (the really good stuff) made by Dave's mom and Dave brought up Spanish Tortilla. Everything was so tasty! Julie brought her Karaoke machine up and everyone hopped on and sang (except for me- for good reason).

We had been told to expect a HUGE snow storm but nothing materialized all day (or even while we were celebrating at Xan's). However, the moment we got home the skies unleashed a huge amount of snow. It was so wonderful! Dave and I watched a movie that night and watched it snow. :) It was the perfect wrap up to our first Christmas together.

The rest of the weekend was pretty quiet and slow. I have been playing on my DS all weekend. :) And not doing housework like I should have. :) We have another 4 day weekend next weekend and I am so happy about that. But then comes the dreary- no holidays/no sun/no fun period for the next three months.

Christmas Eve

It's hard for me to imagine that it is Christma Eve... at least I have a half day today. And I don't have to come back to work until Monday. Once I get home I am going to start baking. I have some Christmas cookies (and last minute presents) that I want to deliver tonight. Well, more specifically, that I want Dave to deliver for me. :) (mwahhahahaha I love having a husband to run errands for me).

I am also going to prepare our Christmas eve dinner. We are doing a family dinner tomorrow so I want to be able to have a special dinner for just Dave and I this evening. We're going with the traditional Pond-Vogt dinner (Cornish Game Hens, mashed potatoes, stuffing, rolls, etc) menu. I am excited. I had to convince Dave that Cornish Game Hens were really just mini chickens and not some weird alterna-food. I love those mini chickens.

Yesterday disaster semi-struck. I realized late in the afternoon that I had sent a package out but had forgotten to include a present for one of the family members. So basically, everyone EXCEPT ONE person got a Christmas present from Dave and me (and in some cases, people got two presents). Oh my goodness I was so embarassed and felt so horrible. So now I am rushing to try to get a present done and in the mail. With the next few days off I am sure I can get it done and in the mail on Friday or Saturday (fingers crossed).

The pregnancy is going okay. I am not as tired as I used to be, which is a great change. However I have started getting Evening Sickness. Actually I feel pretty sick on and off throughout the day, but by dinner time I don't even want to think about food or even cooking. The good news is that Dave gets to work on his cooking skills. The bad news- my evenings are pretty crappy. I'll be happy when this stage passes too. :) Our next appointment is at the beginning of January (the wait for the second appointment hasn't been as bad as the wait for the first one). We'll meet the doctor and listen to the baby's heartbeat again. :)

Oh yeah... if anyone knows a way to send some Korean Barbecue from Hawaii to Utah (quickly) please let me know. I have been craving (very specifically) Peppa's Korean Barbecue- the Meat Jun and the (red) dipping sauce that goes with it.

Merry Christmas!

Well Christmas has arrived and once again this year I am humbled by the people I am surrounded with. I have realized that I am surrounded by generous, wonderful people who bring a whole lot of good to this world. You all have changed my life (for the better) and I am so grateful. Thank you for your friendship and love. :)

I hope that you all have a wonderful and blessed Christmas.

Christmas Memories

Lately I have been reminiscing about Christmases while growing up (and in my "adult" life). I've learned the hard way that the only way to spend Christmas is with family- it makes all the difference in the world. :)

Here are some of the Christmas memories that stand out in my mind. They may not be my favorite memories, but they add to my appreciation of Christmas with loved ones. (Caution: my memories may be different from what actually happened, but because this is the way I remember them- this is they way they are being told):

In the 3rd Grade I decided that I wanted a white Christmas and started praying/wishing for one. I remember that the day school let out for the holiday break (we were taking our cat to the vet), it started snowing. And it kept snowing. It was amazing. We had snow on Christmas. I don't know if the technical description for a "White Christmas" is that it has to snow on Christmas Day, but there was a lot of snow on the ground and that was good enough for me. That was also the year that our pond froze and we skated around on top of it. That was fun.

My parents had Santa come on Christmas Eve- it was amazing! He handed out our gifts and we got to eat cookies with him (I think).

I remember the last Christmas where there was all six of us kids. I think it was the first Christmas in the Brookside house (it was so long ago). I loved having Lara (Leanne), Molly, and Matt with us. It was always a treat for us little kids when the big kids came to visit. :)

I remember the first Christmas I spent alone (in Utah- after going away to college). It added to my appreciation for every Christmas after that I was able to spend with family.

Last year I flew down to California to spend Christmas with my mom, dad, my sister Molly and her family (and also Mickey Mouse). Mom and I walked along the beach in the morning and we saw dolphins playing in the waves. It was the first time I had ever seen dolphins in the ocean like that. A few days later we went to Disneyland and saw their Christmas Parade. We also saw Cinderella's Castle covered in snow and The Haunted Mansion done up like the Nightmare Before Christmas.

I remember Christmas at my Grandma Pond's house. Grandma had this little statuette of the three kings that would play "We Three Kings." I always had to wind that up when we were decorating the Christmas Tree- or watching the Christmas tree get decorated.

I remember my Dad's apartment by Peacock Lane. I specifically remember this one Christmas where we all bundled up and walked over to the grocery store lot to pick out a Christmas Tree. It wasn't a special tree, but this memory just stands out in my head. And then we all dragged the tree (thanks Dad!) back to the apartment and decorated.

In conjunction with that memory- we would bundle up and walk through Peacock Lane which was right behind the apartment building. Peacock Lane was a street of houses where each of the houses would put up lights or displays and there were horse drawn carriages and hot chocolate vendors. People would line up to drive down the road and we had the advantage because we lived close enough to walk through.

This isn't really a Christmas memory, but it is a winter one so I'll include it. There was one year that the ponds in Westmoreland Park (by my Grandma Pond's house) froze over and everyone was skating on them. My Dad bundled us up and took us out there. The thing that I remember the most was when my dad would bundle us up he would have us wear his socks. And these socks were so big on us that they would cover us right up to our thighs. :)

A Christmas tradition that was started after my mom and dad (Tom) got married was that we would go cut down our own Christmas tree at one of the many Christmas Tree farms in Oregon. The one we went to had a train that we would ride out to the middle of the farm. We'd hop off and start searching for a tree. Once a tree was chosen, Dad would cut it down and drag it back to the train where we'd load it up and put in on the car. I remember that we always left the tree farm with a candy cane. :)

There is also the first Christmas I spent in Hawaii after moving back in 2004. We woke up and walked along the beach in Kailua. I can still feel the sun on my face that morning. :) I remember being so grateful for being there and being with my family.

And finally- I remember the Christmas Buns that my mom would make on Christmas morning. We would wait year round for these tasty treats. :)

And this year. Well, this year is the first Christmas that I'll spend with Dave. We're going to be able to create our own family traditions from now on. It kinda makes me tear up (stupid hormones). :)

I wish you all joy and happiness during these holidays and in the coming year. You are all in our thoughts this Christmas. :)

Spilled the Beans

I was going to try to surprise Dave this Christmas with just a small present. So far Dave has already figured out everything that I have picked up for him (even his stocking stuffers!) I figured this would be one last chance to try to sneak something in.

Yesterday afternoon we arrived home and there was a package waiting by our door- Dave's present. I tried to scoop it up without Dave noticing (I don't honestly know what I expected- how was he not going to notice this good size box that had suddenly appeared in my hands?). Dave was curious and I tried to hide the box so that he couldn't even try to guess what it could be all the while saying it wasn't for him, that it was mine.

Anyway, so I hid I the box of goodies (after opening it and double checking that everything had arrived) and Dave threatened to to sneak a peek. This morning when I woke up I noticed that the door going to the room I had hidden the box in was open- and that it had opened sometime during the night. So I stalked into the bedroom and accused Dave of sneaking a peak at his books. And I realized a moment too late that I had spilled the beans. I hoped against hope that Dave wouldn't catch on to the magic word but he did.

And so it is another Christmas where I was unable to surprise Dave. Oh well- maybe next year.

Christmas Decorations amid the snow.

I finally took pictures of my Christmas Decorations! Whoo hoo! Okay- kind of. Not shown are some garlands that I have draped on the table and in the kitchen. Also, we have Christmas lights up around the sliding glass door and in the living room.

This weekend was a super-lazy one for me. Except for early on Saturday morning and late Sunday evening I did not leave the house. A big storm blew in over Friday night... early Saturday morning it started snowing and did not let up for a good portion of the day. (We got more snow on Sunday too). Over all, I would say we probably got about 6-8 inches of snow. Now imagine trying to walk a dog about 10 inches tall in that stuff. :) Once Pookie figured out that it was snowing out, she refused to leave the stairs.

Anyway, I spent Saturday baking Christmas cookies. The only batch that turned out well was the chocolate chip cookies. I got a bunk recipe for Chocolate Crinkles so they were all pretty crappy (Note to everyone: Do NOT use the Joy of Baking recipe for Chocolate Crinkles- they are little dough balls of nastiness). I have to do more baking this week (Snickerdoodles and real chocolate crinkles).

Sunday, I moved from the bed to the couch and that was pretty much it. I napped on and off all day- Pookie was a lazy dog and curled up next to me. She's a good little cuddler.

Last night we went to a Christmas Program with our friends the Woodburys. It was such a good time. :) I love that family.

Anyway, back to work this week. I can't believe that Christmas is next week! What happened to the time? :)

THE BIG NEWS!

Well, I have been holding out on you guys, at least superficially.... most of you already know, but I'm pregnant. :)

This morning was an exciting one for Dave and I... we had our first doctor's appointment. After going over medical history and all of those health questions (as well as my own questions for them), the nurse determined that she thought it would be a good idea for me to get an ultrasound done- to make sure the baby was doing okay. (This was quite alarming for us!) But on the other hand (after a few deep breaths), it was kinda cool that we got to do an ultrasound so early- normally we would have had to wait for a few more months. I guess we weren't even scheduled to hear the heartbeat for the first time until our next appointment- next month!

Anyway, so for your viewing pleasure are some really crappy pictures of pictures of our soon to be baby! Baby is roughly 8 weeks, 2 days old now with a tentative due date of July 18, 2009 (our first anniversary is July 19, 2009).

Baby. :)

The pattern below it is the heart beat (approximatley 180 beats per minute).

Blurry Baby.

Christmas Cards and Presents

Okay, so I think I am almost there- I think cards and packages are going out tomorrow. I hope. I have them somewhat created and most are addressed too. Now I just need to get Dave to sign them and then have him take them to the post office. The cards aren't as fancy as I had imagined them in my head (probably a good thing), and in most cases I used premade cards (I feel kind of dirty saying that).

Anyway... I feel better now that I have those at least started....

Slacker (on the photo thing)

So I carry my camera with me everywhere I go. You know- just in case I see something cool. Like this one time I saw elephants walking along the street outside of my office (at work). That really did happen (the circus was in town and apparently they still transport animals via train). Anyway, I tried to take pictures of the elephants but by the time I could, they were too far away.

So I was going to spice up my blog today by just posting a random picture from my camera- even if it isn't very current. But then I realized that I have pretty much posted all the good pictures already. I have pictures going all the way back to September on my camera (I'm not very good about uploading pix to my computer apparently). So tonight I'm going to make an effort to find something good to take a picture of just so I can put it on the blog. More than likely I'll finally remember to take pictures of my Christmas decorations (including the wreath I made).

That's pretty much it. I got my oil changed today and I feel pretty good about. Otherwise I am tired- Pookie woke me up last night and it took me 2 hours to get back to sleep. 16 Days to Christmas. Significantly less days to the mailing deadline (I'm working on it).

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

Well it is finally snowing again! It's only been a month.... :) I was worried that we wouldn't get any snow before Christmas but here we go. We've got some melty stuff going on right now (lots of snow flakes, but not so much sticking). We are getting another big storm this weekend though. :) Just in time for Dave and I to hang out at home and relax.

The weekend was a good one. We went to the baptism and blessing (I was all emotional). It was good to sit down and talk with family and just relax. Sunday was a pretty lazy day as well. I am trying to get the last of my Christmas presents ready. I have been seriously slacking on the Christmas cards. YIKES! I hope I can get my act together.

Friday!

This week actually feels like it went by pretty quickly. :) I don't know how that happened but okay. This weekend is going to be pretty quiet. I am going to try to clean our carpets tomorrow and just do some major house cleaning. That's the mood that I am in right now (we'll see what kind of mood I am in tomorrow).

Tomorrow our nephew, Jake, is getting baptized. His little sister Sophia is getting blessed. We ventured out to find Jake a baptism gift (we got him these pictures you put in your scriptures to sort of illustrate the stories). There was some book signing at the store so our 5 minute leisurely trip actually turned out to be anything but. I hate crowds so much. Anyway, It's going to be a good family day tomorrow. After that I think I am going to make Dave take me to see the lights at Temple Square (I was after him to take me last year but that didn't happen).

I've started reading the Chronicles of Narnia again. I love that series. :) If you haven't read them, I highly recommend them.

:)

Something in the water...

It's Thursday and I am loving it. Christmas is less than a month away (three weeks away!) and it doesn't feel much like Christmas- it is dry and sunny and not that cold. I am almost looking forward to snow!

Dave managed to get me to go the gym last night (it has been way too long since I last went and now I am lazy). It was great though- I feel so much more energetic today. I walked around the indoor track (thank goodness for that) for about 40 minutes and it's made all the difference. I even went home afterwards and cleaned up the house a little bit (I have been really lazy lately).

Anyway, life has been wonderful lately. It has been an interesting week. Two of my close friends called me within a few hours of each other to let me know that they are having babies. WOW! It seems like everyone is having babies right now!

I'll admit that I am lazy

Sorry guys- I have totally dropped the ball on this whole "blogging" thing. I remember promising to write every day. In the past month I have hardly written at all.

Right so let's move on to the updates....

I quit working at Michaels. It is no more. It just finally got to be too much for me- the straw that broke the camels back. I think a few weeks of rest and recuperation and I'll be back up to speed. The only bad thing about this is that Dave says that now that I have all this free time I have to start going back to the gym. :( So much for just being lazy.

Thanksgiving went great. I made a whole lot of desserts and no one really ate them (not a surprise- especially after a tasty Thanksgiving meal). I have a pumpkin pie and a cheesecake sitting in my fridge right now. I don't think they'll be eaten.

Dave and I are ready for the holidays. I have the house decorated and lights put up. And Dave and I have our Christmas shopping all done. The presents are even all wrapped up. :) I'm pretty proud of that. We have a 1.5 foot tall fake tree that we have the presents propped up against (all of this is on our dining room table). I think next year we're going to have to get a real tree or get a bigger fake tree. At least Pookie can't chew on the tree this year.

And there we go- all the updates I have for you guys. Still no snow around here. It's actually been pretty warm. I was hoping for some snow before Christmas (it's the prettiest when it's Christmas).

This next weekend Dave is going to take me out to see the lights at Temple Square. I am so excited. :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well I wont have a chance to post tomorrow so I thought I'd better send my Thanksgiving wishes to you all today. :) I hope that you all have family and/or friends to spend the holiday with and that you have the chance to relax and enjoy yourself and think about all the things you are thankful for.

As for me- I am patiently waiting for the chance to go home. Tonight I am finally going to see the movie Twilight. I'm excited. After that I am going to go home, turn on some holiday music and start baking. I am going to be making cheesecake, pumpkin pie, and apple crisp to go with our dinner tomorrow. And because the only thing that looks good to me anymore is salad, I'll be doing that and veggies w/ dip.

I am really looking forward to this holiday season. Tomorrow Dave and I will be going up to his sister's house to celebrate with his family. There are going to be about 20 of us there. It has been a long time since I have spent a Thanksgiving with that many people. I am going to enjoy it.

After Thanksgiving it is open season on Christmas decorations, so I will be coming home and working on those. :)

Other than that, life is just swell. :)

Wishing you all the best. :) Happy Thanksgiving!

Giving

There's a quote that I read somewhere that has stuck with me... it goes something like "The American people love to donate a turkey during the holidays- even if there isn't an oven for it to be baked in." Okay, that's a really horrible paraphrase, but I wasn't able to find the quote online because any time I entered "turkey" into the search string I got recipes and Thanksgiving horror stories. So you get my paraphrase.

Anyway, the point is that we all love to donate around the holidays but we often think only about donating specific things- and not necessarily the most needed thing at the time. I think the rest of the quote goes on to talk about how a jar of peanut butter or school supplies in August could go a lot further than a Turkey at Thanksgiving, but that's beside the point I am about to try to make. Back to the point....

I'd like to suggest some alternatives to the ubiquitous turkey donation... (if you already donated a turkey- kudos to you! You've probably just made a family's holiday complete). I'm going to guess that the needs of people around the country are pretty similar... here's a wish list for some of the homeless here in Salt Lake City...

*Sleeping Bags
*Blankets
*Backpacks
*Hand Warmers
*Gloves
*Coasts, Jackets, Hoodies
*Underwear (for men and women)
*Socks
*Hats and Scarves
*Deoderant (for men and women)
*Lighters or matches
*Batteries
*Toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss
*Tents
*Tarps
*Flashlights
*Bus Tokens
*Fast Food Certificates
*Baby Clothes
*Diapers and Diaper Wipes
*P-38's (Military Issue Can Openers)

Sometimes it's the small things that make all the difference- the ability to clean up or having a fresh pair of underwear and/or socks to change into. Maybe this will give you something new to think about- in addition to that turkey. And remember- canned or dried food items are always welcome as well.

Wishing you all the best.

Birthday

Well it has been a good day. :) My boss took me out to a yummy lunch and tonight Dave is cooking me dinner- an authentic Spanish dish. :) I am so excited. Thank you all for your best wishes. :)

Some of the ladies at work decorated my office for me

Halfway through the week

I am already ready to have this week over with. It's just a slow quiet week and the hours pass so slowly at work. Yikes. I just really want to run off and have an adventure somewhere.

Exciting weekend

Well this weekend was pretty exciting.

Saturday, Dave, his mom, his brother, and I went to the Lion House for lunch and then went to this museum exhibit called "Body Worlds." The Lion House was awesomely good food. :) I would go back there any day. Body Worlds (http://www.bodyworlds.com/en.html) is a whole bunch of real dead people that have been plasticized or whatever and are put on exhibit to help show people different aspects of the body. Sounds incredibly morbid yeah? I wasn't sure I wanted to go but it wasn't too bad. It didn't really feel like I was looking at a whole bunch of dead people. I'm sure I would have felt differently about the exhibit if it felt like I was looking at corpses. It was fun to have Dave's brother, Chris, with us because he would reminisce about his own days in med school and explain the intricacies of what we were seeing. That was an awesome touch. And thank you Chris for the wonderful day! It was so much fun to hang out with you. :)

Yesterday (Sunday) was much more exciting, but that's a story for another time. It was good to hang out with Dave's family- they are feeling more and more like home for me. :) Other than that another weekend has gone by so quickly. This week should be a good one. My birthday is coming up too. :)

Time for some good news...

I was going to write a long rant about the state of the world today and my disappointment in the actions of some people. And I was putting together what I would say in my head and how I would counter every argument. And it occurred to me that no one needs to hear any more complaining. I think it's time that every one heard a few good words and something optimistic.

I know I am a little bit early, but I guess this is a good time to write about what I am thankful for.

I am thankful for:
*My family. My husband, parents, siblings, in laws (even though I don't differentiate in laws from the rest anymore), my sole remaining grandparent, my cousins, my nieces and nephews, my aunties and uncles, etc, etc etc. They add so much color to my life and enhance every day.

*My friends. More than I can list- close, far, ones I haven't seen in years, those that I talk to daily. I have been blessed this year to be able to reboot some old friendships. I have been blessed to find new friends. I have been blessed to really focus on making some friendships stronger. There have been some pretty big changes in my life this past year and it has really helped me focus on the friends I want to surround myself with.

*My dog. She's like a living teddy bear. And she cracks me up even when she annoys me.

*My faith. I know that I (and my loved ones) am going to be okay no matter what. Life is never going to be what I expected and I am okay with because often it is much better than I could have expected and more wonderful than I could have imagined, even if the road is a little bumpy and I get off track.

*Stormy weather. It's nice to mix things up everyonce in a while. It helps me to appreciate the good weather more too. Plus stormy dark clouds are just awesome... so much potential. Also storms make me glad for my warm house and the ability to watch them pass by.

*Having to work for a living. I have learned to appreciate what I create and take pride in my work. I have also learned to enjoy the fruits of my labor. I've learned that I can't have everything that I want and sometimes it's better that way- I just get the best of what I want and leave the rest. :)

*Having a job (makes sense if I enjoy having to work for a living). I feel like a part of something and that I do a little bit to make the world run.

*Learning. In the past year I have taught myself to both knit and crochet (with the help of Youtube and a completely unhelpful "teach yourself to knit book"). I have also learned a lot (I really mean a lot) about accounting which helps me at work (and actually in other areas of life as well). I have also learned a lot about people and relationships and God and myself.

*Reading and books and stories. I cannot emphasize how awesome a good book is. Or even just a good story. I still remember stories that my parents told me when I was young. There are books out there that I will read over and over and over again because their stories touched me.

*Seasons. See storms. I love the changing weather. I love watching for the first orange or red leaf of Fall. I love trying to find the first bud on the tree in Spring. I love the heat of summer and the snow in winter (but only until January, after that it should just be spring again).

*Change. I like that every day is different and that I am not quite sure what to expect. I love that I have stopped trying to guess what is going to happen because the most likely outcome is the opposite of what I would have predicted. I'm grateful that change happens regardless of whether we are ready for it or not and that we grow because of it.

*Mt. Dew. In small increments. In a can (versus a bottle). Makes my day. :)

*The ability to write this. For the internet and for the knowledge and that there are enough wonderful things out there for me to sit back and just be grateful.

*For you reading this. It means that you're around and I like that. :)

So there's probably a billion things I could add to this and I am sure that I have missed the painfully obvious ones (like my health, a home, etc) but I really just wanted to point out that there are wonderful things out there and the world isn't all gloom and doom. Just look past it at the wonderful things in your life. You're going to be okay. So will I. :)

Happy Friday.

So proud of myself....

This might sound silly but I am so proud of myself right now. :) I have been craving hot wings for the past week. And last night I finally did something about it... and I actually cooked them myself! :) It was definitely not a healthy meal, but it was so tasty. I fried up the chicken wings myself and then created my own hot sauce. :) Just in case my hot wing sauce didn't turn out I bought some back up buffalo wing sauce. Dave and I both preferred the homemade hot wing sauce to the premade stuff.

Anyway, I am just a little pleased with myself.

Pookie in a sweater

So Pookie is a pretty small dog. And she's really thin so when it gets cold out she really starts shivering. After Wednesday's wonderful snowy day, I decided it was time to get Pookie a sweater. Last year I bought her a coat/cape thingy and she ate it. So this year I am getting her a pull on sweater and I'm not going to let her chew on it.

I love it. It makes me giggle every time I see Pookie bundled up in that thing. I think she likes it though because she doesn't fight me when I put it on her and she's fine to just run around the house in it.

Does it look like November out there?

This is the weather we've had all day....

It was kind of hard to take a picture of the snowflakes falling (white flakes + white/grey clouds = invisible to the camera). But it is coming down pretty good. At lunch a group of us in the office walked five minutes to a restaurant just a block away and we were all covered in snow. It feels more like Christmas than it does the beginning of November. I am not complaining though- I am enjoying it (mainly because I am inside and warm). The only thing that could make this better would be to wrapped up in a blanket at home, watching the snow fall with some soft music in the background, and maybe a cup of hot chocolate. :) But then again, I think that last scenario makes any day better...

Go out and vote!

If you are reading this, and it is still Tuesday, November 4, go out and vote!

Arts and Crafts

So I started working on my Wedding Scrapbook this weekend. I have been compiling cards, pictures, ideas, stickers, etc etc etc until I had collected this bulging book. So last night I finally decided to do something about it. And it's been pretty fun so far so I guess that is good. :) I know I'll be proud when it is all done.

I also started working on Christmas cards and gift ideas. And I have been trying to knit some scarves like mad in addition to making Dave a blanket for Christmas (I was going to try to make it a surprise, but he already knows). I've been enjoying it a lot. And it was pretty easy to sit down this past weekend because of the storms that have been blowing in- good weather for staying indoors.

Oh and tomorrow and Wednesday it is supposed to snow in the valley. :) The snow and stormy weather just makes it that much easier for me to sit inside and work on my various little projects. Now I just need to convince Dave to let me listen to some Christmas music (after 5 years working at a bank, where the Christmas music started the day after Thanksgiving, Dave hates Christmas music).

Anyway, it's just going to be that kind of week for me.

Happy Halloween

I for one have spent most of my day reading creepy ghost stories (one of my favorite websites invited everyone to post their own ghostly experiences).

Tonight I won't be handing out any candy but I think I am okay with that. To be honest I can't remember the last time I handed out candy to trick or treaters, but I am sure I have. I guess there is always next year. :) Dave is on candy duty tonight- if I can convince him to answer the door. I think Dave is going to sit at home and play scary games in the dark.

Not too much planned for this weekend- more work and then Xan's birthday is on Sunday so we'll go up there to help celebrate. Sunday is also the dreaded day to change the clocks. I don't mind the fall back bit, it's the spring forward that I hate.

Anyway, so I started out this week knowing that it would be a good week and there is some awesomely fantastic news- McKenzie got a great job! I am so relieved/excited/happy. :) This is awesome.

I hope you all have a wonderful evening and weekend.

PS: Only three weeks until my birthday... 27... is that still mid twenties or will I graduate into my late twenties?

New Projects Around the House

So I have been digging around on the internet the past few days and I have come up with a whole list of projects for me to do around the house... to the house. :) I'm going to work on spicing up our apartment... slowly. :)

I've got a whole bunch of ideas from repainting everything (not just accent walls) and recarpeting/reflooring (last) to changing the light fixtures and completely redoing the cabinets in our kitchen and bathroom. Exciting!

My mom told me that ikea is a great place to look if we were thinking about redoing our cabinets and I have seen some pretty awesome things that I can't wait to do. And it will cost maybe 1/2 or more of what it could have come up to. So much fun! And the best part is that it will require me to learn a little bit about how to be a handy woman... always a good thing.

And it's Monday again...

Seems like we get back to Mondays all too quickly. This weekend was good. Pretty quiet though. I just tinkered around the house and worked. Dave got this new video game called Dead Space for the PS3. We started playing it last night but I could only watch for about 1/2 hour because it was too scary. It's pretty fun to watch though except that I am a horrible back seat gamer- I'm always telling Dave to do something or run faster. Oops.

Otherwise things are going pretty well. I'm a pretty chipper mood- I think that it is going to be a good week. On Wednesday Dave and I are going to the wedding reception of one of Dave's closest friends, Tracy. I don't really mind going to weddings anymore. :P

Anyway, my halloween decorations have been up for a few weeks now, but I figured it might be a good time to post some pictures of them. :)

This is our table. I wish I could have taken a better picture of the skull and pumpkins lit up with the orange lights (it looks cool).

This is my happy/friendly jack-o-lantern.

And this is the other jack-o-lantern that greets everyone at our front door.

This one makes Dave laugh every time he sees it.

Reading

I'm one of those people who cannot put a book down once they have started it. Right now I am reading a book that I am not finding particularly interesting and it doesn't look like it will get much better. But I feel committed to finishing it because I have started it. Oh well.

Tonight Dave and I are going to a Halloween party at my friend April's. It is going to be a lot of fun. I would be more excited but I'm pretty tired.

Oh and Dave did the most wonderful thing ever last night. I had these brownie treats that I needed to make for the party today. I wasn't going to be home until late last night (working) and Dave knew that I was tired after a long week and not looking forward to more cooking. Anyway, Dave (my knight in shining armor) made the whole treat with the topping and everything! It was the best surprise and such a relief.

Dave shaved his beard

Dave finally gave up on the beard last night and shaved it off. I think I am okay with that. :)

I am already buying Christmas decorations. It's not even Halloween yet! (Although I did get a screaming deal). I made my own wreath too! Well, I guess I should say I decorated my own wreath. It's pretty cute if I say so myself (I'll post pictures later). It definitely looks like an amatuer decorated it though. I told Dave that I wouldn't put up any Christmas decorations until December 1 so I have to put everything in a box until then. And this starts our collection of holiday decorations! :)

Oh yeah and we watched Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. Man that movie was crap! When did Indiana Jones turn from an archeologist to James Bond? It wasn't so much adventure as it was stupid. And aliens? Come on. It's like the writers weren't even trying. My favorite part is where Indiana Jones escapes/avoids an atomic bomb blast by climbing into a fridge. Of course the fridge goes launching into the air and Indiana Jones tumbles out just fine. It reminds me of watching the end of GI Joes when I was young... a whole bunch of kids are running around a junk yard playing hide and go seek when one of the kids tries to climb into an old abandoned fridge. Mr. GI Joe stops them and lets the kids know they shouldn't play in abandoned fridges or else they might get stuck.... Now you know, and knowing is half the battle... Anyway, I'm amazed Indy survived the fridge.

Overwhelmed

This morning I am feeling just a little overwhelmed. I don't know if the feeling has been building or if I've just reached my capacity for doing anything and to add any more is the straw that broke the camel's back. Even just going out for "fun" stuff seems like too much these days. Oh well.

And we're back...

(Haystack Rock)

Dave and I went to the Oregon Coast expecting/hoping for rain and clouds and wind and general storminess. Instead we got what was probably the most beautiful day I have ever seen on the Oregon Coast. Warm temperatures, clear blue sky, no wind... it was beautiful!

(Pookie did not like the cold water)




Friday, Dave and I loaded up the car, grabbed Pookie, and started on our way to Oregon. The drive there was pretty relaxed and went surprisingly quick. Pookie slept pretty much the entire way. She has claimed the driver's seat as her own- it doesn't matter who is sitting there, Pookie will be in that person's lap. We got into Portland, unloaded our car full of stuff for Kenny and Doss and then went out to dinner with Dad, Pam, Kenny, Doss, my Uncle Tracy, and his new wife. It was good to catch up with everyone, but it went way too quickly. We stayed Friday night in a hotel room that didn't allow pets so we had to sneak the Poo in. :)

(Dave sneaking Pookie into the hotel room. He zipped his jacket up over the bag but Pookie's nose would pop out every few feet.)

Saturday morning, after breakfast with the family, Dave and I headed towards the Oregon Coast. I almost got us lost in Portland, but managed to get us back on the right track. :) The drive down the coast was beautiful, but we didn't spend as much time driving along the ocean as I had expected. We stopped in Cannon Beach and in Tillamook and finally got down to Newport in the late afternooon. As Dave and I were walking along bayfront Newport, trying to figure out what to eat, we got a phone call from McKenzie. Probably the most confusing phone call ever because it was so unexpected.

(McKenzie and Doss at Mo's Annex)

As we were walking by Mo's Annex (good chowder) McKenzie called and asked what we were doing. We told her we were trying to figure out what to eat fo dinner and she suggested Mo's Annex and said that they were there. It took me a little bit to figure out that McKenzie and Doss were also in Newport and eating dinner in the restaurant we were walking right by. :) It was a great surprise. So we ate dinner with them and walked along the bay front and watched some sea lions.

(Sea Lions chilling on the dock. Kinda looked like the were doing Yoga)

Our hotel room sucked (it was too loud and we couldn't sleep very well) and the clock was set wrong. So Dave and I were up and out the door an hour earlier than we thought it was. Due to the early morning hour (and my crankiness) we decided to take our time and head back to Utah on Sunday. We took a different route that would take us by Cascadia- a favorite camping spot of mine. That was awesome! We made the Poo pretend to swim (held her above the surface of the water so that she would doggy paddle). And the rest of the drive took forever.

Anyway, that was our weekend. In short, Dave and I spent the entire weekend in the car and only half the day at the Oregon Coast. PS: If you look closely you can see the beard that Dave is trying to grow!

The self portrait. :)

It's like my Friday

Well, my week is finally coming to a close. It has been a long, exhausting week. I will be glad to finally get home this evening. It was one of those weeks where it seemed like everything came with a struggle- nothing could go quickly, or easily. I would have to go back and forth and fix mistakes (mine and others) and it seems like I have spent most of the past few days just trying to find these errors. Boo.

Anyway, we are off to the Oregon Coast tomorrow. I am so excited (have I mentioned it enough already). On a side note, I got a bonus! :) Right in time for our trip. What good timing. I have lots of packing and cleaning and getting ready to do this evening after I get home from Michaels. I have a bunch of bananas that are prime for banana bread so I am going to make the effort to bake that up to take with us.

I remember when I was younger that my mom would always try to get the house clean before we went on vacation and I never understood it. Why clean the house when we are going to be gone? Well, I'm going to try to clean the house before we leave. It will be nice to come home to a clean home. :)

Anyway.... I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Yikes....

Ten minutes until the first part of my day is over. Today went so quickly! :) If only more days could be like today. Wish I had more to say, but I remain boring (sorry guys). On the other hand, Dave is thinking about growing a beard. :) He has one started (I'll take pix tonight- I hope). But he's already getting annoyed with it. We'll see how long it lasts.

Other than that... tomorrow is like my Friday. I am so happy for that. :)

Randomness

It's Tuesday afternoon and nothing especially notable is going on around here. I am finishing up the book Ender's Game. I don't know how this book was under my radar for so long- I have really enjoyed it.

The weather is warming back up around here (by warming up I mean it should be around 70 by Saturday). It is definitely, finally, autumn. :) I am even more excited about the trip to Oregon now. So close! Just two more (long) days until we go! It is going to be so much fun. :)

I hope you all have a much more exciting day planned for yourselves. :)

SNOW!

Well, it snowed this weekend. I didn't think it would actually stick, but it did. Sunday morning Dave and I opened our eyes to see 3 inches of snow on our balcony and more falling. It was a pleasant surprise (especially because we were snuggled in our warm bed).

Pookie isn't ready for the snow yet- we have to get a her a sweater or something. When it drops below 40 we literally have to drag her outside the condo for a walk.

The weekend was good otherwise. I worked at Michael's Saturday morning- the Christmas stuff is starting to come in. Maybe I'll get my act together and come up with some cute house decorations. By the way- I went to my friend April's house and she is on top of things with the decorations. I am so jealous! I would buy the stuff she makes (hint hint). Anyway, there is a link to her blog (the wilde ones) if you want to check out what she made.

Saturday evening Dave and I went over to our friend Nate and Kayleen's house and played some Scene It (I totally won). It was so much fun! :) And then it started snowing- made Dave and I glad about our decision to buy a car with AWD. :)

Oh yeah, and yesterday was April's birthday. :) Happy Birthday April!

Today it's back to work- it's going to be a long/short week for me. I am working at Michael's every evening this week (until Thursday). Which is nice, but will make for a really long day (I don't get out of Michael's until 9.30 PM). Friday, Dave and I will head West to Oregon for the weekend. I am looking forward to seeing everyone. :) And I am looking forward to seeing the Ocean!

Ouch

I pinched a nerve in my neck Wednesday night (in my sleep). I woke up yesterday morning in an incredible amount of pain and I couldn't turn my head, or sit up, or sit down. It was very frustrating. I was also frustrated that it was the middle of the night (well, 5AM). I also felt bad for Dave because he had to get up and comfort me.

Anyway, long story short, I pinched a nerve in my neck and spent all of yesterday looking down over my left shoulder (no, I did not go to work). Today I can turn my head from side to side with less pain, but am still not comfortable. It totally sucks.

Annoyed

Today I am annoyed with everyone and everything. I started out in a good mood, but now I am just ready to go home. I am so glad it is Wednesday. It's amazing how much faster 4 day weeks go by than a full work week.

I feel like spending lots of money today.

But I'm being good. Plus, I know that there's nothing I really want. Although, I am starting to look into things that I can do for Christmas. I think I am going to try to be a little bit more creative about Christmas presents this year. We'll see. (Notice, how I am always getting ahead of myself- it's not even Halloween yet and here I am talking about Christmas).

The weekend was pretty fun. The weather was cold and rainy (and it looks like it will be that way again next weekend). My mom came in to town so we were able to hang out and just relax. Sunday we didn't stray far from the house as it was General Conference. Even my mom listened in. :) Monday, my brother, Jamieson came into town so we hung out a little bit last night. This morning, Jamieson and Mom were out the door and on their way across the US. (I'm still a little bit jealous- I love road trips). Yesterday I stayed home. So today is kind of like my Monday (but it seems to have gone by faster).

It's the end of the day and I am excited to get home. I need a nap something fierce.

The weekend

Has finally arrived... again. This seems like such a repetitive post for me. But oh well.

In a bit of a last minute surprise, my mom is coming into town for the next few days. She'll get in tomorrow afternoon and then she'll drive with my brother, Jamieson, to Minnesota. I am excited to have her here with me. (I'm hoping she can help me decorate the place for Halloween and for fall.)

It's also General Conference this weekend. It's going to be a rainy, stormy weekend- perfect for lounging around the house and watching the Conference.

Tomorrow Dave is supposed to help the Woodbury's with their final motorcycle race of the season. If the weather ends up like its forecasted, I'm expecting the race to be cancelled. We will see.

Wish there were more to say. Tonight I am going to try to do all the things I haven't been doing this week. And I am going to try to decorate (that will be fun).

H0pe you all have a fun weekend planned. :)

I am so glad it's Thursday...

It seems like it has been a really long week. I am looking forward to this weekend already (I think I have been looking forward to it since Monday). Today is the last of the 80 degree weather here. It should start looking more like fall now. This weekend it is supposed to rain and be stormy- it will be perfect for my mood!

Now I am just counting down the minutes until I go to my next job.

The Hook

A young couple out on a date parked along an old country road to be alone. They were listening to the car radio and talking. Suddenly the music was interrupted by a news bulletin. "A convicted murderer has escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane. The man was mutilated in a car wreck following a high-speed chase and is missing his right hand. A temporary hook has been attached to his right arm, which will make him easier to identify. The criminal's name is ..."

The boy turned the radio off. He leaned over to his girlfriend, expecting that the frightening news flash would make her snuggle. Instead, she was so scared that she wouldn't even let him get close to her."I'm afraid," she said. "Let's get out of here."The boy tried to convince her that they were in no danger, but she refused to listen. He decided that maybe she didn't like him as he had thought, and was just using this as an excuse.

The girl reached over and locked her door as the boy angrily started the car.Just at that moment, they heard a thud on the passenger side of the car.The boy slammed the car into drive and spun out onto the road. The girl screamed and held onto the boy as they sped off down the road. On the way back to town they both calmed down, but the girl still held on so tightly that the boy decided he was wrong about her after all.

As they came closer and closer to her house, he tried to think of a way to impress her.They pulled up in front of the house and the boy said, "I'll make sure it's safe first." He left the keys in the ignition but locked the door as he got out. He came around to her side to politely open her door, like a hero.For a long time he just stood there, looking down at the door. At first the girl couldn't figure out what was wrong; then she realized that her door was still locked. She smiled and unlocked it.The boy still just stood there.The girl looked puzzled and rolled down her window. Then she saw that the boy was looking down at the door handle. She slowly looked down herself. Hanging from the door handle was a bloody stainless steel hook!

Randomness

So I have been doing pretty good so far as far as not drinking soda. Although today I caved in to a McDonald's craving and got myself a kids meal (I tried to compromise) with a little soda. The good/bad news about my McDonald's cravings is that I only eat it once every six months, then I feel sick all afternoon and vow to never eat it again- repeat cycle. So at least I don't eat it very often.

Not too much going on here really. The week has been pretty quiet. Work at both VOA and at Michaels has been going well. I like them both for different reasons. :) I have to get used to the night job thing- I don't have as much time for the house stuff as I used to so the times I am home, I try to make the most of it.

My sister and brother in law moved to Portland on Sunday/Monday. I am excited for them, but haven't had much of a chance to talk to them aside from determining that they made it safely to the mainland (with their turtles). I'll see my brother next week sometime as he drives from Oregon to Minnesota. I'm excited. :) And only a few weeks until our trip to the Coast! Whoo hoo!

I'm going to start thinking about Halloween costumes. I am thinking about going as a prom queen (it's easy to do) but I would love to do a "couples" costume. If anyone has some good suggestions please let me know.