Victory!

So I wrote about how I planted a container garden (right?)... anyway, I have been waiting patiently for my little seeds to sprout up (half worried that I had managed to kill the plants even before they'd had a chance to grow).

Sunday I went out and watered each of my containers and looked closely for any shoots. Nothing.

Monday, I came out to investigate again and I found this:

My little Zucchini plant is growing! FAST! That popped up over night. I am so excited!

And then yesterday I went out to investigate some more and I saw the beginnings of some tomatoes. :) Yeah! Now we'll just have to see if anything else comes in. Oh yeah- the spinach is growing like mad! I am excited about that too.

Baby Stuff

I am so excited- one of my coworker's gave Dave and I a whole bunch of baby stuff. :) Awesome! We got a whole bunch of little things and a few of the bigger things we have been looking for.

Activity center/jumper...

Bouncer (with vibration)

Most of the available space in the baby's room is taken up by a guest bed (for now) so most of the new stuff is hanging out in our living room. It's fun to see baby stuff around- guess it makes it just that more real!

Biker Baby

So we got a care package from my Dad and Step Mom (Pam) the other day. In it were some really cute (and soft!) blankets as well as a diaper bag (yeah!) and the best was this...

A little Harley Davidson bear.

Ethan is going to be our little biker/soccer baby. :)

... And outwards

Well, I guess it's time for my weekly Friday post. :) It's been a quiet week over all which is kind of nice. It's been slowly warming up- whoo hoo! This weekend we're supposed to expect upper 70's and mid 80's and next week- the 90's! It will be interesting to see how I do with the heat.

Well today marks 31 weeks. We have 64 days until B-day... just two months away! I can't believe it. I am excited for July to get here, but at the same time, I am not in a rush to get there. Over all things have been going really well, with aches and pains along the way, but over all, pretty good. :) Currently Ethan seems to enjoy using my belly button as a punching/kicking target. Also I've been able to feel when Ethan gets the hiccups- which is pretty often. I am still trying to figure out what I am eating that is doing it to him, cause he usually gets the hiccups most often after lunch (my thoughts are that it's either the ranch, the peanut butter, the carrots or the celery).

This weekend is going to be a good one. Tonight I am meeting up with my friend April and we're going to get pedicures. I am kind of excited. I am not much of a hand/foot person but I wouldn't mind a foot rub. :) Tomorrow I think I am going to be picking up some baby stuff. One of my coworkers had a boy last summer so she is going to giving me a lot of the stuff she no longer needs. I am really excited about that... I'm not sure what she has, but I am excited to look and just happy to get anything. :)

Other than that it should be a quiet weekend. Maybe I'll try to get more house projects done. Oh yeah- Dave and I have decided to redo our shower. We're going to rip out what we have now and put in tiles. This will be interesting because we're going to try to do it largely by ourselves. Of course we'll get some experienced people in to do the hard stuff (mudding? taping?) but I've been told that putting up the new green board and the tiling itself shouldn't be too hard. I'm excited. I'll have to remember to take before and after pictures.

Next week my friends Katie and Matt will be in town and I am pretty excited to see them. Katie is one of my oldest friends (all the way back to High School!) and Matt (now married to Katie) was the first person we met when we came to Utah for college. Anyway, it's going to be really good to see them.

I have been promising a picture of my belly for a while now and unfortunately I keep forgetting to take one. So here's a modified close up of my belly...

Fighting Pessimism

It just seems like it is too easy to see that the world is going to hell in a hand basket and feel helpless as it does it. And then there are also the daily challenges of just living. It seems like it can be too easy to get discouraged and give up. So I've been trying hard to make some changes in my life that allow me to appreciate more what I have. Even though I haven't been doing to the best at making those changes happen, at least I am making baby steps.

I have been focusing on trying to be more grateful- in my daily prayers and also in my attitude. I am surrounded by some amazing people and I am so blessed to have them in my life. Dave and I have a wonderful home, jobs, and a growing family. We aren't over our heads in debt and day to day living is manageable. We have good health and good attitudes. Whenever I get discouraged, or think about the things I don't have, or think about the challenges in store for Dave and I, I try to remember that we're taken care of and that we're going to be fine. I know that things will work out and I just need to remind myself.

I have been trying to read better books- and less news. First I am a news junky. I get my news from multiple sources and even have headlines emailed to me. I spend an extraordinary amount of time on "news." And I noticed a while ago that it was affecting my attitude. Everything was bad and the world was broken and everyone was getting screwed in one way or another. So I am trying to (slowly) give up reading as much news. This has benefited my life in other ways too- I don't watch the news at home anymore so I am watching less TV each evening. In addition to less "news" I have been trying to be pickier about the books I am reading. I try to find encouraging, uplifting books that I can learn something from. It helps that I don't have the budget to just go out and buy whatever book catches my eye- now I have to 1) be picky; 2) read what has been given to me; 3) go back through my bookshelf and rediscover old favorites.

I am trying to watch less TV. Less TV means many things, some of the best of which are: more time for other things and less advertising. I don't want as many things and I don't feel the need to acquire stuff as much anymore. I don't care if I have the latest gizmos, as long as I have what I need. I read a book that cited a study that showed that the amount of TV affects consumption and "wanting" things. Kids who watched more TV were more susceptible to advertising- makes sense right? This will become more important as I begin to raise my own children. I'm not going to say that my kids can't watch TV but I want to teach them to be selective. They don't have to watch everything just because they can and because it is there.

Dave and I had briefly talked about looking for and purchasing a house. When we were in this mode I would come home and look at all the things I didn't like about our condo. We are probably going to be in our condo for at least another 5 years- I needed a change of attitude or I'd go crazy. I have been trying to appreciate more what I have now and think less about how things could be. I am trying to take better care of what I have now- make things prettier and last longer and, in general, just be a better steward of my money and resources. I have learned that taking care of what I do have makes me appreciate it more and also helps me to realize I don't need a lot (and helps me be more grateful for everything I do have). I have been working on mini condo projects for the past few months and I love our home. It is perfect for us. I love Dave for having the foresight to provide us with such a wonderful home.

Finally, I have been trying to be more charitable and service oriented. And this one I am still struggling with. But I am working on it. I get home from work and the last thing I really want to do is go out and do anything. But I am hoping that I can get there. I want to be able to share the blessings that I have received with the people around me and in some ways I just want to make the world a better place- at least in my little corner. It seems stupid, but I had a revelation a few weeks ago about the nature of service. It used to be that I couldn't change the world or serve everyone that I thought I was supposed to. I was so discouraged that I didn't even try to help anyone. Then it occurred to me that I can't serve the world right now, but I can help the people that I come in contact with (and not even all of the people I come in contact with- just some of them). So I am trying to make a conscious effort to pick three people a month and then work on serving them. I figure it's a good place to start.

Finally, I have been trying to change that attitude that I can do everything. I can't. Some things are just beyond my control and accepting that will just make things easier. I need to remember to be humble and to count on other people. I am so thankful that I have a wonderful husband who makes life such much easier for me. He is such a wonderful provider and the perfect partner in life. I have been trying to do my part and let God do His- and remember Who comes first. :) One quote that I recently stumbled across puts in perspective for me: "Work like everything depends on you; Pray like everything depends on God."

And thinking ahead to the future- and the challenges that are coming- I just found this quote: "Deal with the problems as wisely as you can. Make your decisions. You may be right; you may be wrong. Hopefully you will be right because you have prayed earnestly over the matter and you have discussed it with your associates. But once these decisions are made, put them behind you and do not worry about them. Turn around, stand tall, put your head up, and look forward to the marvelous opportunities you have."

Container Gardening and Other Things

So I got my container garden put together. I am so excited! Last year I tried it and it didn't turn out as well as I had hoped. This year I am hoping to put a little bit more love and attention into and see how it all turns out. I also decided to keep it simple this year. Hopefully that helps as well. Anyway- I planted Thyme, Basil, Mint (to go with the Rosemary I already have); Cucumbers, Zucchini, Spinach, and two types of tomatoes. So nothing crazy, just stuff that will supplement our groceries nicely. We'll see how it turns out! :)

Dave and I also went out and saw "Star Trek" this weekend. I really enjoyed it! :) I'm not a big trekkie, but I enjoy the movies and it was just a fun one. I would definitely see it a few times.

Other than that- things are quiet around here. It's warming up nicely and I've been trying to spend more time outside. Pookie has also been loving it- I have been letting her out on the deck to lay in the sun (probably her favorite activity).

Where is the year going?

I've been waiting all year for it to get warm out and it's finally starting to happen! I can go outside in a T-shirt and today I didn't even bring a jacket to work with me. Whoo hoo! But the flip side- did you guys know it's already MAY!? WHAT THE HECK? Where is time going? It seems especially bad because at work I am definitely stuck on a monthly closing cycle- it seems like I spend a lot of time trying to get the previous month's books closed just to turn around and realize it's time to start all over again.

My little boy is only 10 (!) weeks (or 71 days) from his arrival. It's odd to think that I am 30 weeks pregnant! 30! I know it's only been the matter of a week, but it seems like such a big difference to go from twenty something to thirty something (is this how it is with birthdays too?).

This month is looking like it's going to a pretty social one for Dave and me. Family events left and right and now friend after friend and friend coming into town. I am so excited! It's kind of like crawling out of hybernation. :)

I keep meaning to take some pictures for you guys but I keep forgetting to do so- sorry! Maybe I'll finally get my act together this weekend.

Baseball

You might be looking at the above (and below) picture and wondering why you're looking at my arm. If you look closely you might notice that I have a baseball sized bruise on my arm. The picture failed to capture the multi-colored beauty (if that's the word for it) of this bruise.

Yes, the most exciting thing that has happened to me in weeks is that I got hit in the arm by a baseball. I had decided to take Pookie for a long walk around the park across the street from us. I figured the weather was beautiful and I (we) needed some exercise and fresh air. As we were finishing up our first lap around the park, we were passing by a little league game. I was off in doggy walking la-la land and wasn't really paying attention to my surroundings. Although I doubt that my reflexes or any reaction that I could have had with advance warning would have helped me (and probably would have only made the situation worse). Anyway, out of no where I feel this arm deadening whack. Yup, I got hit by a foul ball. I was so shocked I just kept walking with Pookie. However now I was heading home instead of around the park again. My walk had effectively ended.

On my way home all I could do was say a little grateful prayer that the ball had hit me in my arm versus my head/face/belly. I think that was the most shocking thing of all- the realization that the baseball could have just as easily done some real damage instead of giving me a good sized/colored bruise.

Another week gone by...

Well it's Friday again. Today I am 29 weeks into this pregnancy and have 78 days until B-day. Time is just scooting along! Sorry no recent belly pictures- I'll make Dave take some this weekend to give everyone an update. I'm not to the "uncomfortable" stage yet, but I'm getting there... so far there's still enough room for the two of us, but we'll see how long that lasts. :)

This week has been an interesting one. Pookie and Dave have been sick so I have been on double duty. My poor little family. :( Not too much excitement really going on though. Just work and taking care of my babies. Hopefully this weekend will be a calm one.

Wow, I wish there was more to say, but it's just been that kind of week I guess. On a side note, I ordered and received the cutest diaper covers- I am so excited. :) I should take a picture, or you can just go to www.pattynaps.com. They are made by a woman out here in Utah and they are just the cutest thing. :) Stephanie makes all kinds of diapers but I focused on just buying diaper covers (waterproof covers) for some prefold diapers I already have. Yup, we are going with clothe diapers. I have a good collection of diapers so far... we'll see how it goes.

Anyway, hope you all have a good weekend.

Weekend

Dave talking some jibberish about bikes.

Well I know it is already Tuesday afternoon, but I was really busy yesterday so I didn't have a chance to post anything. We finally have wonderful weather! It has been steadily getting warmer since Saturday- and I love it! Today it is the upper 70's and tomorrow/Thursday- the 80's! I LOVE this time of the year- when the warmth is a welcome change (as opposed to September when something cooler sounds nice). I have been trying to enjoy it as much as possible. I don't know if Pookie is happy about the good weather or not. On the one hand she gets to go outside more often, but on the other hand, most of her walks are death march long (for her) and she usually can't wait to get back home. Anyway, I am going to enjoy it while I can.

So let's see this weekend. Well, it went too quickly, but that's the standard. Saturday Dave and I joined the Woodbury's at the Miller Motorsports Track out in Tooele. The Woodbury's are racing (motorcycles) again and we were there to support them (Dave helps as "pit crew" and I bring the snacks). And the best part? It was a beautiful day- and just the right temperature.

Dave and the Woodburys lined up beside the track to watch the start of the race.

BJ (Left/Back) and Tom (Right/Front): Other members of the "pit crew"

Me and Anne Woodbury (Spectators)

Saturday night was a small family get together at Dave's sister's house. It was fun to hang out with everyone. Nothing really exciting there, but it was good to see everyone and chat. :) It's also probably a sign of things to come- family getting together more often during the summer.

Sunday was a quiet day. We took Pookie out to the park across the street and played fetch for a little bit. It seemed like everyone else in the neighborhood had the same idea as well. For a park that doesn't allow pets, there sure were a lot of dogs. :)

And just for fun: Pookie snuggling up with Dave.

And then back to work.

Good Bye Motorcycle (we hardly owned you)...

Well Dave took a big step yesterday... he sold his baby- his motorcycle (Ol' Red Pipe). I feel really bad about, but Dave did a good job getting it sold (it was his graduation present- and here we are selling it a year later).

In honor of the bike, here are some pictures of Dave on his motorcycle....

Portland

Dave and I at Crown Point- overlooking the Columbia Gorge.

Dave and I at Wahkeena Falls

Okay, this post is going to be chock full of pictures so I hope you are ready. :)

Dave and I went to Portland for the weekend to visit my family. Yes (most of) my family was in ONE place during the SAME weekend. Jamieson is about to head to Iraq so it was a chance for all of us to get together and wish him well and just enjoy ourselves.

Let's see- Friday evening Dave and I flew out. After some last minute catastrophes (we needed to find somewhere new for Pookie to spend the weekend) Dave and I made to the airport in the nick of time- to find out our airplane had been delayed an hour (I hate flying and delays don't help). We finally made it to Portland where my Dad picked us up and drove us to our hotel (with a stop at Jack in the Box). It was so good to see Mom and Dad (Tom) and Dad (Greg) and McKenzie, Doss, and Jamieson. What a group we were! It was a pretty early night for Dave and I- the boys (Doss and Jamieson) went out drinking and everyone else went to bed.

Saturday we woke up early and headed out to the Columbia Gorge for some pictures and hiking. McKenzie and Doss were both working that morning- so the five of us (Dad, Mom, Jamieson, me and Dave) crammed into Mom's rental car- which I think fits 2 comfortably. I love the Columbia Gorge- it is really just so beautiful. The first stop was Wahkeena Falls followed up by Multnomah Falls. We ended with a visit to Crown Point.

Dave at Wahkeena Falls

Jamieson, Me, Mom, and Dad (Tom) at Wahkeena falls.

Jamieson, Dave, Mom, and Dad at Wahkeena Falls

Dave and I at Multnomah Falls- Bro snuck in the back at the last minute.

Jamieson, Mom, Dave at Multnomah Falls.
I also made Dave hike up to the bridge (in the background) with me.

And then that afternoon was OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry). I love that place. They were having a Da Vinci exhibit- they had some of his notebooks and a lot of his inventions. The entire second floor was pretty much devoted to the Mona Lisa, which was a little bit overkill, but oh well. The fun part has always been the hands on "learning" stuff. I learned that my brother is a much better engineer than I am and that Dave makes some pretty awesome paper airplanes.

Dave and Jamieson playing with balls.

Dave shooting 2 liter bottle into the air
(using water and air to build pressure in the bottle)

Saturday ended at DeNicolas- our family's favorite pizza place. I had been waiting to eat pizza here since we first started planning the trip to Portland. Unfortunately, I got really sick right before dinner started (seriously, as they were putting the food down in front of us). I managed to eat about 1/4 of a piece of pizza before my sister had to drive us back to the hotel. Boo. It was another early night for Dave and I, but by that time we were pretty exhausted.

Sunday Morning was Easter Breakfast. We all managed to get up and out at a pretty decent time. After breakfast we had enough time to hang out at my sister's place before my dad drove Dave and I to the airport.

Dad (Greg), Jamieson, Doss, McKenzie, Henry, Dave, me
(That fuzzy thing up by Doss's head is Henry- their dog.
Henry looks like an Ewok and sounds like one too. Possibly the cutest dog ever- after Pookie)

And the flight home was pretty chill.

And the big thing- Bro got his The Giving Tree Tattoo - so the set is now complete. :)

Soccer is back!

Well Soccer season has started again. Dave's first (practice) outdoor game was on Monday- and it was a beautiful day for soccer! The sun was shining and it was in the 60's. Pookie and I watched for half of the game. Within the first few minutes, Dave scored the first goal of the game! Whoo hoo! :)

This weekend

Well the weekend was pretty quiet- general conference was the big thing for the weekend. And it was good.

In between conference sessions- this is what Dave and I did. :) He finally gave in and watch the movie with me. I'd already seen it a few times, but it was fun just to know that Dave finally gave in and watched it with me. :) Even if it took him 6 months to do it. :)

The usual

Well, nothing too exciting happening today. I'm just trying to make it 5 PM. It seems like my motivation gave up yesterday afternoon, somewhere around 3. At least the day has gone by more or less quickly today.

This weekend is going to be pretty quiet. It is general conference (it happens every April and October). It seems like it's going to be a good weekend for staying inside (rain and snow). Dave's best friend is in town (has been since last weekend). Dave has been hanging out with him a lot and will probably spend the rest of the weekend with him.

Wish there were more exciting things to say, but there just isn't. :)

Hope you all have a good weekend.

Random Whatnots...

Well I had another doctor's appointment today. Ethan and I are doing just fine. :) Ethan is growing at just the right rate (as the doctor said my belly is measuring "perfectly). The big news? Since my first doctor's appointment (way back in December)... I have gained 19 pounds! WHAT THE HECK? I don't feel like I've gained that much. But I'm glad that I don't feel like it and it doesn't look like I have gained that much (at least to myself). I'm going to keep gaining weight too. At least we're over halfway now. :) Only around 16 weeks to go- and they will go quickly! Ethan is quite the little mover. It has been fun to feel him squirm around- especially right after I eat. :)

As for the other odds and ends... well, it has been snowing like mad here. Blah. We get a few days of beautiful weather and then SNOW! It's so unfair. There's all this talk about "snow pack" and "drinking water" blah. Let it snow in the mountains and be nice, warm, and sunny in the valley (yeah right).

I've been working on my baby registry... if you any of you are interested, we're registered at Babies R Us and Target... you can search for our last name to pull up our registry. And if all else fails- DIAPERS (and the other essentials)! :) Looking at baby stuff has been a lot of fun though- I have enjoyed that part. The whole imagining thing and looking forward to playing with Ethan. :)

I've also been working our our Wedding Album. I try to do it when I feel "creative" but that happens less often as I have been engrossed in cleaning everything. :) Soon enough I am going to have to put it to the side so that I can work on Ethan's baby album and some keepsakes for the family members.

And that's pretty much everything from out here. I am thinking about planting a garden again (but keeping it simple)- once it stops snowing. Any suggestions on what I should plant? Keeping in mind I am going to be using planters on my deck. So far I am thinking some tomatoes, zuccini, spinach, and a variety of herbs. I'd love to throw something else in there... except peppers- I would love to grow peppers but I have always had bad luck with them. Actually, come to think of it, for as much as I love gardening I pretty much suck at it.

Belly

Well my little belly is starting to grow larger. People are actually noticing it now. :) I wanted to share what I looked like about a little over halfway through (I'm now 23 weeks along- 20 weeks is the halfway mark). Anyway, out of respect to Dave's wishes I'm only posting pictures of belly covered by shirt. The front views don't really show much belly so you guys only get the side view. :) Everyone says that I am still tiny. I am okay with that- it feels big to me. :)

Anyway, things are going great out here. We are finally getting a taste of spring. At least for today. This weekend we are getting a storm- thunder (I'm excited) and lightning tomorrow and some rain followed by some snow on Sunday. Boo. But at least it has been beautiful all week. Makes me want to skip the afternoon of work and play in the park. Ahhh... that sounds like such a wonderful idea- lay out in the sunlight with a good book and some food- that's my idea of a good afternoon. :)

We are leaning closer and closer to a name. We've decided on Ethan- for now. Once we meet him we'll know for sure. :)

Anyway, that pretty much wraps up life out here. Oh wait... we bought a new stove and a new bed (yeah spending money we don't have/shouldn't be spending). Unfortunately the oven was dead- or rather, on its deathbed. And Dave was spending as much time sleeping on the floor as he was on the bed, so it was time for a change. I'm happy with both of the new additions. Between that stuff and the baby's room, our little home is coming together.

Strange things I've seen this week

I carry a camera with me all the time. Most of the time I forget to use it. Two times this week I wish I had used it...

Earlier this week I saw a lone goose honking at everyone up at the U's campus. It was standing up on top of one of the buildings in President's Circle and strutting around like it owned the place. It was just odd to see a lone goose at the U campus- on top of one of the buildings.

Last night when we were leaving Costco, Dave and I saw two people dressed up as the Easter Bunny hopping around on the side of the road. They weren't going anywhere- just hopping around on the corner. I really wish I had gotten a picture of that.

Otherwise... I am just really tired this morning and grumpy. And I have heartburn. Frankly I'm just annoyed with everything this morning and don't really feel like adjusting my attitude. So there.

Nothing too much planned for this weekend. Should be warmer (60's) so it might be nice to get outside. Maybe take Pookie to the park to play catch for a little bit. Other than that... just a quiet, short weekend. And spring will officially be here next weekend.

Baby's Room

Well, the baby's room is finally put together. I think it looks great (I'm probably a little biased though). It will probably get rearranged as time goes on and the baby grows older. But here (for now) are the baby's room pictures. :)

PS: we found the baby his first soccer ball. We're pretty stoked about this. :)

The changing table

By the window- so there's plenty of light.

The crib and bookshelf (yes, my baby already has his own collection of books)

Close of up the surfing ducky hanging in the crib.

Fish mobile for above the crib (happy fish- the rest just look crazy)

All of the crazy hanging fish. I haven't hung this up yet though.

Bits and Pieces

Okay, first of all: Happy Birthday Grandma! :) We're all thinking of you. :)

Second: I bought my first official maternity clothes. In the past week I have been stretching to get my pants on or completely foregoing them (at home). What's more, when I would wear my non maternity pants I would get a series of kicks right at the top where the pants started to pinch my belly- basically baby was telling me that those pants just weren't going to cut it anymore.

So April took me out last night to pick up some work maternity pants (I don't need maternity pants for at home- I have a whole drawer full of yoga/stretchy pants that are working just fine). I also picked up some other handy maternity stuff that I am excited to use as well. But the point of this story...

The dressing room at the maternity place we went has this little pillow you can attach around your waist that "adds five months." Being that I am now halfway, that little pillow was approximately what I would look like at the very end. HOLY COW! I wish I had taken a picture of it. I was huge. It was kind of shocking to look in the mirror and imagine that in a few short months I would be that big. I mean BIG! So that was an adventure.

And thirdly, because I found this article about the stock market amusing, I thought I would include it: http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-oe-queenan6-2009mar06,0,836089.story. WARNING: if you are nearing retirement you probably (definitely) wont find this article amusing. It's not so much the subject (the tanking of the stock market) that I find amusing, but the repeated calls by investors saying that the market can only go up from here... who knows, maybe it will? If you have problems accessing the article let me know and I'll just copy and paste it into the body of the blog.

I can't wait for someone to ask me how my weekend was...

Because it was so good! I really, really enjoyed this past weekend. It was good weather- 40's and 50's so it feels like Spring really is coming (tomorrow we're supposed to get upper 60's!).

And the best part? My dad and step-mom were in town! The drove down from Portland and are spending a week driving around Utah and Nevada before heading home. They've never been to the parks in Southern Utah so they are going to go through a few of them before heading for home. But the spent the first part of the weekend with Dave and I and it was great.

Friday we just sat around chatting- they'd never seen our condo before so they came and joined us for dinner. Saturday was an amazing day and one of those days where you just keep going (poor Dave was worn out halfway through it). Dad and Pam told Dave and I that they wanted to help us get some stuff for the baby- which was totally unexpected, but there was no way we could turn them down! What a blessing- it really was an answer to our prayers. :)

We drove down to Ikea and started looking. Let me tell you- that was an overwhelming experience. I am so glad that Dad and Pam were there to share some wisdom gained from their experiences. But the good- GREAT- news is that we have all the stuff for our baby's room! We picked up the crib (with all the attachments- like sheets, mattress protector, mattress, bumper pad, mobile, etc), a changing table/dresser, a glider for me (I love that thing), and a billion other small things that just make life easy. And we picked up some more baby clothes! I picked out some of the cutest little outfits- I am so excited. :) I don't have any pictures up yet, but you can be sure that I will by next weekend... I just need time to put it all together and get the room all set up. I am so excited!

We finished Saturday with a good (long) meal at Rodizio- I love that place. :) The pineapple and the vegetables are so good!

Sunday was a relaxing day- I cooked breakfast for everyone that morning and then we took Pookie out to the park to play some fetch and let her run around. By the way- Pookie just adored Pam. That afternoon we went and saw "Taken" which was a fun action movie. We enjoyed it. :)

Over all the weekend was just phenomenal. I loved hanging out with Dad and Pam and it was such a weight off of our chest to get some of the baby stuff. I feel so humble and blessed that our family was able to help us out in such a huge way. After looking at everything we needed (and still need to get) I am just so thankful for these gifts. :) Thank you Dad and Pam!

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.