Gettin' kinda chubby

A few more weeks gone by, and a few more inches put on....
  
34 weeks in this one. Notice the the ridiculously cute little boy shoes. I recently found them at a second hand store and had to have them.I know they are still a bit too big, but the size of my belly is evidence that he knows how to grow! He'll be walking around in them before we know it.

 
This is the great grey whale sighting at 37 weeks. This is one of my favorite maternity shirts, and I never thought I would grow out of it. So much for that theory, as it barely covers the bottom of my belly.

 

This was taken April 26th, which marks exactly 38 weeks. The blossoming apple tree was a perfect background to show that spring is in the air - and everyone knows that Spring is the time for babies!

Jake bought me a single red rose on his way home from work one day -----'cause he's cool like that. It made me feel very feminine and motherish when I used it as a photo prop.

Only a matter of weeks or even days now.... It seems our little one will be here soon!

"Camping"

One day, the last week of April, while driving in the car, with the windows rolled down, and casual conversation ensuing..... we realized something. We have had nice weather for weeks, and we still have not been camping! What gives?

Then we considered the state I was in; That is, being a rolly-poly pregnant lady. I am all for being adventurous while 9 months pregnant and was excited --- Yet, I couldn't see myself enjoying sleeping in a tent. But, But, But..... we LOVE camping. So we decided that we would find a "camping spot" somewhere close, set up camp, have a fire, and then go home to our bed and call it camping.

And find a spot we did! Just before Twin Bridges Park,  on the Archer Highway, about 15 miles from our house, there was a nice little dirt turnout. We went where it led and there was a BEAUTIFUL little opening in the trees right by the river. 

We pulled out our gear, and blazed our own little trail until we found just the right view. Jake got a fire going right away and I got the hotdogs ready.  

The sound of the river behind us and the sun going down, made for the perfect outing. So pretty and peaceful, we just breathed it all in - along with some lovely campfire smoke. cough cough.

Before I knew it I had eaten 3 hotdogs!!! (A fact which I later came to regret, while hovering over the porcelain throne) We had just finished eating when a big truck pulled up not far from us. A guy came out and informed us that we were on private property, he was now closing the gate, and he would appreciate it if we could pack up. OOPS!  We had no idea it was private land, and although he was pretty nice about it, we totally got kicked out for trespassing! hahaha.

Raspberry Patch

Jake heard mention of some raspberry starts that were up for grabs - he pounced! He loves himself some berries straight from the bush! We have never been much for gardening... heck, we can barely keep our lawn mowed...but for raspberries we might just get our green thumbs in gear.

We selected a section of dirt behind our garage that sees some sun and some shade, rented a tiller for an hour, and voila` - Jake got the ground ready. We had lots going on, and really didn't have time to plant that day, but we didn't want to wait and risk the roots dying and drying out. So in the dark of the late evening we put them in by flashlight. ha! Good times we have.

There are just two little rows, but they look great! We might even have berries by the end of summer! Thank you Goss Family for your contribution to our little raspberry patch.

So EGGS-ited I could have DYED!

Due to scheduling conflicts (and because I just couldn't wait any longer!) the annual "Crazy-Awesome-and-Extremely-Eccentric-Easter Egg-decorating-day" took place the weekend before Easter.

ShaNae came to stay with me in Rexburg and we got our artsy pants on. First it was the eggs - they are of course the highest priority. Pictured above you will see her awesome assortment on the left and my crazy collection on the right.

Next we iced a few sugar cookies - a must for every holiday if we get the chance. I won't tell you which ones are mine and which are hers, because frankly they are all embarrassing.

 Then we had a brilliant plan to get baby in on the holiday hullabaloo. He must be initiated into these Traditions early.

We even got Jake to participate. He cleverly disguised my outie belly button with a purple polka dot. I guess the thought of having permission to draw on me with markers was motivation enough - he would have preferred permanent I think, as he usually does in marker wars... But that's another story.

And here is the grand Easter Egg in all its glory. We just wanted you to feel included little guy :)

For the actual Easter weekend Jake and I spent a few days in Mink Creek with his parents... and the EASTER BUNNY came. No one expected him to show up, since we are all grown ups, but I guess he wanted to introduce baby to the holiday while still in the womb as well! Candy eggs spread out on the floor, a few hidden eggs scattered about, and a "basket" for each of us.

RICHARD- An organizer full of office supplies for tax season, a giant roll of duct tape, some rope,etc.
VICKIE- A Flower pot with gardening gloves, pastel dish cloths, chocolate, and a video about Christ.
JAKE- An ammo can containing a knife, Big Bang season 4, Phineas-and-Ferb fruit snacks, electronics cleaning wipes for his new laptop, and a new shirt!
NESS- My childhood basket sitting on top of a new body pillow. I also got some nice ankle socks, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves on DVD, and a new skirt.
BABY- Lots of healthy food for Mommy to eat, and a little book called bedtime stories.

And as much as I enjoyed it all,  I vow it will be the last time I travel before baby comes.

We had a really peaceful Sunday and had time to reflect about the life of Jesus Christ and His Atonement.
 I know our Savior lives and loves us, and am ever more grateful for this testimony. Here is a little tidbit I wrote down...

Tomb, thou shalt not hold Him longer;
Death is strong, but Life is stronger;
Stronger than the dark, the light;
Stronger than the wrong, the right...

 I love Easter. The crazy traditions, the family time, the bright colors, the blossoms of Spring, and who can forget the cadbury eggs. But most of all I love the reminder of RENEWAL - I know that through the Atonement and the Resurrection, I am given the opportunity to start fresh. My life has meaning and direction because of the sacrifice my older brother, Jesus Christ, made for me. I love being reminded of this at Easter, during the Spring season and... every week in Sacrament Meeting for that matter. I am grateful that I can renew my covenants so often, and really feel the love of the Savior from day to day.

S.P.R.I.N.G.

Do I dare hope that Spring is here? Can it be so?
SHORTS
PUDDLES
ROBINS
INFANT
NEW BEGINNINGS
GREENERY

Maybe not quite yet. But I just wanted to acknowledge how GREAT it feels to have the sun coming through our windows and the breeze coming through our house as I open the door.

Not much else going on, except for me being VERY pregnant:

 This is the belly at 33 weeks, and I am thinking..... "Can I really grow much more in the next 7 weeks?"
As you can imagine, it is hard to get around and a bit frustrating to try - But doc says everything is going well.

With time racing forward, and due date coming rapidly you would think I would be using my time wisely. Meh... not so much. I do have the baby room mostly organized, and we have almost all the baby gear we will need - but there are still so many things on my "before baby comes" to do list.

...and said list does not exactly include making Easter crafts. Yet, I cannot help myself: I found a funny play on words that a few people were using on Etsy - so this is my version:


Of course I was EXUBERANTLY energetic about it and showed Jake right away. He applauded my efforts, but quickly came up with a "better" alternate suggestion.... So I made that one too!

Now I must warn you, it kind of requires a demented sense of humor to fully appreciate ---


We had a GOOD laugh about it, and then I just couldn't resist acting upon the crazy notion to actually create it....Poor little Peep in tiny little noose. 

I realize that my Spring Decor does not quite live up to the performance I gave last year. But alas, I will have to be content knowing that I took Jake's twisted enthusiasm and made it our reality.

May the weeks to come be warm and rejuvenating!

A wee bit of craftin'

Just a few projects to celebrate St.Pattrick's Day and this lovely month of March:

It all started on one crafty afternoon, when a friend and I were in a festive mood! With some paper, wire, green rafia, and a hoop,  we made some lovely front door decor.

Later in the week, I picked up a green basket and filled it with some green treats.

With some leftover paper, I transformed a plain ugly picture frame into this green checkered beauty. My printer is out of ink, so I could not print anything fancy to put in it. I still might replace the words with something more magical in the coming weeks.

With some old 2x4 blocks and a little paint, I made this little leprechaun hat and put it on a wooden easel.

For our kitchen wall, we needed a little leprechaun friend to greet us for breakfast each morning. I also picked up the giant pub glass at the dollar store and filled it with green good luck stones.

This banner is made of burlap and is stamped with the word "L.O.V.E" for Valentines day. But since it has not been up very long, I decided to give it one more month of use, by covering the word with "L.U.C.K"

And another February to March transformation. These are my Valentines Blocks....

..... that are now REVERSIBLE! I put these shamrocks on the back, and I love the way they turned out!

So many more ideas in mind (cough cough PINTEREST)  but I am without the funds and time to carry through with them all. I suppose my Crafting Craze has been appeased for now :) 

Happy Valentines Day!

A whole day to remember how much LOVE we have in our lives! And a good excuse to eat lots of sweets!

 Thanks to Pinterest,  my ever growing need to be crafty, and a little bit of extra time on my hands, there were lots of "lovey" projects going on at our house.

 I sent out some heartsy treats, a few V-day packages, and even some cheesy Valentines to my nieces and nephews! So many great ideas to show people you love them and so many people to love... So little time.

In order to avoid the crowds, Jake and I decided to have our night out, the day prior to V-day. We got a little fancy and ate at Olive Garden in Idaho Falls. Unlimited Soup, Salad, and Breadsticks makes for a happy pregnant lady. We also stopped at Sam's Club to stock up on cheap items in bulk --- how romantic :)

For some reason, I was under the impression that Jake had to work on Valentines Day. Hmmm... probably because he led me to believe such a thing. He's been sick, so I felt extra bad for him and woke up early to make him raspberry pancakes before he had to go.

A few hours after he left I had a plan to go kidnap his car, clean it out, vacuum, and leave a card or something on the drivers seat. Mwa hahaha! Well as I left the house, and was driving down the road --- I saw him! His car was passing me in the other lane!? What was he up to???

So I called him on his cell, and said "are you by any chance driving at the moment?" He confessed that he was, and was on his way home. What a little sneak! I turned around (because I obviously was not going to be able to steal his car.) And when we met at home he pulled a bunch of stuff out of the back seat......

Happy Valentines Day to me! I had been thoroughly spoiled the weekend before, as well as the night before, so I had not expected  this at all. He had bough 6 white roses and added a single Red Rose to remind me that I am "not like all the others." He got me some fun balloons, and one had a monkey on it cuz I'm his "love monkey" --- (it's from a song) and then a little plush monkey as well. We named him "Frostbite" cuz he has one tan ear and one red ear. Not pictured, was also some chocolate covered, macadamia nuts "I am nuts about you" - A Cadbury chocolate bar "I cannot bury how I feel about you." and some beach scented car-fresheners "As if we were on a tropical getaway." Double, super, extra brownie points for hubby! So this is what he had been doing this morning --- not working. hahaha

 I was still going to clean out his car for him, but I kind of got out of it since he was home and we wanted to make the most of the day together! We went to a matinee movie: "The Vow" --- a very sad story, but one that really made me appreciate our life together. I really enjoyed it - Let's just say it did not make Jake's top ten list. :) He liked to make comments about all the guys in the theatre who were suffering with him for the sake of Valentines Day.

For dinner Jake grilled up some steaks, while I made loaded baked potatoes, and asparagus.For dessert, I had lots of ideas but decided I try my hand at making cake balls.

 We received some really yummy ones for Christmas, and Jake loved them - so I tried duplicate the red velvet/cream cheese variety. They were pretty simple, but awfully messy!  I dipped them in white chocolate and they tasted quite heavenly.

What a day. I was tuckered out, having had a full week of fun-loving projects and activities. But what a way to get to the point of exhaustion - Good times!

Jake--- I feel overwhelmingly blessed to have such an amazing husband. Someone to spoil me on Valentines Day, and to spend forever with of course. You make me laugh every day, and keep me on track. I love being married to you. I can't even recall a time when you have "told me off" or "complained" about something I've done. Is that even possible? ( I mean, there are times when something comes up and we both get a bit grumpy - but that doesn't usually last too long.) You always treat me so well, and do whatever it takes to make me realize that I am important to you - and I love you for that. I love that I am comfortable around you - to the point of wearing feety pajamas and being downright ridiculous in front of you. Thanks for keeping me safe. I like that you do not like hot-spicy food. That you have a big vocabulary. That you are a good listener. That you know all my secrets, and keep them. And that you wear your clothes and shoes until they literally fall apart. You are my most tangible reminder that God really, really loves me and hears my prayers. You have an amazing ability to do what is right without drawing attention to yourself. I am so proud of you all the time, and proud to be your wife. Your life accomplishments impress me, and even the things you conquer from day to day are inspiring. You're pretty much way out of my league is what I'm really trying to say here :)  Thank you for all the happiness, strength, character, and stability you bring to our relationship. I appreciate your desire to be such a good person, and the way you have taught me by example to put other people first. I value your friendship more than... more than cookie monster loves cookies! Thanks for the times you call just to say "hey" or when you call me to ask a favor - because I know that means you trust me to get your back.  I think sometimes that you are too good to be true, and I just have to pray that it stays that way and thank our Heavenly Father for putting you in my life - or me in your life - whichever. You are incredible. I want you to know that waking up to you is the best thing on the whole planet (except for maybe parfait. And also that maple bar that I am craving right now.) I want you to know that I believe in us - and since we are about to be parents, I want you to know that you are the exact person I want to experience it all with. We know that our goals to be a good Mom and Dad, and do the work that needs to be done to satisfy our ambition and conscience is going to come at a price - (For instance we will probably feel like we have been hit by a truck at the end of every day. And that will be on the good days) --- But  thank you thank you for accepting the challenges with me before we even know what they are. Do you know how much I want our son to be like you? And how much I want to learn the words to the "Two Little Boys" song now? Thank you for your steadfast belief that we are going to be together without exception. I am amazed that when we first met, you didn’t seem to be the kind of man I was interested in. What was I thinking!? I am so lucky that I snapped out of it, and that you allowed me to know you better, so I could be here with you now, in the place that we are. Your charm is quite obvious to me now - It is in your burp cloud, most definitely. Sheesh, can't believe I didn't see it before :) Seriously though, you are the best. You're so clever and likable and perfect... except for 9 or 10 things. Thanks for choosing me, and continuing to choose me every day.  I love you, and I always will. 

I am grateful for a life full of love, and am very glad that there is a holiday to focus on this virtue. To our Family, Friends, acquaintances, and everyone we will ever meet in the years yet to come --- We love ya!

"BabyMoon"

We went on a Babymoon. It's kind of like a Honeymoon only it's that trip you take before you become parents. Truly inspired genius, that's what I call it.

This last weekend Jake surprised me with a phone call and basically said "Let's go to Yellowstone tonight." Well allrighty then! It took some last minute schedule adjusting and honestly I was a bit frantic at first, but I was all about it! I called up my wonderful sister who has a Worldmark Timeshare membership. It just so happens that we could get a pretty good deal through her for a condo in West yellowstone for two nights. Sweeeet.

So before you know it, we were on our way and I was star struck happy. (Not just cheerful or extremely pleased, but star struck happy folks.) Jake really needed the break from work stuff, and I could certainly appreciate some rest and relaxation. Props to him for a PERFECT idea.

 

 It basically covered Babymoon, Valentines Day, and a badly needed vacation all in one weekend.

The first night we picked up a few groceries, ate at Big J's, then arrived at our destination. We made ourselves right at home, and watched a feel-good redbox movie: "Reel Steel" while eating apples with caramel dip!

Next morning, you guessed it.... sleep! But the room got pretty bright when the sun came through the window and prevented us from wallowing in bed for very long; which was probably a good thing.

We got up and went to "The Running Bear Pancake House" for breakfast. It was DeLIGHTFul. The smell of and warmth of the place was oh so cozy on a clear, but very cold day. I had one very large and scrumptious buttermilk pancake with a bowl of fruit on the side. Jake had french toast with eggs and bacon.

Next on the agenda (and the highlight of my stay, although it be a little silly) was SWIMMING. Oh the glorious weightlessness of the pool! I found overwhelming contentment when I immersed myself and did not have to carry the full pressure of the belly. Jake spent his time in and out of the hot-tub and almost took a nap on the lounge chair - but I drifted about in the big cool pool for the entire hour and a half. Back floats mostly, but also some lovely leg lift, and hip stretching exercises. Jake did venture into the cool pool for a bit of time, in which we invented some entertaining water sports with the floaty toys that were provided. But then back to the hot-tub he went. I will forever remember his graciousness in letting me swim as long as I wanted!

Quick shower, and on the next grand adventure: The Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center. oooooh neat! We weren't sure it was going to be worth $10 each to go inside, but we were wrong and so glad we went! The best part was it was a two day pass so we went back the next day for more! Here are a few of the pictures I took: 

Grizzly Bear playing in the snow

Wolf relaxing after chewing on some bones

 I was kind of amazed and a little freaked out how close we were able to get to all of the animals. There were secure fences and trenches between us and them, but there were times when we were only about 6-8 feet away from these guys. I am still not quite sure how I feel about it- but what an experience.

Wolf sniffing out the food the rangers had buried

HUGE Alaskan Grizzly Bear

At one of the indoor museums, one of the ladies showed us some animal skulls and different skeletons. There were some kids there who were mesmerized and it was fun to watch them handle the bones. I really enjoyed seeing all of the videos of wolf pack behavior, and learning some new things. For instance, I had never really looked at a bear paw. They had one in a case and although it seems trivial, I was intrigued that it was not like a hand with an opposable thumb. Did you ever realize that all 5 of their toes are on the top, and then they have sort of a pad down on one side that kind of resembles another toe without the claw.

I guess I always thought it was like a dog or cat where they only have the 4 pads on top. Hmmmm.

Back at the condo we relaxed for a bit before venturing out to window shop. A lot of the stores were closed for the winter, but there was still plenty to see. Good thing the candy shop was open for me! Just walking in the place was kind of magical. We indulged in a little slice of fudge,an assortment of hard candies, and some amazing chocolate covered macadamia nut clusters! Almost everything did close early though, with the exception of restaurants --- Drat, I guess we'll have to go in and eat :)

We found an awesome mom-and-pop place called Old Towne Cafe - where we ordered the biggest, most delectable Ribeye and Tbone steak that was ever cooked to perfection. I didn't get a picture, but my plate kind of looked like this:

Except my steak was BIGGER if you can believe it, and I got a mound of heavenly mashed potatoes instead of the baked potato shown - as well as steamed broccoli rather than this veggie mix. We dug a little deep in our wallet for this one, but really really worth it. No seriously, one of the best 5 meals I have had in my life.Yum yum, a thousand times yum - Could be pregnancy talking, but that doesn't mean I enjoyed it any less. And I ate the entire thing, including sides, and every scrap I could scavenge. I don't have a lot of room in my tummy because the baby is pretty big now, so I don't know where it all went!? I think Jake was totally attracted to how piggish I was ;)

And after all of that, as if we weren't stuffed to the brim, we still went and got hot chocolate at the gas station. The perfect treat in the freezing night air. We took it back to our room and watched a few episodes of whatever was on T.V. Awwww, snuggly warm relaxation.

I'm just gonna say I had a ______ time. Insert into the blank "That perfect one word that no one knows yet." Yeah, I know,  it was just Yellowstone.... weird. But those were some serious good times, and we found it to be glorious! 

Early morning workout

I have learned that it's not always easy to get motivated and get up off the couch when you're 6 months pregnant. Not to do dishes, not to do laundry, not even to fix a good meal sometimes - let alone get to the gym and stay fit! But that little voice in my head tells me that if I do a little here and there, it will be much easier later... I fall for it every time!

Well, I usually take my exercise walks in the afternoon or even late at night. I guess it takes me that long to  talk myself into it - Actually it is because that is the part of the day when I feel my best and have the most energy.

So anyway, last week I was rudely awakened with some serious ninja kicks at early hours of the morning. Don't get me wrong, it's a pretty awesome and miraculous thing having all that movement going on, but while a person is sleepy it can be pretty startling :) Our little one was doing some morning exercise himself (swimming aerobics most likely) and it seemed he was not about to calm down - So that day I decided I would fit in a morning walk and not have to worry about it later on.

As I got dressed, and caught a glimpse of my "physique" in the mirror,  I almost passed out from the shock. I suppose it was the sleepy daze I was still in, or maybe the fitted shirt, but I couldn't believe how big my belly is! It just pokes right out!

I just look down and poof there it is, and I wonder where did this come from? (Don't worry, I know where babies come from... ) I mean, I could have sworn that I was an average size person just yesterday- petite even!

It looks like I am wearing "The Belly" from that movie: Ten Things I Hate About You. You know the one I mean - where the overprotective father makes his daughter strap on a big heavy prosthetic belly so she will understand the consequences of any immoral actions. hahaha

Okay, I realize this is how it is supposed to be, and will consciously and publicly own the fact that I am HUGE. I guess I just have to figure out how to rock this belly and make it look oh so fine - How is this?

Oh well, I tried.

Camp KA-RA-RI

"Oh what do you do in the winter months, when preggy is feeling blah....Do you fish in the pond, or take time to bond, at a girls camp called Ka-Ra-Ri!? Is that what you do? So do we!"

Okay, so you probably don't don't do that, but just so you know - It comes highly recommended.

It has been quite some time since I spent some time with friends... I mean, besides my husband and without him there. I guess it is because his charm is all I really need in this world ;)  And really, I have never been known to take part in slumber parties, girls night, and the like. But guess who coordinated and hosted this event at her house!?

.... yup, it was me.

It took place on the last Saturday in January, and began when the three of us (Karri Warren, Karrianne Harris, and myself) met up at Olive Garden in Idaho Falls. Soup, Salad, Pasta, and Breadsticks - YUM.

Then on to my house where I had set up "camp" in our basement. Why indoor camping you ask? Well, I don't really know where that came from, but it sounded like a good "themed" get-away to us!

We settled right in and true to a "girls camp" experience, things got rather eventful rather quickly.

I had set up a pond (actually my blue snuggie spread out in a circular fashion) which contained a variety of paper fish. With staples in each fish, and a magnet on the end of a fishing pole, we proceeded to take turns catching these little fishies.Each one had an "Activity" on the back,  and so the pond decided our fate and the order in which we did things at camp. And oh the delights they had in store for us.

At this point, I think I will let the pictures speak for themselves - as I am found speechless and don't quite know how to explain:

Sticker Tattoos

Belly Dancing Lessons

Stand on your head while singing a camp song

Paint a mustache with yogurt and lick it off

Suck your thumb for the next 5 minutes

Hey! Macarena!

Switch pants and sing Karaoke!

 You can call us spastic, crazy, juvenile, and strange for that is how we felt --- but it's not all that strange to need a good laugh now and then, right?

So after we had completed each of our tasks (including making friendship bracelets, marshmallow target practice, decorating pillow cases, and kissing a poster???) it came down to two final fishies. It was Karrianne's turn and then mine. Since, I was the one who wrote on the fish, I knew one of the things that was left that no one had caught yet. I really did not want to be stuck with it at the end, so I hoped and hoped Karrianne would fish it out...... and she did! whew!

SMASH AN EGG WITH YOUR ARMPIT!

Who knew it would be
so painful and hard to do?

And finally, in agony, the deed was done!

Somehow Karrianne managed to get the large majority of super unfortunate tasks - must have been in honor of her Birthday! It wasn't really her birthday, but only a few weeks away and we figured it was close enough:

Mmmm.... Oreo pudding dirt cake with gummy worms!

There was some late night "girl talk", and a little clean up before we crawled into the tent for the night. Sleep Sweet my friends.....

Commemorative Pillow Case

 Morning came pretty fast, and of course we slept in, so when we finally got up and going we had Crepes for brunch! Oodles of fresh strawberries, some nutella and powdered sugar. Mmmmm, delish! I was a little preggy sick for a few hours after, but I can't tell you how good I felt in spite of it. It does a person good to be surrounded by those who we trust this much:

 Thank you THANK YOU friends for coming to camp.

"The life given us by nature is short, but the memory of a life well spent is eternal."