Friday, November 20, 2015

Our St. George get away

My family owns a time share condo in St. George, and we are able to go down about once a year. So when the opportunity came up months ago for a short vacation last month, we were definitely in. The closer it got, I wondered if we should go as money is tight (thanks to poor sick Madalyn and the hospital bills this summer) but we decided we really needed a vacation and this was pretty much the cheapest one to go on. Also, it would be just us and my parents, which yes it would have been fun with the whole family there, but we got the whole basement of the condo to ourselves, which was really nice, especially considering we all already had a hard enough time sleeping down there.

So on Wednesday the 21st after Sam got home from work, we loaded the car and headed down. The trip down was terrible at first. Abby is terrified of the dark lately and started crying that she wanted to go home as we were right outside Provo, even being distracted with a movie. She did this on and off for a while, and seeing as Madalyn loves to copy Abby, she started it up too. Finally I remembered about some glow sticks Grandma Nonie gave us that I was saving specifically for the dark trip, and that calmed them down both immediately. The rest of the drive down went pretty smoothly, only having to stop in Beaver for a potty/run break. We got to the condo about 10:30 or 11, but our wired kids were up sooo late. Abby and I fell asleep about 1, but Sam and Madalyn were up til about 2.

The next day, we decided to keep it pretty chill, seeing as our kids were exhausted. We had breakfast at Blackbear Diner. After blackbear, we went back to the condo and put the girls down for a nap. Madalyn wouldn't go nicely so I rocked her, and it was the best!! After some resting, my mom and I ran to get some groceries (that was the worst. 2 hours gone!) After shopping we had some dinner, and then went to our own parts of the condo for the night (except the times abby and maddie were up bugging my mom and dad!)

Friday morning we decided to head to Zion National Park; my favorite place! We all drove in our car so my dad could use his perks of being old and get us in for free. We drove through the tunnels, had a fun picnic lunch, and then took the shuttle up to the River Walk for our hike of the day. My girls were troopers on the way up...slow troopers who just wanted to explore, but hey, that is being a kid right?? It took us 45 minutes to walk the mile to the Narrows. Once there, the girls threw rocks in the water for a bit and we headed down. Sam had Madalyn on his back and my dad carried a very gabby Abby on his shoulders who told him all about the water cycle. According to her, the water goes into the mud at night to sleep, and then wakes up in the morning to keep flowing. It only took us about 20-25 minutes to hike down. After that we were all exhausted so we decided to head back to St. George, grabbing some pizza on the way there. That night we watched movies. It was another later night, and we didn't sleep well once again.

Because of our lack of sleep, we decided to forgo our plans to go to Snow Canyon and just hang around St. George. After a very late start to our morning, we ate our lunch and headed to the park. Abby was acting kind of blah, but I chalked it up to her being exhausted...until about 45 minutes into playing she ran up to where I was sitting and the poor thing threw up. So, we ended our day out and went back for naps and my sweet parents went and got her some sprite and saltines. After her nap she seemed to be doing a lot better, but threw up at the dinner table again that night. We then cuddled the rest of the night and went to bed early...ish. (compared to the other days anyway.)

The next morning, Sunday, it was time to pack up and go home. That was the best nights sleep we all got, and Abby was thrilled she didn't throw up in the middle of the night. We slowly packed up our things and left about 2 to head home. The trip home wasn't terrible. We stopped in Fillmore to get our wiggles out at the Maverick park and then drove the rest of the way home, Madalyn was super unhappy and just wanted out. But we made it home by about 6:30 and the girls were so happy to get out of their seats. Abby was so happy to be home that she hugged the house. I am not really sure what was up with her the trip (besides not feeling well, which is never fun to be sick outside the home) but she weirdly was anxious to get home the whole time. At one point she was saying how much she missed our basement and her bed (and my bed.) Sunday night she threw up one more time, but thankfully we were home and we all slept amazing in our own beds.

It was a very nice get away though, despite the few hangups. I'm so glad we were able to have a cheap get away that we all needed to have very much!! Thanks mom and dad for having us tagalongs!! 

Monday, November 16, 2015

Because I need a little Christmas this year.

Every year when the Holidays start, I am very adamant about waiting for all things Christmas until Thanksgiving Day. That is, until this year. I started listening to Christmas music and watching Christmas movies last week, and I couldn't be happier.

You see, 2015 has been one of the hardest years to date. Lice, a broken arm, flues, a hospital stay, a very, very hard pregnancy, more Madalyn sick scares, and financial struggles. It seems like something went wrong on all the fun holidays this year and we had to miss out. I know, sounds like 1st world boo hoo problems. But its enough to wear on a person.

I guess I'm also wanting to start celebrating now in case something else happens and we miss Christmas. At least we had a full 2 months celebrating right? And, I haven't been in the happiest state of mind lately, with a dark cloud always hanging over my head, and Christmas music and movies bring me happiness and excitement, so why the heck not, right?

So, with the season approaching, Christmas means the end of the year, a fresh year that will hopefully be better, and a brand new baby to boot.  So to all you anti-Christmas celebrators til after Thanksgiving, I say to you this year, Bah-humbug. Or something like that. 

Thursday, November 5, 2015

Pregnancy Update: 3rd Trimester Baby!!

Week: 30 Weeks!!! Yahoo!!! This pregnancy has been by far my hardest and to think I only have 10 MORE WEEKS LEFT is reason to celebrate. So that's where my nap will come in this afternoon. :)

Size of Baby: A Butternut squash, or about 17 in, and 3.1lbs.

Movement: Kid be cray cray. He is getting so strong. I don't remember being as surprised by some of his movements as I was with my girls. However, he is also already proving to be a stinker (in Tappana fashion) by stopping as soon as I try to get the girls or Sam to look at my belly going crazy or feeling it. Little punk.

What I've been eating: My friend Stacy made a scrumptious Tomato Basil soup at the Halloween party we went to Saturday night and I literally couldn't get enough soup + grilled cheese sandwiches. Holy crap. So good. Also, Tuesday I just HAD to have a meatball sub from Subway. Two very heartburn causing meals, but worth it. Other than that, I still despise food, especially if I have to make it. My poor husband and kids. Abby rejoices when we go to eat out because she knows she doesn't have to eat moms crap food. Anyone else turn into an awful cook while pregnant? Mind you, I'm not that awesome anyway, but when I'm pregnant its even worse, probably because I dry heave the whole time. In 10 weeks, I'm giving myself the week after Andy is born to seriously just oink anything and everything!!!

How I've been feeling: Same old same old. Not fantastic, and heartburn all the time. All. The. Time. I can't wait until I feel 100% good. Man, come on these next 10 weeks. Hurry!!!

Best Moment of the week: Honestly, this week has been really, really hard. Not my favorite. The kids haven't been adjusting to the time change well or something and we have been having a hard time with not wanting to go to bed and not listening. Also, Maddie was sick this past weekend, which figures it would happen on a weekend I've been looking forward to for months, but she just has not been well and has not eaten. Like, I can count on one hand the things she ate Tuesday, and that is how she started out before she went to the hospital. So, there have been lots of tears on my part. Well yesterdat, she ate a whole banana and drank all her instant breakfast for breakfast and for lunch I decided to let the kids have Wendys. Madalyn ate almost all of her nuggets and most her fries. And then as we were watching a movie she ate 2 string cheeses, a sandwich, a banana, and some waffle. I know it doesn't seem like a big deal, but seeing her eat, when just this past weekend she was refusing EVERYTHING calmed my worried heart so much! I am so relieved and some of the stress is gone. Now I feel like I can better handle all the other changes the girls are all the sudden putting me through!

What I'm looking forward to: I can't wait til Thanksgiving, even though I'm not dying of excitement over the food this year. (boo) but I love, love, love the Holiday so much!!! But I'm also looking forward to Christmas time. Which, despite my rules of waiting until Thanksgiving for all my Christmas needs, I find myself hoping I hear a Christmas song on the radio and I even snuck watched 12 Dates of Christmas as I cleaned the house earlier this week. Don't judge. I'm pregnant and I have all the feels.