Weekend Update

Ah General Conference time. How I love it. Tomorrow me and Sam have no plans except wake up, sit on the couch, and eat muddy buddies. (I may have to make him his own batch so he gets some.) We aren't going to go anywhere, do anything, or help anyone tomorrow. (I know. Selfish.) Well, until the Priesthood session anyway. Then I'm off to a girls night with my mama and sister.

And speaking of weekends, last Friday night was so much fun! Sam got off work early, so we went up to the mountains to see the leaves change (even though they weren't quite as changed as I would have liked) and walked around Silver Lake. Abby was sort of grumpy, but I may or may not have gone overboard on bundling her up. Also, on the pictures. After that we got home and had a little BBQ picnic with our little family. We made brats and ate outside. It was perfect! So, Here is a much wanted picture overload of last Friday.

Gotta love Picasa.

Also, my best friend Mel FINALLY had her baby! After TWENTY hours of labor, Landon Justin Harrison was born. 9lbs, 1oz, 21 in long. They are so happy I'm sure. (haven't talked to her yet...I'm sure she is exhausted.)

Anyway, better get cleaning so that my Saturday is as lazy as I want it to be. Plus, Abby now wants my attention. Oh boy! :) Have a fantastic weekend!

PS. Notice how I sorta ruined my blog? I wanted the margins bigger. I sorta like it. Sorta don't.

Two Months

Dear Abby,
You are two months old now! I can't believe how fast this time has flown. I miss some newborn things you've grown out of, especially when you would sit like a ball on my chest. But I LOVE the new things you are are doing.

You are the most beautiful two-month old I know! Your pretty little smile can light up the room! It makes my heart melt when I see your big open mouth smile, and it's getting easier and easier to make you smile. You are starting to coo a little bit when you look at me too. You make the cutest sounds when you sleep. Your daddy and I love hearing you sleep. You snore too, which is super cute. Usually snoring drives me crazy, but when you do it, it makes me giggle.

You are starting to get a set of lungs on you. Your quiet cries are getting louder, which is a good thing. You started out so quiet that if the room was noisy, I had to look at you to see if you were crying!! You're also getting stronger. You hate tummy time, but you can move your head and hold it up sometimes!! You're almost ready to sit in your bumbo more!

You also love to be cuddled. Sometimes you'll just fuss and as soon as I pick you up, you'll cuddle into me. It makes me feel good when you just want your mama. Seeing as your daddy and I are big cuddlers, it makes sense that you would be one too.

Your daddy and I are completely smitten by you. We could stare at you all day and never get bored. You bring us so much happiness and joy! You're the best thing we've ever made! Love you Abbigale!

Love, Mommy

Seriously So Blessed!

Ok...I know. Cheesy title, but so true. Last week, Sam and I had our prayers answered. My maternity leave is almost up, which meant I would have to go back to work. This whole time, I had planned to do just that. My awesome bosses arranged my schedule so that I could work 30 hours a week in my same position. As the time was growing closer for me to go back, I just knew that I couldn't. What with commuting time to get Abby out to my sisters, getting downtown and coming home, I was looking at 8+ hours away from Abby. I know there are people that do more than that away from their babies, but I just was feeling uneasy about it. So Sam and I prayed, and prayed, and prayed, and prayed some more.

Last Wednesday I got this feeling, that seemed so unlikely that it would work out, to call the school my sisters kids go to. So Thursday I called and was pleased to find out that they were hiring and they set me up an interview for Friday. So I made a resume and went in and they practically hired me on the spot. Talk about being prompted! My mom always says that sometimes the spirit isn't logical. And this wasn't. And now look. I have a great job. I work less so I can see my baby more, and the school is REALLY close to my sister-in-law who will be taking her once a week and it's up the street from my sister. Oh and I have Friday's off, so really. It can't be better than that!

Except I do get to see these cuties all day!!

Well...4 of the 7 anyway!

It just amazes me when Heavenly Father will answer the prayers of little old me. I'm just one person in a world of millions, and yet He listened to me. And I am so thankful!

Daughter Like Daddy

Abby has seemed have inherited her daddy's sinuses. Good thing it's so much cuter when she does it. (no offense babe.) Also, forgive me for the bad camera work.

A Hot Commodity

Abby's got herself some little boyfriends already. Watch out world. This girl knows how to work it.

Labor Day

Well lookie who is helping me blog today! Can I just say that there is nothing that satisfies me more than being a mommy? I just can't get enough of this little girl! Yesterday I went swimming with my mom. It was my first time away from her for longer than a half hour since she has been born. It was nice to have some me time, but she was all I was thinking/talking about. She is 7 weeks today. I can't believe how much time has flown. I remember when I had 7 weeks left with her. Sam and I tried to watch all 7 Harry Potters. That last 7 weeks of my pregnancy DRAGGED. And now here she is, already 7 weeks old. Crazy!

Anyway, to get to the point of my blog, Labor Day. We had a fantastic Labor Day. The whole weekend was fantastic, but particularly Labor Day. It helped that Sam had an extra day home with me and Da Abbinator, (said in best Arnold impression). We met my family up in Logan. My whole family! It has been a long time since all of us could be together on a holiday. My parents treated us all to The Bluebird, a family favorite restaurant first discovered when my sister and brother-in-law went to school at USU. And guess what we all got? The Bluebird Chicken of course. Well, except Sam. He decided to be different and got the 6oz sirloin. What a chump. Doesn't he know the whole reason to eat at the Bluebird is for said chicken? Anywho, after lunch we went to a pretty park with a small lake. The kids played in the water and us adults just relaxed. Abby had a great time being snuggled by Grammy. We then went to a real park where the kids all played on the toys.

Notice her 'thumbs up' pose?

That night when we got home we just relaxed and got ready for the new week. Holidays are always so nice. Even if it is the last holiday of the summer. This summer was on my Top 5 list of best summers ever, and I'm sad for it to be over. But I am looking forward to the next few months!

Shred It!

One day, as I was wasting time blog-stalking, I came across a blog where the girl was doing Jillian Michaels 30 day shred. And I got a hair-brained idea to do it. So, seeing as both me and the husband are not at our ideal weight, he agreed to do it with me!

I quickly ordered it and we made a goal to start today. So last night we got ourselves a scale to keep track of our weight loss, and I also measured myself. And this morning, i did it. (Sam will be doing it in a few minutes) And it was death. But good death. Even though I am starting to feel like I won't be able to pick up Abby, I think it's going to be a great 30 days.

Abbigale's Blessing

Today we blessed Abby. It was beautiful. Sam gave such a sweet blessing. I am so thankful for him and the priesthood he holds. Sam was pretty nervous to give the blessing, but I think it was absolutely perfect. The best part was a sweet lady in my ward, Sister Coon who I serve in the primary with (she is the president) wrote down the blessing for us. So sweet of her and I'm so happy to have it!

Abby looked beautiful! She wore the blessing dress my sister and I wore. I loved that she could do that. The cute little bow on her head is compliments from my friend Angela. I loved dressing her up for her special day. She is like the dolls I had when I was little....only a LOT cuter. Oh and real.

Unfortunately, I didn't take hardly any pictures.  We had the luncheon at our home, and seeing as it was the first time we had a huge group of people there, I was playing hostess/running around nervous like. So I forgot to more pictures, but I did take a few at the end. The food, in my humble opinion, was delicious. We had biscuits and gravy, some coffee cakes and breakfast breads, fruit, juice and chocolate milk, and some hash browns. (I think that was all) I was a little hesitant of having biscuits and gravy, but they turned out to be a hit. Thanks to my brother for making the main dish and thanks to everyone else for all the help in supplying the food. We still have lots of biscuits and gravy if anyone wants any!

This collage turned out WAY better than my last. I learned how to use Picasa.

My niece Alyssa got baptized yesterday, So the first picture is of the two of the beauty's in their white clothes. The rest are just pictures I quickly took when I realized I forgot to take anymore. Thankfully though, more pictures will soon be coming of us and Abby thanks to my brother-in-law Tracy. He is going to take family pictures for us tomorrow with her in her blessing dress. And perhaps more pictures too.

Anyway, it was a great day for a blessing. Thanks to everyone that came. It meant so much to us!

Platform Nine and Three Quarters

Ah. It's here. September the 1st. As I walked out the door to take Sam to the train station today, I thought of another train station I am familiar with. King's Cross Station and Platform 9 3/4. Now you might be thinking, "what does a great muggle like yourself know about Platform 9 3/4?" Well, that would be a good question if, well, I was a muggle. Crookshanks is out of the Sorting Hat. Yes, I am a wizard.

I remember when I first got my letter telling me I was a witch. Mum and Dad were so proud! We had a witch in the family! And a thumpin' good one at that, for a witch from the USofA to be accepted to Hogwarts instead of the one in America "Academy of Magic". Really? With a name like that it's quite laughable. Anywho, we started to prepare to make the trip to England. After setting things up with the Ministry of Magic, we were able to catch a Portkey from Utah to New York, where we had a slight lay over before we could catch a fireplace to Diagon Alley. Let me tell you, my first experience with Floo Powder was not a fun one. Take Harry's first experience and times it by two and that was mine. The worst.

Diagon Alley was the best family vacation we were ever on. We spent the week enjoying the 'hot spots' in there; riding the wild cart rides in Gringotts, going to Madam Malkin's to get my robes, Ollivander's for the wand, we visted the Eeylopes Owl Emporium to get me an owl, ate frequently at the Leaky Cauldron, and my daddy bought me a Nimbus 2000 at the broom store as a congratulations gift. (only to find out later first years weren't allowed brooms. Thankfully, since we were an American muggle family, Dumbledore looked past this and let me keep it. Later, I became one of his favorite students.)

Then September 1st came, the day to board on the Hogwarts Express. That morning was full of emotion: excitement, worry, sadness. After a tearful goodbye to my family, I was on the train and on my way to my future. (Thankfully meeting who is now my BFF Mel Harrison. I could not have made it without her. Another story for another time)

After that first ride, I came to really look forward to the long train ride to Hogwarts. Getting "anything from the trolley", chasing Nevilles frog up and down the halls, playing Exploding Snap and Wizards Chests, and swapping frog cards. Making friends and memories. No teachers to say nothing. Our last freedom before school. (which I also loved) Oh September 1st! Thanks for the fond memories.

Perhaps this little munchkin will take after her mummy. Till we know for sure, I'll keep her on the up and up about this life. (ya, like I'd write a blog post and not mention her or include a picture)