Today

Today started out as a crappy no good terrible day.

We were starting out on day 3 with no internet. (tons of phone calls that got me no where and 73 hours later, it was back up)

My phone was being retarded

The downstairs sink is clogged

My shower was cold

The tub doesn't drain too fast either

I was exhausted

I wasn't feeling good

And my new haircut isn't how I wanted it. (not my hairstylists fault. My hairs is just dumb.)

And I just am pregnant so all this was making me cry.

But then I decided McDonalds was a delicious choice for lunch. And I ate the large combo. All of it.

And then after lunch I put on Dumb and Dumber and snuggled with Abby.

And then suddenly, the day got better.

Memorial Day Weekend

This weekend was really a great one. It's always nice to have long weekends. I always thought when I became a stay at home mom, which now I practically am working only Wed-Fri nights, (I become officially a full time stay at home mom on June 17th!) that the holiday coming to an end would be easy. I was wrong. I always have a hard time the day after such a fun time. However, if everyday were a holiday, it wouldn't make them as great.

Friday night we went and got ourselves a double stroller. We are both so anxious to start using it. 3 more months is all!!!! Saturday was spent weeding, lesson planning, a BBQ at my brothers, and then watching Jack Reacher and starting Arrested Development that night. Sunday was more Arrersted Development and a birthday party BBQ for my niece Emery. She is now 3! Monday was an early morning breakfast up at Storm Mountain with my family, relaxing in the cool mountain air while my nieces and nephew kept Abby entertained, having a delicious BBQ at the same place and then heading home for showers and Wheeler Farm for dinner with Brigham, Kari, Jake, and the kids. It was fantastic.

Abby had so much fun yesterday and was a trooper even though she didn't get a real nap. She was out nice and early (for her) at bedtime. Sam and I were super tired too and zonked out by 11.

Now for some pictures!

Pouting before we left. She is NOT a morning person.

Playing on the Toys

Pouting on the stairs because she didn't want me to come over. Sad right?

We are due about a month apart.

So tired

So dirty

Wheeler Farm

Hope everyone had a great Holiday! And a big thank you to those in the Services, past and present.

Life's Little Notes

Dear Fruitloops, you are so delicious, but too bad you aren't more filling. Or more healthy.

Dear Abby, stop biting your tongue when you chew. It can't feel good. 

Dear Seven Peaks, thanks for opening this weekend. This achy pregnant gal needs some pool time. 

Dear Madalyn, I am so glad I am able to officially call you my baby girl. 

Dear Self, you only have 9 more working days and then you are done. You can do it.

Dear Money, lets figure out a better way to budget you.

Dear Slurpees, thanks for being a staple in this pregnancy. 

Dear Sam, thanks for always buying me said slurpees. Hurry home so we can get another.

Dear Bff8, have a great move back to Vegas; the day you have been looking forward to for MONTHS!

Dear Heartburn, you're annoying.

Dear Weekend, thank you for being a long one. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Pregnancy Update: We really are having a girl!

Well, it's been a while since I've done a pregnancy update. In fact, I think I've only done 1 maybe two? Anyway, thought it was about time to do one.

28 weeks with Abby

27 weeks with Madi

How far along: I am now 6 months along-27 weeks to be exact. I had my appointment Tuesday and I already start the two week appointments. Blew my mind!

Gender: Officially a GIRL!!! We had a second ultrasound today and it was so fun to see a more developed baby! She was so active, playing with her toes and wiggling. We got a good shot of her profile and I'm pretty sure she has my nose, just like Abby. Can't wait to meet little Madalyn!

Weight gained: I started out really good-losing 8 lbs. Well, I am not as sick as I was with Abby and it has shown. I stayed at only gaining 5 pounds after losing the 8 for so long because I was so sick and now I am up to 16. I personally don't think it's bad or anything, it just shot up really fast!

How I'm feeling: With Abby, I was throwing up at least once a week the WHOLE TIME! With this one, the last time I threw up was over a month ago. I feel pretty decent most of the time, minus the heartburn. I still get nauseous most days, but it doesn't last all day. Usually a nap will help. I am also getting more growing pains this time around, but nothing I can't handle.

Cravings: Although I'm feeling better, food is still enemy number 1. I dislike most meat, especially if I make it. Monday I made chicken nuggets and couldn't even eat them. Gagged hardcore. And anytime we go out to eat it takes me FOREVER to decide what sounds decent. However, I could have a slurpee everyday if it were possible. I love cereal, currently Fruit Loops, and I am a big fan of meat sandwiches. Homemade-not from Subway. I hate Subway.

Funny Moment of the Day: When Sam and I got to the hospital today for the ultrasound, on our way to sit down I, in my famous loud voice, announced to Sam "I got gas." Thankfully, Sam made sure to clarify for the people who overheard my loud voice and said: "in the car?" Only then did I realize what I did. "yes. In the car." Maybe you had to be there, but it was hilarious. Also, When we were back with the ultrasound tech, I told her my bladder was super full. She said that it wasn't so full as there just isn't much room anymore. Sam jokingly "yeah, you don't really have to pee." Apparently the tech was some sort of feminist and thought that was really rude and reprimanded him for not having sympathy for me.

What I'm looking forward to: Summer festivities starting with Memorial Day weekend this weekend! Food (if i can eat it) BBQs, mountains, sleep. Oh and not having to go to work Memorial Day night like I had to last year. I can go home after the days fun and just go to bed. Yay!

4 years

Today is Sam and my 4 year anniversary. I can't believe I fell in love with this guy when I was just 15 years old. We went to the same Jr. High, but never talked. It was only after we started dating that I remember specific things about this boy in Jr. High I had never met. I remember seeing his name on the talent show sign up next to the talent of "spitting milk out of my eye." I remember hearing his name at promotion practice and seeing him walk across stage, stop by the stairs, and walk down the isle right past where I was sitting. I remember him at the seminary water party moments before taking the picture that changed our lives.

The next year we met and became best friends, and I was smitten. Through high school, different boyfriends/girlfriends, hard times, and a mission and college, 4 years ago today we were sealed for time and all eternity. Best decision of my life. 

And now here we are now with a home, and 1 and 1/2 kids, and I'll venture to say we are more in love then ever.

Samuel James, thanks for being the perfect guy for me. I could not ask for anything better. Life really would be incomplete without you.

I love you to the moon. Happy Anniversary.

St. George-Part 2

Friday we decided to head to Zion National Park. I for one can't go to St. George and not go to Zion. So, after our once again awful breakfast, we got ready and packed up a picnic lunch and headed out.

Parking there was nuts. Once we finally found a spot, Sam and I ate our lunch, Abby ran around refusing to eat. There was just too much for her to explore. Our picnic was beautiful and sunny.

After lunch, we got on the bus and started to head up to our first hike, Emerald Pools. Abby loved the bus, and kept repeating it over and over again. She was so good on it and kept people entertained with her cuteness.

 It started to drizzle on the bus, but not much. So after a potty break for me (of course) we headed up to Emerald Pools. It's not a terribly hard hike, but there are some steep parts. I had to go a little slow, but for the most part I think this 6 month pregnant gal did great.

 On the way up, the little drizzle of rain that started on the bus got harder and harder. We stopped at the first pool and waited for it to let up a bit.

Yeah, getting quite big.

 When we thought it had let up enough, we started down. However, it got harder and harder. It was pretty fun...for me and Sam anyway. Abby was miserable and eventually fell asleep to make it easier on herself. We were soaked by the time we made it back down to the lodge. Seriously, it was so fun! However, we do wish it would have been closer to when we were about to leave. We spent the rest of the trip pretty cold.

Zonnked out

Soaking wet!

 After letting Abby nap for a bit and letting the pregnant lady rest, we decided to hit the Weeping Rock hike. Its a very short hike, but pretty steep. So beautiful though.

We were going to hit up the River Walk after, but seeing as we were both already wet and cold and Abby (and me truthfully) had had enough, we decided to call it a day and start making our way back.

Like I said, as fun as the rain was, it did put a damper on our Zions trip. I wanted to stay there much longer to get our monies worth. Oh well. Can't win them all.

On the way home we got some sandwiches at Blimpie and went back to the hotel to eat. Sam then to Abby to her beloved park while I stayed in and read. That night after we got some snowcones, once again we just chilled.

The next morning at 7am we were awoken to Abby standing up in her pack-n-play yelling 'mama.' I tried to ignore her, but she just got louder. So I got her in our bed and turned on some cartoons. After our last gross breakfast, we got ready and packed up and checked out.

Abby obviously was sad our vacation was almost over.

On the way home, we stopped at the park one last time so Abby could get her wiggles out. While there, I totally saw another couple that I really wanted to become friends with. I mean, seriously, they were exactly like us. Both Sam and the guy were wearing basketball shorts. The girl and I both had blue on and get this-she was pregnant too. They had a little boy about Abby's age. They even had the same car as us. Alas, we didn't work out. But it would have been cool right?

The perfect couple friends. Maybe they ignored our similarities because they saw how creepy I was being...

Abby was really sad we left the park. She was also really tired and fell asleep even before we got out of St. George. She was a trooper the whole ride home. We only stopped once in Nephi and we only stayed for maybe 15 minutes. She got fussy in Provo, but singing Twinkle Twinkle helped her. She really didn't start to get mad until we got off the freeway for home. What a good little girl we have! Sure, she wasn't very good the rest of the night, but we got the traveling done.

I am really glad we were able to get away even if it was just a few days. I wish everyday could be a vacation, but then I suppose if that was the case it wouldn't be as cool.

St. George-Part 1

You know when you look forward to something for months and then BAM it comes and goes so quickly you feel like you just blinked? Yeah, that is how our little family vacation was last week. But it was just what the doctor ordered.

We...well mostly me, decided we should leave on May 8th? Why? Well for one, hotel rates are cheaper during the week. And also because I had scheduled a dentist appointment for that morning and I wanted something to look forward to after. Going to the dentist doesn't usually get to me, but it was a cleaning and a cavity filling, and where I have been so gaggy with being pregnant, I just wanted to have something to look forward to when it was over. And it worked. I spent all of the previous night and that morning packing and getting ready so we were basically good to go as soon as I got home.

We had a few errands to run once we left the house, but then after gassing up and eating Wendy's, we hit the road. Abby fell asleep almost immediately,  but then woke up when we had to take a pit stop in Provo. However, she was really great until about Fillmore, where we decided to get out and let her play at a little park we found at a Maverick rest-stop.

For the rest of the drive, Abby was a champ. She got a little upset for a while, but then fell asleep til we got to the hotel.

Our hotel was pretty gross actually. Sam and I stayed there 2 years ago and didn't notice how gross it was then. I guess having a baby makes you realize things. Seriously, after her bath one night I noticed her feet were dirty. Yeah...it was the floor. But hey for $35 a night, I guess you get what you pay for.

Wednesday night we didn't really do much. We got some dinner, I went and grabbed a few groceries, and then we just relaxed. I read in the bath, (and Abby fell head first in it playing with my bubbles) Sam watched his awesome boring food shows and Abby just ran amuck. She loved being free of the car. We were going to swim, but the crappy pool was closed. Again, whatever. You get what you pay for.

The next morning after our mediocre free hotel breakfast (stale fruit loops and waffles), we deiced to spend the day right in St. George. We didn't want to travel too far with Abby. She did so good...we didn't want to push it.

Our first stop of the day was at Skyline Drive. Yeah. We stayed there for MAYBE 10 minutes. It is NOT the place for an independent almost 2 year old that doesn't realize falling off a cliff will kill you. She didn't want to be held or even hold our hand for the most part. So we skipped the famous picture up on the rock with the Temple in the background. Yeah, wasn't going to chance taking her up there.

After we left, we decided to find a park for her to play at. After that, all she asked for the whole time was the park

It was such a fun park, because not only did they have swings, which are her very favorite things in the world, but they also had 2 playgrounds. One for the bigger kids and one for Abby sized kids. Therefore, this mama had less of a heart-attack when she would climb on the toys by herself.

After the park, we went back to the hotel, ate our lunch, and then all zonked out for about two hours. It was so nice!

When we woke up we decided to go walk around the temple for a bit and then hit Chili's up for dinner. It was a good thing our dinner was free because as if my baby knew how much I was looking forward to it, I got sick and couldn't eat but a bite of my steak. Needless to say, I had ice cream and cereal for dinner that night.

 That night we just took it easy. We walked to a Maverick to get wiggles out of Abby and to get my poor sick tummy some Sprite. We put Abby on a little toy as well that she absolutely hated, (video coming soon). and then we just relaxed. I bathed, this time Abby didn't fall in the tub with me, Sam watched TV and Abby just had fun being a kid.

\This day of hanging out around St. George was just what we all needed. It was our favorite day. Not having a set schedule or anything. Just hanging out together as a family.

Stay tuned for part 2 of our amazing get away!