The O'Connor Family

Happy Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T00:01:00.001-07:00

Happy Valentine's Day to the best daddy and sweetest husband in the world. You are the best thing that could have ever happened to me (along with Bos) and I love and adore you SO much. Becoming a daddy has made you an even better man than you were before, and it's a very attractive thing :). I'm sad that you have to be away this year, but Boston and I are obviously thinking of you!

As for me this year- this little guy is my stand-in Valentine while daddy is away making that money :)

5 months old

2012-01-31T10:58:00.001-07:00

Little man,

I can't believe we're at 5 months already! You are the funniest kid I know...life with you gets better everyday!

At 5 months you're:

Still not very mobile...which I love- haha
SO chubby (wear 6-9 month clothes- even some 12 month clothes)
You're starting to sit up pretty well (not on your own yet without falling forward)
You want everything mom is holding/eating/drinking
You do so well when we go anywhere- even church!
Take naps every hour and a half to two hours- anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour
You go to sleep in your crib next to mommy, then we move you into our bed once you wake up to eat
You get whiny whenever I put you on the floor now, you love it when mommy is holding you
Scared of the vacuum or anything else loud (I miss the newborn days when you liked those noises)
You LOVE daddy, he can always make you smile
You're giggling- woohoo!
LOVE to yell, mostly at the tv or the light
You'll stand on mommy's lap and coo to get dad's attention or the kitty too
If mama says, "Mamamamama" long enough you'll copy me :)
You love smoochies...or I tell myself that you do, you get like a thousand an hour, it's a little overwhelming I'm sure
You are so smiley every time you wake up- I always sing "Good morning to you" when you wake up whether it's morning or not

You're our best friend and we're so thankful you are in our lives!

XOXO
Mommy

My little sweetheart

2012-01-25T14:26:00.000-07:00

My little guy is getting SO big! It's been so much fun watching him grow and change. He's such a blessing...5 more days until I have a 5 month old! :)

Little giggle

2012-01-20T15:01:00.001-07:00

I apologize for the inappropriate clothing I'm sporting....Boston decided to giggle right before mom took a shower. :)

Husband Project

2012-01-18T13:38:00.000-07:00

LOVE this book. 21 days of doing sweet things on purpose for your husband. Highly recommended! :)

....also highly recommended :)

Having a baby after placement

2012-01-06T09:14:00.000-07:00

This may be offensive to some- and maybe things didn't come out exactly like I meant them/how I feel- but take it for what it is.

I was inspired to write this after seeing it on my favorite adoption blog. I've also been meaning to jot down some stuff since Boston was born having to do with this. For me the birth of Boston/raising Boston has been completely different than those first 6 weeks I had with Kennedy. I think the experience with Kennedy has shaped the type of mother I'm becoming, and I'm eternally grateful for that. I want to say first off that the difference of experience doesn't mean I love Kennedy any less than Boston, but it is definitely different. My feelings towards her were nothing like my feelings towards Boston, and I think that's okay- although I've definitely had to come to terms with that and why that is. I'm sure that being a single mom, having the wrong priorities and not being ready to be pregnant had a lot to do with this- but I've never treasured something so much as I do being a mommy...and I think placing a baby for adoption made me SO much more grateful for this sweet blessing. I am so thankful that Heavenly Father allowed me this second chance at being a mother. I regret that I wasn't smart the first time around- but I am deeply grateful that it made me grow up and realize that doing stupid things could have life changing consequences, and that forever changed me. I don't think what I did by having a baby when I wasn't prepared was fair- and I am okay with the fact that a lot of people don't agree with my decisions. I am thankful that I believe in a loving Heavenly Father and I am grateful that Kennedy has the most loving family possible and I am trying to right my wrongs and become the best person possible.

When Kennedy was born the experience was rather overwhelming/shocking/terrifying to be honest. I don't remember too much, besides thinking she might die/I might die (which may be a bit overdramatic- but I had no idea what was going on)...with everyone rushing around me. Lots of tears were cried- and I do remember the moment she cried and my mom saying, "She's okay, she's alright". I remember the anesthesiologist holding my hand and talking me through my emergency c-section and my tears. He was so sweet. I remember the pain that came afterwards- when they were pushing on my stomach. I remember my family and close friends surrounding me. I remember the anxiety I had in the hospital- every time they'd want me to come to the nicu to feed her. I have felt guilty for the way I felt in the hospital, but I couldn't control it. Every time they would call me- I would wish they weren't calling because I was SO scared. I had NO idea what I was doing when I was trying to feed her- and I would just constantly cry and think I was a horrible mother. My family only left my side once at the hospital...all I wanted was for my mom to come back...I was SO lucky I had so much help. I loved Kennedy- but I was in a fog that I don't think allowed me to REALLY love her like you should love your baby. I think I had shut something off in myself- because I knew I wasn't ready. I wasn't me at all. Those first six weeks were the hardest weeks of my life. I remember sitting in the lazy boy trying to rock her to sleep, crying and trying to sing church songs through my tears. I have never felt so undeserving, so unprepared. I felt like I couldn't comfort her, I couldn't do anything right.

When I look at Boston, there is no way I could let him go. We were ready for Boston, we planned for him for a long time. Just looking at him can bring me to tears of happiness. I don't believe I have ever felt such unconditional love. I want nothing for him but the best- I don't want him to cry, I don't want him to hurt, I don't ever want to let him go. I want him to be my best friend forever. I already ache when I think about him going on a mission or getting married because I feel like I can't be apart from him. Everything he does makes me so proud. Knowing he loves me, he recognizes me...is the best feeling in the world. When he cries from his shots- and he stops when I pick him up- that's a feeling that can't be replaced. I don't feel like a bad mom with Boston, I feel confident.

Being able to hand Kennedy to a couple and knowing they were her parents and I was taking that title away from myself, I can't fathom how I was able to do that. I know it's because it was the right thing to do. I have heard from so many people, "I could never do something like that- I could never give my baby away," I get that. I get that with every part of me. I get that every time I look at my sweet little Boston. But when it's the right thing- when you know deep down that you can't be who you need to be for them, you do what you have to do. Being in such a bad place emotionally was probably the thing that helped me have the strength to do it. If I had Kennedy now- you couldn't pry her from me no matter how hard you tried.

Kennedy isn't mine. I'm not Kennedy's mom. Maybe that would make some people angry to hear- that I "handed" my mom title away...but in my eyes- her mom is the one who deserves it. Her mom loves her and gives her what I couldn't at the time...and I'm okay with that. When I see her- I feel happy because I know how she feels, because I felt that same way towards my mom and dad. She's HAPPY- and she deserves to be. Someday she'll sit down with me and want to know everything, and I'm sure at some point she might be angry...that's also okay. Whatever relationship she wants with me down the line I'll have to accept- because I've given her that option. I remember when I was talking with my bishop at one point- and he said that there would be a hole in my heart forever if I placed her for adoption- but that over time little things/people/experiences would make their way into that hole. The hole would never be completely mended- but little things could fill parts of it- and it's the truth.

I have come to a point in my life/a point in this "process" that I understand the anger that some have towards adoption- towards birth mothers. I understand that what I did doesn't deserve to be applauded or praised- I chose to get pregnant...so now the hurt I feel/the loss is something I brought upon myself. Did I make the best decision by placing her for adoption? Absolutely.

My Boston is my life. I feel like he's made my heart 100 times larger. Everything I do now, I do for him. My world revolves around his needs.

There has definitely been some guilt in the way I feel towards him in comparison to the way I felt towards Kennedy as a baby- I just have to remind myself that I can't change what happened- and that if my experience with adoption has made me a better mom, I can be okay with that. I put the extra love that I have towards her- towards him.

I cherish every second with him. I am okay being up all night if I have to, I'm okay waking up every morning at 5, because I get to keep him. I get to be the mom and wife I always dreamed of being. I get to teach him everything, I get to mold him into a great man. I waited 5 years to have another baby, consciously, because I wanted to be ready- I wanted every part of me to be happy about him- I didn't want to resent any part of motherhood. I can truly say I waited the perfect amount of time. I don't think I can ever put into words how much I love being a mom. Sure, sometimes it's hard, sometimes I feel like I don't measure up to the "perfect" mom- but the rewards that have come with it have put any difficulty to shame.

I may spoil my little boy, I may respond to every cry, I may give him everything he wants and then smother him with more...but he deserves it.

Laying on that table the day Boston was born I got to see my husband's face when he saw our little boy for the first time. I saw my husband turn into a father that day- and I have fallen more and more in love with him everyday as he grows into the most amazing man I could dream of. I know my little boy loves me, I know he knows I'm his mama, and to be honest- I'm one freakin' proud mama.

4 months old

2012-01-01T16:11:00.001-07:00

Gus Gus-

You're FOUR months old! I still can't believe it. I feel like I blinked...and here we are. You have so much personality...and all of it is absolutely adorable. You're chunky and squishy and so so happy- you NEVER cry (unless we're taking a million pictures of you at your blessing- or I'm not feeding you fast enough), and mama loves that about you :).

Stats:

Wearing 6-9 month clothes comfortably
Been in size 3 diapers since you were 3 months old
Sleep a total of about 10-11 hours a night, still wake up to nurse occasionally, but only for about 5 minutes
You roll from side to side constantly, but can't figure out how to roll ALL the way over yet
You love fart noises...ironic
You can finally sit in your bumbo- which is nice since those thighs won't last much longer in there
You LOVE the tv. Especially Bubble Guppies or anything on Disney Jr.
You love trying to shove your whole hand in your mouth
You only take about 5 minutes to eat, and will usually only eat on one side during a feeding (super convenient)
Napping every hour and a half to two hours, going to bed in your crib next to our bed then I move you over to our bed once you wake up around 3 or 4 :)
Daddy blessed you on 12/31/11...and you did a great job!

Stats:
18 lbs (90th percentile)
27 inches long (98th percentile)
has thrush & a cold...and got shots...but you're still an insanely happy boy! :)

Gus does Christmas

2011-12-26T21:21:00.000-07:00

We had a VERY Merry Christmas. Lots more pictures to come...but I thought I'd post a couple while I had the chance (and yep, they're all of Boston) :).

Just a little captivated by the presents...

Loves his Sophie...highly recommended for anyone with a baby!

Let's be honest...his favorite thing was my arm, he didn't need presents

Classic "Gus" face (that's his nickname). Love that chunk.

Christmas Day nap on Grandma's bed...love it.


Mommy & babe

As I said...more to come!

Baby (and mommy) Must Have List

2011-12-21T13:33:00.003-07:00

This is obviously different for everyone, but here is my baby must have list (so far):

Fisher Price Snug-A-Bunny bouncer (they also have a Little Lamb one). Pretty much every store sells these- and they are amazing. They bounce/vibrate/have tons of sounds. This is the only way I got anything done around the house for the first 2 months.

Oh hiiii breast saver! Haha. For those few days that breastfeeding is REALLY hurting, these are so so great. Just trust me. I trust the Lansinoh lotion and I wasn't huge on it (it was sticky and annoyed me)- but these you could just wear like breast pads and they were so cooling and wonderful. TMI?

Gas drops- also a lifesaver. We tried the Little Tummies kind, but Boston hated the flavor, so we went the Wal-Mart brand route and it worked great. He got these drops ALL the time for the first while until his tummy calmed down a bit.

Huggies are the only brand of diapers I've absolutely loved so far. I especially loved the Lil Snugglers- he'd still be in them if he fit (haha). They are SO soft. Diapers are totally a personal preference depending on the baby, but for Bos these have worked great so far.

Little guy has had a constant stuffy nose this winter, and these drops (along with the bulb syringe from the hospital) have been awesome.


I got the Medela Harmony manual pump at the hospital for free from the lactation consultant (I told you she felt bad for me) and this has been far more useful than my electric one. That being said, I RARELY pump. I don't give Boston bottles...so the pump is only needed if he sleeps all night or something and I need to get rid/store some extra in the morning. I have the First Years electric pump...and it's fine, but honestly this thing is just as good for me.

That's pretty much it- simple right? Boston isn't a fan of his swing- or anything else expensive that we have, so I'm a big fan of the small necessities. His boppy has been rarely used (besides to prop him up to sit on from time to time) and his changing table has been completely useless (except that I store things on it)- I just change him on a blanket on the floor. I'll be doing another one of these around 6 months.

PPD

2011-12-20T14:32:00.001-07:00

Dun dun dun...the downer post!

Just kidding.

I figured I should write a bit about my "emotional journey" after having Boston. Pretty personal, normally I'd write something like this in a journal...but I suck at writing in my journal, so blogging it is.

After having Kennedy I now believe I experienced PPD (Post-Partum Depression) but at the time I assumed it was baby blues or just emotions going along with everything happening in my life- placing a baby for adoption isn't exactly an easy thing. I can't remember much of anything that happened back then- I definitely can't remember any details- and I can honestly say I was in a daze for about 9 months or so after having Kennedy. My mom has told me some things I would say/do back then...and they all sound like PPD, doesn't sound like the normal Britney I know. I've NEVER been someone who is anxious or stressed about anything- so once those feelings come, I know something isn't right.

Once the same emotions hit this time, I pretty much knew it was PPD because I had no reason to be sad this time around (we planned this pregnancy for quite a while, I had an amazingly supportive husband and family and I really felt ready to be a mom).

Right after having Boston I was in a major exhaustion fog in the hospital (I think most moms experience this though). Boston was a GREAT eater from the get go, although he wasn't getting much (thanks body, haha). He would get so angry he'd just turn bright red and scream. It made me heartbroken. I think the lactation consultant felt bad for me...she came in probably 6 times to see me...and every time she said I wasn't doing anything wrong, he just wasn't getting anything (or enough). The nurses were against giving him any formula for some reason, and they just decided to let him scream in the nursery. I was one mama on the edge. I lost it in front of just about everyone there- family, friends, nurses and my doctor. Finally the pediatrician came and confirmed that Boston was losing too much weight too quickly and we needed to supplement some formula in. Thank goodness for him.

We supplemented formula until my milk came in, then all was well with eating. All, however, was not well with my emotions. Once we brought Boston home and the first night came- I lost it again. I stared at Boston at bedtime, turned to Aaron, started crying and said I had no idea what to do next. Luckily my mom came the next day.

Every night for the next 6 weeks I had major anxiety issues (a few I think were even bad enough to be considered anxiety attacks). Once 5-6 pm hit, I would lose it. I would cry no matter what, and I insisted every light in the house be on...I couldn't handle the thought of night for some odd reason. I was barely eating (I lost all 30 pregnancy lbs + 10 more within those first 4 weeks post baby). I was terrified of Boston's bedtime for no reason at all- Boston is easily the most even tempered baby I've ever been around. He ate/slept perfectly from the beginning. He's probably cried a total of 30 minutes since he was born. Haha.

Still...the anxiety came. I never got angry feelings like some people do...but I did feel like life would never change (or go back to semi-normal), I felt like I would never have a normal relationship with Aaron again and I felt like I'd never be able to put Boston down at all. I knew my feelings were silly, but I couldn't do anything to change them. I was also EXTREMELY attached to Boston. I didn't let him cry at all, and I'd never put him down. I had to nap with him, sleep with him, he came EVERYWHERE with me...not because it was a normal newborn thing- but because I needed him close to me. Breastfeeding was pretty much the only time that the anxiety wasn't overwhelming. Boston & Aaron were kind of my saving grace during that time- Aaron was SO calm and reassuring through it all, and looking at Boston and cuddling him were exactly what I needed. Babies don't mind if you cry constantly :)

Finally at my 6 week appointment I decided to tell my doctor about everything (I wanted to give myself time in case it was baby blues- although now I wished I would have called sooner). He diagnosed me with PPD and put me on Zoloft right away. Things changed within a couple of days and I was totally myself again. My anxiety will still come and go (mostly when I have to take Boston somewhere)- but I haven't cried since starting Zoloft- and I feel confident in my mothering skills. I'm also not scared of this sweet little boy and what he may do anymore :).

I guess I wanted to write this down in case anyone else feels this way and needs someone to talk to. When I started having these feelings I knew I could talk to a specific person because she had talked about it openly on her blog (hopefully you know who you are- and THANK YOU). PPD shouldn't make you feel like less of a mom...it's something you can't control. I have no idea how long I'll have to be on medication- and who knows if I'll deal with this again next time, but I wanted to jot down some things in case it does come back...so I know first hand that I'm not just crazy.

Bumbolicious

2011-12-18T07:41:00.000-07:00

This kid is finally sitting in his bumbo...and I must say, he looks delish!

Sunday

2011-12-11T14:26:00.000-07:00

Pretty sure Boston likes Christmas as much as his mama...

My little snowman

2011-12-07T12:41:00.000-07:00

Yes, he is officially the most adorable snowman I've ever seen...and I FINALLY caught a good smile! Seriously...how could you not love this face? :)

Three months old

2011-12-01T13:36:00.000-07:00

At three months old...you're not really my "little boy" anymore. You're so long and chunky...we can't get enough of you! You're a talking machine- but still holding out on laughing (you let one slip while sleeping though). You're still the sweetest little boy- the only time you'll cry is if I take too long to feed you...or if we put you in the car at night. We took you to Utah for Thanksgiving & you were pretty much obsessed with your Grandpa Kendall, proving once again that every baby loves him like crazy. We still can't bear to let you sleep/nap alone...so mom or dad are always close by...most likely kissing your sweet little face or whispering to each other about how cute you are. You are dad's best buddy and he brags about you to everyone that he can. You're comfortably wearing 3-6 month clothes but need the occasional 6-9 month onesie. We thank Heavenly Father for you everyday...if all babies were as good as you we'd probably have six! Love you little man...you make mama's world go 'round.

Fun things:
•You can hold your head up on your own now
•You eat about every two hours...but now you only take 5-10 minutes instead of 30 :)
•You sleep a total of 9-10 hours each night...and wake up maybe once or twice (so you're only up to eat then you go right back to sleep)
•Mom puts a pillow on her lap and rocks you back and forth and you fall asleep within five minutes without fail- you take lots of naps during the day
•Mom & dad kind of spoil the heck out of you...we don't like for you to cry at all...and you have your own dvd player for road trips :)
•Your crib is pretty much attached to our bed but we won't put you in it because we love you sleeping by us (you and me sleep face to face...and it makes nightly feedings very convenient)
•You are a major roller/wiggler...you can turn yourself all the way around if I leave you on your blanket long enough
•You love to stare at our kitty Bella- soon enough you'll be pulling her tail!
•You are constantly smiling until we pull out the camera- then you're completely in a daze

Best thing in the world

2011-11-14T11:55:00.000-07:00

Everyday when I'm with my little buddy he does something that makes me think, "This is the best thing in the world"...

Examples:
Him sleeping on me- "This is the best feeling in the world, he's so sweet"
Him smiling at me or his daddy- "This is the cutest thing in the world"
Him sleeping next to me at night- "This is the sweetest thing"
Dressing him up in adorable clothes- "I can't handle this- he's the most adorable thing in the world"

Pretty much, being a mom to this little guy is the best thing in the entire world. He's changed my life...and I can't wait for the future with my little family!

This face is hilarious... :)

2 months old

2011-11-02T10:58:00.000-06:00

My little man is two months old! I can't believe how fast the time has gone by...and I've had NO time to update. He keeps mama busy! :)

Stats:
14 lbs 0.5 ounces (90th percentile)

24 1/2 inches long (95th percentile)

He can hold his head up really well...and he's starting to roll a little bit here and there. He smiles constantly...especially at daddy when he blows on his face, ha ha. We're expecting him to start giggling here soon. He wakes up every 3 hours at night...thanks to a wonderful stuffy nose he can't get rid of. Enjoy the pics...we love our little chunky monkey!

One month!

2011-10-13T11:11:00.000-06:00

Our little man was one month old on September 30th. We can't believe how fast time is flying!

Some stuff to remember:

We're assuming he was about 10 lbs (we won't have his weight checked until 2 months)

Loves to look around- especially at mom and dad

Great at holding his head up

Eating every 2-3 hours

Sleeping 4-5 hours at a time during the night (only wakes up twice)

Since he's a little over 6 weeks old now I wanted to jot down the fact that he started smiling at 5 1/2 weeks and hasn't stopped since!

Baby Boss

2011-09-20T10:54:00.000-06:00

Now that Boston is hanging out on a pillow next to me, I figured I should type up his birth story really quick (we'll see how this goes- he doesn't last long without mom holding him- haha).

After a bunch of research, and just feeling more comfortable all around with my decision, I decided to have a repeat c-section this time around. We scheduled it for August 30th...and surprisingly I made it that far (it was only 5 days before my due date).

We went into the hospital at 8:30 that morning and were taken into a "prep" room. I am not a fan of IV's...at all. The nurse was trying to put it in my left wrist, wasn't working out. By the time she went over to my right wrist to try again, I was on the brink of passing out (sweating like crazy, couldn't breathe, I'm awesome). I called Aaron over- and he got to hold oxygen over my nose/mouth, they flipped me over on my side...and he got to wipe me down with a cold wash cloth. Great start.

I got to walk into the operating room, which was surreal. Walking in to see like 10 people waiting for you is really awkward. The room was all white, made me feel like I was at an insane asylum. They had me bend over towards my nurse while they put the spinal in. It wasn't bad at all, definitely felt weird moving around in my back though. They laid me down and had Aaron come into the room. Seeing him made me feel SO much more comfortable. He was telling me how good I was doing and how much he loved me- he took over on the composure front that day- even though I know he was more nervous than I was.

The surgery went quickly, felt a lot of pressure, and they ended up using a vacuum to get Boston out (he was a big guy...and up in my ribs, didn't want to leave the warm bath). They had Aaron stand up and watch him be pulled out...he said he didn't see anything except the baby, so it wasn't too gross for him, which we thought it might be. First thing the doctor said when he came out, "Man, this is a big kid"...second, "he has some big feet!". Haha. It actually made me extremely happy that he was big- since Kennedy was only 5 lbs and had to go to the nicu. He was perfect- got a 9/10 on his Apgar test, and he didn't have to go to the nicu at all. :)

Right after he was born, I started feeling really bad (while still in surgery). My head started pounding like crazy and I was spinning, and I started dry heaving. I heard them say that my blood pressure had plummeted, and they gave me some type of medicine. I felt alright within a few minutes...but I was definitely thankful that the anesthesiologist was right by me the entire time making sure I was okay.

Being in the hospital wasn't so fun. The unlimited ice was wonderful- but I was definitely ready to be at home with my little family. Aaron was SO amazing while we were there. He took complete control and changed every diaper, and never left my side. He asked tons of questions- and by the time we left, he was a swaddle champion (really- he had 3 different nurses show him how).

Recovery went well- but I wasn't able to stand or walk without getting close to passing out. They drew blood and figured out that I had lost a lot of blood I guess (and had low blood pressure)- so I got a blood transfusion. I felt a thousand times better after that...and still do. I think I actually needed that blood while I was pregnant, but who knows. Me & Aaron like to joke that I got some superhuman blood since I am full of energy now.

The stats:

Boston Charles O'Connor

8 lbs 6 ounces

20 3/4 inches long

My recovery has gone so well. I have been up and about since I got home from the hospital, and by some miracle, I lost all of my baby weight within 2 weeks (I think it's because of how much Boston loves to eat). Breastfeeding is going SO well- I love it. I'll update more when I can, but he is so amazing. He spits up lots, which makes us sad (we hate seeing his tummy hurt), his circumcision was literally HEARTBREAKING (I'm hoping I don't have any more boys, cause I can't deal with it again- haha), and he sleeps like a champ. Aaron is head over heels for him- and they are twins. We couldn't be happier. Newborns are HARD work- but I have never felt more blessed in my life.

Boston Charles O'Connor

2011-09-10T15:53:00.000-06:00

Our little Boston made his way into the world on August 30th, 2011 at 11:04 am (by scheduled c-section). He weighed 8 lbs 6 ounces (healthy like mommy was hoping for) and 20 3/4 inches long. He is our perfect little angel and we feel SO blessed! I will post the birth story later...little ones keep you pretty busy :).

38 weeks.

2011-08-20T13:52:00.003-06:00

Flattering pictures, I know. Figured I should probably take some before this kid comes though! :) These were all taken at 38 weeks exactly.

How far along: 38 weeks (1 1/2 to go!)

Sleep: I sleep pretty well (once I'm asleep- I'm kind of an insomniac), besides getting up several times to go to the bathroom. Every time I get up I'm in extreme pain though, so it always takes me forever to fall back asleep.

Best Moment of the Week: Being done with work...and knowing I only have a week and a half of this pregnancy left, thank heavens!

Movement: Still constant. Supposedly they usually slow down at the end...not for me. Every movement is now actual pain, so that's nice.

Labor Signs: No signs of labor. He's happy in his jacuzzi tub I guess. Not dilated at all either. I won't even be having them check me this week, no use- since I'll be having surgery on the 30th (or sooner if I go into labor)

Belly Button: Ugly. :)

What I miss: Being able to move easily...to sit/stand. I usually just fall into bed since I don't have ab muscles to help me move slowly anymore. Aaron thinks it's hilarious. Also, breathing. I have a VERY hard time breathing at this point (he likes to push his legs into my rib area).

What I'm looking forward to: meeting this little guy- and being DONE with pregnancy!

C-section is scheduled for August 30th at 10:30 am. Hoping to keep him in there until at least the 26th, because my doctor is in Africa right now. It's looking good, since I'm not dilated at all. His room is done...and we're ready!

Cake Batter/Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-08-18T09:36:00.001-06:00

All borrowed/stolen from http://stephaniecooks.blogspot.com/ :)

When I saw this recipe I HAD to have it. I'm obsessed with cake batter, and cookies. Match made in heaven. They were the easiest cookies I've ever made, and so so so tasty!

Btw, I used yellow cake mix and it was delish, but from what I hear, you can use any kind (you can also use any mix ins like m&m's or whatever, besides chocolate chips)

Ingredients:
1 (18.25 oz.) box cake mix (I used two of those tiny Jiffy boxes)
1 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (or more, if you're like me & love chocolate chips) :)

Directions:
1- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2-In a medium bowl, stir together the cake mix and baking powder. Add eggs and oil, then mix until well blended.
3-Stir in chocolate chips, or your choice of additions. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheets.
4- Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

You might need to add a little flour depending on where you live, mine turned out kind of flat- but let's be honest, I'm not picky about how my cookies look.

Done! :)

2011-08-05T16:34:00.000-06:00

I'm DONE working and I want to shout it from the rooftops! Haha. I've been waiting for this day since I started working at 16 (I've never been much into working, can you tell?). On top of it all- my bosses called me into their office today and gave me $500 for the baby...or whatever I want. This is shaping up to be a GREAT Friday! :)

Soooo...if anyone wants to hang out, I'm now free!

Favorite maternity pics...and life!

2011-07-31T19:48:00.000-06:00

This little one is coming in less than 30 days...and some days I'm ready, others I'm terrified! :) I'm definitely ready to be done with the pregnancy though, and ready for him to stop attacking my ribs. Not fun. Thought I'd finally post some pics, I've been slacking. My maternity pictures turned out better than I could have imagined- and I'm so glad I have such a great sis-in-law, Alli, who could do them for me! If you've seen my maternity pictures on facebook...you can skip these first few :)

I was SO lucky and got to have THREE baby showers thrown for me, so we haven't really had to buy anything for little Boston (which Aaron loves- haha). I didn't take many pictures but I'll put the couple I have here. Also, this past weekend we went to Utah for Kennedy's 5th birthday- I can't believe how fast time flies by! The countdown is on...and we're as ready as can be!

Sneak peek!

2011-07-21T09:11:00.001-06:00

My sister in law Alli took my maternity pictures yesterday. She's speedy and already sent me two of them, and I am IN LOVE! I'm so happy she was able to capture this crazy/exhausting/wonderful part of Aaron and my life. This is just a sneak peek :) (by the way- these were taken at 33 1/2 weeks pregnant- writing it down so I can remember).

Oh- and good news- I gave my two week's notice at work this morning! Hallelujah!

My first vinyl project!

2011-06-27T20:18:00.000-06:00

Lame picture- cause I couldn't get a good one of my whole front door...but this is my first Silhouette vinyl project, and I'm so happy about it! No more door knockers- woot woot! :)

30 weeks.

2011-06-26T17:31:00.000-06:00

How far along: 30 weeks

Sleep: Once I'm asleep I do pretty well. Getting to sleep is the hard part (I have EXTREMELY restless legs- so I'm constantly battling those babies- haha)

Best Moment of the Week: Being about to feel the little mister's foot kicking me. I've had movement for over ten weeks now- but now we can feel actual body parts, which is kind of strange, but super fun at the same time :)

Movement: Pretty much constant.

Labor Signs: Only had some Braxton Hicks contractions after we stayed up until 3 am at the cabin with some friends (I'm assuming Boston was letting me know that he wasn't too happy with my decision to be up all night- haha).

Belly Button: Same as its been for about 8 weeks now. Either flat or innie- depending on the baby's position

What I miss: Sitting comfortably. Work & church are both VERY uncomfortable at this point.

What I'm looking forward to: finishing baby's room-taking maternity pics- having my Idaho baby shower!

We talked to the doc about a c-section...and he said the latest they'd be doing it is August 30th- so folks, that means 9 weeks to go (at the most)! We really can't believe how fast it's gone...but can't wait to meet our little man at the same time.

3 years

2011-06-21T07:30:00.002-06:00

It's been three years since the day I married my best friend. I thought he was my best friend back then (and he was) but I can't believe how much stronger our relationship continues to grow throughout each year that we spend together. I have the perfect man by my side to laugh with, cry with, and create my forever family with. I am SO excited to begin this new chapter come August- and I know Aaron will be the best daddy to our little boy. Marriage is such a wonderful blessing in my life, and I'm so thankful I was lucky enough to find Aaron! Love you bub- 3 down, eternity to go, and I can't wait!

At the cabin in Ashton- celebrating our anniversary :)


Father's Day 2011

P.S. 10 weeks or less until we become parents! Ahh!

Happy Fasha's Day!

2011-06-17T13:58:00.000-06:00

Not sure what time I'll get home on Sunday- so I decided to do my Father's Day post before we took off outta town. :)

I have a GREAT dad. I've always felt blessed to have young parents- because as I get older, they become more and more like friends to me...and I can talk about pretty much anything with them. I have loved learning about business and work from my dad- and bouncing ideas off of him. My dad has got to be one of the hardest working men I know, and has always been such a great example of what a patriarch in a home should be. I never realized this until I got married, but Aaron shares quite a few qualities with my dad- and that should tell you how cool my dad is. :) Or...how cool Aaron is. Anyway. I trust my dad 100%...I always knew he'd be there for us and he'd always protect and provide for us. He's a family man, a sports man, and a really awesome business man. My dad was ALWAYS at my games/dance recitals/etc. growing up- and he does the same thing now with Kaden (he's pretty much been all of our coaches growing up too). He instilled a love of sports in me- and I hope to continue that with my family. We both love to eat unhealthy snacks close to midnight- and sports are pretty much on the tv 24/7 (Dad- Aaron thanks you for this- he never hears complaining from me, haha). I hope that I can gain the love and respect from my children that I have for my dad- because really, he's the best.

Love you Dad!

Miracle Bracelet.

2011-06-13T08:35:00.000-06:00

I bought two of these beauties last night (well, they were free, so technically I didn't buy them)- one in pink & the other in black, for Aaron. Supposedly they will cure all my issues in life. Give me more energy, help me to lose weight, give me better balance...you know...they're a miracle bracelet basically.

I'm stoked to say the least.

In other news- come Friday, we're off to Ashton for our THREE year anniversary. Time flies when you're havin' fun.

Glucose.

2011-06-10T15:17:00.000-06:00

Just drank this little beauty. Just wanted to write this down- because it seems like every time you tell someone you're having the glucose test done, all everyone can say is that it's horrible (I think most of us forget that it's not a big deal...and just assume it was terrible, haha). Well...I love Sunkist...and that's exactly what it tasted like to me. And Manuel...dear dear phlebotomist...you were a dream (don't you love people who don't hurt you while drawing blood?).

No prob.
Now we'll just hope my results are good, cause I definitely don't want to be doing some 3 hour test.

Utah weekend + baby shower

2011-06-07T17:57:00.001-06:00

We had such a fun weekend in Utah...as always!

Utah trips are never complete now without a bunch of time with our niece Aizlee, she's so stinkin' adorable!

...and trips to Kaden's baseball games, of course. He's been asked several times to play with an older team (since he's so good)- we love watching him play!

got to see a BUNCH of friends which is always nice.

my baby shower turn out was amazing. Only a few people couldn't make it (between sickness and it being a crazy busy Saturday- I was surprised more people didn't skip out- but it was definitely sweet of everyone to make time)!

Kennedy & her mom came to my shower- it was great to see them, as usual :)

This trip made us even more excited for little Boston to come (but not too soon)- Aaron adores little Aizlee- we're very blessed to have the best niece and nephew EVER- so it makes having babies not as scary :).

Thank you to all of you friends/family who came to my shower...and we missed those of you who couldn't make it!

Pregnancy Highlights- 26.5 Weeks

2011-06-01T09:15:00.004-06:00

How Far Along: 26.5 weeks

Size of baby: Around 2 lbs? Not sure...I'll find out at 28 weeks when I have my next ultrasound.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 12 lbs. Woot woot! I'm sure it's more now, but I'm not one to hop onto the scale unless I have to :)

Maternity Clothes: Still hangin onto my regular jeans- although my skinnies are gettin just a BIT too skinny.

Gender: It's a boy (still, hopefully)

Movement: Still moving constantly. Found my ribs this week. I'm pretty sure he's stretched out in there because I'll see movement on both sides of my stomach at the same time, which is weird.

Sleep: Still sleeping really well. I sleep on my sides when I'm not pregnant, so I haven't really had to change anything.

What I miss: Eating a full meal. I still try to stuff all my food down but then I end up regretting it- so this week we're focusing on portion control...working well so far!

Cravings: Still snow cones. Good thing they have a punch card!

Symptoms: Still upset stomach and headaches. And being uncomfortable. And waddling.

Best Moment this week: The thought of this little guy being real is finally starting to sink in. I don't think it will completely hit me until he's here, but I have so much fun just picturing what he's going to look like (everyone cross your fingers that he'll have red hair- but don't tell Aaron because he's REALLY hoping that doesn't happen- haha). I also love how amazed my husband is with my growing belly. He calls me "tum tum" (affectionately- I'm sure)- and he told me he can't even remember what I looked like before. I'm really excited to see him grow as a dad...it'll be tough but I think we're about as ready as we can be
....
Confession time: I am SO excited to be pushing a little stroller down by the river. I am terrified that he'll be colicky...and no one will want to be around him (sad- haha). I'm not really scared for labor/delivery at this point...they can do whatever they want to me, as long as they get him out safe and sound! I'm ready to be skinny again!

Falls

2011-05-31T21:48:00.000-06:00

We took our first trip down to the river/falls tonight- we love taking walks down there every summer!

the falls are flooding right now- it was kind of fun to see though :)

Pregnant Britney + chocolate malt from Reeds= one happy girl!

Baby Kicks

2011-05-22T16:44:00.000-06:00

Little Boston making his presence known (he's a non stop mover). Watch the right side of my stomach! :)

6 months

2011-05-14T16:09:00.001-06:00

Pregnancy Highlights:

In the maternity dress my mom SO kindly whipped up for me :)

How Far Along: 24 weeks

Size of baby: A little over a lb I think? Maybe more.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Not a fan of talking about this- but I've gained 8 lbs. Haha. I only gained 13 total last time, so I have a good feeling we're going over that this time :)

Maternity Clothes: I have one pair of maternity shorts for summer, but that's it. Luckily I can still wear my normal stuff (with an added belly band for length). I'm really hoping I won't have to buy many maternity clothes...we will see!

Gender: It's a boy!

Movement: He moves CONSTANTLY. When I'm sitting/standing/driving/laying...it's nonstop. I'm definitely happy about that though, it's a good reminder that he's there (if the belly isn't) :)

Sleep: I have been sleeping great- besides when I have a cold, or a sunburn.

What I miss: Getting off the couch without my husband helping me...putting my pants on without hurting my leg/hip (not sure what's going on there- talking to my doc this week about it)...eating whatever I want without gaining weight. Oh- and what I miss the most is just feeling normal!

Cravings: At this moment- I can think of nothing but a Tiger's Blood snow cone.

Symptoms: Upset stomach and headaches. And being uncomfortable.

Best Moment this week: Washing all of baby's clothes and hanging them up- and planning my first shower!

....

Confession time: We have absolutely nothing ready in the baby's room- Aaron still has to refinish all of the furniture. I am terrified of having a VBAC. I watch all the little boys I meet compared to the girls...and get nervous for what I am in for in the future! Ha ha.

It's a Boy!

2011-04-27T19:32:00.001-06:00

As most of you have probably already seen on Facebook- our little munchkin is a boy, and we're ecstatic! Either way we would have been thrilled, but this little one will be playing lots of basketball with his daddy when he's bigger :)

4D picture of his face/body

Profile shot

Skeleton face (front view of his face)

Arm up over his face

And the money shot- with feet. Ha ha.

Technology

2011-04-15T09:15:00.000-06:00

We find out what we're (I'm) having in 5 days! I'm so excited that the big day is finally getting closer- this whole waiting until 20 weeks things isn't my cup of tea.

When I realized last night that I have about 4 1/2 months until my life changes dramatically- I had a minor freakout. Mid freakout, I looked up from my laptop- where I had been for an hour or so (looking at useless information, as usual)- scanned the room...saw the TV on...Aaron on his computer...and I realized that we had spoken maybe a few sentences to each other the entire night. Sad. We're honestly the type of couple who doesn't mind silence- we actually don't even turn on the radio on our Utah trips...hahaha. As much fun as Warcraft is...or as much fun as going to the same craft blogs I go to EVERYDAY is...

I love technology. At the same time, I hate it
I spend literally ALL day at work online, surfing the net, on facebook, on blogs...then I come home and eat- then either watch tv or do more surfing. Why am I doing this???
Why do I completely disconnect myself from doing things of actual worth? Why am I drawn to stupid websites like Facebook/craft blogs/reality tv?

In less than 5 months we will have a little baby who needs a lot of attention, and my husband is in the middle of creating a new company- which could also potentially change things in our lives quite a bit. I realized last night how little time left we have for just us. I realized how much we needed to enjoy it.

As I went to bed- I told Aaron that I think we need to cut off the internet thing (besides maybe to look up important info or whatever) when at home- and definitely don't want to keep our laptops in the living room anymore...it's too easy to get bored and hop online. He completely agreed.

I'm glad it's almost summer- because getting out of the house will help- I need some walking by the river and laying out in my Walmart pool. :)

Must haves for pregnancy: so far

2011-04-07T09:19:00.000-06:00

I decided to post a few items that have been VERY much needed this pregnancy. :)

My belly bands. I actually didn't have to buy any- my mom is an amazing seamstress & had made my sister a bunch- and Kari isn't a fan of anything constricting on the belly while pregnant, so she passed them onto me! I just started using them this week and they are heaven sent! I already have to buy long camisoles & shirts normally, so getting pregnant isn't helping me at all in that department...but belly bands are! :)

My body pillow. This isn't my body pillow (it's a light purple...and it's super fuzzy). I came home from work one day to find this gem laying on my bed- thanks hubby. It's super nice to have when I can't get comfy.

This is probably my most important item at the moment. I drink 6-8 bottles of water a day- and water bottles start to smell weird after a few times of using them (I couldn't wash them because I'd gag and then eventually throw up- awesome). I loved the look of this one...and it supports breast cancer awareness- bonus!

Pregnancy has become a bit easier these past couple weeks, thankfully. I won't say a lot easier, because everytime I say that- I get sick again (knock on wood). I'm only on a 1/2 a pill a day now of anti nausea meds- and I'm keeping food down (last pregnancy I think at this point I had lost around 7 lbs- this time I've gained 4- woot woot! I'm also showing a lot more, which is starting to be really fun! Aaron says something about it everyday- like "You look like a cute little pregnant girl" or "I really can't believe you have a belly now- that's so cool!" He has learned how to make me feel good about the changes :).

My thyroid levels are still low- so at my appt next time they'll be doing another blood test- and hopefully they'll be okay, or I'm off to a specialist. Also- on the 20th...we'll be finding out if this little one is a boy or a girl! I am ecstatic...I am SO sick of finding so many cute little clothes and not being able to buy them!

Another high point in my life right now- I have less than 5 months left of full time work! I have been looking forward to this time of my life forever- and I can't believe it's finally happening. I hate working. Haha. I can't wait to be at home with our little one- keeping the house clean and putting food on the table for my husband. :) I'm still going to try to work part time from home (if the bosses let me)- but if not- full time stay at home mom here I come!

Andddd....as of now, I've decided I'm going to try for a VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean). I was really scared of the risk of uterine rupture- but my Physician's Assistant explained how low the percent is- and how many successful VBAC's they've performed. He also reassured me that they would never make the same mistake with me that was made last time, so that's very comforting. I am VERY trusting of my doctor- and I'm really excited about this whole experience!

....if you made it all the way through this post, congrats. This was mostly for journaling purposes. :)

Utah trip & belly

2011-04-03T19:41:00.001-06:00

We went to Utah this weekend for our yearly Lakers/Jazz game. This was the closest we've sat before (row 9) and we're hoping we continue to get closer & closer until we're finally courtside :). The game was GREAT- ended up beating Utah by 11.

This was the view from our seats. My camera isn't great- but we were VERY close to the floor.

Aaron's cousin's Leighton & Cooper were at the game with their dad- so they came over and said hi. We forgive them for the Jazz jerseys (but only because they are wearing D Will's number- and we like him) :)

We ended up getting to my parents house that night around midnight- and spent the rest of the weekend playing with my favorite little chubby niece Aizlee. She is one gorgeous little baby!

...lastly, we spent Sunday morning watching General Conference at my parents house. This is how me & Milo watch conference...and sleep. :)

Decided to throw in an 18 week picture of the belly for ya. By the way...maternity shopping is NOT fun. I have decided I'm going to go against it as long as possible (I'm not into spending $45 for a pair of shorts- haha). So belly bands and long shirts- here we go!

The 3 year glitch

2011-03-14T15:10:00.001-06:00

Read this post on KSL today- and found it very interesting. http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=14720085

It's about how the "7 year itch" in marriages is now becoming the "3 year glitch".

This seems to be happening with younger couples these days (I say younger as in like 35 years and younger). Divorce seems to be such an easy thing, which kind of sucks, to be honest.

When we got married- my dear husband had a few friends who would say "Oh- wait until 6 months in...then you'll see what I'm talking about"...blah blah blah. And sure, just like an episode of "Everybody Loves Raymond"...lots of the stereotypes of men and women are proven true in marriage, and I think it's hilarious (ie- my husband farts, totally true- I rarely shave my legs in the winter, totally true- I don't walk around the house in heels looking my best 24/7). My husband also had a few friends place bets on how long we would be married (good friends- huh?). I'm pretty sure the longest was 3 years. Suffice it to say...these "friends" are the ones with problem relationships. Ha ha. Also, these "friends" now come to Aaron and ask how he can have such a great relationship with me- they literally have no idea how to be happy with their spouse.

Marriages WILL have ups and downs, that's life. It's learning how to communicate and work through the rough patches that strengthen you as a couple. I absolutely believe that there are sometimes irreconcilable differences, and divorce needs to happen. On the other hand...getting married is a BIG deal...and something I wish people would take more seriously. Sure, we RUSHED into getting married (I guess we weren't into driving back and forth every weekend to see each other)...but we both have always agreed that this is the long haul- we won't be giving up on each other. Both of our sets of parents have been great examples of marriage to us...and our temple covenants are not taken lightly.

I know a few couples right now who I assume will be divorced by the end of the year- and it's really sad. If you can't communicate- or get your point across in a simple discussion without screaming, I'd suggest finding a different way to communicate. If you're lying about things, ANYTHING, to your partner- you have a problem. If you want one thing in life (something that is a big thing- like religion, or kids) and your partner doesn't- you have a problem. Try to FIX the problems...don't just keep complaining about your spouse to other people and not doing anything about it! Don't be a bad husband/wife just because you think they're being one...make sure you give 100% before you ever walk away.

I have no idea where this is coming from...maybe venting because I bottle up a lot of things that I'm told (I'm pretty good with secrets). Instead of coming to me (or anyone else) with crazy relationship secrets- come out with them to your spouse. Or at least try to communicate with them about SOMETHING. I'm not saying don't come to me if you need to talk/vent...I love trying to help in any way I can...but if you are going to tell someone something that is completely disrespectful to their spouse- and you're just hoping they keep it inside, it's not fun for them to do.

Maybe it's coming from the fact that in 3 short months I will be celebrating my 3 year anniversary...and I'm happy it will be a celebration. Ha ha.

If you are okay with casual divorce, don't get married. Love usually isn't a cake walk- keeping that real spark alive takes work! If you're not willing to work...don't do it. Marriage is sometimes the easiest thing you'll ever do, maybe sometimes it's the hardest...but in the end, for me at least, there is nothing more worth it than knowing I have an eternal partner by my side who will not give up on us.

End rant. :)

15 weeks!

2011-03-12T21:52:00.000-07:00


Finally had hubby take a pic. 15 weeks!

Morning sickness has finally calmed...as long as I eat frequently. Praises. Haha. I can't believe I have less than 25 weeks (more like around 24 or less) to go! And less than 5 until I find out what this little bugger is! :)

Family...and strange ramblings.

2011-03-07T08:53:00.001-07:00

So last night, I went through about twenty emotions in twenty minutes (thanks pregnancy). Thought I should jot down some feelings. First when I laid down, I immediately got homesick. Sometimes this happens when I get home from a trip to Utah- but it hasn't happened at all recently, so I was a bit surprised...and with my pregnancy hormones going, I basically lost it (by the way, this was all by myself...usually when I'm going through these RANDOM hormonal imbalance nights I just deal with it myself, cause I know I'm being ridiculous)...so I started into thinking about how strange life is.

I have known my family for 24 years (well, my parents- haha). They are home to me, in every sense of the word. I am 100% comfortable being myself with my family...and I know they would never hurt me. My mom and dad are the greatest parents I could have asked for, and I love my siblings. When I go to my parents house- it just feels like home. Some people don't have this type of relationship with their parents/family, and its very sad to me...because I know I can ALWAYS count on my family, no matter what. I pretty much put them through hell and back growing up...and we've never been closer than we are now.

Coming around to the strange part. I started thinking about how my home now...is my home. It feels like home to me. I feel like I have two homes, to be honest. My husband is my best friend- and although he's only known me for a little over three years...he's my eternal partner...which means I have to put a lot of trust into him- and into us. I put my hand on my stomach last night and realized I'm about to start building with Aaron what my family built for me...home. I'm about to be that mom...he's about to be dad. We're going to start our own traditions...and my husband and kids are going to become my family (not that my family is going anywhere- but you know what I mean).

Since I got married, creating my own life was always a little hard for me...a weird concept. I grew up one way...Aaron grew up one way...and now we grow together, and figure out how we want to live our lives, how we want to raise our future children, etc. It's just a total shift from the life I was always comfortable with and that I had always known. I kind of wish I was one of those people who just fall into things- but instead I have to be analytical about every little thing that happens in life, ha ha.

I've heard people say that the only person you can truly trust is yourself. For me, this isn't true. I trust my family 100%. I have no doubt in their motives or their love for me. I feel this same way about Aaron. I am not worried about my future- because I know he will always be there for me. We took a big risk with each other, moving as fast as we did. With great risks come great rewards, right? At least in this case- we either got really lucky, or we happened to stumble upon our soul mates. Go figure.

I'm about to start my eternal family...and as terrifying as it is, I feel like I'm finally getting there, I'm finally ALMOST ready (good thing right, since I have less than 6 months to go). Right now I say almost, because let's be honest...sleepless nights still don't sound too great- but I'll embrace them with open arms once the time comes. :)

This was pretty much all over the place...but it's exactly how my brain was working last night.

Ultrasound Pics (finally)

2011-02-26T12:34:00.000-07:00

In honor of crossing over into my second trimester today- I decided to finally post my 12 week 4 day ultrasound pics. Can't really see much at this point still- but enjoy!

I turned this one upside down- because baby was upside down :)

There really is somethin' in there! :)

Baby.

2011-02-23T18:59:00.000-07:00

Went to the doc today. Had a GREAT ultrasound. The ultrasound tech was amazing. She measured both of my ovaries (which was kind of weird), showed us the umbilical cord, showed us the baby's blood and took tons of pictures. Baby was being super funny, rolling all over and waving like crazy. He/she loves the camera I guess!

Everything looked perfect with our little nugget. Very active- heartbeat was 158 bpm, no warning signs of anything. I'm measuring at exactly 12 weeks 4 days- which is great (I was worried about being less pregnant...I don't want to deal with this sickness a day longer than I have to- haha).

I'll post pictures tomorrow most likely. I'm super tired tonight, but just wanted to post the stats.

Oh yeah- the due date is September 3rd- but I'm thinking we'll schedule a c section for the last weekend in August. 6 months! Ah!!!

Arizona + Belly

2011-02-15T18:18:00.007-07:00

We had a great trip to Arizona this past weekend. There's nothing like a little getaway to make you feel a hundred times better- especially when you go from 15 degrees to 75!

After making a quick bathroom trip once I got off the plane- I headed over to the rental car counter where Aaron informed me that he upgraded our car & that I'd love it. He got us a Kia Soul...and he was right, I loved it! It was so fun cruising around town in our fun little car. We're thinking about getting one once the baby is here and we need to upgrade to something a little bigger :)

My grandparents built a home in a retirement community in Maricopa- but don't live there yet- and they were nice enough to let us stay there. It's so beautiful! They have an amazing clubhouse with a pool that we loved.

This was the view from the back porch. They have "waterfront" property. It was so nice to relax out back on some chairs every morning.

Aaron's cousin Brandon & his wife Kristen live pretty close to Phoenix, so we met up with them for dinner one night. We loved getting to hang out with them and their hilarious little boy Ethan. We took this picture before heading out for the night (and it was the only good picture we took- I guess I'm one of those people who hates how I look while pregnant...I feel like I look like a teenager with how much breaking out has been going on!)

The three pictures above were just views around the clubhouse

My cute man. He deserves a whole post of his own. I've been extremely sick the past few days (with a cough/cold on top of the usual pregnancy sickness)- and he's been my caretaker. He makes all of our meals- and tonight he showed up in the living room with a cold washcloth to put on my head for me (when I was looking half dead on the couch- which isn't really unusual these days). He's the most perfect Valentine I could have asked for- and will be the most amazing daddy once this little one gets here.


And for the grand finale- my belly at 11 weeks. I am aware that it looks rather large for an 11 week belly- but this was also right after getting home from a large dinner at Claim Jumper...then dessert at Cold Stone. My belly changes shapes constantly at this point- and in the morning it doesn't even exist- but I figured I might as well post a pic, in case anyone cared to see it. I'm going to try to take weekly pictures from here on out for my own record- so I'll take a better one soon (sorry if its a little graphic- I took it with my phone to send to my mom & sis while I was on vacation- cause I was amazed at how big it was- haha- and you couldn't even see it if my shirt was pulled down- hence the bare belly).

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and happy Valentine's Day with those you love. I'll be hitting the 12 week mark this Saturday- and I'm urging the next 4 weeks or so to pass by quickly!

Looking forward...

2011-02-07T12:55:00.000-07:00

I find that the best thing to do on my very worst days are count my blessings- or find things to look forward to.

Today has been the worst day for me (sickness wise) since being on my meds (Zofran- thank heavens for you). For breakfast all I could get down was a tiny cup of mandarin oranges, which didn't make for a good morning at work...when I don't eat much, my stomach gets VERY unhappy, quickly. I'm pretty sure my quote this past 5 weeks would be "I'll be fine"...which I say pretty much every morning to my sweet, worried hubby as I leave the house.

This week I have a lot to look forward to:

Wednesday night my wonderful sis in law will be doing my hair (much needed- it grows like a weed normally- add prenatals to that and I swear it's almost to my butt by now, haha)
Thursday right after work Aaron & I are headed to get massages to start off our vacation weekend
Friday morning we're off to Arizona! This weekend will be filled with pools/hot tubs (no worries friends- I'll be doing the dipping of the feet, or in and out every 3 minutes method)/golfing/friends/great restaurants/75 degree weather! :)
Knowing I don't have to work Friday or next Monday (we fly home Monday) is SO nice...I never take time off work, so this is well deserved.

I'll take a belly pic this weekend in Arizona...it's nothing much right now, looks like chub mostly, haha. I've already taken a couple pics (at 6 weeks at 9) but my stomach doesn't look any different then than before I was pregnant, so I don't really see the point in posting them. It's definitely starting to pop out now though...or I'm getting fat, so I know you're all excited to see that- woot woot!

I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's day weekend with your sweethearts- I'll soak up some sun for you ;)

Family

2011-02-03T14:04:00.000-07:00

Thought I should add these cute pics- taken two Sundays ago. Amy decided to have these taken and then turn it into a gift for their dad for his birthday. They turned out super good! (Taken by Amber's camera- edited by Alli, right?) :)

My first pregnancy rant.

2011-02-02T09:15:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted anything interesting in like two months- well, besides the pregnancy, which IS pretty exciting...but I didn't post pictures of anything which is lame.

I will continue the lame-ness and not post pictures on this one either (warning: this post is basically a rant- so I won't be mad if you don't read it).
I haven't taken pictures AT ALL lately.

All I can think about right now is wanting to throw up- pretty much all day everyday. But I can't. Not possible. It's a good thing that our minds forget things easily, because I think if I would have remembered feeling this horrible, I wouldn't have gotten pregnant again. That's a lie. I love babies. I just HATE feeling like I have the stomach flu 24/7. Did you know that water can smell horrible? And that I can detect rotting food 3 days before it actually rots? Yep, I'm now superhuman.

I'm almost 10 weeks along now, which is good news. I wish it were week 12.

I'm still bloated/maybe just fat (not sure which- all I know is that my tummy is definitely not flat anymore, and I'm severely uncomfortable in EVERY outfit I own).

Thought I should write down some things I've been experiencing- for future reference. :)

"Morning sickness" aka all day sickness hit at 6 weeks 2 days. Thank heavens for my dear friend Zofran, or I would be dead on the sidewalk right now. It keeps me going- but still lets me have that nauseous feeling to remind me that I'm pregnant, thanks!
I am dizzy/get headaches/can't stand for more than like 5 minutes
Smells are HORRENDOUS. I haven't cooked a good meal for about 4 weeks now. Poor hubby.
I love Big Macs and fries. (I don't think this should surprise anyone- I love these things normally)
All I want to do is quit my job, cuddle up with my Nook and sleep until 12 weeks- or whenever I start to feel better
I am EXHAUSTED and I feel like exhausted doesn't even come close to how tired I am, all the time
People talking about what I can't do/can't eat drive me insane. If I want to take a bath...while eating deli meat, I'm going to do it. :) (and no, I haven't done that- but I do like to take baths...and eat deli meat)
I'm terrified of gaining tons of weight this time around. It's hard because as most people will assume- this is my "first" child...and really, my body is reacting totally differently this time. I can tell I'm going to get big fast- and that definitely didn't happen the first time around. I should embrace it, right? Ughh. I never embrace weight gain.
Vbac or C section? Sheesh. Too many decisions.
Acne? Sure, I'd love to be 15 again. Thanks face.

Hubby kindly agreed to a trip to Arizona next weekend. I can't wait. I need some sun in my life. Also- dear sickness, please leave me soon. I miss me.

P.S. I promise I'll take pictures in Arizona...and I'll post belly pics soon (although- there's nothing to see...besides a little chub- woot woot!)

P.P.S. I am predicting right now that this is a boy. The heartbeat at our last appt. was 181 bpm (which according to an old wives tale predicts its a girl) but that means nothing to me. It's my intuition. Lots of family members are guessing girl. We'll be happy either way- we eventually want one of each, so either way we start it is fine with us!

Disclaimer: I realize this post is super whiney- and mostly annoying. I had to whine somewhere- and I've been pretty good about not doing it in my real life- so my blog gets the brunt of it. :)

Finally!

2011-01-26T09:36:00.002-07:00

We are so excited to announce that Baby O'Connor is on his/her way! My due date is September 2nd (I'm 8 1/2 weeks along) and we are absolutely thrilled. I had an appointment today- the heart beat was 181 bpm and everything looks great. We are already crazy about this little sweetheart (no matter how sick it's making me) and we wanted to share the great news!

Valentine's Day Wreath

2011-01-08T17:09:00.000-07:00

I whipped up my cute little Valentine's Day wreath tonight. All it took was a styrofoam wreath form, a bag of dollar store rose petals and a bunch of small pins. Walah! The bottom picture (the one of the amazing front door)- is where I got the idea. You can click on the image for more info. :)

Nook.

2011-01-01T21:46:00.001-07:00

Finally got my hands on this baby- my very own Nook! I already love love love it!

and my first book to read will be this...

can't wait! In fact...I think I'll start now. Mmhmm. :)

Snowmobiling

2010-12-18T13:22:00.006-07:00

Hubby decided to buy his Grandpa's snowmobiles last week- and I was more than excited about this purchase! I'd never been snowmobiling- but I LOVE jet skiing...and heard it was kind of like that...but on snow, obviously. The snowmobiles are older- but barely have any miles on them and are in perfect condition. We took them out today for the first time and I'm definitely in love! We're already planning a trip to the cabin in Ashton to take them out for the weekend and I can't wait. Good job hubs!

on the way up we got to drive through all of the windmills...which I LOVE. There are SO many- and they're so cool looking! And don't worry- it wasn't as cold as it looks- it was like 30 degrees up there.

...and yes, I agree, he looks like an axe murderer. Love you bub! ;)

Super simple lasagna

2010-12-15T19:03:00.000-07:00

I realize the picture is TERRIBLE (I keep telling my husband it's time for a new camera- ha) but it really is SO good and simple to make!

Super simple lasagna
Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

Lasagna Noodles

1/2 lb. ground beef

Three Cheese Prego Spaghetti Sauce

Cottage Cheese

Mozzarella Cheese

Parmesan Cheese (I grabbed a bag of mixed white cheeses instead of buying several different kinds and it worked great)

Brown hamburger in a skillet. Drain grease. Add spaghetti sauce in with hamburger and cook for a few minutes until warmed. In a 9 x 13 pan spread a layer of sauce (about a 1/3 of the sauce...just until bottom of pan is lightly covered. Next add a layer of lasagna noodles. Next spread some of the cottage cheese on top of the noodles (about 7-8 spoonfuls). Next a layer of mozzarella cheese (amount depends on how cheesy you like your lasagna ). Next add the next layer of sauce and repeat the noodles, cottage cheese and mozzarella layers. Then add another layer of sauce and then sprinkle with a little more mozzarella and some Parmesan cheese. Cover with aluminum foil. Cook for 60 minutes at 350 degrees (I removed the foil with about 10 minutes left- so that all the cheese on top melted).

My first niece

2010-12-10T19:38:00.004-07:00

Being an aunt is quite possibly one of the best things ever! I get to hold my sweet little nephew- AND NOW NIECE whenever I want- but give them back to mommy when they start crying! :) Haha. Anyway- onto the real point of this post...I have a niece! Finally!

My little sister had my first niece (and her first baby), Aizlee Jo Carter this past Tuesday- and she is GORGEOUS! I am obsessed with her already- and am so happy we'll be back in Utah for Christmas for some more snuggle time.

I'll leave all of the details up to my sister (for when she blogs) but I definitely need to post a few of the pictures.

Before heading into surgery :)

Look at her little profile! Oh goodness...I could just kiss her little face all day

Aizlee & her favorite aunt...duh.

Grandma & Grandpa :)

Mom & baby both did great- and are now home getting readjusted to life! Can't wait to see them both again.

Craft Day

2010-12-04T14:23:00.005-07:00

I hosted my first craft day/morning on Saturday. It was super fun! Only Coya & Alli were able to make it this time...but hopefully we'll have lots more friends on the next go around :).

I added this picture of my cute little tree for fun. :)

Alli & Coya made the garland ornament wreath (like the one I have on my front door) and the link to how to make that one is listed here:

www.eoberrys.blogspot.com/2009/11/easy-pottery-barn-inspired-christmas.html

and mine is the Eddie Ross ornament wreath (SO simple, all you need is ornaments and a wire hanger) listed here:

www.eddieross.com/eddie_ross/2008/12/no-wire-hangers-well-maybe-just-one.html

So simple and fun!

P.S. Today we're off to Utah...tomorrow my little sis is having her baby! Ah!

Thanksgiving Thanks!

2010-11-25T08:53:00.003-07:00

This year I am thankful for:

Wonderful relationships with both of my families
A beautiful, warm home to live in
Friends who I will always be able to trust and love, no matter what
The holidays!
The gospel and our AMAZING calling, we adore our little primary kids
All of my husband's job opportunities and my two jobs- I've never worked harder or loved life more!
A sweet little nephew and new niece to come in the next two weeks! :)
The best husband I could have imagined-wouldn't want to spend the holidays with anyone else

Happy Thanksgiving friends and family, I hope you all have an amazing day!

Just thoughts.

2010-11-18T12:53:00.002-07:00

Sometimes people have to go through some very hard things...and it makes me terribly sad. I always wish I could take the pain away from them...or I wish I could be experiencing that trial, because I would rather be hurting than them. My sister is about to give birth in less than three weeks and I'm scared...not because I don't think she'll have an amazing experience, just because I don't want to see her in any type of pain. Hopefully she'll be blissfully comfortable the whole time so I don't have to try to switch her places...because that could get a bit awkward for everyone involved ;).

I've never been scared of being hurt for some reason- I guess only one thing really scares me...and that's losing those I REALLY love. I lost a close friend a few years ago and it rocked my world- I was a mess. That wasn't even someone I had been close to for a long time. I think I could handle pretty much any other trial besides losing my husband or my family. I even feel like I jinx myself just saying it out loud.

I got off tangent. I have a friend whose going through something really rough in their marriage and it really hurts my heart. I wish people would just be honest in their relationships, I wish they would dedicate 100% to that person THEY decided to marry. The world is in major turmoil right now, and I wish I could take all of my family and friends and live in a little bubble so none of us would ever get hurt.

Trials make us more grateful, they ground us, they make us stronger in the end. I have been blessed to KNOW that when a trial is happening, I'm going to be okay...and that I'm going to be better for it. I'm not sure where this understanding came from, but it has become very strong in the past 3 years. I have come to learn that faith is an amazing gift.

My friend also has this understanding, thankfully.

I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who knows each one of us personally and equips us to handle even the most terrible things. I am so grateful for such a wonderful family and awesome friends who I know will always be there for me and those I love. I am SO grateful to be a member of a church that I know is true and has helped me through countless difficult times in my own life. Most of all I am grateful for a husband that loves me and puts his trust and whole heart into me and our marriage. Thank you hubby for being someone I can wholeheartedly trust and love and plan my future with!

Also, dear friends (or blog stalkers), if you feel lost- if you need help- if you need someone to just listen to you vent about ANYTHING...please let me know. I don't want anyone to feel like they're alone because I know that it makes everything so much worse. I'm here to listen...and I love you all.

-Britney

Santa Hats

2010-11-16T20:42:00.001-07:00

I'm SO happy with how my little santa hats turned out! I saw this craft HERE and was set on making it. I found the cute little serving tray at Real Deals (thanks to my mom and sis in law for taking me there) and all of the ornaments are leftovers from the dollar store. The whole project (not including the serving tray) cost just about $10. These retail for over $35! They are adorable and are now located on our living room table. Even hubby likes them! :)

Someday I promise I'll get a better camera- my camera doesn't make these look as cute as they really are. Sad.

Honey Lime Enchiladas

2010-11-15T18:08:00.003-07:00

I stole (borrowed) this from Busy Bee Lauren's blog. She is a genius- so I knew this meal would be as well, and it did not disappoint! Hubby turned to me after the first bite and said, "This is BOMB"...so yeah, you get the point.

Ingredients:
2-3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
2 cans of green enchilada sauce
Cream cheese (half a cube)
2 cups cheese (I used mexican blend)
8-10 flour (or wheat) tortillas
1/2 cup sour cream
4-5 cloves of garlic (I used 5 tsp of minced garlic)
1/2 onion (I used a little less)
3 TBS honey
5 TBS lime juice
1 TBS chili powder
2 TBS red & black pepper
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
(optional: I used some onion powder & creole seasoning as well)

Directions:
1. Cook chicken however desired (I boiled it- I just made it a second time and grilled it- both amazing, so either way works)
2. Cut chicken into pieces (can cut into cubes or shred- I cut it into cubes)
3. Mince garlic if not already minced- and cut onion. Put a bit of olive oil into a saute pan- turn on med-high, then add in minced garlic and onion until the onion is transparent
4. In a separate bowl, whisk honey & lime juice together, add in other spices as well
5. Turn heat in saute pan down to low and add mixture in, as well as chicken. Mix it all together.
6. Use a 9x13 pan- open one can of enchilada sauce and pour into pan- it should cover the bottom
7. Spread about a half of a tablespoon of cream cheese onto half of your tortilla
8. Add about 1/4 cup of chicken onto the same half. Then add cheese onto it as well
9. Roll into a burrito and place it into the pan (do the same with all of your tortillas)
10. After all burritos are rolled, whisk together the other can of enchilada sauce and 1/2 cup of sour cream
11. Pour sour cream/enchilada sauce mixture over the top of the burritos
12. Cover with the rest of the shredded cheese
13. Cook in oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

ENJOY!

If you'd like pictures- or better directions- go HERE

Shutterfly Holiday Cards.

2010-11-13T16:32:00.002-07:00

Wonderful Shutterfly...

they are giving bloggers 50 free holiday cards (for blogging about them...so great)

i won't lie...
i have never used shutterfly before
but i have friends and family that have
and they have love shutterfly...so i do too.

i have been looking through their site for the past few days
and they have so many holiday cards.

it's kind of dorky to send out a Christmas card when it's just you & the hubs...
but i love him & our little family...and they're free- so why not, right?!

i am liking this one...

i think it's simple and beautiful.

and this is another one i like

i love the pinks/blues/greens.

butttt friends, i have made my final decision...and it will stay a secret until i send them out.
btw- if you want one, let me know, because i definitely don't have 50 people to send them to...

go check some out..
christmas cards here
holiday cards here

they also have some adorable calendars...which you can make here

oh and p.s. if you would like to join the shutterfly 50 free card craze...
click here to sign up for the 50 free holiday cards!

Christmas Wreath

2010-11-08T16:19:00.002-07:00

Once I saw this Pottery Barn wreath, I knew I had to have it. Instead of paying $80 for it...I decided to follow some instructions I found on a crafting blog and make my own! I'm still trying to decide if I want to add some fake snow in, but I'm really happy with how it turned out. For under $10, it's a beauty!

Pottery Barn wreath (and yes, they obviously have a MUCH nicer camera than I do, ha ha)

Next year I might take out some of the smaller ball ornaments and put in some big ones. All ornaments were bought from the dollar store.

Halloween

2010-11-07T17:03:00.007-07:00

We had a fantastic Halloween this year, as usual. We had a little shin dig at our house this year which I really loved doing. Everyone brought fun treats, we carved pumpkins and watched a movie.

Alli brought some adorable witch hat cookies and witches brew (spinach dip)- SO good!

I made some monster fingers & also some eyeballs- which I was really proud of. :) (the monster fingers were lil smokies & the eyeballs were a mixture of peanut butter/chocolate/a few other delicious things)

To top it all off, my adorable nephew was in attendance that night for a bit. Ah, love that boy.

I got to work the actual day of Halloween- so to work I threw on some cat ears and put on a little face paint. My kitty enjoyed it I guess.

We loved this Halloween because we made little treat bags for our primary kids- and it was so fun to see how excited they were! Halloween will be much more fun in the future when we have kids I assume. For now, we enjoy parties. :)

**most of the pictures were taken by my SIL Alli...cause my camera is not the best. Thanks sis!**

November.

2010-11-03T22:28:00.001-06:00

For those of you who don't already know, November is National Adoption Month. It is an amazing time of year to celebrate the blessings so many people have received through the miracle of adoption. Feel free to check out my other blog for 30 days of posts. If you don't know the address- just ask. :)

Chicken Pot Pie

2010-11-01T20:32:00.002-06:00

I made a delicious chicken pot pie tonight....delicious enough that I thought I'd better post a recipe in case anyone is interested. :)

Ingredients: (this is supposedly enough for 8 servings...but I'd say more like 4-6)

1 recipe pastry for a double crust pie (I just got the Albertson's brand pie crust- SO good)- I also got a pie tin...because I'd never made a pie before.
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cans of condensed cream of chicken soup (I used one can cream of chicken and then one can of herb cream and chicken to give it more flavor- I'd suggest doing this)
3 cans mixed vegetables (I also changed this up because I'm not a mixed veggie fan- I cut up one potato/two carrots/used one can of corn/some diced green onions
Whatever spices you want (I used salt, pepper, garlic powder and a little bit of Lowry's seasoning salt)

Directions:

Cook chicken however you want (I boiled it then cut it into chunks)
Preheat oven to 365 degrees F. Fit bottom of the pie crust into a 10 inch pie plate.
If you're using potatoes- cook the potatoes for a bit first- it took FOREVER for them to cook once in the pie...so I'd suggest getting a good start on those :)
In a large bowl, combine chicken, soup, and vegetables (make sure to drain the veggies if you use any from cans). Mix well and pour into crust. Cover with top pastry. Seal edges and cut steam vents in top.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, until crust is golden brown. (I put some aluminum foil over the top of the crust for the first 25-30 minutes so it didn't get too brown- then took it off for the last 15)

Canvas Collages

2010-10-28T20:59:00.002-06:00

Let's be honest...these next pictures are HORRIBLE. Maybe time for a camera upgrade? We shall see. Anyway, enjoy my canvas collages!

I got two 12 x 20 blank canvases and then printed out a bunch of 4 x 6 pictures and used to glue dots to cover the canvas. I love how they turned out!

They are up on my kitchen wall- now I just need to figure out something cute to put in the middle :)

Halloween Wreath

2010-10-20T16:12:00.001-06:00

This is my cute little Halloween wreath that I made today. :) Nothing crazy or super crafty- but I am proud of myself.

First day at the new job

2010-10-18T15:41:00.003-06:00

Well, my new job is AMAZING!

I've only worked one day...but hey, the first day was amazing...so that's good, right? :)

My job today consisted of:
going to the mailbox
going to the bank
going to home depot
going to shopko
calling the toyota dealership
calling vinyl lettering companies
looking up tour dates for hard rock bands

....and I found a concert happening tomorrow night...so my boss is headed to Utah tomorrow night for it. Job well done by me! Haha.

Love being a personal assistant/administrative assistant!

....life back in the office is SO much better than being in high school. Thank heavens!

Utah weekend.

2010-10-10T20:57:00.002-06:00

These are out of order- but oh well. We went to Utah this past Thursday-Saturday for my sister's baby shower and Lagoon and had a GREAT time!

On Saturday morning-my little brother Kaden had a football game. He plays quarterback, runningback and kick return. He's literally amazing at football- the best on his team :). They had a great game and won- with Kaden trying to do a flip into the endzone for the last play. He is so aggressive- the opposite of how I was when I played sports! Haha.

Me & my little buddy. For some reason I still treat Kaden like he's 5 years old...someday I'm going to have to realize he's already quite the young man! :)

Kari's shower was Thursday night and it was so much fun! It was nice to see everyone from my home ward, Kennedy and Amy and also to see a couple of my best friends too.

Kennedy was adorable (as was Kari- of course- her belly is so cute). Kennedy loved giving Karissa the presents for the baby (and also playing with Kaden)

Got to catch up with my best friend Tacy, which is always a good time.

Kennedy is tall and thin...pretty much the only genes she got from me :)

the girls. Yep, I'm definitely a giant.

....we didn't take any pictures at Lagoon (didn't want to take the camera in and deal with it) but we had a great time! My poor husband was feeling sick after Colossus (our second ride of the day) so he sat out for the rest of the day, luckily I have all the rest of my in laws who love rides like I do :).

Pork Chop Stir Fry & Sweet Potatoes

2010-10-02T09:57:00.003-06:00

I made what both Aaron and I thought was a pretty dang good meal last week and it was super simple- so I figured I'd post in on here.

Pork Chop Stir Fry (this makes enough for 2-3 servings)
2 pork chops
1 zucchini
1 carrot
3 small mushrooms
1/2 can of corn
teriyaki sauce
1 cup white rice

1. Dice/cut up all veggies and put aside in a bowl
2. Cook pork chops in pan
3. Add veggies in with pork chops and add in however much teriyaki sauce you want (cook until veggies are soft)
4. Cook rice (we just use minute rice so it takes like 5 minutes)
5. Put rice onto plates and then cover with stir fry

See- super simple! :)

We paired the stir fry with some AMAZING sweet potatoes. Getting us in the mood for fall! Thanks Rhonda for the sweet potatoes recipe :)

Sweet Potatoes
1 yam
1/2 cube of butter
1/2 cup of brown sugar
marshmallows
walnuts (optional- we didn't use these)

1. Boil potatoes until soft (you can either boil them until they're just a bit soft- and then cook them in the oven for about 30 minutes at the end of the process- or we just boiled them until they were very soft and ready to eat- and then we only had to wait for about 10 minutes in the oven- I suggest doing this)
2. Put potatoes into a glass pan
3. Add in butter, brown sugar and marshmallows (you'll notice we LOVE marshmallows- you can put in however many you want)
4. Put in oven at 350 degrees until marshmallows are melted

YUM!

Friday Night

2010-10-02T09:53:00.002-06:00

Last night we got a wonderful visit from Alli, Tyson and my favorite baby Brycen. I love seeing that little man! I cuddled him up the whole time they were over and the night ended with him passed out on me :). Great Friday night!

Love you guys!

Happy 28th Baby!

2010-09-29T07:00:00.000-06:00

Happy 28th birthday to the most wonderful man I know!

Dear Hubby,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! You're 28! I love your birthday probably more than you do (but everyone already knows this). Don't think of it as getting older- think of it as another amazing year we've spent having a GREAT time together! You are the most perfect man for me- and I'm so lucky to be your wife. Our lives have been pure bliss the past 2 1/2 years together- it makes me so excited for all of the years to come! Thank you for taking me to the temple and thank you for being you! You are the best! You deserve for today to be all about you- no excuses :).

I'm going to be cliche and name 28 things I love about my husband:

1. I ADORE his hair color. It's gorgeous. I actually contemplate dying my hair the same color quite often :)
2. I don't know a man who works harder than my husband
3. He makes me feel beautiful everyday
4. He visits me at work because he misses me- and I think it's probably the cutest thing ever
5. He never puts himself first (which he should do sometimes)
6. Watching him with our primary kids is amazing. He will be a great daddy someday.
7. I am never afraid when I'm with my husband
8. He ALWAYS has my back, no matter what.
9. He's AMAZING at basketball. It's quite crazy, to be honest.
10. Aaron is SO smart. He is constantly coming up with new business ideas- it's such an attractive quality to be with a man who knows what he wants, and goes after it.
11. He brings me breakfast in bed/makes me breakfast all the time
12. He is very affectionate
13. My husband is one of the most frugal people I know. He has taught me SO much about money- and about how we should live now to get to where we want to be once we have a family.
14. His drive makes me work harder to accomplish goals in my life
15. He's hilarious.
16. I'm his best friend. He tells me everything- and I love it.
17. I KNOW how much he loves me. I've never questioned his feelings towards me.
18. He is always surprising me with thoughtful gifts/notes around the house
19. He knows how important family is to me- and makes it a point to drive to Utah just about once a month
20. He loves date night- and usually plans it for us
21. He doesn't think my ideas are silly- he goes along with whatever I want to do.
22. He stands up for me.
23. I know we can get through anything together- he's always been there for me.
24. He's super sexy. :)
25. He loves The Bachelor (probably because of all the hot women on it- but hey- if he'll sit and watch it with me, I don't care why he's watching it, haha)
26. He knows the importance of putting our relationship first- he's always thinking of ways to spice things up and do new things together
27. He is very sensitive when it comes to me- and for a guy whose not emotional, it makes me feel his love for me even more
28. He is the best friend I could have ever asked for- and the best husband, I never could have imagined a man like him in my life.

AARON- you are the best. I love you more than anything- and I'm so happy to be spending your 28th birthday with you. Eat all the cheesecake you want!

Bookaholic.

2010-09-23T20:39:00.004-06:00

Oh goodness. So I've been literally reading up a storm. I've read 9 books in the past two weeks- so I've been scouring the internet for some more books I want to buy. I stumbled upon this AMAZING website...I'm betting more than half of you (all three of you who read this blog) already know about this site, but pretend you didn't for my sake.

Anyway, go, and enjoy!

http://www.goodreads.com/

Here are some of the books I've read these past two weeks- and what I think about them:

Hunger Games- Suzanne Collins: LOVE. Everyone should read it.
Catching Fire- Suzanne Collins: So so. Definitely not a love...but I think the whole series is a good read, especially since movies will be made, and they'll be the next big thing.
Mockingjay- Suzanne Collins: I'd honestly say it's the worst of the three books...but still worth reading, since its pretty much the next Twilight saga
The Fountainhead- Ayn Rand: A little tougher read than the other books I've been reading...but good nonetheless.
The Black Dahlia-James Ellroy: Really enjoy this book- but I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. It has some pretty rough language and some other things that aren't pretty.
Relentless- Clair Poulson & I'll Find You- Clair Poulson: These are both good books- very simple reads. Murder mystery with some romance/lds novels.
Angels & Demons- Dan Brown: This one was obviously a re-read, since it's been out for a while, but I adore this book. MUCH better than the movie.

I'll probably start doing some more short reviews as time goes on and I read more books. On my list are: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, I Am Number Four and Kitchen House. I read pretty much one book a day, so if anyone has recommendations for me, that would be SO great!

Thanks...and love you all.

My lame no picture blog posts will come to an end after this weekend, I promise. We're headed to the cabin tomorrow- and Aaron's birthday is Tuesday. If those don't take me out of my blogging rut, I don't know what will! :)

What a bore.

2010-09-12T15:15:00.002-06:00

I have been lame. No blog posts for a few weeks now.

I had a wonderful birthday (but I took horribly boring pictures- my sis in law Amber posted better ones than I would have, so you can look at her blog if interested).

I'm now working two jobs, so whenever I'm home...I'll most likely be relaxing- and blogging doesn't fall into that category. :)

I'm reading Catching Fire & then Mockingjay this week, so I'm sure I'll post about that.

The fair was also great as usual. Hubby's birthday is soon- maybe that'll kick my butt back into blogging. Until then...be patient.

<3

Car

2010-08-28T16:47:00.002-06:00

This is my new baby. 92 Honda Civic. Bought it in Logan for SUPER cheap...so I already have a paid off car...nice! Glad I have a car again (got rid of my other one last October)

Once a Knight...always a Knight

2010-08-23T11:44:00.003-06:00

As of next Tuesday, I'll once again be a "Knight". I graduated from Lone Peak High School in Utah where we were the Knights- and on Tuesday I start my new job at Hillcrest High School in Idaho where I will also be a Knight. Can't wait (although, I am SUPER anxious about being back in a high school...better find a cute outfit for the first day of school)!

Ultima & quinceanera

2010-08-15T14:16:00.006-06:00

We had a great time at our family reunion this weekend (which I'll post about later)...but once we got home we were able to go see Adam (Aaron's brother) perform at Battle of the Bands and then we got to go to our first quinceanera (Mexican 15th birthday party) which was a MASSIVE event. Both were SO much fun so I thought I should post the pictures.

Adam jamming out on stage...they (his band Ultima) are literally amazing...we're just waiting for them to get discovered and become famous.

Us & the band (the two boys in the very back aren't in the band...just groupies, haha)

Adam told me I was the "luckiest girl at Battle of the Bands" when I got this shot taken. It was funny, but seriously- girls were swarming. It was insane. (Adam is the one with his arm around me- love my brother in law!)

After battle of the bands Aaron remembered that we were invited to a quinceanera. Aaron works with a guy named Flo (Florencio) at his dad's shop...and Flo told him they were throwing a massive party (like 400 people) at the YMCA, and that we needed to come...so we did. And we were not disappointed. No one spoke English, and we literally felt like we were in Mexico, it was awesome. The only thing I recognized all night was the song "Gasolina". Haha.

The pig that was roasted for 2 1/2 days- for dinner. This was actually one of Flo's pigs...he raised it for this occasion. Super gross to look at.

Aaron & Flo. Flo had the BEST suit, cowboy hat and cowboy boots EVER. He was definitely in his best attire for his little girl's birthday, proud papa!

Flo's daughter and her escorts doing part of the tradition (they did SEVERAL dances, then presented her with a doll...which meant she was growing from a girl to a woman).

Such a great weekend!

...also, I got the job as a therapy aid, so I will start at Hillcrest High School on the 30th. I'm super excited to go back to high school again! Maybe this time I'll be popular ;) haha.

Grandma O'Connor's 80th!

2010-08-09T15:06:00.009-06:00

While in Utah we got to celebrate another birthday- Grandma O'Connor's 80th! It was one big party...and we had a great time!

...first it was off to Golden Corral (Grandma's favorite restaurant)- Grandma and Brycen cuddled up for a bit

then we were off to Grandma's church to play some games, talk and dance of course!

(LtoR: Aaron, Tyson, Adam, Mike, me, Alli, Brycen, Grandma, Rhonda and Amber)

Me & Brycen got to chill for a bit (after he ate and was happy) :)

Aunt Patti made up a game for us all to play...so this was me in all my glory

One of Grandma's favorite things to do is dance...so Aaron decided we should be the first to hit the dance floor (you could imagine my embarrassment I'm sure, but I loved it)!

(the dip)

Grandma and Mike (they are SO alike)

Sisters (we missed you Amy)!

The two grandbabies on the O'Connor's side (Brycen & Ruby- so cute)

**all high quality pictures were taken by Alli (and then stolen by me)- thanks!

...off to the Murri family reunion on Thursday- can't wait!

Got the job!

2010-08-07T17:12:00.002-06:00

Well, I got a job! I am SUPER excited about it too! It's called Runway Fashion Exchange- and we sell everything I love (designer brands). Basically people can bring in their clothes (they have to be in tip top shape) and we'll buy them from you and resale them....we also have tons of brand new clothes too. I'm so excited, happy and BLESSED (I was laid off Tuesday night and had a job by Saturday, I'm pretty impressed- ha)!

Fill in the blank Friday

2010-08-06T12:58:00.003-06:00

Our Story:

New Years Eve 2007- My friend Danielle & I went to a dance party in Salt Lake- and I was approached by Aaron's best friend. He got my phone number. I remember waving hello to Aaron- off in the distance. That was that.

A few days later Aaron "friend requested" me on Myspace. We got to talking a little bit (through messages online- maybe a few texts). We stopped talking. About a month later Aaron randomly called me and we talked for hours. We had never officially met, but we clicked. I'm pretty sure he came to Utah to meet me the following weekend- and that was it for us...we knew we were meant to be. We switched off between Idaho Falls and Utah every weekend. We were engaged 4 weeks after our first date- and married 3 months later on June 21st, 2008.

....we've been married for 2 years and a little over a month, and I can honestly say I've never been this happy :)

1-Most Challenging thing about marriage is ... probably just being different people (grew up different ways- we do some things differently). I wouldn't say it's challenging anymore- because we seemed to figure all of that out within the first year...as of now I really wouldn't say anything is challenging- but I'm pretty laid back...definitely not a fighter by any means .
2-My favorite thing about my spouse is... how much he loves me and his drive to work so hard. I will NEVER worry about us or our family being provided for because he is such a hard worker. He also loves me like crazy- he is always coming up with random things to do to make me smile.
3-Whats your secret to a happy marriage... communication, trust and focusing on each other. Trust has been there for us since day one (thankfully- I can't handle a relationship without trust). Communication we've come to learn (I think communication is always a work in progress, men and women are SO different). The biggest thing I try to do is focus on him and making him happy...I love to do things I know he appreciates, and in return he does the same for me- when both people are being kept happy, the relationship seems to move along flawlessly.

(stole this from Chelsey...thanks girl!)

Bday day.

2010-08-04T21:48:00.001-06:00

Kennedy's Birthday Day post HERE.

P.S. I'll someday post something normal on here again...once I get a job. Haha. LOVE the economy!

Friends

2010-08-02T08:11:00.003-06:00

During our short trip to Utah this past weekend, I was able to squeeze in a few visits with some amazing friends of mine. There's just something about being with old friends, talking about funny stories you remember, there's nothing like it- and I'm so glad I have friends for life! :)

Megan, Tacy and I (before going to Hibachi House to meet up with Danielle). Megan and Tacy have been my best friends since about senior year of high school...through thick and thin! I love these girls like crazy.

at Hibachi House (one of my favorite restaurants). Danielle met us there (Danielle was my roommate in 2007-2008- when I met Aaron)

Sunday as we were headed out of town we got to stop by my friend Tori's house. She has an adorable little puppy named Pepper that Aaron got to play with while Tori and I caught up.

We had such a wonderful weekend in Utah (as usual)- there will be two more posts coming up (Kennedy's 4th birthday & Grandma O'Connor's 80th)! Thank you friends for meeting up with me- I'm so happy I got to see you all!

Happy Birthday!

2010-07-27T09:19:00.003-06:00

HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY KENNEDY!

Go HERE for my birthday post about Kennedy (and some pictures)

:)

Day Date

2010-07-24T17:17:00.003-06:00

The hubs asked me on a date a few days ago...and planned a day full of activities for us...including a trip to the zoo! I was so excited...and we had a great time!

They had the cutest little penguin walking around...I guess she's a spoiled penguin and everyone loves her so everytime they open the gate she runs around the park and sees everyone. Super cute.

We also went and bought bocce ball, which I'm so so happy about- I love playing outside games with family/friends! Off to Utah next weekend... :)

Guest Blogger

2010-07-21T08:48:00.003-06:00

Dear friends,

Today I am a guest blogger HERE but I've also launched my new blog at http://losslifelove.blogspot.com/ with the first entry being the same story that I guest blogged with. It's a very personal story for me to share, but for me talking about it helps the healing process. Feel free to hop on over to either site and read it, comment if you'd like, if not- that's fine too. Thank you for all of your support and love- I can't believe it's been 4 years! :)

Brit

Chicken Flautas

2010-07-20T11:36:00.003-06:00

I made an amazing meal last night- and just wanted to share it with you all! Chicken Flautas...mmm!

What you'll need: (this makes enough for 2 people EASILY- you can always double it if you want leftovers)

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 of an 8 ounce jar of picante sauce (I just used Pace picante salsa- you can also use normal salsa)
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin (you can put a little more)
whatever cheese you want (I used fiesta blend shredded cheese)
corn tortillas (I made 8 of them)
vegetable oil
I also used fresh cilantro/black beans/avocado/sour cream/a few different spices

1. Boil chicken/or cook it however you want (I boiled it then shredded it because it was easiest)
2. Turn oven on to 350 degrees
3. Mix chicken/picante sauce or salsa/spices/beans in a small bowl (I actually added some onion powder, cilantro and other spices...you can put in whatever you want really to add flavor)
4. In a small skillet heat vegetable oil over medium high heat (I just poured in some veg. oil- a tablespoon or two is fine). Place a corn tortilla in the oil for 1 to 2 seconds on either side to soften. Repeat with all of the tortillas (if possible, have someone help you do this). Place tortillas on paper towel to soak up some of the oil.
5. Put about 1 tablespoon of the chicken mixture in the center of a tortilla and sprinkle some cheese on top. Roll up tortilla and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet, seam side down (I put toothpicks through them so they'd stay put while cooking). Repeat with all of the tortillas until chicken mixture is gone. If there is any cheese left over, sprinkle it over the rolled tortillas.
6. Bake tortillas in the preheated oven for 15 to 25 minutes or until tortillas are a little crispy and golden brown.

Once they were out of the oven I put avocado/cheese/sour cream on the top. Delish!

We dipped these in ranch/mild sauce and they were delicious! Definitely a keeper!

Sunday night stroll

2010-07-18T19:59:00.002-06:00

I could say it over and over again (and I do)- we're SO blessed to live so close to such gorgeous landmarks! Aaron & I found some new hidden falls and fun places to play around in this weekend- so we took a stroll tonight and got some pictures. I'm so happy Aaron loves going down to the river as much as I do!

I told Aaron to go sit on the cliff ledge...and this is as close as he got- in the next picture you'll notice I'm actually sitting on the edge. He's kind of a wussy. ;) Then again, if I would have fallen in, I definitely would have been dead since I can't really swim. Haha.

It was pretty dang high. But SO pretty!

Aaron told me to do a "girly pose"- so this is what I came up with.

Also- we had our first week teaching our CTR 4B class...and it went SO well! The kids adored Aaron- especially the little girls :). I can't wait to see them all again!

Patio Furniture

2010-07-10T17:05:00.002-06:00

I'm sure this will be a lame post for most of you...but I'm pretty excited about it. We finally got some backyard furniture! We realized we don't have enough cement for it to sit on...but we love it anyway. We're gonna have so many fun meals out here!

...yes, our lawn is SUPER green. My hubby is a good lawnkeeper. :)

back of the house...very exciting.

4th & the cabin

2010-07-07T09:02:00.005-06:00

It has kind of become a tradition for my family to come out to to Idaho for the 4th of July (seeing as how we have the best fireworks show west of the Mississippi)- so this year was no different. As soon as they got into town on Friday we headed up to the cabin in Ashton and started the party!

This is right outside of the cabin (it sits right on Fall River)- SO gorgeous

the boys got in a little fishing time...although all they caught were rocks (the water was still too high to be fishing right there)

We went to Five Eleven for lunch on Saturday (my mom's birthday). They have the best pizza/sandwiches...and we love going every time we're in Ashton

Once we got back to Idaho Falls we were off to the fireworks show to find a place to sit. We found one right under a bunch of trees (haha)- and ended up having to run down close to the river once they started so we could see them. It was still a great time though! (the picture is of my mom & dad- cute little lovebirds).

Me & Aaron looking tired- my allergies were flaring up...hence the red eyes

Sunday morning before my family took off back to Utah we went to the Greenbelt (the falls) and took some pictures. This is Aaron's and my favorite place to go in Idaho Falls, its so beautiful!

(Idaho Falls temple is in the background)

We had a great time with my family and are already looking forward to the next 4th of July celebration! (There are no pictures of my cute pregnant sister posted because she threatened me with my life if I did so- feel free to hop on over to her blog and ask her to post some) :)

2 years down, eternity to go!

2010-06-21T08:00:00.000-06:00

Two years ago today I married my best friend. We were both kind of taking a leap of faith when we got married that day (having known each other for 35 days before getting engaged- we pulled the ultimate Mormon marriage stereotype). I couldn't have made a better decision. Aaron is PERFECT for me. It seems like we compliment each other in every way- whatever he has problems with, I am good at, and the other way around. He is SUCH a hard worker- such a great provider for us- and I know he always will be for our family. He makes me laugh everyday. He loves our little kitty like CRAZY. He is VERY loyal to me and his closest friends. He is only emotional when it comes to me (silly, I know, but he's not an emotional person AT ALL). Aaron is the type of person who will always come through for you if you need him. He loves basketball- but he loves me more. :) He has taught me how to be a better wife, housewife, and best friend.I get him, 100%. He gets me. We have the same goals, same values and I'm so grateful for that. He's very outgoing, I'm very reserved. I love him like crazy, and he loves me just the same. I fall in love with the boy more and more everyday- so I'm looking forward to the coming years, because I can't believe I'll be able to feel even more love than I do now. He is my forever. Love you bub!

Our first pictures together

Our first anniversary picture

Two years down babe...eternity to go! Can't wait! :)

Father's Day Weekend

2010-06-20T18:21:00.003-06:00

We had a great Father's Day weekend in Utah. We watched a few baseball games, went shopping, went to a gorgeous wedding- and best of all, got to spend Father's Day with the family! It was a great weekend. My family will be coming out to Idaho Falls for the 4th of July weekend- so we're super excited to see them again :)

...at one of Kaden's games. He ended up winning the 2nd game for his team, not surprising- he's a great little ball player!

My two favorite dogs just hangin out. Mojo is on the left and Milo on the right

He obviously loves me too

And my pops. I look just like him, right? Hahahaha.

the Lakers couple. Found this gem of a shirt at Forever 21 when I went shopping this weekend- I was stoked. Even more excited when I walked downstairs to find Aaron wearing his Lakers shirt. We're soulmates I guess. ;)

...and tomorrow is our big 2 year anniversary- so I'll be posting again!

Happy Pop's Day!

2010-06-20T11:50:00.000-06:00

I'm not sure if either of our dads read the blog...but hey- they should be recognized anyway!

Happy Father's Day to both of you- you are both great examples of what a man, father, husband, worthy priesthood holder and a provider should be.

We love both of our dads so much- and couldn't have chosen better :)

LOVE YOU GUYS!

Aaron's reaction

2010-06-18T10:46:00.002-06:00

And here we have Aaron's reaction to the game. I'll spare you the tears and just give you the initial reaction. Love you bub! :)

Lakernation

2010-06-17T23:04:00.001-06:00

We love LA! SO happy the Lakers took the championship again this year. Already looking forward to next season....

Taco Soup Recipe

2010-06-09T19:12:00.002-06:00

Stole this from Alli- SO good! Thanks!

Taco Soup (makes enough for about 4 servings)

1 can of diced tomatoes (I couldn't find any so I just diced two tomatoes- tasted great)
1 can of whole kernal corn
1 can of black beans
1 small can of green chiles (I didn't use these)
1 package of taco seasoning
1/2 lb of ground beef
desired amount of graded cheese of choice for topping
corn chips, optional (I used fritos)
sour cream, optional

Directions

Brown the ground beef in a skillet. Drain the grease (if there is any).
Add 1/3 to half the pack of taco seasoning. Add a little water for moisture if it's not stirring in well.
Put all canned ingredients (juices and all) in a large pot and begin to heat. Stir together and add the rest of the taco packet.
When the soup is hot, add the ground beef and allow to heat for a little longer.
We put some corn chips in a bowl and poured the soup over the chips. Then we put the cheese and sour cream on top.

SOOO easy to make and so good! Thanks again Al!

Best Man

2010-06-05T18:24:00.003-06:00

Aaron's best friend Jake FINALLY got married this past Friday. I say finally because he and Suzanne dated for about 3 years- longer than me & Aaron have even known each other- and we've been married for two :). Sooo...it was about time! We LOVE LOVE LOVE Suzy and are so happy Jake settled down with a nice girl. I am a complete and total slacker and only had one picture taken all day (don't blame me, I had lots of jobs to do for the bride that day, so I wasn't too focused on taking pictures). It was a beautiful wedding, great luncheon, and gorgeous reception. SO happy they've joined the married club!

Aaron was the best man- and he did a great job walking down the aisle, handing Suzanne's ring to Jake, and giving the best man toast. He also looked super hot in his tux...which made me a happy wifey! Love my boy! It made me want to get married again...maybe we'll do some sort of vow renewal years down the road...in Tahiti (I wish) :)

I decided to throw in a few cute pics of the lovebirds- I'll upload more wedding ones once they get posted by other people.

Jackson, Wyoming

2010-05-29T18:48:00.004-06:00

Today was such a wonderful day! Aaron's dad Mike mentioned a boat show in Jackson, Wyoming to us a few weeks ago. We jumped at the chance to go, since we know how much time and effort he's put into building his boat- and I'd never been to Jackson- so today, off we went! We woke up to a downpour in Idaho Falls, which was a major bummer, so Mike didn't end up bringing his boat. By the time we got to Jackson it had stopped raining, so we were sad his boat wasn't there to be admired by all the wooden boat lovers...but we still had a great time anyway!

Some of the boats- along with the builders/people looking at them. It was super fun because all of the boats were handmade and all made out of wood. They are all drift boats- which I had never even heard of before becoming a part of the O'Connor family. After seeing all of these cool boats, I'm hoping that someday Aaron will build one that he can use to fish in!

...just another view

a few of the boats from a different angle

...after the boat show we drove a few miles further into downtown Jackson (Jackson Hole, Wyoming). Like I said, I had never been, so I was SO excited! It reminds me of a mix between Moab and Park City. LOVED the small town feel and all the little stores! They were even having "beer fest" (go figure) so they had country singers out performing and so many fun activities going on. Obviously we didn't partake of the beer tasting...but we did each lunch at a fantastic brewery! :)

Found this cute little guy outside of a home decor store...had to take a picture

My husband is adorable...and I love him. He could tell how much I was loving being in Jackson, so he has already decided that we'll be going back to stay for the weekend soon :). Who knows, maybe someday we'll become an awesome "granola" couple- and we'll move there with our future dog! Haha.

The antler arch is famous in my book. Every picture I've ever seen of Jackson has this arch in it...so we had to follow suit

I asked Aaron if he'd take a picture by the moose with me...before actually looking at the animal and realizing it was an elk. Luckily my husband was there to correct me ;)

A little closer view of the arch. It was about 35-40 degrees in Jackson...I felt like it was winter again! I was loving being able to get one last cute winter outfit in though.

There were SO many antique cars driving down main street while we were there, so I snapped a picture. Right after doing so, one of the cars decided it would be fun to honk at us. Cute little old man

Main street

Sure can't wait to go back! Alli- if you have more pics, I might have to steal them from ya! Also, little Brycen (our nephew) came out with us- he was SUCH a good boy...hung out for like 9 hours and was a champ! Way to go B!

Done and done

2010-05-26T13:57:00.001-06:00

Dear Friends,

For those of you who care, the apple fast/cleanse worked VERY well. I'm convinced its because of the 2 tablespoons of olive oil at the end...but really...its definitely a cleanse!

Love,
the new, refreshed, not so happy tummy, Britney :)

Apple Fast/Cleanse

2010-05-23T21:00:00.003-06:00

Well, tomorrow I start Edward Cayce's Apple Fast . I'm very nervous- but actually pretty excited at the same time. Basically I just eat apples for 3 days- and at the end of day three you drink some olive oil to clean out your system. Haha! I laugh at the thought of it. It is supposed to be a digestive system cleanse- but also can help if you're at a weight loss plateau (I've wanted to lose 3-5 lbs for over a year now- even with p90x that weight wouldn't go anywhere)- so I'm trying something new to see what happens.

...Mostly I'm excited to have a clean body- we'll see if I can keep up with the "eating good" thing afterwards. If I don't respond to any texts/calls...I'm probably suffering from exhaustion and trying to sleep for 3 days straight. :)

Half Full.

2010-05-19T15:28:00.003-06:00

One thing I wish I could make some people realize...

their lives are not THAT bad.

I get pretty sick of people complaining. Sooo...I vent on my blog (and complain). That is all.

Megan's home!

2010-05-16T19:22:00.003-06:00

We had a great weekend in Utah- my best friend Megan got home from her mission! She served in Uruguay (not sure of the exact name of the mission) but I was so happy to see her! So beautiful and tan...and smart, like always.

After her homecoming meeting her family had a luncheon at their house. Megan gave me this gorgeous handmade green jacket. I guess a lady in Argentina handmade it. I love it!

She also got to come over on Sunday for a while. It felt like she never left- we caught up right where we left off and I'm so excited to continue our friendship and make new memories. (That sounded super cheesy, but really, I couldn't be happier about her being home).

Her little brother gets home from Arkansas later this year (which is the reason for the two flags behind us). Soon she'll be moving up to Salt Lake to finish schooling at the U. I'm glad I never ended up being one of those girls who "waited" for a missionary- because a year and a half felt like FOREVER waiting for my best friend to get home! :)

The next pictures are actually from the weekend before in Pocatello. My little brother had a baseball tournament there, so Aaron and I drove out to see him play then my family came and stayed the night with us. Love them!

Me & Mojo playing during Kaden's game.

Kaden pitching (both my mom and I pitched in softball growing up- so we like to say that he's following in our footsteps). :)

...and a shoutout to my dad- whose birthday is today! I should have taken a picture of him...but I kept forgetting to take pics this weekend. Anyway, happy birthday Dad...glad we were there to celebrate with you!