Monday pick-me-up

Just in case you are as thrilled about the beginning of another week as I am. ;)

Also, this cracks me up every single time. Haha!
The first time I heard this story and saw him wiggle his ears was in a broadcast for all the stakes in Arizona several years ago. I laughed so hard my sides hurt. Oh, how I love both President Hinckley and President Monson! And oh, how excited I am for General Conference this weekend! :D

"My wife told me not to say that." 

Have a wonderful week!

Halfway there, livin' on a prayer

I'm 20 weeks pregnant today. Halfway there! 20 more weeks, give or take, until we meet this tiny human and our family of two (and a half) becomes three.

I don't think that has really sunk in yet.

It's pretty hard to wrap my head around the fact that this is all really happening. I just got used to the idea of being a wife, and now I'm becoming (and in some ways already am) a mother? Whaaaaat? 

It's all a little crazy still, but I love it. I am so happy to be where I am today... married to the sweetest man, anticipating this little baby's arrival, and living a life that is even happier than I hoped. 

So sappy, I know. Just feeling really blessed today, I s'pose. :)

On a lighter note (because if you know me you'll know I'm not good at staying serious for very long), it's a really good thing that I ended up watching last night's Relief Society broadcast at home last night rather than going to the activity at the church. Let me put it this way... I was very well hydrated (Sonic's happy hour is hard to resist sometimes), and had an unfortunate incident involving a rather large sneeze while sitting cross-legged on the couch.

Truly, is there anything more glamorous than a pregnant woman? Lovely.

Also, wasn't the RS broadcast great? It just got me even more excited for General Conference next weekend! Yippee! Also, funny story, I like to write down some of my favorite quotes in a somewhat cute manner to post on instagram, and a couple of them ended up the the LDS General Conference facebook page and this Deseret News article. I sure would have made my handwriting a little neater if I had known it would end up there... just saying. Haha!

 

Happy Sunday! :)

"You will always look lovely"

Have you ever known someone that just always seems to look happy? Or seen someone at the store that has a glowing expression on their face? 

When I think of happy-looking people, I think of those I know that consistently have good, happy thoughts. They are the kind of people that have trained themselves to banish negative, judgmental, or otherwise bad thoughts from their minds. And it shows. You can tell they are happy inside. That's the kind of person I want to be

I think Roald Dahl summed it up pretty well in this quote, which has been my favorite for a long time.

"If you have good thoughts, they will shine out of

your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely."

-Roald Dahl

I wanted this to be in my house as a reminder, so I made a little printable to frame. I'm not a pro, but it is fun to play around especially when I actually make something that I like enough to display! 

If you want to use it, feel free to download by left-clicking the image to enlarge and right-clicking to save. 

I also made these versions, and even though I don't like them as much I thought I'd include them too in case someone else does. :) Which of the three is your favorite?

No mistaking it this time

For the first time, after several "wait, was that it?" moments,  I'm absolutely certain I felt it today. A tiny little human wiggling around in my belly. I was sitting in the car after going to seminary and the store, putting off bringing in the groceries, when he/she started moving.

I'm pretty sure it looked something like this, because that's what it felt like.

Minus the car... I'm not sure what's going on there, but it's kind of awesome.

It was a little flutter, or twitch, or tapping... whatever you want to call it, it moved! I've had quite a few times when I was pretty sure I felt it, but this was the first time I knew it had to be that little baby of mine busting a move, and not indigestion or hunger. It was weird, but the best kind of weird! I can't wait for it to happen more frequently.

Everything is still going really well. My routine appointment this morning was great, I'm almost halfway through already (whaaaat?!), and we will be finding out the gender in a couple of weeks. Also, I'm feeling much, much better. I had pretty mild morning sickness, but to make up for it I got major fatigue that didn't start going away until I was about 16-17 weeks, and it was really making life difficult for awhile. I'm finally feeling like a human being again though! Hurrah!

Fall, cold floors, and Russia

We love sleeping with the windows open whenever we can. Dallin runs warm so he likes the room to be pretty cool, and I like having a good excuse (as if I need one) to snuggle up to my personal heater of a husband. It's a win-win. 

I'm not sure how long the open windows are going to last though, because last night we felt the first real nip of fall in the air. When I got up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, I almost shrieked when I stepped onto the icy cold ceramic tile. It was cold on my poor bare feet! Dallin took the missionaries rock-hunting early this morning, and as soon as he was gone (personal heater, remember?) I was freezing. And when I left for seminary this morning, I pulled a coat out of the closet for the first time this season. 

I absolutely love this time of year. I've been in the autumn mood for a long time now and I'm so happy that it is officially here. All hail to the season of apple cider candles, scarves, tights, sweaters, changing leaves, Thanksgiving, pumpkin goodness, and hot cocoa!

Fall also makes me itch for Russia, which is where I was two years ago during this season. In other words, I'm going to use this as an excuse to post a bunch of pictures from then, even though I'm probably the only one that cares. Hey, it's my blog, right? Imma do what I want! ;)

One of my favorite pictures from the whole semester, even if it didn't turn out perfectly.

On the path I took to the school every day. I loved this walk and seeing it change from green leaves when I arrived to snow when I left.

I like to take stalker pictures. Muahaha.

Five things Friday

1. I am a major pyro. I love fire and I could play with it, or even just watch it, for hours on end. Maybe it's a redhead thing? My mom wisely never allowed candles in our house (except on birthday cakes), and now I feel like a rebel when I use them.

2. Besides taking a couple of classes in high school, I was home schooled until I enrolled in a community college when I was 17. It makes me happy when people are surprised to hear this. What, do you expect me to wear a bonnet or something? And be completely socially incompetent? It cracks me up every time to see the shock in people's eyes!

3. I could eat salad for every single meal, no joke. That is how much I love it. On a somewhat related note, I love tomatoes so much that I eat them like apples, sometimes with a little salt sprinkled on top. So good. 

4. I'm an introvert. Even though I love being around people, I tend to be more of a quiet observer, and I love  (and need) my alone time. (Currently working on a post about this!) 

5. If could wear sweaters and scarves every day of the year, I probably would. I'm anxious for it to be cool enough to bust out my fall/winter clothes! 

Happy Friday! 

Pumpkin cookies, sneezing, and naps

I'm swiftly approaching the half-way point in my pregnancy, which is pretty dang crazy. It's been going by so quickly. Uncomfortable as it can be at times, and tired/whiny as I am, I really do love being pregnant. I love thinking about baby names, planning nursery decorations, and looking forward to meeting this little babe. We will be finding out the gender sometime in the next few weeks, and I'm a little worried about that, to be honest. It's hard enough to keep myself from buying every cute baby-related thing I see already... I don't know how I'm going to be able to resist once I know what we are having! 

Anyway, on a more goofy note, here are a few things being pregnant has taught me so far:

• If the baby wants pumpkin cookies, you make pumpkin cookies. The end. (Here's the recipe I used. The only change I made was using cream cheese frosting instead.)

Butter, cream cheese, and pumpkin = magic

• Also, if the baby wants Taco Bell, remind it that no matter how good it sounds at the time you will regret it later, I promise. 
• Do not sneeze while walking, especially when you are in Walmart and have been staying remarkably well hydrated. Need I say more? ;)
• Naps are a beautiful thing. Truly beautiful. Also, it's a good idea to take one (or at least rest for a solid hour+) every day to save your poor, yet eternally patient, husband from having to put up with an extremely cranky wife. 
• Speaking of avoiding being a cranky wife, keep that belly full of food, woman! (Food, not cookies/Reese's/ice cream/kettle corn/slushies/etc.)

• On a related note, take advantage of being pregnant as an excuse for your purse full of snacks at church. (And everywhere else you go, if we're being real here.) 
• Don't even bother buttoning your pants, girl, you know it ain't staying like that for long. Also, all hail yoga pants! 
• Old wive's tales are serious bizness to some people. Serious bizness, I tell you! Don't laugh. (Until you get home and tell your husband)
• No matter how long you put it off, the dishes aren't going to wash themselves. Just do it, you lazy bum. ;)

And on that note, I am going to take my own advice and tackle the disaster area that is my kitchen. Wish me luck... I need it if I'm going to really get myself in gear today! :)

Need a laugh today?

Then do yourself a favor and check this out.


Way too good. This makes me so happy every time I watch it, and you better believe I've watched it more than a few times today. It kills me every time!

I had an oral surgery earlier this year, and when I was waking up apparently I had a hard time getting my eyes to cooperate with each other. (P.S. You should see Dallin's impression of my confused, groggy face and wandering eyeballs. It's probably even funnier than I was in person.) Anyway, I was trying so hard to focus on Dallin but I couldn't stop seeing double for a little while.

Even though I only have a very faint, dream-like memory of this, and wasn't really all there at that point, Dallin says I smiled in his general direction and said, "Two Dallins? What could be better?" Annnnd then I conked out for a few more minutes before really coming back to life. I must really love him if I'm mushy even when I'm barely conscious, eh? That's nowhere near as great as the guy in this video but it still makes Dallin and I chuckle.

Happy Tuesday! :)

5 happy thoughts

Because sometimes writing them down makes them come into my head, and if we're being honest there aren't very many happy thoughts in my head at the moment as I lay in bed grouchy, sick, and tired.

1. I will be sleeping in my own bed tonight! This babysitting gig has been (for the most part, as seen by my last post) easier and more fun than I was anticipating, but 10 days is a long time to live in someone else's house and it will be nice to get back to normal life.

2. I married a keeper. He really is the best. Patient, sweet, and always making me laugh. I can't believe he was crazy enough to want to marry this crazy goof of a redhead, but I'm sure glad he did!

3. One of the little girls in the family we've been watching loves to come up, pat my belly, and say, "Hi baby" several times a day. She is also really excited to find out whether it is a boy or girl (as am I!) and has made me promise to text her mom when I find out in a few weeks so she can tell her. It is adorable. I might have to sneak her home with us tonight. Her parents won't notice, right?

4. It's Friday! I get my husband all to myself for the next couple of days! Yippee!

5. My almost 2-year-old sister makes my little heart melt every time she tells me "Lah-loo" (Love you) on the phone. She is pretty stinking cute. (And I'm not biased or anything....)

Funny to look back at these happy thoughts and see exactly what is on my mind... sleep, husband, and babies/kids. Must be pregnant or something... eh? :)

On an unrelated note, you should watch this. And all the other Kid Snippets while you're at it, because they are hilarious. Almost as hilarious as listening to the youngest kid we are watching start quoting lines from it at random and then bust up laughing. THE BEST.



Happy Friday!

Deep breaths.

Today was hard. Really hard. 

Dallin and I are watching 8 kids while their parents go on a trip, and so far it has been going... remarkably well. Eerily well. Almost uncomfortably well. You'd think that taking care of so many kids would have at least a few hiccups, right? 

Well, it did. But rather than being spaced out, they all fell on one day. Today. 

It was miserable. Two kids sick at home. Cramping baby-maker. Painful ankle, thanks to a most unfortunate incident involving a grumpy man and a shopping cart, which is a story I might have to tell one of these days when it doesn't tick me off so much. Kid's rides falling through. Meals turning out poorly. Messes and dishes and laundry galore. Then on top of it all, I seem to have caught the same bug going around the house and spent most of the day achy, even more tired than usual (something I truly didn't think possible), and in the foulest of foul moods. It was truly a chaotic, stressful mess of a day all around. 

One of the things I need to change about myself is my stubborn-to-a-fault desire to be independent. I want to do it all myself. I have a hard time humbling myself enough to ask for help, even when I really, truly, desperately need it. I wish I could say that when I became completely overwhelmed today I accepted that I needed some backup and asked one of the many willing friends we have in common with this family for help. I wish I could say that I wasn't too proud and stubborn to do that. Instead, I just about drove myself insane trying to do it myself, which of course ended in frustration and tears. Ugly, mascara-melting, red-faced tears. 

My point is that there is great power in recognizing our limits. One of the things I don't like about social media, especially in blogging, are the unrealistic expectations it often causes us to set for ourselves. Sometimes I'll read something about a mom with, say... four kids (plus one due any day) who just finished some amazing, time/energy consuming project and when I'll had energy to do that day is eat, sleep, pee, and repeat, it is hard to not feel a little lousy about myself, especially when I think about the mountain of dishes, laundry, and other chores I've been neglecting lately with this dang pregnancy fatigue. But you know what? That's okay. That's my limit. I shouldn't try to "run faster than [I have] strength" (source) or be too hard on myself if my capabilities might be a little less than normal, and also might seem pathetic when compared to others.

All I can do is my best, and that is enough. 

Even if that means asking for help when I need it.

And let's be honest, I need it a lot more than I ask for it.

(Also, I am way too tired to really proofread this thing, so forgive me if it makes no sense at all. Kthxbye.)

Le Bump

Well, there is no hiding this baby now, even if I wanted to!

I have been about the same size since I was 14. You know, besides filling out a little here and there and the like. I've never gained or lost a significant amount of weight over a short amount of time, so this pregnancy thing is taking some getting used to.

Specifically the fact that I really wasn't showing just a week or two ago, and suddenly I have an undeniable, unmistakable, very rapidly growing baby bump. This dress is flowy enough that it looks much smaller than it really is, but trust me when I say there is a (relatively) big pregnant belly under there. And every time I try to sit down in the jeans I can hardly fasten (even with the nifty hairtie trick), or button a fitted shirt, or give Dallin a big hug, I am reminded of that fact. ;) 

Weird? Yes.... but it's the best kind of weird. :)

Other than getting used to how much my belly has been growing, things have been going so well. I'm excited to meet this little one in February!