Tuesday, April 30, 2013

I AM...


I am a dog person--big dogs only.  For some reason little dogs scare me. They are so yippy and they bite at your heels and have a small-man complex. No good. So...I only like big dogs.

I have an active imagination. When I was little I would imagine I was stranded in the woods with only my big dog and a hatchet as my protector (recall the book Hatchet).  Or that I was an Indian princess, running free between the trees. Or that I was a fearless bronco rider, holding onto my tree branch for dear life as my little brother shook the limb vigorously.  Now, however, my imagination usually brings to life more realistic future scenarios such as babies and medical school and life outside of Utah. :)

I plan for the future, but I don’t stress out about it until the present.  For example, when I decided to go on a mission my mind was set.  I planned and prepared and was very excited.  It wasn't until I was lying in the hard bunk bed of the MTC that I realized the weight of my decision. This may seem somewhat irresponsible, but I like to see it as a survival technique. See, once I finally realize all the stress that should have come with my decision, it's too late to turn back.  There is nothing left to do but accept it and move forward with a good attitude. And that's what I do...usually. 

I wish I could live on the beach all day.  I look like the antithesis of a beach bum – red hair, fair skin, freckles – but I love the sun, beach volleyball, swimming, and bon fires. The closest I get here in Utah is Bear Lake. 
I love going to the cabin with my family. I love wakeboarding, swimming, and watching the sun go down over the lake as we come into the marina. And that exhausted, sandy feeling at the end of the day…is there anything better?

I love ice cream to a fault.

I have a knack for picking out the most expensive item.  Doesn't matter what it is; jewelry, clothes, dessert, faucet head, you name it. This can be both a blessing and a curse...but mostly a curse.

I’m not the best at showing emotion, although I’m working on this.  I get embarrassed if I show too much emotion over a gift or an event.  I have no idea why, but I’m just a little British this way I guess.

But most importantly, I am constantly changing. I am not completely who I was five years ago, and I hope that in the next five years I will be someone new...and better.

April Showers!

I wanted to give a big THANK YOU to everyone who participated in my baby shower last Saturday! A special thank you goes to my wonderful mother who planned and hosted the event.  She is a fabulous party planner and the best mom a girl could ask for!  Thanks to my sisters and moms for providing all the delicious food!  Thanks to the family and friends who came to visit and were so generous in helping Chris and I prepare to welcome little Olivia to our family.   And thanks to Nikki Jacobson who took these pictures so I could have a few memories! (I always forget my camera!)







Everyone wrote down a small "Joy of Children" for me to read and remember when I'm having a rough day.  These cards will help me remember the small things in life and learn to look for the joys in raising children.








I was also given this pail of diapers.  These were not just plain diapers, however.  No, these had special messages for me to read during those 3:00am diaper changes when all I want to do is sleep.  Some especially hilarious messages were:"Does anybody have a match?" or "Isn't it Daddy's turn?"









THANK YOU!!

 

 

 

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

It's Friday Night!



Sometimes Friday night rolls around and Chris and I haven’t made any date plans. (Okay, this may happen almost every Friday night.) But that doesn’t mean we’ve lost all spark of creativity.  Last Friday night Chris and I decided to revert back to our childhoods and build a massive fort!  Armed with all the blankets and sheets in our house, an ironing board, card table, and kitchen chairs, we were able to construct this beauty…


The entrance looks small, but the space opens up wide in the middle. We encompassed our TV in the fort so we could enjoy an old Hitchcock film, The Lady Vanishes. I propped up my pregnant self on about ten pillows and a big fluffy blanket.  Chris even made his famous Butterfinger shakes to complete the night. Delicious!  It’s funny how a makeshift tent can make movie night all that much more enjoyable.  (Not quite enjoyable enough to spend the entire night there, even though Chris did suggest it.)

 I think we’re reverting back to our care free days because we know that, in just another month and a half, our lives are going to change dramatically.  It may even be another four years before Olivia is old enough to enjoy a good fort. 

So next Friday, what’ll it be?  Night games, toilet papering, hanging out at IHOP until 5:00am?  Who’s in?!?




Monday, April 1, 2013

Happy Easter!

This Easter weekend was GORGEOUS! The weather was fantastic and spring was here in full force.  I think it even made it above 70 degrees on Saturday and Sunday.

I had a great weekend, starting out with a fun baby shower that Stacy threw for me. She had her house decked out in pink, welcoming the little girl coming this June.  And of course, the spacey prego me forgot to take pictures!!  I'm so grateful to have generous friends like her!

Easter Sunday was so enjoyable.  We didn't paint any eggs this year, but we did manage to give each other small Easter baskets. The highlight of my basket? Measuring cups! Silly, I know, but I only had a mismatched set of measuring cups and the numbers had washed off of them so I wasn't ever quite sure I had the right measurement.  These awesome new measuring cups have the numbers etched in the plastic so they will never fade.  And they include every measurement, including a 2/3 cup!  Oh, the small joys in life. :)

We had a wonderful Easter program in Church, commemorating the resurrection of our Savior. I was able to play the piano for the primary children as they sang the song Gethsemane by Sally Deford. It is a very hard song for children to sing, but they loved it and they did a great job!  Chris also sang in the choir, singing some of my favorite songs including This is the Christ.

Easter dinner was spent with the Hill family. I declare there might be little better than ham and yummy potatoes on Easter. Angela also flew in from Kentucky and we were able to spend time with her and her kids through the evening.

And what Easter is complete without a little photo shoot?  Unfortunately, the photos were only of me and my belly this year. Chris took me to the park near our house and we took these pictures amidst families' Easter egg hunts.

Here I am, 31 weeks and counting!