So Many Pictures... So Little Time

Well, for the first time ever, baby Carter seems to be putting himself to sleep in the bouncer. Yeah!!

Where to begin?? Life here has been one adventure after another, as I am sure it is with all new mommies. However, reading some of y'all's blogs, I start feeling like I am outnumbered by pros!

It has been a bit frustrating for me, I won't lie, as far as getting back on my feet goes. After the c-section, I kept thinking I was doing remarkably well... and then... a fallback. And then another fallback. I still feel so blessed, but unfortunetly according to my Dr., my walks will continue to be postponed, and I am missing all of the amazing weather! Vegas is perfect this time of year, and I feel a bit trapped inside. But at least I am in good company! Our dog is a true gem, and our baby for sure keeps me busy!

We have some more adorable pictures to post, and I must say my favorite are the bath time pictures! We LOVE giving him baths, and he loves taking them! Check it out.

Also, these go back to the first week he was here.. day 6 or something like that. My girlfriend Megs took them and she did awesome! I love them. Look how little!

Who would not love a face like that?

Well, I know I don't have that much longer... the little monster sleeps in 20 min increments on days like today!

Hope all is well with everyone! And yes, I have officially joined that club where you really only blog about your kid. (:

So Dreams DO Come True!!

I will warn you know... This blog post may or may not be a novel. Depends on when baby wakes up.

Yes, that's right... I said baby. Again, most everyone knows by now, because it has taken me ages to get to this, and sometimes I still can't believe it! I am sure it scares all of you as much as it does me to think of me as a parent!!

The delivery was crazy, although I have heard of much worse, and to keep it short, we ended up with a C-section that both Jared and I saw way more of than we wanted to. Our stay in the hospital totalled 4 days, and we could not have been more excited to come home. Not to mention the dog still panics every time we leave the house, worried we may not come back again! Thanks to Brett and Chris for keeping him company. It was way better than trying to arrange a neighbor... I would have worried a ton!

My mom came down for the whole hospital experience, and for that I cannot thank her enough. I want you to know mom that could not have meant more to me. You are my hero, and my best friend. I am so grateful for all that you have done for me. I miss you more than you can imagine, and can't wait to come see you!!

And then there is Robin. Another hero, whose meals were so appreciated, and whose efforts cannot be acknowledged enough. Thank you for everything, from the welcome home to the minute you left. The comfort of having someone around, running errands, and helping me through some rough days is another one of those miracles that especially now I realize I could have been in trouble without!

So here we are, two weeks into this, and on the one side it feels like he has been here forever, and on the other, I can't believe he is real. Carter is my biggest joy and my biggest fear at the same time. I told Jared the other day that I feel like he has already changed our home. He has brought with him the Spirit and invited us to tune in much stronger to Heavenly Father's promptings. I can honestly say I have never prayed like I have the last few nights! I worry so much about him, and that I am doing things right by him, and that my body can make it through the recovery/adjustment phase. I feel so humbled, happy, exhausted and grateful all in one.

But through it all, he is doing great (I think!). He went into the Dr. today for some paranoid first parent worries, and weighed in at 8 lbs. 7 oz. which is 5 ounces up from birth. He has some goupy eyes, which for now are not to be worried about (blocked tear ducts) and a rough voice, which is no biggie as long as it goes away by Tuesday.

I have had a breakdown a day (mostly a night) and I like to blame it on hormones because I hate to think of myself as a goober, but mostly because breastfeeding has presented more challenges than I thought. Once again, thank goodness for an amazing husband! But it has to get better... or so people keep telling me. Patience is obviously a virtue that needs some work with me!

Let me be clear. Sometimes, lack of sleep and constant worry has me sounding a little backwards...

We have the most beautiful son, who through everything and anything that can lie ahead, really is my dream come true.

So here are the pictures, of which there are a ton, because it is our first born~ He He He ~

Here he is!! Daddy was being so brave...

And now all cleaned up!

Puppy-sitter #1...

and #2! (Also known as Uncles Brett and Chris!)

Favorite Froggy Jammies with Grandma!

A very tired mommy who was proud to have found her blow dryer again with her baby!

Who couldn't use a good burp?

Honestly... like father like son!

At least one of us relaxes when they sleep!

At this point, we are not sure who is into the bouncer more...

And lastly... daddy's favorite video. I think he can relate!

Enjoy!

High Hopes... and Temperatures!

All right, so I am supposed to be posting pictures of the nursery completed, but the camera is finally packed in the ever-so-important hospital bag, and now that it is officially ready, I don't dare disturb it! We have really high hopes to be using it soon! I keep pulling things out and then losing them to the laundry or an equally devastating hiding place. I definitely need more fat lady clothes!

Well, I know as of today Britt would be in the hospital if it were Lydia being born, and all I can say is if it were up to me I would be there with her today! The anxiety is killing me, the temperatures are melting me, and my body has just about decided it has had enough. I told Jared next baby is his turn! If only...

We are still, yes still, setting records at 103 degrees this week, and the highlight is that by the weekend we may break into the 90's. I am thrilled. Oh wait, nope, just hoping that at some point this forsaken desert will hit the 80's. And maybe I will finally stop sweating! NOTHING is more embarrassing than trying to teach piano/conduct choir/simply exist with your face glistening while everyone else seems perfectly comfortable. On the plus side, I can actually freeze Jared out for the first time in our marriage! There is an upside to everything!

As for the anxiety, I no longer sleep. Partly due to the reflux, partly due to the five point turn around (I mean rolling over) that has become a ritual every five minutes, and partly due to the fact that I lay there wondering if what I am feeling is fake, real, important, or just my imagination. Don't worry, I know that if I am wondering, it is not real, but somehow that doesn't help at 2:00 in the morning! Remember when my doctor told me I was a relaxed, easy going person?? She clearly knows me well.

And my body? Well it is safe to say I am large with child...

• as previously stated, constantly sweating - check
• swollen feet- check
• painfully numb and swollen hands - check
• aching knees and hips - check, but only if I go on a long walk... my bad!
• constant headache - check
• nightly Mylanta dose- check
• weight gain - double check
• grunting with every movement - check
• chocolate being the only food group that sounds good still - check
• tying shoes - negative... no longer an option... really considering a revival of Velcro!
• ribs feel like they are breaking - check
• wondering why any mother does this more than once - triple check... I hear one can be prone to forgetting quickly. God knew what He was doing there!
• And lastly, dreaming constantly of what the next phase will be like - check, check, and check.

I know that every pregnant lady goes through this and probably much more, so sorry to sound to whiny, and to have a post solely about me and baby, but as it turns out that is where my life's focus is now. I do know how blessed I am and have been with a healthy, overall problem free pregnancy, and now, with 15 days till due date, I am more grateful than ever. I am just trying to convince myself that it really is not just a waiting game. As all of the mother's before me have said, I really need to focus on enjoying the stage I am in now.

Work is going well for both Jared and I, although we are both battling a bit of a cold. Seminary is still early, and the puppy is still cute. Not much else has changed. We miss home, miss fall colors, and miss cool breezes. Above all, we miss our families, and hope everything is treating them well.

Today, I am really thankful for phones, as I was able to talk to my sister for over 20 min for the first time in months. Thanks for calling Ton! Thinking about you!

Stae

Early Morning Does Not Even Begin to Describe It!

So, it is finally come and gone... our first week of early morning seminary. I wasn't even there for most of it, but boy can I tell you, it was an adventure. Jared has faithfully gotten up at 4:15 to run the dog for 25 min so that he doesn't kill me when I take him for a walk/waddle an hour later when the sun comes up while it is still in the 90's, and then off to pre-class teacher devotional starting at 5:30. The sad reality is, I don't sleep so well anyways, so once he is up, mostly so am I. That means our bedtime has shifted from 10:00 to us climbing into bed acting like we are dying at 8:30, not to mention that whether we are on the phone, eating dinner, or getting ready for bed (which sums up any time we have together these days) it seems all we talk about is planning for the next day of seminary. We have officially turned 80.

So here is the good stuff...

Day 1 - Get to know the students. You have your classic "I dunno" types, your "everyone here is weird" types, and then your "I promise you don't see me eating in the back" types. Overall, it's actually looking to be a great class. 17 high school freshmen, who make it there on time (this week anyways), of which only 5 are girls. Should be interesting.

Day 2 - Get to know the Knudsens. Jared asked me to come that morning, and since I am up anyways, I figured why not! So we put together a little power point of our lives together up to this point, and then opened it up for questions. Question 1: "Brother Knudsen, when did you lose your hair?" Question 2: "Sister Knudsen, do you like him better with hair or without?" Question 3: "What made you decide to shave it?" End of the open question session.

Day 3 - Rules day. I am pretty sure it was the quietest day yet. Probably the kids favorite too. (Yup, keep telling yourself that!) The CES guys have made it very clear they really want the teachers to be strict, so off Jared went, trying to make it feel like Unity was more the topic than rules. In preparing, he tells me "I am going to use that U.S. hockey team from the movie Miracle for an example" to which I reply "Nobody will have seen that movie.. use Remember the Titans". Total students who had seen either one of them? 5. We really are starting to feel old, possibly a bit outdated!

Days 4 and 5 - First days that required actual prep, as they were the first official lessons. Topic: Plan of Salvation. My day? Typing up his handouts, as I can do it 10 times faster than he can... that is, when my hands aren't numb!!! His day? Fill in the blank with the kids. He said it went really well, and I can honestly say, I don't doubt him. However, we have had to re-evaluate how often they get handouts!!

Overall, it was a great week, and I only had two major anxiety attacks thinking about keeping up this schedule with a newborn. We will just have to keep praying!

Today, I am thankful for big, big pillows!

PS - You should all know, Jared has been assigned to teach in the nursury, which means no piano. Did you notice the hymn books?? Let's just say, Jared is practicing up for his big solo during the next Sacrament Meeting!! (Not really, but 6:00 AM is not an ideal time for teenage choir practice... I won't even start in on the pitch!)

It's All About Time!

Well, the summer ends, and here we go!

Life is about to change in the most dramatic of ways for us, and we are a mess of emotions!

First, tomorrow is the last official day of summer, and after that the school year starts. Now, granted, I am not going back to school, but Jared is this year! He starts teaching his Freshman Seminary Class on Monday, and is pretty nervous. It was really interesting as I was looking online for ideas for him, of which there are plenty, when I stumbled accross a letter by the CES asking a few of the blogs to stop posting ideas, as it is up to the teachers to use the Spirit. And so I lovingly told my husband he will be an awesome teacher, and I will help in any way I can, but it really is all up to him! What liberty for a teacher! On the other side of the coin, what responsibility!

However, if any of you have ideas, we would still love to hear them!! Studying D&C this year...

Preparing for baby has not made much more progress either, although I did finally finish baby's first (and possibly only) blanket from mom! - Weird, just called myself mom! Here are the pictures!

I am just a bit proud... Really.

Then there is piano starting up again, which I love, but always brings a bit of anxiety. Then there is my new calling in church, for which I am super excited and just a little overwhelmed. I am now in charge of not only the ward choir... yes leading it... remember how I never went to that college class (or just went and slept!)? But I am also the ward music chair, which means searching out all of the stinkers like me that don't like to volunteer for things and convincing them to share their talents! It will be an adventure!

Other than that, life is pretty normal. Getting antsy for baby to come, and majorly nervous at the same time. Miss everyone up at home, and as soon as we are out of the 100's, I will be sure to let you all know!

Today, I am grateful for an a/c that works!

24th of July Magic!

Well, I have a confession: all I really want to eat these days is chocolate cake. I have resisted the temptation so far, mostly by avoiding Costco, as their chocolate cake is a sure heart attack, and by not turning on the oven, as it will melt our house to do so in this heat. However, that doesn't mean I don't actually have dreams about it. I think my problem started when I saw my first episode of the Cake Boss where he made the most amazing looking cake I have ever seen. Good thing it is not winter, or I might have been tempted to try my hand at it!

The summer is more than half way over, and we are now officially into our third trimester, and sadly, my life of summer projects does not even have a dent in it! Jared would call this overwhelming and depressing. I just think it means I will never ever get bored. Trying to remain optimistic!

I guess what I really wanted to post was our awesome weekend. We were fortunate enough to be able to take a few days and make a long weekend this last one, rationalizing that we needed to be in Utah, as that is the only place it is a holiday! So, Wayne and Robin being our saving angels, we used the Knudsen Condo and went up. With a little persuasion, we talked my mom and the twins into coming down to the heat, and we had a blast! Every time we are together with those guys we end up with two things we hate: Sour Patch Kids (or Starbursts), and laughing because our cheeks hurt! Here are some highlights to remember!

It started with some serious pool games. Mom and I stopped at the store and couldn't resist grabbing a pool volleyball net that was on MAJOR sale, and when we finally got it set up in the lap pool, we had quite the audience. Yes there I was, prego as ever, and the Knudsens took on the Haynes boys. Needless to say my jumping has never been at such a low, but it was awesome playing in the water. That first game spurred the decision that it would be so much more fun if we all had goggles, so off the boys went to get some.

A few hours later they came back, and told us how they had narrowly dodged the pressure from the sales lady to buy Batman goggles and a shark fin, but they had managed (with the help from a lady who didn't actually work there) to get a good deal on some great goggles. That is of course after Jared learned a few words in Spanish at the check out. I love seeing him flustered!!

We then moved on to playing some pool (on the pool table this time), where again it was Knudsens vs. Haynes, and let's just say the twins won by default, as I couldn't seem to do anything but scratch on the 8-ball! Grrrr...

And food?? My favorite topic? All weekend we were looking forward to some fantastic brownies, but we ran into a little trouble there. First, Jared accidentally used all the eggs making what ended up being fried rice oatmeal that we were all way too grossed out to eat. So he went and bought more. Then I accidentally used all the eggs to make more hard boiled eggs (loved it Britt!!!) not thinking, so Jared had to buy more! Finally, after two trips for eggs, we ended up making brownies for lunch not wanting to risk waiting for another egg fiasco. Who would have thought it could be so hard?

It was an awesome break, and it was good to see Jared relax and enjoy himself, and we are so grateful for every chance we get to get away from Vegas in the summer, even if it is to 101 degrees! Now we just have to kill this week getting things done and we will be in even better weather next week! We can't wait!!

Today, I am grateful for crock pots!

Stae

Nursury Fun!

As Promised... Pictures!

Just a few things to point out...

An always helpful puppy that we love!

And an unfinished baby room, but how cute are the monkeys?!!

We LOVE them!

June Buggies

Well Helloooo!

June has to qualify as a crazy mad month! In a snapshot, oh wait... not possible... here it is!

• June 5th, school ended.. happiest day ever... also my birthday. Dinner with friends and an amazing "all things chocolate" cake made by the one and only Jared. Turning 27 ended up being ok.
• Next week spent preparing for summer camp, and then the arrival of Tonya, Nate and boys. Lots of swimming, hot dogs (not for me of course), swimming, naps, and more swimming. It was awesome, and I have never seen the dog so tired!
• Next week, summer camp. Went by pretty fast, culmunating when the scorpion crawled over my screaming first grader in the classroom. Nice. Love the desert.
• Next week, Utah trip. Wow, never will remember quite how much I love cool mornings till I am in them! Walks every day, dog chasing golfers, birds, and now we can add dead snakes. Lots of cards with the boys (no worries, Brett and I remain champions at Sequence), shopping with my one true shopping inspiration (Robin, that is you!), and Patrice having her baby! Highlight - watching Patrice and I trying to bend over and pick up a dropped cell phone... never a good thing for two pregos!
• Getting home... fixing the car, catching up on teaching, moving Jared into his new office (which I aided by spilling the first smoothie all over the brand new carpet), getting geared up for seminary meetings to start, adjusting to the heat all over again, and lots panic about the lack of preparation for the baby!

Which brings us to last weekend, or the first weekend of July!

• Friday, panic about Jared's office move... feels really far away! Go buy first baby item... pack and play at 50% off... can't argue with that!
• Saturday, buy paint for upstairs, go to baptism, come home and start painting...(all things sage green and monkeys!) finish in time to go to the Baird Manor for an amazing dinner - thanks Charmaine and Cory! Come home and pass out.
• Sunday, break in time for church, come home and clean the disaster that we were calling our living room and kitchen just in time to make another disaster with dinner. Stand upstairs and watch about four fireworks, then pass out again.
• Monday, finish painting upstairs (pictures will be coming soon), shopping for a suit for Jared, and spend way to much at the Bath and Body sale. I had better not need hand soap again for a while!

These are the weekends where at the end you feel like you need another weekend. We got a ton done, but are both sore and tired. We really missed being with family, and spent a good amount of time lamenting about the poor timing of our family visits, and how we tend to plan them missing the holidays. It's just not the same without all y'all. But we love you and now, if you come to visit, we won't have to stick you in the white-wash warehouse that was our 2nd floor! Someday, we will get on the ball and plan our visits better.

Today, I am super grateful for couches, as I really don't intend to leave mine much!

Untitled... but for now... Baby J!

I feel strange posting this, but my family has been asking when they get to see pictures, so here you are! This is Baby J at 18 weeks, which we are well beyond now, but it will most likely be the last pictures we get until right before he is born! What a perfect profile!!

More to come soon...

Summer At Last!

Sooooo much has happened, where do I start? (Do I say that every time?)



SCHOOL IS OUT! I wish I could say I am more sad than happy, and maybe that will be the case after summer camp, when I know I am not going back, but mostly the last day was HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY!! I love knowing that I am not going back any more as a teacher. I have to be honest, I love teaching one on one (piano), but the classroom was never my forte. I find my passion is much more in line with the administrative side of things... the organizing. I love creating and seeing things take shape. It was an overwhelming task, but I know I made a difference, and the program is better because I was there. What a great feeling! Rare indeed! Now if only I could feel that way about my food storage...

Then there was my birthday! YEAH and CRAP at the same time! 27 is starting to feel really old, especially when my childhood friends are onto their third child!! I had a great birthday, starting with a husband who spent the week before in a mad panic trying to figure out what to do. I told him that I wanted to choose this year, and it worked out great, because I was worn out with school ending. We spent Friday night at dinner with some friends, and Jared made a FABULOUS cake (all things chocolate this year!) and then we spend Saturday getting ready for Tonya and her family to come visit, and we even started registering for out little baby. By the way, baby's current name is Baby J (little Jared) as we are still at a zero count for names we both like! If that is not an overwhelming task, then I don't know what is! It was honestly just a wonderful day of hanging out with my honey and being happy! Thanks babe!

Which brings us to Tonya's visit! Man I love that girl! The first thing she did was my hair, what an awesome birthday present! Yes, the truth is I am a blond again. Gotta love summer. The rest of the three days were spent at the pool, (thanks tons Charmaine for the key!) and boy is little Deuce becoming quite the fish! He could have stayed all day! And Nate looked like quite the relaxed father in his floating "man chair". I only wish I had pictures! They were so brave to visit when we hit 105 degrees, and I even heard someone else say they were cold by the end! Funny what Vegas does to you. We had a great time, and I can now say I am the current expert on Sponge Bob.

Baby does not seem to stop moving now that he is big enough to be felt, and I keep trying to help Jared catch it! Sadly, he does not move on demand!

Today, I am very very grateful for chocolate birthday cake, as I plan to eat the last piece!!

The End is Near!!

Well, I can honestly say it has been as busy as I thought it would be, but what I can't say is that I have gotten as much done as I had hoped. That's OK though, because it sure has been an adventure.

School ends next Friday, June 4th, and I can tell you right now, I will be so happy. However, one thing that despite all of my complaining that I have tried to do this year is learn as much as I can. Teaching other's children can be a difficult task I have discovered. So many times there are blaring problems that have what seem to be easy fixes, but are just out of my control. A teacher can only do so much. I am so nervous and excited to be a parent. I hope it helps me to have seen the results of different types of parenting as much as I imagine it will.

My piano recital was awesome. We had over 100 people (I know Britt, it is a small event compared to dance.. wink, wink!) and that was awesome for the kids. I had quite a few spill tears of relief, and even more who simply danced their way out of the building. But we did not have one memory blank, which was huge as for many it was their first performance. It was just over an hour, and that was long enough for my nerves. Hopefully if the recitals continue like that it will just help me continue to build, if not in numbers, in reputation. I love being known as the demanding, and yes possibly even "mean" teacher!

Tomorrow is my big Spanish event with over 90 kids and all of their parents! I feel unprepared, but on the same token can't think of what else needs to be done! I attribute this to pregnancy!!
Wish me luck..

And last but not least, I must announce that as of this last Monday, we could finally feel our little guy kick/punch/whatever-it-is he's doing! We were so excited! And since then, he hasn't seemed to stop. Last night it even woke me up, which makes me really nervous for when he is actually a much larger baby-in-belly and un-ignorable! We also hit... today... our halfway mark. 20 weeks! Hurray! It reminds me a bit of the marathon, not sure whether I am really happy to be halfway, or a little depressed.

I shared with a few of you some of my classic "parent" comments, but some are too good to pass up posting!

"Oh Ms. Stacey, I am so glad to find out you are pregnant! I was watching you this morning and I started to worry that something wasn't working out for you cause you were looking chubby!!"

"Oh look how fun, your belly is getting big! Don't worry, your whole body is changing!"

And my all time favorite... "You're pregnant? Well, don't worry, you can barely tell. It looks more like you are just really really really bloated." That one of course was a few weeks ago. Don't worry, I have ballooned out since then. Apparently all over!!

We are so excited for the upcoming summer. We hope to see you all very soon, and if you are really bored, come visit! We aren't even in the 90's yet!!

Today, I am grateful for Slurpees!

Four Years and Counting...

Is it possible?? Yesterday was our four year anniversary, and all I have to say is that these would be my top 10 reasons you know you are no longer a "newlywed" no matter how many years you are celebrating:

#10 - Getting dressed up really just means that you no have to blow dry your hair and possibly use a little product. And please, something other than sweats..

#9 - You remember your anniversary when your sister-in-law emails you to wish you a happy day.

#8 - The cards no longer talk about what will happen in the future as much as what has already happened... good or bad!

#7 - Due to children or children pending situations, a "night out" moves from eight to two in the morning to as soon as you get off work to an hour later when you are too tired to care.

#6 - "Out to dinner" means pick up pizza on your way home, use paper plates, and put the left overs in the fridge in the box to avoid any possibility of clean up!

#5 - You give dish towels instead of "something special to wear".

#4 - The dog makes his way in between you, drool and all, as you finally cuddle up together.

#3 - You struggle to remember what life was like pre-marraige.

#2 - You can't actually make any plans until the budget is balanced, the house is clean, the laundry is folded and the grocery list is ready for the morning, because if you leave feeling behind, all you will discuss is what you didn't get done!

#1 - You know that even if you don't dress up, don't get to go out, forget a gift, or work till the wee hours of the morning, the day will still be special because he will still love you no matter what, and you can always do better next year!

Happy Anniversaries to all those out there no matter their stage in life, and may there be many more to come!

And the countdown is on!

What you might be wondering is why the background? Well, I need some motivation! Jared and I were going over the calendar, after I had weighed myself, and things were not looking too bright! So here we go... changing the attitude! Pregnancy, sickness, and work can work together when I know exactly how long I have!!!

So... two more weeks of piano before the recital! That adds up to a total of 31.5 hours. Yeah! And then a two week vacation!

And as for school... if I survive field day, Mother's Day, the Spring Performance, 3rd Year testing, the Spanish Celebration (code for Stacey is in charge of putting on an event for all Spanish Immersion kids in the school), and the last week of school without going crazy, all will work out fine. How many days you may wonder?? 24!! I won't tell you the hours, as it's a little embarrassing that I know! School days that is... not counting the days I will be passing out in between.

Jared on the other hand has his own countdown going... that is, how many more days do I have to listen to Stacey whining?? I asked him what he thought and this was his reply..."Honey, that's not true!" He is a good husband, isn't he!

Happy May everyone! And may your month go by as quickly as possible!!

Is it May yet??

Spoiled would probably have to be an understatement. I have found the times that I most feel the need to write are when I am feeling very grateful!

To start with, the cat is officially out of the bag. I have not said it to really anyone in these words, but school knows, church knows (thanks to Jared being unable to lie to the Bishop... not sure what that is all about!) and it's only a matter of time before I can't get any baggier of shirts. So we are having a baby, and we could not be more excited. I am a ball of nerves, as always, wondering how to afford this, or schedule that, or even better, how to get out of bed or off the couch! Work seems to get longer and longer, which is weird cause the time hasn't changed, and food seems to look nastier and nastier, as the nausea has worsened as opposed to everyones predicted "it get's better" plan. The gratitude comes in when I know for a fact that I am married to a saint.

I generally get done teaching to head back to my permanent butt imprint cushion on the couch, with the dog dying to get out and no dinner made. Jared just stepped in, and all of the sudden instead of grilled cheese and macaroni I am eating peppered steak and green beans! I even caught him on a recipe website called "healthy dinners" and with an official "shopping list" which I am embarrassed to say I have yet to master. So we have once again pulled out the tv dinner trays, and I pick at my food (exept for the steak of course which I pounded) while Jared inhales his dinner over the sink so he can get to dishes, laundry, and whatever else he can think to do! Like I said, a saint.

Then there are the few rare moments where I feel great for at least an hour (usually a Saturday when I haven't been up all night with work nightmares!), and my hubby does things like patch the hole in my bike tire so we can go for a ride, and find a tee time so we can golf with my old boss and his wife. No worries, just a Executive Course, where I learned I am not supposed to feel guilty for falling asleep at 8:00 long before the chores are done because it is good practice for Jared. Not sure if I can buy into that one though!

Truly, I am grateful for all he has done for me. I feel like a wuss, but work honestly has been really difficult, and the fact that the end of school is near has not been much comfort as every day seems to get harder and there are plenty left. I don't know how there are women who do this without complaint (Brittani!). You all amaze me!

Thanks to all for prayers and thoughts, and Happy Birthday to Lydia. SO sad we missed it!!

Oh, and here are some pictures for Grandma Knudsen... thanks for saving his favorite toy... aka, his "cigar"!!

and even better....

Where to even start...

Sorry, no pictures again. I need Lindsey to move in and document my life as I am a horrible picture taker! Well, the last few weeks have been... interesting... and the next promise to be the same!

Spring break was AMAZING for starters, although I think I spent an entire two days laying on the couch recovering from what Jared lovingly called a "sleep deficit". I was a little (and by a little of course I mean a lot) sad that I was not at home in Utah enjoying the snow, but the 65 and sunny wasn't too bad. Jared got a free lift ticket to snowboard Brianhead, which he quickly and gladly accepted, and after reassuring me that next time I could come, off he went. He managed to come back with only one injury, for which I was grateful. However, I was not so grateful when I felt really really icky that night, and he couldn't walk! I must say, risking sounding spoiled and a bit bratty, I felt really REALLY grateful to have a husband that normally is amazing when I am sick!!! But his ankle is recovering pretty quick, and the dog is loving the dog park until he is walked again.

Other good news seems to be the best news ever. Just got back from the third ultrasound, and the Dr. sounded really positive for the first time! We may actually make it out of the woods with this baby! And.. the tech had a great guess for what sex it is... but I am not telling. I do have pictures though!! I'll have them this weekend, and we'll see what the fam thinks! Both Jared and I were laughing our heads off afterwards in the car when we both had the initial comment of, "Oh man, this is real!" to be followed with "That's unreal they can see all that at 13 weeks!" Baby weighed in at 2 ounces, and tomorrow we go back to my doctor for all my 1st timer questions. We are so so so excited, and a little bit more scared, but mostly grateful that everything is looking good finally.

So there is the update! School stinks, but there are only a few more weeks, and my co-teachers are being amazing about my lack of enthusiasm and overly-frequent potty breaks in the mornings. Other than that, hopefully no other parents know, at least for a few more weeks. Jared says he doesn't think I am showing, but I think he is just saying that so I don't freak out about being so fat!!

We are so happy and grateful for all that is happening, and we can't wait to see everyone! Hope all is well!!

Who is walking whom?

So I must share our latest adventure... probably the highlight of the neighborhood entertainment. Jared and I decided to walk the dog tonight together for family night, and as we realized it may not be the most fun activity we have ever done, we decided to make it interesting and try "long boarding the dog"! The best part was definitly when I almost fell off from being dizzy and off balance, and Jared almost crashed into a car! It is definitly a little tricky to stay on the board, while the dog is trying to figure out what is going on! However, just add it onto the list as one more way to exercise our animal, and potentially make complete idiots of ourselves! Yeah!

Today I am grateful I did not fall!

A Week to Remember

Well, I can honestly say I have never been so happy for a week to end. It was a great week, but a very exhausting week.

First, to Clint and Patrice, we keep you in our thoughts and prayers daily, and hope to come visit soon.

Second, to Justin and Lindsey, thanks so much for stopping by! It was so fun to see you two, and happy anniversary!

Third, this week has prompted me to be extra grateful for a lot of things... such as....

• Mondays where there is NOT a time change, as I have never felt it affect me more.
• Those rare days when I am NOT late to work, as I rolled in about 20 min late every day. Good thing I still beat the kids!
• NOT having to sit through what was described by Jared as the "world's most boring training meeting", as I was at home feeling SUPER nauseous instead.
• NOT teaching until 9:00 pm on Wednesdays anymore, as I finally caved and moved a few students to Monday.
• NOT coming home every Thursday, finally feeling good enough to clean for my poor husband, only to walk in to a wave of poop smell as puppy had a MAJOR "blowout" in his kennel, and on the wall behind the kennel, and the carpet in front of the kennel... you get the idea.
• Those times where I may not want to mop, but at least it doesn't make me cramp!!!
• Pizza nights on Fridays... no cooking or clean up!!
• Spring Break on the horizon... school is wearing me out.
• Loose fitting clothes as I was asked more than once this week by bold mothers, "Is there a bun in the oven?" or "Is this for reals? (while pointing to their own perfectly flat tummies)". Apparently, the cat is out of the bag WAY before I am ready to feel huge!
• And last but not least, a hubby who not only puts off work to spray down the dog and to spray off dog poop from kennels and towels, but a hubby who will NOT make me feel like an overdramatic sickly little prego who is a little emotional trying to figure all of this out(which I readily acknowledge I am, but it is quite different to be have someone else say it)!

I truly am grateful this week is over, and hope it has treated all of you a bit kinder! We miss you all and hope to see you soon!

Is it winter or spring?

Here in Vegas, rain is a bit foreign to us. We usually see it two, maybe three times a year. However, this year has been a bit of a mystery. These last few weeks we have had the same list of outside chores to do, and every Saturday, we get up to do it, and lo and behold, we have rain. So I guess we will once again not wash the cars, paint the front door, or weed the 10 weeds in our yard. The Man in Charge has spoken... we are not to do our chores. Yeah, I am heartbroken and all, but the couch is certainly getting some good use! So much for Spring Cleaning!

The last two weeks have been less than exciting, as they consisted mostly of work, sleep, and more work. Jared seems to be doing awesome, although a little disappointed about the loss today for BYU. I am for some reason super homesick, and am trying to plan a trip to Utah. WHEN is the hard part. I don't really have an excuse to go visit, but feel like I need to get up there soon. We will see... soon is so relative.

Puppy on the other hand has grown to be quite fond of our bed. He has figured out about what time we go to bed and manages to sneak into our room and hop on our bed with all hopes that we won't kick him off. It could be that he is currently without a soft pillow as he chewed through two already, and I refuse to buy another one until he finishes this phase. Anyhow, he has decided that our bed is the best hang out ever... there every chance he gets from morning to night. This is a habit I do not look forward to breaking!

Apologize for the boringness, but hope all is well with everyone out there.

Today I am very grateful for couches and rain.

Running a Marathon... Almost!

So, I will hopefully be going back to a few posts to add pictures now that Jared found the cord that connects the camera to the computer! It's the little things in life that make the difference! Until then, you will have to tolerate just my ramblings.

So this weekend, we had my mom, Brett, Chris, Tonya, Nate, Deuce, and Champ down to visit. Booker has never been happier. They got here Friday, rolling into town just after lunch, and boy was it an adventure! We had so much fun! We started out at the park playing basketball (this is what happens when there are teenage boys around), then a quick run to Costco... always dangerous... finishing off with a rousing game of "What If...". I will have you know that Jared has had a few moments with my family that he will never live down. It started when he backed into Tonya and Nate's brand new PARKED car, moved on to when the bird pooped on his head in St. George, and ended somewhere around when he was the only boy who wasn't "man enough" to finish a 4X4 from In-n-Out. He tends to get the brunt of the jokes during our what if adventures. It was a long game for him.

Saturday we had a breakfast that would make any doctor proud supplying any cholesterol that we hadn't inhaled with dinner the night before consisting of bacon, eggs (I won't tell you how many), hash browns, and pancakes. You would think that we would not need more food for that day, but I remind you, we had two sixteen year olds with us. We then headed out for a hike at Red Rock, that where Books showed his true leadership, and we managed to get back in time for the "men" to golf.

Here's a thought for you... how many people go golfing, have a good time, and take a golf ball to the forehead while packing up the car?? Oh yeah, just Chris! Poor kid got drilled, splitting his head open, with a really nice goose egg. We were just happy there was no concussion, which was proved when after an hour break they headed back to the park for more basketball! What a story that will be later in life!

Saturday night was filled with a few rounds of Hand and Foot (a card game we love) and wrestling with the dog, and on Sunday it was back to the park, this time with a little tennis! Tonya and Deuce each received a great Valentine's gift of a brand new tennis racket, and commited to take some lessons in the summer! We will have to hold them to it! No worries, Tonya's racket is pink! When they all left Monday, we were sad, but I will not lie, exhausted. The house still has not been cleaned, but if all the doors are closed, it doesn't look that bad! Thanks to everyone for coming, we absolutely LOVED having you here, and I can honestly say ALL of us miss you! Especially Booker. Here's to another long week!!

Saving Money...

Well, I have a question to put out into the void...

Is it ever really worth it? "Saving money" that is!

Yesterday, finally having beat the flu, Jared and I took a good look at our list of projects around the house that needed doing. There was the usual endless cleaning, the front door badly needed to be painted, the cars are in a desperate need of a full and complete smell/bug removal, I had a baby shower to attend, and it was Stake Conference weekend which means many meetings for Jared scattered throughout the day. And then it happened. We realized that if we were ever planning to dig in our backyard (which we have landscaped in our heads about 1000 times) NOW would be the time to do it since we have had an unprecedented two weeks of rain! So, to Lowe's we went for shovels and a pick. And then we dug.

And dug...

And dug...

and then I left for the shower and Jared dug...

and dug...

no worries, the puppy helped to dig...

and they dug...

and 5 hours later, Jared gave in.

What did we have to show for it you ask?? Three holes big enough to put baby trees in that we don't have, and an outline dug with a pick of the yard we wish to someday have. I have to say, next time when faced with the choice to dig or to hiring a landscaper to just come and do it, I may choose the later. Even with Jared telling me how much he misses working outdoors, I don't think it's worth the whining that inevitably follows the next day. Not to mention that nothing else got done, and the dog will probably ruin any holes that were finished long before we get a tree to put in it! But yes, you could say there is a sense of achievement to be gained from such an experience if you were looking for a way to remind yourself how out of shape and "officy" you have become!

And the best part is, after buying the tools, counting time for labor, and investing in Ibuprofen, I guarantee that we will not save money after all!

Is is just a bug??

Warning: Longest Post Ever!!

Having finally chosen a suitable background, I figure I ought to catch everyone up! I have to be honest. Being sick has its advantages. Aside from feeling like you want to die, the chance to stay home from work and get a few things done has been such a great thing for me! Even if I haven't left bed in three days, I feel like for the first time in a while I am rested and will be able to face whatever I am dealt this week. However, don't hold me to that!! We will see what Wednesday does to me!

Starting this is a bit of an adventure for me, because I feel really far away from everyone! So this is really cool for me to be able to write all the dumb little happenings of our lives for all those who would never know about them to read! May I emphasize that I don't actually expect anyone to read my ramblings as much as it is supposed to make a great journal! So for anyone that doesn't already know, here are a few basics.

Husband: Jared, aka Jar, J-Dawg, K-fed, or Jerry

Occupation: Financial Advisor, Redstone Financial Group, Partner, just passed the Series 7 Test on his first try!

Age: Approaching 30, which is going to be HUGE! Currently collecting ideas for surprises... feel free to contribute!

Hobbies: Mountain Biking in the summer, Volleyball whenever possible, Basketball on Saturdays, closet Rollerblader, Longboarding, Wakeboarding when we can weasel our way onto a boat, weekend Hiking, Snowboarding, Saucing (a specific form of sledding involving a sled that offers no control), and checking anything BYU related on a regular basis.

Favorite Food: Changes daily and impossible to predict.

Wife: Stacey, aka Stae, Ms. Stacey, really anything but Stace.

Occupation: Spanish Teacher, Piano Teacher, and aspiring writer (:

Age: 26, and that is being honest. Sadly, it feels like that is really old!

Hobbies: Reading books that have no value and require no thought, Running in a useless effort to lose weight, Tennis, Volleyball, learning Piano pieces that I will never perform, and continuously being shown up by Jared at all things athletic! I have won once in our marriage at tennis... take note!

Favorite Food: All things a 15 year old boy would love. Homemade pizza, pasta, sandwiches, and a seriously delicious Steak. It is a wonder I need to lose a few pounds!

Other Family Members: Booker, our 9 month old Boxer, who is our life and love, and who sat on my bed for 5 hours straight with me to keep me company while I coughed, sniffled and burned with a fever. I love him!!

That out of the way, I can't wait to get better and be on my feet again. Undoubtably this bug will leave, and when it does, life will go back to work, work, WORK!! I will miss not feeling rushed! Until next time!

The First...

Well, now that we have internet at home, finally, and since I am home sick today, what better day to start this than today?! By way of warning, this may not be all that exciting, as my life generally is not exciting. And I am not a huge picture person, but I want to be someday, so here's for hoping. So welcome to the Knudsen story, or should I say stories!! Hope I can figure out how to do it all!!