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!