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 We really are starting to feel old, possibly a bit outdated!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!!