The Grassy Noall

We've moved!

2009-04-27T20:25:00.003-06:00

I am so tired of using my old email address to sign in to this blog and having to switch back and forth to check my current email, I decided to import all my entries into the new blog I made, jasonandkristina.blogspot.com and gradually just switch everything over there. As silly as it is, I'm sad to leave this one, because it's like a journal. But it will be simpler this way.

So, I don't know exactly when I'll just delete this one altogether, but I'm going to try to post everything on www.jasonandkristina.blogspot.com from now on. So if any of you follow this blog (I'm flattered, by the way! :)), please change your links accordingly.

California highlights

2009-04-25T06:08:00.007-06:00

How cute is this? Easter Sunday, before we left, Jason was holding Jamie on him and he just zonked out this way! Poor little guy!

On the road to California! This is our view of our little alien baby in his special mirror, which distorted his face (he of course does not usually look like an alien :)).

A happy reunion with Grandma Yarwood (and meeting Sissy)

Jason came along and attacked me with a baby while I was playing my parents' piano :)

My cousin Liz, and her baby, Lexi, who came over for lunch to meet Jamie

Liz and I are five months apart, and were best friends growing up. Quite by coincidence, we got pregnant 7 weeks apart!

Jamie with Unca Rob

He also got to meet one out of three great-grandmas; This is Great-Grandma Cox

My mom got him a Bumbo seat. Can we say "adorable"?

Craft bragging. Remember I mentioned a secret project like a month back? I learned some hairbows and will be learning more next week. Gifts for Elle (Sam's baby) and Megan (SoLo's baby). So fun!!

More craft bragging. A blanket for Elle, since Sam's theme for her is butterflies.

Meeting Auntie Sam at Elle's shower!

Meeting little Chloe (Ashley's baby) after his blessing on Sunday, which went beautifully!

Blessing picture. We had my huge extended family over right after church, so Jason and I changed out of our church clothes without thinking to get a pic first. :P

Sitting in Grandpa's big, comfy chair

All in all, it was a really good trip. I wish I'd taken pictures with Christy, too. Oh, and to fulfill my comment to the manager of the Oak Tree Inn in Elko, NV, DO NOT STAY THERE. She is a HORRIBLY rude woman who treated me like dirt when I politely and almost apologetically asked for a discount because the bed and pillows kept us awake, they were so hard. Probably because I'm young and poor, she didn't think I qualified to be treated as a human being. Absolutely appalling customer service. (I worked at a hotel, I would know.) Sorry for that unpleasant note, but I promised her as I was leaving that I would never stay there again and would be spreading the word to all my friends not to, either. Feel free to tell anyone else you know who passes through there (right on the way to Salt Lake, all you Mormons). It's a rip-off.

Anyway. Now we're back, Jason will do his seminary student teaching next week, and I've stayed up too long doing this early and now need to skedaddle back to bed and sleep while I can (i.e. while Jamie is still sleeping, of course :))!

Stroganoff

2009-04-24T14:53:00.006-06:00

Found this recipe on cooks.com and made it for us, my brother, and Christy and her hubby one night in California. Everyone really seemed to like it and it was really easy, so I thought I'd share.

Ground Beef Stroganoff
1 pound ground beef, lean
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
10 3/4 ounces (1 can) cream of mushroom soup, condensed
4 ounces mushroom stems and pieces, drained
3/4 cup sour cream, or yogurt

In medium skillet, brown ground beef and onion; drain excess fat. Stir in garlic salt, pepper, soup and mushrooms. Simmer covered, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in sour cream; heat through, but do not boil. Serve over rice, noodles or chow mein noodles.

Serving Size: 4

Christy and I doubled the recipe but only used 1 lb of beef (and didn't tell the guys, muah ha ha) and it worked fine. We also left out the 'shrooms, as Rob put it, 'cause they're icky. Next time I make it I want to try with ground turkey and the plain yogurt.

It was legit!

2009-04-20T13:45:00.003-06:00

I got my Living Scriptures offer in the mail--they were out of magnets but I got everything else, and they didn't charge me for it. There was a message explaining that they want people to experience their products so they give a few out for free so they'll buy more. But there was a message hinting that they had more requests for this offer than they thought they would and quantities were limited, so if you're interested, hurry over there and get your free stuff before it's gone! Agaon, here's the link to sign up.

California

2009-04-16T00:07:00.002-06:00

We've had two days in Cali now. The trip down was much longer than usual, as we had to stop to change, feed, and burp the baby periodically, but he was really good for most of it. I can't blame him for getting fed up with being stuck in that seat near the end--after all, it took us nearly 15 hours to get here.

Got to go shopping with Crystal and Christy yesterday, which was AWESOME. My husband is wonderful, but nothing can replace shopping with the girls, of which I have none in Idaho. Gotten more sleep thanks to a a grandma who is eager to take the baby in the morning (YAY) and get to introduce Jamie to Great-Grandma Cox, cousin Lexi, Liz, and Aunt Linda tomorrow. Oh, and got our taxes done and get to look forward to a reasonable return.

Haven't taken too many pics yet, but I'm sure TONS will be taken tomorrow and Sunday, especially. Friday we're going to the Jelly Belly Factory so Jason can continue his addiction to wild cherry flavor, Saturday we go to Meggie Beth's birthday party and Elle's (Sam's baby's) shower, and Sunday Jamie will be blessed and most of the fam and friends will be over for a party afterward. Good times.

No-sew tutu

2009-04-15T23:41:00.002-06:00

Found the address for a little girl's tutu that looks really easy over at my friend Jennie's blog and thought I would share. I plan to keep it in mind for someday when I have a girl (fingers crossed)! Hope at least someone out there enjoys it :)

Congratulations, Jason!!

2009-04-10T13:40:00.003-06:00

Homemade Chili

2009-04-09T23:00:00.004-06:00

Made this tonight and thought I'd share. Such a good recipe; easy, cheap, really good. Suggestion: serve with Marie Calendar Cornbread mix (deliciousness by just adding water and baking--love it). If you're not an expert cook, the seasonings might look intimidating, but once I bought them, it's been easy to just pull them out to make this every once in awhile. I've always gotten good reviews for this recipe.

DIRECTIONS:
Brown 1 lb ground turkey or beef with dried minced onion and garlic powder to taste. Drain grease and add following:

28-oz can tomatoes, undrained
27-oz can kidney beans, drained
8 oz can tomato sauce
1 can corn (optional)
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp celery salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp worcester sauce

Simmer one hour.

***WARNING: may cause intolerance/disgust for the canned, storebought junk.***

Salt Lake trip, etc.

2009-04-09T20:19:00.010-06:00

A lot going on this week, between Jason doing three all-nighters, finishing his classes for good today, his parents getting into town last night, frantically cleaning for their arrival (and for our own sanity, the place had gotten pretty bad by our usual standards), and Jason's graduation tomorrow. So here are the pictures I promised, a few days late.

We really like this one. Us in Temple Square. We went down to SLC Wednesday to see our friends Jina and Stacy.

Jina with Jamie at The Garden restaurant, top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building

Stacy with Jamie

In front of the viewing windows (hard to get a good pic with all the glass)

Behold, the power of Mario Kart for Wii. I caught Jason being "innovative" and had to get a pic!

Just a darn cute smile!

Apparently there was something shocking about the Care Bear! (I also took one of him smiling at it.)

I hope this worked okay. Am I the only person whom Blogger takes FOREVER to load a video for? Like, 30-45 minutes??

P.S. My husband GRADUATES tomorrow! Holy snot!!

Know what I think?

2009-04-06T00:13:00.002-06:00

I think baby girls not only get cuter clothes, but cuter outfits.

Jamie hardly has any outfits. Usually just onesies.

The pictures of the baby girls I see always seem to feature them wearing adorable matching pants or skirts.

No fair. ;)

Grown-up Easter Egg hunt

2009-04-05T17:28:00.006-06:00

Do you feel like I sometimes do--that you don't do much to help in the community or anything? I think I've discovered an easy way to contribute a bit. I've been noticing the little "Box Tops for Education" coupon on some foods we buy, and I decided today to start clipping them. Jamie isn't in school yet, but you can send them to any school you want, so I'm collecting them for my former elementary school for now. Also, by registering online, you get coupons for about 55 cents to $1 off certain products that have the Box Tops coupon on them. I'm down with that.

I had fun this morning going on a hunt for them and have found a fair number. I looked at their complete product list and found that I have more! And once I've collected a lot, it won't be hard to either turn them into the school's office or mail them. Some products I found them on:

Diapers

Hamburger Helper

Cereal

Bisquick

Juice

There are lots more out there, like wipes, Ziplock bags, etc. Go to the Boxtops website to download a complete list of products that have them so you can keep a better eye out. (Yes, I figured out how to make the word a link! It's the little button up top next to the text color button when you create a post. I feel so cool! :D) So start collecting--you might be suprised at how satisfying it is--and help one school!

Soon to come, maybe even later tonight: pics of our trip to Salt Lake (before General Conference, funnily enough) and a few others!

Way to go, me!

2009-03-31T21:21:00.002-06:00

I know I already posted today, but I'd like to report that I walked and jogged a little bit for 35 minutes in our clubhouse workout room! I also did an abs workout afterward, and I did the abs workout yesterday as well! It's a modest start, but it's a start!

Sweet Lady Freedom!

2009-03-31T12:42:00.004-06:00

So I've decided that since I'm done with my old job for-eh-VER, I might as well make the blog public again. This was inspired by my being nosy and looking at people I used to know on friends' blog lists to see what they're up to, coming across someone I'd actually like to keep in touch with, and clicking there to find that I, alas, have not been invited to view their blog. I totally don't blame these people, because I've been doing it for 7 months, but I decided that now that I don't have to keep backbiting co-workers out, I want to be able to keep in touch with anyone who wants to keep in touch with me!

If I ever have to go back to work (HEAVEN FORBID), I might private it again (I like using adjectives as verbs), but for now, welcome one and all, as long as you bear me no terribly ill feelings...

Here are some pictures I'm rather late in posting.

Meeting his honorary grandmas at Mommy's former workplace

With former co-worker and friend Britt, and her baby, Brooklyn (I looked so awful)

Leaving for Jamie's first outing to the park (first walk in stroller)

He's obviously bursting with excitement!

Told ya. He was enthralled. :)

A little family pic :)

That weather is so AWOL now. Idaho is such a jerk this time of year. Winter and Spring duke it out for like two or three months, with no clear winner until May or June, sometimes later...

Free "Living Scriptures" Offer

2009-03-30T20:18:00.006-06:00

Did I mention we got a laptop? It's pretty nice, a slightly early graduation gift for Jason (who graduates NEXT WEEK! Holy cow!) from his parents. I've found so far that it's a lot easier to just mess around on the computer to no end when you can do it while lying in bed :)

Doing this, I came across an offer that a friend of a friend had on her blog and it looked cool. It's a supposedly free Living Scriptures family fun pack. It has an animated dvd for kids, a dvd of some documentary, a 48 page FHE book, and 8 Book of Mormon character magnets. It's even supposed to include shipping, and they didn't ask me for any monetary info, so what the hey. Go to https://www.livingscriptures.com/gbh/offer.asp if you're interested.

By the way, I was trying to be super-cool and do a "click here" where you can just click the word "here" and it takes you to the website, and I couldn't figure out how. Any pointers?

Another note, in case anyone cares, I tried making the baby wipes, and it so didn't work. Maybe I did it wrong, but I don't think I could make them as well as store-bought ones, anyway.

If you're the patient type, you can wait until I receive my free living scriptures stuff and I'll post on here whether, as Jason puts it, I got ripped off in any way or not. :)

Positivity

2009-03-20T12:13:00.002-06:00

After a little while of having no time, I finally looked at friends' blogs today and I noticed something--the ones where people were happy and positive were more fun to read. Sure, it can be comforting to read about someone having a hard time with something because it can make you feel understood for going through the same thing, etc., but what is the point in letting those things get you down for very long? The Lord has always looked out for me and, since I got married, for our family. He doesn't make everything go perfectly, but He makes sure we're taken care of.

So I've decided to do one of those gratitude journal things. I don't know if I'll make a habit of it (though I probably should), but I want to do it today.

Things to be grateful for this week:

1. I have an amazing husband whom I don't deserve, but who loves me more than anyone for some reason, anyhow.
2. I have an adorable, healthy baby boy who loves his mommy and daddy so much that he never wants them out of his sight.
3. Said baby woke up a few minutes ago, saw me looking at him above, and smiled so big, Mommy wondered how she could ever be frustrated with him.
4. I got to crochet a cool beanie with a flower on it this week, and I got to go to a Relief Society Enrichment group where we made something really cute, that I cannot reveal yet because they will be gifts for the baby girls of multiple readers of this blog. (Ooh, intrigue! :))
5. The weather is FINALLY getting nice enough to take the baby out, and I'm planning to take him on his first walk in the stroller today!
6. Also, Jamie is finally sleeping longer at night! HALLELUJAH!
7. We're switching to Alltel, so I'll be able to talk to My Circle people forever w/o worrying about peak minutes! (Sam, get ready for a gab-a-thon! :))
8. JINA IS HOME FROM HER MISSION and will be calling me today! I've missed her so much!
9. In a little over two hours, my husband will be home and it will officially be the weekend!
10. I might get to watch "Twilight" with a friend tomorrow!

Love to you all, and I hope you have a great weekend!

Loving the new camera

2009-03-15T20:52:00.003-06:00

FINALLY, this loaded!

Monster!

2009-03-14T23:06:00.004-06:00

We went to meet Drake, Callie and Jordan's tiny new baby, who was born on Monday at 5 lbs 1 oz. Check out the difference!

(And isn't that the cutest little half-smile on Jamie's face?)

Chicken Pot Pie

2009-03-14T17:20:00.006-06:00

My mom made this for us while she was here, and it was so good. Jason and I usually aren't even fans of pot pies at all, so that's saying something! I made it again last night, and it's a bit of a pain to make, but not terrible, and so worth it. I've decided that every time I make it I'll double the recipe and freeze one so I only have to do the process half as often--and I love having meals in the freezer for when I don't feel like cooking.

Chicken Pot Pie

1 c carrots, sliced

1 c potatoes, cubed

1 c chicken broth

1 c half-and-half or canned (evaporated) milk

2 c chicken, cooked and cubed

1/8 tsp thyme

1/8 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic salt

4 Tbsp flour

4 Tbsp margarine

2 refrigerated pie crusts

Take pie crusts out of fridge 1/2 hour before using. In medium sauce pan, melt margarine. Stir in flour, add broth, half-and-half, and seasonings. Cook til thickened. Parboil fresh vegetables. Place veggies and chicken in pie shell in 9" pie pan. Pour sauce over. Add top crust, brush with milk and sugar. Bake at 425 F for 30-40 minutes when fresh, 1 hour when frozen.

Optional veggies: onion [I used about 1/4 c], broccoli, frozen peas.

Sorry I don't have a yummy-looking picture; you'll just have to use your imagination. But here are better pictures!

New camera!!

2009-03-12T01:21:00.005-06:00

Got the new camera last night, and it's pretty awesome! And that's without knowledge of most of its features yet! :) Don't ask why the second picture is sideways, the original isn't like that and I can't figure out why blogger insists on loading it that way. Frustrating.

Peace!

It's moments like this that make the sleep deprivation, lack of personal time, and fussiness all worthwhile.

Birth announcements are finally out!

2009-03-09T07:32:00.004-06:00

What's kind of sad is, they look better on the computer than in print.

I still like them, though. I've had so much fun designing them! Thanks so much to Shara for her guidance! She recommended a couple of really good sites for getting them designed and printed, for nothing but shipping on the first 50 prints. Since my dad hooked me up with the stamps and I got the envelopes by the pound, I'll get all of them done for probably less than $5.00. NICE!

The newest developments: just this morning Jamie slept for about four-and-a-half hours straight! Progress!! Also, Daddy discovered that when you gently pull down his bottom lip or touch his little outstretched tongue with the pacifier, smile, and say, "blip, blip, blip" when he's in a good mood, he will give you the most precious smiles! I woke up to this on Saturday morning--such a happy way to do so!

He also learns more sounds all the time, and he's filling out. He loves to look around at everything around him and sleeps less during the day. Basically, he's becoming more of a regular baby, not just a newborn.

Oh, also: Happy Anniversary to Us! We were married two years ago today! We already had a fun dinner on Saturday night, leaving the baby with sitters that weren't family for the first time: our good friends, Jordan & Callie. We felt fine about it, other than the normal missing him and hoping he didn't think we were leaving him forever, but it was awfully funny being the parent giving the instructions after a whole life of being the baby-sitter receiving them. :) Tonight, we'll probably just have a nice dinner at home, and we've got a bottle of sparkling cider in some fun flavor.

So off I go to research our camera candidates on amazon, and hopefully we can choose one and go get it before the week is over. Have a good Monday, everyone!

Another project

2009-03-04T13:33:00.003-07:00

You know, the flowers in my wedding bouquet picture up there are so beautiful, they almost hurt to look at them.

So the newest project is: make your own baby wipes. They gave me a little handout about it at my WIC appt yesterday (Jamie is now 9 lbs 6 oz, by the way!), and it looks ridiculously easy and cheap, so I'm going to try it and see how it goes.

For those of you who make your home in the Nor Cal area, we'll be taking a trip out there in April after graduation! We'll probably get there late on Monday the 13th and leave Monday the 20th. We're having the baby blessed at my parents' ward on the 19th, which I am so excited about, because it means the extended family and friends can come! I'm so excited to introduce the little guy to the Cox clan!

Speaking of the little guy, he gets more adorable every day. And we're getting a new camera soon, so hopefully more pictures and even video will be coming. It's so cute when he wakes up smiley, or smiles at us randomly at other times.

Let me brag that I've gotten a lot done today. I've straightened up the bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, and living room a little, done the dishes, made a menu and shopping list, pumped right on time for once, and washed our sheets, comforter, and mattress cover (since Jamie's pee diaper leaked out on the bed this morning). OOH! AND I lifted weights!

Jason and I have decided we're finally ready to get fit again, and we started by doing core, thighs, and stretching last week. Then Monday we did core, buns, and stretching, and last night after getting about 4 hours sleep the night before, we went to bed at about 6 p.m. and skipped working out. But we feel better today and are going to get back on it. I would have done more than my arms, but the baby had a little blowout while sitting in his chair watching me and by the time I'd changed him, fed him, and gotten him to sleep, I had to pump and then get other stuff done. I'll do more tonight with Jason, anyway. We're gonna be so hot! :) It's amazing how much fitness I've lost, though. The mild levels of my videos are way hard for me now, when before I was usually doing advanced. But that gives me something to aspire to.

Okay, I've blabbed enough. But I wouldn't be me if I wasn't verbose, right? :) Baby's waking up, anyway.

Kristina needs...

2009-03-04T03:47:00.004-07:00

Ash tagged me for this game, so now I have something to post while I'm pumping at nearly 4 a.m.!

Here’s how it works: Google “[your first name] needs” and share the first 10 results.That's it: it is that simple. But be honest! These are actual quotes from the top ten results.Tag the person who tagged you, and pass it on to tag three other people.

1. ...a two parent adoptive family with one or two older children *aw, that's kinda sad*
2. ...to find something to do tonight to keep her mind occupied
3. ...Food!
4. ...your help
5. ...lots of support for speech therapy and occupational therapy
6. ...a bone marrow transplant
7. ...a tech makeover
8. ...some serious help
9. ...a tent revival
10. ...a JJJOOOBBB!!!

Apparently there are some very unfortunate Kristinas out there. I feel blessed.

I tag Sam (since she's apparently been very bored, poor thing), Liz, Stacy, and Sarah Lynne. And anyone else who wants to. Thanks for thinking of me, Ash!

Yawn.

2009-02-23T03:52:00.008-07:00

So it's 3:52 a.m., and I am sleepily typing this in the dark, with Jamie sleeping on my chest. I just fed and changed him, and I'm giving the little tyke a few more minutes to get into really deep sleep before I put him back in his bed and then go to pump (BOO).

A few catch-up pics for you:

Our camera is totally lame, so I take almost all pics w/ my phone --> usually close-ups.

He hasn't been feeling well. On the day before Valentine's, he developed a cold, with mostly congestion, so even though Jason's mom and sister were visiting and willing to baby-sit, we didn't do anything on Valentine's Day. :( Oh well, anywhere we went would have been crowded to the max, anyway, and I always know Jason loves me. Anyway, after over a week of saline nose drops, aspirating (using the suction bulb, which babies hate, with mine as no exception), Vicks BabyRub, and the humidifier, his congestion finally seems to be gone. However, last Wednesday, we found out he has a urinary tract infection! :S Our poor baby. So he's on antibiotics, Tylenol, and occasional Pedialite for that. Mostly, he's been a trooper.

Like I mentioned, Jason's mom, Cheryl, spent a few days with us before and during President's Day, and his sister, Janelle, came for that weekend. Cheryl was SUCH a help! Not only with the baby, but man, I really wish I had money for a housekeeper now that I know what it's like to find your laundry done, your house cleaned and meals made, after you're married :) And she was so awesome about taking the baby any time so we could sleep or go to Wal-Mart or whatever. Just like my mom. Man, it's hard not having family close.

Big news: Jamie SMILED at me for the first time on the 18th! It was so precious!

Look at that face! He does it every once in awhile now, and I can't believe how much it warms my heart when he does. (The first picture is going to be the main one on his birth announcement. Sorry to spoil it for you. :))

On Saturday we took Jamie out in public for the first time--and he also turned one month old! It's gone by so fast...and yet seemed slow at times. Anyway, we went out to dinner for Jason's birthday in Idaho Falls with our friends Jordan and Callie. We were so excited to go to the new Red Robin there, but I was freaking out after a bit, thinking we'd made a huge mistake. It was SO LOUD, and the waiters screaming (literally, to be funny) birthday songs to customers every ten minutes didn't help. Plus we were under really bright lights, so I thought my poor baby would be traumatized. But he actually loved it, and had a ball looking all around once we brought him out of his car seat!

He especially loved some neon lights across the room.

Aren't my men adorable?

EUREKA!

2009-02-07T10:47:00.002-07:00

I know I just wrote yesterday, but I had to post the good news: thanks to an extremely wonderful, patient daddy, a BYU-I radio station the baby likes that plays soothing, spiritual music (he seems, like me, to prefer the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, especially rebroadcasts of their weekly program "Music and the Spoken Word") and a "breathe easy" baby positioner to keep him in place and feeling more secure, lent to us by our sweet neighbor, Jamie has been

SLEEPING IN HIS BASSINET!!

It's not perfect yet--he was still fussy some last night--but before, he just wouldn't do it. And, it must be admitted, we weren't trying very hard to get him to, because it was easier to just give him what he wanted.

So, maybe now I'll at least usually get to go to bed in my own bed (not the LaZBoy, nice as it is--I HATE not sleeping flat, and it's not safe for Jamie), at the same time as my husband, instead of being separated all the time, taking shifts! That is seriously the pits.

So, one more hurdle is hopefully behind us. Each one is encouraging.

May I offer a bit of advice to new-moms-to-be? I just figured this out: since my mom and then my dad and brother were around so much and, understandably, wanted to spend as much time with Jamie as possible before they left, I kind of got the fuzzy end of the lollipop. (Name that movie.) I would feed him, and it would hurt like the devil. Then I'd change him, hand him off to someone to be burped and lulled to sleep, and go try to sleep more or shower or whatever. It didn't help my postpartum blues to not spend enough special time with my baby; I think he became a bit of a monster in my mind, just wanting to feed off me, which was usually difficult and almost always pretty painful. (Unfortunately, I've had to go to pumping, which sucks, but I'm not living in fear of feedings, or glued to the heating pad anymore.) I'm not sure if that makes sense, but my advice is, don't hand him off too much; take advantage of help and extra sleep, but be sure you get your nice mommy time in, too.

Wondering how I'm back to my verbose self again, with the baby supposedly keeping me so busy? I fed him in the computer room to let Jason sleep more and treated myself to finally reading about baby Chloe, and Jamie is sleeping on my chest like a handsome little angel, so I have both hands free to type and not much desire to move. :)

I'll get a picture of him sleeping in the bassinet and add it to this post when I get a chance. Count your many blessings, be they great or small!!

The Story, and a few more pictures

2009-02-06T16:40:00.004-07:00

I'm giving you the abbreviated version. (My last entry was the super abbreviated version. :))

I checked into the hospital at 11 a.m. on the 21st, got an IV put in (ouch!), got all hooked up, etc. My doctor came by at around 12:45 and broke my water, and apparently it had meconium, or baby poo, in it, which is not a great thing. So they said that they'd be aspirating Jamie as soon as his head came out, trying to do it before he took his first breath so he wouldn't inhale any of it. Or something like that. I didn't really understand completely.

Like I said, I was induced, but got that magic epidural as soon as my contractions were regular. So it did hurt for awhile, but after the epidural, I was able to relax and almost enjoy the whole thing. I really am so grateful for modern medicine!

My mom, Jason, and I passed the afternoon by watching TV and DVDs. One nurse predicted that the baby would be born around 10 p.m., and she was nearly spot-on. I was instructed to start pushing at around 9:50, and after only half an hour, Jamie Wallace was born at 10:20 p.m., January 21, 2009.

He did end up inhaling too soon, so the respiratory therapist and peds nurse who were on-hand had to work on him for a few minutes, but he turned out just fine. I was jealous of my mom and Jason, because they got to go look at him and talk to him in the warmer across the room while my doctor and a nurse stitched me up and tried to make small talk. I was like, "Huh? Oh, yeah, uh-huh..." All distracted, trying to catch a glimpse of the baby I had just delivered! :)

We were in the hospital for a couple of days and went home that Friday, the 23rd. It's been a challenge having Jamie home, mostly because he very much prefers to sleep on someone's chest, doesn't really matter who. But at the second pediatrician appt today, the doctor said we should put him in his bassinet and let him fuss himself to sleep, and hang the whole "you can't spoil a newborn" thing. I'm not looking forward to listening to my poor baby cry, but I agree that safety is the first issue, and we do have to sleep sometime. He still gets plenty of love and contact during the day.

first bath

All in all, I'm not going to lie and say it's all been perfect or easy, but we love our little guy. I never realized just how hard it would be to adjust to being a new mom, and I've had some pretty down times, but I'm getting through it with my wonderful husband's help. We don't know what we would have done without my mom here to help at first, and then my dad and brother joining her later. They left yesterday. So yeah, any girls out there who read this and think, "Wow, I feel the same way, but I thought I was terrible for not just being plain ecstatic!", you're so not alone. It's dang hard, and I'm okay with admitting it! It's a HUGE adjustment! But worth it, of course. How could this little face not be worth it?

Isn't this one a crack-up?

Thanks so much, again, for all the comments and good wishes. I wish I could answer everyone personally, but I just honestly haven't had time to update until now, and now I can't do all I wanted because I need to go feed the baby. They really do take up so much time! But he is cute as the dickens :) (And of course pictures don't nearly do him justice.)

Sorry it took so long!

2009-01-29T18:23:00.004-07:00

Coming home from the hospital, 1/23/09

At his first pediatrician appt, 1/26/09

Our boy finally arrived (obviously)! After a pretty darn easy labor--induced, epidural that worked great, only half an hour of pushing--he came at 10:20 p.m. Jan 21, 2009, 7 lbs 5 oz, 19 1/2 in. He is such a sweet baby, very cuddly, only likes to sleep if he's being held (which has made it difficult for Mommy and Daddy to get sleep, but we're figuring it out).

I'll definitely be putting more pictures up and giving more details about labor and stuff since then, but I need to run because Grandma is going to watch Jamie for a little while so Jason and I can have a one-hour WalMart date before he wakes up and needs to eat again. Thanks so much for all the love and good wishes we've already been given!

So you know the whole "be careful what you wish for" thing?...

2009-01-20T16:20:00.004-07:00

So, my doctor said today that since I'm full-term, there's no reason to wait, and we feel okay about it, so--I'm being induced tomorrow morning.

Yeah.

Wow.

Basically, I'm trying not to think about it. I know it's not the worst thing in the world, but come on, hospital (never checked into one in my life), needles, monitors, pain, bleeding, possible screaming (though I am so pro-epidural), and a tiny little person who will soon depend on me for every single thing...

I know women have been doing it forever and blah blah blah, but I've never done it.

I'm sure it will go fine, but my imagination tends to go haywire on the negative when I'm faced with the unknown, so yay for distractions. :) I really am excited to meet my baby, don't worry. But it's just that it's like a mission, Jason tells me: you plan on it for your whole life, it gets closer and closer, and then suddenly, BAM, it's actually there, and it's life-changing, and you think maybe you've changed your mind and will just keep everything the same, thank you, but it's too late to turn back now...

Again, I wouldn't change things. It's just overwhelming.

So, in less than 24 hours (eep!) I will be going into labor.

Going back to my video game now. :D

Oh, by the way, I made a new blog that will be safe for co-workers to look at when they start demanding baby pictures, no permissions needed. http://jasonandkristina.blogspot.com/ if you're interested. I'm planning on doing about the same thing for each one, but I guess there are already some differences.

Thank goodness for friends

2009-01-17T19:28:00.003-07:00

I love you guys! You all are so sweet with your encouragement and kind words and understanding. It really means a lot right now.

No action again. I know I'm probably the bajillionth woman to whine this way, but: he just has to come out soon, because there is just no more room in there! My stomach feels like it's stretched to its limit! I'm calling him "Stonewall Jackson" in my mind because that's all my stomach is, just rock-hard everywhere!

And Ash, I feel ya, I found out the hard way that I can hardly move either. I tried to do a simple Sam's Club run with Jason today, and silly me, I actually tried to do my hair before we left--which means standing in front of the mirror, GASP!--and make Jason a sandwich--standing at the counter, NO!--etc., so there was just no energy left, and I was pretty miserable the whole way home.

A nice thought to combat the complaining: we got the Feb. 2009 Ensign (LDS magazine) and there are a couple of articles about adoption with a simply precious picture of a tiny baby, mid-yawn, with his little hands balled up into fists, and when I'm near the magazine, I just can't stop looking at it. I tried to find a link online to put on here, but they only have January's up. There's just something about that picture; it's like hope on a page, that he really will come and that he'll be even more precious than that baby, because he's mine.

I know the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance (D&C 1, isn't it?), but I'm pretty sure he just forgot to mention the exception of 9-months-pregnant girls using Nintendo emulators. Because I don't know what I'd do without it these days. :)

On that note, signing off. :)

Not yet.

2009-01-16T16:19:00.004-07:00

I know I'm writing a lot, but I'm trying to get used to this whole being at home all day thing, and this way you'll all know something's up if I go a few days without doing so. :)

Well, I was waiting to see if BYU-Idaho has some kind of labor-inducing...something, but apparently not. The day isn't over, but my hopes aren't high. *Sigh* and "January 16th" had such a nice ring to it as a birthday...

I've been trying to move around even though I didn't get an actual walk in today; I did the dishes I've been letting pile up, cleaned the stove, tried to somewhat clean off our little table (that we never eat at because it rapidly gets covered in mail, library books, and other don't-know-where-else-to-put-it junk), and swept the rather large kitchen floor. Doesn't sound like much, but when you're nearly 40 weeks pregnant, dang...and still, NOTHING. Not even one little fake contraction! I guess that's a good thing, that I don't have to go through a ton of pain that's not even real labor. But sheesh, what's it take?? :)

As Sam tells me, guess I'd better get used to him doing stuff on his own schedule.

We're having Papa Murphy's pizza for dinner. Maybe I'll have Jason take me on a walk after that, to help digest and to see if it will get us anywhere. It would just be so perfect to have him today or tomorrow! (Jason has Monday off, my mom wouldn't have to get Dad or Rob out of work to get a ride to the airport, etc....)

I'm torn--I'm really glad I got the kitchen looking nice again, because I'd let it get pretty bad, but it took so long (and so much out of me) that I didn't take a walk, and it was a sunny day again today. I probably just couldn't have done both, but I feel like getting the kitchen done left me with a sense of missed opportunity with the walk, but walking would have left me feeling bad for not accomplishing more at home...I'm not the only one who's ever felt this way, am I?

I'm sorry, I really am blabbing a lot.

We got it!

2009-01-15T16:57:00.003-07:00

We were approved for double the grant money, plus a subsidized loan! I won't say how much either of them are (like on tv, where they never say prices, they just write it on a slip of paper and slide it across the desk to the car salesman), but it should be enough to get us through until Jason graduates, and then some!

May I just say YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!

So today I took everybody in the world's advice and went for a long walk around campus (and I do mean around--I would go into a building, up the stairs, back the same way, then on to the next building), and I guess we'll see if it does anything. Mostly, I just wore myself the heck out. My feet, ankles, calves, and lower stomach muscles are all really unhappy. I was reading Jennie's comment on my last entry, and I was just starting to say in my head, HA! I did the exact same thing she did, same place even, and it didn't wor--oh. Next day. Okay, maybe there's still hope. At the very least, though, the exercise couldn't have hurt. I've lost most if not all muscle tone I had a few months ago. But it would be very nice if it did coax my little guy outta there.

And just so you all know, in addition to the long walk, I have also tried spicy food multiple times, as well as the other method recommended, and no dice. My latest strategy is pure distraction--hence, Dr. Mario.

Another week, not even another centimeter.

2009-01-13T13:18:00.002-07:00

I am in a rotten mood. Don't ask why; I couldn't tell you. Just everything.

So I am going to go rot my brain playing an illegal emulator version of Dr. Mario for as long as it takes.

If you'll excuse me.

More updates (no contractions still)

2009-01-10T13:22:00.003-07:00

I ended up feeling almost normal yesterday, which was WONDERFUL, so I got a few errands done, got my hair cut, and went in to work for a few hours, for the last time. I had my exit interview, which took a little bit because the HR lady gave me a questionnaire on my experiences there, whether I enjoyed it, what could be improved, etc. She's down-to-earth, so I basically gave her a look and said, "Do they really want to know? They probably won't like my answers." She told me to be entirely truthful because it's the only way things will improve (I don't see it helping anything), so I kinda let 'em have it. She said the only person who will see it is her, and possibly my manager's wife, whom I mentioned by name on it, but she also said to remember the non-retaliation laws. :) And she said I should have read my other co-worker's paper (the one who left before she had her baby), that she basically ripped them a new one. I got a kick out of that.

So, NOW, I am totally, officially done with that job. As I was walking out, the manager walked past, and I said, "The fat lady is singing! Do you hear it?" I told them I'll be back to show off the baby and abuse my discount for a couple more weeks (I got permission) for nursing bras and stuff. I can't believe the day I longed for since last April finally came!

All's still quiet on the uterus front. He's squirming around, but no noticeable contractions yet.

One more thing: Jason found out that we should (fingers crossed) actually be able to get double grant money, which would significantly lessen the amount of the loan we'll take out, which would be absolutely wonderful. He's pretty sure it will happen, but we're a little scared to get our hopes up, and I'd appreciate if people wouldn't mind remembering us in their prayers for that reason. Thanks!!

Whoops

2009-01-08T18:11:00.005-07:00

Ok, so I think I freaked a lot of people out by the way I worded my last entry--I should have concluded by saying that it could still be awhile, like weeks maybe. Sorry, everyone. I haven't felt contractions yet; when I said the thing about the back labor, I was more trying to illustrate how excited people get when you give them the slightest indication that labor could even be on the horizon. (It's nice when you have the hubby call in sick to work for you and instead of being irritated with you, they just say excitedly, "yeah, yeah, but does this mean she's in labor??" and even if your husband says no, they assume it's right around the corner.)

So if I'm in labor at all, it's the early, latent phase. I do have like four symptoms as listed in my What to Expect book, but they're all of the "could be present hours, days, or even weeks before true labor begins" variety. And they're all pretty much gross, so I won't mention them here. Let's just say I'm done working, because I haven't felt like leaving the house.

I kind of have a feeling that it won't be TOO much longer, but it might just be optimism. I've been reading up on more details of labor, delivery, and postpartum in my book, and it's nice feeling more and more prepared. I wasn't really interested before, because it seemed so far away. Still does, some.

I just realized that what I've wanted since last April has come--I am DONE with my job--and I let it pass in a sentence! This is a great occasion!

...I guess it's hard to celebrate when you feel like crap. :)

Oh, and comments should be enabled now. Sorry about that!

Progress

2009-01-06T14:39:00.002-07:00

Went to the doctor today--I am 2 centimeters dilated, 80% effaced (!), and he stripped my membranes, which he said MAY speed things along. Also he could feel the baby's head (sorry, I'm sure this is TMI for some of you) and said it's down really far. I've been pretty achy in my lower back and abdomen since then; women at work are telling me I could be having back labor or something.

Oh, and Jamie has had the hiccups twice since then, in about 3 hours. Not sure if that's related or not. :D

So, "any time now" has a bit more meaning! I'll try to keep you updated!

Entirely Inaccurate

2009-01-04T19:13:00.002-07:00

Jason and I were just looking at the little baby ticker and we decided it's very off. At this point, there is no floating. None. If it were accurate, all you would see is a little bum, back, and maybe a head, smushed within the frame as if pressed up against glass.

Oh, and maybe my ribs would be up top, with his bum pressed against them.

Yeah, I'm not too psyched about labor, but I'm ready to be done being pregnant!

2 1/2 Weeks to go

2009-01-02T17:35:00.002-07:00

I'm so glad that I'm quitting my job. They just laid off a driver who's been here a few years, and they've closed the billing office, telling the three women there that they could stay but they'd have to do customer service (my job--definitely a downgrade, in my opinion). They're going to use some outside company for the billing. So things will be very different, probably pretty awkward, etc. When the manager told me this, I said, "just out of curiosity, if I weren't quitting, would I still have a job?" He said I would, and that made me feel pretty good. I'm just so glad that Jason just sent in his FAFSA app (school grants) and that we've already decided to take out a student loan for when I have Jamie, and I'm trying not to think about him having to find a good job (or two) after graduation. (Jason. Not Jamie.)

By the way, I'm at work right now, not supposed to be on here, but I can hear the manager and the other customer service guy (the one I complained about) talking their guy talk out front, being all manly, and I figure this slacking isn't that much worse than theirs. "It would be much more profitable for a business to blah blah blah, and I told them that. You want smaller departments, and people who haven't done business for a long time just don't understand blah blah..." Snatches of what co-worker man is saying to manager out front. See? I can blog. :D

So, I'm almost 17 days away from D-Day! Well, in theory. I haven't felt any contractions yet, but I do get more uncomfortable every day as my poor son gets more and more squished in there.

We've been making progress on the getting ready, and it's made me feel a lot better. We finally found a bassinet (detachable from a playpen, which we figure will be more useful later than just a bassinet he'll grow out of) and got a glider chair, and a diaper pail. I've gotten probably most of the clothes washed and hung in his room, and the disposables from the diaper cake (from the baby shower in Nov) unrolled and stacked on the shelves. I still need to order cloth diapers to try out. I think I've got nearly everything for my hospital bag; I just need a few odds and ends like batteries for the camera and to wash the nursing bra I bought.

It feels SO GOOD to be more prepared! It makes it feel more real (in a nice way) and relieves stress. I've kept thinking lately, "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear." Can't remember the reference, will have to look it up later. Time to go out front and close the store--for maybe the last time, since next week is my last and I'm only doing 9-2 every day! YEAH!!!!

Feliz Navidad!

2008-12-24T20:13:00.002-07:00

Just a quick note to say Merry Christmas to all and a quick update: I got back to work on Thursday, and part of Friday, then we left Idaho Friday night after a few delays at the two airports, and we arrived in Sacramento at...a really late time, I don't remember. That night was the first time I've tried to sleep on an airport floor. But we did make it without major incident (although I could actually feel pressure on my uterus during the flights, which made me very nervous). We got to go to the extended family thing on Saturday, where I got to meet little Lexi, Liz's baby, in person. That was definitely the hilight of the event. She is so precious. I can't wait to see her again.

Since then, we've pretty much just been hanging out, eating way to much sugar and junk (one word: fudge), being lazy, and enjoying it. And missing our kitties. I try not to think about them much, honestly, because I feel so terrible leaving them alone. We can't WAIT to see them again.

Also really looking forward to seeing Jason open his presents tomorrow, along with the rest of my family, and to be honest, getting my presents too. That will be nice.

Oh, and watching cable will be something else I'll miss when we leave. There was a "Dog the Bounty Hunter" marathon on for a few hours today. HECK YEAH!

Okay, going to join the fam in watching Christmas specials. That's pretty much what my family's Christmas celebration centers around: watching depictions of other families' Christmas celebrations. :) That's okay though, we like it that way.

Hope you all are having truly wonderful Christmases! Remember the Reason for the season!

Sick. RAR.

2008-12-16T15:01:00.004-07:00

I don't know what it is about this winter that has packed such a wallop on my immune system. I'm home sick AGAIN! This is the third time in, what, two months? I've had to use my precious paid time off yesterday and today, so I'll probably have zip left for the vacation next week. It's just a really sore throat, a little coughing, achy eyes and head, stuff like that, but it's just enough that I would probably get much worse if I went to work, and I'm sorry, we are going to California on Friday, so I am getting better for it.

Let me tell you, being sick when you're 35 weeks pregnant is ridiculous; you drink a ton of water to try to flush it out of your system, but then you're peeing so often (I'm talking about once you stand up from the toilet and flush, you already had gravity or something working against you and you have to go AGAIN) that you can't get any sleep. Really, I think I had a round of about five of those (the having to pee again as soon as you stand up, or better yet, get your hands washed) this morning at around 5:30.

Well, not much else going on, just looking forward to Friday. I can report that the Trader Joe's pumpkin bread mix I had my mom send me was waaaay better than the...Betty Crocker or something one I got at Albertson's. I'm planning on making my mom's amazing recipe for fudge tonight, for the Christmas potluck on Thursday night. My baby has the hiccups yet again and according to what I've been reading, has reached his birth length, just not weight. That's a crazy idea, since people keep telling me how tiny I am.

Wondering if I should throw some baby clothes in the wash, since I'm home to do it, or just take it really, really easy, because I'm seriously tired of being sick.

Validation. It's a nice thing.

2008-12-04T17:26:00.004-07:00

I have tried and tried to banish my verbosity (?) and make this long story short, but it's still a little long. Sometimes for people to even begin to understand, you just can't keep it to a paragraph. My apologies.

Often horrible new co-worker (let's call him...George), totally full of himself, opinions about everything, talks trash about his wife, says he wants to learn, but if we correct him on anything, he turns surly and rebellious, I could say so much more. A joy to work with. :P

A couple of weeks ago, we had a major run-in, where out of nowhere, he "jokingly" insulted and humiliated me in front of Boss. Then, when he saw that I was angry, condescendingly told me not to "get all worked up." I was too shocked by his gall to say anything and didn't come to my angry senses until he'd gone home a couple minutes later, which was probably lucky for both of us, as I was furious and ready to rip him a new one. I even looked for his phone number. I can't express how mad I was. Boss told me later he agreed with me that it was totally inappropriate, yet never said anything to George because he hates confrontation. Nice, huh?

I confronted George about it on Monday, and he is impossible. He would admit to being wrong one minute, but then defend everything he does and say everyone likes him but me (SOOOO not true) and that I'm just sensitive the next. So after honestly trying to be diplomatic and work out some of our differences for a good ten minutes, and getting nowhere because he wouldn't bend on anything, I told him in professional-talk basically to stuff it, that I would be talking to higher authorities, and maybe he would listen to them.

Boss walked through the room twice while we were going at it, and once, it was rather heated. So he knew. Never said anything though.

Yesterday, Female co-worker (let's call her Sally) told me that Boss commented to her that there had been a lot of drama while she was out sick. "You mean Kristina and George?" "Yup." I'm not sure what she said then, but he said that I had "finally" put George in his place, that it needed to happen, and that George seemed to be getting the point that he can't act like such a jerk.

!

That felt good. That was really nice. Because, yes, Boss should have put George in his place himself because that's a manager's job, but since that's not gonna happen, this was the next best thing. I actually felt...respected.

Also yesterday, Boss asked me what the diagnosis code is for asthma, I rattled off 493.90 without hesitation, and he looked at the customer he was helping and said, "Man, I'm gonna miss her." *Happy sigh.*

Last one, and this one reeks of my pride, but so be it: as I was leaving yesterday, George was closing, and I suggested he turn off most of the lights while he was counting out front because I've found that discourages people from thinking we're still open and banging on the door while you're trying to count the till and stuff. I.e., I was trying to help him from my experience. Instead of thanking me, he just said, "take care." He was mad because he thinks he already knows everything. As I was driving out from around back, what do I see but a car pull up, a guy get out, look uncertainly for a minute, go up to the door, and George have to come to the door and tell him we were closed!

And oh, yes, I laughed. I laughed quite hard.

Fourteen days, five hours left.

Turkey Dumplings--for using those leftovers

2008-12-01T20:43:00.008-07:00

So I'm really trying to be innovative and thrifty, and since we got to keep all the leftovers from last week (HECK YEAH), I was looking up recipes for using leftover turkey, tried this one, and really, really liked it. The link, if you want to tweak the servings or see the nutrition facts, is http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Turkey-Dumplings/Detail.aspx?src=etaf.

Turkey Dumplings

INGREDIENTS
1 pound cooked, chopped turkey meat
3 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (12 ounce) package refrigerated biscuit dough

DIRECTIONS
Place the turkey, water, salt and pepper in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 to 40 minutes, or until a broth has formed.
Spread flour on a medium cutting board or other flat surface. Roll out biscuit dough and cut it into 1x2 inch pieces. Drop the pieces into the broth and cook over low heat approximately 15 minutes.

My modifications: I added a chicken boullion (however you spell it) cube to the water for extra flavor, as well as some garlic powder and dried minced onions. I had a box of Bisquick mix, so I just mixed up some of that (so easy, just add water) for the dumplings. The box had directions on the back--a good staple to have around. I made one-inch balls and rolled them in flour.

I was wary about this one because it's more labor-intensive than the turkey dogs or macaroni I've often been resorting to lately, but we both really liked it, and it wasn't hard. It's kind of pathetic how happy I am that it turned out well. Let me know if any of you try it, and I hope you like it if you do!

P.S. I have 18 work days left, or less than four work weeks!

P.S. Elizabeth had her baby last night! She was 7 lbs 1 oz and I think 19 in long.

A Moment of Thanks

2008-11-26T10:51:00.005-07:00

I know it tends to sound cheesy or smarmy, but I do want to take a few minutes to put on paper (so to speak) some of the many things I have to be thankful for, and not just let tomorrow pass in laziness and gluttony (well, those will be included anyway) without remembering WHY we have the holiday. It bugs me when people call it Turkey Day, just like it does when people say X-mas. To me, that's omitting the very reason of the holiday from its title.

1. The gospel, my Father in Heaven, His Son, and the Spirit He allows to dwell with us when we try to be worthy of Him. In this insane world, I don't even want to think where I'd be without them.

2. My husband. I'm still truly in awe that the Lord blessed me with such an incredible man to spend eternity with. I love him more every day.

3. Baby Jamie on the way. In a lot of ways he seems like just a theory, but he'll be real enough very soon. I'm scared of how our lives will change, but I know he's going to be an incredible blessing to us. Already is.

4. We have (well, rent) a beautiful home that meets our needs and that we can afford, even if we would prefer something cheaper. It's homey and comfortable, and there is plenty of love there.

5. We have food to eat, even nutritious and tasty food. Not everyone does. Not everyone will sit down to a beautiful, delicious meal with loved ones tomorrow.

6. Jobs, and opportunities to still have money even when I quit mine. I know I complain a lot about my job, but I'm still grateful to have a way to make money, and that I've been well enough through my pregnancy to continue to do so.

7. Family. We couldn't get along without both sets of parents helping us, not only in financial matters but with unending love and support. We both are blessed with such good, wonderful families.

8. Friends. We don't have many, but the people in our lives with that title personify the meaning of the word.

And so much more. I hope we all can make an effort tomorrow to see beyond the parades, the Black Friday sales ads, and the massive amounts of yummy food. I want to remember to think about Whom all our blessings come from, and to take a more lingering look at those around us whom we share them with. I hope you all have a warm, wonderful day of thanksgiving.

Travel: Fun but exhausting (when you're prego anyway).

2008-11-22T12:16:00.009-07:00

I told Jason before I went to California, "I can't wait to go, but it will be time to go before I know it, and then again before I know it, the whole trip will be over and I'll be remembering before I went, how I thought it would never come." So it goes.

It was too short, really. First of all, it was AWESOME taking an order for oxygen (SUCH a pain) from a snotty nurse at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday at work and think to myself, "Go right ahead and send that. Doesn't bother me. I WON'T BE HERE!" Oh man. That rocked.

Highlights from the trip: The flight attendant was way nice to me, got me two seats to myself on my first flight so I didn't have to fight for the armrest. Friday: my mom and I shopped till we nearly dropped, but we got good Christmas/baby stuff, had a lot of fun, and I'm excited about some of the stuff we got for Jason. I hope he likes it. Then we went home and I finished last year's Christmas presents for Sam and Christy, then I went to Sam's house to see them.

Before I left, Rob told me to be really, really careful because I was driving for two, and that got me all nervous. So I tried to follow speed limits and stuff, but people can be so obnoxious, pulling up on your bumper and zooming around you and cutting you off...and driving home from Sam's was even worse, I was so dang tired and lonely, and it's winding and secluded for the first part of it. But it was fun being there. Sam is such a good mom, and Gage is so cute and sweet. I read him a story, so much fun. It was cool to watch Sam and Billy being parents and take lessons from them, and to get a taste of what life will be like post-newborn stage.

The baby shower on Saturday was really fun. Beforehand, my dad took me to the See's store and we got some thank-you gifts for the Coxes for flying me out and throwing the shower for me. (Doesn't even begin to cover my gratitude, but best I could think of.) So I was glad to have something for them, and it was cool hanging out with my dad for a little while.

The Coxes brought the cutest decorations! They were the PERFECT colors, blue, yellow, and green, and even had really cute frogs!

How cool is this? A "cake" made out of disposable diapers, decorated with ribbon, little gifts, blue flowers, and my baby picture at the top! Everyone was so impressed by it. (And the flour and sugar cake, behind it, was SO good.) Sad, though, I was having serious indigestion issues for some reason, so I didn't even get to taste most of the food they brought :( I'm sure it was great, though!

This is everyone sitting around and gabbing. We also played three games, the one where you try to memorize baby stuff on a tray, guess how big the mom's tummy is (mine was almost exactly ten squares of toilet paper), and smell-then-guess-the-baby-food. A few smelled HORRIBLE, and some were so hard to guess. Did you know they have turkey and macaroni-and-cheese baby foods now?? Blechhk!

Me, opening some presents. People were so nice and generous. I got mostly clothes, and everything was so cute! I should have been more careful, though; I did move up to the couch, but all the bending forward to reach for them, I guess just combined with the whole day's events, totally did me in for the rest of the night. I was so worn out, I felt pitiful! :)

Probably my favorite picture from the whole thing--me with Liz, my cousin. (And my mom in the background, who would probably be mad if she knew she was on here, but I think she looks cute. :)) I gave her her presents since I couldn't be at her baby shower, and it was fun to kind of feel like I transported myself to hers during mine :) She's due Dec. 4th, having a girl!

After the shower, we got In-N-Out for dinner, and I actually had a really good time lying in bed (I really did not feel good) and enjoying cable tv for awhile again. I do miss TLC and the Discovery Channel.

Sunday, went to just Sacrament meeting so I could get to the airport--Rob took me. It was funny, we cut across the chapel afterwards, and nice ladies that I've known forever in the ward kept stopping me to talk, and I said "January 20th" about 20 times. :) Rob had to just kind of stand there and smile every time, but he was a good sport about it. Then I packed and re-packed and re-packed my suitcase, trying to get my most favorite presents in without going over 50 pounds. (So sad that only one suitcase is free now. Boo.) At the airport, Rob went in with me to check in, and the suitcase was 49.5 lbs. The lady looked annoyed for some reason, but we were happy! :)

Flight from SLC to IF got cancelled, had to spend an extra 5-6 hours in the airport waiting for a standby, really sucked, but that's water under the bridge now.

All in all, it was a short but great trip. I just can't wait to go back for Christmas and have Jason with me to enjoy it all! Thanks again to everyone who came to the shower, and who I got to spend time with, and everything!

Next on the list: clean the house like crazy for Jason's parents and sister coming for Thanksgiving. Janelle is allergic to cats, and I am scared to death that our fur-covered house :P is going to send her into some kind of coma the minutes she walks in the door...

Hee, Hee, HOO!

2008-11-09T11:32:00.003-07:00

That's the breathing Jason is supposed to lead me in if I feel like I need to push during a contraction and I'm not supposed to for some reason. I thought it was more or less a thing the movies had made up, and I felt like such a goof. :)

The childbirth class was interesting. We learned how to time contractions (from beginning of one to beginning of the next is "how far apart" they are), when to go to the hospital (when they're five minutes apart for one hour), some relaxation techniques (hard to know whether you were doing it right, as there wasn't any pain to distract yourself from), got to watch Bill Cosby's "natural childbirth" routine while we ate our lunches, then learned some basics of baby care (it's harder than it looks to swaddle a baby, lemme tell ya), and took a tour of the maternity wing of the hospital. It was cool to see where I'll be giving birth in a couple of months-ish. Of course there was lots more information too. It's nice to feel that much more prepared for all this, and I'm sure it will feel extra reassuring when I'm actually there. Oh, and Jason claims that with the nurse's supervision, he will give Jamie his first bath instead of watching her do it, like the instructor (a nurse at the hospital) says dad usually opt to do. He likes a challenge.

I can feel Jamie's movements much more dramatically now; he's getting big and space is obviously limited in there. I read that it's more elbows and knees that I'm feeling now than hands and feet. And this boy already has a routine. Every morning at 4:30 or 5, he's wide awake and playing, probably a kung-fu game. Seriously, kaboom, bam, bam, bam! It's a crack-up. I fall asleep at 9:45 or 10 p.m. lately, sometimes even earlier (also, the devil and his ice hockey team have made the junior league championships--crazy!), and yet I still can't even get eight hours in on the weekdays because I just always wake up at that time and usually lose at least an hour trying to get back to sleep. Once I do, it's Max who is up and wanting us to play with him, and between his racket and Jason kicking him out, sleeping time is over. But I haven't been too tired, so it's just a silly kind of thing--we're old boring people now, going to bed WAY early even on weekends, and what good does it really do? :)

On Thursday I embark for Sacramento, and I can't WAIT!! It's going to be so awesome for my mom (and Rob and my dad, if they want to) to finally get to feel her grandbaby, and to go shopping and go out to eat and stuff with her, to hang out with my fam, to see my friends and have a baby shower with my wonderful extended family! Just getting to see so many people I love, after living here with hardly anyone I even know, is going to be so...re-energizing? That's not the word I want, but there's the evidence that pregnancy absentmindedness is no myth.

Oh yeah, I made a blanket!

2008-11-07T16:46:00.005-07:00

Just a tie blanket for baby, but I'm proud. I found a remnant in the perfect colors for the nursery and got directions on how to do it from a friend's blog (Thanks, Lauren!). I might make a fleece tie quilt out of what's left.

I'm the worst employee ever.

2008-11-07T15:36:00.005-07:00

I do NOT want to work today. Most other people around here have expressed the same opinion. Every time I've tried, I just stare hopelessly at my paperwork, unable to make sense of it. I'm tired and my head hurts. I fell asleep during my lunch hour and stumbled back late and now my eyes are really blurry. I want to go home but I can't. Wah wah wah.

The manager had to stay home with his sick kid, then I just found out one of our back-up customer service people (she doesn't do intakes but can watch the front) went home sick while I was at lunch. I should have acted faster if I wanted a slot, because they're all taken now. :(

At 5 o'clock, I will have seven work weeks left. Actually less because next week I get half of Thursday and all of Friday off to go to Sac-Town for my shower (a million times yay; I'm just too tired to type with exclamation points, it would be misleading), and I get Thanksgiving and I believe New Year's off. I am SO GLAD I have a countdown to keep me going, it's my mantra now.

I'm ok. I've just worked really hard this week and I think it's catching up to me. And be proud, I went back and read what I'd written and decided to take out the bitterness. :D In about 1/2 an hour I'm gone and we're getting a Papa Murphy's pizza and trying out that pomegranate 7-Up and watching Gilmore Girls. HECK YEAH. :)

Tagged, I'm it!

2008-10-18T20:57:00.004-06:00

I see people doing the different tag games on their blogs, but I've never tried it because I've never been tagged. (People probably realize correctly that I can be lame about that.) But I did my entry and then went looking at my other usuals, and noticed that Sarah Matson tagged me in hers on the 8 one, so what the hey!

8 TV shows I like to watch:
1. Gilmore Girls (Netflix, addicted)
2. The Biggest Loser (we get one channel on our rabbit ears, thank goodness it's NBC!)
3. I Love Lucy (DVD)
4. The Andy Griffith Show (have a few VHS episodes)
5. M*A*S*H (at parents' house, they have the DVDs)
6. What Not to Wear (can't, no cable)
7. The Simpsons (DVD)
8. Monk (can't, no cable)

(I realized I missed one category somehow and thought I'd add this in even though it's after the fact)

8 Favorite Restaurants
1. Bajio Mexican Grill
2. Johnny Carino's
3. Red Robin
4. Kim's Chinese in Rancho Cordova
5. Taco Bell (yeah-huh it's a restaurant!)
6. Las Cauelas Nuevas, an authentic Mexican place in La Quinta, CA whose name I just had to Google because I couldn't remember it for the life of me
7. Outback
8. Olive Garden
Okay, that sucked, because we can't afford to go out much and now I want to eat at all these places...

8 things that happened yesterday:
1. A co-worker gave me a 50-cents-off coupon for baby wipes.
2. Another co-worker and I pretended, yet again, that we didn't have a confrontation with each other the day before and nothing got resolved, but we got through the day.
3. We got frighteningly slammed, were ridiculously short-handed, and I did two intakes in a row, the bili blanket one started before I'd finished up the walker one.
4. I got approved to actually keep my hour and a half of overtime instead of having to work it off with longer lunches. Yay $16 extra.
5. I actually bought food on my lunch and discovered that I LOVE the turkey club pita roll-up at Arctic Circle. And I got to talk to Sam on my lunch hour.
6. We went to Idaho Falls after work, grocery shopped, and started our baby registries at Target and Wal-Mart.
7. I used the coupon and bought my first pack of baby wipes.
8. I discovered how confusing it is to try to make a registry when you don't know what you're going to need and the stores really don't have good selections!

8 things I'm looking forward to:
1. Having my baby here with me, finally getting to meet him, being a family with him and Jason.
2. Being done with my job FOREVER!
3. Going home and seeing family and friends Nov. 13, having my baby shower with my family Nov. 15!
4. Thanksgiving, Jason's parents and Janelle coming!
5. Christmas season! Christmas decorations! CHRISTMAS MUSIC! CHRISTMAS!!
6. 2nd baby shower with friends!
7. When Jason graduates and hopefully gets into the seminary program so we'll be more stable.
8. The BYU-I Symphony Orchestra Halloween Concert on Oct. 30!

8 things on my wish list:
1. To have a healthy baby naturally, close to or on my due date
2. To not look like I've had a baby after I have the baby
3. To be able to go to my parents' for Christmas with no problems
4. To have the time between now and when I'm done with work fly by
5. To live close to my family without going bankrupt or living in a ghetto, and while allowing my husband to have a career he will love
6. To be a good mom
7. To never have to work while we're raising our family
8. To never have to be without Jason in this life

8 People I am Tagging:
1. Christy
2. Crystal
3. Sam
4. Liz
5. Stacy
6. Adrienne
7. Anyone else who wants to!
8.

About to hit 6 months

2008-10-18T18:54:00.003-06:00

I've been thinking about it this week, and I need to say that I sincerely hope I didn't offend anyone in my previous entry by the way I expressed my beliefs. I can't take them back or change them, because they are indeed my beliefs, but I know I can be abrasive in how I express them sometimes. I know that I have a long way to go in showing more love and understanding, and less anger about issues like this.

I finally put up a new baby bump pic, but it doesn't show how big I feel sometimes. Some days I'll think, "haven't I always had a belly like this?" And other days I look in the mirror and just go, "?!?!" I still wake up nearly every morning and have to remember all over again that, holy cow, I'm pregnant.

I have lots of good news this round:

I don't know that I ever mentioned that only four weeks from today, I will get to have a baby shower with my whole extended family!! My Aunt Linda and cousins Heather, Julie, and Elizabeth are flying me out to California and giving me a shower! I am SO EXCITED! I mean, of course it's going to be great to get much-needed help on providing for the baby, but I also just can't wait to see everyone and to get away from work and Idaho for a few days! We have very few friends here, and no family whatsoever, so I just can't wait to be around people who actually care. I wish I could express how grateful I am to Aunt Linda, Heather, Julie, and Liz. I wish I could buy them a vacation home in Tahiti. I'm still trying to think of something I can do for them to show them, but so far I just keep praying that the Lord will shower them with blessings for how much they bless me. They are unbelievably wonderful! I can't say that enough!

Next big yay: Jason's parents and sister, Janelle, are coming to spend Thanksgiving with us, at our place! We were wondering what we'd do about TG so we wouldn't have to spend it alone, and we're excited that we actually get to host someone else for once. I feel like I lead dual lives, like a spy: I go home and stay at my parents', I see my friends, and they suppose I must have my own place somewhere, but no one in CA has ever seen any of the other places I've lived in. I've never gotten to show my friends my cute armchair, or that picture or that rug or whatever. And we can never contribute by hosting a holiday or even a gathering; so we're excited to be able to do that. I can't wait for my family to come up and see us when the baby's born, either. Anyway, Thanksgiving should be warm and cozy and full of good food (that I will not have to attempt making all by myself--Hallelujah!!), and then Robert and Cheryl said they want to take us baby shopping before they leave. Fun!!

Next: I got the week of Christmas off! I didn't think they'd let me! So I called the Sutter billing office in Sacramento and found out that--more great news--they have a provider number with Idaho Medicaid, so that if I happened to go into labor while at my parents', we wouldn't be stuck with a huge medical bill for the delivery! So basically, if we can get plane tickets with an airline that will still allow me to fly after I'm 36 weeks (I hit that mark on Christmas Eve, darnit), and if no complications arise before then, if I'm not dilated, etc., etc., WE CAN GO TO MY PARENTS' HOUSE FOR CHRISTMAS!!!

See, I look forward to Christmas for months and months; I LOVE it. And I've never spent it anywhere but at home. The idea of being here, just the two of us, with no family for it...well, that's like a personal nightmare for me. (I love Jason, but we get to be "just the two of us" all the time. Don't worry, he gets it and feels the same.) So this was really, really great news. Now I just have fingers and toes crossed that my pregnancy will continue to go well so that nothing will get in the way of us and that plane!

So, I actually have some things to look forward to! A month or so ago, I really felt like there wasn't anything. We knew we couldn't go very far for Thanksgiving, and our last one really stunk (we both had to work). Christmas was a big fat question mark. (Still kind of is, but I'm trying not to think that way. Even if we can't go, at least we'll get to see both sets of parents beforehand.) When you're so far away from everyone, it means a lot to have opportunities like this.

As for the pregnancy, really can't complain. I've probably gained about 12 or 13 pounds by now, and in a few more days I'll hit the six months mark. Then I'll officially be in the home stretch! (With no marks to show it. None yet. Hope, hope, hope.) No swelling, only some achiness and tiredness if I overdo it, and my muscles pull easily. I've actually felt pretty energetic most of the time lately. That will probably dwindle soon; I'm having to use the bathroom more in the last week or so. Every single night, I dream about the kicks I feel becoming visual: I see an actual foot shape poking out of my abdomen, and in the dreams, I can actually grab the little foot through my skin. Then I can usually see in there, see the baby, which is what I wish could happen every day.

Last night, I dreamt that I could see him and he was a little light brown baby, because I had apparently married Barack Obama. I was very happy to see Jason and not Barack next to me when I woke up.

Wow, this has been long. I'm probably boring all you poor people to death.

Oh! One more! Sam and Christy want to give me another shower for my friends when (if :S) I'm home for Christmas! How fun will that be! I miss all my friends so much, it will be awesome! And they are so awesome for wanting to do that for me!

I am so blessed. I have wonderful, amazing family and friends, I have the Lord, I have an incredible husband...I'm so blessed.

Prop 8: More Important Than I Even Realized

2008-10-09T23:51:00.004-06:00

I think before, I figured, I'm not in California, so I won't bother saying anything about Prop 8 on here. I'm not in the middle of it.

The fact that Church (LDS) leaders have asked members who don't even live in California to get on their phones, call CA residents, and ask them to vote yes on it, is a big clue to just how important it is.

I wish I knew how to write something really impressive; all I can say is that I have always firmly believed that no matter what new "if it feels good, it must be right" philosophy the adversary plants in people's heads, homosexuality is still absolutely, irrefutably wrong. Giving it any kind of leeway, rights, or tolerance (notice I said "it," not "them") only suggests that it might be acceptable in the smallest way, which it is not. Besides this, giving it tolerance only gives it a chance to get stronger, poison more minds and spirits, and find a way to not only make a mockery of the ways of the Lord, but to attempt to take away the freedoms and blessings He has given to those who strive to follow Him. It disturbs me to the core to read about the possible ramifications if Prop 8 doesn't pass.

I know that the work of God won't be stopped by any unhallowed hand, but those hands could certainly make life a lot more difficult for His followers, and lead this nation to a very frightening place. I personally do not want my children being taught in school (and this would be a requirement for teachers) that two women or two men marrying is just as good as a man and a woman. No. No, no, no. My child will not believe that mommy could do just as well if she were daddy. The very idea is beyond ludicrous. Unthinkable. Horrifying. UNACCEPTABLE.

If this measure doesn't pass, I have absolutely no doubt that Satan will be DELIGHTED and at the same time, laughing scornfully at those who voted it down, after he told them to. He laughs at those who listen to his lies and fall into the traps that he sets for them, but that they choose to be caught in. That's the horrible irony.

"For behold, at that day shall he rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good." (2 Nephi 28:20 in the Book of Mormon.)

For some very straightforward and informative facts on the potential ramifications of Prop 8, please look at www.whatisprop8.com and don't let our nation (starting with CA) sink this low.

Halloween Overhaul/The Great Earthworm Massacre of 2008

2008-10-04T13:20:00.006-06:00

You like? And is not Judy Garland singing the purple people eater song unexpected and somewhat hilarious?

YAY SEPTEMBER IS OVER! Halloween decorations and music, WOO!

So this morning (and I mean morning) at about 2:45 a.m. I woke up and could not get back to sleep. When the clock was near 4 and I started to get hungry, I decided to get up, eat something, read a little, and try for more sleep later. I went downstairs, and what did I discover but an EARTHWORM, in disgusting pieces, sitting on the carpet by our completely closed back door! (It's been raining here.)

How it got into pieces was no mystery. Both kitties were sitting by, gawking at the remains with their tails twitching. I picked it up with a paper towel and threw it away, had my snack, read some, and went back to bed, wondering how the darn thing got in in the first place. Before I went back upstairs, I noticed Sammy camped out right in front of the door, with his nose practically in the crack. Hmm.

Got up a few hours later and went down again, and it looked the beaches of earthworm Normandy.

Actually, there were probably only two or three, but for how many pieces they were in...

And did you know earthworms aren't like other insects who just seem to have beige-colored guts? They bleed, bright red, and it will get on your carpet. Very inconvenient of them.

So Jason helped me clean it up, and I got to thinking that I felt kind of bad for them. They thought they were getting refuge from the storm, and they come in to face to giant, uncaring, mischievous beasts! I mean, I don't want them in my house, but they're drowning, they escape that, and can't you just see Father Earthworm leading the kids through that crack?

"This way, children. Everything will be all right. We'll be safe in he--[looks up, horror]--go back!!"

"I can't, Daddy, half of me is still outside!"

"GO BACK!! GO BA--AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUGGGHHHH!!!!!"

Yeah, I know I'm weird, but just be glad I didn't take pictures! :)

The Weekend Update

2008-09-28T19:46:00.005-06:00

So I used to feel like a dunce when pregnant women would answer the "how far along are you" question with a count in weeks, because then I'd have to stop, dust off my brain, and try to divide the answer by four to figure out months. But now I get it: when you've got NINE MONTHS of pregnancy you know you have to complete, it's really exciting every time you're able to tick off one more week in the countdown til D-Day. You don't want to have to wait for FOUR of them to go by before you can make some sort of check mark.

It's so crazy how many girls are pregnant and all of us due within a few months of each other.

1. Ally--co-worker--actually popped two weeks ago on Sept. 19, but up until then. (Girl)
2. Beth--co-worker--due Oct. 20. (Boy)
3. Brittany--co-worker--due Nov. 25. (Girl) Some of the customers look downright freaked out by all the pregnant chicks in one store, if enough of us walk by while they're there. It's amusing.
4. Moi. (Boy) I missed the memo and left a gap in Dec. (Or maybe my boss should have hired another girl and made "expecting in late December" one of the qualifications.) But all four of us are even due around the same TIME of our months. Jan 20th for me.
5. Shara--friend from home. Due two or three days after me, I think. (Girl)
6. Ashley--friend from home. (Girl)
7. ******--friend from home--not positive I'm allowed to tell yet. (Don't know yet)
8. Elizabeth--cousin. Due a month a half apart. (Girl)
9. Jamie--old roommate--just had her little boy a week ago.
10. Lauren--old roommate. (Boy)
11. Adrienne--old roommate. (Girl)
12. Kim--old roommate. (Don't know yet)
13. Callie--old roommate, more current friend. (Don't know yet)

Am I forgetting anyone? There are probably more I just don't know about. :)

And the ratio seems to hold here, too. Doesn't it seem like there are way more little girls being born than boys? Our ward is a sea of little girls; finding a boy is like spotting Waldo. Not that there's anything wrong with that, I just hope they can all find worthy husbands someday...

By the way, you don't have to be interested in all this. I'm just thinking out loud (as it were).

To conclude, I'd like to say that my cat, Max, is lounging on the computer desk in front of me, and he very nearly fell off just now while letting out a luxurious stretch and yawn.

Bring on the advice!

2008-09-20T00:43:00.003-06:00

Any of you who have children or at least experience with children--I don't. At my mom's urging, I'm starting to really think about getting baby furniture soon (although it feels weird, like I'm jumping the gun, being silly), and I get confused about things. Like...

...whether I need a bassinet, crib, or both right away, or just a bassinet first, or just get a crib and skip the bassinet, exactly why a bassinet is a good thing (I just don't know either way), whether I should pick out a changing table with a drawer (seems more convenient, but what if it doesn't matter?), whether I should just get a chest of drawers and use the top of it for a changing table, or maybe a crib with a built-in changing table to save space, whether I should get a cheaper crib that doesn't go from crib to day bed to full-size bed since we already have my old twin from single days and it's in great shape, etc., etc....

...and that's only the furniture worries. Then there's the world of pacifier brands.

See what I mean?

Honestly, I would truly appreciate any advice everyone can give me on these things. The main objectives are:

1) Save money without sacrificing quality.
2) Spend a little extra if necessary to get stuff that will last (not fall apart so we just have to spend more money replacing it later) and that will be useful (i.e., the drawer thing: if it will really make life after baby that much easier, I'll spend some more money on it).

So, let the advice fly! Baby and I thank you!! :)

The Case Against September (a sort of essay-style rant)

2008-09-14T16:29:00.007-06:00

By the way, I finished the Twilight series, all of it. And sorry, Stephanie Myer is just not JK Rowling. I still don't think it can hold a candle to Harry Potter. Interesting, intriguing, worth reading, all yes. But not the page-turner I expected it to be. Which is fine, I'm just glad other people enjoyed it so much. I'm glad I didn't buy all the books yet, though. Library waiting list has worked out just fine (and cheap!).

Well, I don't have much else to say, and you know why? The obvious reasons, such as: all I do pretty much is work at my icky job, and: we hardly have any friends (and plus we're not too social with those friends, giving lameness where our lameness is due), but also because it is one of my two least favorite months: September.

There is nothing exciting about September. Fall is coming, but it's not here yet, and the idea of it can be depressing if you live in Rexburg, Idaho and know you have to intentionally enjoy driving on pavement rather than an ice rink while you still can. It's too early to decorate for Halloween or listen to Halloween music, because you'll wear it out and get sick of it. There are no holidays. Look on a calendar; September is the month of school. You'll see pencils, rulers, apples. And even if I could be excited about school starting, well, I can't, because I don't get to go to school anymore. Jason does, but that means more time for homework and less time for me. Wah.

So, yeah. I don't sit stewing about it all day, I just felt like making a case on here. But this and January (it's still icky winter, and there is no Christmas to make it worth it) are for sure my least favorite months out of the year. Green Day put it best: Wake me up when September ends. I'm really glad it's nearly half-over.

One happy thought, though: this coming January, I'll definitely have something to look forward to! :)

Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle.

2008-09-04T21:18:00.003-06:00

Actually, I'll be a little baby boy's mommy.

IT'S A BOY!!

And from the view we got and the ultrasound tech's reaction and assurances (she straight up said 100%, and then the doctor said she shouldn't have told us that), there is not much room for doubt.

So it's not "it" anymore, it's "he" or "him." I'm still digesting this...

Pictures soon to come.

Mini Street Fighter

2008-09-01T18:54:00.005-06:00

I've been sitting here looking at people's blogs and feeling the baby give me what-for every few minutes (or seconds--there's one), and just thought I would relate (there's another--he or she is practicing karate again) an episode that I thought was funny.

Jason and I are in bed reading, baby is kicking, but darn it, Jason still hasn't been able to feel it! So I'm resting my book on my stomach, feeling the little kicking/punching feelings, and all of a sudden--BAM--the baby kicks my book where it was resting! As in, the book went quickly up and down!

I'm sure this is nothing to seasoned mothers, but it was crazy for me. Jason thinks the location was probably coincidence, but considering the way I hate it when people encroach on my space (like on airplanes or at the movies), I (there's another) wonder if our kid isn't already showing personality. Like, "YO OUT THERE! This is my space and there's not much of it! You're poking me!" (Gurgle-ish that time. ...Little poke. ...Just trying to give you a real-time idea of--and another--what it's like when the baby's partying. And another!) Lol. So fun.

Only two more days. Holy. Cow.

I changed the picture.

2008-08-30T00:19:00.004-06:00

My belly doesn't look as big in this one, but my posture is way better and I therefore don't look so shlumpy. Thanks to all the sweet people who have told me I look cute! MUCH appreciated! :)

Found out the real meaning of "round ligament pain" today when it got so bad I couldn't move anything but my toes without pain. Laid there and cried, even asked Jason to give me a priesthood blessing, a request I don't make lightly or often. But I could feel the baby moving even during the pain, and the blessing said our baby would be fine, so I really wasn't worried about that, I just wanted an out from the horrible pain. I mean BAD. Once it had died out somewhat, he took me to the doctor's, where they told me it was probably the round ligament pain but that it was good we came in to get it checked. (No blood or anything.) All that pain and tensing wore me out so much, I couldn't even go to work and slept most of the afternoon after we got home.

To be honest, we were hoping they'd do an ultrasound to check things out and we'd get to find out the gender early, but no such luck. The nurse did listen to the heartbeat, and it was amazing how easy it was this time; she didn't have to search at all, just plunk on my stomach, and there it was.

Three-day weekend! WOOOO!!! (Not so good for paycheck, but good for morale.)

FIVE MORE DAYS!! WE FIND OUT AT TEN O'CLOCK THURSDAY MORNING!!! (They changed my appt time.)

Cranberry Chicken

2008-08-27T21:12:00.003-06:00

1 can cranberry sauce
1 cup Russian dressing
1 packet onion soup mix
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Mix first three ingredients together in either crock pot or baking dish. Cut chicken into strips, add to sauce so the pieces are covered in the sauce. Crock pot: cook on low 4 hours, oven: cook for 30 min at 350. Suggestion: serve with instant mashed potatoes so you can spoon the leftover sauce over them.

So. Stinkin'. Easy. And good. Jason loved it. Doesn't taste particularly cranberry-ish, but still really good. Not too expensive either.

The recipe calls to cook it in the crock pot; I just improvised because I don't have time to come home in the middle of the day and do it. Or I do but don't want to. (You only get 40 minutes to eat and relax when it takes you 10 to get home and 10 back.)

Gettin' Bigger

2008-08-24T21:18:00.003-06:00

I finally took and put up a pic of how I'm looking these days. I don't always look quite as big as the picture; depends on what I'm wearing and stuff. But that one came out looking the biggest out of all we took, and of course, that made it the most impressive. (Right? Not fat? Impressive?) But I hate the way my tummy looks almost like it comes it a point in front instead of being a perfect mound. So why am I pointing that out to everyone... :)

Less than two weeks til we find out if Jason's dad has more of a prophetic gift about our baby than Jason does! (Jason is just sure it's a girl, and his dad really thinks it's a boy, so J's ego is going to smart a bit if he's wrong. :))

Thought I should mention, on some days, all the music I have to listen to at work comes from this playlist. The CD deck doesn't work in my computer (?!?!), and Jason takes the iPod to work most days, blah blah the details aren't important. So I've added a ton to the list just so I have something to listen to, sitting in that cave of an office with no window and trying to combat my coworker's music coming from nearby. So if there are random songs, that's why.

Feeling the baby move every day now. J still can't feel it. I wish I could see it. Can't wait for the ultrasound, especially after hearing from my cousin Nor how cool it is to see the baby moving. Last time it was so tiny (gummi bear) that the only thing moving was the heartbeat.

Ummm...I made my own tortilla chips for taco salad today, and they were a hit! And you don't even have to be talented, I just took a pizza cutter to some Mission tortillas, baked them til they started to turn golden, and it worked great. We have a new tradition.

Well, gotta go type up a nice copy of our menu for the next couple weeks. It really helps to save money at the store, if you know exactly what you'll be making and what you need for it. And it's nice to come home from work and not feel lost because you haven't planned anything. There's my tip for the week. :)

Madison County Fair

2008-08-19T10:24:00.005-06:00

**Disclaimer: this is mostly for my California friends who have grown up in the same area I did and would be equally as baffled as I am by small, podunk Idaho towns and the things they do for fun.**

I now present, for your entertainment and mockery purposes (because, hey, I did): the Madison County Fair. I love fairs in general, so I looked up in the Rexburg Standard Journal online about the details. Most of the events listed were 4-H-, rodeo-, or other livestock-related activities. And the quote they got from the guy in charge said (and I kid you not): "It's just a lot of fun for the whole family. Come on out and enjoy the cattle."

"...he joked." "...he said, laughingly." Nope. That was dead serious.

Next: the sign on Main Street said Madison County Fair, with two pictures: one of a blue ribbon, and one of, you guessed it, a cow.

Oh, and when we went, there were maybe ten cows in the livestock barn. There were probably a hundred chickens.

No rides. Two bouncehouses for kids.

Rodeo: when we got there, they were having little kids (in tight jeans, flannel shirts, huge cowboy hats, the whole getup) see how long they could each stay on a poor, innocent, frightened sheep before they fell off.

Last but not least: at the amateur talent show across the way, there was a yodeler.

'Nuff said.

Bubblies

2008-08-12T11:04:00.006-06:00

Last Thursday, I finally felt the baby move! I probably felt it before that and just didn't realize, but I was laying on the bed watching a movie or something, and I just felt these little movements like bubbles. And now I feel them more often. It's crazy.

Oh, and you know my entry from months ago where I was all psyched about fitting into my brown pants again? Ha. Lol. Those days are over for awhile. They were the second pair of pants I tried today (first was just not going to happen in this universe), and the only way they're staying up is the rubber-band-through-the-button-hole-and-around-the-button method. So, my friends who have been savoring the thought of me getting fat (Lol...), enjoy! :)

Today some big-shot is at the office, to check our compliance to something or other. So everyone has to be all perfect, all the management is sucking up to her and acting nicer than usual in front of her, and I'm basically trying to hide from the woman so she doesn't get a chance to quiz me on where the infectious condition log book is or something. (There's a million of those dumb things we're supposed to know.) Better go. Three weeks and two days!

Went private. :(

2008-08-07T09:32:00.002-06:00

Well, as you may have noticed, I've made my blog private, due to a very unkind comment by a girl I've met once in my life (who works at a different branch) about my job. I never thought people I don't know would be much interested in my blog; I just figured the only people who would care would be family and friends. I know I kept it open for anyone, but I seriously felt violated that this near-stranger would have the audacity to not only judge me but leave a comment about it, when she really has no idea what she's talking about. Some people's cluelessness truly amazes me.

So yeah, I hated to do it, but I don't want to have to be careful about what I say on here for fear that someone with an insane sense of loyalty to Valley Medical Shoppe will find it, see that I don't like the company, and show it to a boss and somehow get me fired. (Because, yes, that thought definitely crossed my mind. I wouldn't put it past them.) I figure once I have the baby and quit, I can say whatever the heck I want, and I'll un-private it again.

So if I missed anyone that you know, could you tell them to email me at kristina.noall@gmail.com? I'll be glad to invite them. I hate the thought of anyone I actually like getting the "you are not invited to this blog!" page...

We have a date!

2008-08-04T21:18:00.001-06:00

Thursday, September 4, we'll find out what we're having at 4 p.m.! The countdown begins!

Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summerrrrrr....

2008-08-02T21:08:00.003-06:00

We did our bi-weekly shopping in IF today and while we were at Target, we noticed a book display that had the first Twilight book on it, and, oh, would ya look at that, I guess that's the new one. Must have come out today. Huh. Anyway, shall we go?

Doing my routine look-through of all the blogs on my list, I've already run into two that talk about how excited they are, one kind of spoiler for something I wouldn't have guessed :(, and one who did not sleep until she had gotten it at midnight and finished it the next day, so was up for more than 24 hours.

Dang.

I'm glad people enjoy it so much. Not understanding why yet, though. Haven't finished the first one and quite honestly, can't understand what is so amazing. It's good and all, but not can't-put-it-down good. But I guess I'd better get on the waiting list for #2 at the library, because I'm guessing they get better and better. I'm hoping so, because I do love an amazing book series that I can really get into. (I was a little late jumping on the bandwagon this time, though. The whole series is already out, so I won't have to wait if I don't want to.) Anyway.

Looked at some big baby stuff (strollers, car seats) today just for kicks, and WOW, I'm getting nervous about all the stuff a baby supposedly needs and how much it costs. And I have to say, grocery stores are not good places for deciding if you're ready for kids or not. At Sam's Club and Wal-Mart alike, why does it seem like all the kids are always crying and/or whining?? Thank you to those who have kids who put cute pictures of them on your blogs--pictures clearly not taken in grocery stores, because it's becoming obvious to me that that is the UN-happiest place on earth for kids.

Not much to report on the week, as usual. Work, work, work. I was about to give details about it, but why would I want to think about it on Saturday?? Went to the doctor a week early on Wednesday because I was having some disconcerting stomach pains, and Jason went with me and finally got to hear the heartbeat. The nurse couldn't find it for a good five minutes again, so she had me go to the bathroom. Then she came back and found it nearly right away, but it only lasted about five seconds and then the baby apparently rolled away. So weird, because I can't feel it yet, so it's hard to imagine the gymnastics class that is supposed to be going on in my abdomen.

Oh, and for the stomach pains, the predictable happened: "well, if it gets excruciating and you have to go to the ER, let us know. Meanwhile, try Tylenol." Glad we didn't have to pay for that. Yay Medicaid!

September 1st-ish. That's when the ultrasound appointment is. Counting down!

Mmmmm.

2008-07-27T21:50:00.002-06:00

Finally picked and ate the first cherry tomato today, and it was fabulous. So yummy. I love having food growing in my own backyard (so to speak).

And I started reading Twilight. So far, it's interesting enough, but I'm not seeing what all the fuss is about. But I'm only about halfway through the first book.

More on that story as it develops.

Don' Worry...'Bout a Thing...

2008-07-26T11:05:00.008-06:00

I'm trying to make that my philosophy at work, to just mind my own business and say to heck with all the drama, I'm just here to get a paycheck. Not easy when Co-worker makes a smug you'll-never-believe-what-they-did-now face and starts whispering to me about the latest interaction she sees as a conspiracy against her (and/or me) usually at least twice a day, but maybe if I keep telling her that I don't care who got a raise or what they're teaching the new girl, she'll stop complaining to me.

Kind of doubt it, though. She's the complaining type.

Six more months. Sigh.

Anyway. Week went slow, as it always does. Yesterday I took the morning off because I didn't get enough sleep, so I went to work at 1:00. Then Other Co-worker had to make a delivery, so Manager asked me to close and I'm hoping I made a good impression by being totally willing to do so. (I'm pretty sure I heard him ask Co-worker out front since I heard her saying, "what?? I thought Other Co-worker was closing? He's supposed to close. I already closed this week. Blah blah complain blah." When he asked me, I said absolutely.) Manager was so friendly to me when I first started working there, I felt like we were buddies. And now he's that way to the new girl, but not to me or Co-worker. It kind of stinks. But no one there is very good at encouragement. The only time you hear anything is when you mess up.

I'm sorry. I really have gotten negative with my entries, haven't I? The thing is, I spend most of my waking hours in this environment, so I don't even have much else to talk about. But I'll try.

I guess I really am starting to show, but I still don't think it's that obvious. I just feel like I'm getting fatter, not pregnanter. (I know it's not a word.) This week's weirdness is apparently called "Round Ligament Pain." "As your uterus expands during your pregnancy, you may experience 'growing pains' around the middle. The pros call it 'round ligament pain,' and whatever you want to call these pangs (no cursing, please), round ligament pain is typically felt as achy or sharp sensations on one or both sides of the abdomen." That's the verdict from whattoexpect.com. So apparently my uterus is expanding and it's making my abs feel like they used to after my snowboarding class--after crashing onto the snow all day. So, walking hurts with every step, and sneezing and laughing can be dangerous. Interesting. Good excuse to be lazy. :)

Last night was fun. After staying til nearly 7:00 closing up (new girl put a check in the wrong place so it threw off my numbers and I had to recount everything, plus she forgot to confirm a bunch of sales orders, so I had to go back and do that, and delete a couple of empty ones which involves a different program, but it's fine because I made up for one of the hours I was gone that morning), we watched a Netflix Gilmore Girls episode, then finally answered the craving I'd been having for Jack in the Box for two weeks. No more Ultimate Cheeseburgers, I think. If we ever get JITB again, I'm going the Sourdough Jack route. Then we met up with Jordan, Callie, and Matt at Matt's place and were lounging around when we decided to see Kung Fu Panda at the cheap theater. We walked over since it wasn't far and just missed the beginning.

****************************************************

Movie Review:

Kung Fu Panda

Prepare for awesomeness.

We actually loved this one! Not sure what to say, really; it doesn't have a very complicated plot, but it's okay, it works. It's very funny, the animation is pretty cool, and Jack Black is hilarious. Some pretty good one-liners. I also really liked Dustin Hoffman as a little bitty fox (?) Kung Fu master. Overall, for an animated movie, it was great, and we plan on owning it at some point. (Oh, and the villain, though animated, is almost TOO crazy-good, I think I would have been really scared of him when I was little.) And we saved at least nine bucks by seeing it at the $3 theater. :)

I was looking for other pictures to put on here and found one that made my round ligaments yell at me for laughing, but I couldn't copy/paste it. Go here to see it:

http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1957992192/tt0441773

****************************************************

Today, we need to get an oil change, I might end up cutting Jason's hair (it saves a ton of money by me doing it, but man, boys' hair grows so fast!), and I don't know exactly what else we'll do. Maybe we could go star-gazing tonight if we don't hang out with our crew. I'm going to try very hard not to let us be boring, but you do get worn out being pregnant. I read that a pregnant woman's body at rest is working about as hard as someone climbing a mountain or something like that. I wish I had a see-through belly sometimes so that I could see everything going on in there (though I'm sure I'd have second thoughts if I actually got my wish).

Oh, and my garden is doing well! We have one two-inch jalapeno that has one more inch to grow, three more half-inch ones sprouting, and a bunch more blooms. The snap peas are getting blooms and a couple tiny growing pods, and the cherry tomato plant has more little green buds on it than I can count. Hopefully it will be a feast soon. No real buds on any of the four regular tomato plants yet (not sure what I was thinking on doing so many...going to have to learn how to can...), but hopefully they'll catch up.

Have a good Saturday, everyone! Oh, and my cousin Darrik and my soon-to-be-cousin Andrea are probably in the Sacramento Temple as I write this, preparing to get married in an hour! I wish so much that I could be there. I don't think they read my blog, but I hope their day is perfect! (I'm telepathic, didn't you know that?)

Exception to the rule?

2008-07-20T16:35:00.010-06:00

Since I'm officially out of my first trimester (so weird!), my book says that morning sickness (misnomer) and fatigue and all that stuff are supposed to improve now. For most women. Grr. Pregnancy is such a mysterious thing in that practically anything and everything can happen to you, and it's just "a weird pregnancy thing." And it's never predictable or the same for any two women. My mom's fingernails have never grown much without splitting after she had me. ??(Every time she was giving herself a manicure, I got a good-natured thanks-a-lot-for-ruining-my-nails-forever lecture. :))

I wonder, is there anything that I must soon say good-bye to forever, like my shoe size or, I don't know, the amount of earwax I produce? (Gross. Sorry.)

Oh, and the point of the first sentence: no, mine got worse. On Friday I showered and got ready for work, and was getting ready to go downstairs when I suddenly felt so awful. Overly warm, weak, nauseous. I laid down for a minute, then thought, maybe if I eat something. So I actually made myself a decent little breakfast instead of eating a bowl of Cheerios in the car like usual. I couldn't even finish it, and I felt even worse. ?! I nearly called in sick! I asked a co-worker to cover the front for a bit so I could sit at my desk and recover, and after awhile I felt better. Then I started to get hungry. Food doesn't seem to last as long for me anymore; I feel like I'm hungry practically all the time.

So I finally get to go to lunch, I eat, and I feel worse again! Maybe it was nerves, or stress. But my stomach has been much more sensitive the last week or so.

Another quirk: Sometimes I feel like I look humongous, others I'm practically trying to push my little belly out so people won't think I'm a pathological liar. So, do I want to show, or do I cherish these times when I can still wear most of what I own (just with a rubber band hooking the button and hole together)? It's a toss-up.

Great news: Jason is done with his semester and has a seven-week break!! So my days don't change much, but now we can hang out all we want in the evenings and on weekends without homework and tests hanging over both our heads (making me feel guilty for any time I DO spend with him). We shopped in Idaho Falls yesterday with all the time we wanted, and then last night we hit a movie, which we literally almost never do.

*******************************************************************************

Movie Review:

Get Smart

with Steve Carrell & Anne Hathaway

I wouldn't recommend it. It had some funny parts, and some of you don't share the same taste as I do so you know you can disregard my opinions, but all the sexual innuendos, even blatant movements, and swearing totally ruined it for me. There's just no reason for all that. I honestly wish we had left early and gotten our money back. Oh, and I knew who the bad guy would be as soon as I saw him. Since I'm usually not that sharp, that should tell you something.

It did give me a new life goal to shoot for, however: to find and own close replicas of both trench coats Anne Hathaway wore in the movie, one pictured here. (Replicas because I have no desire to pay as much as she or the costume designer or whoever probably did.)

*******************************************************************************

Anyway, it's going to be nice to be able to just hang out together after work, and nice that Jason can work full-time during the break and earn extra money that we can save for after the baby comes and I quit work.

Well, I need to get going and make some Mexican 8-Layer Bean Dip as our contribution to dinner tonight. Hopefully it will turn out okay even though you're supposed to chill it for four hours before serving and dinner is in an hour and a half. Psh. :)

Happy thoughts before I go:

1) I get to work 8-5 tomorrow instead of 9-6.

2) I only have to close once this week.

3) Other co-worker will actually be working all week, and he's been there awhile and is really nice, so I feel much more comfortable when he's there.

4) New girl is starting, so even though they probably already like her better (because she's even more prego than I am but has no desire to be a stay-at-home mom so will be coming back to work after baby--I, of course, am polar opposite), I will no longer be the lowest occupant of the Valley Medical Shoppe totem pole.

5) New girl is starting, so I will get to explain things for once instead of getting explained to, and might actually feel sort of smart at work!!

Nearly 13 weeks

2008-07-13T22:38:00.006-06:00

You really do get absent-minded and clumsy and stuff when you're pregnant. It's embarassing. I mean, I tend to say dumb things and not use common sense if I'm nervous (like I am at work around a lot of people) anyway, and this just amplifies it. At least I have an excuse.

I've been reading my old roommate Adrienne's baby blog, and it's almost creepy how much we think alike. I love reading it because she's about twice as far along as I am, so I can go back and read an entry from where I am now and feel understood about the little idiosyncracies of pregnancy. Like being really happy that I'll have a good excuse to quit my job. I might quit early anyway, since it's starting to stress me to the point of physical pain and my baby is a little more important to me than the place I work for. And it's not like I just need help learning the work, it's the people and the atmosphere. Not easily changed.

I also love how she is likewise irked at people assuming she's going to hand her tiny baby off to daycare the second she's recovered and zip right back to work, like it's her favorite place to be, like it's a dream job or a career. I've had so many coworkers ask me, "So, what about after the baby's born?" Me: "What about it?" Them: "Are you going to come back to work?" Here's where I have difficulty restraining myself from laughing in their face and saying, "Are you kidding?!"

Just because it's mainly women who work there (even though Rexburg is like 95% Mormon and Mormon women are encouraged to give up whatever they need to to stay home with their children) does not mean I'm joining that whole "Gee, I wish I could stay home with my kids, but that would mean trading in my SUV and not vacationing in Hawaii this year" mentality. Maybe some of them really have no choice, and I know it won't be easy to live on one salary--maybe not even always possible--but I figure since I'm the only mother my child has, maybe I ought to raise it myself instead of handing it off to a stranger so I can spend the day pretending to think store policies and federal regulations and insurance fee schedules and forms are actually important. Again, I know some women have no choice about that, but I feel like so many of the women in this town (probably in the whole church) are just fooling themselves, saying, "Well, the prophets say if you can, and I just can't. [Insert previous SUV/Hawaii statement here.]" It seems like it's just expected of women to work around here. It was like that at Rexburg Floral too. And I have never in my life had the desire to work forever; I hate it, and I only do it out of necessity. So I feel like I'm seen as lazy. Yet I would love to have the time, motivation, and energy to keep my house clean, take better care of my garden, join every church and Relief Society group, help in every service project--meaningful work! So what's the deal?

Maybe I should rename this blog "Kristina's Rants." Being realistic, it's all I seem to write lately.

I'm sorry. When work comes up, I tend to end up in a rant, one way or another. I really try, honestly, but I HATE it. And I have to spend most of my time at that awful, spirit-crushing place. The only light at the end of that long tunnel is that I don't have to work until we move, just until the baby's born. But it's a dim light, since I wake up dreading work every day, and I still have at least five and a half months before my due date. Every Friday at six, I'm 50-50: 50% ecstatic to be getting the heck out of there for two days, and 50% already dreading Monday morning.

Anyone know of an easy way to get ahold of ten grand without going into debt?

Anyway. Heard the heartbeat on Thursday. I was getting nervous because it took her a minute to find it, but she did, in a corner by my hip. So crazy. Still can't comprehend it.

Here's a happy thought. Going to church today helped, looking at all the babies and how happy (if tired) their moms looked, and knowing that it will stink until then, but one day I really will be done with the shop for good, it will be just an unpleasant memory, and I can enjoy being a mommy. Hopefully I won't even be able to remember how awful it was, like when period cramps are over and you wonder if they really could be so bad. (And next month you remember, oh yeah, they totally are. Hopefully that won't happen in this situation...)

One more thing: I actually did something yesterday! I floated down the Snake River on a tube with some friends. Got a little more color in my skin, despite the sunscreen. Totally exhausted me though (even through today), so on that note, I'm going to bed.

Really and Truly

2008-07-09T22:36:00.005-06:00

Yup, I'm pregnant!

WHEW!

I have been holding that in for two months, waiting to make it known until I could tell my extended family and closest friends in person over the Fourth of July weekend.

Can I just say that telling Elizabeth and Christy and Sam went better than I even hoped for? I had so much fun FINALLY telling everyone! I saw Elizabeth (my cousin) at her work for lunch, and she's pregnant too, so once I found out, I had to stop myself from relating to her on nausea and whatnot until I could come home and tell people. It's so crazy that we're five months apart in age, and our babies will be only a month and a half or so apart! Elizabeth was so cute, she squealed and hugged me and squealed some more, and then we compared symptoms, of course. :)

Later that day, Christy and I were at Sam's new house and she had given us a tour, and then I was looking for an opportunity to slip it in. I had a dumb line all ready, because I can't stand being predictable. Then Sam out of nowhere while she's getting us drinks says, "So, which of you is getting pregnant first?" ! I figured it couldn't get any better than that, so I just said, "Oh, that would be me." They looked at me. I smiled expectantly. Jaws dropped. Then the screaming and jumping up and down and laughing and hugging began!

Meanwhile, little 18-month-old (approx.) Gage is looking up at us with his sippy cup in his mouth, looking back and forth at the crazy screaming women, decides we're scary and starts to bawl! Lol! Then Sam claps her hands and says "Yaaaaaay!" to make him feel better, Christy joins in, and he is not appeased and keeps on crying! So cute! I feel bad that we scared him, but it was funny.

So, yes! I am pregnant. I have my second doctor's appointment tomorrow. I'm 12 weeks today, so I'm officially out of my first trimester. Weird. Why do things always seem like they went by fast, just because they're over? During them, they do seem slow. I'm due January 20th, and we think it's a girl. Hopefully it is, because thanks to my parents, we're way ahead on the clothes for a girl. There are a few boy things thrown in too, though. Jason didn't want our possible son to go nakers.

Well, I guess that's all for now. Hey, and now that it's not a secret anymore, I can complain about my fatness and fatigue and all that fun stuff on here! :) JK, I really haven't had that difficult of a time. I have to make like a million trips to the bathroom a day, and I get pretty tired (speaking of which, I need to get the heck to bed...), but it hasn't been bad. I haven't thrown up once, and nausea has only been bad a few times. And we get more and more excited at the thought of having a little baby that will be half Jason, half Kristina. Really, what more could you ask for? Of course it will be difficult, most likely the hardest thing we've ever done, but it will be beautiful.

Words aren't adequate. I'm sure that's obvious. In summary, we're looking forward so very much to having a new Noall with us soon!

P.S. If you vote on my little poll, could you leave a comment or something so I know who voted what? It bugs me to no end not knowing who is voting and what their vote was. (It could be people I've never met who live in Norway saying, "yah, I tink eets a gurl!")

Tunes!

2008-06-28T12:23:00.006-06:00

I finally added some music. And I only wasted two or three hours of my one day off a week figuring out how to do it and troubleshooting. :P

Only a few more days until California--if Jason can get all his school stuff done. Hope hope hope!

P.S. I kept the music near the top so that if it annoys any of you when you come to my blog, you can easily turn it off. :)

This is me in April with my "nephew," Gage--Sam's baby. She posted it on Facebook and I stole it. In'e cute??

Or not.

2008-06-20T17:58:00.002-06:00

You may see my blog switching from cute background to different cute background until I settle on one. So many cute backgrounds, and only one blog. What's a girl to do? :) P.S. Job was much better today! Yay!! :)

I'm cute too! What now, dawg!!

2008-06-19T23:56:00.003-06:00

Lol. I'm so dignified.

I went to thecutestblogontheblock.com and finally got myself a dang cute background! And this time it didn't ruin all my lists and junk! Then I noticed most of my posts weren't readable against the dark background, and I foolishly thought of changing it back to avoid having to go into each entry and change its color...until I found the "fonts and colors" link! So nice!

I love blogger.

Now if they would just let me change my account from my ancient email to my actual email, I wouldn't have to get kicked back and forth all the time...

...my blog is cute!!! :D

P.S. Job still sucks.
P.P.S. And I stayed up way too late making my blog cute, so job will suck even more than usual tomorrow. :P

What's the heck?

2008-06-15T01:06:00.002-06:00

You know what I've noticed?

I've written to a lot of people bugging them to make blogs, because no one answers their phone these days, including me, and I love looking at blogs. A few people have started shortly after I've bugged them (muah ha ha!). They start out plain, saying well I guess I'll blog since everyone else does, yadda yadda, just like mine started out. Then, guess what happens?

Their blogs promptly get way cuter than mine.

And they have cool things on theirs that I can't for the life of me figure out how to do, like slideshows and the scrapbook-y look.

What's up witthat?!
;)

Hours of Pointless Entertainment

2008-06-15T00:54:00.000-06:00

Tidbits

2008-06-12T13:23:00.003-06:00

I like the job a little better.

A LITTLE.

I have my own desk now, but I don't really get to sit at it that often. I'm still Customer Service, and the other girl who does it with me has been here longer, so her work is more important, and no one really questions that she should get to sit at her desk and work while I either watch the front, or sit at my desk and try to work while listening for the ding the door makes when someone comes in. (Irritatingly, the back employee door makes the same noise, so I jump up a lot if I'm not sure my manager is out front.)

I understand more stuff, and I've done a few more complicated things. Makes me feel more important. And it really is nice to have a desk where I can plug in my iPod and sit in a chair where my feet actually touch the floor.

I'm seriously hoping we can go to Sac for the Fourth, because Idaho seriously makes me more mad every day. It SNOWED yesterday. In JUNE. That is SO WRONG! It's been cold and rainy for weeks on end now; the sun came out for like ten minutes today and I wondered what the strange light was--perhaps aliens?

Not much else to report. Not for awhile, anyway. Sorry if I'm too negative; I think I have SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), and it makes me mad that I have SAD, because for heaven's sake, it's JUNE and I'm from California! This is not acceptable!!

Carpe Diem!

2008-05-13T20:54:00.006-06:00

I just wanted to say that I very much admire people who see something they want to change, make a goal to change it, and then steadily, cheerfully work toward that goal til they accomplish it. I just caught up with a friend who is doing that, and it really inspired me. So I'm gonna go do some yoga, ab work, and maybe an extra butt segment (I work out by videos), right now. And if I don't get to watch my Netflix movie (which I indeed have been looking forward to all day), tough cookies, I should have managed my time better, shouldn't I?

P.S. I like putting pictures that relate to my subject on here. :)

P.P.S. "Pain is weakness leaving the body." The Marines know what's goin' on.

Blahbity blah

2008-05-08T23:36:00.005-06:00

Hi. Don't even know what to write, really. Just been without the internet so long (and so tempted by my crushing boredom every day at work to sneak onto it) that I've been looking at people's blogs and now wanted to write in my own.

Picture is from when we went to San Francisco over spring break. Note the Golden Gate in the background. On both sides of the path we're on, there are townhouse-ish/apartment-ish residences. Maybe houses, I don't know. But look at all the vegetation and flowers! This doesn't even show the amount. And up the hill in front of us is Coit Tower. This is the "back way" to get up there. How cool is that?

So, what's new with me? Not much. Looking forward to the weekend a LOT. Love the people at my work, but it's so dang boring. But, I'm getting paid to be bored. I could be bored and not getting paid. Getting paid is better.

Oh, and I do get to go home every day after my eight hours are up, despite the fact that Mothers' Day is on Sunday. Wouldn't be so if I were still at Rexburg Floral. Ha. >:D

By the way, is it Mothers', or Mother's? Because it's for all mothers, so that would be plural, apostrophe on the outside. But we all centralize it on our own mother, which we only have one of, apostrophe before the "s." Personally, I like the plural version better.

And yes, I do think about these things. I'm not a math geek, I'm an English geek.

Yay for Netflix! It's replacing satellite television pretty well. Speaking of which, I'm gonna go move Gilmore Girls, Season 2, Disc 3, to the top of our list. Ciao.

The only sure things in life are death and taxes.

2008-04-13T21:23:00.002-06:00

And the gospel and Christ.

But it's a funny saying.

My dad helped us do our taxes today. Such a relief, 'cause I was really starting to feel like that woman on the Turbo Tax commercial who freaks out when some guy asks her if she knows what time it is. "YES, I know what time it is! I'm aware, okay?? I don't need the pressure!" But now they're done, we can mail them off, and we can get a hefty (for financially challenged us) little return. Yay!

And we're HOME! I love visiting Sacramento. It's so green and colorful and filled with TREES. There are no freaking trees in Idaho! Seriously! Whoever said wide open spaces are so great was nuts! Wide open spaces have nothing in them! And it was 91 degrees today! I'm not saying I like it super hot, but there are still piles of snow in Idaho, for pete's sake!

Gas is expensive. People get stupid when they get behind the wheel. But we want to live here. I'm going to be so sad to go back to Idaho next Sunday. I want out! LET ME OUT!

By the way, if I ever did lose three pounds (which I doubt), it's probably already back with a few more buddies, because between finals, moving, clean check, and coming here, we've been eating garbage, nutritionally speaking. And my parents spoil us to death here, so it's not looking good. But I won't say no to being spoiled.

I LOVE Conference!

2008-04-05T12:22:00.013-06:00

Alpha and Omega

The First Presidency of the Church: 1st Counselor Henry B. Eyring, left, 2nd Counselor Dieter F. Uchdorf, right, President Thomas S. Monson, sitting.

Today and tomorrow are the 178th Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. All the general authorities of the Church come together in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, and the prophet, First Presidency, twelve apostles, and others speak to the world. We believe that they speak with authority from Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ themselves, as Their ordained servants. We believe that anything they say, we should consider to be the word of God as surely as if He had called them on the phone right before their talk and instructed them, word by word, what to say.

So far today we've received instruction on how to be better parents, how to better appreciate diversity, how to make our homes havens for our children, that we should remember and treasure our sacred experiences, that we should create righteous traditions in our homes, and that's just in the first session. We had the opportunity to stand, wherever we were all over the world, and sustain the general authorities of the Church. It was a very special experience for me to be able to raise my right hand and physically witness that I know that Thomas S. Monson is a true prophet of God. Isn't that incredible? So many people believe that the heavens are closed, and that you can just kind of go along your merry way, and it doesn't matter what you do. We know that the Lord has a true and living church, continually receiving revelation, and that we have a prophet who counsels us on what the Lord Himself wants us to do. No questions. No interpretations. No arguing. No competition, someone else claiming they're right and he's wrong. Perfect unity and peace.

I wish I could describe how I feel when I watch Conference, when I see these good and true men and women, who love and serve God, and when I listen to what they tell us--often practical counsel for dealing with modern situations accoring to the teachings of the gospel. I don't feel like jumping up and dancing, or yelling, or raising my arms to the sky. I feel the Spirit of the Lord so keenly, so peacefully, filling me up. I almost feel like I'm having hot chocolate poured into me to overflowing; I feel warm and full, and all worries and doubts disappear. Literally; I can't work up a worry for the life of me. I know that the Lord loves me, and that this is his true church. I know it. I know that by following the words of these men, I'm following the will of the Savior, I'll be happy (though it won't make life magically easy), and I'll be able to return to my Father in Heaven. And I feel an actual, physical ache to share that happiness with everyone in the world who doesn't know it also.

Joseph Smith's First Vision

My favorite. Lost Lamb

I don't know how often people I don't know look at this blog. I know it happens sometimes. For anyone who would like to know more about Conference and the Church, please look at http://www.mormon.org/ and see if your questions can't be answered. Read with your spiritual eyes, listen, and see if you can't hear the Spirit whispering to you through peaceful and good feelings that it's true. I know it is. And blog or not, I say (or write) these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Dude. DUDE.

2008-03-27T14:56:00.003-06:00

So I went to the gym on campus today, because I have the day off so I figured if I'm not making any money I at least ought to do something worthwhile. "Get healthier now to save on costly medical bills later in life." So I did some abs, then walked (and did five whole minutes of jogging before I nearly fell over unconscious) on the treadmill for almost an entire hour. Those of you who've known me for awhile--yeah, you get it. Oh, AND because I had brought my iPod but forgotten the headphones, genius that I am, I read April's Ensign [Church magazine] the entire time. Am I just amazing, or what?? :P :) Then I stretched some, did another round of abs on my favorite machine (though I haven't been in that gym for over a year--I nearly got lost), and weighed myself before I left.

Now, the scale there may be wrong. After all, it gets a ton of use. One scale for, what, 12,000 students, plus wives or husbands of students, like me? Poor, over-worked scale. Or maybe after you do that much exercising, you just weigh less for awhile afterward for some reason nobody understands. BUT.

According to this self-same scale, I have lost THREE POUNDS!!!

Yeah, I totally made the rest of the wording even smaller to accent that.

Even if it was wrong and I haven't, I know I've been doing better. I've done abs every day this week, along with some other kind of exercise. Usually I get tired of working out by Wednesday and I'm lucky if I start again til Monday. This week, it's 4 in a row! And Jason says he can definitely tell just by looking at me that I'm tightening up. Since he's my husband and checks me out a fair amount (which I love), I'd say that's a reliable source. I've been eating less, and making what I do eat more healthy. The idea of McDonald's is pretty repulsive now. (Not that I'm some saint. I still eat Taco Bell once in awhile. So sue me.)

So...yay! I'm getting healthier. Now, to avoid complacency. Fish and brown rice for dinner.

Crock Pot Enchiladas

2008-03-26T21:21:00.003-06:00

Discovered a really, reeeeeally good new recipe. Jason was practically raving, he loved it so much, and he said he wouldn't mind making it a weekly thing. And it was easy. That's a yay. Thought I'd put it on here, because, well, that's what other wives do. :)

Crock Pot Enchiladas

1 1/2 lbs ground beef (I'm sure turkey would taste great, too)

1 can cheddar cheese soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 (large) can enchilada sauce

1 small can chopped green chilies

tortilla chips

Brown meat in skillet and drain off grease; season to taste. (I used taco seasoning.)

Put meat and all other ingredients except chips in crock pot. Stir it up.

Cook on low about 5-6 hours, stirring occasionally.

About 30 minutes before serving, add chips (enough to be covered in sauce).

When they are softened, they are ready to eat.

It was spicy, but not so I couldn't handle it, and I'm a wuss, so there you go. Hope you like it!

WOOHOO!!

2008-03-26T15:32:00.004-06:00

I FIT INTO MY BROWN DRESS PANTS TODAY!!!

(A few months ago, if I remember right, they were very tight and uncomfortable.)

I'm getting there. I already worked my abs this morning. I don't do a ton, but I try to make what I do count.

I think my goal is to lose five pounds.

Or maybe just to have a washboard stomach.

...So that I can get pregnant, get a huge one, have a baby, and start all over again...

Well, what can ya do.

One year! Only 500 billion to go!

2008-03-19T22:55:00.004-06:00

Actually, it's eternity, so there's no countdown. Just a...countup.

Do you love how all the pictures of myself I put on here are at least a year old? I think I still look pretty good. I just don't take a lot of pictures. Here's one I took a week and a half ago, so you all know I didn't get morbidly obese or anything. This was our one-year anniversary dinner at Johnny Carino's (or the remains, anyway!), with me wearing, yes, a corsage. I'd made a ton of boutineres and a couple corsages for the dumb high school Sweetheart dance at work that day, there was one left over, and I just thought, dangit, I'm going out with my eternal sweetheart. I want a corsage too! That deserves a corsage!

One more thing. I love google! I wanted to print out a poem for a friend who is going to have a baby soon, but trouble was, I'd only heard it read, and years ago. So I called the lady who read it, she found it, read it to me quickly to make sure it was the right one, while she was still reading I typed the first line into google, and bingo, there it was on some other girl's blog. So nice!

Day Old Child

My day old child lay in my arms,

With my lips against his ear.

I whispered strongly,

"How I wish-- I wish that you could hear,

"I've a hundred wonderful things to say,

(a tiny cough and a nod),

hurry, hurry, hurry and grow

So I can tell you about God."

My day-old baby's mouth was still

And my words only tickled his ear,

But a kind of light passed through his eyes,

And I saw this thought appear:

"How I wish I had a voice and words,

I've a hundred things to say.

Before I forget, I'd tell you of God --

I left Him yesterday."

--Carol Lynn Pearson

Isn't that beautiful? I still remembered those last two lines, all the way back from a Young Women's lesson. So, if you have a baby and I give you this poem, probably framed, know that it's not just some dumb present, but that I love you and want to give you something awesome but can't afford much. :)

Rrgh!

2008-03-14T22:48:00.002-06:00

Why is it that every time I get geared up and excited about creating a playlist or a slideshow or some other fun-but-pointless thing on here, Jason has his computer hooked up (meaning none of my music or pictures are on it and I don't feel like shutting down and switching it all up)??

P.S. I just worked out for the fourth day this week! That's one day better than last week! Skinny jeans, here I come!!! (That is, if my hips haven't actually spread, as Christy has opined. Good word, huh.)

Lesson Learned.

2008-03-10T20:15:00.003-06:00

So, I've talked to a few friends in the last couple weeks who've asked what's up, I tell them we're moving, and they say, "Yeah, I know, I read your blog." Oh. "You...saw that, huh? The tantrum and all? Heh heh heh..." I'm suprised, flattered, and a little mortified at how many people actually read it--the mortified part because they read my seriously ridiculous diatribe. I hope I've really learned my lesson, not to blog when I'm in a dangerous mood, because it's embarrassing later to know that people witnessed it. Oh, and a note: I like reading all your blogs, too, so keep doin' it!

I was thinking about blogging today. I think it's like the reality show craze. People blog about everyday junk that's really nothing extraordinary; that's how a lot of reality t.v. is, too. For example, one of my favorites: "Jon and Kate Plus Eight." It was extraordinary during the first few shows about them, because, dang, they had eight kids under the age of five. All those diapers, blah, blah, blah. Now, you still get some of that, like how they do Christmas, vacations, etc. But they also take the time to talk about the infection in Jon's eye. And they show them shopping. Without the kids. This is now two people whom we have never met, browsing aimlessly in Gap.

But we watch. Why?

Because it's on T.V.

I think it's the same thing with blogging. There's something more intriguing about going to a website to find out what's going on with your friends rather than just calling them. (And, of course, it's impossible to get ahold of a lot of people, anyway. I think I'm the only loser I know who actually answers the phone.) And when you type it (and publish it--what a great word!), somehow it turns it into a story, a saga, something whose magic would be diminished if you just spoke it.

Blogging turns our lives into ongoing autobiographies.

Miracles happen!

2008-03-01T15:41:00.016-07:00

Okay, don't worry, I'm not going to throw another tantrum. I think I had good reason to be upset during my last entry (after all, being thrown out of your home with very little notice and having no idea where you're supposed to go is distressing), but I know I should have tried to control myself better. I apologize to anyone who was at all disgusted with me while reading the previous entry and assure them that I do indeed have some maturity.

I am SO happy to report that this week went from HORRIBLE to pretty darn good: Jason found a job up at the school yesterday, making more money than me, in the afternoons. Translation: transportation won't be a problem and he doesn't have to do a 4 a.m. job in which we would never get to see each other because he'd have to go to bed about 7 p.m.

Also, the really great thing: we found a place to live today!!! We're going to rent a really nice townhome, and it's looking like we're getting the best deal out of all of them. We looked at one of the others on Thursday (you know, pretty much same model, a few doors down) that some kids our age-ish own and were renting out because they planned on moving to a three-bedroom house. (They also had a nice new sofa set, nice framed pictures, huge flat-panel t.v., etc.--we wondered what the husband does for a living.) It was $750 a month with only city utilities included. It was looking like our only viable option, but we decided to think about it, because it seemed pretty steep. The guy next door was trying to rent his for $680, so we already knew they were probably just being a little greedy. (No cats allowed at the guy's place though.) Then today I was checking craigslist, and I found one of the same townhouses for $625 a month! Same amount of bedrooms and everything! The only differences I could see when we looked at it were that the oven and stove weren't as nice as the other and there was no built-in microwave. Big whoop, we already have one. Still has washer and dryer ("Haaaaaaaalelujah!!") and a ton of storage space so we won't have to stuff everything in the second bedroom. In fact, we'll probably be able to hear our voices echo for awhile, it's so big compared to what we have now.

So anyway, the owners seem cool, and the renters living there now told us that they're laid-back, fair, and don't bother them much. The carpet looks great, everything looks nice...and it's only $625! The current renters also said that they're pretty sure they have the best deal, because the other renters they know there pay more, even $800-something, for the same model. How on earth are we so blessed when I have been so undeserving? It must be Jason's faith.

I'm so, so, so, so grateful. I was getting seriously depressed and hopeless. Before this, we looked at living in someone's ancient, dark basement. Sure, it was a good deal cheaper, but it was only available until September, anyway. The only things that could make this perfect are if we had a porch where I could grow a garden, and a garage so the car wouldn't get icy. ...And if it were closer to the school. ...And if cable and internet were included. ...And if it were cheaper. ...And if there were a clubhouse with a workout room. ...All right, all right, so it's not even close to perfect, but it's still great! We can keep our beloved little kitties, and stay there as long as we want! We don't have to live out of town! We get a nice, new, pretty, big townhouse to ourselves! I'll be able to do yoga in the living room without having to move furniture! And we'll actually have enough room to have our friends over!

So, next on the needed miracles list: another part-time job, in which I am fabulously well-paid and can still work part-time at Rexburg Floral. Did I mention that I got to make a practice bridal bouquet yesterday? I did, and it was SO stinking fun!! So I really want to stay on and keep learning. Bruce (my boss) is a pain in everyone's neck really, but I love working with the flowers and learning, especially the wedding-related stuff, and I bet that will really pick up as we come into wedding season.

Again, it was just for practice, so it was old, blown roses that we couldn't sell, and I know it's not perfect. But Angelica (co-worker majoring in floral design) said I did really well for my first try!

This was a long one. But despite still being nervous about money (I can't remember not being nervous about it since I was single), I feel light as a feather compared to before. I really had about fifty pounds on my chest, and now it's down to, oh, five.

Maybe it's because we always pay our tithing. I bet that's a big part of it. Tithing rocks!

Moving again.

2008-02-25T22:37:00.006-07:00

Yes, for any of you poor, unfortunate souls who read what this entry used to be, I'm changing it. I'm still embarrassed about my immature tirade. Long story short, I wrote about how the owner of our current apartments changed their pet-friendly policy to a you-can-have-pets-if-you-want-but-you-can't-live-here policy, causing us to have to undergo a very difficult and frustrating search for somewhere that WOULD allow pets, not to mention causing us to have to move AGAIN, right after we thought we might get to be settled for more than a few months for once. And then I politely explained that I was somewhat miffed about these circumstances. (Ahem.)

"Ain't that a kick in the head..."

2008-02-05T01:00:00.000-07:00

I know, it's been sooo long since I've written on here. It just kind of seemed like life (or the enjoyable and personal parts of it) were on hold while we were living with Jason's parents. 30-second update: I worked at both Kohl's and the Marriott for awhile, then went full-time at Marriott. Jason worked at Albertson's and then headed the stake boy scout See's Candy fundraiser from Thanksgiving until right before Christmas. I went to Sacramento for a few days in November to be a bridesmaid at Christy's wedding. Looking back, I can still hardly believe I lived with my inlaws for about five months. They're awesome, but I really fought to keep my sanity at times. We spent Christmas with my folks, had a great time, and came back to Idaho January 2nd.

Took a couple days to round up all our stuff and move in, then started the dreaded job searching. I had thought I would have my pick of the hotels and be set, but let's just say Marriott spoiled me terribly. The hotels around here were all not hiring, though two of them brought me all the way in for an interview before they bothered to tell me that. (?!) And they were both ridiculously ghetto. The manager who interviewed me at Super 8 was making less than the salary I started at at Marriott, and she'd been there four years! So long story short, I actually landed a job at Rexburg Floral, even though the owner knew I had no experience but just wanted to learn very badly. Only thing is, he said he'd give me full time, but I don't know that he really will. There's hardly enough for everyone to do even with me just working afternoons. So I might try to find a morning job after Valentine's Day. But will that be worth it, to keep both? If I find a good-paying job, should I ditch the flowers and take it?

What's a kick in the head, you ask? Oh, everything. Life is good, but it's so ironic. Like working today at the florist with a woman who almost completely lacks charm and social skills. In her monotone voice, she asks if I'm going to school. Same old story. "No, I graduated." "Oh." Surprise. "What in?" "In psychology." "And you're working here??" Gritting teeth. "Yeah, I tried my degree and wanted to shoot myself, but I like working with flowers even if it doesn't pay much." "Isn't there anything else you could use your degree for?" "Not really, you need a Master's." "Didn't you know that before you majored in psychology?" Gritting teeth harder.

So what do I do? I could probably find a higher-paying job as a secretary or some junk somewhere if I was patient. But I'd have to dress up every day, kiss butt to some suit, and play the corporate game. At the florist, I'm learning more skills every day, maybe skills I can put to use on the side someday if I get good enough, and--gasp!--enjoying my job! For the most part, anyway. The glamour of making flower arrangements does wear off, and it's slow now, so there really isn't a lot to do. (Next week will DEFINITELY be a kick in the head.) But it's what I've wanted, and yet I feel guilty for not making more money for us. Is this how men feel? Like they have to do whatever it takes to make money, money, money, and put their own interests aside? Is that what we all should do??

Whatever. The Lord has always taken care of us. I'm sure He'll continue to do so. And meanwhile, I'm learning more every day. Just ask me what Delphinium or Alstromeria look like. Go on, ask!

Good morning, world, and all who inhabit it! (Mow.)

2007-08-17T12:32:00.000-06:00

That's what Spongebob (and Gary the snail) just said.

I've been a ton more cheerful since I ran out of birth control (no health insurance yet)...why is that? What a way to start a marriage, easily depressed and grumpy! Last night I was laughing so hard at Plankton, Jason was laughing at me, not the cartoon.

I got a job--so to speak--at Kohl's. I trained for 16 hours last week and got a lot of work done on my nails while the boring-and-smarmy-as-all-get-out training DVDs were playing. They only gave me 13 and a half hours this week, Monday and Saturday, but Terri did warn me they couldn't give me much. I can take another part-time job at a Marriot if I want, and I interviewed at a furniture store yesterday that will be full-time at around $10 an hour if I get it. I'm not confident about the interview, though. I think I might have babbled too much, and Jina lectured me for saying "yeah" in answer to a question. I hate worrying about it, but I really want and need this job; we're practically broke and don't want to borrow any more money. I'll find out Monday or Tuesday. I HATE job searching!

What else is there to say, really? Jason's pool job is over, so we're both bored and feeling rather loserish. There seems to be some kind of mysterious clumsiness vortex at work around his parents' house; I've now broken a salt shaker, a glass (well, the cats broke it, but I left them out when I went to work), and today a casserole dish. Jason says their stuff is old and more breakable (and the glass was Guiness, so it was evil anyway :)), but why do I have to be the unlucky schmoe who finally does the deed? Robert and Cheryl have been so incredibly nice, and I know they won't make me feel bad when they find out about this latest one, but I feel like such a moron! I insisted that we go to Linens 'N Things and get replacements with our leftover wedding gift card money today, whether they want us to or not. (Maybe while we're there we can pick up an ice cream maker...)

Well, I think that's it, really. Still trying to read. Finished Pres. Hinckley's biography. That man is so beyond awesome. Now I'm working on Joseph Smith's, the other end of the prophet spectrum. I'd been wanting to read it, and Cheryl got us the collector's edition. Pretty cool.

Anyone who could include us and our depressing job hunt it their prayers, we'd really appreciate it. But don't worry, I'm in better spirits than I have been in a long time. Maybe I should find alternate means of preventing conception...

On the road agaaaainnn...

2007-07-23T14:52:00.001-06:00

Actually, we're done being on the road, we've arrived.

Week before last, we made the decision to give up the sales job and leave Wisconsin. Let me tell you (briefly, because I don't want to think about it too much), it was so hard to leave my plants. Augh, starting to think too much about it! Crap...that's all I'm gonna say.

We packed up, returned things shamefully--television, microwave, and vaccuum, for heaven's sake--so we wouldn't have to transport them and could have extra moolah , bought the kitties a carrier, and headed out. We went down to Nauvoo first since we don't know when we'll ever be that close again. Close, my foot, though; it was supposed to take five or six hours, and it ended up being eight or nine. We got there just as the Pageant was starting, so we got to see that, but the next day was Sunday, so everything was closed! So we walked around for about an hour and a half, saw some cool stuff, but it wasn't the life-changing experience everyone says Nauvoo is. Hopefully we can go back sometime, better prepared, and have a more in-depth experience.

Then we crossed Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada, and visited my family for about five days in Nor Cal. It was so nice. My parents and even Rob spoiled us terribly, which felt great after being afraid to spend money even on groceries. I hadn't gone in three weeks when we decided to leave, which was a very nice blessing, because as it was we gave away probably a couple hundred dollars in food and miscellanious that we couldn't take with us. It SUCKED, but at least it wasn't more.

Now we're living at Jason's parents house, trying to find jobs and sleeping too late. But I do feel ready to work; I just dread the job search terribly. Hate, hate, HATE job searching.

Oh, and I cut my hair real short and got bangs. Not crazy about it, but at least it's different. I also dyed my hair since it was getting kinda faded and the roots were showing, so I feel more presentable.

And I'm on Chapter 21 of Harry Potter 7, afraid to talk to anyone for fear they'll give something away, especially since Samanth DID yesterday when I talked to her! Jason and his brother Justin are both done already. I forgot I was married for awhile yesterday, I saw Jason so litte. I feel like our relationship is unalterably different until I finish the book, too. He knows some "mysteries of life" that I don't.

Well, that's about as much typing as my wrists can handle. Wish I could do more than just the news, but it'll have to do for now.

Go Brewers! Brew that...beer...?

2007-06-28T12:09:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was something out of the ordinary--I actually got to spend most of the day with

my husband, and we could go out and do something without breaking the Sabbath! The Milwaukee and Madison offices are apparently the top sellers in the company, and they won an incentive to be taken in limos to a Brewers baseball game at Miller Park. (Milwaukee is so all about beer. It's really kind of disgusting. Notice the guy selling it on the top right.) So two Expedition limos rolled up and picked us up (the wives who could make it were invited along), and I rode in a limo for the first time. It was very cool, but not worth paying for. They took us to a ritzy mall where we pretty much only had time to eat lunch, then they dropped us off at the game. It was fun seeing everyone outside staring, probably wondering what famous/rich people were high-rollin, and then to see their faces when a bunch of rowdy 20-somethings piled out. We definitely had fun playing with the radio and complaining that there was ice and goblets but no beverages, talking about non-existent stocks, etc. Why does rap music in a limo make you feel like a high-roller? "The Humpty-Hump" is such a bad song, but it has the best beat, and I just felt cool listening to it.

The game was cool...but not literally. It was SO FREAKIN muggy for awhile, we all splurged on frozen soft lemonades and Jason fanned us both with a Pinnacle sign he had in his binder. He's so sweet like that. It did cool down after a little while, but this guy with the grey hair right in front of us was eating peanuts, and what happens from eating protein kept happening every so often and wafting right up our noses. GROSS. What can you do but point the fan at him and laugh though. Hopefully he doesn't see this. :)

One sad thing was how raggedy and unkempt a lot of the people looked, and the sheer amount of alcohol that was being consumed at that game. Do you really have to have a beer or a hard lemonade to have a good time? Not to mention all the disgusting nachos and...actually, I need to stop, there's no point in worrying about things you can't control. I do that too much.

Not much else to report. The garden's doing pretty well. The cherry tomato plant is monstrous. It's awesome. Can't wait for all of the tomatoes to actually turn red. My latest scheme is to try to learn enough about floral design to work in flower shops for awhile, then with the experience I get, do flowers for weddings. So far, not a lot of luck, but I'm not giving up yet. I talked to Brother Lang who owns the flower shops (was SO scared to do it, didn't want to bug him again), told him what I have in mind, and he said that although things are really slow for florists in general in this area right now, he'll try to find opportunities to help me. I want to try to get a job at Michaels, namely in the floral design dept. Dang temp agency is doing squat for me, except making me look stupid and lazy because while I wait for them to call me, I still have no job.

Oh well. Whatever will be will be.

How can the world be bad when there are an aqua-blue towel and a ripe cherry tomato in it?

2007-06-12T19:00:00.000-06:00

Things have been good, but still a little hard. Sales have not been plentiful, the temp agency has not found a job for me. I'm trying harder to make up for my lack of job (and lack of desire for one, to be quite frank) by being a better housekeeper, and my garden is doing well. The first cherry tomato will probably be ripe enough to pick by tomorrow, though I'm not sure I want to pick it. Two months of willing it to grow and turn red, just to pop it in my mouth for two seconds of rapture before it gets mixed up with all the acids in my stomach? I wish I could frame it. And I think there might be actual tiny pods forming on the snap pea plants! Plus I have sixteen snapdragons growing, and one tall cornflower that should bloom soon. So it may not be worth the investment financially, paying for seeds, soil, pots, and cages, but I love my new hobby. I could hang out there with my plants all day. (Don't worry, though. I don't talk to them or anything. Much.)

That's really what I wanted to say--what I have to be grateful for. Yeah, this is not the miracle job we thought it would be, where you earn oodles of money right off. Maybe that can still happen before the summer's over. But we're doing okay. We pay our tithing, we try to be very frugal, and everything always comes out okay. We have so much to be grateful for.

I've made a new policy: I try to go out of the apartment (in the car, anyway) as little as possible, and I try to stay completely away from places where I want to spend money unnecessarily. I try not to even drive by them. Why bother going to Target, Kohl's, or even Wal-Mart except when I really need to? I just get discouraged at all the stuff that I see and can't buy. At first I was trying to be super wife, making a nice meal every night. But it's really not so terrible to have just a can of chili for dinner, or a grilled cheese sandwich, and have a nicer dinner maybe 2-3 times a week. I haven't been grocery shopping in maybe two weeks, but before I was always "needing" something else, some ingredient to some new dish I wanted to make, or some snack food it just seemed natural to have, and it sure added up.

Yesterday I worked out with Jason before he went to work. That was awesome. Then I talked to my mom for an hour and a half, took care of my garden (yay!), put on my swimsuit, and went to the pool. I even took a small, healthy lunch with me. There's something about eating outdoors. I have a pretty aqua-blue towel that I bought for swimming (about the color of this font, in case you missed the connection), and just looking at it, and sitting in the warm sunshine with a good book from the library made me happy. Yeah, eventually we'll need more if we want to start a family, but for now, so much in life is good. Most especially Jason. I never in my life thought I would land such a wonderful, caring, loving husband. How can I be truly unhappy, knowing I have him?

I really need to start a gratitude journal. I spend too much time worrying, and not enough time counting my blessings. I think this was my first entry.

I feel like such a poser.

2007-05-19T13:49:00.000-06:00

I hope this works. Yeah, it was kinda fun.

You all knew I would copy eventually.

Take my quiz!

Take This Quiz See Scores Make Own Quiz

Max and Sam

2007-05-19T12:54:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I call Max "Maxey," and then I have to call him "Maxi Pad."

Aren't they so cute? We got them on Wednesday. On the way home from the Humane Society, we had to stop to get some bloodwork done for Jason, so I stayed in the car with them and let them out to explore. They're so chill a lot of the time though, they wandered a bit and then just settled on the floor of the car by my feet.

Max is the adventurous, extra nosey one. He's tried about ten million times to get onto my nightstand because I don't want him on it, and today he came out of the bathroom half-soaked because he was exploring the bathtub, where I'd just washed out their litterbox. He's always wanting to escape the room we're keeping them in--that is, if we're trying to keep him in there. If the door is wide open for awhile, it's not as exciting to make a jail break, so he doesn't bother. But he's also very affectionate; he doesn't rub against us or lick us, but he likes being near us. From day one, he would climb right on top of one of us and go to sleep.

Sammy is the more timid one, though he's coming out of his shell. He's whiny, too. He's still more distant, a little less likely than Max to go to sleep on one of us, but he's warming up. On the first night, we made a box with a blanket in it for them, which they sniffed and ignored before jumping up on our bed and snuggling down with us. They've slept with us each night, on top of the covers and under. We're both scared we're going to wake up to kitten pancakes one morning.

By the way, the creeping phlox is suddenly flowering and looking almost healthy again. Don't ask me why, but I'm happy I didn't completely kill it.

Ooh! And the professional wedding pics are done!!!! We should be getting them soon, and she already sent us a few previews that look nice. I just wish I had put some more freaking lipstick on, I'll have to live with those pale lips for the rest of my life...

"Rope. Like string, but manlier."

2007-05-14T11:58:00.000-06:00

So the flower shop job rocked. I didn't have to do any deliveries, thank goodness. I picked up an order for them at a greenhouse and then went out to the shop. They had me and the girl I took with me (she's nice, but so quiet, and such a copycat of everything I did, I wanted to kill her a few times) clean roses first, taking the thorns and lower leaves off with a gizmo, then taking off the ugly petals and cutting them all a certain length. When we had done three hundred of those, they taught us how to make these little flower arrangements (just one rose, some "pit" foliage, and wax flower each) that were going to be at each place setting for some banquet. We made about 230 of those, us with two other people. It was way fun at first, but we stood for hours doing it, and I got really tired of it. I would choose that over calling people to get them to do a survey (for minimum wage) any day, though.

Saturday, we went back at 8:30 and finished that order. Then they sent us to their other location where we met new people (there was a girl from my ward there helping out for Mother's Day too, and she was so fun and SUCH a sweetheart!), filled up those little water tubes they stick on the ends of flowers, and cleaned lots more roses. I am now an expert rose cleaner. They said so. And I even got to step in and make a cute little flower arrangement when they were making a bunch for a baby's baptism: short square glass vase, two blue hydrangea blooms, with short white tulips stuck in them at random. It was so simple, but so pretty. And one of the girls there said I did mine perfectly! (I'm like a little kid bragging to mommy about the nice things my teacher said about my crayon scribble of nothing.)

I know I'm too detailed and long-winded, but I LOVED working there. I've been itching to go back since I left. I've never enjoyed a job this much, but it was just for the Mother's Day rush, to my disappointment. I told Brother Lang and his daughter (owner & manager respectively) each that I loved working there, am looking for a job, and would LOVE to learn more, so if they ever need anyone... They both said they'd certainly keep me in mind. I sure hope they let me have a chance. I watched the people who actually worked there getting to make these beautiful arrangements, wrap things all pretty, make corsages and boutinerres (sp), play with ribbon and pretty paper and FLOWERS all day! What more could you ask?? Seriously, I want to work there so bad, I ache. Even if they don't pay me much. I'd be learning such cool things! Lol why did I get a psychology degree again??

Oh, one other piece of news. I found a cute white skirt today, after decades of searching! YAAAAAY!!!

Anyone who reads this, please pray that I can work at Welke's House of Roses. Thanks.

WisCANsin. (This one is forever long.)

2007-05-11T10:55:00.000-06:00

I know it's more common to put a pic a of the bride and groom, but we only have one, and I've been using that for everything, so this is another of my favorites. I've been married for a little over two months now. I'm writing because I feel guilty for doing that thing--the thing where something big happens, you write about it, and then you never write again because you were too busy with the big thing.

We're in Wisconsin, and people really do talk with an accent here, it's so hilarious to us Californians. It's so green here! The first day we got here, I was depressed, because there was a layer of snow, totally bare trees, icky gray skies, not-so-great-compared-to-Idaho apartment, and ghetto neighborhood. Oh, and our rented bed reeked of cancer stick smoke. But we seem to have arrived at the tail end of winter, thank goodness. The change is incredible. Jason and I are sure that Idaho will look like a dead wasteland compared to this. But I wonder if I'll miss all the black folks--there are more black folks here than I've ever seen in my life, and I grew up in Dova, right next to Sac-town, so that's saying something. I'm finding myself talking ghetto more often, too. Probably not smart for a puny white girl, but I can't seem to help it.

Being married is cool. I've never had to be so frugal in my life (as Christy and Crystal can attest to--they witnessed my carefree buy-whatever-at-Target days and will probably feel some maniacal triumph, knowing I can't do that anymore :)), but I don't mind so much. It's good for me to not have everything I want. I've always been careful with money, never going into debt, not paying too much for anything I've bought, but I admit, I've never been totally on my own with it before, paying every one of my own bills. Bout time, I guess.

I do miss Jason, though. He's gone from about 11-9 six days a week, and it really does suck, but hopefully he'll make a ton of money from it.

Today I'm starting my--is it even a job? One of the other wives with Pinnacle is working for the 2nd counselor in our bishopric, at his flower shop, since she's a floral design major. (I'm jealous. It sounds so fun, and the job just dropped right into her lap. Meanwhile, I wait for the temp agency to call me back.) But she called me and said Brother Lang needed someone to do deliveries on Fridays and Saturdays, and that another Pinnacle wife could ride with me, read the maps, and tell me where to go, and we'll split the money. So it will probably pay dirt, but it's something interesting to do until I can find a real job.

By the way, why do employers always wait so long to contact you after you apply? Don't they realize that people apply for jobs because they need money, and sometimes that need is urgent? I really hate that. I hate sitting around waiting.

One last note: my garden is still doing well. I may be watering a little pot of weeds instead of Snapdragons, since I have no idea what they're supposed to look like when they germinate, but other than that it's all looking good, especially the Roma Tomatoes. I just hope I don't kill them when I try to transplant them. Oh, and I think I killed the Big Blue Lily Turf and Creeping Phlox; I'm just not sure how. But the snap peas, cornflowers, broccoli, and cherry tomatoes all seem to be doing well. I just wish all three of my tulips would bloom instead of just one. I somehow feel guilty for bumping off plants, even when I've honestly tried my best and have no idea what I did to cause their demise.

If I can't even keep some simple plants alive, it's going to be interesting trying to keep track of kids. You get in a lot more trouble if you bump them off.

It's official!

2006-12-15T02:21:00.000-07:00

Holy freakin' Toledo. I'm engaged.

This is going to be short, and it won't be some fabulous literary masterpiece because the event is over a week old and I'm too tired to be dramatic.

Actually, I don't even feel like telling all the details. How boring am I?

Here's all you really need to know: I'm engaged to my best friend, an incredible man who treats me better than I dreamed any man ever would. (A man who didn't also drive me crazy with dorkiness, that is. I always figured I would get either a handsome, cool jerk or a kind, sweet nerd. Of for two, thank goodness.) Oh, and did I mention the dream ring? :D

The best part is, I know beyond any doubt that this is the right thing for me to do. I didn't know for awhile, so it's wonderful to be sure. I'm sure we have no idea what we're getting into, but it's right to get into it.

Lol. (I really did, I didn't just type it.) This is not as romantic and mushy as an engagement announcement likely should be. Maybe I should have waited until I was fully rested and hadn't had a stressful-as-heck day to write it.

Should I Save as Draft, or Publish Post?

Eeny, Meeny, Mieney, Moe...

It landed on Save, but now I'm thinking it's kind of funny, so I'll ignore the cosmos that told me through a rhyme not to, and publish it.

I really am excited. Honest. Watch:

YAY I'M GETTING MARRIED!!!

See? :)

The jorb.

2006-10-21T14:03:00.000-06:00

So I did my first three days of work this week. Was pretty fun. Looks like my job is mainly to play with kids while listening and talking to them, and here and there interjecting lessons about how they should be behaving. All this while you're making hot dog mummies, drawing pictures, going through corn mazes, visiting the Idaho Museum of Natural History, and other fun junk.

And I get paid for this.

YEUH.

Isn't "egg flower" a sort of oxymoron?

2006-10-12T17:55:00.000-06:00

I got the jobs! Both of them, in fact. I didn't think I even would want the second one since most of the work will be an hour away at first, but the guy who interviewed me (my new boss) was so cool, so up front with me, and so willing to work with me and make me feel comfortable, that I took the second one. I hope I made the right decision. I feel like I have. I'll be making $16-$17 an hour with benefits, 25 hours a week to start, and best of all: I don't have to dress like a real grown-up! I can wear a t-shirt and jeans every day! WOO!

I start Tuesday. So I still have some time to transition from lazy college graduate who sometimes doesn't get up until noon to working girl. Small blessings.

I called Mr. St. Anthony Job and told him thanks but I was going to take my other offer, and he caught me off-guard by asking why. Ack! The reasons why, except for benefits, might have sounded rude! The other company seems like it will be more fun, and I felt that my boss there will be more accomodating among other things. So I lamely stuttered, "Uh, you know, it really just felt right." Luckily, everyone around here is Mormon, so I knew he would take that answer. But I sweated it out for a few panicky seconds before I thought of that.

Ok, I feel really lazy. A power-walking girl who I passed driving Jason home half an hour ago just walked by my window. And I'm sitting here. And I haven't gone to the gym since Monday.

Pardon me while I go do some crunchies.

Yay autumn!

2006-10-09T11:52:00.000-06:00

I had my first non-retail job interview on Friday. I made a few mistakes, but overall I think it went ok. I wasn't expecting to have to write essays, though. How am I supposed to know what I could do for a borderline personality disorder patient to "lessen her symptoms"? They're supposed to train me for that! It felt like a test I didn't know I was going to have and therefore didn't study for. (I guess that would be called a pop quiz. I'm so dang wordy.)

Nothing much else to report right now. I'm actually really liking fall here in Idaho. The trees are so pretty! I forgot all the colors that come out this time of year, the sight of mountains of pumpkins outside Albertson's, the prospect of carving them into Homestar characters and roasting the seeds, and the sound of crunching leaves under my feet.

Anyway, I gotta enjoy this before winter comes.

We've enjoyed serving you for the last 22 years.

2006-09-20T19:37:00.000-06:00

I'm typing on my brother's weirdo keyboard, so there will probably be typos.

I've been packing up my room; I came home (I should put that in quotes; where is home now, anyway?) and my room was ransacked. Most of my furniture was gone; my parents brought it up to Idaho for me, that was so nice. My room has been a wreck for ages, but this time was so much worse. I know I'm spoiled, but I've never, ever come home without having my bed ready for me and my room almost just how I left it.

I was standing there just now, looking around, after I finished all the cleaning, organizing, and throwing away, and thinking how empty it looked. Some of my stuff is still in there, and it still has my flavor, but it's different. And a terrible thought came to me.

My room doesn't welcome me anymore.

Then I modified the thought: my room tries feebly to welcome me, but it's not entirely succeeding.

I think of it saying, You're back! Oh, please forgive the mess. How are you?? Well, just put your suitcase down right there, and go to sleep in the nice soft be--oh, well, that's not here anymore. I'd entertain you with TV or music, but those have been removed also. But I'm fighting! I still have a phone--and books! Lots of books!

My room is going out of business. So is my childhood.

Why don't translators EVER work?

2006-09-17T19:38:00.000-06:00

Seriously. I think I'll be all cute, talking Spanish to Jason out of nowhere, and I try to say something romantic only to have him start convulsing in laughter and tell me I actually said I resent the jelly for being a great dane's shoe or something.

I should be on my way to Ashley Tovar's right now, but I haven't written in forever. Jason came down here to Nor Cal for a week, and everyone seems to really like him. Then we went down to So Cal to see his folks for a few days. That was really fun; they seem to like me, and they're really good people. I sent them a thank-you note yesterday. I'm a brown-noser.

We went to Disneyland while we were there. It wasn't as fun as I thought it would be, but it was fun being there with Jason. We've both always wanted the chance to go there with a significant other.

Now I'm recovering from having my wisdom teeth out and learning that had I known then what I know now, I would have gorged on all the chewy, crunchy foods I could find beforehand. I mean, when a grilled cheese sandwich just kills your mouth, that's really pathetic. It could be worse; I could have cancer. I could be paralyzed. But I'm awfully tired of the liquid diet. I'd better be losing weight from this.

I'm planning on going back to ID on Tuesday, and really hoping I don't get any more delayed, because I miss my baby. I miss being there, and all my friends, and my apartment, but I miss Jason most of all. I think it's not so bad when I'm not talking to him, maybe because I'm so used to being alone and not dating anyone, but when we're on the phone, it's just torture. (Especially when he starts speaking Spanish. Oi.)

I'm really twitterpated.

I'm smitten. I'm in deep smit.