An All In One

I wish I was better about keeping our blog updated...but because I'm  a little behind (and nothing but the usual has been going on) I'll post a bunch of randomness all in one post.

At the beginning of this month Shawn started his "No Sweets" diet. He is trying to go all month with out devouring ANY yummy sweets. None. No candy, no cookies, no desserts...not even soda-except he recently gave into a Coke Zero and Pepsi 0 because "they don't have any sugar". He's been resisting those sweet cravings left and right (I wasn't sure if he could actually do it)...but I can't wait until March is over. It's just nice sometimes to share a dessert with your husband or go out for an ice cream cone every now and again. I've missed that.........okay, you got me, the real reason I can't wait for this "no sweets diet" to end is so that I can enjoy a nice gooey, sugar and calorie filled dessert without feeling like an oinker...and guilty about it!

Although I'm not a huge fan of "no sweets for my sweetie" month, it has done a little inspiring to make our home a little healthier when it comes to snacks and such.

As for me this month I am busy taking my photoshop course 2 nights a weeks from 6:30 to 9:30. I'm the youngest in my class by at least 30 years. Which I actually thought surprising. Despite the often pausing so the...how should I say this..."older ones" can catch up and find their way, it's been a great class. The pregnancy has been going beautifully, which is a blessing! I am over the nausea, getting a bigger belly by the week, and feeling the little baby roll and poke... huge relief. We will finally get to have an ultrasound this Friday (I will be 19 weeks). They should be able to tell if the little peanut is a boy or a girl, but we've decided to wait and have the sex of the baby be a surprise!...although it is getting harder to stick with that decision when I know they can tell me what we are having in 5 days.

The belly comments have already started. And we all know how fast those get old! I mean who wants to hear "You look SO pregnant" when you're not even 20 weeks yet?...not me, thats for sure! I guess I just have to laugh about it because if they think I look "SO pregnant" now, well, they're going to be blown away in the next few months!

Victoria is 18 months now. She's hit the terrible two sassy attitude and tantrums...even in public. That little girl can scream...loud!! It's kind of funny sometimes, but other times not so much. (I know my sister is laughing though-she has 4 kids. Been there. Done that.) Victoria had her check up last week. She weighs 24lbs and is just over 31 inches tall. She is now average for both height and weight. She used to be tall and skinny on the charts, now she's right in the middle. We can't get enough of her sweetness and I am loving all this imaginary play she does with her dolls/stuffed animals, her fake cell phone conversations, and kitchen play. It's way too cute. And now that the weather is warmer she constantly has to be outside. She just recently started saying "Hey baby" to me and Shawn (because we always say it to her). She loves going to the library and the park. She went down a tube slide by herself for the first time, yesterday. We tried to lay her on her back so she wouldn't fall back and hit her head, but she went down the slide trying to hold her head up and arms stretched out with huge eyes! So funny!

I don't know what Shawn and I would do with out her. She makes our life so happy.

Here's Your Birthday Gift...

Happy Birthday Mom!

In honor of your birthday I made you a bag and of course I wouldn't have been able to make it with out the input and help from Shawn and Victoria...so the gift is from them as well.

Here's something to carry all your seminary goodies in, and when you're out and about you can turn the bag inside out for a new look...and pin the flower wherever you want...if you want it.

(My mom is an early morning seminary teacher)

...so you can see the bottom of the bag.

...and the inside.

Hope you have a perfect day today! We love you SO much!

(P.S. I'll send the bag on Monday...sorry it's not there today.)

Blizzards... And I Don't Mean The Dairy Queen Kind

Now I've got myself thinking about a Reese's Dairy Queen Blizzard...I feel a craving coming on....yup...now I've GOT to have one! Maybe this post about all our recent snow will make me forget about it (is it possible to forget a craving when you're pregnant?...I don't think so. I don't care what 'What to Expect When Expecting' says...grabbing a handful of grapes is not going to satisfy my blizzard craving).

Anyway we've had quite the snow fall here in Maryland this winter. The fist blizzard was just a few days before we left for our Christmas vacation. I think we got around a foot or a foot and half of snow overnight with that storm. Church was canceled and schools were out for a couple of days. Just last week we had "Blizzard '10" were we got over two feet of snow...and then a few days after that storm we had more snow, almost another foot. Church was canceled again, businesses shut down, people were not allowed on the roads during the storm, power was out in some areas, and the schools closed for the whole week...I think they just went back today. It was nice to have Shawn home for a couple of days though! At least we finished up more painting around the house! But I think we are all pretty sick of the snow and cold days around here. Please, Snow, melt away fast so spring can come already!

Pictures from "Blizzard '09"

Doing a little snow dance.

Shawn shoveling during the first storm. With his sauconys on...no boots. Are you sure you're from Utah, Shawn?

Pictures from "Blizzard '10"

By the end of the storm, that red bug could not be seen.

Victoria's snowman...Daddy's hat, Mama's scarf, grapes for eyes, a rock for it's nose, and sticks for it's mouth...she loved it.

It was really bright outside.

Shawn's boots crack me up! They smelled so gross...he kept saying he should have bought the more expensive ones ha ha!

I couldn't pass up this picture of Victoria standing on an upside down basket to check up on her snowman from our front window.

Christmas Memories 2009

I know Christmas is old news by now, but I had to post about it for our family record. We spent a week at my house in California for Christmas. It was SO good to be home and as an extra treat my sister and her 4 kids were there as well. I finally got to meet the newest member of the family...Preston. My sister's youngest who was born the end of August. He looked like a 6 month old...way too cute, I couldn't get enough of him! We did a ton of stuff in one short week and had such a good time...

We headed down to the Americana for a night of lights, Santa, trolley rides, and The Cheesecake Factory.

The pictures below are us waiting in line to see Santa. Because my brother worked at the Americana he gave us special treatment and took us all to the front of the line to get our picture with Santa!

The Big Guy....This picture is priceless and puts a smile on my face every time I look at it! The only thing that would make it more perfect would be if Cody had his famous scowl on his face.

Of course Christmas wouldn't be Christmas with out my mom's Christmas cookies...and all the other classic holiday cookies from the neighbors that we've gotten for the past 21 years! We all took part in decorating the cookies and eating them. We even found Cody hidden under a blanket eating a cookie that he had sneaked!

The Christmas tree...it's huge, and every one of the ornaments has a story to tell.

Christmas Eve and Christmas morning are below.

Victoria loved the park ( Wendy Park...the same park that I would spend hours at growing up...even as a teenager) and leaving was the last thing she wanted to do! Did I mention how beautiful the weather was while we were there?...I miss it so much!

We also spent some time at the Aquarium of the Pacific...totally expensive to get in and after 2 1/2 hours everyone was ready to go home ha ha. Victoria's favorite part was the bird forest. The birds would land right on you, fly right at you almost knocking you over, poop on you, and if you were too pushy they would bite. 

Our second week was spent in Logan Utah with Shawn's family, where Victoria opened a ton more gifts, Shawn went "bunny hunting" (gross, I know), I threw up a bunch, and we all welcomed in the new year.

Victoria opened this special gift from her Aunt Melissa and Uncle Justin. Apparently she hated it ha ha.

Victoria with her cousin Harlyn in Utah.

Trying to get a picture with Grandpa Waldron.

Maybe I Should Document At Least a Little Something

I hate getting behind on blogging...especially when I have a bunch of documenting to do from the holidays...still! I just have so many pictures from our trip that I am trying to narrow down for the blog, but it shouldn't matter how many pictures I put up...it's my blog my way, right? Right! Anyway, I've decided on a few new year resolutions, still working on resolving some from last year...been busy thinking about blogging, cleaning, cooking, making animal sounds, singing "If your happy and you know it...", laughing, crying, worrying, being grateful....and we've only finished just one month of the new year! Our biggest news? I am pregnant! Just over 11 weeks pregnant. I started feeling pretty sick while we were home in California, so I waited it out a little while and finally took a test when we were in Utah (our second part of Christmas vaca) and sure enough It was positive! So we will be blessed with yet another miracle on August 20th.....and Shawn's little sister, Melissa and her husband are also expecting their first...four days after us!

Well, Shawn will be home any minute so I better head upstairs and act like I've been productive all day. Maybe he'll take me to The Sweet Factory (candy shop), I've been craving sour belts, and chocolate covered gummy bears.