Roadtripping

Well, I am in Las Vegas. My brother in law Nate is in the ICU due to a ruptured brain subarachnoid aneurysm.We found out he has blood on his brain at 5am Monday morning. Well we waited for news throughout the morning. It was an emotional morning. At 1pm we decided to leave for Vegas and we were gone by 2pm. We rented a truck. Not our best decision but you make mistakes when you are in a rush. It was just important to get to Vegas. We emailed our teachers and left. We have midterms next week which I am a little stressed about but the Lord will help us figure it out. We got to Vegas at 11:30pm and went straight to the hospital to see Nate. He is doing good. He had a successful surgery, they clipped the aneurysm and put a drain in to drain out the blood. He has a lot of blood in his brain because of the ruptured aneurysm and this is bad because blood is toxic to the brain. He is stable now but we aren't out of the woods yet. He has a fever and now we are waiting to see the effect of the blood on the brain. The blood could cause brain spasms and then lead to another aneurysm or stroke. We are here praying and hoping that he will pull through for his wife and three little kids. Nate's brain surgeon is only 33 years old! Crazy! We are blessed to have him and to be in the hospital with the best neurological team in Vegas.

This is Mike with his brother Nate who is in the hospital.

So we traveled. I am 18 weeks pregnant now. Not showing at all except for when I am laying down and you see this little hill of a tummy. Traveling still sucks though at this point in the pregnancy.  I definitely am more apt to car sickness. Which makes me super moody. Let's just say I revert to two year old temper tantrum tendencies. The sun makes all car sickness worse. I also have to pee like a racehorse all the time. I then try to not drink anything because I don't want to have to stop every thirty minutes. I then get headaches from dehydration. It is a vicious cycle. So traveling is the best. I am just glad that my back didn't hurt while we traveled and that it was a comfortable drive 95% of the time. Mike did all the driving too so that was great. If you want to hear more about Nate there is a blog my sister in law, Stacy, set up to keep everyone updated. Here is there link: http://newsonnatesnoodle.blogspot.com/

It's ALIVE!!

 This is what I look like. Not much of a bump. It just looks like I have gained a pound or two. Which is true. I have gained two pounds! Woohoo! Weight gain is a good thing. That is my mantra right now. BUT, good news is that the baby is ALIVE! Sometimes it is weird to think that I am pregnant because there is no real visible sign and I haven't really felt the baby move until today. This morning when was laying in bed I felt a weird moving thing in my stomach area. So I put my hand on my stomach and felt the baby moving against my hand. It was a strong little baby. I have felt it move a couple times now. I saw my stomach moving the baby is that strong! Well anyway, it made me smile and it is nice to know the baby is alive and kicking. lol

I had a doctor's appointment on Wednesday. It went good. We set the date for our next ultra sound. It is November 9th. That is when we will find out the gender! I am so excited. Other than that the appointment wasn't too eventful. Just weight check, heart beat check for the baby, and any questions we had.

This week was my birthday. It was on Wednesday. It was very exciting. I received a new Kindle! Love my Kindle. Best thing ever. I got some belly bump sleeves. I also got a new cook book which I am excited to use. I also got a new top that I love from my family. I got some pretty flowers from my husband and he made me pancakes from scratch for breakfast. The pancakes were delicious. 

 We made cube steak sandwiches for my birthday dinner. The pic above is the yummy cube steak and vegies for the sandwiches. We also had Fufu berry Jones soda with it too.

 Brooke sent me some yummy Coco Bean cupcakes for my birthday. They were super yummy. My favorite one was the apple pie one. Delish.

 The weather is changing here. It went from 80 degrees to 30 degrees in a day. Sunny to snowing. Mike gets a little cold sometimes because I am always warm now so we don't turn on the heat. It is an adjustment but he is a trooper and hanging in there.

On October 6th, we had our first snow day of the year. But it melted away pretty quick and now is a cool weather with a warm sun, and beautiful leaves. It has been so nice here. Yesterday we went to Red Robin to cap off my birthday celebration and it was yummy food. I loved the onion rings and strawberry lemonade. So magnificently good.

Mike is doing good. He is working two jobs, and super busy with school. He hardly has time to watch football he is so busy. I am not that enthused with school this semester. I only like 2 of my 5 classes but that is life. Well, that is all here for us. Hope all is well with the world and those who read.

Family Update

Things are going well. We are super busy with school and work. I have two jobs. I work on campus as a Teachers Assistant for Brother Bennion. One of my favorite teachers that I have had at BYUI. I also work at the Rexburg Opinion Center. Tomorrow is my first day. I am taking 14 credits. A little scared to take on all of this stuff. Mike is working at the Rexburg Opinion Center too and he is taking 17 credits this semester. One of my classes is a teaching one. I get to go into the middle school and teach 6th graders. I was in the class room today and I definitely go a little emotional seeing all of them because they are my little brother Garrett's age. I don't usually tear up like that but that is one of the blessings of pregnancy. It definitely made me miss little Gair Bear. I had my second doctor's appointment today. I got to hear the baby's heart beat which was very exciting and it was a fast little heart beat. Doctor says everything looks good and that I should start showing again. I haven't gained weight yet(Which Mike is worried about because he wants me to gain weight for the baby) but it is normal to not gain weight until the 2nd trimester. I am not sure how I feel about baby bump pictures. I feel like they are necessary to document the moments but at times they can be cheesy. So if you care just let me know how you feel about it. I am thirteen weeks tomorrow. crazy. Tomorrow is the final end to the first trimester. Our baby is about three inches long and weighs about 1 ounce. The internet says it is about the size of a medium shrimp. Pretty picture right? Well that is the update on our lives. I may not be the best at this but I will try to update on pregnancy info.

Baby G is coming to town!

Well, I have been protesting blogging lately. Don't ask me why. I think it may have a connection with my aversion to facebook. Another story for another time.

Mike and I have been vacationing with the families for the past three weeks. Finals finished on Thursday and we left Saturday. A week and a half with the Garrard's and a week and a half with the Davies. It was a fun partying, talking and eating. We miss them all so much.

Well the Wednesday before we left, during finals week, I was feeling sick so I went into the doctor's office. Short story long, we find out we are pregnant!!! Yay! We decided it was time back in March to start a family. It just felt like something was missing or someone. The temple sure does the trick too. lol We weren't going to announce it until September, but it just kinda came out. Everyone was shocked and excited. I think my dad is still trying to believe it.

I have been feeling good as expected. Heart burn is definitely a burning fire. lol March 22, 2012 is the estimated due date at this point. I had my first doctor's appointment on Tuesday. The first ultra sound. Not going to lie, it was weird. Didn't quite believe that it was my uterus on the screen. Did you know that there is a yoke? ya, I didn't know that either. We got a couple of meds for the nausea and heartburn. Unfortunately the nausea medicine makes me sleep which is something that I try to not do in the middle of the day. My doctors were surprised that I haven't been tired at all. I am glad that I haven't been tired. One thing this baby does not like is working out. I am still working out and running regularly but the baby likes to make it difficult by causing nausea. I am a little over 9 weeks along. Our baby is the size of an olive.

I have been sick but no complaints here because it could be worse. I can eat anything that does not have a smell which is mostly foods that aren't good for me. Unfortunate but I try to eat good things. V8 juice has been a great thing in my life. Well, that is all for me. We are extremely excited about this and we are still having trouble believing it. lol

Happy Happy Birthday

This weekend was jam packed with busyness. Friday I woke up in a fury of focus. Attended my class, worked at the Office of Foundations, worked out, cleaned the apartment with Mike, grocery shopped, and then did some home work. Friday night I has a splendid time with my Heather. We went to the Paul Cardall Concert.

He is an LDS Pianist. This is his newest album that I love. I listen to it a lot when I study. I was really excited that he was coming to Rexburg for a concert. He recently had a heart transplant in 2009. He was born with half a heart and was given only a few days to live when he was born and defied all odds. He lived in the hospital for a year before the doctors found a suitable transplant for him. Anyway, amazing story and an amazing concert.

Saturday was another day packed full of focus. Mike was reffing volleyball that morning. I worked out and then got down to business on homework. I really can't complain about homework because I really enjoy it. I love learning and I love all my classes this semester. It is pretty amazing this semester. I spent pretty much the entire day from 9 am to 4pm studying and baking cupcakes. I still didn't get everything that I wanted to get done finished but I finshed all my homework for Monday.

Saturday night we celebrated Brice's birthday. Sorry I have no pictures. I need to be better about that. I made Brice cupcakes, vanilla cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Delish. Pioneer Woman recipe. You can find the recipe here.

Soo Yummy. They were a hit. We played ping pong and sat around and visited with our friends. We always love hanging out with our friends.

Today is Sunday. I am trying out my sister in law Stacy's recipe for garlic chicken farfalle. I will let you guys know how it goes. It sounds yummy. Less than two weeks till Washington. Can't wait! Until then we have midterms to deal with.

6 Months, pretty much means we've made it through eternity

Well this last Thursday Mike and I celebrated 6 months of marriage. We have been officially married longer than we were engaged. Woohoo. We celebrated with a temple trip and I made penne with roasted asparagus and balsamic butter sauce. Yum-O! It is crazy how fast time has gone since we were married and we are proud to say that we have survived each other. Not that it was hard. We hear other couples in our ward talk about how hard marriage has been for them. The girls are depresses because they had to change their name and other depressing things. Mike and I wonder if we are weird or something because it hasn't been that difficult to be married. We hear our neighbors yelling at each other late a night and during the day and it just boggles us. Anyway.

Friday was pretty much Christmas for me. My best friend Heather Soderborg is taking a Special Education class that all education majors are required to take. One of her assignments is to be wheelchair bound for 4 and a half hours. Well needless to say I took full advantage of this. I found her on campus and pushed her around campus. It was pretty much the best thing ever. She was at my command. One thing though is that Heather knows EVERYONE! Literally everyone on campus. So we had to stop for her to talk to people a lot. I took her through a maze of chairs and tables in the crossroads which was way fun because she was freaking out. Mike met up with us in the Library and took his turn pushing Heather. We tried to take her down a dirt hill but she wouldn't have it. Well then when she was done being wheelchair bound Mike took his turn playing with the wheelchair and was doing wheelies and he fell a couple times but he managed to turn 360 degrees while doing a wheelie. I pretty much have the most talented husband ladies.

We leave for Washington in 19 days. I am so excited. Can't wait to go to Burgerville, get a haircut, and see my family.

Mike and I watched Super Size Me on Friday night. Such an interesting documentary. Pretty much made me not want to eat out for a very long time. One of my goals is to start cooking healthier food which means less of the Pioneer Woman's recipes. Love her recipes but they are filled with butter.

Year of Goals

I have made several goals this year. I didn't really make them until February but all the same I have made them. My goals this year are:

1. cook dinner 3/4 times a week.
2. Read my scriptures everyday of the year.
3. Read the entire New Testament
4. Read 100 books this year. I am almost half way done. I have read 48 books.
5. Work out at least 5 times a week for a minimum of 30 mins.
6. Make sure I clean the apartment every week and pick up daily. 

They are not many goals but all the same I have them. I have done really well so far this year. I am really enjoying working our regularly. I love it. The work out high is almost addictive. I get up at 5:30 in the morning to work out before school which you think would make you tired the entire day but I don't get tired. Instead I am pumped up with energy all day long and at times find it hard to fall a sleep at time. I only cook dinner 3 or 4 times a week because all the left overs last us a few days and that is all we need. Things are going well with my scripture study. I am just starting the book of Romans. I am having the best semester so far. I love my classes. I am taking Post Modern Literature which is rocking my world. We have read The Things They Carried and City of Glass. I am taking Major Authors and we are studying Willa Cather, Steinbeck, and Faulkner. Love that one too. I am taking Education Psychology which is changing my perspective entirely on how I learn. I am taking beginning Piano, and also Family Foundations. Family Foundations is good. It is a religion class based on the The Family: A Proclamation to the World. Good semester. Loving the learning.