This song makes me happy...

...and you should listen to it, over and over and over again. Because I can guarantee that will brighten your day too.

better late than never.

I know, I know, I am horrible for not posting about Christmas. and I know that it is probably more horrible that I am posting it in almost March, I almost decided to just scrap it, but Jared wouldn't let me. It has been a rough couple months OK, give me a break. I have used that excuse for why I haven't done my visit teaching, why I dont want to work anymore and why the laundry still isn't folded. It has been a rough couple of months, get off my back. :)

Now that I have that out in the open...
Merry Christmas 2009 - Chicago.

Christmas morning...




the whole gang on Christmas morning...


Carol got rock band for Christmas, we spent most of the rest of our time there playing it. I was horrible...


Snow, snow and more snow...


We went to Chicago and had to get Chicago deep dish pizza. It was really good at the time, but looking back, I would rather have little ceasers...


after pizza we went to the shed aquarium. It was really neat, but super crowded. It must have been Christmas break or something...


New years eve...


Chicago temple. It was really dark, so these pictures didn't turn out to good, but at least we captured it. It was a really nice temple, I liked it...


I could write a novel on our trip, but I will just give you the highlights...

-the nasty red eye flight (never again)
-bubbly baths everyday
-yummy home cooked meals everyday
-throwing up at least once a day
-everyone except Jared and Kroten getting pukey sick
-foot and back massages C/O Carol
-pedicures C/O Ali
-Chicago pizza
-people to play with Kroten while I threw up
-Chicago Temple
-the aquarium
-lots of AWESOME presents
-visiting with family
-shopping
-BBQ'in in the dead of winter
-Sadie dog
-losing miserably at SEQUENCE every night
-getting tired, cranky and inevitably angry after losing sequence every night. (I am so glad that you guys are getting to know me and you can except my tired and cranky phases)
-Carol's throwing up in the grocery store story
-Kroten sleeping in Nana and g pa's room
-two whole weeks off work
-chocolate cream pie, a comfy couch and a movie
-new years eve
-foose ball
-rock band
-snow snow snow and some more snow
-Cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning. (even though nobody told me they were for after presents and I dug in before presents. I felt like such an idiot.)
-Ali's nasty fingernail
-downtown Chicago traffic (yuck)
-volleyball
-more people playing with kroten
-gaining 5 pounds (thanks Tammy) :)

And I know I have missed something spectacular, it was an awesome trip, we miss it and had a blast. Can't wait to see you guys again this summer. Hopefully Ali's fingernail is better or else your not touching the baby ;)

wordless wednesday

So you think you can dace...

More... Please...

valentines weekend

Last year for valentines day weekend, we went to the coast with my family. We had so much fun that I wanted to go again this year. I am so glad we did, it was a ton of fun. Spending valentines day with you parents is not very romantic, but tons of fun. It was an awsome weekend. I didnt get any pictures of karly or my mom, I dont knwo where they were all weekend. maybe hiding from the camera?




don't be mistaken, that is not a mallow, that is a mushroom, Jared just couldnt wait for the shishkabobs to be done, so he roasted his mushroom over the fire.



kroten and I in front of our yurt. We love yurts.

Then we went crabbing... It was so cool. we will deffinitly be going again.

Kroten was not happy about wearing this oversized life vest. He couldnt walk and he was pouting. we decided to stay on the upper dock, so we eventually let him take it off.

This is how you throw the crab pot in.

This is apparently how you pull it out, 15 min after you throw it in. the struggling "I have no arm muscle" face is not required.

This is what crabs look like. They were GROSS... just like big hard shelled spiders.


This little guy was too small.


Kroten did not like the crab. Allthough he was really good at saying crab and making pinchers with his fingers all weekend.



Then K man warmed up and wanted to help. He loves gloves.





He really warmed up to it.


Then we went to the beach. Gorgeous!




I love this picture. I think it should be an add for balckberry, something about 3G coverage. "your covered from sea to shining sea." LOL.



please note that we have been camping for two days at this point!!


Then we played baseball on the beach. Loved it.


Jared really wants you to notice this kids form, apparently this is how you would throw a curve ball.





and this is us trying to teach kroten to run the bases. Deffinitly something we need to work on this summer.

and one shot just cause it was valentines day! I do love him.

we celebrated

{see previous post}

pretty uneventful... not much to write, except that we did get a baby sitter,we did sit down to order, we did reminisce, we did make plans for the future and we ate lots of yummy food.

We went to olive garden... YUMMY!! Then we went to old navy, because it was right by cold stone and then we ate ice cream. It was so nice to sit down, just the two of us. No distractions, no hurry, no problems. We talked, we laughed, we kissed. I loved it. And then we picked up kroten and watched the Olympics till I was too tired to stay awake.

Life is so good!

p.s. this is what I made for Jared for v-day. I gave him the hard copy last night... this is just the electronic version. I have given him a different photo book every v-day.

four years ago...

four years and two weeks ago, Jared and I had a serious talk about life and where things were going. It was then that he told me that he was not ready to be married, that he was scared and that it wasn't time.

four years, one week and five days ago, I was mad.

four years and two days ago, valentines day, Jared decorated my bedroom with balloons and chocolate. A valentines day present a girl who just got told "it may be a while" would expect.

four years ago, today, Jared and I drove to the coast for a day trip that had been planned for a while. You would think for such a big day I would have expected something, but when we went through the tunnel and I wished that jared would purpose, I wasn't truly expecting anything. What could a girl who just got told, "it may be a while" expect.

little did I know that four years and two weeks ago, Jared was lying through his teeth to cover up his master surprise plan.

little did I know that two days ago, four years before now, jared was taking my dad, my quiet and SCARY father, out to lunch. YES, on valentines day, YES, to my favorite restaurant, YES, to steal away his daughter, NO, I had NO idea.

And little did I know, that two years ago, today, while I was hopelessly wishing in the tunnel for a ring, that Jared also was wishing that today, four years ago, would go well.

And it did.

We ran our kite on the beach, because there was no wind, and when we were tired, and the car was too far away to walk back to, we sat on some drift wood and he knelt down and said "I love you and I want you to be my wife."

four years ago today... Jared made me the happiest girl alive.


I love this man with all my heart, and I can't believe that four years later, today, we have the most beautiful son, and a baby on the way. We couldn't be happier if you gave us a million dollars and I LOVE HIM!

So tonight we celebrate!

The kind of celebrate where you get a babysitter and sit down while you order your food. The kind of celebrate where you reminisce and where you make plans for the next four years. The kind of celebrate where I tell Jared just how happy he makes me and that the last four years have been amazing.

And then, tomorrow, we go back to real life, but just as happy as I am today.

16 weeks.

{I am not going to lie, I wanted to cry when I saw this picture. Not because I am emotional or so happy about the belly this little one has given me, but because I should have lost 50 more lbs. before getting prego.}

4 whole months, just in case you don't feel like doing the math. Baby is about 4 1/2 inches long, head to rump. That is amazing!

16 weeks of pure hell. Pardon the expressive language. This pregnancy has been far harder than the previous one. I had morning sickness for 10 whole weeks. With Kroten it was only 5 very long weeks. But 10 weeks?!? IT HAS BEEN HORRIBLE. Then, the second, and I am not kidding, the second, I was feeling better, I got a NASTY head cold. This has lasted two weeks. I couldn't breath, eat, sleep or move. I have been miserable, and then the heart burn, UGH the heart burn. Not to mention, on top of all this... I work night shift. UGH! I am blaming ALL of this, the extended morning sickness, the nasty cold the horrible canker sores, ALL of it on working night shift. But I THINK, there is a light at the end of this LONG never ending tunnel. I am starting to feel better. I have a little more energy, and I am FINALLY feeling like I am not pregnant (the perk of the 2ND trimester) except for the fact that I feel fat.

But then... I was watching a baby story (pathetic I know) and this woman had it FAR worse than I do. And then she had her baby and said, it was all worth it to get this little baby here. And now she gets to hold her baby, no more sickness, no more heart burn, no more cankles, no more nasty head cold, and no more yucky night shifts, just a baby and a new member to the family.

I am trying to stay positive. I am trying to remind myself that, I have to get fatter, for the baby; I have to work night shifts, for my family; I have to have morning sickness, for the placenta; I have to have heart burn so the baby will have lots of red hair like Kroten ;). I have to do this, for myself, for my family and for my heavenly father.

I am so happy, I am so blessed, and I need to remember that.

on v-day, apartments and stuff

We have kept pretty busy lately, so there is not too much to post on, outside of our daily goings. So I will just journal about what life has been like for the past few days.

apartment hunting
Sadly, we are looking at apartments. I say sadly because we LOVE our apartment. It is perfect in EVERY possible way, except one; it is only two bedrooms. Some people might be okay with this, but after meddling over it, time and time again, I have come to the conclusion that it just wont work. We are HUGE on the cry it out method, and I just don't see how it is possible to cry it out when Kroten is trying to sleep in the same room. Plus getting up for night feedings, I know Kroten would wake up for every single one too. We just don't know how it would work. And there is NO way the baby is sleeping in our room for more than 2 1/2 months. After that, you have to cut the cord and a baby must learn to self soothe. How does anyone who co-sleeps get any sleep, or for that matter, time with there spouse. This is a topic for another day, and I obviously feel passionate about it.

So after searching for apartments, we have found NOTHING. OK, we found one, great location, newer building, 3 BR, washer and dryer, storage unit, within our measly price range... the list could continue, except it had no dining room. No place to eat, no place to sit as a family or play board games with friends. We were super sad about this and just don't see how that would work either. With Kroten moving to a booster seat and having a new baby eventually in a high chair, why would you build an apartment with out a dining room?

So for now, our decision is to stay in our perfect apartment, save the money we would spend on an extra room, call the living room bedroom number three and sport one of these for a while...

pregnancy
Things are getting better. I will post more on this and a picture later. I had a doctors appointment yesterday and found out some interesting things...

1. I only gained one more lb. WHOOHOO. This means that I am still 3 lbs under my starting pregnancy weight. This is sure to change as I am starting to feel better and my appetite and cravings will soon take over.

2. I told the doctor that I am officially for a repeat c-section and he agreed that it is probably best after looking at the operative notes from my first C-section. He then scheduled the C-section for the 21st of July. I didn't really have time to say yes or no, he just said would that work and I said I think so, and boom it was scheduled. That is a week early which I am SO OK WITH, and it is also Jared's mom's birthday. Happy Birthday Grandma.

3. we find out the sex of the baby (send your boy vibes please) in one month. Wow, I am SO excited. March 8 in case you will be watching and waiting.

Kroten

Oh I could write for a year about Kroten. He is at the BEST age right now. He sleeps like a rock, 8-8 every night, and takes wonderful naps. He is really into books right now. He loves shoes, hats, mommy and daddy, signing time, food (especially sweets) tickling everyone, wresting and running. He can count to two and does it all the time. He shows his belly when you ask him where the baby is. He is super silly and laughs at himself all the time. He says NO NO when he knows he isn't supposed to do something. He is a bundle of joy and at the perfect age, I have nothing to complain about him right now. I am so in love with him.

Valentines day
last year for love day we packed up and headed to the coast with my family. Not very romantic, but it was a blast. I was thinking about how fun that trip was, and decided that I wanted to do it again. So that is exactly what we are going to do. We leave Saturday, I am giddy excited. I love the beach. Jared and I will be celebrating our own V-day next Tuesday, that is the day he purposed 4 years ago.

But this part of the post is for Katie... She has been my inspiration in crafting lately. I have been putting off all my crafts till I am not working night shift anymore, but i simply could not resist these fun love day crafts. It was a nice break from the normal day to day.


my heart garland. Katie made a cute one of these too, that is where I got the idea. here is the tutorial that katie directed me to.

I have been wanting to make a bunting for a while now, this one was short and simple. I will be making more of these in the future.


And my love letters. I actually started these last year and just finished them this year. I love them, but the V won't stand up. Cute none the less. {a dining room center piece wouldn't be a center piece without a John Deere cup in the background to keep it company, right.

So that is what is going on!

told ya so.

Remember the post about the hat?

I woke up to k man yelling "mommy, mommy, daddy, mommy" Just like every other morning. I went into his room and found him waiting to get out of the crib just like every other morning. But today was special, becuase, instead of clutching ever so tightly to his stuffed dog, he was wearing his hat, and he did not hesitate to proudly share this news with me when I walked into his room.

Where was it when he went to sleep? I am not quite sure.
How did he get it in his bed at 7 am? I am not 100% on.
Why was he wearing it? I am still a little foggy.
Does he love his hat? I am positive...


Kroten demonstrating the sign for hat while proudly and loudly telling the world that this is a hat.

This made me laugh...

...and that made my day.

This is how I found Jared sleeping when I came home from work. It made me laugh and I SOOO needed that, I had had a HORIBLE night at work.

Hope you enjoy sleeping beauty as much as I did.

Too bad you didnt get to see him try to get out of the tangled mess, that was half of the fun!

Mama told me to do it.

I have a little bit of a cold today. YUCKY!!! But that is not what this post is about. I was doing some editing on the computer and Kroten was playing quietly with his toys, mind you this is a rare occurrence! We have been trying to teach Kroten where the tissues are and how to blow his nose, so I asked the boy if he could go get mommy some tissues so I could blow my nose. The box of tissues was not even ten feet from where we were sitting, and he got up and went. I was assuming that he was getting me a tisue so I kept working. He brought me a tissue and this is what I turned around to see...





Sorry I am breathing so hard in this video, I can't breath out of my noise! :(

My heart sank...

when I read these words...

"Don't put the coats back in the closet just yet. Famed weather prognosticating groundhog Punxsutawney Phil has emerged to see his shadow in Pennsylvania, meaning winter will last another six weeks." - NY Times



Im not gunna lie, I was VERY excited for today and was VERY hopeful for a different outcome. I am very, very sad about this horrible news.

On the flip side, maybe this means that summer won't be so hot this year.