My {Dream} Birthday Wish List...

In honor of my Birthday being two weeks from tomorrow, below are my dream birthday presents (in no particular order). Some are reachable, others are so unreachable I won't even think about seeing or doing them for a couple of years. But hey, a girl can dream right?

{This would say K + B}

I will be thinkin' of all of these lovely things as I am blowing out my candles:) Here's to 23!

Date Night...

I am sick, yet again. Ever since I got pregnant I could tell my immune system wasn't at top notch, and it has showed. I have been sick like 4 times since October; sick enough to stay home from work 2 days at a time. That is really unusual for me...I usually only get sick like twice a year maximum and those are usually just head colds.

Well this time I have a little disease called Strep Throat...yeah...not fun at all. The doctor said I need to really take it easy since Strep Throat during pregnancy can (very, very rarely) harm the baby. So, I am home from work (Day 2), feeling like crap and trying to take it easy and get better.

Well last night Brett made me feel like a queen. He was super sweet and cleaned the entire house. He wanted to have a Fun Date Night to make me feel better so he made me an AMAZING dinner (homemade Chicken Alfredo Pizza) and wanted to have a fun dessert... Homemade FONDUE!!! So, below is a fun way to have a homemade date night (even when you are sick:)

Fun and yummy, even when your spouse is not feelin' or lookin' too hot:)

I really am so lucky to have him. Thanks Sweetheart!!

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder...

I've now been pregnant for 29 weeks...that's almost 7 months. Yeah, I know what you are thinking and I completely agree, it's flown! And while we are SO excited to have our bundle here to play with and love, I am also counting down the days to a bunch of things I will be able to do again once he is here. I am starting to go through some serious withdrawls from the following:

{A Good Night's Sleep}
I usually end up waking up at 3 or 4 am either
because I am just 'not tired' or a part of my body is
aching. And lucky for me, I think my good sleeping
nights are behind me for the next long while. Can't
wait for the naps while the baby sleeps.

{Sushi!!}
This is one of my biggest ones. I went from having
this good stuff like once a week to Nada. I have had it a
couple of times since I have been pregnant, but I stopped
because I don't want to take any chances. I will be downing
this stuff the day after delivery.

{Working Out}
I started getting back into working out right before
I found out I was pregnant, and I really liked it. Then
the Holidays came and then it all stopped. Now, since
I haven't been doing it consistently, the only thing I can
do is walk. I am looking forward to some good P90X and
Zumba sessions after this little guy is here, especially
since I will be home all day and the baby. Lookin forward
go getting rid of the baby weight:)

{Tanning}
Ok, I am a tad embarrassed to say that this is the #1
thing that I miss. Sad, but true. I don't necessarily miss
the tanning bed per say, I just miss having some color
period. I HATE being pasty white! I cannot wait to
get some rays and some golden brown color:)

{Not having back-aches}
I miss not having to either have my back rubbed
or trying to rub my own back every other hour.
I have never really had to deal with back pain and
now that it's a constant thing is annoying and tough.
No matter how I sit, it's there. Ugh! And it's only
going to get worse as this tummy gets bigger. Joy:)

{Beautiful Ankles}
I was drying off after taking a shower a couple of
nights ago and I looked down and I couldn't find my
ankles! Ah! It's happening! I didn't expect it to happen
until a little later, and now that it's happening right now is
really freaking me out/making me realize I am only
going to swell more and get bigger. I cannot wait until
I have my ankles and feet and legs back! Because
right now, they look like marshmallows.

{Junk Food}
Ok of course I haven't given up all junk food, but for
the most part my diet is fruit, veggies, nuts and healthy
meals. Which, is a really good thing. But, sometimes I
just really crave McDonald's french fries or some Fried
Ice Cream. I am trying so hard to stay away from these
things so i don't gain anymore than I need to, but the
temptation gets so overwhelming sometimes. Hopefully,
if my body goes back to how it was, I can eat this stuff
on a fairly regular basis and it won't affect me.
Cross Your Fingers;)

{Balanced Hormones}
I think at the beginning of my pregnancy, this was a pretty
big deal for me. My emotions and hormones were constantly
all over the place. As I've gotten further into my
pregnancy, my hormones have toned down for the most
part. I am pretty balanced now, but I still have my
moments. I just want to be back to 100% normal,
I feel like right now I am at a 87%. So not too far off.
Hopefully after labor I get to that 100%:)

So there you have it. Of course I miss not having a basketball stuck to the front of my body and not having to go to the bathroom every other minute, but the ones I mentioned are the ones I miss the most. As I write this post I am getting kicked and punched by my little guy, and it makes all of these desires seem like a grain of sand...not big at all. Those kicks and movements make it all worth it and fun! Pregnancy has been AMAZING! I have really loved every minute of it, and I am loving it more each day, especially being able to feel him move all the time. But I can't wait to see those movements and kicks while I am golden brown and eating sushi and have had a hard workout that day with my ankles back:)

Blessed...

We truly are so blessed, Brett and I. We have been given so many things that we take for granted: Amazing jobs, a nice townhome, our health, being able to be parents, an amazing marriage, being able to go to school, EVERYTHING! And as most of you in the blogging world know, I posted a couple of weeks ago about a big nasty trial we were facing...and that trial was Brett losing his job. He was given a 2 months notice so he still has it until the beginning of May.

But, as most of you probably would do, we were freaking out. I was just thinking "The timing could not be worse. The baby will be here a month after that and then what?! Will I have to still work and have the baby in childcare (that was not even an option before the bad news)? How are we going to survive?!?!?!?!" Brett is going to be taking summer school (no time to work) in order to be able to graduate this December so there was no way we could afford to have him take a semester off, the point is to get OUT of Logan, not stay here longer. So with him doing that I figured I would have to work no matter what, there just didn't seem to be a way around it.

Well, we have been praying daily to figure out a solution to this problem and we have both felt at peace about the situation. We knew that God would provide a way for us to make things work best, especially for the baby, whether that be me work and put the baby in childcare or by some miracle the money would just magically appear...well...

Miracles do happen!!! Brett applied for Financial Aid just because we never have before and we figured we could use all the help we could get, even if that meant a student loan to help pay the bills while I worked, while Brett was in school and while the baby was in childcare. He applied a couple of weeks ago and we have just been waiting for the result. Well last night, he looked at the status of his financial aide and..BOOM...there was not only a student loan sitting there, but also a Pellet Grant. A very decent sized one. Honestly, I didn't even think we would get a Pellet Grant so it didn't even cross my mind to hope for one.

God hears our prayers. My testimony just grew a million inches last night. There is enough money from Financial Aide that I definitely won't have to work and Brett can be dedicated to school all summer and not have to work. If he wants he can get a job this fall when he has more time, but we are going to be money-worry free until he graduates!!

Like I said before, we truly are so blessed. Heavenly Father keeps finding ways to bless us. We are going to be just fine and I will be able to be the stay-at-home mommy I have always wanted to be, and Brett can finish school and we can do it all without wondering or worrying about how we are going to survive.

I knew we would find our rainbow in the storm:)

28 weeks...

Baby's first of many trips to St. George:)

Only 12 Weeks left! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Baby Update...

26 Weeks!!!

I cannot believe how fast this is going! 26 weeks!?! Really?? How is time going so quick? I feel like I just found out I was pregnant, and now I only have 3 months left. Scary yet so exciting!

We just had our 6-month Checkup on Friday and it went fabulous! But this was the appointment where they give you an orange drink to drink before your appointment because somehow it tests for Diabetes and some other diseases. I must say, the little drink wasn't too bad. I was expecting to have to chug something that tasted like Robitussin, but it was actually pretty tasty. Once we got in there, I got my blood drawn and did a urine test (we all love those) it was time to get on the scale. I was quite scared for this moment, because the last time I went to the Doctor they told me I had gained 11 lbs in one single month. Ummm WHAT?! You can imagine my dismay. So this time I got on and closed my eyes, and the Nurse said "Awesome, you have gained one pound this month!" Ummm AMAZING! Turns out not eating fast food 4 times a week really does make a difference:) I was ecstatic! That is a total of 15lbs my entire pregnancy, better than where a lot of girls are at 6 months (according to my doctor). So then it was time to see the Doc, and, our favorite part, listen to the baby's Heart pumpin away! It was SO strong this time. It's amazing hearing it get strong each time we hear it. It is amazing. The Doc said it sounded so great and then she measured my tummy and said it was right on track. We left feeling so fabulous, we went to an amazing Frozen Yogurt place to celebrate and give our baby a treat for being so great!

What is going on at 26 Weeks:

-I am STILL wearing my regular clothes...thank goodness:) I never imagined me being over 6 months pregnant and being able to still wear my jeans and shirts (my secret weapon is my bella-band - especially for my work clothes. That this is a lifesaver:)

-My bump is getting bigger. I must say I like it, because that means baby is getting bigger and growing:) I would have posted a pic with this post but I haven't thought to take one until just now. A pic will come soon.

-I am constantly feeling the little guy squirming around in there. Can I just say how much I love having company with me 24/7?! It's awesome!! He is kickin, punchin and rollin around in there constantly. I am obsessed! Brett has been able to feel it a few times. It's amazing!

-I am starting to see the movements on my tummy, not just feel them inside. I was holding a glass on my stomach earlier tonight and my drink all of a sudden shook around and I almost spilled it. It was so awesome!

-The baby LOVES music & noises. We decided to put some Beach Boys up against my tummy earlier this week and he was rockin out! He moves when Brett talks to him. It's so cool to see and feel him respond to noise and sounds. I love it.

-Still no sickness. Not complaining...kind of bragging:)

-I am starting to get tired early again which is so very annoying. 9:30 and 10 roll around and I am trying so hard to not let my eyelids close. I guess that is what happens when you have someone growing inside of you;)

-I am starting to get into mommy-mode. I have been craving to shop for baby stuff. I spent a lot of the weekend looking at Cribs and Strollers and Carseats online. I am just so excited!! I have bought all of the stuff to make his name for his room (ya know, modge-podging wooden letters with scrapbook paper to make them adorable:) I just need to do it.

-My moods are a roller-coaster some days. I feel so bad for Brett sometimes. I am constantly saying "I am sorry, that was so stupid. I don't know why I am so emotional" and then 5 minutes later something else will either tick me off or hurt my feelings and or get me super happy. It's the weirdest thing. Sorry babe, just a few more months:)

-I am still craving Diet Soda like nobody's business. That is all I want...pop. pop. pop. Mmmmm I cannot get enough.

-Bending over to put on my socks and shoes is now almost impossible.

-My back is starting to kill me in the middle of the night.

All around, I am feeling just Fabulous! I really have had it so easy, and I am SO grateful for that. I am not craving food every 5 seconds which has been a VERY nice break, although that candy bowl at my work has lead me to give into temptation a few more times than I would have liked but oh well. I am allowed a break every now and then:)

Baby, we love you SO SO much! We cannot wait for you to get here so we can play with you and love you:)

Trials...

"It was meant to be that life would be a challenge. To suffer some anxiety, some depression, some disappointment, even some failure is normal. Teach our members that if they have a good miserable day once in a while, or several in a row, to stand steady and face them, things will straighten out. There is purpose in our struggle in life."

-Boyd K. Packer


I love that quote. A friend had it on her blog and it is what I needed to hear.

I have been through my fair share of trials throughout my life. I wouldn't say I've had a ton, but I have definitely had a few. But all of the blessings Heavenly Father has given me, especially in the last 3 years or so, have greatly outweighed the trials. When I stop to think about it, I really cannot believe how truly blessed I am and how blessed Brett and I have been. We are so blessed to go to school, have had jobs in this horrible economy, have a marriage that keeps getting better and better with each sunrise and the opportunity to be parents to a little boy we already are a little overly obsessed with.

But, when trials come out of nowhere, sometimes it's hard to see the silver-lining and remember all of those amazing blessings. It's hard to focus on the good that will come out of the situation. Trials are scary. They bring the unknown. We haven't really had a big trial since we have been married, but as of last week that has changed. We have some decisions to make, a lot of thinking to do, and a lot of praying, fasting and temple attending to do to figure out where to go from here. But, what Brett helps to remind me of everyday is this: Trials help you grow, if you let them. They help you become the person you are meant to be and reach your full potential. They can make or break you. I have already seen our marriage and relationship grow stronger because of it, and our faith as well. We both feel at peace about our situation and know that we are going to be okay and figure out exactly what we are going to do and what is going to be best for us. I know that everything happens for a reason and we will be just fine. I am just so grateful to have a husband who is constantly reminding me how grateful to be for this experience and helping me find the rainbow in the storm. I love him more and more with each minute that passes. We will be just fine. Things are going to be great. We just have to get through the storm:)

Day 9...

"A Favorite Movie"

I don't think think an explanation is needed
on this one. Best. Movie. Ever.

Day 8...

"A Favorite Song"

I absolutely love this song. It reminds me
of my dad. Every time I hear it I tear up,
the way she sings this song is so powerful.
If you haven't heard it, the lyrics are below.
I highly suggest Googling it as well:)

"The Sound Of White"

Like a freeze-dried rose, you will never be,
What you were, what you were to me in memory.
But if I listen to the dark,
You'll embrace me like a star,
Envelope me, envelope me...
If things get real for me down here,
Promise to take me to before you went away -
If only for a day.
If things get real for me down here,
Promise to take me back to the tune
We played before you went away.

And if I listen to, the sound of white,
Sometimes I hear your smile,
and breathe your light.
Yeah if I listen to, the sound of white ..
You're my mystery. One mystery.
My mystery. One mystery.

My silence solidifies,
Until that hollow void erases you,
Erases you so I can't feel at all.
But if I never feel again, at least that nothingness
Will end the painful dream, of you and me...
If things get real for me down here, promise to take
me to Before you went away, if only for a day.
If things get real for me down here, promise to take me
back toThe tune we played before you went away.

And if I listen to, the sound of white
Sometimes I hear your smile,
and breathe your light.
Yeah if I listen to, the sound of white
Sometimes I hear your smile,
and breathe your light.
And if I listen to, the sound of white.

I knelt before some strangers face,
I'd never have the courage or belief to trust this place,
But I dropped my head, 'cos it felt like lead,
And I'm sure I felt your fingers through my hair...

And if I listen to, the sound of white sometimes
I hear your smile, and breathe your light.
Yeah if I listen to, the sound of white.
The sound of white,
The sound of white,

The sound of white.

Day 7...

"Something I want to buy"

One Word: LOVE. I am obsessed with
this dress for some reason. I want it, I need
it, I really really LOVE it. Two problems though:
1) It's $90 (kinda expensive) and 2) I have a
pregnant belly so it probably wouldn't fit at the
moment. But I just love it. I just have to have it.
In 4 months its going to be my first purchase.
(I think I like the teal one better)