Pre-Thanksgiving

I'm 29 weeks now, which is well into third trimester, but have yet to post my thoughts about trimester #2. Everything that happened between mid August and mid November was positive. We found out that Baby Boy is growing well (measuring at 2 lbs 4 oz at my last ultrasound), and is developing on schedule. My AFP test and glucose tests were both normal (my odds of having a Downs Syndrome baby went from 1 in 170 to 1 in 10,000 after the test), and everything anyone could tell us was positive. My doctor told me that it is more common to have "cord accidents" when there are only two vessels, so I will start doing non stress tests at about 34 weeks. Also, near the end, sometimes the babies stop growing, and so the perinatologists are a lot more likely to recommend induction a couple weeks early. That sounds like good news to me--smaller baby, born earlier. He said he doesn't think I will be pregnant in February, so I'm kind of keeping that in the back of my mind.

I also gained close to 20 pounds (which I always seem to do in the second trimester) and truly became a fatty. Here are the shots to prove it, from 24 weeks and 28 weeks.

My sickness went away around week 14 and that's when I started to get hungry. I am mostly hungry in the afternoon and I could eat continuously for hours if I didn't force myself to stop. The foods that have defined this pregnancy have been turkey sandwiches and chips/queso. I have yet to get sick of either one. All other cravings seem to be under control and/or completely normal for me.

I have had heartburn earlier than my other pregnancies (all the queso maybe?), but not too bad yet. I know it's going to get a lot worse and am not anxious for that at all. My biggest complaint is the ligament pain below my belly. I have never been one of those women who could still go running late in pregnancy (even if I were a runner, which I'm not), but I can no longer carry Kyla around or I will be sore for days. Mopping the floor, vacuuming, and going up and down stairs are all relatively painful and I am not eager to find out what the end of this pregnancy is going to be like if I am already struggling. I have a belly band, but it was accidentally left in St. George, so I am hopeful when I get it back that it will help. It's too early for me to stop cleaning and living life! I also had to start wearing my compression stockings again (affectionately known as my "hoses"), so I am quite the fashionista. Fortunately, it's winter and no one has to know. :)

I can't chase this one around anymore, so I have to hope she will be cooperative and obedient. And stay out of the mascara.


We stayed in Provo for Thanksgiving this year, and decided to go out and have an adventure. On Wednesday, we drove out to the west desert to the Dugway Geode Beds to search for geodes. After an hour of digging in holes that looked promising, we had found nothing, and everyone was discouraged. Damon was ready to go home and Kyla and Allie were whining and crying. We wondered what we were doing there. But Jeff drove around a little and found the commercial digging site, where a backhoe had done all the hard work. We just had to pick through the rocks to find what could be geodes. Just like that, our search became more of an Easter Egg hunt, and we couldn't keep all the geodes we found. Here are the kids sitting by our stash. We need to get them cut open, but we are hopeful that we found some good ones (some of the ones we broke open were really pretty, which is great!).



We also drove to Topaz Mountain to try to find topaz, and came away with some small crystals. The kids were cold and it was a lot of work to find it, so we didn't stay long. No pictures of that, sorry. It was a fun day of treasure hunting, and we only saw 7 other people all day long. It was a bit eerie to be so far out (we took the old Pony Express Trail) and away from civilazation. Delta looked like an urban mecca when we made it there!

At the beginning of November, we brainstormed all the things we were grateful for, and came up with enough for one for each day of the month. Damon traced 26 hands and we cut them out, labeling each one with something we were grateful for. By Thanksgiving Day, we had created quite the tail for our tiny turkey! It was a fun activity, and I hope it helped the kids remember what we were really celebrating.


Jeff has the pictures from Thanksgiving on his phone, so I will finish this post later about our actual Thanksgiving dinner and the rest of the week.

Thirty, Fatty, and Thrifting

I never really understood why Jennifer Garner's character in the movie Thirteen Going on Thirty wanted to be thirty, anyway. I mean, as a 13 year old, I probably would have picked 21. But for some reason, she wanted to be "thirty, flirty and thriving." Instead, today, I feel "thirty, fatty and thrifting."

If I had had any control over when this baby was coming, I probably would have realized that being 6 months pregnant the day I turned 30 wasn't the best possible way to feel good about myself. I mean, yes, I do have boobs again, which is ever so fun, but it's not as fun to get big in other places (ie, my thighs and belly). But because this baby boy decided when he was ready to come to our family, I had no control over that. So on my 30th birthday, I was definitely a fatty.

As for the thrifting, I've been feeling a little stressed about Christmas this year. I am sure I'm not alone. We knew when we bought this house that things were going to be tight for a while, and we willingly decided it was worth it. And I know deep in my heart that we'll find a way to do everything we need to do to make this a great Christmas for the kids (despite Jeff's assertion that our Christmas budget is, "zero."). Still, I feel the stress. Which makes it a tad bit difficult to really enjoy any money spent on me for my birthday.

But it was a fun weekend, starting with a night out with Jeff's brothers, sister and their significant others (minus Noel, Brian and Susan, who were missed). Jeff talked me into going to see 2012, so at least it wasn't my idea. It was fun to be all together to laugh at some of the more ridiculous moments. And there were plenty of those. No, the movie really wasn't THAT bad, but it certainly wasn't my favorite.

Sunday, Jeff got up with the kids and made me a gourmet birthday cake. If you know Jeff, you are probably picking your jaw up off the floor right now, because he doesn't cook. Ever. So I appreciated the effort (and the cake was really yummy) more because I know he was doing it for me. We had dinner at my aunt's house last night, and the kids promptly blew my 8 candles out (4 on each cake) before I even had a chance to make a wish. I'm not sure how 8 candles equals 30 years either. Oh well.

On Thursday, I am heading to the New Moon preview with my aunt and cousins, and I am so excited. Am I now officially too old for that? The answer to that, of course, is no. You're never too old for Edward. He's immortal. :)

A celebration of 30

Tomorrow, I turn 30. But I'm not thinking about that today. Today I am remembering some of the great things that have happened in my life. I, in no way, believe this is a good idea, but I am posting 30 pictures of me through the years.

I'd have to guess maybe 2? Reminds me a little of my girls

3 or 4? Probably my birthday, when Heather and I both got presents. :)


4 or 5? Hard to tell. Mom, any input?

8, Baptism day

10th birthday. Lisha and I totally did the glasses before Twitch.

Don't know ages. Probably about 10 here as well. Notice the van in the garage. I drove that baby in high school. It was a power steering fluid leaking beast!

10 1/2, at the hospital when Jonny was born

15, at EFY. The boy who first held my hand, Rich Cook.

Sorry if you wanted to see more awkward photos from the 11-14 range. I don't seem to have any (not because there aren't any, I just probably left those at home when I was taking pictures).

I'm guessing 16. Proof that at one time I had boobs.

Almost 17, dyeing my hair (with Linzi Jolley) on a volleyball trip. I remember this clearly and how Linzi covered up with her pillow when she saw the camera. I, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind in the least. And I'm "getting out the guns."

17, Homecoming senior year with Mark Madsen. Our last date.

17, Senior year of volleyball

Just before I turned 18, fractured elbow from state volleyball tournament


18, All-state banquet for basketball with Coach Higgins

At a choir concert with Melissa Ricks, 17 or 18

18, at a softball tournament with my BF, Tyler Campbell

18, Pine View High graduation with Tyler

My 20th birthday, celebrating with 259 cds.

20, dating Jeff

20, our wedding

20, My wedding with my bff from college, Jenny Costley

21, at Jeff's graduation from BYU

21, at Jenny's wedding

22, at my graduation from BYU (6 months pregnant with Damon)

22, taking Damon home from the hospital

almost 24, family photo shoot

24, the night we said good-bye to Chance

26, Allie's birth

27, Jeff's graduation from Ohio State

28, Kyla's birth

The rest of October

These are the pictures from my phone for October, all jumbled together in one post so we don't lose them. Some of them are repeats for my Facebook friends, so sorry about that.

This is at Jeff's mom's house. Kyla came back inside without a diaper on and was sent back out to retrieve it. She was happy enough to stop and pose for a photo with the offending diaper.

From Allie's computer class that she attends on Mondays and Wednesdays. She loves the headphones with the microphone headset, and pretends to talk in it pilot-style, but it serves no purpose.

As a side note, I love this computer class. It's free, sponsored by Waterford Learning Center and is a study of 4 and 5 year olds. The games she plays are on her level and she does 20 minutes of reading and 20 minutes of math every time we're there. There is also an activity room with puzzles, games, books, etc. that Kyla loves, so it's basically a two for one, and it's all free! If you are in the Provo area and are interested (for next year maybe), let me know and I'll give you some more info.

Allie arranged her Barbies like this. On purpose? We'll never know.

I took Damon on a "Night Out" to see a play of Tom Sawyer at the library, and followed it up with a trip to Hello Yogurt. Damon's yogurt was strawberry topped with gummy worms, Skittles, sprinkles, raspberries, strawberry sauce and a few other things I am forgetting. He thought it was a great night.

Kyla got her hands on some chocolate covered fruit at Costco as we were about to check out one day. The guy helping at the checkout said, "You must like chocolate!" I turned around to see her like this. Yes, she loved it!


Jeff's birthday pie, Lemon Meringue, made by his mom. Jeff was in Arizona right before his birthday (and we were in Moab), so this was the only party he got. He wasn't disappointed. Happy 33rd, old man!

Kyla found some soap or shampoo and thought it would be a good idea to wash her own hair, sans water.

Another one from her night in the hospital.

And Kyla applies mascara, and is pleased with herself.

Phew, I think October is covered. On to November!

Swim Lessons

Allie missed out on being able to take swim lessons this summer because she was otherwise engaged at BYU (she was doing BYU's preschool). Damon took lessons and really seemed to improve a lot, but I felt bad that Allie didn't have the opportunity (and had never had the opportunity). So, when it came time to sign the kids up for a "fall sport," I had very little hesitation in choosing indoor swim lessons for both of them. I knew Allie was going to love it, because she can basically swim already, she just lacks the confidence to go all the way across the pool. I was very pleased with my decision when I learned that Allie was in a class with just one other girl and Damon had just three others in his class. One of the definite perks to taking swim lessons in the fall. I knew Allie would love the individual attention and the opportunity to shine in the pool.

And she did love it. For the first three lessons. By the end of the third lesson, she was shivering from the cold and instantly decided that she was not going to love it anymore. This was also the day she started running a fever, which we later realized was H1N1 flu, so she had good reason to be cold that day. We let her sit out of the next lesson (3 days later), but by Wednesday, she was fever free and I thought she would be able to get back into it. But I was wrong.

For any of you who know Allie (or have read even one post about her on my blog), you know that if she sets her mind against something, she will not be convinced otherwise. This was one of those experiences that I dread. She cried the entire time she was in the pool, claiming she was freezing. She refused to participate at all, but instead insisted on staying by the light to keep herself warm. I tried not to get frustrated, telling myself that she was still recovering from the flu and would be better the next time. I even took her to buy a swim cap so she wouldn't have to get her hair wet. But it didn't help. The next lesson was even worse. She cried so loudly that I could hear her through the glass of the viewing room where we watched the kids. And, again, she refused to even put her face in the water to blow bubbles.

This time, I was not so patient. I knew that by now it had become a mental game with her, and that she really had no excuse for acting the way she was acting. I walked down to the edge of the pool and gently told her that I was not going to save her, and that she was going to have to finish swim lessons. Her choices were to enjoy it or make it miserable, but she wasn't getting out of the pool. She finished, but she cried the whole time. I left feeling so discouraged. Mostly for her, because she was missing out on the opportunity to learn to swim because of something that was completely in her head.

We spent the whole weekend talking about it, and trying to convince her that the only way to warm up in the water was to actually move her body, and that I hoped she would change her attitude big time before swim lessons were over. Monday came and I held my breath. Which Allie would emerge from the locker room?

Luckily for all of us, it was pleasant Allie again, the one who loved her first three classes. She participated and really enjoyed herself. And I heaved a sigh of relief. I wish I knew the secret to helping her change her attitude. It would make both of our lives so much easier.

Here is proof that she particpated. She is the one floating in a ball underwater. The other little girl in her class, who is 6, must really have a fear of water, because she was nowhere near actually learning to swim. But her attitude was great.

And Allie posing when she saw me taking pictures. By this time, she didn't even need her swim cap anymore. I wish I had pictures from the day she wore it.


Damon, on the other hand, did fantastic at his lessons and is getting so much better at all the different strokes. I want him to do swim team this summer so he can really improve. Swimming is a skill I wish I possessed, as it is something you can enjoy for the rest of your life. I think someone needs to tell Damon that if he wants lats like Michael Phelps, he's going to have to work really hard.

And here's the other observer. She desperately wanted to get into the pool every time. I thought about trying to substitute her for Allie when things looked sketchy, because I know she would have loved it. I'm not sure why she had her shirt off, but it's probably safe to say she thought she had a better shot of getting in the pool if she undressed.

Glory, Glory Halloween

Fortunately for all of us, everyone had regained their health by Halloween night (side note: on Sunday, we were listening to Battle Hymn of the Republic, which I called "Glory Glory Hallelujah." Kyla asked for clarification, "Glory Glory Halloween?" Hence the title of this post).

Here are the yearly pics.

I bought the fireman's jacket at a thrift store in Ohio about 5 years ago. The hat and sweats came from Savers for about $5 total. Kyla's costume was the one Allie wore 2 years ago, and I got her tights for $5. Allie's costume was brand new at a liquidation store for $8. So, all spent this year--$18. I was happy with it, and the kids seemed fine, too.

After the event

And more proof that it was a successful Halloween.

We were putting the kids to bed and listening to The Bare Necessities on their cd player. We were dancing around (attempting to extract as much energy as possible, to be honest) and Damon said, "this is the best day ever!"

The candy fun was short lived. Yesterday, we took all the rest of the candy to Dr. Swensen's office (a local dentist) to be donated to the soldiers overseas. The kids got raffle tickets for their candy (we had 6 pounds) and got to enter for prizes. They didn't seem too heartbroken.