Steve and Chelsea

Buh Buh Busy

2012-01-23T22:20:00.000-08:00

Well peepsicles, tomorrow is my fourth week back at work! I can't believe how fast the days are passing by! When I went back it felt like I never left; my co-workers will say otherwise :) It's definitely nice to be missed, not gonna lie. I've been so incredibly busy with new projects which has been wonderful! My brain needs to be creative to function, and it definitely lacked for two months. Being busy also takes my mind off missing my sweet girl. I have SO many pictures of her plastered around my desk, and it will only increase.

Speaking of jobs, Steve has a new one!!! Hooray! No more call centers for my fella :) It's basically his dream job, and he's making more than his previous job. Thank heaven!
We're pretty blessed; we both love our jobs, which most people can't say.

Missy Molly is getting cuter by the day! I know I say this all the time, but I can't get enough of her. I love smothering her in kisses and talking with her. She has recently started to talk to me, and I'm anxious for her to get better at it. Her little "coo's" and "ga's" are just heart melting, and she'll generally tell me a story after I change her bum.
Since I started work, I love rocking her before bedtime-even if she's already fallen asleep. It's 'our' time. She loves being sung a song and will listen intently. I do need to come up with a few more though. 'My Favorite Things' and 'Dream a Little Dream' are getting over used :)
Molly had her very first play date with little (not so little) cousin Dylan this past week! I think they are going to become good friends :)

{Molly and Dylan!}

Two Month Stats

2012-01-09T18:24:00.001-08:00

Molly went in for her two month appointment today, and as predicted it was quite sad. I thought I would be more emotional about it, but I think that being at PCMC for a few days numbed me. Instead, the Momma Bear in me was fighting to come out. I couldn't believe they would just stab my baby with those shots! She's a BABY, lets be a bit more gentle please! I'm not saying they have to do it super slow, just show a little more compassion for my sweet pea. Mmmm k?
It was confirmed that we have a petite little miss on our hands! She currently weighs 9lbs 10oz and is 23" long; 5% for weight and 50% for height. Out of her three other cousins, she is definitely going to be the small one :)
Her Ped said not worry about her eyes crossing, as it's pretty normal at this stage. We're to worry if come four months she's still doing it; hopefully not!
She loves to give us smiles, study our faces, and explore everything around her. We've discovered that she is ticklish on her tummy, and have had some fun with that. She is such a great napper, and does awesome when we got out to run errands. *knock on wood* Granted she does have her fussy times, but overall she is a wonderful baby.
I must document that Molly slept through the night last night for a whopping 9 hours!!!! Boo-ya!!! It was so wonderful! Hopefully she keeps this up, because when I'm at work I feel like a zombie :)

{Before her shots, all smiley and happy...}

{Saddest face ever!}

Two Months!

2012-01-07T21:11:00.000-08:00

Can you believe that Molly dolly is two months old!?! That's just crazy to me. She is just the sweetest, cutest little thing that ever was.
We go in for her two month appointment on Monday; we'll see how that goes. There are a few things Steve and I are worried about with Molly. She is always crossing her eyes! It's the weirdest thing, yet it's way cute. Hopefully it's nothing serious and just a phase.

For those that didn't know, I returned to work this past week after a lovely two month maternity leave. I had a really hard time leaving Molly and would cry all the way to work. I'm so grateful to my Mom and Steve who watch her- it really helps knowing that she is in good hands with people that love her and not with some stranger at a care facility. Before my leave, I let my Boss know that I wanted to have a 4 day work week, so that I could have more time with Molly. I'm so grateful that I get that extra day with her!
One plus about going back to work, is that I am forced to doll myself up. No more sweats for this Momma! It's nice to spend some time getting ready when I hadn't done it for two months. I made myself some fun new stuff to wear with my skirts and they were a HIT!!! It's really in trend right now to wear stockings that peak out of your boots. Sadly our budget no longer has lots of room to buy new clothes SO I made my own! Can you guess what they are!? Sweater sleeves! Boo-ya! I had a mustard yellow sweater in my closet that had totally lost it's shape and was very unflattering. So, I cut it up and now have me some trendy new stockings :) It's a fun cheap way to spice up an outfit, and it doesn't hurt to have an extra layer since it's freezing outside.

Hello Dolly

2012-01-02T18:08:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago Molly had her newborn pictures taken and I am so happy with how they turned out! I wish she would have been sleeping, but I do love looking into her perfect little eyes. She is just so adorable and I am so grateful to my cousin for taking her pictures! Here are a few of my favorites!

Welcome 2012

2012-01-01T17:51:00.000-08:00

New Years Eve was nice and quiet for our little family, and we loved it! We spent some time over at the Goates for the traditional soup buffet, and came home before midnight to put Molly down to bed. Steve and I stayed up eating popcorn and watching the ball drop in Times Square with Daisy girl. We didn't want to wake Molly, so there was no banging of the pots and pans :) She actually slept through the night for the first time!!! It was definitely an awesome way to start 2012.
2011 was a great year for our family and we can't wait to see what 2012 has in store! Happy New Year to everyone!

{New Years Eve 2011!}

P.S. Pantone has named Tangerine Tango the color of 2012! It's a beautiful orangey-red that represents optimism for the year.
P.S.S. Nothing rhymes with 2012. Nothing.

Four Generations

2011-12-31T22:07:00.000-08:00

I am so blessed to have these wonderful women in my life! Four generations together is pretty special.

Christmas Happenings!

2011-12-30T20:53:00.000-08:00

Our little family had a very lovely Christmas this year, but it wasn't quite the same without the snow. Having Molly dolly around made it much more special, and I know that it will get even better as she grows up!
Molly had the pleasure of meeting Santa Clause at Trolley Square, and informed him that she had been a good girl and wanted a Bumbo :) She looked so tiny on his lap and I'm so glad she was able to meet him. Baby's first Christmas is so special!

This was the first Christmas in years that the whole Goates clan was together! Steve's brother, Rick, and his family flew in from Texas to spend Christmas with us and it was so much fun! The Goates house was jam packed with lots of kids and babies, all who were anxious for Santa to come. It was so fun to have all the babies born this year together! Kyle is two months older than Magnolia, who is five weeks older than Molly. We were able to have family pictures taken and I'm excited to see how they turned out!

Molly got totally spoiled with gifts and is pretty much set for a while! She got lots of cute clothes, DVD's, her high chair and Bumbo AND a new friend!!! My Uncle Richard and Uncle Scott got her Buddy the Bear and we LOVE him!!! We curl up with Buddy and read books together-it's quite lovely :)

We had such a wonderful Christmas and were so blessed by both our families- we're so grateful for everything.

{All the cousins at Grandpa Goates on Christmas Eve! They were all showing off their Christmas jammies}

{It wouldn't be Christmas without Daisy. She's wearing the sweater that cute little Aubrey got her}

{Steve snapped this beauty at the perfect time! Man I love my little girl!}

{As you can see, she is very happy with her gift from Santa}

{My cute little family!}

{Molly was enjoying one of her many Christmas gifts in her Christmas jammies from Grandma and Grandpa Goates}

6

2011-12-19T22:33:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend Steve and I celebrated our SIX year Anniversary! It's crazy how fast time flies by! We were thinking about how one year ago we were relaxing on a sunny beach....

...and this year we are wrapped in a blanket of inversion and pretty darn tired. On our Anniversary Molly Dolly also turned SIX weeks! We took her with us to the Olive Garden where I got food poisoning. That was the most miserable night! Being sick AND having a newborn is just not a fun combination.
It was still fun to have a night out with Steve and I look forward to all the Anniversaries ahead of us!
Oh yes, I was a terrible person and did NOT take a single picture of our evening! Not even of Molly. *shame* Instead, you'll have to reminisce with me on our last Anniversary :)

One Month Old

2011-12-08T20:04:00.000-08:00

A few days ago our little sweet pea turned one month old!!! Ahhh! She is pretty much THE cutest little thing and we just can't get enough of her. She has started to smile at us, coo, and will look for me when she hears me talking. I LOVE it! She still gets the hiccups at least once a day, just like when she was in my tummy, and now she finally enjoys her bath time.
We're curious to see what color her eyes will turn. Will they stay blue like Daddy's or go brown like Mommy's? I kind of want them to stay blue. I think that brown hair and blue eyes would be the cutest! If they go brown though I won't mind- then I can call her 'mini me' ;)
We are having so much fun watching our baby chick grow.

{She was laughing at her Winnie the Pooh doll. It was adorable!}

{One month old!}

Buds

2011-11-30T22:33:00.000-08:00

Just as Steve and I had hoped for- Daisy and Molly Dolly are best buds. We can't wait until they are able to play with eachother! Here are some of the things that Daisy will do with Molly...
~Their favorite thing to do is snuggle, which seems to be the new favorite activity around our house.
~Whenever we have a guest holding Molly, Daisy watches from a distance making sure that they are being good to her, and if she starts to fuss Daisy is there to investigate.
~Molly's bath time is a little stressful for Daisy though. Daisy greatly dislikes her own bath time, so when we bathe Molly she kind of freaks out.
~When she kisses Molly, she knows to be gentle and will give her one delicate little kiss- it's WAY cute.
I'd be lying if I didn't tell you that Daisy does get a little jealous sometimes, but we've been lucky not to have it be an issue. *phew*
Here are a few snuggle moments I snapped with my phone...

Thankful

2011-11-24T22:15:00.001-08:00

We had a lovely Thanksgiving this year, and it was even better with Molly in our Family.
We had our Thanksgiving dinner with the Goates Family and it was so much fun to have everyone around! Molly got to meet her cousin, Magnolia, which was great as well as the rest of the Family. Dessert was over at my Parents house and it was delicious. My Family is so small compared to the Goates! It's nice to enjoy a little bit of both :)
Afterwards we went home and crashed on the sofa. It's amazing how eating can make you so darn tired!
This year I have SO MUCH to be thankful for. I am in love with my baby girl and so grateful to have her in my life!!!
We hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Best Present Ever

2011-11-22T21:59:00.000-08:00

This Birthday was definitely one for the books. Did I do anything exciting? Nope. Instead I snuggled all day with the best present I've ever been given, and I loved every minute of it! Molly is just the sweetest thing and I'm so grateful to be her Mommy.
I absolutely love staring at her while she sleeps. I wonder what she will be when she grows up, what sport she will play, if she'll be a ballerina, will she do well in school, which Disney princess she will like best. I've pretty much wondered everything :) haha. I'm definitely excited to watch her grow up and show her all the good things in this world. Oh the fun we will have!!!!

Two Weeks Old

2011-11-20T21:16:00.000-08:00

Little Miss Molly Dolly is already two weeks old! It seems like we've had her in our lives forever.
She had her appointment this past week and she is doing great! She is a little under weight, but that was expected. I've just got to fatten her up before we go in for her weight check :) The jaundice is pretty much gone, she just still has a little yellow in her face and eyes. *phew* SO glad we are done with that nightmare!
She is still my little sleeping beauty and will occasionally open her eyes and look around at everyone. We sure love it when she does :)
We're excited for Thanksgiving this week so that everyone can meet her!

{Molly was trying to eat her arm during tummy time}

Giggles

2011-11-16T21:58:00.000-08:00

Man oh man, we are in LOVE with our little girl!!! We spent a wonderful day together, just the three of us and Daisy. We slept in, napped, baked cookies AND took way too many pictures of Molly. Seriously. I think my iPhone is almost out of space. While making fools of ourselves in front of our little one, we got her to GIGGLE! It was THE cutest thing ever. Too bad I wasn't taking a video, but at least I snapped this little gem...

I just love my little family and can't wait to have another day like this tomorrow!
Also, this is one of our other favorite faces. We call it 'Blue Steel' ;)

Pardon Molly's milk mustache. She had just been fed.

Molly's Birth Story

2011-11-11T18:19:00.000-08:00

Well, as noticed our sweet little Molly was unexpectedly early! I went in for my weekly check up on Tuesday, November 1st. My Doctor did a physical check and I was 90% effaced and dilated to a 2. He pulled out his phone and said, "Well, let's do this on Thursday." I looked at him a little confused, and then he told me that the Hospital would call me Wednesday night to schedule my inducement. I honestly didn't think I would be induced with this pregnancy, but it's what the Doctor wanted. So the following day I anxiously waited by the phone to see when we would be called in. The Nurse informed me that they would actually call in the morning and let us know when to come in. That was THE longest night ever. We hardly got any sleep because we were frantically trying to get the house ready and knowing we were going to meet our little girl left us sleepless.
Friday, November 3rd at 5:15 am the Nurse called and asked if we were ready to have our baby. We got up, said good bye to Daisy and headed to the Hospital. Once we got there we were put in our room, and the Nurse came right in to get me hooked up to the Pitocin. Before we left for the Hospital, I had a small bowl of cereal so that I wouldn't get hungry for a while. As the Nurse was asking me questions about my pregnancy and our birth plan I got this overwhelming feeling and threw up. There went my breakfast. The ONLY food I was allowed to have that day. The Nurse said that in her 20 years of working, she had never seen anyone throw up BEFORE the IV had been placed. Lucky me :). After about an hour, a Resident came in and broke my water so that my contractions could get stronger. They honestly weren't that bad, and I had to hold off on getting the epidural for a while as the Anesthesiologist was doing back to back c-sections. I'm glad I got the epidural when I did because I couldn't relax or take a nap, mostly due to extreme hunger pains. The epidural is AWESOME and you'd be silly not to get one. Bless the man that invented it :)
Well, I wasn't progressing much with my dilation and stayed at a 3 for several hours. I had been on the highest dose of pitocin for so long that they had to take me off it for a few hours to give my uterus a break. Because I was off the pitocin they were able to give me some clear liquids. Yay! By this time it was like 8pm. I had jello and chicken broth, which was amazing. I had been living off of flavored ice chips all day long! Lime is hands down the best. Anyway, they came back in and put me back on the pitocin and shortly after I threw up what I had just eaten. Lovely. They said that they were going to give the pitocin a while to kick back in and check on me at 2:00am. Well, around 1:00 I had been feeling some pressure and called the Nurse. They checked me and I was dilated to a 9! Hallelujah!!! They gave me another hour to progress and at 2:00 I was dilated to a 10! It was go time! We did a practice push while we waited for my Doctor to arrive, and I started actually pushing at 2:30. When they could see the top of her head they said that she had lots of dark hair! Steve and I were both bald, so this was pretty exciting to hear! One hour later at 3:32 our sweet little Molly was born! Pushing was a breeze and felt like I had only been doing it for a short while. I had some amazing Nurses that helped pass the time :)
Earlier that day the Doctor had asked who wanted to cut the cord. The whole birthing process made Steve pretty sick, so I said if I was up to it I would do it. I was so exhausted after 20 hours of labor that I passed. The nurse was about to cut it when Steve stood up and said he'd like to do it. It made me so happy, and we're both glad he had that experience.
When they placed her in my arms it was love at first sight. She was perfect, and I couldn't take my eyes off her. Giving birth is one of THE most amazing experiences EVER. It was amazing.
They took her away to get cleaned up and I honestly didn't realize that I was delivering my placenta and getting stitched up. (I tore to a level 2. Sorry, TMI.)
20 hours of labor was definitely exhausting, but SO worth it!

{39 weeks!}

{The window benches were nice and long. Steve was ablt to stretch out on them!}

{Yay for the epidural!}

{It's go time!!}

{6lbs 11oz and 21.5 inches long}

{The board don't lie :)}

{Our beautiful little girl!}

Miss Molly

2011-11-10T18:35:00.000-08:00

Our sweet little Miss Molly is here! Born 11-4-11 at 3:32 am, weighing 6lbs 11oz and 21 1/2 inches long. She has lots of dark brown hair, delicate long eyelashes, and a beautiful round face. It was love at first sight, and we can't believe how perfect she is. We are absolutely in love with our little girl!

{She's here!}

{Our beautiful baby girl}

{Getting ready to go home!}

{Her beautiful long lashes}

{Check out all of her hair!}

{I am in LOVE with this sweet little face!}

{Because she was so small, none of her headbands fit. So we did a bow!}

{Being burped by Daddy}

Stay tuned for her birth story!

Baby Shower

2011-11-01T19:52:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I had my Family/Neighborhood Baby Shower! It was so much fun and I am SO grateful to everyone that came! Molly got spoiled with some seriously cute outfits! I can't wait to dress her up in them! We won't have to worry about her being naked ever :) It was so wonderful to feel the love and support from everyone-thank you so much to those that came!!!

{Giggy MADE this bundt! She has some seriously mad baking skills}

{One of the MANY adorable outfits!}

{Teresa made this cute little quilt! Some of the fabrics are from Hawaii!}

{My Mom made this afghan and it is THE softest blanket ever! I'm not a fan of 'scratchy' yarn and wanted only the best for my Molly}

{Boppy!!! It's super cute-trust me}

{Molly's carseat and stroller!! I LOVE the colors! This stroller is seriously awesome. I can't wait to go on a stroll with it}

{38 weeks!}

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T22:28:00.001-07:00

This year we had a pretty laid back Halloween, which was kind of nice and much needed. A couple weeks ago I decided that I wanted to be Juno for Halloween, BUT after visiting like four DI's and not finding what I needed for my costume I gave up. (I'm 38 weeks pregnant. Cut me some slack) I decided last minute that I would be a cowgirl. Yee-haw! Steve dressed up as a Tourist/Vacationer and Daisy was Thing 1! I had a blue wig all made up for her, and she refused to wear it! She was like afraid of it, so I didn't force her to wear it. I couldn't even get a picture. THAT'S how much she hated it. Darn.
Anyway, normally we have a big party at the Goates, but Jon and the cousins bailed on us. I guess they're too cool for us married/pregnant folk. Whatev.
I ended up going to Wal-Mart to get some more things for Miss Molly-we've almost got all the necessities. I think one more trip to Babies R Us and we should be set! Hopefully.
Oh, I don't think I ever blogged about this, but I had FOUR dreams that Molly would be born on Halloween! FOUR! It's 11:40pm and I'm still pregnant. Psh.

{My co-workers and I that dressed up}

{My siblings and I! Minus Gerrit. Brandon was a Ninja and Giggy was David Bowie from the Labrynth! Scary Movie!}

{My Mom was a crazy person :) She actually reminds me of the homeless cart lady from Confessions of a Shopaholic}

{The Goates/Payne clan!}

Quilt Tying Party

2011-10-28T21:15:00.000-07:00

Tonight I had my Quilt Tying Party with the Goates Family! It is tradition to make a quilt for the first born, and I am in LOVE with Molly's quilt! Last week Aunt Cynthia, Sam and I went to Gardner Village to get the fabric and we had lots of fun! I had every intention of having this quilt match her nursery and the quilt I made, but Sam pulled out the main fabric and I fell in love! It looks adorable with the pink polka dot and stripes and like I've said, I.love.it! :)
Anyway, all us girls got together to eat a delicious dinner, dessert, and tie the quilt. Aunt Debbie and Aunt Janet will work on the ruffle for the quilt next week and then it will be ready for Molly!

{Tying the quilt!}

{So cute :)}

{The front of the quilt! You'll have to wait until it is finished to see the rest!}

Full Term

2011-10-27T19:55:00.000-07:00

That's right folks, I am Full Term! I honestly can't believe how fast this pregnancy has gone by, but glad it did. I'm so anxious to meet our little Molly. I had my appointment this week and it was super lame. For the past two/three weeks my Doc and Nurses have said that I'll definitely come early. This was awesome to hear because I'm dying to meet my baby! Well, I got physically checked this week and my Doc said her head was still really high and I'll probably deliver around her due date. Boo-thanks for the false hope!
We've pretty much got the house ready for her arrival, there's just a few things that need to be put away and such. But let me just say, I am so proud of ourselves because Steve and I have been staying on top of doing the dishes! (This is huge for us, by the way. We greatly dislike doing them.)
Last night we spent a good two hours putting together Molly's swing that Mom and Dad Goates got for us. I can't wait to stick her in it :) Until then, Henry the Bear is chillin in it.
I'm excited for the weekend to get here because I have my showers!!! It's going to be so much fun to see everyone! Pictures to come :)

{37 weeks!}

{Molly's swing! Henry is making sure she'll like it}

{Here's a picture of the crib!! I'm really happy with how it turned out!}

{Another BT outfit for Molly! Isn't it adorable!?}

HPI Baby Shower!

2011-10-21T21:12:00.000-07:00

My AMAZING co-workers threw Molly and I a shower yesterday and it was so.much.fun!!! It was at Brio Tuscan Grille (which is next to the new H&M-eeeeee!) and the food was so delicious! I haven't had a good pasta dish in forever and it definitely hit the spot, plus the interior was so nice! You should totally go check the place out if you're in Salt Lake.
Miss Molly got spoiled with some seriously cute things and I can't wait to dress her up in them :) I am so grateful for everything that we got!

{Me and Miss London! She is already Molly's BFF :)}

{Tina and I!!! I am going to miss her so much! I love working with her everyday!}

{One day shy of 37 weeks!}

{Justine measured my belly at 39"! Crazy!}

{This is THE most adorable hat EVER! Marta loves to crochet and offered to make Molly a hat. I chose this one and have been dying to see it!!}

{Now Molly can stay squeaky clean}

{The whole gang! I just love these ladies!!!}

I want to thank my co-workers so so much for an amazing shower! They are so excited for Molly to get here-it's the cutest thing. I love being able to work with them everyday and will definitely miss them while on maternity leave.

Just To Be Clear....

2011-10-17T21:26:00.000-07:00

Steve rocked these bad boys before Harry Potter did :)

{Isn't he adorable?}

Puppy Play Date

2011-10-16T18:43:00.000-07:00

Daisy girl had her first 'puppy play date' this week and she had so much fun! We met up with our BT friends, Hannah and Miss Scarlet, and let the pups run around the backyard. They ran around and chased each other the entire time! Daisy girl sure slept well that night :) When we last saw Scar she was tiny pup and now she's bigger than Daisy. (We just have a petite little Miss I guess)
Hannah was so sweet... She loves making jewelry, so she made Daisy a charm for her collar and a darling little bracelet for Molly!
Thank you so much for having us over Hannah and Scarlet!!! We had so much FUN!

{Daisy's cute collar charm}

{Molly's first piece of jewelry}

ONE MONTH!

2011-10-11T20:54:00.000-07:00

Today is the one month mark! We get more and more excited each day, and today we got an extra boost of excitement! Molly is measuring right on track, and still super active. We had our breastfeeding class tonight and I think she was getting jealous of the baby that they had us use. She kept kicking at it ;)
Because I only have one month left, I thought I would share some of my pregnancy happenings since I haven't done much of that.

-Mexican is my go to fast food.
-I can't keep down a cheeseburger. (Yes, even still)
-I love chicken sandwiches and chicken nuggets.
-Molly constantly hiccups. (I love it!)
-I've had Pepsi my entire pregnancy.
-I don't have a single stretch mark.
-Daisy loves to spoon my belly at night when we sleep. She's the perfect body pillow :)
-My feet have grown half a size.
-My belly button has turned blue.

That's all for now! I'll save the cravings and rejections on a different post :)

{35 weeks!}

Bee Sting

2011-10-09T22:36:00.000-07:00

While on our afternoon walk today, Miss Daisy got curious with a bee.
Well, curiosity stung her right on the lip. She yelped, and then tried to eat it. (Take that bee!) I picked her up and took her back home to remove the stinger. She was such a good girl and let me take care of it. Her lip didn't swell, so I'm guessing the stinger mustn't have penetrated enough? Not sure how the bee sting thing works. Anyway, I removed it and popped a Benadryl in her mouth and gave her a treat for being such a good girl.
I'm surprised there are still bees out there! Isn't this weather too cold for them?

{There's the stinger, hanging off her little lip}

{All gone!}

35 Weeks

2011-10-07T20:43:00.000-07:00

Today I am 35 weeks! Baby Molly is almost here and we are SO excited!!! Panic mode is definitely setting in and I'm trying to stay calm. Whoever said that the last half of pregnancy goes by slowly was lying because the days are going by so quickly! A lot of people, including my Nurses, have said that I'll probably come early so that's definitely pushing my panic button.
We've finally got our house rearranged and her furniture in the nursery, though some of it still needs setting up. When it's done it will be so cute :)
I pretty much have everything made for her that I've wanted to do, I'm just waiting for my showers so that I can make matching headbands to go with her outfits!
We still have some decluttering and organizing to do, but it's nothing major. Once that is done our home will be all ready! Yay!
I forgot to take a belly picture today, so please enjoy the one of Baby Molly's Thanksgiving outfit :) She has a matching headband and everything!

{Her boots look huge but they're 0-6 weeks}

Snow Way...

2011-10-06T22:24:00.000-07:00

Yes, that is SNOW! Yes, it is only October 6th. Yes, it is too early. Yes, we should be crunching leaves right now. NO, I am not happy about it. The only good thing about today's weather was my cute peacoat that I can still wear AND my second round of Starbucks Caramel Apple Spice. yum :)

up-diddly-date

2011-09-21T20:38:00.000-07:00

Well, we are down to having weekly appointments AND weekly NST's! First let me just say that the NST's are quite wonderful. You get to sit in a super duper comfy chair while listening to your baby's heartbeat!
Baby Girl is measuring right on track, and they estimated that she weighs about 4 lbs 13 oz! She is such a cute little wiggle worm, and it is so much fun to watch her move.
Her crib bumper is done and it is so.dang.cute!!! But you don't get to see it until we get her crib set up :)

{Belly picture at 32 weeks!}

Do You Pintrest?

2011-09-16T20:28:00.000-07:00

I sure don't! Good grief, I have so many friends that are addicted to this... it's crazy! (I still love you guys!) I'm sure that it's fun to see every one's 'pins' or whatever they're called, but I am so busy these days! Like make cute things for my little girl! I really wanted to make a cute changing pad that matched my diaper bag, and I am so happy with how it turned out! I used iron on vinyl for the first time with this project and it isn't that bad to work with! (Many women told me I would hate working with it. Wrong!) Anyway, my wonderful Mother did the binding for me as it is my LEAST favorite thing about sewing. (Thanks Mom!)

{It is going to match the diaper bag perfectly!}

{I added some detail to girl it up. I'm a little in love with felt}

{Pardon the glare, but you can still see the cute birdies!}

I seriously can't wait to lay Baby Girl's little bum bum on this and change it :) Even if she did just have a blow out.
You can find the tutorial for this here. Jill's blog is always so much fun to follow!

Yo

2011-09-10T19:34:00.000-07:00

I have a fondness of fabric yoyo's and really wanted a fun, cute pillow to put on the rocker/glider for Baby's nursery. SO the other night I whipped one up and I LOVE it! I used all scraps and it cost me nothing! (I already had the pillow form) Yay for cheap things!

Nesting

2011-09-06T19:23:00.000-07:00

Well peeps, this chic has started nesting. I'm not gonna lie, I actually like doing it. But I'm pretty sure that our house is going to be a complete mess up until baby chickie comes. On top of the nesting, I'm itching to do crafts every night which is lovely. I've got some awesome projects that I'm working on and can't wait to share!
Speaking of crafts, here are a few 'friends' I have made for our Baby Girl. I LOVE them and can't wait for her to cuddle up with them when she is older.

Feathery

2011-09-02T16:52:00.000-07:00

I gave in to the trend and got a hair feather. I'm quite fond of it, and like that it's subtle. It matches my panels, and can go with any outfit :) I just might have to get another!

:)

2011-09-01T21:06:00.000-07:00

This made my day! Now I want another one.

And We're Done!

2011-08-31T19:26:00.000-07:00

Well folks... I am finished buying furniture for Baby's nursery! And I did it all for under $100! woot woot! Yesterday I went to the DI and found our rocker/glider. It's in really good condition and just needs to be re-upholstered AND it was $15! Another woot woot! I am going to paint it white, and re-upholster it in a neutral fabric that I was able to get from work for free! One last woot woot! It feels good to not have to worry about the furniture any more :) Now let the re-finishing begin!

{Thank you DI angels!}

Epic...

2011-08-27T22:52:00.000-07:00

Today was an EPIC day!!! Lets just say I was greatly blessed by the KSL Gods :) I bought all of Baby Girls furniture (crib, mattress, and changing table) for $70!!! And the furniture is exactly what I wanted! Jenny Lind, baby :) I used her crib in all of my nursery projects for school, so it feels like one of them is coming to life. (Love when that happens)
The crib is white, just like I wanted, and is going to look adorable with the bedding. And, the changing table is going to get a lovely coat of grey paint on it which I'm really excited about!
I can't wait to put her room together!

{Love this crib!}

{Imagine this cleaned up and grey! Just Lovely!}

And Here We Go...

2011-08-23T17:57:00.000-07:00

Wow, time is flying by! And I'm actually okay with it. Only 12 more weeks and we get to meet our little girl! I have been so busy with work and life that I come home so pooped out. I have a bajillion things I want to make, and have to remind myself not to stress if I can't get it done. The one thing that I DO want to make sure is complete is the quilt I have been working on. It's turning out super cute and I have put myself on a schedule to get it sewn together by the weekend. I just need to sew five strips together a day! It's manageable and I'm not going to wear myself out over it. Lovely!

On a less crafty note, last week I had my heart appointment and my heart hasn't changed a.single.bit! Not even a millimeter!! I have been given a green light for a regular delivery, which is awesome! Also, today I had my regular OB appointment to check on Baby Girl and we're both measuring right on track! I now start having appointments every two weeks and once I hit 32 weeks I get to have weekly NST's!

There's No Place Like Home!

2011-08-19T21:02:00.000-07:00

For those of you who haven't heard... Giggy is home!!! She is back on Medical Release and we are so excited to have her back! We picked her up from the airport tonight and it was so wonderful to see her. Baby Girl has been so excited for her to come home that she has been kicking and punching all day! (Seriously)
I'm so happy that she will be here when her niece is born, and now we can go shopping together!!! Welcome home Giggy!

{Waiting for Giggy!}

{There she is!}

{Welcome Home!!!}

{28 weeks baby!}

{SO happy to have my sister home!}

Double Digits

2011-08-06T13:32:00.001-07:00

We are in the double digits people! I'm 26 weeks to be exact, and Baby Girl weighs 1lb 14 oz!!! We had our appointment earlier this week and she is measuring exactly on track! (Maybe she will come on her due date!? Pretty please!) She has started to hiccup (which I think is adorable) and she is no longer breech. For being so small she sure knows how to pack a punch!
We have received some fun goodies in the mail, and I love looking at them. I've had a hard time putting them in the Rubbermaid along with everything else :)
Crafting is coming along, and I FINALLY am happy with the nursery colors. I bought some fabric for the crib quilt and was un-happy with it. So I finally found one that I love and am content with. I'm still not able to craft as much as I used too, but that's okay because I am loving reading 'The Help'. You seriously should read this book. love.it! 'Water For Elephants' is next on my list!
Have a wonderful weekend!

{Little baby shoes!!! We can't wait to dress her up in them}

{New nursery/quilt colors! I am finally happy, haha}

{26 weeks!}

Pop!

2011-08-01T19:25:00.000-07:00

Even with two layers of tops on, my belly button still wants to pop out. I kinda like it :)

Vintage, Baby

2011-07-31T18:27:00.001-07:00

My Mom and I had so much fun 'treasure hunting' yesterday! While looking for one of my old baby blankies, we came across my old baby clothes!!! Most of them I remembered from pictures, but there were a few that I had never seen before.
It's crazy because one of the sweaters my Mom even wore when she was little! (Now that really IS vintage! hehehe) I've really taken on a liking to the Baby Dior outfit that I used to wear. What can I say... I love me some designer names :) When I told Steve about it his response was, "Dior is that old?" Oh, Steve... Only you would say that :)
Anyway, I'm very excited to dress up our little girl in them when she arrives, but some of them will have to wait for her to grow up.
Here are some pictures of our findings!

{My blessing dress}

{My Mom wore this sweater as a baby! This sucker is 49 years old!}

{The fabulous Baby Dior!}

Mmmm, Market Pantry

2011-07-29T22:08:00.000-07:00

For those of you that do not shop at Target, I'm sorry. You're missing out on some pretty awesome stuff. Steve and I live by the lovely 'Tarjay', and it's the only grocery store that is near by. (I honestly don't mind, and hope to now always live by one!)
Recently I have fallen in love with a ton of their Market Pantry items. I'm being totally honest when I say that this store brand kicks some name brand butt! I used to only buy name brand foods and the thought of a lesser brand grossed me out. (I like my food, what can I say!?) Anyway, with Baby on the way we decided to re-work the food budget (because it was our biggest splurge) and that's when I decided to go ahead and try the lesser brand. Um, their Macaroni and Cheese ROCKED my world!!! This stuff is ten times better than Kraft Mac n' Cheese! I was beside myself with how yummy it was. AND it's way cheaper! Now every time I go to the store, I buy four boxes of it and put it away in my food storage. Yum yum yum, cheap cheap cheap!
Also, the other thing that rocked my world was their Cocoa Rageous cereal. Again, WAY better than it's name brand friend Cocoa Pebbles. I consumed the entire box tonight, and was quite sad that I didn't have a back up. SO, it looks like I'm going back tomorrow to stock up :)
I've only mentioned a few Market Pantry things that are awesome, but I promise you there are WAY more! The chicken nuggets, frozen juices, sauces.... I could go on!
I guess the point of this post was to say that name brand's aren't everything I cracked them up to be. (Mother, take note that I am saying this)
I highly recommend that you all try at least the Mac n' Cheese, because if I loved it your kids will go nuts for it :} Happy shopping!

{I seriously feel like this after every trip there}

Loving It

2011-07-12T21:16:00.000-07:00

Our Baby Girl has been SO active the past couple days and I am loving it!!! It is the most fabulous feeling ever. On July 1st, when I turned 21 weeks, Steve was able to feel her dancing around. The look on his face was wonderful, and he was so excited! It definitely made the pregnancy more real for him.
Also, we've got a name 'simmering'! (Well, Steve has it simmering still. I think) When we talk about our little girl I say her 'name' and he doesn't say anything bad about it, so I'm hoping it's the one!
Here's some pregnancy pictures for your viewing pleasure :)

This Is Awesome....

2011-07-08T16:19:00.000-07:00

So, I'm hoping that you've all seen the adorable Disney/Pixar movie "Up". If not, go watch it.
Bangerter Homes, a local builder here in Utah, as built a 'replica' of the iconic "Up" house!!!! It has been built in Herriman, Utah and will be featured in the Salt Lake Parade of Homes!!! (I am definitely going to go see this.)
Check out the article KSL News did on this amazing home!

ksl.com - Builders bring 'Up' house to life in Utah

Sew Happy Together

2011-07-06T18:41:00.001-07:00

I've been doing a lot of sewing lately, and Daisy LOVES to be involved. For reals. She has to make sure that Mommy is doing a good job with Baby Sister's things :)
If she isn't on my lap, which she loves, she is on the floor right next to me watching everything that I do giving me the 'I really want be up there with you' look. (She does the look well)
While I was sewing the other night, Steve snapped these pictures.

Happy Birthday America!

2011-07-05T17:18:00.000-07:00

Our 4th of July was wonderful! We had a fabulous time with our family roasting hot dogs, eating yummy food and setting off fireworks. (Daisy did so well with the fireworks this year.) And oh man, we loved the new 'legal' fireworks!!! Everyone was setting them off and there was an amazing show everywhere you looked!
We had fun celebrating America's birthday and are so blessed to live in this free Country!

{Red, White and Blue! I love my little family!}

{Daisy had a blast playing with the cousins. She's such a happy girl}

{I'm so glad we were able to spend the Holiday together. I sure love him}

{Sparklers!!}

{Papa keeping Daisy warm}

Time Flies...

2011-07-02T21:48:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it has been one year since we got Daisy!?! I never understood how much people could love their dogs until we got her. She is our family. Our child. We are so excited for her baby sister to get here, because she LOVES kids.
I feel like such a bad Mom, because I forgot to make her party hat. I had it all planned out and totally forgot! We didn't forgot her present though. We bought her favorite treat... a 'bully stick'. This amazing treat gives Steve and I a guaranteed half hour of silence everyday. It's wonderful :)
We had a fabulous first year with her and can't wait for more!

{One year ago! She was so tiny!}

{She loves nap time with Papa}

{She loves car rides! I just adore her wrinkled little bum}

{Always a happy puppy!}

Did You Know...

2011-06-29T19:50:00.000-07:00

All four of us are pregnant! That's pretty awesome.

{Vienna: Due September, Me: Due November, Teresa: Due January, Jenell: Due August}

Relieved

2011-06-28T21:45:00.000-07:00

Pretty sure the title says it all. I.am.relieved. Today Baby Girl had her echo appointment, and it went wonderfully. This was the appointment I was most nervous for. Not only was there a chance of our sweet baby having Marfans, but Brandon was born with a hole in his heart and so there was also that possibility. I've had my fair share of echo's, and I'm kind of a pro at reading the Tech's face. I could tell that everything was going well, but we needed to hear it from the Doctors. They came in and told us that her heart was free of defects and totally healthy. What a relief. I cried on my way back in to work, thanking Heavenly Father over and over for blessing us with a healthy baby.
One of my favorite parts of the appointment was when we saw her sucking on her thumb. It was the cutest thing! We get to see her again next week and can't wait!
On a different note, this picture makes me smile. My sister is feeling the Pepsi love in the Philippines. Mmmm. I told her that when she comes home she needs to bring me back a bottle. Speaking of my favorite beverage, if you see a Pepsi onesie please let me know. I'm in the market for one :)

Nursery Things...

2011-06-26T21:29:00.000-07:00

Well, I am starting to work on items for the Nursery a bit! I have been eyeballing this lovely fabric for a few weeks, and when I found out we were having a girl I knew I wanted it for the crib bumper. Lucky me got it on sale at Calico Corners and it should be here sometime next week!

I also ordered some fabric off of Etsy to make a quilt and burp cloths and such. I'm stuck as to what quilt pattern to do. I've seen so many cute ones, but I want this to be different and nothing that I have done before. Maybe I'll just make something up :)

We don't plan on gutting the Nursery until Fall comes. It's a little too hot right now and we have plenty of time. So until our little girl arrives, everything is being stored in a Rubbermaid waiting for her :)

More BT Love

2011-06-21T19:31:00.000-07:00

I just ordered this sweet little thing off Etsy for our Baby Girl. When it gets here, I'm going to iron on a bow to make it a bit more girly and Daisy like. I seriously cannot wait to dress our little one in it :)

Say Uncle!

2011-06-19T20:51:00.000-07:00

I sure love my Uncle :) Every week I text my family a picture of my slowly growing belly. One Uncle is out in Texas, and the other I see like four times a year. (Lame!) Neither of them do the following of the blog thing. (Gotta keep them in the loop somehow!) Anyway, I sent out my 19 week picture and this is what my Uncle Richard sends back to me...

Clearly he looks more pregnant than I do :) One of the many reasons why I love him. Oh, and he has a wicked awesome chicken coop. (I'll do a post on that one day.) Only he could get away with this ;)
So basically this public post is his punishment for making fun of me, hehehe. (Love you Uncle Richard!)
Here's my slowly growing belly at 19 weeks!

It's a....

2011-06-16T21:06:00.000-07:00

We're having a sweet little baby GIRL!!!

Steve and I are so excited, we already can't wait to meet her!
The ultrasound was quite long because she was such a wiggler! (Note, do not drink Pepsi before next ultrasound) The tech didn't think that we would be able to find out today, but after me using the restroon to free up some space we were able to get that one clear shot! At one point during the ultra sound, she waived at us and it just made me so happy. Her heart rate is at a healthy/strong 144. It is always such a relief to see that everything is going well.
I had dessert waiting for Steve when he got home from work. It was pink themed, and so fun! We had strawberry cakes and raspberry floats. Yum!
After dessert we watched the ultrasound and I loved watching Steve's face melt when he saw our sweet baby girl wiggling around my tummy.
We have her Echo in two weeks, and then another ultrasound a week after that. We're so excited to see her again so soon.
I have been able to feel her move the past two weeks and it has been so fun. It still seems a little unreal most days, but once my tummy pops I'm sure it will all sink in :)

{Our yummy pink themed dessert}

{Steve and Daisy!}

{We're SO excited!!!}

Stay Tuned...

2011-06-15T18:28:00.000-07:00

Our appointment today was cancelled. I'm not too happy about it, mostly because now Steve won't be able to be there. It was really important to me that he was there and I'm so bummed that he won't be. After lots of crying on my part, he said that it was okay if I went without him and this kind of thing happens all the time.
So, tomorrow afternoon I will hopefully find out! Fingers crossed that Baby's legs wont be :)

Boy or Girl!?!

2011-06-13T10:43:00.000-07:00

Well, the time is almost here! Steve and I will find out on Wednesday if we are having a little boy or a little girl! We are very excited for either one, and can't wait to find out! I haven't really read the Old Wives tales, so we will see if my symptoms match up to theirs.
Since I found out I was pregnant I have felt that we are having a boy, however everyone else thinks that a baby girl is bakin' in my oven. We will see! All that we want is for our Baby to be healthy and Marfan free.
I have the nursery mostly planned out and it is pretty gender netural.
There is one thing that I have been dying to purchase and after we find out I am hopping online to buy one! Since we love our Daisy so much and have become fans of BT's, I am incoorperating a little into the nursery! These fun paintings are from an Artist on Etsy, rubenacker. We love his stuff!

{If we have a boy}

{And if we have a girl}

Aren't those just THE cutest things!?! I just realized that in the tea party painting, the BT is wearing a daisy on her hat. How fitting!
Normal people would celebrate by buying clothes. Not me. I've always been an Interiors kind of girl :)
So tell me, are you team blue or team pink!?!

18 Weeks & A Baby Purchase!

2011-06-10T19:39:00.000-07:00

Well, I think my title is self explanatory :)
Today I am 18 weeks along! I finally have my appetite back AND my skin is clearing up. I knew it was those darn hormone pills! It is so nice to be off of them, I can't even tell you.
As for my purchase, well I am so so happy with it! For the past few weeks I have been researching diaper bags and fell in love with the Skip Hop Duo diaper bag! It has received the Parenting Magazine award as a 'best product', and has so many great reviews. Well, it's not on the cheap side and so it has been just a wish. WELL, I was on KSL last night and guess what was on there for half the price!?! A brand new, never been used AND in the exact fabric I wanted it in Skip Hop Duo!!!!! I could hardly sleep last night, I was so excited about my amazing find. All I wanted to do was text the seller and grab it before someone else did. So first thing I did when I woke up this morning was called the seller and bought it! I am so happy with it and even happier that it was half the price and in my desired fabric. What luck!!! I can't wait to use it, but until Baby comes it's going into the Rubbermaid along with the other few things I have in there.

{18 weeks!}

{L.O.V.E it!}

{I could have worn this around the house all evening}

Meet The Kiddos

2011-06-09T19:33:00.000-07:00

So the main reason we took our girl trip to Gillette, WY was to see Jenell and the kiddos! I haven't seen them in three years, and had never met Becca. It was so wonderful to see them and hang out together! We went out for dinner one night to a little Mexican restaurant in town and and they totally came out of their little shy shells! They were giggling and running around all over the place. Mason and Aubrey thought it was funny to crawl under the table and 'tickle' me. I kept telling them that if they did it I would throw them into the pool! Well, they beat me to the pool, but we all had fun splashing and jumping in it. After swimming we had cookies, milk and popcorn. Yum!
I miss them already, and hope that we can see them again sometime soon! Baby needs to meet its cousins at one point!

{Mr.Mason, Becca, Aubrey and I}

{The whole gang! Well, kind of.}

{Cute picture of Teresa and the kiddos}

{Jenell, Vienna and I}

{Becca is ready to go swimming!! I just can't get enough of her cute little face!}

{Mom Goates on towel duty! When Becca would get cold they would snuggle in the towel together. It was so cute!}

{Pool time!}

{Becca chillin' in bed eating her cookie}

Mount Rushmore!

2011-06-07T19:13:00.000-07:00

Well, I am back from my girl trip! It was so much fun, and now I am so exhausted :) I loved Mount Rushmore so I thought I'd write about it first!
It was only a two hour drive from Gillette, WY so of course we had to go and see it! On the drive there, it was only appropriate that we watch National Treasure 2 in preparation for the Mount.
We went on THE perfect day. It was cool, the sun was shining, and there were zero clouds to block our view! It was so interesting to learn about Mount Rushmore. I'm sure I learned about it in school at one point, but I have long forgot it.
My favorite had to be my Marfan friend, Abe. Not just because we have something in common, but I liked how defined his face was compared to the others.
It was amazing to see and I'm so glad I got to experience it with Family!
Afterwards, we went out to dinner at Ruby Tuesday's. I can happily say that I was actually craving meat! I ordered the petite sirloin and it was SO yummy! Too bad I threw it all up :( I was totally bummed, but at least I got to savor it for a bit.
We were so exhausted that we crashed in our beds when we got back to the hotel. It was such a beautiful day and I'm so thankful to my in-laws for the opportunity to see an amazing piece of our US history!

{You pass all the State flags as you enter the Park}

{Vienna, Teresa and I}

{Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln}

{This was taken inside a slit in the rock. Pretty cool view}

{This was a smaller, more 'complete' version. The original plan was to give them more chest exposure, but it never was done. Even though it doesn't seem that way, Mount Rushmore is considered complete.}

{Teresa and Arlene}

{Vienna and Me. Both preggers!}

Bingham Graduation!

2011-06-02T21:55:00.000-07:00

Well, my little Brother is all graduated! I can't believe it! I am so proud of him and excited for his new journey to college.
Bingham graduation was held at UVU, and it was actually an interesting program. There were 736 Graduates this year and all their scholarships combined equalled to a little over $5 million! (New record!)
After graduation, we went to The Training Table (as is tradition), ate some yummy cheese fries, and handed out gifts.
We gave Gerrit the cutest graduation card and a gift card to Target so that he can pimp out his dorm this Fall! My parents have a tradition of giving us kids watches when we graduate and he got a sweet Fossil watch with orange accents. Gerrit loves the Netherlands, hence the orange :)
For his graduation trip he and my Dad get to go all over Europe for a few weeks! They are going to have so much fun, and I'm jealous of all the yummy pastries they will get to eat.
Congratulations Gerrit! I'm SO proud of you!

{Gerrit and I}

{Isn't his outfit cute!? Blue for Bingham :) His blue shoes made it easy to spot him amongst his fellow graduates}

{His adorable card that I cannot get over. It's a cute little Daisy pup! And I just noticed the collar is also blue!}

We've Had A Busy Week!

2011-05-29T10:04:00.000-07:00

I think the title speaks for its self... This was one crazy busy week, and I'm pooped out.
First off, I want to start by sharing some awesome news! I went to see my Cardiologist earlier this week and (drum roll please) my heart hasn't changed a single bit!!! It has stayed the same through surgery, overloads of caffeine, oodles of stress and pregnancy! I was really surprised when she informed me, and SO relieved! If my heart stays like this the rest of my pregnancy, or only gets slightly worse, I have several options for delivery and during the pregnancy will not have to go on the meds. Since Baby is getting bigger it gets its very own Echo done when I am at 20 weeks. (This means that they will only be checking on Baby's heart to see how it is doing.) I don't have to see my Cardiologist again until I am 27 weeks! I can't tell you how relieved Steve and I are, but now we anxiously await the 20 week Echo.
This week we had three Family gatherings! Saturday I was in Henefer for my cousin's baby shower. It was so fun to see all those cute little baby things, and I started making a mental list of what I wanted :)
Thursday we celebrated my Grandparent's 50th Anniversary at The Olive Garden. We had such a great time together!
And then Friday we celebrated Arlene's birthday! We went to Simply Thai for dinner, Cold Stone for dessert, and then played a victorious game of Cranium! (Go team green!)
This coming week is going to be even more crazy. I have craft night with J, Gerrit's Graduation, and us Goates girls (I guess Teresa is considered a Payne now) are going on a road trip to Gillette Wyoming to see Mason, Aubrey, Becca and Jenell! We are SO excited!
I really lacked in the picture taking department this week, so excuse my laziness.

{Candi, Me, Jess and Kendra!
Jess is due June 10 and Candi is due July 13. They're both having boys!}

Baby Bump

2011-05-17T17:37:00.000-07:00

Today Steve and I went to our Doctor Appointment and were able to see our Baby! I am happy to say that my uterus has corrected its self and I was able to have a normal ultrasound *phew*
Our little Baby was having quite the party in my tummy! It was going all over the place- kicking its legs and waiving its arms... It was THE cutest thing. Our Technician couldn't get over how cute it was, she got just as excited as we did. Because its legs were spread apart, she said that maybe we could find out the gender! I'm only 14 weeks 4 days, and I told her I was fine with waiting. We officially find out the flavor on June 15th!!!
Anyway, my tummy has 'popped' and I now sport around a very small baby bump. If you didn't know I was pregnant, you'd think I ate a big lunch. Steve and I are loving the bump and can't wait to watch it grow.

{14 weeks 4 days}

Today I Met Amy Butler

2011-05-10T21:47:00.000-07:00

Today I had the privilege to meet the amazing Amy Butler. I've been a big fan of hers for a few years now and absolutely love her work. In the few minutes that I spoke with her I realized that not only is she extremely talented and creative, but she is so genuine and down to earth. I highly recommend you read her bio. It will make you want to be a better person. (I promise)
Anyway, I had her sign my piece of fabric from her new Soul Blossoms line. (It's totally fabulous!) I am going to incorporate it into my quilt that I have been working on for a while now, the Brick Path Quilt also by Amy Butler. When it's finished it will be so fun to see her signature on it somewhere :)
While I was in line at The Material Girls Quilts waiting to see her, they had a drawing to win some of Amy's patterns. I never win, but thought I'd fill it out to waste some time. Well guess what!?! I won the jackpot!!! Three Amy Butler patterns!!! boo-ya!
I think that I am most excited to make the Honey Bun Poufs. They will be perfect for Baby's nursery!
If you haven't yet seen Amy's new Spring line, you must! It's wonderful!

Girls Day Out

2011-05-08T21:06:00.000-07:00

This weekend was absolutely beautiful and I was able to spend it with my mother and sisters-in-law! We spent the day shopping for fabrics for baby projects and had a yummy lunch at Cafe Rio. It was wonderful to spend some girl time together and craft. Myself and two other sisters-in-law are currently pregnant, so it's an exciting time for the family! Hopefully we can have more days like this before the little ones come along :)

{Shopping at Gardner Village.
Vienna (20 weeks along), Arlene, Me (13 weeks along), and Newlywed Teresa!}

Gift Ideas For Mother's Day

2011-05-03T16:51:00.000-07:00

Well Mother's Day somehow snuck up on me this year! For the first time I feel unprepared, so I took to the Internet for some ideas and thought I would share with you.

This idea reminds me of my Grama, because she is always in her pair of slippers. Why not spice them up with a little personality!?!

The slippers on the right come from rufflesandstuff.com. Check out the wonderful tutorial Disney put together for it!

My Mom and Mother-in-law both love herbs and this cute little kit is wonderful for this time of year as they are getting their gardens ready!

Mom's are harsh on their hands with all they do around the house, so some homemade hand scrub is perfect for getting them smooth again!

If your Mom has an unorganized craft room, help her out to organize a few things. This is such an inexpensive/space saving idea for needles and thread!

All these ideas, except the slippers from rufflesandstuff, came from the wonderful Martha Stewart! There are so many great ideas on her website... Go see for yourself!

It's About TIME!!!!

2011-04-28T19:45:00.001-07:00

Oh my heck, I am so freaking EXCITED!
H&M is FINALLY coming to UTAH! KSL posted the story today which makes it official in my book. It will be located at Fashion Place Mall (right across the street from my work) and it will be ready this Fall!!! Do you know what this means!?! Trendy clothes for Baby!

11 Weeks 4 Days

2011-04-26T18:16:00.000-07:00

We got to see the Baby again today! It was so wonderful to hear its strong, healthy heart beat.
So far this pregnancy has been easy breezy. I have been so blessed!
Three more weeks and we get to see Baby again :)

Crocheting I Go...

2011-04-25T19:15:00.000-07:00

Well, I am finally going to learn how to crochet! I can't believe it has taken me this long to learn. (Now hopefully I can cross it off my 'Must Learn' list)
Because Baby will be born in the chilly season, I thought it would be fun to make some cute little hats and other fun things :) We don't find out the gender until mid June, so that gives me plenty of time to practice! Wish me luck!

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T20:02:00.000-07:00

Royal Wedding Fever

2011-04-22T19:11:00.000-07:00

My goodness, I have a very severe case of Royal Wedding Fever. I have watched every special about William and Kate, Princess Diana, and anything else related to the Royals. Everyday I wonder what will her dress look like? How will she do her hair? She has to wear long sleeves (which for some reason has been a concern to me) What if it looks bad? I hope she wears a 3/4 sleeve bolero! I hope her hair is up and loose! Yes, the inner Wedding Planner inside of me is freaking out about details that I really shouldn't be caring about.
I love watching The Middle on ABC, and this weeks episode was awesome. Basically the wife, Frankie, was treating the Royal Wedding as though it was the Super Bowl. I loved it!
It's events like this that make me wish I still had my DVR, but not having to pay extra for it has been pretty nice. SO, because I have to work on the blessed day I am going to get up at the crack of dawn and watch some history take place!!! We have a TV in our bedroom, so I can still be all comfy in bed :) We have two TVs at my work and I have even requested that they be tuned in all day for the coverage. It will be epic.
Please oh please let this coming week fly by!

Baby On Board!

2011-04-18T17:09:00.000-07:00

Well it's time to share the news...

Steve and I are EXPECTING! Our baby is due 11-11-11!

The Yarn Wreath

2011-04-16T13:40:00.000-07:00

You know you've seen these wreaths all over Etsy and like every craft blog. If not, I'm not sure where you've been :) I have seen so many different versions of the lovely yarn wreath and decided that I would do my own! It costs hardly nothing to make (which is crazy because people are charging so much for them) and it's super duper easy.
I've been asked to make several, so on my next one I will try to make a tutorial.
My color pallet inspiration came from a Lauren (by Ralph Lauren) throw pillow at work that I just love to pieces. I added a rustic element to it by using bronze nailheads instead of the traditional pearl you see everyone using. It's simple and I love how it turned out. I can't wait to start the others!

Wedding Weekend!

2011-04-11T19:47:00.001-07:00

Well Steve's big Sis, Teresa, got married over the weekend!
The ceremony and reception were lovely and we are so excited for them and this new chapter in their lives.
It was fun to hang out with family, especially for Steve. His older brother, Rick, came in town from Texas and we haven't seen him since April 2008! When these boys get together you better watch out. They.are.trouble. Trouble as in they dare each other to do stupid things, like swallow a gumball whole. Gotta love 'em :)
Anyway, I didn't take many pictures (shame on me) but I'll post some when I see them!

{I love my man. He's so handsome all gussied up}

{The 'Rat Pack' as they called themselves}

New...

2011-03-28T20:14:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally got a new position at work that I LOVE! I'm in a new division, working with awesome designers and the gal I work under is pretty much amazing! It's only been two weeks and already I'm loving it.
I'm really using my skills I learned while in school (finally) and I get to meet some of Utah's most talented designers. It's pretty much the.bomb! Don't believe me? Grab in issue of this Springs Utah Style and Design!
Oh yes, and I was asked to be a judge for a certain Design Event coming up. Not gonna lie, I am super excited and flattered! (I can't give many details, but once the event is over I might be able to say something!)

Puppy Graduation!

2011-03-26T09:18:00.000-07:00

Miss Daisy graduated puppy school the other night and we are so proud of her. There are a few things we still need to work on, but other than that she did great!
She got to make lots of puppy friends... Our favorite was our fellow BT Scarlet. She is the cutest thing! I love how different every BT is. Scarlet is much younger than Daisy, but already as big! We have a petite little lady on our hands :) There were about six puppies in the class and it's crazy how fast they grow. They were adorable puppies when we started and now they are almost full grown. Crazy!
We really enjoyed going to classes, but it will be nice to have our Thursday nights back.

{The hats make it official!}

{Me and Daisy with Hannah and Scarlet!}

I Spy...

2011-03-23T19:04:00.000-07:00

My Sister! At a Missionary Devotional! My Mom was reading an article online at Deseret News and came across this picture. Pretty neat!
(Notice her adorable rosebud headband? I made it!)
Here's the link to the article...

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700120917/Select-group-of-missionaries-serving-online.html

Make Your Own Fabric Freshener!

2011-03-21T18:49:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty much obsessed with Febreze. It's a must have in our home so that everything can always smell yummy. It gets pretty expensive at the rate I go through it SO my Mom let me in on a little secret. You see, she makes her own fabric freshener! (That's only one of the many things she home makes! Boo-ya)
This recipe is so simple!

3 Cups Water
3 Tbls Rubbing Alcohol
3 Tbls Fabric Softener (Whatever your favorite may be!)

Pour everything into a bottle (I re-used one of my Febreze bottles) and give it a gentle shaky shake. Ta da! You just saved yourself a couple buckaroos! I have already done my spritzing rounds and my home smells so clean!
Enjoy :)

I Miss You...

2011-03-19T20:01:00.000-07:00

It's days like today that make me miss Fall. I loved the cool crisp air, and the lovely overcast weather. If only there were thousands of leaves for me to crunch and jump in, followed by some Starbucks Caramel Apple Cider. Mmmm. Can it be Fall yet? Is there a place where it's Fall all the time? No, but seriously... I.miss.Fall! I would rather just skip over Spring and Summer. Mmmm k?
On a different note, I watched The Young Victoria last night and cried like a baby. I haven't watched a great Romance movie in a long time and I'm glad I did. If you haven't it's definitely a MUST!
P.S. I LOVE having Netflix on my phone. Best.thing.ever!!!

We {heart} Food

2011-03-14T19:32:00.000-07:00

Today I ordered the Our Best Bites Cookbook! I am beyond excited for it to get here!!! I absolutely love their website and have enjoyed all of their recipes I have made.
Having all of their delicious recipes in a book is going to be much easier than always having to bring the laptop into the kitchen.
Steve's excited because this means lots of good food is coming his way for the next few weeks :)

Pedicure Heaven

2011-03-13T20:10:00.000-07:00

Justine and I went to get pedi's yesterday for some nice relaxing girl time. We went to Dante Salon in Sandy and it was wonderful! They have the nicest chairs, and the ladies that worked on us were amazing! They have definitely won me over :)
Afterwords, we went to Zupas for dinner. Can I just say that their Wild Mushroom Bisque is ah-mazing!!!!! Holy cow. I only had a sample while we were there, but I ran back over before they closed for a bowl. If you haven't tried it, you must!
It was so nice to spend some time with Justine before little London comes.

Missionary Blog

2011-03-11T20:31:00.000-08:00

I have my Sister's Missionary blog up and running! My Mom and I will update it with her letters, news, and pictures! We hope you'll take a peak!
http://sisterkemker.blogspot.com/

It's Done!

2011-03-07T18:43:00.000-08:00

I finally got Justine's baby quilt finished, and it turned out SO ADORABLE! (The pictures don't do it justice.) Today, I gave it to her and she loved it! I can't wait to see it in her nursery, with little London wrapped in it :)
Now on to make a baby quilt for my twin!

St. George Wedding Weekend

2011-03-06T17:11:00.000-08:00

Well this has been one crazy busy week for my Family! We as soon as we sent Giggy off, we headed down to St.George for my cousins wedding!
It was the perfect day. Sunny and warm :) While the adults were in the sealing, I got to babysit the little kiddos so we took advantage of the sunshine and played outside.
After the temple, we headed to the luncheon where they served Pizza Factory pizza! YUM!
Overall, it was a lovely day and it was so nice to spend some time with my Family.
Laurie and Bruce are such a cute couple and I am so happy for them!

{Introducing Laurie and Bruce Talbot!}

{Me and my buddy Nathan}

{This is my favorite picture from her Bridals! I did her hair and makeup and it all turned out lovely!}

{The happy couple!}

{Gerrit and I}

{This is the quilt that my Mom made for them}

So Long, Farewell...

2011-03-05T18:54:00.000-08:00

Well, she's gone. It's crazy to think that we won't see her for 18 months but we're proud of her.
She did an amazing job on her talk and we're so grateful for all those who came and showed their support! She is going to be an amazing Missionary!
I am currently working on a blog for her so that friends and family can see what she is up to while away! I'll let you know when it's up and going. Stay tuned :)

{Me, Candi, Giggy, Jess, and Kendra}

{Me, Giggy, and Laurie!}

{Note that Giggy is standing on her tippy toes, she is not that tall. Haha}

One Week From Today...

2011-02-23T18:47:00.000-08:00

My little Sister will be at the Provo MTC, and we won't see her for 18 months.
It's definitely bittersweet. I am SO proud of her, but I can't imagine her not being around.
Today my Mom, Sister and I hung out to enjoy some quality 'girl time' before she leaves.
We went up to the Gateway to do some shopping for her bedroom because it's getting a makeover while she is gone! While at the Z Gallery, I bought the FUNNIEST book! We were laughing so hard, we couldn't breath!
Afterwards we went to lunch at Settebello. If you live in SLC you MUST go there! We had an amazing pizza and some gelato. Yum. I am hoping to get Steve to take me there soon because I am already craving it!
We had a really fun day together and I literally dropped from shopping. (This seldom happens, and means that intense shopping was involved.)
I'm glad I still get a few days with Giggy before she leaves!

{Mom, Giggy and I}

{Hello Ricotta with Balsamic gelato! I think you are my new favorite flavor!}

{You MUST go here!}

{This is THE funniest book! I haven't laughed this hard in a long time!}

{Gerrit thought the book was funny too}

Buh Bye FB

2011-02-21T21:11:00.000-08:00

Well I deleted my Facebook account. It's been about a week and I honestly don't miss it.
It's kind of nice not seeing what everyone is up to. I'm sure I will join again, but not right now. When I told Steve, he decided to delete his too. So take that FB! You are minus two friends!

Baby Shower

2011-02-20T21:06:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I co-hosted a baby shower for my BF, Justine and little London. We had delicious food and amazing company! J got so many fun things for little L, I just can't wait for her to get here! (I'm sure J feels the same way, haha) We were just talking about how fast her pregnancy has gone! I remember in the Summer when she found out that she was expecting, and it has been so fun to see her belly grow everyday!
I am working on a quilt for little L and will definitely have it done before she gets here.

{The onesie banner that I made! It's a decoration and a gift all in one!}

{This is the decoration I made for London's room. It is the same colors as her quilt}

{The three of us back together again! We've missed having Deb around}

{Justine and I}

{The baby bump! And she still has five more weeks to go!}

It's Valentine's Day

2011-02-15T20:58:00.000-08:00

Steve and I had a quiet and lovely Valentine's Day. We both had to work, so once I got off we headed up to our new favorite restaurant, Sapa! Steve had his sushi, and I had my beef. Both were so delicious. We took our time eating and really enjoyed each others company. It was the perfect evening.

Be Mine...

2011-02-14T09:02:00.000-08:00

Suck

2011-02-09T21:30:00.000-08:00

I have Bieber Fever. Anyone wanna go see the movie with me?

All About The Commercials

2011-02-08T18:18:00.000-08:00

First off, let me just say that I watched the Super Bowl from beginning to end! I have never done that before and it was actually fun to watch. Except for the half time show. The Black Eyed Peas should never sing live. You can totally tell that Fergie's voice is corrected in their albums.
Anywho, I mainly watched for the commercials. (Who doesn't) My most favorite was the Audi Commercial. I laugh my head off every time I see it! Maybe because I like myself some Kenny G :)

Another favorite was the Doritos commercial with the pug. I could totally see Daisy doing this and it makes me laugh so hard.

So friends, what were your favorites!?!

Oh Life

2011-02-07T22:08:00.000-08:00

Today was one of those days.
Pregnant women were everywhere. Not only were they everywhere, but they were rubbing their tummies like they needed all the luck in the world from Buddha, and I briefly resented them.
People say it takes time. And I understand. But time isn't really on my side. I have endometriosis and a heart condition. I am in pain everyday, and I just want it to be gone. It was nice to have a two month break, but it's back and hard to put up with. My Doctor keeps saying that getting pregnant will relieve it. All I wanted to do was cry and tell him we're trying. He has given us until April and if we're not pregnant he wants me to go on Progesterone. I still have mixed feelings about it.
As for my heart, my last appointment didn't bring the best of news either. It's getting worse again. Not much worse, but enough that I need to go back on the meds. But I can't. The meds aren't for those trying to conceive. However, there are meds for those with a baby in their tummy. Nothing for an in between. Lovely.
Today was just one of those days of feeling helpless. It's nothing that my Dove Chocolates can't fix, but if I keep this routine up, I'm going to get fat. Heaven help me.

It's Only Been Like Two Years...

2011-02-04T18:51:00.000-08:00

Remember this quilt that I started FOREVER ago? Well, I am finally finishing it up! I bought my backing and binding the other night and am going to get it quilted in a couple weeks. It will be nice to get it done because now I want to start ANOTHER quilt!
I got a fun pattern for Christmas that I really want to get put together, but just need to decide what colors I am going to use.

Apartment Therapy

2011-02-01T19:42:00.000-08:00

Oh man, I just love me some good apartment therapy! When Steve and I moved, we sold our four poster bed to save on space. Ever since we did that I have been wanting a decal headboard. It takes up ZERO space and still gives the look of a bed. Perfect for an apartment! Well I finally found one on Etsy and got it up on the wall. I am so happy with it. I even bought a birdie to put on my side of the bed.
If you want a head board and don't have the space get.a.decal!

Also, I have decided that Ikea is 'The Happiest Place in Utah'. For realsies. Last week I went crazy and bought a cart load of frames and on my way out found this cute little cubby that was PERFECT for my front entry! I bought it and happily exited the store.
It's small (for an apartment) and perfect for storage (for an apartment)!
Oh yes, and I must mention that my artwork is scrapbook paper. Score!

{insert smiley face}

2011-01-27T21:16:00.000-08:00

This picture makes me smile. I just love my baby girl.

Shatter Me Baby

2011-01-26T20:30:00.000-08:00

So is anyone else in LOVE with the new OPI Katy Perry 'Shatter' nail polish!?! I have been waiting for over a month for it to get here! The poor gals at Ulta were probably sick of me calling every day asking if it was there yet.
I was shopping with my Mom and Sister tonight and we walked by the JCP Salon and there was ONE left! I let out a little squeal and snatched it up :)
It's quite sad that I get excited about nail polish. (It's who I am) Anyway, while waiting in line to check out at one of the stores, I quickly applied it to one of my nails to watch it 'shatter'. It's quite awesome. If you love nail polish, GO GET IT!

On a much less happy note, my Endometriosis might be back. I am having intense pain again and it seems to be much worse. It was expected to happen after my surgery, but three months later it shouldn't be happening. I ran into my Doctor at the hospital last month and let him know what was going on. He said it very well could be back and that it's known to happen. Lovely. So, tomorrow I am scheduled to do several tests to figure out what the heck is going on. Hopefully it's nothing serious!

The Skinny...

2011-01-25T20:57:00.000-08:00

Well tonight I altered my jeans into SKINNIES!!! It was super easy and I am very happy with how it turned out :)
I kinda started making a tutorial, and then I just got lazy and was sucked into my TV show, SO I will try to get one together to share with you all soon!

My New Best Friend..

2011-01-24T22:31:00.000-08:00

Is my Stylebook app! Oh.my.gosh. I am in love with it! I can't believe I am just finding it! Many of you know that I am a little obsessive when it comes to my wardrobe. I plan my outfits out a week in advance. It makes getting ready for work in the morning super easy, and I like knowing that it's one less thing I have to think about. (And I kinda just like doing it.)
Anyway, this app lets me take pictures of every piece of clothing my closet and record it in my phone. I can then plan and style outfits and put all the pictures together to make a story board of sorts. AND it lets me put together a schedule. (Total dream come true.) This comes at a perfect time because I am learning how to 'shop' my closet. My goal for this year is to utilize what I have and make it work. (There are a few exceptions since I have a bajillion gift cards, so obviously those must be used.)
This means that there will be lots of altering and such to make things work.
In fact, I am doing my first alteration this week!!!! I am taking an old pair of boot cut jeans and turning them into skinny jeans! They are so popular right now, and it's super hard to find a pair that is long enough for me. (Note to all the short people buying the 'long' jeans. Stick to regular please. It makes me mad when I see your jeans folded up. I have to un-hem mine and I still don't get the length I need. K thanks!)
So that's my project for the week. To document all my clothes, and get rid of some that I am done with. (This means clothes for Steve's cute little cousins. Yay free clothes!)

Pretty Please...

2011-01-21T22:04:00.001-08:00

My Little Muse

2011-01-17T19:30:00.000-08:00

Remember how I said that I love Andy Warhol's work? Well it inspired me to make my own version of little baby Daisy. It turned out loverly and am thinking of putting it in our office. Next on the list is to make one of Steve and I.

BROKEN.

2011-01-16T16:57:00.000-08:00

I have gone 24 years without breaking a bone, until last night. Go figure it was my lame pinky toe.
It was the most bazaar thing and it hurt (still hurts) like hell.
I slipped on one of Daisy's toys, rolled my ankle, ended up putting all my body weight on my little pinky toe and CRACK! I screamed out a few choice words and then fell to the floor.
Cute little Daisy immediately came to my aid and went and got Steve for me. (She's such a cute little helper.)
So within an hour of it breaking it was swollen and bruised. Steve said that if we went to the ER there was nothing that they could do for us, so I called my visiting teacher who's a Nurse and she helped me out :)
Luckily I went to Best Buy yesterday and bought Modern Family Season One, because I have been laying in bed all day watching it with ice on my foot which I can no longer feel.
Hopefully my little piggy heals up soon because walking hurts and I can only imagine what it is going to be like getting into my shoes for the next few weeks.

{This was taken this morning. It is much more black now!}

Baby Blanky Numero Dos

2011-01-10T17:50:00.000-08:00

Remember this quilt that I made for my little Niece, Becca?

Well my BF, Justine, is having a little girl in March and I am making her the same quilt! Her colors are Red, Tiffany Blue, and Green. It is going to be SO cute when I am done with it!

{The middle...}

{...And the end pieces}

I can't wait for little London to get here so that Auntie C can spoil her :)