sappy love note to you.

Tony got me these beautiful flowers when he came home from work the day we found out what we were having.  Did I bring a vase to OK with us?  Of course not.  But I have like infinity back at home!  So I improvised.  Hahaha hehehe.  It was actually cute.  And what a great day it was... in part thanks to all the sweet congratulations I got from you guys!  Plus, well it was pizza night so nothing is better than that.  Yes pizza night.. I realize that sounds a little 1990's but we dig it.

And the contest?  Because of you guys I got the readers choice award on my picnic post over at Cradle City Design!! (what I was hoping to get!)  I'm very happy- that means so much to me! So a huuuuge thank you for your votes!  Really, I read every single one and loved every single one so very much.  The thing I love the most about my blog is the positive loving people who read it.  Thanks for being so wonderful to me!  I love you guys!

Oh and Brody?  His eye is back to normal!  How it happened:  still a mystery.  But I put him to bed, started doing other stuff and 15 minutes later heard him scream like I've never heard before.  He was holding his eye and wouldn't open it.  I forced it open and didn't see anything unusual so after Tony came home we put him back to bed after prayers and tears.  I can handle pain- but I can't handle seeing my kid in pain.  The next day was the same as the night before but I felt our prayers were being answered because throughout the morning and early afternoon he got better and better.  I read about scratched eye balls and apparently (depending on the severity of course) they heal in about 24 hours.  Sounded about right (if that's what it was anyway.. who knows!)  Just glad he's ok.

do me a solid and vote?

Remember my picnic month post?  I was selected as one of the four finalists in the contest.  And now I need your help!!  Your comments on THIS post help me win but hurry you only have till Wednesday at 1pm to comment/vote.  (YOU DON'T NEED A BLOGGER ACCOUNT!) Go HERE!  Pretty please?  (:

And a side note:  While you're doing stuff for me, please pray for Brody.  He injured his eye last night- I think he scratched it (not sure, happened after I put him to bed- I think he rolled over on his water cup).  He can't open it without it hurting and it's red and watery (been 12 hours).  I know he'll be OK I just feel bad for him.  He's not feeling well at all. Poor guy :(

Have a beautiful day.

I want to shout it from the rooftops!!

I thought I wasn't going to blog about this till at least tomorrow but I am so excited, I just couldn't wait.  I didn't go to bed last night till after one- and this morning after a motorcycle woke me up at 7 I could NOT fall asleep.  It felt like Christmas morning- one of those Christmas mornings where it's a Sunday and I'm giving a piano solo during sacrament meeting (I'm not making this feeling up, I've been there).  In english, it means I'm SUPER excited and also really nervous.  I wasn't nervous the first time around- not in the slightest.

This pregnancy has been so different- and I took all those old wives tale quizzes, chinese calendar thing, and listened to my own intuition.  I wasn't 100% sure I knew but... you know how it goes.

Since my doctor is in AZ we went to an ultrasound clinic- we were in and out within 10 minutes!  I loved laying on that bed- I had a great view of our baby on the movie screen style projector.  She went to check the gender and before she could say anything I said, "Whup, there it is!"  (no I didn't say it like that haha!)  It was just as obvious as ever and plain as day!  That's my boy!  Oh but for the record when Tony saw the profile he said, "It looks like a boy!"

I knew right away my little Hyrum Anthony was in my belly- and for the rest of the time I watched him all curled up, rubbing his face, and moving his little arms all over.  Honestly, I thought I might be a little disappointed not to get a girl this time (as horrible as it sounds) but I couldn't be more happy!!!!!  I'm seriously SO thrilled Brody is getting a little brother this fall and I just can't wait to meet him and see how him and Brody are alike- or different.  Actually seeing him made him more real (I haven't felt a lot of kicking yet) and my love for him is so strong already.  I could never go 9 months without finding out- because to me, when I know the baby's name I start to connect to him more.

(I don't have my scanner out here so enjoy pictures of pictures;)

The day is just beginning- although we did pick up doughnuts right after for a little celebration.  Tony is at work now so when he gets home all three boys and I are going to party and enjoy this great news!

If you see any tears today it's because I couldn't be more happy.

A look at lately

(This post has been sitting there for a while so..)  We go to parks a lot and it's great because there are a TON of them here, and they are way better than the parks I've ever seen in AZ.  We pretty much do whatever we want and have a blast while our guys are working their butts off all day long.  We went to the zoo recently (okay not so recently... I'm having trouble keeping up) and got to tour the Krispy Kreme in our area!  Brody refused to wear the mandatory hat, so I left him in the front with his friend, Bastien.  Bastien had a birthday and we got to celebrate it- I of course had to bring my camera since I'm having photo shoot withdrawals.

Yep yep yep... if I let any more time go by I'll never post the pictures I've been taking.  You can tell it's been a while on some- if you notice Brody's hair goes from long to short to long again. ha!  So here they be:

Father's day & stuff

I am so grateful for the men in my life!  My dad has always worked so hard for us and been excellent for advice and making me feel good about myself.  And my husband is the most amazing husband I could ask for- not to mention, the best dad ever.  Both are so honorable and loving...I could write and write about the two, they mean so very much to me.

my dad and me sometime in the early 90's

winter 2009

Tony really appreciated his father's day- we tried to make him feel special!  I got him a few gifts, I kept saying "that's all I got" and then would bring out something else. haha. And I made "tony bucks" for him to redeem later (i spent like an hour on them! and by an hour I mean two minutes.. but they still came from my heart;).  He asked me to make him chicken enchiladas for dinner - one of his favorite meals I make.  We went to church but came home early since Brody was coughing on the whole congregation.  Not sure what he has this time.  Then I spent the rest of the day in nagging pain.. which never got better till I fell asleep for the night.  Even though it was Tony's day, he was so sweet to make sure I was comfortable.  Sounds a lot like last father's day... an unfortunate pattern. heh.  After Brody fell asleep, we cuddled up to a 2 1/2 hour movie, cream sodas, and ding dongs.  Perfect.  As for the day:

I love you so much, Tony!  You are perfect for me!!

Pregnancy update:  I've been reading stuff online (probably shouldn't be, it's actually done more harm than good) but most people say you show sooner with your 2nd since your body has already done a lot of the big stretching.  Harmless information, really... although thanks to the internet I've diagnosed myself with round ligament pain.  Whether or not that is accurate, it's completely how I'm feeling (in addition to the other fun schtuff) glad it's common.  This pregnancy has definitely been a complete 180 from my last one.  Anyway so the pain I was feeling this weekend really sucked.  I was so worried about it too- worried something might be wrong with baby.  So this morning I called my doctor in Mesa and told them everything and they freaked out telling me I had to go to the ER.  So I spent all morning with Tony in the ER.  Turns out I did need treatment but for something completely different.  Baby is fine though- but since the guy was not an OB he couldn't answer like ANY of my questions.  He said as far as he can tell everything I'm experiencing is normal.  I'm a little bummed this pregnancy is beating the crap out of me.  I hope this doesn't continue or get worse...  I actually do feel a lot better today thank goodness.  But anyway...

Oh- and the doctor even did an ultrasound but wasn't able to tell me what I'm having!  That's not his "expertise" so I have to wait till Saturday.  SATURDAY!  I guess it's not that far away... till saturday!  (well, I'll post before then I'm sure).

It's picnic month...

My sister called my attention to a contest going on... (share pictures of a picnic and write why it was special to you) and well, not only would I like to win but this picnic story is really worth sharing.  It was the only picture-taking experience I've had where I fought back tearing up...the story behind it is really special.  Before I continue, thank you to my family, friends, blog friends, and others for reading my blog and always leaving such nice words here!!  I wish I had more time to thank you individually.

Last summer I met Alexa through her blog- we had both been asked to guest post and so after she said hi to me we became blog friends.  Months after that I had found out her husband was in critical condition in the hospital- that she almost lost him in his sleep, due to a stroke.  Thinking about her with her two small children- not knowing if he was going to make it, was heartbreaking.  I didn't even know her in real life but I cared that she was okay.  It was such a blessing that Chellis, her husband, pulled through it.  Although... things weren't the way they were before- he is now in a wheelchair, and learning how to live life this whole new way.


For Alexa and her family, it has been a hard long road... after her husband was released from the hospital, things were challenging on a whole new level.  The thing is though, you'd never know it.  Her blog is incredibly positive, focusing on the beauty in her life- rather than let her circumstance get her down.  I'm sure seeing her husband unable to completely function the way he used to is just one struggle- but also, I've witnessed the physical struggle it is.  And it was immensely humbling.

I watched Alexa lift her husband out of her car and also through the fence that led us to our picnic spot.  She helped him down on the ground for some of our shots, made him feel comfortable when he couldn't adjust himself.   I could tell it was a struggle, and I wished there was more I could do.  Sure, I helped as much as I could while we were there but I knew she did a lot of this alone at home every day.


The best part was hearing them laugh when the biggest physical struggles came..  when it got really hard, they laughed.  They laughed that it felt like a workout- and joked they might just look sweaty in the pictures.


Despite the storm clouds that rolled in their lives months before they've found happiness.  She doesn't let the future worry her- she's just loving and living each day - finding joy in the journey.

Originality

Originality.  I love (crave) it.  I get pretty excited when I think I've found something I thought was unique.... but my world comes crashing down when I find someone else thought of it first.  Just kidding, I'm not that emotionally invested in being original.  I mean, obviously, there are a butt load of people in the world so chances are, no one is.  However, sometimes, when something is hyped up enough I find myself boycotting it- just to feel less like everyone else.  What a rebel, I know.
Talk about (insert overdone trend here) one more time and I'll throw my cereal off the balcony!  I'll do it!

But there is something I always thought I'd be totally original at- and that was this face of mine.  Turns out, that's not even original.  haha!  So back in 2002 some missionary in my ward stops me in the hall to tell me I looked like the girl on Beetlejuice.  In 2005 when I was at BYU, I had like 5 guys come over to my apartment from across the street just to tell me I looked like Wynona Ryder.  People really feel I should know.  Since then, I've heard that countless times.  It's gotten worse as I've gotten older.

(do you know how hard it was finding pictures of her with long hair?)

I heard it again yesterday by a lunch lady at an elementary school.  I know, random.

Today when I was picking Tony's lunch up at Subway some dude behind the counter goes, "Connie!.... connie!..."  I looked up, not expecting anyone in subway, in Oklahoma to know my name.  I said something like, oh you know my name.. and he's like, "I remembered it off your card from the other day"  In my head, *crreeeeepy!  Thanks?  And he proceeds to say how they were talking about how I could be Wynona Ryder's twin, that we looked sooooooo much alike.

Two days in a row, a new record. I can kinda see it... if you tilt your head a little and squint a lot.  If anything Wynona Ryder looks like ME.  Cause you know, I'm sooo original and junk. (;

Rained in & feeling feathery

It rained (is raining) buckets today...lotsa flooding in Ok today.

For about a year I've had this bag of feathers and nothing to do with them so I got the idea to make a clip out of them.  I'll probably do white next.  If I had peacock feathers, that would be so cute too but I didn't want to let this bag go to waste...


I just glued them together like that with a glue gun (a glue gun that was my moms when I was a baby or something)  I just glued a clip onto the back and- voila.  Easiest clip craft ever.

I just clipped it in my hair while it was down and I thought it added a lot- I don't know about you, but I feel so plain with my hair just straight and down.  Then I decided to add a wire headband under it, and it was like I had a whole new headband.  I also tried it with my hair half up- which is pretty much my favorite way to wear my hair.



There ya go!  Three different ways to wear this simple homemade feather clip.

....and by the way, I have so many good times to blog about but all the pictures!  I just don't have the energy to sort through them all.  One of these days.