Date Nite with Tony

This weekend:

• did crafts (couple tutorials coming:)
• got a date in
• was enlightened at Women's Conference.  Monson did it again (i cried listening to him- he's amazing)
• taught my 13 year old sunday school class
• sat around
• watched football
• made a special mall trip with the boys for fall scents from yankee candle and bath and body works
• &
• Planned on making my delicious pumpkin bread recipe and sharing it with you (I'm really ready for fall festivities) but can you believe they aren't going to sell pumpkin in a can until middle of October!!?  It's an unspeakable outrage...(I suspect I'll live)

Tony and I have been groupon-ers for the last year and we are hooked.  We had a credit or something so we used it to go to "Long Wongs" in Tempe for wings (so good).  All we had to pay for was the tip- not bad!  Course, we felt a little out of place at a bar but we went early enough that the place was like a ghost town.  I would've jumped on that ancient piano if they weren't blasting Blink 182

This week:

• started monday off right with lunch at Joes with my two boys
• school and homework
• 'nother mall trip for halloween costumes
• already purchased tickets for a Christmas play and a Christmas jazz concert
• did homework the morning of and night of
• editing and photo shoots
• i'm getting "sprinkled" as opposed to showered (get it?)
• missionaries coming for dinner
• potty training.

*BRODY is amazing- he is more motivated to potty train than I am to teach him!  He'll ask ME if he can go potty in it- and he does everyday (just not every time.. that's my fault).  I'm such a proud mommy.  I'd be a lot more into it if he didn't drink so much (this kid is a camel) but I'm going to be more consistent with him- I already KNOW he's ready(I'm just being lazy)!  Woo hoo!!
My crazy boys:

Brody's fortune cookie

fall is my favorite & 31 weeks

All time FAVORITE season of the year.  I remember even as a kid it was my favorite.. loving the changing leaves, the different smell in the air, APPLES galore in Oak Glen, and wishing I could live in the hay maze at the local pumpkin patch.
But.

I'm in the desert (don't get me wrong I LOVE Arizona).  It's just not as easy to find those changing leaves (Virginia- even Utah- was better than my hometown in California in that department).  BUT.  When I do see those colors I stop and soak them in.  I appreciate them more.  When I was prego with Brody we had a couple trees right outside the pediatrics office that I worked at and I watched every leaf fall off.  Even though it still feels like death outside right now that'll all soon change and I can't wait!  I LOVE fall time.

Yesterday morning I woke up particularly energized and decided it was high time I decorate for Halloween.  It feels SO good to have my few decorations sprawled around my living room.  Some of these I made as a kid- I have a lot more halloween decoration collecting to do.

What else did I do before my twelve o'clock class?  Why, I found these two long pieces of scrap material my sister gave me years and years ago.  I finally got my sewing machine from my mom (it's been sitting in Virginia since Christmas).  So I made a table runner.  I didn't measure and I'm no seamstress- in fact, I haven't sewn a thing since I was in young women's (on a machine anyway- I've always sewn by hand! Remember?)  I was proud of myself!

Thanks Anne for the fabric!  (hop on over to her blog, she's doing a giveaway)

Oh and a quick pregnancy update- haven't done this in a while...

Things are good, life is good.  I still feel more pain than I expected but I can manage as long as I'm not super active running around all day.  I'm not too stressed with school or my business, let's keep it that way.  People stare like I forgot to put pants on but so far no strangers groping me.  I get Braxton Hicks contractions like 20 times a day (I've been having them since 16 weeks and I was really worried about that at first).  Brody wants to be held allllll the time "I want to hug you!" It's hard not to pick him up so I do most of the time.  Doc says everything looks great, we have a healthy boy on the way.  I can't believe I'm down to single digit weeks!

This is what pregnancy looks like

Time: 11:37pm

Watching: Seinfeld on DVD

Wearing: Husband's basketball shorts

...and a strawberry shake and chili cheese fries.



  *couFAILgh*

And it wasn't even the weekend!

(it's okay I didn't finish the fries
surprisingly, seeing is they are my all time favorite
i swear if no one mentions chili cheese fries at my funeral
I'm going to be very disappointed;)

The next big thing

And I'm freaking out. (sorta).  (Don't judge my baseboards.. I can't exactly clean them comfortably at the moment;) 

No idea where to begin.  I'm just warming him up to it right now.. he'll say, "I gotta go potty!"  Then sit there with a grin for minutes and nothing.  Anyone have the secret weapon for this kind of thing?

I can use all the tips I can get.


*update!  That very evening Brody PEED in (and on and around) his potty!  He got an m&m. (:  And thank you all for the tips!

kids say the darndest things

Brody:  "Smells poopy mommy"

Me: "Did you poo?  Do you need a new diaper?"

B: "yaaaaah  ...It's a BIG one!"

He also loves to feel baby Hy swim around.  Whenever he's kicking a lot I'll invite B to feel.  As soon as he feels him Brody will gasp with a wide-eye, wide-mouth excited smile.  "I want to feel Hyrum kick again, mommy!"  Then he says,

"I feel him.. I don't see him"

Hahaha.  I love it.  I love that they are bonding already- and I also love how well Brody communicates with me! (:

I love this view...

(as uncomfortable as it is;)

psssssst!  10 more weeks.  ten people!

Fun stuff

Today happens to be a great day.  Happy Birthday my lovely sister, Anne!  Also, Happy Birthday to my daddy in a few days!  Plus, who can forget my wonderful parents celebrating 28 married years a few weeks ago.  You two are great examples- soon that'll be me and Tony. (:  I wish I were with you.

Also, I'm thinking of putting together a post about my maternity fashion (not that I'm an expert).  A lot of you have asked me where I got stuff or how I can put an outfit together that's comfy enough for a prego girl.  SO I thought I'd dedicate a post (or three) to my maternity fashion tips.  Before I do though, let me know if there is anything/any outfit you'd like me to talk about specifically!

On to other happy news, I was approached about doing Lollyjane.com's blog design!  They told me exactly what they wanted and I was happy to be able to do it for them!

Saved the last for best!  I've been completely flattered today by the incredible Ali Brown.  She is one of my favorite photographers I've come across and guess what- she featured ME!!  (Did you know I started a photography business last fall?)  Well, I feel so blessed because it has really grown and so many people have been so wonderful to me along my journey.  I knew nothing about photography this time last year so it's been a GREAT ride.  A HUUUUUUGE thank you to Ali for her sweet words!  PLEASE go check it out and leave her some love!  I know you'll love her work too- she's awesome.

Also, a shout out to Emily from Idaho who left me a sweet comment.  I wasn't able to go say hi (blocked profile!)  And actually that's a message to all of you with blocked profiles.. sometimes I don't get to say HI because of that! (;

Lace earring holder

Frames are inspiring, yah?  There's sooo much you can do with them.  You could probably find something else for this craft other than for earrings, too.  But anyway, I've been wanting to do this all summer.  Glad to be back to the bulk of my jewelry once again (it was hard taking the bare minimum to Oklahoma).

I loved the turn out of this so much I thought I should share.  Go make it!  It's...

Super easy.

Get:

• a frame
• lace fabric
• tiny nails
• a glue gun.  

(Or instead of nails a staple gun- which I would've used if I had one)

Cut your lace a little bigger than the frame.

Nail down the two top (or bottom) corners of the lace onto the back of your frame- bust out your glue gun and run it along the edges under the lace.  Find something to use to push the lace down onto the glue so you don't burn your fingers.  Be sure to pull the lace so it's not slacking at ALL.  You want your lace to be tight so it can support your earrings.

Trim around the edges to get rid of that extra fabric.

Voila!

And check it out- another frame to go with my necklaces frame.  I plan on putting them up on my wall somewhere (don't worry it'll look cute) when we finally end up moving.  I plan on having painted walls so I'm happy with the white frames but how cute would colored frames be!?  Anyway, for now, it'll rest on my dresser.  Totally beats the old earring older I've been using since 10th grade that I got from Claire's.  (;

Food, love, and food.

I found this one saved... thought I'd add to it.
The other day I was in another room- found my phone- and decided to send Tony this:

you know the default pictures on your phone?  They can be quite powerful in strengthening that there relationship yer in, let me just say. heh.

I almost sent it (he was in the other room).  But then I thought, It would be SO MUCH CUTER if I sent it half way through his work day.  After all, it was Sunday and we'd just spent all of Sunday and half of Saturday together.  But before I got the chance, look what he sent me half way through the day on Monday:

Great minds think alike!  Or, he was just proving to be the better, more thoughtful spouse  :p

He works like a dog- and needs all the nutrients he can get... you'd think he'd eat his lunch without any delay.... but instead, he thought of me and got some of my favorite chips along with his sub- just to save them to give me when he got home from work.  He obviously knows how to warm my heart!  Not to mention he knew I was craving chunky monkey and got me my own pint... then surprised me with a 2nd one for a rainy day... or the next day. (;

By now you have all figured out Tony is awesome.  How's this one....one night I was busy at a photo shoot and wasn't going to be able to make dinner.  When I got home he had dinner all set up and he says, "Welcome to Charleston's"  On the table was a dinner just like our favorite Charleston's meal and i KID YOU NOT it was an exact replica.  Had I known this guy could cook like this, I would've jumped on that a little earlier in life.

(Grilled chicken, avocado, sprouts, bacon...mmm)

Oh and Labor day was fun- the whole weekend was spent partying with our family.  First the Michigan game on Saturday at my brother-in-laws house (they won!) and then our Labor day pool party food feast.

Brody was in a bad mood that afternoon but dew lifted his spirits (not my idea)

I wanted to get a picture of all 3 of us in our Michigan shirts (plus it was a good hair day) but I lost interest in that idea after I realized I forgot diapers, had to leave to get some, came home burning hot, and minutes later was drenched in apple juice.  Glamorous.

Brody had no interest in swimming- he just wanted to stay inside the whole time and play with the micro machines.

Tony is a beast in the pool- he frightens me.  Haha!  So of course I played ON his team.

Aww, we love you too Brody!  (Even though your hair is out of control;)

ps. I'm 29 weeks!  Holy crap!

Our vacation: the beach

We were able to go to the beach for 4 days and it was so great.  I missed Brody like crazy (we left him with my mom) but it was so fun to spend time with my wonderful husband, just us!  We stayed in a beach house right on the beach so that meant I was on the beach the majority of the day.  Other than that, we went to the shops in Huntington, the Balboa Fun Zone, and and went back to Dukes like last year where I enjoyed those amazing crab legs again.  After driving from Oklahoma to California, it was just the relaxing time I needed..(I couldn't exactly get these pics in perfect order, yes it sorta bugs me ;)


Where we stayed:




Mmmm my husband is a hottie

We started making a professional sand castle so I ran back to the house to grab my camera and right when I  went to take the picture... haha




We went to the wedge where they have huge crazy waves... it was the only place we found any sand crabs- i felt like a kid again, I used to love finding those as a kid. :p








I loved the wax mustaches/lips when I was a kid!  Tastes like grape! (;


We left the beach house on the last day and met up with my mom and sisters family who brought Brody back to us!  He was pretty mad at me when he saw me but he soon forgave me for ditching him (:  I love the ring my brother Mike got me for my birthday!





It was so fun- I was sad to leave California and leave my great family behind.  It was so great to be with all of them again!  I'm so blessed to have them all- despite our distance we've always been close, I'm grateful for that.