Pretty soon

There will be four of us!  

I'm so happy.

Getting Antsy

this was a few days ago.. yes, every individual day matters to make mention of (;

I hear it all....

"how many days do you have?"  "You're HUGE!"  "you're tiny, all belly!"  "you're due any day now, right?"  "what, did you have an allergic reaction?"  ...umm, what?  Anyway mostly people just think I'm a monstrosity (but they don't have to tell me!).  At least there's one nice comment in there (:  Let the record show though I have 4 weeks to go.  Three if I'm lucky like Lecia.

I'm almost certain this will be my last belly reveal as I think any bigger would just be out of control.  I TOLD you I stick straight out!  Anyway.  (Didn't Tony do a great job taking these pictures!?:)

This weekend was a little bit of everything.  From emotional to stressful to tiring.  In good ways, though.

I checked my mailbox to find something I ordered for Hyrum to wear in his newborn pictures.  It just hit me how soon he'll be here.  And I just want him to be here!

This weekend I had so much fun shooting two weddings- and my sister in law suprised us by having her baby 10 days early.  Booger.  I'd love that to be me!  I doubt it'll happen though.
I was a ball of nerves just walking in the hospital... because I knew in just a few short weeks I'd be there!

Brody said "can we take it?" and "baby Alyza... so cute."  So I know he's ready for his brother to come.

My favorite thing lately is when we are praying at night with Brody (we have him repeat what we say).. and when he sits on my lap he'll stop what he's saying and yell, "Hyrum's kicking!  I feel him!  Hyrum's moving mommy!"  It's precious.

*Sigh

I'm tired...

This is what happens when you blink

Basically, it really does happen just like that.  So crazy.  Yep- Tony and I celebrated our 4 year wedding anniversary two weeks ago (on October 12th)!  I can't believe it's been that long.  He said once, that it was "years in the making"- and it really was.  The full story is best but... he and I emailed back and forth in 2003 about his band and three years after that we met for the first time in person- and were married less than 6 months after that!  I couldn't be more happy with Tony as my husband and eternal companion and I so look forward to the years ahead.

We had the entire day together as a family and the whole night to ourselves.  T'was stellar, indeed.

Gift giving:  Tony is a great gift-giver.  This one girl makes these cute necklaces- I've been a follower of hers for about a year and have been drooling over this necklace since.  It's been on my wishlist for a while, I don't know why I didn't just get it..  But Tony got it for me!!!  He also knew I was interested in that series (who in blogland hasn't read them, right?)  And since the library will be out for the next several decades (you should see their wait list) he got them for me (:  He also does a lot of little things, you know?  Notes on the fridge, brings me flowers, la la la...

We took Brody to the Natural History Museum in Mesa since we promised him he could "see the dinosaurs".  I was actually impressed by the place- it was pretty cool... and completely accurate....

So look at this... such an interesting photo of someones depiction of the Grand Canyon 1.7 billion years ago, right?....

Well if you thought that was cool check out Mt Rushmore 1.6 billion years ago!  Get out of town! (btw, I wasn't joking though when I said it was a neat place- it really is;) ...how accurate though, I can't be certain.
That night for dinner we escaped to Fogo De Chao!!  Only our favorite place ever.  It's a Brazillian Steak house- when Barbosa was on the Suns this was where he ate.  He stalks us, apparently (see link).  (;  We'd eat there every night but we'd eventually have to take out a loan to live.  I loooove it....... mmmm.... thinking about picanha, fried bananas, Guaraná, and the CAKE!  Oh the cake!  You need to go- really.



I just know they'll be contacting me to put these food pictures on their website (;

We wanted to stop off at the place we usually visit on our anniversary but my pregnant self wouldn't allow it.  It was a miracle I could move after that meal.  So, we rented a movie and called it a night (;

Mishmash

Do you know what I don't do very often?!??  Pamper myself.  Guess what has suddenly fallen under the category of "pampering"?

A bloody aircut!  Sorry felt the urge to say that with a sweet British accent just then.  I meant haircut.  I feel so much lighter losing several inches.  (can we do that all over now? cool.)   Although it's not like I "couldn't" get a trim or anything- I've just lost a teensy bit of energy somewhere.

Although apparently I still know what's "hip"...  Like a year ago I spotted these shoes and wondered why they ever made it out of the factory.  Lookie what made the ugliest shoes ever list?   IN YO FACE! (just kidding. its not like anyone ever argued with me about it eh heh.  heh.)

Speaking of Brody... (don't I always), I was folding laundry on my bed today and behind me I heard the tub door slide open.  Then with exuberance I heard Brody proclaim,

"BEHOLD!  The BAFF TUB!"

Me: BAHAHAHA!... then that translated to me thinking I'm awesome at life- that finally scripture time with Brody has taught him something... then realized he caught the whole "behold" thing off The Incredibles.  Doh.  But then I shrugged my shoulders, laughed some more and laughed again when I told Tony.  I love that stinker.

Anyway I've been up to more than being a dork in front of photo booth on my mac and folding laundry... we've had a celebration, family pictures, and other fun stuff going on.... but that'll all come later.  Btw, here's what I made for the missionaries for dinner that one time.  But anyway....... FIVE!


 If anyone can tell me what that even means I'll buy you an ice cream cone.

This one weekend this one time

My weekend was really fun- from lunch with a friend to seeing more friends at a bridal shower- to sewing a blanket, making my halloween costume, and hanging out at target with my boys.  It was just normal stuff.  And I love the normal stuff.

And lucky me some fall stuff was thrown in there.  I love fall!!!  Have I mentioned that?

he seriously did!  So awesome.

On another day..

So B asks me to turn on a cartoon for him.  In the time it took me to turn on the TV and turn around this is what we had.  I pass out asleep like that all the time too.. okay sometimes..actually no I never do that.

Notice the Jamba Juice even though we're at Ray's pizza.  I tend to do that (lately anyway).

We love Bed, Bath, and Beyond for all the "As seen on TV" stuff they sell..


Hooray!  Now I can open those hard-to-open-packages!  Too bad it's IN a hard to open package.  Brilliant.


Want a prego update?

Here's one.  Things are... not perfect (baby is fine though thank the stars).  Alls I know is I KNEW something was awry.  I've been in discomfort since week 16 - I even went to the ER back then... and yes, it has just gotten harder.  But even though it's daily, it's not constant so that's nice.  At first I just thought it was just because this is my 2nd so it's supposed to be more uncomfortable.  But I had a feeling it was more than that.  They did find something unfortunate (not exactly going to say online, sorry guys;) but at least my due date is around the corner.  Are they going to do anything about it?  Not unless it gets worse (oy vey!  heavens no).  Anyway... I think it's safe to say this pregnancy has kicked me hind quarters in comparison to Brody's where I felt like I could run a mile in heels at 39 weeks.  Not the case but eh- I'm dealing.


OH!  But I had to say thanks for the love on my pregnant fashion post!  Despite what people (and I) say though clothes aren't everything.  My motto is actually,

"Beneath the clothes, we find a man.  And beneath the man, we find, .... his nucleus".
-N. Libre

That's really all I can say about that.

Pumpkin Bread (you're welcome)

I promised last year to share my pumpkin spice cupcake recipe and never did..(why that's still lingering in my mind I'll never know) anyways, now I don't know where it is and that depresses me.  SO I would be remiss if I did not share this one (to make up for last year, of course) and because it's just that worth sharing.  Make this and you won't be disappointed.

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 cups canned pumpkin
• 1 cup canola oil
• 2/3 cup water
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups sugar

Directions:  Sift all dry ingredients.  

Combine all liquids and slowly add to dry ingredients stirring all the time until smooth.

Add nuts/raisins if desired.  


Add entire contents of the bag.. do it.

Grease pans.  Bake 350.

*so those are the original directions.  Not very explanatory so I figured out baking them at 350 for 38 minutes all together was *perfect*.  In my oven though- check them after 25 minutes with a toothpick or thin knife and every 8 mins or so after that so you don't over bake.  I bought small gift-size loaf pans and ended up filling all 5 of them 3/4 of the way full as well as a regular bread loaf pan 1/2 way full.  So this recipe makes A LOT!  

BUT WAIT there's more! (;  My mom gave me this great sugar crumb topping to add:

• 1 Tbls Flour
• 5 Tbls brown sugar
• 1 Tbls melted butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon

(double this mixture though (maybe triple it..i LOVE crumb topping)!  I used all of the above measurements on just the 5 small loafs and made a whole new batch and ALL of that went on our big loaf.  It's mighty tasty.)
And finally....
 (your helper should be happy at this point)

Dig in.

Come one, Come all! {the sprinkle + moustache tutoriale}

My baby shower sprinkle was a lot of fun last week!  My mother-in-law hosted it at her lovely home and I was able to have lots of very special people attend.  I'm so grateful too for my visiting teacher and her crew for volunteering to help too (:  It was a circus theme!

{These were pictures we used as part of the theme Tony was "The Ringmaster", Brody- "The Monkey", Mine said, "Performing next, The Mommy", and Hyrums said, "Her next act:  Baby Hyrum!"}

I dontated decorations I had lying around (mostly from Brody's 2nd bday).  I didn't want my mother-in-law to be too stressed with party planning.  First it was going to be a pickles and ice cream theme (since ice cream goes with "sprinkles" ... but then I saw some adorable popcorn bags at Trader Joes.  So thanks to those, it changed to "carnival"... the mustaches were inspired by that guy too.  We were all channeling our inner circus freak with extra facial hair.


There were peanuts, pickles, cotton candy, popcorn, animal crackers (for the kids who came) and women with facial hair!  Everything a good carnival has.  Oh- and we still kept our Ice Cream bar idea- since ice cream and carnivals go together too (:  There were also fun games and prizes.  My mother-in-law did a really great job!




Thanks Lecia for taking some pictures, for Mom B for putting together a smashing party, and thank you to everyone who came!



So if you like our mustaches on a stick here's how I made them!  You can do it a multitude of ways but this was my way.  It's easy.
First, I found a mustache template.  I was glad I did- they looked better than when I tried to draw my own (;  Go here to print some out! (Print them out on cardstock for a sturdy mustache)