So long, Kentucky.

Gotta love the i've-been-packing-all-day (scratch that) all MONTH look I've got going on.  

Also gotta love that 95% of our boxes are recycled diaper boxes I've saved all year just for the move.

Kentucky has been fun.  I learned a lot and grew as a person which is always good.  But I also just had good times and new experiences that I'll cherish.  But we're off!  And I'm very excited.  I don't know what's ahead, we are kinda just winging things now, but I'm excited.  Some of my favorite times here in Kentucky included picnics (like this one), making forts, visiting Churchill Downs, photo shoots in the gorgeous areas I stumbled across (and the series I did with Brody), actually having a fall that looked like fall, and the most gorgeous spring, not to mention some super fun holidays, parties, and feeling good I completed the year of these pictures with Hyrum.  There was so much more but speaking of so much more...
I've got some more work to do.  Thheeeen we're off.  Wish us luck!

hot & not: my weekend

I thought I'd share a few things that have made my weekend great!  And also... some things that were not-so-great (because it's funny).

hot:
::the Jose Villa LIKED a picture of mine on Instagram!!  He's only one of the most amazing photographers of our time.  I'm a huge fan.  He even said it was "beautiful!"  I didn't add that exclamation point either, that was all him.
::curling up on the couch with Tony and a taco bell soft taco for some Seinfeld late friday night.  We don't eat 2 dinners often, but sometimes it's fun to grab some late night junk. ha ha!
::NOT packing.  I'll probably regret it over the next two days before we leave but I needed a weekend off.
::I exchanged ONE thing at Target and was able to get four things instead.  Oh, the perks of the clearance rack.
::Oh that trip to Target?  I told Tony it was my "date with myself".  It was needed.  Although I did miss my boys by the time I got home.

not:
::I rushed home too quick from my afternoon-to-myself (since I missed my boys, of course) and forgot to buy peanut butter.  I had to drive back later because goodness knows we can't go a day (meal) without it. ha!
::Taco Bell got rid of my favorite chalupa!  What the devil?  Maybe I'll write them a letter (;
::missing a fun birthday party since both my boys are sick.
::both boys being sick.  Brody is a surprisingly low maintenance kid when he's sick but Hy is so whiney!  It wears you out by days-end, but I just feel bad for him.
::I turned on the wrong burner and burned our main course while our veggies sat cold.  Splendid.
::our heater BUSTING!  Our house got to 50 degrees last night (which compared to outside wasn't too bad); but it's so freezing in here!  It should get fixed sometime tomorrow.  A whole weekend without heat?  Not awesome.  (But thanks to my sweet friend Laura, we've had space heaters to use in our bedrooms!)

I hope you've had a great weekend!  Feel free to do a similar post and share (:

february phone pics

It's hard to believe our time here in Kentucky is just about to come to a close.  We have only a handful of days until we move!  And here I was, all worried February would be filled with nothing but packing... but we've had a great month!  I really wanted to enjoy my last weeks, and I have!  Here are just a few random cell phone pictures of it.  Are we instagram friends yet?  @connieraeb

1.Yesterday it magically reached 70 degrees here.

2. tiny little flowers in my backyard

3. Brody picked those tiny little flowers and made me a bouquet.  Already a ladies man

4. My stud three year old at a ball park one sunny day.

5.swingin'

6. more swingin'.

7. He just came up and put his head on my shoulder.  I'm quick with my camera and was able to get it. (And anyway he finally likes his picture taken!)

8. One day, Tony surprised us during lunch and came home!  And he came home with cupcakes! xo

9. We went to a new park as a fam- there were helicopters and tanks to climb on/look at, the boys loved it.

10. It was gloomy all day one Saturday...but Tony had most the day off and we went out places so it was a good day.

11. Our s'more making has continued all month.

12. Stinker.

happy birthday, mom.

My sweet, amazing parents rolled into town this past weekend just in time to celebrate my mom's birthday, and another big thing happening to them.  They are moving to Germany!  And sooner than I'd like.  In fact, this may have just been the last time I see them for a very long time.  This doesn't feel right to say- mostly because I see them so much (even though they live fairly far away).  Most of you know, I have family visits to see them- or them to see me- pretty regularly.  I'm spoiled!  And so I don't think it's quite set in that they are gone for a while... I'm not used to saying bye for very long.

Since they are moving to Germany, and since I had already planned on making her a German Chocolate Cake (I didn't decide that for that reason, it has just always been a cake my mom likes to make, and reminds me of her) I figured I should throw up some Germany bunting and call it a party.  It wasn't the party decor she deserves (in my defense most everything is packed away)... but I had to decorate a little.  See, it just wasn't your birthday until you woke up in the morning to lipstick notes on every mirror in the house (usually a poem), and streamers and balloons everywhere.  EVERY.YEAR.  Without fail my mom decorated and made our birthdays special- she's the reason I do it too.  It's fun, and to me, makes the day seem more special.  Mom, I hope you enjoyed visiting us as much as we enjoyed having you!  Oh, and who can forget my crazy dad Glen.  Ha!  His name is Lynn (or goes by Jed) but the dude at bowling typed in Glen.  I think he makes a good Glen. (;

We had a great weekend of eating out, farkle, bowling & arcade games, root beer floats, Jim Gaffigan, Target, church, and my mom and I went to the temple together, too.  Not all in that order.  I guess people enjoyed my cake...

I'm excited for my parents and all the fun they will have, but they will be missed.  Terribly missed!

forts & s'mores

Tony is one heck of a dad.  So it doesn't surprise me that the Friday before Valentine's day he and Brody camped out, fort-style in the front room, for a night.  Tony came up with the idea earlier that week and the two talked about it non-stop.  I joined them for s'mores- because, everyone knows a good campout includes s'mores!!! ....and... mom..

They ended up building quite the fort! I mean, they fit a queen size mattress in there.  Not only was it incredibly attractive that Tony hauled that huge mattress downstairs on his own, but I love seeing him play and entertain the boys like he does.  It's way more attractive than the other thing, actually.

a simple valentine's day

We decided this year to keep it simple, no gifts.  I woke up to a kiss on my cheek but Tony was long gone out the door for work when I got up.  There was beautiful snow everywhere outside and when I came downstairs there was a sweet note and candy for me.  Throughout the morning I found sweet notes. We met up for lunch, and when he came home to drive together, he brought me flowers.  We had a nice lunch and later after he came home from work I wanted to surprise him with a little something too.

Brody helped me put the hearts out (they led Tony from the garage door to our room).  The kids were certainly with us celebrating the day, so I thought it was fitting to include them.  So "be ours"!  (:  We ALL love daddy- and Brody really loved surprising him and writing him a card.  He especially enjoyed eating the conversation hearts off the card I made for Tony.  I was surprised I got to use that many hearts for his card- the bag was filled with quite variety, all very fitting for us (of course no "fax me" but definitely a "my girlz"... I didn't use that one, haha.)  I thought about sharing what I came up with- because I was proud of it!  But it's too special, sorry (;

you can tell I took my time cutting out the letters, lol.  A lot of my stuff is packed already but I made do.

Tony wanted to go out and get me a little treat but we all decided to go, and then picked up dinner.  Tony insisted I not have to cook, which was fine by me.  Later that night when the kids were asleep we watched a movie and ate our dessert (he got me cheesecake since it has sounded so good to me lately).  He also wanted it to candlelight but I had a massive headache all day (pregnancy related) so I decided I'd rather eat it by movie light.  He told me all sorts of wonderful things about me (before dessert since I dashed his candlelight plan and was going to tell me then).  It was sweet, it reminded me of when he proposed.  I'm so blessed to have Tony- he is really a wonderful man.  He sang a song to me, videoed it, and sent that as a text earlier during the day.  I loved it.  Those little gestures are worth more to me than anything.
It was a great day.

i ♥ valentine's day

By the time Valentine's day comes around I'm sooo excited for it.  Tony is already talking about next Christmas but not me- I'm over it for now.  (Although let the record show, the meaning behind that holiday is my very favorite of all of them, and the entire season is more exciting than most, I think.)  But it's funny how the next upcoming holiday suddenly seems like my favorite. (;  It makes sense though why I love Valentine's day so much- it's PINK and frilly- and a completely girly holiday.  Plus, who doesn't love being swept off their feet with flowers and candy?  I'm a fan of that.

Brody and I made these cupcakes the other week for FHE treat.  I used DUFF chocolate cake mix and decided to poke chocolate chips in them after baking them for a couple minutes already (a cupcake no, I know, I watch cupcake wars) but I'm glad I did.  They were de-vine.  And the strawberry frosting was the perfect compliment.  I've had these silicone baking cups for years that my mom gave me but I'd never used them before.  My cupcakes stuck.  Any tips?  But, it was still kinda fun eating them in these pretty little cups with a fork.  Whatever gets these in my belly the fastest, I say.

Since I'm in such a festive, good mood, I felt like sharing the frosting recipe that I've been hoarding for the past year.  Sometimes, I get recipe greedy, I'll admit.  I found this strawberry frosting recipe on Martha Stewart that I used for our moving away/Brody's early birthday party last February.  I planned on sharing it then.  I got busy?  Word on the street is it's very similar to Sprinkles Cupcakes strawberry frosting.  Yes please.  I know you love my frost job.  I packed my frosting tools already, okay?  Just sayin.

When you're pregnant, you're pregnant.

My huge problem this pregnancy has been my aversion to health food...okay back up... that's not true.  I just felt like saying aversion.  HEALTHY food sounds tasty!  I just can't afford it. ha!  No seriously, I could go for soy milk and expensive cereal- greek yogurt or pom juice just about every meal.  Organic everything!  Wouldn't that just be dandy.  (Why does ramen have to be twelve cents and a single pomegranate is two bucks or more, non organic even?)  Anyway, but did you see a pattern there?  ALL my cravings have been centered around sweets!  And that's the huge problem.  (I'm not normally this bad- I have a sweet tooth like anyone else but not like this.)  It's funny too, because with Hyrum, I was ALL about PICKLES and BANANA PEPPERS and JALAPENOS!  Anything savory or spicy.  THIS time I can go for a stack of chocolate chip smothered pancakes with peanut butter AND syrup all over.  

It better not catch up to me.

So what does this mean?  Am I having a girl!?  hahahahaha!  If only it were that easy to tell.  No, I'm not putting any stock into that theory (old wives tale).  Honestly Brody and Hyrum's pregnancies were so night and day I wouldn't be surprised if I was having another little boy because it doesn't matter what the gender is- just every experience is different.  Although don't get me wrong, a girl DOES sound like a lot of freaking fun right about now.  Something new!  But from my experience little boys are seriously amazing.  Plus, it's kinda nice to go behind a tree and let my kid whiz in the winter air rather than freak out that the bathrooms are "closed for the season" because of potential for pipes to freeze.  Yeah, I don't even know what I'd do if my little girl had to pee and there were no bathrooms... if she's anything like me she won't be down with squatting behind a tree.

Wow.  I got off on a major tangent.  My point of all this?  GIMME A DOUGHNUT AND NO ONE GET'S HURT!!

(Says my raging hormones.)

But also, really?  I mean, discontinuing my favorite valentines candy???  That was a low blow.  (And also another tangent that could've been left unsaid.)

Tony wouldn't stop making fun of the fact that I scarfed down a half dozen chocolate glazed kreme filled Krispy Kremes in a 12 hour period.  Nor can I forget how he went and got them for me... late at night... or the ICEE he had to drive out of his way to get for me... twice.  Or... actually I think that's all so far.  Which is quite a lot (seeing is I'm only about coughcough weeks along).  Will I continue the trend and gain MORE weight with this pregnancy?  Goodness knows the number went up from my first to my second.  (Although in all fairness I didn't gain enough when I was preggo with B- my doctor had to ASK me to eat bowls of ice cream every night.  No lie.  What I would give to hear that again...)

I chalk it up to being constantly busy with the boys that a girl just needs to keep her energy.  Did I mention I have been eating shredded wheat for breakfast?  (I don't have to tell you it's heavily drizzled in honey, do I?)  Okay, I'm really going to stop now... no one is going to respect me after this.

But what I can say is, the other week, I was freaking out over wanting a chocolate shake (and we went home after I decided I didn't want one, but then took two steps out the car and realized I DID want one) we went back and got one.  That, AND a full burger and fries meal.  I mean, we love Homerun Burger!  We had to eat there one last time.  

So my point?  Other than the fact that Fatty Mcfatterson wanted more healthy treats?  Well, there was a family there, at Homerun, staring me at the face, (or maybe it was me who was staring at them) and they had FOUR count them:  F-O-U-R boys... all sitting there eating their poor parents out of house and home.  I couldn't help but think that was going to be me.  For a second I was scared out of my wits, but then how stinking cute were they, really?  Stinking cute, I say.  I mean, what do you think?  Am I just in denial that my body is capable of making a little firey, emotional mini-me (girl), because it hasn't yet?  That may be it... yeah... maybe.  Well, at least I don't have to wait THAT much longer to know what's growing in me.

Ay yi yi this wait is killing me, though.  More than ever, it's killing me.  Literally.

picnic at the lake

We had a freak break in the cold last week, it was amazing. It was near 60, maybe past, I dunno I was too busy enjoying it. I was getting the boys ready for the park and got them all excited about that and also feeding the ducks- when Brody asked, "can we have a picnic, too!?" I instantly called Tony to see if he was up for a picnic at the lake for dinner and suggested he pick up the pizza (he won a free one) to eat.  Naturally, he was in (he's so fun to be married to) and so I broke the happy news to Brody.  I was awesome and brought fruit snacks and water to go with our dinner.  Also left over cups from hyrum's birthday party and of course some bread for the "ducks".  And by ducks I mean violent geese.  Anyway, we stayed out as long as the sun stayed up and it started to get cool... it was a great time.

DIY- quick & easy photo shoot prop

If you're a photographer or a person who get's their picture taken this applies to you.  Or if you want a valentines-ey decoration to hang up like I did this is for you.  So, it's for everyone (:
What you need:
Burlap (at least 1/4 yard)
scrapbook paper
glue gun
scissors

::I simply cut out each triangle, making them the same size, and tied each flag together with a string I pulled out of the leftover burlap strips.
::I printed out a font I liked on regular white paper and placed the paper over my scrapbook paper and traced (do this on a hard surface, and press firmly down.)  This made indents in the paper so I could see where I needed to cut since I didn't want ink on my actual paper for the banner.  Then I cut those letters out, and applied them to my burlap bunting with hit glue.  That's all!
::A little tip: burlap unravels easy.  So attaching the flags with a string was tricky and if you pull hard enough it may rip through (so I fixed this by hot gluing the ends together after tying.)

I made this for a photo shoot i did back in October.  Took me like five minutes.  Enjoy!

Also, I'm picking a winner for this cute giveaway tomorrow.  Enter if you haven't and want to!

pregnancy update no.2

People are probably wondering how far along I am- but I'm not telling (yet).  It's just because I don't know for sure!  I won't know until I get a sonogram.  For now we only have a rough idea based on the pregnancy calculator method.  It's funny because I completely believed that method the first time around with Brody.  It didn't dawn on me that it might actually change (i believe everything doctors tell me).  So at our 20 week gender reveal/sonogram it did.  It only got pushed back by two measly days but still.  I just want to be sure I'm really due when I think I am before I spread it around.  With that said, I'm in the "is she?" stage... but really, since Hyrum is so small I'm sure people just think I'm in the "she hasn't lost her baby weight yet, stage".  haha.  This stage is hard for me to be in because I'm always worried I'm showing too soon- or I'm having twins because I feel ginormous- or I just look chubby and no one knows why other than she likes her food.  Nothing wrong with that, I guess!  But I like the "oh, she's preggo stage" because then people are more understanding, open doors for you, and offer you their chair.  Chivalry is not dead people... you just have to be visibly pregnant (;

So as luck would have it these past few weeks have been a HUGE improvement!  I still feel kinda gross each day but that is slowly improving- as has my tolerance for most smells.  I had some headaches here and there since my last update but nothing major.  I have been really tired but I've decided my therapy for that is more exercise.  I'm happy to report I have not thrown up once!  Which is wonderful considering how my 2nd pregnancy went.  I was this||close to last week when I sprayed chloraseptic in my mouth because of a sore throat but I would've gagged on that pregnant or not.  As far as the old wives tales go I should be having a girl since my cravings revolve around sweet things and what cuteness I had seems to be robbed from me entirely. ha!  But I'm not putting too much stock in those.  And either way I'll be happy with what I'm having.  Although a girl would be a fun new adventure, no doubt. (Plus I like the name we have... I've been dying for 5 years to use it!)

So anyway... to me, I'm showing.  Depends on the outfit of course but if it's form fitting I sure am.  It seems early but then again I remember thinking that with Hy, my second.  They say you show sooner with each pregnancy (have I mentioned that before?  It's a fact I want everyone to be aware of when they see me!  And don't judge.)  Sadly, I'm freakin' starving 24 hours of the day so that sucks.  I never had that with my boys!  Small meals and snacks throughout the day help.  You're supposed to eat like that anyways, right?  Maybe it has to do with the cold too, why I'm so hungry...because I'm freezing cold all the time (tony doesn't get why).  Just another reason I need Arizona in my life.  Less than four weeks until departure!  Ah!

I thought I'd want to document the small growth in the beginning but I decided it's kinda pointless since not a whole lot changes.  But I think you can see more of a belly than you did last month.  Don't mind my lazy stay at home outfit (I just threw on a scarf and shoes to make me look more presentable for picture's sake... but don't be fooled, they weren't there before).

so cute

The problem I have with blogging, see, is all the blasted adorable stuff being hurled at my face right and left.  Seriously I have to avoid pinterest because it just means I will want to do this or make that or buy those or have that house and everysinglecutethinginside.  Arg.  Blogging makes me want stuff, I guess.  Weird.  Maybe I should quit?  Speaking of stuff, I'm jealous you guys are getting a shot at this necklace giveaway I'm hosting.  THAT'S CUTE TOO (I want one)!  ...But like, are we all done with giveaways around here?  Seems like it.  Anyway I'm rambling.  And I must get to watching a movie with Tony (whom is currently making a trek around town for me to gather miscellaneous items I'm craving... okay just one thing really... he's the greatest).  So when he get's back I want to be off this so I better just say...
I want these:

New TOM ballet flats.  I want them ALL!  Particularly these.

Just saying.  (Thanks again internet waving cute shoes in my face.  Just what I needed. counotgh.)