To Do

Time seems to fly by these days. I'm in my third trimester now if you ask one book, and will be on Friday if you ask another. I'm starting to feel like I have so much to and not enough time to do it. Nesting is not good when your Type A!

We leave Friday to head to Vegas and I can't wait. I'm feeling a little homesick and I can't wait for sunshine 7 days a week. Finals are coming up already and I think Brandon is feeling the pressure.

Want to hear my "To Do" list? It will make me feel better so here we go:

• Clean my house, I refuse to leave town with a dirty house
• Put my fall decorations away
• Doctor's appointment tomorrow (glucose test- ugh!)
• Make some yumminess for my friends shower on Wednesday
• Do all the laundry so we can pack
• Pack
• WORK! I'm so behind.
• Deliver our guest bedroom bed to family that doesn't have one (to make room for a crib)
• Buy a crib and changing table and get Brandon to put them together
• Build shelves in Benson's closet
• See New Moon
• Plan the ward Christmas Party (yay for my new calling!)
• Find the perfect birthday present for my niece that's turning 4
• Find curtains, a rug and mobile that match Benson's bedding

What? Who does that? I do feel a little better though :)

Good Stuff

It's been far too long since I've blogged about good stuff I found at the grocery store, but food is a funny thing when you're pregnant. Lately it's been slightly more appealing and I've found a few things that must be tried. First, these...



The lemon ones are SO delicious- and only 100 calories! And these...

Equally as good, but not exactly 100 calories. And my mom sent this in our Halloween package...

I cannot get enough! Try it all!

Last weekend we headed to Ikea in Detroit to get some inspiration for Benson's room. We remembered some outlets on the way and took a detour. It's funny, the kid isn't even here yet and I already gave up on shopping for myself. I never understood how moms did that, but I found myself going from Baby GAP, to Gymboree to Children's Place. There was a massive sale at Children's Place with the CUTEST clothes on racks there were .99, $1.99 and $2.99. We had arm fulls, then a lady in line handed us a coupon so we ended up spending $25.00 on about 25 things. We were pretty dang proud of ourselves! A few of my favorites...

Blocks, Benson and a Bird

Martha Stewart talked me into making these blocks. Aren't hers cute?

My crafts never quite turn out the same as hers, but here they are...

You'll notice there is a name on these blocks- finally!

Isn't this bird random?

I saw him at Meijer (think Super Walmart if you're not from MI) and thought he would look cute on a shelf in my nursery, but now I'm thinking it might be a little creepy!

Go, Go, Go

We have been go, go, going lately. I hear the baby might slow us down a little and I have a fear of missing out on anything fun so we've been cramming it in.

A few gals and I threw a "Lil Pumpkin" baby shower for our friend Riley that turned out darling! I was in charge of the cheeseball and I really wanted it to look like a pumpkin, after calling my mom 85 times and consulting my friend Emily, I ended up rolling it in crunched up gold fish crackers to make it orange. Crafty right?



We hit up the homecoming parade with a few friends...

And seriously- one of the funnest things we've done in a long time- midnight madness! The NCAA says when teams can start practice for the season and MSU throws a huge party to kick off the season.

The players were introduced and walked right by my seat. It was so awesome to give them all a high-five!

Raising our final four banner...

Last but not least, we could not be more thrilled to have scored a signed basketball by Coach Izzo. Brandon has been wanting one of these babies, and he can't wait to display it in his office one day. We were pumped!

Love This

There are about a million things I could spend my free time on, one thing I choose to make time for is to catch up on my blog reading, I LOVE to know what everyone is up to all the time. I mostly read people I know, stalk a few acquaintances, and I read C Jane. I loved one of her recent posts so much that I have to share. She seriously speaks to me. Makes me think. You can read the whole thing here, or my favorite part...

“…My season is not about house decoration. It is not about glass vases on low centered tables (as lovely as it looks, and it looked lovely). I need a simple house without toddler traps. Good organization and lots of cues from nature.

A clean house.

My season is not about fashion. It is about picking a few items, showing off the best part of my body. Easy laundered shirts for the inevitable snot trails that end up on my shoulder area. Look nice, but not encumbered.

Clean clothes.

My season is not about cooking elegant meals. I do not have the heart to treat food the way it should be treated. It is okay to eat peaches, apples and toast. Pirate Booty and Lorna Doones.

Just eat something.

My season is for babies. For sleeping when my baby naps and early morning bottle swapping. For belly and breast expansion and retraction. Music in the nursery and afternoons in the backyard. A season for schedules and predictability. A quiet time, a time to be at home, a time to focus on growing and gathering.

Love this season.

(I don't want to ask my energy to do more than this, though some women can.)

Then, then, then! I will start to dream again. I will dream of the season of glass vases and vacuum lines in my carpet. The time to cultivate a more sophisticated wardrobe and mornings to stay in bed until noon. I will earn my way to a kitchen full of spices and surprises. Parties, gatherings, social outings.

First this. Then the gold living room.”

I love it. Sometimes I think I can have it all, and I can, just not all at once.

Sell-Outs

We are officially sell-outs. I hate to even admit it, but we sold our tickets and made some serious cash instead of going to the biggest game of the season against our biggest rival.

So we went to Babies-R-Us to start our registry (which I did not enjoy by the way) and I was coveting this chenille glider and ottoman when the manager said she had one in the back that had just been returned because it didn't fit in someones house. We got to buy it for half of what it originally cost and exactly what we sold out tickets for. So happy.

Can I Just Complain For a Sec?

My trustee MSN weather ticker says there is a freeze warning for tonight…can’t we at least wait until October for that nonsense? It also says it’s going to rain starting Friday, for 7 days straight! Luckily the one thing I’ve learned to trust about my trustee weather ticker is that it’s usually wrong.

I also want to give a shout out to GAP for making me a little more excited about the baby boy clothes situation. Seriously? Look how cute their new stuff is…

Speaking of GAP, my mom (also known as Grandma in the near future), purchased the little guy’s very first outfit while we were in Chicago last weekend…

Speaking of Chicago, we got to join my mom, dad, and little sis Kenzie for their first trip to Chicago. They came to East Lansing first and we showed them the sights. Obviously MI is about as different from Las Vegas as you can get so we loved showing them the nature, Lake Lansing, Hawk Island, campus, the law school, all that good stuff. We went to the Cider Mill and rode on the tractor and ate buttermilk doughnuts and drank cider. The weather was beautiful; it was a perfect couple of days. Kenize's pictures are amazing...

Then we crammed as much of Chicago as we could into Saturday and Sunday. Chicago will always be one of my favorite places…

Thanks for the fun times fam!

It's Officially...

a boy!

The doctor said everything looks perfect. We're happy, especially Brandon.

I feel like we can finally get started on things, but we honestly don't really agree on names. I love Benson, Brandon isn't a fan. He likes Caden, I'm on the fence. Then the issue of spelling, I think K's are masculine, he think's they're femine and that C's are more masculine. We have issues!

My parents and little sister are in town and they got to see the little guy going crazy, he would NOT stay still. It was awesome.

Pics...

I am...

Feeling pretty dang good about our move- it’s been such a blessing to be surrounded by the best neighbors anyone could ask for.

Loving the weather! My front porch is cover is orange leaves, I think fall is here early.

Ready to know the gender of our baby- I can’t wait until the 24th!

So annoyed about the Michigan State game on Saturday! Worst. Game. Ever.

Happy to be in Las Vegas visiting my family, even though it’s not for a happy reason.

Missing Brandon and wishing he were here with me.

So sad that my granddaddy died, I miss him already.

So grateful for eternal families!

This Week and Other Randomness

Things are really starting to come together in our house; just don’t look in the basement. I think the lesson learned this week is: don’t freak out until you know there’s something to freak out about. I picked the suits up from the dry cleaners and they are as good as new, all the stains are out of the clothes, and with a few new parts the dryer is working great.

School is going to be intense this year, Brandon is taking lots of credits but he’s really liking it so far. I'm so ready to be done with being sick, no such luck yet. I'm at the stage where I'm looking extra chubby instead of pregnant, cute!

I go to the doctor tomorrow and am really hoping they’ll tell us for sure if there’s a baby boy or a baby girl on the way. Since it’s “likely” a boy I’ve been trying to get in boy mode which has been difficult. I’ve been looking at nursery bedding and decided that dump trucks, baby animals, and characters of any kind are just not me. I found a website that you can pick your fabrics and they’ll custom make your bedding. Here’s what we’re looking at for a potential boy room:

The big news this week is that the kick-off to Spartan football 09 is only 1 week away! We can't wait!

MICH. AGAIN.

I saw this on a billboard on the way out here and thought it would be an appropriate title.

We had grand intentions of leaving Las Vegas early afternoon on Monday. Our new place doesn’t come with a washer or dryer so we had to figure out how to get ours to MI. We ended up buying a trailer and when all was said and done it was 9:00 at night.

We left anyway and drove to Colorado and got a hotel room around 6:00 am. I was pretty much a mess on the drive. I think it was a combination of being pregnant and tired, sad about leaving family, and sitting in the car for so many hours. I’m just glad Brandon didn’t leave me on the side of the road- he’s so patient.

It poured rain like I’d never seen it rain before on the way here. When we finally got here everything on our trailer was soaked. When we opened the suitcases the colors in our clothes had bled onto each other. Brandon’s suits were soaked and his white dress shirts were spotted navy blue. Aahhhh!

We definitely got off to a rough start. I was able to fix all of his clothes, and I’m still working on mine. I think we’re about 75% unpacked. Our good friends fed us dinner and whenever I need to escape I can go over there and hang with them. It’s been a blessing.

Next week Brandon has his first full week of school, I need to get caught up on my work, finish the house, get groceries, and a much needed prenatal massage. Wish us luck!

The Deets

I’m officially done with the first trimester. If the next two go by as fast I have no idea how I’ll get everything done. I have been sick- thanks to the miracle of Zofran the throwing up has been significantly reduced.

We found out I was pregnant during our first few weeks in Las Vegas this summer. So basically, we lived with my parents through my whole first trimester. My mom was pretty much amazing. Can you imagine not having to cook dinner or clean for 3 months? She made things I felt like eating, fed my husband, made me lunch for work, and get this...even cleaned up my throw up. I'm so grateful.

I was completely convinced we were having a girl- completely. We had a girl name, girl nursery, and I’ve been mentally prepared for a girl. Our awesome ultrasound tech told us at thirteen weeks that it’s likely a boy, no guarantees until 18 weeks but it opened up a while new world of possibilities for me.

I love my doctor in Las Vegas, I haven’t met my MI one yet but he doesn’t seem promising. Both said they’ll just work together since I’ll be back and forth. My Las Vegas doctor said we can fly out on a weekend and be induced or we can deliver in MI. Hard decisions!

The one thing I have decided on is a stroller. After much research, review reading and pushing, the UPPAbaby is the winner.

Now we only have about 5000 more decisions to make, like a name!

We're Having a Baby!

Finally right? It was not an easy road to get here. First and foremost I have to say my thoughts, prayers, and hope go to those that are struggling to have children or can’t for whatever reason.

We are so excited and we feel so incredibly blessed.

February 12th can't come soon enough!

Moved In

Apparently we’re all moved in to our new place. I only had slight anxiety at relinquishing control and letting Brandon and his Dad handle the move. When we moved from Las Vegas to Lansing I spend three months bubble wrapping, organizing, and bossing. They managed to move us in 4 days (without me there bossing)! Brandon said my desk is in the kitchen so I’m a little nervous about what I’ll find when I show up there for the first time in a few weeks. I am SO grateful that they flew to Detroit, took the Flyer, worked their butts off, and for everyone that helped. So grateful.

I’m really going to miss our loft; it’s one of my favorite places we ever lived. I won’t miss the neighborhood, management, or rent. I think the new place is going to be good. We’re on an awesome bus route that drops off in front of the law school (no more earlier morning driving through blizzards), we’ll live by lots of people that can entertain me during the day, and we’ll be saving a bundle.

Summer is dang near over for us. I have one and a half more weeks of work, we go to the beach for week, and then it’s back to school!

Family Pic

I love these guys...

Now I'm on the hunt for an old window frame, I saw someone turn one into a picture frame and I'm obsessed with it's cuteness, and with finding one!

Beach Bums

Even though the humidity gives me a fro, I could totally live at the beach. We went to Oceanside for a whole week and it was relaxing, amazing, just warm enough, just cool enough, and just plain fun. My schedule consisted of sleeping until whenever, lying on the beach, eating, and lying on the beach some more. I have to give a shout out to my dad for funding the excursion.

Our beach house was sooo cute! Love the red front door.

Brandon chillin' on the front porch.


We had dinner in our "backyard" on the sand.

The pier.

The view of Oceanside from the pier.

Sunset.


Have you read Seriously So Blessed? This is my sisters version of a frown smile, so funny.

My little sister that just graduated from high school took some family pics of us which turned out really cute. Family pictures are always DRAMA with my family. With 4 girls (5 including my mom) it's inevitable that someone will hate their hair or their outfit or in the case Kenzie is a perfectionist photographer and hated the lighting. Luckily she is an amazing editor so I can't wait to post them as soon as she is done.

Catching Up

I hate that I'm so behind. Life moves so much faster here than in East Lansing! I refuse to skip blog worthy events, so here we have this post.

Work is absolutely crazy. It's what I do pretty much all day everyday and for some reason I unconsciously don't blog about it- probably because it's my Dad's company. But seriously, we have all of the characters from The Office, plus a few. I have to say I'm grateful to have a job and maybe one day I'll share some of the stories (like how Brandon put a fake camera in a lady's office and rumor spread that management was "watching" and how the cops came and arrested one of my co-workers for an EBay scam.) One day.

Today is my parents anniversary. I feel so blessed to have grown up in a home with parents that love each other.

Happy Anniversary!

Last week we celebrated my mom's 50th at Carrabba's. It was pretty low key since we just got back from a week at the beach, which obviously deserves it's own post. She does not even look close to 50, right? It's cause we keep her young, ha ha.

She really deserves her own post- cause I don't know what I would do without her. Unfortunately this will have to do.

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It's crazy to think we've been here for 2 months and we're going back to MI in August. Brandon is flying back in two weeks to move us into our new house. We're leaving our pimp loft that I love SO much to save $600.00 a month in rent. It's bitter sweet. But we're getting some pretty awesome new neighbors and I'm sure they'll help me forget I ever had heated underground parking.

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Now it's back to work!