Run for Ruby California Trip

In early January Keira and I were able to take a trip out to California to help celebrate the one year birthday of Chris' cousins' baby, Ruby.  It was wonderful to be with family and I am so thankful we were able to be there for the special event.

While we were there we went to the Newport Beach Temple.

Chris' super cute Grandma

On Thursday night there was a concert at Chris' aunt and uncle's house in honor of Ruby.  Mindy Gledhill performed with her awesome accompanist.  I knew and loved one of her songs, "All About Your Heart."  But hearing her in person made me just love all of her songs.  I was lucky enough to sit at her table and she was such a sweet girl.  She was so down to earth and talked like she wasn't a famous singer.  It was really cool.  Her songs are so heart-felt and really display her love for her family.

The weather was wonderful for January and it was so great being in the warm sunshine!

The Run for Ruby.  Ani and Matt (Ruby's parents) are not avid runners; they may have done a couple of runs for fun in the past.  But they did an absolutely AMAZING job organizing this run, and had only been planning it since August or so. They had thought about 250 people would be doing it, and over 420 did!  It was such a great turn out!  And such a fun run!  It was just as good or better than any professional race I've ever done.  There were decorations, giveaways, booths, music, metals, shirts, everything you could imagine.

It was a bit chilly, but so much fun!  My little cutie was such good company.  I hadn't ran six miles in a looong time,  but it as great!

You can't go to California without heading to In-N-Out!

...or Trader Joe's!

...or most importantly to the ocean!  You would never know it's January in San Clemente.  What a perfect day it was!

Keira loved playing in the sand!

And with her cousin Kate in the "house" they made.

If you're familiar with pictures I take, you'd know I didn't take this one.  Ani got a great shot of us!

Happy New Year 2012!

I seem to be running a bit behind once again.  BUT HaPpY nEw YeAr 2012!!!

Chris decided he didn't need a 1969 Corvette after all, only a 4 inch lift kit for his Jeep.

Before

After

Don't remember why this is here, but isn't she cute!  ;-)

She does like princess stuff.

This was soooo cute!  She has all of the sudden become more interested in taking care of her babies and being nice to them and napping them and feeding them.  Good timing!

I hate the wind!  It is my least favorite thing ever!  This wind storm was so severe that it blew over and destroyed our grill.  :-(

I got a new recipe book for Christmas called Our Best Bites and I love it!  I've never made chicken salad before and have only had it a couple of times, but it was absolutely delicious!  Soo, I had to take a pic and feature it!

Well it wasn't the most romantic or exciting New Years' celebration.  But my cute little stinker and I stayed up and woke up Chris right in time.  I was regretting the decision to have Keira's company the next day when we switched to an earlier session at church and she was super grumpy.

Happy New Year!  It's going to be an AWESOME year!!!  :o)

18 Weeks Pregnant

I'm now 18 weeks pregnant!  We get to find out if it's a boy or girl on Jan, 18th, which seems so far away!  We're both kind of hoping for a boy.  Chris thinks this is the last baby we'll have  :-(  and I'd like to have a boy in the family.  But I'll be tickled if it's a girl also!  I'd love a little sister for Keira!  Keira usually thinks it's a girl and would love to have a baby sister.

I'm feeling really good now, especially if I'm able to get enough sleep which is kind of hard with my schedule.  I'll be honest, this pregnancy has been quite a bit harder than my last.  For at least a month I was absolutely exhausted.  I'd have to take a nap almost everyday while Keira did, whether I worked all night that night or not.  So that left me with very little time for myself to get things done.  I think part of it was that I was having to work more eight hour shifts at work, so not only was a working extra, but even more since they were eights instead of twelves.  So sometimes I'd have to work three days or nights a week.  I think it's also been a little more difficult because I was working days, evenings, and nights.  For the next two months my schedule is pretty nice I think.  I'll work Tuesday 3pm-11pm and Wednesday 7pm-7am.  Chris has a set schedule also and I look forward to some consistency and regularity.

I've also been a lot more nauseous with this pregnancy.  Luckily I never vomited.  The nausea is definitely much better also, but I still get a little nauseous from time to time and dry heave.  I think it's the prenatal vitamins, the DHA in particular, that seems to cause it.  And what helps pregnancy nausea?  Eating.  So I'll probably gain a lot more weight with this pregnancy as well.  But oh well, hopefully I'll lose it all once again.  Because I have been feeling worse, I kind of think it's a boy.  But we'll see what happens!  I also think that this baby is going to be super good and easy!  My theory is that with Keira my pregnancy was amazingly easy and great, but she's a handful.  This pregnancy has been a harder, but he or she is going to be super easy and great!  And then Chris will want more kids!!!!  Please wish me luck that my theory is true!!!

Several of my friends are pregnant also.  One of my good friends from college is three weeks further along and there are about five girls from church that are due within about a month.  How fun!

I can already feel the baby moving which is so great!  I'm definitely a lot bigger than last time.  Most pants are a little too tight and I can't stand anything tight on my belly.  Right now the baby is the size of mango, about 6 inches and 1/2 a pound.  Not sure why I've gained nine.  ;-)  Here's a picture on Christmas when I was 17 weeks.  I'm so grateful to be pregnant and that everything is going great now!  I just hope it's not my last chance to be being pregnant!

Christmas 2011

Christmas was especially wonderful this year!  It becomes magical once again when you have children in your home.  Keira anticipated it and kind of understood this year and had so much fun unwrapping gifts.  She loved all of her gifts and enjoyed playing with each one before moving on to the next.  We spread the opening of presents throughout the day so it wouldn't be so overwhelming.

First we had Santa gifts.

Aunt Laurie came bright and early and in time for Keira to go out and see what Santa brought.

Keira was excited that Santa and his reindeer ate the goodies we left for them.

She was super excited to get a Baby Jaguar in her stocking.

It was so wonderful having Laurie there with us for the entire day!!!

The very best part of Christmas was that Chris and Laurie (and Keira needless to say) came to church with me!  It was soooo wonderful having them there!  Chris got all dressed up and looked so handsome. I was so amazed at how many people came over to say hi to him and remembered his name.  And 1st and 2nd Wards were combined, so all kinds of people saw him!  Don't tell Chris, but I was fighting back tears a lot of the service because I was so happy to have them both there with me.  It was a beautiful service, mostly singing Christmas songs.  The highlight was at the end.  The last song was Silent Night and Chris sang along!  It was sooooo wonderful!  He has such a beautiful voice!  What a perfect Christmas!  Hopefully I'll have lots more!

Keira was so cute and excited about all of her gifts.

Chris was too!

In the afternoon Keira had a special visit from Santa  Claus (aka Uncle John).

She thanked him for the presents and even hugged him.  He gave her a couple more gifts that she loves.

Yeah, yeah, we were dressed like twins.  We didn't know what each other was wearing.  I was honored to look like her.  Laurie must have been standing on a chair or something in this picture.

Every year I have to get a picture of everyone's presents.  I LOVE all of mine!!!

My new bedding set Chris picked out all by himself!  He also got me a gift certificate for a makeup lesson so I can learn how to put it on and what colors look good.  I'm very excited!

Keira with most of her presents.

And Chris with his.  (His always look a little boring.)  ;-)

Hope you had a magical Christmas

and have the

Happiest New Year ever!!!

2 Year Photo Shoot

October 4, 2011

These were from a long time ago, but her are her Two Year Pictures.  I thought they came out great, despite Chris and I having to do all of the work to make her smile.  :o)