Update

Hey everyone! I feel like I have finally recovered from a really busy couple of weeks. Check out my mom’s blog for pics from my 4th of July weekend. Thanks to them for putting together such a fun BBQ! Summertime is just flying by, which is a good feeling because our due date is just getting closer and closer. October 20th, here we come! I’m finding that I’m totally putting off any preparations for this child to be here. But I know he’s coming. I feel him moving around in there everyday. Yesterday, in fact, I could see and feel a spot on my tummy getting kicked. It made me laugh out loud, it’s just kinda weird. I see my silhouette and think, Oh my! I’m pregnant! You know how for a while after you’re married, you keep looking at your husband and your new little apartment and think, Oh my! We’re married! Ya, it’s the same kind of feeling. Just have to get used to the idea I guess. My exercise habits have fallen off the face of the earth. I did pretty well until May and since then, I’ve been so lazy! So today, I got up (after a rude awakening by my neighbor’s girlfriend yelling profanities at him) and went at did some walking at Liberty Park. The summer morning air is the best! I’m going to try to keep this habit up. I also rented a prenatal workout DVD, ha ha! We’ll see how that goes. I would love to share pictures from our last ultrasound, but they’re all really bad and you can’t really see anything. But he is still a boy! So, sorry! They did record it for me on a DVD that I showed my family though, that was pretty cool. In other news, I’ve been released from my YW calling. I will miss seeing those cute YW twice a week. It was a great calling and I learned a lot. But I think I was worn out and feeling uncommitted and they need someone else who can be more dedicated. I was just getting all their names down too. But now I have 70 Primary kids’ names to learn! Sharing time, here I come!

Ruth’s Diner

You should go! Pitt and I went and had breakfast at Ruth’s Diner yesterday morning after our ultrasound. It is up Emigration Canyon about 5 minutes past the Hogle Zoo. I’m sure most of you have heard of it, but now you need to go try it out. It was so yummy!! I  got the best french toast EVER! It was cinnamon roll french toast, basically sliced cinnamon rolls dipped in vanilla egg batter topped with powdered sugar and cream cheese! What an indulgence and I would do it again in an instant!  We ate on the shade covered patio, so pleasant. It was a beautiful day.

I’m excited for the weekend! I actually get a weekend, lately I’ve been working all the weekends, so it is nice to finally have one off. Unfortunately, Pitt is working. So I’m going up to Logan alone. Mom is saving the day and we’re having a BBQ before the fireworks at their house.  Then some other fun things planned with the family. Should be a good time!

ABC’s of Rough Camp

The whole group!

(to the tune of ABC’s)

Esther, Heather, Scotty, Ma Tu

Hser Nay Paw, Peragia, Say Boo, Pa Ku

Kim Moo Kim, Say Too Paw, Paw Eh Blut, Lay Win

Nay Say Paw, Rosanna Way, Po Lin, Shwe Zin Win

Eh Doh Doh Lah, The Ray Say

Say La Way, Pa Ku, Mi Se, The The Way

Just got back today from 4 days at Girls Camp! We have an amazing group of Young Women that sprouted out of nowhere a week ago. We’re used to having a group of 4-12, but we had 22 for Rough Camp! It was a challenge at times, but very successful (considering, the last 2 years we’ve been snowed out) It was hard giving instructions and explaining rules because of the language barrier. They didn’t understand why we couldn’t wash our clothes or ourselves in the river, they never wanted to wear shoes, and they are a bunch of litter bugs! I think they were trying their hardest to obey me. Heather and Scotty were great helps. They are 2 of our “regulars,” who know and follow the rules.

This was BEFORE we established the rule of no crossing the river. It was so hot though we were glad we ended up soaked for a little while. The girl in the middle is Cathrine. She is a 20 year old that grew up in the Stake. She just really wanted to come to Camp and I think she was heaven sent. The Stake leaders asked her if she could help with our ward. We really needed her help because we only had 2 leaders up there at a time. She loved getting to know the girls and playing with them. Thanks Cate!

Say Too Paw, Hser Nay Paw, Nay Say Paw and Ma Tu

The 2 in the middle are sisters. These girls are baptised. I’d say 75% of the Karen refugee YW we had at camp are.

Makeovers! This is part of their beauty regime. It smells like baby powder and has the purpose of protecting from the sun, cooling your skin and looking beautiful. I got many complements after Say Boo applied it for me. At one point she put it really thick on my nose and they were all laughing-said I have a long nose. Ha ha! They are so cute, very happy girls! The one in the background is Heather, but they call her Too Lay Paw (pretty flower) She is 17, grew up in the ward and become great friends with everyone. Heather has learned a lot of their words and is patient enough to communicate well with them. She is a huge help!

Cute sisters! Nay Say Paw and Hser Nay Paw

They taught me Karen jumprope. Similar to Chinese jumprope, except with just one elastic string. They jump over it and do little tricks with it.

What an experience! I am still getting over the shock of it all so I don’t know what else to say except I’m glad I’m home. But I can’t wait to see my girls at church on Sunday. You look at our group and realize what a miracle it all is. As I was laying in my tent at 4 this morning, after I had rescued 10 of them from their leaking, soaked tent and piled them into mine and Esther’s, I was thinking how lucky I am and why I got to be the one to give these girls this experience. And then I laughed out loud because I was laying on mud, wet, not sleeping because of the snoring going on around me and uncomfortable. (did I say exhausted?)  I still don’t know!? But it is a week I will never forget.

Some cute pictures that make me smile, and I need a smile right now!

Lookie what I made

Turn these…

into this!

Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze

Recipe from yourheartout

It turned out delicious! I’ve always loved banana bread, so this is a great twist on the old standby. Who wants to share some with me? It’s best topped with cream cheese!

Pitt and I went on a little adventure Sunday. He’s planning Scout Camp for next week and we had to check out the status of the snow. We drove along the Mirror Lake Highway, stopping at various spots. (P.S. Snow level is at about 10,000 feet) Can you imagine seeing rapids like this and thinking, I wanna take a kayak down that? Yep, that’s exactly what Pitt is thinking. It was a good time!

With all this rain I haven’t been worrying about my newly planted flowers like I normally would. But last night I checked them out and all the rain has washed away the topsoil around them and their roots are sticking out! It looks like I just pulled them out of the package and kinda smashed them into the dirt. I guess I need to “dig a little deeper” next time. In other updates, my iPod is on the fritz. I use that stupid thing everyday and now it decides to just quit on me. It will play one or two songs and then just skip around until it dies. Well, we’ve had a god run. I’ve had it for 5 years I think. It is big and bulky compared to the new ones, screen is black and white, but it has been all over the world with me. I’ve kinda grown attached…tear. And lastly, today I’ve had to seriously recuperate from my 2 long days at work. These 12 hour shifts are killing me already! I came home last night and just crashed into bed and I woke up and my back is so sore. Too much lifting I guess. Caitlyn, how did you do it!?

Halfway there

 I had my 20 week appointment last week. All is well, I can’t even really tell that I’m pregnant – an occasional ache and pain, but seriously I’ve felt so good. It’s always fun at the doctor’s and hear our little guy’s heartbeat. I tried hearing it with my stethoscope last night,but all I heard was my rumbly belly. I’ll have to try again later. 

  The name quest is on! I was worried Pitt and I would totally clash on this, but I think we have some good names in mind. We’re keeping them to ourselves until we really decide and then I’ll let you know. For now, we call him Caesar!  We are so excited for things to come, the next 20 weeks will be interesting! (and you’ll hear about it, whether you want to or not)

  So today I went to Burlington Coat Factory because my mom-in-law told me they have tons of baby stuff. And, boy was she right! There was so much stuff! Cribs, bedding, strollers, car seats, swings, bouncers, boppy pillows, everything you could imagine! I am totally overwhelmed and don’t even know where to start or what we will need! So I didn’t but anything, very uncharacteristic of me. I just walked out of there with my jaw hanging open, feeling very overwhelmed. So give me your best mommy advice on what to buy and where to buy it. Because I feel so totally clueless!

  Pitt and his business partner Mark have been very busy with this:

   They started a kayaking school and have been teaching classes at a local pool. They’ve done 2 sessions and keep getting more offers from other pools to get started. Last night they held an open roll session (a roll is one of the basic maneuvers in a kayak where you flip yourself right-side-up after you tip over, yes, I can roll) The pool called to ask if they still wanted to do it because only 2 people had signed up online, they did it and 29 people came! It was crazy! We were all elated at the response and hopefully people that came will look into the classes and tell their friends…etc. They are also talking to Westminster to start up a program there. It has been fun to see their success! They’ve also been up to a lot of this:

Seeking out whitewater in Utah and Idaho. That’s Pitt’s car with 6 kayaks strapped to it. Don’t worry he has a degree in “strap-ology”

Big news and cute nieces

So, it’s a boy! We went to our ultrasound appointment today. We are way excited, we were wishing for a boy and that’s what we got! Yay! He looks healthy and is measuring for the due date Oct. 20th. We’re halfway through the pregnancy, whew!

Isn’t it mean that the first pictures we show off of our kids is of their parts!? Well, here’s his little penis (i mean big). The tech wrote YOU ARE RIGHT! because we had told her we thought it was a boy. As my cuz Derek put it, “we put the stem on the apple.” Ha ha!

Here we are at 19-ish weeks. I definitely have a baby bump now and Pitt has a fu-man-chu. He had a full beard while we were in Europe and each week he’s slowly shaved off pieces of it. Today, he lost the sideburns. He has a job interview Monday, so I’ll let him enjoy it while he can. 

Presenting the most beautiful dancers in the world: Miss Bailee…so cute!

And Miss Brookelyn…so big! She’s a great dancer!

Cheers! London pics…

Here’s what we’ve  been up to:

 

 

A beautiful view of Big Ben and the Parliament buildings from the Southbank of the Thames

Pitt setting his watch to Greenwich Standard Time at the Prime Meridian

Walking down a quaint street in Greenwich

We toured Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, very cool!

No rain yet and it’s been such a fun time! We’re planning more sight seeing tomorrow, museums and Les Mis. We’re here until Thursday, then off to Switzerland.

A Bun in the Oven

I’ve been trying to think of some cool, creative way to announce this, but it is just taking me too long to figure it out.  So, I’m just going to come right out and say it. We are having a baby! I’m 16 weeks pregnant. Our due date is October 20th. It has gone by really fast and I can’t believe the due date is less than six months away! I have felt so good, hardly even realized that something was going on. So, we’ve been to the doctor a couple times, had an ultrasound and now we’re just waiting and watching for my belly to keep getting bigger. We will find out the sex in 4 more weeks. Boy or Girl…either one, we don’t care-but we keep saying that maybe a boy would suit us better to start.  Pitt and I are really excited and couldn’t be happier!

No, it’s not twins. This pic was taken the night we told everyone. We got these little unisex onesies to announce it to everyone. At my birthday party (that I made such a big deal about) the last present I opened was baby stuff. Everyone there was so surprised! My mom had tears in her eyes and I think my dad was even video-taping. It was fun to have so many family and friends there. And hopefully they will never forget it. 

We are taking a trip, leaving tomorrow. We’re calling it our “last hurrah.” We’re off to London for 5 days and then Switzerland for another 5 days. I’m trying to download ER episodes as fast as I can for the iPod. We’ve been trying to roughly plan the trip and it is overwhelming what’s out there! We surely won’t have enough time, but will enjoy every minute that we do have! Bon Voyage friends!

Fly-by April

What a fun month April was! I’ve always liked April, mostly because of all the birthdays and birthday parties. Well this April did not disappoint.

I got to see my best friend sealed in the temple. Doesn’t she look absolutely stunning!?

 

I had a fun, fun birthday party. Unfortunately, the rain forced us into our little casa with bad lighting for photos. Here’s me and my dad. He’s so thoughtful. When I called to tell them the party would have to be at the house, he went and picked me up some folding chairs for my birthday present and, boy, did they come in handy! Thanks Dad!

 

Best birthday present ever…Pitt got me the complete set of ER! Who said my Thursdays had to end with the series. Now I’ll just watch from episode 1 every Thursday night. I can’t wait to get started! I still haven’t been able to bring myself to watch the finale…I’m in denial, maybe if I don’t watch it, it will never end. I have it penciled in my schedule for tomorrow night. I’m getting emotionally prepared as we speak.

 

Cutest little boys and moms EVER! I love them so much: Heather & Miles, Aimee & Carter, Adrienne & Jaden. They were born within 3 months of each other. I want one! I’m so glad you all came to celebrate the big #27 with me!

 

The day after my b-day we drove up to Boise to visit the Jensens and the Woods! They threw me a killer “Princess Dodgeball” party!

 

As the catch phrase says these days…”I’m seriously SO blessed!”