I wanted to remember

For my dear friend, Michelle:

Each life that touches ours for good

Reflects thine own great mercy, Lord;

Thou sendest blessings from above

Thru words and deeds of those who love.

What greater gift dost thou bestow,

What greater goodness can we know

Than Christlike friends, whose gentle ways

Strengthen our faith, enrich our days.

When such a friend from us departs,

We hold forever in our hearts

A sweet and hallowed memory,

Bringing us nearer, Lord, to thee.

For worthy friends whose lives proclaim

Devotion to the Savior’s name,

Who bless our days with peace and love,

We praise thy goodness, Lord, above.

When words don't say enough, music finds a way. Love you Michelle! Thank you for touching my life. I miss you and can't wait to see you again!

Better Days Ahead...

Almost a month and no posts, I know some of you are very disappointed, all with very good reason. To say we’ve been having a rough time the past couple of weeks is a severe understatement. (By the way this is mostly journaling for me, so you might just want to scroll to the pics! )

We had a fun break from school. It was great having Lance around. We took advantage of the family time and went to the Zoo, OMSI, Tillamook, and Cannon Beach.

If you can't tell by the above and below pics, this is Gracie's fav gal pal: Kaylee (AKA Kaayyyy-eeee)







Three weeks ago was my birthday…YEAH! I had a TERRIFIC birthday. Of course lots of friends, fun, and homemade ice cream. Lance said he was going to post for that week, but school got the best of him-stay tuned for that belated posting.

Thanks Kathy for the photoshoot!!

Two weeks ago I had to take an extra visit to the OB, I’m already starting to dilate along with a few other minor issues…I think it’s thanks to my mornings on the eliptical at the gym. They took some tests and I am NOT at risk for laboring during the next two weeks (although that deadline is up!). Everything is fine, but I have to take it easy…ha ha ha very funny I told the doc, how do you take it easy chasing a toddler?

We did start swim lessons this week!! YAHOO!! Gracie LOVES swimming!!


Let’s reflect on last week:

Monday- nothing too bad…I have a 20 month old who is starting to act like a 2 year old, I can deal, right? Like, undressing herself twice before leaving for the gym, coloring all over the front of my ipod, you know the usual toddler things.

Tuesday-contractions, contraction, contractions…I get them from doing the dishes…I start to laugh and tell Lance too bad he has to finish! ;)

Wednesday- Gracie woke up SCREAMING from her nap and pulling at her right ear. After ONE FULL HOUR of crying I finally was able to shove some Ibuprofen down her throat and she calmed down enough to watch a movie. If you know Gracie well enough, she’s not a big crier unless something is really wrong. I kind of freaked and Lance rushed home from school to help us get to the emergency clinic. Diagnosis: Otitis Media (ear infection). The tube in her right ear fell out (not sure when) and now has ANOTHER EAR INFECTION!!! All I could think of is PLEASE don’t tell me that we have to go through another surgery…(we have our follow-up today) But we ended up opting NOT to take the antibiotics (crazy right??). We took Gracie in to the Chiro clinic and got her adjusted, and her ear stared draining by that night and was cleared up within 24-hours!! (We didn’t even have to give her the ibuprofen.) So needless to say we had to skip swim lessons, poor Gracie!

Thursday- Lance comes home from school not feeling well. Baby Shower!! Thanks to Heather! Our monthly GIRLS NIGHT was turned into a shower for me and it was so fun! The girls used their artistic expertise to design onesies. They are cute and FUNNY! I had such a blast. Thanks everyone!

Friday- Gracie recovering and I woke up with a bloodshot eye that was a little sensitive…We tried to take it easy and watched movies all day long. Trigenics Seminar for Lance all weekend. (LONG HOURS FOR CERTIFICATION AND TESTS!!)

Saturday- Pink eye confirmed!! WHAT THE CRAP?? Since when do you get pink eye as a stay at home mom when your kid didn’t get it first???

Sunday- Another migraine?? Will these ever go away??


Of course these weren’t the only events that happened last week, merely the highlights. I really thought my luck was turning around on Monday when I got a message on my voicemail that we had won a drawing from a baby expo I attended MONTHS ago. I was drawn for a trip for 2 to Reno, or Vancouver, BC or something…but I lost it because we had to verify our income was over a certain amount…BUMMER! (it was probably a scam anyways)

I can’t complain though, through all of the large potholes, bumps, and walls we’ve hit the past couple of weeks we all survived. I know Heavenly Father has taken great care of us. We have been blessed with everything we needed it right when we needed it. My house has been a disaster but it (or anything else) hasn’t stopped us from laughing at all the things that have gone wrong. Gracie has been so cuddly, and sweet. She always wants to give really big tight squeezes and now says, “uuvvvv oohhh” (translation: love you). I think she knows what’s coming and is taking every advantage to get alone time with Mommy and Daddy. We have good friends who have taken care of us here. Thank you for those of you who called, stopped by (some with cookies-YUM), watched Gracie while I ran to the clinic, and just let me vent on my bad days!!

Other Random Pics over the past 3 weeks:

Me in all my prego glory deciding how to go about ripping out the bushes in the backyard.
Nevermind the trampled daffodil! I got it all by myself. Lance did have to come running with the camera because I started out with the shovel and flip flops and successfully ripped out the first bush before resorting to tennis shoes.


33 weeks (2 weeks ago)

For Cory and the Fam: yes, I am betting bigger!

New York Dreams (and a couple of AZ)

Gracie and I got to travel during Lance's finals week. The reason for the trip:

Janey's Wedding!!

I met "Janey" my freshman year of college. We had some rocking music classes together and shared a love of music and dance. We took many a dance classes from our fav, Fleur, and really bonded while Janey helped me get through music theory. I was DEVASTATED when she decided to transfer to U of A the next year! So after much plotting and planning I convinced her to come back to NAU because I needed a roommate in my new apartment. Though her second stay in Flag was brief, she changed my life forever. From the food I eat, the music I listen to, or even they way I organize my closet. I have never been the same! I LOVE YOU JANEY! I am so happy you have found your true love! Thank you for the opportunity to share this special day with you! I felt very honored to be apart of every bit of festivities and would have traveled around the world to be there! To everyone else I can't even explain how much fun I had! The wedding was AMAZING!!!

I took Gracie to AZ to visit fam and stay with the Mollenhauer's while I ventured to NYC. We tried to cram every bit of family and friends into our AZ trip as possible but there were only so many days! THANK YOU TO GRUMPA, BELLA, ALEXA AND BRITT for taking care of my Gracie! She LOVED spending time with you (and sophie-the new puppy). Thank you to my mom and dad for letting us crash as their place for a few days! MUCH FUN! Thank you to friends for taking us to fun places and having us over to play!

Here are the girls that made my trip easier on my wallet (and a TON more fun!!) Gucci, Coach, Tiffany, anyone?? THANKS KYLIE, MALLORY, AND HEATHER!!

This is the view from our fabulous hotel! One of the nicest hotels I've stayed in, and even though the pic is blurry you can tell it had a GREAT view!

All of the Bridesmaids before the CRAZY Bachelorette Party!

Abby, Diana, Jana, Janey (the bride) Marie, Ashlee, Kristy, and me!

The wedding site! CAN YOU BELIEVE THE VIEW??? It was INCREDIBLE!!! This was also the backdrop for their wedding pics. This was the half of the room that was used for holding for the wedding party, the cocktail hour, and then later the other half of the reception.

Our bouquets! Aren't they GORGEOUS!!??

Just awaiting our big entrance

Janey and Me- LOVE YOU GIRL! (thanks for fixing your orange 4 1/2 inch blush work!)

The beautiful Bride and Groom! Congrats Liza and Jon!!

Playing at the Wilson's...this is the ONLY look Jaxon would give me!

Blake and Gracie (yep, she got a little hair cut--thanks NAT!)
Gracie LOVED playing outside with all of the boys! She thought it was the greatest thing to be able to play outside. Thanks to Grandma (Crouse) for providing summer clothes for Gracie to play in!!

Ding, Ding...All Aboard...Here We Go

First:

Then:

and:

We'll miss you Lance!! Good Luck on your finals!!

Addicted

Gracie watching a movie, with elephant earphones, while I attend bookclub.

Note: She didn't move the ENTIRE time we were there!

Run Prego, Run!

This week's accomplishment:

*1 mile run in 8:53 (of course the miles following at are at a MUCH slower rate, but I thought I would push myself and see what I could do. Be glad you don't have a membership at my gym and have to wach the 7 month prego woman running! ha ha ha)

Tag (thanks a lot Jada!)

10 years ago...
Holy Crap I was ALMOST 16 and had great friends who stood by me through all of the awkward teen years. Ok, this seems like AGES ago! It was my sophomore year at MHS. I was NOT… dating and did NOT … have a boyfriend …er…whatever! (I think we all know there were always 5 of us that hung out—thanks Mac !)

5 Places I've visited...
Mexico, Hawaii, New York (again in only 17 days!), Texas, Illinois

I enjoy...
-baking
-eating
-reading
-sunshine
-vacations
-music of all kinds

3 bad habits...
-stressing over details
-not putting ALL of the laundry away ( I usually get 85-90% done before I poop out)
-I’ve always thought a great weakness of mine was that I spread myself too thin and try to do too much


Jobs I've had...
-Mesa Frozen Yogurt (4 YEARS!!!)
-Front desk at Neurologist Office
-Resident Assistant at NAU
-Teacher (Elementary Music, Jr. High Music and Drama)
-ps I still know nothing about drama!
-MOM (this one is fun)

5 things you may not know about me...
-I have to sleep on the side of the bed that is furthest from the door.

-I have my bachelor’s degree in Choral Music Education and stopped 2 classes shy of my Master’s Degree in Bilingual and Multicultural Education (I HATED it!) Someday I want to go back and get my Master’s in Choral Conducting (but of course that’s AFTER I finish culinary school).

- Laparoscopic surgeries are scheduled annually for me. Ok, I’m exaggerating but I think I’ve had four surgeries on the stomach-ish region in the last seven years. Yepper, no gallbladder or appendix here!

-I told Mexican authorities I definitely knew how to drive a moped right before almost crashing into the rest of the scooters for rent. Don’t worry I said I almost crashed and I quickly drove away and toured Ensenada without any other troubles. (By the way that was from a cruise I took while in college with a bunch of young single adults, of which some became my life long friends. Love ya “cute girls”.)

-I was a cheerleader in 9th grade, and LOVED it!

-Lance had to convince me to date him. I told him I was going on a mission and he said, “Sweet, I’ll marry you when you get home; it gives me a chance to go to school.” This really freaked me out because at that point I didn’t know how I felt about him. Don’t worry we were engaged 6 months later.



I tag Mac, Kathy, Crystal, Julie

Oregon Zoo

Thanks Girls for the fun!

As Requested...

Happy Helper and Hello Park

This is what I get for asking Lance to help me make cookies for fun. I thought it would be a great way to spend time together and he was ecstatic I let him play and make shapes out of the dough!

This was his creation: (promptly followed by, "I'm cute, aren't I?" Yes, honey you are cute and I love you too!)

Gracie and I went to the Park TWICE this week. It turns out the sun does shine (once in a blue moon) here in Portland... Gracie and Kaylee (aka kayy-eeee)
Ahh, the good times