Blog-iversary Winner!

Thank you for all of your wonderful comments. The winner is Jennifer S. who said, "Happy Blog-iversary! Is this the kind of thing you get to register for? If not, I think that you should start a new internet trend. It's fun to keep up with your adventures. Thanks for sharing. Jenn."

Jenn, I know you just moved so email me your new address and I'll get the cards right out to you!

Giveaways are a lot of fun, I think I'll do a few more in the future to keep you all coming back!

30 weeks

This week I am 30 weeks pregnant! It is crazy to think that in 10 short weeks we will get to see this little one. I’m feeling great aside from the occasional heartburn and my feet have even stopped swelling since the weather has cooled down. (yahoo!)

I don’t feel like I am prepared for his arrival at all, considering I don’t have any of the gadgets and not even a single diaper, but starting this week, I’m scouting the sales so I can have at least a few diapers on hand.

In reviewing our pictures, I realized that we have not done a very good job documenting my growing belly, so there are no progression pictures, just a few from this week.

Everyone wants to know names. We have narrowed it down to four, and I really don’t think we will narrow the field much further. Our finalists are Nathan, Andrew (Drew), Easton and Cade. We both want to see him before we decide for sure.

I’ll try to be better with updates from now on.

And yes, I know the outfit is a little weird, but I had to pull back the cardigan so you could see. I do know how to dress myself.

Happy Blog-iversary!

Today marks my Blog-iversary! One whole year! Who knew I would stick with it?

Instead of actual presents (I wouldn't want you to spend all of that money on postage), you can just leave me a comment--even you lurkers! I have even turned off the no-anonymous-posts for the next little while to make it easier--but be sure to sign your name!

As an incentive, I'll randomly draw a number out of a hat, and that comment will receive these:

Five handmade cards. Two baby cards, a wedding card and two with no specific situation in mind so you can have them when you need them!

Now go on, leave a comment!

ETA: You have until Midnight, Mountain Time on 9/27 to comment and I will draw a winner early Friday morning.

Wherein I fulfill promises

All of my talk about the elusive sewing projects is probably getting old, so it is finally time for some pictures. We were given a crib by my parent's neighbors--so naturally it did not come with instructions. We thought about putting it together a few nights ago, but after looking at all of the parts, decided we needed a little more time to work with. Ronnie's to-do list includes this chore this week. :)

So, in lieu of the crib bedding, I will share a few other projects:

This is the valence that matches all of the crib bedding. It has a pleat in the middle that is difficult to see in pictures (believe me, I took a million) and is made of blue bandanna fabric.

I am also proud to announce that I finished my first quilt top! This was made out of a kit I bought here and was my trial before I cut into my precious crib bedding fabric. I'm really pleased with the results and will have both this quilt and the crib quilt quilted at the same time--so this won't be done for a while.

I have also had requests to see my pregnant belly and promise those will be up by the end of the week--although I can't promise any spectacular photography work.

Games

I grew up in a game-playing family.

I should probably be more specific and say that my mom was all about the games and my dad is a good sport and played because we wanted to. (Except for Pit—he regards that game as the devil).

We are also a VERY competitive family. Winning is what it is all about. We all had our specialties and would rotate through those specific games so everyone could feel dominate.

But then my parents inflicted a rule.

A rule for the winner.

The winner had to clean up. No matter the game, or by how closely he or she won, the winner had to box the game up appropriately and return it to the shelf.

As the losers, the rest of us loved the rule. The game would end, the winner would give a shout of triumph and the rest of us would throw down the cards, pieces, or dice we were holding and run out of the room to do something else…while the winner sat alone and cleaned up.

It was an effective rule to say the least and I now see the wisdom behind it.

Since Ronnie also came from a game-playing family, we enjoy playing each other. Most of the time we are pretty fairly matched (but I ALWAYS win at Boggle, and I can’t for the life of me seem to win at Monopoly). And so that our competitive natures are kept in check, I have also started to enforce the winner’s rule, (Monopoly is a lot harder to clean up than Boggle) and our marriage continues on with little conflict over games*.

*Unless I haven’t won all night, in which case, I am forced to pull out Boggle for my own piece of mind—and may throw a tiny fit in the process.

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

On Friday, Ronnie's grandpa turned 90! Yes, that really is the big 9-0! I am a bad granddaughter-in-law and haven't gotten around to posting my birthday shout out 'til now.

We were unable to make it down for the shin-dig, but Ronnie wrote up his memories of Grandpa to be included in a book his children put together for him and since Ronnie obviously has a lot more to say than I do, the following is his memory.

"My memories of Grandpa go back as far as I can remember. There are many to choose from and I don’t know where to start. The motor home trips we went on, the time spent at their house, and the life lessons learned along the way. I have always enjoyed spending time with Grandpa no matter the situation.

No matter what when I think of Grandpa I think of golf, and the game that many people in this family have come to enjoy because of his influence. I remember several instances of golfing with Grandpa, and I don’t think there was ever a time I didn’t learn something (which club to use in a given situation, a new four letter word, etc.) But most important of all I learned an appreciation of spending time with him, and an enjoyment of being around family.

I remember fishing with Grandpa in Idaho, golfing with him in St. George, spending time with him in Silent Valley, and at Lake Perris. I can remember learning from him the value of a penny at Lake Perris, in the motor home park so frequently stayed at. I remember swimming in the Pool with Aubrey and Grandpa throwing pennies in for us to swim to the bottom and retrieve; well we couldn’t find one of the pennies and didn’t think much of it. It came time that we gave them back when we were done looking for them, and he said “Well your one short” and I responded “its only a penny” and he said “yeah, I need a hundred pennies to make a dollar and now I might be short.” And Grandma chimed in with her patented “Oh, Jay…” I learned it’s not the value of that one penny that is so important, but built upon and added to others, they can make a difference.

The enjoyment of visiting and spending time with Grandpa is what has carried over into my adult life, now married, there isn’t a time that KaLee and I don’t go to see Grandpa and Grandma when we are in California, and we both enjoy those moments greatly. I love Grandpa for all he has done; the impact he has made on who I have become is far greater than he will ever know. From the trips, to the time spent in his home, to the many conversations when I was younger prodding me to get my Eagle Scout Award, I love him for all of it. -Ronnie"

I'm showing you craftiness

And I'll admit it may be a little bit because I like to show people my work and also because I am always pleased when people approve of something I work hard on.

I've mentioned before that I make cards as a stress reliever, and with Ronnie constantly commandeering the office/craft room to study, my card-making has slowed.

I recently was able to design four cards to use in a birthday-themed-card-making party I held in my home. It was last night and while I always feel a little frazzled, I think it went great.

Below are the four cards we made. (images copyright Stampin' Up! 2007)

Now that THAT is off my mind, I can start on some other fun stuff--like finally finishing those sewing projects I have been promising for ages.

Fall is in the Air

It seems as though the instant that we are into September you can feel it. The air is a little crisper, the nights a little cooler and the sun a little less intense.

I love fall. I love the colors, the smells and the foods (doesn’t it seem like there are certain foods you make just during this time of year?)

I do not love the fact that in anywhere from one week to one month, Laramie will be hit with that dreadfully long season we call winter. There will be no warning, and it will not let up until well into May (if trends continue).

I’m trying to prepare myself mentally, but I find it incredibly hard. I had to put on socks to warm up before bed two nights ago and it was almost as if I was admitting defeat.

In family news, Ronnie continues to work very hard every day! I am so proud of his continued dedication. Now if we can just get our laptop back in our hands (three attempts at shipping and none have been successful—which begs the question…ShippERs fault or USPS fault?) we will be truly up and running.

As always, I am busy with my sewing projects (which will be posted soon I promise—I’ve completed the bed skirt, valance and bumper, we just need to actually set up the crib), stamping like a mad woman, and squeezing in episodes of The Office and Alias whenever possible (how did I ever miss those two shows?).

Hopefully something exciting, but not TOO exciting will happen soon so this blog can get back to being a little more entertaining.

The first sign

...of clumsiness.

I'll be the first to admit that I am not the picture of grace, but usually I can stay on my feet.

This is not the case anymore.

They tell you about it in all of the books and warn you about it in every weekly email.

When you are pregnant, your center of balance is off....really off.

I have noticed a small difference when doing little things like climbing stairs, and putting on pants, but have always been able to recover.

Yesterday, on my way out of church I tripped.

I tripped, rolled my ankle and fell in the parking lot.

I'd like to believe that it was as graceful as possible, but my sore ankle and skinned knee attest to the opposite.

Did I mention we are in a new ward? And that this was our first full-block church meeting? And that it was a chance for me to make a good impression?

I certainly know how to pick my timing.

Don't tell me I'm alone on this

I like to think that I am considerate.

I have been taught how to address adults, the proper manner of responding to requests, and to write a thank-you note whenever necessary.

Because that is what nice, considerate people do.

I fear that our youth are not getting that education.

This morning I received the following text message:

“Hey coach. I’m not sure if you got my text yesterday but i verbally committed to boston college yesterday”

Obviously this text was not meant for me. I can only assume that it was meant for a sports coach at the University of Wyoming and that the person who sent it was being recruited and has since decided to go elsewhere.

Since when is a text message an appropriate way to decline an offer? Especially a text message that is poorly written?

I can only hope that the first text message (the one sent yesterday) was sent to the correct number so that Wyoming does not continue recruiting this person and that as a result of the stupidity shown they have now ruled out anyone who was educated in the same household and/or school.

I could continue this post by giving you my opinion on text messaging in general, cutting in lines, phone call etiquette and many other topics, but I think you all get the gist.

We are Washington Parkites

Laramie recently had a change. We got a new ward. They took three wards and made four and we are part of the new-ness.

Previously we were in the same ward as:
My mom
My dad
My sister
My brother-in-law
My other sister
and
My brother

There were a lot of Wyos or Wyo-in-laws roaming the halls each week and I loved it! Despite what you may think, I didn’t really hang out with them though—Erica is in primary and my mom is constantly visiting another wards (for her calling, she is not a ward-hopper).

Anyhow, Sunday was the first ever meeting of the Washington Park Ward. We meet in the older building in town—the one that I went to until I was 16 and we moved. Did you know that there are still church buildings with no padding on the back portion of the pews? There are, and we got ‘em.

The ward seems very friendly with your usual mix of people in a college town, a few elderly, a few established families and a heck-of-a-lot of married students. Seriously, a lot!

And what do you suppose was the best part of this new ward forming?

The stake only called the Bishop, and his counselors—no other callings are filled yet.

So we only had Sacrament Meeting.

(you soooo wish you were me).

Post Script-for those of you unfamiliar with Mormon terms: stake=city leadership over all of the wards, Ward=congregation, Bishop=leader of congregation, counselors=other men who help with congregation organization, etc, callings=tasks that congregation members are asked to help with to have the church run smoothly, Sacrament meeting=one hour of our three hour church service (the other two hours are spent in Sunday School and a meeting with either all men or all women).