30 Weeks

It has been a long while (10 weeks to be exact) since I took an updated baby picture. I put it off so long because I kept telling myself I was going to take one with my makeup all perfect and hair all done, so I could seem like I was a cute pregnant woman. Let's be honest, that's not gonna happen. So at least a picture is better than no picture right? Haha.

About this pregnancy:
-same "new things" as the 20week post
-have developed the wonderful (not) things known as blood clots, & now get to do/have all the fun things associated with that
-this baby girl is one heck of a mover! My belly will seriously move around, which is pretty trippy to watch
-I feel like I have been pregnant FOREVER!!! (& I still have 10weeks to go)

Things I crave:
-meat! (yes still)
-strawberries, particularly smoothies but really anything with strawberries
-other random things but that can vary by day

Just a cute thing: Paige will now come say "hi" to the baby by rubbing my stomach. & she gets quite entertained and confused when the baby starts moving my stomach around.

Curtains

Our house needed window treatments, but they are just so dang expensive for something not very cute. So I decided to make them, & I just finished my first pair! I bought cheap drapes from ikea, made the curtain rod, & they have been hanging plain like that for longer than I would like to admit. But last night I just finished adding thick decorative stripes to them! I am in love!! It literally took FOREVER but I just love the end result! Now onto the other 4 windows in our great room.....

(excuse the poor quality of pics, I will take better ones with my camera, & it's a 50/50 chance I'll post better ones on here later. Haha)

Fireplace Mantel

We finally stained our fireplace mantel! Wahoo!! We had our house builders put in a "blonde wood" mantel because they would have charged us an additional $3,000 to stain it the same as our cabinets. Yeah right! Stain costs like $10!!! So, we lived with a mis-matched fireplace for a couple weeks and it finally drove me crazy enough to actually crack open the stain & paint it. (Ok well Jared did most of the staining because it strongly advised against pregnant women breathing the fumes) A couple days and $20-ish dollars (dropped stain can, remember?) a whole new matching mantel! Eat that $3,000!! Haha =>

(& the only pic I have of the new mantel is with some Christmas decorations. Maybe later I will get one of the plain mantel)

Grocery Budget

Budgeting is not my forte, it is something I am constantly evaluating and trying to perfect. I saw this link on a friends website, its an ebook about how to keep a grocery budget, for a family of 4, to $250. Seeing how I am feeding 2.5 people on a higher amount, I would LOVE to be that low! I'l let ya know if I can follow this books principles and succeed in saving more money! Fingers crossed. =>

20 weeks

So I am 20.5 weeks along and this is the first "bump" picture of the pregnancy. Needless to say I am not as vigilant about it as I was last time. Haha

Different Things about this pregnancy:
- I am carrying in my back, which presents a whole new set of experiences
- I still get morning sickness, although not as consistently as the first trimester
- I have very specific cravings, & not necessarily just of tastes but of textures
- I got a body pillow, BEST THING EVER!! I don't know how I made it they Paige's pregnancy without one! =>
- This pregnancy still hasn't fully "sunk in", Jared & I have to remind ourselves that I actually am pregnant & not just having all these weird symptoms. (we don't forget I'm pregnant, it's just not really real. Does that make any sense?)

Things I crave:
- zupas summer chicken salad
- MEAT (this baby is definitely a carnivorous child)
- shaved ice (no flavor, just texture)
- smoothies (mainly piña colada)
- and more meat => (& not hot dogs, like steak, roast,..... Real meat. Haha)

First Ice Cream Cone

The other day my aunt Lindsey & I went to Ikea. That's always a fun store to explore, and our girls did great! After , we rewarded ourselves with some of their ice cream cones. I was brave and decided to get Paige her own, but had them only fill it slightly. She LOVED it! It was pretty funny watching her eat it. The only pics I got were at the beginning of the process. Thinking back on it I should have got a pic of the ice cream covered mess before I bathed her. Haha. But what a cute little ice cream eater! Now there are 3 things she will eat without a doubt: chocolate, ice cream, marshmallows. Haha =>

Not so great good thing

Today has not been a very good day. No particular reason. Just the hard parts of pregnancy, life with a toddler, & just feeling down all in one day. But the day must go on, & things must get done. So Paige & I went out & ran errands, one of which was picking up stain for our fireplace mantel. I took a little longer picking out stain because there was no exact match to my cabinets. I finally picked a combination out & we headed home. (mind u we are now late for Paige's nap. Tired cranky baby & mommy). We pull into our garage & I'm unbuckling Paige & somehow the can of stain falls out of the car and SPLATTERS all over our garage floor!!! What a great way to end a great errand run. NOT!! I utterly broke down & called Jared just bawling. He reassured me he can fix it, & I didn't ruin our house & he still loves me. What a great man to put up with my dramas =>. So now, after I have sufficiently stuffed myself with chocolate & the baby is down I go out & get the rest of the stuff from errands out of the car & I realize something. The stain isn't even the right color to match my cabinets. So, maybe in some far future I will see this as a blessing & tender mercy because I didn't put all that time & effort into painting my mantel just to find its the wrong color. As for now, I just need ice cream & more chocolate.

Bookstore Drama

This morning I took Paige to Seagull Book to get some pictures of Christ, like the little card size ones. It was a trip of mixed emotions. => If you are familiar with Seagull book, or even Deseret book you know the walls are covered with beautiful framed pictures of Christ and other religious paintings. As soon as we walked in Paige started yelling "Jesus, Jesus" (ok really "Esus" or "Jesz") and pointing at all the paintings. That just melted my heart! I loved seeing her get so excited about Christ!! We make our way to the back of the store to the rotating card picture holder thing. I picked out 2 pictures of Christ & I let Paige hold them. She was sooooo excited!

Then I made the mistake of putting her down while I looked at a table full of childrens books. Not 2 seconds later I turned back to Paige to find that she discovered how to take the cards out, & turn the thing to get more cards. She was taking out whole sections of pictures & holding them in her ever growing stack. I tried to get her to only hold one copy of each of the pictures,.... Huge fit! But she finally calmed down.

Then she went & tried to take even more. I wouldn't let her (I was trying to go check out). One of the biggest tantrums I have ever seen her do ensued. Complete with sprawling & twisting on the floor & screaming "no" & "Jesus" (along with other baby words) at the top of her lungs. Boy, what a scene it was!

I was so thankful there were only 2 people in the store (a worker & a grandma lady). It's a good thing Paige knows & loves Jesus, just not such a good thing she will throw such a huge fit over pictures of Him. haha Overall, great trip (seeing her react to Christ) but a little frustrating (the fits).

Then when we got home & she saw where I put the pictures (her room) she got excited again! I love it!

& while we were there I saw some paintings of Jesus that I actually wanted! (I'm very picky about buying a nice picture of Christ, which is why I have yet to get one). Here are some pics of some of the ones I like, & one day will probably get & display in my house!

Mobile App Trial

So, blogger finally got a mobile app, which means I should be able to put pics from my phone onto the blog. Meaning I might post more, but no guarantee. The pics are of Paige playing @ her gymnastics gym. We go on Fridays for "free gym" time, where kids have free reign on all the gymnastics equipment. Paige LOVES it! Then there is our house, pretty close to being finished, hopefully. Wahoo! haha. & Paige making the cutest dirty face @ the camera. So adorable! I just love my daughter! Haha

Well, let's see how this posts. Fingers crossed. =>

ABC, Now You Know Me

I know I have not blogged in a looooong time. Honestly, I just have not been able to find the energy. But I feel so sad every time I see this poor neglected blog. So I figured I would remedy that, but in a non picture, very quick and easy way. => My friend Tess posted this cute get to know you try thing on her blog. So I figured, this would be an easy fun way to update the blog. Here goes nothing:

Age: 22

 Bed size: Queen, would LOVE a Cal King tho

Chore you hate: Cleaning the bathrooms. Yes, this is a chore that especially has to happen often, but there is something about cleaning the things where your "unwanteds" (aka, bowel movements, dirty body stuff, nasty spit, etc) go that just makes me cringe. I do it, but definitely do not enjoy it.

Dogs: I did not have a dog growing up, and am actually allergic to most of them. I have always liked the idea of dogs but I dont like the nitty gritty  of it. If I could have a dog that is always clean, doesnt: smell, poop, lick, slobber, etc. Then I would be fine with a cute dog. =>

Essential start of your day: Well normally its a kiss from Jared. He always kisses me before he goes to work. And I LOVE it!  But since this pregnancy, the essential essential part is food. I have to wake up & immediately eat something, or there is no way to get thru the day.

Favorite color: Blue and yellow, the happy shades of them. There is just a joyful quality about those colors that I love.

Gold or silver: Well, my wedding ring is white gold, which is gold, except its silver. I guess I'm 50/50.

Height: 5'8"

Instruments I play (or have played): I took piano lessons for almost my whole childhood (can not play now), played Cello for 2 years, and have been singing since I was little (in countless choirs and shows)

Job title: SAHM. (Stay At Home Mom).. The HARDEST job I  have ever had to do.

Kids: Yes. One 16month old girl, and one on the way.

Live: In Utah. (really, its still hard to admit that, even after 2 years of living here and building a house). Have lived in: Arkansas, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Colorado.

Mom's name: Robin

Nickname: Shay, Lys, Lyssa, Lyssa Shay, Angel. Then all the ones Jared has for me (Babe, Beautiful, Gorgeous, etc) 

Overnight hospital stays: Giving Birth: 2010. There might be others I just cant remember.

Pet peeve: Chewing with mouth opened. That noise it makes just gets so under my skin! Oh I am just getting irked thinking about it. haha

Quote from a movie: "

Right or left handed: I write with my right hand, but everything else is left. (eating, batting, kicking, throwing, etc)

Siblings: 1 sister, 4 brothers, all younger.

Time you wake up: Normally around 9, when Paige wakes up. Also, throughout the night for pregnancy reasons and baby not sleeping reasons. Oh to get one solid full nights sleep, but I guess I have quite a few years before I will be able to have that again. haha

Underwear: Religious, not so cute kind, but oh so wonderful!

Vegetables you dislike: There used to be none. I absolutely love vegetables. But when I was pregnant with Paige I ate brussel sprouts and it did NOT go over well. I have not been able to eat them since. Bummer.

What makes you run late: Genetics. I don't know any other way to explain it. I am ALWAYS running late. No matter what I do. It drives my husband crazy, and I am always trying to get better. But being late is just a fact of life with me.

X-rays you've had done: Teeth, jaw, lungs/ribs, hips, arms, and I am sure much more.

Yummy food you make: I am not, nor have I ever been a chef. But I am slowly learning. The things I can make, and well, are: Chilie, Roast, Fudge, Oreo Truffles, Cream Puffs, Cake & cupcakes, and smoothies. Its pretty sad most of them are desserts huh? haha We know where my priorities are. =>

Zoo animal: Giraffes. They are so majestic and graceful. Its interesting to watch them move. Tigers too, for the same reasons, but in a different light, if that makes sense.

Hope you enjoyed getting to know me a little more. I would love for you to fill it out so I can know more about you! =>

Life

Hello out there, can anyone hear me? I know it's been forever since I have posted so if u guys have long past given up on me I can totally understand, I'll just type to myself then =>.

So, what's new with us.... Well the big reason why I have not blogged in forever: we got iPhones! I seriously love it! I don't know how I ever lived without it! Pathetic I know. But since getting this new phone I hardly ever go on the computer, and this phone does not let me upload pics to the blog (or if it does by doing some tricky things I have not figured it out) and my philosophy, normally, is what good is a post without pictures. So there u have it, getting the best phone ever has put a serious dent in my blogging. Eh, such is life haha

But, we come to the reason for the blog. I am actually really excited & wanted to tell people, & since I stay at home all day (bc I don't have a car) I don't see anyone, so I blog it. Haha we bought a house!!! Wahoo!! Ok, we are actually building a house. It's pretty exciting & scary! We are building in Utah, so yes, that means we will be living in Utah for a good while longer. While the CA girl in me is so against it, most of me has come to terms with being a utard for a little while. Haha. If I could, I would post pics of the house, floor plan, lot, etc but alas, I am on my phone. So if any of you are that interested & would like to see my the plan we are building you can go to our builders website. Google: Richmond American Homes. Our housing plan is called the "Alison". We are getting the style house that has the green & brown color, but with the yellow white & red colors (does that make sense).

Wahoo for getting out of this tiny apartment & into more space & a backyard we don't have to share with smokers!! =>

This Time

This time last year I was beginning the very painful process of bringing a child into this world. My how the times have changed. This time last year my aunt Jenny and her family had just left from a night of girls playing and boys working. Jenny's youngest Bella, spoke to my tummy and said "Come out baby Paige, I want to play with you" Less than an hour after they left I began having very painful and frequent contractions. This time last year I was in labor. That's such a crazy thought! I have mixed time perceptions. On one hand it seems like just yesterday I was in labor and on the other hand I seems like I have had my little baby Paige for years and years. This time this year, I am sitting on the couch, taking a break from the hours I have spent in the kitchen baking cakes, wishing I was closer to being done. Today I spent my day playing peekaboo, dancing, reading, watching Mickey and Tangled with Paige. Has is really been a year? I think 10 months have gotten stolen from me! There is no way I have a 1 year old daughter!! Holy cow! I really can not believe my baby is turning 1 tomorrow. Crazy!! Well, enough freaking out/ reminiscing, time to get back to the cakes. Pics of the big day tomorrow to come. =>

Junk Mail

Both Jared and I get our fair share of junk emails. I periodically will go thru and move the addresses to my "blocked" senders list, because they annoy the crap out of me. Tonight was one of those nights. I had 45 junk emails in my junk email folder, mixed with a couple more emails I wanted that somehow end up in there. My email provider took away the button to automatically block a sender (or just put it somewhere I have yet to find) so I have to open each email (attachments blocked of course) and manually copy & paste the senders address into my blocked category. Tedious yet somehow therapeutic. Tonight I came across this email. I busted up laughing, which caused Jared to come over and see, out of curiosity. He busted up. I dont know if its just late night giggles or just partly, but I find this email HILARIOUS! I had to share it. Now most scams are pretty good at sounding legit. I can see now people are duped into falling for them, but this one, its just.... oh Ill just let you form your own opinions:

Hello Dear,

I am ill and would die having been diagnosed with cancer disease.

I want to distribute my funds to charities in your country through you.

Please respond for more details.

Respectfully,

Paul George

My 2 Loves

Yes, I love Jared and Paige, but they are not my two loves I am talking about today. Instead, let me gush about my new 2 loves: Laser hair removal and Couponing!

I know I know, odd loves, but let me tell you, they are AMAZING!

I have had 4 treatments of Laser hair removal on my underarms. Last year Jared bough me a Groupon package that had 6 treatments, so I have 2 more to go. Oh my goodness I am in love! To be honest, the first three treatments I didn't see much difference. They kept telling me that they had to synchronize all the growth cycles, etc etc, and that I would potentially notice more hair until the 4th treatment. They were right. But then, the miracle happened. After the fourth treatment all the hair was gone! GONE!! Zap! Finito! I shaved yesterday for the first time in over 2 1/2 weeks, not because I needed too, because I still hardly had hair, like you couldnt see any unless you looked with your nose in my pits (and who would do that?) but because I felt weird not shaving for 3 weeks. I guess I will have to change my mindset because its going to get even less with two more treatments!
Now I'm not gonna lie, its starting to hurt like crap. The first couple times felt uncomfortable but this fourth time it genuinely HURT! But only for the duration of the treatment. After it was fine. So even if the last two treatments continue in this pattern and get even more painful, it will be SOOOOOOO worth it! Oh, not shaving and still having no hair is BLISS!

As for coupons. I don't think I can say enough about them! They are such a BLESSING! I started couponing in Feb. I have heard about it many times, since Utah is probably the couponing capital, and it intrigued me, but not enough to actually go and spend money on the newspaper. But then Jared and I happened upon a show on TLC, Extreme Couponing, and it was very fascinating! That pushed us over the edge and we signed up to get one Sunday newspaper a week, for $4 a month. I have even gone to Couponing seminars to learn how to better do it.
I am not a professional yet, and to get amazing at it you need multiple papers and places to store things. For now, I am doing what I can and it has been AMAZING!! The best food shopping trip I had I saved 56% on our groceries, an that was back in Feb, and we still have plenty of the food and are still using it! And just yesterday I saved on diapers and we shouldn't have to buy any until late Aug/early Sept! I spent essentially $0.17 a diaper, instead of $0.25. And on 810 diapers thats around $64 in savings! I know those aren't HUGE numbers, but to us they are gigantic! So the paper is definitely paying for itself, more than 10Xs! I get this high when I get such a great deal! Its kind of addicting! => I LOVE LOVE LOVE being able to save money and have all the things we need! Oh coupons, I love that I found you!

Cleaning & Necklace Diva

We are alive, don't worry. I am just lazy in the picture department. Oh I took plenty on our trips, I just have not taken them off the camera yet. Instead I have been spring cleaning. (which means re arranging furniture and MAJOR decluttering.)

I "spring clean" about every season change, but this time of year it is expected by the world rather than just my extreme need for organization. I really love the feeling of a new furniture arrangement, its like having a whole new house. Couple that with unbelievable clean and vwalla (sp?) you have a little bit of heaven. haha

The only problem is: things get drastically messy before they become neat and orderly. So at the moment, and for the past couple days, my house looks like a tornado hit it. I deep clean one room at a time, but that means all the other rooms that have not been cleaned get crap put in them for the time being. And with an almost 1 year old (how weird is that!?!) this process is going a lot slower than normal! But I can just envision it now, a whole new and improved apartment! Oh how blissful! haha

So basically, when this is done, and I complete my couple projects I promised myself I would complete before anything else (Paige Easter present, & fixing some broken clothes), THEN pictures of our CA adventures and other things that happen between now and then will grace this blog.

For now, you get to enjoy the cuteness that is my daughter from the beg of March. Paige LOVES to wear my necklaces and scarves. I think she partly likes the necklaces because its a chew toy always in reach, but also because she is a girl and loves dress up already! Oh I hope it continues! I would love LOVE love it if she wanted to dress up when she is older!



Dispite her look, she really did want it on, and
would get upset if we tried to take it off



Paige was so excited when Jared put the scarf
on her again! (we had it on earlier & I took it off
when Jared got home)





One Sunday after church she wore this little beauty around. What a fashionista!




In Idaho, and my aunt Amy's hosue we put Paige in all Amys
dress up necklaces. Shae ate them all. =>




This is not a necklace shot, just an ADORABLE hat Jared's sister had made for Paige. I couldnt not put a pic of this on. Cutest hat Ever! 



Watching Mickey Mouse clubhouse. With her necklace.




Jared came home in the middle of her MMC, she had to go see him, but then she
had to watch Mickey too. So funny. And she has no clothes on because just 30 mins before
I was having her try on clothes we got from my aunt. She got sooo sick of clothes she would
NOT wear any more, but she HAD to have her necklace.



Babysitting Mania

I just got back from an 8 day babysitting experience in ID. (I babysat my aunts 3 girls). It was crazy, fun, and definately an eye opener about future stages of motherhood. Then, I am shortly leaving to go watch my brothers in CA while my Mom travels "across the pond". I'll be there for a couple weeks. That will be another adventure. So, this blog will most likely continued to be neglected until beg/mid-ish April. Hopefully, then I can get back on this blogging bandwagon. haha

Angry Face

Paige has started doing, what I think, is the most adorable thing! She makes this face when she is mad/frustrated.

She also breaths very heavily thru her nose when she makes this face. Ok, so she actually started doing it a couple weeks ago but I could never get a picture. Finally on Sunday I decided to make it happen. haha So while we were playing I had Jared block Paige into a little corner, knowing she would get frustrated. I am probably like the worst mom, but hey I got some pictures and now we can always remember this cute little angry face!

15 Informational Tibits About Me

"Tagging".... a game-ish thing going around some blogs I follow. This one is writing 15 interesting things about yourself. I have been "tagged"....... interesting......... haha. I think it will be an exciting challenge, to think of 15 things about myself (I am not gaurenteeing any of them will be interesting). I honestly can not remember the last time I took the time to get to know myself, so I think it will be a worthy challenge. haha Here goes nothing......

15 Informational Tidbits

1.  I added to the teenage pregnancy rate in Utah. Yep, I got preggers when I was 19. NO, we did NOT plan it, yes I had my baby when I was 20, but I still was counted in that statistic. Maybe I should have made a television show out of it? haha jk

2.  I need order and organization, like need it to function. Everything has to have its place and be straightened up and organized. Not just counting household things; computer files, pictures, emails, movies, clothes, etc etc... Jared says the perfect place for me to live would be a space shuttle, because everything always has to be put away, in its place, and out of site. haha

3.  I am lactose intolerant, but I L-O-V-E ice cream and chocolate! I didn't when I was little, because come on, what little kid would willingly want to get sick? But I have since matured and discovered the joys in some dairy. And I know there are pills I can take to help it, but no thanks, I just choose the times I indulge wisely, and just know I will suffer the consequences. But most of the times, it is SOOOOOO worth it!

4. I am missing two teeth. My body never made two "grown-up" teeth and when I got braces the dentist pulled out the baby teeth. So now I have two teeth sized holes in my mouth, and will until I get implants..... and that wont be for a while.

5.  I LOVE Disney. Everything about them!! Parks, characters, movies, plays, you name it, I LOVE it! I love how they are clean and wholesome, perfect for all ages, yet they have some of the funniest jokes and story lines. And yes, I am living/going to live vicariously thru my daughter with this great princess empire Disney has built.

6.  Photography is my new passion. Can I take your picture, pretty please?!? I am just learning but I get such enjoyment out of it. Such a fun hobby!

7.  I do not find pleasure/enjoyment in cooking. I love food so I cook, not the other way around.

8. I sing in the car. All. The. Time. Loudly, and theatrically. Yes I am one of those people you see singing crazily in their car and you think they are a freak. I don't care if people think I'm weird. My car, my singing =>

9.  I have not danced in years but I LOVE dancing. I will still say its my ultimate passion. And since I have not danced in years, I have not stretched for dancing in years. But I am still crazily flexible. What a gift! =>

10.  I thrive on change. Two big ways: I really enjoy moving (apartments, states, cities, etc), and I am constantly rearranging furniture and decorations.

11.  Saturday was my first day "extreme couponing" and I saved $70.68 on our groceries! Not too shabby for my first time!

12.  I love love love water! Swimming in pools and especially playing at the beach. But I am deathly scared of any and all living creatures in the ocean. So, its a love/hate relationship.

13.  I celebrate EVERYTHING, even the tiniest accomplishment. They don't always have to be a full blown party (some definitely are) but even shooting a trash ball into the garbage can and getting "nothing but net" deserves a big "Wahoo" and a jig! I never thought that was out of the ordinary until my husband pointed it out. My philosophy: Celebrate every accomplishment, big or small. It gives more satisfaction and joy to your life.

14.  I am VERY competitive. In practically everything I do. I will "fight to the death" to win. So is Jared, which make for some hilariously funny moments while playing games.

15.   I always eat sweet and salty together. I don't enjoy having my mouth overwhelmed with one type too long. Ill have a couple bites of sweet, then change it up with salty, the sweet, etc etc. It always has to be an equal balance. This prob goes along with #2 and #10.


Holy cow, can I just saw how hard that was!?! Who knew finding 15 facts about yourself could take so long and be so difficult! But I have to say, I enjoyed it. => I challenge you to try and state 15 facts about yourself. Since I have to name a couple people to continue this "tagging" game, I tag: Heather, Tess, Danae, Amber, and Jen. I look forward to your 15 facts, as well as any and all of you who are reading this! I want to read your 15 facts too! Good luck! =>