Busy Bees

Lately I've been a busy bee...or should I say, busy "bird" to be technically correct with the "nesting" phase I've been experiencing. Preparing our humble nest for the upcoming arrival of new life. I've undergone major spring cleaning on all levels of our home, which has been quite refreshing and empowering as well as exhausting. It's worth it just to feel the clean and the new organization throughout! I love it! And Jack and Phoebe have been such great helpers! They've worked alongside me as we've cleaned and organized and it's been fun working together as a family.
We have decided to put Jack and Phoebe together in the same room with a bunk bed and all! I wanted to do this several months in advance, before baby's arrival, but one month will have to suffice. It's been going pretty well. Although last night, Nick and I kept hearing giggling and squealing going on for quite some time after we put them to bed. It brought back memories of when I was little, sharing a room with my sister/s. Yes, we got in trouble!

Here's a picture showing part of their room now. I love all the bright colors!

Along with all the at home "nesting" taking place, we've also gone out to enjoy some much needed spring weather and fun activities:

Spending time outside with the cousins has been fun! Jack's learning to do flips on the trampoline, and Phoebe is enjoying riding around with Jacob. I just love Jacob's face in this picture! It makes me laugh and smile every time I see it! It's the best!


I took Phoebe to her first, Fairy Tea Party that the Provo Library holds each year in the early spring. It was so fun! She got to dress up, and spend some one on one time with Mom, eat some yummy treats, curtsey in front of the "fairy King" and see some pretty awesome ballerinas! We also went with some of our cousins and had a great time! Can't wait till next year...



Here are a few of the projects I've also been working on for baby: Keep in mind the gender neutral colors. Also, I painted the crib and it looks more turquoise in real life. (More nursery pics to come)

(burp cloths, diaper holder, carseat cover)

I can't forget Nick in this post either...he's been the KING Bee around here...from rubbing my feet and legs, bringing me dinner, inviting his sister over to give me a facial to help me relax, to cleaning out the garage, helping me put together the new rooms, putting up with my excessive cleanliness and organization going on...he's been a real hero! And all the while, keeping up with his busy job, which he just got some nice recognition for (I'm so proud of him!) and being in school, completing his master's program, and keeping up with our ward in a demanding calling. I love him! And I don't know what I'd do with out his help and friendship! And...I can't forget, he also has a talent for cutting music...which has come in handy with the ballroom class lately. He's pretty much AWESOME and REALLY talented.

Anyway, I depart now, leaving behind the one and maybe only maternity shot of me that I'm ok with going out in public. I had to capture one I guess...

This was at 34 weeks

Nature and WEDNESDAY'S WORDS

We went for a drive on sunday evening. I love taking drives! It's relaxing and nice to get out of the house, put the kids in their seats and just drive around. Nick and I can take time to talk and look at homes (something we love doing)...and just dream about the future and what it holds.
This lovely picture comes from our drive on Sunday, courtesy of my iphone. I love Utah sunsets, especially when the mountains are white with snow and then turn pink. A full moon was just coming up over the mountains. So serene!

Oh, and did I mention, one or both of our kids usually end up falling asleep while on these lovely drives. Jack, you can expect him to fall asleep for sure! After about 10 min of asking where we were going, and us reassuring, "no where, just around," we heard silence from the back seat.


Speaking of all things nature...yesterday, I saw groups of geese flying NORTH! Is that a good sign spring is on it's way?! I've never really noticed or paused to think around this time of the year if seeing geese flying north would be a good sign. I certainly have noticed them in the fall, flying south. Just wondering...


Okay, WEDNESDAY'S WORDS come to us from a quaint little Bible Church down the road from my house. They always have clever quotes up on their sign out front. Today while driving Jack to preschool, this is what it read:
"Don't Give Up. Even Moses was a basket case.
I had a good chuckle and it put a smile on my face.


Looking forward to the weekend and having some fun painting furniture and taking "before" pics of both of the kids' rooms and preparing for next week's transformation and "after" pics...all thanks to baby arriving shortly! (and me having fun getting ready)

Wednesday's Words and Cravings

Last night at dinner where we ate the delicious French Dip, (mentioned in the previous post), Phoebe gave us all a good laugh. So, here are Wednesday's Words for you:

I made a spinach salad to go along with the meal. It had chopped up hard boiled eggs along with other yummy ingredients. I knew that hard boiled eggs are one of Phoebe's favorites, so I saved a whole one and gave it to her at the dinner table.

She started eating it and then proclaimed in ultimate excitement, "Look, I found the treasure and I'm eating it!" She was referring to the center of the egg, with all of it's "yokey" glory and was so thrilled to be eating her treasure. We all had a good laugh. She must be anticipating Easter as well with finding treasures inside of Easter Eggs.



And to top off a great meal, some friends of mine all went to Cravings in PG for some yummy cupcakes and a baby shower for my good friend Katie. Fitting name for a baby shower: "Cravings."

It was a blast and I'm just so thrilled for Katie, who is having twins!! I miss being in the Primary Presidency with her...we had some good times!



If you haven't been to Cravings in PG, you must! It is fabulously cute and adorably decorated! And the cupcakes are amazing! I loved going up to the counter and seeing a large jar full of "visiting teaching" messages in cute cut-outs that you can pick up along with a bag and some treats...just making life easier, I guess!

I will be back!

Nosebleed and Iron

Today I got a nosebleed. A bad one. Like 40 min long, and not fun at all! Super gross. Nick came home and picked me up to take me to the Dr. since it wasn't stopping and I had some other (I won't mention) effects. Anyway, I'm okay...it stopped eventually and the sweet nurse that talked with me was very helpful and reassuring.

They decided to check my iron levels. I've known about having low iron since a few weeks back when they took my glucose test. Since then I've been taking an extra iron supplement to try and help. The results came back and I was up a few points, which is good news. But, since it's still low, and causes your blood to thin, they think my nosebleed just lasted longer because of the thinness going on.

Glad to be alive :) ...it kind of scared me though! I'm not one to usually get nosebleeds.

Also, in an effort to up my iron intake, I'm making this recipe tonight:

French Dip

Mouth watering!! If you have not tried this recipe, you must! It's delish! I'm not a big red-meat lover and usually don't eat much meat at all, but this recipe is fabulous and is great every once in a while. Especially for sunday night dinner...and if you want to impress.



Last night, we sent the kids upstairs to get their PJ's on while Nick and I cleaned up the dishes, etc. They came down the stairs laughing hysterically and we found them like this: their pants hiked up to their chins! He he.

New Beginnings

Wow. Where to begin. It's been FOREVER since I've updated our family blog. I've decided that I want to keep this up. I've been seriously contemplating if it was worth it or not. But I've made my decision and I'm sticking with it this time. I think in a small way, I need this blog. I want to share more of my thoughts and everyday feelings and happenings so I can compile a record of our lives. And, it is nice to just send my thoughts out there into the vast and unknown cyberspace. (very deep)
I'm not even going to begin to recap ALL of last year...holy cow, that would take forever. So, we'll just start with the present day. Ahh...(sigh)...it's good to be back!

Today I woke up early...like 5:45 early. Nick was heading out to work and I was getting up yet again to use the bathroom. It's a common occurance when your 30 weeks pregnant. I got back in my warm inviting bed, ready to cuddle up with the body pillow and fall back asleep, when Jack came in. He was scared and had a bad dream. He wanted to lie down with me, which doesn't happen often! I gladly agreed. Not 10 min go by when my door opens again and little Phoebe, the every day early riser, wants to join us! So I lay there with my two (I mean...three) beautiful kids and felt calm and blessed!

I'm grateful for moments when everyone and everything seems to be just right.

Today I'm thinking about needing to finish choreographing my routines for my fourth grade ballroom class. I teach an after school ballroom class once a week. The end of the year performance is two days after my due date! I'm starting to teach them their routines this week that incorporate the three dances we've learned this year: cha cha, foxtrot, and merengue. I love my class!

Maybe...If I finish working on what I need to with the choreography, and there's time and energy (what little I have) left over, I'll reward myself with sewing some fun things I've been working on for our new arrival!

We decided to let the gender be a surprise this time! I guess it made sense; we have one of each. At first it was hard not to find out, but now I'm just anxious for April to come and my veins to calm down and my body to begin to go back to normal again. k...that sounded completely selfish, I promise...I am more thrilled to meet our baby! I would gladly do it all again...and I mean it! But, man, this third (if we're not counting the miscarriage) pregnancy has been hard physically for me. My first two were not bad at all...but, now I just feel like my body is falling apart.

And, we're guessing it's a boy...

I got a text today from a cousin in Maine who was chatting with her friend in Florida. Her friend had some questions about the "Mormons" and my cousin was trying to help answer her questions as best she could (since she's not one either). So...she texted me to ask some questions about what we believe in when it comes to "heaven." Her texts caught me by surprise, while I was running around Smith's getting some shopping done. But...I was pleasantly happy and grateful for the opportunity I had to answer some questions without going into much detail. I simply referred them both to http://mormon.org, which is pretty awesome by the way! If you haven't checked it out...I was very pleased with the site and the fact that I could send them there feeling comfortable and confident that they would have their questions answered correctly. And there's even a link to chat with the missionaries! Awesome!! Anyway, it was a highlight of my day so far to be asked about my beliefs...which doesn't happen often living here in Utah County! Thanks Cousin!!




Phoebe a few weeks back with her hair curled for church

Happy New Year

Happy 2012!
We are so excited and feel so blessed to begin a new year. Yesterday, as we took down the Christmas decorations and re-organized a few things in the house, I found myself in a goal setting spirit and I was looking forward to a fresh start, a new year.

Last year was a good year, a year full of big decisions. I was able to improve my health by getting a sinus surgery and that was a big blessing to myself and my family. Nick started his masters program and continuing his education has already been a blessing, even though it's a little harder on managing our time...we feel like we're beginning to get the hang of it. Jack got over his fear of swimming in the big pool and now jumps all the way in. He also started pre-school which has been so wonderful for him and our family. Phoebe is growing and talking a lot more and becoming a little lady. She is nurturing and spunky!

Looking back I can see the hand of the Lord in our lives. I cherish the hard moments and welcome the good, as I reflect on the things we've all learned and the ways we've grown individually and as a family.

Now, looking forward, I am excited and motivated to improve our lives a little more. We are hoping to continue education, develop more talents in new and exciting ways, learn more about the Gospel and Jesus Christ: individually and as a family, improve our overall health: continuing fitness daily and eating even more healthily.

We've implemented a few more items more regularly into our diet and I am hoping to always continue improving what we eat.


Raw foods: nuts, grains, and beans are a good way to get protein, antioxidants and fill our tummies in a yummy way with the good fats our bodies need.
Of course, eating all the raw fruits and veggies we can is also a great way to get energized and feel good.


Coconut oil is a great alternative to the harsh oils that our livers have a hard time processing sifting through. I now use coconut oil along side olive oil in my regular cooking.


I was introduced to Liquid Aminos a while ago through my Mom....who, did I mention before, is an amazing chef and always cooks yummy, gourmet meals with nutrition as the top priority. Liquid Aminos are vegetable protein which can be used as a way to add flavor to many meal. It tastes a bit like soy sauce, but is a hundred times better for your body.
I just used it last night in flavoring chicken that went along side thai peanut noodles and steamed veggies and brown rice.

I hope that we can accomplish our goals to improve our lives in a big way this year! I'm all for small and simple and steady. Lifestyle goals that can begin with small steps. Hope the new year is a good one for you too!

Autumn is Awesome

October was an exciting month! We had some much anticipated visitors come into town with in a week of each other. First off, Joel, Bonnie, and Katelyln came to visit from Virginia. We had so so so much fun! So much in fact, that taking pictures of all of our fun just went to the back-burner in my mind. We were so enthralled with spending precious time with our family that we just didn't document it all...and now, I do regret that! But, the memories live on in our hearts. :) Highlights; seeing Jack and Katelyn play so well together...they do love each other and it is so sweet to see. Katelyn is darling! She is so loving and caring towards all her cousins, she's like the mother of the group. I loved talking to Bonnie, Oh, how I miss talking with her face to face about meaningful things and life. She is so faithful and such a beautiful person, inside and out. I miss having Joel around! He is always so calm and steady and he plays so well with all the kids! We loved going to the zoo with every one...

Phoebe with cousin Gracie.

Jack and Katelyn and Jade too...so cute! He was being a "real" gent and letting the damsel sit in front :)

We also went to the park and enjoyed watching Joel play "jail" (an andrews family favorite) with all the kid cousins. Phoebe was hilarious! She chased Joel around and growled at him, and then rescued him from his prisoners. She fell in love with JoJo that day and hasn't stopped talking about him since. Another highlight was the adult sibling game night we had at the "main hub." Wow..I don't think I've ever laughed so hard as we all did watching Mike reminisce about growing up in our family and do impersonations! He is hilarious and it was just so fun being all together..but we missed Rachel, who came to visit for a short while from BYU-Idaho, but wasn't there that night. Sitting around smelling Scentsy bars and talking as sisters was an insightful and fun night. So, all in all, it was great seeing Joel, Bon, and Kate and we love them and now miss them again.

After they left, we had a few days' time before my Dad's siblings came into town to visit from Maine. Aunt Carol came and Uncle Gerald came and brought his girlfriend Sandy, who we hadn't met yet. It was so great seeing them and catching up! Maine just seems too far away! Aunt Carol is beautiful! I wish I would've gotten a picture...but, she has the most soft, olive colored skin I've ever seen! Hope it's genetic and gets passed on :) Gerald was a crack-up as usual, teasing every one and joking with us all! I'm glad he brought Sandy, it was so nice meeting her and getting to know her. They are all so wonderful and fun to be around. We enjoyed going to Gardner Village with them, playing games, watching BYU football and eating breakfast at Callies.



Here's a shot of Gerald and my Dad with all the kids, waiting for us girls to be done in one of the shops. Gerald was so funny with Phoebe...I think she tried to ignore him most of the time, and then the last day they were here she finally warmed up to him and we couldn't keep her away!


Here's Jack on the pony at Gardner Village. He loved it!

After all our family visitors left, we had to get ready for Halloween! Jack had a Halloween costume parade at his preschool. For me, it was one of those moments that makes motherhood so sweet. I enjoyed watching with pride as Jack paraded around as a Tiger, then sang spooky fun songs for all us parents. He loved it! And I loved it because he loved it and soaked it up!



Jack has so much fun at preschool and loves his teacher...(and Sofia...more on that later. Right now...he's just sad, because Sofia had to move and isn't coming back to preschool.) :(


To keep the tradition alive, we visited Hee Haw Farms as a family. Jack and Phoebe were all bundled up and had a blast together riding the animal train, seeing the animals, sliding down the massive slide, and running all over. It was fun for Nick and I to watch them play together and have so much fun. It was a good night and they slept well!







We had a great night at the Baird's for their annual Halloween Party. Nick took all the photos on his phone, so I don't have any to share. But, wow...Scott and Lisa put so much work into the party. The dinner was amazing and included brains, guts, fingers, witch's brew, monster lips, and many more fun halloween treats. The games the kids played were so creative and fun. I think Nick and I had perma-grins on our faces the whole night just lighting up watching them have such a great time. Grandparents are awesome! That's all there is to it!

Well, Halloween night came and we got together at my parents house for soup and dancing and trick-or-treating. All the kids had a dance party before dinner. We ate and then headed out for our traditional route around the neighborhood. It was a super night!


Sorry for the blurry shot...the kids were all getting a little antsy to go by this point and were not thrilled about sitting still. Phoebe is the little lion in the front sitting next to Jack the tiger. My mom made that amazing owl costume in the back! So creative!