Pangeah

4 purple toenails

2009-10-22T14:46:00.000-07:00

Right now, I have 4 purple toenails. I'm painting one finger or toe nail everyday to count down until my due date. I learned as a kid from my awesome Mom that there is fun to be had, even when going through something that is hard. When I was 11, my Dad spent nearly all of December and the entire month of January in Germany on business, and my Mom had us make a paper snowflake for each day he would be gone, then we took one down from hanging on the wall each day. I've counted down with a paper chain until the end of college semesters, and stickers on a chart until my bro came home from his mission, I've counted down with rocks in a jar or paper flowers on the wall. But today, I have 4 purple toenails. I hope none of them fall off. :)

2009-08-20T15:53:00.000-07:00

mommy hugger, little bugger, chocolate milk chugger, princess backpack lugger.

Daddy melting, question pelting.

puppy husher, giggly gusher, never a rusher.

worm holder, important paper folder, getting bolder.

long hair, loves a good scare, changes what she wears.

twirly dancy, dressing fancy, rather sassy.

answers with "sure!", her hugs often cure, heart so pure!
(thanks for all the sweet pics, Grandma!)

FamiLee!

2009-07-09T12:56:00.000-07:00

My Mom and Dad are close to the middle, my oldest sis next to them (having her baby 6 weeks before me), my second sis and her hubby hiding behind them, and my "little" bro and his wife are next to me! I purposely wore non-maternity clothes so my belly could be seen! :) Click the pic to make it bigger, then click Back on the browser to come back! (Did anyone spy that my cute niece put her flag in the hole in my shoe?)

He's a BOY!

2009-06-23T10:43:00.000-07:00

He was squirmy and extremely active, but we got great measurements, and everything looks healthy, and we're all really happy! The Big Sister is not entirely aware of the impact of the situation on her own life, but I know she'll be a gem when it comes time to be Mommy's little helper!
The hubby is excited, but wants everyone to know he would not be one stitch less excited to have another girl! He is the sweetest Daddy ever!
We got some boyish fabric on the way home from the ultrasound for a blanket, we already have some construction themed fabric (to honor his Daddy) for making bibs, and I have some boy clothes and books I've been saving "just in case." I'll be able to shop some clearance racks for clothing with trucks and puppies on them from now until Nov. We're "ready enough," although lots will still change before he gets here! :)

Oh yeah... I guess he will need a name! :)

Goings On

2009-06-14T23:37:00.000-07:00

After my daughter's shower (at 2.5 yrs. old, she will only shower, no more baths), she was having a snack, and telling me how yummy it was and thanking me for making it for her. I had one of those moments where I realized she's growing up so fast, and won't always pay so much positive attention to me. It almost won her a late-night showing of Curious George, but instead she ended up crying in her room by herself until she was tired enough to sleep. (After I warned her I wouldn't be putting up with any bedtime shenannigans, and she did it anyway) She knows I love her, and we'll be friends again in the morning. :)

In about a week, we'll know whether we'll be having a boy or girl, assuming the baby cooperates. I got to see my little brother's newborn baby this week, and it made me very excited to have another one at our house! We are so blessed that all has gone well so far, and that we get this blessing in our lives at all! :) Paul just got called to work in the Young Men's Presidency, and I have a new calling in the Relief Society, so that sure helps the time seem to go by quickly! Now if only my belly would get fatter, so I feel like I've really earned the privilege of parking in the Expectant Mother's parking space at the grocery store!

We're thankful for all our friends and family that care to read this and leave notes of love!

Tell Me What YOU Think!

2009-05-19T14:46:00.000-07:00

We hope to find out the gender of our baby at the next appointment (in about a month). What do you think it will be?
Clues:
Baby's heartrate at 12 weeks: 158
Baby's heartrate at 15 weeks: 140
Morning sick: none 1st trimester, a bit the 2nd.
Big sister's pronouncement: Baby Brother
Leave a comment with your guess!
(also whether you think "Wiley" is a boy's name, or a girl's name)

Spring Skiing

2009-03-27T14:49:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Alta's "Ski Free After 3:00," we can afford to enjoy Utah's best snow! We can usually get in 3 or 4 runs in the hour and a half of free-ness, which is about when us two girls get cold and tired, anyway!

We got some kiddie skis that buckle to her snow boots, so they should last a couple of seasons!

She loves hanging by her harness and watching the snow whiz by.

Spring Skiing is our favorite, because no one thinks of skiing in March, so it's less crowded, and we don't have to bundle up so much! But there is sure plenty of snow! They just got three more feet this last week!

Maybe next year, she'll be able to hold herself up!

When she gets too tired, she gets treated to "the Daddy Caddy."

I got sucked in...

2009-02-24T19:28:00.000-08:00

... to Facebook! It's pretty fun, I have to admit. But I really think I'll be neglecting all things computer related soon.... it's almost Spring! I have daffodils and tulips up! Yay! And I really want a healthy vegetable garden this year! So if you don't hear from me for awhile, you can assume I'm wrist deep in some dirt! :)

My Little Do-It-Herselfer

2009-01-23T16:12:00.000-08:00

I decided not to post the picture I took of Leah's amazing accomplishment at Christmas time: She potty trained herself! On Christmas Eve, she told me she wanted to go, and took me to the bathroom, so I humored her without high hopes, and she went, and never looked back! I wasn't even going to TRY with her for six more months! She's my rockstar!

Photo Summary of December

2009-01-23T15:58:00.001-08:00

Were Happy and We Know It!

2008-10-12T20:13:00.000-07:00

I keep trying to convince Paul to hire himself out to take pictures this awesome for other people's families!
I wasn't going to say this, but I'll add it now just to see who's paying attention... If Paul and I's smiles look a little less than genuine, it's because the perfect spot for picture taking happened to be within a few feet and downwind of a dead baby deer. It brought new meaning to a term of endearment my college roommates used to share: "maggot-breath" :) I hope someone who read this just ate. :)

Giant Poodle

2008-09-29T14:30:00.000-07:00

We were trimming the trees when we saw such a sight! It looked like a poodle, but wow! with such height! (click the pic to see it big, then hit Back on your browser to return)

Total Conversion

2008-09-16T14:24:00.001-07:00

After 5 years of being dragged behind the Hunsaker boat with little progress, I can now waterski! Twice I've been up "long enough to earn the merit badge". I have a great fear of water, I get cold very eaily, and I'm not the best swimmer, but my courageous husband put up with me long enough to teach me to ski. And I only cussed half as much as when he made me learn to snow ski! (I'm wearing a "dry-suit" which keeps me warmer and more bouyant...you wear your regular clothes inside it, and you shouldn't pee to warm yourself up like you could in a wet-suit)

Curiouser and Curiouser

2008-09-04T11:50:00.000-07:00

I thought she was fine in the bedroom, because Daddy was there to "watch her." He did... he watched her write all over her legs and feet and face (and the sheets) because he thought it was so adorable, especially when she drew on each of her toes.
She concentrates really hard when she draws and colors. She's into details. She's also into wearing Mommy's jewelry-the mardi gras beads are beneath her sense of style now.
You're not fully clean unless you're Zestfully clean! This is my girl trying out my deodorant.

God Made Rainy Days So Gardeners Would Get the Housework Done

2008-07-21T09:48:00.000-07:00

I've had two full years in this garden, and it's not done, but I'm kinda proud of it, anyway. From left to right, Red Hot Pokers that lived there when I moved in, but are done blooming for this year. Next to that is a magenta Hollyhock that I planted our first Summer, but just appeared this year. Delphinium I planted this year, hoping to get something tall in the middle of the garden, not just either side. Then mint from my mom-and-pops-in-law that smells SOOOO good! They also gave us the tubers for the two dahlias that came up all by themselves (usually they need digging up in the Fall), these set a new family record for earliest blooming! In front of the dahlias is a yellow Evening Primrose whose seeds came from my Grandmother's plant. We watch them every night, and have had a family of three Hummingbird Moths drinking it dry every night! It's hard to see the lavender, but it's near the plastic cardinal. I planted carnation seeds next to that, and finally, the small orange ones are California Poppies. You might notice morning glory and grass sprinkled throughout as garnishing. :)

Good Nasal Hygiene: Removing Obstructions

2008-07-17T13:32:00.000-07:00

Could this be the picture we'll someday put in the back of her yearbook with a message of how proud we are of how far she's come? Secretly, I'm hoping my cousin Melissa will steal this photo on one of her "thievery Thursdays" and make a funny story to go with it! :) The real story is that we asked her where her nose was, so she showed us.

Gouda Old Netherlands

2008-06-23T20:35:00.000-07:00

All of my latest pictures are still on the memory stick in the camera, and Paul's sleeping early tonight, because he had a headache all day. So I went looking in our old photos for something to write about. This is Paul when he was a missionary (before he knew me-doesn't he look sad?) He said the bike ride on the Provo River Parkway (near Bridal Veil Falls) reminds him of his mission a little... I'm guessing he's reminded of places in the Netherlands like the one in this picture. Have you tried Dutch cheese? Mmm... it's gouda!

No pix, just bragging rights

2008-06-12T13:49:00.001-07:00

The surprise photography contest win left me wondering, "How many prizes have I missed out on simply because I didn't try?" So I utilized my retired English Professor Father-in-Law as my editur, and submitted an essay to the Alumni Essay Contest for the Junior College I went to. I won 3rd place! This is a long way to come for the girl who dropped out of races she could have won at high school track meets, solely out of debilitating anxiety about competition. Three cheers for anti-anxiety therapy!!! :)

The day she learned to say, "Again, again!"

2008-06-12T13:22:00.000-07:00

A cousin had a birthday party at a place with lots of inflatables. My little girl had a terrible time, as you can see.

First Paid Photo Gig

2008-06-05T15:40:00.000-07:00

I entered my husband in our city's photo contest without telling him, and he won FIRST PLACE! I haven't been so excited about something in a very long time, if ever! We were both surprised! Then another unexpected blessing... someone bought it!!! And the buyer wasn't one of our mothers, either! :)

Cheese Please!

2008-06-05T15:22:00.000-07:00

This pic speaks for itself! :) It's saying, "What would you look like if you were 18 months old, and had your picture taken too many hundred times?"

Build Fences, Not Bridges

2008-05-22T21:33:00.000-07:00

We have a fence! It's gorgeous! Here's what it keeps in: dogs that like to run when you call their names, and children who also like to run when you call their name. Here's what it keeps out: the neighbor kids when they are bored/off track from school/hungry/want to see my dogs/see me in the yard, the neighbors' dandelion seeds, the neighbors' toys, and the view from people on the other block that I'm sure were always staring into my yard.

Running Ragged

2008-04-11T13:13:00.000-07:00

I make this photo look like it was taken BEFORE Sunday afternoon naps, but it was actually AFTER that. I can count the weeks on less than TWO HANDS until Leah will go to Nursery, and we can stop spending two thirds of Church in the hall with our "Screeching Gremlin." (some of you will no doubt notice Leah's ever-present, ever-sparkling neck gear) [click on the pic to see it big, then click "back" to come back to this page]

Got a Round Tuit

2008-03-17T21:42:00.000-07:00

I finally acquired a "round tuit," which allowed me to catch up on blog-land. I've taken lots of cute pics of Leah lately, but I have to wait for another round tuit to upload them to the computer. :) So, here's a month old picture of Leah and I on our vacation. This is the only time I snorkeled during the trip, hence the wetsuit. Grandma and Grandpa were present to play with Leah on this beach, while Paul and I were briefly both in the drink. The rest of the trip, Leah and I splashed in the water while Daddy made use of his underwater camera gear on the very amiable fish.

Poser Pelican

2008-02-22T15:30:00.000-08:00

Paul's Dad took this picture in Aruba. This patient pelican posed for Paul, while the pirates paused until the plank was positioned for persuing a plummet. Paul worked very hard to make custom underwater camera "housings", and they worked great! He also got some killer pics of fish, but we're saving them for one day when they're worth million$. (or for when I figure out how to format them to use on my blog)