EASTER!

Okay, so Easter was so fun this year! So much preparation for one day! But, here was my favorite memory this year-Abby's HAIR! So, here's the story...I have never claimed to be the best hairdresser-my mornings are full of shaking my fist at the mirror and wondering why I can NEVER do my hair like they do it in the salon! But I guess I thought that when I became the mom of a beautiful little girl, it would all of a sudden come to me like magic and I'd have absolutely NO problem getting HER hair to lay in the perfect Shirley Temple curls. That was my plan for this Sunday morning! And the fact that Josh had no morning church meetings was even better, because it would give me more time to focus!

All I can say was that it was a disaster! And I had to laugh when Josh walked in our bathroom, saw her hair and said, "Um, why don't you curl her bangs back and kind of feather them?" He was trying to be constructive! So HE took the curling iron, curled her bangs back and cracked us both up when he poofed it up a little and said excitedly, "Look! It's the PERFECT 80's CLAW!" I almost fell on the floor laughing! Unfortunately, I did not take a picture at that moment, but laughing was definitely the only option, because I was about to cry! And it had calmed down by the time we took these pictures right before leaving for church.

I got so frustrated with the frizz at church that I ended up putting it all up in the middle of church, which is how it was in the family picture! (Can you see my pooch? Of course you can! Not even really baby yet, just leftover fat redistributing itself! And I suppose the satiny shirt with the camera flash didn't help!)

This picture is in our back yard after the Easter egg hunt with Abby's cousins Kendal and Tanner. She was in HEAVEN, as you can see by her trying her darndest to get that egg open!

And this one shows her on her new swingset, built by her dad, her Poppy and her Uncle Boo. We still haven't put the "big girl" swing up yet, but we'll take that as it comes! She would stay in that swing ALL DAY if I would let her! Thank you, Poppy and Uncle Boo for helping!

Thus ends the saga of the Easter hair catastrophe! I guess I am no beautician! But, I DID make her dress, so maybe there is SOME talent there somewhere!

Blogtag! I love these things!

So, my brother, Layne, "tagged" me today and I felt that since my last post was sooooo long ago, I should go ahead and do it or it would never get done! So here goes...

10 years ago: I was serving a mission for my church in California. My companion was Becky Flanigan, who was and still is one of the most positive and uplifting people I have ever spent time around. We were in the town of Gridley with the fields and orchards of every kind of fruit or vegetable imaginable (stinky kiwi trees!) and it was probably about the time we decided to show our faith by ditching our car for a day and WALKING several miles around town to our appointments! One of the best times of my life!

5 things on my to-do list today: Well, this morning my list looked like this! Shower, eat breakfast so I don't puke from morning sickness, bake a delicious chocolate chip cake for Easter dinner dessert, ATTEMPT to curl Abby's hair in those cute little perfect Shirley Temple curls (I'll show you in my next post how THAT one came out! I guess I am NOT a beautician!), paint both Abby's and my toenails cute pink, got to...oh, I guess that's 5! As I said, the next post will tell you all about our Easter!

Things I would do if I were suddenly made a billionaire: Geez, how do you answer a question like that?! I guess I would pay off our student loans, buy a car that has less than 100,000 miles on it, okay, buy ANOTHER car that has less than 100,000 miles on it! Donate a lot to our church and other wonderful organizations that would help other people in many ways, maybe a new house, invest, save and save some more for Abby and other future children's college--okay, so I'd probably indulge myself with a new wardrobe and a personal trainer post-baby! And maybe a book or two...

3 of my bad habits: Still a nail-biter, unfortunately, stressing too much and not taking the time to "smell the roses", and last but not least, CHEESE! Anytime, anywhere, any kind (except bleu!)

5 places I have lived: Virginia Beach, VA, Goose Creek, SC, Provo, UT, Burney, Gridley, Auburn and Paradise, CA, Seneca, SC, Florence, SC-more than 5 I know, but I had to put them all!

Jobs I have had: Camp Sunshine for Kids-counselor, Berkeley County After-School Program at Howe Hall Elem, BYU Morris Center Dishwasher, SWKT Copy Center-Copy girl, Moneyline Lending Phone Sales, Provo Library PERC intern, BI-LO deli, Joe's Tax Service-receptionist, Clemson University Bookstore Bookkeeper, Mom to Abby

Things people don't know about me: See previous post from when I was tagged the last time!

Easter pics coming soon...

Can I post with no pics or what? I think I can!

Okay, so today I realized how long ago my last post was! Even though I check everyone else's blog EVERYDAY, I've been a slacker with my own! So I figured it really is okay to post without putting a bunch of pics! So here you go...
I only have 3 weeks of my first trimester left and believe me, I'm ready for the nausea to end! I don't remember feeling this sick with Abby. Everyone says that means it's a boy, but my sister, Sarah insists it's a girl (whose name she says will be Sarah, by the way-I'm not so sure.) And even Abby is talking every day about her "baby stister"-but every once in a while she comes out with something about her "brudder", too, so how can ya tell, eh? Oh, well...still plenty of time before we'll find that out!
Life is great! Ours has been filled with plans for the future. Will Abby stay in the small room or should we move her to the larger one at the end of the hall and put the baby in the room next to ours? When do we need to move her out of the crib and into a real bed-yes, she's STILL in the crib and never even tries to get out! We need to get her potty-trained-when? By the way, we already tried once and she DID NOT get it! And Josh has started training for a bike ride in July. A while back, he used to be really into biking and even did the BRAG (Bike Ride Across Georgia) twice and across Missouri once with a bunch of his family members! Now, 15 years or so later, they've decided they want to try again-this time the RAGBRAI (Bike Ride Across Iowa), so his goal is to lose 40 lbs by then and train his little heart out, so it will be the least painful as possible! His uncle and his mom are planning to go too, and they all think I'm a saint for saying he could do it, considering I will just be getting into my 3rd trimester by that time. But my philosophy is if it will make him happy and motivate him to lose the weight and gain better health, which he's been wanting to do forever, it will be totally worth it! And it will force me to eat as healthy as possible, so I can help him!
Josh will be shrinking as I'm getting as big as a house! I love it! I'll post again soon!

Laugh so you won't cry!

This happened almost a month ago, but I just loaded the pics on my computer, so I thought it was finally time to do a post about Abby's fun-filled days with not one but TWO DIFFERENT permanent markers!

Day one-I was on the computer, oh-so-innocently thinking that Abby was in the living room watching "Cake" (Strawberry Shortcake). I had checked on her halfway into the show and she was laying there on the floor, glued, so I figured all was okay, completely dismissing my knowledge that she can get into anything in a skinny minute! I heard the annoying ending song of the show and headed back to check again, when I heard the microwave running! My feet sped up and my mouth prepared to yell something about NOT TOUCHING THE MICROWAVE, when I saw what she had REALLY been doing! (Ana, you will be able to relate!) Cabinet open, purple permanent marker over her arms, hands and tummy, as well as over every can or box of food within her reach and the WHITE cabinets! I promptly picked her up, practically threw her into a cushy chair so she wouldn't touch my white shirt, and made her sit there in "time-out" screaming her little head off while I took the white eraser to the cabinet. ( I was so mad I couldn't think straight-I probably should have dealt with her FIRST!) I carried her to her room and actually had the presence of mind to take a picture or two, which was when the anger melted away after seeing this smile!

To make a long story short, before the day was finished, 10 towels had been soaked, 2 that she pulled into the tub and threw back out and 8 to clean up that mess, one hand towel had been used to clean the carpet where purple marker had been smeared, another hand towel used to clean up the tinkle from when she woke up from her nap buck naked and tinkled just as I walked in the room (her sheet was not on the bed because she had woken up the same way that morning, so it was in the washer) and about 2 or 3 loads of laundry to clean it all up!

So imagine my surprise 3 days later, when standing at the SAME cabinet (I THOUGHT I had cleared out any "problem" items from this cabinet), I find the SAME child, with BLACK permanent marker this time, drawing on her tummy, legs and "painting her toenails"! How does this happen? I had to laugh inside and almost did out loud ( I couldn't let her think it was okay, though!) If you look closely, you can still see the remnants from the first mishap on her tummy!

Abby is definitely 2! And I hear things don't change much when they hit 3! It was quite an adventure and now I laugh OUT LOUD when I think about it!

14 Things I Love About My Valentine on Feb. 14

I borrowed this idea from a friend, but thought it was perfect for today...

#14. You held my hand on our first date to freak out our scheming sisters, and liked it so much, you didn't let go, even when the charade could have easily been over!
#13. You picked the perfect engagement ring for me with no help and knew that it would be okay with me if our sisters and moms hid behind a van and watched us get engaged.
#12. You join my brothers in our family traditions that seem totally crazy-racing down the hill at the cemetary in WV when we visit Uncle Terry's grave(Don't ask!) And comparing belly sizes...
#11. You'll do things to embarrass yourself, just to make people laugh... like put on clothes that are too tight and make hilarious faces.

#10. You learned to knit so you could help me get my Christmas gifts done quicker, admitted it to everyone and even let me take pictures!

#9. You're excited to dress up for Halloween!

#8. When I volunteered you to play Santa Claus at my workplace, you did it without complaining!

#7. You let me have my way-most of the time. (Spending $30 on those terrible caricatures I wanted so badly at Cedar Point, OH when were VERY poor.)

#6. You get me to do things I never thought I would do-like jumping into a freezing cold NY lake when it wasn't quite spring yet!

...And hiking over slippery rocks to reach the top of a waterfall--and slipping on those rocks to fall flat on my bum, where I had a huge bruise for a month after!

#5. You actually LIKE hard work and do it with a smile on your face!

#4. You're adventurous...and make me want to be, too.

#3. You adore your mom and would do anything for her...

#2. You love our daughter and have lots of fun with her...

And here we go, drum roll please...

#1. You picked me ...

...And I'm grateful every day! I love you!

Whatever!

Okay, so Josh just read my post and said I had too many pics of So You Think You Can Dance (He's not really a fan!). But I ain't mad at him! I actually really haven't enjoyed any other season much but that one(Season 2)! Sorry if any of you aren't fans either-just scroll past those and move on!!
PS- I like The Biggest Loser and the Apprentice, too!

I've been tagged!

Thanks Alicia for blog tagging me! I know this will be fun! (This tag is asking me to list 6-1o things about me that people may or may not know! I'll go for 8!)

8. I love Jane Austen! I have literally seen EVERY movie version of her novels, but own only the ones I REALLY like! (I have read all 6 of her completed novels more than once as well! And just about every sequel I can get my hands on, which is quite a few!) I am GLUED to PBS on Sunday nights right now for Masterpiece-where there are new versions of Persuasion, Mansfield Park, Sense and Sensibility and Northanger Abbey, showings of Colin Firth/Jennifer Ehle Pride and Prejudice and Kate Beckinsale Emma, and a few new period romances as well!

7. I recorded a song in the studio when I was a junior at BYU. My roommate, Christine and I loved to sing together and were intrigued by the unique harmonies of Indigo Girls. We learned a few of their songs and got together with a friend (Ray H), who learned the guitar part. Ray and his buds had a band (Spivey's Corner) and when they heard us sing "The Wood Song", they asked us to come sing at one of their gigs at a local hot spot! We did, and Tucker (Micah), who was majoring in all that studio/sound mixing and stuff had to record and mix a song for his project. He asked us to record and the rest is history!

6. I intend to record a CD in a local studio this year. I got a good deal and hope it all will work out! Comment and tell me what you'd like to hear on my CD--this one will be sort of religious in nature, but I welcome any requests to give me ideas!

5. I LOVE to dance-anyone from college knows that I loved ballroom dancing, but I'm secretly into hip hop and plan to take some classes with my little brother soon! My cool brothers tell me I've got the moves and have since high school when I taught them how to do a snake move in reverse! I'm also beginning to enjoy contemporary-at least watching it!

4. My guilty pleasure is to watch certain reality tv shows-American Idol, the Bachelor, Survivor, Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance are my favorite. Below are pics of my fave moments from Season 2 of SYTYCD. I know! I know! The girls are scantily clad most of the time and and the dancing can get a little questionable, but that's why I say it is a GUILTY pleasure! I actually bought tickets to the tour that summer and went with several members of my family! It was a BLAST!

Allison and Ivan hip hop to Neyo "Sexy Love"

Allison and Ivan contemporary to "Why" (Annie Lennox)

Heidi and Travis contemporary to "Calling You" (Celine Dion)

Benji and Donyelle broadway to "You Can't Stop the Beat" (Hairspray)
Heidi and Benji-just incredible dancing!

Benji and Donyelle hip hop to "Too Much Booty in da Pants";0)

3. I could eat Hershey's Sundae Pies from Burger King all day and night! Of all the weird things I could have craved while I was pregnant, that was what I craved the most! (I can't believe I only gained 36 pounds!) A friend from work at the Clemson University Bookstore brought me like 10 one day during my pregnancy. Well maybe 5 or so, but it seemed neverending and wonderful at the same time!

2. I taught myself to sew a while back and haven't stopped since! Curtains, crib bumpers, crib skirts, and dozens of baby blankets and clothes. And I made most of my own maternity clothes when I was pregnant with Abby (Darn the cost and unavailability of plus size maternity clothes!) But thank goodness I did (see #1;0)

SCROLL DOWN...

1. WE'RE PREGNANT!!!!!!

After 2 rounds of fertility medicine, I was shocked to find out that we have a baby on the way in October! (Especially knowing how long it took us to get pregnant with Abby!) We are ecstatic! The doctor humored us and did an ultrasound this morning--ONE baby in just the right place! The ultrasound tech even gave me a picture of our "dot" (I was kind of irritated when she put it that way!) I read in one of my pregnancy books that the baby is about the size of an appleseed right now, so on the way out of the doctor's office, I told Josh that our little "Appleseed Axelson" was just fine! So here it is! Our little Appleseed Axelson!

See that dot to the middle left?

I know it's kind of lame to have an ultrasound pic where you REALLY can't see anything, but it's all I got! Love y'all!