January!

Hello Everyone,

We got back from church two hours ago and all I could think about was shoving a butterscotch oatmeal cookie into my mouth. I was so hungry I was shaking. We just switched to getting out at 2pm and I need to bring snacks with me or something. Since all of Felicity's nursery friends bumped up to Sunbeams, it's just her in there. I considered going in and begging for goldfish. Liesel gave a talk today in primary she wrote all by herself. She did a great job. I taught the gospel doctrine lesson and had two painful braxton hicks while teaching but tried to play it off. Nothing like being 9 months pregnant, in heels and teaching a lesson. I got so uncomfortable during sacrament meeting I had to bee-line to the bathroom and remove my tights. I hoped nobody noticed when I left with them and came back in without them, but it felt 10x better. 

I had planned to watch a friend's kids yesterday but then they got sick so I had an open afternoon. I decided to take the kids on a hike in Arches with Sarah. It was really fun and the kids hiked quickly and we had a great time sucking icicles in the shade and feeling so warm in near the rocks in the sunshine. The desert is so crazy like that. Then we got back to the car and realized we were locked out. We got our ignition replaced this week so I had a new key, but the door lock wasn't replaced so my new key wouldn't open it. Sarah eventually had the idea to put a stick in the window and unlock the doors, which was great. We got in, but couldn't get the car alarm to go off since the key fab wasn't reprogramed. The entire parking lot was glaring at us and several cars joined in honking at the off-beat of our alarm. It felt pretty awesome to drive through the entire park with our car alarm blaring. 

When Brian got off work we went and played at a nearby park until dark. The kids went to bed amazingly well for the first time in a month. I started having contractions...16 mins, then 12, then 11 then 10 then 5 mins apart over the course of about 2hrs. I went to bed thinking this might be the real deal only to wake up at midnight completely soaked in sweat to the point I had to change my clothes and no more contractions. Soooooo weird. 

We have some pretty awesome friends here. This week I was having an emotional day. I felt overwhelmed at the idea of having a new baby without mom. I was crying into the spaghetti sauce and was grateful I was getting out of the house that night for a movie night with Leslie and Heidi. When I showed up, I walked in and around to the living room only to have everyone shout, "SURPRISE!" and there were nine of my friends ready to surprise me with a baby shower. It was so great and we had a good time playing games and laughing hysterically (has anyone played that game where you put those plastic things in your mouth and try to talk?!). It was great to get diapers, wipes chocolate and a few baby items. Then Skyler and Clay threw Brian a "Dude's Shower" on Friday. He came home with fart putty, a light saber and toy cars. haha! 

Brian called me yesterday and told me he had an emergency-- apparently our local Shopko was having a sale on Nerf guns and I had to go get the last ones before they sold out. Ever since our house has become a constant battle zone. Liesel even got me in my bare bum as I was changing my clothes! Sheesh. Brian thought it was the Nerf war that threw me into contractions Saturday night-- and he told me not to go into early labor because there was a training he really wanted to go to Tues/Wed this week. Insert annoyed pregnant woman eye roll here. 

I have no idea what else we did this week. Oh yeah-- the first half of the week I worked on my tax records for my biz with Brian. I did my UT sales tax all wrong and it took hours to correct. We owed about $4,000 just in sales tax, so I'm worried what will happen once we file fed/state taxes next month. There hasn't been enough snow in the La Sals for Brian to go ski and it's been a change of January pace to actually have him around on his weekends! 

Liesel: "I gave a talk in church about how I am a child of God. I had piano lessons and learned a song.We bought these nerf guns and me and dad had a fight. I hit him a few times. He stopped and showed me a mark from the dart! I had the big gun and he had two small ones. Mom brought us to the gym and while she was doing exercises I learned to hula hoop. That's it!  I love you Grandma and Grandpa!" 

Hannah: "I love you Grandma and Granpa! I think you already know that I know how to ride a pedal bike. I like playing at the pirate park with Felicity. We played a game where there was a big flash flood and Felicity was my daughter and I was the mom. We went on a pirate ship -- it was brown and yellow. I like that you're doing missionary work. I want to be a missionary when I grow up too. I'm glad I have you in my life. I love you so much. I miss you."

Felicity: "I love you grandpa and grandma. I love you so much. I love mom so much. I love dad so much. And I love Aunt Sarah so much. I go to church and play with my stuffed animals and I love to do things." 

Old photos: 

Singing the friendly beasts at the ward christmas party. 

At Temple Square with Aunt Sarah

Hannah and sled in McCall

Liesel in McCall

Outside the pancake house with the Thompsons

Liesel on the horse we got to ride with Aunt Lindsey

Me and lindsey on a ski! 

Snowman the girls built here in Moab

Brian on a climb for work in early December 

Felicity on the first day of the new year! We went on a hike with Brian's friend from college (Alvin-- remember him from our wedding? Short with red hair?) and his family. 

Felicity being F'Liss