My Baby Shower

I have some really amazing friends here, and as soon as I found out I was pregnant, they offered to throw me a baby shower. Normally I would've turned them down, but after the divorce I got rid of all my baby items except for a couple of small Tupperware's of their clothes. It was like starting all over again. So, I desperately needed baby items!

At 36 weeks pregnant, my friends came over and decorated our home and prepared for the party! We had a HUGE turnout with about 30 people, and I got lots of great things for our sweet baby girl. It was so appreciated, and sooo needed!

Brandon and I are always saying how blessed we are!

 'READY TO POP' theme

 Lily and the food table...she requested this picture

 Friends from my new ward...Pricella, Laura, and Rebecca

 Jill sucking on a ring POP

Me two weeks later...38 weeks pregnant!

First Day Of School

Ashlyn(5) starting Kindergarten, Lily(8) starting 3rd grade, Noah(11) starting 5th grade

 Our adorable little kindergartner!!

Ash with her teacher Mrs. Little outside lined up, and ready to start school!

Now for the first time in 6 years, I have every morning to myself...at least until the baby comes.

But still...it's crazy quiet here people!! Heaven.

Poor Sick Bug

Every since I started dating Brandon, he has had a nickname for Ash. He calls her "Bug."

I didn't like it at first, but somehow it has stuck to me now too, and we both call her that.

Well, last weekend Bug got a bug, and started throwing up at about 8p. Brandon and I gave her a bowl and put her on the couch by us so we could keep an eye on her until we went to bed. There was no way I was leaving our 5 year old upstairs while she was sick, that just screams disaster! (once we went upstairs we brought her with us, and put her next to us in bed...never leave a sick child unattended, that is how carpet get ruined!! haha)

She kept saying she wasn't tired, but we knew she was, and than within minutes she fell asleep looking like this...holding her throw up bowl.

Lily was bored...Brandon was tolerant

A few weeks ago, I was in the living room preparing my lesson for primary the nexy day, and I kept hearing giggling from Lily in the family room.

Moments later, my sweetheart came to show me this...

Lily's masterpiece!

She was really proud of herself that she could get so many stickers on Brandon.

 Simple pleasures.

Yardwork

Noah was helping Brandon do yard work and he thought he could get this tree stump out himself, so Brandon let him go at it. It took him awhile, but he finally got it!

He was so proud of himeself! 

Funky Funk

So, lately I have been in what I like to call a "Funky Funk."

I just feel really blah lately. Not depressed. Not sad. Not happy. Just BLAH!

I have tried to rack my brain as to what it could be, and than last night it hit me! I sat on the couch reading an article from the newest issue of 'LDS Living' Magazine. In this article a young woman, who had overcome many trials in life, found happiness in serving others, and by surrounding herself in the gospel & in her talents. 

LIGHT BULB moment!

I was blah lately because I haven't been surrounding myself in the gospel and in my talents!

We haven't been consistently doing Family home Evening, family prayers, or even family scripture study. I have just been going through the motions of getting up, cleaning house, running errands, cleaning some more, cooking, watching TV, and then going to bed. 

I go to church every Sunday, and do my visiting teaching every month. And Brandon and I even consistantly go to the temple. But where is my DAILY spiritual nourishment?? Where in there was I enriching my Spirit of even the Spirit of our children...DAILY?

What's even more sad is that as soon as school got out, I made Book Of Mormon reading charts for all three kids and I, and we committed to reading the entire Book Of Mormon before school would start again in August. Well...school starts in 4 weeks and we have read 7 chapters!! Apparently, I have a hard time sticking with things.

Since moving here to Arizona, I haven't worked out, scrap booked, and obviously I have BARELY blogged. I don't do hair anymore because there are like 10 million beauticians in my ward and in the surrounding wards, so they already have a huge clientele. I have been focusing so much on getting the kids settled, and in a routine, and helping Brandon to get adjusted, that I have forgotten about myself. Almost lost myself. (This isn't a pitty party, I just realized that I am not doing anything that I used to LOVE to do!)

Esentially,I feel like I haven't been nourishing me . And yet, I KNOW when I am Spiritually fed, and personally fed by nourishing my talents, I am a better wife and mother.

So, tomorrow is a new day.

Tomorrow I will work more on me.

Tomorrow I will fill my Spiritual cup.

Tomorrow I will nourish at least one of my talents.

Tomorrow I will serve someone.

Tomorrow I will smile more.

Noah Turns 11!

ONE YEAR Wedding Anniversary!

On June 25, 2011 I married not only my best friend, but the best man I have ever known!

Brandon and I's relationship happened so fast, but yet we knew from the very beginning that we were supposed to be together and that we were meant to find each other...on-line of all places!!! :)

I can 100% honestly say that the last year has been the easiest year of my adult life. With Brandon and I, it's just that easy. We love each other, we respect each other, and we put each other's needs before our own. I am a better person for knowing him, and a better mother since he came into my life!

I feel so eternally blessed that he came into my life (and the life of my children), because without I don't know where I (we) would be!

 February 2011, moments after we got engaged.

One year ago...coming out of the temple. I remember kneeling across the alter in the sealing room and tears just rolling down my cheeks. I kept thinking how lucky I was to have him for eternity, and I still do.

 Before Going to Dinner...30 weeks Pregnant.

Oh, and Brandon's eyes are of course closed...SHOCKER!!

Lily gets Baptized!

Coupon Mania

Back when I was single (and even in my previous marriage) I would only rarely use coupons. I shopped at cheaper stores, and looked for sales. But I never realized how much money I could be saving until I married Brandon and we started clipping coupons and really watching the ads! 

Being married to an accountant has many advantages, but one of them is that he is really good with a budget and will sticking to it. So, now have I. Of course there are those months where something unexpected comes up, or maybe I go over in a certain category, but overall, I am WAYYY better at money now than I ever have been!

The biggest money saver tip??

Don't pay retail for anything. Especially groceries. And in fact, I have gotten a little snobby about how much I will spend on certain items. For example, I will NOT spend more than $1 on a box of cereal! It's really ridiculous to spend more than that. You can get the boxes so cheap by clipping coupons, price matching, and waiting for the "good" deals to come around. Right now I have 70+ boxes in my food storage and none of the boxes did I pay more than a $1.

A few weeks ago when I went to the grocery to get more boxes. Brandon thought he would stack them up on our Island and carry them into our pantry for me. Well, about 2 seconds later he dropped all the boxes on our kitchen floor. The pictures turned out bad because of the lighting, but you get the point.

I guess it's the thought that counts. Just kidding! He was trying to be silly.

Our best money saver this month though was on Huggies diapers!! It's never too early to prepare, and with my due date about 8 weeks away, we figured that we might as well stock up now.

A box of Huggies diapers usually cost about $19.77 at Wal-mart. Well, we had a K-mart ad where they said they were selling their Huggies diapers for $5.99 a box!!! So we took the add to Wal-mart and had them price match it. This picture was taken after about 6 hours of diapers shopping on a Saturday afternoon. What's funny is that we have bought more since this picture, and we now have 39 boxes!!!

I love saving money!!

And now I have Brandon even more addicted...he was like a kid in a candy store every time we bought a box. Remember, he is an accountant, so if he knows he is saving money, he is one happy husband!!!

Puppy Love

Our sweet puppy, Carly, had become the center of our home. She rules this house and our hearts.

When we got her it was an impulsive buy. She was on the side of a busy rode, laying on a sheet, on some gravel, with two or her sisters. They were tiny!! The people selling her wanted $20, but Brandon and I only had $6 cash. We offered it to them, and they took it. We quickly hopped into our car and looked at our new purchase, and the newest member of our family, and then thought 'what have we just done?' Kind of. We actually wanted to get a dog for the kids, but I am a big dog person, and this certainly wasn't going to be a big dog.

We went straight to a pet store to get supplies, and while we were there we weighed her. She was only 1 lb. 4 oz.!!! She couldn't eat solids yet, so for the next week I fed her every 2-3 hours from a puppy bottle. I was smitten by this point. She was my baby.

The funnier part is that I guess she really got me baby hungry, because the week we got her was the week we conceived our baby. Only 2 1/2 weeks after getting Carly, we found out we were pregnant. Ironic really.

Now, 7 months later, we can't imagine our life without her, and I can't imagine having a bigger dog...she is the perfect size and she has the perfect personality for our family! She is so sweet and so loving, and yet she has some sass! Luckily I am due soon to have our baby, or I might just want another one. Puppies are so much fun!

Here are some recent pictures...

Brandon wearing Carly in his shirt...yes, his eyes are closed once again.

Carly learning to drink from my glass. She has only done it this once. The kids just wanted to see if her head would fit in my glass. (notice my feet are up in the background? This must have been right as I was starting to have some swelling)

And here are some from the first two weeks we had her...

  

How could you not just love that face????? Dang, she is cute!!

Kids Professional Pictures

Lily Turns 8!

Day Trip to Tucson

Lily's Dance Recital

We Bought a House!!

Easter

Easter Pagaent At the Mesa Temple

General Conference

Boys Night Out

Weekend Getaway to Tucson!

Daddy/Daughter School Dance

Lily's school put on a father/daughter dance the weekend of Valentine's Day.

Lily immediately asked her Grandpa Harrington to go on the date with her, because she said Brandon probably didn't know how to dance. I just laughed because it is true.

My dad showed up right on time, rang the door bell, and when she opened the door he handed her a dozen red roses! She was so THRILLED to get flowers!! It was seriously like a real date to her.

The two went to the school dance and stayed the whole time. Lily said that grandpa was a great dancer and he danced most of the songs, so I guess she made a good choice to bring him. hehe

Pinewood Derby

Ashlyn Turns 5!!

We are PREGNANT!!

WE ARE PREGNANT!!

Our first baby together...#4 overall, is due September 6, 2012!!

Now, the story behind it.

Brandon and I of course wanted to have our own biological children, and so we knew early on that we would start trying to have kids pretty early in the marriage. Funny thing is that I have always been able to get pregnant really easily, but I worried 'what if that isn't the case now that I am married to Brandon.'

So, in December we forgoed birth control thinking, 'what are the chances of getting pregnant the first month?' And really, what are they?

Well...apparently really good! Because it worked.

I got what I thought was my period right on time, and continued to spot for a couple of days, so I thought we were definitely not preggo and that we could always try for real later on. Well after 3 days of light spotting, I started to question, 'could I be pregnant?'

I ran to CVS to buy a test, which I had saved a coupon for. Sweet...$1 off!

As soon as I got home I took it and I just stared down at the test as it showed up immediately with a PLUS SIGN!!

I WAS PREGNANT!!

It took a few seconds for it to sink in. It had been almost 5 years since I was pregnant, and I honestly thought at times in my life (like right after the divorce) that I might never have any more kids. Plus, that means that we were fertile!! One month of forgoing birth control and we were preggo!!

I of course immediately called my sister Janel...it is tradition. She screamed in delight for me and began her line of questions,

"are you excited?"

"Was it planned?"

"How did you tell Brandon?" 

Well...I hadn't told Brandon yet. And in fact, he still thought I had got my monthly. So, how would I tell him??

I found out on January 2 that I was pregnant, and for two days I didn't say a word! I couldn't get up the nerves to say the words. What would he do? How would he react?

I know that he would be happy and that this is what we both wanted, but I just have baggage from my previous relationship where saying that I was pregnant never went over well. So I pushed that anxiety onto Brandon and I's relationship.

What's funny is that on Tuesday night we were playing monopoly and we were making jokes about having a baby and I just bit my lip. The timing wasn't right.

But Wednesday night I had to say something! I had already known for 2 days!!

Brandon has always wanted a baby boy. So at a nearby boutique I found an adorable onesie with a tie sewn on it. I had it gift wrapped and laid on the bed with the pregnancy test when I got home. On top of the present was a handwritten note. I won't say what was on the note, but I will say what the last line read. It said, "You are an amazing father to the three kids that we have now, and I know that you will be an amazing father to OUR baby due in September."

I laid on our bed with the present and the letter on top of it. He came out of the bathroom and asked, "what is this?" I told him I wanted to get him a present to let him know how much I loved him. I seriously had no idea what else to say!!

He laid on the bed next to me and started to read the letter.

As I watched him read the letter my heart was pounding and I was on pins and needles. I watched his eyes so carefully so I could tell when he was at the end. Then, he started to read it aloud. He got to the last line and said, "...our baby due in September. (pause) OUR baby? (pause again) We're pregnant??"

I smiled and shook my head yes.

He just smiled, and then laid his head on my leg and said, "this is good news." He rubbed my legs for a few seconds and then opened the present. He just stared at the little onesie, and kept saying, "I am going to be a dad?"

So then I had to fill him in as to why I was so nervous and I had to confess that I had known for 2 days!! He kept saying, "why were you so scared to tell me, you know I would be happy."

I love that man! He got so excited and immediately started talking about baby names. Then on Sunday we told the kids, and he gave me a priesthood blessing. It couldn't have gone any better!!

This baby was meant to be here, and we were obviously meant to get pregnant this fast. So although the timing is a little funky (I am due in the hottest month of the year here in Arizona!!), we know that it was all meant to be.

(Oh, I have low progesterone (a hormone needed to sustain a pregnancy), and so I quickly got on a prescription of it, and then the spotting stopped, and me and the baby were fine.)

Brandon turns 34!

Christmas break with friends

Christmas

Family Night with Friends

Girls Dance Recital

School Christmas Recital

Christmas Tree shopping

My sisters wedding In Denver

Phoenix Zoo

Grandma and Grandpa Speth (Brandon's parents) came for a visit in November. They were coming for Brandon's cousins sealing. His dad Larry came for 3 days, but we were lucky enough to have Brandon's mom, Maxine, come for a whole week!

SHE IS A BLAST!! I really love her! By far, the best mother-in-law in the world! He is kind, helpful, understanding, funny, great with the kids, and she loves me and treats me like her own daughter. Mazine and I could stay up late laughing like we were best friends & shop all day like we were sisters! She is fabulous!

While Grandpa and Grandma Speth were here, we went to a baptism, attended a sealing, did a lot of shopping and eating out, and headed to the zoo for a day!

Once again, I slacked on taking pictures while they were here, but I did get a bunch of us while we were at the zoo.

Enjoy!

The kids watching a peacock getting fed...up close!

Turtles having sex...HILARIOUS!!! I had just given "the talk" to Noah, and so he thought this was disgusting! But us adults couldn't stop laughing...especially as the turtles moaning got really loud!! (The guy was on top and he was smashing the poor girl down into a muddy hole!)

Prairie dogs

For anyone thinking of visiting this zoo...which by the way is apparently rated #5 zoo in the U.S...DON"T WASTE YOUR TIME! Everything cost extra...the train, the carousel, petting the sting rays! They nickel and dime you for everything! And since we live in the desert, all you see are tons of  "plains" animals. No arctic animals, or sea creatures. It really made me miss the Indy zoo...we LOVED the polar bear and petting the sharks there!