Pretty blog

Who knows how to make my blog pretty? I'm getting bored with my poka-dots and want something fancy. Someone???

Magical Fireplace and stuff

Well, just as an update, I think I have decided to vote. Hooray for me! I think! AND...I think I know who I'm voting for. I still will be having a party on the 5th to celebrate the fact that this is all over for 4 years, but there you go. The party may look surprisingly baby focused since I am having my baby shower on Nov 4th. When one of my friends found out, she was a little shocked, saying that it was on voting day. It is of the drop in and visit or just leave your present variety, so there will be plenty of evening freedom for voting. (How do you punctuate that sentence? I know there should be another something, somewhere, but am not sure) (Also, how do I do little small writing here in a different font like some people do?)
Okay, so I haven't mentioned that yesterday it snowed here in the frozen north. John called from work to see how I was and I said I was having kind of a grumpy day. He was heading home for lunch and informed me that it was snowing. Sure enough. I looked out the window and what did I see? Despair!
It took him a bit to get home because he is a smart man and stopped to get me a 2 Liter of Pepsi (aka Nectar of the Gods) and some yummy ice cream. I'm really an easy person to please.
But then to top it off, he started the fireplace in the house! Oh, the joy. It is one of those gas fireplaces and the other day while learning how to light the pilot light, I nearly lost my eyebrows and eyelashes, so I'm a little afraid.
So, while I hate that winter is coming soon, I do love the glow of a fireplace. Cozy, cozy, cozy. Matched with my feetsy pajamas that I still fit into, I am a happy, snuggly girl.

WARNING!!! Political Post

Okay, so here I go. I have been thinking about this for several days and am having an inner struggle and need a little help from my friends. This is especially meant for those friends with serious political views. I have almost just picked up the phone to call and ask for advice several times, but it is always at an inconvenient time. While I am thinking about it, you are at work and when you are home from work, I am deeply involved in my t.v. watching.
So, here goes. For those of you who don't know, I LOVE to vote. I get super excited to use my liberties to go and make my voice heard. I especially love the stickers. Not that stickers themselves are impressive, but I love to have it and then go shopping. I want everyone to see my sticker, not so they think I am a super citizen, but I want them to go vote. I have previously thought it was irresponsible not to vote. No offense meant to those of you who might not be voters. I just really got into it.
So, my problem comes this year. This year of election has seemingly gotten everyone excited and ready to go. Everyone except me. I am not ready to go. I am not ready to cast my vote and frankly, I don't want to! There I said it. I don't want to vote.
It seems like in the past, there was one reason or another for me to decide on a candidate although, I am almost always undecided until the last minute. I read, I listen, I watch and still this year I have no real sense of involvement in whether McCain or Obama wins. And I live in one of those states that is apparently up for grabs. I should care more, right? I should. But I don't.
My question is this: Can I be a responsible citizen and choose not to vote because I just don't think it matters which one wins? If I don't think that one candidate is better than the other, do I have to vote, to appreciate democracy? Or, can I say, I appreciate my liberties and I am not going to feel pressed to vote for one person because I have to?
Feel free to express whichever view you would like to. I have never been in this boat before and would love to be talked into voting, but was wondering if anyone else feels/has felt this way.

Who knew?

This weekend John started singing the song Bootylicious and I thought he was just making it up, but no. I checked and these are a few of the lyrics to the song. Now I never thought Beyonce was profound, but this is sadder than I imagined.

I shake my jelly at every chance
when I whip with my hips you slip into a trance
I'm hoping you can handle all the jelly that i have
Now lets cut a rug while we scat some jazz

pop body oh body
pop body oh body oh body eh' om body oh ew oh um
POW POW POW POW

chorus
I don't think you ready for this jelly
i don't think you ready for this jelly
I don't think you ready for this
Cause my body's too bootylicious for ya babe

Hilarious!!

You've gotta watch this and this. Too cute!

Does this sweater make me look fat?

29 weeks along, 11 more to go. Does 11 sound like tomorrow to anyone else?

Monday Memory

I have this great book that I own Reflections from a Mother's Heart. The idea of the book is a personal history written by a mother and given to her child. Each page has a separate writing prompt and the rest of the page is dedicated to answering the question.

I was reading some of the prompts today and was reminiscing about my childhood and thought I'd share.

Did you ever have a special hideaway or playhouse? What made it special?

Well, first of all, I think that having special hideaways is what childhood is all about. There is a talent that children have of making any place special and secretive. So, I'll share a few of my favorite hideaways.

1) The first one that came to mind was the cupboard under the basement stairs. There was actually a little storage room created with plywood and the door hinged and closed with a latch. My brother Robert and I discovered it and found that it was being used to store things like old paint cans. We quickly emptied the storage room and turned it into our secret place. We found a scrap of carpet and moved that in. Got one of those under cabinet lights and hooked an extension cord up, so we could have light in our special spot. It was such a magical little place for us.
2) Under the quilts. My mom made lots of tied blankets and quilts when I was growing up. She had a homemade quilting frame and we loved it when a quilt was ready to tie. Up went the frame and on went the top to our newest hiding place. Usually mom set it up in our living room, but I remember on a particularly sunny day, she set it up in the front yard. That was fun. I would guess that any child who had a mother who quilted, has identical feelings for the quilting frame.
3)Discarded refrigerator boxes. What is better than a cardboard box in the eyes of a child? I can't think of much. So many possibilities! Whenever we would spot a large box that was being thrown away, we would drag it home and take it inside. Then we would design our newest fort. The windows would be cut out and the door would be created. Do kids still do this? I sure hope so.
So what was your favorite hideaway?

Get Excited!!

Boy do I have a couple really fun pictures to share with you, but due to the fact that I am occasionally a moron, I left my memory stick for my camera, in the computer and so the pictures saved on my internal memory and I don't know how to get them out. Sorry about that sentence.
But, really you guys are going to be SO happy.

Just a little update on my life:
Yesterday, after only 3 hours of on and off sleep, I got up at 5:50 AM!!! to get ready to go to the temple with 22 YM/YW. We headed off to Chicago and had a great time in the temple and then went to lunch at Old Country Buffet. Not my favorite lunch, but breaking from tradition is not in the cards for this one. Then we decided to make a day of it and go to the Aquarium in Chicago. This was a mistake. #1 because the Aquarium is lame. $16 a person for a bunch of fish. There were a few other things, but nothing like The Aquarium of the Pacific.
#2 15 minutes of trying and we couldn't find the parking garage where we were supposed to park. In frustration we valeted. It was the best choice of the evening.
#3 $18 for parking $25 for valet. Hmmm...don't they think they are ripping you off enough with the Aquarium??
#4 We didn't get home until after 9pm. I immediately drew a bath and jumped in before any parents could call me to complain about anything.

Not much else is going on here. So toodles for now!

Large with Child

20 weeks

28 weeks



















Here is a new picture of me. It seems like at up to 20 weeks, the growing belly was a cheerful sight. Now it is just making me feel like a whale, giving me heartburn and getting in my way. Sorry to those of you who have been hounding me for another picture.

The panic is setting in about actually delivering a child. People who haven't had one in awhile say it's not that bad and you will forget it. The problem is that I have two friends who have had babies in the last nine weeks and I am believing them and their sad stories.

I haven't slept through the night for two weeks now and I don't think it is a fluke. It is sad, because most of you know my love of sleep. Daytime napping doesn't even make up for it and I'm almost too bitter to nap. Go figure!

Well, folks, I am off to the temple tomorrow with the youth and I am going to try to fit into my temple dress one last time. If not, I'll wear one of their tents. :) Cross your fingers for me.

Shouldn't I Care?

Shouldn't I care that my dogs are drinking out of the toilet? I really should since I think it is disgusting. However, here I sit, not willing to get up and fill their water bowls to avoid this disaster. Usually, I am quite good about their water bowls, but lately with the size of the stomach that I am acquiring, I care less and less about the toilet bowl. AND, in my defense they are drinking out of the guest bathroom toilet, so I'm not likely to sit on it post-slober. Evaporation and a good cleaning will come it's way, long before someone's toosh.

Nursery

Here is the before picture of plain ole' white room and now after a little bit of paint and some furniture. The little chair is holding the glider's place in the room. Pictures need to be hung, the crib and changing table need to be purchased and curtains need to be made, but here's a little idea.