The Turning of a Page

I wouldn't be able to call myself an historian if I didn't pay homage to the events of today. I will try and make this short and sweet. I did not vote for Mr. Obama and there many points of his policy that don't jive with my own idealogy. But, I respect him as a good man and a charismatic leader. I think American's needed a fresh change, and they got it. The significance of today in regards to equality in America also does not escape me. We have come to the point where race really does not matter, and I believe that is exactly as God would have it. But, to sum up my feelings, I will quote a man who wrote a note to the new President. He said "I sure hope you are everything they say you are going to be, because you are going to need it." May God continue to bless America.

18 WEEKS!

For those of you who are asking, I am due on 6/21 and I find out what I am having on February 2nd. I am finally getting to the point that I feel less like I just ate a big lunch and more like there is an actual kid floating around in there (though I can't confirm any movements yet). I saw an old soldier of mine in the store a week or two ago. After we chatted for a bit, and as we were parting, she says "Are you pregnant?" Wow! You are good! Uh, yeah. I am. But you are the first person who has asked without me telling them first. Her response? "Well, you just used to be so skinny"....... Thanks. I think.

The Tooth Fairy

I know this isn't about me, but it was the funniest story of the day. My friend Tiffany's 6 yr. old daughter Madison lost a tooth on Sunday. She was so excited she ran up and told me at church. I always love talking to her because she has an older sister named Brooke as well. In order to distinguish between us, she calls her sister by her beautiful first name and she calls me "Silly Brooke". I don't know where she got that from. Anyway, I digress. She showed me her tooth, or lack therof. We of course engaged in a conversation about the great loot she would find under her pillow the next morning. Well, apparently the Tooth Fairy also had MLK day off. We went out to dinner with them for family night and she disclosed to me that, in fact, the tooth fairy had not come by the night before. I told her to believe her mother, that the Tooth Fairy also takes federal holidays just like the rest of us. I almost peed my pants this morning when I called Tiffany and she told me that the Tooth Fairy AGAIN had not made the drop the night before. She said she felt so bad she went to her purse to get money to give her daughter and she did not have any! So, while her daughter prepared for school she snuck in her room and stole 4 quarters out of her daughter's piggy bank and gave her her own money! You really can't find good help anywhere anymore.

A Pinch of This, a Dash of That

SKYDIVING

So, Cory didn't really get me a Christmas gift......But he made up for it, and POOF! All was forgiven. He took me skydiving, something I have wanted to do for such a long time. I surprised myself by not being that scared at all. It wasn't any more scary than a great thrill ride at Six Flags, plus a whole lot more fun. I know, I know. Some of you may be saying "Girl! You can't be skydiving while your pregnant!" Well, I just did. Anyway, the research on skydiving while pregnant is inconclusive..... :)

Us in our hot jumpsuits

Cory slowly descending to earth.....

For a perfect landing! Not!

That's me coming down. I don't even need to include a pic of the landing. It was textbook, like a butterfly.

Me as a conehead with the good man that preserved my life for the ride down.

STUPIDITY

Cory has a bit of a tradition going. I am still trying to figure out the hellish origins of it. Every single New Year's day, he feels compelled to jump into a icy lake for a "polar bear" dip. It is truly one of the most masochistic things I have ever witnessed. If you will notice, he convinced some other poor sap to go with him, not myself. Hey! I paid my dues last New Year's in a lake surrounded by snow in "beautiful" British Columbia, Canada. I get a pass.

Christmas

Just a hodge-podge of pics. I had to include a picture of our rather pathetic tree. As an army widow this December, the task was up to me to go out and pick a tree, load it into the truck, and single handedly set it up in the stand, not to mention decorate it. I am extremely proud of my accomplishments. I firmly believe that setting up a Christmas tree with only 2 hands should be an Olympic sport. 3 hours later...TADA!

Would you believe me if I told you it doesn't actually snow in our neck of the woods? You can imagine the mess it created when it did for over a week this year.

I took advantage of the snow. I put on all my snow gear, went to the corner gas station to buy a hot chocolate, and went on a one and a half mile walk in the snow that took me over an hour. Some people never grow up...

We went down to my sister Phoebe's house in Hyrum, Utah. I couldn't believe how fun it was to spend Christmas with little kids again. They make everything an experience. I can tell you what wasn't fun, though. A 13 hour return home drive that turned into 24 hours + due to road closures and driving 30 mph most of the way because of a terrible snow storm.

Phoebe and Greyson decorating gingerbread houses.

Brooke and Natalya working on their architecture.

Christmas morning. Go ahead. Try and tell me it gets cuter than that.

Brooke and Cory Christmas morning, in our tradition PJ's.

Actually, one of the highlights on the trip for me was driving down to Ogden to see some friends from my mission. We stopped by President and Sister Joyce's house and had a great chat. She asked me if I had lost weight....I swear the good Lord reserved a place in heaven for that woman.

PREGNANCY PROFILE PIC-15 1/2 weeks

slowly but surely