Back from a great weekend....

This last weekend I hitched a ride with Joe and Susie to NE to see the fam. It was fabulous. Got to hang out with everyone in the fam except for Levi - he already moved to Lincoln...saw most all of my best girlfriends...and the grandparents. Nice. I did photograph some of the events, I think my camera took over after Erin left, so all I have is the ride home and meeting up with Carissa and Scott. =) Let's take a look.

Here we are loading up gettin ready to hit the road. Notice the jam packed back seat. It made changing lanes an adventure. =)




The drive went fast, along with our snacks. Then we met Carissa and Scott in Chicago for an excellent supper at "Max & Erma's"... wait a second...what's that?!! I think I see some leaves changing colors!!!





And there was the send off. Scipp made it to her new home about the same time that we did, and then I got to keep Scott and Carissa for a day and a half to catch up and see the sites. =) We even took a bonfire down to the beach for smores. yummo! Altogether GREAT weekend....and on friday Ryan and I head to Kansas City for some Labor Day action. woo hoo!!

Hello Ry...

Just wanted to write my man a note cause I'm in a different state and I know he'll read this. =)

Love you, see you tomorrow night!!

Everyone also should know that he is helping out our church by filling in this week teaching sunday school for the 3rd - 5th graders. =) He's gonna do a great job...too bad i have to miss it. Dang..... I'll let you know how it goes for him. =)

Apples.

Yesterday, Susie and I picked about 100 lbs of apples....65 lbs for me. 25 Bucks. That's nothin. Actually 65 pounds sounds like a lot, but it's really not cause apples are heavy. hmm. Anyhoo, 7 bags, headed with us back to NE to get spread thin cause my family is giant. =) I wish I would have taken a camera, Susie would have probably thought I was a freak...but I thought it was beautiful being in all the rows of apple trees, me and Susie and the skitos. I had fun, she was on a mission for the best apple every time...and she climbed a tree to get a few cause we're both short. hahaha. very serious picker.

I've finished two books last week, one on parenting and the other was 'A Case for Faith'. Both good. Ryan just ordered a bunch of Piper books online....they were having a sale every-book-by-him-$5-sale. But I think I will read the one he got for graduation from Orduna's. 'God is the Gospel.' I have actually never read anything by him, because my brain has to be working overtime to keep up with his writing sometimes....but it comes, along with his others, highly recommended. Better get on it, I have just the time for a read today.

Another trip to NE

It's official. I'm goin back. For 2 days. WOO HOO!! Joe and Susie are going back to NE to go to Nate's White Coat Ceremony at the dental school, pretty big deal...so I'm going to hitch a ride with them and get dropped off to hang out with fam and Bamm hahaha for Friday and Saturday and then ride back with SCIPP as she's moving her way to a different state. Couldn't ask for a better weekend! It will be quick though folks, brace yourselves. I'm also scheduling a meal with Steph and Briana, hosted by my second mom, Deb Eidam, the most fabulous cook in the west....Omaha. =) Can't wait.

The only downside is that I have to leave my manly husband to fend for himself. Sniff sniff. He will have some friends to feed though, Herbie and Popcorn (his parents' dogs). =)

I registered for some classes....'Preparing for Childbirth Series' yesterday. oh man. 5 weeks, 5 one-hour classes....for first timers. =) The really cool one will be a tour of the part of the hospital that we'll be in, which will be really good for both of us so we don't get lost and end up having a kid in some random room far far away from where we should be. But they don't start until the middle of October, so we have some time to mentally prepare and for me to get even more huge. 2 weeks. Ultrasound. Bring it.

Observe the Hugeness.

Disregard the nursery decorations in the second picture. hahaha. Hope the kid likes livin in the office. =) Just kiddin, I'll try to make it more cute and colorful.

Well, that's pretty much what I look like, last week, and then today. Maybe it would be more cool if I didn't feel like my skin was stretched so dang tight that it might just rip right off. Other than that...not so bad. From the back I still look the same...which is good. But I've already packed on 15. Didn't even know it was happening. Probably cause my stomach is like a freakin ROCK. Seriously, poke the wall and just imagine it's skin. That's my stomach. And sometimes my outie shows thru my shirt. Sick. hahaha. Oh, what you all have to look forward to. =)

For the record, overall pregnancy is fun. =)

To Set the Record Straight....

These are the words that were recently spoken to my father......

In an attempt to be the 'bearer of news', some poor misinformed individual told my dad that Ryan and I had our ultrasound and were expecting to be parents of a girl.

WHAT!?!?!

Who would say such a thing? Dad doesn't remember who it was that said it, he just remembers thinking, what a loon. hahahaha. unbelievable.

Here is the correct information for those of you who might read this on occasion. Our FIRST ultrasound is scheduled for September 4th, and we are still unsure if we will find out what we're having. But that is still 3 weeks away, and if any of you know us at all, we probably won't decide until we're in the dr.'s room if we will leave with gender info. Same goes with baby name ideas. We basically have none, maybe a few, but not really until December.....20th MAYBE. hahaha. So now you don't have to ask. =)

I thought Ryan and I should just try to guess what the baby is by looking at the screen...since the child will be about 4 weeks farther along than when they normally do ultrasounds. Maybe things could be a bit more visible.....?? And then we will see in December if our guess was correct!! I thought it sounded like a great idea...Ryan just looked at me. hahaha.

Marriage....

Marriage. Marriage is what brings us togeva, today. Marriage.....

hahhaa just kiddin. little princess bride just popped into my head. =) Man, we only have that on VHS, time for an upgrade.

At any rate.....I've decided that I am an emotional decision maker. I've had these aspirations lately...mostly lasting a few days...when I decide that R and I should get involved -either in church or the community- doing a certain thing, and then think that it's the BEST idea EVER!!! and then reality sets in and, turns out it's too big of a task for me. hmm... Anyone else?? How do you know if you could actually do the thing you set out to do, or maybe it's about time you were challenged, or maybe it's a commitment issue...maybe it's money...maybe there's just too much unknown. Oh man. Too many things to bring you back down to earth. I"m not even going to say what I was thinking of taking on in the next year for a few reasons...1- Ry and I need to talk about it more, and 2- because you might think I'm a freak, rephrase, more of a freak. haha. That being said, good thing I said it. What?! It's off my chest. Re-reading my first thought of the paragraph, I have a correction. I don't' really end up acting on anything when thoughts like these come into my little brain...maybe I'm more of an emotional thinker. hmm

Other recent news, last night Dr. Smith and his wife, Trish, invited Ry and I to a little concert on their beach in Bridgman...man-o-man. We have experienced it all. Actually the beach was awesome....it had a nice snack shop that was about 10 degrees warmer on the inside that the temp outside...but it's the closest thing I've found to a coffee shop yet, minus the internet access and air conditioning. But it had a SWEET view. Anyways, the band was 4 guys, maybe about 60+ years old, wobbly voices... You know. The crowd was a mix of ages, but mostly older...bring your folding chairs and listen to their tunes while watching the sunset. Nice. I guess they have concerts like that often, didn't even know. Should've taken the cam to capture it all...maybe even a video recording. haha. Welp, that be all.

Today I have no plans. Better get started.

oh man...baby showers.

So just got done writing thank yous to all our flock friends from Faith. Say that 10x fast. It was fun to see everyone last weekend, and now that we feel back in the swing and caught up here, I got to finish all the little cute baby notes and mail em out. yesss....one more think off the check list. The stuff is so cute. I was laughing to myself earlier this week unpacking it and hanging things up in the closet. It's SO small!! So I've attached a pic of the closet collection so far.

Also, here's a few little outfits that were among the unwrapped. hahaha

Ryan and I have not had a day like this one in a LONG time. We had NOTHING on the schedule- which has been really great. We worked out earlier today and have just been bummin around the apt doing random things, and not doing things, just because we have the whole day to hang out. I made some sweet food for supper, Ryan is playing his football game, he's played like 4 games today...pry more by now, who knows. Every once in a while he yells something at the tv for whatever reason.

I feel like all I ever have to write about is a baby. No one wants to read about that all the time. Sorry....which is probably why it's taking me forever to post again. Man-o-man. At any rate, I will get back to hanging out with my man. He's in the middle of 'summer training' right now. woo hoo!

NE, MO and back again....

Well, the fam has come and gone...we have gone and come....back. hahaha....Tuesday we returned from our short-lived vacation to Lincoln and KC. There was lots to do yesterday cleaning up the apt and laundry...I had no time to post. Then I had a not as productive day today, which in turn is making me extreeeeeeemly tired- but I will NOT take a nap, for that leads to further night problems and another day tomorrow of crap. =)

Let's just say I have no motivation to write at the moment. We have dinner plans tonight in 2 hours and I need to go work out. I will write tomorrow, or maybe even tonight...but probably tomorrow.

My friends, my friends.....

Vacation!!!

Well...haven't posted cause haven't had time. The fam and house-sitting have kept me pretty busy. 4 gallons of milk already gone. They've been here for 4 days. You can guess that there has been a lot of food preparation to keep up with these folks. Anyhoo, we've been taking a lot of pics....of course....Dallas put some up on facebook last night....it's only a matter of time before Erin posts her's...and I only have a few. Their camera's are nicer than mine. =) Anyhoo, check em out. I'll put some up here when i have more time.

I think I felt a kick this morning. Don't really know. This week I have a something 'about the length of a small zucchini' inside me. Think I should be feelin somethin. =)