Sister/Seattle Trip

Sat Jan 22, Alexa and I ventured to Seattle, WA to visit our other sister, Amanda. Her and her husband, Jon, just moved there at the first of December. And I being 8 months pregnant, thought this would be the perfect time to visit her before I have this baby.

At first it was just me flying up there, but last minute Alexa got the weekend off and we were able to fly together. I'm so happy that she did, because I wasn't really looking forward to flying alone. It's just stinky. So thank you Lex.

Our flight had a 3 hour layover in Long Beach, CA. Lex and I were rather hungry and 1) didn't want to sit in the tiny airport for 3 hours, and 2) we didn't want to spend $20 on airport food. So we decided lets kill some time and walk around Long Beach and see what we can find for food. Well I looked up some food places that were around on my phone, and the closest was a Starbucks that was about a mile and a half a way. We thought we'd try that and hope for a good bagel or something there.

After a LONG and HOT walk we made it to our destination. But what made it even better was that DENNY'S was right next door to Starbucks. Oh how happy we were because it didn't come up on my phone, so it was like a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. It totally hit the spot for our tummies and for our wallets. We walked just about 3 miles round trip. Goes to show what Lex and I will do for food.


Once we arrived in Seattle, Manda picked us up and we drove to her apartment on Mercer Island. And all we wanted to do was chat as sisters and get caught up on life. Nothin' Better.

Sunday, Lex and I went to the Mercer Island Ward. It was the smallest ward I have ever been to, but everyone there was super nice, welcoming, and had strong testimonies. .They were all really happy to see new faces. They kept teasing us to stay in the ward.

The rest of the day was spent just hangin' around the apartment. Poor Lex wasn't feeling so good that she pretty much crashed on the couch the rest of the day. She only got up to eat some dinner, and throw up a couple of times. I think out of the 24 hour day she was awake for maybe 6 hours of it.

While Lex was snoozing, I played Beauty Parlor in the kitchen...coloring Manda's hair, and cutting Jon's. They were both in desperate need, so I was glad I could lend a helping beauty hand.

Monday, while Jon was at work, we went out into the city. Manda first took us to the mall, then to our favorite restaurant...Olive Garden, Mmmmm. We always like to go together when we can. For some reason being together we enjoy our meal so much more. I think it's because the three of us love it so much.

After that, and with the help of GPS on my phone, we drove to Pike's Street and walked around Pike's Market. There were tons of fresh produce, flowers, and fish. And so many things for sell that people had made. (I'm not really sure why I didn't take pictures, Sorry).Once we saw what we wanted to see there, we drove past the Seattle Space Needle. We thought we would save going up to elevator for another time. So i just took pictures as we drove past it.

After our little downtown adventure, we went back to the apartment and made some dinner, ate, chatted, played some Wii, and watched a movie till we all fell asleep on the couch.

Tuesday morning, Jan 25th, Lex and I were dropped off at the airport to return home. We were trying to talk Manda into flying home with us...but she has her ties there with Jon and their dog Tok. Understandable. But thankfully they are coming to visit once this baby comes. So the count down is on... for the baby and for Manda and Jon's arrival.

Even though this was a fast and furious little trip, I much enjoyed being with my sisters and not having a care in the world. I needed a little time to myself before I devote it all to a newborn.

I love my sisters so so much, I really don't know how I could function without them. They are rocks in my life.

No need for a cup...

...when you can drink it straight from the faucet.

Lookin' Back

I was looking at a few of Ryker's pictures when he was about 5 months old, and seeing his chunky cheeks and cute toothless smile of his got me feeling really excited for baby #2 to come. I can hardly remember what its like having someone that young around. It's almost like I don't know this little man in these pictures....and it's kinda sad how easy you forget. Oh but I am really looking forward to having a little one around again. :)

A Few Tid-Bits about Ryker

-He knows all the letters of the alphabet and loves to sing about it.

-Sings along with just about every song we listen to.
-Acts like a Choo-Choo train when he's outside seeing his breath.
-Has a very broad vocabulary.
-Loves Trains and Cars.
-Can put 30 piece puzzles together all by himself (over and over again).
-Uses his imagination really well.
-Plays well with his toys by himself.
-He'll play that he's dead, or that some part of his body his dead. Then suddenly come back to life.

-Prefers to drink straight from the faucet...no cup.
-Voluntarily tells his family members that he loves them with pure sincerity.
-Excited to have a "baby brover".
-When something needs to be fixed he likes to "Bix it".
-When you try to get him to say Hamster, he says "Master".
-When his daddy has him say "Yes Daddy Hamster", we hear "Yes Daddy Master".
-After this week, he will have been to Disneyland 2 times already without his Mom and Dad.
-Enjoys Skyping.
-Every time someone takes a picture of him he asks to see it on the camera.
-Even though his crib has been turned into a bed, he still stays in it until we come and get him after he wakes up.
-If we aren't fast enough to come get him out of bed, he starts to yell "Mommy-Daddy" until we respond or come into his room.
-Has the book "Are You My Mother?" almost memorized...So he reads it to us instead of us reading to him.
-It's the sweetest thing to hear him sing "I am a Child of God", "Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam", and "The Wise Man and Foolish Man".
-Enjoys going to Nursery every week.
-Every kid he sees he calls them his friend.
-Very Social.
-Can work his Dad's touch phone better than Ryker's own Mom can.
-He always says 'yours' when it should be 'your'... IE: "I wanna play on yours phone" or "Where's yours phone?"
-Threatened his dad with a Nerf gun, and in a deep voice said "Gimme yours phone".
-Has so much energy and personality.
-He sometimes acts so silly and goofy, we can't help but giggle at him.

-Has 2 favorite blankets. One has stars all over it so he calls it his 'star blanket'. And the other one has one specific corner that is worn down and he calls that one his 'Quorner Blanket'.

-Enjoys having his tummy softly tickled...Especially with his favorite corner on his 'Quorner Blanket'

Everyday Ryker surprises me with how smart he is. I wanted to record these tid-bits about Ryker while I am remembering them. He makes me so happy! I just love him so MUCH!

Birthday/New Years

The big 2-5! Back in high school someone who was 25 seemed so much older to me, but now that I am 25 I really don't feel like I'm any older than when I was in high school. Weird how that happens.

On my actual birthday (Dec 29) Jesse and I had the night together to go to dinner and a movie of my choice. The plan was to go downtown to the Megaplex in the Gateway Mall and see The Tourist after eating at Biaggis. But it had started to snow really bad about an hour before we were going to leave. Pulling out of our driveway we slid right into the curb. So we thought it would be best to stay in Bountiful and avoid the freeway at all cost.

So dinner plans went from Italian to Steak! Texas Road House! After which we went to the newly remodeled Bountiful theater. Unfortunately they weren't showing The Tourist at that theater, so we settled for Gulliver's Travels....I highly recommend NOT seeing this show unless you are 5. I have never sat through a movie where I have wanted to end faster. Luckily the night before Jesse and I were able to go see the new Harry Potter Movie. That following Saturday (Jan 1), we went out, for what is going on now as a 3 year tradition, sledding on New Years Day with Jesse's Family. It kinda blows my mind that this is Ryker's 3rd year going sledding as well. It seems like yesterday he was just a tiny baby.

I being pregnant was more of the photographer rather than a sledder. But next year I'll get to join in the fun again.
Ryker seemed so grown up to me. He went down the hill all by himself over and over and over again. I think if we would have let him he would have gone till it was dark. He was having the time of his life. Even though I wasn't sledding I was thoroughly enjoying him having so much fun. I just thought he looked so cute going down on the tube all by himself.

After a couple of hours sledding, we called it a day and head back home for dinner. Once we got in the car we took off our snow gear. Ryker's hair was all crazy from his hat. He thought it was funny when I showed him what he looked like after I took the picture. It almost looks like he has curly hair.

After a yummy dinner, joined by the missionaries we had my favorite cake...German Chocolate. Heidi made the frosting from scratch. It was so delightful. After which, I was able to open some birthday gifts. Andrew and Emily gave me a scarf and a gift card. They called it a now and later gift. I can use the gift card to buy skinny clothes, once I have this baby. Mike and Heidi were so thoughtful and had my blog printed up to two books. 2008 and 2009. I love it because now I everything all down on paper.

The next day (Sunday) we got together with my family to continue the birthday celebration. My Birth-DAY turned into a Birth-WEEK this year. My parents gave me an awesome huge steamer, Jon and Amanda gave me a target gift card, Tyson gave me a large crock-pot, Alexa-gift certificate to Charlotte Russe, Chan-Skull Candy ear buds with an I-tunes card, and my grandparents gave me money!

Another German Chocolate Cake... still my fave! Check out the candles...my mom didn't have 25 candles, so she clumped 2 together and 5 together to make 25. Clever!

When I was ready to blow my candles out, Ryker actually blew out half of them for me. He'll do really well when it comes to be his birthday in Feb.

My birthday was fun this year... I cant wait to spend all my gift cards. Thank you to everyone who made me feel special and is always there for me. Love you all!

2010 has been a good year... Bring on 2011!