Giving Thanks

I am thankful for...

1. Knowing for myself that there is a God in heaven who watches over me.
2. My Savior Jesus Christ who has made it possible for me to mess up in life, learn from my mistakes, and be a better person.
3. A wonderful, caring husband Jess who loves and takes care of me every day.
4. My healthy son (knock on wood) who I will have the pleasure of meeting in just about 1 month.
5. My dad whom I look up to so much. He is one of the reasons why I work so hard--to make him proud.
6. My most generous, giving mother who teaches me that life isn't always about yourself--it's about helping others around you.
7. My sister Whitney who has become one of my closest friends--I still can't believe she can put up with me in BOTH of her families ;-)
8. My brother Tommy for letting me feel like his mother while growing up and for letting me be so excited for him to start college.
9. My youngest sister Olivia who reminds me of myself so much and who will be my best baby sitter EVER (if she ever moves to Utah that is).
10. All of my in-laws (and there are too many to name) who take me into their family every Sunday and make me feel that I have a family away from my own.
11. My little niece Payton who is just the cutest ever--I hope she and her double cousin get along!
12. My other nieces and nephews who I "married into" who like me more than their Uncle Jess...haha.
13. Belonging to the true Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
14. My great opportunity to be in nursing school and learning soooo much that my brain would explode if you put a pin to it.
15. That Jess has a job that provides for our family the necessities of life.
16. That Jess has adopted a "school is good for me" attitude.
17. That Jess cooks me dinner when I don't feel like it.
18. That I have learn to at least stand ESPN because it's on all day.
19. That my KIA is almost paid off.
20. That I own the series Anne of Green Gables and still watch it faithfully.
21. That my couch is more comfortable than my bed (at least I have SOMEWHERE to sleep).
22. Wonderful friends who I can hang out with after months of not seeing them and still being able to crack up laughing at a memory.
23. Not getting a stretch mark yet during my pregnancy (a HUGE knock on wood).
24. My favorite meal at IHOP: Nutella crepes and scrambled eggs...I don't think I will EVER get sick of that.
25. To be almost finished with nursing school and to be able to finally get a job that pays more than minimum wage.
26. For the many years I have been able to work for the BYU Bookstore--I have met so many wonderful people there who will be my friends for life.
27. To live in a duplex that has brown 70's carpet: you really can't see a THING when something spills.
28. That my husband loves candles and good-smelling scents.
29. That I get to set up my Christmas decorations tomorrow (or today if I get to it).
30. That I only have 2 weeks of school left before finals.
31. That I only have 1 more clinical at the hospital next Friday night.
32. That our cousin Mark lets us into so many free movies.
33. That it only costs 1$ to buy popcorn at the movie theater
34. That Harry Potter 6 is coming out on DVD on December 8th.
35. That I am NOT going shopping on Black Friday.
36. That my cell phone plan lets me call my mom for FREE.
37. That our church building is only a 5 minute drive.
38. Chocolate
39. For the beautiful weather this Thanksgiving Day.
40. For good doctors that know just how to take care of me.
41. DVR
42. That my family gets to come down to visit me around the holidays.
43. That we got a free Christmas tree from Jess's old roommate.
44. Having a dishwasher.
45. An awesome landlord who lives far away.
46. Baby kicks that let me know my little fetus is still "kicking".
47. New neighbors that are a lot more quiet than our last ones.
48. The seasons (yes, even winter).
49. That I have had the chance to live in many places during my childhood (including overseas).
50. That I have health insurance.

I could go on and on...what are you thankful for?

Maternity Pictures

My beautiful, talented sister Whitney was so kind to take my maternity pictures! She did such a great job and I really was not a good model...I hate getting my picture taken. I pretty much stood there and she did the rest. She definitely does not give herself enough credit! Thanks whittle bit! Love you! These pics were taken when I was 32 weeks.








Pregnancy Update: I now go to my OB every two weeks! YA! I am almost 35 weeks and up to this point I really have been feeling pretty well. Lately, however, I am starting to get really tired and my belly itches like CRAZY all the time! My bed is no longer comfortable, so my permanent bedroom is my living room where my awesome couch resides. Thank goodness I have that puppy or else I really would be seriously sleep deprived. School is going well. I only have 2 weeks left in the semester and then I am FREE for a couple weeks (hopefully I can "squeeze" in the baby's birth during Christmas break and not when next semester starts). I received my assignment where I will be doing my nursing internship: the Intensive Care Unit at UVRMC in Provo. I am excited! Anyway, I will try to post a belly pic for those who are oh so into seeing me get bigger soon!

Happy Halloween!

Halloween REPEAT! I know we are totally breaking the rules, but Jess *insisted* that we were the IPOD characters again. My day started off bright and early at Primary Children's hospital, then we went out with my sis Whitney, her daughter Payton, and our Sister Laura trick or treating. To end the night we went over to the Paulson's house for a halloween party. We had a fun time! BUT the great thing is is that our street had like zero trick or treaters, so we got to eat the left overs! P.S. Happy Birthday to my DAD! We love and miss you! Wish we could have been there for your day!

Halloween is almost here!

Food Poisoning...

...Is what I had Wednesday night. Today (Saturday) I am still feeling the after-effects of vomiting all night (sore chest and back muscles). I think I ate a nasty Wendy's chicken sandwich earlier that day that caused it all. After throwing up for a couple hours Jess *insisted* on taking me to the ER which I would have vehemently declined if I wasn't pregnant, but figured I probably should be a responsible Mom and at least make sure the babe was okay. Little did I know, even if you are a slightly bit pregnant they rush you up to Labor and Delivery, put monitors on, start IV's, etc...Needless to say this really freaked Jess out, but I was kinda like...ok people this is going way too far...I am just throwing up! After being on the monitors for 2 hours (baby's HR was a good 150 the whole time), getting blood samples done, and throwing up a bunch of water, the nurse came in and told me the doctor was "sending me home". I was oh so kindly reminded the REAL reasons I should come into L&D (premature labor, water breaks, etc...) in which I felt really stupid!!! Oh well, I guess better safe than sorry...I am now just wondering how much my bill is going to be...

The joys of life

You know what I have finally realized makes life so much easier? Just going with the flow! I am such an organized person, I usually get quite miffed when my plans are ruined or rearranged. Today was a crazzzzzy day that did not go according to my planner at all:

1. Went to my ob checkup: they lost my glucose test and hematocrit results. The nurse kindly told me "it's not a big deal...we'll just do it again!" Ya, not a big deal...that stuff is sick.
2. Decided to get the H1N1 vaccine last minute. My sil Rachel told me yesterday the health department was giving them out today.....2 HOURS in line, a bunch of crying kids, and one sore shoulder later....
3. Jess's car battery died when he was on his lunch break so my super sweet kia had to come to the rescue with all its power to bail him out.
4. After class this evening I walked all the way down the hill of death to my car that was parked WAYYYY off campus to find out my keys are not in my backpack but in the computer lab WAYYYY on campus.
5. Sore hips, pinched sciatic nerve, and a pregnancy waddle to add to the mix.

BUT life is good. I am home. Got a LOAD of homework to do.

P.S. The silver lining: the nurse called me back and they found my glucose/hct results and they are both normal! Wahoo!

Just a couple things.....

28-week pregnant shot. I am still feeling as good as always. I don't really like looking at these pictures, so I will refrain from commenting.

Jess and our sweet niece Payton. We love her.


Jess had a mustache contest at work where I totally thought he would win!!! BUT...I guess the other guys at his work grow a pretty mean stache, so he didn't win the 100 dollar prize. He looks so creepy. and mexican.

Update on life: Still in school, but on the bright side I am half-way done with the semester!