I like....

K:  I like straws.  Whenever I get the chance, I use a straw when I am drinking something.  I don't know what it is, but it has become this hobby of mine... drinking water, juice, soda, homemade jamba with a straw.  Love it.

I like the iMovie app.  It's pretty rad.  My nephew Benjamin inspired me to be a filmmaker. 

I like this youtube video: 

I like to eat pizza.  In Rexburg, I would rank the pizza places as the following:

1. Pizza Pie Cafe (Though it is still Craigos to me)

2. Dominos

3. Pizza Hut

4. Little Ceasars

5. Noble Romans

6. 5 Buck Pizza

I like Tuesday night stake basketball.  I've got some good homies there...

I like that we are a week from having the keys to our very first house!!!!!!!

I don't like putting dishes from the drainer or dishwasher away after washing them.  Don't know why.

I don't like it when the home button on my iPhone doesn't work (happens way too much lately).

I like my iPhone.

I don't like noisy neighbors when you live in an apartment.

I like Ashton's homemade Jamba.

I like "gentleman's night out."  Had a blast!  Should do it more often.

I like playing texas hold'em with fake poker chips.

I don't like it when I have to "fold" playing Texas hold'em with fake poker chips.

I like it when I bluff in Texas hold'em and it actually works.

I don't like creaky floors.

I like playing with my awesome pal and sweetheart, Lacey!

I like the little girl inside Ashton's tummy.

I don't like "unexpected's" with important things.

I like shopping.

I don't like hitting bad golf shots.

I like that despite all the bad golf shots I hit that I keep golfing.

I like how Golf is kinda therapeutic in a way.

I like that I had fun doing this post.

What do you like?  Feel free to comment below...

I guess life just has to be experienced sometimes

A:
There are some experiences in life that you just have to live through before you can realize that advice or stories from others would have been very beneficial. Giving birth and buying a house are those situations I have experienced. I don't know whether I am wanting to share what I have learned or just complain that no one I know feels the need to share wisdom, experiences, or advice with me.
However, I do want to say that even if things didn't turn out any better if I had received advice than they actually did I at least would have known that I did everything to be prepared for or prevent issues. Instead I am left to feel upset and frustrated with myself for not knowing what I would have had no way of knowing unless someone else told me.
I can only hope now that things turn out okay for us and that I don't continue to feel this potentially harmful frustration.

So I guess my home buying advice would turn out to be:
- Go over the home inspection and don't only look for big problems that need to be fixed before moving in but also look for potential problems in the near future. Such as getting a furnace serviced to make sure that you aren't going to have replace it within the first year. (We don't know yet if this has happened to us yet) Then you can ask the owners to take care of that before the sale closes. (This has to be done within 3 days of the inspection though!)
- There is no such thing as "Allowances" when buying a home. Pretty much you either have to have the owner replace, fix, repair whatever the issue is or you have to offer less so that you have the money to do it yourself. However the issue then becomes that the money is coming out of your savings instead of paying them more through a loan and having higher monthly payments. Make sense?

Seeing as how we have not even closed all the way on our house I don't have any more experiences to share but I'm sure I will have a few things to add before the month is over.

32 week news

A:
My 32 week doctors appointment has proven to be interesting and provide some anxiety for the following weeks. Because Lace came early and was so unexpected, my midwife suggested an ultra-sound to see how long my cervix is. Well, not particularly looking forward to that experience again and especially anxious to hear the results I dropped Lace off at "school" and met Kav at the doctors.

After a prolonged wait, as always, they finally did the ultra sound and the doctor finally came in. First thing I hear is that he wants to give me a steroid shot to help the babies lungs, and other organs to develop faster. He proceeds to tell me that at this point in pregnancy the cervix is usually around 4 cm long, mine is 1 cm. That is exactly what I feared. So after discussing potential side effects I received a rather painful shot. I could feel the liquid going into my hip and it made me leg twitch a little. I will have to return tomorrow to receive one more shot and that will be all. However I can't help but be anxious and a little worried at how soon the baby could come. I was expecting at least another month but the way the doctor was talking she could come  in 3 weeks, he said she probably wouldn't come in the next 2 weeks but wanted me to have the shot just in case so I'm not entirely convinced.

I suppose in situations like this all one can do is pray that all will be well; the baby will come when it is time for her to come, I only hope that times doesn't come sooner than June.

With 5 women I know having thier babies this month and another expecting hers the middle of this month I have been excited and even expressed how I would like the baby to come earlier than the due date. Although not so early that she has to stay in the hospital when I come home. I don't want the nurses to rush her off the to NICU 5 seconds after handing her to me. I want to enjoy the time with my new baby.

Baby Names

K: So just a little while ago, Ashton commented that when we have our next baby (we are currently expecting baby girl #2 at the end of this June) that we shouldn't tell anyone the names we are considering.  Why do you say that, babe?

A: Simply because that is always the question that people ask and once you tell them a name they think that is the one you will stick with. I think most people these days (and maybe it has always been this way) decide before the baby is born what it is going to be named. I can't just name a baby because I like a name, the name has to fit. Therefore, when I tell people potential names they still aren't getting the answer they were looking for when asking the question, "Do you have a name picked out?"

K: I will say that I can't recall a single person asking me if we have a name picked out.  Usually, it is more of "are there any names you like?" which is very similar.

A: IDK my BFF. Maybe I am just getting tired of the same question over and over again.

K: Ashton literally grabbed the computer from me to type that....  I'll tell you something, though... People aren't going to stop asking.  Whether we tell people any names or not, that question will always be asked.  It's a given.  It's almost like american's asking "How's it going?"  We always do it.  Do we always care for an answer?  No, but it is something we do.  People will ask what names we have picked out.

A: Well then I guess that makes my newly resolved answer of simply "No" less disappointing cause they didn't really care to know in the first place. Unless you meant something else by what you just said. Anyway, I think it will be fun to surprise family and friends with a name for the next one, they wont know what kind of name to expect and we will just announce it to everyone after it's born.

K: People will genuinely care and be interested when asking about a baby name.  I just used that comparison to point out that it is so common for peeps to ask that when they see that someone is farther along in their pregnancy.

Surprising family and friends with the name would be fun, though!  I think that we should come up with a list of names that we would never name a baby and give those names to people when they ask!  I'll start a list: Haggis, Romeo, Leon, Reginold, Arthur, Pansy, Cleopatra, Barbie, Bella...  (**Disclaimer: No offense intended to anyone who reads this and is named or likes one of those - they just aren't for us).  Do you have any names to add?

A: How about your infamous Barney, or Barkley or what ever. Anyway I think if we really did do that the names would have to be a little more believable. Like names that I like but you really don't such as Cambria, Adelynn, Kaiden, Bronson, or names that you like that I won't agree with.

K:  I agree and it's a date.  Goodnight, y'all!

We will just see where this goes...

K:  So I have had various friends who have blogs and at times I have checked them out/read blog posts.  One thing I have noticed, however, is that these individuals will almost always have these huge gaps inbetween posts.  The first post after the large gap will usually consist of them acknowledging how long it has been and then the person saying they will resolve to do it consistently and frequently again, and then it will inevitably happen again.  Well, it has been over two years since Ashty and I have done our last blog.  Rather than resolve to do it more frequently, we will just see where this goes.  Ash, do you have anything to say?

A: The End... IDK. I think it would be fun to post about this new baby and funny toddler stories. Like   the Easter egg hunt; with every egg she found she says, "Oh, you found one" because that is what I said to her when she found the first one.

Resolutions

A: New Year’s resolutions, everyone knows they are a joke. Why then are they still encouraged and discussed? Goal setting is an art. Everyone knows that a goal must be re-evaluated and assessed very so often, especially with yearlong ambitions. So when we set New Year resolutions why are they for the whole year? Why not have quarterly goals? In all reality four goals can all be the same goal but you think about more than once a year. New Years, St. Patrick’s Day of Easter, 4th of July, Halloween, and Thanks Giving. I would imagine that have four steps to a yearlong goal would make it more achievable and practical. How does anyone expect themselves to remember a goal that is set and not expected to be reached until the end of the year; that is asking for procrastination if you ask me.
As a result of this opinion I have given up on New Year’s resolutions; knowing that I am one of those infamous procrastinators. So now I am faced with the decision; knowing that if I set a goal for March I have to keep track of it more and act sooner than September. Should I instead set quarterly goals and if so what shall they be? Pondering my options it is also important to keep it reasonable and simple. For example one could set a goal that includes three or four goals within that one. But let’s be honest with ourselves; who is really going to accomplish all four goals that are disguised as one? Goals can be overwhelming, and it is better to set a goal that is just a little too easy than too hard. I don’t know about you but once I feel overwhelmed or discouraged the task at hand is half as likely to get done.

Good luck to all on your New Year’s resolutions, as for myself, I will set quarterly resolutions.

Happy New Year!

Breaks arent' always what they seem

A: Yes, the semester is finally over! We are in a bigger apartment.

But know that I don't have homework to do every night I find myself wondering; "What do I do all evening by myself?" I could organize a little, I could read a book, I could paint or draw... What I really want to do after being at work all day is laugh with my husband. It wouldn't matter what we were doing; washing dishes, baking Christmas cookies, un-packing more boxes, thinking up baby names. Christmas break is about family, and I don't even get to see my husband much until Christmas eve.

Summersaults

A: As I sit here and do my homework it feels like there are a couple of marbles rolling around in my tummy. "Whoa, baby what's going on? It feels like you're doing summersaults in there." Her response is simply to elbow me. The fun part about this though is that I could totally see it; the whole right side of my belly moved.

At work last night...

K: So all week long at work (I'm a manager at the local grocery store), I've been hearing people talk about the premiere of the new Twilight movie. (Yes, I know they have specific names such as "New Moon," "Ecplise," and "Breaking Jacob's Heart," er, I mean, "Breaking Dawn," but understand I'm not being ignorant by calling them all "Twilight," because I have read the books and I did see the movies.) Anyway, enough of that tangent...

Well, for some reason, I was under the impression that Breaking Dawn was coming into theaters at midnight last night. All week long I was looking forward to a slow and relaxed night of work thinking that the majority of our late-night shoppers (college students) would be at the movie theater here in Rexburg or in Idaho Falls. So I get to work last night, and our store director called me over to give me the low down/procedure for the movie that just came out on video. I was confused at first but realized he was saying that Breaking Dawn wasn't coming out last night, rather, Eclipse was coming out on video. He told me that it was illegal to sell the movie before midnight (12:00 a.m. saturday morning) so we were to keep the store opn for an extra 10-15 minutes to accomodate all the twilight die-hards out there. So here I thought that we'd be able to lock the store at midnight like usual and quickly finish closing everything up and be home really fast. I was irritated when I found out we'd probably be there much much later. He said that he anticipated 100 people coming to buy the movie and that we should just line them up and let them come to one cash register.

As the night wore on, several twilight jokes were expressed and the movie was largely mocked by my fellow employees. I did my share of mocking as well.

As midnight was nearing, the other manager and I went and grabbed the DVD's and began putting them on the displays in the store along with signs that read: "Do not touch until midnight." At 11:55 pm, we noticed there were three people "camped out" next to one of the displays. I was wondering if it was going to be Black Friday all over again! Well, at midnight, the other manager got on the intercom and said, "It is now midnight and you can all grab yourselves Eclipse on DVD. We've got a hot deal for you of $17.99, which is as hot as Jacob taking his shirt off." hahahahaha It was so funny!

Well, to make a long story a teensy bit longer, we ended up selling 9 DVD's last night! hahahaha

Moving

Lots of movement going on here lately.

Move #1:
A: It all started back on November 11 at 12:45 am (I remember because that was the day that marked 20 weeks). Beause I was going off to Oregon for Thanksgiving, Kav had been woried that he wouldn't get to be the first one to feel the baby move. He had just returned from work and climbed into bed. "Tell the baby to move." He says to me as he puts his hand on my tummy. Not two seconds later she kicks. We both decided at that point that she would be a daddy's girl.

Move #2:
A: 4:30 am December 4, I had gotten up to use the restroom like any pregnant woman would understand. I get into bed and cuddle up with my sweety. Kav tells me this morning, "I'm minding my own business somewhere between half asleep and half awake, and I get jabbed in the stomach. She kicked me! Wasn't it past her bed time?!" I just think to myself, "I get jabbed multiple times a day."

Move #3:
A: We are both looking forward to moving out of "the palace" as we jokingly call it and into a real apartment! Contract is sold and we will be out of here next weekend. Kav only works two days this next week so we will be able to get alot of packing done and I will get to see him in the evenings! Oh happy day.

K: As I glance across the room right now, I see empty bookshelves and 4 boxes full of books. I was sitting there about an hour ago and all of a sudden I got this sudden urge to start packing. Well, abot 2 minutes later, the urge was gone. However, I made myself at least pack the books because we're going to have to start sometime. I can't wait to be ina bigger place! 3 bedrooms! Woo-hoo! Ash and I are going to go to Wal-Mart in a little bit to look for a fake, small christmas tree. This will be our first christmas with just us, so a tree and decorations are a must!