I'm the birthday girl! :)

Or so Lance keeps reminding me. As though I would forget. I love birthdays! Especially mine. Even though it's not actually until Wednesday, we celebrated this weekend. We had the best weekend ever is Salt Lake (or at least I did. Lance was a good sport about it). After having dinner at Tucanos, we spent Friday night at the Anniversary Inn.
Seriously the coolest place ever. We had the Swiss Family Robinson room, and our bed was in a tree and our shower was a waterfall! The service was great, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone! Really romantic.
Looking down at the waterfall shower from the bed:
Rose petals!
Yes there was also a fish tank in our room!Super yummy breakfast!
After we checked out Saturday morning, we walked around and looked at some of the other empty rooms. I had to take this picture of (one of) the Twilight-themed rooms. I am so embarrassed that these rooms even exist, and I feel bad for any husband who's wife would want to stay there.
After leaving the inn, we went to Gateway mall and did some maternity shopping- they have some cute stores in Salt Lake, and I was able to get some spring clothes that fit. We stopped by Temple Square to admire all the flowers and to see if we could find Marissa (we couldn't), and then we had to visit our favorite frozen yogurt place, Spoon Me, since the Provo location closed (sad), and we met up with my friend Katelyn who I haven't seen in pretty much forever. Now we're all grown up (well that's debatable...).

We met Lance's sister at Babinski's, the cutest baby store EVER. I seriously wanted to buy every single thing in it, but I managed to restrain myself. Also Lance took my money away. Then we went to visit Hatch Family Chocolates (from the TLC show the Little Choclatiers)- they seriously had the most delicious hot chocolate, and I could drink it every day. Basically we did all the things that I've been wanting to do in Salt Lake- you can tell I definitely planned this weekend. It was so much fun, especially since it wasn't too cold and Lance and I were mostly over the colds that we picked up this week.

Now I only have a couple days of 21 left, and I'm not sure how to celebrate. My actual birthday is going to be pretty low key. We have Cub Scouts, so I will be spending my day on campus doing homework, and my evening with 10 year old boys. Fun. Also, I love getting birthday cards/presents in the mail. Thanks everyone who sent me something so far- I have the best friends and family.

PS For anyone that reads this who knows Marissa, she has been struggling recently with some health issues on her mission, and could really use some extra prayers. She is so awesome, and I miss her so much.

Pitty, Pitty, Patter

Sharon sent this song to me today. I've never heard it before but it's perfect! I love it! Thanks Sharon!!

Living for Friday...

This week is a race against the clock as I struggle to finish my 30 page paper that is due on Thursday along with a big assignment due Friday morning. Stressful? Yes. The good news is, assuming I survive the week, this weekend Lance and I are headed up to Salt Lake to celebrate my birthday a few days early! I am sooo looking forward to Anniversary Inn, Tucanos (thanks for my free birthday meal!), Temple Square, seeing friends, baby/maternity shopping (cute graduation outfit? yes, please), and whatever other fun activities we can think of. I only have to make it through 4 more days....

The real question is, why I am blogging right now?

31 days till graduation!

So close to spring

I LOVE spring. The past couple days have been warm, and it is amazing! Today we took a walk to the park and the duck pond just to enjoy the beautiful weather. Yes we like to make sure we contribute to the most overfed ducks in the world, one piece of bread at a time.

Spring also means:
Flowers!! the bulbs we planted last fall are blooming. They are so pretty and cheerful and I love them.
I feel huge. This week I saw the baby kick my stomach for the first time. It was weird, seeing all these little bumps popping out of my tummy. I expect my belly button to pop out any day now :). Only 3 more months..... assuming I survive the rest of this semester.

These are the only baby stuff we have done is the past few weeks. But I am pretty proud of them.
I painted all the letters and the flower mirror, which I found at Hobby Lobby, and Lance painted the mug at Color Me Mine. In the same time that he painted that whole mug, I painted the little baby carriage on the bulletin board. He is just more talented than me.
Can you tell how excited I am for my baby to get here? I am also super excited because my baby is going to have a cousin just 3 months younger than her! Congrats Merrill and Jamie!

Best (female) friend

This morning we got up early and went to Temple Square to see one of my favorite people, Marissa. (and/or Sister Schroedter, as she goes by now). I can't believe she has been on her mission for almost 4 months! I miss her like crazy, but it was so good to see her.
We also attended the Mormon Tabernacle Choir broadcast, Music and the Spoken Word. It was so awesome! Inspiring and uplifting.
The Monster Truck rally we went to last weekend was sweet. I couldn't believe how loud it was-- good thing they had free earplugs!

It was scary for me!!

The trucks were huge! Good date though. Lance and I have been on some great dates lately :) mostly cause we have to get out of the house so we don't go crazy. On Friday we went to Color Me Mine and yesterday we went to Outback and then saw the movie Unstoppable. We had the best weekend, which was just what I needed after a super stressful school week with a take home midterm that took almost 25 hours.

It was so fun to have Lance's parents here last weekend. We bought some really cute baby stuff :) I can't wait for everyone to be here in April for graduation! Families are the best.

Sappy love post

Best Valentines ever.
I heart my husband.
He is awesome.
I had no idea what I good decision I was making when I married him.
Ok way too mushy :) But, hey, I'm not making anyone read this.
(Except my family. They have to read it. I question them regularly.)

My Valentines flowers (the rose was from Tucanos. how sweet. delicious of course but super crowded):

Lance was cute enough to remember the purple calla lilies from our wedding and get me some, along with the white flowers. I like potted flowers better than cut ones because they last longer. Usually its at least a month before I accidentally kill them.

We forgot to get a picture before/during our date, so this is when we got home.

I couldn't let a day that I was actually dressed cute and wearing makeup go to waste. So of course, belly pic! Then we did chocolate-dipped strawberries. Yum....

Almost 23 weeks! (About 5 months)

Homemade heart-shaped stuffed-crust bbq chicken pizza. Sooo delicious. I ate way too much, but I couldn't help it; the baby loved it!
For Valentines Day Lance got me a pregnancy spa package. I am sooooo excited. It includes a massage, facial, manicure and pedicure. What a perfect gift, especially since my back is starting to hurt a lot. I can't wait to use it.

I got Lance tickets to the Monster Truck Rally in Salt Lake this weekend (credit: Merrill and Jamie). I think it will be wicked fun. Lance's parents are also visiting this weekend. Hooray! They are always a blast to have around and I can't wait to show them their little future granddaughter's room.

Nursery=happiness

Our little nursery is almost done! We FINALLY got our crib this week (nearly a month after we ordered it). I love it. Soooo much. It matches our other furniture perfectly. Isn't it beautiful?
Working on baby stuff is the best distraction from school (which I have seriously been needing this semester. Otherwise I would blow my brains out from running too many regressions in STATA- the bane of my existence). So this past week I designed and made this cute teddy bear pillow. At least I hope it's cute. I think the eyes are a little creepy, but Lance says they aren't. I like his opinion. (Side note: it was originally intended to be for Sharon's baby, because it matches the blanket I made her, but I never got around to making it before and now I want it for myself. Hi Sharon!)
Tonight I made Lance help me decorate one wall of the nursery with these decals. Of course I threw away the paper that had the pattern on it like a month ago, so we had to make up our own design. I think it turned out pretty good.
The nursery is really starting to come together! Lance thinks it's weird that I just like to sit in there and look at all my baby stuff, but I think it's good for the baby because I am sending her happy thoughts that will make her big and strong and healthy.

Last week we had our official 20 week appointment. It turns out the baby is measuring bigger than expected, so it looks like I may be a week further a long than I thought! That would mean today officially marks 22 weeks. That is awesome. We're (over) halfway there! The ultrasound lady also said she was definitely, positively, 100% sure that the baby is a girl, which was quite a relief for us. I can't wait to meet her!