Expecting the unexpected

So, if you all haven't heard by now...YES, I'm "expecting." The baby's due on June 28th of NEXT YEAR! Crazy!

Here are some things that I have totally NOT EXPECTED during this pregnancy:

• I can't eat chicken and am really picky about other meats. I didn't realize how much of a carnivore I am now that meats have been stripped from the menu. Anyone know of really good meals that don't include meats? Ryan's starving!




• I can't have hot air blowing on me, i.e. heaters, even in cars or at home. It makes me queasy!




• I SWEAT a lot!




• I am constantly SPITTIN'. I feel so unlady like when ever I have to spit. But, I just salivate a lot...it drives me CRAZY!




• I get SO tired at night-weird! So, we get lots of sleep during the night because I don't fight bed time anymore! Now I kind of know what it feels like to not have insomnia. except the fact that I'm waking up every 2 hours to go potty...




• Pretzels and saltines make me SICK




• I really like salad. (opposite of both my previous pregnancies)

So, with all the changes that happen to "glowing" women, I guess I have to count by blessing and be thankful that I'm not as sick as I was a month ago.

Happy Holidays to you all! I'm sure I will be very jealous of you all when summer comes around and you're all looking your best when I'm swollen, sweating, and waddling.

Oh, here are some pictures to help you feel sorry for me...They were taken when I was only 11 weeks along (i'm now 13+ weeks along...yeah 2nd trimester!). Read the captions...

Taken at 9:00 p.m.

Taken morning after at 9:00 a.m.

Honest to goodness...I would get so bloated at night and just lose it all the next day. There's absolutely NO sucking-in in these pictures. Several bathroom trips may have contributed.

Cambri's Preschool Christmas Program

Kids are SO cute at this age! I just LOVE it.

Cambri's Dance Recital

We're so proud of our dancer!!! Enjoy!

Going Sledding

BIRDS!!!

Literally THOUSANDS of birds came by for their last feed and frenzy

just hours before our first snowfall of the year~

It was fun to see them all take off.

Just Before this picture, all the birds were scrunched together

like the fish in the movie, "Finding Nemo."

I have to say it was quite remarkable,

even if these birds are garbage birds.

I wish I was flying south for the winter!

Guitar Hero: family bonding

Well, wonders never cease! Who would have EVER thought that Guitar Hero would bring our family closer together. For all of you out there who know what Guitar Hero is all about, you'll know that it's no small deal for us guitar players (and wanna-be guitar players).

My parents were here for the week, and we challenged my ULTRA-conservative dad to play the game. At first, he was reluctant (I think he heard that it was too hard...as in the music) but we got him to try it! For all of you who know my dad, you'll have to re-read this as many times as he's famous for repeating things. (10-20...+,-).

To make it official, we have pictures!

My mom got caught in the frenzy a while ago, and she's been trying to get my dad to comply. He'd shrug it off...probably thinking, "it's too Juvenile for me!" Upon trying it himself, he turned to mom and said, "we've gotta get this!" My mom said..."I told you so!" It was fun to see my dad dancing to the beat too!

To make the surprise even more intense, after getting the hang of it, my dad had to master "Shout at the Devil" on the medium level. I just hope that when they make the purchase, he won't win the game before me! I have to be better than him at SOMETHING!

Here are some pics of the rest of us:

What happens when your child finds the camera:

So, I go to upload some pictures to my computer, and I find some very artistic snap shots that can only be the product of Cambri! At least she knows how to center the photo!



I think she likes her feet!

Cambri's Big Day

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CAMBRI

We had so much fun at Cambri's birthday party today. Ryan and I learned our lesson from last year though. Last year we had 25 kids, and it lasted 3 hours. THIS YEAR, we had 8 kids and it lasted 45 minutes! Much improved.



Cambri wanted a horse themed party, so we made home made cowboy vests (out of paper bags), everyone got a "cowboy" hat, we played a "wanted poster" matching game, and then took pictures of them in front of a life-sized cardboard horse. Then we opened the presents and blew out the candles, and ate the cake. Cleaned up and was DONE! Fun, yet Fast...they way to go!



Here are some pictures to help with the visual effects.

A Day Full of F.U.N.

F. is for FAMILY, we really stink at bowling,

U. is for "y-Ucky" Pump-kin seeds.

N. is for NOTHIN' like a day full of fun stuff
Here with my FAMILY!!!

(Sung to the SpongeBob F.U.N. song)

Halloween Party

HALLOWEEN MADNESS!!!

We just came from our ward's Halloween party. Can you guess what our costumes are?

Here's a little help incase it gets too hard for you:

Cambri is a Black Cat with blue eyelashes...she wanted to have eyelashes like mommy.

(I wish I had a close up of mine...their "wicked!")

Adelie is a pink and black Leopard. She couldn't wait to dive into the candy though.

Ryan is...You guessed it: Austin Powers. Complete outfit!!! (with home made electric blue vinyl pants to match!)

Katy's the devil...yeah, very characteristic of her. Kayla is an angel. For the talent show, Kayla and I played a piano "duo." Our hands cross over each other's and we'd purposely bump and nudge each other. The kids loved it.

I'm not the "ungrateful" child anymore

So, my parent's are in Huntington, UT now. And, I hadn't yet been to their apartment, see the progress on their house, or anything....until last weekend.

Yes, I took myself and the girls to see their grandparents on Friday, staying until Saturday. Ryan was at the hospital doing in-patient stuff...poor him!

The drive there was a typical single-parent vacationing experience. I left late, Adelie threw up three times, it took an hour longer to get there, and Cambri needed to pee the whole time. Because Adelie threw up three times (I won't go into details), I ended up putting her car seat and messy clothes and messy towels (thank goodness I had them!) in the trunk. Therefore, Adelie had to sit in Cambri's toddler seat and Cambri sat on her pillow. I buckled them as tight as I could and moved on. The smell was HORRIBLE. When we got to Huntington, it felt a lot like driving into Soda Springs, Ryan's home town.

I'll let the pictures tell about what we did there:



I'm glad I'm not the only one left who hasn't seen the place now...Kayla needs to get on top of things! I had fun and am looking forward to seeing more of what Huntington has to offer...and surrounding areas! it's only 2 hours away from Brice Canyon, Arches and other Nat'l Parks. Not to mention Lake Powell...Do I see a boat and 4 wheelers in the future???

12 Highly Effective Attributes of Highly Effective Mothers

My sister, Mindy, is working on her personal Progress as a Young Women's leader. For one of her projects, she asked us moms to list three important attributes of mothers. I think these could also pass as important attributes as people. Here's what we had to say:

Mom wrote:

1) Trust in God. Knowing who you are in the eternal scheme of things,that you know you are a daughter of God and that He loves you will help youget through anything--lack of sleep, pain, illness, unpleasant experiences, depression, and guilt. It also helps you value your children, becauseyou know who they are too.

2) Courage: it takes courage to stand up for what's right. It takes courage to face the truth. It takes courage to conceive and deliver children. It takes courage to raise them in your home when the worldtells you that a stay-at-home mom is worthless. It takes courage to manage finances, feed hungry children and go without yourself, buy new clothesfor them, and wear the ones you have had for 20 years, do homework or other things with children when you'd rather be doing something you want todo, volunteer at the school when you feel inadequate or overwhelmed,discipline and enforce boundaries when you just want your child to love you andyou know they hate you right then, etc.

3) Love for your husband. If your children know you love theirfather, they have a sense of security that helps them cope with the problemsthey face. If they know they have a secure, loving home that they can goto, a place where they can shut the world out even for a little while, thenyou have given them a gift without comparison. Even if a mother hasconflict with her husband, and they argue, if children know she loves him, andthat he loves her, and that they are committed to each other, and will never leave each other, their life has a stability that they can't get in any other way. A good mom also needs to demonstrate to her children thatshe not only loves their dad, but she needs him! That's one reason whytemple marriage is so important to being a good mother.And in post script, I love Marjorie Hinckley's admonition to adjust toyour husband (I'll add children) rather than trying to change them.

Katy wrote:

1. Patience, Patience, Patience. If I let my emotions get the better of me, 90% of what I say and do is regretted later; and then I wonder why my kids are so emotional! Plus, kids are don't know as much as we do. They can't be expected to know everything without first being taught.

2. Unity with Spouse: For some reason, I know that I'm a better mom because Ryan and I are unified in our long term and important endeavors. I'm never worried about the way I raise my girls because I know Ryan would approve. We both want the same things and have the same goals when it comes to children rearing. Spiritually, physically, and mentally. It also takes a lot off of my shoulders to know I'm not in it by myself.

3. Sense of Humor. Growing up, I knew when my parents were happy and when they were mad. Well, our kids can tell too. A happy Mom has long term benefits. If we are happy, then our kids will feel comfortable with us and won't be scared to talk to us when they get older. If we're always mad or frustrated, our kids won't develop the open relationship they need with their mom. They will be afraid of triggering the anger.

Mele Wrote:

Patience: I've found that patience is one of the key things in becoming a better mother. Audree has not been an easy child to raise, but I've found the more patient I become the better I am able to appreciate her as my daughter and as a daughter of our Heavenly Father. I also enjoy being a mother too and I don't get angry as easily.

Gratitude: If I loose my gratitude in becoming a mother I loose my focus on what is important to me. I begin to want to go back to school, get a job, and just send Audree off to daycare. When I'm thankful for the gift that I have in being a mother it is easier for me to enjoy it and focus on being there for Audree. I can't think of anyone else that I would want to raise Audree except for me. :)

Diligence: I have found that when I am diligent in keeping my covenants to "have joy in my posterity" it is better for me. I'm more on top of things and I do a better job at keeping things organized and in order. I also feel a lot better emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. I hope this is what you need. :)

Mindy:

1. Love - It seems like love encompasses everything. If you love your children then you teach them, nurture them, protect them, comfort them, discipline them, are more patient with them, and want the best for them. As Amaryllis say, some times love is an action word and not a feeling, but if you try to love (verb) your children (especially when it's hard,) then love (the feeling) naturally follows. It's no wonder that the greatest commandment that God has given to us is to LOVE.

2. Communication - we NEED to be open in our communication with our children, our husband, and Heavenly Father if we want to be a good mother. When Joe and I communicate - talk about our children and our goals for raising them, then we both feel the same responsibilty for them and work together. This makes things much easier. When we talk about the boy's personalities, talents, etc., we both appreciate them more and it's easier to love them. When I pray for my children, I also find it's easier to love and serve them. Like Mele, It helps me remember why I chose to become a mother and that it's what I really want to be! When I talk to my children, they know I love them and am interested in them. I find out what's important to them, what's going on in their lives and minds, and then I can know better what their needs are.

3. Sacrifice - it seems like I'm constantly giving up something I want for what my children need or want - especially my time. If I forget why I'm doing it, then I get disgruntled, resentful, and dissatisfied (in essence, selfish) - and everyone around me suffers for it. Sacrifice for our children (and I would add Husband) is a good thing. We love best those we serve, and it helps us come closer to Christ because we're following His example.

What are your top 3???

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Good Ole' Days

So, I found these pictures in a box when I was going through my stuff. They are pictures from my Symphony Orchestra days at Good Ole' Rick's College. Boy, I had a cheezy smile back then! I'm using these pictures to try out the new Picasa Blog icon. Hmm....pretty cool and EASY...the days of browsing are OVER!
(above: Ali Orton and me falling of our nation's Capital Building)

(Liz Stones and me in the self made house. Viola Retreat)

(Ali Orton and me during our tour to the Northwest)

(A member of the Chang Quartet and me...he was my mentor during "Quartet's Week" at Rick's...you learn a lot from professionals!)

Sept 6, 2007

Today was a very eventful day! Cambri's first day of preschool, and Adelie's 2nd birthday. WOW. We had fun though.


(Pictures of Cambri's first day)


*Here's a fun little slideshow I made for Adelie's Birthday. Crank the volume up so you can hear the music!!!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

TAG...I'm it?

Alli tagged me...which I guess means that I have to share my hidden unknowns to the world. Well, I will now reveal the 9 most likely unknows about me...because 10 is too much of an even number and I'm odd. (bad pun)

10- I give bad puns.

9-one of my favorite things to do is get together with all of my sisters and sing. Sometimes we sing silly and other times really seriously, but none the less, it's singing and I love it!

8- Kimi, my sister, and I are wonderful comedians. We do a hillarious spoof of geisha songs and dances...one that leaves your abs burning and tears flowing. My goal in life is to get you laughing, even at the expense of my terrible japanese.

7-Out of all the emotions to have when reacting to different situations, I LAUGH. I can't help it...the deer looks really funny before it hits our car. It's bad when the laugh comes at the most INAPPROPRIATE times too. plus, I laugh almost all the time, so it's hard for people to distinguish the two.

6- My most embarrasing experience EVER, was when I was caught at the bottom of a dog pile, and the pressure was so hard that I peed my pants. Everyone, I wasn't little...I was 19 years old!!! Well, trying to advert the embarrassment, guess what I did...LAUGHED (of course)! If people are going to laugh at you, you may as well laugh at you with them.

5- I can count on two hands how many times I've had a fever or have thrown up. Even with being pregnant two times. I just don't throw up, even though I've wanted to sometimes...and even less frequent get fevers. If I get a fever, you know it's bad.

4- I love math. I love tutoring it even more.

3- I've had insomnia ever since I can remember. When everyone else wants to sleep, I want to play.

2- I can keep somebody elses secret, but rarely have secrets of my own. Why? Because I wear my emotions on my face. (not sleeve...face) I can't keep my feelings hidden because my face reveals them. On the rare occasion that I experience something that I want to keep secret, it's because it's very spiritual and I'd rather use the term, sacred.

1- I never want to have a job other than being a mommy. If I ever HAD to get a job, I would. But the thought of having someone else raise my kids just kills me. I'd rather do laundry, fix meals, clean the house, sew clothes, do dishes, change diapers, and everything else that pertains to being a mommy than get a job (though I'm glad I have the education to get a decent job if I ever have to).

do you know me better now???

Tag: You're it!
Alisha and Mele and Mom
Write in your blog the 10 most unknowns about you!
I'd love to "get to know" you better!

VOLLEYBALL!!!

I love VOLLEYBALL! I got to play yesterday with my sisters, Mele and Kayla. We played with a bunch of Samoans who know how to knock the ball around! they're good! I'm glad I didn't get my trash kicked too hard. I actually played better than I thought I would...seeing as it's been almost 3 years since I've played seriously. Anyway, for all of you v-ball lovers, let's go to a U of U game...I get real good deals on tickets. It'd be awesome to see the BYU vs. U of U game, plus U of U take on Colorado...

(Oh, congrats to BYU for winning Wisconsin!)

Ahhhhh......ACE! See ya!

Reunion

Well, I think all of our reunions have come to a close for this year. Our latest one, the Belnap Reunion, was spent in Blackfoot, ID. It was really fun to see all my cousins! I haven't seen some of them since before Adelie was born! (Almost 2 years!!) It's fun to see our family growing. All but a few were in attendance. What a special treat for my grandparents! We played a super fun game (pictures included), took lots of pictures, and made some crafts. We celebrated my Grandpa's 90th and Grandma's 80th birthday. The theme was "Aged to perfection" They really are perfect grandparents!

After the reunion, we went back to Rexburg to see Mele and Brian's apartment. Way cute. They live really close to the temple there. It's coming up so fast. While we were looking at the temple, we ran into my cousin Rebecca and her family. They live in CO, so it was funny to accidentally see them in IDAHO, of all places!

It's really amazing how much things have changed since we left. Ryan and I really feel like has-beens. We walked around BYU-Idaho (still Rick's College to me) and they're doing some MAJOR reconstruction. For ever nice piece of landscaped area, there's a big 12 foot deep hole. We showed the girls where Ryan and I met for the first time. There's a big display thing there now. It's a monument to us, we say :)

We went to Craigo's after. It's now on 2nd East. We ran Ryan's old mission companion and roommate, Rob, and his wife, Natalie, at therestraunt. Gosh, we were running into everyone that night! It was nice to catch up with them. The food there, as always, was great. I'm glad it didn't disappear from the face of the earth. There's one in Idaho Falls, and they're getting one in Pocatello soon!!!

Anyway, we loved seeing our family and friends. I guess Rexburg isn't that bad after all! (for those who know me...they know what a big step it is for me to say that!) Just as long as I never have to spend another winter there! ha ha.

(Silly game: you have to pick up a paper bag with your teeth. The only thing that can touch the ground in the process are your feet. Then walk to the other side and drop it for the next person to pick up. Pictures: Ryan lunging to get it, Grandma Miyasaki making the plunge, Mindy Tippetts going for it, Kayla...without even sweating, and finally, me...my quads were sore after!)

Happy Anniversary to US!!!

On August 25th, Ryan and I will share our 6th year of marriage. Gosh, it doesn't feel like that! Time has flown by really quickly. It's kind of neat to look back over these past years and see all the things Ryan and I have accomplished. Here are a few:

*Had 2 beautiful children
*Both Graduated with Bachelor's Degrees (without going into debt!!!)
*Went on an internship (Kansas City, Missouri)
*Experienced (2001-present) being a starving student
*Owned more than 4 vehicles
*Got to travel across the country applying to Medical school
*Accepted into medical school...wahoo! (here comes the debt!!!)
*Bought a house
*Experienced the value of effective communication!
*Been apart from each other for more than 2 months cumulative
*Survived being apart from each other
*Gained a stronger testimony of the Gospel and eternal families

I can't even say that I'm an expert in marriage because each year I learn more and more of what it means. Anyway, our lives together and happy and we wouldn't want to be in any other place than right here...There's no bigger blessing in our marriage than having it be an eternal one.

Amazing Street Musician

Posted Aug 16, 2007

A talented street musician creates some interesting noises when he plays his guitar like a piano.

Falling asleep everywhere!

Lately, Adelie has been falling asleep in the weirdest places. Among her more famous places, the piano was a hit. Now, the breakfast table has become the next hit spot. She even fell asleep while eating...and she kept goin!!! I have the silliest kids.

Enjoy

Cambri's Hip Shake

My Parents are MOVING!!!

Yes, for those who know them, you'll know that this is a BIG step for them. They planned on being in Sandy for the rest of their lives. Who would have ever thought that they would be the ones moving before us!

For those of you who don't know about my family, let me recap for you. My dad's an accountant who owned his own business. Recently, one of his clients, Neilson Construction, became so big that they would need a controller instead of an accountant to do their auditing, and taxes, and such. They are stationed in Huntington, UT. They offered my dad the position and he took it. This relieves my dad of yearly tax seasons that are very hard and stressful. It also allows them to save up more $$ for retirement. The one condition was they move down there. It'd only make sense, right?


(Picture of the front of my Sandy, UT house...and my baby, the green Subaru)

They sold their house to a young LDS couple who want to start a family. Perfect house for the perfect couple. It's sad to see the house that I grew up in go though. My parent's house in Huntington is being built and will hopefully be done in time for Christmas! My dad is living in a two-bedroom apartment until the house it done. My mom will move down there permanently in early August.


(Backyard...Mom planned and Dad labored, but it looks awesome!)

My mom says the weirdest thing about this whole thing is having no one in the house but her. all of my siblings are now gone and she's alone at nights. Quite the change since there were 9 people living in that house once. How do you cook for 1 after cooking for 9 for so many years?!?


(here's a picture of us girls in the peach tree...I love all my sisters!)

We will miss our house, but are excited for my parents. I told them that I'll visit their new house if they get a boat! (since it's only 80 minutes from Lake Powell!) They just said, "We'll see." Which means...eventually!