20 weeks

So here I am at 20 weeks. This was taken on Monday night, I believe (courtesy of Mark's iphone). Since then, my belly has grown a little more. There have been 2 nights so far in this pregnancy where I have woken up and felt it growing, really!! It's the strangest sensation. It's tightens up and I feel little pulling. I have been able to feel the little boy every now and then and get all excited and shout, "baby!" Mark now knows that it means it's moving.

One worry: yesterday my ankles turned into little cankles!! Is this normal for almost 21 weeks? I'm a tad nervous... maybe it's all the restaurant salty foods and the little hike we tried yesterday. We met a guy in a gallery (who ended up making a commission... but that's another story yet to come) who's wife went into labor at 26 weeks and he said they caught it at just a 'regular check up'. But he said she was all swollen!! So you bloggity-mothers out there, tell me it's not a bad sign to get some swelling this early?!

So anyway, here's the picture I promised!! I better get back to Hawaii-ing.

Anyone hear about Redoubt erupting?? We might not get home on schedule...

bring on the heat!

Tonight we pack. 

Tomorrow we fly. 

We are trying to get here: Oahu, HI. We're flying Space A, a military perk to fly from place to place without spending money on transportation. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't! So if we only end up in California, I will still be happy because they have BEACHES! 

I'm taking: capris, t-shirts, swimsuits, camera, flip-flops, cell phone (because I have to), and a book

I'm leaving: ipod, computer, television (because I normally just tote this everywhere), sweaters, and snow
*pooch pictures ARE coming... Mark will just have to take them while my toes are nestled in the warm sand. EEEEE!

little bitty boy

A baby with a stinkin' cute foot like this:

and a sleepy little profile like that:

he must be a little boy!! For the little guy's privacy reasons, I'll refrain from putting his embarrassingly exposed picture up. But we are 100% certain this little hooligan is a little boy! I think he'll be just like Mark was when he was a toddler; walking around the house in nothing but boots and a cowboy hat! 

My Grandpa Barrett just said we will need to call him Wyatt Earp. oo! I do like the name Wyatt, though... 

Now begins the name game. You should hear what Mark comes up with!

Stats: 

19.3 weeks along today

16 Aug due date (Mark's birthday!)

*bump picture coming soon

Bon Voyage!

photo credit: .sunday. by punkinmom {caroline}

My friend had this on her blog and since I had some free time (woohoo!) I decided to give it a try. If I were to have a band, this would be my album cover, according to these steps. Give it a try!

See how my little sister's turned out. Pretty artsy-tartsy. That's right. Tartsy. 

1. Go to Wikipedia. Hit “random”
or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first random Wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2. Go to Quotations Page and select “random quotations”
or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last few words of the last quote on the page is the title of your first album.

3. Go to Flickr and click on “explore the last seven days”
or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days
Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4. Use Photoshop or similar to put it all together.

doldrums

Buckwheat is trying to outlast winter. 

bad bug

This week, I had a plan. I was going to work/temp(?) for 3 days at the clinic: Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. 

Thursday I was going to stay home from quilting so I could finish my service auction frames. Thursday night I was going to attend the Relief Society service auction, enjoy dinner, and come home with something fabulous. 

Saturday, today, I was going to go buy a couple little maternity shirts, grocery shop, wash the cars, and fill them both up with gas. Then I was going to attend the Adult Session of Stake Conference. 

Instead, these last 2.5 days I have been incapacitated with a huge, ugly cold. Chills, fever, 'getting sick', congestion (nasal and chest), big stabbing headache with loud noises, bright lights, and sharp eye glances (sounds odd, I know), big cough, and just plain misery!! 

At least it's pretty outside and my neighbor finally drove his diesel truck away (they keep it running for at LEAST 45 minutes before driving away, which means my house fills up with the deadly fumes), and little Buckwheat is curled up by my feet. 

I hope today ends better then yesterday, and I feel a little better. I just wanted to complain to someone - so my blog won. 

Stay healthy, everyone!!

story from a vet

There was a gentlman I just checked out (I'm temping at the clinic this week) that had a Veteran's hat with a clip-on-metal and lots of ribbons. The wars listed were WWII, Korean and Vietnam. I had to ask.

He said he was actually in 4 wars, and he then started in on a little story. Here it is:

He was a bomber pilot in the Korean war, waiting for the moon to come out before they began their flight over the rice patties. Lying on the wing of his plane, his buddy gave him a stick of gum to help pass the time.

An hour and a half later his plane was shot and destroyed. While the plane was going down they all jumped with parachutes and survived (he left out the rest of the story, there was sadly a line of patients growing).

He said he's never chewed gum since, and he's also never been shot down since. So it must be working.

the graduate

I can now proudly say that I am one of the newest graduates from the University of Phoenix Online Campus. It feels wonderful. And I'm sure it will feel even more so as it continues to set in, and as I spend much less time with this: 

While I do love my computer, it will be very nice for both my fingers and my pup that pouts every time he hears the little 'start up click'... yes, he pouts! For the entire 3 years of marriage, Mark has been married to a student. Now he will be married to a Jayci. Congratulations, Mark!!

so nice

I just ran out to beat the mail man to my box. I was going to be late on a bill if it didn't get today (Mark, I miss you!). We made it to the box at the same time, and right when I slipped my envelopes into the outgoing slot, the mail man stepped out of his chain-tired truck and said, "Let me guess his name, Toto?" I said, "YES!" (just trying to be funny, haw haw). He held out a milk bone (Buckwheat has never really loved them), but Buckwheat stood to reach it, gently took it from the mail man and booked it back to the house where he could eat it. I said, "Thank you!" and let Buckers pull me on home with his 9 pounds of horse power. 

Then I noticed a suburban parked in front of my house with two women from the ward inside. I hurried and tried to look presentable incase they came to the front door. Then I noticed Brandon, one of their sons with a snow shovel. They drove off thinking I never saw them. 

So many  nice people!!  

wrap it up

Thai Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps: 

When I was a sophomore and roommates with Jordan, our friend Mauri came over (then I didn't know her too well - seems so long ago!) and they were making dinner together. Mauri had come up with a little idea for chicken lettuce wraps. 

I took notes, and have made them a few times. If you're interested, here is... 

what you need: 

iceberg lettuce 

cooked chicken (of course)

Peanut Sauce (I use Bangkok Padang Peanut Sauce-mmm)

optional:

mandarin oranges 

water chestnuts

peanuts 

happy things

While I'm dreaming of summer time and fresh grapes, my pup still comes in from the outdoors looking like this: 

because he likes to do things like this: 

and this picture, I just wish had turned out clearly, it just makes me laugh:

Tessa! these are for you. He's still due for that de-wookie-ing haircut.