day 21 - Tacoma Boys and Mariner Boys

Next to my parents house is a fenced in park, and we have been able to take Buckwheat there off leash before the doggie-police put up signs that say "no unleashed dogs." We only let him run around if there is NO one else there. He loves chasing the birds.. (my camera died right after this shot this morning, so action shots maybe tomorrow.. we'll see!):

At 9:00am we went to Tacoma Boys again! Jordan you'll have to check this place out! Try the dark tortilla chips with the black bean salsa samplers. SO divine. 

Cute kiwis:

Freshest of the fresh produce. Feels like a locally owned Whole Foods Market:

I don't use garlic, but I will take pictures of it:

I don't drink wine, but I'll take pictures of it! I have always loved how wine bottles look.. 

weird? so be it:

wood ... anyone know what for? I liked the twine bows:

Wall of candy/snacks:

Cherries for Aubrey: :)

Asparagus. This is my favorite part of the vegetable. 

Some say it's bitter, but to me it tastes better than the stalk! Anyone else? : 

Saw these beauties in the nursery on the way out:

For dinner, my blogging friend Aubrey had us over on her 

BUSIEST day! She had prepared the most yummy picnic.

It was so nice to meet her husband Paul and her new little baby. 

Not only did I leave with a nice full belly, but I left with:

-2 way cute shirts

-1 pregnancy yoga DVD

-salted caramels!! mmm

-chocolate chip cookies

-an adorable baby card

-one good picture:

and

-a stem from a bleeding heart bush, courtesy of Ava

Thank you, Aubrey and Paul!! It was a perfect picnic.

Then it was off to the Mariners v. Orioles game. Uncle Kirt gave us great seats.

So close, in fact, that there were these warning stickers

on every chair back:

Ken Griffey, Jr.:

"Buy me some cotton candy" needs to be added to 

the famous baseball song. Don't you think? 

I guess it wouldn't rhyme...:

The lights:

RUN:

One inning before we left... Mariner's were sure to win. 

Go Mariners!

Only a few days left of this trip!! I better start relaxing!

day 20 - flowers and Captain Mark!

Another stop at Hello, Cupcake for Mark. Hello, sweet lemon:

After sweet things for breakfast, I took pictures of 

some of my mom and dad's garden flowers. 

I love these little metal signs people have here 

(including my mom); they write the flower

name in with graphite pencils. So nice and simple looking:

Not sure of this flower's name, 

but it smells so nice and looks like a starburst:

Irises:

Then Mom called me to the back yard; 

there was a deer staring at us. A young buck:

Snapdragons:

I know, 2nd picture of this movie within a week. What's wrong with me?

But take a look at the violet, which is the center one on the right:

Does it not look like this flower?! 

Just give it a singing expression and voila!

California Poppy:

Mint:

Horton Hears a Who flower

(real name? who knows?! Maybe the Whos do):

Then tonight was a surprise BBQ for our good friend Brian Willis. He was surprised by not only a BBQ, but also by us even showing up! It was a lot of fun, and Melanie did such an awesome job! The food and company was so fantastic. Congrats to our new captains!!

don't you love the little last-minute add-on sign? Ha ha. 

Melanie wanted Mark to be a part of the party too; so sweet!

day 19 - migraine and planes

Today marks the first day in "Jayci History" that I have ever experienced a migraine. I was lucky because there wasn't too much pain. When I was blow drying my hair I noticed a flashy spot in the middle of my vision where I was trying to focus. I just thought, "weird. I must have looked at the light bulbs and not have realized it!" So I kept doing my thing (that was JUST what it was like - like I had looked at a bright bulb or something). 

Then it got bigger. and bigger. Then I asked my sister (who has had some very bad bad bad migraines) if she'd ever heard of that. She had heard of it. 

The flashy, blurry thing got bigger and bigger until it was just a ring around the outside of my vision. Then it was gone. (this took about 35 minutes for it to go away - during which I was making Mark do internet searches to make sure I wasn't permanently losing my vision!)

About 1/2 hour later, I got really fuzzy-headed and a little dizzy. 

Calling my mom calmed me down a bit because she has the SAME type of migraine! like, exACtly. When I got off the phone with her, I took two extra strength tylenols. 

I got comfortable on the couch and was knocked out for nearly 3 hours! It was really strange. When I woke up it felt just like a normal headache for the rest of the day (more painful with coughing and sneezing, though... ouch).

Does anyone else have these types of migraines?! I really hope it's only because I'm pregnant and not that this is a turning point in my headache's life history. I'm just thankful I didn't have to go to the ER or that it wasn't something more serious, or even just that it wasn't more painful than it was! 

Mark and I caught a flight back to Seattle tonight and are now back with my parents, and already comfortable (Mark's already asleep, poor guy! - still trying to catch up on his rest from his last trip to the other side of the world). Buckwheat has been living the good life with walks, rides, and TONS of treats from mom and dad. 

I miss the Reeders though and wish lots of times that we lived closer to family. But these visits are wonderful fixes to living our lives far from our families. 

Sorry no pictures. I think it will be the last one on this trip with no pictures! 

day 18 - luncheon and visits

Stacey threw me a baby shower/luncheon today with a bunch of family, a few neighbors, and a few friends. It was so wonderful to visit with everyone, and so many people helped out! Stacey woke up at 5:30 and started her busy schedule (crazy momma!), I woke up at 7:30 to find her busy at work. AH! 

This was the little set up (can't see the helium balloons up higher). So cute with the teacup flowers as party favors: 

The games! This was what I looked like finding out I was about to taste baby food: My poor, poor baby!

The Barretts! From the bottom left, up and around: Saylor (with a tu-tu!), Allison, Chelsea, Keri, me, Aunt Ruth, and Karsten. Cute Tessa was taking the picture, dang it! 

Aunt Stephanie doing the Price is Right game. I lost big time:

I got a bunch of blankets which is PERFECT for Alaska! I'm really excited. They were all SO cute, and a lot of them were hand made:

Jordan, this face must have been meant for you since you weren't there. We missed you!

Holly! I can't believe we didn't get a picture together! But my sister did snap a cute one of your stylin' hair and cute boy Tucker. I am still trying to get over how cute he is! Thank you for coming. I'm so excited about the 'bathroom kit!' So helpful!: 
aaah, Kristen. your handmade blanket and camera strap slip-cover (see shoulder!) and your mom's burping rag (why can't they make up cuter names for baby-things??) and the little somethin' somethin' were so cute and thoughtful!
P.S. - When Kristen saw me she said, "Your pictures don't make your belly look as big as it is!" I said, "well, SOME do, but why the HECK would I put those on my blog?!" (or something to that effect.) It's true... Just wait until the Week 30 picture coming up soon. I've grown. AH!

After the luncheon's cleanup, Mark, Tessa, and I went to visit my Grandma and Grandpa Barrett. It was such a nice visit. Grandpa told Mark and me some of his stories from WWII when he served in Guadalcanal and other parts of the Japanese Islands. I really need to write them down before I forget. I told Mark that if he had been any other profession, I don't believe my Grandpa would have wanted to talk so openly about it. This is the first time I remember him talking like this. It was so interesting!

Mark snapped a picture of their grand piano's inscription. It was built in 1908 and is HUGE and heavy, and soooo nice sounding: 

There was a storm brewing outside again, with little to no rain in the parts that we were at. Molly and Michael had to run for cover during their tennis, though! Luckies: 

After Gma's and Gpa's condo visit, I said farewell to my sister (who's about to start a new adventure come fall!). I'll miss you, Tess!! I love you!

day 17 - preparations

Lots done today... including a couple of naps. But on the more exciting notes of things, we 

1. received cookies from a neighbor: 

2. picked up a courier cabinet from the same neighbor (looks great in Stacey's dining room!)

3. planted flowers in tea cups (pictures to come)

4. visited the other next door neighbor and saw her garden (dad, you'd love their garden!) 

5. made no-bakes (again! mmm... Mike's request this time around)

6. did sit-ups.. yeah right!

7. cooked pizzas

8. went to Costco, got wind blown

9. watched a storm roll in... how could there be no rain from THAT:

*Mark shot this. I told you he loves clouds!

10. washed and dried LOTS of strawberries: 
12. Mark made us Fried Rice - yummy! I love that he paid attention to Taiwan/Chinese chefs.

13. Went and saw Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. It was really cute and pretty dang funny. Mark and Molly were laughing quite a bit. So was I, but they really enjoyed it. 

14. Watched Jay Leno's last show tonight. He'll be missed! "D.C. stands for Da Capitol." - yes. 

Day 16 - temple, B. Bill, drive and Creamery!

Another long day and we're home (in Utah, at least!). We ate a spectacular meal (yet again!) from Sister Pann, divided into two cars (so Marty and Mamie could go to the airport), then three of us (Mike, Stacey, and myself) set out for a little site-seeing before our rendezvous. 

We started with the Denver Temple. We all think it was the first that Stacey's grandpa got to dedicate. How pretty:

Then we headed up the mountain to Buffalo Bill's grave site and museum: 

He was a Grand-Mason, a Colonel in Indian Wars, and received the Medal of Honor:

When we met up in the gift shop (where I found and purchased a turquoise necklace I lost YEARS ago, purchased at Yosemite NP, soooo exciting! - picture possibly to come), Mark hopped in Mike's car with me and we drove for a couple of hours. Mark got snap-happy with the camera. I love these grays in this tunnel!: 

Colorful Colorado: 

Mike's "jake-face" as I named it: 

After a Subway lunch, we shuffled some more, and I ended up in Mike's passenger seat. We now have the same car, so I was pretty comfortable! I got to see things that just a few years ago I would have looked past. Now, not seeing desert-y things often, I think it's beautiful: 

Beautiful rain clouds... I miss the feeling of a storm blowing in. Something so exciting about that:

Passed Castle Dale: 

We decided to take a detour to Provo (woo!!), and we drove past where my roommates and I walked together for our very first outing freshman year. I miss my roommates!

Then after driving past my dorm (Horne Hall, building number 5!), seeing my old dorm window, we stopped at the Creamery so these two could make fun of mine and Stacey's happy memories. Ha! These two!!: 

"The Cremary"

Enjoying their creams:

HA! What a funny family I've got. I love Colorado, but I didn't appreciate getting winded when I'd walk up stairs!! I'm back in Utah now where I can feel like a fit pregnant lady! It was amazing how much of an affect the high altitude had.. Kristina you are awesome for running that 10k there! Your lungs must be golden, even with asthma!