ultrasound video

Even though ultrasound pictures and such can be creepy and weird to other people, I love looking at our little girl in her pictures. And even better than that, at 20 weeks when I had my ultrasound where they checked out all her organs and such, I got a video recording of the whole screening (about 20 minutes, this is just a few seconds)! So sometimes I love looking at our little alien baby moving around, swallowing, and seeing all her healthy organs in there. Although when we see her face on, her eyes do creep even me out haha :). Technology can be so awesome!

thoughts on blogging

I loved the lecture that we had in class last week from the woman (Stacy Risenmay) running the Not Just a Housewife blog. She talked about how she was just an average girl with ideas floating around and one day she decided to try her hand out at a blog. She didn't know much about them or what she was doing but gradually she has turned her blog into a small business that helps support her family! This is really one of my dreams. I love blogging and wish I knew more about it, how to make money blogging (which was awesome that she talked about this!) and most importantly I wish I could find the direction to take my blog, or a new blog. These blogs that I see that become so popular are pretty focused in what they want to share. They are either fashionistas sharing style, photography blogs, cooking blogs, DIY blogs, etc. But with me, I feel like I like a little bit of everything and I am not great at any one thing! I feel like until I figure that out, I can't really try making my blog into a little more than a hobby and more into a business. How do people ever really know what they are good at or what they can share with the world?? I feel like this is a constant battle with myself and I'm not sure if I will ever figure it out. Anyway, just the ramblings of a wanna be blogger.

photoshop/illustrator

Josh had a project for one of his classes that he had to design packaging for dried fruit. He created the design, the name and the logo. This was his finished product, and I am impressed!  I may or may not have helped out a little bit. He used illustrator for most of it and I have never used that before so it was a little difficult to try and help! We both had fun (and got frustrated) experimenting with it and seeing some of the cool things illustrator (and photoshop) can do! We both also really want to learn more and practice with these programs so we don't have to take the hard way around everything we do ;). I think this will be one of the fun skills we will have fun working on this year! I love sharing interests and hobbies with hubby (even if we would use these programs for totally different things)!

sleepless in seattle... with a twist

I am in a film class (different than my media class) this semester and we were talking about editing and how editing can change the meaning of a film. We watched this clip and I thought it was hilarious. It is so crazy how movie (or any media) makers can twist something to make it seem any way that they want! Check it out. 

sisters stop motion!

I love stop motion videos! About a year and a half ago my sisters and I made this video and it is finally put together (thanks Alyssa!!). Check it out! I always have fun trying to think of silly ideas for these and putting them together and this song is a special one that will always remind me of my childhood and happy memories.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/i91033c0dd29g2e/500miles.mpg

I think I need to make another stop motion sometime soon! :)

nesting and 30 weeks

I've had a bit of a hard time with this so called "nesting" part of pregnancy. I am a planner at heart. I love knowing where I am going, what I am doing and all the details in between. Since getting married to Josh I have learned more to go with the flow and not need to plan so so much. BUT with some things I just can't help it. So since being pregnant it has been hard for me not to be able to plan for much of anything! We graduate end of April, move that weekend to Colorado, Josh starts his job May 1st and then I am due May 16th. So much happening at the end of the pregnancy that I just hope that baby girl decides to come on time (and not early), which I also have no control over.

And one of the hardest things for me about moving is that I can't plan on anything! I can't buy much of anything to get ready for a new baby. I can't decorate a cute little space for our little girl. I can't even organize all the other stuff in the house because we are just packing up and moving. We don't even have an apartment lined up to live in yet! We are literally packing up and moving out there and have no where to settle (yet...definitely still searching, even though husband banned me from looking for at least another few weeks haha).  For me this is terrifying. My first baby (need I say more after this one?!). Josh's first "real" job. Our first "real" place outside of college. We don't own furniture. We don't have anything bought for the baby (except a few clothes on clearance I just couldn't help but buy). And I can't plan for anything. Terrifying I tell you!

But through this all I have been trying to keep my cool and not worry too much about the future. Like Josh is constantly reminding me, everything will work out okay. And even though I still have so much that I freak out about with all these new things and all these firsts, I do know everything will be okay. I am definitely so grateful for the internet (here is my media plug), because we can search online for potential places to live since we aren't there to search before we move and that I was able to buy a car seat and stroller that went on sale online that I hadn't seen the price that low in any store! So things are coming together. I think it will still drive me a little crazy that I don't have time or space to really nest and get ready for our baby girl, but I am trying my best to have faith, move forward and trust that even though this is not exactly how I thought my first pregnancy and prepping for a baby would go, everything will still be great.

seriously?

The side bar on my computer pops up with a lot of ads for either things I've previously looked at on the internet or other things related to that. I usually just ignore them but I saw this one and I had to click. I was shocked! It really is a little potty for kids with an attached Ipad holder. I mean, I see how they are trying to tap into this technology market (cause all we care about is making money and convenience, right??), but I just find it so bold and a bit stupid (for lack of a better word) to advertise this! Our little kids shouldn't be plopped down in front of an Ipad so young and (in my opinion) so many other techniques to trying to potty train are out there that have worked for centuries that this is not really an excuse to make this work. Ay yay ay. 

more suggestions?

I posted on Facebook yesterday for book suggestions from people and I got a few responses and resources that were great. Are there any more thoughts out there about good books (fiction, labor, motivational, historic fiction or any other must reads)?? I love how I can post questions and ask for opinions and be able to get help and answers from a variety of people! Social networks can be so awesome sometimes.

cause i'm happy

Hubby introduced me to another song last week, and one morning (as well as several other points in time) as we got ready for the day we danced around the apartment with our crazy awesome dance moves and sang with our crazy awesome voices. What a great way to wake up. These simple moments of happiness, these are the ones to remember.

petunia picklebottom

Anyone else think these bags are the cutest?? http://www.petunia.com/diaper-bags/boxy-backpacks

I think they are awesome and expensive at the same time. I've been thinking about how much use I would get out of the bag if I did get one. Any thoughts moms with these diaper bags?? How long do you actually end up using them? Does it get too big to carry around pretty fast or is it pretty useful to have? Are there other bags out there that you love?

money money money

Why does everything have to cost so much money?? I decided growing up is not for us haha Well that is what I wanted to think when I start planning for after graduation, new apartment, car, insurance, baby and all that jazz. But I'm trying to think of it a bit differently. I've been looking up ways to save money and budget with a new baby coming and moving to a new city, and it actually has me excited to find new ways to save some money.When we move (I don't have space to stock up on any items now) I want to start getting into couponing like http://thekrazycouponlady.com. Well not JUST like her but she has a lot of helpful tips and ways to save more on groceries that I want to try out. I also came across a website on budgeting on pinterest that gave helpful tips for frugal moms. It is http://sunshineandsippycups.com/about/. I just started reading it and I love the tips that they have!

It is so easy to get overwhelmed with money and the expenses of life, but it is SO satisfying to realize just how much I already have and how comfortable of a life I enjoy. I absolutely love my life and I know that Josh and I and baby girl will have everything that we need, and much more! We are truly blessed.

“If you wish to get rich, save what you get. A fool can earn money; but it takes a wise man to save and dispose of it to his own advantage.” Brigham Young

"If there is any one thing that will bring peace and contentment into the human heart, and into the family, it is to live within our means. And if there is any one thing that is grinding and discouraging and disheartening, it is to have debts and obligations that one cannot meet" Heber J. Grant 

Valentine's video

Josh showed me this video today and it made me smile. :) I think I would have been one of the girls that jumped really high or let out a little scream... I get easily scared. And Josh definitely takes advantage of that.

Oh and Alyssa, at 43 seconds, we found your profile twin haha! Just her profile though.

ashleigh cox

Last week, a BYU student named Ashleigh Cox died after getting buried in an avalanche when she was snowshoeing in the canyon. Although I did not know her well, she was in my Media and Family class. It is amazing that I am surrounded by so many people and yet know so very few of them. Life is so precious and I pray for Ashleigh's friends and family at this time. I wish I had more to say but sometimes the words just aren't there. Just feelings and thoughts about how each day is a gift and the people that surround us are each special.

Here is one news report that shares some thoughts on the type of person that Ashleigh was.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/college-student-father-killed-avalanches-utah-article-1.1609568

amazing grace

This video speaks for itself. Simply gorgeous. Happy Sunday everyone!

Life with Big Al

Have you ever heard of this book? I just finished reading it for my adult development and aging class and it was pretty humbling and informative. It is a wife's diary of her experiences with her husband who around the age of 50 started experiencing symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease, and who died just 3 years later. They called Alzheimer's "Big Al". He was a perfectly healthy man, who ran 10-15 miles every day of his life. It was hard for everyone to grasp that such a healthy guy would get Alzheimer's. The book is an incredible witness of love and devotion that Judy, the wife, had as she took care of her quickly deteriorating (yet young) husband. It is amazing the strength that some people in this life have, even when they aren't sure themselves that they have it. If you get a chance to read it, its a pretty quick read but really leaves you thinking about your life and if you're living it the way you really want to be.

pinterest meals

My love hate relationship with pinterest is turning into more of a love relationship as I learn HOW to actually use it. That may sound silly, I mean, everyone really knows how to use pinterest. You scroll, you find things you like and you pin them onto boards. But I feel like there is just SO much on pinterest that creativity is almost stifled, not enhanced. It seems all ideas are there for me and I don't have to think or try to hard to come up with my own ideas. It also sets me up to fail in so many ways. My stuff never looks like how they post on pinterest! 

Some of the many examples found online: 

There is also information overload. I mean, there are so many recipes that look soooo delicious. I just want to do them all! But then I can't so I end up not doing any of them and sticking with what I know.

But lately I've decided to do things a little differently. I'll still pin, get ideas and admire the work of others, but more than that I will try out more things (with low expectations at each first attempt haha)! I'll make boards of things that I've actually done and note how they work out. Right now mostly that will be with cooking different recipes, and once I am done with school it will probably be more with crafts and sewing. I still struggle with the creativity aspect of it all, and trying to do new things that I feel are unique to me seems near impossible, but maybe its a good challenge to my creativity (I've been seriously lacking creative juices just in general lately!). I'm excited to be more optimistic with this resource that I have and love and try new things!

New York Doll

This past week I watched the documentary New York Doll for the first time. If you've never seen it and you're looking for a little mix up in your movie choice, I would suggest this documentary. It is about Arthur Kane, member of the New York Dolls band and about his transformation in life. He was into drugs and partying and he basically throws his success, family, and life down the drain because of these things. But it then describes how he ended up becoming a strong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and where he went from there.

For me it really drove home the idea that we can never judge what people need in their life, who will or will not accept religion in their life and really how we have no room to judge anyone and their lives. We all have our own journey of discovery, and no two journeys look the same! 

A quote on Facebook has been going around that says something along the lines that we don't walk into a gym and decide not to join because there are people who are fat or don't have perfect bodies so we shouldn't walk into church and think that we don't want to join or a be a part of it because there are imperfect members or "hypocrites". Church is for imperfect people who need God, not for perfect people. If people were able to be perfect, they wouldn't really need God. It just reminded me to never judge those around me, always invite friends and others with me to church and activities, and ease up on myself that I am also not a perfect being and I need to be at church and always seeking God's help. 

the force

While I am on a commercial viewing kick, I thought I'd throw in another favorite of mine. I can just imagine the look on the little kid's face at the very end! I thought that it was pretty clever. :) I guess I should just run out and buy a new VW! 

live young

Normally I really dislike commercials, but I think there are also some pretty funny ones out there. This one always gets me laughing. I don't feel any more persuaded to buy their water, but the company earns a little more respect in my book ;) Can't wait to see some funny Super Bowl commercials in a couple weeks!

she will be named...

Eventually. Eventually she will be named. And eventually you will know. But for now she is just baby girl, princess, little Betty (to Alyssa), Penelope (to Chelsea), Collandrea (to Colleen), and a mystery to everyone else. Everyone has opinions about naming children. I have my own views as well. And if you ask me what her name is, I will either make up some excuse about not knowing her name yet, or I will just tell you the truth, which is we aren't (unless I randomly decide otherwise) revealing our name until she is born. I mean, what if I change my mind! What if  I don't want everyone under the sun's opinion about my choice? What if it is special to me, something that feels sacred between me, my hubby and my amazing little girl in a time of special bonding before she is even born: our very first secret between the three of us? So it will just give you a little something more to look forward to, besides her sweet lil face of course ;)

My friend Brittany sent me this link on Facebook the other day, about naming children, and since we all know that most people feel strongly some way or another about the topic, I thought you all might enjoy as well. I found it pretty darn funny and love how many stats and figures were run just on the names people have chosen in the past and what is popular now.

Check it out: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wait-but-why/how-to-name-a-baby_b_4551427.html