Check it out this

I'm so sorry!!

2011-08-24T18:55:00.000-07:00

A little note to all of you who so kindly gave me your email to put on a private blog. I don't think I'm going to go private anymore, I just haven't posted in forever so you are not missing out on a secret blog :) Love you all. Just super busy. I started school again and had an awesome summer with my baby. Here is a little pic to console you. I'm sorry it's from Easter, but I love it. Until next time!!!

I've decided...

2011-02-16T19:34:00.000-08:00

I'm going private... The blog that is. I held out for a while, but because of my little one, and the nightmare I had last night, I'm afraid it would set my little heart at ease. If you would care to join us, please say so. I would love to add anyone that would add their address, even if, say, I don't know you, but you are a well meaning onlooker with innocent intentions. Love you all. K's blog will be doing the same :) PS, I still think about you, even though I'm mainly thinking about getting good grades and working my butt off in second semester. I plan on going private by the end of Feb. so that should give enough time for those to chirp up! Because my comments are moderated by me anyway, your emails will never be made public via my comment page. Anyway...

Love,
me

Being a parent is hard sometimes...

2010-11-26T23:06:00.000-08:00

Because sometimes, you have to say "no no" to this face...

But being the Mommy to this face, and meeting this little boy's needs is so easy. Being the one he turns to when he is afraid or hurt or needs something, the one he can trust and reach up to knowing that he will get picked up and loved beyond all measure. That part of being a parent is effortless.

Check out K and his little girlfriend here.

Check it Out Them!

2010-11-22T16:12:00.001-08:00

Aren't they cute?

I am just so thrilled for my little sissy. She found a wonderful man who makes her crack up. I couldn't be happier for her and her Nicholas Proctor. And yes, he knows about the dime (that was a little something special for all you insiders :) They will become Man and Wife, well, he's already a man, but she will become a wife on December 28th.

I can't believe my little sister is going to be a wife!

Have you met my son..

2010-11-07T22:20:00.001-08:00

The Godfather?

Can you believe it?!

2010-11-07T21:53:00.000-08:00

Now, I know I have been absent from the blogging world, and I will continue to be, but I had the mini-est of breaks and decided I needed to document my cutest baby boy, in the cutest stage ever. Here's his classic Klein face at 11 months.

If you want to see more of K, check out his blog here.

Meanwhile, I am done with my first 10 week nursing class and I was pleased to have received an A! I honestly didn't think this would happen in Nursing School (which school happens to be the number one in the country for pass rates for the RN exam, 100% the last two years! I didn't know this when I got in).

I have started my Mental Health class and my first test is tomorrow, so my work is not done... about two more years to go, but it is going by soo fast!

Anne's engaged to an amazing man, Grant got a promotion, our apartment flooded so we had to move, which move happened to land us right next door to another couple, which couple is a member of our church, and has a 12 month old little girl who is obsessed with K, and our monitors work in eachothers houses so we have built in babysitters!

Anyway, life is great and we are looking forward to our trip to Chicago in a couple days,Thanksgiving in our new place together, K's first birthday, Christmas and a wedding and New Years! AND a month off from school! Can you tell how excited I am?

Epic Fail

2010-06-23T21:34:00.000-07:00

So, it's me again. It's been a while. I feel like I have to get reacquainted with you all and gain your trust back. I know I come and go, but that's just how our relationship is. You understand.

Well, I have been a little busy between deciding to go to Nursing School, getting accepted into Nursing School (yay!), taking the Nursing Entrance Exam (phew!), then having to enroll in an English class to satisfy a pre-req (long story), then moving (down south), then having fleas in our new apartment (where's the tape!?) and having to keep everything off the carpet (for 2 weeks), then actually moving in (on to the carpet), then trying to find a nanny/daycare, then having to get all my stuff they need me to have for the Nursing program, and yeah...

It's been crazy 'round here. I was accepted into Saddleback's nursing program starting THIS FALL and I am so excited, but so nervous, and so sad, all at the same time. So excited to get in to the program because there was over 600 applicants this year and they accepted me (again :), so nervous because I hear it is such a tough program, and so sad to leave my little Him for 3 days a week for roughly the next two years. So so sad about this.

Speaking of my Little Him...

Here he is practicing his fake cough:
(I'm on to you ,little mister)

Here the little Ham is making his kazoo noise (drooling all the while...)

Oh, and have you met my other son...

Rick Moranis??
(I don't know where he picked this face up from. He's never seen any Rick Moranis movies.)

We have moved to Mission Viejo and we are really enjoying it. It was hard to leave though. I have been spending quite a bit of time trying to get our new place feeling like home.

Anyway... just a little updeezy since I haven't posted in a while

Oh, and the reason this post is called Epic Fail is because... that's what I am for slacking on my other "oh, I'm going to post a picture every day" blogs. Yeah right, and I'm sure most of you guys knew that it wasn't going to happen the second I posted about it. I mean, I can't even keep up with one blog...

I'm still going to try though.. But especially with Nursing School starting in a couple months, I am going to drop off the face of the Earth! and I'm not looking forward to it.

I've got to do it though. Strangely enough, I feel like it's what I'm supposed to do right now. Just with the timing and how everything has worked out...

It will just be for two years (sounds like a long time, but it's really not, in the grand scheme of things) and then we'll make it up to Klein and give him a brother :)

Kleiners

2010-05-27T14:38:00.000-07:00

Klein is so funny lately. This age is definitely my favorite for many reasons. He can entertain himself quite well, he is rolling over and figuring out the crawling position. He has this surprised look on his face half the time.

My mom remembers certain faces we used to make as babies. Anne's classic baby look consists of a look of determination/obliviousness with her tongue hanging out. This is the face I will think of when I think of Klein as a baby. I just love it!

UNCLE KLEIN WANTS YOU...

2010-05-17T18:41:00.000-07:00

... to vote for this picture in the Parent's Magazine Readers Choice contest.

This picture was chosen for the Readers Choice contest. Click here to vote. You can vote everyday until May 26th. If we get enough votes, it would put him in the running to be on the cover!!!

Thanks to all of you!!

Mother's Day, The Happenings

2010-05-12T18:43:00.001-07:00

Grant was inspired by this...

...and decided to bust this little baby out...
(the song, "with arms wide open" goes through my head when I look at this grill, because it almost looks human with arms)

Grant also went all Euro and made some eggs with which to top the burgers...

So yummy (you should try it).

And then we had a Mommy Baby photo shoot.
(Klein has this thing that when you hold him, he doesn't look at you. I guess it makes him a little uncomfortable. So funny)

Owie! (I actually muttered this phrase TO MYSELF the other day when I stubbed my toe. Klein was no where in sight. Then I paused and thought, "I just said Owie to MYSELF". So out of control.

Baby Babble, and I totally get it.

It was a fun first Mother's Day.

Mother's Day

2010-05-09T14:56:00.001-07:00

I feel sooo lucky to be this little man's Mommy.

PS. I am putting this picture everywhere because it's so cute I just can't stand it! It sums up my little Klein's personality perfectly. I just love that little face!

Happy Mothers Day to all of you!!

Tie courtesy of Babybystevie

March and April

2010-05-07T14:47:00.000-07:00

Life lately has been a little crazy. I have been contemplating this post for a while, wondering what to use to break my blogging silence. Hmm. Well, I'll just start off with the facts. It was my 29th Birthday on April 6th and to celebrate during the day, we (me, Oma, Bailey and Kleiners) took it to the park with In N Out. Here is Klein in the swing. It was his first time to the park, and in the swing!

There is so much going on here. The park in the background, the In N Out, the blanket for our picnic, the bubbles that we brought for Klein that he got from the Easter Bunny.

Here shows my success at getting ALL the candles out. They were atop a sugar free cake that my wonderful husband tracked down for me. Whataguy.

Not a half bad picture of me. Lately, those are really really rare...

Which brings me to my next topic. Working out. I have had bouts with P90X, pilates, gym cardio machines, walks around the neighborhood/beach. The thing that I have recently taken to is dear Tracy Anderson. Now I know some mock her Method, but I happen to really enjoy it. I am her fan on Facebook and her follower on Twitter (before this kind of behavior might've triggered a fear response in some people, but now it's normal to be a follower of someone, okay?) I was doing her workouts (Mat and Dance Cardio) before I got preggers but then stopped during my pregnancy. Now, I am back at it with her new DVD's (which I happen to really love). We will see how it goes... Here I come "teeny, tiny".

In other news, I introduced Klein to Formula and since I got a plugged milk duct and other things, he has kinda taken to the formula so I am weaning him more or less. I am having a rough time with it. I feel so guilty about it. What do I do? I mean, I nursed him for over 5 months. Isn't that saying something? I know breastmilk is best for him, but he is starting in on solids and rice cereal. I don't know, he just doesn't seem like he's that into it, only nursing for like 5 minutes at a time, and I could really love being able to diet and get in shape without worrying about milk supply, etc. He's so healthy and happy. It's okay, right?!

Klein is sooo much fun these days. I think I love this 4-5 month stage. He is all smiles and loves to play. He is grabbing and reaching and putting everything near his mouth. He knows me and he likes me around. He can also entertain himself for a little while so that is nice for me to get my workouts done. I could just eat him up!

Okay, this post is way too long. I feel like I'm talking to an old friend who I haven't talked to in a while. There is just so much to update!

One more thing, Grant and I celebrated our 3 year anniversary. He got me the cutest leather key chain and wallet (3 year gift is leather). I got him a subscription to the Wall Street Journal, not leather, but we missed the Paper year (the 1st anniversary gift) so I figured it was fine. Grant was also called as our ward's EQP which is great. He's really thrilled about it.

Klein had his first Easter and General Conference and he got through them just fine. He even found 4 eggs. Right now, he is just laying on my bed, staring up at the ceiling. No pacifier, no toy, just laying with his hands above his head, his legs sprawled open. Totally just hanging out. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go eat him.

XXcited

2010-02-24T10:52:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited about this band called The XX. I find myself really loving their sounds! Check out their song I slands for a starter.

Yay!!

2010-02-21T09:24:00.001-08:00

I won! I won the giveaway on Tell Love Chocolate! And I won this adorable hat by Katarina Couture. I am so thrilled!

Now I will be stylin' in Chicago when we go out there for the Holidays!

Blessing Day

2010-02-13T14:32:00.001-08:00

It was Klein's Blessing Day this last Sunday (Feb. 7th). We had a bunch of family in town and it was so fun seeing everyone and having them meet Klein. He was a hit.

Grant did such a beautiful job with the Blessing and wasn't even nervous. Klein was a good boy too. He stayed asleep the whole time and when Grant held him up at the end of the Blessing for the congregation, he was looking up at the lights in true Klein form. He looked so cute in his blessing outfit. I just loved sitting in church with so much of our family there for us. That hasn't ever happened for me before. Thanks to everyone who came!! For more pictures and details, check out Klein's blog.

In other news, later that day, Klein got to watch his first Super Bowl with his Daddy, Uncle Todd, Uncle Levi, and both of his Grandpas! There were other friends there too. I don't know that he will have that opportunity again. It was a good time!

Tradition

2010-02-13T14:11:00.000-08:00

About a week ago, Grant surprised me with the news that we were going to see Kooza! I was so thrilled as I LOVE Cirque de Soliel and I die at the thought of going to any of their shows. They have a show in Irvine and Grant surprised me for Valentines Day and we took my mom too! Here are the festive Big Tops at nite.

Before the shows start, they usually have some sort of clowns or other types of characters walking around the audience and entertaining. It's fun, but those characters are probably my least favorite part. They are funny sometimes, but I'm just not that in to physical comedy which is what most of it is. It's fun while your waiting for the show to start though.

Here we are. So excited to get in there!

It was an amazing show! I caught myself screaming out loud more than once at the suspense and the tricks they were doing. I highly recommend it. They are almost done in Irvine but they are going to San Diego next, which isn't too far for the locals in this area. It would be well worth the drive. Usually we have to drive to Vegas to see a Cirque show.

This is the second Cirque show Grant and I have seen together (our first one was O in Vegas for our anniversary). I told Grant I wouldn't mind it becoming a tradition of ours. One Cirque show a year. I like it!

Lullaby

2010-01-27T09:53:00.001-08:00

This morning I lulled Klein off to sleep with Aqueous Transmission from Incubus. It is such a great lullaby. Also, I've always LOVED Pale September by Fiona Apple as a lullaby. Both songs that I have fallen asleep to myself. I'm not just talking baby here. I am wondering what you all fall asleep to. I would love to get some good suggestions.

I Just Love...

2010-01-24T21:38:00.000-08:00

watching the Food Network on a Sunday nite. Tonite it was battle mackerel. I wonder who will win.

In a Effort

2010-01-21T11:15:00.000-08:00

In an effort to improve my photography skills and my artistic eye, I have commissioned my friend Sjauna who lives across the country and is also photography-minded to start a project with me just like this one.

It is called Jem Days and it is one picture every morning for a year. I hope to make it into a coffee table book.

Here is the link

http://jemdays.blogspot.com/

Check it out if you feel so inclined.

A Day in the LIfe

2010-01-18T19:15:00.000-08:00

I know tons of you are dying to know what it's like to be Klein. Well, for those of you who are interested, I am starting a photo blog of Klein's first year. He's not quite 7 weeks so even though I missed a few days, I'll be on track to get most of it documented. Starting today, I will be posting at least 1 picture a day of the Meister or something having to do with being him.

Here is the address:

http://kleinmeister.blogspot.com/

Hope you all enjoy!

Summing it Up

2010-01-18T18:29:00.000-08:00

This pretty much sums up our (mine and Klein's) life right now. This is an actual picture of my face. I haven't posted it in a while (and with good reason). See little Kleiners looking at his mommy. I wonder if he knows me yet.

I don't know why I love his little fussy face so much!

Such a sweet boy.

His eyes are really starting to lighten to a blue color instead of the slate color they were when he was born. He's looking more and more like Daddy every day.

2010-01-14T16:56:00.000-08:00

At 6 weeks this little man...

weights over 11 pounds
loves to lift his head up and look around
loves the ceiling fan
loves his rattle toy with a black and white bullseye
loves faces
smiles back with the cutest dimples
is cooing
is in the 50th percentile for height, weight, and head circumference
is a happy boy
is loved so much by all (especially his mommy)

Perks

2010-01-14T12:20:00.000-08:00

One of the perks of being up at 3 in the morning is moments like these...

But I can't think of any other perks about being up at 3 in the morning.

2010-01-12T16:36:00.000-08:00

Just enjoying the view.

Klein 3 Ways

2010-01-05T18:33:00.000-08:00

These were taken a while ago to send to the girl who got us this cute outfit and I just think they're so funny.

Picture 1: Mischievous
Picture 2: Prayerful
Picture 3: Skeptical

Broadway

2010-01-05T14:11:00.000-08:00

When Anne and I were younger, and sometimes still today, we have a song. It goes like this:

"Broadwaaay, I'm on Broadwaay..."

That's it. That's all there is. And it's so funny. Because we sing it in a Broadway voice and we joke that it is our dream to be on Broadway.

This picture reminds me of our song.
In Chi-Town a year ago, there was a sighting of Anne's Broadway ghost in front of the Water Tower.

It made me laugh so hard.

Going through old pictures, I became depressed thinking about the vast expanse between the way I look now and the way I'd like to look. Although it has only been one month since having the baby, and I definitely look better now than I did when I was preggers, I still have a long way to go...

This Thursday I should hopefully get the okay from my doctor that working out is fine and I hope to be able to get myself in gear and make Klein proud and reassure Grant that his marriage choice was not a bait and switch.

PS. Klein is asleep in his swing and he keeps grunting and then I hear these baby fartinhos (that's Portuguese for little baby farts). It makes me laugh. He's really working hard over there. It's funny because his fartinhos sound like adult farts, only cute. Grant and I were talking about how everything he does is cute. His sneezes, his coughs, his grunts and squeaks, his burps, his farts and poops (well, maybe his poops aren't cute, but they aren't gross). We are enjoying the cute phase,

and the dream of being on Broadwaay.

Things

2009-12-30T11:47:00.000-08:00

Things I didn't like so much surrounding Klein's birth:

the tingling of the epidural
the swelling of my body and face (even more than it was) resulting in me being the ugliest I have ever been in my life. period.
waiting to dilate past a 4 for 17 hours
the news that I would need a C-section
the shaking due to labor/epidural
wanting to sleep so bad but being so uncomfortable it was impossible
throwing up from the medicine
being told that Klein would have a cone head because I wasn't dilating and his head was just sinking further and further into a place that wasn't accommodating him (it really wasn't as bad as they thought, thank goodness)
being the ugliest I have ever been in my life. period. (did I say that already?)
the jello belly I had after he was born (I looked like Santa just in time for Christmas!)
the first couple weeks of breastfeeding (2 lactation consultations later, even though one of the consultants came in and saw Klein eating and exclaimed, "he has a text book latch, text book...")
not showering for 3 days
not having a room with an ocean view... :(
Klein losing 10% of his body weight and freaking me out half to death (because I wasn't having rational thoughts)
my irrational thoughts freaking me out half to death (he'll die if my milk doesn't come in... he's sleeping too much, etc)
having to wake Klein up to eat every 2 hours, and keep him awake to "eat"
Being separated from Klein for his circumcision (and thinking how much pain he was in as they brought him back in to my room with a little pacifier next to him that had been used to comfort him during the procedure)
Levi and Bailey not being able to come meet Klein because of flu season (hospital policy)

Things I rather liked surrounding Klein's birth:

Aunt Annie driving through the nite from Utah, making it into town just in time to see me labor and hear the nurse decide a C-section would be best
the fact that Grant and I were at Claim Jumper eating a chocolate chip calzone when I decided that I was in labor
Grant making brownies at 1 in the morning for the nurses (a Hypnobabies suggestion) while I was upstairs listening to my hypnobabies cd waiting to go in to the hospital (the nurses were obsessed with him for the brownies that were amazing)
the nurse that took care of me and all the staff at Hoag
the fact that I had gone into labor on my own
having Klein on his due date
Having friends and family come visit and meet Klein
the flowers that Grant's parents and my brother John sent to us
the pain meds that made breastfeeding and moving possible
the sponge bath that the nurse gave me (seriously)
finally being able to take a shower and do my hair
the electronic adjustable bed
the tv
the meals that were brought in
getting Klein dressed to go home in his outfit that we bought him when we found out he was a boy
Grant staying with me 24/7 in the hospital and afterwards

Things I loved surrounding Klein's birth:

watching Klein be born (the anesthesiologist convinced me to watch Klein come out during the C-section stating that it wasn't going to be "that bad" and that I wouldn't see myself cut open, just the baby. I first saw his dark hair and then they pulled his little body out and held him up to the mirror so I could see him. I saw his little face for the first time as he was crying like crazy and I immediately fell in love and started crying out of joy. Probably the second time in my life I have cried out of joy. That moment was probably the best moment of my life.
Hearing Grant say, "he looks like you! He's a Bench." about Klein right after he was born
Hearing everyone else say he looked just like Grant, including my own mother
Seeing Grant hold Klein as he brought him over to me while they were stitching me up. I just saw the back of Grant's head as he was enamored by Klein, rocking him and trying to hold him as close to me as possible so I could get a good look at him
The doctors and Grant's reassurance that Klein's ballistic crying after he was born was really good, and Grant looking at him and telling me, "he's turning pink really quick"
Hearing the nurse refer to me as Mommy to Klein for the first time right before she put him in my arms
Having the moment with my mom when she came back to see Klein and I was holding him and feeding him (he rooted the second he was on me so I started to feed him right away) and she said, "Callie!" and put her hand to her mouth and we both started crying
Anne coming back to meet Klein in the recovery room
All the nurses and doctors telling us how beautiful the baby was and how he didn't "look like a newborn" and saying that "most the time, newborns aren't this cute"
having him room in with me and holding him constantly
Noticing Klein's dimples
Our first moments together as a family
Grant reassuring me that everything was going to be perfect while I was having my meltdowns and being there for Klein and I without fail 24/7
the drive home from the hospital where I was sitting in back with Klein and Grant was driving and noticing Grant tear up as he was talking about looking at "that little face"

All in all, it was such a great experience that Grant and I will treasure forever.

2009-12-27T10:42:00.000-08:00

Guess what Santa forgot at our house...

and when he found out, he had a hissy fit.

then Oma talked to him and he calmed down a bit.

she showed him the gift that Santa left for him.

Daddy talked to him and after much consideration...

He decided to stay.

Tubby Time

2009-12-21T16:23:00.000-08:00

Klein got his first tubby last nite. It was fun and he seemed to like it. The picture on the top left is him right when he got in. He's deciding what he thinks about the whole bath thing. It was fun as Grant held his head straight and I cleaned him. We tried to quickly dry him off so he wouldn't get cold. It was a fun Family Home Evening activity.

It seems that when I gave birth, I entered into the Twilight Zone. Nothing is normal yet and taking care of the little man has proved to be a taxing task. Although, I really love it. There are so many wonderful things about being a new mom, but so many difficult things as well. The hardest part, you guessed it, the lack of sleep in the night. In the hospital, we had to wake him up to eat, but now, he has certainly mastered the task of waking me up to eat. Grant takes the first shift in the nite, from 10 to 3, and then I take over after that.

I am just so grateful for a patient partner, who does so much to help, who has really embraced his role as a father, but hasn't forgotten about being a husband.

Nothing to complain about, just a lot of things to get used to. Klein is such a good baby and makes the funniest faces to entertain me during the day. And I love his squeaks. And when he straightens his legs right out when I change him. Also, when he goes cross-eyed and sticks his lips out like a fish. He is a fun little guy. He will be three weeks on Tuesday and we are the happiest family living in the Twilight Zone.

Check It Out Klein

2009-12-11T19:31:00.000-08:00

Check out a glimpse of Klein's first professional photo shoot here at Danielle Locken's Photography Blog. Danielle is such a talented photographer. I'm so glad she was able to do these. They are just perfect, same as my little man. If any of you want yours or your little one's photos taken, call her! She's amazing.

Kleiners

2009-12-06T20:01:00.000-08:00

Grant was so happy about our new arrival that he blogged for the first time. Thanks to all of you for your congratulations and love! We are so blessed to have so many friends and family to share our joy with.

I will write soon about all the details but I wanted to share a picture of the cutest face I've ever seen.

Introducing...

2009-12-02T13:15:00.001-08:00

He's here! Klein Richman Lippard arrived yesterday at 2:01pm, weighing in at 7 lbs, 8 oz and a lanky 20.5 inches. He has momma's chin and ears and daddy's dimple and long fingers!

Here he is in the incubator right after he was delivered. He was super calm and happy right from the start.

I think he takes after the Bench side but Callie, Oma Ludloff, and a lot of the nurses think he looks like daddy. What do you think?

After 17 hours of labor, Callie had a C-section as the labor failed to progress but she was happy to meet our little guy sooner rather than later. Baby and mom are both doing wonderfully. Klein has been perfectly content and has passed all his tests with flying colors and he's already flirting with all the nurses.
We are very proud of him and can't wait to take him home on Friday or Saturday! We'll post more pics soon!

Update

2009-11-30T15:12:00.000-08:00

My due date is tomorrow! I was checked for the first time today to see if I was dilated or effaced (which hurt a lot). Anyway, the doctor told me I was 0% dilated and 0% effaced which concerned me because usually I guess people are at least at a 1 or a 2 by now! It was discouraging. Does this mean I am going to end up being 42 weeks pregnant (yikes) and have to be induced or have a C-section?! I am a little beside myself right now. Anyone have a similar experience? I know everyone is different but I am just so ready to have this baby and to feel like it could be still 2 weeks away! That's just insane!

Guess Who This Is

2009-11-19T20:57:00.000-08:00

I will give you one guess (because I know who you'll pick)

If any of you guessed Gisele Bundchen, you are...

Wrong.

It's me, but I know it kinda looks like her pregnant body so I don't blame you for guessing her. I seriously get it all the time.

38 weeks and counting...

We have purchased our car seat, snap and go, pack n play (which we are using for the bassinet and changing table to save on space), and we are waiting on a bid for my double electric breast pump. Fun!! I can't wait to hook that thing up :) I need to find a diaper bag. We've got diapers, wipes and tons of cute clothes and great stuff (thanks to my wonderful friends and family that attended my baby showers and sent gifts... Thanks so much!!!)and yet there is still so much to get it seems like! And then there's the question, what to pack in the hospital bag? So far we've got snacks, camera, socks, grant comfy outfits, outfit to bring home baby, a couple receiving blankets, laptop, makeup, shampoo and conditioner, change for the vending machine, uh... am I forgetting anything?!

Probably.

My Baby's Face

2009-11-05T09:56:00.000-08:00

In a recent post, I mentioned how weird it was coming to the realization that my baby already has a face. Well, yesterday I saw it! It was during my 37 week ultrasound that my mom and I saw the precious one's profile as he held his fist up to his face. The only problem was, his profile looked like Homer Simpson! Mayday Mayday!! My mom and I were both kinda like, "Uhm, cute...kinda" with worried looks, I burst out in tears. Just kidding. It wasn't that dramatic and I have enough sense to know that I can't possibly tell what my bundle of joy will look like when he makes his appearance from a fuzzy ultrasound pic (right?! anyone, anyone??) where you can't make out what anything is unless the ultrasound tech tells you and points it out. "This is his femur, this is his head, this is his stomach, this is his middle finger..." Just kidding. I'm sure they don't point that out. Anyway. I panicked a little, but rest assured, I will love my baby whether he looks as cute as a button or like a grown cartoon man. Luckily, our baby boy's brain is the normal size, so in that respect, he won't be like Homer.

(Has anyone else had this experience where the baby looked weird in the ultrasound? Or even right after they were born? I need some reassurance here. Please say yes!)

The rest of the ultrasound was exciting though. He was in the right position (head down) which I figured he wasn't since I am constantly feeling blunt force trauma to my hips (not in my ribs like everyone else). It hurts!! And I figured it was him kicking me, but it turns out, his head is down so they must be punches. (I'm always so surprised when things go right with this pregnancy for some reason). The ultrasound lady also said, "he must be thinking about something because I can see his eyes moving around". That was funny. His foot was so far over on my side that she couldn't see it with the machine and he has grown so much since the last ultrasound. She did some calculations and said he weighs about 6.5 pounds (so what's the other 35 pounds about?!) so she estimates that he'll weight about 7.5-8 lbs when he's born. We'll see... I will be full term on Wednesday so they say he could come any day, but I'm not counting on it. I expect him around Dec. 10th or something... although I wouldn't mind him coming earlier. Maybe that's what he was thinking about. Debating whether or not to come out now or wait a little while longer...I wonder what I could do to sway his decision. Let the mind games and manipulation that is parenting begin! Or is that what you do when you're the kid?

Pregnancy Dream

2009-10-27T10:05:00.001-07:00

Sjauna just made a comment on my previous post that reminded me of something I wanted to document (thank you Sj).

My Pregnancy Dream:

A couple months ago, I had a dream! I dreamed (is dreamt really not a word?! Since when?) that I was pregnant (which I am) and that the baby was moving around a ton (which he is). One nite (in my dream) the baby was moving around so much and was pushing his hand on my belly, but he was pushing so hard that I thought he was going to rip my skin open with his hand. I looked down at my stomach and saw his hand and arm pushing my skin so tight (kinda like the picture above only a million times stronger). I went to the doctor and expressed how I thought the baby was going to rip my skin open and the doctor said that it was an emergency and I needed a C-Section to get him out because he was suffering from claustrophobia.

After I woke up, I told Grant and he said,

"You would have a dream where your baby needed to come out because of a psychological disorder."

It was funny. My baby already has psychological issues and he's not even born yet! I think I'm a little paranoid or something, and I think the dream stems from a combination of seeing the picture above, (which I've seen before and thought it was amazing), the baby moving so much and me worrying he doesn't have enough room, my dad being a psychiatrist, and having a few family and friends that needed emergency C-sections. I think that's why I dreamed that.

Does This Make You Feel Weird?

2009-10-27T08:57:00.000-07:00

Because of my recent illness (thank you all of you for your well wishes, I am doing better), I can't really breathe that well.  I haven't been able to really breathe that well my whole pregnancy, I'm so stuffy and can't sleep that well because of it, but it seems like it's been worse since I've had the flu and hasn't left me.  For example, sometimes when I breathe, I sound like a kazoo.    One nite I was sleeping while Grant was still up working and he said he could hear me waking myself up every time I went into a deep sleep because of my breathing problems.  After this, I decided I would try a Neti Pot (we got it at Wal-Mart, it was the last one left).   When I first did it, I felt weird about it.  It felt weird to put the pot into my nose, it felt weird as Grant watched me in complete wonderment, it felt weird as I tipped my head to the side and waiting for the water to start dripping out my nose, and then it really felt weird when the water started running through (there is something that doesn't feel quite right about it the first time- like drowning).

I think it's working though. I've been able to breathe better since I've been using. It still makes me feel weird though.

Another thing that makes me feel weird was this realization:

My baby already has a face!! (Is that a deep thought or what?) The thought of "the baby" to me is still so obscure, even though I feel him moving all the time and I carry him with me everywhere I go (that's weird too). Grant and I were talking the other day in the car about how weird it's going to be to be parents and have a baby! and that he will be here pretty soon (about a month or so). We keep talking about this abstract baby and then I came to the weird realization that we were talking about someone who is already with us. He is inside my body. He is here here here. He's not abstract but the idea of him is. He is already with us, we are already his parents. I wonder what he'll look like and I realize he already looks like something (or someone hopefully). He already has a face! I just don't know what it looks like yet (could be a Grant face, could be a me face). Anyway, that made me feel weird. We talk about him as if he's not here yet, but he is here, and he's with me 24/7. Everywhere I go, everything I do, he's here. It just makes me feel weird.

Also, if we had 100 bucks that we were willing to spend on Halloween Costumes, I would chose these:

Mainly because the oven would almost cover my whole body. (Isn't that chef hat amazing?! Look how high it goes!)

Also, my food blog address has been changed. It is no longer
www.strikekitchen.blogspot.com
although this is still Steph's great food blog. The new address is:
www.kitchencollaborations.blogspot.com
It's still the same blog, just different address and name.
I haven't posted on it in a while, but I'm afraid the fall weather might just lure me into the kitchen and I'm sure you all want to know what happens next... :)

(Is it just me, or did this post make you feel weird?)

Update

2009-10-21T14:40:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I have the Swine Flu. NOT fun at all... AND my phone still isn't functional. Thank goodness for NyQuil, Tylenol, Gatorade, Sprite, Oatmeal, Lysol Disinfectant Spray, Soda Water, Hot Baths, Tamiflu, Doctors, Costco Pharmacy, the Internet, Loving Family and Friends, Prayers, Priesthood Blessings, Active Babies even though their Moms are Sick, Husbands willing to leave their phone behind for their wives use in case of emergency, Husbands staying home from work to take care of their sick wives, Husbands still kissing and cuddling their wives even though they are sick with the Swine Flu, the Food Network and the Colbert Report. There's more but I think I'm going to go lay down and watch Oprah. Oh yeah, and thank goodness for Oprah and comfy couches.

So, My Mom went Outta Town

2009-10-19T09:19:00.000-07:00

Wednesday Morning: I say goodbye to my mom at the airport as she boards a plane to Maryland to see her sisters. This marks the beginning of my reign in the house for a few days. Not that big of a deal really. Getting geared up for all the rides and activities I need to be on top of. Soccer practice, Football practice, YW/YM Activity at the park, Grant's Softball game, etc. Wednesday was the busiest day for activities until everything was canceled due to the rain we were getting. I relaxed a little thinking my life was going to be pretty easy.

skip to
Friday Morning: I send Grant off to work and Bailey off to school making sure all the homework was done and lunches were made. I realize Levi is still home meaning that the illness he was alluding to the nite before probably got worse. That's okay because Grant had a cold that lasted about a day last weekend and I figured it was the same thing. I just tried to make Levi comfortable on the couch with some NyQuil to help him sleep it off.

Friday Afternoon: I go to the store to get Levi some Coke and bananas because now he is feeling worse and is having a bit of nausea.

Later Friday Afternoon: I get out of the shower and hear Levi yelling for me. I get dressed and go downstairs and ask him what's wrong. He says, "the NyQuil isn't working", neither is the acetaminophen (which dosages I spaced out). I hear him on the couch lamenting to himself, "Why? Why?" (when I hear this, I smile a little because I have probably done the exact same thing). Now, Levi has a fever and is feeling much worse with a cough and stuffy nose. I start to realize this is not what Grant had and make an appointment for Levi to see the doctor at 4.

Friday Evening: We see the doctor and he pulls me aside and tells me he thinks Levi has the SWINE FLU and that Levi is really sick. Levi gets a shot and some pain medicine and I go to the store to fill his Rx. He starts to feel a lot better. I'm not usually one for panicking but I'm pregnant and have a virtually non-existent immune system so I'm feeling a little stressed about it.

Saturday Morning: My mom is coming home tonite so I start to try and get everything that Levi used washed. This includes everything on the couch, 2 beds, towels, clothes, and anything else I can think of that he might have touched. 5 loads of laundry later, we mopped, swept, vacuumed, folded clothes, made two beds, disinfected the entire living room and kitchen and bathroom, all in time for my mom to get home to a close-to swine-flu-free house. In the meantime, I was probably exposed to it like a thousand times. We forgo the opportunity to go to the BYU game in San Diego and meet up with friends for dinner. It's a sad and frantic day.

Sunday Morning: 9 o clock church starts but everyone in the house is sleeping because we are staying home from church so as to not infect anyone there. Quarantined and Levi gets cabin fever (a pretty severe case of it). We play "What If" as our game for Family Home Evening and all laugh like crazy at the question, "What if Callie's baby was growing in her butt?" (mom's question) and the random answer, "Then that would be weird" I could go on and on. (If you haven't played that game before, it's the best thing ever). The game cures Levi's cabin fever.

Monday Morning: I'm just waiting it out hoping that I don't get whatever it is that he had.

PS. Did I mention my phone totally died so I had to send it in and have been without it for the last week, which almost stresses me out as much as the possibility of getting the Swine Flu? Yeah, that's how sick I am.

Levi, before the Swine Flu

Jem is my name, No one else is the same

2009-10-16T09:41:00.000-07:00

My FAVORITE Halloween ever was when I was 9 and I was Jem (does anyone remember her? Her alter ego, Jerika? Her band The Holograms? Her computer friend Synergy and her boyfriend Rio with purple hair? Her rival band The Misfits?). I can't describe my feelings of pure elation (I don't think a 9 year old has ever been so happy) when I put on my Jem costume that my mom had made (she refused to buy any store bought costumes and made us all our costumes, and they were always AMAZING). I was a little reluctant since my mom didn't have a pattern for the Jem outfit. It was the first time I actually wanted a store bought costume because I wasn't sure what my mom was going to do and how it would look. The moment I saw my mom's masterpiece complete with the white leather fringe belt and star (synergy) earrings and pink hair spray, I became Jem. (My costume looked EXACTLY like the outfit pictured above) It was one of the happiest moments of my life.

Up-Date Night Week 33

2009-10-07T11:58:00.000-07:00

It's time my friends, no not that time.
(I always imagine when I start into the birthing time to say to Grant, "honey, it's time" like in the movies. I wonder if it will happen like that :)
It's time for some kinda "bump" pictures (probably not what you all had in mind), and some news on what's been going on. Here is a picture of a few of my bumps. I still have to gain enough courage for a complete photo shoot. Not feeling very photogenic lately. More like, I don't even want to look at myself in the mirror let alone in a picture. Yeah. It's like that.

I've been feeling pretty good otherwise. Although, the pressure of my belly is causing some back aches and other effects are stuffy nose, headaches and fatigue. I haven't had like a totally crazy appetite though which is a blessing for me. I'm feeling the baby kick all the time. He is really active and it's been fun. He's big enough now where I can put my hand on my belly and feel his little body (although I don't know which part, whether it's an arm, leg, fist, head, etc). I've also been a little crafty (this might be the extent of my nesting, I feel like my mom is nesting more than me, which is funny), although I would not consider myself to be a crafty person. I saw a website about DIY onesies and I found some cute images (actually, Grant drew the ties) and fabrics and attempted to make some. I think they turned out pretty cute. I'm excited to dress him for church with his ties and bowties. He'll be looking official, a white shirt and tie, just like his daddy.

In other news, Grant and I started our Hypnobabies classes. (My grandma used hypnosis during childbirth as a part of a UCLA study of it back in the day and it totally worked for her). We are attending a group that is all first time moms which is kinda fun. We have been to 3 classes so far (there are 6 total) and really like it. It is a combination of regular childbirth classes and also learning hypnosis as a form of anesthesia. It's kinda along the same lines as people who use hypnosis for surgeries when they can't have anesthesia. It's been really informative and Grant has been such a good sport. There are scripts he has to read to me. To be quite honest, I'm still pretty convinced I'll need an epidural but I figure that some back up plan of pain management is a good idea. I mean, you never know... Plus, maybe it will help with the whole breastfeeding thing if I happen to need a way of coping with that sometimes painful thing (I'm a big big baby).

It was sweet the other day, Grant says to me, "I have to admit, I'm gunna miss the belly" Now, when you're not feeling your prettiest, hottest, most attractive self, these words from your husband are very sweet indeed. At least he doesn't think I'm a monster. I couldn't imagine what it would feel like to be going through all these changes and emotions and on top of everything feel like my husband was no longer interested in me because of them. I am so blessed to have his unconditional love during all this. It means so much.

Also, the other day, my mom says, "I thought maybe I could give you a pedicure" So sweet!! It was so sweet. She painted my toenails complete with little decals. Then, Bailey wanted one. No Bailey, not until you're pregnant and can't reach your toes!

Finally

2009-08-10T09:55:00.000-07:00

Week 24
Grant FINALLY felt the baby boy move last nite while we were laying on the couch watching a special on TLC about the Tree Man (amazing story by the way). The baby was going crazy for some reason so I told Grant to try and feel him move. The baby was moving all around and the smaller movements Grant couldn't feel but then the baby did a power punch and Grant's face lit up. Then the baby did a power kick and he felt him again! It was a fun moment. Also, this weekend marks the first occasion when a perfect stranger came and asked when I was due. Finally!

So Two Thousand and Late

2009-08-03T08:35:00.000-07:00

As of [Two Thousand and] Late:

I saw a picture of me and remembered how I used to have a jawline...and cheekbones

I invested in a bottle of Tums for the first time in my life

Grant and I had a lovely visit to Abingdon, Virginia to visit my dad and family where we enjoyed thunderstorms, picking (and eating) ripe green beans, tomatoes (including hierloom), broccoli, broccoli rabe, zucchini, cilantro, beets, and watching garlic being cured from the garden, attending the Barter Theater to see a Mentalist duo and watching the production The Controversial Rescue of Fatty the Pig (based on a true event in Appalachia), the Highlands Festival, stopping at a soda shoppe and having fresh jerked root beer, getting a Dip Dog, walking the Creeper Trail,seeing fireflies!, seeing a bunch of old barns, green rolling hills with colonial style homes placed perfectly on them, watching Conan and Late Nite with Jimmy Fallon every nite, and spending time with family. So fun.

I'm feeling the baby kicking all the time, it was most interesting to note how the baby went bonkers as the plane was taking off and landing. I guess his pool was sloshing around a little during the altitude change. Although the baby is moving quite a bit, Grant still hasn't been successful in feeling the baby move. The little man stops moving as soon as Grant's hand is placed on top of his home. Grant already has the magic daddy touch to calm and discipline the children.

Grant said, "okay honey, I'm going to take the luggage upstairs" and then Bailey turns to me (I was lying on the couch, just having arrived from the airport after traveling all day) and says, "Callie, you're pampered" and then I replied, "yes Bailey, I suppose I am". Then Bailey offered to take my purse and carry-on upstairs. It was sweet.

We went to a birthday party where we had to guess what food was in the baby food jars and I did better than I thought (5 out of 10).

Last nite, Anne, Bailey, and I were singing the I Like to Eat Apples and Bananas song where I made up a "y" verse that goes, "I like to yite yite yite yie-pples and ba-yie-yie-s" that made perfect sense to Anne and Bailey. We now have made it a regular verse after the "u" verse. It sounds quite nice.

Check It Out This

2009-07-08T19:33:00.001-07:00

While checking out websites trying to find inspiration for a Nursery (when we have one), I have come across some of the best stuff. I can't believe the talent that some people have and the creativity! It's so inspiring. And all the fun blogs. It's a whole new baby world! Pictured above is one of the things I love. I'm so down with this wallpaper that doubles as picture frames. I love the idea of adding children's art and pictures with a bunch of color and the contrast against the black and white. This would be so much fun! I found it here at Spearmint Baby. They also have this post featuring the cutest wallpaper (I love the one with the clocks too). I also have fallen in love with this art by Blanca Gomez.

I have found that I am really feeling the Vintage European look which can totally be combined with a modern look for some eclectic style. Another item I liked (found at Shawn and Frank)...

For those of you expecting a child, those of you who already have a child, or those of you who just appreciate art (most of the stuff can be used in the house just in general), check out some of these websites (I have a link to all of them I'm referring to over on the left side column under Babystuff, but if you know of other great sites, feel free to let me know about them. You have to remember I'm new at this :) They are so fun!

Musical Me

2009-07-08T10:58:00.000-07:00

Actually, I'm not musical but I just have some music on my mind! First of all, I have to say that my favorite part of Micheal Jackson's Memorial (yes, I watched it, I figured it was part of history) was John Mayer's contribution. I loved the song he played first of all, and I thought it was appropriate he didn't sing.

Next, one of the songs I'm really loving lately is Electric Feel by MGMT which has such a good, kinda 80's beat/feel to it.

That is all I feel I need to say about music right now.

As Promised...The Baby "Journey"...

2009-07-05T18:31:00.000-07:00

Okay, as promised, this is the point where I give information that might be in the TMI classification for some people and in the Interesting and Helpful classification for others so... Here it is. Read at your own risk (especially men, but I must say, once you are married men get an ear full of things they never knew and didn't ever want to know concerning a woman's body and it's many facets, but they listen and remember and try to understand and cuddle us when we are being confusing, that's how it should be anyway :).

My symptoms for PCOS started in high school. Unlike some people with PCOS, I had basically all the classic symptoms but was never diagnosed in high school with anything because I honestly think it's something that gynecologists don't pay attention to unless you're ready to get pregnant because that's when the complications start to effect things a lot bigger than your self esteem. With PCOS, periods are either irregular (which mine always were) or non-existent. The main problem with PCOS when trying to get pregnant is women with it only ovulate about 4 times a year as opposed to the normal 12+ times a year that other women ovulate. It's hard to conceive when you're not ovulating (obviously). When I got married, for some reason I thought it might be difficult for me to get pregnant and I wasn't really worried about getting pregnant right away so I didn't go on birth control (and I also enrolled for an insurance plan that would cover infertility...just in case.) After 6 months of being married, I decided to go on birth control when I realized it was a lot easier than taking a thousand pregnancy tests a week (that are so expensive, even when you are buying them in bulk from Costco or online) and having that constant panicked question in my mind, "am I pregnant?" I was on birth control for 6 months until Grant and I had been married for a year and worked out our major kinks and adjustments with our new married life together and figured if we did get pregnant, we'd be ready. I took a pregnancy test on April 29, 2008 on a whim about a month after I went off birth control and found out (to my utter astonishment) that I was pregnant. (This detail was actually the thing that prompted my OB to do official tests for PCOS because getting pregnant immediately off birth control is one symptom of it, especially since I didn't get pregnant those first 6 months). I was pregnant for about 9 weeks (never heard a heartbeat or had an ultrasound and I wasn't sick AT ALL) when I started bleeding and went to the emergency room late one Sunday nite and was told by the ER doctor that the ultrasound they took was really confusing and they didn't see a baby, just a yolk sac. At that time, I really didn't know what a yolk sac was and how it related to pregnancy or anything so I was totally confused. I saw my doctor the next day who told me I was having a miscarriage. That was hard to hear. Later, Dr. Hatch (who I will introduce further in the next paragraph) guessed that my pregnancy wasn't viable past 5 weeks, but I just didn't pass it right away (which is technically called a missed miscarriage). I passed the pregnancy naturally and although it was difficult, painful and it raised some red flags, it wasn't enough to deter me from trying to get pregnant again. After all, miscarriage is actually really common and I had no real reason to think there was anything really wrong. From my reading and from what people said, getting pregnant is really easy in the first 3 months after a miscarriage so I just looked forward to that. I ended up getting pregnant again, but this time I miscarried at 5 weeks. Not AS big of a deal as the first time but it was still difficult thinking there could be something really wrong with me, and it made me get serious about figuring out what my body was trying to tell me. My OB diagnosed me with PCOS but that's really all he told me and he wanted to put me on Clomid to help me ovulate. I didn't feel like my body was ready for another pregnancy and I wanted to get my body where I wanted it to be before I tried to get pregnant again. With the PCOS diagnosis, I started looking online and found a website that I found to be really informative and had a program for reversing PCOS. Interestingly enough I found out that PCOS stems from an underlying condition called Insulin Resistance meaning your body doesn't use carbs for energy like most people, carbs just go straight to fat and if you're eating too many carbs, you gain weight super easy and it accumulates in the mid-section causing hormonal imbalances. (This made perfect sense to me because I have been on a lot of diets and the only one that worked for me was a low carb diet.) Everything clicked and so I went on this program. Knowing that my hormones might be all out of whack and not knowing how bad it was, I sought out a reproductive endocrinologist. I found Dr. Hatch through online searches and I really liked what people were saying about her so I called and made an appointment. Luckily our insurance is so good that it covers infertility and I didn't need a referral to see her. She was AMAZING. I can't stress how much her personal interest and sensitivity impressed and comforted me, and not just her but her staff! I was really spoiled by them. Dr. Hatch did a miscarriage workup on me that included a ton of blood tests and some special ultrasounds where she saw something a little suspicious in my uterus and so she scheduled me for surgery to see what it was and take care of everything. The surgery went perfectly.

I was on my program (low carb diet, tons of herbal supplements, 75 min of exercise a day) for about 2 months and my periods totally regulated. I had three normal periods in a row (which I have never had before) and so after a total of 5 months on the program I felt like my body was where it needed to be to get pregnant so I went back in to Dr. Hatch and they started monitoring me to know exactly when I was going to ovulate. I ovulated that month and after that, they did a pregnancy test about 2 weeks later and low and behold, it was positive! Dr. Hatch gave me a hug and congratulated me. For the first 3 months I was on a high risk pregnancy regimen and Dr. Hatch and her staff continued to monitor me until my 13th week. This time I have seen the heart beat, seen the baby move and know the pregnancy is viable. It has been such a comfort to me to have that extra attention and monitoring. I know the Insulite program I was on helped me regulate my cycle so that my hormones were balanced and I was ovulating regularly, but getting pregnant was only half the battle. I really think the main reason for my miscarriages was what Dr. Hatch removed during surgery. This journey has really helped me realize how powerful a woman's intuition can be and even when my body wasn't cooperating, I was still able to listen to it and find the medical support I needed to fix it. Also, Grant was so supportive during the whole thing. When I told him I wanted to try that program to reverse PCOS, he supported me, even though it wasn't cheap. When I told him I wanted to see an infertility specialist, he supported me. When I told him I didn't want to go on Clomid, he supported me. Even though he was excited and wanted a baby, he didn't make me feel bad for waiting a little longer to find out what might be going on with my body. He never rushed me into anything or made me feel bad for anything that happened. He has been such a great companion during this and even though it's my body that needed the medical attention, he was involved and interested in the whole process coming to doctors appointments with me when he could and calling me and asking me how everything went when he couldn't be there. Now that we're pregnant (I say "we" because I inform Grant so much about what is going on with my body and what I'm feeling that I'm sure he feels it as much as I do :), we are excited but I am still nervous. Being pregnant isn't ever a sure thing for a healthy baby. There are still a lot of things that could happen. Having a history of things not going right, I can't help but be concerned and a little worried but I figure whatever happens, we'll get through it and learn a lot in the process, especially being parents. I hope we'll get through that :)

Well, there it is. I hope that for those of you out there that might be going through something similar or are suspicious of certain things right now, that this information might be helpful. I know that I wished that my doctors would've informed me better what was going on before I had traumatic experiences, but I'm so glad for what I have learned and the success I've been able to have with the research and greater knowledge about what my body needs that I have gained through these experiences. I am also so grateful for the doctors and programs that are out there that really help with something so delicate as having a child.

The Babycake

2009-07-02T09:51:00.000-07:00

(I had to make another post identical to the first post that wasn't showing the pictures for some reason, and it wouldn't let me save my comments... if you've already commented...comment again! Love you!)

Well, we went in for our 18 week ultrasound to make sure everything is checking out okay and we found out what we're having. We were watching TV last nite and saw a show where the expecting couple announced to their family what they were having by way of a cake. Blue cake inside if it was a boy, pink if it was a girl. We liked the idea and decided it would be fun to do it with the local fam. When I told my mom what we were planning on doing, she was a little upset because she wanted to know right away and now she would have to wait until we could get the family together later on that evening to find out. She said, "but I'm the grandma!" That didn't sway us. We banned everyone from the kitchen where Grant and I made the secret cake. Here Grant is frosting his little babycake oh so perfectly.

Here's Oma waiting to cut into the cake (I wanted her to use a knife to make clean edges when she cut in the cake to get a pretty picture but she decided she wanted to use the spatula instead). She is so happy we made her wait!

The mystery cake right before it revealed it's secret to everyone...
(what it gunna be???)

The babycake was blue!!! (Did I fool you with my pink font?! :) Little baby boy Lippard (pronounced LePard, sounds french but it's english, I realized that this is cause for some confusion even amongst good friends so... a little FYI) will be joining the mix and oh was daddy happy when he heard the news (and I was happy too of course).

Almost everyone guessed it was going to be a boy! How did everyone know but me!? After we cut the cake and started eating it (yes we ate it and yes it was delicious) we watched the ultrasound DVD so everyone could see for themselves the proof that it was a boy (and they spent quite a bit of time in that little area so we're all sure now). It was cool for everyone (especially for the to-be aunts and uncles) to see the baby and see him moving and the heart beating. It just made it real for everyone who hasn't seen the ultrasound yet to know there really is a baby in there! (That fact still amazes me, and I still have a really bad habit of calling him "it", we'll see how long it takes me to get used to saying "him" or "his").
Right after the ultrasound, Grant and I decided we wanted to celebrate. (I'm all about rituals and tradition and we are starting our own now which is exciting :) We went to Target to make our first purchase for the baby, a little onsie. It was hard for me to steer away from the cute baby girl clothes, but I figure my girl shopping will come soon enough and now I'm looking forward to dressing a little man :) Little boys really are darling. My mom was saying how they're so fun because they dress just like men, just smaller sizes. For girls, their attire changes as they get older and become women, but boys, it's all the same! That's going to be fun. Here's his first outfit from mom and dad.

It says Mommy Loves Me on it. It's weird to think that one day a little body will be occupying the space inside the onsie. Everything was perfect with all the measurements and testing that they have done. The baby is still measuring a week big, so he looks 19 weeks but I'm only 18 weeks along. I must be feeding him well :) Everytime I go in, I just want to see that little heart beating, and it was, at a rate of 134 beats a minute. It's such a relief and a blessing to know he's still doing his thing in there.

Filho ou Filha? Ninguem sabe.

2009-06-29T15:35:00.000-07:00

We find out on Wednesday (if our shy baby cooperates) what the baby is! Plus, I felt the baby move today (down in my right lower belly)! It was exciting. I was peacefully reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society for our book club and as much as I couldn't imagine what people were describing when they said it felt like gas, that's kinda what it felt like! And this last weekend was the first time people actually started noticing my belly. Just an update on some of the milestones I am experiencing as a pregger. Any guesses on what the baby will be?!

Maybe it's Cuz...

2009-06-17T22:39:00.000-07:00

Maybe it's cuz I'm pregnant and emotional (but not overly so, I don't think), or maybe it's because G is out of town, but reading this post on the very popular Nie blog made me cry. I was so glad that she has a good husband to take care of her during this hard time and I was so glad knowing that my G would do the same for me, with the same amount of love, if he ever had to. I miss him.

I went to the doctors today and I was able to hear the "swoosh swoosh" of the baby's heart. I haven't actually heard the heart before, I've seen it on ultrasound but never had the sound filled my ears until today. I was sad that Grant wasn't there to hear it and when I texted him I heard the heart he texted back, "I'm jealous." At least while Grant is out of town, he left me a fetus to remember him by. He is so thoughtful.

This reminds me...

2009-06-10T13:53:00.000-07:00

So, I went and purchased my first maternity pants and skirts and shirts that will accommodate me as I expand (which I've already done quite a bit of) and let me tell you, the moment I put those jeans on, I heard a heavenly choir break out in song. They were so much more comfortable than the old rubberband trick I had been using on my regular jeans. I was so grateful for maternity pants. That comfortable expandable band of spandex that looks so funny was a merciful blessing bestowed upon me by the clothing gods. Although putting them on changed my pregnant world forever, I couldn't help but think of this little video...

Is this my future?

When it rains, it pours

2009-05-29T19:54:00.000-07:00

I received a letter in the mail saying that I was accepted into Nursing School (which I've been trying to get in to for the last year!) So exciting!

I would be well on my way to Nursing School graduation starting this September if it weren't for this...

growing inside my body. I am 13 weeks pregnant (due December 1st) but the baby is measuring at 14 weeks (by the way, we know the exact date of conception because I've been so closely monitored, so the baby is just big) and the Physician Assistant said her unscientific guess was that it's a boy (which made Grant really happy but kinda surprised me because I thought it would be a girl.) Anyway, needless to say I have been feeling uncomfortable and so fat for the last few months and I'm sure it will continue. I didn't get morning sickness really, just indigestion and nausea if I don't eat every couple hours. For the most part, I can't complain because I know some people have it so much worse. I've been spoiled with ultrasounds every week for my first trimester as I was seeing my reproductive endocrinologist (I was seeing one because I was diagnosed with PCOS and had two miscarriages and her name is Dr. Hatch and she is AMAZING) but I'm proud to announce that I am no longer a high risk pregnancy (which had a thousand "don'ts" which were crazy like no exercise, no flying, no tonic water, and about 10 others.) So now, I am just a normal pregnancy which is good because now I can exercise again but bad because I don't get weekly ultrasounds. Things are perfect with the baby so far and whether it's a he or a she, it's big... Just a little frustrated about nursing school because I don't want to leave a newborn at a babysitters so I'm going to defer for a year and see where I am... Things are good though. We're excited.

I think I will write my story of getting pregnant or you could call it a "journey" in a blog post coming soon for those interested...

Highlights

2009-04-29T10:13:00.000-07:00

Grant and I have been quite busy the last few weeks. These pictures do not do our trips/happenings justice, but to be quite frank, I didn't really feel like taking pictures or getting my picture taken. I just sat back, relaxed, and enjoyed the trip more than concerned myself with capturing every moment on film (although it's always nice to have pictures to remember the trip by.) Here are just a few:

Grant and I took a Fun Ship called The Elation to Catalina and Ensenada. Grant had never been on a cruise before so we decided to take just a little cheap short cruise to introduce him. It was kinda crazy for me because I felt dizzy the whole time but Grant felt fine. We had fun just chillin. Here we are in Ensenada:

A surprise in Ensenada was seeing The Black Pearl from the movie Pirates of the Carribean. It was just sitting there in this obscure location. It was pretty funny.

We went on an excursion called A Taste of Mexico where we went to this restaurant and we made all these Mexican dishes. Tamales, Tostadas, and Guacamole. Here is the ingredients for our Guac. A little trick they told us to keep the guacamole from turning brown is to keep the pit from the avocado in the guac. Look how pretty it was!

Then Grant and I took a trip up the coast for about 5 days. We had never driven up together so it was a lot of fun. We stayed in Solvang, San Luis Obispo, Carmel-by-the-sea, and San Fran of course. I also had my birthday on our trip and we had fun enjoying all the beautiful scenery and eating at fun little restaurants. We explored a lot of little quint towns and got to know some of the variety of landscapes California has to offer. On our way to Carmel, we were on Highway 1 driving through Big Sur and there was a rain storm that was really pretty until we reached a point in the middle of the mountains where they said the road was closed due to a mud slide. We had no sleeping bags or blankets in the car and we were only like 30 minutes away from where we were going to be staying. It was getting dark and we were wondering what we were going to do! We decided to park our car on the highway and wait it out. We started reading a book to eachother called The Secret History that we both got into and it took our thoughts off of our situation until they opened up the road about 2 hours later (originally they told us it would be closed all nite!) It was a fun adventure. Here is where we were stranded:

When we got home, Grant picked up playing softball with the ward which he has been looking forward to for forever and came home with this little baby:

He pulled his hammy! He is still suffering, but went to the doctor and he said it was okay but he might need physical therapy but luckily he doesn't need surgery.

Yesterday we had our 2 year Anniversary so we celebrated by going to the temple where it all began and went out for some nice Japanese cuisine.

So much in the last month! No wonder I'm too tired to blog :)

2009-04-24T08:39:00.000-07:00

Bailey (while watching Twilight): Callie, Grant's cheating on you!

2009-03-25T15:12:00.000-07:00

About a year and a half ago, Grant and I went to Hawaii and we wanted to go Parasailing. We were visiting our friends Dave and Sjauna, who were kind enough to snap some pictures of us while we were up in the air. They were taken from far away and we were so dark I couldn't see our faces. I decided to lighten them up in Photoshop so that I could see our faces. Here is what I found:
Grant and I posing up in the air. Notice Grant has his thumbs up in the air but I was way too freaked out to let go of the ropes.

Our poses quickly turned to this:

and as we were lowering back down at the end:

as if nothing ever happened.

Finally seeing the expressions on our (my) face was like opening a present. I hope you feel the same.

Grandma Bench's Amazing Heart

2009-03-23T14:50:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I got a call from my dad (who lives in Virginia) telling me that my Grandma Bench (who lives in Utah) was scheduled for an angiogram and probably needed to have open heart surgery to bypass a blockage the doctors believed existed. My dad said that it was semi-serious and that he, Elvera (my step-mom) and Liam (my brother) were planning on flying out to Utah to be with her. I decided that I could make it work and wanted to go out and be with the family and with my grandma. We had a family fast on Sunday for my grandma and grandpa and I arrived in Utah late monday nite. My aunt kindly picked me up from the airport (at 12:30 a.m.!) and my grandma was scheduled for her angiogram early tuesday morning where they would determine where exactly the blockage was. She was scheduled for her bypass surgery on wednesday. After the angiogram the doctors miraculously didn't see a blockage and determined she didn't need bypass surgery! It was amazing. It only took Grandma a few hours to recuperate from the angiogram procedure and she was back in business. It was such a relief! We got to spend the rest of the time in Utah enjoying eachother's company. Sorry to all those in Utah I didn't get a chance to see/visit! It was a short trip for me. I lived with my grandparents in Utah for about a year a few years ago and really got to know them as an adult. That time I got to spend with them was really such a blessing in my life and they helped me through some really difficult times. I am so glad that Grandma is okay, and Grandpa too! Thanks to those of you who expressed your concerns for my little sweet grandma. We are all so glad she's okay.

2009-03-21T16:40:00.000-07:00

Why are these the best candies EVER?!?!
Do you recognize the candies that make my heart go pitter pat?

Grant starts with a capital C...

2009-03-07T09:10:00.000-08:00

...and ends with an official P.A. Yay! He's official. He got his number and on the card it reads: Congratulations. You may now engage in the practice of public accountancy, sign attest reports and use the title Certified Public Accountant and the abbreviation C.P.A. Woop Woop. We celebrated with a nice dinner but we will be celebrating a little more once busy season is over which is one more week! Then, Grant has 3 weeks off, we will take a cruise to Mexico, travel to Virginia, possibly take a drive up the California coast to San Fran, forget our worries, celebrate Grant's awesomeness (and mine too a little) and know that we are reaching our goals and Grant's busiest and hardest year (first year senior) at Deloitte is over! Grant deserves to celebrate. He has worked so hard and does such a good job. Nicely done babe! CPA looks good on you.

2009-03-03T18:16:00.000-08:00

J'dore this. I've never been much for pastels but I love love love these colors and the concept. These colors are so amazing! Did I mention the colors? I wish I had these balloons in the middle of my house like a chandelier, or hovering above my house to whisk me away to Paris. Either way, I want them.

Testing, Testing, 123

2009-02-20T10:02:00.000-08:00

My sister-in-law Danielle had a very interesting blog post about colors and how we all see colors differently, some can distinguish colors and hues better than others (studies show that some women have an advantage over men in this arena.) This is a concept we were taught also in A Devil Wears Prada as Meryl Streep's character teaches Anne Hathaway's character about the particular color her ugly sweater is, a color that was picked for her by people in that very room.

There is a test you can take called the Munsell Hue Test that gives you a score of how well you see color. Danielle is an artist so this topic is of great importance in her work, and since I know some of you are artists, (you know who you are) and some of you think you are (like me, you know who you are too :) I thought this test would be fun to take!

I have also decided to initiate a competition between my husband (with artist genes) and myself.
I surprised myself with my score and originally I thought Grant would win me, but now I'm not so sure he can! I will let you know who wins. In the meantime, let's see how you guys do!

Wha' Happened?!

2009-02-16T18:00:00.000-08:00

For some reason, I keep wanting to use this phrase in conversation but I'm afraid no one would get it. "Hey, Wha' Happened?" It comes from one of the funniest movies of all time "A Mighty Wind". Check it out this..

My Wild Side

2009-02-16T16:00:00.000-08:00

Grant got me these for Valentines too! I love this bunch of wild flowers! And as I was taking pictures, two Iris' stood out and reminded me of Grant and I. I think I came to this conclusion because it almost looks like the Callie flower is reaching over to the Grant flower (it seems like I'm always reaching for him) and if I'm a flower, Grant's a flower (that was the best line from The Notebook, " If you're a bird, I'm a bird." AH!) Enjoy. I had fun trying to capture the beauty of the bouquet with my Nikon D40. I need to find more opportunities to practice. It's so fun, especially the making-up-stories part about my subjects :)

"Come and gimme some sugar.." Here the Callie flower is going in for the kill:

This one looks like the Grant flower is giving in:

Here, they are just chillin, looking at the scenery, like buds (excuse the pun):

My Romantic Side

2009-02-16T15:47:00.000-08:00

Grant got me these on Valentines. Actually, it's funny because I don't care for roses or carnations (Grant knows this), but Grant got me these which look cuter than mini-roses and are actually mini carnations! He's got good taste. I like these because they are petite, red, playful, and a cross between being cute and elegant.

Love Notes

2009-02-16T14:10:00.000-08:00

I made this one for G:

and for some reason my heart skipped a beat when I saw this written on a little red envelope...
(isn't it strange how the simplest things can make your heart go pitter pat?)

and when I read this, my heart melted again. The best part about this is I know it's true because he proves it every day.

Valentines doesn't mean much if it's the only day of the year you show people that you love how you feel. We need to do it the rest of the year! It's so important.

I am so lucky to be Grant's Valentine!

Callisaic

2009-02-14T19:40:00.000-08:00

step 1: go to flickr.com

2: in another window open http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/mosaic.php

3: choose 4 columns, 3 rows

4: answer the following questions in the search bar of flicker. pick your favorite one on the first page and paste the address into your mosaic

1. What is your first name? Callie

2. What is your favorite food? cheese

3. What school did you go to? Golden West

4. What is your favorite color? gray with gold

5. Who is your celebrity crush? Hugh Jackman

6. Favorite drink? Postum

7. Dream vacation? New Zealand

8. Favorite dessert? wedding cake

9. What you want to be when you grow up? nurse

10. What do you love most in life? laughing

11. One word to describe you? sensitive

12. Your nickname? cal

Fiercinating

2009-02-09T09:19:00.000-08:00

Can you believe Grant took this picture of me and I really looked like this, not posing at all! It's kinda scary to think I could have this fierce of a look on my face and not even know it.
"Why is that girl mad dogging me? I don't even know her."

One Day...

2009-02-09T09:11:00.000-08:00

Anne and I took a picture together with shady doll heads in the background.

Anne received a cake in the form of a beehive hairdo.

ANNE GRADUATED HAIR SCHOOL!!!!!!!

Levi fell in love.

Bliss in a Bottle

2009-02-08T23:13:00.000-08:00

The BEST REFRESHMENT EVER! Now, I am really serious. It is the Hibiscus Vanilla Hint Water. I think hibiscus and vanilla must be the flavor combination of the gods. I'm sure Heaven tastes and smells like this water. I don't think I've ever fallen for a water before. Or with any flavor of a drink. I was IN A COMPLETE STATE OF BLISS upon first taste. I kept telling Grant how much I was in love with it after each sip, how good it was, handing it over to him to taste and enjoy with me, but then taking it back really quick so I could get another swig. After I finished the water, I kept the bottle just so I could smell it (is that weird?) I just happened to randomly choose it at Sprouts because I was thirsty and I thought I would give something new a try. After prolonging the inevitable as much as I could (the end of the water in the bottle) I read the labels on the bottle: no sugar, no preservatives, no bad stuff. Meaning, this would NOT classify as a bad snack. Oh my. It has received a lot of press for being super healthy I found out (upon researching it for this post.) I fell in love all over again. I get the HINT (ha.) I even considered going to their website and purchasing a case that costs $44, and I really think it would be worth it! Then I could have bliss at my immediate disposal without a trip to Sprouts.

Who Wore It Best

2009-02-01T22:04:00.001-08:00

Has this ever happened to you? Well, it has happened to me...twice in the last year and both times at wedding receptions! I am waiting for my friend Heather's wedding photos to have a "who wore it best" feature starring me and the other girl. Actually, I am not embarrassed by it at all. I just think it's funny and I think it's even funnier that it's been so frequent recently. We both had on different accessories and everything so the dress had a different look on both of us. Grant and I got in the car and I asked him the question, "who wore it best?" and he laughed and said, "you did" which was the right (and only) answer. We were also talking about how it's happened to me recently and he asked me where the dresses were from. I told him the first dress was from F21 and the second was from Target. Not exactly exclusive stores. What he said next was music to my ears. "We are going to have to make it so you can shop at boutiques so that this won't happen to you." He was so sensitive to every woman's worst nightmare: showing up at the party in the same dress as someone else! I don't really care about that so much as the idea of shopping at boutiques. I like this solution. Even though shopping at boutiques doesn't mean you won't show up with the same dress as someone else. Thus the "Who Wore It Best" segments in our favorite fashion magazines. Oh well. My solution is just simply go up to the other girl (whether it be a fellow wedding invitee I haven't seen before or Sienna Miller) and say, "I like your dress" and laugh the embarrassment away together. It seems to be working...

Where the Wild Things Are

2009-01-28T14:33:00.000-08:00

Let this be a lesson to us all. Some camera angles/smiles/facial expressions make human faces look like animal faces like dogs and lions (or Richard Gere, but that's another post). If you're still skeptical after seeing this picture, double click the picture for a better look. Just be aware of it before something like this happens to you.

Confessions, Complexes, and Conclusions

2009-01-27T11:58:00.000-08:00

I must confess, I have this funny little thing about me where I don't finish books that often. I get bored in the middle, or sometimes even in the first couple chapters. I am one of those kinds of people and can you believe that I actually love reading?! What is wrong with me?!

The light bulb turned on about what has been missing from my bookshelf. Peer pressure, social accountability, public judgment, a swift kick in the pants, more pressure, an opportunity to form an opinion with a time and place to share it, and friends who I know are powering-through-the-middles-of (or enjoying) the same reads.

Well, thankfully for my children whom I will be educating, I have joined a Book Club (their father Grant has been secretly praying for something, anything!) Just becoming a member of a secret elite club (okay, maybe it's not secret...or elite) alone has encouraged, no required, me to finish the books we have chosen. That means I will be finishing at least 11 books this year. That will be a record for me. Our first selection was...
And I actually finished it! This is (kinda) a big day. I mean I have finished books before, don't get me wrong, but it's less than half the books I actually start. I am so glad for this much needed motivation to finish the books because my pride won't let me be that guy who goes to the book club without reading/finishing the book AND I know that many times the best part of a book is at the end! (Which fact, when I told my dad I couldn't ever finish a book, prompted him to solemnly reply, "that's the saddest thing I've ever heard" and coming from a psychiatrist, that phrase is locked and loaded with the potential to cause one or more major complexes, and he said that seven years ago. YIKES. I didn't think it was that bad, but it probably is the saddest thing (a slight exaggeration) that I never get to the best and most rewarding parts of books. Dr. Bench, I feel your pain.)

Well, that was before! Now I have succumbed to the the tried and true method of pure peer pressure (aka The Book Club). Extra motivation people, the proverbial swift kick in the pants (thanks Book Club, I needed that). I mean, that can't be overlooked or overrated. If there is anything that you find hard to do, find a friend to do it with right?! I mean, it works, there's no arguing with that. Maybe for this purpose was the Book Club created. Maybe it was brought forth so friends could get together and talk about their personal reading, but maybe it was to manipulate people into finishing books. All I know is that it will manipulate me into having experiences I've been lacking. Experiences that will quicken my wit, multiply my understanding, ignite my imagination, hone my humanity, grow my heart, pry open my mind's eye, volumize my vocabulary and reveal my raw intelligence (my kids will never know what an imbecile their mother once was-Don't tell 'em dad...or Grant!). And last, but not least,(read this part slowly, with feeling) this Book Club experience (emotional pause) will still my father's mourning soul, wrestling the saddest truth he ever did internalize, which sadness spewed straight from the mouth of his First Pride and Joy (what a paradox).

I owe you big time Book Club!!

So, the members of my Club are all going to dinner to talk about Confessions and then see the movie! Doesn't that sound like fun?! Also, a great website where reading friends can get together is called Good Reads. I'm on there now and I'm adding my reviews, my opinions, my star ratings, and getting recommendations for future literary adventures, it's great. If you are on there, let's be friends, and if you are not on there, join up! It's good times AND you can see what I think about what I've read, which opportunity is worth signing up for, even if you don't read.

(Can you tell how joining a Book Club has opened the flood gates of my creative long-windedness and caused me to become more self-amused? Think of what it can do for you!)

One more thing...

2009-01-21T15:41:00.001-08:00

I look like Richard Gere.

Back at It

2009-01-20T12:08:00.001-08:00

I have wanted to start running again but I have found that my motivation to do so has been low. Very low. I read my friend Jen's blog and she had a difficult time running because of an injury but started a program that trained her to run 3 miles in 30 minutes and she loved it! I thought that might be a good starting point for me and maybe if the program looked good enough, I would start it. Well, it looked good and started out easy. I began it a week ago and seriously every day I felt better, stronger, faster and closer to my goal. Feeling like a runner is one of the best feelings in the world and I missed it so much. I recommend it to any one looking to get in to running or enjoying running more. If you are already a runner, you probably already know about Runners World but it is seriously great.

The Cutest Apron Ever

2009-01-20T11:21:00.000-08:00

I have been in the market for a cute apron. The ones that I have found are either WAY too expensive (for something that you are going to get dirty and stain with oil and food) or they are not cute or they don't fit well. I am so glad that I finally found the Cutest Apron Ever that is affordable, cute and fits perfectly! I discovered it yesterday at The World Market. I have gone in there before to browse the exotic food and candies (like Violet candies that Anne and I love), but I haven't paid much attention to the things they have for the home until yesterday. This cutest apron ever was only $20, it fits very well and also has napkins and pot holders to match if you want to be matchy matchy. They have other patterns too that are so cute. I had a hard time deciding which one I wanted. There is one that is red with white crowns on it that is so darling, I might go back and get it so I can have a backup :) I have also started a mini collection of cloth napkins and place mats and this is the perfect place to find cute patterns that you can mix and match and it won't break the bank! If you have one of these stores near by, go check it out for tons of cute things for the house, and if you don't have a store near by, you can buy stuff online!

Cloud 9

2009-01-13T13:09:00.000-08:00

This is a wonderful view from the plane as we were leaving John Wayne airport. I thought it might be a while since I saw the sun again so I wanted a picture to remember it by.

Quirks or Perks

2009-01-13T09:04:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I've been tagged by Leah to list 6 quirks. It was so fun reading hers, I hope mine measure up! Now, it took me a little while to think of these so I hope I thought of some good ones!

1. I eat grapefruit like oranges. I peel them and eat them in wedges... without sugar. I like the sweet/tart taste. I have almost one a day.

2. I take bites out of all desserts but can never bring myself to eat a whole serving at one time. I won't sit down to eat it either, otherwise it feels like I am eating it rather than just taking a bite, even if that bite turns into 3 or 4.

3. When I am sick or otherwise afflicted, I turn on Disney cartoons to help me to fall asleep. It works very well. It must be something with the familiar noise. I used to like when I could hear the TV that my parents were watching after I went to bed. I found it comforting.

4. I will listen to a song I like over and over and over and over again. Much to the dismay of siblings and husband who are repeatedly subjected to my musical taste. Hey, if they didn't like the song before, they'll end up liking it after the thousandth time. (Anne and Grant have both admitted to this phenomenon).

5. I rub my feet together as I'm trying to fall asleep. I have always done it. It must be something I discovered was soothing to me when I needed to fall asleep as a small child or something. I didn't know I did it until my room mate and friend Sjauna pointed it out to me when we were in college! Also, I HAVE to have a cold pillow. I will awaken in the night to switch my pillow over and I need to sleep with AT LEAST 2 pillows just in case both sides of one pillow get too warm. I also have to sleep on my side because if I sleep on my back I get nightmares.

6. I love paper!! One of my favorite gifts for Christmas was when I was 7 and my aunt gave me loose leaf stationary. I would look at it and leaf through it and I even still have some of those old sheets of paper. I could literally spend all day in the Paper Source. I love paper and keepsakes that are paper like letters and playbills and tickets. My journals are busting at the seams because of all the papers I stuff in there.

7. For good luck, I'm adding one more. I scrutinize EVERYTHING. I am such an analyzer that my friends and family will consult me about what I think and advise about relationships because I can pick apart everything. I ask a lot of questions. I once asked Anne, "Who's that?" about a guy crossing the street and she looked at me like I was the craziest person alive for asking her who a complete stranger was that neither one of us had seen before. I ask a very many question and demand a very many detail, but you have to give me a break, my dad is a psychiatrist(not to mention my step-mom is a psychologist) so I developed these attributes subconsciously. I even had a friend refer to me as Dr. Bench because I have a lot of psychiatrist-like qualities. My dad interestingly enough, thinks I would make a better lawyer.

Well, that's me in a quirky nutshell.

The Mothership Has a Birthday

2009-01-11T23:48:00.000-08:00

The Mothership or otherwise known as the Mother of the Corn (Bailey and Levi are Children of the Corn) celebrated another year of being alive. All of her children were present (except Johnny john-sad, we missed you John!). Part of my gift to her was to make one of her favorites...

Monte Cristo sandwiches for all, and to all a good night. Here's a little sneak peak...

Check out my food blog for the recipe.

The things you learn...

2009-01-09T14:22:00.001-08:00

Want to know what happens when you boil eggs and you forget they are boilling and the water evaporates and the eggs are still left on the heat?

They explode.

Don't ask me how I know that.

2009-01-09T13:02:00.000-08:00

So, the other day, I was at the Doctor and Grant came with me. We were sitting in the waiting room reading magazines. I was reading Better Homes and Gardens and Grant was reading ESPN. As I was looking through the December issue, my eyes widened, my face got closer to the pages, and I started salivating as I noticed AMAZING recipes page after page. There were like 10 that I wanted. I started thinking about all the different ways I could get my hands on them. I considered copying the recipes myself, asking the receptionist to copy them on the copy machine, ripping out the pages I wanted, and then, the last option, just taking the magazine (it was the Dec. issue and we were already in Jan!). I told Grant my dilemma. He told me to go ask the lady to copy them for me. I said no. I felt embarrassed. He became more insistent and then after my fifth head shaking, he snatched the magazine from me and headed up to the receptionist. I started nervously laughing and watched him as he politely said, "Excuse me." The receptionist came over. After a small conversation between he and the copy machine lady, the receptionist said I could just have the magazine!! And Grant, victorious as ever, smiled with accomplishment and I smiled for two reasons. First, that my husband would do that for me (ask the receptionist to copy pages out of Better Homes and Gardens) and second, that now I have the magazine in my possession and I can make those incredible dishes! Simple Thrills.

Chicago For the Holidays

2009-01-05T11:37:00.000-08:00

Our trip to Chi-town was so great and the best part was spending so much time with family but it also gave way to a plethora of visual experiences that afforded a well rounded ambiance. A few of the things we were lucky enough to take in...

Some amazing barns that were a few miles from where Grant grew up about 45 minutes west of the city. He has a lot of family in the area so as we traveled from one house to another, we got to take in the view. These shots were taken from the car window as we drove by. As pretty as it was, I was not interested in being out in that snow to take a few pictures.

Now to the City! These were some shots from Greektown. As you can see, all the snow melted and the sun came out for most of our visit! It was really nice. The blue restaurant the Pegasus is where we ate on our honeymoon. Aw, memory lane. This shot also taken from the car...

Here is another restaurant Artopolis from Greek town where we ate this visit thanks to the Zagat Chicago book (a must have for any city you will be eating in). It had very yummy Mediterranean fare with the best baklava you have EVER tasted. Greek town has such cute restaurants!

Of course, you gotta love the Illinois politics. Some very shady stuff going on right about now.

We took advantage of the free day at the Museum of Science and Industry and on the way there drove by the famous Grant Park (where Obama and many of his supporters celebrated his presidential victory) and Buckingham Fountain (that was closed unfortunately due to construction).

A highlight for me was seeing the famous Water Tower again that survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. My grandparents spent a lot of time in Chicago when they were first married as my Grandpa attended Northwestern for dental school (my dad was born there actually) and they have a painting of the Water Tower in their home. I sense a tradition starting. It is quite beautiful.

On New Years Eve, we headed up to the Hancock Observatory which did not disappoint. Here Anne and I are washing windows to earn the 20 bucks it cost to get a gander of the city from the top.

Here we are getting ready for our personal audio tour of the city from way up there which was also included in the price to go up to the top. It was really informative and took us all around the city.

The best part of being up in the Hancock Observatory was this... watching the sun set on 2008.

Here is a cool shot I got looking out onto Lake Michigan and Navy Pier, but in the background you can see the silhouettes of people on the other side of the Observatory looking out onto the horizon after the sun set. Watching the city transition from day to night was quite impressive from way up there (93rd floor) and well worth the price to go up. I always love the city skyline at night and I think Chicago has the best skyline I've ever seen. I HIGHLY recommend this observatory (better than the Sears Tower because it gives you a view from the middle of the city and not on the outskirts) if you ever find yourself in the Windy City (which coincidentally got it's nickname from it's politics and not the wind).

Too Late for Christmas Cards...

2008-12-19T23:53:00.000-08:00

So, I think it's kinda too late for me to get on the ball with the Christmas Card thing. Next year I'll have to plan way more in advance, but at least we attempted to get Christmas Cards out and here are a few of our favs from our Christmas Card Photoshoot. Hope you enjoy and also, Hope you all do what our Christmas Card would've told you to do and have a Merry Christmas and a wonderful Holiday!!

A Letter to Chi-Town

2008-12-16T10:13:00.000-08:00

Dear Chicago,

We are coming to see you. We will be there in a few days. We are so excited to visit your streets. We plan on having a lot of fun and we know you will not disappoint. We already know you are going to be really really really cold, but don't worry, we are coming prepared. Chicago, we will see you soon.

Love,
Your BFF's Grant and Callie
and first time visitors Anne and Carrie

Our Gingerbread Home

2008-12-15T16:24:00.000-08:00

As we sat down to decorate our Gingerbread Homes (yours are houses, ours are homes), Grant made the remark, "I don't think I've ever done this before..." What?! I guess his grandma made German egg noodles for Christmas (which I'll be learning how to do in a few days) instead of Gingerbread like mine, which is fine. We will have two traditions to uphold. We didn't do these last year because we were crazy all over the place moving and traveling, etc. I was happy to be there for my husband's first time decorating a roof with candies galore. I did one side, and he did the other and the whole rest of the house. He had a lot of fun methodically picking out which candies should go where and he was very OCD about the whole thing. He's quite the artist when he takes the time. Of course the art gene runs in his family as you can see here, his sister Danielle does amazing equine sculpting work.

Ward Christmas Party Photoshoot

2008-12-15T10:37:00.000-08:00

Roller Bootin' is for Birthdays

2008-12-15T10:06:00.000-08:00

What it is, what it is!
Because Lori had a Birthday...

We had Disco Fever, 70's Style to the max. And that's not all...

We felt tha funk and got down at Roller Rink.

We officially had the bunkest 70's outfits we could buy at Goodwill. Well, actually Grant owns his suit, and this is the first time I've seen him wear it. We bought his shirt at Goodwill, my (groovy) shirt, and I even found some insane platforms. We hit the 70's jackpot.

Foxy

The Dudes

Grant smooth talked me and convinced me to sit next to him, and even do a couples skate with him. That suit don't mess around.

Can you dig it?

Grant's Birthday Weekend

2008-12-10T09:20:00.000-08:00

Grant turned 29 on December 7th and because his birthday was on a Sunday, we had to celebrate all weekend. On Saturday, I planned an excursion to San Diego for us and a few guests which were Anne, Jared and Todd. We started early in the morning, so we had Krispy Kreme donuts and milk and orange juice for breakfast for everyone.

Then, we walked out to the car and this is what our guests found waiting for them...

Our activity was a surprise for Grant and we needed to get pumped up for what we'd be doing. We timed it right so that we would open our cans and be totally amped and good to go by the time we got there. We opened the cans all at once and toasted to 29!

Grant got crazy with downing two at once! He's an animal! (The funny thing is Grant doesn't drink caffeine and when he does, he feels the effects really quickly and intensely but since it was his birthday... he went all out)

We got to our destination and I was so excited for Grant to see what we'd be doing. At Sarah's Smash Shack, the concept is, you pick out what you want to break, you get all geared up, you go into a specially designed room, crank up the volume to your personal music via an iPod attachment, and throw your breakables up against the wall and get out all your aggressions. Since Grant has been having a hard time at work lately, and I had never heard of such a place, I thought it would be unique, fun and effective for getting out his frustrations and celebrating his birthday all at the same time! Anne cooperated with the signing-your-life-away rules.

Then, we got to pick our poison. What kind of thing do we want to throw up against a wall and break? We got ten plates, and two mystery boxes. Everyone got to choose 2 things they wanted to throw, and Grant got to choose 4 things. They had ugly things, pretty things, things that are hard to break, things that are easy... Decisions decisions.

We got all geared up and went at it. They have an MP3 attachment for an iPod and we got to blast whatever tunes we wanted while we went bananas. We started out with "It's Your Birthday" by 50 cent of course, while Grant started our session off by throwing his item of choice.

They have markers there that you can use to write on the pieces of breakware what it is that has been frustrating you lately. For me...

The three ninjas did a finale of going all at once. Everyone had a great time and we were all totally invigorated. We all want to go back and we all thought it was a great fun activity. It's everything you want it to be. If anyone is looking for a unique idea for a special event, check it out.

Getting dressed again, Grant decided to use my headband as an eye patch. Wear the eye patch Grant, wear the funky funky eye patch.

Here we are waiting outside the Hash House a Go Go which was recommended to me by a San Diegoan and I'm glad I took her advice. It was so good and only a couple blocks away from Sarah's Smash Shack. We ate there for lunch.

The plates were literally the biggest plates any of us had ever seen and the food was unbelievably good in unbelievably large portions. They are known for their breakfast and we can see why. Jared ordered the French Toast and we all agreed it was the best French Toast we had ever tasted. We were not disappointed. It was a perfect note to end on.

On Sunday, we had a bit of a dinner party. I cooked up Pork Tenderloin with Chimichurri sauce (Tyler Florence recipe which is a croud pleaser), Cauliflower that tastes like mashed potatoes (I don't think any of our guests knew it was cauliflower, I'm pretty sure they thought it was potatoes and there were no leftovers), brussel sprouts with chestnuts and shallot butter, salad with red onion dressing and rolls. And Grant requested a giant cookie for his cake so we made it into the shape of a heart. We served it with Cookies and Cream ice cream, Pizookie style (the key is slightly undercooking the cookie and we put cream cheese frosting on top-surprising yummy).

After that, we relaxed and opened a couple of presents. Here is a scene. The brothers are having a laugh with Jared's friend Trisha.

I'm not sure if this game was Chris' or Bailey's idea?

Some people got all riled up. Typical. Happy Birthday Grant and thanks to David, Chris, Bailey, Levi, Anne, Carrie, Jared, Trisha, Todd and Sona who came to celebrate with us. It was a great way to bring on 29. His last year of the twenties!

The Hexberg Holiday Heyday

2008-12-10T08:56:00.001-08:00

Lori asked me a few days ago if I would exercise my sweet skills on their behalf and do a Holiday Photo Shoot for Christmas Cards. I of course said yes! Anne came with me and we met at a tree lot and had so much fun. I edited a few really cute ones and here are a few they are not going to choose (so I don't blow the surprise, you are going to have to wait to get their card to see the one they chose which is not one of these). I thought they turned out super cute and it was a lot of fun.

Where's the Birthday Boy?

2008-12-08T10:01:00.001-08:00

Head in Hand of course. More to come on our excursion. We went a little Craazzyy!

You Know It's Thanksgiving When...

2008-11-29T17:03:00.000-08:00

You see your husband passed out on your grandmother's couch, not caring about the girly blanket draped over his face so he can get a peaceful nap. Ah yes, this is Thanksgiving.

2008-11-29T10:51:00.001-08:00

Check it out my food blog Fresh Cracked Pepper with one of my bff's Steph. We are bringing out the big guns.

Between the LInes

2008-11-28T11:04:00.000-08:00

Mom: (yelling through the house) Who wants to help??

Me: (yelling back) Grant! (Grant is sitting in the room I'm in and looks at me with a smile)

Grant: (yelling) I'm being Volun-told ya'll! (and walks out of the room to see what my mom needs)

voluntold: Being told to do something (probably by your wife) for someone else that needs assistance.

BWOOP Future Heartbreaker Alert BWOOP

2008-11-24T13:44:00.000-08:00

Grant, being the good brother-in-law that he is, taught Levi how to throw a spiral and gave him some tips for passing (he was QB in highschool). Next thing we knew, Levi made it as the first string QB on his 7th grade team! Nice. Here is Levi being down with his bad self giving one of his friends a high five after they won their first game. As I said before, FUTURE HEARTBREAKER ALERT!! Ladies between the ages of 9 and 14, watch out.

Grand Continuation

2008-11-24T11:53:00.001-08:00

So here is our first impression of the Grand Canyon as we approached the South Rim. Pretty typical I guess of a National Park. We're excited. What's behind the A frames?? Show us!!

Once we paid to get in ($25 for 7 days, but we weren't there that long. It was the only choice), they HOOKED US UP with tons of Grand Canyon, uh, stuff. Really helpful were the brochures. There were also park rangers (yes, I just said rangers) willing to help with any questions or suggestions we needed assistance with. We made good use of those rangers.

Here is a picture of Grant from 1950.

They had a complimentary shuttle that would take people to different stops along the ridge. It was really helpful and allows you to see as much or as little of the canyon as you want. We got out and explored a little. We also held on for dear life on the shuttle. There were a lot of peops in there, we had to stand for part of the time.

Here's a picture of the couple in front of the breathtaking views after we watched the sunset. The glow of the set sun cast a beautiful purplish glow onto everything, including us. Amazing.

After the sun set though, it became very freezing and we booked it back to our car. Whew, it changed in a hurry.

One of my experiments...

Here's the rock where we (along with an intimate group) watched the sun set. It jet out into the middle of the ridge. We had a perfect view of the sun going down down down. Probably the best part of our visit.

Half way gone.

What, the sun's going down? Time to kiss the day goodbye.

This photo isn't retouched. Gorgeous.

Rockin the Grand Canyon

Hi babe.

I see you.

We had such a fun relaxed time for our first visit to the Grand Canyon. Who knows, maybe in a fews years we'll be seeing it again with a couple kids through the windows of an RV! After we left the park, we went to the IMAX Grand Canyon movie that was really entertaining and a good end to our day. After that, we were on to Sedona for another day trip. More on that later...

2008-11-24T10:40:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my Sirius XM radio, the radio never gets dull or repetitive. It also satisfies one of my greatest joys in life, hearing new music that I like. One of my recent discoveries has been TV on the Radio. Check out the dark, sensual song Dlz. Oooh. It will groove you.

Full Throttle... well okay, maybe Half

2008-11-24T10:10:00.001-08:00

Sundays usually result in a Hole in the Wall. It's a good thing I made two because Grant needed his strength for this...

VROOM VROOM

I love my rebel.

The Grand Canyon is for Lovers

2008-11-18T19:08:00.001-08:00

To be continued...

Tiggity Tagged

2008-11-17T13:32:00.000-08:00

I have been tagged! Wow, this is a first. (Sorry this has taken me so long Ash). So, I was challenged to write 6 random facts about me and then tag 6 people. Hmm. Let's see if I can do it...

#1. I lived in the Carribean (Dominican Republic and St. Lucia) when I was 2 years old with my family while my dad went to medical school (he's a psychiatrist) so if anyone needs to know how to do the merengue , you now know who to call. I also lived in Syracuse, New York for my first grade year and had a teacher named Ms. Cali. After that, my sister Anne and I would go back to Syracuse to visit my dad for the summer. I loved it back there and am still very partial to the East Coast.

#2. I have never broken a bone or had braces. I am not surprised about not breaking any bones because I am soo cautious about EVERYTHING! It's annoying to me sometimes, but it's kept me safe...

#3. I moved from Utah back to California to date my now husband, Grant. I had fallen for him during a visit to California and I was still living in Utah. I had a few weeks left of the semester and when it was over, I drove myself back to California hoping that things between us would work out. He kissed me the first nite I moved back. :) I got what I wanted... which actually was a good precursor to him still giving me what I want. He was worth the 1 and a half tanks of gas I used up to move back. My roomate at the time, Steph, can tell you I flew out of Utah like a crazy woman in love!

#4. I have saved my sister Anne's life about 5 times. (Back to the cautious thing... Anne isn't so cautious. I've had to keep my eye on her). There was an incident when she was eating mushrooms in the yard and I was told they were poisionous (Anne was told that too, but obviously didn't take it to heart like I did). One day, she decided to let me in on her little secret. She said, "Callie, I have something I want to show you." We went outside to the tree in the front yard, she put her finger over her mouth and whispered, "Shh, don't tell", then she bent down, picked a mushroom out of the grass and popped it into her mouth. I became hysterical and ran inside and told my mom what Anne had been doing. It was a huge ordeal as Poison Control was called and Ipecac was forced down Anne's throat. Anne was very upset having to drink the Ipecac and when she refused to drink it, I remember my mom saying with a panicked voice, "Would you rather die?!" and Anne defiantly replied, "YES!". I was traumatized because I believed Anne might die for not drinking it. Come to find out later, Anne had been eating the mushrooms for months and knew they weren't going to kill her. It's funny because Anne still feels the need to confess to me, knowing it could get her in trouble. She's a good girl now though. She hasn't had to confess anything to me for a while. :)

#5. When I lived in Utah, I would run 8 miles up the canyon and 8 miles back (16 miles total for those who don't do math). I really loved running out there. I ran the 10k Rex Lee Run in the name of my late grandma Joanne who died of cancer a couple months after I ran the race. I wish I felt inspired to get outdoors here but I haven't felt the pull. In Utah, I thrived on it.

#6. I only do my hair like once a week. Grant actually likes it wavy and it makes it so much easier for me. Just scrunch and go!

2008-11-06T15:18:00.000-08:00

Don John Juanito (that's his full name, but not many people know that) was in town for a couple weeks from The Army. With this as the sitchiation, we had to do something unprecedented. John treated his eldest sister to a nite on the town in a sushi cooking class. We had such fun and impressed ourselves quite a bit with our sushi instincts. We made handrolls, nigiri, cut rolls, and yeah. We made the rice, we cut our own pieces of fish and mixed our own spicy tuna and with our crazy knife skills, we chop chop chopped our way to sushi heaven. Hey, we had a great time... so sushi me!

This is how I roll.

Here goes nothin. (Our first bites of our own sushi. This can be a scary thing.)

My Dear Nigiri. (Focus on the top one and just kind of skim past the other two weird looking ones.)

John's mastering the ancient ritualistic sushi art. Such precision. Except for when he cut his finger... just kidding.

Wasabi John

John's wasabi.

I had so much fun John!! Thanks a wasabillion.

A little late, but Nevertheless

2008-11-06T11:00:00.000-08:00

2008-11-06T09:01:00.000-08:00

Very cool.

2008-11-05T13:25:00.000-08:00

Could it be?