I have plans

I may have said this before.. but I can't remember so, I am going to say it again.

Sometimes I am disappointed that other people don't update their blogs more, then I realize that I kind of suck @ it too. My problem is that I want to post pictures, because that's all anyone looks at anyway, but then I have to take them, upload them, and.. you know, exert effort?

Here are some pictures from the zoo! We invested in a year pass, and are LOVING it!
I love the video on Chelsea's blog of us trying to take this picture.
I wish Chandler wasn't making such a goober face in this picture, because it's a good one of the other two! PS: If you tell Chandler he's a goober, he says, "Noooo, I'm Chandler!"

The Saturday before Mother's day we went on a hike with Brandon's Mom. It was pretty fabulous, and i was pretty proud of myself for my falling on my face because it was a pretty good uphill battle.. The views were pretty spectacular.

I have plans to update soon on baby crafting, and (ugh) a belly photo. People keep asking for them. I just need to exert some effort on those ends!

Have a lovely day, it's almost June!

Thanks for the hips, Mom.

If you've known me for more than 10 minutes, you know that I adore my mom. I don't remember ever disliking her (you know like most teenagers do). However, she might be able to tell you otherwise. I remember @ 16 listening to a friend vent about how horrible her mother was, and thinking how grateful I was that I liked mine so much.

I thought about writing about all the wonderful things my mother taught/instilled in me. You know, love, kindness, confidence...etc. And she did, and it's wonderful, and I love her for all those things, but I thought maybe this would be more interesting. These are things that I inherited from my mom....

A love for houses. I can remember crawling in windows of vacant homes to look around. We would spend Saturdays touring model homes. Sometimes we would take the long way home just to look at a few houses. These are still some of our favorite activities when I am home.

I am told that I talk and sound just like my mom. Which really in flattering, because sometimes she uses words that I don't understand. From about 12 on I would answer the phone and get the response, "Hi, Kristine...", so I guess it must be somewhat true.

My butt. But seriously, these thighs and butt of mine used to really bother me. However, in my old age, I have come to appreciate my shape. My mom said once, "You'll just marry someone who likes big butts. Some guys don't and some guys do," to which my dad said, "It's true." And have you ever heard a song about a small bottomed girl? They just don't write them.

An intense, deep passion for brownies. I'm not really sure if there's anything to say about this.. I, like my mom, am very fond of brownies... with ice cream. It IS my favorite food.

My sidewalk is wet..

I have been meaning to post.. It's been a while. I wish I could say we have been crazy amounts of busy, but not so much. I just haven't had anything to say!

We're just kind of putting along leaving boring strait lines behind us. Everyday the same thing, every week the same routine. Every evening the same dead ended conversation about future moving plans. We throw in a couple play dates and zoo visits as we go.

In April... Brandon started quarter #7 out of 12, then turned 28, Joanne's had a sale on their flannel, we planted our garden, primary hosted a baptism, my grass started growing, Chandler ate a quarter, I continued my search for a double jogging stroller, and it rained 25 days, braking some kind of record. I pray it doesn't rain 25 days in May, I think I might die along with our sad cucumber plants.

Now it's May.. can you believe it?

Summer is looming and the anticipation is exciting for me. It's really so close. June is just a few short weeks away. Babies seem to be the crop of choice in our ward this spring/summer.. The ward welcomed a new one last month and will welcome others at the very end of this month/beginning of next, August, September, October and November. Someone really messed up by forgetting to have a July baby. ;-)

Our point and shoot camera is very temperamental lately, and I can't find the battery charger for my Cannon. Perhaps life would seem more exciting if I could document it.

I hope it's sunny in your parts of the world. Take your shoes off and walk on the warm side walk for me?

Nesting

....I think.. already?! I am resisting all temptations to get the crib out and start making bedding. I am afraid I will have nothing to do for the next 4 months. (HOLY CRAP! ONLY 4 MONTHS!)

I tried everything in my power to convince Brandon that we needed a new infant car seat. You can imagine how that went, lol! Instead I recovered Chandler's very cheap one.

BEFORE: crappy, old faded, eaten a little by rats (NASTY!) car seat
AFTER: same car seat, new life

*Warning: looking @ pictures too closely may cause severe damage to your opinions of my sewing skills

In other news, Brandon has this many black socks with out pairs; making Sundays difficult. Dear dryer, we would like our sanity back.
Also Chandler and I are very good looking, and our bedroom is a disaster zone.

Baby Barnette

We are sooo excited to introduce Baby BOY Barnette....
It was intensely obvious, we are going to have another boy.

The 3D ultrasound was kind of amazing....
We are VERY excited to have another boy. I am VERY excited to be 1/2 way done!

Barefoot and... barbecues

I am an advocate for autumn. However, every spring I encounter a little crisis in which I wonder, if in-fact, my favorite season is spring. Of course this has only been an issue since I moved away from Orange County, where it is always spring. Perhaps, to me, spring feels like home.

We have tiny little green buds growing on the tree outside our bedroom window. The tree, which is a constant reminder of what season it is, and the one I tell myself I should take pictures of to chronicle it's changing. Chandler goes outside everyday and plays in the yard underneath the tree, and we barbecued last week underneath the tree.

Barbecuing smells like spring. And I love potato salad.

In the spring people stop asking me if my feet are cold in my sandals, and old people stop telling my that my sons needs to wear shoes (not sandals) "in this kind of weather". This reminds me that soon, we will no longer need to wear our shoes in the back yard; and the 6 year old inside of rejoices. Do you love it when your feet become black, your husband refuses to touch them, and your two year old says, "mommy, yucky feet"? maybe it's just me

I planted daffodils in the front yard. If your drive down the residential road that leads to WSCC there are houses filled with old lady gardeners who all decided together to plant daffodils. At least that's how I imagine it. They inspired me, and I am hoping to join their old lady daffodil club, if I can keep the flowers alive.

I waited a long time for spring this year.. the last half of winter was cold and wet, and I seemed to smell of vomit for days on end.

Spring, this year, brings health (most of the time), and excitement for a new life. A new life more important that the onions that we grew last year. Ironically, last spring Julie and I focused our efforts on growing new life in our garden; this spring we're both growing a different kind of new life. Her's coming much sooner than mine.

I look forward to a life time of new life, bare feet, and barbecues in the backyard. I hope my children understand the joys of the first green buds on the tree, and the first smell of hot coals.

Maybe some day I will start my own old lady daffodil club.

I guess it's time

For the freaky floating baby thing, and a poll. What do you think, boy or girl? (vote on the right)