Watch Out...Pregnant Woman!

So I thought I better post a little about this baby that will be showing up towards the end of March. I haven't said much, actually I haven't said anything, but I thought I better document something about this little girl before she actually shows up.

I have to admit...this has been a more difficult pregnancy than Bridger. It was smooth sailing with Bridger...all I needed was some cereal with cold milk and I was happy! But not so much with this one. I haven't been puking my guts out but I just didn't feel good until I hit about 22 weeks. There were some days I just wished I could have puked...and then I would have been great!! I've also been extremely tired...therefore my blogging time has turned into a regular nap time for me...thank you B for still taking naps! And right now I am feeling very big, even though I have 3 more months to get even BIGGER!!! So, all in all, I'm just another pregnant woman out there trying to find something that sounds good to eat while I am really feeling completely sick, wearing terrible maternity clothes (pull up pants...pull down shirt), and chasing around a 2 year old.

But really, we are SO excited to be having a baby!! When this is all over and I am up every few hours nursing a wee little babe, it will all be worth it! I can't wait to meet her and see what she looks like. It will be incredible to hold her little hand and kiss her little cheeks. I can't wait to swaddle her in the softest blankets around and give her all the love ever. It will be so fun to have a girl around to dress in cute clothes, play dolls with, and have some mommy/daughter bonding. Really, we are SO excited!!

Here's a shot of me prego...taken a week or so ago. So, please don't laugh too hard!!

Thanks

goes out to Rusty today! Rusty has been a sport lately doing lots of jobs around the house for me so I can get my life organized. He's made shelves, put up door stoppers, installed storm doors, etc, etc, etc. I feel like this whole "nesting" thing is coming much earlier than it did with Bridger, but since it's here I better take advantage of the desire to get it together.

Here's a shot of the finish product in our wash room...I even took a before and after shot so you could see how beautiful my new washer and dryer look compared to the oldies. Anyway...thanks big guy for getting so much done for me when there's fish out there waiting to get caught!!

Can I just say, I love doing laundry now!!

Holiday Cheer

So the holidays are here! There are lots of great things going on this time of year and we've had lots of fun celebrating Christmas so far this month. This week I decided to do a little Cookie Exchange with a few girls from the ward. It was fun to get together, have dinner, and chat without any kiddos. We had a great time, shared lots of good food, and found some great new recipes. I thought I'd share my favorite just in case you wanted to try something new this holiday season! Thanks Heather for introducing these yummy little treats to me...I will definitely be making them again!

Glazed Cranberry Mini-Cakes

1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

2 Tablespoons milk

1 egg

1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped fresh cranberries

1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 1 2/3 cup Hershey's Premier White Chips, divided

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease small muffin cups (1 3/4 inches in diameter) or line with paper bake cups.

2. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla in large bowl until fluffy. Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; gradually blend into butter mixture. Add milk; stir until blended. Stir in cranberries, walnuts and 2/3 cup white chips (reserve remaining chips for glaze). Fill muffin cups 7/8 full with batter.

3. Bake 15 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to wire rack. Cool completely. Prepare White Glaze; drizzle over tops of mini-cakes. Refrigerate 10 minutes to set glaze.

White Glaze: Place remaining 1 cup Hershey's Premier White Chips in small microwave-safe bowl; sprinkle 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over chips. Microwave at HIGH (100% power) 30 seconds; stir. If necessary, microwave at HIGH an additional 30 seconds or just until chips are melted when stirred.

Making A Choice

I am a huge fan of Halloween! I've always loved it...I mean who doesn't enjoy dressing up for a night of fun?! Ok, Rusty doesn't, but I LOVE it!! So I'm trying to pass this love of Halloween down to Bridger boy and one of the ways I am doing this is helping him choose a great costume. Earlier this year he was obsessed with The Incredibles. I really wanted him to be Dash for Halloween, but his love of The Incredibles has faded away. So, why make the kid dress up in something he doesn't care about anymore, right? This month his obsessions have been Sesame Street, Ratatouille, and Thomas the Train. Bridger's sensory overloads helped me easily cross off any Sesame Street character...too much fur and he would have a melt down! My mother-in-law bought a James costume for him at a garage sale, and I thought that would be the ticket. Unfortunately, it was too much for him also. So, in honor of Ratatouille and chef Linguini, Bridger is a little chef for Halloween this year. I have to give a shout out to my mom who made the chef apron by combining 2 different patterns (heck I can barely follow one!!). And the hat just makes the costume...hopefully he'll wear it again tonight! I just love seeing my little man enjoy my favorite holiday.

I hope you guys all have a great Halloween, enjoy the madness for one night!!

Yes, It's Me

Ok, here I am. After hiding out for more than a month, I guess I better start blogging again. Even Rusty is asking me if I've made a post, so it must be time.

October is one of my favorite months...the weather is usually perfect, the leaves change colors, I get to decorate with lots of orange (my favorite), I celebrate my birthday, and of course top off the month with Halloween!! With Rusty in my life, October has turned into much more than that...it's hunting season too. Along with hunting season and Rusty being out on the mountain a lot, it means I get to travel and spend a good week or so with my family. This is so nice, especially now that I don't get down there all that often. So this month has been filled with nice weather, me turning the BIG 30, visiting my family and friends in UT, adding a new nephew, baby Cage, to the Kaiser family, and now today is Halloween! October is a great month isn't it!!

So you are probably wanting some kind of monumental news, since it's been so long since my last post. Well, I got my hair cut while I was is UT...I chopped it off...and I am really enjoying short hair. Is that not enough? Well, how about that I'm pregnant and having a BABY GIRL at the end of March!!! Yeah! Now that's news for you...was it worth the wait?

Lately

I've been spending my time doing other things than sitting in front of the computer. It's been nice...refreshing to really enjoy some other things in life than checking email, returning email, blogging, trying to find good deals, etc. So, here's what September has been for me.

Canning salsa and pickling jalapenos and cucumbers.

Thank you Jer and Janell for sharing your bountiful Colorado harvest.

Reading.

Making loaves and loaves and loaves of zucchini bread.

Most of which are now almost gone thanks to the big man, RK.

Grouse hunting with my boys.

Going to the Temple.

More canning...this time tomato juice.

Reading some more.
Great book, especially if you want to know more about WYO and Pinedale in particular.

Spending time with the YW in our ward.

Taking care of Bridger while he had the flu.

Recovering from the flu...yuck!

Now, I'm just cleaning up from this month adventures and catching up since the ol' bug finally left. Hope you all had a good month!

Number 5

Last weekend we took a road trip to Kemmerer/Logan/Randolph to celebrate Rusty's youngest brother getting married. It was a beautiful day at the Logan temple and Andrew and Stephanie couldn't have been happier! Congrats to the new couple!

This was the last of Paul and Laurie's five children to get married. I'm sure it was a bitter sweet day for them...their baby was getting married and leaving but it was the 5th temple sealing they've attended for their children. Pretty amazing to have all 5 kids make it to the temple. Maybe one day I can grow up and be as amazing as they are!!