Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving dear friends and family! We have so many blessings to be thankful for. We are thankful for faith, family, and a great place to live. We are so thankful to have our daughter, Hallie, and another daughter on the way. We are so happy to have each other. We are both blessed to have fantastic jobs that are low-stress. They pay the bills and allow us to have exorbitant amounts of time together. We are so lucky.

Hallie's new trick-- climbing in her toy basket

Halfway through the pregnancy

Talking to Grandpa Wynn on the internet camera phone.

The boys enjoy a video game.

Our Thanksgiving meal was small, but delicious. Here was our menu this year:

Appetizer: Cheese ball (pumpkin-shaped) and crackers

Drink: Cranberry Spritzer

Main: Sage-Butter Roasted Turkey with Carrots and Onions

Sides: Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Cornbread Stuffing, Cranberry Sauce, Corn, Broccoli and Cauliflower with cheese sauce (like Grandma Skaggs makes it), Herb Dinner Rolls and a Cornucopia made of bread.

Dessert: Fluffy Pumpkin Cheese Pie

Chris' Birthday

We had a great day together for Chris' birthday. Chris' mom and brother, Mike, came over and we feasted ourselves to plenty of Papa John's pizza and breadsticks (courtesy of Judy). Then, Chris opened gifts and the family played the new board game Mike got Chris called Would You Rather? To end the night, Chris blew out the candles on his favorite chocolate chip cookies (my recipe-- wouldn't you know?). We also listened to Tim McGraw's song "My Next Thirty Years" (lyrics listed below):

I think I’ll take a moment, celebrate my age

The ending of an era and the turning of a page

Now it’s time to focus in on where I go from here

Lord have mercy on my next thirty years

Hey my next thirty years

I’m gonna have some fun

Try to forget about all the crazy things I’ve done

Maybe now I’ve conquered all my adolescent fears

And I’ll do it better in my next thirty years

My next thirty years I’m gonna settle all the scores

Cry a little less, laugh a little more

Find a world of happiness without the hate and fear

Figure out just what I’m doing here

In my next thirty years

Oh my next thirty years,

I’m gonna watch my weight

Eat a few more salads and not stay up so late

Drink a little lemonade and not so many (root) beers

Maybe I’ll remember my next thirty years

My next thirty years will be the best years of my life

Raise a little family and hang out with my wife

Spend precious moments with the ones that I hold dear

Make up for lost time here
In my next thirty years

In my next thirty years

The BIG 3-0!

Thirty years ago today, my sweet husband Chris was born. And thirty years later, I couldn't be prouder to be his wife.
Those who know Chris can attest to his thorough goodness. He shows kindness through his eyes. He has a bright countenance that radiates warmth. In many ways he is wise beyond his years. Yet, he is always the happy boy of his childhood days. Chris is a dynamic teacher, a doting husband/servant, a loving father, and a friend to all. Those who grew up with him love him, those who met him after we married love him, those who have been in the workplace with him love him. To meet Chris is to love him.

I can't tell you how moved I am that such a selfless, happy soul would choose me as his partner to journey through life and beyond with. He is good to his core but remains modest and humble. It is amazing to see how his simple soul touches others. People from his past that haven't seen him for years will upon meeting me speak about him with such a reverence and respect that it is stirring.

Happy birthday my handsome, wonderful husband. Hallie and I love you so much!

Christmas blog-style

No, we haven't reached Chris' birthday or Thanksgiving yet. But, quite frankly our house is already decorated so the blog needed some Christmas cheer as well. Besides, you'll only get to see this Christmas blog version for a little over a month. So . . . enjoy! And Happy Thanksgiving (and Christmas too)!

Christmas Planner

My friend Abby made a cute Christmas planner and posted it on her blog. For a week or so I just admired it. But then I just decided to make one myself! Am I not a HUGE listmaker? Why not have all my lists in one cute place? I just used old scraps (seriously this paper is from '98) and stuff around the house. Within an hour I had this cute little planner that I hope to reuse for several years. I have already filled out the lists and they are fantastic! I am just amazed at how fulfilled I felt working with my hands to create something beautiful. My husband told me that I am always that happy when I make things. I definitely need to do it more often because even though this is admittedly basic-- it just makes me giddy! So, if you need a little cheer . . . make something-- cookies, a card, a scrapbook page. Anything! And if you feel like a Christmas planner, use this website Abby passed along for inspiration: http://christmasplanner.com/tour-christmas-planner/pocket-planners. Thanks Abby. I miss scrapping with you. :)

Funny things

Some of the funny words Hallie has been trying out lately . . .

Probably

Mom: "Where is your bedroom?"

Hallie: "Um . . . probwy in my room!"

Almost

Hallie: "Oh, that almost fell down!" (after she chucked her dolls onto the linoleum)

Remember

Hallie: "Mom, you member Target? And the vacuums and pianos?"

Yesterday, Hallie crumpled a pink blanket into a little pile that she cradled in her arms and continually called "baby sit-ter" (sister). She would kiss "her" and hug "her." Several minutes later I saw her shake her finger at the pile and say "No, no! Baby sit-ter!" And so it begins.

Here is Hallie chatting on the phone to my parents . . .

UPDATE: Today I taught Hallie it is polite to say "No, thank you" when she doesn't want something to eat. So, hours later when she was trying to play on my work phone I told her to put my phone down and come over to me. "No, thank you," she sweetly replied.

Look what we woke up to . . .

Beautiful frosted trees! It isn't that cold out but we had a decent fog layer last night that caused all the trees to ice over. Isn't is beautiful?

And look who came running out after me while I was taking pictures outside. Isn't she a cutie?

It's a . . .

Thanks friends! We are both so touched by your excitement. It is sweet to know other people are as happy about this as we are. We are so thrilled to announce that we are having a . . .

GIRL!!!

We are both exhilirated. I am just so excited that I already have all that girl stuff. Hallie had so many cute clothes that she only wore two times! Plus, I am thrilled that Hallie will have a sister. Neither Chris or I had the privilege of a sister. I have to say I never imagined that I would be the mother of two daughters . . . but I am so excited that I will be.

Our daughter wasn't cooperating with the ultrasound technician. Much like her big sister, she just wanted to sleep and show us her spine. I wasn't expecting the tech to call out "It's another girl!" in the middle of the ultrasound. When she did I gasped and immediately started crying. We are so, so, so happy.

Here were the results from our survey:

What will the gender of our baby be?

Bouncing Baby Boy
25 (51%)

Glorious Giggling Girl
24 (48%)

Was your guess correct?

Now we need to pull out the naming books. Any suggestions on girl names?

The Big Day!

Tomorrow is one of the three biggest days in pregnancy (at least to me)! I count the three hallmark days as: 3.) finding out you are pregnant 2.) finding out the gender, and 1.) delivering the baby.

Tomorrow we find out if we are having a boy or a girl! We are so excited. Chris is taking the day off. We are going to have breakfast as a family and then drop Hallie off at a friend's house so we can go to my doctor's appointment. Let's hope this baby cooperates and is facing the correct way! I cannot wait to find out. Chris and I have no inklings either way and honestly feel equally excited with either outcome.

Expect to hear the results here soon!

Air Force v. BYU

Our awesome friends Emily and Josh Eliason hooked us up last minute with awesome tickets to the Air Force/BYU football game yesterday afternoon. It was an incredibly generous surprise. We tailgated with Del Taco and then enjoyed a great game! I grew up in a household of Cougar fans, and after graduating from BYU-Idaho feel a particular association with the Cougars. Chris, a Colorado Springs native of sorts, who was raised in an Air Force community likes BYU but loves the Air Force. Hallie, of course, sided with the Cougars because she copies everything her mom says. So she was great at chanting "B-Y-U!" and "Go Cougars!" She caught on quick and then started yelling things other people did like "Defense! Defense!" Thankfully we were with Cougar fans so all the language was clean. (Otherwise that could have been dangerous!) Hallie was also really into the cheerleaders and would put her arms up into matching positions. The game started great with an exhilarating BYU touchdown. But by halftime I was a little anxious because Air Force led 14-10. However, the Cougars dominated second half and worked the Falcons 38-14. I have to say though-- I have never been so neutral going to a game before. I genuinely liked both teams and their fans. Ultimately, I was stoked that BYU won.

Thank you Em and Josh for giving Hal her first college football experience. We are happy to have checked another item off our "to-do in Colorado" list. And we had so much fun!

The remarkable Hallie Laine

There are so many developments in little Hallie's life. We love her ability to communicate. Here are some of my favorite things she has said recently . . .

At church the Sunday before last, towards the end of sacrament meeting, Hallie ran as fast as she could out of the pew. I was able to catch her arm just as she was leaving. I whispered "Where are you going?" and she plainly responded "I just wanna run around!" Since then, she has used that answer many times. "I just wanna run around on the bed!" "I just wanna run around downstairs!" "I just wanna run around in the backyard!"

Last night, Hallie woke up crying. Chris went in to hold her and as he consoled her she told him "It's okay Daddy. Vacuum's all gone now, Daddy." Later as I was holding her she told me "Hallie happy. . . Hallie was scared." It is nice that she can tell us what is going on. Otherwise I would wonder if she was sick or teething.

When Hallie wakes up each morning she loves to yell excitedly from her bed. Yesterday she said "I want a balloon! I want a balloon . . . and lipstick!!" If she hears Chris in the bathroom she will yell to him "You take a shower Daddy? You brush a teeth? With toothpaste?" When I come in to get her she has a very strict ritual. I can't pick her up right away (I still keep her in a crib). We have to chit-chat for awhile. Normally our conversation is about things in her bedroom, or how she slept, or the fact that Daddy is at work. Then she wants me to tickle her. Then she wants to jump around like a crazy monkey. Then I can pick her up.

Yesterday, she pulled about six wipes out of the container and carried them around in a handful. Then she insisted that her "wipes take a nap." With no time to argue before I started work, I put her down with her wipes. About ten minutes later I was downstairs when I heard a heartbroken cry from Hallie's room upstairs. When I went into her room, she was weeping and told me "Wipes fall down!" I looked and sure enough six wipes were scattered on the floor next to her crib. Then she told me "I slept good, Mommy!" as if I would believe that she had an amazing ten-minute power nap. I told her it was still time to take a nap. But since I had replenished her handful of wipes she was okay with going down again. When Chris picked her up after her nap she came out with her puffy sleep face, bed hair, and a handful of wipes.

As most toddlers do, she has funny quirks. Her big quirk continues to be her affinity for vacuums and pianos. She loves to go to Target a.k.a "the vacuum and piano store." If she is coloring she insists that I draw her pianos and keyboards (I have gotten quite good at it). The other day she insisted that Chris show her pictures of pianos and vacuums so he spent several minutes showing her various google images of both. Please note that although Hallie loves to look and talk to vacuums in the "off" mode she is still quite frightened of them when turned on.

These are just some of the cute things our funny little friend is doing. She is quite adept at saying her prayers and blesses everything in sight. She can also sing the entire Winnie the Pooh song, count to twenty (skipping a few numbers here and there), sing her ABCs (remixing it with "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" on occasion), and can identify the colors red, orange, blue, and green consistently. She also talks about the "baby in Mommy's tummy."

We love her!

Laughter

Dear Hallie,
I love your laughter and want to always encourage it. I want you to enjoy all the unadulterated joys that come with childhood. I will teach you to love life, people, animals, your creator, and all good things. I love your laughter. Keep doing it-- it's the most beautiful music.
Love,
Mommy

We don't know what really got her going, Chris was just mirroring her.

We voted!

I have to admit that recently I have been so ready for this election to be over. I couldn't wait for the barrage of signs and overabundant commercials to be done with. But, now that election night is upon us I am once again excited and interested. No matter the outcome, I am so grateful for the right to vote. Chris and I participated via absentee about two weeks ago and we are so glad we did. We love voting! (I just wish I got an "I Voted" sticker-- those are the best). God bless America!

To show my excitement, here is a photo of Hallie in her patriotic Independence Day outfit of '07.

Vacation Heaven!

Chris and I are back from a long-awaited vacation. It was heaven. We had four days to laugh, explore a great city, eat delicious food, and be so grateful that we found each other and that we love each other so much. We really are best friends and are so blessed to have a beautiful marriage. Chris and I were talking and we expressed that when we got married seven years ago we hoped we would still be as happy as we are now years later. But, after witnessing the degradation of relationships and marriages around us we feel so thankful that we still have each other and that we have such a strong foundation. We are just plain happy. This vacation helped solidify that even more. It was our first vacation since having a child where we didn't have a child with us (due to the gracious gift of Chris' lovely mom who watched Hallie). It was also our first vacation where we took a plane ride together in six years.

And now ladies and genteleman, I present our Boston trip . . .
We stayed in Winthrop, an adorable beach town outside of the city

more photos to come later . . .