I've been promoted

I wasn't sure what kind of blogger I was going to be but I constantly find other things to do than blog about my life. Maybe my life is boring or I don't think people would be interested in what is going on. But here is a blog for you....... The best thing that has happened to me lately is that I don't have a part-time job anymore. I've been promoted to the job I have wanted for many years........A full-time mom. Even though the little guy still isn't here yet, I'm calling myself a full-time mom because it is dang hard work carrying around all of this extra weight!! I have loved my career in the GIS field (Geographic Information Systems). I started working for the Albertsons Corporate office in March of 1999 making maps for the Research and Market Analysis department. It has been interesting and I have worked with some great people. I was fortunate enough that when I moved to Utah in 2004, Albertsons let me keep my job but work from my home. Then I branched off to two other companies doing part-time work the last couple of years. But the day has finally come where I'm not tied to my computer anymore and I can dedicate my life to my children. I only have 7 more weeks left until my due date. I need to post of picture of me all big and fat for all of you who don't see me on a regular basis. I always think about taking a picture of me at the wrong time....like when I have no make-up on or my hair is a mess or when I'm the only one here. I just tried to take some pictures with my timer on my camera but I couldn't get a good one so I need to wait until Jeff gets home from work and hopefully I'll remember to have him take it.

40th Wedding Anniversary

June 17th was my parent's 40th wedding anniversary. My mom and dad are simple people and didn't want a lot of fuss made about their wedding anniversary ....like putting their names in the newspaper to announce the anniverary or have a big party with all of their friends. But my sister, Leah, and I convinced them that a family party with all of their children and grandchildren was the best route. So Leah and I planned a party to take place in Lewiston, Idaho at my parents house (the house I lived in from the time I was 9-18) on June 19-21. With the help of my siblings and my parents we pulled it off and it was a total blast. Here are a few pictures to show you the highlights.

On Thursday we had family pictures taken by a photographer friend of Leah's. So far we haven't seen the proofs but I will post some once I get them. Then we had a camp fire in a newly created fire pit made by my dad and my nephews. We roasted marshmellows and had s'mores. Then my brother, Jared, presented what was taking place in the world in 1968 when my parents got married.

(Here are all of my nephews setting up the fire.)

On Friday we had a fun run/walk in the morning on the levee next to the Snake River. Leah made us all matching shirts. You could choose to do the 1-mile course or the 5K course. Here are pictures of the runners who did the 5K course.

Jeff and Jake were the big winners.

Next came my sister, Anna.

Porter came next.

Then my brother, Ira and M'Lynn.

My brother-in-law, Scott, and nephew, Rylan, were the #1 winners in the 1-mile race. Here is my cutie pie dad.

After the fun run we had a barbeque and then played at the beach.

On Friday night, we played the Newlywed Game with Anna as the hostess. Some of the questions were: If your spouse could marry a celebrity who would he or she marry?, Who is the worst driver out of the two of you?, where was your first date?, what was your last argument about?, what was the first movie you saw together?, etc. It was really fun but Jeff and I came in dead last. My brother, Jared and his wife, Heather, won. And the rest of the couples tied.

On Saturday most everyone went to the water park that is in Clarkston, Washington across the river. The kids really enjoyed it. Meanwhile, Leah, Heather and I stayed home to prepare for our grand finale night. Leah and I always wanted our wedding receptions to be on our parents front deck because my parents have a done of wonderful job of landscaping it and making it so beautiful. But we both got married in the winter so we couldn't have our dream come true. So we were excited to have this celebration on our beloved front deck. We brought out long tables and tried to decorate the tables but it was fairly windy that day and I decorations turned into a wreck. We all love this Mandarin Chinese restaurant in town called Mandarin Pine and so we had them cater the event. (Actually we just got a bunch of take-out and had Jeff and Scott go pick up the food and then we put it in nice serving trays and put it on the table.)

Leah's mother-in-law, Jody, made a replica of their wedding cake. So we had them cut it and feed it to each other.

After dinner, my brother Jared presented some questions in a powerpoint presentation of questions they had asked my parents about their feelings about their courtship and falling in love. After that we watched a 30-minute slide show that I created with pictures put to music showing the Richard and Lynnette Young Love Story. I put it on a big screen in our living room. First it started out with pictures from my parents' childhood and then as they were in their young 20's. Then I showed their marriage pictures. Then the slideshow progressed into all of us 5 siblings being born and then all of the marriages so far in the family and the grandkids. It took me many hours to create on my computer but it was a labor of love. I cried many times as I created it but they were tears of joy because I feel so fortunate to come from such an amazing family. After the slideshow, we had a dance on the deck that Ira and Teralyn were in-charge of

That was it. It was such a blast to all be together. Here are a few more random pictures.

Picking roses in Grandma's garden.

My sister, Leah, is two and half weeks farther along in her pregnancy than me. She is having a girl. We had to go to one of my favorite home town restaurants, Burger Ranch. They have saddle seats to sit on while you are eating. Grace and Erica

A Reading Daddy

From early into our marriage I learned that Jeff has a great excitement to read books to his children especially longer chapter books that take several sittings to finish. He started reading "chapter books" to Erica when she was about 4 years old and started with simple books like Heidi and Peter Pan. But now they are reading books like The Hobbit, Little House in the Big Woods, Little House on the Prairie, Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and Naya Nuki. There have been times when Jeff will have to beg Erica to read to her because she would rather do other things. But for the most part she has been very excited to sit down with her Daddy and read a book together. Just recently she has started to sit down and read books to herself. She is beginning to become quite the reader like her Dad.

The Garden Has Been Planted

The two favorite things I love about my garden are planting it and picking the harvest. Everything has finally been planted and now it is time to watch it grow. This year's harvest includes: tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, raspberries, peppers, cucumbers, onions, lettuce, basil, garlic chives, and green beans. I'm also trying three new things this year: strawberries, watermelon and spaghetti squash. For some reason our garden is usually very plentiful so I hope we have a successful year again. I took a picture of it below and then in a couple of months I'll take another picture to show the progress.

Hawaii

Jeff and I went to Hawaii for 5 days since we don't think we will get that opportunity any day soon with this baby coming. We went to the island of Oahu and stayed right on the beach of Wakiki at the Hilton Hawaiin Village. I wish I had really exciting pictures to post but Jeff and I aren't very good tourist photographers who take pictures of every single thing. The highlights of our trip were going to Pearl Harbor, the Polynesian Cultural Center, snorkeling, hiking up Diamond Head Crater mountain, playing on the beach, walking around downtown Honolulu, and eating lots of yummy food. Here are a few of our pictures to give you a flavor of our trip. We are at the Polynesian Culutural Center at the luau waiting for our wonderful pig roasted meal. It was so good.

This is the view at the top of Diamond Head hike we took overlooking Honolulu and Wakiki. (There was a little award ceremony going on for some army guys while we were up there.)

We found the temple!!!

We couldn't help but have me pose next to the "Maternity" statue at the temple. I'm not sure why they have a maternity statue but I felt like I was in the right place at the right time.

Who is that cute dreamy man walking up the beach? Jeff loved playing in the big 7 foot waves.

Below is a quick 8 second video of Jeff diving into a wave. He is the white boy closest to the camera. Notice how quick the current takes him to the left after he dives in.

Below is another quick video that Jeff wanted me to post of a knee boarder who got a pretty good ride on the waves.

A Day with my Mom and sister

Last Saturday we met my mom and sister in Salt Lake and did some fun things together. We hiked to the top of Ensign Peak to overlook the Salt Lake Valley. It was a breathtaking view of the Salt Lake Valley. We went to the Wheeler Historic Farm and Erica got to ride a pony. Rylan loved it.

It's a boy!

Here is my 18 week ultrasound. We are having a boy! The ultrasound is a little hard to recognized as all ultrasounds can be. It is about 5 minutes long and boring because the doctor is taking measurements and stuff. After about 40 seconds, the doctor puts the ultrasound wand underneath the baby so you are looking at him from underneath him. You can see his little legs moving and you can see his "goods" It's a boy!!