Greg, Ali and Bella

Australia Perth Mission

2012-01-16T21:39:00.001-07:00

My little brother, Scott received his mission call this week....kind of. So here is the story. Scott sent his papers in and waited around for his call, it normally takes 2-3 weeks to receive. Well he waited and waited and waited and still no call... Almost 4 weeks pass. So this past Friday he receives a letter from the travel department in Salt Lake. We were confused on what was going on. Scott opened the letter and it contained all the information he needs to get his Visa and such and it was from Australia! We didn't even know what mission he would be in... Then about a half hour later he finds an envelope that says Australia Perth Mission. But he still hasn't received his call, the stake president is calling Salt Lake tomorrow since today was a holiday. We think it must have gotten lost in the mail with all the holidays over the last month. We don't know when he is leaving but he is beyond thrilled. He almost passed out when he read Australia cause he was so excited. I should post the video, it's hilarious. I know Scott will be an amazing missionary and I am so happy with the choices he has made. Hopefully we find our when he is leaving next week!!!

Alone Once Again

2012-01-09T09:31:00.001-07:00

Greg travels a lot for work, the next couple months he will be gone a lot. This morning Greg left for Illinois, he doesn't get back till Saturday night. Bummer!!! Then he needs to go to Utah and Arizona so he will be gone for another week. Let's just hope he doesn't have to be gone next week too. Bella and I will have lots of mommy time that will consist of Disneyland, the park, maybe the beach and anything else I can think of. We will have some fabulous adventures but wish he was here with us!

Crunchy, Hippie, Granola Kind of Mom

2012-01-07T15:04:00.001-07:00

As I was driving today I started to think about how I live my life. I realized that I am what you might consider a hippie. Haha. I had never really thought about it before but it's true with a lot of stuff. And this is why...
- All about natural unmedicated birth, even home birth. (Hypnobabies is awesome!!!) Of course they should be assisted by a certified midwife, only if low risk. Medical interventions are great, when needed.
- I think exclusively breast feeding is very important, to wait 6 months before solids and child led weaning. If Bella is still nursing when I give birth then we will tandem nurse.
- Co-sleeping, it makes those first couple months so much easier.
- I enjoy baby wearing and think its great for mom or dad and baby to bond.
- Making baby food... Bella totally skipped this stage she only wanted solids but I did make a lot for her try.
- Organic when possible, especially hormone free milk and meat
- Cloth diapering. Now I am all about this, weird I know. Greg vetoed this idea but I think I might do it. It's great for baby (few if any rashes), cost effective and helps the environment. I think it's great if we can all do a little.
- Homeopathic remedies or other alternatives instead of traditional drugs.

Things that are a little different from some hippies...
- I am pro vaccine, but I may delay some depending on when and why.
- I am conservative, no liberal here!
- I'm not a vegetarian, we eat junk food and watch too much TV.

These are the main things that I agree with but I'm not all out "crunchy", at least I don't think. I just think its funny how much I have changed in the last few years. Knowledge is power!!!

Surprise, Surprise!!!!

2012-01-02T20:30:00.001-07:00

I know we are! Well if you haven't heard, Bella is going to be a big sister! This definitely came as quite a shock to us. I didn't even know I could get pregnant since I haven't had a period since February 2010 (my last one before I got pregnant with Bella) because I have been nursing. But you obviously ovulate before you have a period. It took 5 tests and a good month for it all to sink in. My hands were literally shaking and I almost cried. I just lost all the weight by the end of summer and now I'm going to gain it back. And I'll admit, I am nervous because of the difficult challenges I had with Bella. However i am grateful I get the chance to be pregnant and even more grateful ut takes 9 months for the baby to get here. But we are very excited to have them close together and it will be a fabulous adventure!
Below is a copy of our Christmas card, this is how we told our friends. The next picture is Bella wearing her Big Sister shirt. It says, "Merry Christmas to me because I'm a Big Sister to be!" Bella looked absolutely adorable as you can see.

It's Almost Over

2011-12-27T23:01:00.002-07:00

I cannot believe it is almost 2012! I also cannot believe the last time I posted it was on Bella's Birthday! So much has happened since, I dont even know where to begin.

Greg turned 28... he is getting up there! Haha JK
We celebrated Thanksgiving. I have so much to be thankful for, I dont even know where to start.
We went out on Black Friday... It was awesome. Definitely going to do it next year, it wasn't nearly as crazy as I thought it would be.
I got the flu....uggh! But Greg was so amazing and took care of Bella.
We went on a mini vacay to Phoenix/ Flagstaff. It was really just for Greg's work but we tagged along so we didnt have to be away from eachother once again.
We had two baptisms in the family, both on Greg's side. It was so great to see Trey and Sterling make such wonderful choices. One of them was in Oregon, it was a lot of fun to travel to see Michelle and her family.
Bella and I went to Disneyland as much as possible. It is so much fun to go there and be together, just the two of us. I just love having a little girl.
I made 2 holiday dresses for Bella, they turned out soo cute! I need to post pictures. I love sewing dresses for her, she is a wonderful model.
We cooked and baked till we couldn't stand up anymore.
We had a wonderful Christmas. We got Bella way to much and it was totally worth it.
Now my family is all in town, this week is crazy busy!
Then it's the New Year... yeah we will be home. What is there to do when you have a 1 year old? haha

I don't think I had one day in the past 2 months where I could relax.... I love the Holidays but I am looking forward to January for everything to slow down a little bit.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

1st Birthday Party

2011-11-20T21:55:00.001-07:00

I still cannot believe my little girl is one! This year went by so fast. It's been so much fun and just keeps getting better. I cannot wait to see what this next year holds.
We decided to have a small birthday party with just family this past Saturday. Bella knew it was all about her and she loved it. She totally loved opening her presents and she did a great job. She was an expert pulling out all the tissue paper, then the gift inside. Bella gave the best reactions and hugged all her stuff to show she loved it. It was so cute!
Then it was cake time. I made her, her very own huge cupcake. I asked her if she wanted cake now and she smiled and shook her head. She was ready! So we gave her the cake and she dug right in. She actually did eat very much but she enjoyed playing in it.
Bella had a lot of fun... I think. She had a sugar high for sure. When it was over she was ready for nap time and so was I.
I love my little Bee so much and I could not imagine life without her.
Happy Birthday Bella Bee, we love you!

Last Year

2011-11-16T00:03:00.003-07:00

This time last year I was sleeping... I had no idea I was going to wake up in a half hour in my birthing time (labor). I would insert picture here of me at 41 weeks pregnant but computer issues is preventing me from doing that. Plus who wants to see me at 175 Lbs.... I dont. haha. I am glad it's all gone, never again... I hope!
I cannot believe my baby girl is turning one tomorrow. I just cannot believe it. Can't they just stay little forever?

Cute Little Convo

2011-11-11T13:51:00.001-07:00

Yes, I just has a conversation with Bella Bee. I'm sitting here eating lunch, a salad from Cafe Rio. I offer Bella a black bean with dressing on it. She eats it, says "good". I ask her if she wants another, she says "yeah" and I give her another. I keep asking if she wants more, she keeps saying "yeah". Haha. Then goes "mmmmm" when she's done.
So cute... I just love her!!

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-01T21:59:00.004-06:00

I cannot believe Halloween is over, October just flew by. Bella and I got back from Hawaii the night before, I didn't have much time to prepare to costumes I wanted. I decided to throw together a cute black cat and I was a witch. I knew she would be absolutely adorable in anything I put on her so I wasn't worried.

We took Bella trick or treating... she wasn't so sure about it. The decorations and music scared her. She did enjoy the candy after, who doesn't? I made root beer and kettle corn, absolutely delicious. And then finished the night off with Hocus Pocus... my favorite Halloween movie ever.

Getting read to go Trick or Treating

She found the bowl of candy at the front door

Way too stinkin' cute

Greg and Bella are so adorable together

Love her!

Fall

2011-10-27T00:31:00.005-06:00

I cannot believe we are almost through October, almost halfway through fall. I love the fall time, there is so much fun stuff to do. It really gets me in the mood for the holiday season. I LOVE Halloween, it is my favorite holiday behind Christmas. I love the decorations, the weather is cooling down, the cute clothes you get to wear and all the fun family activities. This is the first fall in 5 years that we are spending outside of Utah... and I will admit... I miss it. It just feels so much more like fall in Utah, there is a ton more to do. You have mulitple pumpkin patches, corn mazes, haunted houses, the leaves changing, and the weather actually cooling down. BUT I wouldn't trade living in Southern California, the winters are just too long.

Bella and I were able to go to a pumpkin patch with my mom and 2 sisters... it was fun but soo hot that day! Then Bella and I went to another one a few days later with Greg, but I dont have pics uploading from that trip yet...

Bella is holding on for dear life

Bee isn't looking and my eyes are closed... but I still love this picture.

These pictures describe Bella perfectly

I took these a few days before... so adorable

Bella can squat with the best of them

She is sweating up a storm.. haha

Love all these!

Could I be any more lucky to have such a fun, cute, loving little girl?! And I am even more lucky I get to dress her up in all these fall/ halloween outfits.

Fall is even more fun with my little family!

Hawaii Time

2011-10-21T01:11:00.001-06:00

I. Love. Hawaii. Let me rephrase that. I. Love. Maui. I have been lucky enough growing up to have taken countless trips to Maui with my family. My parents bought a place over her when I was 6 weeks old. We would come every summer since I was 10 for at least a month. I always loved it! Now I get to bring my little girl here! It is Bella's second time coming here already. I hope we can come often so she can make the same memories.
Below there is a picture of a little crab crawling on Bella, she is pushing the stroller, giggling! And a beautiful rainbow!!

Precious Moments

2011-10-04T11:02:00.002-06:00

This past year has been one of the most difficult years I have gone through. I am lucky I have such a great family who has been there for me. I love the time I get to spend with Bella, she makes everything worth it. Her smile is so contagious and her laugh is adorable. Bella's new favorite show is 3rd and Bird, she LOVES all the music.

I am so lucky I get to spend all day everyday with her. I treasure all the time I have with her. Those precious moments are what I live for.

Baking Time

2011-10-02T20:50:00.003-06:00

Ever since I can remember I have always wanted a little girl so I can do all the fun mother daughter stuff. Cooking, shopping, painting nails, doing hair and... Baking! So today I decided, let's bake. It was cute because I told Bells we are going to make some cookies and said, Yay! Cookies! Then she clapped. Loved. It.Bells helped me get everything out. While I added in the sugar I looked back and someone decided they needed to try it.

Then she tried to get the brown sugar. How adorable is that face! It brightens my day!

Flour time.. I felt bad she rubbed her eye so I made sure to clean her up.

Bells thought the mixer was pretty cool... Then not too sure about it. Haha.

Finally they are done, so I let her dig in. She. Loved. It.I love how she is trying to put her hand in her mouth when it's flat. Haha. I am so lucky, I just cant wait till she gets hair!

Welcome Home, Elder Jordan

2011-09-30T00:31:00.001-06:00

Such an exciting day yesterday for my family! My little brother, Stephen, returned home from his mission. He served our Heavenly Father for 2 years in the Atlanta, Georgia North Mission. I was so excited to see him and for him to meet Bella for the first time. You could definitely tell he felt overwhelmed and not sure what to do. Our first stop was Baja Fish Tacos, it was a good lunch. Then we came home and hung out for a few hours. After we went to meet the stake president so Stephen could be release as a missionary. It was s very nice meeting with President Reese. There was such a sweet spirit present, the spirit that gives you confirmation of the truthfulness of the gospel.
It has been nice having a missionary home, realize. Being so fresh off the mission Stephen has such a peace about him. It gives me perspective on things in my life and what I can be doing better.
I love Stephen a lot... He has always had a special place in my heart.

Fun, Happy Day

2011-09-28T00:22:00.003-06:00

Today was such a great day. After a busy morning taking care of Bee and trying to get my work done we made over to, the Happiest Place on Earth, D-Land!!! My mom and Hailey came with us.

First stop, great moments with Mr. Lincoln. My little sis does home school so my mom likes to squeeze in educational stuff where she can.

Second stop, Playhouse Disney Live on Stage. Bee LOVED this!!! She was moving her arms all over, bouncing, jumping, screaming... everything this little girl could do to show she was having fun.

Third, the Aladdin show. It was alright but a little disappointed overall.

Then Bella Bee and I walked around and went on the carousel while my mom and Hailey went on a different ride. It was fun just the two of us. I will need to do it more often.
Right before we were going to leave the Little Mermaid ride opened and we walked right on. It was a cute ride but I was super impressed.

It was such a fun day with my little girl. I just loved it!!

Here is a clip from the video I took of her. I am not bouncing her at all... Bee is loving it!

My Little Bella Bee

2011-09-25T00:06:00.001-06:00

Life has been very busy lately... I feel like I am barely able to keep my head above water. Greg has been gone a lot lately for work and is leaving again on Monday for 3 days... I am still working 3-5 hours a day and taking care of Bella. Sometimes I really enjoy my job, other times I cannot wait for the day when I don't have to work. Especially when I have an emergency on my hands and Bella needs me. That's when it is stressful but I am so fortunate for the job I have and the amazing company I work for.
Bella is such a handful and is crawling EVERYWHERE, but I love it!!! I love being a mom... It's a lot for me to say that. I couldn't have a couple months ago. Bella is such a wonderful baby and is so so good. I don't know how I got so lucky but I am incredibly grateful. She is growing up so fast and getting so big.
Bella can:
Say mama and dada, she also is really good at mimicking so she will make animal sounds after you. My little bee also will say Bella!!
She has taken 3 steps, pulls herself to stand up to everything and is cruising along all the furniture.
Bella loves blueberries she can eat 2 huge handfuls at once
Bella still isn't the best at eating veggies but she is getting better.
Bella is definitely a Daddy's girl... She loves playing with him!!
Bella bee is so happy all the time. She is amazing.

Bootcamp

2011-09-05T22:13:00.002-06:00

Amber (my sister) and I bought a Living Social deal for Extreme Bootcamp, we started it today. It was defintiely a little intense but great! I am excited to get my body back into shape... I haven't been in great shape since I was 18... I want my body back. One thing I have going for me is that I have lost ALL my baby weight... 50 pounds plus a couple more pounds. I weigh less now then when I got pregnany. I cannot believe I let myself gain that much. If it wasn't for nursing I would probably still have 20 pounds of just the baby weight to loose plus the weight I am woking on now. BUT it is always those last few pounds that are the hardest to get rid of.

So this is for the next 6 weeks... Wish me luck!

Updates

2011-09-01T23:26:00.004-06:00

Life has been crazy busy lately! We had some friends visit from Dallas at the beginning of August, they stayed with us for 5 days. Greg served a mission with Jeremy and they lived with each other for a year, they have been best friends since. We had a lot of fun with them, we weren't able to do as much as we hoped when we planned the trip in April. Amanda is pregnant and has been very sick, but finally started to feel herself again a day or two after they arrived.

We visited Downtown Disney, Cafe Rio, In N Out, Laguna Beach, Sawdust Festival, Newport, Balboa Island (we went on a surrey, something everyone should do), LA Fashion District (I am ready to go whenever, just let me know!). It was a blast!

Bella looked so cute sittingup in the front, I loved it!

Bon fire down at Doheny with my sweet little baby girl!

Bella is playing the drums at the Sawdust Festival, she had a lot of fun.

The same day the Jones' left, Greg's sister Michelle and her family came to visit. We had a busy and fun couple of weeks with them. It was so fun to see Bella hang out with her cousins. They are adorable together!

Enjoying the beach with my little Bee

Isn't she just the cutest!

Playing angry birds with her cousins. Bella is checking out Noelle's game...

Now Sterling's game....

Haning out with Ivy

I love Bella's face here

They look so cute in these matching outfits I made.

We took a ride on the train at Zoomar's, Bella loved it

Then Bella rode around with Detrick... he made sure to hold onto her tight

We had a fun month with family and friends. We hope they all visit again soon!

Today is a good day...

2011-05-26T12:22:00.002-06:00

I have lost 40 Lbs since I had Bella....Only 10 more to go.

Wahoo!!!!

Today is a good day

Lately...

2011-03-22T12:53:00.002-06:00

Life has been crazy lately to say the least. I have been non stop busy and haven't had much time to do anything.

If you haven't heard, we moved to California. It was an extremely last minute decision and I wasn't expecting it at all. But it has been so nice to be "home" and not have as many worries as I had a month ago. I feel like a huge weight has been taken off my chest and now I can finally breath. We hope we will be able to stay in California forever now, but who knows what will happen.

In the meantime, we went to Hawaii for 10 days in February. It was a blast, I will post pictures soon. We were able to relax and enjoy the beautiful weather.

Greg and I had our 4 year anniversary on the 24th of February. I cannot believe it has been 4 years already. We still need to celebrate. Greg was in Utah packing up all our stuff on the actual day, so we weren't even together.

Bella has been in our lives for 4 months already, I cannot believe how much she has grown.

These last few months have been full of trials and learning experiences. But I am grateful for my hubby and family. They are so good to me.

Not What I Expected...

2011-01-30T13:27:00.002-07:00

Warning...this post my be a little TMI for some people but I am an open person so I don't care.

I was really lucky and had an AMAZING delivery. I was prepared and knew what to expect. When it came to breast feeding I felt it was such a natural thing I didn't need to really learn about it. I was sure wrong! I have had probably one of the most difficult breast feeding experiences but I will not give up.

In the hospital, Bella was latching on. I thought it was a good latch and so did the hospital staff. It did hurt a little bit but the hospital staff said she had a strong suck and it probably will hurt for a couple of days. They recommended I get some All Purpose ointment to help. So I got my prescription for it and began using it. A couple of days later I still was experience pain and I noticed my nipples started to crack. But I kept nursing and correcting her latch.

At Bella's 2 week appointment the doctor said she had a little bit of thrush so we got her some medication. I immediately when over to my midwives to get checked out. They said I didn't have it and would be fine. The didn't give me any kind of medication. They should have because if you treat baby, you must treat mom too.

At 3-1/2 weeks they were hurting so bad when I was nursing I was holding back tears and dreading it every time. Not the experience I was hoping for. I was looking forward to the bonding time more than anything and it wasn't like that for me.

At 4-1/2 weeks I had my postpartum check up. I asked again about my breasts and nipples. The midwife said they will heal and to use these Gel Soothies to help. Well they didn't help the heal them as quickly as I had hoped.

We went to California for Christmas and came back just after the New Year. My nipples just as cracked as they were 7 weeks prior. I was so fed up but I was not going to give up. I was pumping every 6 hours to give them longer relief. I took MothersLove More Milk Plus pills to help with my supply.

After we got home I decided to go see a lactation specialist. The lactation specialist said I definitely had yeast and needed to be treated. So I had had thrush/ yeast for the past 7 weeks and my midwives said I didn't. I was furious! The lactation specialist also informed me that my left nipple had not more skin left on it and it was going to take time for the skin to grow back. My right nipple was just a crack and that would heal. The only problem with that was the it is on the side and I have flat nipples. So every time they are stimulated the crack would just rip open. Not fun at all.

But I was not going to give up! I spent almost $300 on a pump I did not want to pay for formula. And I am determined to breast feed as long as I can. So I began to only pump on my left side every 6 hours and pump my right side once every 24 hours. I am lucky and don't get engorged so this was easy for me to do. Also my left side produces 5-6 ounces every 6 hours so Bella gets enough milk.

I used gentian violet to help get rid of the thrush. Bella had thrush again by this time too. Gentian violet helped Bella but not me. So I called my midwives and demanded antibiotics to get rid of it. Amazingly within a week, they finally started to heal! I went through 2 weeks of antibiotics and I still have it. So I just got another 2 weeks this last Tuesday and I have a refill if it still isn't gone. I need to be symptom free for 7 days before I stop taking it. The longer you have yeast the longer it will take to get rid of it. Like me, who had it for 7 weeks and the doctor never said I did.

My right side isn't completely healed but it is so so close. Once it is healed that will be one of the best days of my life. I just want to be able to start nursing again and forming that bond. I am just glad I got a good 3 weeks in before I started pumping and bottle feeding so it will be easier for Bella to relearn.

I went to a Le Leche League meeting a couple of weeks ago and it was so great. It is awesome to be with other women who know what you are going through and can help you. I would recommend all women who plan on nursing to attend while they are pregnant or who have had difficulties. I also read their book The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding and I recommend all women read this book. I think if I had read this book while I was pregnant I would not have had as many problems.

One last thing if you will have antibiotics during labor, (if you are group b strep positive you will) take plenty of probiotics before you deliver. This will help to balance out the good and bad bacteria and will decrease your chance of getting yeast. I wish I knew this before. If you think you have yeast you probably do so just get the antibiotics.

My Beautiful Girl

2011-01-23T01:00:00.003-07:00

I am so lucky and have the cutest little girl anyone could ask for

My Natural, Unmedicated Birth

2011-01-15T00:05:00.001-07:00

Sorry it's long but I wanted to write down everything I could remember.

I was very lucky and had a great birthing experience. I decided before I was even pregnant I wanted to have a unmedicated, natural childbirth. I did not feel comfortable with receiving an epidural.

Since I planned on having an unmedicated birth I did my fair share of research on different birthing methods to allow me to have the best experience possible. I decide to takeHypnobabies birthing classes, which I highly recommend. I would not have been able to have the birth I experienced without it. Hypnobabies allowed me to relax during pressure waves (contractions) and I was able to listen to my body. Greg thought I was crazy at first because he didn't understand what Hypnobabies was and it's not hypnosis as most people think. After we attended the first class, he was definitely on board. He realized what it was all about and understood why I wanted to have an unmedicated birth. I would not have been able to do it without my sweet husband. He was so supportive and the best partner I could have asked for.

We started my Hypnobabies classes when I was 27 weeks, a little earlier than most but that's when they were available. I practiced my finger drop technique, using my light switch and relaxing. (My light switch is a mental cue to help me relax and let my body go limp). I listened to the Hypnobabies tracts nightly and I would not have been able to sleep as much without them. They always put me right to sleep if I had a difficult time. Greg also read scripts to me a couple times a week and learned cues to bring me more deeper relaxed.

I was 8 days late, I couldn't believe it. Emotionally, those 8 days were some of the most difficult days I have had in a long time. I was not prepared to be over due, even though I knew Bella would come when she was ready. Hypnobabies even teaches you that you have a Guess Date, not a Due Date. I was just so sure I was going to go early, I was sure wrong. I dreaded every time my phone rang or sent me a text. The last thing I wanted was to be reminded that I was still pregnant. The Friday before she was born I decided to go to the temple. I instantly felt calm and at peace. I really learned to rely on the Lord and was reminded he is always there for me. After I attended the temple I was content with being pregnant till she decided to come on her own. Bella was going to come when she was ready.

Monday morning, November 15th I woke up at 5 am and thought I was leaking amniotic fluid. We decided to go to the hospital to check. I was group b strep positive and need to make sure to get antibiotics soon if my water had broken so Bella wouldn't get sick. I was not leaking amniotic fluid but they did have me hooked up to a monitor. My entire pregnancy I did not feel any kind of birthing waves/ pressure waves. I don't even know if I had Braxton Hicks so I had no idea what to expect. I asked the nurse if those were pressure waves that I was feeling and she said yes. I was pretty excited I knew what to expect now. They didn't feel like most people explained them to me. They were only in the front, they didn't start in the back and wrap around to the front.

We left the hospital, went home and slept from about 8 am till 1 pm. I feel asleep listening to the "Come Out Baby" track. I actually had been listening to this almost everyday for about 2 weeks. We went to In-N-Out for lunch and I was still feeling pre-birthing waves. That afternoon I kept feeling them, I knew the time was going to be in the next couple days. Finally! They weren't consistent so I knew I wasn't in my birthing time yet. I went to bed around 11 pm listening to my Hypnobabies "Deepening" and "Birthing Day Affirmations" tracks to help me fall asleep. This also helped me to have my light switch off so I could relax during my pressure waves.

At 12:30 am I woke up and I was in my birthing time, wahoo. I felt good and comfortable. I didn't like to lay down so I got out of bed and stood up rocking back and forth, listening to "Easy, Comfortable Childbirth". Greg began timing my pressure waves, some of them were close together and others weren't. The pressure waves were lasting 40 seconds -60 seconds but they never became consistent as I expected. I stayed in our bedroom and rocked back and forth standing up and on my knees. They were getting strong enough that I needed to lean up against the bed or stay on the floor. Greg called my midwife around 1:30 am to let her know what was going on. She told me to stay at home as long as I could before heading over to the hospital. We decided now would be the best time for Greg to give me a blessing. It was such a wonderful blessing and I knew I would have the birth I was desiring.

Finally at 2:30 am I decided it was time to go the hospital. Greg got everything loaded up and we drove over to Mt. Timpanogos Regional Hospital. The drive over there was so uncomfortable with my pressure waves, I just didn't like sitting dow. It was probably 3 am by the time we got settled in. I was so, so lucky and had the best nurse! I wanted to have intermittent monitoring but they had to monitor Bella for 20 mins while I was in the bed when I arrived. I could not wait for that time to be over, I did not enjoy lying on my back or sitting down. They also needed to check to see how much I was dilated. I didn't want to know, I just wanted to make sure I didn't have to leave and so the nurse told Greg.

Those 20 mins went by and I was able to get up and walk around if I wanted but I headed straight over to the birthing tub. Once in the tub I asked Greg how far I was and I was at 4 cm. I was a little disappointed and was hoping I was 6 cm but I was glad I was staying. I knew Bella would be here soon. I birthed the entire time in the tub, it was amazing! My nurse let me stay in the tub while we did the monitoring and when she checked me. I was lucky! Greg played my hypnosis tracks, "East First Stage", "Deepening" and a couple of others while I was in the tub. He also gave me cues to help me relax even deeper then I was. The "peace" cue helped me a lot to stay relaxed. Greg was so great and drained the water and would refill it with fresh, clean and hot water. I asked the nurse to check me again because I kept feeling like I had to push. She checked me and said I still need to progress further. The nurse didn't tell me how far along I was but she told Greg. A few minutes later I asked Greg and I was 6-1/2 cm / 7 cm. After she checked me it took everything I had to stay relaxed, it was just difficult for me to hold back the pushing and staying relaxed during each pressure wave.

My midwife showed up sometime but she wasn't really needed. Greg was such a great support, reminding me constantly to stay relaxed, encouraging me, letting me know we would meet our little girl soon. It became more and more difficult for me not to push. I asked Greg if I could have a little something to take the edge of and he said no. Looking back I realize I was in my transformation stage, the most difficult part of the entire birthing process. I am so grateful Greg reminded me that I could do it alone and I didn't need anything. I knew I could do it too I just had a slight moment of weakness and need to be reminded. I am so grateful for because I didn't need it. I asked if I could have my water broken and my midwife told me that it is best not to because it can bring on stronger pressure waves that I might not be prepare for. But she said she would check me first. I was 9-1/2 cm. Wahoo! She said I could start pushing a little bit if I wanted during pressure waves to help relieve some of the pressure I felt.

When it was time to push I was moved over to the bed. I decided to push in the side lying position. I breathed out all my pushes during my pressure waves. In between my pressure waves I took little naps to help give me the energy to push again. My pressure waves weren't very consistent sometimes I had more breaks in between and others were right on top of each other. It was difficult when I didn't have time to rest and get my energy back up. I felt like I was pushing forever. It seemed like her head kept getting sucked back in and wouldn't come out. Finally she was crowning, I knew it wouldn't be much longer. Then after a few more pushes her head popped out. I pushed one more time for her shoulders. Greg "caught" her and pulled her out. Bella was finally here! Greg placed her immediately on my chest. We waited for the cord to stop pulsating before Greg cut it. I only had a small tear and needed 1 stitch. The nurses evaluated Bella while she was on my chest. I was so happy to have a healthy baby girl, she couldn't have been more perfect.

Within an hour I was up and about. I felt great! I took a shower which felt so nice. It was amazing to feel clean!

I had a wonderful birth experience and I was so lucky it was a quick one. My birthing time was 6-1/2 hours and I pushed for about 20 minutes. I would not have been able to have the birth I had without my Heavenly Father. He gave me the strength to go unmedicated. I will not say I had a pain free birth that can be achieved with Hypnobabies but it would not have been possible without it. Hypnobabies gave me all the techniques I needed to relax. Greg was the best birth partner I could have asked for and he helped me to remember everything from my Hypnobabies. I will give birth naturally and unmedicated to all my children. I have even more confidence that my birth can be pain free with the next ones.

If you believe you can give birth unmedicated and you have a good support team you can do it. I highly encourage all women to look at the pros and cons of epidurals. I am glad that I did.

I have video while I was birthing...maybe I will post it.

Bella Eve

2010-11-20T20:49:00.002-07:00

Bella Eve Ellsworth
"Bee"
November 16th, 2010
7:17 am
8 Lbs 2 Oz
20 1/2"

Bella Eve FINALLY decided to make her appearance...8 days late. We are so lucky she is our daughter. She is beautiful!

Still Here...

2010-11-10T22:57:00.004-07:00

Yes, I am still pregnant

No signs of Bella coming out anytime soon

I am grumpy and really annoyed

I will let you know when she gets here

It's Offical...

2010-11-06T22:50:00.001-06:00

I am SOOO done being pregnant...that's all

Just My Luck!

2010-11-04T10:42:00.002-06:00

On Monday night I went for a LOOONG walk hoping it will help get things started. Well it did, but not the right things. We have this farmer who was burning his crops by us that night and all night long while we had our window open. Greg and I both started feeling werid the next day but it wasn't too bad.
Wednesday morning came and I woke up at 4:30 feeling horrible! I couldn't sleep becuase my ear just ached soo bad, I was constantly blowing my nose, my throat hurt on one side plus a head ache. Awesome huh?!
I made an appt that afternoon at the Dr's and I knew they wouldn't be able to do anything for me but I wanted to check to make sure. I found out I have a low grade fever there and need to keep an eye on it so it doesnt get over 100.4 other wise I will need to go to the hospital, immediately. Other than that I just need to get some sleep and can take over the counter decongestants but nothing will help me feel better.
So now it is Thursday and the other side of my head is acting up. I sure hope this is going to go away soon. It is the worst time EVER to get sick...4 days before I am due!
At least I have SOMETHING to do before she comes on maternity leave..right?

Maternity Leave

2010-10-29T13:23:00.002-06:00

I cannot believe it! I am officially on maternity leave. It has been almost 4 years since I have had more than a week off work...Now I don't have to go back till January! I sure hope Bee decides to make her appearance soon though because I don't know what to do with myself. I always thought I would enjoy having nothing to do all day, but there is literally nothing for me to do. And there is never anything good on TV. I have finished everything I need to...like 2 weeks ago.

Bedding... Check

Car seat cover... Check

Nursery... Check

Diaper bag... Check

Hospital Bags... Check

Scrapbook... Check

Organize Closet... Check

Diapers... Check

Wipes... Check

Body wash, lotions and creams... Check

Everything else... Check

What am I supposed to do now?!?!?!

Ready!

2010-10-25T11:12:00.003-06:00

I have been lucky and have had a pretty easy pregnancy. I never was very sick and didn't have complications to worry about. Bee has always been a busy girl moving constantly, she always lets me know she is still "kicking" if I get a little worried.

Now I am 38 weeks and so ready to be done. I can never get a good night sleep anymore because I just can't get comfortable. I am always having to go pee, multiple times in an hour. I have to adjust my sitting positions constantly because my back is killing me. When I lay down on my side I can only be there for a little bit because that side gets sore so I need to switch.

Bee is already in trouble for not making her appearance. I vote she comes on Thursday, but it might not be for 3 weeks! We are so ready for her to be here already, I am a very inpatient person.

Please send my all your positive thinking and maybe she will get the idea.

Thank you.

The Nursery!

2010-10-20T22:23:00.006-06:00

I decided to make the bedding for Bee's room (bumpers, blanket, bed skirt, a couple pillows). I also made a car seat cover but don't have pictures yet. I looked everywhere for some cute bedding and everything I found was over $200, and I wasn't going to spend that. So I looked everywhere for fabric, I really wanted to do pink but I couldn't find any that wasn't super baby. But I did find all this fabulous purple fabric and I LOVED it. So I had to change my color scheme for decorating. I ended up with the finished product! I made a couple of things for the wall above the changing table for all her hair clips, but don't have a picture quite yet.

This is the bedding...
This is the blanket before I finished it. I used all the left over scraps, it was fun!

Here is the Moses Basket she will be sleeping in, with her Bee stuffed animal

I convinced Greg to let me get a Coach Diaper bag...I am going to be carrying this around as my purse for the next while. I thought I deserved it

This is a super cute chair that Greg's mom made for Bee. She is very talented with crafts

I am so excited how everything turned out for her room. I just can't wait to see her in it!

My Baby Showers!

2010-10-20T20:00:00.000-06:00

I was lucky enough to have two fabulous showers! My lovely sister held one for me back home in California. Amber did such a great job planning everything, I am so lucky!

Lizzie and Stef....two of my best friends from High School. We had the best senior year ever! I would go back to High School with them in a second!

Where lunch was served with tasty deserts!

My parents family room where I opened my gifts. I was very fortunate with everything I received.

The next weekend up in Utah my amazing friend Lauren held a shower for me in her home. She had such a delicious lunch prepared with yummy cupcakes.

The guests! I am so grateful for everyone that was able to make it.

My showers were so much fun...but not as much fun as I will have putting all those gifts on Bee!

September...Busy, Busy!

2010-09-27T11:48:00.003-06:00

*Sorry I don't have any pictures in this post...its a long story but having computer problems and I am waiting to be able to download them to the computer. Below is just a ramble of the last month.

The last couple of weeks have been so busy! First I went to back to California for almost a week. This was the first time I had been back alone since I got married, 3 1/2 years ago!

I had a list of things to do and I got to most of them...I do not know how. First I needed to make the bedding for my little girl and a car seat cover, watch the 5 hour long Pride & Prejudice, make it to my favorite pastry shop Savoire Faire, and get my nails done. I am happy to report I watched 3 1/2 hours of Pride & Prejudice, got my nails done, had the most delicious pastry and got most of the sewing done (the car seat cover and bumpers). Hailey decided to start watching it with me...she is now a lover of it too!

My sister planned the most amazing, fun shower for me. I am so lucky she is my sister! We had a delicious lunch with cup cakes, beautiful decorations and fun games! It was great to be able to spend some time with Amber just the 2 of us since we never get the chance. I was talking with her about Bella coming and when she was going to be here. I said, "I am due in 8 weeks but I will be full term in 5 weeks, so she could come anytime." Once I said that, I started to freak out a little bit...I had nothing!

I got home Monday evening so Tuesday afternoon we bought our stroller. Then after our birthing classes that evening we went over to Target to return a couple of things we bought and decided to look at the cribs there. They had a beautiful crib there on sale so we decided to buy it...so lucky because the next day it wasn't on sale anymore and cost $50 more!

On Wednesday Greg put the crib together. We noticed on the front rail that the stain wasn't quite finished, brought it into Target and got another $20 off. We saved a total of $70...wahoo! We decided to buy the changing table to match and got that all set up. I ordered all my accessories I wanted for the nursery and was just waiting for everything to arrive.

Saturday, my fabulous friend Lauren gave me a shower in Utah. She did a great job, everything looked so cute and put together! The food was amazing and I loved the cupcakes! I am excited because she has a little girl born this last June so Bella and Brooklyn are going to be the best of friends!

The next week I was just busy making things. Since I had finished the bumpers, I need to make a bed skirt and that just led to many more projects. I made a table cloth because the table we have in the nursery wasn't the same finish, I made a blanket with all the left over scraps, a couple of pillows just cause they would look cute, and a car seat blanket/ canopy ( don't really know what it is called). I received everything for the nursery and pretty much have everything set up and complete.

This past week I have finally had a chance to settle down and relax a little bit. My nesting is no where over yet. I am just finishing packing my hospital bag and Bella's. I am trying to get Greg moving on his...that hasn't been too productive. And now I need to tackle the scrap book! Ahhh...that is the scariest cause I have never really scrap booked before.

Well I don't know who is going to read this or have the time to read it. I guess I just felt like rambling.

Pictures to come soon...hopefully

Summer...come back!

2010-08-31T10:17:00.002-06:00

Uggh!!! I cannot believe it isn't even September yet and summer is gone. I thought I would have at least one more week to lay out at the pool and get some sun...NOPE. The summer didn't start till the middle of June and decides to get all stromy in August and disappear before September rolls around, so unfair! Another annoying thing is I have to buy more maternity clothes that I will only need to wear for 2 more months.
Lets all hope we can have at least one more warm, sunny weekend!

Third Trimester!!!

2010-08-25T11:53:00.003-06:00

Yay! I made it to my third trimester, it is crazy to think about. The pregnancy has gone by pretty fast... until now. These last few weeks just seem to be dragging on a little bit. I am just anxious to finally get everything put together and ready for her arrival. I am now approaching the home stretch so I can start to put my hospital bag together and her diaper bag with everything she will need at the hosptial. I am going through all my birthing preferences and writing them down so I can have a well informed Husband, Midwife and Nursing staff as I go through my birthing time. I feel like there is so much to be done, but I can't do all of it now. By the end of September I hope to have everything done. I just can't wait till my little girl decides it is her time to grace us with her presence.

Since I am now 29 weeks, I have started to have my appointments every 2 weeks, which is certainly a milestone. I am excited to listen to my baby girl every other week and not once a month. There is just something about listening to her hearbeat that makes everything so much more real. I took my 1 hour glucose test last week and it came back high. I got to go in yesterday and take the 3 hour glucose test. I got a phone call this morning and everything came back great. I dont have gestational diabetes...yay! Although now Greg won't let me eat much sugar anymore, which makes it a little difficult since it is one of my staples.

I have now attended 3 of my 6 Hypnobabies birthing classes. I have opted for a natural childbirth and the methods taught in these classes seem like they will work very well for me. I will talk about this more another time.

I feel I am on a pretty good track to be prepared to have this little one here. Greg is more ready than I am. Almost everyday he talks about how he doesn't like waiting and the whole pregnancy thing. He wished pregancy was only like 2 or 3 months long, but there is a lot to be done so I am glad it is a little longer.

Things I wish I knew before...

2010-07-12T12:08:00.005-06:00

I am now 26 weeks pregnant, wahoo! I have began to compile a list of things I wish I knew before I was pregnant. Some of these maybe TMI but I am warning you now, you dont need to read this.

Feel free to add to the list, I think it would be fun!

*You will only tan the front of your body. I never thought about this while being pregnant during the summer. I knew I would be hot and uncomfortable but have a werid tan too?! The front of my legs have nice color, but please dont stare at the back. You might be blinded from how white they are!

*Sneezing and running nose. I do not have allergies, I am lucky. But I sneeze constantly and always need to blow my nose. A super werid thing is my bugers are always bloody. I never knew I would have bloody bugers when pregnant. But it does make sense because you have more blood flow to all the mucus membranes

*Surprising tinkles. Not all the time but sometimes when I sneeze or laugh I have to be careful I don't wet my pants. I know this will only get worse.

*It really is hard to move around. You never really know or understand till you are pregnant yourself. If I bend over too much in one day, it is painful. It is hard and awkward to get up off the couch all the time now. And I feel like I need to roll over when laying down to get up.

*Not just your belly but EVERYTHING gets bigger. And no I am not talking about my boobs. I am glad that I am wearing maternity clothes because I dont want to face how much bigger my butt thighs have gotten.

*I am starting to swell...I think my wedding rings are going to stay on till my little Bee is born

*I can't wear high heels anymore, I will trip over everything.

*It is perfectly normal to bleed during pregnacy, especially when the cervix is irritated. I freaked out when I bleed the first time and I am SOOO glad it is nothing to worry about!

*When the baby kicks, it really does feel like gas bubbles in there. No Joke!

*I used to have a good memory. Now I have to write everything down, I can't spell or talk half the time!

Let me know if there is anything else to look forward to...I really do LOVE being pregnant!

It's a....

2010-06-23T13:56:00.002-06:00

GIRL!!! I am so excited to be having a little girl! When I first found out I was pregnant I was so sure that it was going to be a boy. First, because my husband is such a "guy" I just can't picture him having a tea party and doing hair. Second, boys a lot less expensive because you don't have to buy all the cute accessories for them and I knew I would be in trouble if it was a girl.
Well it is a girl and I am thrilled! I can't help but look at all the cute girl stuff out there. I have already purchase some adorable head bands, now I just need to get bows and flowers clips for them. I bought a cute little outfit last night for her that will be perfect when it is chilly in the winter. I am still looking for the perfect dress to get for her. FYI : I found this awesome website that has tutus, hair stuff and a bunch of other items for a great price! www.haloheaven.com
I am also officially half way through my pregnancy! Wahoo!! I cannot belive it is less than 20 weeks till I get to meet my little girl. It seems like time has gone by so fast, a lot faster than I had expected. I feel like I am going to run out of time to get ready. I am picking out all the items I need like a carseat and stroller. And my goodness, it sure adds up fast. But I couldn't be happier that I am lucky enough to be a parent!

If you didn't hear....

2010-04-29T21:26:00.002-06:00

I am Pregnant!!! I am 12-1/2 weeks along and due on November 8th. We are super excited and I still cannot believe it. However I am starting to believe it more now that my belly is getting bigger. I look like I have just been eating too many doughnuts. I hope I don't stay like this too long, it is a little uncomfortable. But I could really care less, I am just excited to be pregnant. It is going to be a fun next few months learning about pregnancy and being a new mom.

Other than that, Greg got a new motorcycle and I totally love it! I never thought I would really enjoy motorcycles but once I was on it, there was no turning back. We even bought me a super cute new pink helmet. I am going to post pictures of me wearing it once the snow decides to leave Utah. It is freezing up here!

Happy Anniversary!!!

2010-02-24T11:48:00.017-07:00

Three years ago on February 24th, at 9am I was here...

Getting married to him....

We went here on our honeymoon... (Jamaica & Cayman Islands but our comp crashed so we only have this one on the comp...luckily we put some others in an album before we lost them)

We came back to school and work in Utah and ended up in all this!

We have taken fun vacations with friends and family!

Thanksgiving 2007 at Lake Tahoe with Greg's Family

Our fun trip we won to Puerto Rico March 2008!

Fabulous trip to Vegas May 2008!

Family with my family to Hawaii 2008. 1st is the Road to Hana...2nd &3rd we are hanging from the Banyan Tree is Lahaina

Went to Hawaii again Summer 2009
Spent a couple on days on Oahu, visited the North Shore and Pearl Harbor

Then over to Maui!

We have held our Ugly Sweater Christmas Party every year

I even got a little dog...Coco!!!

We have had such a fun past couple of years...I cannot wait for the next forever!

Greg's Birthday & Thanksgiving

2009-12-08T16:57:00.001-07:00

We have been super busy lately with school and work that I totally missed the boat for Greg's Birthday and Thanksgiving! So this year Greg's birthday was on Thanksgiving...and special day! We decided to have our very own Thanksgiving...just the two of us. I had so much fun making a turkey and all the yummy stuff that goes with it. We watch football, of course! I don't think would let us do anything else, even if it wasn't his birthday! We also went to the movies and just have a fun time making our own traditions.
At this time of year, especially now in the Christmas Season I am so grateful for everything that I have. I have such a wonderful husband who studies and works so hard for us. I am so grateful that we were able to be married for time and all eternity in the Temple! I am so grateful for my parents funding my return back to school...it has been a real good semester for me. I am just glad I can go back to school. I am also so thankful for my job, it is really a great job that I have to provide for us. Lastly, I am thankful for my testimony and knowledge I have of the Gospel and Jesus Christ, and all the blessings that it brings!
Now Merry Christmas!!!!

Surprise!

2009-11-20T10:53:00.000-07:00

So I totally pulled it off last Friday night...I have been so busy that I haven't been able to post till now. But I totally was able to surprise Greg with his first EVER surprise party! I didn't know till the party that it was his first, but it was. He didn't expect it at all...he walked in and was pretty confused for a couple minutes. We had a blast, we had so many friends come and it really meant a lot to us that they all came! We have the most fun, amazing friends ever. So Greg was totally surprised, especially because it was 2 weeks early...haha. His birthday is on Thanksgiving and a bunch of our friends are going to be gone this weekend, the weekend before so it worked out great. We had yummy pizza, veggies and chips and for dessert we had cup cakes, root beer floats and a fabulous lemon angel food cake that my cousin Kristen made.
We played games till late and then went to Del Taco till like 1:30 in the morning with one of our favorite couple friends!
I don't have the pictures on my computer yet, but I took some. But I should have taken more. I am horrible when it comes to that! But I just want to say thanks to all our friends for making it a special party for Greg. Now get ready for the 4th Annual Ellsworth Ugly Sweater Christmas Party, Saturday, December 12th!!!!

Halloween Festivities!!!

2009-11-08T22:20:00.003-07:00

We did a lot of fun things this year for Halloween. We hung out with friends, carved pumpkins, dressed up as pirates, and didn't try to spook too many people this year! Halloween is one of my favorite holidays and it was extra fun this year. We had a ton of good treats being made constantly...I love to bake and be creative.

We carved Pumpkins with some friends. Greg is the mastermind behind ours!

We went to a super fun pumpkin patch!

I sure picked out the best pumpkin there!!! I am very proud of myself.

We also went to a fabulous Halloween Party. We dressed up as pirates, Greg was Jack Sparrow. I did all the makeup. It took me 45 mins to do. I am glad he loved it!

This is with his eyes closed
Now his eyes are opened!
This is the both of us at the party!

Me and Coco...I couldn't find her a cute pirate costume so I just dressed her up in fabric. She is still a cutie!!

Hope you all had a Happy Halloween!!!!

Time to Settle Down

2009-10-28T14:11:00.002-06:00

Well we have finally completed our hectic schedules, which will be so nice! We have been on the go so much the past month and a half, I am just exhausted! We were able to go down to Greg's sister, Jackie's Wedding. It was so beautiful and the desserts were really good too! I don't have pictures right now, but I will get some posted this weekend. It was a really quick trip, but it is always nice to get to California. Especially when we are having to deal with snow in October...I do not like it very much.
We were able to do a little shopping too, which has been long over due. FYI: Old Navy currently has 50% off already marked down women's clothing. We were able to get 2 pairs of pants and 4 shirts for $30! I love Old Navy!

Picture Updates

2009-10-11T21:27:00.005-06:00

So I finally have had a chance to put on some pictures from out recent family activities. Enjoy!

Tommy & Abby's Wedding
They got married at the Medford, Oregon Temple on August 29th

Michelle, Marsh, Sterling, Noelle & Detrick were sealed in the Portland, Oregon Temple on September 19th
It was such a beautiful time and experience to see how happy they all are!

Elder Stephen Jordan entered the MTC on September 23rd. He will be serving in the Atlanta Georgia North Mission. We are all so excited for him. You can check out his blog at www.elderstephenjordan.blogspot.com

Now that our lives have calmed down with these blessed events hopefully I can be better on the updates!

Crazy Life!

2009-09-27T21:10:00.004-06:00

My goodness this last month has been so incredibly crazy! First Tommy and Abby got married on August 29th, in the Medford, Oregon Temple, that was amazing. Then we flew to California for Stephen's farewell and Tommy's open house. The weekend after that we drove back out to Oregon to see Michelle and her beautiful family get sealed in the Portland Temple. Then this last Wednesday Stephen went into the MTC. Now that life has finally started to slow down I will post some pictures up of our recent activities. Tonight I have been too busy making a blog for Stephen, www.elderstephenjordan.blogspot.com
Hopefully this week I will get the pictures on...

Tommy's Getting Married

2009-08-26T19:23:00.003-06:00

We are leaving for Oregon tomorrow morning, super early. I am excited though that Tommy is getting married on Saturday to Abby! It is super fabulous and exciting for the family. I cannot wait to finally meet my new sister! Wahoo

Fridays...

2009-08-21T10:29:00.002-06:00

I love Fridays because I....

*No work
*Don't have to drive to Salt Lake
*Get to sleep in till whenever I want and Greg let's me! I am so lucky!
*Relax at the pool
*Get to watch some fun TV shows that I wouldn't normally cause I am at work
*One more day to catch a matinee showing. I don't know if I will ever pay full price for a movie again
*Can always get a quick weekend get a way without having to take time off work
*Go to lunch with friends
*Get to be with Coco all day long...she is the best little cuddle bug you could ever meet
*Have the time to bake, cook, or create whatever my heart desires

I just LOVE Fridays!

Global Warming...uhh I dont think so!

2009-08-08T13:47:00.003-06:00

I woke up this morning, I was so excited to go to the pool and work on my tan. But to my surprise when I walked out the door it was freezing! I cannot believe it is 66 degrees in Utah in the middle of summer. When it should be like 95 degrees which is a perfect temperature. Global warming yeah right! We need to take back Al Gores Nobel Prize and manhood (that was Greg's idea)for this. Obviously there is NOT a global warming crisis out there!

California and Hawaii!

2009-07-15T19:58:00.009-06:00

We made it back from our super fun trip to California for Mike's Homecoming and Hawaii for a relaxing vacation! We had a great time at both places.
On our way down we broke down on the 55 in Orange, I could not believe it! Our transmission went out on manual. I guess the casing got a hole in it so all the fluids leaked out and dirt got in the gears. Luckily our car was still under warranty by 500 miles!

That night we have a fun time eating dinner down at the beach. We made some of the best s'mores ever! Greg thoroughly enjoyed his.

The next day we woke up early and went to the swamp meet. Shortly after we went home to get ready to pick up Mike from the airport, we were all very excited to see him. We sat waiting at the airport for about 45min- 1 hour and finally we see him. At first we weren’t sure if it was Mike, but it was. The moment when a missionary comes home is always surreal; no one really knows what to do. On our way home we drove to In-N-Out for Lunch…anyone surprised? We made it home and we had a couple of hours to relax before we were going to the Newport Beach Temple. We went to the temple that evening; it was such a wonderful experience. On Sunday we got to hear Greg’s Dad and Mike speak, they both did such a wonderful job!

Later that day we had to leave the Ellsworth festivities to catch our flight to Oahu. On Monday on Oahu we got to drive down to North Shore and get breakfast in Haleiwa, which was delicious by they way. We stopped at Matsumotos, great shave ice…Lilikoi is my favorite flavor. Then by the afternoon we went to the PCC to learn more about the Polynesian culture. The Samoa show and Tonga show were our favorites, they were so funny! We got to attend a yummy luau that evening followed by a awesome night show will some really good fire dancers. We had a fun time.

PipeLine

Where we ate Breakfast in Haleiwa

Sharks Cove..This is the first place I went Scuba Diving!

On Tuesday we woke up early and ate breakfast at the Hukilau Café. My chocolate chip pancakes were HUGE and really good. We then went to Pearl Harbor where we went aboard the U.S.S. Missouri. We got to stand where the document was signed that ended WWII. We saw a great video on the U.S.S. Arizona and were able to go to the memorial sight. I felt so honored and grateful for those brave men who sacrificed their lives for our country and for the freedoms we have today.

U.S.S. Missouri

U.S.S. Arizona Memorial

We had to race from Pearl Harbor over to the airport to Maui…so we thought. It is a long story but we sat on the plane 1 ½ hours waited for 1 ½ hours after we deplaned and finally took off. It was miserable and the rest of the day was gone!

In Maui the first day we went to the Iao Needle, which was spectacular and so beautiful. After that we sat on the beach everyday (Wed, Thur, Fri, Sat, Mon)…seriously. I LOVED it!!! We went out to dinner a couple of times to some of our favorites over there but other than that we just hung out. It was very relaxing, enjoyable, I got a great tan and I was able to do absolutely nothing. We had a great 4^th of July and a yummy BBQ. We watched fire works on Front St. in Lahaina next to the Hard Rock Café which was cool cause they played fun music during the whole show.

Front St. in Lahaina

The day before we left, we visited the Blow Hole on north Maui…where Scott almost dies 10 years ago…seriously. He almost got sucked down the hole when a huge wave came crashing over him but Ricky and my Dad saved his life.

This is where Scott almost died

A GORGEOUS Sunset the night before we left

Last day on the beach!

Monday, was our last day…it was a sad day cause we had to leave! We stopped at Costco and Kmart to pick up tons of Chocolate Macadamias and Milk Chocolate Toffee Macadamias (the best ones).

Tuesday we arrived at 5:30am and got to Greg’s parents home to get some sleep before we left on our long drive back to Utah. Right before we left we had some great Mexican food at the place Javier’s off El Toro. Then we drove back so I could work on Wednesday.

Me and Coco sleeping

We had such a fabulous time and I am already planning our next vacation for next year…I am hoping its SPAIN!!!

He's coming back!

2009-06-23T20:57:00.002-06:00

Well more exciting news for our family...Greg's brother Mike is coming back from his mission in South Africa! We are so excited to see him on Sat. He has been a great servant of the Lord and we are so blessed to have him in our family. Mike seems like he has really grown a very strong testimony since he has been gone, I can't wait to hear him speak in church on Sunday. I am also really excited to get to know him better...he has been gone pretty much the whole time we have been married! Hopefully he comes up to Utah...that's what I am pulling for. I wish I had some pictures of him but I don't...I should have some in a couple weeks when we get back. In the mean time Welcome Home!! We missed you and love you very much!

And he is going to....

2009-06-20T15:48:00.003-06:00

It has been a very exciting month for my family! My younger brother Stephen received his Mission Call. I came home from work early this past Wednesday to find Stephen at my place. Within 5 min of being here he was like..."where's your mail key"...I started laughing. The mission call was sent to our place because we didn't know if Stephen would still be here in Utah when it came. Well he was...and we took a little walk over to the mail box with Coco and the mailman was there finishing up. We opened the mail box and it was there! It came at like 3:30 in the afternoon but he made plans to open it up at 7 pm that night...I don't know how he was able to wait. That evening I went over to his place, Ricky & Shelly with their beautiful family were there and a bunch of his friends.
Once everyone got there Stephen called up Mom & Dad and began to open his Mission Call... Elder Jordan proceeded to tell us, he will be serving the Lord in the Atlanta Georgia North Mission!!! He reports on September 23rd, 2009 to the MTC. I am so exciting for him he will have just an amazing time serving the Lord and the people of Georgia. I love him so much and I am grateful for the wonderful example he is to me and all those around him. Stephen you are the best...you will be an incredible Missionary!!!

Just dying to open his call...but my Mom isn't picking up the phone!

Opening up the call....where is he going?

"Atlanta Georgia North Mission!" Waahoo!!!!

It got a little crazy after that so I didn't get a good picture of him holding it up...But hopefully I will soon.
Congratulations little bro...I love you!!!

Engagement

2009-06-09T20:11:00.002-06:00

So I thought this really deserved its own post....Well there is an announcement and it is.... My brother Tommy is Engaged!!!! Yay for him! To a darling girl (I have yet to meet and I wont meet till the wedding), named Abby! They are going to get married in the Medford, OR temple on September 5th, 2009! This is great for Tommy...I didn't think he would get married till he was 30! Well Congratulations to him...Greg and I are very excited for the blessed event!

Life Update

2009-06-09T19:38:00.003-06:00

So I know I have totally dropped the ball lately on blogging...but I was never a good blogger in the first place so it doesn't really matter. Anyways Greg and I have been up to our usually things...BBQ'ing like EVERY night...anyone is invited...taking walks with Coco and chasing her around. She is always so much fun and I love to see her get excited! We got to go to California over Memorial weekend and it was really nice to get away! We brought Coco with us and I can tell already she would rather live there then Utah.
This last weekend we were able to go to the Air Show at Hill Air Force Base which was awesome. It was great seeing all the planes fly around and see all the cool planes on display. It also made me feel so grateful for all the sacrifices made by those who serve us in the Military! They are amazing men and women who fight for us and our Freedom...it is because of them we have the country we live in...I am Proud to say I am an American! Lets just remember that as we have to suffer through these next 3 1/2 years with Obama as president and hope he finally realize how wonderful America is and the great country our Forefathers built.
Anyways here are some pics of our fun filled day!

The boys next to a helicopter...they loved the gun on it!
Greg LOVES American Choppers...this is the one they made for the air force
Inside one of the huge planes

It was a super fun day...we got super sunburn too!

Cleaning...

2009-04-17T14:26:00.002-06:00

Greg is working today so I am at home doing all of the house work. Cleaning, laundry, picking things up and putting them away...dishes. I hate doing dishes. And while I am doing all of this it makes me realize how lucky I am. This is probably the first week in a LONG time where I have to actually do some house work. Greg is a very clean and OCD kind of guy. This helps to make my life easier because he does everything in the house. I always just tell him...you just have a chance to get to it before I do...which is true most of the time. I am just so grateful for him and everything he does around the house. He is cleaner than I am...he even keeps all his clothes put away. (that is why I like a walk-in closet, I can leave my clothes on the floor and close the door, than I dont have to see it). Anyways, Greg is truely wonderful. I haven't even vacuumed once since we got married, over 2 years ago. Ha...anyways I am so lucky, thankful and blessed to have Greg help do the housework every week!

April Showers Bring May Flowers

2009-04-02T19:20:00.000-06:00

I cannot believe that it is April already...I know it has been so long since I have blogged. This past March was a lot of fun. Amber came to visit, we went to the movies, shopping and a bunch of fun girl stuff. Oh we also watched Twilight the weekend before it came out...a guy at work got me a copy. Amber and I were VERY excited. We also made a cake for our Nephew's (Matthew) 1st Birthday. That was a lot of fun and he LOVED the cake that he got all to himself.
I also had a Birthday last Sunday, the 29th. I didn't do anything too exciting. I went a got a facial and I am going to go shopping at Nordstroms with a gift card from my In-Laws. I haven't had a chance yet, so those are my plans tomorrow. Then on Saturday we went out to dinner with some friends at delicious Macaroni Grill. It was nice to get out and be with those fabulous friends we love to hang out with so much (you know who you are). On my actual Birthday, Greg was so wonderful and took care of me all day. He made me a delicious dinner and gave me 4 Toblerone's, my absolute favorite chocolate bar EVER.
Now it is April and it won't stop snowing...I only hope it will stop soon and we can see all the pretty flowers. Especially at Temple Square, I dont know if there is any place more beautiful than Temple Square in the Spring time.
My family is coming tomorrow too! I cannot wait for them to come and meet Coco. Especially Hailey she is going to love her so much...Hailey loves animals more than anyone I know. Also my Mommy is going to take me out shopping for my Birthday. YAY!! I am so excited!

Happy Anniversary!

2009-02-24T18:45:00.000-07:00

Greg and I have been married to 2 years now...Wow! I cannot believe it! It seems like we just got married yesterday, but also feels like we have always been married! I am so thankful for the amazing and wonderful husband that he is! I could not as for anyone more special...( I will let you define the word "special") XOXO..I love you!

Fern Gully Bat

2009-02-15T21:21:00.001-07:00

Oh I forgot this one...doesn't she look like the bat in Fern Gully?

A cute one with her ears up and her tongue out

She is so fun to play this and have her make these funny faces...the trick is to let her do them

Coco's Fashion Show

2009-02-15T21:07:00.000-07:00

We got some cute new outfits for Coco this past week, but I cannot take credit. My fabulous Mother-in-Law, who is amazing at crocheting made Coco a cute sweater and got her a cute dress. The both fit so well and she looks darling in them!

This is her posing with her cute Butterfly Dress...she always closes her eyes with the flash.

Another darling pose from Coco

We are dancing together, while watch the NBA Dunk Contest

Greg was thinking...."Oh My Goodness, are you really taking ALL these pictures of a Dog?!"
Greg is just so happy right now!

We love...well I love these cute outfits we have! Greg came home from work when Coco was wearing her little dress...he was shocked and could not stop laughing. But I love it and so does Coco and that is all that matters right?

"Coco Channel"

2009-01-17T18:08:00.000-07:00

So Greg got me a dog for Christmas, we finally picked her out! She is so adorable. She is a brown Miniature Pinscher Mix. We adopted her through the Humane Society, I so glad we were able to do that. After going there, we are always going to adopt our animals through a shelter. It is so sad to see all the adorable animals there and so alone.
Here are some cute pictures of "Coco Channel"
Me and the cute little Coco. I had to leave and she cried for me for a half hour Greg said.

This is of the whole family, Coco doesn't look to happy...haha

Greg and Coco, he wont admit it but he loves having her aroundShe is so much fun to have around, especially to keep me company. Greg is working tonight at the Hospital, so Coco is here to hang out with me. She is so well trained already too! She is 1 year 9 months old. We are teaching her not to jump on the furniture whenever she wants, we think her previous owners let her do that. But she never barks, only whines but it is not very loud, which is nice. I love have her around, she is so wonderful and a great new addition to our family!

Snow....

2009-01-05T23:32:00.000-07:00

Well needless to say...Utah is miserable...it was 4 degrees in Salt Lake this morning. Lucky for me it was 9 degrees by the time I got to work and only had to wait outside for a couple minutes before I could get the door open. I really need to go to the gym and build my muscles...but that is besides the point. It has been so cold I don't think I have felt warm all day! By the time I left work this afternoon at 6 pm...it pouring snow everywhere! All I could hear on the radio...2 hours from downtown to the point of the mountain...(where I pretty much travel from). A 10 car pile up around Lehi and American Fork...another 1-1/2 hours from the point of the mountain to Orem. Luckily by the time I had left they were able to get all accidents off the freeway and it only too me just over 2 hours to get home, which normally takes 45 min. And now since another storm is rolling through tomorrow morning, I will be leaving by no later than 5:45 AM!! Yes that is right...I have to be out of the house by 5:45 tomorrow morning. All because of the stupid snow...

Halloween

2008-11-07T01:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!!!
Well for Halloween we had some friends over and had a BBQ of course...that is like all we ever do!!! I don't know what we would do without one. I had decided to be a Pirate, I was all ready and my heel on my boots snapped off. I was so frustrated because anything and everything that can go wrong seems like it will go wrong. Well anyways, so it kind of put me out of the mood of being all dressed up, but I still took a fabulous picture with Stephen.

Greg decided he wanted to be Peter Pan's shadow...but when he got dressed up he just looked like he was trying to be a black man. It was so freaky cause he has white teeth and blue eyes...it looked crazy...and then he got his rifle out....I think everyone was freaking out then! Haha...he can get a little too hyper when he is playing around with friends...because after they all when out around our apartments and Greg started to scare everyone...I would be scared if he popped out from no where too!I am just bummed because Greg and I didn't get a picture together...oh well....we need to get better at that anyways....
XOXO Ali

Car Accident

2008-10-02T17:26:00.000-06:00

I had experienced the unfortunate event of getting in a car accident about a week and a half ago. My goodness it has not been fun to deal with at all! I got rear ended and now I am feeling the after effects that result from such an event. I haven't been able to do anything since, my body is aching all over. Especially my neck, which after X-Rays is in a complete straight line, there is no curvature that is supposed to be there...and that results to sleepless nights and horrible headaches. Mu back is also hurting but not as bad, I only hope that it will being to feel better so I am not in pain while working 10 hour days! But oh well things like this happen. I just hate waiting around to know what is going to happen with everything and I sure hope it turns out all well.

Life in Happy Valley

2008-09-07T20:48:00.000-06:00

Well Greg & I have officially moved down to Orem and we are liking it so far. We are close to friends which is nice, we are able to get together with them more easily. The only downside is that I still have to drive to Salt Lake Mon-Thurs for work which is not that bad now that I am getting use to it. Greg is really enjoying school so far and have a lot of good opportunities for his major that will hopefully help him get into Med School in the next year or so...

Breaking Dawn

2008-08-01T19:50:00.000-06:00

My goodness...Breaking Dawn comes out tonight at Midnight and you better believe that I will be there. I am so excited and cannot wait. I really hope Bella chooses Edward otherwise I going to forever be distraught over it. Well we will find out and I sure hope I am not disappointed!!!