Dietbets and Arizona

Bullet points because I wait to long to post nowadays so it's easier...

• Had a birthday on the 14th. Celebrated on a plane to AZ to have a Jeff Earl girl weekend with my SIL's. Brandon's parents are renting a house in Gilbert for a couple months. They are looking at possibly moving there, so this helps them get the feel of what it would be like. Here's what it would be like: Amazing. It would be amazing. 
• Arizona happened from the 14th-18th. We shopped, and I actually shopped and had a great attitude the whole time! For those who aren't aware, I have a genuine dislike/borderline hate for shopping. I like to get what I need and get out. It's rare when I can browse shop. It makes it easier to do when you have your girls with you giving you all the Ooo's and Ahh's about how great your butt looks in those jeans and how tiny your waist looks in that dress. We ate yummy food from tapinyaki, carne tacos, BBQ, homemade bread, and some random diner food (WE REGRET NOTHING). We got pedicures. We went and looked at model homes, and all realized we need to contact the decorator of these said model homes. We had all the conversations. We hottubed. We did inititories at the Gilbert temple. Side bar, Gilbert temple is my new favorite temple. The celestial room was absolutely stunning. We visited Uncle Doug and Aunt Connie, and had wonderful conversation. Post visit picked fresh lemons off a nearby lemon tree in someone's backyard. We talked make up. We read our books in peace without kids needing you to watch their newest trick. All the while husbands back at home survived being Mr. Mom. I will say, since this trip Troy has been more about Dad than me. I won't be leaving for a while. Need to reestablish our friendship. Ya know? 

• We went to a wedding in San Diego for our good friends Brock and Katie who FINALLY sealed the deal. Literally sealed, (boom).  It was one of the most spiritual experiences of my life to watch them  kneel across the alter from one another and make their covenants to each other and to Heavenly Father. We have been blessed to have been able to watch them find each other, fall and be in love, and now be our new married friends. We are so excited for them and can't wait to see what their beautiful future holds in eternity!

• While we were in San Diego, my great grandma was admitted into the ER after visiting my aunt with my Grandma for the holidays. She was diagnosed with lung cancer recently and was having issues breathing when admitted, after which they diagnosed her with heart failure. We visited a couple times to see her and visit with my family. It was heartbreaking to see my great grandma, who I think of as this strong and free willed being, in such a frail state. I'm grateful for my Grandma and aunts who were all there to help her mend enough to get her home to Seattle where she is now. As of right now she is stable at home. She just celebrated her birthday yesterday! Happy birthday Grandma Great! Love you like crazy.
• We went on a double date this last week with our friends Lindsey, Garret, Ken, and Taylor. We ate at Kona Grill, then went and watched Ride Along 2. Super funny! 
• Troy is getting 4 teeth right now and trying to kick a cold. Poor dude. He's had a wet cough and runny nose for a couple weeks now. He's still eating, sleeping, and acting just fine so I haven't felt prompted to take him to a dr just yet. Rub some dirt on it, right?
• So Kelsey Edwards and I are doing this Dietbet with Our Best Bites. Basically you put $35 into a pot with other players and bet that you will lose 4% of your body weight within the next 30 days. If you don't, you lose out on you $35. If you do, not only do you get your money back, but you also get a portion of the pot from those who didn't lose their 4%. It's sweet and super motivating! Plus 4% is so easy to lose. I've been eating paleo friendly, and straight up this is how I live with the exception of a cheat meal once a week. My mom got me a paleo cookbook for my birthday with awesome easy recipes that keep you full. My dream would be to throw away everything in my house that is not paleo compliant and say, "If it's not there then this is what you eat instead." Maybe someday B will be on board? Eh? Anyway, we have been doing Zumba M-W-F with her friend's mom who teaches a class for free at a church building. I love Zumba. It's so fun! Then on the off days I'll do an at home crossfit routine or an online Zumba workout. It's fun guys it's fun! With money on the line how can you not be motivated to get your butt in gear right?

K peace out.

Whoa....

Oh what? I have a blog? That's weird.... Hi blog!

So I changed the title of my blog thinking that it applied more to my little group as my husband consistently refers to himself as "duke of earl." So obviously I'm the duchess, right? Of course right.

Last time I posted was wayyyy to long ago. So here is a summed up version of all that has happened since:

-We traveled to Hawaii in September for Brandon's circle of excellence prize. We were on Oahu. Played hard. Favorite part of the experience was going to the Polynesian Cultural Center. Truly amazing.
-We went to Cabo San Lucas a month later in October with Brandon's cousin Preston and his wife Meghan as a celebratory event for anniversaries/themed "live like you were dying." Favorite part of that trip is tied between snorkeling in bright clue waters, and watching baby turtles make their way back to the ocean after dinner. Also, getting Preston and Meghan to ourselves. Hehe
-Brandon quit Mattress Firm. Long story short he wasn't happy there anymore for lots of different reasons. He now works for Voltzwagon Audi in Boise as a salesman. He just started this last Monday. We will see where that takes us.
-We moved into a rental home. LOVING IT! Especially with a crazy kid who doesn't like to be "shh'd." Who does, right?
-Troy turned one. Still in denial. Although he rocks the whole toddler attitude real well.
-We traveled to San Diego for our good friends wedding last week. Beautiful experience to watch them sealed for time and eternity in the temple. Also, San Diego temple should be on everyone's bucket list to see. Definitely the disneyland of temples. While we were there we were able to visit my great grandma in the hospital who is in heart failure. It was so tender to see her, and happen to be there while she was visiting. Please pray for her.
-I'm a stay at home mom as of this last September. It's been such a blessing to not have to worry about anyone else caring for my little buddy other than myself. To be able to keep up house, to catch up on my reading, teach Troy new words, tricks, faces. It's great.

2015 was amazing. Bring it 2016.

Marching through March

Apples are so good. For some whatever reason, granny smith's are my current favorite. Now, if honeycrisp apples were on sale and available to me, I would be saying I'm eating a honeycrisp. Others might disagree with me by saying honeycrisp's are not the best apples, but they are wrong. Plain and simple. #comeatme
Troy is like begging me to type his post first, so here ya go:

Heyyyyyy. What's up guys? I'm back. I know I know, you all have been DYING to read about all the current happenings in my life right? Don't worry I got your back.

So my mom does this thing called "work part time" 3 days out of the week. I'll wake up from sleeping because it's the day time, and my gramma is just magically there. My mom comes back home and plays with me around my bed time, and right after that gramma goes home and my Dad shows up. When my dad comes home he sings me funny songs. Some of them are weird, and I'm pretty sure they aren't real songs. For example, "I looked out the window and what did I see? A little bunny hopping right in front of me. I shot him in the head and now he's dead..." I forget the rest. But then my mom sings the same song only different. I like her version better. I'm not super fond of thinking about dead bunnies.... 

I'm still lovin' bath time. I've finally learned how to get the water on my parents. I just have to throw both my feet up at the same time and land them right in the water. Works every time. 

Tummy time is still stupid. Will always be stupid. It's getting easier for me because now I just lift up my head and yell at my mom to pick me up. It's hard to lift my head up though because I've got a big head and a tiny body. (mom typing- at his 2 month check up he was 95th percentile for his head and 50th for weight and height sooo yeah). Anyways, sometimes I have to lift my feet up too when I lift up my head. It seems to help.

My appetite has like doubled. I don't really know what this part means, but my mom says I eat up to 5.5oz at a time every 2-3 hours. My parents had to start mixing my regular milk with this stuff called "formula." I don't mind though. I'll still eat it, but I can definitely tell it's not the normal stuff. Sometimes I don't like it, so I just wait until they give me the normal milk. 

My dad had to cut my hair a couple weeks ago because it was getting too long on one side of my head. I don't know why the other side wasn't keeping up, but oh well. Now I've got a stylish look just like my dad. 

My mom bought me this cool thing that has toys hang over my head with a thing that shows me what I look like. It's super cool. All the funny shapes, my mom calls them animals, make this jingle noise and feel funny too when I touch them. It makes me laugh real hard. 

Oh, also, my parents favorite thing to do is tickle me until I pee. I try to shrink myself up and dodge their tickle fights, but I always lose. I'm hoping one of these days they forget to put a diaper on me... I'll show them. ahahahaha

That's all I got. Peace out fools-

T-MONEY

'

 It's literally the best feeling in the world coming home from work, and seeing this bright smiley little handsome. I picked up an extra day out of the week, so now I'm working Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. It's been really smooth, and I love my job so it makes it easier. Plus I selfishly love how excited he gets when he sees me coming home.

Last weekend was busy for our little guy meeting his great grandparents! This is my awesome Grandma Jaeger, who by the way beat cancer last year!!!!! She's on the mend, and is the most selfless, energetic, hilarious, compassionate woman I know. I pray I'm as cool as she is when I'm her age.

We hardly ever take pictures together anymore since we had Troy. Both our phones now have zillions of pictures of a bright blue eyed little boy. So, get ready for more of this my fellow bloggers.

Great Grandma's weekend continued- We're skipping a generation in this picture, but on the right is Troy's Great Great Grandma, whom we call Great Grandma Great, and on the left is Troy's Great Grandma Sweetie. When I was younger I called my grandma "Grandma Sweetie" because my grandpa always called her Sweetie. So it stuck. Anyways, this picture is crazy cool with having four generations!

Troy playing with his Dad, and listening to his made up songs. I'm fairly concerned that he will grow up singing them as legitimate songs, and kids everywhere will be like, "Uh that's not the version my parents taught me..."

Great Grandma Sweetie and Great Grandma Great. He seriously was so in love with both of them from the minute they walked in the door. It just melted my heart. We don't get to see them very often, so I was glad that Troy was on his bestest behavior. 

We took them out to dinner in the village in meridian at this restaurant called Twigs. We all ate yummy food, walked around, gabbed and laughed, ant watched the water show. Troy was entranced by the colors. It got a little chilly so we sat by the fire, where he also sat and watched the flames. Hopefully that means he will be a literal happy camper when we go camping, eh?

Oh, and on the right. Just like, look at him you guys. For real....

 Ignore my ghettoness.. He had a rough night and thought he could just party all night. We had to give him a stern talking to like, "Listen guy, I know the neighbors down stairs have you confused, but now is not the time to be playing with mom and dad." Didn't stick unfortunately... But he's always fun and pretty in the mornings. His eyes will forever be my favorite. Actually I lied, his whole person is my favorite.

His, "LOOK MA! I'M THREE MONTHS OLD!" picture... Like what? Three months ago he was born? Time flies... 

Sometimes in church it's super cool when your baby decides to not only spit up all over his Sunday clothes, but also spit up on yours, have a blow out, and refuse to take a nap. It's moments such as these you throw a blanket on the ground, give him his toy, and just say FINE. Cured. He sat and talked to his toy elephant and laughed at me for being so silly to think that he would ever take a nap with so much spirit being felt up in here. Silly silly me....

Oh you guys... Life is wonderful isn't it? A friend of mine posted a picture on instagram of her 5 (?!?!?!) boys and said, "While we're busy trying to teach them all about life, they are teaching us what life is all about." It's so true. Granted, I've been a parent for a mere 3 months, but in that short time I've learned so much about myself, and how much our Father in Heaven loves us. I mean, he gave me one of his children and trusted B and I to raise him in righteousness. That's amazing. I can barely leave my son for work in the morning, let alone entrust him with someone else to teach him all the eternal truths that his Heavenly Father wants him to grow to have a testimony of. Can you imagine?  Nope. 

As for an update on everything else... B is taking chemistry 111, which I think I mentioned before? His teacher is one of those that has zero patience. Half the time he's saying, "You should already know this!" or "I don't know why you guys aren't getting this." For real. We got a tutor to basically teach Brandon the same chapters this guy isn't able to teach himself. B was telling me one of the girls in his class is from China and was a doctor there, but when she came to the US she had to go back to school to get her degree. She's never ever failed anything in her life, and on their last test she failed it. So to me that speaks volumes. I sincerely hope this tutor will help! Seems to be. 

B's company merged with Sleep Country this last week, so things have been slammed for him there. They have switched their computer software system over to the one Sleep Country was using, and are training how to use it as well as train the Sleep Country staff the ways of Mattress Firm. B runs his own store, and they gave him an assistant guy to be there with him consistent, which is nice to have stability and have someone accountable for the store rather than just him, ya know?

We are supposed to be getting more info on Hawaii by the end of the month, and it sounds like it will for sure be in September. WAHOO! #daydreaming

Until next time peeps.... xoxo

The Final Countdown

Working backwards with this update..

Brandon is working hard with the holiday season just around the corner. He has been able to find balance with the increase of responsibility he has been getting at work and study time with school. His company recently bought out Sleep Country, so they had a merger party a couple weeks ago. He made a point of telling me, "Babe, make sure you get dolled up because I need to show you off." Apparently I haven't been able to hide my lack of care in regard to getting ready for anything. Whoops! Anyways, everyone that he introduced me to had nothing but great things to say about my salesman. He's been very successful with Mattress Firm. It's such a blessing to have him come home happy with his job and with where he is at. School has been successful for him as well. I can't remember if I mentioned before which classes he is taking this semester, but he's taking Microbiology and Statistics. He has finals the week after my due date. He's trying to study and prepare as much as he can beforehand so that baby week can be blissful without care. After this he only has his chem's to take and we have a free ticket to apply to any PA program. Hip hooray!

I'm currently 36 weeks and feeling large and in charge. I went on a tour of the hospital last week, and if it didn't feel real before it certainly does now! As we were walking through the labor and delivery area, we happened to walk passed a closed door that behind them had a woman yelling, "YOU CAN DO IT! KEEP GOING! KEEP GOING!" Now, let me first preface this moment in time by telling you that I had yet to feel any kind of nervousness for anything. Not the delivery, parenting, nada. Then I hear those loud statement being told to this mother to be, and I turned to my friend and said, "NO." Freaked me out a little bit. She did comfort me and said it will be just fine. Hopefully that wonderful epidural drug is strong enough that no one will need to yell at me....

We have been getting baby's nursery all ready and prepared. His crib is set up, clothes washed and organized, and diapers set up in his changing table/dresser. We only have a few things left to get and then game time! We have had so many people give us such great advice and helped us become better prepared for this whole parenthood thing. Thanks you guys! Now it's bragging hour....

First, I need to brag about my sister friend Callie. She has amazing talent, and knows how to make you feel pretty even when you are 20lbs heavier with swollen ankles. She did an amazing job, and I'm grateful for her taking these maternity pictures. For the longest time I told myself I would not take these pictures, but after seeing these pictures I'm so so glad I did, and even more so glad that I had such a talented photographer take them. 

Second, I need to brag about my amazing mother. She worked so hard to throw me such an incredible baby shower. Her and her fabulous friends were able to put together a very memorable shower with nautical decor, unique and fun games, yummy and delicious food, and everyone was so thoughtful in bringing baby boy awesome gifts. Thank you everyone! And most of all, thank you mom for the shower from me and boy earl :)

Third, I need to brag about my handsome, thoughtful, and creative baby daddy. We were having a hard time thinking of Halloween costumes. I came home from work one evening to Brandon sitting at our kitchen table very intently working away at a red shirt. He turns around to me and says, "Surprise! I have our costumes," and he holds up the red shirt to show me my costume that he himself drew free handed. He keeps me on my toes!

Side note to Halloween, check out this sweet dinner we had! I'm quite proud :)

 Fourth, I need to brag about my husband again in celebratory manor regarding the two wonderful years we have spent together married. In those two years I could not have imagined being more in love than I was on the day we got married. Since then I have watched my sweet hubs evolve from a working paramedic, a student and student to be as a potential PA, a salesman, and now a father. He teaches me something new everyday, and challenges me everyday to become a better person. 

This year we went to Seattle and watched our beloved Seahawks attempt to beat the Dallas Cowboys. Though we left the game broken hearted and quite depressed, we still had a fabulous time in Seattle. We did Pike Place Market, Space needle, and Science Center. Super duper fun you guys.

Last but certainly not least, I must brag about my sweet in-laws. They have made me feel so spoiled, and have been helping me prepare for this new journey to be a parent. Kelsey and Becky came in town while the boys did a boys weekend to play. We made curtains for the nursery, shopping for baby necessities, and wonderful girl time chat. It's always the best having them in town! Picture below are just two pregnant girls thinking they are so cool taking bump pictures. Can you guess who is further along?