The Guessing Game

I wish finding out the gender of your baby was like getting a mission call.  Because I really want to have people guess ... and then whoever is closest ... gets the pleasure of knowing they are a good guesser.  But having a baby gives you three ... possibly four options - girl, boy, still wasn't able to identify, and (please bless not) hermaphrodite.  :)  We have our appointment to find out on Monday.  (Theres your answer, Aimee)  Let the guesses begin.  

P.S.  Jennette already said girl with super curly hair and a pot-belly like her dad had when he was a baby.  Jennette - did you know I was bald until I was two?  :)

Hot Pockets Part II

Who knew I loved hot pockets so much?  I don't remember eating them since high school.  But, the other night Tyler got home late, and I had worked all day.  I am incapable of taking care of myself after work any more, so when Tyler got home I asked him to fix me some food.  He listed my options and I jumped on the hot pocket.  He came back in the room a minute later to tell me he forgot he ate the last one a couple days ago ... what did I do?  Start bawling.  Pregnancy is ridiculous.

My Perfect Husband

I just need a second to brag about why MY husband is so great.  First off, ever since getting pregnant and getting sick he has been packing my lunches in the morning so I can sleep a little bit longer.  When I started throwing up every morning he started getting up a couple minutes before me so he could bring me breakfast in bed to help settle my stomach before I got up and moving (which really has helped a lot!).  He has been a real trooper so far.  

Today, he went above and beyond.  I had requested that in today's lunch a hot pocket be put in for my mid-morning breakfast.  Around 11 when I finally got a break I went to the back to get my hot pocket. ... No hot pocket!  So, I texted him 'no hot pocket?'  His immediate response was, 'oh no, I'll go get one and bring it to you right now.'  I let him do it because it just sounded SO GOOD  (part of the weird pregnancy cravings I suppose).   He left his work, which was quite busy and he was in charge and came to mine.  All the women on the floor harassed him for moving me away next month, and them not getting to see the baby, and ... for forgetting the hot pocket.  I think they were all so impressed that he actually brought it to me.  And they all think he is cute.  I really do have the best husband. 

One of my favorite things

If I didn't know everyone would find it discusting I would probably post a picture of all the blackheads they suck out.  Its a little bit sick, but I love these things.

Whirlwind Trip

Part of the reason I wanted to move east was to travel.  Especially, to see Boston.  I had already been to DC and NY and I just knew I would also love Boston.  So, we finally got to go.  It was now or ... maybe never.  We drug our friends, the Stantons, along (or they drug us since we took their car and Steve drove most the time).  It was really fun.  And a lot really fast.  This first picture is Tyler's mission president and his wife.  He is currently the Boston temple president.  Its always nice to hear that your husband actually was a hard-working, well-behaved missionary.  (Although prior to going we all got briefed on what not to say).  They made us breakfast, let me use use their shower, and take a nap.  And the highlight of my morning may have been buying some long over-due larger-sized garments.   Oh ... my kidneys can function again!  (and my eyes are shut for just about half the pictures we took).

Boston Gardens

We don't really like the celtics.

We did visit historical sites.  This is old north church where Paul Revere hung the light.

This is Paul Revere's house.  (We did more than Paul Revere history ... I'm simply sparing ALL those pictures).

We got to visit my friend, Lindsey, at Harvard.  We also got to meet his really cute fiance, Stephanie.  For any Boise people anxious for gossip, I REALLY liked her.  She was great.  Also, I think I feel smarter just saying I know people who go to Harvard. 

Thanks to Marina's detective work, and Steve's gift to her about 1,000 things to see, we made it to the biggest antique flea market.  Its only held 3 weeks a year (or something like that).  It was massive ... and awesome.  So many cool old things.  If we get rich, I think we know a fun place to throw away money (better than Vegas, maybe?).

 

We then headed to Palmyra to check out the church history sites there.  It was pretty cool.  This is inside the Smith home.  We toured the sites and spent some time in the Sacred Grove, which was beatiful and awesome.  They gave us big umbrellas to carry around with us because of the on-and-off rain.  (In high school the BFC made a list of best places to be kissed.  I think my new number one is - in the sacred grove, light rain, big umbrella, with my husband.  TMI?)

   

We then went to Niagra Falls.  This thing is huge and awesome.  It was a little cold, but pretty awesome to see.

Thanks again Marina and Steve for running all around New England with us.  We had a lot of fun.  (And how many steps do you think we got in total?  80,000?)

At Your Local Library ...

The library here is really a cool old building.  It is also the highlight of my social life recently.  Last week I saw both Kara, and Mary Kay (from work).  I never see anyone I know around town.  Much to my pleasure and surprise the tradition has continued because today I saw Lena.  Going to the library is how I have celebrated being done with school this semester.  Today, I checked out '1,000 Splendid Suns' due to the recommendation of Diana.  Thank you Sheppard Memorial Library.

Going Public ... Happy Mother's Day

I made these cards for Mother's Day for our Moms and Grandmas.

I also made these inserts.

And then I put one of these in too.

Happy Mother's Day!

P.S.  We had a friendly little comptetition to see which of all our mothers and grandmothers would be honest and not open their cards until Mother's Day, as requested.  The Rice side performed wonderfully, the Oakes side (or should I say Schnupp side) ... apparently has room for improvement.  (We still love you, Grandma)  I want to mention my sister-in-law, Jen, performed superiorly given her difficult task.  Hopefully, this baby is getting some Rice genes!  (Okay, and some Oakes genes too)! 

Interesting Friday Night

Yeah ... we put that together.

Curious ...

The Terrible Case of Benjamin Button

I was never a big movie person.  Since getting married I have become a movie watcher.  (It might also have something to do with working 12 hour shifts and having energy for nothing else by the end of the day).  We rented Benjamin Button last night.  I am reminded why I never used to like movies.  We were unimpressed.  Many of the movies I have watched recently that are blockbuster hits are basically centered around sex.  As was this one.  But this was three hours long ... ugh ...   Also, I used to think Brad Pitt was possibly the most attractive man alive.  I am a little dissapointed.  He really isn't even a very good actor.  He just plays a silent, brewding character in all his movies.   And I don't think it was seeing him as a hidious old-man-baby that ruined it for me.

When I get the conference issues of the Ensign, the first thing I do is flip through to see if I know anyone in the pictures.  It has never happened.  Sometimes Iwould see people I recognised from classes at BYU.  Today, on page 84, there was a picture of Eric Litster.  Not having talked to him in years  I won't post the picture, but I know there are others who may be amused by this.

This is a joke ... but not a joke at all

So, some of you may know that in Tyler and I's grand scheme we want to buy and live in a trailer ... yes, a mobile home ... throughout Tyler's law school experience. At first, I was a little turned off to the idea, but I have since seen the light and I am all about it. (As long as it doesn't smell like smoke and I can play with decorating). Anyway, I have been so keen on the idea that I told my friend, Kelly, all about it. We joked about putt-putt turf porches and flamingos and garden gnomes. Look what she gave me at work. My first trailer-warming gift.

i LOVE lists

School is almost over.   I have one more paper to write and then I need to keep tabs on my classes for the next week.  Then ... I am done.  I can barely contain myself.  Last week I noticed I started accumulating more lists than usual.  I usually have a grocery list and a to-do list, but now I have those plus a 'to do when school ends' list, plus a list of things to do when we are in Boise this summer, plus a list of things for my mom to do for me.  I'm going overboard.  I do want to share my Boise list though because there may be things that I am missing.  Of course, visit family and friends is a given.  Here is what else I have come up with:

eat at-

Costa Vida!

golden spoon

mongolian BBQ

tyler wants guidos

albertsons chocolate donuts (they are my favorite!)

4th of July with the Rices

lay by my parents' pool ... a lot

spend time in Idaho City

go for a bike ride on the greenbelt

ride Tyler's motorcycle

bike ride in the foothills

BBQ

play volleyball

attempt to find all our stuff that we left in so many places before we moved

go to the temple

find my old stuffed animals

go to McCall 

go kayaking in McCall

go fishing

I love Boise summers.  For anyone who doesn't know, we are probably going to U of I in Moscow for law school.  We will spend July in Boise and then move up north.  Not too far from home.  I'm getting more excited the more details we start planning.