Home Owners

So you know that mortgage that you dream of and yet fear all at the same time when you're renting?

Yeah, we finally dove head first into one. We love our cute little rambler with it's ginormous backyard and beautifully freshly updated kitchen. But most of all we love the notion that this is where we will bring home our little one, where he will take his first steps, and where I will spend many sleepless nights with him. But first of course we have to finish and decorate the nursery, which I'm incredibly excited about!

 I will update with before and after photos as I get the house put together, and as we upgrade certain things. We've already got a list of desirable updates, home ownership sure is expensive (but I'd rather put money into our house than someone else's renting)!

Unfortunately this doesn't have the house in it, but I will post a picture soon.

24 Weeks

Week: 24

Weeks Left: 13 until full term, 16 until due date

Stretch marks: NONE yet!

Belly button: The biggest update of the week is that my belly button finally popped out. I don't feel like I've gotten much bigger, but apparently I have.

Sleep: Surprisingly sleeping through the nights has become more frequent, I haven't had middle of the night potty calls as much which is honestly nice to not have disturbed sleep. As much as I can get before he comes. However it's already become painful to sleep on my back which is how is my 'fall asleep position' so I'm going to have to train myself to fall asleep on my side.

Cravings: loving my Cafe Rio on a weekly basis if not more frequently. Basically whenever I can talk Jared into it. And ranch, if you give me a bag of chips and ranch dip I could eat the whole thing in one sitting...yes, healthy I know!

Weight Gain: Officially twelve lbs. gain. At least I haven't lost weight since my last appointment, the Doctor will be happy about that.

Clothing: Officially can no longer fit into ANY of my church clothes. I was able to make some of my longer dresses work until a couple weeks ago, now I officially need to go get some larger/longer dresses. This bump makes all my dresses about four inches too short in the front.

Daddy: Finally got to feel a really good kick from this mister about a week ago, which has been rare, since he wiggles more than kicks a lot. But the kicking is increasing so by the time he's ready to come out I may be bruised on the inside from him.

Big news this week: I graduated from college! Can't even begin to say how happy and relieved I am that its over and I don't have to worry about it anymore!!! Now I can focus completely on getting ready for this little one.

 With my dear sweet parents who paid and supported me through my college career,

and my wonderful husband. I think he was more excited about my graduation than I was!

And my huge-ish bump. I forget how big it is and frequently have difficulty getting through skinny spaces like I used to be able to. How can it get any bigger?!

Trading Up

For quite some time, probably years now actually, my poor well-loved Coach has needed to be put on the shelf and treated as an antique. I've been waiting and biding my time for a great deal on a purse at work and I definitely lucked out! I helped a customer return this purse, and as soon as I finished the return I turned around and put it on hold for myself. Dooney & Burke's for under $100? Unheard of!

Just another reason why I love my job! But my husband hates it. Oh well.

It fits all my absolute necessities without allowing lots of extra stuff that seemed to always accumulate in my Coach, and this also means that I get to cross another item off my Bucket List. 

Nothing makes me happier!

NYR or not?

I have always believed in setting NYR's. It's a great fresh start to life. Everyone gets a second chance to change big things in their lives that they want to change. It's the perfect time for a fresh perspective or reflection on yourself and the person you were the year before.  Granted I sometimes loose my way, or forget, or decide I no longer want to do something I goaled for myself. Life gets in the way.

This past Sunday I listened to a huge talk about how this individual doesn't think people should make NYR's because everyday of the year should be an opportunity and that self reflection should be something that happens as needed. I agree with both of these concepts, but why pass up a great opportunity to do it anyways? It's like spring cleaning of the self-development world. Monthly cleaning and daily tasks are required to keep a clean house just like making yourself into a better individual by initiating change throughout the year. But why skip over the deep cleaning or the opportunity to make serious changes when we're encouraged to do so?

Jared and I loosely set some family goals that we both wanted to accomplish I posted about here, but I also wanted to do some serious analyzing about what I personally could do to become a better person. I didn't want to set fluff goals that I didn't really care about and would then fail at, and I didn't want to overwhelm myself either so I limited myself to three large goals.

          1. Financial Goal: pay off both credit cards
                1a. By: operating on cash basis for rent/car payment/utilities/groceries
                1b. By: taking $50 out of each paycheck and put on CC
                1c. By: cut up credit cards and use only in case of an emergency

          2. Physical Goal: train for 1/2 marathon(s) and run @ 9 min. mile pace at least
                2a. By: running 30+ miles each week and increase up to 50+ miles each week by June
                2b. By: get a garmin GPS watch with a pace setter

          3. Spiritual Goal: go to the Temple monthly
                3a. By: go the first Saturday of every month no matter how tired I am from work
                3b. By: set a reminder in my phone

Every month throughout the year I have set Gmail calendar to send me an email reminding me about my goals, I also entered it into my phone to alert me with a monthly reminder, and lastly written them in my daily planner. My goals are rather large, so as you can tell I set smaller goals or how-to's to successfully accomplish each individual goal.

Are you for or against NYR's?
Did you set any NYR's that you think might really stretch your future capabilities/current boundaries?

Tory Burch dress from Nordies

p.s. I also have a blogging NYR. Wanna hear it? A new post series and more outfit posts. I mean come on I work in the Fashion industry for goodness sake!

Clothes-aholic in reform?

I have to admit, whenever I see the hoarders shows on TV I think of my own closet. I can honestly say I have clothing from Junior High still in my closet because I emotionally can't part with them. People, that's from TEN YEARS ago! So can you imagine what all I have that's less than ten years old I have yet to get rid of that's taking up closet space. And with my job at Nordie's my closet is expanding even faster then I'd imagined. So it's probably not shocking when I tell you that I also had to take over half the laundry room to hang clothes since they won't fit in my closet anymore (in my defense we have a TINY bedroom closet). 

I'm not exactly positive why I have such a difficult time getting rid of old or out of date items, maybe it's the fact that trends reappear every twenty years or so and I'm hoping they might come back into fashion? Or maybe it's because when I was growing up my parents never wanted me to get rid of anything that still had some use left in it? Either way a D.I. run was necessary. I spent over three hours cleaning out and sorting into every corner and depth of my closet. And guys, it was pretty sad.

Adi and Aspen displaying just how large ONE bag was in real life size. Awesome models don't you think?

I'm pretty sure the D.I. guys were thinking I was moving or something based on how many clothes I was getting rid of. Or that I was just crazy. But either way now I have SOOO much more room for new (more in fashion) clothes that I actually like to wear. And I don't even have to use up my laundry room space anymore!

This is just ONE bag from my closet clean out

So, I hereby swear that clothes I do not wear at least once a year without shame* will be removed from my closet and sent where they will do more good than collecting dust.

Am I the only one with this hoarding of clothes issue? My husband thinks its just me, but I can't be alone in this right?

I am Melissa, and I am a clothes-aholic. And I probably will never reform based on where I work...


*i.e. worn in public confidentally

My second dose of Ragnar

I just couldn't get enough, although you'd think by my last experience I talked about here that I'd never want to do it again. It was a lot of fun and I was very impressed by my physical endurance for this second Ragnar compared to my first.

Supporting a runner on his last leg with all the necessaries: water, gatorade and pictures

However, it will take A LOT for me to want to do another out of state Ragnar. It would honestly need to be somewhere that I'd fly to. The driving down to Vegas to drive around in a van for 36 hours to then drive back home was just way too much in one weekend.

But it was a blast with lots of new friends made, and I have some awesome medals on my wall now. If you haven't done a Ragnar and are looking into running in organized races I highly suggest running at least one for the experience. It's so much fun, and it's all about doing your best and getting encouragement from everyone-even people who aren't on your team.

My awesome van for Ragnar LV

Ragnar Las Vegas 2012: consider yourself conquered. But as for the dirty details, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.

p.s. this is how awesome my van was...in between legs 1 and 2 we went to see the newly released James Bond Skyfall movie instead of sleeping. Yes, we were slightly insane.

A little handbag love

Yesterday I had an incredibly busy full day of just cleaning and organizing. It appealed to my OCD tendencies that have been going crazy this past week or so because I've been unable to clean since I've only had time to work, go to school, and sleep. Midterms always equal a messy house. Has anyone else noticed that? Another reason why I can't wait to graduate, I won't have stressful school weeks that are ridiculous since all your professors decide to test you within a three to five day period of each other.

Along with seven loads of laundry to run through the washer, I had a couple additional from the week before that needed to be folded: making a grand total of about five heaping hampers needing to be put away. Plus a whole sinkful of dishes and a dirty floor that needed to be mopped, the chores list was almost unending. But I couldn't help but stick in a little project of organizing my purse.

I'm the worst about keeping my recipts, and things just magically gather in my purse that my husby fondly refers to as a 'Mary Poppins' bag. If I don't clean out my lovely Coach about every two or three weeks it gets so full I feel like I'm carrying around the kitchen sink. Lotions, pills, markers, pens, recipts (lots of them crumpled in the bottom), tampons, pads, lipstick, lipgloss, chapstick, a spoon (for yogurt of course), tons of free hairties and bobby pins, nickles and dimes, kleenex, baby wipes, and even an un-deposited paycheck! All these things rattled around my purse and made it an all out war to find my phone or keys when needed.

Before:

After seeing a nifty little to-do idea on Pinterest I went to the store and got travel size's of lotion, sanitizer, a nice small container of q-tips, and a mini size sanitary wipes package. Plus I went to the school supply section and got two pencil cases with zippers and a see-through front. In these two carriers separate papers, recipts, coupons, and those embarrassing tampons and pads into one. In the other put all the lip-wear, kleenex, baby wipes, hairties and bobby pins that you can easily find.

It is amazing how much space I now have, and how easily I can find exactly what I need like my keys or phone! Doesn't it just look pretty?

Any fun cleaning or organizing projects that were a new concept for you? I love organizing websites like this: I Heart Organizing.

p.s. you can see my Coach has given a good five years of service but a new one is definitely on my Christmas List and my Bucket List.

First day of my last semester

ever at BYU. I will graudate in December and walk in April. Craziness? Yes. But I'm warming up to the idea already as I know that even with only 8 credits this semester, it will be just as busy of a semester as a previous semesters when I was full time (15-16 credits).

And since the hubs and I carpool down to school and he woke up late (so did I) we didn't have time for fun right-outside-the-door pictures. We settled for them once we got to the UVU parking lot where I dropped him off.

December can't come fast enough. Then I can cross of another something from my Bucket List!

Am I c[ragnar]zy?

When I finished my previous (and first ever) Ragnar back in June I was definitely on a high. Elated, relieved, and so impressed with my physical abilities that I wasn't sure I could actually do. After a month of no running because of tendonitis in my feet I couldn't see myself ever subjecting my body to that again.

But my medal hung on our bedroom mirror and I looked at it everyday I got ready and realized after a while, I actually wanted to do it again! Next thing I know I'm signed up on a team with two of my friends recruited as well. Can't wait for November 9th-10th. Bring on the training! And the crazy awesome trip in close quarters with lots of stinky people.

DateNightIdeas

Recently and really ever since we got married we had run out of ideas for new things to do for dates. We would have the most ridiculous fights because he'd plan a date and when we got there my response was, "again?" Yes, I sound bratty but you go bowling five weekends in a row and see how you respond.

So we decided that a good compromise was for me to come up with a bunch of date ideas, making a list that he could choose off of so that we would have new and creative date activities. So here's the list so far...

Arcade

Bowling

BYU dance concert

Fishing

Hide-and-seek in Walmart

Ikea shopping game

Dollar theater

Movie his choice

Movie her choice

Dog Park

Jumping gym

Bonfire

Cliff Diving

Swimming Pool

Raging Waters

Hike

Movie night at capital lawn

Utah museum of Natural History

Game Night

Tennis

Star Gazing-good weather

Tracy Aviary

Zoo

Baseball Game

Basketball Game

Canoeing

Bike ride

Go horseback riding

Liberty Park Ferris Wheel and rides

Feed Ducks at Sugarhouse Park

Picnic at Memory Grove

Utah Museum of Fine Art

Laffy Taffy Tour

Paintballing

Shooting

Red Butte Garden and arboretum

Steiner aquatic center (swimming)

Kite flying

This is the place

Yoga Class at 3B in Provo

Color Me Mine

Laser Tag

Lagoon

Please please please, add to the list. Seriously any ideas, cheap, random, or odd. I'm open to anything. And you can also use the list for your own uses.

Date night outfits I have the hardest time with. When I buy something new I want to wear it on a fun night out, but I don't want it to get ruined on our date. and knowing Jared we have some pretty rough and tumble dates i.e. hiking, fishing, shooting. Basically I get dirty and there's no point in doing my hair because once we're done its a mess anyways. But for our last date of a bonfire I had the funnest time planning because we were only doing a fire pit in the backyard so I could actually dress up.

 Sweater: Kohls, Shirt: Express, Jeans: Macy's, Shoes: DSW, Necklace: H&M

Fun little monochromatic color scheme which I felt was sassy, and sophisticated with a little bit of a pop with my red heels. Except that sweater was just way to much for the amount of cute it was. Don't you hate that kind of buyers remorse? Its cute, and you can see yourself wearing it, but just not for that much money? It happens to me all the time.

Dressing for dates is hard especially when you don't know what the activity is, but don't be afraid to have fun. I think I always am overly conservative when dressing for dates and then I regret not being more original later.

1950's wife

 Sometimes, well often, I am an awful wife. An awful 1950's wife that is.

There are often piles of laundry lying around clean and dirty often getting intermixed; a sink full of dishes, even after I swear they just got done; shoes, shoes everywhere, my husband's shoes, my shoes; the dog's toys strewn in the most unimaginable places (behind the toilet?);  appliances crowding our counter tops, always in convenient reach but never in their rightful spot hidden away in the cupboards; and always there are pieces of clutter on my floors, tracks of dirt from my husband's boots.

Consequently I don't even have any babies to give me a good excuse for the lack of order. Only a dog, who I fawn over as if she is my baby.

And yet, my husband still loves me inspite of it all. I am so glad that the man I married is not from an earlier time when a women's role is to slave for her husband, to keep the house, the children, and the dog immaculately spotless. As a matter of fact he helps me with it.

I love that man.

newsdate

Sorry I spaced out for a couple days. Life happens. Ya know?

But seriously how happy is everyone right now?! Seriously, you the people of the world are probably sleeping right now. But I have big news. So just act happy when you read this, mmk?! If you're not happy when you read this...go eat chocolate, pet a puppy or kitty, kiss someone and be happy so you can be happy with me.

Anyways....

Quite basically, my friend Moni (Monica) from HS days let me in on a little awesomeness of hers and I got lucky enough to share in the reward!

Are you ready?

.......

the tension should be building.....

(is this annoying or what? Hey, its 1AM it just goes with the mood)

...so quite basically all my dreams and hopes (short term of course) for my photography have come true in that I (with Moni) get to internship with a photography studio and one amazing photographer in particular. Jaron Horrocks with Saans Photography. Hello. Oh yes.

Let the splendor and beauty of that statement just wash over you.

I am just so excited to learn hands on with people who are professionals, and not just in it for the money. They want to make art. And that's what I want to do. I will get to learn every aspect of their business from the marketing, lighting, posing, to equipment, etc. etc. And maybe if we get good enough, and work really hard (and stay with them for a really long time) we might even have an opportunity to be assistant photographers. Isn't that just the best news you've heard all day?!?

Just nod. Smile. Say 'yes' to yourself. Something along the lines of 'Go Melissa' wouldn't be bad either. But you don't have to. Only if you feel the urge. But you should feel the urge.

So basically, I'm somewhere between floating on air and KBD. And if you don't know what KBD is, then you aren't one. Was that harsh? Ok, now I feel bad. If you want to know what KBD is...comment and I will email you or facebook you or just post it in my next post. But you should know what it is. Just sayin.

Maybe I should go to bed now...yep, I should- NEED- to go to bed.

-M

p.s. this is me hyper...you can obviously tell why my husband likes it when I go to bed before I reach this stage...personally I think its fun.

:)

goal review

Sorry guys I haven't had a ton that is blog worthy of late, and I'm still working hard on my photography blog...so that explains the lack of my submitting to photography contests. Tomorrow I shall entice you with the next part of 'our story'. But until then I have been taking note of the progress of the goals I set for myself on my twenty first birthday. Especially since a couple days ago was the three month mark since I set the goals. 

Like everyone in life, I've experienced some set backs since I set my goals. 

A couple that I'm kinda mad at myself for not doing are:

1. go and continue going to a chiropractor
2. start going on walks with my hubby each week
3. go back to not drinking carbonated drinks as much

all of these I have found excuses to do -like drinking carbonated drinks because they are a 'comfort food' - and to not do like Jer and I not going on regular walks because we never have enough time together anyways.

But I need some positive reinforcement so three good things that I've succeeded at so far are:

1. keep my garden pots alive -I have actually gotten a couple more because my first two were so successful.
2. get a puppy -best decision so far of our entire marriage besides marrying Jared. Adi brings so much joy and de-stressing to both of our lives all the messes and poop we clean up completely inconsequential.
3. stop eating out as much -since working 8-5 mon-fri I have started being extremely responsible by taking lunch from home. I have opened up about twenty dollars more a week that can go to other things instead of to Cafe Rio's pocket book.

I am however now going to amend #1 of my goals which was to go to yoga each week. Not only is this one of the goals I started failing at because I wasn't willing to spend fifty dollars each month, but I also don't have the time for it. After just relying on my twelve hour shifts at work to help me obtain all my exercise, I have now realized that gaining ten pounds and not being able to comfortably sit down without pulling up my pants over my roll around my midrift. Tmi? I'm sure other girls have the same issue so I'm not to worried that I'm the only one with some unwanted weight.

So, I have broken out the all popular 'Jillian Michael's 30 day shred'. 

And it kicks my butt, which is totally enough for me.

So until tomorrow, what fun activities are you doing for your fourth of July weekend? Since our first fourth of July being married was spent by me working a sixteen hour shift we haven't really made any fun traditions. And I'll take any fun ideas I can get. 

~M