“My bags are packed, I’m ready to go.”

Well, I think I am ready for this baby!

Our bags are packed, we have treats for our nurses, 

and my mom made me a new cover for the boppy.

We’ve been cleaning like crazy!  

We’ve done the baseboards, walls, dusting, dishes, laundry, windows and more! 

Every drawer, closet, and cupboard is organized perfectly, and all cleaned out.
(Including the fridge).

All the bathrooms are scrubbed and have new towels (thanks to my mom on that one)!

I’ve made enough freezer meals to last us more than a week.

My car is all clean and all THREE car seats are installed!

I even painted my toes!  

Quite the “feat” being 9 months pregnant (did you LOVE that?)

It is funny to compare this pregnancy to my others.  With both Lindsay and Matt I was initially so excited when I found out I was pregnant, but as it got closer to due date, I wanted both of them to just “stay in.”  With this baby, I was so so so overwhelmed and scared about having a third, but now that it is closer I am more excited than I was with either of my others.  

If this baby could have been born a month ago, and he would have been healthy, I would have done it! I can’t wait to see what he looks like, if he has hair, and what his personality is like. I can’t wait for this new addition!  I can’t believe that in less than10 hours we will be heading to the hospital!  Wish us luck!

Date Night!

I got my date in with Matt and Lindsay, 

and this weekend I got to go on a date with the best one of all…

DARIN!

Let me tell you, being married to Darin is FUN!

He took me out to Macaroni Grill (thanks for the gift card Grandma!!)

We had fun drawing….although it was a little tricky only having secondary colors.

My flowers, monsters, and robot.

Darin did a nice landscape.

The food was delish!  I had the lobster ravioli.

Darin had the Mama’s Trio 

(Chicken Parmesan, lasagna Bolognese, and chicken and mushroom cannelloni).

After dinner we went on a romantic trip to the grocery store. 

I don’t remember everything he did or said, but we laughed a lot.

It is always fun to be with my sweetheart!  Love you Darin! Thanks for the date!

Farewell etrade!

Yesterday was Darin’s last day working at etrade!

In the past month he has had two job offers from different companies, 

and we’ve decided to make a switch.

The timing is a little wild with ending a job, having a new baby, and starting a new job all in the same week, but we’re excited about the change!  And I guess the timing isn’t too crazy since Darin stopped working at Fidelity the day after Matthew was born.

Since Darin has been with etrade for nearly four years, I thought it would be fun to have a celebration dinner!

We had Sloppy DOWs 

(which was very fitting because the DOW was SLOPPY yesterday).

We had NASDAQ APPLs and BLUE CHIPs.

We had Celery STOCK and S&P.

(Yes, I DO think I'm funny!!  Ha ha).

And for dessert...

Darin will be sad about leaving the friends he has made and we’ll be sad not to claim the funny commercials as his place of employment.

So, as a farewell, here is one of my favorite etrade commercials! 

Darin and Matt

Saturday Lindsay and I were cleaning the kitchen while Darin and Matt were working in the yard.
When I looked out the window, I saw this...

The picture was too blurry, so I went out and got a few more.

They were looking at clouds.

Matt and Lindsay are SOOOO lucky to have Darin for a dad!

After looking at these pictures, I went through my files, and found this picture:

Darin is wearing the same blue shirt in both pictures and Matt is wearing a dinosaur shirt in both pictures!  Funny!  It's amazing what four years will do!

Love these two!!

Date with Matthew!

Since I took Lindsay on a date, I thought I’d better take Matt out too before baby #3 gets here.

We went to Capitol Theater to see Ballet West’s Aladin.

We both loved it!  Matt did a great job.  He was mostly quiet, (except when he got excited to see the monkey a few times) he clapped at the right times, and stayed in his seat just great!  

It was also really fun because we got to meet Grandma Gunnerson and Aunt Vicki there too!  Thanks for coming with us!!

After the ballet Matt and I went out for a frosty.  For two waters and two frosties we spent a whopping $1.05!   He thought it was pretty neat that we were the only two people in the restaurant, and “he was so lucky” to get to choose ANYWHERE to sit!  He also told me, “This is pretty fun to be here with not Lindsay.”  I think it was a good break!

And a big thank you to my dad for not only watching Lindsay so we could go, but having a tea party with her!

And thanks to Matt, my awesome date, for not only going with me but paying for our treats, and getting my door “just like your dad.”  You really are such a good little gentleman!  Love you!

Conference Weekend

I love LOVE conference weekend!  This year I prepared a little more and I could definitely tell a difference.  Saturday morning, Darin let me sleep in (as well as Sunday), and when I woke up, I found this cute crew:

Domestic Darin making breakfast for the family!

As part of my preparations, I organized activities for my kids to do during the four sessions.  After lots of good suggestions from my friend, Annie, I felt ready.  I could just imagine my kids, coloring quietly on the floor, while Darin and I would sit on the couch taking copious notes.

For the first activity, I put little containers of treats along the tv stand.  Each container had a word/picture on it.  If the kids heard that word they got to take a treat.  

Unlike their mother, they were only interested in the pretzels and gold fish, and would ask to “trade” their m&m for a cracker.  They were really excited about my activities for about one and a half talks, then they were off doing other things in other rooms.  So much for all my preparations!

We could see Matt from where we were sitting, but half way through the first session we didn't know where Lindsay was.  After looking a few places, we found her….sound asleep in her bed!  I guess she needed a nap, so she went and put herself down!  Funny girl!

Sunday was just as wonderful (and nap time hit perfectly yet again).  Between sessions we went to my parents house for a yummy (REALLY YUMMY) brunch.  We had coconut pancakes, regular pancakes, and my favorite, caramel pecan pancakes.  We also had fruit and bacon.

Grandma Hodgkinson and Aunt Teri were visiting from Arizona, and it was fun to be with them!

After brunch we spent an hour outside just enjoying the lovely weather (that we’re missing already).

One of the balls got stuck up on the roof. 

 My mom went up to get it, and Lindsay was prepared to catch her in case she fell.

Hope you enjoyed conference as much as we did!

If you didn't get a chance to listen, or you'd like to learn more you can click
HERE.

April Fools!

I know that a lot of people really don’t like April Fool’s Day.

I am NOT one of those people.

I LOVE April Fool’s Day!

I’m getting excited that my kids are getting older to start enjoying the holiday as much as I do.

This year was pretty simple.

The day pretty much consisted of “There’s a spider on your shoulder…..APRIL FOOLS!”

You’d think I’d get sick of 8 hours of those types of jokes, but I LOVED it,  mainly because of the cute giggles that followed.  I never got sick of giving the kids the reaction they were looking for.

Besides the spider joke, I did do two tricks that were kind of fun.

First, when Matthew was napping I drew a mustache (which he is still convinced that I drew whiskers), and since he was still sleeping so soundly, I picked him up and put him in the baby's crib.  I was worried about how he’d react, but he thought it was so funny, and “wished I would do that every time he took a nap.”

And for dinner we made meatloaf cupcakes with mashed potatoes on top. 

Both of the kids loved it!

Hope you had a happy April Fool’s Day!

Easter Sunday!

These pretties bloomed Sunday morning!  Just in time for Easter!

After church we had a delicious Easter dinner at my parents house.

Half of the adult table:

The kids table, minus Ellie:

The delicious dinner:

After dinner mom made "Resurrection Rolls" with the grand kids.

I LOVE this cute bum.

Grace and Matt working on their rolls.

Lindsay "helping" with the rolls.

And I just had to throw in this one of my cute little bunnies.

HAPPY EASTER!!

Jesus Loves Me

Hope you had a Happy Easter!

The grandparents are probably the only ones that will enjoy this, but I thought it was too cute not to share.  I love this song, I love the message, and I LOVE the little boy singing it!



Jesus climbed the hill
To the garden still
His steps were heavy and slow
Love and a prayer
Took Him there
To the place only He could go

Gethsemane
Jesus loves me
So He went willingly
To Gethsemane

He felt all that was sad, wicked or bad
All the pain we would ever know
While His friends were asleep
He fought to keep
His promise made long ago

Gethsemane
Jesus loves me
So He went willingly
To Gethsemane

The hardest thing That ever was done
The greatest pain that ever was known
The biggest battle that ever was won
This was done by Jesus.
The fight was won by Jesus.

Gethsemane
Jesus loves me
So he gave His gift to me
In Gethsemane

Gethsemane
Jesus loves me
So he gives His gift to me
From Gethsemane