Adventures of Cali Kids in the Midwest

Avery Grace Sayer

2011-12-22T13:36:00.000-06:00

It's taken me so long to actually sit down to write this post. Mainly because I have a newborn and my 1 handed typing skills are a little lacking, but also because other than the actual events it's hard for me to put into words the actual emotion that came with this very special and yet unexpected day. So first the actual events...for posterity of course.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011. I had my 38 week appointment with my OB at 2PM. I was scheduled for a C-Section on 12/27 so this was going to be my last official appointment.

Erick and I got there and the whole way there I was contemplating how I could convince my doctor to just put me out of my misery. I knew it wasn't going to happen. I even joked with the nurse about it.

Dr Fiala came in and the appointment started out as normal. She started my ultrasound and started looking around. It was taking a little longer and I asked if everything was ok. She said that she "how would you like to have this baby tonight" of course I was a little freaked out and asked what was wrong. She explained that she wasn't really comfortable with the amount of Amniotic Fluid that she was finding and needed to deliver the baby today. She said she was going to call the Hospital to get a time for my surgery and would be right back. Once she walked out I tried to joke about how I as hoping she would just take the baby that day, but I wasn't really serious. I'm sure the fear on my face was super apparent as the tears came running down my face. I wasn't REALLY ready.When she came back she said that i was scheduled for 8PM and that I needed to go over as soon as we could to the hospital and they would hook me up to the monitors until it was time for surgery. We asked if we needed to go right then or if we could go get stuff from home. She said we had enough time to go home and pack a bag and get our affairs in order and then head as soon as we could to the hospital that they would be waiting for us.

As we drove home I called my mom (in tears...) My parents planned on coming out on the 26th so they could be out in time for the baby. But this was unexpected and they were in California to spend Christmas with my sister.

Once we got home I was in a total daze. I didn't know where to start. We didn't even have the car seat in the car yet. Erick's family had been in town until late Sunday night and I had every intention of finishing all the things I needed to do this week while I was off work. I had started packing a few essentials in a bag a few days before just to be ready, but I was no where near finished. I still needed to do laundry and put things together. I knew we didn't have much time before we had to get back to the hospital and yet I couldn't pull myself together. I just wandered around the house. Erick tried to help me the best he could. We didn't have arrangements made for the dogs since we planned on my parents being at the house to watch them, and it being just a few days before Christmas Camp Bow Wow was already booked up. So we turned on the lights and the TV, made sure they had food, Erick went and played ball with them and we just prayed they wouldn't be brats until the next morning when Erick could come home and check on them. Erick went and installed the car seat and put my bag in the car and I just sat on the edge of the bed and cried. I was scared out of my mind. Plus I am a planner and this was not planned!

One last picture as we were walking out the door on the way to the hospital (3:45PM)

When we got back to the hospital about 4:15, we went up to Labor and Delivery, the nurse at the front desk said she hadn't gotten our paperwork ready yet and started asking us for all our information and just then our neighbor, Shannan, appeared around the corner. She was working that day and heard we were coming in. She took us back to a room and got us all settled in and started me on all the monitors. We were going to be there for a few hours before the doctor came, it was really nice to have a friendly face in a frazzled time.

Once they got me all hooked up with my IV and started monitoring my contractions. I was having contractions every 2-4 minutes and they were getting stronger as the time went on. If I wasn't having a C-Section that night I WAS having that baby one way or another.

Getting my IV put in.

Shannan told Erick that we still had alot of time before anything was going to happen and he probably should go get something to eat since he hadn't eaten all day and she didn't want him passing out in the operating room. He was only gone a a few minutes but it seemed like a lifetime. He came back with this cute flower for me. I loved it. It was suddenly getting really REAL!

The flower Erick bought for me before I went in.

He had also called our friends the Felix's to see if Dan could come to the hospital before I went in to help give me a blessing. I was so grateful that was able to happen because after that I just felt a little bit of peace and calm come over me. I was able to breath and try to relax, even though my contractions were getting worse and worse.

Finally the time came...

It was strange to me to walk back to the operating room on my own. Erick wasn't allowed to come in until I had my epidural and was all draped up. I was a little scared walking back there without him, but luckily Shannan came with me (her shift had been over for over an hour, but she said she was going to stay to be with us and take pictures) They got me on the table and the anesthesiologist started my epidural. It seemed to take forever to get it in and going. But once it was in everything seemed to go so fast. They got me laid down on another table, draped up, Erick came in, the doctor came in and off we went.

Trying not to puke...they had to give me a couple of shots of Zofran...man that spinal did a number on me....or maybe it was the fact that I was laying on a table having a baby...either way I felt like I was going to puke. (someone really needs to explain to me why there is a big pocket right in the front of these gowns, it's really not a convenient place to put anything)

Erick didn't want to look over the curtain. I don't blame him. I just appreciated him holding my hand. I felt so out of it, I couldn't remember alot of what was going on. It was a very surreal time.

Waiting for baby.

Welcome to the world!! (at this point poor baby girl was still without a name)
Baby Girl Sayer: 12/21/11, 8:26PM, 7lbs 0 oz, 18 3/4 inches long.

Erick cutting the cord, he wasn't too sure he wanted to do it. (it's more ceremonial with a C-Section since the Dr has to cut it first)

She gets her feet from her mom. Poor girl is destined for a size 10.

All cleaned up and waiting to be wrapped up.

They let Erick bring her over to me.

Meeting her mama for the first time. I just couldn't believe it. It was amazing that that little girl came out of me. I'll admit it, I started to cry.

Proud Papa!

We honestly couldn't have asked for a better doctor. Dr. Fiala was such a blessing and we are so happy we found her. I am so sad we won't be able to have every baby with her.

First Family Picture

We were so blessed to have Shannan capturing the moments for us. She stayed until we were all set in recovery and then headed home. I'm glad we had so many pictures because I didn't remember anything that was happening.

We didn't spend as much time in recovery as I thought we would. But it was still late by the time we made it to our room. I had to be checked out, poked and prodded every 15 minutes for the first 2 hours, that was super annoying. So Erick took that time to cuddle with our little girl. He looks like he's upset in the pictures, but 30 seconds later he had drifted off to sleep.

It took us several hours to decide on a name, but in our hearts we knew she was an Avery.
Introducing:
Avery Grace Sayer

38 Weeks...

2011-12-21T12:50:00.004-06:00

Today is my last official doctors appointment before we have this little girl. Hopefully there is some progress made. I'm so tempted to see if I paid Dr. Fiala $100 would she just put me out of my misery.

GRADUATION!!!!

2011-12-16T12:40:00.051-06:00

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2011

WHAT AN AMAZING DAY!!!

Today Erick graduated with his J.D and MBA from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln College of Law.

Since Erick decided to walk at the mid-year graduation instead of waiting until May the ceremony was a lot more intimate. It was held at the law school in the Auditorium. There were only about 16 graduates walking which made it a very short intimate ceremony. All of Erick's professors were in attendance and Judge Cheryl Zwart gave the commencement address. It was wonderful. I cried through the whole thing.

I am so proud of Erick. He's worked so hard, there have been many nights where he came home long after I've gone to bed and left long before I got up. He worked for the US Attorney Westlaw and at the Law Library all while averaging 18+ credits every semester.

A list of all the graduates

All the graduates walking in to the auditorium.

Erick being hooded by Professor Moberly

Erick, his parents and Professor Gardner (one of the main reasons we are here in Lincoln)

Erick with both of his degrees (Juris Doctorate from the College of Law and Masters in Business Administration from the College of Business)

Erick and his Parents

Here we are...(I wasn't too happy about having my picture taken, 37 weeks pregnant, I was REALLY uncomfortable, I had been crying AND I was super swollen that day!)

WE'RE DONE!!!! Next step is the Bar and then this chapter in our lives is over. What a journey this has been. Have I mentioned how proud I am? I love you Erick! Good Work Honey!

37 Weeks - Thursday, December 15th

2011-12-15T19:49:00.013-06:00

The week of Graduation was also my 37th week. My doctors appointment this week was on Thursday the 15th. It had been a rough couple of days. I had been having a lot of contractions still, I was getting increasingly more uncomfortable at night to the point where I wasn't sleeping hardly at all. The last 4 hours of work were just excruciating because I would have contraction after contraction. I told Erick the night before my appointment that I didn't think I was going to make it another week at work. My plan was to work until the 23rd which was the Friday before my C-Section on the 27th. Erick and I talked it over and even though we had a plan and our finances planned accordingly we decided it was best if I asked the Dr to write me out of work. It was a little stressful for me to know that that morning I needed to finish up absolutely every thing I needed to at work, and send out emails saying I was starting leave early. My appointment was at 2, so I had about 4 hours to get everything I could done, and not let work know my plan, especially since I had the next day off for Erick's Graduation.

Once we got to the doctor she checked me out and I wasn't dilated STILL but I was still having contractions. I was a little unsure how to ask to be put on disability and it sorta stressed me out. Finally Erick spoke up and told her I was having a hard time sitting at work and was just miserable and right then she said, Well let's take care of that and wrote me a "prescription" for disability effective immediately. What a relief. I came back home and finished up everything I hadn't done in the beginning of the day and tried really hard to clean up the house at the same time.

Erick's Mom and Brother flew in that evening for Erick's graduation.

Just 2 more weeks until this little girl makes her appearance. Thank heavens I have a week to catch up on all the things I need to before she gets here. I think have laundry to do and a car seat to install and let's not forget Graduation and Erick's parents are visiting until Sunday. Maybe I'll be able to nap a little too!

A few pregnancy constants:

Heartburn wakes me up at night. I'm thinking this little one has a heap load of hair. Isn't that the old wives tale?
Contractions start about 430PM, get more intense about 11PM and continue until 4AM. I finally fall asleep about 6 or 7 and sleep until 930.
My back is pretty much on fire from 8PM-4AM. Erick bought a back massager and I make him massage my back almost nightly. I helps for a little bit. I can't decide if my back is just hurting or if I'm having back labor.
My cravings are pretty much the same...Pickles and Mexican food. and I still want what I can't have...Del Taco, El Pollo Loco and Cafe Rio :(
By the end of the day my feet and face blow up like crazy at the end of the night. If I don't wear shoes all day there is NO way they are getting in anything, not flip flops or tennis shoes.
I'm READY for this to be over

Good for another week - 36 weeks

2011-12-08T13:57:00.002-06:00

So my little butterball will be staying put for another week...Thank heavens because this mama isn't ready yet! We went to the Dr today and I was having some contractions and my blood pressure was still a little high, but lower then before. They hooked me up to the monitors for about an hour to make sure my little one was ok. Her heartbeat was low, but responded to the disgusting sugar drink they gave me so they sent me home. So we wait another week....

36 weeks

2011-12-05T11:33:00.001-06:00

Today is my 36 week mark, tomorrow I will have exactly 3 weeks until we welcome our little girl into the world. Every week I get an email from babycenter.com about the progress of my little one. This weeks picture of what your baby looks like totally made me laugh, this is exactly what I feel like right now...a big butt sticking out of my belly, making it hard as a rock and what looks like the baby playing the drums inside.

The last couple of days I've been struggling with contractions for most of the day. Super irregular so of course it's not a huge concern for them. I can tell the baby has dropped (THANK HEAVENS) because I'm feeling her a lot lower and I can FINALLY breathe again. But with dropping comes a whole other set of problems to deal with. At my last doctors appointment my blood pressure was very high, just at the cusp of Pre-Eclampsia. My next doctors appointment is Wednesday and they are going to check me again and discuss options if needed.

On other fronts, Erick's final finals start this week. He's been hard at work finishing 2 big papers due this week. I can't believe graduation is next Friday. It's crazy! When we first got here it seemed like such a daunting task to make it through the 4 years we'd be there. The plan originally was for him to be done in May of 2012. When we found out there was a baby on the way he really turned up the speed and worked hard to be done in December in order for us to get on with our lives. He's worked so hard and I am so proud of him. It's a little unreal to me that so many things are happening within the next few weeks. It's exciting and scary all at the same time.

Halloween/Thanksgiving/34 Weeks

2011-11-30T10:32:00.000-06:00

Time just flies so fast when you're pregnant. I've been super sick and uncomfortable the last couple of days so I've had some time to reflect on what's been happening and figured I better document it.
We've made it thru another 6 weeks...as of this writing, I'm 35 weeks, but haven't really taken my 35 week picture. I said I wasn't ever going to post belly shots because I thought it was going to be disastrous, but I want to make sure I get it down so one day I can go back and show our little girl what she did to a body :)

Erick returned from Las Vegas. He feels like it's was a successful trip. He met with alot of people and had a few interviews. No offers yet, but we are staying positive.
Right after he got home I made a trip out to California to see my family and have a little family baby shower. I was so happy to see everyone. I miss them so much. It's hard being so far away. My little nephews are just growing like weeds and it kills me that I have missed so much of it. It was hard for me to go to my sisters house and see my littlest nephew already walking and being 1 years old. My middle nephew has dark brown hair...when did that happen? he was always so light colored. I almost didn't even recognize him and the oldest talks to you like he's an adult. Like full sentences and reasoning, I still picture him as a little baby in diapers and a binky. Now he's in kindergarten. I was able to meet Erick's brothers new baby. She's just darling and did so well being passed around. I didn't get any pictures from the shower, Erick's Aunt Jojo took some but I haven't gotten them from her. I'll have to post those later. My sister did such an awesome job putting it together, she worked so hard and everything was just perfect and beautiful.
I got home just in time for Halloween. I found a cute shirt to wear while I was passing out candy. There is really only 1 time you can wear it so I had to! The girls wore their pumpkin shirts again this year, you can see how excited they are. Poor Rubee, she's gained about 10 lbs since last year, so hers was a little on the tight side.
Most of the little kiddoes came before the sun went down (sun goes down at 5!) so by the time 9PM rolled around our neighborhood was really quiet. Erick and I decided whoever was the last person to ring the doorbell at 9 would get whatever was left...our next door neighbor and the couple across the street were the last to come over (just to visit) so guess what...they got it all!

31 Weeks - Halloween 10/31/11

32 Weeks - 11/7/11

33 Weeks - 11/14/11

34 Weeks - Thanksgiving day 11/24/11

Some pregnancy items:

Contrary to what my pictures may reveal I haven't gained THAT much weight. There is NO way I'm making that number public knowledge. But I've surprised myself. Although I'm still not happy with the number on the scale at the Dr's office. I try not to obsess anymore at home about it. I don't think I've been on the scale at home for 2 months (it doesn't help my self esteem to look everyday)
Let the Swelling begin! by the end of the day my face, hands and feet are like sausages. My rings still fit during the day and so do my shoes, it's just if I don't wear shoes all day and then try to put flip flops on, it aint gonna happen. You can see in my 33 week picture, it was taken at the end of the day right before we left for our child birth class. That was a super all over swelly day.
I've started getting sick again. Towards the end of the day I'm so sick to my stomach and my gut just hurts. I feel bad for Erick because by the time he gets home I'm too sick to even think about dinner so he has been fending for himself (it's consisting alot of pizza and burgers) I can't even think about food.
The Braxton Hicks started to be really noticeable on Thanksgiving. I get about 3-4 at night before I go to bed, and then 1-2 early in the morning that will wake me up out of a dead sleep. They don't get any worse so I know they are just the fakies, it's just really uncomfortable.
Sleep is pretty much non-existent right now. By the end of the day my hips and back hurt so bad I just can't get comfortable. So I'm exhausted by 8 or 9, I sleep until about 12:15AM and then the Braxton Hicks start so I'm up for a few hours usually until 430 or 500 and then try to sleep until 700. They say the baby is just getting me ready for the sleepless nights. I wouldn't mind so much if I could "sleep when the baby sleeps" but since I have to work all day I feel like I'm running a 24 hour marathon.
Erick got to feel the baby doing her aerobics one night. Most of the movement I feel is on the inside so it's been hard to let Erick feel the kicks and jabs. One night after a particularly long contraction she had the hiccups and you could see my belly moving so I said, "hurry, come feel", hoping he'd be at least able to feel that. Well for the next 30 minutes she went nuts. hiccups, kicking, somersaults, you name it. He was so excited, he sat there with his hand on my belly the whole time. It just warmed my heart. I hear people talk about how their husbands or families are able to feel the kicks everyday and how it makes them feel closer to the baby, but sadly my little ninja has been turned around backwards or really low most of the time so the movement I've felt is a kick to my bladder or spine or intestines, so when people ask to feel my belly i just have to say "Sorry, it doesn't do tricks...just sits there and looks funny!"
Still no REAL cravings. I have one constant...and that's pickles, seems typical for pregnancy, but it's actually the saltiness of them that I crave. I give Erick crap all the time because I have cravings that are impossible to get, Jamba Juice, Del Taco, El Pollo Loco, a huge juicy In and Out burger, more apricots. All just slightly out of reach.
As of today I have 27 more days until this little one makes her appearance. WHERE DID ALL THE TIME GO!?!? We have so much to do before she comes, Erick is graduating, we still need to come up with a name, Christmas is just around the corner...

29 Weeks - Trip to L&D

2011-11-29T11:30:00.001-06:00

10/19/11 - the day I turned into THAT girl!

So the last thing I wanted to be was one of those paranoid, crazy, first time moms. Well, it happened. I hadn't been feeling good all day, a little out of breath, and my belly had been super tight. I just chalked it up to growth spurts. I had gone shopping and to lunch with my friend Courtney, At lunch I started to feel sick to my stomach, I couldn't breath at all, I thought if I got up and walked around I would feel better, so we ended up at Toys R Us to pick up a few things, as I was walking around I started to feel worse and worse, my belly got tighter, I was in so much pain I was bent over the shopping cart just to feel better. I tried to pull it together long enough to get myself home. By the time I was driving down my street it was about 3:30PM and I was in tears, I figured I better call the Dr's office just in case because they would be closing at 4 and I just wanted to see if there was anything I could do to make me more comfortable. When I got a hold of the triage nurse she listened to my symptoms and put me on hold. I was just pulling into my driveway when she gets back on the line and says "Go straight to Labor and Delivery, we'll call them to tell them you are on your way". Of course this was the week that Erick was in Las Vegas for the week and I was home alone. I started to freak out and cry uncontrollably. I had called the Dr's office a few times before and their answer was always "go drink some water and lay down for a little bit and if it doesn't get better, call us back" that always worked. So this time for them to say "Go straight to L&D" I had a little freak out. I was all alone and didn't know what to do. So I called work and told them where I was headed, called Courtney and asked her to come to my house and turn on the lights for the dogs and then called Erick to tell him (yes he was my last call, but I knew that if I called him first I wouldn't be able to call anyone else because I was freaking out) Poor Erick was freaking out because he was so far away. I told him I would be fine (I try to be a tough chick) and that I would keep him updated and if I needed anything I would call someone to come take me home. I really needed him to focus on his interviews because I knew it was probably just first time mom hypochondria. I got in and they got me all hooked up to the monitors. The baby's heartbeat was strong, but she had gotten herself turned transverse and stuck up under my ribs. That's why my belly had been so tight and I couldn't breathe. They said I had a few small contractions but nothing I needed to be concerned about. Erick was so worried he sent Courtney to sit with me. By the time she got there I had calmed down and the nurse said she would probably release me in about an hour. They told me to go home and lay down for the rest of the night and hopefully the baby would turn and i'd be more comfortable. I was so grateful that Courtney came to keep me company. Being so far from family and having my hubby out of town, it's so nice to have great friends that are willing to do anything for you.

Here I am...29 weeks! (10/19/11)

27 weeks...28 weeks??

2011-10-05T17:11:00.000-05:00

Wow, time just flies!! We had another doctors appointment today. I'm now an "every 2 weeks girl" the doctor says. Early on in my pregnancy it seemed like forever between appointments. There was always so much anticipation to get in there again and be able to see the baby and make sure everything was ok. When you don't feel the baby move for those first 6 months, you really need the heartbeat Doppler and Ultrasounds to reassure you that everything is going as planned. And in some cases to convince you again that "yes Megan, you are having a baby, you better get used to it" Now that I'm going every 2 weeks I wake up and I think... "Doctor...AGAIN?" I know it's only going to get worse because in 6 weeks I'm down to once a week. WHAT? Once a week? No one wants to look at the scale that often!! I already wear the lightest clothes I own and make sure I don't eat before I go!

This time we were actually able to see Baby Girls face. Because she's been so low every time and face up against my placenta we've never gotten a good face shot. She's got a little pug 'Shea' nose (at least I think so!) The other thing they did was schedule her birthday.

I'm still measuring a week ahead so let's hope I make it that far. I've known since the beginning that I wasn't in for a normal delivery so I've been able to come to terms with the C-Section. It's actually been nice that the crazy in me has a plan. The unknown was too much for me to handle. I know there is still the possibilty of going into labor earlier, but I also know there will be NONE of that hours and hours of labor.

Here are a few things I've learned and things I'll never get used to:

Increased clumsiness. Holy cow! You read about it on all the websites, blogs and books, but until you experience it, you just think it's all hooey. This morning I was climbing onto the corner of the bed and almost went over the side head first. Luckily Erick was there to pull me back or I would have been right over the edge! You can't just pull your arms out from under you and land on your belly anymore.
I used to be able to turn the shopping cart around in front of me in the store. I tried today and got stuck. You forget that the depth of your frame is no longer the same and you can't fit that cart in front of your belly any longer. (Luckily no one was around to see me shimmy out of the way).
Maternity clothes...although somewhat comfy...are NEVER the same size from brand to brand. I know this seems like it's no different from regular clothes, but seriously. Between Old Navy, Motherhood and Target I can't figure out what size I actually am. Old Navy I'm either right at preprego size or a size smaller, Target I have to buy 2 sizes bigger than my preprego size, Motherhood is hit and miss, you really have to try it on. Seriously, in this time where your body is all out of whack anyway do you really have to mess with my head like that? I've returned more clothes then I actually have kept.
Speaking of Body changes....Oh my heavens. The rapid body changes are insane. Last night I had a little breakdown because I went to put on a shirt that I had just warn probably 2 days before. It didn't fit and that was about the end of my rapidly fraying rope. Here come the water works. It might as well have been a midriff belly shirt. So in it went into the "doesn't fit right now but I'm not giving it up yet" box.
Working out is no longer as easy as it used to be. I used to run on the treadmill everyday, now I'm lucky if I can get up and down the stairs without being winded. I've found that if I walk on the treadmill bare foot and slower than I'm used to I can make it about 15 minutes before I'm done.
My memory SUCKS! The other day I was sitting at my desk and thought I needed to go out to the kitchen to get something. I got as far as the hall way and forgot what I needed, so i figured if I wandered around the kitchen for a minute it would come back to me. Nope! so I went back to my office. Sat for a few minutes, remembered what I needed, got back to the kitchen and forgot. Let out a big scream and went back to my office. Never did remember what I needed. I spend a lot of my shopping repeating things I remember as I'm walking thru the door. You may ask, well why don't you just make a list...oh I do, but I forget something and remember as I'm walking thru the door. So I have to repeat "bobby pins, bobby pins, bobby pins" as I B-line it straight for the bobby pins. Today I went to Target specifically for lotion, (I usually walk around the store in a haze anyway, so if you see me, most likely i'm not paying attention and you'll have to catch me), I went right past the lotion aisle until I remembered, oh yeah! LOTION, I got down the aisle when I ran into my friend Traci, we talked for a while (it was really good to see her and her new baby!) as soon as we were done I was like...what did I need down here, was it face wash or lotion?, luckily i stood there for long enough to just pick up both face wash and lotion and walk away (p.s i didn't need face wash, I got home and found I had 3 other bottles under the sink, but I never know when I'll actually need it and walk out without it).
I'm pretty sure the baby can hear the dogs bark. Call me crazy, but she goes crazy when they bark. They usually sleep under my desk during the day while I work and certain things will set them off. The mail man's truck coming, the UPS guy ringing the door bell or the garbage trucks. When they hear them they start growling and barking under the desk and then take off out the door. The minute they start barking the baby goes crazy! I know they say by 7 or 8 months they can start to hear and recognize you and your husbands voices but I just thought that's because it's so close to them. Who knows. I hope she gets used to it because we've had a REALLY hard time getting the girls to stop barking so much. We are trying, but they rile each other up and then there is no stopping them.

^This is the reason for all my above statements.

We are slowly getting the nursery together. Although I'm not really "decorating" per say because more than likely (fingers crossed) we won't be here very long after the baby arrives. Not that I don't love our Nebraska friends and our cute little house, but moving on means we are moving forward and it's really time to get out of the "student phase" and on to bigger and better things.

Having said that, we are acquiring a few things for the nursery that's making it more and more real.

My parents bought us a bassinet for the baby. I couldn't get a good picture of it because it's sorta jammed into the nursery, but you can see it next to the chair. I love it, it has a moses basket that I can take out. I'm hoping that after I go back to work that will come in handy.

We also got a glider from the Sayers. We had to order it and it finally came in this past week. It's super comfy and I've spent a few lunch breaks in that chair practically drifting off to sleep. I figure you better have something comfortable because you're going to be spending alot of time in it. Once I go on Maternity leave we'll move the small TV I have in my office to the Nursery so I'm not bored to death during those late night feedings. Baby Girl is already prepping me for those late nights already. She has her her days and nights mixed up, so she's practicing her somersaults from 1130PM to about 500AM every night. I've tried to learn to sleep as much as I can thru it, but right about 5AM she'll kick me in the bladder and then I'm up! and I'm up for the rest of the day.

We bought some bedding a few months ago as a knee jerk reaction. I thought I would grow to love it but I never did. I came across some separates from Carters and fell in love. I showed it to Erick and he said he was perfect for what we had been looking for, so i returned what we had and bought this. This picture doesn't really do it justice but we really love it. It's Pink, Green, Brown and White. I had to get it all set up even though I know she probably won't sleep in it while we are here in Nebraska because we have the bassinet, but it's so cute to see it all put together.

We still have an unbelievable amount of things we still need to get. It seems like such a daunting task I just want to bury my head in the sand and pretend it isn't coming up so fast.

26 Weeks

2011-09-27T21:33:00.000-05:00

Yep, We've been absent for quite a while. I got a sinus infection at the end of August and it about wiped me out. The doctor wanted me to try to fight it without antibiotics for a week if I could. Well that didn't go anywhere so by the beginning of September I was a walking zombie. She finally gave me a Z-Pack which took about 10 days to actually work. Now I'm just left with a 75 year old/5 pack a day smoker cough and I'm beyond tired all the time. Poor Erick has been super sick for the last week too, so we have been quarantined in our house for over a month and not really wanting to do anything. So sadly our blog has suffered. So here are some highlights on what we've been up to or tried to accomplish.

Plenty of Sewing projects:

9 bibs (I think I can be done with those now)

12 burp cloths

One cute little apple dress

My new obsession: Zingers

The girls have been doing alot of this (You think they had a really hard life!)

Finally after 4 months of "I'm 75% sure, it's a girl" we FINALLY got the money shot at our last appointment. Look at those buns!! and NO Boy parts!

And lastly....I swore I wasn't going to let ANYONE see belly shots...Well judge all you may..this is my 26 week shot. I feel as big as a house and I'm making my pre-prego shirts work a little harder for as long as I can....had to give up the pre-prego jeans a long time ago. But let me tell you, the day I gave in and put on the giant belly pants I was in heaven!

Noticeably absent from our blog pictures: Erick...He's been so hard at work at school we hardly see him any more. He's working at the schools Civil Clinic this semester as well as a full load of classes. We are SOOOOOOO grateful this is the last semester of school. Just 80 more days until graduation!! He's making contacts in hopes of getting some leads on a job. He's planning on going to Las Vegas the 2nd week of October to try to bang on doors (I guess this is where that 2 years of missionary experience comes in :) )

We've been blessed beyond what we deserve and are praying for just a few more blessings by the end of the year. Hopefully it won't be another 6 weeks before I have time to update our little blog.

1/2 way done...

2011-08-15T14:39:00.000-05:00

I can't believe we're already 1/2 way done with cooking Baby S. I'm 20 weeks today!

We've been told twice now by the doctor she thinks she knows what it is, so we are being silently excited until our big Ultrasound this week, If we're told a 3rd time then we'll start making plans. That certainly hasn't prevented me from purchasing at least a dozen things....although it has prevented me from opening them or washing them :) For now it's all making a nice little pile in what we have designated as the "nursery" although it's 1/2 baby things and 1/2 Erick's crap. I've started to feel the baby move this past week. It's such a crazy feeling, it felt a little like a muscle spasm at first, but now I notice it more and more, especially when certain things happen. Sometimes I'll wake up in the middle of the night because i've rolled on to my stomach for too long and I'll wake up in pain only to feel the baby moving. He/She obviously doesn't like being upside-down. He/She also has opinions about Chocolate, Pickles, Diet Coke, Lady Antebellum and Yoga pants.

They say the next 20 weeks should just fly by. I hope not, since I've been so tired and sick I hope that I'll be able to get to a point where I'm actually enjoying this pregnancy instead of dragging myself to and from the bathroom, bed and office. Thank Heavens Erick has been home the last few weeks and has been a huge help.

By the end of the week I should have a better pic of our little one and a solid idea if we are going to be buy alot of pink or blue.

2011-07-22T15:21:00.001-05:00

Finally after 2 days of crappy weather the sun came out. Time to work on my tan.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO US!

2011-06-28T14:22:00.004-05:00

SURPRISE!

Not only did we plan this fantastic get away but we also got a little unexpected surprise present!

I hadn't been feeling well at all a few weeks before our actual anniversary on April 28th. I'm plagued with a horrible stomach anyway, but something just wasn't feeling quite right. I decided to keep an eye on it and not play the hypochondriac card just yet and rush to the doctor. The monday before our anniversary Erick had an ear doctor appointment in Omaha and I had to work, I started to feel gross again. Just out of the blue I thought I would take a P-Test just to make sure I wasn't being really crazy before I called the Doctor. Well that sucker came out with 2 lines and I about puked. I didn't know exactly what I was expecting but it certainly wasn't 2 lines! I had to sit down and gather my thoughts. I wasn't sure what to do next. Erick was still in the doctors appointment and I was sitting on the bed with a P Stick in my hand. So I called the Dr to see if they could get me in for an official test. They said to come in right then. That sucker came out positive too. Well I guess we're having a baby!

So I ran over to Target (I still hadn't talked to Erick at this point) and got a little onsie, I wrapped up the P stick, the paper from the Dr and the Onsie and came home. Erick was planning on going straight to school after the dr, but I knew he had my new computer cord from the Apple store and asked him to drop it off before.

I was a nervous wreck. When he got home I gave him the gift and said that I had gotten him an Anniversary present and it came today, and I couldn't wait until Thursday. So he opened it and on top was the paper from the Doctor. He looked at it and had no idea what it was and just looked at me like I had given him a stupid gift. So then I pulled out the stick (i had put it in a zip lock baggie, don't worry) and he took one look at it and said, "really?" and I just shook my head and he started to cry.

I think even now 13 weeks later we aren't really sure what we are doing or how we are going to do this, but it's coming!

BABY SAYER JANUARY 2, 2012! GET READY!

NYC Day # 4

2011-06-28T13:59:00.003-05:00

Day #4 was our last day. It was also Mother Day!
We woke up that morning and our plan was to move from the city to a hotel closer to LaGuardia since our flight on Monday morning was so early. We also decided to take it easy for our last day. We got tickets to a Mets game and just planned on hanging out.
Erick got up early and went down and got me a bagel from the bagel place down the street from our hotel. It was delicious. We were going to try to take the Subway all the way to the new hotel, but when I got up that morning I just wasn't feeling great and we decided to call a taxi.
When we got to the new hotel they wouldn't let us check in early (even though we called and asked them ahead of time) so we were just going to leave our bags behind the desk and go to the game. We asked the front desk guy how we could get to the game from there and he said to take the bus and pointed down the street, he was so rude about it. So I looked at Erick and said, ok we'll give it a shot. We walked a couple of blocks down the street to the bus stop and waited and waited and waited, it was getting super hot and I wasn't feeling good at all. I told Erick I didn't think I was going to make it. We decided to walk back to the hotel and wait out the rooms. Erick went and asked the front desk guy again about the rooms and he said it would be a couple of hours, then he asked him if he could call us a taxi to the stadium and he said "you don't need a cab, the hotel shuttle will take you, you just need to get your own way back" WHAT? Why didn't he tell us that in the beginning. Instead we had to walk all the way down to the bus stop, miss the first shuttle and walk all the way back! UGH!! So I finally rallied and we waited for the shuttle to take us. I'm glad we decided to go, it was a lot of fun. We had great seats at the club level. Erick bought me a corn dog and we watched for a couple of innings. They were playing the LA Dodgers! We were super excited to see the home team even though we were sporting Mets Hats.

By the bottom of the 7th I had pretty much given all I could give and told Erick I needed to go back to the hotel. We had so much fun on our little trip. We will have these memories for the rest of our lives. It was fun to have one last get away with just Erick and I before life gets really real. With Erick graduating in December and big changes happening with our family at the end of the year, we needed a little get away to celebrate our 5th anniversary and all the new things to come.

NYC Day #3

2011-06-28T13:05:00.006-05:00

Day # 3 -

Day 3 was our last big day in the city. We had big plans for the afternoon so we needed to jam in the last little bit we could into the morning. We left our hotel and walked down towards Rockefeller Center. We stopped to take a picture at Radio City Music Hall.

We didn't have time to do both so we decided to go to the Top of The Rock instead of the Empire State building. Which I'm glad we did since it was closer to where we were anyway. We paid to go all the way to the top. It's pretty cool that you can see just about everything in the city from the observation deck. It was really cool to see just how square central park is. It's just perfectly cut out of all the buildings and madness.

There was a great view of the Empire State Building from Top of The Rock. Erick had to stick his arm thru the glass to get an unobstructed shot, I was a little afraid he was going to lose the camera.

We then went down to Rockefeller Center to see all the sites.

We were too late to be in the crowd for the Today show since it was Saturday they don't film as long as during the week. OH WELL :) We did go into the NBC Experience Store. You could buy all kinda of things from the NBC Shows and there was a tour you could take..but we didn't have time, had to move on!

After we were done we headed up 5th Avenue to try to find the NBA store...sadly it was closed for remodelling. Erick was bummed. We did, however, find H&M! I refrained from clothing purchases but bought a super cute leopard print woven beach bag for vacay this summer. We stopped by the Cathedral, it was under construction, but the architecture was so beautiful.

Our big splurge was on Lion King tickets. I wanted to see a Broadway show while we were in NYC. Erick had already seen Lion King when he was a teenager so it was hard to convince him he needed to see it again, but I bribed him with a good dinner ;) It was AMAZING!!! The costumes are outrageous. I am sure I sat through the whole thing with my eyes as wide as plates.

This was the dinner I promised. I didn't get a picture of us in the restaurant because it was kinda ritzy and I was SUPER under dressed so I felt awkward just whipping out my camera for a touristy photo-op. Erick loves Brazilian Churrascaria. I know they made money off of me because I ate very little but Erick made up for it. It was delicious though.
Since we went to a matinee of Lion King it was pretty early when we ate dinner. About 1000 I was a little restless and needed to get out and walk a little and was hungry for a snack. We just happened to walk past Five Guys Burgers and I figured I could use some french fries. I know it's a little ridiculous to go all the way to New York City and have something we could get in Lincoln. But I had been so sick throughout the whole trip nothing sounded good except for french fries at the time. So that's what we got. Surprisingly at 1100 it was pretty dead!

NYC Day # 2

2011-06-27T18:22:00.006-05:00

Day #2 we planned on hitting Battery Park and Downtown. We WERE going to take it easier then the day before. "WERE" being the operative word.

So we started by taking the subway down to Battery Park.

We walked down to a place we could get a picture of the Statue of Liberty. We went to see about taking the boat out but I decided I didn't think I could stomach the waves...luckily we decided against it because the line to get on was wrapped around the park and was over a 2 hour wait.

So we decided a picture from afar was just as good.

We walked up the street to the 9/11 memorial. There was so much hub bub and construction. Everyone that goes there says that it's such a sobering experience, but I just didn't understand, there was so much construction and cigarette smoke. Maybe we were on the wrong side of the building.

Then we hit up the NYSE. Pretty funny, it's such a small inconspicuous building.

The line to get a picture with the bull was really huge, you just have to stand around and fight all the "non-US" tourists for a spot.

Erick got a wild hair and decided that he wanted to take the Subway all the way out to Coney Island and get a hot dog. So we just winged it. Luckily we bought a subway map!

Right out of the subway station was Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs, Home of the July4th Hot Dog Eating Contest.

I wasn't big on the hot dogs, but the french fries were delish. You can see how excited I was about it all.

Coney Island was pretty dead, it was still the off season. But it was fun to see everything.

We headed back to the hotel. It took us over and hour on the subway to get back to upper Manhattan. It was a very full day!

WHAT HAS TAKEN SO LONG???

2011-06-27T15:11:00.008-05:00

Holy cow, it's been over 2 months since my last blog post. You would think I had other things going on or something. So I guess it's about time that I catch up on our last 2 months. For our 5th Anniversary Erick and I planned a little getaway. I hadn't ever been to New York City before and I really wanted to go before we had to grow up and be adults. We had only a few days to jam pack everything we could. So the next few posts will be our days in the concrete jungle.

Day #1

WE ARRIVED!!! It was pretty bumpy on the way into LaGuardia. I had an upset stomach anyway so it wasn't too pretty once we landed.

We picked the WRONG day to arrive. The Pres was visiting one of the Fire Stations on 8th Ave that lost the most members. They shut down streets every where so the taxi we were in could only get us to Macy's on 5th Ave and about 39th Street. So we had to walk from there to our hotel on 8th and 49th and so begins our long walking adventure.

We finally got to our hotel after sweet talking a police officer into letting us thru the barricade. We settled in and sat down for a few minutes and then off we went.

Our first stop: Carnegie Deli. OH MAN!! They musta knew I was comin' A whole plate of pickles as appetizers. YES! Erick and I ordered the pastrami it was DELICIOUS!!

We had leftovers so Erick ran them back to the hotel while I stopped at the pharmacy for a water and some tooth brushes (yep I knew I would forget something) and then we were off. We walked up to Columbus Circle, it was full of High School kids. They must have just gotten out of school for the day.

Next Stop: We walked all the way up to the Manhattan Temple. We almost past it because from the street level you can't see Moroni. The only way I knew we were there was because I saw a woman walking out with a bag full of familiar looking underwear :) So I looked up and saw the sign. We walked across the street so we could get a better view.

We walked back down a little to a side street and cut over to CPW. We saw Trump Tower where they film Celebrity Apprentice. I'm kind of a nerd so I was really excited.

We got in one of the side entrances to Central Park. It was so beautiful. In a place that has no grass anywhere and is unlike anything I've ever seen there is this calm serene place. I was really surprised at how quiet it was. In the distance there was several softball games going on and tons of people all around and it wasn't noisy at all.

We walked to the "Mall" it's such a famous place, it's in lots of movies that you don't even realize. I told Erick to look down and think of all the movies he's seen it in and all he could come up with is the spit scene in "Big Daddy" with Adam Sandler...

There were people everywhere walking around and we came upon this couple. This picture is actually a PG version of a very R-Rated thing they were doing. Absolutely no regard for who was watching. It was actually a really nice day. There was a slight breeze and it was pretty cool. I was glad it wasn't too hot because with all the walking we were doing I was able to keep up, even with a stomach ache.

We walked down CPE to 5th Ave where I got to see The Plaza Hotel. But I didn't get a picture :(

We started to head back to the hotel because I was wiped out. But first we had to stop for Erick to get a slice of Pizza and me a bagel and the first of many Jamba Juices for the weekend. We saw The Ed Sullivan Theater were David Letterman is filmed.

We hit the M&M store. That was so fun. There is every color and flavor imaginable of M&M. We didn't get any :(

We finally went back to the hotel and we took a little nap.

After we let our poor feet rest we headed back out for a little dinner and to Time square. The lights were AMAZING. It is just like you see on TV, but at the same time, nothing like you could have imagined.

We got back to our hotel about 10PM. I was exhausted. We had to get up at 4AM to get to the airport in Omaha in time to make our flight. We made a little plan for the next day and I was out!

A Sewing Fool

2011-04-18T20:15:00.007-05:00

I have been out of control with my sewing....I've said it before and I'll say it again, bless my husbands heart for being patient with my mess. There is no TV downstairs in my sewing area and when Erick is home I want to be able to spend time in the same place so I've had my big mess on the kitchen table and surrounding area for MONTHS now.

So I've been working on a lot of projects lately. The one I've worked the longest perfecting was this little mini diaper bag wristlet. So many friends of mine are expecting babies in the next few months and I wanted to give them something personal and not completely store bought. So I thought I would make this little mini diaper bag. I watch Moms getting up in the middle of church and walking out to change their baby and they fumble with a diaper and wipes and thought there has got to be an easier way. The pouch is small enough to shove in your actual diaper bag so you can grab if you are running out to the restroom at a restaurant or church or even just for running out to the store quick, but big enough to fit a travel size wipe, 6 diapers and a few other things. I have been making these and filling them with diapers, wipes, a bink and a burp cloth (personalized of course). I think they are so cute..maybe one day i'll make one for myself. The pink one is my ABSOLUTE favorite! I wish I had a better picture. Maybe one day I'll get a better camera. So if I know you and you are having a baby...sorry you just found out what you are getting from me.

* My baby shower gifts have been this mini diaper bag, 6 diapers, a travel wipe, a personalized burp cloth and 2 binkies, all of it fits in perfectly, my next revision will be adding a pocket on the inside so you don't lose the bink*

When my mother in law was in Utah this last time I asked her to pick me up some fabric when she went to my FAVORITE fabric store. She said she sent me what I asked for and a surprise fabric. She was so excited about it. It was the most adorable Monkey "minky" I was so excited I wanted to keep it for myself, but made a blanket for one of my dear friends. It turned out really cute...She got me pink and yellow. SO FUN!

Next project are personalized burp cloths and wash cloths. The burp cloths have an appliqued initial...all have been for the last name of the family because most of the families don't have names picked out yet (and super convenient to use for the next kiddos that came along) They have had either flannel or cotton fronts and terry cloth backs. The wash cloths are matching fabric and they have little loop tabs so you have hang it on a suction cup hook in the bath tub.

My last project I tried out making a kindle/ipad sleeve. I made this cute one for my sister. She has a kindle. The one I sent her had the lighter orange buttons. When I showed it to one of my friends she said I should be a different color buttons, so I made one with dark pink buttons. Although you can't tell in the picture, the color that looks red is more of a dark pink (the inside is the solid orange from the pleats outside). It's such fun whimsical fabric. I actually bought it just to buy it and decided to make a kindle sleeve for my sis.

Each life that touches ours for good..

2011-04-16T17:16:00.002-05:00

My hopes is that I can type this post without crying through the entire thing. It's hard for me to put into words my love for this extraordinary woman. Instead for a minute please bear with me as I recite a hymn our church has that so eloquently depicts my feelings.

Each life that touches ours for good

Reflects thine own great mercy, Lord;

Thou sendest blessings from above

Thru words and deeds of those who love.

What greater gift dost thou bestow,

What greater goodness can we know

Than Christlike friends, whose gentle ways

Strengthen our faith, enrich our days.

When such a friend from us departs,

We hold forever in our hearts

A sweet and hallowed memory,

Bringing us nearer, Lord, to thee.

For worthy friends whose lives proclaim

Devotion to the Savior’s name,

Who bless our days with peace and love,

We praise thy goodness, Lord, above.

*side note... I started this posted on Friday night but couldn't make it through, Sunday morning I had Mickey on my mind alot and hoped that this song wasn't one of our hymns that we sang today because I knew I wouldn't make it through without crying, but what are the odds out of the 300+ songs we have in our book. When we walked in and sat down the organist was playing some prelude music the last song before we started the meeting just happened to be this song. My heart swelled and my eyes filled with tears*

When Erick worked at BYU from long before we were married through the last moments before we moved to Nebraska, he had a boss named Mickey Gubler. She loved Erick and Erick loved her. she took care of her student workers and loved them like her own children. Erick and I would have lunch with her occasionally when we lived there and we would always have such a great time. She treated me like a friend and daughter and not like the wife of one of her employees. We were sad when we moved from Utah because we knew as much as we would love to return it probably wasn't a reality. Erick kept in touch with Mickey constantly by email and instant message since we moved, there were many days when he would come home and his stories would begin with "I was talking to Mickey today..." She and I would exchange emails and Facebook posts about life and our love for our dogs. She often spoke about how we needed to move back to Utah and she could be a surrogate grandma for our future kids and I could be friends with her only daughter Kelcie. Over the last few years when we would go home to California we always would stop and have lunch with Mickey it was so nice to be with her, like we never left.

About a year ago Mickey started to struggle with her health and we were worried about her. She assured us that she beat it and would be as good as new.

Last Tuesday Erick came home somewhat unexpectedly from work. I spun around in my chair to ask him why he as home in the middle of the day, to find him standing in my door way with tears running down his cheeks. Of course I was shocked...I said immediately. "what's wrong?" and all he could say was "Mickey died" I was in a state of shock. I didn't know what to say. He began to tell me that she had gone in for dental work and her heart had stopped and her brain had swelled and they couldn't bring her back. To me it was completely unreal. I almost didn't believe it. Erick made the comment that besides your immediate family there are people that you meet and come to love that are just as close to you as your family. Mickey was our family. Mickey was Erick and my family together. There are people you meet that you couldn't imagine your life without and although we were far away, I couldn't imagine Mickey just not being in our life.

She lived her life for her family and friends. She survived by her husband Jeff, Her son Sam, daughter in law Kristen, Son Sam, Daughter in Law Jenna, Granddaughter Hailey, Daughter Kelcie and Son In law Olin.

She will be forever in my heart and I know she's in Heaven waiting for all of us to come be with her and watching over us.

We love you Mickey and are so grateful for footprints you've left in our hearts.

#5 is alive

2011-04-11T10:37:00.003-05:00

Erick and I are coming up on the big #5 anniversary. I can't believe it's been 5 years already. We've been through so much, so when people say it feels like only yesterday, sometimes it does, but sometime we feel like we have the miles to show for it.

We booked ourselves a little get away a weekend after our actual anniversary that I'm so excited about!!! More to come later!

Flat Bread / Pita Bread

2011-03-25T17:38:00.003-05:00

I made Chicken Gyros the other night and made homemade Flat Bread/Pita Bread. It was probably the best I've had in a long time (not to toot my own horn or anything). It's a little spongey and not cardboardy like other pita breads. It was so good Erick and I had flat bread breakfast sandwiches the next morning with the left overs. YUM-O

Enjoy!

3-3 1/4 C All-Purpose Flour, extra for kneading.
1 C Water, Boiling
1/4 C potato flour (Recipe calls for Potato flour, but I used a package of "Idahoan" instant potatoes, if you do that use 1/2C instead)
1 1/4 t salt
2 T veg oil
1 t active dry yeast
1/4 c tepid water

I used my Kitchen Aid so adjust your instruction according to your machine

Place 2 C flour into Kitchen Aid bowl. Pour 1 C boiling water over flour, cover bowel with a kitchen towel and set aside for 30 minutes.

Dissolve yeast in 1/4 c tepid water and set aside. It will not bubble or turn into a sponge, water will just look tan and milky.

In a separate bowl, whisk together; potato flour, 1 C flour, salt, oil.

After the 30 minute waiting period attach dough hook to kitchen aid and turn on low. Allow water and flour to start mixing, add dissolved yeast mixture to flour mixture. Once mixture is has started to meld together, add potato flour mixture 1/4 c at a time.

The dough will start to look like a very sticky dough mixture. Add remaining 1/4 c, scrape sides and continue mixing for 30 seconds more.

Remove dough from mixer and turn out onto floured surface. Knead 2-3 times, turning over in flour.

Let dough rise 1 hour (I let mine rise 90 minutes because I got busy and it was just fine.)

Divide dough into 8-10 medium size balls. Mine fit into the palm of my hand, but I have gigantic hands for a girl. So you'll want something the size of an orange. The dough should make at least 9. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. The dough shouldn't rise again, your lack of yeast in the beginning should prevent it from a second rise.

Flour your counter and rolling pin because it will be sticky. Roll each ball into 7-8 inch round pieces, decide how thick you want your bread.

On a electric griddle or in a large skillet you are going to "dry fry" your bread. Turn your heat to med/high heat. "fry" bread 1-2 minutes each side until they are a little puffed and flecked with brown spots. Adjust the heat if they are cooking too quick, cooking too quick on the outside will make the thicker ones still raw on the inside. Transfer the cooked bread to a wire rack to cool. Serve immediately or they can be kept in a Ziploc bag for a day or two after cooled.

Birthday present creations...

2011-02-27T18:52:00.003-06:00

You might remember a few posts back about the HINT HINT to my hubby for my birthday. Well my fantastic hubby took the hint. Bless his little heart for being patient with me. I have monopolized the kitchen table with my mess for over a week now and he hasn't said a word other than "When are you going to finish my blanket"...."soon honey, soon." is always my response (I keep forgetting to get batting, even though I went to the fabric store yesterday, I hadn't written it down and lately my brain has been shot!)

So I have been like a kid in a candy store with all the cute stitches, embroidery designs, appliques. I just love this machine, it's the bestest present!

Here's one of my little creations I made for my friend who is having a little girl soon. (Hopefully she won't see this before I can give it to her tomorrow)

Coconut Curry Soup

2011-02-01T10:24:00.006-06:00

When I lived in Simi Valley with my roommate Jen, we lived in an upstairs apartment above an Indian family that cooked with curry for almost every meal. You could smell it coming up the sink drains and thru the walls. I would leave the house with my hair and clothes smelling like curry powder. It was almost a little embarrassing. I would obsessively sprayed my clothes with body spray. I swore off Indian food for the rest of my life. Well 10 years later I finally came around and started eating it again.

We had this for dinner 2 nights ago. I was a little worried because Erick has a very specific palate. We've recently gotten him to go to an Indian restaurant and a Thai place, so I thought I might be safe. While it was cooking I had flashbacks to my little apartment in Simi and my roommate Jen. I emailed her to tell her about our dinner and we reminisced a little. Brought back good memories!

**I borrowed this picture from the blog I borrowed the recipe from**

2 T Olive Oil
1 1/2 Lbs Chicken Breast (Cut into cubed pieces)
1/2 C Yellow onion
1 Red Bell Pepper
2 C Low-Sodium Chicken Broth (You can sub Veg broth if you want to make it vegetarian)
1 can light coconut milk
1 T fish sauce
1/8 t cayenne pepper
1 T Brown sugar
1/2 T Curry Powder
1 T Fresh Lime Juice
1/4 c fresh cilantro

3-4 C cooked rice.
**I made this without the red bell peppers and cilantro and it was still delish!

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat until it is hot and shimmering. Pat the chicken pieces dry and season with salt and pepper. Add to hot oil. Let the chicken cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add onions and bell pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the onions and peppers are soft but not fully cooked.

Add chicken broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, cayenne pepper, brown sugar and curry powder. Stir to combine. Bring soup to a simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes. (I let mine simmer for 45 minutes, it reduced down to a thicker creamier soup, more like an indian curry) Stir in lime juice and cilantro, add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over a scoop of rice.

DELICIOUS!

Winter Sunbathing

2011-01-28T16:15:00.001-06:00

This is how we sunbathe in the winter at the Sayer household.

2011-01-14T13:43:00.002-06:00

Growing up there was a funny story about my mom and a cast iron skillet she got for her birthday. She was so upset that she got a Kitchen item for her birthday she refused to open it. Little did she know that my dad had bought her an mp3 player and wrapped it up in the cast iron skillet just to make her mad. Well it worked, and after that we ALL knew that kitchen appliances, cleaning items such as vacuums or pots and pans or anything that would be considered practical are not acceptable items for birthdays.
Well I just want to tell the birthday Gods, that I would gladly set aside that rule this one time for this little beauty this year.

The spoils of riches.

2011-01-11T00:31:00.002-06:00

It's almost 1AM and here I sit watching my screen as a little cartoon airplane makes it's way from Las Vegas to LAX, hoping against hope that I don't get a phone call that they are diverting to some random place like Zzyzx road. Kidding, they would never actually land on a road, but you know what I mean, they might have to put it down some place and frankly there aren't that many airports big enough to accommodate my beast between Sin City and the City of Angels.
So tonight I watch and hope and pray they make it all the way without incident or I should say FURTHER incident.
There are 2 types of rich people in the world, I know it's a gross generalization but in my experience I only get to see the 2, you have the spoiled rich and famous who are more entitled then giving, and then you have those that are quiet consumers of wealth, they may do the occasional philanthropic effort but all in all enjoy their wealth and do whatever they want. In my line of work we get to see both sides and normally we get those that just want to be quiet, go their places, be on their ridiculous raw food diets and go about their business. Those people I can handle, I don't mind ordering food without green anything or having a humidifier going at all times. That stuff is easy. But what would life be without entertainment. In my line of work we see a lot of what I call the seedy underbelly of wealth. I will spare you most of the details of the items I overlook on a daily basis and the small fibs I have to tell or convince myself they are truth so I don't feel like scum. Tonight though has been the worst example for me. I sent my crew for what seemed to be a typical and I mean TYPICAL trip for us. 10 minutes after they were supposed to take off I get a frantic call from one of the pilots saying they were taxiing back to the nearest location and 911 had been called because one of the passengers needed immediate medical attention. The paramedics arrived, another incident occurred and we waited as medical attention was being given. I did exactly what I was supposed to in notifying the proper people and then we wait, and wait and wait. More calls from pilots, more calls to proper people and wait. We were told that this woman was going to LA to be seen by a specialist for a medical condition she has that should be of concern.
Finally I get a call from the captain that says the Paramedics had examined the passenger, they have determined it was an "attention getting episode" WHAT? ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW? This is not a 5 year old throwing a temper tantrum! This is a GROWN woman in her late twenties travelling with her older parents. ATTENTION GETTING EPISODE! If you have to fake some sort of episode to get attention you don't need a Medical Doctor you need a Psychological Doctor! At this point in my life I say to myself, you have got to be kidding me, I need a change of career and an extra long vacation.

Dear Universe...

2011-01-10T20:10:00.003-06:00

Dear Universe,

I take back my previous post about the weather. You are more than paying me back for my complaints. We are currently snowed in under about a foot of snow and it's supposed to continue thru next week. I get it...don't complain when things are good.

Megan

Simplicity in all things

2011-01-06T17:44:00.003-06:00

The 2011 theme in the Sayer Household is:

Simplify

As I looked around my house the other day with the frazzled feeling I was experiencing I thought: I need a change! So I have resolved to simplify our lives. I know there isn't much I can do about the things that just come with living our life, bills are going to come, things are going to break, work is going to suck, school is going to be hard, trials are going to try us, people are going to anger or hurt us, But there are things we can do to simplify the things we can control.

We are going to de-clutter, we are going to try to not get so stressed over things we can't control, we are going to make a meal calendar, we are going to set a budget and try to stick with it.

Are we going to do it perfectly? No. Am I going to totally not stress? No, but I'm going to take things out of our life that make the stress worse. There will be a lot of "house-cleaning" in more ways then just physically.

We are going to hold a physical, emotional, mental and relationship garage sale.

Everything must go.

I'm hoping that in the coming year Erick and I will be able to look back and say we tried our best, but didn't cause the stress we might feel. We have a big year coming up. Lots of big events will be happening and I'm hoping that in committing to simplifying our lives that these big events won't cause us to stumble but allow us to enjoy them and grow.

This time last year....

2011-01-04T17:28:00.005-06:00

What a difference a year makes. This same time last year I took these pictures of our house. We had been snowed in our neighborhood from before Christmas until New Years Eve. By New Years day 2010 we had cabin fever so bad we HAD to get out.

The snow drifts were so high, we were afraid for our little fence....yes, that fence is 4 feet!
This is the view outside my house today. 1/4/11. Almost completely opposite of last year. It's so strange to me. We haven't had a significant snow fall at all. Erick said there was a little snow before I got home from California, but as soon as it fell, it was gone again. We haven't really had the same temperatures as last year either. I think today it was 28 degrees. Which last year it was below zero.
and Who could forget what our Cabin Fever of last year brought us....

On New Years Day last year when Erick and I ventured out into the real world we stopped by the Pet Doctor "just to look" and came home with our little Rubee Rube!

She's grown up to be as big as Allee (a big sigh of relief, let me tell you!!) We called the store about a week after we got her to double check how big her parents were, they said her dad was 120lbs and her mom was 90lbs. We could have had a beast on our hands, but it looks like she's stopped right at about 60lbs. We love her to death and Allee has learned to tolerate her (Sorta).

It's been hard for me to actually sit down and set my 2011 goals. There are always the obligatory ones that I set every year and always seem to forget around February 1st. So this year I'm going to set short attainable goals as to not disappoint...like finish painting our bedrooms, clean out the pantry, inventory our food storage and sew more. The bigger things like losing 30 lbs, being nice to others, do my visiting teaching...will just have to come if I can :)

This year we have a ton of things to look forward to:

Erick and I will celebrate 5 years of marriage this year. (I can't believe it's gone by so fast)
We're planning a few little vacations this year. Hopefully we'll be able to take them all.
We're looking forward to visiting my parents in their new digs.
I should be finished with my Associates in the spring.
Erick will finish with school in December with his JD/MBA. (We are going to wait until the big graduation in May of 2012 for him to walk)
We're crossing our fingers a good job and maybe a move from Nebraska will be on the horizon.
And a few other things we'll be working on.

Christmas on the Ark

2010-12-22T23:38:00.001-06:00

First of all I must thank Google Chrome for the fine Christmas present of free wifi on this here flight of mine. It's allows me to be able to focus on this blog post and some homework as I have nothing else to do for the next 4 hours.

What a super long day it's been. Hubby has been gone for the last 6 days leaving me to continue to hold up the household alone. When finals roll around I become a law school widow, making meals for 1, putting myself to bed and waking up alone again. I am more than ready for this experience to be over that's for sure. It sure has become a growing experience, but not one I would soon care to repeat.

So as I was saying, finals were finally over and just as they had come and gone so did my hubby. We thought this year would be a trial in "dealing with the family split" Since an equal split of time with each family seems incredibly hard to pull off we elected to split ourselves up in order to make the family happier. So Hubby went 6 days early for our little adventure to the homeland since little bro was coming home from his missionary adventure. I'm meeting him in the middle, 2 days with his family, 2 days with my family and then he goes home and I'm with my family for a few days. We'll see how this works out.

So I spent last night packing myself up and today I laid around with my girls for as long as possible and then made the horribly long feeling drive to Camp Bow Wow. I tried my best to stay strong and not cry the WHOLE way there...I did pretty good until the little guy at the front desk asked me what their feeding schedule was...and as the little owner guy stood there with my girls I looked at him and tears started rolling down my cheeks, words wouldn’t even form. I just kept thinking “keep it together woman!” little owner guy said in his high pitched sweeter than sweet voice “oh honey, it will be ok, I promise, they will be ok and you know how to watch them on the webcam, right?” All I could do is nod and then nod some more….swallow back hard and blurt out as many instructions as I could until the heaving and blubbering came. I’m sure I looked like a complete idiot standing there with my bag full of dog toys and chicken-free treats, sobbing like a 4 year old girl who just had to flush her goldfish. I finally got it under control, finished my last sentence and ran out the door. I feel bad I didn’t really even say goodbye, but I knew any longer and I probably would have dissolved into a puddle of pitifulness on the floor of Camp Bow Wow. I should never have to be the one to drop them off.

I spent the greater part of the evening wandering around the Minneapolis airport in search of something that wasn’t fried, oily or processed. Then settled on 3 Motrin and a Large Diet Coke. It is going to be a long night.

Forecast for LA, Rain, Rain, Rain, Cold…Really? I just left ½ way decent weather (well on the Nebraska scale that is)

The Lord said to Noah, there’s gonna be a floody floody. Get those children out of the Muddy, Muddy. Noah he builded, he builded an arky, arky…..of all the years we picked to go home for Christmas it seems like we might be lining up two by two soon.

Currently I’m 30,000 feet over about Denver I think and still plugging along a SUPER full boat! If today is any indication on how the rest of my trip is going to go, I might just find a connecting flight at LAX to Cancun and claim I don’t know how it happened. More to come I’m sure….

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-05T20:42:00.001-06:00

So are you as tired as I am of staring at Black Bean Soup? Every time I log into my blog I think, I really need to blog, and then I get side tracked with something and figure I'd do it later, and other times I think, I really should blog but don't really have anything wonderful to report.

Lately I've been in a funk, a literal funk and a figurative funk.... My literal Funk: E and I have been sicker than sick. I think we must have gotten the funk and then just kept passing it back and forth to each other. Just when I thought I had gotten over it, it would come back and this time it came back with a vengeance, we were sick for more than 10 days. We're still not 100% but as E said to some one today, "We're tired of being sick INSIDE, so now we're being sick OUTSIDE, we thought we'd venture out and share" We're not really that sick anymore, its just that lingering, ick you still feel. Because of that we haven't been able to go to the gym for like 10 days, we went back on Saturday, holy cow that was hard!

My Figurative funk is different...I spend all my days sitting in this stupid office chair watching the world go by. It stinks! The last couple of weeks at work have been tough. In 3 words: I HATE IT! I tell E just about everyday, "I'm gonna quit! We'll just have to figure it out" and yet I get up the next morning to start the Groundhogs day that seems to be my life.

Secondly, we are getting so close to what would have been E's graduation date. Since he's doing the MBA program at the same time we'll be in good ol' NE a little while longer. I feel sad inside that our friends will be leaving us and moving to better places. I said to E the other day I had a sad realization in the shower the other day, my two really good friends will be leaving me. Now although I'm mostly a hermit that is stuck in my house 7 days a week, I'm grateful for my girls that I feel like I can call my Nebraska besties. Through this journey our lives have gone in several different directions, We started this Law School journey together and sadly we won't be finishing together. But I know and hope we will stay close once our journeys are through.

E and I have been talking a lot about where we are going and what we are doing. Right now we have Plans A, B, C, etc, will we stay here? will we decide to extend school until May? will we have a baby sooner rather than later? will we strike out into the dark and just go without a job?(Luckily the plan to suck it up and move back in with one of our parents is down at Plan Z **no offense families) it just makes my stomach a little upset to not know which Plan we will end up taking. Back in the day going to Law School would be a sure fire way to get a good job. Now I feel a little like Kendra....wondering where our home will be and where our next paycheck will come from. Luckily our future isn't dependent on a football team having room on their roster for our paycheck or E's athletic ability :)

As my semester comes to a close, hopefully I'll have a little more time to keep up with my ol' blog friend. 2011 will possibly our last full year in Nebraska and I want to make sure it's well documented.

Black Bean Soup

2010-10-06T18:25:00.003-05:00

E and I have been on a journey to get into better shape. Consequently I'm always looking for low carb, low cal, low fat meals...and I've been finding alot of LOW taste diet foods :) I came across this recipe and thought I'd give it a try. TWO WORDS: OH YUM!!! I made it tonight and had to share. Give it a try, you won't be sorry.

Black Bean Soup

Recipe by Our Best Bites

1 T olive oil

4 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped

3/4 C diced carrots (about 2 med carrots)

3/4 C diced celery (about 2 ribs)

1 C diced onion (about 1 sm-med onion)

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 3.5oz can green chilies

2 cans low-sodium beef broth

1 t kosher salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/2 t chili powder

1/4 t cumin

1/2 t dry oregano leaves

1 bay leaf

Optional Toppings: sour cream, tortilla chips, grated cheese, chopped cilantro, etc. **I put in some of my leftover crockpot salsa chicken that I had made last night and some Cojita cheese instead of the higher cal options listed in the recipe**

Place a large stock pot on the stove-top and set to medium-high heat. When pan is warm, add olive oil. Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic and saute 4-5 minutes.

Add in the black beans, chilies, and beef broth. Stir to combine and then add the salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and bay leaf.

Simmer uncovered for about 20-25 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Remove from heat. Remove bay leaf from soup.

Place soup in a blender. (You could use an immersion blender in place of this step) Place lid on blender, but remove the stopper in the lid to let heat escape. Place a paper towel over the hole to avoid splatters.

Puree soup until completely smooth. Optionally you could pulse until a semi-chunky soup is achieved. Squeeze in the juice from one lime and pulse to combine.

Ladle into bowls and top with desired toppings. Serve with extra lime wedges. Makes about 8 C soup.

Nutritional Information (1 C soup, w/o toppings):

125 calories, 2g fat, 8g fiber

2 Weight Watchers points

Gavin and Kara Get Married

2010-09-28T21:20:00.005-05:00

August 7, 2010 My brother Gavin married Kara Ridge. It was a beautiful day. LOTS of sealings that day, the back of the temple was packed with families waiting for brides and grooms.

Erick and Matt went outside before Ashley and I were out. We couldn't find them and were waiting inside until we watched the door swing open and this is what we saw...

The Happy Couple coming out!

The sexy shoes Ashley and I decided to wear. We matched each other, that's all that mattered!

All the "Shea" kids together

Sisters Foreva'

Gramma and Aunt Kelli

Ashley and I took a picture like this at her wedding, at my wedding and now at Gavin's

Eew, some kids never grow up :)

Me, Aunt Kelli and Gramma (I don't know why we didn't get pictures of my mom's other siblings)

Gavin and Gramma. Gramma HATES taking pictures so we were REALLY lucky to get any pictures at all and it's even better that she's actually smiling in this one...So cute!

So much to post so little time...a little preview...

2010-08-26T22:17:00.004-05:00

In no particular order:

chicken tikka masala

2010-07-19T20:20:00.006-05:00

(no I didn't take this picture, but I think every recipe should have a picture so you know what it should look like when it's done.)

My attempt at Indian cuisine...it turned out pretty good...enjoy.

*Plan Ahead: This recipe requires the chicken to be marinaded overnight

*Make Ahead: The masala can be made and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat gently before serving

Marinade

1 C Plain Yogurt

2 Garlic Cloves (or 1 t minced garlic)

1 T finely grated Ginger

1 1/2 t ground cumin

1 1/2 t ground coriander

1/4 t ground cardamom

1/4 t ground turmeric

Salt and Pepper

2 lbs chicken breasts (about 3-4 boneless chicken breasts)

Masala

2T plus 1 t oil (I used Olive Oil)

1/4 blanch whole almonds

1 Large Onion, finely chopped

2 Garlic Cloves, minced (1 t minced garlic)

1 t minced fresh ginger

1 1/2 T Garam Masala (you can find it at the grocery store or use my recipe below)

1 1/2 t chili powder (reduce this to 1 t or less if you don't want it hot)

1 1/2 t cayenne pepper (reduce this to 1 t or less if you don't want it hot)

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

16 oz can tomato sauce

Pinch of sugar

1 C heavy cream (add 1/4 c more to reduce the "heat" of the spices)

Night before:

In a large glass or stainless steel bowl, combine yogurt and spices from "Marinade" section. Season with Salt and pepper. Add chicken to the marinade, turn to coast and refrigerate covered overnight, I had it in the fridge for 2 days and it turned out great.

Day of Meal:

In a small skillet, heat 1 t of oil. Add almonds and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel to cool and dry. In a food processor, pulse until almonds are finely ground

In a large stock pot, heat remaining 2 T of oil, add onions, garlic and ginger and cook over moderate heat until tender and golden, about 6-8 minutes

Add Garam Masala, chili powder and cayenne and cook for 1 minute, stir occasionally

Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce and sugar. Season with salt and pepper.

Cover partially and cook over medium heat for about 5-10, stir occasionally

While mixture is simmering, cut chicken breasts into bite-size pieces. Throw the chicken into pot of tomato mixture.

Continue simmering and cooking chicken for 20 minutes. or until chicken is cooked through, sauce should reduce and thicken slightly.

Add cream and ground almonds and cook over low heat until thickened about 10 minutes.

Serve with steamed rice and/or pita or naan bread. (we had pita bread)

**Basic Garam Masala Recipe

1 tablespoon ground coriander

2 teaspoons black pepper

2 teaspoons ground cardamom

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

2010-07-12T10:35:00.002-05:00

A few months ago I blogged about our backyard woes and how we planted new bushes. We have been so excited that our black thumbs didn't strike our new bushes. They have turned out to be just beautiful!! They have these wonderful/gorgeous pink flowers on them that I just LOVE!

This poor little bush had a rough start. Rubee attacked it a few times in it's infancy. But it turned out to be the first to get flowers. It still a little small, but it's doing great.

Happy 4th Of July!!

2010-07-04T14:04:00.000-05:00

Michael Buble

2010-07-04T13:31:00.004-05:00

I love the Buble!!! L-O-V-E!! He puts on a REALLY good concert. We had a lot of pictures but this video is the bestest!

Easy Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

2010-06-17T12:58:00.002-05:00

Thanks to my sister I tried this recipe (with a few changes) and LOVED it.

1 Can cream of chicken soup (Reg or 98% fat free, I used FF)
1/2 Sour Cream (I used Light)
1 C Pace Picante Sauce (I used Medium)
2 t Chili powder (I would use 1t, it was a little spicy)
2 C chopped cooked chicken
1/2 C shredded cheese (I used Cheddar, recipe calls for Monterey Jack)
6 flour tortillas, warmed
1 sm tomato, chopped (optional)
1 green onion, sliced (optional)

Heat oven to 350. Stir soup, sour cream, picante sauce and chili powder in a medium bowl.
Stir 1 C of soup mixture, chicken and cheese in a large bowl.
Divide the chicken mixture amount the tortillas. Roll up the tortillas and place seam-side up in a 2 quart shallow baking dish. Pout the remaining soup mixture over the filled tortillas. Cover the baking dish.
Bake for 40 minutes or until the enchiladas are hot and bubbling. Top with the tomato and onion (optional)
TIP: Optional Ingredient: Stir 1/2 C canned black beans, drained and rinsed, into the chicken mixture before filling the tortillas, if desired.

Long Weekend Happenings

2010-06-01T14:24:00.008-05:00

Erick and I had so many things planned this weekend...nothing super exciting just a lot of things we needed and wanted to get done since we had an extra day.
Saturday Erick had an appointment at the Apple store to get his computer fixed. Since it's in Omaha I of course said..."I WANT TO GO!!" Anything to get out of Lincoln and find some fun shopping. The Apple Store is in this cute outdoor shopping mall that has ALL kinds of fun stores, many of which I have to stay out of because I can't afford anything but window shopping (I can only salivate at the Coach store) I walked with Erick into the Apple store and only made it about 5 feet before I was stopped by a massive display of ipads. That was as far as I went. I REALLY wanted one...REALLY REALLY!! Luckily for me and my credit card I overheard one of the employees say they didn't have any in stock and you had to order it. I wanted to throw a little temper tantrum.

I had to get out of temptations way, so I left Erick and walked down the row of stores, stopped along the way to drool at the Coach window and kept going. I was a little bummed that the Cost Plus store had closed. It was one of my favorite places. They had all kinds of fun stuff, mini ketchups, food and snacks from all different lands. But alas, it was closed...in it's place however was another of my favs. Old Navy. I picked up some cute flip flops and yoga pants and had to leave so I didn't spend more money. Erick had to leave his computer so we headed back home...but first a stop at another of my FAVORITE stores from home. WHOLE FOODS! They are the only place that has my favorite pickles. Bubbies Kosher Dills are my most favorite and since I only get to Whole Foods once in a blue moon so we had to go. Erick calls it the Hippie store because there are so many organic things there. We hit one last grocery store for some carne asada meat and the girls pool and we were on our way home. After we got home we started in on our backyard....more of that below.

Sunday was our low key day, we made some Carne Asada and Chicken breast for dinner and to take to our friends who had just moved. It's always delicious. My family always had Mexican food for Sunday dinner so I felt a little closer to home by making my own mexi-food.

Monday was a BUSY, BUSY PRODUCTIVE day. It started so early. We had some work done on the front and back yard and the guys showed up pretty early...there goes our little bit of sleeping in. So instead we just got a early start to our work i guess. We were supposed to go to a BBQ at some friends house and I was supposed to make a side dish...since I had been craving "Monty's Potato Salad" I had to make that so I had a reason to make it. Monty (my brother in laws father) either doesn't have an exact recipe or doesn't want to give it out (no matter how much I beg!) So I had to wing it with what I know is in it and let me tell you...it is delicious! But nothing beats the real thing. I made a BIG bowl and gave away 3/4 so I didn't eat it all (cuz you know I would try)

While I was slaving away in the kitchen, Erick ran to Home Depot to rent a carpet cleaner. We had FINALLY finished painting the first bedroom for my new office and needed to clean the carpets...let me tell you, the carpets in this house are DISGUSTING and I wished we had had them super super deep cleaned before we moved in. The people before us had dogs and let them run wild. There is no real way to clean out the people who lived there before you other then replacing the carpet. Since we can't do that we've been repainting and carpet cleaning as we go. The first room to be done is my new office. It is beautiful, it's a creamy pale yellow and I L-O-V-E -Love it! I haven't been able to get a really good picture that will do it justice...So Erick cleaned out all the painting supplies and his work clothes from the closet and cleaned the carpets. It is just glorious! We finally moved the last of the furniture in last night about 9PM after the carpets dried. We took apart my old L-Shaped desk and used one of the old doors we had replaced and put it on top of my 2 file cabinets. It's so much nicer and less bulky especially since this room is smaller then the one I was in before. I just can't believe what a difference a color makes. (The previous color was like a dark teal, it was AWFUL!)

While Erick was carpet cleaning I was outside starting on our last project of the day. The space between the 2 back windows was at one time just light colored mulch that the previous tenants had put down. When we had the fence put in the guys had put all the excess dirt in that space (NOT OK'D BY ME) It was almost 2 feet high of dirt on top of mulch that was now rotting. Last summer when we came back from California we returned to another 2 feet of weeds that had grown out of the 2 feet of dirt. Slowly over the last 9 months we've gotten rid of the dirt (it's been about 6 loads in our yard waste bin to the dump) We finally got it to a manageable height and I spent the majority of the afternoon turning the soil with new garden soil and digging out the ground cover. Ace was having a great Memorial day sale on shrubs so I bought the last 5 bushes to plant in the back. They are supposed to have red blooms all summer and turn purple in the fall. Should be interesting.

In this picture you can see our Saturday project, on the right side of the yard was a 2 x 3 patch of grass that was hard to mow and there was a sink hole that started on the corner that I have more than once stepped in and turned my ankle. We decided to extend the planter to the fence. Most of the extra dirt ended up in that corner which was nice so we didn't have to buy more. I have yet to decide what we're going to put there but since it gets a lot of sun and water the possibilities are endless.

It's nice to finally be able to have some color in the back yard and not look so plain. I have my garden planted with Broccoli, Carrots, Cucumbers, tomatoes, basil, hot peppers and Blackberries. I didn't plant as much as I did last year because we will be gone at the end of the summer, right in the middle of most of the harvesting times. The basil is growing like crazy and it smells delish. We're having another spigot put in next to the window well today so I have a way to water. Last year I installed a drip system that worked really well, but I need some extra water. We aren't totally done with the backyard but for now we have made HUGE progress.

The official start of summer

2010-05-29T21:11:00.006-05:00

Today Erick and I found a "cool" (as my nephew Brayden calls it) at the grocery store in Omaha and we knew we had to get it. Allee LOVES the pool. It's the official start of summer.

We all had had too much sun and headed inside and about 20 minutes later we wondered where Allee was.......

STILL OUT IN THE "COOL"

Catching up on my correspondence...

2010-05-01T16:41:00.002-05:00

There is an episode of "Friends" called "The one where no one is ready" it's one of my favorites...(youtube it if you haven't seen it) Every time I think about things I need to do like catching up on my blog or writing thank you notes I some how think of this episode when Rachel comes out of her room in comfy clothes with a box in hand and Ross asks, What are you doing? and she replies "Catching up on my correspondence". I realized this week that I have been SO out of touch with everyone lately. My life seems so busy I have been "Saving" my correspondence to when I have a few minutes...well that has seemed to have been procrastinated until I actually had to put "Catch up on correspondence" on my to do list for this weekend. So all of you who may have emailed me lately or are waiting for me to show my face, please know I am not ignoring you..I promise there are drafts in my outbox waiting to be finished and you are on my "to do list"..first on my correspondence is update our poor blog.

Let's catch up from the last post oh so many months ago...I can't believe it's already May 1st. How has 4 months just flown by.

Erick is on the home stretch of his 2nd year. As of today he only has 1 more final on Wednesday to take before he's done. This seems like it's been a long school year. It was stressful at best. Erick used the Christmas break to finish is writing sample for Moot Court. We found out shortly after school started that he was accepted. He has a beautiful certificate that I had framed and hung up. I am so proud of him. It's a nice little addition to his resume. We still have about 2 years left here in our Lincoln experience. Since Erick is getting his MBA at the same time as Law School he won't be done with classes until the December after his graduating class. The mid-year graduation ceremony is so small and held at the law school so we have decided to wait and he'll actually walk in the graduation in May of 2012. He's worked so hard I felt like her really deserved all the pomp and circumstance as well as a big party. He'll be taking the Bar in the beginning of the year which I am hoping will give us a leg up on all the other graduates at the same time. We shall see, I'm crossing my fingers where ever he gets a job it has more of the comforts of home, not so many tornado warnings and less bugs.

We were worried for so long that Erick wouldn't be able to find an internship for the summer. The economy has been so bad that not alot of firms are hiring. We spent all of Christmas break sending out 150 resumes. So many responses were that the firm wasn't even sponsoring a summer program. We are happy to report that Erick did get a job for this summer with the U.S Attorneys office. We are just waiting for his security clearance paperwork to be approved and then we'll know his start date. For now we are still waiting...so it looks like I'll be able to keep him busy for the remainder of May with honey dos.

He is going to CA for a few days right after finals to spend a few days with his family. Because of the weather over the holidays we haven't been home for almost a year.

I took this quarter off of school. I had originally signed up for Chemistry this quarter, but after I got into it I realized I was less then prepared and with so much going on over the next few months I knew I couldn't give it my full attention and I REALLY needed to give it my full attention. I just have 2 classes left until I can start applying to nursing programs. Chemistry is one of them and I won't finish that until the Fall so I have a little time. There are 3 schools out here that have varying requirements so I'm taking it a little slower and trying to get alot of the general classes out of the way before I apply just because we aren't really in a position right now where I can quit my job and go to school full time and unfortunately because my work hours are so awful I can't get off work early enough to go on the part time track. So I'll just keep plugging away, I'm sure by the time I'm done I'll have enough credits for a few different degrees :) So because I have a month until my next classes start I've been trying to focus on house projects. If you've ever been to our house you would know the previous tenants had quite the eclectic taste in paint colors. Every room is a different color and I mean COLOR! My office is BROWN/PURPLE...seriously so ugly. The room next to it was sort of the catch all room where Erick kept his suits and shoes. It was a dark teal color. So I decided to repaint that room and then I'll move my office to that room and repaint that something other than the awful brown color. I'm almost done with the first room. It's a beautiful creamy pale yellow. I painted all the baseboards, mouldings and window well white. If I could be in love with a room it would be this room. As soon as I'm completely finished I'll post some more pictures, I just have a few touch ups to do and the door moulding to paint and I'll be done.

We are so happy that a little warmer weather is here. I know it won't last long and before we know it it'll be hot and humid...I already have 2 mosquito bites as evidence. Now is the time I'm trying to plant our garden and get our planters in order. The dogs are loving spending time outside and I'm grateful they can get out of my hair. Rubee is finally starting to calm down a little. She got so hairy we had to shave her just to get her cooled off.

Lastly, but not leastly we are SO looking forward to a little stressful vacation home to California at the end of July for my Brother Gavins wedding. He FINALLY pulled the trigger and asked Kara to marry him. We are all very excited for them. We will be away from Nebraska just about 2 weeks, it's a shame that most of our vacation is taken up with driving. But being so far from CA and having to be gone for so long we can't really board the dogs so they must come with....

I have 3 months and 7 days to lose 15 lbs in order not to look like a giant blob in pictures....Off to the treadmill!!

**Catching up on my correspondence: Blog Update = Check!

2010-04-14T12:24:00.000-05:00

"Every man is born an original, but sadly, most men die copies."
-Abraham Lincoln

Monkey Bread

2010-04-05T10:44:00.003-05:00

I don't usually post recipes on my blog, but I think I'm going to start, just so I have a record of all the new and yummy things I've tried.

If you know me you know that I'm a stress baker and try a lot of new recipes. Some turn out GREAT, some I throw in the trash, either because they aren't as good as the picture looks or it's just too hard, baking shouldn't be hard, it should be challenging, fulfilling and most of all YUMMY....So over the next year I'll post some of the new recipes I try (with notes I find helpful after making the dish) and some of my old standbys.

This one I tried yesterday...as you can see I didn't get a picture before it was already dug into....
In the past the Monkey Bread recipes I've seen are the easy frozen dough or crescent tube kind. These are purely homemade and purely DELICIOUS!!!

Bread Balls:
1 pkg (1/4 oz) active dry yeast
1/2 c warm water
1 1/4 c warm 2% milk (I used skim milk and it worked just fine)
1/3 c butter, melted
1/4 c sugar
2 eggs
1 t salt
5 cups all-purpose flour

Carmel:
2/3 c packed brown sugar
1/4 c butter, cubed
1/4 c heavy whipping cream

Assembly:
3/4 c chopped pecans
1 c sugar
1t cinnamon
1/2 c butter, melted (I used margarine)

**Side note: I started out trying to use my Kitchenaid with dough hook...There isn't enough ingredients to really get it all kneaded. I suggest using a hand mixer with dough hooks or stir by hand**
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, butter, sugar, eggs, salt and 3 cups of flour. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a firm dough.

Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, turning once to grease the top.

(If you are making dough ahead of time, stop after this step place in greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and put in fridge over night. When ready let dough sit for 30 minutes then continue to next step)

Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

For Caramel, in a small saucepan, bring the brown sugar, butter and cream to a boil. Cook and stir for 3 minutes. Pour 1/2 into greased 10-in/ fluted tube pan; sprinkle with half of the pecans.

Punch dough down; shape into 40 balls. In a shallow bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Place melted butter in another bowl. Dip balls in butter, then roll in sugar mixture.

Place 20 balls in the tube pan. top with remaining caramel and pecans. Top with remaining 20 balls. Cover and let rise until doubled. About 45 minutes.

Bake at 350 for 30-25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate.

Fear

2010-04-02T10:42:00.003-05:00

I heard the best quote today and in days like we live in I think it's something to hold on to:

"Courage is fear that has said it's prayers" - Dorothy Bernard

Health care-smealth care

2010-03-30T10:34:00.002-05:00

This post isn't what you think it's gonna be about. Because I'm sad to admit that I'm a 32 year old woman that doesn't understand politics, nor do I care much, I just ask Erick...."so what's the bottom line, how does this effect me?"

So really I don't care much about the health care I NEED DENTAL CARE!! For the longest time I thought we had the crappiest dental insurance available... UNTIL our company decided to switch and NOW we have the crappiest dental insurance available! I think the only way it could
get crappier is no insurance at all.

So, I have the worst teeth (thank you Mom!) and I am constantly in need of a root canal. It's like it skips right over the cheap repairs and straight to the expensive stuff. Before we moved out here I had to have 2 root canals at almost $1000. I knew I needed something done to another one because it felt like I had chipped it. I waited as long as I could until it was hurting and went to the dentist, turns out a filling had fallen out and because it was a deep filling it now needs a root canal...I could have figured that one!

The dentist scheduled my root canal for 3 weeks later!!! 3 WEEKS!!!
Luckily it was on the last day of my less crappy insurance. The antibiotics they gave me made me sick for 10 days straight, and Over these 3 weeks it's gotten worse to the point that now I have a sinus infection, I run a fever most of the afternoon and I my plan was to get back in the wagon with my running but every step literally feels like a hammer to my sinuses. Luckily this Wednesday is the end of the wait.

So I say to you... Don't you think it would be more advantageous for insurance companies to pay 100% of pulling all your teeth and dentures!! Because at this point I only have 2 molars without crowns and I'm all for it!!

I thought this day would never come!

2010-03-29T18:47:00.004-05:00

After the longest, hardest winter I have ever had to live through, I thought this day would never come! Check out what Weather.com says our temp is at 7PM!!!

Look how far we've come in 3 short months....

2010-03-26T13:40:00.002-05:00

This was Allee and Rubee right after we got Rubee in January...

And here they are today. Rubee is 5 months old and only a few inches shorter than Allee when they stand side by side. She's almost 35lbs. She has lost almost all her baby teeth, I know because I've been finding them around the house. Last week she lost every one on the lower right, she looked pretty funny for a few days. She's been pretty good about not chewing on things that aren't hers, but every once in a while I'll find her chewing on one of my shoes...it's that same shoe every time! She brings in pieces of wood and the occasional pile of poop from outside and set it at our feet as though it's her gift to us. She's been pretty good about the potty training, she's only had a few accidents that has only happened when she gets really excited. Usually after her bath. We haven't figured out what triggers it because it's so random. But it's only happened 3 times in 3 months.

We're trying really hard to keep her off our bed at night. She starts off really good on her own bed and then some where around 2-3AM she jumps on our bed, I usually find this out when I wake up to breathing in my face because she insists on sleeping parallel to Erick and I with her head on a pillow. It's hard because she sees Allee on the bed and thinks she deserves to be there too, so now we have to try to keep them both off the bed. Rubee is losing most of her curls, since her hair is starting to grow really long so instead she looks a little like a sheep dog. It's so interesting having her in the house. Erick asks me all the time...did this happen with Allee or did that happen with Allee and I always tell him, I have no idea, I can't remember it was 8 years ago. I quickly we forget all the "joys" of puppihood!

We love her and are most of the time glad she's part of our family :)

DIY-Spa

2010-03-21T20:09:00.003-05:00

Ever since we moved to Nebraska I have had the WORST time with my hands being so dry. So bad to the point that they are cracking and looking manly. I have spent an obscene amount of money trying to find the right cream. Nothing has really worked. There have been a few that have helped but not cured. So yesterday I had 20% off coupon for Bath and Body burning a hole in my pocket so I went in to get some more of the cream that had helped in the past and came across these beauties! I know they make me look a little like Mickey Mouse but they are pretty cool. You are supposed to put on a GOB of cream and then put them on for 20 minutes or all night for massive moisturizing. So I put them on for about a 1/2 hour and it was wonderful...there is paraffin wax on the inside that is supposed to help with softening. For now I'll keep trying it and let you know if I'm just adding it to the "obscene amount of money spent" pile

But I'm only 1/2 Poodle!!!!

2010-03-11T17:42:00.002-06:00

This morning Erick took Rubee to the groomer.

I wrote on a little sticky list of things to tell them:

Appointment with Holly 9AM
Shampoo
Cut Nails
Cut hair around her eyes and top of snout
She needs to go over to Dr. Kohles for her shots.
DO NOT MAKE HER LOOK LIKE A POODLE!!!!

I asked Erick if he reminded them about everything, he said yes.

Well I get there to pick her up and taped to her crate was the sticky note I had given to Erick that morning (I guess it's easier to say..."here, my wife says this....") Poor Rubee, can't you just see the look on her face....

"I'M SO HUMILIATED!! THEY MADE ME LOOK LIKE A POODLE!!!"

I guess even a hand written note stating as such doesn't get noticed.

The time has come....

2010-03-09T09:24:00.000-06:00

We are going on lock down. We have been getting some pretty scary
emails and comments lately and we've decided to lockdown the blog and
change our emails. If any of you out there actually read my blog send
me an email and I'll add you to our list.

**For those of you that don't have my email leave a comment on my blog with your email address....(the comments are moderated by me before they show up on the blog so don't worry your email address won't be seen)**

Rubee's New Trick

2010-03-08T19:21:00.004-06:00

What's your number? Everyone has one....

2010-02-16T16:26:00.000-06:00

Why is it that we as a culture are so enamored with that number....That number that seems to define you as a person.....That number seems to be the label that puts you in a category. In our culture (That of the Mormon culture) you are placed into categories. The "haves" and the "have nots" and if your number is high or low in those categories people don't understand you.

Just because your number may be a little higher then others does that mean you may not have anything in common with someone that has a lower number? Why is it that it's the first thing you ask a person when sitting a group. On one such occasion I was sitting with a group of people and the obligatory number sharing started. I always cringe when the line starts getting to me....Do I play coy, do I just blurt it out, or do I decline to answer? The reactions are usually the same and then you see who cares and who doesn't...in this such instance the time came and I said....My number is.....and at the end of the table blurts "WOW!" but it wasn't like, WOW, I would have never guessed; it was like WOW, what are you doing here with us. Sure, I tried to move on, just like I always do, but it still jabs at your gut a little.

I've decided I'm no longer going to offer up my usual justifications of getting a late start in life or trying to be a little more responsible before we do things or my number got a little higher because I lived a little more life....Truth is....if you feel like "WOW" would be your reaction....we won't get a long anyway.

P.S - Birthday Celebrations/Observations have ceased.....

What are you doing?????

2010-02-09T20:40:00.002-06:00

Well now I know.....

The Puppy Cam came in the mail today. I got it all hooked up and now I can see what havoc is being wreaked while I'm not at home...

I missed my life calling....

2010-02-03T20:37:00.005-06:00

I must preface this post with a big thank you to my Brother In Law Matthew for spending an hour and a half on the phone making sure that someone knew if I electrocuted myself and could call 911.

I think I missed my life calling....I should have been a handy WOMAN. Erick and I laugh a little because he's the brainiac one and I'm the one that can figure things out around the house. It was a requirement from my Dad that before we got our drivers license we had to be able to drive a stick shift, change a tire and change our own oil. My Dad did everything around the house when we were growing up so I guess I got that from him.

So I was surfing the Internet last week and came across a "15 ways to lower your electric bill" I pressed the link with the most gusto I could possibly muster...after all, hello, starving college students, I would do anything to lower our electric bill. Some of the things we couldn't do but there were others that I thought..YES, YES I CAN. One of the items was a outside light timer that goes on and off on a timer or on and off with Sunset and Sunrise. For those of you who have ever driven passed our house in the middle of the day, probably 5 days out of 7 our stupid outside lights are on. There are 2 switches on a 2 switch panel and inevitably one of us hits the switch and doesn't realize the lights are on so they are just lighting up the whole neighborhood in the middle of the day. So for $20 I ordered this little diddy below and installed it myself!!

In order to ensure I was being the safest possible I turned off the main power to the house...which unfortunately caused a massive amount of clock resets but well worth it so I didn't end up in a heaping mass on the floor. Once I opened up the switch box...Holy Begeesus! There were a mass amounts of wires that weren't connected to anything.

Eventually I'm going to cap off that switch to the right because that's the switch for the entry hall light and there is another switch about 6 feet down the wall...totally useless. I just didn't have enough Wire Nuts so I had to keep it connected.
Thank you again Matt for helping me figure out what all the wires were and making sure I didn't kill myself! (Thank heavens for picture text messages...you can get so much done if you are 1500 miles away)
NO MORE LIGHTING UP THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY!!
Next project....Puppy Cam....Just waiting for it to come in the mail. (I just love google and amazon.)

2010-01-27T18:10:00.001-06:00

Seriously I think we are going to have a problem! Rubee is 13 weeks
old already 22 lbs which is 1/3 the size of Allee and has gained 10
lbs in 3 weeks. She's doubled in size since we got her.... We could
have a beast on our hands!

2010-01-11T16:20:00.003-06:00

My job doesn't have many perks...in fact I would go as far to say it has NO perks. But I think that would be a little harsh especially since I work in one of the quietest, most casual offices the company has :o) {Gotta love wearing jeans and sweatshirts to work everyday}

After Erick and I moved to Utah there was one season when the small amount of unspoken "perks" kicked in. It's the funny thing about rich people....they actually want to LEAVE the sunshine of LA for the cold and snow of Park City.....and THEN Sundance! When Sundance comes around my company starts the daily runs to Salt Lake City to bring the crazies to watch their indy films, gather their swag and generally cause chaos in the quiet state of Utah. While all the crazies are starting their travels to SLC, I would get to LEAVE SLC and spend a few days with my family. I was so sad when we moved to Lincoln...NO ONE comes to Lincoln! Sundance starts next week....I'm 1/2 tempted to drive back to SLC to cash in on some perks! :)

2010-01-09T13:43:00.000-06:00

The house is a disaster but the girls are sleeping... Nows the time to
sit down and rest.

One of those days..

2010-01-05T13:51:00.003-06:00

Have you ever had one of those days were you just can't pinpoint which one of the things in your life is driving you the most crazy.

Today it could be any manner of things...and there are quite a few.

Could it be that my desk is such a mess I'm not sure if it's still black or the bright white shade of 20lb Hammermill Multipurpose paper.

or the fact that I have no idea how much money we have right now because I had to send my precious laptop back to Dell to be repaired of all it's ailments and my life's balance sheet is on it....(I'm not talented enough to maintain quicken on 2 different computers you see...and DELL, as soon as my company gets with times and supports Mac's YOU ARE OUT OF HERE!)

or because I don't know what color grass or trees are any longer because my view of the world is very white, gray and dormant tree bark.

or because I've had a sum total of about 3 hours of sleep thanks to our new addition and part of that I wouldn't call sleep because about 1/2 way thru I shot out of bed and ran to her crate, picked her up and brought her back to our bed. Not really knowing why the sense of urgency, nor could I explain to my husband what I was doing.

or the fact that I am still sitting here in my gym clothes at 2:30PM, completely lacking the motivation to go running and listen to Lance Armstrong telling what am awesome job I'm doing, but hoping that if I sit in them a little longer maybe I'll do something about it. (doubt it, they are way too comfortable to get all sweaty!) Good thing my Nike + sensor is telling me I haven't walked but about 100 feet the whole day.

My friend Jessica and I have this really annoying habit that when we just can't stand work any more we'll email a portion of the lyrics to Kokomo to each other almost like our updated version of "CALGON TAKE ME AWAY!"

So for today I think i'll try to forget my desk, sleep, gym clothes and finances for just a few minutes and.....

Aruba, Jamaica, ooooh I wanna take ya

To Bermuda, Bahamas, Com'mon pretty Mama

Key Largo, Montego, baby why don't we go....

Meet the new Sayer.....

2010-01-04T14:04:00.002-06:00

Rubee Sayer joined our "Pack" on January 1st. She is a 10 week old Goldendoodle. Allee is having a little bit of a hard time adjusting, but she's being really good considering she's been an only child for 7 years. Hopefully the adjustment will help when we start bringing human babies to the pack (no...it's not any time soon!)

Rubee took over the bed and sent Allee to the floor, but at least they are getting along

15 years and counting

2009-12-28T20:09:00.003-06:00

We got the good news today that Erick is still Cancer free....15 years and counting. I am so lucky to have been able to spend the last 5 years with this wonderful man and my heart breathed a little sigh of relief that we will be able to continue our journey. I love you Erick!

This is the midwest....

2009-12-28T10:57:00.002-06:00

This is what the Midwest is all about.

The plows finally came about 10:30 last night. Boy was it quite the ruckus.

This morning Erick went out to survey the damage. There was a wall of snow and ice in our driveway that he had to tackle in order to get out. He started with the snow blower and then resorted to the shovel since most of it was ice. I watched as he kept at it for a little while.

Next thing you know a guy comes down the street on his quad with a plow attachment. They exchange words, I'm sure a little bit of "Plow Envy" on Erick's part

(I know I was watching with A LOT of PLOW ENVY from the office, I have seen him with his quad a few times and everytime I tell Erick, I NEED ONE!)

A few more words and the guy takes off a few houses down, makes a giant loop in the street and guns the ignition. He smashes into our wall of snow like it was a dollop of whip cream. Back down the other way a few houses, giant loop and guns the ignition again. More whip cream moved out of the way. In 2 short trips he had our driveway cleared. If that wasn't enough he hopped of his quad and started shoveling the rest out of the way with Erick.

We have never met this man, I've seen him a few times going up and down the street on his cute little contraption clearing out some of the snow mountains, but we've never stopped to exchange pleasantries. Today he became our neighbor "Chris" from 4 houses down.

This is the Midwest.

(It's a little dark because I'm trying to take a picture out my office window)

December 27

2009-12-27T20:12:00.002-06:00

3rd Day stuck in the house. I told Erick, I HAVE TO GET OUT, We are going to try. Luckily by the late afternoon we had had quite a few big trucks come down the street and made small areas for us to get out. We still haven't been plowed out. This is the entrance to our neighborhood. That pile of snow on the right is more than waist high. Cabin fever has set in...I might go crazy!

The Reason for the Season

2009-12-21T18:51:00.001-06:00

I have been searching and searching for a beautiful nativity for our house. Nothing strikes me as something I just HAVE to HAVE. I saw one once that was made out of Olive Tree wood. Most beautiful nativity I have ever seen, but at the time it was too expensive and ever since then I haven't been able to find it again. So because I'm so picky about it we have never had one. This year I realized it's important for us to have something, even if it's not the exact one I want. This is our Nativity for now. I think it's really cute, only 6" x 6" just enough to remind us the

REASON FOR THE SEASON

Sunday Monopoly

2009-12-21T17:11:00.002-06:00

Sunday afternoon I challenged Erick to a game of Monopoly. Allee sat attentively watching us roll the dice, move our pieces, exchange money and add our houses. Every time it was one of our turns she would look at us like, Hurry up, it's my turn. She was cute. Never wrecked any of the pieces, just sat on her side of the ottoman waiting her turn.

Santa Baby...

2009-12-21T17:09:00.003-06:00

Santa baby, just slip a sable under the tree, for me

Been an awful good girl

Santa baby so hurry down the chimney tonight

Santa baby, I want a yacht and really thats not a lot

Been an angel all year

Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight

Shake Weight

2009-12-21T15:34:00.003-06:00

I confess, I watch Ellen everyday. Oprah and Dr. Phil are annoying to me and Ellen makes me laugh and cry. I cry at her generosity, sometimes I feel so stupid because I'm sitting here in front of the TV crying that she just gave a family a new car or made a woman vacuum as much money as possible out of the back of that car just to tell her after she gets all the money in it and the car. But most of the time she makes me laugh, sometimes I laugh at the strangest things and those are the things that make me laugh the hardest. She finds one thing and jokes about it for a long time. For the last few months she has had the "shake weight" on her show. Every time she says anything about it I just laugh and laugh. It's the most ridiculous gadget and I don't understand why their marketing person hasn't been fired. It's obvious why it's on an infomercial late at night.

Thanksgiving

2009-12-14T19:55:00.005-06:00

I'm a little far behind in my blogging. Life has been super crazy, so I'm going to try to catch up...

Since Erick and I have been married we haven't been able to go home for Thanksgiving because I've never had time off and Erick has been in school so they don't have much time. We've always had a little Thanksgiving celebration on our own but never really had anyone to make a big feast for. This year the Sayers came to Lincoln for Thanksgiving. Erick invited a few of our friends over, so all in total we had about 10 people. I love to cook but have NEVER cooked for 10 people. It made me a little nervous but I made a schedule and made things ahead of time. But totally forgot to take the Turkey out of the freezer, so Tuesday night I had a minor freak out that my Turkey was still frozen solid and I had to drop it in the brine first thing in the morning...YIKES! Against my better judgement and all the years of teaching about never leaving poultry out, I put the big ol bird in the sink in water and hoped for the best.

The next morning I started the brine, rolls and jello salad while Erick went to pick up the Sayers at the airport. I had to work the entire day on Wednesday so I left Erick to entertain.

Thursday morning we woke up late, but since I did most of the prep work on Wednesday and assigned out pies I could take it easy. Oh yes and more assignments we made:

This was the first potato Max has ever peeled. Grandma Janet would be so proud but also a little disappointed he has to use a peeler. He peeled about 4 potatoes and then that was it, he was done.

Here's my brined Turkey, he looks like he's been in a fight with all kinds of bruises. Don't worry that's just the molasses. Ooh he was so good! and those of you who know me know I HATE touching raw meat...and I hate meat that has to be taken off the bone. So when I was prepping the turkey I pulled out my purple rubber gloves to put on and everyone looked at me like I had 2 heads. I explained that I DO NOT touch raw meat and they just watched me like I was the entertainment!

Everything was made in disposable tins...I DID not want to clean up afterwards.

Our Table...I had a little trouble being ok with plastic utensils and paper plates. I am more traditional, I like to pull out the china that we got for our wedding (Hello? That's the only reason we have it really because when else would I use it?....i still think it's kind of pointless that we have it, but don't tell Erick because for some reason I insisted we register for it)

A portion of our spread:

You notice the guys were first in line. Erick was only worried about his Martinellis.

Sayer tradition is playing bingo after dinner. Mimi sent a box of prizes before they got here. It was a lot of fun. We all made out pretty good!

One thing we did that was a huge hit was Erick's zapper game. He made everyone play it. The funniest part is Mimi LOVED IT!

The Sayers headed back home early Sunday morning. We were happy to have them out here.

I have a stalker......a blog stalker.

2009-11-16T18:45:00.003-06:00

I found out about my stalker a few months ago, and was a shocked....well maybe a little. :)Com'mon who wouldn't want to follow my every move. I'm so exciting *Insert Sarcasm* In all seriousness, I started this blog to document our life as a new married couple and our navigation through Law School, Married Life and Living in the Midwest. I don't really care if people read it and I don't get upset when people don't comment, because really, It's first and foremost for my hubby and I and our future children. So I think its surprising when people do leave comments or actually do make a comment to me about it.
This post is not about my blog or why you need to read it, but more about my stalker...We'll call her Madame MM. I have grown to love this wonderful lady. She is one of my most favorite people here in Lincoln. Every time I see her she makes it a point to say hello and acknowledge me in a little way and then there are days when she corners me about something she's seen on my blog (BINGO! STALKER!). She is full of life, laughter and makes my day. Every time we see her I always say to Erick, I just really love her.
I know eventually you will see this my little blog stalker Madame MM. So you know I love you and love that you have made my stay in Lincoln wonderful.

Diet Coke how I love thee....

2009-11-12T16:55:00.005-06:00

So if you know me you know about my addiction to Diet Coke. I've considerably cut back in the last few years. Now I average any where from 3/4 of a can to 2 cans a day. Last week I decided to give up Diet Coke for 2 weeks in hopes that it would help jump start some weight loss. The first few days were BRUTAL! I thought after a few days it would get better but as the days go on I want it more :( But I'm holding strong. Today is day #10 and I told myself I'd do it for 2 weeks. (this water only is so tough. I gave up all soda really, not just Diet Coke so that doesn't leave much left to have besides; water, water, crystal light and water.) All you beware...on Tuesday the 8th everyone better get out of my way because I'm heading for the biggest, closest Diet Coke I can find.

You might remember a few weeks back about my Running ADD. I decided to try really hard to like it. Some people suggested I try Couch to 5K podcast. So for the last 2 weeks I've been trying it. It's not so bad, I'm only on week 2 and I am a slow runner, so we'll see if this works (I doubt, even after 9 weeks i'll make 3 miles). It makes it easy to put in one ipod ear bud and turn up the TV real loud. If I keep myself distracted I can make it the whole 30 minutes running/walking.

So long October

2009-11-09T13:37:00.000-06:00

It seems like it's happening more and more where I look at Erick and say, Where did the year go? I feel like our time here in Nebraska is just flying by and although we are excited for the new things that will happen in our future, I don't know that we are really ready. Luckily (or Sadly) we have 2 more years to figure it out. So since October has just flown by, here's just a short recap of what we've done.

Erick went to California for our new nephew Justin's blessing. Allee waited patiently for her Dad to come back.

The next Saturday morning we woke up to this:

I wasn't quite ready for snow. But I guess Mother Nature didn't really care what I was ready for. Luckily most of it melted off by the mid afternoon. I was happy about that because I hosted a baby shower for my friend Jana that afternoon.

I made a diaper cake for the shower. When I told Erick I was making a diaper cake he thought I was making a cake shaped like a diaper and tried to talk me out of it.

The Sunday after the shower I headed to California for work, that same night Erick was on his way back from California. We just barely missed each other in Phoenix. So sad.

I spent most of October in California for work. It wasn't my most favorite time, but I was able to be there for my sisters birthday. She didn't know I was coming. I flew in Sunday night and went to work the next day and after I went to her house and surprised her. She almost didn't open the door.

I spent the rest of the week at work. I forget how stressful it is to be there. AND I forgot what the commute was like. This is what my commute looked like on a good day. It averaged an hour and 25 minutes to go 30 miles. I certainly don't miss that.

Friday was my sisters birthday. I made it out of work just barely in enough time to make dinner at Chi Chi's in Santa Clarita and then we went back to her house for presents.

I got to spend some time with my cute nephews.

Sadly after 10 days it was time to head back to Lincoln.

Lastly, the end of the month Erick and I finished up a few home projects we've been working on. We put up Wainscoting on the little halfie wall by the basement stairs. It looks so good. I love it. we just have to reinstall baseboards and it's done.

I wish we had a before picture for this one. The left side of our house has a little retaining wall/planter box that we've put red mulch in and planted some plants. But the right side of our house was about 2 feet of dirt, weeds, rock, etc. No retaining wall/planter box. It's been that way for as long as we've lived here and it just looked ghetto, and I mean GHHHHEEETTTOOO!!, So we finally bought some bricks and bricked in a planter box. Erick put some red mulch down. We haven't put plants in it yet. We'll have to wait for spring for that. Since it's gotten cold nothing will grow now. But at least our house looks evened out. The only problem we have to conquer now is the 2 different color reds in the mulch. The front and left side is a lighter color. Oh well. One problem at a time.

Blame it on the ADD

2009-10-04T20:31:00.000-05:00

Just about everyday I have at least 2 friends on Facebook updating their status about their "Run" a little part of me wishes I was a runner, I wish I had that hobby, I'd love to go out for an hour and tool around the neigborhood, get into shape. When I was younger my dad would run 5 miles a day. He would go out to the middle of no where on a deserted stretch of road next to Lockheeds Plant 42, it was exactly 2 1/2 miles down and 2 1/2 miles back and he would run it everyday. I went with him a few times and road my bike along side. I never understood his happiness, he would get back to the last 1/4 mile just huffing and puffing covered in sweat but he was happy.
So I tried it and let me tell you I hate it. Like HATE with a capital H. It's not fun, my knee hurts, my lungs burn, and by the time I get 2 doors down I'm bored. Where is the happiness? So I tried the treadmill, I thought... Warmer air, cushioned floor, TV....BORING!
I even tried the stationary bike, I get so bored about 15 minutes into it I just want to quit. When we lived in Utah I went to the gym every morning and did just fine, now I can't get passed my boredom.
I have 20 lbs to lose and can't find anything I can stand doing.
What do you do to stay motivated? Do you get bored on the treadmill or bike?

So Long September

2009-09-20T21:49:00.003-05:00

Jiminey Christmas where has the time gone? I can't believe it's already nearing the end of September. We have been so busy we haven't even noticed that 2009 is just slipping away. My iphone ticker app says it's only 96 days until Christmas...I guess I better start making my shopping list. As I sit here pondering the passing time I wonder...what have we done with the time we've had?
We successfully survived the 1st year of Law School....Hallelujah!! Can we get another....Hallelujah!!
Summer came and went with no unbelievable excitement...Erick finished 3 classes into his 2nd year and by July we were SO ready for a break!
California and family...loved it...my nephews: SO ADORABLE!
Hawaii here we came and left....We relaxed, visited our great friends from Utah, got robbed, got facials (I got a facial, Erick golfed) got burned, got home.
School started again and we're back to our same routine.
Some where in there, I had shoulder surgery, we saw "Wicked", We made 2 road trips to California, I planted a garden, had numerous dinners with great friends, I blogged, Erick golfed, I finished 6 more classes for my degree, we went to the State fair, I got a new car, we went to the Apple Jack Festival, I started P90X (Gotta lose that surgery weight), and we're making plans for the future.
We have lots to look forward to: More Husker football, The leaves will soon change, Erick's family is coming for Thanksgiving, I have never made Thanksgiving dinner for 12 people (this could be an adventure) I have a few more classes to take in school. Christmas Shopping, Pumpkin Dinner at Halloween, making new friends and I need to get out of the house more. Any takers? I spend too much time there!
Nebraska has certainly been an adventure. Who knows where the next few years will take us, but for now, our life in Nebraska is good.

2009-09-16T11:29:00.004-05:00

I few weeks ago I had a post about giving away one of my things.

I still cry a little when I see this picture.

My poor little baby was beginning to give in to old age. Her repairs started to exceed her worth. With the winter coming, Erick and I weren't sure what we were going to do. The poor thing was only rear wheel drive and last year we had put 200lbs of sand in the back just so I could get back and forth to school and the store as needed, but now she needed new tires, windshield and various other repairs indicative of a 7 year old, 150K mile car. We could have limped her along for another little bit. We already knew she wasn't making it back across the plains when we left our experience in Nebraska.

So we set out for a little investigation....no commitment, just an investigation.

Boy did we pick the wrong time to look for a car....pickens were slim, since it was the end of the cash for clunkers. We were so surprised when we made our way around dealerships and were only offered 2 or 3 cars.

Being a Nissan family we tried to stay true and went looking for a small SUV, the Rogue, when we got there...2 options, neither good...and I REALLY wanted the beautiful blue Murano that was sitting there just CALLING for me. The minute I showed interest another couple pretty much ran over, peed on it and claimed their territory. We left a little discouraged and decided to go home to regroup and maybe just pay for the repairs on the ol' girl. The next morning the sales man called and said he was able to find a Rogue in another state, I asked, half-kidding, if the other couple bought the blue Murano and to my surprise he said no. I ran into Erick and said "It's meant to be...it wants ME!! and I want IT!!!"

Long story short - after wheeling and dealing and alot of haggling we got a heck of a deal! Probably better than buying the less expensive Rogue.

I put my poor baby out to pasture and brought home new one just WAITING for new memories!

TADA...Here she is!

2009-09-15T10:31:00.002-05:00

There are days when this is how I see myself at work. Today being one of them. Once a week I have to work the "night shift" if I'm lucky the phone never rings and I can get a decent amount of restless sleep. Then there are nights like last night when I actually have to work. I love it when people pass me their stuff and tell me, oh it'll be fine, the last flight leaves at midnight. Well what they don't realize or understand is midnight for them is 2AM my time. Then factor in that rich people are NEVER on time and I usually have to call when they land, so 2 turns into 3 which turns into 4. So then by the time I gather up the dog, shut off all the lights, wash my face and crawl into bed it's close to 430ish and just as i'm about to drift off to another restless sleep the phone rings. "What? Huh? I'm up!" Thank heavens for the answering service who will give me at least 15-20 seconds to compose myself before talking to someone important. Finally I drift to sleep after the morning shift takes over at 6. Less then 2 hours later...phone rings again...Guess my east coast clients are up and ready to work, which means I am too. Start the Diet Coke a-flowin' it's going to be a LONG day!

I {HEART} FALL

2009-09-02T18:00:00.003-05:00

There is something truly magical about a Nebraska Fall....I know it's a little early to be writing about Fall since we aren't technically there yet. But as I sat here today with ALL of my windows open and a sweater on, I realized the little pieces of Nebraska I actually enjoy.

The weather almost overnight turned cool. The humidity was gone just as fast, the mosquitoes have gone back to their mosquito hiding places, neighbors spend the evenings in lawn chairs in their driveway sipping on bottles of their drink of choice, and it's starting to get darker earlier. The tips of the leaves are starting to turn a buttery yellow but just ever so slightly.

The people of Nebraska start to get a little crazy right about this time. You see, College Football begins on Saturday. Friends on Facebook are gloating about picking up their season tickets, the grocery stores are jam packed with more Husker paraphernalia than usual and tons of invites are filling my inbox for "tail gating parties". Erick and I are now worrying about how we are going to fit our chores around the football games and outdoor activities.

So although as a whole Nebraska isn't my favorite state I am willing to admit:

I {HEART} Nebraska Falls

Brave Little Toaster

2009-08-25T11:53:00.004-05:00

When my brother was little (He'll probably kill me for writing about this), So when he was little he watched a movie called the Brave Little Toaster (read the plot summary here). Which to my mothers dismay was probably the worst thing she could have done for her "Garage Sale Pile". The Brave Little Toaster is a cute little cartoon about a radio, a lamp, an electric blanket, a vacuum, an air conditioner, and a toaster. The appliances have been left in a family cabin for many years by their "master", a young child. Every time a car passes, they swarm to an overlooking window, hoping that he has returned. Time goes buy and the appliances learn that they cabin is for sale and that the master has left them behind....Long story short; My brother decides that all his "things" have souls and feel sad when they are sold or left behind. So begins the toting around of all his toys. Not one thing could ever be thrown away or sold. Because "it would be so sad!"

I recently sold something pretty dear to me, something I've I had for alot of years, something I bought as Megan Shea, not Megan Sayer. A "thing" that symbolized the last thing of my years before Erick, even before Allee :) It was sort of a sad moment. I know it's just a "thing" but I was reminded by my mother about the Brave Little Toaster and wondered if my "thing" was sad I gave it away. Left it in a space to be put out to pasture. As I was driving away from leaving it in it's final place a tear came to my eye, A flood of memories came rushing back, memories of some sad times, memories of happy times, memories of different stages of my life.

My husband sometimes teases me about a little weathered and worn stuffed duck I have. When Erick and I had just gotten engaged we went to visit is grandparents in Idaho. We spent our last day together outside the Idaho Falls temple. As you are driving up the street the river is swarmed with ducks. I turned to Erick and teasingly said to him; "I want a duck!, Can I have duck?" he just laughed at me, thought I was crazy and we drove on. That Christmas as we exchanged gifts deep inside his wrapping job was a yellow stuffed duck. I opened it and gave him a puzzled look and he said "you asked me for a duck....and I got you one" I don't remember one other thing he got me that year, but I still carry around my duck because it is the symbol to me of my husbands love. Some people have notes or jewelry, I have a duck.

I realize how attached I get to those "things" in my life. The things that you can pick up and a flash of a memory comes to you. Remembering the first time you did something, the last time you did something. Something that was with you during the hard times in your life.

So as we embark this weekend on our garage sale I wonder how many of my "things" will be sad that we are selling them.

Pics from our trip to Hawaii.

2009-08-21T13:03:00.000-05:00

2009-08-18T20:47:00.000-05:00

VACATION ALL I EVER WANTED;

VACATION HAD TO GET AWAY!!
The week prior to our vacation was spent doing a lot of prep work. Erick was busy taking the last of his finals and I was busy cleaning, laundering (doing laundry, not washing cash), and figuring out what to do about my garden and our bushes while we were gone (more on that later)

The Thursday before finals Erick stayed at school late to study with his friend Byron, poor Byron had a run of bad luck and had his car towed, so rather than have his wife come get him and turn around 5 hours later and bring him back he stayed at our house. The next evening the poor Husteds electricity went out in Ashland so they came to bunk with us so Byron could study. What a way to start your finals. Saturday morning the boys left early for finals and by the time they were done we were all starving. Bess and I met them for some yummy pancakes at Ihop and then we all went golfing. Well I went driving...Erick went golfing.

I spent the rest of the afternoon making 4 trips to the Home Depot and calling my dad about 1/2 a dozen times. Erick had gotten one of his law school friends to mow the lawn but we had recently planted bushes in the front yard and my garden needed more then just a weekly watering, So I was industrious and set up a drip system.

After all was said and done it was time to start the journey. We started the 14 hour trek to Utah from Nebraska early one morning. It seemed like an especially long drive this time. We made a lot of stops because I just didn't want to be in the car and poor Allee didn't want to either. We made it 3/4 of the way there when I started seeing billboards for $.50 ice cream cones and I HAD to have one.
We stopped and while I watched Allee, Erick ran in to get me one. We said he only could carry two..well I needed my own so he had to share with Allee :)

A little ended up on her nose, doesn't it look like she's saying "I HEART Ice Cream"?

We finally made it to Utah. YIPPEE!! Every day I had my fill of Del Taco french fries. We had dinner with our good friend Jene. Oh how I miss her so. Friday night we had dinner with the Cannons. It was SO good to see them. We miss them in Nebraska. We wish they would move back until we are ready to leave :) We are so happy they are out of school and back in Utah though. At least we have them in Utah next time we are there. That night my brother and his girlfriend Kara came down to hang out with us. Saturday morning Erick and Gavin went golfing. I had an appointment to get my hair done (Another thing I miss so much....JILL!! I MISS YOU) Kara came with me and then we went to get pedicures. Oh a guilty pleasure. Kara, oh darling Kara had NEVER, and I said NEVER had a pedicure...WHAT? ARE YOU KIDDING!? DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE MISSING???

We got the cutest polish put on, all sparkly and cute and hopefully now Kara is hooked!! Speaking of pedicures I already need another one!

We all went to Tucanos for some yummy food that afternoon and then went back to the house to play some Phase 10. Unfortunately we all go our butts kicked by Kara. No fair!

Sadly Sunday morning we had to leave Utah and head for California. After that long drive from Nebraska to Utah the trip to California seems like a blink of an eye.

This is where Allee spent most of the ride.

Playing at the Sayers

2009-08-18T13:56:00.000-05:00

When we got back from Hawaii, Ashley and Matt were knee deep in house repairs so we offered to watch the boys for the day. We brought them over to the Sayers to play in the "Cool" (What Brayden calls the Pool.) They spent the afternoon playing around the yard and in the sand box. Brayden was a little freaked out by Doug, the Sayers African Tortoise.

Let's be honest, Aunt Megan was a little freaked out by Doug too. It's not that I couldn't outrun Doug if I needed to, it's just so so looming and ominous. We found Doug sitting on the patio waiting for lunch, So Uncle Erick dumped his bag of broccoli and Romaine and he went at it.

The boys were fascinated by it. Brayden wouldn't get off the chair and Luke was ready to get down and ride him. We had to watch him like a hawk.

After a fun filled afternoon we had some Chicken Nunnuts and Fry Fries, waited an hour and went in the "cool" We actually went in the "mini cool" which was the spa. It was easier to keep track of them in a smaller space.

It was a lot of fun. We are so sad that we can't see them more often.

Letter To a Thief

2009-08-04T13:40:00.003-05:00

Dear Common Cowardly Individual -

I'm sure when you saw my purse you thought "TOURIST, JACKPOT" but the jokes on YOU! What you didn't realize is you were stealing from poor law students. So although you think you're going to make it big, just know that you got nothing. My iphone is just a brick now that I had it shut down, my wallet had credit cards in it, but they aren't any good to you. And good luck finding any cash because well....there wasn't any. The biggest thing you took from my was my convenience. Now I have to figure out how to get around without a drivers license. Luckily the police report will get me home.

Jokes on you!

Megan

**Yep, that's right, Erick and I turned into a statistic yesterday. We had hiked down to the Blow Hole in Maui and stupidly I left my purse (covered up!) in the car so it wouldn't get wet. When we returned to the car my purse, my mother in laws purse and my father in laws wallet was gone. Such a pain. I spent a whole afternoon canceling cards, and we had to drive in to town and buy new cell phones. What a crazy mess and certainly an unforgettable memory.

How old are you? 5?

2009-07-09T12:20:00.003-05:00

It all started with a stupid bird....

YES a stupid bird that makes the most annoying noise in the world.

Erick thought it was funny to follow me around making the noise. So as I'm getting ready to get in the shower and Erick calls me out to the living room, he has something to tell me....THE BIRD NOISE! ARGH!! I told him to knock it off or I would spray the shave gel I had in my hand at him. He proceeds to wag his finger at me like he's a little old women scolding me....What? You are wagging you finger at me...oh no you didn't; so I sprayed him. Which outraged him and he shoved it back in my face and it got up my nose. I snorted shave gel UP MY NOSE! There obviously isn't enough to do here!

I told Erick on our wedding day that if he even contemplates shoving cake in my face he wouldn't have a happy wedding NIGHT...

I guess that's pay back.

4th of July....Nebraska Style....

2009-07-05T13:24:00.005-05:00

So Nebraska...this is what you do for the 4th of July..YIKES...

Erick and I had the..um...opportunity?...to go to the big Larry the Cable Guy extravaganza on July 4th. Some of our friends got a bunch of tickets to the concert and we were all able to go. It was hilarious to see so many people there and some crazy wack-a-doodles dressed up as Larry the Cable Guy. The pictures are so small because they wouldn't let us take our cameras in so I had to use my camera on my phone. There was no way I was getting through this night with out documenting the fact that I spent my 4th of July with Larry the Cable Guy.....

Monday Musings

2009-06-22T15:40:00.000-05:00

I spend a lot of time looking out my window while I'm working. That's the one plus to our house here in Lincoln. My office is upstairs instead of in the basement. (A complete CON during the summer since it's ALOT hotter, but I don't know that I want to move my office every 6 months) So back to my point, I spend alot of time watching the neighborhood. Not as a voyeuristic sort of thing but more out of curiosity and mind wanderment to escape my life for a minute. My thoughts of today have consisted of the following:

I watched the guy across the street washing his car, and I wonder....Why would you fill up buckets of water with the hose on the side of your house to wash off the soap instead of dragging the actual hose to the driveway. Strange isn't it.

I counted how many people jog/walk or walk their dogs passed my house today. If you are curious, 16 joggers, 10 walkers (including the scrub wearing dental assistants from the dental office on the corner who walk by at lunch) 11 people walking 16 dogs.

Everyday the guy across the street comes home at 12:15, changes his clothes and jogs backwards down 3 houses and then continues around the neighborhood, forward. His teenage daughter everyday from 3-5pm swings on their swing in the back yard, rain or shine, snow or humidity. Very strange...always from 3-5pm. Not a moment more, not a moment less.

Funny thing about pronunciations in the US....Everyone in the Midwest drops their G. So they are Fixin' Fishin' Goin' Ridin' Playin' or if they don't drop they G, they make it a hard G. So they are FixinG-uh, FighinG-uh, GoinG-uh, RidinG-uh, PlayinG-uh....Ash, you know what I'm talking about. In California the city of Lancaster is called LAN-CAS-TER, in Pennsylvania it's LANG-CuhSTER, In Nebraska the county is different depending on how old you are...if you are old it's LANG-CuhSTER, if you are young it's LAN-CAS-TER.

Driving in Lincoln is a chore. Every street including main thoroughfares are 35 miles an hour. You rarely see a stop sign in a neighborhood on main streets, so you better just slow down because no matter if you go North-South or East-West the other person always thinks they have the right of way so they'll blow right past you. There are hardly any turn lanes, so no matter what lane you are in you are pretty much in a bad lane and will have have to come to a full stop eventually. And if you are lucky enough to have a middle yellow lane, you run into 2 problems. Old people in Lincoln don't think you are EVER supposed to go into it, EVER...So they make a left turn from the left lane and young people think the yellow lane is to drive in.

When I was taking drivers ed, one of the laws of California, for whatever reason stuck out to me was, you can't use headphones, like with a CD player (yes back then there was no such thing as ipods) while you were driving in the car. I asked my teacher why that was the case. It really bothered me. He said it was because you might be distracted and you might not hear sirens or things that might be going on around you that you might need to avoid. So today as I'm walking around the house listening to my ipod/iphone I realize I'm late for PT and go to hop in the car but quickly took my headphones out because, well, isn't it illegal? You would think wouldn't you? But I then realized my headphones are also my "hands free" device for talking on my phone. So as California's law has changed to require no talking on cell phones unless it's with a hands free device, did they also change the law about not wearing headphones while you drive? Something to think about huh?

As I sit this afternoon with my thoughts I get sucked into Oprah today. Today she and Lisa Ling did a story on Tent Cities, Homelessness and Foreclosed homes. I have such a hard time wrapping my head around homelessness. Lisa Ling went to a tent city in Sacramento and spoke to some of the people there. Alot of people were close to my parents age, they had grown children, they had been middle class workers their whole lives and when asked if they had families or someone that could help them, most of them said yes they had grown children but none of them knew their parents were homeless. I know there is a certain amount of pride involved, but if faced with living in a tent in the middle of a field with no running water, no potty, no food or kitchen. At what point do you swallow your pride and ask for help? The story that made me sit up and pay attention was a 33 year old woman from Monrovia who lost her 70K a job 2 years ago, lost her home and all her things she valued as prized possessions. She has 2 kids, no job, close to being kicked out of her rental apartment and can't find a job. It hit home with me. I always have a fear in the back of my head, my job is a totally luxury item...in tough times like these we've seen a decrease in business. I, like the 33 year old women in CA , am uneducated, and pretending like it will never happen to me, but knowing it might. But I think to myself, Would I be too prideful to ask for help? Probably for a while, but I know our parents would do whatever they could for us. Although we are a single income-struggling student family for the next few years I hope that my family and friends know that they are welcome where ever we are.

2009-06-18T10:58:00.002-05:00

I wish I had pictures to make this post more interesting but sadly it's just boring.

What a strange week it's been. I'm so happy it's almost over.

Erick has been hard at work in school this week, he has 3 more weeks until he's finished with his second set of summer classes and then he gets a much needed break. School is out for me until July 15th. I'm happy for a little break, but I still have 2 Independent Study classes from BYU that I need to finish in the next 4 weeks if I can. I have 5 classes before I can apply to the RN program at the local community college and 6 classes until I can apply to UNMC. It's exciting and discouraging all at the same time. The waiting list for the local CC is 1-2 years and then 2 years in the program. So even if I'm lucky to get in the first year I would still be 3 years from being done (we're only probably going to be here another 2 years) The program at UNMC is more competitive to get into, but no waiting list. But still 3 years full time before I'm done because it's a BSN program. I can't give in to the discouragement yet because I'm really excited about finishing.

Mosquitoes are out in full force. Poor Erick mowed the lawn on Monday and came back with 9 bites. No amount of spray will protect you from these little buggers. Some how I ended up with 1 on my knee cap when I was wearing jeans! Then this morning I went out to quickly water my garden and was swarmed....8 more bites this morning. If there are only 3 things I hate about dang Nebraska it's Humidity, Mosquitoes and Heat. The weather here is so crazy. Just last week it was cool, temp in the 60's and breezy. Next thing you know it's 93, 70% humidity and almost unbearable and from the little bit of summer we spent here last year, this is just the beginning...BUT good news is...My handy dandy little ticker on my iphone says we are just 41 days until vacation bliss. I know I just got back from CA and I'm in no way looking forward to that 40 hours drive again, but I need to escape from the Nebraska summer! Hopefully next summer we will have an "away" internship and will be able to escape for one last summer. I don't know how people live thru summers like this. I know it gets hot in CA, but it's a dry heat and there aren't this many bugs!

The real reason I wish I had pictures for this post was from last night. Erick, Allee and I went on a a drive to get out of the house for a bit and on our way back we saw the most spectacular lightning. We had been under Tornado warning for about 3 hours, but since nothing was closer then about 70 miles we thought we would be safe to venture out for a while. We stopped by our house by the archery park to watch the lightning for a while. It was crazy and beautiful all at the same time. Some would light up the sky like it was noon, but others would just streak across the sky for just 1/2 a second. Hopefully one day before we leave here I'll be able to get some good pictures.

Until next time....

Take me out to the ball game....

2009-06-10T22:32:00.009-05:00

We went to the SaltDogs baseball game this past week. It was so fun. It was $1 Hot dog/Bring your pup to the park night. Weather was looking pretty sketchy but luckily it held out until the last 10 minutes of the game.

The Hot Dogs are Dyed red...So weird but SO yummy!

During some of the breaks they had "weiner dog races"

From the Stadium you could see almost all of down town, it was such an awesome view.

Right in the middle of the game a train came by with 3 giant Boeing bodies...I thought it was really cool. I took a picture and sent it to my Dad (they are green because they are mid production, not painted yet)

Before the last couple of inning the people in front of us left. Erick and Tom moved up so they could be closer to heckle the players.

Homer The Salt Dog

and good ol' Walter. Walter was the DH of the Sioux City team. Walter is 6'5" 340lbs. He was a BIG OL' BOY! Erick and Tom made it a point to heckle poor Walter all night, everytime he came up to bat they yelled WAAAALLLLLTTTTERRRR.. I was afriad he was going to come out of the dug out and beat down the boys after the game.

The highlight of the night, our section was pretty much cleared out and the guy with the Jumbotron camera came around. Erick and Tom lured him in with such sweet faces but the minute it showed up on the jumbtron up comes Tom shirt and he did was Erick refers to as the "truffle shuffle" (see the clip from The Goonies, below)

Updates Updates

2009-06-08T18:11:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I've updated on our life. Mainly because I've been down and out with only 1 working arm. I just went through all our pics and posted some below of what's been going on for the last 3 weeks. We've been busy but nothing super exciting.

I finally had my shoulder surgery a few weeks ago. I had a few set backs, but I've been recovering slow and steady. Physical Therapy hasn't helped :) It's torture!! But they say it's good for me. I just have a few more weeks of actually going until I do it on my own.

Erick got his grades back the Saturday after my surgery. Poor guy was up until 5AM waiting for them to be posted. He checked at midnight and when they hadn't posted he said he was going to bed and wasn't going to worry about it, but for some reason I woke up at 5AM to the glow of the computer...he was checking again. I knew he wouldn't get any sleep until he knew how he did. He did really well. He was really excited to see he did better in some classes then he assumed. I am so proud of him. He's working really hard and I know he's going to do great over the next 2 years. (now all we have to do is figure out what he's going to do after it's all over!)

Erick started AND finished his pre-session Constitutional Law class. JACK POT!! He's 1 class into his 2L year. We are so happy. He's taking 2 more classes over the next 5 weeks which will free up 3 spaces next year when he can take MBA classes.

I just finished my Math and Anatomy classes for this quarter. I have 5 weeks to finish a Sociology Class and Public Speaking class before the next quarter starts. If I keep up this crazy pace I'll have all my pre-reqs completed in order to apply for the Nursing program by December. Who knows what will happen especially since most of the waiting lists are YEARS long and we'll be out of here only 2 1/2 more...but I'm going to push anyway. Maybe my grades will WOW them :) (doubtful) It's a lot harder to go back to school later in life then right out of high school. I'm not as old as I make myself seem but it's been 10 years since I took college classes and getting my brain back on track to LEARN is hard. But I'm determined. I made a goal to go to school every quarter we are here in Nebraska to get as much done as possible. Since I'm working full time I only have time to take 1-2 classes a quarter. We are here only for such a short time in the long term scheme of things, it's better to postpone a few things and luxuries so I can have the luxury later of being able to work when I want instead of HAVING to work.

Lastly, we have 51 days until we go on vacation with Erick's family. AAAAHHHH!! It's not soon enough but yet, not long enough. Since I've had this stupid shoulder I haven't been able to get to the gym and the meds have just packed on the LBS, so I'm a little sad about having to wear a swimsuit :( But I'm so looking forward to a week of doing absolutely nothing. As soon as the PT and DR give me the thumbs up I'm back to the gym. For now though today starts my new diet. Right now it's just cutting out the eating out to once a week (I know that sounds like alot but if you knew how much we've been eating out lately because I can't cook with 1 arm and Erick has been at school, you would see why once a week is a good goal) and I'm cutting out sugar this week to start with. If I can make it this week I'll try for next week too. For those of you that know me well you know how hard this is going to be. No Chocolate, No ice cream, No Cookies!! So Sad! But I have to do something if I can't work out right now.

So look below for all our happenings:

2009-06-08T18:10:00.002-05:00

Erick and I have had a tradition of spending our Anniversary at the Melting Pot for dinner. Since I was in CA for our actual Anniversary, we celebrated a few weeks late, but had just as much fun! Our server was a little out of control. He was sure a talker...Erick and I looked at each other like....Welp..there goes our romantic evening. It sure was entertaining though. Everytime we eat there I am so sick after and I practically have to be rolled out...but so worth it if only once a year.

The Happy Couple 3 years (and a few days) later.

2009-06-08T18:10:00.000-05:00

Bunch of stuff in one post:
My mom (the angel that she is) flew all the way to Lincoln on Memorial day to help us out while I was still recovering. Poor thing had her bag lost twice (for her reports of her trip to Nebraska, go here.) We loved having her here. We don't get to see our family on our turf nearly as much as we'd like to. On her last day in Lincoln we took her to one of our favorite places to eat here. When I told her we were going to have Mongolian she was a little leery, but as soon as we got there and explained how it worked she was hooked. I explained the best way to approach this place is to get a very small portion and then if you don't like it go get something different. If you do, get more. The second time around she tried the crab and she thought it was so yummy she was sad she didn't get it the first go around. (P.S - Mongolian is just essentially Chinese food that you build yourself and they cook it right in front of you, so it's not like she was trying something COMPLETELY new.)

Lovin' the crab!

We love you mom! We're so grateful and glad you came. Thank you for all your help!

We've been working on sprucing up the front of the house, but since we don't get any sun right up against the house it's been really hard to find plants that will grow. Luckily I found a nursery that had plants that grown in partial shade to all shade so we'll see what happens.

Before:

After:

Last year I bought a Hibiscus plant and hoped it would bring some color to the house. I planted it close to the door and within a few weeks it was dead, it wasn't getting enough sun. I was so sad, but never had time to dig it up and fix the space. So this spring when we went to plant the new bushes I told Erick to just dig out the hibiscus and we'd put one in that hole....much to our surprise we saw some sprouts coming up. I was so happy. So we transplanted it to the corner of the house where it would get more sun. In a few weeks all the twigs are gone and it's all green.

I thought these were some cute pictures of Allee. The first one was taken this morning as I sat on the bed folding clothes. She had cuddled up to Erick's pillow and was snoring away!

I took this picture to send to my Dad. He loves his Canine Grandchild.

Even though this is the "excited about Broccoli" picture, this is the only picture I have post Surgery. This was Tuesday I think so I was just a few days out. I had to keep my shoulder uncovered and in the sling, so I was living in tank tops for a while.

My mom and I had gone to the Nebraska Bookstore to get some souvenirs of her stay; I saw these cute stickers. I swore I would never be the people that would have all the stickers to represent my family. But on these I couldn't resist....I had to buy it mainly for the dog sticker. So cute! GO BIG RED!

2009-06-08T18:09:00.000-05:00

WICKED CAME TO OMAHA!!!!

For Erick's birthday we bought tickets (Yes, even though his bday was back in MARCH)

I was so excited to see it. This was my 3rd time! I loved it. I sit and listen to the soundtrack on my ipod and sing at the top of my lungs. The first time I saw it was with my mom and sister for my birthday years ago. We sat behind these 2 little girls that sang through the entire time. I was a little miffed about it but it was still good. The second time we all saw it was with the whole family for Christmas a few years ago, I replayed the music in my head and sang along...in my head :) but this time...I was SO worried I wasn't going to be able to hold back and I was going to SING OUT LOUD!!! I was strong this time and did good :) As you can see I was just a few days out of surgery so I was a little out of it. Maybe not the smartest adventure but I LOVED IT!!! Even for the 3rd time. We took our friends The Grovers with us. They had never seen it and from their reactions afterwards I'm thinking they LOVED IT TOO!

Now all they need to do is create a Wicked Sing Along...I'M SO THERE!

POPULAR!

You're gonna be popular!

I'll teach you the proper poise,When you talk to boys, Little ways to flirt and flounce, ooh!

I'll show you what shoes to wear!

How to fix your hair!

Everthing that really counts to be...

2009-06-08T18:08:00.000-05:00

UPDATE ON MY GARDEN!!

I'm so proud of my garden!! In my haste to be a gardener I planted too early, but I finally found my groove and look how wonderful it is!

When my mom was here my first bushel of broccoli came out of the garden. It's a horrible picture, but mom insisted that we capture my excitment. It wasn't very big, but it was big enough for us to have a little bit with our baked potato.

My punkins'

I took the first picture on Friday and the next one today...it's amazing how fast things change. I LOVE THE ORANGE FLOWERS!

There is a Watermelon plant right next to my pumpkins, I don't know why I didn't get a picture.

My cucumbers

They are moving slower than anticipated but everyone once in a while I'll get a growth spurt. No blooms yet, but I'm sure they will come in time.

My Corn

I have about 12 stocks of corn growing.. I planted a few seeds just for giggles to see if I was a true Nebraskan. Next thing you know 2 months later I have corn coming out my ears! :)

A little corn cob starting...So exciting

Broccoli

It's growing like wild!

My hot peppers.

The plants are growing like crazy but no blooms yet. I hope I can make my own salsa with my peppers and tomatoes

Tomatoes

I wish I had a before picture. These guys were little seedlings when I planted them. In the little pot next to it is my strawberries. I got a few small ones off a few weeks ago, but that was it and it looks like it's done.

And last but not least my newest addition.

Carrots

Just planted them last week.

It's all a little squished in the little area I have it in. I didn't expect it to be so succesful. I'll know better next year.

2009-06-08T18:07:00.000-05:00

One Saturday I went in search of a nursery that sold Honeycrisp Apple Trees, WAY out in the far east side of Lincoln. Well the nursery was already closed, but on my way back to the house I came upon this cute community...turns out it's a "Fly in Community" So I took these pics for my Dad. This would be the type of place my Dad would retire in. Runway in your backyard and taxiway to your garage.

This is a picture of the grass runway, it's right off the road and just looks like some mowed down grass. The neighborhood makes a giant U-Shape. Only the houses on the outside have "pull up service" :) They are cute little houses with these wider than normal looking garages, that's how you know that "toy" goes in there.

That same day one of my planes came through Lincoln on a fuel stop. I had totally forgotten about it until about 20 minutes before they were supposed to land so I hightailed it back to the house to drop off my plants and ran out to the airport (it's only 2 exits down on the highway so no biggie) In my haste I forgot to change, so there I was in shorts and flip flops (probably not as professional as I should have been but hello it was Saturday and I'm in Nebraska! ha!). It was totally fine though.

I'm kind of a baby about things from home. I get all emotional when my guys come through here. It's almost a proud and happy moment. I ran into the FBO and watched as the guys landed and taxiied in. I don't know why but I almost started to cry. Even though it's just my pilots I was so happy to see something from home. To be able to see my hard work come to fruition, of sorts. As they pulled up to the front, I walked outside and waited for them. They started waving like crazy. As soon as they took care of the passengers and got them comfortable they both came up and hugged me. It was good to see them. I will claim ignorance if every brought up but these guys are my favorite. They were the first plane I was put in charge of when I started. The original pilots have come and gone, but I have been so lucky to have gotten some awesome guys now. They are so easy going and have a pretty easy job since they don't fly much. But since they can't make it to the east coast without a fuel stop they always pick Lincoln to come in and see me. It makes me happy if even for the 13 minutes they were there. I took a few pictures of them taking off as I was driving. Until next time guys!

2009-06-03T14:24:00.001-05:00

It's days like today; when the weather is almost perfect, not a cloud
in the sky, birds are chirping, a slight breeze, a plate of veggies
and me and Allee soaking up the sun, that makes me forget, if only for
just a moment that we're in Nebraska.

You know you live in Nebraska....

2009-05-20T15:03:00.002-05:00

When it takes you 30 minutes to go 3 miles because you are following this..