Seattle here we come!

We are SO SO SO EXCITED! So sad, but so very happy. Bobby got offered a job (kind of out of the blue) working at Microsoft in Redmond Washington. We've known for a while that we could possibly see ourselves up there... but I sure wasn't planning on moving any time soon. We go to Seattle at least once a month. Bobbys entire family lives up there, and we have a load of great great friends up there. It's so similar to Portland (I'm a little biased however... of course I think Portland is better), and has a lot to offer our little family. I think this will be a really great growing experience for Bobby and I, and I am SO SO SO SO SO excited to be in our own little place again (we've been living in the same house as not only my parents but my sister and brother). Let's just say... there's a reason why most couples have their own place. They need their space! We are not sure as to WHERE exactly we are going to live.. we are are currently looking in the Kirkland area. Redmond is pretty expensive so I think we'll be going a little North.

2 hardest things for me to leave are... 1. My mom. Of course, I'm over 4 months pregnant and so therefore I'm a bit emotional and the idea of leaving her while I'm pregnant is a little sad. But she promises she'll be there the second I go into labor and help me out for a couple weeks once the baby comes, so that makes me feel better. And 2.. Leaving my hair business! I worked so hard for a career that I love, and I have such AMAZING clients who I love dearly, and leaving all of that behind has been a tough decision for me. At first I didn't want to leave, and got really emotional about it. Then.. I had to look at all the reasons for me not wanting to leave.. and really they were selfish reasons. And guess what? I really can't be selfish anymore. I have a family and a baby to think about. This oppertunity at Microsoft is HUGE for Bobbys career and we would be crazy to not take it. One of the BIG BIG BIG upsides to this move is that I will get to stay home at least for a while once the baby comes. In Portland I was going to have to work till my due date and only take a month off and leave my baby to work full time. Even though I LOVE what I do.. and it's honestly a little hard for me to see it at THIS EXACT MOMENT... I hear it's not going to be so easy to leave that baby that fast.

So with all that said.. Bobby is leaving in 2 weeks (right after we have our big ultrasound to find out the sex of the baby), to go live with his Dad while I stay behind and finish out seeing my clients through the end of May. It's going to be hard to be apart.... kinda like the old days.. that long drive EVERY weekend back and forth. But I felt strongly about staying and seeing all my clients off and getting them set with a different stylist if that's what they wanted. I'm sure there's women that have experienced the same thing as me... and I know many that haven't. Even though I've only wanted to be a mom for years, I am also very attached to a business I started from the ground. But I'm looking forward to having the summer of NOT BEING ON MY FEET 24/7, and getting ready for this little nugget! It'll be nice to not have to stress about getting right back to work, and luckily we have a great great great support team in Seattle.

We are going to miss our family and friends here in Portland, but I have promised my mom MANY times that we will be back regularly. I'm excited for this new adventure, and the next stage in our lives.

On to pregnancy. I am 17 weeks, and feeling pretty good! Minus the headaches. I've had headaches just about every day since my second trimester started. :/ Again, that's okay, I really can't complain. I wasn't really showing about a week ago.. and I swear over night it was like "oh HEY there you are". And it wasn't really hidden anymore. It's crazy how fast these little ones grow, and all the changes that come in just weeks. I'm still sleeping lots, and am experiencing some AWESOME back and feet pain at the end of each work day. I've decided it's time to stop wearing the crappy cute flats, and I need to get good shoes. NEED. It's got to happen. So tomorrow I am off to TRY and find some cute looking comfy shoes. I swear it's so hard to do.

I love being pregnant and I am so very thankful for this oppertunity to be a mother and feel very very blessed. 2 more weeks and we find out if it's BLUE OR PINK! :)


17 weeks pregnant

Things I've learned while being pregnant....

NUMBER ONE:

I hate throwing up. I'm not like many I've heard where they throw up everything they eat, but for the first 8 weeks I threw up once every couple of days. My fabulous Midwife told me about a B-6 vitamin which works most days. But let me tell you. I am officially 14 weeks today and I want to hurl this morning. WHAT is the deal. Nauscea is not fun. Throwing up is even worse. Mmmmmmmmm morning sickness I would be ever so happy if you went away.

NUMBER TWO:

I never knew I could sleep so much. Not even when I was a teenager did I sleep 10-12 hours every night. WOAH. This is intense. Yet it's such a beautiful thing. I find myself literally almost passing out around 7pm some nights... I don't know how women deal with this with their 2nd + children... I guess just suck it up and be tired? Boo to that!

NUMBER THREE:

Goodbye sweet tooth, hello SALT! For some reason the I haven't been caring much for sweets. All I ever want is salty and spicy (I don't even like spicy food, but I can never get enough hot sauce). And Red Robin fries. Holy moly this is a problem. I smell fries and I want them. Someone talks about fries and I want them. Sometimes I even dream about them. The other thing I want on a regular basis is Pizza... Now this one I just don't understand. Pizza has always been "ok"... but never a fav. I crave it. I do. WHAT IS GOING ON WITH MY BODY. Remember the days of low carb, high protein, high fat? Ya... Too bad that doesn't sound good to me. OH no. PIZZA instead..

NUMBER FOUR:

My dreams are OUTRAGEOUS. I mean like so beyond weird and real and scary and sad and some just ODD. I mean... what's with having a dream you're on Jersey Shore.. or having a dream you saw some guy punch your mom in the face... or... better yet 4 dreams I'm delivering to a boy and in one of the dreams he is talking like an adult... Ya that one was kind of creepy almost. ;) Maybe it just means my baby will be SUPER smart. :)

NUMBER FIVE:

Ok so I know I'm emotional. But this is NUTS! I sometimes cry over nothing. The smallest thing can set this off. Some silly break up on a silly sitcom can make me break out balling.. no SOBBING for an hour straight. Sometimes I think Bobby may think I am a total freak. He thinks someone just died and really I'm just having a breakdown "NO ONE UNDERSTANDS ME!" Yet another crying session.. literally. OVER NOTHING... for a good hour. Sometimes two. You could even look at me wrong some days and I may start crying. YIKES.


Anyway, these are just a few things I've learned thus far (without going into details NO one wants to hear about). What a ride. Amazing what a little nut can do to ya! But boy do I sure love it! :)

PREGNANT!

Definitely the best Christmas gift Bobby or I have ever received. The day after Christmas we found out this little treasure was going to be changing our lives for the better. It was kind of a surprise... but anyone that knows me, knows I have been baby crazed for almost 2 years now. So you can imagine my excitement. :) Bobby and I had had a feeling that I was pregnant... but I didn't want the disappointment by a negative test result.. so I decided to wait it out a bit. I was 6 1/2 weeks pregnant when we found out. We were in Seattle celebrating Christmas with Bobbys family.. and of COURSE my mother in law (love you Nancy) was all over me about whether or not she was getting a grandbaby for Christmas. I said "well it's possible". So that lead to a billion more questions, which then ended up driving me to taking a pregnancy test. I snuck into the bathroom and once that test showed positive I started shaking and crying immediately. I was so frazzled and happy, I went out to Bobby and he saw the test and the news was OUT! Kind of an intense moment to share with so many other people.. but it was good because my mother in law handed me the phone and I called my mom (hence the picture of me on the phone). I have never been so happy in my life. For so long I had it in my head that something like this could just very well not be in my cards, so for it to come so suprising like that, I was filled with pure joy. I drove the whole way home from seattle with a smile on my face, nothing capable of bringing me down.

We were able to keep the news SOMEWHAT on the low down for the first 12 weeks... slowly spilling the beans. It was very hard to keep it from clients.. while I'm standing there trying to weave someones hair, keep a conversation without throwing up on them. Ya.. no bueno. The worst case of morning sickness was over New Years when we went to Leavenworth, WA (5 hours away) with my family. I was pretty much sick with Nauscea and the flu the entire time... OH yeah, and in 6 degree weather. AWESOME. Still I didn't care and hugged that toilet, thinking "it's ok, this is for you baby".

First Trimester I had the all the typical symptoms. B6 vitamin calmed down the nauscea, only throwing up every once in a while. All I craved for a while was salty and spicy. Fries, fries, fries. It's really all I thought about at times. SO disturbing. I didn't get the exhaustion till about 9 weeks in. However, I have consitantly been sleeping 10-12 hours every night for I don't know how long. So that definitely helps.

We got to see the baby at 11 weeks (I am now 13 weeks and 3 days), and that baby was kickin and movin their arms all around! There is nothing like hearing that little heartbeat. Such an amazing miracle.Bobby and I cannot wait for this baby to come. I'm ready for a full on belly, and can't wait to find out the sex (March 28th!!!), and feel the first kick. I thank God every day for giving me this oppertunity to be a mother. Give me a boy, give me a girl, I don't care! We are just so excited to start our family.


1 MONTH PREGNANT


2 MONTHS PREGNANT


3 MONTHS PREGNANT

Balance.

I'm Blogging... GASP!

It's 12:07am on a Sunday night and it is a RARE occasion for me to be up at this hour. But sadly... even though it felt OH so good.. I took a 2 hour nap today after church and now it's payback.

Something I've learned lately. I love alone time. As I've gotten older I've become more intraverted (I know that is probably incorrect spelling but that was my shot at it)... which is weird because allll growing up I was SUPER out-going and loved meeting new people. Now? Not so much. Maybe it's because of my job. I can do 1 on 1 all day long (and I do), and I love it. But I think within my 8 hour period of work I have fulfilled my small talk quota for the day. Maybe it's because my husband is a little bit quieter when you first meet him (and boy does that change in a matter of minutes)... But I don't like it much. I've even experienced some social anxiety (I know this may be shocking to some).. but it's just how I've become. And really I'm totally okay with it. Don't get me wrong I love people and I love my friends and I love my family. And I love making good new friends. But I really appreciate my alone time these days...

We are now living in the same household as my mom, step dad and little brother. This can be fun at times but I've realized that Bobby and I rarely are alone in our home let alone ME being alone... I don't know how I feel about this. Ok ok I don't really love it all that much. But for this reason a few things have become neccessary.... Date nights. FOR SURE. And I really appreciate the time I spend driving to and from work, and even an occasional movie by myself.

I watched the movie "Eat Pray Love" the other day (by myself :)) and although I don't agree with some of the thoughts in this book/movie I really enjoyed it. It's about finding yourself and loving who you were are and will be. Finding that balance in your life. As I've thought about this I've thought about the different priorities in my life and what comes first, second, etc.. as well as what I need to keep myself sain and eveyone else around me.

1. My relationsihp with God and all that involves keeping me close to him. Church, scriptures, prayer, service.. I can easily say that this is the best part of who I am. I have been blessed with a knowledge and understanding and fire of truth in my heart that can not be denied. Even in the hardest of times, I will be brought to my knees and my heart can be mended.

2. Now this one is tricky. I'm going to go with my husband Bobby. I've often been labeled as selfish or spoiled or whatever the crap you want to call it, but every day I'm learing in my marriage that I have to give him all of myself and find his needs, and try my best to fulfill them. I know that as long as we are doing this for one another (even though my needs may be higher) we can make it through most anything. Call me crazy but in my short experience of 1 year of marriage that is what I've learned.

3. (going back to what I originally was talking about) I need ME time. This is a recent discovery. I was always pretty independent growing up and went through some of the hardest times ALONE. You need your own time to think and sort through the thoughts in your head. I need it for my own sanity, my husbands, and everyone else around me. I think often times this one is linked back to numero uno. My relationship with my higher power. It's when I get a lot of inspiration and spiritual guidance.
I know many couples that are constantly needing to be with each other and don't want to do anything without the other... And though that may be fine for them or for a while, I think it's important to always know WHO YOU ARE so you don't wake up one day completely lost. There's such a balance there, and I know for me it's a daily thing I'm trying to achieve.

4. My career. One day the bigger career for me will be being a Mother. Heaven knows I cannot wait for that day. I never in my wildest dreams thought I would have this desire as strongly as I do now. It brings me to tears on a REGULAR basis, and I know that some of the greatest joys (and hardships) in life are through raising a family. This may not be important to some... some traveling and experiencing the WOOORRRLLDD is what they find as important.. but to me I can't imagine anything more fascinating, exciting, and remarkable as creating life, and raising one to know the rights and wrongs of the world and growing into strong individuals.
Second half is current and that would be my career in the salon. Huge part of my daily balance and it's a passion that I get to fulfill and thankfully it pays the bills! ;) What more could a girl ask for?

5. You named it... dun dun dun Excersize/healthy nutrition. Call my crazy but this is HUGE IN A DAILY BALANCE. It affects our moods, our physical and mental health, and in general how we feel about ourself as a whole. No not everybody (nor myself) needs to be a size 2, but finding a healthy balance in the foods to give your body satisfaction and joy and being in the physical shape that makes you capable of doing things you would like to do. For me that involves Crossfit, Running, and anything physical outdoors. I eat a paleo low-carb diet that I plan on eating the rest of my life. why? BECAUSE ITS GOOD FOR YOU. Don't believe me? check marksdailyapple.com.. or anything on Rob Wolff. This is just 1 opinion but I've tested many waters and this is what makes me happy and is what works for me. I can enjoy life because I feel great. Again... what more could a girl ask for?

I would say there of course is family and friends and hobbies that go into this balance as well. but those were some of the major points I've thought about lately. Balance is so necessary. Life is so good. We should spend less time worrying and more time enjoying.

Fathers Day.

This Fathers Day was a rough one.


I hate feeling sad about it because he died so many years ago and I feel as though I should be over it. But for some reason this whole past month has been a rough one and I've missed him a lot. Missed the time we had together, and the time we never got to have. Wondering where we would be, what I would be like if he lived.

I can't help but wish he were here.

Trips, trips, and more trips.

We've been busy oh yes we have. I'd like to say that's my good excuse for not blogging since April.... and I think I'm going to stick with that excuse. :) Things have been really great for us lately. Work has been WONDERFUL. I've loved having my own schedule and it's been great having everything so flexible. It's allowed me to do lots of fun (much needed) things.

Back in March? Maybe April... I can't remember anymore, my mom and I took a nice little stroll over to Rexburg Idaho to see my sister and my brother. It was short and sweet and sadly I don't think any pictures were taken... but we had a blast. My mom and I talked the whole 12 hours there and the whole 12 hours back and it honestly made the time go by crazy fast. Can I just say I am so glad that I'm not a teen anymore and am able to have a wonderful friendship with my mom? It's awesome. She really is one of my best friends and I love it.
Crystal was SOOOO excited for us to come. It was tender. We met her cute roomates, met her ALL TIME FAVORITE teacher (I even went to the class... such a great sister I know) played with one of my bffs Missy, and of course got a crossfit class in. I got Crystals roomate to drive with me to Idaho Falls to do a crossfit workout since Crystal nor missy nor my mother would come... sigh.
Anyway we had lots of fun. Made dinner, had a crappy happy hour at crappy Applebees (still hate that place... it never gets better) and had lots and lots of laughing... and farting. I don't know which one happened more but let me tell you I had a LOT of dairy and dairy HATES me. So that's how that went. My poor mom got to sit in a car with me for 12 hours! Woo good gracious.

Theen in the end of April I got to go to VEGGAASSS!!! Vegas baby. And it was a BLAST. I went for a few reasons. My girlfriend Tina and I went to the Vegas hairshow.. it was 3 days and it was a ton of fun. Also, that Monday we were there, my good high school friend Jen got married! I did her hair and the wedding was beautiful. Another good high school friend Catherine came up from California with her boyfriend so it was great playing with her and catching up. And then last but not least, another BFF Kylie from Utah was in town with her hubby and SUPER adorable baby!!! I had fun going out with her, it was so good to see them.
Tina and I did everything while we were there. We'd sleep in, go to the pool for a few hours, go to the hairshow for a few hours, go to dinner, and go party on the town at night. One night we even walked from one side of the strip to the other and rode the Stratosphere rides at 1am. One of those moments where you're strapped into the seat and you're wondering how the crap you got there... yeah. GREAT times.
After 4 days in Vegas, I had a few massive blisters on the bottom of my feet and was ready to go home!

Tina and I on the strip.




The beautiful bride!



Then we had some serious wedding OVERLOAD. We went to Seattle in may 2 weekends in a row. Bobbys step brother got married on Saturday May 8th, and then his brother Dave got married May 15th and he was the best man in that wedding. For Dave and Alli's wedding I did all of the bridesmaids and the brides hair and make up... holy cow I was stressed about this because I only had 4 hours to do 5 girls hair and make up and NONE of their hair holds curl... and the brides hair is down to her butt! But, I made it happen and it was a beautiful day and we had so much fun!

Alli--the pretty bride!


The happy couple.


Bobby's sister Coley, Alli and me!


My super hot husband :)



After all of this the traveling kind of relaxed... but then we had a fun wild week of PARENTING!!! Yes. parenting. My step sister Penny and her husband went on a cruise and had Bobby and I watch their 3 kids. Ellie is the oldest (12), then Luke (9) and Ben (6). They were so much fun and a total handful. We loved being parents for a week, but were totally ok handing them back at the end of the week! We got them memorial day and decided to take them on a hike. We had a great time.

Ellie is 12.. can you believe it??


(Luke doesn't like to smile for pictures... he would put a frown on the second I brought the camera out! haha)


Love these kids.


I just thought this picture was way too freakin cute.



All in all it's been a good hectic and wild last few months! We have a lot coming up to look forward to. This week I'm making 2 more Seattle trips, and then in July we're headed to Utah for a week over our anniversary! I can't believe it's already been a year. Absolutely wild. :)

Back.

I'm coming back I swear.


I look at other peoples blogs just about every day.... but for some reason sitting down and writing in mine.. well I've just gotten lazy. Maybe it's the weather.


Either way, I promise I'll be better.
xoxo