More House Renovations!

 Since we really want to get as much of our house finished and how we want it before the baby comes, James has been working like a mad man on it lately. He is currently in the process of putting up our fence, adding a hallway and closet, redoing the kitchen/bathroom floors, and finishing up the baby's room. We also got new carpet installed!



New hallway

 

 

Baby's room before new hallway

 



 

Baby's room during new hallway

 

 

 Baby's room after new hallway

 

James after sanding drywall all night

 



 

 James had to pull up all the old, disgusting carpet in the house too.

 

But now we have this!

 

 

Living room

 

 

Baby's room (almost finished)

 

Stairs

 



 

loft

 

 

 

bedroom

 

 

It's a good thing that James is the best handy-man!



Baby Bump

 10 Weeks (I was pretty much throwing up constantly still. This must have been a rare moment when I felt well enough to get dressed that day.)

 

 16 weeks (Mostly just look like I have a potbelly here.)

 

 20 Weeks (I feel a lot fatter than I look.)

 

Also at 20 weeks we got to have another ultrasound. Here are two of our favorite pics of our cute little boy!

 

 Trying to hide.

 

 

Sucking his thumb.

Grandma Lloyd

I've been greatly blessed for nearly 25 years that I haven't had to deal with much death in my life. For 24 1/2 years I've never once had to say goodbye to someone I loved; I never once had to watch them close the casket on a face that I knew to once be so full of life. Clearly my 24 1/2 years of luck and blessing have run its course.

In mid July we buried my Grandpa Wheeler. Now this Saturday, we'll bury my Grandma Lloyd. And while in my head I logically know this really isn't the worst thing. I know logically in my head that she lived 93 years of a great life, and that the past few years were difficult for her. I also can't help but wish that she were still here. That I could go sit on her blue couch with her and hold her boney, fraile hand even though she probably still wouldn't remember who I am. I still can't help but wish I could giggle at her as shuffled determinedly across the floor with that crazy curly wig of hers that I hated. And I still really wish that I could sit on that blue couch in her living room and listen to her read me fairy tales, or sit at her little table in the kitchen and eat her fried potatoes, or even just hear her promise someone that she'll "dance at their wedding."

I owe so much to my Grandma Lloyd for the person I am, for my love of English and reading. And I couldn't be more proud when my dad tells me I remind him of her because in my eyes she was the perfect grandma, always sweet and kind and interested in what you had to say, always stuffing you with food, but she also had just the right amount of sassiness too.

I wrote a poem about my grandpa when he passed, but I don't know if I have it in me to write one about her, too much to say. So in honor of her, I'll just close with two poems that I know she'll appreciate.

Death, be not proud
by John Donne
Death, be not proud, though some have called thee Mighty and dreadful, for thou are not so; For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me. From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be, Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow, And soonest our best men with thee do go, Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery. Thou'art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men, And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell, And poppy'or charms can make us sleep as well And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then? One short sleep past, we wake eternally, And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die. Because I could not stop for Death by Emily Dickinson Because I could not stop for Death, He kindly stopped for me; The carriage held but just ourselves And Immortality. We slowly drove, he knew no haste, And I had put away My labor, and my leisure too, For his civility. We passed the school, where children strove At recess, in the ring; We passed the fields of gazing grain, We passed the setting sun. Or rather, he passed us; The dews grew quivering and chill, For only gossamer my gown, My tippet only tulle. We paused before a house that seemed A swelling of the ground; The roof was scarcely visible, The cornice but a mound. Since then 'tis centuries, and yet each Feels shorter than the day I first surmised the horses' heads Were toward eternity.

A Baby and a Papasan

James and I have great news (which most of you already know about anyway).

First, we got a papasan, so I will no longer have to steal Amanda's. I've been really wanting one since we babysitted Amanda's for her for a few months when they first had Claira and didn't have room for it, but dang even on KSL they are pretty pricey. Luckily I have a husband that is not ashamed to pick stuff up out of people's trash piles on the side of the road, so he found us a papasan frame, and last weekend we finally found a decently priced cusion for it so now we have this . . .

Second, in late June James and I found out that we were prego! I figured I was right before Father's Day and really wanted to tell him the good news then, but I couldn't get a stupid test to read positive until a few days after so he got this . . .





And now we have this . . .
And it wiggles it's nubby arms and has a huge head and makes me so sick I pray for death to come swiftly and we LOVE it!

My Gramps

I started writing this a few months ago when gramps had just started getting sick. At that time the verbs were "is" instead of  "was," present tense, not past. I'm not really sure it does his larger than life personality justice, but here goes it. 

"Gramps"

An incongurity between the appearance of things and reality, this is irony, and this is my gramps.

The irony of an old man that bleed BYU blue, but had an abundance of red cars, red sweaters, a red couch.

The irony of a white, old man that conviced himself and his family, along with everyone else including indians, that he was an indian too.

The irony of an old man that occassionaly chased us around his house with a whip, but really was a sweet, loving, giving, often times quirky, but still loving gramps.

The irony of an old man that called his granddaughters "messy girls," yet he was the one always spilling things all over his shirts.

The irony of an old man that always wanted you to "visit," but really just wanted you to play the game with him.

The irony of an old man that called you a "damn liar" if you called him an old man.

The irony of an old man that spent his whole life telling everyone to "mind," but I'm not so sure he ever "minded" himself.

The irony of this old man, this amazing, funny, generous, silly, crazy, talkative, bossy, sweet, much loved old man, will be greatly missed.

We love you gramps!

The Catch Up

 Ok peeps, I'm back. So, here are my top exciting stories (that I've taken photographic record of) since ya know, like March.

Hot Topic #1:

After four great years together, my beloved Jesus sandals were laid to rest (thrown in the trash can) after having broken the left one beyond repair. I'm pretty sad about this seeing that they were only
$8.00 dollars when I bought them, they took minimal effort to put on, and well now I have to go buy another pair, which James seems to think I don't really need to do. FYI, I broke them while weeding our flower bed that James insisted I do, and it probably would have been really funny to see my trying to make it back to the house with it still on considering the fact that I couldn't pick up my left foot, so I had to Hunchback of Notre Dame it back to the porch.

 Hot Topic #2:

Yeah, I cut off all my hair. This has been a long continual process that I've done my whole life: grow my hair really long, cut it off, hate it, grow it out again . . . repeat. It's been really hot though, so I wanted it cut, but my hair stylist thought I said butch it, when in fact I said "Don't butch it!" And well, here is the resolute. I guess it's ok.

Hot Topic #3:

Ok, I'm a really horrible wife for not doing this post sooner. James graduated! He was really excited to be done, and we were all super pround of him, and now he is an automotive tech at Jorgenson's Ford!

 Hot Topic #4:

James and I went camping with "some" of my fam. Some highlights from the camping trip: James still couldn't catch any fish, Claira decided to be my friend (only when I had food), only my forehead got sunburnt of course, and I finally beat Amanda at Scattergories (life long dream achieved!).

Stay turned for any other exciting things that might happen this summer, like next week when my family has a pool party and Trent and Chad wear wetsuits and flippers because for some reason I heard through the grapevine that Trent wants to scuba dive at the pool. You better believe I'm be posting about that one.

Vegas Vacation

It's my district's Spring Break this week, a whole week off and away from teenagers I for sure needed, and we headed down to Vegas with James's family to an ASD show for their stores. I'm not completely sure it was the relaxing trip I was looking for, a whole lot of walking all day required, but it was a nice break from work.

at the top of the Stratosphere

at the Bellagio fountains