rOmAnTiC sLeIgH rIdE....

tHe KeLlY fAmILy

I am so lucky I get to work with such great people. Not to mention photogenic. Thanks Kelly family for being so great even though it was FREEZING! And for being so patient with a over sick and emotional photographer!  You're great.

Check out the "writing on the wall". I thought it was cool. 

cHrIsTmAs!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?

Definitely Wrapping paper.

2. Real or Artificial Tree?

ARTIFICIAL all the way! Why spend money on one EVERY year.

3. When Do you put the tree up?

Um....When do i like to put the tree up? or when does it actually GET up? Because you know they are very different.

4. When do you take the tree down?

Usually end of January sometimes Just before Valentines Day. (Hey, I have to compensate for the previous question.)

5. Do you like Eggnog?

Um....No.

6. Favorite gift received as a child.

My brand new stereo that I would listen to Paula Abdul on for HOURS!

7. Hardest person to buy for?

Ben's Grandma and Grandpa

8. Easiest person to buy for?

Jackson

9. Do you have a nativity scene?

Heck yes!

10. Mail or email Christmas Cards?

Mail. We can email any day.

11. Worst Christmas Gift?

A Blender from my Thoughtful Husband

12. Favorite Christmas Movie.

The Bestest Christmas Present Ever. (Cartoon)

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?

Just after Christmas the year Prior. Pretty much year round.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas Present?

Um.....Yes. But not if I've used it or opened it.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?

Mom's Cookies, and dips.

16. Lights on a the tree?

YE-AH! Would it be a Christmas tree without them? 

17. Favorite Christmas Song?

Silent Night

18. Travel or Stay home at Christmas?

Travel....If you count driving 45 minutes as traveling.

19. Can you name all of Santa's Reindeer?

Oh....You betcha.

20. Angel or star on the top of the tree.

Star. Although we grew up with an angel on top.

21. Open presents Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?

Christmas Morning. Santa is still wrapping Christmas Eve.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?

The cold and never having enough money.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color?

I'm an eclectic type of gal. I usually will by a new ornament for each member of our family each year and use them all on our tree. No themes.

24. Favorite Christmas Dinner?

Ham, Turkey, and we can't forget the Green Bean Casserole.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?

Happy and Healthy family for the year to come. :)

i tag.......

1.DOT 

2.BECCA

3.STACEY

TMI? Probably, Readers Beware!

I had my first Prenatal appointment on Monday...By the time I left I was, first, exhausted because of all the overcompensated emotions I had experienced in my 2 hour visit to the OB. (thanks to hormones) And Second, a tad disappointed but relieved at the same time. 

I showed up to my appointment 15 minutes early, as requested by their office, (with full bladder), and filled out the necessary paperwork, blah, blah, blah. Then they had me sit and wait, and wait, and wait. Yes, I still had to pee, but by now I was getting much more desperate. 

They FINALLY called me back, (relief) and i had to pee so bad I almost didn't get my pants down let alone in the cup! (Gross! I know--Right?) So let me add another side note. The smell of EVERYTHING makes me want to puke, (especially pee), So going to the bathroom, in itself, is already a chore...Then to hold a cup in a steaming stream of urine, and have to feel how warm it is through the cup....BLAH! I was gagging trying really hard not to throw up (or spill my cup full of warm urine)  I had to pull my shirt over my nose and mouth, and barely touch rim of the cup. I finally was able to pull myself together enough to wash my Hands and gather my jacket and purse. (embarrassment)

You Ladies know what comes next....The DREADED Scale. Yep, Gained 2 pounds. (ALREADY!)....LAME!  So the really nice nurse took me back to the room asked me a bunch of questions...When was the first day of your last period....what medicines do you take....Blah, Blah, Blah. and then hands me my paper nightgown to put on, I was a little shocked because I had just had an "EXAM" in September, so I asked her if I needed one again so soon, she just said yes and that it is standard procedure for your first prenatal visit, and left the room. So, I did as I was told. and sat....on the exam table...in my paper nighty. 

After sitting there for awhile I had a HUGE urge to, well lets just say, I really needed to pass some gas, and I thought better now, then when I'm having my "Exam". (Could you even imagine? Farting in the Doctors face as he's swabbing...) So I let it RIIIIIP, and it was a bad one. And I kid you not, not even 2 seconds later the doctor walks in! (Embarrassed) (Yeah, Laugh it up!) So the Doc and I are sitting there discussing my chart (in my cloud of stench), and he says,

 

"Oh, you had an exam in September, No need to do another one so soon." (RELIEF) Probably because he was afraid I would fart in his face...lol. But I was relieved, anyway and kinda pissed because I just asked the nurse if I needed one and she said yes. Anyway...

As the Doc and I were talking he said that because I had been treated for Insulin Resistance before the pregnancy he said "We are just going to assume that you have and are going to get gestational diabetes." and he wants me to eat the way a pregnant woman with Gestational Diabetes would eat. After that all I heard was No table sugar (fine), No white bread (fine), and no PASTA.....What?!!? (freak out) Pasta is like the only thing that tastes good and stays down well. 

THEN....

The Nurse calculated that I was probably 10+ weeks along. So the Doc was going to use the Doppler thingy to hear the baby's heart beat. I was really excited because I had hoped that we would be able too. So the Doctor put the thingy just below my belly button and is moving it around, and pushing down hard and move it some more and pushing it down harder (discomfort) and he couldn't find a heartbeat. (Panic) Then the Doctor decided to measure my uterus to make sure I was measuring correctly, measuring just right. So he said, "Lets do an ultrasound to make sure it's a Viable pregnancy." (Panic, Excitement, Sad) I was really getting upset then. Not only because the doctor thought there might be a problem with the baby but because Ben wasn't there! He was plowing SNOW. (Seriously, plowing snow in St. George what are the freaking odds.)

During the ultrasound the doc checked everything out, the heart was there beating strong, everything was there and looks perfect. (Relief) He measured the baby and I was barely 9 weeks. (Disappointment) Seriously, I don't know if I would last the whole pregnancy being this sick. Hopefully it will ease up after the first trimester.

So the doc printed up a few photos of our Kidney Bean sized baby. (Awww) and I left. When I got in my car I just started BAWLING and I called Ben and was yelling at him for not being there. (Poor Ben, sorry honey) Then I called my mom and bawled because I can't eat pasta. (Poor Mom, sorry.) and then I was a wreck at work. (Just because I was hormonal.)

So lets see in 2 hours I experienced relief, embarrassment, dread, shock, more embarrassment, more relief, anger, a freak out, excitement, discomfort, Panic, more panic, more Excitement, sadness, relief again, disappointment again, an AWWW moment, and finally a hormonal break down. 

I apologize to anyone who was in my path that day. But the final verdict is this, I'm only 9 weeks along, (I know....you've heard that before) Doctor says my due date is now July 21, and so far baby is fine and healthy.

If you're still reading, thanks for reading my very long and Rant style post. 

 

Fun with Rick, Kelly, and Kelly's Girls.....

Talk about a gorgeous family! 

They were really fun and I think nearly every shot was usable. It was so hard for me to choose my favorites. I love that each of the girls have their own personality, and it reflects in their photos. Thanks for the great session ladies (and Rick).

Sneak Peek for the Thompson Family

The Thompson family was AWESOME! We had so much fun and they are a no nonsense family. They knew what they wanted and that allowed for their babies to get out of the chilly morning air quickly! Thanks for a great session I PROMISE they'll be done by the weekend.

Fun with uNcLe JeReMy!

Jackson so looks forward to Mondays at Grandma Cram's house. 

When we pick him up after work he doesn't want to leave. 

Can you Blame him? 

Shhh.....It's a secret!

Well...Not anymore!

Yep, we are having a BABY! We are only about 9 weeks along so still pretty early but I just couldn't keep it a secret anymore!

Jackson says that he wants a baby sister......(Oh!) He is going to be such a GOOD big "Bruder"

I wanted to tell my family in a fun and creative way. I went to a flower shop in town called "Speaking Roses" they Print custom messages on roses anything from a portrait to a saying. They are really cool. So I decided to have them print Boy-Girl-Boy-Girl on the pedals of a Gerber daisy and I attached the following tags and had Jackson deliver them. We had fun and are so happy that everyone is as excited if not more (Cheryl) then we are!

This tag was for my Grandma.

And my mom's and Cheryl's (Ben's mom) looked like this...

Piece of Advice....

To get something you've never had, you have to do something you've never done.

When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better. 

The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.

Sneak Peek for Kris

What a fun family this was! We had a blast at Nisson Park! I LOVE the family photo, it is one of my favorites. It is so.......unconventional, But turned out fantastic! Thanks Guys!