Here's a little song I wrote...

Sung to the tune of the hymn "When There's Love at Home"...or is that a primary song? I forget.

"There's Construction All Around"
There's construction all around, when it's summer time.
There is not a street around without an orange sign.
Tar and gravel hear abide paving streets on every side.
There are diggers all around when it's summer time.

Marshall and I were out running errands and stuck in traffic today. He of course loves the construction and especially being stuck in it so he can look at all the cool machines...me, not so much. So to make light of our situation, as I often do, I changed the words to a song and this is what I came up with. Marshall liked it and even started singing it himself.

Marshall, Marshall, Marshall

Marshall really enjoyed his first session of swim lessons a couple weeks ago. He practiced blowing bubbles, floating on his back, jumping in, and yes! even swimming with his head down not holding onto anyone!!! I'm so amazed at how much he's grown up and become a little boy! My friend, Krista, is his swim teacher and she's amazing! If you want her number give me a call and I can pass it on. I highly recommend her! (So does Marshall)

Marshall is constantly wiping his hair out of his eyes, especially at the pool when it's wet and hanging. One of the moms (you know who you are) at swim lessons kindly suggested I cut it, and I agree - it was time! His curls just aren't the ringlets they used to be =(* So, our trusty stylist DeEtte did a buzz cut on him today. We just love her! Marshall ran in and gave her a big hug and told me he hadn't seen her in a long time. She's been giving him trims since before he could talk and I've been going to her for six years now and wouldn't dream of switching. You're the best DeEtte!going...

going...

gone!

Marshall and my cousin, Sophia, had a blast with about 8 other kids the other day at my visiting teacher's house. Instead of making visits during the summer they invite all their ladies over for lunch and a play date. We had some yummy soup, salad, and breadsticks from Olive Garden while the kids ate corn dogs, jumped on the tramp, ran through the sprinklers, and played in the kiddie pool. It was a fun afternoon!

Week 24 - 6 Months Pregnant

Here's my 6 month belly shot. I was so bad about taking belly shots with Marshall because I was so self conscious, but I decided no matter how big I get with this one it's worth documenting.

I'm feeling good still. I can't lay on my tummy anymore to sleep which is really hard because that's my favorite position. I can lay on my back but not for very long at a time. When we went camping a week before this picture, I got out of the car after the drive home and I could literally feel that I had grown! It was kind of a neat feeling to get out of the car and actually feel bigger. I can feel him move a few times during the day, mostly in the morning while I'm still lying in bed and at night when I lay down, usually after I eat or if I'm hungry he'll move too. John finally saw him for the first time the other morning. The baby is a little stubborn (wonder where he gets that) and whenever daddy tries to feel him he stops moving completely so it was nice for him to finally cooperate, even if John only got a visual instead of a feel. I'm getting more and more excited but feel like I can wait another three months or so, unlike the urgency I felt with Marshall to have him here already.

I have to say I'm enjoying pregnancy more this time although it could never compare to the first. With Marshall everything was new and exciting but at the same time very scary because I didn't know what to expect. I was also so wrapped up in the anticipation of becoming a mom for the first time that all I could think about for 9 months was getting him here, which as you know took longer than expected. This pregnancy I feel more relaxed about it and if I go over again, I go over again, no biggie. I also know more what to expect at each month or week so it's not as scary. I love my new OB and I think that helps too. I'm also glad it's summer and I have Marshall and a bunch of stuff to keep me busy and keep my mind off getting a baby here. It does suck to be pregnant in the summer since it's so hot, but it hasn't been too bad yet. Luckily I have the pool to help keep me cool and Marshall is a little fish!

Anyway, that's the latest prego news.

I dream of hummus!!!

As I lay in bed yesterday morning in that half awake/half asleep place I had a dream/thought - that a hummus wrap with green tortillas, hummus, and celery would taste extremely good! When John came in to get dressed after his shower I told him my idea and as the words were coming out of my mouth the thought of such a wrap all of a sudden seemed disgusting and not so good after all. For now I think I'll stick to the delicious snack of hummus and Stacy's Pita Chips, happily purchased at Costco - the happiest place on earth.

But here's what my dreams are really made of:My dream car, an Audi TT Roadster



Or I'd settle for a nice family vehicle, a Nissan Armada

But really any car that would break me out of my four walled hell that is my apartment would be nice! For those of you who don't know, John and I share a car and by share I mean I sit in it about once a week, on the weekend all the 1 1/2 blocks to church and if I'm lucky I get to drive it all alone on a Saturday too. A couple days a week my very generous mom lets me use her car but I only have until 3:00 to use it, at which time I have to pick her up from work. While I am soooo grateful for her for letting me use it, it would be a dream come true to have a car to use at my leisure again. I feel so trapped during the day!

20 Years Tag...

20 years ago...
1. I was almost 5, living with my mom and brother in our first apartment after the divorce
2. I was a flower girl in my dad and stepmom's wedding
3. I wanted one of those cheapy plastic dress up sets with jewelry and fake make up but my mom wouldn't let me get it with my allowance

10 years ago...
1. I was going into 9th grade at Oly Junior
2. I was recovering from my first round of Mono
3. I was reading anything by V.C. Andrews

5 years ago...
1. I was doing summer semester at SLCC
2. I was getting ready to go to Westminster College in the fall
3. I was saying good-bye to Sarah, Cooper, and Riley as they moved to New Hampshire. Our lives have never been the same since.

3 years ago...
1. Marshall was the cutest 6 month old ever!
2. I was getting my next bout of Mono
3. I was enjoying motherhood.

1 year ago...
1. We were trying to get pregnant
2. I was finishing up my major at the U, or so I thought.
3. John fell off a skateboard and broke his elbow


So far this year....
1. I finally got pregnant
2. I really finished up my last class at the U.
3. I've read over 20 books
4. I went to St. George
5. I started getting paid to take people's pictures

Yesterday I...
1. Took peoples pictures
2. Went on our first date in a looooong time
3. Came up with our Primary Sharing Time

Today I...
1. Was on time to primary
2. Got my cute nephew Atticus to sleep
3. Taught the Sharing Time in Primary
4. Ate some yummy hummus and pita chips

Tomorrow I will...
1. Go to the pool
2. Probably get to the grocery store
3. Spend too much time cleaning up after Marshall

In the next year I will....
1. Have a baby!!!
2. Hopefully make it to California
3. Read Don Quixote
4. Take the GRE
I tag... you!

Guess what's back back back, back again?

MY LAPTOP!!! YAY!!! Make sure to read all my updated posts!

May 22 - Maddie's First Birthday

We just love this little girl! She has been a part of our lives since August when I started watching her 2 days a week when she was just a few months old. Marshall loves her and every morning the first thing he says is "Who is coming over today?" She's grown to be a part of our family and we love her! Happy Birthday Maddie!!!

I was her official birthday party photographer, to see more go to my photography blog:

May 30 - First Weekend at the Pool

I look forward to this weekend all year long! Finally, warm days spent at the pool. What could make me happier? John says he hates going to the pool but from the looks of it he secretly has fun.

Getting kissed by the sun

Jumping into Dad's arms

So much fun!

John shows off some amazing tricks!

June 4 - Marshall's Last Day of Pre-School

It's bitter sweet to have to say good-bye to the Child & Family Development Center up at the U. Marshall was in the same class that I served my time in for my practicum in Fall 2006. I love his teacher, Sandra, she is so good with the kids and really cares about each one of them. She made all the kids (well, parents) a portfolio including their artwork, pictures she had taken throughout the year, and anecdotes from the college students. It is so fun to have and look back on how much he's grown and developed since August. My primary reason for sending him to preschool this year was for socialization and he sure got it! I think back to the first days of school, sitting in the observation room watching him, and how uninterested he was in socializing and playing with the other kids. Towards the middle he would walk in and ask this cute little girl, Daisha, "How are you doing today Daisha?" Then we made friends with Asher and his mom and it's so fun to see the two of them play. They really liked the dress up capes and would "spell" each other with magic wands. I loved the anecdotes the teachers would relay to me at pick up time. Once, he put straight pretzels in his mouth at snack time and started acting like an otter or something and all the other kids started copying him. Who knew he'd become a leader? He became more and more interactive each day and it was fun to see him grow and learn.

Asher and Marshall go boating in the deep blue sea

Sandra, Marshall, Asher

Sandra and Marshall

June 6 - My Dad Has A Platypus

Yes, you read that right. Sorta. My dad rolled his old '85 Toyota Land Cruiser, formerly known as The Pearl, last fall. He had put a lot of work into the internal organs but the body was completely totaled so he found a new body to host the old parts and has been in the process of "remodeling" the '86 insides. It has a silver exterior, or "plata" in Spanish for silver and "bus" in Spanish for well, bus. So, if you say it fast plata-bus it sounds like Platypus, hence the new name for his truck. Well, he got it back a day or two before these pictures were taken and we took it for an inaugural family ride.

Cuties! Marshall loves his Aunt Riles

Cooper had a thing for the license plates
(and the home-made Rastafarian wrap)

Awww!

Sistahs!

My dad - proud owner of the Platypus

THIS JUST IN:

Riley aspires to being a tongue model!
Way to dream big Riley!

June 10 - A Rocket Ship for Marshall

John, Marshall, and I have been at a loss as to what to build and make it stand with these Mag (not so) Neatos since Christmas and Maddie just throws the balls around all day. Well, leave it to my dad, the eternal child and engineer to boot to build Marshall a way cool rocket ship using every last piece!

Gotta get it just right...

Ta-Da!

My dad showed Marshall a piece on the bottom to pull out when he was done building. This picture was captured mid-fall. Marshall was a little disappointed once it fell and if it weren't for us laughing he would have cried that his rocket ship was knocked over so soon.

June 15 - Father's Day Camping Trip

The Short Story can be summed up by this:
Food for breakfasts: $40
Gingerale and Gatorade for puking: $10
Car repairs before trip: $600
Gas for car: $100
Getting lost for an hour: $20 of that $100
Ticket for expired registration: $40
Spending Father's Day with John and my Dad: Priceless

There are some things money can't buy,
but for everything else there's Mastercard

But in case your interest is piqued here's the Long Story:

Thursday night I packed our bags and we were ready to head out Friday after swim lessons. Until....I started puking my guts out. It wasn't pregnancy related, I haven't been sick at all and it's too late to start being sick now. So, I decided I better not go up on Friday but I'd try to go up Saturday first thing. Well John called me right before they lost service to tell me the oil light has been coming on in the car all week and to fill it up before I head out Saturday. Well, I know there's other stuff wrong with the car and I don't want to be stranded in the middle of nowhere, pregnant and alone with no cell service, so I dropped the car off at Dee's, our trusty mechanic, for him to work on first thing Saturday morning. Three tires, two brakes, an oil change (there was none), a transmission flush (the fluid was black), and $600 later I was on my way. By this point it was 3:30 Saturday afternoon. It takes three and a half hours to get where they were so I figured I would get there about 7:00. Well, I got really confused with the google map directions my dad had printed for me and I ended up in Dinosaur, Colorado. Yeah, I didn't know there was such a place either. It's about a half hour away from where I was supposed to be. So, I headed back to Vernal and got more gas. Well then I was looking for 600 East like the directions said, but there was only a 500 East so I turned down there. I passed a police station and there was an officer in a car sitting out front facing the street so I thought, well, if this street doesn't lead me to where I need to go I'll turn around and ask him. Turns out I didn't need to. He saw my expired plates somehow as I passed and immediately pulled out behind me. Luckily I did a three second stop at a stop sign and wasn't speeding when he caught me AND it's a good thing it wasn't John because his license expired on his birthday in April! So, he was very nice and gave me a citation for expired registration along with directions. Once I found the right canyon it was fairly easy to find plus once I was in range my dad picked up my walkie talkie signal and could tell me where to go. I got to the camp site at about 8:00 and found out Marshall had thrown up that afternoon. But, being men they decided he was fine and took him hiking all afternoon!!! I sure wouldn't have felt like hiking after throwing up on Friday! As soon as I got there Marshall wanted to show me the tent so I went inside with him and changed his clothes for the evening. We were all ready to head back out to the fire but Marshall wanted to stay and take a nap. A little while later he was asleep, poor little guy. Sunday morning Dad, John, and I cooked breakfast while Brandon and Lauren did what they do best - make-out, and Cooper lounged. Then we packed up, stopped for shakes in Vernal, and headed home. All in all it was a fun, albeit short, trip.

I thought I'd mix things up a bit and add a slide show - you have to read the captions.

June 19 - Marshall's Photo Shoot

Today I had to run around and buy camera accessories for a BIG photo shoot I'm doing on Saturday. When we got home I set up my tripod to make sure it still works. Marshall wanted to take pictures so I put my point & shoot on it and told him to get some of his animal friends to take pictures of. He loved playing photographer!
The cutest photographer ever!

Composing the shot


Octopus, Monkey, Froggy, and Bear-Bear

A Reward For Reading All My Posts

I'll let you see my new shoes. Cute, huh? Thanks for reading as I play catch-up.

Well...

Thanks for all the comments on "Coen" but I think I've changed my mind in the last two days. Here's why: So, I looked up the meaning of the name and the way it's spelled means "experienced advisor" which I'm more than fine with, BUT the way it's spelled is Germanic and is pronounced Coon. If any of you knew me in high school you would remember a certain Ryan Coon who I don't care to ever see or think of again. I know we wouldn't say it Coon but just to know that that's the proper pronunciation is enough to send me screaming. Now, there's always spelling it with an H in the middle, Cohen, which in Hebrew means priest. However, having people misspell my name my entire life by putting an unnecessary H in the middle of Nicole always bugged me. Why would you spell it with an H? It just doesn't make sense to me at all. But I like the spelling Coen way more than Cohen. Plus I feel bad for giving him such a short name and Marshall such a long one, even though that probably makes no sense whatsoever. So, I think I'm back to really liking Gabe, short for Gabriel. Do you think kids would call him "Gay" Bradley if it's not enunciated enough? That's the only thing holding me back from naming him that, but I really like the name Gabe. What do you think? Should I just get over the Coon thing and just know that it's said Coen or go with John's middle name, Gabriel? Ahh, if only it was a girl, we had that one all figured out! (Or if John liked his ancestor's names more)

And the name is...

Coen

At least I think we've pretty much decided on that name but it is subject to change. We can't seem to agree on any other names. I'm glad it was so popular in our vote, not that that influenced us though. I'm 22 weeks now and I'm definitely poking out now. Apparently he's the length of a carrot stick or about 10 1/2 inches. Every book or website I look on is different though. Why they compare the fetus to produce I do not know! As long as it's Harmon's produce because I think Albertson's produce is rotten 99.99% of the time and I just can't compare my baby to rotten produce. (John will take issue with this however.) I'm pretty much just rambling, soooo......

One for the records...

I was telling John and my dad on Sunday night that I thought it would be cool to get Marshall a castle set for his birthday this year. He had been playing quietly on the floor when he heard me, looked up, and said brightly, "Can we get it online?" Is he sooooo my son or what?!

For more funny things Marshall says, scroll down to the bottom right column

In other news I've humped. My pregnancy that is. I am now 21 weeks and so even if I go over by 2, I am officially halfway done gestating this baby! The part that sucks is it just goes downhill from here ending in the mother of all suckiness-labor. But it's also the best part too I guess.

Also, our computer is broken. Apparently at PC Laptops they really don't love you :( John took the charger in because the battery wasn't getting charged...again. The guy plugged it in and it worked there so they sent him home. Well, lo and behold, it did NOT work at home. So I sent him back in...again. This time a new guy told him that it was the port that the charger plugs into is broken. Guess how much to fix?!? $250!!! Oooooorrrr, said the guy, we could get rid of this "cheap" laptop and get you a "real" one! "See ya" said John. So I called my dad up, who does computer-y stuff and he suggested we try calling where we got it. Genius! I knew there was a reason I called him. So I called Costco (thank goooooodness we got it there, they rock) and they told me that Gateway (the brand) has a one year warranty, they, Costco, have a two year warranty and the card we used to pay for it has a three year warranty. Costco covers our laptop! How cool is that? So he gave me the number for Costco tech support and they put me in touch with the dudes who fix them and waalaa! They're shipping us a box to stick it in and they ship it back 100% fixed free of charge! Too bad I didn't know this back in April when I got the new charger at PC Laptops, because apparently we could have gotten a new one through them for free, too. Oh well, at least we're saving $250 this time. Anyway, for now I'm using John's work laptop when he gets home.

"What covenants have you made already in your lives?"

John and I teach the 12 year old primary class. Today our lesson was about the Anti-Nephi-Lehies in Alma 24. We talked about how they buried their weapons and covenanted with the Lord to be righteous and not fight anymore. So after talking about covenants and deciding that a covenant was a promise you make with Heavenly Father, John asked the class "What covenants have you made already in your lives?" One girl who had not really been paying attention and kept closing her scriptures when it wasn't her turn to read looked up cheerfully and said, "Well my grandma has been really sick and she's had four back surgeries this year and she is finally home from the hospital, well she asked me to paint a picture for her to hang on her bedroom wall and I told her I would, so I did." John, as nicely as he could without getting a little miffed that she was totally clueless about what we'd just taught said, "Okay, what covenants have you made with Heavenly Father in your lives?" Oh man, as soon as we got into the car about 45 minutes later we both just started laughing, "Well my grandma..." It was soooo funny! The sad part is these are 12 year old who should be able to pay attention in class!