Craving CHOCOLATE?!

I have been off of chocolate for almost six years now. The first few months that I stopped I had a hard time (in case you didn't know, chocolate is EVERYWHERE). I lived on Reese's Pieces while I got over the chocolate cravings (believe me there is no chocolate in them, I read the ingredients). For the last five years or so I haven't really had any big problems with wanting to eat chocolate, that is until recently.

I had joked that with this pregnancy I would have cravings for chocolate. Well, I think I might be. I haven't really had any cravings, but in the last few weeks chocolate has been sounding pretty good. I don't know why this has suddenly popped up, I mean, I haven't even tasted chocolate in years (unless it was an accident, that I quickly spit out). It is funny, but I have forgotten what it tastes like.

I decided to extend my Junk Food Challenge to a 40 week one, instead of just 40 days (this will last until a couple months after the baby is born). I am wondering if this might be why I have been eying the chocolates a bit more than usual.

I know that some say that cravings are telling you that your body or baby need it, but no one is going to convince me that we need chocolate. Nothing I can do about it, except ignore it like usual. I've done harder things.

First Baby Picture

Last Wednesday I had an ultrasound. It was so amazing to be able to take a peek at the baby. Brian says that I was smiling like a Cheshire cat, but so was he. I will be honest, most of the time I had no idea what I was looking at, but the lady that was doing it pointed some things out to us. I thought that she was so thoughtful to label the picture for us.

Before we had the ultrasound we thought the due date was August 21st or 22nd, but the baby was bigger then the doctor expected. The baby's new due date is almost a week earlier on the 16th. It was weird to have pretty much skipped a week ahead. When I had the ultrasound the baby was 14 weeks and 3 days along, and the baby is now a couple days over 15 weeks.

I am pregnant!!

It feels so good to finally let everyone know. Brian and I have know since the middle of December, but I need to find a doctor. I finally went in for the first exam on Tuesday, and we heard the heartbeat for the first time. It was so amazing!

We then went back on Wednesday for an ultrasound (I will post a picture soon). It was amazing to see our little baby! We then met with the doctor and found out the baby was larger then they expected and they moved the due date up about a week. So, the due date is August 16th.

As for how I am doing...I am GREAT!!! I think I am having one the the easiest pregnancies ever. I feel very blessed. I know from stories that it can be so much worse, and I am grateful everyday.

What I have been feeling...
-extremely tired all of the time
-hungry, hungry, hungry
-a tiny bit more moody
-only had morning sickness a few times (but my mom gave me an Essential Oil called Ease that takes care of that in less then a half hour)
-instead of morning sickness my blood sugar drops along with any energy I may have (this is when I grab any food that is in reach as fast as I can)

Brian and I are both very excited! This is going to be a wonderful summer!

Valentine's Day

This year Brian and decided to make Valentine's Day simple. We also decided to put our gift money together and buy Ticket to Ride Europe. So we just played a couple of rounds of the game, then made dinner together (we didn't like the idea of driving in the snow and facing the crowds), and then snuggled on the couch while we watched The Lake House.

I had surprised him with the movie. This was the first movie that we had ever watched together, and I have been wanting to add it to our collection for a long time. So, when I saw it for less than $10 I had to buy it. Plus, this movie is so sweet, and romantic. Why wouldn't a hopeless romantic like myself, want it?

As I said, it was simple, but we enjoyed it.

Here we go again!

I am, once again, moving the furniture around. I get into these moods that I just have to move something. Some girls have to get their hair or nails done, not me. I have to change the room around. I have to say that it would be a lot simpler to go some where and get a hair cut, but no I have to tear my apartment apart, and then try and put it back together again.

Brian is such a good sport. He never complains that once again there are piles of stuff everywhere, and that he often has to ask me where I moved something to. He actually is always complimenting me about how great the place looks, and offers me some ideas.

Here are a couple of pictures I took of the bit of chaos that I caused this time around (I've become a master at making piles).

Ticket to Ride

Brian and I have recently been introduced to a new game by our friends Romney and Ashley. It is called Ticket to Ride and we love it. We hope to add it to our own collection someday soon, but we might get the Europe addition for some variety.

We just played this game for the second time last Saturday with out friends, and had a great time. I ended up winning the game, but I have to say some of it was by chance. I was leading at the beginning, but things got a bit sticky towards the end. It was a little intense, but a lot of fun.

Ward boundaries

Sunday was such a sad day. We have been attending the Lansing ward since we moved here in August, and they talked to us on Sunday, and said that we need to have our records changed to the Williamston ward, and incidentally, attend that ward as well. It seems that there is a weird jog in the boundary, and we are in it.

I am not excited at all to change wards. This means that we will need to start all over again with the ward. Meet new people, we already have found great people and friends in the Lansing ward, and figure out this wards particularities.

We will also need to be released from our calling as primary CTR 7 teachers. That is probably the hardest part of all for me. I have really come to love the seven children that are in our class. They have been a bit difficult at times, but I feel that we have made progress and they are doing better since we were first called.

Well, I guess it's not too bad. We do know a few people from the Williamston ward. There are even two couples from that ward that lives in our apartment complex. I just need to get to know them better.

40 Day Junk Food Challenge

Brian and I started the 40 Day Junk Food Challenge today. I have done this almost every year since I was a sophomore in high school. So this actually makes it about the seventh year I have done this. I know some think I am totally crazy, or that I am trying to lose weight (which some would say is definitely crazy), but I like to do this for my health (I can be a little bit of a health nut sometimes), and other reasons.

This Challenge lasts for 40 days (of course), and here is a list of food and drinks that we will be avoiding-

Carbonated drinks
Candy bars
Pies
Frozen yogurt
Restaurant hamburgers*
Restaurant fries*
Any candy
Anything chocolate
Cookies
Restaurant pizza*
Chips
Cakes/brownies
Doughnuts
Ice cream
Pastries

*Any kind of restaurant! Homemade or home cooked items are acceptable.

Home for the holidays

This year for Christmas Brian and I had the wonderful opportunity to see both of our families. We started out in Utah for about two weeks and had a great time with my family. Everyone was home for Christmas this year, and it was great! We did all of the usual traditions, from Christmas Eve Basketball ( which ended with some bruises and a twisted ankle) to massaging our parents feet and brushing mom's hair on Christmas morning before opening gifts. I really enjoyed sharing the fun and crazy family stuff with Brian.

Brian and I then hopped on another plane and found ourselves in warmer weather in California. We tried to surprise his family, but it got to hard (they plan too much) so everyone knew except the two boys. We still had a fantastic time with everyone. I even learned how to knit from my sister-in-law, Michelle. It was a whorl-wind trip, but it was worth it. We had a hard time leaving family, and the warm weather.

Silver Bells in the City

On November 21st some friends of ours invited Brian and I to go with them to the Silver Bells in the city in downtown Lansing. They had a parade, lit up the state Christmas tree, and then had fireworks at the State Capital Building. We had such a fun night with our friends Ashley, Romney, and their little girl Ainsley.

Here is a picture of our friends. We were all bundled up for the cold night.
Here are some of the pictures from the parade. Brian liked the Army trucks the best, but I liked the train.

Ainsley was really cute all night. She kept reaching out her hand to hold mine throughout the night, and then when we went to our friends house afterward to warm up with wassail and some treats, and play a game, she wanted me to hold her. Her parents said that I am one of the only people they have seen her want to be held by. I found a new friend.

After Ainsley went to sleep Brian and I were introduced to a new game. The game is called Ticket to Ride, and we loved playing it with them. Someday we will need to get our own.

This is a video of the lighting of the states Christmas Tree.

Here is a video of the fireworks.