Happy New Year (I'm a blogging slacker!)

Wow. I was sitting on the couch with Craig last night and he turns to me and says "So, what ever happened to our blog? Are you still doing that?" Umm yes! The answer is yes! I am 5 months way overdue in posting an update but here's a New Year's Resolution: be better at blogging!

Since I don't really keep a journal I had decided  like a year ago to blog because you can print these off and turn them into these cool books. I guess I should do better so it is a decent looking book!

So I guess I will try to sum up the last 5 months in a nutshell: insane!


I am five and a half months pregnant so there is one glaring answer for why I have been such a slacker.

I had truly horrible morning sickness that lasted all fall and just when we were hopeful it would go away it got worse. It turns out I have a condition called Hyperemesis Gravidarum that causes extreme and persistent nausea, vomiting, and malnutrition throughout an entire pregnancy. It affects about 1-2% of pregnant women and lucky me it is genetic and runs in our family. I spent almost 2 months on a PICC line that ran from above my elbow, up my arm and into the Vena Cava at my heart.

 It hurt going in but was way better than having the nurse come to my house and insert IV's everyday. After a week of tenderness I hardly noticed it. If you have ever been really dehydrated and had an IV placed you know those suckers hurt especially if they have to keep sticking you. So, I was glad not to be stuck constantly.

I had a nurse that came out a couple of times a week to check on everything and bring supplies. But my favorite nurse was my very sweet and handsome husband! They taught him how to do everything for me if I was too sick to do it myself and he took it very seriously. At least he looks serious in the picture but I think he was enjoying himself. Since he studies Bio-mechanics he was fascinated by everything.

I ran IV bags about 8 hours a day with vitamins and various anti nausea meds to keep me from continuing losing weight and it did help a lot. Unfortunately, right before Christmas my line became infected and the doctors caught it just in time before anything truly scary or serious could happen to me or the baby. So from here on out I am taking special meds around the clock and if I get too dehydrated I go to labor and delivery for hydration. It is too risky to put another line in me as I still have some residual infection in my heart.

In fantastic news though, the baby is measuring on track and weighs almost a pound and despite my weight loss (I weigh less 5.5 months pregnant than I did before getting pregnant!) they are feeling really good about his size and growth and he doesn't seem to have suffered from this condition. I am eternally grateful for that.

Did you catch that?! It's another BOY!!! We are absolutely thrilled. Keegan is so excited to have a little brother. Every night he kisses my tummy and says "Night, night baby!"

Needless to say, school has been shelved for the time being and we are just focusing on Craig getting through these last couple of semesters before we figure out where he is going to go for Graduate school and I will finish my degree at whatever fine institution that turns out to be.

Speaking of my awesome husband, he has been absolutely amazing  through all of  this and has been juggling so much. I am so proud of him and thankful for his hard work and sacrifice. 2011 was full of the most difficult challenges we have ever faced but we got through it and continue to face them side by side and as full of love as ever.

Keegan is a huge ray of light in our lives and it was wonderful seeing him understand Christmas this year. He loved the lights, the music, the lessons at church, and thought giving and receiving presents was the greatest thing ever. Thanks to many kind and loving angels he received everything he had asked for.



Things have been tight with only one income coming in right now since I have been ill and we were concerned how we would pay our bills and still be able to get anything for Keegan let alone ourselves for Christmas. Well, all I can say is that there are angels in our lives. So many family members from all over were extremely generous to us this Christmas as well as some who chose to be anonymous and rang our doorbell at night leaving money and treats behind. I was so overwhelmed by the spirit of giving that we received. It makes me choke up every time I think about it. If you were one of those people and you are reading this, know that we hold so much love and gratitude towards you for lifting a burden and making ours and our little boy's Christmas truly magical.

We look forward to this New Year, a fresh start, a brand new child to welcome into our family, and many more adventures. I promise I will try my best to be better about this blog!

To end with, here are a few photos from our special Christmas.

With Sophie the Miniature horse at a free holiday party

St. Alphonsus Festival of Trees- this was my favorite based on Van Gogh

He was so nervous about meeting Santa he kicked off his shoes!

Things I Love About Fall

School starts back up in exactly two weeks and I am ridiculously excited!!!  After having to miss the last two (three if you count summer) semesters I am so ready to be back in the lecture halls filling my mind with awesome knowledge.

 BSU approved my appeals and with my financial aid reinstated I am all set to take campus by storm. I am determined to be in amazing health and get a 4.0 this semester. Ambitious yes, but after the last 10 months and all the challenges it brought I am full of energy and determination!

Craig got a job at the Y coaching, and will also be keeping his job at the shipping store, I'm looking for something part time, and Keegan is going to be starting a part time toddler program at the same YMCA Craig will be working at.

All in all, I am seriously excited for the coming months and the great things that will be happening. In honor of that excitement here is my top ten list of things I love about fall!


1.) Back to school shopping. I love buying new folders, notebooks, pens, post its, etc. I always have! Even when I was a kid. And of course- new clothes!

2.) Leaves changing color. It makes for great photo ops and I love the crunchy sound the leaves make when I walk over them. Also, campus looks gorgeous with all of the colors everywhere.

3.) Football season! Gotta love my Boise State Broncos!

4.)  Hazelnut steamers from Starbucks or Dawson's

5. Flannel pajamas, a good book, and the fireplace on.

6.) Running the St. Luke's Women's Celebration 5k. 

7.) The return of must-see TV! I'm already super pumped for new episodes of The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, Bones, How I Met Your Mother, Glee, and Zooey Deschanel's new show New Girl.

8.) FOOD!!!! Halloween and Thanksgiving....need I say more! Candy, pie, turkey, green bean casserole...my mouth is already watering!

9.) Pumpkins! Pumpkin pie, going to the pumpkin patch, pumpkin smoothies, pumpkin bread, carving pumpkins, using pumpkins as decor, pumpkin scented candles, you get the picture yes? :)

10.) It's almost Christmas!

July!!!

Wow. I am the worst blogger ever! I have not updated in forever. I guess I will just recap July! We had a great long weekend for the 4th. It was super nice since we are so busy we never get that much time together. We went hiking, went on a picnic, went to our favorite ice cream place, played in the yard and spent the 4th with Craig's  family eating way too much and blowing stuff up.

Craig just finished up helping coach the Women's soccer and volleyball teams at BSU. It has been such a great experience for him. He will be starting back up with Men's basketball shortly. Hopefully all of this will lead to a great job or graduate school opportunity next year!

I've been staying home with Keegan but am now looking for a part time job as it looks like I will be going back to BSU this fall. I am so excited! Not being in school the last two semesters has been really hard on me. I need to be studying and writing research papers, I am one of those weirdos who just loves school. Until then, I have just discovered all of the historical documentaries on Netflix. HEAVEN!

Keegan is as busy as ever. He is talking in full sentences now and just learning like crazy. He is still obsessed with Elmo but his new favorite is Lightning McQueen. He always wants to wear those pajamas, watch the movie, and play with his themed toys. It is so fun watching him grow up. It's been really hard at the same time realizing he is not a baby anymore. His other obsession is water. He wants to take baths all the time in our big tub so he can splash and "swim" and he loves going to the splash parks. He got to go to a couple of lakes this summer and on his first boat ride and he was absolutely thrilled!

In other really exciting news (at least to me) the book I co-wrote is now up on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. I also found out it is being used at a college in Oregon as a textbook!!! It is so surreal seeing it sold at major booksellers and knowing that I spent a year working so hard to produce my chapter. I can't wait to see what other opportunities will come my way. I am itching for a new project to work on!!!

We just got back from 3 days in Eastern Idaho for a family reunion and to see some great family friends. It was so much fun. Craig and I had not been back since we lived there when we were first married. I cannot believe how much BYU-Idaho has grown! It was also really fun seeing our first apartment and where we met and everything. I was struck once again by how beautiful the Rexburg LDS Temple is. It really is a beacon on the hill. Keegan was enthralled with it and kept yelling: "Temple! Temple!" I am glad he is excited by the temple but we had to remind him to use a quieter voice...especially since a few weddings had just gotten out!

That's all for July really, I promise to be better about updating!

Colors Everywhere!

I am so excited because after slaving away in our garden attempting to make something grow, I finally see the fruits of my labor! I have roses galore and some peonies and a tree saplings. We are still waiting on the wildflowers Keegan planted but it is nice to see cheerful colors in the backyard.

Nothing terribly exciting has happened lately. I got really sick last week and had to spend a few days in the hospital. I took this week off to rest and heal and I go back to work Monday. It is really boring being sick and stuck at home. Netflix has Family Ties on Instant Streaming and I watched 38 episodes this week. Sad, right? I am so blessed to be in a great word though. The Relief Society sisters organized meals and took turns taking Keegan so I could get some sleep during the day. I am so glad that the Church has these fantastic organizations where we can serve one another.

My  Mom and Dad and brothers came out last weekend to help for a couple of days and cheer me up since I was feeling kind of down about being sick. It was so great to see them! I am looking forward to a nice vacation in Seattle this August. Hopefully we are going to do some really fun things like go to a Mariners v. Red Sox game, Les Mis, the beach, etc.

We also got a second kitty named Lucy, aka LuLu she is the most snuggly, sweet cat ever. She has just fit right into our family. Surprisingly she and Gilbert really took to each other and seem to be the best of friends now.


Craig is insanely busy. I have no idea where he summons his energy from. He is gone every day by 5:30 AM and does not get home until around 7:00 PM. He is continuing to intern with the Boise State Strength and Conditioning program. Since Men's basketball is not in season right now he is training the Women's Volleyball and Soccer teams. When he is not doing that he is juggling school and work. I don't know how he is not more exhausted. Just going to work 8 hours a day completely wears me out.


Keegan is doing great! He is seeming more and more like a big kid everyday. His speech is getting very clear and it is fun to chat with him. His favorite things are basketball, playing trucks, and chasing the cats. He loves playing with his friends and working on learning how to ride his trike.

Hopefully we get some free time to do something really fun soon. I am hoping for a fantastic 4th of July weekend!