Thanksgiving List

10 Things I am incredibly thankful for this year.

1. I am thankful for the growing baby girl that is soon to arrive.

2. I am thankful for my husband Brandon and how hard he tries to make me happy.

3. I am thankful for my mom and dad, two of my best friends, and the best examples of how to be good, honest and loving people through this life.

4. I am thankful for all of our family and the support that they give us in their own unique ways.

5. I am thankful for my little baby dog, Presley, and the fact that she is always excited when I walk through the door.

6. I am thankful for our home, and how we have been able to grow and learn as a family within its walls.

7. I am thankful that Brandon and I had the opportunity to receive an education and the doors that will open for our future.

8. I am thankful for the renewed hope in America and the prospect for a better future for my daughter.

9. I am thankful for my calling as Primary Secretary and all that I learn from the little children each week.

10. I am thankful for the direction our lives are taking and can't wait to see what the future holds.

It's not over until the fat lady tells a joke!

This weekend is my final performance with RDT, if you can call it a performance. It is our fall family show, and apparently some of the higher-ups at RDT find a pregnant woman aesthetically unpleasing onstage. So for my farewell performance I walk onstage, stand behind boxes and tell a joke! That's it! No dancing for this mother-to-be. Luckily I can laugh about the whole situation. I am not uncomfortable in a leotard but I guess it would make some people feel uneasy. I forget that most of the dancing world does not like to present "real people" onstage. So I say goodbye to my professional dancing days for now with a funny little joke about a frog.

Happy Holidays from Our Family to Yours!

We are looking forward to a wonderful holiday season. I have to admit I am already listening to Christmas music in the car, and trying to convince Brandon to put up the lights this weekend. All I am missing is a big snow storm and I will be completely content and ready for Christmas. Brandon is being a wonderful husband and taking me on a vacation to Hawaii in the beginning of December (I am sure it will be the last one we take for a little while)! It will be a great way to kick off the season together. Then it will be back to the hopefully snowy weather, although I might not be up for all the fun winter sports this year! Christmas is my favorite time of year, and we have so much to celebrate in our lives.

Could you say no to these adorable puppy eyes!! I know that I spoil our little Presley dog, but she is so sweet that I just can't resist. Brandon and I have been working like crazy these past few months, so as guilty dog parents we have been taking her to doggy daycare! Yes you read that right, doggy daycare. She has been going about three days a week and loves playing with her friends. They tell me her best friend is a huge black lab named Guss. The best part of the deal is that at night she is so exhausted she sleeps from 6pm to 6am without a peep. She is such a wonderful little addition to our family. It will be interesting to see her adjust to the new baby girl in April. For now, she likes to curl up on my ever growing belly and snore the night away!

It's A Girl!!!

I am about 20 weeks along and we can't wait to meet her! We are busy shopping for strollers and cribs and every little thing a new baby might need. We are trying to pick out paint and deciding how to decorate the nursery. All the grandmas are busy making blankets and quilts. We want to finish a spare bedroom in the basement over the holidays so we can move the guest room downstairs, and leave the upstairs rooms just for mommy and her baby girl. We have a lot to do, but we are loving the process. Although my belly is huge, she measures really small, but everything looks good and healthy. I think she already has a beautiful profile!