Happiness Is...

...A renewed love for the Indigo Girls. I was listening to them all day yesterday and today while driving to and from work and such. Their music made me happy. It also brought back a lot of good memories from my high school and early college years. "The Girls" fell out of graces with me for a while but sometimes you just need a little Swamp Ophelia or Rites of Passage to make you smile and sing along

...Enjoying a fresh strawberry milkshake while curling up on the couch to watch Fringe with my husband. There are several things about this that create some happiness. But maybe it was mostly the ability to enjoy ice cream again. The past three months I have NOT enjoyed sweet things, or much of any food really. Ice cream, I have missed you! Welcome back.

...Being debt free. I just made the final payment on my student loans. Well, technically, I just scheduled the final payment on my student loans. The actual transfer of money will take place on Monday. And then, no more debt. (Aside from a mortgage...)

...The prospect of a King Size Bed coming my way in the very near future. Our tax return came in today and we have some spare money from my pay check now that the loan is taken care of. And I have my eye on an upgrade in bed size. Sleeping in a queen isn't terrible, but I'm certain the extra space will be appreciated by both of us.


...Rolling into the month of May. I'm excited for spring to REALLY arrive. I know, technically it's here. But we had snow yesterday morning and it's pretty chilly today. I'm ready for outside parties and barbeque's. I'm ready for sun and shorts and thongs. (Not those kind of thongs, silly. I'm talking about what are now called flip flops. Sometimes I'm old school like that.) And I'm ready to plant things that will grow and give me veggies and flowers. I was getting excited as I was driving to work thinking about having some pots on my front porch this year and what I may put in them. Any suggestions? Bare in mind, I'm not a great gardener.


...Friday. 'Nough said.

Photos

Here are the photos from our trip. Get excited, they are some good ones!

This is the quilt I made for cute little Maxwell.

Matt in the middle of his baseball game.

The cheering section.

Aubrey getting excited about Emily holding her hand.

Aubrey was told she could look at the baby. And boy did she give looking her all.

Aubrey LOVED the baby.

Aunt Shannon reading to girls.

Aubrey in her cuteness.

When Jacob saw this picture he asked if it was a "2 year old version of glamor shots." Pretty funny.

Aubrey at this banana faster than I have ever seen someone eat. It was impressive. It made me want to eat some banana and I don't even like 'em.

A Quick Trip

Jacob and I made a quick trip to visit family this past weekend. I think we both wish it could have been longer. But we made the most of the time we had.

We spent Friday with my family and toured a chocolate factory, went to Costco and the Distribution Center, and enjoyed dinner with most everyone. It was so fun to see Shannon and her youngest, Aubrey. She sure is a cutie. It was also really fun watching Aubrey interact with her cousins when MaryAnn arrived with her three cute gals.

Saturday was also an enjoyable day split between my family and Jacob's. We spent the morning enjoying waffles and strawberries at a baby shower for me. (Yep, that is how I'm choosing to announce it. Jacob and I are expecting our first baby at the end of October. I'm 13 weeks along.) It was kind of weird having a shower when I'm not even showing, but I'm certain there won't be a time when all my siblings are together again before this baby comes. It was also a little surreal bringing home some baby stuff. I guess aside from the first trimester fun of nausea and being tired all the time, sometimes it just doesn't seem like it's really happening. But now I have some baby gear...weird.

We also really enjoyed watching Matt pitch at his baseball game Saturday afternoon. It was pretty great having a huge cheering section for him. And, let's be honest, he's a pretty good little pitcher.

Jacob and I left the game and made our way to his sister's house to meet our new nephew, Maxwell. He is a tiny one, born just 3 weeks ago. Jacob's parents were also in town and it was fantastic to spend some time with all of them. It was especially fun seeing Jacob hold his new nephew. There's something different about having your own sibling have a baby and I think being an uncle suited Jacob nicely.

Sunday morning we said a quick goodbye to my family and then headed for Maxwell's blessing. It was weird being in a very young ward. There were a ton of kids. It was a noisy meeting. I think Sarah said there are currently 30 pregnant women in her ward. That is just plain crazy. But, the meeting was nice and the blessing went well.

After the blessing we enjoyed a delicious lunch with Jacob's family and then made our way back home. We hit some pretty sketchy snow on the way back that was less than fun. But we made it home safely and now I just have to get the motivation to get back in the groove of work. And, I need to clean my house. We brought a ton of stuff back from our parents and the baby shower that I need to find homes for.

But mostly I just want to take it easy. Even though I'm feeling much better than I have been the past three months. Maybe I'm now in the habit of being lazy...

And keeping in that habit, I'll post pictures of the trip later. :)

List

Things I should take pictures of, and maybe some day will...

1. The blue flowers that were a surprise to see in our front yard. (Neither of us lived in this house this early in the spring a year ago...we're finding new things all the time.)

2. The quilt I have been working on all weekend for my new nephew. Jacob and I are taking a road trip this coming weekend to visit family and meet little Maxwell (Jacob's sister's new baby.) The quilt turned out better than I had hoped. Or at least it will have turned out better than I hoped when I get the binding done :).

3. My sassy new hair cut. It's pretty short. And I love it. Bonus: it is a fast do that's NOT a ponytail.

4. Jacob's sleek new hair cut compliments of yours truly. (That's right. I cut Jacob's hair so we can afford my more spendy hair cuts.)

And as a bonus to the list, not something I could have taken a picture of, but something new just the same. I got a new calling today. I am now the beehive advisor. Wish me luck in this one!!! I'm just grateful I am with the girls who are eager to be in young women's and not the older gals. I'm excited and nervous all at the same time.