Christmas... Just a little late

So I've been putting off updating the blog because I didn't want to until I could do a post about Christmas, and I didn't have all the pictures I wanted. Well, I'm done putting it off and I'm gonna go for it.

So Christmas was great! It was a much needed vacation, and we loved spending time with family. We had so much fun with both the little kids (reading books, playing wii, shooting darts, and so much more) and the big kids (Jeopardy, nightly games, movies, etc etc). It's especially fun watching TJ when we're around his family because he just loves playing with all the kids. I get tired way to quickly when I'm around kids, but he just loves it! This is a huge comfort for me when thinking about our family that's about to get a little bigger...

TJ wasn't feeling so well when we first left for his parent's house, but I ended up being the one who got really sick (like most of the rest of the people in that house). I felt pretty miserable starting on Christmas day, but realized it was a good thing that I got sick then, instead of when I was home and would have had to miss work. Unfortunately, it took me a pretty long time to completely get over it, and I probably would have called in sick to work if that was even a possibility (the perks of being a manager and having nobody that can cover for me).

Anyway, that's all I'm going to talk about for now. I know this is a really sad excuse for a description of our christmas, but I don't want to be to long-winded either. I know that with no pictures, all this talking is probably starting to get boring. So, I'll call that good for now, but promise to do better for holidays in the future.

Also, these pictures are from a fun little activity we did with some of our friends, America and Tyler, before christmas. We had a blast!

TJ and Tyler both get a little intense while cutting the gingerbread. America and I decided it was best if we just stayed out of it...

So we had our own fun making the frosting in the other room. Doesn't she look like she's having so much fun?? :)

Then it was time to put them together, and we all took that very seriously. See how focused we are??

And here we are with the finished products, though you can't see them very well. I guess we didn't want you to look at them to closely...

Just kidding! Here's a close-up of America and Tyler's

And here's a close up of ours! You can decide which one is better. But come on, let's be honest. The little family and snow man really make the gingerbread house much more personal.

America also made some really yummy wassail. I had never had it before! It was so much fun!!

BYU vs Utah

So the big BYU vs Utah game was last weekend. It was pretty amazing. I had thought I wasn't going to be able to go because I had to work, but luckily I was able to convince my boss that as long as I left early and beat the rush, it'd be ok. One of my friends and her fiancee were in town for the game so we got to sit by them and had lots of fun! TJ got WAY into it, of course, and a couple times I had to remind him to breathe, or tell him that I was going to get a bruise if he kept punching me every time something good happened. So, by the fourth quarter, BYU was up 20-6 and so I decided it was about time for me to leave. As soon as I did that, of course, the game got really interesting. Utah scored 14 unanswered points to send it into overtime! Then, in overtime, Utah scored a field goal first, but BYU scored a touchdown to win the game!! TJ called me to tell me the good news and I could barely understand him. That also might have had something to do with the fact, though, that he was in the process of rushing the field at the time. He had to come by work afterwards to get the car, and showed me his now most prized possession - blue and white grass from the end zone. I'm not gonna lie, I thought he was kinda crazy when I saw it. Later, some more exciting stuff surrounding football happened when Max Hall (the quarter back for BYU), Dennis Pitta (tight end for BYU), another player (I can't remember his name...) and their families all came in to eat at Pizza Pie Cafe! They had been in the weekend before after another game, so apparently they like it! I text TJ to tell him they were there, and he begged be to get a picture of them. He wanted me to be all sketchy and try to just sneak a picture of them on my phone. I told him no way. But then, as they were all leaving, I decided to be nice, and so I asked Pitta if one of the other girls who worked there and I would have a picture with him. It was pretty fuzzy, but it was the best I could get. TJ was super excited to show it off to everyone, so here it is (plus a picture of TJ's grass...)!

Pregnant Witch

So I worked all halloween day this year and so didn't get to do anything to fun. I did get to dress up though. So, the night before, I looked through all my maternity clothes to see what might work for a costume. Luckily, I found something! I had this dress that my sister Jennie had let me borrow (it was just a little tight, so I decided to wear a cardigan to try and hide it a little, but that didn't help hide my big butt!) and some argyle tights she had given me too! I thought it made a really good witch costume (minus the hat which I had to buy) so I ran with it. TJ informed me the next morning as we were leaving for work that pregnant witches are the worst kind too since their the meanest. So I guess I was pretty scary! Anyway, it was fun to wear, and also gave everyone a really good view of my pregnant belly, so I decided to share it with all of you as well! Sorry the pictures aren't the best. I obviously should have stood in front of a plain wall or something, but TJ was taking the pictures and wasn't feeling well and so refused to move...

It's a Boy...

For those of you who have commented on not being able to read the ultrasound, I figured I would give you a little help. It is a bottom view. Hope this helps.

Surprise!

So we had another doctors appointment today and got some exciting news we weren't expecting! I'm only 16 weeks (and 4 days) along and we knew that you don't usually get to find out the gender until 20 weeks, so we weren't hopeful we were going to get another ultrasound today. We were planning on doing some begging though. So, when the doctor came in to see us, he had his med student check the heartbeat and then said "hmmm, I wonder if that's a boy or a girl heartbeat." We both looked at each other hopefully thinking, "here's our chance to ask him!" and one of us said "that's what we're wondering!" So then, a miracle happened and the doctor said "well, do you want to take a look?" and we both said "YES!" So we headed over to the ultrasound room and got all set up. He prefaced by telling us that circumstances would have to be just right to be able to tell and so not to get our hopes up. So he started looking around, couldn't really see anything, and then all of a sudden got a good shot of the baby from underneath and told us "well, it's a boy!" We were so excited. He then rewound the ultrasound and replayed the moment when the baby lifted his leg and gave the doctor a perfect view (which is what we got the picture of). He then pointed out, "see, there's the scrotum, and there's the wiener!" Very technical terms, I know. So yeah, we're both really excited (though I was convinced it was going to be a girl) to have a little boy in 5 months. We were so excited that TJ decided to go and buy him his first outfit, but then we ended up getting two :) So here are some pictures!

First Baby Present!!

So I already have something to update the blog with! My awesome friend Andi from the social work program (she's now living in Idaho Falls working) came to visit me and TJ this weekend which was so much fun! I'm definitely a little lonely here and miss my friends so much! Anyway, so when she got here, she had a surprise for me! A diaper bag! It's so pretty too. We had looked at them last time she was here and she told me she was going to get it for me but I didn't know it would be so soon! It's by Vera Bradley, totally washable (and lined on the inside too so it's easy to wipe out), full of pockets to store things in, and came with a changing pad too! Anyway, I was so excited and grateful to Andi. She's great :)

Long Time!!

Wow, so it's been so long since our last post. I'm obviously not as good at this blogging thing as I hoped. Well, I'll try to catch everyone up as fast as possible. I'm sure I'll miss a lot, but I'll do my best.


TJ got accepted to BYU in Provo! After much preparation and doing well at his audition, he found out that he had gotten accepted to the school of music, and then to the university itself! We were so excited and very happy to know what to plan on for the fall semester.


I graduated from college!! On July 23rd, I graduated with my bachelors in social work. It was so exciting, but also a little scary. I had to accept the fact that I was about to enter the "real world" and had to grow up. I also was a little sad because I really enjoy school and was sad I wouldn't be going back (until the hopeful day I can go back and get my masters). My parents were able to be there for it too. The day before graduation and the next two days afterwards were spent packing up our apartment to prepare for the big move to Provo. Finally, on the Monday after graduation, we put the finishing touches on our moving truck, finished cleaning the apartement, checked out, and drove to Provo. When we got to Provo, we spent the rest of the afternoon (in 100 degree weather) unpacking the truck into a storage unit. But then we were done (at least for a month)! We definitely couldn't have done it all without my parents.... Thanks for your help! We love you!

Next, we headed to Minnesota for the first Rands Family reunion. It was tons of fun! We borrowed some RVs from people so there were enough beds for people to sleep in and the Wharton's were amazing hosts, especially with 22 of us! We did lots of fun stuff like have a corn-on-the-cob eating contest (which later turned into a pizza eating contest for the boys where TJ got 2nd place by eating 73 pieces), go to a historical farm with lots of animals, go to the pool, go on a family bike ride, and play fun games! It was so much fun and so good to be with my whole family, especially since I hadn't even met some of them (Olive and the twins) yet! After we were done with the reunion, we headed to the Peper's house for a fun visit with them. It was so nice to spend time with the Pepers and the Warrens and was pretty low key (so the opposite of the week before), so we got the best of both worlds! After visiting with them, we headed back to Macomb to spend some time with just my parents (and give them their car back they had let us borrow!) and give TJ some time to practice. I had talked to my band director from high school and gotten permission for him to use their equipment. Then, after being there for a little while, we got in the car one more time and went to St. Louis to visit the Wilsons. While we were there we had the privilege to witness Brynn's first day of Kindergarten, draw and color some animals for Dylan's birthday party the next week, visit Scott Air Force base where PJ works, and even go bowling! Then, on the last day we were there we even made a trip to the infamous arch! Since Kelly and TJ are a little scared of heights, they didn't have the best time at the top, but Tyler and I had fun!! Then, it was time to go home... So Kelly took us to the airport, and after about a month away, we headed back to Utah.

So, that's where we are now! We're living at Wymount Terrace (in the same building my parents lived in) and it's not as nice as the village (mostly because of the lack of storage space) but it's not as bad as I expected. TJ's liking school, though it is harder than BYU-I, but that's what he wanted! I'm working and the restaurant is getting ready to open in about a week (oh, and it's now called Pizza Pie Cafe, not Craigo's) so it's been BUSY! We've been loving BYU football, and I even went to my very first college football game two weeks ago. It was so fun!

So, I guess all that leaves is the news that I'm.... PREGNANT. Our families already know, but for anyone who didn't, there ya go! We had our first doctors appointment about a month ago and got to see our BABY! So here he/she is....

So cute right? Well, now that we're settled, found the cord to our camera, and have some important stuff to write about, hopefully I'll be much better at this. Sorry this was such a long post, but hopefully you got all the important stuff :) Love you all!