tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17801185291144439102024-03-13T06:46:41.466-06:00Justin & ErinUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger71125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780118529114443910.post-47652034531540786482012-11-08T19:46:00.000-07:002012-11-08T19:46:00.716-07:00Our Little PumpkinI really shouldn't say "little" because there's not much little about our Levi. He turned 4 months old mid-October and at that doctor's appointment, he came in as 17lb 3 oz (85%), 27.5 in long (98%), head circumference 17.25 cm (84%). He's rolling and reaching and grabbing and paying attention. Today Levi wanted to drink the water out of my cup. It was purified, so I figured it wouldn't hurt him. I saved a tiny bit at the end so he wouldn't spill it all and he put it straight to his mouth. I helped him tip it up and as soon as the cold water hit his mouth he made a hilarious <strong>mom this is gross</strong> face and promptly spit it out. He's funny.<br />
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Justin LOVES carving pumpkins. <strong>LOVES</strong> it. So every year we carve pumpkins together. Well, he carves and I struggle to do something decent. This year we got particularly big pumpkins because we had a fun idea. We could put Levi <em>inside</em> the pumpkin!!!<br />
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At first we didn't cut out leg holes, but Levi thought it was cool to stand inside...</div>
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Justin was SO excited to carve pumpkins!!<br />
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Levi was SO excited to wear a pumpkin!!<br />
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The first thing he did when he got inside the pumpkin was try to eat it... Thus the slobber down the front in the next several pictures :)<br />
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He was laughing at us a lot, but most of them turned out blurry b/c the shutter was open so long to get decent lighting... Here was the best laugh with the least blur. He's a really happy baby and loves to talk and laugh and sometimes sing. What did we do without him?!<br />
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Getting less entertained...<br />
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And finally had enough. Don't worry, we took him out quickly but had to snap a picture first. When he has something to say, he lets you have it!!!!! We sure love that little boy and had fun introducing him to the joy of carving pumpkins :)<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780118529114443910.post-15684676675126928102012-10-26T12:42:00.003-06:002012-10-26T12:42:41.317-06:00A story worth waiting for...<u>WARNING: VERY LONG POST. I tried to omit all unimportant details, but it's a long story anyways...</u><br />
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<u>Thursday June 7</u>: Baby Boy is due!!! <br />
We waited 40 long weeks for him to come, but he still wasn't ready to make an appearance. He seems to be doing fine at my doctor's appointment. So we schedule a BPP (biophysical profile) for Tuesday to make sure all is well.<br />
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That weekend we went to Scalini's - an Italian place outside Atlanta that claims their eggplant parmigian induces labor. Didn't do it for me. Also had spicy thai food on Monday. Still no baby. Tried walking, stretching, etc... and nada. <br />
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<u>Tuesday June 12</u>: Baby Boy's BPP<br />
Baby Boy got an 8/8 on his BPP (SO PROUD). While doing the ultrasound the tech said that it looked like he was "sunny side up" - head down but facing the wrong way. We'd heard that can cause more "back labor" or make it more painful. Since all was well, the CNM let me decide if I wanted to induce him or let him come on his own. We decided to induce, so we scheduled to start the induction on Thursday night, June 14.<br />
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<u>Thursday June 14</u>: Begin Induction!<br />
We had our "last supper" at Upscale Pizza - YUMMY VEGGIE PIZZA!!! The waiter was excited when we told him we were on our way RIGHT NOW to go have our baby. We check into the hospital at 7pm. About 9pm they checked me before starting the cervadil. I was 2cm, +2 station, 75% effaced. The cervadil was *supposed* to help my cervix mellow/ripen so that when we started pitocin in the morning things could progress quicker. Poor night of sleep - we were so excited to be meeting our son the next day!!!!<br />
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<u>Friday June 15:</u> Induction, day 2<br />
I was allowed to shower and eat breakfast. At 9am they took our the cervadil and I was at 3cm, +2 station, 80% effaced. They started my IV b/c I was positive for GBS and at 10:14 started antibiotics and pitocin. I tried bouncing on the labor ball, we watched tv, talked a lot. My family came to visit. They would up the pitocin every 30-60 minutes. I was nervous because I'd heard from a lot of people how intense your contraction are when you're on pitocin. I definitely did NOT have that experience - I was even able to nap! At almost 6pm they checked me and I was 3cm, +2, 80% effaced. That's right - ZERO PROGRESS. I was <strong>so disappointed</strong>. They decided my uterus was over-saturated with pitocin, so they shut it off and did an IV flush. I was trying to stay happy and light-hearted about all of this, but I was <em>supposed</em> to have my son by now. We weren't <em>supposed</em> to still be in this room! SO many people I know got pitocin and blup - baby came out about 8 hours later! My nurse that night, Dena, was SO sweet - we LOVED her! Since I wasn't having the baby any time soon, I was allowed to eat dinner. Yay hospital food! It actually wasn't that bad. I finally called my friend Amy and had a little cry-fest. She'd had a similar experience with pitocin and understood. Then talked to my cousin, Lindsey, who was a LD nurse and also understood. I just felt like things were going nowhere (which was true), and was so disappointed because I'd been SO hopeful. :( It did help when it sunk in that no matter how, we would eventually be having this baby and I just needed to keep my chin up. That night they did a Cook's Catheter - VERY cool. I slept GREAT and felt at peace and knew that we would be meeting our son the <strong>very next day</strong>!!!!<br />
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<u>Saturday June 16</u>: Induction, day 3<br />
In the morning my catheter just popped out! Super exciting because that meant I must've dilated to somewhere around a 4/5. They actually didn't check me, but after breakfast started the IV again, with antibiotics and pitocin to follow. Same thing as Friday - I felt very little effect from the pitocin! No pain, no progress. It was especially difficult to hear the cries of brand-new babies coming from the rooms beside me. Don't get me wrong - at first it was sweet: "Ohhhh, they just had a <em>baby!</em> A <em>brand new baby!!!</em> How sweet!" and then it progressively became funny or ironic, "oh my gosh - <em>another</em> family had a new baby. That's two before I've even had mine!" and then it was <strong>very heart-breaking</strong> to hear new families replace the old ones and hear <strong><em>another baby</em></strong> be born in that same room a few hours later. It felt like everyone in the world was welcoming their baby and I was stuck sitting here, listening to their happiness. I knew I couldn't do anything to change things, so I was tried to think happy, relaxing, encouraging thoughts that would help this baby finally come.<br />
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About 3pm baby kicked mid-contraction, I felt a pop, and my water had broken! That was REALLY exciting! It was finally happening! Even better - it happened on its own! Maybe my body was finally getting the message and was ready to have this baby! We texted family with the news and asked for their best guessed on when this kid would make his appearance. I think the earliest guesses were for 7pm, the latest for 9 or 10pm. We were really hoping it'd happen sooner than that, but as long as he came safely, that's all that really mattered! They also checked me at this point: 6cm, 100% effaced, still +2. Yay for change!!! At that point the CNM said she hoped we'd have this baby sometime by 10pm!<br />
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I had large contractions every 2 min or so. There wasn't much down time in between, and they were <em>really</em> intense. I figured that if I wanted enough energy when the time came to push, I needed to go with an epidural. So I did (hindsight: VERY glad I made that decision). 5pm: got epidural and went on oxygen. No pain, which was great, but I had to keep going back on/off the oxygen because Baby Boy didn't love the contractions without the extra help. At almost 8pm they turned the pitocin off so me/baby could rest. I was having irregular contractions that had a big peak, and halfway down would have another big peak, med peak, and small peak. So basically baby couldn't rest in between. At 8:34 they turned th epitocin back on, but restarted at the lowest levels :( Since it now looked like it might be awhile, we napped for a bit to try and get ready for the road ahead. <br />
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*When the nurses changed shifts at 7pm, I GOT THE SAME NURSE DENA!!* Yay!<br />
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They checked me again at 11:03pm and I was at a 7 1/2. :( They told me to let them know when I felt pressure, but otherwise they'd let me rest and labor on my own.<br />
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<u>Sunday June 17</u>: Induction, day 4<br />
At midnight I didn't have that urge, but I felt <strong>incredible pressure</strong> on my lower back (read: <strong>pain</strong>). And this was with an epidural! Though I was pushing my "extra dose" button every 10-15 min, I couldn't get rid of the pain. At 1am they checked me and I was at 10cm (YAY), 100%, +1 station. His station was actually still <em>really</em> high - that's a LOT of pushing for me. So they said they'd let him labor down with my contractions so my body could do more of the work and I could save my energy. Still on oxygen most of the time.<br />
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3am (two hours later): I was still in quite a bit of pain, so they decided to let me push and see what that did. They also asked me not to push my epidural button so I would have more sensitivity and push more effectively. Still on oxygen between pushes.<br />
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3:57 the baby's heart rate was dropping at the end of contractions, which is atypical and a sign of possible distress from the baby. The midwife wanted the doctor's second opinion and mentioned that if this didn't get better or the baby didn't come soon, they would discuss a C-section. Still on oxygen. The midwife put me on rest mode and said NO PUSHING.<br />
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*if you've ever been in labor and were pushing and they told you you couldn't, you understand the pain that I was in. And this was <strong>with an epidural</strong>. I'm talking severe, <em>severe</em> pain.*<br />
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4:55 they let me push to help with the pain. Still on oxygen. I'm feeling very overwhelmed but trying to remain calm and happy. I know Justin doesn't like to see me in pain. He and my mom are doing everything they can to help me focus and get through it. Very helpful :)<br />
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5:30 baby's heart rate is still dipping with pushes.<br />
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5:50am: Baby is still at a +1 station despite being 10cm, 100% effaced and laboring down/pushing for the past 6 hours. They called a C-section and started prepping me. Still no new epidural. Still lots of pain. They cut the pitocin, which meant I could also quit the oxygen.<br />
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6:30am: They're wheeling me to surgery, almost get out the door of my room when apparently someone just arrived who needs an emergency c-section. So they put me back in place and we just wait. Justin's there, as is mom, dad, Claire, and Grammy. We're just trying to stay positive. I keep telling myself, "it's okay, I'm just glad WE'RE not the emergency." - which is true, but it seems like this birth will literally NEVER happen. Never, ever, ever.<br />
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7:30am: Someone comes to tell me that other person is finishing up, we'll go back very soon.<br />
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7:38am: <strong><em>Another emergency c-section</em></strong>. My strength, hope, resolve failed on me 100%. I had nothing left to give and I just broke down. It was very sad. I was still in pain, and now was crumbled as well. At this point my parents and Justin are all very upset as well. I repeat, "It's okay. I'm just glad WE'RE not the emergency." But I am bawling. Poor Dena was supposed to be off but is staying with us to make sure I'm taken care of.<br />
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8:20am: They give me a new IV in my right hand because my other one (which was started now a full 48 hours ago) isn't working quite right anymore. The epidural guy comes in and asks how my old epidural is doing. He says I shouldn't be able to feel my legs. "Oh these legs?" as I lift them up. Uh-oh, he quickly gives me another one.<br />
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At 9:22am I am <strong><em>finally</em></strong> wheeled back into surgery. I was weepy and exhausted and tired of being in labor. Tender mercy that my friend Michelle's mom is my anesthesiologist in surgery! (Incidentally, Michelle gave birth to her triplets the next day - something that wasn't ancticipated as her mom and I talked during my surgery!).<br />
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9:47 baby is officially born. It took a lot to get him out of there. Several people were pulling/tugging/pushing to get him out. When they did get him out, we didn't get to see him right away like they do on A Baby Story. He also didn't cry right away. Finally we hear him cry a few minutes later and they invite Justin to go over and meet him. After they clean him up a bit, they wrap him up and bring him to me. I can't even hold him, but I got to kiss him and Michelle's mom took a picture. They took Levi and Justin out of the room while they finished me up. They wheeled me out to 1 hr in recovery and finally to a LD recovery room. Levi was a big boy at 9lb, 5 oz, 22in long, 15cm head. He literally would not fit out. We look at pictures now and you can totally see how squished his head was from trying. Bless his heart!<br />
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We realized Baby Boy did NOT look like a Mason OR a Logan. So we spent much of our awake time just looking at him and wondering what he looked like. Finally we settled on Levi Daniel Badger. Daniel is Justin's middle name, and Levi is a strong, cool, masculine name that felt and looked right.<br />
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All of my <em>hours</em> (and I mean <strong>hours</strong>) of watching a Baby Story didn't quite prepare me for my own. In the end, while birth is certainly miraculous, my own experience was quite hell-ish. I told Justin at the time that if this is how birth goes for me, we might need to consider having less children. I'm not sure if I will stick to that. But I have already decided that if future children are looking to be equally as large or sunny-side-up, I will elect to do a scheduled c-section. That experience was too difficult to go through again. I would <em>love</em> to have a child the usual way. I always expected that my body was made for easy childbirths. Maybe it is but not for such a big kid? Who knows... What I do know is I have never been <strong>so grateful</strong> for <strong><em>modern technology</em></strong>. Otherwise Levi and I would very likely not be here. What a blessing to live in this day and age! What a blessing to even have a child, no matter what the birth process was like! I feel like the whole experience was humbling in an unexpected way and that sometimes, for me, there <strong>is</strong> a worse-than-worst-case scenario. Never have my expectations been so far off the mark. <br />
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The strange thing is, this birth was 4 1/2 months ago and already it has faded SO much. I don't remember that agony or heartache. I don't cry when I talk about it anymore (I did for a few months). I think that's how the <strong>Atonement</strong> and <strong>repentance</strong> work. We are healed, and that hurt doesn't hurt so much anymore.<br />
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And the best news? Justin, Levi and I get to be a family FOREVER because we were sealed together! What an enormous blessing!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780118529114443910.post-34895617216784244282012-09-25T12:50:00.004-06:002012-09-25T12:50:39.772-06:00<strong>Top 10 Ways You Know You Stink At Blogging...</strong><br />
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<strong>10. Your friend says, "So, did you quit blogging?"</strong> No... But I can see why you might think that.<br />
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<strong>9. Your last post was over 6 months ago.</strong> 6 months and 7 days to be exact.<br />
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<strong>8. You were reading a friends blog who said how much she appreciated reading her fellow young mommy bloggers. </strong>My friend is currently mid-move with a newborn and a husband out of town on medical rotations. She was talking about how inspiring and uplifting she finds her friends blogs and basically said thank you for sharing. I feel the same way about reading other friends blogs and am not contributing to the upliftment. Let's fix that.<br />
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<strong>7. You took an awesome trip to Utah and haven't mentioned it. </strong>Back in April I went to Utah for a whole week! It was SO fun to see so many friends and family. I got to see Ashley and Brian and visit their darling apartment in Park City. Had delicious Mexican food at this fun place in downtown Park City. Bought them my favorite cherry cordial ice cream and then we visited for a long time after getting home. The next day I slept in and visited my Cappellucci cousins in Bountiful. Laurel and I went shopping for a cute maternity shirt and then we all had dinner and watched a movie/ate ice cream. Kathy got to feel baby boy hiccup and it was SO fun to visit with my cousins! Kathy and I got to go to the amazing Sunshine Cafe for breakfast, then I got to tag along with my cousin Chelsea to a 1-yr old's photo shoot. I've been wanting to get into photography myself - have always LOVED taking pictures - and she showed me the ropes and taught me alot about my camera, how to make cool backdrops, basics with photoshop etc... I went down to BYU to hug Kendall and see Kelsie's freshman dorm. Then I got to meet up with one of my freshmen roommates at Costa Vida - yum! I got to go visit Aubrey, Blair and Brittany and Aubrey and Blair's new house. My sister Katie and bff Renae joined us and we visited for a LONG time. Slumber party at Aubrey's house. Katie and I went to breakfast for all-you-can-eat French Toast and Kneaders. Wouldn't you know I locked the door I wasn't supposed to lock and we were locked out. Insert picture of pregnant woman and sister climbing over the back fence to try and find any window or door that would open. Ended up having to go to Aubrey's work for her extra key. See #6 below. Then cousins Chelsea and Ashlee threw me a baby shower that was TOO CUTE!!! It was airline themed (Justin works for Delta) and every last detail was meticulous in the airline references/color scheme. If anybody wants a cool party - contact Topsy Turvy!!! It was SO FUN to see so many friends and family! My first friend on this planet was there, Jessica Hill, and her mom. Our moms went to pregnancy class together :) There was also a great turnout from Justin's friends, who I now call my own. I'm only sad we can't be out there this Th for Whitney's wedding :( Then Katie and I slumber partied at Chelsea's house, woke up the next morning to some amazing chocolate chip scones, and headed back to the airport. It was an amazing trip that was jam-packed with my favorite Utah foods and favorite Utah people!!!<br />
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<strong>6. You got maternity pictures taken by the amazing Chelsea Peterson and haven't mentioned it.</strong> Chelsea is my cousin and offered to take maternity pictures for me. They turned out WONDERFULLY and I want to be as good as Chelsea is at photography when I grow up. She has such an eye for it and is definitely making a name for herself. Super proud to be related to her!!! <br />
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<strong>5. You had three baby showers and haven't mentioned them. </strong>I mentioned the Utah shower in #7. Then my best friend of over two decades, Ashley Jones (Moote) threw me a shower with her mama in GA. It was a darling Winnie the Pooh theme complete with honeycomb to put on rolls. SO fun to feel loved and showered with gifts. We received so many gifts, we are still so grateful. Then my math department at work threw me a school shower. Again, enormous generosity!! We received the changing table, crip, and play pen we registered for and still had $ leftover to furnish the baby's room. What a blessing!!!<br />
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<strong>4. Since your last post you found and closed on a home. </strong>Back in Jan when we realized how much our rent was going up, we knew we should probably find somewhere else to live so that half Justin's income wasn't housing. After a long time looking, we found one! It was a HUD home (foreclosure) and the process was SO FRUSTRATING for several reasons. I promise that soon we'll do a post just on the house with before/after pictures and more details on buying a home. Long story short, we are homeowners! We were able to do a 15-yr loan and we are SO proud that we can say that!!!<br />
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<strong>3. Since your last post you decided on a name for your baby that was NOT either of the two names discussed in said post.</strong> So this darling little baby came out and did not look like a Mason or a Logan. So we went back to the drawing board and between the two of us came up with Levi Daniel. Definitely fits him. And I feel like it's a good, sturdy, cool name. It did take the whole first day though, so we just called him Little Man and Buddy and Son and stuff until we officially decided on Levi.<br />
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<strong>2. A baby? Oh yeah, you had a baby. </strong>Man, that's a story on its own and one that deserves a decent telling. Long story short, Levi was a week late. We went into the hospital on Thursday night 6/14 to start the induction process. Everyone told me things would be so smooth and that pitocin would just work so great. Levi was born Sunday morning 6/17. I feel cool b/c my cousin Lindsey (L/D nurse) said that my story is the second worse she's ever heard. Are you intruiged? Good. I'll tell you soon.<br />
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<strong>1. You actually have fun stories of parenthood thus far but haven't shared any of them. And your baby is 3 months old.</strong> Levi is just darling and precious and cute. He's a big boy, but his growth seems to be more in the length than the weight. He just started rolling over from stomach to back last week. He's blowing bubbles and actually laughing. He has one big dimple and I think I see another small one. He gives big open-mouthed smiles where you can see his cute little gums. His newborn hair is almost all gone - except for the part that looks like a mullet - and his new soft infant hair is white blonde. It feels like a beanie baby. Levi will sing at you sometimes when you sing to him. He'll take a bottle but doesn't like straight formula. He used to poop or pee on you EVERY SINGLE DIAPER CHANGE. Luckily he grew out of that. He LOVES baths. He pooped all over Justin at his first doctor's appt. Then he did it again 3 days later at his weight check. It was the same nurse and she actually remembered him from 3 days prior. Levi loves music and it can calm him when he's fussy. He loves to be thrown into the air. Sleeping between all his feedings at night - goes to bed by 8pm. His longest stretch on record is 11 1/2 hours. Only happened once. But he'll go about 8 hrs every night and then 3 or 4 hour chunks until about 7:30/8am when he's awake for good. His napping schedule changes daily, it feels, but he takes one long nap each day. What a joy and blessing and delight!<br />
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I will try to never have the need to write a top ten list like this again. Hopefully I'll post again soon with pictures and details for all of the above. Yay life!!!!<br />
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<strong></strong>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780118529114443910.post-51865096454401405472012-03-18T18:37:00.000-06:002012-03-18T18:37:40.494-06:00Badger UpdateThank you all for taking the time to vote for baby's name. Unfortunately mom and dad are still split down the middle, so it will be interesting to see how the name game plays out. Hopefully baby boy look a LOT like Mason so daddy will just forget he ever liked the name Logan ;)<br />
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I think I'm starting to realize that life will NEVER slow down. The "slow" weeks fill up just as much as the ones that you knew were going to be busy.<br />
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The last few months have been no different. At school I've been doing an after-school program called "Second Chance" for those students who failed first semester. It's a 6 week program, 4 days each week, and we breeze through all the material from first semester and students can test out by getting a 70% on each unit or on a comprehensive final exam. It's a good way for kids who failed b/c they were plain old lazy to be able to pass. But those who failed because they didn't understand it the first time - much harder for them. And frustrating for me. So, that added 90+ minutes to every school day for me. It ended last week and I have thoroughly enjoyed not having that extra obligation after school. Yay!!!<br />
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Since November (?) Justin's been doing double-duty at work. He started his new job as an FSM (operational manager for in-flight services at Delta) in October, but then his old corporate communications job had a huge influx of stuff they needed to do and they desperately needed his help. So, he's been working Tues- Thurs at the GO doing corporate communications and then weekends (usually Fri-Sat) back at the domestic base in ATL as an FSM. He's said that he loves his new job as an FSM, and that it's actually been neat to split time. Good change of pace. This month is the last month he'll be splitting time, because he'll be doing flight attendant training (needed for FSMs) starting mid-April. The fun part about that is the classes are supposedly 10 hrs a day, 6 days a week for 10 weeks. His class is scheduled to end June 5. Baby is due June 7. So we pray daily for a healthy full-term baby!!<br />
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In other news, Justin was accepted into a mentoring program that Delta does. They had hundreds of applicants and chose 50 to be in the program this year. That's a very cool opportunity that Justin is also enjoying! (If I said anything incorrectly, I'll make sure Justin fixes it soon, I promise).<br />
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For Valentine's Day Justin gave me some BEAUTIFUL flowers, took me to a yummy thai restaurant, and gave me a Kindle Touch! The best part: he WON it in a raffle at his gym. Who actually wins stuff in raffles? We can now say that we do!! Then for an early anniversary present he gave me a beautiful, amazing, expensive DSLR camera!!!! We knew we wanted one before baby boy arrived, and we've been saving and talking about one for a long time now. Once I stay home with baby boy I'd love to get more into photography stuff to compliment the video stuff we already do. "Step one: camera" is now checked off the list!<br />
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Pregnancy is going well. Baby boy is getting bigger and stronger - he loves flips and swirls and does <em>not</em> like when we poke his cute little butt or foot when he puts them too close to my belly where we can feel him so well. He is very easy to feel when he's moving, and it's entertaining to watch parts of my belly jump or move of their own accord. It's very entertaining to watch and sometimes it almost tickles.<br />
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I'm just starting to get uncomfortable - really hot at night (and during 5th period), thirsty, swelling in hands/feet, decrease in sleeping comfort, etc... Belly button is out. We just passed 28 weeks and uterus is measuring 28 cm right on target. Yay! We start going to appointments every 2 weeks now instead of 4. I can't believe we have less than 12 weeks until d-day. Where is the time going?!? Looking at upcoming stuff, I am confident these next 12 weeks will fly by faster than the last. Augh!?!?<br />
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We're moving out of our apartment April 3. We have a long saga of house hunting drama. We're still in the middle of a bunch of question marks, so I think I'll save the story for next time when hopefully there's more definite stuff to tell you. But we'll be moving all our stuff into a storage shed and living with my parents for the next few months until we move into the house (or possibly apartment). Fingers crossed we pack everything in an orderly manner so that it's easy to move-in wherever we end up. And that we do so in 2 weeks. <br />
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Katie was home this weekend and it was SO good to see her. We felt good that a family member actually had a good experience using one of our buddy passes. It was an action-packed week and unfortunately I think she has all the pictures. I know some are already up on facebook - see them and like them!!<br />
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Coming up: Claire's 17th birthday, Hunger Games Premiere (with Justin, Mom, Claire, and some of Claw's homies), filming track events, baby showers for friends, and finishing off our math stuff before Spring Break. Wahoo!!<br />
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Posts to look for: San Francisco update (including our "best photo of the trip" competition; Housing update.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780118529114443910.post-43636332568915412092012-02-15T08:37:00.004-07:002012-02-15T08:42:16.161-07:00What should my name be?<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lg9BfUyunl4/TzvR6VUPuII/AAAAAAAAAQY/_z1I891LRaQ/s1600/baby.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lg9BfUyunl4/TzvR6VUPuII/AAAAAAAAAQY/_z1I891LRaQ/s200/baby.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709387752706914434" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>As many of you are aware, for some time Erin and I have been debating on what to name our son. June is quickly approaching and we are still in limbo. We have narrowed the options down to either Logan or Mason. Justin prefers Logan and Erin prefers Mason. We like them both, but are still not really leaning one way or another so we thought we would open it up to all of you to cast your votes and see what you think. Please take the poll and let us know.<br /><br /><br /><div align="center"> <object width="300" height="400" wmode="transparent" data="http://apps.quibblo.com/static/flash/qwidget/qwidget.swf?s=&theme=quibblo&quiz=gbY3Tmu" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="never" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"> <param name="movie" value="http://apps.quibblo.com/static/flash/qwidget/qwidget.swf?s=&theme=quibblo&quiz=gbY3Tmu"> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="never"> <param name="allownetworking" value="all"> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"> <param name="bgcolor" value="ffffff"> </object><br /><span> <a href="http://www.quibblo.com/">Quizzes</a> by <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=1780118529114443910"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Quibblo</span>.com</a> | <a href="http://www.snapapp.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">SnapApp</span> Quiz Apps</a></span> <img src="http://pxl.pmsrvr.com/posting_stats?d=www.quibblo.com&m=widget&c=fbfc06c070d8a6829b8c3d8cfbc2583147da0106&q=gbY3Tmu" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="position:absolute;top:-3000px;left:-3000px;" /> </div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780118529114443910.post-24228144677626898282012-01-19T19:28:00.001-07:002012-01-22T18:18:00.050-07:00Halfway there!Happy 20 weeks to us! This was a fun week for us and I wanted to share along the way instead of playing catch-up in 3 months time :) And this update is complete with a picture!<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Pregnancy Highlights:</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">How far along?</span> 20 weeks<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Weight Gain:</span> 10 pounds* - adjusted after Friday's doctor's visit (including ONLY 4 pounds over Christmas/New Year's!! My mom's jaw dropped when I told her and she said "but I saw how much you ate!" - yay!!!)<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Maternity Clothes:</span> Yes, especially pants!!!! (Shirts and skirts are still too big)<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Gender</span>: Boy :)<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Movement</span>: Finally started this week!! I was sitting in Sunday School and felt a rumbly in my tumbly that I knew was NOT gas and it was really cool. Since then I've felt baby boy some every day. He's even been felt by Justin, my mom, and Aunt Claire. This is the coolest thing ever and brings a smile to my face every time. I want to shout at my classes "HEY! My baby is moving!" every time he moves or kicks during class but think they'd get tired of that pretty quick...<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Sleep</span>: Sleep is still okay as long as I don't get too hot... Thank goodness for fans and a husband who likes them as much as I do. Trying to stop sleeping on my back - is it really that bad for me/baby? :(<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Symptoms</span>: None really, just an amazingly working nose!<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">What I miss</span>: being less emotional? Tears come far too easy over everything.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Cravings</span>: Not as much lately, but for a while there I loved citrus (grapefruit and cuties = heaven) and good ol' hamburgers. Salty things are yummy too. I have not enjoyed sweets as much - they just don't sound appetizing.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Best moment this week</span>: Feeling baby move!<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">What I am looking forward t</span>o: Official 20-week ultrasound tomorrow followed by doctor's appointment. Really excited to see baby again and compare his growth to a month ago. Excited to have the day off with Justin and to do baby stuff!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780118529114443910.post-90776027050624605952012-01-08T18:30:00.002-07:002012-01-09T16:00:43.568-07:00December 2011I can't believe December came and went. It was busy and loaded with lots of friends, family, and fun!<br />
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I was blessed to see each of my besties over the break, and had only planned on one! Amy showed up at our house to play games and visit in PTC and I was shocked - such a pleasant suprise! When Justin and I flew out to Utah, he had to work the whole day and did so from the SLC base in the airport. So I had arranged with Ashley to spend a few hours together. She pulled up to get me and who was in her car - AMY! Poor thing was stuck trying to make it home to HI for Christmas after her quick GA visit. So we got a quick picture and then left Amy to make her way home. (which, apparently, took another 36+ hours and a purchased plane ticket, poor thing). Then Renae (no pic) was at the ATL airport to pick up her sister Jocelyn & Garrett when we got back from ID. So I got to spend 5 min with her until Joc came along. Yay!<br />
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We went to lunch at CPK (yum!), watched the new Mission Impossible movie, did some Christmas shopping, and then I got to spend a little time with my cousin Ashlee, who I haven't seen in almost 3 years!?! I can't believe how big her kids are getting, time just flies too fast.<br />
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Then we flew up to Pocatello, ID for our Christmas vacation. We went bowling and Reese loved getting help from her aunts and uncles.<br />
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Sam learned that honking noses can be fun, although I'm sure Josh disagrees.<br />
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We went to the church on Christmas Eve and played kickball, then realized we'd lost Reese and Sam! Oh where could they be?!?<br />
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Blair showed off his double dutch skills...<br />
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We played lots of Minute to Win it games and enjoyed the family fueding.<br />
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On Christmas Day we sang in Grandma's ward as a family, came home to Huevos Rancheros for lunch, then opened Christmas presents and spent the rest of the day visiting and playing with each other.<br />
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I think the highlight of Justin's trip is always how much time he gets to spend with Reese and Sam. We had a WONDERFUL trip and played our guts out, staying up way past our bedtime and I think we went home more tired than we came. It was so fun to visit and catch up and spend time with the Badger Clan. SO glad I ended up with such amazing people as in-laws. I count myself really really lucky!<br />
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We returned to GA two days after Christmas. Justin had to go back to work :( But about 90 min after our plane touched down I was on the road with Scott and Kelley headed to Hilton Head to join the rest of my family. We got a few days at the beach and then a few more together at home. It was fun to be all together for the first time since our cruise last year (although we were a lot less tan!). There was (strip) beach 4-square - ask Claire, pool volleyball, board games and movies galor (including one of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - life changingly horrible). Pictures are on facebook so go check them out there (didn't use my camera).<br />
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One of the highlights of our Christmas was getting to have a really early ultrasound (Christmas present to ourselves). It was only $50 at our doctors office, and WELL worth it! It was amazing to see our little baby move around so much. He had the hiccups and we got to watch them. Then he rolled over and crossed his legs and all kind of stuff. Claire loves this one b/c he's making The Claw for her.<br />
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Look at his brain! And his spine! What a smart, handsome young man already! And his tiny little nose. Awwwww.<br />
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Wait... his? Yep, it's a boy! This is a picture from below him - he's kind of sitting on his legs and there in the middle is are his boy parts.<br />
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This one's even easier to see his boy part. I was only 15 1/2 weeks when we went in for the ultra-sound, so he was still small enough to stretch out.<br />
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This is Justin's favorite - he'd rolled over and looked really comfy and cozy. Justin says he likes it b/c he can imagine a little baby curled up on his shoulder with his little bottom just needing to be patted and his legs tucked up underneath him. For sweetness!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We have our 20-week ultrasound next week, so we should have more pictures. That will be exactly one month after the pictures posted here. I'm interested to see if we'll be able to notice any changes or if our untrained eyes will think he looks the same. I'm most excited to just see him again and get a sneak peek at what's going on in there.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The ultrasound tech said that my placenta is actually on the front, which is no problem but means I won't be able to feel movements until later than most.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Went in for my 18-wk check-up this week and am thrilled that I only gained 4 pounds since my 14-wk check-up. That INCLUDES all the Christmas eating I did (which was a lot). That's 11 pounds total and I am so happy about it! At the check-up the CNM said she was impressed with my abs (well, thank you) and that it'll make labor easier. Justin and I laughed when I got home b/c we both know I haven't exactly been working out for the last long time, including pre-pregnancy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">No real morning sickness. During the first trimester I did have a sensitive gag reflex, especially when I looked at something slimey (used tupperware was the worst) - I had to stop taking leftover for lunch because getting the tupperware home was gag fest. But the hyper-sensitivity has greatly diminished since getting into second trimester.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Cravings: nothing really strong. I have particularly enjoyed/wanted to eat hamburgers and citrus. Definitely more so than normal, but not in a "it's midnight and I need THAT right this instant" kind of way. I do get hungry more often, and when I'm hungry it feels "emergency feed me now" - I eat 3 meals plus two medium snacks every day and that still means that I feel kind of hungry when I go to bed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Baby bump is definitely there and noticeable. It's nice to finally have maternity clothes to wear, although the shirts are still too big. Maternity pants are my saving grace, however. A huge thank you to my cousin Lindsey and coworker Ashley. Thanks to them I have a mostly stocked maternity wardrobe. I literally only need a few skirts to wear to church/work and I'm completely done. THANK YOU!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Most fun thing: this week I rolled over onto my stomach on my bed and felt kind of uncomfortable. Then I realized it was b/c I didn't fit the way I usually do. Then I realized IT'S MY BABY! I'm thrilled to say that the top of my uterus is now almost to my belly button and you can totally feel it. Grow baby grow!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Lots to look forward to in Jan: 20-wk ultrasound, Britney's wedding, 3-day weekend (although Justin works Sun/Mon but at least he doesn't go in until later = sleeping in and big breakfasts!). Yay!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780118529114443910.post-16037484990863324352012-01-08T17:50:00.002-07:002012-01-08T21:16:58.325-07:00Oct and Nov 2011Yep, it's UPDATE TIME! Fingers crossed that 2012 is the year when updates are shorter and more frequent...<br />
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Well, October started off AWESOMELY! After trying for a few short months, on 10/3 I peed on a stick and it said "pregnant"! I was a little bit shocked and didn't know what to do, so I woke Justin up and said "I think I'm pregnant" - which woke him up immediately. <br />
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As if it would somehow change over the course of the day, I wanted to double check with the remaining supply of at-home tests. Out of the mouth of 2 or 3 witnesses, right?!?<br />
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For dinner that night, Justin made an amazing "baby" dinner. Baby back ribs, baby carrots, baby red potatos, and we had the baby Simply Lemonades to drink. SO FUN! (And totally his idea).<br />
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We went to an improv show with a big group of friends mid-October, including some of the guys from Whose Line Is It Anyway. I don't know the last time I laughed so much. Lots of fun. AWESOME people!<br />
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For Thanksgiving this year Justin and I did our own thing and went on a Babymoon Cruise! We were able to find one over the exact amount of time Justin was able to get off work and LOVED it! We were so excited to get on the boat!<br />
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Justin loves to wear "old man" outfits to dinner. Thankfully he only took one this time.<br />
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Yes, those are our feet. That is the ocean. This is my happy place :)<br />
*sidenote: while we were in the Bahamas, Justin was offered weed by the locals at least 3 times. He wondered what he needed to change about his appearance that would make him look like less of a weed smoker. Suggestions are welcome - haha.<br />
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The Promenade had these BEAUTIFUL lights that just hung from the ceiling. They changed colors and were so gorgeous to look at.<br />
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We were in Nassau for almost 24 hours, so after everyone had left the boat, we played some put-put after breakfast before hitting the beach. We had a lot of fun (Justin schooled me both times), and this shot I hit the ball really hard, it bounced 79 times down the L-shaped thing and came BACK to exactly where you see it. I am a-ma-zing.<br />
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Justin did the same thing, except it wasn't quite as funny b/c it didn't go through the whole entire thing. I think he just bounced it off a rock and straight back. Still, it was funny to laugh right back at him!<br />
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The beach in Naussau was WINDY that day!<br />
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Yes, that's my Baywatch husband, walking toward ME in the sand. So glad he's mine! :)<br />
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Justin took the towel-making class our last day and brought back the towels to show me his new friends. This was my favorite, and I made them pose together.<br />
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Then I went on the waterslide, which was COLD by the time the sun was so low. And yet fun. Who ever gets tired of waterslides? (And don't worry, this pregnant lady was very careful and went so slowly that I didn't even glide into the water at the end, it was less of an impact than walking down pool stairs - SO slow)<br />
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Our darling wait staff. We heart them, especially for not judging us by the amount that we consumed.<br />
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Yay for cruises! Not sure when we'll be able to go again, but we hope it's not too far in the future!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wO6kCyE40wo/Two2czJX_yI/AAAAAAAAAqE/FtkZ-HR_PrE/s1600/Cruise+070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wO6kCyE40wo/Two2czJX_yI/AAAAAAAAAqE/FtkZ-HR_PrE/s320/Cruise+070.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780118529114443910.post-13098413430688180972011-10-09T11:29:00.000-06:002011-10-09T11:29:15.249-06:00Dear Smoker...Last week I was sitting in the underground pick-up place at the airport, waiting for my husband who'd gone to get the car to come get me. I was enjoying the beautiful weather, refreshing breeze, and the glory of sitting outside away from most of the traffic and listening to the roar of planes taking off. And playing Sudoku.<br />
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You walked up and sat down next to me, looking as ordinary as I, seeming to enjoy the weather as well while waiting for the bus or your ride or whatever it is that you were waiting for. Suddenly, without warning AND WITHOUT EVEN ASKING, you whip out a cigarette, light up, and start puffing away as if you were the only person within a 30 yard radius.<br />
<br />
So I got up, dragged all 4 of my bags (briefcase,purse, and 2 roller bags) far enough away to where I couldn't smell you - literally dragging a bag b/c I couldn't carry/roll everything. There was no bench. I sat on the concrete surrounded by bird poop and bugs.<br />
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Thank you for being so selfish that you didn't even ask if I minded. Let's not forget that I was there for a full 5 minutes before you arrived. Let's not forget that the air was made sans smoke to begin with. Let's not forget that smoking is actually harmful to others. Let's not forget that NOT EVERYONE SMOKES!!! <br />
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I think this is what bothers me most about "tolerance" - you expect me to let you do your thing. And I will. I didn't start shouting or quoting health studies. But why don't you show some respect and tolerance towards the rest of us and let us do our thing. In this case they CANNOT coexist. I don't appreciate you ruining the wonderful outdoors that I was enjoying at the moment. You are selfish and I did not enjoy being subjected to your nasty smoke.<br />
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Too bad you'll obviously never understand,<br />
the person whose 10-minute wait was rudely interrupted by your smoking last weekUnknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780118529114443910.post-26726956499700594492011-09-25T18:42:00.001-06:002011-09-25T18:46:25.353-06:00I'm a big girlThis week I did something that I actually found really difficult to do and feel so proud of myself that I want to share. Plus it's almost the end of the month and I owe two posts :) <br />
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The volleyball team does "Secret Panther" gifts for every home game. My sister (on the team) asked me to swing by Claire's and pick up some cute studs for her Secret Panther gift on my way home and then bring them to school on Thursday. We live right next door to the shopping area that has Claire's so it was going to be no problem.<br />
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Wouldn't you know that I found the CUTEST set of studs that was EXACTLY what my sister was looking for. Of course earrings were buy two get one free, and hair accessories were buy one get one 50% off, so within a matter of minutes I had two more pairs of earrings and cute hair accessories - I've been loving the cute headbands and hair clips that everybody's wearing these days. Plus I haven't bought new earrings since I got married. So I figured that I DESERVED it and told myself that it'd been so long since I had bought hair accessories and earrings that I really NEEDED to do so.<br />
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Almost immediately, I thought of the budget we're working so hard to keep and wondered what envelope the money would have to come out of - there wasn't any money left in our "blow money" or "clothing" envelope. The only money we have left is dedicated to food or gas. I thought of the notes I'd just looked over from conference and remembered President Monson's <a href="http://lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/the-three-rs-of-choice?lang=eng">talk</a> where he said that it was easier to obey 100% of the time than just 98% of the time. Now, this may be a little bit of an abnormal application of that concept, but it makes perfect sense to me.<br />
<br />
So what did I do? I placed that darling headband, the cute hair clip, and the two sets of darling earrings down, paid for the earrings my sister asked me to get, and promptly left the store.<br />
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Saying no to those accessories was hard - I LOVE me some cute earrings and have been wanting cute hair stuff for a while :)<br />
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As I drove away, I felt an immediate sense of accomplishment and pride and a renewed sense of gratitude that I was exercising the self-control to say no to such a frivolous thing. We've been SO blessed these last few years as we're working so hard to be better with our money. It feels good to have zero debt and a 6-month emergency fund in the bank. It feels great to have, on top of that, a car fund for the car problems we seem to have every 4 months on the dot :) It feels wonderful to have things that we're working for and saving for and knowing that we're doing everything we can to be wise stewards of the financial blessings God has given us. We've seen blessings in SO many forms (including almost $5000 of money that's been placed in our laps at key points in our journey) and I love feeling like we're working hard for something worthwhile!<br />
<br />
Anyways, I know it's something little, but I felt awesome about it and wanted to share my pride and gratitude for the <a href="http://www.daveramsey.com/new/baby-steps/">financial choices</a> we're trying to make!!! We feel secure, happy, and oh-so-blessed :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780118529114443910.post-32568380651538532262011-08-31T20:29:00.000-06:002011-08-31T20:29:45.325-06:00RioWe just watched another fabulous kids movie, RIO. Set in Brazil, it made both of us laugh and yearn to visit Brazil (Justin lived there 2 years while serving a mission for our church).<br />
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The "bad guy" in the movie had a really familiar voice and when he sang his bad guy song we figured out exactly who he was. Happy guessing :)<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/S6DOxuucAEk" width="560"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780118529114443910.post-69462397995894020612011-08-19T20:59:00.001-06:002011-08-19T21:03:39.137-06:00Be PreparedWe just finished watching the old movie <em>It Happened to Jane</em> and have a new favorite song. Enjoy the following clip - you want to start at about 1:00 and it ends at about 3:20. We're not sure why they made the clip so long and we only care about the song!!! But we have a new favorite theme song for our future children and especially for den meetings in cub scouts.<br />
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<iframe width="504" height="311" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zSIITmCNDYE?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780118529114443910.post-32899264845704671032011-08-14T17:49:00.000-06:002011-08-14T17:49:33.971-06:00Life UpdateBack on the grid! Sorry it's been so long. I keep thinking "when I'm less busy, THEN I'll have time to blog" and as the time absolutely flies by, I realize it's always going to be busy and that's just the way life is.<br />
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Spring flew by. I coached lacrosse this year and loved being outside every day. At the beginning of the season (February) it would take hours to warm up from being outside for so long, and then at the end of the season I had the start of a farmers tan. I love sunshine. I don't think I could ever live somewhere like Alaska where they literally don't see the sun for months at a time. Utah winters were hard enough - no green, no blue, no colors... Pretty bleak. I love my green Georgia and my blue sky, thank you very much!<br />
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The summer was full of wonderful things that of course made the time pass all too quickly. <br />
Before our school got out: Holly graduated from HS, so we went to Springfield to celebrate! Highlight of the trip: homemade Qdoba style salads!!!<br />
Week 1: Post-Planning<br />
Week 2: Girl's Camp Mon - Fri!!! LOVED going. LOVE my YW.<br />
Week 3: Justin was part of a small group that sang the National Anthem at a Braves game. Go honey! I prepared for the family reunion. Left on Friday for NC.<br />
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Week 4: Houghtaling Family World Summit - YAY!!!! Highlights include: the beach, Austin's family history highlights, Beach Olympics, Weenie Mania, daily trips to the grocery store, yummy food, lots of games, playing with cousins, watching family videos, and just relaxing!<br />
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Week 5: leave on Thursday for LA where we spent a romantic Thurs - Sat in LA for Justin's birthday. Went to see LES MISERABLES, walked around downtown, ate delicious food. SUCH a relaxing vacation. Then headed down to San Clemente for the weekend with many of Justin's friends. Beach + amazing fun people + lots of laughter = wonderful weekend. Including capturing our host's baby and doning the official Old Navy onsie despite there being an official ban on such t-shirts :)<br />
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Week 6: return from LA to go to Scott's Basic Training graduation in Ft. Jackson, SC. He is now stationed in Ft. Lee (VA) doing advanced training in Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD - aka the bomb squad). Then Fri/Sat Justin and I were both at youth conference as chaperones. One really fun thing about both serving in the youth program is that youth activities can almost double as date nights :)<br />
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Week 7: nothing except for Harry Potter midnight premiere and Zumba classess with friends and sister Claire.<br />
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Week 8: I re-read all 7 Harry Potter books after being inspired by a Lifetime bio on J.K. Rowling.<br />
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Last week of summer: Watched the other HP movies and got stuff ready for school. Justin took a day off work to take me to Whitewater for my birthday. Then my friend from high school got married and it was WONDERFUL to see so many old faces and remember how things used to be. Then we celebrated with family and again with friends. Yay for birthday weekends!<br />
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I think this may have been the best summer ever. It was a wonderful mix of vacation, new places, things to look forward to, LOTS of memories made, catching up with old friends/family and making new friends... I love the people in my life and love that they inspire me and make me want to be a better person.<br />
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And here we are, back in school. Teachers went back (and volleyball started) Aug 1. Justin went to some of the scout lake campout and had a BLAST. The kids returned last Monday Aug 8. This year I'm the assistant Varsity vb coach - which means a much busier fall. I forget how busy it is to work 12 hour days... especially after having free time all summer. I find myself resentful when other teachers say how busy they are after school that their kids didn't get in bed until 8pm b/c it was such a busy day. I feel "excuse me - I don't even eat dinner or get home until 8pm or later sometimes... What do you have to complain about?!?" But then I remember that I signed up for this and I love it and busy or not, I wouldn't choose something else.<br />
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So: I will try to blog maybe twice a month? Not sure I can do any better than that, but that's my goal! And see below for pictures from our various summer activities!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780118529114443910.post-80724060528742191642011-07-29T05:22:00.014-06:002011-07-30T11:51:14.960-06:0026 reasons I am SO glad Erin Nicole Houghtaling Badger was born 26 years ago today!1. Her constant and unconditional patience with me and love for me<br />2. She has super-human reading powers that allows her to read the entire Harry Potter series in one week<br />3. Her high-pitched, cackle-like laugh and snorts when she watches America's Funniest Home Videos<br />4. She loves musicals and loves me for loving them<br />5. Her infectious and inspiring love of the Savior and the gospel<br />6. She gets giddy over DQ blizzards or Costa Vida<br />7. When she talks baby-talk to all cats<br />8. The fact that when we went to pick out a movie the other night she picked an action thriller<br />9. She LOVES watching football games<br />10. Her unyielding drive to stand up for what is right, even if it isn't always fun or easy<br />11. Her incredible musicality - seriously, it's almost annoying how good she is sometimes<br />12. Her boarder-line obsession with all things Disney<br />13. When she gets so excited about something that her voice gets high pitched and she jumps up and down clapping her hands<br />14. She is a great judge of character and picks wonderful friends<br />15. She is passionate about the importance of family and family time<br />16. Her wonderful family <br />17. She is low maintenance - her idea of the perfect vacation is on a hot sunny beach with a book<br />18. She has an infectious zeal and love for life<br />19. The goofy look on her face when she thinks that she is dancing well - but at least she has a lot of fun trying<br />20. The fact that she will chase down a parade float to get another cheap Frisbee<br />21. Her knockout good looks<br />22. Her amazing teaching ability<br />23. Her ability to immediately connect with people and make them feel special and welcome<br />24. Her desire and ability to have fun in almost any situation<br />25. She is my best friend<br />26. The fact that she married me and made me the happiest man and luckiest man in the world!<br /><br />I could come up with 26,000 reasons, but on her 26th birthday I will stick to these. Happy birthday sweetheart. I love you!<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-87cyOCxd0LQ/TjRCfopeprI/AAAAAAAAAOg/2D-ebKVjsFQ/s1600/Spring%2BSummer%2BFun%2B072.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-87cyOCxd0LQ/TjRCfopeprI/AAAAAAAAAOg/2D-ebKVjsFQ/s200/Spring%2BSummer%2BFun%2B072.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635202145002104498" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BpBpWEs2fII/TjRCPH2jAtI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/6tOsNBcoP2I/s1600/Summer%2B11%2B168.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BpBpWEs2fII/TjRCPH2jAtI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/6tOsNBcoP2I/s200/Summer%2B11%2B168.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635201861320639186" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ra4Hjm_TCL0/TjREdTY4Y2I/AAAAAAAAAOo/ZxGdnfyYALk/s1600/Summer%2B11%2B109.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ra4Hjm_TCL0/TjREdTY4Y2I/AAAAAAAAAOo/ZxGdnfyYALk/s200/Summer%2B11%2B109.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635204303958860642" /></a><br /><br /><br />Seriously, you can't help but just love this girl!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780118529114443910.post-61988972711021347332011-07-20T16:10:00.005-06:002011-07-20T16:29:26.192-06:00Garden 2011Well I guess it is time we start blogging again. I will leave the long and detailed updates of what we have been up to to Erin, but I thought I would share with you our garden update for this year. <br /><br />This year we actually have two gardens, one on our deck and we also have a plot at out ward garden. Since our zucchini and squash really didn't do great in containers last year, we did the squash at the ward garden and kept the tomatoes, peppers and beans here at the house. Erin makes INCREDIBLE zucchini bread and wanted to be sure we had plenty of zucchini. I tried to warn her that two plants would give us more than enough, but she wasn't convinced so we ended up with FOUR zucchini plants, two yellow squash and a pumpkin at the ward garden and needless to say, we have zucchini coming out our ears. The other day I picked a MASSIVE zucchini so Erin decided she would grate it to make some bread. Well when all was said and done she had 18 cups out of ONE zucchini! So you live and learn, but it has been fun and quite humorous to have so much zucchini. Anyone have a good zucchini recipe?<br /><br />Our container garden on our deck is also doing well. We have picked a bunch of tomatoes and okra, and our peppers are doing really well, which is sadly more than I can say for our green beans. However, regardless of how much fruit it all produces, I still love to see what can come from a little seed and some TLC. It is a neat feeling to watch life happen right before your eyes and extremely fulfilling to pick a bright red tomato and know that you had a part in helping it grow. <br /><br />Here are some pics that were taken a few weeks ago. Best of luck to all my fellow want-a-be gardeners out there. <br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--JajEAnDUBU/TidVpiuM8EI/AAAAAAAAAOI/S7SerGX7-B4/s1600/Spring%2BSummer%2BFun%2B245.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--JajEAnDUBU/TidVpiuM8EI/AAAAAAAAAOI/S7SerGX7-B4/s200/Spring%2BSummer%2BFun%2B245.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631564031233683522" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iPEqu7McV_Q/TidVk--1DAI/AAAAAAAAAOA/kyiUgm5Dthc/s1600/Spring%2BSummer%2BFun%2B243.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iPEqu7McV_Q/TidVk--1DAI/AAAAAAAAAOA/kyiUgm5Dthc/s200/Spring%2BSummer%2BFun%2B243.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631563952920267778" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_FpjvnI0j_M/TidVgHAzbuI/AAAAAAAAAN4/b8HkpB7aPnI/s1600/Spring%2BSummer%2BFun%2B244.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_FpjvnI0j_M/TidVgHAzbuI/AAAAAAAAAN4/b8HkpB7aPnI/s200/Spring%2BSummer%2BFun%2B244.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631563869176688354" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780118529114443910.post-81518664566495405782011-02-11T19:17:00.000-07:002011-02-11T19:17:57.336-07:00Bucket List, check!I've never actually made a bucket list, but in my head is a list of things I know would be on it. Today, I accomplished one of said things.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><em>I beat the expert level minesweeper</em></strong></span>.<br />
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How did I become such an expert? Well, lots of practice. When we got new computers at school this summer, I soon realized that they didn't uninstall the factory games :) Sometimes my brain gets overloaded and it's nice to be able to take a very short break (5 min or less) and play a mentally challenging game. It reminds me that I'm capable of higher level thinking. In fact, I encourage my students to play chess/minesweeper/mahjong titans (the tile matching game) because all of those require higher-level, deductive reasoning - very important in math and life.<br />
<br />
After getting good at the "intermediate" level, I decided it was time to play expert. Mind you, this was back in last semester. Fast forward 85 games, and I am proud to say that on <strong><span style="font-size: large;">game #86</span></strong> at the expert level, I BEAT IT in <span style="font-size: large;">8 minutes, 18 seconds</span>. My winning percentage is <strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">1%</span></strong>. I feel like Ben Franklin or any other genius who tried a million times before succeeding.<br />
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And knowing how they feel, I can definitely assure all dreamers out there - <span style="font-size: large;">IT IS WORTH IT</span>.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>Never give up, never surrender!</em></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780118529114443910.post-6803228293542818802011-02-04T17:13:00.000-07:002011-02-04T17:13:43.052-07:00Would you like to change your life?!?!?!?So I'm trying to find out how I add the "follow me" link to our blog (you tell me, is it there? I haven't done anything to put it there yet... maybe I'm so good I don't have to try).<br />
<br />
Anyways, I'm messing around in blogger clicking on all the tabs trying to find one that will do what I want, and I click on the link "Stats".<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TUyU6L1UeiI/AAAAAAAAAmo/9uqo4wnUaHE/s1600/Stats+Button.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TUyU6L1UeiI/AAAAAAAAAmo/9uqo4wnUaHE/s320/Stats+Button.bmp" width="320" /></a></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="left">Wouldn't you know, but it will tell you how many page views you've had today, this week, this month, or all time (complete with graphics)!? <span style="font-size: x-large;">NOT ONLY THAT, <span style="font-size: small;">BUT YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE PEOPLE LIVE THAT ARE CHECKING OUT YOUR BLOG. You can see what kind of device they're using (mac, pc, ipad, ipod, etc...), the internet browser they used, and the most common referencing sites. For example, I know that my sister looks at my blog more than anyone else! And we've had 22 visits from people in Denmark, 15 from Brazil, several from Russia and other parts of the world. How cool is that?</span></span></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">1- Go check it out for your own blog and prepare to be amazed.</span></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">2- If you are reading this and you're not currently in the US</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">, will you </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">pretty please with sugar on top<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">leave a note saying how you found this happy place and tell us your blog that we can become blogging pen pals?</span></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780118529114443910.post-9241200448603645082011-01-30T16:52:00.006-07:002011-01-30T17:25:53.615-07:00January UpdateI am so glad to see January ending. That means we're one more step toward warmer weather and all the happy things that come along with it!!!<br /><br />January has been a blessed month for us. We finally bought a new bed!!!! And we paid cash for it, which feels almost as good as sleeping on our new pillow top :) We also hit our 3-months savings in our 3-6 month emergency fund (Baby Step 3!!). We are going to continue to keep saving that up, Justin wants it to be a 10-month stockpile fund just for safety. Once we finish that then we'll start saving for a downpayment for a house. One day we'll get there. For now we just LOVE our apartment and are happy to stay put! It's fun to own everything completely and to not have a mortgage hanging over our heads. We love being out of debt and loved putting in the work to get here.<br /><br />Now that we've hit our 3-month emergency fund mark, we're going to start Baby Step 4, which is investing!!!!! We've been so excited to start doing this. We met with our financial planner last Tuesday (one of Dave Ramsey's ELP's in Peachtree City) and will meet again with him tomorrow to actually open our Roth IRA accounts and sign forms, etc... <span style="font-size:130%;">SO EXCITED</span>. We absolutely love this guy and love Dave and highly, highly, highly recommend all of you to this plan.<span style="font-size:130%;"> LOTS</span> of hard work and some sacrifice, but <span style="font-size:130%;">TOTALLY </span>worth it!!!<br /><br />New Year's Resolutions: some are going well, like making new dishes. We had some really yummy new food in January. Lots of things are joining our family favorites list. Working out is going great for Justin - Delta's new gym just opened and so he enjoys going before/after work. Working out for Erin is not going as well, but I really think I'm ready to commit :) At least I'm eating super healthy and getting plenty of veggies - that's all I eat for lunch :) Plus a little peanut butter ;) We're both staying healthy busy and being productive with our down time.<br /><br />We're really feeling blessed with having some amazing people in our lives. There's a wonderful family we have just fallen in love with. They are truly uplifting and brighten our spirits every day. And while we know that technically we're giving service by being their ride to church/ youth group each week - WE are the ones who feel blessed beyond measure. I don't know how that works but I'm so grateful it does. You would never realize their situation because they are so happy and positive all of the time. It makes us feel much more grateful for all of our many blessings and want to do more to help others out.<br /><br />In other news, we found out this weekend that...<br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:180%;">the Atlanta Temple is reopening!!!!</span> </div><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TUX_zA2e3UI/AAAAAAAAAmc/UIxaNfOqAmE/s1600/ATL%2Btemple.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 238px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568137766180412738" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TUX_zA2e3UI/AAAAAAAAAmc/UIxaNfOqAmE/s400/ATL%2Btemple.jpg" /></a><br />The rededication will be Sunday May 1, 2011. The Open House, which is for ANYONE who would like to tour the temple before it's been dedicated for worship, will be April 9 - 23. We are SO excited to have this opportunity to share our beautiful temple with our friends and family, especially those not of our faith. Yes, that's what I said, you don't have to be a Mormon to take a tour of the temple during the open house!! So, for any of our friends who would like to check it out, just let us know and we'll be sure to get you tickets to one of the tours. We don't know anything else about tour times/ticket dates right now, but I'll be sure to keep you posted.<br /><br />In the meantime, if you have questions about Mormons or our temples, there are answers on <a href="http://mormon.org/faq/">this website</a>.<br /><br /><br />YAY JANUARY! Thanks for being a fan-tabulous month!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780118529114443910.post-9523905964722761292011-01-23T10:45:00.004-07:002011-01-23T11:10:10.423-07:00The end of Les MiserablesIn March of 2009, Justin and I set out to conquer our own Mt. Everest. We wanted to read the complete, unabridged 1463 pages of Victor Hugo's Les Miserables.<br /><br />(Note: NOT our table cloth/pet hair. Only a depiction of how big this book is.)<br /><p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TTxp7ZA0AwI/AAAAAAAAAmU/xUg9NYuaERM/s1600/Les%2BMis.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 317px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565439708570583810" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TTxp7ZA0AwI/AAAAAAAAAmU/xUg9NYuaERM/s400/Les%2BMis.jpg" /></a> </p><p>Fastforward 9 months to December 30th and 31st, and we completed the book (Justin - 30th, Erin - 31st).</p><p>We could not complete such a life-changing, MARATHON of a book without expressing our love and gratitude for Victor Hugo and for the amazing spiritual upliftment that is Les Miserables.</p><p>I received my copy of the book in high school when my parents gave Katie and I the book for Christmas (with 2 tickets to see the broadway show tucked inside). The show was AMAZING. I really can't describe how touching it is. To me, when discussing Broadway shows, there are the fun ones like Mary Poppins or Lion King (ground level), and then there's a step up to Beauty and the Beast or Aida (top of Empire State Building), and then there's a step up to Wicked (top of the Burj Khalifa). And then there's a giant leap learger than the distance from the Sun to Pluto, and that's where Les Mis is sitting. </p><p>I always wanted to read it, but never did. When Justin first started with Delta Oct '09, he was throwing bags and had a LOT of down time. He read several books and then decided he wanted to read Les Mis. So he goes out and buys the book, brings it home, and then I remembered that I had a copy too. So I dig around a bit and find it, and we decide to start it out together and that when we finish we'll go see it on Broadway in Europe (the only place it was playing at the time).</p><p>Now, word to the wise: choosing to read Les Mis is like committing to run a marathon. Not kidding. 1463 pages is a LOT of pages, especially when the print is not very big. But I promise that if you will stick it out, it will be worth EVERY minute. I'll definitely read it again in the future.</p><p>I'd heard that Victor Hugo can be wordy at times, or describe things that are seemingly unimportant for pages upon pages... Rather than be annoyed with this, I let myself be submerged completely and in the process found out what it really means to be a hopeless romantic. Stop and smell the roses doesn't begin to express the love affair Mr. Hugo had with his characters. By spending so much time in every detail of his story, I felt like I really got to know these people (plus I had the songs they sing in my head). By the middle/end of the story when people start dying, it was tragic and sad and I cried like my own friend had died. At the very very end when our giant angel dies I wept.</p><p>If you would like to immerse yourself in a book that will literally change your life, that will touch the spiritual and human side of you, that will teach you how to be better than you ever thought possible, how much you could do for someone you truly love, that people are human and can be cruel and unforgiving, that God is merciful and kind and full of grace and truth, that there really are angels in human form among us, or that God's love and forgiveness apply to ALL of us, then I recommend you read Les Miserables.</p><p>In Victor Hugo's own words (p.1242):</p><p>"<span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">The book the reader has now before his eyes - from one end to the other, in its whole and in its details, whatever the omissions, the exceptions, or the faults - is the march from evil to good, from injustice to justice, from the false to the true, from night to day, from appetite to conscience, from rottenness to life, from brutality to duty, from Hell to Heaven, from nothingness to God. Starting point: matter; goal: the soul. Hydra at the beginning, angel at the end</span>."</p><p>Amen.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780118529114443910.post-32878351582910108012011-01-12T16:53:00.003-07:002011-01-12T17:36:21.494-07:00New Year, New Goals<div>In all the excitement of going on our cruise, planning our next one, and having FOUR SNOW DAYS (I wish they'd just cancel Friday too instead of doing this day-by-day thing... Definitely getting old by now), I have neglected to share our Goals for 2011. For some reason sharing them to anyone who could possibly read makes me feel more accountable and thus I think I'll have a higher likelihood of achieving them. Justin and I made a huge list with goals for lots of things (physical, financial, spiritual, homemaking (me not him), spouse, personal, professional, and "other"). Since it's a pretty detailed list, I'll share the most important/difficult ones.</div><br /><div>1. If you've ever been my roommate, you know that I can sit on a couch and watch tv with the best of them. Really, I love to veg. I don't know or care about Kim and Khloe, but as soon as I flip on E!, I get sucked in and can't cut it off. Please say that this happens to some of you? My husband calls it mindless television, and that's exactly what it is.</div><br /><div>Recently I've been reading <a href="http://lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/reflections-on-a-consecrated-life?lang=eng">this talk</a> called "Reflections on a Consecrated Life" by one of the big leaders of our Church. Whether or not you belong to our church, I highly recommend this talk! In it, Elder Christofferson talks about how a consecrated life is a life of purity (as demonstrated by Jesus Christ), a life of labor (again, we have a perfect example in Christ), a life that respects the gift of one's physical body, a life of service (Christ = example), and a life of integrity.</div><br /><div>Anyways, coming back to my love to veg. While reading this talk, I stumbled across the following quote (in the "life of labor" section):</div><br /><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">"Having spoken in praise of labor, I must also add a kind word for leisure. Just as honest toil gives rest its sweetness, wholesome recreation is the friend and steadying companion of work. Music, literature, art, dance, drama, athletics - all can provide entertainment to enrich one's life and further consecrate it. At the same time, it hardly needs to be said that much of what passes for entertainment today is coarse, degrading, violent, <em>mind-numbing</em>, and <em>time wasting</em>. Ironically, it sometimes takes hard work to find wholesome leisure. When entertainment turns from virtue to vice, it becomes a destroyer of the consecrated life. "Wherefore, take heed...that ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God" (Moroni 7:14)"</span></div><br /><div>I italicized the part that stood out to me. He was talking to me!!! It's amazing how every time our church leaders talk, they talk to me as an individual. So cool. Anyways, it hardly goes without saying that I am resolved to spend my time more wisely. In the same talk, Elder Christofferson quoted Richard L. Evans by saying "Life offers you two precious gifts - one is time, the other freedom of choice, the freedom to buy with your time what you will." I'm not exactly maximizing either choice when I choose <em>mind-numbing and time wasting</em> television over more productive alternatives. So, this year I will be using my time more wisely and come December will let you know how it goes. And feel free to ask/prod/give ideas on how to do this. My ideas: cook more new things, finally finish the 2 quilts I started last year, learn how to do other crafty things, be a better housekeeper so it's <em>always</em> 100% straight, read more books, blog more, keep in touch with friends, read scriptures/journal (I count blogging as a journal), exercise/learn tennis, etc...</div><br /><div>2. Other than using my time more wisely, I would like to be more healthy. Eventually, I would like to enjoy running. My friend from high school LA did this and I really admire her for it - she's even done a 1/2 marathon. Another friend did a 10K. I'm thinking maybe I'll set a goal to run next year, but for this year I'd like to get back to eating healthier (for a few months in the fall I ate 100% veggies for lunch and I felt SO good) and just good old exercising. Justin and I bought P90X in November. I started it and lasted a few days, but allow myself to whine and take a few days off... I'm still on that little break and feel the athletic angel on my shoulder saying to buck up and just do it. I love exercising, really I do, but I don't like hurting and boy does P90X hurt :) So my goals were to eat healthy and do P90X twice this year. Maybe not in 180 days, but to just get through the program to where the push-up/pull-up workout doesn't make me cry anymore and I can honest to goodness do EVERYTHING in the workout 100% like they do.</div><br /><div>3. Build a better relationship with Christ. In church on Sunday I taught the 14-15 year old young women for the 3rd hour (it's like another Sunday School but the youth split up for this one). The topic was on Building a Relationship with Christ.</div><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TS5Gr8X5EsI/AAAAAAAAAls/4xkdBUtiIrY/s1600/Christ%2BKnocking.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 312px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561460310603797186" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TS5Gr8X5EsI/AAAAAAAAAls/4xkdBUtiIrY/s400/Christ%2BKnocking.jpg" /></a> <div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>This picture was part of the lesson. Something compelling is that the outside of the door has no handle. Reminds me of Matthew 7:7 "...knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Of course Christ wants to be in our lives, but it's US who has to invite him in. It's ME who has to work to cultivate that relationship. I can do SUCH a better job of this, and so one of my resolutions is to improve in all of those things that can build a better relationship with Him. This is definitely the one I'm most excited about.</div><div> </div><div>*I'm super pumped about my major goals this year. I feel like they all tie in together really well. As I build a better relationship with my Savior, I will naturally choose more uplifting leisure activities. and vice-versa. As I do a better job taking care of this wonderful gift of a body, I will fill my free time and come closer to Christ, etc... How fun will this be?!?*</div><div> </div><div>Wish me luck! And ps - I'd like to point out that I have already surpassed the total number of blogs we posted in all of 2009 and I'm one short of 2008. I guess it's easy to improve when you have SO MUCH improvement to make. Hopefully that's how I'll look back at this year when all is said and done :)</div><div> </div><div>What were <span style="font-size:180%;">your</span> New Years Goals?</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780118529114443910.post-8386445937834454912011-01-09T19:53:00.001-07:002011-01-09T19:55:36.761-07:00Thanksgiving 2011<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSp1BhewccI/AAAAAAAAAlk/d5OlceXYVkw/s1600/Norwegian%2BSun.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 276px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 183px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560385358969991618" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSp1BhewccI/AAAAAAAAAlk/d5OlceXYVkw/s400/Norwegian%2BSun.jpg" /></a> And we are SO excited :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780118529114443910.post-52727382798277476782011-01-06T15:55:00.008-07:002011-01-06T16:25:17.250-07:00Day 8: Arriving in Tampa/going homeDay 8: Arriving in Tampa :(<br /><div></div><br /><div>Day 8 began less pleasantly by the other days because we jolted back to the reality that our cruise wouldn't actually last forever. Dang it! (see Claire's farewell video at the very bottom - it accurately expresses how we all felt having to say goodbye for the final time) <p></p><p><br />We went to our sit-down breakfast one last time with Sariyono (LOVED him). Then we waited for our group to be called. We were one of the first ones off the boat b/c we were trying to catch an earlier flight. . <p></p><p>We took a quick taxi to the airport. There was zero traffic and zero wait at the airport. We were off the boat and at our gate in no more than 20 minutes NO KIDDING. Then, to continue our magical experience, not only did we make the flight but we were in first class. YAY!.</p><p>We returned to Atlanta and it didn't feel too cold, but there was snow on the ground! It was the first white Christmas since the 1800's (Claire was sad to miss it). Justin had to scrape our car before he could drive it back to get me (he parks in the employee lot when we travel so we don't pay for parking). </p><p>Here's a picture of the parental's house: Now, for Georgia, this snow is really exciting so you Northerners are not allowed to bash it!</p></div><div></div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 291px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559210968812825298" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSZI7BOLKtI/AAAAAAAAAlc/JeQRt_OsCpc/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B513.jpg" /></div><br /><p>Got home, took a nap, unpacked, etc... We've been drinking our juice out of wine goblets and wearing tropical colors ever since. It's been a hard adjustment back :(</p><p>Things we loved the most: chocolates and animal towels EVERY night (always SO fun to plan for the next day's activities on a freshly turned down bed), taking showers every day that were the PERFECT temperature and the PERFECT pressure, fresh towels once a day, having the bed made twice a day and turned down each night, not having to make dinner or clean up after it, just showing up and eating as much as we wanted (which was usually a LOT - we basically paid for our dinner - the room/entertainment/etc... was all free!), soaking up the warm Caribbean sun, having zero responsibility besides getting to the next meal on time :), it was so romantic!!!, and lastly and most importantly, we had so much free time to just spend together - so much time to bask in our love. SO MUCH FUN.</p><p>We're seriously trying to plan our next cruise and are 95% committed to the week of Thanksgiving 2011.</p><p>One other bit of happy news: Justin is on his way home from work right this very minute via the Original Mattress Factory to purchase our BRAND NEW BED!!!!! Yes, that's right ladies and gents, we finally saved up enough in our savings fund that we are allowing ourselves to get a bed! The bedroom furniture is right behind it - we'll get that hopefully by the end of the month. The bed should get delivered on Saturday and our lives will be changed forever. YAY!</p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy4gN3Lz81KlAKZjsDKCZTPQ0kPdfWv7eTYFmGa0GZ8fg6pVDrNoEBh6_v_E4qlQscjU1-2R85kDSC30njHUA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780118529114443910.post-42083947051222283572011-01-06T15:04:00.007-07:002011-01-06T15:55:16.599-07:00Cruise Day 7: Christmas at Sea<span style="font-size:130%;">Day 7: At sea</span><br /><br />Day 7 was a nice, lazy, Christmas day. We were able to sleep in because there was nothing we <em>had</em> to get up for. Justin had a migraine the night before, so we'd actually gone to bed relatively early. Now, I'm usually a pretty light sleeper, and all night I'd been up to the bathroom a few times (I drink too much during the days :), so imagine my GREAT surprise when there a full Christmas stocking next to our bed the next morning. I was SHOCKED. Totally didn't expect anything, but somehow Santa and his helpers found us all the way on our boat in the middle of the ocean! So that was a fun, magical start to the morning.<br /><br />We met up with everyone at breakfast. I think we all felt like Claire at the thought of leaving the next day :(<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559201185844948994" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSZABk038AI/AAAAAAAAAk8/jeNrnZZXJCg/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B076.jpg" /><br />But before I can truly begin with the rest of Day 7, let's rewind to the wee early morning hours of Day 7. (Maybe even all the way back to the end of Day 6 - I don't know, we were sleeping!)<br /><br />There was an adult air guitar contest. Scott really wanted to do it, and finally convinced Katie to do it. Good thing he did, because they BOTH won another trophy!!! This was #2 for both of them! Way to go kids! There they are with Carnival Cruise Entertainment friend Jonathan.<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559201192982156674" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSZAB_ahFYI/AAAAAAAAAlE/qAP0zF4MDl4/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B069.jpg" /><br />Katie's only a little bit excited to have 2 of these, don't you think?<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 295px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559201196291851314" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSZACLvnBDI/AAAAAAAAAlM/qD2w-CL70VQ/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B068.jpg" /><br />Anyway, so back to Christmas breakfast. The following picture is just to let you know how indulgent we really are on a cruise, because I don't think you're understanding what I'm trying to explain. Every morning for breakfast we get to order juice. I think we all order 1-2, but Christmas morning I'm not sure what happened, we ordered and drank more than what you see below (the rest of us still have at least one glass in front of us):<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 294px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559200805095929714" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSY_rabO93I/AAAAAAAAAk0/1DVKSZofcQ4/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B074.jpg" /><br />Love this pic :) What more could a girl want that a fun, handsome, wonderful, WONDERFUL husband with her on Christmas day... on a big boat... in the middle of the warm ocean... in the warm ocean sun... with unlimited food... *sigh* I've found the REAL heaven.<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559200796721499314" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSY_q7OnTLI/AAAAAAAAAks/x93dG1DAq3E/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B077.jpg" /><br />Yes, we like our grapefruit juice!<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559200789564644178" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSY_qgkSW1I/AAAAAAAAAkk/7deRGz_cqRg/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B080.jpg" /><br />Throughout the day everybody spent time with the friends they'd made during the week. Scott and Claire were nowhere to be found, but here's Katie with Team Michigan, playing putt-putt. Good thing she had practice during the Amazing Cozumel Race!<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559200785784840066" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSY_qSfHH4I/AAAAAAAAAkc/iaejTphWBpo/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B124.jpg" /><br />Dad took his shirt off to lay out and ended up with a "fanny chest" - it's a cousin to the "bro" (a bra for men). It's all the rage these days.<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 262px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559200781318702370" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSY_qB2TRSI/AAAAAAAAAkU/Unze7U77WUs/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B088.jpg" /><br />There was an ice sculpture demonstration that was SO cool. Just before the ice sculpting, there was a men vs women synchronized swimming competition. Of course me/Katie/Dad/Justin entered (along with the 2 boys and 1 girl in Team Michigan, plus one other new cruise friend) - nobody was there to take pictures. Mom video taped the whole thing (PRICELESS), and she doesn't have 3 hands, so we have a great video (I'll try to get it from them) so you can see the winning routine. The boys won by a LANDSLIDE, and also meant that Justin and Dad each earned ANOTHER trophy.<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 290px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559200394644954962" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSY_ThYGH1I/AAAAAAAAAkM/M5i70fZPyr8/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B086.jpg" /><br />Celebrating the win with some chocolate/fruit sushi. YUMMY!<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559200391646869746" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSY_TWNS-PI/AAAAAAAAAkE/ldGpdUUYbKQ/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B089.jpg" /><br />Nursing the loss with cups upon cups of the strawberry bisque I mentioned earlier. They had it at the lunch dessert buffet the last day! SCORE!<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 295px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559200385754309810" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSY_TAQZpLI/AAAAAAAAAj8/VqBEg9L9YqE/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B090.jpg" /><br />The sun is lowering for the last time :.....( (that's a lot of sobbing teardrops)<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 278px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559200381249354738" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSY_SveVe_I/AAAAAAAAAj0/LQK0xDDHu2k/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B091.jpg" /><br />Dad doing his favorite activity (say it with me, you know it by now!): NAPPING. See what I mean about the drooping arm? You can see where he just closed his eyes mid page, and the book fell down.<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559200374226843810" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSY_SVUCeKI/AAAAAAAAAjs/slAiYxLzxsk/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B092.jpg" /><br />Because it was Christmas, there was organized Christmas Caroling in the main lobby between dinner times. SEVERAL hundred people showed up. This was the best picture I could get (sorry - crappy flash), but it was really a one-of-a-kind, wonderful experience! And the coolest part: we sang real Christian hymns too - not just wintery songs!<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559199419969996066" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSY-aybehSI/AAAAAAAAAjc/PW6UaiBBh_4/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B094.jpg" /><br />LOOK WHO WE SAW THERE! I know him! We were sure to thank him for the stocking and were grateful he stuck around. After such a long night, a cruise does sound like the perfect vacation. Hey, if the big guy is on a cruise, isn't that a sign that it really is the best vacation ever?<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559199414503354242" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSY-aeEIL4I/AAAAAAAAAjU/TpCrSjVgahA/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B096.jpg" /><br />At dinner we had salmon for the (count it) fourth time! Each time seemed better than the last. SO DELICIOUS.<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 292px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559199408405346402" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSY-aHWP-GI/AAAAAAAAAjM/u3d4GXKoNkI/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B102.jpg" /><br />Now, you've heard me mention these little Carnival Legend trophies that we'd won throughout the week. By Saturday night, the count was up to 9. So we decided to bring all of our trophies and our medals (there should be 7 there - K/C forgot theirs) to make a Winner's Circle Centerpiece for our final meal.<br /><br />Breakdown of the final count:<br />Dad won 2 trophies, one for winning the Hairy Chest Contest, the other for winning Synchronized Swimming)<br />Erin and Justin combined for a total of 3 (Erin's Minute to Win It, Justin's Synchronized Swimming, and combined effort to win Name That Tune in the piano bar)<br />Katie won 2 trophies, one for winning the women's division of the Air Guitar Competition, and one for winning a Karaoke competition<br />Scott won 2 trophies, one for winning the men's division of the Air Guitar Competition, and one for performing with the live band during a Karaoke event.<br />7 medals: 1 per person for taking 2nd at the Amazing Cozumel Race.<br /><br />Again, I hope you've been listening: we're THE Coolest Family EVER. I think we just proved it.<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 285px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559201204955976114" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSZACsBTEbI/AAAAAAAAAlU/9VwRBL0i50Y/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B098.jpg" /><br />As if that wasn't enough, as the family's walking off the boat, our friend Jonathan asked Mom and Claire how many trophies we ended up with. They said 9. He said that we were just so awesome we needed another as a tribute to our awesomeness. So M/C were awarded another trophy as they walked off the boat. We're so cool that we get trophies just for being cool. Final total = 10 trophies.<br /><p>Here's a picture of our wonderful wait staff. They were such a joy and delight, we really looked forward to seeing them every night. We love you Rex and Santos! </p><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 296px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559198787061272594" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSY918qR0BI/AAAAAAAAAi8/1suyqs7sJ9c/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B111.jpg" /></div><div>I just thought this was so funny I had to include it :)</div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 299px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559199403212379426" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSY-Z0AJlSI/AAAAAAAAAjE/RhR-W43usuE/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B532.jpg" /><br />Mom and Dad with Nancy - THE hostess with the absolute mostest. She was a JOY, delight, and pleasure every single time. She brightened our day each morning and evening and if you are able to go on the Legend between now and May when her contract is up, PLEASE take the time to meet and get to know her just a little bit. SUCH a darling, precious, sweet young woman!<br /><div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSY91sUiCjI/AAAAAAAAAi0/z87ZPRfFlCw/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B108.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559198782675094066" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSY91sUiCjI/AAAAAAAAAi0/z87ZPRfFlCw/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B108.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Sorry we didn't do a great job of taking pictures of food. Like I said - weird flash. Plus we forgot a lot :) But here's the Christmas dessert. Justin could tell you more about it.</div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSY91FDdWaI/AAAAAAAAAis/agVjq7AxAWo/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B110.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559198772134500770" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSY91FDdWaI/AAAAAAAAAis/agVjq7AxAWo/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B110.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Our last animal. I think it's a puppy? It was almost as much fun trying to figure out what they were as it was to come home and find them :)</div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 292px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559198765048376642" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSY90qp_rUI/AAAAAAAAAic/Jw2XufkKM3g/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B114.jpg" /></div><div>Home Sweet Home. I miss it already...</div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSY909mndcI/AAAAAAAAAik/z0a2xIx7icg/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B115.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559198770134480322" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSY909mndcI/AAAAAAAAAik/z0a2xIx7icg/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B115.jpg" /></a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780118529114443910.post-67040831520680777022011-01-05T16:04:00.007-07:002011-01-05T16:33:28.626-07:00Cruise Day 6: CozumelDay 5: Cozumel<br /><br />Day 6 began a nice, lazy day. Our excursion wasn't until 11:30, so we got to sleep in and have a nice, big breakfast. When we did make our way off the ship, we found out we were parked to the Allure of the Seas. This is THE newest (just started sailing Dec 2010), biggest boat out there (6 inches longer than its twin - the Oasis of the Seas). She was MONSTROUS. I can't decide if 6,000 guests on one boat sounds like fun or craziness. I guess we'll have to go and find out!<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558845277532471922" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST8U_CuQnI/AAAAAAAAAiM/0KSckMZZgXQ/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B215.jpg" /><br />We were SO excited about our excursion in Cozumel. We signed up for The Amazing Cozumel Race. We LOVE the show The Amazing Race, so when we saw this listed as an option we just HAD to sign up for it. Let me tell you, it was probably the most fun thing you could ever do. Almost.<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 288px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558845271010463010" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST8UmvwTSI/AAAAAAAAAiE/adFru13d8dM/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B210.jpg" /><br />Along the way Katie had to get a dragon Henna tattoo for us to find our next clue. The dragon had 4 dots on it, which correlated with a certain Mayan number, which was the next location on our map!<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 299px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558844948734374578" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST8B2LJcrI/AAAAAAAAAhs/qUtLsc_3WRc/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B221.jpg" /><br />Rather than have detours and road blocks, etc... it was really just a scavenger hunt. The picture below is when we were the first to check in for the halfway point. That's right, first. By this point we'd already been running all over town and even got to go see a museum. Not that we looked at much more than the words we needed to find, but it was still really cool :)<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558844959286178818" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST8Cde5NAI/AAAAAAAAAh0/9sNqYY3-VzI/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B218.jpg" /><br />After the halfway checkpoint, we hopped on a boat that was moving a LOT.<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST8VVnYdVI/AAAAAAAAAiU/bOAx6T9yGdY/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B212.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 290px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558845283591812434" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST8VVnYdVI/AAAAAAAAAiU/bOAx6T9yGdY/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B212.jpg" /></a><br /><div> Why is Scott wearing a mask? Because he had to SNORKEL to find our next clue!!!!!!!<br /><div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST8CqIihPI/AAAAAAAAAh8/_dogyfG4Q78/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B211.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558844962682078450" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST8CqIihPI/AAAAAAAAAh8/_dogyfG4Q78/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B211.jpg" /></a><br /><div><div> Then Claire had to get a bracelet, which doubled as one of our clues.<br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST8Bs7NMbI/AAAAAAAAAhk/7_HyfOPCefk/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B222.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558844946251592114" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST8Bs7NMbI/AAAAAAAAAhk/7_HyfOPCefk/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B222.jpg" /></a><br /><div>We also had to play 3 holes of putt-putt. If we couldn't make the hole in the given par we could choose to do it over or purchase water/tequila. We played them over and only had to buy one water. At the last hole Mama made it on the par shot!!!! Again, we were first to EVERYTHING we got to.</div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST8BG-2JTI/AAAAAAAAAhc/k0H1x-LsSAk/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B224.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558844936066311474" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST8BG-2JTI/AAAAAAAAAhc/k0H1x-LsSAk/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B224.jpg" /></a><br />That's right, we were the first to finish. We had to wait about 45 minutes for all the rest of the teams to arrive. (These are our Amazing Cozumel Race id badges)<br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST7hVr0LPI/AAAAAAAAAhU/4k-yHOU1KJs/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B225.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 293px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558844390257208562" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST7hVr0LPI/AAAAAAAAAhU/4k-yHOU1KJs/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B225.jpg" /></a><br />We were so dedicated that we put our blood and sweat into it. Yes, that's blood dripping down Scott's leg. His wet bathing suit chaffed the inside of his knee and when we finally stopped to breathe we realized we had a battle wound.<br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST7hPJyszI/AAAAAAAAAhM/93hi-5loaNw/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B226.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558844388503892786" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST7hPJyszI/AAAAAAAAAhM/93hi-5loaNw/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B226.jpg" /></a><br />Don't ask any of us how we were first to EVERYWHERE and somehow ended up second? Doesn't make sense to us... (the "winning" couple's snorkel boat got stuck and so they took away 40 minutes of their total time. But here's the thing... the other people stuck on the same boat with them ended up 6th. Does that sound weird to you?)</div><div> </div><div>However you cut it, we had SO much fun and walked away with some sweet medals. Go us!<br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST7gvZYSzI/AAAAAAAAAhE/H5L-643JFLU/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B236.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 283px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558844379979336498" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST7gvZYSzI/AAAAAAAAAhE/H5L-643JFLU/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B236.jpg" /></a><br />This is right before the policeman came to yell at us for climbing on the letters. But seriously, how could you put such perfect climbing letters in such a perfect place and NOT expect people to climb on them? Somebody wasn't thinking that one through...<br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST7gZtKyLI/AAAAAAAAAg8/UihmB13ZEG8/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B243.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 293px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558844374156757170" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST7gZtKyLI/AAAAAAAAAg8/UihmB13ZEG8/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B243.jpg" /></a><br />It was Christmas Eve and it was fun to see a local, life-sized Nativity. Complete with pigs :) (and I'm not talking about my Dad/Scott/Justin - haha)<br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST7gJGRbsI/AAAAAAAAAg0/uTmDkNK5Ao8/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B247.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 295px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558844369698647746" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST7gJGRbsI/AAAAAAAAAg0/uTmDkNK5Ao8/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B247.jpg" /></a><br />Right at the end of our pier there was a FANTATSTIC cantina called The Three Amigos. Everything had to do with the movie and it was done to a T!<br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST66GwHS0I/AAAAAAAAAgs/0Hmdg_x-Oag/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B248.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558843716233808706" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST66GwHS0I/AAAAAAAAAgs/0Hmdg_x-Oag/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B248.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST65-ehMqI/AAAAAAAAAgk/4QPi4SDNKp0/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B253.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 285px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558843714012525218" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST65-ehMqI/AAAAAAAAAgk/4QPi4SDNKp0/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B253.jpg" /></a><br />And of course there's always time to wrestle an alligator (sp?)<br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST65jp4-RI/AAAAAAAAAgc/HE6xai6qV2M/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B259.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 288px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558843706812463378" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST65jp4-RI/AAAAAAAAAgc/HE6xai6qV2M/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B259.jpg" /></a><br />Nameless...<br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST65aIbfSI/AAAAAAAAAgU/41_0BxiKBds/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B271.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 278px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558843704256199970" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TST65aIbfSI/AAAAAAAAAgU/41_0BxiKBds/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B271.jpg" /></a><br />Didn't get any pictures from back on the boat, but we were pretty tuckered out from running so much. I think they said that total it's a 3-mile course? It was SO FUN. If you're ever in Cozumel, I highly highly highly recommend that you do this. You will LOVE it!</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780118529114443910.post-90053990464498433232011-01-03T16:05:00.009-07:002011-01-03T16:27:23.746-07:00Cruise Day 5: Belize<span style="font-size:130%;">Day 5: Belize</span><br /><br />Day 5 began medium early? We had to wait in line for tender tickets, and we're lucky our cruise director knew Katie or we may not have made our excursion in time. If you're ever going to Belize, skip the big breakfast and get in line for a tender as early as possible. There were SEVERAL people who missed their excursions b/c they were too late/ the system didn't work as good as it could have/ etc...<br /><br />When we did get on our tender, the drive in was a few miles. We were REALLY far out there. As we got closer to land, the seagulls swarmed around the tenders. It was really pretty, actually. And we were under shelter, so nobody got any surprised from above :)<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSJZNoBWD6I/AAAAAAAAAgM/s5Aru0SpX9c/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B137.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 299px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558102980744843170" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSJZNoBWD6I/AAAAAAAAAgM/s5Aru0SpX9c/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B137.jpg" /></a><br />K/M/D on the tender.<br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSJZNV1rXsI/AAAAAAAAAgE/W3MLCJjOgmE/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B173.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 292px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558102975864069826" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSJZNV1rXsI/AAAAAAAAAgE/W3MLCJjOgmE/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B173.jpg" /></a><br />C/S/E/J. Can't you tell we're getting tanner?<br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSJZABqyHOI/AAAAAAAAAf8/sqkZ0ORwAcY/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B174.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558102747111365858" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSJZABqyHOI/AAAAAAAAAf8/sqkZ0ORwAcY/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B174.jpg" /></a> While waiting for our excursion, we spotted a George Lucas (right Scott?) look-alike and Scott wanted to take a picture, so we had to pretend to be the subjects of said photo while pointing to the real subject. I feel like he can see right through us...<br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSJY_uQZYbI/AAAAAAAAAf0/n7C__1fEhMc/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B150.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 298px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558102741900419506" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSJY_uQZYbI/AAAAAAAAAf0/n7C__1fEhMc/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B150.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Claire. What a joyful child.</div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSJY_u1w21I/AAAAAAAAAfs/gWMVFEBquTc/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B176.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 271px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558102742057147218" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSJY_u1w21I/AAAAAAAAAfs/gWMVFEBquTc/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B176.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>We went ziplining first. Justin tried to film a few times, but we ran out of tape and he couldn't brake so he was going to fast. Oops.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSJY_R_AmLI/AAAAAAAAAfk/2A3zQTqMHU8/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B169.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558102734311299250" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSJY_R_AmLI/AAAAAAAAAfk/2A3zQTqMHU8/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B169.jpg" /></a><br />The other women. I think Katie is caught in a yawn?<br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSJY-wInfJI/AAAAAAAAAfc/f6a1uVakRfA/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B170.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558102725224791186" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSJY-wInfJI/AAAAAAAAAfc/f6a1uVakRfA/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B170.jpg" /></a><br />Scott did take some video, but it's at the bottom of the post so scroll down to see those!</div><div></div><div>After ziplining we went cave tubing. Again, we're so on with the matching bathing suits. And my new water shoes are so cute!<br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSJXMFQ5HrI/AAAAAAAAAfU/8D9AYuYmw1s/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B207.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 262px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558100755211689650" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSJXMFQ5HrI/AAAAAAAAAfU/8D9AYuYmw1s/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B207.jpg" /></a><br />Carrying the inner tubes - it was about a 15 minute walk/hike through the Belizean jungle.<br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSJWycIvSBI/AAAAAAAAAfM/Cpj9ECQe3I8/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B206.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 258px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558100314674907154" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSJWycIvSBI/AAAAAAAAAfM/Cpj9ECQe3I8/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B206.jpg" /></a> </div><div>We took pictures of the caves with our water camera, but they didn't turn out b/c it was so dark (duh), so here's a few floating down the river afterwards.<br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSJWxx_cPPI/AAAAAAAAAfE/R0MN1CdDC5s/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B184.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 263px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558100303361621234" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSJWxx_cPPI/AAAAAAAAAfE/R0MN1CdDC5s/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B184.jpg" /></a><br />We floated down the river linked up together so our guide could guide us better.<br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSJWxp8oHSI/AAAAAAAAAe8/hXzLKPpWdB0/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B192.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 262px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558100301202332962" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSJWxp8oHSI/AAAAAAAAAe8/hXzLKPpWdB0/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B192.jpg" /></a> And from the back...<br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSJWxX975lI/AAAAAAAAAe0/9xiyCaM2ziw/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B199.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 269px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558100296375985746" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSJWxX975lI/AAAAAAAAAe0/9xiyCaM2ziw/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B199.jpg" /></a><br />The best one at the end of the cave tubing while still inside the cave.<br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSJWxehjL-I/AAAAAAAAAes/7jiBjsX4bk8/s1600/Christmas%2BCruise%2B204.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558100298135973858" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9fFMsuJkkZg/TSJWxehjL-I/AAAAAAAAAes/7jiBjsX4bk8/s400/Christmas%2BCruise%2B204.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>Video of me ziplining. We were doing Tarzan yells, then I was having fun and kept yelling.<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwHQ2YB7EchS1rKn7QLwSt6_FU6gFMdA9rPognjFJL-F8WlsMucaVjb0mrTqDnRBiIbrMg9C9b4FmJxIFnruA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0