Dawson Update

   Well, quite a bit has happened since my last post.  I have had a growth spurt in my pregnancy, and it is very clear that I am pregnant now. Strangers now make comments every day, and few have even commented that they want to rub my tummy.  Derek finished up his last day of the semester yesterday, YAY!!!  He took over 20 credits, and all were difficult classes!! He is pretty burnt out, but such a good student.  I'm so happy that things are going to settle down a bit for him for a few weeks, and we will be able to relax and spend more time together.  And lastly we moved to good ol' Rexburg at the end of November.  We are in a cute little cozy apartment.  It's pretty small, and we can hear basically anything going on upstairs which is annoying, but other than that, we enjoy our new place.  I felt bad b/c I worked all day the day we moved, and Derek had class for half of the day.  Derek ended up moving most of everything himself, and then Thayne and Kiama stepped in and helped with the rest of the big stuff.  Thanks guys!!  I did most of the boxing, and unloading.  Because I'm pregnant I really couldn't do a lot of lifting, and I also wasn't there for most of moving day.  I felt bad, but thank goodness I have a strong super hero husband!!  Our apartment is now unpacked and decorated, and we are loving having our own space again!!  The baby room is still full of boxes and electronics and random items..... but I'll get to that don't worry!

     Yesterday we were lucky enough to go to the Dr. and get a 3D image of our little squirt!  Oh my goodness does that boy have some cheeks!! I was so excited to see those chubby cheeks on the screen!  I can't even contain the excitement I have to just squeeze those cute cheeks once he's here!!  Those cheeks are definitely a contribution from me!!  I was such a chubby baby, and I had and still have some good pincher cheeks.  Haha Derek laughed because he knew those cheeks definitely do come from me.  The picture we got is a side profile view, so it's kind of hard to pick out a lot, but it was kind of fun looking at his facial features and pointing out which side of the family it came from.  He definitely has a full set of lips that comes from Derek, and we are thinking maybe the nose as well.  Hard to really say until we see him in person!!  How exciting!

Look at those pincher cheeks and those big lips!!  Love this boy so much already!

     I am currently 27 weeks.  Next week I enter the 3rd trimester- CRAZY!!  I can't believe how fast this pregnancy is going!  I have so much to get ready for it's unbelievable.  I still am feeling good, but this past week I feel as though my immune system is down and I've been really really tired again.  My low back has been hurting, and I wake up with a charlie horse in my leg about 2 times a week.  Ugh, those are the worst!! I only fit into 3 pairs of my own jeans, and 2 pairs of my dress pants.  Most of my shirts don't quite cover up my belly anymore, and I am getting to the point where I am about to give in and go buy some maternity clothes.  I have gained a healthy amount of weight, and the baby is growing at a healthy pace and everything in my pregnancy looks normal.  I am so grateful for this!!  I had to take the glucose test yesterday to see if I have gestational diabetes.  I haven't found out the results yet, but the way things look, everything should be fine!  I was dreading drinking that dextrose because everyone made it seem horrible!  I actually didn't mind it at all.  Would I do that every day? No.  But was it that bad?  No.  I'm glad it didn't make me sick like it does to some other women.

27 weeks and doing well!

    Derek was so cute enough to take me out and get breakfast after my Dr. appointment because I had been fasting for the glucose test, and he knew that I was starving!!  I am so grateful for such a sweet husband that takes care of me and wants the best for me!!  I am grateful for where I am at in my life right now.  I am really happy.  I like my job, I have a healthy pregnancy, I have an incredible spouse, and we are lucky enough to expound our family and meet our sweet little boy in 3 short months.  We know that so much change is coming, and we can't even comprehend everything that is going to happen.  But we couldn't be more happy for this change.  I love stepping back from life and realizing all my many blessings.  Sometimes I wish time would stop in it's tracks and I could freeze this exciting stage in our lives!!!  I hope that the rest of my pregnancy continues to go well, and that my son will enter this world with good health and strength.

It's a......

BOY!!!!!

   Derek and I are sooo happy to announce that the new addition joining our family will be a sweet baby boy!!!!  During the ultrasound our little boy would NOT hold still.  That may have to do with the fact that I had just fed him Captain Crunch, so he may have been on a sugar high!!  

   

  Thursday October 25, we woke up to about 6 inches of snow on the ground.  Derek and I hurried to get ready in order to make it to the appointment on time, because we knew the roads would be bad.  The further north we drove to get to Rexburg, the worse the roads were.  We saw about 5 slide offs by 8:30 in the morning.  I found out that I have gained 11 pounds since the beginning of my pregnancy, and everything looks great!!  Our doctor knew immediately what the gender as soon as he put the ultrasound wand on my belly.  Derek and I both guessed it was a girl because we couldn't see anything between the legs.  Our doctor just smiled and said.... "Well that's because he has his legs together and he is turned away from us."  I very loudly said, "It's a BOY!?!?!"  And the Dr. smiled and nodded.  We were so excited!!  

   

  It was hilarious b/c as soon as he went to show us that it was a boy he turned away from us, put his legs together, and he put his hands up so he was covering his face.  Our Doctor laughed and told us, he is definitely a boy since he is already hiding from the camera.  Probably a very true statement.

      

 I am excited to play sports and be active with this little squirt.  I'm excited to see what he looks like and what his little personality is like.  I'm excited to have a mini Derek running around, for some reason that brings a lot of comfort to me!!  Derek and I both went into the ultrasound in girl mode for some reason, so we are trying to get out of that mode and into boy mode!!  Derek is excited to take him camping, motorbiking, and hunting with him.

   On Thursday night we made a cake with blue in it, and we showed the DVD of the ultrasound that the Dr gave us to my family.  My sister in law is an ultrasound tech so she knew exactly what it was as soon as the DVD started.  Derek and I both accidentally slipped out "he" while we were watching it so my mom and brother caught on that it was a boy!!  My sister in law showed us the proof that it was a boy about 4 different times.  We had a lot of fun watching the DVD, talking about boy names, baby items, and eating cake and German pancakes.

    I am so blessed to have this sweet little baby boy coming into my life in just a short amount of time.  Today I am 20 weeks so I am exactly half way done, I can't even believe!!! Yay for boys, and yay for our family!! So excited!

Waiting for our Ultrasound to begin!

  

Can't wait to meet baby boy Dawson!!

16 weeks

   This week I am 16 weeks prego!! It's exciting that in only 1 more month I will be half way done!!  I wanted to start taking pictures each week to show the growth over just a weeks time.  I won't post a picture every week, b/c I'm so sure everyone would get so sick of me, but I just wanted to keep them for myself to reflect back on!!  Derek and I attempted to take our first prego picture on Saturday.  You know... the standard prego picture where the girl is facing the side so you can see her belly.  First of all...  I was wearing a dress so it's a little bit harder to see.... second of all..... I am in this in between stage still where it's a toss up of does she look bloated, is she gaining some weight, or is she possibly pregnant?  Fun times you guys.  When I run into old friends they say, " I can definitely see you're getting bigger!"  Which apparently when you're pregnant these things are good to hear?  Sometimes when I ask Derek if I look pregnant he says, "Not really, you more just look like you ate too much."  Haha.  So I guess I'm going to just stop asking people if I look pregnant or not.  On Friday my stomach just popped out quite a bit more than usual.  It's funny how you feel like you're not really growing and all of a sudden you're tummy grows in 1 day.  

   At 16 weeks pregnant I no longer feel nauseous.  Quite a bit of my energy is back, and I am peeing more frequently.  I am starting to try and sleep on my side, b/c it is getting uncomfortable to sleep on my back and my stomach.  I crave anything that is spicy or salty.  When  I can't decide what to eat I go to the fridge and start eating pickles or banana peppers.  I literally have to pry myself away from the jar of banana peppers or else I would eat the entire jar.  I have a Dr. apt tomorrow, and there is a very slight chance we may see the gender.  It is early to tell.... but if the baby is moving and cooperates, there may be a chance.  Other wise we have to wait until week 20 to see the gender.  I am not banking on finding out the gender tomorrow, b/c you know how well babies cooperate when you need them to!!  

 Well here are our attempts at trying to get a photo of my little bump.  Derek was quite the director at trying to make this photo work.  He was cracking me up at how serious he was about trying to get the best view of the bump.

 

  

Holy Month and a half!!!

What has this past month and a half consisted you ask?  Only minor life changing events... no big deal.

First off I graduated from BYU-Idaho July 15, 2012.  I received my Bachelors of Science in Exercise Science.  I never thought the day would come, but sure enough it did!!!  So exciting!

Right after I received my diploma!

3 days later I found out I was pregnant!!!  I was in complete shock when I found out!!  Not to give you too many details, but I have a disorder that's called Endometriosis, and I was told it would be hard for me to get pregnant.  I thought it would take years before I could get pregnant, but to my surprise, it didn't take years at all!!

Look at those long legs and feet!!

Next up we headed down to Arizona for our anniversary and to visit family!!  We always have such a fun time whenever we go to AZ.  We were able to go to a fun restaurant called Rustler's Rooste, went on a tour of a candy factory, went swimming at Derek's brother's new place, and went shopping.

Such  a fun group of people!!

We got home from AZ on a Friday, and I started my new job on Monday.  I got the job in 3 days, which is pretty unheard of now days.  I was really hoping I would be able to find a job at a Physical Therapy office, but I am so grateful to have any job.  I am currently working for Eye Care Associates in Idaho Falls.  I am working as a tech for Dr. Birch.  I do all of the pre-testing before patients see the doctors, and I do acuities, health histories, and any special testing that the Dr. needs to be done.  I basically run all of the machines at the office.  I have really enjoyed this job, but it is def. stressful trying to learn everything and take it all in.  I'm on my feet all day, and I work long hours.  Pregnancy and those 2 aren't the best of friends, but I'm pushing through.  I am usually completely wiped out by the end of the day.  Luckily I  get Wednesdays and weekends off.  I def. needs those days to recoop. 

I have definitely had quite the month and a half.  I am so blessed for all that I have been given!!!  I can't wait to meet this sweet baby and I am so excited for our family to grow!!!  For some reason I have thought it was a boy from the very beginning.  Derek thinks it's a girl just because I am so set on a boy.  Since it's our first, I really don't care what comes first!!  I am due March 16, and I am currently 14 weeks pregnant.  I have been lucky that I really haven't been very sick.  I get nauseous if I don't eat every couple of hours.  I am pretty low on energy, especially since I've started working.  Before when I was tired I was able to lay down when I needed to, or grab a snack.  Now that I am working all day and I'm on my feet, it is a little difficult.  Other than that, I really have been lucky about how good I have been feeling!!  Derek and I are soo happy with where we are at in life right now!!  All these changes are exciting and scary, but we know that we were meant to have this sweet little baby come into our home at this time!!  These next 6 months will either fly by, or they won't come soon enough!!!  I'm curious to know your thoughts on what you think I'm having.  Also, any words of advice are appreciated!!! I'm always looking for tips and more knowledge in order to have a healthy pregnancy, and to help me to become a better mom!                                         

What's Been On My Mind

I honestly have not been on here forever!!  It definitely has to do with the fact that this semester has been crazy!!  I am taking 17 credits, and the classes that I am taking are definitely challenging.  Each class has required loads of work outside of class time.  I kid you not, Derek and I are literally at the school from 7 in the morning to 10 at night most days.  I am very excited to say that I will be graduating in 2 weeks!!!  I have worked so hard, and I can't wait to move on to the next stage of my life!!  I hope to find a job at a Physical Therapy office, or else in the Cardiac Rehab department at the hospital.  I'm am crossing my fingers that all will work out, and that I can find a job once I graduate!!  

   

    Something that has been on my mind a lot lately is marriage.  Now I know that marriage can be difficult, and I know that a lot of people don't really tell you how hard it can be before you get married.  It seems that I keep hearing more and more that people are choosing to get divorced.  It breaks my heart.  I know that people will never know what truly goes on behind closed doors, and from an outsiders view, we never understand the full story.  There is 2 sides to every story, and no one is perfect.  I made a list of 10 things to do to strengthen a marriage.  The reason I am sharing this is out of love.  I wish I would have known of people struggling before it got to divorce, and I wish I could have been brave enough to share some thoughts.Whether helpful or not, these are just the top 10 things that to me, make my marriage special.

1.  Something that I wish to share with people is to always have the gospel be the focal point in your marriage.  Without the foundation of the gospel, it is hard to see eye to eye and to fully view the big picture.  Without the gospel it is easy to have your thoughts turn inward, and it is easy to become selfish.  

2.  That leads me to my next thought of always putting your spouse first.  Whenever I have noticed that I have been so concerned with my self, I realized that I wasn't making Derek happy, and I realized that my marriage was not as strong as it could have been.  Every day I set a goal, and I ask myself the question, "What can I do to make Derek happy today?"  I start every days with this thought, and I always try to make an effort, big or small to go out of my way to make sure that he knows I love him and that I would do anything for him.  It doesn't have to be anything huge, send a cute text, or make their favorite meal.  Just so that he knows that I am thinking about him and I care about him.  Whenever I have been selfless in my marriage, everything has worked itself out and ran smoothly.

3.  Don't be your spouse's parent, be their spouse.  All anyone wants is love.  I am pretty sure that Derek doesn't care if the house isn't perfectly clean, but he cares about my support and love.  Don't talk down to your spouse, realize that everyone has unique quirks, and no one is perfect.  Don't be demeaning or try to tell them how to run their lives.  Marriage is equal, and you are both there to make each other better.

4.  Sometimes you need to put everything aside and just focus on your marriage.  There are nights when I have dishes to do, homework to be done, and laundry to be washed, but instead of doing the small things I spend the time with Derek.  We talk and share thoughts, we cuddle, and we are there for each other.  Sometimes after these experiences I am able to go back to life and face the challenges that it presents, while knowing that my marriage is strong and solid.

5.  Think before you react.  Yes, sometimes people are annoying, and sometimes as human beings we are judgmental.  Rather than freaking out over the small annoyances of the world, hold your tongue.  If you and your spouse have a disagreement, cool off when so you can have a clear mind and a better understanding of the situation.  Don't put your spouse down because you are heated in the moment, be mature and talk it through at a time when you can think clearly.

6.  Laugh together, flirt together, and take care of yourself.  Go out of your way to flirt with your husband, have a laughing tickling fight, and get ready for the day.  I know there are a lot of moms out there who don't have a lot of time in the day to put on cute clothes, or try a new hair do, but to be honest, the times that we do go out of our way to look cute for our husbands, they notice.  When we feel good about ourselves, it really does make a difference of the way that we act around others.  

7.  When you have a problem, don't run away from your spouse, run to them.  This is so crucial.  When we run to others and share deep personal experiences, we grow stronger relationships with those around us, and connect to them.  Instead, we need to be having those intimate experiences with our spouse, and we need to resolve the problems with them.  If you have a problem with your spouse, run to them.  Resolve the problem then and there, don't run away from it and grow further away from your spouse.

8.  Back to my number 1 about having the gospel in your marriage, pray together.  When we pray together it strengthens our relationship, and I feel so much closer to Derek.  When I hear Derek pray I feel as though I am hearing a small portion of his testimony.  I realize more and more each day how important it is to have the priesthood in my home, and I am eternally grateful for Derek being worthy to hold the priesthood and having that sweet spirit in my home.

9.  Let your husband have his "guy time", and let yourself have your "girl time".  Derek and I both need that outlet sometimes.  It is so fun to have friends that you connect with, and friends that share your same interests.  Sometimes I get my girly nail painting, chick flicks, and girl chats out of the way, so that I can come back to my spouse and be refreshed.

10.  Stay interested in each other's interests, and allow yourself and your spouse to have an outlet.  Make sure not to get too involved in your talents/outlets, but allow yourself to feel good about yourself.  For instance, I started dancing again about a year ago, and it has been such a blessing!!  I have loved having an outlet and having something that I feel passionate about, but I only do it a couple hours a week.  My marriage will always come first.  Something that I love is when Derek compliments me on my dancing, and he loves it when I try to understand about building, fixing, guns, motorcycles,etc.  It is so fun to learn new things with Derek, and see his eyes light up when it is something that he is so passionate about.  Don't ever try to take something away from your spouse.  Embrace it and ask questions about it.  While still being clear that it is not the focus of your marriage.

     I am so grateful for my marriage, and I am so grateful for what I have.  My heart hurts for others who are not so fortunate.  I wish that I could be brave enough and let people know that marriage is hard, and they don't need to hide how difficult it is, or how bad they are aching inside when they are struggling.  I know that everyone has different situations, stories, and experiences, and not every marriage is going to work out.  I hope that if people are ever struggling in their marriage they can focus on the big picture and not sweat the small stuff.  To those who are divorced or going through divorces, I know that that is a whole other ball game.  I can't even imagine how hard it would be to go through something like that, and I hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel.  I hope you can stay strong and get through it, and I hope that there is something better waiting for you in the end.  Marriage is a touchy subject, but I am blogging about it now because I wish I would have shared some of these thoughts earlier with people before things got so bad.  I never know who is struggling and who is doing great!!!  It's hard to know what to say when people go through these challenging times, but I will always be supportive and loving, and do my best be be understanding and try to say the right things.  I hope you blogging buddies are all doing well!! Feel free to share your marriage thoughts with me, and things that you have found to strengthen your own marriages!  I always love to hear comments!

Just Laugh!

Hey Ya'll, hope you're doing well!!  Derek and I are back in school for spring semester... and we already have 2 tests on the second week of school.  Good times!!  I came into this semester pretty nervous because of difficult classes I am registered for, the fact that I am taking 17 credits, and the fact that it is my last semester so I seem to have checked out somewhat already.  Well if there is one thing that I've learned this week is to just laugh through it all!!  Life it hard, school is hard, no one is perfect and all that we can do is our best!!  Derek and I have been hanging out with Mark and Heather Buys this semester, and we are SOO grateful for their friendship.  The first time that we hung out, ALL of our deep secrets just blurted out to each other.  It's amazing how easy it is to get along with certain people and how much you can find in common with one another.  We laughed, we shared testimonies, and we laughed some more.  Derek and I laugh non stop with them, and they are great examples to us.  We are so grateful for their friendship, and for the fact that they taught us to laugh through life.  I hope we can all remember to spread our cheer to others because you never know what someone is dealing with.  Surround yourself with positive people who are good examples, and always remember to put others before your self.  Keys to a successful and happy life!!!! I dare you to smile at strangers, laugh through difficult times, and give up your time to help those who are suffering or are in need of help!! I am so grateful for all that I have been blessed with.  I have a wonderful husband, I am fortunate enough to receive an education, I have great friends, a wonderful family, and I am lucky enough to have such great in laws and fun sister in laws that I can talk and relate to.  I am grateful for all of you blogging buddies that I have, and I admire so many of you!! I hope you have a fun weekend and remember to laugh! :)

Recap of the Semester

Yay!!! I made it through another semester!!! I finished my last final today and I think it went really well!! I really enjoyed this semester, and it was 1oX better than last semester!! Since the semester is coming to a close I thought I would recap on some of the things that I went through.

- I did my intern this semester and LOVED every second of it!! I worked at a Physical/Speech/Occupation/Pediatric Therapy clinic. It was such a blessing going to my intern 2 days a week and seeing everyone at work. Everyone was so gracious and kind to me, and it was a humbling experience working with people who's bodies are injured and improperly functioning. I was offered a job out of all the other interns and I was sooo thrilled. Unfortunately I couldn't make my schedule work next semester to take the job offer, but they are trying to hire me in July when I graduate, so cross your fingers that it all works out!!!

- I took a dance history class... and LOVED it!! I learned how much I don't know about dance, and it was a way fun class!

- I judged my first dance competition last weekend. It was so much fun and I was so grateful for the opportunity. The hardest part about it was the dance off. I had to go give little girls medals and tell them to sit down until we finally picked a winner who got a trophy. I felt like a jerk when I would hear the audience aah in sadness when I approached their daughter and gave them a medal. Other than that part, it was an awesome opportunity and I had a blast. I even made a new facebook friend out of it. (One of the other judges, which is my sister in law's friend).

- I performed with my contemporary dance team Aspire. After all of our hard work for the year we performed for our families and friends. It was bitter sweet and I was so blessed to be a member of the company. It was a TOTALLY new experience for me, especially because the style was oober modern. For those of you who know me... know that modern is NOT my thing. But I overcame it and I learned a great deal. I have a fonder appreciation for modern dance and the art of dance in and of itself.

- I took my first Microbiology class. It was hard, and I am now germaphobe from it... but I endured to the end and learned a lot!

- My favorite class this semester was Kinesiology. That class is incredible!! If BYU-Idaho had that major, that would definitely be mine! I love learning about the muscles and how the body moves. My teacher came up to me after class one day and told me that I had my head on my shoulders and would do well out in the real world after I graduate. I was so grateful for an encouraging teacher who went out of his way to help me along my way.

- I survived finals week!

- I met new friends and enjoyed getting to know new people from my class.

- I came out of this semester a better person with more light and knowledge, and I have been able to help family members with injuries just from taking Kinesiology and from my intern with the Physical Therapists.

-I applied for graduation!

- I registered for my last semester at BYU-Idaho!

- One of my best friends gets married tomorrow at the close of my semester!

I would say that I definitely had a fulfilling, challenging, and uplifting semester! I am so grateful for the opportunity to receive and education. I especially am grateful that I am receiving it at BYU-Idaho. I have grown spiritually and mentally. Here's to the weekend, passing my classes, and learning a great deal more from this semester!! I am officially a Senior and I will be graduating this July!!! Can't wait to see what is to come in my future!

I don't want to do my homework so...

So I don't want to do my homework.... so judge me for it whatever I don't care. Haha. Here are 30 random facts about me that I'm sure you are dying to know.

1. I graduate in July.... hopefully!

2. I know what I want to do with my life, but I totally don't know what I want to do all at the same time.

3. I got married at age 19 and I was told I wouldn't make it. I love people's reactions when they ask me if I thought I missed out on life and how hard it must be. I love proving people wrong and my marriage is my number 1 priority. In all honesty, marriage was the best thing for me at that time in my life.

4. I have the funniest family in the world. Family get togethers are never a let down.

5. I have never peed my pants in public..... no wait, yes yes I have I take that back. Dang it!

6. I want 3 kids and then I want to adopt 2. Derek wants a cute little black boy, and I want a little Asian girl.

7. I want 2 boys and a girl, and I have all of their names picked out, and I have since before I was married.

8. I want to learn to speak Italian. Once I learn.... I am pretty sure I will be able to convince Derek we need to take a trip to Italy so I can prove my mad skills.

9. I want to get certified in teaching Ballet Aerobics. Haven't heard of it? Yeah... I haven't really either, but I am pretty certain that this is what I want to get certified in.

10. I hope to establish my home and family in Arizona. I love the City and I love the sun.

11. My family is the exact OPPOSITE as Derek's. Everything about them is opposite. I think Derek and I are pretty sure about what middle ground is because we have extreme opposites.

12. I am a very laid back person.... but I have anxiety at the same time so it makes life get interesting at times.

13. I love taking time to laugh at myself every day. If you can't laugh at yourself than what can you laugh at?

14. I love growing and learning everyday. It doesn't seem like it, but looking back at where I started and where I am now, I would say I have learned and grown a great amount.

15. I love listening to music for hours.

16. I love to dance. I miss dancing with Derek and I miss performing. I am on a dance team but it's not my favorite genre. I love it when I am in my element and when I can release all my stresses into something I am so passionate about.

17. I adore my intern and the people I get to work with when I go to my intern every Tuesday and Thursday.

18. The happiest year of my life was one of the hardest years of my life all at the same time. That was the year we moved to Arizona.

19. The older I get, the closer I get to my sister. I love it! Other than Derek she really is my best friend. I love her cackle and I love all her stylish clothes that I can wear when she visits.

20. I am getting another sister in March, and I am so excited for her to become a part of my family. She is a sweet heart and such a cutie.

21. I have been so blessed with my health so far in life. I am so grateful for my body and my health and strength every day.

22. My favorite facial feature is my cheek bones.

23. I am a detective with my nose. I can hunt down anything with my nose and I tend to freak Derek about with my nose.

24. Everyday when I'm driving to school, I always wish that I could crawl back under the warm covers at home and snuggle with Derek all day.

25. My body was made to fit Derek's. My head fits in Derek's nook on his shoulder. We form perfectly together and we are the perfect cuddlers. It ROCKS!

26. I have had 3 pets. A bunny named Baby Socks, a cat named Chicken, and a dog named Camo.

27. My first doll was named Pea Pod. I named her after something I loved so dearly. Her head was popped off by the neighbor boy and I was traumatized. My brother's friends were never to see me play with dolls again.

28. I was never afraid of water until I took swimming lessons with my best friend and she screamed and cried in the water. Seeing her made me traumatized, and I was then a goner.

29. My favorite books are the Hunger Games and The Help.

30. I worked with my friend one summer and I made her laugh so hard I witnessed her wet her pants. This could possibly be one of the funniest moments in my life.

I thought I would tie peeing your pants one more time into my post. I hope you are all having an enjoyable winter and are finding ways to stay warm.

As of Lately

Looks like I'm due for some catching up. Derek and I had a fun Christmas break that flew by far too fast. We were able to spend Christmas with my family and loved every minute of it. My family has some hard core traditions that sound absolutely ridiculous, but to me, that's Christmas. My family gets together Christmas Eve with the Maeser side. After we eat dinner we pass around cups of rice pudding. If your cup of rice has the almond in it, you win the prize. My mom won this year which I believe was her first year ever winning. After that we go downstairs and all the grandkids get to decorate the tree with homemade sugar cookies, popcorn balls, and candy canes. Once the tree is decorated and the dishes are done we gather around and read Davey's first Christmas, the Nisa Man, and of course the story of Christ's birth from the New Testament. For those of you who don't know who the Nisa man is, he is kind of like a little elf. The Nisa man is a Danish belief. So it is safe to say that our traditions on Christmas Eve are very Danish. The story is written about my great great Grandpa and his encounter with the Nisa man. Like I said, our traditions sound silly, but so fun! After we read, we hold hands and sing songs around the Christmas part. As cheesey as this sounds, it is by far my favorite part!! My dad's side of the family is where all the humor comes from. You can expect opera singing, and the can can to occur. I love my family! Then we pass out the presents and open them.

Christmas morning was awesome and then we spent the afternoon with my mom's side. We had a lot of fun and ate WAY too much food. We had a fun time relaxing and playing the Wii and enjoying each other's company.

On Tuesday my sister left, Derek's family was all gone, and there was nothing that we knew of going on for the rest of the week. Derek casually asked me if I wanted to go to Arizona. I laughed and said, "No way!" Then we sat there and said, actually we totally should do it! So we packed up our stuff and 3 hours later we were on our way to Arizona. We did have some car problems along the way but we were safe and it happened at the best possible moment.

We enjoyed the weather and good company of some of Derek's family. We went to the park, played wiffle ball, lightening, went shopping, bowling, and made a stop at Lee Lee's. Lee Lees is a grocery store and every aisle is a different country. My parents are obsessed with it! We took a picture in front of it and sent it to them. They were ecstatic!! We brought home some candy and herbal tea from Japan for my dad. He was thrilled! New Years Eve we did fireworks and went and played at the park. It was so much fun getting away for a bit and warming up.

We would have liked to do a lot more while we were there, but it was hard getting everyone to agree on something. Maybe next time we can travel a little more while we there. But we definitely were grateful for our trip.

We have been back at school for about a week and a half now. We are pretty burnt out but we are grateful for the opportunity to receive an education. I am currently doing my intern at Rehab Services of Idaho and I absolutely LOVE it!! Everyone is so awesome and I am learning a lot from the therapists. They offer Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Pediatric Therapy, and Physical Therapy. I am mostly in the Physical Therapy department, but I have had the opportunity to spend time around the other therapists.

Other than that, not too much is going on. We are just staying busy, learning all that we can, and enjoying our life along the way!!

New Years Eve Fun