January 2015

Can you believe January is over?! I sure can't.  But I'm kind of relieved that it is.

This year started out quite stressful and interesting for us. It started with me only part time (my own choice).  Mike's work had some stress related problems with his paychecks and with our health insurance that we barely, Finally got resolved this week.  But we have our heads up and are looking forward and can now relax knowing that all of that is behind us.

This year has been harder for me physically at work and I am SO glad I made the choice to only work part time for a few more months before our baby girl arrives! :) It has been such a blessing to only work part time.  I work at an Orthodontist office and lean over all day and am up and down in my chair all day and we are a very busy office so it's been the best decision I made.

I am also blessed to know all of our family and friends have been such a huge support for me and have already voiced their excitement, helpful words, and help for after the baby's arrival.  I'm not even worried about us after her arrival; we will be well taken care of :)  Thank you everyone!!

It makes me happy and teary-eyed when Mike talks about how BADLY he wants to just meet her and hold her, and loves seeing her kick and feeling her.  He is going to be the best dad!!

Today was the first day I think emotions of the pregnancy finally got to me.  I started off ready to kick off the day until I ate breakfast and sat down.  Then all my body and mind wanted to do was just sit there and do nothing.  I knew that today wasn't going to be as productive as I imagined it would be last night.

But hey that's ok.  I had to just keep telling myself that.  I only have a few days left ALL BY MYSELF and I need to enjoy them.  I texted Mike and that is exactly what he told me, and quite honestly what I needed to hear.  It helped me just relax and enjoy my day off.  I worked out doing some pilates and the baby kicked me after I was done.  I'll take that as in she enjoyed it :)

I've been blessed with no food cravings. And no major hot flashes.  Unless the room is Very hot; like the temple was the other night; holy cow.  We were doing Sealings and the Sealer had to open the door for me to let some cool air in and I had to move near the door, with a napkin folded up to fan me.  Sounds worse than it really was.  But that was the worst, and only second, hot flash I have had while pregnant.

We have also found that if I listen to music close to my belly she starts having fun!  I truly think we might have a dancer :)
We have also learned that spicy food is out of the diet for awhile.  I got sick at work yesterday eating a few spicy chips, so I had to stop.
She also reacts when I eat sweets/sugar.  She is going to be a sweet girl ;) ;)  haha
She is going better at letting me fall asleep.  But she doesn't like it when I lay on my right side; ever! haha.
She has never woken me up at night; except a few trips to the bathroom.  But even then I could probably count them on the same hand.
She doesn't like it when I drive sitting up.  She starts kicking me so I have to slouch like a gangster when I drive half the time.

It will be interesting to compare these notes in a few months after she arrives! :)

We have also learned she doesn't have a name yet...so any ideas would be greatly appreciated! :)

Love, The Dukes

Just one question...

                     
Well since last post I have been thinking a lot about what I said and kind of embarrassed that I published it to the public, and trying to change and redirect my thinking on life.

I have been thinking like a writer; ok I don't really know how they think, but I have been thinking how and what I will say in my next post which I knew I needed to write soon before people got too scared and worried about me.  Like I said it was probably a short lived idea of a day and I'm over those harsh feelings. So tonight I wanted to focus on the good I've had lately and things I'm just so thankful for.

I'm feeling quite accomplished and proud of myself.  I've had a great work week with some amazing co-workers!  They always know just what to say and how to make me laugh and enjoy each day even though it may be a crazy day with patients, parents, work drama etc.   They know how to Always make it fun!!  :)

I'm so thankful for my warm, safe house I live in.

I'm thankful my husband and I have great jobs with great benefits and great co-workers. My husband works really hard to provide.  I can't be more thankful and grateful.

I am SO ETERNALLY GRATEFUL for my amazing, handsome, helpful, thoughtful (should I keep going??), sexy husband!  He wakes up every morning to make sure I get a good hearty breakfast AND makes me a healthy lunch in a small brown bag that he hands me as I walk out the door, with a kiss on the cheek and those three small loving words with a smile on his face :)  I couldn't ask for anything better!! And let me tell you those lunches are DELICIOUS! I just feel so bad I can't return the favor as often.  He is such a good sport about it all and doesn't complain.  I have fallen more in love with him by him doing that :)  Poor guy half the time I don't even make dinner.  He makes two meals a day for me and I can barley make one meal for him!! I hope I can get better at that.

                         
                              My hot husband :)


I also have to be so grateful and thankful my employer is understanding about my needs and wants.  The other day was a rough day for as far as pain and rushed work ethic and I was just feeling beat.  I had to work the next day and it was only going to be two of us working with a full half day of patients. I just didn't want to let him down and put us all behind, so I texted him and explained that it was a rough day for me and that I felt bad and if there was any way he could ask one more person to help us on that half day of work.  And he did.  No questions asked.  He just texted back and said, 'Done'.

I feel pretty good during this pregnancy.  I count my blessing every day about my pregnancy going so well.  I was only sick for a short time and since then it's been making the adjustment to fitting into my clothes and sleeping well.  I've always wondered why people always ask pregnant ladies, 'how are you feeling?' I just think that's kind of a silly question.  But as I'm nearing that stage of uncomfortable, can't sleep stage I understand it better.  But I still don't understand it completely.  Maybe  I'm just blessed.  The only thing I have to complain about is getting to sleep and sleeping well like I used to.  But it really isn't TERRIBLE. Ya it's frustrating I can't fall asleep as fast or as well, but I still can't complain that much.  These past few months have been the hardest on me; and my husband; but it probably won't get any better once she is here.  But really I feel well and am doing well :)  I really just want to meet her and just have her here.  My wonderful husband keeps saying things like; "I can't wait to dress her for church, I just want to meet that feisty girl kicking her mom." Or "Is it weird that I just want to meet her?" He is SO BEYONG excited and it warms my heart and makes me feel calm and at peace knowing he wants to meet her so bad.  I know he is going to be a Marvelous father and enjoy every second of her :) She already has him wrapped around her finger :) I love it!!

Every time I have a funny story about our little girl; how she kicks me while I drive, how much movement she has compared to some days; like right now I swear she doing gymnastics; the crazy dreams I have; like my brother going to jail for no reason and my mom not signing the papers to release him because she didn't know where or how to sign them. Or the hurt my stomach feels, the hunger I feel, the amount of food I eat, the list goes on!  I keep thinking man I need to be documenting all this!!! So my question is; IS IT TOO LATE TO DOCUMENT ALL OF THIS BABY STUFF IN A JOURNAL of some sort??
Maybe I should start one before I get too overwhelmed or drowned in my baby's love and life :)

  

Mike and I just having fun in SLC

We might be addicted to cruises....

Well I felt like I needed to update you all who read that last post and put you at ease knowing I'm doing well and have no more sad feelings.  

I truly am happy and healthy and can't wait to meet our little girl in a few months!! It seems so far away!! I just want to meet her now and hold her.  Im getting anxious.  

Love the Dukes :)

2015...

I hesitate actually posting this because this might just be a very short temporarily thing that doesn't really need to be revealed and announced but I figure it's safe for the blog...

Why don't people hold up their end of a bargain?
I don't know. I don't get it.
I don't have patience for it.
But I don't want to be the nagging friend, wife etc.
How do I get over it? How do I get them to hold up their end of the deal?

Sorry, that is what is on my mind today.  But 2015 started off on the wrong foot...

Today I woke up wanting to have motivation, so I encouraged myself to get to that point.  What came next? It lasted for about 3 hours.  Then things just went down hill.  So I sit here tearing my self apart on the inside and trying to hold back the bucket of tears because I know I'm probably being silly and I don't want my husband to know because I need/want to be strong for him.  I don't know if it's because of how this week has gone spirally down or if it's this pregnancy.

I just know I don't know what to say or what to do to get out of this.

I'm excited for my baby girl and sometimes wish she was just here.  But other times it's nice to always have her with me and know she is safe.

I want to be better at a lot of things and don't know where to start.  Maybe that's my problem.
I want to start projects but am afraid to get too far into them thinking something is going to come up and interrupt me and then it will never get done.  Maybe that's my problem.
I want to be a better house cleaner but it hurts to do certain chores so i just leave it dirty.  Maybe that's my problem.
I want to work out, but why? I haven't done anything all day and I'm still clean from my shower and don't want to shower again.  Maybe that's my problem.  I want to cook a good home cooked meal, but I don't know what to make.  Maybe that's my problem.
I want to be a better business woman selling my Mary Kay but feel like it's just going down the drain and nobody wants/needs anything and I don't know how to pick up business. Maybe that's my problem.
Maybe it's because I feel like I can't do anything or go anywhere Because I Am pregnant.
Maybe I'm too picky and OCD about life and certain things.

I don't know what my problem is but today has been a long, pacing the house wondering what to do, eating everything, feeling depressed kind of day and I just don't know what to do.  And I feel like I'm bringing my husband down as well.  I don't want to do anything.  I don't want to get ready for the day to do anything.  But I want to get out of the house to say I at least got out of my house this weekend and did SOMETHING.

But I have to count my many blessings and know I'm watched over, have a safe warm house with EVERYTHING I could ever possibly need inside [and more], with a good husband :)

I know I'm not perfect and never will be but I try to be my best.  But sometimes the best comes over me and some days you just need to relax and stay inside; I understand that, but I worry it's not just one of those days.

But maybe it's time to go close that closet door that never got closed a few minutes ago (my OCD), and sit and cry it out.  Then start over tomorrow. Because after all it is Sunday; a day or renewal. I should get my motivation back and be ready to conquer this next week and be that better person on the inside and out and be a better business woman with my Mary Kay business!!

Sorry for being so negative.  Thanks for all your support.

www.marykay.com/naesmiles  :)   There's that smile I've been missing all day! :)

This week's happenings...

This week has been quite the eventful week for Mike and I....

I have been sick all week; with this, that and the other, but mostly a stuffy nose and a cough. It's been kind of miserable. (because if you know me I NEVER get sick).  Mike has also been a tad sick, working hard, trying to apply for school and trying to take care of me.
He's such a wonderful husband :)

This morning we; Mike, my sister and I; ran in a local fun run -The Turkey Trot and had a blast! I started off running but once I stopped I had to use the facilities! All bathrooms at the park were closed :( next option Jimmy John's,...the door was open so I ran in!  I think we scared the girl working alone.  I got half way through the race and needed to go again!! I just had to make it to the end.  I did. Barely. Oh pregnancy.

                My sister did AWESOME!!

 During the race...

 We finished!! (with no accidents)

Even though it took us forever and I held us back it was fun to get out in the crisp air and exercise with my husband :)

Yesterday on the other hand was the biggest day we have had in awhile and were looking forward to it for several months.  

Yesterday was our Dr. appt. to find out the gender of our little person growing so well inside of me :)

It's...........

It's..................

It's....................................

A GIRL!!!!!!!!!!

 Mike will be a little out numbered...sorry honey

BUT WE COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED TO MEET OUR LITTLE PRINCESS!!!!!!

Happy Halloween

This year has been a very busy one for us and I'm so behind on our blog, but it will get better soon :)

We are still in the process of downloading and organizing all of our pictures.

We have been on a Caribbean cruise, been to a Carrie Underwood concert (with some adventures mixed in), The Piano Guys, and many other fun things in between :)

This Summer we were busy driving back and forth to Boise for some reason or another :) We love to be busy and spend time together but we also like to just be home and get things done at home and enjoy being lazy....  

                            Again ALL pictures coming soon! :)

About two weeks ago Mikes car decided it had had enough so we had to hurry and find and buy a car; we were lucky and blessed to find one we liked and get approved and have all papers signed in about three days :)

Toyota Avalon '08

Every morning on the way to work I get the pleasure of  driving down Main Street and seeing the sunrise with the beautiful Tetons in the foreground of the sunrise :) I wish I had our nice camera every morning to get all the beautiful sunrises in this gorgeous part of eastern Idaho.
This one I just couldn't pass up not taking, so I took my phone out and snapped a picture while at a stop light :)

I just love this scene every morning,

 You can't really see the Tetons very well but they are right on the horizon in the middle of the picture.

Sometimes I drive forty minutes to work and get to see this...

After months of hard studying the day finally came for Mike to take the LSAT (law school admission test) back on Sept. 27th.  This is him the night before the test doing a few minutes of studying before going to bed early.  He has his test bag packed and ready to go...

And finally,....one last catch up post...

Last night for Halloween we were going to carve some pumpkins, make pizza and watch a scary movie.  But as we got to the store we decided it was a little too late [in the season] to carve, so we got some food and two movies.

We made a yummy Halloween pizza and watched The Fault In Our Stars (which Mike really enjoyed) and then I went to bed while Mike watched his scary movie. 

While eating dinner we thought of our Halloween outfits, so we hurried and ate and made our costumes :)

Sorry ladies...

 Spider man is Taken ;)

And then there's my costume...

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So if you haven't figured it out....

The end of August gave us a sweet surprise...

Mike is so absolutely EXCITED!!!

And so am I!!!!

I am now about 16 -17 weeks along :)

Due:  APRIL 6th, 2015

Summer!

is definitely on it's way!

I have always wanted to "refinish" a piece of furniture.  When we went to WA a few weeks ago I went through a few of Mike's boxes hoping to relieve them from his mom's garage but she offered a file cabinet and I have been needing one of those more (we only had room for one 'box). So we snatched the file cabinet and drug it home in the car, all 12 hours.  I was so excited to "refinish" it, I did that project that next weekend This was the outcome; I'm super please with it! :)

I was first going to paint it black to match my desk, and had one coat of paint on it but decided I wanted to change the color to a fun color I saw while I was at the store getting my black paint.....

The before color (I forgot to take one of the whole thing)

During...

And the after finished product;

 I even painted the drawers so when you open it a different color pops out :)

That same day my sister taught me how to make my very first batch of homemade freezer jam! and Boy it is yummy! but poor Mike can't have any, so I have to eat it in secret. In due time he will be able to enjoy the jam with me :) (don't worry I'm not a pig)

Think that's enough for two days?!  we aren't done yet! Friday night we had a fun relaxing date night that our friends told us about.  We went to an art studio class and learned how to paint and had SO much fun!! 

And this is what we painted! :)

Then to kick off the weekend Saturday night we went to a piano concert on campus.  Performing was the famous Josh Wright with special guest, than non other than his wife!  They both are getting doctorates in piano! how cool is that! They did an amazing job!! I couldn't see their hands all that well, so I can only imagine how fast those ten and twenty fingers were flying across the piano.  

Sunday brought a day of fast and rest :)  We had gone to bed really late friday and saturday, so we came home broke our fast and hit the bed to sleeeep...and....no alarms....

One P.M. to five was Mike slept.

at around 5:50 Mike decided it was time for me to wake up. 

 FIVE HOUR NAP?!?!  who does that?!?!

You have to understand me, I NEVER take naps.  maybe once a year. And that nap is NO longer than two hours MAX.

 Who in their right mind sleeps for five hours and considers it a nap?!?! 

I guess I was pretty tired. 

I just love my husband and all the fun things we find to do together and the privilege we have to practice our talents and find new talents and hobbies :)

Need less to say we had quite the fun filled and relaxing weekend :)

Thanks pookey ;)

May...

Happy Mother's Day

2014

 Shh..don't tell any one, Mike was actually talking to his mom on the phone wishing her a Happy Mother's Day during this photo ;)

On the eve of Voting day...

A LITTLE LAUGH FOR ALL....

As we drove home from Washington last weekend, we stopped at my parents house and when we pulled up we immediately noticed this sign in the yard...hmm...we thought No Way!!, but then we noticed something........

When my parents showed up a few minutes later they told us the hilarious story; so there really is an Alan Ward running in the primary elections and one of my parents friends saw this sign (and many others around it) and just had to bring one home to my dad and put it in their front lawn.  My dad keeps getting questions. So my parents googled it and for sure there is an Alan D. Ward running in the elections! haha :) My dad's name is Alan J. Ward.  We thought it was so funny! I just HAD to take a picture of mom and dad in front of the sign. But we were the only set of kids who knew this, so my dad wrote all the other kids this email:

I don't want to sway your vote one way or the other.  But don't forget to vote and hopefully for the best candidate   This is person just very good possibility if you have not made up your mind yet. I'm just saying   I know this person personally and seems to be the best on the ballot that I can tell.

Ps. He is a little short on fund raising side so any help would be greatly appreciated.

And Yes Alan Ward won!!!!!! LOL LOL

Car projects...

Mike and I bought a truck a few months back; and we were finally able to get it done and it can now drive!! Mike was like a kid in a candy store!!! He spent many cold nights and long hours trying to get it up to his driving specks, well he did it! But a huge thanks to our brother in law Jake for coming to spend a few cold nights to help Mike.  They love working on car projects together :)

And before we headed to WA we had to replace a seal gasket in Mike's car and I stood outside with Mike holding his spotlight and I even got to help screw in a bolt :) It was so fun!!

I love seeing him so happy!!

Memorial in WA

This last weekend we headed up to Washington to spend time with Mike's family to remember his sweet, wonderful grandma who passed away back in November.  Washington is so pretty and green! :)

I love taking ferry's and seeing the ocean :)

 Mike's parents new house view :) so pretty over-looking a lake!

 I love tunnels!

 A gorgeous view

 Taking the ferry to the fun and beautiful Vashon Island

 I love Seattle! I enjoying seeing the Space Needle every time I visited; so much that I act like it's the first time I've seen it! :)

BYU-I graduate

IT'S OFFICIAL!!!

Happy Graduate from BYU-I ~~ Congrats Mike :) 
It came in the mail this week and I was SO excited; Mike on the other hand just wanted to eat dinner, haha. But I made him take a picture anyway :)

March '14

I LOVE MY LIFE!

I have the best husband!
I love looking good for him :)

I have the best job! and work with great people!

Friends are amazing.
Church is amazing.

Beauty is Breath-taking!
I love, love LOVE taking new adventures and seeing new sites and cultures.

I love my warm home.
Im thankful for our good health.

I love my family.
I love the sunshine :) (just ask my husband)

I love cleanliness.
I love photography.

I love my testimony.
I love my Heavenly Father and all the blessings he has given me.