Finally the Holidays are Here

December 9 2013

Catch up time! A lot has happened since I last posted. For starters, Matt's opera Albert Herring was a wonderful success! Matt was interviewed in the newspaper as well as did a radio interview! One of the highlights (other than hearing Matt sing) was watching him act drunk! I'm sure he is the only one in the cast other than the children that has never actually been drunk, yet he was the one to fill that role! And yes, Matt was perfect for it! One of the producers even said "it was as if the role of Albert Herring was written for Matt." It was super nice to have his family travel out here to support him. We had a nice big breakfast before they took off back to Utah.

Thanksgiving was a lot of fun and a much different experience this year for Matt and I. This was the first time I was responsible for planning, preparing, and serving a thanksgiving meal! I was so excited about it and took several weeks thinking about and collecting recipies, shopping, and then the day before and the day of cooking and putting it all together by 1:30 pm. Matt got up somewhat early with me thanksgiving day and helped me put the turkey together. I have decided that job is best accomplished as a team. Once it went in the oven we turned on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and had that playing while we got the rest of the fixings together. We had pumpkin and pecan pie, rolls, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey, Jell-O salad, sweet potato casserole, and delicious sparkling juice! Not everything I usually have at thanksgiving but I figured the basics were sufficient. We had the missionaries, Elder Layton & Elder Daines, come and celebrate with us for the day. We also invited Kenton Messmore to come. Kenton is one of the friends we have made in the singles ward. He didn’t have any family around either and has actually left the country now for military service. It was awesome to have summer here with us as well! 6 people meant a full table!! We read the story of the 5 kernels of corn about the first thanksgiving then went around the table mentioning one thing we were thankful for. Matt offered a wonderful prayer of gratitude and then we pigged out! After dinner was eaten and cleaned up we sat around the table for 3 hours and played a good game of electronic monopoly! Matt and I joined forces and totally dominated that game! Later that night once everyone went home we watched Charlie Browns Thanksgiving special and then went to bed early, we were all tired from the yummy food and long hours in the kitchen.

Since then Christmas decorations have been put up, Christmas cards and letters have been sent, had our first snow fall, and Christmas gifts have been bought/made/ordered, and wrapped under the tree. I try to have the majority of all this done as soon as possible so I can enjoy the season and not have to worry about all the hustle and bustle of the season. This year I finally found the kind of tree topper I have been looking for! It still hasn’t arrived in the mail yet but it’s on its way! Also this year I baked ginger bread men and women to put on the tree! They are in the process of drying out so they won’t crumble on the tree. The new ornament Matt and I bought for this year is a blue suitcase key chain that says I love London on it! We bought it to remind us of the fun we had in London this past summer. P.S. for those readers who don’t know, Matt and I have a tradition to purchase at least one special ornament each year since we’ve been married to represent different highlights that happened throughout the year. 

The semester is boiling down as well. In fact I have already completed 2 of my 4 classes! I have one final that I am studying hard for and the other class just has revisions to be made and a short presentation. Pretty much the next 2 weeks are going to be super chill. I wish I could say the same for Matt… he has so much left to do and I am trying to find ways to help him out and keep home as peaceful and comfortable as possible for him.

We went to the doc again for my 24 week appointment. I had my blood sugar tested they wanted it to be between 80 and 140 and I was at 92. The doc was super please with that! This little girl sure loves to move and kick a lot more now, and she reacts to music and the sound of her daddy’s voice! The only change I needed to make is taking an additional iron supplement. I couldn't believe I was low because of the amount of iron in my prenatal vitamin, but I guess I need more. I am also trying to get iron from my food choices as well. Hopefully when we go in for the next doc visit my iron levels will be higher.

I am so excited to be heading back to Utah for 3 weeks! This year we will be spending Christmas with my family and New Year’s with Matt’s family! I also found out that a really good friend of mine is getting married in the St. George temple on December 31st! That means I am able to attend and I couldn’t be more excited! Utah apparently got hit with loads of snow just like us this past weekend! I doubt it will still be in St. George by the time we get there on the 21st but hey, you never know. I may write another post before we head out of town for Christmas, if not, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 
Cheers!

P.S. as a follow up to the previous post, I made a diplomatic decision, I am not going to expect things of people and I am going to live each day as if it was the best day no matter what other people say or do or don’t do. I am my own person and my choice to be pregnant is something Matt and I chose to do together. Others may not agree with the timing and may not know how to act around me because of the situation, and I am now 100% ok and responsible for me. Since I made this decision (several weeks ago) my life has been a thousand times more enjoyable! I am ok with being alone and not fully accepted in to my group, that’s the natural way of things and I am ok with it! I do have friends and family who support and accept and understand and although it would be nice to have those across the board it’s not realistic, so I have found how to be happy with the situation I have created!