Matthew. Emma. William. Paul

Matthew. Emma. William. Paul

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Spider: 3 Matt: 0

I HATE bugs! ALL of them. A spider might just be the highest ranked on my hate list... well a close second to flying bugs- you just never know where those are going to land.
Anyway, Eugene is packed full of bugs and a few of them live just outside our front door... or they used to. Today Matt came home for lunch with fire in his eyes declaring that he was going to, "destroy" each spider. His weapon of choice- a hanger. Feeling accomplished he returned minutes later telling bloody tales of revenge.  So why is the score 3:0 with spider in the lead?
About a week ago I noticed a new neighbor, lets call him Lance- the spider. Every time I open the door Lance is in clear view but as I start to walk out the door he quickly hides away in his spiderly home (a door seam) I don't mind Lance because he is obviously intimidated by humans and knows his place in the food chain. Lance would never attack me or try to scurry into our warm home. Lance respects the line and has witnessed the death of others foolish enough to cross the line.
Matt sees Lance as a fail on an other wise perfect score of spider murders. Consequently, Matt has tried to out smart Lance by quickly opening the door in hopes to catch him. His attempts so far have been in vain.
Lance:3 Matt:0

Friday, October 14, 2011

October's Updates

38 weeks pregnant today and only 2 weeks left to go! It's hard to believe this time has come and that soon I will be entering the hospital where I will be the one delivering OUR own baby. Our car seat is installed,  registered at the hospital, baby cloths are washed and folded, pediatrician is all lined up and the hospital bag is standing by, "Baby Wise" is read and sure, go ahead and call me anal. Even with all that prepared it is hard to grasp the reality that is so close.



Thats right its happened- I am wearing sweat pants.  This picture was taken early in the morning when one might get away with such an outfit, but it is now much later and I am wearing the same thing. I have no intention of changing either. 

Our Dr's office provides "Birthing Classes" and we signed up. Last night was the final class and we watched THE movie. Thats right, the movie that shows real labor and then birth. My previous stance on this event was, "My head and eyes are on this end of my body for a reason, I don't want to see that!" That and a general feeling of being too immature for watching such graphic footage.  But last night I realized that I would soon be the woman in pain. I am not going to lie, if I had watched that movie before I was pregnant I would have giggled though it and at parts squinted my eyes away. Last night I watched in silence and even got a little emotional about it. Weird.

My last Dr's appointment was on the 11th. I was told that I was not dilated yet but that the baby was at a +2 station (meaning he has dropped deep in the birthing canal) With this information the Dr told me it would be very unlikely that I would go over my due date.  Before he had checked me I told him that about a week ago I had quite literally felt the baby drop. It had scared me and felt like he was going to fall right out (if only it was that easy). The Dr was shocked the baby was that low and told me that that was most defiantly what I felt.

Lately I have also been experiencing the feeling of arthritis in my hands and feet. I wake up to swollen toes and soar hands. My dear father would appreciate this because it now hurts to crack my fingers so I really try not to. Not sure why this is happening but I just figure that all of my joints are loosening up and it must be kinda normal?

Now for a word outside of my uterus... Matthew is continuing to study day and night. I am learning some legal jargon as well and try to use it in my daily conversations like, "objection- leading" or "there's just no consideration" or "over ruled." Sure 2 of the 3 phrases are also explained in legally blonde but I am confident that I will pick up more as time continues so lay off.

Matthew is currently under house arrest as I refuse to let him play basketball. This is what he came home with a few weeks ago.


You should have seen us both that Saturday with our feet up wobbling everywhere. I told him I need my husband to be in full working order to transport me to the hospital at a moments notice. Although his foot /ankle look one million times better I'm determined to believe that it is still fragile and we do NOT need a repeat.

Also news worthy, we have taken "care" of the mysterious filthy monkey. It all started a few weeks ago when this monkey showed up unannounced and scared the day lights out of me as I open our front door and found the beast.

It was dark and hung surprisingly close to our front door. We put up with this monkey business for a few weeks, knowing it was the little boy's who lives above us. We soon realized however, that due to its location the monkey looked like it belonged to us. Not wanting to look like crazy monkey people we devised a plan of yanking him down and throwing him in the bushes. Matt set out to execute our brilliant plan only to quickly return claiming there were too many witnesses.  We waited until the most perfect moment and then threw him in the bushes. He has since been retrieved but no longer resides by our front door covered in spider webs. Success! 

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Canadian Thanksgiving



Fall is my most favorite time of year. I just love the change in climate as the leaves become their finest and my flip flops are replaced by fall boots and sweaters. Fall holds Thanksgiving (twice!) Halloween and preparations for Christmas. It is also a friendly companion to pies, candy apples, stews, apple cider, pumpkins and this fall- our baby!



Its safe to say that I have been craving a turkey dinner since June and was thrilled to have the excuse, Canadian Thanksgiving!


Now while turkey is one of my most favorite meals, I really don't like preparing it. There is just something about poultry that grosses me right out. This is where Matt really steps up and saves me from the uncooked slippery beast . What a champ!  



I really did a poor job photo documenting our thanksgiving celebration but I did manage to take a picture of my Canadian apple pie 


I promise we have friends that came and celebrated with us.  We all looked super hot too, I just forgot about the camera and was focused on stuffing my face. 

I love Thanksgiving, both of them!





Monday, October 10, 2011

The fruits of my "self improvement fund"

When Matt and I first got married I really wanted to decorate our apartment and because we were broke I really needed to find a way to "sell" the idea to Matt. I coined the term "Self Improvement Fund". I remember having a more convincing argument that won him over but I forget it now. Anyway I continue to tap into this "self improvement fund" for things like a gym membership or lately my endless baby projects.  

Every time I see a sewing project or craft I think, Oh that doesn't look hard, I can do it. Thanks a lot pintrest... And yes I CAN make it but It's going to be an emotional ride filled with frustration. Nothing really makes me as instantly upset as a sewing machine. Understandably so because my knowledge of the sewing machine ends after I thread it. Why can't I just be honest with myself and buy these crafts or projects. It would save me a lot of emotional stress and I get to shop. Win Win

Despite knowing all these things about myself, somewhere in my brain I feel I will be a better mother if I fabricate some of the baby necessities. Stupid I know. 

Have you ever gone into a fabric store trying to find "manly" baby fabric? Its near to impossible!  Matt straight up laughed when he called me and I told him I was looking for a manly polka dot. The fabric is either WAY to cheesy or just plain ugly. Going to the fabric store is the only time I think maybe it would be more fun to have a girl. Anyway I had been looking for weeks and finally found something workable.                      

                                                     Hello robots. 



Side note, I have recently been falling in love with the forgotten color orange.  Hence this onesie 


I cannot wait to make him wear this! 

Anyway, after some tears (probably due to way too many hormones- I just burst spontaneously now) and a broken seam ripper, I finished my project. 









I did it!  Then I remembered the satisfaction of completing a sewing project and realized I will do this to myself again and possibly soon. Self improvement after all. 

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Robbie Burns

Yesterday I had a rough day and for the most part I just put my feet up. They would begin to swell when left down you see. I started looking through many of my photos on our computer and one caught my eye of being blog worthy and a memory that I don't want to forget :)



I know what your thinking, "Why is Matt wearing a blanket?" Probably the more important question is how else are you supposed to celebrate Robbie Burns day without proper scottish attire. I am guessing many have no clue what Robbie Burns day is and thats okay. Neither did I until a few years ago when Sylvia and her family introduced me to the festivities. 

                                                    Meet Robbie Burn's


You see, he was a very famous scottish poet and his memory is celebrated on his birthday, January 25th.  Mostly its a dinner feast celebration with a twist. The twist being the main dish. No, its not turkey or ham or even roast beef.... It's Haggis.  Also it is not just served by setting it down on the table ready to eat. There is a poem to declare its arrival and a routine stabbing of the Haggis, the Scottish way.

                                                 Meet Haggis ....

What looks so delicious you ask.... Well it is a sheep's "pluck" (heart liver and lungs) cooked in the animals stomach.......Obviously ....  Sylvia told me her mom was cooking steak as well and this is what sold me. Naturally being a red head I was eager to embrace my scottish ancestry and join in but mostly to eat Wendy's steak- SO GOOD!

During our engagement Matt and I were apart for four months while he attended BYU and I moved back home to work. The next semester he took off and moved to Victoria to work also. It was between these times that I expressed to Matt on the phone how much fun it would be if he were in Victoria to celebrate the great Robbie Burns. Matt was in Washington at his parents home, waiting for his visa to come to Canada. Although he did not seem eager when I told him he could wear a kilt he also expressed that it would be ideal if we were together. 

We celebrated Robbie Burns day early that year as Sylvia was leaving for a vacation to Thai Land on the actual day. I finished work and started the drive over to the Yzenbrandts. From here I'll let the video explain. 



It was the best surprise ever and obviously I didn't know what to do with myself.  Isn't Matt's accent fab, he inevitably turns scottish when he tries to pull off any accent. I always turn East Indian... its a problem.

I later found out that Matt had been held up at the border, interrogated due to the amount of  belongings he had lodged in his car. He had literally walked in as we were sitting down to eat.  Had they given him more trouble at the border it may have messed up our Fiance Visa application.

Thanks Syl and all the Yzenbrandts for helping pull that one off. I just LOVE surprises! 



And yes we both tried the Haggis. It was... not as good as the steak. 

So if you are in Eugene January 25th you better believe we will be celebrating Robbie Burns day- wearing blankets and eating beef.