It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Andrew had Christmas Eve off from work so we made Christmas cookies together and watched a Christmas movie. He had to work Christmas night and since we're in the process of moving we decided to keep things simple. 

Andrew was anxious to open up his presents from Santa because he woke up at 5:30, but I didn't get out of bed until 10. Then we had breakfast, got ready for the day, and opened up our presents. 

 Our beautiful Christmas tree before we started unwrapping presents.

Andrew got a new pair of jeans from Santa Claus.

 Andrew bought me the BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER. If you haven't watched 'A Year Without a Santa Claus' I suggest you do!

Andrew got me this beautiful Willow Tree Figurine called Our Gift. It has the mommy and daddy holding their baby. :)

 Nanny made two beautiful sweaters for little Rebekah Kathleen, which will be adorable on her! :) 

 We also got some yummy British chocolates from Andrew's Mum and Dad. :) 

 

 

 

After we finished unwrapping our gifts we played one of our new board games Ticket to Ride which is A LOT of fun! Andrew beat me with a total of 109 points and I only had 89 points, but still it was very fun. :) Let's hope I don't make him sick of this game..I have a tendency to get a little obsessive about board games to the point that Andrew doesn't want to play them anymore. 

After the game we started working on our not so traditional Christmas dinner. We decided to do something cheaper since we went all out for Thanksgiving and since Andrew was working we didn't want to spend all day cooking, so we bought some nice steak and had mashed potatoes and corn with it.We finished off the night with a Christmas nap before Andrew had to go to work. It was a fantastic day! 

One Month!

A  few days ago my friend Cindy took a few pictures of us and Andrew wanted to get a picture comparing our bellies. I'm not sure I did such a great jump of showing my belly, but the picture turned out cute anyways. I really love my baby bum! I'm going to miss it after Rebekah is born, but I'm really excited to meet her and be a mommy. :) I love hearing people's reactions when they find out how far along I am because everyone just says how tiny I am. Which is kind of true, I don't feel like I've gained much weight during this pregnancy. But everything is healthy with mommy and Rebekah so all is good.

I can't believe we only have a month until we meet little Rebekah Kathleen! I'm really looking forward to meeting her and seeing what her personality will be like. :) 

Now that the semester  has ended Andrew and I have been able to spend more time together, even if most of it involves cleaning and packing. Anytime with Andrew is the best. I know that sounds cheesy and sappy, but being married to your best friend is pretty awesome. :) 

 Next Friday we're moving into our new apartment (it's the same complex, but on the first floor).

It's going to be SO nice living on the first floor! It'll be easier to unpack groceries and being on the first floor will make life so much easier once Rebekah is born. :) AND after we move it means we can FINALLY start decorating Rebekah's room. :) I'm really excited about that! 

 Yesterday at my doctors appointment I told my doctor I've been having minor contractions (at least I think so...) and he said that's great because Rebekah is healthy and strong, so she can come at any time. Andrew and I told her she's not allowed to come until after we move and have her crib set up. I don't think she's in a rush to come, which is okay, I just want her to be healthy and strong when she's born.

It's a Girl!

I'm a few days late on this post, but that's okay. Around 18-22 weeks Andrew and I went to the doctors to find out the sex of the baby and get our final ultrasound. We found out it's a GIRL! Yay. I'm so excited to have a daughter. :) It'll be so much fun dressing her and doing her hair! Well we were able to find out the sex of the baby, but we didn't get the nice profile picture of our little girl because she wouldn't move from this position: 

This isn't the best picture, but that's her little head and her butt sticking up in the air. If this is any indication of how she's going to sleep I approve. This has to be the cutest sleeping position ever! :) 

The lady doing the ultrasound tried getting her to move from this position, but she wouldn't budge. So we had to reschedule an ultrasound for my next appointment on October 2. 

October 2 came quickly and we went in to get the profile picture of our little girl and guess how she was positioned..with her butt in the air. :) Silly girl. The doctor was able to get her to move this time and we were able to get this lovely picture: 

Isn't she adorable!? Look how precious her little face is. :) And that's actually her foot by her face. Our daughter is going to be a super flexible. She's twisted up like a little pretzel. 

I'm now 25 weeks along and things are going great with the baby! She's growing so quickly. It truly it amazing. This week she's about 13.5 inches long and 1.5 pounds. :) 

Andrew and I finally decided on a name for our little girl! We had a few options we were throwing around and came up with Rebekah Kathleen. :) 

I'm so excited to meet our little girl and can't wait for her to be here! I can't believe I'm  already 6 months! 

One Year in Vegas!

For our One Year Anniversary we decided to go to Vegas, which was full of crazy drivers but also a lot of fun! 

We arrived on Friday, but were both too tired to do anything after a 9 1/2 hour drive, so we just went to bed. But Saturday morning we started exploring the city. We stopped by the Pawn shop to one of our favorite TV shows "Pawn Stars." 

  

Sadly the crew wasn't in because the shop was under construction, but it was still pretty neat walking around inside! 

After that we headed to the "Strip" to look around. I was shocked by how HUGE everything was...we walked through a couple of the Casinos and I was certain we were going to get lost! BUT 

I think my favorite thing about the strip was the M&M and coke factories! 

I was shocked by the M&M wall, which was full of a bunch of M&M dispensers! 

After checking out M&M world we headed over to the coke factory. We decided to sample different types of coke from around the world.

We weren't impressed with a minty mouthwash tasting soda, beverly—an Italian grapefruit soda, or the Lemon soda from England. 

Surprisingly the rest were pretty good! 

A few pictures I got from the "strip"

I found each of the attractions on the strip very realistic. The buildings in New York New York were all detailed to look exactly like the real ones, although I don't think they were the same size.  

The Eiffel Tower also looked very realistic to me! Andrew said that he thinks it's even the same height as the one in Paris. 

While on the "strip" we also checked out Madame Tussand's Wax Museum! It was amazing how detailed each celebrity was. Some of my favorite were:  

Andrew with Jamie Foxx 

Andrew and Will Smith 

Tim McGraw and I 

Will Smith and I 

Andrew singing with Frank Sinatra! 

And of course The King. :) 

On Sunday we decided to have a relaxing day/evening. We headed to Lake Mead to check out the Las Vegas Temple, which was absolutely stunning!! 

So happy together!

I can't believe it's already been a year since I was sealed to my sweetheart Andrew James in the Columbus Ohio Temple. 

It has been such a wonderful year of marriage! We've grown closer to each other than from when we first started dating and I love this handsome man more and more each day. 

I can't wait for our little family to grow! I'm so excited to spend the rest of my life and the eternities with this man. 

He has become my best friend and I wouldn't want it any other way. 

This song sums up my feelings for Andrew perfectly: 

Now you're my whole life. 

Now you're my whole world. 

I just can't believe the way I feel about you 

Like a river meets the sea

Stronger than its ever been

We've come so far since that day

And I thought I loved you then

19 weeks!!

I'm nineteen weeks and I finally feel like I'm starting to show! I'm excited to feel the baby moving for the first time & looking forward to finding out the sex of the baby on the 4th! Then I can indulge in my shopping urges and spoil our little angel. :) 

Bright Star.

My appreciation John Keats has grown tremendously tonight after watching the movie Bright Star and learning more about his relationship with Fanny Brawne.

 Can I just say my heart melted?

 

First Keats is British.

We all know that British guys are the way to go. ;) 

Second he wrote the MOST romantic love letters to fanny

How romantic is that? I can't help but smile while reading it. 

 

Third he wrote this wonderful poem for Fanny Brawne & called her his 'Bright Star' 

 

 

Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art—

         Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night

And watching, with eternal lids apart,

         Like nature's patient, sleepless Eremite,

The moving waters at their priestlike task

         Of pure ablution round earth's human shores,

Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask

         Of snow upon the mountains and the moors—

No—yet still stedfast, still unchangeable,

         Pillow'd upon my fair love's ripening breast,

To feel for ever its soft fall and swell,

         Awake for ever in a sweet unrest,

Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath,

And so live ever—or else swoon to death. 

 

Can we all agree that John Keats is like the real life Mr. Darcy without all the "I can't marry you because it would go against my better judgement" stuff. 

Keats and Fanny's love story is beautiful and I hope that Andrew and I can achieve a love as great as theirs.

I know this isn't really Keats and Fanny, but I believe that the actors did a wonderful job of capturing the passion and love between Keats and Fanny. Plus this picture is just down right adorable.

Week 11.

 Today Andrew and I went to Texas Roadhouse where I enjoyed mashed potatoes, corn and some yummy steak. I'm excited to say that at 11 weeks my morning sickness (queasiness) has stopped, my appetite has grown and I no longer hate red meat. 

Life is good. 

I don't think I'm showing and quite frankly I forget that I'm pregnant sometimes until I start cramping. So what do you think the verdict is: Am I showing or not? Any guesses as to what we'll have? Bianca thinks it's going to be a little girl. 

I guess we'll only know with time. 

Hope everyone had a safe & fun Fourth of July. :) 

Bun in the Oven

That's right we're having a baby! I'm so excited to be a mommy. We found out a while ago, but waited to tell friends and family until we knew that everything was going well and looking healthy with our little one. :) 

I'll be ten weeks tomorrow and so far pregnancy hasn't been too bad. I feel like I'm the girl that most girls hate because my morning sickness has just consisted of feeling queasy, but usually I can cure that by eating saltines or making sure I'm eating every two hours. I'm hoping that things don't get too bad during the next trimester because honestly, I am  perfectly okay with being that girl that  everyone hates. 

 We got our first ultrasound at week 8. That was really neat! The process of pregnancy is so amazing. It truly is a miracle. I love reading my baby app and seeing what's happening. At week 8 the baby was developing 100 brain cells per minute, this week it developed it's spleen, gallbladder and one other oragn and it's also doing little kirate moves inside of me. It's truly amazing how creative God is and how much he loves us. 

It's not the best picture, but that's our little angel and it's amazing how much he/she has grown. Our baby is about 1 inch in this picture, which is pretty tiny but it already has a heart beat and has been developing it's brain.

Here's a picture of me at week 9 (pretty much 10 weeks). I don't think you can tell I'm pregnant, but a few people at work have told me they can tell...I'm pretty sure that's just my belly because I love ice cream way too much! 

According to the Chinese Pregnancy Chart I'm going to be having a little girl, which would be a lot of fun. But a little boy would also be amazing. To be honest I'm okay with whatever God blesses us with. :)

 

Yellowstone Park.

I had Saturday off last week, I know shocker! We decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and went to Yellowstone. We didn't realize how far away Yellowstone was (it ended up being about 2 1/2 hours and we didn't leave until 3). We were only driving for a few miles in Yellowstone when we came across this Bison:

We were so close! It was walking along the river beside the road. A little further down the road we saw a herd of Bison—they're such beautiful creatures and probably have the saddest eyes I've ever seen. Andrew slammed on the brakes after we turned a corner and I was really confused at first, I started looking around and then I saw this HUGE Bison trying to cross the road. It totally did a Buckbeak move, it pushed it's hoof on the ground and then bowed it's head and let us pass. Sadly I didn't get a picture of this. :(

We then headed to Artisan Point, which was simply breathtaking. The rocks were all different colors, but mostly yellow and there was a gorgeous waterfall in the distance.

 Driving through Yellowstone was so scenic with beautiful meadows, forests and lakes. Then we saw this lone mountain in the distance as we were driving:

After that we headed to Old Faithful. We walked around the gift shop for a while because the next eruption was at 8:30 and we had about an hour. We got bored and took a picture. :P So I was really sad when Old Faithful went off because I had 6% battery left on my phone and I thought I was recording everything, but sadly I only got that last few seconds...

We left Yellowstone with a beautiful sunset in our review mirror. :) It was a beautiful Saturday and I was so thankful to have the time off to spend with my wonderful husband.