i heart little people and big things richard makes

What a great birthday! Thanks for all the happy day wishes! I did have a fabulous day.

But the fun started on my birthday-eve with the opening of some super awesome packages.......

One very extravagant one from my in-laws. Thank you (you guys know me too well). I love the candy, chocolate, socks, shirt, game, card-that-is-actually-flower-seeds, money, book, stevens registration, and of course the census information (you goof).
And a fun filled package from my sister and her 3 crazy kiddos. It included home-movie of them making these gifts for me:

(a fly, an octopus and a pet fish). I love anything with googly eyes. The movie also included them singing happy birthday and merry Christmas at the same time (birthdays......christmas........its all the same!). Nothing better...............

My actual birthday started out kind of lonely and sad because richard had to go to seattle for work monday night and it was raining really hard on the bus ride to work. But when i got there it was okay because my boss bought me treats and my friend lorri gave me chocolate (everything is better with chocolate).

But when I got home (finally at about 8:00) I had some suprises on my doorstep! And this awesome video from 2 of my best friends - Miki and Xilone!

go here to see funny video

And Richard made me a larger than life birthday suprise: A Trellis!! I've got to find something to grow on this thing because the rose bush next to it probably isn't going to reach those kind of heights any time soon. ( love you babe - you are so great to know that I love a homemade gift more than anything you could buy me)

then we went out to eat because i had a coupon...we got a Huge'ole reuben and tried a whole buncha different kinds of mustards. After that - we hit they hay rich and nicole style: before 10:00 pm. I am so blessed to have a wonderful life full of caring and thoughtful friends and family! Thank-you for making my day!!

ug

well the bump is growing! according the preganancy books shes probably 4 pounds now! hooray for sweat pants, shade shirts and my B-band! Richard wanted to go on a road trip, but uh - I really don't feel like going camping..........do ya blame me?

a very richard weekend

i.e. we went fishing and golfing and planted vegetables and dug more of the back yard and since I was with him - ate some good food (not pictured due to rapid consumption: blueberry fritters and strawberry shortcake with real whip cream)
some guy down stream got a snag and it pulled his pole down the river - oops.
i sat on the rocky shore and read a stupid book about babys. this is the just of what it says: babies cry, they are ugly when they first come out, they dont make any purposeful movements for a long time, but you are going to love them anyways.
pro - just like tiger - minus the secret life and that jazz.
whewee!

Richard kept telling me to keep my arms straight. but its hard with a belly in the road.and the maternity pants aren't working for me. they kept falling off. didn't want to give someone more excitement than they hoped for friday night!

shower #4 !

Anna has been so blessed by the women in my life!!

I had another shower last night hosted by the relief society at church. Those wonderful women! I didn't get any pictures at the shower because i was too busy chatting, and, well, opening a plethora of presents! I can't believe how giving those women are........... But I was so glad it was a combined shower with another cute pregnant lady at church, who is having a boy and actually lives just few houses down from me - who knew! ( I think there are 6 or 7 people due from may to august at church!! - talk about multiply and replenish the earth!)

I did get some pictures of the gifts this morning though. Lennae, who hosted the party, made this amazing diaper cake - so cute!
Lennae also made this beautiful blanket. She went all out. What an amazing woman!

My friend liz gave me a bunch of girl clothes (she has 3 little girls) - but my favorite outfit is this punk rocker outfit. She says if her youngest is being a punk (Lina is currently about 5 months old), she dresses her like one so that when daddy comes home - he knows whats been up that day (; You're so funny liz! Thanks for being a great friend. Oh yeah - and she got a present for richard too - CAKE BREAD (grandma sycamores yum yum)My friend Kristin also came from Lake Oswego. She got this natural sheep since we are hippy-ish! So fun. It makes sleeping noises. I am sleeping with that one!

I LOVE homemade presents. An older lady in my ward hand knitted this sweater - isn't it darling (: SO PINK!!WE ARE SO BLESSED. THANK YOU FOR TAKING CARE OF US !

A baby shower

My dietitian pals at work decided to throw me a party! It was a ton of fun. Richard says - "you have a lot of old lady friends!" That's how I've always been though, some of my best friends growing up were old people - they are just so interesting to talk to and make very kind and dependable friends! - and anyways, they don't seem like old ladies to me at all, I often forget they they aren't all 20 somethings.

Of course there were food related gifts - these are baby food ice cube trays.
Home-made gifts are my favorite. This is my best bud at work - Lorri. She was taking all the pictures and I told her she had to be in the one with her blanket - she's always saying funny things to make me laugh. I kind of look like a hyena laughing here - but that's alright. It's a sunrise/sunset blanket - pretty huh?
There is no dietitian party with out food! They made me a full on dinner - of course we ate a ton of vegetables and had carrot cake for dinner......We played games where they guessed which features (of mine and richards) I wanted baby Anna to have - its fun to think about what she's going to look like! Only 10 more weeks! Thanks guys!

the great excavation

Our light and fit veggie starts. Lettuce is the only thing thriving.

A Dr. Suess creature. Actuall, cabbage going to seed. Although it was not consumed by the slugs - the cabbage didn't do so good. I guess too much time in the ground without light.

The great excavation site. Richard has started on the patio. I plan and plan and get frusterated. Richard listens to my plans and gets started. What a man.

A good replacement for the gym when this baby is full of dirt...actually ....clay.

Yesterday i decided to help. so I sat and sorted out rocks to fill up our drainage system. This is my rock pile. Richard has been doing this for days. After one day, I got impatient and said - enough. We went to Wilco and bought a screen. No more sorting rocks by hand. Unless someone has a 4 year old they would let us borrow....

I hope to be able to enjoy our backyard within the next few months!!

big budda big budda big budda

holy crap - how does it get any bigger??? People at work say I've blossomed - that's not the word I would use. Then yesterday an anesthesiologist says.....I know a guy that gives epidurals......you're going to want to meet him.....

happy birthday jenny-o

high school graduation above

probably 7th grade below
No (april) fool'n - you're a great friend and I wish you a very happy day! I know your hubby is going to treat you nice today - probably another spa day and dinner somewhere fancy pants! On behalf of your birthday I should go workout really hard then eat an entire batch of rice crispy treats.......you in??

Thanks for coming last summer, it was a blast. Rich and I are excited for you to start a new adventure in the east! We'll have to plan another trip of the century - but we'll be more limited in our hiking adventures with stinky diapers on board!