Latest CK Post

Here is my latest CK blog post. I truly had soo much fun with this one! And they tell me it was a huge hit!

http://clubcreatingkeepsakes.com/blogs/ck_community/archive/2011/03/24/one-hour-challenge-use-beads-and-bling-on-your-layout.aspx

Shamu

I am coming to you from Portland Oregon. I called my mom this morning and the first thing she said to me is "where are you?" I love starting conversations like that. I laughed and filled her in, but honestly sometimes I cannot remember where I am.
We just finished our Portland scrapbooking show, I will share more on that later. But I had to post about this hysterical story that happened last week.
We had a party with cake from the grocery store FYI to celebrate/mourn the loss of normal clothes at our house. They are now safely tucked into our storage unit. However, we were headed down the stairs of our building on Saturday morning off to do some errands (aka the Saturday Costco trip- my father in law trained Scott well) when I began to lament. "I look like a whale in these pants. " (speaking of some great maternity pants that I love) Scott: "Stop it! No you don't" (insert slight pause here) "Shamu".
I laughed so hard I almost fell down the stairs. I am still laughing, I definitely asked for that.

Seminary and Strechy Pants RIP

I have a new calling. Every morning I drag my body out of bed at 5:00 A.M. to get ready for Seminary. I am now the constant substitute for our early morning seminary out here. I do have to say that I was shocked about being called to this. I thought when my bishop asked me some time ago to be a substitute, that I would simply be substituting every once in a while, I also was not expecting a baby when I was asked, so I thought and I quote from the book of Shelbi "Oh! See, here is a way that the Lord is going to help me get back into the habit of being an early bird!" Beware of what you ask for in your prayers people.
I have a small class of just three kids. Pat, Sam, and Sarah. They are great kids, and have an understanding of the gospel that I know I did not at their age. We meet in Pat and Sam's parent's basement every morning at 6:00 A.M. We are studying the Doctrine and Covenants, something that they know much more about because most of them have been to Nauvoo and the church's historical sites that are so close to this area.
Are you noticing a trend here. Poor kids, this calling is much more for me then for them.
I have to admit that I do come home afterwords and go back to bed for another couple of hours. If not I spend my day on the sofa unable to move, and Scott eats his spit for dinner.
(my next scrapbook page is going to be called "the many faces of Mr. Bywater" - fitting I think)
Life is full of exciting things...5:00 A.M. and a pregnant lady are one of them.

On to the Stretchy Pants RIP part of this post. Sadly, I had a little going away party for my last "normal" pair of pants yesterday. I choose to wear them all day even though at every moment they were digging into junior's space. I had to explain to the baby that this was a mommy thing and to just give me this one last day.
So I had a going away party last night, and set up a plan for a larger party this weekend when I say good by to all the "normal" clothes in my closet as they take up residence in the storage unit.
We are having cake...
Happy Belated Birthday to my 17 year old littlest brother

Catching Up

It seems lately like Catching Up is always my main focus these days. Which, those who know me really think that weird, and I agree with you folks, it is weird. But if you noticed the last post about Scott and I expecting our first baby in September this year it may all make sense. I have to say, I don't know how that gives me an excuse, but I tend to be harder on myself.
Sick would be the main word I would use to describe this pregnancy business. Sick, Sick, Sick. And just so you know, when the books and the doctor tell you it should pass...I say where's your information coming from. I am officially 15 weeks along, and the sickness hasn't stopped. Sweet Mr. Bywater asked me last night after I dragged myself off the sofa to eat something if I was happy to be pregnant. My answer: " No, I was just wondering when this will be over." I immediately felt badly and the little peanut ultrasound photo hanging on our fridge caught my eye, and I said I was sorry. Then as the toilet and I were having a DTR (determine the relationship) discussion last night I took that sorry back and went to bed with it.
I do have to say however, that my sweet husband has been so gracious and wonderful about taking care of me. He is always asking me how I am feeling and indulging me when I know he would like something other then macaroni and cheese or pizza. And he tells me daily how "hot" I am, not that I believe him because I surely feel like a whale of a gal, but I know he loves me anyway. He sweetly talks to the baby and his favorite question to ask me is "have you eaten anything." How did I get so lucky?
My family has been great as well. My dad called me the other day, nearly knocked my socks off. :) He wanted to know how I was doing and if I needed some more of his chocolate covered raisins (my mother gave them to him for Valentines Day and when I was in Utah a few weeks ago I kept creeping out to my dad's shop to get a handful. He caught me and we had a good laugh) My mother is thrilled, my brothers think it is great, and my sister fields all of my panicked calls and questions. My in laws spoil me and my mother in law is always the voice of reason as I complain. Then my sweet sister in law Kristin was gracious enough to provide us with this darling playmate for our little one... his name is Marcus Steven, and even though we haven't seen him yet, we love him already.
More to come...

News from the Bywater Front

A picture is worth a thousand words my friends....

Enjoy... :)

My First Blog Post

Not here, but at CK. I am so thrilled!

Go here
http://www.creatingkeepsakesblog.com/blog/2011/02/17/write-from-the-heart-with-ckcs-journaling-class/

Be My Valentine...

Every once in a while there is a glimmer of hope that these two really do love each other. Those moments are few and far between and are not easily captured.

We needed some color in our Valentine life the other day, so after I picked Mr. Bywater up at the airport from one of his many trips this month I claimed we needed milk, and came out of the store with these little delights.
Tulips scream spring, and that is a little of what I need right now. :) Who couldn't use a little reminder right now.
This morning I went out the the car at an hour that really shouldn't exist (again Mr. Bywater off to one of his many meetings in another state) only to turn on the car and see that the temperature was 6 degrees below zero. That is right folks, add the wind and you have 15 below zero (courtesy of the news this morning.) Our car finally warmed up when we got to the airport. Now, had I known it was going to be that cold I would have stayed in bed, but the fact of not having a car all day leads to a bit of a trapped sensation. Needless to say it has been a cold week. I got all this gusto on Monday (not normal) to take Olive for a walk, lets just say the poor dog has been shut inside with me because I finally decided it wasn't fun to walk in frigid temperatures. Anyway, back to having gusto...my gusto only lasted until the end of the driveway to our condo. I found I was shivering, that makes for an interesting walk. I gave up my gusto and Olive sadly hung her head as we turned and headed for home again.
And just think...last year at this time we were in Costa Rica....