Craig and Nicole +3

A Few Months Later...

2011-02-22T14:35:00.000-08:00

I find it unnecessary to post these days because its just easier to do a little each day on facebook rather than a lot every...(sigh)... few months via blog. However here I am- Sadly, only because what I wanted to post on facebook is too many characters for a comment. HA! The trio (I like having a singular word to use for them) had their 9 month check up, appropriately, Friday, on their 9 month birthday:) Their stats are respectively as follows- in birth order:
Lyla- Height-(nobody cares how many centimeters) 90th percentile, Weight-19.6lbs- 60th percentile, 2 teeth and 2 more appearing any minute now.
Scarlet-Height- 20th percentile (woohoo!), Weight-...ok, she fell off the chart for this
month, but only because of a very recent stomach bug. The girl normally eats like a cow. A really long skinny cow. 2 teeth and FOUR cutting through as we speak.
Porter-Height-85th
percentile, Weight-19.7lbs-30th percentile- the same bug to blame. 6 teeth!

The Babies are all doing wonderfully well. I'm so grateful for their health and well-being and I am amazed at how far they've come from the little 4-plus and 5 pounders that exploded into our lives 9 months ago. Well, not literally;) They have all been on solids since just before Christmas and it's been a lot of fun getting to feed them. Wait, let me back up, I "discontinued" my feeding help when my Mom came for Christmas and decided to take over on my own from that point on. I now use the help of the "The Bottle Sling," I just put their seats on the floor and they do the rest.

Speaking of the floor, everyone can finally sit on their own. Now we're working on crawling.

Porter likes "tummy time" the least. He'd rather hang out in his jumper all day and rock, rather than actually jump. It always worried me that they aren't crawling by now, but the doc says they're all doing great and there's nothing to worry about. More importantly, they've all been sleeping through the night for a couple of months now, and even since about 5 or 6 months they've had very few middle of the night- cries:)
Regarding the babies' feeding schedule- which has been very strict since birth- first every three hours, then every four, they are now happily eating three meals a day:)

On Christmas day we eliminated the 530am feeding for good. Craig was done- bless his heart. Then about a month ago we eliminated the 10pm bottle. Now they have a regular- 8am, 1230, 5pm feeding with a final bottle at 7 and then bedtime. It works fabulously, and its so nice to be on a regular 3 meals a day- schedule again.
Craig and I have two little angels who have offered to babysit whenever we need them, so we have been able to go out together from time to time. Its great to have these Women who know the babies so well, and whom I trust so completely with them. And I think they get to have a
little fun with them too:)
Life is good. We have come so far from the dark days of last spring AND summer. I have finally gotten to a point where I feel comfortable mothering triplets. I no longer dread the start of every day. I look forward to playing and feeding and changing and bathing and starting all over again the next day. The babies are at such a fun age and I love being with them. Craig is such a good Dad, and such a good partner in this journey that is parenthood. I'm just so grateful for my family and for the many blessings that we receive every day.

(this pic was not taken or saved like this so I have no idea why its sideways. It was such a cute pic that I had to post it anyway, so you'll have to turn your computers.)

Updates

2010-09-14T13:01:00.000-07:00

Wow, its been ...3 months since I've updated this thing, and even as I sit here, I barely know how to write anymore. I'll get right to it. Babies are almost 4 months old and life has been much easier since the dark, DARK days of the first 2 months. The babies have been on a 4 hour feeding schedule for over a month and are doing very well. Scarlet is suffering with issues related to reflux, the poor thing, but the Zantac she is on has helped a lot. She has an appt with a GI specialist on Oct 12th. The babies haven't had their 4 month appt yet so we don't know what they weigh, but i know its a lot. Scarlet is still smaller than the the others by at least a pound, but she is doing well. Lyla is really the only one who doesn't do very well holding her head up, but she is ahead of the game with her communication skills- she is by far the chattiest, and also the best at self entertaining. Porter is physically the strongest and can now roll over from front to back. Unfortunately, he does this at night and since he hates being on his back he ends up looking like a cockroach flailing his arms and legs everywhere and screaming. And did I mention he can stand? (he's also discovered his tongue)
Scarlet is the kicker. She talks almost as much as Lyla now, and her "thing" is kicking like mad in the bouncy seat.Ok, you can't see her kicking, but isn't this just the cutest pic? And Who wouldn't be jealous of those lashes?
Recently we have introduced a new toy in the trios collection- the bouncy thing. They all like it for about a minute:
And then it wears off.Here's a photo pf all of them in action:
Lyla's favorite is the activity mat, she's happy there for...minutes!

A dear friend lent us her triplet stroller and for the first time I can take all of them on walks by myself. They love their walks! The stroller is 46 whopping inches wide and doesn't fit through standard doorways, but its worth it just because it pushes, steers and turns so easily, its a dream. I've been walking everyday and it makes me feel so much better being able to get out of the house during the day. And now that the weather is starting to cool off (gradually) I'll be getting out more and more.

They're still not sleeping more than 4 to 5 hours at a time during the night. Its been months since we've had to feed them at night, but they're just in the habit of waking every night around 330 or 4. They dont need to be fed, and they dont need to be changed so I just end up giving them a pacifier, or in Porter's case, turning him back over on his tummy, and going back to bed. They usually wake again around 430 or 5 but we usually just let them cry until they are fed at 530.If anyone has advice on how to remedy this issue feel free to chime in. Im told they should be able to sleep 8 hours by now so who knows. We are anxiously awaiting the day when they can all keep their pacifiers in their little mouths on their own. Right now they just continuously pop them out with their tongues so we prop them with rolled blankets.

We're going to Utah on the 24th to visit my family and we are so excited. The babies get to see their Grandma and their Great Grandparents and we can't wait. Also, my brother will be there from Japan with his family and we will meet my new little niece, McKenna! My older brother and his family will also be down from Idaho and we are thrilled that all the cousins will be together for the first time!

Skipping around a bit- the babies were blessed in July and we didnt take as many pictures as we should have. Sunday mornings are a whirlwind trying to get everyone ready. This was the only good shot we got.There's not much more to post, and Im sure everyone just wants to see photos anyway so I'll just post a bunch of random pics we have.

Craig with the babies!Sad Lyla after bathtime.
Scarlet has a question.
The poor kid.

Happy boy!

One Month and Still Alive

2010-06-22T10:52:00.000-07:00

PORTER

LYLA

SCARLET

The triplets are a month old as of June 18th and we are all still alive. Believe me, I am more doubtful of Craig's and my survival than that of the babies at this point. Trying to meet the needs of these three little babes is frighteningly overwhelming and Craig has to constantly remind me to take it one day at a time. My life is like groundhog's day. Every day is the same, the routine is the same, and if I can go run through the drive-thru, or go to target, I feel just a little bit normal again.. at least for those precious few minutes. As most of you already know, we have had an overabundance of help from our ward family. My Mom has been with us since I was released from the hospital in April, and we never would have made it without her help, but when she goes at the end of this month, I know it will be the angels who come day and night to help that will sustain us until we can learn to do it all on our own. Thanks, Mom, thank you Susan and Linda, and thank you everyone who has been helping for the last month. I shiver to think where we all would be now without you.
The dogs have been great with the babies. All they do is sniff them and whine and whimper when they cry. And considering we have people coming in the house round the clock, they're doing exceptionally well. For all of you who said "are you going to keep the dogs?" Well, the answer is yes.
And then there was the infection! As if recovering from a c-section and caring for 3 week old triplets wasn't enough, I was cursed with a uterine infection 2 weeks ago that landed me back in the hospital for three days. After an ER visit that lasted from 10 pm to 4 am- only to tell me I had "slight bladder infection," I returned the very next day to say.. HEY, THIS AINT NO FREAKIN BLADDER INFECTION. Turns out I was right and after a 103.7 fever and many rounds of blood work, they finally believed me. All it needed was a couple more days in the hospital and every IV antibiotic known to man. Being stuck in there knowing that everyone else was at home doing my job was agony. I felt totally helpless. Thanks again everyone for the round the clock help that really helped put my mind at ease and let Craig sleep for once!
The babies are growing growing growing! Porter is well over 8lbs and the girls are gaining on him. Lyla was 7. 11 as of last friday, and Scarlet is not far behind. I guess we just keep feeding them? Ok then. Hopefully we'll all still be alive in another month.

Life is Sweet

2010-05-25T08:57:00.000-07:00

Well, we did it. We have three beautiful, tiny miracles that are healthy and feisty and we couldn't feel more blessed. The C-section was a breeze (as major surgeries go) and the trio only had minimal assistance with oxygen and iv's in their first day. After day one, they were all bottle feeding and breathing completely on their own. How grateful I am to have stayed pregnant for 36 weeks. Considering how tiny they still are, I can't imagine them being any smaller at birth. Docs have talked about them coming home everyday since Saturday when I was discharged, but we're just trying to get them to consistently finish feedings without getting so sleepy. I never knew it would be so difficult to get a baby to eat! Moms, don't take for granted your ability to have a newborn eat as much as you want him/her too. Its scary thinking of bringing them home and not getting them to eat as well as the nurses do, especially because their health is totally based on them growing and gaining weight. Currently they weights are: Lyla-(baby A) 4 lbs 8 oz, Scarlet B-(formerly C) 3 lbs 15 oz, and Porter, baby C(formerly B) is 4 lbs 15 oz. Scarlet is still the teenie weenie one, but wow, is she feisty! I knew she would be. We think Lyla and Porter are coming home today and Scarlet hopefully tomorrow, but every morning we go in is a new story.
Thank you so much to the friends of ours who helped my mom get our house (and yard!)all ready for us to come home to. It looks beautiful and we feel so relieved to have a clean house for the little ones. My mom went on and on about how nice and how helpful you all were. I can't thank you enough.

Ok then. I'm off to the NICU for the 11am feeding. Lets see if I can try and successfully upload these little video clips of the babies. They're just... PRECIOUS!

Holding Steady!

2010-04-15T13:14:00.000-07:00

So all of a sudden I'll be 32 weeks on Monday! I cannot believe I've been here over four weeks. At this point when I go into labor, the docs wont even try to stall or stop it. We can finally go back to being excited about the trio's arrival rather than being scared and apprehensive. AND even if they came today, they would most likely only have to be in the NICU for 3 to 4 weeks max, which is way less time than we had anticipated.
We are so lucky to be at this point, and its amazing what a difference 2 weeks makes in the prognosis. I still can't believe that we're about to have three babies. Its insane. Why has this not occurred to me until now???

Speaking of three babies, they are still moving and squirming and kicking like crazy. Even the sonographers can't believe how active they are for how cramped they are. I love feeling them bouncing around. It makes me laugh as I wonder what the crap they could possibly be doing in there.

I still have a constant stuffy nose that I think will stick around as long as I'm pregnant. Its beyond annoying and Im afraid of blowing my nose too hard for fear of knocking something loose. Someone finally noticed the nearly empty bottle of tums on the nightstand and said "why didn't you tell us you were having problems with heartburn?" They ordered Pepcid for me twice daily and I feel much better. Now I dont have to worry about getting tums dust on my remote and computer keys anymore! I still feel really good. I do have some bouts of discomfort- mostly trying to get comfortable or just prop myself up more when Im sitting in bed. All things considered, though, Im dang lucky. WAIT- I did have fat leg syndrome for about 2 days. My right leg was literally a size bigger than the left. To be sure, they did an ultrasound to make sure there was no blood clot, and there wasn't. There's probably a baby sitting on something that is restricting the fluid return from that leg. Now I wear these leg massage/wrap things while Im in bed to prevent swelling and clots.

Craig's Parents were so nice to bring the entire Easter dinner for all of us to eat together here in my room. As much as I whined and said it was "totally unnecessary," it was really nice and I'm glad that they did that for me. And in celebration of the new Clash of the Titans, I ordered the original on DVD and Craig and I watched it together after dinner. A dang nice holiday for being hospitalized:)

Craig continues to work hard on getting everything painted for the babies' room. I just have to get home to decorate, wash all the babies' clothes and set everything up. Thank heavens I'll have a little time to do it all before they come home or I'd go nuts. Bless Craig for coming every night to visit me even when he's exhausted and has so much to do at home and at work. Hopefully the next few days or weeks (EEEK!) will go by fast and we can be together as a family soon:)

The Latest

2010-04-03T17:42:00.000-07:00

Well believe it or not they almost sent me home the other day. Results from the latest tests on baby C show that although she still has restricted blood flow in her cord, she is gaining weight enough that she's in no immediate danger. We still have her on 24 hour monitoring, but she has already exceeded the doctors' expectations. Good girl:) So for about a day I had dreams of being pregnant, if not stuck in the hospital, for many more weeks to come. And THEN... they checked my cervix. When I was admitted it measured 1.7cm. I think normally its like somewhere between 4 and 6 cm. As of Wednesday it was down to .57cm. So the doctors are back on the "you'll likely deliver within the week" boat. Although Dr.Morgan- my big wig perinatologist said "if the babies come now they should do just fine." Its amazing what a difference a couple weeks makes. When I first came here they were all doom and gloom and talking about how extremely early it was and how sick little baby C was...etc. I knew the situation was serious, but it just seemed like nobody would accept the idea that baby C could hold out. Now its my cervix that they don't think will hold out. I just sit around every day until I start having painful contractions and they decide to check me to see if I'm dilating. When that happens they'll give me something to try to stop the labor process- which I think can only be done for like 2 days- enough to administer a second round of steroid shots to help the babies' lungs to mature. So we'll just have to see what happens. We're still looking at at least a 6 week NICU stay if the babies come within the week. Everyone is still under 3 lbs. And thank you everybody that has come to keep me company, it really makes me feel loved:) Stephanie Adams even came to give me an amazing mani/pedi! I felt bad for everyone else here that couldn't receive the same treatment. I think for a hospital stay, this couldn't get much better. I have shower privileges, I dont have to resort to the use of a bedpan or even a bedside commode, I have a great view from a private room- which was so generously decorated by my Mother-in-law, and three people have said that I win the prize for best smelling room! Best of all- babies and I are healthy and doing well. So we just keep praying that the babies will come when they need to and that they will be healthy and strong when they do. We know it's because of everyone's fasting and prayers that we've already come this far. We are so grateful.

29 Weeks

2010-03-29T15:46:00.000-07:00

Ok, Ive made it another week. 7 more days and everyone will relax a bit about the trio coming so early. Baby C is still doing well. Her heart rate is strong, and she continues to score perfect 8's on her daily Biophysical Profiles. The doc mentioned today that they dont expect to see a sudden drastic change in her status where an emergency c-section would be necessary. It would be more gradual and be indicated by a change in her heart rate. Also, they plan to check the weights of all three babies a week from today. If it shows that despite the strong heart rate, baby C is not growing, they will schedule me for delivery. So there are a few determining factors. For now she continues to look really good, just small. Baby B is the hog. He is the biggest and has the most fluid. Maybe he knows that boys do statistically worse than premature girls and he's trying to get everything he can while he can. Hmph. Smart kid. Baby A continues to be the laid back and tolerant one down at the bottom of the heap. Her heart rate is always lower and she's always in a lounging position despite being sat on, stepped on, and squashed into a tiny corner. I guess there has to be one like her in there or it just wouldn't work.
I continue to feel perfectly fine. I haven't shown any signs of preterm labor and I'm still not so big that I'm feeling awful. I have tons of contractions during the night, to the point that the nurses come in and ask "are you sure you're not feeling those? You're having like 20 and hour!" I feel them, but its just that tightening feeling. No pain. The doctors have to reassure them that with triplets, and all the activity in there, contractions like that are totally normal. If they start to hurt, though, that means trouble.

Craig continues to work on the nursery at home. There's no hurry, really, because the babies will be in the NICU for 2 months at least, but understandably he wants to get it done. I miss my house and I miss my dogs and I can't believe I've been here 2 weeks already. Again we are so grateful for our many blessings, and for all of your prayers on our behalf. We can't wait until we can introduce our three little ones to everyone:)

Sooner than Later

2010-03-25T12:10:00.000-07:00

Well unfortunately the situation is getting worse. Baby C still looks good, heart rate is strong, but her cord flow is more restricted than it was a week ago. We were hoping that it would hold, or at least stay the same for as long as possible, but it looks like delivery will come sooner than we would have hoped. We are praying to last 11 more days- which would put me at 30 weeks gestation. Babies do significantly better at 30 weeks. The docs today told me not to "bet my last dime on that" but we're sure trying. I feel like a ticking time bomb, like any day they could come rushing in to take me in for an emergency C-Section. Its more likely that things will continue in a downward trend until they schedule the C-section. Craig said that he feels like everything will be ok, and that makes me feel much better. He's good like that:)

Its amazing how much love we feel from our friends and family- specifically our Ward family. I have received so many visitors and well wishes and its just a wonderful feeling- like we have so many of you in our corner pulling for us. You all have no idea what that means to us. We love you and we'll keep you posted:) Now I have to go continue incubating....

Hospital Life

2010-03-21T11:58:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard already, Im in the hospital indefinitely because if issues with little baby C- details are on facebook if you want em. I was admitted on Tuesday and Im still here. I will say that I expected it to be worse at this point. I never thought Id get a private room- which apparently was a necessity just to fit the monitors for 3 babies. I have a great view- out 3 big windows, cable, flat screen, dvd player and wifi in my room. Im not sick or on any diet restrictions, so they bring me pretty much whatever I ask for. Seems weird to be hospitalized and offered onion rings, ffries, chips, chicken fingers, pepsi, bacon, etc with meals. The food is ok, I think I just like having so many options.

My daily routine goes as follows: the doc usually comes in between 630 and 730am just to check in and ask if I understand everything and have any questions. Because this is a teaching hospital, I get a different resident about every day, and then there are the big wig- perinatologists and neonatologists that come by a few times a week to ask the same questions. A PCA (patient care attendant) comes in to take Blood pressure and temp and fill my water pitcher- which is kept full at all times, and the nurse for the day shift comes in to see if I need anything and check my heart with the stethoscope. Breakfast, or "nutrition," as they announce themselves, comes between 8 and 830 and then I usually shower and get dressed for the exciting day to come.
Lunch is around 1230, dinner is 530 and in between are the BP and temp checks about every 3 hours. And housekeeping also comes in about 4 times a day. Craig comes in the evenings to hang out with me, and after he leaves I get ready for bed... or should I say sleep, since Im in bed almost all day. The night nurse comes in around 7 to introduce herself and check on me, and then they come in about 3 or 4 times during the night to take BP and temps again, and fill my water.
Oh- and someone comes every 24 hours to give me an ultrasound to make sure all three little ones are looking good. Im hooked to a fetal monitor 24 hrs a day for baby C and they have a 2nd monitor on me for contractions.
Today they added another machine to my list of hook-ups. Its a thing that straps around each calf to prevent blood clots. They inflate and deflate one at a time and I keep them on unless I get up to use the bathroom or shower. No biggie.
Friday evening Craig wheeled me down to tour the NICU, which was a really good experience. My good friend Laawna is a nurse down there and she showed us all the little preemies that might be the same size and age as our babies could be at birth. On one hand it was shocking to see how fragile and tiny they looked. On the other hand, it was good to see what good hands they were in and what a nice facility it was. We are praying for these little ones to hold up until Im at least 30 weeks- which is 2 weeks from tomorrow. The little one is holding steady, but we really won't know for sure until they do the test on her cord flow, and check her growth again. If it shows she's not growing, we'll have to deliver. Until then we just pray and wait. More updates to come- but dinner is on its way!

Belly Pics

2010-02-27T09:52:00.000-08:00

Ok all you whiners, I finally broke down. I'll even post a few that I hate just so you can see a slight progression. I have a few earlier ones on my phone that Craig will have to help me get on the computer later.
Jan 16 (18 weeks)

Feb 16, (23 weeks)
Feb 23, (24 weeks)

I have been feeling great. I commented to a friend that I feel even better physically than I did a few weeks ago. Maybe my body is just adjusting better, maybe the wee ones were going through a growth spurt (although isn't the entire 35 weeks one giant growth spurt?) Anyway, I can't complain much. Current symptoms include: extremely greasy complexion and hair- although my skin in general is very soft, which is good, (but seriously you could coat a giant skillet with what I blot off of my face every hour) horrible breakouts, and I thought prenatal vitamins were supposed to be great for hair and nails?? My fingernails have NEVER been this flimsy and bendy. I can't even get a good scratch with them because they bend so much. I don't have any cravings and the heartburn continues to worsen each week, it seems. Like Juno said, "the heartburn radiates in my kneecaps." Sleeping is....well, I have good nights and bad nights. I just have to be creative with pillows and be sure to take my Zantac each night or I don't stand a chance. My weight gain has been respectable, not too little not too much- according to my doc. Although it seems to me like it has all accumulated in my fat face. I guess it could be worse, but it is a little difficult to hide. If only I were a Muslim...

I am almost 25 weeks and am now having weekly ultrasounds and progesterone injections. Its all about the cervix. There has been a slight change, but nothing that anyone is worrying about at this point. If is shortens out much more than they'll probably talk about some modified bedrest, but so far so good.

Will someone tell me what kind of car to get? We've narrowed it down to 3, then 2, then added another back to 3, then.... blah blah blah. Here's the short version: We don't need a huge car because Craig has the truck and we'll take that anywhere that we need to lug baby gear to. Also, we dont want 2 gas guzzlers. We've looked at the Subaru Outback, KIA Sorrento and, most recently the new Honda Pilot. You get the most for the money with the Pilot, but its bigger than we need, and the gas mileage isn't as good. The KIA is our favorite all around, BUT for what they;'re asking for it (fully loaded, granted) we can get the Pilot (but not quite fully loaded, but then its a Honda vs a KIA). Then we go back to the gas issue and I dont really want something that big. The Pilot would last us longer, because it seats 8, but again, we dont need an 8 seater right now. If we got the KIA we'd just upgrade to something bigger in a few years- then at that point, maybe we'd get rid of Craig's truck and have a smaller car and a bigger family car. Again, trying to avoid having 2 trucks. And yes, we can fit three car seats across the back seat- we've done all the measuring- which is our plan. I have no intentions of climbing in and out of a vehicle to get one car seat out of the back. Ok, lets hear it:

I love having baby things cluttering the house. Its fun seeing the car seats, strollers, etc all over the place. It still amazes me what is yet to come. Speaking of what is yet to come, they are moving all over the place- relatively speaking. They're considerate enough not to keep me up all night, and no one has had the hiccups yet, but they are definitely little kickers and nudgers! Baby C moves the most with the big boy coming in a close 2nd. Little girl-A is the most chill down there at the bottom. I wonder if their personalities will follow suit when they're born. Thank you so much everyone who has so graciously donated or lent us baby gear, clothes, etc. I have no idea how we would get everything we need without that. We are so grateful to all of you.

Its amazing how different I feel after 2 or 3 hours of shopping/errand running compared to normal. I now know when it feels like after I've been on my feet too long and I try to be sensitive to that. Doesn't help with the contractions, that's for sure. I guess until further notice I continue to work and do most things that I normally would around the house. We're hoping for delivery around mid May- which would be 35 weeks. Most common for triplets is between 30 and 33 weeks, so we'd be blessed to make it to 35.

Questions and Comments

2010-01-25T15:23:00.001-08:00

First of all, my sis-in-law demanded (yes demanded) that I go and create a baby registry, so that's what I'm doing. My problem is that I literally look at everything and say "I don't need that." We're trying to assemble used gear as much as possible so I don't see the point in asking anyone to go pay money for these things. Things I do see needing are the basics: bottles (I read I'll need about 6 per baby to start), diapers (who knows how many), onezies, clothes, socks, crib sheets etc. Basically, it makes for a boring registry. That said, Im counting on experienced moms to tell me what I need. My first question is what the heck kind of bottles do I get? There are hundreds, and they can't all be the same. Im going to try and breastfeed as much as humanly possible, but lets face it, there's no way I'll be able to keep up with three hungry little mouths. So , Moms, which are best? Playtex drop-ins are up there in popularity, and so are Avents. They both seem to have their pros and cons. The idea of liners vs constantly washing bottles definately gets my attention. I need to go with what's most convenient for me, and what will work best with babies going back and forth from bottle to breast. So? Which is it then?

Secondly, I got all the material for the crib bedding today! Even the shipment from Australia arrived:) Now I just need a coordinating fabric for the dust ruffles- that will all be the same- and Im good to go!This is for the girls' cribs.
The frogs are for the boy. The green frogs actually match the green in the tulips- which was the point- but it looks totally different online. They'll all have matching dust ruffles, and I'll add some red somewhere with the frogs to tie them all together. I think Im leaning towards a green wall. Like my friend Kaipo said, the red accents will pop with the lime green better then if it were the other way around. I saw a photo of a bright green wall with pure white furniture and trim and I just loved the way it looked.
Oh here it is!
I think one green wall will be plenty. now if I can just manage to keep it looking too Christmas-y.

Pregnancy still going well. My biggest complaint lately is rib pain. It feels like someone has a blowtorch under my right ribcage. Can't seem to do anything to alleviate the dull, and sometimes not so dull- ache. No sitting position is comfortable. My best chance is standing or lying flat. Anyway its a minor complaint, considering. Im sure it'll get worse and I keep telling myself that- hoping it wont be as bad as Im expecting.

Ok, Moms, need that advice now:)..

Catching up. Again.

2010-01-13T21:16:00.000-08:00

Im sick of Craig saying "So, how's that blog coming?" So I am surrendering to the post. It just gets so overwhelming when there is so much to cover. I'll try to sum up, but don't hold your breath--.. I had to run in the other room and change the channel from American Idol. Its the early audition round, and my ears were starting to bleed.
Quickly- For Thanksgiving we went to Seattle to visit Craig's brother and sister-in-law and we had a great time. We visited the Space Needle, and the famous fish market and it was great to see Kent and Stephanie's new baby girl, Melanie:) (wish I had a picture of her now.) We also had family photos taken.

Here are the nephews! Hi guys!

-The Museum of Flight in Washington.

Top of the Space Needle. Have to do it once, right?

One of our family pics. See the triplets? There's Melanie! I do have a pic of her:)

We came home for a week, and I was miserable with a terrible cold that I couldn't really take anything for. Vicks vapo-rub and Ricolas did SQUAT.

Then we went to Hawaii for what was likely to be the last vacation we take for a very, very...very long time. If you've never been, its truly a faaaaaaaaaaaantastic place. It was actually the first vacation Craig and I have taken alone since our Honeymoon (and we dont even have kids yet;) so it was really nice to be able to take a trip like that again. Thanks Steve and Linda for making that happen:)
We did everything- witnessed the "Big Swell" on the North Shore and the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Classic that only happens about once every five years. We were on the beach at 6:30am with 35,000 other onlookers and Craig took about a million pictures. (why can't I fix the italics??)
These were two from the contest. Kid takes a nice photo, doesn't he:)

We also visited the Polynesian Cultural Center- where we did everything from learning how to weave strips of grass, to attending a Luau, and Craig made fire by rubbing sticks together. My man!

We went snorkling at Hanauma Bay nature preserve and it was beautiful.
Bah! And I thought I was showing then.
Ok, the photo above is obviously better, and also equally as obviously-not taken by me.

The trip was wonderful. We rented a Mustang convertible and spent a lot of time just cruising around from one side of the island to the other. The weather was ideal- low 80's, not a cloudy day or a drop of rain, and there was a perfect, constant breeze. The fresh pineapple is...well, it makes me drool just thinking about it. And I think I had a Hawaiian Shaved Ice every day that we were there. It is one of thee best treat on earth. The passion fruit/lychee/guava combo is my favorite. THAT, I did get a picture of.
mmmmmmmm. I miss you, shaved ice. We will be together again soon.

Also one of my favorite parts of the North Sore are the Shrimp Shacks. They are literally like old, piece of crap- RV's parked on the roadside with picnic tables outside. The shrimp are plentiful and tasty!
We were so happy just to be there, and we still dream of days when we can afford to live there. Don't worry, that will be never.

Ok, moving on...

Pregnancy. I turned 18 weeks on Monday and everything is going beautifully. We had our extremely thorough ultrasound last week and found out that we are having two girls and a boy. We couldn't be happier:) We have had names picked out for a while, but we made a last minute switch when I casually brought up a name to Craig just to see how he would react, and HE LIKED IT. So (drum roll) since I can't see your faces react to the news: Lyla, Scarlet, and Porter. Craig picked Porter and I picked the girls' names with no opposition from Dad. Don't quote me on the spellings yet, though.
So far the trio is as healthy as we can know at this point. We are blessed that they all have separate sacs and their own placentas so we can already rule out many complications that can arise when that isn't the case- like one being significantly larger than the other, for example. They're all about 7 oz at this point and I am barely starting to feel them move. Symptomly speaking (?) it has been smooooth sailing. I can only wonder what lies ahead that it should be so easy up to this point. I am still stuffed up every day, and its the worst at night, but a humidifier has helped a lot. I just get that problem- when you breathe out of your mouth all night and you wake up choking and trying to moisten your mouth to no avail- feeling like your tongue is going to split from the dryness. Also, I broke my perfect record. I threw up. Actually, I do a lot, but its always the first thing in the morning and due to phlegm from the sinus crap- which always triggers the gag reflex. Luckily its only dry heaves and only bothers me when I first wake up. It is weird, though, but I don't care. Beats being nauseous all day for sure.
Its becoming increasingly difficult to bend over, put on shoes, etc. I need to invest in a good pair of slip-ons pretty quick. But getting dressed every morning is fun because I have this great, new accessory! I get so excited every time I look at it because its like the best Christmas present in the world that I get to carry around all day every day- constantly reminding me of the gift we're getting come this spring. AND, it keeps getting bigger! Now, If I can just keep my skin from splitting open. At friends' suggestion I picked up some Bag Balm. It works well, but its pretty stinky.
Now comes the agonizing task of decorating the nursery. Im making all the crib bedding because there's no way in you know where that Im spending more for the bedding that the cribs themselves. I found plenty of fabric that I like, all modern/contemporary themes (no "baby" stuff) but I can't for the life of me settle on a color scheme. Gender neutral is killer. All the furniture will be white, and I want to do bright colors- probably one bright wall- red or apple green or tangerine or something, and then some cool mod prints for the bedding and curtains. I just can't decide on colors, mostly because I would be happy with multiple combinations. And I love Chinese lanterns- I'd like to get one to hang over each crib. Ooh, this is fun:) Anyway, suggestions are welcome. Just don't say anything that has anything to do with characters, or anything that comes with a matching wallpaper border. That's not me.

I continue to wonder what I have done to deserve such blessings, and I still can't imagine all that lies ahead. I hope I am doing my job in expressing gratitude, and I hope I will be worthy to care for the three special little spirits that are waiting for us. More updates to come!

ps- thank you so much to everyone who has offered donations. We're taking almost anything we can get!

Dreams, phlegm, and force feeding

2009-11-12T11:23:00.000-08:00

I hear that pregnant women have weird and very vivid dreams. I, however, have always had weird and vivid dreams. Ask Craig, he thinks I have the mind of a crazy person. Being pregnant hasn't really changed my dreaming...style. Last night, for example, I dreamed that Michael J Fox was my boyfriend and we were having lunch at Sweet Tomatoes. I remember carrying my tray through the line, only, I don't remember what we had. The only strange part was that he went through the line ahead of me and didn't pay. Heh. Jerk.
The night before I had a dream that Gwen Stafani and I became good friends. She wanted to do something different with the band, and decided that the "something different" was to make me the other lead singer. Nothing weird about that! Wait- she lived in a crappy apartment complex, so that was a little weird.

Phlegm. I have been having sinus issues, usually in the mornings, which means that I sneeze a lot, have a runny nose and, consequently, have a constant presence of phlegm in my throat. Its impossible to ignore and the second I think about it, I gag. Its most annoying. I does help if I chew minty gum, I don't know why, maybe because its a distraction. I hate having an overactive gag reflex in the mornings. And why is it just in the mornings? I swear, its largely psychological.

My appetite is still pathetic, do any of you Moms out there (especially of multiples) suggest a point when I should start drinking protein drinks? I'm almost 10 weeks, think now is unnecessarily too soon? I don't feel the need to pack on the pounds yet, I just want to make sure the little ones are getting what they need. I do eat something for every meal, the portions are just puny and many dinners (and lunches) are tomato soup and crackers. The other night I had a generous handful of green olives and a small bowl of cottage cheese for dinner. Mmmmm, green olives:) Not terrible, I got my protein! The saturday before I had a bowl of cereal at noon and a cup of soup at 8. Could have been why I had a headache that day. Today for lunch I aimed for a baked potato and cup of chili. I only ate the potato. Chili was too oniony for me. The potato was a decent size, so I don't feel bad. You all have to know something, this is such a new feeling for me. For years I longed for my appetite to be taken away- as healthy as it normally is. And now when I'm allowed, and encouraged to eat like a cow, I have to force myself. I have to admit... its lovely.

Stil Pregn

2009-11-09T15:00:00.000-08:00

I'm nine weeks today and as of the ultrasound last Monday, we still have three in there. Heh, so much for doctors' predictions. Amazingly enough, I have still managed to avoid "morning" sickness. I feel like I still have to say "but it could hit at any time" because I'm worried that as soon as I cop an attitude or say "Hah! Nausea Shmasea!" -I'll immediately start vomiting. So FOR NOW, Im incredibly grateful. However, I haven't been so lucky to avoid headaches or migraines. And ooooooh, they can be nasty, especially because the only thing I can take is Tylenol. BAH! I'd do just as well with a couple tic tacs. Anyway, its slightly unnerving to think that I could have 6+ more months of migraines ahead of me with no defense in sight. I had one Friday and Saturday and the only thing that made any difference, although barely noticeble, was to take a scarf and tie my heating pad around my head. I alternated the same technique using ice packs as well. All I could say to Craig was "please don't look at me." It was pitiful. And also worthless.

My only other symptoms have been a loss of appetite, and some sinus irritability. And no,
Im not showing yet. I swear when I get up in the morning I have a major bulge, but it goes away as the day goes on. Oh, and I can't sleep for crap. Weird how you can be so tired, but not able to sleep. I'm just one tossing and turning fool every night. Nothing is comfortable. No cravings yet and no sensitivities to smells either. I do have issues brushing my teeth in the morning. For some reason its the only time my gag reflex wants to participate in the fun. It takes a lot of deep breaths to get through a teeth-brushing session. Weird.

Anyway, that's about it for now. I did have to ask my doc if I should be worried that Im not having more intense symptoms, especially with triplets. She said "no way, just be grateful." If I had one, the due date would be June 14th, but with 3 I expect them sometime early to mid May, if all goes well. Here's hoping for a long and healthy pregnancy!

Im pregn....

2009-10-24T10:37:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard by now, Craig and I are expecting! After 3 years, 10 procedures and...well, a few dollars, we are still slightly in shock. I still can't believe the nurse actually said "I have good news for you!" Good news? For me?? You mean it WORKED?? I still have a hard time saying the words "Im preg-" nope, still feels weird. It always seemed like something that happened to everyone else. I wasn't part of the club.

At almost 7 weeks now, its still hard to believe. At this point I feel pretty darn good. I have no nausea, no sore...parts, and other than some weird, dull cramping and feelings like things are definitely stretching in there, I feel normal. Ok, I guess I do get tired more easily lately. Im not under any delusions that these horrid symptoms won't still come in the next week or two, but my Mom never had morning sickness so at least there's a chance it'll skip me.

So..... we had our first ultrasound on Thursday and we were delighted to see a tiny heartbeat fluttering away. With so much that can go wrong, it was such a relief to see something in there! Craig said the baby looked like a little cashew. Ok there were actually two. Fine, three but that's it, I promise. Yes, three little sacs with three little heartbeats. At this point, one is smaller and a few days behind the other two in development, so our doctor thinks it is likely we'll end up with twins. We have another ultrasound in 2 weeks and we should know by then if there are still three or just two. We have to at least prepare for the possibility of triplets. (holy crap)

Since things are a bit up in the air, we debated whether or not to tell everyone the results of the ultrasound right away. We thought about waiting until the next appt when we'll have a better idea. But, since I can never keep my mouth shut, and everyone already knew we were having the U/S, I couldn't look people in the face and say there was only one or even two. I figure if things change, then they change, but I don't see a reason, at least for me, to keep it all to ourselves. I feel better sharing our news and its comforting to know we're not going through this alone. Whatever happens, we know that we are all in God's hands and what is supposed to be for our little family will be.

We are so extremely grateful for the love and support we have received from our friends and family- often it is hard to distinguish between the two. We know that we have been so very blessed with this miracle and we can't wait to welcome a new life- lives- into our family.

I promised my family that I would use my blog to keep everyone updated on the progress of this pregnancy (did I just say pregnancy??) and it sure has the potential to get pretty crazy. So bring it on, I say! We're so ready.

Happy Anniversary!

2009-09-27T10:16:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday Craig and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary. In one sense, I can't believe its been three years already. Then again, I can't even remember what my life was like before Craig. With all of these trips to and from Santa flippin Clara, it was difficult to plan anything too extensive. I didn't need to go anywhere or do anything. I was perfectly happy just being able to be together.

I still maintain- thee best cake I've ever had.

And of course, I had to throw in a few pics from our Honeymoon in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Man, was it beautiful there. I highly recommend it.
"We've only just begun."

Labor Day Weekend

2009-09-13T15:11:00.000-07:00

At the last minute, Craig's parents decided that we were going to Mammoth Lakes, CA again this year for Labor Day weekend. Craig's sister, Kelli, and her family came out from Utah to play too! This was our 4th annual Mammoth trip, and we have a great time every year. The weather is beautiful and its such a refreshing break from the raging infernos of Fresno.

We took the shuttle to Devil's Postpile, a super cool rock formation, and hiked from there to Rainbow Falls.
I love to fish. Even if I'm not catching anything, I hate the final reel-in for the day.
This year I made a deal with the fish- I promised them if they would just let me catch them already, AND pose for a nice photo, that I would return them safely back to their habitat. (minus the superficial bloody hole in the lip)
See, now that wasn't so bad? I went fishing by myself one morning while Craig went for a bike ride and let me tell you, trying to hold a fighting, writhing, slippery fish with one hand- not too tight to kill it- and fish a camera out of the tackle box, AND turn it on AND take a picture with the other hand is no easy feat. BUT- I got er done. I think this guy went and warned all of his buddies because he was the only one caught that day.
On Saturday Craig and I played golf with his Dad, and brother-in-law, Ryan. The course was beautiful, the weather was beautiful, and the results were beautiful. I won. Oh glory of glories.

Looking forward to next year!

Summer trip

2009-08-30T16:39:00.000-07:00

On my birthday we left for Utah for a few days to spend time with family and attend education week at BYU. Since it was my birthday, Craig said we could stay somewhere fun on Thursday night so we didn't have to make the drive in one trip. I'll do the 12 hours all at once if I have to, but its not my favorite.
Anyhoo we stayed at the Seven Wives Inn B&B in St. George (Donna and Perry, you have good taste:). I LOVE cute little Inns and especially B&B's, so I was so excited! The Inn was beautiful and the breakfast was fantastic! I highly recommend it. (notice I tried out my new triple-barrel curling iron for the pic. if you want the look of a perm without the smelly expense, its the way to go. Craig said it looked a little 80's though.) moving along...

I dropped Craig off in Brian Head to do some Mtn Biking while I headed up to Salt Lake for my cousin's wedding. How do the men always get out of that stuff?
Anyway, I got a photo op with my Mom and Grandma at the wedding. I like seeing the 3 generations together. I really hope I have the chance to get a photo with 4 generations. My Grandma is 94 and Im working as fast as I can!

Craig met me in Salt Lake on Sunday night, and on Monday we went to Lagoon with my Mom, my three nephews- Danny, Jared and Josh, and my brother, Peter. It was tons-o-fun! I only put my foot down once and refused to go on a ride with Craig. He whined the whole night, but I wasn't about to budge. It was like a combo of a a smaller roller coaster and the tilt-a-whirl. Sound like fun? I didn't think so either.

I dropped the ball on getting photos during ed week, but we had a great time- as was expected. For any of you who have thought about going but haven't, I highly recommend it. If you can stash your kids somewhere for a week, go and check it out.

I have to add one more little thing- My mom and I went with Craig's sister, Kelly, to see Julie and Julia and can I just say what a delightful little movie that was! Really, ladies, go see it. You'll love it. And if you go, call me. I want to see it again.

2009-08-09T19:45:00.001-07:00

A week ago, Thursday, Linda came and asked me if I wanted to go with her to Palo Alto for her niece's water polo tourney. Since our IVF doc is up there and we have to go all the time, I didn't exactly jump at the chance to go again. However, I thought about it for a minute and realized it would be fun hanging out with Linda and her way cool sister, Paula. And I'd also never watched water polo (Im from back east, afterall). So thinking I should try to embrace my California...ism-ness, I decided to go.
A few hours later my brother, Tim, who's in the Navy and stationed in Japan called me. He and his family were coming to Virginia to spend time with my SIL's family, and they were going to have a decent layover in San Francisco. He thought the chances were slim, but wondered if there was any chance that I'd be in the SF area the next night. Long story short- Linda and I packed a bag, headed to Palo Alto to watch the tournament and I was able to take Time, Leslie and Dallin to dinner. It was such a blessing to have that time with them. Dallin is gorgeous, and just being able to spend 2 hours with all of them was such a treat, I can't believe it worked out the way it did. Thank you, Linda!

Since we had so much downtime between games (matches? games? what are they called, water polo people?) we went over to the Stanford campus and checked it out. I had never been there before (like many places on this, the left coast) and it was beautiful. This is just a photo or 2 of the Stanford Memorial Church. Now I can say "I went to Stanford."

Ok, water polo. I loved it. Its awesome to watch girls getting rough and tough like that! Not to mention- Craig's cousin, Sarah, is the fastest girl on the team and seriously tears it up out there. (hmm.. since its actually in the pool would I say "in there?") I thought about Ashley Wilcox and Wendy Freeman the whole time (two girls from my church who play- -for the 4 people reading this who aren't in my ward) . Now I can't wait to go to their games/matches/meets! Although I will say Im pretty positive I'd never actually play water polo. First of all THEY CAN'T TOUCH THE BOTTOM. Seven feel of water or not, I'd drown. Secondly, those girls are ridiculous- with their wrapping legs around eachother and trying to pull them under, the swimsuit grabbing and clawing and strangling and pounding and all of this while passing a little ball around and trying to score?! Its brutal and I love it. To watch. Id probably end up punching someone in the face if they grabbed my suit and tried to drown me in the human leg wrap/pull down-maneuver. I get mad enough when someone splashes me.
Anyway, Im so grateful for these simple moments of happiness- spending time with fun, smart people, visiting new and interesting places, and above all, just being with family. The only negative was that Craig had to stay home and work. He would have been the icing on the cake.

2009-08-06T14:51:00.000-07:00

If you would like to vote no "Harvey Milk Day" in California public schools: Call Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger at 916-445-2841. Listen to the recorded message and enter in the following order: 1 (English) 2 (legislation) 1 (SB572) 2 (against). Try until you get through.

Much to catch up on

2009-07-25T09:39:00.000-07:00

As I sit here actually composing a new post, I feel like I should be stretching and yawning as if waking from some long hibernation or something. Its not an unfamiliar feeling, I'm probably one of the least diligent or consistent bloggers around. I actually got to the point where I missed looking at my own new posts. I'm just so tired of looking at the Disneyland pics from March already!

Anyhoo... we've been busy since March.

1: April- My Mom came for a visit during Easter to accompany me to Santa Clara for a few IVF appts- the doc is 3 hours away- bless her heart. I took her to San Fran for the first time while we were in Santa Clara. She LOVED it and we had a really nice time. See how cute she is!:) It was cold and windy, of course. Im a city girl so I love San Francisco. (well, most of it...)
I still have like 4 giant candy bars in my fridge from Ghirardelli square.

2: May- Craig and I went up to Mammoth for some late season skiing with some friends from Utah. We had a great time. The snow in May is kind of like mashed potatoes, but you can't beat the weather. It was sunny and warm and beautiful. We actually got to ski together, which I love. I did have the biggest wipeout of my skiing career, but since it was a slow (..embarrassing, awkward, stupid...) fall, there were no injuries to report. It just lasted a long time because I slid down a steep section for what felt like forever. In front of dozens of people. I was actually fuming. I get really mad if I fall.

3: June- Craig and I went down to (down?..is it up? Im not from around here.) over to Las Vegas with Steve and Linda for a work retreat/ conference thing. It was really nice. We stayed at the Bellagio and while Craig attended his sessions, I chilled out by the pool, did a little shopping and went to the Las Vegas Temple. We also saw the Donnie and Marie show at the Flamingo. I have to say, it was fantastic. Those Mormon kids can really entertain! Seriously, if you're having a bad day, this show can't NOT cheer you up. Its Donnie and Marie!? All smiles and happiness. This was the picture that was taken by a photographer at the show. I wont tell you what we paid for the little folder with our picture and a signed picture of Donnie and Marie on the other side. WELL WORTH IT!

Also in June, we went down to Fallbrook to celebrate Craig's grandparents' 80th birthdays. Man, they know how to throw a bash, it was so much fun. There was square dancing, pony rides, a bounce house, games for all, and tons of food. Good times!

It was also Craig's birthday on the 26th. We had another appt in Santa Clara so we packed Craig's gifts and opened them in the hotel. Craig likes to say that he doesn't really care about his birthday, but I know deep down he loves it when people fuss over him;) LOVE YOOOOU!

4: July- Last week the Saunders family went to Lake Tahoe. We're used to going every year to ski so it was nice to see Tahoe in the summer. It was BEAUTIFUL and the weather was unbeatable. We golfed, did a little hiking, went to the beach, laid out by the pool, got pedicures, cried when we came home to 111 degrees, it was a nice vacation. To add to all of the excitement I flew up to Washington so I could drive down with my sister-in-law, Stephanie, and her two little ones. I loved being able to see a new part of the country and spend time with them. The boys were amazing for such a long drive- 17 hours one way! Whew! Yes, I still want to have kids. These were the only pics we managed to take. Pathetic.

Also in that time, we did IVF twice- one "fresh" and one "frozen." (It does sound like we're talking produce, but no.) Still not expecting. Its the challenge of a lifetime. We just keep trying until something sticks, I guess, so on to attempt #3. I've had the chance to connect with many others in my situation through all of this. I have one friend who in 4 years and multiple ivf tries, JUST got to the point where they retrieve your eggs. She responds poorly to the drugs. I am reminded that no matter how low you feel, there are always so many things to be thankful for, and so many reasons why things could be worse. I sent out an email to my family recently explaining where we are and what we're doing next, and I said that no matter how much they can get right with IVF, the embryos have to attach on their own- no way to stitch them in or apply velcro (that was my brother's idea- he also asked if these docs were sure they were putting them in the right place? "they're not supposed to go in Craig, you know?"). My Dad said "Well I dont know how it would be difficult to become attached to you, I've always found it very easy to become attached to you. I was attached to you the moment you were born." He always says the best things. You just have to keep everything light. And humor always goes a long way.

We love you, Taylor!

2009-03-18T18:14:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'll admit, it was friggen hilarious and I should have included these in my original post. I laughed to the point of tears and I almost broke my neck because I kept turning around. We took our nephew, Taylor-3, on Big Thunder Mtn at Disneyland for the first time. He donned his snow boots for a little extra lift and away we went. I think it was a shocker going from rides in toontown and storybookland to thunder mtn. The pics really don't do the event justice- probably because we were laughing so hard and, well, the ride was flying around the track. We did the best we could. They're still funny as all you-know-what. (The best part was that Stephanie, his mother, laughed the hardest.)

This was in the beginning- before the fright really struck. I love the super stiff, fingers together- little hands in the air. Sure, he looks like he's having a blast.

We caught Craig's 5 year old cousin, Brock, in the background. Another great shot. And Taylor has got to be on the verge of tears here.

His face really reminded me of a scene in the movie "Spies Like Us," with Chevy Chase and Dan Akroyd- a classic. Seriously, Taylor's face looked exactly like this:

Disneyland!

2009-03-14T18:22:00.000-07:00

Woohoo! I love going to Disneyland! My brother-in-law and sister-in-law invited Craig and I, and Steve and Linda to join them on their family trip to Disneyland, and I couldn't resist! They brought their 3 year old, Taylor, and their 1 year old, Erik, and we all had a great time together. I will say I am the world's WORST, I repeat- W O R S T player on Buzz Light Year, and I was reminded what felt like 50 times over. I will not reveal my scores, but I will say that even Taylor came close. A couple times. Indiana Jones is probably my favorite ride, but Tower of Terror is simply fantastic. I mean- well done, Disney!
One interesting thing that happened was that Space Mountain stopped when we were right in the middle of the ride. All the lights came on and we had to see the guts of the ride. Seriously, it looked like some old boring warehouse.

The fantasy was ruined and we weren't too happy.

The best thing about this photo is Kent and Stephanie in the back- they snuck in. Priceless.

Me and Taylor on the rockets. He was a pretty good pilot.

Craig and I with Erik. Its a good sign that he's not crying:)

A ski trip to Lake Tahoe and Craig Didn't Get Hurt!

2009-03-05T17:56:00.000-08:00

We went up to Lake Tahoe with Craig's parents again last week (we also went about a month ago). Saturday was the best day (unless you ask Craig). The weather was nice- almost too warm, as I dressed in layers, and the snow was nicely groomed to my liking. Craig is somewhat of an elitist (because he skis the pants off anyone that I know) and prefers lots of fresh snow and the ski areas...off the beaten path- I could say. Even though its less than ideal conditions for him, skiing the boring old groomers, I'm sure grateful for the time we get to ski together. Even if its just to ride the chair lift up together and then meet at the bottom, I'll take it! I tried biking with Craig- it was near disastrous. I tried going along while he took pictures, but soon learned that its kind of a one man job and I was more of a nuisance so that was a bust. So skiing it is!

...And then for the not-so nice-weather...

Guess which one is me.

Pleasantly Surprised

2009-02-24T10:29:00.000-08:00

Crap! The photo was cropped weird when I posted. I'll work on it.

This past Sunday Craig and I went up to Fremont, CA, for another IVF Doc appt. We had to be there early Monday Morning so we decided to drive up Sunday evening and stay the night. Since we had one appt in Fremont at 8am and another in Santa Clara (20 min away) at 11:30 I wanted to book the hotel closer to the 8 AM appt, in Fremont. I pride myself in finding the best all-around-deals with regards to price, value, location...etc. It usually takes a lot of time searching on various internet sites, but its always worth the extra effort. I would NEVER pay more unless it was absolutely worth it- and, yes, sometimes it is. If any of you either travels a lot, or is simply interested to hear about a great value, especially in today's crappy economy, listen here! After searching on google maps'- "nearby hotels" and not being too overly impressed by anything that I found, I found a link to a site called "California Hotels." The site introduced me to "Hyatt Place," of which I will now forever be a devoted fan. The building was new, probably in the last 5 years, and looked impressive as we drove up. Craig even said "Wow, we're staying in a Hyatt?" His comment meant that he assumed I was being a hotel snob, and booked the nicest place I could find. "On the contrary," I said, "this was the cheapest non-sketchy place around- cheaper than Holiday Inn Express, Best Western, Fairfield, La Quinta, etc- and cheaper by 30 bucks and more. I had to point out that it was a Hyatt "Place" not "Regency." Like Marriott's Courtyard to its..., well, Marriot. -Only this was way nicer than any Courtyard I've ever stayed in, and about 50 bucks cheaper. They even had self check-in machines- like at the airport. They print out your room keys and everything. We didn't like the assigned room (Im not a fan of 1st floor rooms) so the girl working there chgd or room to top floor in about 2 minutes.
The guestrooms are all suite-style, with an area with a large COMFORTABLE couch and over sized ottoman(*see above photo). They even had a large throw for cozy movie-watching. One of the most impressive features was the huge 42" flat screen* with HD- Ive never had HD in a hotel. And the free wi-fi connects directly to the screen if you want.
To make this already too long of a story short, we were seriously delighted by our Hyatt Place experience. They even have a 24 hour food service, not room service, although they can bring it to your room. Its not a restaurant either. You use a touch screen in their downstairs cafe area (where the cont breakf is served) to order from a menu of apps, salads, sammies, and desserts, and they prepare it for you. Reasonably priced, too:) The only thing I can really do is provide a link and you can check it out. Our total bill, INCLUDING the room price, taxes and fees, our $11.99 purchase of the movie Slumdog Millionaire, 2 bottled drinks, and a big cinnamon roll, was $107. Again, I've paid much more and received much less, so this made me very happy. I will be a supporter whenever and wherever possible. Happy Hotel-ing!

http://www.hyatt.com/hyatt/place/about/

And the winner is...

2009-02-17T08:27:00.001-08:00

Dr. Malan: Tvs in the ceiling?! say no more. (...And maybe because he was the only one suggested that was in our network.) But seriously- my last dentist had the ceiling tvs. They could have given me a full set of dentures and I wouldn't have noticed. For the record, April, I tried Dr. Sweet first. I didn't want to feel like I was being a party to any snooty, exclusively mormon- dental group or anything. Plus, Sweet had the cave room! But oh well. Mormon guy it is! Wish us luck, its been....well, a while, and I'm kinda scared.

That's a picture of George Washington's teeth- not bad considering the time period. I thought it was pretty cool. Hopefully not too relavant to this blog...

Who likes their Dentist?

2009-02-13T10:28:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone in Clovis! I need a reference for a good dentist in the area. Craig and I haven't been to one since we moved here and I think we're both bout due. Everyone who likes who they see please let me know!

Tore up (see previous post)

2009-02-10T23:04:00.000-08:00

Seeee- this is what happens when Craig doesn't wear chaps. The scars are 4 years old. His legs basically look like they are covered in hieroglyphics. Gunnar of course, had to jump in just as I was snapping the pic.

Craig's new toy

2009-02-10T17:36:00.000-08:00

Just like his brother, Kent, Craig loves his power tools. I gave him a table saw for Christmas and he reacted like a kid getting the 5000+ piece Millennium Falcon Lego set. (which, by the way has been on his Christmas list since Dec of 07) Recently he and Steve went out and got a chain saw so Craig could trim our trees before the neighborhood pick-up day. Again he was like a kid in a candy store with that thing so, naturally, I had to document for the blog.
Oh- and notice his snazzy new blaze-orange chaps. Last time he "played" with a chainsaw he nearly cut his leg off, so this time- he got the chaps. Enjoy.

This awesome shot was recently set as the screen saver on our computer at home. And not by me:)

A San Francisco Treat:

2009-02-07T13:50:00.000-08:00

Craig and I had an opportunity to visit San Francisco a few weeks ago, because our IVF doc is near the bay area in Santa Clara. (more IVF info to come) I had never been to San Francisco and I loved the area! As my friends and family will tell you, I am very much a city girl, and SF was no disappointment. We stayed in a cute little boutique hotel right in Union Square and it was a nice little 20-25 minute walk to the Fisherman's wharf, where, by the way I had THEE BEST lunch I have ever had to date. I even took a picture.
I had the jumbo shrimp cocktail and the cup of clam chowder. I'll admit I whined when they brought me the $15 dollar shrimp and there were FOUR of them, but after I was getting full after 2 I realized that 4 was a heafty amount- they were huge. For anyone who loves shrimp cocktail (I am a purist when it comes to shrimp) these were so tasty and so fresh, I swear they were still crawling around in the ocean as we were being sat at our table. And notice the freshly grated horsradish on the plate by the lemon- AWESOME. And the chowder! I like chowder ok, but this?! Mmmmm, it redefined chowder for me. And yes, Craig said his fish and chips were really good too, but that's as much detail as he would ever give so it must have been an award winning dish as well.
Besides the food- the city looked just like it did in Full House. I was hoping to get a great shot of the Golden Gate Bridge, but by the time we found it (in short- dont expect the golden gate bridge state park to lead you to it) it was too dark and too foggy. There are a ton of cool hotels, shops, and restaurants- my fav! And we did take a street car- since it was way cheaper and warmer than taking the cable car- but otherwise not much different. I look forward to returning and checking out more of the city and all its charm. I call it California's New York- the people seem much more impatient and antsy than most Californians I've met. And they honk A LOT!
This is a shot at fisherman's wharf- just downstairs from my amazing and unforgettable lunch experience.

My favorite Christmas gift (warning its a long read!)

2009-01-24T11:07:00.000-08:00

I've been trying to figure out how to tell this story without making it 12,000 words long and taking 2 hours to write. If it sounds a little -all over the place...well, then, too bad. You either get all over the place or 12,000 words long. That being said...
Christmas was a treat this year. We got to stay home, and we had enough of a budget that we could really have some fun gifting to each other. Jump back to September- having just finished our kitchen remodel, I was looking for the perfect piece of artwork to go on the tall wall behind the dining area- table. The challenge was twofold: 1) it had to go with the kitchen, the dining area and the family room because it is all one large open area, and B) I had to like it. A lot. A really lot. Suffice it to say I hated everything I looked at. I don't like weird art, flowers didn't say kitchen/dining to me, not to mention nothing seemed to be the right color scheme. UNTIL...
We were at Z gallerie one day in Sept and I saw the perfect painting. The color was perfect, it was a huge painting- perfect for the huge wall, and it was a theme that felt like it would work nicely for the 3 rooms. It was a painting of cherries, nothing fancy. It was a happy painting. I adored it. Problem was it was pricey, and having just had a b-day in August, and spending all the $$ on the house, I thought it could wait until Christmas- if I was lucky:) Around November I started looking for the painting online. Z gallerie was kind of out of my way so I never really dropped in to check, but the painting was no where to be found online. I had seen it and found the artist's name online months before, but now it had seemingly vanished- like, from the planet. About 2 weeks before Christmas I stopped in to the store and it was no surprise that the painting was no longet there. The lady even said "yeah, I remember it hung right over there for the longest time. She even went into her computer system and it had been "discontinued by the artist"- meaning that the artist would no longer support the sale of it ANYWHERE. How selfish of that artist, the big fat jerk! I was heartbroken and I whined all about it to Craig. He was annoyingly amused at my pitiful display of utter disappointment.
Christmas Morning. We had opened all of our gifts, and I was feeling so happy that Craig liked the things I had given him (a rarity) when he said-"Ooooh, what's that over there??" He handed me a tiny credit card- sized wrapped...thing. I opened it and it was a large nail taped to a piece of cardboard that read "I wonder what this is for, look in the spare bedroom?" I was dumbfounded. A nail? For what? Was he building me shelves? My mind was a blank. And then...

There it was. I actually cried- just a little, though. Craig was the one that bought the last one in existence from the gallerie. It was the perfect surprise. That's why he was so amused by my sorrow, he had already bought it. I love you Craig- Not because you bought me something, but because you were more excited to give me that gift than I even was to receive it- If it was even possible.
So now it hangs on the wall on the very nail that was wrapped under the tree, and I smile every time I look up at it. -Really, I actually do, ask Craig.

ps- the other great part was that the painting was like 70% off since it had been discontinued. What a great story. (pps notice the popcorn maker- another gift from Craig. its so awesome! come over and we'd be happy to share a little corn with you:)

I haven't felt like blogging ok ! ...but now I do.

2009-01-20T20:14:00.000-08:00

We've been all over since November and sadly, I am an idiot and I have few pictures to show for it. So this doesn't take me 2 hours to post, I'll give you the quick catch up and be done with it already.
1-We went to Hilton Head, SC with Craig's parents and his brother, Scott. It was awesome!

This was the golf course-Gator we saw. ONE of them. Craig threw rocks at it to see if it was real, but it still never moved. It was real though, I swear.

We flew from Hilton Head to Minnesota to visit my Dad , my Stepmom and some friends, but for some reason we didn't take any pictures. You'll have to just close your eyes and use your imagination here: here we are playing guitar hero and wii golf with my Dad and Brenda for hours and hours, now we're having dinner with my closest friends and playing catchphrase, and this is where we went down to LaCrosse, WI to show Craig where I went to college and to visit my friend, Richelle and her family. See? Doesn't it look like we had fun?
It was really nice to spend time with everyone "back east" as they say here in CA.

We went to Utah for Thanksgiving and the only photos we got were on the day that I went shooting with the boys. It was cold, but it was fun!:) I love the way I look holding a gun.

Stephanie Adams tagged me

2008-10-23T17:20:00.000-07:00

Ok, I wasn't very good about posting after the first time I was tagged (i'd do it now, but I don't know where the card for my camera is) so I thought I'd come through with this one. You have to go into your photos, pick the 4th folder and then the 4th picture. This is Craig and I in my first trip to Disneyland, March 2007. Look at the short hair! Won't be doing that again anytime soon. Not that I hated it, its just not me. I've always had long hair (except in kindergarten when I had lice). Regardless, it was a great trip. Craig had just broken his foot and was in a wheelchair. Best way to do Disneyland because they have no wheelchair accessibility so they send you to the front of every line! I tag Linda, Stephanie Saunders and Kathryn.

A Fair to Remember!

2008-10-14T18:27:00.000-07:00

Ah, the fair. I love it and I look forward to it every year. I really miss the MN State fair- its HUGE and the food selection is well, riDICulous. Its so big that there is a little train/trolley you can take from one side of the grounds to the other. This year we dragged the men along and made them suffer through quilt and 4-H displays. We didn't leave empty handed either. We invested in an awesome, couldn't pass up- deal on a steam mop for the new floors, and a sham-WOW! And I could never forget my caramel apple!

The House!

2008-10-14T17:58:00.000-07:00

The kitchen is finished! I tried to post pics last night but Craig made me wait until he edited the ones HE took with his fancy schmancy camera. I'll have to throw in a few that I took too, just to cover all the angles. We did everything ourselves except the tile counter tops and some of the electrical work. We also had a friend help us with the floors. I decided to paint the laundry room at the last minute.

...Yes, duh, thank you Craig. Much thanks to Steve and Linda who put in our pocket door for us- which makes a HUGE difference, and wasn't an easy job to do. If anyone out there needs a pocket door installed, I highly recommend them:) Of course, I could start a whole new blog dedicated to all the things they do for us. -But then all the other Saunders kids would want to move here, and then we'd have to share.

Labor Day Weekend

2008-10-13T20:08:00.000-07:00

Saunders, you can ignore this one, as it's all old news. Everyone else- listen up:)
This was my 3rd annual trip to Mammouth Lakes for Labor Day weekend with the Saunders Family. We all love it up there! I'm the only person in the family over the age of 7 that likes to fish, so lucky for me Craig will come along to keep me company. This year was a bust on the fishing front- not even a nibble. I'll have to seriously consider spending the $$ next year for a license to sit there for hours with a line in the water- totally in vain. That's a pricey disappointment/waste of time. We did get to drive up to a beautiful lake though!

Speaking of a pricey disappointment/waste of time, we played golf too! Not one of my better days on the course. Its amazing how much a crappy golf game can really make you hate life. Its always fun riding around in the cart with Craig, though:)

Catch up

2008-10-13T16:33:00.000-07:00

Yes, its been forever. I am a blog-failure. It was Linda who reminded me the other day-eyebrows raised- "you better update your blog." Seriously, the tone was like "or you'll be grounded." So I figured It was time to catch up, and remind everyone that we are still alive. Again. There are about 6 or so new posts that I have to add, so keep scrolling.

I Stand Corrected

2008-09-15T10:54:00.000-07:00

All of you out there who read Stephanie's post and subsequent comments (including mine) on the Choc cake with peanut butter frosting- I need to readdress the issue. (if you haven't read it- check out "sweet... and a little salty" on Two Little Rascals- blog) Last night I made said cake and corresponding PB frosting and I would like to say that although it was very good, and ridiculously rich, I... well... I guess I have to agree with Kent. (don't hate me, Stephanie.) It was so rich and peanut buttery- you know how it sticks to the roof of your mouth- even a tiny piece is a little... overwhelming. Lemonjello, on the other hand, you can eat like 3 pieces of it and still want more. I had 2 pieces of it just this past friday night!
In conclusion, I liked the cake and frosting- definitely lingered on the beater licking- but if I were stranded on a desert island and could only have choc and peanut butter or lemonjello?... it would have to be the latter.

Thank You.

Remodeling the remodel

2008-09-10T21:46:00.000-07:00

Well, this has definitely been a learning experience for me- this whole renovations project. I have learned how to comfortably and assertively navigate my way around Home Depot and Lowes, I have learned how to prime and paint: baseboards, cabinets, doors, trim, etc, I will soon learn how to paint appliances (post to come), and I have mastered the shop vac like its nobody's business. But by far, the most important and valuable lesson is TOOOOO: .... make sure you reeeeeeally like the paint color before you spend 50 bucks on paint and then let your husband paint an entire room and then decide that you really didn't like it afterall but was kinda too afraid to say anything. (Kelly- way worse than killing the stupid grass.)

this was the...um, after- before

And this is the after-after.

If you can't tell, the ceiling is a dark purple too. I really liked the green, just not for my kitchen. After all. ...I guess. And the counter tops are finally done! Its hard to tell from this shot, but we love them! (just don't ask about the grout lines. kind of a sore spot)

So if you're sitting there saying "ooh, I liked the green better!" WELL I DONT WANNA HEAR IT!

Look, the new floors! They're still dirty, though.

TA DAAAAA! Our giant 10 inch deep- sink and equally as huge- 17 inch faucet. We're calling it our 3rd bath and shower. Testing it our this weekend;)

Happy Birthday to me!

2008-09-10T21:16:00.000-07:00

My birthday was weeks ago, but Craig took me to this sweet little B&B up in Shaver Lake, so I wanted to share the pics with y'all. I LOOOOVE little getaways and this was one of my best birthday's ever! Thanks, Love! (that's you, Craig)

I loved the little welcome board. We arrived after everyone had already checked in and gone to their rooms, so it was nice to see the welcome waiting for us when we got there. ...A diverse group staying at the Elliot House that night;)

Dinner on the lake. Soooo niiiiice.

You may recognize this pose from other shots- such as- "scenes from a bathroom."

The breakfast of champions.

Why we solicit dinner invitations

2008-08-12T17:09:00.000-07:00

Laurel and Farty

DIY

2008-08-11T22:35:00.000-07:00

These are the "before" photos of our lovely, dated, 1990's kitchen and family rooms. Craig and I have recently taken on the challenge of remodeling. Lucky for me, I married someone who has experience doing all of this cra-... I mean this kind of thing, so we don't have to pay through the nose for most of the work. Take a good look...

Now say bye bye!

There's my manly husband working his magic! Stay tuned for the "after" pics!

Canine casualties

2008-08-01T16:51:00.000-07:00

In California there seems to be this huge parvovirus outbreak in young puppies so our vet cautioned us not to take Gunnar on walks until he had his final shots. Because it can take up to 3 months to complete the series, we had to wait that long before we took Gunnar anywhere but the backyard. After his first few walks we decided to take him on a little bike ride/run around the neighborhood. We didn't know anything was wrong until we noticed him limping around the house when we got home. Lo and behold his little paws hadn't toughened up at all (from only a few walks and months of playing on grass) so on the first bike ride he tore a huge chunk of skin off and was walking on a ...raw paw. Not knowing what the heck to do, we fashioned this lovely bootie out of a cut up sock and duct tape. It worked for like a hour (while he slept, basically)then it got filthy and he chewed it off. It was cute for a while, anyway.

A few weeks later we were driving to the store with both dogs in the back seat of the truck. As usual they were both hanging out of the window, being dogs. As I was watching them in the side mirror I saw Gunnar began to squirm and before I knew it he had jumped/fallen (we'll never know) out of the moving truck and on to the street. I screamed and scared Craig half to death. What does that do to a puppy? Is it far enough to break a leg? Would it knock him out? Apparently not because all he got was a scrape on the chin. Didn't even seem to phase him. But oh the excitement! (show us your teeth, Roxy)

Infertility- BOOOO!

2008-07-29T09:29:00.000-07:00

Another fun and exciting(where's the sarcasm font when you need it) thing Craig and I have had to deal with over the last 18 mos is the repeated doc appointments, drug treatments, specimen deliveries, multiple testing and procedures that, together, make up the wonderful world of infertility! Really, its not so wonderful, but I am blessed with an excellent insurance plan and good docs so I feel very positive about what we're doing.

Most recently I underwent a test thats called an hysterosalphinogram- HSG. In a nutshell (caution: rated PG-13) they give you an X-ray while injecting dye into the uterus and through the fallopian tubes to check for any blockages or abnormalities. After doing some online research and hearing some women describing it as "the most excruciating experience of their lives," I was a little nervous. Taking my doc's advice I loaded up on 800 mg of ibuprofen and 5 mg (ok 7), of Valium right before the procedure. I guess the procedure can cause "moderate to severe abdominal pain." Well either the drugs worked wonders or there are some seriously wussy women out there because it didn't feel like anything worse than a pap smear. Needless to say I was relieved but also delighted to find out that everything structurally was normal:)

And Gunnar makes Two!

2008-07-28T22:30:00.000-07:00

So we have Roxy and everything was fine and good, until we started noticing that she was spending a lot of time laying over in the dirt by the fence apparently trying to communicate with with neighbor's dog on the other side.

At first we laughed and pointed, but we started to wonder if maybe Roxy needed a playmate. (I guess Craig and I weren't fun enough for her.) We also heard from some of our friends who also have dogs that its sometimes good to have two because they entertain each other. So again Craig started suggesting that I "go online and see what's out there." A month later we came home with Gunnar- also a wee-little boxer, but unlike Roxy, a total firecracker. I promised myself we would never be those LAME dog owners who treat their pets like children. However, when you raise them, discipline and punish them, play with them, let them fall asleep in your lap, and make sure to feed them enough to sustain their lives, it probably feels a lot like- NO I wasn't going to say it!

Regardless, they're both a hoot and we'll certainly be sharing the hilarious, shocking, and more often than not- stupid things they do to keep us always entertained.

And then came Roxy

2008-07-28T21:46:00.001-07:00

So with the stork's delivery being late and all, we decided that we needed something in the meantime that would add a new dimension to the "family." And although Craig led me to believe that we'd never get a dog, he started to suggest that we "just look online to see what there is." That turned into " well, I just figured you would bring one home one day." (I think he felt like I needed something to nurture.) And lo and behold we came home with little Roxy- the most timid and scared boxer puppy ever. Man, did we learn a thing or two with her! Turns out you can't just throw a diaper on her and take her everywhere you go! But at the same time you can't just leave her in the backyard either- not at first, anyway. Luckily almost a year has passed since then and everyone has adjusted beautifully. I guess we'll keep her.

...And here we are!

2008-07-27T20:12:00.000-07:00

Well I've succumbed. I have joined the blogging world. I'll admit, I used to make fun of y'all, but when I started viewing all of my in-laws creative and entertaining posts and pics (and Linda told me that her sister, Katherine, said that we had to set one up) (...and then I started to feel left out because all the other Saunders had one and we didn't) I knew I had to be a part of it!
My first thoughts were that we wouldn't have anything exciting to say or offer because, well, its just the two of us and the posts about everyone's kids are so fun to look at and read. Then I thought about Craig, and let's be honest, he's really one big 32 year-old kid anyway- always getting hurt, playing in the dirt, even having the neighbor kids come over asking him to play. (yes, really.) Oh the possibilities for a blog! So the kids will come, yes, but in the meantime please enjoy catching up on what fun and exciting things Craig and I have been up to in our first 2 years. Welcome, and enjoy the ride! ok, its not that exciting.