Christmas 2009

The historic Oklahoma City Christmas Eve blizzard that changed our Christmas plans...

We did make it to my parents' house for Christmas afternoon and evening.

The day after Christmas we took off for Colorado for some time with Aaron's family. (Aaron and our adorable nephew, Brody.)


The lovely Colorado snow that didn't stop for 2.5 days.

The drive back to Oklahoma on Aaron's birthday. (He's amazing in every way, and I love him more each day!) Aaron drove us safely through the treacherous ice and snow. Thank you, Lord!

The rescheduled Christmas with my Mom's side of the family on New Year's Day.

Next year, our little baby will make it 25 stockings on the fireplace!

Grandma's Recipe Book

I had a crazy idea this past summer...
before I was pregnant.
before we moved to Oklahoma.
before...well, before a lot of things.

That idea was to put Grandma Belle's favorite recipes into a cookbook scrapbook, but then, I knew if I made one other people in my family would want one, and it is too hard to make a bunch of them. So, I offered to purchase the supplies, make the original, and put together kits so that all the women could make one. That meant supplies for 10 books. That meant cutting out 10 of everything. That meant several trips to Staples to use their paper cutters because I am no longer employed at a school where I have access to awesome paper cutters - and - I have no idea how many millions of cuts I had to make through this process, but my little scrapping paper cutter would not have "cut" it. (a joke...)

So, for my family on my Mom's side, who will put together the books in a couple of weeks - here is a sneak peek of what is to come. The photos aren't necessarily great due to the fact that this Arizona lizard isn't use to sub-freezing temperatures outside (I'm not complaining because I get to wear my cute maternity coat and my newly made Christmas scarf - photos to come...) and was not going to go outside to photograph them, and because I don't have a DSLR camera...which I'm hoping Santa can help me with at some point because there is a baby coming. Anyway, the supplies made the move with me to Oklahoma, and as I was making the book I lamented the fact that Oklahoma does not have the a.m.a.z.i.n.g. scrapbook stores that AZ has. I've been to quite a few here, and they are cute, but Phoenix's are just superior and unbelievable.

Farewell...

Dear Mr. Monk,
Thank you for all the fun years of episodes where we got to watch you use your amazing gift to solve crimes. I loved laughing at your idiosyncrasies, but I always felt sorry for you in my heart. I couldn't imagine not knowing why Trudy was murdered. I've always felt a thankfulness to Captain Stottlemeyer, Natalie, and Randy for helping you out, trusting you, and having compassion on you. (Sharona, too, but she was kind of bratty to you...)

I'm thankful you were finally able to solve Trudy's murder, that you didn't die, and that you were finally able to find some happiness. My husband, who claimed to not like your show, even rewatched last week's episode and then watched last night's conclusion with me - and - I think he is even sad that your show is now over.

As your goodbye song says, I know I'm gonna miss you since you're gone!
Sincerely,
Hayley

P.S. At least I can still laugh at Shawn and Gus and watch the well-dressed Neal Caffrey - but - they aren't you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Sweet Lil' One Inside

We saw the baby today. I'm not really sure how to put into words how I feel. I woke up this morning thinking, "Today I get to see my baby!" Then I got nervous. Then I got excited. Then, when the living, live, actual baby was on the screen, I got emotional.

We saw the face.
We saw the head.
We saw the forehead.
We saw the arms.
We saw the hands.
We saw the fingers.
We saw the legs.
We saw the feet.
We saw the toes.
We saw the spine.
We saw the heart beat.

We saw the baby put his/her finger in his/her mouth and then pull it out.
We saw the baby have the hiccups.
All of this was going on inside of me - LIVE.
It is a miracle.

2 Things:
1) I'm especially fond of the baby's nose. It was precious.
2) No, we did not find out the gender of the wee one. For those of you who are about to go crazy not knowing - enjoy the ride with us...we don't know either...and what a fun, intense, crazy, exciting, thrilling, emotional moment we will have when the baby is born, and the doctor says,
"It's a ______!"
I'm teary just thinking about it.

I just wish I could go back and have another peek tomorrow and the next day and the next day and the next day and the next day and...well, you get the idea.

The BIRDS

This post is dedicated to my wonderful sister-in-law, Becca. She has a deep and intense love, I mean hatred of birds. As a young girl, she was chased by a huge pterodactyl, I mean a big black bird, as she was riding her bike in Walsh. Ever since then, she despises all birds.

Anyway, one day when Aaron and I were staying out at my parents' farm waiting to move into our rental house, I looked outside and noticed a million, maybe even a trillion, birds. I fought the urge to feel like we needed to bar the windows and doors like we were in the Alfred Hitchcock movie, The Birds. Thankfully, Aaron and Mom convinced me that we were safe.

Palm Trees

When we moved to Arizona almost 7 years ago, I was amazed at the palm trees and cactus! I told myself that I should never get used to it, and I don't think I ever did. One of the most fun discoveries was when Aaron and I noticed the "palm tree" cell phone towers. The first time I saw one I was driving alone. When I got home, I told Aaron about the strangest looking palm tree, "It has boxes on it, like speakers. I wonder if they are tornado sirens, but we don't need warning sirens here." I couldn't wait to show him, and it became a game to us to find them everywhere we went.

By the way, yep, we're moved into our rental house, and we are trying desperately to adjust to this new life. Moving half way across the country, me quitting my job of 8 years, moving into a rental house (way different than owning a home!), having a baby on the way, Aaron's new job...we're feeling quite overwhelmed at times.