Save the Date!

January 4th is the day we find out whether we are having a boy or a girl! I can't wait! Everything looks good, and I am feeling great. My doctor said that now is the time to get the house ready for baby, so I guess we'd better clean out that second bedroom :)

What do YOU think? Boy or girl? Randy is hoping for a boy.

Food

I have been working on getting my menu together for the next several weeks because I have been such a slacker! The worst thing about coming up with a menu, is coming up with one :) Then only good things can happen! You know what you are going to eat, you know what to buy at the store so you're not buying things you don't need, and there will be less stress in your life! I can promise you this because for the last few weeks it's been crazy trying to figure out what to eat at our house. I finally got the hint when Randy said (in his most loving, husband voice ever) "Umm... Honey? Do you think you could take some time to come up with a menu? That way I could even start making meals if you are too busy". Alright, I did it! I made my menus! Want to see the next few weeks? Just remember that because of Christmas, the weeks are incomplete because we will be at various places.

Dec. 13-17
Monday: Baked Potatoes
Tuesday: Belgian Waffles
Wednesday: Chicken and Rice/veggie
Thursday: Meatballs/mashed potatoes
Friday: Leftovers

Dec. 20-22
Monday: Chicken Alfredo/salad
Tuesday:Potato Soup
Wednesday: Leftovers/turkey casserole?

Dec. 27-30
Monday: Chicken Alfredo/salad
Tuesday: Tacos/rice
Wednesday: Omelets
Thursday: French Dip Sandwiches in slow cooker/fries
Friday: New Years Eve

Happy Eating!

Misc.

I decided to delete my last post because I wrote it when I was upset. Usually not a good combination.

I am now 14 weeks along, and am feeling pretty good. I completely missed my last appointment because I could have sworn that it was November 19th, when in reality, it was November 12th. They let me come in on the 19th anyway :) I haven't been too sick, although I have lost it a few times. For the first few weeks I was really tired, then I started feeling sick for an hour or two every morning, then I got better for a month, then I felt sick again. It has been a roller coaster!

The baby should be about the size of a closed fist now, which is crazy! It's amazing how fast the baby grows and develops. I do think that I have felt the baby a couple of times, and that has been neat. Some people are positive that you can't feel the baby until later, but I am sure that I have felt the baby. It will be exciting when Randy can feel the baby too!

I cannot believe that it is already December 1st. Time flies! I am so excited for Christmas, but haven't really had the time to put up our few Christmas decorations. Hopefully we will be able to get a tree that is bigger than one foot in the next few years :)

Oh My Goodness...

I just made THE BEST Hamburger that I have ever had in my life! Randy and I had some awesome beef on hand, and I was craving hamburgers all day. After thawing the hamburger, I added one egg, some Worcestershire sauce, and onion and garlic powder. I decided to use the George Foreman, and it was awesome! The burgers were juicy and had an amazing taste. Soo good!

On to some other updates, my Grandma Hackett passed away. I love my Grandma, and I was so sad to hear that she was gone. My grandma has always loved to listen to me sing, and this summer, announced that she wanted me to sing at her funeral. I told her that I couldn't because I would just cry. When I found out she died, my aunt said that she really did want me to sing. So I will be singing Pie Jesu, which is a beautiful requiem about resting in peace for eternity. I will miss my Grandma so much.

Our second doctor visit is this week, so I'm excited about that. I haven't been too sick, but mostly tired. Randy and I have both been super busy working, and I have been terrible at making menus lately. Oh well. Such is life, right?? Other than that, I can't really think of any other updates.

News

Things have been crazy around here lately. We've had birthday parties, anniversary, work, and other random things that have just taken over. We had a fabulous anniversary. Randy brought me roses that were exactly like the ones that he sent to me when I was in Europe last summer. They were absolutely gorgeous! We had the opportunity to go to Temple Square that night and see a performance of Brahms, Berlioz, Rimsky Korsakav and it was so fun. We ate at The Garden in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. We then got to spend the night at the Anniversary Inn. Pictures will be coming as soon as I feel like waiting for 30 minutes for them to load.

One other thing that we got to do on our anniversary...

An Ultrasound of our baby at 8 weeks! We are due May 29th, though the Ultrasound said May 25th. We couldn't be happier! We got to see and hear the heartbeat, which was an amazing experience, even though our baby is only the size of a raspberry right now :) So for those of you who read this blog, feel lucky, because you are some of the first outside of family to know!

For My Sweet Husband

Tomorrow is my one year anniversary. I can't believe how fast time flies! I am so grateful to such a wonderful husband. I really cannot imagine life without him. Randy, I love you more than ever before, and am so happy that we get to spend forever together :) I just wanted to make a list of reasons why I love Randy, and why I am the luckiest girl in the world. Here's to one year!

1. Kisses me every morning before he goes to work.

2. Is willing to be last in bed because I don't like to turn off the lights.

3. Loves me, despite my many flaws.

4. Appreciates my sometimes weird meals.

5. Says I love you CONSTANTLY.

6. Makes me want to be a better person.

7. Leaves a cereal bowl out for me every morning.

8. Makes dinner and cleans when I've had an especially busy day.

9. Works at TWO jobs so that we can save for our future.

10. Makes me feel so much better when I am upset.

11. Loves to be close to me (he's a cuddler).

12. Makes a really good omelet :)

13. Sings tenor for me in choir because we don't have any.

14. Appreciates my weird moments when I can't stop laughing uncontrollably.

15. Is always willing to help others out.

Happy Anniversary Randy!

Next Week

For next week's dinners...

Monday: Chicken and Dumplings. I never got the chance to make this because Randy had a field trip. So Monday, it will happen!

Tuesday: Tacos

Wednesday: Spaghetti

Thursday: Teriyaki Chicken

I have a cold and feel kind of miserable, so I won't post more right now. Just know that Randy and I have almost been married for a year!

A little of this, a little of that.

First of all, I hate adding pictures to this blog because it takes so blasted long!! So I always put off posting when it involves pictures. However, I think blogs are a little more interesting with pictures, so I suffer through it.

These first pictures are definitely random. This first one is of the perfect Breakfast-For-Dinner meal: Lil' Smokies, Amazing Potatoes, and German Apple Pancakes! My pancake was almost gone when I took the picture...

This is the German Apple Pancake. It was so good!

Randy and I are poor, and therefore come up with fun activities to do, such as roasting dough boys on the stove! If you've never made a dough boy, just buy a Pillsbury biscuit thing in the refrigerated section, roast it on the end of a large dowel, and then add pie filling and whipped cream when it's done! They're wonderfully delicious. They are supposed to be done over a camp fire, but hey, we improvised.

This next group of pictures is from a recent fishing trip at Spencer's parent's cabin at Strawberry Reservoir. Spencer, Kristen, and Aiden...

Spencer, showing off his amazing catch. The ONLY catch of the day.

Me, chilling, without my husband :( Randy couldn't come up until later in the day. I tried singing to the fish, coaxing them onto my hook, but alas. We ended up going night fishing together, but it was so miserably cold that I made him go home with me.

My dad was obsessed with trying to catch crawdads, and look, they got at least 20 in the trap they put out! They have very little meat on them, but were still pretty good. This is when they were alive... and then they were boiled. Poor things.

And that's that!

Dinner this Week

Monday: Chicken Tetrazzini

Tuesday: Chili Chip Casserole

Wednesday: leftovers or Potato Soup if I feel all energized

Thursday: Breakfast for Dinner

Friday: Chicken and Dumplings!

I am most excited to try and make chicken and dumplings this week. They look sooo good! I think it will be a great way to start off October :) Can you believe it? It will be October THIS week! Oh my, time flies. I hope everyone has a good week!

State Fair!

We forgot our camera, like always. We went to the State Fair and had a blast! I have never been before, so it was really fun for Randy and I to go. We saw the sheep, goats, cows, pigs, pigeons, and bunnies. I have never seen a pig that big in my life... We walked around and went on the Big Yellow Slide (so fun!) and saw the butter sculpture. Jamie was absolutely scared of the animals there. She wouldn't touch a cow, or a sheep.

Towards the end, we went into the agriculture part of the fair, and we totally should have entered something! They had giant zucchini, pumpkins, tomatoes, and best of show everything. I am totally entering something next year. Amy and Travis and their kids came along, and we all had a good time. The fair is also the BEST place to buy Watkins Vanilla. If you have never tried this vanilla, you'd better run to the fair and buy some! It makes everything better. Seriously.

Watkins Vanilla.

Next time, I will remember my camera!

Fall

I cannot believe that we are already in September!! This past month has brought a lot of change: change in the weather, the trees, and jobs for both Randy and me! Randy is now working part-time for the LDS church designing training materials for the New Family Search, and he LOVES it. Seriously! He is so excited and I am so excited for him :) I started my new job at AMES, and it is one of the best jobs I have ever had. I love my schedule, and working with the students is really fun (for the most part). I knew I was going to have some tough kids, as I'm working with Special Ed and the lowest math class, but it's really rewarding.

I had my birthday last week, and Randy was sweet and bought a calla lily for me, and gave me an awesome lego star-wars game that didn't work (that's okay sweetheart!) and a picture for us to hang on our wall. He is the best. I got some cute presents from a girl that I work with, and my Aunt Nancy decorated my desk :)

We threw a surprise birthday party for my dad's 60th birthday, and it was so much fun! He was so surprised! I went through my parent's house searching for some of my dad's old things to put on display, and my brother-in-law created a fun DVD with pictures of my dad and his family. I hope he loved it!

Other than that, I haven't really been up to much. Oh! I created a menu for the next two weeks. If you need any ideas for cheap dinners, here's what we ate this week, and will be eating in the future:

Tuesday: Burritos

Wednesday: Spaghetti

Thursday: Breakfast for Dinner

Friday: Bacon Zucchini Lasagna

Monday: Chicken Alfredo

Tuesday: Teriyaki Burgers

Wednesday: Leftovers or fend for yourself

Thursday: Breakfast for Dinner

Friday: BBQ meatballs

We don't include Saturdays or Sundays because we never know where we'll be. I also decided that I will be trying a new recipe every Friday. Well, goodbye for now!

My Life, My Love, My Clorox?

An update on my life to date:

First of all, Clorox wipes are my life. I use them on the counters, sinks, and table at least 3 times a week, and sometimes on a daily basis.

Okay, on to other topics. Randy will begin driving his good ol' bus soon, but will be able to continue working part time for at least one of the many companies he has been working with for these past months. I will soon be done, finished forever, at the financial aid office. It's been a good job, but I am soo ready to be done. Then I get to work with the special ed department and help high school kids with math! I'm pretty sure that I'm just proving to myself that math really wasn't the bane of my existence. I even took a couple of tests and did really well! So I'm glad I haven't forgotten everything that I ever learned in that department. It will be nice to have our schedules match up a bit more, and be able to spend more time with each other at night.

I just finished Jane Eyre, and I LOVED IT! For those of you who haven't read it, please do. If you have a hard time getting into it, keep reading! For your own sake! I seriously could not put it down! The language is absolutely beautiful, the plot is fantastic, and I am a hopeless romantic. I also finished reading the Shadow Children series, which was also great! Very interesting read about the future government and how having more than two children is illegal. Told from the point of a third child. Very good. Any other suggestions? What do you enjoy reading most?

One last very important update- I got a fishing license! A One-Year-Fishing-License, meaning I have to go every day! Okay, not every day, but we already went once, and I plan on going again! The last time we went, we didn't have very much time, so the only thing I caught was a nice stick. My dad caught sunglasses, and my brother caught two fish. Oh, and we tried to save a bat's life, too. I saw a bat swinging in a tree on a fishing line that someone had gotten stuck up there. The hook was attached to its head, but we couldn't get close enough to try to get the hook out. We ended up cutting the line, and the bat flew away. Don't bats have rabies??

Alright, that's it for now. Clorox wipes are still amazing. Try them.

Disneyland Trip Pt. 1

We got back about a week ago from Disneyland, and I decided I'd better blog about it right away before I lose any motivation! We had such a good time. We left on a Friday night and stayed in St. George, and left at 5:30 the next morning to Grandma and Grandpa Hackett's house. We got there around noon, and got to spend some quality time with them. My grandma asked me to sing in church the next day, even though I didn't bring any music, and arranged everything before I could say no. She then got really sick and ended up in the hospital, and missed church. Part of her intestine was blocked, so she had to have a surgery, but is doing much better now. We then went to a hotel on Monday and spent the rest of the week at Disneyland and the beach. I warn you- there are lots of pictures, which is why there are two parts to this post!

Day 1- okay, it's amazing how much faster Randy walks at Disneyland! He was zooming all over the place, and never seemed to get tired.

The tram is my favorite.

The Matterhorn!! Love it!!

Mom and Lizzie on the tea cups.

Me and Randy on the tea cups.

Look how strong I am!

Look how strong Randy is!

We went to Minnie's house, and she was gracious enough to let us take a picture with her. What a nice mouse.

Mickey let us take a picture too, but got mad when we slouched. I think he was offended because we thought he was short.

On the Jungle Cruise with the best tour guide ever! Really, he did a great job. Very into character, and weird, and we liked him.

Randy is giving me mouse ears, but covered his face. I included this picture because Kristen and Spencer were with us.

Disneyland Trip Pt. 2

On Mickey's Fun Wheel (Ferris Wheel). The first time we went on it, we went on a non-moving car. That's why I'm not crying in this picture.

Lookin' mighty fine in our Bug's Life glasses.

Jamie was soooo excited to go on Soarin' Over California! It was probably her favorite ride- but then they wouldn't let her go on it again because she was "too short". So how did she get on it the first time when they measured her three times???

We can't wait to go Soarin'!

Randy took this awesome picture of Mickey's Fun Wheel in California Adventure. Go see World of Color- it's fantastic!

We love this ride :) Faces=priceless. Randy might start crying.

Lizzie and I on her favorite ride- King Tritan's Carousel.

Davis fam, Hackett fam, and Hoffman fam. The lady that took our picture was named Kristen, and I yelled for my sister Kristen, and she responded by taking a picture :)

Travis? or Dad? in the water with Randy at Huntington Beach. I'm so glad Randy had people to go and be in the water with! I don't like to go too far out.

Ethan- sporting his sandy diaper bum.

Awkward beach picture, but we like it.

Randy, riding on the old fire truck on Main Street :) Yeah, he's cool.

Blue Bayou

Oh. My. Gosh. BEST salmon I have EVER had in my life! We ate at the Blue Bayou (in celebration of our Nine Monthiversary, but really, we just wanted to eat there) and it was amazing! It was the most expensive meal we've ever had, but it was so worth it.

This place was so cool! It is in California Adventure, and it's called Off the Page. They had all sorts of fun things to do- like learning how to draw like animators, talking with Crush the turtle, and voicing over animation. So fun!! It was a new discovery for us, and we will definitely go back there.

Here we are, sporting our awesome "Honorary J.R. Firefighters" stickers :)

Land of the Free...

There was a time when men and women were proud of the flag and knew what it stood for.

There was a time when every child knew the pledge of allegiance.

There was a time when God was an integral part of this country.

There was a time when people were proud to vote- because they had to fight for that right.

What happened America??

I remember times when our country came together after 9-11, prayed together, and fought together. What happened?? How quickly people turn away from these things after they feel comfortable again. How quickly we forget our pride in our country. I am in no way an extremist in politics. I don't devour the news all the time. But- I DO vote. I was so sad to see how many people chose not to vote during this last election. I don't care if it was the primary election. I don't care that it's not voting for the president of the United States. It's my right to vote- a right that I wouldn't have always had if it had not been for brave women before me fighting for that right.

Sometimes the world can be so scary. My future can be scary when I see people's lack of interest and of knowledge with what is happening in our country. I can't stand it when I hear people bad-mouthing America. We are the place where people want to be!! We have freedoms and rights that not everyone has! I don't know why I feel so passionate lately. Maybe it's because the Fourth of July is coming up, and I'm feeling patriotic. I just wanted to tell you that it is the Land of the Free... BECAUSE of the Brave. Whether you are brave by fighting for your country, taking pride in your country, teaching your children the pledge of allegiance, or voting, take pride in the fact that you are an American.

Total Money Makeover

Randy and I are almost through reading Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover. It is such an inspiring book! I really do recommend it to everyone out there. One of Dave's big mottos is that if you are willing to live like no one else, later you will live like no one else. We are on a really tight budget, with little income as it is, but I think if we stick to the principles in the book, we will be a lot happier later. We are already one step ahead by being debt free, and can scrimp and save for other necessities that will come in life.

Some of the things that we need to save for are a down payment on a home, future children, and a new car. Our monthly income is tiny, but I believe in us. That means that we can't spend money on things that we don't need. Even on the little things. I think it's more important to sacrifice now so that we can have a more secure future. So to any of my family and friends reading this, don't be offended if we can't go out to eat, go to the movies, or do some of the other activities that we all enjoy. We are trying to live like no one else, so later, we can live like no one else! Read The Total Money Makeover!!!

What a View

The financial aid office. Where students come to yell, cry, complain, and offer an occasional handshake and a "you saved my life!" comment. I love the feeling of leaving every night. There's something about going outside into fresh air, stretching your legs, and feeling glad that you survived another day. Last night, as I walked outside to my car, I couldn't help but notice how pretty the sky looked. Everything looked so clear and beautiful! I took in a deep breath, took it all in, and started walking to my car. Just after I finished looking at the beautiful view of the sky, I noticed another view across the way. A few cars over, a middle-aged man and a girl were getting in the car. It's interesting how quickly a view can change- one minute, a beautiful sky, another minute, a man who needs to pull up his pants. It was just ironic. :)

Better Late Than Never

It's been a while. I still love yoplait. This week has been awesome because Randy is done driving his bus, and my mom is out of school. Wahoo! That means I have people to be with during the day! We were busy gardening this week, and I made a TON of freezer jam with strawberries that we got from Winco. It's been a blast! Randy and I are extremely sore from the gardening projects we've been doing, and walking in the park every day. Randy also helped his parents with their garden and has worked hard removing weeds and old trees. What a trooper :)

We leave for Disneyland fairly soon, and we can't wait to get away for a while! Oh, and Randy has had two more interviews this week for other jobs. He is currently contracting with the church, but is keeping his options open for better opportunities. His new cover letter rocks, and because of this new cover letter, was contacted about two jobs on the same day :)

Pictures of jam-making to come.

Yoplait

I am in love with Yoplait. The End.

Growing Up

Yesterday I told Randy that I don't want to grow up because it's too hard. The check engine light came on in my car, I pulverized a measuring teaspoon in the garbage disposal, Randy had to get an $800 brake job on his car, and decisions about jobs are killing me. I told Randy that everything would be okay, and he said "Everything IS okay!" I thought about that a lot, and decided that he's right. These kinds of things happen to everyone all the time. We have been so blessed not to have any debt, and that we both have pretty good jobs right now so that we are able to pay for these things. I just need to remember all of my many, many blessings and be happy about life!

On a side note, David and Laura got married on May 6th! Although it was cold, it was a beautiful day and they were so in love :) I am so happy for them, and wish them the best!

Graduation!

I graduated in December, but I wanted to walk so that everything would feel official. I am so glad that I went to convocation! It was really fun to see some of my old friends. The speakers were great, and it was awesome to have people clap for me. I also graduated Summa Cum Laude, which was awesome, and I was so proud that I made it through college!

Thank you family for coming and supporting me! So glad to be done!!

Catch Up

Randy did not get the job in Wisconsin, but did hear back from the LDS church about a contract position! We were really excited about this, because it could turn into a full time position later. I am also very happy that we will be staying closer to family. Wisconsin seemed like a really nice place, but far, far away. I am still working at the financial aid office, which is nice for now.

I am so excited to start gardening soon. My mom has a big garden with some extra room that she said that we could use. Warm weather, here we come! I am soo ready to say goodbye to the cold! Randy and I have also been married for over 6 months now, which is crazy! In some ways, time has flown by, and it seems like we were married like two months ago. I am happy to say that I am more in love with him than ever before :)

I really would like to compile a list of awesome books to read. Do you have a favorite book? If so, what is it? Please feel free to comment so my list of books to read can grow!

Let's see... I am also happy to report that I have worked out at least three times a week since February, excluding a couple of weeks ago when I was just too darn lazy. Randy and I would like to ride down the Jordan River Parkway soon, so I have to see if my old bike will still work. We also want to start jogging together outside. I love the spring/summer! It's my favorite time! I just love warmth.

Oh, and I have a new nephew!!! His name is Aiden, and he is a cutie :) I have a picture of Aiden playing his first video game, after being only a few days old. Okay, it's really Kristen playing while holding Aiden, but it was still cute.

My Awesome Husband

As many of you know, my amazing husband is a school bus driver. Last Saturday, he competed in the Bus Road-e-o, and placed second in the novice division! Wahoo! My niece, mom, and I had a lot of fun cheering on Randy along with our friend Emile, and her daughter Caroline.

Here is Randy, maneuvering the oh so dangerous off-set alley :)

This is the event he was disqualified from. He said it was the best parallel parking job that he has EVER done... until he hit the cone!

They had to back up between these cones that were really close to the bus. I have trouble backing into a parking spot. I'm pretty sure I'd be dead in this event!

But not Randy. Ta Da!

Aww.... he's so cute :) All in a day's work!

Allergies, Jobs, and Earthquakes... Oh My!

Weird title, right? First of all, I think I might have some seasonal allergies going on. What the heck?? I've never had them before! My head has felt crazy weird all week. My eyes have been puffy and hurt, and my sinuses hurt. I thought that I was getting headaches from too much tension or something, but nothing was helping. Randy finally suggested that it could be allergies, so I took a zyrtec (and a long nap!) and FINALLY feel a little better. My sister suggested that I get some claritin (spelling?) because it's over the counter and lasts 24 hours. I'll give it a try... How do you people with allergies deal with it?? It could just be in my head, no pun intended!

Job update. Randy will be flying out on Monday to Wisconsin. They are paying for EVERYTHING, and it seems like he will have a really good time :) I will miss him though! For those of you who hate corny/sappy/lovey dovey, don't read the rest. It will be the first time that he will be away since we've been married. Aww... and speaking of married, today is our 6 monthiversary from our wedding! I am so happy to be married to him! Okay, back to jobs... He was also randomly contacted by the LDS church TODAY for an interview TOMORROW. He has been working really hard to try to do the assignment that they gave him. It's awesome that they want to meet him in person so quickly! So, cross your fingers! Maybe we'll get to stay in Utah instead of heading out of state :)

Okay, did anyone feel that Earthquake that happened like five minutes ago?? I was sitting here at work when it felt like a herd of Elephants were running around the room. The computer screen started shaking, and the whole building moved. It was crazy! I haven't felt an earthquake since I was really little. Everyone in my office felt it, so ask them for verification of whether or not it was really an earthquake :) It was! Believe me! It brought a lot of excitement... hey, only an hour and a half left of work! Yes! Alright, I think it's time to end this post. Just remember to keep your fingers crossed for Randy, that he might get a job soon!

Randy is going on a vacation!

As most of you know, Randy has been applying for jobs like a mad man. He has seriously applied to so many places that sometimes, when he hears back from companies, he's like "when did I apply for that??" Well, at some point, he applied for a job in Wisconsin. He heard back from the company, did an initial phone interview, had to do some huge test to prove he was smart, and just heard the other day that they want him to fly to Wisconsin for an on-site interview!

I was so happy to hear that Randy has gotten this far in the interview process! Whether or not he gets the job, at least it's a moral boost. He's still waiting to hear from a couple of jobs in Utah, and is still applying to more jobs. Hopefully he will find a new job soon, because I KNOW he is so sick of applying for jobs!! So, perhaps we'll know soon whether or not we'll be heading to Wisconsin! I would love to stay here in Utah with family, but Randy really needs experience. So if Wisconsin is the right place, to Wisconsin we'll go!

Cooking, Cooking, Cooking...

If anyone wants some *awesome*delicious*amazing*yummy* muffins, go to Lehi Roller Mills and pick up a box! Oh my gosh. They were sooo good! Randy and I bought a bunch of Lehi Roller Mills mixes back in Christmas when they were on sale, so we are stocked up for a while. I am so glad that we bought the muffins! We have blueberry and raspberry.

Also, here is a picture of one of my "Honey-Bear Brownies" (see post below for explanation). They turned out delicious! I have been having a lot of fun experimenting with different recipes, and I think Randy is enjoying it :) If you have a favorite recipe, PLEASE let me know! I would love to try it!!