I Ate 2 of Everything!

We went to the Kansas State Fair at the end of September and it was so yummy, I mean fun. Let's be honest, we only go for the fried food! Well, this year Rhyen was tall enough to ride the kiddie rides by herself, and Russell and I didn't know what to do with ourselves. So we just ate, haha. Throughout the day we shared two tater twisters, roasted almonds, 3 or 4 Pronto Pups (which is an amazing rendition of a corn dog), I had a pineapple ice cream cone, I had two roasted corn and a pulled pork sandwich(russell had a bite or two), I think there was a pickle, we shared this disgustingly delish German desert called a Fat Boy, and Pepsi ALL day. I had to do a full detox of salad and healthy dinners until I didn't feel like a greezy fat boy anymore!! Haha. We spent the entire day at the fair, from 8am to 6pm. We are crazy, I know, because (due to being pregnant) I now have bulging veins on the back of my right leg to prove it! Ew? Right. Ya. Well, supposedly they will go away after pregnancy, but in the mean time I am to stay off my feet as much as possible (haha, ya right with an almost 3 year old) and wear a belly support called a prenatal cradle. Haha. The Prenatal Cradle is hilarious! Russell cracks up when he walks in the door and sees me cooking dinner in it. Haha, at this point, all I can do is crack up about it as well! And I wanna say the fair was totally worth it (if the veins go away!).

24 Weeks

☆ These are for Mrs. Suzanne Mccraw. These are are the only pics of the baby bump I have so far. I really need to take more pics. I have a ton from when I was pregnant with Rhyen, but this pregnancy seems to be going by at a faster pace. Probably because I have Rhyen to keep me distracted! Haha. I am going to do my best to take more pictures of our baby boy's growth. He is very active and makes his presence known, especially when I lay in a position that may not be suitable for him. Haha. He let's me know, "Hey mom, I am in here, and I would really like it if you would move..."

21 Weeks

23 Weeks

Joy Riding

☆ With the weather being so beautiful here in Kansas, we make an effort to get outdoors every day. We had brought my red tricycle back from AZ a few trips ago, and I love it. I put Rhyen in the basket (she fits perfectly) and I put the dog on the leash. We cruise around town and absorb the fresh air. I probably look pretty nerdy, but who cares when you are having fun!

August

♥ Back to Arizona.... For Jenna's birthday we went to Sedona to spend the weekend. We had a blast. Matt, Jenna, and I (Rhyen stayed with grammy) spent the weekend by the pool and shopping in beautiful Sedona. Matt and I played scrabble, he is soooo good at it, but I beat him twice! Booooya! Haha so fun. And thanks to Jenna and Matt for the gracious invitation; I never felt like the third wheel, and we had a wonderful time celebrating Jenna.

♥ In August, Russell and I decided that that would be the last time I would fly out. We are coming home to Arizona (at the very latest in November) and wanted to save money. We are so excited to be moving back to AZ! We are taking action in creating our own reality :) Here's to the good life!!

♥ We made a few zoo trips when we returned to Kansas. Russell took some time off and was able to spend time with us. We love having him around! I must tell you, Russell made a statement in August 2009 that will haunt him for the rest of his life! Hahaha. It was a friday morning, we were still lying in bed, and Rhyen came running into our room. She ran to his side of the bed and said, "Daddy, can we go to the zoo today, pleeeeease?" Haha. I started cracking up immediately. Then he turned to me to see what I thought about going, I told him, "I am breezy honey." Then, HE SAID IT, "Well, she is my princess, and daddy's princess gets what she wants..." hahahaha. While I think that this little statement may eventually backfire on him, I found this to be the sweetest thing EVER. I mean, how cute is that? I am incredibly grateful Rhyen has an amazing daddy that adores and cherishes every moment with her.

Looking back at...

JuLy

♥ Rhyen and I flew back to Kansas. My brother flew out with his girlfriend (at the time) and her family. We spent fourth of July at the Well's Ranch. We went to a Rodeo and bought a TON of fireworks. It was so nice to have my brother visit. We reminisced and got competitive playing the Wii. Russell and Jr had a blast lighting fireworks off. I think it was more for them, because Rhyen was terrified of the loud sounds. She stuck with the little poppers that you throw on the ground.

Still catching up...

June

♥ We returned to Kansas in June. Rhyen and I spent our days playing dress up and enjoying the change of weather.

♥ And back to Arizona again! while we were in Arizona, Rhyen got her very first hair cut (I did not save the hair). Her Aunt Kristy did it and everything went easily. I spent a fun girls night with Amanda and Catherine at a little nostalgic restaurant bar on Main St. I think it was called De La Cruz; we watched and listened to a live jazz band. I had one of the best cappuccinos there! Who would of thought?! We were there past closing and Catherine talked to a very attractive waiter (who turned out to be a jerk...lame). We had a great time.

Catching up...

Okay, so I can not believe it's been so long since I have last blogged! April, gosh, I feel as though it was ages ago. So here are some highlights of what has gone on since...

May

♥ I found out I was pregnant with our second baby! So exciting. I was so grateful to find out while I was visiting Arizona. I was surrounded by my family and friends, and was able to enjoy the news with them. Russell was in Kansas working, but I sent him a picture of the positive test with no subject or comment, hahaha, he called me right back! That was a fun way to tell him. Hee hee. We were ecstatic. So cool.

♥ Turning 24! Yay!! One more year until I get a discount on car insurance....haha. I had a pot luck style dinner with gals I love. We enjoyed good food and sparkling apple cider (I found out I was pregnant before my Bday). We spent the night hanging our at Jenna's. So chill. And so perfect. Thanks to Jenna, Amanda, and Catherine!

♥ I graduated! I obtained a BA in Psychology with a minor in Family Studies. Now, this was a HUGE accomplishment for me. Coming from where I come from, and having gone through what I have in my life, I thank the Lord for the strength that it took to get through. Wow. I didn't even realize it then, but in hindsight, it's a pretty great thing. I am so thankful. And to humbly toot my own horn, "toot, toot." Much thanks to those who supported me and believed I could do it. I am already planning my return to further my education, haha my poor husband, but I am taking it slow. WhoooooHoooo though!

♥ Visiting Arizona. Russell came out to join me in AZ for a few weeks, and we were able to spend much needed time with friends and fam. It was great. And it made us want to be home soooo bad! We miss the good food. Mexican especially! Here are some randoms from when we were there in May (I had more pics, but I lost a bunch of pictures from my computer, I don't know what happened, but the last year got erased from my iPhoto library. Bummer.) ....

Easter

Gotta blog about Easter. Rhyen's new favorite person is the Easter Bunny. The Easter Bunny is coolest because it leaves a basket with toys and candy in it. Ah woo hoo! We colored eggs, ate candy, and watched movies. Easter was exceptionally cold for the April days I am used to in Arizona. Not to mention the horrendous rain! Rhyen and I go to this amazing little church in Wichita. But because of the rain, on Easter I didn't want to make the hour drive to church (Russell didn't mind that), and we just scrubbed it all day. The rain is definitely different here; it pelts you. If you are driving, you can barely see the car in front of you, all you can see is the rain pouring on your vehicle. It is sooooo scary. I am a bit of a woos when it comes to driving here, let alone in the rain. Just ask Amanda and Catherine, haha, they drove with me in the rain when they cam to visit. Not fun. Well maybe for them.

Anyhow, back to Easter, fun, cold, and relaxed. We missed Arizona. It was hard not being around the family. Miss them very much. And can't wait to see them in May.

Mom Showed Up

My mom showed up here in Kansas at the beginning of April. She is a little crazy. Long story short, she came for a guy she met over the phone (without telling me), it didn't work out so she stayed with us (without actually asking me), I really almost killed her, and then she went home. Of course, I do have resentment issues with my mom. She has always been more of the child than I ever was. After all the BS I went through in high school , college, and still, (with the irresponsibility of her recent actions) now. I maintain that it is completely relevant that sometimes, I really do not like her. 

Okay, that said, there were moments while she was here where she quit being annoying, and I quit being the "mom" in our relationship. I let go of my resentments for those moments and had some fun with her. We did learn a lot through this close encounter and we did end up laughing quite a bit. Here are some of the fun times. We were making dinner and I had my laptop out for music. I put on the photo booth and this is what became of it all:

Playing Catch Up....

Ok, so March was a very busy month for us. With spring break, our wedding anniversary, and the move to the new house. 

Spring break was a blast. I did nothing. That's right, absolutely nothing. I hung out with my awesome kid and my wonderful hubby. I was so grateful for the break in school work. 19 credit hours has an ability to make you feel exhausted, not to mention the sweet two year old I am running around with! Spring break was a wonderful break from school.

Our wedding anniversary was pretty chill (does it sound cool when I say it? haha) Russell surprised me with a quite expensive bottle of champagne and two dollar store champagne glasses. Haha. I love it. I don't think he even washed them before he poured our champagne into them. He seriously makes me laugh. We put Rhyen to bed early and hung out on the couch. Gosh, can you say perfect? It was so nice. No pressure, no worries. so great.

The move to the new house was a tremendous leap for me. I have wanted to move from the house we first rentedf for so long. It had a serious brown recluse problem. I found about 10 in the 10 months we were living there. They are these disgusting, mutant spiders that never die! I had the house sprayed every month or two because I was so paranoid. But for some reason I couldn't bring myself to move. I think moving to a nicer, cozier house, in my mind, would be committing to Kansas in some way. And I wanna go to Hawaii or home. But I sucked up my psychological dispositions and moved. I am sooooo happy I did. Though it does make me miss my house in Chandler, and all my stuff (art, pictures, my awesome washer and dryer, my Dyson vacuum); I am doing my best not to nest here. Kansas has been good to us, but its not home. This is all temporary. So we are still living simply, and enjoying every moment. 

Pictures from our Outdoor Adventures

As you know I don't get out much here in Kansas. The weather is so random that when it is warm enough to go outside we take advantage of it. Even if it is just to go for a walk to into town or around the neighborhood. These are pictures I snapped while Rhyen and I painted the town!

Grocery Shopping

Rhyen does the grocery shopping these days, and sets very real boundaries on how much I can put in the cart!

Ode to Russell

SO, Russell and I normally don't exchange gifts on Valentines Day. I don't know why really, we just stopped after a while. After this Valentines day, gifts are definitely reinstated. Hahaha.

Rhyen and I woke up to two red gift bags on Valentines Day morning. Rhyen's bag contained chocolate, sweet tarts, suckers, bubble gum (only dad would buy gum for a 2 year old) and was accompanied by a large, pink, fuzzy bear. She had no idea what was going on. She just knew there was candy and a baby (that is her term of endearment for all things cuddly).

Now to my bag, oh my goodness, my husband did good. My bag contained chocolate as well, and then a book shaped present. I opened it to find a paperback book with our pictures on the front. The book is entitled, "Awake, My Love," and is compiled of short love stories with Russell and I as the main characters. The book describes us by name, by our physical features, and by our habits. So neat! So, Russell gets many, many points for this because it was definitely a premeditated effort. He said he wanted to get it for me because of this ridiculous series of love books I was "irrevocably in love" with (you may have heard of it: Twilight-Ya I know... please don't judge). Russell thought it would be cool to read love stories and be able to attribute REAL LIFE love. He is so cute. The next box was more rectangular and I had no idea what it would contain. I slowly pulled back the tissue paper, and there on the box, its contents were revealed... it was a white, 3G, 16 GB, iPhone. Hahaha. "What the heck am I gonna do with an iPhone?! Hahaha." Russell said, "Well don't open it if you wanna take it back." Hahaha. We both cracked up. And I did not return it. 

I had to blog about my hubby because he did a great job surprising me. I loved the gifts. Rhyen is still enjoying hers (I have to hide the candy and ration it out). So, great job love. Hahaha. You did awesome. 

"Don't worry, about a thing, every little thing is gonna be alright" Bob Marley

Working in Kansas has been such a great experience. I appreciate the positive contribution of time and the lasting effects it has on our family. Only after spending winter days inside (previous post) did I get restless (and a bit whiney), but we are ready for the new. It is time. We are in full promotion of the element of change. Hahaha. Severely. Russell and I are hoping for the ever so amazing opportunity to work and live in Hawaii. We are just  plain ready for something different. Our intention has always been to travel, but we really, really, really, want to live in Hawaii for a year or so before Rhyen goes to school and we return to Arizona.

So, we are prepared; we put the house in Chandler, AZ for rent through a management company. We hope to get a job call for Kona or Maui on the pronto and will head out immediately! Let me repeat that, immediately. With the economy being as it is, there may be politics working against us in regard to how much work is actually being offered. I truly believe in exceptions of all kinds though, how many accomplishments have been made when people initially said it could not be done, ya know? The tremendous possibilities that lie ahead have me excited and a little bit anxious. I genuinely and whole heartedly believe that something wonderful comes from everything, and now I implore patience as our something wonderful is shown to us. 

So, I ask for positive thoughts and prayers from my family, friends, and of course my new network of bloggers. May the situations unfold for us perfectly in all our endeavors. May my husband have the strength to keep on keepin' on when it comes to staying positive and BELIEVING in all things possible. Thanks for the love. Groovy---Sorry, I felt like that should go there hahaha.

 

The sun is coming out in Kansas tomorrow, literally, and I am soooooo excited. We are going to spend a senselessly fun day outdoors! Maybe I'll even go running and work out.... NAH!  ;) Hope everyone has a super week.

Ode To Kansas

It is officially winter here in Kansas. Yes, I am actually blogging about the weather! Whoa is it different. The first snow was definitely fun to see and play in. But now, no one goes outside, I mean seriously. Everyone stays indoors unless there is a warm (50 degrees) day. I ask my neighbors what is there to do around here?! I am getting a case of cabin fever! So, we have been back from Arizona for two weeks now; I am bored. I am going to school full time online, so I try to concentrate on the studies when I am not entertaining Rhyen. 

Rhyen, poor Rhyen, she just wants to play! We attempt going outside, after bundling up, we go outside for 5 minutes (tops) and she says, "Mommy, it's coldie, let's go inside!" Hahaha. But day after day I repeat the scenario to promote diversity in our activities! I countdown until Russell gets home, and I immediately attack with adult questions like, "How was your day," and "What are you thinking," and "What's new," and "Tell me something funny," and "blah, blah, blah-Just talk to me I have been in this house with a two year old and a dog all day!" Hahahaha. I crack myself up. 

And Novak, poor poor Novak. Hahaha. He is definitely a dog that likes to run and play. With it being so cold, wether it's snowy or not, he doesn't protest like he did over the summer when I call him back inside!

Russell is hangin' in there too. He is very patient when it comes to my crazy cabin fever and he understands. I would definitely choose cabin fever over working in the cold every day like he does. What a good MAN, ARGH!

This blog is ode to the wonderful winter weather of Kansas. And the stagnate pace of Hillsboro, Kansas. 'They' (don't know who they are) say people in this part of the country live longer, may I live until I am 150 at this rate!