Product Plug

This is kind of dumb but I'm going to totally endorse a product that I love. It's called Mother's Special Blend and it is a life saver. Its a skin toning oil for pregnancy that a neighbor of mine told me to try. I've been using it this pregnancy and I haven't gotten any new stretch marks. Plus it really helps with the itchy belly which I get really bad when prego. It says to use it before, during and after pregnancy to condition the skin for major stretching and to help it regain its natural shape after, but I didn't start using it until I was about 16 weeks and I have noticed a huge difference in my skin. Anyway, if your prego and having trouble finding something that works, give it a try. I'll probably keep using it even when I'm not prego anymore. Only bad thing is that it's kind of hard to find. Its all natural oil with no additives or fragrances so you can only get it from organic, or natural food stores. I get mine at the Good Earth Natural Foods grocery store on Riverdale Rd. I have seen it available online also though. It runs about $17 a bottle, but its pure oil that goes a long way. I go about 3 months on one bottle.

Baby update

Just a little update. The pregnancy is going great and we are down to 29 days until my due date. Baby Heslop is healthy and growing way too fast. I freaked a bit when my midwife said that its a good chance this baby will be over 8lbs. I've been having lots of the braxton hicks contractions and pretty much live in sweat pants now. This baby seems a little more mellow than Luke was. Luke was a big kicker, I mean big, painful kicks. This little one seams to be more of a stretcher. I'm only a month away and haven't had any painful kicks, just lots of wiggling. We still haven't found out the baby's sex and we are banging our heads against the wall with the whole name thing. We have lots of girl names we like, but when it comes to boy names we have nothing. We'll probably be like those parents you hear about on the news that finally give their kid an official name on their third birthday:) Baby's head is also bigger than normal. At every appointment my midwife informs me that the head measures the same as a baby this is about 2 weeks farther along. So my baby has a ginormous head. Not really a surprise because Luke's head is in the 80th percentile while his body is in the 10th. Just a family of huge heads I guess. I was really hoping to go without the whole episiotomy this time, but they keep commenting on baby's huge head, oh well. I also dilated really early with my first. By this time with Luke I was dilated to a three and still had a month to go, but still went full term, so we'll see how far I am at this week's appointment. I haven't let myself do any planning or shopping for the baby yet because I knew I wouldn't get any studying done. But now that finals are over I have lots of time to plan without feeling like I really should be studying.

Halloween

I know, I know. LATE!!! Well, I still wanted to post the halloween pics. Luke was a dragon, but wounldn't let us put his costume on him. He screamed and cried, so we finally dressed him in his regular clothes and headed for the trunk-r-treat. He had a lot of fun and caught on really quick. After he saw all the other kids dressed up, he let us put his costume on him. Then we headed for Grandma Heslop's followed by Grandma Robinson's where he and Jerrett ran wild together. A great halloween!!!


Luke didn't want to wear his costume
Luke's pumpkin
He used half of my paint on one pumpkin

Night at the Musuem

Last Sat. night I decided it was time Alex and I went on a date. I was trying to do something halloweenish and found out they were doing paranormal tours of Ogden's Union Station. We'd never done anything like that before and it sounded like fun, so I bought tickets. I had never even been in Union Station and it was cool to learn more history about it. There were paranormal investigators from all over the state there with booths set up showing us their recording devices and magnetic what-ya-ma-call-ums. They took us all over though the building (all the lights were out) and only our guild had a small flashlight. They showed us the big rooms where they would lay out the dead bodies during WWII that came in on the trains so they could be identified. They also told us about at huge train crash the happened west of the GSL in the 1940's. Two trains hit head-on and about 50 people died. Union Station was the closet place to take the bodies for identification and that's where they believe most of the ghosts that haunt the place came from. Apparently, most of the night cleaning crew and security guards have either heard things or seen things. We also learned that the original station that was built in the 1880's burned to the ground in 1923 and the building that stands today was built on the original foundation in 1924. They took us down underneath the building into the old vaults of the original station that are not open to the public. Big metal vaults with 6 inch thick rusty iron doors. They put us in one without a flash light and closed the door. Apparently down in the old basement is were the most paranormal activity has occurred. We also heard an old legend of secret tunnels running under 25th street. The tunnels were dug sometime during WWII and, according to legend, ended in the old basement somewhere. But they've never found the entrance to them. (The oldest part of that basement is only dirt walls). A lady in our group said that she used to work in a cafe there on 25th for a long time and has seen the tunnels, but the owner never let them go down there because of liability and safety reasons. She said they were used as opium dens during 25th streets wild WWII days. I actually believed this story since we know that at that time brothels, and other illegal businesses were operating down 25th. People in Ogden didn't go down there because it was the worst place in the whole city. (Why not an opium den too?) My mom has even heard the tales of secret tunnels. Anyway, we didn't really expect to see anything on our tour, but it was still fun. It would have been better, however, without the annoying teenage girls giggling the whole way and claiming they were seeing things every five minutes. They had done the tours the night before, and said that a lot of "activity" had occurred. A guy on one of the tours had been pushed to the group by something. Other groups claimed they had heard doors closing, but they found the doors were locked. I had brought my camera, but, of coarse, it was dead. So we didn't get any pics and I was pretty bummed. But it was great to spend an evening holding hands with my hubby. Oh, and if anyone needs a paranormal investigation, I have lots of business cards:) I was shocked to find out how many investigative companies there are in Utah.

Yikes!!!!!

Well, this whole flu thing is really starting to mess things up. I'm hearing of new cases every stinking day. And now there are new restrictions just about everywhere. A few bishops out here have even canceled church to try and stop the flu from spreading. The hospitals have just changed their visitor policy so I have been informed that I can only have a very few visitors when I have my baby. Also ABSOLUTLEY NO CHILDREN under 14 allowed in the delivery and maternity wards. It makes me sad knowing that Luke won't even get to come to the hospital and visit his new sibling. He'll just think we wen't out shopping and brought home a new kid. And I usually just take Luke with me to my appointments to see my midwife, but I have just learned that the clinic is not allowing children to accompany their parents anymore. CRAP!!! All I keep hearing from them is how vunerable mothers and infants are and I need to do everything I can to protect myself and my baby. They told me that they don't have any flu shots so I need to find a place where I can get one. So if anyone knows where I can get a regular flu shot, please let me know. H1N1 shots aren't even available yet so they told me to sit tight on that one. I'm probably freaking out too much about this, but it doesn't help when they are shutting everything around me down because of a contagious virus. I now have been bathing in hand sanitizer and I think just about everyone else is too sinse I went to buy some more and every store was out. I probably shouldn't bother because Alex catches everything from work and brings it home anyway. Well, here's hoping he doesn't catch it:)

September

We have had a great September. For Labour Day we went camping to Bear Lake with Al's family and the weather was great this year. Gavin, Luke and Braden playing on the beach. My hubby Alex. The little cousins had a blast running through the water even though it was freezing. Alex and his sister Jodi. Luke, Gavin and Braden loved playing with the dirt in camp. I have stayed busy with school and canning peaches. My friend just brought me a box a plums too, so I'm about to attemp some plum jam. And we can't forget what fall means in farm country. Yep, corn choppin time. The last week and a half Alex has been busy at the dairy. Corn choppin lasts about a month working day and night many times. They needed more dump truck drivers to haul the corn to the pits, so Alex has also been driving for them every night after work. They have something like 900+ acres of corn to chop and one of their choppers broke the other day. Anyway, Luke and I usually get to go ride along and Luke loves seeing the big tractors and riding in the dump truck. He just sits in there for hours every night making choo choo noises (we haven't quite got him to understand that tractors and trucks don't say choo choo). I took some videos of the chopper filling our dump truck cause I thought it was kind of interesting how it works.


Luke and Daddy

Luke and Momma

The dump trucks drive next to the chopper and the chopper shoots the chopped corn into the back. I keep forgeting to roll my window up when we're next to the chopper and end up being sprayed with corn.

Bow Hunt '09

The hunt was a blast. We were there for 7 days this year and it just wasn't long enough. We had quite a bit of excitment too. Luke took Grandpa's fourwheeler for a little spin in camp. He was sitting on the fourwheeler and somehow figured out how to get it into neutral. I was sitting up at the campfire and the next thing I see is Luke flying down the hill through camp. He crashed into Amy and Brandon's trailer leaving a dent which splintered the support wall. Dad and Uncle Randy took the paneling off and pounded out the dent, but there's only so much you can do. Luke went flying off during the impact but wasn't hurt at all. He was just mad because I wouldn't let him back on. He thought the whole thing was a lot of fun. I'm thinking of calling up Dave Ramsey and thanking him for his advice of having an emergency fund on hand. It's just sad that our two year old had used more of it up than either Alex or I.

Big News!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alex and I are happy to announce that we are expecting our second child in January. I am now 10.5 weeks and baby is doing great. He/She is tall for his/her age at 1 in:) I wasn't sick at all with Luke, but this little stinker is a different story. I've been having some pretty bad headaches, which will hopefully end as I merge into trimester 2. Baby's due January 11, just four days before Luke's third birthday. Oh, and sorry, but we aren't finding out the baby's sex this time so you can't know either. Alex didn't want to find out on the first one, but I pretty much said "too bad, we're finding out":), so we're going with his plan this time.

Fun at Grandma's

While De and Jason were cruising the Caribbean we had an even better time at Grandma's. Luke came to Grandma's everyday to play and he had a blast. Grandma decided that it might be fun to check out the Ogden Nature Center since we haven't been there in like fifteen years. Well, the boys had a blast walking all the trails and seeing the animals that are being rehabilitated. There were deer all over in there which the boys had fun looking for. Grandma even bought each of the boys a coloring book from the gift shop. It was a great day. I ran out of memory so I couldn't get more pics.

Grandpa's trailer ROCKS!!!

Checking out the birds that live at the center. We saw hawks, eagles, and a pelican.

We were having so much fun that we went a bit far and the two-year-olds got a little tired. Here they are taking turns riding on the foot rest of the stroller. They were very upset at Grady because he was having a blast pushing them off with his feet.

Awhhhh, the joys of remodeling!!!

Well, the sheet rock guys came today to finish all the sheet rock and they have now officially block us off. The door connecting our part of the house with the other part is no longer there. The bad news is that all our stuff is still down there. The landlords had Alex do the plumbing for the new washer/dryer hookups and they just sheet rocked that too, but the landlord wants to come paint, so we can't move the washer/dryer up yet. And our bathroom up here isn't finished yet and is all torn apart. There is a contractor doing the other work in the house but the upstairs bathroom is being done by one of the landlord's husbands. So part of the remodel is not communication with the other part. Who knows when our bathroom will be done. So, as you know, our only bathroom is downstairs, but the door is gone. So I now have to walk outside through the back door, across the backyard, through the carport and though the other apartment's front door to use our bathroom. This is going to be the joy of my life come 2:00 a.m. and the late night root beer float starts to hit. Oh and I have to do all that too shower too. I just know I'll get out there and shower, then realize I have forgotten my towel and clothes. Let's just hope that there isn't anybody milking the cows at that time, I should be o.k. to streak if they're not:)

Flirty Aprons

Hey everyone, I just found this cute website and just thought I would share it. I love to cook and bake so I'm kind-of into aprons and I have ruined lots of clothes by cooking without one. My shirts usually end up with grease splatters all over them. Anyway I just thought they were really cute. Check out the site here.

Demolition

Well, our landlords have decided that they are going to turn the house we are living in into a duplex. Their son Riley is getting married this summer and they want to have a place for them to live. Alex and I had started to look for a new place to live, but the landlords don't want us to move out. They really like us and so they're putting a bunch of money into the house and we won't even have to leave. It really won't take much work to make it a duplex because the house already has two kitchens and two bathrooms and the two parts of the house are pretty much separated anyway. They are adding an additional wash/drying hook ups for us upstairs and we are also getting a new bathroom. And they are replacing all the windows in two weeks. Alex has been doing some remodeling for the already. He did the bathroom downstairs last summer and he is redoing our bathroom upstairs now. The landlords just give him a blank check and tell him to go get the new tub and toilet that he wants. Its pretty cool. It's good that Alex has been working on the plumbing because he's found major problems just about everywhere. I also didn't envy him when he got to crawl in the dark little crawl space underneath the house on his stomach to get to the plumbing. He said there were a million spiders down there. I think he had fun though when he go to take a sledgehammer to the old iron tub in the bathroom. His buddy told him that those old iron tubs weigh a ton and the easiest way to get it out is to break it in pieces. Man, they don't make them like they used to. That tub took one heck of a beating before finally cracking. So here is a farewell memento to the old yellow toilet and tub.

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

My awesome hubby just took his big final state exam yesterday and passed with flying colors. He is now officially a Journeyman and is all done with school. I'm so proud of him. Now he can actually have a free Saturday instead of spending it in a classroom. Way-to-go babe!!!

What's new with us!!!

This post has just a few random things to catch up on our lives.
Luke and his cousin Gavin went to the Treehouse Museum last Friday. Luke and Gavin both have season passes, so we go quite often, I've just never taken any pictures, and they were running around so I could never get both boys in a shot.





Next, Luke was playing on uncle Joel's four wheeler and took a tumble head first off of it. This is Luke with his first official black eye.


And last, Luke just got his first big boy bed. It was so cute to see him so excited.


Here is Luke helping daddy put the bed together.


Here is Luke on his new Lighting McQueen car bed. I thought I was in for it because he freaked out when I took his crib out of his room, but then we put his mattress in his new bed and he has had no problem sleeping.

Luke is winning at hide-and-seek

The other day Alex and I were standing in the kitchen talking, and we started hearing noises coming from one of the cupboards. I ended up finding 2 year old Luke hiding in the cupboard. He was all scrunched up in there so the door would close.


Here he is stretched out again after I opened the door.


This is him pulling the door closed behind him.


I better re-check the house to make sure he can't get in somewhere where he'll get hurt, like the dryer:)

Mom Jeans

I tried this before, but it didn't work. I think I have all the bugs out now. I stumbled upon the SNL clip and about busted my gut. This is how I felt wearing those stupid maternity pants with the big fabric panel. *Remember to turn off the music*.

He's off the see the Warden, the wonderful Warden of Oz.

Has everyone heard about the shooting in Pleasant Grove yesterday. Turns out that Alex knows the shooter and they go to school together. Well, went to school together. Alex is kind of in shock a bit. He's like, "man, Colton and I have been in the same classes for five years together, and I remember he was at the same orientation meeting with me." He says that everyone at school yesterday was crowded around the computer trying to see if it was really him on the news. It's kind of wierd for Alex to know a guy that just committed murder. Alex says everyone knew he was into some pretty messed up stuff. The guy just ruined his whole life in about .2 seconds. The guy was probably on a down-ward spiral for a while, but I just keep thinking that he only had two more months out of five years left of school. Just 2 months from graduation. If he was into some bad stuff, then graduation probably wouldn't really have made a difference for him, but he had a great job as a plumber and really could have made something of himself. Well, I'm just now reminding myself that I'm not his judge and that's not my job. And I'll feel really bad if he had some good reason, like it was self defense or something. If that happens, then I'll be repenting on a up coming post. But it's just scary how it only takes 1 second and a bad decision for this guy to totally ruin his whole life. Check out the story HERE.

Divine Modestee

De and I found this awesome site called Divine Modestee and they have really cute,
modest swimsuits. It was kind of weird to figure the site out, but first you decide what body type you are, then it tells you the suits that will work best for your figure. They are all 2-piece takinies but the tops are all long so you don't show any skin, and the best part about having a longer top is that they help minimize the hips which is what I need. The suit in the pic isn't my fav, but they have lots of choices. You just pic a top, then you can pic any type of bottom to go with it. You can mix-and-match and they also have really cute swim skirts. I love how easy it is to find more modest swimwear that I can actually feel comfortable in. The suits are a little pricey, but I haven't found any one-piece suits in the stores for less. Check it out at www.divinemodestee.com

Dates, Times, Names, etc.......

So, I'm posting this to let the world know that my brain is dumb and I know it. What the heck is my problem with remembering things? Is it some sort of vitamin deficency, or is my memory really this bad. I'm sick of forgetting things. I know this rant sounds dumb, but I have NEVER been good with names,dates,you name it, and I'm officially bugged. Someone introduces themselves to me and you whould hope that I could tell you their name five seconds later. Well, don't hold your breath. You will die from suffocation. I still don't know half of the names in my ward and it's not like its people I never talk to. I know faces, but that's it. I can't even repeat my visiting teaching partner's name without some intense thought and time and we've been together for a year and a half, without missing a month. (she doen't let us).
Well anyway, this past week I was really bugged by a date. January 17. What is it that is special about Jan 17? Oh ya, it's my friend Kim's birthday. Oh wait, no,no,no,, its not; kim's is the 12th. Did someone die on the 17th? I don't think anyone was born on the 17th. Luke is the 15th, Lee the 16th, and Riker the 18th,but no 17th. Is there a show I wanted to watch on the 17th? Did I once meet someone on the 17th? Have I gained 17 pounds on the 17th? Well anyway, this is what was going on in my head all week. I was thinking about it in the tub, in bed, doing the dishes, and after a week of this I never wanted to see or hear anything about the number 17 again. But, of course, I counldn't let it go. I would like to thank Mel for restoring my sleep to me. For giving me back my sanity. I can now soak in the tub in piece. I checked out Mel's blog and realized that the 17th was Jac and Mel's WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!!!! Well anyway, happy anniversary. Sorry it's late, but I couldn't tell you that earlier becuase I had no freaking idea what had happened on the 17th. You know something, that is the only wedding date in the family that I can remember.(well, when I'm reminded):)
Does anyone have any secret elixir or some sort of mix-your-own remedy for forgetfulness? (I've tried gorging myself on sweets but, I'm sorry to say that the clinical trials have not come out too well.)

Hardware Ranch

Last Saturday we had the chance to go up to Hardware Ranch and see the elk. We went with Al's buddy John and his wife Becky and their kids. It was a lot of fun to get one more family outing in before school starts again.

Here we go again!!

Well, here we are on Sunday night, January the 5th. This means that spring semester starts tomarrow. Winter break is never long enough. I don't even have any of my books yet. I'm attempting online classes again. It worked pretty well for us last semester. I will have one night class that meets twice a week though. This semester should be easier though (famous last words). This will also be Alex's last semester and he is really looking forward to graduation in the spring and having his saturday's free again. January is going to be crazy for me. New classes, nursing application's due, cna cert, and finding a job. But it feels great to be busy.

Christmas

Well, we had an awesome Chirstmas. I didn't find out until Christmas morning however, that my camera battery had gone bad and wouldn't hold a charge. So I don't have any pics to show. But it was great. We spent a lot of time with both families and I loved all the fresh snow we got. Luke got a little fourwheeler that he prefers to push around instead of ride. If he really just wanted something to push around I should have just given him a box. He's is really cute with it though. It was great to see all the regular family traditions like: breakfast at Grandpa Heslop's and fondue at Grandma Robinson's.