Christmas

We stuck around for about a week before heading to Olympia for about 9 days. Our drive over was uneventful, although we left about 2 hours later than we planned. We left Friday, and Saturday my little sister threw me a baby shower.

It was a small shindig, and some friends that live over on the westside were able to come. Some I don't get to see that often too! We had fun, I also learned that geometry can come in handy when trying to guess how many candies are in a jar.

I got some great baby things, including things I didn't think of, namely bath stuff. Also some fun toys and a couple of outfits.

I also got the best surprise! When my sister called to ask to throw me a shower, she asked what I wanted. Joking, I told her I wanted an ice cream cake with an airplane being piloted by a giraffe. Since, we don't know the gender, I couldn't decided between two themes, airplanes or jungle/giraffes. So, we are going with both. Alice was able to get the cake decorator to fulfill my crazy pregnancy desires.

Totally awesome baby shower cake!

Sunday, we all went to church for the Christmas program. It was really good, and dad was even there. We only stayed for first hour, but I was able to see some of the people I was hoping too. I also got some very unwanted child birthing advise... I guess that comes with the territory.

Also, a friend of my mom, gave me a sweater than my mom had made. It was very unexpected. She had a baby boy a couple months or so before mom died and mom had given her a sweater, with a hat and socks. At the time she caught me, we didn't know how many sweaters mom had made for her business. I have received some blankets my grandmother collected from my aunts that my mom made. This sister, wanted to pass this set on to us. She told me about how she was always impressed by what my mom could create and the knowledge of the Gospel. I will treasure this sweater, and will use it to tell my children about their grandmother, and the compassion and service of this one sister.

Christmas, was interesting this year. It was different, but good. I was able to surprise Brody with a set of ratcheting combination wrenches, and he surprised me with an All-Clad skillet!

After Christmas, my sisters and I went through some of my mom's crafting and business stuff. We were able to claim sweaters, blankets, socks, and hats. Brody and I also went looking for a traditional rocking chair. It took us all morning one day driving around the Olympia area, but we finally found one!

Overall it was a good trip and we enjoyed being able to spend some time with my family for happy things.

Memorial Day Weekend

This weekend Brody and I did separate things. I went away, and he stayed.

Brody stayed and worked on homework and on Monday went sailing with his friend Thane.

This is the sailboat they purchased

Refurbishing the boat.

They wanted a dragon on the boat, it looks very nice.

Getting ready to sail Rock Lake

Sailing, well minus the sails.

I went to the Westside to see a good friend, and to run a 10k.

Friday, I went to a Baseball game with Jessie.

Mariner's lost of course, but it was the closer's fault! If they hadn't of changed pitchers it would have been 4-2 not 6-4!!!

On Saturday, we drove out to Westport for her dad's birthday. I am close to the family, enough so that I call him Father George.

Westport is on the Pacific Ocean.

Almost a year ago, I was at the Emerald Coast...

Gulf of Mexico

What a difference!!

In Westport there is a Museum and out side there are some displays with whale bones.

Baleen

Sea Lion Bones

Wauna, the Gray Whale

I also participated in some beach driving... I thought, having been raise in an area where it is illegal, driving on the beach is illegal. Not in Washington!

Just look at that! SUV's on the beach!

Fishing in the tide.

Rocky beach.

Dark sand, which is coarse, not soft.

Drift wood is everywhere

SO MANY ROCKS!

I also got a chance to walk around with sweet little Anna, she is six weeks old. I was also one of the few people she spit up on. Poor girl has reflux.

Moby wraps are awesome!

They were some Sea Lions on a slip. 

They were huge.

And very close!

And they were loud!

Feeling left out, angry, and coping!

In the last 6 months I have felt like EVERYONE and their dog was announcing they are pregnant. It has been SUPER HARD on me, for many reasons. I had been handling it alright until June, when I had a major break down and went into a slight depression over the whole issue of when to have a baby.
I would get mad at people who couldn't keep their mouths shut about how they just found out, or how they were not sure they wanted a baby yet, or better yet the 'It was an accident!'. I tried to busy myself with projects and a much need long vacation away.
Things got much better, especially when we finally decided we were ready, but had to wait until school started! Then came the 'slap in the face'... My brother, who he and his wife had to move in with my parents for various reasons, announced of FACEBOOK, they are expecting! Yes! On facebook, not in a phone call to his family. They had just taking the home pregnancy tests and were 'so excited, we weren't thinking'!!!
I wanted to jump through the computer and punch his wife in the stomach, I still do but more of a b**** slap for being so stupid!
This last weekend I went to Oly, to see some friends and to go blueberry picking with my sister, as with our tradition since she started high school.  I was so made about the whole situation that I refused to stay at the house for longer than and hour because I couldn't handle running into them. Mainly because I, was to tempted to do something irrational. Now my brother thinks I hate him, and I do, to a point, but it really does hurt to find out your sister-in-law is pregnant over facebook, especially when you have been off birth control since January and 'flying by the seat of your pants' since March. But I am more mad at his wife for being stupid enough to want a baby while they are living with my parents!

But in the last few days, I have been able to see that I am coping and moving on! Which is HUGE for me! (Brody is just really glad I didn't get sucked into another depression with the news, me too! Our house can not handle me not cleaning for an undisclosed amount of time...) I noticed that when I saw my friends announcement on facebook of he and his wife excepting, I was excited. I have also been frantically knitting and making hats for all the people I know expecting. Although, I am feeling a little over whelmed by the sheer number of people I know who are having babies, or just had! Last time I looked my list was 24 or so... Well I guess I better get back to my hat making!

Snow, snow, and more to come!!!

Now that it is after Thanksgiving, and quite the Thanksgiving did we have, we can now play Christmas music, and put up our decorations!!!

But before I talk about all of our Christmas plans, I am going to talk about Thanksgiving! We traveled across the state to visit my parents in Olympia. I had to leave Sunday, to go to Portland for a Jewelry Show. The weather leaving wasn't bad at all. It had just started to snow in Pullman and on the way there was no snow. Monday night, it snowed, and in Portland that means EVERYTHING comes to a stop. I was planning on leaving at 7ish Tuesday to avoid rush hour, instead I waited until 9.30-10. It still took me an hour to travel 15 miles! There was not snow on the road nor was there ice!!! I did make good time after I got out to the Portland area. Then when I got into Olympia! The roads were treacherous! I was glad that the lady hosting the show in Olympia decided to cancel due to weather!

Other than crazy drivers and bad winter roads our little vacation was good. I was able to spend some time with my new sister-in-law. Still not sure what I think of her. She is nice, but a little naive, but so was I at 19. Here are a few pictures from the wedding.

The Happy Couple

Me and my little Sister 

One day his face will get stuck...

Can I use this as our Christmas card picture...

We came back to Pullman Saturday, and there was a good TWO FEET of SNOW!! And it keeps coming! We haven't been able to park and unload the car yet, because we can't get up our drive way! I am going to make a snowman soon... Maybe tonight for FHE we will...