The nightly routine

These days, my evenings after work look something like this:

Come home
Help make dinner
Eat dinner
Fall dead asleep on couch

Where does laundry, workout, dishes, and spend time with Sam fit into all that you ask?

Good question. Here's hoping my energy finds me again soon.

What is it with pickles and pregnancy?

I'm so relieved to be able to finally talk about being pregnant! This little miracle is just what we wanted this year and we can't wait to finally have a little family!

Sam and I found out 3 days after Valentine's Day (even earlier than I expected) and 3 more tests at various times of day for the next 2 days confirmed it.

As for how I'm feeling, my symptoms have been across the board. First of all, the term "morning sickness" is a complete crock. It should be called "hits-whenever-it-darn-well-pleases sickness". They always say to eat crackers or something before you get out of bed in the morning and to have something in your stomach every hour....lies. I had no control whatsoever about when I felt sick. Thankfully, I've only thrown up twice. Now that I'm into my second trimester, my energy and appetite are back. I shouldn't even say my appetite is back, it's back and badder than ever. I'm surprised by how little weight I've gained, considering how much I feel like I'm piling in.

As for the question in the title, I think it's all about the salt and boy do I know about that! I've even lost a lot of my desire for chocolate. (Ok, some.) After I first found out, I furiously went through all our chips and salsa in 24 hours. Then throughout the first trimester it's been: nuts, egg sandwiches, our homemade oven-baked potato wedges, goldfish, green bean casserole, more chips and homemade salsa, etc. Every week it was something new and what I had craved the previous week suddenly made me sick, but it was always salt. Good thing I have below average blood pressure. For now. :)

 12 weeks and nothing to see (except 5 more lbs. Boo.)

My midwives and hematologist say I'm in great health and my heartbeat was even too strong for them to find the baby's heartbeat on the Doppler at my first appointment. Hence our ultrasound at 10.5 weeks. (Just today I also got to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time.) He/she is healthy, very active, and we can't wait to find out if we're having a boy or girl! One more month!

P.S. YES I DID rock climb at 12 weeks pregnant. Take that, pregnancy stereotypes!

Shannon #3

Word on the street is that the stork is headed our way. . .and it's true! Our first little pumpkin is due October 29th, just in time for my favorite holiday!

The proof:

I'm now almost 13 weeks, but here's Baby Shannon's first photo earlier this month at 10 weeks. He/she is a little dancer and was jumping ALL around during the ultrasound! We're going to have a very active child!

Have I been feeling excited/nauseous/terrified/starving/dying to tell/blessed/exhausted/humbled/dizzy/thrilled? You bet! Lots more to come!

Catch Up

Maybe all that blogging in February took it out of me for awhile. I can't believe it's more than halfway through April!

So to catch up: the first weekend of the month Sam and I enjoyed snuggling up and watching General Conference. The weather was so nice that weekend that we actually went up to Rock Canyon Park on Saturday afternoon to throw around the football, play some frisbee, and enjoy the oudoors.

Then last weekend my parents came to town for a few days! Good food and good times. That's what you can be assured with my family. We went to Ross's Concert Choir concert on Friday night and while the boys when skiing on snowboarding on Saturday, my mom and I had a fun day shopping.


Then this Friday we had a 5+ hour double date with Ross and Anna! We went indoor rock climbing at The Quarry in Provo and then went out for dinner and dessert until 11pm. We just love laughing with them and had such a good time that we completely lost track of how long it was going. (Pictures courtesy of Facebook - thanks, Anna!)

 Sam dominating the wall.

 Learning to belay.

 Happy climber!

Ross and Anna.

Aren't they cute?

 Bouldering (aka climbing without a harness or safety ropes. Don't worry, the floor was memory foam.)

Ross showing off.  

Yesterday as I was cleaning the apartment, I turned on some 80's on Pandora, opened all the windows, and loved every second. The return of spring just makes everyone infinitely happier. I'm soooo hoping that the nice weather is here to stay! (You hear that, snow? Don't you dare show your face again until Christmas!)

The Civil War

In our free time over the last several evenings, Sam and I have been watching the documentary The Civil War by Ken Burns and loving it. It reminds me of my mom and all the forts and battlefields we saw growing up. It reminds me how little we know about our own history as Americans and how many people we have to thank for preserving that title. The Civil War was really more than the growing pains of a new nation, it took our country from many united states, each with their own identity, to "The United States" as we know it today. I also love hearing the stories of individual soldiers and generals and how much we have in common with men and women who lived centuries ago.

It also feels good to be choosing more entertainment that's both educational and uplifting. I'm adding one more thing to my ever-expanding list of goals. :)

Spring Wreath

This year's first craft!

I think it could still use a bird or two and some feathers.  What do you think?

And the bracket goes up in flames

It's been a tense night. Both BYU and Duke were eliminated tonight. (The latter was particularly surprising.)

I may have to make the hubs a cake.