23 Weeks Pregnant

Here is me at 23 weeks pregnant. About 3 weeks ago I was able to start feeling the baby moving around. It is so fun to experience. Brian likes a lot to feel my stomach when she is moving, it makes him so happy. It has been a bit harder to sleep at night but not that bad; it seems like Brian in his sleep always wants to hug me or push me into a position that is not comfortable. I am so hungry all the time now. I can't eat a lot at once so that makes me want to keep eating food all day long.

All the Christmas decorations are up and Brian & I have all our presents under the tree. The tree looks like it is so full of presents but it is just from Brian and I; I wrapped all of Brian's separately so it looks like a lot. Today Brian's parents and I are putting up the lights on the house and plants. I really like the garland they put over the garage, it makes it look nice during the day. We have our present for Emily & Neil all wrapped and ready to give to them so we are so excited to come visit and see them open it.

I scheduled to get our Christmas picture taken on the 19th by a lady in our ward. She needs to put a portfolio together so she is taking pictures for free. I think it will just be nice to have a good looking picture of us because we don't have very many pictures with Brian and I.

20 Weeks Ultrasound

I had an ultrasound last Thursday and got some great pictures. We also found out that we are having a girl. It is so exciting to know now. I am already thinking of all the cute clothes I can make for her. It is going to be so fun.

18 Weeks Pregnant

Ultrasound 17 Weeks

I had an ultrasound on Halloween. Here are some pictures that I got. Not sure if it is a boy or girl yet.

Carving Pumpkins

We carved pumpkins on Sunday. From left to right they are Aveire's girl pumpkin with eyelashes and ears, Brian's Jack the Pumpkin King pumpkin, and Laura's haunted house pumpkin. We all had a fun time scooping out the insides and then it took Laura a long time to carve her's because she wanted to try something hard. Then after Brian was playing video games for a while he didn't want to carve his so Laura did it for him but at least he picked out the design. We also had to roast the seeds and they tasted so good but there were too many to eat last night so we still have quite a few left to eat later.

Worms!

Our ward had a Halloween potluck and trunk-or-treat on Saturday so Brian and I decided to make Jello Worms to bring. They were so fun to make and not very many people ate them probably because they were just not sure what it was. It was fun for the kids though, Romney and Averie thought it was cool to eat worms. Ben helped us eat the Jello scraps from the mold.

For the recipe go here. It was basically make Jello and then pour it into a half gallon milk carton with a lot of straws inside. The bendy ones make them look more real. Then when it is hard you separate the straws and push out the Jello. In a bowl they looked pretty gross.

Wrench Case

Brian has been having a lot of trouble lately finding his wrenches because we do not have a lot of room in the garage and we never had a better way of organizing his tools other than throwing everything into 1 toolbox so I started making cloth wrap up cases for his wrenches so he can carry them over to where he is working and every size has its own spot so he can just put them back in each slot when he is done. I think it will work pretty well. Here is the first one I made all from stuff I already had, cost me nothing.

Camping at O'Neill Regional Park

Just Brian and I went camping last Friday to O'Neill Regional Park. It is a fairly close place and the facilities are very nice, shady campsites, nice bathrooms. We cooked steak, sweet potatoes, and carrots on the barbecue for dinner and that tasted very nice. We made dutch oven peach cobbler and ice-cream in ziploc bags. Our hands got very cold making the ice-cream but it tasted so good with the cobbler. We put the leftover ice bags back in the cooler and I think one had a leak because then all of our sodas had salt on the lid which made it hard to drink. We just had a fun time sitting around the fire and in the morning we rode our bicycles around the park for a while and that was pretty fun. All in all it was a more relaxing camping trip than others but it was nice to get outside and just have a chance to be together. We had a lot of fun.

Pregnancy 12 Weeks

Here I am at 12 weeks. I am not sure if you can see anything in this picture but Brian has noticed my tummy increasing in size.

11 Weeks Ultrasound

We got some pretty good pictures at my first ultrasound yesterday at 11 weeks. Baby is still due around April 1-5. At first the baby was just laying there not moving and then it was very exciting when he started jumping around doing flips and flailing his arms and legs. We were so happy. :) It is still too early to tell if it is a boy or girl yet but picture 8 looks interesting.

Another Motorcycle?

Brian's Honda Rebel broke right before I went to Washington on his way to school. I had to go pick him up and put the bike on our car rack to drive back home. We are not sure yet what happened but it sounds like a major engine issue. Brian plans on trying to fix it when he has some time like Christmas break or something and then try to sell it for around $2500 but for now he needed a motorcycle to drive to school in the meantime.

He found a 1981 Honda Goldwing GL 1100 on Craigslist for $1000 so he went and picked that up when I was gone. It has been a pretty good bike. He had to replace a head gasket and get the head re-surfaced because it had some low spots and wasn't making a good seal. But considering we only paid $1000 and the repair wasn't much either because he did it all himself except getting the head re-surfaced which was only $35 and now that it is running very good it was a good deal. So that is what Brian drives to school everyday and the seats are much more comfortable to ride on than the Rebel. I like it. It is a lot bigger bike and very heavy so I am always careful the never tip it over because I would not be able to pick it up.

We are taking it to oceanside on Friday which is a 2 hour drive to go camping with Eric & Desi because the bags can hold a lot more stuff than the Rebel did and the ride will be better with the more comfortable seats. It is going to be so fun.

Going to the Gym

I got a gym membership to Bally Total Fitness along with Brian because his school was having a really good deal. So today I went for the first time for a half hour and it was really great. I like just moving around in the pool in the mornings because it makes me not feel sick. I didn't swim really hard but it just felt good to get out of the house, relax, stretch and walk around in the water. I want to go everyday because it just feels so good especially in the morning.

Oh, and I also tried out a swimsuit I made with the serger. I finally found a way to sew them without the seams breaking when stretched. It feels really comfortable and I am not worried about breaking it.

Brian's White Coat Ceremony

Brian had his White Coat ceremony today at Western University of Health Sciences. It is similar to a graduation but instead of receiving a diploma he gets cloaked with his first doctor's white coat which symbolizes the start of his medical education. Click here for more information on the ceremony. We also got to tour his campus and eat a nice lunch. For more pictures please see my facebook.

NEW SERGER!!

I finally got a serger today. It is a Husqvarna s21 that I found on craigslist. The girl that was selling it bought it for school and then realized that she needed a different kind so it is brand new and I got it for half the price, $500. I like the table attachment and the garbage bag that catches the scraps as they get cut off.

I have been saving up money from sewing jobs that I have been working. Lori is an LDS lady in orange that I have been making swimsuit patterns for and sewing a few suits but not much because I didn't have a serger. I always had only a few hours a week of work from Lori so it wasn't as much as I wanted. Then Lori moved in with a new roommate Karen who makes custom clothing for some people, including costumes. Karen hired me as a Sample Maker making patterns and sewing them. Sometimes I just help her organize her garage workspace and have started a few interesting costumes. I am much happier working with Karen because the hours are a lot better; I work about 5 hours a day. With Karen I feel like I am an all around assistant, the other day she had me pick tomatoes from her garden and dehydrate them. She is a great person, very religious and I can tell that she is a good person to be around.

I am also excited about using this serger for my own swimsuits. It has been very hard to find a stitch on my sewing machine that would stretch and not break when pulled so that is why I haven't really sold any modest swimsuits because I didn't want to sell something that wasn't perfect. I want to make good quality swimsuits that people will like and tell their friends that I make good products. Now with this serger I am confident that the main thing standing in they way of good quality is gone and I can try out a few styles that I have in mind.

Boating: Lake Perris

We took our boat out to lake Perris on Saturday with Eric & Desi, Eric's Dad and teenage brother. It was lots of fun, we pulled out the tube and also tried waterskiing although the water was pretty choppy by that time. We stopped for a nice lunch on the island that has picnic tables and nobody goes there because the water is low and you have to walk through bushes to get up to the tables. I think I got a little burned but we all had a great time.

My swimsuit worked out pretty well sitting on the boat, tubing, waterskiing, walking around on the shore. It is great for sitting and gives me the flexibility to work getting the boat ready. It also protected my shoulders from getting burned, they are always the worst.

Modest Swimsuit

I have been in dire need of a new swimsuit for a while now. The fabric on my old one is very obviously wearing thin. I found this website that makes 2 piece swimsuits that are a dress and leggings. I almost bought one but then decided that I could make the pattern myself because I have some free time. I used AutoCAD to draft the pattern from scratch which I found to be much easier than the traditional method of paper and pencil I learned in my patternmaking class at BYU. I really like this style because it has a higher neckline than most 1 piece suits and I do not have to find a pair of shorts to wear over because I do not like showing all of my legs, it is kinda uncomfortable. It will be great for boating, I can sit on the boat in it and then also jump straight into the water or wear walking around on the beach. It is more comfortable also because it has no vertical stretch so I don't have a permanent wedgie. I can worry less than wearing a rash guard and shorts because the skirt covers the waist.

So I really like it and it was not very hard to make. For me it is the perfect combination of comfort, security, freedom of movement, and modesty.

Universal Studios

Brian surprised me by going to Universal Studios for our two year Anniversary. It was really fun. I enjoyed all the shows and they also have a few rides. My favorite was the Jurassic Park ride because at the beginning the plants and flowers look so nice and it is calm and then you drop and get wet like Splash Mountain. I don't usually like getting wet at amusement parks because it is usually not very hot but that day it was nice to get wet. My favorite show was the Water World show based on the movie. One thing I really liked is when we got some popcornand they let you refill it as many times as you want that day so I was eating popcorn a lot.

Grandpa's House

Here are some pictures of where we are living right now until sometime in July, these are mostly for my family because the Olson's have been here before. This is the backyard with the avocado tree and the patio. Our bedroom window is on the top closest to the tree.

This is the living room downstairs next to the front door and I have been using it for sewing because the empty bedrooms upstairs get too hot. Right now I am working on making a pattern for a swimsuit for myself. I will update more on that later.

This is the family room and kitchen. All of the furniture is Eric and Desi's but they let us use the table and couches. I like all the large windows in the kitchen, most of the day we leave the lights off.

California

We made it to California! After driving about 12 hours on Saturday we dropped off the boat and unloaded the U-Haul at Brian's parents house. We had a little bit of help but it wasn't much so we were tired after. Then we reloaded everything going to Grandpa's where we are staying and then unloaded it once we got there. We have been pretty tired lately with all the packing and unpacking. On Sunday we had church at 9 and then went to Reese's house for easter dinner and an indoor egg hunt.

Monday Brian called Penske to see if he would get that job and it did not work out because they needed someone who could work until the end of August but he is now working for Reese at the dental office sterilizing instruments during lunchtime and at the end of the day. He is getting about 10 hours a week at $18. So that should be alright for the summer. Brian is also looking for people who want their home videos on blu-ray or dvd, starting with Reese's videos. So if he gets a few people's videos to work on that would keep him busy.

I have been looking for a seamstress job doing fitting or something similar. There was a perfect one in Redondo Beach at a tuxedo shop but that is to far away. I also applied to Joanns yesterday so we will see how that goes. I called Disneyland about that job and they said it usually takes 4-6 weeks to process the applications. That is way too long, but maybe I get the Joanns job and then switch to Disneyland after a few months.

We are still setting up everything in our bedroom but we got some food yesterday and have been borrowing Leanne's semi broken car to drive back and forth. We keep forgetting things we need that are back at Brian's parents house.

Eric and Desi are the married couple living here at Grandpa's with us and they are really nice, we enjoy talking and hanging out in the evenings when they get back from work. Cherissa also lives here but we never see her.

We grabbed some lemons from a tree in the olson's neighbors yard that hangs over their fence. We got about 20 and they are huge, we made some lemonade and it was good. These lemons have quite a bit of juice in them, I think for a 2 quart we used like 6 lemons. There is also an avocado tree in grandpa's yard and from our bedroom on the 2nd story we can just reach out and pick them.

So we are having a lot of fun, there are nice parks nearby so we have been running and riding bikes in the morning.

Moving Troubles

On Friday Brian and I were leaving for California to drop off all of our stuff. We had the car and boat loaded and drove for about an hour when the Durango stopped working and a large grinding noise happened. We pulled off the side of the freeway and opened the hood. After it cooled down we tried to start it again and the oil cap flew off about 30 feet away. Our insurance covered a tow truck to tow us back to the dodge dealer in Provo. We got there late when all the mechanics were going home so we left all our stuff at the dealer overnight and found a ride home from a friend and also found an air mattress to sleep on for the night. Saturday morning the mechanic called and said that the engine threw a rod and we need to replace the engine but they are not sure if the long block or short block needs to be replaced. They quoted us $5,000 or $8,000 depending on which needs to be replaced. Obviously somewhere else can do it for much cheaper.

So all of this got Brian and I thinking about our summer plans and we have decided not to go to Florida for the summer and just drive straight to California after graduation. Brian got referred a temporary job at a place similar to a U-Haul at the sales counter and it is looking very good that he will get that job for the summer. He doesn't have an interview yet but the guy who referred him is his brother's bishop and they need lots of people. As for me, I am looking for a job nearby Placentia as a seamstress or something similar. Maybe fitting, alterations, upholstery. I found a job listing for a Casual Regular Seamstress for Disneyland and it includes fitting and altering costumes for people in parades, shows, or costumes like the princesses. I just hope disney will let me work because I am not sure if not showing up to florida would break our contract, we need to call them on Monday.

In august we were going to live at Brian's Parent's house but right now there are still a few single girls renting rooms so we might live at Grandpa's house which is pretty close with another one of Brian's married cousins. The house is in the courts right now and they are still deciding what to do with it but in the meantime some people are just living there for free except utilities. We can move into his parent's house in July when the renters move out.

So that is just what we are doing for the summer, we are optimistic about graduating and moving to our next period of life.

Motorcycle

So Brian got a motorcycle about a month ago. We were thinking about in CA getting a 2nd car, just an old cheap one that gets better gas mileage then our Durango. So we got thinking about motorcycles because they get great gas mileage (Brian's gets about 80mpg) and cost less than an old car in the same condition. We decided to get a Honda Rebel 234cc because we heard it is great for learning and not too much power. He got a Utah driver's license and a motorcyclepermit that lets him drive but without passengers, at night, or on the freeway. He is now taking the class at SLCC that will give him the license when he finishes, then he can let me ride on the back. He always wears his full face helmet, jacket with armored shoulders and elbows,pants with armored knees, and gloves with armored knuckles. He got some bags to put his pants and other stuff in when he gets to school or work. He also just got a sissy bar which is a backrest for me and a larger bag that slips on the sissy bar to fit his jacket and strap a helmet on top. He gets really good parking at school, his classes are all in the Smith Field house and Richards Building so he parks right next to the building. In driving it around town he has begun to enjoy it, he thinks it is fun to ride. We got a carrier for our Durango that is like a bicycle carrier but the bike is supported under the tires, you use the ramp to push it up onto the rack and then strap it on so it doesn't roll off. We are going to take it to florida with us.

Kindle

I have been talking about getting a Kindle for a while now. I was thinking maybe getting one in July after we have saved up some more but this week Brian surprised me with a Kindle. It is so great. I started reading Treasure Island which was free. All the old classic books that don't have copyright are free. I also found some games like word games and a really fun maze game where the mouse has to get to the cheese.

I just got the Olson family cookbook on PDF and it looks great. The thing about PDFs are that they are usually too small to read because it scales a whole 8 1/2 x 11 down to the screen size but the cookbook is easy to read.

Last night I also sewed a case for it. I had some leftover cotton fabric and bought suedecloth for lining so the screen would not get scratched and some neoprene for inbetween so it would have some padding. The amount of padding or squishiness is perfect, not too thick but enough to protect it. I also made a pocket on the back for headphones or the power cord. It is nice to have stuff like that handy. So with buying all the fabric for the case it ended up costing me only $7 instead of buying a case for like $20-$30.

I also like the internet on it. This is kinda like my substitute for a smartphone sort of. And with this I have no monthly fees like a smartphone but it does not have as many capabilities as a smartphone. Just what I need though. I can check my email anywhere and look at facebook too. Google maps works ok, you can get the written directions but the visual map part of the screen is not very big and you can't zoom or pan. But it would still be very useful in the car if you needed to know how to get somewhere and I don't really like GPS because I want to see the big picture and not have a computer talk to me, that is weird.

I also got the scriptures on it, it is fairly easy to navigate to a certain verse. But I have yet to find a hymns that includes the notes, all of them are just the words which doesn't help much.

I also like that is plays audiobooks so now we can just get some on the kindle instead of cds from the library, we would probably only get free ones though. I can also listen to music while reading or playing games or looking at the internet on the speakers so I don't need headphones.

Well, I like it. I hope to be using it for recipes a lot and for fun too like games and internet and I can read books easily too while laying in bed because it is not heavy.

Flooding!

On Saturday Brian and I were out of the house for the morning and when we got back we found the clothes washer hose for the cold water came disconnected and started flooding our kitchen! With some quick thinking I turned off the valve at the washer box and we started sweeping the water out the back door. It was mostly in the Kitchen which is tile so not that bad but some got into the living room carpet about 5' from the kitchen. Luckily it did not get to any electronics or really anything at all. We have been using all our towels to suck up the water from the carpet and having our 2 fans going nonstop since then but the carpet is still pretty soaked, we have to throw the towels in the dryer every time we use them to soak up the water so we can get some more out of the carpet. Our manager is coming to fix the hose on Monday and hopefully he can bring some more fans so it will dry before it starts to mildew. Well at least none of our stuff got wet. It was just crazy when we opened the door to find a few inches of water.