a baby brother...

We are having a

BOY!

 We had such a great experience at Millcreek Imaging

Center. Our ultrasound technician was so patient and sweet
with Mabel and let her help with everything.  She also
gave us the great news that our baby is healthy and growing
right on schedule - and it's a BOY!

I felt like we were meant to have a baby boy since

before we started trying. I had an experience where
I just knew there was a little boy that was meant to be
part of our family.  It would surprise Nate early
on when I would confidently talk about our baby
 as a boy. Now the problem is boy names...
so hard for us.

Mabel is starting to grasp the concept that her little brother
is growing inside my tummy. The other day she randomly
lifted up my shirt (in the middle of the store) and
gave my belly a hug and a kiss. She has such
a tender heart and this little brother will
be blessed to have such a great big sister.

I read this post from a blogger I follow
about "Introducing a New Baby to 
Your First" and I loved her thoughts and advice.

22 Weeks with Baby Boy and Baby Mabel 

(makes me want to chop my hair and straighten it but I am NOT giving in this time!)

Ice Castles

A few weeks ago we drove to Midway

and met some friends at the Ice Castles.

Mabel, who had just seen Disney's Frozen 

the week before, kept saying it looked 

just like Elsa's house!

I agreed. 

----N.Y.E 2014----

New Year's Eve

bowling!

Nate dug out his party pants:

We met up with some friends at the 

All Star Lanes in West Jordan where we 

bowled until we could bowl no more!

Nate ("Killer") made me proud with a 138...

and this was my best game with a 115.

The Ladies

(Jocelyn, Me, Jamie, Megan)

By the third game I could barely left my ball

(I blame pregnancy exhaustion!) and I started just

setting the ball on the ground and rolling

it through my legs.

My final score barely made it into 

double digits.

Good times!

Nate and I met on New Year's Eve

14 years ago!

I sure love this guy and I love our story.

(even though it initially involved a few lies

regarding my age & a fake bull-riding career)

We got home around 10:30pm and watched the

ball drop with my mom who stayed home with 

Mabel so we could have a fun night out.

(Thanks mama!)

HAPPY 2014!

P.S.

Hope you are enjoying Martin Luther King, Jr

Day today - here is one of my favorite quotes:

"I have decided to stick with love. 

Hate is too great a burden to bear."

-MLK Jr.

The GOOD, the BAD, and the UGLY!!

.....the GOOD....

Our neighbors, the Dabo's, hosted their 3rd annual

Christmas gift card event.  Instead of buying gifts and goodies

for neighbors everyone takes the money they would

have spent and gets gift cards for

a local charity.  This year it was for the  

South Valley Sanctuary.  It's a domestic violence shelter for 

men, women, and children.

We walked over to the Dabo's house and had hot 

chocolate and doughnuts and put our
gift cards in a big stocking. 

Mabel was in mini marshmallow heaven!

It was coooooooooold but we bundled
up for a good cause!

....the BAD....

The Dabo's also hosted an 

Ugly Sweater Party/White Elephant Gift Exchange

and it was hilarious!
So many awful sweaters!
(and gifts that were terrible in an awesome way too)

Kurt and Kara...so bad. So good.

Jocelyn and Andy...she MADE THESE out

of vintage tree skirts! So clever. 

I got my lovely nightgown/sweater from Calvary

Thrift Store for a $1.00.

Scottie Dogs United!

....the UGLY....

Nathan and Tyler won for ugliest.

This picture makes me laugh pretty hard.

Family Time

{Temple Square}

We almost got frostbite, and it was really crowded,

but, as usual, the lights did not disappoint! We 

were able to make it up to the Christus statue too which

was lovely as well. 

This picture doesn't do it justice but

this red tree is so beautiful!

Mabel insisted on bringing her stoller with

us which was the funniest thing ever to navigate
through the crowds of people!  It's funny now.

I wanted to poke my eyes out then.

{FROZEN}

We took Mabel to her first movie,

"Frozen" and she loved it! I wasn't sure if 

she would sit through the whole thing but she did.

She liked eating popcorn and drinking 

from daddy's slurpee.

(Nate took some time off work and we were

in heaven with him home AND Nana

and Grandpa and Jacob around - it was the best!)

Kraig and Jacob drove home the Saturday

before New Year's (Mabel was so sad!) 

but my mom stayed for another week, 

woo hoo!!!

{Tea Time}

My mom has had this tea set for awhile now 

(my Nana gave it too her for when Mabel was ready)

and Mabel was in tea time heaven.

Grandma Naylor tasting the Lemon Curd I 

got her for Christmas - it was REALLY good!

She loves lemon.

My mom and I both both found 

French Presses on sale and were excited to

try some of our new Crio Bru drink.

It was GROSS!

It's a super healthy hot chocolate drink

but it tastes like watered down baking chocolate.

Once we added some cream and sugar 

it helped a little bit, but then it wasn't 

very healthy anymore!

It was fun to try it and I love that my mom

is always up to some fun food/drink adventures!