Out of the Office

Heading to girl's camp tomorrow morning. I think we're gonna get soaked, which means I'm doing my hair curly and not straightening it (too much information ... perhaps). My mother-in-law arrived to help with Rachel (how awesome is she!) and I doubt the little tyke will even notice I'm gone. But I sure will miss her! I'll miss my man too ... especially since Brandon's 27th Birthday is TOMORROW (July 30th)! Happy Birthday!

Today

Just felt like doing a little photo shoot today - especially since I actually made our bed, which is a rare occurrence. Our bed is one of Rachel's favorite places to play.

5 years!

Happy anniversary to us! Who knew five years could go so fast!!

To celebrate, we spent Sunday night in Sedona, AZ (about 2 hours north of Phoenix) for a relaxing, little getaway. (Thanks, Kasey, for babysitting Rachel!) It was one of the most beautiful parts of Arizona I've seen (the pictures don't even do it justice)! It sort of reminded me of Park City, UT except a lot hotter. Our present to each other was a new Mac desktop that we actually got a couple months ago and I love, love, love it.

[Brandon, don't look at this collage yet ... this is your anniversary card and I'm getting it printed for you today! Love you! ]

p.s. Countdown to Girl's Camp: 9 days

p.p.s. My doctor told me he'd give me a note to help get me out of going to camp if I wanted one (he's the best!) but I told him that I should probably go and he ok'd it (and then told me to come back for the note if I changed my mind). :)

Pregnancy Update: I am 28 weeks pregnant today and my appointment went great. He seems to be measuring big (like Rachel) so I'll mostly likely get induced a week before my due date and both grandma's already have their flights booked to come down (hooray!). I actually looked at the weight gain today and it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going (hallelujah); I was pleasantly surprised that I might gain less weight with this little guy than I did with Rachel. It just looks like I literally have a basketball in my shirt and is sticking out a lot more than I remember with Rachel. At least my old earrings still fit, right?! :)

I can't believe I am surviving this 115 degree weather - it's nuts.

Helping Spread the Word

Maybe you already heard me advertise on facebook about this, but just in case you didn't (I get a free shelf from him if I help spread the word) ...

I just bought a sofa table in Utah (and made room for it to come home with us in the car after our 4th of July trip) and I love how it turned out!! I ordered it from loveyourshelf.com and he's really great to work with. He sells a variety of wood pieces (shelves, benches, tables, etc.) and you can pick your paint color; he makes it at his home and does it as a side business (he's a seminary teacher full time). Anyway, it was just what I wanted and for a price that was affordable, in my opinion.

Slept in

Rachel has been waking up 6a or earlier everyday for probably the last month. She has been waking up early (no matter how late she stays up, so we try to get her in bed around 7p) since she's moved to the big girl bed. I was so spoiled before and she would sleep for at least 12-13 hrs/night just a few months ago and sleep until 7:30 or 8am - it was wonderful, but I knew it couldn't last.

When she wakes up she will either yell, "MOM, I awake now!" from her bed or she'll come sneak into our room and come wake me up.

Last night she went to bed a little later since we had a babysitter over, but I didn't anticipate she'd sleep in. Well, I woke up and looked at the clock and it was 7:45am - wow! It was a miracle that she actually slept in ... or not ... I went to her room and she wasn't there - she was just playing quietly in the living room all by herself. I have no idea what time she woke up, nor do I really care :) because I got to sleep in and it was fabulous! Thank you, Rachel!

4th of July Weekend

I love the 4th of July ... especially in Orem/Provo, so that's where we went (goodbye 110+ degree weather). We left Wednesday around 5p and drove through the night (Brandon is a rockstar long distance driver) and we got home Monday night, so it was a pretty good amount. Rachel was really good in the car (a special thanks to "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse - Choo Choo Express" and lots of library books) and other than a runny nose and not quite enough sleep, she was fairly pleasant all weekend.

Just before we left, mom wanted me to make up an invitation for her BBQ, and I loved how it turned out (I totally copied the idea off tinyprints.com):

Ever since I was little, we went to the hot air balloon festival and I still love it. It was windy, so only 3-4 balloons got off the ground, but we still had fun with the Parker/Thompson family. This was the first time I've ever had to explain to Rachel what to do if she got lost (luckily, she didn't have to use the directions I had given her!) - and it was sure cute to hear her practice. "Find a mommy and say 'I lost, a name Rachel Hale, I 2'". After the balloons, I had my first experience trying Kneader's french toast - yum!

My brother Cade (15), me, nana, Rachel, Grandpa & Grandma Thompson, Chad, Logan, Cindy. Brandon would have come except that he went golfing with his dad & brothers.

We were especially excited to go home to meet the new babies!! Chad & Cindy had a little boy at the end of May - Logan David Parker. And Chris & Kacie had a little boy named Chase Bradley Hale, born June 4. How fun that our little guy is going to have boy cousins on both sides just a few months older than him!!

Brandon & new newphew, Chase

Kacie made the girl cousins matching outfits with the letter of their name to match - here's Kennedy, Rachel & Brynn showing them off. So cute!!

Brandon & Rachel with new nephew, Logan. I had a little photoshoot with him (I'll post pics later) and it was a lot of fun to play with him and practice taking pictures with my "manual" setting. He was so cute and was a good boy!

Grandma Nancy & Chase

Grandma Nancy got a bounce house for the kids to play in and they had such a ball! What a great grandma toy to have! On Saturday, all the cousins spent most the day at Grandma's house and had a great time jumping, swimming, watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and doing fireworks. Brandon and Chris enjoyed the fireworks more than the kids since they add fireworks to the tanks and have "tank wars". Seriously, you would have thought they were 10 years old. Then they made a giant popper by taking the insides of 100 poppers/snappers and putting them all together in one = very loud popper!

Hale Cousins - Cannon, Mason, Kennedy, Rachel & Brynn

Swimming in the hot tub (temp turned down) at Grandma's house

On Saturday night, we went to the "Stadium of Fire" in Provo with my family and it was such a good show (Grandma Nancy babysat Rachel)! Carrie Underwood performed and she is absolutely AMAZING live and just gorgeous! The most exciting part of the show was when one of the in-field firework towers malfunctioned and started shooting fireworks into the crowd - it was in the VIP section too! It was so crazy, but it was in the last 5 minutes of the show and there wasn't a big deal made about it - I read on the news that 3 people were injured/burned and treated on the scene, but I was shocked that there wasn't anyone seriously hurt.

My Grandma Thompson got a new vehicle and she calls it her "convertible" and let us grandkids take a ride. Here's Nana & Rachel cruising in the neighborhood in the "convertible". :)

I have a love-hate relationship with the parade, but we always go - I guess I am just always a little disappointed, but Rachel had a great time so it was definitely worth staying for. I love this patriotic picture of Rachel - note the blankie - a number of times over the weekend, Rachel told me, "mom, brrr it's cold, need a jacket!" This was in 80 degree weather! We have officially ruined her by living in AZ! Funny stuff!

Cousin Mason & Rachel with their flags and doughnuts, of course!

Nana with her grandkids - Logan & Rachel

Family picture at the parade - luckily I am ok with this "angle" of the tummy (26 wks)

Selling Stuff

Random, but I'm selling a bunch of stuff this week, so contact me if you want details on something specific before I put it out on the internet. I'll probably try to sell most of it on craigslist (phoenix) or ksl classifieds (utah) since I'll be up there in a few weeks.

- Mac keyboard / mouse

- my old Petunia Pickle Bottom diaper bag

- Franklin Covey leather planner

- a couple pairs of infant girl shoes

- kiddopotamus swaddle wrap with velcro (pink)

- obuba nursing cover-up

- knock-off new york purse

- fabric shower curtain (white & blue)

- working printer (just got a new one)

- ellen show high chair & stroller (but I doubt anyone wants to buy these since they are so pricey!)