New Place, New Baby, New Sister.

Lots of new things in our lives right now! We moved about a month ago, and we love it. More space, new decor, and a feeling of home. I've done a lot of redecorating, and eventually, when I can have the rooms picked up for longer than a min I'll take pics. We are going to totally redecorate the girls bedroom after Christmas because they are getting bunk beds, thanks to their Bella. (Grant's mom.) It's just fun to be out of a stark white environment, and so nice that my friend/landloard, Melinda, has such great taste and picked wonderful paint colors for this place!

We also are expecting our third baby. No we do not know the sex yet, but we really don't care what it is. We just want a healthy baby. Of course a girl would be nice because it would save us lots! Sienna is super excited, and has her boy name picked out, but she also says she thinks it's a girl. Maggie is oblivious, and her world will be rocked in May. It's so funny that we tried for a year, lost two babies, and right when we stopped trying and got on birth control, we got pregnant. The timing of things couldn't be anymore perfect. Grant will graduate a month before this little one arrives, and he'll actually get to be home more to help after the baby gets here. I think we've decided to do this birth by ourselves. My mom was there for Sienna, his mom was there for Maggie, and it was awesome to have all the help, but this could be our last baby, so we are going to have just me and him in the delivery room, and he'll get to take a week off to spend time with our new little family. I'm so looking forward to it! Then we can bring on the Grandmas!!!

Last of all, I'm getting a new sister in December! No my 50+ mother is not expecting, my little brother is getting married! I haven't met her yet, darn this living so far away, but Sienna spent a month in Texas this summer and she adores her new Aunt Sammy. From what I hear, she's pretty impressive,  is going to TCU, and is a track star. (at least to my brother) I've seen pics, and she is gorgeous, so I approve! We are going for the wedding and I can't wait to meet her! After Daniel gets hitched my parents have only one child left to get married! I can't believe how fast it went from living at home and us all being kids, to becoming married adults. My little sister, who is the only one not married, even has her own apartment, so you can hardly still call her anything but an adult. So weird.

So for our trip, I'm going to get some new maternity clothes. That's what I'm getting with my B-Day money.  Here are a few looks that I'm hoping I don't look awkward in!



I love this dress. I'm hoping it will be long enough on me!




Is anyone else obsessed with the tall sock, boot, legging combo??? I hope my short preggo legs look good in this trend, because its soooo wintery and I can't get enough.







Throw in a couple on long comfy cardigans, and call it a day. I love being preggo in the winter!

The Truth

Okay so this seriously disgusting pin is going around on pintrest of a larger woman naked on a chair stating how big is beautiful. First of all, I don't care how beautiful, big, or thin you are, I don't want to see your rolls naked on a chair. Gross. Second of all, you can preach big is beautiful and all that great stuff, (which I carry some extra lbs and I still feel attractive) and your husband will prob still find you hot, but there are some cold hard facts that this lady power crap is leaving out.

Check it-

Weight Loss: Health Risks Associated With Obesity

The health problems associated with obesity are numerous. Obesity is not just a cosmetic problem. It's a health hazard. Someone who is 40% overweight is twice as likely to die prematurely as is a normal-weight person. This is because obesity has been linked to several serious medical conditions, including:

• Heart disease and stroke.
• High blood pressure.
• Diabetes.
• Cancer.
• Gallbladder disease and gallstones.
• Osteoarthritis.
• Gout.
• Breathing problems, such as sleep apnea (when a person stops breathing for a short time during sleep) and asthma.

Doctors agree that the more overweight a person is, the more likely he or she is to have health problems. People who are overweight or obese are at  increased risk for chronic disease compared to normal-weight individuals People who are overweight or obese and can gain significant health benefits from losing weight. A person is considered obese if he or she weighs at least 20% more than the maximum healthy weight for his or her height.  Those at greatest risks for overweight/obesity related conditions include:

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• Family history of certain chronic diseases. People with close relatives who have had heart disease or diabetes are more likely to develop these problems if they are obese.
• Pre-existing medical conditions. High blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, or high blood sugar levels are all warning signs of some obesity-associated diseases.
• "Apple" shape. People whose weight is concentrated around their stomachs may be at greater risk of developing heart disease, diabetes or cancer than people of the same weight who are "pear-shaped" (they carry their weight in their hips and buttocks).

Fortunately, even a modest weight loss of 10 to 20 pounds can bring significant health improvements, such as lowering one's blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

How Is Obesity Linked to Heart Disease and Stroke?

Heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death and disability for people in the U.S. Overweight people are more likely to have high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, than people who are not overweight. Very high blood levels of cholesterol can also lead to heart disease and often are linked to being overweight. Being overweight also contributes to angina (chest pain caused by decreased oxygen to the heart) and sudden death from heart disease or stroke without any signs or symptoms.

The good news is that losing a small amount of weight can reduce your chances of developing heart disease or a stroke. If you are overweight, reducing your weight by 5%-10% is proven to decrease your chance of developing heart disease.

How Is Obesity Linked to Diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes reduces your body's ability to control blood sugar. It is a major cause of early death, heart disease, stroke, and blindness. Overweight people are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes compared to normal-weight people. Most cases of type 2 diabetes can be attributed to being overweight or obese. You can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by losing weight, eating a balanced diet, getting adequate sleep, and exercising more. If you have type 2 diabetes, losing weight and becoming more physically active can help control your blood sugar levels. Increasing your physical activity may also allow you to reduce the amount of diabetes medication you need.

How Is Obesity and Cancer Linked?

Several types of cancer are associated with being overweight. Being obese increases the risk of dying from cancer. Cancers of the colon, breast (postmenopausal), endometrium (the lining of the uterus), kidney, and esophagus are associated with obesity. Some studies have also reported links between obesity and cancers of the gallbladder, ovaries, and pancreas. For some types of cancer, such as colon or breast, it is not clear whether the increased risk is due to the extra weight or to a high-fat, high-calorie diet.

How Is Obesity Related to Gallbladder Disease?

Gallbladder disease and gallstones are more common if you are overweight. Your risk of disease increases as your weight increases. It is not clear how being overweight may cause gallbladder disease.

Ironically, weight loss itself, particularly rapid weight loss or loss of a large amount of weight, can actually increase your chances of developing gallstones. Modest, slow weight loss of about 1 pound a week is less likely to cause gallstones.

How Does Obesity Cause Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a common joint condition that most often affects the knee, hip, and lower back joints. Carrying extra pounds places extra pressure on these joints and wear away the cartilage (tissue that cushions the joints) that normally protects them.

Weight loss can decrease stress on the knees, hips, and lower back and may improve the symptoms of osteoarthritis.

How Is Obesity Linked to Gout?

Gout is a disease that affects the joints that is caused by high levels of a substance called uric acid in the blood. The large amount of uric acid can form into solid or crystal-like masses that deposit in the joints. Gout is more common in overweight people and the risk of developing the disorder increases with higher body weights.

Over the short term, certain dietary changes may lead to an attack of gout in people who have high levels of uric acid or who have had gout before. If you have a history of gout, check with your doctor before trying to lose weight.

How Is Obesity Linked to Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a serious breathing condition that is associated with being overweight. Sleep apnea can cause a person to snore heavily and to stop breathing for short periods during sleep. Sleep apnea may cause daytime sleepiness and even heart failure. The risk for sleep apnea increases as body weight increases. Weight loss usually improves sleep apnea.

I got this article from WebMd. People, seriously while yes we should love ourselves, we should also love ourselves enough to speak the truth. If your ten lbs overweight it can cut 10 years off your life. I want my daughters to love their bodies, but I want them to be healthy. No I will never be critical of extra weight on them, and no I will never see them as anything but beautiful, but I will never lie to them and tell them it's okay and there are no consequences to being obese. I don't think that does anyone any favors. I totally understand the weight loss battle, and as I stated before, I carry some extra weight, but I try as hard as I can to exercise and eat right to get to a healthy BMI. I will not give up and except defeat, because that's saying that I'm not stronger that food and laziness. It's not DNA, it's math. If you consume less than you burn you'll lose weight. I can win that battle. So can you. Don't give up, it's literally a life and death thing, whether you realize it now or in 20 years when you get a weight related disease. 

And that my friends is the truth. 

I'm Sorry, But We No Longer Need Your Service.

Moving can be annoying. All the packing, cleaning everything, unpacking blah blah blah. But one thing that I'm loving about this move is cancelling so many annoying monthly bills. Dear storage unit, we no longer need you or your monthly bill. Mr. Satellite that we have been paying on for two years, buh bye, your contract is about to expire. 40 bucks a month for internet, we'll trade that for a 25 buck plan. Reserved parking, I will kiss you and your backwards six and painted over RE that makes the spot say SERVED, for a nice little covered two car spot next to my back door.  That's right, we no longer need any of these services. And at the end of this move, we won't move again for a long, long, long time. I get to be settled. Sweet mother of pearl I'm excited.

Why I Love,...

It's been a long time! I think some months you have tons to say, and others, life gets in the way of blogging. Honestly, I like those busy months. I'm entering in to one, which is why I'm updating as much as possible. Anyway, I digress. This is about who I love, and spot lighting one of my great friends. So who do I love today? Her name is Ashley Van Ness. She's not a blogger. She's a great friend. I adore her. Why do I love her so? Here goes,

She is beautiful. I'm talking classic curvy(very thin) old Hollywood glam babe. She makes me prettier by association. You know you all have a friend like that. If we were single, I'd hang out with her to get the hot guys to come talk to us.

She loves my kids. I love that. Anyone that loves to dote on and play with my kids is an instant winner in my book. She's good with all kids, which makes me think she's going to be an awesome mom someday.

Ashley is kind. To everyone. She's one of those people that is so nice you ask yourself is she for real? I've figured out the answer. Yes. She's for real. Never mean. Always wanting and willing to help. Always serving. Always willing to listen if you need an ear.

She makes really good pie and rolls. Nuff said.

I could go on and on about her lovely ways, but I think you get the hint. I think I'm going to have to call her and get some hang out time later on this week! Love you Ash!!!

Holding my baby. Seriously. Have a kid. ;)

First Day of Kindergarten!!!

 My baby is all grown up and a scholar now. She has entered the world of elementary school. She loves it, and I'm getting used to it. Although there have been some tears along the road, we are in the groove. Here are some pics of her first day, in the outfit that she picked out. My mom bought it for her while she was in Texas, hence the cartoon characters.(I NEVER buy my kiddos character clothes!) She rocked it anyways.

                                                       SAY CHEESE!!!

                                                                                                                                                  (Angry baby)

(Mrs. Judy her teacher)

Moving, Staying, Whatever You Want to Call It.

We've made some BIG decisions lately. I think I've posted about this a little before, but it's final, we are staying in Rexburg. Forever. No law school. Grant found a job that he loves, so we're staying. There, it's out there, although mostly everyone knows. With that said, we are moving. In two weeks. To a bigger place. It's actually next door to the townhouse we used to live in. Funny right?! We've come full circle people. I'm so excited I want it to be moving day now!!! I'm so tired of a small cramped space with my stuff falling out of everywhere, and everything always looking cluttered because we don't have a storage closet or a linen closet, and the girls closet is the tiniest thing I've ever seen. I'm also tired of a grumpy old lady landlord that gets her panties in a twist to easily. We prepaid rent for a year, and we are clean quiet tenants. You'd think that would get you somewhere, but apparently not.  We are not alone in our dislike for the property manager. It's always the first question you get asked when you move into the ward. How do you like Lisa? I think the last straw was when I caught the maintenance guy kicking our grill out of his way, and then trying to steal our ice chest. I got it back, no worries. Anywho, I'm so happy to say buh bye to this tiny place, and FYI if you're moving to Rexburg for school, never live at The Village. Ever, ever, ever. Email me if you want horror stories.