If you could hie to Kolob

On Saturday I was itching to get out and do something fun. As you can imagine, it's hard to sit around and wait. So Clark suggested that we go up to the Kolob Canyon side of Zion National Park, seeing as we never go over there. There isn't as much hiking on that side, but it turns out there is a little overlook trail (Timber Creek Overlook) that is about a mile long round trip, which is just perfect for someone in my condition (you know, 9 months pregnant). And so we went! And it was beautiful! We are planning to go back after Wombsly is born to try out the other hikes. One of them is about 5 miles, and the other is 14 miles. I'm thinking the 14 miler will have to wait until the fall, when I'm hopefully in good shape again. Anyway, here are some pictures of our adventure.

Majestic, no?


Clark at the park!


I'm being blown away!


We decided that Wombsly needed her own picture.

Oh, and also, some folks have been asking if we've picked a name yet. The answer is no. We're on the "wait and see which one she looks like" plan. So if you're just dying to know and can't wait any longer, you'll have to give me some suggestions to induce labor ;)

Weekly Quote 3/31/08

"All your life,
You were only waiting for this moment to arise."

Blackbird is one of my favorite songs. And no, I didn't like it when the girl on AI sang it. Sorry for the delay on the quote, I completely spaced it!

My Big Redneck Wedding

We don't watch CMT very often. Not being country music fans, it really doesn't appeal to us. In fact, it changed channels when we got the mtn, and I don't think we've even flipped past it since then. But a few weeks ago I heard about My Big Redneck Wedding, and it seemed like a funny show. I tucked that little bit of knowledge away for future reference. You know, on those rare occasions when I am watching TV alone, and thus have control of the remote.

This past Wednesday, Clark was indulging in his weekly game of Starcraft, and I was watching TV. Or at least I was trying to watch TV, there really isn't anything good on Wednesday nights. I could have watched the American Idol results show, but I knew that we'd be watching it at Megan's the next morning (courtesy of TiVo), and that is always more fun to watch with other people. Then I remembered CMT! I switched on over to channel 38 to find that My Big Redneck Wedding was indeed on! I didn't even get to see the whole episode as I came in late, but wow, there were just so many things. It made me sad that I was watching it alone, because every 30 seconds there would be something new that made me say, "Oh wow." For example, I had no idea you could get your nails done at Walmart. But not only did the bride go to Walmart for a manicure (while the groom was shopping for a wedding gift for her), she got her nails done in camo. You know, to match her veil. And everyone else's outfits. Yes, the mother of the bride, the father of the bride, bridesmaids, groomsmen, the groom himself, they were all wearing camo. And the bride had a lovely camo veil over her white dress. Oh, and guess what the groom chose to give his lovely bride on their wedding day? A game cleaning kit. You know, so she can skin and gut all the beasts he brings home from the hunt. Since his mom won't be doing it anymore, now that he is moving out. Wow. And, of course, she was thrilled. Oh, and after the ceremony, they went "Mudding" (you know, some people call it off-roading, some call it 4-wheeling, just driving around in the mud), before going back to the house, where a greased pig chase got underway. Yes, this is their wedding. There are so many other things, it was just incredible. So. Many. Things. My one regret is that I can't watch this with my friend Kimmie, as she lives far away. Now that would be a true delight.

I plan on watching it again soon. If you get CMT, you should check it out.

Pregnant Belly 3/26/08

I decided that this shirt kind of makes my belly look like an Easter Egg. But I like it still. We're down to the wire!

Happiness

Life is good.

I went to the doctor this morning, and I had lost 2 pounds. And my blood pressure was good. And my vein was back down. (And in case you are really curious as to what that whole vein thing is, here is a link.) All this means that, in the words of Dr. Fagnant, I "cured myself." Really, I think I just overdid it last week and this weekend, so having a day or 2 of good rest brought me back to normal. Don't worry, I don't plan to get right back to tackling my big list of things to do, but now I feel like I can at least do the basics. You know, change the sheets, do the dishes, that kind of thing. Mostly it's just a good feeling mentally to know that I'm not starting to go downhill or something.

Also, last night was American Idol. I don't think I've even mentioned this season once on the blog. Let me check. . . . nope, not a word. Anyway, last night my favorite performance was by David Cook. Holy cow, that was an excellent song. I didn't even know it was Billie Jean until the chorus (I guess I missed Ryan announcing it). Really, some credit should go to Chris Cornell for the arrangement, but Mr. Cook certainly sang it well. So that made me happy.

Also, Clark and I went to Target last night and finally got some easter candy. A little late, I know, but hey, wait 2 days and everything is 50% off! We got Cadbury Creme Eggs (a pack of 4) and Starburst Jellybeans. A buck apiece. Those 2 things are my absolute favorite easter candy, so I was really happy to get some this year.

And to round it all off, we are having the most gorgeous weather here. It's beautiful. Unlike most people, I hate the heat, so I am not very excited for summer to be here. But I'll take these lovely spring temperatures. Windows open all day. Everything just feels fresh.

Oh, and I'm having a baby in 3 weeks. At the most.

See? Told ya life was good.

Happy Easter!

I just realized that I haven't even blogged about the weekend! The Blockburgers came down for Spring Break, and we all had a great time. They got here Friday evening and took Clark out to dinner at Paula's Cazuela. I was unable to go as I was obligated to go to the Relief Society Enrichment activity. And by the way, I had a great time at that. I would have skipped out and gone to dinner, but I had agreed to present a little bit of history about one of my ancestors. You see, it was the celebration of the birthday of the Relief Society, and they wanted to focus on the first Relief Society in St George. Turns out one of my ancestors, Ann Cannon Woodbury (anyone related?), was one of the first settlers here, and the 3rd Stake RS President. So I got to tell a little story, give a little insight into RS in St George in 1900. It was cool. Anyway, the Big B's stayed until Sunday after church, so we got to hang out with them. Saturday we did a lot of shopping (for clothes! for music! for prom dresses! for houses! [well, we just looked at a couple of model homes, we weren't seriously house shopping]), and by the end of the day everyone was beat. But we had just enough energy to watch August Rush. And as I've already mentioned, we loved it.

Sunday was Easter! Sadly, the Easter Bunny skipped our house this year. He just plumb forgot to get any candy. And when he did remember, he also remembered the insanity that was Target on Friday, and opted not to go back. But don't worry, we got the important part of Easter right. We went to church, which was wonderful. And, of course, Clark and I were both involved in the musical numbers, which is always delightful if you ask me. And Clark did a fantastic job as the choir accompanist - he had to play a seriously difficult (in case you aren't familiar with the progression - medium difficult, difficult, very difficult, seriously difficult) arrangement of He Is Risen, and he pulled it off smashingly well. The talks and lessons were also excellent, and a great reminder of how important the Atonement is in our lives, as well as how glorious the news of the Resurrection is.

To round out the day, we had a little "Easter Feast," if you can call it that. Basically we had a ham, leftover burnt cinnamon rolls (I like to celebrate my failures because they help me to grow, learn, and improve my skills - like in Meet the Robinsons), and instant potatoes. But we had that ham, yes sir. And out of all this, what did I get pictures of? Our kind of sorry looking meal. Oh well, I enjoyed it, and that's all that matters!

"Lazy. I want to be lazy."

I went to the doctor this morning. My weight was up another 1.6 lbs. How is it possible to gain 1.6 lbs in 2 days? I guess all things are possible with water. Anyway, my heart and lungs still sound good, and my vein isn't any worse. Also, my blood pressure and urine are normal. And there isn't much swelling in my feet/ankles/legs. Dr. Fagnant is having me come in on Wednesday for another quick check up, just to make sure everything is alright. And then I have my regular visit on Friday. Wombsly is doing fine, heartbeat sounded good. He said she has most definitely dropped. And now I'm 80% effaced. Still no dilation. He also told me to take it easy for the next couple of days, spend most of my time lying down and relaxing. Which is hard because I have so many things I want to do. But at the same time, it feels nice. It's kind of like I have an excuse to be lazy. No, it's exactly like I have an excuse to be lazy. I took a nap today. And watched a movie. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. Kind of a weird movie. But hey, it's from the library, so I didn't waste any money on it.

Clark mentioned that you should see August Rush. You should. It's a really good movie.

And I just discovered that there is a town called Placentia, CA. I'd like to know who came up with that one.

Weekly Quote 3/24/08

"Frosted Unlucky Worms: They're magically disgusting!"

This was from Tiny Toons. I used to love them. New quote up!

Doctor Day

Today was doctor day. I guess that makes it sound like I've gone to different doctors all day, but no, that is not the case. Just the weekly check up. I gained a pound this week, which might be a sign of pregnancy or might be a sign of heart problems. I also have some swelling in my ankles, which might be a sign of pregnancy or might be a sign of heart problems. Of course, neither of these things is anything new. But he also checks my jugular vein every week (and I really can't explain what it is he's looking for, or why that vein, because I don't know all the details), and this week it was a bit worse than last. So he is going to have me come in on Monday, just to make sure that things are still alright, in addition to my regular Friday appointment next week. So that's where we are with the heart issues. As for the baby, everything is looking good! She's still active as ever. He mentioned that her head was pretty low in the pelvis (you know, where it should be), and that she seems to be all set to be an average size baby. I haven't dilated yet, but I am 70% effaced, so at least some progress has been made. And I doubled checked, he won't let me go past 41 weeks. So yay! We will definitely have a baby in 4 weeks! WOO HOO! I honestly can't believe that we're so close to the end of pregnancy. Everyone keeps telling me that the last month is the longest, but time is just flying by for me these days. It's probably because I'm making an active effort to stay busy. But seriously, I get to the end of the day and think to myself, "Whoa, where did the day go?" It's excellent, if you ask me.

On an unrelated note, I went to Target today to pick up some conditioner. So did the rest of Washington County, apparently. It was PACKED. Seriously, there were TONS of people. There were only 3 lonely little carts in the front of the store. And the lines were so long, it was insane. I guess this is the "Perfect Storm" weekend, what with spring breaks across the state and the Arts Festival going down. Not to mention whatever track/softball/soccer tournaments might be going on. And on top of all that, it's gorgeous weather. So I really can't blame all those folks for coming down. If you're one of them, we hope you enjoy your stay!

Guessing Game

My friends, the time has come to "Guess the Date." Yes, Wombsly will be here very soon, and as such, I'm having a little contest. Well, 2 contests to be exact. The first is "Guess the Date," wherein you guess a date and time for our daughter to be born. Remember, my due date is April 9, and the doctor has said he won't let me go past 41 weeks (so April 16) without inducing me. I plan to hold him to that. The second contest is "Guess the Weight/Length." I'll bet you can figure that one out pretty easily. Each winner will receive a prize. And that prize shall be a candy bar of their choice. Leave your entries in the comments section. If you are unable to do this (I don't allow anonymous comments anymore), you can email me your guesses. And if you don't have my email address, do I even know you? Good luck. May the best man (or woman [or child]) win!

Weekly Quote 3/17/08

"I'm laughing at clouds
So dark up above.
The sun's in my heart
And I'm ready for love."

Good job, Mom. It was indeed from Singing in the Rain. New quote up!

Pi Pie

Well, as Clark mentioned, Friday was Pi Day! An excellent day, if you ask me. Not only does Clark get to enjoy his nerdiness to the full extent, but we get to eat pie! OK, so I guess the pie isn't really essential to pi day, but we all know that I love pie, and I decided that 3/14 was the day for me to test out a new pie crust recipe. (As a side note, Monday I decided to once again try my hand at making bread, in an effort to hone some of my homemaking skills before all heck breaks loose. It turned out pretty well. But it's a continuing effort. I think I need to add more yeast next time. I'll keep you posted.)

Here are some pictures of the Pi Pie. Yeah, I thought I was pretty clever.
And it was delicious, if I do say so myself. It's an apple pie, with a crumb topping for the upper crust. And get this: I used some of the dehydrated apples from my food storage for the filling. Can we say domestic? I was rather proud of myself. Here's a close up of the topping. Mmmm. . . . so tasty. . .

Next week's project: Cinnamon Rolls. Clark has got to be loving this month.

Indexing Find

Now that I've got most of the baby stuff ready to roll, I've been looking for other productive things that I can do while I'm waiting for Wombsly's arrival (4 weeks!!!). Then I remembered that I am all signed up and trained to do FamilySearch Indexing. It's really pretty cool, and it makes me feel like I'm helping out the family history effort even though I'm not doing anything for my own family. To be honest, I have no idea what to do with my own family. I'm past the, "Fill out your 4 generation chart," and, "Ask your parents and grandparents for information," stages, which is basically all they tell you about at Family History firesides. It's a complicated tale, but basically I'm stuck and have no idea what to do. But this Indexing thing is fantastic!

And now, the point of this post. I am currently indexing the 1925 South Dakota State Census, and one of the fields is "Church Affiliation." And I've come across an LDS family! Now, remember, this is South Dakota in 1925, so I doubt there were many church members there. And even though I'm indexing this census through the church, it's still a state census. I don't know why that made me so excited, but it did. So I had to share.

A Boppin' Rockin' Bug

This made me laugh so hard. Clark decided that the giant ladybug needed to use the Boppy in the rocking chair. Yeah, he's weird. But it sure makes for great entertainment!

Pregnant Belly 3/10/08

Bigger belly and shorter hair. I seriously love myself with short hair. I don't know if I'll ever grow it out again!

Weekly Quote 3/10/08

"I spent four years prostrate to the higher mind
Got my paper and I was free."

This was in honor of my recent efforts on the guitar to play this song. Don't worry, I suck. But I'm improving, and that's all that matters. New quote up!

Things that make me happy

Just a couple of things that brightened my day:

• Daffodils.
• Having the windows open.
  
• Realizing that I now can play a song on the organ that would have been impossible 2 years ago.
• The 6-year-old kid I just saw at the grocery store: t-shirt, athletic shorts, and cowboy boots.
  
• These shoes (Thanks to the Hunts)
• My new haircut.

Movies

Thanks, Suzanne, this is a fun little thing to do.

The rules are simple:
Bold movies you have watched and liked.
Turn red movies you have watched and loved.
Italicize movies you saw and didn’t like.
Leave as is movies you haven’t seen.


* The Godfather (1972)
* The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
* The Godfather: Part II (1974)
* The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
* Pulp Fiction (1994)
* Schindler’s List (1993)
* Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
* One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
* Casablanca (1942)
* The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
* Star Wars (1977)
* 12 Angry Men (1957)
* Rear Window (1954)
* No Country for Old Men (2007)
* Goodfellas (1990)
* Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
* The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
* City of God (2002)
* Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
* The Usual Suspects (1995)
* Psycho (1960)
* Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
* Citizen Kane (1941)
* The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
* North by Northwest (1959)
* The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
* Fight Club (1999)
* Memento (2000)
* Sunset Blvd. (1950)
* Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
* It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
* The Matrix (1999)
* Taxi Driver (1976)
* Se7en (1995)
* Apocalypse Now (1979)
* American Beauty (1999)
* Vertigo (1958)
* Amélie (2001)
* The Departed (2006)
* Paths of Glory (1957)
* American History X (1998)
* To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
* Chinatown (1974)
* Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
* The Third Man (1949)
* A Clockwork Orange (1971)
* Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
* The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
* Alien (1979)
* The Pianist (2002)
* The Shining (1980)
* Double Indemnity (1944)
* L.A. Confidential (1997)
* Leben der Anderen, Das [The Lives of Others] (2006)
* The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
* Boot, Das (1981)
* The Maltese Falcon (1941)
* Saving Private Ryan (1998)
* Reservoir Dogs (1992)
* Forrest Gump (1994)
* Metropolis (1927)
* Aliens (1986)
* Raging Bull (1980)
* Rashômon (1950)
* Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
* Rebecca (1940)
* Hotel Rwanda (2004)
* Sin City (2005)
* Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
* All About Eve (1950)
* Modern Times (1936)
* Some Like It Hot (1959)
* 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
* The Seventh Seal (1957)
* The Great Escape (1963)
* Amadeus (1984)
* On the Waterfront (1954)
* Touch of Evil (1958)
* The Elephant Man (1980)
* The Prestige (2006)
* Vita è bella, La [Life Is Beautiful] (1997)
* Jaws (1975)
* The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
* The Sting (1973)
* Strangers on a Train (1951)
* Full Metal Jacket (1987)
* The Apartment (1960)
* City Lights (1931)
* Braveheart (1995)
* Cinema Paradiso (1988)
* Batman Begins (2005)
* The Big Sleep (1946)
* Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
* Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
* Blade Runner (1982)
* The Great Dictator (1940)
* The Wizard of Oz (1939)
* Notorious (1946)
* Salaire de la peur, Le [The Wages of Fear](1953)
* High Noon (1952)
* Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
* Fargo (1996)
* The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
* Unforgiven (1992)
* Back to the Future (1985)
* Ran (1985)
* Oldboy (2003)
* Million Dollar Baby (2004)
* Cool Hand Luke (1967)
* Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
* Donnie Darko (2001)
* Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
* The Green Mile (1999)
* Annie Hall (1977)
* Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)
* Gladiator (2000)
* The Sixth Sense (1999)
* Diaboliques, Les [The Devils] (1955)
* Ben-Hur (1959)
* It Happened One Night (1934)
* The Deer Hunter (1978)
* Life of Brian (1979)
* Die Hard (1988)
* The General (1927)
* American Gangster (2007)
* Platoon (1986)
* V for Vendetta (2005)
* Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)
* The Graduate (1967)
* The Princess Bride (1987)
* Crash (2004/I)
* The Wild Bunch (1969)
* Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
* Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)
* Heat (1995)
* Gandhi (1982)
* Harvey (1950)
* The Night of the Hunter (1955)
* The African Queen (1951)
* Stand by Me (1986)
* Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)
* Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
* The Big Lebowski (1998)
* The Conversation (1974)
* Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
* Wo hu cang long [Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ] (2000)
* The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
* Gone with the Wind (1939)
* 3:10 to Yuma (2007)
* Cabinet des Dr. Caligari., Das [The Cabinet of Dr Caligari] (1920)
* The Thing (1982)
* Groundhog Day (1993)
* The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
* Sleuth (1972)
* Patton (1970)
* Toy Story (1995)
* Glory (1989)
* Out of the Past (1947)
* Twelve Monkeys (1995)
* Ed Wood (1994)
* Spartacus (1960)
* The Terminator (1984)
* In the Heat of the Night (1967)
* The Philadelphia Story (1940)
* The Exorcist (1973)
* Frankenstein (1931)
* Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
* The Hustler (1961)
* Toy Story 2 (1999)
* The Lion King (1994)
* Big Fish (2003)
* Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
* Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
* Young Frankenstein (1974)
* Magnolia (1999)
* A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
* In Cold Blood (1967)
* Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
* Dial M for Murder (1954)
* All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
* Roman Holiday (1953)
* A Christmas Story (1983)
* Casino (1995)
* Manhattan (1979)
* Ying xiong [Hero] (2002)
* Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
* Rope (1948)
* Cinderella Man (2005)
* The Searchers (1956)
* Finding Neverland (2004)
* Inherit the Wind (1960)
* His Girl Friday (1940)
* A Man for All Seasons (1966)
* Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
* The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

This also made me realize that there are a number of movies that I've fallen asleep in. Whoops. Also, there are a couple movies that I marked as movies I didn't like where I think I would have liked them better with less gore, violence, etc. For instance, Silence of the Lambs. It really is a pretty good movie. But I don't think I could ever watch it again. Too many nightmares.

Ultrasound Pic 3/5/08

We had another appointment with Dr Gonzales today. Did the ultrasound, everything looks great. And we actually got a fairly decent 4D pic today, so I thought I'd share. It really was a very uneventful appointment. We waited for 40 minutes before going back, then the tech did an ultrasound, which took about 20 minutes, and then Dr Gonzales came in and said everything looks good. We'll see him again in a month, unless she's here by then. (!!!) Sorry that the quality isn't very good. Our scanner software just doesn't work (that's a whole other story), so I can't adjust anything. And not like ultrasound pictures are the best quality to begin with. What do you think, does she have my nose?

New Poll: Baby Carriers

It's time for another poll! I've talked with some of you about this before, but not all of you. We're looking into purchasing a baby carrier, and as it turns out, I know nothing about baby carriers, since I don't have a baby. I've been reading some online reviews of different brands and styles, but I'm still rather torn. The Baby Bjorn seems to be the best, and thus it is the most expensive. I'm not sure if I can bring myself to spend that much on a baby carrier. Do other brands get the job done, or are they not worth the discomfort? Basically, we want to buy something that allows us to take Wombsly hiking with us, but I also might use it around the house when I want both hands free. So the question is, "Which Baby Carrier is best?" Let's remember to focus on not only comfort level and quality, but also price. And there are a few different styles within each brand, so if you'd like to be more specific with your answer free to leave a comment!

Pregnant Belly 3/3/08

Rock-a-bye Baby

First of all, I was just out running errands, when all of the sudden I saw a red river coming at me down the road! There were some construction workers up ahead, and they must have hit a water main or something, because this was gushing down the road. It couldn't be contained by the gutters. And I don't know if they were working next to a dirt pile or what, but it was all very red. It kind of felt like I was witnessing Moses turn the Nile red.

But the big news from the weekend is: we have a rocking chair! Clark assembled it for us, and we rearranged Wombsly's room. So now things are in place. I really like how the chair brings out the green in the bedding. It makes things feel less like a pink explosion. We really do have a lot of green things, I've noticed.

I went to the store today to get some of the final baby things we need. Unbelievable that she will be here in 6 weeks (maybe less)! But I think I can confidently say we are ready now. Well, I still have to pack a hospital bag. And we need to actually install the car seat. But after we do that, we are set. Except for that whole "knowing how to take care of a baby" thing. But I guess that comes with experience.

As a side note, Clark and I were talking about lullabies the other day. I realized that I don't know too many actual "lullabies" per se. But I think I've got enough songs in my head to keep Wombsly entertained. Anybody have any good songs they've used, or would use if they had kids?

Weekly Quote 3/3/08

"Open the gates and seize the day.
Don't be afraid and don't delay.
Nothing can break us;
No one can make us
Give our rights away.
Arise and seize the day."

Newsies. A great film. Especially when you are 12. Because it's full of 12-year-old boys. New quote up!