Random 101

Here is a list of random things I bet most people do not know about me....

1. I LOVE watching Judge Judy. No, seriously, I really love it. I TiVo it and watch it all the time. It's on twice a day and I wish it was on more.

2. I eat an entire bag of popcorn to myself almost every night. Gotta problem with that? Stick your hand in my bowl and I'll slap it. And no, I do not inhale the fumes when I open the bag.

3. I am so stinkin excited about carrying and using a diaper bag, you have no idea. I seriously cannot even tell you why that is, or what about it that makes me excited, but I am. And if you think that will change, your wrong. Let that just be an example to you that I am not going to be a certain way when I have children just because that is the norm. (Really, there's more to that last sentence but I won't go into it here).

4. I love being organized. I get excited over office supplies. Office Depot or Office Max or whatever your preference is, is a fun and enjoyable store to me. If you were to give me a gift card to Office Depot, I would seriously like it.

5. I love a clean house.

6. I love walking into the bathroom in the morning after Taylor has gotten ready for school or work because it smells like his cologne. I love it.

7. I hate saying good-bye to my husband.

8. I wish my husband would go to the grocery store with me. (For some reason, he hates grocery shopping, I on the other hand love grocery shopping and would love for him to accompany me....I usually have to bribe him into going with me or promise I will only grab a few things)

9. I love being home. There really is no place like home.

10. I am terrible at knowing phrases. Taylor asked me to finish the sentence: "Between a rock and a......" and I said "log." Yes, laugh all you want, I really didn't know.

11. I love being married.

12. I love decorating. A tie or close second of a gift card to Office Depot would be a gift card to a decorating store. (Ok, that really is pushing it, Office Depot isn't THAT great...)

13. I had a dream about the cereal Captain Crunch and woke up the next morning craving Captain Crunch. (Tells you a little bit about my dreams! :-) )

14. I love Taylor's laugh. I mean, when he gets going and is really laughing, it just makes me happy. It's like the laugh of when you are tickling someone and they can hardly breathe or talk because they are laughing so hard. It's great.

15. The second most watched TV show that I TiVo is Wheel of Fortune.

16. I can't stand cleaning a tub/shower, and I hate taking the trash out.

17. I tell Taylor all the time that I am easy to please...if he could guarantee two things in my life, I would be set. They are: 1) Guaranteed tickets to General Conference, and 2) Guaranteed tickets to the Parade of Homes. Those two things and I am a happy girl.

18. A dream/goal of mine is to go in the underground tunnels in Salt Lake. If I happened to be in them the same time that the Prophet was, that would definitely be an added bonus.

19. I think Idaho drivers are dumb and slow. (Sorry to anyone that I just offended...) :-) But really, do you have to block me in when I'm trying to use my lunch hour productively??

20. I really want to be genuinely surprised. I always seem to know when it's coming or pretend like I didn't know, but I really want to be genuinely surprised by something spontaneous.

And finally, I wish everyone that visited blogs left comments because it's so fun to read people's reactions and thoughts to blogs. That's all for now, more to come if I think of anything else random. :-)

I experienced my first....

CONTRACTION today. Talk about stop-in-your-tracks pain! I was home for lunch, making Taylor a sandwich and talking to my dad and then it came, out of nowhere. I've been asked if it was a Braxton Hicks or a contraction--I don't know, aren't they both a contraction? Obviously it wasn't active labor because I'm still home and not at a hospital and there was only one....so...needless to say, I walked away from this contraction thinking two things...1) how in the world are you supposed to relax when having a contraction?? and 2) if that's what it is going to be like, I am getting an epidural! For those of you who don't know...I am really trying to NOT get an epidural. Yes, yes, let the comments come....but really, (ok, this is the pre-contraction Val talking now) you see the women who have had babies and they're ok--they aren't in pain anymore, the pain is temporary, so why spend the money on an epidural when the pain won't last?? (I told you, this is the PRE-contraction Val talking) But after today--yeah, that has changed. I JUST THINK...if I can do it without an epidural, great, but if labor can't progress because I don't have an epidural a.k.a. I can't relax, then I am getting an epidural. Period.

Taylor started football!

Taylor started intramural football yesterday. He's in heaven! :-) They had their first game last night and won 20-0. I'd like to take a moment to be a proud wife and brag on behalf of my husband because Taylor contributed to that sweet score by scoring a touchdown! Wahoo! It really was a sweet catch...there were about three or four guys guarding him and jumping for the ball but Taylor reached up and grabbed it and brought it in scoring their team a touchdown! It was sweet. I would have gotten a picture of it, but I was too slow getting the camera out. Oops...but here are some other ones that I did take and kind of turned out...

Go #33! Wahoo!! Intramural football has some w-e-i-r-d rules! I don't fully understand the whole flag and touch football thing and the refs are either decent or terrible, but one of the weird rules that I find rather comical is the fact that you can't have any pockets in your shorts. I can understand this in terms of the flag and getting caught or whatnot, but all of Taylor's shorts had pockets in them, so what does he do?? He sewed up the pockets on one of his shorts! The refs said to not even show up to the game if you have pockets...I guess this just went so show how badly Taylor wanted to play! Haha...

They play indoors on turf, and I guess that means you get pretty scrapped up--but it obviously doesn't stop them from playing.

An update on Taylor...he is doing well and kicking butt! However, he is also trying to get over a head cold, but the difference is that he can and does take medicine! School is going well for him, he is keeping up on it and enjoying his classes thus far. He just got called to be an Elders Quorum Teacher, so he is pretty excited about that. He also has a fun camping trip with the Elders Quorum planned for this weekend--which he is looking forward to--and I am excited because that means it is girls night out! Well, really, that just means popcorn and a movie for us wives--a.k.a an excuse to get together!

Pregnancy Update

Less than a month to go!!!! I have officially entered the ninth month and I am officially ready to be done being pregnant!! I am ready for little Isaac to be here!!!!! I am constantly amazed at the changes I am going through--I guess pregnancies never cease to amaze people. Some of the latest things...I can no longer tuck my garment top in--sad day--but, on the bright side, am happy to report that I still do not have any stretch marks...cross your fingers that they don't come now...and, as of late, have developed a head cold, which is NOT fun! I go in for my next doctor's appointment on Monday, and I presume that after this coming appointment I will start going every week until the baby is here! I'm pretty sure Taylor and I are as ready as we're going to get--in terms of getting the necessary accessories and equipment. It was really neat to have our nieces come up this past weekend and see Taylor interact with them. We love our nieces and nephews so much that it's hard to imagine what it is like to have a child of your own--one you love more than anything you could imagine. So, needless to say, we are very very very excited and anxious for Isaac to be here!

Other pictures from the weekend

We had so much fun with our nieces and Heather! Syd, Mo, and Kendra are so loving, adorable and fun--we love them so much! They are walking examples of how remarkable their mother is--thanks for making the drive up to see us Heather! You're the best!! We sure love you and your family! The Housley/Harris family are all so wonderful...now it's someone else's turn to come visit us! :-)

Kendra's 1st Birthday!

Kendra, our niece, turns one on September 14, but since we had them up for the weekend, we couldn't NOT celebrate her first birthday! Because, really--first birthday's are all about the cake all over the table and face and floor...so we really couldn't pass up this opportunity. (At least, I couldn't pass up this opportunity! I may have been more excited about this than anyone else...) Here are some fun pictures....this is the beginning, aka the "before" picture:

She started out staying pretty clean by just picking at the cake...but honestly, I wasn't having it, so I may have egged her on....

Ha haha hahaha hahaha haha...how does that picture not bring a smile to your face?!?! But this wasn't the end of it...

I think it was at this point that my sister-in-law Heather said, "And guess who gets to give Kendra a bath!?!....Aunt Val!" But heck, I was looking forward to that! Check out the frosting on the forehead...hahahaha...I love it!

Happy 1st Birthday Kendra!!

Fun with the Harris Family

Taylor and I were lucky enough to steal Heather (Taylor's sister) and her three girls away for the weekend while Brett (our brother-in-law) started his week-long bird hunt trip in Canada. It was so fun to have them! They arrived Friday evening and stayed until Sunday morning. We ventured over to the Eastern Idaho State Fair Saturday morning, and to start the day the girls got one of those western photos taken...they were "tough cowgirls." It was adorable, and I tried to take some pictures while they were setting up...

Kendra is sucking on her little pistol, and while she was sitting on the barrel she took a dive forward, but luckily the lady at the place was right next to her and caught her! While we were waiting our turn to get the picture taken, Morgan was being shy and a little stinker saying she didn't want to take the picture and was being somewhat reluctant to getting dressed up...but then when her big sister Sydney said that they get to wear cowboy hats and get guns, Morgan's face just lit up and she asked her Heather, "Mom, do I get a gun too?" It was so adorable!

Following the "tough cowgirl" photo we were off to the petting zoo. The best picture is of Kendra in the stroller when a goat came up to her looking for some food...this picture is priceless!

After the petting zoo, we strolled through the stables where both Syd and Mo were in heaven. After we saw at least 15 horses Morgan said, "Can we go see some more?" I told her I didn't think there were any more to see and that I thought we had seen them all. Earlier Morgan told me that she LOVES pinto horses, but if she could have a horse of her own it would be a black horse. I proceeded to ask her what she would name her black horse and she said she would name it Black Beauty, so while we were in the stables, we were looking for "Black Beauty."

And Syd loved the horses too!

Here are the three girls--another priceless picture.

Following the stables it was carnival time! The best story at the carnival was the Fun House. I don't know how many of you know what I am talking about when I say "Fun House" but you begin by walking through a maze--but the walls are not just any ordinary walls--they are clear plastic walls (or at least that's what it looks like). Basically, the whole point of the clear walls is that you can't tell if there is a wall there or not--well, Syd was so excited to start that she walks right up to the wall and "BAM!" face plant into the wall...so we get our giggles watching this, and then they find the entrance (they meaning Syd, Mo, and mom) and they are trying to feel in front of them to avoid any more face plants...well, Taylor and I are watching how careful Heather is going through with her hands out in front of her, and then all of a sudden we hear another "BAM!" and it was Mo--complete face place in the wall! Needless to say, it was extremely entertaining for us to watch. After the maze they climbed up some stairs to the upper floor, and since we couldn't see, I don't really know what they did up there...but they were good enough to stop and pose for a picture!!

The next comical part about this "fun house" was the fact that the only way down and out was by going down the slide...Heather was not too excited about this! Haha...she looked around as if to say "Are you serious? This is the way I have to get out?" But, of course, she was a good sport and went down the slide...this is her saying "Ohhh...that really did hurt!"

The next story to document was Syd's "flying" ride. We saw this ride where you laid on your stomach and then the ride went up and down as if you were really flying like Superman. Well, we saw this ride and thought Syd would love it and at first she was all over it. She ran up to the entrance, climbed into her flying position, even asked me "What if my flip flops come off?" but about 10 seconds in the ride she looked so bored. She put her head to the side as if a nap would be a better use of her time, and then after a little bit she put her head on top of her chin like "Come on already." Later I asked her if she liked the ride and she replied, "Not really, it was pretty boring. And, I don't like laying on my stomach." It was pretty funny.

After a couple rides at the carnival, the girls got their face painted--Syd got a dolphin and Mo got a unicorn.

We definitely all were entertained at the fair, and I'm pretty sure the girls enjoyed it.

Weekend in Colorado

We had a very fun, but very fast, weekend in Colorado for Labor Day. We drove to Salt Lake after work on Friday and arrived in Denver around 10:45 p.m. Once we got our bags and drove home it was after midnight and everyone was pretty tired--so my movie and bag of popcorn was out of the question!

Saturday brought a full day of activities. Of course, my dad can't have any of his son-in-laws come to town and not do any yard work...however, if you're thinking the typical yard work--on your hands and knees picking weeds--you're wrong. Yard work is fun when it comes to my dad...hence the John Deere tractor to mow...

A little instruction....

While I was watching these two little boys and their toys... :-) .... I had an instant reminder of how gorgeous Colorado is...

Following the morning of yard work was a HOT HOT HOT Air Force Football game. Sorry to say, but Taylor and I were just not into this game. I for one was extremely hot in my denim capri's and sweat like I didn't know I could, so I wasn't having it...and Air Force just isn't BYU, so Taylor wasn't into the cheering either. However, when my mom said we'd go as soon as Taylor would start cheering...he was on his feet cheering. :-) We did stay through most of the third quarter, and Air Force did win--I believe the score was 34-3--but we did have to get home in time to see BYU's kickoff. I think the highlight of the game was the sweet parking spot we got, though. I guess it pays to have season tickets for 25 years because you get to park right at the entrance and have your own assigned parking slot...my mom was just happy that they included her name on the plague...

And some pictures at the game...

Following the Air Force game, we watched the BYU game--who also won--and by the way, Utah LOST their game, uh hum, I'm telling you...if you want to be on the winning side, you better see the blue! :-) This weekend was the "and let the football season begin..." for those who don't know, my husband loves football, I enjoy it as well, but....can only take so much of it. Watching game after game, day after day, gets a little old. Taylor isn't that bad, and really is pretty compromising about it--unless BYU or the Cowboy's are playing--so I can't complain.

After our BBQ, my parents gave Taylor and I a very, very, very neat gift. My dad was reading about the Stripling Warriors in the scriptures and had an idea come to him which lead him to approach a family friend that we know who is an amazing artist. Long story short, this artist drew the most AMAZING pencil drawing of a stripling warrior and across the top it says "And they were taught by their mothers" and along the bottom it says "And they doubted it not."

It is the most amazing, detailed pencil drawing you have ever seen! It truly is a prized possession to us and as soon as my mom ships it to us it will go right up in the nursery! This drawing was a great reminder to the responsibility both Taylor and I feel as we approach this parenthood threshold. For me, I have been thinking a lot about my role as mother in our son's life and how I will teach him and how I will live my life to exemplify what we teach...so this drawing really hit home with me personally. I am so grateful for this opportunity to be a mother. I have felt so close to Heaven in this process of bringing Isaac into the world and truly look forward to holding Isaac in my arms and loving him and teaching him and raising him and experiencing this life with him. I find comfort knowing Isaac will have a great dad to look to in his life for anything and everything and am so grateful that the Lord has blessed me with a wonderful man to take this journey with.

Colorado was great--too short of a trip though. After we were delayed in Denver to fly back to Utah, we did finally land in SLC around 6:00 p.m. If that wasn't enough traveling, Taylor and I drove down to Spanish Fork for a family luau/party/birthday celebration with Taylor's family. It was so fun and I am so glad we drove down for it. However, what we did was blackmail. The Housley family decided it would be fun to break out the karoke and VIDEO TAPE it. (Yes, thanks a lot Heather!) I thought it was brutally rude to tape the 9 month pregnant lady singing karoke. :-)

We finally got on the road from Spanish Fork around 9:00 p.m. and rolled into Pocatello at midnight...it made for a long day, but we are so blessed to have two amazing families. We are constantly reminded of how important our families are in both of our lives, we love them all dearly!

Utah Baby Shower

Last weekend my wonderful in-laws threw me a baby shower in Utah. It was great! They definitely made it a special event for me. Kim, my sister-in-law, is known for her cakes in our family. She always makes a customized cake for every person's birthday and for every big event where she puts a lot of thought and effort into them. So, of course, she made the cutest, and most delicious cake for the baby shower:

Isn't that awesome?? Here's another side...

And the person responsible for this adorable cake...my sister-in-law Kim and her five month old boy, Little Theran:

Here's my sister-in-law Jen on the right and Taylor's cousin Sara on the left:

My sister Heather on the left, my Nana in the middle, and my mom on the right:

Some of my favorite people in the world...the Brady girls:

Catching up with my freshman roommates--Holly on the left and Shaunelle on the right:

And finally, but not least, Jaylynn and I...we met Jaylynn when Taylor and I lived with Taylor's sister, Heather during the beginning of this year. Jaylynn is expecting a girl in December!


All in all, it was a great shower!!! Thank you so much to all who helped and came...and to my sister in laws and mother in law--I love you, you are the greatest in-laws a person could have! And to my mom and nana who made the trip to come, it means a lot to me! Thank you!