What May Be My Last Baby Casper Update

I am still very full with child. Now if I just knew how to make my photos go side by side to show the growth from beginning to end. maybe tomorrow.

35.75 weeks

contrary to popular belief I have dropped.

39 weeks and 3 days

Hello Again

I'm alive! I've just been busy. Some say I'm nesting. If that's the case then I've been nesting for over 26 years. I'm fairly organized and always doing something; the only difference is now that I've started maternity leave I have a little more time and fewer distractions (i.e. work).

Here's a quick and random update:

While running errands the other day I had to stop by Khols to return a few things. That's when I saw this baby...

I allowed myself this indulgence partly because it's so fun and was 70% off. This purse is so out of character for me; my purses are normally simple and black, but I love it!

Last Sunday John got in a fight with the door jam. John lost. As a results he dislocated his toe, which he then had to locate back in place. Poor guy couldn't even wear shoes so he was forced to wear flip flops (if you know John you know he only wears flip flops to the beach. period)

In other foot news, my awesome sister Kerilynn and her fiance surprised me last night by showing up to our apartment. Cory had a feeling that my water was going to break and I'd be all alone while John was at school and Kerilynn said that I could not deliver a baby without a pedicure.

notice my feet are not super swollen-woot woot!

One last shout out to Kerilynn. She came up last week and cut our hair. I love my new do. My sister is so talented

not the best picture but you get the idea

more posts to come. I've actually already got one scheduled and 1/2 way done with another. my apologies.

I Have a Bone To Pick with...

the letter W

You see it is pronounced double U, but clearly does not look like two U's.

uu or vv

UU or VV

I propose we either change the pronunciation to double V or we all need to stop making the peaks and valley's that have come to be known as the character in the English alphabet and start rounding the bottom edges.

Thank you for your time. We will now return you to your regular scheduled programming.

Hey You Guys

Don't worry Brooke, we all have one of these.

Thanks for sharing.

Poor Collin

Two weeks ago Collin came up to barrow some of my gear to go snow boarding. While he was on the mountain he caught an edge and broke his collar bone. For those of you familiar with this kind of injury you know that often the Dr. gives you a sling that you wear for a few weeks and it will heal itself. Not so in this case. Apparently Collin's collar bone broke in such a place that surgery was required.

He went in Sunday morning and is home now however the anesthesia did take a toll on his 80 lbs. body-poor thing.

WARNING: GRAPHIC PICTURES

the above mentioned collar bone

A closer look of the bone poking out.

Not Cool!

Here is Collin the night before the accident drinking some delicous chocolate milk at our house. Please take note of the ridiculous Santa hat in Laker colors and the Kleenex wadded up his nose to stop bleeding. My brother is a geek, lovable, but a geek nonetheless.

Happy healing CJ!

Casper at 35.75 Weeks

31.5 Weeks

35.75 weeks

Four weeks to go and I think all the possible space inside me has been used.

I no longer have any restrictions-yay! Which means I've been able to start exercising and moving my muscles.

The baby has been weighing in above average all along and at my ultrasound on Friday the Dr. said he was up to 7 lbs. He had gained 2 lbs. in three weeks! He is on track to be 9+ lbs.-no thank you. (**I know that these are just estimations and that often they are off, I'm hoping that is the case here.)

Funny story

With a big baby inside of me certain things have become slightly more difficult like bending over, putting on pants, socks, shoes, breathing etc.

A few weeks ago I was getting ready for work. John was still asleep when he abruptly sat up, the conversation went a bit like this.

John: "Are you OK?"

L: "I'm fine, just getting dressed for work, why?"

J: "You were breathing heavily."

L: "Yeah, I'm trying to put my shoes on."

Oh the joys.

Christmas Break Highlights

About mid December I had a pity party/break down because my house still had Thanksgiving decorations (put up by my mother while I was on complete bed rest) and was not decorated for Christmas (my favorite time of year) and we didn't have a Christmas tree and I was not able to remedy any of this because I was not allowed to lift anything (thank you partial bed rest), it was the end of my semester teaching, and John was in the middle of finals ending the most grueling semester yet. How was that for a whiny run on sentence.

I was slowly coming to terms with it then one night I got home from school at 10 pm, unlocked the door and rushed into the bathroom to relieve my ever shrinking bladder without turning any lights on. I then was doing work in my room for a while before I went back out to the living room. As I was pouring myself some water I noticed all the Thanksgiving decorations were down and there were boxes of Christmas decorations in the living room. I just about started crying. My dear husband had done all that for me during his finals. I really have an amazing man.

We did end up getting a tree for family night. Sadly it sat undecorated in the middle of our living room for a week. There was a teenage kid who gives the tree a fresh cut and ties it down to your car. We weren't sure if it is customary to tip them for this service, but we thought it was tip appropriate. Unfortunately we did not have any cash. Fortunately John did have two gift certificates to Cinnabon with which he tipped the lad with. I was cracking up the whole time. Honestly though Cinnabon is expensive, that's a good tip.

Then finally on Christmas Eve day I made a point to get the tree decorated. It makes me happy to just sit or lie in the living room with only the Christmas tree lights turned on.

The Curtis clan came and stayed with us for a day. We had a ton of fun just hanging out and running errands. You know friends are keepers when they're game for stopping by the P.O. and Target and....

We went to Candy Cane Lane (a street in town that blocks off all automobile traffic and each house puts on an extravagant light display. Santa is in his sleigh at the end of the street to take pictures with (for free) and he hands out small gifts)

I finished my first knitting project. I learned to knit while on bed rest, although I must confess, while I do have one scarf on needles waiting for me to finish it, this is one of those scarfs made on the plastic hooks where you loop the yarn then pull over. But hey, a scarf is a scarf.

I got new prescription sunglasses. It really pays to be bff with your optometrist.

And last but not least we got free coupons for a small Golden Spoon. We never get small, only mini's, and they had two delicious flavors; pumpkin pie and egg nog.

Christmas Eve at The Jex Home

It began as all holiday celebrations should with food. Yummy appetizers (Janae) then followed by a delicious turkey and ham dinner with homemade rolls (KL). Next we played one of our favorite games, Loaded Questions, and it was hilarious. Then we moved on to dessert. I made caramel brownies and Kneader's raspberry bread pudding with vanilla sauce; it's amazing (probably because it uses 1.5 quarts of heavy whipping cream but most of that is in the sauce).

Janae, Me, & Kerilynn

(Deandra had to work unfortunately)

We have a long time tradition of playing chimes every Christmas Eve.

Here is our conductor...

And the musicians...

When we are together there will be music and singing.

Some of us do it willingly while others have to be bribed or ordered. There's been this rumor that Collin sings this duet from Polar Express however I think Kerilynn is the only one who has heard it, and because Collin hasn't given in to the bribes (yet) Cory filled in for him. Very nice guys.

The second video is my mom singing Some Children See Him off the James Taylor Christmas album. Kerilynn figured out the accompaniment for my mom's birthday (Kerilynn plays all by ear) so she could sing it at her Christmas program. My sister and mom are so talented; unfortunately we didn't get me and my sisters singing or all of my mom's song because our camera ran out of batteries.

We all got along and enjoyed each other's company. Not a small feat for a group as opinionated and stubborn as we are.

It was Happy Christmas.

Please Forgive Me...

For my lack of blogging, but I have a good excuse.

Our friends Amy & Gavin had a baby. A cute little girl named Taylor. How scrumptious is that hair!

More post to come. Peace.

Awesome!

Lookin Good!

Happy Birthday CJ!

Lookin Good

A few years back John and I hosted an ugly Christmas Sweater Party. It was fantastic; we made a Christmas craft, played Christmas carols on my chimes, ate cookies, drank hot coco and wassail, and took a "family picture" of all in our fabulous digs.

Because of Mr. Tullis's crazy school/final schedule I have not been able to have my beloved party for the past two years. I was optimistic this would be the year it would make a come back but alas my cousin is getting married on the one day available.

Which brings me to my point, last Friday night was our church Christmas party, John had a final from 6:30 -9:30 pm (I know right?) so I would be going solo. That morning I was telling him I didn't know what I would wear. He then, in a moment of brilliance, suggested I wear one of my new ugly Christmas sweaters. I called up a few friends and convinced them to join in on the fun. Thanks guys for humoring me.

Behold the sweaters....

Amy Jo, Gavin, Me, & Chelise

* while we were taking this picture an older lady came and took a picture with her camera...she thought we all looked so good.*

I really went all out. Leggings, Christmas tree earrings, matching red & green penguin socks with black flats. Some people knew it was a joke, others (60 yrs. +) thought I looked cute, and a few were confused or too embarrassed to look at me-SUCCESS

Get your sweaters ready now because next year, my friends, our party will be off the hook!

All I Want for Christmas...

Jewelry

(necklaces & earrings) fun colors & styles

The Third Season of Arrested Development

Grown up wallet

Adele's new album

She & Him album

Video camera

A silver ring with a thick band

Vacation with John

I Heart Quotes

He's a Growing Boy

27.5 weeks

31.5 weeks


I am now 32 weeks pregnant and looking like it. T minus 8 weeks! Let the freaking out begin...or continue.

I Heart Quotes

Guess Who Got Engaged?

My Sister Kerilynn and her BF now FIANCE Cory!

Yay! Yay! and more Yay!

I was the second person called-I'm honored.

I couldn't be happier for them! I've always felt like Cory was a member of the family (they've been together forever); it's nice that it's finally official.

BTW: Happy Birthday KL ( he proposed on her 25th b-day, 12/10)

I Heart Quotes

LeeElle + Chocolate Milk = Happy

I love chocolate milk. One of the best things about attending/living close to BYU is the easy access to the best drink on earth- BYU Creamery chocolate milk. I have often referred to it as the nectar of the gods it's so good. Every time I go back to Utah I get my drink on. There is no other chocolate milk that compares. The distance created by moving to CA a few years ago was almost too much to bear, how was I to survive without my beloved chocolate milk?

Enter Lucerne/Vons Chocolate milk.

My grandpa Jex taught me that if you have to take big horse pills it best accompanied by a glass of chocolate milk and I agree. It was then that I was introduced or reacquainted after many years to Lucerne.

It was thick, it was creamy, and oh so chocolaty, in fact it may rival my beloved BYU chocolate milk. I felt blasphemous for even allowing such thoughts to cross my mind.

My aunt recently came back from Provo and brought with her a gallon of my old friend. John and I seized the opportunity to lie our curiosity to rest.

The competitors

BYU Creamery Chocolate milk aka nectar of the gods & Lucerne (Vons) Chocolate milk

The moderator-my cousin Quinn

The judges

yours truly and the Mr.


To assure anonymity

And the victor is.....

LUCERNE!

The vote was unanimous. 4-0 for Lucerne. And I'll have you know both my Uncle Steve and I are connoisseurs of chocolate milk. I had mixed emotions about the result but have decided to look at the glass as half full. I am able to go to VONS whenever I want and BYU is still delicious and can be a treat when I go to the beehive state.

A Day of Freedom

**still catching up 0n the blog**

I got the OK to travel down to Anaheim on the 15th of November as long as I was in the passenger seat lying down to go to my brothers water polo game. I had to sit the whole game (1 hr.) and not be my normal loud cheering self, yes it was difficult but I do have self-control, shocking I know.

The world coming to an end

This just happened to be the same day that Orange County was burning.

Weston's team (Long Beach City College) was competing in the southern section finals. They took second after losing to my alma mater Golden West (I told you Wes, you should have gone to GWC)

team huddle



The line up...introducing the players

My not so little bro and his rocket arm

W