april will be a big month for us

As we drove across the country, the miles started to get to me.  The junk food and long drives made me feel nauseated and exhausted.  Once we arrived in Utah, we left the kids with Grandma Steele and unpacked for a couple days.  I still felt off--nauseated and tired.

I reluctantly decided to take a pregnancy test--I say reluctant because we had just barely decided to try having another baby and usually it takes several months for us.  I feel discouraged when I'm sure that I'm pregnant but then get a negative pregnancy test, so usually I try to wait until I'm absolutely positive before testing.  The symptoms were all there but I was in disbelief that we might already be pregnant.

I decided to test anyways early one morning--it was positive, but without the second little positive "test" circle to confirm test was correct.  Talk about feeling in limbo--a positive pregnancy test that might not really be positive--not sure how to feel about that.  So I threw on some sweats and a baseball cap and told Kirk I needed some things from the store (at 7:30 am? still, he suspected nothing) and picked up a few random items and more pregnancy tests.  I snuck into the bathroom as soon as I got home to do another test.

Also positive.

Really? Really.

After recovering from my shock, I found Kirk setting up Emma's crib.  How ironic that he was setting up the crib for our "baby" who would not be the baby for much longer now.  I told him he might need to set up two cribs and watched him pause...take that in...and face me with a what-are-you-really-trying-to-say expression. "We're pregnant." Much more to the point.

"Really?"

"Yes, really. I just took the test."

Big hugs followed and we sat against the wall for several minutes, feeling a little caught off guard, overwhelmed, and grateful all at once.  How on earth would we take this on during grad school, and how on earth had it happened so soon?

Despite the shock, I felt the same feelings that had come earlier as we'd discussed having another baby.  I'd been initially hesitant, not wanting to take on too much with Kirk being so busy and knowing I'd be working part-time and involved in MBASA.  But after praying and fasting, I felt completely calm.  Whatever and whenever something happened, we'd take it in stride and everything would work out.  Part of me assumed we wouldn't become pregnant for several months, but if something did happen soon that would be okay.  That seemed like a slim chance though.

Now that it's a reality, I still feel very calm about having another baby. Even when the house is a mess and Dayton is jumping off the furniture and Emma is "expressing her opinion," I still feel like we'll just take it one day at a time and make the most of the situation.  

Long post, but I've got to record this as well.  We've had the initial ultrasound, baby is due April 8th. We had not said anything to Dayton about being pregnant, but I put the ultrasound pictures up on the fridge without thinking.  Of course, he noticed and asked, "What's in that picture?" So observant, that one.

I was surprised and answered his question with a question: "What do you think it is?"

He responded, "I don't know, what is it?" I took the picture off the fridge and sat next to him on the stairs.

Pointing to the picture I said, "This circle part is my belly. What do you think this part is?"

After a few moments he said, "A baby. You have another baby in your belly???" When I said yes, he yelled and laughed and said "We're having another baby!!" Genuine excitement and anticipation for another baby to join our family poured out of him for a few minutes.  He had mentioned multiple times that he wanted another baby, a brother, and then later clarified that he wants "...a lot, A LOT of brothers and sisters" with his arms stretched out wide to indicate at least 10 siblings, I'm sure.  Technically 3 is "a lot" right?  More than a couple, a few, several...we'll see.

His excitement was so sweet.  By this point he'd calmed down a bit--wish I would have captured his initial reaction.  He made sure his grandparents and other family members knew the good news and then told a few friends as well. Spread the joy, kid. Spread the joy.

dayton turns four

Dayton's birthday was a blast.  I'll let the pictures do the talking. 

His request for birthday breakfast was...oatmeal?!? So we added sprinkles. 

1st time rollerblading. It's harder than it looks. 

Bean Museum at BYU. Free and Fabulous.

"Charlotte" the friendly tarantula 

Making friends with Charlotte

Birthday Dinner at the park. He didn't sit down to eat until the food was packed up and everyone was leaving.

Always excited about life :)

Grateful to have family join in the fun.

We are so grateful for this boy.  He has so much enthusiasm for life, so much love for his family, and a gift for appreciating the simple things in life.  Love you Dayton Boy.

two months in

Two months?? How has it only been two months since Kirk started the MBA program?  Each day has been so full that it feels like we should be much father along than just a couple months.  It's a blessing in disguise (if you look past the dirty dishes and piles of laundry) to be so busy.  It has left zero time for boredom and loneliness.

Perhaps our experience is unique in some ways because we're at BYU.  I've mentioned before that BYU has been rated the "Most Family Friendly" MBA program in the nation, thanks largely to the MBA Spouse Association.  MBASA is a huge support network for the families of the MBA students.  It has provided a multitude of fun activities to help the kids and I transition to having Daddy in school.

Every minute seems full.  The kids have had superhero playdates, hikes, story times, soccer leagues, and pumpkin patch dates.  For me, it's been the usual stuff with the house and kids, as well as volleyball intramural games, coaching Dayton's soccer team (wha???), book club, education nights, fancy MBASA events, and starting my part-time job.  Daddy has (obviously) been consumed with school, networking, and internship-searching.  Somehow he still carves out time to see us for dinner, help with the dishes, and watch the kids when I work.  We're completely calm and well rested flying by the seat of our pants, but it's really been awesome!  Every day is full of hard/good/fun things and we go to bed exhausted every night.  And it's great. While Kirk is learning and growing in so many ways, I also have opportunities to learn and grow myself.

Pajamas all day

MBASA Opening Social

Battle Creek Falls

The reason we made it down from Timpanogos Falls 

Bridal Veil Falls-family style

Bridal Veil Falls-MBASA style

MBASA trip to the pumpkin patch

The reason I will cry when we leave this place

battle creek falls

Every morning we eat breakfast watching the sun rise over the mountains, wishing we had more time to explore some trails.  I finally left the laundry piled up at home and packed up the kids to make it happen.  Kirk had class, so I'd be going alone and wanted something the kids could handle.  Battle Creek Falls had lots of positive reviews that said things like "my young children really enjoyed it," "the falls are great," and "it's an easy hike to do with kids." Definitely fit what we were looking for.  

So we packed a lunch and drove to the trail head.  This was the view from the parking lot.  The trail is only 1.8 miles roundtrip with some steep sections. I say "steep", but then I'm used to hiking PA trails.  :)

Well-groomed trail.  This part was mostly flat.

First hints of Fall

Little mountain goat

I had let Dayton choose between wearing flip flops or tennis shoes (cause it was an "easy, family-friendly hike") and he chose flip flops.  That mistake became evident as the trail grew steeper, but he was a trooper. His favorite part was crossing the creek.  The water runs over the top of this bridge and we had to get our feet wet to cross.  The flip flops came in handy here. 

Battle Creek

The trail was obvious but the top half off was mostly loose rock. Flip flops were worthless on this section, but it encouraged Dayton to hold my hand while we hiked inches from the edge of the cliff.  That was a plus.

When the trail was at its steepest and narrowest and slipperiest, I noticed we'd made it to the falls (there's totally a metaphor for life in there somewhere).  So as we were standing about six inches from the edge of the cliff on the loose rocks, I told Dayton to hold really still while I took a picture.  The view was totally worth the climb, and it seemed to give Dayton a second wind because he begged to keep going. 

View of the valley from the falls

We stopped for lunch next to the creek and then found smaller waterfalls just a little ways up the path. 

Stopped here for lunch above the falls

It was a beautiful hike that I would do again.  It would be easier with Kirk's help and tennis shoes for Dayton.  He really did well negotiating the loose rocks and steep sections, and said multiple times how much he loved our "walk".  Check it out, people.

we have arrived

We are here! And have been for almost a month...oops.  Time flies when you're unpacking. :)  

unpacking Halloween costumes 

Since arriving in Utah, I had a fantastic birthday/girls' night out seeing Wicked for the first time.  We had one family missionary leave for Paraguay and another return home from Sweden.   

Tina's home from Sweden!

My new niece was blessed and we had a mini family reunion.

Family Reunion fun!

We visited the BYU Student Health Center--Emma wasn't feeling well.  That is, until they handed her a sucker.  Then all was right in the world. :) Suffice it to say, we've been busy.  But it's good to be here.  Somehow Kirk can stay up late (I'm talking really late) doing homework and then get out of bed in the morning for class.  He enjoys his professors and the students, and has already refined his list of companies he's most interested in working for.  

I'll sign off now with a promise to check in before another month rolls by. 

zaycon chicken $1.89 per pound

One of the main themes of grad school life is living on a budget, especially if you're living exclusively on student loans.  How do you stretch your dollar?

Second only to rent, groceries are our biggest monthly expense.  Buying in bulk is one way to save money if you have space to store the extra food.  We don't have extra storage space currently, but our new home in Utah will have plenty.  We'll finally be able to take advantage of bulk sales!  

With that in mind, let's talk about Zaycon Foods.  They offer high quality meat at very competitive prices.  For example, the deal I recently took advantage of offered farm-fresh chicken breasts for $1.89/lb.  Seriously?? Yes.  Let me tell you how excited I am about this.  I'm a Wal-Mart shopper and their store brand chicken breast are $1.99/lb where I live. The quality is OK but certainly nothing special.  EVERYONE I've talked to has really loved the taste, texture, size, and quality of their Zaycon chicken.  This is a win-win...better chicken for a better price.  If you'd like to take advantage of this, follow my referral link!

https://zayconfoods.com/refer/zf48214

The orders come in 40 lb. boxes which poses a problem for people like me with a regular sized refrigerator--not a lot of freezer space.  Take care of that problem by sharing the order with a friend or family member.  My sister and I will be sharing our chicken.

If you decide to purchase, you'll be given a referral link to share with others.  Every time someone registers with Zaycon through your link, you'll get a $1.00 credit to be used towards future purchases.  Just keeps getting better, right?  Search for a location near you, order now, and then pick it up later.    

Has anyone else tried Zaycon Foods? How do you save at the grocery store? 

nyc

With just one month left until we leave the East Coast, we are doing our best to soak it up while we can.  NYC was on our bucket list even though this was our third visit.  There is so much to see and do, we still haven't done it all.  Enjoy the picture highlights.  

World Trade Center tower

Lady Liberty

Ellis Island

"Graffiti Pillar" at Ellis Island.  Years of paint have been removed, leaving just the original plaster.  You can see where the immigrants wrote their names on these pillars over 100 years ago.  

Brooklyn Bridge

Brooklyn Bridge

not a day over twenty-nine

We've really got it made.  This guy is so good to us.  He fills so many roles--husband, father, friend, teacher, provider, protector--and does it all like a boss.  We love you, Kirk.  Happy birthday!

Happy birthday! Low quality pic but can't pass up those faces.

mr. clean owes me one

Let me preface this post by stating that this is a NO-JUDGE zone.  So all you people with clean houses and sticky-free kids move right on past this post.  Love me or leave me baby.  Mr. Clean and Friends will be grateful for this unsolicited shout out.

If you do have kids with dirty hands, those hands are guaranteed to drag along the walls leaving behind a tell-tale trail of PB&J, dirt, and who knows what else.   I have let those smudges accumulate mostly because I hate scrubbing walls, but also because I wanted to show y'all the power of the Magic Eraser.   

I couldn't look at the grossness of the walls anymore (plus, the terrible lighting in here accentuates the grossness--yikes).  So I bit the bullet and did some scrubbing.  But not just regular scrubbing 'cause that makes me grumpy.  It's way more fun with the Magic Eraser.  Here's the before...

various nasty walls. yuck 

...and the after!  Here's a side-by-side. Remember people, No. Judge. Zone.

before

after

before

after

before

after
Dayton cleaned this spot.  Not bad, eh?

    

Now that the walls are clean, a certain handsome preschooler will be wearing gloves for the remainder of our time here.  Like I was saying about the Magic Eraser, it's great.  Removes almost all marks (my walls had pen, jam, dirt, yogurt, old stubborn marker stains, and other normal gross stuff...it is normal, right?)

Here's my cleaning list.  Or should I say Dayton's list?  He totally loves scrubbing walls.  Anything to feel like a grown-up.  Wish I had a picture of his little hands in those big rubber gloves. 

• wash blinds (some I could take down and wash quickly in the tub, others I had to scrub with a sponge and towel)
• scrub marks off the wall with magic eraser
• spackle holes in wall from nails 
• shampoo carpets
• wipe off cupboards shelves and cabinet doors 
• sweep behind fridge, washer & dryer
• cobweb check
• rinse out light fixtures (how do bugs get inside light fixtures??)
• bathroom deep clean
• wash windows
• deep clean kitchen: sink, oven, & stovetop
• last thing before moving: spot clean, sweep, vacuum

The goal is to have everything done before packing the truck so that all we have to do after loading the truck is a quick spot clean.  This is a great cleaning checklist from Apartment Therapy if you're interested.  What's your least favorite spot to clean?  Maybe a better question is where do you find cheap labor?