Counting with the Browns:

1. bed made all nice and neat that needs to be made.

2. loads of laundry waiting to be put away.

3. hours until our weekend starts.

4. days of school for Jeremy each week.

5. aprons, rarely worn, hanging on the wall.

6. running/congested nostrils. 

7. hours of peaceful sleep for us most nights.

8. yard sales on our list to visit tomorrow. 

9. cards waiting to be mailed.

10. pounds of baby weight still hanging around. 

11. pair of pants that won't stay on Itty Bittys tiny little body. 

12. unorganized clothing drawers in our home. 

13. hair bows and flowers that go unworn.

14. inches I wish I didn't cut off my hair.

15. meals eaten as a family each week.

16. miles to school each day. 

17. or more carrots eaten each day.

18. hours of sleep a day (by Scott).

19. plus one freezing toes.

20. days until Portland. 

21. School days before Jeremy's summer break. 

Some days I dread blogging. And the past three weeks have been one of those days. At first I told myself I didn't need to post because I had just posted. Then I thought we have NOTHING new to blog about. And then I realized I didn't even know where to start because I hadn't blogged in so long. Soon to come: Scott's first trip to CA and his second and third. Meeting great grandparents, easter, first smiles...It's a vicious cycle I tell you.

Hopefully we will catch up soon. For now I will leave you with this:

There is a first time for everything. We tried a few new things today...

1. Kale chips, they were super good.

2. Sleeping until after noon with my baby.

3. Realizing our sliding glass door was left unlocked all weekend long, while we were gone.

4. Locking ourselves out of the house. 

We were invited to dinner at our bishops house tonight. When we left Jeremy took Scott out while I found a sweatshirt so I locked the door behind me (knowing he was already in the car, with the keys). 

At about 830 we get out of the car at home and Jeremy realizes he grabbed the wrong car keys, the ones without the house keys.

After some thinking and trying to break in (if only we hadn't realized the sliding glass door was unlocked early and locked it) we decided we needed to call a lock smith or go to a hotel until our rental office opened. We decided to call the locksmith, we were back in our cozy little home by 9:10.

and the count down continues...

With only 40 days until our due date:

I am extremely tired. every. single. day.

I am hungry all the time. I heard that was supposed to go away toward the end of pregnancy, nope. Not for me. It has gotten worse.

I want cake. I think about it constantly, I don't think I have eaten any since I have been pregnant, weird. (lies, at my parents anniversary party but that was before I knew I was pregnant). 

I had to sleep on the lovesac last night. Killer heartburn. The worst I have ever had. I think it was from the spicy cup of noodles I had for lunch.

My back kills. Almost every day.
I don't appreciate whoever decided to put the seat adjusters in cars just out of reach of pregnant ladies. Not funny, if you thought it would be.

I woke up on Sunday with what I thought was pink eye, Jeremy disagreed. But since then my eyeball gets red and goopey. I don't know what it is but it is almost gone, I'm not worried.

This week I went to a breastfeeding class. I dreaded going (it was a WIC thing, sometimes those people are too nice and get on my nerves...wow I sound like a horrible person) it started at 10am (which some days seems way early than it should) and Jeremy's school started at 1030 twenty miles away and we only had one car...more on that later... Anyway I am so glad I went I learned so much, she talked a lot about stuff I had already read but wasn't sure about and it really helped clear somethings up. I do wish Jeremy was able to go though. She also talked a lot about birth.

I started off the week working a lot on the nursery. Now I have two half finished (okay, more like quarter finished) projects on the living room and dining room floor. And Jeremy has one. I am really trying to get the energy (and flexibility, oh how I miss being able to reach stuff and bend over, I know those thing won't come back until the baby comes...) to finish.  Our new goal for a finished nursery is February 1st (our original goal really wasn't attainable, let's be honest). 

I still love being pregnant. Even though this post may not seem like it. Baby boy is as wiggly as ever. I don't think I have ever felt him have the hiccups...is that normal? I thought about that the other day when I read that someone loved feeling their baby's hiccups. Maybe he hasn't gotten them or he gets them while I sleep? Or maybe I just don't notice. 

I still get a lot of kicks in the ribs and some random punches in my sides and the rolley polley feeling I have gotten so used too. My favorite is when he pushes out on my belly and stretches and I can feel his tiny body parts. And when he tries to bump something off my belly...like a computer or book. But oh man am I ready to hold my itty-bitty baby and cuddle with him and kiss him.

Jeremy's started school back up this week. He is really enjoying it. His schedule is a million times better compared to last quarter. That should help with the job search. (Both of his seasonal jobs ended, by the way).

The next item I need to speak to you about: the first snow of the year. It is supposed to happen this weekend. Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday actually. I'm a smiggin more than excited. As much as I hate snow we need it to complete our Family Bucket list for this month. Snow that close to my baby shower makes us a little bit nervous, but the moutain roads should be cleared by then so no need to fret. And I am so excited for this weekend because I'll finally be able to wear my rain boots!...and not just for fun! And I am really excited about my baby shower!

Jeremy is sick. He even said it. He tried to cover up that he said the words "I'm sick" but he couldn't. He just has a little head cold, and he says he feels just fine. But being around sick people makes me miserable, I get grumpy. The sniffles and nose blowing...hopefully he starts feeling better soon.

So back to the one car thing...Some days I hate modern transportation, well not really. I do enjoy having a easy and convenient way to get anywhere and everywhere I want, whenever I want...a lot. But I was getting pretty close to the feelings of hatred when Jeremy got home on Tuesday. Jeremy almost always takes the corolla to school, it just gets a little bit better gas mileage and he says the Jetta is safer for me and baby. Well on Tuesday he was coming home from school and the "check engine" light came on. Then it died on him. Twice. He made it home safe but it was still idling funny. 

A small piece of information: as long as I have had the corolla it has made this goofy noise. My dad had it looked at once and the guy said it was nothing. I have to give a warning to everyone when they go to drive my car and explain it to everyone who hears it because naturally when you hear a friends car making a weird noise you worry.

Anyway on Wednesday morning he took it to the mechanic down the road and he told us that one of the cylinders wasn't working, our battery failed the test, our transmission needed to be flushed and...there was something else. And that it wouldn't be done until Thursday afternoon. Fantastic! Anyway now we have our corolla back. In one piece. And it works. It still makes that goofy noise, for those of you wondering.

My next doctors appointment is on Tuesday and I start going weekly after that. Crazy. I am getting so excited! I really wish these next six weeks would just hurry up already!

It's no secret that fall is in the air. It is slowly cooling down and Christmas is only 67 days away.
But first Halloween, our Halloween wreath has been on the door since October 4th...can you tell? I'm ready!

(sorry it's sideways)

I've always loved Halloween, cute kids in adorable costumes, people to old to be trick-or-treating...still trick-or-treating. But you can bet your bottom that on November first our "late fall" wreath will be on the door because dang-it I'm ready for THANKSGIVING!
We decided this last weekend we are spending Thanksgiving with Jeremy's Family in Portland, no big deal (especially since my parents will be out of town). But then around 4pm today it hit me...I have one small issue...well in my own opinion it is a HUGE ISSUE.
Since the time I was itty-bitty little my Grandma Tavey has spoiled me rotten on Thanksgiving and made me ham! (Pretty much just for me and my cousin Troy, it's our favorite) I love ham, probably as much as I love bacon. Don't get me wrong I still eat turkey, but ham is where my heart will stay. So the problem? Most people don't eat turkey AND ham on Thanksgiving, in fact most people think it is wrong to eat ham on Thanksgiving, they say it's for Christmas (really people? It's for BOTH!).

Now I've had my fair share of bad Thanksgivings, there is the one I was in the hospital, the one where we ate at Denny's in Utah somewhere and I know not having Ham is not going to kill Thanksgiving. The year we had pheasant and tri-tip was a good year (and we had a ham and turkey dinner like a week before). But for me it really just isn't the same without it. Just so you know this is about what my plate looks like on Thanksgiving.

You can keep your soggy bread, green bean casserole and any other side people like on Thanksgiving. And dessert isn't necessary on Thanksgiving either. I'd rather eat more HAM, turkey, potatoes and rolls...just sayin'.

pictures from today

I am officially half way done with my pregnancy! The baby has been moving around like crazy for a while. No one ever told that feeling a baby moving really did feel like a human inside of you (I don't know what I was thinking it would feel like, but it wasn't what I expected). Around ten every night is when the baby is really active and it starts to tickle right about then. I have been feeling really good but have had a hard time sleeping. My legs hurt all night long and I can't get comfortable, Jeremy says I complain about it all night. 

We had a doctors appointment today! Well really just our unltrasound. Everything looked good, from what I could tell, at our doctors appointment in two weeks we will know more. Baby weighed 13oz. If you don't know what it is yet you should read our blog more often...just sayin. 

It kinda took me by surprise when she said what it was...we were both thinking it was the opposite. But we are still very excited!

My bump is getting bigger. I can still wear some of my jeans comfortably and my shorts (they have to be held together by a hair tie) but started to wear maternity shirts a while ago, they are way more comfortable. My maternity jeans aren't comfortable, maybe I'll like them more in a few weeks?

We are working on stuff for the nursery, I'm not a fan of decisions.

On a completely different subject, Jeremy finished his first crocheted blanket! (I'll post a picture of that later).

He did a good job! I am very proud of him!

He really likes all of his classes and that they are on 10 week terms.

He is still looking for a job and is as adorable as ever. 

A few things you should know about me...

• In the fall I will zig-zag sidewalks and take the long way places just to crunch leafs. 
• The smell of rain is my favorite. 
• I don't like chocolate.
• I love water. Drinking it. Swimming in it. Looking at it. Everything. 
• I could sit and dream about my dream home for hours.
• I am a worry wart and over think everything. 
• I can go almost three weeks without shaving me legs (when I'm not pregnant).
• I have always loved getting the mail.
• I'm a people watcher...sometimes I don't even realize I stare at people. 
• I don't drink soda. 
• I hate the snow but want to experience a white Christmas before I die. 
• Elephants are my favorite animal. And puppies.
• Today I could sit and read a book for hours, but tomorrow I will probably wake up and want to throw every book I see against the wall. 
• Cheesy movies are my favorite. 
• I like to sneeze. 
• I have more scars than I can count and that I have stories for.
• I have a bucket list. 
• I've never broken a bone...or been stung by a bee (as far as I know...possibly once but I didn't feel it so I don't believe it happened).
• We're having a baby...it's human...a boy one to be exact. 

We are finally all moved in. Thank you to everyone who helped us move, we really appreciate all the help. Really it went pretty fast, we had a lot of time Saturday afternoon to unpack and by Sunday afternoon our bedroom was 90% unpacked and 79% organized, our kitchen was completely unpacked, organized and clean (floors and all...because they were covered in a kinda gross black dust, I found that out by looking at the bottom of my feet) and fresh cookies were in the cookie jar (half from subway the others I made).
When it comes to furniture and sorta major things, we still need few. Our miniature Ikea couch looks a little smaller than I hoped in our apartment, and is a little more blue than grey, but lets just say I had to find a new use for our end tables that were a good four inches taller than the back of our couch. We are using my hope chest as a TV stand at the moment and my dear sweat lovesac is still squished in the corner, of what will be baby's room, behind boxes of books and empty picture frames. I crawled over to it today to take a much needed nap (nine o'clock church is way to early) and when I woke up I realized Jeremy had very lovingly made sure I had his favorite stuffed animal to cuddle with in case I needed it and his baby blanket laid over me. Also our kitchen is missing some semi-important things like a microwave, toaster, waffle iron, mixer and blender...but my very thoughtful husband remembered PAM when he was at the store other day (I had forgotten on half a dozen occasions) so we are more than good to go.
Over all we love our apartment! It has lots of windows for lots of light, which I really like! It's in a super good location, it is just the right size for us and just the right amount of boring and clean for us to make cute. Downside: no ceiling fans and a drier that takes three hours to dry and smallish-medium load. We are very happy to be in our own home and use all our stuff. We are doing well and are settling in.

As for a baby undate: I am growing out of my clothes but I am that awkward stage between regular clothes and maternity clothes...my shorts are a smiggin too small to be comfortable in them for long periods of time and I am trying so hard to get used to looking down and seeing a larger than usually pouch...so if you see me in basketball shorts or yoga pants and a t-shirt try not to judge too much. Baby is about the size of a naval orange and weighs 2 to 3 oz. We are patiently waiting for October 10th to get here when we will finally know if we are having a boy or a girl.

On a side note...we don't have internet yet :/

WE ARE MOVING!

And we are so excited! The big day is Saturday.

I feel slightly over whelmed with the amount of stuff we have, I don't even know what we are going to do with it all when we get to our apartment...somehow I don't think five closets will be enough... 

We really are looking forward to moving and taking this next step in our lives...finally, it seemed like it would never get here.

This weekend...
On Friday I went shopping with my mom and attempted to help her decorate her new office, then after we ate dinner with Jeremy's parents, we went shopping with my mom again, this time at ross, then we helped her get pictures for a picture frame. And then we used my moms phone to facetime Kelly and talked to her for a long time, she gave us a tour of her new apartment and told us all about her job interviews.
On Saturday we went up to Medford to tour our apartment (well what will hopefully be our apartment) we are in love with it. It's nice and little and cute and we really like it. There was another couple viewing it at the same time (it was a little awkward, but we already have our application in so HA! But if they become our neighbors when the apartment upstairs is open we would be okay with that, they seemed like nice people). After we saw it we went to this nifty little book store, well it's a book exchange, everything in there is FREE. The rules on the door said something like
1. If you see something and think it belongs somewhere else, move it.
2. If you feel weird taking stuff, don't.
3. If you still feel weird taking stuff leave a cash donation at the door.
4. If you have a few minutes ask the volunteer on staff what you can do to help.
5. If you have a lot of time ask about becoming a regular volunteer.
Then outside they had a shed that was the "drop box" so you could just leave your donations. When we left the lady was very disappointed we were leaving empty handed. And their is a sign on the door that says "2 dollars at the door with keep us going". It was a really cool place so if anyone ever comes and visits us and you want to go let us know and we will take you! We also walked around the mall for a while until I was tired and grumpy then we left.
When we got back to town my mom wanted us to come over and go through all their books and take what we wanted then Amanda and her family was in town so we stayed and visited for a while then we went to dinner with Amanda and Jeremy and then we went to black light miniature golf, when we realized we wouldn't be making it to any of the movies, and then we went to cold stone. It was a lot of fun! And that is the story of our weekend.

This weekend...
On Friday I went shopping with my mom and attempted to help her decorate her new office, then after we ate dinner with Jeremy's parents, we went shopping with my mom again, this time at ross, then we helped her get pictures for a picture frame. And then we used my moms phone to facetime Kelly and talked to her for a long time, she gave us a tour of her new apartment and told us all about her job interviews.
On Saturday we went up to Medford to tour our apartment (well what will hopefully be our apartment) we are in love with it. It's nice and little and cute and we really like it. There was another couple viewing it at the same time (it was a little awkward, but we already have our application in so HA! But if they become our neighbors when the apartment upstairs is open we would be okay with that, they seemed like nice people). After we saw it we went to this nifty little book store, well it's a book exchange, everything in there is FREE. The rules on the door said something like
1. If you see something and think it belongs somewhere else, move it.
2. If you feel weird taking stuff, don't.
3. If you still feel weird taking stuff leave a cash donation at the door.
4. If you have a few minutes ask the volunteer on staff what you can do to help.
5. If you have a lot of time ask about becoming a regular volunteer.
Then outside they had a shed that was the "drop box" so you could just leave your donations. When we left the lady was very disappointed we were leaving empty handed. And their is a sign on the door that says "2 dollars at the door with keep us going". It was a really cool place so if anyone ever comes and visits us and you want to go let us know and we will take you! We also walked around the mall for a while until I was tired and grumpy then we left.
When we got back to town my mom wanted us to come over and go through all their books and take what we wanted then Amanda and her family was in town so we stayed and visited for a while then we went to dinner with Amanda and Jeremy and then we went to black light miniature golf, when we realized we wouldn't be making it to any of the movies, and then we went to cold stone. It was a lot of fun! And that is the story of our weekend.

I had my first doctors appointment today. Everything went well. 

Our baby was dancing around during the ultrasound. 

It was adorable, but I am a little biased. 

We do move soon...we will hopefully know more after Saturday when we FINALLY get to see our apartment so they can go on with our application process.We are so excited to move but it seems like it isn't going ever going to happen. 

Last night was a good night. 

After Jeremy got home from work he and his dad made a delicious vanilla milk shake. 

Then we went to see Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer at the dollar theatre (yes we use the fancy spelling because it was a date night). I loved the movie. Ken and Debbie tried to convince us to go see a different movie with them but I am so glad we didn't. I do have to say it was pretty dang funny, Jeremy even liked it. 

When we walked out of the theatre we were welcomed by the sweet smell of summer rain (our favorite). 

And then because we hadn't eaten a real dinner, we sat in the Panda Express parking lot and ate chow-mien while we listened to the rain pound on our car.  

It was a good way to start off the week, for sure. 

{even though it was more of FHE than a date that's okay...because I was still with my favorite person ever}

We spent this past weekend up in Ashland and Medford. Jeremy had his Raider Registration (even though they are really Ravens...we're still trying to figure that one out). 

So this is what happened that morning...

7:05am leave the KOA campground we stayed the night at

7:20am get off the freeway and take the very long way through town to the shcool (that our not so smart smart phones told us to go)

7:35am find a parking spot and hurry to sign in (it stated at 7:30)

7:40(ish)am find the "Guest Sign-in" table...here is what happened.

{SOU lady: I like your shirt! (to Jeremy)

Jeremy: ...thanks...?

-we approach the table, holding hands-

SL: are you both students here?

Erin: No. 

SL: Student (to Erin) and Guest (to Jeremy)?

E: No. He's a student I'm the guest.

SL: Oh. Okay. Well this is the guest sign in, thats the student sign in (pointing across the court yard). You should probably go sign in. 

-J walks away-

SL: So are you a student at another college? Or are you in high school?

-seriously lady?! Yes I am a grown women in high school married to a man who graduated from high school six years ago-

E: (with the best smile I could muster up) Not right now. 

SL: Oh...well today if you would like you can walk around campus and get a feel for the place yourself. Or you could go to the workshops; but it's more parents. But siblings and support systems....and partners....can go too.

-Really? Do siblings often hold hands in these parts?-

E: Okay.

SL: Coffee and breakfast are inside, have a good day. 

E: Okay, thank you. 

7:47am Go and find Jeremy, we go inside for breakfast...to find carrot break, fruit and watered down OJ, delicious I know...

7:52am I realized that my dear husband had come to orientation dressed in school colors...I had to laugh; it was completely unnecessary, he did it completely on accident but still. He looked like a dorky ninth grader showing up to his first day of high school. I love him. 

{here he is all cute'n'junk with his Raven/Raider backpack wearing his school colors proud...}

Needless to say I didn't stick around for the "Becoming Empty Nesters and Supporting your Baby Through College Workshops. Instead I went and drove around Medford, became very familiar with a few parts of town...especially the mall. 

I do have to say it is a really pretty campus...and I even saw a deer!

Over all it was a pretty good weekend.

Oh best thing every! I went to Fred Meyers Side Walk sale and got three pair of running shoes (one for me, one for Jeremy and one for my dad) for like $80...it was FANTASTIC!

So I fail at taking pictures. So you get some googled pictures...sorry. And the ones taken on my phone (I don't really know where my camera is at the moment...and besides that we only took like two). We had a great time on the family camping trip. We stayed at the Santa Margarita KOA. 

While we were there we went to Pismo beach a few times, saw Cars 2, ate lots of good food....bacon every day for breakfast : )....We also went to Hurst's Castle. 

We were a little disappointed in the "Castle". It just wasn't the prettiest place we have every seen, it didn't meet our expectations of a castle. It seemed like it was just a giant house full of a mich-match of stuff because he couldn't decide what he really wanted. I did like hearing the history of the place though...like...

It's really a cattle farm and has been for a long time. Mr Hurst used to camp on the property with his family as a kid. When he started building on the land he wanted a little cabin to continue to camp on the land...but turned into a much much larger place. Which leads to my favorite part: the dinning room; he set the table like it was when he was a little kid. As if the people there were camping. With ketchup and mustard bottles right on the table, I have a picture somewhere. I also loved the pools...not just because of the chlorine smell. The indoor pool has gold tiles...which were/are ordered from Italy. 

Once a year they auction off a "Swim for Ten" people, which usually goes for about $3,000-$5,000. Also when you retire from working there they let you jump off the diving platform. Another interesting fact...there is a section of the pool that is 3' deep and that is the women had to stay while swimming and the other part of the pool is all 10' (?). Also Mr. Hurst used to have animals all over like polar bears, zebras....I don't remember the rest BUT there is still a pack of zebras that roam that area, we didn't see it though :/ 

Other random pictuers....

 hats we saw on the peir....

 one of the 57 highways we took home...yes it was a two way highway.

 our wannabe starburst stone hedge. 

trying to keep myself entertained. 

We also played lots and lots of card games. Tried to stay clean (it was super dusty), avoided the flys and mosquitoes, and got a serious leg workout multiple times a day (the campground was on a hill...we were at the top and the only bathrooms/showers were at the very bottom). 

we're going camping! be back next week. 

well...maybe...then we have a birthday party on friday {in luke's words "it's far far away"}, then on friday we're off to SOU for Jeremy's orientation and to look for somewhere to call home. so we may not be back for a while. 

note to self: post about mom and dads anniversary party...that i completely forgot about.

if you are related to us, know someone who is, you read my sisters blog, called Ken to tell him happy birthday or are friends with my mother on facebook then you know what I came here to tell you....

we're having a baby! according to every Chinese gender chart we have found it's girl, for the record my dad was the first to look. as of today i am six weeks and six days. making our baby about the size of a blueberry and sometime around midnight tonight it will magically pop into the size or a raspberry. 

as of right now our due date is: feb 22

nine days after my gma baker's birthday

three days before our wedding anniversary

one week before leap day

I am totally blanking on everything that has happened since this month began...but here we go anyway.

love,

So last Thursday we thought we had a ward picnic, so we got already, left work early and made the hour and a half trek up the mountain and when we got to the park right on time NOBODY was there. So we waited at this cute little park and no one came. After a half hour we gave up and went home. Turns are it's this week at our ward building. We aren't sure if it got canceled and we didn't get the memo, or if somewhere in our little heads the information was wrong. But thats okay we went home with our four dozen mini Mt. Dew cupcakes and ate tri-tip tacos.