Brain Bookmark

The weather in SL has been lovely. I have been taking Scott to work in the morning since he started at the new downtown office, and I find myself wanting to stay outside at 5:30 in the morning because it's bright, light, and warm outside. It makes me want to read on the grass, search for new flowers up Black Mountain, and eat snow cones and frozen yogurt. It really has been so gorgeous and enjoyable.

This is just to save what page I'm on in my brain while I pause from the blog to start to tackle my day.

Blogging:

1. Baby Boy updates/progress/schtuff (Can you believe we're almost 7 months along?)

2. Our trip to NYC and DC

3. New challenges coming up

4. Our serendipitous evening at the stadium... entitled, "Why meeting the Dutsons was the best thing that ever happened to us."

5. Johnny's arrival on FRIDAY!

On to the day. I'll hopefully be back tonight so I don't end up blogging three months behind anymore.

As I Started Thinking About Trips...

...I remembered that we went to Mexico in March! And I never posted pictures! So here's a breeze through that trip so I can post about our last one! We're going backwards here. These sunset pictures are from our sunset sail boat ride on our very last night. I loved it... well most of it. I got sea sick part way through and had to try to lay down. Scott and I had fun carrying on a very interesting conversation with our boat captain, though. I loved the chance to speak spanish regularly. I love when my thoughts come in Spanish before they come in English.

It'll be nice to get these braces off someday. I'm realizing now how they kind of take over my face in pictures.







The boys went fishing one morning (the morning after the tsunami!) while Jen and I slept in and avoided the rocky boat ride. It would have been a little rough on our pregnant bellies. Jen is one month ahead of us in her pregnancy. They are having a little girl.

This was one of the greatest fascinations of the whole trip. How'd you like to live on that boat for a while? How cool would it be to own that? There's a helicopter on board! Scott googled this yacht when we got home and was devising a way to become the owner's best friend.

We had to be creative and find ways to entertain ourselves on the tsunami day because we couldn't go in the water. We visited the new lots in Cabo. The homes were gorgeous and the view was amazing.

On the Tsunami day we also went to a glass-blowing factory. The workers made this cerveza-drinking turtle in about 2 minutes right in front of our eyes!

Snorkeling adventures. This was weird for me to get used to. There's just nothing natural about breathing underwater. It was really throwing me off.

Day One in Cabo... can you tell? We're so so white and my hair is straight! We never got that much sun anyway. We were really diligent sunscreeners after some recent family skin cancer scares. But it was nice to be in the sun, even if we didn't come home wearing the sun.

This one should be blown-up and framed in our baby's room.

There's the hyper-drive record of our trip! We had a blast and were so grateful for a fun, sunny getaway with friends.

Ouch.

Braces. There's a metal factory going on in my mouth.

Loved New York! Oh yeah... I went to New York for a week! Details later.

"Today you are birthed. Ode."

That was Doug's birthday greeting to me yesterday.

***Editor's Note*** I hadn't even noticed that last blog post from Scotty!!! I think we were writing our posts at the same time. How sweet is that!!?? He's my favorite. And I love being his sidekick!!

It was a wonderful day. I took my parents to the airport first thing and then joined Kirsten and family up in Farmington to play my violin in her ward. Andrew was waiting with some pictures he drew for me for my birthday, Ben was waiting with one of his violent-crash-into-you kind of hugs, and SJ was waiting with a smile and her best elephant impression. Kirsten and Nick were so nice to make me my favorite dinner with delicious salmon and homemade cheesecake with amazing fresh strawberries. I remember one year for my birthday I told my dad that all I wanted was a crate of strawberries... and he got them! And I ate them!!!

It was so nice to spend the day with the sobrinos and Kirst and Nick. I spent the evening with my grandparents after that and enjoyed waking up in my grandparents' house to witness grandpa's masterpiece breakfast. It was a birthday filled with family, rest, and fun... but it unfortunately didn't include Scott. A holiday just isn't a holiday without Scotty there to share it. Little man and I have missed him.

It's interesting to me that my birthday came and went. Thank you to friends and family who sent their hello along! I'm 24 and one day old. Kirsten was asking me if I felt older, and I laughed because for the first time in my life, I feel younger! I feel like this birthday I'm feeling more and more overwhelmed, inadequate, and unprepared to handle all the big changes coming up. Maybe this is the true mark of adulthood... the fact that I actually feel like a child. Maybe it's more childish to feel grown up. Maybe coming to grips with the reality of the situation that I'm in over my head is actually a sign that maturity is starting to sink in.

It's been a big weekend though! I kind of can't believe I've gotten through it and that I'm finding time to scribble on my blog a bit. Many updates and announcements to come... but the biggest one is that come a week and a half, we will be greeting Johnny at the airport after two long years apart!!!! I can't wait to see him! And I can't wait to see him see the boys. I think that will be so fun to watch the reunion between Johnny and Andrew. Andrew talks about him all the time and is petrified that Johnny won't remember him. It'll be so fun to have him back. He is definitely the most popular member of our family and very very missed.

Happy Birthday Lindsey!!! (Yesterday)

Lindsey, you are the most wonderful woman in the world. Knowing you is to know happiness, sunshine, smiles and laughter. Being around you is to feel love, kindness and warmth.

Since we have been away from each other over the past week (and during my newest favorite day of the year, the celebration of your birth), I have missed you so much. I miss your companionship, your warm hand, your smiles and sense of humor. The phone just doesn't cut it. You are the greatest sidekick, companion and friend I have ever known!

I celebrate your day of birth with thankfulness that I am a part of your life. Thank you for your endless love. I can't wait to be back together, to be in your hug!

I love you so much!!!

Scott