John is back, Pregnancy, birthday, and Sunday Walk

so there really isn't any way to record John's training (no pics there anyway), so I made him let me take a photo by the balloons we got for him (and the mirror is decorated, though you can't see it that well). He had a lot of crazy stories to tell when he got back, but the biggest accomplishment was passing the training course...a seriously awesome feat. We are so proud! Since he's been back we have been taking it easy and having so much fun, our little family, before he has to leave again this time for 4 weeks out of the country. I'm not at all thrilled about this, but at least we'll be able to talk every few days this time! (and don't worry, he's not going anywhere dangerous). When we picked him up from the airport at 1:30 in the morning (yeah I brought everett, I don't really know what else to do with him) Everett's reaction was so priceless, he kept laughing and screaming Daddddy! He was so excited, his goofy grin didn't leave his face the entire drive home, and his little tongue was sticking out of that funny smile because he was so thrilled he didn't quite know what to do with himself. It was adorable. Those two have been inseparable since.

** if you're curious at all about this training watch the show "Two weeks in Hell" on Netflix instant play, its a documentary about the same course John took...these guys are TOUGH!

In other news, I am totally showing. It's true what they say about your body kind of turning to mush with your second baby, for me at least, it's like my body is saying, yeah yeah, I know what's coming, lets get the suite ready for number two...

{i am actually 17 weeks tomorrow, but this is the latest picture I have, and the first "belly shot" for baby number 2}

I feel great, wish I was sleeping better (we did have a nasty week of thick yucky green stuff and coughs, but we're over it now). I wish I had more pants that fit, I have one pair of maternity jeans, but they don't fit well because I'm not that big yet, so they fall down, or I have yoga pants/leggings. I wish so bad it were warm, I can't wait to wear stretchy waist skirts every day.

Today we went for a sunday drive/picnic/walk because it was so warm! We made friends with the horsies, though I'm pretty sure we disappointed them because we didn't have any yummy treats to feed them.

Everett hasn't really ever played in the snow, we just don't get any good playing snow at our house, but he did get a kick out of it today, just picking up a handful and throwing it as far as he could, then laughing at how fantastically clever he is...then doing it all over again, he could have done that all day long!

For my birthday (a little late, but I wanted to wait for John to come home) Jarom and Steph came over, we went swimming and played games, ate a yummy dinner and TONS of yummy treats, including delish cake (yellow cake with cream cheese and whipped cream frosting and raspberry sauce on top, in case you were wondering) Everett helped take care of the frosting

at the pool, excuse the freakish smile on my face, we were in a hurry to get the photo taken, to prove we were all there :)

Jarom and Steph, Evelyn's first time swimming! She loved it :)

Coming off the slide

FUN kiddie section, these little slides were just the right size, Everett loved going down with daddy, but not as much by himself

Doesn't it look cool?! It was so fun

Little miss Evelyn in the baby jumpy swings, I didn't get a good picture of her smiling, but I promise, she loved it!

Had a great birthday bash, we finished up the cake today while we played the game sumoku. Now we are trying to make the most of the week before John leaves again this weekend. We have plans to go to the temple, go to the aquarium, play at the park, watch movies, play games, and snuggle. (Everett and I are going to visit Nate and Fam in sunny arizona for 10 days while John is gone, we're also leaving this weekend...having family to visit makes the time apart more bearable! )

Anyway, that's the update!

a few things, and EVerett's bedroom

John has been gone for three weeks and gets ot come home TONIGHT!!! He was back east doing some seriously hard core military training (He doesn't like me to be too specific on the blog, you know security...the world wide web and all) so I'll just say, he passed the training which basically means he's as tough as nails and we are SO prooud of him!!! As part of the training he wasn't aloud to have a phone with him so I didn't even get to talk to him, TORTURE! I know for him the past 3 weeks was truly hell, and so I feel bad complaining about being lonely and bored and sick and...lonely, when he hasn't had a decent bed to speak of, or a decent meal, or a warm place to be, so I will just share the highlights of what we've been doing to keep busy while he's been away :)

I know he's in these photos haha, but we just bought a 2 year pass to the living planet aquarium, it's so awesome, we've been a few more times since we took these photo's, it's so nice to have someplace fun to take everett that he really get's into...he laughs and screams and giggles the whole time we are there, it's not a huge facility, no where near the Oregon coast or Monterey aquariums, but that's okay (they building a bigger facility even closer to us to open up next year :) they have river otters that are super active and fun to watch, and hilarious penguins that swim and dive and play with each other (my total fav) and other fish and and a huge sea turtle, and petting sting rays, and everett loves it all!!! It was hard to get him to stay still for a photo!

We went to visit Emily in Las Vegas! It was such a treat to get to see her family for more than an hour here or there, we pretty much relaxed and played with the kids, it so nice to break up the ho-hum winter days being bored and lonely, and catch up with Em, and get to know her kiddos better. She is due with her third baby in what 3, 4 weeks now? CRAZY!

We played at the park by their house, the sunshine was sooooo nice! Carly let me put princess braids in her hair (I LOVE doing little girls hair!!! and she was my little girfriend!)

We made a bazillion hair bows and flowers for Carly and the new little miss

We had a DANCE party to tucker the kids out befoer bed, carly didn't want to wear her pink tutu, but Everett did, and it looks so cute on him right? Am I horrible?

monkey see, monkey do...this pic cracks me up!

Emily was so good to me, taking me out for yogurt and cafe rio, we even got to do a smidge of shopping! Thanks for a FUN couple days Em, and for the photos! :)

This has nothing to do with what we've been up to, it's just that this morning everett was being so funny all naked with just his diaper and hat on, and then I was in a picture taking mood so I decided to document his cute room...I know it's untidy, but we cleaned and vacuumed it last night, but the little bugger can't let his books stay on the shelves, not when he wants us to read every. single. one. right . now! :)

His curtains, I love, made them from a $4 ripped sheet from Pottery Barn that I picked up at downeast clearance center (I had some leftover fabric and made him some pj bottoms out of, they are soooo cute and comfy because of the high thread count :) Nice.

The dresser was a $10 yard sale score that we stripped, sanded and stained last August/September in the midst of all our projects :) It matches his bed perfectly, we also refinished the little chair in the corner to match.

His canvas animals, you've seen them before, but not in his room, aren't they cute? I have one more to do that will have the lyrics of a song on it...someday! (The helicopter is a recent addition, daddy hung it up because everett loves that thing sooo much! He's starting to get into cars and trains but especially things that fly, helicopters and airplanes! You can also see the book caddy I made for his crib, the front pockets have clear plastic so I can put pictures of Jesus in them, Everett loves to point out Jesus, ("Sheeshutch!"), at home and at church :)

This is the little reading area, the bookshelves are actually spice racks from ikea (like $3 a piece!) we stained to match everything else, I LOOOVE them and so does everett, he chooses tons of books to read every day...

(he begs to wear a hat all the time, this one is so cute, but he especially loves the ones he can put on and take off himself ;)

sometimes he reads the books all on his own

which is pretty darn endearing, sometimes he reads them to me, and lots of times daddy and I read to him.

Anyway, how's all that for random? I'll post more updates soon, pregnancy, home stuff, Everett funnies etc :)

Baby Shower for Jenni!

Tonight was Jenni's baby shower! I helped Steph put it on, but she did MOST of the work :) It was awesome!

Lots of friends

Emily even came from VEGAS! (And I am ticked because somehow I lost the photo I took of Jenni and Emily, belly to belly, in case you don't know, they are both expecting baby girls, 10 DAYS APART! How cute is that?! It really was a cute pic, I'm hoping the one we took with Em's camera turned out well!

We played games, this is Jenni showing off her mad artistic skills drawing a rubber duck...

No. It's not a placenta!

Baby Woodmansee was SHOWERED with lots and lots of goodies! (Aunt Stephie made her 12 skirts! One to match each month's onesie (below)! I made her a sassy hooter hider and sling :)

Now for the pretty details of the party...These onesies (Stephs idea, but I got to do the grunt work on these beauties!) each have a number on them for baby to wear on each month birthday and have her photo taken! SUCH a GENUS IDEA!!! I'm gonna have to do this for this next little bundle I'm expecting! Then you can make an album, or just compare how much she has grown month by month! SOOOO CUTE!

The food table, Steph also made that DARLING diaper cake!

It all turned out so cute!

Jarom and Michael artistically arranged the streamers, and Steph adn Jarom made the pom-poms out of tulle!!! They are so cute and Jenni can use them to decorate the baby's nursery!!! CUTE!

Gifts

Steph also had this CUTE idea instead of a game, to write wishes for the baby, they were so sweet, something she will treasure when she gets big!

Steph also made these DARLING onesie cookies as party favors, aren't they so cute?!

Kelly made these oreo's and chocolate cake :)

Steph made Jenni's favorite cupcakes :)

croissant sandwiches

I made these YUMMY bean dips, they were a big hit, and a definite party keeper! I got the idea off of pinterest (from the blog: the girl who ate everything)

Also made raspberry lemonade, it was delish!

what would a party be without fancy looking water? John thought I was so silly to make the water bottles cute, but..they are SO CUTE right? I cut out the scallop circles and onesies with my cricut, quick as a wink!

All in all it was a FUN PARTY, Jenni is going to be a GREAT mom, I have absolutely no doubt, and we are all excited to mee the new little miss!!! Congratulations Jenni and Michael, this little baby is one very loved little miss!