Wow, December!

Well, we've made it through November and we're shockingly in to December. At the moment, I'm 19 1/2 weeks prego and starting to look somewhat pregnant. Let's just say, the jeans don't fit anymore. We have a doctor's appointment on friday along with our first ultra sound. I actually like going to my appointments, as weird as that my sound, but I like hearing the heart beat and now we'll get our first glimpse of what is to come. It also helps that my doctor is really nice and I don't feel stupid asking dumb questions. My friend, Sheila Henson is also pregnant with her first and is about 12 weeks pregnant. We compare notes on how we've been feeling. Sorry to say but she's had it a lot worse than I have. I've started to feel little kicks and punches and it excites me. I've been told I have "The Glow".

We had Thanksgiving last thursday in Billings with Jason's family. It was a small gathering with only 8 people and a 19lb turkey! We ventured out into the Black Friday shopping frenzy and I found a lot of pregnancy clothes that were at some good prices even without the sale. We didn't get the big sale items as my agenda was clothes. So we hit, Ross and found some cute shirts for cheap and at Target I loaded up on clothes. So there went my birthday and easter money, but it was so worth it. I even had a good time clothes shopping with Jason, as I'm usually picky, cheap and just get a bad attitude about it. I do have to say, he saves me a lot of time by telling me if he likes it or not. I'm far to hard on myself. We even found some things for him and decided to end the hectic day by going to see "Australia". Save you're money, it wasn't too bad but it's kind of a renter. Some of the graphics are really fake and didn't impress us. I had to take Jason to Cold Stone Creamery for some ice cream and we headed home with our treasures in tow.

The weekend before, we went out with 6 other couples to a Christian comedian that was hosted by a local church. The night called for a mexican dinner and lots of laughs. Check out Tim Hawkins on Youtube. Somehow, laughing with friends just makes you laugh that much harder. We all had a really good ab workout, only to head to McDonald's before heading home. We'll have to plan another mass couples night out again.

We've been pretty fortunate to have such great friends. Our other "mom and dad" friends, took us out hunting and let the "baby mama", as I'm affectionately called by them and my husband, shoot a whitetail doe on their property. We were also with them when Jason shot a really big mule deer buck. They were bored and called us to go with them and shoot something. They're so much fun. Jason also helped someone pack out an elk and he gave us a half or 2 quarters of it. Then some friends of ours were moving and cleaning out their freezer and dropped off some pork for us. So our freezer is full and I'm waiting for some snow, as crazy as that sounds. But it is that time of year. This Saturday is the annual lighted parade in Powell, along with all kinds of Christmas activities. We'll see what we all take in.

Life Achievements

The ones in Bold are the ones I've done...

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band -I'm saying worship teams count!
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain - I've walked in the mountains so that has to count right?
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch - scrapbooking is art!
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill - maybe
24. Built a snow fort - what else do you do in elementary school in snowy Manitoba?
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied - at times
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelos David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt - a few times
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight - in africa
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing - honeymoon in PEI
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling - love snorkeling!
52. Kissed in the rain - probably at some point
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in - sadly I haven't
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business - Integrity Building Services
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt - remember our jean attempt Faith?
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book - a picture book for a friend from Blurb.com
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car/truck
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible - sadly no
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous - probably at some time at the lodge
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby - almost there!
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee - wasps would count
100. Read an entire book in one day - that's a very rare occurance
Now copy and paste it... I can't wait to see what you've done!

Prayer update!

I called my parents on Saturday, which I think surprised them. My dad's surgery went well. He was in a lot of pain and was on a morphinemachine. They did get him walking with a walker for a little bit. My mom was afraid that with the risk of this surgery, he might not walk, but praise God it all went great. They were able to repair the nerve damage to his spine that was causing his right leg and foot to be numb for a long time. He now has feeling back in his leg and foot. Another Praise God! He has a long recovery time ahead of him, so prayers are always needed.

Prayer request

My family needs some prayer today. My dad is going to have major back surgery today in Winnipeg. He has stenosis of the spine and hopefully this surgery will help repair that, but the doctors aren't sure if it will help the pain or repair the nerve damage he has to his right leg. Right now it's been numb for a while. Just pray for a speedy recovery, as the recovery time could be 6 months -2 yrs possibly from what I was told. He can't work for 4-6 months at his job and living on the farm also has its challenges. He's hopefully gotten rid of his cows or has someone looking after them for him. With winter coming too, the snow really can be a pain to clear the driveway. I just really covet your prayers for my mom, dad and sister Janesa as they help him through this tough time.

Boys Will Be Boys

There are just times in my life where I just have to thank God for making me a woman. There are things about guys that are funny but strange at the same time. The things they do just don't sound like a lot of fun to me, but boys will be boys.

For Example...

This last May, my husband Jason and his buddy Jason Miller, decided to drive into the mountains and go black bear hunting. They chose a back road that was covered in snow. Along the way, they came upon some fallen trees that were over the road. This did not dampen their spirits, as they merely got out and pulled, pushed and moved the trees out of the way.

Along their way, they stopped to admire a herd of elk that were grazing. Too bad they weren't in season.
With the apparent thaw of the land, it wasn't long before the boys found themselves in a little predicament. My excitement level would have been on the rise at this point. But being the boys they are, they egged each other on and thought they could make it through the big mud puddle. Obviously, the land won that match. After a few hours of digging in the mud with their hands and feet trying to get unstuck, they had to walk a couple of miles to get to the highway. Who should be passing by but a game and fish officer. He brought them to the nearest restaurant and phoned his superior, who turned out to be a nephew of a friend of ours. He took the guys up to where they were, but even with his truck he couldn't get them out. So they had to leave Miller's truck in the mountains until it dried up enough that they could get it out. The game and fish guy took them down the road only to get stuck himself. Again, it took a while to dig him out but they did it. But along came a little beaver pond that they had to cross. He miss judged where the road was and ended up... sinking half the truck in the pond. They also had to keep the truck running because the exhaust was under water. The started to strap the truck to trees hoping this would help keep the truck up and hopefully pull them out. What they couldn't see was that they were caught on a sunken log and no amount of straps would get them out. So the had to call up a level and call the Feds. They came out with a truck and after much pulling, they pulled the wedged truck out of the water. But now it was dark and very late. The game and fish was even nice enough to drive them into Cody to Miller's house. Jason called me after midnight to come and get him. I'd already been wondering where they were. Well, what a story I had waiting for me.

Now, to me, that just wouldn't have been fun, and at times it wasn't fun for them either. They did come out of it alive and with only some wet clothes and an adventure to tell their friends.

Boys, gotta love 'em but thank God I'm a girl!

For my Peeps in MB!

Thought my friends and family back home in Manitoba would appreciate some images that have been removed from their familiar landscape.

This was always a familiar site for me, having lived on the "beet loader road" as we affectionatley called our turn-off from the highway. This was a true sign of fall when we could see the lights that lit up the whole sugar beet dump area. Plum Coulee was known as the sugar beet capital of Manitoba. Since moving to Powell, I know of 4 or 5 dumps within a couple of miles along the highway. I think the title may have moved south. Definitely a staple crop here.

As far a pregnancy update, not much to update. The news has definitely made it around the planet and we're getting a very good response. No real noticable bump yet, even though I've passed the 13 week mark. So I'm almost to the end of the first trimester, hard to believe. I've been busy this weekend though. I cleaned out the garden, cleaned the house pretty thoroughly, washed my windows and made a batch of salsa. I'm impressed with myself. My body was aching yesterday but it has recovered.

The Latest News

I'm snug and warm in my little house while my husband and two other guys are traipsing in the mountains trying to fill their deer and elk tags. The weather is not exactly ideal to be outside in. There has been a snow storm settling in over Wyoming for the weekend. It was kind of unexpected and the weather channel says we're supposed to accumulate up to 12"! But it will melt next week as the temps rise into the 50's again. I haven't cleaned out my garden but I did pick all the produce I wanted and cleaned it out that way. Just the plants are left.
Here's the latest addition to our herd. Saber is a big boy and hides my little fat mare, Emma. He's boss of the pen and lets Emma know it.

I've been busy making salsa, canning peaches, shredding zucchini, and making spaghetti sauce. I'm quite tired of tomatoes but I have a big bag left over of tomatoes that aren't quite ripe yet. So I'll have to get some more jars and make one last batch of salsa. Last weekend we went up into the mountains with some friends and brought some along. They just loved the homemade stuff.


Some views of the changing leaves that we saw in the mountains. Jason had planned on staying in a tent. Thankfully we didn't have to and could stay in Tracy and Quin's trailer. It turned out to be a really cold and wet weekend. I would have been miserable.

And Finally....

Yes, I'm pregnant!!! It's hard to believe and a bit surreal that it's happening. I've had 2 appointments already and was able to hear the heartbeat for the first time on Tuesday. It just made it so real that there is a baby inside of me and it's not just an "idea" that I'm pregnant. So they've pegged my due date at April 26th. I've got a really nice female doctor and her assistant was really great as well, which makes me feel more comfortable. Some of our friends were joking if they had to draw us a picture. I guess not. So to answer the many burning questions people have about others pregnancies. I haven't been sick which has been a big blessing at work. I have been tired though most days when I get home. Jason has been a really big help around the house. He sees something that needs to be done and he does it. I've also been more hungry at school and at home, so I've been taking more snacks to school to compensate. Not too much to report. Right now, it hasn't been all that bad. Hopefully it continues.