July 31, 2011

My hubby makes me SMILE :D

I know I haven't written anything in a while...
but my pictures are all on another computer {that I can't connect to the internet right now...}
and I've been busy, and yeah... but I did want to tell you something 
A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E
Mr. Wells told me yesterday.
Mr. Wells, "You know... I'm kinda excited about having a honey-do list"
Mrs. Wells, "What!?!?! wait... really?"
Mr. Wells, "Yeah... {big cheesy/cute grin} cause then I'll get to complain about my honey-do list."

SO CUTE!
Seriously peeps - he's the best!
And we got engaged a year ago today!!! 
time flies

Later I'll do a post about our baby shower and how super excited I am getting about our little Madeline and that she's a girl - cause I love little girls and little girl clothes *eeeekkK!!!*

kluvyoubye

July 15, 2011

Continuing on the journey to find true HAPPINESS!

Between the exciting news of our little girl and my cold and just the business of life my weekly goals kind of got put on hold.  But I have been thinking about this next section of 'Unleashing the Dormant Spirit' a lot lately.  So I'll just share a few thoughts with you.  Elder Busche advises us:

"When you are physically sick, tired, or in despair, steer your thoughts away from yourself and direct them in gratitude and love towards God."

Being pregnant is no walk in the park.  Its hard.  Its hard being tired all the time and feeling the need to sleep more and sit down more often.  Its not fun watching your body grow and change after being so used to how it was.  I realized that I've kind of become a grouch a night and in the mornings.  Jeremy has been a saint, and I honestly don't know how I'd have made it this far with out him.  But I came to the conclusion that I could be better.  People go through far worse pregnancies and far worse medical problems in general, and I have so much to be grateful to my Heavenly Father for, that I really need to stop complaining.  

As I've started working on this {it's not an overnight transition} I really have gained more happiness.  It makes all the difference in the world to have your mind oriented on thanking your Lord and Maker rather than throwing yourself a pity party.  I'm so grateful to God for this wonderful, strong, beautiful body that I have.  It helps me to do so many things and I know that we really are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27).  


Lately I've been especially grateful to God for all of His creations not only our bodies, but this beautiful world we live in.   There is so much we owe to our Father in Heaven that it would be disgraceful to be ungrateful to Him.  Counting our blessings is not only a way to praise our Heavenly Father, but it can bring us joy in our own personal lives in ways we can't even imagine.  

July 14, 2011

A little recap

I really don't know what I want to say... but its been a while since I posted to here we go!
The past week I've been blowing like crazy and my body thought it might be a fun challenge to take on a major cough too - sweet.

That pretty much sums up my week... haha
Monday I did more manual labor than I have in a LONG time! It felt kinda good.  I helped Jeremy work on a project that is for my mother-in-law for her birthday -- she's gonna love it!
I was coughing so hard and I could hardly speak so I figured going to work wasn't really the best option
{you're welcome girl who got my shift}

uh.... Tuesday we met up with my family on Lake Roosevelt.  My family rented it for a few days, they went up Sunday but we didn't get there til Tuesday morning.  We left Wednesday morning so it was a short trip but it was so beautiful.  There was a deck all along the back of the house so I just sat in the shade and looked at the beautiful lake and enjoyed the fresh air.  AND I got to hold a little baby for a few hours :)  
Some friends of ours came up as well and she just had a baby about a month ago?  Somewhere around there.  He was just so cute and cuddly and I kind of like just holding someone.  

CONFESSION:  Sometimes I am intimidated when I'm around newborn babies.  Like I love holding them and I've been around them my whole life! {Oldest of 9 here} but I guess now that I'm having my own baby I feel like everyone is watching me waiting for me to mess up and when I hold a newborn and it starts crying I'm like "ahhh I really do know how to do this! I can be a good mom really!" and yeah... It just freaks me out.  *sigh*  Hopefully after my first child survives the first year of her life I won't have that weird paranoia anymore... hopefully.  
{Is that weird? Anybody else go through that?}

Lets see, what else.  Jeremy went with my dad and brothers backpacking to Granite Lake in Montana.  
fyi there's no cell service on the trail up Granite Lake... *sigh*  
I miss my best friend. . .  
But I know he's having fun.  We went and got all of his gear yesterday and seriously I have never seen the man so excited! {not even for our wedding!  Disclaimer... I know he was excited when we got married, I've just never seen him express his excitement like he did for this trip}  It was really cute :) 
When we got home he got out his new tent and sleeping bag and set them up in the family room to 'try them out' hehe so cute!  gah I love him... and miss him *sniff* But that's ok.  
At least I know he's having fun.

Tonight I went to a Relief Society activity with my mom.  It was really fun! Great food, fun to talk to and catch up with old yw's leaders and friends.  Then we came home and the babysitter hadn't gotten Elizabeth to bed and then I got to hold the door closed as she screamed because she wanted to stay up.  And just for a second I was like wow... maybe you can just stay in there for a while Madeline... 
Then I remembered how excited I am to see her and meet her and know what she's like/the longer she stays in there the bigger she gets and I have to push her out of me.  Short lived moment ha.

Not much else to report. Sorry no pictures... I did take some pictures of my brother-in-law and his family but they aren't people you know so why should you... yeah... I discovered that I have a LOT to learn about all this. I was kinda overwhelmed by trying to keep 4 boys looking at the camera and change all the different settings that I need to to get a great picture and then when I looked at them after all I could see was how badly I messed up... *sigh* But thats ok!  It means I get to work on it a lot to get better! 

kluvyoubye


July 9, 2011

One of the things I hate about being pregnant is...

YOU CAN NEVER GET RID OF A COLD!!!!!
I have been blowing, and sniffing, and coughing, and aching, and having a sore throat and a head ache for the past week and its just really not cool anymore.  Not only that but Jeremy has a cold too so we just make the cutest little Mr. and Mrs. Sniffles.  I'd show you a picture of the 59403503839 used tissues around our room... but then you'd probably stop being friends with us. 
 I did take a little action last night and buy some hand sanitizer 
{I do work at Bath & Body Works - love it!!!!}but we'll see if it helps.
 Having a cold is just the most miserable thing ever... and I don't like it... 


And now... just to make you laugh bahaha I love this movie. 

{kluvyoubye}

July 8, 2011

I'm so excited it's embarrassing....

I have officially started on Madeline's little nursery :)
{eeeeeeeeekkkkk}

Yesterday I had planned on spending the morning finding material to get a color scheme going and going to a thrift store or two to find some cute decorations that could help me get going.
I told Jeremy what I'd be up to {he's currently remodeling my parents bathroom} and all of a sudden he got really quiet.  Turns out he wanted to come! 
{WEIRD}
Sorry - those of you who know Jeremy, he does NOT like to shop.  Never had.  Never will.  
So you understand how taken back I was.
{He later confessed that he had wanted to come for Q^2 - Quantity and Quality control....}
Just between me and you I think he really did want to come... :) 

We went to a second hand mother's clothing store, Other Mothers, looking for bedding that I could either cover or maybe use - didn't find squat.  But I did buy this cute little frame with a really ugly bunny in it that I planned on popping out and putting my own cute whatever in.  It was pink.

When we got to the fabric store I absolutely fell in LOVE with a blue flowery fabric:

And I soon after came across some green and yellow that I was equally excited about 
{although mostly just the green - I got less yellow fabric}


Then we went over to Northwest Christian Thrift
{After stopping at Zips for a shake - we totally caved... but it was hot outside and much needed} 
Found the cutest little watering can {had to fight Jeremy for it} and these two flower pots that will be holding a daisy each :)



I also found these antique books that we definitely won't be reading, but the colors were just so perfect I couldn't resist - and I mean, they were at a thrift store!

As we were checking out I noticed a basket with a sign that said, "STUFFED ANIMALS ONE FREE PER PURCHASE" so I was like ok!
ere-go the teddy bear

Which will be thoroughly washed in the machine before any child of mine touches it - nasty...

So there you have it!  I'm guessing you noticed there is NO PINK!!!!!
 I am not a pink person... well actually I am but I don't like it haha.  Pink doesn't look good on me, I've never been a fan of it, and so there you go!  Plus I'm sure we'll have pink blankets and clothes that will give her more than her pink fill lol

I can't wait to work on this nursery and then to give Madeline the little tour
{probably will first thing when we get back from the hospital haha}

kluvyoubye

July 6, 2011

It's a GIRL!!!

It's official!  Our little baby is a 
GIRL!!!
{Now I don't feel bad for wanting her... ha}


Doctor practically had to pry her legs apart - but thats alright, at least she's modest!

This is just my favorite picture in the whole wide world!  Her little feet :)  
{An adorable room decoration will be made with this - mark my words}

And here is her little face
{I had to have it interpreted too... basically her head is upside down in this picture and she's got her little hand up by her face... She was being stubborn and the doctor was way ready to go home... so this is what we got.  Still cute, right?}


I'm so glad I can use pronouns now... calling a child of God 'it' just doesn't make me feel that  great.  Madeline is growing fast {13 ounces and most babies at 19weeks are around 8.5}.  The doctor said she might come closer to the 20th {her original due date was the 26th} but who knows.  He left us with the 26th {Due dates don't really mean anything too much anyhow - right?} So there you go!  Gosh November seems so far away... but oh well!  I'd much rather have her then than early or with any complications.  Also, just to clarify while her name is spelled like <Mad-i-line> its pronounced as <Mad-i-lynn> we just thought the 'line' looked a lot more graceful.  

We're so excited that she's looking healthy and well and we just really can't wait to meet her :) 
kluvyoubye

July 4, 2011

Just makin' some memories

Saturday we did something that we've been hearing great things about for quite some time.  We took a family bike ride along the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes!  Sounds awesome right - I'm sure some people have really great experiences... but ours just wasn't one of them.  After driving for 2+ hours {half of which was on a windy, narrow, never ending HWY 97} we finally got to a town in northern Idaho called Harrison.  
Why, you ask, did we decide to start in Harrison? Because they have supposedly to die for ice cream. 
We had planned on getting ice cream after we rode our bikes, but seeing as the car ride single handedly exhausted us we decided to get some ice cream first. 


{BYU Creamery is better - just sayin'}
But it was still really good!


I'm really embarrassed by the quality of this picture... sorry!


Yes I got rainbow sherbet... I just couldn't take anything too chocolately and rich after driving for so long


Gang's all here! {Mom's taking the picture}
Don't you love how you can totally tell right where my baby is?  The bump has officially turned into a mound...
{And yes Emma has joined the hippie movement}


Modeling his facial -- I mean ice cream hair??

Adam really wasn't feeling well so after we had ridden maybe a mile he and mom pulled over and waited for us to come back.  It wasn't too much longer til we all turned around though.  It really was beautiful, it just didn't quite feel like it was worth the drive...


Look at all those happy faces!


The little girls


Unfortunately this is the only picture I got of the lake... lame right!  Sorry my ride-bike-and-take-pictures-at-the-same-time-skills aren't what they should be.  Not to mention my fast fading balance...


Cursed HWY 97... We took a different way back.  Yes I was more miles, but you could go faster so it was definitely better!


I don't know if you can see but there are some tire tracks on Christian's forearm from when he was helping to lift bikes onto the trailer.  I thought it looked like a tattoo so he was modeling it for us :)


Just because I thought this sign was funny... And you'll see why its funny when you get a good look at the entire town in the picture below.


TA-DA!!!! I don't know who has 'in-town' checks...


Some fun mailboxes.  I would have loved to play around a lot more but hey when you're in a rush you get what you get.


Needless to say everybody was just thrilled about the car ride home!



So there you have it!  A fun filled day with the Fullmers!  
But as least we made some good memories :)

July 3, 2011

Tender Mercies

My heart is very full today, and I don't know quite why or how I'm going to convey all the thoughts and feelings floating around in my head, but its been such an amazing day that I can't miss the opportunity to jot it all down as best I can.  So bear with me as I ramble through what I'm trying to say.

I suppose it started when I got to church, and it just felt good to be there.  I looked up on the stand to see my amazing husband playing the prelude music on the organ, my dad seated on the stand as a member of the bishopric and three of my brothers seated and ready to bless and pass the sacrament.  The priesthood really is a huge blessing in my life, and I don't know what I'd do with out it.  Then the Bishop of our ward got to bless his new little son, Nathan.  It was a very moving experience.  Maybe it was that Bishop Miller was a little emotionally overwhelmed and I was touched by that.  But I kept thinking about this little baby inside of me, and realizing that in a few short months 'it' {I sure hate saying that now that I know what 'it' is} will get to be blessed by a loving father who holds the priesthood and I'm really excited for that day.  Although I couldn't hold back the tears today so I know I'm just going to be a basket-case when Jeremy blesses our little one. 

Another of my constant thoughts is of course this baby.  Knowing 'what' or rather who this baby is going to be makes the baby seem so much more real to me.  {its really hard not to use he/she or him/her just fyi}.  It especially seems real when every little bit I'm reminded that there really is someone in there when I feel a little flutter or flip.  It makes me think of Luke 1:41 when Elisabeth says she 'felt the babe leap in her womb'.  I know what that feels like now!  I've been thinking a lot about the Proclamation to the World
"All human beings-male and female- are created in the image of God.  Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of Heavenly Parents and as such each has a divine nature and destiny.  Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose."
I love this sacred proclamation and every day it makes more and more sense to me and rings more true to my heart.  I'm so grateful that Jeremy and I were sealed in the temple, so that no matter what this baby will be sealed to us for eternity.  Its hard to believe that this baby is already a unique human being with it's own characteristics and personality.  I can't wait to meet baby and watch as they grow and develop and learn and become who their Heavenly Father wants them to be.  I know that Heavenly Father loves this baby so much and that He's making sure that it's taken care of because it truly is a child of God.  

Last semester in school in my human development class we studied about the importance of love in a growing human being, and how if a child isn't given enough genuine love and nurture in the very early stages of life especially, there can be severe physical and mental consequences that can last a lifetime.  We particularly focused on the orphans in Romania.  I don't remember all the details and names and dates, but there was a leader(dictator) in Romania who made all forms of birth control illegal in order to raise the population.  A majority of the country was too poor to afford children and because they couldn't stop having children many infants were sent to orphanages because their parents couldn't take care of them.  The orphanages were poorly maintained and while they did have some sort of maid service to keep the sheets and floors clean they didn't have anybody to take care of the children.  Nobody loved them or played with them.  As we watched a video of hundreds and hundreds of children with all manner of sicknesses it broke my heart.  How could anybody let such a thing happen.  These were all children of Heavenly Father and yet they were treated worse than animals.  I'll never forget the look on those faces. They didn't know who they were or what it is to roll in the grass on a sunny day.  I'm so grateful that I know where this baby is coming from and that it will be taught the principles of the gospel.  I know we aren't going to be perfect parents, but with the Lord on our side we can't go too wrong - right?

That brings me to my last train of thought.  I am so grateful for this country.  Today was fast Sunday so obviously there were many testimonies born.  It seems like usually testimony meetings end up driving me crazy because people ramble on, but today I was so in tune with the spirit I cried more times than I care to admit.  I hadn't realized it until the last brother got up to bear his testimony, but nobody had said a word about our country.  I was kind of shocked, but then he bore the sweetest, most humble testimony.  He told of how he was grateful for our country, and the many lives that had been laid down so that we could be here today.  And how the hand of God had been there every step of the way to ensure the Restoration could take place.  I was touched.  As we sang the closing hymn, The Star Spangled Banner, tears flooded my eyes, and I literally couldn't sing.  I was so overwhelmed hearing Francis Scott Key's account of the fighting and how the flag really was a symbol of the country and the sacrifices made. 

 1. Oh say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thru the night that our flag was still there.
Oh say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?


2. On the shore, dimly seen thru the mists of the deep,
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines on the stream;
’Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh, long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!


3. Oh, thus be it ever, when free men shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation!
Blest with vict’ry and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land
Praise the Pow’r that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust!”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

I'm so overwhelmed by all that Heavenly Father has done in helping to form this great Nation.  I know its not perfect and neither are its leaders, but as we trust God as a nation, He will help to make the Constitution stand.  The gospel is so true, and I am so grateful to God for creating a land when I can live and worship as I please.  I hope we all remember the true meaning of this holiday.  

Sorry for all my ramblings but I wanted to share these many thoughts and feelings that I felt like were tender mercies from above today.  Maybe its just that I'm a little more emotional than usual, but it definitely made a great impact on me today.  

July 2, 2011

Belly Picture :)

Here you go - another much awaited for belly picture!


Ignore my weird facial expression.....
19 Weeks Today!!! 
Can't wait to announce who this little baby is :)

101 Baby!

I JUST noticed that this is the 101st post on this blog
{how did I manage to miss the #100}
Anyhoo.... Its been a busy week!

My parents left town for a few days for a more private anniversary celebration
{can you blame them?}
They drove up to Banff Canada, something they've always wanted to do.
Not gonna lie I kinda wish I'd gone with them haha It looked beautiful from the few pictures they shared with us.
BUT that meant I got to play the role of mother of 8 {with one on the way} for a few days.
WOW my mom does a lot! 
{and I only did like the bare minimum}

I also had to work two times this week 
{I know that's really not that much... but hey.. don't be hating on my hours!} 
And last night.... *sigh* I'm so embarrassed we got to sit in the ER for 4 and a half hours...
I'd been having a really tight feeling in my chest and neck and it had lasted about a day and while it didn't hurt, it was really uncomfortable and it just didn't feel like something was right.  Not to mention a severe leg pain I'd had all day the day before.... {blood clots are common during pregnancy} so after talking to my doctor we decided it wouldn't hurt to go in and have them check everything out.  So at 8:07 pm we strolled into the ER.  I felt so dumb because I was like walking and basically fine other than being pretty light headed/dizzy... but I wasn't like bleeding to death or anything... gah.  I'm an idiot.  And I got blood work done, an EKG, a chest X-ray, and an ultrasound of my legs {that was kinda weird} and the whole time I just sat in my bed and everybody came to me or wheeled me there {in the bed}.  I hate people like that - you know that go into the ER just because whatever has been hurting kinda and they want to check it out?  I fought against it in my AP Government class how much money is lost in ERs.... anyway...  Nothing was wrong.  I am fine.  My chest still feels kinda tight but hopefully it'll just go away.  So we sauntered home about 1:00 am... fun date night eh babe? ; )  But I am glad to know everything really is ok.  Better to make sure than end up being too late for... uh... something bad?  ha I don't know.  

HOWEVER, one good thing did come out of the whole trip to the Emergency Room.  When  I was getting my leg ultrasound {still seems weird to me ha} the ultrasound tech was very kind :) I told her I was having the anatomy scan of the baby on Wednesday so I was 'dying' to know if it was a boy or a girl.  After going up and down and not finding anything in my legs she said, "Alright, want me to take a peek at that baby?!" 
me: "YES!!!!!!!!"  haha but Jeremy wasn't currently in the room, so I told her she could write it down on a piece of paper and we could decide when I got back to the room if WE together wanted to look at it.  
AND we did :) BUT we're NOT telling anybody what that special little piece of paper said until Wednesday just to be sure ;)  I feel like that's fair enough.... 

So there you go.  That's our busy busy week :) 
And now that it's the weekend we're going to enjoy a pre-4th of July family bike ride with my family along the trail of Lake Coeur d'Alene!  I'm so excited!  Lake Coeur d'Alene is like the most beautiful thing ever!!!
So ttfn - ta ta for now!

Can't wait to share with you who this little baby is :D 
{Wednesday....}