Dylan's Graduation!

I know this is a month late coming, but the fact still remains that Dylan graduated from BYU with a Bachelors' of Science in Family Life, and even now has his real diploma (not a 'sample') in hand. And I was there for it! Great excuse to take time off work! And it only happens once (graduating from BYU for your bachelors'-I should hope it only happens once, anyway).

LaVell and Patti and I staked out a spot by the doors they'd be coming out of in the processional so we could snap a cheesy picture :)

This is when Dylan was hoping for loud cheers for him, but instead I was busy getting a bad picture, his grandparents were asleep, and his dad and brother were messing around on their phones. So, his mom cheered. Sorry, D :( If only you were born in to a Polynesian family...

GOOD pictures afterward!

Classic Dylan

Yes, he's making a funny face, but still a picture of us together. I'm so proud of my man! And you can't see it here, but I do have quite a good baby bump going on here.

With his parents, Ken and Ann

Congratulations, Dylan! I'm so proud of you --- oh, and did you ever mention that you got a 4.0 your last semester of college? That's right, when other people had senioritis, you got all A's! Sorry, had to brag a bit for you :) I love you, Dylan!

Daddy's Take

Yesterday, I had the amazing opportunity to hear my baby's heart beat for the first time. I don't know who's heart was beating faster: mine or the baby. Since the day Julie gave me the spectacular news that she was pregnant, I have been very excited. However, within 5 minutes of the announcement, I was scared to death. Will the baby like me? Will Julie still like me? Will being pregnant cause Julie to all of a sudden become another, far more lethal person? Will our baby turn into a crack head? Will our baby be a girl that turns out to be very pretty so I will have to threaten many teenage boys? Will our baby be ugly and get made fun of at school? Will I be able to provide? What if the baby wants to go to Harvard? What if the baby wants to drop out of high school and live in a tiny trailer with a person twenty years their senior? All of these thoughts came gushing into my head, in no particular order.

Julie was a little worried that my mortal fear of becoming a dad meant that I wasn't excited. Fortunately, we read a book about how mothers and fathers react to the news; it claims that women generally think of the emotional and nurturing connection and men often think of more temporal matters (including when the baby becomes an adult, as if it happens overnight) when they think of the unborn fetus. So, I was glad to know that my thoughts were normal, but still, it wasn't THAT reassuring. The book did give me some good advice, though: live in the now. It's been hard to do, and I would say that I'm still primarily trying to find ways to provide for it at this point, but hearing that little heart beat was one of the greatest moments of my life.

Time to Share Some News!

Okay, so I figure that most people who read this blog already know this, but it's just something that has to be done - announcing that I'm pregnant - right?
Yes.
Dylan and I are expecting a little baby! Due October 27th (Halloween baby! YES!). I am 14 weeks and 3 days pregnant today.We are beyond excited, and just keep counting the weeks with anticipation and enjoying the experience.
I've taken weekly pictures since week 7, which is kind of silly, looking back, because I thought I looked SO pregnant back then. Now, though, my belly has popped and I can definitely say that I have a baby bump.
Here are the pictures! (please ignore how disgusting our bathroom mirror is)

6 Week Ultrasound - yes, they had to label the baby :)

7 Weeks

9 Weeks

10 Weeks

11 Weeks

12 Weeks - that belly POPPED out this week!

13 Weeks

14 Weeks

Goodbye, BYU

Yesterday, I took my final exam as a BYU student. On Friday, I will walk as being an official graduate of the university; I even have the people from the Alumni association calling asking for donations to prove it! Get this, it's only 7 years after I first enrolled!!! "You know, a lot of people go to college for 7 years." "Yeah, they're called doctors."With Julie taking a long nap, and with me having nothing better to do, I have been reflecting on my years at BYU and the things I'll miss about the university and Provo...and the things I probably won't.

The things I will miss about BYU

The sports!!!! This one is pretty obvious but I am a huge BYU sports fan and the next college I go to has terrible athletics (a little tease for the two of you who read our blog that don't know where we're going to, next year).

What do Jimmer and I have in common? Well, uh, we both will be somewhere else, next year. Other than that, not much.

The mountains. There really are not too many campuses that are located in such an amazing setting.

The quality of education for a ridiculously inexpensive school. The majority of people I met at my grad school interviews were paying more per semester than an entire four year education at BYU costs. It was incredible.

It's close to my family. It will be hard not to be near my grandparents and parents, next year.

Dollar movies!!!

Brick Oven Pizza. Where Julie and I have had fantastic dates...and pizza.

And some things I probably won't miss...

BYU Parking Police. They gave me a ticket this week, just for old time's sakes and as a memento.

I'm sure I will get many more of these in my life...but they won't be from the BYU Parking Fuzz.

The testing center. One of the most uncomfortable experiences of my life. You feel like you're a cow being corralled in.

The testing center is not for the faint of heart.

Now, the moment you all haven't really been waiting for...where are Julie and I going, next year?

I interviewed at these four places....

Fear the Turtle!

Ole!!!

Arr, matey!!!

Uh...gobble gobble?

And the winner is...

So, next year, we will be far far away from many of our loved ones. But, we'll still have each other. Which is awesome, except, I am sad that Julie refuses to allow me to buy this...

Photo Update

It has been a LONG time since you've heard from me. I admit, I've let Dylan be the writer on here for a long time.
But I can't write posts without photos! And I finally got around to uploading my photos from my phone. 

Finally got around to using these NASTY bananas I've had in my freezer forever. Made banana bread and banana bar cookies. But those ones in the bottom left? Yeah, unusable. WAY too decomposed :)

The makings of a baby quilt for one of my best friends, Kirsten. Her little girl is due in 3 weeks! Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of the finished product, but I'm sure I will when the precious girl is born.

For Dylan's internship, he helps with monthly date nights. The one he was in charge of was  kite-building night, and after MUCH frustration and reconfiguring, we finally came up with this idea. I know, it looks really really simple, and you wouldn't believe how hard it was to figure out. But Dylan did an amazing job running the date night!

I made a shamrock wreath for St. Patty's Day. Used the circle/pleated poppy method, and I love the way it turned out. This is about halfway done, before I put the felt pleats on the outside of the shamrock base.

We LOVE Color Me Mine! Hadn't been in a few months, so we went again with some friends, and I painted this flower pot...

...and Dylan painted this baseball snack plate :)

Touch-and-Feel blankets! I've seen these, and wanted to make one, so I bought fabric and ribbon, and whipped up four of them. Regular cotton on one side, and that bumpy soft fabric on the other, then lots of different ribbon textures. Good thing I know lots of people having baby boys soon! The babies I've seen with them adore them. Just lay it on them in their car seat, and they love just touching all those ribbons

Dum-Dum wrapper....Charlie Sheen, anyone? "Winning"