Taking the Plunge

Last night I had a good long phone conversation with an old friend (we've known each other since we were both 5 years old). After our long conversation, she told me to make sure to check out her blog that she just finished. You can check it out yourself if you want, her name is Noelle Jensen (on our friends blogs list below).

She said:

"Several of my girlfriends have recently taken the very icy, cold plunge and blogged about the things they DO like about themselves. I have throughly enjoyed reading them and it really made me stop and think about what I like about myself. So often I concentrate on all the things I don't like. I get hung up on my many imperfections and don't see myself in a very kind light. My whole life I have struggled with feeling like I was enough. Good enough, smart enough, thin enough, pretty enough. So after reading their blogs and loving it I decided, enough is enough! So instead of concentrating on the negative I thought about all the good things about me and I have decided I am Enough! So I hope you enjoy...and if you don't frankly, I don't want to know! :)"

And then she wrote a blog about all of the things she likes about herself. I have to agree with her, I like these things about her as well. But not sure if I would be brave enough to write such a blog about myself - considering that I'm going through a period where I feel anything but pretty, I'm overwieght (thanks to pregnancy) and most often don't think the best thoughts about myself.

She challenged anyone else to "take the plunge" and try writing good things about themselves. I wasn't going to do it. Because I honestly have been having a hard time coming up with things lately. I'm not normally this way I don't think, but I have a lot of hormones going through me right now. ;)

But then I realized it would be a good exercise for me to do and what a better time for me to try to find positive things about myself.

So I have no idea what I'm going to write yet, I'm just going along with this as I type. But I encourge any other gals out there to do the same and feel better about yourself. I'm hoping that Noelle is right and that by the end of this blog I will be glad I did it. If not, I'm not publishing it. :)

What I like about me:

Okay so first off, I have been sitting here staring at the computer screen for at least a minute. So I'll just begin with the obvious to me right now - the fact that I like that my body is able to create a baby. We weren't sure for a while if we would be blessed with the opportunity, and though it has been a very hard journey, I am grateful that I am able to do this. I like that my body just knows what to do and how to create another little human. I like that I'm creating a healthy one too. And though I haven't met him yet, I love him too.

20 week ultrasound of our son - due June 8th

I guess I also like that I'm not a very contentious person. I don't like fighting, yelling, or when people are mean to each other. I like that I am aware of how I treat people and try to make sure my relationships are in good standing. There have been times when I have been upset with people or they have been upset with me, and it is one of the hardest things for me to bear. I like to resolve contention as soon as possible and restore peace.

My family - sometimes both the hardest and easiest people to get along with.

I like that when I decide I want to do something - I do it. I don't let fear get in the way, or excuses but I find a way to make it happen. From learning to ride a bike when I was little, to learning how to give myself a French manicure, to producing my own album. I really believe that we can do anything we put our mind to.

A recent manicure - I learned how to do "flowers" - thanks to one of my 14 year old piano students.

Me in the studio recording violin tracks with my mom for my album

I like my hair. So I've been wanting to chop it all off lately, but I still like it. I like to style it, to make it look pretty, and I like the color.

I like that I laugh. I recently read that I will probably live an additional 5 - 7 years too because I'm a laugher. I like to make others laugh too. And Will says it is one of his favorite things that he likes about me too - so I'm not self-conscious about it.

I looooooooooooooooooooove Will, but this is supposed to be about me. I just had to put that in there though.

Ummm okay.....

Staring at the computer screen again....

...

...

Oh, I like that I can do music. Sometimes I feel like its all that I do, but I am grateful to be blessed with the talent. I also like that I can help provide additional income with it by teaching piano lessons.

Me at my last concert this past December - performing at Benarya Hall

I like my eyes/eyebrows. I know that sounds weird, and I used to hate my eyebrows when I was in highschool. But I like them now. So I don't know. I just like 'em.

This one is tough for me because my body is probably what I struggle with the most - pregnant or not. So I will just say that right now I am grateful for the miracle of creating a baby even though I have gained a ton of weight, have a few stretchmarks, a double chin and am a superwide load right now. I loved my flat stomach before I got pregnant, so I'm having a hard time dealing with the belly thing right now. But I like that I can exercise and take care of my body, that I was blessed with curves :), and that when I'm not pregnant I am fairly athletic.

Will and I up at the top of the Olympic Mountain Range - which we backpacked two summers ago

And I guess last of all (because I need to go before my piano student arrives in a few minutes), I like that I am computer savvy. I created my own website, know html, web design (limited though!), am pretty good at Photoshop and creating slideshows to music, not to mention most of my music software is pretty hard to use - and best of all - can document our fun memories by blogging! :)

Anniversary/Easter Weekend

We just returned last night from a nice relaxing weekend on the Washington peninsula.

So we didn't exactly do anything special for Easter, but we did celebrate our 3rd wedding anniversary (it is on the 25th).

I'll be honest - I've had a rough month dealing with my church callings and dislocated ribs and just really needed a break from everything before my prego hormones made me irrational and chew a few people out (which is so unlike my personality too). Too bad I couldn't get a break from being pregnant for a weekend though!

So we started out the trip Saturday morning heading to the Edmonds ferry terminal, and followed a big old car with the license plate "Willie T", which is what Will's nickname was in high school.

As we passed the car, I noticed the driver and started laughing. "Um, there's a clown driving that car!" Will looked over and said I had to hurry and take a picture. I totally felt like the papperazzi to this poor old person. But nevertheless, I did snap a shot of him.

(You should be able to click on the pic to see full size version).

We finally caught our ferry and made our way over to the Eden by the Sea Bed & Breakfast. The WA peninsula is always one of our favorite getaways. We went there last year for our anniversary as well, but had a little bit better luck with the weather last year.

The rest are some fun pics from our time together.

This is the beach below our B&B. There was no beach access, so Will got a little adventurous while I was napping and climbed down the side of a cliff. He had fun exploring a pretty much undiscovered-by-humans beach.

Will's photography skills at work. "Look how I got the water to blur!" He said to me like an excited little boy. I love him.

Okay, so we came across this really weird neighborhood where there were obviously some troll-obsessed people. This troll was carved out of a large tree (he also had fence posts that were all trolls).

This troll was guarding the entrance to his driveway. Weird, and scary.

And this was one of the homes - a midevil castle.

Just another deer hanging out in someone's yard. There are so many deer over there.

Will and I on the beach.





More of Will's photography skills. He actually took these from the deck of the ferry on our way back to Seattle. I was impressed he was able to get the pictures horizontal because we had some killer waves hitting us with the windy weather.

See Ya!

We're taking off for the weekend!

Thanks to all the wonderful suggestions of anniversary ideas, we finally decided to book a bed & breakfast out on the WA peninsula called "Eden by the Sea". (Michelle, we actually tried to book that place up on Chuckanut Drive but it was full - it looked great though). We are really excited - it is right on a bluff next to the ocean with great views and great food.

Tonight we're celebrating by going to the temple, and then tomorrow morning we're getting up early and catching a ferry over to the peninsula. We're going to enjoy the sights all day long and then check into our B&B later that afternoon. Okay can you tell I'm just a little excited for this getaway? It is GREATLY needed.

Will - l love you - Happy 3rd Anniversary. I'm so glad I've got you for eternity! Honeybucket!

Anyway, see ya!

7 Month Belly Pic

Here it is - the 7 month prego pic.

And then also a collage to see a fun progression of my ever-growing belly (see below). We went and had another ultrasound today to determine how big Preston is and if he is measuring ahead. He is in the 61% percentile and measuring right about where he should be - but with a big head. LOL. Apparently, that is thanks to me.

At my last doctor visit 2 weeks ago, he was measuring 2 weeks ahead - hence the extra ultrasound. But the verdict is that I am measuring big because I have a lot of amnio fluid (more than average). So the little guy has a lot to swim in. So this means I am still on schedule for June 8th. Sigh. I was really hoping for the end of May.


His rear-end is mostly on my upper left side, his feet kicking my right side, and his head and hands pointed down and doing acrobats on my bladder.

Anyway, we don't like to bore everyone with my pregnancy, so for more updates on our baby and the pregnancy - you can visit my pregnancy blog.

We've posted the ultrasound there (we didn't delete it this time), where you will be able to see the little guy wiggle, kick me, hiccup, and even yawn.


It was cute.

Can I get your Autograph?

Jenni probably wouldn't mention this and it is mention worthy, hence, I Will am blogging.

Jenni always gets random requests for Autographs which is always fun and inspiring for her, but I have to tell you about her latest request.

At church today Jenni was in charge of the special musical number during sacrament meeting, she made her own arrangement based off of another composers arrangement of "Come thou fount of every blessing". After Sacrament meeting this little primary age girl came up to Jenni with the sacrament program and asked if Jenni would autograph her program. It was really cute.

Later in Primary (Jenni is one of the primary pianists), this same girl came and asked if she could get a hug from Jenni.

One of the neatest parts of Jenni's music is not the actual talent (which is amazing on its own), but watching how it can influence others. I had never heard our Sacrament meeting as quiet as it was today when Jenni was playing. The kids quit crying, everyone stopped what they were doing and just listened as the Spirit poured over the congregation. I am so glad Jenni uses her talents to uplift and edify, because of that I'm sure Heavenly Father will continue to bless her with more talent.

I have a great example right here in my midst. Thank you Jenni. I Love You!