The worst thing about changing around your work schedule is that is messes with you morning routine. We don't have cable or satellite at all so my only chance of keeping up on my favorite shows is Hulu. And thank heavens for that!  I just can't go a full week without watching my "shows"  Pan Am, The Sing Off, Biggest Loser, Hart of Dixie (my new favorite for this fall!) and of course America's Next Top Model. The store that I work for is quitting business and the past two weeks have been a little bit crazy. I've been going to work every day and going in earlier than I usually do. It has thrown me off quite a bit. I like my quiet mornings where all I do is relax and watch my shows while eating my breakfast of sugary cereal before work. Its also confused Cody when he comes home at night to find me huddled over the computer on the couch and not even budging to say hi because I have two minutes left!

I think fate was feeling sorry for me. Today I was able to take the day off and of course I get a nasty cold, thanks fate. I really am not complaining because it gives me time to catch up on my shows. Sorry house, cleaning you will have to wait until my next free night.

This past weekend the Elders quorum in our ward has their annual Turkey Shoot. They have a shooting competition and whoever wins gets to take home a Turkey! I have been telling Cody for the last few months that I really want to get a turkey to cook because it is something I have never tried cooking before. Well, guess who won the turkey shoot?! CODY! I was completely ecstatic when he told me. Until he told me how much space it took in our freezer, almost an entire shelf! They said it was only 30 lbs. I believe it is at least a 50 lbs turkey! We have donated it for our families Thanksgiving feast. At least I know for sure everyone who comes for dinner will be getting plenty to take home for sandwiches!

And Pregnancy. Of course. Besides these newly adopted elephants feet, which I will hopefully be returning within the next 5 weeks, the saddest thing ever has happened! My appetite has disappeared a little bit. And by a little I mean quite a bit. Cereal is the only thing that sounds delicious. I am excited to want real food again and be motivated to actually cook more.

I was able to talk to my grandma Liz last night and it was wonderful, she is amazing! We were talking about this little girl. Cody told me a few weeks ago that I wont be holding her in the hospital because he will be holding her the entire time. She asked if he was planning on breast feeding her to. I thought that was hilarious. Thank heavens for that though otherwise I wouldn't be holding her at all. I am so grateful to have a husband who is so excited to be a father! I don't know who is more excited for her, Cody or me. We already have her room just about all set up and her car seat is out of the box. Don't worry, we are going to wait until at least after thanksgiving to put it in the car. The next four weeks just wont go by quick enough! Monday I have a Dr's appointment and I have one once a week until she is here! Hooray!

Last weekend my amazing sister in law Nichole threw me a baby shower, my kind of baby shower. No dumb baby games, just relaxed conversation and food. I was looking forward to it but a little disappointed that none of my family would be here. My mom, sister, and grandma all surprised me and showed up! It was absolutely amazing. They are the best!

Speaking of my favorites, this is also another one of my favorite girls! This was at my 22 week ultrasound, she was sticking her tongue out at us and moving it in and out. She is already her father's child! Less than 6 weeks to go (we hope)!

This last week has been a little busy for us as well but with some fun things so I am not complaining! Between friends visiting and staying the night, temple trips, Halloween parties, work, craft fairs, church meetings, taking pictures, family members passing away, and trying to keep up with everything around the house, it has been a little bit crazy.

Speaking of pictures... I LOVE when people come to visit! One of my roommates from my very first semester got engaged recently and they came down yesterday for me to take their engagement pictures! Nate was in our FHE group and they started dating within the first few weeks of school. She waited for him while he went on a mission and they are just so darn cute! I will put up many more on my photography blog in the next few days. I miss taking pictures so much so this was perfect!

There is a very good reason why I do not follow recipes very closely. That is because I am just not good at it. Maybe its the reading part I am just not good at. For Monday's dinner I made Sticky Fingers. They turned out so good. I think this weeks meal theme was comfort food because it just hit the spot!


(Don't mind my not very good pictures of this food, it was 9 PM and we were both way past ready for this food!)

Wednesday was tacos, another FAVORITE! Last night I decided to be a little adventurous and try something completely new for me. Remember, I don't like to follow recipes. I was in a Chinese mood and decided to attempt homemade egg rolls and also chow mein. While Cody was helping me by cooking the chicken for the chow mein I was putting the egg rolls together. It calls for a paste made of flour and water. Me and my amazing reading skills somehow missed a period and a few words and read that you were supposed to mix the paste with the inside meet and veggies. At first I thought that was a little weird but then I thought it was just to keep everything all together.

 As I started to roll them Cody asked me to read the directions so he could get the oil boiling. As I am reading them, realizing that the paste is to make the end corner stick to the roll, I just about pee my pants from laughing so hard. It is a really good thing Cody has a great sense of humor and has learned to laugh at me and my "mistakes." He is also very brave to eat everything I make because I never actually have followed a recipe through to the end as it says. They tasted just fine, thank heavens! Out of the 12 that we made last night, I had 3. The rest have been inhaled by Cody in less than 24 hours. I would say that he liked them to.

This chow mein recipe I found was perfect to! It is what I like to call "MY" kind of Chinese food, chicken and noodles!

As I was talking to Cody while he was at work today I told him a name that I liked. All he said was, "Its a name." That just goes to show you how far we have come in naming our child. At this point I have accepted the fact that she will be called child until she is at least two years of age. OK, ok. She just wont have a named picked out by the time we leave the hospital.

Boys don't read blogs. That just isn't a manly thing to do. Cody read the blog the other day, which is great, I don't mind it at all. I am just getting really excited about Cody's birthday in a few weeks and I have already started on his birthday present. Thanks to pinetrest of course! For the sake of keeping Cody's present a secret, at least until the week of his birthday, I am not going to share. But it is already really exciting and I will eventually blog about it! When I know it is safe of course.

Last Sunday was a nice lazy day here at the Searle home. Cody asked what I wanted to do and I told him that I wanted to color. After a long stare of disbelief we finally whipped out the good ol' Hello Kitty twist crayons that I have had since I was 8.

 Yes. Cody needed a hair cut bad. And yes, he got one yesterday.

Cody just loves coloring. And me taking pictures. Can't you tell?

Last week I got a very early Christmas present. PHOTOSHOP! We have been apart for over 4 months now, due to the fact that my computer was a complete piece of junk and decided to die. I have been editing like crazy and LOVING it! I will post a few pictures from things when I get them finished.

Also thanks to pinterest, I have found these really easy, and obviously darling, crocheted baby boots! I just need to put buttons and flowers on them and they are done. Of course one is going to my sister so I couldn't ruin the whole surprise by showing you what they really look like.

And last chapter in this novel of a blog post, if I would just suck it up and write more often this wouldn't be so long, food of course! Today was grocery shopping day. The one day a month that I absolutely love and hate at the same time. I love having food in the house and a lot of delicious dinner ideas. What I don't like is walking around the store for what feels like hours looking for one thing. Yes, ONE item. Turns out they don't even have it. At least it wasn't for tonight's dinner so I still have time to find it.


(Mine better taste as good as these look! And no, Cody's plate will not have ranch on it.)

I am already so excited to make Winger's Sticky Fingers! They are basically chicken strips smothered in a delicious spicy sauce that is sweet. The name of their sauce is Wingers Freakin Amazing Sauce. Amazing sounding right?! The recipe I found looks easy and harmless enough. Well if all turns out well, which my fingers are turning purple because they are crossed so tightly, it will be the best dinner in a long time. Ok, maybe not the best but it will be wonderful.  And one craving  to check off the list!

Our poor little girl. Last night while we were watching Andy Griffith and just calming down, she was moving so much! We just sat and watched her for what felt like the longest time. Cody was laughing and just having fun feeling her moving. Not even half an hour later my stomach did a complete flip. I just barely made it to the bathroom before my stomach completely emptied. That poor little girl was just warning me that something wasn't right! Trying to kick it away from her... possibly?

I now am having a doctors appointment every two weeks. That means it is getting close. Very close. The other night Cody informed me that I would not be holding our baby at all at the hospital. Completely shocked I asked him why in the world not. His response said it all. "Because I will be holding her the entire time." At this point I don't know who is more excited, me or him!
 

Besides working part time, young womens is sure keeping me busy. At least one night a week and on Sundays. Last night for our activity we painted pumpkins. And YES, that is a Harry Potter pumpkin. Coolest pumpkin of the night, even though I didn't make it.

Last week we had a "movie night." Everyone got their hair done, some were crazy and others were cute. Mine just happened to be crazy, at one point it was sticking straight up. I brought my camera and it turned into an interesting night. I am not going to lie, I didn't think I could even get six inches off the ground when Talia said she wanted to take a jumping picture with me! Well I have proof! 7 1/2 months pregnant and I still got hops. At least I did that night.

I got to take a few of the girls pictures this past week. There are three girls that are best friends and they like to do friend pictures, especially this year because one will probably be moving before the end of the school year. Maybe once I get photo shop again and can actually edit pictures I will post more.

The most exciting news is the weather. Terrible, I know! I am glad to say that it is officially FALL here in Burley, even though it was 85 degrees two days ago. It is now in the 30's and we woke up to snow on the mountains! I lied, its not a mountain, its a hill.

Cody is in love with all things Christmas and this gloomy cold weather is NOT helping! This morning I asked Cody where he thought we should put the Christmas tree (I am getting thrown off with the weather to!). Of course he took this as an invitation to start singing Christmas music. Oh boy, its going to be a LONG next two months until that music is aloud in this house!

I am excited for lots of nights filled with blankets and snuggling, hot chocolate, squash!, caramel apples, pumpkins, and all foods even remotely related to fall! 

At my doctors appointment yesterday the Dr walks in and says,
"9 weeks and 6 days left. But who is counting?"
The 10 week count down is officially on.  Not like we are excited at all or anything.

Also, no matter what I will NOT have a Christmas baby. Thank you induction!
The longest I will have to wait to meet this little lady be December 19th.

I ALSO have a new love. The Sing-Off!!! (Its a TV that is a music competition but they are all a capella groups) It is AMAZING! I love music and the groups that are on this season are amazing. I now have something to look forward to at night while Cody is at work. :)

At 5 A.M. this morning, Cody rolls over and wakes me up. (Side note, when it is hot we do not sleep under our regular blanket, we both sleep with our individual fleeces.)
He rolls over and wakes me up and pulls me in close so that I am laying on his chest and halfway under his blanket with him. 

It doesn't get any better than that.
I told him the other day how uncomfortable it has been for me to sleep lately. I did find that sleeping on his chest while weaving our ankles is actually very comfortable and helps me sleep.
So being the amazing husband that he is, woke me up to make me more comfortable.
This was one morning I was glad that we don't have a baby here yet.
I am trying to get all my morning cuddles in before she comes and joins us in the middle.

I have seen so many CUTE booties on Pinterest lately. I thought they didn't look too hard and decided to try it.
SUCCESS!
I still need to figure out how to crochet cute flowers but other than that, our little girl will have a few different colors of crocheted booties for this winter.
Next on the list is Mary Janes because what girl doesn't need a pair of those in a few different colors?!