Baby Shower Fun in La Grande!

Other expecting mothers may look forward to the cute pregnancy clothes, the ultra sounds, or feeling the baby move inside you. But for me, I looked forwoard most to the baby shower. Okay, I looked foward to the feeling the baby too, but I really loved getting and playing with all the baby clothes and getting together with my friends to celebrate this happy time. I love it!

Well, the weather threatened to ruin my fun last Saturday. During the night it had snowed about eight inches and the streets were terrible. I was so bummed thinking that people would get out to come. But it turned out that I was just so ecstatic when people actually showed up. I was so moved by that fact that they cared so much to brave the weather so they could celebrate having a baby with me. I was so happy.


This is Ginger, Catlin, Brittney, and Jillian. We had some fun!


This is the awesome spread we had.



These are the awesome cookies Brittney and I made. Some thought that they looked more like sumo wrestlers in speedos than baby boys, but really, I'm no artist.

We all had a wonderful time. Thanks, thanks, thanks, for everyone who sacrificed so much to come to my baby shower!

Beautiful La Grande

La Grande may be a lot of things when it is covered in snow, but for me, it's turly beautiful, from the warm and cozy insides of your home.


This is the view from out my mother's dinning room window.

And this is the view from my parent's street. La Grande is really a beautiful place, even though the passes may close and you could get suck.

Getting suck during Christmas

Patxi and I got stuck in the snow twice while we were in La Grande for Christmas. Once was at the bottom of my parent's drive way. That was a lot of fun and only took 45 minutes to get the chains on and into the street.

Then the second time was when we were visiting Aunt Penny. The bad thing was that we had stayed late talking with Ori and Patxi cleaning/fixing his gun. So when we tried to get out, we had to wake up Adam so he could get us out. We tried pushing, putting on chains, and digging around the tires, but nothing seemed to work. So then Adam got in his truck and tried to pull us out. Finally that worked, and we were able to leave at 12:30am. Thanks so much Adam and Ori!

Our New Address

Offically on Wednesday, December 31st, Patxi and I will be moved to...drum roll, please...

2075 Raynor St SE
Salem, OR 97302

The moving process is being drawn out over three days, yesterday, today, and tomorrow. I was a little worried with me working all day during these three days, but it turns out that it's a good thing. I really can't lift anything anyway, so I would be just in the way. Patxi is doing a great job, even though it might not be as organized as I would do it. But it'll get done, and that's really what matters.

Oh and for our anniversary (December 29) we decided to buy a bed. The one we have is old and won't fit very well in our aparment. Luckily we were able to get some Christmas money from my Grandpa Lemmond (thanks agian, grandpa!). We're very excited about that and will be getting it tonight. I'm starting to feel the trill of making our new apartment a home, and I can't wait to get started. Life is going to be different, but great!

And since no post is complete without a picture (since I have a new camera and no excuse), I'll share this picture of Patxi wearing a Cabela's hat my parents got for our son. It's a little dark (it was a quick shot) but Patxi's has a great smile. He's so hansome!

Merry Christmas!

On Christmas Eve, mom, Jill, Patxi and I helped serve at the Senior Center. We had fun giving service to them. The elderly were fun to talk to and help them with their needs. I did get scolded for brushing my hair out of the way and serving coffee at the same time. If and inspector were to come in, he could shut the place down, you know. She was right and trying to be helpful, but I just thought that it was funny how picky she was. We had fun anyway.





It turned out that Jen and Nick couldn't make it to La Grande for Christmas. We were all sad about it but we still did our gift exchange with them. Mom gave us all PJs like always and Patxi and I did each other's stockings. It was great fun keeping Patxi's stocking stuffers a secret from him. I think I get more out of it than he does. I can't wait until we have children and live Christmas vicariously through them. It's going to be so fun!







Then we stayed inside all day in our PJs, watching movies and eating. Mom has an elaborite table setting for Christmas dinner, which we of course eat in our PJs. It's kind of ironic but a fun tradition. It was a great Christmas.

Wintery Salem

Here are some pictures of the snow that occupies Salem. I'm told that it hasn't snowed and stayed like this in thrity years. Crazy!








This is the freezing rain that turned Salem into a winter wonderland over night.

For us this is normal so we don't think of it as a novelty. But it's funny to hear how people quarantine themselves in their houses. I guess that's probably a good thing because I would hate to be driving on the road with them. Patxi and I enjoy the snow and are happy to have more of a winter we are used to.

Christmas cookies

I got the festive feeling this year and decided to use my cookies cutters I bought from the after Christmas sales last year. It was the first time I made sugar cookies by myself and I was a little anxious after the first batch. I brought them to work for our little Christmas branch party and they were a hit, so I decided to make more for those I visit teach and our neighbors. I was so proud of what they looked like that I had to take a picture, well two. Enjoy!

Ward Christmas Party with the Waites

Patxi ahd drill December 12-14th so I went with him to Pilot Rock/ Pendleton. That firday was Patxi's parent's and brother's ward Christmas party. I got two camera shots of my neice and nephews: Libby, Elden, and Eli. I don't think their younger brother, Elliot is in them, but enjoy!


Liddy's in red and Elden is on the end not really singing but cute.

32 Weeks!

This is a picture of me at 32 weeks. It's a little late because I'm 34 weeks now, but with moving, packing, and trying to fix our car, time slipped by. Enjoy!

I think that I've gotten a little chubby since this picture was taken. It doesn't help that the weather has been keeping me inside and the holidays seem to produce food that's hard to say no to. I was doing so well too. I've only gained 30 pounds so far, but I think it's seriously changed since my last appointment. Don't even get me started on the fact that I almost weigh more than Patxi. Ugh! All well, I just need to be strong and say no to things that really won't give me or our son nutrition, even if it is a holiday tradition. I guess I just have a fear of being that fat pregnant lady that let yourself go because her stomach was expanding anyway. I just know that once I have him, it'll be even harder to get rid of the fat consequences of my choices now. But what is a girl to do when she's decorating sugar cookies for the neighbors? Make sure that I'm not going to poisoning them by taking samples, of course. Though I'm sure the store bought m&m were fine anyway. But then again I have to remind myself that I gain fat so much easier because my body still has the fat cells from when I was bigger. Yup, the body never really gets rid of them fat cells, they just shrink. I could lose them if I got Lipo, but like I'll waste money on that! But I just have to be extra careful and more active than the average person, which I haven't been lately.

So, take me as I am, a 8 months pregnant lady with a double chin. I guess I really have a hard time with this chubby thing because I've worked so hard before to lose the 60 pounds I did before. It's hard for me because when I lost all that weight, I vowed never to look like that again. I know it's different being pregnant, but I still have control on whether the m&m and 3Musketeers I eat will go to my thins and and add another chin, right? It complicates things being 8 month because it's trickier to be active. But in the end, all of the complications really don't matter, I just need to deal with what I've been given. So sorry for the little venting session. I'll buck up and make better choices that will promote the best and healthiest life style for me and my gr owning son.