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Monday, May 30, 2011

OK, so life is crazy! We live in Gig Harbor again, we have an offer in on a house, we have our inspection today (pray it goes well because we really love the house), we are unpacking only to hopefully pack up again in a month or so, we have a baby that is 16 weeks along, we finally live by our family and friends so yes... life is crazy!!!

We left Denver and camped along the way! It took us 3 nights and 4 days to get home simply because we were going slow and taking our time enjoying the scenery! We camped in Rifle, CO the first night. Park City, UT the next night and Huntington, OR the last night! It was so much fun sitting around a campfire each night talking about our travel plans and adventures along the way!

One last picture in front of our Denver house!

Checking out Vail!

Clearly Pete is ok with the road trip!

16 weeks!

Camping in Huntington, OR.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Packing = Moving!

I wanted to write and say hi to everyone and give a bit of an update on Brett and I! We are busy packing, cleaning, organizing, saying goodbye to friends and wrapping things up in Denver. Dick T. has graciously offered to drive our truck back for us so we could ride in the same car on our camping trip home! He flies in on Tuesday afternoon and we will quickly put him to work loading all our boxes! We also have a groupon for fish and chips that I have been waiting to use so I guess we can treat him to dinner Tuesday night after all the manual labor! We will both drive out of town on Wednesday and while Brett and I are camping along the way at The Grand Teton Mountains and Yellowstone, I am sure Dick will be high-tailing it home in the little Nissan!

Rest assured all.... we are packing!
I chose to get some bins because we move so darn much and they are pretty darn handy!

We have been busy with friends almost everyday this week knowing that we are leaving next week. It is so fun to think back to all the fun times we have had here and all the friends we have made. They will be truly missed.

I did something else I swore I was not going to do. I registered for the baby...... Now before you jump down my throat and give me a hard time, rest assured I was not planning on doing it. However, I received a coupon for a free $10 gift card to Babies R Us just for walking in the store, filling out the paperwork and zapping one item with that gun! Who can pass of a free $10. Not me, apparently. So, I will put a few things on there for people who are just dying to get us a gift! :) However, when I registered I did get a little care package with a teeny tiny newborn diaper in it. Do they really fit into one of those diapers? They are so little! After being at Babies R Us and getting totally overwhelmed it was really great to see the little diaper because it made me excited again! I am 15 weeks along and the little one is now that size of an avocado!!! Brett and I have been having such a great time seeing the new fruit or vegetable each week on our little phone app! It gives us a sense of the babies growth and helps the weeks fly by! I am finally feeling better despite still being tired and getting killer migraines. Today is the first day since Monday that I did not wake up with a migraine. Knock on wood. The last two nights I slept with an ice pack on the forehead. I am hoping that like the nausea these headaches will go away too! All in all I guess it is a small price to pay for growing a person inside of you.
Um... Brett have you ever even changed a diaper...? NOPE!

They're so little! Smaller than my hand!

As most of your know Brett and I put an offer in on a house in Gig Harbor. It is a short paddle across the bay to Dick and Bo's, it has a community dock with a fire place and a cute yard! Julia found the house for us and has been representing us through the whole process. She has been so helpful and knowledgeable! We put in an offer, it was accepted and now are just waiting for the inspection which will be done on Tuesday the 31st! Brett and I plan to be home Saturday, Sunday or Monday so we can check out the house, be present for the inspection and make a final decision! Yes, only Brett and I would put an offer in on a house we have never seen but we are very thankful because Scott sent us lots of videos and it looks amazing!!! Ok, let me preface this with the location and amenities look amazing. The house needs some work but we are really excited to be able to fix it up! Brett and I agreed in the beginning that we actually want something to work on and make our own! We are very excited but trying not to get too attached yet because you never know how an inspection will go on a house that will built in 1960! We will keep you posted!

Thanks for reading and in just a couple short weeks we will be home!!!

Love,
B and K8

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Well..... the parents have come and gone, graduation is over, we are starting the packing process, I am done with work on Friday and I am now 13 1/2 weeks pregnant! Lots seems to be happening, now that I can finally share about it!!

It was so much fun having both sets of parents here for the weekend! We ate, ate, ate and ate some more, walked around different parts of downtown, shopped at the farmer's market, went to a Rockie's baseball game and celebrated Brett's graduation! The weather was awesome all weekend, think 80's, a light breeze, and sunshine surrounded by blue skies! I hope the parents brought home some good weather for everyone! I feel like a terrible wife for not capturing the moments on film but we were busy and carrying a camera around seemed silly. I am seriously regretting it now. Oh well, I guess.

So, the move countdown is on! We sent home a couple bags with Dick and Bo today so we are a few bags lighter and it already feels great! I have been thinking about the move a lot and while I get really excited to see everyone, this last week of 80 degrees in Denver makes me a little nervous. Am I going to be able to handle the weather at home?!?!?! Please ask the sun gods to bring on the blue skies and sunshine because I am going to need it!

Otherwise all is the same in Denver! I am done with work on Friday! Wooo hooo! Brett is taking an NCLEX prep course this week at school and then our couple weeks of exploring Colorado will be in full swing! We are so excited to see some places we have never been in CO in the coming weeks and then driving home!

We hope everyone is happy, healthy, and enjoying their spring!

Friday, May 6, 2011

Happy Friday! Do you notice something.... I am not at work on a Friday!!! That is because I have the day off the celebrate Brett's graduation!!! Dick and Bo and Bob and Deb arrived into town yesterday afternoon! We sat on the patio and enjoyed the Denver sunshine before heading to dinner at a local restaurant by our house! We only found it appropriate to spill our news while sitting in the sunshine so here it is...... this may need a drum roll.........

Brett and I are having a baby!


12 week photo

8 week ultrasound

Our little one is due just 2 days before Erica's on 11.11.11 so that means that I am 13 weeks along, Today!!!! Brett and I are really excited to get home and see all your little ones and raise our little one with them!

We hope you all have a great weekend, we know we will!!!

Sunday, May 1, 2011

SuNdAy FuNdaY!

As you all know when I am home on the weekends all I end of doing is cooking. Well, this weekend was no exception!!! One of today's items was spurred by a shopping trip I went on yesterday with a girlfriend, Njal. We went to a store called Home Goods. This store is amazing! It is owned by TJ Maxx but everything is for the home. They have amazingly cute stuff and if we were not moving home I would easily have blown a whole paycheck there! While I was responsible and did not spend all my dough I did get something that I have had on my "want" list for a very long time! Mini-Loaf Pans! They are so cute and make the perfect size banana bread for presents, single serve eating or to freeze and save for later!

So I made mini-loaf banana bread! They are yummy, moist, small enough to not feel bad if you eat the whole thing and just darn cute to look at! Nothing special about the banana bread. I used my trusty recipe that is perfect every time!

I am now aware that these do not really look mini, but trust me they are!

Along with the banana bread (pretty much my weekend staple) I also played a game of what can you create from all the leftover stuff in your fridge. This is what I came up with: "homemade ravioli." Now, before you jump on my case and freak out because I used wonton wrappers remember that this was all from stuff I already had so excuse me for not making homemade pasta. These are however very yummy despite the fake dough!

Homemade Ravioli
wonton wrappers
ground beef
ricotta cheese
laughing cow cheese
an egg
spinach
onion
jalapeno (it added nothing to the flavor but yet it was green, added some color so I threw it in)
garlic
carrot
salt
pepper
bread crumbs

saute all the veggies until soft. Cook the meat. Add everything in a bowl and mix mix mix. Spoon onto wonton wrappers (not too much or they wont seal) brush the edges with water to seal the wrapper. Boil lightly for a couple minutes! Serve with your favorite sauce and enjoy!

Now, if that was not enough, I was looking at these little "ravioli" and thought to myself, wonton wrapper, potstickers, yummyness and decided to pan fry a couple of these bad boys up! I not only created a totally different dish but they were yummy, crunchy and perfect to snack on!!


One last thing on the food note. I have been freezing a little of each bit of fruit I have around the house because it not only makes for super yummy water but keeps it cold too. The fruit acts as little ice cubes!

Here are some pictures from Easter! We spent the day at our friends, Grant and Njal's house! She made a yummy breakfast egg casserole and we brought the juicer for homemade orange juice!
Njal showing off her creation!

OK, so a quick update on Brett and I. Brett has been out of town for the last week on a road trip with his buddies through Utah checking out the Moab area. Of course they went to Vegas along the way and he is expected back Tuesday. It has been a long lonely 8 days. However, I did manage to get a picture of him after his last day of clinical (last Saturday) to document the occasion!

Congratulations Brett! You're a Murse!

I turned in my 2 weeks at work... finally... and I will be done May 13th. It has been a great job while here but I might have gone crazy had I had to stay much longer. Both sets of mom and Dad arrive on Thursday for graduation weekend and it will be so fun to have them in Denver celebrating Brett!!!

Hope all is well at home! Soon it will be out home too!