Baby Shower but still no baby

On Saturday some great friends here in Lincoln threw me a baby shower. It was great to get together with friends, have some delicious cheese cake, and receive some wonderful, very needed gifts. I think we are ready to roll now all we need is for the baby to come. As of today I have 11 days left until my scheduled c-section. I am trying so hard not to go early so that my mom will be here to take care of Hollyn. I am so grateful to have her coming for two weeks. I don't know what I would do without her. Hollyn is extremely excited to be a big sister and hopefully a big helper.

Pumpkin Patch

Apple Jack Festival and Pumpkin Patch

A few weeks ago we went to the Apple Jack Festival with some friends. It's in a little town called Nebraska City. They have a great parade and beautiful Apple Orchards to go see. The weather was a ton warmer this year than last year. Last year we were in long sleeve shirts and pants. This year Hollyn was in a tank top and shorts. Hopefully this means we will have a much shorter and warmer winter.




Last week we went to a Pumpkin Patch with our friends the Johnson's. Mandi took her two boys Jet and Rex who Hollyn absolutely loves to hang out with. This is no ordinary Pumpkin Patch, it's more like an amusement park. We spent five hours there and didn't even get to see and do everything. The kids had a blast feeding the goats, riding tricycles, jumping on a big bouncer, watching pig races, watching a pumpkin eating dragon, going on a hay ride and much more. Mandi and I attempted to take the kids on a bike ride. They have three seats in front and two in back for peddling. We didn't think it would be hard at all, but let me just say my legs were burning by the end. We got stuck at least three times and had to push ourselves to get going again. Between Mandi's laughing and my huge prego self we must have looked pretty funny. I wouldn't be surprised if someone took a video of us and it ended up on U-tube. Sorry no pictures, but I'm sure the picture in your head is just as funny. All in all it was a great adventure.

Labor Day Weekend

Since Dan and Hollyn both had school off on Monday we decided to go do something fun as a family. We had wanted to go to Kansas City, but didn't decide until late Sunday night so instead I got on the internet and looked for fun things to do around Lincoln on Labor Day. I found a great parade in downtown Omaha. Most of the people in the parade where labor workers, electrians, plumbers, steel workers, etc, but each one had a fun large balloon they carried with them. None of the balloons matched the profesion, but they were fun anyway. They had Uncle Sam, Handy Manny, a Wizard, and a few others I forgot. Hollyn loved the parade and I'm pretty sure she got more candy there than she did on Halloween. Those labor workers don't mess around. After the parade we went to the mall and walked around and let Hollyn play in the cool air conditioned play area. Then to end our day we had dinner at Cheesecake Factory. Dan and I shared the Miso Chicken and it was delicious. Not bad for last minute planning.

First Day of School

Last Monday was Dan's first day back as a second year law student and Hollyn's first day of preschool. Hollyn will go three days a week, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 12:45-3:15. I'm not sure I'm going to know what to do with my little buddy gone. We decided to do our annual zoo trip to the Omaha Zoo before school started and things got crazy. The zoo was great and we had a fabulous time spending a full day together without the worries of studying, or at least Dan worrying about studying.












Hollyn loves, loves, loves preschool. We got to meet her teacher a few days before school started. Her name is Mrs. Jensen, Barbie Jensen. Now who wouldn't love a teacher named Barbie. Hollyn couldn't wait to start school and when Monday came around she kept asking me if it was time to go yet. I kept telling her after lunch, so right before 11 Hollyn tells me, "Mom, I'm ready for lunch." When she got to school she wasn't nervous at all. She gave Mrs. Jensen a big hug and walked right in. This kid is nothing like I was. I'm sure I was crying at the door for my mom not to leave. Everyday when I came to pick her up she had a huge smile on her face and talked all about what she did that day. On Friday they got to see a caterpillar make a chrysalis. I had no idea what that was at first, until I realized it was a cocoon. My kid is already becoming smarter than me. Isn't that suppose to happen later in life?

A not so welcome back to Nebraska

When we arrived home, in Nebraska, on Sunday I noticed a strong smell in our house. Not a food smell, but a moldy smell. I immediately went downstairs and found that our basement had flooded and their was black mold everywhere. So for the next few days we kept the basement door shut with a towel pushed underneath it. We also started looking for a new place to live. Within a few days we located a new place and moved in by the following day. Dan was a amazing. He moved everything up from the basement, while I disinfected everything with bleach. Especially all of Hollyn's toys that we could save since they were all downstairs. We must have looked pretty silly. We both had things covering our mouth and rubber gloves protecting our hands. Dan pretty much single handily moved us all by himself with little help from me. I felt pretty helpless being 8 months pregnant and not being able to move anything heavy. We found a cute three bedroom house that is only three years old and doesn't have a smelly basement. We love it! Hollyn has a little playroom now that she will spend hours in. We are a little farther from campus and we had to move out of our old ward, which was a real bummer, but the place is perfect for our family. We are definitely staying here for the next two years. I already told Dan the next time we move again it will be permanent.(At least for 5 years)
I will post pictures of the new place soon. Here's a few pictures of the moldy basement and one of Dan after a long day of moving. Too bad I can't add the smell too. Not the smell of Dan but the smell of the basement.

Farewell AZ Hello UT

We left AZ, but not before a trip to Sedona with my parents and some swimming lessons from Grandma. Hollyn has become an amazing little swimmer. She took all summer from me and from Grandma. She can dive, do all the strokes, and swim the whole length of the pool all by herself. Hollyn is a little fish or a dolphin as her aunts liked to call her.
We made the drive to Utah August 3rd and stayed for a whole week. My grood friend Holly and her husband Danny were grecious enough to let us stay at their fabulous home. We had the whole basement to ourselves. Hollyn especially loved their golden retriever Alli. It was great to spend some time with them watching the Olympics, going to dinner, and just hanging out talking. Thanks again you guys.
We were also able to see all of Dan's family while we were there. Dan's grandpa Pomp passes away so all of his siblings, cousins, aunts, and uncles where there for the funeral. It was nice spending time with all of them and to hear all of the amazing stories of Pomp's life. He was an amazing man. Hollyn had a great time playing with her cousins everyday. She keeps asking when they are going to come and visit us in Lincoln. Thanks Papa Charlie and Nancy for your generosity and hospitality. We had a great time.