June

June... aaaah. It is going to be an amazing month of many travels and being with family and relaxation. Can't wait! I feel like we've been looking forward to this month for so long.

minute to win it

we had a ward bbq/games night on Friday. the boys definitely manned the grill and cooked an extremely large AND delicious assortment of hot dogs, hamburgers, and chicken. Along with all the other necessary goodies and fixins. It was quite the feast. After eating a group of us played "minute to win it" games from the tv show. They were SO fun, although some we were definitely more skilled at then other. made for some good laughs.

In this game you had to unravel an entire roll of crepe paper in less than a minute. I was horrible at it. My windmill arm was not working for me!




This one we had to pull 100 tissues out of the box in less than a minute. Paul did it in like 18 seconds!

today i'm 26 weeks.

Less than 100 days to go!! That still seems like kind of a lot but compared to how many it's already been, it's pretty exciting to be in the last trimester. Everyday I wonder what my baby is going to look like and be like. I can't wait to meet her!! I don't have a ton of updates really, just kinda truckin' along...

play time

Wednesday night we saw the play "To Kill a Mockingbird" with Leigh and Brandt. It was so good! I'm currently reading the book but didn't finish it in time, but that made the play a little more exciting since i didn't know the ending. I recommend seeing it! (or at least reading the book if you haven't)
p.s. look at the guy up in the booth! haha

5.24.10

today we woke up to this:

where is summer?! It's almost June for pete's sake! It was most depressing.
So, we went to Tucano's for lunch.

It made us feel better, yet stuffed at the same time.

paul's b.day

We had a really fun weekend celebrating Paul's birthday.

We kicked of the weekend with cirque de soleil (which is still a highlight of our lives if you ask us) then we saw the movie Robin Hood with friends. Then on Saturday we played tennis while it was sunny (timed it perfectly) and then we ran some errands and got a few things and then went to Outback for a late lunch with friends. (Can't believe I didn't take any pictures! so sad). Then Saturday night we went and registered at Babies R Us and picked out a bunch of cute stuff for our little girl! It was really fun, plus Paul loves using the little scanner. It took us back to our wedding registry days. Then that night we watched a movie at home.

Sunday we relaxed, hung out with friends, played jenga (i'm still undefeated), had enchiladas for dinner. Paul opened his presents and got this little beauty:

A new video camera! We are so excited about this. Just in time for summer fun and our baby! He also got some fun gifts cards and a few clothing things. We played around with the camera for a while. (As you can tell by all the videos on this post)
Here's a little snippet for your viewing pleasure (the camera quality is actually awesome in HD but i just uploaded in really low-res so it looks kinda pixelated):

Then Paul had a birthday party that night. We had quite a few friends come and ate some delicious cake (i made chocolate pudding cake that Paul's mom makes and it was like a molten lava cake!) and ice cream and then talked and mingled. I think Paul had a good day.

I can't believe he's 25! I feel like that's such a milestone! Words really can't explain how much i'm in love with my husband. I honestly think he is just the greatest person in the world. I am so so grateful for him and I can't imagine my life any other way.

This is a funny movie. our little neighbor Brayden is almost 4 and he LOVES Paul, this was his little performance for him:

a lucky omen

The other day (5.17.10) we went to Pei Wei for dinner and I got this fortune in my cookie:
August 17th watch out! baby maybe? Whatever it may be, I will be watching for this day!

Paul and I were talking about how fortunes are so funny because if you get a dumb one you just laugh and make a joke about it, but if you get a good one you really kind of believe it! p.s. how cute is that little bee on there!? so random but i like it.

5.23.10

This little boy...

turns 25 today! A quarter of a century old! I love you!

Happy Birthday Paul!

le cirque

When I was at Good Things Utah, I got the incredible luck of getting two tickets to the Cirque de Soleil: Alegria show, which is their traveling show that has been at the E-Center. Paul and I had never been to any of the cirque de soleil shows so we were so excited to go and experience it. And, even more excited when we got there and found that our tickets were on the floor, second row! These people were swinging right over our heads! It was incredible.

The show was honestly indescribable. Amazing, the costumes, the music, the singing, the precision, the timing, the bodies, the focus, the athleticism, the band, trampoline, trapeze, clowns, contortions, jumping, strength, funny, sensory overload, audience interaction, engaging, are just a few descriptions that come to mind about things i was thinking while watching. We LOVED it!! One of the best and most entertaining shows we've ever seen. I'm so glad we got the chance to go because it was truly amazing. And that's my raving review.

(our pics are horrible because they wouldn't allow cameras in so they are taken with Paul's phone, and it was pouring rain when we came out. But, gotta capture the memory)

Good Things Utah

I got the lucky the chance to go to the filming of Good Things Utah! I was able to accompany my boss, Stephanie, who did a segment on the show about accessorizing (see link below for the clip!) I am a HUGE fan of the show but had never been to a live taping before (or any live taping for that matter) so I was thrilled to go and help her set up the shots and watch the rest of the show. All the hosts were so nice and cute and Steph did a great job! It was so surprising to be there and see it all happen.. so different from how you see it on TV! It was so interesting and fast-paced and we in the audience even got some really cool giveaways!! It was fun to be there and have both a "backstage pass" with access to the set to display our things and also to participate as a viewer. I loved it all!

click this link to see the segment: Add Accessories to your Home

cabin fever

Friday night, Paul and I and four other couples (and two kids) got to go up to the Barnes' family cabin! It was so nice to get away and be with friends. We grilled for dinner, then talked, played games, ate desert and laughed and had a great time. The next morning we had a huge breakfast then cleaned up and hung out a little more then had to come back down to our normal lives. It was so fun to have someplace to go to be together and have a fun little sleepover. Thanks Clay and Tiff for having us!

The boys gearing up for their game of basketball/horse/around the world/whatever you can do to get it in the hoop

little London grinning as usual


Tyler and Tate


Londy baby! i really love this little cutie pie.


The little babies just decided to be night owls and stay up late with all of us. They were so tired though but it was so cute how they just wanted to be part of the party.


Shannel and Tatertot... so exhausted but fighting it!


Paul had the magic touch to get Tate to sleep for awhile.. he said he's ready for his superdad job that's coming up.

today i'm 24 weeks

-i can't believe i'm 6 months pregnant! That's really gettin' there!
-i've gotten my first pregnancy comments from strangers! That's really exciting to me! I'm proud of my ever-growing belly and that my little girl is sparking some conversation for herself.
-in the past two weeks, i have gone from having 5-6 pairs of jeans i could still button up to 2-3 (depending on the time of day).
-i am always so stiff and sore all over my body. When i wake up i feel like i can't move. Sometimes my legs and feet get really swollen and i get leg cramps like every night, in the middle of the night. It will probably just get worse but it's really not the most comfortable situation. It is also uncomfortable because i really can't sleep at all. I would love a good night's rest sometime soon... yet another thing that will probably just get worse.
-I have an outtie belly button! actually, it's just flush with the surface right now, not quite an outtie but i really never thought that day would come.
-on Monday we went to the doctor and everything looks good! She measured me and said i'm actually measuring a little big which i was shocked at and to be honest i think she was a little surprised too because she measured me like 3 times but she said it's because i'm small so my belly has nowhere to go. She said it wasn't enough to change my due date or anything.
Here's the pic:

And last but certainly not least, speaking of pregnancies i wanted to give a special CONGRATULATIONS to both of my sisters-in-law that are pregnant also!! Melissa is due end of October and Christine is due end of November. I am SO excited for them to start their families and especially excited that our kiddos will be so close in age!! How exciting to get the first 3 Dickson grandkids in 3 months! We couldn't have timed it more perfectly if we tried! I'm so excited for them (and their hubbies of course).

The culprits (yes i stole this pic from melissa's fb)

my first mommy's day!

I had such a great first mother's day... it was so fun to celebrate with our little baby! It's crazy how attached i feel to something that is inside of me. Eventhough i've never seen her, i know she's in there and she's depending on me. It's hard to explain but i love that feeling. Moms to me are women who would do anything for their kids, and that's how my mom is and that's how Paul's mom is. And that is definitely how i want to be. It's funny how that feeling starts so early in the game, and never ever goes away.

We went to church in the morning, then when we got home Paul gave me my present... He got me an adorable frame that I've been wanting from my work (i'm a little obsessed with frames). I've wanted it for so long and I've told Paul about it, but I was so touched that he would remember and go and get it to surprise me and get me something that i really really wanted. He is so thoughtful and one of the things i love most about him is that he always does absolutely everything he can just to make me happy.

After that we set up our crib!! We've had the box in the baby's room for awhile now and i was so excited to finally set it up! I love it! It is bigger than i thought it would be... i bet our baby will look so tiny in it! I love having it actually set up in the room, it makes it seem so real and close!

We had dinner with Morgan and Whitney and the boys made us delicious shish-kabobs and other things. Then the Barnes came over and we talked and played games.

I am SO excited to be a mom. I've been dreaming about this time in my life and wishing for it for so long and now it's finally here. Every time i feel my baby move i get so excited and i just can't wait to see her! I think being a mom is the greatest opportunity and gift that i could have and i just can't wait to get started!

happy mother's day

"...there is no greater good in all the world than motherhood. The influence of a mother in the lives of her children is beyond calculation."

-James E. FaustThank you to the mothers in my life, who teach me everyday in many ways how to be an excellent, caring, strong, and spiritual mother. And thank you that I am now a mother and one day soon I can start putting these teachings into action for my own little one. Happy Mom's Day!

AEF & Empower Academy

When Paul and Taylor traveled to Ghana last summer, they found a school that was in need of some help and new ownership. While they were there, they did some negotiations and since then have been trying to secure funding and ownership of the school. We were so excited to learn the other day that it officially went through and that the African Equity Fund is the official owner of the "Empower Academy" school. Paul and Taylor are now board-members of this non-profit organization. Paul is so excited for this opportunity to make a difference and help the people of Ghana. He will be in charge of putting together groups to travel over there for humanitarian work and donations. They hope to fix up the school, set up seminars to teach the students and their families, and expand the buildings. It is a fully functioning private school right now, that has students about 400 students, ages 5-17. I am so excited to travel over there one day and see the school and meet some of these precious kids! I'm so proud of Paul and how excited and determined he is to help people in need and make a difference.

click here for news blurbs on the newest board members and acquiring the school:
Award-Winning Entrepreneurs Team Up with Empower Academy and AEF
AEF Assumes Operations of 400-student School

a little color

I decided the other day that our family room fabrics needed a little help. Probably because i am craving the brighter sunnier colors of summer. Anyways, i made a few changes and i'm happy with our newer, brighter room!

see more pics and info HERE

check it out

Tada! As if i wasn't obsessed enough with this blog, I've decided to start another. This one for another purpose though. I see so many awesome ideas out there in the bloggerific world for crafts, recipes, decor and more and i want a place to store these ideas, and expand on them and even try a few myself. Lets face it, it's pretty frustrating when you're surfing online for an hour + and can never remember where you saw that one really cute thing! It can never be found again. Hence.. domesticattempt.blogspot.com

I copy it, save it, make it hopefully one day. And maybe i'll post a few ideas of my own once in a while. It's still a work in progress (it will always be i guess) but some of my projects that I've posted pictures of on here are shown on that blog with how-tos and more detail, as well as tons of other cute ideas that i've snagged from other people's blogs. Feel free to visit and copy and create!

fiesta

We had a little Cinco de Mayo party with friends... Mexican food. mingling. and watching Nacho Libre. It was "the best".. it was "fantastic".

you know you're prego when...

...when you are watching TV just going about your normal day and a Hallmark card commercial comes on and you start crying. Actually bawling for like 5 minutes. happened today, true story.

Congratulations to Brad and Kinzie! They got engaged on Saturday night. It was fun to be able to help plan and be part of the celebration. They are going to be an awesome married couple.