Lady Bracknell and I

“[Twenty]-five is a very attractive age. London society is full of women of the very highest birth who have, of their own free choice, remained [twenty]-five for years.”

~Lady Bracknell, The Importance of Being Earnest

Yesterday I turned twenty-five. And I made a very important decision. I will never be older than twenty-five. I also got several others, whose names will remain anonymous, to join me in this decision. I think I can get away this; the Philippino blood running through my veins acts as my own personal, yet somewhat diluted "fountain of youth". This makes it so that most people that I meet still think that I'm in my teens. And while this has always been an annoying thing that I've had to deal with, I'm finally at the point where it can pay off. I only had to wait to turn a quarter of a century old for it to happen.

But all this aside, here are some things that made me happy on my b-day:

This was my favorite b-day gift, courtesy of Ashlee and Evan Howard. The reason: this is necessary for the development of my future child!

This was also my birthday cake:

I don't think that you can get much better than creme brulee. It makes me extremely giddy every time I eat/inhale one.

So, in light of yet another survived birthday, I have decided that Lady Bracknell was an extremely savvy person, and I would urge every woman to take her advice.

Pomp and Circumstance

Last Saturday Don and I graduated from Utah State!! I have to say that I was pretty dang proud to stand up with the College of Engineering when they called us. It was even cooler because Don and I were able to graduate side-by-side, in fact our entire little family participated in the graduation. Our valedictorian gave an unforgettable speech that Don is still mad about, because it included a quote from Elle Woods, off of Legally Blonde,, as well as some really poor grammar. I think it's funny that he's still mad about it. So, here are some pictures of the momentous occasion:

We have so much pomp it's coming out of our ears.


But we're pretty happy to be graduating after going to school forever.


We also had a lot of support from both families.
Don and his mom, Bruce (my father-in-law) is in the background, I know we took a picture of all of us together but can't for the life of me find it anywhere!! Another picture I'm missing is one of Lily and Jake, (my loverly sister that I got when I married Don, who is also prego...how cool is that??)they were there but I haven't been able to get my hands on a picture of them to prove it.
Annie and Josh also came up, our friends from Manti whom Don has known ever since high school. It was pretty cool to have them there. Josh thinks I'm scared of him. Just because he towers over me, and is twice my size. That would intimidate any one but me, however, because I'm so stinking tiny that it's the same story with everyone I run into. I'm not scared of you Josh.

Mis lovely parentes also came. They don't look very excited in this picture. But let me tell you, they were. My mom's so dang proud, she was one of my biggest supporters when I was going through school. My dad doesn't smile in pictures, unless there's a horse involved. Or an old jeep.

My lovely sisters came as well. Aubrey said it was a huge thing for her since she didn't want to sit through the forever long ceremony at her graduation and didn't walk. Aubrey, glad you came. You would have never been forgiven if you didn't, because I live right underneath you, and would have haunted your dreams. My bro, Austin, also showed up with his new wife and daughter. It was pretty cool.

I just wanted to show a picture of what Don really did during the graduation. I partially blame Evan Howard for this. It's his toy.

And if Evan (pictured above) wouldn't have been playing ping the whole time, Don wouldn't have been tempted. Evan really is a good guy, even if he is an electrical engineer. Civil is so much better. psh.

One last picture showing our fellow graduates. David Benti, the Valedictorian for the College of Engineering, self proclaimed genius who helped me with more than one homework assignment. He's also delusional. And Jeff Forsgren, who is pretty much one of the coolest people we met while at school. On the far right is the most rough-around-the-edges-but-really-a-softy-Italian-yoga-practicing-Geotechnical Engineer that you'll ever meet, Dr. Joe. He has a lot of theories about life, but my favorite is that, "one of the best things you can accumulate in life are kids." I'd have to agree with Dr. Joe.

So, thank you to all who were able to come and celebrate with us! And to those of you who weren't able to come, you were missed. And hopefully we'll see you this Holiday Season!!

Tick, Tick, Tick....

The title of this blog pretty much sums up my life right now. The clock is ticking and things are winding down. This is my absolutely last week of finals!!! Ashley keeps asking me what I'm going to do celebrate when I graduate this 13th, and I told her I was going to streak around a few blocks of this prominent, quiet, little Millville town. She didn't believe me. But little does she know that for the past 96 hours all I've done is computer programs, papers, and finals. I think that I've stuffed a few morsels of substance into my system in a desperate attempt to take care of my little one and stave off nausea. I hate finals with a passion. These two weeks combined are my personal purgatory for any bad thought, road rage, or fight I've ever had. Graduating with a Civil Engineering Degree is so streak-worthy. As a brief brake from studying we're going to go see this.
On a happier note I'd like to draw your attention to the little 'baby ticker' I added to the blog...is it just me, or does the baby inside look like a little demon/alien/spider monkey?? I sincerely hope my baby doesn't look like that. But, I'm due May 31st, and I hope to find more about my little fig sized baby next Monday. I'll try and keep out all of the strange details that I find so fascinating like how it's eyes have moved from the side to the front of it's head, and how it no longer has a tail...I keep Don updated weekly, and it weirds him out, so I'll edit. Don't worry.

P.S. Thanks...

With the Thanksgiving holiday on my heels, I woke up this morning thinking about all of the Thanksgivings in my life. The ones I remember the most clearly were at my Grandma and Grandpa Leavitt's house. My grandpa Leavitt pulled out all of the stops. There were mountains of mashed potatoes, plenty of olives for little kids to stick on their fingers, long tables crowded in their living room adorned with tall glasses and fabric napkins elegantly folded, and of course the star of the show was the turkey. It was a work of art, perfectly cooked and stuffed with celery and olive stuffing, and on the breast, was an intricate pattern of bay leaves and who knows what else carefully placed under the skin. I haven't seen a turkey to equal it since, especially since I can't remember the last time I was able to spend Thanksgiving at my Grandma Leavitt's house, and my grandpa passed away more than twelve years ago. But I think that Thanksgiving will forever remind me of him. Sometimes I feel cheated. I feel cheated whenever I step onto my grandma's walk and notice that there aren't any over-fertilized hollyhocks the size of my head anymore, when I realize that my kids won't ever see that clever twinkle that he sometimes got, and you knew that something exciting and fun was going to happen, and that they won't be able to have Thanksgivings like I had as a little kid. I know if he were here he'd tell me to knock it off, and be thankful for the people who I'll see around the table this holiday. And he's absolutely right. There's a lot to be thankful for, even with this economy.
I recently started carrying around a little pocket book that listed everything I could think of that I was thankful for, and so, here are a few things from it:
My thankful list:

~phone calls & text messages
~second chances
~spontaneity
~little hands to hold
~sunrises
~the ability to heal
~the ability to change
~Ben, Jerry, and their marvelous ice cream
~husbands
~mothers and fathers
~sisters and brothers
~grandparents
~family in all forms
~laugh lines
~winks
~friends
~people who read this blog
~warm conversations
~education
~anthems
~Don's mischievous smile
~giggles
~long conversations
~holidays
~cameras
~letters
~delete buttons
~forgiveness
~hope
~winter nights
~earplugs
~tickle tortures
~answered prayers
~hot chocolate
~ultrasounds
~hearing my baby's heartbeat for the first time
~the look on Don's face when I told him he was going to be a dad
~Ashley calling me a mean name when I told her she was going to be an aunt because she didn't believe me (apparently I've used that one too many times...)
~graduation being only three weeks away
~dinosaur pajamas
~Dorito eating-sisters
~memories
~morning sickness
~chocolate
~things that don't make me gag (tying my shoes makes me gag now...)
~seasons
~the fact that someone who is infinitely smarter and wiser than me is running the universe
~the chance to be a mother

"Out of All the Charlie Browns in the world, You're the Charlie Browniest"

This is for all of you Charlie Brown fans out there. This has got to be one of my favorite all time movies. My little nephew Jaden reminds me of Linus. He always carries a blanket around and sucks his thumb. This only makes bless Charles Schultz's name even more. He was genius I tell you, shear genius. And I have a mad crush on Snoopie.
The reason I have this on my blog is because I'm winterizing it. I should probably be winterizing my car first, but this is more fun. And although I'm usually strongly opposed to even listening to Christmas music before December (because when I was in high school due to choir and dance I'd have to start listening before Halloween), this year I'm pretty excited for Christmas. In fact, contrary to my beliefs I found myself listening to carols on Halloween. It's so hypocritical, I'm so embarrassed. I blame that dang Martha Stewart. I was in the grocery store the other day at the check out stand when I spotted a cover of her magazine with little felted stuffed animals and snowflakes and birds. I bought it. And I've been excited ever since, with literal visions of sugar plums dancing in my head. %#@* Martha.
And so, to assuage my hunger for all things Christmas, I've come up with this lovely play list. and at the top is Good 'ol Charlie Brown's Christmas music. Yes, Charlie, Christmas time is here, at least for me.