The Everette Family

Happy New Year

2012-01-31T07:12:00.002-07:00

I have been thinking more seriously about New Year's Resolutions and this year, instead of resolutions, I am setting attainable goals. And not just your basic ones that everyone does, but specific enough that I can actually succeed at achieving these goals.

Read the scriptures. Our Stake has set the goal for everyone to read 2 pages everyday of the Book of Mormon. I have not been keeping up with this as well as I would like but I think 2 pages a day is easy enough.
Organize my house. My goal is that everything in my house has a place to be put. This will be a long, year round attempt but I think the best thing to organizing a room/house is by making sure everything has its own special place to be put away. If I don't have a place, do I really need it?
Eat better. Simply adding more vegetables to dinner. For breakfast, I have started eating gluten-free cereal with almond milk (vanilla flavored) which is very delicious and sweet. Cow milk seems to make my stomach upset, so I have started to step back from that, except for cooking. I'm still working on lunch, though.
And a few other, personal goals.

I am looking forward to a great year in 2012! I have set my goals and I can't wait to reap the benefits of achieving those goals.

Happy New Year!!

Christmas Recap

2012-01-31T06:36:00.002-07:00

Here are some pictures from Christmas. It's just quick recap but we had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends.

Cory's Surgery

2011-12-09T08:06:00.004-07:00

On December 6, Cory went in to have his ACL and meniscus repaired on his right knee. He tore his meniscus over 4 years ago but we decided to wait on surgery. Cory was feeling pretty good at the time. Then, 2 years later he was playing soccer and hurt his knee again. We think that is when he tore his ACL. Cory didn't have any problem getting around so we didn't worry.

This past summer, Cory was seeing the doctor and decided that he needed to have surgery. Without surgery he would have serious arthritis and have to get a knee replacement by the time he is 40. It has also been an issue because Cory could not participate in any sport activities without fear of injuring his knee further.

Since we moved during the move we had to wait until we were situated here and finally decided to get it fixed quickly so it won't be a problem anymore. Cory met with Dr. Freddie Fu at UPMC and we couldn't be more pleased.

We arrived at the hospital at 5:00am (luckily, my mom came the night before and offered to watch Adalyn). Cory was prepped for surgery by 7:00am but did not go into surgery until 9:00am. His surgery finally ended around 12:00 when I met with Dr. Fu. Dr. Fu said that the surgery went great. The meniscus was beyond repair so they just cut it out. They took tendon from Cory's quad and did what's called a "double bundle" for the ACL. Cory's ACL was pretty damaged and useless. Finally at 2:00pm I could go see him in Recovery.

Cory wasn't as loopy as I thought he would be. Instead, he was just groggy and excited to go home. Unfortunately, Cory had lost feeling in his LEFT foot, the one that was NOT operated on. Apparently, during surgery they had his left leg elevated and his foot must have fallen asleep for several hours. All he could feel were pins and needles. They kept Cory overnight because he needed at least 1 good leg to go home with.

After they transferred him to a different hospital, I went home to get some rest. 13 hours at a hospital do take a toll on you.

I went back up to the hospital around noon to be with Cory. It took awhile but he was finally discharged at 4:00pm.

As you can see, Cory was pretty tired of being in the hospital.

Cory was such a trooper and was able to take a final exam on Thursday. We are so grateful for the prayers and support to our family and friends. Thank you Mom for being with us a little longer than expected; we could not have done it without you.

It's about time

2011-12-01T15:47:00.001-07:00

I finally got a new computer. I haven't bought a new computer, for myself, since 2005. After a couple years of good use from our previous computer it was time to say goodbye. My poor computer could not even upload pictures onto our blog, which is one reason for my lack of posting. It was too slow.

On Thanksgiving Day we took a look and found this beauty just waiting for us. It's an all-in-one computer so I have a lot less cords to deal with. Like, the speaker cords, monitor cords, webcam cord, and so forth. Now, I just plug my computer in and the only cords coming out of it are the mouse and keyboard. It is heaven and I am so excited to be up-to-date.

Schramm Farm

2011-10-28T07:40:00.002-06:00

We were able to attend Schramm Farm with our neighbors and friends, Sam and Evan. Evan is Addy's new boyfriend and loves to play with him as often as possible.

We are truly blessed to be here in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. It has been several months and we are loving every bit of it. We have fantastic neighbors, a great ward, and are only hours from our families. We are grateful for this opportunity for Cory to attend school (and he's doing really well) and look forward to what else the future holds for us.

Guess what?

2011-06-10T12:59:00.004-06:00

I know, I know. I have been awful with writing on our lovely blog. But we have been quite busy.

We moved in the middle of February to Orem. We had a great apartment and were in a great ward.

Then,

At the beginning of May we found out that we had to move from our Orem apartment because it was not legalized to have 2 apartments. We had 1 month to move out and find a new place.

So,

We found one in north Provo. We really love our new apartment, especially now that we have unpacked everything and started hanging pictures on the wall.

Then,

Cory received an email today stating that there was an opening at LECOM, Seton Hill Campus. CORY HAS BEEN ACCEPTED TO MEDICAL SCHOOL IN PENNSYLVANIA!!! We are so excited and overjoyed. Cory will start school July 25 of this year. Yes, we have exactly 6 weeks until we have to be in Pennsylvania and one of those weeks we will be spending at the beach in North Carolina, naturally.

Good thing, all of our boxes are marked.

Last Couple Months

2011-03-23T13:09:00.002-06:00

Sorry it has been so long since we have blogged. We have been quite busy.

I have pictures, unfortunately, I am having trouble uploading them. Hopefully, it'll be easier to upload when I don't have as many to show.

But, starting in January, I had my wonderful mother-in-law come for a surprise visit. My niece, Brittnie, turned 2 and it was a Spongebob Party. We also went to the Children's Museum for the first time. Addy and Brittnie had an awesome time.

In February, I made cupcakes for Valentine's Day. Cory took me to the ballet Cinderella at BYU. Cinderella was in our ward. It was so much fun. We also moved from Provo to Orem. We live in a basement apartment and love our new ward.

Eventually I will post more pictures as our lives continue to unfold.

More Christmas Pics

2011-01-14T20:11:00.000-07:00

I finally got some more pictures from Mark. Please enjoy these additional photos from Christmas. Thanks Mark.

Addy loved to try out every type of vehicle. Sadly, she won't be getting
one until her birthday in May.

This was our early Sunday Christmas. I got my Tom Brady jersey and
Jennifer made the best Santa bread you ever did see.

At church we took some awesome family pictures.

A happy family!

Let it Snow

2011-01-13T20:20:00.001-07:00

I finally decided to take Addy outside. It's really cold and the sidewalks are terrible but I was determined to take on the adventure.

At the park by the slide.

Adalyn's new favorite snack: snow.

The only thing she would do at the park was swing.

Soon after, Addy started crying because she was so cold. We had to rush home to get warm.

Addy was much happier once she was bundled up and watching a movie.

Here's Addy trying on my snow shoes.

Christmas Vacation

2011-01-06T23:22:00.001-07:00

We got to have Todd spend a few days with us.
Addy is completely in love with him.

This is at Brick Oven for Cory's Birthday.

Grandma and Addy made this dog ornament.

The dog ornament on the tree.

Brittnie is great at making faces for
the camera.

Grandma got to decorate cookies with her two cute granddaughters.

This is Addy's new hat from Grandma
Jennifer. She put it on herself.

Christmas Eve. Addy got a pair of
Tinkerbell slippers.

Grandma and Grandpa got Addy this playhouse
and we got to put it together on Christmas Eve.
There were more parts to it than we thought.
It only took us an hour and a half to put
together. Go us!

The final result. We're good.

Addy was really excited .

We also set up her new table and chairs
from Nana and Papa. She thinks she's
such a big girl.

Cory's 27

2011-01-06T21:45:00.000-07:00

Cory turned 27 on December 22. We had a great time celebrating!

Cory got some tequila lime mix and an awesome new blender. He's been dying to make smoothies for about a year now since our last blender broke. But I thought it would be fun to have a lime drink as well. Don't worry, we do not add any liquor to our mix.

Cory's favorite cake is cheesecake. I made this cheesecake from scratch and we put some fruit on top. It was delicious!

Happy Birthday Cory!!

Is nothing safe?

2010-12-12T12:37:00.000-07:00

The other morning Cory had gotten up with Addy so I could sleep a little longer. He needed to start getting ready so he put in Addy's favorite movie and jumped in the shower. I decided to get up, feeling that I had slept long enough. As I walked out of my room Addy walked into the hallway. She scared me but I was more shocked at what I saw.

Apparently she found my lipstick in my purse. She was left alone for maybe five minutes.

This is my favorite because she's saying "Cheese"

(I'm still cleaning lipstick off random places around the house.)

Spoiler Alert! Do not let your Children see this

2010-12-12T12:31:00.000-07:00

Last week Megan and Rusty invited us to their Ward Christmas activity. Guess who played Santa?

Addy did not know how to respond to this big guy. His voice sounded familiar but he didn't look the same.

Merry Christmas to All! From the Everettes

Past Update

2010-12-12T12:26:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from the past couple of months. We've had a blast spending time with family.

Almost once a week I get the pleasure of babysitting Brittnie. This is the highlight of Addy's week. They are such good friends and only recently have they started fighting.

In October we took both girls to a Corn Maze. They had so much fun!

At the end of October Addy and I went to Ohio for Halloween. Here's all the kids that participated.

Addy was a giraffe but I wanted everyone to know that she was a girl so I put a tutu on her.

We went to Boo at the Zoo in Akron. The Carousel was probably her least favorite.

Here's Addy with her Nana.

We were able to get a darling picture of all the grandkids.

Laura took Addy and me to Romp 'n' Stomp. Addy loved it!

Among other things, I was able to go to Amish Country and spend some amazing time with family. Cory came later, in early November, to interview at LECOM in Pennsylvania. Now we have to wait to see if he got accepted.

She is so Helpful

2010-12-06T10:08:00.000-07:00

I just had a quick thought to share with all of you. The night before last I had made some cookies. During the process some flour fell on the flour. I didn't care; I figured I would clean it on Monday since that's cleaning day. Well, yesterday Addy noticed the flour on the floor, walked to the corner where the broom was, grabbed the broom, and proceeded to sweep the flour. She then went back to the corner and put the broom away. I was flabbergasted. I am so proud that my daughter knew exactly what to do to clean the floor without even having to be asked. Now if only she could apply this concept to her bedroom.

Do not fear I have lots of pictures to upload from the previous months. They will soon be here.

Cutie Pie

2010-10-20T20:13:00.000-06:00

This was done on my phone. That's why it's not the greatest quality.

Last few days of our Trip

2010-08-25T14:35:00.003-06:00

Wednesday, August 11, we made it to our last boating trip of the season. I tried to ski but I gave up very quickly. I think I need more mental preparation to do it. Again, it was a beautiful day and it was a blast!

Thursday, August 12, our last day in Connecticut. We went to Mark's work where we found out Adalyn has potential to someday work there ;) She loved getting so much attention.

Then we went out to eat for lunch at the notorious Cheesecake Factory. It was delicious as always!

Adalyn loves Toby. I'm sure she all ready misses him. Toby was sweet to put up with her the whole time.

Friday, August 13, we left for Utah. Adalyn didn't sleep very well the night before so she basically clonked out most of the plane rides. It was very nice. We're sad to not be in Connecticut but there really is no place like home.

Two Days with Grandma Ruth

2010-08-25T13:56:00.003-06:00

The trip started out nice. We left for Grandma Ruth's on Monday, August 9. Everything went well that day. Until nightfall.

Cory and I went to Uncle Randy's house to play some games. I eventually got tired and decided to head back to Grandma's across the street. I asked for a flashlight because it was cloudy, no moon, no street lights, and I don't know the area very well. And I have a fear of wild animals attacking me. Needless to say the flashlight could only light about a foot in front of me. (Randy or Sara, you should probably replace the batteries on all of your flashlights.) I did make it home safely but I did have to sing primary songs to myself the whole way. I know, I have a wonderful imagination.

After Jennifer and Ruth went to bed I stayed up a little longer. When I realized I was very tired and our room was extremely hot I decided to move the window air conditioner from the downstairs to the upstairs apartment. Cory said I could carry it. Well, that wasn't the problem. I turned it off, lifted the window up, and the air conditioner fell out of the window turning off the power in the sunroom. Luckily, only the face of it fell off and it easily popped back on. Once I got it upstairs, while soaking wet, it was no problem getting it in the window. It worked just fine.

The next morning, I proceeded to tell Jennifer and Grandma Ruth what had happened. Unfortunately, the power was still out in the sunroom and we couldn't get it to come back on. We tried calling several electricians and no one would answer their phones or call us back.

Next, while I was getting ready, Addy decided to have a party in the apartment.

We were planning on going to the beach that afternoon, until while we were eating lunch, Cory leaps out of his seat and says "I heard a tree fall down." As we went outside to find the tree, it was laying across the driveway and we couldn't get out.

The tree also took out the phone lines so Grandma couldn't make or receive any phone calls.

Addy didn't let anything ruin her day.

On top of all of this, little Phoebe vomited in Grandma's car, we burned vegetables on the stove because we forgot about them, and Grandma broke her favorite salt and pepper shaker.

Thankfully, Cory and Randy were able to cut the tree into firewood and clear the driveway. Randy also was able to fix the electrical problem in the sunroom.

The perfect ending to this day was, of course, on the way home when Jennifer's car was hit by a bird. We didn't know it at the time but it kinda stuck with us all the way back to Connecticut.

The best part of the whole day was that we were all together. We were able to laugh about the events of the trip. We're grateful that all these things happened while we were there and could help Grandma Ruth.

Weekend Bliss

2010-08-25T13:39:00.003-06:00

Cory and I were so lucky to have such wonderful parents to take care of Addy while we had our own little adventures. Adalyn loved spending time with her Grandma Jennifer. She also loved following Toby, the black lab, all over the house.

On Saturday, August 7, we kept things simple. Cory and Mark went shopping for some new suits while Jennifer and I ran some errands ourselves. We also made it to the park with Adalyn.

Sunday, August 8, again we kept things easy-going. Adalyn was not on her best behavior during sacrament meeting but we were lucky to have Jennifer as Nursery Leader. Jennifer took Adalyn for her first day in Nursery. She did fantastic. Cory and I joined them during the third hour to help out. That night we did Skype with Megan, Rusty, and Brittnie back in Utah.

It was a nice weekend.

Maine

2010-08-25T11:21:00.003-06:00

August 6

Cory and I went to Maine to tour the University of New England. Cory is applying there this year for DO school. We thought it would be a great opportunity for me to see at least one of the campuses Cory is applying to and we can compare other schools to it. It was an incredible experience for me to see what Cory will be doing in school. They answered a lot of our questions and we’ll keep it on the list. The site was beautiful! The school is right where the Saco River meets the ocean.

It took us a little while but we found a quaint restaurant to eat lunch called Yellowfish. No one was in the restaurant but us. It was so nice inside I wanted to stay and try it out. It was delicious!! The food was great, the atmosphere was great! We sat next to this giant blue fish tank. I got the wrapped chicken caesar salad and Cory got the fish and chips. It was delicious.

The cherry on top was that we found a cute ice cream place not far just by chance. I had peppermint and Cory had a blueberry and raspberry graham cracker. It was homemade and delicious as well! All in all it was a great day!

Boston Trip

2010-08-25T10:48:00.004-06:00

August 5

My parents really wanted to see Boston. It was part of their anniversary trip. Cory and I decided to join them since the last time we were there it was Christmastime and I was 5 months pregnant. Not the ideal situation to see the sights. It was quite an adventurous day.

Riding the trolley was very fun. The driver/tour guide was very informative and funny.

Here we are in front of Paul Revere's house. I have to admit I love cobblestone streets.

Here we are on the ferry. It was taking us to the U.S.S. Constitution. Just before we docked it started to rain.

An awesome picture of the city from the ferry.

Once we got off we went to see the U.S.S. Constitution. Right as we were climbing aboard the Constitution the rain really hit hard. Within a matter of seconds we were completely drenched. Inside this magnificent ship it was very humid. It is quite amazing how large it is and how old it is. I’m still amazed at how many levels were on this ship. Once the rain let up we were able to leave the ship.

Cory and I in front of the U.S.S. Constitution.

Here is another view of the U.S.S. Constitution. Seconds later it rained like crazy again. It got very cold.

We gave up the idea of going to Quincy Market because it was freezing and the rain just kept getting worse. It even started to pour into the subway. Here is a waterfall in the tunnel. Naturally, mom and I were contemplating what would happen next if we were in a movie. Then we heard some screams. I looked and saw the worker running towards us. He was chasing a rat! The rat ran over a guy’s foot just behind us and you could hear the screams like the wave in a stadium as the rat kept running. It was so funny!

As soon as we get off the subway, blue sky with a couple of clouds and the sun is shining. It took us forever to get out of the parking lot because the traffic was terrible.

Luckily, we found relief in a tex-mex restaurant. Not exactly the Bostonian experience we were hoping for but was definitely unforgettable.

Our trip to Connecticut

2010-08-25T10:35:00.002-06:00

We left for Connecticut on August 3. We were pretty nervous considering the last time we traveled with Adalyn it was not ideal. However, we survived and we were so glad to be in Connecticut. We pretty much rested on that day.

The following day, August 4, my parents were able to meet us at Highland Lake where did some boating.

Addy is ready to party. Every time Mark got out of his driver's seat Addy would take his place and try to steer the boat herself. It was pretty cute.

Cory was very excited to try out the tube.

Even my mom was brave enough to ride the tube.

As was my dad.

It was a beautiful day. We were very lucky that day and loved every minute of it. Don't worry, Cory and I took our turns in the tube. Addy loved being in the water and playing with us.

June in a nutshell

2010-07-15T10:49:00.006-06:00

I know it has been a long time since I've posted but we've been busy. And we continue to get back into the swing of things. For the month of June, Cory quit APX Alarm and started his Masters at BYU. We spent Father's Day at the airport as we traveled to North Carolina.

North Carolina was beautiful! We had a wonderful time with family. It was so much fun and we look forward to the next time.

Here's the whole gang, minus Chelsea (mission in Mesa, Arizona).

Getting ready to leave.

Hanging out at the pool. The sun was in our eyes.

A small moment of happiness from Addy in the pool. She did not like it for the whole week.

Addy happily eating at the beach. She was happy as long as she wasn't in the ocean.

Addy loves playing with hair. Brittnie was nice enough to let Addy play with it.

I'm pretty sure this is the one time Addy ran toward the water.

Adalyn's favorite thing to do was to sit and play in the sand. Actually, she loved the seashells most. She loved putting seashells into buckets.

Addy's crab-face at the Aquarium.

Girlies at the entrance of the Aquarium.

These two crazy girls loved spending so much time together. They love their baths and love making each other laugh.

We're glad to be home and we're glad we have such great family! Addy is finally starting to like water outside the bathtub.

Adalyn's first dentist trip

2010-05-29T11:05:00.002-06:00

So Addy was running with her pacifier in her mouth and tripped. I went over to her and there was a lot of blood. This is not the first time, however, this one was much worse. She did not cut her lip, but around the teeth and gum. I called the doctor and he suggested to have her see a pediatric dentist to make sure everything was all right.

It was Addy's first time and the only thing she really liked was the fish in the lobby. She had x-rays done and luckily there was no damage to her teeth. The only thing the dentist did notice was that her "upper labial frenulum" is down by her front teeth. This is the muscle that connects the upper lip to the upper gums. That is what she landed on and cut; the blood came from this muscle. Because it is so low it's caused a gap between her front teeth. In a couple of years we'll have to have the dentist give her a general anesthetic and cut it. This will help her in the future to not look like Letterman, according to the dentist. But we have to do it before her permanent teeth come in.

All in all it was a good visit and she loves her new tooth brush.

Hip, Hip, Hooray

2010-05-24T10:42:00.002-06:00

I want to congratulate Cory! He was accepted to BYU's Masters of Neuroscience program.

We're trying to do the fast track so he'll be done in a year instead of two. We look forward to this wonderful opportunity. We are sure that it will open many doors in the future. We are grateful for his wonderful professors that convinced him to do it. This opportunity will also help with his applications to medical schools that we start in a week.

Thank you for your prayers, love, and support.

Utah's Hogle Zoo

2010-05-24T10:28:00.009-06:00

This past week we were blessed to have lots of family in town. Chelsea, Cory's sister, entered the MTC on Wednesday. She's headed to Mesa, Arizona. So, for her farewell, all of Cory's family came to town. I was fortunate to have both my parents to come in, as well. To celebrate Chelsea's farewell and Adalyn's birthday we went to Utah's Hogle Zoo last Monday.

Here we are at the entrance.

Adalyn loves walking everywhere. That's usually how she eats her meals; on the run.

I made cupcakes for everyone. We sang "Happy Birthday" to Addy. She dug right into that cupcake.

Adalyn with Nana near the giraffes.

Adalyn loves ice cream. If you go to Hogle Zoo make sure to try the Flavor Burst. It is vanilla ice cream with a flavor swirled in. Most of us had Root Beer mixed in. It was delicious!

Addy with Grandma, Brittnie, and Megan on the Merry-Go-Round. Shockingly, Addy didn't like it very much. I'm pretty sure it was because she was so exhausted from the whole day.

Up close and personal with the rhino, through glass. I did have pictures of the new baby elephant but I can't get them off of my camera just yet. The baby was pretty cute though.

Addy looking at the Rhino. It didn't grasp her attention as much as we thought it would.

Overall, we have a fabulous time with family at the zoo. I look forward to going again and hopefully Addy will find it more enjoyable .

Adalyn's Birthday

2010-05-24T10:16:00.003-06:00

Adalyn is officially 1 year old. Her birthday was on May 1. The day started out with Megan and I taking our little girls to JC Penney to have their pictures taken. We were pretty nervous. Adalyn is not known for staying in one place for very long. However, Addy did a fantastic job! I am so proud of her. She had beautiful smiles and loved holding on to the stuffed animals available to her. I wish I could show them but I'm kinda afraid of the copyright laws. If you go see any of the grandmas they'll have some.

But, here are a few photos from the happy day.

Addy loves sitting on her dad's lap while he plays games on the computer. Although, she wishes she could play with the computer.

Cory and I helped Addy blow her candle out.

She had no problem digging into that cake. Addy knew it was going to be good. She did eat almost half of her little cake.

April Update

2010-05-11T14:14:00.004-06:00

Sorry it has been so long since I have blogged. We've been pretty busy these past few weeks. Most recently, Addy and I have been feeling under the weather. Needless to say it has not been easy to blog.

Here is the month of April in a nutshell. First, we had Easter. It was a wonderful weekend with conference and family.

Addy was so excited to get into her Easter basket. She received books and a swimming pool! Cory and I exchanged Easter baskets as well. We had the pleasure of having Cory's sister, Chelsea with us. Of course, we had to get her an Easter basket.

Sorry the picture is sideways. But I was able to make a delicious carrot cake in the shape of a bunny. It was not easy.

Then April came and went. On April 24, Cory and I celebrated our 3 years of marriage. It was wonderful to think about how far we've come. A lot has happened in the past 3 years and this was the first year we could really spend time together. Our previous anniversaries were shared with family and graduations and baby.

Cory was so sweet. First, he had planned for my sister-in-law, Megan, to take me out and get "glitter toes." They are adorable! These "glitter toes" are not regular pedicures. The glitter stays on your feet for months since it's sealed (or bonded) to your nails and they have an awesome shine! I had to get the pink color. Megan got a really cool green color.

Aren't they so cool! I hope it lasts well into our beach trip at the end of June.

Here is our wonderful family photo on April 24. Megan and Rusty were kind enough for Cory and I to go out to eat for lunch. Cory took me to the Cheesecake Factory and let's be honest, it was wonderful. Neither of us could finish our plates but we took plenty home, including a couple of cheesecake slices.

For Cory, I got him Avatar, one of the greatest movies of all time. If you haven't seen it, shame on you!!!

Surprise!

2010-03-23T18:51:00.003-06:00

Well, it's happened. Actually, it's been happening for a few weeks now. Addy learned a new trick but the video of her didn't work so we couldn't post it earlier. Now we have new videos of her mastered trick. Enjoy!

St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-23T18:42:00.003-06:00

We had a great St. Patrick's Day! Cory was able to switch shifts with another coworker and went to work early in the morning. That meant Cory got to come home early around 3:30pm. We had such warm weather we decided to go to the park.

Addy in her cute outfit. She all ready looks like a teenager.

Here she is with mommy.

And here she is with Daddy.

Cory's Green Thumb

2010-03-12T19:28:00.002-07:00

Cory has been wanting a garden for quite some time. As soon as it started to feel like spring Cory bought himself some herbs and planters. He has been so happy since they started to grow recently. Cory loves checking in on them everyday.

In order, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, and Sweet Basil. (Cory put them in alphabetical order.)

I would help water them but last time I took care of a plant in a planter it grew mold.

uh-oh Spaghetti-Os

2010-03-12T19:25:00.003-07:00

We had spaghetti for dinner the other night. Addy was just too cute that I had to take pictures.

I'm pretty sure she loves spaghetti. In fact, she ate more than I did.

Warm February

2010-02-17T19:35:00.003-07:00

Lately, we have been having some amazing weather. It all ready feels like spring and yet it is only February.

My neighbors told me what I thought of the deer. I asked them what deer? And they pointed to behind their house. Apparently there's a little oasis for deer behind some of the homes, including ours. I couldn't believe how many deer were just sitting there. I saw at least 10 lounging around.

Addy and I have had the chance to go to the park more often and swing in our front swing without snow falling off the tree.

I made sure you could all see her two little teeth in these pictures.

Update

2010-02-15T12:34:00.002-07:00

Here's our latest update. I've all ready told our entire family but I'm sure there are others that want to know what Addy has been up to lately.

Two Wednesdays ago Addy found a shiny coin on the floor and loved it so much she ate it. I tried getting it out of her mouth but I'm afraid it just made the coin fall back further in her mouth. Once it got far enough back, she swallowed it. I talked to the doctor and if it was a penny (I wasn't sure what it was because I never saw it) then we'd better get x-rays to make sure it wasn't stuck in her throat. Don't worry, she was breathing fine and was a very happy child.

At the hospital everyone said what a wonderful little baby she was. Addy was the only baby that day that didn't cry during the x-ray. Turns out the coin went all the way into her stomach. Basically, the doctor said wait at least a week for the coin to pass through. Yep, I had to check her diaper every time to make sure it finally came out.

The following Saturday we left Addy with Megan and Rusty so Cory and I could go to the movies. When we picked Addy up, Megan informed us that she couldn't find Addy's hair ties. Addy doesn't like anything in her hair. We guessed Addy must have swallowed those too.

That Sunday, the 7th, as I was changing Addy's diaper I noticed some bright pink stuff. She did eat her hair ties. And it turns out she swallowed a dime that happened to be in the same diaper.

Since this wonderful fiasco, we've had to be much more cautious around Addy. She has a hefty appetite but only ranks 20% in weight compared to other children.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Teething Time

2010-01-12T15:18:00.003-07:00

Saturday night we noticed that a tooth was about to break through the gums. Well, it was a very long night...we got only a few hours of sleep. Addy went to bed only to wake up some hours later. She basically cried for 4 hours; we kept trying to put her down but she'd wake up crying hysterically. Finally, I had Addy sleep with me on the couch. After about 2 hours on the couch I put her back in the crib and she woke up at 8:00pm. It was not an easy day.

Since then, we've had a bit more luck sleeping through the night. If we can get her to sleep, somewhat, until midnight, then we give her a bottle, some Tylenol, and she sleeps for another 8 hours. Her tooth is coming in and is sharp. We're excited that she has teeth coming, but we miss our sleep.

Family Pictures

2010-01-06T20:11:00.003-07:00

I asked my sister, Laura, to take some family pictures for us this holiday season. Of course, we didn't have time to do it before Christmas and send out Christmas cards. I think these pictures are beautiful!

We're a happy family.

Don't worry, this is the closest she ever got to the fire. And yes, that is her shoe.

Picture perfect.

Big blue eyes.

Chocolate

2010-01-06T20:04:00.003-07:00

Addy had chocolate for the first time on Cory's birthday. I was trying to avoid sugar for the first year but what are aunts for anyways. Here she is with bits of oreos on her face.

I think she likes it.

She's licking her chin to get more flavor.

I think she really likes chocolate.

Merry Christmas

2010-01-06T19:49:00.002-07:00

This year for Christmas my parents decided to surprise the whole family with a mini trip. No one knew what it was, except for my parents. We had our usual family jokes flying around that we weren't really go on a trip but were only going to talk about taking a trip (we spent quite a few Family Home Evenings planning trips that never actually happened when we were younger).

However, this time Mom and Dad had a plan. We were going to Great Wolf Lodge in Sandusky, Ohio. It has an indoor waterpark inside the hotel. My parents decided that instead of giving lots of gifts they wanted to give memories. I'm pretty sure Addy is the only person that won't remember this trip.

Here's the whole family at the entrance. We continue to grow every year.

All the grandkids, at the moment. (Peyton, Jenna, Addy, Loni, David, and Morgan in front.)

Every so often a huge bucket of water dumps cold water. The guy in the center is Matt. For some reason he really liked to go from the hot tub to getting cold water dumped on him.

We had a wonderful time there swimming, going on slides, and just hanging out with one another. Even Addy enjoyed the hot tub (it was just really warm water that children were allowed to be in). I also loved having a number of babysitters so I could ride the slides.

On Christmas night we played games in our hotel room. During which time we were able to create fond memories and inside jokes that now the in-laws can be a part of.

Thank you Mom and Dad for a wonderful Christmas surprise. How are you going to top this next year?

*thanks for the pics Julie

Football Hall of Fame

2010-01-05T21:20:00.006-07:00

For Cory's birthday on December 22, we decided to go to the Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. We've been to Ohio a few times and yet we'd never found the time to go there. This time we made it a priority. My family was able to watch Addy while we went on our own little date.

At the entrance.

Cory's favorite team is the New England Patriots. I like them too.

But I'm also a fan of our very own Cleveland Browns.

Steve Young. Naturally we had to get a picture of his head, even though it doesn't look much like him.

Mike Ditka. If you know Cory you'll know how he loves to quote his favorite SNL skit that mentions Coach Ditka.

Here is the actual Super Bowl trophy. We were just inches away and only a thin piece of glass between us. It was pretty cool.

At the end of the tour they had some interactive activities you could do. One was a trivia game. There were 5 questions but we missed the first 2. As you can see, I totally dominated Cory by getting 2 of the 3 questions right. And everyone thought he knew everything about sports! (Truth is, they ask really hard questions like who started the whole half-time show, so it really depends on how good of a guesser you are. The answer is Marshall by the way.)

Getting ready for Christmas

2010-01-05T21:02:00.002-07:00

Just before bedtime I decided to take a few pictures of Adalyn with one of her Christmas PJs. This one had a matching hat, which I adore and Cory despises. Frankly, I think this kid can do no wrong when it comes to looking adorable.

In the background is our little 1.5ft fiber optic tree. Thankfully, our neighbors were able to provide us with a larger Christmas tree.

Just the two of us waiting for Daddy to come home.

Addy's hair has a tendency to stick straight up. She actually reminds me of the bad guy from "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?"

I love this picture.

Bath Time

2010-01-05T20:50:00.002-07:00

A while ago Cory realized that we didn't have many pictures of Addy in the bath. We all know that bath pictures are necessary for any infant. We had a couple taken when she was a newborn but now she's actually playing in her tub. Addy loves to splash and loves to play with her rubber ducky (it's a pirate ducky).

She has kind of a big belly here.

This is her crazy hair picture. You can really see how long her hair is growing.

Here's her crooked smile.

Adalyn loves bath time!!

2 weeks in Connecticut

2009-11-13T15:14:00.003-07:00

Addy and I decided to visit family in the east since we didn't have anything else to do. We left October 26 and came home November 9. Adalyn was fantastic on the plane. There were a lot of grandmas willing to help me out.

We flew into Providence, Rhode Island which is very near Grandma Ruth's in Massachusetts. We spent a wonderful week there shopping at the outlets and enjoying eachother's company.

Here's four generations and going strong!

Here's Adalyn on the ferry to Martha's Vineyard. She was pretty happy as long as we kept moving or feeding her.

Adalyn bugging poor Toby. She loved Toby but Toby didn't feel quite the same. He was very concerned whenever she cried but wasn't afraid to growl at her if she got too close to his bone.
Adalyn loved helping out with the dishes. She even gave a few plates a spit shine.
Adalyn also found a few things to kiss. Mainly the refrigerator and anything with a handle.

Back in Toby's bed. She did this quite often hoping you'd come grab her. Adalyn also loved Toby's water dish and played in it about once a day.
Needless to say we had a wonderful time in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Poor Cory was stuck at home working the whole time. But we all look forward to our next visit.

Halloween

2009-11-13T14:48:00.003-07:00

About a week before Halloween we did a photo shoot of Brittnie and Adalyn. They were so cute!

Brittnie was Harriet Potter.

Adalyn was a dragon. I pinned a flower on the costume to make it a girl dragon.

Brittnie had the glass, scar, and the wand. Megan was teaching her how to use it.

We grabbed a few small pumpkins and gourds for them to pose with.

On Halloween, Addy and I were in Connecticut visiting the Everettes. We decided to do a reverse trick-or-treat and drop off candy at the neighbors house. Addy was all dressed up for the event.

Just a few photos

2009-11-13T13:57:00.003-07:00

A few weeks ago we were able to purchase a swing for Adalyn. It hangs on the tree in the front yard. I'm glad we got it and Addy loves it! Now we have a reason to go outside when it starts to snow.

I was paying too much attention to the laundry one day, so Addy decided to climb into the basket for some attention.

Yellowstone Update

2009-10-14T18:46:00.004-06:00

My wonderful father-in-law, Mark, saw my blog about Yellowstone and sent me more photos of the trip.

Here's a buffalo on the side of the road. We saw him just as we were heading out. He caused a lot of traffic.

You can't see very well, but there are 2 buffaloes behind us. Luckily, Jennifer caught these from the road.

Here we have The Fountain Geyser behind us. It's smaller than Old Faithful, but it continues to shoot out of the ground.

And, here is a lovely pool. Just kidding, this is too hot to ever jump into. It's at West Thumb and I think it's called a paint pot.

She's Growing Up

2009-10-12T00:06:00.006-06:00

Addy has begun her climbing stage all ready. She's crazy and loves to move all around. It's hard to keep up with her. Even more amazing when she can pull herself up to play on the computer.

Addy also loves to climb on her swing. Sometimes the swing will swing back and hit her. She's a tough kid and does not learn from her lessons, yet. The other day I found her holding onto the back end of her swing and standing up.

Something's Cooking

2009-10-11T23:56:00.003-06:00

Lately I've been into pie making. We've been watching the Food Network a lot and there was a Challenge on pies. I've made Banana Cream Pie, Apple Pie, and Strawberry Pie.

They turned out to be delicious!

Here's a pic of my banana cream pie

Yellowstone

2009-10-06T14:37:00.004-06:00

At the beginning of September, Mark and Jennifer came to Utah to drive Chelsea to BYU-Idaho. It was so fun having them here as we celebrated Labor Day together. They also invited us to go to Idaho with them and visit Yellowstone. Addy and I were the only ones able to go. I had never been to Idaho and this was a great excuse to go up there. It was fun shopping for Chelsea's books at the bookstore and seeing her awesome new apartment.

It was also my first time at Yellowstone! Unfortunately, my video camera died after 2 pictures and I forgot my other camera. I only had my phone, which only has so much room on it, to take a few pictures. Oh yeah, as soon as we started seeing all the animals on our way out of the park my phone died. These were all I got.

I did get a couple of videos.

This is The Fountain. It continually sprays upward. (sorry the video is sideways)

Here's Old Faithful. (and yes, the crying baby in the background is Addy)

Blender

2009-09-28T12:24:00.003-06:00

Last week, Cory was making some Brazilian Lemonade when the blender started to smell a little funny. As Cory continued to blend the limes it started to smoke, a lot. Our blender had caught on fire! So, I held the door open while Cory threw the blender outside. It smelled terrible!

We turned on a fan with the front door wide open to help relieve the nasty smell. Luckily, Addy was asleep in her room and it didn't smell in there. We could barely breathe.

Our blender had shown other signs of deterioration. A few weeks a go a piece came loose on the inside and it took both Cory and me to screw the pieces back together. This was the last straw.

Needless to say we needed a new blender. This time we were not going too cheap. We went to Walmart and found the perfect blender. The container is glass and it's digital. We used it the other day and it didn't smoke or make weird noises.

Isn't it so pretty?!

Floppy Crawl

2009-09-17T23:08:00.002-06:00

Today, Adalyn has learned to use her skills to get what she wants. Instead of the crawl/walk she has started to add in a flop.

Cory got so excited about this he put it on video and begged me to put it on the blog immediately. Our daughter is officially getting around to everything/anything she wants. Nothing is out of reach now (on the floor that is).

Look Out! Baby moving!

2009-09-15T18:48:00.004-06:00

I know, all of our blogs are centered around Addy but can you blame us? Cory and I have nothing really going on right now except watching Addy try to walk or crawl. It's hard to know for sure what she's trying to do.

Watch the video to find out what we mean.

And she's not even 5 months yet! Addy just keeps getting crazier every day.

Eating Time

2009-09-15T18:39:00.003-06:00

We are finally able to start feeding Adalyn baby food. We knew she was looking forward to this moment for a long time because if you ate in front of her she would follow your food with her eyes. She is mesmerized by people eating.

Here's a video of her eating. She has taken to it quite quickly. FYI: we have been doing this for a couple of weeks. And the video is kind of long, so you don't have to watch all of it; only the beginning is the funniest.

So far, she's had rice cereal, butternut squash, and sweet potatoes. We start the greens next week!!

Cedar Point, August 3

2009-08-31T21:16:00.003-06:00

While we were in Ohio I told Cory, Jennifer, and Mark that they had to go to Cedar Point! It's the best place to go if you love having fun. It is true, I am not a fan of roller coasters, but there were plenty of things to do.

Here's Addy as soon as we get to the park. She looked so spiffy and ready to have a blast!

Adalyn's first ride was the Carousel. She couldn't ride a horse but she still enjoyed being there. Honestly, I don't think she knew what was going on.

Oh yeah!! I ate a Giant Elephant Ear. I couldn't find the funnel cakes and I needed a sugar pick-me-up. And yes, I did eat most of it. Cory had about 2 bites while I ate the rest. I'm glad I can still surprise Cory!

This is what happens when Adalyn has so much fun! She loves to sleep no matter how loud things can get.
Last, but not least, Matt on the Dragster. The Dragster is the tallest ride in Cedar Point at 420 feet and at a 90 degree angle. My dad also rode, but he wasn't in the front seat.

Sunday, August 2

2009-08-31T21:05:00.003-06:00

Blessing Day!!

We decided to have Adalyn's blessing in Ohio with family. Jennifer and Mark, Cory's parents, flew in for this wonderful occasion. It was a beautiful day and the Spirit was so strong with everyone there. Cory did a great job!!

Naturally, as all other infants, Addy started to cry near the end. We are truly grateful for our worthy priesthood holders who are in our family and participated in this event.

And the whole reason Addy was crying was because she was so tired. Too bad we didn't put her asleep until after her blessing was over. Adalyn was blessed in the same blessing dress that I was blessed in. I'm so glad it fit her!

She loves to be with her dad! They both look so heavenly!!

Train Ride

2009-08-31T20:47:00.005-06:00

Okay, we went on a trip to Ohio in July. Adalyn and I first went out on July 23 and then Cory joined us the 31. My family hadn't met Adalyn yet, at least spend real time with her. My parents and Becky were there when she was born. But we definitely wanted everyone else to see her before she grew up (which seems to be happening quickly).

One of the first things I wanted to do was go to the outlets in Lodi. I wanted to find some great deals on clothes for Addy since she grows so fast. At the outlets there is a train which my nephew, David, loves to death. Thankfully, Laura took Addy on her first train ride!!

Unfortunately, Addy became really hungry so they could only stay on the train for a short time.

Rollie Pollie

2009-07-08T17:00:00.004-06:00

Adalyn decided to wake up this morning in a wonderful mood! She played in her bassinet for about half an hour. Her type of play consists of holding her blanket and licking/eating it. She looked so cute I had to take a few snapshots.

Then, after I had changed her diaper and fed her I laid her down on the floor in the front room. I went to the kitchen to look up some recipes. After a couple of minutes I heard a muffled sound and went to Adalyn to make sure she was okay. There she was on her stomach holding her head up high. I remembered putting her on her back when I laid her down. Adalyn had rolled over!! I ran to tell Cory.

Unfortunately, I kept missing the next several times she rolled over. Finally, I got it all on camera. The trick with Adalyn is to make sure she doesn't know you're taking a picture/video of her or she won't do anything else but stare. We know it's not a fluke since she continued to do it all morning until it was time for her nap.

Pretty in Pink

2009-07-08T11:13:00.008-06:00

This past Sunday I was so excited to dress up Adalyn for church. She finally fit into her tights, sort of. They're still a little loose but she'll continue to grow into them. I found these really cute black sunday shoes at a thrift store in NC. Even Cory thought the shoes were a nice touch to her pretty outfit. In the video you can finally hear her laugh. Unfortunately, Adalyn would not talk to the camera. She becomes a little shy when the camera turns on.

CELEBRATE!!!

2009-06-11T15:33:00.002-06:00

Last night, a miracle happened. Adalyn actually slept from 11:00pm until 6:30am without waking up at all during the night. It was magnificent!! We were so surprised because she had taken quite a few naps yesterday. They may have been short but there were a lot.

We realize that this may not happen again for awhile or only happen once in a while but now we know it is possible. She is almost 6 weeks and she slept all the way through the night. Let's hope she keeps up with it again; maybe tonight.

Adalyn's Slideshow

2009-06-09T16:49:00.003-06:00

I thought some of you may want to see pictures of Adalyn. She is over a month old now and is such a treat to have in our lives. I hope you enjoy them!!

Hungry, Hungry Ady

2009-06-09T16:29:00.004-06:00

Adalyn was apparently hungry and decided to go after her own arm. She gave herself a hickey. We didn't notice right away so it took us a second to realize what happened to her.

Who does Adalyn look like?

2009-06-05T20:48:00.006-06:00

Here are the latest pictures of Adalyn. She's starting to grow into her features. So, who do you think she looks like?

Do keep in mind that Cory's and my baby pictures were taken when we were a little older than 1 month.

Adalyn

Cory

Diane

Labor and Delivery

2009-05-20T17:06:00.004-06:00

Okay, sorry it's been so long but here is the story of the labor and delivery.

Thursday April 30
That morning we went to see the doctor. I still had not progressed in any way: 0% effaced, 0% dilated. We decided that I was to be induced the next day as soon as possible. The doctor called the hospital to see if they'd allow me to come in at 11:00 that night instead of waiting until the next morning. By law, since I am not a good candidate to be induced, they have to wait exactly 1 week over my due date before they can induce me. Luckily, they agreed to let me come in an hour early.

11:00pm Thursday: Arrived at the hospital.

12:30am Friday: Officially induced.

4:30am Friday: Starting feeling the contractions. I couldn't sleep at all once they started.

8:30am Friday: I received my epidurral. It was heaven on earth once I got that shot.

Around 12:30pm: One of my doctors broke my water.

Throughout the day my body progressed very well and quickly. Within a couple of hours I had dilated from a 7 to a 10. Within one hour, after being fully dilated, Adalyn had descended and was crowning.

9:05pm: Started pushing.

9:13pm: Adalyn Tilly was born!

Here's Adalyn's first few moments of life after she was born. You can kind of hear my parents in the background providing a little info.

Cory GRADUATED!!!!

2009-04-26T16:37:00.009-06:00

Cory has finally done it and I am very proud of him! He has graduated in Neuroscience with his Bachelor's from Brigham Young University. Cory has suffered plenty of hard semesters, especially this most recent, and has continued to excel.

We were able to celebrate this splendid occasion on Thursday and Friday. On Thursday, we took some pictures and went to Tucano's to enjoy a spectacular meal!! On Friday, the family gathered to watch Cory walk across the stage (video coming soon).

Here are a few pictures from this awesome achievement!!

Thank you to all of our family for their love and support!!

Any Day Now

2009-04-22T11:04:00.002-06:00

So, I saw the doctor on Monday and am showing no signs of labor at all. I have not dilated and the baby is still pretty high. I have not had any contractions (that I know of). I began my non-stress testing today, which I will continue to do twice a week until I fail it or the baby comes on her own. Apparently, I am the furthest along in the entire doctor's office, which kind of makes me a high priority.

When I asked the doctor if there was anything I could do to help our little girl come without inducing he simply responded with "Pray." Apparently, there is no method in the world that can help bring this baby out except for the power of prayer. Since the grandparents are only here for a short time, we are asking everyone to keep us in your prayers. We want both sets of grandparents to be here when our little one arrives.

We also would love our little girl to come out on her own to avoid a Cesarean. My doctor says that if they induce me and she is still high it will end in a Cesarean. For our circumstances, this is not the best option. We all ready have plenty of other things to stress out about and we do not want to add to them.

Do not worry, however, the baby and I are doing just fine. Then again, the bad news is that we're doing just fine. Luckily, this has not interfered with Cory's finals or graduation. Let's just hope she comes this weekend!!

I will continue to keep you all updated!

Getting Ready

2009-04-22T10:50:00.005-06:00

Sorry it has been so long since I have updated everyone. I have had 2 wonderful baby showers!! I was able to receive great gifts that will be a strong benefit with this little girl. I want to thank all my family and friends for their love and support during this pregnancy.

Unfortunately, I did forget to take pictures from my baby showers. Thanks to the help of my cousin, Julianne, I do have a couple pictures from the first baby shower.

Sweet Treats

2009-03-18T20:47:00.004-06:00

Lately I have been craving a few sweet treats! I love baking goodies! Since it was St. Patrick's Day I thought I would go ahead and have an excuse to bake a few things.

All of a sudden I had a terrible craving for doughnuts. Now, don't think this is just a pregnancy thing but I get sugar cravings all the time. Doughnuts are one of my favorite treats and I could easily eat a whole dozen within 2 days. Cory gets sick of sugar pretty quickly. Instead of buying doughnuts, since we're trying to save money, I decided to try my hand at making them. Needless to say I was successful in making doughnut holes.

Then I noticed our bananas were looking brown. Now, I usually wait until they're practically rotted because the flavor is to die for, but I really wanted my usual banana cake. I can't do bread. The last few times I tried bread, years ago, the outside was always too hard and dark while the inside was perfect. So, I simply make banana cake because it tastes great and doesn't cook funny. And, since I recently bought some spreaders I had to make green icing to go on top of the cake!

These were all so delicious!!! And yes, Cory did get some.

Night Out

2009-03-14T17:08:00.004-06:00

Last night, Cory and I went on a date. It was actually part of our Christmas present from my sister Becky. We had a certificate to go eat at a place called Snake Creek Grill.

It was so much fun to spend some quality time together. We had our own little corner with flowers and a candle. All the food was homemade and quite delicious. Thanks to our Christmas gift we probably never would have tried the food there. It was definitely a step up (or two) from the usual dine-in places.

We started off with onion rings. Every ring was approximately 4 inches in diameter and it wasn't all bread. Cory had 1/2 slab of maple mustard bbq baby back ribs with mopping sauce and mashed potatoes. I had cornmeal stuffed pork chop with carmel carrots and mac & cheese.

30 weeks and counting

2009-02-13T10:32:00.002-07:00

I am officially 30 weeks along! Our baby is growing healthy and loves to move around. Luckily, I still sleep well at night, except for the occasional potty breaks and waking up to a growling stomach.

The next step is to start making room for her in our second bedroom. As of right now our second bedroom is full of school, storage, and camping gear. There's so much to do before our little one gets here but we're very excited and are hoping the next 10 weeks come and go quickly.

Brittnie Anna Belnap

2009-02-12T15:49:00.003-07:00

We want to congratulate Megan and Rusty on the birth of their little girl! Brittnie was born on January 28, 2009 weighing in at 6 lbs. 3 oz. and is absolutely adorable!! We are so excited to be an Here are a few pics we took of her when she came home. Congratulations Megan and Rusty!!

January '09

2009-01-23T09:08:00.002-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted anything recently. Not much has happened. We got back from Connecticut safely and avoided any potential problems with storms. We loved our time there and look forward to our next visit.

Cory has returned to school and is studying very hard. I hardly see him in the evenings when he gets back from school. He has a lot of tough classes this semester but will be a great benefit when he applies for medical school. Cory will be taking the MCAT in March and he'll be better prepared thanks to the classes he's attended in the last few years.

I am still working at Shade Clothing. I have cut back to part-time and do enjoy the free time I have at home to start preparing for the new baby. I'm still working on getting into the habit of doing laundry all in one day and not over the course of a week.

This month has gone very slowly for us and has not been very exciting. Hopefully next month we have more to post with pictures. I apologize for not having pictures. I hate posts without pictures but we really haven't taken any and I'm using our laptop that has no pictures. I will do my best to keep everyone updated on the progress of our lives.

We love you all!!

Christmas in Connecticut

2008-12-29T13:55:00.004-07:00

Merry Christmas!!

We had a wonderful Christmas morning here in Connecticut with Cory's family. Cory and I woke up around 7 a.m. to start making cinnamon rolls. Everyone else followed after. Around 9 a.m. we were able to start opening presents. Here's Toby anticipating all the wonderful gifts to be opened:

The Everettes have a tradition that someone is designated as Santa and has the priviledge of passing out presents to everyone. They pass one gift to everyone, we all open them, admire the gifts, and then pass the hat on to the next person.

Cory was able to receive tools and clothes as the majority of his gifts. He even received a fisherman's vest and looks forward to fishing when the weather warms up!

I am also excited about my gifts. I was able to do some shopping with Jennifer in Boston to pick out some baby and maternity clothes. I wasn't allowed to open these gifts until Christmas morning and show everyone what we bought. I'm sure even Cory hasn't seen everything we bought. I also received many other delightful gifts and I can't wait to put them all to good use!!

Here is also a picture of just me and my lovely belly. My family, mainly sisters, have been hounding me to see pictures of what I now look like at 24 weeks!! Please keep in mind that I have been eating a lot of wonderful, home-cooked meals for the last week and a half. And I was eating a cracker for the pictures.

Our little girl has become quite active now and can keep mommy awake at night sometimes. I know this means good things in the future and even less sleep!

Merry Christmas!!

Cory's Birthday

2008-12-24T10:40:00.006-07:00

Cory's birthday was on December 22. He is officially 25 years old and a wonderful blessing to have in this world. I am especially grateful that he is here and am looking forward to the next 25 years to celebrate his birthday.

On this special occasion we were able to relax. We spent the day running a few errands here in Connecticut for his mom while also finishing up some last minute Christmas shopping. That evening Chelsea and I were able to decorate Cory's birthday cakes.

It was so much fun having Cory hide upstairs while the girls finished the cakes and dinner downstairs. We had ribs for dinner, one of Cory's favorite foods.

After which, Mark, Cory's dad, showed us a video downstairs from Cory's Court of Honor. It showed great photos of Cory during his early years. Then we had to watch Todd's video because the pictures were so funny! There were some great fond memories reflected in those photos.

We decided to have some cake and open presents. Cory received: a pair of pants, a pair of shorts, "The Nativity Story" movie, "Dark Knight" movie, Season 4 of "The Office", a huge glass for Cory's thirsty days, and a handy, cordless drill.

It was a spectacular day! Happy Birthday Cory!

Finding Sprouts

2008-12-03T21:45:00.004-07:00

So, the downside to renting is you never know what you're getting yourself into. The other night we were moving our entertainment center only to find our vent filled with a plant sprouting out of it.

We had called the management company but no one returned our phone call, then we decided to talk to them in person (we had a few other maintenance issues to fix). When we told the lady what we found and showed her the pictures she could only laugh. It was so unbelievable that a plant would grow through our unused vent. As we left we got a phone call from a cleaning company and made an appointment to have them clean the vent the very next day.

Here is the end result:

Apparently the vent is completely rotted through and basically is going to have stuff keep growing in it. I'm glad that we won't be here forever. But I am glad that our manager was prompt on fixing this nasty infestation.

Gender Announcement

2008-12-02T15:38:00.004-07:00

It is official. We are having a baby GIRL!! Please be aware that the pics may be a little graphic.

Our little girl was curled into a ball during the ultrasound. Her knees were at her head and the technician kept hitting my stomach trying to make our baby straighten out. Unfortunately, the hitting mom in the stomach move only made the baby curl up even more.
We did have a DVD made of this wonderful event, however, we don't know how to get it off to show everyone.
Check out her cute little feet! This is Cory's favorite picture.

New Beginnings

2008-12-01T21:12:00.000-07:00

So, this is the beginning of my blogging life. I'm sure family and friends will be quite pleased to read about mine and Cory's life together. Frankly, it's not that exciting. Lately, however, we have been occupied:

Cory went to D.C. for a Neuroscience Convention for a week. He did get back on November 21 and brought back a lot of S.W.A.G. (stuff we all get), including about 50 pens that I doubt we will ever use.

Cory also participated in our Elder's Quorum Turkey Bowl. It was very exciting to see most of the elders come together. The first Elder's Quorum did win! Unfortunatley, the day ended with BYU being sadly beaten by Utah.

Thanksgiving was a blast! We invited our neighbors, the Harstons, along with Cory's cousins, Adrienne and Stephanie, and with our good friend Jordan. We had a huge turkey that we got at a great deal (thanks to turkey vouchers). We also had about 6 pies and were quite satisfied with the leftovers. Everyone pitched in to make a special dish to the dinner and made it all worthwhile.

After Thanksgiving dinner, Cory and Steve, our neighbor, went to Circuit City to be the first in line for Black Friday. While I slept in the car from 11pm-4:30am Cory and Steve kept watch to make sure no one cut in front of us. We were able to buy the TV we wanted at a spectacular price and only had to spend about 10 min inside the store without ever getting trampled on.

FYI, we will be finding out the gender of our baby tomorrow at 10am. Please keep in touch as we will be posting the video of the little kid as long as the baby cooperates and spreads its legs. It'll be nice to finally stop calling my child an 'it.'

Also, I do plan on posting pictures but they are not on our laptop at the moment. Please stay tuned for more and I am sorry you have to read all this at once. Enjoy!