charlee joy

charlee joy 7lbs2oz of goodness


the greatest gift for christmas.
more talky later, i gotta baby to feed.

o ya i have a blog

my mind can function on one subject these days. my teeny weeny little kicking ball of snuggleness. (that means my baby in mah belly)

someday i will post about things. until then, here is my vision for small small's room.



can this be my baby girl's room please? thanks.

(please landlord let us paint. please please please.)

favorite things friday

so this weeks f t f is a website. well actually 2 websites. first is fabric.com. lots of you are probably going, duh, that's old news. well i've fallen in love.. the second website is retailmenot.com so if you haven't been there already, check it out. this website is basically a place where you search for coupons and coupon codes. i just happened to check there before i checked out of fabric.com, and got a 20% off coupon code, and saved $9. woot woot! so there you have it!

mocking"jay" more like mocking"gay"

wow could that book be more depressing? i won't give any details in case you are planning on reading it. know of any books i could read to get me out of this sad slump that book just caused me?

favorite things friday

The two houses I've lived in the past 3 1/2 years has had WHITE carpet. (puke) For the past 3 1/2 years I've wanted a rug to cover the ugliness. Every rug I've found was either over $250, and the cheap ones cramped my style. Well my friends THE rug has been found. The find was at COSTCO (of course). How much was it, is what you are probably thinking!!!? $49.. booyah! I'm pretty happy about it. Need a rug? Stop to your nearest Costco today! (They have 2 other cute styles if this one doesn't fit your fancy)



ugly white carpet covered. success.

new favorite things friday

it somehow got put under my idaho trip post, but it's down there!

trips trips trips

i've been so lucky this summer. beginning of july i was able to go to idaho for a family reunion. i hadn't seen my cousins and family for over 8 years, so it was a much needed trip. we drove all the way there (16 hour drive) girls only, with four small children... we stopped in utah to hang, and not hang ourselves.

farmers market in brigham city


"This is the place" monument


stinkin cute baby lyla


ugly sunset


awful pic but these are my cousins



everyone has strawberry patches in idaho. cute!


besides my sisters suburban almost rolling into a ditch, it was a wonderful trip!

favorite things friday

things i have been doing lately: vacationing, feeling my 11 inch baby kick, and reading. i won't bore the non pregnant people with all the awesome prego books, so this favorite things friday is a diff book. i just finished, and it's one of those books where you are sad it's over.. Britt (my darling sis-n-law) recommended this book, and i'm glad she did!

"Graceling"
author: Kristen Cashore



it's fiction of course, and set in time of kings and castles. sounds really dumb, but so does vampire love. i'm very picky with books, and can assure you if you like hunger games, you'll love this.

p.s. i love Po. (that's the boy :))

favorite things friday

i'm tryin real hard to not make all my fav. things food, but i couldn't resist. it's a rarity when i go here. turns out they have food that's actually good. well i know they have at least one really good thing. it hails from starbucks. it's breakfast food, but served all day. (booyah) and o m g it's healthyish.



whole wheat english muffin
egg whites
cheese (healthyish)
turkey bacon


so yummy


my other favorite thing about starbucks is their FREE large ice water that is NOT tap water. win.





in other news, Dillards is having a sale until tomorrow (saturday) which is 40% off already on sale items. i hear there are lots of baby clothes and shoes... just sayin.

have a happy hopefully rainy weekend!

gut

my 85% chance boy is a dainty little girl!!! my gut feeling has never failed me, and i shoulda stuck to my guns! oh by the way,,DON'T EVER GO TO A 4D EARLY GENDER DETERMINATION PLACE. that was the worst $65 i ever spent for them to tell me it's a boy. talk about a emotional roller coaster. time to make some blankets...

favorite things friday

trips, birthdays, sickness have taken over my past two weeks!! i'll post about those later.
my favorite thing this week has been a favorite of mine for lots of years. it's my favorite lotion. i can't do smells of any sort at the moment, so it's pleasantly "smell free". this is that kind of lotion you use when you feel like your skin just needs a huge drink. it's the perfect lotion to wear to church or when you want to show off your sexy limbs, because it leaves a healthy shine on the skin. it's a little on the greasy side, but i like that. and there you have it, my favorite lotion.






p.s. i find out what im REALLY having (boy or girl) on tuesday. woop woop!

the fourth

saturday was filled with swimming, potato salad, and family. loads of fun.

turns out we missed the memo that the ENTIRE ward at church was going out of town for the fourth. dave and i walked into our normal door into sacrament (15min late), empty. walked into the next door. empty. the whole ward was nestled into the tiny front part of the chapel. the only seats available? why of course, the 2 front and center rows. when does that EVER happen. we walked the walk of shame to the front. testimony meeting. i had to go up, there was only like 20 people there, and i was closest to the second counselor who kept staring at me. primary there were 8 kids in attendance. the piano player didn't show up. my ward after a solid sneaky year finally found out i can play the piano. how did i feel after bearing my testimony and finally giving in to playing the piano? wonderful. i just hope they remember how many notes i missed, so i can be the "last resort" piano player.


it's become a tradition to make a flag cake for me and jenny, so here is how you make it. (it's so easy it's embarrassing, but i just wanted to show off my cake :))


basic yellow or white cake mix


slice your strawberries like so


frost the cake with the cool whip (homemade whipped cream tastes the best, but i ran outta time)
and align strawberries like stripes!


add blueberries for the stars and voila! a flag cake!




p.s. don't ever go to the boob church for fireworks. they were great last year, but this year it was literally sparklers the whole time. huge bummer.

hope everyone had a great fourth!

favorite things friday

it's hot. i bought something i thought i would never buy. a sunshade for my car. why did i think i would never buy one? no clue. just didn't think they worked i guess. well my friends let me tell you.. they work. i got in my friend lindsey's car, and i didn't have to give my usual "why do we live in arizona, it's too dang hot speech. it makes living in az bearable. i purchased one at costco for 6 something- dollars, and it's been the best 6 something dollars i've spent, like, in a week. :) this one came with two side shades as well that i'll probably put up when 'lil guy is in the back seat. so there's my new favorite thing this week.

p.s. am i the only one that cannot fold a sunshade? can't do it. that's what my trusty husband is for.

p.s.s. i didn't put the picture up of the sunshade bc i took it with my phone, and it looks dumb. the end.

gettin our eclipse on

heard this is the best of the three. lets hope so.

me and eddie holdin hands


jacob get your hand off her baby bump!

percentages

had my ultra sound today. so it's an 85% chance that my little lemon will be wearing these this winter..


they said they couldn't get a "money shot", so i go back in a week.


if this news is true, i'm super pumped. super super pumped. and if next week it turns out that it's a girl, i'll be excited for that too.
all i know is my baby better have its game face on for "his" money shot.

favorite things fri-tur-day??

yes it's saturday. this post is going to get a little fruity. :) my fav thing this week was made known to me by miss alli. it's my new favorite apple!! if you are content with eating red delicious, then don't read the rest of this. i'm an apple snob. i like 'em just right. if you are apple savvy, this apple tastes some what in between of a fugi and pink lady. it's called a JAZZ. it is a little smaller than a typical apple, which i like. i always get half way through big apples, and can't finish them. these apples are tricky to find, BUT i have spotted them at sprouts! woo hoo! some of my other top fav's while we are on the subject, are pink lady/honey crisp/and pinova. pinova came into my life one time, and i've never found them again...



speaking of fruit.. my little blueberry has grown into a precious lemon. how on earth can this little breathing, tinkling, swallowing, thing with fingernails be so cute and small? and how in 10 short weeks did she/he grow from a poppy seed to a plump lemon?? i honestly don't know how a human can create such an amazing thing, and not believe in God. it's truly miraculous. my sister jenny is also creating a child in her belly, and just found out that it's a girl. yay! well i'm 15 weeks on sunday, and i can't wait another second to find out what what i'm having. so monday i'm going to a place that will ultrasound you at 15 weeks, purely to find the gender out. boo yah! so we'll see if this little girl really is a girl.

my little snuggle buggle wuggle

favorite things friday

ahhh where did the week go??1?!

this is no ordinary water bottle. my sister found this little gem at bed bath and beyond. i'm picky with water bottles, because the ones that come with straws always taste like plastic. and i don't like bottles that you have to unscrew the cap. (almost all the metal kinds) this one has a simple button that you push. and this sounds so lame, but it has excellent water flow. did i mention it has the capacity to hold 32 oz.? bring your 20 percent coupon, and the bottle is around $11. yay for water drinking..

favorite things friday

sorry i've been slacking... i've had my schedule all booked up with mr. dry heave and his biatch wife mrs. stomach bile.

so i've been taking lots and lots of baths. baths somehow help the nausea or my sanity, or both. so fav things friday is all about none other but my favorite bath soak. i've had to learn to love a new brand. my old favorite brand was calgon (that's what my grandma used, so i used it) and calgon's slogan was "calgon, take me away". so everytime i would use it, i would sing "calgon, take me away!!" in the rendition of dixie chicks "cowboy take me away". but they either stopped making it, or i just am shoppin at the wrong store. but the new kind i like is vaseline brand. i still sting my calgon song, and pretend it's the same. did i mention it's like only 2 or 3 bones? that's a steal if ya ask me...




p.s. i'm debating whether or not to take the test to see if my baby has downs syndrome. yay or nay? i've heard people all about it, and others say it's not accurate.


off to the mountains!!

i know i know

yes this post is about eclipse. (i have to sound out e c l i p s e every time i type it) i don't know if i get more excited for the soundtrack or movie, but the sountrack is out. i sampled the music on itunes. it's gonna be a goody. muse, metric, sia, band of horses. just thought i'd get that off my chest.


p.s. i want to meet who thought this song was good, so i can face punch them. (it's from the new moon soundtrack)....? click here for worst song ever

favorite things friday

sorry about last week, we left friday at 6 am to san diego, and i remembered in the car that i didn't do a ftf. woopsies. my fave thing this week is SUGAR IN THE RAW it has become a staple in the kitchen. it has a grittyness, that refined sugar cannot provide.
i put it on any type of fruit, and started implementing it into recipes.


here is one the best chocolate chip cookies i've ever had.
recipe:bobby flay

prep time: 15 min
cook time: 9-11 min
makes about: 2 dozen

ingredients
2 cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup raw sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 (5oz block semisweet chocolate , chopped into chunks
1 (5oz block milk chocolate , chopped into chunks (if you don't have block, just use choc chips)

(i don't use that much chocolate, but that's just me)

directions
preheat oven to 375 degrees
line baking sheet with parchment paper

whisk together flour, salt and baking soda in a large bowl.

place butter in the bowl on an electric stand mixer. beat until smooth, about 1 minute.
add the sugars, and continue mixing, scraping sides, about 2 minutes longer.
add the eggs, 1 at a time, then add vanilla extract, until incorporated.

slowly add the flour until all incorporated. hand stir in the chocolate.

use a small ice cream scoop, spoon onto baking sheet 2 inches apart. bake until lightly golden brown, and still soft in the middle. when done transfer to baking rack.

yum!


what's my least favorite thing this week? puking from being pregnant, and then getting the flu, and puking from that. no more puke please.

bday and trips

papa jim (father in law) made me my favorite cake. strawberry shortcake

joe's farmgrill for my FREE lunch

i get weird cravings. (pb. & choc. strawberry banana sandwich)

keepin it classy for dinner at peter piper

boyz

there were loads more peeps there, but didn't make the pics.. acey parker shannil presley stella brynlee amy cole jake ellie lyla chad and paris


san diego was a lovely trip

bein happy

bein cute

these seals do it right. full. time. snuggle.

on the way home, there was lots of this.

favorite things friday

New Moon and Eclipse Pictures

(who put this on there?!?!!)


this week is surrounded around me. what?! tomorrow is my birthday. turning the big 23. so today i'm sharing some fun places to go to get free stuff, or discounts on your bday.

krispy kreme- free half dozen donuts

benihana- during your birthday month you receive $30 off your meal. you just have to sign up here.

wendy's- free frosty on your b-day

dairy queen- free blizzard on your bday, just sign up here.

sephora- they have a little gift behind the counter (you have to be part of their beauty club which is free. go to the store to sign up)

o and if you pay the $10 fee for body shop a year (so gay), you get a free $10 gift on your birthday.

these were just some on my favs. if these don't tickle your fancy, you can go here to find one that is just your size!


happy weekend!

future mom. check.

there really is a baby (fetus that is) in there. for 4 weeks i really thought that pregnancy stick was lying, and morning sickness was a 4 week flu, and i'm tired from my allergies. but when i saw that little lentil bean with the smallest dot in the world beating at 170 bpm, it finally was real. tears, lots of happy tears. dave calls me katie catastrophe because i think the worst possible. and having a baby in there, and my hormones jumping to the moon and back, it's been just a bit elevated. like almost fighting people in zumba cause they took my spot, or crying at radio commercials. i cried like that before, but now it's a daily basis. and why am i convinced it's a girl? cause i just am. that's why i bought some pink 9 mth shoes. they were on sale. is it way to soon to tell people? yep it sure is. like i can hold it in any longer.

would you have passed up these shoes?

favorite things friday

my favorite thing this week was found by chance. when dave was in a band, (was he really in a band?) band practice was at his house. not his garage, his front, where you have home teachers over room. when they would have shows, they would take their gear, and then bring it back on the the WHITE carpet. (we weren't married by then, i had no say) so who knows what was on the carpet. so when they got the boot, our carpet had like 3-5 foot streaks of black covering the entire carpet. if you ever were at my old house, you would remember. every cleaning product i used didn't even budge the stains. i found this stuff from under the sink, no idea where it came from. i sprayed that sucker on the carpet, and the heavens opened. it took 5 bottles worth to clean my whole carpet, but it was worth it. stains? grease, pee, poop, blood. this is the stuff. "blue magic" carpet and stain lifter. i've only found it at auto zone. $5.99. oh, and it's for cars too.





do you know what's not my favorite thing this week? leaving laundry in the wash for 24 hours, so it smells nice and moldy. i gagged.

me! me! me!

i wanna win! you better enter, bc it's a good give away. go here.

fav. things friday

so i had to restrain, and do something that wasn't food related today..even though paradise bakery came out with something so great for summer (and it's not the berry salad) all i have to say is try the black cherry one. alright moving along. this item hails from the best store ever. target. it's a "limited edition" (even though it's been there for over a year) febreze candle. "winds and springtime" is the scent. beware: this candle is extremely strong. for reals only burn it in an open room. i'm a bath&body works candle kind of girl, but this one is so glorious. don't worry, it's not flowery. i can't really explain the smell except that your house smells really fresh when it burns. when u smell the candle in the box, it doesn't smell as good as it burns.

yum!


do you know what's not my favorite thing this week? the scale. i think casanova bros did me in.

p.s. new before and after pics on my skin care blog

Favorite things Friday

so this week's f-t-f has two parts, because i couldn't have found one without the other. let me divulge. part one of my favorite things is an iphone app. now i realize not everyone has an iphone* (don't waste your money), so that's why there are two fav. things. so the app is called "urbanspoon". (free) you enter what city, type of food, and your price range, shake your phone, and viola! i found my new favorite pizza place. CASANOVA BROS PIZZA. The owners (brothers) are from NY, and their names are Tony and Mike (of course). they make a point to ask you your name, which makes anyone feel cool. OH and did i mention the pizza off the chains? i have a love/hate relationship with pizza. love the way it tastes, hate what it does to my womanly figure. well this pizza is the worth the splurge. i would recommend going on a week day or lunch time, because the weekend crowds are CRAZAY! the lunch special for a slice, drink, and salad is around $6. (that's cheap) it's a relaxed, almost "take-out" atmosphere, so don't wear your prom dress. it's on val vista and guadalupe, next to stein mart. go. you'll love it.






do you know what's not my favorite thing this week? having to renew my costco membership. boo.

*(i actually love my iphone, but i don't like to boast. i don't like when people brag about stupid iphones. i'm a mac, and a pc,no discrimination here. i got it for $99 refurbished. booyah.)

glow skin care

check out my skin care blog. new make-up pics, and some before and afters of using "LiLash"

Favorite Things Friday

sometimes i wake up in the middle of the night, go to the bathroom, lay back down, and boom. wide awake. well of course i start thinking of blogs, and i came up with an idea. my idea was derived from niki, a fellow blogger. she has a "watcha wearin wednesday", i hop on every wednesday to see what she's wearin! well when i find something i like, whether it be a restaurant, piece of clothing, or a simple house cleaning item, my sisters or mom will know it within minutes. so why not blog about my favorite things?!? (i have lots) sometimes they are my favorite, simply because of how cheap it was. (ever since the economy let a huge toot in our faces) seriously, i have a hard time buying ketchup unless it's on sale. ramble, ramble. so anyways, here is my first favorite. i quit drinking diet coke (sigh), and now water is my new best friend. it's been about a month, and i needed some "fizzies" in my belly, so i came up with this.

crystal light "raspberry lemonade" La Croix "cran-raspberry" (sold at target)

That can of goodness might look like soda, but is actually sparkling water with a touch of "natural cran-raspberry flavor". well it needed a little kick, so crystal light filled the role. mix these two together, but only use about 3/4 of the crystal light package. heaven. in. a. cup. i now have my "fizzie fix"


do you know what's not my favorite thing this week? fruit flies. they fly so slow, and i still can't catch em.

meh?

specials

today (wednesday) only: i'm taking $25 off any facial (making a facial only $45) and $5 off any waxing ($12 eyebrow wax, or $5 lip wax) I don't mean to boast, but i'm really good. :) email me if you are interested glowskinspa@gmail.com


p.s. my location is on val vista and baseline

my greenish thumb

my dad got me a herb garden kit for xmas. probably my favorite gift. (excluding my camera) i wake up, and the first thing i do is water my little babies, and give them positive affirmation. (i've heard that helps them grow better :) )

this is ms. basil. she is budding to a healthy young lady


this is mr. ching chang chive. i think he's dying..


so now i'm gettin

C R A Z Y

and growing some grape tomatoes, AND roma tomatoes. (can you tell i need more excitement in life?)