Farewell little brother!! You will be missed!

My little brother just left to go serve his mission in Spain. He will be missed a LOT, but I know that he will be the best missionary ever! The people in Spain are so lucky to have you serving over there! WE LOVE YOU ELDER ANDERSON, GOOD LUCK! 

 

Hawaii: Take 3!

Yeah Yeah Yeah, I know I'm horrible at updating my blog. Last time I posted I was in Hawaii, and I haven't posted since. So I figured I will start trying to update this, and I will start by posting about all the fun we had while we were in Hawaii in March! We worked hard on the beach house for the first four days, laying tile, doing some drywall and stucco patches, refinishing a wood door, etc., and then the last 5 days we played!! Sooooo this trip was a little bit different for me- I was 16 weeks pregnant and not quite over the morning sickness yet, plus I felt like I was being babysat by my husband and friends (all out of love, I know I know.)  "Kate you can't do that! You are pregnant!" was something being said about a million times a day! They tried to talk me out of boogy boarding, jumping off the rock at Waimea, and horseback riding on the beach. The only one they were successful at keeping me off of was the rock at Waimea, although after getting bucked off my crazy horse on the beach, I think I will think twice about doing that again next time I'm pregnant! Here are some highlights of the trip:

- Soaking up rays on all the pretty beaches
-Seeing more big sea turtles than I have EVER seen in Hawaii. Turtle beach and Hukilau beach were covered with them!
-Riding horses on the beach (before I got thrown off)
-Shopping in Honolulu and seeing the St. Patty's day parade
-Watching the boys get PUMMELED in the waves at Waimea Bay
-Eating at Kua'aina burger, Ted's bakery, Kahuku Grill, and Haleiwa Joe's
-BEACH, BEACH, and more BEACH!

Here are some pics of the trip, just keep in mind I'm 16 weeks pregnant and looking chubby in them!

 Hukilau Beach, off our back deck-beautiful!

 I took this pic on my phone, the water at sunset beach was SOOO blue that day!

 Riding "The Bus" back to Laie from Haleiwa

 Me and my man at Waimea Bay

 Me, Chan, and Shelly at Waimea Bay

 Jordan and Brennen after getting rolled in the waves!

 Us, Todd's, and Peterson's

 The whole WORK crew

 Ted's Bakery

Riding on the beach (right before I got thrown off)

Baby updates! And a little confusion....

Wowwwwzers! This has been quite the ride for me so far! All this pregnancy talk, hormones, sickness, and just my feelings in general are about the weirdest thing I have ever experienced! But I won't get into all of that, here is a little update on The Nugget! (My little brother started calling it "The Nugget" right after we told him I was pregnant and apparently it stuck because since then that is what my whole family has been calling this babe!) At 12 weeks we went in and were able to hear the heartbeat! Before going in to hear it I had talked to a few friends and family about it and everyone said "oh it's the best sound ever!" or "I totally cried the first time I heard the heartbeat, it was amazing!" Want to know what I said when the Dr. found that quick little beat and said, "well-that's your little baby ticking inside of you! 160 beats per minute, perfectly normal" my response, "WHOA...WEEEEEEEEIRRRRRRRRDDDDD! It's alive! That is so WEIRD! My body is growing another little body inside of it....weird!" Don't get me wrong I absolutely loved hearing my sweet little baby's heartbeat, and it is an amazing thing, but if you think about it, it's sort of a weird thought! But it definitely made things a little more real. I say a little, because it honestly didn't really hit me that there was really something in there until I actually SAW it on the first ultrasound that I had (that's a story in itself lol.) We (Me, Jord, and my mother in law) went in last Monday when I was exactly 14 weeks, because I have heard from a lot of people that you can go in for an early ultrasound at that time, and a lot of times they can tell the sex of the baby. So we go into the physicians plaza over at the hospital and got my first real look at my baby- which by the way is adorable and doesn't look like an alien anymore, just like a tiny real little baby- anyway, after trying to get this little Nug to open it's legs for about 20 min, the ultrasound tech finally got a quick glimpse and told me she was 85% sure it was a girl. A huge smile goes across Jordan's face (despite the fact that he told me 5 minutes before the ultrasound that I had almost talked him into wanting a boy.) And although I was excited to see my babe for the first time, and although I had a feeling it was going to be a girl, I couldn't help but be a little bit disappointed because I was really hoping for a boy! So as we are walking out to the car Jord says "I feel bad.... I can tell that you are disappointed!" And I was trying to say, No- I'm not disappointed, a girl will be fun too....But what came out of my mouth was, "Yeah, cuz I wanted a BOY!!!!" Oops. But over the next two days I converted my mind and became ok with the thought that I was having a girl. Then, long story short.....my brother got me into the actual ultrasound department at the hospital for another early ultrasound (not the physicians plaza, the actual hospital) three days after I had the first ultrasound. Guess what the US tech said to me? "Well, what does that look like to you?" Me: "A weenie!" Him, "Yep, I think you are having a little boy!" My eyes welled up with tears- and NO, I'm not usually emotional....so that means I must have been really excited! Me: "Wait....how sure are you??" Him "Well since you are only 14 weeks, I'm not allowed to say 100%, but I will say 94%, hows that?" SOOOOOOOOOOO the moral of the story is this: I have no idea if this little nugget is a boy or a girl, but now I'm leaning (and hoping) towards BOY. BUT....I was also convinced for two days that I was having a girl, so that would be fine too. Let's just hope it's one or the other lol! When I get home from Hawaii (yes I am in paradise for the next ten days, AHHHHH) I will be 16 1/2 weeks, and by then I should for sure be able to find out what I'm having, so until then the beach will have to be my distraction!

........PREGNANT............

Sooooo........I'm pregnant!! After hearing Jordan beg for three years, I finally gave in! (OK lets be honest- i gave in to his begging about a year ago and it took us a minute to get pregnant) In hind-site though, I'm glad! I wouldn't have wanted a baby any sooner and the timing is perfect for this one! Our little babe is due on Sept. 4th! I am 12 weeks and we are going in to hear the heartbeat today- WAHOO! Maybe it will make this all a little more real for me! Jordan is beyond excited...he seriously freaked out when I showed him the pregnancy test! I freaked out too...but it was more like UH-OH....no going back this time.....am I ready for this???.....THAT kind of freak out! But now it has all sunk in a little more and I think it's definitely time for us to start a family...wow that seriously sounds so weird to me to say that!! Even now, every time that I tell someone that I'm pregnant, I almost start laughing because it's just sounds funny. Me? Pregnant? I feel like I'm still just a baby, how can I be having one? Jordan get's mad at me every once in a while and asks, "Why aren't you more excited??" I try explaining to him- I AM super excited, it's just really hard to have a grin on my face 24/7 when half of the time it's buried in the toilet puking! (On the bright side, Jord has kept the toilets the cleanest they have been since we moved into the house :) ) The whole "morning sickness" thing- which is actually ALL DAY SICKNESS for me and gets the worst at night, has thrown me for a loop! I normally LOVE food about as much as I love my husband, but these days I am literally having to force-feed myself. Food is my BEST friend AND my WORST enemy right now. When you are running to the toilet about ready to lose everything you have, it is not a normal reaction to be asking for food, because food is the LAST thing you want to put in your mouth when you feel like you are going to puke! BUT....eating and having something in my stomach all the time is the only things that makes the nausea bearable. It is honestly the weirdest thing I have ever experienced, because my normal un-pregnant body NEVER gets sick! On the up-side- I haven't gained a pound! In fact, I have lost a few! BUT I think part of that might be from my lack of going to the gym every day, and losing some muscle tone, along with not eating much. Because even though I haven't GAINED any weight, I feel like I look fatter! My legs have lost a lot of tone and I HATE them right now lol. Also, I am getting a TINY little bump-not really noticeable in clothes yet, but it is coming! I feel like I might be in the "cant tell if she's just fat- or pregnant" stage for a while. DESPITE all of these weird things going on with my body (sorry for all the whining just then) I am stoked for this little baby to come! It will be a lot of fun! I am hoping we can find out the gender in 2 weeks because my brother Zac works in the radiology dept at the hospital and is going to get me in for an early ultrasound at 14 weeks. So we might find out then, but if not we will for sure go in and get another one done at 16 weeks. It's kinda crazy that we are going to know what we are having so soon! I want a BOY, Jord wants a GIRL. I kinda have a feeling it's a girl though...I guess we will see! Well I have gone on long enough now! Sorry to bore you all with pregnancy talk, I know that can get annoying! But it's just hard not to when you are EXCITED!

BABIES......(doggie style!!)

Jersey had her puppies!! Wahoo!! Two boys and a little girl! They are seriously the cutest things you have ever seen!! Jersey favors her little girl it's so funny she totally cuddles her and spoons her all the time. She is just the best little mamma! The pups love their mamma and squeak and squeal when she's not right by them. My cute little babies just opened their eyes last week, and this week they have started walking all around and play fighting with each other. They are little milk chugs and fight each other for Jersey's nips, it's hilarious! My poor Jersey has hickeys all over her belly from them sucking so hard! I'm already in love with them, I will be so sad when it's time for them to go to their new homes! They will be ready for new homes in a month, so if you know anyone looking for a cute yorkie pup, send them my way! ( I apologize for the crappy phone pics, I will get some better ones soon!

Five minutes after birthing these three lil pups, now tell me what mamma looks this good right after that?

My exhausted little pooch!

Spooning her favorite little baby

This was when they were almost a week old...they still fit in the palm of your hand!

This is how they sleep when mom isn't around to cuddle them

Giving kisses through the cage!

Starting to interact a bit

Jersey's cute little baby girl, she's SO sweet!

Up close!

Lil pup just cuddling with me!

***~PaRtY TiMe~***

This holiday season has been filled with more parties and get togethers than I have ever attended in my life! Over a course of 2 1/2 weeks I went to the V.I.P. (am I allowed to disclose that?) Rehab Christmas luncheon at Leigh Ann's, Ash and Brady's fabulous ugly sweater Christmas party, the ACTUAL Neuro Trauma Rehab Christmas party for the entire unit- at Lisa Wilson's BEAUTIFUL home (ok lets be real its mansion), our annual Christmas dinner/gift exchange with my girlies at Happy Sumo, Christmas Bunco at Candice's with my Louisiana Ladies, the yearly Christmas Vacation night at our house with Jord's friends, and the Van Ausdal white elephant/ugly sweater family party-just to name a few (for real..) Ugly sweaters seemed to be quite the trend this year...nothing new i guess! Anyway, all of these parties were an absolute riot and I just wanted to give a big THANK you to all of you wonderful hosts for having us in your homes! We are lucky to have such great friends and family! Here's a few pics from all our rendezvous!

Me and the girls at happy sumo- just found out that Croz and Heather are both engaged, and Steph is PREGNANT! Can't wait...


Cando's Bunco party...it's been to long since I've seen these girls!
This is why I love them LOL.
Rehab Unit Party with some of the girls from work
Our Cheesy pose- gotta love the holding hands.
Real men wear awesome Christmas vests...and win PRIZES for doing so.
Ash and Brady's super fun party, (never got a pic with the whole group) But there were some saaaaaweeeeeeeeeeeet sweaters here.
We played Christmas Song Charades- Ash was acting out "I want a hippopotamus for Christmas" OMG it was hilarious.
The V.I.P. Rehab lunch at Leigh Ann's- Love these people like family!

SLC with the fam-Christmas Kickoff!

This Christmas season has been amazing! There has been so much going on I feel like I have barely had time to breathe! But now that it's all said and done I can finally sit back and take it all in. {Forgive me if blogging about Christmas takes more than one post} Two weekends before Christmas we took a little overnighter up to Salt Lake with the fam to see the lights, do a little shopping, and spend some time together! That Friday night we ate at P.F. (of course mom's choice,) then went and grabbed some peppermint hot chocolate to sip on while we walked around temple square and looked at the lights. Addison was so cute, she loved the lights...oh and she also loved her new hat-pic below (but probably not as much as I LOVED it on her.) She was adorable that night. Saturday morning we woke up and grabbed some breakfast, Denny's of course- we are high class like that....lol. Then off to gateway for some shopping! That weekend was a great kickoff to all of the other festivities of the season!

Temple SquareMy cute fam
Favorite girl in the world!
The hat's adorable...Riiight?
Pretty tree at the downtown Mariott