DC Ragnar 2011

      WHAHOO for RAGNAR!  Our team name was Pass or Fail and I think we passed!  We had two teams from our ward, plus my dad and everyone ran great!  We ran a lot, slept a little, ate too many goldfish, and sang along to our pump up music in the van as we made the 197.5 mile journey!  Devin ran over 19 miles, I ran 15 total.  Devin got a Ragnar belt buckle as a prize for running the toughest leg of the whole race!  It was awesome and we had a great time!

House Hunting

      ... is TERRIBLE!

      Our apartment in Dulles Greene has been good to us for the past two years, but we've had our time and now we need to move on. 
      Maybe we would stay if our monthly rent didn't go up + $400 from when we moved in... Out west prices are a little more friendly.  In Virginia the cost of living is a bit higher.  When we were living in Utah and Idaho we were only paying about 1/5- 1/3 of what we pay now.  Our lease was up in August so now we are on a month-to-month contract (+$$), and I want to move out as soon as possible!
      Then there are the decisions... move about 40 minutes away and find something cheap, stay here in the ward we love and close to Devin's work and pay more; get something nice where we'll really like to stay, or something cheap that we can live with to save up money for a future down payment...
       We are mainly looking for something a little bigger, another room and more storage space hopefully, in a reasonable price range, and Devin insists in our Herndon ward (which is the closest we get to family in Virginia).  We are still resigned to renting for at least another year.  We have been looking mostly at townhomes for rent.  Most that we find in our preferred price range are too ghetto, too dirty, bad landlord, or too small.
      Or I find one online that looks amazing and its a scam, or they never e-mail back.  Or there was one I toured and would be PERFECT... 3 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, large storage area in the basement, living room, dining room, family room, all really nice...  Even in our price range!  I was so excited about it.  Then I found out I am second in line.  I was one day too late.  Terrible.
      Conclusion... I highly, most passionately, dislike house hunting (and we're just trying to rent!).  I wish someone could just tell me where we are supposed to move, ... enough with searching online, enough with touring tons of homes that just won't work, enough with it all!  Just find us our shining answer!  I wish it could be that easy!

Bridger

      ... is 19 months and a week.  I finally took him in for his 18 month check up.  I was waiting to get an extra months worth of fat on him.  What did they tell me?  He is skinny.  This I know.  He is also highly energetic, active, and doesn't sit still.  He weighs 20lbs, 12oz, which puts him right back down in the 3 percentile.  Yes 3.  Not 30, not 13, it is 03%.  I'm not worried; this time my pediatrician wasn't even worried.  He is gaining weight while staying right on that 3% curve.  His height however has always stayed between 50 and 75%.
      Today for lunch all he would eat was ketchup and sour cream, some grapes and a pickle.  That is why he is such a big boy:).  He definitely didn't get my appetite genes.  I tried to succumb to the foods normal kids like, chicken nuggets and french fries; he hates them, won't even touch them.  Oh well.  There are foods that he will eat, and he usually eats better than he did today at lunch.  How did I end up with such a picky eater?

     Here are some cute pictures of my boy:

 "RAAR!"  As soon as I pull this towel out he starts growling like a lion. 

Maybe his artwork didn't show up very well in the picture, but our wall has a very nice display.

Girl!!!!

      Pull out the pink, the ribbon and bows; the headbands, dresses and frills!  We're having a baby GIRL!
      She is healthy and developing just the way she should.  I couldn't be happier! (I was right! I knew it and I was so right!!)

Boy or Girl???

I'm going in for my ultrasound appointment Thursday!

I've been so decided that I am having a girl that now I've been thinking of the what ifs.  What if its really a boy?  This pregnancy has been a whole lot different than my first pregnancy with Bridger, is that because it is a different gender or because its just a different pregnancy?

I'm still going girl... I even started stocking up on baby girl clothes...
.
What is your guess?

Missing Cody and Amy

      This summer we were lucky to get Amy (sister) and Cody (cousin) in Virginia!  Amy was Recon's beautiful secretary and she lived with us and Cody was Recon's fabulous technician.  We loved having them!  They both are back in Utah now going to school and we miss them!

 (Devin and Cody working together on a neighbor's car.)

Playing at the pool.

Trip to Utah- part 2

      Trips home are always packed full of things to do and this trip was no different.  I attended two weddings, a bridal shower, a funeral, a family reunion, cabin trip, rendevouzed with my high school friends, went to lunch with my grandma Sorensen and aunts, saw both sides of our family, and played played played, while we missed an earthquake and hurricane here in Virginia!
(WARNING: You are about to experience Picture Overload)

Hansen Park:

Every year my mom's side of the family has a big family reunion at Hansen Park with all my second cousins.  This was the first year I was able to go since being married.  Bridger loved it there!  He loved following other kids around, blowing dandelions, and eating chips!  He found where the chips were on the table and he'd climb up, grab a handful and be off until he ran out and then he'd be back for more.  I don't often buy chips at home so he was getting all he could.  He also was super intrigued with the campfire.  I guess we haven't taken him camping before so he'd never really seen a campfire; he just stared at it.  

More silly pictures of Bridger:

Bridger absolutely loved my parents house!  He loved being able to wander in the bigger house and especially going outside.  He figured out how to open the front door so I had to keep a close eye on him.  He loved the stream and going across the bridge over to our neighbor Joel's house (where all the fun toys are).  We came at the perfect time for delicious fruit to be in season.  My mom has a patch of blackberries and we got all the blackberries we could eat !  Yum!  Bridger loved them (so did I!).  It was a little boys paradise.

      My dad always has several projects lined up for Devin.  This time it was the barn and pouring concrete.  They kept hard at work.  (Nice action shot of Bridger taking a step).

      I had to capture this moment of the boys on the piano!

Wyoming:

We visited Bridger's namesake in Fort Bridger, WY. 

The mullet (all the boys are very proud of this):

Bill and Deena's Wedding:

Grandpa and the cousins:

Our Poulton Family:

The happy couple:

Bridger and Cody: 

   Bridger had so much fun with Cody (he lives next door to my parents).  They were good buddies this trip!

      Conclusion:  It was such a fun trip, as always.  Bridger and I spent three weeks and Devin was able to make it for about 5 days.  We love seeing family and Bridger  eats up all the extra attention.

      Coming home was tricky because the hurricane had just gone through and some flights were cancelled so all the remaining flights filled up.  That is a terrible scenario for stand-by flying.  Devin had to get home to run the business and it took him a full day and a headache to make it.  He couldn't make it into any of the three closest airports so he flew on Delta to Detroit and from there to Roanoke, VA.  Devin sent me a text when he was on his way: "Delayed for two hours. Changed gates three times.  Boarded the plane, sat for almost an hour. Deboarded plane. Sent to customer service. Sent back to plane because its fixed. Now we are boarding again. Any clue as to what will happen next?"  He ended up getting in to Roanoke over three hours late.  From there he rented a car and drove three hours home.  Terrible .  Bridger and I made it home a couple days later flying on United.  

      Thanks to everyone for the fun trip.   Sorry to those I didn't get to see.  Thanks to all those I was able to see!