Inspiration + Drive = Accomplishment

I was inspired by one of my roommates from college who decided to make a list of things to accomplish this year, rather than a handful of New Year's resolutions. I've decided to do the same thing (considering everyone continues to remind me of the fact that when the baby arrives...I will have no time to complete a sentence, let-alone a project). So, I've created a list of things to accomplish before my due-date. One of the items on the list (which, bytheway, doesn't have to be completed in-order) was a new bedskirt for our bed with matching pillows.
For Christmas 2007, my mother-in-law made a bedskirt for our bed with a great black and white "Versailles-Bee" fabric (she is an upholsterer, so you can imagine how gorgeous it is). Inspiration struck and I wanted to sew a bedskirt for our bed as well, using our bedskirt from my mother-in-law as a guide. I found some great fabric on a design site that I fell in love with, before I read the $90 price-per-yard. Not being able to justify that, I searched numerous fabric sites to find something comparable and landed on a "Colonial Pineapple" print through E-bay with the more reasonable $10 per-yard (make sure if you purchase fabric from ebay, that the seller understands the terminology associated with the run of the fabric print so that you are speaking the same sewing-lingo and can plan for the number of yards needed. I mean REALLY check to make sure they get it!).
I sewed a new paneled-bedskirt with matching pillows for the bed! I was so thrilled with how it turned out, to have the fabric off of my project shelving (to make room for the next one), and to have the sense of accomplishment. I thought the project would be more difficult than it was, but it only took me 2 days and bada-bing... instant room make-over!
So, what's next? I'll refer to my list...

First Photo

We have arrived at the second trimester! WhaWhooooooo! My "afternoon sickness" is beginning to deplete and I am reclaiming my evenings. 2 weeks ago we had our first ultrasound. The docs at the perinatal office mean business: We were led to the exam room, the doc turned the lights off, told Dan where to sit, asked me to hop up on the "recliner" and verify my information on the flat-screen mounted to the ceiling. Then, in the next moment, we were looking at our future baby... arms and legs moving around and laying in perfect profile (the doctors said our baby was very cooperative). It took me a minute to catch-up with the fact that the tiny human we were looking at on the screen was inside me. The only word I can use to describe how I felt was- beaming...no other word for it! After multiple snapshots were taken, we were handed the baby's first photos and sent to schedule our next appointment (when we will find out if we are having a boy or girl). What do you think baby Lynch will be?

We're Pregnant!

YES! We are expecting an addition to our family on June 30th and are absolutely thrilled! (Yes that is the day that 'Eclipse' is out in theaters...so we'll see what happens). I haven't been updating my blog at all because every afternoon, I'm nauseated. Luckily I teach art in the morning at an elementary school while I'm not sick... it's the coming home part that really gets to me. I eat lunch and then lie on the sofa while watching Martha Stewart. Then the count-down until the nausea begins. UGH! It's all worth it I'm sure... although somedays it can really drag you down(I have a deep respect for people who live with a chronic illness). The above picture is a napkin Dan found for me at Sur La Table (I added the part about not listening). We both laughed very heartily at it! At my last prenatal appointment, Dan and I were able to hear the baby's heartbeat. How exciting and strange is that! It was so interesting to consider that there is actually another heartbeat inside me and I'm growing a human! Dan wants me to say "The fetus and I need to eat" and his absolute favorite that I haven't been able to commit to is saying "We (in an alien-body-snatcheresque manner) need to eat." He is like a kid on Christmas morning about telling everyone we're pregnant...and I suppose the body-snatcher thing is his male way of bonding with the idea. It's cute. So, I've heard that the nausea can possibly subside around the 14th week...I'm 2 seconds away from week 12... so we'll see what happens around the corner!

Another Whirlwind Utah Trip

For whatever reason... Dan and I can't seem to visit Utah without it being a huge blur. We drove up with my mom last Friday (with Uhal trailer in-tow) to deliver a bed, box-springs, bed-frame, sofa, 2 bookcases, dresser, vacuum, and file drawer for by brother and his wife, Sarah,(ahhhh newlyweds). We arrived in Lehi at 1:45am... later that day (Saturday) we unloaded the Uhal trailer only to find that the bed wouldn't fit down the stairs to my brother and sister-in-laws' basement apartment. The moment we dragged the box-springs up the stairs and contemplated our next move, my brother's landlord called offering them the upstairs level of the house for the same rent they were paying in their dungeon below (a whopping $500/mo. for a 2 bedroom that's bigger than what Dan and I have here in CA...what are we still doing in CA?!) We were all SUPER excited at the timing...answered prayers! We spent Saturday moving them upstairs (and shopping in-between). We all went to pick-up Sarah from work (she works as a supervisor in the cafeteria at the MTC... so we got a tour!). We stopped by The Tooth Fairy Bakery in Provo (where Stephanie Nielson gets her cupcakes from). They were all out of VaNIElla Squared cupcakes, which bummed me out, however, I purchased and devoured the Double Fudge cupcake with no complaints whatsoever!

Sunday, we went to church. My mom and I cooked Matt's favorite dinner- Ham & Noodle casserole.
Monday- Mom, Mals, Dan, & I went shopping and site-seeing...but mostly shopping. Since Dan is a convert to the church, when we go to Utah he acts like he's in (what we have termed) "Mormon Disneyland" We met up with Matt & Sarah for dinner in Salt Lake City, along with some friends of ours that moved to Utah from Cali earlier this year, Christian & Deanna. We ate at the Red Iguana. Dan and I found out about this diner while watching one of our favorite foodnetwork shows 'Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.' This restaurant has such good Mexican food! I highly recommend it the next time you're in Salt Lake!





After dinner, Christian and Deanna introduced us to the glory of frozen custard or "concrete", as it is sometimes called. It was so good and super rich. Dan flew home that night and my mom and I drove back on Tuesday (with our ritual stop in Truckee, CA to see the variety store, a cooking store, and the Ace Hardware).

Way To Go Bro!

This July, we flew out to Michigan (which is absolutely beautiful and lush-green with vegetation...and I got to see fireflies for the first time!) for my brother Matt's wedding. Matt and Sarah were married in the Detroit, Michigan LDS temple on July 18. 2009. I felt so blessed that despite the trials my family has had in our lives (mostly in regards to my dad) that we have all stayed together. My mom should be given the bulk of the credit for our remaining a close family unit. My mom has an endless supply of patience, that I hope to acquire someday, and her strong testimony of the gospel (plus all of Grandpa Shaw's quotes we had memorized by the age of 14). Matt always lent a listening ear our way. Mallory always kept us laughing until our abs hurt (great work-out). So, as Dan, Mallory, and I walked over to the car after the temple sealing, Mallory and I looked at each other and began to cry, thinking of how blessed our little family is and that it is growing with each temple marriage that has happened. Matt, Sarah, and Sarah's parents stayed at my mom's house for the open-house here in CA. Dan and I talked about how we've never had the house feel to small because we've never had this many people staying in it! My mom's best friend from their days at BYU, Jennifer, drove up from Chicago for the wedding. It was fun seeing my mom seem a bit younger around her best friend! It was fun to see Jennifer, because we haven't seen her for 17yrs! Congratulations Matt & Sarah!

BFF's

Michele and I go WAAAAYYYYYY-BACK! Like... "coodie-shot" days...like crimped hair and fluorescent plastic bangles...like New Kids on the Block and shrinky-dinks! My mom and I met-up with Michele (who flew in from Vegas), Nicole (her sister who flew in from Virginia), Danielle (her other sister who flew in from Virginia), and their mom (who drove from Lodi) at the Oakland Temple this last Thursday 6-18-09. Danielle went through the temple for the first time! The day was beautiful and it was wonderful to reconnect with the girls! Growing-up, Michele's family was an extension of our own. Michele was like another sister to me (as were Nicole and Danielle). I always felt that Eileen (their mom) was another Aunt of ours. Eileen always had the most positive outlook on life and it was contagious! It was fun to find out that Michele is living in Vegas with her hubby and teaching 2nd grade. Nicole doesn't look old enough to be the mom of a college freshman! Danielle looks so happy and absolutely beautiful. And Eileen hasn't aged a day and still brings a smile to the faces of all around her! When it was time to leave, Michele and I didn't want to say good-bye. So we've agreed that Dan and I will have to drive-on over to Vegas soon and visit. Congrats Danielle! Michele, miss you already!

Stanford or Bust

NO, NOT REALLY...
I need my CLAD certification so I can teach in CA. Stanford offers an online program with graduate level courses for teachers to complete the certification! I get to earn graduate credits while earning my CLAD certification...And I'M TAKIN' 'EM! (how many apostrophes can you put into one sentence?!) Stanford's program looks to be the best around and they are ranked #1 in the nation for Education training! I don't think I'll be singing the Stanford fight-song anytime soon, but maybe I'll cheer for them when Dan and I watch college football this year! (here's the link to the program: http://ellib.stanford.edu/?q=california-teachers-english-learners-ctel-clad-program )
In other news...Check out the TOMS One-for-One link on the right sidebar of my blog. They are a great organization (I'm sure you've seen the commercials) For every pair of Toms shoes purchased, 'Toms' donates a pair to a child in need= the One-for-One approach. Perks include: Helping out kids around the world, the shoes are ADORABLE so you'll have happy feet, AND I wanted to help spread the word about Toms so much that I taught myself how to create the picture link you see on my blog for TOMS!(apparently they don't have blog buttons yet).