Housing

If you can't stand finding temporary housing raise your hand.

*hand raised*

I have spent the majority of the last month looking for a place to live.

Seth's busy driving back and forth 2.5 hours every week to be much of a help.

Plus, I'm the one who really cares about little things like space for all our stuff.

After hours days on the computer and calling people, I narrowed my seemingly never-ending list down to 5 options.

Well, technically I only had 5 options to choose from as basically no one does month to month rent without making you break the bank every month.

I digress.

Friday, Seth and I took a trip down to Cheyenne to check out each of the previously mentioned places.

We found one we are the most interested in, but wont know if we can actually get into it until Wednesday.

Some people are living in it who should have moved out this last month.

So, here's hoping they get out of there.

Because of this, we didn't even get to take a look inside.

There are some things that are more important than seeing what you'll have to deal with for three months like a dishwasher in a floor-level apartment.

Who needs to see the inside of it right?

eh hem.

Maybe I can get the realtor to send me a blue-print or pictures.

While we were there, though, we decided to take a quick drive-by trip to the capitol.

It was nice to get an idea of where we would be in just a couple weeks.

And, yes, I'm totally counting down.

I want to have my husband around.

All in a Day's Work

It all started with some sleep.

Then it was morning, and time for breakfast.

Then lunch.

And, finally dinner.

Check out that leg!

Aaaaand repeat.

Cake

Friday, Seth and I had this...




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...but didn't feel guilty because we just swam for 2 hours before at a birthday swimming party for couples.

Saturday morning, Porter was offered (and surprisingly didn't have) this...



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...at one of his friend's from church birthday party.

Saturday night, we all had...

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...at a reception.

The cake was so purple that it stained the bride's face after being mashed on half of it for the rest of the night.

Poor girl.

And today we had...







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...for Emily's 18th birthday!

I wouldn't be surprised if we all weigh a bit more tomorrow.

Boards Part 2

I'm so proud of Seth!!!

He nailed his second part of boards!!!

My husband is so smart.

Just one more part of boards before graduation, and we can put this whole thing behind us!

Dessert

Sunday was spent with lots of family!

My best friend since birth, Suzanne, came to church with me.

I hadn't seen her in 3 years, and she is definitely considered family.

Getting to catch up was glorious.

We decided that we need to live next to each other or she needs to marry into Seth's family.

Totally serious.

Can't live without this girl.

Sadly, I didn't remember to take pictures at all that day, so this post will be just words.

I know, boring.

You can stop reading here, if you can't stand it.

After Sunday dinner (which was de-lish), I got to see my Papa, all of my mother's siblings with their spouses, four sets of cousins and their spouses, my brother and his wife and all of the little kiddies that go with said people at one location.

And, we had delicious desserts.

It was a loud, tasty, and joyous occasion.

So great, in fact, that I decided it was more important to chat than it was to take pictures.

I loved it so much, and it made my desire to live down there even stronger (which, apparently is possible).

All we need to do is win the HGTV Dream Home 2012, or Seth needs to get accepted to the residency program there.

Preferably both.

I miss everyone already.

Battlefield

Airsoft, anyone??

Jordanne

Porter got to meet his new cousin.

He loved just hanging out with her.

He would even talk to her and she'd give him the biggest smiles.

Porter decided to pull up beside her this particular day in a rocking chair.

Kaysha decided to join in.

All rocking away.

Until Kaysha decides to serenade.

Porter sure loves his cousins!

First Time

It's taken me 25.5 years to do so, but...

I've finally eaten at In-n-Out.

It's only taken Porter almost 4.

Paige's Game

My brother and his wife's second oldest, Paige, had a basketball game, so we all went to see!

She did pretty well!!

I think she caught the most rebounds.

Therefore, we dubbed her the rebound-queen.

She and her team won!!!

...by a lot!

Go Paige!

More Driving

Not only did we go to visit Seth, but all of us drove to Utah!

Porter forgot to bring his sunglasses, so I obliged...

He looks better in them than I do, anyway.

Good thing I didn't forget my camera, though...

Still Wyoming!

Gorgeous.

Sinks Canyon

Porter and I went over to...

(never seen the whole name on a mountain before. Who does that? Apparently Indians.)

...to visit Seth!

Seth is basically bachelor-ing it up without being a bachelor with roommates and everything until February.

I cannot wait until February.

Anyway, Seth happened to have the day off right after Porter's and my arrival, so we took a short trip to Sinks Canyon!

Wanna know what that is?

Well, I took a picture of a sign just for you. 

Don't want to read it?

That's fine.

All you need to know is that it's on the Popo Agie river.

If you're not from here, you most likely said it wrong.

I know.

I got it wrong all day.

Anywho...

The first thing we did when we arrived was down into the Sinks!

Notice the sign^^

I was the least prepared of everyone and wore my Keds.

I basically skied down.

Here's what we saw once we reached the bottom...

The water is usually filled all the way up beyond those rocks in the Spring.

That day it was lucky to get past the ice.

Because of my shoe situation, I did my usual...

...capturing of the scenery.

Porter was never too far from my side.

 

With enormous gloves on (since the only winter gear we brought for him were boots and a coat...better prepared than me, still!)

And Seth?

Well, if you didn't catch him in his yellow coat in the picture above, he was more adventurous than either Porter or myself.

Second, we came to the overlook of the Sinks...

And took more pictures.

Proof of my presence.

 Then it was back to the car to go a quarter mile down to the Rise.

Only after a few snowballs.

Who says Wyoming isn't pretty?

The Rise is where the water from the river comes back to the surface!

It makes a very pretty lake.

Where four very brave, cold ducks paddled around.

We didn't stay long, but we sure enjoyed the beauty.

Controlled mess

Until all the sticks come out, anyway.

Disappointing

We were pregnant.

And, no, I'm not talking about in June.

I'm talking about last month.

We have now officially experienced a miscarriage.

Our first, and hopefully only one.

After going through a miscarriage and a stillbirth simultaneously, I've noticed that there is a big difference between the two.

From my personal experience, stillbirth is much harder emotionally and physically.

Let me explain: after I had the girls, my body acted like I was supposed to be feeding two babies, it looked like I was still pregnant or just had a baby without any physical proof in my empty arms, and I had to bury babies that would have otherwise been perfectly healthy.

In no way do I want to down-play the physical and emotional pain of a miscarriage, though, as it is still the loss of a child.

I'm absolutely positive the further along you are when you experience a miscarriage, the more different and difficult it is.

With our miscarriage I was not very far--I was only 8 weeks, not yet "attached" to the personality of the baby, and not buying baby items or making major life-changing baby plans.

Although, I was excited.

Generally, I don't even announce that I'm pregnant until 12 weeks or later...usually when I'm done with the major morning sickness...for the risk of this reason.

BUT I did tell enough people to feel the need to blog about it.

I broke my typical announcing time-period rule to try to make the reality sink in, give people some good news, and to try to spread a little of my excitement.

So, this week, you get this update and no pictures (sorry) because most of the week was spent figuring out what was going on as I all-of-a-sudden didn't feel pregnant anymore and started bleeding heavily.

Things like this keep me away from the camera.

Am I upset about this?

I'm more disappointed than upset.

I mean, I would have been 2 months along, had some good news to report, and been semi-happily, yet uncomfortably nauseous...but I've returned to square one.

To me, it's fine because I wasn't "showing" extensively for the questions from strangers to happen, and wont need to change my workout so I can keep trying to get back to my skinny-self...which I'm beginning to doubt will ever happen.

(I actually enjoy getting to kick my butt at the gym without feeling like I have to take it easy)

I know we'll get pregnant again, and everything will eventually work out.

It's just not time yet.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

...So, we go play at the mall...