It's Christmas! It has been a wonderful Christmas season this year! It's such a great time of year to get together with friends and family. I have had alot of fun decorating our new house. We had a great family Christmas party at my Mom's last week. Our family is getting bigger and bigger but we manage to all fit and have a great time. This year we rocked it with Glen's new Rock Star game. It was a hit! I must say I am suprisingly good at the vocals! With just Christmas days away I am looking forward to a relaxing holiday, while remebering the true meaning of Christmas!!
While we have been counting the days down to Christmas we have also been counting down the days to my due date! Only 7 weeks left and I couldn't be more excited! Baby Julia will be here before we know it!

This year we were able to spend Thanksgiving with Travis' family in San Diego. His sister Nicole was weeks away from having her baby but still managed to cooked a wonderful meal. We had a lot of fun playing with our cute nephews, eating yummy mexican food, and spending time with the family. Since then Nicole had their baby girl, Zoe and she is beautiful. We wish we lived closer so we could see her!

On Travis' birthday my family held our annual pumpkin carving contest. Every year we go to the pumpkin patch pick out our pumpkins and then have a carving contest. The stakes are high! If you win, you win big bucks $$!! It's pretty intense and very competitive! Travis won last year and I came in at a close second.


This year my Mom was so funny! She picked a really hard design to carve into her pumpkin. After about a half hour she had slaughtered her design and had the hot glue gun out to try and save it. She had us all laughing so hard we were crying. A neighbor was supposed to be the judge but because my Mom pulled herself out of the competition she decided to judge.


It was a lot of fun and we had a great dinner for Travis and had cake and ice cream. He got tickets for a Charger game coming up in a couple of weeks. After the carving was over we lit up the pumpkins and my Mom came in and announced Travis as the winner again!!! I couldn't believe it! Glen my brother in law came in second, I came in third, Jen fourth and my Dad last who was not happy about coming in last! I think my Mom found out what pumpkin was Travis' and gave it to him because it was his birthday!! It's the teacher in her!

We left for Hawaii a day and a half after we got back from Europe!! We stayed an extra day in Europe than planned (long story) so we litteraly got home and turned around an left again. We spent seven days in Waikiki and it was so nice and relaxing. In Europe walked and walked until our legs were jello so once we got to Hawaii we were total beach bums! We were going to go sight seeing but we had both already been to Hawaii so we decided to rest and sleep on the beach. It was a lot of fun. Our good friends Nate and Jessica were in Hawaii the same time so we met up and spent the day with them.
While we were there we celebrated our four year anniversary!! We spent the day at the beach and then in an amazing spa getting massages (which I highly suggest for any pregnant women)and then we had an amazing dinner. It was the best anniversary ever! I can't believe it has been four years!! I guess time flies when you are having fun. I feel so lucky to be married to such an amazing guy. Travis is so good to me and I couldn't ask for a better husband! We have had so much fun the past four years and have had some amazing adventures!! Can't wait for many more years to come.

We had the most amazing time in Europe and I don’t even know where to start! First of all I know I look hideous in all the pictures. You can’t do your hair while you are there because of the different plugs. I brought my hair dryer and flat iron along just incase. Yes, I am vain I know but hey when you have wavy hair that is too short to put in a pony tail, it’s a concern! On one of our first days in London I saw a sign in our hotel that said American plug adaptors available. I was so happy at the thought of being able to do my hair. So they brought one to my room and I plugged in my flat iron. It turned on just fine. I started with the first piece of my hair and I smelled something funny. Suddenly I look over and the outlet is smoking!!! I screamed and hurried and unplugged it! Too late.... my flat iron was fried not to mention, so was my hair. Singed off to nothing! Who knew you had to have a voltage converter too! I swear that is not common knowledge. They need warnings about that! Travis of course was laughing at me. He was glad I didn’t burn down the hotel. I was so mad I ruined my $100 flat iron and had burned off my hair! So in all my pictures I am wearing a hat :(

We spent four days in London and I instantly fell in love with the city the second we stepped out of the airport. We went sightseeing and saw Buckingham Palace, Westminister Abbey, Hyde Park, Parliament, rode the London Eye, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, spent a day in Windsor and saw Windsor Castle, and even got to see our favorite Broadway play Wicked!!



London was great! The people were so nice! We ate a lot of fish and chips and they were delicious. I think my favorite part of London was seeing Windsor Castle. I had never been to a castle before and it was just like in the movies. It was so beautiful and extravagant. I can’t imagine being royalty and living there. The gardens and the grounds were breathtaking! The town of Windsor itself was so European and quaint. We spent all day relaxing and walking around. I also loved seeing the crown jewels in the Tower of London!!! Lisa and I wanted to spend hours starring at the biggest diamond in the world. It was every girl’s dream...the diamonds, jewels, crowns, china...ohhhhh to be a princess!



Being able to see Wicked in London was amazing!! It was so much fun. Joey’s parents happened to be in London the same time we were and they babysat Stella for us while we went to the play. Joey and Lisa had never seen Wicked and were dying to see it. Travis and I got to see it in New York last summer when we were living in Philadelphia and I fell in love with it. I was more than happy to see it again. The play was fantastic and even the boys had a great time ( I still think the New York cast was a little better).

I was so sad to leave London but I was excited to move on and go to Paris. Once we got into Paris and out of the train station, I immediately realized Paris was really different than any other city I had been to in Europe. It was really big and didn’t seem to have the same European feel to it. It was a little dirty and just really busy. Not to mention what they say about the French being mean is definitely true!! We met a few nice people but all together they are rude and hate Americans. It didn’t help that we didn’t know an ounce of French....it is such a hard language and the whole time we were there I couldn’t pick up on anything besides hello, good-bye and thank you !!



Despite Paris not being my favorite city we saw so many amazing things there....Notre Dame, the Louvre which we got lost in for hours, the amazing Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, and spent a day in Versailles. I love art history and Paris is the place to see it! The Louvre was huge! Everyone says that, but you can’t imagine how big it really is until you are standing in front of it. We decided to pick two wings and wonder through it. We saw so many amazing works of art. To be standing in front of parts of pyramids and mummies and to stand in front of the Mona Lisa was so surreal. The Eiffel Tower was truly breathtaking. To see it light up at night and sparkle is something I will never forget.



Another favorite was going to Versailles to see King Louis and Marie Antoinette’s Palace. That was really something to see! The hall of mirrors, the architecture, the gardens and fountains not to mention Marie’s private residence and village she built for her kids. Rent the movie and you will understand! Everything was marble and gold and just amazing. It was so neat to see that part of history! I loved the crepes in France, Yum! They sell them all over the streets and you can put anything you want on them! My belly grew so much and I don’t think all of it was due to the baby!! All in all, Paris was great. So glad I went but not sure it would ever be a place I was dying to go back to.



Our next stop was Belgium! We stayed in a small town called Brugge. It’s not very touristy and very small. They don’t have any big sights to see but it was probably my favorite part of the trip! The cobble stone roads and cafés were truly out of a fairy tale! The people were so friendly and even though they speak Dutch they were easy to communicate with. And the waffles, oh the Belgian waffles! They cook them on the street just like the crepes in Paris. For dinner we went to a really great café and ended up all ordering waffles for dinner. The people at the restaurant couldn’t stop laughing at us typical Americans. We had a great time in Brugge and I would die to go back!

Our last stop was Amsterdam. Which was a beautiful city but kind of like Paris, a one time stop. The red light district was something else....it made me so sad for the women in the windows. The streets are lined with these big windows with red lights over them. Prostitutes stand in them and pose waiting for customers. They were all different shapes and sizes...lets just say not very attractive. You could see men coming and going and it just made me soooo sad for them. Lisa and I were almost in tears. If a girl looks at them through the window they pound on the window and get really mad. We learned real quick not to even glance in their dircection. It was scary!




Looking past the red light district and the smell of pot (it’s legal there), Amsterdam had some great things to offer. We went to Anne Frank’s house which again left Lisa and I in tears. It was definitely one of my favorite sights to see. We also went to a Van Gouge museum that was fantastic. The canals and the city itself was really beautiful. We went to the flower market where they had the most beautiful fresh flowers you have ever seen. One main reason people go to Holland is to see the tulips. Unfortunately they weren’t in season but the flowers we did see were amazing.


Amsterdam wrapped up our vacation. We were sad to leave but I was looking forward to coming home. We were so lucky to be able to travel with our good friends and their little girl who was an angel the entire time. We had so much fun talking and laughing and just had the best time. I will never forget this vacation.

We made it home from our vacations and had the most amazing time...so much to write about. I am going to post my pictures and write all about it in the next few days but first I had to share these pictures of my adorable nephew Tanner. He is now 15 months and soooo much fun. He has such a huge personality and keeps us all laughing. My sister had his pictures taken by a lady named Skye Johansen. She does shuch an amazing job. Check out her website skyejohnansen.com (if you haven't heard of her already), you will be amazed!

We are so excited that we just confirmed our trip to Europe. We leave October 1st and for about 10 days we will be traveling to London, Paris and Amsterdam! We will be traveling with our good friends Joey and Lisa and their adorable little girl Stella. We visited Italy a few years ago and have been dying to get back to Europe! Talk about a baby moon! This will be an amazing vaction before the baby comes. I have been day dreaming of London and especially Paris! It will be a dream come true!

Okay, so I am a little embarrassed to say this because I understand how spoiled we are but....4 days after we return from Europe we leave for a free 7 day vacation to Hawaii!! Hawaii was ment to be a big company vacation in January. We were bummed because I would be 8 months prego and couldn't travel. Steve the owner, being the nicest man alive, is sending just Travis and I in October over our anniversary. At times I think it is too good to be true and I will believe it when I am staring at Big Ben, eating a crepe in front of the Eiffel Tower and sitting with my margarita on the beach of Hawaii.

I am a little worried about traveling so much and being fat and tired, but the doc. says it's okay! We will be on the go and walking a ton in Europe but I can recover on the beach a week later doing nothing but basking in the sun!

Europe, Hawaii here we come!!

Saturday morning Travis woke up and said we have to find out today if the baby is a boy or a girl. I told him it was still a little early and I wanted to wait so we could tell for sure the first time we went. He immediately called Fetal Studio in the mall and asked when the soonest is that they can tell the sex of the baby. They said around 15 weeks. Being exactly 15 weeks we made the appointment.

I couldn't believe we could really go and find out! I was so excited and anxious. We went in and at first the baby was sitting on it's bum. The guy said that is the most difficult position to tell the sex. I thought "great, after all this we will have to come back!" Then the baby started moving and after searching he said "it's a girl!!" I seriously couldn't believe it. Everyone thought for sure we were having a boy...but they were all wrong!

It was such an amazing experience. She was moving all around and we could see her little fingers and toes and her precious face. It just made everything so real. It really is our child growing inside me. What a blessing! I am so excited to start buying clothes and decorating the nursery. Immediately after we found out she was a girl, we went straight into Baby Gap and bought the cutest tiny dress you have ever seen! I think I'm in trouble because it is just so easy to buy every little outfit I see.

Travis wanted a boy but during the ultra sound I could tell he was just so excited. I have a feeling she is going to be daddy's little girl and a Charger fan! I just can't wait to see her! We already love her so much!

Last Sunday Nikell and Cody came to Utah for a funeral and while they were here they decided to bless Crew. We felt bad they were here for such sad circumstances but we were so glad we got to see them on their short visit.

Crew is so cute and I think he looks just like Noah only with his Mom's coloring! It makes me sad that they live so far away. Can't wait to see them again at Christmas!

Okay, so I haven't written in months and there is so much to tell! I am now going to be better at this. So the biggest news is we have a baby on the way! We are so excited and can't wait to start our family together. I am now 15 weeks and we will soon find out if it's a boy or a girl. Of course Travis wants a boy and I am kinda pullin for a girl. I know, I know, it's typical. Not to mention we both say we just want a healthy baby...it's what everyone says but it is true.
We have been moved into our new house for a few weeks now and we love it. It is so nice to be close to everything! We are further away from my parents and I hate that. However, the other day they were looking at homes in Sandy (go figure, I knew my Mom wouldn't be far from her grandchildren). Who knows if they will really move but I would love it if they did.
The summer has flown by and I can't believe it's almost fall. It's kinda been a blur with strong memories of morning sickness (which should be called 24/7 sickness). I am starting to feel better but getting fatter! My due date which just so happens to be Valentines Day seems light years away. It really is a mirical though that a child can grow in 40 weeks.

Yeah! We found a great place in Draper and it is just perfect for us! It is brand new and should be finished being built the end of July or beginning of August (that probably means December)! We couldn't be more excited to be closer to Trav's work and a lot of our friends. Not to mention closer to civilization! Jk Payson has been great and I will miss our first home together :( Not enough to stay there though. It has been fun but a little scary picking paint, countertops, floors etc. let's just hope it turns out great.
I also want to say congrats to Nicole and Ben on the new baby on the way! I can't believe the timing and we are so relieved she doesn't have to go to Iran anymore! What a blessing!

We just returned from a perfect vacation to L.A.! It was a nice get away over spring break and we had a lot of fun. We went site seeing in Hollywood, did lots of shopping, went to the beach and best of all.... went to Disneyland with our cute nephews that we never get to see!
Zach and Zane were so cute! Zane was terrified of Mickey Mouse! Zach was fearless and loved the car rides. They both loved the new Buzz Lightyear ride! They are getting big so fast and I wish we lived closer.
It was so fun to see Ben and Nicole too. I am so sad that Nicole will be leaving for the middle east for eight to ten months. I just don't know how she is going to leave those little boys. It's even worse that it is for a war that is so senseless and unjustified. We will defiantly be praying for her.
California made me even more anxious for summer!! We are ready for it that's for sure!

So I thought I would give credit to Travis for figuring out how to work this thing! I had tried getting pictures on here for days and finally gave up. I told Travis about it and with two clicks of the mouse he had it figured out! It is sad that I don't know even know how to work the computer, especially because I sit in front of one all day long! Let's hope our kids get Trav's smarts!

Travis and I decided to make a blog....influenced by Nikell. We hope this will help us keep in touch with all of our friends and family!