1

today marks the first anniversary of this little blog of mine, yep one whole year.

i thought that this would be a good place to do some kind of "a year in review" post, but then i realized i don't even remember half of the stuff that happened last year. then i thought i could just do some links to my favorite past posts, but decided that if you really care enough you can just go back through the archives and look through them yourself. otherwise i would just feel like i am forcing you to go look at those other posts that maybe you don't even really care about, you know?

and then the light bulb in my brain suddenly turned on, and i thought to myself, this is my blog, it has my face right at the top and everything, i can do whatever i want with it. heck, i don't even use capital letters, and why? because i can that's why.

 so i'm saying to the trash with this 1 year review jibber jabber, i will just leave it at:

 the sun rose in the mornings, and then it set at night.
some days were hard, but for the most part pretty easy going.
we had lots of fun, with stretches of boring in between.
ventured out into the world, experienced new and exciting places, but for the most past stuck to the same old, same old.

that about sums it up right?

right.

and thank goodness, because this coming year is really going to throw everything for a loop

***

if you really are wondering what my favorite post of this past year was, it was this one.

oh, and this one was pretty good too.

when we went to NYC!

i truly believe that there are a few select places in this world that everyone should experience at least one in their life, new york, for me was one of those places. anyone who has been there can attest to the energy (besides the outrageous humidity) that surrounds you right from the moment you step off the plane, and the feeling that this is someplace unique from anywhere else in the world.

we have all seen pictures, or caught glimpses of the city from the movies or t.v., but to stand on the sidewalk looking up at the unspeakably tall buildings, see the rush of people around you, hear the constant car horns honking at who really knows what, purchase some of the most delicious fruit off the street, and eat authentic new york pizza (seriously, my mouth is watering at the memory) is a whole different story.

i was just the luckiest girl in the whole world that week to travel with my hubby, who served his mission there, so it's like i had my very own tour guide! it really is just the best way to travel. with him navigating our way through the mind boggling transit system, and the busy streets i got to sit back and just enjoy everything around me. oh, and that time i just about got punched because of two guys fighting on the train was awesome too.

and what would be a trip to nyc without stopping in the bronx for dinner? yep, you better believe dennis took me walking through the bronx. after that i can honestly say...

1. i have never felt more white in my entire life

and

2. forest lawn? i will never be scared of that side of town again.

everyone has asked me what my favorite part of the trip was, and i have thought about this a lot, because seriously, how can you really pick just one thing? but after much deliberation i have come up with the answer

looking enough like an authentic new yorker that we were stopped by other people asking directions, what area of town we were in, and even what train will take them where.

i mean come on, how awesome is that? for those days i was't a tourist experiencing this amazing city for the first time. i was just someone who found myself someplace amazing, feeling right at home, and the rest of the world saw it.

the only down fall of that is, i was so busy pretending this was just my everyday life, and i always duck out in front of cars to get to the other side when the little pedestrian man is clearly telling me not to, that i didn't get near enough photos to help make the memories last.

i guess that just means i will have to go back, right?

how cute right?

i was especially exited to meet star of night at the museum's, rexy!

i am learning

while dennis is away on another one of his field school trips (last ever!), i thought i had this whole being alone for weeks at a time thing down pat, but it turns out i don't. so over these past few days i have had time to discover a few things about myself that i didn't realize before, like...

... i am not good at cooking for just one person

... i have developed a bad habit of not looking at the gas gage, and filling up when it gets too low (dennis just always takes care of that). i was introduced to our gas light yesterday after work, oh ya, that was a fun ride, considering i had no idea how long it had been on for.

... it is not a good idea to ONLY eat a bowl of cucumbers and vinegar on an empty and overly sensitive stomach (this doesn't really have to do with den being gone, but still a good learning experience).

... i can't sleep more then two hours at a time without waking up wondering why i just face planted into the side table (there isn't another body there to stop me from moving over that far).

... everything i need around the house is always out of my arms reach (why do we put everything up high?)

... i suck at getting out of bed on my own, even though i really should have seen that one coming, because he has to hover over me almost every morning and tell me that i need to get up, now.

and lastly

... i'm not quite as independent as i used to be. because with him gone i feel like he took the part of me that i need to be a normal functioning human being.

here's to only one more week of walking around in a lonely daze.

oh and wish me luck with doing everyday normal things that keep me alive, like filling up the car with gas...

a few fun things...

this morning i was late for work because i was pulled over in a parking lot, with my body hanging out the side of the car prepping for the contents of my stomach to make a second appearance. good news, it didn't, just tormented me instead.

i can only eat mashed potatoes

and hamburger soup (thanks mom!)

i have to pee at exactly 2:45 every morning

i smell meat cooking, when everyone else smells something burning

i was weighed at the dr last week and i haven't gained any weight, which is amazing because i can't button up the majority of my pants anymore, and i have been eating like a cow.

grow baby grow!

oh and...

nyc in 21 days!

today i looked in my rearview mirror and swore i saw prince william behind me

but then i saw that the chick in the passenger seat was a blonde, and last time i checked, katey m wasn't a blonde. so it obviously wasn't him.

also

i am technically able to park in the "expecting mothers" spot in parking lots now, which, i think is pretty nifty. but today i chose to leave it for someone who, you know, actually looks pregnant, and i parked three stalls down. i go into the store, grabbed a few groceries (oh perogies!) and as i'm walking out, who parks in said stall! some grey haired old bitty in a car older then me!

there are multiple reasons why this is wrong

1. i'm pretty sure she is waaaaaaaaaay past her expiration date, if you know what i mean. nothing expecting there, other then one giant car crash, you should have seen the way she flew into that spot!

2. SHE WAS RIGHT BESIDE THE HANDICAP PARKING STALL!!!! why are those things even there if these people won't park in them.

because i suck at keeping secrets

This little guy is going to turn me into a mama come march next year. 

we are so thrilled, and couldn't be more excited for these next few months, and years to come. 

so far no morning sickness! 

(knock on wood)

and we were able to hear the heart beat!

truly the most precious little sound i have ever heard.