A Dry Run

This morning I had a doctor's appointment at 9:30, which meant we needed to leave the house by 8:30ish to give ourselves plenty of time to get there in case the roads were bad. I woke up around 6:30 to do my usual bathroom trip and after laying back down and trying to go back to sleep for 15 minutes (my alarm was set for 7:30) I decided to get up and get ready and give myself extra time to get ready. Immediately after getting up I got some serious lower back pain. I have always gotten bad period cramps in my lower back and since lower back pain is a sign of labor, even though I was in pain, I was excited that maybe this would be the real deal. So I showered and that helped the pain go away a little bit but as soon as I got out, it started hurting again. So as I was blow drying my hair I decided I was probably crazy for doing this, but that we should pack up the car with the bags just in case I was for real going into labor. So I finished getting ready and packing up my makeup bag, hair stuff and the other things I use on a daily basis that can't be packed away and we were out the door. Unfortunately, my back pain went away while we were driving down and I knew that we would be coming back to Rexburg after we were done. Bummer. I have been getting contractions at night pretty regularly and throughout the day so I have been praying every day this girl will come early. I am just so done being pregnant!

The good news? I had my doctor check my progress today. I asked to be checked, even though they usually don't start asking if you want to be checked until 38 weeks (I am 37 1/2 weeks) and found out that even though I am only 1 cm dilated, I am 60% effaced. Dr. Baker was surprised that I was already that far progressed for being still 2 1/2 weeks away from my due date and so we tentatively planned for me to be induced on the 15th. I really want him to deliver our little girl because I feel so comfortable in his ability to deliver this baby healthily. I am hoping at my next appointment that I will show progress and be able to have this baby early, even if it is only by a few days.

So thats where I am right now. I will post a picture of my bump tomorrow!!

3 Weeks and Counting

The last several weeks have flown by and I can't believe my due date is almost here! It seems like all the girls I know that are pregnant have started having their babies and I cannot wait for our little girl to be in my arms. I've started to have contractions and I have to say they are hilarious. They don't hurt yet but they are funny because I get really really hot during them. Like, want to take all my clothes off hot. Also, my face gets really flushed so it is easy to see when I am having one. Luckily, we don't really go anywhere so it isn't embarrassing to have my face get super red all of the sudden. I love my OB Dr. Baker. I have been going down to Rosemark Women's Care in Idaho Falls and have loved the staff and my doctor. I was really worried about finding an OB here that I would really like and feel like I was receiving the care that I wanted. Rexburg is full of pregnant girls and I didn't want to be rushed at an appointment or feel like I was just another number. Dr. Baker is such an awesome doctor and I have felt so confident in his abilities and have felt comfortable at my doctor's appointments. At my last appointment, he put a lot of my fears to rest and I can honestly say that I am looking forward to delivery.

One of my best friends Rachel (who had the cutest little girl Harper last week) told me about this series on Lifetime called "One Born Every Minute." Nate and I have been watching the episodes and it has been surprisingly helpful and informative. It follows three different pregnant women throughout the labor and delivery process and though it doesn't show the delivery full on (i.e. the shots between the legs) it does show everything from getting an epidural (the needle really isn't big) to the actual baby coming out. It has also shown a lot of the different things that can go wrong during a delivery and how different women cope with the pain. Some women are so loud (and annoying!!). We went on a hospital tour yesterday after my appointment and when the nurse was going through everything, it was exactly how it was on the show, which was nice to have seen in advance what I will have to go through.

I hope I don't have a long and complicated delivery and hope I don't have to get a c-section. Luckily, Dr. Baker doesn't think this little girl will be any bigger than 6 1/2 lbs (he's guessing somewhere in-between 6 and 6 1/2 lbs) so hopefully a lot of complications will be avoided. Her room is all set up, we have all the things we need, the diaper bag is packed and all her clothes are washed so the only thing we are waiting on now is this girl to get here! I feel blessed that I am still able to bend down, paint my toes, put on my socks, and shave my legs still, HOWEVER, I am greatly looking forward to when I can do those things without any difficulty (oh the little things we take for granted). I wouldn't mind if she came early but I just want her to come when she is ready. The next couple of weeks can't come soon enough!

Folding Sheets Tutorial

Working at the Marriott over the summer in housekeeping was far from glamourous. But it kept me busy and got me out of the house and provided me with an unexpected benefit...I am an excellent sheet folder now. After seeing a friend's request on Facebook of how to fold the dreaded fitted sheet, I thought I would put together how I fold my sheets now, curtesy of the Marriott. I love the way it keeps everything together!

PILLOWCASES

Fold 1/3 down

Fold the last 1/3 up

Fold in half lengthwise.

(3 folds total)

Repeat with other pillowcase

TOP SHEET

Fold in half

Fold in half again

Fold in half again

Fold in half lengthwise

Fold in half lengthwise again

(5 folds total)

BOTTOM SHEET

This is a little tricky but hopefully the picture explains it. Put your hands in the pockets of each corner. Bring one hand to the other and flip one corner over the other to create a pocket containing both corners. This will fold your sheet in half HOWEVER if you would like nice edges, fold the edge over until the corner is level with the bottom of the sheet. This will create a straight edge to work with and will make for nice edges. You can see this on the left and the right of the photo.

Bring up bottom and fold in half. Try and make it as rectangle as possible. If needed, you can flip up the bottom of the sheet to create a nice straight edge

Fold in half again

Fold in half lengthwise

Fold in half lengthwise again

(5 folds total)

Now you have your three pieces. They should look like this:

Pillowcases, Bottom Sheet, Top Sheet

Stack them on top of each other:

Pillowcases on top

Fitted sheet in the middle

Top sheet on the bottom

Now fold that bundle in half and it should create something like this:

Side View

Front View

Not only is it a clever way to store everything together, it also looks really nice stacked in a linen closet. See how nice and neat the edges are? It really doesn't take a long time once you get the hang of it. So for all of you who struggle (like I did) to find a way to keep your sheets folded nice, hope this tutorial helps!

The Final Countdown

The last part of my pregnancy seems to be FLYING by! I think part of it is due to the fact that we will be in Colorado until the end of January and when you aren't the only one at home all day it makes such a difference. I still have so much to do! The holiday break has been super busy but here's a quick rundown on everything that has been going on lately.

Christmas was spent with Nate's family (since we spent Thanksgiving with mine) and we were super spoiled! Nate got me the black coat that I had seen and fallen in love with back in November, as well as two sweaters that I had seen and liked. We set a price limit on our gifts this year and the coat took up most of it. But I love it and would have been completely happy if that was the only thing I had gotten. Nate's parents got us the car seat that we wanted and also got me a boppy, as well as a few other things for the baby. My parents spoiled us as well with our crib and gave us things that we both had wanted and needed. I feel so blessed to have such amazing families that we belong to!

Nate and I celebrated our 2nd anniversary on the 27th and we opted for a low key celebration since I am pregnant and not up to doing anything crazy. We spent the day together just hanging out (a rare luxury these days since he is always studying) and then went to dinner and a movie. Nate had surprised me earlier in the day with earrings that I wanted (a pair of sapphire studs to add to my collection. He gave me Opals last year and it has become our little tradition for him to give me real earrings for our anniversary) and so the day was absolutely perfect. We went to go see the movie The Tourist and I fell in love with every single outfit that Angelina Jolie wore in the movie. She looked absolutely stunning and always so polished and put together. Here are just a few of her looks from the movie:

The last picture isn't from the movie but it shows the diamond choker that she wears in the last part of the movie and if I had millions laying around I would buy one just like it. It was made from a vintage tiara and it was stunning. The movie may have not been as action packed as I would have liked but the wardrobe and set made up for it ten fold. I highly recommend seeing it. 

Other than that we are busy spending as much time with family as we can before we head back to snowy Rexburg. I have to admit, I will be dragging my feet when that comes but I am excited to finish everything and get ready for the arrival of our little girl!

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

I have felt a lot like Goldilocks in regards to my sleeping quarters. Beds are either too hard or too soft and nothing is feeling just right anymore! We received a 5-inch memory foam mattress pad when we were first married as a wedding gift and it was the best wedding gift I could have ever not known to ask for. Our bed has always been super super comfortable and I have always enjoyed coming home from a trip to sleep in our own bed. Lately, however, I can not get comfortable when I sleep. I have a body pillow but it hasn't helped at all. Since I am 26 weeks along, I guess my hips are spreading apart slowly to get ready for this baby to come. Whatever is going on is causing me severe discomfort. When I lay down it's like everything gets out of line and then my lower back just aches. And don't get me started on my tailbone when I sit in a hard chair too long! I honestly thought women were just overreacting when it came to the aches and pains of pregnancy but turns out they are right! Not that I have much to complain about because for the most part, this has been a pretty easy pregnancy and I am grateful to have a healthy, growing baby. But let me tell you, I have a whole new appreciation for my mom who went through this eight times! Only 14 more weeks to go and I am so excited for my little girl to be here!

What's In My Makeup Bag

(The perfect gray smoky eye!)

Makeup is such a huge part of my life but it took me a long time to figure out what look best on me though (frosty blue eyeshadow in eighth grade...definitely not a highlight of my makeup career). Ever since I started wearing makeup I have been on a quest to find the best of what is out there. Since I am almost 23, I've tried A LOT of products out there, whether cheap or expensive. It doesn't matter what the price is to me now, I just want it to work as well as it says it will. I am sick of wasting money buying something that doesn't live up to its promises. In the last year, I have been on a quest to find the perfect products to me so I can create the best look for myself. This has involved a lot of trial and error until I learned to do research before hand. The internet has been such a great research tool and before I buy any new product I research it almost excessively. Below are some of my favorite beauty products that I highly recommend!

1. Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer $42: By no means is this cheap. In fact, it's the most expensive foundation I have ever purchased. But it seriously is the most amazing stuff I have ever come across. I have tried both the regular and the oil-free and I have to say I like the oil-free formula slightly better because the consistency is a little thicker and my skin is less than perfect sometimes. This product has been buzzed about for quite some time so I am surprised it took me until this summer to come across it. IT IS WORTH EVERY PENNY, but I highly suggest being able to test it out to figure out your skin color first, as I thought for sure I would be Nude, but turns out Porcelain is the perfect match for my skin. I cannot rave enough about this product. It goes on nicely and stays on all day. I love that it doesn't look like I am wearing anything and just makes my skin look better!

2. Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper $18: While I may not approve of her lifestyle choices, I have to admit this girl knows how to make the best liquid eyeliner. I don't do anything fancy, just line the top of my lashes to beef up my lash line, but I can get the skinniest line that stays all day and doesn't smudge. I love that it comes already loaded in the brush which makes application a breeze.

3. Christian Dior DiorShow Mascara in Black $24: I have tried a lot of mascara's out there and this one by far takes the cake for me. I ALWAYS come back to it. The jumbo brush seems intimidating at first but this mascara gives your lashes a nice dose of steroids. I love the way my eyelashes look when I wear this and dare I say after several coats it looks like I could star in a mascara commercial. I love this mascara so much that it always seems to run out super fast on me. I think my multiple coats has something to do with it. Since it isn't cheap, I always find myself trying to find something else cheaper that is just as good, but alas, this stuff really is the best! Plus, its subtly rose scented which is an extra added bonus. 

4. Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat $40: Once again, not the cheapest stuff out there. This is the most recent addition to my makeup bag and I like it a lot. I use it to touch up the inner corner of my eyes and highlight my brow bone. I also dab it right above the bow of my lips to make the illusion of bigger lips. I don't know if it helps but I will take all the help I can get! It is ridiculously expensive but you only use a tiny bit so it really lasts a long time. It really opens up my eyes and I like that it doesn't look like I am wearing anything.

5. Wet n' Wild Kohl Eyeliner $1: I usually just get whatever I can find at Walmart, whether NYC or Wet n' Wild. They are only a dollar and I love that I can sharpen them as much as I want without feeling guilty of wasting the product, since the stick is so long and costs so little! I like to use it on my inner eyes, especially my top lashes because once again, it gives the illusion of thicker lashes. I like to line my bottom ones when I go out or am looking for a more dramatic look.

6. Mally Poreless Face Defender $37: This stuff is amazing! I have to give a big THANK YOU to Erin from The City for turning me onto this product. I didn't watch the show but always thought she looked good. I came across an interview where she mentioned this product and how great it was at removing shine from your face, especially being on television all day long. I gave it a shot and now this will be a permanent fixture in my makeup bag. It has a really light silky feel to it when you put it on and makes your skin feel ultra smooth. It also does what it says and keeps the shine away! This is a must have product for me to banish the dreaded shiny face in photographs!!

7. Laura Mercier Secret Concealer $22: I really really like this concealer. It has a nice creamy consistency that blends in really well to my skin and helps cover up the stupid blemishes my skin insists on getting sometimes. It covers nicely and only takes a little bit to go a long way.

8. Juicy Couture Couture Couture Perfume $67: I know this isn't technically a makeup product but I think putting on perfume is a key aspect of getting ready. I fell in love with this scent last year and every time I came across a sample of it in a magazine I would tear it out and apply it (you know you've done it!) wishing I had the real thing. Nate gave it to me for Christmas last year in a gift kit that came with the lotion and body wash, so I can smell like it all the time! I also bought the travel size so I can have it with me wherever I go! I think perfume has to be tried on before you ever buy it, since it mixes with your natural body oils and smells different in the bottle than on your skin.

I didn't include this in my pictures but I also have a Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler that I absolutely love! I bought it this Summer to see if it was really worth all the hype I was hearing and combined with the DiorShow mascara, my eyelashes look AMAZING!

I still am on the hunt for the perfect eyeshadow, the perfect blush, and the perfect lip something. Nate won't kiss me if I am wearing lipgloss or lipstick so I am thinking I will need a lip stain that enhances my natural lip color (I'm not really one for bold lips). I have a few products on my list that I want to try out still but since there isn't a Sephora close by until we head back for Christmas, I will just have to wait a little longer on my quest. I wish these products were cheaper, I really do, but I have found you often pay for quality when it comes to cosmetics. In all my research I have discovered that cheaper products usually mean more additives mixed into the product (usually talc) and less pigmentation so you have to use more to get the same results. I would rather spend more money on a product that lasts longer and looks better and is worth it in the long run. I know it is hard to justify spending the money on makeup but these products are really worth it!

Christmas Music

One of my favorite children's movies is The Secret Garden. The whole movie has an ethereal tone and I love the setting in the English countryside, the dreamy colors, and of course the house and gardens. I love that it isn't a typical children's movie with incessant talking and over saturated images. For the most part, the viewer is left to explore the movie as the tale unfolds in relative quietness. It's a movie that I can't wait to show my little girl and hope that she comes to love it as much as I do.

How does this relate to Christmas music? During one of the scenes where Mary is passing the kitchen, a maid is singing the song Greensleeves. That slightly haunting tune has stuck with me all growing up and because of that movie, I have always loved the song "What Child Is This" come the holiday season. It's hard to find someone who accurately portrays the feeling of the song but I think Faith Hill's rendition of it is quite beautiful (which is surprising, since I do not like her music otherwise). 

I think too many people get caught up in the commercial aspect of Christmas and forget that the holiday should be spent celebrating our Savior's birth. I always tell people that I don't like Christmas music and for the most part that is true, as far as what most people classify as Christmas music. However, I can't wait until December rolls around so we can sing the Christmas hymns in church and sing about the birth of our Savior. So other than the hymns sung in church, here are a few Christmas songs that I enjoy listening to and that I feel truly exemplify the REAL meaning of Christmas. 

"What Child Is This"  Faith Hill

"O Come O Come Emmanuel"  Enya

"Carol of the Bells"  Straight No Chaser

"O Holy Night" Katherine McPhee

All this holiday music makes me wish I was decorating for the holidays!

I really want these white nutcrackers from West Elm!