secret get-aways

{Oh my gosh Jessica, where have you been? I have been following your blog, and then one day you just became MIA!?!?!?!?!}

Oh, hi! Well, long story short. I was going through a mini life crisis and I just needed some time to work things out. 

but here's some things I've learned:

dont compare.  life isn't always fair. #rhymingmuch 

try to do good things for others even when you get slapped and fall on your face
following the commandments of God is always better than "feeling good"

when life gives you lemons....like multiple days in a row...and the lemonade only comes in small bits, its still ok, the Lord knows what He is doing. 

being grateful is easy when the "trial" is over, but its super hard in the middle of it, but it still yields the same results...a new perspective, greater happiness, moving closer to the Lord, so we must all use our mind muscles to be grateful even when things are hard.

{Wow, you sure did learn a lot. What in the world happened?}

Um....don't worry about it. I wouldnt want to bore you, nate heard about it, the Lord heard about it, and now we're on to happier things.

{Ok, so what have you been doing these past few weeks?}

Well...after I got unsick, I started preparing for a most wonderful weekend!

{No way, like a secret get-away?}

YES! Nate is amazing, and planned a "baby moon" for us. He set everything up. Like, his brother, sister-in-law and other sister drove out 8 hours to babysit for us while we went to a secret get-away in the mountains. I didn't find out where we were going until we left! #natelovessurprisingme

{Wow, nate is amazing, and your trip sounds awesome! Did you have like the most amazing views?}

well...um....nate did a great job of planning, but little did we know that it would rain and snow the whole time. 

But whatevah!  we had a great time relaxing and just being together! It was nice to have a break from mom life for 48 hours, and not have a time schedule or anything. Like, we just played games together (I might or might not have won almost all of them, but hey...nate has been winning almost every game we've play for our married lives, so I deserve a break too right? #amazinghusbandproblems)

#stillinlove

Then we went up into Rocky Mountain National Park and saw like a million elk right out our window!

seriously, I've never seen so many elk at once!

Then we saw a fun little play #weareplayjunkies

And the last morning we sat in a quiet cafe playing dominion next to a beautiful river. It was picturesque

{Sounds so fun! Did you miss Eli so much? Have you ever been away that long?}

I did miss him. But I did all i could not to think about him so I wouldnt miss him too much. I am a very attached mom, and I like wrote out this 3 page instruction thing to give to my in-laws of how to take care of Eli #crazymommoment   i realized later that I was just worried that he wouldnt be happy...but he was. He is like the sweetest boy ever.

{So, I know you've done other things too! How was mother's day?}

Awesome. I got this amazing flower bouquet that will never die #elimadeit
and nate prepared for months for an amazing mountain get-away

I talked to my brother on his mission via google chat

Did you know he's coming home a week before my due date??? craziness!!!

also skyped with my in-laws

made blonde brownies #inhonorofmygrandmaonmothersday

{WHOA! You, Jessica, made treats?? I thought you were all into healthiness}

Well, preg-jess has crazy crazy cravings. You know, like can't handle them cravings, and I recently can actually eat amazing things like cookie dough, cupcakes, and blonde brownies. So i caved in and bough white flour. I added it up and havent bought white flour in 10 years!!! Yep...and so now I've made something like every other day. So I might get rid of the flour and sugar and stick to going to a bakery to buy one muffin instead of being at home and making 20 and eating them all.

{I bet your life is getting so exciting now! you are how far along?}

Well, who's counting? but I am basically 34 weeks...which means if this baby comes when Eli did (9 days early), he'll be here in 5 weeks!!!! #yay #eeeek #both??

{Are you dying of excitement??}

YES!!!!! i can't wait to meet him. I am basically ready for him to come!

{other fun and exciting things, i'm sure...}

Check out what my waddling has brought me to! #awesomeforpregosmuch

and chasing eli is getting harder

but he is getting much cuter! and is now eating with a spoon! hooray, that doubles the foods I can give him!!! #momexcitements

but i still workout daily #smilenotsmile #herestobeingreal #whoknowswhyimadethatface

and i have this awesome new stroller to be so excited for

(to answer questions i know you are asking. yes, this is a City Select Double Stroller. Yes, it has a car seat attachment, yes we have another seat that attaches so it can seat two kids "stadium seating". Yes, I use it as a single stroller right now. Yes, it is smaller and more compact than my other single strollers. Yes, it is the best stroller in the world. Yes, I did get it for a screaming deal! Everything we got was worth $880 and we got it for $350. Yes, it is worth every penny!! Yes, it will last through the millennium and I wont have to buy another stroller ever! #itsoktobejealous #itsthatamazing #noididnotwastemymoney)
check out the crazy awesome configurations here

{Wow, that was a million pictures....but it sounds like its a wonderful life #oldtimemoviesmuch}

Yes it is. And as I said earlier, I am learning to be grateful!

I am excited for the next 5 weeks, and more excited to bring another sweet spirit into our family.

{Wait, don't you have a ton of blogging to catch up on? like the Part III to overcoming celiac disease, and I hear you are going to do a natural child birth...do you want to die of pain? Also, you've been in CO a year now! and I know you are this crazy researcher about basically everything, are you going to give us an update on your newest findings??}

whoa, whoa. Hold on. yes, I do have lots of blogging to do, but i also have a life to catch up on...with unpacking and such, i have a loooooooot to do....but stay tuned for all of those future blogs!