The Bargain Table!

Since we have lived here we have been borrowing our good friend Bethany's table and chairs. We needed to save up some money and figure out what we even wanted to buy so she was kind enough to lend us hers. Well, last fall when we went shopping for couches (because we were also borrowing Bethany's couches she is so great!) we found this great table. It is counter height and has this cool leaf that folds down into the middle of the table so you do not have to store the leaf anywhere and the table can seat 8. It was more than we wanted to spend so we decided to keep using Bethany's stuff until she came home to Greeley from Egypt in June. Well, it turns out that the principal from my school this year is moving with her family down to Guatemala to teach for the next 2 years and was selling lots of their stuff for super great prices. So we went to look at their table a few weeks ago and it was the exact one that we wanted!! When we were looking at it in the store it was over 600 dollars for the table and 6 chairs. We got the table and 6 chairs from my principal for 250 dollars. We are really glad that we waited to buy something. We were amazed at how much stores charge for each chair. Since we are about to have kids we didn't want anything too fancy and I really like the counter height tables. Next we need to buy some stuff for Jared and his siblings to follow. We are hoping we can find some great deals on Craigslist.

Carrying on the Spencer Family tradition...

So we went to our ultrasound appointment today and found out that we will be meeting Jared this October! We went into the technicians office and the first picture that came up on the screen was Jared announcing who he was and very clearly too! Mark had guessed a boy and I was going with a girl I think mostly just because I really like the name Lydia Grace and because all of Mark's siblings who have had children have all had boys first so I wanted to be the first to have a girl first but the Spencer tradition is a strong one! So good work to all those who guessed it was Jared. We are super excited to know!

JARED!

Its so fun to see him!

It appears that Jared is one cooperative and healthy little boy. The technician was a very nice lady and she really liked Jared for making her job so easy. She got all of the pictures that she needed right away and spent a lot of time making sure we saw all that we wanted to see. From the ultrasound Jared is developing just right. It was so awesome to see his little heartbeat (a good looking 4 chamber heart) and I loved seeing his little feet (not club whatever that is, the technician said that was good). We even got to see pictures of his brain! It was so cool. Right after we saw that it was Jared he held up one little finger saying he was number 1! So cute! Its amazing to me all the things that the technician could point out so easily and I am so grateful that this technology is available so we could see that Jared is doing really well. What a relief. Now we just have to wait until October!

Here he is number 1!

A Sudden Realization

Yesterday Mark and I went out to breakfast to celebrate the end of the school year. As we were waiting for our food to arrive I suddenly realized that more than likely I would not work full time again outside of our home for the next 12-13 years and even if I did work after the next 12 years it would be part time at least for awhile! I have been working somewhere full or part time since I was 15 almost 16 years old, 10 years now. It all started at Sutter Movie theater in Yuba City, California and continued through Idaho, Utah, Egypt, and Colorado. It would be cool to figure out how much money I made through the past decade but I do not like math so there is no way I am going to try to figure that one out.
The other realization I made was that, since Mark and I didn't have amazing salaries this past year here in Colorado, next fall when I am not working his salary alone will be more than what we made the past 10 months combined this year. Its really nice to know that when I am not working we will not be making less money. Its nice because it makes it easier to know that me staying home will not bring a huge salary decrease. We will make more! And fortunately, since we have not been making a lot of money we do not have an extravagant lifestyle so we won't all of a sudden have all these financial worries. I understand that there will be lots of other worries and that life will become more expensive but the nice thing is that salaries do increase over time (albeit very slowly for teachers). We will never be rich but we will be okay!
I am really looking forward to staying home with our kids. I know there will be days when I will want to be amongst other adults and maybe out working or just being stimulated somewhere but overall I think I am totally getting the better deal. My Mom was able to stay home with us kids for about 13 years and she always tells me how happy she was that she got to stay home with us. She started working when I was old enough to go to school since I was the youngest. Mark and I figure that we want to have 3 kids, somewhere around 2 years apart so 3 times 2 = 6, then add at least 6 years to that last kid who is born and there you go, 12 years! I think when I do go back to work I would like to work at a school somewhere so I have a similar schedule to our kids. Who knows how everything will work out but it is strange to think that I will not be going back to work this fall at a school or anywhere else.
We really are looking forward to this next phase of our life challenges/adjustments and all! Mark and I have had a lot of time to enjoy each other and just be with each other, almost 5 years, its been so nice! We have gotten to do so much and really just be together, the two of us so we really are excited for this October and all the subsequent ones too!

Taking a Poll and the last day of school!

As most of you are aware (because I write about it all the time) we find out on the 26th who is coming this October. I put a poll on the side of our blog and would love for people to guess. I am really not showing a whole lot but if you scroll down there is a picture of me from Mother's Day weekend. People at school have asked all kinds of questions about my eating habits and how I feel and none of my answers seem to make people think its one or the other.
AND today was the last day of school! Hooray!! As I finished my lunch duty with the 5th graders today I walked back into the building and just wanted to shout out to everyone that I never had to do lunch duty with those kids again, it was such a great feeling. I do have school tomorrow but there are no students so I will just be helping people pack up their classrooms and organizing stuff in the office. I hope there are enough things to keep my busy so the day goes by fast. My principal checked me out of my room today so I am in the clear! Its been a decent job but I repeat, I am so excited I do not have to see those 5th graders again.

18 weeks and 3 days!

Today I had another doctor's appointment and everything is going really well. My blood pressure and weight gain are on target and the baby is moving around although I have yet to feel it. What a relief! I had no reason to think there were any problems but I love going and being told by a medical professional that everything looks good and to get to hear our baby's heartbeat. Today Mark actually got to come with me because I got an appointment after 3:00 so he got to hear the heartbeat for the first time so he was very excited. It's just so reassuring to go and next week, a week from today we find out who is coming! Hooray!
In other news, last week my school threw a baby shower for me and one other teacher which was really super nice of them! So I got all kinds of fun things, all very neutral.

This week is also the last week of school so that is really exciting too. I have been thinking about the job that I have had this year and decided that it really has been a decent job. The last month really ruined the year for me because I had those rotten 5th graders. If I had not had to teach a class to them I would be fine with going to school for another 2-3 weeks! I am so happy I do not have to teach them anymore. What pains! So this week I am teaching my 3rd graders and working with the preschoolers and packing up the room. Its been nice. I do love organizing things.
Mark is still applying for any history job that comes up. He does have an interview tomorrow at a high school in Fort Collins which is a really good school district which also makes it a very competitive one so while we are happy he has the interview I am tyring to not get my hopes up too high. Please think good thoughts for us! A middle school job was also posted today in Fort Collins and Mark was reading about the school and principal and the principal graduated from.... Brigham Young Univeristy. Which doesn't have to mean anything but it would be great if it did! So that is a little update about us. Life is treating us really well!

Short or Long?

It is that time again. I need to get my haircut. I am taking a quick poll to see if I should go and get my hair trimmed like an inch or get it cut short again, like to my jaw line. I have attached a couple of pictures to help you help me decide. Please let me know what you think as Mark and I are quite indecisive.
For most of the time we were in Egypt I had short hair but as we were leaving Egypt I decided I really wanted to let my hair grow out so I have been since we have been home but I think I might be ready for a change. Now, some people would say summer is coming up so go short because of the heat but long hair in the summer has never bothered me because I am used to having it longish so thats not really a factor. And other people say the older you get the harder it is to grow your hair out so keep it long while you can but I am not too worried about that. So, please let me know what you think! Keep in mind I am a really low maintenance hair person so its not like I would be really styling it if it was short or long. THANKS!!

Short as I would go and would move the part over to the side, Summer 2007
(With my lovely sisters, Katie and Susanna)



Today!

This is what I looked like when we got engaged, (2004) so I told Mark he fell in love with me with longer hair but he says he still loves me either way, what a relief! I can't seem to find any pictures where I had longer hair so maybe it doesn't grow longer. Who knows?

Happy Mother's Day!

Mark has made my first Mother's Day great! He took me out to Cracker Barrel for breakfast yesterday which is like the best place to go for breakfast and I love going out to breakfast so that was fun and he got me the movie "Newsies" which is like my all time favorite movie and I have wanted it and looked for it for like the last 15 years and never been able to find it so that was really exciting too. (It was a great deal too like 9 dollars!) He also threw is some Gerber Daises and Ballons. Its so fun! I am excited to have another holiday to celebrate and can't wait to celebrate Father's Day for Mark. I know he will be an amazing father!

Speaking of amazing people, my Mom is such an amazing person! She is the most generous and forgiving person. She always works so hard to make sure that everyone in her family is taken care of. My Mom helped instill in me a strong sense of self-worth and I appreciate that so much, she can always make me feel good about myself. I know that my Mom has a strong testimony of the Gospel and has always been an excellent example of showing the love of the Savior for others. I am the youngest of 5 children and once I was old enough to go to school she started teaching full time. Now that I have worked in an elementary school the last 3 1/2 years and seen all the extra work teachers do and all the junk they put up with it amazes me all the stuff my Mom did for us and the kids in her classes. She is a very creative person and an amazing teacher.
I know that there are many things I have gained and learned from my Mom over the years, here are just a few:
1. Patience
2. How to be a good Listener
3. Forgiveness
4. A huge love of holidays
5. Generousity

I am so thankful that my Mom loves me so much and took such good care of me!

And here is a pictue of me taken today after church, just past 17 weeks! I am feeling fine and just starting to show. I am even starting to like food again! I wore this dres on purpose because you can see a bump forming. Although I had sweater on at church so you couldn't really tell. I am still aprehensive about telling the whole world. My next appointment is on the 18th and then on the 26th we find out if its Jared or Lydia coming. You can't really tell in my regular clothes yet but give it another week or two and then all will know. I hope everything is going well!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Swimming

We moved into our apartment last August and have yet to use the swimming pool. Last Fall they covered it up when the weather got less summer like and then last week they uncovered it! This made me really excited because I think that I will be really into swimming as my mode of exercise in my current state and as you can see it is very conveniently located to our apartment. (This picture was taken from our balcony on the second floor). I could be swimming and if I forgot something I could call up to Mark and he could toss it to me!
The one dilemma, its green and full of gunk! I understand completely that they will treat it and all will be good I am just really excited for them to get to it. This might be the first time in my life I am looking forward to warmer weather! We should get to the 80's this week!
I also just think the green grass is really pretty too. Hooray for seasons!

Popcorn, KIX cereal and Macaroni and Cheese

I have never been one of those people who could say that they love to eat. I enjoy eating and do it on a very regular basis but it has never been my thing. I am now looking forward to the day that I even want to eat. I figured that once I was through with my first trimester I would be all about eating. Wrong. No food except popcorn, KIX cereal and Macaroni and cheese even sound good to me. It is not because I am nauseous or feel sick, I feel fine food is just really unappealing to me. We went out to ice cream today and I wasn't even that excited. (Talk about weird! Although going to ice cream was fun because we met up with our friend Whitney from Cairo who happened to be in Denver for a wedding!) I am finding this very frustrating.
I am a very organized person and every week Mark and I plan out all our dinners and make our grocery list so we have everything we need and do not have to play the "what's for dinner game" (pretty much the most annoying game ever) every night. Now we make our list and nothing sounds good. Then when the night comes and we make the food I have to force myself to eat it.
This also leads to another food problem. I am trying really hard to eat extra healthy food but it sounds so gross to me! I actually feel fine until I try to eat a salad or something good for me. Then I start gagging, never fun. So then not only is eating not fun but I feel bad because I do not eat the proper amount of fruit, grain, dairy, vegetable or any other food group I am supposed to eat so much of. Do these food poeple really think their new and improved pyramid is a realistic way to eat?? I personally do not.
Now I am not going to feel all guilty and think I am a terrible person or that I will be an awful mom because that is silly and I know that I am not that only person who has felt this way. I just want to want to eat again! If anyone has some really amazing recipes please send them my way, maybe I just need some new ideas?
In other news, Mark has been applying to jobs all over the place. (Well, Colorado mostly then Wyoming and Idaho) He saw 8 postings and applied to them just today. One job in Idaho Falls has been filled (not by Mark) so those chances are getting smaller. But there were 3 in Fort Collins, 1 more in Evanston (our first choice weird huh?) and like 4 in Colorado Springs. We are excited to see history jobs being posted. Last week the school he has been working at had a department meeting about teaches needed for next year and there was a mysterious "teacher x" so it appears they do need a teacher there and the department really likes Mark (who wouldn't) so at least he has a foot in there. Believe me as soon as we know anything we will be posting where we will be going! I cannot wait for the end of May and to like food again!!