The Littlest One!

I remember about nine years ago sitting in my living room with my family. We were about to have family scriptures when my parents made an announcement, "In August, we will be having someone come stay with us." We start guessing possible relatives--grandparents, our favorite cousins--but my dad shook his head and surprised us all by telling us we were going to have another sibling. We were shocked! Aaron (the youngest at the time) was about 4 or 5 years old. After seven kids, we were getting the hang of the routine: every two years or so my mom would have a baby, not five years! Needless to say, we were excited but surprised!

And so yesterday, August 30, we celebrated the ninth birthday of our surprise sister, Amelia! Amelia will always be "my little girl." I don't know what I'm going to do when she gets married, let alone starts dating!! I think I will be buying the shot gun! ;) Amelia is very much into ballet, gymnastics, fashion, and playing office with her friends. She's the definition of a little sister (you know what I mean ;) but I love her sweet nature :)

Our family birthdays have an evening routine: a dinner picked out by the birthday person, presents, and cake. Amelia chose to have my dad's famous crepes for dinner and there was no way this pregnant lady was missing out on that! Here are some pictures from the evening:

The birthday girl!

Down right silliness!

Opening her present from the Virgins...

It's fashion!!

She really wanted duck tape.

My dad pretending to have short arms. Ha!

Amelia was very proud of making her tiered birthday cake!

Make a wish!

Aaron's photo bomb.

Our fourth attempt! (Aaron really likes to photo bomb!)

"Fish Castle"

As Carl and I get out of our Jeep and walk towards the Phenix car, all I can hear is Ryan shouting, "Fish Castle! Fish Castle!" For a 2-year old boy, Pro Bass Shop does indeed look like a wooden castle with pictures of fish. For Carl and mine's Saturday outing, we decided to go to Pro Bass Shop! Carl had never been--and it is worth the drive across the river--and we thought it would be fun to invite the Phenix family to come along!

Um, can you tell I'm an obsessed aunt?? ;)

Looking spiffy!

When I asked Ryan to say, "cheese" this was his pose! Too cute!

Feeling cool on "my" camouflage sectional!

Can you see him?? ;)

The shooting range

They were a good team :)

Ben: "A woman after my own heart." Hahaha!

Mini MINI golf!

Ryan's favorite activity

He loved this thing!

Posing!

By the end, we were tired and hungry, so no group photo this time! Afterwards we went to Famous Dave's to eat. Ben and Ashley had never been before, and it is a favorite restaurant of mine! As the pregnant lady of the group, I was given the privilege to choose! If you want to get your fill of yummy BBQ, Famous Dave's is the place to go! :)

La la la la laaaaaaaaaa!

I was uplifted.
I was edified.
I was blown away.
Yes, Carl and I watched Amanda Bodine perform in a opera.

Amanda has been my good friend since high school, and she has always had the most amazing voice in the world. She recently finished her Masters degree in vocal performance and will be moving to California to sing professionally! She recently participated in her school's 2 week summer program where they performed various portions from The Marriage of Figaro. She played the Countess, of course! It was a splendid performance! The last aria she sang kept the audience clapping well into the next scene!! :) It was such a joy to come and support her and her accomplishments thus far while she was close.

I totally forgot my camera otherwise I would give you a picture of Caroline, Michael, Amanda, her wonderfully supportive husband, Barrett, Carl, and myself after the performance. You can listen to some Mozart today instead ;)

Cheesecake, anyone?

Ah, cheesecake. It's hard to believe that as a youngster I did not enjoy this delectable dessert. Well, it goes to show that you mature with age ;) National Cheesecake Day is a day not taken lightly in the Day household. Cheesecake Factory inspirationally honors this day too by selling half-priced cheesecakes! My parents have gone for awhile now while this only marks mine and Carl's second year.

We met my family at the Factory really late, like 9:00! Come on, that's really late for me to be out! ;) It was a lovely outing of yummy cheesecake and the Olympics!

Devouring!!

She loved her so much, she kissed it!

Savin' some for later!

Aaron was the only one to finish his cheesecake! And then he went after Carl's...

That's where it's at!

Happy but tired!
(I sure made my baby happy tonight with some cheesecake!)

This one's for you!

On July 20, 2012, my best friend Caitlin Andersen was married to her love, Neil Olsen. I was not able to attend their wedding in Utah, but they came to Kentucky to have a reception with her family! I was totally there, of course! ;) It was so good to get to know Neil because I had never met him. I know, unacceptable for a best friend to not sign off her best friend's husband. However, no sign off was needed because Caitlin and Neil are perfect for each other!! Carl and I were able to spend a lot of time with them during their short stay in Kentucky. We wish so bad that we could live closer to each other. You know when you're married it's hard to find those other couples that match up to both spouses. When you met them, you got to stay together! :)

Caitlin has been my friend since her sophomore year of high school. Erin, Caitlin, and I have been a force to be reckoned with ever since then! :) It's so crazy how we were inseparable (distance-wise) during our teenage years and have each gone our separate ways in adulthood--Erin in Thailand, Caitlin in Utah, and myself in Kentucky. Yet, we have been staying in touch. I hope to always keep these girls in my life :)

BEST FRIENDS! :)
Isn't she beautiful??

Awkward hands!

We love them!

The Virgin Book of Life, Chapter 4

June 28, 2012
I've been waiting to write this post for about a month now. Carl and I are so so pleased that we will be having a baby!!!! Yesterday was my very first doctor's appointment, and we found out I am about 9 weeks along with the baby being due January 28, 2013. Yup, a day before Carl's birthday! He was ecstatic when I told him :) We know the baby will be born around that time, but it's still close to his birthday. It's still weird to think I'm pregnant though. I obviously don't have a bump, and I feel icky throughout the day. I don't think I've made Carl dinner for the past month! I know this part will be worth it in the end, but we're already excited for the new year to say the least!

June 30, 2012
When you're pregnant you tend to be... well, a lot of things. During this first trimester, I'm good about eating (it helps me from throwing up!) but I'm super picky now about what "sounds good." Ashley invited Carl & I for some pizza the other night, and I ended up not being in the mood for it. I texted my dad that I could really go for some of his strawberry crepes, and told Ashley as well. Next thing I know, Ashley is presenting me with a plate of crepes!!! I about cried! I hadn't asked her to make them, but she did! Even though we both have our own families, she still plays the role of my big sister and takes care of me. I am so blessed to be near family and to have my loving husband during this, er, uncomfortable time in my life!

July 7, 2012
It's been one of those emotional weekends... *sigh* Oh, pregnant hormones, please leave me alone for one day!! ONE DAY!! Ah well, it'll all be worth it in the end... Right??
Lately I've been thinking about the husband's role in pregnancy. In movies (and it seems like in real life too), the husbands take the brunt of this crazy nine month stint. The woman tends to belittle him, thinks he doesn't understand, yells at him... So where in the world do women get the right to say their husband is not part of this pregnancy?? Men seriously go through a rough time as well! No, they don't have a person growing in their stomach. No, they don't have to deal with nausea and other weird bodily aches and pains. And no, they don't have the internal emotional roller coaster. BUT they have to deal with us. And they have to be nice about it. I say they do not get enough credit in the pregnancy. They coddle us and remind us why we are growing this beautiful baby. They hold our hair back as we once again visit the white porcelain of death, rub various parts of our body, or bring us food 24/7. And they have to deal with the crap we put them through. (That's probably the biggest one!) So I say to you, my fellow friends, treat your man RIGHT during pregnancy!! :) :)
I love you, Carl. 

July 14, 2012
We have returned (alive!) from Youth Conference!! We had a wonderful time and loved our role as "Maja and Faja Virgin." Yes, it must be said in an accent. Because of my on and off days, I was really worried about preforming my duties well for that weekend. The night before, I tearfully asked Carl for a blessing. I believed in the blessing for the duration of the conference, and all was well!! I (usually) had enough energy to make it through the day and night, and I was pleasant and (hopefully) fun with our group. We also had a stellar group which made our time there even better. I'm so grateful that we have the power of the priesthood and more importantly that my husband is instantaneously ready to invoke that gift. I know I'll need blessings more than ever for the next while!

July 16, 2012
BEST DAY EVER!! :) We had our first ultra sound today!! We got to our appointment a little early (they kind of said to be), but then it took forever for our name to be called. Carl was using his lunch break to come see our little one, so we were both starting to get anxious and--honestly--aggravated that we had to wait so long. Those feelings did a 180 as we saw our baby on the screen for the first time. Oh, what a moment! Carl grabbed my arm and we were both smiling so big. Our baby is really in there! We think it's the most perfect baby in the world ;)
When they measured the baby, they thought perhaps the due date should be pushed back a week. I guess the baby was smaller than it should be for our January 28 due date. Later when I talked to my doctor, she chose to keep our original due date because I was so sure about my last period date. January 28, you better come fast! ;)

July 29, 2012
14 weeks today! Woot woot! Can I officially say I am in my second trimester now? I'm going to simply because that "means" my nausea will start to decrease ;) This summer has been SO hot and SO dry, and I am SO done with it haha! Carl and I are praying for fall to come soon! I know, we still have at least another month, but we can dream, right? We're both doing well though I still have my little emotional bouts every now and then. What pregnancy would be normal without those? I'm sure Carl will be happy when my normal emotions return ;)

My Favorite Kind of Music

I think the first concert I ever attended was a Rascal Flatts concert at Freedom Hall with Ashley and her friend, Erin. Boy, was I in for a treat! True, we had seats that required binoculars, but they put on a spectacular show! I loved their music before that night, but ever since then Rascal Flatts has been my favorite music group.

Their newest CD, Changed, was released a couple months ago in April and unfortunately has not been in my recent purchases. (When you're married, you got to pick and choose those things you used to impulsively buy :/ ) One of their new songs has been circulating on the radio recently, and every time it comes on I blare it. The funny thing is that I can't relate to it anymore because my love is not broken. (It's eternal, in fact! :) Then why do I still love it?? Because of the #1 reason I love Rascal Flatts: they sing with such passion!! You can't help but to get chills when you listen to his beautiful voice!

Take a listen for yourself :)