Nursery, atlast

My Bedding for the crib and nursery finally came a couple days ago, so I have been busy trying to finally put everything together. Mike even helped with the "decorating", and putting everything together. Man...kids are EXPENSIVE!!! I can't believe all the $$$ we have spent, and there are still a few things we would like to get. Now, these are WANTS, and not NEEDS....so we'll probably just have to make due without them. I really wanted to get a nice, plush rocker from Ashley furniture, and we also wanted to buy a video camera. But I think for now, these things will have to wait. You know, seeing as we have no more money. That kind of puts a damper on buying, well......anything. Oh, the joys of parenthood.

Anyway, here are some updated pics of the almost completed baby room.

This is just a "general overview". Mike hung up the cars and trucks on the wall. He was VERY excited about the way he positioned them....so I think they are just going to have to stay like that. :)

a view from inside the crib

A friend of mine from my Ward made this for me, and it just happened to match what we had already bought. Mike hung this up too.

And this is the baby swing Mike's family bought for us. Mike was WAY excited to get this, because he said "you can just leave the baby in there for HOURS, and they LIKE it!" We'll see about this. But it is very nice. Thanks Romers!! :)

Thats about it for now. I have to go to work :( Maybe I'll post more tomorrow about all the "other" changes going on around our household. Lots and lots of changes these days.

I'm it???

I guess I was tagged...so just doing my official blogging duties. thanks Rach.

Jobs

• McDonalds Drive-thru gal


• Claimjumper Waitress


• Jolly Jacs fireworks (STILL my all-time favorite job ever)


• Manual labor grunt for the City of Evanston, mowing and wacking weeds and picking up garbage. (STILL my least favorite job ever)


• Secretary for the Urban Renewal Agency in Evanston


• Medical Laboratory Technicial - Ogden Clinic, Ogden Utah


• Medical Technologist - ARUP, Salt Lake City


• Medical Technologist/Blood Bank Specialist - Sun Health, Phoenix AZ

Weekend Getaways

• Flagstaff for camping
• St. George
• Or just to Sam's club to get a hot dog and an ice cream.

Movies

• Pretty much anything with a happy ending
• Nothing Scary or bloody or violent
• no rated "R"s

Where I have lived

• Evanston, WY
• Roy, UT
• Ogden, UT
• South Ogden, UT
• Bountiful, UT
• Phoenix, AZ

Vacations

• Las Vegas and California lots of times
• Portland
• San Antonio, TX
• Mexico - Cabo San Lucas, Cozumel
• Belize
• Haiti
• Honduras - (Actually the Roatan Islands off the coast of Honduras)
• Grand Cayman Island
• Puerto Rico
• St. Thomas
• Jamaica
• Florida
• the Bahamas
• Spain - Alicante and Valencia
• Hopefully all over Europe when Mike is finished with School. Atleast thats MY plan. :)

Foods

• Anything my mom cooks - especially spaghetti and chicken bundles.
• Anything as long as I didn't cook it.
• but NO: beans, or tomatoes. YUCK!

If in a "jam" with my spouse, tactics used to get out of the dog house:

1. apologize
2. give him a hug
3. do the "booty dance"
4. repeat if necessary

Ha Ha. just kidding. We don't fight too much. Usually a simple I'm sorry, I won't do it again, will suffice.

Websites:

• Blogs
• www.postsecret.com
• www.people.com
• all digi scrapbooking sites and stores
• potterybarn
• and most recently, anything having to do with "meal planning". I need all the help I can get.

I'd rather be: NOT at work, which is where I am right now. Home with Mike getting a back rub and a foot rub. And skinny again, and shopping for new clothes at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale.

Next to be tagged:

No one!! Let this little blog tradition die with me! Yes!!!!

Only because you asked so nicely

alright, alright. So, I know its been awhile. Rachel called me from work to politely remind me I haven't posted for a LOOOONG time, and what was she suppossed to do at work if I had no new blog entries for her to read? So, because you asked so nicely...I have a few new things.

First of all, thanks to EVERYONE who planned (rachel and mom) and came to my baby shower. It was really fun, and so nice to see everyone. It really meant a lot to me. I think this baby is definitely now well-equipped. Now, I don't know how well equipped the PARENTS are to take care of the baby, be he certainly has all the supplies he needs. Thanks again!!! :) I know rachel already posted this picture, but as far as unflattering pregnancy pictures go, this one's not too bad. So, I figured I would post it on my own blog too.

Now, to some of the fun things. Atleast I think they are fun. I bought my stroller and car seat. You should have seen me and Mike at Babies R Us trying to figure out which one to get. Talk about hilarious! We had no idea what to look for. I was getting really frustrated because I kept trying to push them around the store, and they wouldn't move very well. I was thinking..."All this modern technology, and they still can't invent a stroller that is easy to push?"

I looked over at Mike and he was really laughing hard, because I was so frustrated. He gave me a big hug, and then reminded me that I have to FIRST.....unlock the wheels. :)

Yes...I have a lot of learning to do. Thankfully Mike can help me.

Anyway, After UNLOCKING all the wheels, the strollers were much easier to push around. We decided on the new Chicco Trevi stroller and car seat. I couldn't wait to come home and put it all together. So, this is what they look like.

The car seat attaches to the stroller to make a "travel system". It just snaps on and off, and is really quick and easy.

So, those were my big purchases for the week. I was really tempted to try and put Marlee in the stroller and push her around the neighborhood, just for fun. But, I decided I wouldn't be able to get her into it without a struggle, and it just wasn't worth it. But I like to push it around the house, and Marlee just follows me around while I push it. I think she'll be a good companion for walks when the baby comes.

And last but not least....A Baby picture! I sweet friend Janeal gave me a 3D ultrasound last Thursday while I was in Utah. The pics turned out really well. I am amazed at how much detail they can get now. He kept opening and closing his mouth and sticking out his tongue. So that was kind of funny. Rachel thinks he has my nose. I think he's still kind of squished in there, so its too early to tell. But only a couple of months and we'll find out. So, here's his cute little face.

He kept his hand covering his face most of the time, but moved it a little for this picture. Although SOME people were expecting him to be "prettier" :) I,ofcourse, think he is cute just the way he is. :)

In with the new and out with the.....baby?

As promised, some more pics of what has been going on around our house this week:

This is the future baby room. It used to be our home office. We have spent a LOT of time getting it all cleaned out. Now, all our office stuff is condensed Here...


This is now our "office Nook". It was quite a challenge condensing a whole office into a 4 foot nook. We had to be creative. Hence, our next inventive solution.



This is our umm....."night stand." Alright, when we got rid of our big desk in the office (DI picked it up Friday), we needed a place to store our paper work. So, we bought a filing cabinet at Sams Club, and it is doubling as a night stand. :) I was pretty proud of myself for coming up with that one. And, we actually DOUBLED our storage space, because the old desk only had one drawer for filing. This obviously has two. And I think it passes for a night stand quite nicely. Hey...when you don't have a lot of room, you have to be creative.

Next, we decided to go to Ikea and buy shelves (which we used for the new office nook) But Ikea is definitely one of those places, like Sams, Costco, Lowe's...etc, where you can walk in wanting one thing, and walk out spending tons of money on everything you never new you needed. We didn't do too badly. We bought a welcome mat, the shelves, and these:


They aren't too exciting...just curtains. but they do look better in person. Mike thinks we should have gone a little darker, for more contrast. But I reminded him that "all the design books I've read say bedrooms should be light and airy." :)

Alright, that was kind of an inside joke. When Mike and I helped my mom paint their master bedroom in Wyoming, my dad didn't like the color. He thought it was too dark, and justified his feelings with the statement above. It still cracks me up.

Okay...now one more new thing. The end of the summer is actually a PERFECT time to buy one of these, because they are all on sale. Funny, because the end of the summer is when you can actually start USING one again. But since Arizona seasons are opposite of everywhere else, we got a steal of a deal on a new patio set. And by next month, the weather will be perfect to sit outside in the evenings. So excited for this.

So, there you go! All the exciting new updates to our home.

I also had a baby shower today that some friends of mine hosted here in AZ. It was really fun, and we had a great turn out. Rachel requested pictures of all the presents...but there are just too many. I think this child is starting to be really well equipped. It was fun to get together with all the girls and talk about baby things. Its starting to make me more excited. Its hard sometimes being away from home, and away from family. But all the people who showed up today reminded me that I made a lot of good friends here, from work and church, and Mike's school. So, I am very lucky.

All things new

Well, its official! I have a new CAR!!!!! I love, love, love it. We got the 2007 Toyota RAV 4 Sport edition. Its a V6, and has 4 wheel drive. and umm....did I mention that I love it? :) I don't have much time to post more right now. But more will come later, for sure. I also took pics of all the other new things going on at the Romer household, which I will post tonight. But for now, here is a sneak peak!

just a minor freak out....don't panic

Well, I looked at my blog today, and noticed my ticker on the top said I had 78 days to go until my due date. I don't know why, but for some reason, that just makes it feel so much more sooner than 80 days, or even 82 days. And then I realized tomorrow I will be 29 weeks, and that is PRACTICALLY 30 weeks, and that just sounds so.....soon! Just having a minor freak out, and realizing that yes, I infact am going to be in charge of an actual person soon. Just feeling a little overwhelmed.

On a side note, (and a less scary one) Hopefully we will be getting a car tomorrow. Mike is going to the auction here, and there are about 8 - 2007 Toyota Rav 4s. We are going to try and get the red one, which is the only V6. I've never had a red car before, so that would be kind of fun. Anyway...with that many options we should be able to get SOMETHING. So hopefully tomorrow I will be able to take pics of the new things I have bought for my house, AND my new car. woohoo! Cross your Fingers!

Guys are Funny!

Just a funny conversation I had with Mike the other night at Walmart.

Mike: Hey, while we're here....do you think we should buy a pack of diapers?

Me: Well, OK. If you want to

Mike: Well, people say you should stock up, so maybe we should.

Me: OK...what ones do you want?

Mike: I don't care...you choose

Me: (Grabbing a large pack of Pampers size 1 (8-14 pounds) "These are suppossed to be good."

Mike: Woah! You are getting the HUGE pack???? We don't need THAT many. Won't he outgrow them before we use them up?

Me: I'm pretty sure we'll use them up.

Mike: Well, OK...but save the receipt just in case he doesn't use them. Then we can take them back.

Me: Whatever you say dear. :)


I just thought it was funny. I'm pretty sure we will use that pack of diapers up in less than a week. Infact, I think we could buy 8 packs of 88 diapers and STILL be good before he's 14 pounds. So, ofcourse I had to call and check with my mom. And she reassured me that one pack of diapers will DEFINITELY be used. :)

We have been gearing up our house this week. Some friends of mine are throwing me a baby shower here on Saturday. And I am pretty excited. I have been really tempted to "cheat", and look at my babies r us registry to see if anyone has bought us anything! We'll see if I can hold out, but probably not. I'll take pictures of the shower to post later. I think it should be really fun, and I am getting excited! I made Mike go out with me to buy some new curtains, shelves, a welcome mat, etc. for the house. It's a perfect excuse since "people are coming over." :) And so far Mike has gone along with it. We even bought a new patio table and umbrella. I might try to sneak to linens 'n things tomorrow to buy some new bedding...but only if I can get out the door wihtout my husband finding out where I am going. I think that is where he will draw the line. But its worth a shot.

Not much is happening here in the Romer Family. Mike finally made it back from his rotation in Panguitch....Barely. He was driving home last Thursday when he called me at work around 5:00 and said his car had broken down about an hour outside of Flagstaff. (Flagstaff is about 2 hours north of Phoenix). So I had to call a tow truck to go get him, haul him to Flag, drop his car off at a subaru dealer and find a cheap, crappy hotel for the night. I was glad he was OK, but so disappointed I was going to have to wait one more day to see him!

Well, turns out it was his oxygen sensor, or airflow sensor....whatever that is. BUT the subaru dealer didn't have the part. So I spent my day off on Friday driving to Scottsdale to pick up a part, then driving it another 2 hours to the dealership so they could fix his car. THEN driving another 3.5 hours home. There was construction about 20 miles north of our house, and we were caught on the freeway an extra hour and a half. Whew! what a weekend.

We have been looking at selling Mike's car and getting something a little bigger for me when the baby comes. After this whole experience, I am insisting on getting a NEW car, that is not going to break down, and has a WARRANTY!!! I really want one of THESE.
I will be in Utah the weekend of Aug 17th, and I am trying to talk my husband into letting me buy one while I am there, because the sales tax is less in Utah than in Phoenix. and I ALMOST have him convinced. So we'll see.

On the baby front, I have decided that I am ready to be skinny again. I know, I know, I still have almost 3 months to go....but for crying out loud....I just want to put on a pair of nice jeans that FIT! My baby ticker at the top of the blog reminded me though that there is less than 90 days to go. SCARY!! I think me and Mike are swithing roles a little bit now. Now HE is the one who is excited and I am the one who is freaking out. I think I might go to one of those 4D ultrasound places in the next couple of weeks, just for fun. I think they are so cool!

We still haven't picked out a name. Mike is still set on Andre. I have no idea why. I hate it. The other names we have thought of are Cole (liking this one less and less) and Ty (liking this one more and more). But there isn't anything that I have thought "aha! that's the one." Maybe when he's here, it will be easier.

And just for fun, a couple pics from Bear Lake.

This is Mike on the wakeboard. I think he just didn't want me to ride on the wakeboard because I can get WAY higher than him. :)

Me and Rachel on the tube going about 5 mph. I know, not a very flattering picture of myself but hey, atleast we were having fun.

And last but not least, ADAM.....what a charachter.