July 21, 2011

Embrace the Camera - July 21

I know it seems silly,
but people can finally tell that I am pregnant. The baby bump is showing!
For the 4th and 5th month, I really just felt chubby or large and that is certainly how I felt. 
Feeling her moving around finally makes me feel pregnant too.

On our trip to the beach in June, I got a pic of me and my 'baby girl' standing in the sand.
Our first picture on the beach. Just me and baby bump. I can't wait to take her there next year :)

We can barely see my feet :)

How do you Embrace the Camera? Link up with Em here!


July 19, 2011

25 Weeks Prego... Pick a Name Already!!

I am now 25 weeks along!
Yay!! This means we only have 15 weeks left to go before we can meet our baby girl.
Now... To pick a name...

We have developed quite a long list of names in the past few months and we have tried narrowing it down, but this task is much harder than I expected. There are so many names that we like and it is so hard to choose a name that baby girl will live with forever. What if we choose the wrong name? Ugh, so much pressure.

Here is a sampling of what we are currently thinking, I know it's a lot, most of these are just names we have heard and liked. We really need to sit down and narrow this list down a bit.
(Warning... it is a wide range)

Karlee
MacKenna
Kennedy
Zoe or Zoie or Zoey
Avery
Malia
Harper
Hadley
Ella
Isabella
Isabell (pronounced 'Eye'-sabell
Eden
Teagan
Livia
Piper
Bailey or Bailee
Eva
Harmony
Kenzie
Lexie
Presley
Sophie
Mackenzie

Wish us luck. We may need it.

July 14, 2011

Our Flower Child

Our silly girl, Ziva... sporting her flower power.


 Anyone want a smooch??


July 13, 2011

The Mill Pond

Back in the early to mid 1800's the Pacific Northwest thrived with loggers.

Just north of where we live, in the Colville National Forest, there is a place called Mill Pond. Formed when the first settlers were logging this area. Back in the day it would be filled with logs getting ready to head down stream on massive flumes to the nearby town of Metaline Falls. I have recently learned that this is actually a National Historic Site.

Colville National Forest

Today it is a thriving little lake. The water here is always a beautiful greenish/blue color and we enjoy walking the trails with Ziva every summer.
This is what it looks like today:

There is currently an order with the government to remove the dam that is holding the water in this lake.
If this is the case, we better get up there a few more times before it is gone. 

July 12, 2011

24 Weeks

I can't believe it has been 10 weeks since I posted updates on baby Ziegler. :(
I'm sorry to be such a slacker... the last few months have gotten away from me. But I am back and I am here to report updates through the end so I hope you people are ready.

How far along: I am 24 weeks! Time sure is flying by, only 16 weeks to go. We are in the home stretch and I couldn't be more thrilled or excited. In one hand I want it to go slowly so I can cherish every moment of being pregnant. But on the other hand, I am so excited to meet our little girl that I can just wait for this part to be over. Ahh... sweet dilhemas.

Baby's Development/Size: We had an ultrasound last Wednesday. Baby girl was 1 pound, 6 ounces. She is now accumulating more body fat (as am I) and her little ears are sharpening up so she can now hear very loud sounds. She is starting to grow hair now too, little eyelashes and eyebrows. She's even growing a little head of hair that I can't wait to see. I wonder what color it will be? Dark like mine was? Or blond like her daddy was?

Movement: I am feeling so much movement right now. It pulls at my heart every single time. I still can't believe at times that I am growing a little person and I can feel her moving around. Zach felt her for the the first time on Thursday (7/7). It was so exciting to finally share this with him. I can't wait to feel more. And big sister, Ryleigh, is incredibly excited to feel her move. She's been asking every day.

Changes in me: Other than my weight, not a whole lot is different with me right now. Except for my ever expanding belly of course. Which seems to be expanding at a glorious rate and it will only get going faster and bigger as the time goes on. I'm not telling this time how much I weigh, cause its horribly embarrassing. Let's just say, I've never been this heavy in my entire life and I hope to never be here again. There is the possibility though, that I am enjoying a little too much ice cream. I hope everyone has lots of diet secrets for me when this is over, cause I am going need them.

Cravings: I don't know if this can be classified as cravings exactly... I just get hungry for certain things and can't get that out of my head until I eat it. I guess that is a craving, it just isn't one specific thing. I have been eating a lot of ice cream lately... did I say a lot? Cause what I meant to say was A LOT! It's just so good, it doesn't even matter what kind, I just like to eat it. I've also had two bacon cheese burgers from Five Guys, and a few tomatoes with salt. The salt I probably don't need, but the tomatoes have been wonderful. And I am happy to say that I haven't had a slushee from Sonic in over a month :) I have, however, had about a dozen Hi-C Orange drinks from McDonalds... and I really dislike McDonalds. But where else can you get a large Orange drink for $1?? That's right... no where :( So I am stuck.


What I miss: I don't really miss anything right now. I've wanted to be where I am for practically my entire life. There isn't anywhere I'd rather be, or anything I'd rather be doing. I am very content and happy with where my family is right now.

What I am looking forward to: I think I might finally have an idea on how to decorate the nursery. I am just so excited to start setting up and getting ready; I just need the room to do it. Another month or so and I will have the room, just need to be patient... easier said than done.

Anyone have any good ideas on organization and decor for a baby girl nursery?
More on baby next week.

July 10, 2011

Summer Vacation - The Beach

There is a little something wonderful about summer vacation. Being in the sunshine, barbecues, family around almost every day, and our annual trip to the beach. The trip to the beach is probably my favorite part of summer.

I am lucky enough to live in the inland northwest where we are surrounded by beautiful lakes and rivers. And when I saw surrounded; I mean there are over 30 lakes and rivers within an hour drive of my house. I love where we live! (in the summer... winters are a completely different story)

As much as I love our area and where we live, I am also a lover of the beach. Every summer we try to plan a trip to the Oregon or Washington Coast. This last week we packed up the trailer with all of our sand castle and camping gear and headed out to Fort Stevens, Oregon with the girls. Fort Stevens was one of the first military forts in the western part of the US. It thrived during World War II and now... It's a campground just a short mile from one of my favorite beaches :)

 


Part of the Fort Stevens  Historic Site where they offer tours of the old bunkers and military base.

 


We spend the mornings drinking coffee and swatting off mosquitoes. Then headed off to the numerous beaches in the area to search for sand dollars and other shells. We spent afternoons exploring other towns and beaches nearby. There are lots of hiking trails to hidden beaches and a ton of wildlife to look at.






If you haven't been to Tillamook or aren't lucky enough to live in the Pacific Northwest where you can get the Tillamook dairy products, I am OH SO SORRY! Tillamook makes THE BEST ice creams, yogurts, and cheeses. I am not biased because I live here and get to eat it either... It's a little more expensive to buy and I still pick that off of any shelf in any grocery store. It's richer and creamier and I can't get enough.
If you are ever in the area, be sure to try something.  :)  We visited their factory and sampled cheese (not that I haven't tried them all before) and bought ice cream cones and fudge and blocks of cheese for later. It's just something you have to do when visiting the area. Choosing an ice cream cone from their 36 flavors is not an easy task however.


Have you ever seen The Goonies? One of Steven Spielberg's finest! If you haven't seen it... Rent it! Now!
 It was filmed in Astoria, OR and Cannon Beach, OR. Cannon Beach has Haystack Rock which is probably one of the most distinct and recognised landmarks on any West Coast beach. It's also my favorite beach to visit on our Oregon Coast trip.





 


We had a wonderful time and I can't wait to go again next year.

July 9, 2011

Strawberries and Chinese Food

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures for our day yesterday.
I forgot my camera at home :(

What a Friday we had! 
Up early and at Siemer's Farm on Greenbluff by 7 am.
Had so much fun picking strawberries with everyone.
Took me back to my childhood where we used to do this almost every year. 

Later we were back at my parents house, where my mom and I spent the rest of the day cleaning and packing the fruit, and of course making strawberry jam. Hard work... well, maybe not hard, but definitely time consuming. We worked on strawberries for a good 5 hours before breaking to make dinner.

As if this that wasn't enough to do... we added in a birthday dinner for my brother-in-law, Terry,.
Not just any dinner... Chinese food. The hardest meal in my mom's Family Cookbook.

We made white rice, Rice-a-Roni Egg Foo Young, Hoisin Chicken, Stir Fry Veggies, and Egg Rolls for 15 people. Wonderful meal, it all turned out SO good.

After dinner it was back to strawberries for another couple hours and we were finally done!

Today I am tired, it was a long, wonderful day. It's been a long time since I canned anything with my mom. I forgot how time consuming it was. I am ready for the rest of the summer now though... raspberries, peaches, and pears all need to be canned and/or made into jam and; Not to forget pickles and green beans (Zach's Favorites) need to be canned.

This morning it was fresh strawberries on my Cheerios.
Yum!

July 2, 2011

Happy 4th of July Weekend!!

All our bags are packs,
We're ready to go.
We're sitting here on our front porch...
Waiting for you to come home
so we can go camping.....


 That's how the song goes right??

 Seriously though... we are all packed and ready for the long weekend and we are waiting for Zach to get home from work so we can hit the road. The drive to our destination is only an hour. We'll be there in no time... just as soon as his employees get their butts in gear so he can leave.

I'm not impatient or anything..... :)

Four days of camping ... Fireworks ... Bon Fires ... and Family.

I hope everyone else has a Fun and Safe 4th of July Weekend!
Happy Birthday to our Nation!!!


July 1, 2011

Lucky in Meat

There are a lot of things in my life that make me feel lucky :)
A LOT of things!!

One of those things is that my big brother, Rob, is a butcher.

That's right! We get the hook-up!
He is the owner and operator of L&R Meats in Fort Benton, Montana. 

What's the best thing about meat that comes from my brother? 
It comes from small, family owned farms that don't use harmful chemicals or steroids in their animals.
No steroids for them = No steroids for us

See - Happy Cow!

No animals were harmed in the writing of this blog :)

Have you ever seen the movie Food Inc.?
Watch it! "You'll never look at your dinner the same way!"

So this week... I ordered my meat for the next year.
The best part? Buying meat this way will cost about 1/4 of the price if purchased at the grocery store :)