Caught on Video

This is the first time I caught Liam rolling over on video on December 9th. He had originally rolled over the day after Thanksgiving but then wouldn't roll over whenever I had the video camera out.




This is a present for our family in California who can't be here for Liam's first Christmas.

Rolling over

Here's one from this morning, short and sweet. I have an earlier one that I am trying to upload now but It might take a while since its a bit better quality. This is the low resolution version that only took a minute to upload.


Liam and I were playing with the bubble wrap that came with the present from his Grandparents Bragg. I was having fun and Liam really wasn't all that interested. On another note, can you believe how big he has gotten? I hardly can.

Cutie

I got this fabulous shot of Liam's huge smile today. He's been smiling at me (on purpose) since he was 6 weeks old. He's a little charmer. He like to really smile right before he tells me he's hungry to sweet talk me. He also does it right after he eats (if he's still awake) or after I change him. I'm having so much fun with this little guy.

Mike finished up his teaching job at Liahona Preparatory Academy last Thursday. Now we both have nothing to do until we move to Arizona on January 18th. We still don't know where we will live and that is a little difficult for me. I usually like to plan things well out in advance. We need to find a furnished apartment down there so that Liam and I can come along with Mike. We've been praying for things to work out. I would appreciate any prayers that you could add to help us.

Today we really got dumped on. Tons of snow, over 8 inches. It snowed a little yesterday and a lot last night and this morning. I was hoping to get a look at the Lunar eclipse last night but the whole snowing thing made it not work out. The snow is pretty to look at, especially since I don't have to go anywhere.

Right now Liam is down fussing trying to do tummy time with Daddy. He really doesn't like to be on his tummy. I have no idea why. I hope this is just a phase because I need Liam to learn how to crawl before he walks. He really likes to stand up. So that's us for right now, a happy little family! 

rolling and smiles

Liam is now almost 7 weeks old. It's crazy how time has flown by. Right now he is sitting in my lap grinning ear to ear. The cutest toothless smile that you will ever see. He's been smiling at people since about 2 weeks ago. And this little pro has been rolling over since the day before his blessing. He was blessed the saturday after thanksgiving. I'll post video when I get to the computer that likes to be smart and do that kind of thing. So all is well with our little family. Next up is Christmas and then moving to Arizona!

New Arrival

Liam Thomas Willburn was born on October 30, 2010 at 12:30pm. He really is the cutest baby that I have ever seen in my entire life.  Just in time for Halloween. He was 8lbs 2oz and 18.5" long. He is a really good baby, he even lets me sleep a little. I wonder how his personality with turn out. Right now he is pretty mellow, but very active when he is awake. He is very strong, already holding up his head pretty good. I'll write more later but for now here are some pictures. Happy 1 week old today Liam!

Liam wore his Darth Vader onesie on Halloween. The Doctors and Nurses all thought that he was so cute. His first Halloween costume was pretty awesome. The most styling baby in the Hospital.

Good Idea

This looks like it could be fun. Maybe it would even work! Woke up to like 2 inches of snow on the ground and all I can wear on my feet is flip flops. I miss my boots! And I'd like to see this little guy who seems to be reluctant to come. I know I wouldn't want to come out now, it's cold!

Hurry Up and Wait

I've gone to the hospital twice now with no success other than getting to watch a computer graph my contractions when I can clearly feel them. First time we went the contractions were 3 min apart. The second time we went, they were 1 min apart. (over the space of a couple of hours, and the hurt!) And they keep sending me home. I'm convinced this kid is going to do a sneak attack and just show up without any warning after crying wolf so many times. Argh. In other news, we had fun eating out with all my old roommates from freshman year and their respective partners.

Sunday Dinner

 Mike made a very delicious Sunday dinner yesterday. Handmade pumpkin/butternut squash ravioli with a creamy tomato sauce. KrisAna made some stuffed peppers to go with the ravioli. Very good food. I'm so glad I have a husband who not only can cook, but enjoys it immensely.

Mike made a lovely "fruitamisu" based on the idea of a tiramisu but substituting a berry reduction for coffee.

 It was very delicious. Yellow cake with a berry reduction covered in chocolate ganache and slivered almonds.

Look Who's Coming

Know what happens when I get put on bedrest? I blog! I don't think I have posted this picture yet, but here is the ultrasound picture of the little guy. It was taken at 20 weeks, and since I am close to 37 weeks (full term!), it is a little out of date. But no worries! He'll be a lot cuter once he is out. AND the pictures of him will be in Color!! I think he's really cute. Looks like he has the same face as Mike and my nose. All I know is that he will be the cutest kid ever, most likely because I will have a bias.

Yay yarn!!!

Yes, I took that picture of my yarn. Isn't it yummy?

In other news, we went on a yarn crawl with Tracy and her family on Thursday. I found some lovely bamboo/silk yarn as well as some beautiful malabrigo yarn.

We went to Three Wishes Fiber Arts (in South Jordan) and to Blazing Needles (in Salt Lake). Both places had such yummy yarn, I had to be careful not to buy too much. I was also really tempted to look at the spinning wheels because I had so much fun trying to spin fiber into yarn with Tracy's. I figure I have to wait a while and actually learn how to use a spinning wheel (take a class or something) before I can have one. That, and they're kinda pricey and I think that I will have my hands full enough when this little guy gets here (really soon!) Maybe in 10 years or so? I'll just have to save up all my Christmas' and Birthdays, then maybe I can have one.

This is the very lovely malabrigo. I'm hoping to make a lovely two-toned lacy type scarf with it. Still have to decide in I want to knit or crochet with it. If anyone has any awesome pattern ideas, let me know! It's worsted weight and I have about 200 yards of each color.






This is the super soft 70% bamboo 30% silk blend yarn. I have 90 meters of the blue and 180 meters of the green. I want to make a baby vest or sweater or jacket with this. It feels so very nice. Now I just need a pattern. I need to use 4.5mm (US 7) needles with it. I was looking for a V-neck pattern in a newborn or 0-3 months size. This will be very fun yarn to work with. SO much nicer than acrylic. Also more expensive, but when you spend time working on something, it's worth it to splurge a little sometimes, right?

I'm so very excited to use them once I find patterns for what I want to make with them. With the baby blanket finally finished ( I just need to block it and sew some lining in it), I need a new something to do.

Pumpkin Carving!

 We decided to carve some pumpkins today! It's been a while since I've carved a pumpkin, usually too busy with school or work. Since now I do neither school nor work, something fun to do on Saturday! I helped Analey carve the little one and then Mike and I carved Luigi on the big one! Now here's hoping that the neighborhood kids leave them unsmashed at least until after Halloween . . . .

 What can I say? We're silly people and enjoy the simple things in life. Except that right now Mike is studying Quantum Physics right now for FUN. He found some lectures online on Youtube from a professor at Stanford.  I love Mike's extreme thirst for knowledge. I think that it is a bit contagious. Mike has enjoyed teaching his math classes a little bit about physics and chemistry to help illustrate points to learning math. Who knew that physics could add some spice to math classes?

Kobe Sushi Challenge Videos

 

Kobe Sushi Challenge

The sushi challenge was fun to watch, but I officially don't think Mike will be doing any more food type challenges. They make you sign a waiver to not come and sue the restaurant if you so happen to up and die from eating their food. It all started out well and good but after both Caleb and Mike tried the hottest level of sushi, bad things started to happen.

 This was the "qualifying round", a level 6 out of 7. The spicy helped add some good flavor to the otherwise ok sushi.

 

Look how happy they are!

 Silly Mike, supposed to chew your food!

 All gone food! This was from the level 6.5, the chili powder was death when inhaled.

 And there is the empty glass of milk.











Sara did a very good description of the challenge which you can find here.

I'm going to try and get the videos that I shot up, if I can get the internet to cooperate with me.

California Baby Shower

This is long overdue for posting, I know. Tiarra and Jill threw me a totally awesome baby shower that I flew down to California for when Mike was in Washington back in August. The picnic theme was totally awesome.

I totally loved these little bird decorations that Tiarra had

I was so excited to see my friends from high school. Heather, Cris, and Melanie were really cool and showed up to play some fun baby games and such.

(from lft to rt) Cristina, Me, Melanie, Heather

We did some fun games like guess how big around my belly was, guess how many things in a jar, think up names to help me out for the new baby.

Melanie was spot on and guessed it exactly right!

Javier's mom was super nice and gave us a Babies R Us gift card, which I used right when I got home and bought baby's coming home outfit from the hospital with.

Jill, the  Babies R Us card, and I having a party

It was a really nice day, the only challenge that we had was the wind that tried to steal our papers, napkins, tablecloth, left kidney etc. I know that I had a ton of fun and am so grateful that after all these years that I still have these great friends, and wonderful family who cares about and wants to celebrate things in my life with me. 

Yay Sisters!

Busy Busy Busy

We have been so very busy these past couple of weeks. We packed up and moved and are almost done now unpacking. Now my next project will be to wash all these baby clothes so that we will be totally ready for this little one to come in a couple of weeks. We have the carseat all installed and the bed set up. Now we just get to wait out the next 2 or so weeks, maybe more until we are done.

We're going up to Salt Lake tonight with Caleb and Sara to do the Man vs Food Kobe Sushi challenge. Well, Mike and Caleb (or just Caleb) are doing it. I'll sit and watch and cheer them on. Then I'll drive everyone home if the guys are in too much pain from the dissolving of their esophagi. Fun night!

Happy Birthday!

On Friday it was Mike's 25th birthday. Of course everyone knows how we celebrate birthdays around here, with food! For lunch, Mike's friend Rob took us to Fudruckers where Mike and I split an Elk burger. It was very good, Mike said it tasted like Yak. Very lean and very delicious. Then for dinner we went out with Mike's family to India Palace. Yay mango lassi! They have awesome service and very good food. It helps that they know us by sight there. Mike got some happy birthday Indian mango ice cream and shared it with all of us. Yum!

Then on Saturday Mike got to go stand around at Rice Eccles Stadium (at the U of U) and listen to the Governor give a speech for Governor's day. But the exciting news is that we got to go back out to Salt Lake that evening and have then best food on the planet.

Cucina Toscana! It's a great Tuscan restaurant that we have to limit ourselves to only going twice a year because it is a little pricey. It is well worth the money though. They have the most excellent pasta, proteins, and desserts. We love their 7 chocolates hot chocolate with biscotti.

On Sunday we had monster ( like german pancakes) for dinner because it is one of Mike's favorite things in the world. It's called monster because when it is baking in the oven it expands and swells like a great edible monster, but then it shrinks back down when it is taken out. A very lovely sweet syrup is poured over the top.

So we had a fun birthday weekend for Mike. I finally got him into some stylish new jeans and we set up the crib for the baby. Two unrelated things except that I have been wanting to do both for a while. Well, now it's back to packing so we can move!

What's New

Mike started his new job teaching at Liahona. He teaches Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Geometry now. He loves teaching so much. He says his only regret is that he has to leave the kids that he's teaching in January. We move to Arizona this January for Mike's officer training for about 5 months. I've never been to Arizona, but I sure look forward to spending much of the winter without snow! Other than Mike's new job, we are working on packing up our house and moving out by October. Mike's parents are really nice and are letting us move in with them for a couple of months until we move to Arizona. It is really going to be a great help living with Mike's parents when the Baby gets here. I'm very grateful for the wonderful family that I had a chance to marry into. They really do take good care of us. I just don't know how to show just how grateful I am for all their help.

On Saturday, we had the baby shower here in Utah. It was very fun and relax. We just had a BBQ and people stopped by between noon and 4 at their leisure. It worked out very well I think. Thanks to Cassie and Tracy for throwing it! Sorry, no pictures because I forgot to get my camera out of my purse.

In other news, it's Mike's 25th birthday this Friday! And we start our prenatal classes at the hospital tonight. Hope it isn't too complicated.

Going, going, back, back

To California! I'm off to California for 5 days to visit with family and have an awesome baby shower! I'm totally excited. Mike is still in Seattle for a couple more days but we will be back together by Monday. Mike gets to start teaching on Wednesday. We'll see what I get to do next week since I won't be joining the rest of the kids going back to BYU because I'm all graduated and stuff. :) Maybe I'll make something. Here's to successful traveling for both Mike and I!

This has got to be my favorite commercial EVER

Best Ever

I just wanted to say that Mike is the best husband ever! He saved me from the dishes that were threatening to take over the house. :)

Live Music and Frozen Hot Cocao

On Friday, Mike and I went down to Lehi to listen to his Kung Fu Nephew's band play at a local cafe. The music was pretty fun to listen too and it wasn't too hot at 8pm. The Cool Beans Cafe has really good drinks. I had something called a crazy monkey frozen (coconut and banana) hot cocoa and mike had a hazelnut type frozen hot cocoa. Very fun! Earlier on Saturday we had gone out to eat at Chinatown in south Provo with his parents. It has to be the best Chinese food in Utah County. Then we went and played Majong for a couple of hours. Mike won overall, but I at least won one round!

Getting Ready...

This week we bought a pack n' play. Carter's Bumble Comfort n' Care Playard and Changer - Summer Infant - Babies "R" Us
I think it is really awesome. But today we went out to look at car seats and came across a really great Evenflow seat that was on clearance because they were switching fabric patterns. And then the guy at the store told us that we could use our coupon in addition to the clearance price. So in the end we have this totally awesome carseat for about half price.
All in all, a very good week for baby stuff. So we have all the big things ready; a place to sleep, a place to ride in the car, and a diaper bag (a place to hold stuff to clean up poop).

What's for dinner

It's been a while since I've made enchiladas for dinner so that's what we're having tonight! Bragg style enchiladas. YUM.  Flour tortillas with refried beans, ground meat, and cheese inside. Smothered in a homemade red sauce and topped with cheese. Baked in a 425 degree oven for 20 min. Highly recommended.

Physical Therapy

So turns out that my inability to walk without shooting pain was bad enough to warrant my doctor giving me a prescription for physical therapy. I've been doing all the exercises for about a week now and am starting to be able to walk again! Yay! Hopefully I'll get good enough to make it for another trip to California. Guess I'll have to see what the doctor says.

Totally fun Baby Wipe Case

Blanket

SO I started making this really cool baby blanket for when Baby comes. It's a pattern called "Op Art". So far it looks like this:

Actually, I'm a little farther along but it basically is going to be a spiraling square pattern. I think it's really nifty. The pattern for this little design is here.  So it should look a little something like that.

Props to Sara

I just wanted to say how AMAZING Sara is and how great she is at this whole blogging and life thing. Way to go! Seriously, I can't wait to read how her week is going. Yay Sara!

Cupcakes and Baby

So this is what we did when we told Tracy (Mike's sister) and her family what gender Baby was. Same idea as what we did in California except we did a chocolate pomegranate cupcake with colored fondant.

I really do love cupcakes!

CA Continued

So on Saturday on our drive back from California, Mike and I decided to stop by the Jelly Belly Factory in Fairfield, CA. I had way too much fun looking at all the candy.

We were tempted to go on a factory tour, but we have had enough of those from our commodities field trips for our Food Science major. I also found some really cute onesies for Baby and decided that we had to have them. AND they were reasonably priced. I can't argue with that!






















Then we stopped at UC Davis and checked our their Food Science Program. They have a really awesome new complex of buildings being build right now that are completely devoted to Food Science! Really nice facilities, especially the Sensory Science building. I'm hoping that Mike can do his Masters or PhD at UC Davis! 

If you didn't already know...

Mike and I are expecting our first child in early November. The whole reason why I wanted to rush down to California was to tell my family the gender of our baby. So we brought things to make cupcakes (along with food coloring) that we made up at Tiarra and Javier's place. We dyed the cupcakes (a white cake batter) a gender specific color, baked them, and then frosted them with chocolate frosting. So at the big family potluck type dinner the next day, we served the cupcakes as desert. But not before making everyone guess first. It was split 50/50 as to whether it was a boy or a girl. So when everyone unwrapped their cupcakes....

They were blue! Blue = Baby Boy! I totally forgot to take a picture of the cupcakes before we ate them but I think you get the gist. I think everyone was excited and I thought that it was a cute idea.

So I guess Blue= Smurf baby. So there we are! I'll post some pictures of Baby soon.

Awesome CA trip

We had a nice trip to California about three weeks ago. It was a bit short, but we had to make sure that we got back in time to do some important paperwork and such for the military. I just couldn't wait to tell the family in CA our exciting news. But we did get to do some fun things while we were down in the Bay.


Tiarra came with Mike and I on a fun trip into San Francisco's Chinatown. The main objective for this trip was to get Mike a game of Majong (which is really run by the way) and Chinese Chess. Tiarra was super nice and bought us lunch at a really delicious Chinese restaurant (of course).

It was a really blustery day and so we stopped for hot cocoa at Starbucks.Then we went home with Tiarra and hung with her and Javier and their lovely collection of furry (and scaly) friends. We made some cupcakes there and then when it got too late, we headed back to our hotel with the cupcakes and one of Tiarra's butter knives. The next day Mike and I went back to San Francisco on BART again, this time with his parents who were making a stop in Walnut Creek on their roadtrip. We went to Fisherman's Warf where Mike got to eat Clam Chowder at his favorite restaurant, Chowders.

And because I prefer to eat animals that live on land, I ate this lovely chicken tenders and chips.

Commissioning

On June 18th, Mike commissioned as a Lieutenant into the Army. It was a nice ceremony at the Hinckley Visitors Center at BYU. Our friends Miriam and Jorge were able to come as well as Caleb, Tracy, and Mike's Parents. Jorge got to be the first person to salute Mike and Mike gave him a shiny old silver dollar. KrisAna and I put Mike's rank on him. It was a little hard to get the shoulder boards on him because it is a frog and loop type of setup, but I fixed it once we were all sitting down again! The Army gave Mike a plaque as being part of the Helaman 2000 Warriors from BYU and I got a fancy plaque for being an awesome wife. Who knew I would get awards for having the opportunity to spend my life with an awesome guy. It was a very nice day and was right after when Mike and I had finished all of our classes and were officially done with our Undergraduate classes at BYU. So that week we (1) took finals, (2) passed all our classes, and (3) commissioned Mike into the Army. Busy week. :)



Mike with his shiny new butter bar on his hat. Doesn't he look all official?













Jorge saluting Mike.

Our totally awesome friends Miriam and Jorge and their daughter Megan. And see that cookie Megan has? She shared her cookies with me and it totally saved my life (or at least my sanity) while we waited to go out for some delicious Indian food later with Mike's parents and Caleb & Sara. Yay cute and happy little family!











Caleb showed up to show support from the Bragg side of the family! Caleb was awesome enough to put up with me totally forgetting to tell him about the big event until like the day before. Sara had to work but she got to eat lunch with us later!






KrisAna (Mike's Mom) and I putting on his rank. See the pretty blue shoulder boards? And that is the same uniform that Mike had on in our wedding pictures.

This Week is going to be AWESOME

Just because I finish up my college career. :) Yay Food Science Degree!

Dining Out

So we went to Mike's military ball thing. Fun food and a good end of the school year party. We got to dress up all fancy. I even barely still fit into one of my prom dresses. woohoo! And we were just so cute. A very good night, even though it was very rainy and the food was from a local catering (not so yummy) company.

Aren't we just adorable?